Understanding self-care perceptions and behaviours of community care workers in Cape Town to develop and assess a self-care intervention

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dc.contributor.advisorKaminer, Debra
dc.contributor.authorSingh, Laura
dc.date.accessioned2026-01-27T10:29:57Z
dc.date.available2026-01-27T10:29:57Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2026-01-27T10:18:08Z
dc.description.abstractCommunity care workers (CCWs) play a crucial role in supporting disadvantaged populations, yet there is insufficient research on how these demands affect their well-being. Burnout among CCWs can lead to diminished performance, impacting their well-being as well as the well-being of the communities they serve. This study used a multi-stage approach, with an interpretivist and constructivist qualitative lens, to explore the self-care needs of CCWs, develop a self-care intervention, and test the feasibility of this intervention. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles were employed throughout the study, conducted within an established community organisation, Outliers. Stage 1 involved interviews with 21 CCW team leaders and revealed six key themes that helped understand self-care behaviours and perceptions in CCWs: the demanding nature of community work, attitudinal and practical barriers to self-care, the importance of a personal understanding of self-care, and the need for routine and community support in establishing self-care habits. Based on these findings, a two-session WhatsApp group intervention was designed in collaboration with the team leaders. In Stage 2, the intervention was delivered to 16 CCWs from three organisations. Two post-intervention focus groups with 10 participants reported increased self-awareness, shifts in attitudinal barriers, changes in self-care behaviours, and several barriers to adopting self- care. The use of WhatsApp found to be effective for facilitating training, reflection, and peer support. The findings of this research support the potential of co-designed, community-based participatory approaches to create culturally relevant and impactful interventions for CCWs.
dc.identifier.apacitationSingh, L. (2025). <i>Understanding self-care perceptions and behaviours of community care workers in Cape Town to develop and assess a self-care intervention</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42697en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSingh, Laura. <i>"Understanding self-care perceptions and behaviours of community care workers in Cape Town to develop and assess a self-care intervention."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42697en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSingh, L. 2025. Understanding self-care perceptions and behaviours of community care workers in Cape Town to develop and assess a self-care intervention. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42697en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Singh, Laura AB - Community care workers (CCWs) play a crucial role in supporting disadvantaged populations, yet there is insufficient research on how these demands affect their well-being. Burnout among CCWs can lead to diminished performance, impacting their well-being as well as the well-being of the communities they serve. This study used a multi-stage approach, with an interpretivist and constructivist qualitative lens, to explore the self-care needs of CCWs, develop a self-care intervention, and test the feasibility of this intervention. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles were employed throughout the study, conducted within an established community organisation, Outliers. Stage 1 involved interviews with 21 CCW team leaders and revealed six key themes that helped understand self-care behaviours and perceptions in CCWs: the demanding nature of community work, attitudinal and practical barriers to self-care, the importance of a personal understanding of self-care, and the need for routine and community support in establishing self-care habits. Based on these findings, a two-session WhatsApp group intervention was designed in collaboration with the team leaders. In Stage 2, the intervention was delivered to 16 CCWs from three organisations. Two post-intervention focus groups with 10 participants reported increased self-awareness, shifts in attitudinal barriers, changes in self-care behaviours, and several barriers to adopting self- care. The use of WhatsApp found to be effective for facilitating training, reflection, and peer support. The findings of this research support the potential of co-designed, community-based participatory approaches to create culturally relevant and impactful interventions for CCWs. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - community care workers KW - community-based participatory research KW - self-care KW - WhatsApp intervention LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - Understanding self-care perceptions and behaviours of community care workers in Cape Town to develop and assess a self-care intervention TI - Understanding self-care perceptions and behaviours of community care workers in Cape Town to develop and assess a self-care intervention UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42697 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/42697
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSingh L. Understanding self-care perceptions and behaviours of community care workers in Cape Town to develop and assess a self-care intervention. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42697en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychology
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectcommunity care workers
dc.subjectcommunity-based participatory research
dc.subjectself-care
dc.subjectWhatsApp intervention
dc.titleUnderstanding self-care perceptions and behaviours of community care workers in Cape Town to develop and assess a self-care intervention
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
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