Engagement of Occupational Therapy Organizations with Public Policy: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Background. Public policy is an important feature of occupational therapy practice. Occupational therapy organizations have a mandate to engage in policy processes to improve the conditions for clients, including the nature of care received. Purpose. Describe the approaches that Canadian occupational therapy organizations use to engage with and impact public policy. Methods. This study used interpretive description methodology. Participants were recruited from Canadian occupational therapy professional organizations. Participants shared their experiences and perspectives on policy engagement through semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed inductively. Findings. Engagement with policy involved reaching out (building relationships, educating practitioners about policy and occupational therapy contributions, and developing statements), and reaching in (consulting with occupational therapists and generating data informing policy). Implications. Occupational therapy organizations can share and coordinate approaches to impact public policy and advocate for both clients and the profession. Future research can expand this analysis in other contexts to generate a deeper understanding of engagement.