The impact of ART scale upon health workers: evidence from two South African districts

• Published in: AIDS Care (Print) Vol. 22; no. sup1; pp. 77 - 84
• Main Authors: George, G., Atujuna, M., Gentile, J., Quinlan, T., Schmidt, E., Tobi, P., Renton, A.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2010; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral drugs; Antiretroviral therapy; Attitude of Health Personnel; Biological and medical sciences; Developing Countries; Drug therapy; Health; Health Personnel - psychology; Health Services Accessibility - organization & administration; Health staff related problems. Vocational training; health workers; HIV; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV/AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human resources; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Medical personnel; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Morale; Occupational stress; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Qualitative Research; Sickness; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; South Africa; Surveys and Questionnaires; Work environment; Workload - psychology; South Africa; Africa; Social environment; Human; HIV/AIDS; Immunopathology; Sanitary program; Antiretroviral agent; ART; Health staff; Pharmacotherapy; AIDS; health workers; Immune deficiency; Infection; Personal experience; Treatment; Viral disease; Antiviral; South Africa; Public health
• ISSN: 0954-0121; 1360-0451
• DOI: 10.1080/09540120903544439

This study explores the effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes on health-care human resources in South Africa. The study included two parts, a questionnaire-based survey of 269 health workers published earlier and a qualitative study of 21 purposively selected health practitioners involved in ART scale up. Contrary to what has been presented in literature, our survey showed that health workers in ART programmes experienced higher levels of morale, lower stress, lower sickness absenteeism and higher levels of job satisfaction. This paper uses qualitative data to provide insights into the working environment of ART workers and examines some possible explanations for our survey findings. The key factors that contribute to the different perception of working environment by ART workers identified in this study include bringing hope to patients, delaying deaths, acquiring training and the ability to better manage and monitor the disease.