Global Health Blog - Canadian Physiotherapy Association

The Objectives of the GHD Global Health Blog are:

To serve as a public engagement tool, to inform and inspire a diverse readership (peers, practitioners, professors, etc.) about your global health experience.
To help students and clinicians communicate with each other and share their knowledge and experiences online.
To build a knowledge base from physiotherapy students, clinical instructors, clinicians, partners and others’ experiences.
To discuss some of the ethical issues or challenges associated with global health experiences.

Interested in writing for the GHD Blog on a different topic? Check out our blog guidelines or email us.

Global Health Placement Blog

Coming from an athletic therapy background, when I heard about professional international travel, images of sport physiotherapists covering major games such as the Olympics… Read More

Experiences of Canadian Physiotherapists on the Canadian Red Cross Emergency Response Unit (ERU) Register Part II: World Health Organization Emergency Medical Team Rehabilitation Network & Community of Practice

Nowadays, the world is more and more aware of climate change impacts on health, the COVID-19
pandemic issues and planetary boundaries. Due to climate change, sudden onset disasters… Read More

Experiences of Canadian Physiotherapists on the Canadian Red Cross Emergency Response Unit (ERU) Roster: Part I

The Canadian Red Cross has been deploying Emergency Response Units (ERUs) all over the world since 1996, to areas where local health care systems… Read More

Exploring the Paradox of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is about getting people back to function… or is it? How might this commonly held perception reinforce ableism within PT? How does our perception of cure impact the profession… Read More

Decolonizing Humanitarian Aid

Applying to physiotherapy school I cited one of my career goals as one day working with
forcibly displaced peoples, especially in refugee camps. As my Masters in Physiotherapy comes
to an end, this same goal of working with marginalized people remains… Read More

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: A celebration in a refugee camp

Did you know that more than one billion people or approximately 15% of the world’s population live with some form of disability? According to data by the United Nations, of the one billion people with disabilities, 80% live in developing countries… Read More

Introducing Rwanda Physiotherapist Auguste Biori

Having access to education has not always been a privilege for everyone, especially for those in low-income countries. Sometimes the will and skills required are present for many young Africans, but sadly the resources to finance their education are not available. After my high school graduation, I had a burning desire in my heart to become a doctor and… Read More

Cultural Humility

In recent years, interest in global health has grown within the physiotherapy profession, with an increasing number of physiotherapists and students engaging in initiatives abroad. However, this is an area of work that has recently decreased due to the emergence of COVID-19. As travel restrictions ease, these initiatives are anticipated to increase again… Read More

The International Role of a Therapist Assistant

As I am sure many of us have experiences this year, disappointment was around every corner. After completing my first year in the Therapist Assistant Program at Okanagan College, I was anticipating the first round of practicums. Finally, I would be putting my knowledge into practice and working with clients! As you may have guessed, the two expected… Read More

Barriers to Physiotherapy Services

As physiotherapists, it is important to acknowledge that there is inequality between populations in accessing and receiving health care services. As advocates for global health, we must recognize that these barriers exist and disproportionately affect certain populations, and we must strive to achieve equal access for health care in Canada and across the globe… Read More

HIV and Physiotherapy

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a major global health problem, accounting for more than 35 million deaths to date. Out of the 37.9 million people currently living with HIV, about 25.7 million are living in Africa. That’s approximately 2/3! 81% of people living with HIV in Africa know their HIV status, but only 64% have access to lifesaving antiretroviral… Read More

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