Exploring national human resource profile and trends of Prosthetists/Orthotists in South Africa from 2002 to 2018
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19530615 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Luphiwo L Mduzana (0000-0002-1595-9340, Walter Sisulu University), Ritika Tiwari (0000-0002-5078-8989, Stellenbosch University), Lieketseng Yvonne Ned (0000-0001-9844-7828, Stellenbosch University, corresponding author), Usuf Chikte (0000-0002-7985-2278, Stellenbosch University) |
| Year | 2020 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1792192-1792192 |
| Publication date | 2020-12-31 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Global Health Action (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1654-9716 • E-ISSN: 1654-9880 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/16549716.2020.1792192 |
| PMID | 32723026 |
| OpenAlex | W3045926387 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 11 |
BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017 estimated that around 35-40 million people require prosthetic or orthotic services. The Framework and Strategy for Disability and Rehabilitation 2015-2030 for South Africa highlights a shortage of human resources for disability and rehabilitation services to manage the various risks and types of impairments faced by the population. OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic trends of Prosthetists/Orthotists (P/O) registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) from 2002 to 2018. METHODS: The study was a retrospective record-based review of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) database from 2002 until 2018. The database of registered Prosthetists/Orthotists was obtained from the HPCSA. RESULTS: Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 22.0). In 2018, there were 544 P/Os registered with the HPCSA with a ratio of 0.09 P/Os per 10,000 population. There has been an average annual increase of 6% from 2002 to 2018. The majority (71.9%) of P/Os are located in the more densely populated and urbanized provinces, namely Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape. The majority of registered P/Os identified as white (61%) followed by Black (22%), Indian (7%) and Coloured (2%). Most of registered P/Os are under the age of 40 years (54.2%) and males make up 73% of the registered P/Os. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the unequal spatial distribution trends of P/Os which could be accounted for by South Africa's apartheid history and the subsequent slow pace of transformation. Addressing the existing shortages is necessary to expand access to P/Os services and to ensure the motivation, planning and provision of adequate infrastructure to provide these services. The study presents a compelling case for the prioritization and strengthening of this workforce for the achievement of effective universal health coverage for persons with disabilities
Economic shortage · Environmental health · Family medicine · Geography · Health care · Physical therapy · Political science · Population · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility · Demography · Disability Rights and Representation · Health Professions · Medicine · Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Robotics · Rehabilitation
| Citations per year | 0.33 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2020 - 2026 (7) |
| Highly cited | No |