Assignment (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate practical methods of monitoring AIDS related wasting and lipodystrophy in a resource-poor clinical setting with HIV infected women as the population group of interest. Measurement of body composition changes using anthropometry is both cost- and time-efficient. Various different skinfolds were taken and two different equations (the equations of Pollock et al. (1975) and Durnin and Womersley (1974) for calculating body fat were used to determine the most promising method or methods of monitoring body composition changes in a clinical setting. Detailed anthropometric measurements were performed, as well as selected measurements for haematological parameters and quality of life (QoL) for a group of 8 participants on antiretroviral medication (ART group) and 6 participants who were not on treatment (TN group). New variables namely, intra-abdominal indicator (IAI) and a percent of ideal body mass to percent of ideal arm circumference ratio (%IBW:%IAC) were investigated as possible indicators of lipodystrophy. Although measurements were taken at various timepoints, three specific time-points were chosen for data-analysis for the ART group and two time points for the TN group. These three time-points were, baseline (on the day of recruitment for TN participants and within one month before the initiation of treatment for ART participants), short-term (2 to 12 weeks after treatment initiation or the baseline measurement or for the ART and the TN participants) and long-term (within one and a half year of treatment initiation for the ART group). ART and TN participants did not differ for many variables at baseline. The major differences between ART and TN were in measured and derived variables of the arm, especially percent of ideal arm circumference (%IAC) and upper arm fat area (UAFA), which were significantly lower in the ART group. CD4+ and QoL improved significantly for the ART participants from baseline to long-term. This was not associated with changes in muscle mass, but rather some fat mass variables. Participants on antiretroviral medication exhibited changes relating to abdominal obesity. It was concluded that antiretroviral therapy contributed greatly to the QoL of the participants and it probably aided in the recovery from wasting for at least one participant in this study. Measures of the arm can be used in a rural clinical setting to effectively monitor patients with regard to AIDS related wasting. The new variables IAI and %IBW:%IAC could be helpful in the monitoring of lipodystrophy and should be investigated in future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van hierdie studie is om praktiese metodes te ondersoek om VIGS-verwante uittering en lipodistrofie te meet in ‘n plattelandse kliniese omgewing (waar hulpbronne dikwels beperk is) met MIV ge-infekteerde vroue as populasiegroep. Die gebruik van antropometrie om veranderinge in liggaamssamestelling te meet is beide koste- en tydeffektief. Verskeie velvoumetings is geneem en twee verskillende vergelykings (die vergelykings van Pollock et al. (1975) en Durnin en Womersley (1974)) is gebruik om liggaamsvetinhoud te bereken, met die doel om ‘n belowende metode te vind om veranderinge in liggaamssamestelling te meet in ‘n kliniese omgewing. Verskeie antropometriese metings is geneem, sowel as uitgesoekte hematologiese en lewenskwaliteitmetings (QoL) vir ‘n groep van agt deelnemers wat antiretrovirale medikasie ontvang het (ART groep) en ses deelnemers wat nie hierdie behandeling ontvang het nie (TN groep). Nuwe veranderlikes (binnebuikindikator (IAI) en die verhouding van persentasie van ideale liggaamsmassa tot persentasie van ideale armomtrek (%IBW:%IAC)) is ondersoek as moontlike aanwysers van lipodistrofie. Drie spesifieke tydpunte vir die ART groep en twee tydpunte vir die TN groep is gekies uit die verskeie tydpunte waarby metings geneem is, nl. basislyn (gedefinieer as die dag wat TN deelnemers in die studie opgeneem is en 0 tot 4 weke voor die begin van behandeling vir die ART deelnemers), korttermyn (2 tot 12 weke nadat behandeling begin is of na die basislyn meting) en lang-termyn (binne een en ‘n half jaar nadat behandeling begin is vir die ART groep). By die basislyn tydpunt het min van die ART en TN deelnemers se gemete veranderlikes verskil. Die ART en TN groepe het hoofsaaklik verskil ten opsigte van veranderlikes wat betrekking het op die arm, veral persentasie van ideale armomtrek (%IAC) en bo-arm vetarea (UAFA). Hierdie twee veranderlikes was beduidend laer in die ART groep as in die TN groep. CD4+ seltelling en lewenskwaliteit tellings het beduidend verbeter vir die ART deelnemers van die basislyn tot die lang-termyn tydpunt. Hierdie veranderinge is nie samehangend met veranderinge in spiermassa nie, maar eerder met sommige vetmassa veranderlikes. Deelnemers wat antiretrovirale medikasie ontvang het, het veranderinge getoon wat gedui het op ‘n verhoogde neerlegging van vet in die buikarea. Ten slotte is bevind dat antiretrovirale medikasie bygedra het tot die verbeterde lewenskwaliteit van die deelnemers en dat dit waarskynlik ook die omkeer van uittering van ten minste een deelnemer aangehelp het. Daar is ook bevind dat armverwante metinge gebruik kan word in die plattelandse kliniese omgewing om pasiënte suksesvol te monitor ten opsigte van VIGSverwante uittering. Die nuwe veranderlikes, IAI en %IBW:%IAC kan moontlik gebruik word om lipodistrofie-verwante veranderings te meet en die gebruik van hierdie veranderlikes behoort ondersoek te word in verdere navorsing.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa young women in the age group 10 – 24 are the largest group infected with HIV. Those most at risk are young women living in South African townships where a multitude of factors reinforce the possibility of them becoming infected. Once infected, they are often abandoned or left alone, with no support system. This thesis uses the following four tasks of Practical Theology, - the descriptive-empirical task: Priestly listening, - the interpretive task: Sagely wisdom, - the normative task: Prophetic discernment and - the pragmatic task: Servant leadership, to analyze how pastoral group care could help these young women. The problem is investigated and set into the reality of Khayelitsha, a township in Cape Town. By offering young women the possibility of belonging to a peer group, they are met within their cultural and social system. As the members of the group are all HIV positive, the stigma which often prevents people from socializing or talking about their sickness, is removed. The important role of the leader of such a group is also investigated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika is jong vroue in die ouderdomsgroep 10 – 24 jaar díe groep wat die hoogste aantal MIV infeksies het. Die hoogste risiko om deur die MI virus aangesteek te word, is by jong vroue wat in ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse township lewe. ‘n Verskeidenheid faktore speel saam om hulle kwesbaarheid te verhoog. Sodra dit bekend word dat hulle die MI virus dra, word hulle dikwels verwerp en sonder enige ondersteuning alleen gelaat. Na aanleiding van die volgende vier take van Praktiese Teologie nl.: - die beskrywend-empiriese taak: Priesterlike luister, - die interpreterend-hermeneutiese taak: Verstandige wysheid, - die normatiewe taak: Profetiese onderskeiding en - die pragmatiese taak: Dienskneg leierskap., word hierdie problem ondersoek binne die raamwerk van Khayelitsha, ‘n township van Kaapstad. Die tesis argumenteer dat pastorale groepssorg ‘n gepaste wyse is waarbinne daar na hierdie jong vroue omgesien kan word. Deur aan hulle die moontlikheid te bied om aan ‘n portuurgroep te behoort, kan hulle binne hulle eie sosiale en kulturele raamwerk tereg kom. Aangesien die lede van die groep almal MIV positief is, word die stigma, wat dikwels mense verhinder om te sosialiseer of om oor hulle siekte te praat, verwyder. Die belangrike rol van die leier van so ‘n groep word ook ondersoek.

This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of women living with HIV and Aids in Centurion, Gauteng Province. The study was conducted at Lyttleton clinic and 12 women living with HIV and Aids were selected for the study using a non-probability, purposive sampling technique. In-depth, individual semi-structured interviews were used during data collection. A thematic content approach in data analysis yielded the following main themes: experience of being diagnosed HIV positive, disclosure of an HIV positive status, physical signs and symptoms of HIV and Aids, stigma/ emotional stress well experiences in services rendered. The study highlighted the need for a well-established health system, assisting women living with HIV and Aids on how to cope and to raise awareness on HIV and Aids. / Health Studies / M. A. (Public Health)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Globally the percentage of women living with HIV is high. They constitute 48% of people living with HIV. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of specific factors known to make women vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection. Objective: The specific factors investigated were cultural beliefs, economic dependence and sexual abuse and their affect (if any) on women in Bela-Bela (Warmbaths) in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The population of 30 women who attend HIV/AIDS support groups in the area was targeted. Twenty respondents were asked to complete questionnaires. A convenience sampling method was used. Research Design: A descriptive research design was used, with data collected through questionnaires. The questionnaire was structured in English and for those who did not understand the language; the questions were explained in their own language. Data was collected on six occasions. The number of participants interviewed per session varied as it depended on the availability of participants on those days. Results: Though the sample used was small which makes it is difficult to draw definite conclusions, the results revealed that women in the area are vulnerable to HIV because of factors such as cultural beliefs (in particular the value of marriage and children), economic dependence and sexual abuse. Conclusion and Recommendation: Findings in this study indicate that unemployment may put women in unfavourable economic position and force them into vulnerable behaviour such as having unsafe sex and sex for money. Findings further revealed that the value of children is put in high regard by the respondents. Having children is seen as a way of proving to the community that they are fertile. This may put women at risk of HIV as they are engaging in unprotected sex. The results show that many women are still exposed to forced sex. There is a need for further research in this regard. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Die aantal vroue wat wêreldwyd MIV onderlede het, beloop’n geskatte 48% van alle mense wat met die siekte saamleef. Hierdie studie ondersoek spesifieke faktore wat bekend daarvoor is om vroue kwesbaar te maak vir die virus. Doelstelling: Die spesifieke faktore wat ondersoek word is kulturele oortuigings, ekonomiese afhanklikheid en seksuele misbruik en die invloed daarvan (indien enigsins) onder vroue van Bela Bela in die Limpopo Provinsie van Suid Afrika. ‘n Groep van 30 vroue wat MIV/Vigs onderlede het en aan ondersteuningsgroepe in die area behoort, is geteiken vir die studie. Twintig respondente het vraelyste ingevul. Navorsingsontwerp: ‘n Beskrywende navorsingontwerp is gebruik, met data wat versamel is deur middel van vraelyste. Die vraelyste was in Engels en vir diegene wat nie die taal verstaan het nie, is dit in hul eie taal verduidelik. Data is op ses geleenthede bymekaar gemaak. Die getal deelnemers wat deelgeneem het per sessie het afgehang van die beskikbaarheid van deelnemers op die verskillende dae. Uitslae: Alhoewel die steekproef klein was wat dit bemoeilik het om defnitiewe afleidings te maak, het die uitslae gewys dat vroue in die area kwesbaar is vir MIV as gevolg van die spesifieke faktore wat ondersoek is, veral kulturele oortuigings (spesifiek oor die huwelik en geboorte). Gevolgtrekkings en Aanbevelings: Resultate in die studie het gewys dat onstabiele ekonomiese omstandighede soos werkloosheid vroue in ‘n ongunstige posisie plaas en hulle moontlik dwing om onbeskermde seks of seks vir geld te hê. Die bevindinge het ook onthul dat om kinders te hê hooggeag word deur die deelnemers in die studie aangesien dit gesien word as ‘n simbool van vrugbaarheid. Dit beteken dus hulle het onbeskermde seks en moontlike blootstelling aan MIV. Die uitslae wys verder dat baie vroue nog blootgestel word aan seks wat op hul afgedwing word. Daar is ‘n behoefte vir verdere navorsing in hierdie verband.

HIV and AIDS have historically been associated with homosexuality and promiscuity (especially among blacks), evoking blame and stigma. The implication of sex in the spread of HIV and AIDS complicates matters as traditional ideas of pollution and contamination are evoked. These attitudes translate into a lack of support for people infected with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Moreover, such attitudes result in the stigmatisation of those people, leaving them with a poor self-image. Stigmatisation also leads to secrecy and non-disclosure of the disease allowing it to spread rapidly. This thesis deals with the issue of stigmatisation due to HIV and AIDS, looking specifically at the two congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA) in KwaZulu-Natal province. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Leprosy in biblical times was a stigmatised skin disease. It was not an easily recognisable skin disease because any skin disease was suspected of being leprosy . However leprosy as a skin disease could not be hidden , because it showed quite easily . People who had contracted leprosy were considered impure and unclean and were cast out of society. Today however, we have a cure for people with leprosy and it is not considered a terminal disease. However, we have indeed an incurable disease, namely AIDS. My question is, how do we consider people with AIDS today, especially women. Are they being treated as unclean, even though we cannot see the disease, or are they also the outcasts of our society today? My guess is that women are the victims today, as much as they were in biblical times, rather than the perpetrators. Women living with AIDS today is what motivated me to investigate the ancient biblical times to see how women at that time coped with an incurable disease in a society that treated them as outcasts. Thus , my study will focus on women with leprosy in ancient biblical times , but also will include a section on women with AIDS today for the sake of relevance. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Text in English / Previous studies have reported a high prevalence of HIV and AIDS among adolescent girls. It is estimated that there are 5,24 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). These estimates would mean that about 2.36 million people living with HIV/AIDS would be young women and girls aged 15-24 years. The latest household survey conducted by the Human Science Research Council (HSRC) revealed that the prevalence of HIV is three to seven fold in girls and young women aged 15-24 than boys and young men (HSRC 2014) This resurgence in HIV incidence is occurring at a time when it is believed the epidemic has reached a plateau following aggressive behavioural, biomedical and structural interventions by the Department of Health, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and civil society in general. A probability sampling method, involving a random selection of elements was used to select 130 young women and girls aged 18-24 presenting at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital by simple random sampling. Data were collected by self-administering questionnaires. High unemployment and greater age-disparity in the relationships were found to have a direct correlation with HIV incidence in the population under study. This study also shows that inconsistent condom use, low rate of medical male circumcision of male partners, coupled with lower HIV counselling and testing than the national average, was associated with new HIV infections, in spite of high level of condom availability, knowledge of HIV issues and an exposure to an array of behavioural change communication interventions. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Young women working in SMEs are increasingly being affected by HIV and AIDS, and SMEs are expected to respond to HIV and AIDS through workplace policies and programmes. This requires commitment from SMEs to help young women who face various gendered vulnerabilities to HIV and AIDs. The study, whose purpose was to investigate young women workers’ experiences of the HIV and AIDS response of small and medium enterprises in a semi urban area in KwaZulu-Natal, used a qualitative approach and collected data from three SMEs in Pietermaritzburg during the period of the study. Findings of the study indicate that the majority of respondents from all three SMEs agree on experiencing limited or no HIV and AIDS policies and programmes in SMEs. With reference to incomplete or limited responses, two SMEs provide financial assistance for funerals. However, some aspects such as education and awareness, monitoring, management commitment, provision of medical aid, facilitation of peer education, appointment of an HIV officer and more were not evident. Thus recommendations were made on how SMEs should respond, and future research ideas were outlined. / Health Studies / M. A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

This research critically analysed Muslim approaches to five women with HIV/AIDS in Cape Town focussing particularly on the approach of 'Positive Muslims' - an awareness-raising and support group for Muslims living with HIV/AIDS. The central question of this thesis dealt with the impact of the norms, values and practices of Cape Muslims on the approach of Positive Muslims to women living with HIV/AIDS. It is suggested that while norms and values articulated in religious texts inform the ideological approach of the organisation's AIDS prevention model. This is due to the pragmatic approach adopted by Postive Muslims which recognises that the articulated norms and values do not always conform to the practices of Cape Muslims.

<p>South Africa has the largest percentage of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world. However, the response against the further spread of HIV/AIDS in the country is being hindered by stigma and discrimination. In order to develop effective intervention programmes to control and reduce the further spread of the disease, it is first important to understand the nature of HIV/AIDS-related stigma and especially how people construct it. In the present study, the social construction of HIV/AIDS-related stigma among Muslims was investigated because high levels of stigma were found in this group. This was fuelled partly by the belief that HIV/AIDS was not a serious problem amongst Muslims. Two focus groups were conducted, one among Muslim women only and the second among Muslim men only. The main aim of the study was to examine the perceptions of HIV/AIDS-related stigma among Muslims. The transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis to determine the themes that emerged from the research material. The main findings of the study included that Muslims&rsquo / religious identity/positioning was the most salient discourse that informed how they understood, made meaning of, and responded to HIV/AIDS. They engaged in various forms of stigma such as &lsquo / othering&rsquo / , and mediating factors of stigma included religious positioning. Stigma also served as a social barrier to VCT and disclosure of HIV status. However, supportive attitudes and behaviours were also evident. The findings yielded useful insights into possible elements of intervention programmes, both to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma, and also to encourage behavioural change in order to control and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in this community.</p>