Individualised needs based approaches are increasingly being utilised to fund disability support services. Frequently, standardised assessments such as adaptive behaviour scales and, more recently, measures of support needs are used for determining level of need. The aim of this thesis is to understand the relationship between adaptive behaviours and support needs and to investigate factors that impact functional capacity and need for supports for individuals with an intellectual disability. Although a conceptually attractive approach to assessment, concern exists regarding the adequacy of the theoretical framework for guiding the development of support needs instruments. Though possessing theoretical similarities, adaptive behaviour and support needs scales are considered to measure different, albeit related constructs, prompting investigation into the nature of the relationship and the structure of the support needs construct. Accordingly, in Study 1 the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS), the Adaptive Behaviour Scale–Residential and Community (ABS-RC:2), and the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP) were used to examine this relationship (N = 80). Dimensionality of the SIS (Section 1) was examined in reference to the three areas of conceptual, social, and practical skills, considered as comprising the adaptive behaviour construct. Factor analysis offered support for measurement of a common underlying construct. When considered in terms of the three adaptive behaviour skill areas, the support needs construct related predominantly to conceptual skills. Unlike adaptive behaviour scales, little is reported about the properties of support needs measures or factors that impact on an individual’s need for supports. Study 2 examined factors likely to influence adaptive behaviours and need for supports; in particular, the presence of coexisting disabilities. Using a measure of adaptive behaviour (i.e., ICAP) and two support needs scales (i.e., SIS and the Service Need Assessment Profile, SNAP), the extent to which adaptive and challenging behaviours and support needs (including medical) were impacted by the number and severity of disabilities was examined (N = 83). Results showed adaptive behaviours and support needs (including medical) were meaningfully related to the number and severity of disabilities present, whereas this was not so for challenging behaviours. Profiles for challenging behaviour measures did not support a linear association with number and severity of additional disabilities, raising the possibility that the profiles were influenced more by the nature of the additional disabilities present. Study 3 investigated the impact of the nature of the additional disabilities present on adaptive and challenging behaviours, support and medical needs using the same instruments utilised in Study 2. Each scale discriminated skills and needs associated with the presence of additional physical and speech disabilities. The support needs subscales of SNAP and SIS were more sensitive to the needs of individuals with coexisting neurological and sensory disabilities. SNAP was the only instrument to identify unique needs associated with the presence of a psychiatric disability but SIS was the only instrument to discriminate needs associated with the presence of a vision disability. Underlying this finding may be the importance of the person-environment interaction intrinsic to contemporary models of disability and support approach to assessment. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1349602 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 2009

This exploratory study builds on previous sales leadership research by examining, comparing, and contrasting sales leaders’ and sales representatives’ perceptions of what leadership behaviours enable salesperson performance. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sales teams in a global enterprise software company. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed and statements coded into categories of leadership behaviours. Overall the sales professionals perceived the leadership behaviours of coaching, collaborating, championing, customer engaging, challenging, and creating vision enable salesperson performance. References were also made to candidate recruiting, inspiring and rewarding, however these were less frequent. Sales leaders and sales representatives agreed that coaching, collaborating, championing and customer engaging enable salesperson performance, however sales leaders spoke more about coaching, creating vision and candidate recruiting, while sales representatives spoke more about collaborating, championing, customer engaging and challenging. High performing sales representatives referred to coaching and customer engaging behaviours more frequently than average and low performing sales representatives, indicating the importance of these behaviours. Respondents also revealed that the intense pressure to deliver quarterly results made leadership challenging in this environment. This may account for the difference between sales leadership behaviours and leadership behaviours identified in the literature. This study suggests that a high pressure complex sales context might influence the type of leadership behaviours that may be best suited to enable salesperson performance. This study contributes to the field by providing a framework of the sales leadership behaviours perceived to enable salesperson performance, providing confirmation that sales leaders adopt previously identified leadership behaviours in the sales context, and the identification of new leadership behaviours specific to the sales context. It also presents evidence that trust, confidence, optimism and resilience are potential mediators between sales leadership and salesperson performance, and it provides a set of implications for practice.

Introduction: Currently, 1 in 7 children are classified as obese, which represents an obesity rate two times higher than that of the last 25 years. Part of the solution to address the positive energy balance underlying weight gain is to target the specific eating behaviours and factors that lead to food intake. One widely used tool to measure eating behaviour is the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ). Objective: The primary objective of this study was to validate scores of the 21-item Child version of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21 C), by examining validity evidence and reliability of TFEQ-R21 C responses in a sample of Canadian children and adolescents. The secondary aim was to examine the associations between the TFEQ-R21 C factors and body mass index (BMI) z-scores and food/taste preferences. Methods: The participants consisted of a sample of 158 children, 63 boys (mean age: 11.5 ± 1.6 years) and 95 girls (mean age: 11.9 ± 1.9 years), recruited from English schools in the Ottawa area. To assess eating behaviour, participants filled out the TFEQ-R21 C, the Power of Food Scale, and the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire. Height and weight measurements were taken using a stadiometer and a digital scale. An exploratory factor analysis with oblique rotation and an item analysis were conducted to determine the factor structure and validity of the questionnaire. A median split on Cognitive Restraint (CR), Internal Uncontrolled Eating (UE 1), External Uncontrolled Eating (UE 2), and Emotional Eating (EE) was used to dichotomize factor-based scores into high and low categories for each factor, to allow for group comparisons. Bivariate correlations explored relationships between weight, BMI and BMI z-score, and food and taste preference, by sex and age group. To determine if BMI, BMI z-scores, and food/taste preferences were associated with factor scores of the TFEQ-R21 C, two-way ANOVAs were conducted. Results: The exploratory factor analysis replicated the Emotional Eating (EE) and Cognitive Restraint (CR) scales of the original TFEQ-R21, whereas the global factor of Uncontrolled Eating (UE) produced two subscales: Internal Uncontrolled Eating (UE 1) and External Uncontrolled Eating (UE 2). Item 17 did not load onto any of the factors and was subsequently removed. The four-factor model, with item 17 removed (FFEQ-R21 C: 20-item Child version Four-Factor Eating Questionnaire), accounted for 41.2% of the common variance in the data and showed good internal consistency (α= 0.81). The factors of UE 1 (r= 0.27, p<0.001), UE 2 (r= 0.36, p<0.0001), and CR (r= 0.20, p= 0.04) correlated significantly with EE. Younger children reported higher UE 1 scores [F(1,143)= 3.99, p=0.048, f2= 0.028] and CR scores [F(1,143)= 3.99, p= 0.001, f2= 0.089]. Boys who reported a high UE 1 scores had a significantly higher weight [F(1,58)= 6.44, p=0.014, f2= 0.117 ] and BMI z-scores [F(1,58)= 4.45, p=0.039, f2=0.083], compared to those who reported low UE 1 scores. Children with overweight or obesity [F(1,143)= 2.75, p<0.001. f2= 0.035] reported higher EE scores, compared to children of normal weight. Children with high UE 1 scores reported greater preference for high protein and fat foods, and high fat savoury (HFSA) and high fat sweet (HFSW) foods, compared to those with low UE 1 scores. Higher preference for high protein, fat, and carbohydrate foods, and HFSA, HFSW, and low fat savoury foods (LFSA) foods was found in children with high UE 2 scores, compared to those with low UR 2 scores. Children and adolescents with low CR scores reported greater preference for high protein, carbohydrate, and fat foods, compared to those who reported high CR scores. Discussion: This study showed adequate reliability and validity evidence of the TFEQ-R21 C scores, and that the questionnaire is best represented by a 20-item four-factor model in our sample. The FFEQ-R21 C was able to identify relevant eating behaviour traits associated with higher BMI z-scores and food preferences in both sexes and age groups, which were mainly in accordance with previous findings in children and adolescents. These results support the utility of the questionnaire for the assessment and identification of problematic eating behaviour and food preferences in the Canadian pediatric population. Younger children reported higher influence of the psychological constructs of eating behaviour (CR, UE 1, UE 2, and EE), compared to older children. This study provides preliminary evidence that FFEQ-R20 is a reliable and valid self-report tool to measure eating behaviour in children and adolescents to characterize those at higher risk for excess weight. However, further research is needed to examine the validity of the questionnaire in larger samples and in other geographical locations across Canada, as well as the inclusion of extraneous variables such as parental eating behaviour, socioeconomic status, and physical activity levels.

Background: Physically active lifestyles are important for health and quality of life across all stages of development. Exercise interventions have recently been incorporated as an effective strategy for adult cardiomyopathy patients, but have yet to be examined in children with cardiomyopathy. The overall goal of this pilot study was to provide preliminary data on whether there is a need to develop exercise interventions among children with cardiomyopathy. This study sought to characterize the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) level, submaximal exercise capacity and physical activity barriers among children with cardiomyopathy. Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods approach. Children were eligible if they were between the ages of 5 to 17 years, had a medical diagnosis of cardiomyopathy (i.e. hypertrophic, dilated, or cancer induced), atrial septal defect, or had been identified as carrying a genetic risk for cardiomyopathy. Participants were excluded if they had physical activity contraindications, had a non-cardiac medical condition or disability known to influence physical activity, or if they underwent cardiac surgery within the preceding 6 months. MVPA was assessed using 7-day omnidirectional accelerometry. Submaximal exercise capacity was determined by intermittent treadmill protocol targeting 40% to 80% of predicted maximum heart rate. Physical activity barriers were identified through semi-structured interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis using Braun & Clark’s approach. Results: Pediatric cardiomyopathy patients (n=5) were compared to children who are genotypepositive but phenotype-negative for cardiomyopathy (n=5), children with simple congenital heart defects (CHD, n=8) and published data for Canadian children (n=1,300). Daily MVPA (48.2 ± 19.0 minutes) was variable but did not differ significantly between groups (η2=0.025, p=0.82) or from published data on Canadian children (t(17) = -1.52 p=0.15). Submaximal exercise testing revealed that children with cardiomyopathy may be able to participate in activities at moderate intensities (i.e. 4.5 ± 3.1 METs) at 150 beats per minute (bpm). Children with cardiomyopathy reported primarily disease-centred barriers to participation, including physical activity restriction and physical influences from the disease which were not reported by children who carry a genetic risk for cardiomyopathy. Conclusion: These novel data within this population group suggest that pediatric cardiomyopathy patients may have sufficient submaximal exercise capacity to participate in moderate physical activity, despite reporting disease centered barriers to physical activity. A diagnosis of cardiomyopathy may not preclude these children from achieving and healthy, active lifestyle, but their current level of participation is less than recommended for optimal health and cardiac function.

Embracing the symbolic interactionist view of the notion of self, applying dramaturgical theories of self-presentation, this study unpacks the linkage between leaders’ lifestyle behaviours (in athletic endeavours) and the formation of their sense of self as occupants of the leadership role from a self-expressive perspective.  I conducted a study of a group of sporty top managers in Sweden. With interviews and observations, I anchored the research focus in verbal expressions within storytelling and in performative expressions of the top managers. Drawing on social interpretations of sport and athleticism and with a dramaturgical analytical frame, I examine how the sporty top managers interpret their athletic endeavours to express important values, beliefs and concerns to express ‘whom they want to become’ as occupants of the leadership role. The analysis shows that lifestyle behaviours in athletic endeavours serve as a new source of self-meanings with which the sporty top managers create and express wishful notions about themselves as occupants of the leadership role. By incorporating athletic values with their distinctive understanding of a ‘good leader’, the top managers seek to present themselves with an idealized image of ‘athletic leaders’. In this process, the top managers outline a role-script that is mainly characterized with self-disciplinary qualities and masculine values, they define the leadership context with athleticism in the centre, and they express an overt intent to elevate some people and exclude others in organizational processes based on athletic values in which they personally believe. Hence, the process of formation of self as ‘athletic leaders’ is not only ‘self-relevant’, but it is personally, interpersonally and socially (organizationally) meaningful. The analysis also shows that the top managers seek to give legitimacy and an elitist status to the idealized view of self by using expressive strategies to appropriate their appearances, regulate emotions and bodily senses, and mould a gendered self-image.   This thesis contributes to leadership studies in several ways. First, the study expands on extant literature theorizing the linkage between lifestyle behaviours and the formation of sense of self as occupants of the leadership role from a new angle. It contends that lifestyle behaviours such as athletic endeavours have become a prime site where business leaders express creative narratives regarding an idealized view of themselves. Second, this study further advocates that the formation of sense of self of leaders is not a simple outcome of different forms of regulative discursive regime.  Rather, this process involves creative self-reflexive activities that address individuals’ personally held values, their distinctive pursuits in becoming an idealized leader, relations with others, and some prevailing leadership notions that they believe to be closely associated with the nature of lifestyle behaviours in which they engage and commit. Third, this study confirms the notion that the formation of the understanding of self of leaders is not only a function of verbal expressive devices, but that it also involves individuals’ performative strategies in ‘expressive control’ (e.g. Down &amp; Reveley, 2009; Goffman, 1959). This thesis adds to understanding this point of view through a discussion of self-presentational practices in non-work related activities. Finally and most importantly, this study suggests that the process of formation of the sense of self of business leaders is expressive of meanings on personal, interpersonal and social dimensions in its own right. That is, through creating new self-meanings in micro-level practices in lifestyle behaviours, the occupants of the leadership role define the situational characteristics (the leadership context), express intentions to enact the power feature of inclusion and exclusion of others; generate new understanding of the leadership role, and they reproduce and strengthen some prevailing leadership ideals.

Background: Drug administration is a main duty of a nurse’s clinical role. It involves great risk in patients’ lives and can potentially cause great harm. Despite many safeguards, preventable medication errors still occur. The aim of this descriptive quantitative study is to explore geriatric nurses’ perceptions of medication errors, perceived causes and their reporting behaviours. Methods: A self- report standardized survey was used to collect data from a purpose sample of nurses (n=17) working on geriatric wards at the Montfort hospital located in the province of Ontario. Data entry and analysis were done by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 12 and presented using frequencies, number and percentage. Results: The most frequently identified causes of medication errors were failure to check patient’s name band with the patient’s medication administration record (MAR), nurses' tiredness, illegible physician handwriting, and nurses’ miscalculations of medication doses. In general, nurses were usually sure of constitutes a medication error and when to report it. However, only 30% of errors were perceived by nurses to be reported to the nurse manager. More than half (64.7%) of participants perceived that, some errors are not reported because nurses are afraid of the reaction they will receive from the nurse manager and the majority of them will notify the physician than to complete an incident report. Conclusion: Recognizing a medication error is the first step to reduce report and eliminate them, especially in acute care settings. Finding suggests that nurses need more educational reenforcement as to various issues related to medication errors, particularly defining and reporting these errors. Furthermore, the introduction of hospital policies and the development of structured protocols on drug administration may decrease medication errors. The hospital administration system needs to stress the importance of reporting errors and adopt a non-punitive approach to safeguard patient safety.

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Background: Several chronic health conditions that previously manifested in adulthood are now increasingly being identified in young people. Various health risk behaviours established during youth results in chronic diseases of lifestyle as well as behaviours leading to injury, trauma and substance abuse. Current evidence proposes that a school health programme could become one of the most efficient means available to improve the health promotion and education of people as it reaches large numbers of young people in a replicable and sustainable way. Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine health risk behaviours and investigate the understanding and perception of health promotion among adolescent learners attending secondary schools in the Theewaterskloof region. Objectives: 1) To determine the health risk behaviours that secondary school learners in the Theewaterskloof region engage in; 2) to explore and describe the understanding and perceptions of health promotion among secondary school learners in the Theewaterskloof region and 3) To explore and describe the understanding and perceptions of health promotion among life orientation educators in the Theewaterskloof region Methodology: The study used a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach. Quantitative data was collected by means of the Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance Survey and qualitative data through focus group discussions. Ethics was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Western Cape (13/2/3) and permission was obtained from the Western Cape Education Department, school governing bodies, learners, parents and guardians of identified schools regarding the research. Results: Data from 276 participants in Grades 8-11 from secondary schools in a rural district within the Western Cape, South Africa was analysed. The most significant health risk behaviours engaged in by the participants was substance abuse, sexual activity and physical inactivity. In focus group discussions held with both the learners and educators, the most prevalent health risk behaviours were; substance use and sexual activity. Although the health risk behaviours were such a pertinent issue for both the learners and educators, current health promotion strategies were inadequate. In terms of health promotion strategies the learners highlighted the need for adequate support and guidance from both their parents and educators. They also made reference to themselves, their parents and educators playing a role in the improvement of their health status. The educators felt that parents needed to play their role in health promotion by disciplining their children and by being better role models. They were also of the opinion that the current socio-economic climate of the Theewaterskloof region predisposes learners to specific health risk behaviours. According to them, an effective health promotion strategy would include parents, educators and learners working together to promote better health behaviours. Conclusion: Health risk behaviours are rife in rural communities. Even though the adolescents feel that the management of the trajectory of their health is their responsibility, they see a need for collaboration between educators, parents and themselves in developing health promotion. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

This research was undertaken to establish the behaviours of leaders who get things done. Leadership attributes can be divided into three broad categories, namely, personal traits of leaders (who leaders are), their knowledge and skills (what leaders know) and their behaviours and styles (what leaders do). This research was part of a collaborative study undertaken with two other MBA students at the Gordon Institute of Business Science. Qualitative research methods were used. The research was exploratory in nature and was conducted by holding in-depth, semi-structured interviews with fifteen successful business leaders in South Africa. Fifteen behavioural themes were identified as relevant to the behaviours of leaders who get things done, i.e. engaging and being approachable, having and articulating a vision, managing emotions, inspiring and motivating, communicating, choosing the right teams, displaying energy and passion, showing you care, listening, being visible, focusing on results, empowering staff, expressing trust and confidence in one’s people, responding to situations in a flexible manner and building strong teams. In addition, the research found that these behaviours are associated with the transformational leadership style. Another finding is that personal traits and leadership behaviour are important factors influencing how leaders get things done, more so than knowledge and skills are. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The aim of the thesis is to address issues concerning modelling and evaluation of monetary policy by obtaining targeting rules from optimisation techniques using welfare loss functions that capture asymmetries and zone targeting behaviours. The motivation is that the specification of the most widely used monetary policy rule, i.e. the Taylor rule, may not adequately capture the stylised key features of monetary policy practice as has been shown by Nobay and Peel (2003), Aksoy et al. (2006) and Boinet and Martin (2008). The thesis also addresses the importance of the behaviour of certain financial asset prices and their implications in monetary policy decision making. It also analyses the impact of uncertainty about the true state of the economy on domestic interest rates. First, the response of monetary policy to deviations of inflation and output from their target values based on a framework that allows asymmetric and zone targeting monetary authorities’ preferences is estimated.1 Second, the monetary policy reaction function, which is augmented with a comprehensive index that collects and synthesises information from the financial asset markets is estimated for South Africa based on a framework that allows asymmetric and zone targeting monetary authorities’ preferences.2 Third, the impact of uncertainty about the state of the economy on monetary policy in South Africa using a framework that allows asymmetric and zone targeting monetary authorities’ preferences is analysed. The main findings are that the monetary authorities’ response towards inflation is zone symmetric and their response to output fluctuations is asymmetric. The second major finding is that the conditions in the financial asset markets form an important information set for the monetary authorities and that the monetary authorities pay close attention to the conditions in these markets by placing an equal weight on financial asset markets booms and recessions. The empirical results also reveal a significant impact of uncertainty about the state of the economy on domestic interest rates during the inflation targeting period and that the monetary authorities exhibit discretionary behaviour when implementing monetary policy under uncertainty. The thesis contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of economics by addressing important issues in monetary policy design and conduct using a framework that capture the stylised key features of monetary policy practice. All these issues are important in design and conduct of monetary policy. They are currently debated at many central banks including South Africa. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Economics / unrestricted

To ensure social workers advocate for the active participation and inclusion of cultural and spiritual practices and belief systems of patients within the healthcare system. It is essential that social workers develop an understanding and educate themselves on the wide variety of cultures and religions recognised and acknowledged in South Africa. The researcher recognised Hinduism is a culture and religion that is commonly practiced in South Africa and that the Hindu population actively participates and practices in accordance to their culture and religion. Hence, it was in the interest of the researcher to investigate the cultural and spiritual factors that influence the health-seeking behaviours of the Hindu population within the healthcare system. The goal of the research study was to explore the cultural and spiritual factors influencing the health-seeking behaviours of the Indian Hindu population in Lenasia. The objectives of the research study were to conceptualise and contextualise cultural and spiritual factors influencing health-seeking behaviours from a health belief perspective; to explore and describe the cultural and the spiritual factors influencing the health-seeking behaviours of the Indian Hindu population in Lenasia. Lastly, to make suggestions to improve social work services in health care, taking into consideration the cultural and spiritual factors influencing health-seeking behaviours amongst the Indian Hindu population. The qualitative research approach was appropriate as the researcher utilised applied research, specifically the evidence-based approach, as the approach enabled the researcher to explore and describe cultural and spiritual factors that influence the health-seeking behaviours of the Indian Hindu population within the healthcare system. Furthermore, practical solutions and recommendations for social workers to improve their social work services within the healthcare system specifically working with Indian Hindu population in Lenasia were provided. The instrumental case study design was appropriate for the research study as it enabled the researcher to develop an interview schedule that asked questions which permitted the participants to provide in-depth responses that express their personalised experiences of Hinduism as a culture and religion. The interview schedule contained sections which were as follows; Biographic information, knowledge of health care seeking behaviour, understanding of cultural and spiritual practices within your cultural/ethnic/spiritual group, spiritual and cultural factors, health-seeking behaviour and the family, services, social work intervention and, lastly, recommendations. The different sections in the interview schedule enabled the researcher to ask questions that were aligned with the goal and objectives of the research study. The population of the research study encompassed of the Indian Hindu population in South Africa and the specific study population for the research study was the Indian Hindu population that resides in the Lenasia community in Gauteng province. The non-probability sampling was appropriate as it enabled the researcher to utilise the purposive sampling method as the method enabled the researcher to develop a selection criterion that selected participants in accordance to the goal of the research study. The snowballing technique was appropriate as the researcher utilised a schoolteacher in Lenasia who referred participants that were in accordance to the selection criteria of the research study. Face-to-face interviews and telephone interviews were conducted to collect the data from the participants. The total number of participants interviewed for the research study were twelve participants which encompassed of nine female participants and three male participants. The participants were between the ages of 43-years-old and 74-years-old. A total of three participants were able to participate through face-to-face interviews. Due to the National lockdown in South Africa the researcher was unable to continue the face-to-face interviews. The most appropriate and applicable data collection was telephone interviews and were utilised to conduct the remaining nine interviews. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was the appropriate model for the research study as the model provides evidence to help develop expertise towards cultural and spiritual factors that influence the health-related decision making of patients. Based on the findings, the model guided the researcher to understand and acknowledge that cultural and spiritual factors play an essential role and influence the health behaviours of the Indian Hindu population within healthcare perspective. The self-efficacy of the participants was acknowledged, as their cultural beliefs and practices enable them to practice healthy living through healthy eating by means of a vegetarian diet, engaging in yoga and meditation and physical activity. The utilisation of home herbal remedies through use of daily household ingredients and the above-mentioned health-seeking behaviours, enable the participants to maintain and control their non-communicable diseases. The HBM referred to perceived benefits in which the participants share the accessibility and availability of family elders, priests, and Gurus within their family system, which permits them to receive valuable health advice and spiritual guidance with healthcare-related issues. The participants have family members who are medical professionals and three of the participants are medical professionals themselves, which enables each family system to have access to adequate healthcare. Access to a healthcare professional in the family system permits the participants to practice positive health-seeking behaviours and seek medical assistance for emergency and annual check-ups. Hindu believers do acknowledge that their vegetarian diet does come with health complications such as Iron deficiency and a lack of Vitamin B12, hence, they do consume medical supplements and medication for their deficiencies and modify their diet according to these deficiencies. The participants expressed there is a wide variety of healthcare systems within Lenasia: public clinics, private hospitals, and accessibility and availability to complementary and alternative healthcare services. Although, there is accessibility of healthcare services, the participants strongly believe that community members without medical aid, rely heavily on Chris Hani Baragwanath Academia Hospital for medical services and receive specialised services in surrounding areas. Therefore, it was concluded that healthcare professionals and social workers need to take into consideration that the Indian Hindu population in Lenasia has access to medical professionals within the family system and practice healthy living. Moreover, the practice and utilisation of complementary and alternative healthcare treatments and procedures such as Allopathic, Homeopathic, Acupuncture, Ayurveda and Aromatherapy is common within the Lenasia community. Additionally, the researcher has identified that Hinduism is a culture and religion that permits flexibility and permits its believers to engage in health-seeking behaviours within the healthcare system and receive essential medical treatment. Hindu families pray and meditate as a family system; thus, making it easier for them to follow a healthy lifestyle and practice Hindu health-seeking behaviours that produce positive health outcomes for the family and the patient. Hinduism as culture and religion live and practice according to a life of Karma, which is the law of cause and effect. The participants suggested social workers should be diverse and open towards the different cultures and religions especially the practices, rituals, and belief systems of Hindus. Based on these conclusions, it is recommended that healthcare professionals and social work professionals should be aware that Hinduism is an open and flexible culture and religion that integrates cultural and spiritual practices and beliefs together with a medical approach. Furthermore, an awareness needs to be created that Indian Hindu patients should be permitted to seek spiritual guidance from their priests and Gurus, be knowledgeable and that the family system plays an essential role in healthcare related decision-making. Key concepts: Behaviour, Cultural factors, Indian Hindu, Influence, Health seeking behaviours, Hinduism, Religion, Spiritual factors / Mini Dissertation (MSW (Health Care) )--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW (Health Care) / Unrestricted