Thesis (MCur.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The purpose of this study was to determine the experiences of students in disclosing their HIV-positive status at the University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus. A qualitative, descriptive, phenomenological design was used to explore, describe, and understand the experiences of the students with regard to the disclosure of their HIV-positive status. A group of 20 students who belonged to the support group were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection until saturation was reached. Data analysis was conducted according to Techs open-coding method. The study highlights the potential factors that might hinder access to HIV prevention, management, care, and support programmes. The findings reveal that there is a marked societal shift in the perception and understanding of HIV, resulting in disclosure being a less difficult responsibility. However, rejection by sexual partners has also been revealed. This rejection is one of the negative consequences that might hamper future disclosure. It is recommended that counsellors should be highly skilled in counselling HIV-positive people, especially about issues of disclosure. An HIV disclosure model will greatly support the work of these counsellors.

Thesis (M. A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / In this study, the researcher aimed to discover stigma associated with people living with HIV and AIDS in Mahwelereng, Limpopo province. The researcher sampled five males and five females and they were between the ages of 18 and 35. In-depth interviews were a method of choice during data collection. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data. The results show negative perceptions towards PLWHA. The community discriminate PLWHA because of fear of being infected, with females being at a higher risk because they are perceived to be promiscuous. Participants also highlighted that black people lack knowledge of how to treat and behave towards HIV/AIDS infected individuals. It is recommended that there should be studies that focus on availability of interventions that aim to combat HIV/AIDS stigma. Lastly, the future studies should explore which race groups have more knowledge and perception about HIV and AIDS. KEY CONCEPTS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Human Immunodeficiency Virus; People Living with HIV and AIDS; Stigma. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

PhD (Sociology) / Department of Sociology / Introduction: Physical disability encompasses a complex multi-dimensional phenomenon within the context of a person’s life childhood and adulthood. Disability covers a wide and diverse range of disabling conditions. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of physicaldisability acquired in adulthood. Methodology: The study adopted qualitative research approach, exploratory and descriptive design. Snowball sampling method was adopted to select seven participants who were interviewed by means of semi-structured face-to-face interviews. In order to analyse data, Tesch eight steps of analyzing qualitative data was employed. Results: It was found that experiences of physical disabled adults replete with daily difficulties marked by isolation, loneliness, social disapproval and rejection. Being physical disabled was accompanied with difficulties marked with, feeling of sadness and dejection which was their daily companions. However, the participants found strength and solace from support groups and religious structures which strengthen individuals who acquired physical disability at adulthood. Conclusion: Physical disability acquired in adulthood is accompanied with changes that bring about different difficulties in personal and social life. As a result adults with that experience are left with no choice but adopting coping strategies that assist them to continue with life positively. Recommendation: The study recommends conducting seminars/awareness where civil society and other community based stakeholders and government departments are orientated on the rights of persons with disabilities. Through dissemination of the findings of this study, the researcher hopes that strong message can be conveyed to all stakeholders in disability to ensure mainstreaming of disability in all spheres of life.

PhD (Advanced Nursing Sicence) / Department of Advanced Nursing Science

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Background: HIV and AIDS is the leading cause of death among adults in subSaharan Africa, and the burden of non- communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus is high and growing as well. This has resulted in the increase of dual diagnosis of HIV and Diabetes Mellitus in recent years increasing disease burden and self-care challenges being experienced by these patients. This study explored patient challenges arising from this dual diagnosis, and investigated how well the Limpopo healthcare system is servicing these lived experiences, and disease burden challenges these patients have to bear. Methods: A qualitative study approach was used and a phenomenology study design employed in this study. Patients‟ lived experiences and their capability to cope with the co-morbidity of HIV and Diabetes Mellitus was investigated. Sixty four (64) HIV patients with Diabetes Mellitus were identified representing 48% of HIV patients in the HIV/AIDS program at the sites of the study (Mankweng hospital POP clinic, Nobody and Dikgale Clinics) in the Polokwane municipality area of the Limpopo province in South Africa. Fifteen (15) of these patients made the sample and were interviewed. In addition, the five (5) of the seventeen (17) health care providers participated in the interviews. Criterion purposive sampling was used whereby the subjects had to have HIV and AIDS and diabetes in order to be part of the study. The semi-structured interview was conducted. An interview schedule was created to ensure that the key research questions related to workload and capacity are adequately covered during the interviews. Results: The evidence collected suggested that HIV and Diabetes comorbidity patients had increased workload and capacity challenges for self-care. Among the challenges was despondency. Patients found it difficult to adjust to symptoms and demands of the dual diagnosis. Counseling and education was noted as easing anxiety and lowered despondency. Poor services at the clinics worsened their experience and disease burden. Shortage of staff, poor housing of clinics, poor facilities and equipment, lack of training and occasional shortage of drugs were the reasons put forward by the health 2 care professional for the poor services. Separate clinics for HIV and Diabetes Mellitus increased the patients time away from a productive life, increased expenses, and somewhat complicated their lives. Good compliance to treatment was observed. Most patients coped well with medication and had no side effects, the few that had side effects continued to take their medication incorporating additional instructions from the health workers who managed the side effects. Family and buddy support improved the capability to cope with the disease burden and their general attitude to life. Conclusion and recommendations: Primary health care must be strengthened to meet the challenges disease convergence is bringing through continued education of staff and improvement of facilities and equipment, and streamlining service delivery processes. Note of significance is that despite the health care professionals being poorly prepared and under staffed, the clinic facility being poorly housed and poorly equipped, the healthcare professionals are managing to meet their service mandate through commitment and hard work.

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Background: Tuberculosis(TB) and Human Immunodeficiency virus(HIV) continues to be a public health concern globally. There is no data on TB outcomes on HIV programme outcome in Lebowakgomo hospital of Limpopo Province. The main objective of this study was to determine the TB treatment outcomes in TB/HIV co-infected people at Lebowakgomo hospital in Limpopo Province. Methodology: A quantitative retrospective design was used in the study in which a sample size of 180 patients’s files who are 18 years and above and TB/HIV co-infected were reviewed. A self-designed data collection tool was used to collect data. The tool covered variables such as age, gender, HIV status, CD4 cell count, type TB, duration on TB treatment and the outcome. Data was analysed using the STATA statistical software version 12 for Windows (STATA Corporation, College Station, Texas). Results: The majority of records were age group 35-44 years at 32%. There was a statistical significance differences (p˂0.001) between males and females in relation to age groups. TB treatment success rate was 68.9% and mortality 16.9%. Females were more likely to complete TB treatment successfully than males. Overall age, gender, previous TB infections, TB type, duration on ART and CD4 Count were not significantly associated with treatment outcomes amongst TB/HIV co-infected people. Conclusion: This study has revealed that TB treatment success rate in HIV co-infected is lower (68.3%) than the WHO target of 85%.

Thesis (M. A. (Clinical Psychology)) --University of the North, 2002 / Refer to the document

Thesis (Ph. D. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016. / Exploring the lived experiences of People Living with HIV/AIDS in relation to stigma and discrimination was the purpose of this qualitative research underpinned by Jungian Phenomenology. The study was qualitative in nature with a non-probability sample of fifteen participants aged from twenty tree to sixty four years. The setting was a rural and the research took place at a designated HIV/AIDS clinic in Limpopo. Semi-structured interviews, in the vernacular, were constructed so that the in-depth, lived experience of the participants relating to stigmatisation and discrimination could be ascertained. The participants’ responses were organised through the application of the Jungian metaphors and presented as themes which were presented in English. The archetypes of the Self, Shadow and Persona were highlighted as dominant metaphors with the Animus playing an important. These were followed by archetypes which represented more marginal roles in the participants’ personality development namely, the Anima, Hero, Caregiver, Innocent and Orphan. Everyone has the desire to develop a well-rounded socially acceptable and fulfilling personality, whose development process is accompanied by the generation and maturation of various archetypal traits. Once this is achieved, the process of personal individuation is completed and an individual is able to experience their true Self and live a fulfilling and authentic (honest) life. HIV infection and HIV related stigma generate archetypal traits which tend to impede the personality development of individuals. As a result they were not able to merge their personality development into an integrated unit and emerge as spiritual and deep-thinking beings.

Department of Public Health / MCur

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies