The Relationship Between Perceived Wellness, Physical Function and Traditional Medical Outcomes in Physical Therapy

Background and Purpose. An individual’s perception of wellness has been shown to be a stronger predictor of mortality and morbidity than measurements of physical disability, disease, and biological or lifestyle risk factors. Most healthcare professionals, including physical therapists, do not utilize wellness measures in patient assessment. The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a predictive relationship between perceived wellness as compared to traditional medical outcomes such as age, gender, diagnosis, goals achieved, number of visits, and rehabilitation compliance. How perceived wellness and outcome variables compare to physical function was also investigated. Subjects. The subject population consisted of a convenience sample of 116 orthopedic patients beginning physical therapy. Methods. The Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS) and the SF-36 Physical Functioning Scale was administered to patients pre- and post physical therapy, or after six visits, whichever occurred first. Traditional medical outcomes information was later collected from patient charts. The data were analyzed using the multiple linear regression stepwise procedure to predict the effect of wellness and physical function on the stated medical outcome variables. A t-test for paired samples was also performed between the pre- and post-physical therapy PWS scores and the pre- and post physical therapy SF-36 Physical Functioning Scale scores. Results. Pre-physical therapy PWS and physical function scores did not predict any of the stated outcome variables. However, correlational relationships were found between physical function scores, as measured by the SF-36 Physical Function Scale, and certain outcome variables. In addition, a significant relationship was found between pre- and post- physical function scores. The results of this study suggest the emphasis physical therapists place on physical impairments as opposed to wellness. Conclusion and Discussion. There is overwhelming support in the literature as to the importance of self-rated perceptions of health and subsequent health outcomes. Therapists are in a position to encourage and participate in widespread, collaborative measurement of patient functioning and wellness, which should improve the effectiveness and efficiency of physical therapy rehabilitation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physical Therapy

Grantor

Southwest Texas State University

Year dc:date.issued

1997

Author dc:creator

• Otterbach, Hayward H.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Bezner, Janet R.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Sanders, Barbara
• Hunter, Diana

• health attitudes
• self-perception
• outcome assessment
• health status indicators

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10877/20881

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/20881