ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Physical therapists have been encouraged to engage in health promotion practice. Health professionals who engage in healthy behaviors themselves are more apt to recommend those behaviors, and patients are more motivated to change their behaviors when their health care provider is a credible role model. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the health behaviors and role-modeling attitudes of physical therapists and physical therapist students. DESIGN: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. METHODS: A national sample of 405 physical therapists and 329 physical therapist students participated in the survey. Participants' attitudes toward role modeling and behaviors related to physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, abstention from smoking, and maintenance of a healthy weight were measured. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to examine differences in attitudes and behaviors between physical therapists and physical therapist students. RESULTS: A majority of the participants reported that they engage in regular physical activity (80.8%), eat fruits and vegetables (60.3%), do not smoke (99.4%), and maintain a healthy weight (78.7%). Although there were no differences in behaviors, physical therapist students were more likely to believe that role modeling is a powerful teaching tool, physical therapist professionals should "practice what they preach," physical activity is a desirable behavior, and physical therapist professionals should be role models for nonsmoking and maintaining a healthy weight. LIMITATIONS: Limitations of this study include the potential for response bias and social desirability bias. CONCLUSIONS: Physical therapists and physical therapist students engage in health-promoting behaviors at similarly high rates but differ in role-modeling attitudes.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Health Behavior , Physical Therapists/psychology , Professional Role , Students, Health Occupations/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Psychometrics , Socioeconomic Factors , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of intensive therapy, conductive education, and special education on function in 19 children with cerebral palsy. METHODS: Subjects participated in a five-week program of conductive education, intensive therapy, or special education. Professionals, blinded to group assignment, administered the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI), the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), and the Fine Motor Scale of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales before and after intervention. Professionals providing treatment and parents completed a survey about their perceptions of change in the children. RESULTS: ANOVA showed no statistically significant differences between groups before or after treatment. Using t-tests, statistically significant within group changes were found only for the intensive therapy group on the PEDI Self-care and Social Function scales and the Crawling and Kneeling scale of the GMFM. Individual changes from pre- to post-test were also examined and are discussed. Surveys revealed that both parents and professionals perceived improvement in all children. CONCLUSIONS: Greatest improvements were noted in the group receiving intensive therapy, with children in all groups showing some improvement in function.
Subject(s)
Cerebral Palsy/physiopathology , Cerebral Palsy/rehabilitation , Education, Special/methods , Motor Skills/physiology , Physical Therapy Modalities/methods , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Occupational Therapy/methods , Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care , Physical Therapy Specialty/instrumentation , Speech Therapy/methodsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This pilot project assessed the effectiveness of an intervention to increase knowledge and reduce risky behaviors related to cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) in office workers. STUDY DESIGN: All 124 employees from the administrative offices of a health maintenance organization were invited to participate. Subjects were followed across time using an identification number. Data were collected via questionnaire in June 1994 (pretest1) (N=84), August 1994 (pretest II) (N= 63) and September 1995 (posttest) (N=40). The yearlong intervention focused on functional activities to prevent CTD. RESULTS: of chi-square analyses for the 40 subjects who completed all surveys indicated this intervention significantly increased overall knowledge of CTD (p =.002). Significant changes in self-reported hand/wrist (p =.016) and neck/shoulder (p =.003) posture were also found. CONCLUSIONS: This study is a first step in identifying effective educational interventions to increase knowledge and reduce risk factors related to CTD in office workers.
