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Y. Alhadi1
1International Committee of Red Cross, Physical Rehabilitation Program, Khartoum, Sudan
Background: Sudan experienced number of epidemic and pandemic diseases such as Cholera and Meningitis beside COVID-19 that strongly affect its health system. It is also faced with natural and man-made disasters such as flood and conflicts that requires emergency response. These collectively rendered health system less active. Therefore; all segments need to unite to ensure effective preparedness that lead to better response.
Preparedness Program is comprehensive approach that meet health, security and safety needs of the facility, its staff, their patient population prior to, during and after an emergency.
Physiotherapists involvement in preparedness is seldom noticed despite their important role to participate with sound intervention in strengthening of health system emergency preparedness.
Preparedness Program is comprehensive approach that meet health, security and safety needs of the facility, its staff, their patient population prior to, during and after an emergency.
Physiotherapists involvement in preparedness is seldom noticed despite their important role to participate with sound intervention in strengthening of health system emergency preparedness.
Purpose: The study aims to determine knowledge, attitude and practice of physiotherapists regarding health emergency preparedness program during COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan.
Methods: This study is quantitative, cross-sectional survey. Questionnaire designed using World Health Organization (WHO) survey guidelines used during Cholera outbreak. Questions adopted from WHO strategic framework of emergency preparedness. It consists of 22 questions divided in to 5 sections as A. Demographic data B. Knowledge (emergency preparedness goals and protocol) C. Attitude (preparedness plan and preparedness team) D. Practice (risk assessment and training) E. Challenges. Scalar-scoring method (, 0, 1, & 2 representing Poor, Fair and Good) was used to measure the responses on the three variables that is knowledge, attitude and practice.
The study targeting physiotherapists working as clinicians, academicians and policy makers. Inclusion criteria is licensed and practicing in Sudan with minimum of University degree qualification (B.Sc.) and at least having 1-year of working experience. Participants were selected using probability proportional technique. The data drawn from 335 physiotherapists through list of the 2018 Sudanese National Council for Medical and Health Professions which had 2000 registered physiotherapists.
The research used SPSS to analyze the data focusing on descriptive statistics and Person correlation to determine relationships between knowledge, attitude and practice.
The study targeting physiotherapists working as clinicians, academicians and policy makers. Inclusion criteria is licensed and practicing in Sudan with minimum of University degree qualification (B.Sc.) and at least having 1-year of working experience. Participants were selected using probability proportional technique. The data drawn from 335 physiotherapists through list of the 2018 Sudanese National Council for Medical and Health Professions which had 2000 registered physiotherapists.
The research used SPSS to analyze the data focusing on descriptive statistics and Person correlation to determine relationships between knowledge, attitude and practice.
Results: 335 participants were selected in the study. Majority of them were females 74% and 26% males. Most of respondents had B.Sc. qualification (94%), M.Sc. holders were 6%. Clinical work setting founded to be 69% of respondents work place whereas 20% were working in education and 11% in administration Level of knowledge, attitude and practice measured using 3-point Likert scale. Result showed that 66% of participants have a good knowledge in emergency preparedness, 64% have a positive attitude toward it and 89% have poor emergency preparedness practices. Challenges that lead to poor practices in are health system structure and physiotherapists recognition by medical personnel.
Correlation done to see relationship between knowledge and attitude, which was found to be positive (r = 0.254, p = 0.00, r = 0.254, p = 0.00).
Correlation done to see relationship between knowledge and attitude, which was found to be positive (r = 0.254, p = 0.00, r = 0.254, p = 0.00).
Conclusion(s): This study recorded good knowledge and attitude among physiotherapists. However, the practice is influenced by heath system structure, physiotherapy education and recognition challenges.
Implications: The findings indicated that physiotherapists with adequate knowledge and attitude should be considered as a team member of emergency preparedness to scale up the country’s emergency preparedness during impact of current and future emergencies.
Funding, acknowledgements: None
Keywords: COVID-19, Emergency Preparedness, Physiotherapists
Topic: COVID-19
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Sennar State Ministry of Health and Social Development
Committee: State Ministry of Heath Research Department
Ethics number: SS/MH/50/A/1
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
