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Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the occupational impact (i.e., how engagement in occupation is affected) of having had bowel cancer and the role of occupational therapy with bowel cancer survivors and their significant others. Methods: Two rounds of semi‐structured interviews were carried out with individuals who had completed treatment for bowel cancer, with interviews designed to gain insight into their occupational experiences post treatment. Thematic analysis was utilised to construct themes and patterns founded on the perceptions of participants. Analysis involved concurrent data collection and analysis, constant comparative analysis, and iterative analysis. Findings Eighteen participants were interviewed, with occupational impact evident across multiple aspects of everyday life. Four themes were identified: Changes in eating habits, changes in toileting habits, changes in relationships, and rethinking occupational choices. Conclusion: Findings of the occupational impact of having had bowel cancer reveal a possible role for occupational therapists with people affected by bowel cancer. Occupation focused assessments and self‐management programmes are identified as a possible means of meeting the needs of this population, making use of the experiences of peers to provide a credible, relatable voice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019, 33,523 North Korean refugees were granted citizenship and lived in South Korea. There is growing concern that rather than guaranteeing participation, their citizenship is associated with marginalization, alienation, and isolation. Guided by an occupational science perspective and Straussian grounded theory, this study explored how they participate in society through engaging in everyday activities using 10 semi‐structured interviews that were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. It found that the South Korean governmental stance toward reunification, compounded by ethnic homogeneity, eased the participants' transition to the host society. In response, participants engaged in or pursed activities they hoped would prove useful for the reunification of Korea. Readying for reunification encapsulated a meaning participants attached to their everyday activities while pursuing citizenship of South Korea. This article concludes by recommending the urgent need for social outreach initiatives, where North Korean refugees utilize their trans‐national knowledge for the reunification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of occupational therapy on mental health outcomes for children is largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate an evidence‐based occupational therapy intervention designed to increase participation in daily occupations to prevent symptoms of mental illness for children and run in schools. Methods: The study used a pragmatic, cluster‐randomised controlled trial design with two arms. Fourteen clusters (schools), equating to 151 child participants, were stratified by school decile‐rank category and block randomised. Blinding of participants post‐randomisation was not feasible; however, outcomes assessors were blinded. Outcomes were measured at baseline, after the parallel and crossover phases, and at follow‐up; and were anxiety symptoms (primary), depression symptoms, self‐esteem, participation and wellbeing. Intention‐to‐treat analysis was applied and mixed linear modelling was used to account for clusters and repeated measures, and to adjust for covariates identified. Results: This trial found significant positive effects of the intervention on child‐rated satisfaction with their occupational performance and teacher‐rated child anxiety. No evidence was found to support the effect of the intervention on anxiety and depression symptoms, self‐esteem and wellbeing. Conclusions: This was the first known cluster‐randomised controlled trial to investigate an occupational therapy intervention promoting emotional wellbeing in a non‐clinical sample of children. No compelling evidence was found to support the use of the intervention in schools in its current format, however, results were promising that the focus on occupations influenced participation. Recommendations are made to redesign the intervention as an embedded intervention in the classroom, cotaught by teachers and including parental involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many countries today, digital technology and instant communication are embedded in children's everyday lives to the extent that their play frequently incorporates smartphones, the Internet and other technologies. In this paper, we explore the recent historical conditions within the New Zealand context that have increased the accessibility of these technologies and imbued them with particular meanings. We suggest that from a Foucauldian perspective, these technologies can be seen as a form of subtle disciplinary power using techniques of governmentality through which children's ways of thinking are shaped to benefit societal requirements of the current historical era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objective The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health ( ICF) was developed by the World Health Organization to comprehensively describe the ways that health conditions can affect people. The identification of ICF categories of most relevance to people with a particular disease can increase the usefulness of the ICF and create a reference for outcome studies. This study aimed to ascertain, through focus group interviews with psoriasis patients and an online Delphi survey with health professionals, the impacts of psoriasis as categorised by the ICF. Methods We conducted and transcribed verbatim focus group interviews with 32 outpatients with psoriasis from two New Zealand cities. The interview transcripts were analysed to yield meaning units and concepts contained in the meaning units were extracted. These concepts were linked to ICF categories. An online Delphi survey among 23 health professionals was conducted to obtain similar information. The ICF categories were rated for their perceived relevance to psoriasis by health professionals over three iterations. Results In total, 32 patients participated in six focus groups. Interview saturation was reached after five focus groups. The concepts were linked to 83 ICF categories and two separate health conditions. Among health professionals, 167 ICF categories were rated, mostly in the moderately relevant (four to six) range. Conclusion Applying the established method of meaning condensation to focus group interview transcripts allowed the accurate linking of concepts to ICF categories. This will be of use to researchers developing the first ICF core set for psoriasis in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of this research was to identify the risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders present when mothers lift normally developing children weighing between 20 and 31 lbs (9-14 kg) in the home. Method Twenty five mothers aged 28-40 years completed Sanders and Morse's (2005) self-report survey of pain and high-risk practices. In addition, the OMLITH, a structured checklist for observing mothers lifting children in the home, was developed. Criteria to rate variables relating to the load (child), environment, person (mother) and task as low, moderate or high risk were developed, on the basis of published manual handling assessments. The mothers were observed performing 87 lifts, and risk factors were rated. Results The majority of participants reported low back pain (64%). They self-rated bending while carrying a child as most stressful, and various other tasks involving carrying; prolonged bending, squatting or stooping; and lifting a child as physically stressful. At least one risk factor related to the load was recorded in all 87 observations, with moderate to high risk most frequently related to the child's weight (73.6%) or the mother's grip on the child (93.1%). Common environmental factors presenting a moderate to high risk related to space constraints (59.7% of tasks) and equipment (58.6%). Factors related to the mothers' strength and fitness (57.5% of tasks) commonly posed moderate to high risk, as did horizontal reach distances (82.8%), vertical lift distances (78.2%) and reaches above shoulder height or below mid thigh level (88.5%). Trunk rotation greater than 45° or combining rotation and side bending while lifting resulted in a moderate to high risk rating in 72.4% of tasks. The developmental age of the child interacted with weight to increase or decrease the requirement for lifting. Conclusion Risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders are present to a significant degree, and further research in this area is warranted. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim Ongoing knowledge development calls on health professionals to explore strategies to disseminate new or updated theoretical frameworks to practitioners. To date few researchers have explored effective means to do this or how the dissemination of professional ideas impacts on effective service delivery. The study described in this article aimed to identify strategies senior occupational therapists adopted to disseminate new concepts that have the potential to re-vision and transform practice. Methods Six occupational therapists were recruited as co-researchers to become part of a collaborative community of practice. Over a 9-month period they engaged in a project based on action research cycles where they had access to a newly revised theoretical framework. During each cycle the co-researchers participated in a teleconference which was audio-recorded where they reflected on concepts in relation to their own practice. Findings As understanding of the theoretical framework increased, they discussed which aspects of their practice could change, particularly in relation to processes they used to disseminate knowledge to the staff they supervised or managed. Conclusion/significance The co-researchers described a range of ideas for dissemination which included individual and group strategies. In addition, they became aware of the transformative potential of their new knowledge as a way to better understand and create change within their organisations. The co-researchers also described a sense of increased confidence, not only in terms of conceptualising practice but in terms of supervising staff and challenging service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose. Peer review is increasingly used for professional development and to monitor physiotherapists' competence to practice. This study set out to describe the experience of participating in peer review. Method. Qualitative descriptive methods were employed to elicit and analyze interview data from physiotherapists with experience as reviewers and having their practice reviewed. Results. Reviewers managed the process to provide an appropriate level of challenge to junior and senior therapists, and to avoid disrupting professional relationships. Those being reviewed reduced anxiety about the process and risk of negative feedback by putting their best practice on show, and where they could, by carefully choosing the reviewer and patient interaction to be reviewed. Conclusion. When peer review has competing purposes it is neither an effective professional development tool nor an accurate measure of competence. Power and interpersonal relationships need to be acknowledged if peer review is used to assess practitioner competence. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]