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.
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.