A Study to Assess Awareness of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services Among the General Public

Aim: Rehabilitation medicine, or physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR), constitutes an essential component of healthcare and is often recognized as the fourth pillar of the healthcare system. However, in India, public awareness of this medical specialty and its wide range of services remains limited. The Government of Uttarakhand, particularly the Government Doon Medical College and its associated hospital, has been making dedicated efforts to improve public awareness of the PMR department and its services. However, due to the absence of baseline data, there is a lack of clarity on how best to approach this challenge. Therefore, Government Doon Medical College and its associated hospital conducted this study to assess the current level of awareness and identify strategies to enhance it. Objective: To assess the awareness and understanding of the physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) specialty, its scope, and available services among general patients and public visitors to Government Doon Medical College and its associated Doon Hospital. To identify participants' knowledge regarding the location, facilities, and specific interventions provided by the PMR department. To compare awareness levels across demographic subgroups (e.g., age, gender, education level). To evaluate the role of different information channels (e.g., hospital staff, media, community outreach) in creating awareness about PMR services. Materials and methods: This observational study was conducted in the department of PMR at a multispecialty hospital in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. A panel of experts developed a 20-item questionnaire designed to assess awareness of PMR services and identify measures to improve public knowledge and referral practices. The questionnaire addressed general awareness of the specialty, its benefits, and the existing information, education, and communication (IEC) tools within the hospital. Results: The findings revealed that the overall awareness of PMR services among participants was low (less than 50%). Additionally, the use of IEC tools within the hospital to disseminate information about PMR was also limited (utilization below 50%).