What Are DPT Program Practices and Attitudes Related to Population Health, Prevention, Health Promotion, and Wellness? Results of a National Survey.

OBJECTIVE: Noncommunicable diseases have increased in prevalence and are now responsible for the majority of the burden of disease. Aligning entry-level (professional) physical therapist education with these changing societal needs may position physical therapists to best address them. However, no comprehensive understanding of the practices and attitudes related to population health, prevention, health promotion, and wellness (PHPW) content among accredited US professional doctor of physical therapy (DPT) programs has been established. This study aims to identify practices and attitudes related to PHPW content among accredited US DPT programs. METHODS: A mixed-methods cross-sectional design using an electronic survey was utilized. Program directors of each accredited DPT program were identified using an official Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education list and invited to ascertain the perceived importance of PHPW, describe the delivery of PHPW content, and identify factors that influence inclusion of PHPW content in US DPT programs. RESULTS: Individuals from 49% of 208 invited programs responded. Nearly all programs reported teaching prevention (96.1%), health promotion (95.1%), and wellness content (98.0%), while fewer reported teaching population health (78.4%). However, only 15% of PHPW topics were covered in depth. Facilitators and barriers to the delivery of PHPW content were reciprocal and included faculty with PHPW expertise, logistical flexibility and support, and the perceived importance of PHPW content. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of US DPT programs are teaching PHPW content. Lack of trained faculty and lack of professional competencies hinder further integration of PHPW content into curricula. IMPACT: The findings of this study highlight avenues for additional research to determine professional PHPW competencies and additional educational needs for faculty members.

Population Health, Prevention, Health Promotion, and Wellness Competencies in Physical Therapist Professional Education: Results of a Modified Delphi Study.

OBJECTIVE: Physical therapists are well positioned to meet societal needs and reduce the global burden of noncommunicable diseases through the integration of evidence-based population health, prevention, health promotion, and wellness (PHPW) activities into practice. Little guidance exists regarding the specific PHPW competencies that entry-level clinicians ought to possess. The objective of this study was to establish consensus-based entry-level PHPW competencies for graduates of US-based physical therapist education programs. METHODS: In a 3-round modified Delphi study, a panel of experts (N = 37) informed the development of PHPW competencies for physical therapist professional education. The experts, including physical therapists representing diverse practice settings and geographical regions, assessed the relevance and clarity of 34 original competencies. Two criteria were used to establish consensus: a median score of 4 (very relevant) on a 5-point Likert scale, and 80% of participants perceiving the competency as very or extremely relevant. RESULTS: Twenty-five competencies achieved final consensus in 3 broad domains: preventive services and health promotion (n = 18), foundations of population health (n = 4), and health systems and policy (n = 3). CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of the 25 accepted competencies would promote consistency across physical therapist education programs and help guide physical therapist educators as they seek to integrate PHPW content into professional curricula. IMPACT: This is the first study to establish consensus-based competencies in the areas of PHPW for physical therapist professional education in the United States. These competencies ought to guide educators who are considering including or expanding PHPW content in their curricula. Development of such competencies is critical as we seek to contribute to the amelioration of chronic disease and transform society to improve the human experience.