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Patients' Perceptions of Physical Therapists Addressing Opioid Misuse.
John Magel1, Paul Hartman1, Julie M Fritz1
1Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Physical therapists (PTs) can help patients with opioid misuse. Most patients surveyed agree PTs can refer them to specialists, though those with opioid exposure showed less agreement. This highlights patient support for PTs in addressing opioid misuse.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare
- Physical Therapy
- Public Health
Background:
- Rising opioid misuse in the US presents opportunities for physical therapists (PTs) to intervene.
- Understanding patient perceptions is crucial before PTs engage in addressing opioid misuse.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine patient perceptions of physical therapists' role in addressing opioid misuse.
- To evaluate differences in perceptions between patients with and without opioid exposure.
Main Methods:
- Anonymous, web-based survey of 839 patients at a university healthcare setting.
- Likert scale questions (1-7) assessing patient agreement with PTs addressing opioid misuse.
- Comparative analysis of responses based on prescription opioid exposure during physical therapy.
Main Results:
- Highest agreement (mean 6.2) for PTs referring patients with opioid misuse to specialists.
- Lowest agreement (mean 5.6) for PTs asking patients about reasons for opioid misuse.
- Patients with opioid exposure showed less agreement for PTs referring to specialists compared to those without (β = -0.33).
Conclusions:
- Patients generally support PTs addressing opioid misuse.
- Patient perceptions vary based on their personal experience with opioid exposure.
- Further research can refine the role of PTs in managing patients with opioid use disorders.
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