EXPLORING THE ROLES OF PHYSIOTHERAPY STUDENTS IN PROMOTING FAMILY HEALTH DURING THE CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

S.B. Mysore¹, A.A. Farghaly¹, F.S. Alanazi¹

Background: Since March 2020, most establishments in the United Arab Emirates were closed except for emergency healthcare and other essential services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the closure of gyms, pools, and public parks, the only alternative during this period was to exercise at home. For those who developed musculoskeletal conditions, the choice of attending physiotherapy sessions was challenging, due to the limited services available, and the fear of the spread of infection.  This study explored how COVID-19 affected the families of physiotherapy students. We were particularly interested in the engagement of the students in promoting their family health and addressing physiotherapy-related issues during the pandemic.

Purpose: The main purpose of the study was to explore if and how physiotherapy students promoted their family’s health during the pandemic of COVID-19.

Methods: Using purposive convenient sampling, fourth- and fifth-year physiotherapy students from a healthcare institution in the United Arab Emirates were invited to take part in the study. A qualitative, semi-structured one to one interview was conducted via zoom by year 4 students. All the participants of this study had successfully completed the core modules of physiotherapy with 8 weeks to 32 weeks of clinical placements. All the interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed.

Results: The data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Most participants of this study reported to have practically demonstrated good handwashing techniques to their younger siblings and provided education on the appropriate ways of wearing and disposing of gloves and masks. The findings suggested that physiotherapy students were proactive in designing and conducting exercise sessions for their families to keep them fit during the lockdown. However, the adherence to regular exercises was found to be low especially among those family members who were not active prior to the lockdown. The students were involved in prescribing and monitoring physiotherapy for various musculoskeletal conditions, caused either due to inactivity or prolonged sitting.

Conclusion(s): Physiotherapy students were concerned about the health and well-being of their families during the lockdown. The students took pro-active measures in maintaining their family health and utilised the resources available to them to provide basic therapy for those who had musculoskeletal conditions. The participants were found to have played a vital role in promoting their family health.  

Implications: This study provided some insights into the problems and challenges faced by families during the lockdown.  The reports from the participants indicated that the prevalence of neck, shoulder, and back pain has been increasing since the pandemic due to prolonged use of smart devices and poor posture. Students should be encouraged to create educational materials targeting this population.
Given the experiences of our participants with their siblings, there could be a cause of concern for developing obesity among the younger population. The older population could also be at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular or other co-morbidities due to the lack of exercise. The knowledge and skills of students can be utilised in promoting family and community health both during and post-pandemic. They should be encouraged to take active roles in various health campaigns.

Funding, acknowledgements: This study was not funded by any organization

Keywords: Physiotherapy students, Covid-19, Public health

Topic: COVID-19

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Fatima College of Health Sciences

Committee: Fatima College Research Ethics Committee

Ethics number: INTSTF007PTY20