Occupational therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease in Israel: A SWOT analysis

Background: Despite the important role that occupational therapy (OT) plays in management of Parkinson’s disease (PD), few patients with PD in Israel seek such treatment. Aims: To capture the opinions of internal and external (to the profession) informants regarding OT’s role in the management of PD, to identify factors that may affect the utilization of OT, and to identify potential strategies for promoting such use. Material and Methods: Fifty-two occupational therapists and nine neurologists who specialize in movement disorders completed online questionnaires containing both closed and open-ended questions. An analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) was performed on the responses, and text analyses were performed on the responses to the open-ended questions. Results: Identified strengths included respondents’ self-confidence in treating patients with PD, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Weaknesses included lack of specific training, low frequency of seeing patients with PD, overlapping treatment objectives with other healthcare professions, and lack of familiarity with guidelines. Patients’ and physicians’ limited acquaintance with OT, and referral rates were acknowledged as both opportunities and threats. Conclusions/Significance: Strategies for promoting the use of OT among Parkinson’s patients include specific training and increased awareness of OT for referring physician and patients.