The perceptions and knowledge of environmental health practitioners in ensuring health and safety in communities in the King Cetshwayo District, KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

Background The role of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) is essential in public health as it focuses on preventing harm to the communities through promoting health and well-being in populations. The EHPs must be within the reach of communities and available to serve and protect against health threats. Research has shown that there is a link between the availability of resources, support from communities and the success of the EHPs in their role. EHPs are under pressure to cover all areas allocated to them, however, the downfall is the insufficient numbers of EHPs to cover all these large areas. This has led to poor reporting back to communities and EHPs sometimes being labelled as unknown. Aim of the study The aim of the study was to explore the knowledge of the EHPs related to their working environment in public health facilities in King Cetshwayo District. Methodology An exploratory descriptive design, utilising a qualitative approach was used to guide the study. Data was collected through one-on-one interviews from nine (9) EHPs based in King Cetshwayo District in Kwazulu-Natal. Data was analysed using Tesch’s eight-step open coding. Findings Exploring this topic provided a better understanding of the shortcomings and achievements of the EHPs in their roles when ensuring health and safety in the public health sector. Understanding the gaps and challenges allowed for the suggestion of strategies to better equip and support the EHPs in fulfilling their roles in the community effectively Conclusion The results of the study showed that health education is the mainstay of the role of the EHP in ensuring health and safety. Equipping the community with knowledge of health and safety assists in achieving the duties of an EHP. The EHPs have a duty to protect the community against any physical, chemical, or biological hazards. Their role is somehow underrated as they must work with insufficient resources and sometimes little support. This has led to demotivation and job dissatisfaction.