ScholarWorks > HHS > OT > OJOT > Vol. 13 > Iss. 3 (2025)
Credentials Display
Emma Sims, OTD, OTR/L
Laura VanPuymbrouck, OTR/L, PhD, FAOTA
Abstract
Background: Current occupational therapy literature demonstrates a gap in knowledge of environmental advocacy as an occupation, which directly impacts occupational justice in those experiencing environmental racism or discrimination. This study’s purpose was to provide foundational information on the importance of advocacy work in the sphere of environmental and occupational justice through the lived experiences of those directly involved in community environmental advocacy.
Method: Qualitative data was collected via three focus groups using semi-structured interviews focused on perceptions of participant experiences in environmental advocacy occupations. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes relating to research questions.
Results: When exploring the meaning of environmental advocacy participation, four themes emerged: Education, Community Engagement, Empowerment, and Sustainability. Perceived facilitators to environmental advocacy participation resulted in three themes: Community Input, Consistency, and Intrinsic Motivation. Three themes emerged from perceived barriers to participation: Structural Inequities, Limited Community Involvement, and Overwhelmed.
Conclusions: Participation in environmental justice advocacy is an occupation conceptualized as a cyclical series of actions, ultimately resulting in empowerment and sustained occupational participation. Such results implicate an emerging area of occupational therapy practice that is both within the professional scope of practice and effective in providing opportunities to increase occupational justice and life satisfaction.
Recommended Citation
Sims, E., & VanPuymbrouck, L. H. (2025). Environmental Advocacy as an Occupation: Perceived Self-Efficacy and Occupational Justice in Community Programming. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 13(3), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2352
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.