Public works programme and primary health care in South Africa: Creating jobs for health systems strengthening?

Akintola, Olagoke

doi:10.1080/0376835x.2015.1044073

Cited by 5 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the print media coverage of issues relating to CHWs was predominantly about issues relating to remuneration, which is stipulated by the CHW policy frameworks developed by the government in 2003 and 2009, and by the Expanded Public Works Programme, which launched a first phase in 2004 and a second phase in 2009 [ 15 , 18 , 39 , 42 ]. Following these developments, there was an increase in funding and other technical support for community-based organizations and CHW stipends and salaries from government and international funding agencies [ 15 , 18 , 19 ]. However, a number of challenges with the implementation of the CHW policies and the Expanded Public Works Programme have generated an outcry among CHWs and intense debates among researchers, policymakers and stakeholders [ 15 , 18 , 19 , 39 , 42 - 44 ] which have received a lot of media coverage.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following these developments, there was an increase in funding and other technical support for community-based organizations and CHW stipends and salaries from government and international funding agencies [ 15 , 18 , 19 ]. However, a number of challenges with the implementation of the CHW policies and the Expanded Public Works Programme have generated an outcry among CHWs and intense debates among researchers, policymakers and stakeholders [ 15 , 18 , 19 , 39 , 42 - 44 ] which have received a lot of media coverage.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These include PHC, community-based care, community-based healthcare, and home-based care. Second, we used terms that represented the broad scopes of practice/cadres of the diverse PHC workers in South Africa commonly used in the literature and in government policy documents [ 6 , 14 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 39 ]. The terms are CHW, lay health worker, home-based caregiver/carer, community care worker, community caregiver, and volunteer caregiver/carer.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the late 1990s, the South African government began to support initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS on the public health system by funding non-governmental organizations providing home- and community-based care for people living with HIV/AIDS [ 6 , 16 ]. Yet, it was not until 2001 that a draft policy guideline on home/community-based care was published by the Department of Health [ 15 , 17 , 18 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Print media coverage of primary healthcare and related research evidence in South Africa

Akintola

Lavis

Hoskins

2015

Health Res Policy Sys

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BackgroundThe news media is located at the nexus of the public and policy agendas and provides a window into issues concerning the public. Therefore, it could be a powerful tool for advocating for citizens’ health and could help promote evidence-based primary health systems responsive to the needs of citizens. However, research on the coverage of primary healthcare and related research evidence in the South African print media is virtually non-existent.MethodsWe examined 2,077 news stories that covered primary healthcare from 25 South African newspapers retrieved from the Lexis-Nexis online archive over a 16-year period (1997–2012). We analysed basic characteristics and conducted a content analysis of the news stories.ResultsOf the 2,077 news stories that mentioned primary healthcare, this was the main focus in 8.3% (n = 173). Of these, 45.7% discussed issues relating to clinics, whereas issues relating to community health workers and nurses were covered by 42.8% and 34.1% of news stories, respectively. The number of news stories discussing infectious diseases (55.5%) was more than twice the number discussing non-communicable diseases (21.4%). HIV/AIDS/TB illness- and service-related issues were covered by 54.3% of news stories and social determinants of health by 22%. Issues relating to how healthcare is organised to deliver services to the people received substantial coverage in the print media, with 72.8% discussing delivery arrangements, 72.3% governance arrangements, and 55% financial arrangements. A small fraction of news stories (7.5%) discussed research studies but none discussed a systematic review.ConclusionOur study underscores the potential role of media analyses in illuminating patterns in print media coverage of health issues. It also shows that an understanding of coverage of health research evidence could help spur efforts to support the climate for evidence-informed health policymaking. Researchers in low- and middle-income countries need to be more proactive in making use of media analyses to help illuminate health related issues that require the attention of health policymakers, stakeholders and reporters, and to identify potential areas of research.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12961-015-0051-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Print media coverage of primary healthcare and related research evidence in South Africa

Akintola

Lavis

Hoskins

2015

Health Res Policy Sys

Self Cite

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The global financial crisis: experiences of and implications for community-based organizations providing health and social services in South Africa

Akintola

Gwelo

Labonté

et al. 2015

Critical Public Health

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A qualitative examination of policy and structural factors driving care workers’ adverse experiences in long-term residential care facilities for older adults in Cape Town

2019

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Background There is lack of adequate training and policy support for employed care workers (CWs) employed in the South African (SA) older persons’ sector. Existing literature neglects the influence of training and policy support on CWs’ experiences in long-term care (LTC) for older adults in residential care facilities (RCFs). We investigated the ways in which CWs’ experiences are rooted in the lack of adequate training and policy support. Methods Qualitative data was collected through focus group (FG) interviews with 32 CWs employed in RCFs in the City of Cape Town. Data was also collected using semi-structured interviews with representatives of five RCFs for older adults and four training organisations providing CW training in the City of Cape Town, South Africa. Results Despite some positive caregiving experiences, CWs face role ambiguity and experience care work as a ‘career-less job’. They also face poor employment conditions, negative interpersonal relations at work, and role overload. They are not coping with the demands of LTC due to role overload, and lack of basic caregiving skills, coping skills and socio-emotional support. Their motivation to cope and provide quality care is hamstrung by their experiences of role ambiguity, poor employment conditions, negative interpersonal relations at work, and lack of career growth opportunities. Conclusions Findings suggest that CWs’ experiences derive from the policy and structural context of caregiving. Policy inadequacies and lack of structural support create conditions for adverse conditions which negatively impact on CWs motivation and ability to cope with the demands of LTC. Lack of policy implementation presents structural barriers to quality LTC in the older persons’ sector. Implementation of policies and systems for professionalising care work is long overdue.

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Public works programme and primary health care in South Africa: Creating jobs for health systems strengthening?

Cited by 5 publications

References 16 publications

Print media coverage of primary healthcare and related research evidence in South Africa

Print media coverage of primary healthcare and related research evidence in South Africa

The global financial crisis: experiences of and implications for community-based organizations providing health and social services in South Africa

A qualitative examination of policy and structural factors driving care workers’ adverse experiences in long-term residential care facilities for older adults in Cape Town

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