Pregnant women’s awareness about physiotherapy services at selected maternity hospital

Abstract

Purpose: To find out how mach the pregnant women were aware about Physiotherapy services in their pregnancy period. Objective: To know socio demographic (age, educational status) information, to find out awareness about physiotherapy, To determine factors that help to receive physiotherapy services and necessity of Physiotherapy services of pregnant women. Methodology: A cross-sectional study design was conducted to accomplish the study. 50 subjects were selected through convenient sampling technique from BAVS maternity Hospital, Mirpur-2, Dhaka and the data were collected by a structural questionnaire. Result: The mean age was 27.3 ± 4.3, Participants n=5 (10%) lives in rural area and n=45 (90%) in urban area, n=18 (36%) was Bachelor or above in their educational status, n=18 (36%) was complete higher secondary level n=7 (14%) was complete secondary and the rest were below secondary level, Among all the participants n=36 (72%) was housewife, n=37 (74%) did not aware about the Physiotherapy service during pregnancy only n=13 (26%) pregnant women’s were aware about Physiotherapy service, n=41 (82%) pregnant women’s have spine and/or other joint pain, n=27 (54%) women’s have urgency of urination and n=15 (30%) women’s have oedema, tingling sensation and muscle cramp for these factors physiotherapeutic treatment was necessary for them, n=40 (80%) pregnant women’s have accessibility or opportunity to take Physiotherapy service, n=12 (24%) pregnant women were referred by their Physician to take Physiotherapy treatment, n=39 (88%) Pregnant women’s perception was Physiotherapy treatment is a very necessary treatment for them. Conclusion: There is a need to increase awareness about physiotherapy services in the maternity hospital among pregnant women as well as health professionals. Besides this, professional Physicians must be able to refer pregnant mothers to physiotherapy for the appropriate musculoskeletal problems experienced during pregnancy. These can be achieved through awareness campaigns, health education and interaction with the health professionals.