Osteopaths in the United Kingdom and Australia: attitudes, practice, confidence and knowledge with regard to melanoma detection (a questionnaire-based quantitative study with qualitative elements)
Item
- Title
- Osteopaths in the United Kingdom and Australia: attitudes, practice, confidence and knowledge with regard to melanoma detection (a questionnaire-based quantitative study with qualitative elements)
- Author(s)
- Jelineck, S
- Abstract
- Introduction Melanoma is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world. Even though in the United Kingdom (UK) the incidence rate is only about one third of that in Australia, it is rising rapidly. Survival rate and costs are directly linked to the thickness of the tumour on diagnosis, and primary health care practitioners play an essential role in early detection. Osteopaths might have a particular advantage due to the amount of skin exposed in a typical osteopathic appointment. The aims of this study were to investigate the current attitudes, practice, confidence and knowledge of osteopaths practicing in the UK and Australia with regard to melanoma detection and to find out whether there is a difference between these groups concerning these aspects. Methods An electronic questionnaire was sent out to 2,368 osteopaths registered with the General Osteopathic Council and to 942 osteopaths registered with the Osteopathy Board of Australia. Results Following exclusions, a total of 378 responses from osteopaths practising in the UK (UK osteopaths) and 137 responses from osteopaths practising in Australia (AUS osteopaths) were analysed. The two groups sampled differed significantly with regard to basic demographic characteristics and most aspects of their professional profile. Significant differences between the groups (p<0.05) were found with regard to 10 out of 16 items of the attitude section, all but one item for the practice (11 items total) and confidence (4 items total) sections, two items of the picture-part (6 items total) and one item of the true/false questions part (9 items total) of the knowledge section. Both UK and AUS osteopaths affirmed a role and responsibility of osteopaths as primary care practitioners in melanoma detection, but pointed out a number of limitations and defined ways to increase their confidence and/ or desire to look for melanoma. Discussion The samples would have been reasonably representative (UK: 4.8% error rate/ 95% confidence interval (CI), AUS: 4.8% error rate/95% CI) if sampling had been random, which it was not. Compared to the underlying osteopathic populations, women and younger people were overrepresented in the AUS sample, while the UK sample was lacking osteopaths practising in North Ireland and Wales. The test instrument used could be improved with regard to reliability and construct validity of two of its five sections. Conclusion Overall, this study showed that there is a substantial amount of good-will for melanoma detection among the osteopathic populations in the UK and AUS that should be utilized and enhanced in the interest of improving patient care.
- presented at
- European School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 2014
- Date Submitted
- 20.1.2015 16:43:40
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 15500
- Inst-Identifier
- 1229
- Keywords
- Melanoma, Practitioner attitude, Ugly duckling
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Jelineck, S, “Osteopaths in the United Kingdom and Australia: attitudes, practice, confidence and knowledge with regard to melanoma detection (a questionnaire-based quantitative study with qualitative elements)”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 17, 2024, https://www.osteopathicresearch.com/s/orw/item/664