title: Roles of Occupational Therapists in Theater, Past and Present.
abstract: The impetus to deploy occupational therapy (OT) assets into theaters of operation lies in the occupational therapist's ability to evaluate the effect of physical and/or behavioral symptoms on functional performance and effectively develop individualized interventions. Occupational therapy utilization has been robust during 14 years of continuous deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Occupational therapy's indoctrinated role in combat is solely with the combat and operational stress control missions, however, the skills and capabilities of this profession have demonstrated efficacy in other specializations, including concussion care. The effectiveness of OT interventions is demonstrated with improved return to duty (RTD) rates for casualties suffering with combat and operational stress reactions where OT was a major component of a restoration and reconditioning program. As well, postconcussion RTD rates have been linked to the broad skill sets inherent in OT that allow casualties to remain in theater from the point of injury to complete recovery and RTD.
authors.affiliation: Army Medical Department Center and School, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Enrique V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Smith-Forbes
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Quick
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008889:Military Personnel; D000072087:Occupational Therapists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D057285:Precision Medicine; D062707:Return to Work / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*