Abortion Law Changes and Occupational Therapy Practice in the United States

Our findings underscore the relevance of reproductive health to occupational therapy practice and highlight the importance of preparing occupational therapy practitioners to respond to client needs related to abortion care. Plain-Language Summary: We sought to determine whether occupational therapy practitioners perceive that the 2022 abortion-related restrictions are affecting occupational therapy practice; specifically, we wanted to know whether and how practice is being affected and what resources occupational therapy practitioners might need to address clients' needs. Fifteen occupational therapy practitioners were interviewed and revealed that many of their clients were experiencing stress and anxiety (i.e., mental health challenges) specifically related to abortion access. We also found that occupational therapy practitioners who routinely discuss reproductive health with clients were commonly hearing from clients about abortion-related needs. Overall, this research uncovers a need for resources and guidance from state or national occupational therapy organizations so that occupational therapy practitioners can better support their clients given these new changes in abortion access. Positionality Statement: We are a team of three researchers who identify as cisgender women, and we reside in an urban area in the northeastern United States. Two of us identify as White, and one identifies as a person of color. We have all participated in reproductive health access advocacy and critically examined our own lenses as we engaged in this analysis.