Management of Chronic Pain by Occupational Therapist: A Description of Practice Profile.
Émilie Lagueux, Julie Masse, Raphaël Pagé and 2 others
PMID 36935619WHAT IT FOUND
Most Quebec occupational therapists treating chronic pain work in private practice or secondary care, rarely in family medicine groups or tertiary settings.
They frequently use individual interventions like energy conservation and task adaptation, but seldom use group therapy.
Key findings
01Occupational therapists in this survey primarily worked in private practice, with less than half in primary care and only about one-fifth in tertiary care.
02The most frequently used interventions were individual-focused, such as education on energy conservation and postural hygiene, while group interventions were reported as not applicable by nearly two-thirds of respondents.
03Therapists reported moderate self-perceived competency in their clinical roles and intervention methods, with a stated need for further training in intervention techniques and evidence-based practice.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The response rate was low (11.9%), meaning the 90 respondents may not represent the broader population of OTs in Quebec. The sample was geographically skewed, with half of the participants working in the Montreal Metropolitan Area. Competency levels were based on self-perception, not objective assessment, and were arbitrarily categorized. The survey did not capture data on the use of standardized occupational therapy assessment tools. The study was conducted in French, limiting generalizability to other provinces or countries.
Declared interests
The study was funded by a grant from the Ordre des Ergothérapeutes du Québec (OEQ), the provincial licensing body. The OEQ also facilitated recruitment by sending emails to its members. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the low use of group interventions or tertiary care settings as a lack of skill or willingness by therapists. The data suggests these omissions are largely due to practice context constraints (e.g., private practice settings where groups are not applicable) rather than clinical preference or competency.