Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Critically Appraised Topic

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Anne Haskins

Second Advisor

Breann Lamborn

Third Advisor

Julie Grabanski/Devon Olson Lambert

Abstract

This critically appraised topic paper focused on the availability of occupation-based interventions for adults (18 years and older) faced with substance use disorders in rural areas. The main factors to consider in this scenario were the population of rural areas, substance use services in rural areas, and the role of occupational therapy. The U.S. Census Bureau did not directly define rural but instead considered rural to be any area that is not urban, while urban areas were considered to have more than 50,000 people and urban clusters were stated to have between 2,500 and 50,000 people (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service [USDA, ERS], 2019; U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library [USDA, NAL], n.d.). Substance Use Disorder (SUD) was defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as a “treatable, chronic disease, characterized by a problematic pattern of use of a substance leading to noticeable impairment or distress” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023a). This included alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogens, inhalants, opioids, sedatives, stimulants, and tobacco. The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework defined health management as “activities related to developing, managing, and maintaining health and wellness routines, including self-management, with the goal of improving or maintaining health to support participation in other occupations” (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2020b, p. 32). Furthermore, social participation was defined as “activities that involve social interaction with others, including family, friends, peers, and community members, and that support social independence” (AOTA, 2020b, p. 34).

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