Faculty of Health Sciences
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Item Patient management experiences of individuals attending a homoeopathic community health centre(2021-12-01) Mhlongo, Bukiwe Nothando Princess; Ngobese-Ngubane, Jabulile C.; Couchman, IngridDurban University of Technology (DUT) set up a homeopathic satellite centre in cooperation with Lifeline Ukuba Nesibindi Homeopathic Community Health Centre (UNHCHC) in 2004. UNHCHC is a centre for teaching students doing their Bachelor's and Master's degree in Technology in Homoeopathy. UNHCHC offers free primary services to patients by homeopathic students and is situated less than a kilometer away from DUT. Patient management at this facility involves the following: maintenance or improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments. It also includes communication, empathy, examination, evaluation, prognosis, and intervention. This encompasses the interaction, from intake to discharge, between the patient and UNHCHC. Patient experience includes the range of interactions that patients have with the health care system, including their care through health plans, and from doctors, nurses and staff, physician practices, and other healthcare facilities. Hence it was vital that the experiences of patients attending this homeopathic community health centre be evaluated. The study that was conducted by Dube (2015) analyzing patients' perceptions of their first homeopathic consultation at the UNHCHC, respondents determined that the homeopathic consultation was rather different from what they were accustomed to. The difference that was noted by respondents included friendliness, professionalism, deep, thorough attentive case taking and physical examinations. In contrast, Ndlovu (2015) found that patients were dissatisfied with service delivery offered in public hospitals around iLembe Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. This research was conducted to determine and compare differences in patient management in allopathic versus homeopathic consultations, including how patients were treated in each. Methodology An adaptation of a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional analysis was used to guide the study. A questionnaire with both closed- and open-ended questions was used to obtain data from 100 consenting participants. The participants must have had a consultation with a homeopath before answering the questionnaire. Participants attending UNHCHC for the first time had to wait until after a consultation in order to participate, while those arriving for follow up visits were able to participate before or after consultation. The data were encoded and entered by the researcher onto an Excel spreadsheet, and then imported into Excel® XP™ 2016 and SPSS® v25 for Windows™ for analysis. Results Data from this study indicate that there was a significant level of satisfaction with the following areas of homeopathic consultation: time management, consultation and level of hygiene. Patients also perceived homeopathic medicine as safer, with less side-effects and more easily available than allopathic medication. The data also showed a high level of dissatisfaction with services rendered by public hospitals and clinics compared to those rendered by UNHCHC. The majority (91%) of patients said that given the option, they would consult with homeopaths, and would like homeopathy to be integrated into the public health sector. Of the participants, 81% said they would like homeopathy to be integrated into the public healthcare sector as this would help alleviate the pressure faced by this sector, especially regarding the shortage of doctors.Item A clinical profile of geriatric patients at a chiropractic teaching clinic in KwaZulu-Natal(2019) Schirmer, Carissa Anja; Varatharajullu, DesireeAim: The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics of geriatric patients that presented to the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Chiropractic Day Clinic (CDC) between the clinic operational dates from the 18th of January 2010 to the 4th of December 2015. Methods: A clinical profile of the clinical records pertaining to individuals who were 65 years of age and older, that frequented the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Chiropractic Day Clinic (CDC) between the 18th of January 2010 and the 4th of December 2015. Data recorded included patient demographics, lifestyle habits and blood pressure, presenting complaint and the nature thereof, medication use, presenting co-morbidities, further tests and patient management. Results: Data from 397 clinical records was utilized. The majority of the patients were aged between 65 to 69 years with a mean age of 71.31 years (±5.43). More females (56.9%) presented to the DUT CDC in the sampling years, marriage (49.9%) was the most common form of union, and over two thirds of the patients stated that they were retired (63.0%). No history of smoking (73.8%) was the most reported smoking habit, and no history of alcohol consumption (64.5%). In terms of exercise habits, 38.8% did not participate in any form of exercise, over half of the patients reported normal sleeping patterns (56.6%), just over a quarter of the patients were reported as overweight (27.5%), and pre-hypertension (34.0%) was the most commonly documented blood pressure reading. The most common area of complaint reported was the low back (36.5%), with the majority stating that they were suffering with pain only, with an initial onset of pain over one year ago and having previously had x-ray examinations done. Patients consumed on average 3.35 medications, with most taking between three to five medications (43.1%). Anti-hypertensive, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and cholesterol lowering drugs were the most commonly consumed. The mean co-morbidities presented were hypertension, diabetes and headaches. Generally, the patients had three treatments (mean = 2.94). Soft tissue therapy, electro-modalities and mobilisation were the preferred treatment methods. X-rays were the preferred form of referral and stretching was the most prescribed continuation of care at home. Conclusion: This is a clinical profile of the patients which presented at a chiropractic teaching clinic in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Similarities to other local and international studies were noted, namely: females were the most documented gender, the most commonly presented areas of complaint were the low back and the cervical spine, the patients generally suffered with chronic pain and multiple co-morbidities and consumed on average of three to five medications. To validate the findings of this study, follow-up studies should be conducted every five years.