Exploring barriers to accessing physiotherapy services for stroke patients at Tema general hospital, Ghana.

This was a cross-sectional survey at one hospital, so it can show links but cannot prove that any barrier caused missed physiotherapy. Participants were outpatients who had already missed or defaulted on visits, so the findings may not apply to stroke patients who never attend physiotherapy or who are admitted to hospital. Barriers and adherence were self-reported, and some links seen in simple comparisons, such as education and broad medication barrier categories, were not significant after other factors were taken into account. The study did not test whether addressing these barriers improves attendance or stroke recovery.

Do not conclude that improving staff friendliness, shortening waiting times, or adding wheelchair access will reduce missed physiotherapy sessions. These health system factors were not significantly linked to default in this single hospital, and the study only measured associations at one time point.