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Jun 11, 2004Keywords:
Geographic Functional Financial and cultural accessibility of health care services
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Accessibility of district health nursing services in the Greater Bronkhorstspruit: research
Abstract
A growing concern about the decline in the number of non-Black patients making use of the Bronkhorstspruit Clinic exists. The aim of the study was thus to determine the geographic, functional, financial and cultural accessibility of the health care service. A quantitative, descriptive study was conducted in the Greater Bronkhorstspruit (now referred as to as the Kungwini Local Municipality). The systematic random sample consisting of 260 respondents was drawn from Bronkhorstspruit, Zithobeni Township and Rethabiseng formal settlement. Sampling was done within a five-kilometer radius. Questionnaires were used as a method of data collection with the assistance of fieldworkers in Zithobeni and Rethabiseng. Postal questionnaires were used for Bronkhorstspruit, followed by reminder postcards. Fieldworkers followed up unreturned questionnaires. The study revealed that the health services were geographically accessible as 223 of the 253 households are located within a five-kilometer radius of the health facility. Clients, however, complained about the long waiting period for health care services. The health facilities were reported to be overcrowded and short of staff. The clients also indicated that there is a need for a 24-hour service in the area. Some clients highlighted that the health facilityํs opening and operating times are awkward. The health care services were financially accessible since they were provided free of charge across the board at Primary Health Care level. There was no doubt that the health services were culturally accessible in the sense that no complaints of racial discrimination were indicated. The clients did not have any problems to be nursed by health care providers of any cultural background.
The issue of functional accessibility needs urgent attention to be in line with the principle of Batho-Pele directed at the delivery of a customer-friendly service. For clients to be happy and encouraged to utilise the health services they should not be subjected to lengthy waiting periods in an overcrowded health facility. Health facilities should be properly staffed to enable health care providers to function and render efficient quality patient care.
Toenemende kommer bestaan oor die afname in die getal nie-Swart pasiฮnte wat van die Bronkhorstspruit Kliniek gebruik maak. Die doel van diศ studie was om die geografiese, funksionele, finansiฮle en kulturele toeganklikheid van die gesondheidsdiens te bepaal. ๋n Kwantitatiewe, beskrywende studie is in die Groter Bronkhorstspruit (tans bekend as die Kungwini Plaaslike Owerheid) gedoen. ๋n Sistematiese ewekansige steekproef van 260 respondente is getrek wat Bronkhorstspruit, asook die Zithobeni- en Rethabiseng-woonareas ingesluit het. Respondente in ๋n vyf-kilometer-radius is ingesluit. Vraelyste is gebruik as metode om data in te samel. In die Zithobeni- en Rethabiseng-areas het veldwerkers met die voltooiing van die vraelyste gehelp. Die respondente van Bronkhorstspruit het hul vraelyste per pos ontvang. Dit is opgevolg met poskaarte waarin hulle aangemoedig is om die vraelyste in te vul. Veldwerkers het die respondente van Bronkhorstspruit wat nie gereageer het nie, opgevolg. Die studie het aangetoon dat die gesondheidsdienste geografies toeganklik is aangesien 223 van die 253 huishoudings binne ๋n vyf-kilometer-radius van die kliniek geleฮ is. Die kliฮnte het egter oor die lang wagtyd in die klinieke gekla. Die klinieke word deur kliฮnte oorstroom terwyl ๋n personeeltekort ondervind word. Die respondente het ๋n behoefte aan ๋n 24-uur-diens in die area uitgewys. Hulle was van mening dat die tye waartydens die klinieke funksioneer nie voldoende is nie. Die gesondheidsdienste is finansiฮel toeganklik aangesien alle Primอre Gesondheidsorg gratis gelewer word. Daar was ook geen twyfel by die respondente dat die gesondheidsdienste kultureel toeganklik is nie. Geen klagtes van rassediskriminasie is gerapporteer nie. Die kliฮnte vind dit nie onaanvaarbaar om deur ๋n persoon van ๋n ander kulturele agtergrond behandel te word nie.
Die funksionele toeganklikheid van die gesondheidsdienste benodig onmiddellike aandag om dit in ooreenstemming met die beginsel van Batho-Pele, wat gerig is op die lewering van kliฮntvriendelike diens, te bring. Om die kliฮnte gelukkig te hou en aan te moedig om die klinieke te gebruik, behoort hulle nie blootgestel te word aan lang wagtye in oorvol klinieke nie. Die gesondheidsdienste behoort van voldoende personeel voorsien te word, sodat pasiฮnte effektief versorg kan word.
Key Words: Geographic, Functional, Financial and cultural accessibility of health care services
Health SA Gesondheid Vol.9(1) 2004: 36-46
The issue of functional accessibility needs urgent attention to be in line with the principle of Batho-Pele directed at the delivery of a customer-friendly service. For clients to be happy and encouraged to utilise the health services they should not be subjected to lengthy waiting periods in an overcrowded health facility. Health facilities should be properly staffed to enable health care providers to function and render efficient quality patient care.
Toenemende kommer bestaan oor die afname in die getal nie-Swart pasiฮnte wat van die Bronkhorstspruit Kliniek gebruik maak. Die doel van diศ studie was om die geografiese, funksionele, finansiฮle en kulturele toeganklikheid van die gesondheidsdiens te bepaal. ๋n Kwantitatiewe, beskrywende studie is in die Groter Bronkhorstspruit (tans bekend as die Kungwini Plaaslike Owerheid) gedoen. ๋n Sistematiese ewekansige steekproef van 260 respondente is getrek wat Bronkhorstspruit, asook die Zithobeni- en Rethabiseng-woonareas ingesluit het. Respondente in ๋n vyf-kilometer-radius is ingesluit. Vraelyste is gebruik as metode om data in te samel. In die Zithobeni- en Rethabiseng-areas het veldwerkers met die voltooiing van die vraelyste gehelp. Die respondente van Bronkhorstspruit het hul vraelyste per pos ontvang. Dit is opgevolg met poskaarte waarin hulle aangemoedig is om die vraelyste in te vul. Veldwerkers het die respondente van Bronkhorstspruit wat nie gereageer het nie, opgevolg. Die studie het aangetoon dat die gesondheidsdienste geografies toeganklik is aangesien 223 van die 253 huishoudings binne ๋n vyf-kilometer-radius van die kliniek geleฮ is. Die kliฮnte het egter oor die lang wagtyd in die klinieke gekla. Die klinieke word deur kliฮnte oorstroom terwyl ๋n personeeltekort ondervind word. Die respondente het ๋n behoefte aan ๋n 24-uur-diens in die area uitgewys. Hulle was van mening dat die tye waartydens die klinieke funksioneer nie voldoende is nie. Die gesondheidsdienste is finansiฮel toeganklik aangesien alle Primอre Gesondheidsorg gratis gelewer word. Daar was ook geen twyfel by die respondente dat die gesondheidsdienste kultureel toeganklik is nie. Geen klagtes van rassediskriminasie is gerapporteer nie. Die kliฮnte vind dit nie onaanvaarbaar om deur ๋n persoon van ๋n ander kulturele agtergrond behandel te word nie.
Die funksionele toeganklikheid van die gesondheidsdienste benodig onmiddellike aandag om dit in ooreenstemming met die beginsel van Batho-Pele, wat gerig is op die lewering van kliฮntvriendelike diens, te bring. Om die kliฮnte gelukkig te hou en aan te moedig om die klinieke te gebruik, behoort hulle nie blootgestel te word aan lang wagtye in oorvol klinieke nie. Die gesondheidsdienste behoort van voldoende personeel voorsien te word, sodat pasiฮnte effektief versorg kan word.
Key Words: Geographic, Functional, Financial and cultural accessibility of health care services
Health SA Gesondheid Vol.9(1) 2004: 36-46
