The aim of this study was to investigate the demands, pressures and needs experienced by teachers in special needs schools (referred to as schools with learners with barriers to learning), with the aim of providing guidelines for teacher support to promote wellness. To attain this aim, the study had the following specific objectives or aims: 1. To determine the demands made on and pressures experienced by teachers as stressors. 2. To determine the needs which teachers experience to alleviate these stressors that arise as a result of the demands and pressures experienced by teachers in a special needs school. 3. The provision of guidelines for teacher support in order to promote wellness. 4. To make recommendations for the promotion of the wellness of teachers in a special needs school. A qualitative research design was considered to be the most appropriate for gaining in-depth insight into the demands, pressures and needs of these teachers. Data was collected through phenomenological interviews and direct observations. This data was then organised into categories and subcategories and direct quotations were presented verbatim. Research findings were compared with the relevant literature to identify existing information and possible differences, and the findings were then recorded in the form of two articles. As explained above, the primary goal of this study was to identify and describe the demands and needs experienced by teachers in special needs schools and to formulate guidelines for support to promote wellness. The study also showed that students need mentally and physically fit adults who can guide them as they find their way in the world. It is thus necessary to develop and promote the use of programmes and instruments to identify specific needs and stressors, so as to more accurately predict, prevent and alleviate demands that can be detrimental to health, and to provide and support guidelines to promote wellness in teachers.. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Women treated for a gynecological cancer report longstanding post-treatment difficulties for which they rarely seek or receive help. Few intervention studies have successfully improved global sexual health within this population. Research in this domain is challenging due to inconsistent measurements of sexuality, low response rates and high attrition rates. The overarching study objectives were: (a) To contribute to the advancement of research on supportive care needs (including sexual health needs), desire for help, and predictors of needs; and, (b) To inform the development of services for gynecological cancer survivors. In Study 1, a qualitative interview study explored the experiences of 15 gynecological cancer survivors. Interviews were conducted and analysed based on the Interpretive Description approach . In Study 2 (for which results were analyzed in two parts), a descriptive, cross-sectional needs assessment was conducted to measure supportive care needs, desire for help, sexual health and vaginal changes, and service format preferences in 113 patients. In Part 1 of Study 2, descriptive and regression analyses explored patient needs, desire for help and potential predictors of these variables. In Part 2, a descriptive analysis explored sexual health needs and vaginal changes, desire for help with sexual health needs, and their associations with sociodemographic and medical variables. Qualitative results from Study 1 suggested that psychological, emotional and relational aspects of sexuality were as important to the participants as physiological sexual response. In the needs assessment, the strongest predictors of greater unmet needs and increased readiness for help were younger age and shorter time since treatment. Moderate to high sexual and social needs were equally prevalent in women recently treated and those treated several years prior to the study, suggesting that sexual and social needs may remain unaddressed over time. Further, many women who reported a need did not desire help, demonstrating the subjectivity of needs and distress, as well as the potential presence of barriers to seeking help. Both studies revealed a common finding, where sexual health needs were a product of the discordance between participants’ current sexual experiences and their perceptions of ideal sexual health. Overall, the two studies indicate that a significant subgroup of patients experience unmet needs in cancer survivorship, most of which are non-physical; also, while some needs were higher following treatment, unmet social and sexual health needs show little relationship with time since treatment. Ambivalence about receiving help with unmet needs is related to beliefs about the role of the health care team in meeting non-physical needs, as well as other perceived barriers. Patient’s perceived sexual health needs and barriers to receiving help should be evaluated within a comprehensive framework of needs and discussed one-on-one. Future research should explore the added predictive value of other groups of medical and psychological variables.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology in Information Technology in the Faculty of Informatics & Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology / Research on health informatics has seen a steady increase during this decade as the role of information technology in the health sector becomes pertinent. Findings of previous research in this domain have uncovered vast information needs of health workers, particularly in developing countries. However, there is a need to continue with multidisciplinary research in priority areas such as midwifery practice and in the environment of marginalised settings. This study explores the significance of the information needs and information-seeking behaviour or practice of midwives during the antenatal and intrapartum care within the environment of a midwifery unit. Additionally, the researcher obtained permission from Faculty of Informatics and Design – CPUT and Health department authority – Western Cape Government in South Africa, to conduct research in the Elsies River Midwifery Obstetric Unit (ERMOU). The research was carried out as case study in a Midwifery Obstetric Unit in the Western Cape, South Africa. The investigator conducted semi-structured interviews and observations to collect qualitative data of the antenatal and intrapartum care environment. The data was transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis and essomenic modelling. The findings comprehensively point to the importance of this research context. The study found that midwives acquired patients’ information from a handwritten Maternity Case Record (MCR) book and midwives’ colleagues, and often during handovers. In addition, midwives also communicate with each other during care activities in the ERMOU. It was apparent that the use of such communication practices is inadequate, and midwives did not always have sufficient information to make appropriate decisions in the ERMOU. All patient information, referral notes, and reporting is paper-based. In addition, essomenic models were used to depict the midwives’ work activities in the antenatal and intrapartum care environment in the Unit. Furthermore, essomenic models defined all the systematic processes that occur in the ERMOU which is described by midwives’ activities and work environment. To improve communication, future research is recommended to consider the importance of the continuity of the education of midwives. Further research will be on the implementation of nursing informatics and the electronic health record system in the Elsies River Midwifery Obstetric Unit.

No description available.

The French Civil Code on contract law was not renewed since 1804, so law enforcement was questioned due to it was not adapted to the requirements in a globalized world, and the constant economic and socia lchanges. In this article, the author analyzes the implications of the reform of contract law in France, which was influenced by two drafts. This reform has two characteristic features, which are the economic and social needs. About the first point –the economic needs–, these are evident in the contractual organization and flexibility. On the second point –the social needs–, these are evident in the protection of the weaker party, and the application of the theory of improvidence. In this way, contract law adapts to the demands of the twenty-first century. / El derecho de los contratos del Código Civil francés no fue renovado desde 1804, por lo que su aplicación fue cuestionada al no poder adaptarse a las exigencias características de un mundo globalizado y acediado por constantes cambios económicos y sociales.En el presente artículo, el autor analiza las implicancias de la reforma del derecho de los contratos en Francia, el cual fue influenciado por dos anteproyectos. Dicha reforma contiene dos rasgos característicos que se manifiestan en las necesidades económicas y sociales de los contratos. Respecto al primer rasgo, este se evidencia en la organización y flexibilidad contractual; mientras que el segundo, en la protección a la parte más debil y la aplicación de la teoría de la imprevisión. De esta forma, el derecho de los contratos se adapta a las exigencias del siglo XXI.

There is a considerable body of literature on the transportation activities of rural households. Still, efforts to address rural women's specific travel and transport needs have met with limited or no success. Because rural women are vulnerable members of society, their productive roles are sometimes not fully reflected in sector strategies. Considering how transport policies and projects address rural women's needs is important for socially and economically sustainable rural transport policy. The main argument presented in this research is based on the expectations raised by the democratic elections of 1994 in South Africa. After the elections many people, particularly those in the rural areas, were expecting improvement in service delivery. However, ten years later, rural African women still face daunting challenges in terms of access to basic services. The main argument in this thesis is therefore that rural transport policy and plans in South Africa, as elsewhere, have failed to adequately address specific gender issues. Since studies of this nature are complex, and the issues involved cannot be clearly understood from the outside, it is essential to have an inside perspective. The research, therefore, was not viewed simply as an abstract process of knowledge-seeking but as a means through which to acquire a more complete understanding of rural women's transport needs. Hence, a qualitative feminist approach was adopted, and a gendered perspective was followed in addressing the transport needs of rural women. Using a non-gendered perspective for studying patterns and processes of rural conditions would not only have provided an incomplete understanding of rural transport, but also would have constituted a disservice to efforts to generate an informed basis for rural women's emancipation. Just as feminist research often draws on multiple disciplines, this study too draws on several: human geography, sociology and feminist methodology, in particular. Moreover, the use of multiple methods in this project, rather than a single method, was chosen not only because of its feminist concerns but also because of a commitment to thoroughness and the need to be responsive to the rural women studied. To this end, multiple research methods, such as participant observation, focus group discussions, document and photograph analysis, and photographs were used. These methods made it possible to provide some insights into the roles of rural women and to their related travel and transport needs in the three villages studied in Limpopo: Mamoleka, Tshitwi and Babanana. The question of whether transport empowers or is disempowering rural women was addressed. Three main themes emerged in this study. These themes suggest that rural women use the transport system in order to satisfy their multiple roles. Transport practitioners, however, provide transport facilities and services that are often characterised by constraints that create problems for these women and hence impact on their opportunities. Consequently, unresolved problems lead to opportunities denied. Therefore, policy makers should generate new strategies to address African rural women's transport needs. One thing immediately apparent in reviewing the findings of this research is that gender biases in rural transport stem from the multiple roles that rural women perform in society and at home. Because the total workload of a rural household is rarely shared equally among its members, the burden of transport falls on women. Inadequate and inappropriate transport increases the amount of time necessary to perform their multiple roles, leaving rural women perform with little or no spare time to develop themselves by participating in socio-economic and political activities. The burden of transport not only deprives rural women of participation in development activities, it also makes them lose out on opportunities to earn higher incomes and to improve their financial resources. Finally, because they already have limited financial resources and opportunities, they are unable to invest in personal means of transport, through which they might reduce their transport burden and improve their incomes. A close linking of gender perspective and rural transport policy is proposed in order to improve rural transport systems and initiatives and to make them more gender-responsive and sustainable. Making rural transport policy more responsive to the needs of rural women requires developing a structural approach to understand their needs, identifying instruments to address those needs, and establishing an appropriate policy framework. To this end, this thesis identifies some approaches that would help in developing a gender-responsive rural transport policy through paying attention to rural women's travel and transport needs. These approaches include recognition of the need for an integrated rural transport policy, in which both transport and non-transport interventions applicable to addressing rural transport problems for self-employed and unemployed rural women, as found in Limpopo, are promoted. Furthermore, the need for awareness of rural women's multiple roles is outlined. What remains is the need for development of a comprehensive, gender-sensitive strategy in all fields of rural transport research, policy and projects to help explore ways of correcting existing biases in rural travel and transport for rural women. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / Unrestricted

Women treated for a gynecological cancer report longstanding post-treatment difficulties for which they rarely seek or receive help. Few intervention studies have successfully improved global sexual health within this population. Research in this domain is challenging due to inconsistent measurements of sexuality, low response rates and high attrition rates. The overarching study objectives were: (a) To contribute to the advancement of research on supportive care needs (including sexual health needs), desire for help, and predictors of needs; and, (b) To inform the development of services for gynecological cancer survivors. In Study 1, a qualitative interview study explored the experiences of 15 gynecological cancer survivors. Interviews were conducted and analysed based on the Interpretive Description approach . In Study 2 (for which results were analyzed in two parts), a descriptive, cross-sectional needs assessment was conducted to measure supportive care needs, desire for help, sexual health and vaginal changes, and service format preferences in 113 patients. In Part 1 of Study 2, descriptive and regression analyses explored patient needs, desire for help and potential predictors of these variables. In Part 2, a descriptive analysis explored sexual health needs and vaginal changes, desire for help with sexual health needs, and their associations with sociodemographic and medical variables. Qualitative results from Study 1 suggested that psychological, emotional and relational aspects of sexuality were as important to the participants as physiological sexual response. In the needs assessment, the strongest predictors of greater unmet needs and increased readiness for help were younger age and shorter time since treatment. Moderate to high sexual and social needs were equally prevalent in women recently treated and those treated several years prior to the study, suggesting that sexual and social needs may remain unaddressed over time. Further, many women who reported a need did not desire help, demonstrating the subjectivity of needs and distress, as well as the potential presence of barriers to seeking help. Both studies revealed a common finding, where sexual health needs were a product of the discordance between participants’ current sexual experiences and their perceptions of ideal sexual health. Overall, the two studies indicate that a significant subgroup of patients experience unmet needs in cancer survivorship, most of which are non-physical; also, while some needs were higher following treatment, unmet social and sexual health needs show little relationship with time since treatment. Ambivalence about receiving help with unmet needs is related to beliefs about the role of the health care team in meeting non-physical needs, as well as other perceived barriers. Patient’s perceived sexual health needs and barriers to receiving help should be evaluated within a comprehensive framework of needs and discussed one-on-one. Future research should explore the added predictive value of other groups of medical and psychological variables.

Parents' perceptions of their child's behavior may differ for mothers and fathers. Differences in parental perception may also be apparent in cases of special needs adoptive families with high demands of their child for time, interventions and attention. This paper examines the differences in mother-child and father-child interactions, child behavior as reported by mothers, and fathers and changes in both after participation in an intervention program. Results suggest notable differences between mothers' and fathers' parent-child interaction scores and reports of child behavior. In addition, interaction scores and behavior reports showed some correlations. Finally, there seemed to be notable differences in the trends for the Child Behavior Checklist compared to the two attachment measures (Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire and Beech Brook Attachment Disorder Checklist). Several possible explanations for mother and father differences are discussed.

The rise in popularity of work-life balance (WLB) as an essential determinant of one’s health, wellbeing and effectiveness in modern society has included research on the WLB of those caring for children with special needs. Most previous studies have however focused on investigating the WLB of parents of children with special needs and consequently, very few studies have looked into the WLB of the professionals who work with these children. The purpose of my study was therefore to close this gap in the literature by gaining some insight into the work-life experiences of professionals who work with special children. The study sought to unearth how work-life balance plays out in these professionals’ lives and also to discover the factors that influence their work-life balance. Another objective was to ascertain the challenges that they face in integrating their work and life domains and to bring to light the strategies that they use to cope with their various work-life demands. An inductive qualitative inquiry carried out through combined phenomenological and autoethnography research design was used to investigate the work-life experiences of a sample of professionals who work with special needs children in therapy, pre-primary and primary schools, in the Gauteng Province in South Africa. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to select participants for inclusion in the study. Data was collected through a series of unstructured in-depth interviews, unstructured observations, personal memory and photographs. Seven themes emerged from the findings of the study. The results also indicated that the majority of the sampled professionals who work with special children were experiencing work-life conflict due to the time-based and strain-based conflict that emanated from their work domains. These professionals’ WLB was also found to be mostly influenced by work-related factors as the work domain appeared to be their major source of conflict. The study also unearthed some very interesting and unconventional micro-level WLB strategies used by these professionals in their attempt to achieve greater WLB. An example of such strategies include the use of prayer and faith in God to reduce perceptions of conflict and enhance capacity to deal with life’s adversities. The findings from this study may therefore be used to develop and focus meso and macro level interventions to assist professionals who work with special needs children to better manage the various demands from their life domains. This will in turn ensure a healthier lifestyle for these professionals, which also has positive implications for the developmental outcomes of the children under their care. Moreover, enhancing these professionals’ ability to achieve WLB is anticipated to improve their motivation, satisfaction and retention. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Human Resource Management / MCom / Unrestricted