Information needs and seeking behaviour of Hepatitis B and C Patients at Ngwelezane Tertiary Hospital, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

ABSTRACT The study investigates the information needs and seeking behaviour of patients with Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV) patients at Ngwelezane Tertiary Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The objectives of the study were to identify information needs and information seeking of the behaviour of HBV and HCV patients, establish access and use of information by patients, determine the policies and resources supporting the provision and use of information by HBV and HCV patients, determine the role of counselling and education by healthcare professionals in providing information for HBV and HCV patients, ascertain factors contributing to the use of information by HBV and HCV patients, establish challenges of information provision and information seeking on HBV and HCV diseases, and recommend guidelines for the improvement of condition and information seeking on HBV and HCV. The study was guided by the comprehensive model of information seeking (CMIS) and the gratification and expectancy theory (UGET) to predict the patients’ information needs and information seeking behaviour. The study adopted a mixed-method approach to collect data. Hence qualitative data were collected from HBV and HCV patients using the purposive sampling technique, while quantitative data were collected from doctors and nurses using the probability cluster sampling technique. The researcher conducted interviews with individual Hepatitis B and C patients until data saturation was reached at eighteen interviews. Additional interview was conducted with senior administrative staff. Semi-structured printed questionnaires were administered to doctors and nurses that consented to participate in the quantitative data collection. The qualitative data aspect was coded and analysed according to themes. In contrast, the quantitative data aspect was analysed using a correlation test of FISHER and Chi-square test to describe the relationship between different modalities of respondents’ bio-data (doctors and nurses). Findings show that counselling and education are crucial for patients since they are “socially and psychologically” prepared to cope with treatment challenges. It recommends that the production of pamphlets in the local language (isiZulu) can serve as valuable resources needed to reduce the language barrier. Also, implementing the Department of Health guidelines on hepatitis and creating health-related education programmes, social awareness, and an electronic database are recommended tools that enable the patient to access information.

Author dc:creator

• Ibinaiye, Irewole Dorcas

Licence

• https://uzspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/229436ac-2332-4fdb-9360-be1c28563ace/download