The role of rehabilitation care workers in South African healthcare: A Q-methodological study

African Journal of Disability

 
 
Field Value
 
Title The role of rehabilitation care workers in South African healthcare: A Q-methodological study
 
Creator Gamiet, Shamila Rowe, Michael
 
Subject primary health care; education; community; community-based rehabilitation; community health workers; intermediate care; participation; primary healthcare; South Africa
Description Background: The South African Department of Health identified the need to train a new cadre of community health worker (CHW) in the field of rehabilitation as part of their 2030 Health Plan that aims to improve primary healthcare (PHC) and community-based rehabilitation (CBR). Community health workers can be effectively utilised in CBR if their role is understood and their potential is not limited by professional protectionism and scepticism. A clear understanding of the scope of practice of a new cadre will minimise resistance by health professionals.Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore rehabilitation health professionals’ perception of the role of the new cadre, called rehabilitation care workers (RCWs), in South African healthcare.Methods: Q-methodology was used to gather and interpret the data. A convenient sample of 16 health professionals participated in the study. Participants ranked statements about the role of the RCWs from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Data were entered into PQMethod software program for statistical and factor analysis.Results: Two factors emerged. Participants loading onto Factors 1 and 2 were of the opinion that RCWs’ role would be to strengthen PHC and CBR and to promote participation of people with disabilities (PWD) in intermediate care and community.Conclusion: Rehabilitation health professionals’ positive perception of the new cadre is encouraging so that it could ensure their effective utilisation in CBR. Rehabilitation care workers were perceived as capable of enhancing the lives of PWD by ensuring inclusive development.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Western Cape Department of Health funded Masters study
Date 2019-10-29
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Q methodology: qualitative and quanitative
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ajod.v8i0.537
 
Source African Journal of Disability; Vol 8 (2019); 7 pages 2226-7220 2223-9170
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/537/1239 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/537/1238 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/537/1240 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/537/1237
 
Coverage South Africa 2013 to 2018 —
Rights Copyright (c) 2019 Shamila Gamiet, Michael Rowe https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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