Agreeing on the minimum: An 11-year review of Prescribed Minimum Benefits appeals.

BACKGROUND: Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) in South Africa (SA) are a set of minimum health services that all members of medical aid schemes have access to regardless of their benefit options or depleted funds. Medical aid schemes are liable to pay for these services. However, ~40% of all complaints received by the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) are in relation to PMBs. Individuals/stakeholders who are unsatisfied with judgments on their complaints are allowed to appeal. OBJECTIVES: To determine and describe the pattern of PMB appeals from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2016. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that utilised the CMS Judgments on Appeals database. Data for PMBs, levels of appeal, judgments, appellants, respondents and medical scheme types were extracted. The CMS's lists of chronic conditions, PMBs and registered schemes were used to confirm PMBs and to categorise schemes as either open (i.e. to all South Africans) or restricted (i.e. only open to members of specific organisations). Data were extracted and frequencies were calculated using Stata software, version 14. RESULTS: All eligible appeal reports (N=340) were retrieved and 123 PMB appeals were included in the study (36.2%). The median number of PMB appeals per year was 11 (interquartile range 9 - 27). Open schemes accounted for 82.1% of all the PMB appeals. Half of the total appeals (50.4%, 62/123) were by medical aid schemes appealing their liability to pay for PMBs, and of these 69.4% (43/62) were found in favour of members. The remaining half (49.6%, 61/123) were appeals by members appealing that schemes were liable to pay, and of these 80.3% (49/61) were found in favour of the medical aid schemes. Treatment options that were scheme exclusions constituted 34.4% (21/61) of reasons why schemes were found not liable to pay. Various types of cancers and emergency conditions constituted one-quarter of all PMB appeals. CONCLUSIONS: While the pattern is unclear and the extent of the problem is masked, this study shows that a quarter of the conflict resulting in PMB appeals was due to various types of cancers and emergency conditions. Medical schemes should revise their guidelines, policies and criteria for payment of these two services and improve their communication with healthcare providers and members.

Health providers' perceptions of adolescent sexual and reproductive health care in Swaziland.

AIM: To explore health providers' perceptions of adolescent sexual and reproductive healthcare services in Swaziland. METHODS: Fifty-six healthcare providers, working in 11 health clinics in Swaziland in 2005, were surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were analysed by descriptive statistics and content analysis to identify key themes. FINDINGS: Most participants were women with a mean age of 36 years and a mean number of 6 years in the profession. Services provided included STIs/HIV/AIDS advice, pre- and post-test counselling and testing on HIV, contraceptives and condom use. Half of the nurses/midwives had no continued education and lacked supervision on adolescent sexual and reproductive health care. The majority had unresolved moral doubts, negative attitudes, values and ethical dilemmas towards abortion care between the law, which is against abortion, and the reality of the adolescents' situation. Forty-four wanted to be trained on post-abortion care while eight on how to perform abortions. Twenty-six wanted the government to support adolescent-friendly services and to train heathcare providers in adolescent sexual and reproductive health services. CONCLUSION: The curricula within nursing and midwifery preservice education need to be reviewed to incorporate comprehensive services for adolescents. There is need for provision of comprehensive services for adolescents in Swaziland and appropriate youth-friendly services at all levels. There is need for nurse/midwifery participation, advocacy and leadership in policy development.

Adolescents' views on decision-making regarding risky sexual behaviour.

PURPOSE: To explore adolescents' views regarding risky sexual behaviour who were aged between 13 and 19 years. METHODS: A purposive sample was drawn from adolescents who were participating in workshops, organized by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The sample consisted of a mix of in-school and out-of-school adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years. The overall aim of the workshops was to explore adolescents' views on decision-making regarding risky sexual behaviour. The educational status of participants lay between grades 0 and 12. A total of 24 focus group discussions were conducted, six in each of the four regions of Swaziland (Manzini, Hhohho, Lubombo and Shiselweni). Each group consisted of 6-12 participants. All focus group discussions were audiotaped and later transcribed. FINDINGS: The following four major themes emerged from content analysis: sexual behaviour, age at first intercourse, peer pressure and trust in the relationship. These were all found to be important factors in decision-making for risky sexual behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining a sexual history, motivation to use condoms, guidance and counselling on ways to reduce adolescents' risk of sexual exploitation, and peer education programmes, are all of importance when aiming to reduce risky sexual behaviour. RECOMMENDATION: Adolescents should receive positive reinforcement for responsible sexual behaviour including abstinence and, where appropriate, use of active birth control.

Quality of maternity care for adolescent mothers in Mbabane, Swaziland.

Early pregnancy and unplanned childbirth may have far-reaching physical, psychological and social consequences for the adolescent girl and her offspring and are therefore public health issues of concern. A number of evidence-based maternity practices might, if properly applied, prevent unnecessary health-related problems in mothers and newborns, postnatally. In order to identify the areas of maternity practice that require improvement in Swaziland, the overall aim of this study was to generate systematic data on the maternity care and social support provided by health professionals (for adolescent mothers and their children) on admission, in the labour ward, and during and after delivery. The study was carried out during a 3-month period from April to June 1998. All pregnant adolescents with an uneventful term pregnancy, admitted to the Mbabane Government Hospital maternity ward in the morning of the study days, were informed about the purpose of the study and asked if they would like to participate. A total of 33 pregnant adolescents agreed and in-depth interviews were conducted with those participants. Observations and checklists were used to assess the maternity care given to the study participants. Results revealed that on admission to the labour ward, verbal communication and interaction between the midwife and the adolescent were minimal, and none of the adolescents was encouraged to bring a social support person to remain with them during labour. During the progress of labour, nearly 50% of the adolescent mothers developed complications and approximately 27% had a lower-segment Caesarean section. Special attention should therefore be paid to adolescent sexual and reproductive health service needs. These should include contraceptive counselling in order to prevent pregnancy at a young age and also to improve their sexual and reproductive health statuses.