M.Tech. (Homoeopathy) / Upper Respiratory tract viral infections (URTIs), such as influenza and the common cold, are a group of common infections in the human population. They have a seemingly mild nature, but studies have found them to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide (Wat, 2004). In the western world, the majority of pre-school childrenconsult a doctor for a respiratory infection at least once a year. Conventional medical treatment options are said to be limited, and antibiotics are often unnecessarily prescribed.The frequency of antibiotic prescriptions has caused a resistance of pathogenic bacteria against these antibiotics, and this in turn, has become a major threat to treatment (Schönbeck et al., 2005). A traditional South African herb, Pelargonium sidoides (P. sidoides), has been shown to have antibacterial, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties in many investigations (Brendler, 2009). No studies have been done to date assessing the efficacy of P. sidoides as a prophylactic for influenza and the common cold in children. This study aimed at establishing the efficacy of Linctagon® Syrup in the prevention of colds and influenza in pre-school children. The study was a double- blind, placebo–controlled study whereby thirty healthy children aged four to six years old were placed into two groups using matched pairs according to gender. Fifteen participants were allocated to the experimental group whereby the Linctagon® Syrup was taken for the duration of the study. The other fifteen participants were allocated in the placebo group for the duration of the study and given a placebo syrup. Parents / guardians were requested to read the Participant Information Leaflet (Appendix B), and sign the Participant Details and Consent Form (Appendix C,) and the participants were requested to sign the Participation of Minor Assent Form (Appendix D). On day 0, the parents / guardians signed the forms and the initial visit took place. The researcher conducted an ear, nose, throat and respiratory examination on each participant and vital signs were measured. The medication was randomised by an independent person at Nativa Laboratories. Each participant received two 150ml bottles of either the Linctagon® syrup or placebo syrup, and parents / guardians were advised on how to administer the medication (Appendix E), by the researcher. The participants were required to take 2.5ml twice daily for a period of sixty days. A Weekly Progress Questionnaire (Appendix F) was handed to the parents / guardians of each child, and they were requested to fill them in over an eight week period. This questionnaire assessed the wellness of the child for the duration of the study and involved a 4-point rating system to assess the severity of symptoms for both influenza and the common cold. Weekly telephone calls were made to the participants’ parents / guardians to follow up on progress. A final visitation occurred on day 60, and included the collection of the questionnaires. The parents / guardians were requested to fill in a score card at the end of the study, rating the effectiveness of Linctagon® Syrup in the prevention of colds and influenza in their child (Appendix G). The data was statistically analysed by Statkon at the University of Johannesburg by means of non-parametric tests, namely: descriptive data, Cochran’s test, Chi-square test, cross tabulation, Mann-Whitney U test and the Friedman test. The research study determined that Linctagon® Syrup did not have a statistically significant effect in the prevention of influenza and the common cold in children, in support of the null hypothesis. Linctagon® Syrup also had no effect on reducing the incidence, frequency or duration of symptoms in those children who became ill, however this may be due to the relativity low dosage prescribed. Further large scale studies are recommended to validate these results.The score card (subjective rating on the efficacy of the syrup) showed a statistically significant result between the two groups, in favour of the treatment group.

M.A. / The HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa continues to grow at a rapid rate, and it is estimated that a total of 4.2 million people are infected with the virus. HIV/AIDS has been described as the biggest threat to the continents development, with severe economic, social and human impact. In South Africa, young people are considered a particularly vulnerable group, especially young women between the ages of 15 to 29 years, due to various predisposing biological, psychosocial and economical factors. Despite the numerous efforts that have been made at education and prevention, people’s behaviour has been slow to change, and the disease continues to spread at an alarming rate. It has been reported that between 1998 -1999, there was a 65% increase in the prevalence of HIV in 14-24 year olds. It has further been estimated that 50% of our population could die of AIDS in the next 5 years. This study was undertaken to research the cultural context of HIV/AIDS in South Africa, as the gap between knowledge about HIV/AIDS and behaviour change, with particular focus on our young African females. The study was based on present literature, research and media, which provided for an exploration of the cultural context of HIV/AIDS and how it applies to behaviour change. The respondents of the study were female pupils in Grade 11 at two African high schools, namely Northview and Soweto. An exploratory study was conducted, in which 234 pupils responded to the questionnaire sent out by the researcher. The primary limitation being the scope of the study, as it was limited to only two schools and one particular grade. However, due to the population size, the sample can be representative of the broader population of urban black female adolescents. The results showed that the respondents have knowledge about HIV/AIDS, however, numerous cultural contextual factors have impinged and shaped their risk-reduction behavior. The results therefore support the hypothesis that the cultural context is a key to understanding the gap between knowledge and behaviour change. HIV/AIDS prevention, education and recommendations were discussed according to results from the study. / Prof. C. Fouche

Ph.D. (Employment Relations) / Extensive research has been conducted within the field of HIV/AIDS, most of which has been epidemiological, as scientists work towards finding a cure. In the interim, social scientists continue to investigate ways to address social and behavioural aspects that encourage the spread of HIV/AIDS. Employment Relation practitioners are no different as they are sensitive to the impact of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Programmes and policies are measures that have been established by Employment Relation and Human Resource practitioners in order to reduce the influence of the disease on the workforce. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) face similar challenges. Therefore, Higher Education HIV/AIDS Programmes (HEAIDS), together with the South African government, have developed a framework to guide HEIs in developing HIV/AIDS programmes and policies that are institution specific. Various HEIs within South Africa have developed their unique programmes based on the HEAIDS framework. However, none of these institutions at the time of commencement of this study have evaluated the effectiveness of their individual HIV/AIDS programmes. The main objective of this study was to evaluate an HIV/AIDS prevention programme at a South African university. The study investigated the university’s HIV/AIDS programme by comparing the programme against the HEAIDS framework. In order to ascertain programme effectiveness, stakeholders for whom the programme was designed were questioned on their experiences and perceptions of the university HIV/AIDS programme. Participants were asked to participate in a survey and were also interviewed. The study adopted a mixed method approach, which used a dominant explanatory sequential approach. The quantitative phase of the study was conducted with a sample size of 739 respondents. The survey included four sections: Section A included demographic-related questions; Section B included questions on programme awareness; Section C comprised of questions relating to health management; and Section D focused on HIV/AIDS programme content. The qualitative phase of the study was conducted with a sample of 14 participants...

M.A. / This dissertation will focus on the notions of masculinity in Northern KwaZulu-Natal and the impact of that on the effectiveness of HIV/Aids prevention strategies employed by the South African government. It first examines gender and gender roles in society and then questions what it means to be a man and describes the concept masculinity as a socially constructed aspect of patriarchy with reference to a particular area of South Africa today. Masculinity is extended to the relations (both sexual and social) that men have with women as well as with other men. Notions of masculinity make men vulnerable because they lead to risk-taking behaviour that may result in HIV infection. I was drawn to this field after realising that most HIV/Aids prevention programmes do not take notions of masculinity into account. This specific geographical area was chosen for its proximity as well as the very high levels of HIV prevalence. During my research I realised that the realities of manhood and masculinity in the South African context are not addressed in the HIV/Aids prevention strategies of the South African government. This gap created by the absence of gender sensitivity with regards to men enhances the vulnerability of men and women in South Africa to be infected with HIV. My research in Northern KwaZulu-Natal included semi-structured interviews with five respondents, a focus group, questionnaires as well as in-depth literature study. / Ms. C. van Rooyen

This research project looks at the perceptions of an Employees Wellness Programme (EWP), at Nissan South Africa (NSA) as expressed by lowest strata employees. In this study lowest strata employees are black males who receive, bin, pick or dispatch parts at the Parts or Accessories (P&A) warehouse. The literature reviewed suggests that a good EWP should offer the following: HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, condom usage and distribution, Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) and free HIV/AIDS treatment. This qualitative case study shows that lowest strata employees perceive the NSA’s EWP to be an effective programme. This is supported by findings that show the respondents are aware of HIV transmission and prevention measures. However, there is room for improvement in the areas of VCT and HIV/AIDS treatment. The challenge for the workplace is implementation of an EWP because participation in the programme is voluntary. This qualitative case study offers recommendations, which might assist NSA’s EWP to more effectively address the HIV/AIDS-related needs of lowest strata employees. These recommendations are as follows: the VCT programme and education on antiretroviral drugs should be conducted at shorter intervals, partnerships should be formed with local traditional healers and non-profit organisations that are working on HIV/AIDS projects. Also, since this study has focused on one strata of employees, further research is suggested on skilled workers, who in NSA, are mostly white males. Lastly, similar studies could be conducted in workplaces across the motor industry and the manufacturing sector at large. / Professor Anton Senekal Mrs Bronwyn Dworzanowski

M.Cur. / HIV and AIDS education as a prevention strategy is priority number one in the National Strategic Plan for South Africa. Prevention of illnesses is also an integral part of primary health care (Department of Health, 2007: 10). There are different role players offering age-appropriate HIV and AIDS education to primary school learners, such as educators (within the Life Orientation programme), school health nurses (as part of health promotion) and non-governmental organisation (NGO) peer educators who visit schools per invitation or as part of their programme. Knowledge of collaboration amongst different role payers is necessary in order to pool the complementary strengths and maximise the positive impact of education on adolescents’ sexual behaviour. The design used in this research is quantitative and descriptive in nature. The respondents were clustered according to categories, namely school health nurses, primary school educators and NGO peer educators. As school health nurses (n=8) and peer educators (n=15) constituted a small population, they were all included in the study. Systematic random sampling was used to select respondents from the population of educators (N=75: n=42). A developed questionnaire was distributed to the consenting respondents who met the inclusion criteria. A checklist was also developed to review policies and guidelines used as a framework for providing HIV and AIDS education to learners by role players. A pilot study was conducted. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS14.0) for Windows was used to analyse the data.

M.Cur. / The HIV/AIDS pandemic is posing major challenges to all sectors in South Africa, including the Health sector of the City of Johannesburg. The Health sector of the City of Johannesburg, as a result of the pandemic, is faced with increasing demands on its scarce resources at a time of major reform at local government level including transformation of the health sector. The inhabitants of the City of Johannesburg are particularly vulnerable to high levels of HIV/AIDS infection because of job prospects in the city, a good transport infrastructure, high levels of mobility of the community, the existence of single sex-hostels, marginalised communities living in informal settlements, poverty income inequality. An increase in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is inevitable, unless a concerted effort is established to curtail the spread of the disease. An impact analysis conducted, revealed that already in the year 2000 an estimated 168 921 HIV infected persons were living in the city (City of Johannesburg, 2001 :21). In high-risk groups, such as attenders to services for the treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STls), prevalence rates as high as 53% among females, and 35.8% among male persons were recorded (SAIMR, 2000:1). The City of Johannesburg, a local government structure, has not formally adopted a strategic plan to address the pandemic. The national and proVincial governments have responded to the pandemic and their 3-5 year strategic plans are known and pUblished. In spite of the absence of an official strategic plan to address the pandemic in the City of Johannesburg, the political will and strategic intentions to address the pandemic have been declared by management. Although all sectors of the City are affected, it is generally assumed that the Health sector would assume the leading role in addressing the pandemic. The objective of this study has thus been to explore and describe a strategy for the management of HIV/AIDS by the Health sector of the City of Johannesburg. The question presented for research was formulated as follows: " What strategy should be adopted by the Health sector of the City of Johannesburg to manage the HIV/AIDS pandemic in future?" An exploratory, descriptive and quantitative research design was utilised. The strategy for the management of HIV/AIDS was formulated according to the UNAIDS "Guide to the strategic planning process for a national response to HIV/AIDS" (1998), and the content validity was determined according to Lynn (1986) "Determination and quantification of Content Validity".

There is an escalation of HIV and AIDS among the youth in South Africa and other developing countries. Research on HIV and AIDS risk factors has tended to focus more on poverty, gender, race, illiteracy, and violence than personality factors that could influence an individual` s health-protective behaviour. Previous studies have also shown that wealth, education, race, and gender may not make an individual more or less vulnerable to HIV infection. This study argued that locus of control could influence an individual` s health-protective behaviour and that external locus of control could be a risk factor in HIV and AIDS risk reduction. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a locus of control-based training programme in reducing HIV and AIDS risk among university students. The locus of control-based variables that formed the training programme for HIV and AIDS risk reduction among university students were: social systems control, self-control, fatalism, achievement-oriented behaviour, deferment of gratification, personal values and expectancies, and social alienation. These locus of control-based variables were regarded as contexts in which individuals could exhibit health risk behaviours. A sample of 257 first-year university students participated in the study. There were (N = 170) female participants and (N = 87) male participants drawn from the University of the Witwatersrand. The study was a pretest-posttest repeated measures design. Data were analysed using t tests, correlations, multiple regression, structural equation modelling, and repeated measures tests. The results of this study showed significant differences in health risks between participants with an external locus of control and participants with an internal locus of control. There was a significant relationship between locus of control-based variables and HIV and AIDS risk. The locus of control-based training programme significantly modified personality and significantly reduced locus of control-based health risks and HIV and AIDS risk. Directions for future research on locus of control, health risks, and HIV and AIDS risk could focus on the development and implementation of various locus of control-based training programmes in South Africa. Locus of control should be targeted as a health risk factor in HIV and AIDS risk reduction training programmes.

This study identifies differing interests which have impacted how Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention programmes in Vancouver have evolved. Drawing largely upon the writings of Michel Foucault with respect to power, knowledge and sexuality, discursive trends in materials are identified, categorized and compared to consider how pertinent subjugated knowledges have developed. The interplay between knowledge-regimes (the benedicted) and subjugated knowledges (the interdicted) are explicated through textual analyses of the materials collected. The findings suggest that knowledges cultivated within the male homosexual communities of Vancouver ensured the implementation of prevention programmes contextually relevant to their own milieu. These strategies were also integrated into broader prevention initiatives designed for society in-general, once their efficacy was apparent. Implications for community education and public health education are discussed, and areas for future research are identified. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

Orientador: Paulo José Fortes Villas Boas / Resumo: Introdução: A população mundial de idosos vem crescendo mais rapidamente do que todos os outros grupos etários, demandando condições específicas para os seus cuidados, com recomendações bem estabelecidas. Recomendações de qualidade são essenciais para nortear o profissional de saúde, por isso, a United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) atua desde 1984 produzindo recomendações de qualidade científica para rastreio de doenças, com base no sistema GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) de força de recomendação. No Brasil, o Ministério da Saúde tem publicado PCDTs (Protocolos Clínicos e Diretrizes Terapêuticas) sobre algumas condições clínicas, e as Sociedades Médicas produzem diretrizes sobre doenças específicas, mas ainda não há manuais organizados de recomendações clínicas. Recomendações com diretrizes clínicas de confiança devem ser a base para melhorar a qualidade e a segurança dos serviços de saúde. Objetivos: Revisão das recomendações da United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) destinadas ao rastreio das condições clínicas prevalentes da população idosa e comparação com recomendações desenvolvidas as Sociedades Científicas Brasileiras reconhecidas pela Associação Médica Brasileira, para produção de manual de rastreio clínico em idosos assintomáticos. Metodologia: Estudo descritivo, tendo como base principal as recomendações da USPSTF e consensos publicados pelas Sociedades Científicas Brasileiras e de órgãos gove... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Introduction: World elderly population is growing faster than any other age group, requiring specific care conditions. Recommendations of good quality are essential for health professionals in clinical practice, and the use of science-based references is the main goal. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) works since 1984 producing evidence-based recommendations for disease screening, based on GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) system to evaluate the strength of evidence. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health has been publishing the Clinical Protocols and Therapeutic Guidelines (PCDT, in Portuguese) about some clinical conditions, and Medical Associations has been working on some guidelines about specific diseases, but the country still lacks organized clinical recommendations. Good quality, evidence-based recommendations must be the base to improve the quality and safety of health systems. Objectives: USPSTF clinical recommendations review of elderly prevalent diseases and comparison with Brazillian recommendations produced by national entities, with the purpose of elaborating a screening manual for asymptomatic elderly. Methodology: The research was a review of USPSTF recommendations and guidelines published by Brazilian Medical Associations and governmental entities. The USPSTF recommendations are classified according to the GRADE system, and the grades are: A. certainty of substantial benefit; B. certainty of benefi... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre