Abstract Background: Many patients are referred to labour ward as emergencies, and therefore do not benefit from the antenatal HIV counselling and testing and treatment offered to registered patients. Objective: To assess the acceptability and suitability of offering HIV counselling and testing to women of unknown HIV status presenting in labour. Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising counselling and obtaining consent for HIV testing among 104 unregistered patients who presented in labou...
ABSTRACT Unintended pregnancy is a potential risk for women which could adversely affect their health, family and society at large. In Nigeria, information on factors influencing decision-making on unintended pregnancy among married women has not been adequately explored. This study was designed to assess the factors that influence decision making on unintended pregnancy among married women in Ibadan South- West Local Government Area (IBSWLGA), Nigeria. This study was exploratory and involved...
ABSTRACT Breast cancer cases are on the increase globally. Studies have shown that breast cancer awareness is generally low in African women, thus most cases are detected late, indicating a low level of screening uptake. In 2011 there were a total of 291 breast cancer cases among Namibian women. In Zambezi region only 28% of women have ever been screened for breast cancer by a health care provider. Health care providers are key role players in awareness of breast cancer screening, as they ha...
ABSTRACT Emergency contraception (EC) has been available in Namibia for many years; however, there has been little research on knowledge, attitudes and practice of female learners about it. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of secondary school female learners towards emergency contraception. A cross sectional descriptive study of 294 secondary female learners was conducted at Mweshipandeka and Gabriel Taapopi secondary schools in Ongwediva, Namibia, d...
Abstract This thesis explores and discusses the discourses drawn on by pregnant women in their construction of their ‘selves’ in pregnancy. The study was qualitative in nature, in order to understand the women’s experience from their context and to allow for their individual constructions to come forth. The aim of the study was to explore firstly, which discourses the pregnant women draw on during their pregnancy and secondly, how the women construct themselves as pregnant beings. The ...
ABSTRACT This study was undertaken to determine whether the needs in the care and support of orphans and other vulnerable children in Windhoek are met and fulfilled. The main objectives of the study were to identify the basic needs of orphans and other vulnerable children, to determine the specific social support that is needed in the care of orphans and other vulnerable children, and to make recommendations regarding the needs in the care and support of orphans and other vulnerable children...
Abstract Since the beginning of the outbreak of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, more than 78 million people have been infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and 39 million people have died globally (UNAIDS, 2014, p. 123). In Namibia, AIDS is the leading cause of death accounting for 23% of deaths (CDC in Namibia, fact sheet, 2013, & WHO Namibia, 2011). Adherence to medication refers to the extent to which a patient takes a medication in the way intended by a hea...
ABSTRACT Malaria and HIV/AIDS are two most widely spread diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa. The coinfection is very common in the region, especially in unstable malaria transmission areas with the prevalence of 29.9 - 40%. In Namibia these two diseases are common in northern eastern regions, which are unstable malaria transmission areas. These two diseases affect poorer segments of the population. Individually and biologically Malaria increases viral load of HIV people. The severity of malaria ...
The overall aim of this study was to develop a model to facilitate male partner involvement in the reproductive health (RH) context in the Oshikoto Region of Namibia. This study was brought about by the fact that male partners do not fully participate in the RH context, because the health system lacks provision for or fails to recognise male involvement and underestimates the active role that male partners could play in the RH of their female partners. As a result some male partners might fee...
ABSTRACT Immunization is one of the world’s most cost-effective health interventions that help prevent childhood diseases. However, many infants especially in developing countries are not usually fully vaccinated. This study was conducted to assess the factors contributing to low coverage of expanded program on immunization (EPI) in the Kasena Nankana Municipal of Ghana. The study employed an analytical cross sectional study design. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample the st...
SUMMARY The focus of this study was to develop an educational programme to facilitate the development of critical thinking in student nurses in Namibia. The study was conducted in four phases, beginning with a needs assessment in phase 1 through which the researcher determined the needs of student nurses in terms of critical thinking. The deductive data analysis of phase 1 served as the conceptual framework for the development of an educational programme in phase 2. Phase 2 consisted of the ...
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the challenges facing health workers regarding the occupational health services (OHS) at Onandjokwe Hospital. The objectives of the study were to determine the existing situation relating to the OHS rendered at Onandjokwe Hospital and to describe and explore the perceptions of health workers regarding OHS at the hospital. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methodology that included the use of a checklist, key informant intervi...
ABSTRACT Operating room professional nursing practice is an evolving, ever-changing, clinical, hands-on nursing activity. For professional nurses to stay abreast of these changes they need to assess their clinical performance to improve quality of practice. An adult leaner usually brings her/his life experience to the learning situation. Therefore one can assume that they are problem orientated and are capable of self-directed learning. In this respect adults need to be involved in evaluatin...
ABSTRACT Cryptococcus is the most incriminated fungal pathogen that causes cryptococcal meningitis in HIV-infected patients and is known to constitute a major cause of mortality in AIDS patients. Previous studies, mostly from Africa have indicated that positive serum cryptococcus may precede the development of cryptococcal meningitis and cause early mortality among patients with advanced HIV infection. There is no published data on the burden of cryptococcal infections among HIV patients in ...