Integrated Tuberculosis/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Community-Based Case Finding in Rural South Africa: Implications for Tuberculosis Control Efforts.

Background: Intensive case finding is endorsed for tuberculosis (TB) control in high-risk populations. Novel case-finding strategies are needed in hard-to-reach rural populations with high prevalence of TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Methods: We performed community-based integrated HIV and TB intensive case finding in a rural South African subdistrict from March 2010 to June 2012.

What motivates use of community-based human immunodeficiency virus testing in rural South Africa?

Despite substantial progress in implementing HIV testing, challenges remain in achieving widespread uptake particularly in rural resource-limited settings. We sought to understand motivations for HIV testing in a community-based HIV testing programme in rural South Africa. We conducted a questionnaire survey in participants undergoing voluntary HIV testing within an ongoing community-based integrated HIV/tuberculosis intensive case finding programme at congregate rural settings.

An intervention to improve respiratory therapists' comfort with end-of-life care.

Background: Respiratory therapists (RTs) are often involved in treating seriously ill and dying patients, but receive little instruction in end-of-life care. Prompted by several difficult cases, we developed an interdisciplinary program to introduce practicing RTs to ethical and end-of-life issues, and evaluated the program with a dedicated survey instrument.

Methods: A convenience sample of RTs from a university hospital and nearby community hospitals participated in a one-day interactive program, in 2005 (n = 49) and in 2008 (n = 36), that included role-play and didactic components.