Suchergebnisse

Based on the outcome of a previous qualitative study in the same setting it was hypothesized that assessing the prevalence and severity of helplessness and depression, and the quality of social support among people with tuberculosis (TB) may provide indicators of how to provide interventions
to enhance their quality of life. Building on the results of previous research it was found that among people with TB who were attending a public health clinic in the Cape Metropole area of South Africa the psychosocial factors that had a negative influence on adherence to the Directly Observed
Short Course program were feelings of helplessness (10.9% of the group in the study), depression (64.3%), and inadequate social support. The majority of participants received the most social support from their close relatives. These findings indicate that the assessment and treatment programs
at this health site should also be focused on screening for depression and providing necessary interventions where appropriate. Ultimately, these interventions should reduce the burden of TB as an infectious disease.

This study sought to ascertain sexual practices and attitudes toward premarital sex and condom use among a sample of South African university students. The participants were 117 female and 36 male undergraduates whose average age was 19.7 years. Results showed that half of the participants
reported having sex in the past 12 months, with 8% indicating that they had been coerced into having sex. Although two-thirds reported that between 18 and 21 years was a good age to have sex, only 43% approved of sex before marriage. Over 80% of the participants reported
that they would refuse to have sex if their partner was unwilling to use a condom. These results suggest that South African university students may be aware of the dangers of risky sexual practices.

The role of psychosocial factors that contribute to the maintenance of health has been conceptualized in terms of a health-sustaining function (or direct-effects hypothesis), as well as a stress-reducing function (or moderating hypothesis). This study is concerned with the stress-reducing
function of helplessness on Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) health outcome. In a sample of 186 adult hospital RA patients of low socioeconomic status, helplessness measured by the Arthritis Helplessness Index (AHI; Nicassio, Wallston, Callahan, Herbert, & Pincus, 1985), was found to moderate
the relationship between the following: swollen joint count and depression, number of tender joints and functional ability, tender joint count and pain experience, and tender joint count and perceived disability.

Background: Despite the downward trend in the absolute number of tuberculosis (TB) cases since 2006 and the fall in the incidence rates since 2001, the burden of disease caused by TB remains a global health challenge. The co-infection between TB and HIV adds to this disease burden. TB is completely curable through the intake of a strict anti-TB drug treatment regimen which requires an extremely high and consistent level of adherence.The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with adherence to anti-TB and HIV treatment drugs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey method was used. Three study districts (14 primary health care facilities in each) were selected on the basis of the highest TB caseload per clinic. All new TB and new TB retreatment patients were consecutively screened within one month of anti-tuberculosis treatment. The sample comprised of 3107 TB patients who had been on treatment for at least three weeks and a sub-sample of the total sample were on both anti-TB treatment and anti-retro-viral therapy(ART) (N = 757). Data collection tools included: a Socio-Demographic Questionnaire; a Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (PTSD) Screen; a Psychological Distress Scale; the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT); and self-report measures of tobacco use, perceived health status and adherence to anti-TB drugs and ART. Results: The majority of the participants (N = 3107) were new TB cases with a 55.9% HIV co-infection rate in this adult male and female sample 18 years and older. Significant predictors of non-adherence common to both anti-TB drugs and to dual therapy (ART and anti-TB drugs) included poverty, having one or more co-morbid health condition, being a high risk for alcohol mis-use and a partner who is HIV positive. An additional predictor for non-adherence to anti-TB drugs was tobacco use. Conclusions: A comprehensive treatment programme addressing poverty, alcohol mis-use, tobacco use and psycho-social counseling is indicated for TB patients (with and without HIV). The treatment care package needs to involve not only the health sector but other relevant government sectors, such as social development. ; ISI

Abstract Background Despite the downward trend in the absolute number of tuberculosis (TB) cases since 2006 and the fall in the incidence rates since 2001, the burden of disease caused by TB remains a global health challenge. The co-infection between TB and HIV adds to this disease burden. TB is completely curable through the intake of a strict anti-TB drug treatment regimen which requires an extremely high and consistent level of adherence.The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with adherence to anti-TB and HIV treatment drugs. Methods A cross-sectional survey method was used. Three study districts (14 primary health care facilities in each) were selected on the basis of the highest TB caseload per clinic. All new TB and new TB retreatment patients were consecutively screened within one month of anti-tuberculosis treatment. The sample comprised of 3107 TB patients who had been on treatment for at least three weeks and a sub-sample of the total sample were on both anti-TB treatment and anti-retro-viral therapy(ART) (N = 757). Data collection tools included: a Socio-Demographic Questionnaire; a Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (PTSD) Screen; a Psychological Distress Scale; the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT); and self-report measures of tobacco use, perceived health status and adherence to anti-TB drugs and ART. Results The majority of the participants (N = 3107) were new TB cases with a 55.9% HIV co-infection rate in this adult male and female sample 18 years and older. Significant predictors of non-adherence common to both anti-TB drugs and to dual therapy (ART and anti-TB drugs) included poverty, having one or more co-morbid health condition, being a high risk for alcohol mis-use and a partner who is HIV positive. An additional predictor for non-adherence to anti-TB drugs was tobacco use. Conclusions A comprehensive treatment programme addressing poverty, alcohol mis-use, tobacco use and psycho-social counseling is indicated for TB patients (with and without HIV). The treatment care package needs to involve not only the health sector but other relevant government sectors, such as social development.