Background: Previous investigations on the epidemiology of neck pain in South Africa were limited to the White and Black populations to the exclusion of Indians. Thus the purpose of this study was to create a profile of neck pain and provide an overview of risk factors with particular interest to the Indian population. Objectives: These included the investigation of neck pain prevalence, neck pain clinical characteristics and risk factors for neck pain in the Indian population in the greater Durban area. Method: The first criterion for sample selection the establishment of suburbs within the greater Durban area. Secondly the three most densely populated Indian suburbs were chosen and ranked according to income potential, to ensure a balanced sample. An equal number of residents in each suburb were targeted, with a minimum of 600 respondents. Statistical Program for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15.0 was used to analyse the data. Results: The demographics indicated that the respondents were predominantly matriculated (40.3%), married (57.9%), men (55.7%) of active (94%) Hindu or Christian religion (43%) with a mean age of 36.7 years and a BMI of 24.8 kg/m2. The prevalence of neck pain was 36.83%, with an annual incidence of 28.83%. Original neck pain lasted 8.56 years with a Numerical Rating Scale reading of 4.97. The seldom experienced pain was affected by lifting, sleeping and concentration. In contrast recent neck pain lasted 50.4 days with a Numerical Rating Scale reading of 4.02. The more frequently experienced pain was equally affected by sleeping and lifting. Common risk factors identified for neck pain generally were stress, cycling, favouring one side when carrying a heavy object and suffering from headaches, shoulder pain and / or back pain. The findings of this study supported previous studies, although there were some significant differences. These included males having had a higher prevalence (55.7%) than females (44.3%), as well as watching television being a preventative factor to neck pain. v Conclusions and Recommendations: Thus the prevalence and risk factors of neck pain in the Indian population were comparable to international norms. It was however noted that stratified gender sampling should perhaps have been utilised to strengthen this study and causality of factors in relation to neck pain could not be determined. Both these limitations allow for future research opportunities.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Technikon Natal, 1998. / In South Africa, very little is known about the general public's perception towards homoeopathy. As the homoeopathic profession is facing integration into the National Health System, it needs to determine its role as a health care profession thus raising the question: What need is there in South Africa for homoeopathic services? The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the perception towards homoeopathy of two communities in the Greater Durban Area, one White and one Indian, in order to determine possible needs for homeopathic services. / M

Apartheid helped create enclaves of safety and familiarity for some communities in South Africa, making those communities impermeable to outside influences, preserving class, culture, caste, religion and race into neat little packages. The demise of apartheid broke those enclaves, changing the landscape of those comfort zones and forcing them to reimagine a new sense of community. Clutching onto the remnants of this past, yet wanting liberation and economic change, these communities are fast learning that some things have got to give. Tongaat, a town constituted like most other South African Indian townships, is one that I grew up in. This research project is my personal journey in which I recount my own memories of the town’s culture, caste system and racial divides using the safety net of being an outsider yet having the privilege of being an insider. Through interviews I investigate if the residents of the town have taken possession of their new political freedoms since the end of apartheid from a class, culture, caste, race and economic perspective. I examine the policy interventions that were introduced in relation to land reform, housing, education and socio-economic empowerment to enable change on the social front. Have these interventions impacted on the lives of the towns inhabitants and what is the future of Tongaat? / XL2018