The needs of health promoters on a health promotion programme for families with adolescents orphaned by HIV and AIDS

The South African communities has shown to have a challenge in accessing health services especially in rural areas; hence the national strategic objective 1.7 aimed at strengthening community systems to expand access to services using the community-based care programmes (NSP 2012–2016). The programmes enhance access to health services whilst promoting health and educating the community to improve health knowledge and work towards attaining a healthy living (NSP 2012–2016). However, the health promoters from the rural Hammanskraal region in the North West Province of South Africa often found themselves rendering the health promotion services in their communities with limited resources. This study aimed at exploring and describing the challenges faced by health promoters in implementing health promotion programmes for families with adolescents orphaned by HIV and AIDS. The study followed a qualitative design. Data was collected using focus group interviews. Participants were purposely selected by the social worker and the health promotion coordinator working at Hammanskraal. The process of data analysis was adapted from the eight steps of Tesch method of data analysis where categories, sub-categories and themes were isolated. The following categories emerged as the needs of health promoters on health promotion programmes for families with adolescents orphaned by HIV and AIDS, (1) financial needs, (2) resources, (3) basic life needs, (4) educational needs and (5) health promoter’s needs. It is therefore recommended that equal distribution of resources: including medicine, equipment and finances, should be maintained in order to ensure non-interrupted services.The authors’ would like to acknowledge the University of Pretoria, Nursing Department for presenting the learning opportunity for academic development. We acknowledge the Sunrise Hospice Centre and the North West Department of Health for permitting us to conduct the study in their region. To the study participants, this study would not be successfull without their participation.http://www.curationis.org.zaam2013ay201

Perceptions of health promoters about health promotion programmes for families with adolescents orphaned as a result of AIDS in the rural Hammanskraal region in South Africa

South African communities are still greatly affected by the high rate of infection with HIV or who are living with AIDS, mirrored in the 2008 overall national HIV prevalence of 29.3%(UNAIDS 2010:10). In addressing the challenge, the health system is dependent on community care level workers such as caregivers to render health promotion and education in the homes and communities. The caregivers based in the communities are the ones with first-hand information on what is needed for the success of health promotion programmes. This study, aimed at exploring the challenges faced by the health promoters, described their perceptions regarding a health promotion programme for families with adolescents orphaned as a result of AIDS. Data were collected on the purposively selected participants at the rural Hammanskraal region in South Africa and the research question: ‘What is your perception regarding health promotion programmes for families with adolescents orphaned as a result of AIDS’ was asked and discussed by participants in a focus group interview. Data were analysed using the adapted Tesch method to organize and isolate the main categories, sub-categories and themes. The following main categories were isolated: attitudes of adolescents, effectiveness of home visits, need for health education and limited resources. Based on the findings, it was therefore recommended that health care planners assist in the improvement of health promotion and education by using the community and national media, providing information material and providing access to the internet in order to allow more people, including young people, to access the information. Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskappe word steeds grootliks beïnvloed deur die hoë vlak van MIV en vigs, soos weerspieël in die algehele nasionale MIV-syfer in 2008 van 29.3% (UNAIDS 2010:10). In die aanspreek van hierdie uitdaging is die gesondheidstelsel afhanklik van gemeenskapsorgwerkers om gesondheidsbevordering en -opleiding aan huise en gemeenskappe te voorsien. Die versorgers wat in die gemeenskap werk, het eerstehandse inligting oor wat nodig is om die sukses van programme vir gesondheidsbevordering te verseker. Hierdie studie, wat ten doel het om die uitdagings van gesondheidspromotors te verken, beskryf hul persepsie ten opsigte van ’ngesondheidsbevorderingsprogram vir families met adolessente wat wees gelaat is as gevolg van vigs. Data is op die doelbewus geselekteerde deelnemers in die landelike Hammanskraal-streek in Suid-Afrika ingesamel en die volgende navorsingvraag is in ’nfokusgroep-onderhoud gevra en bespreek: ‘Wat is jou persepsie oor die gesondheidsbevorderingsprogram vir families met adolessente wat ouerloos gelaat is as gevolg van MIV en vigs?’ Die data is met behulp van die aangepaste Tesch-metode geanaliseer om die hoof- en sub-kategorieë, asook die temas te organiseer en isoleer. Die volgende hoof-kategorieë is uitgesonder: die houdings van adolessente, die doeltreffendheid van huisbesoeke, die behoefte aan gesondheidsopvoeding en beperkte hulpbronne. Gebaseer op hierdie bevindinge is die aanbeveling dat die gesondheidsorgbeplanners bydra tot die verbetering van gesondheidsbevordering en -opvoeding deur die gebruik van gemeenskaps- en nasionale media, die beskikbaarstelling van inligtingsmateriaal en die voorsiening van internet om meer mense, insluitende jongmense, die geleentheid te bied om toegang tot die inligting te verkry