Occupational health and ergonomics physiotherapists in Brazil: investigation of the socio-demographic profile and professional practices

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Occupational health and ergonomics (OHE) has been recognized as a Physiotherapy specialty in 15 countries; however, a lack of studies that provide profiles of OHE Physiotherapists (PTs) and their professional practices. Objective: To provides a profile of the OHE PTs in Brazil, identify and audit their current professional practices based on the Conselho Federal de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional (COFFITO) guidelines for this specialty. Method: This was a cross-sectional study. The participants were legally registered with the Regional Council of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy (CREFITO) in Brazil. An invitation to participate in the survey was sent to the members of the Association of Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ABRAFIT) and PTs recognized for their contributions to the OHE field. The participants were contacted through e-mail, Facebook posts, and LinkedIn messages. The questionnaire was distributed through the SurveyMonkey platform. Results: A total of 153 (86%) OHE PTs returned the survey. The mean age was 35.6 (SD 6.8) years, mean time in the OHE field was 8.5 (SD 5.6) years, the majority are women (61.5%). The OHE PTs were company employees or service providers. The OHE PTs reported satisfaction with their professional performance (74.8%). The OHE PTs’ most frequent interventions include biomechanical exposure assessments, ergonomic workplace analysis, and occupational health management. Conclusion: The OHE PTs in Brazil are predominantly women with professional experience who earn higher salaries than other PTs specialties. The OHE PTs based on their audited practices within the COFFITO guidelines focus on ergonomic workplace analysis and biomechanical exposure assessment.