Public service users with upper limb conditions' adherence to home programmes : occupational therapy strategies within the Eastern Cape

Date
2022-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Occupational therapists working within the public sector in the Eastern Cape, South Africa often issue home programmes to clients with upper limb conditions. The home programmes are issued to address barriers such as transport difficulties, financial difficulties, to decrease the number of follow-up sessions required and for therapy to continue in the clients’ context of daily living. Adherence toward home programmes is known to be a problem and occupational therapists using home programmes rely greatly on the adherence to these home programmes issued. Due to this high reliance on adherence to home programmes, occupational therapists should implement strategies in an attempt to improve adherence to home programmes. This study aimed to investigate the strategies employed by occupational therapists to improve public service users with upper limb conditions’ adherence to home programmes. The objectives of this study were to explore whether occupational therapists use strategies to improve adherence to home programmes in public service users with upper limb conditions, to describe these strategies and to explore occupational therapists experience of adherence to home programmes for these clients. A qualitative phenomenological, interpretive research methodology with semi-structured interviews of 12 participants was used during this study. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling. Once the participants agreed to participate in this research study, semi-structured interviews were conducted telephonically, the audio recordings were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed through inductive thematic analysis. Three themes emerged from the data: promoting adherence to therapy, the experience of occupational therapists and strategies used by occupational therapists. It was evident from the gathered data that occupational therapists use a three-pronged strategy to improve adherence to home programmes. This three-pronged strategy is divided into three dimensions namely the therapist and the client, the home programme, and the context in which the home programme is issued (at the clients’ home or work). Within each dimension, there are strategies that occupational therapists use to improve the adherence to home programmes for clients with upper limb conditions. Some of the strategies included therapeutic relationship and environment, health-promoting behaviour, considering the mode of offering, using feedback systems, considering the clients’ support system and financial considerations. Occupational therapists within the Eastern Cape public sector implement strategies in their day-to-day practice to attempt improving adherence to home programmes. From the strategies they use, some facilitate adherence and some hinder adherence. Most of the strategies identified in this research study have supporting evidence to justify that it may improve adherence to home programmes, but further research is needed to investigate if the strategies identified in this study are effective. It is suggested that if occupational therapists implement the strategies from the three dimensions identified, it may lead to improved adherence.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Arbeidsterapeute wat in die Oos-Kaap, Suid Afrika, publieke sektor werk reik dikwels tuisprogramme uit aan kliente met boonste ledemaat beserings as gevolg van tydsbeperkinge en hoe klientelading. Die tuisporgramme word gebruik om hindernisse te verlig soos vervoerprobleme, finansiele probleme, om die hoeveelheid opvolg sessies te verminder en om terapie in die klient se konteks van daaglikse lewe voort te sit. Die nakoming van tuisporgramme is reeds bekend om ‘n probleem te wees en arbeidsterapeute wat tuisprogramme gebruik as deel van hulle behandeling maak grootliks staat op die nakoming van hierdie tuisprogramme wat uitgereik word. As gevolg van die hoe afhanklikheid op tuisprogramme, is arbeidsterapeute veronderstel om strategiee te implementeer om die nakoming van tuisprogramme te probeer verbeter. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die strategiee wat arbeidsterapeute gebruik om die nakoming van tuisprogramme te verbeter vir kliente met boonste ledemaat beserings in die publieke sektor na te vors. Die doelwitte van die studie was om te ondersoek of arbeidsterapeute strategiee gebruik om die nakoming van tuisprogramme van staatsdiensgebruikers met boonste ledemaat beserings te verbeter, om die strategiee wat arbeidsterapeute gebruik te beskryf en om arbeidsterapeute se ervaring met hierdie kliente te verken. ‘n Kwalitatiewe fenomenologiese, interpretatiewe navorsingsmetologie met semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met 12 deelnemers is vir hierdie navorsingstudie gebruik. Deelnemers is gekies deur doelgerigte steekproefneming. Nadat die deelnemers ingestem het om aan hierdie navorsingstudie deel te neem, is semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude telefonies uitgevoer, opgeneem en verbatim getranskribeer. Die data is ontleed met behulp van induktiewe tematiese analise. Drie tema’s het uit die data navore gekom: bevorder nakoming aan terapie, ervaring van arbeidsterapeute en die benaderings wat die arbeidsterapeute gebruik. Dit was duidelik uit die ingesamelde data dat arbeidsterapeute ‘n drieledige benadering gebruik om nakoming van tuisprogramme te verbeter. Hierdie drieledige benadering word in drie dimensies verdeel, naamlik die terapeut en die klient, die tuisprogramme en die konteks waarbinne die tuisprogramme uitgereik word (by die klient se huis of werk). Binne elke dimensie is daar benaderings wat arbeidsterapeute gebruik om die nakoming van tuisprogramme vir kliente met boonste ledemaat beserings te verbeter. Van hierdie strategiee sluit die volgende in: terapeutiese verhouding en omgewing, gesondheidsbevordering gedrag, oorweging van wyse van aanbieding, gebruik van terugvoer sisteme, oorweging van klient se ondersteuningstelsel en finasiele oorweging van kliente. Arbeidsterpauete in die publieke sektor van die Oos-Kaap, implementeer benaderings in hul daaglikse praktykvoering in ‘n poging om die nakoming van tuisprogramme te verbeter. Uit die benaderings wat gebruik word, vergemaklik sommige nakoming en ander belemmer nakoming. Die meeste van die benaderings wat in hierdie studie geїdentifiseer is, het ondersteunende bewyse om te regverdig dat dit nakoming van tuisprogramme kan verbeter, maar verdere navorsing is nodig om te ondersoek of die benaderings wat ge-identifiseer is, effektief is. Dit word voorgestel dat indien arbeidsterapeute hierdie benaderings vanuit die drie dimensies implementeer, dit tot moontlike verbeterde nakoming kan lei.
Description
Thesis (MOccTher)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Citation