Knowledge and attitudes of professional nurses towards HIV and AIDS patients at the Libode District Health Services in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Gedu, Grace Nontuthuzelo
- Date: 2011-12
- Subjects: Rural health services , AIDS (Disease)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24610 , vital:63213
- Description: This study was conducted at the Libode District Health Services amongst professional nurses who render services to HIV and AIDS patients. Generally, caring for HIV positive patients, nurses need to be knowledgeable about the transmission of the HIV virus, in order to render quality care to the patients. They also need to be sensitive and to demonstrate positive attitudes towards the patients. It was unknown whether the professional nurses at the Libode District Health Services are knowledgeable or not regarding HIV and AIDS. Their attitudes towards the HIV positive patients, were also unknown. Not knowing the knowledge and attitude of professional nurses regarding HIV and AIDS has the potential to compromise the quality of nursing care rendered to the patients. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the level of knowledge of professional nurses regarding HIV and AIDS well as their attitudes towards the HIV-positive patients so as to make recommendations for quality patient care based on the results. A quantitative explorative descriptive research design was used to examine the level of knowledge about HIV and AIDS as well as the attitudes of professional nurses to HIV and AIDS patients. The target populations were the 218 professional nurses working at the Libode District Health services who had nursed HIV positive patients. A simple random sampling method was used to select a sample of 120 participants. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain data. The questionnaire consisted of a section on the demographic profile of the participants, and two other sections for responses on knowledge and attitudes. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 software for consistency of the twenty (20) items in the questionnaire. Findings showed that nurses of Libode District Health Services had an approximately fair amount of knowledge. The majority (79percent) of participants scored above the cut-off point of 24. Twenty one percent (21percent) scored below 24. On attitude, the majority (76percent) had scored below the cut-off point of 36. Recommendations were that professional nurses of Libode District Health Services, need to be exposed to ongoing training on HIV and AIDS to increase their knowledge about HIV and AIDS and to ensure that they demonstrate positive attitudes towards HIV and AIDS patients. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2011
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- Date Issued: 2011-12
The economic impact of HIV and AIDS in South Africa
- Authors: Makhetha, Palesa (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8730-4450)
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease) , Economic Aspects , HIV Infections South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26130 , vital:64918
- Description: The SADC region has felt the impact of HIV/AIDS more than any other region in sub-Saharan Africa and the world. South Africa is the home of the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world. Historically, South Africa is one the countries that had a very disorderly past and this history is relevant to the explosive spread of HIV/AIDS in the region. The first cases of HIV were diagnosed in 1982 and that is when the first death from this disease was recorded. In 2004 over 5 million people out of a total 46 million South Africans were HIV positive, giving a total prevalence rate of 11 percent. HIV/AIDS has affected societies in many ways. Individuals, households and enterprises have all been affected by the pandemic. For individuals, incomes are lost as a result of HIV/AIDS. When individuals fall sick due to the disease, they loose their jobs and incomes. In most cases, these individuals are breadwinners in their households. The available money is then spent on medical services at the expense of other household investments. For example, the loss of a breadwinner inevitably affects rural households investments on farm inputs such as fertiliser, seeds etc. The result is low agricultural output and thus poverty. Dependent members of the households suffer immensely from the loss of income. Those at school are likely to drop out. When children drop out of school, they are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed. This makes them more vulnerable to being poor and other vices, such as crime or even HIV/AIDS. Poverty is another social and health issue that has a two-way relationship with HIV/Aids. Poverty increases individuals’ vulnerability to HIV/AIDS especially for females. Through its impact on productivity and loss of life of the economically productive members of the society, the disease condemns many to poverty. Households affected by the disease, are poorer than non-affected households. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2011
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- Date Issued: 2011