MPH / Department of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

The researcher examined a relatively unexplored and limited territory dealing with higher education organizational pluralism pertaining to particalized substance abuse programs in private sectarian institutions of higher learning with student populations of under five thousand. The conceptual framework, which was a recapitulation of Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal's (1984) "multifaceted lens," applied to the human resource framework, the structural framework, the symbolic/cultural framework and the political framework in the administration of these selected substance abuse programs. The frames under which the respective substance abuse programs operate were identified by utilizing a semi-structured interview protocol. The study found usage of management frames by substance abuse program administrators to be in agreement with Bolman and Deal's "four frames theory," with the preferred management style consistent across the frames. The administrators of the substance abuse programs prefer the human resource frame almost categorically. Each institution places a strong emphasis on recruitment of an ideal type of student, modeled after a very clear and concise institutional mission statement. The pervasive theme of the mission message seeks potential Christian leaders only. Almost exclusively, the institutions studied do not tolerate substances of any sort. The administrators interviewed were knowledgeable about the various organizational frames and expressed concerns regarding the symbolic/cultural framework. With the exception of one institution, administrators of programs believe that the Christian ethic practiced throughout their institutions is the most significant factor preventing their institutions from utilizing the political frame during times of dwindling economic resources, thus remaining congruent with the institutional mission. The institutions studied were not complex in management structure and provide relatively unambiguous environments. The students and personnel have free access to administrators of substance abuse programs, who utilize prayer and the Christian ethic as important tools in intervention. This qualitative approach captured the essence of the organizational dimensions of these substance abuse programs in the selected private sectarian institutions of higher studies in Texas.

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The purpose of this study was to determine and describe the lived experiences of youth residing in Elias Motsoaledi Municipality at Sekhukhune District about Nyaope. A qualitative research was applied using the Phenomenolgical research design to explore the lived experiences. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants at Rite Substance organization between the age of 18 and 35, and also the convenient sampling applied to select key informants. The study revealed that the youth Nyaope users experienced; the lived physical effects such as ;bodily weakness and strenght, bodily pains, drowsiness, loss of appetite and poor hygiene, the psychological effects such as mental relaxation, regret and worry, drug dependency and addiction, and the social effects such as family rejection, community stigmatization, relationship failure, engagement in crime, and economic and educational failure. As such, more funds, staff and resources are needed to assist in dealing with the Nyaope crisis.

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / PURPOSE OR OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that contribute to the relapse of substance abusers post rehabilitation at South African National Council On Alcoholism And Drug Dependence (SANCA) Polokwane. METHOD: A quantitative research method or approach, and a descriptive research design were employed respectively to conduct the study. Data was collected using group-administered questionnaires / surveys amongst substance abusers who relapsed post rehabilitation at the SANCA, and a total number of sixty-one (61) respondents at the centre responded to the questionnaires. FINDINGS: Findings revealed that personal factors that predisposed the relapse of substance abusers post rehabilitation include lack of coping mechanism; less committed and motivated towards staying clean or sober; having a craving for drugs; challenged with too many triggers; lack of believe in themselves; thinking they could deal with their emotions by using drugs; thinking they could be able to control my use; community members still look down on them for using drugs; peer pressure from peer group; easily influenced by others; significant relationship in their lives ending; social group still abusing drugs; finding it difficult to avoid social gathering; lack of financial support; feeling lonely and being bored. Findings also indicated that substance abuser receive sufficient support from their family. On the contrary, however, findings further show that respondents have indicated that they receive poor from their friends, community members, peers and the rehabilitation centre attended. CONCLUSION: The study successfully identified, and discussed diverse causes or factors that contribute or influence relapse amongst substance abusers post rehabilitation at SANCA, as listed above. Furthermore, also assessing the availability of social support systems post rehabilitation.

Both employers and out-patient treatment centres are key role players in addressing workplace related substance abuse. On the one hand, employers are directly and indirectly affected by the huge problem of substance abuse. On the other hand, out-patient treatment centres provide, as their core goal, for the treatment of substance abuse and dependency. Due to the extent of the problem of substance abuse, collaborative intervention measures between employers and out-patient treatment centres are essential – especially the involvement of specialists in the treatment of substance abuse. Such a collaboration process requires specific, resolute measures, as well as a structured process in order to ensure sustainability and results. A networking programme that provides the opportunity to implement this collaborative process is proposed. Sound collaborations indeed provide the foundation to establish the networking programme for combating the problem of substance abuse in the workplace. A collaborative effort to address the problem of substance abuse in the workplace requires not only rallying the strengths and resources of both employers and out-patient treatment centres, but also developing a programme with well-defined processes beneficial to both. A qualitative research study by means of a grounded theory approach was conducted to explore how networking between employers and out-patient treatment centres might aid in addressing the problem of substance abuse in the workplace. Article 1 is a literature overview of substance abuse within the workplace and concerns the national directives, legislation requirements and measures of intervention aimed at dealing with the problem. The literature findings reveal clear national directives, legislation requirements and workplace policies, all aimed at providing a well-defined context for employers to manage substance abuse in the workplace. In addition, specialist treatment services are available to assist employers in addressing the problem in the workplace. Internal support structures in the workplace, however, often independently address the problem of substance abuse without involving the specialists. Literature findings indicate, though, that the personnel involved in the internal support structures are often not equipped to deal effectively with the problem. Research findings indicate positive treatment outcomes for employees with substance abuse problems. Statistics, however, indicate that the identification of employees with substance abuse problems is limited and that referrals of employees for treatment are infrequent. Underutilisation of out-patient treatment centres is therefore commonplace. Literature specifically indicates that the majority of employees are moderate drinkers and substance abusers, with only a small number being dependant. It is further indicated that the moderate drinkers and substance abusers account for almost half of the workforce. The critical factor, however, is that these categories of drinkers cause the majority of industrial accidents and are also responsible for the highest absenteeism rate. Prevention measures, sensitising the entire workforce to the early signs and dangers of substance abuse, facilitate the achievement of the best results in combating the problem. With an eye towards this, national directives advocate the following: intensified campaigns to educate people regarding the early signs and dangers of substance abuse, comprehensive prevention measures and increased rehabilitation efforts. Literature identified a limitation to effectively address substance abuse in the workplace, a problem catered for by specialist treatment centres. Article 2 reports the findings of a situation analysis regarding both the concerns and problems of employers and out-patient treatment centres, as well as resources needed to combat substance abuse in the workplace. Representatives from the employment sector, and out-patient treatment centres, participated in the situation analysis. Employees involved in substance abuse treatment programmes also participated in the study. A specific limitation, identified during the situation analysis, was the limited knowledge regarding the negative consequences of substance abuse in general. An unsupportive workplace environment, with regards especially to substance use and abuse, was also identified. Though empirical findings reported the existence of support structures in the workplace, these structures were found to be incapable of dealing with the problem. In the event of substance misconduct, employers are legally obligated to provide treatment and rehabilitation before considering dismissal; however, employers perceived these obligations as additional demands. Employers did not realise the possible benefits of treatment over dismissal. Misinformation and misinterpretation of the legal obligations were also identified during the research study. The stand against the problem of substance abuse in the workplace revealed a limited collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres. Employers were often not aware of specialist treatment centres and the available services. A lack of marketing and visibility – on the part of out-patient treatment centres – and an indifference and lack of support in the workplace were regarded as some of the causes for the limited collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres. Both ignorance in the workplace about the scope of substance abuse and a general lack of knowledge regarding the problem were identified as further limiting factors. A need for collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres was identified, especially if the problems of substance abuse in the workplace were to be successfully addressed. The development of a networking programme for employers and treatment centres was recommended and the core components to establish such a programme were identified. Article 3 discusses the components which were identified during the situation analysis and presents guidelines to develop a networking programme for employers and out-patient treatment centres. The components identified by the participants served as framework for the proposed networking programme. The programme comprises a specific purpose namely collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres, specific characteristics to sustain the programme, and the implementation of distinguishable procedures to establish and ensure sustainability of the programme. The purpose of the networking programme is to promote, between employers and out-patient treatment centres, a collaboration that will address the problem of substance abuse in the workplace. Involvement in the programme holds significant potential benefits for all relevant role players; the programme, in other words, advocates benefits for employers, employees and out-patient treatment centres. The proposed networking programme includes specific procedures for establishing and sustaining the programme: Firstly, assessing the limitations, needs and strengths of both the employment sector and out-patient treatment centres; secondly, establishing a network agreement that defines the roles and responsibilities of the role players; thirdly, collectively planning the networking activities and implementation of these plans; and, finally, collaboratively evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the programme. The aforementioned procedures also apply to both the evaluation of the limitations and progress of the treatment programmes, as well as to the evaluation of service delivery of the treatment centres. As it enables the revision of plans that provide individualised services, the continuous reassessment of the limitations and strengths of the networking programme is important. Out-patient treatment centres are considered responsible for initiating the networking programme. Effective collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres, as well as quality service delivery by the treatment centres, is regarded as critically important. Ultimately, the networking programme – regarded as a collaborative process between employers, employees and out-patient treatment centres – promotes a partnership geared towards combating the problem of substance abuse in the workplace. The researcher concluded the study with the formulation of a theory regarding the development of a networking programme as its end goal. Also, it is hoped that both out-patient treatment centres and the employment sector (employers and employees) may benefit from it in practice. Eventually, the proposed networking programme was based on the data collected from the situation analysis in this study, the researcher’s experience as a counsellor in substance abuse treatment and her exposure to different networking programmes, as well as supportive theoretical knowledge. A guideline for application of the networking programme in practice is included in the study alongside examples of projects to apply the programme. / PhD (Social Work), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The influx of youth abusing substances is a major problem. The effect of substance abuse may have far-reaching consequences for defining the vulnerability of the offending group as well as for contributing to the disaster risk faced by the community as a whole. The effects of substance abuse on young people have the potential to contribute to an increased vulnerability of this group. It becomes the responsibility of the family and community to bear the burden of its drug-afflicted members and the implications of their addiction. The study was conducted in Bekkersdal, which is a community that has a significant problem with youth abusing substances. The degree to which their abuse affects families and the broader community in terms of increasing risk has not been examined. The dissertation aims to evaluate the effect of substance abuse among the youth on the risk profile of the Bekkersdal community. According to Disaster Risk Reduction, one of the important activities of the state is to increase capacity of communities and households to minimize the risk that may occur and also most importantly, monitoring the likelihood of and the state of alertness to disasters that may occur. A qualitative, explorative research design was employed and data gathered using structured interviews involving 30 adults namely School Principals, Teachers, Community Social workers, Community Leaders, Religious Leaders, Disaster managers and a Nurse from the area. The interviews were analysed by means of themes. The research indicated that substance-abusing youth create conditions which undermine human, physical and social capital and hence contribute to instability in the livelihood-based system. It was also evident to this research that it encourages the importance of engaging community members in discussions about aspects that concern them which is an empowerment process in itself. As they become more involved, they also have hope that things will work better for them by actively rebuilding their own lives and communities. All the information gathered revealed the link between the negative impacts of substance abuse and its risk profile in the Bekkersdal community. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Both employers and out-patient treatment centres are key role players in addressing workplace related substance abuse. On the one hand, employers are directly and indirectly affected by the huge problem of substance abuse. On the other hand, out-patient treatment centres provide, as their core goal, for the treatment of substance abuse and dependency. Due to the extent of the problem of substance abuse, collaborative intervention measures between employers and out-patient treatment centres are essential – especially the involvement of specialists in the treatment of substance abuse. Such a collaboration process requires specific, resolute measures, as well as a structured process in order to ensure sustainability and results. A networking programme that provides the opportunity to implement this collaborative process is proposed. Sound collaborations indeed provide the foundation to establish the networking programme for combating the problem of substance abuse in the workplace. A collaborative effort to address the problem of substance abuse in the workplace requires not only rallying the strengths and resources of both employers and out-patient treatment centres, but also developing a programme with well-defined processes beneficial to both. A qualitative research study by means of a grounded theory approach was conducted to explore how networking between employers and out-patient treatment centres might aid in addressing the problem of substance abuse in the workplace. Article 1 is a literature overview of substance abuse within the workplace and concerns the national directives, legislation requirements and measures of intervention aimed at dealing with the problem. The literature findings reveal clear national directives, legislation requirements and workplace policies, all aimed at providing a well-defined context for employers to manage substance abuse in the workplace. In addition, specialist treatment services are available to assist employers in addressing the problem in the workplace. Internal support structures in the workplace, however, often independently address the problem of substance abuse without involving the specialists. Literature findings indicate, though, that the personnel involved in the internal support structures are often not equipped to deal effectively with the problem. Research findings indicate positive treatment outcomes for employees with substance abuse problems. Statistics, however, indicate that the identification of employees with substance abuse problems is limited and that referrals of employees for treatment are infrequent. Underutilisation of out-patient treatment centres is therefore commonplace. Literature specifically indicates that the majority of employees are moderate drinkers and substance abusers, with only a small number being dependant. It is further indicated that the moderate drinkers and substance abusers account for almost half of the workforce. The critical factor, however, is that these categories of drinkers cause the majority of industrial accidents and are also responsible for the highest absenteeism rate. Prevention measures, sensitising the entire workforce to the early signs and dangers of substance abuse, facilitate the achievement of the best results in combating the problem. With an eye towards this, national directives advocate the following: intensified campaigns to educate people regarding the early signs and dangers of substance abuse, comprehensive prevention measures and increased rehabilitation efforts. Literature identified a limitation to effectively address substance abuse in the workplace, a problem catered for by specialist treatment centres. Article 2 reports the findings of a situation analysis regarding both the concerns and problems of employers and out-patient treatment centres, as well as resources needed to combat substance abuse in the workplace. Representatives from the employment sector, and out-patient treatment centres, participated in the situation analysis. Employees involved in substance abuse treatment programmes also participated in the study. A specific limitation, identified during the situation analysis, was the limited knowledge regarding the negative consequences of substance abuse in general. An unsupportive workplace environment, with regards especially to substance use and abuse, was also identified. Though empirical findings reported the existence of support structures in the workplace, these structures were found to be incapable of dealing with the problem. In the event of substance misconduct, employers are legally obligated to provide treatment and rehabilitation before considering dismissal; however, employers perceived these obligations as additional demands. Employers did not realise the possible benefits of treatment over dismissal. Misinformation and misinterpretation of the legal obligations were also identified during the research study. The stand against the problem of substance abuse in the workplace revealed a limited collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres. Employers were often not aware of specialist treatment centres and the available services. A lack of marketing and visibility – on the part of out-patient treatment centres – and an indifference and lack of support in the workplace were regarded as some of the causes for the limited collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres. Both ignorance in the workplace about the scope of substance abuse and a general lack of knowledge regarding the problem were identified as further limiting factors. A need for collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres was identified, especially if the problems of substance abuse in the workplace were to be successfully addressed. The development of a networking programme for employers and treatment centres was recommended and the core components to establish such a programme were identified. Article 3 discusses the components which were identified during the situation analysis and presents guidelines to develop a networking programme for employers and out-patient treatment centres. The components identified by the participants served as framework for the proposed networking programme. The programme comprises a specific purpose namely collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres, specific characteristics to sustain the programme, and the implementation of distinguishable procedures to establish and ensure sustainability of the programme. The purpose of the networking programme is to promote, between employers and out-patient treatment centres, a collaboration that will address the problem of substance abuse in the workplace. Involvement in the programme holds significant potential benefits for all relevant role players; the programme, in other words, advocates benefits for employers, employees and out-patient treatment centres. The proposed networking programme includes specific procedures for establishing and sustaining the programme: Firstly, assessing the limitations, needs and strengths of both the employment sector and out-patient treatment centres; secondly, establishing a network agreement that defines the roles and responsibilities of the role players; thirdly, collectively planning the networking activities and implementation of these plans; and, finally, collaboratively evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the programme. The aforementioned procedures also apply to both the evaluation of the limitations and progress of the treatment programmes, as well as to the evaluation of service delivery of the treatment centres. As it enables the revision of plans that provide individualised services, the continuous reassessment of the limitations and strengths of the networking programme is important. Out-patient treatment centres are considered responsible for initiating the networking programme. Effective collaboration between employers and out-patient treatment centres, as well as quality service delivery by the treatment centres, is regarded as critically important. Ultimately, the networking programme – regarded as a collaborative process between employers, employees and out-patient treatment centres – promotes a partnership geared towards combating the problem of substance abuse in the workplace. The researcher concluded the study with the formulation of a theory regarding the development of a networking programme as its end goal. Also, it is hoped that both out-patient treatment centres and the employment sector (employers and employees) may benefit from it in practice. Eventually, the proposed networking programme was based on the data collected from the situation analysis in this study, the researcher’s experience as a counsellor in substance abuse treatment and her exposure to different networking programmes, as well as supportive theoretical knowledge. A guideline for application of the networking programme in practice is included in the study alongside examples of projects to apply the programme. / PhD (Social Work), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The influx of youth abusing substances is a major problem. The effect of substance abuse may have far-reaching consequences for defining the vulnerability of the offending group as well as for contributing to the disaster risk faced by the community as a whole. The effects of substance abuse on young people have the potential to contribute to an increased vulnerability of this group. It becomes the responsibility of the family and community to bear the burden of its drug-afflicted members and the implications of their addiction. The study was conducted in Bekkersdal, which is a community that has a significant problem with youth abusing substances. The degree to which their abuse affects families and the broader community in terms of increasing risk has not been examined. The dissertation aims to evaluate the effect of substance abuse among the youth on the risk profile of the Bekkersdal community. According to Disaster Risk Reduction, one of the important activities of the state is to increase capacity of communities and households to minimize the risk that may occur and also most importantly, monitoring the likelihood of and the state of alertness to disasters that may occur. A qualitative, explorative research design was employed and data gathered using structured interviews involving 30 adults namely School Principals, Teachers, Community Social workers, Community Leaders, Religious Leaders, Disaster managers and a Nurse from the area. The interviews were analysed by means of themes. The research indicated that substance-abusing youth create conditions which undermine human, physical and social capital and hence contribute to instability in the livelihood-based system. It was also evident to this research that it encourages the importance of engaging community members in discussions about aspects that concern them which is an empowerment process in itself. As they become more involved, they also have hope that things will work better for them by actively rebuilding their own lives and communities. All the information gathered revealed the link between the negative impacts of substance abuse and its risk profile in the Bekkersdal community. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Women have been the focus of a great deal of research on opiate addiction and treatment because their gender is assumed to matter for their experiences in the drug world. Much of this has focused on women's experiences as mothers and caregivers. While men are often included as subjects in research on opiate addiction and treatment, their experiences as gendered beings are rarely analyzed. This research foregrounds men's gendered experiences as fathers, family members, and partners while in methadone maintenance treatment. Using data from addiction history interviews with 33 opiate-dependent men recruited from a single methadone clinic in Arizona, I find that men assign considerable significance to their family relationships. The men interviewed report that their experiences as fathers, grandfathers, sons, grandsons, brothers, husbands, and boyfriends both motivate them to seek methadone treatment for opiate addiction, and cause stress that sometimes pushes them to use or relapse on opiates. Given the importance of these men's family relationships, I argue that the marginalized masculinity of impoverished, drug-dependent men includes an ethic of care. Additionally, I argue that counselors in methadone clinics should consider men in the context of their family relationships in order to provide better treatment to men struggling to recover from opiate addiction.

Substance use disorders are chronic brain disorders and must therefore be treated on an ongoing basis. Accordingly, the concept of recovery capital has been developed to account for the internal and external resources that an individual can mobilize in order to recover from a substance use disorder. However, the concept has scarcely been applied to emerging adults. Although they are at twice the risk of developing a substance use disorder relative to their adult or adolescent counterparts, emerging adults in addiction and recovery are understudied. This phenomenological study aims to explore and describe the experience of emerging adults in recovery and to identify the barriers and facilitators to their recovery. The informants (n=8) were 18-25 year olds in recovery from substance use disorders. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and subsequently analyzed for emerging themes. The results from this study suggest that the developmental tasks facing emerging adults are exacerbated in addiction and recovery.