HSRC, MRC
HEALTH STATUS OF EDUCATORS IN SOUTH AFRICAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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Key finding: The health status of educators appears to be poorer than that of the general population, considering that 10.6% had been hospitalised in the previous 12 months, compared to the 7% in the 2002 general population, and that 75% reported a visit to a health practitioner in the six months before the study. The most frequently reported diagnoses in the last five years prior to the study were stress-related illnesses such as high blood pressure (15.6%), stomach ulcers (9.1% and diabetes (4.5%). |
Results
The health status of educators appears to be poorer than that of the general population, considering that 10.6% had been hospitalised in the previous 12 months, compared to the 7% in the 2002 general population, and that 75% reported a visit to a health practitioner in the six months before the study.
The most frequently reported diagnoses in the last five years prior to the study were stress related illnesses such as high blood pressure (15.6%), stomach ulcers (9.1% and diabetes (4.5%).
Nearly 1% of educators reported having been diagnosed with TB within the last five years, and 3.2% reported having had a cough that lasted more than two weeks. The low percentage of educators reporting to have TB is likely due to stigma.
The highest burden of absenteeism in the educator labour force is probably due to the high prevalence of high blood pressure, use of tobacco, being HIV positive, stomach ulcer, arthritis or rheumatism and high-risk drinkers and associated high rates of absenteeism (Fact Sheet 4).
Other aspects strongly related to absenteeism and unhealthy days are low morale at the educational institution, intention to quit teaching, low job satisfaction and high job stress.
Different forms of support, such as with HIVIAIDS, financial and medical treatments, seems to help to increase health-related productivity.
Table: Size of population of educators suffering from chronic conditions that may affect health and may contribute to absenteeism
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Diagnosed with the disease in the previous 5 years |
Estimate (%) |
CI 95% |
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Diabetes |
4.5 |
4.2- 4.9 |
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Cancer |
0.8 |
0.6-0.9 |
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Ashtma |
3.5 |
3.3-3.9 |
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High blood pressure |
15.6 |
15.0-16.3 |
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Heart Disease |
2.0 |
1.8-2.2 |
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Arthritis |
6.6 |
6.2-7.0 |
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Lung or breathing problems |
2.9 |
2.7- 3.2 |
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Anaemia |
3.7 |
3.3-4.0 |
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Stomach ulcer |
9.1 |
8.6-9.6 |
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Cataracts |
1.3 |
1.1-1.5 |
Recommendations
Prolonged illness associated with HIV and other chronic diseases is likely to erode the gains made in improving quality of education by the effect it will have on educators' productivity. This suggests that healthy educators will be forced to take additional teaching responsibilities, which might create more stress.
It is therefore recommended that the DoE and donor agencies establish and manage a workplace programme specifically to provide a comprehensive prevention and treatment programme for all illnesses, but ensuring confidentiality for educators.
Such a programme should include stress reduction, counselling, assessment and adjustment of workload, and blood pressure and diabetes screening and treatment. This will provide a one stop', comprehensive prevention and treatment centre near the school. It will have the added benefits of reducing absenteeism from school; helping with adherence to treatment and disease management; and give easy access to drugs that would prolong, and improve, quality of life.