Delivering Occupation-Based Practice in Stroke Rehabilitation of Hospital Settings: Thai Occupational Therapists’ Experiences

Authors

Anuchart Kaunnil, Chiang Mai UniversityFollow
Veerawat Sansri, Navamindradhiraj University
Surachart Thongchoomsin, Mahidol University
Kannika Permpoonputtana, Mahidol University
Sutinun Juntorn, Mahidol University
Kathryn Jarvis, University of Central Lancashire
Cristina Reyes Smith, Medical University of South Carolina
Michael Palapal Sy, University of the Philippines
Jiranan Griffiths, Chiang Mai University
Chutikorn Nopparat, Srinakharinwirot University
Peeradech Thichanpiang, Mahidol UniversityFollow

Abstract

Occupation-based practice (OBP) is central to the practice of occupational therapists where occupations or meaningful activities become the focus of the assessment, intervention, and outcomes measurement process. Although occupational therapists practising in Thailand claim that they engage in OBP, this claim warrants empirical investigation. This study aimed to investigate the experiences and perceptions of hospital-based occupational therapists of OBP within stroke rehabilitation. Utilizing a qualitative design, fourteen occupational therapists were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews until data saturation was reached. Each interview was recorded and transcribed verbatim, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes were identified (1) Perspective towards OBP, (2) OBP as professional value and cultural identity, (3) Implementing OBP for stroke rehabilitation in hospital settings, (4) Environmental factors of using OBP in stroke rehabilitation, and (5) OBP in the service management. Occupational therapists perceived that OBP is important for professional identity. Using OBP provides positive changes in stroke clients. This study provides evidence that will help implement OBP into occupational therapy in Thailand.

Keywords

occupation-based practice, stroke rehabilitation, occupational therapists, phenomenology

Author Bio(s)

Anuchart Kaunnil is a lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. He graduated with a doctorate in occupational therapy from Northumbria University, United Kingdom. He is the primary investigator and first author. His work included conceptualization, writing a research proposal, methodology, project administration, resources, preparing ethical submissions, investigation, conducting interviews, data curation, data analysis, writing—original draft, and revising the manuscript.

Veerawat Sansri is a lecturer of anatomy for medical students in Department of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Thailand. His work included conceptualization, resources, and data curation.

Surachart Thongchoomsin is a lecturer in the Division of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Thailand. His work included conceptualization, resources, and data analysis.

Kannika Permpoonputtana is an assistant professor in National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Thailand. Her work included conceptualization, resources, and data curation.

Sutinun Juntorn is a lecturer in the Division of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Thailand. Her work included conceptualization, resources, and data analysis.

Kathryn Jarvis is a senior research fellow, Stroke Team, School of Nursing, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy and Professional Lead for Occupational Therapy School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, UK. Her work included conceptualization, validation, and writing-review.

Cristina Reyes Smith is an associate professor and director of admissions in the College of Health Professions (CHP) Division of Occupational Therapy at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), USA. She graduated with a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) from Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia. Her work included conceptualization and validation.

Michael Palapal Sy is an associate professor of Health Professions Education, University of the Philippines Manila. He graduated with a Doctor of Occupational Therapy from Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan. His work included conceptualization, validation, and writing-review.

Jiranan Griffiths is an assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University. She graduated with a doctorate in community medicine from the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University. Her work included conceptualization, validation, and writing-review.

Chutikorn Nopparat is a lecturer in the Innovative Learning Center, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand. His work included conceptualization and validation.

Peeradech Thichanpiang, is an assistant professor in the Division of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Thailand. He graduated with a doctorate in Anatomy and Structural Biology from Mahidol University. He is the manuscript’s corresponding author. He conducted project administration, resources, preparing ethical submissions, investigation, conducting interviews, data curation, data analysis, writing—original draft, and revising the manuscript. Please direct correspondence to peeradech.thi@mahidol.ac.th

Acknowledgements

This research project was supported by Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Thailand, grant number 0517.391 (4.2)/027, 2015.

Publication Date

1-20-2023

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5591

Recommended APA Citation

Kaunnil, A., Sansri, V., Thongchoomsin, S., Permpoonputtana, K., Juntorn, S., Jarvis, K., Reyes Smith, C., Palapal Sy, M., Griffiths, J., Nopparat, C., & Thichanpiang, P. (2023). Delivering Occupation-Based Practice in Stroke Rehabilitation of Hospital Settings: Thai Occupational Therapists’ Experiences. The Qualitative Report, 28(1), 252-268. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5591

ORCID ID

0000-0001-7957-6448

ResearcherID

B-1818-2016