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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
'I believe that the staff have reduced their closeness to patients': An exploratory study on the impact of HIV/AIDS on staff in four rural hospitals in Uganda
BMC Health Services Research, Volume 7, Article 205, Year 2007
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Description
Background. Staff shortages could harm the provision and quality of health care in Uganda, so staff retention and motivation are crucial. Understanding the impact of HIV/AIDS on staff contributes to designing appropriate retention and motivation strategies. This research aimed 'to identify the influence of HIV/AIDS on staff working in general hospitals at district level in rural areas and to explore support required and offered to deal with HIV/AIDS in the workplace'. Its results were to inform strategies to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on hospital staff. Methods. A cross-sectional study with qualitative and quantitative components was implemented during two weeks in September 2005. Data were collected in two government and two faith-based private not-for-profit hospitals purposively selected in rural districts in Uganda's Central Region. Researchers interviewed 237 people using a structured questionnaire and held four focus group discussions and 44 in-depth interviews. Results. HIV/AIDS places both physical and, to some extent, emotional demands on health workers. Eighty-six per cent of respondents reported an increased workload, with 48 per cent regularly working overtime, while 83 per cent feared infection at work, and 36 per cent reported suffering an injury in the previous year. HIV-positive staff remained in hiding, and most staff did not want to get tested as they feared stigmatization. Organizational responses were implemented haphazardly and were limited to providing protective materials and the HIV/AIDS-related services offered to patients. Although most staff felt motivated to work, not being motivated was associated with a lack of daily supervision, a lack of awareness on the availability of HIV/AIDS counselling, using antiretrovirals and working overtime. The specific hospital context influenced staff perceptions and experiences. Conclusion. HIV/AIDS is a crucially important contextual factor, impacting on working conditions in various ways. Therefore, organizational responses should be integrated into responses to other problematic working conditions and adapted to the local context. Opportunities already exist, such as better use of supervision, educational sessions and staff meetings. However, exchanges on interventions to improve staff motivation and address HIV/AIDS in the health sector are urgently required, including information on results and details of the context and implementation process. © 2007 Dieleman et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Dieleman, Marjolein A.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Royal Tropical Institute - Kit
Bwete, Vincent
Uganda, Kampala
Uganda Martyrs University
Maniple, Everd
Uganda, Kampala
Uganda Martyrs University
Bakker, Mirjam Irene
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Royal Tropical Institute - Kit
Namaganda, Grace Nyendwoha
Uganda, Kampala
Health Partners Uganda Health Cooperation
Odaga, John
Uganda, Kampala
Uganda Martyrs University
van der Wilt, Gert Jan
Netherlands, Nijmegen
Radboud University Medical Center
Statistics
Citations: 50
Authors: 7
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1186/1472-6963-7-205
e-ISSN:
14726963
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Infectious Diseases
Violence And Injury
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Exploratory Study
Study Approach
Qualitative
Quantitative
Study Locations
Uganda