New Zealand osteopaths’ use of patient-reported outcome measures with patients who have chronic low back pain: A cross-sectional survey

Background and Objectives

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are instruments that capture patients' perspectives of their own health status and quality of life. As part of rising advocacy for their use in clinical practice, PROMs are said to hold promise for the management of long-term conditions. This study aimed to describe and explore New Zealand osteopaths’ use of PROMs for patients with chronic low back pain.

Methods

An online survey was adapted to investigate New Zealand osteopaths’ use of PROMs with patients who have chronic LBP. Topics included frequency of use, purposes for use, and determinants to use. Respondents were recruited via anonymous and non-randomised sampling across multiple platforms. Frequencies, means, and standard deviations were calculated for all numerical data. Content analysis was used to analyse textual data on determinants to use.

Results

In total, 79 osteopaths were included in data analysis. These respondents most often used PROMs to monitor patients’ pain intensity (80%) and sometimes also functional disability (27%). Although the respondents had some regard for their capability to use PROMs, they also claimed to be constrained by limited time and social or professional norms. Respondents were more attentive to the consequences of PROMs for patients than for other stakeholders.

Conclusions

Although New Zealand osteopaths may use PROMs to monitor the burden of chronic LBP, they probably do not use PROMs for the multidimensional assessment of pain or psychosocial factors. New Zealand osteopaths may be most receptive to adopting PROMs if they are presented with relevant interventions and evidence of their benefits for patients.