The study aimed to explore and described the assessment of patient’s satisfaction with the quality of health care services rendered by the Crossroads Community Health Centre (CHCC). The target population comprised of adult male and female patients who have attended the clinic more than once. One hundred and twenty patients participated in the study. The convenience sampling method was used to select the respondents. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Validity and reliability were ensured. The Chronbach’s alpha reliability test was used to measure the internal consistency of the likert scale questionnaire items and was less than 0.4 for sections B-F, and 0.675 for section E. Descriptive and inferential data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 16.0 for Windows, release 16.0.1 with the assistance of a statistician. The findings indicated a positive perception of the quality of health care services rendered by the Crossroads CHCC. It was concluded that despite a positive perception of the health care services, there was a percentage of the respondents that rated the quality of the service as poor in relation to environmental cleanliness, staff attitudes, long waiting times, medications shortage, the complaints system reporting and health care service drainage to other CHCC where patient’s resided. The issue of quality improvement in these aspects was noted to be crucial and recommendations were made to improve the quality of the health care service at Crossroads CHCC. / Healh Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Standard precautions are a set of guidelines that aim to protect health care workers from infections from blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions except sweat, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes while providing care to patients. However, compliance to the standard precautions is often low in low-income countries in spite of the greater risk of infection. This study examined the knowledge and practice of standard precautions among health care workers in public secondary health facilities in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. A quantitative descriptive survey was conducted with 83 doctors and 194 nurses using a structured questionnaire. Findings show suboptimal knowledge and practice of the standard precautions among the health care workers. Knowledge of post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV was low as well as hepatitis B immunization among the respondents. A lack or irregular supply of essential materials, such as personal protective equipment, was the main reason the respondents did not comply to the precautions. This report recommends the development and implementation of a comprehensive infection prevention and control program in health facilities in order to ensure compliance to the standard precautions by health care workers. / Public Health / M.A. (Public Health)

Primary health care represents a change from curative approach to preventive approach to rendering health care services. The study analyses the problems encountered in the administration of primary health care in South Africa with specific reference to the Emfuleni Local Authority. The study describes the role of international institutions in the administration of primary health care in South Africa. Furthermore, the. historical development, the role of the National Department of Health in the administration of primary health care services is outlined. The study also investigates the role of the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health regarding the implementation of district health system, health promotion, the involvement of the private sector and NGO's in primary health care. Problems encountered by the Emfuleni Local Authority such as la~k finance, personnel shortages, security, urbanisation, non-involvement of traditional healers and citizen apathy are investigated. Lastly, governmental relations for primary health care are described. / Public Administration and Management / M. Admin (Public Administration)

The purpose of this study was to identify the need for a training programme and to develop the training programme to meet the needs of traditional birth attendants in the management of pregnancy, labour and puerperium. The study was conducted in the Flagstaff district which is one of the districts of the north eastern region (region E) of the Eastern Cape. The target group consisted of all the traditional birth attendants who availed themselves at the residential clinics of Flagstaff district and the number is not known as not all traditional birth attendants who presented themselves are recognized by their communities as traditional birth attendants. The study was a quantitative descriptive design and the data was collected by means of structured interviews using a questionnaire that was designed by the researcher. According to the findings the traditional birth attendants are functioning without being formally trained before. They lack knowledge and skill in the management of pregnancy, labour and puerperium. Some of their practices are reason for concern, for example cephalic versions and not using protective devices. There is a need for the development of the training programme in the Flagstaff district. This programme was developed from the information obtained from the data-analysis and is given as annexure F / Health Sciences / M.A. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

The development ofNursing and Nursing Education in Venda is intimately related to the work of the early missionaries, Western education and medical developments. The growth of nursing and health services had a reciprocal relationship. One was not possible without the other, viz the history of missionary education, hospitals, health services, sociocultural and political development. Each stage ofthese developments was an important step in laying the foundation of modem professional nursing and nursing education. Before contact with Western medicine, health and midwifery services were provided by traditional healers, nurses and midwives. Divination was used to: diagnose disease, identify the witch, determine medicines to cure the disease. Western nursing developed through stages of: lay nursing, hospital certificated, auxiliary nurses and midwives, registered nurses and midwives, comprehensive general nurse and midwife. The history of Nursing and Nursing Education is thus part and parcel of the social developments of the country it serves. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

This research study was initiated by the desire to identify the constraining and enabling factors experienced by environmental health officers (EH Os) and their management in the implementation of environmental health education and promotion programmes in the environmental health sector. The research contextualises the issues of health promotion, the role of education in health promotion, and community-based environmental health service provision with specific reference to the role of the EHO in relation to these issues. The foremost value ofthis study lies in the fact that it profiles the need for change in the delivery of community-based environmental health education and promotion programmes and identifies distinctive policy changes and skills development needs in the field of environmental health promotion which are central to improved and sustainable community-based environmental health education and promotion. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die doel van die sensus was om 'n perspektief te verkry oar die bestuur van plaaslike owerhede in die Vrystaat se primere gesondheidsafdelings deur verpleegkundiges. Faktore rakende die omvang van die verpleegkundige in beheer se bestuursfunksies, die werksverhoudinge tussen hulle en hul hoofde, hul optimale benutting ten opsigte van bestuur en sekere aspekte van hul bestuursopleiding is ge"ldentifiseer as belangrike komponente. Ontleding van data het getoon dat verpleegkundiges en hoofde van mekaar verskil ten opsigte van hul sienings rakende die bestuursfunksies van die verpleegkundige in beheer. Werksverhoudinge tussen die verpleegkundiges en hul direkte toesighouer is nie altyd bevredigend nie. Die swak benutting van hul bestuursvaardighede blyk vir die verpleegkundiges in beheer onaanvaarbaar te wees. Sekere aspekte van die bestuursopleiding van verpleegkundiges behoort aandag te geniet. Plaaslike owerhede behoort aan verpleegkundiges geleenthede vir voortgesette bestuursopleiding te bied. Aanbevelings om die optimale benutting van verpleegkundiges in beheer van primere gesondheidsafdelings van plaaslike owerhede te bevorder, is geformuleer. / The purpose of this census was to obtain a perspective on the management of primary health services of local authorities by nurses in the Free State. Factors regarding the extent of management in primary health care services by nurses, working relationships between them and their superiors, their optimal utilisation with regard to management and certain aspects of their managerial training, were identified as important components. Analysis of data indicated that nurses and their superiors differ from one another regarding their views on managerial functions of the nurses in charge. Working relationships between nurses in charge and their superiors were not always satisfactory. Nurses found the poor utilization of their management skills unacceptable. Certain aspects of the managerial training of nurses should receive attention. Local authorities should provide opportunities for ongoing managerial training for nurses. Recommendations to utilise nurses in charge of primary health care services optimally, were formulated. / Health Studies / M.A.

Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Science)

This study, quantitative determinants of need and demand for primary health care in the District of Columbia (DCPC), analysed data over a twenty-year period from 1985 to 2004, on need and demand for primary care using standard and epidemiologically innovative statistical measures for physician distributions and socio-demographic characteristics in the District of Columbia (DC). The study attempted to answer the question: Using U.S census-based small area aggregations, Census Tract Groupings (CTGs), that are not zip-code areas or legislative/political boundaries, can a multivariate predictive model be developed using physician distributions, primary care service index (PCSI) and composite need scores (CNS) to explain variations in primary care visits shortages? Primary care visits shortages and priority scores (PCPS) were calculated, analysed and presented for CTGs in the District of Columbia from 1985 to 2004. Results indicated that the abundant supply of DC-based physicians – indicated by decreasing population per physician ratios of 239 (1985) to 146 (2004) – appear to be a long-term trend. As raw physician counts increased, the ratio of satisfied visits to demand decreased, from 2.62 (1985) to 1.80 (in 2004). This result appears to indicate that, due to inequities in distribution of primary care physicians in DC’s small areas, the increasing numbers of primary care physicians were by themselves, not sufficient to address the city’s overall primary care visits need. Epidemiological profiles and physician distribution analytical methods appear to be useful for small area analysis of urban primary care shortage areas and for setting priorities. Physician rates per 1,000 pop may be a necessary but not sufficient statistic for estimating urban primary health care needs / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

In South Africa prior to 1994, community-based care and support services were established for whites only. The majority of older African (black) persons received informal support from their adult children and relatives. This has waned over the years due to the social and economic changes that have put into doubt the continued viability of such support. The Older Persons Act of 2006 requires social workers to establish community-based care and support services for older persons. Hence, the study was conducted to understand the factors that influence social workers in establishing CBCSS for older persons in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province. A qualitative research method was undertaken to accomplish the goal of the study. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify suitable participants. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen social workers who provide services to older persons. The data was analysed through Tesch’s (cited by Creswell, 2009:186) eight steps of qualitative analysis and data verification was conducted following Guba’s (Kreftling, 1991) model. The major finding is that there is a need for social workers to specialise in older persons programmes (gerontology). For the programmes to be a success, it is recommended that the Department of Social Development (DSD) strive to retain social workers who are knowledgeable and experienced in older persons programmes. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)