Exploring the awareness and integration of occupational therapy in medical practice: A study of medical doctors' awareness of occupational therapy in Türkiye.

Introduction: Occupational therapy (OT) plays a pivotal role in patient rehabilitation and improving quality of life. However, the role and scope of occupational therapy in interdisciplinary health services are often not fully understood, particularly in newer practice areas. Based on the available resources and studies, no data exist on the knowledge and awareness of doctors or other health professionals regarding OT in Türkiye. Method: This study examines medical doctors' understanding and awareness of the OT profession using a tailored, expert-evaluated questionnaire. Participants were selected via snowball and convenience sampling. Outcome measures included OT knowledge, previous exposure, educational activities, and referral habits. Findings: Findings from 384 participants revealed that, 292 (76%) were familiar with OT, while 92 (24%) had no prior knowledge. Only 9.4% had participated in educational activities related to OT, and 87% had never referred a patient to an occupational therapist. Conclusion: This study reveals a significant deficit in the knowledge and awareness of medical doctors in Türkiye regarding the OT profession. This emphasizes the need to strengthen medical curricula and residency training with comprehensive modules dedicated to OT. Implications of this study are especially significant for countries like Türkiye, where OT is an emerging and relatively new field.