AA 2005 Supplementum 1

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http://hdl.handle.net/11660/9663

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Browsing AA 2005 Supplementum 1 by Subject "Clinics"

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    Healthcare-seeking behaviour among clinic-based tuberculosis patients
    (University of the Free State, 2005) Matebesi, Zacheus; Meulemans, Herman; Timmerman, Christiane
    English: This study investigated the factors influencing recourse to healthcare in a sample of 220 tuberculosis (TB) patients. Data collection was by means of face-to-face interviews. Patients sought help mainly from primary healthcare clinics (46%) and private doctors (40%). The mean patient delay was seven weeks, with only 21% of patients seeking professional healthcare within less than two weeks. The results show that lack of awareness of TB and use of a home remedy were significantly associated with a delay of longer than two weeks in seeking healthcare. These findings indicate an urgent need to educate communities on the signs and symptoms of TB, as well as the need to attend designated health facilities for early diagnosis and proper treatment.
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    Staff capacity and resources at nine Free State clinics: shortcomings in the TB programme
    (University of the Free State, 2005) Janse van Rensburg-Bonthuyzen, Ega
    English: South Africa faces a continuously escalating tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. This article explores the extent and nature of shortcomings in intra-clinic TB programme resources and staffing. Data was gathered by means of in-depth interviews and observations in nine clinics in the Free State. The main findings of the study include the following: not all TB programme co-ordinators or implementers in the nine clinics had been formally trained in the principles of the National TB Control Programme; knowledge of TB diagnosis was limited; the treatment volunteer system was not optimally managed or utilised; policy guidelines were not available at all facilities; the recording and reporting infrastructure at some clinics was flawed; the drug, supply and equipment infrastructure at some clinics was lacking; the information, education and communication infrastructure was not utilised to its full extent, and management support was in need of improvement. The findings of this study should alert TB programme managers at the provincial, district, local and clinic levels to the existence and extent of problems at some primary health care (PHC) clinics and the urgent need to address them.