Awareness and Knowledge about Occupational Therapy in Jordan.
Wesam Barakat Darawsheh
PMID 29950955WHAT IT FOUND
In Jordan, 48% of adults had poor or no knowledge of occupational therapy.
Misconceptions were common, including that therapists are physiotherapists, work only with disability, or provide job recruitment.
Key findings
0148% of participants had poor or no knowledge about occupational therapy, and 45.5% reported no prior knowledge.
0255% of participants did not know places that provide occupational therapy services, and only 32% reported that schools could provide them.
03Common misconceptions included that occupational therapists are physiotherapists (44%) and work only with people with disabilities (50%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Participants were recruited from public places and the researcher's professional networks, so they were not a random sample of Jordan's population. The questionnaire was developed for this study, not an established standard measure. It did not ask registered OTs or OT assistants what they understand OT to be, so it cannot describe the profession's own view. The study measured self-reported knowledge and awareness, not patient outcomes, referrals, or whether education about OT improves care. The findings are limited to adults in Jordan and to the groups sampled.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that healthcare professionals in Jordan know what occupational therapists do. Even among healthcare personnel, 31.5% reported no prior knowledge and 15.3% said it was their first time hearing about OT.