title: Mapping the Physiotherapy Profession in Saskatchewan: Examining Rural versus Urban Practice Patterns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  People living in rural and remote regions need support to overcome difficulties in accessing health care. The objectives of the study were (1) to compare demographic characteristics, professional engagement indicators, and clinical characteristics between physiotherapists practising in rural settings and those practising in urban settings and (2) to map the distribution of physiotherapists in Saskatchewan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study used de-identified data collected from the 2013 Saskatchewan College of Physical Therapists membership renewal (n=643), linked with the Saskatchewan Physiotherapy Association's (SPA) 2012 membership list and a list of physiotherapists who had served as clinical instructors. Employment location (rural vs. urban) was determined by postal code.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 11.2% of Saskatchewan physiotherapists listed a rural primary employment location, and a higher density of physiotherapists per 10,000 people work in health regions with large urban centres. Compared with urban physiotherapists, rural physiotherapists are more likely to provide direct patient care, to provide care to people of all ages, and to have a mixed client level, and they are less likely to be SPA members.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rural and urban physiotherapists in Saskatchewan have different practice and professional characteristics. This information may have implications for health human resource recruitment and retention policies as well as advocacy for equitable access to physiotherapy care in rural and remote regions.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy; Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture.
authors.forename: Brenna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bath
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy.
authors.forename: Jeffery
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gabrush
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fritzler
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bisaro
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy.
authors.forename: Kyla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy; Department of Geography and Planning, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon.
authors.forename: Tayyab I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Shah
keywords: health services accessibility; manpower; rural health
references.citation: Health Serv Res. 1974 Fall;9(3):208-20
references.pmid: 4436074
references.citation: Phys Ther. 2009 Feb;89(2):149-61
references.pmid: 19131399
references.citation: Patient Educ Couns. 2006 Aug;62(2):178-88
references.pmid: 16406472
references.citation: Hum Resour Health. 2006 May 27;4:12
references.pmid: 16729892
references.citation: Aust J Rural Health. 2013 Apr;21(2):61-71
references.pmid: 23586567
references.citation: Physiother Can. 2012 Fall;64(4):329-37
references.pmid: 23997387
references.citation: BMJ. 2004 May 15;328(7449):1166
references.pmid: 15142921
references.citation: Health Serv Res. 2002 Dec;37(6):1441-3
references.pmid: 12546280
references.citation: Med Care. 1981 Feb;19(2):127-40
references.pmid: 7206846
references.citation: Physiother Can. 2013 Winter;65(1):64-73
references.pmid: 24381384
references.citation: Rural Remote Health. 2010 Jul-Sep;10(3):1531
references.pmid: 20658893
references.citation: Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:919621
references.pmid: 24971357
references.citation: Implement Sci. 2009 May 17;4:27
references.pmid: 19445723
references.citation: Rural Remote Health. 2010 Jul-Sep;10(3):1488
references.pmid: 20858017
references.citation: Aust J Rural Health. 2006 Feb;14(1):14-9
references.pmid: 16426427