1
|
Moodley SV, Wolvaardt J, Grobler C. Developing mental health curricula and a service provision model for clinical associates in South Africa: a Delphi survey of family physicians and psychiatrists. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 24:669. [PMID: 38886678 PMCID: PMC11184835 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05637-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical associates are a health professional cadre that could be utilised in mental health task sharing in South Africa but this is training dependent. The objectives of the study were to identify the potential curricula content, training sites, and teaching modalities for undergraduate and potential postgraduate clinical associate mental health training and to identify the tasks that they should perform based on these curricula. METHODS We utilised the Delphi method to reach consensus on items with the panel comprising psychiatrists and family physicians. The first round questionnaire of the Delphi survey was developed based on a literature review and the results from earlier phases of the overall study. The survey was administered electronically and consisted of three rounds. Following both the first and second rounds, an updated questionnaire was constructed omitting the items on which consensus was reached. The questionnaire consisted primarily of nine-point scales with consensus based on 70% of participants rating 1,2,3 or 7,8,9. RESULTS There were 26 participants in the first round with this number falling to 23 in later rounds. There was strong consensus on a training attachment to a mental health clinic at a community health centre (CHC) at undergraduate (96.2%) and postgraduate level (100%). Consensus was reached on the importance of training on the management of six categories of disorders at the undergraduate level and nine categories of disorders at the postgraduate level. Clerking patients as a teaching modality reached 100% consensus at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. PHC clinics, CHCs and district hospitals reached consensus as appropriate settings for clinical associates to provide mental health services. In addition, GP practices and secondary hospitals reached consensus for those with postgraduate training. Consensus was reached on ten of the 21 listed tasks that could be performed based on undergraduate training and 20 of the 21 tasks based on a postgraduate qualification in mental health. CONCLUSIONS The Delphi panel's recommendations provide a clear roadmap for enhancing mental health curricula for clinical associates, enabling their utilisation in mental health service provision. A future postgraduate mental health qualification for clinical associates would allow for expanded task sharing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacqueline Wolvaardt
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Christoffel Grobler
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Seijas V, Maritz R, Mishra S, Bernard RM, Fernandes P, Lorenz V, Machado B, Posada AM, Lugo-Agudelo LH, Bickenbach J, Sabariego C. Rehabilitation in primary care for an ageing population: a secondary analysis from a scoping review of rehabilitation delivery models. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:123. [PMID: 38263183 PMCID: PMC10804573 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10387-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The world population is ageing rapidly. Rehabilitation is one of the most effective health strategies for improving the health and functioning of older persons. An understanding of the current provision of rehabilitation services in primary care (PC) is needed to optimise access to rehabilitation for an ageing population. The objectives of this scoping review are a) to describe how rehabilitation services are currently offered in PC to older persons, and b) to explore age-related differences in the type of rehabilitation services provided. METHODS We conducted a secondary analysis of a scoping review examining rehabilitation models for older persons, with a focus on PC. Medline and Embase (2015-2022) were searched to identify studies published in English on rehabilitation services for people aged 50 + . Two authors independently screened records and extracted data using the World Health Organization (WHO)'s operational framework, the Primary Health Care Systems (PRIMASYS) approach and the WHO paper on rehabilitation in PC. Data synthesis included quantitative and qualitative analysis. RESULTS We synthesised data from 96 studies, 88.6% conducted in high-income countries (HICs), with 31,956 participants and identified five models for delivering rehabilitation to older persons in PC: community, home, telerehabilitation, outpatient and eldercare. Nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists were the most common providers, with task-shifting reported in 15.6% of studies. The most common interventions were assessment of functioning, rehabilitation coordination, therapeutic exercise, psychological interventions, and self-management education. Environmental adaptations and assistive technology were rarely reported. CONCLUSIONS We described how rehabilitation services are currently provided in PC and explored age-related differences in the type of rehabilitation services received. PC can play a key role in assessing functioning and coordinating the rehabilitation process and is also well-placed to deliver rehabilitation interventions. By understanding models of rehabilitation service delivery in PC, stakeholders can work towards developing more comprehensive and accessible services that meet the diverse needs of an ageing population. Our findings, which highlight the role of rehabilitation in healthy ageing, are a valuable resource for informing policy, practice and future research in the context of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing, the Rehab2030 initiative and the recently adopted WHA resolution on strengthening rehabilitation in health systems, but the conclusions can only be applied to HICs and more studies are needed that reflect the reality in low- and middle-income countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Seijas
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, Lucerne, 6005, Switzerland.
- Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems (WHO Collaborating Center), Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
- Ageing, Functioning Epidemiology and Implementation, Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.
| | - Roxanne Maritz
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, Lucerne, 6005, Switzerland
- Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems (WHO Collaborating Center), Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Satish Mishra
- Disability, Rehabilitation, Palliative and Long-Term Care, Health Workforce and Service Delivery Unit, Division of Country Health Policies and Systems, WHO Regional Office for Europe, UN City, Marmorvej 51, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Renaldo M Bernard
- Ageing, Functioning Epidemiology and Implementation, Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Fernandes
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Federal University of Parana, R. XV de Novembro, 1299 - Centro, Curitiba, PR, 80060-000, Brasil
| | - Viola Lorenz
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, Lucerne, 6005, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Machado
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, Lucerne, 6005, Switzerland
| | - Ana María Posada
- Rehabilitation in Health Research Group, Sede de Investigación Universitaria, University of Antioquia, Cl. 62 # 52-59, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Luz Helena Lugo-Agudelo
- Rehabilitation in Health Research Group, Sede de Investigación Universitaria, University of Antioquia, Cl. 62 # 52-59, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Jerome Bickenbach
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, Lucerne, 6005, Switzerland
- Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems (WHO Collaborating Center), Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Ageing, Functioning Epidemiology and Implementation, Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland
| | - Carla Sabariego
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, Lucerne, 6005, Switzerland
- Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems (WHO Collaborating Center), Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Ageing, Functioning Epidemiology and Implementation, Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Moodley SV, Wolvaardt J, Grobler C. Mental illness attitudes, service provision interest and further training preferences of clinical associates. S Afr Fam Pract (2004) 2024; 66:e1-e9. [PMID: 38299522 PMCID: PMC10839205 DOI: 10.4102/safp.v66i1.5808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-specialist health professionals are required to provide mental health services given the burden of disease due to mental illness. The study aimed to explore the attitudes of clinical associates towards those with mental illness as well as their interest in mental health work and additional mental health training. METHODS A cross-sectional study design was utilised. The study population consisted of clinical associates based in South Africa. An electronic questionnaire was developed that incorporated the 16-item Mental Illness Clinicians' Attitudes version 4 scale (MICA-4), which is scored out of 96 with higher scores indicating more stigmatising attitudes. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine factors associated with the MICA-4 score. RESULTS The mean MICA-4 score for the 166 participants who completed all 16 questions was 37.55 (standard deviation 7.33). In multivariate analysis, the factors associated with significantly lower MICA-4 scores were falling in the 25- to 29-year-old age category and indicating that a mental health rotation formed part of the undergraduate degree. More than 80% of the participants (140/167, 83.8%) indicated an interest in mental health work. Two-thirds of the participants (111/167, 66.5%) indicated an interest in a specialisation in mental health. CONCLUSION The mean MICA-4 score recorded for clinical associates indicates low stigma levels towards those with mental illness. Additionally, there is significant interest in working and training in mental health.Contribution: Training programmes should take note of the contribution of a mental health rotation to a positive attitude to mental health patients. Clinical associates' attitudes towards mental illness together with their interest in working and training in mental health suggest that they could be more widely utilised in mental health service provision.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saiendhra V Moodley
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Moodley SV, Wolvaardt J, Grobler C. Knowledge, confidence, and practices of clinical associates in the management of mental illness. S Afr J Psychiatr 2023; 29:2074. [PMID: 37928935 PMCID: PMC10623624 DOI: 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v29i0.2074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Additional human resources are needed to provide mental health services in underserved areas in South Africa (SA). Clinical associates, the mid-level medical worker cadre in SA, could potentially be used to deliver these services. Aim The study explored the self-reported knowledge, confidence, and current practices of clinical associates related to mental health assessment and management. Setting South Africa. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. The link to the electronic questionnaire was distributed to clinical associates via databases and social media. Data were analysed with Stata v17. Results Of the 209 participants, 205 (98.1%) indicated they had training on management of patients with mental illness during their undergraduate degree and 192 (91.9%) had a mental health rotation. Few (10.7%) had any additional mental health training. Most participants rated their knowledge of priority mental disorders as 'good' or 'excellent'. Only 43.2% of the participants felt quite or very confident to perform a mental health examination. Participants who felt quite or very confident to manage patients presenting with suicide risk, aggression, and confusion were 44.9%, 46.9% and 53.1%, respectively. Factors associated with a confidence score of 75% and higher were male gendered, working in Gauteng or Northern Cape provinces, and in a rural area. The majority of participants were already involved in mental health assessment and management in their current work. Conclusion Clinical associates have a contribution to make in mental health service provision, but this may need to be supplemented by additional practical training. Contribution Potential gaps in training have been identified.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saiendhra V Moodley
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline Wolvaardt
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Christoffel Grobler
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|