An Evaluation of the Timing and Use of Healthcare during Pregnancy in Birmingham, UK and Pretoria, South Africa

Musculoskeletal and other performance related disorders in South African undergraduate music students

Background: Performance related musculoskeletal and associated health issues are prominent amongst musicians. The aim of this study was to explore self-reported musculoskeletal and related health issues in undergraduate music students. A further goal was to ascertain how these problems impact students’ learning and playing their instruments. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal mixed me...

Setting Healthcare Priorities at the Macro and Meso Levels: A Framework for Evaluation

Background Priority setting in healthcare is a key determinant of health system performance. However, there is no widely accepted priority setting evaluation framework. We reviewed literature with the aim of developing and proposing a framework for the evaluation of macro and meso level healthcare priority setting practices.   Methods We systematically searched Econlit, PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSC...

Inside the Black Box: Organisational Buying Behaviour and Strategic Purchasing in Healthcare: A Response to Recent Commentary

Student-Athlete or Athlete-Student: Analysis of Benefits and Barriers of University Sport Participation in South Africa

Background. Universities are perceived as the hub for sports talent identification and development. This perception puts much pressure on student-athletes who are expected to excel in sport despite their academic commitments. Based on this expectation, students who participate in sports could be regarded as athlete-student, rather than student-athlete. Objectives. The study was carried out to ...

(Re) Making the Procrustean Bed? Standardization and Customization as Competing Logics in Healthcare

Recent years have witnessed a parallel and seemingly contradictory trend towards both the standardization and the customization of healthcare and medical treatment. Here, we explore what is meant by ‘standardization’ and ‘customization’ in healthcare settings and explore the implications of these changes for healthcare delivery. We frame the paradox of these divergent and opposing factors in te...