Experiences of lifestyle change among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM): A behavioural diagnosis using the COM-B model in a low-income setting

Lifestyle change can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes among women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). While understanding women’s lived experiences and views around GDM is critical to the development of behaviour change interventions to reduce this risk, few studies have addressed this issue in low- and middle- income countries. The aim of the study was to explore women’s lived experiences of GDM and the feasibility of sustained lifestyle modification after GDM in a low-income setting

The relationship between perceived self-efficacy and adherence to self-care activities in type 2 diabetic clients

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and adherence to self-care activities in type 2 diabetic clients. Low adherence to diabetic self-care activities result in increased risks of developing chronic serious and life-threatening complications with increased morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients.Design: The study was conducted using a descriptive correlational design. The Health Belief Model was utilized as the conceptual framework.Setting: The study was carried out at Parirenyatwa hospital, a central referral health facility located in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe.Subjects: The study had a sample of 74 subjects selected through systematic probability sampling with clients aged 40-65 years old suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus and attending an outpatient diabetic clinic at the study site during the period of study. There were no dropouts they had to be at least one year post diagnosis and being able to speak either English or Shona or both. Interventions: Data was collected through a structured interview. The interviews were conducted between08:00 hrs and 12:00hrs, which are the clinic hours. A questionnaire was used that was divided into three parts namely demographics, adherence and perceived self efficacy. Main Outcome Measures: levels of adherence to self care and perceived self efficacy were the main outcome measuresResults: 45.9% of the subjects in the study had high adherence level of diabetic self-care activities, and this finding is inconsistent with the desirable adherence level for a chronic condition with potential for serious and life threatening complications. A high perceived self-efficacy level was found in 75.7% of the study subjects. There was a strong positive relationship between perceived self-efficacy and adherence to diabetic self-care activities (r = .964), and regression analysis showed an r squared of .930 which is evident of a strong positive relationship.Conclusions: There is need for the medical-surgical nurses to develop strategies that would further improve diabetic clients' perceived self-efficacy so as to increase adherence to diabetic self-care activities

Competency based ophthalmology training curriculum for undergraduate medical students in Zimbabwe

Background: The establishment of a credible, defensible and acceptable “formal competency based ophthalmology training curriculum for undergraduate medical and dental students” is fundamental to program recognition, monitoring and evaluation. The University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences (UZ-CHS) has never had a formal ophthalmology training curriculum for medical graduates since its inception. This has cast doubts on the quality of medical graduates produced with regards to delivery of basic primary eye care in the community.Objective: The aim of this project was to develop a formal “competency based ophthalmology training curriculum” (CBOTC) for medical graduates in Zimbabwe.Design: Institution based (University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals), cross-sectional analytic study.Methodology: A review of undergraduate medical training curriculum and literature was done to identify gaps in the ophthalmology training curriculum. A local needs assessment was conducted through interviews of major stake holders in the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.Results: This project confirmed the lack of a formal ophthalmology training curriculum for medical graduates at the UZCHS, ad-hoc training of undergraduate ophthalmology and inconsistent student assessment in knowledge of and care of eye complaints. Cataract, glaucoma, refractive errors, ocular tumours, conjunctivitis, eye infection and eye injuries were suggested as priority conditions every student should learn during the rotation. A formal CBOTC for medical graduates based on identified needs and priority eye diseases has been developed in response.Conclusion: A CBOTC based on identified needs and focused on targeted diseases has been proposed geared towards producing medical graduates with the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver adequate primary eye care