Okafor U.C.1, Aiyejusunle C.B.1, Adesanya O.1
1University of Lagos, Physiotherapy, Lagos, Nigeria
Background: Lifestyle-related diseases referred to as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), are the leading causes of death globally killing more people each year than all other causes combined. Lifestyle-related diseases account for 60% of all deaths (38 million). As health care professionals committed to providing the best care, physiotherapists can make tremendous contributions to the society if strategies to induce lifestyle behaviour change are incorporated into the overall clinical management of their clients.
Purpose: This study aimed at providing an insight into the attitude, perception and practice of physiotherapists towards the assessment and management of risk factors of lifestyle-related diseases in patient management in Lagos, Nigeria.
Methods: The participants involved in this study were selected using sample of convenience. They were required to complete a 58-item questionnaire, consisting of 10 sections. Its main focus was on risk factor assessment and management practices. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were used to analyse the data.
Results: A total of 157 copies of the questionnaire were distributed and 110 copies were returned, giving a response rate of 70%. Blood pressure was the most common risk factor assessed (61.8%), followed by lack of exercise (37.3%) and alcohol use (37.3%). Few respondents included smoking and dietary status in their assessment; however, the majority considered them as risk factors that should be assessed. Several barriers to the assessment and management of risk factors of lifestyle-related diseases were identified, the most common of which were lack of time, communication difficulties with patients and patients social belief concerning certain risk factors.
Conclusion(s): The findings in this study showed that physical activity level is the most assessed of all the risk factors, unlike diet, smoking status and alcohol consumption. It also showed that the most common barrier faced in the assessment and management of these risk factors is lack of time.
Implications: Clinicians need to pay more attention to other important risk factors of life-style related diseases and should allocate sufficient time for the assessment and management of these risk factors
Funding acknowledgements: No external funding was received towards this research.
Topic: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) & risk factors
Ethics approval: Research was approved by the Health Research and Ethics Committee of Lagos University Teaching Hospital
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
