Implementation of a behavioural medicine approach in physiotherapy : Determinants, clinical behaviours, patient outcomes and the implementation process

Sammanfattning: Current research shows that a behavioural medicine approach in physiotherapy increases the ability to participate in daily activities and decreases sick leave in patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain. A behavioural medicine approach means that the physiotherapist systematically considers biopsychosocial factors of importance for the patient's activity and participation. Active patient involvement is central, and behaviour change techniques are used. One in seven of the patients in primary health care suffers from persistent musculoskeletal pain. Therefore, primary health care needs to implement a behavioural medicine approach in physiotherapy. However, the implementation of new methods is challenging. It is important to increase the knowledge about how to implement a behavioural medicine approach into physiotherapy clinical practice to make recommended treatment available to more patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain. The overall aim of this thesis was therefore to develop and evaluate methods for supporting the implementation of a behavioural medicine approach in physiotherapy for patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain.In study I, determinants of using a behavioural medicine approach in physiotherapy were identified using a qualitative multiple-case study design. An implementation intervention was developed based on these determinants and on theoretical assumptions regarding behaviour change and learning. The implementation intervention was tested in a quasi-experimental trial for six months and evaluated by focusing on physiotherapists' clinical behaviour changes in study II and the effects on patients' health in study III. In study IV, a process evaluation was conducted with a mixed methods design to explain the impact mechanisms of the implementation intervention. Altogether, 28 physiotherapists, 159 patients and three managers participated in the project.The determinants identified in study I were associated with the physiotherapist, the patient and the workplace. An implementation intervention was developed based on these determinants and on assumptions in the social cognitive theory, the constructivist learning theory, and the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework. The implementation intervention consisted of outreach visits, peer coaching, educational materials, individual goalsetting, video feedback, self-monitoring in a diary, the stimulation of manager support and an information leaflet for patients. Immediately after the implementation period, the physiotherapists significantly changed their clinical behaviour, but these changes were not sustained. The patients treated by these physiotherapists achieved no further health improvement compared to a control group. Outreach visits, peer coaching, educational material and individual goalsetting were perceived by the physiotherapists as the most useful methods and supported the implementation through multiple learning methods, action planning, processing experiences, synergy effects with self-efficacy beliefs, and extrinsic motivation.In conclusion, this thesis contributes to an increased understanding of the complexity regarding what affects the implementation of a behavioural medicine approach in physiotherapy and the promising methods and their impact mechanisms that support this implementation. A distinction between achieving clinical behaviour changes and sustaining these changes is highlighted. This implies that an implementation intervention needs to support both factors in order for the implementation of a behavioural medicine approach to benefit the patients. The thesis also illustrates how combined theoretical perspectives can inform an implementation intervention in physiotherapy in a useful way.