Health status measures in allied health curricula: results of a national survey.

Multidimensional health status measures can be used as vehicles to improve communications between patients and clinicians and to monitor, measure, and manage clinical progress. However, earlier work indicated that few multidimensional health status instruments were used as outcome measures in allied health research. To determine if these instruments were included in physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), respiratory therapy (RT), communication sciences and disorders (CSD) and health information management (HIM) career entry curricula, we surveyed the directors of all PT, OT, RT-BS, CSD and HIM programs in the United States. Based on responses from 130 (100%) of PT programs, 79 of 80 (99%) of OT programs, 31 of 32 (97%) of RT-BS programs, 144 of 199 (72%) CSD programs and 44 of 53 (83%) of HIM programs, we conclude that few allied health students are introduced to multidimensional health status instruments in their professional programs. We suggest that (1) the inclusion of multidimensional quality of life measures could be used as a mechanism to introduce allied health students to a broader definition of health; (2) the use of these instruments in clinical practice will assist therapists to communicate better with patients and address issues of their concern; and (3) their use will provide common clinical assessment instruments and vocabularies to facilitate the interdisciplinary management of patients.