Profile of patients presenting to Australian osteopaths: Results from a national health service use survey

Musculoskeletal conditions are one of the most common complaints affecting the Australian population. Affected individuals often seek care from a range of health professionals including osteopaths. Osteopaths provide care for musculoskeletal conditions using manual therapy, exercise, and patient education. The current study is a secondary analysis of data from an Australian health service use survey. Respondents were asked to indicate the range of health professionals they consulted during the period February 2021 and February 2022. Additional data collected from respondents related to demographic variables, presence of chronic conditions in addition to the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) and Short Form 20 (SF-20). Data were descriptively analysed based on whether the respondent reported consulting with an osteopath or not. In the period February 2021-February 2022, of the 2354 respondents, 143 (6.1%) indicated they had consulted with an osteopath. Over half of those who consulted with an osteopath identified as female (51.7%), had private health insurance (59.4%) and/or a healthcare card (69.9%). No significant difference was observed between respondents who consulted with an osteopath and those who did not for PWI scores (p>0.05). SF-20 scores were significantly lower for those who consulted with an osteopath compared with those who did not (p<0.01). This secondary analysis contributes to our understanding of the profile of patients presenting to Australian osteopaths, particularly health related quality of life and subjective wellbeing of this patient cohort.