Evaluating Evidence Based Practice of Physiotherapists and the Quality of Physiotherapy Services in Selected Health Facilities of Lusaka, Zambia

There is an empirical argument that Physiotherapists have a moral and professional obligation to move away from assessment and treatment methods based on anecdotal testimonies or opinion and upgrade their method of practice to Evidence-Based Practice in order to remain alive in the era of scientific research. It is essential to evaluate the quality of service being delivered by referral hospitals. This study aimed to establish linkages of knowledge and awareness of evidence-based practice in selected hospitals of Lusaka and the service quality at the physiotherapy outpatient departments. This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study was based on primary data collected through a standardized SERVQUAL tool measuring the mean expectations and perception of performance for the quality of physiotherapy care. A total of 75 respondents including both physiotherapists and patients contributed to the study. Limited utilization of EBP practice was seen with only 3(5.1%) participants always and 26(4.1%) mostly reading research to guide the clinical decision. 18(31%) and 14(24.1%) respectively strongly agreed or agreed that the insufficiency of basic EBP skills was the primary barrier to the application of EBP in clinical practice. A negative mean gap score was observed across all five dimensions of the SERVQUAL tool for patients. Despite Physiotherapists in Lusaka being knowledgeable of evidence-based practice, negative gaps in quality of care being offered still persist, an indication that there is a needs to improve on patients' satisfaction with the services being provided

The development of a training model for peer learning facilitators in adolescent reproductive health in Zambia

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Zambia is reported to have high levels of maternal morbidity and mortality due to low contraceptive prevalence rates, over 50% of births not being attended to by skilled persons, and teenage pregnancies. A number of organisations (stakeholders) have invested in the training of adolescent reproductive health peer educators with the aim of empowering them to be role models to their peers in reproductive health, but Zambia does not have a generic and locally developed training programme for peer educators. The purpose of this study was to develop a training programme that would produce competent and more effective peer educators for Zambia. The objectives were to determine the characteristics of the ideal peer educator. Further objectives were to ascertain the factors that contribute to or impair the development of the ideal peer educator, and to determine whether training programmes that were being used were producing ideal peer educators and enhancing healthy lifestyle behaviours. Key stakeholders participated in group interviews were they presented and critiqued their training programmes. Emerging out of this process was a draft training programme, developed by the stakeholders. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were held with adolescent peer educators from Lusaka, Kafue, Livingstone and Maheba refugee camp. Data were analysed by triangulating the outcomes of the group interviews (with the stakeholders) with the outcomes of the FGDs and reviewed literature. The FGDs highlighted the characteristics of an ideal peer educator as well as factors that contribute towards his/her competence development. Numerous factors were reported that had a negative impact on the development of an ideal peer educator. The peer educators reported that their training had had a positive effect on their lifestyle behaviours. While they had gained more knowledge on HIV and AIDS, they recommended more training on other health issues. The study found that at community level, peer educators were not being given adequate respect because the concept of voluntary work was not readily accepted and they were regarded as failures in life. Major demotivating factors were the lack of payment of incentives and the fact that peer educators were not certified. Peer educators did not receive sufficient support from programme managers/coordinators to enable them to become more effective at community level. Weaknesses in the way the training programmes were conducted were also discerned. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that more life skills’ development be promoted for peer educators. Training should be contextualised for the communities in which the peer educators work. The developed training programme, which should be used as a guide, should be repackaged to suit the profiles (e.g. values) of the different communities. Adolescents and various social sectors (inclusive of indicated stakeholders) ought to be involved in diagnosing community needs so as to influence both peers and communities in a way that would promote adolescent reproductive health. This study also recommends a more informal way of practising peer education, which would produce trainees who would be peer educators and role models in any given setting.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na berig word is die hoë siekte- en sterftesyfers onder moeders in Zambië daaraan te wyte dat voorbehoedmiddels nie algemeen gebruik word nie, dat meer as 50% van geboortes plaasvind sonder die bystand van bekwame persone, en dat daar ‘n hoë voorkoms van tienerswangerskappe is. ‘n Aantal organisasies (belanghebbers) het in die opleiding van adolessent- portuurgroep-opvoeders in reproduktiewe gesondheid belê ten einde hierdie portuurgroep-opvoeders te bemagtig om as rolmodelle in reproduktiewe gesondheid op te tree. Zambië het egter nie ‘n eie generiese, plaaslik-ontwikkelde opleidingsprogram vir portuurgroep-opvoeders nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ‘n opleidingsmodel en opleidingsprogram te ontwikkel wat bekwame en meer effektiewe portuurgroep-opvoeders vir Zambië sou kon oplewer. Die doelstellings was om die kenmerke van ‘n ideale portuurgroep-opvoeder te bepaal en om die faktore te identifiseer wat óf tot die ontwikkeling van ‘n ideale portuurgroep-opvoeder bydra óf sy/haar ontwikkeling strem. Daar moes ook vasgestel word of bestaande opleidingsprogramme ideale portuurgroep-opvoeders oplewer en gevolglik gesonde leefstylgedrag bevorder. Die navorser het groeponderhoude gebruik en betekenisvolle belanghebbers genooi om hulle opleidingsprogramme aan te bied, te beoordeel en krities te bespreek. ‘n Konsepopleidingsprogram wat deur die belanghebbers ontwikkel is, het uit hierdie proses ontstaan. Fokusgroepbesprekings (Engels: Focus Group Discussions of FGDs) is met adolessente portuurgroep-opvoeders van Lusaka, Kafue, Livingstone en die Maheba-vlugtelingekamp gehou. Data is ontleed deur die uitkomste van die groeponderhoude (met die deelhebbers) met die uitkomste van die fokusgroepbesprekings en die bespreekte literatuur te trianguleer. Die fokusgroepbesprekings het die soeklig op die kenmerke van die ideale portuurgroepopvoeder asook op die faktore wat tot sy/haar bekwaamheidsontwikkeling bydra, laat val. Talle faktore wat ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op die ontwikkeling van ‘n ideale portuurgroep-opvoeder het, is ook vasgestel. Die portuurgroep-opvoeders het bevestig dat hul opleiding ‘n positiewe invloed op hul lewenstylgedrag gehad het. Terwyl hulle genoem het dat hulle meer kennis oor MIV en VIGS opgedoen het, het hulle aanbeveel dat daar ook meer klem op ander gesondheidskwessies behoort te wees. In hierdie studie is daar bevind dat portuurgroepopvoeders op gemeenskapsvlak nie met voldoende respek behandel word nie. Die begrip van vrywillige werk word nie geredelik aanvaar nie, en die opvoeders word as mislukkings beskou. Faktore wat besonder ontmoedigend inwerk is die gebrek aan ‘n aansporingsloon en die feit dat portuurgroep-opvoeders nie sertifikate ontvang nie. Portuurgroep-opvoeders het ook nie voldoende ondersteuning van programbestuurders/- koördineerders ontvang om hulle in staat te stel om meer effektief op gemeenskapsvlak op te tree nie. Daar is voorts swakhede opgemerk in die wyse waarop die opleidingsprogramme uitgevoer is. Gegrond op die bevindinge van hierdie studie, word daar aanbeveel dat die ontwikkeling van lewensvaardighede tot ‘n groter mate bevorder word. Opleiding behoort gekontekstualiseer te word vir die gemeenskappe waarbinne die opvoeders werk. Die bestaande opleidingsprogram, wat as ‘n riglyn gebruik behoort te word, behoort herstruktureer te word om by die profiele (bv. die waardes) van die verskillende gemeenskappe in te pas. Adolessente en verskillende sosiale sektore (insluitend die aangeduide belanghebbers) behoort betrokke te wees by die bepaling van die gemeenskap se behoeftes ten einde beide portuurgroepe en gemeenskappe so te beïnvloed dat adolessente- reproduktiewe gesondheid bevoordeel sal word. Hierdie studie beveel ook aan dat portuurgroep-opvoeding op ‘n informeler grondslag beoefen behoort te word sodat die kwekelinge uiteindelik in enige gegewe omgewing suksesvolle portuurgroepopvoeders en rolmodelle sal kan wees

The development and evaluation of content validity of the Zambia Spina Bifida Functional Measure: Preliminary studies

Background: Very little is known on outcome measures for children with spina bifida (SB) in Zambia. If rehabilitation professionals managing children with SB in Zambia and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa are to instigate measuring outcomes routinely, a tool has to be made available. The main objective of this study was to develop an appropriate and culturally sensitive instrument for evaluating the impact of the interventions on children with SB in Zambia. Methods: A mixed design method was used for the study. Domains were identified retrospectively and confirmation was done through a systematic review study. Items were generated through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Qualitative data were downloaded, translated into English, transcribed verbatim and presented. These were then placed into categories of the main domains of care deductively through the process of manifest content analysis. Descriptive statistics, alpha coefficient and index of content validity were calculated using SPSS. Results: Self-care, mobility and social function were identified as main domains, while participation and communication were sub-domains. A total of 100 statements were generated and 78 items were selected deductively. An alpha coefficient of 0.98 was computed and experts judged the items. Conclusions: The new functional measure with an acceptable level of content validity titled Zambia Spina Bifida Functional Measure (ZSBFM) was developed. It was designed to evaluate effectiveness of interventions given to children with SB from the age of 6 months to 5 years. Psychometric properties of reliability and construct validity were tested and are reported in another study