Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed Sept. 21, 2009). Additional advisors: Richard M. Allman, Karlene K. Ball, Monika M. Safford, David E. Vance. Includes bibliographical references (p. 62-72).

Thesis (M.G.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Sociology and Gerontology, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 37-38).

Institute for Rural Development / MRDV

This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the 2011 to 2012 famine response in Somalia in saving lives and livelihoods, offering livelihood opportunities, supporting quick recovery and complying with accountability standards in the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Understanding the performance and effectiveness of the humanitarian response to emergencies such as the 2011 to 2012 famine in Somalia is important for managing similar large-scale disasters which tend to be more frequent than ever before. It is also vital for addressing the chronic food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. The study was conducted in the Dolow district, Gedo region, Somalia. The study was largely rooted in the qualitative paradigm even though quantitative methodologies were employed to explain certain aspects in order to adequately answer some of the research questions. The case study approach was employed to conduct this study and achieve the research objectives. Despite the need for more evidence-based and local community-driven response to droughts, the 2011 to 2012 famine response was largely relevant to meet the priority needs of affected populations. The response was too late to prevent the death of hundreds of thousands and the suffering of millions of people and the response had to struggle for quite some time to stabilise and reverse a devastating situation. Although the response was not adequate to cover the needs of all affected populations, it had a commendable impact by saving the lives of malnourished children and mothers; minimising suffering from lack of food, water and shelter; restoring livelihoods for host communities; and creating livelihood opportunities for internally displaced families. Compliance with the NGO Code of Conduct and the application of Sphere standards were fair. Strong accountability mechanisms are required to ensure effective beneficiary targeting and curb aid diversion. The beneficiaries of the response stated that they are equally vulnerable to droughts despite an increase in income and agricultural production as a result of the response. Long-term livelihood projects that address structural vulnerabilities and create multipleincome sources are essential for strengthening resilience to droughts. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

In South Africa, citizen participation is regarded as an integral part of all social, economic and political activity. There is always an attempt to either involve citizens/communities in different programmes or at least to pretend to have involved people. Community participation is a constitutional prerogative that the broader masses should meaningfully participate in issues affecting their lives. Thus overgrowing concern by development practitioners to utilize participatory methods has become notable in recent years and participation has become an established orthodoxy within the development discourse in South Africa. The practice of participation has become embodied in what is popularly known to be people-centered development in which it is favored that community needs take precedence over those of other stakeholders when designing and implementing development projects. This study explores community participation in income generating projects at the Tembisa / Kempton Park Development Center. Using a case study as a qualitative inquiry method, the researcher sought to establish the evidence of community participation and the extent to which participants in income generating projects were involved as the main role players. The research sample constituted of 15 participants; ten were beneficiaries of income generating projects, three were staff members at the Tembisa / Kempton Park Development Center and two participants where drawn from the main funders of the Tembisa / Kempton Park Development Center. The different categories of the participants drawn into the sample enabled the researcher to holistically capture how the development process unfolded. The findings of the research indicated that the development model used at Tembisa / Kempton Park Development Center is largely participatory. The model allowed community members to have more say and control in the initiation, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the projects. However this model has challenges that are institutional, social and structural of nature and barriers which hinder effective and meaningful community participation. Government intervention was recommended to address some of the challenges to community participation on a macro level.

La investigación tiene como objetivo comprender la percepción de bienestar de los beneficiarios de un proyecto de voluntariado. Toma protagonismo de los beneficiarios: vendedores ambulantes y cuidadores de carros. Presenta como base teórica la percepción de bienestar subjetivo y psicológico. La técnica cualitativa de investigación usada fue la dinámica conversacional con ocho participantes voluntarios. Se realizó análisis hermenéutico de contenido deductivo e inductivo que permite conseguir trechos de información mediante análisis de la subjetividad en las conversaciones. Se determinaron seis categorías: cumplir con sus hijos, relaciones positivas con familia extensa, concepción de éxito laboral, relación positiva con los demás, percepción de satisfacción vital y experiencias religiosas. La quinta categoría incluye una dimensión del bienestar subjetivo, la cual difiere de la teoría tomada. En síntesis, la percepción del bienestar de los participantes se encuentra dentro del bienestar psicológico. Sin embargo, presenta particularidades, destaca el valor de las relaciones interpersonales. / [The research aims to understand the perception of well-being of the beneficiaries of a volunteer project. It takes protagonism of the beneficiaries: peddlers and caretakers of cars. Presents as a theoretical basis the perception of subjective and psychological well-being. The qualitative research technique used was the conversational dynamics with eight volunteer participants. A hermeneutic analysis of deductive and inductive content was carried out, which allows to obtain stretches of information through analysis of subjectivity in conversations. Six categories were determined: compliance with their children, positive relationships with extended family, conception of work success, positive relationship with others, perception of life satisfaction and religious experiences. The fifth category includes a subjective well-being (wellness) dimension, which differs from the theory taken. In summary, the perception of the well-being of the participants lies within psychological well-being. However, it presents particularities, highlights the value of interpersonal relationships. / Tesis

The objectives of this study were to assess patient activation levels, to assess association between sociodemographic characteristics and patient activation, to assess association between health status characteristics and patient activation, and to assess association between patient activation and medication adherence among Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the 2009 through 2013 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). Patient activation was measured with the Patient Activation Supplement in the MCBS and was categorized as low, moderate, and high levels based on activation scores. Medication adherence was assessed with proportion of days covered (PDC) using Medicare Part D administrative records from the MCBS within a period of six months after measurement of patient activation. The sample included Medicare beneficiaries who completed the MCBS Patient Activation questionnaire, who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and who were 18 or older. Beneficiaries were excluded if they responded “Not ascertained,” “Not Applicable,” “Don’t know” or “Refused” to more than 50 percent of the Patient Activation questions, did not have continuous Medicare Part A and Part D coverage throughout the assessment period, had less than two Medicare Part D claims for an antidiabetic medication throughout the assessment period, used insulin during the assessment period, resided in long-term care facilities, or had Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, mental retardation or mental disorder. All analyses were conducted in SAS 9.4 for Unix environment. An <i>a priori</i> alpha level of 0.05 was used to determine significance. Bivariate and multivariable weighted ordinal logistic regression were applied for assessing associations. A total of 571 individuals met sample selection criteria. The mean age was 72.4 years. Of the 571 persons in the sample, 27.5 percent were at low activation level, 38.7 percent were at moderate activation level, and 33.7 percent were at high activation level. Approximately three-fourths of the sample persons were adherent to antidiabetic medications. Low activation was more likely to be found in males, less educated patients, and patients without arrhythmia. Ex-smokers as compared to non-smokers and overweight patients as compared to those with healthy weight were less likely to report low activation. In multivariable logistic analysis adjusting for race, gender, osteoporosis, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, and number of prescribed medications, patient activation level was not significantly associated with medication adherence. Non-Whites and patients with a Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 1 as compared to those with a score of 0 were more likely to be non-adherent. A lower number of prescribed medications was associated with higher odds of non-adherence.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2012

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The purpose of this study was to evaluate post-settlement support given to beneficiaries of land restitution on selected farms in Mpumalanga Province. The study used qualitative and quantitative research methods. Data collection was done using focus group discussions and semi-structured questionnaires. Three groups of respondents participated in the study: the beneficiaries (n=193), government officials (n=13) and private sector [NGOs] (n=5). The study highlighted the inadequacy of support provided to beneficiaries. Support was inadequate in terms of infrastructure, provision of training services and improving access to markets. The findings revealed that there is poor participation by the youth and educated people in the projects. The study also found that strategic partners did not significantly contribute towards viability of projects, primarily, because of conflicting interests between the two. The study recommends that the government, with the private sector, should make enough resources available and attract the youth and educated people to participate in the projects.