This study applied the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and its extension, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to the design of a workplace HIV/AIDS health promotion programme. The purpose of the study was to determine if the variables of the TRA and TPB would predict intentions to change HIV/AIDS health behaviour, whether a theory-based intervention would result in health behaviour change over time and if there would be any significant health behaviour differences among participants who received a theory-based intervention and those who received an information-only intervention. In a longitudinal, quasi-experimental study, 170 government employees were divided into two groups. One group comprised 92 employees who participated in a HIV/AIDS health promotion workshop based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour. The other group comprised 78 employees who took part in an educational information session about HIV and AIDS. An elicitation study was conducted with a sample of 38 employees from the research population two months prior to the commencement of the study. The findings of the elicitation study informed the design of research questionnaires and an intervention workshop. Both groups of participants (theory-based workshop and information-only workshop) were measured on HIV/AIDS health behaviour intentions and HIV/AIDS health behaviour (condom use, seeking HIV testing and monogamy) across three measurement periods over a six month period. The results of the study showed that the combined theoretical variables predicted intentions to use condoms and to seek HIV testing, with attitudes having the main effect on intentions. There was, however, no significant health behaviour change across the three measurement periods. There were also no health behaviour differences between the two intervention conditions at one month and six months post-intervention. The study concludes that the intervention based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour did not produce health behaviour change. The study also identified barriers to AIDS health behaviour in the South African context that the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour cannot explain. Ways in which the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour can be adapted to HIV/AIDS education in collectivist cultures are proposed. / Psychology / Thesis (D. Phil. (Psychology))

Text in English / The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of community members regarding their participation in hospital boards in Dr Kenneth Kaunda district, North West Province. A qualitative exploratory-descriptive research was conducted on a purposively selected sample of community members who served in the board for a minimum period of two years. Data were collected by means of individual interviews and analysed by means of thematic data analysis. Three themes that emerged from data analysis were creation of opportunities, benefits and challenges. A mix of positive and negative experiences was expressed by community representatives regarding their participation in hospital boards. Participants described their experiences as enjoyable and empowering while others described it as a learning experience through which they acquired knowledge and new skills. The challenges experienced whilst serving in hospital boards included ineffective communication, poor relations and role conflict as a result of lack of role clarification. The findings from the study may be used to enhance the effectiveness of hospital governing boards through the participation of community members. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Background: The demand for and retention of talent worldwide is aggravated by revolutionary trends that include global competition, demographic changes and technological advances. In South Africa this phenomenon according to Frost (2002) is further challenged by the emigration of skilled people; the relative scarcity of specialist and managerial employees; employment equity and affirmative action procedures. But the development of strategies first requires an understanding of the factors which influence decisions to leave or stay particularly in rural and remote areas. St. Andrews Hospital is a rural district hospital in Ugu District, KZN. Its remoteness from urban areas and the lack of resources contributes towards challenges of attracting and retaining health care professionals to the area. It is the aim of this study to identify the ten most prevalent turnover and retention factors in a rural district hospital with the intention of making recommendations towards strategies to mitigate turnover and improve retention of health care professionals. This study will not only serve the local Human Resource Department but may also be used to inform district and provincial policies as well as departments’ decisions in the design or the review of current retention strategies aimed at reducing turnover. Method: The survey method was used to collect the primary data by distribution of self-administered questionnaires to Health Care Professionals at St. Andrews Hospital. Of the one hundred and fifty questionnaires distributed, one hundred and seven were returned (71% response rate) and formed the basis of the study. Results: Based on the impact scores, the top three turnover factors identified were, the way the organisation is led by top management (0.934); the size of the workload (0.862); and the way problems are dealt with by managers in the organisation (0.817). No statistically significant relationships were found between turnover factors and biographical variable. Availability of quality health services was ranked as the external factor that had the highest influence (78%) on turnover, while geographical location was ranked the lowest. The main reason given by respondents for leaving their previous employment was promotion, followed by distance and personal/family reasons. The top three retention factors identified from the impact scores were the quality of relationships with colleagues (1.698); the amount of support received from managers and colleagues (1.484); and the level of engagement and involvement with the job (1.390). This demonstrates that the salary package often thought to be a first priority factor Mobley, Horner and Hollingsworth (1978); Mobley (1982) and Herzberg (2003) is far less of a determining factor at St. Andrews Hospital than management support, job involvement and person-organisation fit as well as the social relationships formed in the workplace. A positive relationship was found between leadership and job dimension factors at the 1% level of significance. This supports the strong social bond (person-organisation fit) formed in the work environment between management and colleagues that supports retention and increases level of commitment. An important result of the study was that 46% of the respondents were thinking of leaving the town within the year while 29% were considering resigning from St. Andrews Hospital within the year. Conclusion: The results reveal a complex interaction of factors impacting on turnover and retention. The Human Resource Management function has a pivotal role to play in improving its ability to attract and retain professionals through developing comprehensive strategies based on external and internal and environmental factors. The study conveys to the St. Andrews Hospital management that turnover and retention factors are unique to the location and the working environment and differs amongst Health Care Professionals – this should be deliberated on when formulating Hospital Human Resource retention policies.

The study was about the process evaluation of the development of the YOUNG WORKERS CAMPAIGN (YWC) Programme to document and analyses the involvement and participation of stakeholders in the development process. The purpose of the study was on the assessment of stakeholder participation and involvement in the development of the YWC to maximise the effectiveness, acceptability and sustainability of the intended programme. Informant interviews, focus group interviews and document analysis were the primary means of collecting data for this research study. The main findings are as follows: Few of the stakeholders were involved in the conceptualisation phase of the YWC Programme and their roles in the development process were not clearly described. Stakeholder analysis was not done and their involvement in decision-making was limited. In order to address the problem of participation, YWC stakeholders should pass through a process of stakeholder analysis, that is, they should be assessed in terms of contribution and value-adding to the development process. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies HIV/AIDS)

A higher infant mortality rate and shorter life expectancy, coupled with a high prevalence of a variety of diseases commonly associated with malnutrition, are usually a reflection of the social conditions of poverty in a society. By arguing that apartheid formed the basis of inequality and therefore the main underlying cause of an unacceptable burden of the diseases of poverty among black South Africans, this thesis, Poverty, Health and Disease in the Era of High Apartheid: South Africa, 1948-1976, locates these health problems within their social, economic and political context. It further argues that if health and disease are measures of the effectiveness with which human beings, using the available biological and cultural resources, adapt to their environment, then this relationship underpins the convergence of medical and cultural interests. Under the impact of modern technology and society's dependence upon it, profound cultural changes have taken place and issues of health and the etiology of disease are among the areas most affected by these changes. This thesis explains why, in a pluralistic medical setting, where only modern (scientific) medicine was recognised as legitimate medicine by the apartheid government, for the majority of black South Africans the advent of modern medicine was viewed not so much as displacing indigenous (African) medicine but as increasing the medical options available to them. It is therefore contended here that for most black South Africans, indigenous medicine has played a critical role; it has mitigated the impact of apartheid medicine. Since differences that people perceive in these two medical systems are crucial to the medical choices that they make at the onset of illness, this thesis argues that knowing and understanding the reasons for making such choices would not only have practical value for health authorities in their efforts to improve local, regional and national health service delivery, but would also contribute to a general understanding of human therapy-seeking behaviour in this age of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. / History / Thesis (D. Litt. et Phil. (History))

The aim of this study was to firstly examine via a literature study, the response of the South African Department of Education (DoE) to HIV/AIDS. This required contextualizing this response in national as well as global terms. South African policies that impact on HIV/AIDS and the role of stakeholders in Education were focussed on. The various models of health behaviours were also examined. The efficacy of the Department of Education's response was then evaluated by conducting an empirical study at selected schools. Areas focussed on were: educators' and learners' knowledge of HIV/AIDS-related issues, their attitudes to HIV/AIDS and persons with HIV/AIDS, as well as their health behaviours. Research findings indicated that HIV/AIDS-related policies in Education were in place since 1999. The DoE, however, had not communicated these policies effectively to educators and learners, who were therefore unaware of the Universal Precautions related to safer behaviour practices in respect of HIV/AIDS. The DoE had not been effective in its response to HIV/AIDS in changing educator' and learners' risk behaviours. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

This explorative, descriptive quantitative survey attempted to determine whether the reduced number of consultations and admissions of sick children less than five years in Emfuleni sub- district clinics is due to the utilisation of the IMCI strategy or other health services. The research population comprised of all the mothers/caretakers of children less than five years who utilised the clinics and those who consulted the private medical doctor. The convenient sample consisted of 169 candidates. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire and analysed using the SAS/Basic computer statistical software package. Findings of the study revealed a need to address the major concern about the waiting time and operational times in all the three clinics. Recommendations were made that staff allocation procedures and policies be reviewed in order to abate long waiting periods at the clinics where children with childhood illnesses are treated. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The study was about the process evaluation of the development of the YOUNG WORKERS CAMPAIGN (YWC) Programme to document and analyses the involvement and participation of stakeholders in the development process. The purpose of the study was on the assessment of stakeholder participation and involvement in the development of the YWC to maximise the effectiveness, acceptability and sustainability of the intended programme. Informant interviews, focus group interviews and document analysis were the primary means of collecting data for this research study. The main findings are as follows: Few of the stakeholders were involved in the conceptualisation phase of the YWC Programme and their roles in the development process were not clearly described. Stakeholder analysis was not done and their involvement in decision-making was limited. In order to address the problem of participation, YWC stakeholders should pass through a process of stakeholder analysis, that is, they should be assessed in terms of contribution and value-adding to the development process. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies HIV/AIDS)

A higher infant mortality rate and shorter life expectancy, coupled with a high prevalence of a variety of diseases commonly associated with malnutrition, are usually a reflection of the social conditions of poverty in a society. By arguing that apartheid formed the basis of inequality and therefore the main underlying cause of an unacceptable burden of the diseases of poverty among black South Africans, this thesis, Poverty, Health and Disease in the Era of High Apartheid: South Africa, 1948-1976, locates these health problems within their social, economic and political context. It further argues that if health and disease are measures of the effectiveness with which human beings, using the available biological and cultural resources, adapt to their environment, then this relationship underpins the convergence of medical and cultural interests. Under the impact of modern technology and society's dependence upon it, profound cultural changes have taken place and issues of health and the etiology of disease are among the areas most affected by these changes. This thesis explains why, in a pluralistic medical setting, where only modern (scientific) medicine was recognised as legitimate medicine by the apartheid government, for the majority of black South Africans the advent of modern medicine was viewed not so much as displacing indigenous (African) medicine but as increasing the medical options available to them. It is therefore contended here that for most black South Africans, indigenous medicine has played a critical role; it has mitigated the impact of apartheid medicine. Since differences that people perceive in these two medical systems are crucial to the medical choices that they make at the onset of illness, this thesis argues that knowing and understanding the reasons for making such choices would not only have practical value for health authorities in their efforts to improve local, regional and national health service delivery, but would also contribute to a general understanding of human therapy-seeking behaviour in this age of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. / History / Thesis (D. Litt. et Phil. (History))

The aim of this study was to firstly examine via a literature study, the response of the South African Department of Education (DoE) to HIV/AIDS. This required contextualizing this response in national as well as global terms. South African policies that impact on HIV/AIDS and the role of stakeholders in Education were focussed on. The various models of health behaviours were also examined. The efficacy of the Department of Education's response was then evaluated by conducting an empirical study at selected schools. Areas focussed on were: educators' and learners' knowledge of HIV/AIDS-related issues, their attitudes to HIV/AIDS and persons with HIV/AIDS, as well as their health behaviours. Research findings indicated that HIV/AIDS-related policies in Education were in place since 1999. The DoE, however, had not communicated these policies effectively to educators and learners, who were therefore unaware of the Universal Precautions related to safer behaviour practices in respect of HIV/AIDS. The DoE had not been effective in its response to HIV/AIDS in changing educator' and learners' risk behaviours. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)