Health SA Gesondheid最新文献

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused abrupt closure of schools including higher education institutions. The transition from in-person to virtual teaching platforms caused challenges for frontline nurses in post-basic programmes. Nurses were forced to divide their efforts between responding to the pandemic and their studies.

Aim: The study aims to describe the experiences of nurses studying post-basic qualifications during COVID-19 in KwaZulu-Natal.

Setting: The setting comprised virtual platforms such as closed social media groups (nursing colleagues and South African Society of Occupational Health Nurses Facebook) and Microsoft Teams or WhatsApp calls.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive design using individual virtual interviews with eight nurses working in healthcare settings while studying post-basic qualifications. The framework was Fullan's Change Theory in educational settings. Data were analysed using applied thematic analysis.

Results: Four themes were identified; transitioning from in-person to online teaching and learning, challenges in clinical placements, support to achieve educational goals, and unique aspects of studying and caring for infected patients and 10 sub-themes emerged.

Conclusion: Participants found benefits of online learning despite challenges with the Internet network. There was a shortage of mentors, and personal protective equipment in clinical settings; however, participants were cognisant of the duty to care for infected patients notwithstanding personal risk of infection.

Contribution: Nurses were at the frontline of the pandemic yet facing challenges in clinical facilities and their studies. The study could contribute to understanding participants' experiences, which might help with response planning in future pandemics.

Background: The sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information needs of adolescent girls in developing countries are not being met.

Aim: The study explored the sexual and reproductive health information needs, information-seeking behaviour and barriers among adolescent girls in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Setting: The study was conducted in the South eastern sub district of Cape Town metropole.

Methods: The study was conducted at one of the high schools in a highly populated area in the Cape Town metropole. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 adolescent girls aged 16-17 years, who were recruited using purposive sampling techniques. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis framework.

Results: Three themes emerged from the data: (1) adolescent girls exhibit limited awareness and comprehension of sexual and reproductive health; (2) the information-seeking behaviours of adolescent girls regarding sexual and reproductive health and (3) barriers to seeking information.

Conclusion: The establishment of primary healthcare facilities that are friendly to adolescents, combined with impactful reproductive health education and improved parent-adolescent girl relations, is crucial for promoting sexual and reproductive health among adolescent girls.

Contribution: The study offered valuable insights into the SRH information needs, information-seeking behaviour and barriers faced by adolescent girls in accessing SRH information sources and services. These barriers include lack of knowledge about SRH and contraception, challenges within family dynamics, difficulties accessing friendly healthcare services and encountering negative attitudes from healthcare professionals.

Background: Ethiopian maternal mortality remains high, despite the implementation of extensive health programmes. This indicates that the full potential of maternal health services is not being effectively utilised.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the utilisation and factors influencing maternal healthcare services in public health facilities in Addis Ababa.

Setting: This study was conducted in five public hospitals and 10 public health centres of Addis Ababa city administration from 31st August 2023 to 13th October 2023.

Methods: The study's design utilised a cross-sectional quantitative technique, which involved interviewing 354 women from each group who received visits throughout their pregnancy, delivery and postpartum period. The data were analysed using SPSS version 26.

Results: This study analysed maternal health service utilisation indicators, revealing a 70.8% overall utilisation of services, with antenatal care (ANC) at 85.5%, delivery at 71.58% and family planning services (PNC) at 55.4%. The study found that the length of time spent travelling to public health facilities significantly impacts the use of maternal health services. Pregnant women who travelled less than 30 min used services 2.29 times more than those over 2 h. The average client wait time also influenced service usage. Pregnant women with four or more prenatal care visits were more likely to use services.

Conclusion: The study conducted in Addis Ababa's capital city revealed that the utilisation of maternity health care services is not optimal, despite the concentrated resources.

Contribution: The findings of the study could be beneficial for the Addis Ababa Health Bureau, Ministry of Health, legislators, and other stakeholders. It can help in the development of affordable intervention programmes, filling knowledge gaps and updating scientific understanding.

Background: South African drug usage demographics are rare. Substance abuse disorder patients and their families have complex interactions. This study examines family members living with drug addict.

Aim: The study seeks to investigate the experiences of family members living with a substance use disorder (SUD) individual.

Setting: The research took place in a Gqeberha psychiatric facility. Low-income households were interviewed.

Methods: This research is qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study. Recorded and transcribed in-depth patient family interviews were collected. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The data themes were interpreted using family systems theory.

Results: Each of the three main themes has subthemes. The first theme concerns family members' inadequate comprehension of addiction. The subtheme explores family members' denial and failure to recognize substance use disease symptoms. The second theme concerns variations in behaviour that challenge cultural norms. This subtheme addresses hallucinations, delusions, and fury in SUD patients. The third theme addresses the negative effects of drug use on families, potentially leading to divorce. This subtheme focuses on the family's lack of awareness of resources that may have supported them and the SUD individual.

Conclusion: Immediate family members are crucial to patient recovery. The family seemed to be struggling living with an SUD relative. Experts should help the family to manage the addict's treatment. Healthcare education can help families cope with substance abusers.

Contribution: This study will assist the nursing administration in discovering ways to help families manage a loved one with an SUD.

Background: When radiation protection practices are suboptimal, it becomes necessary to take additional steps to optimise practices.

Aim: Therefore, this study aimed to develop a model to facilitate radiation protection among diagnostic radiographers.

Setting: The study was conducted in South Africa.

Methods: A theory-generating design consisting of three steps was used to develop the model: (1) the central concept was identified, defined and classified; (2) relationship statements were created and (3) the model was developed, described and evaluated.

Results: The model was premised on the central concept of facilitating a transformative radiation protection environment and occurs in four phases: (1) relationship, (2) working, (3) termination and (4) independent phases. The radiography manager and radiographer enter the relationship phase of the model because of discord regarding radiation protection in their department and work together to optimise radiation protection. The model's purpose, assumptions, context, structure and process are described.

Conclusion: A model to facilitate radiation protection among radiographers was conceptualised to optimise radiation protection. The model details the steps the radiography manager and radiographer take to co-create optimal radiation protection practices. Radiation protection compliance among radiographers is paramount to ethical radiography practice, and the model provides a guide to optimise radiation protection.

Contribution: In any radiography department where radiation protection may be lacking, the model provides a road map of possibilities for change. Ultimately, radiation protection compliance improves patient care and outcomes.

Background: In the 1970s, medical sociologist Aaron Antonovsky developed the concept of salutogenesis, which is the study of health and development focusing on sense of coherence (SOC). Although salutogenesis has been well researched in higher education contexts, the concept has not been studied in depth in intercultural and cross-cultural settings, such as the one provided by semester at sea (SAS), which is a United States (US) study-abroad programme.

Aim: The aim was to investigate and compare levels of SOC in students in the SAS study-abroad programme.

Setting: The research was conducted during a selected voyage at sea over a period of 106 days.

Methods: The authors used a quantitative cross-sectional correlational design and investigated mean score differences in three SOC sub-scale scores measuring meaningfulness, comprehensibility, and manageability. The authors compared US students' SOC scores to those of students from other countries and compared the scores of women to men. Measurement invariance was firstly established before investigating mean score differences. Data were collected in the form of a survey, using Antonovsky's 29-item Life Orientation Questionnaire.

Results: The study shows that overall scores in meaningfulness were the highest, followed by manageability and comprehensibility, which potentially supports the idea that the motivational component in life of these students is the most important. Finally, women scored higher in meaningfulness than men.

Conclusion: The study can provide insights in SOC in students and might provide implications for interventions regarding SOC results across diverse student populations in SAS.

Contribution: This article contributes to SOC research in study-abroad programmes.

Background: Group work is employed in higher education institutions to foster communication, collaborative learning, leadership qualities and teamwork skills. The rationale behind group work as a learning strategy is to ensure that graduates are equipped with teamwork skills.

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish whether the final-year radiography students of the National Diploma curriculum in three universities in South Africa were exposed to effective group work.

Setting: The study was conducted in three universities in South Africa, all of which offer diagnostic radiography programmes.

Methods: This study used a non-experimental descriptive design to collect data. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants. This was an attempt to conduct a census on 167 students, out of which 124 students responded to the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 74.25%.

Results: The findings show that the majority (n = 81; 66.9%) of students did not enjoy group work, as 101 (81.5%) of them preferred less group projects. The results further demonstrated that participants rated factors such as co-operation, leadership, choice, diversity and effectiveness of group work neutral on the Likert scale.

Conclusion: The study results imply that factors that contribute towards the effectiveness of group work should be incorporated into group activities in order for student radiographers to be exposed to effective group work. The gaps identified in this study indicate the need for a follow-up study within the current 4-year bachelor's degree in radiography.

Contribution: Identification of a gap in radiography education, which group work needs to be facilitated effectively.

Background: Effective implementation of Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services (AYFS) that are accessible, acceptable and effective for diverse youth population groups is significant to enhancing youth health. Because of various factors, improving youth health is a challenge in clinics in rural areas.

Aim: This study aims to explore and understand the challenges nurses experience while implementing AYFS programmes in Kganya local area clinics of the Capricorn district, Limpopo province, South Africa.

Setting: The study was conducted in the clinics of Kganya local area of Capricorn district, Limpopo province, South Africa.

Method: A qualitative, phenomenological, exploratory, descriptive design is employed in this study. Twelve nurses were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with an interview guide. Notably, data were analysed using Tesch's open coding method.

Results: Two themes emerge from this study: 'Challenges experienced related to the implementation of Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services' and 'Suggestions to improve Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services'.

Conclusion: The results of this study confirm that nurses experience diverse challenges while implementing AYFS. Challenges include a lack of trained staff and material resources and the negative attitudes of adolescents, parents and community members.

Contributions: This study's findings might help identify the gaps in implementing the AYFS programmes. The findings may assist policymakers and the National Department of Health (NDoH) to monitor and review the effectiveness of the AYFS programme standards.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v29i0.2672.].

Background: Occupational nurses continue to provide service to mineworkers diagnosed with chronic illnesses, however, non-adherence to medication is prevalent, cause overcrowding, long queues and admission at hospitals as they become sick.

Aim: This study aimed to describe the experience of occupational nurses (ONs) regarding non-adherence to medication among mineworkers diagnosed with chronic illnesses.

Setting: The study was conducted at a selected mine in Gauteng province, South Africa.

Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive design that is contextual in nature, was used with a phenomenological approach. Thirteen ONs were purposively sampled and individual face-to-face interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. Thematic analysis using ATLAS.ti 24 software was applied to analyse the data collected. The researcher and the independent coder held a consensus discussion and agreed on the themes and the sub-themes.

Results: Two themes and various sub-themes emerged along with Care-related challenges linked to the mineworkers and challenges related to the provision of service to mineworkers. Data analysed indicated that the ONs had varying but often similar perspectives regarding non-adherence to medication among mineworkers diagnosed with chronic illnesses.

Conclusion: Non-adherence to medication is prevalent among mineworkers diagnosed with chronic illnesses and improving the mineworkers' outcomes requires addressing the issue of non-adherence to primary medication.

Contribution: This study highlights the importance of adhering to prescribed medication among mineworkers diagnosed with chronic illnesses to ensure quality of life.