TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of educational interventions on pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards low back pain
AU - Abdel Shaheed, Christina
AU - Maher, Christopher G.
AU - Mak, Wendy
AU - Williams, Kylie A.
AU - McLachlan, Andrew J.
PY - 2015/8/22
Y1 - 2015/8/22
N2 - Background Practitioner beliefs and attitudes towards low back pain (LBP) influence treatment decisions. Little is known about pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards LBP. Objectives To investigate the effect of educational interventions on pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards LBP. Setting Sydney Metropolitan Area. Methods Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs was measured using the “Pharmacists’ Back Beliefs Questionnaire”, with items from two previously reported questionnaires on back beliefs. Responses from pharmacists attending a 2-h educational workshop on LBP (n = 204) and pharmacists recruiting participants for a LBP clinical trial (n = 66) were compared to responses from a control group of pharmacists (n = 65) to allow an evaluation of the two interventions. Responses from workshop participants were also evaluated before and after the session. Participants indicated their agreement with statements about LBP on a 5-point Likert scale. Preferred responses were based on guidelines for the evidence-based management of LBP. The primary analysis evaluated total score on the nine-inevitability items of the Back Beliefs Questionnaire (“inevitability score”). Main outcome measure Inevitability score. Results There was no significant difference in inevitability score between LBP clinical trial pharmacists and the control group [mean difference (MD) 0.47 (95 % CI −1.35 to 2.29; p = 0.61)]. The educational workshop led to a significant and favourable change in inevitability score (MD 7.23 p < 0.001) and notable changes in responses to misconceptions regarding bed rest and the need for imaging (p < 0.001) among participating pharmacists. Conclusions Pharmacists attending the educational workshop provided the most compelling evidence that education specifically aimed at delivering evidence-based information can be successful in changing practitioner knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards LBP.
AB - Background Practitioner beliefs and attitudes towards low back pain (LBP) influence treatment decisions. Little is known about pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards LBP. Objectives To investigate the effect of educational interventions on pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards LBP. Setting Sydney Metropolitan Area. Methods Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs was measured using the “Pharmacists’ Back Beliefs Questionnaire”, with items from two previously reported questionnaires on back beliefs. Responses from pharmacists attending a 2-h educational workshop on LBP (n = 204) and pharmacists recruiting participants for a LBP clinical trial (n = 66) were compared to responses from a control group of pharmacists (n = 65) to allow an evaluation of the two interventions. Responses from workshop participants were also evaluated before and after the session. Participants indicated their agreement with statements about LBP on a 5-point Likert scale. Preferred responses were based on guidelines for the evidence-based management of LBP. The primary analysis evaluated total score on the nine-inevitability items of the Back Beliefs Questionnaire (“inevitability score”). Main outcome measure Inevitability score. Results There was no significant difference in inevitability score between LBP clinical trial pharmacists and the control group [mean difference (MD) 0.47 (95 % CI −1.35 to 2.29; p = 0.61)]. The educational workshop led to a significant and favourable change in inevitability score (MD 7.23 p < 0.001) and notable changes in responses to misconceptions regarding bed rest and the need for imaging (p < 0.001) among participating pharmacists. Conclusions Pharmacists attending the educational workshop provided the most compelling evidence that education specifically aimed at delivering evidence-based information can be successful in changing practitioner knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards LBP.
KW - Australia
KW - Community pharmacy
KW - Education
KW - Evidence-based management
KW - Low back pain
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84937634951&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11096-015-0112-5
DO - 10.1007/s11096-015-0112-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 25851502
AN - SCOPUS:84937634951
SN - 2210-7703
VL - 37
SP - 616
EP - 625
JO - International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
JF - International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
IS - 4
ER -