Political Advocacy in Occupational Therapy: A Professional Imperative

BACKGROUND: Despite Occupational Therapy (OT) practice growing more political, practitioners lack awareness of the impact of current policies on services. Low advocacy levels among practitioners may stem from inconsistent definitions of advocacy and a lack of guidance on effective advocacy. OBJECTIVE: To explore the meanings of and participation in political advocacy by OT practitioners and students. METHODS: This qualitative, descriptive study used in-depth, audio-taped telephone interviews to explore participants’ perceptions of political advocacy in OT. The study utilized convenience sampling of 13 occupational therapy practitioners and students recruited from two local OT professional events. Participants defined the term ‘political advocacy’ and shared their participation in political advocacy activities. Concept mapping and thematic analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The data revealed three general themes: (1) fighting for client/family; (2) advancing the profession; and (3) influencing policy changes. Motivators and barriers to political advocacy were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The current study underscored the need to incorporate political advocacy into OT education and stressed the importance of membership in professional associations. Apathy and lack of knowledge can be costly. Lack of participation in political advocacy ultimately places decision-making power in the hands of others whose understanding of OT practice and the healthcare system may be limited. Political advocacy participation offers an opportunity for OTPs to advance the profession and influence policies benefiting consumers of occupational therapy services.