Stroke is the second major cause of death and disability worldwide. Most stroke survivors experience various challenges due to physical and mental impairments which increase the burden on spouses during care. The broad aim of this study was to explore the challenges and experiences of stroke patients and their spouses during and after rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Centre in Blantyre, Malawi. Methods This was a qualitative exploratory study design. We conveniently selected 18 participants. Half of the population comprised patients and the other half spouses. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions and were analysed using thematic content analysis. Results Stroke patients were found to be challenged by lack of mobility and failure to perform basic functional activities such as walking and feeding using the affected hand, which resulted in sudden dependence on the spouse for basic self-care and daily activities. In consequence, spouses were burdened by care-giving responsibilities while, on the other hand, most participants had limited access to rehabilitation and health services at the grassroots level. Moreover, congestion and lack of privacy were shown to exist at the Kachere Rehabilitation Centre due to inadequate space. Conclusion This study has managed to show some of the problems that stroke patients and spouses experience during and after rehabilitation. There is a need for early and adequate intervention to address functional limitations and facilitate return to work. Spouses should be made to understand the condition of their partner and educated regarding possible implications of the same. In addition, social and psychological support should form an inseparable part of the therapy. Stroke support groups and association could be considered as a way of enhancing social support and awareness.

BackgroundAs health care practitioners, it is important to have an understanding of the common barriers to and facilitators of the rehabilitation services we provide.ObjectivesThis article aimed to review the relevant literature regarding barriers to and facilitators of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.MethodArticles for the period 1990–2010 using descriptors related to rehabilitation services, barriers, facilitators and the physically disabled population were retrieved for this review.ResultsA total of 19 article titles were identified from references of other articles but following application of the inclusion criteria selected for this review, only six articles were chosen. Five of these articles were qualitative studies and one was a quantitative study. Barriers and facilitators regarding rehabilitation services highlighted by participants in the studies included a perception that health professionals have a lack of understanding of rehabilitation for people with disabilities and there was a lack of information sharing from health professionals about the rehabilitation process. On the other hand some participants reported that health professionals demonstrated confidence in the disability and rehabilitation process during consultation and highlighted that their needs were met by the rehabilitation professionals.ConclusionEven though there were few studies highlighting the barriers to and facilitators of rehabilitation services, they highlighted that there are gaps in the process of rehabilitation services provided. It would be advisable for health professionals to take cognisance of the issues highlighted in this study in order to make rehabilitation services more effective.

The challenges facing children with disability start at birth but are little different from those faced throughout their life. Action to remove these challenges is warranted.

Evaluation of rehabilitation programmes is essentialin order to monitor its effectiveness and relevance. There is howevera need to consider policies when conducting evaluation researchin rehabilitation. The aim of this paper is to present the theoreticaland legislative underpinnings of rehabilitation in South Africa.A narrative review of national and international disability legislationand empirical research in context of rehabilitation was conducted.The findings of this review reveals that as a fluid construct, thediscourse of rehabilitation has been underpinned by the changingtheoretical and socio-political understandings of disability. This inturn has influenced various international and national health anddisability policies and legislations that oversee the implementation ofrehabilitation practice. Despite this, there has been little evaluationof public health rehabilitation services in context of these policies and legislations in South Africa. The fluidity of rehabilitationneed to be considered when conducting evaluation research in rehabilitation.

Background: Rehabilitation is of fundamental importance for the persons with disability to achieve functional independence and have an improved quality of life. To enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation, it  is  important  to  seek  clients’  perspectives  of  the  rehabilitation  services and  to  incorporate  these  perspectives  into  the  planning  and  delivery  of rehabilitation  services.  The  aim  of  this  study  was  to  explore  the  persons with  physical  disabilities’  experiences  of  the  rehabilitation  services  they received at Community Health Centres (CHCs). Methods: In-depth  qualitative  interviews  were  used  to  collect  data.  Ten  persons  with  physical  disabilities,  who  had  received  rehabilitation  services at CHCs participated in the in-depth interviews. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim.  Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.  Results: The  clients  experienced  problems  with  accessing  transport  and  obtaining  information  from  the  service providers. Experiences regarding clients’ involvement in the rehabilitation were varied. All the clients reported positive experiences regarding their interaction with service providers and family involvement. Conclusion: The experiences of the participants who accessed CHCs for rehabilitation were positive and negative. The service providers should therefore address the aspects of rehabilitation that were negatively experienced.