Occupational therapy and culture in Latin America: a scoping review

Abstract

The study aimed to map and analyze the scientific production of occupational therapists and occupational scientists in Latin America regarding the relationship between culture and human occupation. The study followed the methodological recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), aligned with PRISMA-ScR, with a previously registered protocol. The search was conducted in national and international databases and in Latin American journals specific to the field. Of more than 3,000 records identified, after removing duplicates and applying the Population, Concept, and Context criteria, 57 studies were included. Only studies by Latin American occupational therapists or scientists that explicitly addressed the relationship between culture and occupational therapy were considered. The studies are concentrated primarily in Brazil, Colombia, and Chile and exhibit methodological diversity, with a predominance of experience reports, qualitative research, and theoretical-reflective essays. The references used and sources consulted encompass institutional documents, works from the humanities, and literature specific to occupational therapy and occupational science, highlighting critical perspectives and studies aligned with the Global South. The thematic analysis identified four main themes: culture as an interpretive lens; as an intervention strategy; as a field of practice; and as an ethical, aesthetic, and political commitment. The review highlights a growing field, with studies grounded in and committed to emancipatory practices, which underscores the importance of expanding research in other countries and of establishing culturally sensitive practices aimed at ensuring rights, participation, and diversity.