Profile of physiotherapists working in the Covid-19 pandemic period

A cross-sectional study carried out using an electronic questionnaire

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a global epidemic and 2020 has been an infectious year worldwide. Thus, understanding how physiotherapists are working during this period is important for developing strategies and relevant public policies to contain the spread of the virus. Objective: To analyze the profile of physiotherapists during this current pandemic. Methods: A total of 275 physical therapists participated in the electronic survey. The study was carried out by sending a link to Google Forms covering questions related to academic training, questions related to professional practice and aspects related to Covid-19. Results: In general, physiotherapists who had postgraduate degrees represented the largest portion of the sample. Among the participants, 263 (96%) reported having given some physical therapy procedure during this pandemic, and of these, 80% reported attending privately, with adult and older patients being those who received the most care. Regarding the performance of tests to detect Covid-19, 173 (63%) participants answered that they did not perform a test. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that physiotherapists continued to assist during the pandemic and that most of the sample did not perform a test to detect Covid-19. These findings may contribute to the direction of further studies in relation to physical therapy and Covid-19.

Keywords: Physical therapy; Covid-19; Professional competence; Health Workforce.