Abstract
Background: A breast cancer diagnosis can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. This retrospective chart review explored the occupational therapy evaluation process with female patients in an inpatient acute care hospital with a breast cancer diagnosis. Methods: This descriptive retrospective chart review analyzed 134 occupational therapy evaluations of female patients with breast cancer admitted to a southeastern US academic medical center. Data were extracted and categorized using the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework. Results: The most frequently administered assessments were non-standardized and the AM-PAC "6-Clicks." Documented short-term goals primarily focused on self-care (56.6%), gross motor skills (24.7%), and instrumental activities of daily living (10.8%). Few goals addressed psychosocial needs, despite documentation of psychosocial factors impacting occupational performance in 37.1% of the charts. Discussion: The findings highlight a potential gap in addressing psychosocial needs within acute care occupational therapy for breast cancer patients. Time constraints, the emphasis on medical stability, and the historical separation of mental and physical health care may contribute to this gap. Conclusion: Occupational therapists must adopt a more holistic approach that integrates psychosocial assessment and intervention to comprehensively support the well-being of individuals with breast cancer. Knowledge Translation Takeaway: This study advocates for incorporating the evaluation of psychosocial functioning into acute care occupational therapy practice to facilitate early identification of psychosocial needs and inform interventions that support patient engagement in meaningful occupations.