PhD (Nursing Science) / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / State patients are admitted to the psychiatric hospital after being declared as such by a court of law in South Africa. After successful rehabilitation of state patients at the psychiatric hospital, they need to be reintegrated into their families. Perceptions of family members of male state patients regarding reintegration including development of a model to support such reintegration, is not largely explored in the scientific body of knowledge. The aim of this study was to develop a model to support reintegration of state patients into their families in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A qualitative approach using descriptive, explorative, and contextual designs was adopted for this study. The study population was family members whose relatives are male state patients admitted and recorded in the admission register of Hayani Hospital, in Limpopo Province. The study was conducted in two phases of which phase one was a situational analysis, and phase two was the development of the model to reintegrate male state patients into their families. This study was conceptualized within the Social Ecological Model (SEM) of human behaviour (Stokols, 2013), the grounded theory for model development outlined in Dickoff et al. (1968), and the approaches outlined in Chinn and Kramer (2008); Walker and Avant (1995). Model evaluation was done by a group of health professionals, some of whom are advanced psychiatric nurses who are doing masters and doctoral studies, and one doctoral graduate who is also an advanced psychiatric nurse. Presentations were made to this group during peer review sessions who in turn gave critical comments regarding the developed model to support reintegration of male state patients until the final model was accepted. Non-probability purposive and convenient sampling were used to sample a hospital and 10 family members of Venda-speaking male state patients. In-depth individual interviews were used as the instrument to collect data which was pretested on one family member who did not form part of the study. Data was analysed using thematic analysis approach. Data was co-coded by an independent doctoral degree graduate to ensure trustworthiness. Conducting home visits by health professionals came up strongly during data analysis. Credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability to ensure trustworthiness of the study, as well as ethical considerations were adhered to. The findings of the study yielded two themes, being perceptions of participants regarding reintegration of male state patients, and perceptions of participants regarding the support needed from family members to reintegrate male state patients. During phase one, the results indicated that family members accept reintegration and also that they indicated the kind of support needed, that lead to phase two of developing a model to reintegrate male state patients. The study was restricted to only one hospital in the Vhembe District out of the five districts of the Limpopo Province.The researcher acknowledges that this study was contextual and that only family members of male state patients were interviewed, the perceptions of family members of female state patients were not heard. The study concluded that there are perceptions that family members of male state patients have regarding reintegration of these patients into their families. Furthermore, family members of male state patients can describe the kind of support that they need in order to reintegrate male state patients into their families. This should be done using the developed model that should involve family members and the community. The study recommends that psychiatric hospitals should implement the model involving family members of male state patients. Furthermore, a longitudinal study should be conducted for a period of 3-5 years to check the effectiveness of the model. / NRF

Abstracts in English and Southern Sotho / Affordable and accessible preventive health programmes within the South African Police Service (SAPS) could be the best measures for managing epidemic diseases in the organisation. Employee health and wellness (EHW) programmes, including those dealing with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), are often the subjects of debate among scholars and human resource management practitioners within the context of developing effective and efficient interventions in the workplace to enhance the health management of employees. This study explores the nature and extent of the employee wellness programmes that focus on HIV/AIDS in the SAPS. In particular, the research examines how EHW practitioners in the SAPS experience the programmes and what support they receive regarding HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Data were collected from six EHW practitioners using semi-structured interviews. The study finds that HIV/AIDS programmes are categorised into different interventions, each with advantages and purpose. The findings will help determine if the HIV/AIDS programmes effectively cater to the health needs of employees within the SAPS. The findings from this study are limited to six EHW practitioners’ experiences in relation to how they perceive the employee wellness programmes in the SAPS, more specifically, the HIV/AIDS programmes. / Go hwetšagala ga mananeo a maphelo a thibelo ao a bolokegilego, ao a sa turego le a go fihlelelega ka gare ga Tirelo ya Maphodisa ya Afrika Borwa (SAPS) e ka ba legato le lekaone la thibelo la go laola malwetši a leuba ka gare ga tirelo ye. Mananeo a bophelo bjo bokaone bja bašomi, go akaretšwa ao a šomago ka twatši ya go palediša mašole a mmele go šoma (HIV) le bolwetši bja go šitwa ga mašole a mmele (AIDS), gantši ke seo se dirago gore dirutegi di ngangišane le bašomi ba lefapha la bašomi mabapi le go tšweletša ditsenogare tšeo di šomago gabotse le tša go hloka mathata ka mošomong ka nepo ya go maatlafatša taolo ya maphelo a bašomi. Maikemišetšomagolo a dinyakišišo e bile go utolla sebopego le bogolo bja mananeo a maphelo a makaone a bašomi ka go SAPS ao a lebeletšego kudu HIV/AIDS. Dinyakišišo di dirilwe go tseba ka fao bašomi ba maphelo a bašomi le go phela gabotse (EHW) ga bona ka SAPS ba itemogetšego mananeo ao le gore ke thekgo efe ye ba e hwetšago mabapi le HIV/AIDS ka mošomong. Dipotšišo tša dipoledišano tšeo di nyakago gore baarabi ba fe mabaka di dirilwe ka nepo ya go kgoboketša tshedimošo go tšwa go bašomi ba tshela (6) ba EHW ba ka SAPS bao ba kgathilego tema ka dinyakišišong. Dikutollo di laetša gore mananeo a HIV/AIDS a hlophilwe ka mehuta ye e fapafapanego ya ditsenogare, gomme le lengwe le le lengwe le na le menyetla le maikemišetšo a lona. Dikutollo tše di tla ba mohola go tseba ge eba mananeo a HIV/AIDS a šoma gabotse go hlokomela dinyakwa tša maphelo tša bašomi ka gare ga SAPS. Dikutollo go tšwa ka mo dinyakišišong tše di tšwa fela go maitemogelo a bašomi ba tshela ba EHW mabapi le ka fao ba bonago mananeo a mabapi le go phela gabotse ga bašomi ka SAPS, kudukudu, mananeo a HIV/AIDS. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Mental illness remains one of the most devastating condition affecting the social functioning of individuals and families. The affected individuals and their caregivers expressed dissatisfaction in mental health service delivery. The mental health system is medically oriented and does not involve caregivers as partners in the provision of mental health services. Although the developmental approach has been adopted to guide the provision of services recognising human rights and social justice, the medical model remains a challenge in the provision of comprehensive mental health services. This is compounded by the Mental Health Care Act (Act No. 17 of 2002) that is silent on the role of families in the mental health system. Additionally, social workers are unable to provide adequate services due to lack of resources. A qualitative study using the exploratory, descriptive and contextual designs was undertaken. Purposive sampling was used to select 28 participants from three groups, namely ten MHCUs, nine caregivers and nine social workers. The goals of the study were to understand the experiences of MHCUs, caregivers and social workers in mental health service delivery; and to proffer guidelines for social work practice to enhance partnership between the family and mental health care providers. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed according to Tesch’s (in Creswell, 2009:186; 2014) framework. Data verification was guided by Lincoln and Guba’s (in Krefting, 1991:214-222) model to enhance trustworthiness. The findings suggest that MHCUs and caregivers received inadequate psychosocial support which is attributed to lack of involvement in service delivery. Furthermore, social workers lack adequate training to provide effective mental health care. As a result, guidelines were developed for the establishment and enhancement of partnership between families and mental health service providers to offer comprehensive and sustainable mental health services. Future exploration of the role of the family in mental health services is required. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)

PhD (Health Studies) / Department of Public Health / Introduction: Quality healthcare provision is a fundamental need in the life of a person since it helps develop a positive self-image. Healthcare has always been an important issue for society, both economically and culturally. Contrary, dissatisfactions and litigations laid by clients/patients and relatives against the government due to poor service provision become unmanageable. The purpose of the study was the development of strategies to facilitate provision of quality healthcare services in public healthcare facilities in Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted for the study. Population for the qualitative study was constituted by professional nurses, and stakeholders (Hospital boards and Clinic health Committees) who were, purposively selected from the randomly sampled hospitals and clinics. Focus Group discussion and questionnaires were conducted to collect data. Analysis. The qualitative data was analysed qualitatively. Population for quantitative study consisted of Clients as stakeholders and professional nurses from randomly sampled hospitals and clinics. The qualitative results were used in the development of questions for questionnaire used in the quantitative approach. For the quantitative approach a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Data collection was carried out by means of two instruments for clients and professional nurses. Analysis was done using SPSS 25 version with the assistance of a Professional Statistician. The researcher used the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis to develop strategies for enhancing quality healthcare service provision in the Department of health. The interaction between Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats was analysed and used to develop strategies to facilitate provision of quality health care services in public health care facilities in Limpopo Province. Conclusion Findings of this study is expected to inform nursing education and nursing practice to review curricular on what to emphasize when training the nursing students. The findings will also inform senior management when planning for improvement of health care provision improvement. / NRF

Public demands have forced countries to explore new ways of rendering primary health care to reach the poor who are not within reach of the modern health care systems. New categories of health care personnel, like lay health workers emerged. There are vast differences in the roles of these lay health workers as was revealed with an extensive literature search. The phenomenology qualitative research method was used to investigate perceptions of farm lay health workers regarding their roles in rural areas. A convenience, non-random sample (N=5) was used for focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to collect data. The latter revealed five main themes associated with the role of farm lay health workers: (1) community link; (2) carer; (3) community developer; (4) counsellor and (5) role model. Guidelines were formulated to enhance the role of lay health workers in the rural Western Cape Province and to improve the quality of care to rural communities / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Background: Neonates born with low birth weight or preterm are at an increased risk of long-term adverse health outcomes. Research studies on the association of fish consumption during pregnancy and birth outcomes, have led to inconsistent conclusions. Maternal dietary intakes during pregnancy have a significant impact on foetal development and growth. The aim of this project is to determine levels of maternal fish intake at <18 weeks during pregnancy and to determine the association with birth outcomes in pregnant women from Johannesburg, South Africa. Methods: This Master‘s study is nested in a larger study with a longitudinal observational research design was conducted on 250 pregnant women in Johannesburg, South Africa. For this Master‘s study, data from the first 102 participants were used. Data for this study were collected early in pregnancy (<18 week‘s gestation) and at birth. The birth data were collected by the study mid-wife. Maternal fish consumption during early pregnancy was measured using a Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (QFFQ). Correlation analysis was used to examine the association between maternal fish consumption during early pregnancy and neonatal anthropometry (birth weight, crown heel length and head circumference) and gestational age at birth. Results: Majority (88.1%) of the mothers were black South Africans between the ages of 18 and 39 with a mean age of 28 ± 5 years. At enrolment, the mean BMI of the women was 27.8±5.8kg/m2 having a mean height of 158.8±6.7cm and a mean weight of 70.4±15.2kg. Most of them were unmarried (45.4%), living in households of 2 – 5 members (86.3%), wage-earning (44.6%) and had Grade 11 or 12 schooling (58.4%). Most (76.5%) of the pregnant women consumed fish rarely (once a month) and the overall median fish intake was 4.8g/day (0; 25). In the study sample 12.5% of new-borns had a low birth weight (<2500g), the percentages of preterm births were 1.0% - extremely preterm (<28 weeks), 2.0% - very preterm (28 – <32 weeks) and 10.0% - moderate to late preterm (32 – 37 weeks). The mean birth weight was 2999.2±624.4g with boys having a mean birth weight of 3157.3±571g and girls at 2819±671g. The new-borns‘ mean gestational age at birth was 38.8±2.4weeks (271.6days). The percentage of new-born head circumference ≤ 31.49cm was 9.2% and the mean head circumference was 34.3±3.6cm with the boys having a mean head circumference of 34.5±2.4cm and the girls 34.1±4.3cm. In this study sample, 3.7% of new-borns were born with crown heel length of 31 – 40cm and the mean crown heel length mean was 49.5±4.6cm with the boys having a mean crown heel length of 49.8±4.9cm and the girls having mean crown heel length of 49.3±4.3cm. In this study, there were no statistically significant associations between fish consumption at early pregnancy and birth outcomes such as gestational age at birth (r=0.051; p=0.625), birth weight (r=-0.043; p=0.695) and crown heel length (r=0.008; p=0.943). There was a positive association between maternal fish consumption in early pregnancy and head circumference of the new-born which tended towards statistical significance (r=0.193; p=0.079). Conclusions: In this study of pregnant women living in Johannesburg, a few women consumed fish at early pregnancy compared with women who did not consume fish during pregnancy. We found no statistically significant association in this study between fish consumption at early pregnancy and birth outcomes. / Life and Consumer Sciences / MCS (Consumer Science)

Purpose This research project was an attempt to determine situational aspects of HIV and AIDS among the designated farming communities in the Vhembe and Mopani districts of Limpopo Province. Questions arising from the pilot project were premised on the capacity of farmers in these areas to adequately address the daunting reality and prevalence of HIV and AIDS in their communities. Research Design and Methodology The research was designed to facilitate the integration of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A sample of 228 respondents was involved in a triangulated participatory action research method. To the extent that the data collection techniques were triangulated in both nature and focus, HIV/AIDS-related data and information within the designated farming communities was attained with a maximum degree of validity. The data collection techniques used in this regard were: questionnaires, which were distributed to 228 respondents; participant observation; exploratory investigation; unstructured interviews; naturalistic observation; focus group interviews and discussion; and review of documents. The reviewed documents include (primary) sources on HIV/AIDS by the Department of Health and (secondary) sources of literature by various authors presenting a range of perspectives on HIV/AIDS in farming areas. Findings The results of the study revealed the absence of a coordinated policy on HIV/AIDS in particular, and health in general; and a vacuous prevalence of basic HIV/AIDS-related information. For instance, knowledge on condom usage as a prevention strategy was ostensibly scant. Currently, primary healthcare services in the area are not available. The sampled farm workers themselves unanimously corroborated that there was no HIV/AIDS policy on the SAFM farms. Conclusion Based on the main findings established above, it has become indispensable that comprehensive and multidisciplinary HIV/AIDS policy interventions be initiated by all the relevant stakeholders. Local and provincial healthcare authorities need to provide policy guidelines for the development of such policy, taking the particular needs and circumstances of farm workers. The pervasive degree of insufficient HIV/AIDS knowledge among this group necessitates that such a policy should integrate both a labour perspective and healthcare orientation, rather than perpetuating a separation of the two paradigms. This form of integration ensures that the observance of a human rights dimension becomes a sacrosanct component of the prevention of HIV/AIDS among farm workers, as well as their education concerning their healthcare-related rights as farm employees. Furthermore, the prevalence of a national HIV and AIDS policy is mainly aimed at facilitating broad guidelines, not addressing the specific contexts of every public, corporate and rural employment sector (DoH, 2007: 11-12; Muhlemann, et al., 1992: 479). In order that the education, prevention and treatment initiatives in the Vhembe and Mopani farming communities are achieved, the most important parameters of the policy should indicate: ,,X The systematic institutionalisation of local, provincial, and national HIV and AIDS programmes, notwithstanding the provision of healthcare facilities such as clinics; ,,X The promotion of basic healthcare education in general, and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention among farm workers in particular; ,,X The development of HIV/AIDS work place policy by SAFM as employer; ,,X The systematic involvement and formation of partnerships between policy makers, local and international funders, HIV/AIDS healthcare workers and practitioners, NGOs and SAFM. As a critical factor and unit of analysis in the study, SAFM is expected to fulfil a developmental function among its employees, their families, and the local communities. This function could be enhanced further with the collaboration between SAFM and other farmers in the distribution of basic information regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases at the workplace, as well as extensive healthcare education and training for their farming personnel. Trained personnel, especially managers, are a salient factor in the implementation of organisational health and safety requirements (DoH, 2007: 6, 8; Muhlemann, et al., 1992: 478-479). / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe contributing factors that influence the perceptions of women with fibroids from diverse cultures regarding hysterectomy. The area of research was delimited to issues of hysterectomy among women with fibroid uterus. The study employed a descriptive explorative method and data were collected by means of structured questionnaires. The study was conducted in one academic referral hospital, over a period of six months. The respondents were the patients with fibroid uterus and the doctors and nurses in the gynaecological units of the hospital. The majority of the patients indicated that they were afraid of undergoing a hysterectomy because of the social stigma associated with this life-saving procedure, such as alienation or marginalization by members of their respective communities. The nursing staff and gynaecologists in the unit emphasized the deep-seated fear of hysterectomy amongst women from diverse cultures. The study found that women need information about their bodies and how they function. Health education is also needed for women and their communities. Research is needed amongst members of different communities and diverse cultures to voice their perceptions of women undergoing hysterectomy because of ill health. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health studies)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of implementing community based care for moderately mentally retarded persons in a specific centre in the Port Elizabeth area. The objectives of the study were to identify • the needs of the moderately mentally retarded children. • the physical, psychosocial and vocational rehabilitation means of meeting these needs. • how involved the communities, parents and government were in the care of moderately mentally retarded children. A quantitative, exploratmy and descriptive design was used. A sample of 50 moderately mentally retarded children was utilised. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The major research findings indicate that community care for MMRPs could only be feasible with sufficient resources, expertise and community involvement. All these aspects appeared to be lacking in the centre where this research was conducted raising questions as to benefits which the mentally retarded children and their parents and the community could derive from these services. However recommendations were made on identified shortcomings, problems and needs. / Health Science / M.A.(Nursing Science)

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe contributing factors that influence the perceptions of women with fibroids from diverse cultures regarding hysterectomy. The area of research was delimited to issues of hysterectomy among women with fibroid uterus. The study employed a descriptive explorative method and data were collected by means of structured questionnaires. The study was conducted in one academic referral hospital, over a period of six months. The respondents were the patients with fibroid uterus and the doctors and nurses in the gynaecological units of the hospital. The majority of the patients indicated that they were afraid of undergoing a hysterectomy because of the social stigma associated with this life-saving procedure, such as alienation or marginalization by members of their respective communities. The nursing staff and gynaecologists in the unit emphasized the deep-seated fear of hysterectomy amongst women from diverse cultures. The study found that women need information about their bodies and how they function. Health education is also needed for women and their communities. Research is needed amongst members of different communities and diverse cultures to voice their perceptions of women undergoing hysterectomy because of ill health. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health studies)