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Theses and dissertations (Health Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/12

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    Patients at Marburg Haven Clinic : a demographic and disease profile
    (2014-05-20) Hitge, Candice Elaine; Ndlovu, Prisca Zandile; Korporaal, Charmaine Maria
    Aim: A paucity of information on chiropractic patients presenting in public community clinics in South Africa (SA) exists. The purpose of this study was to carry out a demographic and disease survey of the patients that presented to the Marburg Haven Clinic, so to identify the patients that presented in a rural community outreach programme. Methods: A retrospective analysis on the patient files at Marburg Haven Clinic was completed in September 2012. Data recorded included demographic data, presenting complaints, patient history and management protocols. Results: Data of 117 patients were documented. Most patients were female (76.1%), with a mean age of 53.3 years. Indian patients (50.4%) presented most often, with a quarter of the patients unemployed (26.5%) or pensioners (21.4%). Of the employed patients, 26.5% had not specified the type of occupation and 9.4% were non-manual workers. Musculoskeletal complaints (21.2%) were the most common complaints at the Marburg Haven Clinic, with the primary diagnosis of sacroiliac syndrome (16.2%), followed by general myofascitis (22.4%). Common co-morbidities reported were hypertension, diabetes and asthma. Less than half the patient population had undergone previous surgeries and/or sought previous treatment from other medical practitioners. Sixteen patients were contra-indicated for manipulation. Common treatment protocols used were spinal manipulation, spinal mobilisation and stretching. Conclusion: This is a demographic and descriptive study of a public community outreach centre in South Africa. In relation to international studies, similarities were that the majority of the patients were female, anatomical sites of complaint (lumbar and cervical pain), common usage of radiographs, co-morbidities including cardiovascular and endocrine pathologies and manipulation were used as the treatment of choice. A prospective longitudinal study with more specific criteria for patient tracking and more defined data capture requirements is recommended to more accurately gather all data within similar settings.
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    Demographic characteristics of patients attending DUT Chiropractic Day Clinic : a comparison of trends between 1994 and 2011
    (2014-05-20) McDonald, Murray L.; Matkovich, Grant
    Background: The Durban University of Technology (DUT) chiropractic teaching clinic (CTC) represents a training facility for future chiropractors as well as providing a healthcare service to the local population. It is important to measure the demographic characteristics and presenting complaints of patients attending the DUT CTC as this information prepares the student interns for private practice. It also provides an insight into the popularity of chiropractic in the community. Objectives: This study sought to measure certain demographic variables and presenting conditions of patients attending DUT CTC and to assess whether these have changed over time. Method: A retrospective, cross-sectional descriptive study was performed by drawing patient files of new patients presenting to the DUT CTC for the months of February through April, during 2000, 2006 and 2011 (data from a 1994 study was included for analysis). The files had the following information regarding the patient collected: age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, medical aid, main presenting complaint, as well the duration of the most recent complaint. The data was analysed for trends using statistical software (SPSS v19). Results: Data from 1 311 patient files were analyzed. The number of patients attending the DUT CTC had reduced significantly since 2000. The mean age ranged from 37.0 – 39.7yrs across the samples with a trend of increasing age occurring between 1994 and 2006. Ages ranged from 2 weeks – 89yrs, with 20 – 29yrs being the most common group. Females formed 50.5 – 51.2% of the samples with no significant change over time. White (46.3 – 64.2%) and Indian patients (27.2 – 40.9%) formed the majority, with Black patients showing a trend of increasing representation (from 6.4% in 2000 to 15.8% in 2011). The most common occupations were student (19.7 – 26.8%) and clerical (17 – 23%), with a trend noted between 1994 and 2006 of a decreasing student proportion. This trend reversed from 2006 – 2011. Medical aid subscription among patients reduced significantly (p<0.05) from 56.2% in 1994 to 41.6% in 2011. The main presenting complaints were spinal (68.2 – 84.1%), with low back (30.7 – 40.7%) and neck/head (27.8 – 33.8%) being the most common. Most main complaints were of a chronic nature (45.8 – 61.7%), though a trend of reducing chronicity was noted between 1994 and 2006. A trend of increasing sub-acute complaints was seen between 1994 and 2011. Conclusions: The patients attending DUT CTC are similar to most international CTC’s in terms of patients’ age, gender, occupation, and main presenting complaint. Compared to existing data on South African private practice, the patients at DUT CTC are generally younger, less likely to be female, less likely to be White, more likely to be Indian or Black, less likely to have medical aid, more likely to present with low back pain as appose to neck/head pain, and more likely to present in the acute/sub-acute phase. Between 1994 and 2006, the trend shows that patients at DUT CTC were older, less likely to be White, less likely to be students, less likely to have medical aid, and less likely to present in the chronic phase.