Exploring Access and Barriers to Physical Therapy in Rural and Urban Medically Underserved Alabama Communities

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Millions of Americans are medically underserved, facing significant barriers to healthcare access.
• Physical therapy (PT) is crucial for improving mobility and preventing secondary conditions, yet remains inaccessible to many underserved individuals.
• Understanding perceptions and barriers is key to improving equitable healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore awareness, perceptions, and barriers to physical therapy (PT) access among medically underserved populations.
• To compare access barriers in both urban and rural medically underserved settings.
• To identify strategies for enhancing PT accessibility for diverse populations.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving 52 in-person interviews with individuals in urban and rural medically underserved areas of Alabama.
• Participants were primarily female (81.8%) and identified as Black/African American (81.8%).
• Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes regarding PT awareness and access.

Main Results:

• A positive perception of PT exists, but awareness of its full scope of services is incomplete.
• Common barriers to PT access were identified in both rural and urban underserved settings.
• Distinct barriers unique to rural and urban environments were also observed, impacting access to care.

Conclusions:

• Findings highlight the need for increased awareness and targeted interventions to overcome PT access barriers.
• Shared and unique barriers necessitate tailored strategies for improving physical therapy (PT) utilization in medically underserved communities.
• The study's insights are relevant for enhancing access to various allied health services for underserved populations.