What are UK osteopaths’ attitudes to research?
Item
- Title
- What are UK osteopaths’ attitudes to research?
- Title
- What are UK osteopaths’ attitudes to research?
- Author(s)
- Lamburn Emlyn
- Abstract
- Objective: To investigate UK osteopaths’ attitudes towards the feasibility, value and relevance of research; osteopathic research priorities; current and future research involvement and barriers to participation (Barriers). Design: A postal survey of UK osteopaths. Methods: 200 randomly selected UK osteopaths were invited to participate by completing questionnaires relating to research attitudes. Response data was analysed through descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests for relationships between demographic variables and three or five point scale items reflecting relevant attitudes. Results: 90 osteopaths (45%; 44 male, 45 female, 1 missing datum) participated. Most agreed that osteopathic research was feasible (85%), valuable (84%) and relevant (74%). They identified investigation of patients’ treatment experiences (89%), cost effectiveness (85%), treatment outcomes for specific conditions (81%) and osteopathy’s ‘unique’ qualities (80%) as osteopathic research priorities. The most recognised Barriers were time (83%) and funding (76%). Current research involvement was minimal (median hours per week 0; interquartile range 1) but nearly half (47%) indicated interest in participation were financial Barriers addressed. Conclusions: A section of the UK profession regard osteopathic research as feasible, relevant and valuable in generating knowledge and evidence bases. They identify research priorities reflecting a drive to define osteopathy’s distinct identity, using appropriate methodology to capture its ‘unique’ qualities. Recognising these concerns and addressing funding and time Barriers may help encourage research engagement.
- Abstract
- Objective: To investigate UK osteopaths’ attitudes towards the feasibility, value and relevance of research; osteopathic research priorities; current and future research involvement and barriers to participation (Barriers). Design: A postal survey of UK osteopaths. Methods: 200 randomly selected UK osteopaths were invited to participate by completing questionnaires relating to research attitudes. Response data was analysed through descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests for relationships between demographic variables and three or five point scale items reflecting relevant attitudes. Results: 90 osteopaths (45%; 44 male, 45 female, 1 missing datum) participated. Most agreed that osteopathic research was feasible (85%), valuable (84%) and relevant (74%). They identified investigation of patients’ treatment experiences (89%), cost effectiveness (85%), treatment outcomes for specific conditions (81%) and osteopathy’s ‘unique’ qualities (80%) as osteopathic research priorities. The most recognised Barriers were time (83%) and funding (76%). Current research involvement was minimal (median hours per week 0; interquartile range 1) but nearly half (47%) indicated interest in participation were financial Barriers addressed. Conclusions: A section of the UK profession regard osteopathic research as feasible, relevant and valuable in generating knowledge and evidence bases. They identify research priorities reflecting a drive to define osteopathy’s distinct identity, using appropriate methodology to capture its ‘unique’ qualities. Recognising these concerns and addressing funding and time Barriers may help encourage research engagement.
- presented at
- British School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 2011
- Date Submitted
- 3.2.2012 00:00:00
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Pub-Identifier
- 15071
- Inst-Identifier
- 780
- Keywords
- Osteopathic medicine; Research; Evidence based medicine; Attitude of health personnel
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Lamburn Emlyn, “What are UK osteopaths’ attitudes to research?”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.osteopathic-research.com/s/orw/item/1765