Browsing by Author "Edries, Naila"

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    Open Access
    The effects of a six-week physiotherapist-led exercise and education intervention in patients with osteoarthritis, awaiting an arthroplasty in the South Africa
    (2015) Saw, Melissa Michelle; Parker, Romy; Edries, Naila
    Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. A major challenge facing those with severe OA is long waiting lists delaying access to joint replacements. Patients are known to wait more than five years for a joint replacement in the Western Cape of South Africa (SA). The main complaint in this population is pain and its consequences including activity limitations, participation restrictions and reduced quality of life. Hip or knee OA is not merely joint degeneration but a condition requiring holistic management, even while waiting for surgery. Most of the literature in this field is available from high income countries exploring the effects of interventions during short waiting periods. Thus research is warranted in a low income country such as SA, in those waiting for long periods to explore the effects of a six-week physiotherapist-led exercise and education intervention. Methods: A single blinded randomised controlled trial, aligned with CONSORT guidelines, was performed at Tygerberg Hospital in the Western Cape, SA. The experimental group attended a six-week group-based physiotherapist-led intervention including education, exercise and relaxation. The control group continued to receive usual care. The primary outcome measure was pain with secondary measures of disability, function, quality of life and self-efficacy. Measures were obtained at six weeks, 12 weeks and six months by a blinded physiotherapist. An open ended questionnaire was completed by the participants in the experimental group at month six. Analysis was by intention to treat. Two-way analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey comparisons were used for parametric data, Pearson Chi squared calculations for categorical data. Effect sizes were established for significant differences between groups. Results: The study recruited 42 participants from the waiting list for a hip or knee arthroplasty. Mean waiting time was 3.6 ± 2.5 years. Compared to the control group, the experimental group had significant improvements with large effect sizes at month six for pain interference (3.49 ± 2.63 vs. 6.09 ± 2.43; p=0.02, ES=1.15) and function (15m fastest speed walk) (15.09 ± 6.04s vs 20.10 ± 8.79s; p=0.03, ES=0.88). Furthermore, the experimental group displayed significant (p < 0.01) and sustained improvements at month six in pain severity, disability and function (15m normal speed walk, sit-stand, 6-minute walk). Subgroup analysis showed participants with knee OA responded better to the intervention than those with OA of the hip or combined hip and knee OA. Participants enjoyed the intervention reporting improved knowledge, function and activity, pain relief and improvement in psychosocial aspects. Conclusions: A six-week physiotherapist-led exercise and education intervention brought about significant long term improvements in pain interference and functional walking ability in patients with osteoarthritis, awaiting a joint replacement compared with a control group. Such a programme also appears to have significant and sustained improvements in pain severity and disability. Further research with longer follow up is recommended to determine if results are sustained.
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    Open Access
    Employee wellness programme in clothing/ textile manufacturing companies: What are the effects?
    (2009) Edries, Naila; Maart, Soraya
    Introduction: The prevalence of health risk behaviours is growing amongst South African employees. Health risk behaviours have been identified as a major contributor to reduced health related quality of life (HRQoL) and the increase prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Worksite wellness programmes promise to promote behaviour changes amongst employees and to improve their HRQoL. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term efficacy of an employee wellness programme on HRQoL, health behaviour change, levels of self efficacy, pain intensity, body mass index (BMI) and absenteeism amongst clothing and textile manufacturing employees. Methods: The study was a randomised control trial consisting of 80 participants from three clothing manufacturing companies in South Africa. The experimental group was subjected to a wellness programme based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as well as weekly supervised exercise classes over six weeks. The control group received a once-off health promotion talk and various educational pamphlets, with no further intervention. Measurements were recorded at baseline and at six weeks post-intervention. Outcome measures used included the EQ-5D, Brief Pain Inventory-SF, Stanford Exercise Behaviours Scale, Stanford Self-Efficacy Scale, Stanford Self-Rated Health Scale, BMI and absenteeism. Data Analysis: All the data were analysed with the Statistica-8 software program. Although t-tests are the most commonly used statistical method for evaluating the differences in the means between two groups (e.g. control and experimental), it assumes that the variable is normally distributed. Thus, because the ordinal data were not normally distributed, non-parametric tests were used to evaluate the differences in the medians between the two groups and to determine the level of significance. The Sign test was used in place of the paired t-test to determine the within group changes. The Mann- Whitney U test was used in place of the independent t-test to determine the difference between the two groups. Results: The experimental group consisted of 39 subjects. At six weeks post intervention the experimental group demonstrated improvement in almost every parameter. In contrast, apart from an overall decrease in time off work, there was no change noted in the behaviour of the control group. Seventy percent of the experimental group had improved HRQoL VAS scores post intervention, indicating improved perceived HRQoL. In comparison, only 58% of the control group had improved HRQoL VAS scores post intervention. v Conclusion: An employee wellness programme based on the principles of CBT combined with weekly aerobic exercise class was beneficial in improving the HRQoL and changing health-related behaviours of clothing/textile manufacturing employees.
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    The impact of an employee wellness programme in clothing/textile manufacturing companies: a randomised controlled trial
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2013) Edries, Naila; Jelsma, Jennifer; Maart, Soraya
    BACKGROUND: The prevalence of health risk behaviours is growing amongst South African employees. Health risk behaviours have been identified as a major contributor to reduced health related quality of life (HRQoL) and the increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Worksite wellness programmes promise to promote behaviour changes amongst employees and to improve their HRQoL. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of an employee wellness programme on HRQoL, health behaviour change, body mass index (BMI) and absenteeism amongst clothing and textile manufacturing employees. METHODS: The study used a randomised control trial design. The sample consisted of 80 subjects from three clothing manufacturing companies in Cape Town, South Africa. The experimental group was subjected to a wellness programme based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as well as weekly supervised exercise classes over six weeks. The control group received a once-off health promotion talk and various educational pamphlets, with no further intervention. Measurements were recorded at baseline and at six weeks post-intervention. Outcome measures included the EQ-5D, Stanford Exercise Behaviours Scale, body mass index and absenteeism.Data was analysed with the Statistica-8 software program. Non-parametric tests were used to evaluate the differences in the medians between the two groups and to determine the level of significance. The Sign test was used to determine the within group changes. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the difference between the two groups. RESULTS: At six weeks post intervention the experimental group (39 subjects) demonstrated improvement in almost every parameter. In contrast, apart from an overall decrease in time off work and a reduction in BMI for all study participants, there was no significant change noted in the behaviour of the control group (41 subjects). Seventy percent of the experimental group had improved HRQoL EQ-5D VAS scores post intervention, indicating improved perceived HRQoL. In comparison, only 58% of the control group had improved HRQoL EQ-5D VAS scores post intervention. There was no significant difference between the two groups at baseline or at six weeks post intervention. CONCLUSION: An employee wellness programme based on the principles of CBT combined with weekly aerobic exercise class was beneficial in improving the perceived HRQoL and changing health-related behaviours of clothing manufacturing employees. However, it cannot be concluded that the EWP was more effective than the once off health promotion talk as no significant changes were noted between the two groups at 6-weeks post intervention.This trial has been registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (trial registration number NCT01625039).
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    Physiotherapy management of patients with Peripheral Artery Disease in the Western Cape
    (2023) Abrahams, Lisa; Edries, Naila; Hendricks Candice
    Peripheral artery disease is a growing public health burden of disability and death worldwide. This is especially the case in lower-income countries like South Africa. Peripheral artery disease is a risk factor for major cardiovascular events and a leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputations. In other countries, supervised exercise therapy has been proven to improve patient outcomes of pain and mobility. Community walking and treadmill walking to the point of claudication onset are established and effective forms of management for peripheral artery disease. These are challenged in an African context due to lack of resources or safety in the community. Minimal research has been done regarding conservative rehabilitation for people with peripheral artery disease in under-resourced environments. There is no known data about the physiotherapy management of people with peripheral artery disease in the Western Cape, South Africa. With ageing populations and risk factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle and diabetes mellitus expected to increase, it is of vital importance that we understand how this disabling condition is currently being managed in the Western Cape.