Challenges community health workers perceived regarding home visits in the Tshwane district

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Community Health Workers are faced with challenges in the community when conducting home visits. The re-engineering of Primary Health Care services in South Africa brought a new cadre of Community Health Workers. The role of Community Health Workers relieved the workload and activities which were done by Primary Health Care nurses. Community Health Workers had to conduct home visits as one of the activities. The Community Health Workers experienced challenged during home visits. AIM : This study was conducted to describe and explore the challenges Community Health Workers perceived regarding home visits in the Tshwane district. METHOD : Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of fourteen Community Health Workers conducting home visits. The individual face to face interviews concentrated on the challenges perceived regarding home visits. All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using the tesch method. FINDINGS : The challenges perceived were that of the community, logistical, occupational, human resource and managerial. The participants expressed the need for respect and acceptance by the community during home visits. Improved planning related to delegation of households by Outreach Leaders and provision of material resources. The support by managers for career development through training and education for various disease prevention. CONCLUSION : the findings suggest that training of Community Health Workers need to be formalised and in-service education related to home visits should be planned, structured and supported by the Department of Health.