Representations of HIV/AIDS Management in South African Newspapers

In South Africa; numerous strong policy statements emphasise the importance of involving communities in HIV/AIDS management; yet in practice such involvement tends to be tokenistic and minimal. Social representations in the public sphere constitute the symbolic dimension within which responses to HIV and AIDS are conceptualised and transformed into action. Through an analysis of newspaper articles; we explore the dominant representations of HIV/AIDS management circulating in the South African public sphere and examine how community engagement is depicted. We highlight the way media representations reflect narrow understandings of HIV and AIDS as a predominantly medical problem; while depicting HIV/AIDS management as a top-down activity dominated by prominent individuals; such as national leaders; health professionals and philanthropists; thus marginalising the role played by communities; who are often depicted as passive recipients of interventions by active outsiders. These representations fail to reflect the key role played by members of grassroots communities in responding to the HIV epidemic. Such representations provide flawed conceptual tools for shaping responses to the epidemic; given that HIV-related programmes are unlikely to have optimal outcomes unless they resonate with the perceived needs and interests of their target communities; as we contend that effective HIV/AIDS management is best achieved through active participation by communities in HIV/AIDS management strategies. We discuss the implications of a more 'civic-minded journalism

Is Journaling Empowering ? Students' Perceptions of their Reflective Writing Experience

South African health care organisations are faced by enormous challenges. Responsive measures must include employing nurse practitioners who can think critically and creatively and who can make appropriate decisions that do not necessarily fit into theory learned within a formal educational system. This study arose out of the need for a university of technology nursing department to respond to limitations imposed by traditionally-formed educational frames of reference of post-basic nurse practitioner students that historically rated proficiency in the tasks of nursing above that of knowing nursing. Reflective journals were introduced as an educational strategy within a model for critical reflective practice (Van Aswegen; 1998) to promote independent thinking for improved professional practice and support and sustain 'deep' learning. This four-year qualitative descriptive study; using content analysis of 110 student journal self-evaluations; seeks to determine the value part-time post-basic nursing students place on journaling as a means of enhancing critical reflective practice. The findings of the study suggest that open-ended reflective journals encouraged self-directed learning. Despite journaling being perceived as an arduous; time-consuming exercise particularly in the light of concomitant learning; occupational and social commitments; it was seen as a means of promoting self-insight and self-development and as a viable strategy for life-long learning