Satisfaction and adherence of patients with amputations to physiotherapy service at public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: Individuals who have undergone a lower limb amputation require comprehensive rehabilitation from the multidisciplinary team to ensure optimal treatment outcomes and social integration. Physiotherapists play a pivotal role within the multidisciplinary team and offer patients physical and psychosocial rehabilitative care. Determining patients' satisfaction levels and exploring factors affecting adherence to physiotherapy interventions can inform practice and improve service delivery of rehabilitation within resource poor settings such as South Africa. Objectives: To determine the level of satisfaction with physiotherapy services rendered to acute and sub-acute in-patients with lower limb amputations and to explore factors affecting adherence to physiotherapy intervention. Methods: A prospective survey of 35 patients with lower limb amputations from four public hospitals in South Africa was undertaken. A modified version of the Hampstead rehabilitation centre patient satisfaction questionnaire was utilised. Results: Majority of participants were satisfied with the physiotherapy services whilst a few reported dissatisfaction. Three themes emerged whilst exploring the patients' experience relating to adherence to physiotherapy programmes. Themes included service delivery, patient-therapist interaction and participation barriers and facilitators. Conclusion: Recommendations aimed to improve quality of care and healthcare outcomes thereby enhancing the participants' adherence to the physiotherapy programme.