APTA’s vision statement calls on the profession to identify and address health inequities. But how can the physical therapy profession achieve that vision?
To help answer this question, PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal has published a two-part special issue on this topic. Dawn Magnusson, PT, PhD, served as guest editor for the special issue. She is associate professor and program coordinator of diversity, equity, inclusion, and community engagement at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
In an editorial, Magnusson writes that the first set of articles highlights “the role of professional education in supporting a more diverse and socially responsive workforce, capable of meeting the complex and evolving needs of an increasingly global society.”
The second collection, she adds, addresses “the role of clinicians and researchers in partnering with the public to improve rehabilitation outcomes.”
Here’s a closer look at five of those special issue articles, with an emphasis on how these topics are relevant to clinicians.
(To browse all of the articles in the special issue, visit the PTJ September table of contents and October table of contents. As a reminder, APTA members get free access to all PTJ content as a member benefit.)
How Can Providers Address Disparities in Community Mobility?
In this Point of View article, authors argue that the lack of urgency addressing community mobility — or the ability to get outside the home — disproportionately affects older adults with low socioeconomic status. These barriers can include difficulties accessing walkable communities or transportation, or the inability to get necessary assistive devices. Authors offer suggestions for individual providers to help address these disparities, such as identifying mobility concerns outside of the home and making referrals for free or low-cost durable medical equipment. Read “Community Mobility Among Older Adults Who Are Socioeconomically Disadvantaged: Addressing the Poverty Penalty” for more insights into addressing inequity at the clinic, community, and policy levels.
How Does Pain Impact People of Different Races?
Previous research has shown Black patients report higher pain intensity compared with white people with similar health conditions. In this secondary analysis of a cluster-randomized clinical trial, authors found that Black participants with chronic spinal pain had higher levels of pain catastrophizing than their non-Hispanic white counterparts, and lower pain self-efficacy, which is a person’s perceived ability to function with pain. Authors write that their findings support the need to consider culturally tailored pain treatments. Learn how researchers conducted this analysis in “Differences in Pain Experience Among Different Racial and Ethnic Groups.”
How Can Clinics Better Serve Transgender, Gender-Diverse, and Nonbinary Patients?
Authors of this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 people seeking PT services who identify as transgender, gender diverse, or nonbinary. They found the feeling of safety and inclusion throughout their interactions — not just with providers — was the most important factor for people in this community to have positive experiences with physical therapy. For PTs and clinics, this could look like being knowledgeable about specific health concerns relative to this community and sensitivity to potential triggers related to body discomfort or dysphoria. To learn more about how clinics can create positive encounters for their patients, read “Transgender, Gender-Diverse, and Nonbinary Experiences in Physical Therapy: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.”
How Do DPT Students From Minoritized Racial and Ethnic Groups Perceive Their Programs?
Using data from the Physical Therapy Graduation Questionnaire, authors wanted to examine how students from racial and ethnic minoritized communities experienced their DPT program. In comparison with their peers, students in this population reported less satisfaction with their education and lower confidence in their preparation to practice after graduation. Additionally, Black students and Latino students reported more educational debt and more interest in working in underserved communities. To learn what students experienced and how it could relate to burnout, read “National Benchmarks to Understand How Doctor of Physical Therapy Learners From Minoritized Race and Ethnicity Groups Perceive Their Physical Therapist Education Program.”
How Can Institutions Train Anti-Ableist Providers?
In this article, authors conducted seven listening sessions with adults with intellectual, developmental, mobility, and sensory disabilities to understand their health care experiences. Participants identified three types of barriers: providers who are not familiar with or do not understand disability; insufficient accommodations in health care settings; and bias, discrimination, and disrespectful treatment from clinicians and staff. Given these barriers, authors describe three frameworks to help improve disability competence of students in DPT programs. Read “Training an Anti-Ableist Physical Therapist Workforce: Critical Perspectives of Health Care Education That Contribute to Health Inequities for People With Disabilities,” to learn about the frameworks and for a list of resources to address health inequities for people with disabilities.
For more on the special issue, read “Addressing Health Disparities in Physical Therapist Care,” in APTA Magazine, or listen to this PTJ Author Interview on equitable grading practices.