Who are good home-based care volunteers?

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of volunteers who remained active in the home-based care project located in Tzaneen (Limpopo Province) and thereby assist the project leaders to improve the recruitment and quality of the service in the future.

Methodology: Structured questionnaires were completed with all the available volunteers trained during 1999. The questionnaires were quantitatively analysed manually.

Results: Ninety-six (96) people attended the introductory phase of the home-based care course during 1999. Seventy-one (71) were volunteers and 25 were people living with HIV. Forty-six (46) of the participants completed the questionnaires (44 volunteers plus two people living with HIV working as volunteers). Twenty-seven (27) volunteers could not be traced, as they were no longer active in the project. The following factors were associated with active volunteers:

1. Married

2. Female

3. > 30 years of age

4. Breadwinners themselves or have a husband/spouse who is the breadwinner.

Conclusions: Presently, most of the active volunteers are married, female, older than 30 and are the breadwinner themselves or have a husband who is the breadwinner.