The trajectory of patients through the women's admissions unit at Valkenberg hospital : the factors involved

Mental health services in South Africa have had a long history of segregation under the Apartheid regime. This situation came under the spotlight as the country prepared for the arrival of the new dispensation. Efforts towards the integrating of institutions highlighted, amongst many other things, the issue of equal accessibility to these services. In particular the issue of accessibility to health care as regards the language of patients was an issue. This research investigates the factors that influence the trajectory of female psychotic patients through the admissions unit at Valkenberg hospital. In particular it explores the role of language and race in the management of patients. This research had two parts; a quantitative archival study of the data and a qualitative study. The first part of the study investigated archival material in patient folders in the registry at Valkenberg hospital (N=ll8). Female patients who had been admitted between January 2001 and March 2001, and who met the inclusion criteria were studied. The data was statistically analysed to establish if there is a relationship between race and language and the management of patients. The results from the first part of the study prompted the next part of the study, in that there was a contradiction in what the archival material revealed to what seemed to be the perceptions of nursing staff at the time. In the second part of the research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six members of nursing staff, to explore their experiences regarding the role that race and language play in the management and transfer of patients. Data analysis involved thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. The results from the archival data suggest that there is no relationship between the race and language of patients and their management in the unit The results from the interviews with nursing staff suggest that in their experience, language plays a great role in the management of patients, but not all nursing staff agreed that it influenced the transfer of patients. Race was found to be of no great significance in the management of patients. The nursing staff reported that there were many factors that influenced the management and transfer of patients, as well as problems they encountered in the admission process.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Psychology

Year dc:date.issued

2002

Author dc:creator

• Beukes, Kehiloe Lillian

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Swartz, Sally

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7406

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/7406