Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38816054›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2024

Evidence of community health workers' delivery of physical rehabilitation services in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

Miriam Mapulanga, Kabelo Kgarosi, Kuhlula Maluleke, Mbuzeleni Hlongwa, Thembelihle Dlungwane

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Physical rehabilitation delivery by community health workers: Views of the users and caregivers.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Miriam MapulangaDiscipline of Public Health, School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KZN, South Africa mapulanga2002@yahoo.com.ORCID 0000-0001-5519-6635
Kabelo KgarosiDepartment of Library Services, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-4236-3339
Kuhlula MalulekeSchool of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-0002-4697
Mbuzeleni HlongwaDiscipline of Public Health, School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KZN, South Africa.
Thembelihle DlungwaneDiscipline of Public Health, School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KZN, South Africa.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo map the evidence and scope of physical rehabilitation services delivered by community health workers (CHWs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

designScoping review DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central and databases within the EBSCOhost platform. We also searched other literature sources including reference lists, conference presentations and organisational websites such as WHO, Ministries of Health and non-governmental organisations in SSA. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF STUDIES: Articles presenting evidence on CHWs' delivery of physical rehabilitation services in SSA from September 1978 to June 2023. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Screening was conducted by two reviewers and was guided by the inclusion criteria. Thematic content analysis of data was employed. The results are presented according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews.

resultsA total of 6996 articles were identified through various databases, with only 20 studies qualifying for data extraction. Evidence was presented by Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa and Uganda. Assessments, case management, health education, community liaison with support, health systems linkage and administration were the CHWs' scope of practice identified. The review identified home-based, community-based, community and facility-based, home and community-based and facility-based as modes of delivery. The barriers experienced are resources, societal and community attitudes, governance, geographical barriers and delivery capacity, while proximity to the community, positive job attitude and support with collaboration facilitated service delivery.

conclusionTraining and integrating CHWs in national health care systems, with careful selection of existing CHWs, would minimise the barriers faced.

Indexed as

Community Health WorkersAfrica South of the SaharaDelivery of Health CareHumansRehabilitationCaregiversPhysical Therapy ModalitiesPrimary Health CarePUBLIC HEALTHREHABILITATION MEDICINE

Identifiers

PMID38816054
PMCPMC11141183

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.