Influence Specificities of the Type of Attitude towards a Disease on Physical Therapy Satisfaction Among the Orthopedic Profile Patients and the Possibilities of Attitude Improvement

Abstract

To determine the level of physical therapy satisfaction among outpatients with orthopedic profile disorders, based on the type of attitude to the disease, and the possibilities of its improvement. Material: The study involved 113 patients who completed a standard course of physical therapy during 2013–2015, and 135 patientswho completed a course of physical therapy during 2016–2018 after physical therapy system modification. The level of patient’sphysical therapy satisfaction was measuredby means of a Physical Therapy Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PTPSQ). Patients were grouped by the type of attitude to the disease (psychotypes). The course of physical therapy comprised 12–15 classes. Results: The comparison of the results indicateda higher level ofphysical therapy satisfaction in almost half of the questionnaire domains in groups of the patients with rational psychotypes. Psychotypes influenced in particular the results ofthe "treatment", "privacy", "scheduling", "wait time", "overall satisfaction"domains. The largest difference was observed in the"treatment"domain The overall satisfaction score also confirmed a higher level of outpatient physical therapy satisfaction in groups of the patients with a rational attitude to the disease. Comparingscores of physical therapy satisfaction in the groups with similar psychotypesbut different physical therapy programsconfirmed the advantages of a modified system of physical therapy and implemented measures in several questionnaire domains.In particular, when comparing 2013–2015 patients and 2016–2018 patients, both with rational psychotypes, we observed significant advantages of 2016–2018 patients in the "treatment", "overall satisfaction"domains and overall PTPSQscore. Similar comparison of the patients with irrational psychotypes, in addition to the differences mentioned, showed a statistical difference in the "privacy"domain as well. At the same time, when comparing the results of 2016–2018 patients with irrational psychotypesand 2013–2015 patients with rational psychotypes, we observed the advantages of the first ones in two domains ("treatment" and "privacy"). This confirms better performance of the means of a modified program and the measures of managing the system and physical therapy process itself at the outpatient level. Conclusions: The results of the study confirm the influence of the specificities of the attitude to the disease on physical therapy satisfaction among orthopedic profile patients at the outpatient level. At the same time, constructive changes of the physical therapy system, enhancing the role of a physical therapist, and taking into account patient's characteristics in managing physical therapy process have a positive effect on satisfaction.