Determining the Role of Occupational Therapy in a Refugee Resettlement Program
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Capstone Abstract
Introduction/Rationale: The doctoral capstone explored the service gaps within a refugee resettlement program to aid in improving refugee quality of life. While the Northwest Community Center (NCC) and partners provide services for education attainment, food insecurities, career building, personal items such as rent, utility, diapers, and toiletries. There is a need for more specialized services for mental health, skill development and community integration among refugees to help them maintain and attain upward mobility upon resettlement.
Objectives: The project aimed to identify the quality-of-life factors that affect resettled refugees and service gaps needed for the development of future programming with occupational therapy involvement.
Methods/Approach: The project was split into two parts a staff/volunteer Qualtrics survey, and a refugee semi-structured interview and a World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) for refugees.
Results/Implications: Using the WHOQOL-BREF, refugee quality of life factors were ranked from least deficient to most deficient in the following order: social relationships, environment physical health, and psychological health. After thorough analysis of semi-structured interviews, the following themes emerged from the refugees: resettlement process, barriers to occupational engagement, programs and community partners and perceived service needs. The following themes emerged from the staff and volunteers: barriers to occupational engagement, programs and community partnerships and personnel knowledge base.
Conclusion/Significance to the Occupational Therapy Profession: The outcomes of the project highlight the role of occupational therapy providing services to refugees in the following areas: instrumental activities of daily living, health management, work, functional literacy, and social participation. Thus occupational therapists can use client-centered care, trauma-informed care, and community-based occupations to address refugee occupational engagement to improve their quality of life.
Publication Date
Winter 12-3-2025
Student Contact
yofori98@gmail.com
Recommended Citation
Ofori, Yaa, "Determining the Role of Occupational Therapy in a Refugee Resettlement Program" (2025). Occupational Therapy Capstones. 18.
https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/ot_capstone/18
