Predictors of parents seeking osteopathic care for their infant
Date
2011Citation:
Gardyne, N. (2011). Predictors of parents seeking osteopathic care for their infant. (Unpublished document submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Osteopathy). Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10652/1854Permanent link to Research Bank record:
https://hdl.handle.net/10652/1854Abstract
Objective
To determine the predictors of parents seeking osteopathic care for their infant and then to compare these with the predictors of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use amongst adults.
Method
One hundred and eighty two parents of children under the age of two years old were recruited via www.GetParticipants.com (an internet based research recruitment site), Facebook advertising and posters within osteopathic clinics. Eligible participants completed an online-based three-part survey, gathering information related to parental demographics, attitudes and beliefs towards CAM, and information about pregnancy, birth, and their child’s health. From these variables, those found to have associations with osteopathic use (P < 0.1) were then entered into a logistic regression to identify predictors.
Results
One hundred and sixty seven participants were eligible and completed all relevant sections. Ten variables were entered into a backwards stepwise logistic regression. Six of these variables remained in the final model. These variables included the age of the parent, openness to CAM, ethnicity, means of referral, length of pregnancy and length of labour. Together these variables accounted for 47% of the variance in the probability of a parent taking their infant to an osteopath (P=<0.001).
Conclusion
This study found that an increase in age, reaching full term in the pregnancy, a low score in the Holistic and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (HCAMQ), or a short labour length caused an increase in odds of seeking osteopathic care. Whereas being of Maori ethnicity or being referred by a midwife or Royal New Zealand Plunket nurse decreased the odds of a parent using osteopathy for their child. A low score in the HCAMQ and ethnicity were the only two variables that were found to also be predictors of CAM use in adults. In order to gain more insight into this subject, more research is needed into each of the predictors in order to assess why they predict osteopathic intervention.