Experiences and Perspectives of Filipino Patients with Stroke on Physical Therapy Telerehabilitation: A Phenomenological Study Protocol

Introduction: Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the Philippines, so these patients must continuously undergo rehabilitation for faster recovery. With the rise of COVID-19, physical therapy (PT) telerehabilitation (TR) has emerged, where services are provided outside the usual rehabilitation setting for patients with stroke to continue their treatment while reducing the risk of acquiring COVID-19. However, it is a relatively new service in the country; hence, further research is needed to identify the factors and needs of these patients during TR, which may help improve PT TR services. Objective: This study aims to explore the experiences and perspectives of Filipino patients with stroke who have undergone PT TR in the Philippines since March 2020. Administrators of healthcare facilities, policy-makers, and other decision-makers involved in evaluating, implementing, and developing PT TR may benefit patients with stroke. This can expand the scope of rehabilitation to patients with stroke who have no access to face-to-face rehabilitation or improve the training or education of Physical Therapists who are providing TR to stroke patients. Methods: This will be a qualitative phenomenological study design that will use purposive sampling to recruit participants. Semi-structured interviews (SSI) will be conducted online using Google Meetings®, Zoom®, or Facebook Messenger® to record their experiences and perspectives. The NVivo data analysis software will be used to create codes and identify themes from the data gathered. The data that will be obtained is about the experiences and perspectives of Filipino patients with stroke regarding PT TR. The insights of the participants will undergo Thematic Analysis until no new information will be discovered from the analyzed data