This study explores environmental understanding among the health care practitioners serving a rural community in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. During the preliminary phases of the research, the decision was made to adopt a participatory approach to the inquiry as far as was possible. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation and focus group discussions were the techniques chosen to focus the participants' thinking about: the meaning of environment, environmental issues and problems which impact on health, and, environmental education in practice. Comparisons between the recently transformed health education idea proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), known as "health promotion", and a popular environmental education model are made. It is argued that many of the obstacles to effective health education described by the participants in the study can be overcome by using environmental educationlhealth promotion approaches. The findings show that the health practitioners studied relate to a wide range of environmental issues with varying levels of engagement. They are influenced by changing values, their feelings about indigenous knowledge, and their notions about how people should respond to the environment. An urgent need for more and better communication among the different levels of health practitioners is identified. Finally, it is recommended that health care practitioners be supported with opportunities for professional development which can lead to a confident, seIfreflective approach to health education.

This paper explores the utility of Weingarten's (2003) witness positions in the understanding of compassion fatigue in people who care for their own family members with AIDS. The research is embedded in Weingarten's theory of witnessing and narrative theory and practice. The literature review explores the shift from hospital-based care to community/home-based care which has led to family members assuming the role of caring for their family members with AIDS, an overview of the effects of caring for AIDS patients on caregivers and an overview of Weingarten's (2003) theory of witnessing with special emphasis on the witnessing positions and their consequences. Interviews, based on narrative theory and practice in which Weingarten's theory is rooted, gave access to the participants' experiences, which were then analysed and interpreted through a framework developed from the witnessing theory. This article demonstrates the utility of Weingarten's (2003) theory of witnessing to people who are caregivers to their own family members with AIDS. I argue that witness positions occupied by caregivers during witnessing determine whether the caregivers will experience compassion fatigue. The negative consequences related to compassion fatigue that will be reviewed could probably be prevented through active, intentional, compassionate witnessing.

This study investigated factors influencing the quality of data for the Tuberculosis (TB) control programme in Oshakati District in Namibia. A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted using 50 nurses who were sampled from five departments in Oshakati State Hospital. Data was collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The results indicated that the majority (90%) of the respondents agreed that TB training improved correct recording and reporting. Sixty percent of the respondents agreed that TB trainings influenced the rate of incomplete records in the unit, while 26% of the respondents disagreed with this statement. This indicates that TB trainings influence the quality of data reported in the TB programme as it influences correct recording and completeness of data at operational level. Participants’ knowledge on TB control guidelines, in particular the use of TB records to, used to capture the core TB indicators influenced the quality of data in the programme. The attitudes and practises of respondents affected implementation of TB guidelines hence, influencing the quality of data in the programme. The findings related to the influence of the quality of data in the TB programme and its effect to decision-making demonstrated a positive relationship (p=0.0023) between the attitudes of study participant on the use of data collected for decision-making. Knowledge, attitudes and practice are the main factors influencing the quality of data in the TB control programme in Oshakati District. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

The South African government has initiated the transformation of health services in the country towards primary health care (PHC) in order to provide comprehensive care to individuals and families. The move to PHC involves an increased need for collaboration between health professionals. It is proposed that for effective team-work to take place, an understanding of the roles and functions of team members is imperative in providing quality mental health care. This study explored health professionals’ perceptions of the role and function of clinical psychologists working as part of a health care team in a community context. Three focus groups and three individual interviews were conducted with social workers, nurses and doctors. The data was then processed and analysed using a grounded theory method. The research highlighted the importance of knowledge, and how this affects referrals, perceptions, inter-professional relations and the perceived usefulness of clinical psychology and clinical psychologists. What is of significance is the potential power that the health professionals have as gatekeepers between the general public and clinical psychologists.

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The purpose of this study was to examine the problem of access to health care centres in the Western Cape and to forward recommendations that will improve access to health care facilities in the Western Cape. The first objective of the study was to identify trends in primary health care looking at Nigeria, with the view of learning lessons of experience. Secondly, the study provided an overview of the South African health care system. The study further examined the problems around access to Gugulethu Community Health Clinic. The research objectives were directly linked to the composition of chapters. The study utilised a mixed-method approach of quantitative and qualitative approaches. This method is called multi-method approach. The purpose of combining the two approaches was to understand the research problem from a subjective and objective point of view, as well as to provide an in-depth understanding of a research topic, which led to more reliable research results. Data collection was acquired by utilising a structured questionnaire and personal observations. Two groups of respondents participated in the study inter alia: the patients and the staff of Gugulethu Community Health Clinic.

Orientador: Oscar Braz Mendonza Negrão / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-05T20:25:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vieira_MarceloPustilnikdeAlmeida_M.pdf: 1784047 bytes, checksum: 90bf2a347f2fdde54b64397d4cd3bf29 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: Uma das áreas de risco ambiental de maior amplitude e morbidade no município de Campinas (SP) é o bairro Jardim Satélite Íris I, situado sobre e ao redor de antigo depósito de lixo, conhecido por Lixão da Pirelli, onde foram despejados detritos industriais, hospitalares, domésticos e de varrição urbana . No bairro, o atendimento e orientação no âmbito da saúde é oferecido por profissionais radicados em centros ou postos de saúde e por Agentes Comunitários de Saúde itinerantes, que percorrem as residências dos moradores. Em áreas de risco ambiental, a orientação adequada por parte desses profissionais depende de conhecimentos relacionados a processos em curso nos seres humanos, mas também no solo, na água, no ar, bem como nos animais e plantas, todos componentes do Ambiente local. O presente trabalho dedica-se à identificação das concepções de meio físico dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde e das influências dessas concepções em seu trabalho junto aos moradores do bairro Jardim Satélite Íris I. O instrumento de pesquisa utilizado foi a entrevista, aplicada a quase todo o universo, formado por oito Agentes. A conclusão principal da pesquisa é a importância do conhecimento geológico na formação dos Agentes e dos demais profissionais da saúde, conhecimento esse que deveria ser estendido para a educação formal, quer básica ou superior, de forma a ajudar o homem a compreender o planeta sobre o qual vive / Abstract: One of the areas of environmental risk of larger width and morbidity in Campinas (SP) municipal district is the neighborhood Jardim Satélite Íris I, located on and near a old garbage deposit, known by Lixão da Pirelli (The Big Garbage of Pirelli), where industrial, hospital, domestic and sweep urban debris were spilled. In the neighborhood, the attendance and orientation in the ambit of the health is offered by professionals rooted at health centers or health station and for Community Agents of Health itinerant that traveI the residents' residences. In areas of environmental risk, the appropriate orientation for those professionals' part depends on knowledge related to processes in course in the human beings, but also in the soil, in the water, in the air, as well as in the animals and plants, all components in the local Atmosphere. The present work is devoted to the identification of the conceptions of physical middle of the Conununity Agents of Health and of the influences of those conceptions in your work dose to the residents of the neighborhood Jardim Satélite Íris I. The research instrument used it was the interview, applied almost the whole universe, formed by eight Agents. The main research condusion is the importance of the geological knowledge in the formation of the Agents and of the other health professionals, knowledge that that should be extended for the formal basic or superior education, in way to help the man to understand the planet where it lives / Mestrado / Mestre em Ensino e Historia de Ciencias da Terra

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T18:50:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTACAO.pdf: 130882 bytes, checksum: 6474309186b9887314770f165730f9fc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-12-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The present study has as aim analyzing the educational practices developed by the Health Community Agents from two of the Presidente Prudente s Family Health Teams. This programme is considered a new model on basic health attention and contains a more humanized approach with greater influencing power on the family environment, in addition to promoting social-reality-transforming practices. The theoretical reference which gives this study support is the popular health education. It has been chosen the qualitative approach, through a case study, making use of bibliographic living and recorded sources. It consists on documents analysis which verse about the implementation of the programme in the municipality and on semi-structured interviews, whose material was grouped in common topics and interpreted from a theoretical referential viewpoint raised to the analysis of the problem. It highlights, as main results, information that many Community Agents are introduced to their occupations possessing precarious training and the scarce process of continued education; the educational actions described, which range from individual follow-up during home visits to interventions with groups of hypertension patients, diabetics, pregnant women, remaining the focus of these interventions still much too attached to the programmes standardized by health authorities, with prescribing obliquity. It was verified that users of the programme compliment the teams proximity to the community, acknowledge the importance of their job, but request more doctors, more medicines and less disassembling in the groups, since there is a great potion of ill people in Brazil who protest for assistance and quality in the service. It concludes that when it comes to group activities there is concern towards the programmes in the agenda, lacking of integrality in the educational actions, since these latter are reduced to lecturing. These are insufficient actions, when promoting the population s autonomy and understanding is the aim. However it is observed that the Health Community Agent can promote social support to the user, favoring new contacts, helping in the access to health services. The Health Community Agent enlarges the patients Social Network with empathy and solidarity, making possible better living and health conditions to people, contributing, consequently, to the humanization of the Family Health Programme. / A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar as ações educacionais desenvolvidas pelos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde de duas Equipes de Saúde da Família de Presidente Prudente. Esse programa é considerado um novo modelo de atenção básica à saúde e tem uma abordagem mais humanizada e com maior poder de penetração no universo familiar, além de promover práticas transformadoras da realidade social. O referencial teórico que dá sustentação a esse estudo é o da educação popular em saúde. Optou-se pelo enfoque qualitativo, por meio de um estudo de caso, utilizando fontes bibliográficas, documentais e vivas. Consta de análise de documentos que versam sobre a implantação do programa no município e de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, cujo material foi agrupado em temas comuns e interpretado à luz do referencial teórico levantado para análise do problema. Aponta, como principais resultados, a informação de que muitos Agentes Comunitários são lançados a sua jornada de trabalho, com treinamentos precários e escasso processo de educação continuada; as ações educativas descritas, que vão desde o acompanhamento individual nas visitas domiciliares a intervenções com grupos de hipertensos, diabéticos, gestantes, ficando o foco das mesmas ainda muito preso aos programas padronizados pelas instâncias superiores do setor de saúde, com um viés prescritivo. Verificou-se que os usuários elogiam a aproximação da equipe à comunidade, reconhecem a importância do trabalho, mas solicitam mais médicos, mais remédios e menos desmontes nas equipes, já que há uma grande parcela de pessoas doentes no Brasil, que clamam por assistência e qualidade no atendimento. Conclui que, quando se reporta a atividades grupais, há uma preocupação com os programas em pauta, faltando integralidade nas ações educativas, já que essas são reduzidas a palestras. São ações insuficientes, quando se quer promover a autonomia e a conscientização da população. No entanto observa-se que o Agente Comunitário de Saúde pode promover apoio social ao usuário, favorecer-lhe novos contatos, ajudá-lo no acesso a serviços de saúde. Amplia a Rede Social do paciente com empatia e solidariedade, possibilitando melhores condições de vida e saúde às pessoas, colaborando, conseqüentemente, na humanização do Programa Saúde da Família.

D.Cur. / The impressive growth in the extent and range of psychiatric services provided by general hospitals in South Africa, creates stress among nurses employed in these settings which manifests its self in the negative attitudes displayed towards mentally ill people, refusal of dual diagnosis patients transferred from medical surgical units and poor intra-institutional relationships between nurses in medical-surgical units and those who are in the psychiatric unit. This has led to the research study aimed at describing a model for support to assist general hospital nurses mobilize appropriate resources in the process of nursing mentally ill people. The research methodology followed the research model in nursing proposed by Botes (1995). A theory generative, qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was followed. The research methods were dealt with in four steps of theory generation in the following manner: Step 1: Concept analysis: This step was dealt with in two phases which are concept identification and concept definition. During concept identification, a qualitative research strategy which is explorative, descriptive and contextual was used. This was attained through field research conducted in an urban general hospital. A sample of twelve professional was selected from a population of 800 professional nurses employed in a general hospital using a purposive sampling technique. This sample size was determined by saturation of data in themes. Both semi-structured individual phenomenological interviews and observations were used as methods of data collection. The field work was conducted without any preset theoretical framework of reference by using "bracketing" and "intuiting". Giorgi's (1986) method of descriptive data analysis was used. After data analysis, the results were reflected within the Nursing for the Whole Person Theory. Four themes emerged from the results of the study which were:1) the experience with the perception of the mentally ill people, 2) the experience with interpersonal communication patterns, 3) nurses' experience of violence and lastly, 4) the experience of inappropriate patient behaviours. It became clear that the experience of nursing mentally ill people was negative and affected the social, psychological and the physical dimensions of nurses. The results were validated through literature control. The major concept of model was identified as "facilitation of communication". The concept was analysed thoroughly by looking at the dictionary and subject usage. The defining attributes were identified and synthesised through a definition. The other related concepts were identified and classified using a survey list of Dickoff, James & Wiedenbach (1968:430). Step 2: Step 2 dealt with the creation of interrelationship statements between concepts identified in step 1, so that concepts were able to stand in relation to one another. Step 3: dealt with the description of the model using strategies proposed Chin & Kramer (1991). Step 4: dealt with the description of guidelines for model operationalization in practice, education and research. The evaluation of model operationalization will be carried out in future research. To ensure valid results, a model trustworthiness proposed by Guba (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) was used. The following criteria for trustworthiness was applied in all the steps of theory generation: truth value, applicability, consistency and neutrality.

M.Cur. / The establishment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in 1994 was coupled with problems for all the members that were integrated into the new defence force. The perception exists that members of the former non-statutory forces are receiving preferential treatment to the members of the old South African Defence Force. These perceptions create a spirit of negativity amongst members of the former statutory forces. On the other hand members of the former non-statutory forces are frustrated because they feel that top management in the SANDF is resistant to change. The South African Medical Health Service (SAMHS) is an integral part of the SANDF, and therefore the changes that took place in the last five years have had a direct effect on the members of the service, inter alia, the nursing staff It seems as though nursing service managers in the South African Military Health Service are suffering from a lack of motivation. At the moment they are also unable to motivate their subordinates. The following research questions were posed: What are the perceptions of the nursing service managers in the SAMHS with regard to their own level of motivation? What problems do the nursing service managers in the SAMHS encounter with regard to the motivation of their subordinates? Which factors motivate nursing service managers in their work setup (SAMHS and SANDF)? Which factors demotivate nursing service managers in their work setup (SAMHS and SANDF)? Which strategy must be developed to enhance the motivation of the nursing service managers in the SAMHS?

M.Cur. / This research study is on the acceptability of clinical community nursing skills in mobile health services. It is aimed at highlighting whether the skills of community nurses working in mobile health services at a certain area in KwaZulu-Natal are accepted by the community they serve. This was of concern to the researcher because it was discovered that a significant number of people in the community in this area flock to the hospitals, private doctors and traditional healers when there are mobile services which travel to various communities, in order to attend to the health needs of their residents. Interviews were conducted with the patients attending the mobile health services to obtain their views, especially on the community nursing skills. Observations were also conducted after the interviews by the researcher on the skills of the community nurses in the mobile health services. The observations were conducted to verify the results of the interviews. Findings from both data collection methods revealed that some community nursing skills are acceptable and others are unacceptable. Guidelines were formulated to render the mobile health services more user friendly.