Description:
This data set has 21,358 records and 609 variables addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on educators in South African public schools. It contains the Biographic data, teaching responsibilities, work load, impact of HIV on educators, absenteeism, morale and job satisfaction, training and support, substance use, violence within schools, sexual behaviour, male condom accessibility, HIV/AIDS knowledge, communication about HIV/AIDS, risk perception, Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT), tuberculosis, health service utilisation and HIV status.
The data contains 609 variables and 21358 cases.
Abstract:
The study on the impact of HIV/AIDS on educators in South African public schools build on other studies conducted on HIV/AIDS epidemic. In response to HIV/AIDS resolutions of the education convention of 2002, this study sought for deeper understanding of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the education sector and effectiveness of policies and programmes in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa. The process of planning for human resources in the teaching profession is crucial to the supply and demand of sufficiently qualified educators. Understanding of drivers of the HIV/AIDS epidemic for educators, direction the epidemic takes and precise impact it has on educators is essential. The HIV/AIDS epidemic complicated prediction of teacher attrition and mortality. For this reason, the South African Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) commissioned the HSRC-led consortium to undertake this study.
The study aimed at gathering information to assist the government and unions in the ELRC in planning educator supply/demand at national, provincial and district level. The specific objectives were to determine: the prevalence of HIV, drivers of the epidemic, the most affected areas, mortality rate, attrition rate, policies currently in place, trend in enrolment of learners and the impact of the life skills programme on HIV/AIDS, amongst educators in public schools in South Africa.
The key findings were: high prevalence of HIV amongst the educators and various drivers of HIV/AIDS epidemic namely behavioural, knowledge deficit, lack of self-efficacy skills, migratory practices, gender, and alcohol misuse. In addition, chronic conditions such as hypertension, stomach ulcers, arthritis and diabetes were common. High proportion of educators would be lost due to job dissatisfaction, job stress and low morale. The health status and working conditions of the educators need to be improved in order to minimize the effect of HIV/AIDS. The ELRC is best suited to facilitate the implementation of the findings made in this study.
Clinical measurements
Face-to-face interview
The target population for the project was all education personnel at public schools in South Africa. It included all administrative, education and maintenance people employed at the schools
A stratified one-stage cluster sample was designed. The explicit strata were provinces, education districts, type of school (i.e. primary versus secondary) and school size. Within each educational district, schools were stratified into 'primary' and 'secondary' schools. Mixed schools (e.g. schools with grades 1 to 9 or 10) were grouped into one of the above categories according to the numbers of pupils in grades 1 to 7 and in grades 8+. The primary sampling unit were the school and the ultimate sampling unit were education personnel. With a view to obtaining a self-weighting sample within explicit strata, schools were drawn `epsem' (equal probability selection method). The sample frame for the project was the School Register of Needs (2000) data from the national Department of Education (DoE). Eligible sample consisted of 1 766 schools with 24 200 state-paid educators. Informed consent was obtained for those who agreed to participate in the interview and provide a specimen for HIV testing.
Pilot study was carried out to test the questionnaire, administration and HIV testing. Registered (South African Nursing Council) nurses were employed conduct interviews and collect either a blood specimen or an oral fluid (Orasure) specimen. Four hundred and thirty six trained nurses carried out the fieldwork. Directors of Education in all provinces selected co-ordinators whose role was to inform about the study. HSRC used Masters and PHD research interns as co-ordinators to make appointments at schools and addressing educators with the aid of the District officers who promoted study participation. Fieldworkers were supported by National field manager, with a separate project manager who managed project progress. School visits times were adapted to avoid disruption of teaching time.
