An explorative study of growth monitoring as a component of primary health care in the Durban South central region
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Date
2001
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Abstract
The aim of the study was to pursue an exploratory, descriptive, contextual study to investigate knowledge and practices of professional nurses working in the Umlazi clinics with regard to how they: assess normal growth: assess deviations from normal growth: record and interpret growth findings using the Road to Health Card: communicate all information with regard to health surveillance of children to mothers and use of the Road to Health Card as means of referral to other health care services.
A simple random sample was selected from a population of professional nurses working in the four clinics under study and from a population of mothers utilizing these clinics for both growth monitoring and minor ailments. For the purpose of investigation, questionnaires and interview schedules consisting of both structured and unstructured questions were utilised.
The study revealed that there were many barriers to provision of quality growth monitoring programmes in the Umlazi Clinics that were under study. These included shortage of staff, shortage of equipment and medicines which resulted in weighing of children not being done as frequently as required. Mothers were not given accurate information about the growth parameters of their children, especially with regard to the Road to Health Chan. Mothers could not interpret the growth patterns in the Road to Health Card. The study also revealed that although the mothers were aware that they were supposed to carry the Road to Health Card each time they visited the clinic, doctor or hospital, they did not carry these cards as required stating the reasons that the children were not weighed when they attended minor ailment clinics and that the health workers did not ask for the Road to Health Cards during these visits.
Based on the above results of the study, a client-centred approach is recommended as a possible solution to these problems, since these are a concern of both the clinic health workers and that of the mothers who utilise these clinics for growth monitoring: guidelines with regard to the above recommendations include: in-service education conducted more frequently re-growth monitoring: improvement of the size of the Road to Health Chart for reinforcement of health education: inclusion of fathers in growth monitoring health education programmes: the Road to Health Card information to be written in the mother's home language: accompaniment of clinic supervisors during their routine visits to the clinic by the local police at least twice a month and re-establishment of clinic committees where these have stopped to function.
For the purpose of this study the words "Road to Health Chart'' and "Road to Health Card" will be used interchangeably.
Description
Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts Degree in Curationis in the Department of Nursing Science at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2001.
Keywords
Medical science--Nursing, Public health nursing