Identification of occupations in a South African rural less-resourced community

Abstract

ABSTRACTSouth Africa has vast rural areas where the installation of water supply and electrification infrastructure has been expedited since the first democratic elections in 1994. Yet, significant challenges remain. This paper focuses on the impact of resource scarcity and the resultant occupations of water and fuelwood collection in a rural South African context. The study was conducted in the Limpopo Province of South Africa and investigated the Basic Activities of Daily Living (bADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (iADL) tasks typically performed in a rural community. A Rapid Rural Assessment methodology was employed. Data were collected using discussion groups and participatory mapping with community care workers. Quantitative analysis of data used directed content analysis utilising the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework III (OTPF III) as coding frameworks. Results showed that most of the bADL and iADL tasks identified in the rural context are reflected in the ICF and the OTPF III but collection of water and fuelwood are not. In addition, the forms of rural bADL and iADL tasks described in the ICF and the OTPF III differ significantly from those carried out in typical urban well-resourced contexts that have household amenities such as piped water and electricity. The daily collection of water and fuelwood limits the occupational choices of many rural women and results in occupational imbalance and occupational deprivation.