Unraveling the "Greener Pastures" Concept: The Phenomenology of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists.

The Philippines is one of the major labor exporters for health care workers in the world and occupational therapists are the second most likely professionals behind nurses to work in "greener pastures" overseas. This phenomenological study describes the migration experiences of Philippine-trained occupational therapists working in high-income, Anglophone countries. Researchers conducted online interview for 15 participants who were previously/currently unemployed/underemployed. Following an inductive approach to qualitative data analysis, themes were drawn from the migrant therapists' lived experiences. Four themes describe the migration experiences of Filipino occupational therapists: (a) realities of being an occupational therapist in the Philippines, (b) contradictions faced by Filipino occupational therapists upon migration, (c) when the pastures overseas are not greener, and (d) when the pastures overseas are indeed greener. The study contributes to the labor migration discourse in occupational therapy and the critical examination of the idea of "greener pastures."

The Migration and Deskilling of Filipino Occupational TherapistsThis study provides stories of Filipino occupational therapists who were underemployed as they migrated to developed and English-speaking countries. We interviewed 15 people online to explore their experiences of migration, being underemployed, and working in a foreign country with a different culture of working. Results of the study revealed four ideas: (a) reality of being an occupational therapist in the Philippines, (b) contradictions faced by Filipino occupational therapists upon migration, (c) barriers faced by migrant occupational therapists, and (d) successes experienced by migrant occupational therapists. This study contributes to the ongoing research on occupational therapy, labor migration, and overseas Filipino workers.

Scoping review of dual-task interference in individuals with intellectual disability.

Dual-task paradigms can provide insights on the structures and mechanisms underlying information processing and hold diagnostic, prognostic, and rehabilitative value for populations with cognitive deficits such as in individuals with intellectual disability (ID). In this paradigm, two tasks are performed separately (single-task context) and concurrently (dual-task context). The change in performance from single- to dual-task context represents dual-task interference. Findings from dual-task studies have been largely inconsistent on whether individuals with ID present with dual-task-specific deficits. The current review aimed to map the published literature on dual-task methods and pattern of dual-task interference in individuals with ID. A scoping review based on Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage methodological framework was performed. Seventeen electronic databases and registries were searched to identify relevant studies, including gray literature. Charted data from included studies were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. PRISMA guidelines informed the reporting of this review. Twenty-two studies involving 1,102 participants (656 with ID and 446 without ID) met the review's inclusion criteria. Participants in the included studies were heterogeneous in sex, age (range 3-59 years), etiology and ID severity. Included studies characterized their ID-sample in different ways, most commonly using intelligence quotient (IQ) scores. Other measures of intellectual function (e.g., mental age, ID severity, verbal and/or visuospatial ability scores) were also used, either solely or in combination with IQ. Methods of dual-task testing varied across studies, particularly in relation to dual-task combinations, equation of single-task performance between groups, measurement and reporting of dual-task performance for each single-task, and task priority instructions. Thematic content of the included studies were: (1) structural interference to dual-tasking; (2) etiology-based differences in dual-tasking; (3) gait and balance dual-task performance; (4) testing executive function using dual-task paradigms; and (5) training effect on dual-task performance. Although the evidence consistently supported the intact dual-tasking ability of individuals with ID, the pattern of dual-task interference was inconsistent. Likewise, the evidence was inconclusive regarding dual-task deficit specific to individuals with ID because of heterogeneity in dual-task study designs among included studies.

Sociomaterial perspective as applied in interprofessional education and collaborative practice: a scoping review.

Learning and working together towards better health outcomes today have become more complex requiring an investigation on how interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) practices could be sustained and further developed. Through a sociomaterial perspective, we can better understand IPE and IPC practices by foregrounding the material aspect of learning and working together and examining its relationship with humans and their interactions. This article aimed to examine existing literature that discusses the application of sociomaterial perspectives in IPE and IPC. A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's framework to explore the extent within the current body of knowledge that discuss how sociomaterial perspective is applied in IPE and IPC practices. A systematic database search was performed in September 2021 to retrieve literature published from 2007 onwards, with forty-three papers meeting the inclusion criteria. These papers included research articles, book chapters, conference papers and commentaries, with the majority originating from Europe. The thematic analysis revealed the following themes: (1) power as a sociomaterial entity shaping IPE and IPC; (2) inclusion of non-health professionals in reimagining IPE and IPC practices, and (3) the critical understanding of sociomateriality. The findings suggest that a sociomaterial perspective can allow for the reimagination of the contemporary and future practices of interprofessionalism.

Athletes with intellectual disability: The effects of cognitive deficits and sports practice on bipedal standing balance.

BACKGROUND: Athletes with intellectual disability represent a unique population who experiences the contrasting effects of cognitive deficits and benefits of sports on balance. This study investigated the combined impact of intellectual disability and sport practice on balance. METHOD: Center-of-pressure excursion in bipedal stance of 2 disability (with and without intellectual disability) × 2 sport practice (athlete and novice) participant groups was measured in several balance conditions. RESULTS: Sport practice exerted no significant effect on any of the center-of-pressure measures used. In contrast, intellectual disability's effects on balance, which were most apparent in challenging balance conditions, were significant (p < .05) and had large effect sizes (ηp 2 > 0.13). CONCLUSION: The negative effects of cognitive deficits on the balance of young adults with intellectual disability underscore the need for effective interventions. Although findings did not support sports' balance-remediating potential, the value of sport participation for individuals with intellectual disability cannot be fully dismissed just yet.

A Rapid Review of the Factors That Influence Service User Involvement in Interprofessional Education, Practice, and Research.

Service user involvement in interprofessional education and collaborative practice remains limited despite the increasing push for this by governments and grant funding bodies. This rapid review investigated service user involvement in interprofessional education, practice, and research to determine factors that enable or hinder such involvement. Following the Cochrane and the World Health Organization's rapid review guidelines, a targeted search was undertaken in four databases. Subsequent to the screening processes, included papers were critically appraised, and extracted data were synthesized narratively. Sixteen studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies were related to interprofessional collaborative practice, as opposed to education and research. Service user involvement was more in the form of consultation and collaboration, as opposed to consumer-led partnerships. Enablers and barriers to service user involvement in IPECP were identified. Enablers included structure, the valuing of different perspectives, and relationships. Barriers included time and resources, undesirable characteristics, and relationships. This rapid review has added evidence to a swiftly expanding field, providing timely guidance. Healthcare workers can benefit from targeted training. Policy makers, healthcare organizations, and governments can investigate strategies to mitigate the time and resource challenges that impede service user involvement in IPECP.

Cognitive-motor multitasking in athletes with and without intellectual impairment.

PURPOSE: We investigated cognitive-motor multitasking in 29 top athletes with intellectual impairment (II) recruited during the European Championship Games organized by Virtus (World Intellectual Impairment Sports) and 29 control (CT) athletes matched for age, sex, sports practiced, and lifetime accumulated practice hours. METHODS: Participants performed a cognitive task that required recognizing previously displayed visual objects among distractors. The motor task required maintaining a stable upright posture balancing on a rocking board placed atop a force plate which assessed center-of-pressure (COP) movement. Both tasks were performed separately (with participants seated for the cognitive single task) and concurrently under dual-task conditions, wherein participants memorized objects while balancing. We analyzed recognition accuracy, COP path length, and sample entropy of the COP trajectory as a measure for automaticity of postural control. RESULTS: As expected, CT-athletes outperformed II-athletes in the cognitive task but the two groups have comparable performance in the postural task under single- and dual-task conditions. When multitasking, CT-athletes switched to more automatic postural control and maintained their postural sway at single-task levels. II-athletes prioritized balance thereby successfully keeping COP excursion comparable to single-task conditions. However, this came with pronounced costs for memory performance, which was unaffected by multitasking in CT-athletes. CONCLUSION: The adaptive capacity observed in control athletes was not at the disposal of II-athletes who revealed pronounced sensitivities to multitasking interference. This sensitivity obviously was not compensated for by either athletic competence or potential transfer of athletic skill to domain-general cognitive functions.

Occupational justice health questionnaire: reflections on its application / Questionário de saúde e justiça ocupacional: reflexões em sua aplicação

ABSTRACT Introduction Occupational justice concept is defined as the equal access and participation in all occupations, including the resources required for participation and opportunities for social inclusion. Occupational justice not only remains conceptually ambiguous for occupational therapy practice but also lacks critical examination of its applicability to non-Western cultures. Objective This article describes the reflexive process exercised by the researchers during and after using the Occupational Justice Health Questionnaire (OJHQ) as an occupational therapy tool in a substance addiction rehabilitation setting in the Philippines. Method This qualitative study gathered transcriptions from field notes and focus group discussions of the authors. These transcriptions were characterized by the authors' reflections on their experiences using the OJHQ on four distinct periods: 1) OJHQ translation, 2) pilot testing, 3) OJHQ-Filipino version administration, and 4) project conclusion. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Results Qualitative data revealed four themes: tool usefulness; administration guidelines; contextualized use of the tool; and nuances of occupational injustices in substance addiction and rehabilitation setting. Conclusion Findings expanded OJHQ's purpose to enhance clinical reasoning, promote justice-oriented health care, activate reflective practice, and recognize the interweaving and evolving nature of injustices. This article offers an understanding of how reflections can facilitate cultural adaptation of practice tools used in occupational therapy and justice practice.

RESUMO Introdução O conceito de justiça ocupacional é definido como a igualdade de acesso e participação em todas as ocupações, incluindo os recursos necessários para a participação e oportunidades de inclusão social. A justiça ocupacional não apenas permanece conceitualmente ambígua para a prática, mas também carece de um exame crítico de sua aplicabilidade a culturas não ocidentais. Objetivo Descrever o processo reflexivo dos pesquisadores durante e após o uso do Questionário de Saúde e Justiça Ocupacional (OJHQ), como uma ferramenta em terapia ocupacional em um ambiente de reabilitação para pessoas com dependência de substâncias psicoativas nas Filipinas. Método Estudo qualitativo baseado em notas reflexivas e grupos focais. As transcrições foram caracterizadas pelas reflexões dos autores sobre suas experiências usando o OJHQ em quatro períodos distintos: 1) Tradução do OJHQ, 2) teste piloto, 3) Administração da versão OJHQ-Filipino e 4) conclusão do projeto. Os dados foram analisados por meio de análise temática. Resultados Os dados qualitativos revelaram quatro temas: utilidade da ferramenta; diretrizes de administração; uso contextualizado da ferramenta; e nuances de injustiças ocupacionais no contexto de dependência de substâncias psicoativas e reabilitação. Conclusão Houve a expansão do propósito do OJHQ para aprimorar o raciocínio clínico, promover cuidados em saúde orientados para a justiça, ativar a prática reflexiva e reconhecer a natureza entrelaçada e evolutiva das injustiças. Compreende-se como as reflexões podem facilitar a adaptação cultural das ferramentas práticas utilizadas na terapia ocupacional com base em práticas de justiça.

Reliability of center of pressure excursion as a measure of postural control in bipedal stance of individuals with intellectual disability: A pilot study.

The high prevalence of postural instability in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) warrants the need for reliable and practical postural control assessments. Stabilometry is a postural control assessment that has been widely used for clinical populations. However, the scant systematic knowledge about the reliability of stabilometric protocols for adults with ID renders results questionable and limits its value for clinicians and researchers. The study's purpose was to develop a stabilometric protocol for adults with and without ID based on optimal combinations of shortest necessary trial durations and the least number of trial repetitions that guarantee sufficient reliability. Participants performed six trials of bipedal standing in 2 vision (eyes open vs eyes closed) x 2 surface (solid vs compliant) conditions on a force platform. Several parameters were calculated from the first 10-, 20-, and 30-s interval of every center-of-pressure (COP) trial data. For different trial durations, we identified the number of trials that yielded acceptable relative (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥ 0.70) and absolute (standard error of measurement < 20%) reliability using the Spearman-Brown prophecy formula. To determine the optimal combination of trial duration and number of repetition for each COP parameter, we implemented a two-step process: 1) identify the largest number of repetition for each of the three trial durations and then 2) select the trial duration with the lowest number of repetition. For both ID- and non-ID groups, we observed a trend whereby shorter trial durations required more repetitions and vice versa. The phase plane and ellipse area were the most and least reliable center-of-pressure parameter, respectively. To achieve acceptable reliability, four 30-s trials of each experimental condition appeared to be optimal for testing participants with and without ID alike. The results of this research can inform stabilometric test protocols of future postural control studies of adults with ID.