Quality healthcare remains a concern in our country, even more so against the backdrop of the disadvantaged facing day-to-day socio-economic constraints. The study that lead to a PhD degree for Piet Phillip Nhlanhla, took a step in addressing some of these concerns. 

Piet obtained his PhD at the recent Autumn Graduation Ceremony of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark.

Dr Piet Nhlanhla and Prof Manie Spamer.

 

In his thesis entitled “Social factors contributing towards heart disease: Development of a social support model for heart patients”, he developed a conceptual social support model for heart patients. This was done by integrating the findings derived from an extensive literature review of the topic with those obtained from an exploratory qualitative study. In the qualitative study he interviewed heart patients and health care practitioners to explore the social factors affecting the quality of life of Black South African patients with heart disease in the Tshwane Metropolitan area.

The findings highlighted living conditions and socio-economic constraints as main sources of several other social factors that are associated with the quality of life and well-being of heart patients. This includes poor diet, lack of education, defaulting on medication, inability to travel to health care centres and poor lifestyle choices. It is envisioned that this model will serve as foundation for informing future policies and interventions aimed at supporting heart patients in resource-poor communities in South Africa. 

More about Piet Phillip Nhlanhla

Piet was born in 1975 in South Africa and matriculated from Gatang Comprehensive High School in 1995. In 2000 he obtained a BSc, followed by a BScHons from the Medial University of South Africa (MEDUNSA). Phillip then continued his studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and obtained his MA in 2007.

He worked as a junior lecturer at MEDUNSA from 2002 to 2005, and then as a lecturer for the Tshwane North College from 2006 to 2007. In 2008 he joined UNISA, where he is currently working as a lecturer.

Being passionate about community outreach and development, he is involved in a variety of community engagement activities related to health education in the townships around Tshwane. This include teaching matric students, organising awareness campaigns on communicable and non-communicable diseases, and educating the youth and adults on healthy lifestyles and healthy living. He is married and has two daughters and two sons.

The study was promoted by Prof HW Nell.