State and Trajectory of Public Health

Public health is the overarching source of the population’s current knowledge, approach, and applicability of living a healthy lifestyle (or lack thereof).  In the past, medical fields such as psychology were condemned for the fixated attention to solely the individual’s prognosis or diagnosis (Seligman, 2004). However, on a global scale, the practice and approach of medicine and healthcare have progressed. As opposed to an exclusive concentration on the identification of a problem, public health has propelled the maximization of universal health, as well as the optimization of current well-being and health in order to endorse a preventative approach.

Within our realm of practice, the inclusive nature of occupational therapy necessitates an appropriate approach to public health in order to adhere to the needs of different populations in their entirety. To advocate for positive public health, it is essential for occupational therapy practitioners to consider all aspects of a population such as education, food, income, ecosystem, and resources. Through involvement in community-based practice, inter-professional education, and strong therapeutic relationships with clients, occupational therapists make an impact on aspects of public health such as health literacy and cost of healthcare to ultimately increase the quality of life across populations (Flick, 2019). Additionally, there is evidence to indicate and support an inverse relationship of hospital spending on occupational therapy and readmission rates. According to Rogers, et al., “higher hospital spending on occupational therapy [was] associated with lower readmission rates” (2016). Due to the prioritization of a holistic approach, occupational therapists make a significant contribution to the positive trajectory of universal public health.  

~ Pam ♡

Citations:

Flick, J. (2019). OT 425 Health Promotion and Health Literacy [PowerPoint Presentation].

Rogers, A. T., Bai, G., Lavin, R. A., & Anderson, G. F. (2016, September 2). Higher hospital spending on occupational therapy is associated with lower readmission rates. Medical Care Research and Review, 1-19. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/1077558716666981

Seligman, M. (2004). The new era of positive psychology [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology/up-next?language=en

Image retrieved from: http://healthchanging.com/time-get-serious-grip-level-health/

Scapulohumeral Rhythm

Scapulohumeral rhythm allows the scapulothoracic (ST) and glenohumeral (GH) joints to work in concert in order to increase shoulder range of motion (ROM). The degree ratio for the shoulder, GH joint, and ST joint are 3:2:1, respectively. It is clinically important because proper functioning of the humeras and scapula as a unit permits the client to perform full shoulder ROM at an optimal level. It also allows for a favoral length-tension relationship thus preventing active insufficiency of GH muscles. Additionally, a discrepancy in scapulohumeral rhythm could lead to decreased scapulohumeral space yielding impingment. Another consequence of disparity is joint incongruency potentially causing a risk of shearing. Ultimately, this biomechanical property improves efficiency of movement. A client’s ability to perform full shoulder ROM is dependent on the synchronization of scapulohumeral rhythm.

~ Pam ♡

picture derived from: http://www.geocities.ws/ptexas9/scap-rhythm.html

Unity by Personal Disability

The advancement of modern technology has allowed for the implementation of assistive technology (AT) in the therapeutic setting. The purpose of AT is to facilitate the engagement of activities and occupations of individuals with disabilities who may otherwise experience difficulties. AT ranges from no/low-tech to medium-tech to high-tech. No/low-tech is considered to be the most intuitive in that it is the easiest to utilize and has a very clear understanding in terms of usage. Medium-tech AT may require a small extent of training and set-up. High-tech AT is the most complex and may prove to be challenging to program and maintain. When deciding which form of AT to implement, it is important to consider multiple aspects of the client such as strengths, weaknesses, and goals, as well as the availability of AT (Lancaster, 2018).

Assistive technology is simply one component of the countless that exist within the concept of universal design. The extent of a disability is not exclusive to those who have been branded with that label; every individual experiences challenge due to personal and potentially innate shortcomings that may not be considered a “disability” by society, such as height while playing for a basketball team or limited creativity on an art project. “Disability” is only a manifestation of the imperfect nature of man and unifies us as humans. If seen as a drawback instead, there is a strong implication that a step can be made forward toward one’s improvement of health and autonomy as opposed to being a quality of permanence. Because there is a need to cultivate a myriad of solutions to account for each blemish of man, universal design is essential to create “products and environments accessible to all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design” (Nesmith, 2016).

~ Pam ♡

Citations

Lancaster, S. Introduction to Assistive Technology. 5 April, 2018. Prezi.

Nesmith, M. (2016). Why We Need Universal Design. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVdPNWMGyZY&app=desktop.