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. 2020 Spring;72(2):122-131.
doi: 10.3138/ptc-2018-0065.

Evolving Trends in Physiotherapy Research Publications between 1995 and 2015

Tiago S Jesus  1 , Silvia Gianola  2   3 , Greta Castellini  3   4 , Heather Colquhoun  5   6 , Dina Brooks  6   7   8
Affiliations

Evolving Trends in Physiotherapy Research Publications between 1995 and 2015

Tiago S Jesus et al. Physiother Can. 2020 Spring.

Abstract
in English, French

Purpose: The aim of this study was to comparatively analyze evolving trends in physiotherapy (PT) research publications (excluding case reports and epidemiological and qualitative studies) between 1995 and 2015, inclusively in terms of research design, funding support, age groups, and health conditions. Method: This was an observational study using PubMed-indexed data. Combinations of medical subject headings identified yearly research publications for PT and comparator fields: human-based health and physical rehabilitation. Yearly publications data were extracted, relative percentages were computed, and linear or exponential regressions examined the yearly growth in the proportion of research publications over these 2 decades. Results: As a percentage of human-based health research publications, PT research publications grew exponentially: from 0.54% in 1995 to 2.37% in 2015 (r² = 0.97; p < 0.01). As a percentage of physical rehabilitation research publications, PT research grew from 38.2% in 1995 to 58.7% in 2015 (r² = 0.89; p < 0.01). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) resulted in the majority of PT research publications (from 45.1% in 1995 to 59.4% in 2015; r² = 0.79; p < 0.01). Rates of declared funding increased (from 29.7% in 1995 to 57% in 2015; r² = 0.83; p < 0.01), but the comparator fields had similar growth. The percentage of PT research publications remained stable for most health conditions and age groups, decreased for those aged 0-18 years (p = 0.012) and for cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions (both p < 0.01), and increased for neoplasms (p < 0.01). Conclusions: PT research publications have become more prevalent among health and physical rehabilitation research publications; the majority of publications report on RCTs.

Objectif : procéder à l’analyse comparative de l’évolution des tendances des publications de recherche en physiothérapie (à l’exception des rapports de cas et des études épidémiologiques et qualitatives) entre 1995 et 2015 inclusivement, y compris la méthodologie de recherche, le soutien financier, les groupes d’âge et les affections en cause. Méthodologie : étude d’observation à partir de données indexées de PubMed. Les chercheurs ont utilisé des combinaisons de vedettes-matières médicales pour dégager les publications de recherche annuelle dans les domaines de la physiothérapie et les domaines de référence santé humaine et réadaptation physique. Ils ont extrait les données des publications annuelles, calculé les pourcentages relatifs et utilisé la régression linéaire ou exponentielle pour examiner la croissance annuelle de la proportion des publications de recherche au cours de ces deux décennies. Résultats : en pourcentage des publications de recherche en santé humaine, les recherches en physiothérapie ont connu une croissance exponentielle : de 0,54 % en 1995, elles sont passées à 2,37 % en 2015 (r² = 0,97; p < 0,01). En pourcentage des publications de recherche en réadaptation physique, elles sont passées de 38,2 % en 1995 à 58,7 % en 2015 (r² = 0,89; p < 0,01). Les essais aléatoires et contrôlés (ECT) forment désormais la majorité des publications de recherche en physiothérapie (de 45,1 % en 1995 à 59,4 % en 2015; r² = 0,79; p < 0,01). Le taux de financement déclaré a augmenté (de 29,7 % en 1995 à 57 % en 2015; r² = 0,83; p < 0,01), mais les domaines de référence ont affiché une croissance similaire. Le pourcentage de publications de recherche en physiothérapie est demeuré stable pour la plupart des affections et des groupes d’âge, mais a diminué chez les 0 à 18 ans (p = 0,012) et pour les affections cardiovasculaires et pulmonaires (toutes deux p < 0,01) et a augmenté pour les néoplasmes (p < 0,01). Conclusion : les recherches en physiothérapie sont désormais plus fréquentes dans les publications de recherche en réadaptation physique; la majorité sont des EAC.

Keywords: Medical Subject Headings; PubMed; publications; randomized controlled trials as topic.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Yearly percentages of PT research publications among all human-based health research publications in PubMed, 1995–2015.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Yearly percentages of PT research publications among physical rehabilitation research publications in PubMed, 1995–2015.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Yearly percentages of RCTs and SRs among physiotherapy research publications, 1995–2015.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Yearly percentages of publications declaring funding support for PT, physical rehabilitation without PT, and all human-based health research in PubMed, 1995–2015.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Yearly percentages of physiotherapy research publications across the age groups of treated populations, 1995–2015.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Yearly percentages of physiotherapy research publications, 1995–2015, across the main groups of health conditions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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