This before-and-after study involved 36 occupational therapists who attended a one-day workshop on outcome measurement. The participants were given nine ready-to-use outcome measures and follow-up support. Outcome measure use was evaluated after 4 months using a self-report questionnaire. The proportion of therapists reporting use of outcome measures increased from 65.7% at baseline (23/36 participants) to 91.4% at 4 months post-workshop (32/35 participants). There was a small increase in the range of outcome measures used across the sample, from 15 at baseline to 18 after 4 months. Although the proportion of therapists measuring outcomes improved markedly after 4 months, it is not known if these behaviours were maintained in the longer term.
AkinpeluOAEluchieNC (2006) Familiarity with, knowledge, and utilization of standardized outcome measures among physiotherapists in Nigeria. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 22 (2), 61–72.
2.
AmickBCLernerDRogersWHRooneyTKatzJN (2000) A review of health-related work outcome measures and their uses and recommended measures. Spine, 25 (24), 3152–60.
3.
BeatonDDavisAMHudakPMcConnellS (2001) The DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) outcome measure: what do we know about it now?British Journal of Hand Therapy, 6 (4), 109–18.
4.
BeattieP (2001) Measurement of health outcomes in the clinical setting: applications to physiotherapy. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 17, 173–85.
5.
BowmanJ (2006) Identifying core occupational therapy interventions: the challenging first stage of outcome measurement. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69 (10), 464–72.
6.
DittmarSSGreshamGE (1997) Functional assessment and outcome measures for the rehabilitation health professional. Gaithersburg, MD:Aspen.
7.
FairbankJCCouperJDaviesJBO'BrienJP (1980) The Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire. Physiotherapy, 66 (8), 271–73.
8.
FeiseRJMenkeM (2001) A new valid and reliable instrument to measure the magnitude of clinical change in spinal conditions. Spine, 26, 78–87.
9.
FinchEBrooksDStratfordPWMayoNE (2002) Physical rehabilitation outcome measures: a guide to enhanced clinical decision-making. Hamilton, ON: Canadian Physiotherapy Association.
10.
GarlandAFKruseMAaronsG (2003) Clinicians and outcome measurement: what's the use?Journal of Behavioural Health Services and Research, 30 (4), 393–405.
11.
KayTMMyersAMHuijbregtsMPJ (2001) How far have we come since 1992? A comparative survey of physiotherapists' use of outcome measures. Physiotherapy Canada, 53, 268–81.
12.
KiresukTJSmithJECardilloJE (1994) Goal attainment scaling: applications, theory and measurement. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
13.
LawMBaumCDunnW (2001) Measuring occupational performance: supporting best practice in occupational therapy. Thorofare, NJ: Slack.
14.
LawMBaptisteSCarswellSMcCollMPolatajkoHPollockN (2005) Canadian Occupational Performance Measure manual. Toronto: Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.
15.
LintonSHalldenK (1998) Can we screen for problematic back pain? A screening questionnaire for predicting outcome in acute and subacute back pain. Clinical Journal of Pain, 14 (3), 209–15.
16.
MahoneyFIBarthelDW (1965) Functional evaluation: the Barthel Index. A simple index of independence useful in scoring improvement in the rehabilitation of the chronically ill. Maryland State Medical Journal, 14, 61–65.
17.
MayoNColeBDowlerJGowlandCFinchE (1993) Use of outcome measures in physiotherapy: survey of current practice. Canadian Journal of Rehabilitation, 7, 81–82.
18.
McCluskeyALovariniM (2005) Providing education on evidence-based practice improved knowledge but did not change behaviour: a before and after study. BMC Medical Education, 5, 40.
19.
McCormackHde L HorneDSheatherS (1988) Clinical applications of visual analogue scales: a critical review. Psychological Medicine, 8, 1007–19.
20.
ReillyS (2004) The challenges in making speech pathology practice evidence based. Advances in Speech-Language Pathology, 6 (2), 113–24.
21.
RussekLWoodenMEkedahlSBushA (1997) Attitudes towards standardised data collection. Physical Therapy, 77, 714–29.
22.
ScottJHuskissonEC (1976) Graphic representation of pain. Pain, 2, 174–85.
23.
SladeMThornicroftGGloverG (1999) The feasibility of routine outcome measures in mental health. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 34, 243–49.
24.
StratfordPGillCWestawayMBinkleyJ (1995) Assessing disability and change on individual patients: a report of a patient specific measure. Physiotherapy Canada, 47 (4), 258–62.
25.
VernonHMiorS (1991) The Neck Disability Index: a study of reliability and validity. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 14 (7), 409–15.
26.
WHOQoL Group (1994) The development of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument (the WHOQoL). In: OrleyJKuykenW, eds. Quality of Life Assessment: international perspectives. Heidleberg: Springer-Verlag.
27.
World Health Organisation (2001) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Geneva: WHO.
28.
Wood-DauphineeSOpzoomerAWilliamsJIMarchandBSpitzerWO (1988) Assessment of global function: the Reintegration to Normal Living Index. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 69, 583–90.
