Spatial data is a vital national resource necessary for a country’s efficient and sustainable economic, social and environmental development, and so must be properly developed and managed. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), there is lack of knowledge and no clear framework describing the optimal way for stakeholders, users, providers or administrators, to collaborate effectively in establishing a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Moreover, the complex, multi-layer and multi-jurisdiction system of government leads to competing interests and mandates in coordinating spatial activity. Previous studies on NSDI in KSA focused on technical infrastructure strategy. However, there is a need to study institutional/organisational issues affecting collaboration in NSDI for KSA. This research presented in this thesis leads to recommendations for a best practice, collaboration initiative for Saudi NSDI, and contributes to advancing the goals and implementation of NSDI in KSA. A mixed (triangulated) quantitative and qualitative case study research design was adopted to assist in achieving the research aims, utilising a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed and elicited concepts to recommend the Saudi NSDI collaboration initiative. A literature review was conducted in areas relevant to Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) and collaboration. The diverse definitions for SDI, its main components, and hierarchical nature were explored. Definitions for collaboration, motivational factors, and potential risks and costs were also reviewed. While a conventional NSDI is characterised by a top down approach, new technologies connected to social developments have led to a rapid, parallel development of commercial-, and consumer-led SDI, or dynamic ‘GeoWeb’, representing the potential next generation, Web 2.0 form, of NSDI. Institutional and technical factors are key elements in the success of NSDI collaboration initiatives, which include organisational commitment, policies, and technological resources. The national initiatives for the UK, USA, Australia, and Canada are reviewed and compared, along five key themes: objectives and vision, coordination, datasets, standards, and access. This highlighted the evolving nature of NSDI, given the rapid pace of developments in technology-driven applications and tools, and that coordination and agreement among all stakeholders requires accurate and reliable datasets, widely accepted metadata and standards, and interoperable technology, and must include all government levels and jurisdictions, with greater private sector integration. The current situation in KSA regarding the main SDI stakeholders, and their historical development, including legislation and policies and the barriers to sharing spatial data existing, facilitates background to understanding the issues involved in developing a Saudi NSDI. This is reinforced by primary data collected through a quantitative questionnaire survey of all 26 spatial data bodies in KSA, and qualitative semi-structured interviews of 72 key persons. The data includes themes, like types of spatial organisation and sphere of operations, data types and themes, standards and technical issues, and inter-organisational relationships and collaboration. The results revealed a lack of collaboration due to negative organisational cultures, and technical obstacles relating to a need for unified spatial data and metadata standards and specifications. In particular, there was an absence of appropriate legislation to deal with the two previous points, as well as providing protection for intellectual property; such legislation would outline a system within which collaboration would take place. The historical development and current status of key, independent SDI initiatives in KSA, i.e. MOMRA, Riyadh, and Saudi National SDI, are presented using data from secondary and primary sources. Each initiative represents city, ministry, and national level SDI initiative for collaboration. Finally, this research concludes by providing recommendations for best practice in collaboration among the various stakeholders forming a potential Saudi NSDI. It also outlines suggestions for future work.

Σύμφωνα με τα ευρήματα τεσσάρων καταγραφών που έγιναν στην Πάτρα κατά την περίοδο 1978-2003, ο επιπολασμός του πρόσφατου (διαγνωσμένου στα 2 τελευταία χρόνια) και του οποτεδήποτε διαγνωσμένου κατά τη διάρκεια της ζωής συριγμού/άσθματος παιδιών σχολικής ηλικίας έχει αυξηθεί, αν και με επιβραδυνόμενο ρυθμό. Ανάλογη αύξηση παρατηρήθηκε και στον επιπολασμό της ρινοεπιπεφυκίτιδας και του εκζέματος όπως καταγράφηκε σε τρεις αποτυπώσεις στο διάστημα 1991-2003. Σκοπός: Διερευνήθηκε ο επιπολασμός του συριγμού/άσθματος, της ρινοεπιπεφυκίτιδας και του εκζέματος στο ίδιο αστικό περιβάλλον το 2008. Μέθοδος: Χρησιμοποιώντας πανομοιότυπη μεθοδολογία με τις προηγούμενες συγχρονικές αποτυπώσεις, μοιράσθηκε γραπτό ερωτηματολόγιο που απευθυνόταν στους γονείς παιδιών Τρίτης και Τετάρτης τάξης Δημοτικού Σχολείου (8-9 ετών) το 2008 και υπολογίσθηκε ο πρόσφατος και ο οποτεδήποτε διαγνωσμένος κατά τη διάρκεια της ζωής επιπολασμός των τριών νοσημάτων. Τα ευρήματα συγκρίθηκαν με εκείνα των προηγούμενων καταγραφών (1978: N=3003, 1991: N=2417, 1998: N=3076 και 2003: N=2725). Αποτελέσματα: Ο επιπολασμός του πρόσφατου άσθματος κατά τα έτη 1978, 1991, 1998, 2003 και 2008 (Ν=2688) ήταν 1.5%, 4.6%, 6.0%, 6.9% και 6.9% αντίστοιχα (p τάσης διακύμανσης διορθωμένο ως προς το φύλο <0.001). Οι αντίστοιχες τιμές για συριγμό/άσθμα οποτεδήποτε κατά τη διάρκεια της ζωής στις καταγραφές της περιόδου 1991-2008 ήταν 8.0%, 9.6%, 12.4% και 12.6% (p τάσης διακύμανσης διορθωμένο ως προς το φύλο <0.001). Ανεξαρτήτως φύλου, το διαγνωσμένο άσθμα ελαττώθηκε στα παιδιά με πρόσφατο συριγμό/άσθμα κατά 17% (p <0.001) την περίοδο 2003-2008, όμως δε συνέβη το ίδιο σε εκείνα με αποδραμόντα συριγμό/άσθμα (6.6%, p=0.16). Ο επιπολασμός της ρινοεπιπεφυκίτιδας οποτεδήποτε κατά τη διάρκεια της ζωής τα έτη 1991, 1998, 2003 και 2008 ήταν 2.1%, 3.4%, 4.6% και 5.1% αντίστοιχα (p τάσης διακύμανσης διορθωμένο ως προς το φύλο <0,001). Οι αντίστοιχες τιμές για έκζεμα οποτεδήποτε κατά τη διάρκεια της ζωής ήταν 4.5%, 6.3%, 9.5% και 10.8% (p τάσης διακύμανσης διορθωμένο ως προς το φύλο <0.001). Η αναλογία αγόρια:κορίτσια του πρόσφατου και οποτεδήποτε κατά τη διάρκεια της ζωής συριγμού/άσθματος, ρινοεπιπεφυκίτιδας και εκζέματος αυξήθηκε κατά τη διάρκεια των 30 ετών παρακολούθησης του άσθματος και των 17 ετών παρακολούθησης της αλλεργίας (p τάσης διακύμανσης <0.001). Επίσης παρατηρήθηκε αύξηση της ρινοεπιπεφυκίτιδας και του εκζέματος στα παιδιά με πρόσφατο συριγμό/άσθμα (p τάσης διακύμανσης διορθωμένο ως προς το φύλο <0.001) κατά την περίοδο 1991-2008. Το ποσοστό του συριγμού/άσθματος που μπορεί να αποδοθεί στην αλλεργία (πρόσφατος συριγμός/άσθμα με ρινοεπιπεφυκίτιδα ή/και έκζεμα οποτεδήποτε στη διάρκεια της ζωής) αυξήθηκε περαιτέρω κατά την περίοδο 2003-2008 (p <0.05, p τάσης διακύμανσης <0.001 για την περίοδο 1991-2008). Συμπεράσματα: Ο επιπολασμός του συριγμού και του άσθματος κορυφώθηκε κατά την περίοδο 2003-2008 στην Πάτρα, ενώ η αναλογία αγόρια:κορίτσια αυξήθηκε. Αντίθετα, παρατηρήθηκε συνεχής αύξηση του επιπολασμού των αλλεργικών εκδηλώσεων –ρινοεπιπεφυκίτιδα και έκζεμα– στο διάστημα 1991-2008. Η συχνότητα του συριγμού/άσθματος που μπορεί να αποδοθεί στην αλλεργία, μετά από μια απότομη κλιμάκωση κατά την περίοδο 1991-2003, συνέχισε να αυξάνεται στο διάστημα 2003-2008, αλλά με βραδύτερο ρυθμό, παρά τη διατήρηση του επιπολασμού του συριγμού/άσθματος σταθερού στη διάρκεια αυτής της πενταετίας. / According to four surveys conducted in the city of Patras, Greece, during 1978-2003, the prevalence of current (diagnosed in the last 2 years) and lifetime wheeze/asthma at schoolage has risen, albeit at a decelerating rate. A similar increase occurred in the prevalence of lifetime rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in the three more recent surveys during 1991-2003. Aim: We examined the prevalence of wheeze/asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in the same urban environment in 2008. Methods: Using identical methodology with the previously conducted cross-sectional surveys, a parental written questionnaire was distributed in 2008 to Third and Fourth grade schoolchildren (8-9 year-old) and the current and lifetime sex-specific prevalence of the three diseases was calculated and compared with the findings of the previous surveys (1978: N=3003; 1991: N=2417; 1998: N=3076; and 2003: N=2725). Results: The prevalence rates of current wheeze/asthma in 1978, 1991, 1998, 2003 and 2008 (N=2688) were 1.5%, 4.6%, 6.0%, 6.9% and 6.9%, respectively (sex-adjusted p for trend <0.001). Respective values for lifetime (ever had) wheeze/asthma in the 1991-2008 surveys were 8.0%, 9.6%, 12.4% and 12.6% (sex-adjusted p for trend <0.001). Irrespective of sex, diagnosed asthma declined during 2003-2008 among current wheezers by 17% (p<0.001); however, this was not the case among non-current wheezers (6.7%, p=0.16). The prevalence rates of lifetime rhinoconjunctivitis in 1991, 1998, 2003 and 2008 were 2.1%, 3.4%, 4.6% and 5.1%, respectively (sex-adjusted p for trend <0.001). The respective values for lifetime eczema were 4.5%, 6.3%, 9.5% and 10.8% (sex-adjusted p for trend <0.001). The male:female ratio of current and lifetime wheeze/asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema increased during the 30-year surveillance period of wheeze/asthma and the 17-year surveillance period for allergic disease (p for trend <0.001). Among current wheezers/asthmatics there was an increase in lifetime rhinoconjunctivitis and lifetime eczema (sex-adjusted p for tend <0.001) over the period 1991-2008. The proportion of wheeze/asthma attributable to allergy (current wheeze/asthma with lifetime rhinoconjunctivitis and/or eczema) increased further during 2003-2008 (p <0.05, p for trend during 1991-2008 <0.001). Conclusions: Childhood wheeze and asthma have reached plateau during the 2003-2008 period in Patras, Greece. The diagnosis of asthma declined among schoolage but not preschool wheezers during the same period, while the male:female ratio increased. On the other hand, there was a continuous increase in the prevalence of allergic manifestations, i.e. rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema, during 1991-2008. The frequency of wheeze/asthma attributable to allergy, after a steep rise in 1991-2003, continued to increase during 2003-2008 –albeit at a decelerating rate–despite the wheeze/asthma plateau which occurred over this 5-year period.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) --Univesity of Limpopo, 2013 / South Africa has a growing rate of mental health care users. Because of the lack of health resources and personal beliefs many of these mental health care users consult with their church leaders. The treatment of mental illness by clergy in South Africa is largely undocumented. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the treatment of mental illness by Afrikaans speaking church leaders in Polokwane, Limpopo Province. To gain a deeper understanding of the views held by the Afrikaans-speaking church leaders, a qualitative approach was utilized. Ten participants agreed to participate in the study. The results tend to suggest that most of the respondents use a combination of supportive therapy and teachings from scripture to treat some mental illnesses, and that they feel positive towards collaboration with other mental health care professionals. Lastly the results indicated that most respondents emphasized the importance of homophily in referral criteria. Key Concepts Mental illness; Christian church; Afrikaans speaking; church leader; treatment