Knowledge and opinions of patients and/or family members about the scope of Physical therapy and direct access in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Objective: to explore the knowledge of patients and/or relatives about the scope of Physical therapy practice based on their experiences, and to gather their opinions about direct access in Puerto Rico. Material and method: relatives of children with developmental disabilities and/or patients who have received Physical therapy services, previously or currently, were recruited. These were recruited through a convenience sampling in 5 outpatient Physical therapy centers in the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico, and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants. The QDA Miner Lite program was used for the transcription and coding of the data. Results: 5 main themes emerged: 1. Knowledge about physical therapy; 2. Knowledge about the difference between professions related to physical therapy; 3. Time to be referred and to start receiving services; 4. Experiences upon receiving services; and 5. Knowledge and opinions about direct access to physical therapy in Puerto Rico. Limited knowledge about Physical therapy and the scope of the profession in Puerto Rico was found. However, based on the experiences of the participants, the majority reported agreeing with the implementation and use of direct access if it were available on the island. Conclusion: it is necessary to continue evaluating the knowledge of the population regarding the Physical therapy profession to identify the necessary tools to educate and promote the advancement of the profession in Puerto Rico.