The Icelandic Occupational Therapy Association (IOTA)
Occupational therapy is a health profession. Occupational therapists provide health and social services in a broad context within Icelandic society. The emphasis is on occupation, which includes everything people do to care for themselves and their families, contribute to their communities, play, and enjoy life. Occupational therapists enable performance and participation in people’s daily occupations. They prevent occupational problems, and promote health by adapting occupations and environment, and by providing training, education, and consultation. Furthermore, occupational therapists contribute to health care, social, educational, and vocational policies to promote environments and occupational opportunities necessary for human health and well-being.
The Icelandic Occupational Therapy Association (IOTA) was founded in 1976. It is the union, as well as the professional organization, of occupational therapists in Iceland. Its members are now close to 200. IOTA has published its own professional journal, Iðjuþjálfinn, since 1977 and been the sponsor of a vast variety of courses and workshops led by national and international leaders within the field of occupational therapy.
The Icelandic Occupational Therapy Association is a member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) as well as the Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries (COTEC).
Occupational therapy is a licensed health profession in Iceland and licensure by the Ministry of Health is a prerequisite to practicing in Iceland. Licensure is available to those individuals educated at institutions recognized by The World Federation of Occupational Therapists, pending recognition by The Icelandic Occupational Therapy Association and the Icelandic Directorate of Health. Practicing occupational therapists in Iceland have until recently all been educated abroad. However, a school of occupational therapy was established at the University of Akureyri in 1997 and the first graduates entered the profession in the year 2001.This program is a four year program leading to a BS degree.
For more information on occupational therapy in Iceland please contact The Icelandic Occupational Therapy Association at: formadur.ii@sigl.is
