BLOCK 1 REFLECTION (EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE)

EXPERIENCE

I will evaluate my experiences with Block 1 of Health Systems Sciences 3 using Gibb's Reflective Cycle (The University of Edinburgh, 2020).

At the beginning of block 1, during week 0, we had a briefing session with Dr Pather. During the session, I experienced a sense of uncertainty. Particularly as she began to unpack the activities that we would complete during the year, I was completely captivated by my fears. I had to take myself out to get fresh air so that I could concentrate. However, when I came back, she talked about the group tasks we must do for each block. I was excited that I could still work with my group from HSS II. However, I missed the part where she explained that we are going to shuffle the group each block. During our conversation, my friends explained all the information I had missed. It became clear that I had to confront my fears head-on before they became real.

I had a range of feelings at that time, including anxiety, fear, excitement, tiredness, and readiness. Since I need time to adjust to any new environment, HSS 3 was a significant shift for me. I usually strive to be open to change and present a calm exterior, yet I become anxious when things are unknown. Because I had no idea what was going to happen, I was both nervous and afraid. Before the session, I was quite thrilled to return and begin my final year. I became extremely irritated when I realised how much work and group projects, I would have to complete this year while considering the various individuals I would have to interact with daily. I finally began to feel bad for not being able to adapt quickly, which motivated me to put in more effort to face my fear and be able to do so. Looking back, I'm happy with the way things turned out because it lessened my academic anxieties. This is primarily due to the fact that I haven't had time to consider my anxieties. I've made progress one day at a time.

The beneficial aspect of block 1 that worked well was being able to reflect on my anxieties. Another positive aspect of this block was that we were told about the organisational work. This got me eager for Block 3 since it would allow us to visualise ourselves in a potential workplace. I think the skills I learned in HSS as well as those I am currently working on, including leadership, networking, and decision-making, will all be used in this organisational task. My continuous professional development would be enhanced by organisational work.

The worst thing that didn't go well in block 1 was that I wasn't keeping up with my Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and I was always behind with my work, which left me feeling stressed. Considering we had just returned from three months of vacation, this may be the case, and our minds had to return to academics after recovering from the experience. Rather than working, I made excuses and allowed my procrastination to rule.

I believe the reason I was able to successfully confront my fears and conduct an introspective is that I was compelled to interact with three new group members each block to pass my HSS 3. During HSS 1 and 2, when we were divided into groups and given tasks, I once overcame the fear. In retrospect, I should have better controlled my time because I was constantly running behind. I had the option to start the task whenever I needed to when it wasn't an emergency and to create and achieve targets. I learnt that learning will not be a smooth journey and I will have a lot of setbacks.

I read various articles on managing workloads and always staying on track, and while there are numerous ways to do this, I only chose one that helped me comprehend the problem better. LeBlanc and Marques (2019) suggest that we use the “approach, don’t avoid”, you can reach out to your professor if you are having difficulties in a class. Avoidance makes anxiety worse over time.

I intend to make wiser choices moving forward. In a work environment, failing to achieve my goals would be damaging to my image. But other skills I aim to keep developing are the ability to manage my concerns, my capacity for sticking to daily objectives, and my anxiousness.

KNOWLEDGE

Most of the fundamental knowledge learned from BLOCK 1 was about the prevalence of communicable diseases in South Africa. When learning about these diseases, emphasis was placed on subjects like disease management, and obstacles to disease management and control.

We concentrated on managing HIV, its difficulties, and its major populations throughout the second and third weeks of the study. During the second week, I had the impression that I was learning more about how to deal with the task and what to take away from it. Health systems experts need to consider more than just diseases, their causes, and their progression. I examined the key HIV-related challenges and the reasons they are regarded as such in.

Several problems are associated with these conditions, such as TB, adherence, sexual health, and mental health. To better understand how external variables complicate HIV treatment and control, I looked at HIV from a system- or population-level perspective. For instance, I mentioned the significance of sexual and mental health in maintaining healthy sexual behaviours. I had to determine important populations for HIV control and their vulnerabilities

This activity inspired me to use the health systems thinking I learnt in HSS 1 and 2. I discovered via these sorts of activities that a wide variety of issues must be discussed and considered to effectively manage the condition and enhance health outcomes.

Taking part in activities such as these has helped me realise how comprehensive health systems and solution thinking must be to address health challenges of the highest complexity. The most formidable challenge for healthcare is to develop solutions to complex, multifaceted health problems facing both individuals and groups (Roberts, Fisher, Trowbridge and Bent, 2016). To develop effective disease management methods, a health system scientist must understand the multitude of elements that can negatively impact health outcomes.

One of the most interesting topics I enjoyed on the course was vertical care. It was one of the most interesting models of care I learned and really enjoyed. In spark question I defined it as

I have found out that the vertical approach sets up a mental and physical barrier between patients suffering from marginal and critical situations. Keeping non-urgent patients out of acute care treatment rooms frees up much-needed space for when an acutely unwell or injured patient comes.

In Presentation 1, our group looked at the epidemiology and burden of HIV/AIDS. In my section of the presentation, which can be found on slide thirteen, I explored HIV/AIDS globally vs locally (in South Africa). Global and local differences in HIV prevalence and transmission are influenced by a variety of biological, social, cultural, and economic factors. Understanding these factors can help develop effective strategies and interventions to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Global Factors:

Regional variations: HIV prevalence rates vary according to geographical regions, population densities, and cultures. In general, HIV rates are higher in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by South and Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.

Access to healthcare: Countries with poor access to affordable and reliable healthcare tend to have higher HIV transmission rates as people do not have easy access to HIV testing and treatment.

Lack of education and awareness: In areas with poor knowledge about HIV/AIDS and its transmission, individuals are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviours, which may increase the transmission of HIV.

SA Factors:

High prevalence rate: South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the world. HIV prevalence is high among key populations such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs.

Gender inequality: Women in South Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV due to the high rates of gender inequality and gender-based violence. This increases their likelihood of acquiring HIV.

Stigma and discrimination: The stigma associated with HIV in South Africa creates an environment in which people feel ashamed or embarrassed to seek HIV testing and treatment. This can lead to further transmission of the virus if people are unaware of their status.

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REFERENCES

Roberts, J., Fisher, T., Trowbridge, M. and Bent, C., 2016. A design thinking framework for healthcare management and innovation. Healthcare, [online] 4(1), pp.11-14. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221307641500113X?casa_token=_eZUxMO0qpQAAAAA:nf6fYHMEElUDlTyhzRZVKhs3VZ9LOktlE7dm_qigmPL9lK8rjM4_Em_1wOL3fEAyF1zcSTOZl3o [Accessed 15 April 2023].

The University of Edinburgh (2020). Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle. [online] The University of Edinburgh. Available at: https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-reflective-cycle [Accessed 1 March 2023].

WHO (2010). MONITORING THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF HEALTH SYSTEMS: a HANDBOOK OF INDICATORS AND THEIR MEASUREMENT STRATEGIES a. [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/healthinfo/systems/WHO_MBHSS_2010_full_web.pdf [Accessed 1 Apr. 2023].