In Kenya, occupational therapy, which is slowly gaining attention, is still concentrated in the cities with a very small number working in rural areas. Occupational therapy practice in rural areas is impacted by various factors that are naturally occurring in rural settings such as poor infrastructure, cultural beliefs and values, language barriers, economic statuses, lack of resources, geographical barriers, lack of transportation and limited number of occupational therapists. In this study, three occupational therapists were interviewed as well as photographs of the resources used in these rural settings were collected in order to understand the nature of their work in that context. The data collected shows the challenges they face which include weather, lack of transportation, poverty, geographical barriers, language barriers and cultural beliefs. Some of the skills that they have developed over the years include creativity, perseverance, ability to empower and cultural literacy. These are self-coping skills and strategies that they have found to be very helpful to them and to other future occupational therapist looking to work in the rural areas.
","abstract_html":"<p>In Kenya, occupational therapy, which is slowly gaining attention, is still concentrated in the cities with a very small number working in rural areas. Occupational therapy practice in rural areas is impacted by various factors that are naturally occurring in rural settings such as poor infrastructure, cultural beliefs and values, language barriers, economic statuses, lack of resources, geographical barriers, lack of transportation and limited number of occupational therapists. In this study, three occupational therapists were interviewed as well as photographs of the resources used in these rural settings were collected in order to understand the nature of their work in that context. The data collected shows the challenges they face which include weather, lack of transportation, poverty, geographical barriers, language barriers and cultural beliefs. Some of the skills that they have developed over the years include creativity, perseverance, ability to empower and cultural literacy. These are self-coping skills and strategies that they have found to be very helpful to them and to other future occupational therapist looking to work in the rural areas. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Leitich, Picoty Cherotich"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:25Z","subjects":["Kenya","Occupational therapists","Occupational therapy","Rural","Village"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2014 Picoty Cherotich Leitich"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/210","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Leitich, Picoty Cherotich"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Kenya","Occupational therapists","Occupational therapy","Rural","Village"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2014 Picoty Cherotich Leitich"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/210"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In Kenya, occupational therapy, which is slowly gaining attention, is still concentrated in the cities with a very small number working in rural areas. Occupational therapy practice in rural areas is impacted by various factors that are naturally occurring in rural settings such as poor infrastructure, cultural beliefs and values, language barriers, economic statuses, lack of resources, geographical barriers, lack of transportation and limited number of occupational therapists. In this study, three occupational therapists were interviewed as well as photographs of the resources used in these rural settings were collected in order to understand the nature of their work in that context. The data collected shows the challenges they face which include weather, lack of transportation, poverty, geographical barriers, language barriers and cultural beliefs. Some of the skills that they have developed over the years include creativity, perseverance, ability to empower and cultural literacy. These are self-coping skills and strategies that they have found to be very helpful to them and to other future occupational therapist looking to work in the rural areas.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Experience Of Occupational Therapists Practicing In Rural Kenya"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Leitich, Picoty Cherotich"],"dc:description.abstract":["In Kenya, occupational therapy, which is slowly gaining attention, is still concentrated in the cities with a very small number working in rural areas. Occupational therapy practice in rural areas is impacted by various factors that are naturally occurring in rural settings such as poor infrastructure, cultural beliefs and values, language barriers, economic statuses, lack of resources, geographical barriers, lack of transportation and limited number of occupational therapists. In this study, three occupational therapists were interviewed as well as photographs of the resources used in these rural settings were collected in order to understand the nature of their work in that context. The data collected shows the challenges they face which include weather, lack of transportation, poverty, geographical barriers, language barriers and cultural beliefs. Some of the skills that they have developed over the years include creativity, perseverance, ability to empower and cultural literacy. These are self-coping skills and strategies that they have found to be very helpful to them and to other future occupational therapist looking to work in the rural areas.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/210"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2014 Picoty Cherotich Leitich"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Kenya","Occupational therapists","Occupational therapy","Rural","Village"],"dc:title":["Experience Of Occupational Therapists Practicing In Rural Kenya"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:25Z"}