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. 2021 Mar 17;19(1):34.
doi: 10.1186/s12960-021-00581-4.

The changing demographics of the orthotist/prosthetist workforce in Australia: 2007, 2012 and 2019

Emily Ridgewell  1   2 , Leigh Clarke  3 , Sarah Anderson  4 , Michael P Dillon  4
Affiliations

The changing demographics of the orthotist/prosthetist workforce in Australia: 2007, 2012 and 2019

Emily Ridgewell et al. Hum Resour Health. .

Abstract

Background: Previous Australian workforce analyses revealed a small orthotist/prosthetist workforce with a low number of practitioners per 100,000 Australians. In recent years, initiatives were implemented to increase relative workforce size, including a government-led change in immigration policy to facilitate entry of experienced internationally trained orthotist/prosthetists into the Australian workforce. Given these changes, this project aimed to compare demographics of the orthotist/prosthetist workforce in Australia and each state/territory between 2007, 2012 and 2019.

Methods: This quasi-experiment analysed data from the Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association (AOPA) database of certified orthotist/prosthetists, to compare changes in the absolute number of practitioners and the number of practitioners per 100,000 population, as well as practitioner age, gender and service location (i.e., metropolitan, regional/remote) across three time points, with a breakdown by each Australian state and territory.

Results: Between 2007 and 2019, the number of orthotist/prosthetists per 100,000 population increased 90%. Average age reduced significantly between 2007 (41.5 years) and 2019 (35 years) (p = 0.001). While the proportion of female practitioners increased significantly between 2007 (30%) and 2019 (49%), and between 2012 (38%) and 2019 (49%) (p < 0.05); only 22% of the female workforce is over 40 years of age. The proportion of practitioners servicing a regional/remote location did not change over time (range 13-14%).

Conclusions: Between 2007 and 2019, the national orthotist/prosthetist workforce increased at a rate that exceeded Australia's population growth, became younger, and more female. However, the number of practitioners per 100,000 population remains below international recommendations; particularly in states outside of Victoria and Tasmania, and in regional/remote areas. In addition, low numbers of mid-late career female practitioners suggest challenges to retention of this particular cohort. These data can help inform workforce initiatives to retain a younger and more female workforce, and improve access to orthotic/prosthetic services.

Keywords: Allied health; Demographics; Orthotist/prosthetist; Workforce.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Prevalence and number of orthotist/prosthetists in Australia. a Practitioner prevalence and b absolute number of orthotist/prosthetists in Australia
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Age and gender of orthotist/prosthetists in Australia. Number of orthotist/prosthetists in Australia in 2019, stratified by gender and 5-year age groups
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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