People with fibromyalgia: Engagement in everyday activities

Dépelteau and colleagues (2021) completed a systematic review and thematic synthesis to examine how personal and environmental characteristics, occupational identity, and occupational competence influence the occupational adaptation of people with fibromyalgia. Six databases were searched, and 12 studies published before 2020 were included in the review. Personal characteristics such as interests, feelings, motivation, symptoms, and habits and routines influenced occupational adaptation. Examples of environmental factors that influenced occupational adaptation included the social context, society’s understanding of fibromyalgia, and work demands. Self-image and symptom-related changes, and difficulty maintaining engagement in previous daily activities, also influenced occupational adaptation for people with fibromyalgia. Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) should collaborate with people with fibromyalgia to assist them with constructing a positive occupational identity and provide strategies to manage pain and energy levels. OTPs should also consider contextual factors when providing services to people with fibromyalgia.