Due to the conduct of hostilities in the East of Ukraine, a large number of servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine got hurt (injuries). All of them need to restore the fulfillment of everyday functions, create comfortable living conditions, provide the opportunity to restore professional skills and social adaptation. Occupational therapy is one of the important stages in the recovery of wounded (injured) military personnel. The article presents the study of the current state and problems of occupational therapy of servicemen who suffered as a result of hostilities in the leading countries of the world and in Ukraine. The purpose of the study was to substantiate the proposals for the introduction of occupational therapy in the rehabilitation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who suffered as a result of hostilities. The study analyzed the provision of occupational therapy services to military personnel in the USA, Great Britain, Canada and Australia. Based on the results of the analysis, various approaches to the organization and provision of these services were established. The main difference of the United States and Great Britain approaches is to attract military occupational therapists. The important role of the military occupational therapist as a specialist who teaches new ways to perform everyday tasks, helps to restore lost skills, adapts the living environment, work, study and communication, manufactures and selects adaptive equipment is shown. The study showed that a military occupational therapist, unlike a civilian, is well versed in military affairs, and therefore is able to take into account the specifics of the professional needs of patients. An approach is proposed for the formation and development of occupational therapy in Ukraine that provides for the training of military occupational therapists. It is also proposed to attract foreign specialists to develop domestic educational programs and train the teaching staff of higher educational institutions with the aim of quality training of the future occupational therapists. These specialists will form a team of military occupational therapists in future. Their work will be aimed at providing quality assistance to the injured military for the sake of their quick return to official duties, to a decent full-fledged civilian life, and in some cases to the preservation of life.

Keywords: occupational therapy, rehabilitation, military personnel, Armed Forces of Ukraine, fighting, military occupational therapist

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