Recent Trends in Occupational Therapy Practice amongst the Budding Therapists Across India.

Backround: Occupational Therapy is increasingly becoming popular. The objective of the present study is to develop an insight to the current trends in practice of occupational therapy in India. The target group chosen for the study are budding occupational therapists who have completed their graduation within the last 5 years. Objectives: The study aims to investigate the trends in location of work setups, nature of organization of work, nature of place of employment, current work profile, nature of cases these budding therapists are dealing with currently, the work setup they are employed in and remuneration they are receiving. The trends emerging from the present study would be helpful to understand the current work dynamics and thus prepare the young workforce for future possible opportunities. Study Design: The present study was a survey-based research design. Data was gathered through a questionnaire. Methods: This questionnaire was distributed on an online platform to 695 therapists practicing across India. Care was taken to include only the therapists who had completed their graduation within the last five years i.e., between 2018-22. Data collection was carried out for a period of 8 months from October 2021 to May 2022. RESULTS: The analyses revealed that the profession of Occupational Therapy in the country is dominated by female therapists. The age of the workforce that have responded are in their mid-twenties. Most of them are working in urban or metropolitan setups primarily in Paediatric setups in clinics which are mostly privately owned rehabilitation centres. Conclusion: The present analyses pointed out that there may be a lack of diversification of practice in Occupational Therapy in the country. It also indicated that the freshly graduated out professionals feel that there are a limited remuneration and lack of opportunities in the Government sector, and as a result the current scenario suggests that most of them after being trained turn their head to foreign land for a better opportunity with respect to employment. However, new setups and areas of practice are slowly emerging and opportunities for young budding therapists are increasing back home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]