Abstract #106  -  Health promoting hospital: a new strategy for HIV/AIDS risk prevention
Authors:   Presenting Author:   Dr Peter Delobelle - Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Additional Authors:  Mrs Cynthia Langa, Mr Hans Onya, Dr Rika Decock, Prof AnneMarie Depoorter,
Aim: The aim of this project was to transform a rural district hospital in the Limpopo Province of South Africa into a health promoting hospital (HPH), providing needs based health education and promotion including HIV/AIDS risk prevention.
Method / Issue: The program was designed as longitudinal intervention study based on the principles of emancipatory action research and implemented in 9 stages, following the Precede-Proceed model developed by Green & Kreuter for the systematic development and evaluation of health education intervention programs. Project design was based on needs assessment of hospital staff and patient oriented health promotion, organization oriented aims, and community needs. Self-assessment of hospital practices was guided by the standards of health promoting hospitals (HPH) developed by WHO-Europe and adapted to the local context. Program activities were guided by intervention mapping and program design, supported by institutionalization of the concept through introducing formal policies, systems and structures.
Results / Comments: Results of the baseline needs assessment with regard to HIV/AIDS health education and promotion indicated that the majority of staff (n=260; 90%) and patients (n=159; 75%) expressed a higher need for HIV/AIDS health education than for other topics, with preference for digital communication as opposed to printed media. Mean HIV/AIDS knowledge scores of staff (M=5.1; SD=2.3; range 0-12) and patients (M=6.7; SD=2.6; range 0-10) confirmed the lack of knowledge about HIV transmission and risk prevention, although the majority of staff felt they had adequate HIV/AIDS knowledge. Self-reported adherence to universal precautions among staff was also high, but indicating gaps in specific areas of implementation (e.g. recapping needles).
Discussion: Initial HPH activities included promoting a shared vision, providing leadership and offering empowerment workshops, complemented by an HIV/AIDS training seminar for hospital staff and community health workers and ongoing health education for staff, patients and their relatives. HPH project activities are scheduled through committee meetings supervised by a project leader and embedded in the quality assurance program, and a forum has been established with community stakeholders for networking and health promotion activities. The project was endorsed by Provincial Health Authorities in 2007 as a pilot project for improving quality standards of hospitals in the Province.
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