Research has shown that people who participate in regular physical activity (PA) can experience improved wellbeing and quality of life, including better physical health, cognitive function, positive affect, and self-esteem (Fox, 1999). Such benefits support the application of PA as a strategy to improve the general population's mental health and those recovering from mental illness. However, the contemporary understanding of PA and the recovery from mental illness is almost exclusively underpinned by the principles of clinical recovery (e.g. symptom remission), which can overlook the patient's values. Conversely, personal recovery may reconnect people with their inner resources, personal strengths, and offer opportunities for people to reconstruct hope, meaning, responsibility and a positive identity as part of recovery (Slade, 2009). These values also mark a shift in the UK Government's (2011a) mental health strategy, toward integrating personal recovery as part of people's mental health care. Yet, few studies have examined the role of PA within the context of personal recovery, including the impact of PA on the wider elements of personal recovery. Accordingly, this thesis sets out to examine the role of PA during the personal recovery from mental illness, as a case study at a voluntary sector mental health organisation. The research methodology was guided by social constructivism, and data was collected between October 2010 and June 2014 using participant-observations, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and photo elicitation methods. Seven members of staff and twenty-two attendee's volunteered to participate in the research study, and their accounts were analysed thematically (Braun & Clarke, 2006) using NVivo to manage and aid the data analysis. Additionally, effort was made to satisfy the authenticity criteria throughout the research to maintain constructivist rigour (Lincoln & Guba, 2013). The research findings identified six high-ordered themes that indicate a process of personal recovery through PA. These were (a) 'Battles against the mind', (b) 'the centre as a place of refuge and support', (c) 'exercise is one part of the whole package', (d) 'the connection between body and mind', (e) 'my gateway onto other things', and (f) 'from small acorns to big oak trees'. These findings were congruent with the existing literature, and added that PA participation can support people's meaningful engagement in their personal medicines and other life events (e.g. employment, being with family, and relationship with pets). The findings are discussed in relation to the delivery of PA in mental health services, the relationship of PA with meaningful activities during recovery, and the impact of PA on elements of hope, meaning, positive identity, and personal responsibility. The thesis concludes with a guiding standpoint on the application of PA for personal recovery as a personal medicine or as an adjunct activity. This standpoint can be used to inform the general population, mental health and exercise professionals, multiagency mental health service staff and attendees, commissioning bodies and policymakers.

Breathing is an automatic process that we hardly pay any attention to in our daily life. As a social species, we interact using body movement, speech and emotion and these actions require modification of the respiratory pattern. While we understood how the respiratory rhythm is generated, we do not have clear evidence on how higher cortical signals modulate the respiratory pattern. The deep cortical structures in the human brain are inaccessible under normal circumstances, and deep brain stimulation electrode recordings offer an opportunity to understand the neurophysiological interactions ofdeeper brain structures. In this thesis, I investigated deep brain stimulation recordings from implanted electrodes in chronic neuropathic pain subjects in the right and left anterior cingulate cortices, the ventral posterior lateral nucleus of the thalamus and periventricular gray region. The objectives of this research were to elucidate the feed-forward mechanisms of volitional breathing, cortical autonomic regulation, and to investigate whether any of the investigated nuclei haveany carbon dioxide-sensitive neurons which may encode respiratory sensation. The results show lateralisation of the cortical autonomic control whereby the left anterior cingulate exhibits increases in beta band activity (30 to 90 Hz) with cognition and vocalisation tasks. Meanwhile, right anterior cingulate activity increases with hyperoxia. Respiration using various carbon dioxide concentrations shows a constant rise in the alpha band (8 to 14 Hz) activity in the PVG which suggests a sensitive, nonspecific neuronal activity related to systemic carbon dioxide levels.

Ehrenamtliche Deutschvermittlungspraxis will sichtbar gemacht und mit professionellen Ansätzen, Theorien und Forschung in Dialog gebracht werden. Der Fachtag „Deutsch von Anfang an für Flüchtlinge fördern“ (DAFF) ist einer der ersten Schritte, den diesbezüglichen Austausch zwischen Theorie und Praxis anzustoßen und damit eine Grundlage für die Systematisierung und Fundierung ehrenamtlicher Angebote der Sprachbegleitung in den ersten Aufenthaltsmonaten und darüber hinaus, z.B. auf dem Weg in die Arbeitswelt, zu schaffen. Mit Unterstützung des Fachverbandes Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache (FaDaF) und in Kooperation mit der Initiative Deutschkurse Asyl Migration Flucht (DAMF), einer Projektgruppe des Ausländerrats Dresden, ist der Dialog im August 2016 am Zentrum für Integrationsstudien (ZfI) der TU Dresden initiiert worden. Die vorliegende Dokumentation lässt den ersten Fachtag Revue passieren, fasst die zentralen Ergebnisse zusammen und bietet die Grundlage für einen nachhaltigen Austausch – mit dem Ziel, eine Schnittstelle zwischen ehrenamtlichen und institutionellen Angeboten zu gestalten, Erfahrungs- und Forschungswissen aufeinander zu beziehen und so dazu beizutragen, dass Fachwissenschaftler*innen, professionelle Lehrkräfte und ehrenamtliche Sprachbegleiter*innen miteinander arbeiten und sprechen, anstatt lediglich übereinander zu reden.

Magister Public Health - MPH / Most of the blood transfusion facilities had adequate space, but lacked some of the basic equipment. Blood collected in these facilities was not adequate to meet the blood needs of the regions. These facilities lacked specialised personnel and some of those practicing blood transfusion were not conversant with blood groups, transfusion reactions and the measures to be taken if a reaction occurs. The findings of this study will be used to strengthen blood transfusion services in these hard to reach regions. / South Africa

Magister Human Ecology - MHE / In many developing countries including South Africa, there is an overwhelming number of people infected with HIV/AIDS in the hospitals, which the health care workers are unable to cope with. Therefore, an urgent need to develop alternative community based activities such as support groups, home based care programs and placement of orphans, for the provision of social health care services to the HIV client, arises. However, a deeper understanding of the challenges facing community organizations when providing home based care is crucial and necessary in order to formulate effective and relevant care services. The aim of the study was to explore the challenges faced by Umtha elanga Community Organization (UWCO) in the provision of HIV/AIDS home based care. The objectives of the study were to assess the current home based care of the UWCO and to explore the challenges that community based organizations have to face when providing care services to people being infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The research design undertaken was the case study of UWCO. The qualitative approach with in-depth interviews with the management staff and home based caregivers was utilized. Data analysis began immediately after the interviews by transcribing and translating the audio-taped data. Thematic analysis was used in which data was coded and categorized. The findings of the research indicated that the home based care programme assists PLWHA clients in their natural home setting. All home based carers work voluntary and get supported by the organization as ell as by the department of social development and health such as the social workers. Finances appear to be, both for the organization and the home based carers, a huge hindrance. Research indicated that the organization experiences various challenges to provide the service to their community. It is recommended that Government must ensure that home based care workers get recognition, credit and support for their valuable contribution. Training for HBC employers needs to be extended to expose and add more skills. This will ensure that they are equipped for their tasks. Home based care workers must become registered and paid better salaries by the government. / South Africa

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Aim The aim of the study was to determine the oral health knowledge,management and referral patterns of patients with oral manifestations of HIV by Primary Health Care Nurses.Background Nurses working in Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities, and nursing educators, play a pivotal role in the early identification, referral and diagnosis of patients who present for treatment of health problems. They are in an ideal position to identify HIVinfected persons through a simple visual assessment of the mouth, in order to diagnose oral lesions that may be prognostic of HIV, and to then refer these persons for voluntary counselling and testing (VCT). Timely referral will lead to early medical intervention, with lower treatment costs and improved patient quality of life.Methods The study design comprised of a pre- and post-education test, training and provision of educational material, together with a quantitative and qualitative selfadministered questionnaire. The questionnaire gathered information on nurses demographics,experience, knowledge, training and treatment practices.The study design was a cross-sectional survey which was conducted during the period July to October 2010. The study population consisted of 121 nurses based at Primary Health Care and nursing education facilities within the uMgungundlovu Health District in KwaZulu-Natal. The chi-squared test was utilised to determine the statistical significance of the preeducation and post-education test results and Pearsons Correlation Coefficient was used to determine the significance of correlations between variables. A p-value of <0.05 was regarded as being statistically significant.Results A large number of the respondents did not receive substantial oral health education during both their pre-qualification and post-qualification education stages. Nurses had an inadequate knowledge of oral health assessment and of oral conditions, especially with regard to the common prognostic oral manifestations of HIV. The post-test results were statistically significant (p< .0001), indicating that the provision of education and training to the nurses had a significant impact on nurses knowledge of oral conditions. More than twothirds of the nurses (67,8%) reported that they do not examine the mouth as part of routine overall assessment of the patient, and only 13% referred patients for VCT.Conclusions There is a need to include oral health assessment and oral health promotion into both undergraduate and post-graduate nursing curricula. Further research is needed to identify the specific oral health training needs of all categories of nurses in order to overcome the barriers that prevent nurses from assessing the mouth. Oral health assessment and oral health promotion should become a key part of the curricula of nurses training. The use of oral health promotion workers at a primary health care level should also be considered.

What forces are today driving large property companies in Sweden to save energy and increase energy performance in buildings? This master thesis focusing on mandatory- and voluntary policy has used a Political Science perspective on Urban Planning questions. In this qualitative case-study, interviews were conducted with 7 out of the 10 biggest property companies in Sweden. It includes both an investigation into which policies are found to be relevant for companies as well as a discussion about which actors are pushing them to reduce energy and become more sustainable. Results show that companies make voluntary commitments that go beyond what current mandatory building- and energy regulations demand. Instead they use voluntary policy 25-35% below BBR-levels, mainly by using building certification Miljöbyggnad, to certify and communicate their efforts. All companies have energy targets published in yearly reports and continuously work to reduce their energy- and emissions output. Yearly reports also show that 6 out of 7 companies now use the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Some have joined benchmarking initiative GRESB or the CDP. The use of voluntary informational disclosure systems show that companies are under increasing pressure to become more (verifiably) sustainable.

A basic premise of the investigation is that the acquisition and exercise of advanced reading skills are essential for effective adolescent learning. For the benefits of reading to accrue maximally, learners should continue to read avidly during leisure and long after basic reading instruction, traditionally the domain of the primary school, has ceased. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors that influence the voluntary reading of some South African adolescents, specifically at an age when they undergo emotional, intellectual, social and physical changes which influence their behaviour, habits and choices. The research problem focuses on the transition from primary to secondary school, since extant literature shows that numerous factors influence adolescents’ reading habits during this phase, sometimes resulting in declining voluntary reading. Parameters for the investigation are set by the theoretical framework, centring on four domains that highlight the research problem, namely adolescence, literature, literacy and voluntary reading. Facets of these domains are explored, specifically motivation, qualitative change and the influence of home, school and community. Vygotsky’s theories on adolescent development underscore the research, as well as research on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation since, axiomatically, reading strategies develop optimally with high motivation. Stage-environmental fit theories - applied to motivation, self-efficacy or reading development - assert that learners have different sets of psychological, cognitive and psychosocial needs at different developmental levels, and unless these needs are met, academic achievement, appreciation for learning and effective reading development can decline. The often critical transition from primary to secondary school can result in a variety of lifestyle changes, and periodicity theories support the pattern and scaffolding of these transformational factors. Merging the relevant domains with developmental theories creates a matrix of Piagetian cognitive stratification. Chall’s model of developmental reading stages crafts an epistemological foundation and further refines constructivist principles developed by Vygotsky. Together they form a network explaining factors of transitional change that influence adolescents’ voluntary reading activities. The study’s methodology is delineated and followed by a description of the qualitative research design, data collection, data analysis strategies and ethical considerations. The course of the inquiry is refined in a closer focus on three domains and an explanation of the research instruments. The strengths and limitations of the study are discussed, as well as issues of reliability, validity, authenticity and generalisability. The empirical results are extrapolated from face-to-face interviews with ten respondents and their views generate the findings after a four-tiered analysis of the interview transcripts. Themes and conclusions are couched in three domains of the theoretical framework in an endeavour to address the research problem. The final chapter offers a synthesis by interweaving the theoretical outline and empirical findings. A hypothesis opening future avenues for investigation is identified, namely the factor of the internalisation of speech on reading in general and voluntary reading in particular. Two significant findings indicate that developmental stage theories effectively describe the transitional nature of the reading experiences of Grade Eight learners, and that intrinsic motivation, mastery learning and self-efficacy views play central roles in the continuation of voluntary reading. / Thesis (PhD (Learning Support, Guidance and Counselling))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

This study aimed at exploring the perceptions of teachers regarding HIV/AIDS in the Thohoyandou area. A survey design was employed to find out how teachers perceive HIV/AIDS. A group-administered questionnaire was used as a method of data collection. One Hundred and Fifty teachers were selected by using stratified random sampling technique. From each stratum the systematic random sampling method was used to select the sample. The respondents were selected from the population of teachers in the Thohoyandou, Thulamela area, in the Limpopo Province. HIV/AIDS in the workplace, with special emphasis on theoretical background, perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS prevention strategies has been provided. Theoretical background covered what HIV/AIDS is, factors promoting the AIDS epidemic, HIV/AIDS in the workplace and psychosocial impact of HIV/AIDS on employees. Perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS covered voluntary counseling and testing and issues around working with someone who is HIV positive. HIV/AIDS prevention strategies focused on prevention and wellness programme, abstinence from sex, being faithful to one sexual partner, condom usage, managing STI and HIV/AIDS in the workplace. The research findings were presented graphically and discussed. It was found that teachers perceive HIV/AIDS as a reality and they also know the ways to prevent it, although most of them do not utilize those methods. Generally, teachers in Thohoyandou area are still at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. The conclusion and recommendations derived from the study are provided lastly. / Dissertation (MSoc.Sci (EAP))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

This paper is focused on finding the motivations that guide companies in Czech republic to apply voluntary approaches. The aim of this work is to define the most effective voluntary approaches. Economics has already analyzed conditions under which voluntary approaches are more preferable than administrative and economic environmental tools. But the question is if the business practice reflects theoretical recommendations. Based on a survey, the most common motivations to apply voluntary approaches will be analyzed. Then it will be possible to identify or modify the most effective voluntary approach.