USE OF STANDARDIZED OUTCOME MEASURES IN PHYSIOTHERAPY PRACTICE: FAMILIARITY, KNOWLEDGE AND UTILIZATION AMONG PHYSIOTHERAPISTS IN INDIA

M. Saravanan¹, J. Aayushi¹, P. Vidhi¹, G. Jensi¹, A. Radhika¹

¹Shree Bharatimaiya College of Optometry & Physiotherapy, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Physiotherapy, Surat, India

Background: In this era of evidence-based Physiotherapy practice,measurement tools employed by Physiotherapists as outcome measures in rehabilitation plays a pivotal role in the assessment of clinical and functional status of patients.These outcome measures promote objective evaluation and needs to be integrated to clinical practice.

Purpose: Physiotherapy as a profession in India is growing and there is a trend in the use of evidence-based approach in managing patients.Since outcome measures provides input on the achieved outcomes after rehabilitation and support better clinical decision making,there is a need to understand whether Physiotherapists in India are familiar with outcome measures and their knowledge of administration of the outcome measures.

Methods: This descriptive study collected data using a structured questionnaire consisting of five parts.First part of the questionnaire obtained the demographic data of the therapists including age,gender,highest qualification,years of experience,area of specialization,work setting,number of working hours and total patients treated in a day. Second part obtained data on whether they use outcome measures in their regular clinical practice.A separate section on the common barriers perceived by the therapists who are not using outcome measures in their practice, was included as third part.Fourth part of the questionnaire included 20 standardized outcome measures and therapists were asked to indicate their familiarity of the outcome measures.Fifth part of the questionnaire used two components to assess the knowledge of therapists on the outcome measures by asking them to indicate whether the outcome measures specified above were patient reported/clinician reported/performance based.They were also asked to specify whether they were aware of the availability of a translated version of the specified outcome measure in any one of the Indian languages.Questions were generated on Google form and the link was shared on platforms related to Physiotherapists in India.A total of 628 responses were received and the data was exported to SPSS for data analysis.

Results: 70% (440) of the participants were using outcome measures in their clinical practice.The most common factors identified as barriers to use of outcome measures in clinical practice were too much time consuming for patients and therapists (n=84),lack of training (n=64) and lack of manual and technical support system (n=43).Mean of familiarity of standardized measures among physiotherapists was 15.29±3.77 and knowledge score was 14.12±6.47.Mean of category sub score was found to be 8.53±3.66 and availability of translated version of outcome measure sub score was found to be 5.60±4.32.

Conclusions: Despite a good percentage of therapists using outcome measures in their practice,a low knowledge score was observed among them.This suggests the need to focus on education in the use of outcome measures and sensitization on the use of these measures for better clinical decision making.

Implications: Despite the easy accessibility of various outcome measures in clinical practice,there seems to be less knowledge about outcome measures among Physiotherapists in India.Findings from the results of this study could be used to introduce training of use of outcome measures for Physiotherapists which will reduce the gap between understanding the benefits and the barriers perceived by therapists in the use of outcome measures.

Funding acknowledgements: Self funded

Keywords:
Outcome measures
Knowledge
Physiotherapists

Topics:
Education: clinical
Education: continuing professional development
Professional practice: other

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Shree Bharatimaiya College of Optometry & Physiotherapy

Committee: Institutional Ethics Committee

Ethics number: BMCOP/2022/A-01