Perspectives on pregnant women's educational needs to prevent TB complications during pregnancy and the neonatal period. A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) during pregnancy could confer a high risk for maternal and infant morbidity. Literature indicates that the global burden of active TB disease among pregnant women is not well researched. Statistics for South Africa from WHO give an estimated incidence of 360, 000 cases of TB in 2019; 14,000 people became ill with multidrug-resistant TB in 2019, with a rate of 615 per 100,000 population, implying that the cohorts included pregnant women with and without a diagnosis of TB infection. Therefore, the study aims to increase the understanding of the educational needs required to prevent TB complications during pregnancy and the neonatal period in women diagnosed with TB infection. METHODS: The study used cross-sectional qualitative and descriptive designs to collect data in the clinical setting of the primary health care services of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The population comprised pregnant women diagnosed with TB infection. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to sample 2 health centers and 5 clinics in each of the three sampled districts. The targeted sample size was 63 and it was achieved even though data saturation was observed. Individual interviews were conducted, audiotaped, and transcribed. Guided by the study questions, a thematic content analysis of the findings was used. Ethical considerations were also observed. RESULTS: Despite that pregnant women have general knowledge about TB disease, the knowledge and awareness regarding the prevention of TB complications in pregnancy and the neonatal period, information on TB/HIV and COVID-19 co-infections, and participants' knowledge about other non-infectious diseases that may affect the mother with TB infection and foetus showed a deficit. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women with TB disease need to be educated on the negative effects of non-adherence to TB treatment during pregnancy and the neonatal period. There is a need to educate pregnant women about the variant signs and symptoms of TB, HIV and COVID-19 infections since there is a misconception that the three diseases are similar. It is important that pregnant mothers diagnosed with TB should start treatment as soon as possible.

Body fat percentage of urban South African children: implications for health and fitness.

OBJECTIVE: To explore gender and racial profiling of percentage body fat of 1136 urban South African children attending public schools in Pretoria Central. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey of 1136 randomly selected children (548 boys and 588 girls) aged 9-13 years in urban (Pretoria Central) South Africa. Body mass, stature, skinfolds (subscapular and triceps) were measured. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations). Differences in the mean body fat percentage were examined for boys and girls according to their age group/race, using independent t-test samples. RESULTS: Girls had a significantly (p = 0.001) higher percentage body fat (22.7 ± 5.7%, 95% CI = 22.3, 23.2) compared to boys (16.1 ± 7.7%, 95% CI = 15.5, 16.8). Percentage body fat fluctuated with age in both boys and girls. Additionally, girls had significantly (p = 0.001) higher percentage body fat measurements at all ages compared to boys. Viewed racially, black children (20.1 ± 7.5) were significantly (p = 0.010) fatter than white children (19.0 ± 7.4) with a mean difference of 4.0. Black children were fatter than white children at ages 9, 10, 12 and 13 years, with a significant difference (p = 0.009) observed at age 12 years. CONCLUSION: There was a considerably higher level of excessive percentage body fat among school children in Central Pretoria, South Africa, with girls having significantly higher percentage body fat compared to boys. Racially, black children were fatter than white children. The excessive percentage body fat observed among the children in this study has implications for their health and fitness. Therefore, an intervention programme must be instituted in schools to prevent and control possible excessive percentage body fat in this age group.

A model for mentorship of newly qualified professional nurses employed in community health care services

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for mentorship of newly qualified professional nurses (NQPNs) employed in community health care services. A triangulation of qualitative and quantitative designs was used for data collection. The experiences of NQPNs employed in community health care services were explored through focus group interviews. Based on the findings of the interviews; three questionnaires for different categories were developed to determine the self-care deficiencies that required mentorship of NQPNs. The findings revealed that NQPNs experienced self-care deficiencies regarding the performance of specific competencies related to dealing with psychiatry; midwifery practice; adaptation; organizational culture; health practice culture and interaction with the community they serve. It was recommended that adaptation/adjustment; health and nursing practice culture; development of skills and competencies; improvement of good relationships between NQPNs and community should be emphasised during training of nursing students to become professional nurses

Rural women's understanding of the concept of menopause in Limpopo Province, South Africa

The word 'menopause' is derived from men and pausis and is a direct description of the psychological and physical events in women where menstruation ceases to occur. It is the time in a woman's life when she has experienced the last menstrual bleed. Menopause is not a disease per se but a condition associated with hormonal changes where estrogen diminishes to a low level causing health related symptoms. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the knowledge of rural women concerning menopause in Mutale Municipality; South Africa. A qualitative; explorative; descriptive and contextual design was used. Purposive sampling was used to select the four villages and the focus groups. Sample size was determined by data saturation. The findings of the study indicated that the rural women in Mutale community had the common traditional understanding of the concept menopause; that blood is gone; old age; it was God' nature of doing things and that cessation of menstruation was a normal and natural transition. They could not attach cessation of menstruation to menopausal conditions but to old age and physical as well as psychological health related problems. There is need for health care providers to conduct workshops in order to enlighten rural women in this community regarding phenomenal issues of menopause

Menopausal challenges as perceived by women in rural villages of Limpopo Province, South Africa

The study explored the challenges of menopause as perceived by participants in rural villages of Vhembe District. A cross-sectional study involved a sample of 500 women between the ages of 40 years and above. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data and was analysed descriptively. The results indicated that those experiencing night sweat were 39.1; hot flushes (43.4) and 43.4 difficulty falling asleep. As for urogenital category; about 50 reported frequency of urination while 41.3 and 35.2 reported having menstrual problems and issues related to 'avoiding intimacy' respectively. Concerning musculoskeletal symptoms; between 38 reported having joint aches/stiffness of the joints and low backache/muscle pains respectively.The study demonstrated a high prevalence of menopausal challenges among the perimenopausal and postmenopausal women; thus suggesting a need for an intervention to reduce the incidence of menopausal challenges associated with menopause in this population

Experiences of physical violence by women living with intimate partners.

Intimate partner violence directed towards females by male partners is a common significant global public health problem. Most victims of physical aggression such as women and children are subjected to multiple acts of violence over extended periods of time, suffering from more than one type of abuse, for example physical which is more symbolic and evidenced by scars. The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of the symbols of physical violence as experienced by women who live with intimate partners in the Vhembe district of the Limpopo Province. The research design of this study was qualitative, exploratory and descriptive in nature. The accessible population was those participants who used the trauma unit A in a particular hospital. Seven women comprised the sample of the study. In-depth individual interviews were conducted exploring the women's experiences in the context of physical violence. From the data collected all seven participants experienced some form of physical violence which resulted in permanent deformity. They experienced some form of battering such as kicking, stabbing, burning, fracturing, strangling and choking. Recommendations were made that health care providers are encouraged to implement screening for physical violence, to provide appropriate interventions if assault is identified and to provide appropriate education regarding, employment opportunities, legal literacy, and rights to inheritance. Human rights education and information regarding domestic violence should be provided to them because this is their absolute right (UNICEF, 2000:14).

Infant Feeding Practices of Mothers and Nutritional Status of Infants in Vhembe District in the Limpopo Province

Objective: To determine the breast-feeding and weaning practices of mothers and the nutritional status of infants in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province.Design: A descriptive and exploratory study was done. A sample of 185 mothers with 185 infants 12 months and younger was selected from five primary healthcare clinics. A validated questionnaire; which consisted of questions relating to demographic data; breast-feeding and weaning practices; was used. The weight and length measurements of the infants were taken.Results: The majority (97) of the mothers were still breast-feeding at the time of the interviews. Only 7;6practised exclusive breastfeeding;however; while 43;2had introduced solid foods at three months and 15before two months. The weaning food given by most of the mothers was maize-meal soft porridge and had been introduced before four months of age. The Z-score classification was used and showed that stunting (18;9); underweight (7) and wasting (7) were present among the infants but that only wasting was found to be a disorder of public-health significance.The nutritional status of the infants was therefore not significantly influenced by the breast-feeding and weaning practices of the mothers or other demographic parameters.Conclusion: Breast-feeding was still practised by many of the mothers but exclusive breast-feeding was rare

Concepts and treatment for diabetes among traditional and faith healers in the northern province, South Africa.

The purpose of the study was to assess the concepts and treatment modalities for diabetes among traditional and faith healers in the Northern Province in South Africa. The sample consisted of 50 traditional healers (13 females and 37 males) and 50 faith healers (12 females and 38 males). They were interviewed on local terminology, clinical manifestations, causes, curability, and treatment for diabetes, help-seeking behaviour of diabetes patients, and the healers' sources of information about diabetes. Results indicate that all healers were familiar with "diabetes", however, not all of them had seen patients suffering from diabetes. The perceived causes of diabetes by both traditional and faith healers could be divided into (1) diet (especially too much of sugar), (2) heredity, (3) supernatural, and (4) psychological causes. Most traditional healers (92%) and faith healers (90%) indicated that diabetes is curable. Treatments used by the healers in this study included the use of prayer, diet, and herbs. The authors conclude that the concepts and treatment modalities for diabetes among traditional and faith healers should be taken note of by health workers while developing health education programmes in the Province.

The competencies of newly qualified nurses as viewed by senior professional nurses.

The information gathered from an in-depth literature study on the competencies of newly qualified nurses, was used to compile questionnaires for investigating newly qualified nurses' (NQNs') competencies as perceived by senior professional nurses (SPNs) in the former areas of Venda, Gazankulu and Lebowa (forming part of the Northern Province of the RSA since April 1994). The total number of 396 SPNs, employed by the health authorities in these three areas during 1994, comprised the population for this study. Questionnaires were distributed to the total 396 SPNs and responses were received from 259 SPNs (implying a response rate of 65.4%). Application of stages of the nursing process (problem solving and clinical judgment), research, management and administration of a clinical unit, nursing ethics and critical care were perceived by the SPNs to be the central focus of NQNs' incompetency in all four clinical nursing units, namely community, psychiatric, midwifery, and general units. The findings provide nurse educators and curriculum developers with realistic input about the SPNs' expectations from NQNs in the real working situation. This information could assist in the delineation and refinement of the professional competencies expected of nurses trained in the comprehensive (R425) course.