Title : Physiotherapist and Healthcare Professionals ’ Perceptions of Treating Patients with Mental Health Illness : A Systematic Review .
Laura Hemmings
Introduction : Service-users with severe and persistent mental illness ( SPMI ) are at increased risk of physical health co-morbidity , many of which require physiotherapeutic input . However , it is suggested that physiotherapists are unprepared for working with those with SPMI . Although mental health physiotherapy is a speciality in itself , the treatment of those with SPMI is not isolated to within this environment . With one in four people suffering from psychiatric illness and the risk of co-morbid physical health complaints such as pain , arthritis , respiratory disease multiplied for these patients , physiotherapists in all areas are likely to treat , with potential regularity , patients with mental health complaints and must therefore be competent in this .
This study aimed to explore physiotherapist attitudes to working with those with mental illness and explore barriers and facilitators to treating service users within this population .
Methods : AMED , Cinahl , Medline and Psychinfo were searched for papers published between 2009 and 2019 , using the search terms ‘ physiotherapist or physical therapist AND perceptions or attitudes or opinions or experience or view or reflection or beliefs AND mental health or mental disorder or psychiatric illness ’.
Studies with specific focus on physiotherapists were limited therefore criteria for inclusion was expanded to include studies exploring perceptions of healthcare professionals and physiotherapy students ( n = 8 ). Thematic analysis identified the following themes ; Strategies for Care [ 1 ], Regularity and Familiarity [ 2 ] and Stigma and the unknown [ 3 ].
Results : Studies identified a direct positive relationship between number of hours of education or experience in mental health and positive attitudes towards working with this population . Healthcare professionals believed they lacked time , creativity and adaptability to optimise care for those with psychiatric complaints .
Conclusions : Exploration of physiotherapist perceptions of working with service users with SPMI is identified . Training and experience of student physiotherapists must be improved and standardised to prepare them for working with patients with SPMI .
Impact : Access to physiotherapy for minority groups such as those with mental health illness is a current James Lind Alliance research priority . It is therefore important to understand factors impacting upon this access . This study identifies the importance of increased and standardised training and education for student and qualified physiotherapists .