The impact of physical therapist attitudes and beliefs on the outcomes of patients with low back pain

The influence of low back pain-related attitudes and beliefs on the clinical decision making of physical therapists

BACKGROUND

The LBP-related attitudes and beliefs of clinicians may impact the experience of patients by influencing clinician decision-making and by shaping the attitudes, beliefs, and actions of patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the specific LBP-related attitudes and beliefs of US-based physical therapists and determine if those beliefs correlate with clinical decision-making.

METHODS

An electronic survey was sent to US-based physical therapists. Attitudes and beliefs were measured using the Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS) and the Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale for Physiotherapists (PABS-PT). The survey also included 2 patient vignettes that collected information about clinical decision-making.

RESULTS

Complete survey responses were recorded from 420 physical therapists. Eleven of the 27 attitude and beliefs questions were answered in a more biomedically oriented way by at least 20% of respondents. Physical therapist low back pain-related attitudes and beliefs were associated with activity and management strategies for both vignettes in the expected direction. Higher scores on HC-PAIRS and PABS-BM were associated with more restrictive work and activity recommendations, lower-intensity exercise choices, biomechanical rationale for manual therapy and motor control exercises, pathoanatomical-focused education, and use of modalities.

CONCLUSION

Some physical therapists hold biomedically oriented beliefs about the connection between pain and physical activity. Clinician beliefs were associated with activity and work recommendations, and treatment choices. Physical therapists with more biomedically oriented beliefs were more likely to limit physical activity and work, and less likely to incorporate psychologically informed interventions.

Management of Low Back Pain: Do Physiotherapists Know the Evidence-Based Guidelines?

BACKGROUND

Clinical practice guidelines promote bio-psychosocial management of patients suffering from low back pain (LBP). The objective of this study was to examine the current knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of physiotherapists about a guideline-adherent approach to LBP and to assess the ability of physiotherapists to recognise signs of a specific LBP in a clinical vignette.

METHODS

Physiotherapists were recruited to participate in an online study. They were asked to indicate whether they were familiar with evidence-based guidelines and then to fill in the Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS), Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ), Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (NPQ), as well as questions related to two clinical vignettes.

RESULTS

In total, 527 physiotherapists participated in this study. Only 38% reported being familiar with guidelines for the management of LBP. Sixty-three percent of the physiotherapists gave guideline-inconsistent recommendations regarding work. Only half of the physiotherapists recognised the signs of a specific LBP.

CONCLUSIONS

The high proportion of physiotherapists unfamiliar with guidelines and demonstrating attitudes and beliefs not in line with evidence-based management of LBP is concerning. It is crucial to develop efficient strategies to enhance knowledge of guidelines among physiotherapists and increase their implementation in clinical practice.

What influences graduate medical students' beliefs of lower back pain? A mixed methods cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

Low back pain (LBP) is a common condition with substantial associated disability and costs, best understood using a biopsychosocial approach. Research demonstrates that beliefs about LBP are important, with biomedical beliefs influencing practitioner's management and patient recovery. Beliefs about LBP can be inconsistent amongst healthcare and medical students. The aim of this study was to investigate graduate medical student's beliefs of LBP and what influences them.

METHOD

A cross sectional mixed methods study of Phase 1 (first year) and Phase 3 (third and fourth year) current graduate medical students at the University of Warwick (MBChB) was conducted. Participants were recruited via voluntary response sampling. A survey investigated LBP beliefs, utilising the Back Beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) and Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS). Qualitative data was collected on what influences beliefs about the causes and management of LBP, which was analysed descriptively using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven students completed the questionnaire (61% female), with a mean age of 27.2 years. Eighty two percent of participants reported a history of LBP. Median BBQ scores were 31.5 for phase 1 and 31 for phase 3, with median HC-PAIRS scores of 57 and 60 for phase 1 and phase 3 students respectively. Three main themes emerged from the qualitative data: Sources of influence, influence of personal experience and influence of medical education. Participants discussed single or multiple sources influencing their beliefs about the causes and management of LBP. Another main theme was the influence of experiencing LBP personally or through discussions with family, friends and patients. The final main theme described the influence of medical education, including lectures, seminars and clinical placements.

CONCLUSIONS

The HC-PAIRS and BBQ scores suggest graduate medical students in this sample tended to have positive beliefs about the outcome of LBP and functional expectations of chronic LBP patients, consistent with other healthcare students. The findings from qualitative data suggest how medical students form beliefs about the causes and management of LBP is complex.