Browsing by Author "Mji, G"

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    Access to health care for persons with disabilities in rural South Africa
    (BioMed Central, 2017-11-17) Vergunst, R; Swartz, L; Hem, K.-G; Eide, A H; Mannan, H; MacLachlan, M; Mji, G; Braathen, S H; Schneider, M
    Background: Global research suggests that persons with disabilities face barriers when accessing health care services. Yet, information regarding the nature of these barriers, especially in low-income and middle-income countries is sparse. Rural contexts in these countries may present greater barriers than urban contexts, but little is known about access issues in such contexts. There is a paucity of research in South Africa looking at “triple vulnerability” – poverty, disability and rurality. This study explored issues of access to health care for persons with disabilities in an impoverished rural area in South Africa. Methods: The study includes a quantitative survey with interviews with 773 participants in 527 households. Comparisons in terms of access to health care between persons with disabilities and persons with no disabilities were explored. The approach to data analysis included quantitative data analysis using descriptive and inferential statistics. Frequency and cross tabulation, comparing and contrasting the frequency of different phenomena between persons with disabilities and persons with no disabilities, were used. Chi-square tests and Analysis of Variance tests were then incorporated into the analysis. Results: Persons with disabilities have a higher rate of unmet health needs as compared to non-disabled. In rural Madwaleni in South Africa, persons with disabilities faced significantly more barriers to accessing health care compared to persons without disabilities. Barriers increased with disability severity and was reduced with increasing level of education, living in a household without disabled members and with age. Conclusions: This study has shown that access to health care in a rural area in South Africa for persons with disabilities is more of an issue than for persons without disabilities in that they face more barriers. Implications are that we need to look beyond the medical issues of disability and address social and inclusion issues as well.
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    The exploration of health seeking behaviour of clients presenting with minor ailments attending community health centres in Khayelitsha (Michael Mapongwana, Site B) and Phillipi (Inzame Zabantu, Mzamomhle)
    (2005) Mtwana, N B; Mji, G; Keikelame, Johanna
    CHCs in Khayelitsha and Phillipi are overcrowded and overburdened with clients who tend to present with minor ailments. The problem of overcrowding of the CHCs with such clients poses a problem to the health professional as they do not have sufficient time to manage clients with more serious ailments and to educate those with minor health ailments. This problem of overcrowding of CHCs in Khayelitsha and Phillipi with clients presenting with minor health ailments was brough to a community health forum meeting that constituted the management of CHCs, clinical facilitators from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and elderly persons from Khayelitsha and Phillipi in 2001. At this meeting questions were raised regarding the health seeking behaviour of the clients that are presenting with minor health ailments and overcrowding the CHCs.