Human papillomavirus vaccination acceptance and hesitancy in South Africa: Research and policy agenda

Cervical cancer is responsible for one-quarter of a million deaths per year  worldwide. In South Africa (SA), cervical cancer is the leading cause of  cancer deaths among women aged 15 - 44 years. Human papillomavirus  (HPV) vaccines provide a safe and highly effective means to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. The World Health Organization initiated a plan for the elimination of cervical cancer; the programme’s success relies on the introduction and high uptake of HPV vaccines globally. SA introduced a school-based HPV vaccination programme in 2014, but uptake is not as high as expected. Suboptimal HPV vaccination coverage may result from various factors, including vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine-hesitant parents may delay or refuse HPV vaccination for their daughters. Tailored interventions are needed to address this. However, knowledge regarding vaccine  hesitancy and policies to address this hesitancy in SA are currently limited. While SA has taken commendable steps in cervical cancer prevention by implementing and financing the HPV vaccination programme, it is  imperative that there are clear policies in place to help strengthen the programme. These policies need to clarify areas of uncertainty that may lead to mistrust, and pre-empt factors that will cause hesitancy. Equally important is that local research should be conducted to better understand HPV vaccination hesitancy and other determinants of uptake to further inform and shape national policies

University Administrative Employees’ Perceptions of Their Offices’ Physical Environment Comfort

Співробітники адміністративних офісів проводять багато часу в обмеженому робочому місці, оскільки вони наполегливо працюють, щоб забезпечити важливу підтримку, необхідну для загальної продуктивності їхніх організацій. У результаті їхні організації, будь то приватні чи державні, мають надавати пріоритет їхньому комфорту. У цій статті було досліджено сприйняття адміністративними працівниками комфорту фізичного середовища їхніх офісів у державному університеті. Різні аспекти їхнього фізичного середовища, такі як меблі, шум, температура в офісі, освітлення та простір, досліджувалися як змінні, що впливають на їх продуктивність. Систематизація літературних джерел для вирішення проблеми організації комфортного фізичного середовища в приватних організаціях довела значну залежність продуктивності праці працівників від фізичного середовища, в якому вони виконують свої обов'язки. Однак існує дефіцит досліджень, які проводяться в громадських організаціях, особливо в секторі вищої освіти. Методологічним інструментом дослідження був метод кількісного аналізу, в якому за допомогою анкети було зібрано дані від 81 адміністративного персоналу державного університету з кількома кампусами в Південній Африці. Результати показали, що багато респондентів загалом сприймали комфортне фізичне середовище, необхідне для підвищення продуктивності. Однак вони не завжди відповідали їх уявленням про те, що відбувалося в їхніх офісах. Наприклад, 63% респондентів вважають зручні меблі критично важливими для виконання своїх обов'язків. Тим не менш, лише 55% респондентів погодилися, що їхні університетські меблі зручні, 24% не погодилися, а 21% зайняли нейтральну позицію. Розкол у сприйнятті вимагає від університету звернути увагу на слабкі місця та нерівність у забезпеченні ресурсами фізичного середовища. Майбутнє дослідження може вивчити, чиї офіси комфортніші за інші в університетському контексті. Крім того, перспективним напрямком майбутніх досліджень має стати узгодження уявлень співробітників про комфортність фізичного середовища в офісах з результатами спостережень. Це збагатить отримані результати.Administrative office employees spend much time confined in their workspaces as they work hard to provide the critical support required for the overall performance of their organizations. As a result, their comfort should be given priority by their organizations, be it private or public. This article investigated the administrative employees’ perceptions of their offices’ physical environment comfort in a public university. Different aspects of their physical environment, such as furniture, noise, office temperature, lighting and space, were examined as variables influencing their performance. The systematization of literary sources for solving the problem of arranging a comfortable physical environment in private organizations proved a significant dependence of the productivity of employees on the physical environment in which they perform their duties. However, there is the scarcity of research conducted in a public organization, especially in the higher education sector. The methodological tool of the research was the method of quantitative analysis, in which a questionnaire was used to collect data from 81 administrative staff of a public university with several campuses in South Africa. The findings indicated that many respondents generally perceived a comfortable physical environment necessary to increase performance. These were, however, not always matched by their perceptions of what transpired at their offices. For instance, 63% of respondents viewed comfortable furniture as critical for the performance of their duties. Nevertheless, only 55% of respondents agreed that their university furniture was comfortable, with 24% disagreeing and 21% taking a neutral stance. The split in perceptions makes it imperative for the university to attend to areas of weakness and inequality in providing physical environment resources. A future study could examine whose offices are more comfortable than others in university contexts. In addition, a promising direction of future research should be the reconciliation of employees’ perception of the comfort of the physical environment in offices with the results of observations. This will enrich the obtained results

Peer-learning reviews to improve Gauteng community-oriented primary care : findings from AitaHealth™-enabled ward-based outreach teams

BACKGROUND : In 2016 the Gauteng Department of Health engaged University of Pretoria Family Medicine to provide` education, training and information and communication technology support for the phased scale-up of ward-based outreach teams (WBOTs) through community-oriented primary care (ICT-enabled COPC). As in all service delivery, quality assurance is essential. In contemporary best practice, it brings together peer-to-peer learning and quality improvement (QI) in what is termed here as peer-learning reviews (PLRs). AIM : To assess implementation fidelity and assure the quality of community-based healthcare services. SETTING : This study was conducted in two districts of Gauteng province, South Africa. METHODS : A 3-day PLR of paired WBOTs was conducted by multi-disciplinary teams of academics, partners and site-selected healthcare practitioners. Guided by a benchmark survey distilled from the seven COPC practice elements, they conducted individual interviews, accompanied WBOT members in field and facilitated solution-focused peer exchange workshops with all participants. RESULTS : At all sites there was clear evidence of achievements and practical challenges with respect to mapping; support, networks and partnerships; infrastructure and functional equipment; work integrated learning; data and service activities; and performance status and management. Methodologically, PLRs supported inclusive, context-specific learning for all along the healthcare service pathway. They generated action plans derived from shared understanding and joint decision-making. CONCLUSION : The PLRs and the implementation results demonstrate the importance of structuring learning into service and research. Both helped develop participants’ abilities to understand what they do, do their work, grow their sense of self-worth and improve their relationship with others.http://www.phcfm.orgam2020Family Medicin

Effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and rotavirus vaccine introduction into the South African public immunisation programme

Immunisation has contributed greatly to the control of vaccine-preventable diseases and therefore to improvements in health and survival, especially among young children, and remains one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions. This remains true for many of the newer, more expensive vaccines. Vaccines against invasive pneumococcal disease and rotavirus infection were introduced into the South African Expanded Programme on Immunization in April 2009. This article describes the rationale for and process of the introduction of these two vaccines, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and rotavirus vaccine. It also aims to evaluate the success of and challenges related to their introduction, in terms of both achieving universal coverage and improving survival and health in South African children.

Human papillomavirus vaccination acceptance and hesitancy in South Africa: Research and policy agenda

Cervical cancer is responsible for one-quarter of a million deaths per year worldwide. In South Africa (SA), cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women aged 15 - 44 years. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines provide a safe and highly effective means to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. The World Health Organization initiated a plan for the elimination of cervical cancer; the programme’s success relies on the introduction and high uptake of HPV vaccines globally. SA introduced a school-based HPV vaccination programme in 2014, but uptake is not as high as expected. Suboptimal HPV vaccination coverage may result from various factors, including vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine-hesitant parents may delay or refuse HPV vaccination for their daughters. Tailored interventions are needed to address this. However, knowledge regarding vaccine hesitancy and policies to address this hesitancy in SA are currently limited. While SA has taken commendable steps in cervical cancer prevention by implementing and financing the HPV vaccination programme, it is imperative that there are clear policies in place to help strengthen the programme. These policies need to clarify areas of uncertainty that may lead to mistrust, and pre-empt factors that will cause hesitancy. Equally important is that local research should be conducted to better understand HPV vaccination hesitancy and other determinants of uptake to further inform and shape national policies

Lauretta Ngcobo’s And They Didn’t Die (1990) in post-apartheid South Africa – a critical rereading

Rereading Lauretta Ngcobo’s And They Didn’t Die nearly thirty years after it was first published in 1990 proved to be a complex, rewarding experience. Setting her story of the lives of rural African women in KwaZulu-Natal during the turbulent times that include the Cato Manor protests of 1959, Ngcobo creates a world of nearly unrelieved deprivation and suffering – in a text that also offers pleasure to the reader. Such pleasure is due to the quality of the writing; Ngcobo took her craft seriously. At the centre of the tale is Jezile, a young woman. She endures much suffering, and yet the novel closes with words of defiance that are hers. Since some of her travails stem from patriarchal beliefs as well as class and race practices, the novel is an example of the intersectionality focused on by contemporary feminist scholarship. Finally, I argue that Ngcobo’s stance in this novel on the retention or otherwise of traditional cultural practices is just one manifestation among others, such as interviews, of the knowledge of politics she can contribute to present day readers

Physical, anthropometric and physiological profiles of experienced junior male and female South African Taekwondo athletes

The research was aimed at identifying the anthropometric, physical and physiological characteristics of junior Taekwondo athletes to achieve an international status. Data were collected from 25 males and 11 females aged 15.5 ±2.6 years. Measurements consisted of body composition (body fat percentage (%BF), sum of 6 skinfolds), flexibility (sit & reach, hip flexor (HF) and quadriceps flexibility (QF), lower extremity explosive power (vertical jump (Diff VJ) and vertical jump relative power (R Power), muscle endurance (sit-ups and push-ups), muscular strength (handgrip right and left), hexagonal agility (HEX) and agility T-test, aerobic power (20 m bleep test (20MST) converted to maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max.). Data were analyzed using t-test for independent samples and Z-score statistics. Significant higher %BF and sum of skinfolds were recorded in junior female players. No differences in body mass, stature and BMI were found. Male athletes had higher (p<0.001) VO2max (42.2±6.8 ml/kg/min) compared to females (31.7±6.5 ml/kg/min). Female athletes showed lower (p<0.001) results in push-ups (9.0±6.5 reps) compared to males (25.6±10.5 reps). Maximal grip strength (kg) of both hands was higher (p<0.05) in males. No differences in sit-ups, explosive leg power and agility were found between males and females. The analysis of individual Z-score for assessment of fitness variables has practical implications contributing to the trainability and performance of junior taekwondo athletes.http://www.ajol.info/journal_index.php?jid=153&ab=ajpherd2017-12-31am201

Protocol for a systematic review of the effects of interventions for vaccine stock management

Abstract Background Inadequate vaccine stock management in health facilities leads to vaccine stock-outs. The latter threatens the success of immunisation programmes. Countries have used various approaches to reduce stock-outs and improve vaccine availability, but we are not aware of a systematic review of these interventions. This protocol describes the methods we will use to assess the effects of existing approaches for improving vaccine stock management. Methods We include randomised and non-randomised studies identified through a compehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature databases. We will search PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Web of Science, PDQ-Evidence and Scopus. We will also search websites of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation, PATH Vaccine Resources Library and United Nations Children’s Fund. In addition, we will search the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews. Finally, we plan to do a citation search for included studies. We will use Cochrane recommended methods to screen search outputs, assess study eligibility and risk of bias, extract and analyse study results. We will use the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) tool to assess the certainty of the evidence on the effects of the interventions. Discussion We believe that the findings of this review will serve as valuable information for policy makers on ways to improve vaccine stock management and vaccine availability. When vaccine availability is improved, those who need them, especially children, will be adequately protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD4201809221