Thesis (M. Com. (Economics))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic & Business Sciences, 2017 / This study establishes the causal impact of piped water access on child health in rural South Africa (2008 – 2015) through the use of a panel dataset and a quasi-experimental sample space. By employing an ordinal measure of child health as the dependent variable within ordinal probit, fixed and random effects, propensity-score matched difference-in-difference and system-GMM estimators, it is demonstrated that positive health benefits for children with access to piped water are observed if and only if the minimum level of educational attainment of the primary-caregiver is equal to or greater than 7 years. This finding of complementarity is demonstrated to be a function of an individual’s (in)capacity to evaluate water quality: people below this threshold suffer from a piped water bias, place insufficient weight on the observable characteristics of water when determining water quality and are subsequently less likely to treat piped water preceding consumption. The interactional effect estimates are statistically significant at the 5% level with the impact ranging from 1.617 to 2.008 levels. / GR2018

This research aims to investigatethe relationship between rape survivors levels of distress, coping style, health profile and immune system. Psychoneuroimmunology, an interdisciplinary field of study, is employed as a framework to understand the relationship between the levels of distress, coping style, health profile and the immune system A sample of 36 rape survivors was initially recruited for this study. However data collected from a sample of 12 female rape survivors was selected for this research. These participants completed questionnaires measuring levels of distress, impact of the event, recent life changes and health profile at time 1 (5 days post rape), time 2 (15 days post rape) and time 3 (35 days post rape) . the immunological measures included CD 3, CD 4, CD 8, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, lymphocytes, white cell count, platelets and mv(time 1 only). The results revealed significant relationships between levels of distress and immune parameters; health profile and immune parameters; ways of coping and immune parameters and levels of distress and immune parameters. Significant differences were obtained for CD 4 5 (p= 0.039) between time 1 and time 2, as well as between time 2 and time 3. A significant difference (p = 0.039) was noted for platelets between time 2 and time 3. The levels of distress were raised at time 2. Observation ofeach participant revealed no dramatic changes across time 1, 2 and 3. When a person is subjected to rape, heightened levels of distress are experienced 15 days post rape. Rape survivors experience changes in the levels of distress , health profile, ways of coping and immune parameters over a 35 days post rape period. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

No abstract available. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Birth to Twenty (BTT) study involves the monitoring of the health status and related factors of urban-born children from birth until age twenty. When the cohort reached age 13 years in 2003, nutrition knowledge assessment was identified as an important new priority and a nutrition knowledge questionnaire was required for these purposes. Subsequently a valid and reliable nutrition knowledge questionnaire was developed for the BTT study. This process started with the development of a conceptual framework of nutrition-related issues facing urban South African adolescents and identification of related nutrition concepts. A pool of potential questionnaire items reflecting the concepts was subsequently developed. These items were evaluated by an expert panel to ensure content and face validity before being structured into a questionnaire. The resulting 88-item questionnaire was completed by adult and adolescent samples, each age group comprising subgroups of those likely to have good nutrition knowledge and those likely to have poor nutrition knowledge. The data obtained from the completion of the questionnaire by these groups was used to refine the questionnaire through the determination of difficulty and discriminatory indices of the items, and the deletion of items that did not meet the stated criteria. The construct validity of the remaining 63 items was assessed using the same data set. To assess the internal consistency reliability (ICR) of the 63-item questionnaire it was completed by an adolescent sample population considered to be representative of the BTT cohort, after which the questionnaire underwent further steps of refinement. The result was a 60-item questionnaire of which the ICR and construct validity was reassessed and found to be satisfactory. However, to ensure the accurate interpretation of scores obtained by testees, the development of a performance-rating scale was necessary. A norm-referenced performance-rating scale (norms) was developed by administering the nutrition knowledge questionnaire to a sample population similar to the BTT cohort (norm group) and transforming their performance scores to z-scores. The z-scores ranges were then categorised into stanines, thereby resulting in a norm-referenced performance-rating scale that can be used to rate the performance of the BTT cohort. The validity of the norms was assessed by administering the nutrition knowledge questionnaire to three validation groups that comprised groups who were expected to obtain different performance-ratings on the questionnaire based on their varying levels of nutrition knowledge. The validation groups performed as expected, with significant differences in performance-rating profiles found among the three groups, indicating the validity of the norms. The study was successful in developing a reliable and valid nutrition knowledge questionnaire for use on the urban adolescents who participate in the BTT study. A norm-referenced performance-rating scale for use with the questionnaire was also successfully developed. The questionnaire and norms will be useful in assessing nutrition knowledge as well as in comparing the changes in knowledge of the BTT cohort as they move from lower to higher school grades. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die “Birth to Twenty” (BTT)-studie behels die monitering van die gesondheidstatus en verwante faktore van kinders wat in stedelike gebiede gebore is van geboorte tot twintigjarige ouderdom. Toe die kohort in 2003 dertienjarige ouderdom bereik het, is die evaluering van die voedingkennis van die kinders as ‘n belangrike nuwe prioriteit geïdentifiseer. ‘n Toepaslike voedingkennisvraelys is vir hierdie doeleindes benodig en gevolglik is ‘n geldige en betroubare vraelys vir gebruik in die BTT-studie ontwikkel. Hierdie proses is begin deur die ontwikkeling van ‘n konseptueleraamwerk oor voedingverwante vraagstukke wat stedelike Suid-Afrikaanse adolessente in die gesig staar, asook die identifisering van verwante voedingkonsepte. ‘n Poel van potensiële vraelysitems wat die konsepte reflekteer is daarna ontwikkel. Die items is eers deur ‘n paneel van kenners evalueer om inhoud- en gesigsgeldigheid te verseker alvorens dit in ‘n vraelys omskep is. Die produk was ‘n vraelys wat 88 items ingesluit het wat vervolgens deur volwasse en adolessente groepe voltooi is. Die groepe het subgroepe ingesluit van diegene met verwagte goeie voedingkennis en diegene met verwagte swak voedingkennis. Die data wat tydens hierdie stap gegenereer is, is gebruik om die vraelys verder te verfyn deur die bepaling van die moeilikheids- en diskriminatoriese-indekse van die items. Die items wat nie aan vooraf gestelde kriteria voldoen het nie, is weggelaat. Die konstrukgeldigheid van die oorblywende 63 items is bepaal deur dieselfde datastel te gebruik. Om die interne-konsekwensie-betroubaarheid (IKB) van die vraelys te bepaal, is dit deur ‘n steekproef van adolessente, wat verteenwoordigend van die BTT-kohort is, voltooi. Hierna is die vraelys verder verfyn. Die uitkoms was ‘n 60-item vraelys waarvan die IBR en konstrukgeldigheid weereens bepaal is. Dit is gevind dat dié twee indikatore van geldigheid en betroubaarheid bevredigend is. Om akkurate interpretasie van die punt wat deur ‘n respondent vir die toets behaal te verseker, is die ideal om ‘n skaal te ontwikkel wat gebruik kan word om dié punt te takseer. ‘n Norm-gebaseerde prestasietakseringskaal is ontwikkel deur die voedingkennisvraelys deur ‘n steekproef wat verteenwoordigend is van die BTT-kohort (normgroep), te laat voltooi. Die prestasiepunte is getransformer na z-tellings wat vervolgens getransformeer is na stanneges, wat ‘n norm-gebaseerde prestasietakseringskaal opgelewer het wat gebruik kan word om die prestasie van die BTT-kohort te takseer. Valideringsgroepe met verskillende vlakke van voedingkennis, wat dus na verwagting verskillend getakseer behoort te word indien die norme toegepas word, het die voedingkennisvraelys voltooi om die geldigheid van die norme te bepaal. Dié valideringsgroepe het soos voorspel presteer, met betekenisvolle verskille in die prestasieprofiele van die verskillende groepe. Hierdie resultate dui daarop dat die norme geldig is. Die ontwikkeling van ‘n geldige en betroubare voedingkennistoets vir gebruik in die BTT-studie is suksesvol in hierdie studie deurgevoer. ‘n Norm-gebaseerde prestasietakseringskaal vir gebruik saam met die vraelys is ook suksesvol ontwikkel. Die vraelys en norme sal van waarde wees vir die evaluering van die voedingkennis van die BTT-kohort. Dit sal ook met sukses gebruik kan word om die verandering in die voedingkennis van die kinders soos wat hulle ouer word, te bepaal.

Thesis (MMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / Aim: This study investigated burnout and depression among medical doctors in the context of work-related conditions and the role of resilience as a modifiable factor. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on all consenting medical doctors (N=132) working at Cape Town metropole primary health care facilities of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape. Data were collected from doctors at 27 facilities by means of a self-administered questionnaire battery containing socio-demographic information, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Results: Of 132 doctors included in the analysis, 76 % experienced burnout, as indicated by high scores on either the emotional exhaustion or depersonalisation subscales. In addition, 27% of doctors had cut-off scores on the BDI indicating moderate depression, while 3 % were identified with severe depression. The number of hours, work-load, working conditions and system-related frustrations were ranked as the most important contributing factors to burnout. More experienced doctors and those with higher resilience scores had lower levels of burnout as evident by lower scores on the emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation domains of the MBI. Conclusion: Both burnout and depression are prevalent problems among doctors working at district level and in communities. Resilience appears to be protective and may be a useful target for future intervention.

Thesis (MTech (Biomedical Technology))--Peninsula Technikon, Cape Town, 2004 / Introduction and Background: The prevalence of obesity amongst both the adult and paediatric population has assumed almost epidemic proportions in many developed and developing countries. A recent study by the Medical Research Council found that a disturbing 20% of all South African children could be categorized as being obese. Limited data is currently available on the prevalence of obesity in South African children, particularly from the previously disadvantaged population. Given the global epidemic of paediatric obesity, hypertension and type-2-diabetes and the limited available data relating to obese South African children, further studies to enhance the understanding of the risk factors associated with the epidemic are imperative. Aims and Objectives of the Study: The objectives of the study were to: 1. Determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst leamers attending schools in the communities of Belhar, Delft and Mfuleni within the City of Cape Town, South Africa. 2. Determine the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension amongst learners attending school in the communities of Belhar, Delft and Mfuleni in the City of Cape Town. 3. To investigate the association of overweight and obesity with diabetes and hypertension in children and adolescents, and • To determine the risk factors associated with overweight, obesity, diabetes and hypertension Sample Population: Excluding learners that did not meet the inclusion criteria, the final sample consisted of 338 learners aged 10 - 16 years attending the government funded primary and secondary schools and residing in the target communities.

The construction industry is considered to be an extremely dangerous working environment, and therefore the health status of construction workers needs to be considered prior, during and on leaving the industry. Occupational hazards relative to the construction worker are well researched internationally; however few countries undertake routine medical surveillance to identify the health status of the construction worker relative to these hazards. Employers have a higher duty of care to identify workers who could be a risk at work from non-occupationally related conditions such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Work could exacerbate these conditions, leading to absenteeism, poor performance and eventually leaving the industry due to ill health. The dissertation explores, inter alia: the risks to which workers are exposed; the legal aspects; relevant literature regarding medical surveillance, and the use of a medical surveillance instrument used to determine the health status of 142 construction workers who consented to participate in the study. The methodological approach used in this study was a quantitative descriptive design, more specifically, using a randomised cross-sectional survey design. The instrument used to determine health status included a full medical, occupational and social history, as well as a physical examination undertaken by Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners (OHNs). Findings indicate that most construction workers believe they are healthy. However only a small percentage of construction workers did not require referral for further investigation and / or treatment.

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Magister Artium - MA / This study investigated the societal perception of refugee men as being a risk group, being polluted and the consequent risk of HIV infection they might face. It also determined the factors that could expose them to the risk of HIV infection while living in exile in South Africa. / South Africa

This study aims to characterize and understand the search for health in a rural Transkeian community. It begins with the observation that the people of Jotelo have to negotiate considerable hardships in their daily lives. These hardships include the impact of malnutrition, undernourishment and a wide range of diseases like tuberculosis, typhoid and gastro-enteritis. To survive ill-health, people develop numerous practical strategies. Most significantly, they attempt to maximise availalble resources, like cash, their relations with others and local medical facilities. Hence the study attempts to characterize how and why patients select various kinds of therapy in their search for health. By focusing on patients' recourses to treatment, the study reveals that the search for health is as much a personal experience as it is a social and economic one. This idea is developed in an analysis of the links betw'een work, illness and social reproduction. The point which emerges from this discussion captures the central theme of the study: the search for health is a profoundly personal, social and economic experience. This notion is strengthened by an examination of the historical and contemporary nature of local health and health care. It is observed that health and health care is intimately linked to the local and wider political economy. This not only serves to contextualise the discussion on patients' actual experiences, but points to the fact that these experiences are part of wider processes. By depicting the search for health in this way, the study hopes to have illustrated what people do in times of illness and why. Yet it also claims to have gone beyond such a depiction. By abstracting from its findings, it aims to conclude that the search for health is not merely caused by various local and wider processes, to which it has referred. In other words, it hopes to avoid a deterministic view of patients' experiences in times of distress. Instead, it is argued that the search for health is ultimately an integral part of the local and wider economic and political environment