Service learning experiences of doctor of physical therapy students with a severe mental illness population

Mental health content in the physiotherapy undergraduate curriculum in South Africa

Background

Knowledge about mental health in physiotherapy practice is essential as mental health can impact physical health. Little is known about the mental health content in the South African physiotherapy undergraduate programme.

Objectives

Our study explored the mental health content in the undergraduate physiotherapy programme at eight universities and the perceptions of academic staff at an identified training institution in South Africa and stakeholders about the relevance of mental health in the undergraduate physiotherapy programme.

Method

Our study employed a concurrent-mixed method design, which consisted of: (1) the administration of a survey to academic leaders or lecturers undertaking mental health teaching at universities and (2) an online interview that included stakeholders and a focus group to gauge perceptions of academic staff at an identified institution in South Africa.

Results

Seven of eight universities participated in our study. All the universities had a psychology module and agreed that it is crucial to have mental health content in the curriculum. There is diversity in the mental health content between the universities.

Conclusion

There is a need for consistency in the mental health content at all universities to ensure that all students receive the same skill set to have an impact on the quality of care.

Clinical implications

There is a need to include mental health content at universities offering theoretical and practical undergraduate programmes.

Physician Assistant Student Attitudes About People With Serious Mental Illness

INTRODUCTION

This study explored the attitudes of physician assistant (PA) students toward the future care of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Physician assistant student education offers a unique opportunity to confront and reduce bias toward individuals with SMI. However, no previous literature has documented PA student attitudes toward SMI.

METHODS

Preclinical students (n = 7) from a single PA program were invited to participate in 2 focus groups exploring attitudes toward the future care of patients with SMI. The focus groups lasted approximately 60 minutes and were conducted by non-PA faculty using a question guide.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged from interviews: perceptions about the population, knowledge of mental health conditions, approach to care, and program curriculum input.

DISCUSSION

Several themes aligned with the participant's level of training. Participants demonstrated didactic knowledge yet lacked clinical exposure to provide context. Future studies should focus on developing interactive learning techniques to prepare students for patients with SMI.

Mental health education for physiotherapists: A scoping review

Background

Physiotherapists play an integral role in the management of people living with a mental illness, yet little is known about their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions about mental health globally and particularly in South Africa.

Aim

The purpose of the study is to map global evidence on mental health education for physiotherapists, including their knowledge, attitude and perceptions, with the goal of using this information to design an improved undergraduate curriculum for physiotherapy in South Africa.

Setting

The search was focused on the South African and global context, with the participants as physiotherapists and physiotherapy students.

Methods

The methodical framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malleys guided the scoping review. The online search used five electronic databases. An expert librarian assisted in the search strategy. English language, primary research articles that investigated physiotherapist or physiotherapy students' knowledge, attitude and perceptions towards mental health were sought.

Results

The search strategy extracted 226 published studies and 15 studies were included in the analysis. The results indicated that globally physiotherapists and physiotherapy students had limited knowledge about mental health. Improved attitudes were noted with a mental health training intervention. Negative perceptions were associated with limited knowledge.

Conclusion

There was limited literature on the influence of education on mental health in physiotherapy on attitudes and perceptions. Physiotherapists desired more knowledge about mental health because of the prevalence of mental health disorders.

Contribution

Because of the increasing prevalence of mental illness globally, the findings of this review suggest the necessity of integrating mental health content in the physiotherapists' undergraduate programme to provide high-quality care physiotherapy management for people with mental illnesses.

Physical therapy students' perceptions for working with persons with mental illness in the USA

BACKGROUND

Physical therapists provide important services for improving health and function for the general population; however, physical therapy (PT) is infrequently accessed by persons with a primary diagnosis of severe mental illness (SMI). This study examined the attitudes of PT students before and during their participation in a service-learning (SL) program for people with SMI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional institutional review board approved qualitative study collected 1-h semi-structured qualitative interviews from seven graduates of a doctor of PT program. Participants were from a New Jersey University program in the USA who participated in an SMI SL experience. Participants were asked about participant attitudes toward people with SMI and their observations during a SL experience using an interview guide. All interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and coded using interpretive phenomenological analysis by a team of researchers. This type of qualitative analysis aims to explore participants understanding of their experience without pre-conceived theoretical direction. Recordings, transcripts, and field notes were reviewed for recurring ideas that were summarized into codes. Through independent coding, reflexivity memos, and consensus meetings, data were further analyzed to identify themes. Investigator triangulation addressed differences and aided consensus development.

RESULTS

Before the SL experience, the students reported negative perceptions about people with SMI and feelings of uncertainty and unpreparedness to work with this population. According to student reports, SL supported their personal and professional development and allowed them to see that PT services are beneficial for people with SMI.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that PT students have negative attitudes of people with SMI and feel unprepared to work with this population. The results also support SL as an effective strategy for helping students in their preparation for working with people with SMI.

Impact of Service-Learning on Physiotherapy Students: Exercise Programs for Patients with Heart Transplantation and Acute Coronary Syndrome—A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction. Service-learning (SL) seems to be useful for healthcare students. This study aimed at comparing an SL program versus a traditional approach (TA) on moral sensitivity, ethical competences, knowledge, teaching quality, SL participation and performance, and satisfaction in physiotherapy students. Methods. Randomized clinical trial. A total of 32 physiotherapy students were allocated to an SL group (SLG, n = 16), or to a TA group (TAG, n = 16). Participants had to create an exercise program for patients with heart transplantation and acute coronary syndrome. The SLG performed the program with real patients, whilst the TAG performed a traditional collaborative approach. Moral sensitivity, ethical competences, knowledge and teaching quality were assessed pre- and post-intervention. SL participation and performance and satisfaction of the SLG were assessed post-intervention. Results. After the intervention, the SLG showed higher moral sensitivity, ethical competences, knowledge and reported better teaching quality than the TAG. The SL program was useful, addressed a real need, contributed to learning, helped to solve problems, facilitated better comprehension, increased motivation, and students would like to use SL in other subjects. Conclusions. The SL program had a positive impact on students, encouraging the implementation of similar SL interventions. SL may be considered a teaching–learning methodology of choice in physiotherapy students.

Exploring Dental Students’ Perceptions of Mental Illness to Address Unmet Needs: A Preliminary Study

Background:

There is little information about dental students’ perceptions about providing care to people with serious mental illnesses (SMI), despite the significant oral health challenges of this population. Objective: This brief report aims to explore gaps in dental students’ knowledge and skills for providing oral health care to people with SMI, along with their attitudes about working with this underserved population.

Methods:

Post-graduate dental students in the United States at a large northeastern university were asked to provide feedback and responses to 5 open-ended questions prior to an educational module about working with people with SMI, and 22 anonymous responses were received. Qualitative content analysis was used to code responses using independent coding and consensus meetings.

Results:

Dental students expressed concerns about working with this population and felt unprepared to provide services to them. Seven themes were identified and coded into three primary categories: Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes. Codes representing dental student knowledge gaps included mental health literacy and professional role clarification. Skill deficits were coded as an adaptation of dental care practices, communication skills, crisis management, and management of care. Attitudes were coded as beliefs about people with SMI.

Conclusion:

Additional attention to mental illness in dental education could assist future professionals in their skills and knowledge to address the extensive unmet oral health needs of people with SMI.