The attitude towards computer-related tasks, computer anxiety, and spatial visualization ability (SVA) of a group of first-year computer science students were measured just before their study commenced. The results were analyzed empirically based on two independent variables, i.e., culture and computer experience. It was found that African and European users generally have the same attitude towards computer use. Users’ attitudes improved after experience with computer-related tasks. African students experienced significantly higher levels of computer anxiety than their European counterparts with the same amount of experience. It was also found that African users generally have a lower SVA than European users. Users with higher SVA generally have a better attitude towards working with computers and experience a lower level of computer anxiety.

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A prototyping approach was used to determine the essential system requirements of a computerised patient record information system for a typical township primary health care clinic. A pilot clinic was identified and the existing manual system and business processes in this clinic was studied intensively before the first prototype was implemented. Interviews with users, incidental observations and analysis of actual data entered were used as primary techniques to refine the prototype system iteratively until a system with an acceptable data set and adequate functionalities were in place. Several non-functional and user-related requirements were also discovered during the prototyping period

Computers in the workplace are a given. Although the advantages of computers are well-known and proven, many people still try to avoid using them. It is extremely important to find out which factors influence the success of end-user computing. What are the reasons that some people excel on a computer while others have problems and even build up a resistance toward the use of computers? This chapter provides a literature-based overview of computer attitude and computer anxiety as factors that influence a user’s resistance, commitment, and achievement. A graphic model, according to which the interactions between computer attitude and anxiety, their causes, indicators, and impacts may be understood, is proposed. It is put forth that external strategies to deal with anxiety and a negative attitude are imperative to break down a snowballing effect of cause and effect and to ensure effective end-user computing.

Computers in the workplace are a given. Although the advantages of computers are well-known and proven, many people still try to avoid using them. It is extremely important to find out which factors influence the success of end-user computing. What are the reasons that some people excel on a computer while others have problems and even build up a resistance toward the use of computers?

... 35% of the nurse's workload lends itself to computerisation.Managers in health care often find themselves in the difficult position of having to make decisions regarding the purchasing of software and hardware which they are not qualified to make. The aim of this paper is to support health man agers in their decision making by means of a procedure and an instrument that can be used to evaluate primary health care software. A seven step approach to the evaluation process is proposed and each step is discussed in detail. The paper concludes with a proposed software evaluation instrument that is suit able for application in the health care environment. (JittrekselBestuurders betrokke in gesondheidsorg bevind hulleself dikwels in die moeilike posisie om besluite te neem ten opsigte van die aankoop van programmatuur en apparatuur waarvoor hulle nie opgelei is nie. Die mikpunt van hierdie artikel is om bestuurders in gesondheidsorg te ondersteum met hulle besluitneming deur middel van 'n prosedure en instrument wat gebruik kan word om primêre gesondheidsorg-programmatuur te evalueer. 'n Sewe stap benadering tot die evalueringsproses word voorgestel en elke stap word breedvoerig bespreek. Die artikel eindig met 'n voorgestelde instrument vir programmatuur-evaluering wat geskik is vir toepassing in die gesondheidsorg-omgewing.

Curationis 33 (2): 60-68The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome epidemic, caused by the Human Immu nodeficiency Virus, is a global crisis which threatens development gains, economies, and societies. Within sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic began the earliest and the HIV prevalence is the highest, African countries have death rates not seen be fore. In South Africa the epidemic has a devastating impact which creates profound suffering on individuals and their families, and the impact on the socio-economic level is o f great concern. The eradication of HIV/AIDS represents one of humanity's greatest challenges, which requires co-operation and comprehensive collaboration between many different role players. In this endeavour clinical information plays a major role.To combat the effect o f the disease, the Free State Department of Health started with the provisioning o f antiretroviral therapy in the public health sector. The objective of this paper was to address the challenges they faced in order to develop and imple ment an information system to manage the rollout of antiretroviral treatment effec tively. They started with a paper-based system to collect vital information. It was followed by a palm computer project that was initiated to electronically capture the data collected by the paper-based system. This system was then replaced by a comprehensive Hospital and Clinic Information System which was acquired and customised for the antiretroviral data collection process. Research partners devel oped a standalone antiretroviral data warehouse for collecting information associ ated with the monitoring and evaluation o f the Free State antiretroviral and HIV/ AIDS treatment programme. The data warehouse successfully produced several management information reports to the antiretroviral management team. A need was identified to design a comprehensive antiretroviral data warehouse that will integrate " data from several operational sources which are all associated with HIV/AIDS.

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