Screening and Referral Practices for Anxiety and Depression Among Patients With Chronic Neck, Shoulder and Low Back Pain Within Physiotherapy Practices

The goal of this cross-sectional, qualitative study is to investigate whether physiotherapists screen for symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and to explore the facilitators and barriers related to these practices. The main questions aim to answer are:

* What are the current practices of physiotherapists in private practice for screening anxiety and depression among patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain? * What are the facilitators and barriers influencing physiotherapists' screening and referral practices for mental health care?

Participants will:

* Take part in a semi-structured interview (online or in person). * Be asked about their experiences, attitudes, and practices related to recognizing, screening, managing, and referring patients with anxiety and depression. * Participants will share perspectives on barriers and facilitators to integrating mental health screening into physiotherapy.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression Mental Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Axxon website

Leuven, Belgium

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Physiotherapists treating patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions.

Purposive sampling was used to obtain:

Varied clinical experience: Less than 5 years of practice and more than 5 years of practice.
Varied exposure to mental health training: With and without specialized training in mental health.

Exclusion criteria

None

Treatment and study plan

Mental health screening and referral practices in physiotherapy

Other

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 physiotherapists working in private settings to explore recognition, screening, and referral practices for anxiety and depression in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Other names: Screening for anxiety and depression in private physiotherapy practice, Screening for anxiety and depression in private physiotherapy practice Physiotherapist-led mental health recognition and referral

Primary outcomes

Physiotherapists' perspectives on screening and referral practices for anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Time frame: From study start until completion of interviews and data analysis (approximately 6 months)

Themes identified through qualitative framework analysis of semi-structured interviews with 18 physiotherapists. The analysis focuses on recognition, screening, management, and referral practices for anxiety and depression in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, including barriers, facilitators, and professional experiences.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Ana Catarina Navarro Ramalho

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Screening and Referral Practices for Anxiety and Depression Among Patients With Chronic Neck, Shoulder and Low Back Pain Within Private Physiotherapy Practices: a Qualitative Study.

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Sep 17, 2025
Registry last updated: Sep 17, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

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