School principals have a key role to play in managing educators with HIV/AIDS because it poses a serious threat to the quality of education provision. The aim of this study was to identify needs and challenges facing school principals in managing educators with HIV/AIDS and to provide school principals with in-depth information on how to manage educators with HIV/AIDS. A literature study was conducted to determine the impact of HIV/AIDS on the education sector. In order to obtain a better understanding of the problem, a qualitative research strategy was used. Data collection was done through individual interviews with school principals and focus group interviews with educators. Data analysis was done using Colaizzi‟s phenomenological approach. The findings of the research confirmed that HIV/AIDS has a disruptive effect on education provision. Finally, recommendations were made to address the identified problems. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Farm workers are viewed as a neglected segment in the South African society. This qualitative research study focused on exploring and describing the social needs of farm workers in the Central Koup from the perspectives of samples comprising of farm workers and farm owners and/or managers. The aim was to contribute in finding solutions to address the identified needs through employee assistance programmes (EAPs) as one of the areas that an occupational social worker focuses on. The qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, and the findings were verified with literature. Tesch’s framework for data analysis (in Creswell, 2003) was employed, and data verification was conducted through Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991:214-222). The findings indicated that the social needs of farm workers could be addressed through typical EAP-related focus areas such as working- and interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, spiritual well-being, recreation, financial management, conflict management, child care and parenting skills, trauma counselling, and practical assistance regarding transport, housing and accessibility of resources. This research endeavour resulted in recommendations regarding the use of EAPs to address the social needs of farm workers. / M. Soc. Sc.

The purpose of this study was to understand employees’ perceptions of the benefits of and the challenges in utilising VCT services at the workplace. With Mittal Steel in Vanderbijlpark as a case study, the researcher investigated the types of VCT services offered, the reasons why employees used these services, the perceived benefits and challenges related to these services, and made suggestions for service improvements. Using a qualitative approach, the main data-collection strategies were non-participant observation and in-depth interviews with five purposefully recruited research participants. The study showed that knowledge of HIV and AIDS among employees was adequate but that this could not be attributed to company efforts only. The study also revealed that employees utilised VCT for personal reasons rather than based on company incentives. Stigmatisation and discrimination appeared to be on the decline. It is recommended that the company could do more to market and promote HIV and AIDS awareness at the workplace. / Sociology / M.A (Sociology - Social Behavioural Studies in HIV/AIDS)

This study aimed at exploring perceptions of young adults with regard to condom use in Vhembe district, Limpopo province. With the help of a quantitative, cross sectional descriptive design approach, data were collected using structured questionnaires administered to 372 young adults who came for healthcare services at a selected clinic. The findings indicated that there is a relationship between positive perceptions toward condom use and actual condom use. It means that people who have positive attitudes toward condoms are also more likely to use them. In contrast, people with a negative attitude towards condoms are less likely to use them during sexual intercourse. Negative attitudes of health care providers were found to be the barrier that prevents sexually active individuals to access condoms in primary health care facilities. Re-training of health care providers to address negative attitude is a matter of priority. Mass media can also be used as an avenue to communicate consistent and correct condom use. / Health Studies / M. A. (Nursing Science)

Text in English / The purpose this study was to explore food habits and nutritional behaviours of adolescents in a school in Lenasia South, in Gauteng Province. Qualitative, explorative research was conducted in order to recommend effective prevention strategies of non-communicable diseases. Adolescents from the selected secondary school formed the sample of the study. Data collection was done using focus groups’ discussions. Three focus group discussions were conducted in the study. The first group comprised of thirteen male adolescents, followed by ten female adolescents and the final group was a combination of both female and male learners to produce a homogenous group. Specific common eating habits and nutritional behaviours emerged from the focus group discussions which included skipping meals, high consumption of high energy dense foods and sweetened beverages. Consequently, when developing intervention programs and policies to improve health of adolescents, environmental influences that undermine efforts to improve adolescent’s dietary behaviours must be addressed. / Health Studies / M.P.H.

Providing adequate sanitation facilities for the poor remains one of the major challenges in all developing countries. In South Africa, an estimated 11,7% of the schools are without sanitation. The South African government has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that all South Africans have access to adequate sanitation. When sanitation systems fail, or are inadequate, the impact of the health of the community, on the health of others and the negative impact on the environment can be extremely serious. In rural South African schools, many Enviro-Ioo toilets are available today. They are designed to suit a variety of water scarce areas and where there is a high risk of contamination of ground water resources. It is important to realize that any Enviro-Ioo system programme requires an education programme to ensure that the principles of use and maintenance are clearly understood by the user group. Their maintenance requires more responsibility and commitment by users. This study is an interpretive case study that indicates how sanitation in a rural Ramashobohle High School in Polokwane municipality was managed through an EcoSchools Sanitation Community of Practice, and how this developed action competence for sanitation management in the school. The study established that the earlier practice and knowledge of the Ramashobohle Eco-Schools community of practice exercised in maintaining Enviro-Ioo systems was inadequate; unhealthy and unsafe according to the data generated through focus group interviews, observations, interviews, action plan, workshops and reflection interviews. The data generated also indicates that the Eco-Schools community of practice was not committed to maintaining sanitation in their school because they were not sharing sanitation knowledge; they were not communicating and not updating one another concerning Enviro-Ioo systems maintenance as they had no adequate knowledge as to how to maintain the facilities; and the school management was also not supportive and was not taking responsibility. The study shows how this situation was turned around as an Eco-Schools Sanitation Community of Practice focussed on developing action competence in the school community. It provides a case based example of how knowledge and action competence, supported by an Eco-Schools Community of Practice, can find and implement solutions to inadequate sanitation management practices in rural schools, and shows how members of the school community can be engaged in learning how to manage and maintain school sanitation systems through a participatory process that develops action competence. The study points to important dimensions of developing action competence, such as providing knowledge and demonstrations, inviting experts to the school, involving learners in observations and monitoring and in ensuring that adequate facilities are available. In particular, a workshop conducted by Enviro-Ioo consultants, organised and supported by the Eco-Schools Sanitation COP, together with a follow up action plan, provided the main impetus for changes in practice in the school and served to support action competence development. Finally the study provides research findings and recommendations for further research.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2018. / INTRODUCTION: Neck pain is considered to be one of the most disabling conditions, with a universal prevalence among youth, adult and elderly populations. However, despite its disabling nature and its high prevalence there is still much uncertainty surrounding the aetiology of the pain and the extent to which the condition is influenced by the intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of an individual. While there is growing evidence to support the notion that marked bio-psychosocial associations exist with neck pain, this literature is heavily weighted toward an adult and a developed nation context leaving developing nations and the student population largely under-researched in comparison. Moreover, while a high prevalence of neck pain and its associated risk factors exist in the student population among health sciences and non-health sciences programmes, across many levels of study, the literature is ambivalent about which faculty and level of study is more at risk, if any. The first year of university stands out among the rest in that the students undergo a significant transition and are required to adapt to a new environment and style of learning compared to what they have been used to. Furthermore, students have been observed to exit first year with higher levels of distress than were present in the beginning of the year, suggesting that this unique environment may influence the psychosocial well-being of students. The extent and strength of this relationship is yet to be determined in a South African tertiary educational context and this is even more true of the first year student population at the Durban University of Technology. Research on the unique bio-psychosocial factors of these students would provide a more holistic understanding of the extent to which these factors exist and the role they play in the general well-being of the students and in the development of neck pain. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed, firstly, to determine the prevalence and psychosocial risk factors of neck pain in registered first year Faculty of Health Sciences students at the Durban University of Technology and, secondly, to determine the association between neck pain presentation, demographic characteristics, socio-demographic and psychosocial risk factors. The outcomes of this study could possibly have a threefold benefit (for the student, the institution, and the chiropractic profession at large). RESEARCH DESIGN: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was adopted in this research. This design was chosen as it was believed to be the best suited to achieving the aims and objectives of the study. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Neck pain questionnaires were administered to the first year Faculty of Health Sciences students at the Durban University of Technology towards the end of the academic year in order to determine the prevalence of neck pain and its associated demographic, socio-demographic, and psychosocial risk factors. There was a final sample size of 135 participants achieving a response rate of 54.7% for the study. Data was captured by the researcher and sent to a statistician for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A high prevalence of neck pain was found among the students (72%) with symptoms of depression (59.8%), anxiety (68.1%), and stress (53.6%) also being highly prevalent among this group. However, when neck pain was quantified by its characteristics the related impact was comparatively low. There was a common theme observed in the results highlighting the association between stress and neck pain, with stress furthermore being determined as an independent risk factor for neck pain (p = 0.023) with an odds ratio of 1.1. This result was not surprising, however, considering the stressors which emerged in the results highlighting factors such as transport protests, student protests, upcoming tests and financial aid as stress causing factors among the participants. The results provided valuable insight which enabled recommendations to be made about the direction of future research as well as recommendations for the Institution and the Chiropractic profession in the approach and management of students enrolled in tertiary education and with neck pain. / M

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Masters Degree of Applied Science in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Introduction: Food vending is becoming a very important and a useful service. Moreover, socioeconomic factors and lifestyle changes forces customers to buy food from street vendors. Since the food industry is growing worldwide, good hygiene practices coupled with food safety standards is of vital importance. Currently there is inadequate information or scientific data on the microbiological quality and safety of vended foods in South Africa more especially in Durban. To date limited research has been conducted on the food handlers (FH’s) operating as food vendors in different areas of Durban, and a lack of documented evidence about the knowledge that food vendors have on food safety and food hygiene has resulted in the interest in this research. Aim: The aim of this study was to ascertain food hygiene practices and knowledge, food safety practices and the nutritional value of the food served by various food vendors at DUT in Durban. Method: A total number of 15 food vending stalls (comprising of 15 managers and 39 food handlers) situated within the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Durban campuses participated in the study. The study was conducted on all food vendors who prepared and served food items on site. Data collected was of a quantitative nature with two sets of questionnaires (Managers questionnaires and (FH’s) questionnaires), observation sheets to observe FH’s during food preparation and cleanliness, and weighing and recording of menu items prepared and served in order to determine portion sizes and the nutritional content. All the administration of data was completed by the researcher on a Microsoft Excel spread sheet and analysed on the SPSS software version 20. Recording and weighing of menu items was done using an electronic food portion scale. A statistician was consulted to assist in the interpretation of the data. Results: The majority (66.67%) of vendors were females with the educational level that was fairly high, (73.33%) had secondary education. Most of the respondents (80.00%) had been in the food vending business for more than 3 years. The availability of proper infrastructure was poor, 40.00% of the vendors obtained running water from the kitchen taps within the stalls and 60.00% obtained water from a communal sink tap outside the food stalls. Most vending stalls 66.67% had no proper storage facilities; perishable stock was stored on refrigerators, while non-perishable food items were stored on built-in shelves, on top of fridges, on the floor, in storage containers, and on tables due to shortage of space. Thirty three percent of the vendors had designated storerooms for non – perishable items. Food preparation and cooking space was very minimal as a result the researcher observed that in some stalls white and red meat was grilled in the same griller and that increases the chances of cross-contamination. The researcher also observed that the area where most of the vending stalls were situated had no shelter and paving, as a result during food preparation and service, food was exposed to dust, air pollution and flying insects. Most managers 73.33% and FH’s 56.41% attended hygiene and food safety training but observational findings indicated that important hygiene practises such as washing of hands before serving food were not practised. Another concerning observation regarding personal hygiene was that students did not wash hands prior to eating food despite the availability of tap water within the dining area. The majority of managers had contracts with suppliers, and grocery items were mainly purchased from wholesale stores, meat items from formal retailers. A large number of managers 73.33% bought and delivered perishable products themselves using own cars, while 13.33% used refrigerated trucks from the suppliers for the delivery of perishable goods. In that way delivery temperature of food items was not monitored and maintained. The nutritional value of food served by vendors was imbalanced with the majority of the meals exceeding the recommended energy contribution from fat of 15–30%, the carbohydrates (CHO) contribution was lesser than the stipulated percentage of 55-75%, and the mean energy contribution of protein was within the recommended percentage of 10-15%. The mean energy contribution made by fat in all meals was higher than the recommended percentage 15-30%, with the highest contribution of 63.59% and the lowest of 34.12%. High fat meals were of great concern as prospects of cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart diseases were high. The CHO content of meals was below the stipulated percentage of 55- 75% with the maximum percentage of 49.86% and the minimum of 31.04%. The mean energy contribution of protein was 15.36% which was generally within the recommended percentage of 10- 15%. Furthermore, the study revealed that out of the 12 881 kJ recommended for men and 10 093 kJ for females; male students on an average were consuming approximately 14% more kJ than recommended, and female students were consuming approximately 27% more kJ than recommended from the meals. Frequent consumption of such high energy meals can lead to overweight and obesity among young adults. Conclusion: The results of the study revealed the urgent need for basic infrastructure such as a decent food kiosk with adequate working space, proper washing and storage facilities to improve food safety and hygienic practices. Even though food vendors claimed to have received hygiene training, knowledge attained was not effectively practiced or demonstrated; and that placed students at risk of foodborne illnesses. Furthermore, the nutritional value of food served by vendors was imbalanced with the majority of the meals exceeding the recommended energy contribution from fat of 15–30% and the CHO contribution being lesser than the stipulated percentage of 55-75%. Recommendations: Extensive training programme and regular supervision should be put in place by management of the Institution to ensure that proper hygiene practices are in place and also to ensure the quality of food served to students is of acceptable standard. All vending stalls to be provided with basic infrastructure. Food court yard to be well sheltered to avoid food being contaminated by air pollution, dust and pests. DUT management, together with the Department of Health, should organise nutrition awareness programmes to enlighten students about the dangers of unhealthy eating habits. / M

This case study explored the occupational stress stimuli perceived and / or experienced by employees in a small Gauteng based manufacturing Company. The research was aimed at assisting the Company‟s management to devise and implement strategies to prevent and/or reduce stress and its consequences. The key theoretical concept is that employees who are frequently exposed to stress stimuli within a work environment can incur stress. In turn, the consequences of stress (i.e. stress related illnesses) can be harmful to employees as well as to the organisations at which they work. The starting point for preventing the debilitating consequences of stress is to explore whether stress stimuli are prevailing within a workplace and also to discover the types of stress stimuli that may exist. Once this is known the Company‟s management team can implement stress reduction and prevention interventions to mitigate undesirable consequences of stress stimuli in the working environment. This research was done by means of a qualitative case study using one organisation and a number of sources of data. The Researcher made use of secondary data which were qualitatively analysed. As a result of the research the Researcher was able to discover a broad range of workplace stress stimuli in the workplace. This will assist the participating Company's management team to devise and implement plans/strategies to prevent and/or reduce stress and its consequences. This study also lays a foundation for future research to take place, specifically regarding the development and implementation of stress reduction and prevention measures within an occupational environment. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

The purpose of the study is to investigate lived experiences of refugees when accessing healthcare services in Pretoria, South Africa. A qualitative phenomenological research approach was followed which assisted in exploring and describing the day-to-day lives of refugees living in Pretoria regarding their health outcomes. Face-to-face interviews were conducted on purposively selected participants, representing refugees from different African countries ranging from age 27 to 58 years. Collected data were transcribed, coded, and relevant themes were extracted and analysed by employing Colaizzi's seven-step analysis framework. Main findings demonstrated that the public healthcare services accessed by refugees, compared to private healthcare services, can be described as mostly dysfunctional. Also, healthcare providers from public healthcare services are often hostile towards refugees of African descent. Failure to speak a local language, unofficial documentation as viewed by a healthcare provider on duty, being a foreigner, and failure to pay undue consultation fees led to refugees being denied access to healthcare or receiving negative treatment in the public healthcare sector. Recommendations for programmes to promote human rights and refugee awareness in healthcare facilities could subsequently contribute to alleviating complications around access to healthcare services, which would denote improved health outcomes for the refugees. / Health Studies / M. P. H. (Health Studies)