Occupational therapy culture seen through the multifocal lens of fieldwork in diverse rural areas
Sammanfattning
Background: Existing occupational therapy culture has not yet fully articulated diverse worldviews on occupation, health, and
well-being and the link between them. Taking into consideration the diversity of the global world, incorporating different
worldviews would be a valuable contribution to expanding the relevance of occupational therapy. Aim: The aim of this research
was to analyse worldviews regarding human occupation and the link between occupation, health, and well-being among people
from rural Honduras, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, and Ecuador. Methods: This ethnographic research used three
methods, i.e. semi-structured interviews, participant observations, and in-depth interviews, to collect data from 27 participants
in five countries. The material was analysed using a Grounded Theory approach. Results: One core category, "Occupations are
social practices", was identified and it included three subcategories: "Occupation, health and well-being as a personal and
community experience"; "Co-occupations, collective occupations and collaborative occupations are the most important
occupations"; and "Occupation, health and well-being mutually influence each other". Conclusion and significance. The overall
findings showed that taking different worldviews into account is needed for developing an occupational therapy culture that is
useful globally and hosts diverse meanings and occupation-focused practices.