Social justice and health disparities: an evolving discourse in occupational therapy research and intervention.

The selection of the theme for this special issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT)—social justice and health disparities—supports occupational therapy’s growing interest in addressing unjust inequities that limit opportunities for participation in society. Over the past two decades, the occupational therapy literature has examined societal issues that influence occupational performance and participation (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 006a; Kronenberg, Algado, & Pollard, 00 ; Townsend, 99 , 00 ; Townsend & Wilcock, 00 ; Wilcock & Townsend, 009; Wood, 997). There also has been recent concern about health disparities within the profession and interest in framing occupational therapy’s role in addressing them (AOTA, 006a; Bass-Haugen et al., 00 ; Kronenberg & Pollard, 006). This focus on health disparities evolved from earlier occupational therapy literature on multiculturalism, diversity, and cultural competency (Abreu & Peloquin, 00 ; Black, 00 ; Wells & Black, 000). Social justice and health disparities have been integral to theory development and proposed interventions regarding the role of occupational therapy in working with communities, populations, and society at large (Bass-Haugen, Henderson, Larson, & Matuska, 00 ; Baum, Bass-Haugen, & Christiansen, 00 ; Dudgeon, 009; Gupta & Sullivan, 008; Kielhofner et al., 008; Scaffa, 00 ). Related disciplines and professions, including social sciences, public health, health sciences, rehabilitation, theology, public policy, disabilities studies, and others, have made important contributions to our understanding of social justice and health disparities (Brega, Goodrich, & Powell, 00 ; Giddings, 00 ; Jerez & Relf, 00 ; Longres & Scanlon, 00 ; Nuwayhid, 00 ; Smith, 008; Sox, 00 ; van Ryn & Fu, 00 ; Vera & Speight, 00 ; Williams & Braboy Jackson, 00 ). There is ample research on social justice and health disparities related to occupational therapy to support two special issues of this journal. However, we chose to link the two focus areas to emphasize the need for both building foundational knowledge on the topics and promoting a call to leadership and action by occupational therapy practitioners in health, education, and social services arenas. In 006, a panel of occupational therapy practitioners (Frank Kronenberg, Julie Bass-Haugen, Brent Braveman, and Karin Opacich) was invited to present an American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE) Colloquium, “Health Disparities Brent Braveman, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is Clinical Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Room 347, M/C 811, 1919 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612; [email protected]