Background. Numerous methods have been developed to model longitudinal data. In HIV/AIDS studies, HIV markers, CD4+ count and viral load are measured over time. Informative drop-out and the lower detection limit of viral load assays can bias the results and influence assumptions of the models. Objective The objective of this thesis is to describe the evolution of HIV markers in an HIV-1 subtype C acutely infected cohort of women from the CAPRISA 002: Acute Infection Study in Durban, South Africa. They were HIV treatment naive. Methods. Various linear mixed models were fitted to both CD4+ count and viral load, adjusting for repeated measurements, as well as including intercept and slope as random effects. The rate of change in each of the HIV markers was assessed using weeks post infection as both a linear effect and piecewise linear effects. Left-censoring of viral load was explored to account for missing data resulting from undetectable measurements falling below the lower detection limit of the assay. Informative drop- out was addressed by using a method of joint modelling in which a longitudinal and survival model were jointly linked using a latent Gaussian process. The progression of HIV markers were described and the effectiveness and usefulness of each modelling procedure was evaluated. Results. 62 women were followed for a median of 29 months post infection (IQR 20-39). Viral load increased sharply by 2.6 log copies/ml per week in the first 2 weeks of infection and decreased by 0.4 log copies/ml per week the next fortnight. It decreased at a slower rate thereafter. Similarly CD4+ count fell in the first 2 weeks by 4.4 square root cells/ul per week then recovered slightly only to decrease again. Left-censoring was unnecessary in this acute infection cohort as few viral load measures were below the detection limit and provided no improvement on model fit. Conclusion. Piecewise linear effects proved to be useful in quantifying the degree at which the HIV markers progress during the first few weeks of HIV infection, whereas modelling time as a linear effect was not very meaningful. Modelling HIV markers jointly with informative drop-out is shown to be necessary to account for the missing data incurred from participants leaving the study to initiate ARV treatment. In ignoring this drop-out, CD4+ count is estimated to be higher than what it actually is. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

The main purpose of this study was to describe and compare nurses' and nursing students' attitudes toward AIDS patients. A corollary aim was to ascertain whether these two groups of health care providers differed in their perceptions of the quality of care AIDS patients receive compared to other patients. This study also examined nurses across type of educational background (i.e., ADN, BSN, Diploma) in regards to differences in attitudinal tolerance towards AIDS patients as measured by the Aids Attitude Survey (AAS). Fishbein and Ajzen's (1975) Theory of Reasoned Action was the theoretical framework of this study. A convenience sample of 58 registered nurses and 58 nursing students from East Central Indiana completed the AAS and a demographic sheet. The attitudes of these two groups toward AIDS patients were examined in a comparative descriptive design.Cronbach's alpha (1947) equaled .95 for 54 items using 116 valid cases. Findings revealed no significant difference between nurses and nursing students in tolerance of attitudes towards AIDS patients (F = .0966, df - 1,114, p < .76). Also no significant difference was found between nurses and nursing students in their perceptions regarding the quality of care given to AIDS patients versus other patients (X2 = 5.77412, df = 4, p < .22). No significant difference was found between ADN, BSN, and Diploma nurses in their tolerance of attitudes toward AIDS patients (F = 2.0924, df = 2,55, p < .1331). A post hoc finding revealed a significant difference between nurses' and nursing students reported use of universal precautions (x2 = 12.97276, 3 df, p < .00470).Analysis of AAS individual items revealed that only 4 percent of respondents believed that AIDS patients should be sent to sanitariums to protect others from AIDS. Ninety-four percent of respondents believed that people would not be so afraid of AIDS if individuals knew more about the disease. / School of Nursing

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2007. / Thesis advisor: Cynthia Pope. "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geography." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-74). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (MA(Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 81-84) Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- The Institute for Clinical Social Work, 1989. / A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Institute of Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of South Australia, 1993. / "Report of a thesis submitted for a masters in Education, Human Resource Studies August 1993"--Cover. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 178-188).

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1992. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [123]-144).

Thesis (MPhil) -- AUT University, 2008. / Mirror (10 x 15 cm.) on p. 169 of print thesis. Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (vi,196 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.) in the Archive at the City Campus (T 362.196979 FLE)