The study sought to analyse the perception of HIV/AIDs by clients attending a community clinic in Mutale area in Limpopo province by interviewing them as they are attending the clinic. The study sought to determine ideas, beliefs or images clients have as a result of how they see or understand HIV/AIDS. The major inferences drawn from this study are that clients still need information on the rights of HIV/AIDS client and the immune system. Feedback from the study is indicative of culture and beliefs playing a major role in diseases epidemic. / Health Studies / MA (HEALTH STUDIES)

The study sought to analyse the perception of HIV/AIDs by clients attending a community clinic in Mutale area in Limpopo province by interviewing them as they are attending the clinic. The study sought to determine ideas, beliefs or images clients have as a result of how they see or understand HIV/AIDS. The major inferences drawn from this study are that clients still need information on the rights of HIV/AIDS client and the immune system. Feedback from the study is indicative of culture and beliefs playing a major role in diseases epidemic. / Health Studies / MA (HEALTH STUDIES)

Department of Advanced Nursing Science / MCur

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Background: Termination of pregnancy among young women is a public health issue, particularly in South Africa where high prevalence of pregnany terminations has lately been reported. It is estimated that 260000 terminations of pregnancy take place in South Africa every year. Studies in South Africa have reported that risk factors associated with termination of pregnancy such as financial problems, being poorly educated, being young, unemployed, dependent on parents, widowed or single and other relationship problems were most common. Approximately 1200 pregnancies were terminated in the District Hospital of Limpopo Province between 2017 and 2018. There is also an increased rate of unintended pregnancy among HIV positive women which suggest that women with HIV may be more likely to terminate pregnancy but chooses not to terminate due to fear of being judged. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with termination of pregnancy at a District Hospital in Limpopo Province. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive retrospective review study in which convenience sampling of the records of women who terminated pregnancies was used in this study. A self-constructed data extraction tool was used to extract the data from patients records. The tool covered variables such as the age of the women, educational status, marital status, year and month of termination of pregnancy, gestational age, parity, and gravidity, HIV status and circumstances leading to termination of pregnancy. Data analysis was done using the STATA statistical software version 12 for Windows (STATA Corporation, College Station, Texas). The independent t-test was used for variables having two categories as it assesses whether the difference between means of two groups are statistically significant. This test was performed at the 95% confidence level. The p-value of less than 0.05 in the study results was used for statistical significant difference in means between the categories which were investigated. vi Results: The mean age was 27.9 years (standard error [Std. Err.] =0.37) and majority of women who terminated pregnancies were in the age group 20 – 24 years, single and had a secondary educational level. There was a statistical significance difference between age groups and the gestational age, parity and gravidity at p=0.004 and p<0.001 respectively. The proportion of women who were at gestational age of 1 to 8 weeks decreased with increasing maternal age from 22.4% in age ≤20 years to 13% in age group 30 – 34 years. There was again a statistical significance difference (p<0.001) in relation to number of pregnancies that have each resulted in the birth of an infant capable of survival (parity) and similarly to gravida. The prevalence of HIV amongst women who terminated pregnancy in the current study was found to be 21.3% and the risk of women who terminated pregnancies being HIV positive increased significantly with age as older women (age 20 years and above) were 6.5 times more likely to be HIV positive as compared to younger ones (p<001). Low educational level, gestational age of more than 13 weeks and parity of 1 – 2 were significantly associated with termination of pregnancy. The association of gravida of women who terminated pregnancies and HIV revealed that women who were in their second or third pregnancies (gravida) while HIV positive were 3.9 times more likely to terminate pregnancies as compared to those who were first pregnancy (p<0.001). Marital status was not significantly associated with termination of pregnancy. Conclusion: Termination of pregnancies among adolescents and youth is a major public health issue and the findings of this study highlight the need to address the structural socio-economic drivers of family planning which results in high number of termination of pregnancy amongst the youth. Structural interventions, such as increasing contraceptive use which may be useful for reducing the burden of unplanned pregnancies. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions for women of child-bearing age to access reproductive health interventions to prevent unintended pregnancies and the associated risk of termination.

DCur / Departmet of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

Thesis (MPhil (Industrial Psychology. African Centre for HIV/AIDS Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS is a world wide pandemic and has caused threat in many organizations. Organizations are trying to put in place programmes to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS as it affects the productivity and profits due to increased absenteeism and turnover. The Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS [UNAIDS] estimated that there are 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS world wide, 25 million has died and 15 millions are orphans due to HIV/AIDS. The Department of Agriculture [Limpopo] has recruited Peer Educators to assist in providing education, awareness and prevention programmes on HIV/AIDS to employees and stakeholders. However, it is essential to assess the knowledge, attitudes and perception of this Peer Educators in order to develop intervention measures to improve the effectiveness of the programme. The Department of Public Service Administration guideline on managing HIV/AIDS in the workplace (2002) requires departments to conduct KAP (knowledge, attitudes and perception) in order to have baseline data for responsive, relevant intervention strategies in the workplace. “HIV/AIDS workplace programmes can only be successful if the employees needs regarding knowledge, attitudes and practices have been thoroughly researched” (Family Health International, 2000). The aim of the study was to identify the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Peer Educators in the Limpopo Department of Agriculture. This will also assist to measure the impact of training provided to them. All Peer Educators were be given an opportunity to participate in the study. Self-administered questionnaire was be used to collect data and confidentiality was emphasized. Data was analysed using the SSP programme and Microsoft excel. The findings revealed an average knowledge of Peer Educators on HIV/AIDS, positive attitudes and safe sexual practice by using condoms. There is need for in service training for Peer Educators. The results also indicated the strong need of support from supervisors and management in the implementation of Peer Educators programme. The findings of the study will also assist the Limpopo Department of Agriculture to redesign the Peer Education Programme in order to minimize the risks and reduce the infection rate on HIV. Peer Educators are considered as key informants, it is significant to understand their level of knowledge, and what is their perception of risk to HIV/AIDS. / ARFIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was die bepaling van die kennisvlakke, houdings en persepsies van eweknie-opleiers in die Limpopo provinsie. Die resultate van die studie dui op sterk behoeftes aan verdere opleidng aan veral toesighouers en bestuurders van die Departement van Landbou van Limpopo provinsie. Voorstelle word aan die hand gedoen oor die wyse waarop hierdie opleidingsprogramme saamgestel behoort te word en riglyne word gegee vir die implementering daarvan.

Department of Public Health / MPH

MSc (Microbiology) / Department of Microbiology

Department of Advanced Nursing Science / PhD (Health Sciences)

Mahole, E / MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies