Regional and Facility Differences in Interventions for Mastitis by Australian Physiotherapists

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy
• Women's Health
• Maternal Care

Background:

• Limited data exists on Australian physiotherapists' mastitis interventions.
• Variability in physiotherapy for mastitis across Australian regions and facility types is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify physiotherapy interventions used for mastitis in Australian mothers.
• To determine if these interventions vary by region and healthcare facility.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study of 192 mastitis case records.
• Data collected from hospitals and private practices in Western Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.
• Electronic tool used to examine intervention variables.

Main Results:

• Common interventions included therapeutic ultrasound (91.1%), education/advice (83.3%), and massage (53.6%).
• Therapeutic ultrasound parameters, including intensity, differed across regions and facilities.
• Ultrasound intensity was approximately double in New South Wales and Victoria compared to Western Australia.

Conclusions:

• Significant regional and facility-based differences exist in Australian physiotherapy mastitis interventions.
• Healthcare providers should be aware of this variability when referring patients.