Despite the importance of sexuality to overall quality of life and well-being for individuals with disabilities, occupational therapy practitioners continue to under-address this issue. One possibility for the lack of attention in this area is the comfort and knowledge level of practitioners. In their seminal work, Payne, Greer, and Corbin (1988) surveyed occupational therapy programs in the United States in an effort to identify the amount of sexuality education provided. This study was aimed at identifying current trends in the provision of sexuality education for occupational therapy students. Despite the nearly 30-year gap in this area of research, and the societal changes related to sexuality, findings suggest that there has been little advancement in the area of sexuality in occupational therapy curricula. Implications for occupational therapy practice and future education are discussed. Comments The authors report no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Although sexuality is an integral aspect of the human experience, individuals who sustain a spinal cord injury (SCI) often receive inadequate education to facilitate successful participation in sexual activities. Intimate partners are often not included in discussions related to sexuality during the rehabilitative process. The purpose of this study was to identify the lived experiences of intimate partners of individuals with SCI related to sexuality. Four intimate partners were selected to participate in semistructured interviews related to their lived experiences of sexuality. Participants identified aspects of SCI, extreme discomfort due to self-perceived sexual norms, and a lack of education as contributors to unsuccessful participation in sexual activity. Coupled sexual activity is a complex phenomenon which includes factors that influence both the injured individuals as well as their intimate partners. To provide effective interventions in addressing sexuality, practitioners should consider the entire issue, the couple.

Although a key concept in occupational therapy theoretical documents, the issue of occupational justice continues to be elusive to the everyday practitioner. The purpose of this article is to outline a quality improvement project focused on the incorporation of occupational justice concepts into daily treatment. For the purposes of this quality improvement project, occupational justice was explored through practitioners' perceptions of clients' preparation to face societal, physical, and political barriers based on the occupational therapy services they received. Project participants were able to identify current utilization of these concepts, barriers to utilizing concepts, and potential avenues for incorporation of occupational justice into daily practice. This project demonstrates that quality improvement activities, driven by practitioners providing direct care, can enrich occupational therapy programs and lead to the inclusion of social justice practices in occupational therapy services.

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Date Presented 3/31/2017 The purpose of this research is to identify the experiences of intimate partners of individuals with SCI and to identify resource needs. Interviews were completed and themes identified. The information gained can be used to inform future development of resources for this population. Primary Author and Speaker: Kate Eglseder