Depression screening by physical therapists: Practices, beliefs, barriers

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Physical Therapy
• Psychological Comorbidity
• Healthcare Practice Patterns

Background:

• Depression is a frequent comorbidity in physical therapy (PT) practice, significantly affecting patient outcomes.
• Current understanding of PTs' practices regarding depression screening is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the beliefs of orthopedic clinical specialist physical therapists (OCS PTs) concerning depression.
• To identify current PT practice patterns for depression screening.
• To determine perceived barriers to depression screening among OCS PTs.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to all OCS PTs in the United States.
• Data from 416 responses were analyzed using descriptive, univariate, and multiple regression analyses.

Main Results:

• 95% of OCS PTs believe depression impacts PT outcomes, and 68% acknowledge its influence on the plan of care.
• Despite believing over 20% of patients have depression symptoms, only 18% formally screen for it.
• Formal screening education increased likelihood of screening by 2.3 times; barriers included lack of policy, knowledge, and resources.

Conclusions:

• Formal depression screening by OCS PTs is less frequent than expected, despite recognized impact on outcomes.
• Addressing identified barriers is crucial for improving adherence to recommended screening guidelines.