Awareness and knowledge of breast cancer rehabilitation among Saudi Arabia physical therapists

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the physical therapists' knowledge and awareness of breast cancer, treatment modali-ties, contraindications, and clinical guidelines.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sec-tional survey was conducted from December 2020 to May 2021 in Saudi Arabia. The sample size was determined using the Raosoft sample size calculator, which indicated the need for 67 participants. All physical therapists of both sex in private and public hospitals in Ha'il and non-Ha'il regions were included in the study. Data was collected by a structured Google form ques-tionnaire, consisting of 4 main domains with a maximum score of 43.RESULTS: 57 physical therapists participat-ed in the current study, out of which 31 were from the Ha'il region (42.1% male, 57.9% female) with a mean age of 29 & PLUSMN;7 years and a mean ex-perience 6 & PLUSMN;7years. The referral of breast can-cer patients was only 22.8%. Interestingly on-ly 22.8% of the hospital has specific setups for oncology rehabilitation, and 12.3% have report-ed positive about continuing professional devel-opment (CPDs) workshops for breast cancer or-ganized by their hospitals. 5.3% of patients with breast cancer are aware of the benefit of oncol-ogy rehabilitation, while 22.8% of patients come for follow-up sessions in the rehabilitation de-partment. According to multiple regression, on-ly gender was statistically significant for predic-tion, p<0.05. Females increased the mean score by 5.996 more than males. Female therapists are 38.2% more aware than males.CONCLUSIONS: Although physical thera-pists have a low level of knowledge and an av-erage level of awareness, with a higher num- ber of women than men, attitudes toward physi-cal therapy are quite high, and the profession is practiced exceptionally well.