Amount of patient education in physical therapy practice and perceived effects.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the amount and perceived effects of informal patient education in physical therapy practice.


METHODS
Thirty-seven physical therapists from nine outpatient physical therapy settings participated.


METHODS
Each therapist audiotaped the entire course of treatment for one patient. The frequency of patient education statements in five categories (information about illness, home exercises, advice and information, health education, and stress counseling) was counted. Therapists, patients, and supervisors completed questionnaires about the amount and perceived effects of these teaching behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
The greatest numbers of educational statements were in the categories of information about illness (X = 4.72 statements per session), home exercises (X = 3.98 statements per session), and advice and information (X = 2.54 statements per session). The therapists' teaching behaviors rarely corresponded to their perceptions of their own teaching or to their patients' or supervisors' perceptions.
Gahimer
J E
JE
Krannert School of Physical Therapy, University of Indianapolis, IN 46227-3697, USA. gahimer@gandlf.uindy.edu
Domholdt
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013637:Tape Recording; D016896:Treatment Outcome