Evaluation of New Zealand osteopathy patients experiences of their treatment

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.07.004Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Patients receiving osteopathy treatment self-report positive perceptions of the treatment experience.

  • The demographic profile of patients presenting for OCF treatment in New Zealand is consistent with public health data.

  • The current study provides some evidence for the construct validity of the Patient Perception Measure – Osteopathy.

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate the experiences of patients seeking osteopathy treatment in New Zealand; and to describe their perceptions of osteopathic treatment.

Design

Survey-based research design.

Setting

Private osteopathy practices.

Main outcome measures

Demographic survey and the Patient Perception Measure-Osteopathy (PPM-O).

Results

Twelve osteopaths were recruited as practitioners. Responses from 107 patients were analysed. Approximately 75% of patients reported receiving a ‘mostly cranial’ treatment approach. The majority of patients (96.2%) indicated that osteopathic treatment helped their condition. The most frequently experienced sensation was ‘relaxed’. A positive relationship was observed between the PPM-O and demographic variables.

Conclusions

This is the first study to report on New Zealand osteopathy patient's experience of their treatment. The sensations and emotions experienced are largely consistent with previous Australian research. Predominantly positive perceptions of osteopathic treatment were reported. The current study provides some evidence of the construct validity of the PPM-O in a New Zealand patient population.

Introduction

Osteopathy is a form of manual therapy that utilises a variety of ‘hands-on’ treatment approaches including mobilisation, manipulation and soft tissue techniques [1]. A number of systematic reviews have highlighted the role ‘structural’ osteopathy approaches may play in the management of a variety of musculoskeletal [2], [3], [4], [5] and non-musculoskeletal complaints [6]. Another treatment approach utilised by osteopaths is Osteopathy in the Cranial Field (OCF). OCF was conceived by Sutherland [7] who proposed a mechanism by which an inherent and involuntary rhythm within the body could be palpated through the manifestation of cranial bone movement. A number of studies have researched the validity of this involuntary rhythm's palpability [8], [9], and potential clinical uses [10], [11], [12], [13]. However, only a limited number of studies have investigated the patient experience of OCF [14], [15], [16].

A lack of data on patient perception and treatment outcomes associated with OCF lead Mulcahy et al. [16] to develop a questionnaire to collect and analyse patient experiential data. Originally intended only for patients receiving OCF [16], the questionnaire was later revised and condensed using both confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis [17]. The questionnaire was titled the Patient Perception Measure – Osteopathy (PPM-O) and these authors suggested that it may be useful to evaluate both ‘cranial’ and ‘structural’ osteopathic treatments [15], [17]. In further work Mulcahy and Vaughan [15] also observed that the sensations patients experience during their OCF treatment may be associated with how those patients perceive their treatment. Furthermore, patient self-rated satisfaction with life also appears to be related to positive treatment perception [18], [19].

The aim of the present study was to explore the experience of patients receiving a structural treatment approach, OCF treatment approach (or both) in New Zealand osteopathy clinics. Patients' perception of treatment was explored, as well as the sensations and emotions patients experienced during and immediately after their treatment. The relationships between demographic variables, Satisfaction with Life (SWL), the Meaningfulness of Daily Activities (MDA), and patients reported experiences of treatment were also considered.

Section snippets

Methods

Ethics approval for the study was obtained from the Unitec Institute of Technology (Auckland, New Zealand) Research Ethics Committee.

Results

Thirty-nine osteopaths were identified through the recruitment search. Of those 39 osteopaths, 12 expressed interested in the study, were screened, and recruited as practitioners. A total of 230 research packs were sent to osteopaths to give to eligible patients. Of these, 107 (46.52%) completed questionnaires were returned via pre-paid post to the primary researcher at Unitec Institute of Technology. Completed questionnaires included responses from patients who indicated that they had received

Discussion

The present study is the first to report on the experiences of New Zealand patients who have received a single osteopathy treatment measured using a quantitative approach. The Patient Perception Measure - Osteopathy (PPM-O) [17] was used to evaluate patients' perceptions of their treatment.

Conclusion

The present study is the first to report on the experience of patients seeking osteopathy treatment in New Zealand. Further, there is no data on the profile of the patient seeking osteopathy treatment in New Zealand and the current study provides a basis for further work into this area. These patients report similar sensory experiences to those patients seeking OCF treatment in Australia. Understanding how patient perceptions can influence treatment outcomes is a vital part of health care and

Funding

No specific funding was received to conduct this study.

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