A survey of physicians and physiotherapists on physical activity promotion in Nigeria.
Adewale L Oyeyemi, Adetoyeje Y Oyeyemi, Rahana Y Habib and 3 others
PMID 29340200WHAT IT FOUND
Nigerian physiotherapists were more confident than physicians in suggesting specific physical activity programs and found one-on-one and group sessions feasible.
Their overall promotion score was 3 points lower than physicians, a difference the authors say may not be meaningful.
Key findings
01Physiotherapists and physicians had similar mean scores for knowledge, confidence, role perception, barriers and feasibility of physical activity promotion.
02Physicians had a significantly higher overall disposition score than physiotherapists, but the 3-point difference may not be clinically meaningful.
03Physiotherapists were more confident than physicians in suggesting specific physical activity programs and more often saw separate one-on-one consultations and group sessions as feasible.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample was a convenience sample from government hospitals in northern Nigeria, so it may not represent private providers or other regions. All answers were self-reported and may have been shaped by social desirability, with participants exaggerating their role, confidence and feasibility. The questionnaire was adapted from an Australian physician survey, and its validity among Nigerian physicians and physiotherapists is unknown. Scores were often high, so a ceiling effect may have hidden differences between the professions. The overall disposition score combined several subscales that may not measure one single construct, and the 3-point difference has unknown clinical importance. The sample was mostly male, with 169 of 247 participants male, and most physiotherapists were 30 years or younger.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that physiotherapists are less willing or less capable at promoting physical activity than physicians. The subscale scores were similar, the overall difference was only 3 points, and the authors say that difference may not be meaningful.