Comparison of Awareness of Physiotherapy Among Health Professionals and Nonhealth Professionals in Dharwad District, Karnataka, India – A Survey Analysis

Abstract

Context: In the present-day health-care system scenario, physiotherapy has attained an essential component. The knowledge of physiotherapy and its treatment modalities is known to some extent only in metropolitan cities and towns. Aim: Hence, an attempt has been made to assess the awareness of physiotherapy among health professionals and nonhealth professionals in urban and rural population of Dharwad district. Settings and Design: A survey analysis conducted on Urban and Rural population of Dharwad, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 2000 individuals, in which 1000 individuals each with 500 professionals and 500 nonprofessionals were selected from urban and rural population of Dharwad. Data were collected through self and pretested questionnaires related to awareness of physiotherapy among health professionals and nonhealth professionals. Data were analyzed with an independent t-test and significance was set at a 95% level confidence interval (P < 0.05). Statistical Analysis Used: Karl Pearson's product-moment technique has been applied to find out the reliability. Results: The awareness of physiotherapy is better among health professionals as compared to the nonhealth professionals and statistically significant, t = 28.3221 (P < 0.05). The awareness of physiotherapy was better among urban nonhealth professionals as compared to rural nonhealth professionals and it was statistically significant, t = 3.8198, (P < 0.05). The awareness of physiotherapy was better among urban health professionals as compared to rural health professionals and it was statistically significant, t = 13.6710 (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The awareness of physiotherapy was better among urban health professionals and nonhealth professionals as compared to rural health professionals and nonhealth professionals.