Professional Ethics (SEM-04)

COMPLEXITY AND DIVERSITY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS - A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Overarching, universal ethical principles embedded in Codes of Ethics guide physiotherapists’ professional conduct. However, issues when applying a set of universal values to diverse local work settings have been reported from some regions, as ethical experiences of physiotherapists are influenced by different cultures and societal structures.

This seminar will focus on the exploration of ethical challenges within physiotherapy practice around the globe by a panel of ethics teachers and ethics researchers from Iran (Asia Western Pacific region), Nigeria (Africa region), Colombia (South America region) and Austria (Europe region); interactively discussing these issues with the participants under the lens of various ethical perspectives. The participants are encouraged to share and discuss unique ethical experiences from their own regions and professional contexts.

1. Explore unique ethical experiences of physiotherapists located in different World Physiotherapy regions
2. Discuss ethical challenges of physiotherapists in attempting to align universal ethical values with local culture and requirements
3. Understand the complexity of factors that contribute to ethical situations in physiotherapy and identify their relatedness with cultural, religious, political, historical and societal dimensions

1. Ngeh EN, Chigbo NN, Whitehouse Z, Anekwu EM, Mukaruzima L, Mtsetfwa L, et al. A report on the development of COVID-19 guidelines for rehabilitation professionals in African settings. Pan Afr Med J. 2021 Feb 4;38:129.
2. Mohamadi M, Mahmoodian H, Ajdari N. Comparison of World Confederation’s Code of Ethics for Physical Therapy to Islamic Culture Principles. Sadra Med Sci J. 2017 Mar 28;5:111–8.
3. Mohamadi M, Rojhani-Shirazi Z, Enjoo SA, Shamsi-Gooshki E, Abdollahi I, Bahmani F, et al. Proposing a set of ethical guidelines for Iranian physiotherapists: results of a modified Delphi technique. Indian J Med Ethics [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 Aug 12]; Available from: https://ijme.in/articles/proposing-a-set-of-ethical-guidelines-for-iranian-physiotherapists-results-of-a-modified-delphi-technique/
4. Giraldo-Pedroza A, Robayo-Torres AL, Guerrero AVS, Nicholls DA. Narrative histories of physiotherapy in Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina. Physiother Theory Pract [Internet]. 2021 Mar 4;37(3):447–59.
5. Fryer C, Sturm A, Roth R, Edwards I. Scarcity of resources and inequity in access are frequently reported ethical issues for physiotherapists internationally: an observational study. BMC Med Ethics. 2021 Jul 20;22(1):97.