Physical Therapists' Investigation into the Actual Conditions in China

• Published in: Rigakuryoho Kagaku Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 269 - 274
• Main Authors: HUO, Ming, FUJISAWA, Shigeko, MARUYAMA, Hitoshi, LI, Jianjun, CHEN, Lijia, LU, Zhe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Society of Physical Therapy Science 2004
• Subjects: education; physical therapist; rehabilitation
• ISSN: 1341-1667; 2434-2807
• DOI: 10.1589/rika.19.269

In China, the cultivation of physical therapists is an urgent issue because of an increasing elderly population and also because of the increase of the disabled, though traffic accidents and industrial accidents. In this research, we investigated the status of physical therapists' education, their role in the clinical field and their education after graduation in China. We found Chinese physical therapists have a longer academic career, and are older and have shorter experience as physical therapists, because most Chinese physical therapists have change career from the medical and nursing fields. The highest number of the patients treated by physical therapists in China is cerebrovascular disease, at around half and the highest disability is hemiplegia, similarly, around half. From the viewpoint of social recognition of physical therapists, the name of "physical therapist" and physical therapists' work mission are still not fully understood and accepted in China. The number of physical therapists per population of 10,000 is very small, being 0.1 physical therapists in China against 1.6 physical therapists in Japan. The present status of physical therapy in China shows an extreme shortage of physical therapists both in quality and quantity in China. We conclude that it is needed to increase the number of professionals physical therapists, and also to improve the education of physical therapists in China.