Community Awareness, Knowledge, and Perceptions Regarding the Role of Physiotherapy in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46858/VIMSJPT/2026/v8.i1/58-64Keywords:
Awareness, Health Education, Independence, Physiotherapy, SCIAbstract
Background: Spinal cord injury can cause severe physical and psychological impairments. Physiotherapy is essential for promoting functional recovery, preventing complications, and improving independence and quality of life. This study aims to assess community awareness of the role of physiotherapy in spinal cord injury rehabilitation. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a community setting at Dr. Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Memorial Hospital. Using purposive sampling, 100 participants from the general population were recruited. A self-developed SCI awareness questionnaire was administered to assess awareness of the role of physiotherapy in SCI. The study included willing male and female participants aged 18–60 years. Result: Baseline assessment revealed that only 44% of participants were aware about the role of physiotherapy in Spinal cord injury. Following the awareness session, 35.6% participants were aware and known about spinal cord injury. Awareness of physiotherapy treatment was higher, with 57.4% of participants acknowledging its role in rehabilitation. However, only 32.8% demonstrated adequate knowledge about spinal cord injury. Conclusion: The study concludes that while more than half of the participants were aware of physiotherapy treatment, but overall knowledge about spinal cord injury remained low. The results indicate the need for structured health education and community-based awareness programs to improve understanding and promote early rehabilitation measures.
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