The study sought to describe the factors contributing to termination of pregnancies among teenagers in Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, by studying the responses given by teenage girls aged 19 years and younger. The study also sought to determine the socio economic characteristics of teenagers who terminate pregnancies, the role of parental care in avoiding unwanted teenage pregnancies, the teenagers’ general knowledge of reproductive health issues as well as their sources of information regarding reproductive health issues. The major inferences drawn from this study included that teenagers’ knowledge of reproductive health issues was inadequate and that they have nothing tangible because of their low educational and economic status that put them at risk of being involved in sexual activities at an early age leading to unwanted pregnancies that end up in termination. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations were made for imparting knowledge regarding sexual issues to teenage girls in Vhembe District of Limpopo Province.

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Products and technologies provide us with significant lifestyle benefits but they can also evolve into hazards and bring about concern for human health. A history of poor regulatory performances has resulted in a public displeased with and skeptical of the actors responsible for protecting the public against the unintended effects of progress. It is within this historical and social context that the study explores the following objectives: to understand people's responses to emerging health issues, of which there is considerable knowledge uncertainty and little public awareness; to identify the information needs regarding these issues, and to explore the role of government disclosure for personal decision-making around these issues. Seven focus groups were conducted in Hamilton, Ontario with community members from a range of backgrounds: youth, faith, allophone immigrants, environmental, health, recreational, and mixed. Two scenarios about potential hazards, i.e. a persistent pollutant and extreme heatwaves from climate change, were used to generate discussion about people's experiences with risk and knowledge. Results indicate that emerging health issues are framed by lay individuals as a chronic societal phenomenon. Their concerns about health and well-being, resiliency, and issue comprehension point to an overarching preoccupation about social vulnerability, irrespective of the presence of confirmed hazards. The analysis further revealed several roles for disclosure which would allow for more capacity in personal decision-making; more transparent and accountable regulatory processes, and which could lead to more trustworthy relations between citizens and government. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Objectives: 1. To determine the proportion of people reporting time loss from work, school, or normal activities due to oral health issues. 2. To determine how much time is being lost. 3. To establish predictors of this time loss. 4. To determine the productivity losses. Methods: Data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007-2009) were used. Linear and logistic regressions were employed to determine which variables were predictive of hours lost and reporting time loss. Productivity losses were determined using the lost wages approach. Results: Time loss is more likely among privately insured, high income earners. Experiencing oral pain is the best predictor of reporting time loss. Productivity losses are comparable to those of some musculoskeletal conditions. Conclusions: Participants with higher incomes report time loss more frequently while the total amount of time lost is greatest for those with the lowest incomes. Productivity losses are substantial at the societal level.

Objectives: 1. To determine the proportion of people reporting time loss from work, school, or normal activities due to oral health issues. 2. To determine how much time is being lost. 3. To establish predictors of this time loss. 4. To determine the productivity losses. Methods: Data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007-2009) were used. Linear and logistic regressions were employed to determine which variables were predictive of hours lost and reporting time loss. Productivity losses were determined using the lost wages approach. Results: Time loss is more likely among privately insured, high income earners. Experiencing oral pain is the best predictor of reporting time loss. Productivity losses are comparable to those of some musculoskeletal conditions. Conclusions: Participants with higher incomes report time loss more frequently while the total amount of time lost is greatest for those with the lowest incomes. Productivity losses are substantial at the societal level.

The aim of this study is to examine if bullying affects health differently among boys and girls and if bullying has more negative effects on the health of girls than of boys. The study will examine Swedish schoolchildren in elementary school and upper secondary school who has been victims of bullying. In relation to the aim of the study, the hypothesises is that bullying has negative effects on the health of girls and boys and that bullying affects girls health more than boys. The quantitative data material and analysis is based on a survey which was created by the Swedish authority Ungdomsstyrelsen. The findings in this study shows in accordance with previous research that bullying has a negative effect on the health of young girls and boys, that there are differences between the genders when it comes to being a victim of bullying (girls tend to be more bullied than boys) and that being a victim of bullying has a negative impact on the health of an individual. This indicates that being a victim of bullying is having a harmful effect on the health of young girls and boys. The first hypothesis was that bullying has negative effects on the health of girls and boys and it seemed to be correct. The second hypothesis was that bullying affects girls health more than boys but it seemed not be correct. Bullying is a problem which harms the individual, it is relevant and important to examine since it harms the individual and its surroundings. It is also important to examine since bullying can lead to health issues or at worst, successful or unsuccessful suicide attempts.

Bakgrund: Alkoholkonsumtionen ökar i världen idag. Den ökade alkoholkonsumtionen leder till sociala, ekonomiska och medicinska svårigheter. Konsumtionen av alkohol beräknas leda till 3,3 miljoner dödsfall årligen. Många allvarliga sjukdomstillstånd förekommer till följd av alkoholkonsumtion och samtidigt växer många barn upp i dysfunktionella miljöer som leder till psykisk ohälsa och alkoholproblem senare i livet. Alkoholen bidrar också till olyckor, våld och kriminalitet. Alkohol klassas som ett av de större folkhälsoproblemen idag och är en stor utgiftsbörda för samhället. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturöversikten var att genom granskning av tidigare gjorda studier undersöka faktorer associerade med alkoholmissbruk bland vuxna svenska män och kvinnor över 18 år. Metod: Genom en litteraturöversikt har 10 vetenskapliga artiklar genomgått analys och sammanställts till ett resultat som besvarar syftet med studien. Resultat: Resultaten visar att miljö, ko-morbiditet (samsjuklighet), psykisk ohälsa, socioekonomi, sociodemografi och biologiska faktorer är avgörande vad gäller att utveckla alkoholproblem bland vuxna svenskar över 18 år. Slutsats: Resultatet från litteraturöversikten visade att faktorer som hörde samman med uppväxtmiljö, komorbiditet, ärftlighet, psykisk hälsa, socioekonomiska- och sociodemografi hade betydelse för utvecklandet av alkoholmissbruk. Interventioner med bevisad effekt på minskad alkoholkonsumtion ansågs vara behjälpliga för att komma tillrätta med alkoholmissbruket.

The purpose of this study was to examine the hairdresser’s knowledge about the chemicals they handle in their business and how they were handling the chemicals and the risks that follows. 9 Salons were visited to gather information. The same questions were asked at the salons. A sample of hair color products was photographed to gather information about ingredients and labeling. The conclusions of the study were that hairdressers have good knowledge about the risks related to human health but they need to improve their knowledge when it comes to environmental risks. The deficiencies that were found were that they lack knowledge about the laws concerning the use and distribution of cosmetics products and that not all saloons are handling the hazardous waste and residues from treatments correctly. The risks that could follow are that not enough is done to protect human health and the environmental. To prevent that damage to human health and the environmental occurs they should use more sources that focus on health and environmental to gather information about the risks with the chemicals they are handling, they should also limit the treatments on children and always inform about the risks when they are using products that can cause an allergic reaction. Keywords: Risks hairdressing, cosmetics products, p-phenylenediamine, Toluene-2,5-diamine, ammonia.

Florence O. Holmes, for the Masters Of Science Degree in Behavioral Analysis and Therapy, presented on July, 2015, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: ACCEPTABILITY OF INTERVENTIONS OF STAFF IN SHORT TERM CARE SETTING FOR CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES COMPARING RATING AND HIERARCHICAL SELECTION MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Mark Dixon, Ph.D. The present study asked twenty active treatment team members, in a children’s behavioral health hospital in Springfield, IL to answer a pen and paper survey. This study extended research on treatment acceptability by replicating, Baker and LeBlanc (2011), who compared ratings and hierarchical selections in a long term care facility with older adults. Specifically, participants were given the opportunity to rate treatments using a treatment acceptability survey, and were then given a choice (i.e., asked to select which they would be most comfortable implementing) between various treatment options with using a variety of scenarios and choices. In this study it was interesting to find that though an individual selected a treatment as being a good treatment, when asked what they would feel comfortable using in a pinch did not always match what they related as being acceptable. In comparison the results of Baker and LeBlanc are very similar to the current study. In contrast, the rating for the behavioral intervention was higher in the present study and was also selected much more than in Baker and LeBlanc. Baker and LeBlanc reported statistically significant correlations between selections and ratings. Although this study did not recruit enough participants to allow for a statistical analysis, 50% of the participants in this study had a match for what they rated the highest compared to what they selected the most.

Students’ mental health issues are a common concern on college campuses and are often addressed via prevention programming called mental health literacy. This dissertation consists of two studies regarding mental health literacy programming for college students at a western university in the United States. In study one, the Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Assessment Tool (MHAA-AT) was created and evaluated for its utility in assessing college students’ mental health literacy. This assessment tool is unique in that it is built upon a process-based approach to mental health literacy. The assessment tool demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and it was deemed an appropriate tool to assess college students’ mental health literacy, specifically their declarative knowledge, self-efficacy, and behaviors. In study two the Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy (MHAA) curriculum was created and evaluated in a college student population. The MHAA curriculum is unique in that is taught in-person or online in a degree seeking program at a college or university. Results from study two suggest that the MHAA curriculum was effective in increasing college students’ mental health literacy scores, specifically their declarative knowledge and self-efficacy. The benefit of this two-study dissertation is that it provides a unique way to deliver and evaluate effective mental health literacy prevention programming on a larger scale via a degree-seeking program to college students.