Support and Barrier of Online Occupational Therapy Education During Covid-19 in Bangladesh: A Cross Sectional Study

The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed significant challenges on medical education worldwide. During the pandemic in Bangladesh, Occupational Therapy students were participated in their class through online. The study aimed to identify support and barrier of online Occupational Therapy education during COVID-19 in Bangladesh.

A cross-sectional online survey was performed to conduct the study through email. Self-developed structured questionnaire were used for data collection. Descriptive analyses were used to analyze survey results.

Data were obtained from 112 responses where males were 34% and females were 66%. The study found that 75 (67%) participants had own devices and 37 (33%) participants responded that they were borrow the device from others during online study. Result revealed that students got support from the institution likes 80.4% (90) participants responded that they got regular online classes, 31.2% (35) said that teachers were supportive, 17.9% (20) participants responded that they got both review class and installment facilities. In family site 100.0% (112) Participant responded that they got internet support, 49.10% (55) quite space, 42.0% (47) care and 33.0% (37) got device support and encouragement. Online education barriers from the family found that 59.80% (67) participants responded that they had no family barrier, whereas 17.0% (19) faced financial barriers, 6.2% (7) internet connectivity, and a lack of parent’s knowledge about online education. On the other hand, 63.4% (71) of the participants responded that they had not faced any institutional barriers whereas 16.1% (18) participants have faced internet problems and 10.7% (12) practical class.

Participants recommended that necessary steps should be taken to improve internet speed and provide free internet package and lecture method up-gradation for future online education program.