Identifying Factors Prevent Patients' Accessibility to Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Abstract

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are common and linked to an increased risk of developing a disability. Although physical therapy is recommended for several musculoskeletal conditions, research shows the rate of patients’ access to physical therapy clinics appears unchanged. Objective: We aimed to identify predictive factors to improve overall health status, better compliance, and better management of patients' conditions within physiotherapy services. We used electronic data for a retrospective cohort in Prince Sultan Military Medical City from 30 March 2022 to 22 May 2022. Considering gender, age, and the co-existence of other medical conditions, we compared users and non-users of physical therapy services after referral. Patients were grouped using their diagnosis from their index visit to the Spine, Lower extremity, and Upper extremity. We compared differences in patient factors between users and non-users of physical therapy using chi-square and t-tests. We estimated the minimum sample size to be 385, using 50% of the population portion. Results: We found a significant number of non-users were males and were from the orthopedic department. The association analysis revealed significant relationships between users and gender, user and clinic, and user and diagnosis. Conclusion: The high prevalence of non-users in OPD clinics, could be driven by: the lack of time and an understanding of the importance of the physical therapy course. The study guides healthcare professionals to highlight individuals at particular risk of not accessing physical therapy and indicates the benefit of accessing physical treatment in their case. Further, it encourages to design and implement a policy for people with OPD/Spinal disorder to ensure the continuity of care and to prevent any longterm impact on their health