An appraisal of strategies to mitigate related to non-communicable diseases of the eye: a case study of Michael Mapongwane Health Clinic in Khayelitsha, Western Cape Metro District
- Authors: Ngcebetsha, Avela Ayanda
- Date: 2022-03
- Subjects: Chronically ill--Care , Ophthalmic nursing
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22908 , vital:53186
- Description: Preventive and curative eye-care services are a critical component of care for patients diagnosed with chronic diseases. The South African constitution guarantees health as a fundamental human right of all citizens. While most chronically ill patients are managed at the primary health care centers, eye care services are currently contracted to private service providers. The extent to which people, especially the chronically ill patients, have access to eye-care service under the current structure is less understood. The study aims to establish the effectiveness and sustainability of the eye-care service delivery model at the Michael Mapongwane CHC, with specific reference to access to eye-care services. Specifically, the study examined the rate and determinants of eye-care service utilisation, assess user’s satisfaction and perspectives of primary health workers and private service providers regarding the current structure of eye-care services. The study adopted a descriptive and explanatory design, which involved a survey and semi-structured interviews. The survey was conducted among 423 patients attending the two primary health centers selected for this study. Patients with chronic illness were recruited over a period of one month. Overall, 365 patients with chronic illness and 58 patients without chronic illness took part in the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the quantitative date. Purposive sampling was used to select nine health workers and 10 private eye-care service providers for the semi-structured interviews. The data obtained were transcribed and coded. Thematic content analysis was performed on the qualitative data. The results show that less than half of the respondents (n=168) had ever had an eye test, and an even lower proportion (n=115) had had an eye test in the past two years. Age, female sex, formal rural dwelling, marital status, and income were significantly associated with ever having an eye test done. The results reveal a gross inequality in access to eye care test. Only 19.2% of patients diagnosed with hypertension had had their eyes examined. Even fewer proportions of the patients (8.5%) had had their eyes examined during or after diagnosis for hypertension. Likewise, only one in three patients diagnosed with diabetes has had their eyes examined before or after they were diagnosed with diabetes. The majority of patients who had used the services affirmed that it was easy to access eye care services. While most respondents agreed that waiting time to make an appointment was not too long, over half of them affirmed that waiting to see an eye doctor was too long. Most users were reasonably satisfied with the eye care services received. Primary health care providers highlighted challenges such as work overload, poor infrastructure, and patient’s forgetfulness of the appointment dates as factors affecting access to eye care services in their clinic. The primary challenges the private eye-care service providers experienced were small rooms or inappropriate clinic rooms, language barrier and inadequate support from the clinics. In conclusion, this study has shown that access to preventive and curative health care services was among patients attending primary health care centres, and especially those with chronic illness. The current structure of eye care services makes it difficult for patients to access care and for providers to provide quality care. , Thesis (MPH) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-03
Virtual currency readiness in South Africa
- Authors: Tiervlei, Renee
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Digital currency -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54717 , vital:47530
- Description: The rapid growth of technology in the twenty first century has seen the increased use of the internet and its resources and with this a change in the way people see money. Buying goods and services online and paying with credit cards is a transformational advantage to the way transactions are done. Ten years ago, this was not possible and paper money was predominantly used to pay for goods, or the buyer had to go into a bank to deposit the payment into the seller’s bank account. Virtual currency is a topic that needs attention due to its increased popularity and from the South African perspective, more so. Virtual currencies, like cryptocurrencies and its blockchain technology, has a wide range of uses that could benefit the world as well as South Africa but there is also a downside or risks associated with the use of these currencies and many other virtual currencies. Risks include and are not limited to the regulation, or a lack of regulation of cryptocurrencies, the laundering of money and illegal activities. One advantage though is that the blockchain technology ensures that all transactions are recorded in the ledger and can never be deleted or erased. The study analyses virtual currency readiness in South Africa by looking at the factors influencing this by studying cryptocurrencies and the South African people’s reaction to the use of this currency and how it is perceived. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-12