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Table 2 Comparison of practice characteristics of Australian osteopaths who report sending referrals to podiatrists with those who do not report referring

From: Demographic, practice and clinical management characteristics of osteopaths referring to podiatrists: secondary analysis of a nationally representative sample of Australian osteopaths

 

Yes (n = 651)

No (n = 341)

p-value

Odds Ratio (OR)a [95%CI]

Practice location

 Urban practice

538 (82.6%)

282 (82.7%)

0.98

 More than one practice location

216 (33.2%)

131 (38.4%)

0.10

Co-located with other health professionals (‘yes’)

 Osteopath

432 (66.4%)

211 (61.9%)

0.16

 General Practitioner

45 (6.9%)

27 (7.9%)

0.56

 Specialist Medical Practitioner

15 (2.3%)

16 (4.7%)

0.04

0.48 [0.23, 0.98]

 Podiatrist

123 (18.9%)

24 (7.0%)

< 0.01

3.08 [1.94, 4.87]

 Physiotherapist

100 (15.4%)

44 (12.9%)

0.30

 Exercise Physiologist

99 (15.2%)

25 (7.3%)

< 0.01

2.27 [1.43, 3.59]

 Occupational Therapist

13 (2.0%)

6 (1.8%)

0.79

 Psychologist

120 (18.4%)

71 (20.8%)

0.36

 Massage Therapist

343 (52.7%)

158 (46.3%)

0.06

 Acupuncturist

116 (17.8%)

72 (21.1%)

0.21

 Naturopath

130 (20.0%)

63 (18.5%)

0.57

 Dietician

49 (7.5%)

23 (6.7%)

0.65

 Nutritionist

50 (7.7%)

28 (8.2%)

0.77

Send referrals to other health professionals (‘yes’)

 Osteopath

356 (54.7%)

150 (44.0%)

< 0.01

1.54 [1.18, 2.00]

 General Practitioner

613 (94.2%)

265 (77.7%)

< 0.01

4.62 [3.05, 7.01]

 Specialist Medical Practitioner

343 (52.7%)

100 (29.3%)

< 0.01

2.68 [2.03, 3.55]

 Podiatrist

 Physiotherapist

266 (40.9%)

65 (19.1%)

< 0.01

2.93 [2.15, 4.00]

 Exercise Physiologist

306 (47.0%)

92 (27.0%)

< 0.01

2.40 [1.80, 3.19]

 Occupational Therapist

87 (13.4%)

19 (5.6%)

< 0.01

2.61 [1.56, 4.37]

 Psychologist

265 (40.7%)

84 (24.6%)

< 0.01

2.10 [1.57, 2.81]

 Massage Therapist

492 (75.6%)

179 (52.5%)

< 0.01

2.80 [2.12, 3.70]

 Acupuncturist

335 (51.5%)

116 (34.0%)

< 0.01

2.05 [1.56, 2.70]

 Naturopath

356 (54.7%)

121 (35.5%)

< 0.01

2.19 [1.67, 2.87]

 Dietician

136 (20.9%)

31 (9.1%)

< 0.01

2.64 [1.74, 3.99]

 Nutritionist

94 (14.4%)

35 (10.3%)

0.06

Receive referrals from other health professionals (‘yes’)

 Osteopath

429 (65.9%)

185 (54.3%)

< 0.01

1.63 [1.24, 2.13]

 General Practitioner

594 (91.2%)

292 (85.6%)

< 0.01

1.75 [1.16, 2.62]

 Specialist Medical Practitioner

168 (25.8%)

69 (20.2%)

0.05

 Podiatrist

418 (64.2%)

53 (15.5%)

< 0.01

9.75 [6.98, 13.61]

 Physiotherapist

190 (29.2%)

76 (22.3%)

0.02

1.44 [1.06, 1.95]

 Exercise Physiologist

196 (30.1%)

62 (18.2%)

< 0.01

1.94 [1.40, 2.67]

 Occupational Therapist

47 (7.2%)

14 (4.1%)

0.05

 Psychologist

96 (14.7%)

58 (17.0%)

0.35

 Massage Therapist

529 (81.3%)

225 (66.0%)

< 0.01

2.23 [1.66, 3.01]

 Acupuncturist

265 (40.7%)

105 (30.8%)

< 0.01

1.54 [1.17, 2.04]

 Naturopath

285 (43.8%)

115 (33.7%)

< 0.01

1.53 [1.16, 2.01]

 Dietician

28 (4.3%)

11 (3.2%)

0.41

 Nutritionist

37 (5.7%)

18 (5.3%)

0.79

Diagnostic imaging

 Referral for imaging (‘often’)

48 (7.4%)

25 (7.3%)

0.98

 Investigation of unknown pathologies

496 (76.2%)

246 (72.1%)

0.16

 Investigation of suspected diagnosis

562 (86.3%)

273 (80.1%)

0.01

1.57 [1.11, 2.22]

 Investigation of potential fractures

496 (76.2%)

254 (74.5%)

0.55

 Rule out risk factors prior to treatment

174 (26.7%)

98 (28.7%)

0.50

 General screening of the spine

13 (2.0%)

19 (5.6%)

< 0.01

0.34 [0.17, 0.71]

Patient assessment (‘yes’)

 Orthopaedic testing

646 (99.2%)

322 (94.4%)

< 0.01

7.62 [2.82, 20.60]

 Clinical assessment algorithm

320 (49.2%)

148 (43.4%)

0.08

 Neurological testing

611 (93.9%)

307 (90.0%)

0.03

1.69 [1.05, 2.72]

 Screening questionnaire

433 (66.5%)

200 (58.7%)

0.01

1.40 [1.07, 1.83]

 Cranial nerve testing

443 (68.0%)

229 (6.72%)

0.77

Payment strategies

 HICAPS

603 (92.8%)

301 (88.8%)

0.03

1.62 [1.03, 2.54]

 Medicare EasyClaim

302 (46.4%)

129 (37.8%)

0.01

1.42 [1.09, 1.86]

  1. a unadjusted odds ratio