Please read the abstract (Summary) in the section 00front of this document. Please note: The Errata list is included as last page of each chapter / Dissertation (MA (Clinical Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Psychology / unrestricted

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management. Johannesburg, January 1994. / The purpose of this study was to identify the factorS involved in the process of Human Resource policy formulation and implementation as well as to determine who the stakeholders are and to what extent they are consulted in the process. A further objective of this exploratory research was to gather empirical date that would serve as the basis for the development of a generic human resource policy formUlation and implementation model. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / AC2017

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, July, 2017 / This thesis explores the rearticulation of subjectivity in the context of the struggle for antiretroviral therapy in South Africa, and also in the contemporary era of treatment accessibility for HIV and AIDS. Two sub-aims are investigated: the first concerns exploring how, and with what consequences, subjectivity was deployed in the contestations that characterized the South African ‘AIDS war’; the second concerns inquiring into the intelligibility of subjectivity in public and everyday consciousness in the post-AIDS war period. Integrating qualitative analyses with the theoretical lens of an analytics of governmentality, the data set includes policy-related archival materials, a popular HIV advice column and interviews with people living with HIV and on antiretroviral therapy. The thesis brings into sharp focus the adumbration of the right to health with rational decision-making, dignity and autonomy. Much more than a way of organizing interests, advocating for the right to treatment - to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child and to slow-down HIV spread - was a strategy of effecting a rationality-cum-affective transfiguration of a widespread helplessness and despair into self-reliance and hope. At the level of public and everyday consciousness, self-government on antiretroviral therapy lies at the intersection of knowledge, self-care and self-management. However, such a subjective positionality is not adopted unproblematically, or even sustained indefinitely, owing to the relative weight of other disparate requirements upon oneself from day to day. What emerged out of the epic battle for antiretroviral therapy, undergirding the prevailing current public and policy orientation to antiretroviral therapy care, was the combination of an optimistic rationality and a hopeful affectivity for the potential of fashioning an HIV-positive subjectivity, contiguously responsibilized and self-responsibilizing. At the experiential level of living on ARVs, where autonomy is synonymous with self-regulation, the thesis demonstrates that self-responsibility is also an unpredictable and fluid undertaking of navigating the affective tumult of hopefulness, uncertainty, sacrifice and tension. / XL2018

This study extends previous research on safer sexual behavioral practices by exploring the relationship between self-esteem and risky sexual behavioral practices. The Health Belief Model is the theoretical model used in this research. The Health Belief Model has been used to predict preventive health behaviors (Weiss & Lonnquist, 1993). To test the model, a questionnaire was given to undergraduate Introductory Sociology students at a land-grant university. What this research found, was that self-esteem was statistically significantly related to risky behaviors; more specifically, for those sexual behavioral practices which carry the highest risk, such as unprotected anal intercourse and sharing of needles for the injection of drugs. Students with high levels of self-esteem, as well as high levels of knowledge of HIV/AIDS, reported engaging in safer behavioral practices, for the unconventional sexual behaviors than those with low and moderate levels of self-esteem. With respect to those more conventional sexual behavioral practices, such as unprotected vaginal/penile intercourse and unprotected sex with multiple sex partners, those with high self-esteem reported more risky sexual behaviors than those with low and moderate self esteem which was not as hypothesized. Males and females reported similar levels of unconventional risky sexual behavioral practices and conventional risky sexual behavioral practices. The results indicate that self-esteem operates differently in different contexts. An important result of this study is that factors which predict unconventional sexual behavioral practices are not the sa,me as those which predict conventional sexual behavioral practices. Theses differences need to be taken into account by those trying to influence less risky sexual behavioral practices. / Master of Science

The study aimed to explore and describe the factors influencing disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status to sexual partners by people infected with HIV in Botswana, by undertaking an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with people infected with HIV who had disclosed their HIV status to their partners. The major findings of the study confirmed disclosure as a multi-stage process. People infected with HIV experienced mainly positive and some negative outcomes following disclosure. Disclosure was associated with the discloser’s motivations, personal and cultural beliefs, risk-benefit assessment, individual circumstances (context), previous experiences, and perceived degree of control over private information. The communication privacy management (CPM) theory helped explain the findings. The key factor influencing disclosure was protecting others. Non-disclosers had also seriously considered disclosing to partners. / Health Studies / M.P.H

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Technology: Education, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / In this study I demonstrate the extent to which I have achieved my original goals to ‘break the silence, address confusion and challenge denial around HIV and AIDS’. As the study progressed I could not ignore the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS infection, and the impact of poverty and (mis)education in the time of HIV and AIDS. I also found myself confronted with the use of the traditional mnemonic oral-style of performance in the form of ‘new wine in old bottles’ where the learners at Mthusi High School used the ‘old bottles’ of gospel songs, isicathamiya and izibongo to compose and relay the ‘new wine’ of their experience and understandings around HIV and AIDS. I could see that the use of the mnemonic oral-style was a natural and powerful way for the learners’ understandings of HIV and AIDS to be shared amongst themselves, within the community, and with a larger public so breaking the silence around HIV and AIDS, and so addressing the confusion, challenging denial, stigma and discrimination around HIV and AIDS. The use of the mnemonic oral style in this way suggested to me that it could also be used effectively in education, and led to my suggesting the use of the traditional mnemonic oral-style relating to HIV and AIDS education in the Grades 10-12 Life Orientation Curriculum. / National Research Foundation

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Technology: Public Management, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / Access to medical care remains a challenge worldwide. It is particularly severe in developing countries and it is estimated that one million more health care workers are needed in Africa to meet the health related Millennium Development Goals. Though many countries have made significant strides in improving health service delivery by increasing their spending on health care, many health systems remain weak. The situation is no different in South Africa. Community health workers (CHW’s) are thought to be an answer to improving health care delivery. They can be trained to do specialized tasks, such as providing sexually transmitted disease counselling, directly observed therapy and act as birth attendants. Others work on specific programmes performing limited medical evaluations and treatment. With proper training, monitoring, supervision and support, CHW’s have shown to be able to achieve outcomes in terms of health care service delivery. The researcher undertook this study to investigate the perceptions of CHW’s on the training services offered by Masikhulisane (MK). A case study of Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu (INK) used a mix method approach to determine the perceptions of community health workers on the training services offered by Masikhulisane. The researcher distributed questionnaires to six groups of CHW’s in the INK area at different venues. The findings of the study are useful in making evidence-based improvements in the MK education programme that targets various sectors, including CHW’s. From the findings of this study, it was concluded that CHW’s can make a valuable contribution to improved access and coverage of communities with basic health services. It is recommended that the Masikhulisane training programme should be accredited, the Masikhulisane sectoral approach should be broadened to reach more sectors not reached before and the training content should be revisited to ensure acceptability and appropriateness for targeted sectors.

The study aimed to develop an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by social workers rendering Occupational Social Work (OSW) services, particularly in establishing and maintaining workplace support groups for employees living with HIV and AIDS. The study used a qualitative research approach, aided by exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design. Data was collected from eight participants with semi-structured interviews and was analyzed by applying eight steps for data analysis as proposed by Tesch, cited in Creswell (2003:191). Data verification was done by applying Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991). The themes, which emerged from the interviews, were: the recruitment of members in workplace support groups and the challenges faced by social workers rendering OSW services. The findings indicate that, critical as their roles may be, social workers experience numerous challenges when providing workplace HIV and AIDS support groups. These include HIV and AIDS disclosure, management, organisational and logistical challenges / Social Work

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Recent research in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention suggests that for more effective interventions to be developed, it is necessary to understand, consider, and address the social context in which high risk sexual behaviours occur, and particularly to understand how issues of gender are implicated in the perpetuation of these behaviours. Based on the broad theoretical premise that social discourses play an integral role in the production and maintenance of gender and sexual identity, and in line with research suggesting that more attention needs to be paid to the role that men and masculinity play in HIV transmission through sex, this pilot study employed a social constructionist framework to explore constructions of masculine sexuality, high risk sexual behaviours, HIV/AIDS and the relationships between these, amongst a small sample of 10 young adult Xhosa speaking males that reside in or around Cape Town in the Western Cape, South Africa. The findings of this study indicate that the participants generally construct their gender and sexual identities in ways that are highly consistent with social discourses that construct men as dominant over women. There was also strong evidence that, for the participants, their sexual identity represented a primary source of their identity as men. This sexual identity appeared in itself to be constructed primarily along patriarchal lines, and maintained by pervasive reference to what is normative for men within their social contexts, thereby setting up a self perpetuating loop. The data revealed a number of dimensions to this sexual identity, such as the role that sexual success and prowess plays in maintaining and enhancing a sense of self and public esteem, that provided participants with logical motivations for engaging in high risk sexual behaviours (although participants did not necessarily construct them as such) such as having multiple sexual partners, casual sex, non-use of condoms and, importantly, sexual coercion: 70% of the participants indicated that they either do not use condoms consistently or don’t use them at all while 80% reported having sexually coerced at least one partner. There is strong evidence to support the suggestion that the content of the participants’ masculine sexual identity is inextricably linked both to the social gender discourses present in the social context, and their sexual behaviour. There was also evidence to suggest that this link represents a psychological motivation for behaviour that is often more powerful than the participants’ cognitive awareness of the risk of contracting HIV and their own personal morality put together.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa more people are living with AIDS than in any other country in the world. It is now evident that HIV/AIDS has developed into a pandemic that not only affects the health of individuals, but does expand to households, communities and the nation. The stigma of HIV/AIDS is most likely the single most important reason why people, organisations and the government tend to shy away from the problem. The prime aim of business is to make money, but the fact that AIDS affects people at the peak of their productive years when they would normally not require medical attention, will impact negatively on the organisation's bottom line results. Apart from government, business is the only group that has the capacity and resources to successfully implement strategies in the fight against HIV and AIDS. This study provides a theoretical introduction to HIV and AIDS but also indicates that small to medium size organisations are slow to react to the threat that HIV and AIDS will have to their business and also the country. The study shows that large organisations have definitely been successful in their fight against the disease. The study concludes that knowing the prevalence rate of HIV in a organisation and adapting the strategy accordingly is essential for long term sustainability of the organisation. CISCO was selected as the case study to substantiate the above-mentioned opinions and conclusions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid Afrika woon daar meer mense met VIGS as enige in enige ander land in die wereld. Dit is tans duidelik dat MIV/VIGS ontwikkel het in 'n pandemie wat nie net die gesondheid van individue raak nie, maar wat ook uitkring na huishoudings, gemeenskappe en die nasie. Die stigma van MIV/VIGS is heel waarskynlik die grootste enkele rede waarom organisasies en die regering wegskram van die probleem. Die hoofdoel van 'n besigheid is om wins te maak, maar die feit dat VIGS mense tydens die toppunt van hulle produktiewe jare affekteer wanneer hulle normaalweg geen mediese versorging sou benodig nie, gaan 'n negatiewe effek op organisasies se winsgewendheid hê. Behalwe vir die regering is privaat besighede die enigste groep wat beskik oor die kapasiteit en hulpbronne om strategiee te implimenteer wat suksesvol sal wees in die stryd teen MIV en VIGS. Hierdie studie gee 'n teoretiese inleiding oor MIV en VIGS. Dit dui ook daarop dat klein tot medium grootte organisasies stadig reageer op die bedreiging wat MIV en VIGS vir hul besigheid en die land kan inhou. Die studie toon dat groter organisasies meer sukses behaal in hulle stryd teen die siekte. Die studie bevind dat dit vir die volhoubaarheid van 'n organisasie belangrik is om te weet wat die voorkoms syfers van MIV in die organisasie is en die strategie ten opsigte van MIV en VIGS dienooreenkomstig aan te pas. CISCO is as 'n gevallestudie gebruik om bogenoemde waarnemings en aanbevelings te staaf.