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Care pathway for evidence-based healthcare of patients with vertigo, dizziness or balance disorders in primary care. First results of the mixed-methods process evaluation

  • BACKGROUND Vertigo, dizziness or balance disorders (VDB) affect the mobility and participation of many older people and are also one of the most frequent reasons for visiting the general practitioner's (GP) practice due to multifactorial causes. Physiotherapy (PT) can be crucial for the complex care of people with VDB but is rarely prescribed by GPs. So we developed an evidence-based, multidisciplinary care pathway as a complex intervention following the UK Medical Research Council guideline, which was piloted and is now being evaluated for effectiveness, accompanied by a process evaluation. METHOD The care pathway of the multicentre cluster-RCT (MobilE-PHY2) included decision aids and training for PTs and GPs in the intervention group and optimised standard care in the control group. A mixed-methods process evaluation following Grant’s framework for designing process evaluations examined barriers, facilitating factors and mechanisms of impact in recruiting and reaching participants, implementing the intervention and the response of all participants. Therefore, a logic model was developed illustrating the relationship between the planned work to implement the intervention, the expected mechanism of impact (based on the behaviour change wheel as a change theory), the intended results (output, outcome and impact), and categories of possible influencing factors. The underlying assumption is that a behavioural change in PT and GP is a prerequisite for a change in patient behaviour, which can lead to improved mobility and participation (outcome of MobilE-PHY2). Guided interviews were conducted with patients before the intervention and after six months and with PTs and GPs after six months. Additionally, the training evaluations, completed decision aids and structural questionnaires will be analysed from June 2023. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION At one study site, a total of 37 patients, 17 PTs and nine GPs were included. Interviews were conducted with 16 patients, six PTs and GPs. In the intervention group, 12 PTs and 18 GPs completed decision aids, 13 PTs and two GPs completed evaluation forms, and eight PTs and four GPs completed structural data. The preliminary results of the process evaluation will be reported at the Congress. The results are intended to give indications for a broad implementation of the care pathway, including and promoting physiotherapy and therefore contributing to improved evidence-based healthcare for older people with VDB.

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Metadaten
Author:Caren HorstmannshoffORCiD, Theresia Kiesel, Tobias Döringer, Karen Voigt, Petra Bauer, Martin Müller
Parent Title (German):7. Forschungssymposium Physiotherapie
Document Type:Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Publication Year:2023
Tag:cluster-RCT; primary care; process evaluation; vertigo