Yeung MTL1
1Singapore Institute of Technology, Physiotherapy, Health and Social Sciences Cluster, Singapore, Singapore
Background: Studies on the prevalence of inappropriate patient sexual behaviour (IPSB) by patients towards physiotherapists (PTs) have been high in developed countries such as Canada, United States and Australia, with up to 80% of physiotherapists had experienced IPSB during the course of their career. IPSB includes behaviours from leering looks, sexual innuendo or exposure, offensive touch, unwelcome sexual advances, to requests for sexual favours. IPSB may adversely affect the PTs, organisations, or patients themselves. The feeling of anger, fear, anxiety and depression are common, while the organisation may suffer decreased productivity, absenteeism or resignations. Till date, little was done to understand the situation of IPSB to PT working in Southeast Asian countries.
Purpose: To determine the risk factors and prevalence of exposure to IPSB among the PTs in Singapore.
Methods: A self-complete on-line electronic questionnaire on IPSB directed towards PTs established by Boissonnault and colleagues was administered to registered physiotherapists in Singapore. Demographics and clinician characteristics were collected based on any IPSB event(s) over the physiotherapists' career and in the past 12 months. In additions, the questionnaire allowed the collection of verbatim comments on the IPSB encounters of the respondents. Best-fit models of risk of IPSB event were constructed individually for any, mild, moderate, to severe IPSB events reported over the last 12 months and separately over the clinician's career.
Results: The survey has a 10% confidence interval based on the 127 completed questionnaire. The majority of respondents were female (66.1%), only 18.1% of whom worked with patients with cognitive impairment (PWCIs), defined as dementia, delirium or acquired brain injury. The majority (78.8%) treated equal numbers of male and female patients over the past 12 months. Overall, 61% of the respondents indicated exposure to IPSB throughout their career, with 31% reported exposure in the past 12 months. Prevalence of IPSB decreased with increasing severity of such behaviours both over a career and within the past 12 months. Overall, males and female respondents have no significant difference to exposure to IPSB, while the majority of the IPSB occurred with patients of the opposite gender (78% female respondents and 69% male respondents). Statistical risk modeling for the prevalence of any IPSB over the past 12 months indicated no direct link between direct patient care, routinely working with patients with cognitive impairments, or the gender of the physiotherapist. Analysis of risk over the course of a career indicated female gender has the strongest predictor of experiencing any IPSB 1.66 (95% CI: 1.06, 2.71 p 0.05).
Conclusion(s): Despite the lower prevalence than some of the western countries, this study demonstrated a career prevalence of 61% IPSB in Singapore and 12-month prevalence of 31%, with female PTs more likely to encounter IPSB during their career.
Implications: The findings of the study elucidated the situation of IPSB in Singapore. Taken together, physiotherapy training programme should incorporate relevant elements in dealing with IPSB. Clear workplace policy and support should be established.
Keywords: Sexual Harassment, Inappropriate Patient Sexual Behaviour, Prevalence in Singapore
Funding acknowledgements: This study received no funding from any agency.
Purpose: To determine the risk factors and prevalence of exposure to IPSB among the PTs in Singapore.
Methods: A self-complete on-line electronic questionnaire on IPSB directed towards PTs established by Boissonnault and colleagues was administered to registered physiotherapists in Singapore. Demographics and clinician characteristics were collected based on any IPSB event(s) over the physiotherapists' career and in the past 12 months. In additions, the questionnaire allowed the collection of verbatim comments on the IPSB encounters of the respondents. Best-fit models of risk of IPSB event were constructed individually for any, mild, moderate, to severe IPSB events reported over the last 12 months and separately over the clinician's career.
Results: The survey has a 10% confidence interval based on the 127 completed questionnaire. The majority of respondents were female (66.1%), only 18.1% of whom worked with patients with cognitive impairment (PWCIs), defined as dementia, delirium or acquired brain injury. The majority (78.8%) treated equal numbers of male and female patients over the past 12 months. Overall, 61% of the respondents indicated exposure to IPSB throughout their career, with 31% reported exposure in the past 12 months. Prevalence of IPSB decreased with increasing severity of such behaviours both over a career and within the past 12 months. Overall, males and female respondents have no significant difference to exposure to IPSB, while the majority of the IPSB occurred with patients of the opposite gender (78% female respondents and 69% male respondents). Statistical risk modeling for the prevalence of any IPSB over the past 12 months indicated no direct link between direct patient care, routinely working with patients with cognitive impairments, or the gender of the physiotherapist. Analysis of risk over the course of a career indicated female gender has the strongest predictor of experiencing any IPSB 1.66 (95% CI: 1.06, 2.71 p 0.05).
Conclusion(s): Despite the lower prevalence than some of the western countries, this study demonstrated a career prevalence of 61% IPSB in Singapore and 12-month prevalence of 31%, with female PTs more likely to encounter IPSB during their career.
Implications: The findings of the study elucidated the situation of IPSB in Singapore. Taken together, physiotherapy training programme should incorporate relevant elements in dealing with IPSB. Clear workplace policy and support should be established.
Keywords: Sexual Harassment, Inappropriate Patient Sexual Behaviour, Prevalence in Singapore
Funding acknowledgements: This study received no funding from any agency.
Topic: Professional issues; Professionalism & ethics
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: The Singapore Institute of Technology
Ethics committee: Institutional Review Board
Ethics number: 2018017
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
