Abstract
BackgroundThe South African Department of Health identified the need to train a new cadre of community health worker (CHW) in the field of rehabilitation as part of their 2030 Health Plan that aims to improve primary healthcare (PHC) and community-based rehabilitation (CBR). Community health workers can be effectively utilised in CBR if their role is understood and their potential is not limited by professional protectionism and scepticism. A clear understanding of the scope of practice of a new cadre will minimise resistance by health professionals.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore rehabilitation health professionals’ perception of the role of the new cadre, called rehabilitation care workers (RCWs), in South African healthcare.MethodsQ-methodology was used to gather and interpret the data. A convenient sample of 16 health professionals participated in the study. Participants ranked statements about the role of the RCWs from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Data were entered into PQMethod software program for statistical and factor analysis.ResultsTwo factors emerged. Participants loading onto Factors 1 and 2 were of the opinion that RCWs’ role would be to strengthen PHC and CBR and to promote participation of people with disabilities (PWD) in intermediate care and community.ConclusionRehabilitation health professionals’ positive perception of the new cadre is encouraging so that it could ensure their effective utilisation in CBR. Rehabilitation care workers were perceived as capable of enhancing the lives of PWD by ensuring inclusive development.
Highlights
People with disabilities (PWD) often come from vulnerable communities and experience difficulties with everyday functioning
The two factors that emerged from this study were named according to the participants’ viewpoints of the role of rehabilitation care workers (RCWs) in South African healthcare that were strongly featured
In a study performed in Botswana, Malawi and South Africa, it was found that community disability workers (CDWs) achieved social inclusion for PWD across the lifespan
Summary
People with disabilities (PWD) often come from vulnerable communities and experience difficulties with everyday functioning They struggle to access health and rehabilitation, education and employment opportunities and this leads to poorer health outcomes, lower education achievements and higher rate of unemployment in comparison to people without disabilities (World Health Organization & World Bank 2011). The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified community-based rehabilitation (CBR) as a comprehensive framework for addressing the needs of PWD in compliance with the principles of primary healthcare (PHC) (WHO 2010). The South African Department of Health identified the need to train a new cadre of community health worker (CHW) in the field of rehabilitation as part of their 2030 Health Plan that aims to improve primary healthcare (PHC) and community-based rehabilitation (CBR). A clear understanding of the scope of practice of a new cadre will minimise resistance by health professionals
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