113 lines
3.8 KiB
YAML
113 lines
3.8 KiB
YAML
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abstract: 'Background: In South Africa, community health workers (CHWs) working in
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community-based care (CBC) programmes provide care to patients most of
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whom are living with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB). Although studies
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have shown that the caregiving activities provided by the CHWs generate
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health care waste (HCW), there is limited information about the
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experiences of CHWs on health care waste management (HCWM) in CBC. This
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study explored HCWM in CBC in Durban, South Africa from the perspectives
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CHWs.
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Methods: We used three ethnographic approaches to collect data: focus
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group discussions, participant observations and informal discussions.
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Data was collected from 85 CHWs working in 29 communities in the Durban
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metropolis, South Africa. Data collection took place from July 2013 to
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August 2014.
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Results: CHWs provided nursing care activities to patients many of whom
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were incontinent or bedridden. Some the patients were living with
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HIV/AIDS/TB, stroke, diabetes, asthma, arthritis and high blood
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pressure. These caregiving activities generate sharps and infectious
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waste but CHWs and family members did not segregate HCW according to the
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risk posed as stipulated by the HCWM policy. In addition, HCW was left
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with domestic waste. Major barriers to proper HCWM identified by CHWs
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include, lack of assistance from family members in assisting patients to
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use the toilet or change diapers and removing HCW from homes, irregular
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waste collection by waste collectors, inadequate water for practicing
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hygiene and sanitation, long distance between the house and the toilets
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and poor conditions of communal toilets and pit latrines. As a result of
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these barriers, HCW was illegally dumped along roads or in the bush,
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burnt openly and buried within the yards. Liquid HCW such as vomit,
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urine and sputum were disposed in open spaces near the homes.
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Conclusion: Current policies on primary health care (PHC) and HCWM in
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South Africa have not paid attention to HCWM. Findings suggest the need
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for primary health care reform to develop the competencies of CHWs in
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HCWM. In addition, PHC and HCWM policies should address the
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infrastructure deficit in low resource communities. In order for
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low-and-middle-income-countries (LMICs) to develop effective community
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health worker programmes, there is a need for synergies in PHC and HCWM
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policies.'
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affiliation: 'Hangulu, L (Corresponding Author), Univ KwaZulu Natal, Discipline Psychol,
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Hlth Promot Postdoctoral Programme, MTB Ground Floor,1X09, ZA-4041 Durban, South
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Africa.
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Hangulu, Lydia, Univ KwaZulu Natal, Discipline Psychol, Hlth Promot Postdoctoral
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Programme, MTB Ground Floor,1X09, ZA-4041 Durban, South Africa.
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Akintola, Olagoke, Univ KwaZulu Natal, Discipline Psychol, Hlth Promot Programme,
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4041King George Ave, ZA-4041 Durban, South Africa.'
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article-number: '448'
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author: Hangulu, Lydia and Akintola, Olagoke
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author-email: lydiamudenda@gmail.com
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author_list:
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- family: Hangulu
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given: Lydia
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- family: Akintola
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given: Olagoke
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da: '2023-09-28'
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doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4378-5
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eissn: 1471-2458
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files: []
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journal: BMC PUBLIC HEALTH
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keywords: 'Community-based care; Community health workers; Health care waste;
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HIV/AIDS'
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keywords-plus: GENERATION; SANITATION
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language: English
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month: MAY 15
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number-of-cited-references: '45'
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papis_id: 6bc316dd98972a88e6264bc4cb76990f
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ref: Hangulu2017healthcare
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times-cited: '13'
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title: 'Health care waste management in community-based care: experiences of community
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health workers in low resource communities in South Africa'
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type: Article
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unique-id: WOS:000401865600003
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usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
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usage-count-since-2013: '10'
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volume: '17'
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web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health
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year: '2017'
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