Musculoskeletal imaging authority, levels of training, attitude, competence, and utilisation among clinical physiotherapists in Nigeria: a cross-sectional survey

• Published in: BMC medical education Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 1 - 701
• Main Authors: Onyeso, Ogochukwu Kelechi, Umunnah, Joseph O, Eze, Joseph C, Onigbinde, Ayodele Teslim, Anyachukwu, Canice Chukwudi, Ezema, Charles Ikechukwu, Onwuakagba, Ifeoma Uchenna, Abaraogu, Ukachukwu Okoroafor, Awhen, Agba Peter, Anikwe, Ernest Emezie, Akinola, Odunayo Theresa, Kalu, Michael Ebe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 04.10.2022; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Attitudes; Clinical competence; Clinical Experience; Clinical medicine; Consent; Cross-sectional studies; Curricula; Curriculum; Data collection; Diagnostic imaging; Diagnostic Tests; Educational Technology; Evaluation; Informed Consent; Internship Programs; Internships; Kruskal-Wallis test; Medical diagnosis; Medical education; Medical examination; Medical referrals; Musculoskeletal system; Patients; Physical therapists; Physical therapy; Physicians; Population; Primary care; Psychometrics; Qualifications; Questionnaires; Referral; Resistance (Psychology); Sample size; Sampling; Software; Training; Variance analysis; Nigeria; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US
• ISSN: 1472-6920; 1472-6920
• DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03769-x

Abstract Background Direct-access physiotherapy practice has led to a global review of the use of differential-diagnostic modalities such as musculoskeletal imaging (MI) in physiotherapy. Objective To explore the MI authority, levels of training, attitude, utilisation, and competence among clinical physiotherapists in Nigeria. Methods This national cross-sectional study analysed a voluntary response sample of 400 Nigerian physiotherapists that completed the online version of the Physiotherapist’s Musculoskeletal Imaging Profiling Questionnaire (PMIPQ), using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Friedman’s ANOVA tests. Results Of the 400 participants, 93.2% believed that physiotherapists should use MI in clinical practice. However, only 79.8% reported having MI authority in their practice settings. The participants’ median (interquartile range) levels of training =10 (24) and competence =16 (24) were moderate. Nonetheless, levels of training (χ2 [15] = 1285.899, p  = 0.001), and competence (χ2 [15] = 1310.769, p  < 0.001) differed across MI procedures. The level of training and competence in x-ray referral and utilisation was significantly higher than magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography scan, ultrasonography, scintigraphy, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, in that order ( p  < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the levels of training and competence (rho =0.61, p  < 0.001). The participants had a positive attitude =32 (32) and occasionally used MI in clinical practice =21 (28). Conclusion Majority of the respondents believed they had MI authority although there was no explicit affirmation of MI authority in the Nigerian Physiotherapy Practice Act. Participants had a positive attitude towards MI. However, levels of MI training, competence, and utilisation were moderate. Our findings have legislative and curriculum implications.