Online Program

290650
Assessing rehabilitation professionals' attitudes toward measuring outcomes in stroke community rehabilitation in Scotland


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Thilo Kroll, PhD, School of Nursing & Midwifery / Social Dimensions of Health Institute, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
Helen Moore, PhD, School of Nursing and Midwifery/Social Dimensions of Health Institute, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
Jacqui Morris, PhD, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
James Law, PhD, Institute of Health and Society, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Frederike van Wijk, PhD, Institute for Applied Health Research and School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Lisa Salisbury, PhD, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
John Dennis, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Background: Outcome measurement is of fundamental importance in any rehabilitative care system and is integral to quality improvement methodologies. To date little research has focused on the attitudes of community-based rehabilitation professionals that may influence the choice and routine use of these measures in clinical practice.

Aim: To determine rehabilitation professionals' attitude toward measuring outcomes in community-based stroke rehabilitation practice in Scotland

Method: We used 10 items to determine professional attitudes. Items were generated on the basis of a literature review, observations in rehabilitation practice and expert consultation. Senior community based rehabilitation therapists were recruited from all 14 health boards in Scotland.

Results: N=104 community based rehabilitation professionals (47 physiotherapists, 35 occupational therapists, 18 speech and language therapists, 4 not disclosed) across Scotland completed the 10 attitude items. 95% were UK trained and 68.3% had more than 11 years of work experience as therapists. 94% agreed that outcome measurement are essential to clinical practice, only 14.4% believed it was better to use clinical judgment, 30.8% thought outcome measurement is burdensome to patients. Only 8.7% thought using outcome measures would take valuable time away from patient treatment. Differences between professions were found for freedom of measure choice (x2=9.87;p=.043 ;Cramer's V =.22).

Conclusions: Professional attitudes to the use of outcome measures in rehabilitation practice are largely positive. Freedom to choose outcome measures is perceived to differ between professions.

Learning Areas:

Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Explain the impact of rehabilitation professionals’ attitude toward measuring outcomes in community-based stroke rehabilitation practice.

Keyword(s): Outcome Measures

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: PHD in psychology, 20 years disability and health research experience, PI
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.