UT project highlights the need for domestic violence training for physiotherapists

In 2023, the OPEP-DV project (Online Professional Education for Physiotherapists on Domestic Violence), led by the University of Tartu, conducted a survey examining physiotherapists’ knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with domestic violence (DV) across Estonia, Greece, Cyprus, and Spain. The findings have led to the publication of a new research article in the European Journal of Physiotherapy.

The article reveals that physiotherapists in the four participating countries are generally unprepared to be first responders for DV victims. Only 13.2% of surveyed physiotherapists reported having received any training on DV, and less than half felt confident in making referrals to support services. These findings highlight the essential need to incorporate DV training within physiotherapy education and continuing education programs. Furthermore, they suggest that healthcare systems must empower physiotherapists to effectively recognize and handle DV, ensuring the safety of both victims and practitioners. 

In response to the issue, the OPEP project developed a comprehensive online training for physiotherapists on DV identification and referral protocols. The full program was offered twice as an online course (MOOC), and will now be passed on to each of the partner organisations to further use in their training or teaching. A limited version of this course is available for the general public on Youtube. Additionally, written materials for the professionals interested, as well as policy recommendations, can all be found on the project’s website.

The OPEP-DV project is a partnership between Women’s Support and Information Centre (WSIC; Estonia), Union of Women Associations of Heraklion Prefecture (UWAH; Greece), Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS; Cyprus), M&M Profuture Training, S.L (Spain), and Tartu Health Care College (Estonia). The contributors of the study include Mariia Chebotareva, Lenard Milich, and Hector Charles Pagan (University of Tartu); Anna-Liisa Tamm and Jelena Sokk (Tartu Health Care College); and Jaan Looga (Tartu Health Care College). The OPEP-DV project will conclude in January 2025.