Patient-centeredness in Physiotherapy - A literature mapping review

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy research
• Healthcare science
• Patient-centeredness studies

Background:

• Patient-centeredness in physiotherapy requires clarification in science and practice.
• Research on patient-centeredness needs better integration within the broader healthcare landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map the characteristics of research on patient-centeredness in physiotherapy.
• To critically discuss dominant understandings of patient-centeredness within the field.

Main Methods:

• Systematic research mapping utilizing leading bibliographic databases.
• Analysis of 5,324 studies, with 101 included in the final mapping.
• Categorization based on research focus, design, theoretical approach, and inherent logic.

Main Results:

• Limited research identified, published across 47 journals.
• Two main research foci: developing patient-centeredness technologies and exploring patient/professional experiences.
• Predominance of empirical studies over conceptual papers; equal distribution between causality and complexity logics.

Conclusions:

• Physiotherapy research shows nascent awareness of patient-centeredness.
• A need exists for more conceptual and critical papers.
• The field is characterized by two disconnected trends: understanding clinical complexity and addressing patient involvement.