The role of occupational therapy in contexts of armed conflict and the post-conflict

Abstract

Objective To identify professional experiences of Occupational Therapy in Colombian and international contexts of armed conflict and post-conflict. Methods A qualitative systematic review of the literature between 2005-2014 in five analytical categories: professional experiences, problem situations, populations, theoretical frameworks, and procedures. Results 78 papers were retrieved. Colombian context: the models most used are human occupation and occupational performance; the most frequent problem is forced displacement. International context: 19 countries documented experiences; the Canadian model and the community-based rehabilitation model are most used; the main problem situations are forced displacement, refugee status, and attention to members of the armed forces. Both contexts highlight procedures such as artistic activities and interventions related to social welfare and social-inclusion. Conclusions Graduate these are the main source of Colombian experiences, though few are published; there are a few studies about victim population (demobilized). The rural sector as a typical scenario of armed conflict and a context of displacement have been seen as relevant. Frequent conceptual categories and practices have been introduced from the critical perspective of Occupational Therapy which reinforce the role of the professional in phenomena of social exclusion and violence, as a transformational agent that addresses the socio-political dimension of human occupation. These findings posit challenges for professionals and academics to publish, to work with populations (victims or not), to approach training and practice in rural contexts, and to recognize the role of the professional as an agent that transcends the public health dimension of human occupation.