title: Health promotion, wellness, and prevention in hand therapy: A survey study.
abstract: METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Noncommunicable diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease are associated with increased complications and cost of health care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe beliefs and extent to which hand therapists include health promotion, wellness, and prevention (HPWP) in practice and to elucidate barriers to the incorporation of HPWP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 38-question survey evaluating hand therapists' beliefs, practice of HPWP, and barriers was sent to American Society of Hand Therapists members.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 270 American Society of Hand Therapists members participated. Respondents believed they had a role in HPWP, including occupational (95%), physical (92%), emotional (87%), and psychological (84%) factors and instrumental activities of daily living management (98%). Physical activity is most frequently addressed (42%), whereas other health behaviors are rarely addressed. Time, patient interest, and resources were among identified barriers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The importance of health promotion and disease prevention practice is being recognized as critical to successful health outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study results suggest the need to develop HPWP educational programming for hand therapists and the need to consider expansion of understanding of HPWP initiatives and subsequent benefits to patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  5.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, Mercer University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address: lucado_am@mercer.edu.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lucado
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, Mercer University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, Mercer University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wendland
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Utah, College of Health, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Connors
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011315:Preventive Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hand therapy; Health promotion; Lifestyle behavior; Noncommunicable disease; Prevention; Wellness