scholarly journals Perceptions of South African National and Provincial Health Directorate managers on eye health promotion

2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hlupheka L. Sithole
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
South African ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Eye Health ◽  
Health Directorate

Background: Health directorate managers are responsible for health promotion initiatives in South Africa.Purpose: This study sought to establish the perceptions of health managers in the various health directorates regarding eye health promotion activities in the country.Methods: The study used structured interviews as a tool for collecting relevant information on the perceptions of health directorate managers about eye health promotion. Six managers from the National Department of Health and 53 from the Provincial Health Directorates were interviewed.Results: The provincial managers from the Directorates of Chronic Diseases, Disabilities and Geriatrics (N = 8) indicated that their policies included eye health issues. Those from other directorates (N = 45) indicated that no reference was made to eye health in their provincial policy documents for health promotion. However, they all believed that eye health promotion messages or some elements of eye health promotion should be integrated in their programmes.Conclusion: Although there is a draft policy framework for eye healthcare, the lack of a dedicated directorate and poor capacity in the National Department of Health is likely to retard the progress of implementing policy directives.

scholarly journals Teaching health education

2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Pickett ◽  
Willeke Rietdijk ◽  
Jenny Byrne ◽  
Jonathan Shepherd ◽  
Paul Roderick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand early career teachers’ perceptions of the impact of a pre-service health education programme on their health promotion practice in schools and the contextual factors that influence this. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 primary and secondary trainee and qualified teachers who had trained at a university in England. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings The teachers found the training to be a useful introduction, particularly when it was relevant to their practice. They valued gaining practical skills at university, on placement and in school once qualified. They reported that witnessing pupils’ lives in school had increased their awareness that health education is important. Their personal qualities, life experience, the school’s ethos and competing pressures influenced their practice. Teachers considered that building relationships with colleagues, pupils and parents facilitated health promotion, and that health education needs to be relevant to pupils. Some teachers expressed that teaching about health could be a “minefield”. They also discussed whether schools or parents are responsible for educating pupils about health issues and the place of health promotion within education’s wider purpose. Originality/value Few studies have followed-up trainee teachers once they are in teaching posts to explore the longer-term perceived impact of pre-service health education training. The findings suggest that teachers’ development takes place via an interaction between training and practice, suggesting that training could particularly aim to provide teachers with a contextualised understanding of health issues and practical experience.

scholarly journals Valuing experiential knowledge in health promotion: a new method to build up knowledge in France

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Laurent ◽  
C Ferron ◽  
P Berry ◽  
B Soudier ◽  
B Georgelin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Conclusive Evidence ◽  
Experiential Knowledge ◽  
New Method ◽  
Tobacco Prevention ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sports Clubs

Abstract Issue Effectiveness analyses of health promotion (HP) interventions (HPI) abound nowadays in France, but few research details how HPI work, nor explains how practitioners can translate conclusive evidence from the literature into action. Furthermore, large amounts of experiential knowledge remain untapped and undervalued. To close these gaps, a national multidisciplinary committee, comprising public officials, academics and practitioners, has worked since 2016 at designing a new method to build up knowledge in HP. CEKHP The method aims at Capitalizing, collecting and circulating Experiential Knowledge in HP (CEKHP). Committee members first investigated methods used in other countries to synthesize and share practical evidence, then drafted and experimented CEKHP in 11 different settings to test its relevance and applicability. Results Key components of CEKHP are: 1/CEKHP consists in in-depth semi-structured interviews and offers a guideline template adjustable for various contexts and multiple public health issues (behaviors, environments, etc.); 2/a trained outsider, mastering 7 core competencies, must conduct CEKHP; 3/CEKHP includes a framework for reporting key mechanisms that influence HPI outcomes. Detailed mechanisms include: context, partnerships, key steps, barriers and levers, ethics, theoretical foundations (intervention models, evidence-based literature, etc.), transferability. A guidebook and a toolkit are published in 2020. CEKHP successfully disseminates within the French HP community. It is currently used as the main data collection tool in a research project investigating health promoting sports clubs (PROCeSS) and in a practice-focused project documenting tobacco prevention (DCAP). Lessons Practitioners benefit from access to knowledge on how HPI work. CEKHP offers new tools to value and disseminate experiential knowledge. Given that policymakers increasingly prioritize funding in France on documented HPI, providing such tools and training is crucial. Key messages CEKHP offers a new method in the French context that has proven fruitful in various settings, for various public health issues, and can be useful to practitioners and researchers alike. Building up experiential knowledge with and for practitioners can be effective at both documenting practices and helping them gain new skills and better understanding of their interventions.

scholarly journals Eye health promotion-oriented policy statements in various national and provincial health policy documents in South Africa

2022 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hlupheka L. Sithole
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Eye Health ◽  
Healthcare Needs

Background: There are many fragmented public health policies that give directives towards various aspects of healthcare needs and implementation. However, none of these policies make specific reference to eye health promotion (EHP) as an enabler for individuals to take control of the determinants of their eye health (EH) needs.Aim: The current study sought to identify EHP messages in the various available policy documents at both national and provincial health department levels with a view to assessing awareness on the available gaps for the development of an integrated EHP policy in South Africa.Setting: The study used documents provided by the National Department of Health and those that were available online from various other provincial Departments of Health in the country.Methods: Content analysis of EH policies requested from the Directorate of Chronic Diseases, Disabilities and Geriatrics was conducted. Various other health policies that were enacted post-1994 and endorsed by the National and Provincial Departments of Health were also considered for analysis.Results: Twenty-four documents were considered for content analysis. The national guidelines on eye healthcare made reference to EH activities such as immunisation of children, vision screening of the elderly, vitamin A supplementation and maternal services to detect sexually transmitted diseases, amongst others. Of the 20 national and provincial health documents analysed, only four made reference to EH. None of these documents made any specific reference to EHP.Conclusion: Although four national guidelines contain content related to EHP, the fragmentation and lack of integration with other health policy documents may lead to eye healthcare messages not being prioritised for dissemination even where they are highly required. Also, public eye healthcare services in general will continue to lag behind as is the case in most provinces in South Africa.

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)

scholarly journals Health promotion capacity and institutional systems: an assessment of the South African Department of Health

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teurai Rwafa-Ponela ◽  
Nicola Christofides ◽  
John Eyles ◽  
Jane Goudge
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
South African ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Health Information System ◽  
The South ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Self Assessments

Summary Health promotion (HP) capacity of staff and institutions is critical for health-promoting programmes to address social determinants of health and effectively contribute to disease prevention. HP capacity mapping initiatives are the first step to identify gaps to guide capacity strengthening and inform resource allocation. In low-and-middle-income countries, there is limited evidence on HP capacity. We assessed collective and institutional capacity to prioritize, plan, deliver, monitor and evaluate HP within the South African Department of Health (DoH). A concurrent mixed methods study that drew on data collected using a participatory HP capacity assessment tool. We held five 1-day workshops (one national, two provincial and two districts) with DoH staff (n = 28). Participants completed self-assessments of collective capacity across three areas: technical, coordinating and systems capacity using a four-point Likert scale. HP capacity scores were analysed and presented as means with standard deviations (SDs). Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts of audio-recorded group discussions that provided rationale and evidence for scores were conducted using deductive and inductive codes. At all levels, groups revealed that capacity to develop long-term, sustainable HP interventions was limited. We found limited collaboration between national and provincial HP levels. There was limited monitoring of HP indicators in the health information system. Coordination of HP efforts across different sectors was largely absent. Lack of capacity in budgeting emerged as a major challenge, with few resources available to conduct HP activities at any level. Overall, the capacity mean score was 2.08/4.00 (SD = 0.83). There is need to overcome institutional barriers, and strengthen capacity for HP implementation, support and evaluation within the South African DoH.

scholarly journals The adaptation process of international lecturers in a South African university: The centrality of agency and collegiality

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 236-247
Author(s):  
Loïse Jeannin
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
South African ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Adaptation Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
To Receive

Teaching in a new country initiates a process of adaptation requiring emotional, cognitive and behavioural adjustments. This qualitative study explores international lecturers’ perceptions of their adaptation process in a South African university. The findings, based on semi-structured interviews with six lecturers from six different countries, indicate that teachers’ agency and collegiality are crucial interrelated factors of adaptation. Agency and collegiality enabled lecturers to receive context-relevant information and decide how to modify their pedagogical practices. The description of the adaptation process provides new insights for staff induction programmes.

scholarly journals Health professionals talk about the challenges of suicide prevention in two correctional centres in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter Nieuwoudt ◽  
Jason Bantjes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Suicidal Behaviour ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Correctional Facilities ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Structured Interviews

Suicide is the leading cause of death among offenders in correctional facilities in many parts of the world. While epidemiological data have described the extent and scope of the problem, no research has documented the experiences and insights of health professionals who are tasked with providing care to suicidal offenders in South African correctional centres. It is within this context that we set out to document the experiences of a group of health professionals working in two correctional facilities in South Africa. We were interested in learning from them about their perceptions of the factors that contribute to suicidal behaviour among offenders and their suggestions for suicide prevention. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a group of health professionals ( N = 10). Data were analysed using thematic analysis and an inductive approach was adopted for coding the data. The participants describe a number of structural and contextual factors which they believe make correctional centres in South Africa unsafe, thus increasing the risk of suicidal behaviour among offenders and hindering suicide prevention efforts within the two correctional centres where data were collected. These factors include high levels of psychopathology, trauma, substance abuse, violence, gangsterism, overcrowding, inadequate mental health care resources, and problems relating to stigma. These findings highlight human rights and mental health issues facing offenders and draw attention to conditions within correctional centres that need attention as part of any national suicide prevention strategy in South Africa.

scholarly journals Exploring Participation and Interaction in a Bottom-Up Health Promotion Program for Migrant Women in Norway

2020 ◽  
pp. 104973232098039
Author(s):  
Yan Zhao ◽  
Trude Gjernes ◽  
Marianne Hedlund
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Promotion Program ◽  
Social Setting ◽  
Migrant Women ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Health Expert

In this article, we examine the participation and interactions of migrant women and experts who attended health parties. Based on data from participation observations and semi-structured interviews from participants of health parties, we examine how health parties may be considered an innovative bottom-up community program that could influence how migrant women focus, learn, and discuss health issues as well as interact with health care. Through a qualitative analysis, the article demonstrates two ways of organizing health parties and different approaches to the health expert role, and how this impacts the social setting and interactions of a health party. In the Norwegian setting, migrant women are considered by health authorities to be the most difficult group to reach due to cultural and language barriers. Health parties may represent an alternative for bridging these barriers and may create a useful context for active participation and learning about health for migrant women.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document