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Compliance with hand therapy programs: therapists' and patients' perceptions.
Theresa Kirwan1, Leigh Tooth, Catherine Harkin
1Melbourne Extended Care and Rehabilitation, Victoria, Australia.
Summary
Patients and hand therapists often disagree on adherence to hand therapy. This study highlights significant differences in how both groups perceive compliance with treatment protocols.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
Background:
- Compliance with prescribed hand therapy is crucial for optimal patient outcomes.
- Understanding patient and therapist perspectives on compliance is essential for effective treatment.
- Previous research has not extensively compared these differing viewpoints.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate patient and hand therapist perceptions of compliance with hand therapy.
- To compare these perceptions between patients and their treating hand therapists.
Main Methods:
- Telephone interviews were conducted with 41 patients undergoing hand therapy.
- Sixty-nine hand therapists, members of the Australian Hand Therapy Association, were also interviewed.
- A study-specific questionnaire was used, with data analyzed descriptively and comparatively using chi-square tests.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) was found in perceptions of compliance for 24 out of 33 measured items.
- This indicates a notable divergence between patient and therapist views on adherence to hand therapy regimens.
- The findings suggest a disconnect in how compliance is understood and reported by each group.
Conclusions:
- Significant discrepancies exist between patient and hand therapist perceptions of compliance.
- These differing viewpoints may impact the effectiveness of hand therapy interventions.
- Further research and communication strategies are needed to bridge this perception gap.