Assessing nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards promoting female condom use in South African primary healthcare clinics.

BACKGROUND: Female condoms protect against unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV; however, their uptake is very low in South Africa. Nurses are frontline healthcare workers and are uniquely positioned to promote their use to their clients. This study assesses nurses' knowledge of, attitudes to, and practices regarding the promotion of female condoms at selected primary healthcare facilities in the King Sabata Dalindyebo sub-district of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2021 at five community health centres in the King Sabata Dalindyebo sub-district, South Africa. A total of 139 nurses completed a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The majority of the participants (82.7%) were knowledgeable about the female condom. Some participants did not have a good attitude and willingness to promote female condom use to their clients. Junior nurses (enrolled nursing assistants and newly qualified professional nurses) were less knowledgeable about the female condom than more qualified and older nurses. There was no significant association between level of knowledge and attitude or willingness to promote the use of the female condom. CONCLUSION: This study found good knowledge of the female condom among the nurses; however, the knowledge did not translate into a willingness to promote the device at their health facilities. Capacity building of the junior nurses will fill the knowledge gaps identified. Studies exploring the sociocultural issues around the female condom are needed in the region.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of online research groups in increasing research capacity among young African Family Physicians.

INTRODUCTION: Low research output is hindering efforts to improve health services in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). AfriWon Research Group of WONCA Africa has established an online collaborative research mentorship and training programme to boost research capacity among Family Physicians in SSA. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the programme in achieving this goal. METHODOLOGY: A mixed-method descriptive cross-sectional study was used to interview the 54 members of the 2022 SOGER cohort. Structured questionnaires and key informant interviews of 12 members were used to collect data. Quantitative analysis was done using Epi Info version 7.2.5. Descriptive statistics were used to present data using frequencies and percentages. Qualitative analysis was then done by using Nvivo®. RESULTS: The 54 participants practised in 10 SSA countries and were mostly males 28 (51.9%) with a mean age of 41.56 ± 2.04 years. The majority of them 33 (61.1%) have had some form of research experience prior to joining SOGER. Members identified key benefits of the programme as fostering collaboration, mentorship and continuing education 46 (85.2%); and improvement of research skills 33 (61.1%). Barriers identified were poor collaboration and participation among members 37 (68.5%); irregular meeting schedules as a result of the different time zones 18 (33.3%); and poor internet facilities 19 (35.2%). CONCLUSION: The SOGER programme was rated as very effective in increasing the research capacity of young FPs and helping participants engage with other researchers and develop research skills. Identified areas of improvement were difficulty meeting set group targets, irregular meetings and conflicting work schedules.

Being a resident of family medicine in Africa in 2019: a picture from the 6th WONCA Africa Conference in Kampala / Ser residente em medicina de família na África em 2019: um retrato da sexta conferência WONCA África em Kampala / Ser residente en medicina familiar en África en 2019: un retrato de la sexta conferencia WONCA África en Kampala

Training young doctors in family medicine is challenging in any setting and many variables can influence the success or failure of a residency program. This article is the end result of a collaborative work that started in June 2019 at the WONCA Africa Regional Conference in Kampala, during a workshop lead by the Besrour Centre for Global Family Medicine at the College of Family Physicians of Canada. We present here the perspective of a small group of young African family physicians on the experience of being a resident in family medicine in Africa in 2019, hoping that the picture we depict here helps to promote the necessary improvements in the training programs in Africa for the near future.

Formar novos médicos de família é um desafio em qualquer cenário e muitas variáveis podem influenciar o sucesso ou o fracasso de um programa de residência. Este artigo é o resultado final de um trabalho colaborativo iniciado em junho de 2019, na Conferência Regional WONCA África em Kampala, Uganda, durante um workshop liderado pelo Centro Besrour do Colégio Canadense de Medicina de Família. Apresentamos aqui a perspectiva de um pequeno grupo de jovens médicos de família africanos sobre a experiência de ser residente em medicina de família na África em 2019, esperando que a imagem que representamos aqui ajude a promover as melhorias necessárias nos programas de residência na África em um futuro próximo.

La formación de nuevos médicos de familia es un desafío en cualquier lugar y muchas variables pueden influir en el éxito o el fracaso de un programa de residencia. Este artículo es el resultado final del trabajo colaborativo iniciado en junio de 2019 en la Conferencia Regional de África WONCA en Kampala, Uganda, durante un taller dirigido por el Centro Besrour del Colegio Canadiense de Medicina Familiar. Presentamos aquí la perspectiva de un pequeño grupo de jóvenes médicos de familia africanos sobre la experiencia de ser residente en medicina familiar en África en 2019, con la esperanza de que la imagen que representamos aquí ayude a promover mejoras en los programas de residencia en África en un futuro próximo.