ArticleGlobal health action2020
Exploring national human resource profile and trends of Prosthetists/Orthotists in South Africa from 2002 to 2018.
Article in Global health action, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Lower limb prosthesis abandonment and recycling of used components in the public healthcare sector of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.Canadian prosthetics & orthotics journal · 2026Article
- Exploring barriers to access and use of limb prostheses and orthoses in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.African journal of disability · 2026Review
- South African users' function and experience with a magnetorheological microprocessor knee: A mixed methods study.Canadian prosthetics & orthotics journal · 2025Article
- Article
- Estimating the Specialist Surgical Workforce Density in South Africa.Annals of global health · 2021Article
- A Situational Mapping Overview of Training Programmes for Community-Based Rehabilitation Workers in Southern Africa: Strategies for Strengthening Accessible Rural Rehabilitation Practice.Frontiers in public health · 2020Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundThe 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.
objectiveTo describe the demographic trends of Prosthetists/Orthotists (P/O) registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) from 2002 to 2018.
methodsThe 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.
resultsData 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.
conclusionThis 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.
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