Hunter, SW and Divine, A (2021) Understanding the factors influencing physiotherapists’ attitudes towards working with people living with dementia. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 37 (12). pp. 1448-1455. ISSN 0959-3985
Abstract
Background: Research suggests healthcare professionals feel uncomfortable or inadequately prepared to provide care to people living with dementia. Importantly, research on the attitudes of physiotherapists toward people with dementia is limited. The objective was to assess personal, educational, and clinical experiences on physiotherapists’ attitudes toward working with people with dementia.
Methods: An online survey was completed by registered physiotherapists. Data were collected on their dementia knowledge, confidence, and attitudes. Structural equation modeling (SEM) evaluated the factors associated with attitudes of physiotherapists.
Results: A total of 231 physiotherapists completed the survey. Participants’ scores on knowledge of dementia were excellent. Interactions with people with dementia were positive (67.4%) and access to rehabilitation was important (70.4%). However, most respondents reported a lack of confidence and strategies to successfully deal with cognitive (42.5%) or behavioral (58.3%) symptoms. In the SEM, only education (p = .048) was significantly related to attitude. Specifically, more education was related to more positive attitudes.
Conclusions: Scores on knowledge of dementia were high. Yet, most respondents reported reduced confidence from a lack of skills to manage behavioral or cognitive symptoms associated with dementia. More education related to working with people with dementia was significantly related to positive attitudes among physiotherapists.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an author produced version of an article published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice . Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Attitudes; dementia; physiotherapy; survey and questionnaires |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) > School of Biomedical Sciences (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 07 Feb 2020 15:50 |
Last Modified: | 12 Jul 2022 11:36 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/09593985.2019.1710883 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:156613 |