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Boissonnault J.S.1,2, Cambier Z.3, Hetzel S.4
1George Washington University, Physcial Therapy and Health Care Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, D.C., United States, 2University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Orthopedics, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, United States, 3Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, United States, 4University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Madison, United States
Background: IPSB is patient behavior directed at a clinician, staff or other patient in a healthcare setting. IPSB includes leering, sexual remarks, deliberate touch, indecent exposure, and sexual assault.
Previous IPSB research found > than 80% of Physical therapists (PTs) were exposed to IPSB during the course of their careers. A 2010 Australian survey found 78% of 4th year bachelor-degree PT students (SPTs) experienced IPSB during clinical instruction.
IPSB may have effects on the clinician, the organization and upon patients themselves. Research indicates that 1/4 to 1/2 of professionals who encounter IPSB will have psychological consequences. Organizational impact may include decreased productivity, absenteeism, distraction, loss of motivation, and resignations. IPSB may impact treatment if patient-therapist trust is damaged or the clinician avoids effective treatments requiring greater physical contact or private space. For patients with cognitive impariment, IPSB can negatively impact independent living and integration into the community, and may lead to social isolation.
Few IPSB risk factors have been confirmed through previous research and most of the research was completed in the 1990´s.
Previous IPSB research found > than 80% of Physical therapists (PTs) were exposed to IPSB during the course of their careers. A 2010 Australian survey found 78% of 4th year bachelor-degree PT students (SPTs) experienced IPSB during clinical instruction.
IPSB may have effects on the clinician, the organization and upon patients themselves. Research indicates that 1/4 to 1/2 of professionals who encounter IPSB will have psychological consequences. Organizational impact may include decreased productivity, absenteeism, distraction, loss of motivation, and resignations. IPSB may impact treatment if patient-therapist trust is damaged or the clinician avoids effective treatments requiring greater physical contact or private space. For patients with cognitive impariment, IPSB can negatively impact independent living and integration into the community, and may lead to social isolation.
Few IPSB risk factors have been confirmed through previous research and most of the research was completed in the 1990´s.
Purpose: To determine current career and 12-month exposure to IPSB among US PTs, physical therapist assistants (PTAs), SPTs and PTA students (SPTAs) and to identify IPSB risk factors.
Methods: Content validity and test-retest reliability were established prior to survey launch. The survey was 90% powered assuming 884 completed surveys.
Demographic and clinician characteristics were collected based on any IPSB event over the clinician´s career and any IPSB event in the past 12 months.
The survey was electronic and accessed via the internet.
Best-fit models of risk of IPSB event were constructed individually for any, mild, moderate, and severe IPSB events reported over the last 12 months and separately over the clinician´s career.
Results: 892 PT professionals and students completed the survey. 84.2% of respondents indicated exposure to IPSB throughout their career and 46.6% reported exposure to IPSB within the last 12 months.
Over their career, women had significantly higher rates of IPSB compared to men in 7 out of 13 types of IPSB and in all severity categories. Majority of clinicians reported IPSB occurred with patients of the opposite gender.
Statistical risk modeling for prevalence of any IPSB over the past 12 months indicated fewer years of direct patient care, routinely working with patients with cognitive impariments, female practitioner gender, and male patient gender as risks.
Analysis of risk over the course of a career, indicated practitioner gender as the strongest predictor of experiencing any IPSB.
There was a significantly increased risk over the ´past 12 months´ for those with 10 or less years of direct patient care (DPC); those working with cognitively impaired patients (CIPs); being a female practitioner; treating mostly males or treating equal numbers of males and females; and younger age, though only for ´mild´ events.
Conclusion(s): Results demonstrated a career prevalence of 84% and a 12-month prevalence of 47%. Risk factors included gender, experience, and working with patients with cognitive impairments.
Implications: IPSB warrants practitioner and student education,and clear workplace policy and support.
Funding acknowledgements: $2000 grant provided by the Section on Women´s Health, APTA
Topic: Professional issues
Ethics approval: The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW), Health Sciences Institutional Review Board provided original approval for this study.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
