Physical Therapists' Social Responsibility in the Philippines Entails Adopting a Societal Practice Framework: A Qualitative Study.

OBJECTIVE: The study's objective was to explore Filipino physical therapists' views on social responsibility and the competencies it entails. METHODS: This study employed a constructivism-based qualitative design to inquire into the perspectives of physical therapist leaders and practitioners in the Philippines on Filipino physical therapists' social responsibility. Leaders were invited for their macro perspectives and influence on the profession; practitioners were invited to provide more practical viewpoints. Participants were interviewed one-on-one online. Interviews were transcribed, translated to English, and subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Sixteen participants agreed to share their perspectives. Six themes were generated. Participants viewed the social responsibility of physical therapists in the Philippines as a professional duty that requires altruistic and social justice motivations. Socially responsible actions should address pressing issues affecting Filipino people's access to physical therapy and experience of health. CONCLUSION: The social responsibility of physical therapists in the Philippines entails engaging in roles aside from clinical practice to contribute to Filipino people's attainment of health. This calls for the expansion of their ethical and practice frameworks to include addressing not only client issues, but also the wider societal barriers to equitable access to physical therapy and better experiences of health. IMPACT: This study contributes to professional discourse on the increasing importance of social responsibility in the physical therapist profession amidst increasing rehabilitation needs and growing concerns on health inequity locally and globally, especially as worsened by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. It informs the development of a societal practice framework for physical therapists in the Philippines and the desired changes in physical therapist policies and education to facilitate fulfillment of their societal obligations.

Results From the First Para Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents With Disabilities in the Philippines.

A comprehensive evaluation of physical activity (PA) engagement and policy implementation among Filipino children and adolescents with disabilities is vital in the promotion of an active healthy lifestyle. This is the first Para Report Card of the Philippines that presents the available evidence on the 10 commonly used PA indicators. Published and gray literature were searched for country-specific evidence on PA behaviors, physical fitness, and sources of influence. Stakeholders representing relevant national institutions, special education schools, and advocacy groups also provided input on the grades. Only Organized Sport and Government indicators had sufficient data to be graded F and B, respectively. The rest of the indicators were graded as incomplete due to the limited availability of nationally representative data. Findings of the Philippines 2022 Para Report Card on PA highlight the need to strengthen the documentation and evaluation of these indicators among Filipino children and adolescents with disabilities.

An Evaluation of Policies Promoting Physical Activity among Filipino Youth.

Government is key to promoting physical activity at the population level through policy. The government was one of the physical activity indicators graded for the 2022 Philippine Physical Activity Report Card based on ten physical activity-related policies. This study aimed to evaluate the scope of the policies and to update these policies. Philippine government databases were searched for policies using physical activity-related key terms. Policies found were evaluated using the Wales Active Healthy Kids scoring rubric. The overall grade was converted to a letter grade based on the Global Matrix 4.0 grading system. The authors analyzed the policies' scope and implications to practice and policy. Seven additional policies were found. Considering all 17 policies, the government indicator grade is now A- from the preliminary grade of B. The scope covers promoting physical activity mainly through sports participation and active transport among students, student-athletes, persons with disabilities, and the general population in school and community settings. The gap between government and overall physical activity (F) scores suggests the need for a comprehensive physical activity plan promoting various forms of physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior among all Filipino youth and across various settings. Crucial to achieving change is a well-coordinated, whole-of-systems approach to promoting active healthy lifestyles.

Developing a Transformative Praxis-Based Curriculum to Educate Physical Therapy Students for Social Responsibility: A Philippine Qualitative Case Study.

INTRODUCTION: Physical therapy (PT) academic institutions are called upon to strengthen their transformative role in developing more socially responsible graduates. Study objectives were to explore faculty perspectives on educating PT students for social responsibility (SR) and to identify strategies for improvement. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Adopting a "curriculum as praxis" orientation for curriculum development supports educating for SR because of its focus on transforming self and the world through recurring critical reflection and action. To complement the curriculum, ensuring SR in the entire academic environment, including institutional structures and capable educators, will enrich student development. SUBJECTS: Six PT educators from a Philippine university with distinct SR mandates were purposively invited to participate based on their key involvements in various aspects of educating for SR. METHODS: A participatory approach guided the methods to encourage collaborative creation of practical knowledge. Participant perspectives were gathered through focus group discussions, which were informed by research on SR in Philippine PT. Discussions were transcribed and then subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes highlighted main areas for practice improvement: 1) strengthening curricular focus on SR through a whole-of-curriculum approach to incorporating opportunities for cognitive learning on SR and praxis (reflection and action); 2) maximizing institutional programs by helping students recognize them as further opportunities for developing SR; 3) and ensuring faculty has the capacity to educate for SR. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Educating for SR requires a transformative curriculum supported by aligned institutional programs and capable educators. This study enjoins PT educators to ensure a strong SR agenda in their PT programs by analyzing and acting on the transformative purpose of their curricula, including the influence of institutional structures, and support needed by educators to enable students to respond to the needs of the society they serve.

Promoting Physical Activity Among Children and Adolescents With Disabilities: The Translation of Policy to Practice Internationally.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity among children and adolescents with disabilities (CAWD) is a global public health issue. Policy efforts to promote physical activity (PA) among CAWD have increased. This study summarizes the international policy trend for promoting PA among CAWD, with behavioral and policy insights specific to CAWD from country/regional indicators from the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance Matrix on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents to determine policy translation into practice. METHODS: International and national PA policy documents on CAWD were assessed. Data from the Global Matrix Para Report Cards on the behavioral and government indicators from 14 countries or regions (grouped by human development index) were reviewed and compared. RESULTS: Policy instruments began promoting PA for CAWD in 1989 via the Convention on the Rights of the Child. International policy has been advocating PA specifically for CAWD recently. In 2020, the World Health Organization published specific PA guidelines for CAWD. Data from the 14 Para Report Car found 14 grades on the average behavioral indicator and 12 on the government indicator. A gap between the average behavioral indicator (D-) and the government indicator (C+) was found in the Para Report Card data. CONCLUSIONS: Although international policies are consistent in their attention to the needs of CAWD, national/regional policies vary. Coverage ranges from nonexistent to embedded in broader inclusion concepts. A gap in policies to promote PA of CAWD is prevalent and is more prominent in countries or regions with a lower human development index ranking.

Results from the Philippines' 2022 report card on physical activity for children and adolescents.

Background/Objective: The 2022 Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents provides a comprehensive assessment of physical activity and other related behaviors, including the various factors and settings that influence these behaviors. It serves as an advocacy tool to increase awareness of the physical activity situation among children and young people in the country. This article describes the development and results of the first Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents. Methods: Following a systematic process provided by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance, a team consisting of 25 sports and physical activity specialists identified and reviewed the best available nationally representative data related to physical activity indicators. These data were then used to inform the grades of the ten (10) physical activity indicators. Results: Sufficient data were identified to assign grades to five (5) indicators: Overall Physical Activity (F), Active Transportation (D), Sedentary Behavior (B), School (C-), and Government (B). Insufficient data existed to assign grades to the remaining five (5) indicators: Organized Sport and Physical Activity, Active Play, Physical Fitness, Family and Peers, and Community and Environment. Conclusion: Despite government policies related to physical activity in the country, the majority of children and adolescents in the Philippines do not meet the recommended amount of physical activity for health. More work is needed to improve the translation of these policies into measurable programs, highlighting the need to create better physical activity opportunities and develop national surveillance mechanisms.

Physical therapists' evidence-based practice profile and perspectives of entry-level EBP education: a mixed methods study in the Philippines.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Inclusion of evidence-based practice (EBP) in entry-level physical therapy (PT) curricula is meant to develop the necessary competencies for better EBP uptake in clinical practice. This study aimed to: 1) determine the practice, knowledge, and values for EBP of the graduates of an entry-level PT curriculum with EBP education; 2) compare graduates' EBP practice profile to their EBP knowledge and values; and 3) explore their views on their EBP education and how EBP education influenced their practice. METHODS: A convergent parallel design was used to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The Evidence-based Practice Profile - 2 (EBP2) questionnaire was used for quantitative data. Focus group discussions and open-ended questions in the EBP2 were sources for qualitative data. RESULTS: Seventy-seven completed the questionnaire and eight participated in focus group discussions. Participants scored highest for Relevance domain (standardized mean = 75.3) and lowest for Practice (standardized mean = 45.5). Three themes, 'Positive impact of EBP education,' 'Realities of PT clinical practice, and 'Strategies to improve EBP education' were derived. Data integration confirmed findings that graduates have good knowledge, value for, and confidence in doing EBP. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that early EBP education led to adequate knowledge, confidence, and positive attitudes, but practice barriers hinder EBP uptake. The medical model of service delivery was identified as a factor that influences EBP use. There is a need to revisit the EBP education program to complement real-world demands.

Scoping review of instruments measuring attitudes toward disability.

BACKGROUND: Negative attitudes toward disability cause difficulties in integrating persons with disabilities (PWDs) into society and limit their access to health care, education, employment, and leisure. Being aware of societal attitudes toward disability may help explain discrimination against PWDs and draw attention to the solutions needed to address these. Good measures of attitudes are vital for this purpose. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to synthesize published information, including evidences on psychometric properties and overall utility on instruments that measure attitudes toward disability. METHODS: A two-tiered search process was performed to identify instruments that measure attitudes toward disability and retrieve articles that describe their development and/or validation. The CanChild Outcome Measures Rating Form was utilized to determine the overall utility of the instruments. Results were synthesized using a self-constructed data extraction form. RESULTS: Thirty-one instruments were included in the study. Five measured attitudes toward communication disability, 7 toward intellectual disability, 4 toward mental illness, and 15 toward disability in general. Target respondents ranged from children to adults, and included respondents from different occupations and cultural backgrounds. Twenty-three were found to have adequate overall utility, while 8 have poor overall utility. CONCLUSION: Several instruments are available in literature and all may be used for their intended purposes as long as their limitations are considered. Many still require further validation to ascertain their validity and responsiveness to change.