A Study of Physical Therapists’ Perceptions about Limitations in Development of Physical Therapy Profession in Pakistan

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Purpose of the study was to find out Physical Therapists' perceptions about limitations in development of physical therapy profession in Pakistan.

Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted and three hundred Physical Therapists from all over Pakistan were invited to participate to a questionnaire comprising of thirteen closed ended questions. A purposive sampling technique was used. Out of three hundred physical therapists only 116 responded back.with number reaching to 72 (62%), self-practicing therapists were found to be 24 (21%) and only 20 (17%) Physical Therapists were from Government Sector. Further it was extracted from collected data that out of 116 only 14 (12%) Physical Therapists were found engaged in Academics while rests of 102 (88%) Respondent Physical Therapists were doing clinical practice.

 Conclusion: It has been originated thatlack of awareness of scope of physical therapy practice, lack of \job structure, lack of physical therapy council, clientage dependency of medical physicians and surgeons, lack of professional attitude among physical therapists, lack of check on physical therapy quackery, lack of formal hands on training and victimization of physical therapy field seniors due to their insecurity, were the perceived barriers in development of physical therapy profession with which most of physical therapists were agreed.

Key Words: Limitations, Physical Therapy Profession, Professional Development, Pakistan Physical Therapy.