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Purpose: The quality of life (QOL) of meningioma clients in Indonesia is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate and examine the factors associated with the QOL of these meningioma clients after surgery, in order to help create an appropriate post-operative nursing intervention.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study. The QOL data was collected from a sample of 118 clients, using a EuroQol-5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire. Functional status, fatigue, illness perception and social support were assessed by the Barthel Index, FACIT-Fatigue Scale, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey-6, respectively. Statistical analyses were conducted using the Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression test.

Results: After surgery, more than half of the 118 clients reported “ problems” in the EQ-5D dimensions of mobility (65%), self-care (57%), usual activities (70%), pain/discomfort (84%), and anxiety/depression (70%).The average postoperative EQ-5D index value (±SD) was 0.55 ± 0.26 while the median of EQ-VAS was 69.2 (IQR 40–90).Factors related to low QOL were age (p = 0.014), tumour grade (p = 0.0001), functional status (p = 0.0001), fatigue (p= 0.001), illness perception ( p = 0.0001), and social support (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the most dominant factor associated with QOL was functional status (OR 6.728; Confidence interval=95%; p=0.008).

Conclusion and Implications:There is a correlation between age, tumour grade, functional status, fatigue, illness perception, and social support with the QOL of postoperative meningioma clients. The study recommends that these be included in their nursing assessment and an appropriate nursing rehabilitation programme be planned in order to improve their QOL.

Partly due to a lack of evidence-based methods to support people with intellectual disability (ID) and challenging behavior, their needs are often poorly met. One way to generate rapid evidence is to systematically describe and monitor interventions that are considered to be “good practice”—to develop evidence based on practical knowledge. This study describes the Dutch practice-based intervention Triple-C (Client, Coach, Competence). The intervention was developed in practice to support people with severe ID to borderline functioning and challenging behavior. The practice-based nature of Triple-C means that many of the professionals’ actions or activities are often underpinned by their implicit knowledge about the intervention they are delivering. Consequently, as the emphasis is on practice, the professionals can find it difficult to articulate how the intervention is operationalized and positive change achieved. This study aimed to assess the practical knowledge of Triple-C professionals and to develop an understanding of the mechanisms of change for Triple-C to improve understanding and to inform future research about the intervention. Through an iterative process, a logic model was developed to describe the intervention and its underlying assumptions. The development of the logic model was shaped using interviews with the founders, focus groups with support staff, psychologists, managers and members of the board of a service provider, and the analysis of published accounts of the Triple-C intervention. Data gathered from these sources were analyzed using content analysis. The logic model of the Triple-C intervention provides insight into the key elements of the approach, such as the need for unconditional supportive relationship and carrying out meaningful activities. Moreover, the potential relationship with existing evidence-based interventions such as Positive Behavioral Support and Active Support are described. Dening the underlying logic of a practice-based intervention like Triple-C is an important first step toward producing an evidence base for interventions developed from clinical practice.

Purpose: 

Access to an appropriate wheelchair is a human right. Only between 5–15% of people who need a wheelchair have access to one. One of the key barriers to access is the lack of appropriately trained rehabilitation professionals. The objective of this study was to evaluate basic manual wheelchair provision knowledge in final-year physiotherapy undergraduate students in two programs in Colombia.

Materials and methods: 

Students took the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals Wheelchair Service Provision – Basic Test which was administered online and in Spanish. The minimum score to pass the test is 70%; it assesses seven domains: Assessment; Prescription; Products; Fitting; User training; Follow-up, maintenance, and repairs; and Process.

Results and conclusions: 

One-hundred sixteen students took the test and no one passed the test. The highest median domain scores were in Assessment and Process while the lowest were in Fitting and Products. The limitations of this study include that this sample does not represent all physiotherapy programmes or students in Colombia, there may be potential errors in the Spanish translation of the outcome measure, and students encountered Internet connectivity issues during the test that may have impacted their scores. Immediate interventions are required to improve teaching and students’ learning outcomes related to basic manual wheelchair provision in these two programs. This study may serve as a foundation for future regional or national studies that assess the situation of wheelchair provision training in rehabilitation programs that will inform improvement actions. This manuscript is also available in Spanish as Supplemental Material.

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists in Malaysia typically do not work within CBR. Therefore, exploring the use of services through a non-traditional student placement was a crucial first step in understanding how to develop capacity for such services. It was also important to develop an understanding of the ways in which the implementation of this student placement influenced learning in the context of a Malaysian CBR programme.

Method: An action research study was designed to implement and evaluate student speech-language pathology (SLP) placement within a Malaysian community-based rehabilitation (CBR) centre for children with communication disabilities. Data collection involved the learning experiences of key adult stakeholders (students, workers, parents, and the principal research investigator (PI) or lead author).

Results: Study findings indicated that all adult learners became better empowered by working together. Workers involved in impairment-focussed rehabilitation activities grew in understanding and skills when supported by relevant professionals.The importance of mentoring as a learning-teaching relationship was demonstrated.

Conclusion: While the study has indicated that the setting is beneficial as a student placement, the development of a specialisation in CBR for allied health professionals would be a relevant way forward in the Malaysian context.

Background: South Africa is a multicultural, multiracial and multilingual nation with many different values, traditions and cultural practices. Different belief systems may give rise to different attitudes and practices relating to disability, which may impact on rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs relating to disability in three broad cultural groups in the Western Cape.

Method: Sixty primary caregivers were interviewed by using a knowledge, attitude and belief (KAB) survey in a structured interview format. Probability and non-probability (systematic and purposive) sampling were used. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Results: While caregivers from coloured and white communities generally had become acquainted with disability from an early age, caregivers in black communities often only learnt about disability following the birth of a disabled child. All caregivers had only a rather rudimentary knowledge of the causes of disability, but held positive attitudes towards people with disabilities and their integration into society. The qualitative data showed some differences in beliefs between the three groups in relation to the causes of disability and the need for rehabilitation. The data also revealed negative experiences across the groups in relation to education and the availability of transport, particularly amongst caregivers from black and coloured communities.

Conclusions: Health professionals need to understand the culture, values, beliefs and expectations of their clients when providing rehabilitation services within a community-based model. There appears to be a need for improved disability awareness in schools and amongst transport service providers.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to investigate the knowledge and attitudes towards leprosy of physiotherapists in Nigeria.

Method: A cross-sectional survey of 330 physiotherapists, with minimum 1-year work experience in public hospitals in the 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria, was carried out. A pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire with open and close- ended questions was employed. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics of Chi-square tests with Alpha level at 0.05.

Results: The respondents’ mean and range of years of job experience was 8.6 + 5.51 and 1 to 27 years respectively. Close to half (44.5%) of the physiotherapists had only a fair knowledge about leprosy and 165 (50%) had poor attitudes towards leprosy and persons with leprosy. There were significant associations between the schools of training and each level of knowledge (χ2 = 45.04; p = 0.0001) and attitudes of physiotherapists to leprosy and to persons who have suffered from leprosy (χ2 = 20.26; p = 0.009). There was, however, no significant association between years of job experience and each of knowledge (χ2 = 4.76; p = 0. 312), or attitudes of the physiotherapists to leprosy (χ2 = 4.55; p = 0.337).

Conclusions and Implications: It was concluded that a substantial number of physiotherapists in Nigeria had fair knowledge but poor attitudes towards leprosy. The institution of training appears to have an influence on their knowledge and attitudes. It is therefore recommended that educational and training programmes on leprosy should be organised and emphasised at the basic training institutions for physiotherapists.