We live in a world in which global warming, pollution, social injustice, inequity and population health fundamentally influence each other. As a result, health and health care can no longer be thou...

Objective: The demographic homogeneity of the physical therapist workforce and its educational pathway may undermine the profession’s potential to improve the health of society. Building academic environments that support the development of all learners is fundamental to building a workforce to meet societal health care needs. The Benchmarking in Physical Therapy Education study uses the Physical Therapy Graduation Questionnaire to comprehensively assess learner perceptions of the physical therapist academic environment. The present report examined whether racial and ethnic minoritized (REM) physical therapist learners perceive their doctor of physical therapy education differently from their non-REM peers. Methods: Five thousand and eighty graduating doctor of physical therapy learners in 89 institutions provided demographic data and perceptions of a range of learning environment domains. Analyses included REM versus non-REM comparisons as well as comparisons among individual race and ethnicity groups. Results: Compared with their non-minoritized peers, REM respondents expressed less satisfaction with their education and lower confidence in their preparedness for entry-level practice. REM respondents observed more faculty professionalism disconnects and demonstrated less agreement that their program had fostered their overall psychological well-being. REM respondents experienced higher rates of mistreatment than their peers and reported higher rates of exhaustion and disengagement, the 2 axes of academic burnout. Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a/x (Hispanic, Latino, Latina, and/or Latinx) respondents incurred significantly more educational debt than Asian and White respondents. REM respondents reported greater empathy and greater interest in working in underserved communities. Conclusion: REM respondents perceived the physical therapist learning environment more negatively than their non-minoritized peers but expressed strong interest in serving people from underserved communities. These national benchmarks offer academic institutions the opportunity to self-assess their own environment and to work to improve the quality of the educational experience for all learners. Impact: In a nationwide benchmarking study, learners from minoritized race and ethnicity backgrounds reported more negative experiences and outcomes during physical therapist education than their non-minoritized peers. These same learners demonstrated high empathy and interest in serving people from underserved (under-resourced) communities. Learning environments that permit all individuals to thrive may be an essential avenue to improve the health of a rapidly diversifying society.

Background Out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures are incurred as insurers and employers shift some of the burden of health care costs onto consumers. As cost-sharing increases, OOP expenditures could be a barrier to physical therapy care. Objective The purposes of this study were: (1) to identify factors associated with any OOP physical therapy spending and (2) to identify factors associated with higher spending among individuals incurring OOP costs. Design The study was a retrospective analysis using the 4 most recently available panels of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) encompassing 2008–2012. Methods A data file containing episodes of physical therapy care for 2,189 people was created. Logistic regression was used to identify factors related to having an OOP expenditure. A multivariable generalized linear model was used to identify factors related to mean OOP expenditures. Results On average, an episode of care encompassed 9.9 visits, with mean total expenditures of $1,708 (median: $792). Fifty-four percent of episodes of care had an OOP expenditure. For individuals with OOP expenditures, the mean OOP expenditure for an episode of care was $351 (median: $144). Being female or non-Hispanic and having a higher income were associated with higher odds of incurring an OOP expenditure, whereas being in worse general health, >65 years of age, or nonwhite and having public funding were associated with lower odds of incurring an OOP expenditure. Amounts of OOP spending were higher in urban areas and in all census geographic regions relative to the Northeast region. Limitations Estimates are based on household-reported survey data, limited to ambulatory care, and do not include institutionalized individuals. Conclusions At 54%, the proportion of individuals with OOP expenditures for physical therapy is lower than for general medical care. Several predictors were found of having OOP expenditures and of the magnitude of those expenditures.

BackgroundThe inclusion of sociodemographic and anthropometric variables in published clinical trials enables physical therapists to determine the applicability of trial results to patients in their clinics.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the reporting of participant sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics in published physical therapy–related clinical trials.DesignThis was a retrospective review of clinical trials from 2 samples drawn from literature applicable to physical therapy.MethodsTwo reviewers independently extracted data from a random sample of 152 clinical trials from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and a purposive sample of 85 clinical trials published in the journal Physical Therapy (PTJ). A database containing the occurrence of sociodemographic (age, sex, race/ethnicity, level of education, marital status) and anthropometric variables (height, weight, body mass index) in each article was created to generate descriptive statistics about both samples.ResultsAmong the sociodemographic variables, at least 90% of articles reported the sex and age of trial participants. Additional sociodemographic characteristics that were reported in 20% to 26% of articles were participant level of education and participant race/ethnicity. The reporting of anthropometric data differed between the 2 samples, with body mass index being most commonly reported in the PEDro sample (48.0%) and weight being most commonly reported in the PTJ sample (38.8%).LimitationsArticles reviewed were limited by year of publication (from 2008 to 2012 for PTJ articles and 2010 for clinical trials from PEDro) and to English-language–only literature.ConclusionsThe physical therapy literature would benefit from enhanced reporting requirements for both sociodemographic and anthropometric data about participants.

Purpose: We describe how educators in one state developed a set of core principles for the education of Doctor of Physical Therapy students in response to the opioid crisis, and we present these principles as a model for educators globally. Methods: In Massachusetts, a working group from the physical therapy program directors developed a model for opioid education based on a review of the literature, of curricula and of the accreditation standards. Results: The “Core Principles for the Education of Physical Therapy Professionals in the Context of the U.S. Opioid Emergency” provide a model that recognizes the profession’s role in care and prevention; a role that engages the profession with patients who have painful conditions and are at risk for substance and/or opioid misuse, patients who have painful conditions and opioid use disorder, and patients who have opioid use disorder as a primary diagnosis. The principles ensure that graduates have the skills and knowledge to provide care that minimizes the social stigma and biases that individuals with opioid use disorder may face. Discussion: The Core Principles provide a roadmap for educational programs. Health professions educators can assume a role of leadership in the opioid crisis and ensure that students and clinical instructors are prepared for care provision and advocacy.