Occupational Justic and the Promotion of Health and Well-Being

This literature review presentation will address the relationship between occupational justice, social justice and how these concepts are reflected in occupational therapy process to promote the health and well-being of individuals, groups, and communities. Wilcock and Townsend (2000) provide a clear distinction between social justice and occupational justice by viewing the former as addressing social relations and conditions of life, while the latter deals with what people do in their relationships and conditions for living. From the very beginning, the occupational therapy practitioners have been concerned with justice and the well-being of clients. More recently, occupational scientists have expanded on the idea of justice to address the needs of clients experiencing a paucity of occupational opportunities. Together, occupational scientists and occupational therapists have increased the focus on justice and occupation and its relationship to occupational well-being. Through patient advocacy, occupational therapy has been committed to the promotion of ethical and moral issues related to equal access to care for all clients, regardless of condition, illness, ethnicity or station in life. Because occupational therapy concerns itself with the social and occupational nature of human existence, practitioners advocate for their client by addressing meaningfulness and purposefulness in occupation as revealed by the client. In cases where clients may present with clinical or medical conditions, it is the impact of these conditions on their ability to continue to participate in society and fulfill their occupational needs that concerns occupational therapy practitioners. Individuals, groups, and communities experiencing occupational injustice are at great risk for ill health. Occupational therapists desiring to promote occupational justice will find challenges to practice in traditional settings. However, those committed to client-centered and occupationally just practice will reach out to individuals, groups, and communities in new and different ways, and will naturally incorporate a health promotion approach as supported by the Framework (AOTA, 2002). Examples of occupational justice through occupational therapy practice will be shared to engage the audience in a dialog on how advocacy and empowerment for occupational justice is gained through an activist perspective