Browsing by Author "Rhoda, A."

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    Facilitating community-based interprofessional education and collaborative practice in a health sciences faculty: Student perceptions and experiences
    (African Journal of Health Professions Education, 2016-08-01) Rhoda, A.; Laattoe, N.; Smithdorf, G.; Frantz, Jose M.; Roman, Nicolette V.
    BACKGROUND. Interprofessional education (IPE) aims at facilitating the collaborative practice of healthcare professionals. However, students have varied experiences with IPE and the collaborative practice initiatives implemented by universities. OBJECTIVE. To explore the experiences and perceptions of health science students of an IPE Collaborative practice (IPECP) intervention they had engaged in. METHODS. This qualitative study used two focus group discussions with a conveniently selected group of students who had been part of the intervention. Two researchers who were not part of the intervention conducted the interviews. The audiotaped interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical clearance for the study was received from the University of the Western Cape. RESULTS. Three main themes emerged from the data: the usefulness of the framework introduced as part of the intervention; engaging in interprofessional groups; and the overall impact of the intervention. The students reported that they needed introduction to the framework earlier for it to be useful. It became apparent that students need to be prepared to work in interprofessional groups. The overall intervention was perceived positively, allowing students to become aware of other students’ roles. CONCLUSION. The students experienced a lack of knowledge and therefore struggled with the applications of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health as a framework to facilitate IPECP. However, they experienced the IPECP intervention as providing structure to the clinical placements, making it a more positive experience.
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    Factors affecting length of hospital stay for people with Spinal cord injuries at kanombe military hospital, rwanda
    (University of the Western Cape, 2009) Bwanjugu, P.B; Rhoda, A.
    Spinal cord injury is a devastating condition, and its consequences impact on many facets of an individual's life. Activities of daily living such as personal care and housework might be difficult to perform post injury. The majority of spinal cord injury patients receive hospital-based rehabilitation to address these consequences. The normal length of hospital stay among spinal cord injury patients ranges from three to twelve months, and an increased length of stay are caused by development of secondary complications such as pressure sores, urinary tract infection and respiratory infection. The pu{pose of this study was to determine factors affecting length of hospital stay for individuals with spinal cord injuries at Kanombe Military Hospital in Rwanda. To achieve this, a retrospective sfudy, utilising a quantitative approach was used. The records of individuals with spinal cord injuries discharged from the hospital between l't Januaryl996 and 3l't December 2007 were reviewed to collect data. A data gathering instrument was developed by the researcher and there after used to capture the relevant information from the patients' folders. Information collected included demographic data, information relating to the injury, occulrence of medical complications and length of hospital stay. One hundred and twenty four medical folders of patients discharged from I't January I 996 to 3 l't December 2OO7 at Kanombe Military Hospital were reviewed for data extraction. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 for windows was used to analyse the data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were determined in SPSS. Associations were made between demographic factors and occlurence of secondary medical complications with length of hospital stay. These were computed by means of chi-square tests. One level of significance, alpha set at 502 was used throughout. The linear regression analysis was used to determine factors affecting the length of stay.
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    Neck pain amongst high school learners in the Gauteng province
    (University of the Western Cape, 2010) Mafanya, Cikizwa; Rhoda, A.
    The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain is rising in adolescents and this may be due to new information technology leading to increased computer use, involving repetitive movements and static postures. Adolescent neck pain has not been identified as a widespread problem in South Africa due to limited local research, yet globally the prevalence is increasing at a rapid rate. The researcher has observed a number of school learners presenting with neck pain. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of and factors affecting neck pain at two conveniently selected high schools in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 181 conveniently selected high school learners. A valid, reliable questionnaire which investigated the prevalence of neck pain as well as involvement in sports activities, recreational activities! and the use of computers was used to collect the data .. To determine neck flexor muscle endurance, the neck flexor muscle endurance the neck flexor muscle endurance test was used. SPSS version 16.0 was used to analyze the data. Contributing factors were assessed using Chi square and the Fisher's exact tests. The significance level was set at p<0.05. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze to analyze the effect of the independent variables on the dependent pain. The necessary ethical considerations were adhered to during study. Ethical clearance was obtained from the research grants and study leave at the University of the Western Cape. A total of 181 learners participated in the study. Of the learners who participated, 125 five used computers at school and 32% of the learners used computers at least twice per week. A total of,97(53.6%) learners reported to have experienced neck pain. In the study the following were identified as predictive factors for occurrence of neck pain: computer use at home (OR 2.30; 95CI: 1.07- 4.94), neck flexor muscle endurance (OR .79, 95 C; 0.69- 0.90) and age (OR 2.52; 95CI: 1.18- 5.40). The study is of vital importance to the learners', educators as well as health care professionals as prevention of the predisposing factors helps to lessen the number of absenteeism and improve the learner's performance.
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    The effectiveness of dry needling as an intervention for acute Myofascial low back pain
    (University of the Western Cape, 2017) Bruinders, Glynis Liezl; Rhoda, A.
    Myofascial pain syndrome is a condition caused by myofascial trigger points, which could occur in any area of the body, that affects a large number of the general population and is reported to impair mobility, cause pain, and reduce the overall sense of well-being. The prevalence of myofascial trigger points in low back pain is reported to be high, yet they receive little attention despite being an important source of the condition. Needling techniques such as acupuncture and dry needling, combined with conservative therapy for the treatment of myofascial trigger points, are becoming more popular. Numerous studies proving the use of acupuncture and dry needling in combination with other treatment techniques to treat chronic back ache exists, however in the case of acute myofascial low back pain evidence is sparse.