Perceptions of youth on the use of condoms for HIV prevention in Capricorn District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Despite the fact that condoms are very effective against Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus transmission (HIV); many people who are at risk do not use them. Latex condoms provide an essentially impermeable barrier to particles the size of HIV and other STI pathogens. The primary aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of youth on the use of condoms for HIV prevention in the Capricorn District of the Limpopo Province; South Africa. A qualitative; exploratory and descriptive design was used. The population included all youth from the ages of 15 to 19 years who attended two primary health care clinics in the Capricorn District. A non-probability purposive sampling method was used. Purposive sampling was used to include participants to participate in the study. Data were collected through unstructured interviews from 15 participants. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached; after which the data obtained were analysed qualitatively by open-coding method. Findings revealed four themes; namely; paradoxical attitudes towards consistent condom use related to fear of sexual intercourse and a need to prevent HIV transmission; casual usage of condoms perceived as having positive and negative results; responsibilities of youth to insist on condom use during sexual intercourse; and programme available to help youth with consistent use of condoms. Health education themes that should be included in the programme for educating the youth on the use of condoms for HIV prevention were recommended

A Woman-Centred Childbirth Model

A model for woman-centred childbirth was developed through four phases in accordance with the objectives of the study; namely; a description of mothers' experiences of childbirth and that of attending midwives of managing mothers during childbirth concept analysis of woman-centred care; model development; and an evaluation phase. The identified concepts and sub-concepts were classified and developed into in a conceptual model within the six elements of the practice theory; as outlined by Dickoff; James and Wiedenbach's (1968:423) survey list cited by Madela-Mntla (1999:69) in Tlakula (1999:119). These elements are recipient; agent; context; procedure; purpose and dynamic. The relational statements derived after conceptualisation of each of the six concepts were inferred through the process of deductive analysis and synthesis. The development of the woman-centred childbirth model contained six components; namely; goals; concepts; definitions; relationships; structures and assumptions; as outlined in Chinn and Jacobs (1987:116). The model was evaluated in accordance with Chinn and Kramer's (1995:134-135) method and refined by experts in midwifery practice and model generation. Limitations were recognised and recommendations made

Mothers' experience of labour in a tertiary care hospital

The purpose of the study was to explore and describe experiences of mothers during childbirth in a tertiary hospital in the Limpopo Province. This was achieved through a qualitative research study which was exploratory; descriptive; contextual and inductive in nature. A sample of 24 mothers participated in this study. Data obtained from unstructured in-depth interviews were analysed according to the protocol by Tesch (1990; cited in Cresswell; 1994:155). Five themes were identified; namely mutual participation and responsibility sharing; dependency and decision-making; information sharing and empowering autonomy and informed choices; open communication and listening; accom -modative /non-accommodative midwifery actions; and maximising human and material infrastructure. The themes indicated experiences that foster or promote dependency on midwifery care. Guidelines on how to transform this dependency into a mother-centered care approach during childbirth are provided