Calidad percibida en la fisioterapia de atención primaria: situación y oportunidades de mejora en la atención a la cervicalgia

Abstract

Objectives

To describe and compare how frequently patients with neck pain perceive different aspects related with the quality of physical therapy care of several health care centers.

Material and Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional and analytic study was conducted. Patients with mechanical and non-traumatic neck pain were included. Information was collected using a self-report and previously validated questionnaire. Rate of answer and non- answer bias were analyzed. An adjusted descriptive analysis was performed, using indicators and the perceived quality was compared among centers based on indicators in each center, and the value average and percentiles of all centers.

Results

A total of 111 out of 162 questionnaires were collected. No significant differences were detected among those who responded and those who did respond to the questionnaire in relationship to gender and study level, but there were significant differences for age and previous physical therapy use. The dimensions of Waiting Time and Professional Competence are those that present the higher percentage of problems of perceived quality, 61.4% (52.4-70.4) and 51.7% (42.4-61.0), respectively. The dimension Organization has the lowest percentage of problems, 24.4 % (16.4-32.4). There are differences in the levels of quality perceived between most of the centers regarding the dimensions of Information and Professional Competence, and only between some centers regarding Time of wait and Organization.

Conclusions

The areas of Information and Professional Competence are those that accumulate the most problems of perceived quality. There is variability in the levels of perceived quality among the participant centers of health care.