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Inappropriate sexual behaviours of patients towards practising physiotherapists: a study using qualitative methods
1Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia.
Summary
Physiotherapists frequently encounter inappropriate sexual behaviour (ISB) from patients, often impacting work performance. Training in communication and boundary management is crucial for prevention and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Health Sciences
- Clinical Psychology
- Patient-Provider Interactions
Background:
- Inappropriate sexual behaviour (ISB) by patients towards healthcare professionals is increasingly recognized.
- Physiotherapists are a key demographic experiencing ISB within clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the clinical context and impact of ISB incidents experienced by physiotherapists.
- To understand physiotherapists' experiences and responses to patient-initiated ISB.
Main Methods:
- In-depth interviews with nine physiotherapists who had experienced ISB.
- Exploration of themes including patient relationship, incident effects, coping strategies, and practice changes.
Main Results:
- All interviewed physiotherapists reported experiencing some form of ISB from patients.
- Reported ISB varied in type, with many experiencing negative work performance effects.
- Physical measures were commonly used for prevention, with less frequent reporting or confrontation.
Conclusions:
- Findings highlight the need for enhanced communication and boundary management training for physiotherapists.
- Theoretical frameworks of transference and counter-transference are relevant to understanding ISB in physiotherapy.
- Effective training is essential for both undergraduate and graduate physiotherapists to manage ISB.