BACKGROUND Differences in physiotherapy intervention practices for mastitis have been shown across Australian regions and facilities and it is unknown if this is associated with physiotherapists' definition and diagnosis of Inflammatory Conditions of the Lactating Breast (ICLB). The aims were to determine how Australian physiotherapists' define and diagnose ICLB and if there are regional or facility differences in their ICLB definition and diagnosis. METHOD A cross-sectional mixed methods design was used to investigate how physiotherapists construct a definition and diagnosis of ICLB, via online qualitative and quantitative questions. Participants included 63 Australian physiotherapists who treated at least one woman with ICLB per month, over the last year. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse qualitative and quantitative responses, respectively. RESULTS ICLB definition varied among physiotherapists (n = 63) with generated themes including definitions based on pathophysiology (57%), combination of local and systemic symptoms (38%), conditions (32%), local symptoms (25%) and breast function (16%). Overall, quantitative data supported these findings, as some physiotherapists considered blocked ducts an ICLB (83%), but some did not (17%), and some considered abscess and engorgement an ICLB (65%) and some did not (35%). For ICLB diagnosis, the main theme generated was lack of consensus between physiotherapists (n = 39) on the number or combination of local or systemic symptoms required. Quantitative data confirmed these themes, as 63% of physiotherapists (n = 63) indicated that more than one symptom was necessary to clinically diagnose ICLB, but 27% required only one symptom. For region and type of facility, consistency across the themes for region and facility was evident. Overall, quantitative data confirmed these findings, with no regional or facility differences, except physiotherapists from the Australian state of Victoria (96%) were more likely to consider blocked ducts as an ICLB, compared to those from the states of NSW (71%) or WA (71%) (n = 58; χ2 = 6.49, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION Australian physiotherapists have varied definitions of ICLB and the required ICLB symptoms for clinical diagnosis. These results may prompt physiotherapists, who treat ICLB, to engage in explicit communication when discussing an ICLB in patient care, when delivering information in training courses and in developing treatment guidelines.

中文翻译：

---

探索物理治疗师对澳大利亚哺乳期乳房炎症状况的临床定义和诊断：一项混合方法研究。


背景 澳大利亚各地区和设施对乳腺炎的物理治疗干预实践存在差异，但尚不清楚这是否与物理治疗师对哺乳期乳房炎症 (ICLB) 的定义和诊断有关。目的是确定澳大利亚物理治疗师如何定义和诊断 ICLB，以及他们的 ICLB 定义和诊断是否存在地区或设施差异。方法 采用横断面混合方法设计来研究物理治疗师如何通过在线定性和定量问题构建 ICLB 的定义和诊断。参与者包括 63 名澳大利亚物理治疗师，他们在过去一年中每月至少对一名女性进行 ICLB 治疗。主题分析和描述性统计分别用于分析定性和定量反应。结果 ICLB 的定义因物理治疗师 (n = 63) 的不同而异，产生的主题包括基于病理生理学的定义 (57%)、局部和全身症状的组合 (38%)、状况 (32%)、局部症状 (25%) 和乳房功能(16%)。总体而言，定量数据支持了这些发现，因为一些物理治疗师认为导管阻塞是 ICLB（83%），但有些物理治疗师不认为是 ICLB（17%），有些物理治疗师认为脓肿和充血是 ICLB（65%），有些则不认为是 ICLB（35%） 。对于 ICLB 诊断，产生的主题是物理治疗师 (n = 39) 之间对所需局部或全身症状的数量或组合缺乏共识。定量数据证实了这些主题，因为 63% 的物理治疗师 (n = 63) 表示临床诊断 ICLB 需要不止一种症状，但 27% 的物理治疗师只需要一种症状。 对于区域和设施类型，区域和设施的主题之间的一致性是显而易见的。总体而言，定量数据证实了这些发现，没有地区或设施差异，但与新南威尔士州的物理治疗师 (71%) 相比，澳大利亚维多利亚州的物理治疗师 (96%) 更有可能将阻塞的导管视为 ICLB或 WA (71%) (n = 58；χ2 = 6.49，p = 0.04)。结论 澳大利亚物理治疗师对 ICLB 以及临床诊断所需的 ICLB 症状有不同的定义。这些结果可能会促使治疗 ICLB 的物理治疗师在讨论患者护理中的 ICLB 时、在培训课程中提供信息和制定治疗指南时进行明确的沟通。