Dataset Information

A workforce survey of Australian osteopathy: analysis of a nationally-representative sample of osteopaths from the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) project.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Limited information is available regarding the profile and clinical practice characteristics of the osteopathy workforce in Australia. This paper reports such information by analysing data from a nationally-representative sample of Australian osteopaths. METHODS:Data was obtained from a workforce survey of Australian osteopathy, investigating the characteristics of the practitioner, their practice, clinical management features and perceptions regarding research. The survey questionnaire was distributed to all registered osteopaths across Australia in 2016 as part of the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) project. RESULTS:A total of 992 Australian osteopaths participated in this study representing a response rate of 49.1%. The average age of the participants was 38.0 years with 58.1% being female and the majority holding a Bachelor or higher degree qualification related to the osteopathy professional. Approximately 80.0% of the osteopaths were practicing in an urban area, with most osteopaths working in multi-practitioner locations, having referral relationships with a range of health care practitioners, managing patients a number of musculoskeletal disorders, and providing multi-model treatment options. CONCLUSIONS:A total of 3.9 million patients were estimated to consult with osteopaths every year and an average of approximate 3.0 million hours were spent delivering osteopathy services per year. Further research is required to provide rich, in-depth examination regarding a range of osteopathy workforce issues which will help ensure safe, effective patient care to all receiving and providing treatments as part of the broader Australian health system.

SUBMITTER: Adams J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5946419 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A workforce survey of Australian osteopathy: analysis of a nationally-representative sample of osteopaths from the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) project.

Adams Jon J Sibbritt David D Steel Amie A Peng Wenbo W

BMC health services research 20180510 1

<h4>Background</h4>Limited information is available regarding the profile and clinical practice characteristics of the osteopathy workforce in Australia. This paper reports such information by analysing data from a nationally-representative sample of Australian osteopaths.<h4>Methods</h4>Data was obtained from a workforce survey of Australian osteopathy, investigating the characteristics of the practitioner, their practice, clinical management features and perceptions regarding research. The sur ...[more]

PMID: 29747647

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Project description:CONTEXT:The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) was first fielded in 2014 and is the largest public health workforce survey in the nation. This article elucidates the methods used for the 2017 PH WINS fielding. PROGRAM OR POLICY:PH WINS was fielded to a nationally representative sample of State Health Agency Central Office (SHA-CO) staff, as well as local health department (LHD) staff. The instrument largely mirrored 2014, though the training needs section was revised, and a validated item measuring burnout in staff was added. IMPLEMENTATION:Staff lists were collected directly from all participating state and local agencies. Forty-seven state health agencies (SHAs), 26 large LHDs, and 71 midsize LHDs participated. All SHAs were surveyed using a census approach. The nationally representative SHA-CO frame is representative of all central office staff members. The nationally representative local frame was a complex survey design, wherein staff from LHDs were randomly sampled across 20 strata, based on agency size and geographic region. Staff were also contributed with certainty from large LHDs in nondecentralized states. The frame is representative of staff at LHDs serving more than 25 000 people and with 25 or more staff members. Other LHDs are excluded, and so PH WINS is not representative of smaller LHDs. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to adjust variance estimates for the complex design. EVALUATION:Overall, 47 604 people responded to PH WINS in 2017 across all frames. PH WINS 2017 achieved a response rate of 48%. The design effect for the SHA-CO frame was 1.46 and was 16.42 for the local frame. DISCUSSION:PH WINS now offers a nationally representative sample of both SHA-CO and LHD staff across 4 major domains: workplace environment, training needs, emerging concepts in public health, and demographics. Both practice and academia can use PH WINS to better understand the perceptions and needs of staff, address training gaps, and work to recruit and retain quality staff.

Dataset Information

A workforce survey of Australian osteopathy: analysis of a nationally-representative sample of osteopaths from the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) project.

Publications

A workforce survey of Australian osteopathy: analysis of a nationally-representative sample of osteopaths from the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) project.

Similar Datasets

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