Brach Jennifer S, Schrodt Lori A, Vincenzo Jennifer L, Perera Subashan, Hergott Colleen, Sidelinker Jennifer, Rohrer Beth, Tripken Jennifer, Shubert Tiffany E
Department of Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Department of Physical Therapy, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina.
J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2023;46(4):196-206. doi: 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000359. Epub 2022 Aug 10.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality highlights the need for sustainable linkages between clinical and community settings to enhance prevention and improve care of people with chronic conditions. The first step in promoting linkages is understanding the knowledge and use of evidence-based programs by physical therapy (PT) professionals. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the knowledge of and referral to evidence-based programs in the community by a convenience sample of PT professionals and to examine the characteristics of those who refer to evidence-based programs.
A cross-sectional web-based survey containing 36 questions regarding respondents' demographics and evidence-based program knowledge and referral practices was disseminated to a convenience sample of PT professionals via email, news-blasts, social media, and word of mouth.
A total of 459 PT professionals completed the survey. Approximately half reported practicing for more than 20 years and 75% are members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The majority (74%) are aware of evidence-based programs; however, fewer (56%) refer to these programs. Compared with individuals who do not refer to evidence-based programs, individuals who refer are more likely to be involved in PT organizations and be an APTA Geriatrics member. Of the individuals who do not refer to evidence-based programs, 21.5% reported not knowing they existed and 33% reported not knowing where the programs are located.
Most survey respondents reported knowing about evidence-based programs and more than half reported being aware of the evidence-based programs available in their communities. These results indicate many PT professionals already have a knowledge of evidence-based programs to support clinic-community linkages. As survey respondents were a sample of convenience and likely do not represent all PT professionals in the United States, the results should be interpreted with caution. Additional research on a more representative sample is needed to fully understand the current utilization of evidence-based programs, which will enable us to design efforts to improve the clinic to community transition. Improving linkages between PT professionals and community resources has the potential to benefit both patients and clinicians and lessen the burden on the health care system.
医疗保健研究与质量局强调临床与社区环境之间建立可持续联系对于加强慢性病患者预防和改善护理的必要性。促进联系的第一步是了解物理治疗（PT）专业人员对循证项目的知识掌握情况及使用情况。因此，本研究的目的是通过对PT专业人员的便利样本描述其对社区循证项目的知识掌握情况及转诊情况，并考察转诊至循证项目的人员特征。
通过电子邮件、新闻推送、社交媒体和口口相传，向PT专业人员的便利样本发放了一项基于网络的横断面调查问卷，其中包含36个有关受访者人口统计学、循证项目知识及转诊实践的问题。
共有459名PT专业人员完成了调查。约一半人报告从业超过20年，75%是美国物理治疗协会（APTA）成员。大多数人（74%）知晓循证项目；然而，转诊至这些项目的人较少（56%）。与未转诊至循证项目的个体相比，转诊者更有可能参与PT组织并成为APTA老年病学成员。在未转诊至循证项目的个体中，21.5%报告不知道这些项目的存在，33%报告不知道这些项目的地点。
大多数调查受访者报告了解循证项目，超过一半的人报告知晓其所在社区的循证项目。这些结果表明，许多PT专业人员已经具备支持临床 - 社区联系的循证项目知识。由于调查受访者是便利样本，可能无法代表美国所有的PT专业人员，因此对结果的解释应谨慎。需要对更具代表性的样本进行进一步研究，以充分了解循证项目的当前使用情况，这将使我们能够设计出改善从诊所到社区过渡的措施。改善PT专业人员与社区资源之间的联系有可能使患者和临床医生都受益，并减轻医疗保健系统的负担。
