AOTA

Emily Miller, OTS

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student

Midwestern University

Downers Grove, Illinois

Asfia Mohammed, OTR, MOT

Senior Occupational Therapist

MD Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas

Abstract
Cancer survivors experience many negative physical, social, and psychological disruptions, which affect their occupational participation and performance in daily activities. Their mental health is an area that needs to be better addressed by health care providers to improve quality of life in this client population. Some of the psychological concerns of cancer survivors’ include cancer-related fatigue, cancer-related cognitive impairment, changes in intimacy, role changes, demoralization, and loss of life’s meaning, as well as high levels of stress. Occupational therapy practitioners play a distinct role in mental health care for clients with cancer to address their needs through interventions focused on remediation, modification, and health promotion.

Learning Objectives

1. Recognize the effect that a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment(s) have on the mental health of a client with cancer

2. Identify mental health areas that negatively affect cancer clients’ participation in occupations

3. Describe the distinct role of occupational therapy in mental health

4. Identify how occupational therapy practitioners play a role in each of the mental health areas described

5. Identify and describe treatment interventions used to address cancer clients’ mental health