Blood pressure screening in an Australian osteopathy student-led clinic

Abstract

Objectives: Approximately 25% of the Australian population are hypertensive, contributing 5% to the total burden of disease in Australia. The measurement of blood pressure (BP) and management of hypertension is relatively straightforward, and is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Given the prevalence of hypertension in the community, osteopaths are in a position to be able to measure BP and do so in routine practice. The present study sought to identify the frequency of blood pressure measurement of patients attending a student-led osteopathy clinic. Method: New patients attending the Victoria University (VU) Osteopathy Clinic between March and June 2016 completed a demographic and health information questionnaire prior to their initial consultation. During the initial consultation students are asked to measure the patients BP and record this in the clinical history, this is a routine part of their standard osteopathy consultation. Results: BP measurements were available for 31.2% (n = 129) of new patients attending the VU Osteopathy Clinic, 68.8% of new patients did not have BP measurements recorded. Of those patients whose blood pressure was recorded, approximately 25% were classified as hypertensive. Age, gender and cardiovascular history did not appear to influence whether BP was recorded. Conclusions: Nearly 70% of patients did not have their BP recorded. Future research should evaluate the reasons for student osteopaths not measuring and/or recording new patients BP, and whether these reasons are modifiable. Changes in the curricula and training of clinical educators may be required to increase the clinical practice of measuring BP in student-led clinics.