title: The effect of a physiotherapy education compared with a non-healthcare education on the attitudes and beliefs of students towards functioning in individuals with back pain: an observational, cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the difference in attitudes: (1) between first and fourth year physiotherapy students towards functioning in individuals with back pain; and (2) between physiotherapy students and non-healthcare students towards functioning in individuals with back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland, UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  First year physiotherapy (n=61) and non-healthcare students (n=61), and fourth year physiotherapy (n=62) and non-healthcare students (n=62).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants completed the Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (range 15 to 105). This questionnaire measures attitudes towards functioning in individuals with back pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourth year physiotherapy students had more positive attitudes towards functioning in individuals with back pain than first year physiotherapy students [57.4 vs 66.6 (mean difference -9.2, 95% confidence interval -12.2 to -6.1, P<0.01)]. Similarly, fourth year non-healthcare students had more positive attitudes towards functioning in individuals with back pain compared with first year non-healthcare students [69.2 vs 65.3 (mean difference -3.9, 95% confidence interval -7.2 to -0.5, P=0.03)]. Physiotherapy students had more positive attitudes than non-healthcare students in the first year [66.6 vs 69.2 (mean difference -2.6, 95% confidence interval -5.5 to 0.4, P=0.08)] and the fourth year [57.4 vs 65.3 (mean difference -7.9, 95% confidence interval -11.4 to -4.4, P<0.01)] of study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that physiotherapy education brings about positive student attitudes towards functioning in individuals with back pain. This may be partly attributable to receiving a university degree education, but would appear to be further enhanced by specifically receiving a physiotherapy degree. This may facilitate students to become more evidence-based practitioners following qualification.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Social Care, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK. cormac.ryan@gcal.ac.uk
authors.forename: Cormac
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Dervla
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000193:education*; D013334:Students