Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
Spring 2020
Abstract
Introduction
- The pelvis and its floor play an integral role in everyday quality of life for both women and men.
- Survey research on women’s health content in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs has helped develop curricular structure for entry-level therapists.
- Characteristics of content presented on men’s pelvic health (MPH) in DPT programs is unknown.
- 2019: The Section on Women’s Health voted to change their name to the Academy of Pelvic Health to be all inclusive.
Objective
- To examine current entry-level content on MPH in DPT programs, perceived barriers to content delivery, and to support future entry-level curricular development.
Participants
- Program directors or faculty responsible for pelvic health content at CAPTE accredited DPT programs across the United States.
Methods
- Online surveys sent to 239 DPT programs nationally
- Questions based on literature review and Boissonault’s research. (likert scale, choose all, open-ended)
- Quantitative and qualitative data regarding MPH content collected: opinions, hours taught, topics covered, barriers, demographics
Results
- Response rate: 23 percent (55 programs)
- 60.0 percent strongly agree that MPH should be taught in entry-level DPT programs.
- 23.6 percent reported spending less than 1 hour teaching men’s pelvic health content.
- 63.3 percent reported “time” as the largest barrier.
- Qualitative themes: men’s pelvic health curriculum, barriers, plans for inclusion of men’s pelvic health content.
- Sub-themes: lack of time in DPT curricula, faculty knowledge to instruct, viewed as a specialty PT, lack of curricular guidelines.
Conclusions
- Basic MPH perceived as entry-level by participants and should be included in DPT curriculum.
- Lumbo-pelvic musculoskeletal dysfunction is a key component to evidence based practice.
- Male pelvis is an integral part of musculoskeletal dysfunction and perceived as important for entry-level identification and referral.
- MPH content delivery is inconsistent across programs.
- Barriers identified include: time constraints, experienced faculty, clinical importance.
Clinical Relevance
- Male pelvic musculoskeletal dysfunction treatment is an entry-level skill.
- MPH curricular content can improve clinical awareness of pelvic health options for male patients, leading to higher quality recognition and referral.
- Improvement of care provided by entry-level physical therapists.
Recommended Citation
Lefebvre, Kristin PT, PhD, CCS; Dripps, M. SPT; Kolch, K. SPT; Prestegard, S. SPT; Weeks, L. SPT; Zeller, E. SPT; and Johnson, Shani PT, DScPT, CMPT, "Men's Pelvic Health: Exploration of Entry-Level DPT Curricular Content Based on a National Faculty Survey" (2020). DPT Capstone Posters. 5.
https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/dpt-posters/5