Exploring Nigerian Physiotherapists' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Emergency Department Setting

This study examines the knowledge & attitude, and practice of physiotherapists in Nigerian ED. This study shows physiotherapists in Nigeria have good knowledge of physiotherapy practice in ED and secondary contact physiotherapy is mostly practiced in Nigerian ED. Healthcare policymakers and implementers should take this finding into account when planning the implementation of physiotherapy services in Nigerian hospitals, with particular attention to the ED. Additionally, future studies should further explore this finding to promote and enhance ED physiotherapy services implementation. A cross-sectional study was conducted through a national survey of Nigerian physiotherapists between March and August 2024 to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding physiotherapy in ED. The survey, developed by the researchers based on literature findings, included a mix of 8-item Likert scale questions (ranging from agreement to disagreement) and multiple-choice questions. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used for data analysis. Also, a composite score for knowledge and attitude was calculated, and a two-way ANOVA was performed to assess the effect of qualifications and experience. Additionally, Chi-square analysis examine the associations between region and practice, with significance set at p < 0.05. A total of 108 physiotherapists across six regions of Nigeria participated in the survey, with the highest representation from the South-West (36.4%) and South-East (29.0%) regions. 85% of the participants reported having experience with physiotherapy practice in Nigerian ED. Of the respondents, 58.3% were male and 40.7% were female, with the majority (50%) falling within the 35-44 age range. 65.4% practiced in a tertiary healthcare setting where their ED services are based. Most participants held a Bachelor's degree as their highest qualification (53.7%) with 35.6% having <2years experience as physiotherapist in Nigerian ED.In terms of knowledge, seven out of eight assessed items showed agreement, with the highest level of disagreement (47.7%) related to the presence of clear guidelines for ED practice in Nigeria. Regarding practice, 69.4% of participants indicated that their model of physiotherapy in the ED was secondary contact, and 50.9% reported using a referral system to schedule physiotherapy services in the ED.The results showed no significant association of qualifications (p=0.729) or experience (p=0.824) with knowledge and attitude. In addition, no significant association was found between region and the model of practice (p=0.210). However, there was a significant association between region and ED service scheduling (p=0.042).