Barriers and Mythical Practices of Teenagers Regarding the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Rural Areas of Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Sexually transmitted infections in South Africa are increasing at alarming rates. This study's setting is no. 5, with the highest STI, pregnancy, and HIV statistics in Limpopo province among 13- to 19-year-old teenagers. This study explored preventative measures against STIs practiced by teenagers in rural areas of Limpopo province, South Africa. This study was conducted at a selected rural-based clinic using an exploratory descriptive qualitative research approach. Unstructured in-depth face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from sixteen conveniently sampled teenagers aged 13-19, consisting of 13 females and 3 males, who came to Manavhela Clinic for youth-friendly services in August/September 2022. Open-coding analysis was used to identify themes and sub-themes. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were ensured. Ethical clearance (FSH/21/PH/22/2211) was obtained, and ethics principles were observed throughout this study. Two themes emerged from data analysis: STI preventive measures practiced by teenagers and factors influencing the choice of STI preventive measures practiced by teenagers. Only a few participants aged 13 and 14 years of age practiced abstinence and condom use. Most participants were sexually active and used mythical mixtures made from boiling aloe or morula tree (which they drank before and after sex), applied plain yogurt on the vagina once a week, or practiced vaginal steaming. Participants cited patriarchy, lack of sex education in rural schools, long distances to clinics, and desire to taste sex as reasons for adopting the practiced preventive measures. Risky sexual behavior among 13- to 19-year-old teenagers is still rife in rural areas. Rural clinics in Limpopo province should intensify STI school health education and youth-friendly services programs to raise awareness and improve accessibility to condoms.

Case Study Protocol to Evaluate the Impact of Training Intervention on Cleaners' Knowledge Level, Perceptions and Practices regarding Correct Cleaning Techniques at Selected Care Facilities in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Despite being preventable, healthcare-associated infections are known primary causes of patient mortality and morbidity, threatening global public health. Though it is believed that one competent and dedicated cleaning staff member given the right tools and enough time can prevent more health-care-associated infectious diseases than a room full of doctors and nurses can cure, it was discovered in Letaba Hospital of the Limpopo Province, South Africa, that knowledge and practices of infection control among cleaning staff were not optimal. The proposed study aims to evaluate the impact of training interventions on cleaners' knowledge levels and practices. In Phase 1, cleaners' pre-training knowledge level, practices, and perceptions regarding correct cleaning techniques will be assessed through qualitative, individual, in-depth interviews. The initial question will read, "Describe the steps you follow when cleaning at this health facility and why?" In Phase 2a, a cleaning training program will be developed based on the South African Qualification Authority ID 118730 Healthcare Cleaner: Occupational Certificate Curriculum and the Center for Diseases Control and ICAN's Best Practices for Environmental Cleaning in Healthcare Facilities in Resource-Limited Settings. In Phase 2b, a cleaning training intervention will be implemented. In Phase 3, cleaners' post-training knowledge level, practices, and perceptions will be reassessed and compared to pre-training findings. The Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for an Interventional Trial, commonly known as SPIRIT, guided the development of this protocol. This protocol received ethical clearance number FHS/22/PH/04/3005 in August 2023 from the University of Venda Human and Clinical Trials Research Ethics Committee. The protocol approval was granted by the Limpopo Provincial Department of Health (LP_2022-05-028) in October 2023. This protocol is registered with the South African National Clinical Trial Registry. The findings of this study may provide baseline data upon which healthcare facilities' cleaner training qualification curriculum may be developed. In addition, this protocol contributes to the application of qualitative methodology in an intervention trial.

A Mixed Methods Protocol for Developing Strategies to Improve Access to Health Care Services for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Access to healthcare is a fundamental human right for all people, including refugees and asylum seekers. Despite the provision in the Refugee Act of South Africa, which allows refugees to enjoy the same access to health services as the citizens of the Republic, refugees still encounter challenges in accessing such services in Gauteng province. This protocol aims to develop strategies to improve access to health care services for refugees and asylum seekers in Gauteng province, South Africa. The study will be conducted in three phases. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design will be employed in phase 1 of the study; the initial study will be based on a qualitative approach followed by a quantitative approach. Phase 1 (a) of this study will employ a qualitative approach in Gauteng province among conveniently sampled health practitioners as well as purposively sampled refugees and asylum seekers. Interviews will be used to collect data that will be analyzed thematically. Phase 1 (b) will adopt a quantitative approach based on the findings from the initial qualitative study. The ethical principles of informed consent, anonymity, privacy, confidentiality, and avoidance of harm will be adhered to throughout the research process. Phase 1 (c) will be meta-inference and conceptualization. Phase 2 will focus on the development of strategies using strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats analysis and a build, overcome, explore, and minimize model to guide the process. In Phase 3, the Delphi technique will be used to validate the developed strategies. The conclusion and recommendations will be based on the findings of the study.

Healthcare Workers' Perception of Measures to Reduce the Risk of New Tuberculosis Infections: A Qualitative Study Report.

Tuberculosis, which is an infectious airborne disease remained the main leading cause of death in South Africa for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018. In 2020 alone, the country had an estimated 328,000 people who suffered from TB, with 61,000 dying from it. Collins Chabane Municipality had 129 and 192 new TB cases recorded in 2017 and 2018, respectively, which is far from reaching the END TB STRATEGY targets. WHO scientific evidence demonstrates that TB control measures are effective in reducing the spread and development of new cases. Though scientific evidence revealed negative attitudes towards the recommended TB control measures in public hospitals of the Vhembe district, a deeper understanding of these attitudes is needed to remedy the situation. This study aimed to describe healthcare workers' perceptions of TB control measures at Collins Chabane Municipality in South Africa. A qualitative, exploratory case study design was adopted. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select both the healthcare facilities and the participants. Only 24 healthcare workers trained on tuberculosis management were voluntarily recruited. However, data were saturated at the twelfth (12) participant purposively selected from six healthcare facilities of Collins Chabane Municipality. Data collected through unstructured in-depth individual interviews were analyzed thematically. The proposal for this study was ethically cleared by the University of Venda Ethics Committee (SHS/20/PDC/35/1111). Results indicate that TB administrative, environmental and respiratory control measures are well understood by health workers even though there are challenges with implementation concerning some, such as closing windows during winter, UVGI lights that are non-functional and taking too long to be fixed, no specimen collection during weekends and holidays thereby delaying TB diagnosis and lack of skills concerning how to use respirators and cough etiquette. The Vhembe district TB control programme should intensify infection control training and continue monitoring giving the needed support.

Compliance of Professional Nurses at Primary Health Care Facilities to the South African Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines.

Despite the availability of the South African cervical cancer screening guidelines at clinics, women still present in district hospitals of Thulamela Municipality with no cervical cancer screening results. Thus, many cervical cancer screenings done at the hospitals often come back positive for cervical cancer at advanced stages. This study was conducted to investigate the compliance of professional nurses at primary health care facilities (PHCs) in Thulamela Municipality to the South African cervical cancer screening guidelines. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Purposive, non-probability sampling method was used to select PHCs and recruit eligible participants. Sample size was determined by data saturation. A digital recorder was used to log individual responses during interview sessions. Data from the digital recordings were transcribed verbatim. Results were analysed and interpreted in accordance with the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. This study established that clinic professional nurses are non-compliant to the South African cervical cancer screening guidelines owing to several challenges they face, such as inadequate knowledge of the cervical cancer screening guidelines, shortage of resources, shortage of staff and patients' factors. We recommend a strengthening of the South African cervical cancer screening guideline, in-service trainings and workshops on cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening guideline as well as improvement on patients' education.

Knowledge, Beliefs, and Perceptions of TB and Its Treatment amongst TB Patients in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Despite the implementation of global plans to end tuberculosis (TB), this disease remains a major cause of ill-health and is the second leading cause of death. In 2019, globally, an estimated 10.0 million people fell ill and about 1.4 million died of TB. During the same year, South Africa was among the eight countries with the highest tuberculosis burden, contributing to two-thirds of the world's total. Due to the high burden of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, TB in South Africa is a major public health problem. Limpopo is amongst the provinces that are hardest hit by TB and HIV in South Africa. Therefore, using a quantitative descriptive design, this study assessed the knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions of TB and TB treatment amongst TB patients in the Limpopo Province. A systematic random sampling method was used to sample 207 TB patients who agreed in writing to be part of the study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, however, about 3.9% of participants who could not read were assisted by the main researcher and health professional. About 33% of the participants with primary education were also assisted to clarify any questions that were not clear to them. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences® version 26.0. Validity and reliability of the instrument was ensured, and ethical considerations were observed in this study. The research findings revealed that about 93.25% respondents only came to know they had TB after diagnosis. About 75% indicated that they had visited faith healers and only 2% acknowledged that they had visited traditional healers after diagnosis. A total of 76% of the respondents stated that they strongly believed in their culture and religion. These findings highlight the need for health education efforts to strengthen accurate information to improve TB knowledge and correct misconceptions about TB among patients within the community.

A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Assessment of Caregivers' Knowledge and Practices Regarding the Prevention and Management of Diarrhea among Children under the Age of Five in Thulamela B Clinics, South Africa.

Diarrhea is a common cause of child-related hospitalization and mortality among children under the age of five in South Africa. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practices of caregivers regarding prevention and management of diarrhea among children under the age of five in the Thulamela Municipality of South Africa. A quantitative approach using a descriptive cross-sectional survey was used. A questionnaire was adopted to collect data from caregivers at thirty primary health-care facilities using convenient sampling. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 was used to analyze data. Most of the respondents have fair knowledge about diarrhea, oral rehydration therapy/salt sugar solution and its usage during diarrheal episodes. However, most of them (81.7%) do not use the salt sugar solution when their children have diarrhea. Almost all the respondents practice a hand washing hygiene for themselves and their children; 97.2% do not reheat cooked food before feeding their children; 95.5% do not drink untreated water as their source of drinking water is the municipal supply. The practices of these respondents do not reflect their knowledge in terms of the use of oral rehydration solution/salt and sugar solution. Further efforts should be made to educate caregivers on the mode of transmission of diarrheal pathogens.