Cultural Awareness in Occupational Therapy: The Chinese Example

Abstract

This opinion piece presents an argument for the importance of being culturally aware in occupational therapy. A comparison of Chinese culture with occupational therapy philosophy leads it to propose that occupational therapy, in the United Kingdom, has been influenced by the Western health care system, within which it evolved. Key concepts in the philosophy of the profession, through to terms used in everyday practice, may not be culturally generalisable. Occupational therapists need to be aware of this when working with people from different cultures.