The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals?
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Chronic pain is a prevalent condition that is frequently complicated by mood and anxiety disorders. The purpose of the present article is to identify differences in the management of patients with chronic pain and anxiety/mood disorders depending on the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/2/292 |
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| author | Michele Chiesa Gregorio Nicolini Massimiliano Buoli |
| author_facet | Michele Chiesa Gregorio Nicolini Massimiliano Buoli |
| author_sort | Michele Chiesa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: Chronic pain is a prevalent condition that is frequently complicated by mood and anxiety disorders. The purpose of the present article is to identify differences in the management of patients with chronic pain and anxiety/mood disorders depending on the physiotherapists’ gender. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: An ad hoc questionnaire was developed and sent to 327 physiotherapists by e-mail. The two groups identified by gender were compared by unpaired-sample <i>t</i> tests for continuous variables and χ<sup>2</sup> tests for qualitative ones. A binary logistic regression was then performed with factors resulting as statistically significant in univariate analyses as independent variables and gender as a dependent one. <i>Results</i>: Female physiotherapists exhibited a higher level of confidence than male physiotherapists in administering continued physiotherapy for patients affected by Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) (<i>p</i> = 0.01), as well as for individuals who had previously engaged with a mental health professional (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Furthermore, female physiotherapists believed that pharmacotherapy was less associated with motor side effects (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and more frequently recognized the importance of training to identify affective disorders (<i>p</i> = 0.01) and the need for more education in mental health (<i>p</i> = 0.01). The binary logistic regression model confirmed that female professionals were less likely to work = freelance (<i>p</i> = 0.015) and were more confident in the receival of physiotherapy by patients with GAD (<i>p</i> = 0.05). <i>Conclusions</i>: Female physiotherapists compared to male ones seem to be more comfortable with patients affected by mental conditions and to be more aware of the need for training on mental health. Further studies are needed to confirm the results of the present study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:21:38Z |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:21:38Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-4641a48179f94b6d96323cf508d4b40f2024-02-23T15:26:40ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442024-02-0160229210.3390/medicina60020292The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals?Michele Chiesa0Gregorio Nicolini1Massimiliano Buoli2Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, 74, 20157 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Chronic pain is a prevalent condition that is frequently complicated by mood and anxiety disorders. The purpose of the present article is to identify differences in the management of patients with chronic pain and anxiety/mood disorders depending on the physiotherapists’ gender. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: An ad hoc questionnaire was developed and sent to 327 physiotherapists by e-mail. The two groups identified by gender were compared by unpaired-sample <i>t</i> tests for continuous variables and χ<sup>2</sup> tests for qualitative ones. A binary logistic regression was then performed with factors resulting as statistically significant in univariate analyses as independent variables and gender as a dependent one. <i>Results</i>: Female physiotherapists exhibited a higher level of confidence than male physiotherapists in administering continued physiotherapy for patients affected by Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) (<i>p</i> = 0.01), as well as for individuals who had previously engaged with a mental health professional (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Furthermore, female physiotherapists believed that pharmacotherapy was less associated with motor side effects (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and more frequently recognized the importance of training to identify affective disorders (<i>p</i> = 0.01) and the need for more education in mental health (<i>p</i> = 0.01). The binary logistic regression model confirmed that female professionals were less likely to work = freelance (<i>p</i> = 0.015) and were more confident in the receival of physiotherapy by patients with GAD (<i>p</i> = 0.05). <i>Conclusions</i>: Female physiotherapists compared to male ones seem to be more comfortable with patients affected by mental conditions and to be more aware of the need for training on mental health. Further studies are needed to confirm the results of the present study.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/2/292physiotherapydepressionanxietygendermanagement |
| spellingShingle | Michele Chiesa Gregorio Nicolini Massimiliano Buoli The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals? Medicina physiotherapy depression anxiety gender management |
| title | The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals? |
| title_full | The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals? |
| title_fullStr | The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals? |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals? |
| title_short | The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals? |
| title_sort | approach of physiotherapists in the management of patients with persistent pain and comorbid anxiety depression are there any differences between male and female professionals |
| topic | physiotherapy depression anxiety gender management |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/60/2/292 |
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