Raman S, Levi S J
Department of Physical Therapy (M/C 898), University of Illinois at Chicago, 1919 West Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
Disabil Rehabil. 2002 Oct 15;24(15):790-7. doi: 10.1080/09638280210126426.
To describe disability concepts used within documents guiding physical therapist practice.
Content analysis was performed on the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, second edition; A Normative Model of Physical Therapist Professional Education, version 2000; APTA House of Delegates Standards, Policies, Positions and Guidelines; APTA Board of Directors Policies, Positions and Guidelines; The Model Practice Act for Physical Therapy and The Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Using a word sense framework, text-in-context lists were compiled, from which contextual themes and counts for all occurrences of disability terms were developed.
Across documents, contextual themes with number of occurrences were: disability as role performance limitations within specific contexts: 819; disability resulting from health status: 39, disability law: 29; and rights of individuals with disabilities: 25.
Documents guiding physical therapist practice commonly conceptualize disability as individual limitations within specific contexts and infrequently conceptualize disability as a societal phenomenon affecting persons across most settings and circumstances. It is believed that a concept of disability that is more inclusive of broad, as well as specific, contexts of disability may lead to improved physical therapy management for individuals with a wide range of performance capacities.
