Faculty of Health Sciences
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The Faculty of Health Sciences collection in DSpace at the University of Fort Hare provides access to the scholarly and research outputs of staff and students. This collection includes theses and dissertations, research articles, conference papers, technical reports, and examination question papers. The Faculty is committed to advancing education, research, and practice in the fields of health sciences, public health, nursing, allied health professions, and community health. Its teaching and research address critical issues such as health promotion, disease prevention, healthcare delivery, and population health, with a strong emphasis on improving health outcomes in underserved and rural communities. By preserving and disseminating these resources, the collection supports teaching, learning, and research while contributing to evidence-based healthcare, policy development, and the overall wellbeing of society.
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Browsing Faculty of Health Sciences by Author "Magadla, N.I.N."
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Item Exploration of indigenous knowledge and practices of the relatives of mental health care users regarding management of mental disorders in Malawi(University of Fort Hare, 2014) Kavalo, Yasinta; Tshotsho, B.; Magadla, N.I.N.Topic: Exploration of indigenous knowledge and practices of the relatives of mental health care users regarding the management of mental disorders. This study was conducted to explore the management of mental disorders amongst the indigenous people of the Dedza District in Malawi. The government of Malawi declared public mental health services to be free of charge, as a strategy to reduce the burden of disease to the country. Yet despite the free health care services, the indigenous people of Malawi did not take advantage of these free mental health care services, as they regarded them to be culturally incongruent. Instead they used traditional healing systems for mental disorders and consulted the Western health systems only when the traditional systems had failed, the mental health condition had become worse and the mental health care user had become unmanageable. This study was then conducted to explore what the Malawians regarded as culturally sensitive public mental health services. Method: A qualitative phenomenological research approach was adopted to explore the views of the relatives of mental health care users about culturally sensitive public mental health care services. A purposeful sampling method was used to select information rich participants amongst the relatives of mental health care users of indigenous Malawian origin. An unstructured interview guide was used to gather data through face to face interviews. Saturation of data was reached after interviewing fifteen (15) relatives. The verbatim transcribed data from the participants were content analyzed to identify the themes, categories and subcategories. Themes that emerged were: community beliefs; perceived causes, delayed decision making and health system factors. Findings: The community beliefs about the management of mental disorders were on traditional and religious health systems. The traditional healers were consulted in cases where mental illness was believed to be caused by witchcraft and spiritual healers were consulted where mental illness was believed to be caused by ancestral wrath. Even such consultations were delayed as the decisions on the type of healer to be used to manage the mental health care user, had to come from the extended family members. These processes took place during the acute phase of the mental illness and thus explain the delays in consulting with the Western mental health care systems. Such delays had a potential to contribute to the chronicity and the related complications of the illness. The Western health care services were only consulted when the indigenous healing systems were unsuccessful. Yet even the western healing systems were not the best option due to the negative and disrespectful attitudes of health care professionals, the impersonal nature of services, the use of foreign language and delays in service delivery. The recommendations were that the results of this study should be used as guidelines to develop strategies for culturally congruent mental health care services to the indigenous Malawians as the development of the strategies was beyond the scope of this study. The focus of the guidelines to ensure the development of evidence-based nursing practices in rendering culturally congruent mental health services to the indigenous Malawians. Firstly, there should be an integration of both the Western and the traditional healing systems to ensure a holistic patient centered approach to the care of the indigenous people of Malawi; secondly to use the nursing process phases, starting with the assessment, the formulation of the nursing diagnosis, the expected outcomes, the development and implementation of the nursing interventions and the discharge plans to incorporate the belief systems of the indigenous Malawians as identified in this study.Item Factors enhancing readmission of mental health care users to a mental health unit in East London as described by their caregivers(University of Fort Hare, 2014) Mahashe, Nozizwe Patricia; Magadla, N.I.N.; Tshotsho, N.Readmission of mental healthcare users is a global challenge and concern which is associated with high costs. Readmission has negative effects as it is believed to promote dependency, demoralize patients and cause workload for staff. Readmissions also bring a burden to caregivers and affect the caregiver’s health. In the light of this background, the aim of the study was to explore and describe factors enhancing readmission of mental health care users (MHCUs) to a mental health unit in East London as described by their caregivers. The objectives of the study were to: explore factors enhancing readmission of mental health care users in a mental health unit in East London as described by their caregivers and to document recommendations elicited from the findings of the study. A qualitative approach was used to collect and analyze data. The study used a descriptive and explorative design. Sampling was done using the purposive nonprobability method. Unstructured face- to- face interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Fifteen (15) caregivers of MHCUs who had been readmitted to a mental health unit in East London were interviewed .The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The findings of this study suggest that non adherence to treatment, refusing to take treatment, defaulting treatment, denial, indulging in substance abuse, stigma, effects of disease, violence and aggressive behavior are the factors enhancing readmission of MCHUs to a mental health unit in East London. A better understanding of readmission of MHCUs can lead to early intervention and early planning of care. It is envisaged that psycho education, home visits and collaboration of clinic staff with hospital staff may decrease readmission of mental health care users in this unit.Item The investigation of perceptions of professional nurses regarding care of mental health care users in a general hospital setting(University of Fort Hare, 2015) Manona- Nkanjeni, Nonkanyiso Yvonne; Tshotsho, N.; Magadla, N.I.N.This study sought to explore the perceptions of professional nurses regarding care of stabilised mental health care users in a general hospital setting. A qualitative, explanatory, descriptive and contextual design was used for the study. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was used to select 12 participants from the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The services of an independent interviewer were used to avoid any bias as interviews took place where the researcher is employed. The services of an editor were also used for language control (see Annexure H). The researcher repeatedly listened to the tapes used for data collection until completely satisfied with the interpretation of verbatim data. The research study was conducted in an ethically reflective manner and trustworthiness was ensured at all times. Four themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews: fear, stigma, myths and training. The researcher utilised the services of an independent coder who verified the identified major themes. The findings revealed that participants were fearful due to lack of knowledge, experience and psychiatric nursing skills. Participants feared because they lack knowledge about psychiatric medication and because mental health care users may have relapse. The participants also attached a stigma to mental health care users, which resulted in poor communication between participants and the stabilised mental health care user; a negative attitude towards mental health care users; and non-acceptance. Participants believed in myths about mental illness; they regarded it as contagious; and perceived mental health care users as dangerous. The participants strongly recommended that training should be provided to improve their knowledge and skills to enable them to care for stabilised mental health care users in a general hospital setting. The following should be facilitated: in-service training; adoption of a positive attitude; dispersal of myths and fear; education about referral systems; and allocation of specialist psychiatric nurses to medical wards for referral purposes with regard to complicated cases.Item Perceptions of indigenous people regarding mental illness at Cacadu district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa(University of Fort Hare, 2015) Tilolo, Lwazi Romeo; Magadla, N.I.N.; Tshotsho, N.Indigenous people tend to consult traditional healers when a family member manifests change in behaviour, whilst conventional treatment disregards spirituality when preserving mental health. The aim of the study was to explore the perceptions of indigenous people and the role of traditional healers in the management of mentally ill persons within the Cacadu District in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study has adopted a qualitative approach which was exploratory and descriptive in nature. The sample consisted of nine relatives of mental health care users (MHCUs) and six traditional healers. Ethical principles were also taken into consideration by the researcher during the process of conducting the study. Data were collected from two strata, namely, relatives of the MHCUs and the traditional healers and an interview guide was used to conduct in-depth face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed using Tesch’s method of data analysis. Four themes emerged from the data categories and sub categories were identified. According to the themes participants indicated the negative impact of mental illness; as a result they portrayed great desperation regarding the means of accessing a cure for mental illness. Some participants showed insufficient knowledge regarding mental illness and had different perceptions and beliefs regarding the origin of mental illness. Available literature was used to emphasise and support the views that were expressed by both traditional healers and relatives of MHCUs. It has been highlighted from this study that indigenous people of Cacadu District view mental illness as spiritual in origin but they include Western medication for the benefit of the mentally ill. In addition, the relatives of the MHCUs highlighted the economic burden as the major problem that results from mental illness.Item Reasons associated with relapse in patients with schizophrenia.(University of Fort Hare, 2012-11-30) Mtana, Babalwa Christina; Magadla, N.I.N.; Tshotsho, N.Introduction: The high number of relapse in patients with schizophrenia has prompted the researcher to conduct the study and this result in these patients having to be admitted in hospital for a longer period. Problem: The researcher is concerned about the high rate of re-admission of patients with schizophrenia at Fort England Hospital. During the month of June 2011, from the twenty users who were admitted with schizophrenia 70% of these patients were relapsed cases. The problem is the movement of users in and out of the institution. When these users are discharged they are sent home in the care of their families. The patients diagnosed with schizophrenia require a lot of support from their families. It is questionable if the families are offering enough support to the user. Therefore, based on the stated problems, the researcher wanted to establish the factors that cause relapse (Almond et al, 2004:2). Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the reason for relapse in patients with schizophrenia who are admitted to Fort England Hospital and recommend strategies to reduce relapse.Item The study of self-esteem among patients diagnosed with schizophrenia attending theout-patient department od Cecilia Makiwani Hospital in East London area.(University of Fort Hare, 2009) Durrheim, Ricarda Janet; Magadla, N.I.N.The objective of the current study was to determine the self-esteem of people who suffer from schizophrenia. The study was aimed at gaining information about the self-esteem of the schizophrenic person living in the East-London area and seen by the psychiatrist at Cecilia Makiwane hospital during the year 2008.