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. 2025 Jul;30(3):e70070.
doi: 10.1002/pri.70070.

Establishing a Research Agenda for Physiotherapy in Portugal: A Delphi Study

Isa Silva  1 , Sara Souto-Miranda  1   2 , Fernando Ribeiro  1   3 , Diogo Pires  1   2   4 , Maria José Coutinho  1 , Nuno Cordeiro  1   5   6 , Eduardo Cruz  1   2   4 , Cristina Jácome  1   7
Affiliations

Establishing a Research Agenda for Physiotherapy in Portugal: A Delphi Study

Isa Silva et al. Physiother Res Int. 2025 Jul.

Abstract

Background: As physiotherapy research advances, identifying knowledge gaps and setting priorities is crucial for enhancing its efficiency in national and international collaborations. This study aimed to establish a physiotherapy research agenda in Portugal by integrating perspectives from physiotherapists and users of physiotherapy services.

Methods: An online two-round Delphi study was conducted from April to August 2024 with two panels: physiotherapists and users of physiotherapy services. Participants rated 66 research priorities in the two rounds using a four-point Likert scale (1 = not important, 4 = very important), with 13 new priorities introduced in the second round. These priorities were organized into nine research categories identified from a prior scoping review: (1) (cost)effectiveness; (2) service delivery; (3) education, professional development and quality; (4) measurement instruments; (5) mechanisms behind disability, physiotherapy treatments and patient classification; (6) patients' needs, expectations, experience and context; (7) prognostic outcomes and responses to therapy; (8) decision-making strategies; and (9) technology and big data. Consensus was defined as a cut-off median score of ≥ 3.25.

Results: A total of 479 physiotherapists and 70 users of physiotherapy services participated in Round 1 with final retention rates of 64% and 43%, respectively. The final 'Top 10' priorities focused on three research categories: researching optimal service delivery models, structures, and processes (n = 5); establishing the (cost)effectiveness of different physiotherapy interventions (n = 3); and exploring the best models of physiotherapy education, professional development, and quality (n = 2).

Conclusions: This study established a physiotherapy research agenda for Portugal, focusing on (cost)effectiveness, service delivery, education, professional development, and quality, integrating the perspectives of physiotherapists and users of physiotherapy services. The final priorities provide a foundation for future research and policy development.

Keywords: Delphi method; physiotherapy; policy; research priorities.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flow diagram of the Delphi process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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