Table 3 Mental and/or physical health outcomes in physiotherapy related studies in Sub-Saharan Africa
First author | Country | Design | Participants | Physiotherapy intervention | Mental and/or physical health outcomes* | MQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aweto 2016 | Nigeria | RCT | 18 (32.1 ± 5.4 years) outpatients with HIV; BMI = 26.1 ± 1.4 vs 15 controls with HIV with care as usual (30.7 ± 5.8 years); 10♂/33 | 6 weeks, 3*week, 30 min moderate intensity aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer provided by a physiotherapist | The Beck Depression Index score only reduced significantly in the exercise group [10.3 ± 6.5 vs.3.5 ± 1.3;P < 0.001] | |
Balchin 2016 | South-Africa | RCT | 30♂ moderately depressed; mean age = 25.4 years, mean BMI = 26.9 | 6 weeks, 3*week, 60 min high vs moderate vs low intensity aerobic exercise; providers unknown | The HAM-D (15.9 ± 1.8 vs. 5.7 ± 5.8 and 16.4 ± 1.4 vs. 6.6 ± 5.0 vs. 17.1 ± 1.2 vs. 11.8 ± 3.9, respectively) and MADRS 12.7 ± 4.0 vs. 7.0 ± 6.7 and 14.4 ± 4.3 vs. 9.0 ± 6.7 vs. 18.8 ± 6.4 vs. 15.0 ± 5.2, respectively) only reduced significantly in the high and moderate intensity aerobic exercise | + |
Maharaj 2011 | South-Africa | RCT | 26 (16♂) (19–58 years) outpatients on antiviral therapy vs 26 (18♂) (22–51 years) | weekly aerobic exercise on cycle ergometer (2*10 min) and treadmill (2*10 min) at 50–70% of the age predicted maximum heart rate for 3 months | Significant improvements in all SF-36 domains (P < 0.05) for the experimental group compared with the control group, with the physical SF-36 summary scores (P < 0.018) and mental SF-36 summary scores (P < 0.021) scores being significantly higher after exercise. | + |
Mutimura 2008 | Rwanda | RCT | 50 (20♂) (37.5 ± 6.9 years) outpatients with HIV; 88% employed; BMI = 24.4 ± 2.7; 20% smoking vs 50 (20♂) controls with HIV with care as usual (37.8 ± 5.5 years) | 26 weeks, 3*week, 90 min moderate intensity aerobic and resistance training; providers unknown | At 6 months, scores on psychological quality of life [1.3 ± 0.3 vs. 0.5 ± 0.1; P < 0.0001], self-esteem [1.3 ± 0.8 vs. 0.1 ± 0.6); P < 0.001], body image [1.5 ± 0.6 vs. 0.0 ± 0.5; P < 0.001] and emotional stress [1.6 ± 0.7 vs. 0.2 ± 0.5; P < 0.001], improved more in the exercise group | |
Harris 2007 | Sierra Leone | Qualitative | Three studies: [1] 6♀ (16–17 years), [2] 8♂ (23–24 years), [3] 12♂ (8 aged 18) child soldiers and torture survivors | 9 to 16 weekly sessions of dance movement therapy with body awareness exercises within psychotherapy | Reduction in self-reported post-traumatic stress symptoms (avoidance and arousal), anxiety and depression | NA |