Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2006. / Title from title screen (viewed Oct. 7, 2009) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, Faculty of Medicine. Includes bibliography. Also available in print form.

Thesis (MMed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Thesis (M.Nurs.)--Washington State University, May 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 37-42).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-96)

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-96). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

M.Cur. (Nursing Administration) / With the Declaration of Alma Ata in September, 1978, a new era in health care delivery, the primary health care era with its slogan of "health for all by the year 2000' dawned. Much thought had to be put into new legislation and reorganizing of health services in South Africa. Soweto, devastated by riots in 1976, suffered badly when all health care services collapsed. Out of this crisis was born a primary health care service that provides Soweto with preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilative health care. The researcher has attempted to give an introduction into primary health care, as practiced world wide, with a review of the historical development of the primary health care service in Soweto. These services were analysed, drawing conclusions on the present service and the status of the health care in Soweto and concluding with proposals for further improvement of the health care services.

Abstract The aim of this cross-sectional controlled study was to determine frequent attenders' chronic diseases and their reasons for encounter in primary health care. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine the associations of social, psychological and family factors with frequent attendance in a Finnish health centre. Patients who made eight or more annual visits to physicians in the health centre during one year were defined as frequent attenders (FA). All the FAs during 1994 (N=304) and 304 randomly selected age- and sex-matched controls constituted the study population. The data were collected from annual statistics, medical records and postal questionnaires. Over one third of the study population was interviewed. International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) was used to determine the reasons for encounter and Symptom Checklist - 36 (SCL-36) to assess the psychological distress. Toronto Alexithymia Scale -20 (TAS-20) was used as a measure of alexithymia and Whiteley Index (WI) to determine hypochondriacal beliefs. The results showed that 4.7% of the whole population aged 15 years or older in Oulainen were FAs. They accounted for 23.5% of all visits made within the respective age group. The mean age of the FAs was 49.8 years. Over two thirds of them were female. The FAs had lower basic education and occupational status than the controls. The FAs visited physicians in the health centre mostly for reasons related to the musculoskeletal, respiratory and digestive systems. There appeared to be more chronic diseases among the FAs than among the controls. The FAs had over three times more mental disorders than the controls. The interviewed FAs had significantly more psychological distress, somatization and hypochondriacal beliefs than the controls. The risk of frequent attendance was higher in the older family life cycle phases than in the younger family life cycle phases. Multivariate analyses showed chronic somatic disease and hypochondriacal beliefs to be risk factors for frequent attendance. Concurrence of somatization and hypochondriacal beliefs increased the risk to be a FA. As a conclusion, the results emphasize the need to consider the FAs' own bodily concerns expressed as hypochondriacal beliefs when managing them. Furthermore, the study implicates a need to integrate the biomedical, psychological and social dimensions in the care of FAs in primary health care.

Primary health care is pivotal to the growth of a country’s economy by improving the health and social well-being of its people. Several efforts and structures have been put in place to ensure that all South Africans have access to health facilities as well as representation in the health facilities, just as community members are represented in schools and other boards. Health committees play an important and integral role to the community and health facilities by being mediators between the community and the health facility (Padarath &Friedman, 2008). The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces that has health committees that are fully functional and a number of factors including the collaboration of key stakeholders (facility managers, community members, clinic staff and ward councillors) contribute to why health committees have been operational in the Eastern Cape(Padarath &Friedman , 2008). It becomes critical to investigate factors that sustain health committees in Nelson Mandela Bay. This chapter introduces the research topic, purpose, rationale and background as well as the objectives of the study. The research focuses on investigating the sustainability of health committees in Nelson Mandela Bay therefore making it critical to define the term sustainability. Conceptualizing sustainability has been ongoing with various definitions from learners from different backgrounds. Sustainability as a concept emanates from different dimensions namely, scientific, political economic and indigenous dimension. Sustainability has been described by scholars as a state of well-being and as an evolutionary process (Dimitrov, 2010). Sustainability is regarded as a state of well being whereby humans can live in co-exist with the natural world, this definition takes into account issues to do with good health , cultural identity, personal security and freedom of choice. Sustainability- well being brings out a lot of questions and problems in identifying the fundamentals values of sustainability. It is continuously debated amoung scholars if sustainability of well being pertains only to the health conditions of human beings or it should be extended to others (Dimitrov, 2010) “Sustainability that is restricted to the well being of humans is related to Notions about security of individual/community health together with financial security together with financial security; the planet is regarded as a resource to further this end (Dimitrov, 2010:4) If however well-being definitions of sustainability are construed to preserving and protecting the environment as well as biodiversity of other species (plant and animals) then the normative definitions of sustainability from this viewpoint are tendered with notions of global Environmental stability, ecological considerations and security of ecosystems” (Dimitrov, 2010:4).

Master of Science

The membership and participation within Indianapolis Challenge (I-Challenge) has increased significantly over the past year through diversification of both members and organizations. We have developed into a well balanced countywide-represented coalition. This local action plan for the Indianapolis Challenge represented a culmination of efforts and support of the group by major institutions within Marion County. Groups offering support include the following: the Mayor's Office, the State Prosecutor's Office, the Community Service council, the united Way of Central Indiana, Marion County Justice Agency, the Greater Indianapolis Council on Alcoholism and Fairbanks Hospital.</p> <p> Through their research, the Funding Committee, in conjunction with the Planning and Development Committee, were able to make known the needs of the community.</p> <p> One major finding is that there is a moderate effort of coordination taking place in Marion County. Many of the major institutions have acquiesced in the I-Challenge mission by necessity; I-Challenge reviews grants to ensure consistency with the local comprehensive plan for the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Justice substance abuse funds.</p> <p> The data from Marion County is insufficient and agencies have trouble addressing the needs of the community. This is particularly true of those agencies depending on public monies and whose primary mission is to serve the poor. I-Challenge is developing a county-wide strategic plan which will determine the actions necessary to meet the needs of the city.</p> / Master of Science in Education