Systematizing Information Use to Address Determinants of Health Worker Health in South Africa: A Cross-sectional Mixed Method Study.

Health information system Health workers Information system Occupational health Worker rights

Journal

Safety and health at work
ISSN: 2093-7911
Titre abrégé: Saf Health Work
Pays: Korea (South)
ID NLM: 101542940

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Dec 2023
Historique:
received: 18 07 2023
revised: 20 10 2023
accepted: 24 10 2023
medline: 8 1 2024
pubmed: 8 1 2024
entrez: 8 1 2024
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

Recognizing that access to safe and healthy working conditions is a human right, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for specific occupational safety and health (OSH) programs for health workers (HWs). The WHO health systems' building blocks, and the International Labour Organization (ILO), highlight the importance of information as part of effective systems. This study examined how OSH stakeholders access, use, and value an occupational health information system (OHIS). A cross-sectional survey of OSH stakeholders was conducted as part of a larger quasi experimental study in four teaching hospitals. The study hospitals and participants were purposefully selected and data collected using a modified questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative analysis was conducted and themes identified for qualitative analysis. Ethics approval was provided by the University of Pretoria and University of British Columbia. There were 71 participants comprised of hospital managers, health and safety representatives, trade unions representatives and OSH professionals. At least 42% reported poor accessibility and poor timeliness of OHIS for decision-making. Only 50% had access to computers and 27% reported poor computer skills. When existing, OHIS was poorly organized and needed upgrades, with 85% reporting the need for significant reforms. Only 45% reported use of OHIS for decision-making in their OSH role. Given the gap in access and utilization of information needed to protect worker's rights to a safe and healthy workplace, more attention is warranted to OHIS development and use as well as education and training in South Africa and beyond.

Sections du résumé

Background UNASSIGNED
Recognizing that access to safe and healthy working conditions is a human right, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for specific occupational safety and health (OSH) programs for health workers (HWs). The WHO health systems' building blocks, and the International Labour Organization (ILO), highlight the importance of information as part of effective systems. This study examined how OSH stakeholders access, use, and value an occupational health information system (OHIS).
Methods UNASSIGNED
A cross-sectional survey of OSH stakeholders was conducted as part of a larger quasi experimental study in four teaching hospitals. The study hospitals and participants were purposefully selected and data collected using a modified questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative analysis was conducted and themes identified for qualitative analysis. Ethics approval was provided by the University of Pretoria and University of British Columbia.
Results UNASSIGNED
There were 71 participants comprised of hospital managers, health and safety representatives, trade unions representatives and OSH professionals. At least 42% reported poor accessibility and poor timeliness of OHIS for decision-making. Only 50% had access to computers and 27% reported poor computer skills. When existing, OHIS was poorly organized and needed upgrades, with 85% reporting the need for significant reforms. Only 45% reported use of OHIS for decision-making in their OSH role.
Conclusion UNASSIGNED
Given the gap in access and utilization of information needed to protect worker's rights to a safe and healthy workplace, more attention is warranted to OHIS development and use as well as education and training in South Africa and beyond.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.014 PMID: 38187209 PMC: PMC10770277
pubmed: 38187209
doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.014
pii: S2093-7911(23)00072-0
pmc: PMC10770277
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

368-374

Informations de copyright

© 2023 The Authors.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors declare no potential conflict of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this study.

Auteurs

Muzimkhulu Zungu (M)

National Institute for Occupational Health, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.
School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.

Annalee Yassi (A)

School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Jonathan Ramodike (J)

National Institute for Occupational Health, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.
School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.

Kuku Voyi (K)

School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.

Karen Lockhart (K)

School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

David Jones (D)

National Institute for Occupational Health, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Spo Kgalamono (S)

National Institute for Occupational Health, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.
School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Nkululeko Thunzi (N)

National Institute for Occupational Health, A Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Jerry Spiegel (J)

School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Classifications MeSH