Returning Back Pain Patients to Work: How Private Musculoskeletal Practitioners Outside the National Health Service Perceive Their Role (an Interview Study)
Returning Back Pain Patients to Work: How Private Musculoskeletal Practitioners Outside the National Health Service Perceive Their Role (an Interview Study)
Background Private musculoskeletal practitioners treat a large section of people with back pain, and could play an important role in returning and maintaining patients to work. Method We conducted a qualitative study to explore the self-perceived role of such practitioners in the UK. We interviewed 44 practitioners, including chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists. Results Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts indicated that return to work is a high priority for patients, many of whom are self-employed. Although in general work was perceived as beneficial to health, practitioners perceived work as a threat for some of their back pain patients. They perceived their role as giving ergonomic, postural and exercise based advice, but were more reluctant to address psychosocial problems related to back pain. A common view was that patients' reluctance to take a break from work impacted badly on their condition, and many practitioners advocated a short time off work duties to focus on rehabilitation. Contact with employers was very limited, and determined by the patients' request. Conclusion In summary, the study identifies several areas in which further education could expand the role of musculoskeletal practitioners and benefit their back pain patients. However, further study is required to determine whether these results are generalisable beyond the limits of this qualitative study UK based study.
Back pain, Return to work, Perceived role of practitioners, GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS, PRIMARY-CARE, RISK-FACTORS, ABS-MP, REHABILITATION, PROFESSIONALS, GUIDELINES, MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION, INTERVENTION
322-330
Pincus, Tamar
55388347-5d71-4fc0-9fd2-66fbba080e0c
Woodcock, Alison
61d22a24-ede1-4675-8b0c-fe28eed5a5dd
Vogel, Steven
a9e25ead-dcfd-40ae-9756-b3c68c7252fc
September 2010
Pincus, Tamar
55388347-5d71-4fc0-9fd2-66fbba080e0c
Woodcock, Alison
61d22a24-ede1-4675-8b0c-fe28eed5a5dd
Vogel, Steven
a9e25ead-dcfd-40ae-9756-b3c68c7252fc
Pincus, Tamar, Woodcock, Alison and Vogel, Steven
(2010)
Returning Back Pain Patients to Work: How Private Musculoskeletal Practitioners Outside the National Health Service Perceive Their Role (an Interview Study).
Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 20 (3), .
(doi:10.1007/s10926-009-9217-9).
Abstract
Background Private musculoskeletal practitioners treat a large section of people with back pain, and could play an important role in returning and maintaining patients to work. Method We conducted a qualitative study to explore the self-perceived role of such practitioners in the UK. We interviewed 44 practitioners, including chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists. Results Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts indicated that return to work is a high priority for patients, many of whom are self-employed. Although in general work was perceived as beneficial to health, practitioners perceived work as a threat for some of their back pain patients. They perceived their role as giving ergonomic, postural and exercise based advice, but were more reluctant to address psychosocial problems related to back pain. A common view was that patients' reluctance to take a break from work impacted badly on their condition, and many practitioners advocated a short time off work duties to focus on rehabilitation. Contact with employers was very limited, and determined by the patients' request. Conclusion In summary, the study identifies several areas in which further education could expand the role of musculoskeletal practitioners and benefit their back pain patients. However, further study is required to determine whether these results are generalisable beyond the limits of this qualitative study UK based study.
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Published date: September 2010
Keywords:
Back pain, Return to work, Perceived role of practitioners, GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS, PRIMARY-CARE, RISK-FACTORS, ABS-MP, REHABILITATION, PROFESSIONALS, GUIDELINES, MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION, INTERVENTION
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 469278
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/469278
ISSN: 1053-0487
PURE UUID: dfd0b1c9-824e-4102-aaa5-679c12d89b27
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Date deposited: 12 Sep 2022 16:45
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:11
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Author:
Tamar Pincus
Author:
Alison Woodcock
Author:
Steven Vogel
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