This study addressed cultural factors that prevent Hispanic diabetics from getting diagnosed early, controlling their glycemic levels, and obtaining appropriate transportation, health insurance, and better education on nutrition.

The present study attempted to assess the effectiveness of the Zimbabwean secondary school guidance and counselling services from school counsellors' and students' perspective. Available literature shows that students worldwide, including Zimbabwe, experience problems which schools should solve through the provision of guidance and counselling. It was therefore, important to the researcher to assess the effectiveness of the school guidance and counselling services in meeting students' concerns. The research design consisted of a literature and an empirical study. The survey method was used in the empirical study. A self constructed questionnaire was used. Three hundred and fourteen school counsellors and 636 students participated in this study. The SAS/STAT version 9.1 was used to analyse the data. One way and combined two way frequency tables were calculated. Ratios were calculated to establish the relative rating of each item. Chi-square tests were also calculated. The study revealed that there were differences between the level of the school guidance and counselling services in Zimbabwean secondary schools and the international arena. For example, school guidance and counselling services policy in Zimbabwe was not mandatory as compared to the international policies. The Zimbabwean school guidance and counselling services were not always planned for at the beginning of each year, Students and parents were not frequently involved in needs assessment while the services were not frequently evaluated in comparison with those in the international arena. The study also revealed that some biographical variables significantly influenced the way the respondents responded to given items while others did not. The study revealed that the majority of both school counsellors and students viewed the school guidance and counselling services as beneficial and school counsellors as effectively playing their role. The study further revealed that the effectiveness of the Zimbabwean secondary school guidance and counselling services was negatively affected by lack of resources and training in guidance and counselling and non-counselling duties performed by school counsellors. Recommendations for future approaches and strategies in secondary school guidance and counselling services in Zimbabwe are made. Areas for further research are proposed. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The abstract on the file is incorrect, use the the one in the system as it summerizes the full text. / This attempted to describe factors contributing to sleep deprivation in the a multidisciplinary intensive care unit in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A quantitative, descriptive research design was adopted and structured interviews were conducted with 34 adult patients. Most factors contributing to these patients' sleep deprivation are basic physiological needs. Much can be done to enhance patients' abilities to sleep if noise (from alarms, monitors, televisions, telephones and footsteps) could be controlled, patients' pain would be managed effectively, doctors would visit the patients regularly, doctors and nurses use lay terms when talking to patients. Visible clocks and windows will help patients to maintain time orientation. Friendly, approachable and respectful nurses who introduce themselves to the patients help' to reduce patients' stress levels and improve their abilities to sleep. / Health Sciences / M.A. (Health Studies)

This study addresses the healthcare needs of employees and their families living in the Kruger National Park (KNP). A quantitative, explorative, descriptive research design was used to interview respondents who comprised of 75 male and female employees with children of various ages. The findings revealed that physical, psychological, environmental, socio-cultural, and behavioural needs of the employees and their families living in the KNP is probably unattainable as healthcare services are poorly distributed throughout the KNP, being mostly concentrated in the main camp of Skukuza. A number of respondents indicated that they required consultations about psychological and socio-cultural stresses in their lives. These services are not available in the KNP. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of registered nurses about patient-friendly health services rendered within an ambulatory care setting in the King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh (KAMC-R), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was used. Fifteen registered nurses (one male and 14 female) voluntarily participated in this study. The data collection process comprised of semi-structured individual interviews with the participants to explore what they perceived to be patient-friendly health services. The obtained data were analysed using Van Mannen’s thematic analysis method. The emerging empirical data identified four themes, three categories and nine subcategories; a literature control was incorporated to validate the findings. The study findings revealed that the participants identified cultural differences as a quintessential obstacle in rendering patient-friendly health services in the study context. Professional yet patient-friendly communication proved to be a challenge as did ambulatory care flow. This had the potential to compromise patient-friendly health services. Meeting the patients’ needs was acknowledged. However, the needs, goals and values of patientfriendly healthcare services were perceived differently by the patients on the one hand and the registered nurses on the other and this affected the process of interaction and delivery of patient-friendly care. Despite the fact that the registered nurses daily experienced ongoing challenges which compromised patient-friendly health services, they were aware and committed to deliver patient-friendly health services. The process of scientific inquiry concluded with the limitations of the study and recommendations were made based on the findings. / Health Studies / M.A. (Heath Studies)

MHealth is an upcoming area promising to contribute benefits to health service delivery. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the rate of mHealth utilisation as well as opportunities for mHealth and the barriers to use at one central hospital in Zimbabwe. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was undertaken at the central hospital. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. The entire population of medical doctors at the hospital (N=42) were the respondents of the research. The 18 mHealth activities were chosen from a possible of 101 available. The most used as well as the least used mHealth activities were identified and the reasons for use or lack of use were identified. The study revealed that 75% of the activities were currently being used and 95% had the potential of future use by medical doctors. This study highlights the potential of mHealth from medical doctors’ perspective. / Health Studies / M. A. (Public Health)

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of registered nurses about patient-friendly health services rendered within an ambulatory care setting in the King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh (KAMC-R), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was used. Fifteen registered nurses (one male and 14 female) voluntarily participated in this study. The data collection process comprised of semi-structured individual interviews with the participants to explore what they perceived to be patient-friendly health services. The obtained data were analysed using Van Mannen’s thematic analysis method. The emerging empirical data identified four themes, three categories and nine subcategories; a literature control was incorporated to validate the findings. The study findings revealed that the participants identified cultural differences as a quintessential obstacle in rendering patient-friendly health services in the study context. Professional yet patient-friendly communication proved to be a challenge as did ambulatory care flow. This had the potential to compromise patient-friendly health services. Meeting the patients’ needs was acknowledged. However, the needs, goals and values of patientfriendly healthcare services were perceived differently by the patients on the one hand and the registered nurses on the other and this affected the process of interaction and delivery of patient-friendly care. Despite the fact that the registered nurses daily experienced ongoing challenges which compromised patient-friendly health services, they were aware and committed to deliver patient-friendly health services. The process of scientific inquiry concluded with the limitations of the study and recommendations were made based on the findings. / Health Studies / M. A. (Heath Studies)

Comunicação Suplementar e/ou Alternativa (CSA) é uma área clínica reconhecida pela ASHA (1991) que visa suprir temporária ou permanentemente dificuldades severas de comunicação oral, seja qual for o fator etiológico e a idade do indivíduo em questão. É uma área ainda recente no Brasil, havendo poucos estudos científicos, sobretudo que a relacionem com o trabalho cognitivo e de linguagem e com quadros de alteração sensório-motora em crianças. A hipótese inicial é que haja pré-requisitos cognitivos e de linguagem para a abordagem direta da CSA. A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo relacionar o nível de desenvolvimento cognitivo e de linguagem com o desempenho do trabalho de CSA com crianças com Paralisia Cerebral. Utilizou-se como amostra nove crianças com paralisia cerebral, com idades entre 4;0 e 9;11. Cada criança foi avaliada a partir de um protocolo estabelecido para determinar sua etapa de desenvolvimento cognitivo e de linguagem. Paralela a esta avaliação registrou-se o desempenho da criança no uso da CSA e a descrição detalhada do seu material - tipo de sistema utilizado, número de símbolos no total e por categoria semântica, forma de disposição e tipo de acesso. No caso das crianças que apresentaram uso eficiente da CSA, aplicou-se um questionário sobre sua comunicação aos pais/responsáveis. Os dados foram relacionados e analisados comparando essencialmente a etapa cognitiva com o desempenho no uso de CSA. Quanto ao questionário e análise comparativa do material de CSA, não foi possível estudo mais aprofundado visto que apenas uma criança apresentava uso eficiente da CSA no momento da avaliação. A partir da comparação realizada entre os desempenhos nas provas e no uso da CSA, verificou-se que apenas as crianças caracterizadas no período pré-operatório demonstraram usar a CSA de forma eficiente, o que sugere que de fato há pré-requisitos para o uso de sistemas gráficos de CSA / The Augmentative and/or Alternative Communication (AAC) is a clinical area recognized by ASHA (1991) that attempts to compensate, temporarily or permanently, severe expressive communication disorders, being whatever the etiologic factor and the age of the subject studied. It is still a recent area in Brazil, with few scientific studies, above all that associates the AAC with the cognitive and language intervention and with developmental neuromotor disorder. The initial hypothesis is that cognitive and language pre-requisites exist for a direct intervention with AAC. The present research had the aim of verifying the relationship between the cognitive and language development level and the learning of the AAC, in children with cerebral palsy. The subjects of the research were nine children with cerebral palsy, with age ranging from 4;0 to 9;11 years old. Each child was assessed by a set protocol in order to determine the cognitive and language development level. Moreover, it was registered the performance of the child with the AAC use and the detailed description of her material - type of system and selection, arrangement of symbols, and total number of symbols and by semantic category. In the case the children present efficient use of AAC, a questionnaire about their communication was applied to their parents/responsibles. The data were related and analyzed comparing, essentially (principally), the cognitive level and the performance in the use of the AAC. In relation to the questionnaire and the comparative analysis of the AAC material, it was not possible to make a deeper study due to only one child presented efficient AAC use in the assessment occasion. According to the comparison done between the performance in the tests and the use of AAC, it was verified that only the children in the preoperational level demonstrated an effective use of the AAC. The results suggest that it really exists a pre-requisite for the AAC representational systems use

Information gained through various sources and methods have been used to reveal the perceived deficiencies of needs through both target situation analysis (TSA) and present situation analysis (PSA). The identified needs were then prioritized according to their immediacy to learners, with the underlying causes ofthe language competence discrepancies further explored and interpreted. Possible solutions were then suggested for future implementation ofthe vocational English curriculum in the senior secondary vocational education context. The research findings of the current study have indicated that learners in general have low language learning motivation and inadequate language competences; there exist language competence discrepancies regarding learners' learning needs, teachers' teaching needs, and learning resources and facilities provided at school; there are positive relationship between learners' motivation and language competences; and many factors contribute to the current language competence deficiencies, among which motivational factors figure more prominently. The results of the study can be of value to educators and researchers involved in developing and redesigning language curriculums at various levels, in particular to teachers, curriculum developers as well as to researchers in vocational education. / This study provides a detailed description and interpretation ofthe needs analysis (NA) of learners' English language competences carried out at senior secondary vocational schools in mainland China since understanding learners' language learning needs and their motivation to participate in language learning are essential in curriculum development. The study draws on both quantitative and qualitative mixed-method NA practices of using multiple sources and multiple methods in the data collection. The complete data include: (l) around 700 participants at three vocational schools in the particular city studied; (2) about 20 hours of recorded and unrecorded data of classroom observation at three vocational schools, a series of interviews with six teachers and 23 students at three vocational schools, as well as interviews with two inspectors, six graduate vocational school students, and a joint venture general manager; and (3) document analysis of the new National Vocational English Syllabus (NVES) issued by the Ministry of Education, along with textbooks currently in use at vocational senior secondary schools. / Zhao, Wen. / Advisers: David Coniam; Chi Chung Lam. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-03, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 335-366). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

Introdução: O plano municipal de saúde e os relatórios anuais de gestão municipal são ferramentas de planejamento para identificar, sistematizar e monitorar as ações em saúde, com vistas a responderem às necessidades da população. Neste contexto, a Enfermagem como prática social destaca-se, pois a compreensão dialética da realidade permite a proposição de mudanças do concreto, no sentido de contribuir qualitativamente para a ruptura de modos de produção e reprodução do cotidiano que impactem o adoecimento e a morte de grupos sociais vulneráveis. Objetivo: Compreender os limites e as potencialidades do plano municipal de saúde e dos relatórios anuais de gestão municipal como instrumentos para o assessment de políticas públicas municipais em saúde. Metodologia: Estudo quanti-qualitativo dos planos municipais de saúde, dos períodos de 2010-2013 e 2014-2017, e dos relatórios anuais de gestão municipal dos anos de 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 e 2015, disponíveis no Sistema de Apoio à Construção do Relatório de Gestão (SARG-SUS). O software WebQDA® foi utilizado para a organização dos dados, os quais foram analisados por meio da Teoria da Intervenção Práxica em Enfermagem em Saúde Coletiva, da análise de conteúdo de Bardin, e da estatística descrita e inferencial. Os municípios participantes foram: Araraquara, Santos, Valinhos e Vinhedo, os quais atenderam aos seguintes critérios de elegibilidade: são municípios pertencentes ao estado de São Paulo, entretanto, não à Região Metropolitana, com 50 mil habitantes ou mais, apresentaram melhor Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano e pior coeficiente de Gini, bem como disponibilizaram no SARG-SUS os planos municipais de saúde e os relatórios anuais de gestão municipal. Resultados: Os planos municipais de saúde e os relatórios anuais de gestão municipal se mostraram como instrumentos com potencialidade para a compreensão do SUS como política pública de proteção social; como ferramenta de planejamento em saúde; como metodologia para compreensão e identificação das necessidades em saúde e como mecanismos de monitoramento das ações em saúde propostas no PMS. Entretanto, foi demonstrado que a concepção do processo saúde-doença presente nesses instrumentos esteve alicerçada sobre a multicausalidade, evidenciando grandes limitações para acolher as necessidades em saúde da população e, consequentemente, identificar os grupos socialmente vulneráveis, impactando negativamente as práticas de gestão ancoradas na equidade. Conclusões: Os planos municipais de saúde e os relatórios anuais de gestão municipal mostraram-se como instrumentos de extrema validade para o assessment de políticas públicas municipais de saúde. No entanto, eles somente conseguirão reduzir as desigualdades sociais, rumo à equidade e integralidade, quando se utilizarem da concepção da produção e reprodução socialmente determinados para compreender saúde, o que por sua vez permitirá a identificação das vulnerabilidades. Consequentemente, esses instrumentos fortalecerão práticas direcionadas à equidade, sobre as quais a Enfermagem em Saúde Coletiva pode atuar de forma significativa no desenvolvimento, implantação, avaliação e monitoramento de políticas públicas de saúde que contribuam para a superação de realidades limitantes que pouco agregam para a melhoria da condição de saúde de grupos sociais vulneráveis. / Introduction: The municipal health plan and the annual reports of the municipal government serve as tools for planning and for identifying, organizing and monitoring activities in the health sector, with the aim of meeting the populations needs. In this context, nursing has an important role to play as a social practice, since the dialectical understanding of the local reality makes it possible to propose concrete changes, with a view to making a qualitative contribution towards disrupting those daily means of production and reproduction that impact on the levels of illness and mortality among vulnerable social groups. Objective: To understand the limitations and the potential of the municipal health plan and annual reports from the municipal government to serve as assessment instruments for municipal level public policies in health. Methodology: This was a quanti-qualitative study of municipal health plans for the periods 2010-2013 and 2014-2017 and of annual reports from the municipal government for all years between 2011 and 2015, which were available on the System for Supporting the Construction of a Management Report (SARG-SUS in the Portuguese). The WebQDA® software was used to organize the data, which was analyzed using the Theory of Praxis Intervention in Nursing in Public Health, Bardins content analysis, and descriptive and inferential statistics. The participating Brazilian municipalities were: Araraquara, Santos, Valinhos and Vinhedo, which comply with the following eligibility criteria: municipalities in the State of Sao Paulo, but not part of the Greater Sao Paulo city region, with at least 50,000 inhabitants, the highest Human Development Index rankings and the lowest Gini coefficients for inequality, as well as having their municipal health plans and annual reports from the municipal government available on the SARG-SUS. Results: The municipal health plans and the annual reports from the municipal government were found to be instruments with the potential of understanding SUS as a public policy for social protection; as a tool for health planning; as a methodology for understanding and identifying health needs; and as monitoring mechanisms for activities in the health sector that were proposed in the municipal health plan. Nonetheless, the conception of the health-illness process that was present in these instruments was shown to be based on the idea of multi-causality and to have major limitations in terms of meeting the health needs of the population and, consequently, identifying socially vulnerable groups. This has a negative impact on management practices that are anchored upon the concept of equity. Conclusions: The municipal health plans and the annual reports of the municipal government proved to be highly robust for assessing public health policies at the municipal level. However, they would only managed to reduce social inequalities, and therefore contribute towards equity and integrality, when used in light of socially determined production and reproduction for understanding health, which in turn will make it possible to identify vulnerabilities. This will subsequently strengthen practices aimed at improving equity, an area in which Public Health Nursing can have a significant impact by means of the development, establishment, monitoring and evaluation of public health policies that contribute towards overcoming limitations that do not improve the health conditions of socially vulnerable groups.