Occupational therapy in Iran: Historical review

Occupational therapy in Iran is relatively young - established in 1971 - with a fluctuated development due to the Iranian revolution in 1979, and eight years war from 1981 to 1989. Today, there are ten Bachelor programs across the country approved by World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT). Furthermore, occupational therapists have opportunities for further postgraduate training in both Master and PhD levels. Fast growing of occupational therapy due to social demands necessitated therapists to develop a professional organization. Therefore, Iranian Occupational Therapy Association (IROTA) was formally established in 1994. This paper aims to present an overview about occupational therapy in Iran. Iranian context including population, health status and culture is also reviewed. This follows with explanation about occupational therapy background, education and development. Finally, conception, development, purposes, and achievements of Iranian Occupational Therapy Association; present situation and future perspectives of occupational therapy are discussed.