First published on March 4, 2010

Physical Therapy 2010;90:629.

Physical Therapy
DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20080409
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CARE V Conference Series

Continuing Professional Development Is Associated With Increasing Physical Therapists' Roles in Arthritis Management in Canada and the Netherlands

Linda C. Li, Emalie J. Hurkmans, Eric C. Sayre and Thea P. M. Vliet Vlieland

L.C. Li, PT, PhD, is Assistant Professor and Harold Robinson/Arthritis Society Chair in Arthritic Diseases, Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Research Scientist, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, 895 W 10th Ave, Room 324, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1L7.
E.J. Hurkmans, PT, MSc, is a PhD candidate in the Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
E.C. Sayre, PhD, is Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Population & Public Health and Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, and Arthritis Research Centre of Canada.
T.P.M. Vliet Vlieland, PT, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedics and Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center.

lli{at}arthritisresearch.ca

Background and Objective: This study explored the relationships among the roles assumed by physical therapists in arthritis care and their previous participation in arthritis courses for continuing professional development (CPD).

Design: A cross-sectional mail survey was conducted.

Method: A total of 600 Canadian physical therapists and 461 Dutch physical therapists practicing in orthopedics were randomly selected to participate in a mail survey. The questionnaire covered areas related to their clinical practice, previous participation in arthritis-related CPD courses, and roles in the management of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Poisson regression was used to explore the associations between physical therapists' participation in arthritis-related CPD courses and the number of roles they assumed in OA and RA care, after adjusting for personal characteristics, arthritis caseload, and country of practice.

Results: The survey response rates were 47.7% in Canada and 50.5% in the Netherlands. A total of 424 participants (Canada=224, the Netherlands=200) had treated patients with OA in the previous month, and 259 participants (Canada=68, Netherlands=191) had treated patients with RA in the previous month. The most common roles reported by participants were providing traditional physical therapy interventions and providing postsurgical care. Arthritis-related CPD courses significantly increased (ie, multiplied) the expected number of roles assumed by physical therapists by a factor of 1.32 (95% confidence interval=1.11, 1.56) in OA management and 1.69 (95% confidence interval=1.34, 2.13) in RA management.

Limitations: Physical therapists' roles in arthritis management were obtained through self-reporting, which might differ from their actual clinical practice.

Conclusions: This exploratory analysis highlights the association between participation in arthritis-related CPD courses and the roles assumed by physical therapists in OA and RA management. Further research is needed to understand the effects of CPD activities on other areas of physical therapist practice and on patients' outcomes.


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