Thesis (M. A. (Clinical Psychology)) --University of the North, 2002 / The aim of this study was to ascertain base-line information on knowledge, beliefs and feelings about tuberculosis among hospitalized tuberculosis patients. The study was conducted at Dr Machupe Mphahlele Memorial Hospital in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. A sample of 40 tubercuJos is patients, 21 males (52,55%) and 19 women (47,5%), was interviewed. h ·om the sample of 40, 22 patients (55%) too k part in the focus group discussions. Fourteen members of the community, who are relatives of those patients who tookpart in thestud, y were also included in the focus group discussions. The focus group discussions were aimed at better understanding of both the community and the patients' beliefs and perceptions of tuberculosis. The study revealed that the participants studied had a reasonably go od knowledge of tuberculosis. However, there was some confusio n regarding causative and risk factors of tuberculosis and some misconceptions thereof. The study has also found that traditional beliefs tend to impact on the patient's health seeking behaviour, treatment and the overall understanding of the disease.Tuberculosis treatment is still perceived by the majo rity of participants to being long, agonizing and cumbersome and there are still so me doubts as to whether tuberculosis is curable. Participants believed that tuberculosis carries social stigma and thus patients feel isolated in their communities. The results also suggested that education does play a role in the perception of the disease. Participants who had tertiary and secondary education were found to be more knowledgeable on symptoms and health beliefs of tuberculosis than those participants who had primary education, and those who did not have education at all. Factors such as age and gender did not appear to have any influence on the knowledge and feelings of patients on tuberculosis. Therefore, based on the findings, culturally sensitive health education and consideration of the patients' educational level are important variables when dealing with tuberculosis patients.

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science

MSc (Statistics) / Department of Statistics

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

PhD (Advanced Nursing Sicence) / Department of Advanced Nursing Science

See the attached abstract below

MPH / Department of Public Health / Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) place a significant burden on the caregivers for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Caring for PLWHA is usually carried out by community members who are recruited from the same community as the PLWHA. These community members are trained to provide services as volunteer caregivers. The caregivers face various challenges in the process of giving care to PLWHA, often inadequately assisted by relatives, friends, neighbours, private individuals, grassroots traditional and political leaders. This results in caregivers being overwhelmed by their responsibilities, making their coping process even more difficult. The aim of this study was to explore the challenges experienced by community home-based caregivers (CHBCGs) caring for people living with HIV/AIDS at Tsianda Village, in Makhado Municipality, South Africa. This study adopted a qualitative explorative design. The population for this study were all CHBCGs caring for PLWHA. Non probability purposive sampling was used to select the community home-based caregivers working at Tsianda Community Home-based care organisation. In-depth interviews, using a semi-structured interview guide, was conducted by the researcher and a voice recorder were used to record data from participants. Data saturation was reached at the 11th participant. This is when the participants were no longer giving new information. The data collected from the study were analysed thematically. The following themes emerged from data analysis: Challenges for community home-based caregivers, perceived support for community home-based caregivers, coping strategies for community home-based caregivers. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and the code of ethics to protect the rights of the participants was applied and observed. The findings of the study revealed that community home-based caregivers experience various challenges which have a negative impact on their personal life, as well as their physical and psychological wellbeing. Community home-based care also uses different strategies to cope with these challenges. It was concluded that the community home-based caregivers are experiencing serious shortages of personal protective equipment, which makes them work with the fear of being infected with the diseases. It is recommended that the DOH should take it into consideration to provide the CHBCG’s organization with enough personal protective equipment for their safety and working without fear of being infected with deadly viruses. / NRF

Thesis (M. Sc.) Nursing Sciences)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016

Thesis (Ph. D. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016. / Exploring the lived experiences of People Living with HIV/AIDS in relation to stigma and discrimination was the purpose of this qualitative research underpinned by Jungian Phenomenology. The study was qualitative in nature with a non-probability sample of fifteen participants aged from twenty tree to sixty four years. The setting was a rural and the research took place at a designated HIV/AIDS clinic in Limpopo. Semi-structured interviews, in the vernacular, were constructed so that the in-depth, lived experience of the participants relating to stigmatisation and discrimination could be ascertained. The participants’ responses were organised through the application of the Jungian metaphors and presented as themes which were presented in English. The archetypes of the Self, Shadow and Persona were highlighted as dominant metaphors with the Animus playing an important. These were followed by archetypes which represented more marginal roles in the participants’ personality development namely, the Anima, Hero, Caregiver, Innocent and Orphan. Everyone has the desire to develop a well-rounded socially acceptable and fulfilling personality, whose development process is accompanied by the generation and maturation of various archetypal traits. Once this is achieved, the process of personal individuation is completed and an individual is able to experience their true Self and live a fulfilling and authentic (honest) life. HIV infection and HIV related stigma generate archetypal traits which tend to impede the personality development of individuals. As a result they were not able to merge their personality development into an integrated unit and emerge as spiritual and deep-thinking beings.