Magister Educationis - MEd / The impact of global migration on local contexts has spawned new issues and a range of social responses. These include the emergence of ‘xenophobia’ in the terrain of discrimination and the subsequent development of popular educational responses to this. As part of popular educational responses, adult education programmes have assumed an important role in changing people’s attitudes. This long research paper presents a critical analysis of how a human rights and counter-xenophobia peer educators’ programme enables young adults to develop a critical consciousness about human rights and ‘xenophobia’. The research focused on learning materials, course content, training methodology and processes of a three-day human rights and counter-xenophobia workshop held by Umoja wa Afrika, a local non-governmental organization, in March/April 2007 at Goedgedacht, just outside Cape Town. The research was based on qualitative methodology which included an exploration of relevant literature, interviews with participants and facilitators, as well as the researcher’s critical reflections.The research was located within a critical theory framework in the field of adult learning, and drew from the work of Paulo Freire (1970) and Stephen Brookfield(2005).The key finding of the study is that the experience of the workshop enabled participants to develop a critical awareness - but not necessarily a critical understanding of human rights and ‘xenophobia’. The participants identified specific factors that contributed to such awareness. These included the diverse composition of participants, the ‘accompanying’ facilitation style, and the interactive training methodology.This study makes a contribution to understanding human rights peer education in the South African context and the extent to which such provision could enable participants to develop a critical understanding of human rights and xenophobia. This study is an attempt to make an original contribution in this area. As such it adds to literature in applied critical methodology.

Magister Educationis - MEd / The impact of global migration on local contexts has spawned new issues and a range of social responses. These include the emergence of ‘xenophobia’ in the terrain of discrimination and the subsequent development of popular educational responses to this. As part of popular educational responses, adult education programmes have assumed an important role in changing people’s attitudes. This long research paper presents a critical analysis of how a human rights and counter-xenophobia peer educators’ programme enables young adults to develop a critical consciousness about human rights and ‘xenophobia’. The research focused on learning materials, course content, training methodology and processes of a three-day human rights and counter-xenophobia workshop held by Umoja wa Afrika, a local non-governmental organization, in March/April 2007 at Goedgedacht, just outside Cape Town. The research was based on qualitative methodology which included an exploration of relevant literature, interviews with participants and facilitators, as well as the researcher’s critical reflections.The research was located within a critical theory framework in the field of adult learning, and drew from the work of Paulo Freire (1970) and Stephen Brookfield(2005).The key finding of the study is that the experience of the workshop enabled participants to develop a critical awareness - but not necessarily a critical understanding of human rights and ‘xenophobia’. The participants identified specific factors that contributed to such awareness. These included the diverse composition of participants, the ‘accompanying’ facilitation style, and the interactive training methodology. This study makes a contribution to understanding human rights peer education in the South African context and the extent to which such provision could enable participants to develop a critical understanding of human rights and xenophobia. This study is an attempt to make an original contribution in this area. As such it adds to literature in applied critical methodology.

This dissertation positions Community Theatre as an agency for development and education based on the educational principles of Freire and Boal’s Theatre for Development. The dissertation argues that Appreciative Inquiry can enrich the practice of Community Theatre by approaching HIV and AIDS education through an asset-based, participatory, inclusive, learner-centred approach. The dissertation further hypothesises that the infusion of the 4-D process of Appreciative Inquiry into Community Theatre processes aimed at HIV and AIDS education will enhance young people’s agency as active participants and agents of change in their communities beyond the didactic notions inherent in ABC education approaches to HIV prevention. This approach can encourage meaningful participation and critical consciousness amongst young people in the HIV prevention response. / Dissertation (MA (Drama))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Drama / unrestricted

The purpose of the study was to determine the factors that predict women’s risky sexual behaviour and HIV and AIDS knowledge. A quasi-experimental, pre-test-post-test research design, with a non-equivalent comparison group was conducted to determine if there was an association between young women’s sexual behaviour and HIV/AIDS knowledge on aspects of HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention and behaviour change. The study used both quantitative and qualitative approach. Data collection was done using semi-structured interview schedule and focus group discussion guide. The respondents who participated in the study were women between the ages of 15-25 years. Two groups of respondents participated in the study. Women in the quasi-experimental site (N=200) who received the intervention and women in the control site (N=200) who did not receive any intervention. Quantitative data were analysed with the help of a statistician and the Epi Info statistical package was used. Qualitative data obtained from the focus group discussion were analysed using Tesch’s method of analysis. The major inferences drawn from this study are that young women lack knowledge relating to HIV/AIDS and that some young women were engaged in risky sexual behaviours such as having multiple sexual partners and having unprotected sex. The study indicates that peer education strategy has the potential to make an impact on these young women. It has also shown that peer education can play an important role in increasing knowledge and reducing risky sexual behaviour. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Hypertension is a major chronic health problem that can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. African Americans disproportionately suffer from the morbidity and mortality of hypertension-related illnesses. The purpose of this comparative project was to determine the impact of peer support educational workshops as an avenue for lifestyle modification, using changes in blood pressure (BP) before and after participation. The target population consisted of 64 African Americans with hypertension in Brooklyn NY, aged 20 to 65 years old. BP measurements were taken within 1 month before and after participating in a weekly peer support educational workshop facilitated by designated healthcare providers. The health belief model, using the tenets of lifestyle modification, societal support and health education, was used to guide the study. Demographic data were collated and categorized, considering numeric values used to represent age, income level, and education. Normality testing of the study variables was performed to ensure that the data followed a normal distribution. The study variables included the pre- and post-test systolic and diastolic BP. A t test was used in order to compare the 2 groups, revealing a statistically lower significant score from African Americans who participated than those who did not. African Americans who adhered to peer support educational regimens in the workshops revealed a statistically significant lower diastolic BP than those who did not participate. This research contributes to social change by providing evidence-based recommendations that government and health care professionals may use to create strategic plans to promote the well-being of individuals and communities.

Preventing teenagers’ pregnancies and improving teenagers’ reproductive health are important as pregnancies in teenagers still represent an important health challenge in Cameroon. The purpose of this dissertation of a limited scope was to describe the perception of peer educators who underwent the ‘100% young’ peer education training and the effect it had on their own sexual behaviour. A qualitative descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was conducted. Data collection was done using in-depth interviews. Fifteen peer educators were purposively selected. Two questions were asked namely; please describe how you perceived the peer education training that you underwent and, describe how this training affected your own sexual behaviour. Findings revealed that participants had a positive education experience, positive personal growth and for many, that was enough to become mentors for their peers and build awareness. Recommendations propose that interventions such as the ‘100% young’ are urgently required to prevent teenage pregnancy. / Health Studies / M.P.H.

The purpose of the study was to determine the factors that predict women’s risky sexual behaviour and HIV and AIDS knowledge. A quasi-experimental, pre-test-post-test research design, with a non-equivalent comparison group was conducted to determine if there was an association between young women’s sexual behaviour and HIV/AIDS knowledge on aspects of HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention and behaviour change. The study used both quantitative and qualitative approach. Data collection was done using semi-structured interview schedule and focus group discussion guide. The respondents who participated in the study were women between the ages of 15-25 years. Two groups of respondents participated in the study. Women in the quasi-experimental site (N=200) who received the intervention and women in the control site (N=200) who did not receive any intervention. Quantitative data were analysed with the help of a statistician and the Epi Info statistical package was used. Qualitative data obtained from the focus group discussion were analysed using Tesch’s method of analysis. The major inferences drawn from this study are that young women lack knowledge relating to HIV/AIDS and that some young women were engaged in risky sexual behaviours such as having multiple sexual partners and having unprotected sex. The study indicates that peer education strategy has the potential to make an impact on these young women. It has also shown that peer education can play an important role in increasing knowledge and reducing risky sexual behaviour. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Text in English / Preventing teenagers’ pregnancies and improving teenagers’ reproductive health are important as pregnancies in teenagers still represent an important health challenge in Cameroon. The purpose of this dissertation of a limited scope was to describe the perception of peer educators who underwent the ‘100% young’ peer education training and the effect it had on their own sexual behaviour. A qualitative descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was conducted. Data collection was done using in-depth interviews. Fifteen peer educators were purposively selected. Two questions were asked namely; please describe how you perceived the peer education training that you underwent and, describe how this training affected your own sexual behaviour. Findings revealed that participants had a positive education experience, positive personal growth and for many, that was enough to become mentors for their peers and build awareness. Recommendations propose that interventions such as the ‘100% young’ are urgently required to prevent teenage pregnancy. / Health Studies / M.P.H.

L’éducation par les pairs est de plus en plus utilisée en promotion de la santé. Elle consiste à faire appel à des personnes pour offrir des interventions de prévention et de promotion de la santé (PPS) à leurs pairs. Une formation est généralement offerte aux pairs avant qu’ils débutent leur implication en PPS. Peu d’études ont examiné l’implantation de programmes de promotion de la santé (PPS) offerts par des pairs, ses déterminants et leurs mécanismes d’action. Cette thèse s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une étude quasi-expérimentale visant à évaluer les effets du programme Vivre en Équilibre (VEE), un PPS offert par des pairs ciblant la peur de tomber et ses conséquences sur la participation sociale des aînés. La thèse vise à développer et appliquer un modèle conceptuel des facteurs influençant l’implantation de programmes offerts par des pairs. Les objectifs spécifiques sont: 1) de développer un modèle conceptuel de l’implantation des PPS offerts par des pairs; 2) de documenter l’implantation de VEE; et 3) d’identifier les facteurs associés à son implantation. À la suite d’une recension des écrits, un modèle conceptuel de l’implantation des PPS offerts par des pairs a été élaboré en se basant sur des travaux conceptuels existants et en adoptant une conceptualisation des PPS en tant que systèmes complexes. Ce modèle postule que des facteurs liés aux individus, au programme et au contexte influencent l’implantation et suggère trois mécanismes (interactions, auto-organisation, processus d’adaptation) par lesquels ces facteurs agissent. Une étude de cas multiples a permis d’analyser l’implantation de VEE dans six résidences pour aînés du Québec. La population rejointe, la fidélité d’implantation, les adaptations, la réponse au programme et les facteurs associés à l’implantation du programme ont été documentés à l’aide de grilles d’observation, de journaux de bord, de fiches de présences, de questionnaires téléphoniques et d’entrevues réalisées auprès des pairs, des répondants de résidences et d’un sous-groupe de participants au programme. Une analyse intra- et inter-cas a permis d’identifier les facteurs associés à l’implantation et de les comparer au modèle élaboré. Au total, 71 aînés ont participé au programme. Les participants recrutés correspondaient majoritairement à la population ciblée par le programme. Les pairs ont offert toutes les activités du programme, mais ont rapporté avoir fait certaines adaptations. Le taux de participation (91%) et le niveau de satisfaction des participants, des pairs et des répondants des résidences étaient élevés. L’analyse révèle que des facteurs liés aux individus (ex. : attitudes des participants, expérience des pairs), au programme (ex. : qualité du contenu et du matériel, formation des pairs) et au contexte (ex. : climat d’implantation) ont influencé l’implantation du programme par le biais des mécanismes identifiés dans le modèle conceptuel. La thèse montre que VEE peut être implanté avec succès par des pairs aînés dans des résidences. Les résultats soutiennent aussi le modèle conceptuel élaboré dans le cadre de cette thèse. Ils apportent un éclairage sur les facteurs associés à l’implantation de VEE et guideront les chercheurs et les intervenants intéressés par l’implantation de PPS offerts par des pairs. / Peer education is increasingly being used in health promotion. In this strategy, peer leaders deliver health promotion programs (HPPs) to their peers. Peer leaders usually attend training before delivering HPPs. Few studies have examined the implementation of peer-led HPPs, along with their determinants and mechanisms of action. This thesis was undertaken as part of a quasi-experimental study aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of Vivre en Équilibre (VEE), a peer-led HPP targeting fear of falling and its consequences on older adults’ social participation. The purpose of this thesis is to develop and apply the implementation framework of peer-led HPPs. More specifically, the objectives are to: 1) develop a conceptual framework of peer-led HPPs; 2) document the implementation of VEE; and 3) identify the factors associated with its implementation. Following a literature review, a conceptual framework of peer-led HPPs was developed based on existing conceptual work and on complex systems theory concepts. This framework postulates that factors related to individuals, to the program and to the context influence implementation. It further suggests three mechanisms (interactions, self-organization, adaptation process) through which these factors may act. A multiple case study analyzed the implementation of VEE among six independent-living residences for older adults in Quebec. Program reach, fidelity of implementation, adaptations, responsiveness, and factors associated with implementation of the program were documented. Observation grids, peer leaders’ logbooks, attendance sheets, phone questionnaires and interviews (with peer leaders, activity coordinators of the residences, and a subgroup of program participants) were used to collect the data. Content analysis and case comparisons helped identify factors associated with implementation of VEE and compare them with the conceptual framework developed. Overall, 71 older adults participated in the program. Most participants corresponded to the program’s target population (i.e. older adults with fear of falling). Peers delivered all program content but adapted some elements. The participation rate (91%) and the satisfaction level of participants, peers and activity coordinators were high. The analysis revealed that some factors related to individuals (e.g., participants’ attitudes, peer leaders’ experience), to the program (e.g., materials and content quality, training) and to the organizational context (e.g., implementation climate) facilitated VEE implementation through mechanisms identified in the framework. This thesis shows that VEE can be successfully delivered by peer leaders in independent-living residences. The results also support the conceptual framework and shed light on factors associated with the implementation of VEE. These results can guide researchers and practitioners interested in implementing peer-led HPPs.