Development of the Occupational Therapy Health Routines Screening Tool: A Participatory Study

Understanding that excess body weight can increase disability and limit daily occupations, occupational therapists must consider how to support patients with weight management within a larger health care system. To develop a clinical tool for health care professionals to (a) support referrals to occupational therapists to address weight management and (b) assess priorities for weight management interventions. This research utilized a co-design process with six occupational therapists from primary care to design a screening tool prototype. The design process revealed three challenges to supporting patients with excess body weight that were addressed through the design elements of the screening tool: (a) weight is a “sticky” topic, (b) negative messaging around weight can adversely impact patient care, and (c) occupational therapy involvement in weight management is impacted by a lack of referrals. This design process yielded the Occupational Therapy Health Routines Screening Tool prototype.