The representation of occupational therapy in Irish national newspapers (1990-1999)

Background: Documenting the history of occupational therapy allows practitioners to understand the factors which influenced the development of their profession and contemporary practice. The documentation of the history of occupational therapy in Ireland received little attention prior to the recent development of the History of Occupational Therapy Project at the University of Limerick. The representations of the occupational therapy profession in the Irish media are being explored as part of this research. Objectives: To examine the representations of the occupational therapy profession in Irish national newspapers from 1990-1999. To identify the extent and content of reference to occupational therapy during this era. To examine the factors which may have influenced the progression of the profession in Ireland during the 1990’s. Methods: An historical documentary research approach was used to gather data from two online newspaper archive databases: the Irish Newspaper and the Irish Times archives. This data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: From 1990-1999, 381 newspaper entries referencing occupational therapy were identified in Irish national newspapers. Three themes emerged from this data: limited undergraduate and postgraduate study options, a broad range of work opportunities and unrest amongst occupational therapists. The progression of the profession during the 1990’s was influenced by the profession itself and the political and economic environment in Ireland at this time. Conclusion: Mass media forms such as newspapers are an invaluable source of information when reflecting on and documenting the history of the occupational therapy profession in Ireland.