Cultural And Social Barrier in Community Physiotherapy Practice: Ethics in the Indian context

Abstract

Background: Ethics becomes inevitable in the physiotherapy profession as it is concerned with professionalism and patient outcomes by avoiding patient-therapist conflicts and helps avoiding medical negligence. Objctive: This study aims to explore the impedance faced by the community physiotherapist in implementing the code of ethics. Methodology: A structured interview-based questionnaire was framed to assess the perception of ethics, role of ethics and the barriers faced in implementing ethical guidelines by community physiotherapist during their practice. Results: Ethics is important as it dignifies the profession and gains the confidences of the patient and helps in developing a good rapport with the patient. The most important barriers faced by the physiotherapist in abiding by the code of ethics were the unawareness among the patient and their cultural belief alongside with lack of inter-sectorial harmony. Conclusion: This study concludes that educating the patients and creating an inter-sectoral harmony will be most effective in breaking the barriers in ethical implementation in practice.

Keywords

• Ethics in practice, barriers, community based physiotherapy, physiotherapy