Exploring availability of physiotherapy service for people with Parkinson's Disease in Europe: An cross-sectional study

Design A cross-sectional study. Setting National-level physiotherapy care for Parkinson's Disease across European countries. Participants One physiotherapist from each of the 26 European countries was invited to provide national-level information based on availability of physiotherapy for Parkinson's Disease, based on a questionnaire. Main measures National-level information was collected on accessibility and conditions of physiotherapy specialized in Parkinson's Disease across European countries. Results Data from 24 countries were collected. Parkinson's Disease-specific physiotherapy was offered in 20 countries. The number of hours of physiotherapy per year available for people with Parkinson's Disease varied widely across countries, from none to an unlimited number of sessions. Treatment was typically provided free of charge through public or government-financed national health systems, with treatment frequency informed by national insurance. Only eight countries reported formal Parkinson's Disease training programs for physiotherapy, which were available only as a separate, external program not integrated with the standard physiotherapy curriculum at a university. Conclusions Physiotherapy for people with Parkinson's Disease in European countries varies significantly across countries that completed the questionnaire, with differences in the number of hours and treatment settings. It is crucial to standardize training and care for people with Parkinson's Disease and prioritize the development and implementation of policies to facilitate access to evidence-based physiotherapy services.