ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 2437

Initiating an Innovative Training Programme to Improve Access to Musculoskeletal Health Care in Kenya

Anthony D. Woolf1, Jo Erwin2, Omondi G. Oyoo3, Lillian Mwaniki4, Ingrid Cederlund5, Paul Etau6 and Katie Edwards7, 1Rheumatology Dept, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro Cornwall, United Kingdom, 2Research & Development Unit, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Teliske, United Kingdom, 3Rheumatology/Dept of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya, 4Association for Arthritis & Rheumatic Diseases of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya, 5Reumatikerforbundet, Stockholm, Sweden, 6Department of Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kuwait, 7Research & Development Unit, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, United Kingdom

Meeting: 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Education, medical and musculoskeletal disorders

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Title: Programs and Literacy in Patients with Rheumatologic Diseases

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ARHP)

Background/Purpose:

Musculoskeletal conditions (MSC) are common in Kenya yet the training of primary care physicians in MSC is minimal and there are only 2 full time rheumatologists for a population of 41 million. The aim of this project, supported by ILAR, is to enable early access to appropriate health care for MSC in Kenyan communities. In a collaboration between colleagues in Kenya, UK and Sweden an innovative sustainable training programme has been developed to raise the knowledge and skills of health professionals working in the community in the early detection, diagnosis and management of MSC.

Methods:

A programme was developed to train a cohort of mid-grade physicians and patients as trainers in musculoskeletal health. These trainers teach health providers that are the first point of contact for patients in the community e.g. clinical officers. The training emphasises history and examination to identify the musculoskeletal syndrome; the use of basic investigations, diagnosis, management and referral. The trainers work as a physician/patient team with the patients playing a key role in teaching history taking and examination skills and in making health providers aware of the impact of MSC on patient’s lives.

Results:

A train the trainer session was held in March 2012. 10 physicians and 9 patients were trained to become trainers in a 2.5 day session followed by a one-day demonstration training session which was videoed as a resource for the trainers. The trainers have gone on to deliver training to 150 first contact providers in 4 regions across Kenya. The content and delivery of the trainer and health provider courses were rated by participants as very good or excellent. After the first round of health provider training 75% of participants felt they were well prepared to use the skills in MSC diagnosis and 68% felt they were well prepared to use the skills in MSC management in their daily work. A 6 month post training evaluation is to be completed.

Training patients to be educators has started empowering them in advocacy and self-management. The project recognises the need to work with patients to develop an appropriate self management programme for Kenya and plans to address this in the future.

Conclusion:

This sustainable programme has developed a system and resources for delivering effective and appropriate musculoskeletal health care training to first contact health providers across Kenya. It has also raised the level of knowledge and competency of mid-grade physicians so they can fill the gap between first contact providers and hospital specialists. Should the project evaluation show it to be effective in changing practice and improving care for MSC this may provide a template for a programme of MSC training which could be implemented in other low income countries globally.


Disclosure:

A. D. Woolf,
None;

J. Erwin,
None;

O. G. Oyoo,
None;

L. Mwaniki,
None;

I. Cederlund,
None;

P. Etau,
None;

K. Edwards,
None.

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/initiating-an-innovative-training-programme-to-improve-access-to-musculoskeletal-health-care-in-kenya/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology