Challenging traditions to advance occupational therapy

OPEN IN VIEWER

This issue marks the 80^th anniversary of what was to become the British Journal of Occupational Therapy, first published in June 1938. To celebrate this, a BJOT 80^th Anniversary Collection is available online (BJOT online collections). The collection includes past and present key articles, with a commentary to illustrate how the journal has developed from its beginnings as a membership journal largely concerned with announcements and practical information into a truly international journal publishing a wide range of peer-reviewed research and reviews.

The pace of change has increased over the past decade, which has seen the journal achieve an impact factor, receive more submissions each year, develop its international Editorial Board, publish articles from an increasing number of countries – there were 17 in 2017 alone – and move to publication with Sage. Yet many traditions remain perennial, among them the pivotal position of occupation in the profession, considering the client as the focus of intervention, and the aspiration to encourage more research. However, while traditions are important, they must not be accepted without challenge, and the articles in this issue demonstrate some of these challenges and some new developments.

The first four articles in this issue focus on traditional areas of practice that would be familiar to readers of earlier issues of the journal: hand therapy, hip replacement, stroke and mental health. However, each article in turn has a contemporary feature: considering practice from a different perspective, challenging traditional treatment approaches, enhancing standard intervention and extending evidence-based practice into demanding environments with clients with complex needs. Then the final two articles examine innovative areas of practice.

Hand therapy is a long-established area of practice which came to prominence during World War II when occupational therapists and physiotherapists worked with surgeons to treat injured military personnel. Burley et al. (2018) present a scoping review of hand therapy in relation to occupation, thus taking the subject back to the roots of the profession. Occupational therapists advising patients on precautions following hip replacement surgery developed as the operation became more common from the late 1960s. This practice still continues despite lack of evidence of its effectiveness. Lightfoot et al. (2018), in the first study protocol we have published, describe how they will scrutinize this practice, further enhancing the evidence base for the profession. Searching for ‘stroke’ in the title of publications in the journal produced 141 results, ranging from the earliest mention being the report of conference in 1961 to the latest (to date) being Kessler et al. (2018), published in this issue. The authors explore the experiences of people with stroke who participated in the treatment arm of a randomised controlled trial that evaluated a novel approach to treatment. The journal BJOT is perhaps particularly known for a focus on occupational therapy in relation to mental health and indeed that is an area where the profession was founded. The study by Talbot et al. (2018) brings this up to date by evaluating an evidence-based vocational rehabilitation intervention in a forensic mental health setting.

In the first article addressing innovation practice, Bumpus et al. (2018) studied the daily activity participation among individuals with Wolfram syndrome. This is a rare genetic disease associated with a variety of progressive metabolic and neurologic impairments, and they investigated the impact of their symptoms on participation. They provide guidance for practice and research for people with Wolfram syndrome and also insight into the possible needs of people with other rare conditions. This is important in the age of treatment protocols that offer a swift, recognised pathway for those with a common condition but a maze to be navigated for those with rare diseases. The final article by Preston et al. (2018) investigates the potential of occupational therapists working in an innovative partnership with emergency personnel to reduce pressure on hospitals. It provides a timely and relevant evaluation of one new way in which occupational therapists can work with other professionals to benefit service users.

It is not possible to include all aspects of occupational therapy in a single issue; there is, for example, no article focusing on children. This longstanding area of practice will be the topic of a forthcoming special issue and the call for papers is included in this issue of BJOT. I hope authors will submit papers that will challenge tradition to advance occupational therapy.

I have been involved in the journal for many years as an author, reviewer, member and chair of the editorial board and, since 2014, as the inaugural Editor-in-Chief, completing my term later this year. I have been privileged to witness how the journal has developed into a fully international, peer-reviewed publication, firmly established as the official academic journal of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. I thank all those who have contributed to that development and look forward to celebrating the achievements noted at future anniversaries.