The purpose of this study was to explore and describe staff experiences in managing data and/or information when utilising the District Health Information System (DHIS) as a support mechanism for data quality improvement, including the strengths and weaknesses of current data management processes. It was also aimed to identify key barriers and to make recommendations on how data management can be strengthened. Key informants included in this study were those based at the district office (health programme managers and information officers) and at the primary health care (PHC) facilities (facility managers, clinical nurse practitioners and data capturers). An exploratory, descriptive and generic qualitative study was conducted. Consent was requested from each participant. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The study findings highlighted strengths, weaknesses and key barriers as experienced by the staff. Strengths, such as having data capturers and DHIS software at most if not all facilities, were highlighted. The weaknesses and key barriers highlighted were staff shortages of both clinical and health management information staff (HMIS), shortage of resources such as computers and Internet access, poor feedback, training needs and data quality issues. Most of the weaknesses and key barriers called for further and proper implementation of the District Health Management Information Systems (DHMIS) policy, the standard operating procedures (SOP), the eHealth strategy and training of the staff, due to the reported gaps between the policy and the reality and/or practice at the facility / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health with specialisation in Medical Informatics)

The purpose of the study was to investigate the knowledge of TB patients receiving TB treatment at a clinic in Tshwane regarding the condition and their treatment. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data was collected using a self-designed structured questionnaire administered by the researcher and nurses. The population consisted of diagnosed TB patients. The total sample consisted of 74 respondents. The respondents were described in terms of inter alia their demographics, aspects of their health and TB and aspects related to clinic visits. For the knowledge about TB a competency indicator was set at 70% which means that those that achieved this were regarded as knowledgeable. Those that were found to be not knowledgeable were 41.9% of the sample. The mean score achieved by the group was 61% with a standard deviation of 25. Recommendations were made to amend knowledge deficits of TB patients and for further research / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology in Nursing, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / South Africa is one of 12 countries where the under-five child mortality rate has increased. In response to this challenge, the WHO and UNICEF in the 1990s developed Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), a strategy to reduce child mortality and morbidity. IMCI training was launched in South Africa in 1998. Health care workers trained in IMCI face many challenges when applying the new integrated case management approach. Training settings tend to differ from the actual work environment. Simulation is practiced in an enclosed environment and certain assessments are not possible for example chest in drawing, level of consciousness, oedema amongst others. In South Africa, there has been limited research on IMCI in-service and pre-service training and no research has been conducted regarding the training of student nurses on IMCI and follow up of these learners in the clinical field. Purpose of the study The purpose of this study was to evaluate the IMCI training of learners in the use of IMCI Guidelines in the KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing (KZNCN). Methodology This study followed a descriptive quantitative approach and evaluates the training of the learners and the facilitation and training of lecturers with regards to IMCI in the KZNCN campuses. Data was collected using questionnaires for facilitators and learners on the three campuses. Results The findings of this study revealed that teaching and learning approaches used to facilitate IMCI were adequate except for clinical practice and theory which was reported to be insufficient.

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology: Nursing, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / Background South Africa is burdened by consistently high maternal and perinatal mortality rates. In a move to alleviate this burden the South African National Department of Health (DoH) instructed the adoption of the Basic Antenatal Care (BANC) approach in all antenatal care (ANC) facilities. Whereas many facilities have begun the implementation of the BANC approach, in the eThekwini district, not all of the facilities have been successful in doing so. The study was conducted in those eThekwini Municipality Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities that have been successful in order to identify the factors influencing their success in implementing BANC. Methods The facilities that had been successful in implementing BANC were identified, followed by a review of the past records of the patients who had completed their ANC and had given birth. This was done in order to establish whether the facilities that were said to be implementing BANC, were in fact, following BANC guidelines. The factors that influenced successful implementation of BANC were identified based on information obtained from the midwives who were working in the ANC facilities that were successfully implementing BANC. The sample size was comprised of 18 PHC facilities that were successfully implementing BANC from which a total of 59 midwives were used as the study participants. Results Several positive factors that influenced successful implementation of BANC were identified. These factors included; availability and accessibility of BANC services: Policies, Guidelines and Protocol; various means of communication; a comprehensive iii package of services and the integration of services; training and in-service education; human and material resources and the support and supervision offered to the midwives by the PHC supervisors. Other factors included BANC programme supervisors’ understanding of the programme and the levels of experience of midwives involved in implementation of BANC. There were, however, certain challenges and negative factors that were identified and these included: shortage of staff; lack of cooperation from referral hospitals; lack of in-service training; problems in transporting specimens to the laboratory; lack of material resources; lack of management support and the unavailability of BANC guidelines.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology: Nursing, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / In South Africa, HIV and AIDS workplace programmes have been implemented for more than two decades without any audited and certifiable standards. In 2007, the South African National Standard launched South African National Standard (SANS 16001) 16001 to assist, encourage and support companies to implement minimum standards for HAMS. Companies are now expected to use this standard to improve HIV and AIDS Management System. It therefore, becomes imperative for companies to establish workplace HAMS in line with the set standard. To determine to what extent the company‟s HAMS has been aligned to the SANS 16001, an evaluation of the current management system in relation to the new SANS 16001 system is needed. Aim of the study The aim of the study was to evaluate the implementation of the HIV and AIDS Management System in a Richards Bay Company. Methodology A single case study using a quantitative research design was used to evaluate HAMS in a Richards Bay Company. The sample consisted of all consenting participants who were selected from key position holders in accordance with the requirements of SANS 16001: 2007 and the general workers. These key position holders were comprised of senior managers, middle managers and those employees who play an important role in implementing HAMS. Two different sets of questionnaires were used to collect data. One questionnaire was used to collect data from the managers because they were key role players in HAMS. The second questionnaire was used to collect data from the general workforce. The data from the questionnaire was captured and subsequently analysed using the version 9 of SPSS. Results There was evidence that the company was committed to continuous improvement regarding HIV and AIDS management as indicated by both key position holders and the general workforce.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the full Degree of Master of Technology: Nursing, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / South Africa is currently at the epicentre of the AIDS epidemic with 5.6 million people living with HIV disease. The province of KwaZulu-Natal has the biggest burden with an antenatal HIV prevalence of 39.5% in 2010. It is estimated that 24.5% of South Africa‟s working age population is HIV positive. Most infected people living with HIV in Africa are between ages 15 and 50 years which is the peak working age. AIDS now causes more deaths and suffering among the 18-44 year age group than any other disease. Organisations clearly present as one of the most effective and significant settings in which to respond to the epidemic. The effective management of HIV and AIDS within organisations is critical in order to reduce the negative consequences of the epidemic on the economy. HIV and AIDS Management Systems (HAMS) within organisations have been implemented for approximately twenty years but they have been largely ineffective, mainly due to poor uptake of services. Therefore, there is a need for HAMS practice to be evaluated in relation to current best practice standards to ensure quality management, continual improvement and successful uptake of services. This qualitative study evaluated one organisation‟s HAMS in relation to SANS 16001 and described employees‟ experiences of HAMS in this setting. The theoretical framework underpinning this study is the Deming cycle which is a well known quality management system methodology. From the results of the study it was apparent that the organisation was aligned with most of SANS 16001 general requirements for HAMS. Employees experienced the intended benefits of prevention, treatment and support from the organisation‟s HAMS.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology in Nursing, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Introduction Access to effective health care is at the heart of the discourse on how to achieve the health related Millennium Development Goals. Lesbian and gay persons are affected by a range of social and structural factors in their environment, and as a result have unique health needs that might not be met by existing health care services. Sexual stigma remains a barrier to seeking appropriate health care. Lesbians and gays might delay seeking health care when needed or avoid it all together, because of past discrimination or perceived homophobia within the health care system. Aim of the study The aim of the study was explore and describe the accessibility of primary health care services to lesbians and gays in Umlazi in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Methodology A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study was conducted which was contextual in nature. Aday and Andersons’ theoretical framework of access was chosen to guide this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 lesbian and gay participants. The findings of this study were analysed using content analysis. Results Four major themes that emerged from the data analysis were discrimination of homosexual men and women by health care providers and community members in PHC facilities; attitudes of homosexual men and women towards health care providers; homophobic behaviour and equality of PHC services. Few participants were satisfied with the primary health care services they received. Intervention by the Department of Health, Department of Education, curriculum planners and Health Professionals Councils is recommended wherein homosexuality education should be addressed during pre-service and in-service education sessions so as to familiarise health care providers with such clients’ health care needs and to decreased homophobic attitudes.

Introduction This research was a descriptive study into the cold chain management of childhood vaccines by nurses in Primary Health Care Clinics in the uMgungundlovu District. It is imperative for health professionals to follow the procedures and policies set out by the immunisation and health manuals by of the World Health Organization. The success of any childhood vaccination programme depends on how well nurses and health professionals are able to adhere to the laws, regulations and procedures. There is also a need for clinics and health institutions to be flexible enough to deal with certain constraints so that the vaccination programmes are not interrupted for extended periods of time but rather run efficiently and benefit the intended population. As a result pandemics are easily avoided and a healthy generation of children will bring about a better society. Methodology The study was carried out in two phases i.e. an observational study and a self-administered questionnaire. In the first phase, the observational study was carried out at 14 different clinics in the uMgungundlovu District. In the second phase, the cold chain management of vaccines by nurses was explored by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Results The key findings of the observational study include that on most occasions policy was not being implemented. Furthermore there were no contingency plans to deal with equipment and electricity issues, no monitoring and evaluation systems, poor recording keeping, poor management of the cold box, access to stock and the actual management of the cold chain for vaccines. The self-administered questionnaire was completed by 276 nurses via a simple random sample from the different clinics. The most salient aspects of the research in this phase of the study revealed that education and experience of the nurses are crucial to the sustainability of the childhood immunisation programme. Not surprisingly, some of the findings were similar to that of the observational study. Issues surrounding equipment and electricity, monitoring and evaluation systems, poor recording keeping, poor access to stock and ordering of stock were prevalent in this phase of the research as well. Conclusion Recommendations have been made for ongoing communication between the Department of Health, the District Office of Health and clinics so that the short and long term problems identified are solved.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment provides a description of the cognitive, social and emotional developmental tasks of adolescence. In addition a summary of the most prevalent social, emotional and behavioural problems reported during this developmental phase is provided. With this information as a context, a school-based, curricula-integrated prevention programme is then introduced as a possible tool to facilitate the development of positive mental health among adolescents. The programme discussed, namely Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) by Dr. M.E. Bernard of California State University, is unique in its aim to both enhance academic achievement and social-emotional well-being. Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) is based on Bloom's school learning theory, rational-emotive therapy and rationalemotive education and various cognitive-behavioural and socialleaming research findings. With its sound theoretical and research base Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) offers students the opportunity to learn a mindset that will help them develop their full academic, emotional and interpersonal potential. Within the South African "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (2001), provision is made for lessons pertaining to the students' personal development. In response to this, the author explores the suitability of Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) as a means to attain the specific Learner Outcomes and Assessment Standards as specified in the "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (2001). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die werkstuk gee 'n beskrywing van die kognitiewe, sosiale en emosionele ontwikkelingstake kenmerkend van adolessensie. Verder word 'n oorsig gegee van die belangrikste sosiale, emosionele en gedragsprobleme, kenmerkend van hierdie ontwikkelingsfase. Teen hierdie teoretiese agtergrond word 'n skool-uitkoms, kurrikula-geïntegreerde voorkomingsprogram voorgestel as 'n moontlike hulpmiddelom die ontwikkeling van geestesgesondheid onder adolessente te fasiliteer. Programme Achieve (2de ed.) is uniek in sy doelwit om akademiese prestasie sowel as sosiale-emosionele welsyn te bevorder. Programme Achieve (2de ed.) is gebaseer op Bloom se skoolleer teorie, rasioneel-emosionele terapie en rasioneel-emosionele onderrig en verskeie ander kognitiewe gedrags- en sosiale-leer navorsingsbevindinge. Programme Achieve (2de ed.), met sy stewige teoretiese en navorsingsbasis, gee leerders die geleentheid om 'n denkpatroon aan te leer wat hul sal help om hulle volle akademiese, emosionele en interpersoonlike potensiaal te bereik. Voorsiening word in die Suid Afrikaanse "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (200 1) gemaak vir onderrig ten opsigte van leerders se persoonlike ontwikkeling. Met verwysing hierna, word die toepaslikheid van Programme Achieve (2de ed.) ondersoek as 'n middelom spesifieke Leerder-Uitkomste en Evalueringstandaarde, soos vervat in die "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (200 1), te bereik.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An exploration of the integrated nature of sustainable development planning and health care was done in the context of people living and working in the town of Grabouw in the Western Cape. The problem that was investigated was that people working within local government and community health networks treated sustainable development planning and health care as separate issues. The notion of wellness, as different from health, was used as a central theme in the study. It allowed for an acknowledgement of the multidimensionality and contextual nature of human well-being. The notion of sustainable community wellness was used to guide the research, and was viewed as a complex phenomenon. The meanings of sustainable community wellness to people who work and live within local government and community health networks in Grabouw were observed and documented. Complexity theory was then used to discuss the observed perspectives on sustainable community wellness. Two factors informed the selection of Grabouw as a research site: Firstly, a comprehensive sustainable development programme was being carried out in the town of Grabouw during the research. Secondly, a few community health care initiatives were also being implemented at the time. Community care workers who worked in one of the community health organisations participated as primary research participants. The research combined conceptual and empirical research. The conceptual research consisted of a literature review of perspectives on wellness in Grabouw. The empirical research methods that were used combined ethnography in the form of participant observation, and participatory action research in the form of participatory photography. The researcher accompanied community care workers on their daily visits to patients. The care workers took photographs of aspects of their surroundings that represented sustainable community wellness, or the lack thereof, to them. Photographs were analysed through focus group discussions and pertinent themes were subsequently identified. Three meanings of sustainable community wellness were discovered. The first was the structural, governmental meaning that gave importance to health and socio-economic statistics, based on the mortality profile of the area. Wellness was seen from this perspective as a challenge that could be met with strategic planning. The second meaning was the community-based experience of environmental factors in Grabouw that had an impact on wellness, such as water, community forums and living spaces. In this case, wellness was experienced as a rich and diverse set of factors, both social and environmental. The third meaning was observed as instances where the apparent separate entities of local government, the community, and the physical environment were seen as one socio-ecological system, of which sustainable community wellness was an emergent property. These instances demonstrated the importance of managing the quality of relationships within the system, the need to enhance the autonomy of people working in the system and the potential of community care workers to be agents of sustainable community wellness. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ondersoek is gedoen na die geïntegreerde aard van volhoubare ontwikkelingsbeplanning en gesondheidsorg in die konteks van mense wat in die dorp Grabouw in die Wes-Kaap woon en werk. Die probleem wat ondersoek is, is dat mense wat in plaaslike regerings- en gemeenskapsgesondsheidnetwerke werk, volhoubare ontwikkelingsbeplanning en gesondheidsorg as afsonderlike sake beskou. Die begrip ‘welstand’, wat in betekenis van ‘gesondheid’ verskil, is as 'n sentrale tema in die studie gebruik, en is soortgelyk aan die begrip ‘welwees’. Dit het erkenning verleen aan die meerdimensionele en kontekstuele aard van menslike welwees. Die begrip volhoubare gemeenskapswelstand wat as 'n komplekse verskynsel beskou is, het die ondersoek gerig. Die betekenis van volhoubare gemeenskaps-welstand vir mense wat in plaaslike regerings- en gemeenskapsgesondheidnetwerke in Grabouw woon en werk, is waargeneem en gedokumenteer. Kompleksiteitsteorie is voorts gebruik om die waargenome perspektiewe op die volhoubare gemeenskaps-welstand te bespreek. Twee faktore het die besluit om Grabouw as 'n navorsingsgebied te gebruik, beïnvloed: Eerstens was daar tydens die navorsingstydperk reeds 'n omvattende volhoubare ontwikkeling program in Grabouw aan die gang. Tweedens was 'n paar gemeenskapsgesondheidsorg-inisiatiewe ook in dié tydperk aktief. Gemeenskapgesondheidswerkers wat in een van die gemeenskapsgesondheidsorganisasies gewerk het, was primêre deelnemers aan die navorsing. In hierdie ondersoek is konseptuele en empiriese navorsing gekombineer. Die konseptuele navorsing het uit 'n literatuuroorsig van perspektiewe op welwees in Grabouw bestaan. Die empiriese navorsingsmetodes wat gebruik is, het etnografie in die vorm van deelnemende waarneming, asook deelnemende-aksie-navorsing in die vorm van deelnemende fotografie, behels. Die navorser het gemeenskapsgesondheidswerkers op hul daaglikse besoeke aan pasiënte vergesel. Hierdie werkers het foto's geneem van die aspekte van hul omgewing wat na hulle mening die volhoubare gemeenskaps-welstand, of die gebrek daaraan, verteenwoordig. Foto's is tydens fokusgroepbesprekings ontleed en relevante temas is daardeur geïdentifiseer. Drie betekenisse van die volhoubare gemeenskaps-welstand het tydens die ondersoek na vore gekom. Die eerste is die strukturele, regeringsverwante betekenis wat bestaan het uit gesondheidsen sosio-ekonomiese statistiek, gebaseer op die sterftesyferprofiel van die gebied. Welstand is vanuit hierdie perspektief gesien as 'n uitdaging wat deur middel van strategiese beplanning aangepak kon word. Die tweede betekenis is die gemeenskapsgebaseerde ervaring van omgewingsfaktore wat 'n uitwerking op welstand het, soos water, gemeenskapsforums en leefareas in Grabouw. Welstand is in hierdie geval ervaar as bestaande uit 'n reeks ryke en diverse faktore wat beide sosiaal en omgewingsverwant is. Die derde betekenis is waargeneem deur die identifisering van die gevalle wat die kompleksiteit van die stelsel wat bestudeer is, verteenwoordig het. In hierdie gevalle is die oënskynlike aparte entiteite van plaaslike regering, die gemeenskap, en die fisiese omgewing gesien as 'n sosio-ekologiese sisteem waarvan volhoubare gemeenskaps-welstand 'n ontluikende element is. Deur hierdie gevalle is daar aangetoon dat dit belangrik is om die gehalte van die verhoudings binne die stelsel te bestuur en om die outonomie van die mense wat binne die stelsel werk te ondersteun. Ten slotte is die potensiaal van gemeenskapsgesondheidswerkers om as agente van die volhoubare gemeenskaps-welstand op te tree, uitgelig.