[Physiotherapists in French-speaking Switzerland--basic data]

In the framework of health services research sponsored by the Swiss National Science Foundation, a survey was made among the physiotherapists of the French-speaking part of Switzerland (six cantons), in order to gather information on --their personal and professional characteristics, --conditions of professional practice, --therapeutic methods used, medical indications of treatments and some data on the patients seen --the personnel, facilities and equipment of physiotherapy offices, institutes (several professionals) and services (in hospitals). Out of a total of 771 physiotherapists (i.e. 5.4 per 10,000 persons, in an area with 1.5 million population), 40% of them answered the questionnaire which was sent. They are a representative sample as regards region of practice, sex, age, employment status, and working environment. Physiotherapy is experiencing in Switzerland since the middle 1970's a quantitative increase and an accelerated diversification in the modes of practice. One observes in particular that many women enter the profession, working often part-time. According to the data gathered, it appears that, in spite of a marked differentiation in structural terms, physiotherapy is able to conserve its unity as regards therapeutic methods and types of care, thanks to keeping a practice of a generalist character. Thus, this discipline shows a potential for adaptation which could be of interest to other health professions. This paper introduces the main axes of a research in a yet largely undocumented field.