Barriers to school based physical therapy perceptions of physical therapists in a rural state.
The enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act provided children with disabilities the right to be educated with their peers in public schools. The related services provision of the Act requires public schools to hire appropriate personnel, including physical therapists, to enhance educational opportunities for children with disabilities.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore perceived barriers to optimal school-based physical therapy practice and delivery identified by Idaho school-based therapists.


METHODS
Forty-eight Idaho school-based physical therapists were sent the survey instrument developed for this study. Thirty-six Idaho school-based therapists returned the survey (response rate 75%).


RESULTS
Data analysis substantiated four barriers to school-based physical therapy practice: financial constraints, administrative issues, personnel shortages, and limited understanding of disability law. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found between participant perceptions of barriers within their school and their perceptions of barriers statewide.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, participants perceived, to varying degrees, that although barriers were present at the school level, state level barriers were even greater.
Oriel
Kathryn N
KN
Master of Physical Therapy Program, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Rutgers-Camden, 40 East Laurel Road - Suite 228, Stratford, NJ 08084, USA. orielkn@umdnj.edu.
Pemberton
Cynthia Lee A
CL
Urfer
Alexander
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006306:Health Surveys; D006280:Health Workforce; D006801:Humans; D007061:Idaho; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012574:Schools; D055815:Young Adult