Most health professionals are aware of the amazing diversity of the Australian population, which is made up of people from over 140 different countries. Of these, an increasing number have arrived as refugees under Australia's humanitarian resettlement program. Research indicates that at least 30% of the 12,000 or so people arriving in Australia under the humanitarian assistance programmes each year have been exposed to physical and emotional torture and trauma. They also have well documented health deficits relating to the health standards in their countries of origin, the level of deprivation experienced prior to arrival in Australia, and the time they have spent in transit before arriving in Australia. The purpose of this study was to review the health status of refugees from the former Yugoslavia, and to identify the perceived needs of this group, which represents one of Canberra's largest communities of recently arrived refugees. Utilising both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, findings showed that the cohort had significantly lower levels of both physical and mental health than the wider ACT and Australian population. The difficulties of socialisation of the refugees into the Australian lifestyle are highlighted. In particular, findings from the study have demonstrated the lack of appropriate information given to some refugees on arrival, and the struggles experienced by most of the group with learning a new language, and coping with unemployment and inadequate housing. The problem of covert political harassment in Canberra was also described during the interview process. Recommendations for improving the situation for these refugees were that information for refugees prior to, and following arrival in Australia needs to be consistent and readily available, and there needs to be provision of a formalised support system from the time of arrival, including a review of language facilities. The study also recommended that culturally sensitive health promotion and treatment programs should be incorporated into current health service provision. Nurses are identified as the appropriate health providers to take a leading role in developing such programs for refugees, although findings from this study indicate that current nurse education programs need to place more emphasis on a transcultural framework for the provision of care.

Cancer is emerging as a major problem globally and effective cancer care services are needed to lessen its burden on the community. In Greece, oncology health service provision is not located efficiently, resulting in only few patients receiving high quality care. Furthermore, shortages of health professionals and underdeveloped services such as primary care, home care and palliative care in the Greek NHS have aggravated the problem. The limited resources for healthcare have led to the absence of a national cancer registry, thus the extent of cancer incidence cannot be evaluated effectively. The dissatisfaction of the population regarding the Greek NHS is well established, despite the numerous reforms proposed by consecutive Greek governments. It remains that limited research exists in the area of oncology, especially on cancer services and cancer care. The aim of this study was to identify the key areas of cancer care and services that needed to be developed or improved in Greece and their prioritisation within the Greek healthcare system. Once identified, these areas of improvement could be used in a policy making context for the provision of effective services to cancer patients and might provide areas for further research A new Delphi technique (Q-Delphi) was introduced as an extension of the classical Delphi and implemented in two settings to collect data from a sample of 30 healthcare providers and 30 healthcare users. This was to reduce the potential subjectivity that may be introduced by the researcher in generating themes as an essential part of a successful Delphi outcome. The Q-Delphi of healthcare providers consisted of three rounds while that of the healthcare users was based on two rounds. The response rates for all rounds in both Q-Delphi studies were over 77%. The priorities for healthcare providers were focused on staff shortages, working conditions, pain management, home care, day units and communication. Healthcare users' highest priorities included the provision of and research on effective treatment, lessening the financial costs involved and the organisation of cancer services. Despite the separate Delphi studies, there were areas that both healthcare providers and users identified and prioritised. However, for the areas that both panels shared, there was a significant difference between their prioritisation. The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggestions for controlling cancer were used to triangulate, explain and discuss the results from this study (WHO 2002). The areas identified by healthcare providers and users were within those recommended by WHO. Based on the priorities provided by the participants and the suggestions by WHO, the establishment of a national cancer registry, the employment of nurses in order to develop primary care, home care, day care and palliative care services, education in communication skills and redistribution of the bio-medical technology are recommended in order to reduce the burden of cancer hi Greece. More research is needed to validate the actual level of cancer services provided in Greece. In addition, Q-Delphi is suggested as a valid and objective research method. For the benefit of Greek researchers, copies of documents used in conducting the research are also presented in Greek (Appendices 3 to 13 and 15).

This thesis examines the implications of the changes introduced by the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 for mental health services. It focuses on two main issues. Firstly, the impact on mental health services of the 'market' system of purchasers and providers introduced by the 1990 Act. Second.ly, the extent to which the 1990 changes had led to any increase in user participation and involvement in the planning and delivery of psychiatric services. Analysis of the existing theoretical literature found that there had been little research which focused on the specific implications of health care 'markets' for mental health services. In addition, much of the work on the development of psychiatry had not focused on the role of the local context in influencing the nature of mental health service provision. In this thesis these issues are explored through a case study of the mental health services of one English county. Semistructured, qualitative interviews were und.ertaken with managers, professionals and individuals in purchaser, provider and voluntary sector organisations. People using community mental health services in the county were also interviewed. This contrasts with many previous studies which have tended to concentrate exclusively on users of in-patient services. The study found that local circumstances played a significant role in the relationships between those purchasing, providing and participating in mental health services. The imminent closure of a large Victorian psychiatric hospital and the uncertainty about which services would replace it had been a source of tension between the newly formed purchaser and provider organisations in the county under study. The lack of any strong existing groups in the local area representing users of mental health services was also significant. It meant that increased user participation in the county after the 1990 Act was reliant on initiatives by managers and professionals rather than organised pressure from user groups and users themselves. The variety of different local mental health agencies purchasing and providing mental health services in the county called for a degree of cooperation between organisations which conflicted with the competition encouraged by the 'market' system introduced by the 1990 Act. The focus, first, on psychiatric services in the examination of 'markets' and, second, the importance of the local context in mental health service development provides the basis for the study's contribution to theoretical and policy debates both about the 1990 Act and psychiatric services in general.

Due to changes in UK and Scottish policy and NHS directives, there have been many changes and improvements in the way information is provided to patients affected by cancer and their families over the last decade. The information provided should be accurate, detailed and tailored to the individual’s needs across the whole of their cancer trajectory. People affected by laryngeal cancer could be classed as a “Cinderella” group as there is a lack of research with this group of patients and their families, in comparison to other types of cancer, even though the impact of treatment can have a profound and debilitating effect on the individual and their family’s quality of life. How this group of patients and their families use and source information to help them make sense of their experiences across their trajectory is unknown, therefore this study explored the role of information based on the experiences of people affected by laryngeal cancer across their cancer trajectory. The study adopted an interpretive prospective longitudinal approach, using two in-depth qualitative interviews with twenty patients and eighteen carers from across the main treatment pathways associated with this type of cancer. The data were analysed using Framework Analysis and influenced by Dingwall’s Illness Action Model. Four broad thematic headings were developed to explain the role of information: “Search for Normality”, “Illusion of Certainty”, “Reality of Uncertainty” and “Culture of Caring”. Relationships were identified between these headings at four key stages across the cancer trajectory. The ii broad theme “Search for Normality” overarched the whole of the cancer trajectory explaining how information was sourced and used to help this group understand their experience of symptoms. The main findings from the study show that two broad categories of information are used: information from health professionals and experiential information from one’s own and others’ experiential knowledge of health and illness. Both categories of information are sourced and used in different ways at different stages over the course of the trajectory and become inextricably linked over time. The study shows that information is not an entity that can be studied on its own but needs to be studied and explained in the ways it is situated, used and experienced within the context of the complex needs and experiences of this group of patients and their families. This study is the first longitudinal study to provide an explanation of the role of information with people affected by laryngeal cancer across their cancer trajectory. The findings show how the different types of information used from the various sources influence how people affected by laryngeal cancer perceive and understand their diagnosis, treatment and the outcome of treatment. The study findings suggest that health professionals need to situate information in the context of the individual’s understanding and prior knowledge of health and illness to ensure that it does not set unrealistic expectations, with a clear need for continuity and supportive care identified in the post-treatment and follow-up phases.

PhD (Health Studies) / Department of Public Health / Introduction: Quality healthcare provision is a fundamental need in the life of a person since it helps develop a positive self-image. Healthcare has always been an important issue for society, both economically and culturally. Contrary, dissatisfactions and litigations laid by clients/patients and relatives against the government due to poor service provision become unmanageable. The purpose of the study was the development of strategies to facilitate provision of quality healthcare services in public healthcare facilities in Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted for the study. Population for the qualitative study was constituted by professional nurses, and stakeholders (Hospital boards and Clinic health Committees) who were, purposively selected from the randomly sampled hospitals and clinics. Focus Group discussion and questionnaires were conducted to collect data. Analysis. The qualitative data was analysed qualitatively. Population for quantitative study consisted of Clients as stakeholders and professional nurses from randomly sampled hospitals and clinics. The qualitative results were used in the development of questions for questionnaire used in the quantitative approach. For the quantitative approach a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Data collection was carried out by means of two instruments for clients and professional nurses. Analysis was done using SPSS 25 version with the assistance of a Professional Statistician. The researcher used the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis to develop strategies for enhancing quality healthcare service provision in the Department of health. The interaction between Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats was analysed and used to develop strategies to facilitate provision of quality health care services in public health care facilities in Limpopo Province. Conclusion Findings of this study is expected to inform nursing education and nursing practice to review curricular on what to emphasize when training the nursing students. The findings will also inform senior management when planning for improvement of health care provision improvement. / NRF

Mental health services in South Africa and the field of psychology are not keeping up with the changed landscape of child sexual abuse that includes women who perpetrate these violations. New laws have not made a massive impact on out of control behaviours, while the paucity of mental health services for women who sexually violate children is a significant failing in mental health service provision. Exploratory, descriptive research approached the topic from the perspective of the psychology of healing rather than the psychology of wrongdoing. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 38 professionals in relevant fields, purposefully selected in four provinces in South Africa that revealed a lack of knowledge, resources, and funding, as well as gaps in curricula. Some practitioners were willing to work with women who sexually violate children, while others were either unwilling or reluctant to do so for various reasons. Women who sexually violate children are typically not mentally ill but could have mental disorders and lives dominated by dysfunction and trauma. Data were analysed utilising Attride- Stirling’s (2001) thematic networks, while Gannon, Rose, and Ward’s (2008) descriptive model of female sexual offending (DMFSO) provided the theoretical framework. Recommendations include establishing online services to aid perpetrator disclosure and therapeutic interventions, providing individual psychotherapeutic interventions to uncover more than recent trauma, directing donor funding to sex offender programmes, networking among service providers including government agencies, and training those within the mental health services environment and the criminal justice system. Furthermore, mental health and relevant medical practitioners need to ensure comfort with their sexuality and to resolve their psychological blind spots before offering psychotherapeutic interventions to women who sexually violate children. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)