Adherence to Stroke Rehabilitation Guidelines Among Physical Therapists and Internship Students

Determining the Compliance With the Guidelines of Physiotherapists' and Physiotherapy Internship Students' Attitudes Regarding the Treatment Approach of Post-Stroke Patients

The goal of this observational study is to learn about adherence to the 2024 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for Stroke Rehabilitation among Turkish physiotherapists and internship students treating post-stroke patients. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. What is the level of adherence to these evidence-based stroke rehabilitation guidelines?
2. How does guideline adherence differ between licensed physiotherapists and internship students?
3. What are the most significant barriers to using these guidelines (e.g., lack of time or resources)?

Researchers will compare responses from:

• Licensed physiotherapists** (with ≥1 year of experience)
• 4th-year physiotherapy students** (during internships) to understand differences in compliance.

Participants will:

• Complete an online survey about their:
• Use of guideline-recommended interventions (e.g., task-specific training, technology).
• Attitudes toward evidence-based practice.
• Perceived barriers to applying the guidelines.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Licensed physiotherapists with ≥1 year of clinical experience.
• 4th-year physiotherapy students enrolled in accredited Turkish universities.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Incomplete survey responses (<80% completion).
• Participants outside Turkey.
• Licensed therapists working in non-clinical roles (e.g., administrative, research-only).