Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103841

Marie L. Talashek, EdD, RN¹, Diana Jere, MSc, RN², Mary Kalengamaliro, BSc RN², Mary Mbeba, MSc RN², Chrissie P. N. Kaponda, PhD RN², and Kathleen F. Norr, MA, PhD¹. (1) College of Nursing (M/C 802), University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 South Damen, Chicago, IL 60612-7350, 312 996-7986, talashek@uic.edu, (2) Kamuzu College of Nursing, University of Malawi, Private Bag # 1, Lilongwe, Malawi

HIV/AIDS is an epidemic in Malawi. According to Gisselquist et al. (2002) one of the major sources of this epidemic is health care practice. The purpose of this study was to develop interventions to mobilize health workers in rural Malawi. We used focus groups, interviews, and observations to identify the unique needs in Malawi. Structural and social context for the delivery of health care must be considered when implementing infection control interventions, policies and procedures. Health workers were not empowered to advocate for resources to meet their needs. It was not the norm to educate support staff, patients, or families about the delivery of health care, although families provide extensive physical care of patients. Lack of equipment and supplies and staff shortages had to be considered. An intervention tailored to meet the structural and social context of care in Malawi was developed to: 1) Teach all health care workers universal precautions, 2) Respect the human dignity of patients, 3) Educate families to reduce spread of infections, and 4) Empower health workers to advocate for system improvements. Protocols have been developed and will be posted in each unit in the district hospital and the rural health clinics. The intervention was initiated in June 2003. Since that time a policy of training all health care workers to use universal precautions was instituted and has become the norm of the district health care system. Health workers have been empowered to work together to decrease the spread of HIV infection in rural Malawi.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this section participants will

• Recognize the importance of identifying structural and social context of health care delivery when working in a developing country.
• Identify barriers for the practice of universal precautions in a developing country.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of instituting policies and procedures for universal precautions.
• Describe the shared benefits of international collaboration.

Keywords: HIV Interventions, International Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation