Awareness of Physiotherapy among Medical Professionals: A Cross Sectional Survey

Abstract

The study aims to determine the knowledge and awareness of physical therapy among medical professionals. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was used to examine 105 medical practitioners in Haripur. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data for 3 months, starting in June 2018. Those participants (medical practitioners) that were registered in different Haripur hospitals were included in the sampling, whereas those hospital or clinic participants that were not registered with PMDC (Pakistan Medical and Dental Council) and were not able to complete the questionnaire were excluded from the study. Prior to collecting the data, the individuals provided their written informed consent. According to the type of variable being studied, descriptive statistics were extracted from the response after it had been processed using SPSS-20. The majority of medical professionals (94.3%) showed good knowledge about physiotherapy. The findings indicated that 21% of medical practitioners receive physiotherapy care. According to the results, 84.76% of practitioners referred patients for physiotherapy care. Orthopedic cases were most frequently referred by doctors (554.28%), followed by sports injury cases (10.47%), fitness cases (10.47%), cardiopulmonary cases (5.71%), women's health cases (5.71%), geriatric cases (3.83%), and the least in neurological cases (1.90%) and pediatric cases (1.90%). Physiotherapy was regarded as significant and very important in the health industry by about 40% and 47% of professionals, respectively. More importantly, the majority of professionals, 87%, suggested that every hospital should have a physiotherapy department. Senior medical professionals have extremely positive perceptions of the responsibilities that physical therapists play in patient care and health promotion. Leading medical professionals understood physiotherapy well. Yet, doctors think that the major therapy strategy utilized by therapists is prescription exercises, and there is little knowledge of the most recent developments and inventions in the field of rehabilitation. Orthopaedic treatment and treatment for sports injuries are the most successful physiotherapy treatments, according to practitioners. Despite the fact that medical practitioners are generally aware of physiotherapy and its benefits, there is still a need for progress in this area in order to get better functional results. Hence, proper steps must be taken to raise awareness of and foster a positive attitude towards the profession of physiotherapy.