Geographical challenges for physical therapy continuing education: preferences and influences

The purpose of this survey was to examine factors influencing participation in continuing education (CE) and preferences for CE program design. Therapists in the more densely populated region of southern Ontario were compared with those in the more rural northern Ontario region.

All physical therapists with licenses in Ontario on February 1, 1994, were in the target population. Simple random sampling was used to sample 470 therapists in southern Ontario. Because there are few physical therapists in northern Ontario, survey instruments were sent to all 314 licensed therapists in that area. A questionnaire and covering letter were mailed to all subjects on March 1, 1994.

Of the 784 questionnaires that were mailed, 644 (82%) were returned. Principal-component analysis extracted six factors, accounting for 49.7% of the variance for factors influencing participation: timing, presentation quality, work-related cost, course-related cost, socialization, and program content. Results indicated that conferences or workshops should be used as a primary vehicle for the delivery of CE programs and that the use of computer-assisted instruction should be further developed and evaluated.

The information gathered in this study may be useful as a knowledge base from which CE providers can develop future programs.