Scielo RSS http://www.scielo.org.za/rss.php?pid=2223-627920100003&lang=pt vol. 33 num. 3 lang. pt http://www.scielo.org.za/img/en/fbpelogp.gif http://www.scielo.org.za http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-62792010000300001&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-62792010000300002&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt INTRODUCION: The objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of midwives managing women during labour at a tertiary care hospital in the Limpopo Province. An exploratory, descriptive, contextual and inductive design was applied to this qualitative research study. Purposive sampling was used to select midwives who were working in the childbirth unit and had managed women during labour. A sample of 12 midwives participated in this study. Data were collected by means of unstructured individual interviews and analysed through an open coding method by the researchers and the independent co-coder. FINDINGS: Categories identified were lack of mutual participation and responsibility sharing, dependency and lack of decision-making, lack of information-sharing, empowering autonomy and informed choices opportunities, lack of open communication and listening, non-accommodative midwifery actions, and lack of human and material infrastructure. To ensure the validity of the results, criteria to measure trustworthiness were utilized. CONCLUSION: This study has implications for woman-centered care by midwives managing women in labour and provides appropriate guidelines that should be integrated into the Batho-Pele Principles. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-62792010000300003&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) still carry a stigma in the community. Many people do not know their status and they are still reluctant to be tested including pregnant women despite the fact that Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) is offered for free in South Africa. In South Africa VCT for HIV and AIDS is offered by lay counsellors in public hospitals and clinics. The study conducted by Mate, Bennet, Mphatswe, Barker and Rollins (2009:5483) outlined that in South Africa the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV guidelines have raised hope that the national goal of reducing perinatal HIV transmission rates to less than 5% can be attained. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was conducted in 15 public clinics of the Polokwane Municipality in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. The purpose of the study was to determine the experiences of the lay counsellors who provide VCT for the PMTCT of HIV and AIDS in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. Data were collected through one-to-one interviews using a semi-structured guide (De Vos et al, 2006:296). The findings of the study reflected the following: the content of training and counselling skills received by lay counsellors were satisfactory, there was lack of counsellor support and in-service education. A program for in-service education and support for all lay counsellors who have had VCT training should be conceptualised and implemented. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-62792010000300004&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt The aftermath of the HIV and AIDS pandemic has resulted in great suffering in terms of loss of income, poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality, with children being destitute and orphaned at an alarming rapid rate. Families and communities are currently unable to cope with the effects of HIV and AIDS with special emphasis on the care and support of the affected orphans and vulnerable children, who as a result have been compelled to look after themselves giving rise to a new type of family, the child-headed household. The emergence of this type of family requires government's response in terms of care and support. The purpose of this study was to provide a broad picture of the location, prevalence, composition, functions, needs and challenges of child-headed households in South Africa, and explore available and required services, resources and safety nets for children in child-headed households. An exploratory and descriptive design was used for the purpose. The sample consisted of children heading households and those living in the households that are headed by children; government departments responsible for child welfare, such as, the Departments of Social Development, Health, Education and Agriculture; non-profit organisations and communities where these households are predominant. From the data collected, it was found that the rights of the affected children were compromised. Those heading the households were often not at school and were responsible for domestic chores. The households needed food, clothes, money, shelter, and education. Government in attempting to address these needs required clear policies which will provide a distinction between orphaned and vulnerable children and child-headed households. The study recommended a collaborative approach as it was shown that there was no single model of best practice to appropriately and effectively address the needs of child-headed households. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-62792010000300005&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt Societies are reluctant to openly confront issues of sexuality, and this reluctance forms a barrier of communication between parents and teenagers and even between sexual partners (Wulf, 2004:2). This reluctance promotes the presence of misconceptions about sexual health, sexual risks and its consequences. Poor dialogue about sexual health between parents and teenagers is one of the contributory factors of high teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates including HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how dialogue about sexual health between teenagers and parents is conducted and to use the information gathered as a basis for making recommendations for improvement. A qualitative study of an explorative, descriptive and contextual nature was used. The researcher used the main question as a point of departure and more questions emanated from the discussions. There were 42 informants involved in the study, of which 4 were males and 38 were females. A purposive sampling method was used to collect data through in depth individual interviews and focus group discussions. The researcher strived to adhere to the principle of trustworthiness by adopting Guba's model (in Krefting, 1991: 217). Tech's method (Creswell, 1994: 154-55) was used to analyse the data and an independent coder was used. The results indicate that there is minimal if not absent dialogue about sexual health between teenagers and parents. Culture was identified as a major challenge to sexual health dialogue between teenagers and parents. Recommendations to enhance dialogue were made. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-62792010000300006&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt Diabetes mellitus is not only a major burden in the developed world, it is also an increasing health problem in less developed countries. Although health education could be a tool to achieve better glycaemic control, it is important to understand that health education should be adjusted to patients' literacy, cultural environment and economic status. Among other factors, lack of money has an influence on the outcome of diabetes mellitus. Thus the purpose of the study is to identify factors contributing to poor glycaemia control in diabetic patients. Data was collected using self-report questionnaire on a convenient sample of 32 diabetic patients and unstructured, open-ended interviews on eight patients' inorder to allow them freedom of expressing themselves with regard to factors that contribute to poor glycaemic control on diabetic patients. Data was then analysed using a computer program called Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The socioeconomic factors appeared to have significant influence on glycaemic control among participants, for instance 75% of the total subjects (32) indicated that they experienced problems of accessing health care services due to lack of money. Ignorance related to where to seek support system such as educational programme, and nutrition counselling were factors that were identified to contribute to diabetic patients' poor glycaemia control. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the Provincial Department of Health and the managers of the institutions where the study was conducted. Recommendations for dealing with the identified factors have been formulated. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2223-62792010000300007&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt Culture defines how persons behave towards each other. When nurses and patients belong to different cultures, culture-based misunderstandings could influence the nurse-patient relationships and interactions adversely. The purpose of the study was to determine non-Muslim nurses' knowledge about Muslim traditions pertaining to obstetric units in a Muslim country. A quantitative descriptive research design was adopted. The population comprised 67 nurses, but the accessible population consisted of 52 nurses who were working in the participating hospital's gynaecological wards during the data collection phase. However, only 50 nurses completed questionnaires as two nurses did not want to participate in the study. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 11.5) was used to analyse the data. The research results indicate that non-Muslim nurses lacked knowledge about Muslim practices concerning breastfeeding, Ko'hl, the "evil eye", modesty, medicine and food taboos. If these aspects could be addressed during the recruitment and inservice education of non-Muslim nurses working in Muslim countries, this could enhance the quality of culture-competent nursing care.