Have Physical Therapists Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Vital Assessment Changed Following the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Previous studies prior to the COVID-19 pandemic show that cardiovascular and blood pressure assessment by physical therapists is inadequate or lacking despite prior training. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, assessment of cardiovascular and respiratory function may become more critical as the manifestation of long COVID has become a concern. The purpose of this study is to determine whether physical therapists' attitudes and beliefs towards vital sign assessment have changed following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Vital Signs
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: KAP Survey

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 500

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Edmund C Ickert, PhD; Phone Number: 3309411326; Email: ecickert@ysu.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Youngstown, Ohio, United States, 44555
      • Recruiting
      • Youngstown State University
      • Contact: Edmund C Ickert, PhD; Phone Number: 330-941-1326; Email: ecickert@ysu.edu
      • Principal Investigator: Edmund C Ickert, PhD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Physical Therapists who are currently working in clinical practice that have a minimum of 5 years experience (based on ability to identify practice patterns prior to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Must be a licensed Physical Therapist
2. Must be actively be involved in clinical practice
3. Must have ≥ 5 years of experience practicing in a clinical setting as a Physical Therapist

Exclusion Criteria:

(1) Did not provide informed consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Physical Therapists; Physical Therapists currently working in a clinical setting. Group Participants (Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria) Inclusion Criteria: Must be a licensed Physical Therapist; Must be actively be involved in clinical practice; Must have ≥ 5 years of experience practicing in a clinical setting as a Physical Therapist Exclusion Criteria: (1) Did not provide informed consent The survey will be disseminated across the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) email lists. Further potential candidates may be identified through existing professional networks, clinical settings, and social medial/internet-based searching.

Other: KAP Survey; This is a cross-sectional study that utilizes a KAP (knowledge, attitude, and practice) survey. This type of survey can be conducted on a representative sample of physical therapists who are currently involved in clinical practice. These types of surveys are useful for identifying gaps between what people know and how they act on that knowledge. There have been previous studies that have utilized KAP surveys when identifying knowledge, attitude, and practice behaviors of physical therapists.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
KAP Survey	The KAP Survey is divided into multiple sections (4 total) as outlined below: Demographic: Questions related to sample population (therapist) characteristics; Prior COVID-19: Questions related to therapist attitudes and practices regarding vital assessment prior to COVID-19 pandemic.; After COVID-19: Questions related to therapist attitudes and practices regarding vital assessment following COVID-19 pandemic.; Knowledge: General knowledge questions related to vital assessment.	Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Youngstown State University
• Collaborators: Duke University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Edmund C Ickert, PhD, Youngstown State University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Severin R, Wang E, Wielechowski A, Phillips SA. Outpatient Physical Therapist Attitudes Toward and Behaviors in Cardiovascular Disease Screening: A National Survey. Phys Ther. 2019 Jul 1;99(7):833-848. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzz042. Erratum In: Phys Ther. 2020 Apr 17;100(4):739.
• Albarrati AM PT, PhD. Outpatient physical therapy cardiovascular assessment: Physical therapist perspective and experience. Physiother Theory Pract. 2019 Sep;35(9):843-850. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2018.1458355. Epub 2018 Mar 29.
• Faletra A, Bellin G, Dunning J, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Pellicciari L, Brindisino F, Galeno E, Rossettini G, Maselli F, Severin R, Mourad F. Assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022 Aug 4;23(1):749. doi: 10.1186/s12891-022-05696-w.
• Frese EM, Richter RR, Burlis TV. Self-reported measurement of heart rate and blood pressure in patients by physical therapy clinical instructors. Phys Ther. 2002 Dec;82(12):1192-200.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 8, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 15, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 15, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): June 18, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): January 24, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 22, 2024
• Last Verified: January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: physical therapy; covid-19; assessment; vital sign
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Lung Diseases; COVID-19
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2023-294

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No