Exploring Interdisciplinary Differences in Job Satisfaction, Communication, and Roles of Dietitians and Physiotherapists: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Enhancing primary healthcare is key to preventing chronic diseases. Our study provides a comparative insight into the perspectives of dietitians and physiotherapists on collaborative processes, highlighting a previously underexplored area. It examines the relationship between teamwork, professional traits, attitudes, job satisfaction, stress, and communication skills to better understand the dynamics that may facilitate or hinder interprofessional collaboration. Material and Methods: This online study included 118 participants (56 dietitians, 62 physiotherapists). Sociodemographic and professional data were collected using a questionnaire. To assess collaboration, participants completed the Teamwork Attitudes Scale and the Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale, considering their attitudes of physiotherapists toward dietitians and dietitians toward physiotherapists. The Job Satisfaction Scale and Perceived Stress Scale were also administered to evaluate factors potentially influencing collaboration. Results: There was no significant difference between dietitians and physiotherapists in terms of teamwork, interpersonal communication, job satisfaction and perceived stress levels (p>0.05). However, physiotherapists reported significantly higher scores in the ''mutual support'' subdimension of teamwork (p=0.020) and the ''expression'' subdimension of communication (p=0.016). At the end of the study, job satisfaction decreased significantly as the perceived stress level increased for both occupational groups. Communication was negatively correlated with stress and positively correlated with teamwork in physiotherapists, while communication was positively correlated with job satisfaction in dietitians. Conclusion: Differences in professional practices and patient interventions influence the collaboration perspectives of dietitians and physiotherapists. Establishing conditions that facilitate effective collaboration between these professions is essential for improving public health outcomes and optimizing economic efficiency.