Primary health care facility infrastructure and services and the nutritional status of children 0-71-months-old and their caregivers attending these facilities in four rural districts in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, South Africa.

  • Serina Elizabeth Schoeman Medical Research Council
  • C M Smuts North West University
  • M Faber Medical Research Council
  • M Van Stuijvenberg Medical Research Council
  • A Oelofse University of Pretoria
  • J A Laubscher Medical Research Council
  • AJS Benadé Cape Peninsula University of Technology
  • M A Dhansay Medical Research Council
Keywords: primary health care facilities, nutritional status, children, caregivers, rural, South Africa

Abstract

Objective: To assess primary health care (PHC) facility infrastructure and services, and the nutritional status of 0-71-month-old children and their caregivers attending these facilities in the Eastern Cape (EC) and KwaZulu Natal (KZN) provinces, South Africa. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Rural districts in the EC (OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo) and KZN (Umkhanyakude and Zululand). Subjects: PHC facilities and nurses (EC 20; KZN 20); children 0-71-months-old and their caregivers (EC 994; KZN 992). Methods: Structured questionnaires and anthropometric survey. Results: Of the 40 PHC facilities 14 were built or renovated after 1994. PHC facility access to basic resources was as follows; safe drinking water (EC 20%; KZN 25%), electricity (EC 45%; KZN 85%); flush toilets (EC 40%; KZN 75%) and operational telephones (EC 20%; KZN 5%). More than 50% of the nurses reported problems with basic resources and the existence of cultural practices as influencing the quality of services. Home deliveries were common (EC 41%; KZN 25%). Social grants were reported as a main source of income (EC 33%; KZN 28%). A few households reportedly had enough food at all times (EC 15%; KZN 7%). The prevalence of diarrhea as reported was high (EC 34; KZN 38%) and it was the leading cause of reported under-five deaths. Stunting in children 6-60 months (EC 23%; KZN 24%), and overweight/obesity in adults (EC 49%; KZN 42%) co-existed. Conclusion: Problems regarding infrastructure, basic resources and services adversely affect service delivery and the well-being of rural people and need attention.

Author Biographies

Serina Elizabeth Schoeman, Medical Research Council
MA Cur Senior Scientist Nutritional Intervention Research Unit, Medical Research Council
C M Smuts, North West University
PhD Center of Excellence in Nutrition North West University Potchefstroom
M Faber, Medical Research Council
PhD Nutritional Intervention Research Unit Medical Research Council
M Van Stuijvenberg, Medical Research Council
PhD Nutritional Intervention Research Unit Medical Research Council
A Oelofse, University of Pretoria
PhD Center for Nutrition University of Pretoria
J A Laubscher, Medical Research Council
BCom Bio-statistics Unit Medical Research Council
AJS Benadé, Cape Peninsula University of Technology
PhD Cape Peninsula University of Technology
M A Dhansay, Medical Research Council
MBChB Executive Research Directorate Medical Research Council
Published
2009-11-22
How to Cite
Schoeman, S., Smuts, C., Faber, M., Van Stuijvenberg, M., Oelofse, A., Laubscher, J., Benadé, A., & Dhansay, M. (2009). Primary health care facility infrastructure and services and the nutritional status of children 0-71-months-old and their caregivers attending these facilities in four rural districts in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, South Africa. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 23(1), 21-27. Retrieved from http://sajcn.co.za/index.php/SAJCN/article/view/347
Section
Original Research