Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / There is also assumption, that physically disabled young people do not experience challenges in expressing their sexuality and accessing HIV/AIDS prevention services, to the same extent as other disability groups such as the blind and those with intellectual disabilities. Hence there was a need to explore disabled young people's own understanding of risk and the factors that hinder or support their participation in existing sexuality education and HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. It was also important for this group to suggest ways in which they may participate in such programmes.

The objective of this study was to examine the association between risky sexual behavior and contextual factors related to economic resources, woman’s empowerment, and health facility characteristics among young women in Zomba district, Malawi. Secondary analyses of the Schooling, Income, and Health Risk (SIHR) study were undertaken. Four outcomes related to risky sexual behavior were examined: if participants had ever had sex, consistent condom use, and two scores measuring risk related to partner history and age during sexual activity. Regression models with cluster-robust standard errors and multilevel regression models were used to estimate associations; analyses were stratified by school enrolment status at baseline of the SIHR study and utilized weights to account for SIHR sampling design. For participants in school at baseline, the percent of girls enrolled in school at the community level was associated with ever having sex and consistent condom use. Belief in the right to refuse sex was protective against ever having sex, lower household education was associated with higher odds of ever having sex, and near rural and far rural residence was associated with decreased odds of condom. For participants not in school at baseline, lower individual education was associated with riskier scores related to age and partner history and lower household education was associated with lower age during sexual activity. Private or non-governmental health facilities were associated with decreased odds of condom use and higher age during sexual activity. In both strata, increasing age and near rural residence (within 16 kilometers of urban center) increased odds of ever having sex; lower educational achievement was associated with lower age during sexual activity. A history of pregnancy was associated with lower odds of condom use and riskier partner history. Risky sexual behavior is multifaceted and complex. While various factors related to women’s empowerment played a role, the most consistent variables associated with risky sexual behavior were those related to education. Interventions and programs seeking to reduce risky sexual behavior among young women, thereby reducing their risk of HIV infection, should continue to focus on improving access to education at multiple levels.

Thesis (M. A. (English Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / This study aimed to explore contextual factors affecting first entering students' motivation to learn English at the University of Limpopo (UL). It has utilised a qualitative approach and also adopted an exploratory design to explore the contextual factors, which affect students' motivation to learn the English language. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data from a selected sample of respondents. Moreover, Thematic Content Analysis (TCA) was employed to analyse and thematise the collected data in line with the objectives of the study, which are aligned with the literature review in the study. The following themes were generated: students' motivations to learn the English language, the students' approaches to learning the English language, the role of context in relation to students' motivation to learn English, the lecture hall control and climate, the effect of lecture hall control and climate on students' motivation, and the lecturers' perceptions about motivation to learn. In addition, the study found that first entering students' motivation to learn the English language was influenced by contextual factors such as lecture hall setting, lecturers' teaching approaches as well as the perceptions of friends and classmates. Therefore, the study recommended that the UL Department of Languages, the lecturers, as well as the Academic Development Centre (ADC) should come up with possible strategies to suggest contextual factors that could motivate the UL first entering students to learn English. Key concepts: Motivation, contextual factors, English L2, first entering students, Self Determination Theory

Pregnant and parenting young women rarely access community-based smoking cessation interventions. Targeted cessation interventions have been laden with challenges and have produced suboptimal outcomes. There is a paucity of qualitative research specific to young women that explores the context of their tobacco use, as well as their attitudes towards and experiences with smoking cessation supports in pregnancy and postpartum. To bridge this gap, an interpretive descriptive design was used to explore the personal and contextual factors influencing young women’s smoking behaviour during and after pregnancy. Factors were identified by analyzing influences at the multiple levels of McLeroy’s social ecological model of health promotion. Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with young women aged 16-24 years (n=13) who smoked regularly preconception and were pregnant or parenting. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings highlighted the complexity and chronicity of issues young women faced and emphasized the interplay of social determinants that influenced their smoking. Smoking was a crutch that helped them to relieve psychological distress stemming from exposure to adverse or traumatic experiences; and persistent stress in the context of socioeconomic hardship, neighborhood disadvantage and limited social support. Smoking also was influenced by young women’s understanding of the harms related to smoking during pregnancy and their reconceptualization of risk for smoking-related consequences postpartum. Young women described having limited discussions regarding smoking with maternity care providers and found their passive approach to cessation counselling unhelpful. They desired more comprehensive cessation support from providers. They expressed interest in a tailored group cessation program and offered suggestions for improving cessation supports for young women in pregnancy and postpartum. Study findings bridge gaps in the literature and identify appropriate next steps in addressing the issue of smoking in pregnancy and postpartum amongst young women by suggesting a multi-level approach to cessation. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

This study was an investigation of Japanese high school teachers' (N=139) beliefs and practices regarding communicative language teaching (CLT). Four research questions were posited concerning the beliefs that Japanese high school teachers hold regarding CLT, how Japanese high school teachers use CLT in the classroom, how Japanese teachers' beliefs and practices differ between academic and vocational high schools, and how the beliefs of Japanese high school teachers, their classroom practices, their learning experience, pre- and in-service training, perceived teaching efficacy, and contextual factors relate to and influence each other regarding the use of CLT. In order to provide answers to these questions, a survey, classroom observations, and interviews were conducted. Before conducting the quantitative analyses, the questionnaire data were analyzed using the Rasch rating-scale model to confirm the validity and reliability of the questionnaire and to transform the raw scores into equal interval measures. Regarding the first and second research questions, the descriptive statistics showed that despite holding positive beliefs about CLT, the respondents to the survey did not frequently use communicative activities. With respect to the third research question, a MANOVA indicated that the types of schools (academic and vocational) did not significantly influence the survey respondents' beliefs and practices regarding CLT. Concerning the fourth research question, the Pearson correlation coefficients showed relatively strong correlations between (a) Classroom Practices and Student-related Communicative Conditions (r = .56) and (b) L2 Self-confidence and CLT Self-efficacy (r = .55). Also, the best fitting path model indicated that (a) Student-related Communicative Conditions impacted Classroom Practices, (b) Positive CLT Beliefs indirectly influenced Classroom Practices via CLT Self-efficacy, and (c) Exam-related Expectations affected most of the indicator variables and Classroom Practices. Related to this, qualitative results indicated that the respondents' learning experience, in-service training, and contextual factors influenced their beliefs and practices. / CITE/Language Arts

In order to research the limited English proficiency of First Year National Intermediate Certificate students at the Further Education and Training College of Ekurhuleni West, the researcher investigated various motivation variables, namely: * socio-psychological factors * learner factors * parental involvement and * contextual factors related to the influence of the school and classroom A review of literature and empirical research methods were used to this effect. The literature review revealed that instrumental and integrative motivation, self-determination and goal orientedness, parental support and school and classroom context factors contributed to the development of ESL proficiency. A motivation questionnaire and an English proficiency test were administered to the participants. The results indicated no significant relationship between the learner's level of ESL proficiency and motivation variables. These findings form the basis for recommending specific guidelines for possible directions for future research. / Linguistics / M.A. (Specialisation in Applied Linguistics)

In order to research the limited English proficiency of First Year National Intermediate Certificate students at the Further Education and Training College of Ekurhuleni West, the researcher investigated various motivation variables, namely: * socio-psychological factors * learner factors * parental involvement and * contextual factors related to the influence of the school and classroom A review of literature and empirical research methods were used to this effect. The literature review revealed that instrumental and integrative motivation, self-determination and goal orientedness, parental support and school and classroom context factors contributed to the development of ESL proficiency. A motivation questionnaire and an English proficiency test were administered to the participants. The results indicated no significant relationship between the learner's level of ESL proficiency and motivation variables. These findings form the basis for recommending specific guidelines for possible directions for future research. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Specialisation in Applied Linguistics)

Submitted by Anderson Silva (avargas@icict.fiocruz.br) on 2013-02-21T19:14:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Correções Finais versão 16-04-2012.pdf: 879569 bytes, checksum: b59ad634d25689986032558126cd6a9f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-02-21T19:14:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Correções Finais versão 16-04-2012.pdf: 879569 bytes, checksum: b59ad634d25689986032558126cd6a9f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / A hanseníase no Brasil ainda não foi controlada apesar da redução da detecção de casos e da taxa de prevalência. A distribuição geográfica ocorre de forma heterogênea e é influenciada por fatores contextuais. O risco elevado de adoecimento em contatos de pacientes com hanseníase pode ser atribuído a características genéticas, que vêm sendo exploradas através das relações de parentesco. Registros no banco de dados de 7174 contatos de pacientes com hanseníase atendidos no Ambulatório Souza Araújo - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro (1987-2010) foram analisados, a fim de investigar fatores domiciliares, individuais e contextuais associadas à hanseníase (incidência e prevalência). Regressões multivariadas, logística e de Poisson foram aplicadas, utilizando estimação robusta que leva em consideração o cluster de contactos relacionados ao caso índice. A significância foi de 5%. As variáveis dos contatos foram: o parentesco com o caso índice, a cor da pele, idade, sexo, escolaridade, presença de cicatriz de BCG e imunização com esta, tipo e tempo de convivência com o caso índice, tempo e município de residência. As variáveis do caso índice foram: diagnóstico clínico, índice baciloscópico (IB) e grau de incapacidade. Análises separadas foram realizadas considerando o município de residência. Quando excluindo o município de residência, a variável parentesco mostrou uma associação significativa com parentes próximos (irmãos e filhos) na prevalência. Nesta mesma análise, na incidência, diferentes riscos significativos foram encontrados para todas as categorias. Na análise de prevalência, que incluiu o município de residência, o parentesco foi associado apenas com parentes consangüíneos, já na análise da incidência houve diferentes riscos associados à hanseníase em todas as categorias de parentesco. IB > 1,0 foi associado com a doença em todas as análises realizadas, no entanto, IB > 3,0 aumentou a chance e o risco de adoecimento. A cor da pele foi associada com a hanseníase, exceto na análise de prevalência quando o município de residência foi considerado. A presença da cicatriz BCG, ao excluir o município de residência, mostrou um efeito protetor de 70% e 37% na prevalência e incidência, respectivamente. Na inclusão do município de residência uma redução da proteção é observada (55% na prevalência, e na incidência não ocorreu associação significativa). Escolaridade menor de 4 anos de duração foi associada com a doença em ambas as análises de prevalência. Tipo e tempo de convivência com o caso índice foram associados com a hanseníase só na análise de prevalência, quando o município de residência não foi considerado. A cidade de Magé foi associada com a doença na análise de prevalência e São João de Meriti na incidência. Nós concluímos que o município de residência pode influenciar o efeito de vários fatores para a hanseníase em contatos, tais como: os subgrupos de parentesco, a vacina BCG aplicada na infância, cor da pele, tipo e período de convivência com o caso índice. Outras variáveis exploradas, índice baciloscópico, baixa escolaridade, também foram associados ao adoecimento. Maiores estudos precisam ser realizados para uma avaliação mais detalhada da influência da genética em associação com o contexto ambiental do contato. / Leprosy in Brazil has not been controlled, despite the reduction of new cases detected and of prevalence rate. The geographical distribution occurs heterogeneously and is influenced by contextual factors. The higher risk of becoming ill present for contacts of leprosy patients can be attributed to genetic characteristics, which are being explored by kinship association. Records in the database of 7174 contacts of leprosy patients treated at Ambulatory Souza Araújo - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro (1987-2010) were analyzed, in order to investigate individual, household and contextual factors associated with leprosy (incidence and prevalence). Multivariate regression, logistic and Poisson models, were applied. Robust estimation was used, taking in consideration the cluster of contacts related to the index case. The significance was 5%. The contacts' variables were: kinship with index case, skin color, age, gender, education level, and presence of scar and BCG immunization, type and period of contact with the index case, length of permanence at city of residence. The index case's variables were: clinical diagnosis, bacteriological index (BI) and grade of disability. Separate analyses were performed taken in consideration the city of residence. When excluding city of residence from the analysis, kinship, showed a significant association with close blood relatives (siblings and children) in the prevalence. In this incidence analysis different significant risks were found for blood related categories. In the prevalence analysis, that included the city of residence, kinship was only associated with blood relatives. On the other hand, in the incidence analysis there were different risks associated with leprosy in all categories of kinship. BI > 1.0 was associated with illness in all of the analysis performed; however, BI > 3.0 increased the chance and the risk of illness. The skin color was associated with leprosy, except in the prevalence analysis when the city of residence was considered. The BCG scar, when excluding the city of residence from the analysis, showed a protective effect for leprosy of 70% and 37% in the prevalence and incidence, respectively. When including the city of residence a reduction of the protection is observed (55% of in the prevalence and none in the incidence analysis). Schooling less than 4 years duration was associated with illness in both prevalence analyses. Type and period of contact with the index case were associated with leprosy only in the prevalence analysis when the city of residence was not considered. The city of Magé was associated with illness in the prevalence analysis and São João de Meriti in the incidence. We conclude that the city of residence may influence the effect of several factors in the presence of leprosy in contacts, such as: subgroups of kinship, BCG vaccine applied in childhood, skin color, type and period of contact with the index case. Other variables explored, bacterial index, low formal schooling, were also found to be associated with illness. Further studies need to be performed for a more detailed evaluation of the influence of genetics in association with the environmental context of the contact.

No description available.

In recent decades, numerous prominent scholars have highlighted the fact that small and medium sized firms in general, and new technology-based firms in particular, represent an important source of innovation and economic growth. The success of new technology-based firms is further argued to be closely linked to innovation capacity and performance, which in turn depends on the context in which the company is located. This study investigates how contextual factors affect the performance of new technology-based firms in Sweden. This was done through a multiple case study, where a data set of 48 new technology-based firms were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative analysis outlined correlations between the firms’ context and their respective change in market value over time. The qualitative analysis examined these correlations in more detail by evaluating how firms were affected by specific contextual factors. This analysis was based on semi-structured interviews conducted with a sample of 11 firms from the data set. The result indicates that firms located in metropolitan cities and university cities, on average, have a higher proportion of high-performing firms compared to firms from other cities. Stockholm further stands out with the highest proportion of firms among the top performing firms and the lowest proportion of firms among the bottom performing firms. The result further highlights three main contextual factors that were consistently emphasised by interviewees as being particularly important for their firm performance; these factors were local access to 1) skilled and specialisedworkforce followed by 2) risk capital and finally 3) customer proximity. / Under de senaste decennierna har många framstående forskare konstaterat att små och medelstoraföretag i allmänhet, och nya teknikbaserade företag i synnerhet, utgör en viktig källa till innovation och ekonomisk tillväxt. Nya teknikbaserade företags framgång anses vidare vara nära sammankopplat med deras innovationskapacitet och prestation, som i sin tur har visat sig bero på den kontext som företaget befinner sig i. Denna studie undersöker hur kontextuella faktorer påverkar företagsprestationen för nya teknologibaserade företag i Sverige. Detta gjordes genom en flerfallstudie, där en datamängd på 48 nya teknikbaserade företag analyserades både kvantitativt och kvalitativt. Den kvantitativa analysen undersökte samband mellan vilken kontext företagen befunnit sig i och hur deras respektive marknadsvärde förändrats över tid. Den kvalitativa analysen utforskade sedan dessa samband mer ingående genom att utvärdera hur företagen påverkats avspecifika kontextuella faktorer. Denna analys grundades på semi-strukturerade intervjuer med elva företag från datamängden. Resultatet indikerar att företag belägna i storstäder och universitetsstäder i genomsnitt har en högre andel högpresterande företag jämfört med företag från andra stadstyper. Stockholm utmärker sig vidare med den högsta andelen företag bland de bäst presterande företagen i datasetet, och den lägsta andelen företag bland de sämst presterande företagen. Resultatet belyser vidare tre huvudsakliga kontextuella faktorer som konsekvent betonades vara bland de viktigaste för företagets prestation; dessa faktorer motsvarade lokaltillgång till 1) skicklig och specialiserad arbetskraft följt av 2) riskkapital och slutligen 3) kundnärhet.