title: Number and frequency of physiotherapy services for motor vehicle-induced whiplash: interrogating motor accident insurance data 2006-2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Whilst prognostic factors for recovery from whiplash associated disorders have been documented, factors related to high physiotherapy use are not well recognized. This study profiles predictors for high use of physiotherapy services from a large dataset from an Australian state insurer for motor vehicle accidents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A dataset of Motor Accident Commission claims in South Australia for whiplash associated disorders (2006-2009) was interrogated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median number of physiotherapy services per claimant was 15 (range: 1-194). The typical high user of physiotherapy was female, aged 25-59 years, living in a high socio-economic area, with legal representation, who delayed obtaining physiotherapy for at least 28 days after the accident. The largest mean number of days between treatments (5.4 days) in the first 5 treatments related to the lowest subsequent use of physiotherapy services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This represents the first review of physio-therapy service use based on an insurance dataset. A range of factors were related to high use of physiotherapy services. It is hoped that identifying the mean number and spread of physiotherapy interventions for whiplash associated disorders, and the profile of high users of physiotherapy will help gauge the success of strategies to maximize the efficacy of physiotherapy management of whiplash associated disorders.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. karen.grimmer-somers@unisa.edu.au
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grimmer-Somers
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milanese
authors.forename: Saravana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mifsud
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007341:Insurance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*