Physiotherapy
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Patients' subjective impression of change is an important construct to measure following physiotherapy, but little evidence exists about the best type of measure to use. ⋯ The two versions of the GSOS showed similar validity; however, use of the Likert GSOS is recommended because of its greater utility.
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To compare sensitivity of pathology on imaging between referrals from primary care, physiotherapists, spinal surgeons and other secondary care providers. ⋯ When appropriate, referrals via the extended physiotherapy service should be encouraged, rather than referrals directly from GPs. With appropriate training and in the appropriate clinical context, extended physiotherapy services could include inpatients and could accept outpatient referrals from other secondary care providers and not just from GPs; this would improve efficiency and reduce the workload of the radiology department and the spinal surgical unit.
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To identify the types of clinical prediction rules (CPRs) for low back pain (LBP) that Australian physiotherapists wish to see developed and the characteristics of LBP CPRs that physiotherapists believe are important. ⋯ There were several identified areas of perceived need for LBP CPR development and a range of characteristics such tools need to encompass to be considered clinically meaningful and useful by physiotherapists in this study. Targeting and incorporating the needs and preferences of physiotherapists is likely to result in the development of tools for LBP with the greatest potential to positively impact clinical practice.
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Comparative Study
Musculoskeletal triage: a mixed methods study, integrating systematic review with expert and patient perspectives.
Triage is implemented in healthcare settings to optimise access to appropriate care and manage waiting times. ⋯ Triage can be performed effectively via a number of methods and by a range of clinicians. Satisfaction, cost, diagnostic agreement, appropriateness of referral and waiting list time have been improved though triage. Multidisciplinary support mechanisms are critical elements of successful triage systems. Patients are more concerned with access issues than professional boundaries.
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Comparative Study
Test-retest reliability and comparability of paper and computer questionnaires for the Finnish version of the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia.
To estimate the internal consistency, test-retest reliability and comparability of paper and computer versions of the Finnish version of the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-FIN) among patients with chronic pain. In addition, patients' personal experiences of completing both versions of the TSK-FIN and preferences between these two methods of data collection were studied. ⋯ Both versions of the TSK-FIN demonstrated substantial intertest reliability, good test-retest reliability, good internal consistency and acceptable limits of agreement, suggesting their suitability for clinical use. However, subjects tended to score higher when using the computer version. As such, in an ideal situation, data should be collected in a similar manner throughout the course of rehabilitation or clinical research.