The field of masculinity research is an increasingly important area of concern for gender researchers. Contemporary masculinity studies have extensively explored the construction of masculine identities and the range of social processes that generate them. However, these studies have largely focused on non-disabled masculinity and as a consequence have overlooked the construction and subjective experience of disabled masculinity. This research is thus an attempt to address this gap by focusing on the construction and subjective experience of visually impaired adolescent boys. This study consisted of semi structured face to face interviews with visually impaired boys, which were fully transcribed and analysed using the integrated analytic approach of social constructionism and psycho-analysis. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

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

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and causes as well as the risk factors of visual impairment (VI) and blindness among Black South Africans with diabetes mellitus (DM) aged 40 years and older in Mopani District, Limpopo province, South Africa. This was a cross-sectional study in which Black South Africans with DM aged ≥40 years old were examined for VI and blindness. In addition, anthropometric as well as risk factors for VI and blindness were studied. A total of 225 participants were selected from seven Public Health Facilities in Mopani District. Data was collected using standard optometric instruments, anthropometric instruments and structured interviews. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) and Microsoft Excel software packages. The ages of the participants ranged from 40 to 90 years with a mean of 61.5±10.49 years. There were more females (71.5%) than males (28.4%). The prevalence of uncorrected VI and blindness in the right eyes of the participants was 70.7% and 3.6%, respectively. In the left eyes, it was 72% and 3.1%, respectively. However, following optical correction, the prevalence in right eyes was 41.3% and 3.6%, respectively. In the left eyes, it was 42.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Risk factors that were individually associated with VI and blindness include age, educational qualification, monthly income, knowledge of DM types, oral DM treatment (pills), losing weight, compliance to losing weight, family history of DM, physical activity, and date of last eye examination .When logistic regression was used, knowledge of DM types, pills, and compliance to losing weight, family history of DM, monthly income and physical activity remained associated with VI and blindness. The high prevalence of VI in this diabetes population was not primarily due to DM itself, but due to refractive error and cataract, conditions which have effective and easy treatments. A total of 84% of the participants were visually impaired due to either refractive error or cataract or both and only 3.8% due to diabetes retinopathy. It is therefore recommended that appropriate and affordable refraction and cataract surgical services be made available and accessible to this population / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and causes as well as the risk factors of visual impairment (VI) and blindness among Black South Africans with diabetes mellitus (DM) aged 40 years and older in Mopani District, Limpopo province, South Africa. This was a cross-sectional study in which Black South Africans with DM aged ≥40 years old were examined for VI and blindness. In addition, anthropometric as well as risk factors for VI and blindness were studied. A total of 225 participants were selected from seven Public Health Facilities in Mopani District. Data was collected using standard optometric instruments, anthropometric instruments and structured interviews. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) and Microsoft Excel software packages. The ages of the participants ranged from 40 to 90 years with a mean of 61.5±10.49 years. There were more females (71.5%) than males (28.4%). The prevalence of uncorrected VI and blindness in the right eyes of the participants was 70.7% and 3.6%, respectively. In the left eyes, it was 72% and 3.1%, respectively. However, following optical correction, the prevalence in right eyes was 41.3% and 3.6%, respectively. In the left eyes, it was 42.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Risk factors that were individually associated with VI and blindness include age, educational qualification, monthly income, knowledge of DM types, oral DM treatment (pills), losing weight, compliance to losing weight, family history of DM, physical activity, and date of last eye examination .When logistic regression was used, knowledge of DM types, pills, and compliance to losing weight, family history of DM, monthly income and physical activity remained associated with VI and blindness. The high prevalence of VI in this diabetes population was not primarily due to DM itself, but due to refractive error and cataract, conditions which have effective and easy treatments. A total of 84% of the participants were visually impaired due to either refractive error or cataract or both and only 3.8% due to diabetes retinopathy. It is therefore recommended that appropriate and affordable refraction and cataract surgical services be made available and accessible to this population / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

D. Litt et Phil. (Literature and Philosophy) / Eye health promotion is an important aspect of VISION 2020 campaign that aims to eliminate unwarranted cases of avoidable blindness worldwide by the year 2020. Most developing countries, including South Africa, have a serious burden of eye diseases and unwarranted causes of visual impairment and blindness. The purpose of this research therefore was to highlight the lack of an integrated eye health promotion policy in the South African primary health care system which can play a major role in the elimination of this burden of disease and also to make proposals for eye health promotion policy development in South Africa. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was used in this study. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted with all national and provincial health managers of portfolios relevant to eye care. Also, various health policy documents were requested from the National and Provincial Department of Health to ascertain claims of any existing guidelines on eye care. The policy documents and guidelines obtained had no specific reference to eye health promotion. Only 11 (23%) of the managers of provincial health directorates reported that they have integrated vision screening in their health promotion programmes as part of eye health promotion strategies. Eye care managers in the provinces reported that school visits accounted for 75% of eye health promotion programmes target areas. Also, apart from the Northern Cape Province which has no eye care manager and consequently no eye health promotion programmes, the Western Cape Province also does not have eye health promotion programmes and relies mostly on private sector for eye care services. The lack of an integrated eye health promotion policy and most probably the lack of a dedicated directorate that deals with eye health promotion issues may be a contributing factor to the overwhelming lack of integrated eye health promotion activities in South Africa. It is therefore recommended that an integrated eye health promotion model be developed and be part of the South African primary health care system. / Health Studies