Telehealth in rural and underserved areas are increasing rapidly due to centralization and cutbacks in healthcare. Since many telehealth studies has a patient-centered focus or organizational perspectives, we find a gap in research regarding practitioners' view in the unique contexts of rural areas. The question we seek to answer is how rural care providers experience telehealth solutions and what factors influence the adoption of its use. A mixed method case study with an interpretative approach is employed, examining a sample of rural cottage hospitals and their healthcare personnel in Northern Sweden. Data is collected through interviews, observations, and an online survey. Our thematic analysis reveals crucial connections between urban and rural settings causing sociocultural barriers. Education and tailored telehealth solutions considering the uniqueness of rural areas are thus recommended. Flaws in routines and interface design also contribute to the lack of interaction, thus the importance of user-centeredness with consideration of the urban-rural-divide and digital literacy disparities is highlighted. By offering insights into the practitioners' perceived experiences and the challenges they face, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of telehealth implementation and utilization in rural areas and provides insights for improving user experience and adoption.

No Abstract Provided / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)

(1) Background: The equality of life chances in Germany is often assessed along the lines of a west/east and urban/rural differentiation in which the latter usually perform worse. One currently popular proposal for addressing these inequalities is to strengthen cultural and arts education. The question arises to what extent regional characteristics genuinely influence participation opportunities and to what extent individual resources still play a decisive role. (2) Methods: Using descriptive analyses and multilevel logistic regression modelling, we investigate the distribution of and participation in non-formal cultural education amongst German youth. (3) Results: We find that differences are more complex than a simple west/east or urban/rural divides. Rather, cultural activities must be considered in terms of their character in order to assess the mechanisms at play. There seem to be differences in the dependency on district funding between very peripheral and very central districts that frame the cultural infrastructure. (4) Conclusions: Regional discrepancies are not uniformly distributed across different fields of education or infrastructure. Simplifying statements that classify peripheral regions the general losers can be refuted here. Simultaneously, more comprehensive data could yield significantly more results than we are currently able to produce.

Rural revitalization is a major concern in many developed countries where rural exodus depopulated thecountryside, including France where some rural areas suffer from demographic and economic decline. In thefirst times of the Covid 19 crisis, the perspective of an urban exodus was largely raised in the developedcountries’ press. The idea was that the pandemic was sparking disenchantment with the urban lifestyleleading to mass migration from the big cities to the countryside, thus fostering rural revitalization, possibly ata wide scale. Therefore, the aim of this study is on the one hand, to understand this Urban Exodusphenomenon and its significance in the French context through press and literature review. On the otherhand, the aim is to investigate if and how this phenomenon impacts rural revitalization, by focusing on thecases of the rural municipalities Saint-Fraimbault and Mamers. We find that the vision of the Urban Exodusfirst conveyed by the media was distorted: there has been no global reorganization of spatial and migratorypatterns in France, even though more people have been moving towards an area with a lesser populationdensity. The host territories include rural areas that were in decline before the pandemic, where the UrbanExodus represents a potential in terms of demographic and economic recovery, as well as a challenge for theirrural identity and their development model. The case studies show that the effects of the Urban Exodus onrural revitalization are not uniform. They suggest that the effects may depend on the initial developmentstrategy of the municipality. In the case of Mamers indeed, the Urban Exodus was experienced as anopportunity while the phenomenon did not have significant effects in Saint-Fraimbault.

The importance of developing the rural and urban areas in an integrated manner is a fact that can no longer be ignored by not only the proponents of the development planning approach, but by all the governments in the developing world. The long history of separate development has left scars on the planning system in South Africa, and this poses serious challenges to the new democratic state, particularly the local government sphere that has to ensure redress of the previous imbalances and inequalities. Through democratic local governance and active community participation in the development of rural and urban areas, some of the fruit of integrated development planning can be realised. The Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality case study shows that there is an interface between the rural and urban areas. The methodology employed enabled a more comprehensive analysis of the key areas where the rural and urban areas interface as well as the interventions that could foster the interaction between rural and urban areas. Although the development of rural and urban areas should be prioritised, developing the rural areas is perceived to be more urgent due to their history of underdevelopment during the apartheid era. Therefore development initiatives should be guided by the local context as well as the actual needs identified by communities. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The importance of developing the rural and urban areas in an integrated manner is a fact that can no longer be ignored by not only the proponents of the development planning approach, but by all the governments in the developing world. The long history of separate development has left scars on the planning system in South Africa, and this poses serious challenges to the new democratic state, particularly the local government sphere that has to ensure redress of the previous imbalances and inequalities. Through democratic local governance and active community participation in the development of rural and urban areas, some of the fruit of integrated development planning can be realised. The Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality case study shows that there is an interface between the rural and urban areas. The methodology employed enabled a more comprehensive analysis of the key areas where the rural and urban areas interface as well as the interventions that could foster the interaction between rural and urban areas. Although the development of rural and urban areas should be prioritised, developing the rural areas is perceived to be more urgent due to their history of underdevelopment during the apartheid era. Therefore development initiatives should be guided by the local context as well as the actual needs identified by communities. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Rapid urbanisation is one of the greatest challenges facing both developed and developing countries. Sub-Saharan Africa has historically been one of the least developed and least urbanised areas of the world. However, urbanisation is now occurring much more rapidly in countries that have lower levels of per capita income. Therefore, in the coming decades, urban population growth is expected to be more widespread in the developing countries of the world. Most research on the role of natural resources focuses on rural communities and little is known about the contribution these resources make along the rural-urban continuum in small and medium sized towns as well as the contribution to total livelihoods. This is because researchers and policy makers have often treated rural and urban areas and their residents as distinct entities that should be studied in isolation. This, however, is not a true reflection of household livelihoods which often include both rural and urban elements. This study therefore analysed the impact of urbanisation on livelihoods along a rural-urban continuum with an emphasis on natural resources in South Africa. The main characteristics as well as the livelihood portfolios of respondent households were investigated. Secondly, the coping strategies used by households along the rural-urban continuum were explored, and disaggregated according to the gender of the household head. Data were collected along the rural-urban continuum of two small towns, namely Queenstown, located in the Eastern Cape province and Phalaborwa, located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Sampling covered the town, peri-urban areas, townships and adjacent rural households. A standardised survey instrument was used to capture household details and livelihood activities and a total of 272 interviews were conducted. The rural areas near both towns were poorer than the township and urban areas with regards to assets, access to employment and annual household income across all cash and non-cash income streams. The engagement in land-based activities increased towards the rural areas. The use of natural resources, as well as the number of resources collected, increased along the continuum towards the rural areas, with 12.0% to 49.0% of urban households, 30.0% to 88.0% of township households and between 80.0% and 100.0% of rural households engaging in the use and collection of natural resources. While natural resource use and collection was lowest in the urban areas, a significant amount of resources were still collected by urban households. Income portfolios for all households were calculated to determine the direct-use value of wild natural capital to livelihoods as well as the contribution made from land (arable and livestock farming), welfare grants and employment. Employment, barring one exception in the rural areas of Phalaborwa, was the largest contributor in terms of mean annual income along the continuum in both towns, followed by grants and pensions in the township and rural areas. In Phalaborwa, however, wild natural capital was found to be the largest contributor to local livelihoods, contributing 48.0% of the mean annual income. Household portfolios become more diversified in the poorer, rural areas as well as in households headed by females. The main shocks reported along the continuum in both Queenstown and Phalaborwa were death in the family, followed by a loss of employment, which was concentrated in male-headed households. Coping strategies resulting in the attainment of cash income fast, such as borrowing money from friends/relatives and cashing in retirements savings were favoured over longer term strategies such as finding local wage employment. Female-headed households were found to rely significantly on social groups or clubs as a coping strategy, highlighting the importance of social capital and social relations in female-headed households

The Labour Intensive Public Work (LIPW) programme under the Ghana Social Opportunity Project (GSOP), is a social protection programme initiated by the Government of Ghana, to offer jobs and income earning opportunities to some targeted rural residents, especially the youth, through the application of labour intensive technology in the construction of community infrastructure that has the potential of generating secondary employment. This is a mixed method study sought to provide an account on the Ghanian version of LIPW programmes. The study assessed and identified the challenges facing the programme implementation from beneficiary and implementers’ perspective in order to set the platform for an interactive feedback between project implementers and community members for the smooth implementation of future LIPW programmes. The study also assessed the impact of the programme on poverty and migration among the youth in Ghana. In identifying the challenges facing the programme from implementers’ perspective, 15 key project implementers were interviewed. An interview guide and a questionnaire were also developed to collect data from 500 beneficiaries of the programme to know their challenges. In assessing the impact of the programme on migration among the youth, questionnaires were administered to 239 households in beneficiary communities and 189 households from non-beneficiary communities of the LIPW programme. Finally, data was collected from 90 youth who benefited from the programme and 90 youth who did not benefit from the programme to compare and determine the extent to which the programme has contributed in reducing poverty among the youth. The study revealed that the key challenge facing the programme implementation from the implementers’ perspective is capacity problem involving, inadequacy of staff to implement the programme at the district level, frequent breakdown of vehicles for monitoring, and delays in the release of funds for commencement of project. Beneficiaries of the programme also indicated that they were not satisfied with the amount of money they were receiving as wage for their labour. They were also unhappy with the delays in payment of their wages and the period of engagement in the programme. The study found out that the LIPW programme under the GSOP has not contributed in reducing migration among the youth. However, the programme has contributed to reducing poverty among the youth. The study therefore recommends that capacity gap analysis conducted before project initiation should include adequacy of staff and logistics to cater for any deficiency. It is strongly recommended that beneficiaries of the programme should be consulted in setting the wage rate to avoid resentment provoking misunderstanding between beneficiaries and project implementers. The study further recommended that the government should scale up the programme to cover more communities in order to reduce poverty among the youth in Ghana. Finally, the study proposed a new model for LIPW for the youth known as ‘LIPW +3Cs’. This model incorporates three Cs, that is ‘C’ompetence’, ‘C’onnections’ and ‘C’haracter’ into LIPW programmes. ‘LIPW +3Cs’ will not only train youth to secure jobs after the programme (Competence) but will assist them to establish a network among themselves and other supporting institutions (Connections). Issues of character which encompases a sense of right and wrong will also be inculcated in the youth to assist them to function effectively in the society (Character). / Adult Basic Education (ABET) / D. Phil. (Adult Education and Youth Development)

The study describes the formation and the establishment of the first urban congregation of the Berlin Mission in the Cape at the turn of the century. The establishment of the Cape Town Congregation was not a result of urban mission work but rather a result of the townward movement of rural coloured people who already belonged to the Berlin Mission Church. At first the mission headquarters in Berlin resisted an involvement in Cape Town, but the members there and the missionaries of the Cape Synod urged the Berl in Mission to accept the responsibility. Fol lowing the advice of the Moravian Mission the Berliners finally sent a missionary, and declared the congregation as a proper mission station on May 7, 1907. The study closes with the consecration of the church building in Searle Street in 1923 as a visible sign for the establishment of the Berlin Mission Church in Cape Town. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sustainable rural development is currently one of the priority items for the South African government. Agricultural advancement, high rates of unemployment, widespread poverty, a lack of access to employment opportunities, transport, education and other services, skewed land ownership patterns that are partly due to Apartheid policies, a lack of access to land and numerous social and health‐related issues are just some of the problems that rural communities are currently faced with. This study focuses mainly on the spatial planning aspects of rural development and it explores the possibilities of adaptating strategies from the New Urbanism and New Ruralism movements, together with a number of tools typically associated with sustainable rural development, for use in the South African context. Through the study of available literature on the subject, personal interviews and practical experience, a range of strategies have been investigated and a selected number have been identified that may be applicable to the local context. A number of case studies are assessed, which include a new model being implemented at Crossways Farm Village in the Eastern Cape which combines elements from the above‐mentioned approaches. From some of the results achieved to date it seems that the implementation of these particular spatial planning models, combined with models like the biosphere concept that focuses on biodiversity, together with a range of additional socio‐economic strategies, may contribute to the promotion of sustainable rural development in South Africa. It is hoped that this study shows the potential and challenges of these spatial planning models as a tool for sustainable rural development, and that it may lead to further study on the subject. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Volhoubare landelike ontwikkeling is tans een van die prioriteitsitems vir die Suid‐ Afrikaanse regering. Landboukundige vooruitgang, hoë vlakke van werkloosheid, wyd verspreide armoede, ‘n tekort aan toegang tot werksgeleenthede, vervoer, onderwys en ander dienste, verwronge patrone van grondbesit wat deels toegeskryf kan word aan Apartheidsbeleide, ‘n tekort aan toegang tot grond en talle sosiale‐ en gesondheidskwessies is net ‘n paar van die probleme waarmee landelike gemeenskappe tans gekonfronteer is. Hierdie studie fokus hoofsaaklik op die ruimtelike beplanningsaspekte van landelike ontwikkeling en dit ondersoek die moontlikhede om strategië van die New Urbanism en New Ruralism bewegings, tesame met ‘n aantal werktuie wat tipies met volhoubare landelike ontwikkeling geassosieër word, te gebruik in die Suid‐Afrikaanse konteks. Deur die studie van die beskikbare literatuur oor die onderwerp, persoonlike onderhoude en praktiese ondervinding, word ‘n reeks strategië ondersoek en ‘n uitgekose aantal word geidentifiseer wat moontlik van toepassing kan wees op die plaaslike konteks. Daar word verwys na ‘n aantal gevallestudies, wat ook ‘n nuwe model insluit wat tans op Crossways Farm Village in die Oos‐Kaap geimplementeer word, wat elemente van die bogenoemde benaderings kombineer. Van sommige van die resultate wat tot op hede verkry is, blyk dit dat die implementering van hierdie spesifieke ruimtelike beplanningsmodelle, gekombineer met modelle soos die biosfeer konsep wat fokus op biodiversiteit, tesame met ‘n reeks addisionele sosioekonomiese strategië, moontlik mag bydra tot die bevordering van volhoubare landelike ontwikkeling in Suid‐Afrika. Daar word gehoop dat hierdie studie die potensiaal en die uitdagings wys van hierdie ruimtelike beplanningsmodelle as ‘n werktuig vir volhoubare landelike ontwikkeling en dat dit mag lei tot verdere studie oor die onderwerp.