Describing the Rehabilitation Workforce Capacity in the Public Sector of Three Rural Provinces in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design
2.2. Setting
2.3. Eligibility Criteria
2.4. Data Collection Procedures
2.4.1. Preparing for Data Collection
2.4.2. Data Collection
Web-Based survey
Telephonic Survey
2.4.3. Data Validation
2.4.4. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Web-Based Therapist Survey
3.1.1. Age
3.1.2. Years at Current Facility
3.1.3. Highest Level of Qualification
3.1.4. Salary Levels
3.2. Telephonic Facility Survey
3.2.1. Profession Type
3.2.2. Level of Care
3.2.3. Rural Versus Urban
3.2.4. Distribution per Uninsured Population
4. Discussion
5. Limitations
6. Recommendations
7. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A
Definitions of Descriptors | |
Audiologist | “Evaluating and determining the range, nature and degree of people’s hearing function in relation to their auditory efficiency and communication needs, including observation, the use of electro-acoustic instrumentation, and assessing receptive and expressive speech and language pathologies associated with hearing impairment. The planning, conducting or directing of or participating in the habilitation and/or rehabilitation of people with hearing pathologies, including the fitting and use of hearing aids, auditory training, speech reading, signing systems, speech conservation, speech and language acquisition, counselling and guidance related to the hearing impairment and to hearing conservation programmes [13].” |
Speech and Language Therapist | “A Speech-Language Therapist optimises an individual’s ability to communicate and swallow, thereby enhancing the quality of life. Speech-Language Therapists provide services across the lifespan to all age groups from neonates to the geriatric population, to individuals, families and groups from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The professional functions in Speech-Language Therapy include clinical/educational services (diagnosis, assessment, planning and treatment), prevention, advocacy, education and administration [13].” |
Dually qualified Speech and Audiology Therapist | Dual qualified Speech-language therapist and audiologist [14]. |
Occupational Therapist | “Occupational Therapy is a skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives. It gives people the skills necessary for independent and satisfying lives. Occupational Therapists work across the lifespan with new-borns, young children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and with anyone who has a permanent or temporary impairment in their physical or mental functioning. Occupational Therapists help with rehabilitation of neuropsychological deficits, including memory and attention, as well as motor function, sensory function, and interpersonal skills [13].” |
Physiotherapist | “A Physiotherapist assesses, treats and manages a wide variety of illnesses and injuries, including ailments from the fields of orthopaedics, neurology, respiratory and thoracic, cardiovascular, obstetrics, sports medicine, paediatrics, geriatrics, intensive care units and general rehabilitation [13].” |
Primary health care | “Is the first level of contact for individuals seeking healthcare [13].” |
Secondary health care | “Is specialist care that is typically rendered in a hospital setting following a referral from a primary or community health facility [13].” |
Tertiary health care | “Specialist services rendered at this level will include theatre and ICU physiotherapy, as well as services rendered at the regional level [13].” |
Urban | “The ‘built environment’ that includes all non-vegetative, human-constructed elements, such as roads, buildings, runways with public transport available [14].” |
Rural | “Sparsely populated areas in which people farm or depend on natural resources, including villages and small towns that are dispersed through these areas [14].” |
Salary level | “Means the relative value of a particular job as reflected by the job weight, which is linked to a salary range in a salary scale (an occupation or a sector within the public service, with specific amounts denoted as the beginning and end of salary ranges or notches within salary ranges) used in the public service [17].” |
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Online Survey (Web-Based Therapist Survey) | Telephonic Survey (Telephonic Facility Survey) |
---|---|
Age of therapists | Total number of therapists and profession type 1
|
Total years employed at facility | Level of care 1
|
Highest level of qualification | Rural 2 versus urban 1 |
Salary level 1
|
Mean Age (SD) | Range | ||
---|---|---|---|
Lowest | Highest | ||
Province | |||
1 | 27.82 (6.43) | 22 | 59 |
2 | 34.47 (7.63) | 23 | 55 |
3 | 30.87 (9.33) | 22 | 64 |
Profession | |||
PT | 29.35 (6.84) | 22 | 56 |
OT | 31.71 (10.02) | 22 | 64 |
SLT | 26.68 (4.60) | 22 | 44 |
AU | 27.9 (6.20) | 22 | 59 |
SAT | 31.6 (6.82) | 22 | 51 |
Mean Years (SD) | Range | ||
---|---|---|---|
Lowest Value | Highest Value | ||
Province | |||
1 | 3.08 (7.82) | 0.00 | 14.33 |
2 | 7.88 (5.18) | 0.58 | 23.58 |
3 | 4.79 (6.50) | 0.00 | 30.25 |
Profession | |||
PT | 3.8 (4.53) | 0.08 | 26.17 |
OT | 5.40 (6.75) | 0.08 | 30.25 |
SLT | 2.35 (3.18) | 0.08 | 12.50 |
AU | 2.85 (3.40) | 0.17 | 9.75 |
SAT | 8.47 (17.51) | 0.17 | 21.17 |
Qualification | PT | OT | SLT | AU | SAT | Total Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Certificate | Count | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Percentage | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | ||
Diploma | Count | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
Percentage | 4.8% | 95.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | ||
Bachelors | Count | 215 | 212 | 51 | 54 | 42 | 574 |
Percentage | 37.5% | 36.9% | 8.9% | 9.4% | 7.3% | ||
PG Diploma | Count | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Percentage | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | ||
Masters | Count | 6 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 37 |
Percentage | 16.2% | 40.5% | 18.9% | 13.5% | 10.8% | ||
Doctorate | Count | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Percentage | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | ||
Other1 | Count | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Percentage | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 100% |
District | Total Number of Therapists | Percentage per District | Uninsured Population |
---|---|---|---|
P1D5 | 16 | 1.37% | 298,672 |
P1D8 | 39 | 3.34% | 383,938.40 |
P2D13 | 79 | 6.78% | 596,606.40 |
P1D3 | 76 | 6.52% | 648,422.40 |
P1D4 | 51 | 4.37% | 664,395.20 |
P1D2 | 19 | 1.63% | 694,314.40 |
P1D1 | 40 | 3.43% | 731,856 |
P3D15 | 73 | 6.26% | 908,327.20 |
P2D10 | 52 | 4.46% | 927,348 |
P2D11 | 63 | 5.40% | 935,809.60 |
P1D6 | 83 | 7.12% | 1,010,440.80 |
P2D9 | 149 | 12.78% | 1,064,348.80 |
P2D12 | 111 | 9.52% | 1,115,159.20 |
P3D16 | 82 | 7.03% | 1,156,499.20 |
P1D7 | 76 | 6.52% | 1,165,541.60 |
P3D14 | 157 | 13.46% | 1,403,944.80 |
Province | Total Number of Therapists | Ratio | Uninsured Population |
---|---|---|---|
P1 | 377 | 0.71 | 5,597,580.8 |
P2 | 454 | 0.98 | 4,639,272 |
P3 | 335 | 0.97 | 3,468,771.2 |
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Conradie, T.; Berner, K.; Louw, Q. Describing the Rehabilitation Workforce Capacity in the Public Sector of Three Rural Provinces in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 12176. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912176
Conradie T, Berner K, Louw Q. Describing the Rehabilitation Workforce Capacity in the Public Sector of Three Rural Provinces in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(19):12176. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912176
Chicago/Turabian StyleConradie, Thandi, Karina Berner, and Quinette Louw. 2022. "Describing the Rehabilitation Workforce Capacity in the Public Sector of Three Rural Provinces in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 19: 12176. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912176