Understanding Component Structures to Support Quality Primary Health Care Using Factor Analysis in O. R. Tambo District Municipality, South Africa

Abstract

This publication intends to provide a step-by-step description of the application of factor analysis performed at the two levels and interpretation of the results based on information seeking behaviour of medical professionals of five selected hospitals in O. R. Tambo District municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The data for analysis was collected on different variables using a closed-ended likert scale questionnaire. This study was a cross-sectional, comparative, and correlational survey conducted between January and April 2017, in the Mthatha Hospital Complex, O. R. Tambo District Municipality. The clustering of indicators for extraction of factors was well-defined owing to high loadings across all questions. The analysis was executed on a split data approach. The data were split by gender. The analysis was performed on the separate derived data sets. Descriptive analyses, correlations and component factor analyses were performed. The data consisted of 96.3% South African participants and 3.7% Non-South African. In addition, the sample was composed of 17.5% Males and 82.5% females; 13.8% medical doctors and 86.2% professional nurses. The percentage age distribution was: <=30.00 (21.9%), 31.00 - 37.00 (20.5%), 38.00 - 44.00 (18.5%), 45.00 - 54.00 (19.2%) and 55.00+ (19.9%). The percentage hospital participation distribution was: Holly Cross Hospital (13.9%), Dr Malizo Mpehle Hospital (28.5%), St Barnabas Hospital (21.8%), Zithulele Hospital (18.8%) and St Elizabeth Hospital (17.0%). Use of materials sources available within the hospital as sources of information; Improvement of patient care through collaborative consultations. Use of information acquired through workshops, seminars and journals to improve the participants’ knowledge; Use of internet and hospital facilities as sources of information; Use of reference materials and the medical need dictates the source of information required; Causes of limited availability sources of information; Use of printed material and colleagues to access information. Under the females’ data, the following factors were extracted: Using both external as well as internal sources to solicit information; Lack of: a physical library, limited online access, slow internet and poor online searching skills contribute to non-availability of important medical information; Lack of awareness of sources of information, time taken to access information, non-existent of sources of information; The factor analysis has shown that whereas there were more females than males according to the split data, more factors were established for males than were for females.