L’évolution du système de pharmacovigilance au Nigéria a été associée à une croissance modeste et les hôpitaux universitaires ont été identifiés comme des partenaires importants du système de pharmacovigilance. Cependant, aucune étude n'a encore été réalisée sur les performances du système de pharmacovigilance dans les hôpitaux universitaires nigérians. Cette étude visait à évaluer l'état de la pharmacovigilance, en particulier les réactions indésirables aux médicaments dans le sud et le sud du Nigéria, en se référant à des médicaments sélectionnés. Le système de pharmacovigilance ainsi que le schéma posologique des médicaments ont été évalués à l'aide des indicateurs de pharmacovigilance de base de l'OMS et des indicateurs de prescription de base de l'OMS, respectivement. Cela a été suivi d'une intervention éducative avec des messages texte envoyés via le système de messagerie courte (SMS) pour améliorer les connaissances, l'attitude et la pratique de la pharmacovigilance parmi les professionnels de la santé. Le nombre, la qualité et le profil des effets indésirables du médicament ont également été évalués avant et après l'intervention. Les facteurs probables susceptibles de contribuer à une mauvaise notification des problèmes de pharmacovigilance ont été recherchés en effectuant une enquête sur les connaissances, la sensibilisation et les pratiques des professionnels de la santé travaillant dans la zone. Ces faiblesses de la pharmacovigilance étaient essentiellement. Les résultats ont montré que des structures étaient en place pour les activités de pharmacovigilance, même si certaines étaient peu fonctionnelles. Les indicateurs de processus et de résultat / impact ont révélé des systèmes de santé faibles et une attention générale insuffisante à la pharmacovigilance dans les hôpitaux. Il a également montré que, même si le groupe possédait une connaissance modeste et une perception juste de la pharmacovigilance, la pratique était médiocre et peu de réactions indésirables au médicament étaient répertoriées dans les bases de données des hôpitaux locaux. Celles-ci ont été attribuées à une connaissance insuffisante de la pharmacovigilance sur ce qui peut être signalé, à des processus de notification médiocres, à de fausses croyances selon lesquelles leur notification ne fera aucune différence et à la difficulté de déterminer les éléments à signaler. Une perception insuffisante de l’intérêt de la notification des effets indésirables. Les connaissances et les pratiques en matière de pharmacovigilance se sont améliorées, de même que le nombre de déclarations d'effets indésirables au médicament suite à une intervention éducative. Cette étude a également mis en évidence le profil des effets indésirables associés aux médicaments couramment utilisés dans la zone et les problèmes inhérents à la notification spontanée. Il souligne également que la pharmacovigilance, discipline en pleine croissance, peut être améliorée par des évaluations fréquentes du système, la formation des professionnels de la santé et le renforcement général du système de santé nigérian. Des études plus approfondies seraient nécessaires pour mieux évaluer la sécurité des médicaments dans cette population noire homogène. / The evolution of the pharmacovigilance system in Nigeria has been associated with modest growth and teaching hospitals have been identified as important partners in the pharmacovigilance mechanism. However, there have been no studies evaluating the performance of the pharmacovigilance system in Nigerian Teaching hospitals prior to this time. This study set out to evaluate the state of pharmacovigilance specifically adverse drug reactions in South-South Nigeria. The pharmacovigilance system as well as the prescribing pattern of medicines was evaluated using the WHO Core Pharmacovigilance indicators and WHO Core Prescribing indicators respectively. This was followed by an educational intervention with text messages sent via the Short Messaging System (SMS) to improve the knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacovigilance amongst healthcare professionals. The number, quality and profile of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) were also assessed before and after the intervention. Factors likely to contribute to poor reporting of pharmacovigilance issues were sought by conducting knowledge, awareness, and practice survey of healthcare professionals working in the zone.The findings showed that of the six teaching hospitals assessed, only three could be described as functional or partly functional although all had some structures in place for pharmacovigilance activities. The process and outcome/impact indicators revealed weak health systems and overall insufficient attention to pharmacovigilance in the hospitals as only one centre had committed their ADR reports to the National Pharmacovigilance Centre and there were few documented medicines related admissions ranging from 0.0985/1000 to 1.67/1000 admissions. It further showed that although a modest knowledge and fair perception of pharmacovigilance existed among the group, practice was poor as only 12% of the 811 healthcare Professionals had ever used the national ADR reporting form and there were few adverse drug reaction reports in the local hospital databases. These were attributed to insufficient awareness of pharmacovigilance on what can be reported, poor reporting processes, wrong beliefs that their reporting will not make a difference and difficulty in determining what to report. There was an improvement in the knowledge and practice of pharmacovigilance, with a 31.6% increase in the number of adverse drug reaction reports following an educational intervention. This study also highlighted the ADR profile to commonly used medicines in the zone and the inherent problems associated with spontaneous reporting. It further highlights that the growing discipline of pharmacovigilance can be improved through frequent assessments of the system, training of the healthcare professionals and general strengthening of the Nigerian healthcare system. More in-depth studies would be required to further evaluate the safety of medicines in the Nigerian population.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, 2006. / Bibliography: p. 253-276. / Introduction -- Knowledge and knowledge management systems -- Towards a measurement model of KMS success -- Research methodology -- Data analyses and results -- Conclusions and implications. / Knowledge management is becoming pervasive in organizations. Information technology (IT) has been widely used in organizational knowledge management initiatives, and organizations continue to invest in IT expecting that its use will improve knowledge workers' productivity and organizational performance. -- Knowledge management systems (KMS) are information technology applications designed for knowledge management. The pervasive use of KMS in organizations has raised crucial concerns about the use and value of KMS, which can be expressed as two key questions: - What are the key determinants to the users' acceptance and use of KMS in their daily work? - What is the actual role of KMS in the support of knowledge management? -- For this thesis, empirical research was conducted on KMS success in organizations from a social capital perspective, aiming to tackle these critical questions. Based on a review of existing studies on knowledge management and information systems success, two KMS research models are developed, namely a Socio-Technical System Framework of KMS and an Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST)-based KMS Success Model. The socio-technical framework model of KMS sets out the main KMS components and the interrelationships between these components, presenting a systematic view of KMS in organizations. The AST-based KMS success model represents dynamic and evolutionary KMS in organizations, proposing a system-to-value chain of KMS success linking KMS use to social capital, and to intellectual capital. In the research, the two models have been operationalized; consequently, a set of theoretical hypotheses has been derived. -- A set of survey instruments has been developed or adapted for the study. A preliminary study is used to test, adapt, and modify the new instruments. A web-based cross-sectional survey is conducted, and a sample of 362 knowledge workers from a variety of organizations enables the researcher to further validate the new instruments, assess the research models, and test the hypothesized relationships through structural equation modeling techniques (PLS and LISREL). The results provide clear evidence of the newly developed instruments' reliability, validity, and general applicability, and demonstrate that the research models have good explanatory power for the variances in the KMS use and social capital constructs. Significantly, the study has confirmed that KMS does have the expected significant positive effects on individual social capital development, a critical social infrastructure for knowledge management. The significant positive impacts of KMS use on three dimensions of social capital-structural, relational, and cognitive dimension-have been assessed, and significant findings have been achieved. Moreover, a set of potential critical determinants to users' acceptance and use of KMS has also been assessed in the study. The results have demonstrated the different levels of impacts of these factors on the users' acceptance and use of KMS. -- Based on the research results, recommendations are made for managers, and implications have been drawn for future research. -- Keywords: Knowledge Management Systems (KMS), KMS success measurement, performance-related use of KMS, structural equation modeling, social capital. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / ix, 277, A23 p. ill

Text in English / The purpose of the study was to explore perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of women undergoing cervical cancer screening in Omaheke, Namibia. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted. Data were collected from a purposive sample of eight participants using a self-developed interview guide. Data were analysed using Tesch’s descriptive method of open coding. Three themes were identified namely; cervical cancer as a disease, perception of cervical cancer and service delivery at the facility. The findings also revealed some suggestions for the facility that could improve screening uptake. The study proposes a community education programme on cervical cancer and related topics to be covered during health education sessions. In addition the study recommends the Omaheke directorate to look into operational issues in order to facilitate access to cervical cancer screening. / Health Studies / M.P.H.

Thesis (MEdPsych))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Teachers have been strategically positioned to mediate information that might lead to increased HIV and AIDS knowledge and preventative measures among school-based youth. This study attempted to understand such teachers' knowledge and attitudes within a particular social context using the Bio-ecological systems model of Bronfenbrenner. The systems model provided the framework for understanding teachers' knowledge and attitudes of HIV and AIDS given their choices in terms of background, knowledge, attitude, and their links with multiple systems. The study was conducted within the qualitative paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen intermediate phase primary school teachers from seven primary schools in Phillipi, Cape Town. This study showed that teachers were aware of being part of complex systems. They expressed their difficulties with teaching HIV and AIDS education in the classroom, particularly conditioned by cultural taboos. This study further showed that teachers. interactions, particularly with people living with HIV and AIDS, changed their knowledge of, and attitudes towards, HIV and AIDS and the teaching thereof. It also pointed to the dissonance between teachers' beliefs and behaviours in serving people living with HIV and AIDS. For some teachers, religious beliefs provided the means with which to deal with the HIV and AIDS pandemic. For others, particularly some female teachers, unequal gendered roles and expectations with regard to sex and sexuality in their communities had a direct impact on the spread of HIV and AIDS and safe-sex practices (knowledge) in their communities. Finally, teachers were actively and critically engaged with systems that impact upon them; particularly, the Macrosystem of the Education Department (in this case, the Western Cape), and the Microsystems of the societies and communities within which their schools were located. In summary, the study showed that a contextual, system-related approach to teachers in the classroom highlighted how they related to HIV and AIDS. Such complex, and inter-connected relations cannot be ignored by teachers, educators, policy-makers, material developers and trainers. More studies will give us a better model of the challenges and opportunities facing those who are helping stem the tide of the pandemic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onderwysers is in 'n strategiese posisie om inligting oor te dra aan jong leerders wat sal lei tot meer kennis van MIV en ook sal voorkom dat dit versprei. In hierdie studie is onderneem om onderwysers se kennis en denkwyse in 'n besondere sosiale verband te verstaan, deur gebruik te maak van die Bio-ekologiese stelsels-model van Bronfenbrenner. Die stelsels-model voorsien die raamwerk om onderwysers se kennis en houdings van MIV/VIGS te verstaan, aangesien hulle keuses maak in terme van hulle agtergrond, kennis, denkwyse en hulle kontak met meervoudige stelsels. Hierdie studie is uitgevoer in die kwalitatiewe paradigma. Halfgestruktureerde onderhoude is uitgevoer met dertien intermediêre fase primêre-skool onderwysers by sewe primêre skole in Philippi, Kaapstad. Hierdie studie het bewys dat onderwysers bewus is daarvan dat hulle deel vorm van ingewikkelde stelsels. Hulle het te kenne gegee dat hulle dit moeilik vind om MIV/VIGS opvoeding te gee in die klaskamer, veral as gevolg van kulturele taboes. Hierdie studie het ook bewys dat onderwysers se interaksie, veral met mense wat met MIV/VIGS saamleef, hulle kennis van en houding teenoor MIV/VIGS, en die onderrig daarvan, verander het. Dit het ook die verskil tussen onderwysers se godsdienstige oortuigings en houdings uitgewys wanneer hulle in kontak kom met mense wat met MIV/VIGS saamleef. Sommige onderwysers het hulle godsdienstige oortuigings gebruik wanneer hulle met die MIV/VIGS pandemie gewerk het. Sommige onderwyseresse veral, het gevind dat ongelyke geslagsrolle en verwagtinge ten opsigte van seks en seksualiteit in hulle gemeenskappe 'n direkte invloed gehad het op die verspreiding van MIV/VIGS en veilige sekspraktyke in hulle gemeenskappe. Onderwysers was aktief betrokke by stelsels wat 'n invloed op hulle gehad het, veral die Makrostelsel van die Onderwysdepartement (in hierdie geval die Wes-Kaap), en die Mikrostelsels van die samelewings en gemeenskappe waar die skole hulself bevind. In opsomming, het hierdie studie bewys hoedat 'n kontekstuele, stelsel- verwante benadering tot onderwysers in die klaskamer in verhouding staan met kennis en houdings teenoor MIV/VIGS. Sulke komplekse en onderlinge verhoudings kan nie deur onderwysers, beleidmakers, materiële ontwikkelaars en afrigters geïgnoreer word nie. Verdere navorsing en studies sal vir ons 'n meer effektiewe model bied van die uitdagings en geleenthede wat onderwysers in die gesig staar en wat sal help om die pandemie hok te slaan.