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Yona T1,2, Azmon M1,3, Keshet N1,4, Ben Ami N3
1Israeli Physiotherapy Society, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2Clalit Health Services, Herzliya, Israel, 3Ariel University, Physiotherapy, Ariel, Israel, 4Shmuel Harofeh Geriatric Medical Center, Physiotherapy, Beer Yaacov, Israel
Background: Physical activity levels of people across the world are extremely low, where 31% and 80% of the world adult and adolescents populations are physically inactive, respectively. Close to 9% of the premature deaths in the world are caused, in part, by the lack of physical activity. In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) published guidelines for recommended physical activity (PA) for adults (18-64) and adolescents (5-17). Physiotherapists are in the position to promote PA, and thus help decrease associated diseases and premature deaths. For this reason, physiotherapists are required to know the PA Guidelines and how to promote PA among both adults and adolescents. The Authors are not aware of previous research that reported physiotherapists knowledge about adolescents PA guidelines or any PA guidelines knowledge for physiotherapists in Israel.
Purpose: To assess the knowledge of Israeli physiotherapists regarding the WHO recommendations for PA for adults and adolescents, to determine their interest and barriers for promoting physical activity, and to evaluate whether the Israeli physiotherapists are doing physical activity according to the guidelines.
Methods: Following ethical approval, a cross-sectional survey of Israeli physiotherapists was conducted. An online survey was administered using social media and workplaces. The questionnaire was valid and included demographic details, knowledge of physical activity, barriers to promote physical activity, and self-reported level of physical activity. The findings were reported according to the CHERRIES (Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys) recommendations. Chi-square tests were used to assess for significant differences between groups.
Results: We found that only 7.4% of the 619 physiotherapists who completed the survey were aware of the recommended level of adult PA, and only 4% knew the adolescents recommendations. Young physiotherapists (0-5 years of experience) knowledge about adult PA recommendations is significantly higher (P 0.05) than other experience groups. Only 44.7% of the physiotherapists (277) followed the WHO recommendations for PA, 90% of physiotherapists (557) routinely initiate a conversation about PA, 83% (514) signpost to another PA support and 70% (432) deliver brief intervention for PA. The main barriers to promote PA was the feeling that it will not change the patient´s behavior, lack of time and lack of counseling skills.
Conclusion(s): Israeli physiotherapists have insufficient knowledge of both adults and adolescents´ guidelines for physical activity, and less than half of them are doing enough physical activity. Nine out of every ten (90%) of the physiotherapists routinely discuss PA with their patients, but 30% do not deliver brief intervention for PA.
Implications: There is an urgent need for intervention to improve the knowledge of PA among physiotherapists in Israel, particularly those with more experience. Moreover, counseling skills for behavior change should be taught to physiotherapists and ultimately implemented to improve patient´s compliance with physical activity interventions. The Israeli physiotherapy society leads, trains and navigate the physiotherapy profession in Israel, and therefore we see great importance in the conclusions from this survey and intend using them to determine future policies and to improve our position as health promoters.
Keywords: Health promotion, Physical activity
Funding acknowledgements: None
Purpose: To assess the knowledge of Israeli physiotherapists regarding the WHO recommendations for PA for adults and adolescents, to determine their interest and barriers for promoting physical activity, and to evaluate whether the Israeli physiotherapists are doing physical activity according to the guidelines.
Methods: Following ethical approval, a cross-sectional survey of Israeli physiotherapists was conducted. An online survey was administered using social media and workplaces. The questionnaire was valid and included demographic details, knowledge of physical activity, barriers to promote physical activity, and self-reported level of physical activity. The findings were reported according to the CHERRIES (Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys) recommendations. Chi-square tests were used to assess for significant differences between groups.
Results: We found that only 7.4% of the 619 physiotherapists who completed the survey were aware of the recommended level of adult PA, and only 4% knew the adolescents recommendations. Young physiotherapists (0-5 years of experience) knowledge about adult PA recommendations is significantly higher (P 0.05) than other experience groups. Only 44.7% of the physiotherapists (277) followed the WHO recommendations for PA, 90% of physiotherapists (557) routinely initiate a conversation about PA, 83% (514) signpost to another PA support and 70% (432) deliver brief intervention for PA. The main barriers to promote PA was the feeling that it will not change the patient´s behavior, lack of time and lack of counseling skills.
Conclusion(s): Israeli physiotherapists have insufficient knowledge of both adults and adolescents´ guidelines for physical activity, and less than half of them are doing enough physical activity. Nine out of every ten (90%) of the physiotherapists routinely discuss PA with their patients, but 30% do not deliver brief intervention for PA.
Implications: There is an urgent need for intervention to improve the knowledge of PA among physiotherapists in Israel, particularly those with more experience. Moreover, counseling skills for behavior change should be taught to physiotherapists and ultimately implemented to improve patient´s compliance with physical activity interventions. The Israeli physiotherapy society leads, trains and navigate the physiotherapy profession in Israel, and therefore we see great importance in the conclusions from this survey and intend using them to determine future policies and to improve our position as health promoters.
Keywords: Health promotion, Physical activity
Funding acknowledgements: None
Topic: Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Ariel University
Ethics committee: Ariel University
Ethics number: AU-NBA-20180815
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
