Based on the linked source; automatically prepared and checked against the original report.
Study design
Researchers conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey of 110 licensed healthcare professionals in Bahrain. Participants were primarily physical therapists, nurses, and medical doctors. The survey examined awareness of occupational therapy’s role in wheelchair seating and mobility, self-rated knowledge, previous referral practices, and perceived systemic barriers. Statistical testing included chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, and binary logistic regression analyses.
Awareness did not translate into referrals
Although 80.9% of respondents knew about occupational therapy’s role, only 33.6% had referred a patient for seating support. Participants nevertheless rated occupational-therapy interventions positively, with 74.5% describing them as very effective. Reported referral obstacles included limited professional awareness, cited by 78.2%; restricted occupational-therapy availability, cited by 71.8%; and equipment costs, cited by 63.6%.
Training identified as key predictor
Formal training was the only significant independent predictor of referral behavior in the regression analysis. Professionals without training had 82% lower odds of initiating a referral, while years of experience were not significantly associated with self-rated knowledge. The study’s conclusion calls for structured interprofessional education and standardized digital referral pathways in electronic medical records to support wheelchair-service integration.
