The physiotherapist’s role at the health center: A qualitative study of mothers’ experiences

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to generate knowledge about mothers’ experience of the physiotherapist’s role in relation to women and children at the child-health clinic. Design, material, and method: The article is based on five semi-structured interviews with mothers with children between 0-8 months associated with the same child-health clinic. The material was analyzed with systematic text condensation. Findings: The mothers experience lack of information regarding what the physiotherapist can offer for both their children and themselves. Even though the mothers are not familiar with the physiotherapist’s area of responsibility, they have clear expectations of the physiotherapist’s role when it comes to both mother and child. The mothers express the importance of a good relationship with the physiotherapist at the health station, so that their wishes for advice and guidance are fulfilled. Furthermore, it emerges that the mothers are uncertain about who to contact regarding questions about their own body and ailments after childbirth. Conclusion: The mothers want the physiotherapist to take on more roles at the child-health clinic. They have clear expectations of a physiotherapist, despite the lack of information and uncertainty associated with this role. This highlights the need to provide sufficient information about the physiotherapist’s competence, as well as to define the physiotherapist’s role in the interdisciplinary composition at the child-health clinic to meet the mothers’ expectations.