Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Urinary incontinence has already been identified worldwide for years as a health problem affecting essentially women, which can interfere with their overall quality of life. However in Rwanda, this problem has yet not been addressed adequately either because of lack of expertise, or because of cultural traditions associated with taboos among women. Social conditions of women facing this problem hinder them from seeking possibly adequate medical assistance. It is important that this problem be addressed because it may lead to disability, social seclusion, psychological stress and economic burdens. This study was a pioneer one, intended to diagnose the extent of the problem through determining the prevalence of urinary incontinence as well as its impact on the quality of life among women. The study will hopefully be followed by the promotion of physiotherapy to tackle the problem and therefore reduce the number of people suffering from urinary incontinence. / South Africa

Magister Public Health - MPH / The program that was studied is part of the Child Health Program devised and supported by CARE International and implemented in Kanyama, a high density and low cost community found on the outskirts of Lusaka, Zambia. Diarrhoea was identified as one of the three most common diseases affecting the children under the age of five years. Through community participation, the program was implemented by the Kanyama residents to reduce the cases of diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia among children aged five years and under. The main aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of the impact of community participation by the community leaders and community members in the diarrhoea prevention program and to establish constraints affecting participation. / South Africa

Most students are adolescents and young adults, a group characterized by a new-found sense of independence, experimentation with sex and sometimes drugs and a feeling of invincibility (Gayle, Richard, Keeling, Garcia-Tunon, Kilbourne, Narkunas, Ingram, rogers and Curran, 1990:1538). These behavioural, developmental and environmental issues may contribute to premature morbidity, mortality and reduced quality of life for university students (Patrick et al., 1992:260). The ages of staff on the other hand range from young adults to retirement age. The types of health problems that exist among staff who use the campus health service include First Aid treatment on site for injuries on duty and more chronic health problems such as, for example, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. To date there is very little evidence as to whether or not the healthcare needs of students and staff are being met comprehensively or whether the practitioners rendering the service are knowledgeable and complying with the PHC norms and standards developed by the department of Health’s Quality Assurance Directorate. The lack of such empirical data can contribute to misconceptions and hamper the management of public health problems experienced in SA, for example sexually transmitted infections and the transmission of HIV. Thus the purpose of this research was to develop a model that would assist registered nurses employed at a higher education campus health service in the Western Region of the Eastern Cape Province to render a healthcare service relevant to the healthcare needs of the students and staff on campus.

The present study constitutes an attempt to observe and measure the emotional responses of young children to hospitalization and surgery. There has been much inquiry and comment from psychiatric and medical sources which suggests that this experience may be seriously traumatic for some children, and social workers are rightly concerned about the possibilities of modifying the frightening aspects of hospital routines on the basis of their knowledge of children's emotional needs. A sample group of children (20) referred for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy by the Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic of the Vancouver General Hospital was studied. The mother of each child was interviewed, three months after the hospitalization of her child, on the basis of a comprehensive questionnaire designed to determine the child's behaviour before and after surgery, including his usual reactions to punishment and the nature of the punishment. Relevant references by medical and social workers were studied, including the Albany Research Project which was a notable example of team research by a paediatrician, an anaesthetist, a psychiatrist, and a social worker, to establish patterns of child's reactions to the same operation in the Albany Hospital. Similar methods of assessing adjustment by measuring neuropathic traits before and after the experience were used. In the present study, special emphasis was laid upon ascertaining the nature of the mother-child relationship and the degree of anxiety around separation. Some follow-up was also incorporated. The same wards were observed five years later and differences in setting, policy, and procedures were noted and evaluated in terms of the earlier findings. It was found that ten of the twenty children suffered a severe emotional setback as a result of their illness and hospitalization. It was also observed that many of the children confused surgery with punishment and many had unrealistic ideas about the purpose of hospitalization. It is suggested that poor preparation contributed to this confusion, and that unimaginative methods of applying standard hospital procedures to small patients often confirmed fears and anxiety. Because the child's reaction to hospitalization is essentially based on the quality of his relationship with his mother, it is concluded that surgery should be postponed, if possible, until after five years of age; or, where postponement is impossible, mothers should be able to accompany young children to hospital. Some modifications in hospital routines applicable to children in hospital are suggested. The later observation of Vancouver General Hospital showed great changes in setting and policy, especially in regard to visiting, but found the two major procedures of admitting to hospital and preparation for anaesthesia and surgery virtually unchanged. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

In order to determine the effects of aerobic fitness on pregnancy and the newborn 20 primigravid subjects were studied throughout their gestational period and immediately post-partum. The subjects were classified as trained (T=10) or untrained (UT=10) based on the heart rate response to submaximal cycle ergometry testing done in each trimester. Case room reports were reviewed after delivery. There was no difference between groups in the length of gestational period (T=40.75;UT=40.75 weeks) nor weight gained versus prepregnancy measures (T=13.92; UT=13.30 kgs). The first stage of labour was extended in the UT, 13hrs.58.8min. vs 1lhrs.18.Omin. UT had a longer second stage, 90.57 vs 70.0 mins. for T. Stage 3 was also prolonged in UT, 15.17 vs 7.43 mins. In both groups analgesia and/or anaesthesia was used equally. Two of the 10 T females had caesarean sections vs 3 of the 10 in the UT group. The mean apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes were: T=7.70, 9.20; UT=7.90, 9.33, respectively. The birth weights of the T babies were marginally larger than the UT newborns (3733.00 vs 3679.97 gms). The T newborns were 8 males and 2 females, and the UT were 5 males and 5 females. All babies were healthy and without apparent abnormalities. There appears to be no positive or negative effects of maternal fitness on the newborn. The reduction in the active stage of labour in the T group may reflect their improved fitness levels. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Society's dramatically mounting population of Seniors is creating a demand to increase our knowledge of senior health program participation and of what promotes 'Healthy Aging'. This thesis is concerned with factors that affect seniors' participation in health promoting programs. There are two distinct aspects to this study, one is an experiment and the other is a survey. The experiment component of the thesis predicts that potential program participants' giving advice on a projected program topic, more than giving information will increase self-esteem, internal locus of control and thus program participation. The survey aspect of the thesis is designed to discover other factors which affect participation and health concerns. The project deals with psychological constructs such as locus of control, self-esteem and life satisfaction put to the use of social work concerns such as increasing program participation, health awareness and resource use. One hundred and twenty persons aged 60-75 were randomly selected from the files of Matsqui-Abbotsford Community Services and randomly assigned to 3 groups of 40 persons each. Group 1 & 2 were administered Wallston & Wallston & DeVallis' Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales and Rosenbergs’Self-Esteem Scale before and after the two experimental interventions of giving advice or information on the same health topics. Both groups also responded to Diener & Emmons & Larsen & Griffin's Life Satisfaction Scale, Chapin's Organizational Participation Scale and some questions about family, friends, smoking, health and demographics. Group 3, the control group, was not interviewed. After regular intervals all groups were invited to participate in three progressively involving 'Healthy Aging' pursuits. Statistical analysis does not support the hypothesis that giving advice increases self-esteem, life satisfaction, participation or 'internality' of health locus of control. Participation in formal organizations correlates with other forms of sociability and knowledge about prevention, while smoking co-relates positively with social isolation. Health internality is associated with greater self-reported health, life satisfaction, more contact with family and not associated with sociability outside of the home. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

To date, the undertaking of health promoting behaviors in working women is an issue which has not been explored in any depth. This issue has become particularly important because of two parallel phenomena - the rapid expansion of the numbers of women in the workforce, and the growing interest in health promotion - which have emerged in Canada in the last twenty years or so. As well, factors which may relate to the undertaking of health promoting behaviors have been hypothesized and investigated to some extent, but have not yet been fully determined. Self-esteem has been proposed as one motivational factor in the undertaking of health promoting behaviors. The present study has sought to determine the extent to which self-esteem, working conditions, and demographic factors, are related to the undertaking of health promoting behaviors in working women. The conceptual model used is a modified version of Pender's (1982) Health Promotion Model in which a feedback mechanism operates, reinforcing the performance of health promoting behavior as self-esteem levels grow, and equally, reinforcing self-esteem levels according to the extent to which health promoting behaviors are undertaken. Subjects of a random sample of 500 female union members working in the greater Vancouver area were mailed a questionnaire package. The questionnaires asked for data on present levels of self-esteem, health promoting behaviors presently undertaken, and demographic and working condition factors. Following a repeat mailing, the final number of responses available for analysis was 229 (46%). Simple linear regression analysis revealed that self-esteem was predictive of health promoting behaviors in a global sense, and, in particular, of self-actualization, health responsibility, exercise, and nutrition. However, neither demographic variables, nor the number of hours worked per week, were found to be predictive of health promoting behaviors. Although the study suffered from a limitation due to a low response rate, the sample was determined to be broadly representative of the union population. Therefore, these study results may be generalized to other urban, unionized females sharing similar demographic characteristics. / Medicine, Faculty of / Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of / Graduate

M.Tech. (Homoeopathy) / Acute tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, caused by a bacterial or viral infection. In most cases it is caused by a viral infection (Clarence & Sasaki, 2008), which is a common cause of upper respiratory tract infections in children (Baker et al., 2012). Tonsillitis is one of the most common causes of absenteeism in school children, which affects school performance (De Martino & Ballotti, 2007). Conventional treatment for viral tonsillitis include anti-inflammatory drugs, which does not actively treat the condition and may cause side effects (Clarence & Sasaki, 2008; Cocazza et al., 2001; Roxane & Nahata, 2006) such as bruising, skin rash, tinnitus, oedema, dyspepsia, depression, nervousness, insomnia, pruritis, visual disturbance, renal failure and gastrointestinal irritation which can result in bleeding (Rainsford, 2003; Scherer, 2012; Snyman, 2007). Tonzolyt® is a commercially available homoeopathic complex remedy indicated for both acute and chronic tonsillitis and sore throat. However, there is a lack of research to support its effectiveness (Herbaforce, 2010). The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of the homoeopathic complex Tonzolyt® on the symptoms of acute tonsillitis in black children attending a primary school in Gauteng. A Wong-Baker Face Pain Rating Scale measured pain intensity and a modified Semi-quantitative Basis Scale assessed changes in signs and symptoms of tonsillitis. This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted over six days with daily follow-up assessments. Thirty participants, aged 6-12 years, suffering from acute viral tonsillitis, were recruited from a primary school in Gauteng. Parents / guardians were informed about the study by means of a letter (Appendix H). Attached to the letter there was an information form (Appendix A), as well as a Participant Profile form (Appendix D) to fill in, and a consent form (Appendix B) to sign. Parents / guardians and teachers were requested to refer children who showed signs of tonsillitis to the researcher. The researcher was available on the school premises on...

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology in Chiropractic, Department of Chiropractic and Somatology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Introduction: Evidence suggests that Indians are at a greater risk of developing chronic diseases due to their unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle. The increased emphasis placed on exercise and diet in preventative regimens is altering related mortality and morbidity. Physical activity plays a role in the prevention of coronary heart disease and other chronic diseases which occur at a higher rate in inactive people. Despite the need for exercise to improve health, no study has examined the exercise profile of Indians in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, their exercise patterns and motivations regarding exercise. Aim: This study determined the patterns of exercise participation by Indians residing in KwaZulu- Natal (KZN). Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, cross sectional survey was used in this study. The study was conducted at the Durban North Beach on selected weekends during August and September 2015. The target population was South African Indians. A convenience sample was used, that is, potential participants, who were at North Beach on the data collection days were approached with a request to participate in the study. Following the signing of an informed consent form, data was collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 450 self-administered questionnaires were handed out and 411 completed questionnaires were received. Descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, means and standard deviations were calculated. Relationships between two variables were determined using chi-squared tests, Fisher’s Exact test, Pearson’s correlation test, as appropriate. Odds ratios were calculated where relevant. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of respondents was 37.7 ± 13.7 years. The majority (70.1%) participants reported that they currently exercise. However, only 42.9% of the respondents were found to meet the international requirement of 150 minutes of physical activity per week. When unstructured physical activity, such as household and yard chores were added, the latter frequency increased to 45.3%. Physical activity levels were similar across all age groups, likewise, similar proportions of males and females exercised. The most common exercises performed included walking (45.5%) and jogging (25.3%). Gymnasiums (33.5%), public grounds (25.3%) and the beachfront (21.4%) were the most commonly used locations for physical activity. One third of these respondents reported their health conditions as their main reason for exercising and most were aware about the value of exercise. Respondents who did not exercise regularly cited time management for their lack of exercise. Conclusion: The prevalence of exercise among South African Indians is low, with less than half of the population being physically active. Interventions are required to make people aware of the benefits of physical activity in order to increase the prevalence of exercise in this population. / M

A lot of attention has been focused on reducing cholesteric problems before individuals reach middle age, but is it not possible to reduce the risk factors for CHD after middle age? This study was initiated to determine id moderate exercise had an effect on the serum lipoproteins in postmenopausal women. Plasma concentrations of glucose, triglyceride (TRIG), TC, HDL, and LDL were measured before and after a monitored regime of moderate exercise.