de Andrade Melo Knaut S1, Fernandes Lemos F2, Munaretto G3, Schneiberg S4, Teixeira LJ5, Dumont Facchinetti L6, Suriani Ribeiro D7, Baggio B8, Silva d'Alencar M9
1Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Curitiba, Brazil, 2Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Taubaté, Brazil, 3Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Lajes, Brazil, 4Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Aracajú, Brazil, 5Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Balneário Camboriú, Brazil, 6Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 7Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Goiania, Brazil, 8Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Caxias do Sul, Brazil, 9Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional, Salvador, Brazil
Background: Founded in October 2009, the Brazilian Association of Neurofunctional Physiotherapy (ABRAFIN), a non-profit organization that is accredited to the Federal Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (COFFITO) and the Brazilian Physiotherapists´ Association (AFB), aims to contribute and to establish criteria for professional qualification as well as to award the title of specialist in this field, establish standards of quality of care in Neurofunctional Physiotherapy, create spaces for dissemination of scientific knowledge as well as promote the interaction between teachers, researchers and clinicians, in order to integrate theory and practice and knowledge transfer.
Purpose: This paper aims to highlight the advances of ABRAFIN in its 9 years of existence, as well as the challenges that we still have to ensure high quality neurofunctional physiotherapy services for all users.
Methods: This study is a longitudinal descriptive study. Information in the ABRAFIN database was collected from January 2010 to August 2018. Descriptive data on the number of members, regional and national events, number of experts and scientific advices issued by ABRAFIN were collected. The information collected was compared by period and the results presented as descriptive analysis.
Results: With an average of 102 (± 57) new members per year after 2013, ABRAFIN currently has 512 active members, with 264% growth from January 2017 to August 2018. The years of congress are the years with the greatest number of new members or activation of membership status. Regarding scientific events, in almost 9 years of existence, ABRAFIN is holding its 5th National Congress in October 2018, which already has more than 800 participants interested in Neurofunctional Physiotherapy. 556 scientific papers has been accepted for presentation at this event, which has 10 international speakers in addition to several speakers of national renown. ABRAFIN has already held 2 national meetings and 25 regional meetings, which took place in almost all Brazilian states. By means of a diploma of specialty qualification and in partnership with COFFITO, ABRAFIN certified up to 2017, 227 Physiotherapists specialized in Neurofunctional Physiotherapy in the Adult and Elderly (N= 127) and in Children and Adolescents (N=100). Finally, in these 9 years, ABRAFIN has already issued around 30 scientific advices that are used by professionals, institutions and public agencies to guide the performance of the professional and the quality of physiotherapy services.
Conclusion(s): ABRAFIN has gained considerable credibility and respect over the years due to its proper conduct, staying away from conflicts of interest and struggling purely for the professional´s qualification and the quality of service in neurofunctional physiotherapy without making apology to methods, techniques or resources.
Implications: While growth is evident, the way forward is still great. We need to make professionals and society aware of the importance of evidence-based practice and, above all, of the need to identify ourselves as Physical Therapists and not as professionals of a single therapeutic resource. The health condition does not determine the functionality of the user and a single resource will never be able to meet the needs of all individuals.
Keywords: neurofunctional physiotherapy, knowledge transfer, professional qualification
Funding acknowledgements: This work was supported by ABRAFIN´s own funding.
Purpose: This paper aims to highlight the advances of ABRAFIN in its 9 years of existence, as well as the challenges that we still have to ensure high quality neurofunctional physiotherapy services for all users.
Methods: This study is a longitudinal descriptive study. Information in the ABRAFIN database was collected from January 2010 to August 2018. Descriptive data on the number of members, regional and national events, number of experts and scientific advices issued by ABRAFIN were collected. The information collected was compared by period and the results presented as descriptive analysis.
Results: With an average of 102 (± 57) new members per year after 2013, ABRAFIN currently has 512 active members, with 264% growth from January 2017 to August 2018. The years of congress are the years with the greatest number of new members or activation of membership status. Regarding scientific events, in almost 9 years of existence, ABRAFIN is holding its 5th National Congress in October 2018, which already has more than 800 participants interested in Neurofunctional Physiotherapy. 556 scientific papers has been accepted for presentation at this event, which has 10 international speakers in addition to several speakers of national renown. ABRAFIN has already held 2 national meetings and 25 regional meetings, which took place in almost all Brazilian states. By means of a diploma of specialty qualification and in partnership with COFFITO, ABRAFIN certified up to 2017, 227 Physiotherapists specialized in Neurofunctional Physiotherapy in the Adult and Elderly (N= 127) and in Children and Adolescents (N=100). Finally, in these 9 years, ABRAFIN has already issued around 30 scientific advices that are used by professionals, institutions and public agencies to guide the performance of the professional and the quality of physiotherapy services.
Conclusion(s): ABRAFIN has gained considerable credibility and respect over the years due to its proper conduct, staying away from conflicts of interest and struggling purely for the professional´s qualification and the quality of service in neurofunctional physiotherapy without making apology to methods, techniques or resources.
Implications: While growth is evident, the way forward is still great. We need to make professionals and society aware of the importance of evidence-based practice and, above all, of the need to identify ourselves as Physical Therapists and not as professionals of a single therapeutic resource. The health condition does not determine the functionality of the user and a single resource will never be able to meet the needs of all individuals.
Keywords: neurofunctional physiotherapy, knowledge transfer, professional qualification
Funding acknowledgements: This work was supported by ABRAFIN´s own funding.
Topic: Neurology; Education: continuing professional development; Disability & rehabilitation
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: Associação Brasileira de Fisioterapia Neurofuncional
Ethics committee: CONEP
Reason not required: Performance of an activity carried out exclusively for the purpose of education, teaching or training without scientific research purpose (resolution 1510 - CONEP)
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
