| Physiotherapy Professionals: A Questionnaire for the Evaluation of Telerehabilitation Services in Egypt |
| Paper ID : 1013-ISCSR3 |
| Authors |
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Salma Ashraf AbdElaziz *, Eman Ahmed Embaby, Sabah Abdlnaser Hassan, Omnia Mustafa Salem, Olfat Ibrahim Ali Faculty of physical therapy Cairo university |
| Abstract |
| Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the utilization of telerehabilitation services in Egypt and to investigate the concerns and barriers faced by Egyptian physiotherapists for implementation. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 306 Egyptian physiotherapists who were asked to complete an online survey including questions about the utilization of telerehabilitation services, awareness, perception, and attitude. Results: A total of 299 physiotherapists completed the online survey. Within the sample, 38.5% utilized telerehabilitation at work. Telerehabilitation was used frequently to deliver patient advice (17.6%), follow-up (16%), and exercise prescription (15.2%). Pain (16.2%) was the most common outcome assessed utilizing telerehabilitation. Additionally, 85.3% of physiotherapists agreed that the inclusion of telerehabilitation during the rehabilitation program is effective. The main barriers to implementing telerehabilitation in Egypt were lack of awareness (59.9%) and technical issues (58.2%). Conclusion: This study sheds light on the trends and challenges in utilising tele rehabilitation and may help in shaping the future of tele rehabilitation in Egypt. One of the major goals a physiotherapist focuses on is to gain the functional movement that is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Physiotherapy aims to provide individuals with health promotion, prevention of injuries, therapeutic interventions, and rehabilitation programs to restore activities of daily living (ADL) and sustain functional abilities throughout life. Patients can get access to physiotherapy sessions through hospitals and private clinics. However, their adherence can be influenced by several factors and uncontrolled conditions leading to halting patients’ progress and complicating their conditions. Such conditions also affect communication between the patient and the physiotherapist, which necessitates the call for an efficient solution. Technological developments, such as telerehabilitation, contributed to overcoming such limitations as online platforms may support underserved or disadvantaged areas as well as low- to middle-income countries by granting access to care and healthcare providers anywhere in the world. |
| Keywords |
| Attitude, Awareness, COVID-19 pandemic, Perception, Physiotherapists, Telerehabilitation |
| Status: Abstract Accepted |