Continuing Professional Development Preferences of Occupational Therapy Providers in Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania

Credentials Display

Angela M. Cecil, PhD, MBA, OTR; Godfrey S. Kimathy, BScOT; Margie N. Koech, OT; Epiphanie Murebwayire, OT; Pierre Damien Turikumana, BScOT, MOT

Abstract

Background: This study was conducted to explore the continuing professional development (CPD) preferences of occupational therapists in Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania for identifying and developing CPD opportunities to meet professional licensure requirements that are new to these countries.

Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study design was conducted using a 28-item electronic survey that targeted occupational therapists in Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and qualitative data were studied through content and thematic analysis.

Results: Seventy-eight (78) participants completed the study, and the majority were male (60.5%). Most of the participants were from Tanzania, and most participants had a diploma in occupational therapy education. The participants identified many preferred CPD topics according to their practice areas including sensory integration/processing, health promotion, depression, home modifications, stroke management, community support groups, telehealth intervention ideas, vocational rehabilitation, professional skill development, and applying evidence in practice. The most preferred method of CPD was online with the preferred time commitment of 2 hr. Quantitative results were supported by qualitative findings.

Conclusion: These results show interest in and need for CPD opportunities that match preferences of occupational therapists in Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, which creates opportunity to collectively support advancement of occupational therapy in East Africa.

Comments

The authors declare that they have no competing financial, professional, or personal interest that might have influenced the performance or presentation of the work described in this manuscript.

A preview of the outcomes of this research project was briefly presented at the World Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress in August 2022.

Recommended Citation

Cecil, A. M., Kimathy, G. S., Koech, M. N., Murebwayire, E., & Turikumana, P. (2024). Continuing Professional Development Preferences of Occupational Therapy Providers in Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 12(4), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2252