Stroke survivors' perceptions and experiences of physiotherapists providing mind-body therapies for pain management after stroke: a qualitative interview study
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Published on: April 20, 2019
Nicole Prideaux1,2, Diana Dorstyn2, Brendon Haslam3,4
1School of Allied Health Science and Practice, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
Background:
While stroke survivors with persistent pain consider mind-body therapies useful, physiotherapists have reported that consumers may not see mind-body therapies as within their role.
Objective:
To explore the perceptions and experiences of stroke survivors with pain regarding physiotherapists' provision of mind-body therapies.
Methods:
Fifteen Australian stroke survivors with pain (11 women/4 men, aged 28-84 years, 5 months to 84 years post-stroke) participated in qualitative semi-structured interviews using a study-specific interview guide comprising eight primary questions regarding their demographics, perceptions and experiences of stroke, pain, mind-body therapies and physiotherapists providing mind-body therapies. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and the COREQ guidelines informed the reporting of the study.
Results:
We generated five themes to describe participants' perceptions and experiences of physiotherapists' use of mind-body therapies. Theme 1 detailed support for physiotherapists providing or referring for mind-body therapies. Theme 2 described that physiotherapists being trusted health professionals would increase consumers' use of mind-body therapies. Theme 3 collated perceptions that physiotherapists' low use of mind-body therapies may be related to limited skills/knowledge regarding the mind-body connection. Theme 4 summarized perceptions about physiotherapists' training needs. Finally, Theme 5 presented responses regarding the perceived scope of practice for physiotherapists regarding mind-body therapies.
Conclusion:
Stroke survivors with pain see physiotherapists as trusted health professionals and would like them to provide, recommend, or refer for mind-body therapies as guided by scientific literature or past patient experience. Increased training for physiotherapists, including experiential practice and content on psychological aspects of persistent pain and the mind-body connection, could improve physiotherapists' current low use of mind-body therapies. While many mind-body therapies may be within physiotherapists' scope of practice, this requires further exploration.
