What do physiotherapists and physiotherapy students know about autonomic dysreflexia?

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVE: Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is an emergency condition typical for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Adequate health professionals' knowledge of AD is important for the effective and safe rehabilitation of persons with SCI. The purpose of the study is to assess the knowledge of AD in undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapists. The data gained will be useful for better addressing of AD in clinical practice.

DESIGN

An observational study.

SETTING

Rehabilitation College in Warsaw, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.

PARTICIPANTS

52 undergraduate and 68 postgraduate physiotherapists.

INTERVENTION

AD knowledge testing.

OUTCOME MEASURES

A test assessing knowledge of causality and consequences of AD created at the Medical University of Warsaw.

RESULTS

No significant differences in test scores between under- and postgraduates were found (P = 0.09). Higher scores were noted in physiotherapy masters as compared to bachelors (P = 0.01), in participants who have an in-patient practice (P = 0.04), a practice longer than 5 years (P = 0.02) and those who see patients with SCI more frequently (P = 0.01). A self-assessed knowledge of AD was admitted as poor or none by 96.2% of undergraduates and 86.8% of postgraduates.

CONCLUSION

In the studied population the knowledge of causality and consequences of AD presented by undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapists was low. Lower test scores were associated with a lower level of professional education achieved, having an outpatient practice only and having fewer patients with spinal cord injury. Efforts should be made to improve undergraduate and postgraduate education on AD of physiotherapists.