Session 1

Question 1

Name at least 5 of the 10 leading causes of death in South Africa

Answer 1

HIV/AIDS
Ischemic heart disease (heart attack)
Cerebrovascular disease (strokes)
Lower respiratory infections
Diabetes mellitus
Tuberculosis
Hypertension

Question 2

What significance do the leading causes of death carry for health care workers?

Answer 2

These are the diseases that every doctor and other health care worker in South Africa should be able to treat

Question 3

What action can the healthcare system take in response to the leading causes of death?

Answer 3

The health care system should be set up in a way that enables the diseases to be treated in large numbers and cheaply

Question 4

What are the four levels of care?

Answer 4

Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Quaternary.

Question 5

Give example of primary care facilities.

Answer 5

Batho clinic
Pelonomi policlinic
District hospitals (National Hospital)
MUCPP

Question 6

Briefly describe primary care

Answer 6

Clinics and hospitals where basic health care is rendered to patients. These places are manned by nurses mostly and sometimes general practitioners as well.

Question 7

What are the 4 broad groups of causes of death?

Answer 7

1. communicable disease (excluding HIV & TB), maternal, perinatal and nutritional disorders
2. HIV related conditions and TB
3. Non-communicable diseases
4. Physical injuries

Question 8

What is community based education?

Answer 8

it is education where is interaction between students and the community. The community is used as a source for education and community service is performed at the same time

Question 9

What is the use of community-based education?

Answer 9

It gives students practical exposure to the community and helps them integrate theory and practise.

Question 10

What is secondary health care?

Answer 10

Health care by specialists, e.g. surgeons, gynaecologists

Question 11

Give an example of secondary health care facility in Bloemfontein/

Answer 11

Pelonomi Hospital

Question 12

What is tertiary health care?

Answer 12

Health care by ‘super specialists’ (sub-specialists) i.e specialist that studied further e.g. internal medicine specialist that focused more studies on kidney disease and became a Nephrologist, thoracic surgeons.

Question 13

Give an example of a facility that provides tertiary health care.

Answer 13

Universitas hospital

Question 14

What is quaternary care?

Answer 14

The highest level of care and it involves experimental medicine and the most exceptional procedures. It is provided in tertiary institutions.

Question 15

What does referring up entail?

Answer 15

Referring up occurs when a disease requires expertise that the current level of care cannot provide and the patient is therefore referred to the next level of care that is capable of effectively treating the disease.

Question 16

What does referring down entail?

Answer 16

Referring down occurs when the disease being treated no longer requires the expertise of the current level of care and can be effectively treated in lower levels of care and so the patient is moved to the appropriate level below that which they are currently in.

Question 17

Give potential reasons why patients are referred up.

Answer 17

1. the patient may have complex medical conditions that require the expertise of higher levels of care to diagnose
2. Advanced or specialised treatments for the patient may not be available at the current level of care

Question 18

Give potential reasons why a patient may be referred down.

Answer 18

1. Staying in higher health care facilities is too expensive
2. The patient may be dying and is put under palliative care on a primary level
3. The disease of the patient can be effectively treated in lower health care facilities