The Occupational Therapy Profession in Saudi Arabia.
Naif Qasem Aljabri, Kim Bulkeley, Anne Cusick
PMID 38274406WHAT IT FOUND
Saudi Arabia has one occupational therapist per 10,000 people.
Services exist only in hospitals, not primary care or schools. Most doctors and therapists do not refer patients because they cannot distinguish occupational therapy from physiotherapy.
Key findings
01The density of occupational therapists in Saudi Arabia is 0.1 per 10,000 population, with 70% working in the government sector.
02Occupational therapy services are currently unavailable in primary healthcare settings, community-based services, and schools.
03Most physicians do not refer patients to occupational therapy even when it is available in the hospital.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a descriptive case study, not an experimental trial, so it cannot determine the efficacy of interventions. The study relies heavily on grey literature and personal communications, which may introduce bias or lack rigorous verification. There are no national statistics on the exact number of OT professionals or graduates, making workforce planning difficult. The findings are specific to the Saudi Arabian healthcare context and may not apply to other regions.
Declared interests
The first author is an employee of Taibah University, which is mentioned as having an OT programme in development. The study was part of a doctoral programme at the University of Sydney.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the low referral rates and lack of awareness as evidence that occupational therapy is ineffective. The paper attributes these issues to structural barriers, such as the absence of primary care services, a severe workforce shortage, and a lack of clear role definition, rather than poor clinical outcomes.