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/