Melissa F. Miller

Department of Public Health, Cancer Support Community, Research and Training Institute, Washington DC, USA

Publications

• Research Article   
  Direct Access Physical Therapy Policy and Low Back or Neck Pain Disability: An Ecological Study
  Author(s): John Deep, Margaret L. Longacre* and Melissa F. Miller
  
  Background: Low-back and neck pain are major causes of disability in the United States. Policies that increase access to physical therapy may contribute to reducing back and neck pain-related disability. Aim: This study’s purpose was to assess the association between Direct Access Physical Therapy (DAPT) policies and disability attributable to back/neck pain. Materials and Methods: Outcomes included 2017 state-level Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) attributable to back/neck pain, measured per 100,000 population and as a percent of state DALYs. DAPT policy was categorized as unrestricted, provisional, and restricted. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate the association between level of DAPT policy and disability outcomes holding sociodemographic variables constant... Read More»