2015/02/06 by Karen Whalley Hammell
Health Professions · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · #Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility #Cerebral Palsy and Movement Disorders #Construct (python library) #Context (archaeology) #Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities #Geography #Human rights #Law #Medicine #Nursing #Occupational Therapy Practice and Research #Occupational science #Occupational therapy #Perspective (graphical) #Political science #Psychology #Public relations #Quality of life (healthcare) #Relevance (law)
paper · doi:10.1111/1440-1630.12183
crossref issued 2015/02/06 · crossref published 2015/02/06 · crossref published-online 2015/02/06 · openalex publication_date 2015/02/06 · crossref created 2015/02/06 · crossref published-print 2015/04/01 · crossref deposited 2023/10/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/07/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
BACKGROUND: Research suggests that perceptions of diminished quality of life among people with a severe physical impairment might be a consequence of environmental barriers and inequity of opportunity rather than the impairment itself. However, occupational therapists remain preoccupied with assessing and addressing individual dysfunctions and have directed little attention to assessing and challenging inequitable environmental constraints on people's occupational opportunities. PURPOSE: To highlight briefly what is known about environmental impacts on quality of life among people with impairments; to outline the relationship between occupational rights and human rights; to explore the concept of 'participation' and thereafter to outline the relevance of the Capabilities Approach for occupational therapists who seek to address inequalities of occupational opportunity and inequities in participation. MAIN FINDINGS: Sen's Capabilities Approach focuses on equality of the opportunity to 'do', and is relevant to occupational therapy in the context of the World Health Organisation's construct of 'participation', the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists' (WFOT) Position Statement on Human Rights. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of Sen's Capabilities Approach might facilitate critical occupational therapy practices focussed on equality of occupational opportunities and on the fulfilment of occupational rights, in accordance with the standards of rights-based practices advocated by disability scholars, WFOT and the UN.