Introduction Run-off from Johannesburg mine dumps is a source of environmental pollution and a public health concern. This study focussed on assessing and developing remediation strategies for Manuel Street Park (MSP) that has been affected by run-off from the Princess Mine dump. Study objectives were threefold: to use a survey involving residents living around MSP to determine community use and perception of rehabilitation of the Park; to determine the impact of the addition of a preparation known as “Effective Micro-organisms” (EM®) to polluted Park soil and; to prepare a remediation plan for this Park. Methodology A qualitative survey was conducted amongst users of the park as to their use and perceptions of rehabilitation of the park and their understanding of mine-related pollution and acid mine drainage. Controlled greenhouse trials were conducted to determine optimal germination and growth of Pennisetum clandestinum (Kikuyu grass) in Park soil, with and without EM® or compost. A landscaper was consulted to collate research results to facilitate park rehabilitation. Results Survey participants understood the risks of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) and other mine pollution and gave valuable information which assisted in understanding local issues concerning the park. Tests with soil polluted with AMD showed that it promoted seed germination while treatment of park soil with fertiliser, compost and enhanced microorganisms improved plant development and growth. Practically, it was determined that the use of EM1 at the park would be difficult because of on-going flooding of the park with contaminated water. For this reason, an improved drainage plan was suggested, along with raised walkways. Conclusion A remediation plan can be implemented on site involving installation of French drains, raised walkways, and soil remediation involving EM® / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Environmental Management Ornamental Horticulture)

Health and safety issues have always been a major problem and concern in the construction industry. Wherever reliable records are available, construction is found to be one of the most dangerous on health and safety criteria, particularly in developing countries. Efforts have been made to address this problem, but the results have been far from satisfactory, as construction accidents continue to dominate the overall construction industry. Despite the programs implemented by government authorities and measures introduced by companies themselves, the number of construction accidents still remains alarmingly high. In developing countries, safety rules usually do not exist; if they do, the regulatory authority is usually very weak in implementing such rules effectively. The UAE is one of developing countries that are currently enjoying a strong growth in construction activities. Unfortunately, some sectors of its construction industry suffer from poor safety and health conditions. Any framework of the existing occupational and health conditions is fragmented and inadequately enforced, making construction sites more hazardous. It may even be argued that relevant regulations are outdated and irrelevant in day-to-day construction operations. From this perspective this research explores the approved methods adopted in the UK in order to improve the existing code of practice in the UAE and thus introduce the foundations on which appropriate health and safety systems may be built. A framework for Health and Safety management in the UK is suggested. To reach this objective an overview of the published materials as well as the legislation has been undertaken. Questionnaires were designed and distributed to potential construction industry players and interview sessions have been conducted to meet the first objective of the project which to determine the health and safety measures currently applied on construction sites. In addition, structured interviews were carried out with selected managers from a selection of construction and oil companies, medium and large size. This thesis specifically, it investigates the safety perceptions, attitudes, and behaviour of construction workers and management safety practices. Based upon the analysis of the results, this study has demonstrated that the majority of those questioned UAE construction companies have a poor degree of risk awareness and do not seems to take health and safety as an important issue.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Numerous individuals daily partake in injurious consumption, such as excessive or unhealthy food choices. Individuals’ incorrect food choices can have a negative effect on their weight, health and general quality of life. Marketers could and should play a pivotal role in influencing consumers’ food choices, which will ultimately contribute to healthier individuals and societies as a whole. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between self-concept and food choice, self-efficacy and food choice, emotional states and food choice, and weight perception and food choice, and to highlight implications for marketers based on these findings. These relationships were investigated in a Generation Y sample. A sample of 383 college-aged1 students of Generation Y completed a self-administered questionnaire that was designed based on previous studies. Respondents’ weight perception was also investigated as many students from Generation Y try to change their weight perceptions through their food choices. Respondents’ food choice was compared to the recommended food choice of the South African Department of Health (Department of Health, 2009). Based on this comparison, it was proposed that marketers of food products should promote a decrease in respondents’ meat consumption and an increase in milk, fruit, vegetable and starch consumption. Small yet significant relationships between respondents’ specific food choices and self-concept, self-efficacy, emotional states and weight perception were found. Marketers can incorporate these relationships into their advertising campaigns and brand slogans in order to positively influence Generation Y to make healthier food choices. Another significant finding was that male respondents indicated a higher ideal weight than their actual weight, while female respondents indicated a lower ideal weight than their actual weight. A relationship was also found between self-concept and weight perception for both men and women from Generation Y. The significance of this study lies in the expansion of knowledge regarding the food choice behaviour of a Generation Y sample and the recommendations made to marketers based on relationships found between food choice and the constructs at hand. These recommendations can ultimately improve consumers’ food choice. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie individue neem daagliks deel aan nadelige verbruik, met inbegrip van oormatige of ongesonde voedselkeuses. Individue se foutiewe voedselkeuse kan hul gewig, gesondheid en lewensgehalte negatief beïnvloed. Bemarkers kan en behoort 'n belangrike rol te speel om individue te oortuig om gesonde voedselkeuses te maak. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om die verhouding tussen self-konsep en voedselkeuse, selfekwiteit (‘self-efficacy’) en voedselkeuse, emosionele toestande en voedselkeuse en gewigspersepsie en voedselkeuse te ondersoek en om die implikasies hiervan gebaseer op hierdie bevindings aan bemarkers voor te lê. ʼn Steekproef van 383 lede van Generasie Y het ’n vraelys ingevul wat ontwerp is op grond van vorige navorsing. Respondente se gewigspersepsie is ook bestudeer aangesien verskeie studente (universiteitsouderdom) van Generasie Y poog om hul gewigspersepsie te verander deur middel van hul voedselkeuses. Respondente se voedselkeuses is vergelyk met die voedselkeuses wat aanbeveel word deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Gesondheid (Department of Health 2009). Op grond van die vergelyking is bevind dat bemarkers ʼn afname in individue se vleisinname, en ʼn toename in individue se melk-, vrugte-, groente- en styselinname behoort te bevorder. Die ondersoek het getoon dat daar klein, maar beduidende verhoudings aangetref is tussen respondente se spesifieke voedselkeuses en self-konsep, self-effektiwiteit, emosionele toestande en gewigspersepsie. Bemarkers kan hierdie verhoudings in hul bemarkingsveldtogte en handelsmerk-slagspreuke inkorporeer. Nog ʼn beduidende resultaat was dat die manlike respondente ʼn hoër ideale gewig as hul huidige gewig aangedui het, terwyl vroulike respondente ʼn laer ideale gewig as hul huidige gewig aangedui het. Die resultate toon ook dat daar vir beide mans en vroue van Generasie Y ʼn verhouding tussen self-konsep en gewigspersepsie is. Deur middel van hierdie studie is kennis rakende die voedselkeuses van ʼn steekproef van Generasie Y uitgebrei. Aan die hand van die verhoudings tussen voedselkeuse en respondente se self-konsep, self-effektiwiteit, emosionele toestande en gewigspersepsie, is daar aanbevelings vir bemarkers gemaak. Hierdie aanbevelings sal uiteindelik bydra tot die verbetering van Generasie Y se voedselkeuses.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Unhealthy behaviour is a key modifiable factor that underlies much of the South African (SA) burden of disease and primary care morbidity. Chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, lung diseases and some cancers are linked to underlying behavioural issues such as tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating. Evidence shows that brief behaviour change counselling by primary care providers can be effective in helping patients to change risky lifestyle behaviours. However, the capacity of South African primary care providers to educate and counsel patients on lifestyle modification is generally poor. The need for primary care provider training in lifestyle counselling, is stated as a critical objective in ‘re-orientating’ the primary health care system to effectively address NCDs in the National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs and their risk factors in SA. The overall aim of this research was to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a training intervention for primary care providers in the South African setting, which is based on teaching best practice, behaviour change counselling (BBCC) methods that can be used for patients with risky lifestyle behaviours associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). “Effectiveness” relates to the effect of the training on PCPs adoption of a patient centred approach, and skills acquisition after the training, and not the effectiveness in changing, or improving patient outcomes. The sequence of the abstracts of the four articles that were published from this research, gives an overview of the process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ongesonde lewenstyl kan gekoppel word aan die meeste chroniese siektes wereldwyd, en dra grootliks by tot die las van primere sorg morbiditeit, asook in Suid Afrika. Rook, ongesonde dieet, fisiese onaktiwiteit, en alkohol misbruik word beskou as die onderliggende risiko faktore wat verantwoordelik is vir die ontwikkeling van kardiovaskulere siektes, tipe 2 diabetes, respiratoriese siektes, sowel as sommige kankers. Navorsing het bewys dat primere gesondheidsorg werkers effektief kan wees om pasiente te help om hierdie gewoontes te bekamp. Nieteenstaande hierdie bewyse, is die huidige kapasiteit van primere sorg dokters en verpleegsters in Suid-Afrika nie voldoende om sodanige diens te verskaf nie. In die Nationale Strategiese Plan vir die beheer van chroniese siektes, word opleiding vir primere gesondheidsorg werkers geprioritiseer as n kritiese uitkomste vir die beheer van chroniese siektes, en die onderliggende risiko faktore. Dit is dus duidelik dat daar n behoefte is om sodanige opleidingprogramme te ontwikkel. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om n bewysgebaseerde opleidingsprogram te ontwikkel, te implementeer, en die effektiwiteit daarvan te evalueer in ons unieke primere gesondheidsorg sisteem in Suid-Afrika. Die opleidingsprogram moes ontwikkel word, vir beide primere sorg dokters en verpleegsters, sodat dit hulle in staat kan stel om pasiente te beraad oor enige van die vier risiko faktore.

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Philosophy

Physical inactivity is recognised as a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Current recommendations for participation in physical activity are 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, but preferably all days of the week. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of a physical activity programme on weight, blood pressure, body mass index and body fat classification among high school learners through a short-term physical activity intervention programme.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive element in the 238U decay series that is found in high concentrations in certain geological formations such as Caves. Exposure to high concentrations of radon has been positively linked to the incidence<br /> of lung cancer. This study used Electret ion chambers and the RAD7 continuous radon monitor to measure radon concentrations in the Cango Caves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Measurements were taken during summer i.e. February 2004 and March 2005. The results for the radon activity concentrations range from the minimum of<br /> about 800 Bq.m-3 to a maximum of 2600 Bq.m-3. The two techniques give very similar results, though the Electret ion chamber results appear to be consistently higher by a few percent where measurements were taken at the same locations. A<br /> mathematical model has been developed to investigate the radon concentrations in the Cave. Diffusion and ventilation have been considered as mechanisms for explaining the distribution of radon concentrations. The ventilation rate in the Cave has been estimated under certain assumptions, and it is found to be about 7 &times / 10&minus / 6 s&minus / 1 for the Van Zyl hall which is the first large chamber in the Cave. The radon concentration increases as one goes deeper into the Cave, but then becomes fairly constant for the deeper parts. The annual effective dose that the guides are exposed to in the Cave as a result of the radon concentrations, depends strongly on the time that they spend in the Cave and in which, halls they spend most of their time in the Cave. The initial results indicate an annual effective dose of 4-10 mSv, but this needs to be further investigated.

Each year approximately 600 000 infants, most of them in Sub-Saharan Africa are born with HIV infection as a result of mother to child transmission of HIV. Whereas significant progress has been made in reduction of mother to child transmission of HIV in developed countries, the situation remains desperate in developing countries. Progress has been hampered by shortage of staff, facilities, limited access to voluntary counselling and testing and lack of support for women by their partners and communities. The challenge is to increase voluntary counselling and testing uptake during antenatal care. Onandjokwe district in Northern Namibia is currently introducing the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Program (PMTCT). It has been found the previous PMTCT programs have failed because they adopted a top down approach where there was no community consultation. This study was conducted to explore the community perceptions, knowledge and attitudes regarding mother to child transmission of HIV through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews of key community members.

Patent protection grants the patent holder with a market monopoly, free from market competition allowing the patentee to charge any price; therefore medicines are sold at prices much higher than the marginal cost of production and distribution. The connection between international trade and intellectual property has aggravated human rights and public health concerns surrounding the inaccessibility of essential medicines. The World Trade Organisation‘s Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement is an international instrument which has greatly impacted intellectual property rights protection and access to medicine. It has globalized intellectual property law by obliging all Members to subscribe to the minimum international standards of protection for intellectual property. South Africa is an example of the issues faced whilst attempting to bring their domestic laws into compliance with the Agreement. The government had to attempt to strike a balance between creating an effective intellectual property infrastructure whilst realizing the therapeutic needs of those affected by HIV/AIDS. The South African Patents Act 57 of 1978 did not comply with the Agreement and was subsequently amended in order to bring its patent legislation in full compliance with the Agreement. Currently, South Africa grants patents for new uses or formulations of existing medicines consequently lengthening the period of patent monopoly by allowing pharmaceutical companies to obtain new patents for slight modifications to existing medicines. It is submitted that South Africa‘s patent legislation is more extensive than is necessary under international law, examples of this being disclosure standards and the process for compulsory licensing. In addition, it has not made use of provisions in its existing law to take measures to improve access to essential medicines, nor has it implemented legislative amendments consequent to the flexibilities established in the Doha Declaration. This dissertation seeks to review the steps South Africa has taken in its compliance with the TRIPS Agreement with respect to the relevant intellectual property legislation that has been enacted, including its implications for access to essential medicines. The intention behind this dissertation is to assess the efficacy of the intellectual property legislation in South Africa and its impact on access to medicines. / Thesis (LL.M.)-Univeristy of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.