Awareness and knowledge of final year health science students on Occupational Therapy in a public university in Ghana

Eric Nkansah Opoku; Peter Owusu Ndaa

doi:10.46829/hsijournal.2021.6.2.1.189-195

Eric Nkansah Opoku Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana.
Peter Owusu Ndaa Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46829/hsijournal.2021.6.2.1.189-195

Keywords: Interprofessional collaboration, interprofessional education, Occupational therapy, teamwork, health sciences students, Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: Occupational therapists play a major role in the healthcare team in the provision of holistic care to patients. Successful healthcare depends on collaboration and understanding among health professionals and recognition of each health professional roles in a team. The study aimed to determine the awareness and knowledge of final-year health sciences students of the University of Ghana on occupational therapy.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed by means of a questionnaire with final year students in the Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health Professional (AHP) Programmes (physiotherapy, dietetics, radiography and medical laboratory sciences) of the University of Ghana. Participants were randomly selected and requested to complete a questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS version 23.0.

Results: The study recorded a response rate of 93.5% and an occupational therapy overall awareness of 94.7%. Collectively, participants demonstrated inadequate knowledge about the roles and the scope of practice of the occupational therapy profession.

Conclusion: Awareness was high but knowledge about the roles and scope of practice of the occupational therapy profession was poor. This could have detrimental effect the expected holistic approach to healthcare in Ghana and result in inappropriate referrals to OT. Precise promotion of the roles and domains of OT is recommended.