THE AVAILABILITY AND USAGE OF ELECTROPHYSICAL AGENTS IN NAGANO PREFECTURE, JAPAN: A 5-YEAR LONGITUDINAL FOLLOW-UP STUDY

Background: Electrophysical agents (EPA) is one of the main treatment approaches in physical therapy. However, there have been concerns that the availability and usage of EPA have decreased within Japan, as well as internationally. These concerns cannot be verified because only data from cross-sectional studies have been available. In a previous cross-sectional study published in 2014, we reported on the availability and usage of electrophysical agents in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Purpose: The aim of this longitudinal study was to conduct a 5-year follow-up survey to determine the trends in availability and usage of electrophysical agents in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Methods: Questionnaires were sent to all 1,902 physical therapists working in 236 institutions within Nagano Prefecture. A total of 1,198 (63%) questionnaires were returned from 150 institutions (64%). Data analysis was carried out on 1,144 (95%) questionnaires containing valid responses. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for 22 modalities with regards to availability and usage.

Results: With regards to availability, there was a general decrease from 2014 to 2019 for all modalities. For example, hot packs (88.1%, 82.0%), low frequency devices (74.3%, 56.7%), traction (63.7%, 48.7%), cold packs (54.8%, 39.3%), and ultrasound (67.0%, 36.7%) were all less available in 2019. With regards to usage, a similar trend was also observed; i.e. there was decreased usage in 2019 compared with 2014. For example, the usage for hot packs (70.8%, 67.2%), ultrasound (59.2%, 54.1%), low frequency devices (56.3%, 52.0%), and cold packs (56.1%, 50.0%) showed a decrease in usage in 2019. However, 4 modalities showed an increased although these were modalities with low usage. For example, paraffin (12.6%, 15.1%), shortwave (18.2%, 19.4%), ultraviolet (4.8%, 18.6%), ultrasound imaging (16.4%, 19.7%) showed modest increase in usage.

Conclusion(s): This is the first longitudinal study on the availability and usage of EPA in Japan. Our results support the concerns expressed regarding decreased in availability and usage, albeit for some of the most common types of modalities. Further studies are necessary to determine the causes for this decreasing trend.

Implications: Usage and availability trends in EPA are important to understand the changing emphasis on EPA as a treatment option for patients. This in turn will help educators to design the EPA curriculum which is consistent with the needs of clinicians, as well as to formulate relevant research agendas.

Funding, acknowledgements: Nagano University of Health and Medicine Research Fund

Keywords: Electrophysical agents, availability, usage

Topic: Electrophysical & isothermal agents

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Nagano University of Health and Medicine

Committee: University Ethics Committee

Ethics number: 2019-1