South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
-
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition that disproportionately affects children and is associated with reduced quality of life. Zinc deficiency may contribute to the pathogenesis of AD because zinc plays a role in epidermal barrier integrity and the immune system. Systematic review evidence suggests that low zinc is associated with AD, but limitations of included studies support further investigation. ⋯ The inverse association between zinc status and AD in children aged 5 - 12 years in our setting is consistent with the international literature. The clinical importance of decreased zinc levels in AD is not yet known. Further investigation into relevant underlying mechanisms seems warranted given the global reach of AD, its effect on quality of life, and the low cost of potential zinc-based interventions.
-
In everyday clinical practice, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are exposed to large quantities of confidential patient information, and many use WhatsApp groups to share this information. WhatsApp groups provide efficient mechanisms for clinical management advice, decision-making support and peer review. However, most HCPs do not fully understand the legal and ethical implications of sharing content in a WhatsApp group setting, which is often thought to be hosted on a secure platform and therefore removed from public scrutiny. ⋯ We consider the recommendations made by the Health Professions Council of South Africa in their guidelines for the use of social media, and highlight some areas where we feel the guidelines may not adequately protect HCPs from the legal repercussions of sharing content in a WhatsApp group. Finally, we provide a set of guidelines for WhatsApp group users that should be regularly posted onto the group by the relevant group administrator to mitigate some of the legal liabilities that may arise. We also provide guidelines for group administrators.
-
South Africa (SA) is known to have high levels of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and HIV. Studies that explore the intersections of the two phenomena tend to be done at sites that provide services for survivors of SGBV, but few have explored experiences of SGBV of individuals attending HIV testing and treatment health facilities. Although HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services are generally well practised at ensuring pre- and-post-test counselling, there is little evidence that SGBV is included in routine screening. There is therefore a gap in knowledge of the prevalence of SGBV among patient populations in HIV testing and treatment settings. ⋯ Levels of SGBV are high among populations attending HIV testing and treatment facilities. Healthcare providers need to be able to identify SGBV and provide appropriate services to survivors of SGBV who are seen at HIV testing and treatment facilities.
-
Despite progress in hospital care, infections continue to represent one of the major complications among hospitalised patients. ⋯ Post-surgical infections remain an important problem in neurosurgery. Increased resistance to causative pathogens is a major concern.