COMPLETE SCHOOL PROJECT TOPICS & MATERIALS :
CHAPTERS: Chapter 1-5
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ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to assess the access and use of protective methods among patients availing HIV/AIDS healthcare services in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. Six research questions were formulated and tested with respect to the type of healthcare information available on HIV/AIDS, sources of information, awareness of information by HIV/AIDS patients, access to healthcare information, use of healthcare information, challenges of access to healthcare information and suggested solution to the problems. A survey method was adopted for the study. A total population of 356 HIV/AIDS patients was selected from the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. Self-structured Questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection. Data collected was analyzed and presented using frequency distribution table, while hypotheses were tested using T-test of independent sample. The study found out that types of healthcare information sought for by majority of HIV/AIDS patients were signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS with 222(62.4%) respondents. Access to healthcare information was through internet with 179(50.3%) responses which was the most popular source of information. The purpose of use of healthcare information was to educate people on HIV/AIDS with a score of 271(76.6%). Findings of the hypotheses showed that there is no significant difference in types of healthcare information available for male and female HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary health institutions in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. The study concluded that there was access to healthcare information through various sources and formats but hindered by factors such as ignorance of people who do not believe in the real existence of HIV/AIDS and may never go for laboratory test or seek for information. The researcher recommended that government intervention is required to facilitate adequate provision of information. Moreso, information communication technologies are very essential in the delivery of healthcare services and in aiding adequate supply of vital information due to the fact that provision of qualitative healthcare services cannot be complete without information technology.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background to Study
Human Immune Deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Nigerian society is a burden that continues to grow with devastating human, socio – economic and security consequences, apart from an untold grief and human misery. The effect of HIV/AIDS is so enormous that it has created untold burden on human families’ in particular and society at large, wiping out societal developmental gains, increasing child mortality, decreasing life expectancy and creating millions of orphans in the society, especially in Nigeria. Adequate provision of healthcare information, easy accessibility and effective utilization of information is needed by HIV/AIDS patients and healthcare professionals to fight the scourge.
Healthcare is the diagnosis, treatment, prevention of disease, illness, injury and other physical and mental impairments in allied health, dentistry, medicine, nursing, optometry, pharmacy and other health-care providers ( The Free Encyclopedia, 2014). It also refers to the work done in providing primary, secondary and tertiary care as well as in public health. Access to healthcare varies across countries, group and individuals, largely influenced by social and econoamic conditions as well as health policies in place; therefore information is needed to facilitate effective healthcare management. Information is a critical resource to the growth and development of any individual, group and nation (Chukwu, 2005).Recently, there is an increasing awareness of information needs by individuals, groups, organizations and nationalities for policy making, planning and other strategic reasons. High level of information generation and awareness of available information needs has put information managers on their toes in their efforts to find a solution to HIV/AIDS problem in the society.
Effective accessibility and utilization of healthcare information required a functional system with consistent management skills channeled towards an achievable goal. The goal of an information system is to meet the need of its user. A system according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2010) is an organized set of ideas or theories or a particular way of doing things. Health care information system includes the resources, devices and methods required to optimize the acquisition, storage, retrieval and use of information in health and biomedicine practices (National Library of Medicine, 2009).Health information tools are not only computers but also guidelines, formal medical terminologies, information and communication systems. It is applied to the area of nursing, clinical care, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, occupational therapy and bio-medical research. Healthcare information is needed to enhance knowledge of healthcare professionals and patients, to characterize, evaluate and refine clinical decision, implementation, management, evaluation of health services and continuous improvement in all ramifications.
Management of HIV/AIDS patients required that healthcare providers ensure that vital health information reaches them regularly through an effective communication channels, this will significantly improve the patient safety, treatment and satisfaction. Good information management is required to ensure that each patient could be identified and traced. Highly active anti-retroviral therapies (HAART) require daily administration of three antiretroviral drugs to maintain control of the disease and minimize emergence of resistance (Fraiser, 2004).
- Statement of Problem
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the final stage of Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) disease, which causes severe damage to the immune system. AIDS is a complication of HIV infection. The virus attacks the immune system and leaves the body vulnerable to a variety of life threatening infections and cancers. AIDS is the sixth leading cause of death among people aged between 25 and 44 in the United States. The World Health Organization estimated that more than 25 million people worldwide have died from this infection.
Nigeria has the second largest population of HIV/AIDS carriers in the world, with 56% of adult women infected (UNAIDS, 2012). Out of 3.5 million estimated persons infected in Nigeria, 170,000 persons died in 2007 alone, and 192,000 persons in 2009 with varying figures from one community to another. This is no doubt very alarming and requires urgent solution.
With AIDS claiming so many lives, Nigeria’s life expectancy has declined significantly. This is no doubt a significant barrier to sustainable development in all ramifications.
The major objective of healthcare information is to ensure high quality medical care (Silberg, 1997). There are volumes of information resources in different formats such as printed, electronic or digital, databases, e-journals, e-books, newsletters, magazines and basic education needed to prevent the cause and spread of HIV infection in the society (Bothman, 2013). In order to eradicate the deadly scourge of HIV/AIDS in the society, there is need for availability of information resources through different sources. Easy access and adequate utilization of information is very crucial to the need for its prevention, cure, proper management and decision making on behalf of users.
Research has shown that in spite of the volumes of information resources on HIV/AIDS, the numbers of patients are increasing by the day in Nigeria. Furthermore, there are many people living with HIV/AIDS that strongly believe in using traditional medicine rather than orthodox medicine or therapies that could curtail or prevent the spread of the disease, while some do not even believe in the existence of HIV/AIDS in the society. Perhaps, they are not privy to information on the disease, or could also be that they do not utilize the available information on HIV/AIDS
It is against this background that this study was designed to assess the access and use of protective methods among patients availing HIV/AIDS healthcare services in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital.
- Research Objectives
The general objective is to assess the access and use of protective methods among patients availing HIV/AIDS healthcare services in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. The specific objectives are stated as follows:
- To determine the types of health care information available for HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital
- To determine the sources of healthcare information for protective methods available for the HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital
- To assess the extent of awareness of healthcare information for protective methods by HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital
- To determine the extent of HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary health centers in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital access healthcare information for protective methods
- To investigate the challenges faced by the HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital in accessing health care information resources for protective methods
- Research Questions
The researcher sought to provide answers to the following research questions:
- What types of health care information are available for HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital?
- What sources of healthcare information for protective methods are available for the HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital?
- What is the extent of awareness of healthcare information for protective methods by HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital?
- To what extent do the HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary health centers in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital access healthcare information for protective methods?
- What are the challenges faced by the HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital in accessing health care information resources?
- Research Hypotheses
This study was designed to test the following hypotheses:
H01: There is no significant difference in the types of healthcare information on HIV/AIDS available to male and female HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary healthcare centers in the North Western States of Nigeria.
H02: There is no significant difference in the level of access to healthcare information on HIV/AIDS among male and female HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary healthcare centers in the North Western States of Nigeria.
H03: There is no significant difference in the level of usage of health care information on HIV/AIDS among male and female HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary healthcarecenters in the North Western States of Nigeria.
- Significance of Study
The findings of this research will be of great importance in making healthcare information on HIV/AIDS available and accessible to HIV/AIDS patients, either in printed form, electronic or through online web resources and databases, and also creating awareness on available resources, using an effective method of accessibility to information resources.
The study will also achieve its aim by complementing the efforts of Federal Government of Nigeria in the control, prevention and cure of people living with HIV/AIDS diseases in our society. It will also reveal the extent to which healthcare information resources are easily accessed and adequately utilized by the HIV/AIDS patients, and to enable them manage and control the spread of the diseases.
Furthermore, it will help the healthcare providers, HIV/AIDS patients and the general public in making an effective decision about type of preventive care to adopt and type of medication to accept, whether to go for HIV/AIDS test and how to source for information. It will help in defining the unique role of librarians as information professionals and in providing information to specialists in every profession.
It will also enable library managements understand the challenges faced by HIV/AIDS patients in accessing available information in medical libraries and to provide adequate facilities and resources (printed, electronic or virtual) that will assist HIV/AIDS patients and the general public in stemming the spread of the disease in the society. Librarians and information managers in libraries will find the study useful in adequately providing current healthcare information resources, creating easy access to the available information and ensuring the efficient utilization of healthcare information resources.
- Scope and Limitation of Study
The study covers Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. However, HIV/AIDS patients who are registered users of the selected health institution are also included.
This study was limited by the availability, accessibility and use of health care information by HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. Time constraints, financial constraints and cooperation with respondents and the administration were also limitations to this study.
- Operational Definition of Terms
Information Availability – Existing information provided on HIV/AIDS for the use of HIV/AIDS patients, healthcare providers and the general users.
Information Accessibility – The various ways by which HIV/AIDS patients and healthcare providers can obtain relevant information easily from the source.
Health Information – Information resource needed to improve the physical condition, human safety, quality of care and organizational efficiency.