Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39026596›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in public health2024

"This can certainly work…": stakeholder perspectives of the feasibility of a caregiver-led training program for caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in a rural setting in Malawi.

Takondwa Connis Bakuwa, Gillian Saloojee, Wiedaad Slemming

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Article in Frontiers in public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Takondwa Connis BakuwaDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi.
Gillian SaloojeeDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Wiedaad SlemmingDivision of Community Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Caregiver training is a key component of rehabilitation for children with complex lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy. However critical shortages of therapists in low- and middle-income countries like Malawi, reduce access to therapy. Introducing expert caregivers to assist with the provision of basic training on the condition for fellow caregivers offers a potential solution. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the implementation of such strategies in low-resource settings. The aim of this study was to explore perspectives of stakeholders regarding the feasibility of implementing a caregiver-led and delivered training program for caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in Malawi. Methods: Over 5 days in January 2023, a caregiver-led training program, the "Malamulele Onward Carer-to-Carer Training Program," was conducted in Blantyre, Malawi. A South African master trainer traveled to Malawi and delivered the program to potential stakeholders including caregivers of children with cerebral palsy; physiotherapists; and community-based organization representatives. Stakeholder perspectives regarding the acceptability, demand, practicality and adaptation of the program were obtained through a combination of focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and daily field notes. Data from the focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The caregiver-led training program was deemed acceptable despite two areas identified as potential areas of concern; that the expert caregivers may cross practice boundaries and that their fellow caregivers may look down upon them. A demand for this program was expressed because of perceived relative advantages and relevance to caregiver needs. Participants indicated that the intervention could be easily delivered using local materials, absorbed and supported by existing community structures. Conclusion: A caregiver-led training program offers an innovative way of supporting caregivers of children with complex disabilities such as cerebral palsy in low-resource settings. The stakeholder engagement demonstrated the positive perspectives of all stakeholders. The areas for modification and adaptation highlighted by the stakeholders will be useful in strengthening the implementation of the program in Malawi.

Indexed as

CaregiversCerebral PalsyFeasibility StudiesFocus GroupsRural PopulationAdultChildFemaleHumansMalawiMaleQualitative ResearchStakeholder Participationcaregiver-ledcerebral palsyfeasibilityimplementationMalawiprogramtraining

Identifiers

PMID39026596
PMCPMC11256784

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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.