Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Box 356490, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98194-6490, USA; and Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Phys Ther. 2021 Jan 4;101(1). doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzaa187.
The purpose of this study was to describe physical therapists' attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors regarding the use of diagnostic imaging.
Physical therapists in the United States were recruited from July 2018 through May 2019 to complete a web-based, cross-sectional survey. Participants were asked about demographics, their perceived knowledge base and skills for recommending or ordering different imaging modalities, and their behaviors regarding diagnostic imaging. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the participants' demographics and responses to all questions. Chi-square tests were performed to compare responses by characteristics of survey participants and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests to compare levels of agreement.
The mean age was 43 years, and of the 739 respondents, 58% (n = 417) were female. Ninety-two percent of respondents (n = 595) reported having recommended diagnostic imaging to another provider at least once. Only 11.6% (n = 75) reported having ever directly ordered diagnostic imaging. Participants' attitudes about their knowledge base and skills for recommending or ordering plain radiographs were stronger compared with any other imaging modalities followed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over other imaging techniques. Participants' attitudes on recommending plain radiographs or MRI differed by professional education level, board-certification status, fellowship completion, and years since graduation.
It is common for physical therapists to recommend imaging, but few have directly ordered imaging. Most survey participants believed that they have an adequate knowledge base and skills for recommending and ordering plain radiographs and MRI.
These results can serve as a benchmark for future comparison as policies and educations evolve. Understanding physical therapists' attitudes, knowledge, and use of diagnostic imaging is important to inform research, policy, and education.
本研究旨在描述物理治疗师在使用诊断影像方面的态度、知识和行为。
2018 年 7 月至 2019 年 5 月，从美国招募物理治疗师完成一项基于网络的横断面调查。参与者被问及人口统计学特征、他们对推荐或订购不同影像学模式的感知知识基础和技能，以及他们在诊断影像方面的行为。使用描述性统计数据来描述参与者的人口统计学特征和对所有问题的回答。进行卡方检验比较调查参与者特征的回答，Wilcoxon 符号秩检验比较水平的一致性。
平均年龄为 43 岁，在 739 名应答者中，58%（n=417）为女性。92%（n=595）的应答者报告至少曾向其他提供者推荐过诊断影像。只有 11.6%（n=75）报告曾直接订购过诊断影像。与任何其他影像学技术相比，参与者对其推荐普通 X 线摄影或 MRI 的知识基础和技能的态度更强。参与者在推荐普通 X 线摄影或 MRI 方面的态度因专业教育水平、委员会认证状态、奖学金完成情况和毕业后年限而异。
物理治疗师通常会建议进行影像检查，但很少有直接进行影像检查的情况。大多数调查参与者认为，他们有足够的知识基础和技能来推荐和订购普通 X 线摄影和 MRI。
这些结果可以作为未来政策和教育发展的基准进行比较。了解物理治疗师在诊断影像方面的态度、知识和使用情况对于为研究、政策和教育提供信息非常重要。
