Equity of Physical Therapy Services for Patients with Stroke in Nakhonnayok Province

Abstract

This research was a cross-sectional survey research to study equity of physical therapy service for 137 patients with stroke in Nakhonnayok, Thailand, using questionnaires and interviews from June to December 2011. The analyses consisted of frequency distributions, percentage, and chi-square. The assumption that equal treatment for equal need.

The results show that physical therapy services for stroke patients at Nakhonnayok showed horizontal equity in three-dimensions of physical therapy (number of treatment, time for treatment and frequency of treatment). There were statistically significant relationship between the level of illness and 1) number of physical therapy types (P = 0.001); and 2) time and frequency of physical therapy (P = 0.045).

To achieve equity for physical therapy among stroke patients, policy makers are recommended to use findings from this specify and consider physical therapy for activity plan or development of standard practice guideline on physical therapy for patients with stroke by physiotherapy such as passive exercise training and transfer on bed for patient’s severity type treatment time 30 - 45 minutes, 3 times per week. General exercise, balance training in sitting or standing, ambulation training for patient’s mild type treatment time 45 - 90 minutes, 3 times per week.