Ms. Juwairiyya Paruk

Juwairiyya Paruk is an emerging scholar in occupational therapy whose work centers on mental health, occupational engagement, and health equity. Her research highlights the lived experiences of individuals and families affected by psychosocial and systemic challenges, with particular attention to populations whose needs are often overlooked in practice and policy.

Her study on partners of individuals diagnosed with bipolar I disorder applies interpretive phenomenological approaches to illuminate occupational imbalance, unmet needs, and sources of meaning within intimate relationships. This work advances occupational therapy’s scope by emphasizing secondary populations and advocating for inclusive, family-centered interventions in mental health care.

Through a scoping review on services for forcibly displaced individuals in low- and middle-income contexts, Paruk examines structural barriers to participation and the role of health promotion in supporting daily life engagement. Based on limited available publications, her scholarship reflects a growing commitment to social justice, community-based practice, and expanding occupational therapy’s contribution to vulnerable groups.