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. 2022 Jul 26;74(4):379-386.
doi: 10.3138/ptc-2020-0111. eCollection 2022 Nov.

Signs of Inequitable Access: Users of Private Physiotherapy Services Do Not Reflect the Urban Population in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Sandra C Webber  1 , Joanne L Parsons  1 , Taylor Arnott  1 , Alexandra Bauer  1 , Desiree D'Errico  1 , Janique Fillion  1 , Justin Giesbrecht  1 , Adam Loewen  1 , Chelsea Scheller  1 , Joanna Y Y Tse  1 , Patricia Thille  1
Affiliations

Signs of Inequitable Access: Users of Private Physiotherapy Services Do Not Reflect the Urban Population in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Sandra C Webber et al. Physiother Can. .

Abstract
in English, French

Purpose: Both private and public funding cover outpatient physiotherapy (PT) in Canada. Knowledge is lacking in who does and does not access PT services, which limits the ability to identify health/access inequities created by current financing structures. This study characterizes the individuals accessing private PT in Winnipeg to better understand whether inequities exist, given the very limited publicly financed PT. Methods: Patients attending PT in 32 private businesses, sampled for geographic variation, completed a survey online or on paper. We compared the sample's demographic characteristics with Winnipeg population data using chi-square goodness-of-fit tests. Results: In total, 665 adults accessing PT participated. Respondents were older and had higher levels of income and education compared to Winnipeg census data (p < 0.001). Our sample included higher proportions of female and White individuals, and lower proportions of Indigenous persons, newcomers, and people from visible minorities (p < 0.001). Conclusions: There are signs that inequities exist in access to PT in Winnipeg; the cohort who access private PT services does not reflect the wider population, which suggests that some segments of the population are not receiving care.

Objectif : un financement tant public que privé couvre les services ambulatoires de physiothérapie au Canada. On ne sait pas qui y a accès ou non, ce qui limite la possibilité de déterminer les iniquités en matière de santé et d’accès attribuables aux structures actuelles de financement. La présente étude caractérise les personnes qui accèdent à des services de physiothérapie privés à Winnipeg, afin de mieux comprendre s’il existe des iniquités, compte tenu des services de physiothérapie très limités qui sont financés par le secteur public. Méthodologie : des patients recevant des services de physiothérapie dans 32 entreprises privées, échantillonnées d’après leur variation géographique, ont rempli un sondage en ligne ou sur papier. Les chercheurs ont comparé les caractéristiques démographiques de l’échantillon aux données populationnelles de Winnipeg au moyen de tests du chi carré pour la qualité de l’ajustement. Résultats : au total, 665 adultes qui avaient accès à des services de physiothérapie ont participé. Ils étaient plus âgés et avaient un revenu et une scolarisation supérieurs aux données du recensement de Winnipeg (p < 0,001). L’échantillon contenait une plus forte proportion de femmes et de personnes blanches, et une plus faible proportion de personnes autochtones, de nouveaux arrivants et de membres des minorités visibles (p < 0,001). Conclusions : il y a des signes d’iniquité d’accès aux services de physiothérapie à Winnipeg. La cohorte qui a accès aux services de physiothérapie privés ne reflète pas l’ensemble de la population, ce qui indique que certains segments de la population ne reçoivent pas de soins.

Keywords: demography; health services accessibility; physiotherapy specialty; private practice; surveys and questionnaires.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentages of respondents in age groups compared to Winnipeg census data.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentages of respondents’ education levels compared to Winnipeg census data.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentages of respondents’ household income before tax compared to Winnipeg census data.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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  • Clinician's Commentary on Gervais-Hupé et al.1.
    Harvey L, Thille P. Harvey L, et al. Physiother Can. 2023 Sep 19;75(3):244-245. doi: 10.3138/ptc-2021-0075-cc. eCollection 2023 Sep. Physiother Can. 2023. PMID: 37736406 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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