Understanding the experiences of doctors who undertake elective surgery on HIV/AIDS patients in an area of high incidence in South Africa.
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Date
2010
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
NISC & Taylor & Francis
Abstract
This study investigates the experiences of doctors who perform elective surgical procedures in an area of South
Africa with a high incidence of HIV and AIDS. A qualitative study approach was adopted. Interviews were individually
conducted with 15 doctors. The transcribed interviews were read four times, each with a different data-collection
purpose, and follow-up interviews were carried out when it was necessary to complete the data set. Surgical doctors
from two semi-urban hospitals and one rural hospital in northern KwaZulu-Natal province took part in the study. The
analysis of the interviews rendered four areas of concern in the experiences of doctors who perform surgery on HIV/
AIDS patients. These were: personal factors, patient factors, factors relating to the structure of the health system,
and factors concerning protocols for the treatment of patients with HIV or AIDS. Although the doctors were altruistic
in their approaches to operating on HIV/AIDS patients, they commonly mentioned the increased levels of stress
they experience as a result of a multiplicity of issues surrounding the treatment and care of an HIV/AIDS patient
specifically. The public health system has not made special arrangements to deal with the increased patient loads
in hospitals as a result of the HIV epidemic, and this will have to be addressed as the number of HIV/AIDS patients
increases.
Description
Keywords
Surgery, Elective., AIDS (Disease)--Patients--Surgery., HIV infections--Patients--Surgery., AIDS (Disease)--Patients--Surgery--KwaZulu-Natal.
Citation
Gwala-Ngozo, J., Taylor, M., Aldous, C. 2010. Understanding the experiences of doctors who undertake elective surgery on HIV/AIDS patients in an area of high incidence in South Africa, African Journal of AIDS Research. 9 (1) pp. 11-16.