By Luc Vanhees
Background. Many people continue to live with physical disabilities across the globe, especially in rural Africa despite expertise
of Physiotherapists and available evidence of effectiveness of Physiotherapy. Objective. To determine the obstacles to obtaining
Optimal Physiotherapy services in a rural community in Southeastern Nigeria. Methods. Population-based cross-sectional study
of individuals and health facilities in a rural community in Southeastern Nigeria. Results. The obstacles to obtaining optimal
physiotherapy services in this community were unavailability of physiotherapy services, poor knowledge of health workers and
community dwellers of the roles and scope of physiotherapy, poor health care seeking behavior of community dwellers, patronage
of traditional health workers, and poor referral practices by health workers. Conclusion. Rural health workers in NkanuWest Local
Government and other rural communities in Nigeria and Africa should be educated on the roles and scope of physiotherapy. There
is a need for raising awareness of the management options for movement/functional problems for rural indigenous communities
in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. Physiotherapists should be made aware of the growing need for physiotherapy in
rural areas of Nigeria and Africa largely Background. Many people continue to live with physical disabilities across the globe, especially in rural Africa despite expertise
of Physiotherapists and available evidence of effectiveness of Physiotherapy. Objective. To determine the obstacles to obtaining
Optimal Physiotherapy services in a rural community in Southeastern Nigeria. Methods. Population-based cross-sectional study
of individuals and health facilities in a rural community in Southeastern Nigeria. Results. The obstacles to obtaining optimal
physiotherapy services in this community were unavailability of physiotherapy services, poor knowledge of health workers and
community dwellers of the roles and scope of physiotherapy, poor health care seeking behavior of community dwellers, patronage
of traditional health workers, and poor referral practices by health workers. Conclusion. Rural health workers in NkanuWest Local
Government and other rural communities in Nigeria and Africa should be educated on the roles and scope of physiotherapy. There
is a need for raising awareness of the management options for movement/functional problems for rural indigenous communities
in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. Physiotherapists should be made aware of the growing need for physiotherapy in
rural areas of Nigeria and Africa largely comprising of the elderly.comprising of the elderly.