ArticleHealth SA = SA Gesondheid2024
Physiotherapy students' and officers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of mental health.
Article in Health SA = SA Gesondheid, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- 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
- Trial
- Integrating a Physical Therapy Program into Usual Care for Hospital Inpatients with Major Depressive Disorder: Findings from a Case Series.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Physiotherapy in mental health is not very popular among physiotherapists, students, healthcare professionals, and people living with mental illness (PLWMI), although many PLWMI are managed by physiotherapy students and physiotherapists. Aim: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of physiotherapy students and physiotherapy community service officers (PCSOs) towards mental health. Setting: The study was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Methods: A concurrent mixed-method was employed using the Attitudes Toward Psychiatry (ATP-30) questionnaire and focus group discussions. The questionnaire was distributed to 100 PCSOs and 191 physiotherapy students. Focus groups were conducted to assess the knowledge gained through the undergraduate programme, comprising three groups of students from second to fourth year and two groups of PCSOs. An interview was also conducted with one PCSO. Results: A total of 146 students and 72 community service officers completed the questionnaire. Participants had an overall positive attitude, with a mean ATP-30 score of 108.02 (standard deviation [s.d.] = 10.86). Those with a family member or friend with a mental illness scored higher. Focus groups revealed limited knowledge about mental health and reluctance to work in the field. Conclusion: Physiotherapy students and PCSOs in KZN had positive attitudes towards mental health despite limited knowledge. They expressed a desire for more information about mental health. Contribution: The curriculum needs to include adequate mental health content to prepare students to manage PLWMI after graduation, reducing stigma, and negative perceptions, and ensuring confidence.
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Registered trials
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