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Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) refers to a clinical disorder caused by a new coronavirus that emerged in late 2019. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, as of June 23 2020, over 15 million confirmed cases of patients with COVID-19 have been reported globally, out of which over 600,000 deaths were recorded. The management of patients with COVID-19 is critical. This position paper was prepared through online search for the available guideline in the literature to serve as treatment guidelines for Nigerian physiotherapists and possibly physiotherapists in Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Background: Clinical communication impacts on physiotherapy treatment outcome and its competence warrants being assessed during training for physiotherapists given the increasing need to improve patient outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the assessment of clinical communication in entry-level physiotherapy programs in Nigeria. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, questionnaires were sent by e-mail or hand-delivered to the heads of physiotherapy programs, asking them to consult with faculty members involved in the assessment of clinical communication in undergraduate education. Results: Six of seven physiotherapy programs responded (an 86% response rate). Assessment of clinical communication and methods of assessing clinical communication by the programs showed wide variation. There was an average of two assessments per year. The objective structured clinical examination with patients (21; 38%) and written communications (report/chart) (13; 23%) were the most commonly used assessment methods. Perceived challenges included a lack of facilities, validity, inexperienced examiners, and difficulties in integrating processes and content. Conclusion: A variety of assessment methods are being used in entry-level physiotherapy programs in Nigeria, which target different components of clinical communication skills acquisition. More effort is needed to improve limited facilities and human resources training to enhance clinical communication assessment in Nigerian physiotherapy programs.

Background and Purpose: There is currently no culturally appropriate instrument to assess Nigerian physiotherapists’ knowledge and attributes of professionalism. This study sets out to develop a psychometric instrument to assess the knowledge and attributes of professionalism of Nigerian physiotherapists, and to investigate the instrument's readability, stability, and internal consistency. Methods: A Professionalism Inventory with eight demographic questions, ten knowledge of professionalism questions and sixteen attributes of professionalism perception-based statements was developed. The attributes of professionalism scale assess clinical competence, a spirit of inquiry, accountability, autonomy, advocacy, innovation and visionary, collegiality and collaboration, and ethics and values. The Inventory was completed on two occasions, after two-week interval, by 91 Nigerian physiotherapists. Results: The Inventory’s average grade reading level was 10. The intra class correlation coefficient (ICC 3, 1) for the knowledge of professionalism scale ranged from “moderate” (0.421, p

Background: In the last two decades, physiotherapy profession in many countries has transitioned their entry-level education to a Master’s or doctoral degree levels. Given these changes, there is a new need to discern the profile of physiotherapist educators in different countries. Objectives: This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the profile of the physiotherapist lecturers from Anglophone West African countries and to compare the data with their USA counterparts. Methods: The Head of Department of all the physiotherapy programs in West African universities (N = 14) completed a questionnaire that sought information on the University’s debut date and ownership, faculty gender, educational qualification and academic rank. Results: The vast majority (93%) of the physiotherapy programs surveyed are located in public universities. There were 126 lecturers employed in the programs surveyed (average of 9 lecturers per program). In Nigeria, 72% of the lecturers were men, but in Ghana there was an equal (50:50) split between men and women. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of the lecturers in Nigeria had a Ph.D. and 32% were with MS degree. Thirty-four percent (34%) were a Senior lecturer, 19% Lecturer I, 10% Associate Professor/Reader and 10% Professor. More Nigerian lecturers attained higher (p

Purpose: There is a growing call around the world to include professionalism in the entry-level education of physical therapists and to teach professionalism as a continuing education professional development workshop for practicing physical therapists. Unfortunately, there is currently no empirical evidence to support the use of didactic instruction to effectuate a change in the knowledge and attributes of professionalism. This study evaluated the effects of a customized professionalism educational intervention on physical therapists’ knowledge and attributes of professionalism. Methods: A quasi-experimental research was conducted among 47 Nigerian physical therapists (Mean age = 41 ± 10.1 years). The educational intervention consisted of a 3-hour classroom lecture and five case studies on professionalism. The impact of the intervention was evaluated by a Professionalism Inventory that assesses the level of knowledge and attributes of professionalism - clinical competence, a spirit of inquiry, accountability, autonomy, advocacy, innovation and visionary, collegiality and collaboration, and ethics and value. Results: Post intervention, the physical therapist's aggregate knowledge of professionalism score improved significantly from 69% to 77% performance level (t = 2.340; p < 0.05). On the contrary, there was no significant difference in the aggregate attributes of professionalism score following the intervention (t = 1.396, p > 0.05). Although the improvement observed in the aggregate attributes of professionalism score was not statistically significant, when the effects of the intervention were examined on the attributes of professionalism subscales, the results revealed that clinical competence, accountability, autonomy, innovation and visionary, and collaborating and collegiality improved significantly (p < 0.05). The intervention was of small practical significance (Cohen d = .34 and .20 for knowledge and attributes of professionalism scores, respectively). Conclusions: It was inferred from the findings that a three-hour classroom instruction consisting of lectures and case studies presentation could improve the knowledge of professionalism of practicing physical therapists. A longer instructional period vis-à-vis mentoring and role modelling in the classroom may be needed to effectuate a practical change in professionalism.

Background: It has been reported in the extant literature that the attributes of professionalism vary widely with gender, age, the level of education, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds and between professions. This study evaluated Nigerian physiotherapists’ knowledge and attributes of professionalism and also examined the influence of demographic variables on their professionalism. Methods: One hundred and forty-nine physiotherapists recruited from four randomly selected University Teaching Hospitals completed a Professionalism Inventory that assesses demographic variables, knowledge of professionalism and attributes of professionalism – clinical competence, a spirit of inquiry, accountability, autonomy, advocacy, innovation and visionary, collegiality and collaboration, and ethics/value. Results: The physiotherapists’ average knowledge of professionalism score was 62%, and the average attributes of professionalism score were 63/80 (79%). The physiotherapists who are married, older than 40 years, and with a doctorate, with 16–20 years of work experience, and employed in the neurology practice setting demonstrated significantly (p

Background: This cross-sectional study investigated student enrollment-related outcomes from physiotherapy education programs in West Africa. Methods: The Head of Department of all physiotherapy education programs in Nigeria and Ghana universities (N=14) completed a questionnaire that sought information on admission capacity/goal, student enrollment, baccalaureate (BPT/BS) and postgraduate (MS, Ph.D.) degrees conferred and the student-core faculty ratio (SFR). Results: In Nigeria, 4,748 BPT, 325 MS and 50 Ph.D. degrees in physiotherapy were conferred over a 50 year period; 2,038 BPT, 160 MS, and 42 Ph.D. students are currently enrolled. In Ghana, over a 14 year period, 277 BS degrees were conferred and 162 students are currently enrolled. The mean SFR for the undergraduate program in Nigeria and Ghana was 17.6 and 13.5, respectively. In Nigeria, 83.3% of the physiotherapy programs are located in Federal owned university; while in Ghana 100% of the programs are in State-owned university (χ² = 8.556; p =.014). Admission goal and university ownership are significantly (p

Background & Objective: Stroke assessment scales are top among core British National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke that has been strongly advocated by the Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party (ISWP). These clinical assessment measures have been studied for validity and reliability and have been in use globally by clinicians for over three decades. Knowledge and use of stroke scales by Physiotherapists in Nigeria will be a strong tool in improving the quality of care and life of stroke survivors. This study therefore sought to evaluate the level of knowledge, availability and utilization of stroke scales among Physiotherapists in Nigeria.Methods: Two hundred (200), two-part, 18-item, self administered questionnaires were distributed to a convenient sample of Nigerian Physiotherapists practicing in urban and suburban hospitals spread over four out of six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. One hundred and eighty (180) respondents (90%) returned fully completed questionnaires.Results: Of the 180 respondents, 66.7% had knowledge of stroke scales though only 28% claimed they were taught in their training institutions. Three types of scales were mainly available among 30.6% of respondents in their institutions of practice. However, 70% of these respondents to whom these scales were available do not utilize them mostly due to high patient load and time constraint in clinical setting. All participants (100%) desired knowledge and availability of the scales while 90% strongly agreed that stroke scales make the patient, essential part of goal setting and accelerates his re- integration into the society after stroke.Conclusion: Knowledge of stroke assessment scales is low among Physiotherapists in Nigeria. Even among those who have knowledge of the scales, there is low availability and utilization in the treatment of stroke. Therefore, improvement in knowledge, availability and utilization of stroke assessment scales by Physiotherapists in Nigeria is imperative.

Low back pain (LBP) is often an indication of pathologicalcondition of the intervertebral discs, vertebral bodies or supporting soft tissuesof the lower vertebral region. Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) presents withenormous consequence on the general performance of the sufferer, exerting ahuge cost on the individual, the family and the society. Dance therapy is arelatively new approach in the management of low back pain. This study wastherefore designed to investigate the effect of dance therapy on pain, functionaldisability and quality of life in patients with chronic low back pain.Thirty subjects diagnosed with non-specific CLBP particpated in the study.They were randomly divided into 2 groups, A and B, each comprising 15 subjects.In addition to conventional physiotherapy programme given to both groups,subjects in Group A also received aerobic dance, which comprised a four stage protocol. The entire treatment routinewas administered in a group session three times weekly consecutively for six weeks. Data as obtained in the copies ofcompleted questionnaires (Roland Morris Diability questionnaires and Nottingham Health Profile questionnaires) andother measurements were summarized using mean, standard deviation and frequency tables. Student T-test was used toanalyze the data at 95 % confidence interval.There was a statistically significant difference (p

Aim: Estimation of cost burden of a disease condition is a very important part of health care policy making worldwide. Till now, such documents are lacking especially on non-communicable diseases in the health policy making process in Nigeria. This article therefore attempts to report the results of a prospective cross-sectional study on the cost burden of a cerebrovascular accident condition (stroke) in Nigeria. It estimates the direct health care cost for a minimum period of 12weeks and maximum of 36weeks for post stroke hemiplegia. Study Design/Setting: It was a collaborative cross-sectional study amongst centers situated in urban and sub-urban environments in Southern Nigeria. It involved a hospital of an Oil and Gas Company in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, two Government tertiary hospitals in Port Harcourt and Benin-City, all in South-South Nigeria, the industrial hub of the country. A Private Specialist hospital in Lagos, South-West Nigeria, the corporate hub of the country was also included. Method: Patients diagnosed and admitted for management for cerebrovascular accident (stroke) in the above named health facilities formed the subjects of this study. Medical records (case files) of two hundred and forty (240) stroke patients managed within the last six years (2005- 2011) were randomly selected from the medical record departments of the study centers. Files of the patients who were admitted during acute care period (without discharge against medical advice) and were followed on out-patient basis without default within the study period were purposively utilized. The files were then assessed for the various investigations and treatment interventions of acute and long term care and the costs thereof. Ethical approval to access patients’ case files was sought and granted by the Research Ethics Committee of the different study centers. Results: The results revealed that it requires an average of N95,100: 00 ($600 ) and N767,900: 00 ($4860)in a government and a private hospital, respectively to access care within the first 36weeks of post stroke affectation in Nigeria. Conclusion: The outcome of this study suggests that managing stroke constitutes a huge direct cost burden unaffordable by an average Nigerian stroke sufferer. The implication is that lack of means for rehabilitative care may result in disability adjusted life years which further compounds burdens in terms of indirect cost on the sufferers’ and care givers’ productivity. It is therefore recommended that awareness of this disorder is created by policy makers and implementers where it does not exist and increased where it does with health promotion and preventive measures.