Strategies aimed at improving job satisfaction and retention of primary healthcare nurses in rural South Africa should rely not only on financial rewards and improved work conditions but also on adequate human resource management.

BackgroundOver the past years concerns are rising about the use of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) in health care. The calls for an increase in the practice of EBM, seem to be obstructed by many barriers preventing the implementation of evidence-based thinking and acting in general practice. This study aims to explore the barriers of Flemish GPs (General Practitioners) to the implementation of EBM in routine clinical work and to identify possible strategies for integrating EBM in daily work.MethodsWe used a qualitative research strategy to gather and analyse data. We organised focus groups between September 2002 and April 2003. The focus group data were analysed using a combined strategy of 'between-case' analysis and 'grounded theory approach'. Thirty-one general practitioners participated in four focus groups. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants.ResultsA basic classification model documents the influencing factors and actors on a micro-, meso- as well as macro-level. Patients, colleagues, competences, logistics and time were identified on the micro-level (the GPs' individual practice), commercial and consumer organisations on the meso-level (institutions, organisations) and health care policy, media and specific characteristics of evidence on the macro-level (policy level and international scientific community). Existing barriers and possible strategies to overcome these barriers were described.ConclusionIn order to implement EBM in routine general practice, an integrated approach on different levels needs to be developed.

There is a need for accelerated HIV/AIDS training of rural nurses and for wider implementation of universal precautions and postexposure prophylaxis availability in public health facilities in southern Africa.

This study aims to investigate whether selected social and psychological characteristics of family caregivers of persons with dementia are related to community-based service use in Belgium. Two aspects were distinguished in service utilisation: volume (number of contacts) and diversity (number of services). Within a selected region, dementia caregivers were traced via the detection of persons with dementia known to community health or social services. A probability diagnosis was made with the Geriatric Mental State and the computer algorithm AGECAT. Family caregivers of persons with dementia (N = 168) were interviewed at home by means of a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed with multiple regression analysis. Co-residence, a positive attitude towards home service use, and increased problem-solving coping were found to be direct predictors of increased diversity of services used, whereas a lower burden of behaviour problems, living apart, and increased avoidance coping were found to be direct predictors of increased volume of service use. Care recipients' behaviour problems and functional status were not found to be related to service use. The results suggest that social and psychological factors have a larger impact on service use in family caregivers of persons with dementia, compared to objective or subjective burden. Interventions to increase awareness of relevant services, to improve attitudes towards their use and support problem-solving coping in family caregivers may be considered to increase the use of appropriate services.

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This study suggests that a social-cognitive model of human behavior can be helpful in explaining the use of ADs. The model can suggest measures to be developed aiming to improve the introduction of ADs.

To assess changes in infant vaccination coverage in Flanders since 1999, an EPI-survey was performed in 2005. The parents of 1354 children aged 18-24 months were interviewed at home and the vaccination documents were checked. Several factors possibly related to vaccination status were examined with parametric and non-parametric methods. The coverage rate of recommended vaccines, i.e. poliomyelitis, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, H influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and meningococcal C, reached at least 92.2%, which is a significant rise for MMR, hepatitis B and Hib since 1999.The vaccinating physician, the employment situation of the mother and the family income were significant risk factors for incomplete or invalid vaccination.

Insufficient documentation is a major barrier in this vaccination coverage study. More attention should go to those with the lowest coverage rates, such as adolescents from large families, with separated parents, and with a lower socioeconomic background.