UWCScholar :: Browsing by Author "Mpofu, Ratie"

Browsing by Author "Mpofu, Ratie"

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Communities' views, attitudes and recommendations on community-based education of undergraduate Health Sciences students in South Africa: A qualitative study
(2013) Mabuza, Langalibalele; Diab, Paula; Reid, Stephen; Ntuli, Busisiwe; Flack, Penelope; Mpofu, Ratie; Daniels, Priscilla; Adonis, Tracy-Ann; Cakwe, Mandisa; Karuguti, Mugambi; Molefe, Ngkatiseng
Background: Medical and Health Sciences students in South Africa undertake community-based education (CBE). Health professionals based at host sites are jointly responsible for training of these students in conjunction with university staff. This study explored the communities’ views, attitudes and recommendations regarding CBE undertaken by these students, in order to improve the quality of community support for these programmes. Method: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted at CBE placement sites of students from the Faculties of Health Sciences of the University of Limpopo (UL), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and University of the Western Cape (UWC) during 2010 and 2011. Focus group discussions were held with site facilitators, community leaders and patients, and interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and translated into English where necessary. Data were analysed using NVivo (version 9). Findings: CBE was seen to benefit communities, students and host institutions as there was perceived improvement of service delivery, better referral to hospitals and reduction of workloads on site staff. CBE was also seen as having potential for recruiting professionals who have better orientation to the area, and for motivating school pupils for a career in health sciences. Students acquired practical skills and gained confidence and experience. Challenges included poor communication between universities and host sites, burden of student teaching on site facilitators, cultural and religious sensitivity of students and language barriers. Conclusion: The study revealed that communities have an important role to play in the CBE of future health care professionals. CBE activities could be better organised and managed through formalised partnerships.
Experiences of caregivers of stroke patients in Lusaka, Zambia
(University of the Western Cape, 2006) Khondowe, Oswell; Mpofu, Ratie; Rhoda, Anthea
INTRODUCTION: Stroke is a major cause of death and most survivors are left with residual disability and are dependent on others for essential care. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the present study was to determine the experiences of informal caregivers of stroke patients receiving out-patient physiotherapy treatment at the University Teaching hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. METHODS: Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to collect data in the present study. PARTICIPANTS: A convenient sample of 70 caregivers was selected for the quantitative part of the study while 10 caregivers were purposively selected for the in-depth qualitative interviews. Setting: Out-patients at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia INTERVENTION: The Caregiver Strain Index was used to collect quantitative data and in-depth interviews provided the qualitative data. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 37.6 years. The study sample consisted of more females (70%) than males (30%). Financial constraints, family adjustments and being overwhelmed by their care-giving role were the experiences mostly highlighted by the caregivers in this study CONCLUSION: Caregivers are important role players in the rehabilitation of stroke patients. It is therefore important that rehabilitation professionals are aware of the experiences of these caregivers so that their needs could also be addressed when managing the stroke patient
Health-promotion needs of youth with a spinal cord injury in South Africa
(Informa Healthcare, 2007) Njoki, Emma; Frantz, Jose M.; Mpofu, Ratie
Purpose. To determine the health promotion needs through an exploration of health-related behaviours and the factors that influence the behaviour of physically disabled youth with spinal cord injury. Methods. A descriptive and exploratory study that utilized a qualitative approach was carried out among ten participants aged between 15 and 29 years who were purposely selected. Information was obtained from individual face-to-face interviews and a focus-group discussion. Results. The participants were involved in risky health behaviours including sedentary lifestyles, use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Various factors that influenced their participation in these behaviours were identified including personal struggles with identity and adjustment issues. Conclusions. The results emphasize that participants were involved in health-risk behaviours, which are associated with development of secondary conditions such as respiratory problems, heart diseases, and stroke. Health-promotion strategies employed for these individuals should address the psychological impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the individual as an influence to participation in health risk behaviours.
A model development for an interdisciplinary approach to patient care: a case for curriculum development
(University of the Western Cape, 2014) Karuguti, M. Wallace; Phillips, Julie; Mpofu, Ratie
The complexity of human health and its determinants has been developing gradually and the means to attend to them has gone beyond the scope of a specific health discipline. Advocacy is underway by health stakeholders such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), higher learning institutions and individual scholars to incorporate interprofessional practice initiatives in health as a means of ensuring that health practitioners share ideas communicate and collaborate in order to put forward a comprehensive management plan for patients. These initiatives seek to ensure that a problem that could hardly be solved uniprofessionally is shed light on. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is among the universities in the world that have incorporated an Interdisciplinary Core Courses Curriculum to be undertaken by all undergraduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences (FCHS) hence aiming at producing graduates who are collaboration conscious in their practice. This effort adds into the UWC’s endeavor of producing socially responsible graduates. This study analysed the UWC curriculum in order to ascertain its cognitive rigor for delivery of the interprofessional competencies. It further sought to identify whether the effort that the FCHS is putting through the Interdisciplinary Core Courses in having an impact on the perceptions of final year students during their field work placements in various health care institutions. The study also sought to find out whether the health care institutions practice policies are interprofessional practice friendly. Finally, the views and perceptions towards interprofessional collaboration (IPC) of institutional manager’s for institutions where UWC places more than one discipline of students for practice were explored.
Perceived needs and experiences of informal caregivers of adult stroke survivors post discharge in Lusaka
(University of the Western Cape, 2004) Khondowe, Oswell; Mpofu, Ratie
stroke is a serious health problem in both developing and developed countries. lt is estimated that more than one-half of stroke survivors are left with residue disabilities that require assistance with activities of daily living, such as, eating, bathing and dressing. Family or community members who volunteer to provide the assistance in activities of daily living for the disabled are referred to as informal caregivers. The main aim of this study is to identify the expressed needs and experiences of informal caregivers of adult stroke patients attending physiotherapy sessions at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka and investigate factors influencing them. seventy informal caregivers of stroke patients attending the out-patient physiotherapy department were recruited for this study. A cross-sectional descriptive study design utilizing a questionnaire with closed items and another with open items administered by the researcher are used in the present study. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Higher Degrees committee of the University of the Western Cape's Faculty of Community Health Science. The statistical Package for Social sciences (SPSS) and statistical Analysis system (SAS) were used in order to obtain frequencies, cross tabulations and correlations. Interviews using the questionnaire with open-ended items were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcribed data were reduced into categories and categories into themes. The themes that were more frequent were information of stroke rehabilitation and knowledge about stroke, discontinuity of caregiver's daily routine, need for support services, work overload, need for community centred programmes, need for finances, views on physiotherapy rehabilitation services and need for respite care.
Physiotherapists’ perceptions on stroke rehabilitation with focus on palliative care in Lusaka, Zambia
(University of the Western Cape, 2015) Mwanza, Christo; Mlenzana, Nondwe; Mpofu, Ratie
Palliative care is a vague and often confusing term used to describe a type of treatment model for chronic and life-threatening illnesses. WHO describes palliative care as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness by: early identification, impeccable assessment, and treatment of pain, physical, psychosocial and spiritual. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of physiotherapists on palliative care in order to contribute to the understanding of the role of physiotherapists to the care of stroke patient in Zambia. The objectives of this study are to explore physiotherapists’ knowledge on palliative care, their perceptions on management of palliative care as well as explore its application in the rehabilitation of stroke patients; and lastly to make recommendations on guidelines based on the outcomes of this study. Method: an exploratory study, using qualitative design was used. Data collection techniques were in-depth individual interviews and FGDs that consisted of purposively sampling of physiotherapists working; at four selected hospitals and a rehabilitation centre in Lusaka. Audio recording from the interviews was transcribed verbatim for each session by an independent person. The study employed thematic content analysis for data analysis. The data was classified systematically by means of coding to identify key factors or issues such as concepts, categories, themes and the relationship between them. Results indicated that all participants in the current study perceived palliative care as a medical care for the chronic and terminal ill patient in whom stroke patient and family will benefit if it is applied in the early stages of the disease trajectory; as well as it does improve the patient and family quality of life. Furthermore they emphasized on multidisciplinary team and holistic approaches in order to achieve all its tenets. Conclusion: the study had succeeded in exploring the physiotherapists’ perceptions on palliative care and contributed to the understanding of the role of physiotherapy to the care of stroke patients in general.
The rehabilitation of stroke patients at community health centres in the Western Cape
(South African Society of Physiotherapy, 2009) Rhoda, Anthea; Mpofu, Ratie; DeWeerdt, Willy
The structure and process of rehabilitation of stroke patients affects the outcomes of the patients. The aim of this study was to determine the structure and process of rehabilitation of stroke patients at Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the Western Cape, South Africa. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted. Questions and archived records were used to collect the data. The study sample used to collect information related to the structure consisted of therapists (16) employed at the centres; while the study sample used to collect information related to the process consisted of 100 first time stroke patients. Descriptive statistics were conducted using Excel and SPSS . The results of the study revealed that there is a lack of occupational and speech therapy services at the centres forming part of the study sample. At centres where these services are provided the frequency and intensity with which the services are received by the patients is extremely low. Further research is needed to determine if the decreased intensity is only as a result of decreased availability of services or if inability of stroke clients to access the services also plays a role
Sport for development. African international university Initiative (s.f.d-a.i.u.i.) justification and basic assumptions of a sport and development study programme in Southern Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2008) Vanreusel, B.; Mpofu, Ratie; Travill, Andre L.; Vanden Auweele, Y.
This paper gives the vision of the initiators of the programme on the two basic elements of the title: 'Sport for Development' and 'African International Interuniversity Initiative'. This vision is already partly put in concrete actions, however partly still under discussion between the interested partner universities. The explicit formulation and justification of the basic assumptions may help to find in an open discussion a creative solution for all challenges that may slow down or impoverish the realisation of the initiative.
Triple disadvantage: disability and gender sensitive prevention of HIV and aids through the eyes of young people with physical disabilities
(University of the Western Cape, 2008) Wazakili, Margaret; Mpofu, Ratie; Devlieger, Patrick
This paper explores the different ways in which disabled girls and young women are disadvantaged and marginalised in expressing sexuality and accessing HIV and AIDS prevention and care services. Disabled young men tend to have greater access to basic information on the subject because their families allow them to freely socialise with peers and learn from them. Yet for cultural and other reasons, disabled young women are prevented from doing the same. Consequently, this group lacks vital information on how to express sexuality and to protect themselves from acquiring HIV infection.
Youth health research as an area of expertise at the University of the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2008) Frantz, Jose M.; Phillips, Julie; Mpofu, Ratie
INTRODUCTION: There is mounting evidence of the health risk behaviours that adolescents are involved in on a daily basis. Local and national governments have advocated for intervention programmes to prevent an increase in the health risk behaviours among young people. In order to introduce effective prevention strategies, evaluation of the current situation is needed. The University of the Western Cape, identified Youth Wellness as one of the niche areas for research. AIM: This paper aims to synthesize the studies on youth wellness conducted at the University of the Western Cape. FINDINGS: The studies conducted included epidemiological studies and intervention studies. Studies used both qualitative and quantitative designs. Most of the studies highlighted the need for intervention programmes at various levels such as personal (individual), community and policy. CONCLUSION: The findings of the research clearly highlights the need for researchers at UWC to identify appropriate criteria by which to measure the desired intervention outcomes
Youth health research as an area of expertise at the University of the Western Cape
(Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, 2008) Phillips, Julie; Frantz, Jose M.; Mpofu, Ratie
Introduction: There is mounting evidence of the health risk behaviours that adolescents are involved in on a daily basis. Local and national governments have advocated for intervention programmes to prevent an increase in the health risk behaviours among young people. In order to introduce effective prevention strategies, evaluation of the current situation is needed. The University of the Western Cape, identified Youth Wellness as one of the niche areas for research. Aim: This paper aims to synthesize the studies on youth wellness conducted at the University of the Western Cape. Findings: The studies conducted included epidemiological studies and intervention studies. Studies used both qualitative and quantitative designs. Most of the studies highlighted the need for intervention programmes at various levels such as personal (individual), community and policy. Conclusion: The findings of the research clearly highlights the need for researchers at UWC to identify appropriate criteria by which to measure the desired intervention outcomes.

Browsing by Author "Mpofu, Ratie"

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