Emergency services 24 hours non-hospital of the Secretary of State of Alagoas are public institutions that features field training in different training areas. But in the last two years in the studied unit stages are restricted to one sector and an interest in expanding this type of activity has been evidenced for unit managers. Thus, questions arose that culminated in the preparation of this academic work. The research sought to identify aspects that guide the development stage in an emergency service through the speeches of the managers in order to understand what they think and know about the stages was expressed in a scientific article and its results have led to production of a intervention project. Through this work placements of managers emerged demonstrating that the lack of integrative actions between academia and professional service occurs because the professionals do not feel able to teach, but even so the stages are authorized by managers because they felt something needed in training. The intervention project is the starting point for building collective reflection on planning and shared with the stakeholders is something relevant in this construction. / Os serviços de Urgência 24 horas não hospitalar da Secretaria de Estado de Alagoas são instituições públicas que apresenta campo do estágio em diferentes áreas de formação. Mas nos últimos dois anos na unidade em estudo os estágios se restringem a um setor e o interesse pela ampliação desse tipo de atividade não tem sido evidenciado entre os gestores da unidade. Com isso, surgiram indagações que culminaram na elaboração deste trabalho acadêmico. A pesquisa procurou identificar os aspectos que norteiam o desenvolvimento do estágio em um serviço de urgência através das falas dos gestores com o intuito de compreender o que eles pensam e sabem acerca dos estágios Foi expressa em um artigo científico e seus resultados levaram a produção de um projeto de intervenção. Através deste trabalho surgiram posicionamentos dos gestores demonstrando que a falta de ações integrativas entre academia e profissionais do serviço ocorre em virtude dos profissionais não se sentirem aptos para o ensino, mas mesmo assim os estágios são autorizados pelos gestores por acharem algo necessário na formação profissional. O projeto de intervenção é o ponto de partida para a construção coletiva e uma reflexão sobre planejamento compartilhado com os atores envolvidos é algo relevante nesta construção.

Magister Administrationis - MAdmin / This research investigates the nature and extent of community participation and involvement in the recruitment and selection processes for Community Health Workers (CHWs), primarily through detailed case studies of three CHW programmes, one in the Western Cape, another in KwaZulu-Natal, and a third which operates in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The first utilizes CHWs in health education and home-based care in Khayelitsha and Nyanga. The second specializes in the training, management and supervision of home-based care CHWs in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal. The third utilizes CHWs in addressing maternal and child health issues in targeted peri-urban and rural areas in the three provinces. The mini-thesis is organized into five chapters: the first chapter provides the introduction and background as well as the methodological design of the mini-thesis; the second chapter focuses on providing a detailed literature review of relevant materials that cover the subject matter; the third chapter provides the descriptive background of the history of CHWs, CHW policies and community participation in South Africa, as well as a description of the three case study organizations; the fourth chapter describes and discusses the findings and the last and fifth chapter provides a summary of the findings as well as recommendations and conclusions. / South Africa

The main purpose of this study is to explore and gain insight into the nature, extent and characteristics of educational supervision as implemented in the Department of Health and Welfare in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province. Objectives of the study were to conceptualise social work supervision with a specific focus on the educational function; to investigate the nature, extent, and characteristics of the educational function of supervision in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province and finally to make recommendations regarding educational supervision in the Department of Health and Welfare in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province. The study was guided by a research question which was formulated as follows: What is the nature, extent and characteristics of the educational function of supervision in the Department of Health and Welfare in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province? Therefore, this study was conducted to provide answers to this research question. Quantitative research approach was used in this study, since the researcher explored and described the nature, extent and characteristics of the educational function of supervision statistically. This research is applied in nature because it focuses on a practical problem (educational supervision) in the social work practice (Department of Health and Welfare in Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province) and the findings will be utilized to solve social work supervision problems in the particular District. A randomised cross-sectional quantitative research design was used, because the researcher investigated social work educational supervision in the Department of Health and Welfare in the Vhembe district of the Limpopo Province using a group administered questionnaire as data collection method. The population for this study was composed of social workers from the Department of Health and Welfare in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province. Forty- two social workers (senior and junior social workers) completed a questionnaire during a Vhembe District social workers staff meeting. Those completed questionnaires were collected immediately. Data were analysed statistically through Microsoft excel programme. Tables and Figures were used to illustrate some of the answers. From a literature study it was concluded that the educational function of supervision is the most important function of social work supervision. It plays a vital role in providing social workers with social work knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for delivering qualitative, effective and efficient social work services. Educational supervision gives social workers autonomy to function independently. The study revealed that there are problems regarding the implementation of the educational function of social work supervision in the Department of Health and Welfare in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province. The findings proved that some of the social workers do not receive educational supervision and there is no uniformity in implementing this function of supervision. The findings also revealed a obvious knowledge gap regarding social work supervision among social workers in the District. / Dissertation (MSD (Social Work Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Magister Legum - LLM / South Africa has seen a spike in medical malpractice litigation, including the number and size of claims instituted against healthcare practitioners. This has led to a backlog in medical malpractice court cases throughout South Africa and a strain on both the public and private healthcare sectors, affecting an already burdened healthcare system. The surge in medical malpractice litigation is not a new phenomenon in developed countries. Most have curbed this through alternative dispute resolution (ADR). This has been facilitated by effectively introducing efficient legal frameworks that promote ADR. Unfortunately, this is not the case in a developing country such as South Africa. To date, much research and literature has attributed blame for the large-scale increase in medical malpractice litigation to legal practitioners. This has been aided by comments made by the former Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi (Dr Motsoaledi). In as much as this may be the common perception, there appears, to the contrary, to be systematic problems in the South African healthcare system. The legal profession is only a minor contributing factor to the increase in medical malpractice litigation. The strained financial resources and shortage of healthcare staff in public hospitals contributes to the increased risk of medical malpractice cases. Furthermore, when considering the South African legal system, contingency fee arrangements have, in certain circumstances, increased vexatious litigation and, as such, it is on this basis that medical malpractice litigation has been on the increase in South African courts. This study seeks to analyse the current state of the South African healthcare system, and in light of the increasing number of medical practice claims and litigation, propose ADR mechanisms that offer efficient, cost effective, and expeditious channels to resolving these issues and to ensure that parties recognise the full benefits of ADR. This study proposes legal reform in medical malpractice litigation in South Africa. This thesis compares the experiences, legislative and policy frameworks in Australia and the United States of America (USA), in order to learn lessons that could assist South Africa in framing legislation and best practices for ADR. It contends that, in order to effectively develop and implement ADR to address medical malpractice litigation, it requires the involvement of the government, legislature, judiciary, legal profession and the public. It has identified court- iv annexed mediation as the appropriate ADR mechanism in addressing medical malpractice litigation.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Periodic high doses of vitamin A supplementation has been demonstrated to have a dramatic impact on vitamin A status and general health of children, significantly improving child survival. The Eastern Cape Department of Health has therefore adopted a provincial policy on vitamin A supplementation to improve the high child mortality and vitamin A deficiency rates experienced in the province. This study outlines a participatory approach to designing, developing and evaluating the implementation of a management information system (MIS) that will support district level Maternal, Women and Child Health programme managers in problem identification, planning and decision-making when implementing the Eastern Cape policy on vitamin A supplementation. It is an iterative process that: • Begins with a situational analysis • Uses this situational analysis for the conceptualisation of the MIS • Develops this MIS as a part of the vitamin A supplementation programme, embedding the MIS in the management structure and operational systems and • Evaluates the implementation of this MIS The study introduces the concept of trace tables, an integral part of the MIS. It is a unique tool that the researcher has developed to assist programme managers to monitor the implementation of the various elements of a primary health care programme like vitamin A supplementation. The researcher discusses the key findings of the study, the participatory nature of this action research, and elements unique to this study in terms of the vitamin A supplementation programme, the development of a MIS, an action research approach and the context within which the development of the MIS occurred. The study is concluded with key lessons to be learnt from this research and the postulation of a model on a participatory approach to the development of a MIS for Primary Health Care programmes.

The Employee Assistance Programme is regarded as a tool that could assist employees in organisations with both their personal and work-related problems. This has become evident as more employers are offering these services to their employees. The goal of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of social workers’ views and experiences in rendering EAP services in the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH). The study used a qualitative research approach by focusing on the explorative, descriptive, and contextual designs. Constructivist theory and the person-environmentfit model formed the framework of this study. Purposeful sampling (a criterion-based sample) was used to select social workers rendering EAP services in the GDOH. Eleven social workers who met the criteria participated in the study and their ages ranged between 33 and 50 years. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. The Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis was used, and data verification was conducted based on the Guba model. The findings in this study indicate that EAP is an important programme. However, it is not prioritised by the GDoH. Consequently, EAP practitioners experience challenges that negatively affect the provision of quality EAP services. Despite the challenges, most of the EAP practitioners nonetheless continue to render these services albeit under difficult circumstances since they love and have a passion for the work they do. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Background: Achieving high vaccination coverage is crucial in the control, prevention and elimination of childhood vaccine preventable diseases. The Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) aims for 95% coverage for each antigen and complete vaccination schedules for 90% of children under 12 months of age. All the vaccines included in the national vaccination schedule (Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG), Oral Polio Vaccine, Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus (DPT) vaccine, Measles and Hepatitis B vaccine are provided free of charge in the primary health services in South African public health care facilities. Although the coverage of all vaccines in South Africa has increased especially in recent years, the EPI targets has not been achieved yet in some parts of the coutnry and there are still differences within provinces. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and determinants of childhood immunization coverage at Primary Healthcare facilities, Bushbuckridge, sub district of the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The mean age of the children was 1.4±2.5 years (ranged: 1 months to 12 years. Slightly more than half (56%) of the children were less than 6-months. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of the children were females and only 37% were males. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among selected Primary Healthcare facilities in Ehlanzeni District, Bushbuckridge Sub- district, Mpumalanga Province. Simple random sampling was used to get a minimum sample size of 426 mothers and/or caregivers paired with their children required for the study. The researcher administered a validated or tested self-designed questionnaires to the participants. Data analysis was done using the STATA statistical software version 12 for Windows (STATA Corporation, College Station, Texas). Results: The mean age of the participants was 34.1±9.2 years ranged from 15 to 57 years. Almost one-third (28.6%) of the mothers and/or caregivers were 40 years and older and the majority (70%) were unmarried. Majority of the participants had secondary ix education with 65.5% and 23.4% had primary education. Nearly eighty per cent (79.2%) of the maternal and/or caregivers were unemployed. The prevalence rate of fully immunized children was 88% and a significant higher proportion of children in the age group 12 years at 57% were likely not to be fully immunized (p<0.05), followed by age group 6 -11 years, 18 months – 5 years, 6-8 months and 9-11 months at 48%, 26%, 17% 13% respectively. No statistical significant relationship was found between maternal and/or caregiver age, marital status, level of education, employment status and immunization coverage of the child. However, participants aged 40 years and older, less educated and unemployed were likely to have missed immunization of their children. Mother and/or caregivers with a tertiary education were 3.46 times more likely to get their children immunized than those with none/primary education [OR = 3.46, (95% CI:0.75;15.9), p<0.2)]. The employed mother and/or caregivers were 2.01 times more likely to get their children immunized than the unemployed mother and/or caregivers [OR = 2.01, (95% CI: 0.82; 4.89), p<0.20]. In the multivariate model, level of education and employment status were found not to be significantly associated with immunization of the child. Conclusion: The overall immunization coverage in the present study was relatively high and significantly decreased with age. At 6 weeks, all age groups between 0-6 weeks were immunized, while at 10 weeks, with exception of children in the age group 10 -13 weeks and 18 months – 5 years. At 6 months, the young children (age 9-11 months) were likely to default or missed measles vaccination. At 6 and 12 years, the Td vaccination coverage was relatively low. Mothers and/ or caregivers who missed child immunization were likely to experience shortage of vaccines at health facility and said it takes the whole day to immunize a child but the result were not significant. Mother and/or caregivers with a tertiary education and employed were more likely to immunize their children than mothers and/or caregivers with primary, secondary education and the unemployed.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Introduction: Cancer registries collect tumor-related data to monitor incident rates and support population-based research. A common concern with using population-based registry data for research is reporting timeliness. Data timeliness have been recognized as an important data characteristic by both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Yet, few recent studies in the United States (U.S.) have systemically measured timeliness. The goal of this research is to evaluate the quality of cancer data and examine methods by which the reporting process can be improved. The study aims are: 1- evaluate the timeliness of cancer cases at the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) Cancer Registry, 2- identify the perceived barriers and facilitators to timely reporting, and 3- reengineer the current reporting process to improve turnaround time. Method: For Aim 1: Using the ISDH dataset from 2000 to 2009, we evaluated the reporting timeliness and subtask within the process cycle. For Aim 2: Certified cancer registrars reporting for ISDH were invited to a semi-structured interview. The interviews were recorded and qualitatively analyzed. For Aim 3: We designed a reengineered workflow to minimize the reporting timeliness and tested it using simulation. Result: The results show variation in the mean reporting time, which ranged from 426 days in 2003 to 252 days in 2009. The barriers identified were categorized into six themes and the most common barrier was accessing medical records at external facilities. We also found that cases reside for a few months in the local hospital database while waiting for treatment data to become available. The recommended workflow focused on leveraging a health information exchange for data access and adding a notification system to inform registrars when new treatments are available.