Thesis (MPH.) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / The Department of health, Limpopo province in recent years has developed eye care services in public hospitals. It is reckoned that people living in the rural areas would benefit significantly from the cheaper public eye care services. However, the level of utilization of the public eye care services by the rural communities in the province has not been investigated. It was therefore, considered of interest to evaluate whether or not the services are being utilized adequately or not. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not the public eye care services in the Capricorn district, Limpopo Province are adequately utilized by the rural population. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional qualitative survey study design was used. A questionnaire with 42 questions on the utilization of eye care services was developed in English, translated to Northern Sotho (the local dialect) and back translated to ensure veracity. The questionnaire included questions on demography, knowledge of available eye care services, need for eye care services, utilization, attitude and perception of public eye care services. The questionnaire was field-tested in a pilot study conducted prior to the study and involves 20 participants, with final amendments made to ensure clarity of contents. The participants included males and females from 1000 households in selected 38 villages. The questionnaire was delivered to the head of each household for completion. Data analysis was done with computer software SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 15. Results are presented in narrative and tabular forms and as figures.

At present not enough is known about the health of preschool children in the poorer communities of Cape Town. This study, was undertaken to assess the health and health care of preschool children in one such community: that of the Hout Bay harbour township. A clinic and community-based surveillance programme was devised to make this assessment. Data were obtained by monitoring the records at the Community Health Centre in the township. A study sample of 214 children from the community was also selected by random stratified cluster sampling. This sample was assessed by means of a questionnaire and a full physical examination. Analysis of data was performed on the IBM main-frame computer. A large number of medical problems were identified on screening the community sample. Most of these problems were minor ones and could be managed appropriately at the Health Centre. On the basis of the referral patterns and the small number of newly diagnosed functionally important health problems, the provision of health care in-the area was considered to be adequate. The high immunisation rate in the preschool children and the excellent attendance figures at the child health clinics indicates that the services provided are well utilised by the population. Dental caries was found to be a major health problem in the area. A strong case for the introduction of a dental health educational programme and for the fluoridisation of drinking water can made on the basis of these findings. An ongoing health screening programme would be beneficial. It could be accomplished by utilising appropriately trained nursing personnel.

Thesis (M. Tech. (Business administration)) - Central University of technology, Free State, 2013 / This study was necessitated by the fact that being labour intensive, hair salons provide partial solution to South Africa’s high unemployment, poverty and inequality problems hence need to be supported so that they can grow and continue performing their expected labour absorption role. Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district municipality in the North West Province of South Africa is a socio economically depressed area that depends on hair salons for employment. The prosperity of hair salons is therefore critical to the well-being of the inhabitants of the area. Unfortunately, proliferation of hair salon business in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district municipality since the dawn of democracy in South Africa has created fierce competition for customers leading to lack of profitability and hair salons failures. While many reasons can account for business failure in the face of intense competitive environment, there is consensus from the literature that in the current information economy, appropriate management of records allows for quick access to reliable information and this is key to business success. In fact, resource-based view (RBV) of the firm suggests that a company’s quick access to reliable information that is contained in its resources allows that firm to gain sustainable competitive advantage that allows for superior performance. This calls for proper management of a company’s records. Accordingly, it is crucial that managers/owners of hair salons recognise the importance of good records management in their businesses in order to continuously have timely access to accurate information. Unfortunately, the researcher has informally observed a disturbing trend among some hair salons in Dr Ruth Mompati local municipality that flies in the face of what can be termed good records management. An informal visit to some of the salons in the region revealed an apparent laxity with which transactions were recorded. Worst still, Informal conversations with a few hair salons operators seem to suggests that records management may be a problem among hair salons as some even see it as more a liability than asset. This suggests that hair salons in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district municipality might not be taking records management seriously. The question then is, how wide spread is this negative attitude towards records keeping in Dr Ruth Mompati local municipality? Or could this be the general sentiment in the hair salon industry as a whole? The purpose of this study was to assess the status of records management among hair salons in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality. The key finding of this study is that most hair salons in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district municipality do practice records management to a certain extent. However, there are certain records that hair salons in the area regard as of no importance and therefore are neglected. The study also revealed that those hair salons that engage in good records management outperform those that do not. The study further revealed that most of the salons keep paper records although they would prefer electronic format. Lack of access to computers was cited as the greatest problem in keeping electronic records. Details of the study including findings, conclusions and recommendations are presented and discussed in the main report.

Thesis (M. Tech. ( Business administration )) - Central University of technology, Free State, 2012 / Proliferation of the hair salon business in the Bophirima region has led to intense competition for customers and this can have unfortunate consequences for hair salon’s competitiveness hence survival and economic performance. The only choice left for hair salons in the words of owner/managers who were informally interviewed is to obtain accurate information on market trends and customer preferences so as to tailor products and services to meet customer preferences. From a strategic management perspective, it makes perfect sense that in the highly competitive arena that hair salons in the Bophirima find themselves, research on industry environment to obtain accurate information on market trends and customer preferences so as to tailor products and services that meet customer preferences is a must if they are to prosper. In other words, hair salons in the Bophirima region need to conduct marketing research if they must prosper. Conceptually, it is argued in this study that market research will reveal variables such as market demand, market opportunities, market threats, etc. which if scientifically analysed can produce information that can aid management in making informed decision that can lead to superior business performance. Unfortunately, there is the perception among the few hair salon operators informally interviewed in the Bophirima region that for small businesses such as hair salons, engaging in marketing research will be too expensive, cumbersome, and time consuming hence unnecessary. However, this perception may not be true as normative assertions and research evidence elsewhere suggests that for service organisations, regardless of size, marketing research leads to superior performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the status of marketing research within the hair salons in the Bophirima region and the impact that hair salon’s engagement in generally accepted (conventional) elements of marketing research activities have on the economic performance (as measured by profitability). Analysis of data obtained from 118 owner managers suggest that marketing research may not be something they engage in although they are very much aware of the business benefits of engaging in marketing research. The findings also suggest possible positive link between marketing research activity and profitability. Details of the research as well as conclusions and recommendations are presented and discussed in the report that follows.

The rhetoric of primary health care, health promotion and health service integration is ubiquitous in health policy development in post-apartheid South Africa. However the form in which oral health promotion elements have actually been incorporated into other areas of health care in South Africa and the extent to which they have been implemented, remains unclear. The central aim of this research was to critically analyse oral health promotion elements in health policies in South Africa and determine the extent to which they have been implemented. The study set out to test the hypothesis that oral health promotion is fully integrated into South African health policy and practice.

The rhetoric of primary health care, health promotion and health service integration is ubiquitous in health policy development in post-apartheid South Africa. However the form in which oral health promotion elements have actually been incorporated into other areas of health care in South Africa and the extent to which they have been implemented, remains unclear. The central aim of this research was to critically analyse oral health promotion elements in health policies in South Africa and determine the extent to which they have been implemented. The study set out to test the hypothesis that oral health promotion is fully integrated into South African health policy and practice.

MPH / Department of Public Health

MPH / Department of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

D. Litt et Phil. (Literature and Philosophy) / Eye health promotion is an important aspect of VISION 2020 campaign that aims to eliminate unwarranted cases of avoidable blindness worldwide by the year 2020. Most developing countries, including South Africa, have a serious burden of eye diseases and unwarranted causes of visual impairment and blindness. The purpose of this research therefore was to highlight the lack of an integrated eye health promotion policy in the South African primary health care system which can play a major role in the elimination of this burden of disease and also to make proposals for eye health promotion policy development in South Africa. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was used in this study. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted with all national and provincial health managers of portfolios relevant to eye care. Also, various health policy documents were requested from the National and Provincial Department of Health to ascertain claims of any existing guidelines on eye care. The policy documents and guidelines obtained had no specific reference to eye health promotion. Only 11 (23%) of the managers of provincial health directorates reported that they have integrated vision screening in their health promotion programmes as part of eye health promotion strategies. Eye care managers in the provinces reported that school visits accounted for 75% of eye health promotion programmes target areas. Also, apart from the Northern Cape Province which has no eye care manager and consequently no eye health promotion programmes, the Western Cape Province also does not have eye health promotion programmes and relies mostly on private sector for eye care services. The lack of an integrated eye health promotion policy and most probably the lack of a dedicated directorate that deals with eye health promotion issues may be a contributing factor to the overwhelming lack of integrated eye health promotion activities in South Africa. It is therefore recommended that an integrated eye health promotion model be developed and be part of the South African primary health care system. / Health Studies