The Relationship Between Perceived Wellness and Perceived Functional Physical Health for the Physical Therapy Patient
Date
1997-05
Authors
Bean, Stacey Jean Williams
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Abstract
The relationship between perceived wellness and self reported physical function in the physical therapy client pre and post physical therapy treatment was investigated. The strength of this relationship was assessed in order to determine the connection between these factors and how the relationship may change after physical therapy treatment. A convenience sample of 116 orthopedic physical therapy patients from ten outpatient orthopedic facilities were surveyed at the initial visit and again at discharge using the Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS) and the IO-item Subscale of Physical Function from the SF-36 Medical Outcomes Study Survey (MOS). PWS and MOS composite scores were calculated per the scale instructions for each subject. As expected, correlations between the wellness and physical function scores were significant (p~ .05). The t-test comparing the pre and post-PWS was not significant, however, the t-test between the pre and post-MOS was significant (p~ .05). Through the use of tools such as the PWS and MOS, individual perceptions of wellness and function can be identified and the connection with overall health or wellness can be better understood. Previous research has shown that perceptions have a predictive effect on health status which is greater than objective measures; therefore, the ability to utilize an individuals perceptions of wellness could prove to be a valuable tool in patient treatment planning and predicting outcomes; however, further research is needed.
Description
Keywords
health attitudes, self-perception, physical therapy
Citation
Bean, S.J. (1997). The relationship between perceived wellness and perceived functional physical health for the physical therapy patient (Unpublished thesis). Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.