Positive mental health of patients at a psychiatric hospital, Gauteng province, South Africa.

Background: Positive mental health (PMH) forms the basis of well-being and positive mind set, which includes a range of cognitive-emotional attributes and coping skills of an individual towards the family and society. Assessment of PMH in psychiatric patients is critical in understanding their needs, improving mental health and the treatment of their illnesses.

Aim: To investigate the levels of PMH among patients attending the outpatient department at a public sector tertiary referral psychiatric hospital using the multidimensional PMH instrument.

Patient safety culture at the unit level of a tertiary hospital in South Africa: a survey study.

Background: Patient safety research is scarce in developing countries. Estimates of patient harm due to healthcare processes in resource-poor settings are thought to be greater than those in developed countries. Ideally, errors in healthcare should be seen as opportunities to improve the future quality of care.

Patients' Knowledge and Practice on Disposal of Medicines Kept in Households in South Africa: Findings and Implications.

Objective: The disposal of unwanted, unused, or expired medicines is a concern. Currently, there is little knowledge regarding their disposal among patients in South Africa. Consequently, there is a need to address this.

Health-Care Professionals' Knowledge and Practice Regarding Disposal of Medicines in Primary Health-Care Facilities in South Africa: Impact and Implications.

Objective: Professional nurses, pharmacists, and medical practitioners are responsible for disposing of medicines within health-care facilities. South African regulations stipulate that medicines should not be disposed of through sewage systems because of the potential impact on patients and the environment. Consequently, our objective was to determine knowledge and practices among health-care professionals (HCPs) in South Africa and the information they provide to patients regarding the safe disposal of unused/expired/damaged medicines to provide future guidance with identified concerns.

Perceptions of managerial staff on the patient safety culture at a tertiary hospital in South Africa.

Background: Hospital managers are best suited and located to enhance patient safety culture within their institutions.

Aim: This study sought to provide insight on the perceptions of 10 managerial staff regarding the patient safety culture at a tertiary academic hospital in South Africa.

Method: In-depth interviews were conducted with strategic and operational managers within high-risk units in order to determine their perceptions regarding patient safety culture.

Medicines Availability among Hypertensive Patients in Primary Health Care Facilities in a Rural Province in South Africa: Findings and Implications.

Objective: Controlling blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients is a challenge, with the lack of antihypertensive medicines negatively impacting on BP control. Consequently, we assessed the availability of prescribed antihypertensives among patients with chronic hypertension attending primary health care (PHC) facilities in a rural province of South Africa and explored any association between medicines availability, the number of prescribed antihypertensive medicines and BP control.

Methods: Secondary data that included patients' demographics, BP, and data on medicines availability of the intervention group from a 3 months' operational study conducted in rural PHC facilities in South Africa were analyzed.

Drug utilization review of tramadol hydrochloride in a regional hospital in South Africa; findings and implications.

Background: Drug utilization reviews (DURs) can be used to promote rational prescribing and ensure compliance with standard treatment guidelines. In recent years, the use of tramadol hydrochloride (HCl) for pain has increased significantly across countries. We sought to determine prescribing patterns and the use of tramadol in a regional hospital in South Africa to provide future guidance in view of increasing concerns with the prescribing of tramadol.

Empowering Hypertensive Patients in South Africa to Improve Their Disease Management: A Pharmacist-Led Intervention.

Objective: Uncontrolled hypertension negatively impacts on mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-led patient counseling and education model to empower hypertensive patients on chronic medication.

Methods: This was an operational research project with a quasi-experimental design including an intervention group (55 patients) and a control group (31 patients) of chronic hypertensive patients.

Evaluation of antihypertensive adherence and its determinants at primary healthcare facilities in rural South Africa.

Aim: To evaluate adherence to antihypertensive treatment in rural South Africa and identify potential determinants given concerns with adherence and its impact in this priority disease area. Patients & methods: Face-to-face interviews with hypertensive patients and rating their adherence to treatment using defined categorized responses. Associations between adherence and patient characteristics assessed and sensitivity analyses performed.

Compliance with the primary health care treatment guidelines and the essential medicines list in the management of sexually transmitted infections in correctional centres in South Africa: findings and implications.

Background: The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern and a growing health crisis. Additionally, evidence has shown that non-compliance to treatment guidelines, especially in the management of communicable diseases such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), has the potential of further enhancing AMR rates. Data on the extent of these challenges in Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities in correctional centres in South Africa (SA) is limited.

Knowledge of hypertension and its management among hypertensive patients on chronic medicines at primary health care public sector facilities in South Africa; findings and implications.

Background: There are high growing prevalence rates of hypertension in South Africa. Consequently, there is a need to assess knowledge and management among hypertensive patients receiving chronic medication from primary health care (PHC) facilities in South Africa as a basis for improving future management. This is important as South Africa seeks to improve its management of chronic diseases.

Patient satisfaction at accredited antiretroviral treatment sites in the Gert Sibande District.

Background: Patient satisfaction has been used as a significant indicator of quality services provided by healthcare personnel. With the largest antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme in the world, the healthcare industry is struggling increasingly with challenges of meeting patients' requirements and expectations for quality ART service provision. This study was conducted in order to identify the importance of factors contributing to satisfaction or dissatisfaction.