Barriers and facilitators to implementation of early mobilisation of critically ill patients in Zimbabwean and South African public sector hospitals: a qualitative study.

Purpose: Implementing early mobilisation in intensive care is challenging, and a detailed knowledge of factors that may hinder or facilitate implementation is essential for success. The study was done to explore the perceived barriers and facilitators to early mobilisation by physiotherapists in Zimbabwean and South African public sector hospital ICUs.

Methods: A qualitative study was done in eight public sector hospitals from South Africa and four hospitals from Zimbabwe.

Absolute and relative reliability of test battery components assembled for schoolboy rugby players playing competitive rugby in low-resource settings: A pragmatic in-season test-retest approach.

Background: Schoolboy rugby is a popular sport which forms the bedrock of rugby development in many African countries, including Zimbabwe. With burgeoning talent identification programmes, the development of multi-dimensional, logically-validated, and reliable test batteries is essential to inform the objective selection of potentially talented young rugby athletes.

Objectives: This study sought evidence on the absolute and relative test-retest reliability of the component test items in the newly-assembled test battery.

Organizational structures and early mobilization practices in South African public sector intensive care units-A cross-sectional study.

Rationale: Understanding current early mobilization practice of patients in intensive care unit (ICU) is critical to the design and implementation of strategies to facilitate its application in a diverse population of critically ill patients encountered in public sector hospitals.

Aim: To evaluate the organizational structures of South African public sector hospital ICUs and to describe early mobilization practices in these units.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done in participating public hospitals from eight provinces in South Africa.

A structural equation modelling of the buffering effect of social support on the report of common mental disorders in Zimbabwean women in the postnatal period.

Objective: Globally, 13-20% of women experience a common mental disorder (CMD) postnatally. Unfortunately, the burden of CMDs is disproportionally substantial in women from low-income countries. Nevertheless, there is a growing recognition of the buffering effect of social support (SS) on psychiatric morbidity and the need for mental well-being support services/interventions.

Logical validation and evaluation of practical feasibility for the SCRuM (School Clinical Rugby Measure) test battery developed for young adolescent rugby players in a resource-constrained environment.

There is a growing impetus towards usage of test batteries in talent identification (TID) programmes in rugby. Consequently, there are many test batteries in existence profiling anthropometric, physiological characteristics and rugby-specific skills. There is no consensus in the literature on the constituent variables and corresponding tests required to inform TID programs.

The impact of social support on the health-related quality of life of adult patients with tuberculosis in Harare, Zimbabwe: a cross-sectional survey.

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) is the second prime cause of mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa and remains a major worldwide public health problem. Unfortunately, patients with TB are at risk of poor mental health. However, patients who receive an adequate amount of social support are likely to have improved health outcomes.

Profiling the mental health of diabetic patients: a cross-sectional survey of Zimbabwean patients.

Objective: The burden of diabetes mellitus has exponentially increased in low resource settings. Patients with diabetes are more likely to exhibit poor mental health which negatively affects treatment outcomes. However, patients with high levels of social support (SS) are likely to report optimal mental health.

Early mobilisation practices of patients in intensive care units in Zimbabwean government hospitals - a cross-sectional study.

Background: Recent evidence shows that early mobilisation of patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) is feasible, safe and associated with improvement in patients' clinical outcomes. However, its successful implementation is dependent on several factors, which include ICU structure and organisational practices.

Objectives: To evaluate the structure and organisational practices of Zimbabwean government hospital ICUs and to describe early mobilisation practices of adult patients in these units.

Human immunodeficiency virus associated pulmonary conditions leading to hospital admission and the pulmonary rehabilitation services received by patients at two central hospitals in Harare.

Objective: Use of highly active antiretroviral therapy has led to marked reductions in the incidence of HIV-associated opportunistic infections but has had comparatively less impact on the incidence of some pulmonary diseases. This study was done to determine the pulmonary conditions leading to hospital admissions in people living with HIV/AIDS at two central hospitals in Zimbabwe and the pulmonary rehabilitation intervention received.

Results: A total of 92 participants were recruited of which 60 (65.

Content validity and test-retest reliability of a low back pain questionnaire in Zimbabwean adolescents.

Background: In Zimbabwe, a recent increase in the volume of research on recurrent non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) has revealed that adolescents are commonly affected. This is alarming to health professionals and parents and calls for serious primary preventative strategies to be developed and implemented forthwith. Early identification initiatives should be prioritised in order to curtail the condition and its progression.

A systematic review investigating measurement properties of physiological tests in rugby.

Background: This systematic review was conducted with the first objective aimed at providing an overview of the physiological characteristics commonly evaluated in rugby and the corresponding tests used to measure each construct. Secondly, the measurement properties of all identified tests per physiological construct were evaluated with the ultimate purpose of identifying tests with strongest level of evidence per construct.

Methods: The review was conducted in two stages.

First aid practices, beliefs, and sources of information among caregivers regarding paediatric burn injuries in Harare, Zimbabwe: A cross-sectional study.

Background: While burns take seconds to occur, injuries incurred result in pain and undesirable long term effects that might take a lifetime to overcome. The study was carried out to determine the measures of first aid delivered by caregivers after a burn injury and sources of the information.

Methods: A cross- sectional study was carried out over a period of 3 months at two central hospitals in Harare.

Psychometric evaluation of the Shona version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS-Shona) in adult informal caregivers of patients with cancer in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Background: Providing care for a patient with cancer can negatively affect the health and psychosocial well-being of informal caregivers. However, social support has been enlisted as an essential buffer to stressful life events. There is now a greater call to routinely measure and provide support for caregivers and this is only feasible through use of validated outcome measures.

The prevalence of pulmonary complications after thoracic and abdominal surgery and associated risk factors in patients admitted at a government hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe-a retrospective study.

Background: The burden of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa has presented unusual and challenging acute surgical problems across all specialties. Thoraco-abdominal surgery cuts through muscle and thereby disrupts the normal anatomy and activity of the respiratory muscles leading to reduced lung volumes and putting the patients at greater risk of developing post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs). PPCs remain an important cause of post-operative morbidity, mortality, and impacts on the long-term outcomes of patients post hospital discharge.

Implementation of the physical function ICU test tool in a resource constrained intensive care unit to promote early mobilisation of critically ill patients- a feasibility study.

Background: The shift of focus in outcome measures from mortality to assessment of functional status in intensive care unit (ICU) patients has resulted in the emergence of mobilisation of critically ill patients as a standard physiotherapy practice in most medium and high income countries. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of an early mobilisation program and to report on the changes in patient clinical outcomes following the intervention in a low income country.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out at one public hospital.

A critical evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions for improving the well-being of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review protocol.

Background: Over the years, family-centered care has evolved as the "gold standard" model for the provision of healthcare services. With the advent of family-centered approach to care comes the inherent need to provide support services to caregivers in addition to meeting the functional needs of children with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy (CP). Provision of care for a child with CP is invariably associated with poor health outcomes in caregivers.

Does an educational workshop have an impact on caregivers' levels of knowledge about cerebral palsy? A comparative, descriptive cross-sectional survey of Zimbabwean caregivers.

Background: The diagnosis of a child with a life-long disability, such as cerebral palsy (CP), can be catastrophic to parents. It is often accompanied by feelings of despair, anxiety, hopelessness, and the fear of the unknown. Knowledge about CP is thus essential for caregiver adjustment and preparation for the caregiving role.

Profile of patients and physiotherapy patterns in intensive care units in public hospitals in Zimbabwe: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Background: Physiotherapy is integral to patient management in the Intensive Care Unit. The precise role that physiotherapists play in the critical care differs significantly worldwide. The aim of the study was to describe the profile of patients and the current patterns of physiotherapy services delivered for patients admitted in the five public hospital intensive care units in Zimbabwe.