Occupational Therapy Practitioners' Knowledge, Beliefs, and Misconceptions About Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Musculoskeletal health
• Pain management

Background:

• Back pain is a prevalent issue impacting adults.
• Occupational therapy practitioners play a role in supporting clients with back pain.
• Understanding practitioners' beliefs is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine U.S. occupational therapy practitioners' attitudes and beliefs regarding the back and back pain.
• To assess practitioners' confidence in supporting adult clients experiencing back pain.
• To identify potential gaps in knowledge and practice for evidence-informed back pain care.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 95 U.S. occupational therapy practitioners.
• The Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (34 items) was utilized for data collection.
• Two 5-point Likert scale items assessed practitioner confidence levels.

Main Results:

• A significant number of participants held beliefs about the back that were not supported by current evidence.
• Despite unhelpful beliefs, many practitioners endorsed evidence-informed strategies for back pain management.
• A mix of accurate and less-supported perspectives was observed among practitioners.

Conclusions:

• Findings reveal opportunities for occupational therapy practitioners to refine their understanding of back pain.
• Critical evaluation and updating of beliefs are recommended to enhance evidence-informed care for adults with back pain.
• Addressing practitioner beliefs can improve the quality of support provided to clients with back pain.