ArticleThe South African journal of physiotherapy2020
The knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of physiotherapists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, towards mental health.
Article in The South African journal of physiotherapy, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Physiotherapy in Mental Health: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review of Practitioner and Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026Pooled it
- Health professionals' knowledge and understanding of inclusion health: a systematic literature review.Health policy and planning · 2026Pooled it
- Attitudes of medical students toward psychiatry in Eastern Mediterranean Region: A systematic review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Pooled it
- Physiotherapy students' perceptions of managing patients with mental illness: A qualitative exploration at a South African university.The South African journal of physiotherapy · 2026Review
- Mental, physical, and respiratory health in people with tuberculosis in Southern Africa: a multi-country cohort analysis.BMC medicine · 2025Article
- Opinions of physiotherapists at the University Teaching Hospital on assessing the psychological well-being of patients with stroke: A qualitative study.PLOS mental health · 2025Article
- The Approach of Physiotherapists in the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain and Comorbid Anxiety/Depression: Are There Any Differences between Male and Female Professionals?Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Article
- Physiotherapists Lack Knowledge in Mental Health: A Survey of Knowledge and Attitudes of Physical Therapists About Their Role in Mental Health.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2024Article
- Mental health content in the physiotherapy undergraduate curriculum in South Africa.The South African journal of physiotherapy · 2024Article
- Physiotherapy students' and officers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of mental health.Health SA = SA Gesondheid · 2024Article
- Physiotherapy students' knowledge and attitudes about their role in mental health.The South African journal of physiotherapy · 2023Article
- Mental health education for physiotherapists: A scoping review.The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa · 2023Article
- Current knowledge and practice of post-stroke unilateral spatial neglect rehabilitation: A cross-sectional survey of South African neurorehabilitation physiotherapists.The South African journal of physiotherapy · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPhysiotherapists are trained to manage patients with physical needs, but because of limited training at an undergraduate level in mental health, patients may not receive holistic care. This lack of knowledge often can deny people living with a mental illness (PLWMI) the potential benefits of physiotherapy treatment and exercise.
objectivesOur study conducted in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of physiotherapists working in the Department of Health (DoH) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, towards mental health, and to determine whether their undergraduate training prepared them to manage PLWMI.
methodsA mixed-method design was employed. The Attitudes to Psychiatry (ATP-30) questionnaire was distributed to 153 physiotherapists in KwaZulu-Natal. Focus groups were conducted to ascertain whether their undergraduate training prepared them adequately to manage PLWMI.
resultsA total of 124 physiotherapists completed the questionnaires. The mean ATP-30 scores was 103.70 (SD = 11.71). Females had slightly higher ATP-30 scores than males. Physiotherapists indicated in the focus groups that they received limited training about mental health at an undergraduate level.
conclusionPhysiotherapists working in the KwaZulu-Natal public sector have a positive attitude towards mental health and managing PLWMI. Participants expressed the need for the inclusion of theoretical and practical knowledge about mental health in the undergraduate curriculum and postgraduate courses related to this topic. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The outcomes of this study show the importance of the inclusion of mental health in the undergraduate physiotherapy programme. Exposure to the theoretical and practical knowledge of mental health during the undergraduate physiotherapy programme will assist qualified physiotherapists better manage PLWMI. Future studies should be conducted in the other provinces and in the private practice setting in South Africa, so as to compare the results.
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