occupational

occupational [ok″u-pa´shun-al]

1. pertaining to a vocation or source of livelihood.

2. pertaining to the skills a person needs to live independently and carry on a desired lifestyle; see also occupational performance areas.

occupational diseases diseases caused by any of various factors involved in a person's occupation; there are many types. Dusts are a common cause; fine particles of silica can lead to silicosis among miners, glassworkers, and persons involved in the manufacture of cement and similar materials. Another cause is toxic gases and vapors, which can result in respiratory disorders and may also involve the blood and other body systems. Many different substances are toxic, including some usually considered therapeutic when in sufficient doses. Certain kinds of chemicals can affect the skin, causing some forms of dermatitis. Working conditions, such as high temperatures or humidity, excessive noise, changes in air pressure, or continuous exposure to sun and wind, can cause varied disorders such as heat exhaustion, impaired hearing or vision, decompression sickness, or skin conditions.

Control and prevention of occupational diseases is very much a major concern of the individual worker, management, the community health service, and the state and federal governments. It involves education on how to protect oneself against occupational hazards; management's cooperation in supplying proper equipment and conditions; inspection and testing services performed by the government; the existence of adequate medical and first-aid services at the location of the work; adequate hospitalization facilities, insurance and compensation; and research into methods to provide safety and good health.

occupational therapist a health care professional who provides services designed to restore self-care, work, and leisure skills to patients/clients who have specific performance incapacities or deficits that reduce their abilities to cope with the tasks of everyday living. The occupational therapist evaluates and treats problems arising from developmental deficits, physical illness or injury, emotional disorders, the aging process, and psychological or social disability. Graduates of an accredited degree program who have completed field work requirements and are eligible for the certification examination given by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

occupational therapy the use of purposeful activity to help individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the performance of life tasks. It is defined by the American Occupational Therapy Association as “the art and science of directing man's participation in selected tasks to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, facilitate learning of those skills and functions essential for adaptation and productivity, diminish or correct pathology, and promote and maintain health. Its fundamental concern is the development and maintenance of the capacity, throughout the life span, to perform with satisfaction to self and others those tasks and roles essential to productive living and to the mastery of self and environment.”

The broad concerns of occupational therapy include all factors that facilitate the development of adaptive skills and increase performance capacity, and also those factors that may impede or restrict an individual's ability to function. In addition to those persons recovering from physical injury or illness, occupational therapy serves others who because of age, poverty, cultural differences, or psychologic and social disability, have difficulty coping with the tasks of living. The reference to occupation in the title is to be understood in the context of goal-directed use of time, energy, interest, and attention.

As is true of all types of therapeutic measures, the skills that are taught and the tasks prescribed for the client take into account his individual needs, abilities, and interests. This implies a thorough evaluation of his physical, mental, and emotional status and an acceptance of him as a person. In consultation with other members of the health care team, the occupational therapist designs a program of therapy that will lead to the goal of a productive life and satisfactory adjustment on the part of the patient. The address of the American Occupational Therapy Association is 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.

occupational therapy assistant a health care professional who works under the supervision of an occupational therapist in planning and implementing programs to restore the self-care, work, and leisure skills of clients/patients. Those certified by the American Occupational Therapy Association are designated Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).