Thesis (MCur)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mental health knowledge is defined as “the knowledge and beliefs about mental
disorders which aid their recognition, management or prevention”. Although
mental illness is a common condition in the community, only a few people with
these disorders generally undergo treatment with about only 70% of individuals
seeking help.
Contributing to the community’s lack of knowledge, it has also been found that
the public cannot recognise different types of psychological distress and mental
illness, resulting in people not seeking mental health care.
From the evidence perused in the literature, the researcher observed that
communities with sound mental health knowledge and a positive attitude
towards mental illness are motivated to seek professional help, whilst
communities with a lack of mental health knowledge and a negative attitude
towards mental illness are less motivated to seek professional help. The
researcher therefore aimed at determining the knowledge and attitudes of the
Kinondoni community members towards mental illness.
In determining the knowledge and attitudes of the Kinondoni community
members towards mental illness, the research design was a descriptive, crosssectional survey, with a quantitative approach. An adjusted, existing
questionnaire, with, self-compiled, closed ended questions, was used to collect
data. Reliability was supported by a pilot study to test the questionnaire
beforehand. Face and content validity focused on readability, clarity and
development of the questionnaire. The ethical principles were used to make
sure the rights of participants were protected.
The ethical approval was obtained from Stellenbosch University institutional
review board number IRB0005239 to conduct research. Furthermore the study
permit was given by the Kinondoni Municipal Medical Officer of health with
reference number TD/K/3/VOL/207. The collected data was analysed by using the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS).
The results were presented in tables of means, in which each variable had its
own table of analysis of variance. The results were as follows; knowledge about
mental illness was very poor as most of the respondents in Kinondoni
community n=182 (61%) responded that mentally ill people cannot perform
regular jobs, had no friends, and were dangerous. Respondents n= 239 (79.6%)
had negative attitudes towards people with mental illness as they stated that
they have no right to find a job, have friends and be integrated into society.
The results conclude that the Kinondoni community members have less
knowledge and negative attitude towards mental illness.
The researcher summarises the completed process of this research study and
recommend policy makers to formulate guidelines to strengthen nursing
practice and education, to create awareness to the community on mental illness
and also recommend for further study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geestesgesondheidskennis word gedefinieer as die kennis van
geestesongesteldhede wat bydra tot die herkenning, hantering en voorkoming
van geestesongesteldhede. Alhoewel geestesongesteldhede ‘n algemene
toestand is in die gemeenskap, is daar slegs ‘n klein aantal geestesongestelde
individue wat behandeling ondergaan, met omtrent 70% van die genoemde
individue wat hulp soek.
Bydraend tot die gebrek van die gemeenskap se kennis het dit ook aan die lig
gekom dat die publiek ook nie die verskeie sielkundige stressors en
geestesongesteldhede erken nie, wat veroorsaak dat mense nie
geestesgesondheidsorg benader nie.
Uit die literatuurstudie het die navorser geobserveer dat die gemeenskappe met
geestesgesondheidskennis en ‘n positiewe houding gemotiveerd is om hulp te
soek en gemeenskappe met ‘n gebrek aan geestesgesondheidskennis minder
gemotiveerd is om professionele hulp te soek. Die navorsing het hierbenewens
ten doel gehad om die kennis en houding van die Kinondoni gemeenskapslede
aangaande geestesongesteldhede te bepaal.
Om die kennis en houding van die Kinondoni gemeenskap te bepaal is ‘n
kwantitatiewe deursnitopname gedoen. ‘n Bestaande vraelys met geslote vrae
is aangepas om data in te samel. Betroubaarheid is deur die loodstudie
ondersteun, terwyl sig- en inhoudsgeldigheid op die leesbaarheid, uitklaring en
ontwikkeling van die vraelys gefokus het. Die etiese standaarde is gebruik om
die regte van deelnemers te beskerm. Vervolgens is die gekollekteerde data
met SPSS ontleed. Die bevindinge is deur middel van tabelle van gemiddeldes,
waar elke verandelike sy eie variansie vertoon het, voorgestel.
Ten slotte is riglyne beskryf. Die resultate is as volg; kennis betrefffende
geestesongesteldhede was baie swak onder die meerderheid repondente van
Kinondoni se gemeenskap n=182 (61%) het vertoon dat geestesongestelde persone nie gereelde werk kan verig nie, geen vriende kringe het nie en baie
gevaarlik is. Respondente n=239 (79.6%) het n negatiewe houdng teenoor
persone met n geestesgebrek en maak melding dat geestesgestremde persone
geen reg op om te werk besit, vriende te het en om te integreer in die
gemeenskap.
Die gevolgtrekking van die resultate toon dat die Kinondoni gemeenskaps lede
baie min kennis en n negatiewe houding teenoor geestesgebreke het. Die
navorser maak n volledige opsomming van die navorsings’ studie en maak n
aanbeveling aan beleid opstellers om riglyne te formuleer deur versterking van
die verpleeg praktyk en onderwys, om bewustheid van gesondheidsgebreke
aan die gemeenskap daar te stel en beveel ook verdere studies aan.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6562 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Chikomo, John Geofrey |
| Contributors | Pienaar, Abel J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 118 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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