Geographic distribution of occupational therapists.

This paper reports the findings of a recent study conducted to determine whether there is an appropriate distribution of occupational therapists in the United States. A method for an analysis of requirements for occupational therapists was developed to assess whether, given requirements indicators in each county, the current distribution is appropriate. As a final stage of the analysis, three groups of counties were singled out for special attention: 1. those with no occupational therapists; 2. those with low levels of relative supply of occupational therapists; and 3. those with high levels of relative supply of occupational therapists. These groups were compared in order to determine whether differences exist in demographic characteristics and health status indicators that might be associated with differences in the supply of occupational therapists in each group of countries. Conclusions and discussion of potential policy implications were drawn from the descriptive and analytic findings.