April is Occupational Therapy Month (#OTMonth), sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Association. Occupational therapists (OTs) are crucial to helping people who have experienced a disability-causing injury or illness to get back to daily life, whether that means learning how to drive after spinal cord injury, adjusting workspaces to accommodate limited function, or relearning favorite hobbies. Did you know OT is one of the fastest growing occupations in the US? The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 27% job growth in OT by 2024, much faster than the average for all other occupations. This growth may be due in part to people living longer and aging with and into disability. It may also be a reflection of the expanding role of OTs and OT assistants in different facets of life from early intervention with infants and toddlers, to supporting students with physical and cognitive disabilities, to helping youth transition from school to work and beyond.
Our REHABDATA database has more than 3,600 abstracts that discuss occupational therapy, including more than 250 items from the NIDILRR community. Here are a few quick looks at what we’ve collected over the years, highlighting how OT can help at any life stage:
OT and daily living activities
OT and cognitive, developmental, and intellectual disabilities
OT and stroke and other neurological and neuromuscular disorders
OT and paralysis or spinal injury
These are just a few ways you can dive into REHABDATA to find articles, books, reports, and other publications on the topics that interest you most. Try our advanced search page or chat with an information specialist and we’ll help you drill down to the articles you need.