Occupational Therapy Services and Clinical Decision Making in Oncology Care: A Mixed Methods Approach

The purpose of this study was to explore the types and patterns of occupational therapy services implemented with clients who are cancer survivors, which utilized a mixed methods approach, specifically an explanatory sequential design. The Occupational Therapy Practice Inventory (OTPI) was used to gather information regarding the type and patterns of occupational therapy services provided for clients receiving oncology care. The results of the OTPI were analyzed and used to further develop semi-structured questions for exploring the perspectives of occupational therapy practitioners who practice in the area of oncology in the United States. The data were analyzed to generate a portrayal of occupational therapy practice in oncology settings and examine factors that may be predictors for certain practice approaches. Frequency data indicated that interventions related to activities of daily living were performed most frequently. Phi coefficient indicated strong positive relationships with multiple components of the OTPI. Analysis of the qualitative results were completed by following the principles of grounded theory The data yielded one central phenomenon identified as wanting to provide the best care. Providing the best care was influenced by internal aspects and the external aspects of therapist. The integration of both qualitative and quantitative data supported the findings that interventions, most specifically activities of daily, were the most frequently indicated and discussed services provided by occupational therapy practitioners for cancer survivors in the Northeast, Midwest, and South. The practice of client-centered care and an occupation-based intervention strategy across the continuum of care for individuals who are cancer survivors was supported by the results