Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters’ Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Department of Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Research has shown that more than 90% of the scholars, use backpacks, worldwide. The backpack has the ability to transport books, sports equipment and clothing between school and home, climaxing in a capacity that may affect posture. Therefore, it is noted that a backpack, which is not carried correctly, fitted improperly and/or over packed may pose a threat to the scholar’s posture Aim: To determine the effect between a novel and school-issued backpack in terms of postural symmetry measurements (photographic measurements), when compared to no backpack, on high school adolescent standing posture. Method: This research was a quantitative descriptive cross sectional experimental design. Each participating scholar underwent a BMI, height and weight screening, prior to inclusion into the data collection process. One hundred asymptomatic scholars, aged between 12 to 14 years, were recruited using convenience sampling. Thereafter, digital photographic images of each scholar was taken in 3 groups, i.e. no Backpack, with a school-issued backpack (Backpack A) and a novel backpack (Backpack B). These digital photographic images were then uploaded, by the researcher, onto the Posturepro 8 Computer Postural Software System. The objective measurement tool (Posturepro 8 Computer Postural Software System) calculated, in degrees, the postural measurements of the scholars’ neck, shoulder and pelvis, by manually constructing lines (horizontal and vertical) between the anatomical landmarks (bilaterally). IBM SPSS version 21 was used to analyse the data. A two-tailed p value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Parametric summary statistics such as mean and standard deviations were used to describe the outcomes in each group. Postural measurements were compared between the pairs (i.e. no Backpack versus Backpack A, no Backpack versus Backpack B and Backpack A versus Backpack B) using paired sample t-tests. A one sample t-test was used to compare the symmetry measurements to a null hypothesis value of 0. Results: The mean age of the one hundred scholars was 13.5 (± 0.6 SD) years. The age of the scholars ranged between 12 and 14 years. This research was performed to determine which backpack (A or B) performed better in maintaining the scholar’s posture (with no backpack). A direct comparison was performed with no Backpack to that of Backpack A and Backpack B. The comparison for each of the differences closest to zero (‘0’) in the no Backpack, Backpack A and Backpack B groups was performed using a one sample t-test. The values closer to zero (‘0’) indicated a normal postural symmetry. None of the postural symmetry measurements were significantly different from zero in all 3 groups as the mean differences were very close to zero. Therefore, when comparing Backpack A to Backpack B, this research showed that there was no significant differences between the two backpacks when looking at postural symmetry (p=0.05). Conclusion: The trends observed in this study partly supported the claims by the company (‘Improved Postural Alignment for You’) of the novel backpack. The novel backpack (Backpack B) showed significant differences in some instances when assessing other outcome measurements, but showed no significant difference when comparing postural symmetry between the two backpacks. Further studies need to be done incorporating all aspects of postural analysis, and not just postural symmetry measurements.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / AIM: The aim of the study is to determine the epidemiology of adolescents attending public high schools, in the Westville ward of the Pinetown School District, who present with a history of primary headaches. SUBJECTS: Adolescents between 14 and 19 years of age currently attending a public high school in the Westville Ward of the Pinetown School District. METHODOLOGY: Upon approval from the Department of Education (DoE) and principals of participating public high schools, an appropriate time-slot was identified in which the post-pilot questionnaire and letters of information and informed consent could be delivered to the scholars via the researcher. One class from Grade nine, Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12, in each school, was randomly selected by a blind draw to participate in the study. A total of 460 completed informed consent and post-pilot questionnaires were collected and placed in separate sealed ballot boxes. All sealed ballot boxes were collected by the researcher. All post-pilot questionnaires were kept confidential and only seen by the researcher and supervisor. A code was allocated to each questionnaire before data was captured on a spreadsheet for data analysis by the chosen statistician. RESULTS: In total 460 questionnaires were utilised for statistical analysis. The results showed a high prevalence of Migraine-type headache (MTH) (17.2%) and Tension-type headache (TTH) (27.6%). However, no scholars were diagnosed with a Cluster-type headache (CTH). The majority of scholars (63.8%) did not seek medical attention or advice for their headaches. A history of experiencing headaches (p=<001), participation in sport (p=0.008), difficulty sleeping (p=<0.001) and sleep bruxism (p=0.007) were the only significant risk factors noted as statistically significant in this study. CONCLUSION: This study is consistent with previous studies on the high prevalence of primary headaches in an adolescent population. Primary headaches negatively affect the daily activities of adolescents; however, majority of adolescents do not seek medical attention or advice for their headaches.

Svenska gymnasieskolor, både kommunala och fristående, har snabbt adopterat en datorbaserad inlärningsplattform. Det här betyder att varje elev får tillstånd att låna en dator från skolan, vars syfte är att effektivisera skolarbetet. Att flytta undervisningen iväg från papper och penna mot ett mer digitalt arbetssätt medför dock vissa risker gällande informationssäkerhet. Denna uppsats syftar att undersöka, genom en surveyundersökning av 4 olika gymnasieskolor i Sverige, kunskapsnivåerna i informationssäkerhet hos studenter mellan 16 och 19 år gamla, samt även hur denna kunskap lärs ut. Studien var uppdelad i en enkätundersökning av studenter, med 163 respondenter, och intervjuer med 3 anställda på 3 av skolorna. / High schools in Sweden, both public and private, have rapidly been adopting a computerbased learning platform. This means that each student is granted permission to lease a laptop from the school, which is intended to effectivize school work. However, moving the educational platform away from paper and pen and towards a digital platform poses certain risks concerning information security. This paper aims to examine, through a survey of 4 different high schools in Sweden, the education levels of students aged 16 to 19 concerning information security, and also how that education has been conducted. The study was divided into a survey of students, with 163 respondents, and interviews were conducted with 3 key members of 3 of the schools.

An important event in people´s lives is graduating from high school, which opens new possibilities. One of them is to be able to move to a new place, whether it is within the same municipality, to another region or even another country. Several motives can affect the decision-making process in terms of where the individual chooses to move and why. The aim of this paper is to study these motives and how a decision can be explained with Weber’s social action theory and the push/pull-theory   The method used to investigate this subject is a survey study in terms of a questionnaire with high school students in Luleå municipality. The answers were thereafter analyzed in two parts. The first part by using quantitative methods to create statistics regarding the chosen population, how they rank different motives and their opinions regarding different factors. The second part of the questionnaire was analyzed with qualitative methods to investigate the answers on a more complex level since different factors are taken into account in the reasoning behind a decision.   The result of this study shows that the main motive for moving is further education and the main motive to stay is social motives like family and friends. Other motives also come into play in this complex decision making process, such as a change of environment to experience new things. Where and why people choose to move can also be explained by push/pull-factors where the current condition in Luleå municipality is fairly good concerning employment and education but does not have the program or courses they want to study at the university and this functions as a push-factor for some in the studied group. Family and friends function as the main pull-factor to stay and is sometimes given as the only motive to stay. Where they want to move is mainly metropolitan areas or larger cities in the south of Sweden with the given explanation that this would offer more possibilities with a wider range of higher education, meeting new friends, access to more entertainment and experiencing city life. This decision can also be explained by the social action theory regarding how the individual chooses to act and it is usually based on the goal-oriented type where the individual chooses to move to reach a set goal.

The ability of reading is an important part of teaching literacy and language acquisition. Reading improves the thinking ability by giving new concepts and ideas and enhances vocabulary and language which is essential in verbal communication. Because of the importance of reading, children and adolescents are encouraged to read by their parents, teachers and sometimes by national reading campaigns as an educational policy. Turkey launched a nationwide reading campaign targeting high school students in 2004, and another one aimed at primary school students in 2005 which is called the 100 Basic Literary Works reading campaign. This study investigated the reading habits of Turkish high school students. It also explored how students are influenced by family, teacher and peer group. Moreover, the study investigated the association between the students reading habits and their gender, school type and region. In addition, the study examined current efforts to encourage students to read. The study was conducted in 8 provinces and 8 districts of Turkey in 2012. The data was gathered thorough questionnaires with 2425 students from 86 high schools of 5 different types and interviews with 31 students, 15 teachers and 4 local education managers. The study found that 82.0% of young people in general read at least once or twice a week outside school for at least 30 minutes and 40.6% read every day or almost every day for leisure. It was found that females were more frequent and enthusiastic readers than males. The students from science high schools and Southern East Anatolia Region read more frequently. It was indicated that the majority of the students reported that they were aware of the 100 Basic Literary Works reading campaign but, in fact, they knew of the campaign in upper-primary school. The qualitative findings indicated that there was little awareness of the campaign in high schools. Libraries are important places to assist inculcate children s and young people s love of reading and provide free access to reading materials and sources but Turkish young people were not frequent users of libraries. Both teachers and students had concerns about lack of reading materials and poor facilities and services in public and school libraries in Turkey.

Bakgrund: Psykisk ohälsa är ett växande folkhälsoproblem som kryper allt lägre ner i åldrarna. Trots välfärdssamhällets insatser och möjligheter till ett bra liv är det överraskande med det stora antalet rapporter om barn- och ungdomars försämrade psykisk ohälsa. Hos ungdomar är det framförallt depression, ångest och beroendesjukdomar som ökar. Ett stort hinder för att främja och uppnå psykisk hälsa och välbefinnande är stigmatisering, negativa attityder och felaktiga föreställningar om psykisk sjukdom och ohälsa. Kunskap om psykisk ohälsa har visat sig vara en effektiv metod för att öka medvetenhet om och attityder till psykisk ohälsa. Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka vad gymnasieelever har för kunskap om och attityder till psykisk ohälsa och att undersöka om det fanns någon skillnad i kunskap mellan de som hade egen erfarenhet eller inte. Därtill undersökte studien om gymnasieeleverna hade fått utbildning om psykisk ohälsa och oml de önskade mer av detta. Metod: Kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie. Enkäten MAKS. I studien deltog 55 elever i årskurs 3 ifrån två gymnasieskolor i en stad i Mellansverige. Resultat: Det framkom att gymnasieleverna överlag har en god kunskap om och positiva attityder till psykisk ohälsa. Ett stort antal av de tillfrågade hade egen erfarenhet av psykisk ohälsa och majoriteten var intresserade av mer utbildning inom ämnet. En signifikant skillnad framkom mellan den grupp som hade egen erfarenhet av psykisk ohälsa och de som inte hade det. Denna skillnaden visade sig i påståendet om bipolärsjukdom var en psykisk sjukdom eller ej där den grupp med egenerfarenhet av psykisk ohälsa i större grad svarade att de höll med om påståendet. Ingen signifikantskillnad i kunskapsläge framkom i resterande frågor eller påståenden. Slutsats: Den här studien visar att de tillfrågade gymnasieeleverna överlag innehar en god kunskap och positiv attityd till psykisk ohälsa. / Background: Mental health is a growing public health problem. Despite the social welfare activities and opportunities for a good life, it is surprising the large number of reports of children's and young people's deteriorating mental health. In adolescents, it is particularly depression, anxiety and addiction disorders that increase. A major obstacle to promote and achieve mental health and wellbeing is stigmatization, negative attitudes and misconceptions about mental illness and ill health. Knowledge of mental illness has proven to be an effective method to increase the awareness of and attitudes to mental illness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the upper secondary school pupils knowledge and attitudes about mental illness and to investigate whether there was any difference in knowledge between those who had personal experience or not. In addition, the study investigated whether the high school students had received training on mental illness and if they wanted more of this. Method: Quantitative cross-sectional study. The survey MAKS. The study enrolled 55 students in grades 3 from two high schools in a town in central Sweden. Results: It was revealed that the high school students generally had a good knowledge of and positive attitudes towards mental illness. A large number of respondents had personal experience of mental illness and the majority were interested in more training in the subject. A significant difference was found between the group who had personal experience of mental illness and those who had not. This difference was shown in the statement of bipolar disorder was a mental illness or not, where the group with personal experience of mental ill health to a greater extent replied that they agreed with the statement. No significant difference in the level of knowledge emerged in the remaining questions or statements. Conclusion: This study shows that the surveyed high school students generally possess a good knowledge and positive attitude to mental illness. Proposals for future research is to investigate more deeply the nature of knowledge about mental illness that young people possess and whether there is a need to teach strategies for the young people themselves should be able to pay attention to symptoms and self-care needs in mental illness.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Sports Science / Master / Master of Science in Sports Science