Sexually transmissible infections (STIs), one of the major preventable health problems affecting the Australian population, are often asymptomatic and, if undetected, can cause sub-fertility, infertility and chronic morbidity. In addition to these significant and costly consequences, STIs increase the risk of transmission of HIV. Given that 80% of Australian patients attend their General Practitioner (GP) each year, GPs are well placed to have a significant impact on STI transmission by diagnosing and treating both asymptomatic and symptomatic disease. Good professional practice would suggest that all GPs will undertake certain actions when they are consulted by a patient who either has symptoms of an STI or who appears to be at risk of acquiring an STI. This expectation is based on the premise that all GPs share the same detailed knowledge of STI risk factors and symptoms. It assumes that they will have no difficulty in eliciting such information from the patient, that the patient will comply with STI testing and treatment and that the patient will return for follow-up, to ensure that they and their sexual partners have been adequately treated. Given the constraints of the real world in which general practice exists, the sensitive nature of sexual health, and the stigma associated with STIs, there are many barriers to achieving such an outcome. My own previous research has highlighted some of the difficulties experienced by GPs in the area of STI control. This study has used data from four different sources (policy and stakeholder documents, literature, key informant interviews and my own past research) to examine ideal practice and actual practice in the prevention and treatment of STIs. A number of discrepancies were identified, and from these arose a series of recommendations for ways of making STI control in general practice less complex. To ensure that the results of the study were firmly embedded in the reality of general practice, comments on the recommendations were sought from GPs employed in a variety of practice settings, including those with low STI caseloads. These comments were used to modify the recommendations to ensure they would offer a practical and effective contribution to STI control in Victoria.

Taxpayers engage widely with tax practitioners for various reasons, like filing accurate tax returns and/or minimising their tax liabilities. This relationship may influence tax compliance behaviour, although it is still unclear to what extent each party contributes to this. International research shows that taxpayers prefer a conservative tax approach, while others may insist on a more aggressive approach. Research available in South Africa on this issue is limited. South African small businesses are growing enterprises and various tax reliefs apply to them. These entities, on the other hand, do not necessarily have skilled tax staff and therefore make extensive use of tax practitioners’ services. Studies on this tax practitioner/client relationship are therefore relevant in order to increase the existing knowledge of taxpayer compliance behaviour. The first objective of this study is, therefore, to determine whether small business taxpayers prefer to receive conservative or aggressive advice from their tax practitioners. A second objective is to determine whether small business taxpayers would continue to make use of the services of their tax practitioners if they disagreed with the proposed tax approach. Using questionnaires, the data was obtained from 50 small businesses in a rural town in South Africa. The results show that when asked directly which type of tax advice they preferred, the majority of small business taxpayers indicated that they would rather receive conservative advice. On the other hand, it appeared that they would prefer aggressive advice when the deductibility of an ambiguous expense was in question. The results also showed that small business taxpayers tended to agree with the tax practitioner, irrespective of the type of tax advice offered. The results also showed that they would mostly, as long as it did not relate to tax evasion, retain the services of a tax practitioner despite the type of advice they were given and whether or not they agreed with it. The conclusion drawn was that taxpayers in the small business sector prefer, to a great extent, to receive conservative tax advice from their tax practitioners and that they want to file accurate tax returns. The regulation of tax practitioners is therefore crucial, as taxpayers rely heavily on their information when it comes to tax compliance. Copyright / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Taxation / unrestricted

ABSTRACT Better health and the general medicalisation process is important for human being to survive and therefore any attempt to deal with human body maintenance, safe and secure measures are highly required by any human. In trying to improve human health, different approaches have been applied; one of them is to incorporate different medical system in order to ensure effectiveness of treatments. However, it has been not easy to incorporate two different medical patterns in some regions due to different reasons. Eventually the situation has created the gap between traditional healer and biomedical healer. This study was intentionally conducted to examine and explore factors behind the gap that has been the main barriers to many people in the health sector in Tanzania. In attempting to investigate, a case study design was applied, and quantitative approach was taken into consideration where a questionnaire was the main tool that was used for data collection from a sample of 200 people of Mkinga districts in Tanzania. Ultimately, the study came up with results that can be used in this thesis to argue that the gap between THPs and BHPs can be due to less recognition of THPs by government and BHPs, but also poor organization among THPs themselves. Hence it advices the government to recognize THPs and their work officially in the region, training to be provided to THPs as well encouraging and fostering cooperation among healers. / <p>This thesis can be used by any of authorised user from any univeristy for academic use only.</p>

Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Nursing In the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / Diabetes is one of the major non-communicable diseases in South Africa (SA) and in 2008, 6.4 percent of the South African population was reported by Frost and Sullivan to have diabetes (Business Wire, 2008). Furthermore, the prevalence of diabetes in South Africans between the ages of 20 and 70 had been predicted to rise from 3.4% to 3.9% by the year 2025 (Rheeder, 2006:20). There is no clear assessment of the amount of nursing care Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners (OHNPs) provide to diabetic employees in SA. From working experience of the researcher, employees with diabetes were absent from work more often due to poor glucose control than other workers with chronic health conditions. The increasing levels of absenteeism had financial impact on the diabetic employees, other workers, and industry. Therefore, OHNPs working in industries and organizations must have the appropriate knowledge to ensure that workers with diabetes are screened, monitored, and managed effectively in the workplace. The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge and practices of OHNPs in managing diabetes in workplaces in SA. The objectives of the study are firstly, to explore the extent of knowledge and practices of OHNPs regarding screening for diabetes in the workplace; secondly, to describe knowledge and practices of OHNPs regarding monitoring of diabetes in the workplace; and thirdly, to examine the knowledge and practices of OHNPs in management of diabetes in the workplace. Quantitative survey design was selected to focus the study and inform on the data collection tool. The population was all the OHNPs that were members of the South African Society of Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners (SASOHN) and registered on the SASOHN database. SASOHN Executive Office granted permission for use of the database. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the University Research and Ethics Committee. The sample included all the members of SASOHN that had access to emails. The researcher developed an electronic self-administered questionnaire based on the 2009 American Diabetic Association position statement. The questionnaire contained both closed and open-ended questions which were grouped under specific sections. The questionnaire was emailed to participants accompanied by an invitation to participate and an informed consent form. Results: due to the complexity of industries and factories that OHNPs are employed in, the organisations were divided into eight categories. About 45% of respondents rated their knowledge of diabetes management as either good or average, 55% rated their knowledge of screening as good, 44% rated their knowledge of diabetes management as good and only 7% as very good. Only 51% of OHNPs routinely screened workers for diabetes. The majority of the OHNPs indicated that the Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) was the diagnostic test they used to diagnose diabetes, which is the preferred test. Between 73 -85% of OHNPs indicated that each of the suggested five aspects of immediate care were performed after diagnosis Conclusions: OHNPs consider their knowledge on different aspects of diabetes to be average to good, however, lack of knowledge on types of diabetes, and some gaps identified regarding the tests for screening and diagnosis of diabetes, are cause for concern. Most OHNPs that participated in the study use different approaches to conduct diabetes awareness initiatives to promote health amongst their employees. There is a gap in OHNPs’ practice of screening for diabetes as well as in their knowledge. The lack of knowledge of the OHNPs that used the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) or other tests is cause for concern. Amongst most respondents the five aspects of care necessary after diagnosis of DM were performed. Recommendations: firstly, a strategy should be developed to encourage males to specialise in occupational health nursing. Secondly, a vigorous marketing strategy must be promoted to inform career guidance teachers on how to attract new applicants to the nursing profession and to promote nursing as a career of choice. Thirdly, the number of nurses trained in occupational health nursing and practising as OHNPs should be determined to assess professional developmental needs. Fourthly, additional research ought to be conducted to determine OHNPs’ actual knowledge of crucial aspects of diabetes and diabetes management. A standard/guideline could be developed to ensure that OHNPs have points of reference, and continuous training and professional development programmes on screening and diagnosing of diabetes should be established. There must be an investigation into constraints that OHNPs are faced with when implementing health promotion in the workplace as well as to determine the impact of such health promotion initiatives on the employees. OHNPs should be informed about the immediate care that needs to be performed on diagnosis of diabetes to improve their knowledge base and to motivate them to change their practice to provide a solid basis for continuity of care and management of newly diagnosed clients. Suggestions for further research: research on the effect of screening programmes in the occupational health setting to diagnose diabetics and the follow up care that is given. More research is required on how much monitoring and supervision is being conducted by OHNPs in the workplace.

The purpose of this study was to explore the utilization patterns of elderly women in a nurse managed clinic (NMC). A convenience sample of 20 women, 65 and older, attending an NMC completed an questionnaire and an interview. A pilot study guided the development of the questionnaire. Interrater reliability was performed to enhance the reliability of the pattern categories developed from the interviews. The findings of this research were that elderly women utilized this NMC for: physical assessment and monitoring; health care information; evaluating a physical need; referral; emotional support; socialization; convenience; cost; familiarity/comfort; health care need; and reliability. Satisfaction was the main component of the clients' perception of their visit to the NMC. Conclusions reached were that utilization of this NMC was based mainly on perceptions of health care needs and that cost, convenience, and familiarity influenced clients in choosing this clinic in addition to their primary care provider.

No description available.

Entre 1972 et 1984, des non médecins du Mouvement pour la liberté de l’avortement et de la contraception ont pratiqué des avortements hors de la sphère médicale, dans le même temps que la professionnalisation de l’acte s’accélérait. Au moyen d’une ethnographie historique combinant un large corpus d’entretiens rétrospectifs et d’archives, la thèse s’intéresse à la politisation de l’avortement et éclaire sa constitution en problème de santé publique. Cette étude localisée de groupes MLAC ayant revendiqué une pratique propose une analyse incarnée à la fois de l’instauration du monopole médical sur l’avortement et des résistances à ce processus. Dans le temps de la lutte, médecins comme profanes participent à l’acclimatation et à l’adaptation en France de la méthode par aspiration. Il est remarquable que, des collaborations et conflits découlant de ces interactions, l’autorisation d’accès aux savoirs élaborés en commun ait échu aux seul⋅es détenteurs/rices de titres médicaux.La thèse constitue ensuite en objet d’étude le cas exceptionnel des MLAC qui ont maintenu une pratique profane après le vote de la loi sur l’IVG et renouvelé leur radicalité malgré la phase d’institutionnalisation dans laquelle sont entrés les acquis féministes. En remettant en cause tant la spécialisation des actes corporels que la domination patriarcale des corps féminins, ces « dissidentes » affirment progressivement l’orientation féministe de leur action. Au même moment, l’infusion du self-help en France soutient la réorientation de leur registre de revendication en enrichissant leur armature idéologique. La façon dont elles se l’approprient, alliée à la politisation de l’existence quotidienne des femmes et au développement de nouvelles pratiques de soins – les accouchements notamment –, invitent à considérer les MLAC dissidents comme une mobilisation de santé. / From 1972 to 1984, unskilled members (i.e. without a medical degree) of the Movement for the Liberation of Abortion and Birth Control aborted women outside medical spheres, whereas the practice was getting more and more professional. Thanks to a historical ethnography combining a wide corpus of retrospective interviews and archives, the thesis focuses on the politicization of abortion and highlights its constitution as a matter of public health. This survey of some local committees of the MLAC which claimed this practice puts forward a deep analysis of both the establishment of the medical monopoly of abortion and protests against this process. During the fight, physicians and unskilled practitioners take part in the introduction and adaptation in France of the aspiration method. We can notice that from collaborations and conflicts resulting from these interactions, the authorized access to the technical know-how learnt in common benefited only fully qualified physicians.The thesis then looks into the outstanding subject of the MLACs which maintained the practice outside medical structures after a bill was passed in favour of IVG – i.e voluntary termination of pregnancy – and resumed their radical militancy in spite of the institutionalization step including feminist achievements. By questioning both the specialization of practices on bodies and the patriarchal domination of female bodies, these « dissidents » gradually assert the feminist orientation of their action. At the same time, the spreading of self help in France supports the reorientation of their demands and enriches their ideological basis. The way they appropriate new orientations, plus the politization of women’s daily life and the development of new caring methods – notably deliveries (childbirths) – urge us to consider dissident MLACs as a mobilization for health.

MRDV / Institute for Rural Development / Traditional medicine still plays a bigger role in people dealing with health and disease. Research shows that in some Asian and African countries, traditional medicine forms the primary mode of health care for 80% of the population. This is actively promoted in South Africa and is used by at least 70% of the country’s population. This study investigated the contributory factors leading mental health care users to use a combination of traditional and modern medicine in rural areas. The study was conducted using qualitative research methods. The population of this study were MHCUs, Mental health practitioners and traditional healers. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data was analyzed through a computer programme called Atlas TI. The results revealed the following as contributory factors leading mental health care users to use modern and traditional medicine in rural areas : cultural factor , belief in witch craft , influence by significant others (family members and friends), poor PHC intervention and treatment method. Recommendations to the health care practitioners and policy makers around the use of traditional and modern medicine was made based on the findings.

No description available.