March 9, 2026
Global Conversations: Cross-Discipline Collaboration in Epidemiology, Occupational Science, Disability, and AI with Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi
<p><strong>Evolved Living Podcast with Dr. Josie Jarvis OT</strong> </p><p><strong>Global Conversations: Cross-Discipline Collaboration in Epidemiology, Occupational Science, Disability, and AIwith Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi</strong></p><p>---</p><p>Episode Overview</p><p>In this episode of the Evolved Living Podcast, Dr. Josie Jarvis welcomes Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi, a Ghana-based researcher working at the intersection of occupational science, epidemiology, biostatistics, rehabilitation, and disability studies. Their thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation explores how participation in daily life is shaped by social, structural, and systemic forces far beyond individual clinical encounters.</p><p>Dr. Josie Jarvis opens the episode by reflecting on her diverse clinical background, spanning home health, schools, memory care, and acute and orthopedic rehabilitation. Her journeyâdeepened by doctoral work amid the COVID-19 pandemicâled her to occupational science as a discipline uniquely equipped to investigate barriers to participation at the population (not just individual) level.</p><p>---</p><p> Key Topics Discussed</p><p>- <strong>What is Epidemiology?</strong></p><p> Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi grounds the discussion by defining epidemiology: the study of how health, disease, and disability are distributed across populations, and the factors influencing those outcomes. He emphasizes that "it is the backbone of public health," using stories from Ghana and references to public health icons like John Snow and John Graunt to illustrate epidemiologyâs roots in mapping, measurement, and understanding the interplay between environment and human behavior.</p><p>- <strong>Bridging Disability Studies and Occupational Science</strong></p><p> Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi describes how his academic journeyâspanning disability/rehabilitation studies and biostatisticsâinspired him to explore the overlap between occupational science and population health. He highlights the importance of looking not only at medical conditions but also at social and environmental context, power imbalances, and raceâreminding us that âeverybody has some form of disabilityâ and that âthere is nothing like normal.â</p><p>- <strong>The Role of Data and AI</strong></p><p> The conversation explores the need to âquantifyâ our observations to strengthen advocacy. Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi sees artificial intelligence as an assistive technologyâvaluable, but ultimately limited. He urges clinicians and researchers to retain the clarity and accountability of human interpretation, using AI as a support rather than a replacement for nuanced judgment.</p><p>- <strong>Ethics, Equity, and Systemic Barriers</strong></p><p> The episode doesnât shy away from difficult truths. They discuss well-known ethical breaches in research history (Tuskegee Syphilis Study, Nuremberg Code violations) and highlight how, without active attention to equity and ethics, scientific progress can deepen injustice. Dr. Josie Jarvis and Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi both reflect on their lived experiences of systemic inequityâfrom global vaccine access to the design of research and public health interventions.</p><p>- <strong>Cultural Humility and Community Engagement</strong></p><p> Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi shares a poignant research anecdote from Ghana: an infrastructure project failed because outsiders did not consult the community, ultimately building a water borehole atop a sacred space. The lesson: knowledge translation is only possible with true cultural humility and partnership, not top-down assumptions.</p><p>---</p><p>Concepts Explained</p><p><strong>Occupational Science</strong>: </p><p>A discipline that examines human participation (âoccupationâ) in everyday life, considering both individual and system-level factorsâpolicy, environment, economics, and historyâthat enable or restrict engagement.</p><p><strong>Epidemiology & Biostatistics in Rehab</strong>: </p><p>Not just tools for infectious disease, epidemiology provides frameworks for understanding disability, health disparities, and the structural determinants of participation. Biostatistics helps quantify these patterns and decipher root causes, moving advocacy from anecdote to evidence.</p><p><strong>Occupational Apartheid & Social Models of Disability</strong>: </p><p>The episode contextualizes âoccupational apartheidââa situation where social, economic, or policy barriers systematically exclude groups from meaningful participation in everyday life. Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi distinguishes between the medical, social, and biopsychosocial (ICF) models of disability, urging listeners to see how âsystemic barriersâ create or intensify disability.</p><p>---</p><p>Practical Wisdom for Listeners</p><p>- <strong>Integration is Key:</strong> Solutions come from teamworkâintegrating medical science, social science, community wisdom, and policy. âYou need to involve the communityâwhat you believe to be the best solution may not fit their real needs.â </p><p>- <strong>You Belong in Science:</strong> Dr. Josie Jarvis and Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi both stress that occupational science and health advocacy are not reserved for those with doctorates or prestigious affiliations. Effortsâhowever imperfectâmatter. </p><p>- <strong>Share and Connect:</strong> The conversation encourages clinicians, students, and community members to participate, share ideas, question systems, and âbe on LinkedInâ or join organizations like CSOS (Canadian Society for Occupational Scientists), which prioritize international access and virtual participation. </p><p>- <strong>Respect, Humility, and Effort:</strong> Growth and social change depend on respecting all perspectives, continuous effort, and humility when things donât go as planned.</p><p>---</p><p> Why This Matters</p><p>Occupational therapy and science are poised to lead in bridging the gap between STEM and social science, between evidence and ethics, between theory and grassroots reality. Episodes like this demonstrateâin clear, accessible languageâwhy the work of linking occupation, policy, data, and advocacy is both urgent and hopeful.</p><p>---</p><p> How to Engage Further</p><p>- <strong>Resources Mentioned:</strong> </p><p> - Occupational Science 101 Guide </p><p> - OS Alphabet Series (on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@drjosiejarvis?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc">TikTok,</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVRYgEGgeJ5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA=="> Instagram,</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JmSbUSymn/"> Facebook</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/josie-jarvis-ot/">LinkedIn)</a> </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.csoscanada.org/"> - CSOS membership and virtual events </a></p><p> - LinkedIn and Substack for new episodes and reflections</p><p>- <strong>Get Involved:</strong> </p><p> Bring occupational science ideas into your practice, classroom, or communityâeven if youâre new to the concepts. Connect for further conversations, share your efforts, and donât wait for perfect conditions.</p><p>---</p><p><strong>Final Thought</strong> </p><p>As Emmanuel Ampomah Boadi shares: "Donât be afraid that youâll get it wrong. If you donât get it wrong, you never know what to do to make it right." Occupational scienceâand a just health systemâneeds all voices, including yours.</p><p>Connect with Emmanuel on LinkedIn here: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-ampomah-boadi-08b4241a4/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-ampomah-boadi-08b4241a4/</a></p><p>---</p><p>For more episodes, resources, and to keep the conversation going, follow the Evolved Living Podcast on Substack and connect on social media platforms. Letâs keep collaborating across borders, backgrounds, and disciplinesâthe future of well-being depends on it.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://josiejarvisot.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1">josiejarvisot.substack.com</a>