Original Research

Post-training and mentorship experiences of KidzAlive-trained healthcare workers at primary healthcare facilities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Chipo Mutambo, Kemist Shumba, Khumbulani W. Hlongwana
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine | Vol 12, No 1 | a2109 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2109 | © 2020 Chipo Mutambo, Kemist Shumba, Khumbulani W. Hlongwana | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 10 April 2019 | Published: 29 June 2020

About the author(s)

Chipo Mutambo, Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Kemist Shumba, Discipline of Psychology, School of Applied Human Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Khumbulani W. Hlongwana, Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Abstract

Background: KidzAlive, a multicomponent, child-centred capacity building model was adopted by South Africa’s National Department of Health to address the challenges of quality of care among HIV+ children. This model involves training and mentoring healthcare workers (HCWs) on a child-centred care approach of communicating with children and their primary caregivers (PCGs). This study explored HCWs’ post-training experiences after a 6-months implementation period.

Aim: To evaluate the KidzAlive model as a healthcare approach that seeks to improve the quality of HIV care among children.

Setting: The study was conducted in 20 PHC rural and urban facilities across four districts in KwaZulu-Natal.

Methods: Interviews were conducted by trained interviewers who followed a structured interview guide. These were audio-recorded, transcribed, and imported into NVivo 10 software for thematic analysis. Thematic analysis was used to develop a coding framework from the participant’s responses.

Results: Five themes, namely: (1) increased healthcare worker knowledge, skills and confidence to provide child-friendly HIV services to children; (2) increased involvement of HIV + children in own healthcare journey; (3) the involvement of primary caregivers in children’s healthcare journey; (4) improved health outcomes for HIV + children; and e) transformation of the PHC environment towards being more child-friendly.

Conclusion: The findings present preliminary evidence of successful KidzAlive trained HCWs’ buy-in of KidzAlive intervention. KidzAlive has been well integrated into current service delivery processes in PHC facilities. However, more rigorous research is warranted to fully understand the impact of this intervention on children and their primary caregivers.


Keywords

human immunodeficiency virus; capacity building; healthcare workers; child-centred care; quality of care

Metrics

Total abstract views: 3136
Total article views: 3545

 

Crossref Citations

1. Exploring the mechanism through which a child-friendly storybook addresses barriers to child-participation during HIV care in primary healthcare settings in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Chipo Mutambo, Kemist Shumba, Khumbulani W. Hlongwana
BMC Public Health  vol: 21  issue: 1  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10483-8