Awareness, Belief, Attitude and Utilization of Physiotherapy Services Among Doctors

Abstract

Physiotherapy has come to be recognized as a well-known form of medical care that reduces patients' dependency and level of disability. Physiotherapists play an important part in community rehabilitation and health education because of the role physiotherapy plays in reducing the incidence and severity of disability. Objectives: To determine about the awareness of belief and attitude towards the utilization of physiotherapy services and interventions among doctors in selected hospitals of Lahore. Methods: The study design was Descriptive cross sectional. Total 150 doctors participated in this research from Arif Memorial Hospital, Mayo Hospital, Farooq Hospital and Ghurki Hospital. Results: There were 134 MBBS doctors and 16 FCPS doctors aged between 25 to 40 years and having 2 to 10 years of clinical experience. 58% of the study population were female doctors while 42% were male doctors. According to the study, medical doctors' perceptions regarding the profession of physiotherapy were moderately negative. This analysis also revealed some significant elements that might have had a negative impact on the degree of usage of physiotherapy treatments. Conclusions: Overall, this study showed that clinical doctors' attitudes toward the physiotherapy profession were generally negative. Some important potential factors were also identified that might have had a negative impact or limited the extent to which physiotherapy services were utilized in Lahore, Pakistan.