Sociology

South African Health Review 2008

Series Name: 
South African Health Review
Published by: 
Health Systems Trust

The theme of this 13th edition of the Review, launched in December 2008, is Primary Health Care in South Africa: A review of 30 years since Alma Ata. The SAHR 2008 chapters focus on critical issues in Primary Health Care. The Review includes a national and international perspective of Primary Health Care, and focuses on areas such as policy and legislation, determinants of health, lifestyle, infectious diseases, mental health, maternal and child health, nutrition and environmental health. The SAHR reviews issues around human resources, finance, and information. It also looks at research on health systems, the role of the private and non-governmental organisations in Primary Health Care, and ends with the relevant health and related indicators chapter.

Full SAHR 2008 [pdf 10.5MB]

Foreword [pdf 833Kb]
Contents and Acknowledgements [pdf 460Kb]
Editorial [pdf 509Kb]

Primary Health Care: In Context
1 International Perspective on Primary Health Care Over the Past 30 Years [pdf 599Kb]
2 A Perspective on Primary Health Care in South Africa [pdf 570Kb]
3 Health Legislation and Policy [pdf 616Kb]
4 Determinants of Health and their Trends [pdf 311Kb]

Primary Health Care: Programme Areas
5 Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases [pdf 637Kb]
6 STIs, HIV and AIDS and TB: Progress and Challenges [pdf 624Kb]
7 Community Access to Mental Health Services: Lessons and Recommendations [pdf 541Kb]
8 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health: 30 Years On [pdf 595Kb]
9 Nutrition: A Primary Health Care Perspective [pdf 668Kb]
10 Developments in Environmental Health [pdf 1.32Mb]

Primary Health Care: Systems Support
11 Strengthening Human Resources for Primary Health Care [pdf 676Kb]
12 Primary Health Care Financing in the Public Sector [pdf 614Kb]
13 Information for Primary Health Care [pdf 629Kb]
14 A Review of Health Research in South Africa from 1994 to 2007 [pdf 600Kb]
15 The Role of Private and Other Non-Governmental Organisations in Primary Health Care [pdf 590Kb]

Indicators
16 Health and Related Indicators [pdf 5.88Mb]

Glossary [pdf 62Kb]
Index [pdf 60Kb]

Eldis/HSRC Health Systems Resource Guide

Link: 
http://www.eldis.org/healthsystems/
A collaboration between Eldis and the Health Systems Resource Centre providing access to the latest and most relevant knowledge on health systems selected from practitioner and research networks on and off the web. Current topic areas include health, poverty and vulnerability, priority diseases, aid policy and financing mechanisms, global initiatives and PPPs, access to medicines, and health service delivery.

Population Council

Link: 
http://www.popcouncil.org
An international, nonprofit, nongovernmental institution that seeks to improve the wellbeing and reproductive health of current and future generations around the world and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable balance between people and resources. The Council conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research and helps build research capacities in developing countries.

Meeting the Demand for Results and Accountability: A Call for Action on Health Data from Eight Global Health Agencies

Recent substantial increases in international attention to health have been accompanied by demands for statistics that accurately track health progress and performance, evaluate the impact of health programs and policies, and increase accountability at country and global levels. The use of results-based financing mechanisms by major global donors has created further demand for timely and reliable data for decision-making. In addition, there is increasing country demand for data in the context of health sector strategic plans, including in countries that have established International Health Partnership (IHP+) compacts.

District Health Barometer Launch at HISA 2009

The 2007/8 edition of the District Health Barometer 2007/08 will be launched on the 6th of July 2009 at Emperors Palace, Gauteng at the cocktail evening for the opening of the HISA conference.

NGOs voice concerns over WHO's publications policy

Some thirty-five civil society organizations have voiced serious concerns over the World Health Organization's publications policy, arguing that the proposed policy, if implemented, will result in a tendency towards self-censorship by the WHO and its staff and HQ offices, to the detriment of the needs and interests of public health, especially in developing countries. They are also very concerned that this policy will hamper timely advice and support by WHO HQ and regional offices to member states over important issues such as application of intellectual property rights and the use of TRIPS flexibilities, other trade and health matters, reproductive health care and other critical issues.

PRESS RELEASE: Health Systems Trust releases the 3rd District Health Barometer

Primary health care (PHC) in South Africa forms an integral part of both the country's health policies and health system and has been prioritised as a major strategy in achieving health for all. On the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Alma Ata Declaration, PHC is once again in the spotlight. How far have we come in the last 30 years? How far in the last three? The third edition of the District Health Barometer, the 2006/07 report sheds some light by monitoring the trend of key health and financial indicators in PHC over the last three years by district and province.

Use of Health Care Services Double

The use of health care services has almost doubled over the past eight years with 101 million visits to clinics in the 2006/07 financial year, says Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.

Acceptance of Violence Amongst Female Learners in Rural High Schools of Kwazulu Natal (KZN)

Published by: 
African Regional Sexuality Resource Centre
A presentation made at the 2006 Understanding Human Sexuality Seminar in South Africa.

An important finding in our understanding of the nature, scope and impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals, communities and societies around the world and the key role that gender issues play in the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Gender is a culture-specific construct, and the unequal power balance in gender relations that favors males has been shown to be associated with the transmission of HIV/AIDS. This qualitative study explored the views of female high school learners in KZN about gender and sexual relations. Despite the South African Constitution offering equal rights for women, young females perceive males as in control, with the right to make decisions about relationships and sexual practices.