The components of an effective employee health and wellness programme in healthcare workers

BACKGROUND. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the predominant resource within any health system. Strengthening the health workforce requires ensuring optimum care of their health and wellbeing. This study will examine the published literature on this topic. OBJECTIVE. To identify the components of a workplace wellness programme for HCWs. METHODS. Major databases were searched for articles looking at components of health and wellness programmes for HCWs over a 10-year period. Selected articles were collated and summarised to form the basis of this review. RESULTS. This study found sparse literature on this topic. There are a number of legislative requirements related to occupational health services (OHSs). Employers should also explore opportunities to improve the health, wellbeing and lifestyle of workers within the working environment. This would require an adjustment of mindset to care for caregivers beyond the traditional OHS, and the inclusion of employee health and wellness programmes (EHWPs) within existing OHSs. Therefore, there is a need to generate evidence for the development of essential components of an EHWP to provide care for HCWs according to their needs. This would also provide insight into current EHWPs arising from policy and legislation, and would have the potential to transform them into more effective and efficient programmes by addressing the burden of disease and enhancing the benefits of providing healthcare services for HCWs. CONCLUSION. There remains a gap in evidence regarding health and wellness programmes targeted at HCWs that cater for their unique healthcare needs.http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samjam2021School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

Preventive medicine as a specialty to support public health endeavours

There is a worldwide need for the transformation of primary healthcare to accommodate ageing, population growth, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases and technological advances. In this article, we discuss the role of preventive medicine as a medical specialty in the transformation of public healthcare systems. A paradigm is proposed within which different modes of medical practice support each other in accordance with their shared objective of disease prevention. The reinstitution of preventive medicine as a specialty, functioning in synergy with public health and incorporating other modalities of practice, will be of considerable benefit to healthcare in southern Africa.http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samjam2021School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

Questioning context: a set of interdisciplinary questions for investigating contextual factors affecting health decision making

Objective  To combine insights from multiple disciplines into a set of questions that can be used to investigate contextual factors affecting health decision making. Background  Decision‐making processes and outcomes may be shaped by a range of non‐medical or ‘contextual’ factors particular to an individual including social, economic, political, geographical and institutional conditions. Research concerning contextual factors occurs across many disciplines and theoretical domains, but few conceptual tools have attempted to integrate and translate this wide‐ranging research for health decision‐making purposes. Methods  To formulate this tool we employed an iterative, collaborative process of scenario development and question generation. Five hypothetical health decision‐making scenarios (preventative, screening, curative, supportive and palliative) were developed and used to generate a set of exploratory questions that aim to highlight potential contextual factors across a range of health decisions. Findings  We present an exploratory tool consisting of questions organized into four thematic domains – Bodies, Technologies, Place and Work (BTPW) – articulating wide‐ranging contextual factors relevant to health decision making. The BTPW tool encompasses health‐related scholarship and research from a range of disciplines pertinent to health decision making, and identifies concrete points of intersection between its four thematic domains. Examples of the practical application of the questions are also provided. Conclusions  These exploratory questions provide an interdisciplinary toolkit for identifying the complex contextual factors affecting decision making. The set of questions comprised by the BTPW tool may be applied wholly or partially in the context of clinical practice, policy development and health‐related research.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/86973/1/j.1369-7625.2010.00618.x.pd

Response to the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic Across Africa: Successes, Challenges, and Implications for the Future

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed considerable lives. There are major concerns in Africa due to existing high prevalence rates for both infectious and non-infectious diseases and limited resources in terms of personnel, beds and equipment. Alongside this, concerns that lockdown and other measures will have on prevention and management of other infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are an increasing issue with rising morbidity and mortality rates. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that a lack of nets and treatment could result in up to 18 million additional cases of malaria and up to 30,000 additional deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: Document current prevalence and mortality rates from COVID-19 alongside economic and other measures to reduce its spread and impact across Africa. In addition, suggested ways forward among all key stakeholder groups. Our Approach: Contextualise the findings from a wide range of publications including internet-based publications coupled with input from senior-level personnel. Ongoing Activities: Prevalence and mortality rates are currently lower in Africa than among several Western countries and the USA. This could be due to a number of factors including early instigation of lockdown and border closures, the younger age of the population, lack of robust reporting systems and as yet unidentified genetic and other factors. Innovation is accelerating to address concerns with available equipment. There are ongoing steps to address the level of misinformation and its consequences including fines. There are also ongoing initiatives across Africa to start addressing the unintended consequences of COVID-19 activities including lockdown measures and their impact on NCDs including the likely rise in mental health disorders, exacerbated by increasing stigma associated with COVID-19. Strategies include extending prescription lengths, telemedicine and encouraging vaccination. However, these need to be accelerated to prevent increased morbidity and mortality. Conclusion: There are multiple activities across Africa to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and address misinformation, which can have catastrophic consequences, assisted by the WHO and others, which appear to be working in a number of countries. Research is ongoing to clarify the unintended consequences given ongoing concerns to guide future activities. Countries are learning from each other

Safety evaluation of the single-dose Ad26. COV2.S vaccine among healthcare workers in the Sisonke study in South Africa : a phase 3b implementation trial

Real-world evaluation of the safety profile of vaccines after licensure is crucial to accurately characterise safety beyond clinical trials, support continued use, and thereby improve public confidence. The Sisonke study aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Janssen Ad26.COV2.S vaccine among healthcare workers (HCWs) in South Africa. Here, we present the safety data.Funding for the Sisonke Study was provided by: The National Department of Health through baseline funding to the South African Medical Research Council; the Solidarity Response Fund NPC; The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation; the ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation; the ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation; and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicinedm2022Paediatrics and Child HealthSchool of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

Reimagining the language of engagement in a post-stakeholder world

Language matters in shaping perceptions and guiding behaviour. The term stakeholder is widely used, yet little attention is paid to the possibility that its use may inadvertently perpetuate colonial narratives and reinforce systemic inequities. In this article, we critically examine the limitations of the stakeholder concept and its ambiguity, normativity, and exclusionary implications. We emphasise the importance of using language that gives a voice to marginalised groups, promotes inclusion and equity, and fosters meaningful and reflexive participation in decision-making processes. In critiquing the use of the term and calling for alternative practices, we aim to contribute to the decolonisation of research norms and the creation of more inclusive and equitable societies. Therefore, rather than advocating a single alternative term, we suggest a focus on the people, places, and species affected by decisions, interventions, projects, and issues

Reimagining the language of engagement in a post-stakeholder world

Language matters in shaping perceptions and guiding behaviour. The term stakeholder is widely used, yet little attention is paid to the possibility that its use may inadvertently perpetuate colonial narratives and reinforce systemic inequities. In this article, we critically examine the limitations of the stakeholder concept and its ambiguity, normativity, and exclusionary implications. We emphasise the importance of using language that gives a voice to marginalised groups, promotes inclusion and equity, and fosters meaningful and reflexive participation in decision-making processes. In critiquing the use of the term and calling for alternative practices, we aim to contribute to the decolonisation of research norms and the creation of more inclusive and equitable societies. Therefore, rather than advocating a single alternative term, we suggest a focus on the people, places, and species affected by decisions, interventions, projects, and issues