• Jeffrey Mduduzi Hadebe and Maureen Nokuthula Sibiya.
• Durban University of Technology - Steve Biko Campus, Nursing.
• Afr Health Sci. 2020 Mar 1; 20 (1): 150-157.

BackgroundSouth Africa is one of the countries in Africa adversely affected by rabies, a notifiable disease which can be fatal. Fatalities can be prevented if health care is sought timeously and people are educated about the disease. The Province of Kwa-Zulu-Natal, in particular, has had rabies outbreaks in the past which have led to loss of many lives and devastation of entire families.ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to explore the experiences of people affected by rabies in the eThekwini district of Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa.MethodsThe study was guided by a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive design. The sample was purposively selected, and a semi-structured interview was used to collect data from people affected by rabies in the eThekwini district. Data saturation was reached after 12 participants were interviewed. Data was analysed by using Tesch's eight steps of thematic analysis.ResultsThe themes included family stability and support structures, exposure to risk factors and risky practices, factors that hindered participants from seeking health care assistance, limited knowledge about rabies and the effects of rabies.ConclusionIt was evident that participants experienced many challenges during their rabies exposure. Individuals, who were directly affected by rabies through contact with rabid animals, were expected to take responsibility for their own lives.© 2020 Hadebe JM et al.

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