Level of Involvement in Post- Covid Rehabilitation among Physiotherapists in South Western, Nigeria

Background: COVID-19 is a global public health pandemic. Its victims present with a variety of signs and symptoms, often requiring a multidisciplinary approach to management. Few studies have explored the involvement of physiotherapy in managing COVID-19 in Nigeria. Objective: This study assessed the involvement in post COVID rehabilitation among physiotherapists in south west, Nigeria. It also assessed the association of level of experience in respiratory physiotherapy with level of involvement in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy. Methods: A total of 108 licensed physiotherapists residing in southwestern Nigeria participated in this cross-sectional study (Male: 57%; Female: 43%). An existing questionnaire was adapted into an online Google Form and distributed to licensed physiotherapists across hospitals in southwestern Nigeria. The questionnaire assessed the level of involvement and utilization of physiotherapists during the COVID-19 era. The data was extracted and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with the level of significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The majority of respondents were male (57%) and within the age range of 20–40 years (67%). A significant proportion (38%) held a master’s degree or equivalent. In terms of experience, 34% had over 20 years of practice. Notably, 69% of respondents had not received any referrals for post-COVID patients. Conclusion: The findings indicate that physiotherapists in southwestern Nigeria had limited involvement in post-COVID rehabilitation. Additionally, the level of involvement in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy was significantly associated with the level of experience in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy skills.