Availability and Utilization of Personal Protective Equipment by Nigerian Physiotherapists during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Physiotherapists are exposed to contracting infectious diseases because of the level of contact they have with patients in the course of performing their statutory clinical duties. Objective: The major objective of the study is to determine the availability and utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE) by Nigerian physiotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: One hundred and eighty-one (181) Nigerian physiotherapists participated in an online survey using Google Form application that lasted between September 2020 and October 2020. The data collection instrument was a 22-item close-ended online questionnaire with three domains:  demographics, availability of PPE, and utilization of PPE. The authors made use of different WhatsApp platforms hosting only physiotherapists as a means of reaching out to the respondents. Data obtained from the study were analyzed using STATA 13. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant (confidence level = 95). Results: The result of the study shows there were high availability and utilization of facemasks and hand gloves for the Nigerian physiotherapists during the period of COVID-19 pandemic in the different health facilities; it also shows there was low availability of apron and poor availability of protective eye shield/goggles and shoes during the same period. The finding also showed there was low utilization of apron, protective glasses and shoes by the Nigerian physiotherapists during the peak of COVID-pandemic. Conclusions: Most Nigerian physiotherapists had more face masks and hand gloves during COVID-19 pandemic than they had protective aprons, goggles and shoes. Also, there was high utilization of facemasks and the hand gloves more than an apron, eye shield and protective shoes because the more the PPE was available the more the utilization by the Nigerian Physiotherapists.