Search

Background: Patients with chronic diseases (PWCDs) were severely affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as they were prevented from making the necessary visits to health facilities for medical review and to collect their medication. The emergence of the health crisis and inadequate access to quality care affected chronic care management. The perspectives of PWCDs are not known, and therefore the research on which this paper is based sought to investigate the lived experiences of these patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological design was used to obtain the lived experiences of PWCDs identified for participation in the study by means of purposive sampling. Patients' experiences were obtained during individual structured interviews, and a checklist was used to gather patient characteristics from their files. Results: Three themes emerged from the study findings, namely poor healthcare services, the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic had devastating effects on PWCDs, in that they experienced barriers to accessing quality chronic care services and suffered psychological and financial difficulties that affected their health, life, needs and expectations. Conclusion: Policymakers should consider PWCDs when responding to a public health concern in the future. Contribution: The study findings may have an impact on future policies regulating the management of chronic diseases during epidemics, in order to improve patient health outcomes and satisfaction with healthcare services and the chronic care model based on the experiences of PWCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre‐abortion counselling may play a key role in abortion seekers' understanding of their decision to terminate a pregnancy and the subsequent emotions that they feel. In this paper, we report on a study conducted in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa concerning womxn's experiences of the pre‐abortion counselling offered as part of the implementation of the Choice of Termination Act that governs the provision of legal abortion in the country. Using a narrative‐discursive lens, the analysis revealed four micro‐narratives in which participants appreciated non‐directive and empathic counselling, as well as being provided with information. They also indicated that the counselling was upsetting and hurtful, particularly when providers drew on the awfulisation of abortion discourse to suggest that abortion leads to terrible consequences, and foetal personhood discourse to intimate that terminating the pregnancy is wrong and other alternatives (adoption, parenting) are better. The connection between these broadly positive and negative responses may lie in the dominance of anti‐abortion discourses coupled with the powerful positioning of healthcare providers as experts. The attendant disempowerment of clients within the health clinic setting may constrain pregnant people's ability to question such 'expert' information. The implications for feminist client‐centred pre‐abortion counselling are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Migration of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) from triple pill therapy to a fixed-dose combination (FDC) was initiated to the public sector of South Africa to help with adherence to treatment as it would reduce the pill burden significantly. PLWH experiences regarding the transition from triple pill therapy to FDC in antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain unknown. Material and methods: This study explores and describes the experiences of PLWH regarding migration from triple pill therapy to FDC. The study was conducted in Community Health Centres (CHC) in Ngaka Modiri Molema District in the North West province, South Africa. A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was used and the target population comprised all PLWH who have been on ART for more than a year on the triple pill and are currently on FDC. A purposive sampling technique was used and the sample size was determined by data saturation (n = 15). Data collection was done using unstructured interviews, using audiotapes and field notes. Data analysis was done using ATLAS.ti and followed the notice-collect-think (NCT) analysis. Results: Results were discussed based on three themes: challenges experienced through the triple pill, factors influencing intake of FDC and other factors that negatively influence the triple pill and FDC intake. Conclusions: These findings provide insight into why patients do not adhere to ART. A focus on treatment education would promote knowledge among patients, increase responsibility, and enhance adherence. Support groups and treatment buddies must be emphasized in the provision of support for clients, even if community health workers can be involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide, type 1 diabetes mellitus disease is a devastating health condition for both the diagnosed children and caregivers taking care of them. These challenges were drastically affecting caregivers in rendering the required homecare service for their patients. Caring for a child with diabetes mellitus often hurts the caregivers and other family members. Aim: This study aimed to explore the challenges experienced by caregivers during the provision of care to type 1 diabetic children. Setting: The study was conducted in selected health facility of Vhembe District, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative design that was both descriptive and exploratory was used. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select the caregivers who were taking care of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus at their homes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants from the Vhembe district of Limpopo province. Results: Caregivers experienced various challenges related to re-admission, poor understanding of medication, low level of literacy, committed mistakes, poor adherence, and fear of giving an injection. Conclusion: It is imperative to educate the caregivers on the care of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus for them to be competent and knowledgeable in assisting their diabetic children at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to explore the challenges experienced by hearing parents when parenting a child with hearing loss. Using a qualitative purposive sampling design, interviews were conducted with 13 parents (9 mothers, 4 fathers) residing in Cape Town, South Africa. Four salient themes emerged, namely: 1) communication is difficult, hard, and frustrating; 2) lack of knowledge and information about hearing loss makes it difficult to parent; 3) little or no support makes for a lonely journey; and 4) support identified by parents for parents. The findings of the study have important implications for collaboration and partnerships between parents and health and family practitioners within South Africa for the design and development of supportive interventions for parents parenting a child with hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]