Adolescent pregnancy is a worldwide problem. This study attempted to describe and explore the knowledge of female adolescents in Angola's knowledge with regard to contraception. The research results, obtained from interview schedules, revealed that the respondents lacked knowledge about themselves as adolescents as well as a lack of knowledge of their reproductive health and development. Furthermore, the results portrayed a lack of knowledge of contraceptives. The study findings may assist health care providers to identify educational programmes on contraception at schools, markets and in the community. / Health Studies / Thesis (M.A. (Health Studies))

The concept of youth activity centre (YAC) has not yet been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the YAC in Botswana. Accordingly, the researcher explored and described the lived experience of young people utilising the YAC as well as the perceptions of service providers at the Mochudi Centre in the Kgatleng District, in Botswana. Furthermore, the objective was to develop and describe guidelines for the facilitation of youth-friendly services (YFS) at YAC. A phenomenological, qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was used to extract young people’s experiences and perceptions of service providers. Thirty-two young people and 27 service providers (peer educators and service delivery officers [SDOs]) were purposefully selected. Methods of data collection used were unstructured individual in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observations in the forms of field notes. The data, mainly tape-recorded interviews and field notes were transcribed verbatim for data analysis. Tesch’s eight-step data analysis model (Creswell 1994:155) was used. One major theme, youth friendliness emerged with three categories, namely: physical, administrative, and psychological aspects of youth-friendly services. All the respondents indicated that they benefited and affirmed they were empowered and better people after using the facility. However, limited access to the facility by the target group due to location, cost of reaching the facility, and attitudes of service providers as well as failure to implement planned activities due to financial and staff shortage were obstacles to youth friendliness of the YAC. Based on the findings and literature review, the researcher developed guidelines to facilitate YFS and improved access to the YAC. Recommendations made are for practise in the YAC, education of SDOs and for further research. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of life skills training as a preventive strategy for HIV and AIDS, for secondary school learners in one secondary school in the Moretele District of Mpumalanga. The objectives of this study were to determine the levels of learners’ knowledge about HIV and AIDS, and levels of teacher training in life skills, to assess how teachers’ and learners’ attitudes affect life skills training, to explore the perceptions of teachers and learners regarding the usefulness of life skills training in the prevention of HIV transmission and to assess the usefulness of the learning and teaching support materials (LTSM) used in life skills training. The study also investigated the challenges encountered by learners and teachers in life skills training in order to make recommendations for improvements. This is a qualitative evaluation study that involved qualitative focus group interviews, qualitative semi-structured interviews and qualitative observation. Sampling was purposive and it entailed 30 grade 9 learners and 2 grade 9 Life Orientation teachers. The Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory formed the theoretical framework for this study. The results of the study showed that the aspects which significantly benefited learners were: sufficiently acceptable levels of knowledge about HIV and AIDS, the use of other resources from the library, and development of positive attitudes of learners and teachers involved in life skills. Aspects of life skills training which demonstrated partial benefits for the learners were teacher training and involvement of parents and other health care professionals. However, aspects which were less developed were the learners’ and teachers’ knowledge and application regarding some skills needed for prevention of HIV infection / Social Work / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV-AIDS)

Adolescent pregnancy is a worldwide problem. This study attempted to describe and explore the knowledge of female adolescents in Angola's knowledge with regard to contraception. The research results, obtained from interview schedules, revealed that the respondents lacked knowledge about themselves as adolescents as well as a lack of knowledge of their reproductive health and development. Furthermore, the results portrayed a lack of knowledge of contraceptives. The study findings may assist health care providers to identify educational programmes on contraception at schools, markets and in the community. / Health Studies / Thesis (M.A. (Health Studies))

The concept of youth activity centre (YAC) has not yet been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the YAC in Botswana. Accordingly, the researcher explored and described the lived experience of young people utilising the YAC as well as the perceptions of service providers at the Mochudi Centre in the Kgatleng District, in Botswana. Furthermore, the objective was to develop and describe guidelines for the facilitation of youth-friendly services (YFS) at YAC. A phenomenological, qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was used to extract young people’s experiences and perceptions of service providers. Thirty-two young people and 27 service providers (peer educators and service delivery officers [SDOs]) were purposefully selected. Methods of data collection used were unstructured individual in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observations in the forms of field notes. The data, mainly tape-recorded interviews and field notes were transcribed verbatim for data analysis. Tesch’s eight-step data analysis model (Creswell 1994:155) was used. One major theme, youth friendliness emerged with three categories, namely: physical, administrative, and psychological aspects of youth-friendly services. All the respondents indicated that they benefited and affirmed they were empowered and better people after using the facility. However, limited access to the facility by the target group due to location, cost of reaching the facility, and attitudes of service providers as well as failure to implement planned activities due to financial and staff shortage were obstacles to youth friendliness of the YAC. Based on the findings and literature review, the researcher developed guidelines to facilitate YFS and improved access to the YAC. Recommendations made are for practise in the YAC, education of SDOs and for further research. / 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.

This study involves an analysis of accounts of first and subsequent early sexual experiences in a deep rural area of the Eastern Cape in South Africa over the last forty years. Through interviews and focus group discussions, the enculturation of youth into sexual activity in the community of interest is explored. The study looks into sexual experiences from childhood, through early adolescence to adults of up to sixty five years old, allowing an analysis of the changing forms of sexual experimentation and sexual debut in this context. Contextual factors mediating these changes are explored, with special emphasis on the changing regulatory practices around early sexual experiences and the effect thereof on behaviors connected to HIV infection risk. Practices that were previously important mediators of sexual behavior were: anxiety about the social consequences of pregnancy, which was previously a significant disincentive to sexual intercourse; men's previous acceptance of the need to practice non-penetrative forms of sex and girls postponing sexual debut for as long as possible. All these were culturally endorsed, but are now noted to have changed due to changes in the regulatory practices surrounding youth sexuality. The context of early sexual experiences and the surrounding cultural practices have also changed significantly, and this needs to be taken into account in understanding receptivity to condom use messages. Implications for HIV/AIDS prevention are discussed. Among other interventions, the study describes a participatory, community-based, multi-sectoral approach that takes social conditions into account as a way of empowering the community to strengthen its response to the pandemic. This incorporates different sectors of the community, including youth, parents, religious and traditional leaders, and various other structures, services and institutions that make up the community.

This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of life skills training as a preventive strategy for HIV and AIDS, for secondary school learners in one secondary school in the Moretele District of Mpumalanga. The objectives of this study were to determine the levels of learners’ knowledge about HIV and AIDS, and levels of teacher training in life skills, to assess how teachers’ and learners’ attitudes affect life skills training, to explore the perceptions of teachers and learners regarding the usefulness of life skills training in the prevention of HIV transmission and to assess the usefulness of the learning and teaching support materials (LTSM) used in life skills training. The study also investigated the challenges encountered by learners and teachers in life skills training in order to make recommendations for improvements. This is a qualitative evaluation study that involved qualitative focus group interviews, qualitative semi-structured interviews and qualitative observation. Sampling was purposive and it entailed 30 grade 9 learners and 2 grade 9 Life Orientation teachers. The Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory formed the theoretical framework for this study. The results of the study showed that the aspects which significantly benefited learners were: sufficiently acceptable levels of knowledge about HIV and AIDS, the use of other resources from the library, and development of positive attitudes of learners and teachers involved in life skills. Aspects of life skills training which demonstrated partial benefits for the learners were teacher training and involvement of parents and other health care professionals. However, aspects which were less developed were the learners’ and teachers’ knowledge and application regarding some skills needed for prevention of HIV infection / Social Work / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV-AIDS)

Bibliography: pages 360-378 / In this study, the researcher investigates an HIV and AIDS prevention programme known as Education for Life (EFLP) run by the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). The programme seeks to encourage behaviour changes as a viable approach for the prevention of HIV and AIDS through education. EFLP is faith-based and run by the RCC as one of the programmes in RCC pastoral mission activities to mitigating the HIV and AIDS epidemic. EFLP aims at preventing HIV and AIDs through creating awareness of human values in the context of the gospel, facts about HIV and AIDs and promoting behaviour change, particularly among the youth. The programme is youth-led, peer-driven and peer support based. The researcher examines EFLP in Sterkspruit Parish from 2003 to 2013 to assess whether EFLP was effective in bringing about preventative sexual behaviour, as a result of participants in the programme changing attitudes and values and acquiring life skills. RCC and many Christian churches promote behavioural intervention abstinence, fidelity within marriage, counselling and delaying sexual debut and partner reduction. Behavioural change programmes have, however, not been without controversies. A qualitative research method was followed to investigate the impact of EFLP. Data were obtained and tape-recorded during one-on-one interviews of 25 youth participants. The researcher employed the theory of reasoned action to examine the data. Analysis of data revealed that the mission of the church could be achieved through social transformation in the lives of the youth, especially behavioural change concerning HIV and AIDS. It also showed that a single preventative approach should not be taken to the exclusion of others in the prevention of HIV and AIDs. The study recommends combining different approaches, including promoting behavioural change / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Ph. D. (Missiology)

The study sought to explore and describe the risk behaviour regarding HIV transmission among youth in Bulawayo, their knowledge of HIV transmission and the sources of information on HIV transmission accessible to them. A quantitative, descriptive exploratory design was used and 238 youth from three secondary schools in Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe were the respondents. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was used to facilitate and acquire insight into the risk behaviour among the youth. The inferences drawn from the study were that youth have inadequate knowledge about HIV transmission and therefore do not fully understand their risk of infection. Youth also find shyness and fear of rejection serious barriers to communicating openly about sexuality, sexual and HIV/AIDS issues. The findings of the study have implications for programmes to limit HIV transmission among youth and should assist policymakers and educators in developing and implementing such programmes in order to improve the health of youth in Zimbabwe. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)