Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This thesis consists of a brief description on cancer, carcinogenesis, the changes in the type and level of dietary fat available in our diets over time and association with the development of certain diseases. The main focus of this research was on omega 6 and omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFA) and their interaction with regards to carcinogenesis. / South Africa

Magister Public Health - MPH / Regular physical activity is linked to enhanced health and to reduced risk for mortality and the development of many chronic diseases in adults. However, many adults are either sedentary of less physically active. Children and adolescents are more physically active than adults, but participation in physical activity declines with age during adolescence. Girls are less active than boys, older children and adolescents are less active than younger children, and among girls, blacks are less active than whites. This study aimed to examine physical activity in female learners attending Kagiso Township high schools in Gauteng Province. / South Africa

The health of pregnant women is a major concern to health care providers. This grounded theory study of 40 women examined the health of pregnant women and the special threat that poverty and violence posed to their capacity for health. Pregnant women experienced their health as an integrated part of their daily lives; that is, they reported that their health was affected by 'everybody and everything." Women's main concern during pregnancy was to have a healthy newborn and, to this end, they engaged in the process of creating a healthy pregnancy by engaging in health-enhancing behaviours. In this process, the woman focused primarily on ensuring the birth of a healthy baby. Three conditions were essential to a woman's capacity to create a healthy pregnancy: (1) the acceptance of the pregnancy, (2) adequate financial resources, and (3) supportive relationships (especially having a supportive partner). Pregnancies invariably carried with them some uncertainty, and this caused the 40 women in this study to experience a state of vulnerability which, in turn, triggered attempts to create healthy pregnancies. This led to a cycle of improving health: the more energy women had to carry out health-enhancing behaviours the better they felt physically and mentally; the more able they were to conduct their daily activities; and, consequently, the better their health. However, living within a context of poverty and/or violence increased pregnant women's vulnerability and decreased their capacity for creating a healthy pregnancy, leading to extreme stress and the experience of threat. Male violence threatened the women's ability to be connected to those who were important sources of emotional, financial, task-oriented, and knowledge-oriented support, and, thus jeopardized their ability to meet their fundamental needs. Furthermore, the lack of sufficient financial resources limited women's abilities to leave their abusive partners. In order to survive, women in these circumstances sometimes reverted to previous, often harmful, ways of coping in an attempt to reduce their high levels of stress. These coping strategies usually took the form of behaviours that required little energy, such as smoking, not eating properly, and consuming alcohol. Having financial support and a safe place to go were crucial with regard to enabling women to decide to leave abusive partners. Regaining control of their lives in this way allowed women to refocus their energy on health-enhancing behaviours. The women in this study showed incredible strength as they met the challenges imposed by poverty and abuse. They did not remain victims but took hold of their lives with courage and conviction. In order to promote the adoption of health-enhancing behaviours by childbearing women, health care providers must recognize poverty and violence as factors that significantly threaten women's capacity for health. Further to this, special efforts must be made to render culturally sensitive care to First Nations women (i.e., recognizing their cultural identity and heritage, their connection to nature, and the importance of the elders of their community). To this end, we must recognize the connections between racism, colonization, poverty, and violence. For until we have eradicated poverty, and the cycle of violence and degradation that is its legacy, we will not have succeeded in doing all we can to ensure the health and well being of our citizens. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / For many decades, the World Health Organisation had highlighted the growing importance of chronic non-communicable diseases in developed and developing countries, with an increase in lifestyle-related diseases. Physical inactivity has been identified as one of the risk factors, in addition to other leading risk factors like diet, and the use of tobacco and alcohol, contributing to the occurrence of non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancers, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Based on the researcher's observations while living in Belhar community for more then ten years, it was hypothesized that the level of physical inactivity among adolescents could become a public health problem in the future if not addressed immediately. / South Africa

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Associated with physical inactivity and obesity are numerous other health risks which have become a major health concern. A steady decrease in the levels of physical activity during childhood and adolescents have been noted in various parts of the world. The picture of low physical activity levels in developed countries is no different in developing countries. Children spend the majority of their day at school therefore a school setting is ideal to conduct physical activity intervention studies The primary aim of this study was to measure the effect of an intervention programme on the physical activity participation levels among school going children and adolescents. The study was carried out at an urban independent Catholic school. The sample, which was conveniently selected, which included 100 learners from grade 5 to 7 with parental consent. A quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental design was used in this study. Baseline data included levels of physical activity participation, Body Mass Index (BMI), hip-waist ratio, and socio-demographic variables. Physical activity was assessed with the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents. The Promoting Lifestyle activity for Youth (PLAY) programme was implemented at the school. This process-oriented programme shifts the focus from fitness toward regular participation in daily physical activity, and it is not intended to replace a comprehensive physical education programme. / South Africa

Salmonella sp. é um dos principais microrganismos causadores de surtos de enfermidades transmitidas por alimentos associados ao consumo de ovos e de alimentos formulados com este ingrediente. Ovos desidratados são largamente utilizados pelas indústrias de alimentos, por oferecer maior praticidade e maior padronização em relação ao produto \"in natura\". Apesar do processo tecnológico de desidratação do ovo incluir uma etapa de pasteurização, existe um risco de haver microrganismos sobreviventes, já que a pasteurização é feita em temperatura branda. Além disso, a pasteurização pode destruir os fatores intrínsecos antimicrobianos presentes na clara, possibilitando a multiplicação de microrganismos que sobreviveram ao processo de pasteurização ou que contaminaram o produto após a pasteurização. O controle da Aa do produto desidratado e o tempo de armazenamento são, portanto, fatores fundamentais para o controle da multiplicação de microrganismos indesejáveis. Nesse estudo, avaliou-se a cinética de multiplicação de Salmonella experimentalmente adicionada a ovo em pó Aa ajustada para 0,4, 0,6, 0,8 e 0,9, durante o armazenamento em quatro temperaturas: 8°C, 15°C, 25°C e 35°C. Os resultados indicaram que S. Enteritidis é capaz de sobreviver por longo tempo (pelo menos 56 dias) em ovo em pó com Aa próximo de 0,4 quando armazenado a 8°C, 15° e a 25°C. Essa sobrevivência é menor (até 28 dias) quando o armazenamento é feito a 35°C. No ovo em pó com Aa em tomo de 0,6 ou 0,8, S. Enteritidis sobrevive por menos tempo do que no produto com Aa de cerca de 0,4, independentemente da temperatura de armazenamento. No produto com Aa de cerca de 0,9, há grande multiplicação de S. Enteritidis quando o armazenamento é feito a 15°C, 25°C ou 35°C. Nesse produto, o armazenamento a 8°C impede a multiplicação do patógeno. Verificou-se também que Salmonella Radar, resistente a diversos antibióticos, apresentou o mesmo comportamento que S. Enteritidis nas amostras de ovo estudadas. / Salmonella is one of the major foodborne pathogens associated to the consumption of eggs and foods containing eggs. Powdered eggs are widely used in the food industry because they are more convenient and uniform than the in natura product. Despite the existence of a pasteurization step in the drying process, Salmonella can survive because the pasteurization of eggs should be done under mild temperature. Moreover, pasteurization can destroy the intrinsic antimicrobial components of the albumen, making the multiplication of Salmonella possible when the time and temperature of storage are not appropriate. Thus, the water activity (Aw) of the product and the storage time and temperature are essential factors in the control of Salmonella. In this work, we evaluated the growth kinetics of Salmonella in experimentally inoculated powdered egg, adjusted to different Aw values (0.4, 0.6, O.S and 0.9) during storage at 8°C, 15°C, 25°C and 35°C, up to 8 weeks. The results indicated that Salmonella Enteritidis is able to survive for long time in powdered eggs (at least 56 days) when the Aw is dose to 0.4 and the temperature is 8°C, or 15°C or 25°C. The survival is lower when the temperature is 35°C. When the Aw is dose to 0.6 or to 0.8, the pathogen survives for less time than in the product with Aw 0.4, regardless the storage temperature. When the Aw is dose to 0.9, there is an intensive growth of the pathogen when the storage is done at 15°C, 25°C or 35°C. However, storage at 8°C inhibits the growth of Salmonella at this Aw. Salmonella Radar, resistant to several antibiotics, presented the same growth partem as S. Enteritidis.

Existent literature suggests forgiveness could lead to either greater psychological abuse (reinforcement theory), or lower psychological abuse (interpersonal theory). Questionnaires were completed by 291 participants who were dating at least 2 months. More forgiveness-particularly Absence of Negativity-was related to less abuse received from their partner, and this effect was stronger for females than for males. Absence of Negativity (AN) was predictive of health variables (psychosomatic symptoms, mental and physical health), although Presence of Positive forgiveness did not predict health beyond the impact of AN. Abuse-forgiveness and assertiveness-forgiveness interaction terms were not significant predictors of health. Results indicate interpersonal theory describes the link between forgiveness and psychological abuse. Results suggest that focus on AN could be sufficient for mental or physical health change

Medical male circumcision prevalence in Lesotho remains at 23% even though efforts are made to encourage men to be circumcised. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe perceptions of men regarding male circumcision in a hospital in Morija, Lesotho and make recommendations on how to promote uptake of medical male circumcision. A descriptive, explorative and contextual qualitative design was used. In-depth, unstructured individual interviews were conducted on ten (10) uncircumcised men who were selected via purposive sampling. The findings revealed that men’s perceptions on circumcision can be classified under the following themes: perceived health beliefs of men about circumcision, perceived community-held beliefs about circumcision, men’s knowledge regarding circumcision, and perceived misconceptions about circumcision. It is recommended that knowledge on circumcision be reinforced and negative perceptions be corrected with the multi-sectoral approach to promote uptake of circumcision services. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public health)

This qualitative descriptive research study was conducted to understand nurses’ experiences caring for patients from communities of low income and low resources in hospital-based ambulatory clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examination of the literature revealed research on the importance of ambulatory care nurses, their bond with the communities they serve, and the need for ambulatory settings for underserved communities. The review also explored the fierce strike of the COVID-19 pandemic on these communities and the social justice implications of serving low-income and low-resource patients. No literature was found on this specific dissertation topic: ambulatory nurses’ experiences working in underprivileged communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample used for this study consisted of 25 registered nurses who worked in ambulatory settings during the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the time period spanned February 2020 through the end of June 2020. The communities consisted of poorly resourced neighborhoods. The narrative description and accounts of nurses interviewed for this study will facilitate an understanding of nurses’ experiences caring for patients from communities of low income and low resources in hospital-based ambulatory clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher used a qualitative methodology, qualitative descriptive, to frame the stories. Qualitative content analysis methods, specifically thematic analysis, were used to understand the nurses’ reflections and experiences. Roy’s Adaptation Model (RAM) was the theoretical framework to guide the open-ended interview questions. The researcher developed questions based on the four modes of RAM: the physiologic mode, the self-concept mode, the role function mode, and the interdependence mode. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes from the interview transcripts. A thematic analysis strategy is an approach used to identify and analyze patterns of meaning from interview data (Braun & Clarke, 2006). A thorough overview was made of all the data, including initial notes. The notes were obtained by reading and rereading the transcripts and highlighting interesting phrases or statements called meaningful units. These units were then compiled into sub-themes, and ultimately themes were comprised after highlighting parts of the transcripts that generated similar content. Themes were developed by identifying patterns among meaningful units and data relevant to each theme. Themes were then reviewed to ensure they accurately represented the data after highlighting, constant review, and compounding them in meaningful units that identified and generated the final set of themes. The researcher developed and kept reflexive journal notes, which were reviewed constantly throughout the study to maintain best-practice qualitative methodology (Ortlipp, 2008). The thematic analysis revealed multiple themes. The themes discovered were crying, protector vs. moral distress, resilience vs. compassion fatigue, family vs. bereavement, and self-concept vs. self-care. An overarching theme of struggle was also manifested within this research.

This thesis argues the necessity of new standards for Japanese language teaching in Japan, responding to diversifying social needs. The current situation for foreign workers in Japan is a pressing issue in the light of declining fertility rates and a rapidly aging population. The focus of chapter 1 is this paper particularly focuses on issues regarding acceptance of nurses and certified care workers under the scheme of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between Japan and Indonesia in 2008, as a new policy to import more foreign skilled workers into Japan. This chapter demonstrates the nation's passive attitude toward accepting foreign workers as well as the growing demand for more consistent immigration policy in terms of language. Chapter 2 discusses the validity and accountability of the current major influential assessment tool in Japan, Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). It includes a discussion of how linguistic `proficiency' is understood in the JLPT and reveals its problems, comparing JLPT with other influential measurement tools in the world such as the American Council on the Teaching Foreign Language-Oral Proficiency Interview (ACTFL-OPI) and the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR).