Determining the Reasons for Non-Adherence to Home Physiotherapy in Paediatrics: An Observational Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the reasons for non-adherence to home physiotherapy in pediatrics. Physiotherapy aims to provide improvement in muscle strength and to increase the joint mobility which requires a significant amount of contributions from the patients for a period of time.  The success of an intervention is determined not only by the treatment but also by the rate at which the patients adhere to the advised and prescribed exercises. Adherence is the frequency with which the suggested exercises are completed. Non-adherence becomes the chief cause for the delay or failure in treatment in paediatrics long-term conditions. This observational study was conducted with convenient sampling carried out in Physiotherapy outpatient department. In this study, 30 children were chosen based on the selection criteria, and their parents were requested to fill out the questionnaire.  The biggest reason for non-adherence was a lack of time to complete the exercise (n=13; 43.33%). The second most prevalent reason given was because it interferes with their social life (n=9; 26.66%). According to the findings of this study, there are numerous reasons for non-adherence to home physiotherapy in pediatrics. The most common explanation given by parents is that there is not time to exercise and it interferes with their social life.