Current stroke rehabilitation services and physiotherapy research in South Africa

Abstract

Background Stroke is one of the most common causes of morbidity and disability in South Africa, with the burden of stroke particularly high in rural South Africa. Objectives The aim of this study was to collate South African (SA) physiotherapy stroke rehabilitation research. Method A narrative review of physiotherapy stroke rehabilitation research conducted within the last 10 years in South Africa. Results Stroke survivors in South Africa have poor functional ability at discharge from the hospital and have poor access to transport, work and education. Their caregivers experience strain and have a poor quality of life. Inpatient rehabilitation services focus on the medical model approach and patients are discharged into family care because of limited rehabilitation facilities. Physiotherapy interventions found to be effective in SA studies: longitudinal shoulder strapping, balance exercises in the community, task-orientated circuit gait training, saccadic eye movement training with visual scanning exercises for unilateral spatial neglect and workplace intervention programmes to increase return to work after stroke. Caregiver education alone and use of pictorial exercise programmes does not improve patients’ functional ability and adherence to home exercise programmes, respectively. Conclusion There is a need to focus physiotherapy stroke rehabilitation on barriers that hinder full social integration of the patient, including return to work and improving carer support. Most research reviewed focused on description of the problems experienced; however, more intervention studies are now underway to develop context-specific interventions with feasible treatment intensity, frequencies and equipment requirements. Future research should explore new ways of improving post-discharge rehabilitation services. Examples of intervention research that may be beneficial in a SA context are mirror therapy, mental practice and patient-directed activities in rehabilitation. Clinical implications Knowledge of interventions that were found to be effective in this context will encourage clinicians to translate these findings into practice. Noting that outcome measures that are core for stroke rehabilitation are not included in some projects may remind researchers to consider them to make comparisons between different research projects.

Study Protocol on Stroke Management: Role of Nurses and Physiotherapists at the Adult University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka Zambia

“…Despite Stroke being reported to be the second most common cause of death globally [1], accurate data on the role of different members of the multidisciplinary care team is mostly from studies conducted in high-income countries but scarce in most low and middle-income countries include Zambia and other Southern Africa countries [39]. Accurate prevalence data, as well as evidence-base data of care and rehabilitation services being provided to stroke patients, is equally scare in most low and middle-income countries [38] [40].…”

Brain–computer interface robotics for hand rehabilitation after stroke: a systematic review

“…There is growing interest in the use of robotics within the field of rehabilitation. This interest is driven by the increasing number of people requiring rehabilitation following problems such as stroke (with an ageing population), and the global phenomenon of insufficient numbers of therapists able to deliver rehabilitation exercises to patients [ 1 , 2 ]. Robotic systems allow a therapist to prescribe exercises that can then be guided by the robot rather than the therapist.…”

Access to health care for people with stroke in South Africa: a qualitative study of community perspectives

“…While efforts are made to prevent strokes, provision of stroke care in SA remains largely unmet [ 6 ] and where available, is limited in quality and is difficult to access [ 7 , 8 ]. Resources for rehabilitation and social care for people with stroke (PWS) are also limited in SA [ 8 , 9 ].…”