Abstract
M.Tech. (Chiropractic)
Background: Generalised back pain can range from being a mild discomfort to a disabling pain and will usually affect as many as three in four adults over their lifetime. Chiropractors frequently treat and care for patients with low back pain and work attentively with this condition, which is why it is important to have a general understanding of their attitudes towards and beliefs about it. The biopsychosocial model is an approach that is widely used to manage patients and is becoming increasingly more popular. This model considers three different aspects (biological, psychological and social) when assessing a medical condition. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes and beliefs of South African chiropractors regarding the management of low back pain in the Limpopo, Free State, North West, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape provinces. Method: This study was a cross-sectional, quantitative and explorative study. An anonymous survey was distributed via an email link to all chiropractors registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA) and the Chiropractic Association of South Africa (CASA) in the Limpopo, Free State, North West, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape pronvinces. The sample size consisted of 76 qualified chiropractors. This survey made use of the Pain Attitude and Belief Scale for Physiotherapists (PABS.PT), which was made available to participants using QuestionPro. Procedure: The questionnaire, an information letter and the consent form were distributed via email by the AHPCSA. It was sent to all chiropractors registered with the AHPCSA and members of CASA who were practicing in the above provinces of South Africa. The email contained the link to the QuestionPro questionnaire. Results: Scores were derived from the collected data for both the biomedical and biopsychosocial subscales, which were then compared to the scoring table created for the PABS.PT. The final mean score for each subscale was 39.26 and 32.84, respectively. Conclusion: The mean scores for the biomedical and biopsychosocial subscales both fell into the “moderate” category of the scoring table, which means that there was a moderate tendency by chiropractors to use both the biomedical and biopsychosocial approaches in the management of low back pain and that there were significant preferences towards both approaches.