MPH / Department of Public Health / The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among High Schools has reached an epidemic level, calling for public health intervention. The study purpose was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and risk behaviours related to STIs among learners at a selected high school in Collins Chabane Municipality. A quantitative-descriptive study was carried among 2018 officially registered high school learners in Malamulele. Malamulele West was conveniently selected because of the accessibility and Photani High School was selected purposefully. A simple-random sampling technique was used to select 252 respondents. Data collected with self-administered questionnaires was analysed using SPSS software version 25.0, the response rate was 100%. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationships between more categorical variables. Statistical significance level was set at p<0.05. Majority (63.1%) of the respondents never knew of STIs. Majority of respondents (31%) incorrectly identified the types and causative organisms of STIs. Poor knowledge on the modes of transmission was found amongst 73% of the population. Majority of the respondents (67%) did now know that STIs are infections. A large proportion (54%) had a positive attitude on STIs as they emphasised the importance of STI screening. Misconceptions regarding STIs is rife, 61% and 59.9% of the respondents believed preventing STIs by going to church every Sunday and sleeping with virgins respectively. 95.6%) were sexual active and 29% of the respondents had poor knowledge on risk sexual behaviours. Respondents had adequate knowledge regarding treatment as 56% of the respondents reported knowing where to seek treatment. However, 92.1% respondents reported bad treatment by nurses. Each high school should be allocated a social worker and a nurse for the coordination of awareness campaigns on STIs. Churches should offer formal programs regarding STIs to their congregants in collaboration with universities and clinics. / NRF

Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) is at the core of HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care programmes. Timely access to treatment and related services requires knowledge of one‟s HIV status. Adolescents are at the epicentre of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. This study investigated the factors that influence adolescents‟ decisions to actively seek VCT. Semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with twelve adolescents aged 15 to 19 who were conveniently selected to participate in the study. The study found that adolescents have extensive knowledge regarding the benefits of VCT and acknowledge the need to test for HIV. However, fear of the consequences of testing positive for HIV such as stigmatisation by family and the community, inability to influence their partners to take an HIV test and the inability to make their own decisions and follow through on them still hinder their maximum uptake of VCT. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

People dying of HIV/AIDS and the delay in finding a cure has put education programmes at the centre of HIV/AIDS management. The study purpose is to investigate the effects of Life Orientation programme on HIV/AIDS prevention knowledge, attitudes and behaviours amongst college students at a TVET College in Randburg. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design was used, and a questionnaire was administered to level 1 students (n=141). Data was collected, and analysed using SPSS version 25. The findings showed a relationship between Life Orientation (LO) and knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of students towards HIV/AIDS. Students with high Life Orientation perception reported adequate knowledge and positive attitudes. Many respondents revealed high levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge, healthy behaviour and positive attitude towards HIV/AIDS, showing that Life Orientation had aided in those areas. However, some students had poor perceptions of HIV/AIDS knowledge, henceforth lacked the confidence to protect themselves. Several recommendations to health promoters, education policymakers and the community were given. / Health Studies / M. P. H.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This paper describes the influence of body satisfaction, weight satisfaction, and BMI on sexual behaviors among female college students.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Population estimations for the year 2000 indicate an increase in poor and minorities in the United States (Loden & Rosener, 1991). In view of this growth trend, Berger (1989) suggests a need for social workers with sensitivity to such populations. The presence of minority perspectives provides a valuable contribution to service delivery (Mullen et al., 1993). Efforts to enhance student persistence in graduate schools of social work will contribute to the pool of social workers available in the next century. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that contribute to African American student persistence in graduate schools of social work. This study applies aspects of Astin's, Tinto's and Green's theories of persistence. Astin's theory of involvement (1975) considers student investment of time in educational pursuits. Tinto's (1975) theory of departure includes background, social and academic aspects in persistence decisions. Green's (1997) theory focuses on the ability of the student to cope with racial issues (racial resilience) and the racial climate of the school (racial responsiveness). One hundred and thirty-five students from two predominantly white and two historically black universities participated in surveys administered to determine the effect of involvement, background, academic, social, resilience factors, and college type upon student persistence outcomes. Interviews held with administrative personnel at each institution provided contextual data. Correlations were used to examine the relationships among all of the variables in the study. T-Tests were conducted to compare outcomes due to university type. Multiple regressions were used to explore the relationships between significant independent variables and persistence. The findings of this study indicate that persistence outcomes of African American graduate social work students are influenced by: (a) academic performance, faculty-student relationships, (c) health, (d) the ability to deal with stress, and (e) ethnic pride (impressions of ethnic group). These findings suggest that social work programs that incorporate aggressive grade monitoring practices, provide diverse opportunities for student-faculty interaction, offer opportunities for health care, stress alternatives, and a culturally relevant curriculum, may positively influence African American student persistence.

The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions, attitudes, opinions and fears of the adolescent high school learners towards HIV counseling and testing at school.Quantitative, descriptive, exploratory research was conducted to determine if high school learners would like to be tested for HIV at school. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. The respondents in the study were daytime high school learners (n=120) who were in grade 8 to 12, between ages of 12 to 18 years of age. The study highlighted that adolescents engage in sexual activities at an early age. The results revealed that there is lack of knowledge, unavailability of HCT services for adolescents and the resources to keep a girl child school. This behavior may result in adolescents contracting sexually transmitted infections and HIV, falling pregnant at an early age, which may force adolescent high school learners to drop out of school. However, the study shows that government has more to educate adolescent high school learners about HIV/AIDS to modify their perceptions and attitudes towards HIV counseling and testing. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health studies)

The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions, attitudes, opinions and fears of the adolescent high school learners towards HIV counseling and testing at school.Quantitative, descriptive, exploratory research was conducted to determine if high school learners would like to be tested for HIV at school. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. The respondents in the study were daytime high school learners (n=120) who were in grade 8 to 12, between ages of 12 to 18 years of age. The study highlighted that adolescents engage in sexual activities at an early age. The results revealed that there is lack of knowledge, unavailability of HCT services for adolescents and the resources to keep a girl child school. This behavior may result in adolescents contracting sexually transmitted infections and HIV, falling pregnant at an early age, which may force adolescent high school learners to drop out of school. However, the study shows that government has more to educate adolescent high school learners about HIV/AIDS to modify their perceptions and attitudes towards HIV counseling and testing. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health studies)

Stakeholder involvement in strategic planning: a strategy to mitigate the effects of HIV and AIDS on secondary education in Botswana. This study explores the involvement of stakeholders in strategic planning to mitigate the effect of HIV and AIDS in secondary education in Botswana. The prevalence of HIV and AIDS-related illness and deaths is high in Botswana and affects both teachers and learners. Education provision has been affected through increased mortality and morbidity and increased absenteeism which affect education-related personnel and the demand for education has been reduced due to growing numbers of orphaned and vulnerable children as a consequence of parent/guardian mortality and morbidity related to HIV and AIDS. The problem was investigated by means of a literature review and an empirical inquiry which combined quantitative and qualitative data collection. Based on the findings, in addition to medical and other interventions, an education management approach is required to mitigate the effects of HIV and AIDS on secondary education in Botswana. The strategies of coping, caring and preventing have been effective in this regard. Some internal stakeholders of the Department of Secondary Education (DSE) are not meaningfully involved in strategic planning. Similarly, most of the selected external stakeholders were not involved in the DSE HIV and AIDS strategic plan. Both external and internal stakeholders should be involved at all stages of planning. Furthermore, inducement-contribution exchanges and teacher credibility should be considered in a strategic plan. To improve the current DSE strategic plan, a stakeholder involvement model to involve internal and external stakeholders was designed. Based on this model and the above findings, recommendations for practice and suggestions for future research are made. / Educational Studies / D.Ed.(Educational Management)

This study identified pregnancy-related challenges encountered by student nurses at SAMHS Nursing College, with an aim of identify factors contributing to student nurses' pregnancies as well as finding ways to deal and minimize the rate of the pregnancies amongst the student nurses. Thirty (30) structured interviews were conducted with student nurses who were pregnant and those who delivered their babies during the period 2002 to 2007. It has been revealed that ignorance is the major contributing factor for student nurses' pregnancies, 63% of the pregnancies were not planned, 52% of the respondents related their pregnancies to risk taking as they engaged in unprotected sex without the use of contraceptives, and thus it was concluded that student nurses are engaging themselves in risk behaviours and also engaging in unsafe sexual practices. The study also found that student nurses face physical, social, emotional as well as academic problems during pregnancy and after the delivery of their babies. Student nurses should be encouraged to use condoms and other methods of contraception, coupled with educating them on life skills, provision of recreational facilities; provision of counseling and support services may be the tool to minimise the unplanned pregnancies. / Health Studies / (M.A.(Public Health ))

Stakeholder involvement in strategic planning: a strategy to mitigate the effects of HIV and AIDS on secondary education in Botswana. This study explores the involvement of stakeholders in strategic planning to mitigate the effect of HIV and AIDS in secondary education in Botswana. The prevalence of HIV and AIDS-related illness and deaths is high in Botswana and affects both teachers and learners. Education provision has been affected through increased mortality and morbidity and increased absenteeism which affect education-related personnel and the demand for education has been reduced due to growing numbers of orphaned and vulnerable children as a consequence of parent/guardian mortality and morbidity related to HIV and AIDS. The problem was investigated by means of a literature review and an empirical inquiry which combined quantitative and qualitative data collection. Based on the findings, in addition to medical and other interventions, an education management approach is required to mitigate the effects of HIV and AIDS on secondary education in Botswana. The strategies of coping, caring and preventing have been effective in this regard. Some internal stakeholders of the Department of Secondary Education (DSE) are not meaningfully involved in strategic planning. Similarly, most of the selected external stakeholders were not involved in the DSE HIV and AIDS strategic plan. Both external and internal stakeholders should be involved at all stages of planning. Furthermore, inducement-contribution exchanges and teacher credibility should be considered in a strategic plan. To improve the current DSE strategic plan, a stakeholder involvement model to involve internal and external stakeholders was designed. Based on this model and the above findings, recommendations for practice and suggestions for future research are made. / Educational Studies / D.Ed.(Educational Management)