Wojkowski S1, Richardson J1, Chowhan J2, Boyle M1, Birch S3,4
1McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, 2York University, North York, Canada, 3University of Queensland, Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, Brisbane, Australia, 4University of Manchester, Centre for Health Economics, Manchester, United Kingdom
Background: Physiotherapy (PT) is an effective health service for many chronic conditions. Socio-demographic variables (i.e. age and sex) are associated with use of, and unmet need for, health services. It is not known how the same variables are associated with PT use by adults with specific chronic conditions in Canada.
Purpose: To investigate associations between socio-demographic characteristics and health-related variables and PT use in three Canadian Community Health Survey Cycles (2001, 2003, 2005) for three Canadian provinces (ON, AB, BC).
Methods: Logistic regression examined associations between the dependent variable “PT visits” and independent variables that included sex and income.
Results: Some socio-demographic characteristics (sex, income, education), and health-related variables (unmet injury needs, activity limitation) were positively associated with PT use. Persons with low income were less likely to report a PT visit compared to persons with higher income (>$79,999).
Conclusion(s): Access to physiotherapy in the studied provinces is subject to barriers related to affordability (income or the ability to pay) and availability (injuries or physical activity limitations). This analysis provides an important perspective on variables associated with access to PT over time for Canadian adults with chronic conditions.
Implications:
- Women were more likely to report a PT visit in all three provinces and Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) cycles - In general, people who reported an unmet need for treatment of an injury, or who reported a physical activity limitation, were more likely to report a PT visit in ON, AB, BC
People who reported a lower total household income ( $15,000) were less likelyto report a PT visit
- Policy makers and physiotherapists alike are encouraged to consider how to address service differences, including cost and lack of availability, to ensure equitable use of, and access to, physiotherapy.
Keywords: Physiotherapy, Chronic Disease, Health Services Use
Funding acknowledgements: None
Purpose: To investigate associations between socio-demographic characteristics and health-related variables and PT use in three Canadian Community Health Survey Cycles (2001, 2003, 2005) for three Canadian provinces (ON, AB, BC).
Methods: Logistic regression examined associations between the dependent variable “PT visits” and independent variables that included sex and income.
Results: Some socio-demographic characteristics (sex, income, education), and health-related variables (unmet injury needs, activity limitation) were positively associated with PT use. Persons with low income were less likely to report a PT visit compared to persons with higher income (>$79,999).
Conclusion(s): Access to physiotherapy in the studied provinces is subject to barriers related to affordability (income or the ability to pay) and availability (injuries or physical activity limitations). This analysis provides an important perspective on variables associated with access to PT over time for Canadian adults with chronic conditions.
Implications:
- Women were more likely to report a PT visit in all three provinces and Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) cycles - In general, people who reported an unmet need for treatment of an injury, or who reported a physical activity limitation, were more likely to report a PT visit in ON, AB, BC
People who reported a lower total household income ( $15,000) were less likelyto report a PT visit
- Policy makers and physiotherapists alike are encouraged to consider how to address service differences, including cost and lack of availability, to ensure equitable use of, and access to, physiotherapy.
Keywords: Physiotherapy, Chronic Disease, Health Services Use
Funding acknowledgements: None
Topic: Information management, technology & big data; Disability & rehabilitation
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: McMaster University
Ethics committee: Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board
Reason not required: secondary data analysis of publicly available national data set with no unique identifiers for respondents
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
