Other health-seeking behaviour of HIV and AIDS patients visiting private sector doctors in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal

Background: South Africa is severely affected by the AIDS pandemic and this has resulted in an already under-resourced public sector being placed under further stress, while there remains a vibrant private sector. To address some of the resource and personnel shortages facing the public sector in South Africa, partnerships between the public and private sectors are slowly being forged. However, little is known about the willingness of private-sector doctors in the eThekwini Metropolitan (Metro) region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients.Objectives: To gauge the willingness of private-sector doctor to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients and to describe factors that may infuence their responses.Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken among private-sector doctors, both general practitioners (GPs) and specialists, working in the eThekwini Metro, using an anonymous, structured questionnaire to investigate their willingness to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients and the factors associated with their responses. Chi-square and independent t-tests were used to evaluate associations. Odds ratios were determined using a binary logistic regression model. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Most of the doctors were male GPs aged 30–50 years who had been in practice for more than 10 years. Of these, 133 (77.8%) were willing to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients, with 105 (78.9%) reporting adequate knowledge, 99 (74.4%) adequate time, and 83 (62.4%) adequate infrastructure. Of the 38 (22.2%) that were unwilling to manage these patients, more than 80% cited a lack of time, knowledge and infrastructure to manage them. Another reason cited by five doctors (3.8%) who were unwilling, was the distance from public-sector facilities. Of the 33 specialist doctors, 14 (42.4%) indicated that they would not be willing to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients, compared with only 24 (17.4%) of the 138 GPs (p < 0.01).Conclusion: Many private-sector doctors are willing to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients in the eThekwini Metro, potentially removing some of the current burden on the public health sector.

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Decolonising the mindsets, attitudes and practices of the allopathic and indigenous health practitioners in postcolonial society: An exploratory approach in the management of patients

African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine ◽

10.4102/phcfm.v10i1.1518 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Simon M. Nemutandani ◽

Stephen J. Hendricks ◽

Mavis F. Mulaudzi

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Indigenous Health ◽

Hiv And Aids ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Aids Patients ◽

Attitudes And Practices ◽

Health Practitioners ◽

Living With Hiv

Background: The indigenous health care system continues in the postcolonial era to be perceived by antagonists as a threat to Western medicine. It has been associated with ‘witchcraft’, actively discouraged and repressed through official government prohibition laws. Despite that, human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(HIV and AIDS) patients consult both allopathic and indigenous health practitioners.Aim: The study explored a collaboration model between allopathic and traditional health practitioners in the management of patients living with HIV and AIDS in postcolonial South Africa.Setting: We conducted six combined focus group discussions and four separate group discussions with each category of co-researchers.Methods: Combined and separate focus group discussions were conducted with community members, allopathic and indigenous health practitioners, applying the cyclical method in the decolonisation process. Their perceptions and experiences in the management of HIV and AIDS patients were explored, and finally decolonisation strategies suitable for collaboration in their context were identified.Results: The two health systems were rendering services to the same HIV and AIDS communities.Lack of communication created confusion. Collaboration was long overdue. A change in mindsets, attitudes and practices among practitioners was critical, with an acknowledgementthat ‘neither health system is better than the other, but the two should be complementary, recognising that the culture and beliefs of patients influence their health-seeking behaviour’.Conclusion: Co-researchers were committed to working together in the fight against HIV and AIDS infections. Their model for collaboration addresses the challenges of patients’ secrecy, treatment overdose and the abandonment of antiretroviral treatment. Through the application of a decolonisation process, their mindsets, attitudes and practices towards each other were changed, enabling the joint development of a custom model for collaboration between allopathic health practitioners and indigenous health practitioners in the management of patients living with HIV and AIDS.

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Focus group discussion with private sector doctors in the eThekwini Metro of KwaZulu-Natal on the management of HIV/AIDS patients

South African Family Practice ◽

10.1080/20786204.2011.10874081 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 176-181

Author(s):

P Naidoo

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Private Sector ◽

Focus Group Discussion ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Aids Patients ◽

Kwazulu Natal ◽

Hiv Aids

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A study of factors which determine health seeking behavior of mothers for their under five children in rural area of Gujarat

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20174822 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (11) ◽

pp. 4169 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pravin N. Yerpude ◽

Keerti S. Jogdand ◽

Jay H. Shah ◽

Kinnari B. Thacker

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Private Sector ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Health Seeking Behaviour ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Health Seeking Behavior ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Childhood Illnesses ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Receive Treatment

Background: Childhood illnesses present a major public health challenge for developing countries like India which is aggravated by a suboptimal health seeking behaviour by the parents or guardians. Appropriate medical care seeking could prevent a significant number of child deaths and complications. The present study aims to determine the factors affecting health seeking behavior for childhood illnesses, thereby improving child survival.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in rural area of Gujarat. Study subjects were patients aged 2 months to 5 years of age who presented to the outpatient department of Rural Health Training Centre. The health seeking behavior of mothers for their child’s illness and the factors affecting it were analyzed. Results: Regarding utilizing the curative aspect of healthcare-seeking behavior, out of total 147 male children, treatment was not received by 31 children (21.09%), while those who received treatment, 71 males (48.30%) get treatment at the public sector and 45 males (30.61%) get treatment at private sector. It indicated the promptness, concern and utmost care for male children by their mothers. Out of 90 female children, in 30.00% of the cases, no treatment was received. 42 females (in 46.67% cases) receive treatment at public sector and 21 females (in 23.33% cases) receive treatment at private sector. The association between mass media exposure and health care seeking behavior was found to be statistically significant. The association between working status of mother and health seeking behavior was not found statistically significant. Conclusions: For the preventable childhood illnesses, appropriate health seeking behaviour is low. Intervention programs focusing on educational improvement of the caretakers, introduction of community based integrated management of childhood illness are likely to contribute to improve the health seeking behaviour and child survival.

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