Knowledge and current practices of Nigerian physiotherapists on the physical activity and exercise training in the rehabilitation of patients with asthma

Abstract

Objectives

The study aimed to determine the knowledge and current practices of Nigerian physiotherapists on the physical activity and exercise training in the rehabilitation of patients with asthma and to determine if any difference exists between novice and expert professionals.

Methods

This was designed as a cross-sectional study. A total of 311 practicing physiotherapists in Nigeria participated in the study. An electronic questionnaire comprising 34 semi-structured questions with three domains; personal information, knowledge, and current practices, was used to collect data throughout 4-months. Data were analyzed using a pragmatist paradigm.

Results

Out of the physiotherapists, 51.8% (n = 161) had postgraduate degrees, 46.9% (n = 146) had bachelor’s degrees, and 1.3% (n = 4) had a doctor of physiotherapy degrees. The result also indicates that 45.3% (n = 141) of the physiotherapists had insufficient knowledge about asthma, and 39.5% (n = 123) were not using current clinical practice in the rehabilitation of patients with asthma. The results also indicate that expert physiotherapist has more knowledge and also uses current practices when compared to novice physiotherapist.

Conclusions

Even though expert physiotherapists have better knowledge and current practices when compared to the novice physiotherapists, the overall outcomes indicate that Nigerian physiotherapists had insufficient knowledge about asthma and were not using current clinical practice in the rehabilitation of patients with asthma.

Keywords:

• Physical activity
• exercise training
• rehabilitation
• asthma
• physiotherapy

Acknowledgments

Nill

Data availability

Data will be available on request

Author contributions

Musa Sani Danazumi, Abdulsalam Mohammed Yakasai, Jibril Mohammed Nuhu, Gordana Dermody: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software.

Musa Sani Danazumi, Abdulsalam Mohammed Yakasai, Jibril Mohammed Nuhu, Gordana Dermody: Data curation, Formal analysis, Software, Visualization

Musa Sani Danazumi, Abdulsalam Mohammed Yakasai: Project administration,

Musa Sani Danazumi, Abdulsalam Mohammed Yakasai, Jibril Mohammed Nuhu, Gordana Dermody: Writing- Original draft preparation

Musa Sani Danazumi, Gordana Dermody: Writing- review & editing

Declarations section

Ethical approval

Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria (MRTB) approved the study (File Number―MRTB/R/B001/Vol.BV/130).

Consent for publication

Consent was obtained from the MRTB and research participants and they were assured that their anonymity would be maintained.

Availability of supporting data

Data will be available on request.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest.