HIV and AIDS : perceived impact and responses of companies in the South African automotive manufacturing sector.
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: HIV and AIDS might not necessarily be considered by South African companies to be \nthe primary health condition impacting on their production costs and influence related \ninterventions. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of automotive \ncompanies' perceptions regarding the health conditions that impact on their \nproductions costs and their related workplace interventions. A cross sectional, \nelectronic survey was conducted amongst 167 companies from the automotive \nmanufacturing sector in South Africa, using stratified random sampling from a \nrepresentative South African database. The realized sample comprised 74 companies. \nDescriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were conducted to investigate the \nperceived health influencing factors impacting production costs, the monitoring \nthereof, extent of containment, interventions implemented as well as perceived success \nof workplace interventions to address company health challenges in terms of company \nsize (small, medium and large organisations) and ownership (multinational versus national). The health factors perceived to have a moderate to large impact are \nHIV/AIDS, smoking, alcohol use, stress, back/neck ache and tuberculosis. These are \nreported to be better monitored and managed by medium and large organisations. \nSmall organisations reported a smaller impact, fewer efforts and less success. Large \norganisations have HIV/AIDS interventions while those with wellness programmes \nseemed better able to monitor and manage health issues. Smaller organisations were \nnot convinced of the benefits of interventions in addressing health challenges. As the \nimpacting health conditions seemed linked, comprehensive and integrated wellness \nprogrammes in health supportive environments are required to address the health \nissues and ensure organisation competitiveness. Evidence for the effectiveness of \nworkplace wellness programmes in South African is limited and calls for the \nevaluation of interventions as a priority.
Author: Anna Meyer‐Weitz
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2584863672