<p> <p>&nbsp / </p> </p> <p align="left">The current study aimed to describe the paradox of risk through an exploration of the experiences and perceptions of sexuality and HIV/AIDS among physically disabled young people in Nyanga, South Africa. This is against the background that AIDS has become a national and global crisis, which requires all people to participate in efforts to contain the pandemic. Yet literature indicates that young people with disabilities are not participating in such efforts. There is also an 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&rsquo / 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.</p>

<p> <p>&nbsp / </p> </p> <p align="left">The current study aimed to describe the paradox of risk through an exploration of the experiences and perceptions of sexuality and HIV/AIDS among physically disabled young people in Nyanga, South Africa. This is against the background that AIDS has become a national and global crisis, which requires all people to participate in efforts to contain the pandemic. Yet literature indicates that young people with disabilities are not participating in such efforts. There is also an 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&rsquo / 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.</p>

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The current study aimed to describe the paradox of risk through an exploration of the experiences and perceptions of sexuality and HIV/AIDS among physically disabled young people in Nyanga, South Africa. This is against the background that AIDS has become a national and global crisis, which requires all people to participate in efforts to contain the pandemic. Yet literature indicates that young people with disabilities are not participating in such efforts. There is also an 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. A qualitative case study design was chosen as the appropriate means for achieving the aim of the current study. This design allowed me to study disabled young people without separating them from their context. In this way, a comprehensive understanding of this group was realised. Multiple methods of data collection from multiple data sources were employed, a feature that helped to discuss the ‘case of disabled young people’ in-depth and breadth. Policy and programme documents and relevant literature were reviewed for relevant information on sexuality education and HIV/AIDS prevention services for disabled young people. Fifteen disabled young people between the ages of 15 and 24 participated in individual in-depth interviews and in focus group discussions. Pertinent issues that arose from individual interviews were discussed with 15 parents, 15 senior citizens, five sangomas and five counsellors in focus group discussions of 4-10 members each. Similar issues from focus group discussions were taken up with eight key informants in more individual in-depth interviews for confirmation and clarity. Textual and contextual features of the Atlas.ti computer programme for analysing qualitative data were used to organize and analyse data. The textual features were used to code data and write memos, while the contextual features were used to link the codes and to form networks from which categories and themes were generated. Themes and sub themes were used to answer the research questions and meet the objectives of the study. The study has revealed a complex interplay of contextual and individual factors that combine to create situations of risk for disabled young people. These factors affect disabled young people’s experiences of growing up and participation in existing sexuality education and HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. Contextual factors include cultural beliefs and poverty, while individual factors include sexual behaviour and attitude towards HIV risk. I found that disabled young people have limited access to education and other social amenities, which in turn affect their experiences of life in general and sexuality and HIV/AIDS. The study has revealed that the paradox of risk lies in the contradictory scripts and attitude towards the pandemic at contextual and individual levels. The belief that disabled young people are asexual is common in Nyanga, yet society targets this group for sexual exploitation and rape. In the face of an epidemic that has crippled the fabric of society, and in spite of the widespread availability of HIV/AIDS awareness programmes, most disabled young people still do not have accurate factual knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Yet accurate information is one of the prerequisites for making informed decisions about HIV/AIDS prevention. Furthermore, gender differences make the experiences described above more serious for disabled young women who suffer discrimination and sexual abuse even from fellow disabled young men. Although most disabled young people indicated that they are aware of the gravity of the pandemic and that they personally feel threatened, they are not taking preventive measures against contracting the infection; they have adopted a fatalistic response to risk. Participants argue that in the same way they are not able to protect themselves from going hungry, or living in shacks, they also cannot prevent getting infected with HIV, which they equate to any accident over which they have no control. Disabled young people expressed the need to participate in mainstream education systems, sexuality education and HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. They also pointed out that there will always be disabled young people who require separate programmes because of special disability circumstances such as inability to travel to clinics/centres. In order to meet disabled young people’s expressed wishes, I have recommended in this thesis, a community-based sexuality education and HIV/AIDS prevention programme that focuses on the whole community instead of individuals only so as to deal with contextual and individual factors of risk. Such a programme encourages dialogue and participation as opposed to the information giving approaches from experts. A guideline that existing HIV/AIDS intervention programmes can use to include disabled young people’s special circumstances, has been presented. / South Africa

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 scourge of HIV and AIDS can no longer be underestimated. Its devastating effects have been translated into immeasurable monetary and human costs. Women and children, particularly among the rural communities, have borne most of the brunt accruing from the devastating socio-economic consequences of the disease. PURPOSE This study is intended to highlight the plight of rural communities who are constantly besieged by the demand and supply disequilibrium in the provision of primary health care and preventive interventions. OBJECTIVES To describe, compare and analyse HIV / AIDS health care services provided by fixed and mobile clinics in the Madibeng Sub-District of the North West Province. POPULATION The sampled participants were selected from a universal population among pregnant women. SAMPLING A sample of 100 pregnant women from the fixed and mobile clinics participated in answering the questionnaires during their antenatal care visits. RESEARCH SETTING The Madibeng Sub-District in the North West Province been selected as a suitable research site, as it met most of the selection criteria developed by the researcher's judgement sampling. RESEARCH DESIGN The data recorded on the questionnaires by the participants was used to compare and analyse the pregnant women's feelings about HIV / AIDS services of fixed and mobile clinics. Group discussions were also held prior self completion of questionnaires. Questionnaires were administered by the researcher and the two health promoters. FINDINGS It was found that participants in both mobile and fixed clinic have attended HIV / AIDS health care services. Fixed clinic and mobile clinic are respectively viewed as offering better health care services to pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS The research results from this study indicate that HIV / AIDS services provided at both the fixed clinic and mobile service points, including antenatal or prenatal care, are almost similar. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended for improving HIV / AIDS health care services that health care providers at Jericho mobile clinic and Jericho fixed clinic intervene by slowing the progression of HIV infection because it has a negative impact on the lives of women. The Jericho clinic and mobile clinic staff should be encouraged to adopt the perspective that HIV / AIDS is not a death sentence, but a preventable disease, not withstanding its deadly consequences on families and communities. The staff at these clinics is also to be motivated to adopt co-operative health care and psycho-social strategies, in which team work and the involvement and participation of all relevant stakeholders is viewed as an integral part of the struggle against HIV / AIDS and its devastating spread. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The scourge of HIV and AIDS can no longer be underestimated. Its devastating effects have been translated into immeasurable monetary and human costs. Women and children, particularly among the rural communities, have borne most of the brunt accruing from the devastating socio-economic consequences of the disease. PURPOSE This study is intended to highlight the plight of rural communities who are constantly besieged by the demand and supply disequilibrium in the provision of primary health care and preventive interventions. OBJECTIVES To describe, compare and analyse HIV / AIDS health care services provided by fixed and mobile clinics in the Madibeng Sub-District of the North West Province. POPULATION The sampled participants were selected from a universal population among pregnant women. SAMPLING A sample of 100 pregnant women from the fixed and mobile clinics participated in answering the questionnaires during their antenatal care visits. RESEARCH SETTING The Madibeng Sub-District in the North West Province been selected as a suitable research site, as it met most of the selection criteria developed by the researcher's judgement sampling. RESEARCH DESIGN The data recorded on the questionnaires by the participants was used to compare and analyse the pregnant women's feelings about HIV / AIDS services of fixed and mobile clinics. Group discussions were also held prior self completion of questionnaires. Questionnaires were administered by the researcher and the two health promoters. FINDINGS It was found that participants in both mobile and fixed clinic have attended HIV / AIDS health care services. Fixed clinic and mobile clinic are respectively viewed as offering better health care services to pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS The research results from this study indicate that HIV / AIDS services provided at both the fixed clinic and mobile service points, including antenatal or prenatal care, are almost similar. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended for improving HIV / AIDS health care services that health care providers at Jericho mobile clinic and Jericho fixed clinic intervene by slowing the progression of HIV infection because it has a negative impact on the lives of women. The Jericho clinic and mobile clinic staff should be encouraged to adopt the perspective that HIV / AIDS is not a death sentence, but a preventable disease, not withstanding its deadly consequences on families and communities. The staff at these clinics is also to be motivated to adopt co-operative health care and psycho-social strategies, in which team work and the involvement and participation of all relevant stakeholders is viewed as an integral part of the struggle against HIV / AIDS and its devastating spread. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Title on printed copy differs slightly from ETD. Title on printed copy: A critical analysis of HIV/AIDS policy development and implementation at selected Ugandan universities / The main objectives of the study were to analyse the process involved in HIV/AIDS policy development and implementation at two selected universities in Uganda. The rationale for the study was to describe the policy development process and to identify how such institutional policies can be planned, operationalised, monitored and evaluated. The study used a qualitative approach which involved key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The selected institutions were Makerere University Kampala (MUK)and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). The findings show that MUST have a comprehensive HIV/AIDS Institutional Policy (HIP) which followed several stages during policy development. The basic stages identified were policy formulation, policy adoption, policy implementation and policy evaluation. The findings also show that MUST have a comprehensive implementation plan. In contrast, MUK had no record of the HIV/AIDS institutional policy development process. However, MUK had implemented the policy successfully through the University Hospital and Gender Mainstreaming Division. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

Title on printed copy differs slightly from ETD. Title on printed copy: A critical analysis of HIV/AIDS policy development and implementation at selected Ugandan universities / The main objectives of the study were to analyse the process involved in HIV/AIDS policy development and implementation at two selected universities in Uganda. The rationale for the study was to describe the policy development process and to identify how such institutional policies can be planned, operationalised, monitored and evaluated. The study used a qualitative approach which involved key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The selected institutions were Makerere University Kampala (MUK)and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). The findings show that MUST have a comprehensive HIV/AIDS Institutional Policy (HIP) which followed several stages during policy development. The basic stages identified were policy formulation, policy adoption, policy implementation and policy evaluation. The findings also show that MUST have a comprehensive implementation plan. In contrast, MUK had no record of the HIV/AIDS institutional policy development process. However, MUK had implemented the policy successfully through the University Hospital and Gender Mainstreaming Division. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

PhD (Health) / Department of Public Health / The Government of South Africa in response to a prevalent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has adopted an approach of integrating HIV/AIDS service into primary health care, as a key to achieving universal access to antiretroviral treatment (ART). Despite the government’s efforts of integrating HIV service into Primary Health Care (PHC), insufficient numbers of PHC staff and inadequate infrastructure is challenging when integrating HIV/AIDS service into PHC. This study explored the extent of HIV service integration into PHC and whether the clinic/health centre’s environment is enabling to integrate HIV service into PHC. Barriers to HIV/AIDS services integration as well as attitudes of PHC nurses were assessed. The overall purpose of this study was to develop guidelines to facilitate the integration of HIV/AIDS services into PHC in Vhembe district of Limpopo province, South Africa. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was used. The qualitative data was collected and analysed before and results for qualitative approach used to build a subsequent quantitative phase. The current study revealed that HIV/AIDS services are integrated into every existing programme at the PHC clinic and health centres; these include: Immunisation programme, Family planning, PMTCT and ANC programmes, STIs, minor ailments and chronic illness and TB. The study further revealed that the environments at PHC clinics and health centres are not enabling the integration of HIV/AIDS services into PHC due to insufficient staff and inadequate infrastructure. Guidelines to facilitate the integration of HIV/AIDS services based on the findings was developed. The study recommendations comprise; increasing knowledge of HIV serostatus, accelerating HIV prevention, accelerating the scale-up of HIV treatment and care, creating of enabling environment for the integration of HIV/AIDS services into PHC, nursing education and training and nursing education and training.