Exploring occupational justice in consumer perspectives on assistive technology

Background. Occupational justice is an emerging paradigm in the provision of occupational therapy services. Assistive technology (AT) services, a key practice domain in occupational therapy, facilitate the participation of individuals with disabilities in all major occupations. Purpose. The goal of this study was to explore personal meanings of occupational justice among consumers of AT and to propose strategies that integrate values of occupational justice in AT services. Methods. A content analysis of interviews with seven consumers of AT devices was employed. Themes relevant to the four conceptual definitions of occupational injustice, namely marginalization, alienation, deprivation, and imbalance, were identified. Findings. Four corresponding themes were inherent in the consumer experiences: ability to exercise choices through use of AT devices, using AT to achieve optimum occupational potential, empowerment through AT services, and personal relation to the AT device. Specific issues within these themes are classified and described according to the four conceptual definitions of occupational justice. Implications. The application of occupational justice is essential to promote client-centred AT services particularly in evaluation of needs, selection and acquisition of AT devices, and training and support for use of AT devices.