Does teaching physical therapists to deliver a biopsychosocial treatment program result in better patient outcomes? : A randomized controlled trial

• Background: Psychosocial risk factors are important in the development of chronic pain but treatment providers often lack knowledge and skills to assess and address these risk factors.Objectives: We examined the effects of a course on psychosocial factors for physical therapists on patient outcome in terms of pain and disability. Design: A randomised controlled trail.Participants: Forty-two primary care physical therapists attended an eight-day university course over eight weeks aimed at identifying and addressing psychosocial risk factors.Methods: They were randomised to either the course or a waiting list. The physical therapists collected consecutive acute and sub-acute patients with musculoskeletal pain both before and after the course.Results: There were no significant differences in outcome for pain or disability for allpatients of physical therapists who had participated in the course or for risk patients with higher levels of catastrophizing or depression compared to patients of physical therapists who had not participated in the course. Outcome for low risk patients on pain and disability and for high risk patients on pain was not dependent on if their physical therapists changed their attitudes and beliefs during the course. Yet, outcome on disability for high risk patients may have been influenced if their physical therapists change their attitudes and beliefs.Limitations: no measure of actual practice behaviour.Conclusions: An eight-day university course for physiotherapists did not improve outcome for the group of patients as a whole or patients at risk of developing long term disability. Yet, risk patients with higher levels of catastrophizing or depression may have had a greater improvement in disability if their physical therapist changed attitudes and beliefs during the course.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Allmänmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- General Practice (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Physical therapy

musculoskeletal pain

psychosocial factors

dissimilation

evidence based

education

Family medicine

Allmänmedicin

Rehabilitation Medicine

Rehabiliteringsmedicin

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)