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

A cross-sectional survey of 95 U.S. occupational therapy practitioners examined their attitudes and beliefs about the back and back pain, as well as their confidence in supporting adult clients with back pain. Data were collected using the 34-item Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire and two 5-point Likert scale items assessing confidence. Results indicate many participants held unhelpful beliefs about the back. However, even those participants with unhelpful beliefs endorsed several evidence-informed strategies, reflecting a mixture of accurate and less-supported perspectives. These findings highlight opportunities for practitioners to critically evaluate and update their beliefs to enhance evidence-informed care for adults with back pain.