Knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of final year medical, occupational therapy and sport science students regarding physiotherapy, in KwaZulu Natal.

Abstract

Knowledge, perceptions and attitudes about physiotherapy  has affected its status. In a developing profession whose patient base is still significantly dependent on referral from medical practitioners, certain stereo-typic attitudes about it require attention. This study investigated the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of the 2009 final year medical, occupational therapy and sport science students at one university in KwaZulu natal, regarding  physio therapy. A saturation sample of 292 students from the selected groups was  invited  to  participate  in  the study. The  cross  sectional  survey  used a questionnaire  with  open  and  closed ended  questions.  The  data  was  reduced to percentages and analysed using chi square tests at p< 0, 05. The overall response rate was 51% with 95% occupational therapy, 71% sport science and only 31% medical students responding. About 74% of the respondents had adequate knowledge about physiotherapy. Seventy five percent of medical and 50% of oT students knew that physiotherapists were first contact practitioners. over 50% of the respondents who had experienced physiotherapy displayed positive attitudes and felt that physio-therapy was a good career choice. Massage was the best known (95%) and electrotherapy the least known (44%) modality. orthopedics (88%), sports physio therapy (84%) and rehabilitation (78%) were better known. we conclude that the response rate to the study especially by medical students is of concern despite the overall positive attitudes displayed by the participants.