Occupational Therapists Professional and Sociodemographic Profile in Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

The knowledge on the occupational therapists profile, trends in education and the labor market, allows us to have a glimpse of the profession identity and project future trends. Objective: To describe the professional and socio-demographic profile of Paraná occupational therapists in 2015. Method: This is a quantitative, observational and cross-sectional research, performed by means of a questionnaire answered by a representative sample of 188 of the 680 registered professionals in the Professional Council. Results: The Paraná professionals constitute predominantly young women and live on the state capital. Most graduated in the past 10 years, latu sensu, but few have master’s or doctorate degree. Most works exclusively in the profession, a single job, in a public institution, with a schedule of 6 hours daily. The main areas of focus are Mental Health, Functional Health, Social Contexts and Hospital Contexts respectively. The monthly income varies between the wage floor and 4 thousand Brazilian Reais. Conclusion: In the last fifteen years, there has been significant increase in the number of professionals and qualification of these. The professional profile demonstrated that the profession is maturing and consolidation in the labor market.