APPENDIX A
To all participants: Offender-patients Dear Sir
RE: RESEARCH: MASTERS DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK: MINI
DISSERTATION ENTITLED" A Study Into palliative Care Services For Offenders With AIDS At Durban Management Area"
I am a registered Social Work Masters student at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville campus. Currently I am in the process of undertaking research for my mini-dissertation. The research focuses on palliative care services for offenders with AIDS at the prison hospital at Medium B Correctional Centre, Durban Management Area. My university supervisor is Or Neeta Gathiram from the Department of Social Work at the above university.
One of the objectives of the study is to determine what palliative care services are available for offenders who are ill with AIDS at the prison hospital and how offender-patients perceive the services that they receive. Correctional Officials who render services to the offender-patients at the hospital will also be involved in the research, for example, social workers, psychologists, chaplain, nurses and custodial officials, as I believe that their knowledge and input is vital to this
research.
I will conduct a focus group interview to collect the necessary information from you. The group interview will last approximately two hours. All information that you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence.
The focus group will be conducted in the Social Work group room at Medium B Correctional Centre, on 17 November 2004 at 10:00.
Should you require clarity/further information about this study, or me, feel free to contact the National Director: HIV/AIDS, Mr Gustav Wilson at 012-3058108 or Or Neeta Gathiram, University of KwaZulu Natal at 031-2607932.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for participating in this study.
Yours faithfully
Aneetha D. Moodley Researcher
Please print your name and sign to confirm your participation in this study:
Name
Signature
Date
At"t"I:.I~UIA D
To all participants: Custodial official, Social worker, Nurse, Chaplain, Psychologist: Medium 8 Correctional Centre, Durban Management Area.
Focus Group: Palliative Care Services for Offenders with AIDS at Durban Management Area
I hereby wish to invite you to voluntarily participate in a focus group discussion on palliative care services for offenders with AIDS at the prison hospital at Medium 8 Correctional Centre, Durban Management Area. Your knowledge of and familiarity with policies, procedures and practicalities relating to the provision of this service constitutes a valuable resource, which can assist in evaluating existing and formulating improved mechanisms aimed at enhancing the provision of palliative care services for the terminally ill in prisons.
A focus group is a qualitative method that allows the researcher to interview several people at the same time, on a particular topic. The focus group enables members of the group to share their experiences and to reach some kind of consensus about the topic of research ( Bless & Higson-Smith, 1995: 113).
The aims and objectives of the study can be summarized as follows:
• To ascertain what palliative care services are available for offenders who are ill with AIDS at prison hospital at Medium 8 Correctional center.
• To assist with the formulation of a more focused policy, concerning the provision of palliative care services to offenders who are ill with AIDS and are possibly dying.
• To make a contribution to the professional body of knowledge on how to improve palliative care services to offenders, as this is an under-
researched area.
The focus group will be conducted in the Social work group room at Medium B Correctional Centre, on 11 November 2004 at 10:00.
All information will be treated as confidential.
Your co-operation in this research project will be greatly appreciated.
Kindly sign this request as an indication that you voluntarily participate in this research.
Full Name Signature Date
Contact Details of Researcher Name:Aneetha 0 Moodley Home: 27 Cowens Crescent
Boughton
Pietermaritzburg 3201
033-3442847 Work: Eugene Marais Road
Napierville Pietermaritzburg 3201
033-3557363
Contact Details of University Supervisor
Or N Gathiram
Department of Social Work University of KwaZulu Westville Campus 031-2607932
To all participants: Offender volunteer caregivers: Members of the AIDS Control Committee, Medium B Correctional Centre, Durban Management Area.
Focus Group: Palliative Care Services for Offenders with AIDS at Durban Management Area
I am a registered Social Work Masters student at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Westville campus. Currently I am in the process of undertaking research for my mini-dissertation. The research focuses on palliative care services for offenders with AIDS at the prison hospital at Medium B Correctional Centre, Durban Management Area. My university supervisor is Or Neeta Gathiram from the Department of Social Work at the above university.
One of the objectives of the study is to determine what palliative care services are available for offenders who are ill with AIDS at the prison hospital and how offender-patients perceive the services that they receive. Correctional Officials who render services to the offender-patients at the hospital will also be involved in the research, for example, social workers, psychologists, chaplain, nurses and custodial officials, as I believe that their knowledge and input is vital to this
research.
I will conduct a focus group interview with you A focus group is a qualitative method that allows the researcher to interview several people at the same time, on a particular topic. The focus group enables members of the group to share their experiences and to reach some kind of consensus about the topic of research (Bless & Higson-Smith, 1995:113).
The focus group will be conducted in the Social work group room at Medium B Correctional Centre, on 13 November 2004 at 10:00.
All information will be treated as confidential.
Should you require clarity/further information about this study, or me, feel free to contact the National Director: HIV/AIDS, Mr Gustav Wilson at 012-3058108 or Or Neeta Gathiram, University of KwaZulu Natal at 031-2607932.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for participating in this study.
Yours faithfully
Aneetha D. Moodley Researcher