Our Occupational Therapy Research Unit aims at securing high quality occupational therapy services in the frame of healthcare. To do so we investigate research questions from daily practice and implement projects in close cooperation with project partners. Our research outcomes are reintroduced into practice through continuing education and training as well as in publications.

• Development and evaluation of new technologies, innovative therapeutic approaches and care models to enable occupation, health, inclusion and/or participation.
• Studies on the effectiveness of occupational therapy with children and adults with, or at risk of, impaired ability to undertake everyday activities, e.g. due to neurological, psychiatric or paediatric diseases or age.
• Questions on the perspective of the subject concerned, e.g. how do patients/clients and their families experience life with a chronic illness or disability ore the healthcare system in Switzerland.
• Development and evaluation of models, interventions, processes and tools that allow the inclusion of people with disabilities.
• Translation and validation of assessments that are used to ensure quality and monitor effectiveness, or to specify impairments of the ability to act.

The Occupational Therapy Research Unit prioritises projects that enable people with restricted abilities to achieve more autonomy and participation in self-sufficiency, education, work, leisure and social life. All the Occupational Therapy Research Unit’s projects and publications are listed in the ZHAW project and publication database by their start date and publication date.

The Occupational Therapy Research Unit team is composed of specialists in occupational therapy, medical education, sociology, management and quality development in the healthcare system who have extensive experience in practice, research and development at home and abroad.