scholarly journals Eye health promotion in the South African primary health care system*

2010 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. L. Sithole ◽  
O. A. Oduntan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
South African ◽  
Primary Health Care System ◽  
The South ◽  
Promotion Policy ◽  
Eye Health ◽  
Primary Health

Objective: There is currently very little or no research being done in South Africa on eye health promotion. Also, there is no evidence of any existing eye health promotion policy in the South African primary health care system. The purpose of this paper therefore is to highlight the lack of an integrated eye health promotion policy in the South African primary health care system.Approach: A literature review of research databases was conducted to identify research done in the previous years pertinent to eye health promotion in South Africa. Also, documents were requested from the South African National Department of Health to ascertain claims of any existing guidelines on eye care. It was found that these documents included the national guidelines on prevention of blindness, refractive error screening for persons 60 years and older, cataract surgery in South Africa, management and control of eye conditions at primary level.Although there is currently no integrated eye health promotion policy in South Africa, the fragmented national guidelines represent the existing policies on eye health promotion.  The custodians of these policies are the eye care coordinators located in each of the nine provinces.Conclusion: Although there are eye care coordinators in each province, there is no evidence of any eye health promotion activities being done in those provinces. Also, only one province out of nine has dedicated health promotion personnel that are not only focusing on eye health matters. This greatly compromises the initiatives of eliminating avoidable blindness. It is therefore recommended that an integrated eye health promotion model be developed so that it may form part of the South African primary health care system. (S Afr Optom 201069(4) 200-206)

An Oral Health Promotion Module for the Primary Health Care Nursing Course in Acornhoek, South Africa

1999 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 351-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eyitope O. Ogunbodede ◽  
Michael J. Rudolph ◽  
Norma M. Tsotsi ◽  
Helen A. Lewis ◽  
Jonathan I. Iloya
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Oral Health Promotion ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Nursing Course ◽  
Care Nursing

scholarly journals Adaptation of the Rapid Estimate of Adult Litera cy in Medicine Revised (REALM -R) to the South African context: Part 1

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zelda Wasserman ◽  
Susanna C.D. Wright ◽  
Todd Mavis Maja
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
South African ◽  
Care Setting ◽  
Health Care Setting ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Primary Health Care Setting ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
African Context

Literacy levels are increasingly important in health care because professional nurses and other health care professionals often use written health education materials as a major component in patient education. In South Africa, no current instrument is available to assess the literacy levels of patients in the primary health care setting, though several instruments have been developed and validated internationally. The purpose of this paper was to adapt and validate the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine Revised (REALM-R) to the South African context. The REALM-R is a short instrument that is designed to rapidly screen clients in the primary health care setting for low health literacy. A modified Delphi-technique was used to measure the judgement of a group of experts for the purpose of making a decision. Eight experts in the field of Nursing Science were selected purposively to obtain the most reliable consensus. Data was collected by means of a selfreport whereby participants responded to a series of questions posed by the researcher. Descriptive statistics was used for analysing data. The REALM-R was adapted to the South African context to ensure that the literacy level of South African clients is measured with an appropriate instrument.OpsommingGeletterdheidsvlakke word toenemend belangrik in gesondheidsorg aangesien geregistreerde verpleegkundiges en ander gesondheidswerkers dikwels geskrewe gesondheidopvoedkundige materiaal gebruik. Op die oomblik in Suid-Afrika is daar geen geletterdheidsvlaksinstrument beskikbaar om pasiënte in primêre gesondheidsorg se geletterdheid te toets nie. Daar bestaan wel gevalideerde internasionale instrumente. Die doel van die studie was om die REALM-R, ‘n internasionaal gevalideerde mediese geletterdheidsinstrument, aan te pas en te valideer om in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks gebruik te kan word. Die REALM-R is ‘n kort geletterdheidsinstrument wat ontwikkel was om primêre sorg pasiênte wat moontlik lae geletterdheidsvaardigheid het, te kansif. ‘n Aangepasde Delphi-tegniek is gebruik om die oordeel van ‘n groep kundiges in te win. Agt kundiges in verpleegwetenskappe is doelgerig gekies ten einde ‘n betroubare ooreenkoms te verkry.Data is deur middel van self-raportering ingewin deurdat die deelnemers op vrae, gestel deur die navorser, geantwoord het. Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om die data te ontleed. Die REALM-R is aangepas vir die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks ten einde ‘n geskikte instrument beskikbaar te stel om die geletterdheidsvaardigheid van primêre sorg pasiente vinnig en akkuraat te kan meet.

scholarly journals WASH infrastructure and practices in primary health care clinics in the rural Vhembe District municipality in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Potgieter ◽  
N. T. Banda ◽  
P. J. Becker ◽  
A. N. Traore-Hoffman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
World Health ◽  
Primary Health Care System ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Health Care Clinics ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Vhembe District

Abstract Background South Africa has unique and diverse social and economic factors that have an impact on the provision of basic water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management infrastructure and practices at health care facilities in ensuring patient safety and prevent the spread of diseases. Methods The aim of this study was to evaluate water, sanitation and hygiene access and standards at 50 government owned public health care clinics in the rural region of the Vhembe district of South Africa during 2016/2017, using self-observation, an observation checklist, record reviews and interviews with clinic managers. Water quality from all available water sources on the clinic compound was analysed for Total coliform and E. coli counts using the Colilert Quanti-tray/2000 system. The prevalence of pathogenic diarrhea causing E. coli strains was established using multiplex-Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results The health care clinics in the Vhembe District generally complied with the basic WASH services guidelines according to the World Health Organisation. Although 80% of the clinics used borehole water which is classified as an improved water source, microbiological assessment showed that 38% inside taps and 64% outside taps from the clinic compounds had TC counts higher than guideline limits for safe drinking. Similarly, EC counts above the guideline limit for safe drinking water were detected in 17% inside taps and 32% outside taps from the clinic compounds. Pathogenic EAEC, EPEC, ETEC and EHEC strains were isolated in the collected water samples. Although improved sanitation infrastructures were present in most of the clinics, the sanitary conditions of these toilets were not up to standard. Waste systems were not adequately managed. A total of 90% of the clinics had hand washing basins, while only 61% of the clinics had soap present and only 64% of the clinics had adequate signs and posters reminding the staff, care givers and patients to wash their hands. Conclusions Various WASH aspects within the primary health care system in South Africa needs to be improved and corrected. A more rigorous system that is inclusive of all role players in the WASH sectors, with regular monitoring and training sessions, should be used.

scholarly journals National guidelines for the management of diabetes mellitus: a nursing perspective

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Coleen O’Brien ◽  
Dalena Van Rooyen ◽  
Sheree Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Full Text ◽  
Primary Health Care System ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Comprehensive Primary Health Care

Since 1994, the emphasis in the provision of health services in South Africa has shifted from hospital-based care to a community-based comprehensive primary health care system, especially important in the management of chronic diseases, such as Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Opsomming Vanaf 1994 het die klem ten opsigte van die voorsiening van gesondheidsdienste in Suid-Afrika verskuif van hospitaal- gebaseerde gesondheidsorg na ‘n gemeenskapsgebaseerde omvattende primêre gesondheidsorgsisteem, veral wat die hantering van chroniese siektes soos Diabetes Mellitus (DM) betref. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.

The relative efficiency of South African municipalities in providing public health care

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 346-365
Author(s):  
Josue Mbonigaba ◽  
Saidou Baba Oumar
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
South African ◽  
Relative Efficiency ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Primary Health

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the relative efficiency of South African municipalities in primary health care and hospital care is different and whether South African municipalities can learn from each other to improve on their efficiency. Design/methodology/approach The paper employs efficiency scores, estimated with data envelopment analysis using data from the District Health Barometer of the Health Systems Trust to rank South African municipalities across primary health care and hospital health care. Findings The finding is that the ranking of municipalities is not the same across both types of health care when efficiency scores and efficiency score growth are contemplated. These results imply that municipalities in South Africa are generally inefficient, but with the possibility of learning from each other’s practice in order to increase their technical efficiency. Practical implications The health system authority should monitor service-specific best practices among municipalities so that they can use them as practice guidelines for other municipalities. Originality/value Previous studies in South Africa have not dis-aggregated efficiency analysis across municipalities which are health system components of the broader national health system.

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