Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Oral Presentation/Poster

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Health Science

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Whitney Lucas Molitor

Keywords

Rural, primary care, occupational therapy, chronic conditions

Subject Categories

Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Rural healthcare faces a unique set of challenges including fewer primary care providers compared to urban areas, (Dobis & Todd, 2022). Occupational therapy has become more frequently part of the staff in a primary care clinic. An occupational therapy practitioner brings a unique perspective to the care of clients in a holistic manner and looking at the client from their specific context to create specific goals (Koverman et al., 2017; Donnelly et al., 2014). If a client with a chronic condition receives individualized care from an occupational therapist as part of their primary care visits, they may experience improved self-efficacy regarding managing their chronic condition. Using the Self Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale, an occupational therapy student completing a 14-week capstone experience in a rural, primary care clinic was able to measure the improvements in clients perceived ability to manage their condition on their own, before and after collaborating with clients to create individualized treatment plans and goals.

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