Community perceptions of community health worker effectiveness: Contributions to health behaviour change in an urban health district in South Africa
CONCLUSION: As important stakeholders in CHW programmes, exploring community acceptance, appreciation and support is critical in understanding the drivers of programme performance. Community acceptance of the CHWs in the Ekurhuleni health district was high. The perspective of the community was that the CHWs were quite effective. This was demonstrated when they reported changes in household behaviour with regard to improved access to care through early screening, referrals and improved management of chronic and other conditions.PMID:38525579 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i2.1334 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: L S Thomas Y Pillay E Buch Source Type: research
Differential management and associations of dyslipidaemia and hypertension by glycaemic status in urban South Africans
CONCLUSION: Albeit that diabetes control was poor and required better management, dyslipidaemia and hypertension prevalence were higher and better managed in KD than NDD and normoglycaemia. Different approaches are required to improve glucose control in KD, better identify NDD and monitor and prevent diabetes in high-risk individuals. Also important would be to improve care of hypertension and dyslipidaemia in those without KD.PMID:38525580 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.1315 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: N Peer L Kotz é-Hörstmann J Hill A-P Kengne Source Type: research
The development of a nurse-led preoperative anaesthesia screening tool by Delphi consensus
CONCLUSION: A structured nurse-administered preoperative screening tool is proposed to identify high-risk patients who are likely to benefit from a timely preoperative specialist anaesthetist review to avoid cancellation on the day of surgery.PMID:38525581 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i2.1306 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: M B Nejthardt P Alexandris S Bechan M F A Bijli S Chetty J M Dippenaar M Gibbs M Johnson H Kluyts R Llewellyn M Motiang P Mogane P Motshabi B Mrara F Roodt U Singh S Spijkerman E Turton J Van der Westhuizen B Biccard Source Type: research
The burden and outcomes of firearm injuries at two district-level emergency centres in Cape Town, South Africa: A descriptive analysis
CONCLUSION: Firearm injuries represent a substantial proportion of the trauma burden at district emergency centres in the Western Cape Province. Managing patients with firearm injuries is resource intensive, as evident by their high acuity, the need for operative care, the long length of stay, the high burden on emergency medical services with interfacility transfers and the high demand for tertiary care. Data from this study aid our understanding of the prevalence and burden of firearm injuries at district level emergency centres, and multisectoral action, supported by evidence-based primary and secondary preventive strat...
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: L Bush C Hendrikse C Van Koningsbruggen K Evans Source Type: research
Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a rural area in South Africa
CONCLUSION: We found a high SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among HCs in a rural setting, with 48% of households having a co-primary case at the time of enrolment. Households with co-primary cases were associated with a higher seroprevalence and incidence of SARS-CoV-2. Sociodemographic and health characteristics were not associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmission in this study, and we did not identify any transmission risks inherent to a rural setting.PMID:38525583 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i2.1159 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: G Maimela C E Martin M Chersich B Bello J Mauti T B äernighausen S Kohler A Almuedo-Riera S Luchters S Sawry Source Type: research
Mortality trends during the first three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic at an urban district hospital in South Africa: A retrospective comparative analysis
CONCLUSION: The Beta variant was the most virulent, with the highest case and crude fatality rates in wave 2.PMID:38525584 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i2.1054 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: O Hirachund C Pennefather M Naidoo Source Type: research
Determination of anti-COVID-19 IgG and IgM seroprevalence among pregnant women at Pietersburg Hospital, Limpopo Province, South Africa
CONCLUSION: The study findings showed evidence of acute COVID-19 infection in our patient population despite the consensus that COVID-19 infection is dissipating.PMID:38525585 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.702 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: I Rukasha S T S Pheeha M R Lekalakala P Malope Source Type: research
Response to 'Commentary on the published position statement regarding the pathogenesis of fetal basal ganglia- thalamic hypoxic-ischaemic injury' (Anthony et al.)
S Afr Med J. 2023 Dec 31;114(1):10-12. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i1.1844.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38525610 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i1.1844 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: I Bhorat E Buchmann K Frank P Soma-Pillay E Nicolaou L Pistorius I Smuts Source Type: research
Factors influencing in-hospital mortality for salvage percutaneous transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting in cirrhotic patients with recalcitrant variceal bleeding after failed endoscopic intervention
CONCLUSION: Salvage TIPS controlled variceal bleeding in 94% of patients after failed endoscopic therapy with 29% in-hospital mortality. The most significant predictors of mortality were C-P grade C, grade 3 ascites, inotrope requirement, endotracheal intubation and endoscopically uncontrolled bleeding.PMID:38525611 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i1.1839 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: J E J Krige E G Jonas M Setshedi S J Beningfield U K Lotze M M Bernon S Burmeister J C Kloppers Source Type: research
On a lighter note
S Afr Med J. 2023 Dec 4;113(12):6.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38525612 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: B Farham Source Type: research
Retraction
S Afr Med J. 2023 Dec 4;113(12):8.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38525614 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: B Farham Source Type: research
Building coherence in the regulation of health research: A reply to Thaldar
S Afr Med J. 2023 Nov 6;113(11):6-8. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i11.1394.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38525615 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i11.1394 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: V Bronstein D T Nyachowe Source Type: research
Special series on the District Health System
S Afr Med J. 2023 Nov 6;113(11):14. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i11.1653.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38525616 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i11.1653 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: H Schneider T Masilela J Mndebele K Vallabhjee I Petersen L Gilson B Engelbrecht Source Type: research
Artificial intelligence (AI) or augmented intelligence? How big data and AI are transforming healthcare: Challenges and opportunities
S Afr Med J. 2023 Dec 31;114(1):22-26. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i1.1631.ABSTRACTThe sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship is deeply embedded in tradition - the Hippocratic oath, medical ethics, professional codes of conduct, and legislation - all of which are being disrupted by big data and 'artificial' intelligence (AI). The transition from paper-based records to electronic health records, wearables, mobile health applications and mobile phone data has created new opportunities to scale up data collection. Databases of unimaginable magnitude can be harnessed to develop algorithms for AI and to refine machine learn...
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: K Moodley Source Type: research
District Health System performance in South Africa: Are current monitoring systems optimal?
S Afr Med J. 2023 Dec 4;113(12):13. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i12.1614.ABSTRACTIn this article, we review the monitoring and evaluation system that is used to measure the performance of primary healthcare delivered through the district health system and district management teams. We then review some global frameworks, especially linked to the World Health Organization, and look at some of the differences between what is internationally recommended and what we do in South Africa. We end with some recommendations to improve the system.PMID:38525618 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i12.1614 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: P Barron H Mahomed T C Masilela K Vallabhjee H Schneider Source Type: research
