Self-management behaviour and knowledge of patients with musculoskeletal complaints attending an Australian osteopathy clinic: A consecutive sampling design

Abstract

BackgroundMusculoskeletal complaints present a substantial disease burden worldwide and account for nearly 8% of the total disease burden in Australia. Like other chronic diseases, self-management plays a significant role in the overall management plan for musculoskeletal complaints. ObjectiveEvaluate the self-management behaviours of patients seeking care for a primary musculoskeletal complaint in an Australian osteopathy clinic. DesignConsecutive sampling design. SettingVictoria University Osteopathy Clinic (Melbourne, Australia). MethodsPatients were invited to complete a health information and demographic questionnaire in addition to the Partners in Health (PiH) scale prior to their initial consultation. The PiH subscales and total score were evaluated to ascertain their relationship with gender, age, and other health demographic variables. ParticipantsConsecutive patients attending the Victoria University Osteopathy Clinic. ResultsData from 331 patients was available for analysis. The PiH total score mean was 70.9 (±14.3). Reliability estimations for the PiH subscales were acceptable (McDonald's omega > 0.75). PiH total and subscale scores were not associated with age, and not significantly different for gender and chronicity of complaint. Significant differences for other health behaviours (smoking, blood pressure assessment) were identified. ConclusionsThe current study provides support for the use of the PiH in a patient population seeking osteopathy care for primary acute or chronic musculoskeletal complaint, and also in younger populations seeking care. The results of the study suggest that osteopathy patients seeking care for a primary musculoskeletal complaint demonstrated a relatively high disposition towards the self-management of their health complaints.