Introduction / Rationale: As the incidence of sexual health concerns increases, sexuality is becoming an increasingly important topic in occupational therapy (OT) practice. However, little is known about the extent of research conducted on this topic in OT.
Objectives: This project aims to map the scope and depth of literature on sexuality in OT.
Methods / Approach: A scoping review was conducted across four databases—MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycInfo—from their inception to March 2023. The search strategy included keywords related to “OT” and “Sexuality”. Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. We performed descriptive analyses for study characteristics and thematic analyses to synthesize their results. The search was updated in February 2025.
Results / Practice Implications: Of 3058 references screened for the first search, 207 studies were included (qualitative: 33.3%, quantitative: 32.9%, mixed methods: 8.7%, unspecified: 25,1%). These studies covered eight topics regarding sexuality: 1) Experiences of populations (28.5%); 2) Influencing factors in practice reported by OT practitioners and students (26.6%); 3) Assessment or intervention methods (19.8%); 4) The role of occupational therapists (6.8%); 5) Educating OT practitioners and students (5.8%); 6) Frameworks, models and guidelines (4.8%); 7) Measurement properties of assessment tools (4.8%); 8) Integration in university training programs (2.9%).
Conclusion / Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: This review revealed that most studies explored the sexuality-related issues experienced by different populations or the factors influencing OT practitioners’ and students’ ability to address sexuality in practice. There is a notable gap in evidence-based assessment, intervention methods, education, and theoretical frameworks related to sexuality and OT.