3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/45
Browse
Search Results
Item Oral health practitioners and HIV/AIDS: Knowledge,attitudes and practices(2006-11-13T12:39:50Z) Mathabathe, NkhensaniSouth Africa is ranked as the country with largest number of people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the world. Oral health care workers have a role to play in the national response to the HIV epidemic through the provision of quality oral health services. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of oral hygienists and dental therapists on HIV/AIDS. A total of 1160 questionnaires were mailed to 831 oral hygienists and 329 dental therapists registered with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa in 2000. The questionnaire covered: demographic factors; general and oral health-specific HIV/AIDS knowledge; attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients; infection control practices and ethical/legal issues. The response rate was 27.4% (n=318), 255 oral hygienists and 63 dental therapists. Overall, respondents in this study illustrated sound knowledge on oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS and modes of transmission of the virus although 10% reported that the virus could be transmitted through mosquito bites and 25% agreed that HIV could be transmitted via saliva. Respondents reported compliance with basic infection control practices although 35% did not agree that infection control measures that protect against the hepatitis B virus could provide adequate protection against HIV. In addition 73.8% of the respondents reported that additional infection control measures must be taken in the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients in the dental surgery. The results of this study indicate a need for continuous HIV professional education of oral hygienists and dental therapists in order to improve the quality of care provided to HIV infected patients.Item A Study to Determine if South African Medical Practitioners in Urban Areas Follow the Southern African Hypertension Society Guideline for the Treatment and Management of Uncomplicated Hypertension(2006-11-10T10:58:33Z) Van Niekerk, DiederikThe prescription habits of general practitioners are continually under the scrutiny of ethical critics. There are numerous factors that influence a practitioner’s decision as to which antihypertensive agents to prescribe for the treatment of hypertension. As outlined in various international and national guidelines for the management of hypertension, the recommended treatment depends on ethnicity, current life-style, diet, smoking, age, gender, family history and possible underlying or secondary conditions such as diabetes mellitus, heart failure, isolated systolic hypertension, myocardial infarction, pregnancy, and evidence of coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke or peripheral vascular disease. Currently the control of blood pressure in patients with hypertension is far from optimal with over 70% of hypertensive patients being reported as having imperfect control. A number of factors related to the patient, the practitioner or the medication may explain the high incidence of inadequate blood pressure control. One possible explanation for the poor control of blood pressure may be that practitioners fail to comply with the guidelines. Hence the aim of my study was firstly to determine whether a practitioner’s decision as to which medication to prescribe in the treatment of hypertension is influenced by the Southern African Hypertension Society Guidelines. Secondly, in an attempt to assess the validity of the results of the primary analysis, the actual prescription habits (MediCross® database) were assessed and compared to the general practitioner’s recall of their prescription habits. Questionnaires were distributed to 320 MediCross® practitioners and prescription habits were identified and substantiated by the screening of an existing MediCross® database. I chose as my sample MediCross® general practitioners, as they are demographically representative of all major urban areas in South Africa; likely to be open-minded to supporting research and answering questionnaires (as MediCross® is part of a Clinical Research Site Management Organisation); and I had access to the database of the prescriptions made by MediCross® practitioners hence enabling me to fulfil my second objective. However, it must be kept in mind that these practitioners are representative of general practitioners in urban areas only (as the title of my research report indicates). My results show that 33.1% adhere to the guidelines (when a non-conservative definition of diuretics is used); 27% have heard of the guidelines and have a copy of them. When asked to give their own opinion however, 39% thought they adhered to the guidelines. The results also show that ACE inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed drug class for uncomplicated hypertension but a comparison to a MediCross® database, of which the quality is questionable, does not support this. As the response rate to the questionnaires was only 24.7%, these results are only a pilot study; however they suggest that few general practitioners use the guidelines or even have a copy of the guidelines. This pilot study suggests that the guidelines need to be distributed more widely. Furthermore the general practitioners that responded to the questionnaire indicated that the management of hypertension is difficult in that there is no single treatment regimen appropriate for all populations and each different patient. It was also their view that clinical guidelines for the management of hypertension should more accurately reflect the uncertainty of when to initiate treatment and individual variation if they are going to take these guidelines seriously and comply with them.