2014 Grant Awards
The posters and papers listed below each grant arise from work facilitated through the grant funding.
Adult axial spondyloarthritis screening and referral practices amongst primary care physicians, physiotherapists and chiropractors working in community practice in the province of Ontario
Principal Investigator: Passalent, L (PDF)
Co-investigators: Bidos, A; Bloom, J; Haroon, N; Hawke, C; Inman, R; Rampersaud, R; Soever, L
Project Summary
People with ankylosing spondylitis wait an average of 8 years between the onset of back pain and the time they are diagnosed by a rheumatologist. During this time people often suffer with pain, stiffness and fatigue. The recent recognition of non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) has set the stage for earlier diagnosis of chronic back pain resulting from inflammation. Within the province of Ontario, family physicians, physiotherapists, chiropractors and nurse practitioners are first contact health care practitioners who routinely encounter people with chronic back pain; however, it is not known how these health care providers routinely screen and refer patients with suspected axial SpA. This project aims to understand the clinic knowledge and screening and referral practices of community based family physicians, physiotherapists, chiropractors and nurse practitioners for patients with suspected axial SpA. In addition, this project will explore the factors that help and hinder referral of patient with suspected axial SpA for diagnostic evaluation by rheumatologists. It is expected the results of this project will help to inform strategies to facilitate early identification of axial SpA and ensure optimal care and outcomes for this patient population.
Poster Presentations
Presented at the 2016 American College of Rheumatology meeting and 2017 Canadian Rheumatology Association meeting.