Is regular use of physiotherapy treatment associated with health locus of control and self-management competency? A study of patients with musculoskeletal disorders undergoing physiotherapy in primary health care

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between regular use of physiotherapy treatment, health locus of control and self-management competency in people with musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 507 patients between 18 and 70 years of age with musculoskeletal disorders who attended a physiotherapy clinic. The Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) was used to assess self-management competency; the Health Locus of Control Scale (HLCS) was used to assess health locus of control. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to estimate the relationships between variables. RESULTS: Results showed that patients who attended physiotherapy on a regular basis had lower levels of internal control than those who did not. Furthermore, regular patients reported more health-directed activities and more emotional distress than patients not attending physiotherapy on a regular basis. Finally, internal health locus of control showed statistically significant associations with all heiQ domains, indicating that a stronger internal control is associated with higher levels of self-management competency. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that attending physiotherapy on a regular basis is related to self-management competency and internal health locus of control. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: A treatment aim in primary care for people with long term conditions should include development of self-management capacity.