South African healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding environmental sustainability in healthcare : a mixed-methods study

Climate change, biodiversity loss and large-scale environmental degradation are widely recognized as the biggest health threats of the 21st century, with the African continent already amongst the most severely affected and vulnerable to their further progression. The healthcare system’s contribution to climate change and environmental degradation requires healthcare professionals to address environmental issues urgently. However, the foundation for context-relevant interventions across research, practice, and education is not readily available. Therefore, we conducted a convergent mixed-methods study to investigate South African healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers to environmental sustainability. Healthcare professionals participated in a cross-sectional questionnaire (n = 100) and in-depth semi-structured focus group discussions (n = 18). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, respectively, and integrated to provide holistic findings. Our results confirm overwhelmingly positive attitudes and a high degree of interest in education, implementation, and taking on more corresponding responsibility, but a lack of substantial knowledge of the subject matter, and only tentative implementation of practices. Identified barriers include a lack of knowledge, resources, and policies. Further research, education, and policy development on overcoming these barriers is required. This will facilitate harnessing the extant enthusiasm and advance environmental sustainability in South Africa’s healthcare practice.SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL : Annexure S1: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) Questionnaire.https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerphOccupational TherapyPhysiotherapyStatistic

Teaching about disability and food security in the School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

BACKGROUND : Food security is a significant challenge in South Africa, especially for persons with disabilities. This topic is therefore important for educators in the health sciences. Despite this, little is known about educators’ awareness of the relationship between food security and people with disabilities, or to what extent the topic is included in their curricula or what their attitudes are regarding this topic. OBJECTIVES : We explored the knowledge and attitudes of educators pertaining to food security and people with disabilities. We assessed the current teaching practice associated with the food security of people with disabilities in the School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal. METHODS : Thirty-five participants completed a cross-sectional online survey. The participants represented diverse disciplines including audiology, occupational therapy, optometry, physiotherapy, speech-language pathology and sports science. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analysed thematically. RESULTS : The participants had limited self-reported knowledge about the definition of food security. Fewer than 60% of the participants reported a relationship between three of the dimensions of food security and disability, and 80% for one of the dimensions (food utilisation). Of the participants, 88% did not teach food security and disability theoretically, and 80% did not teach it practically. According to the participants, students were not equipped to assess if their clients with disability had food security problems, and were unsure of appropriate interventions. CONCLUSION : Despite a lack of knowledge, participants had positive attitudes towards including food security into their teaching, although limited teaching existed at the time of the study.The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) through its Division of Research Capacity Development under the Bongani Mayosi National Health Scholars Programme from funding received from the Public Health Enhancement Fund/South African National Department of Health.http://www.ajhpe.org.zahj2021PhysiotherapySchool of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

My experiences in health science education and research : a community worker’s autoethnographic account

It is essential that strong and mutually beneficial relationships be built among academics, researchers, students, and community liaison officers. Fundamental to this is the importance of a sincere and high regard for the often-invisible role of these community workers, and recognition of the importance of their contribution.http://www.journals.co.za/content/journal/healthram2020Family Medicin