Perceived parental practices related to alcohol use by 16 to 18 year old adolescents in the public high schools in the Emawaleni District of KwaZulu-Natal.

Thesis (M.Med.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.Introduction: A quantitative cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess whether parenting practices regarding alcohol use (as perceived by 16-18 year old adolescents) are determinants of alcohol use by the adolescents. Parental practices include supervision, emotional support and parenting alcohol socialization behaviours that could influence adolescents' alcohol use behaviour. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of perceived parental practices and alcohol use behaviour among 16-18 year old adolescents in public high schools in the Emawaleni District, KwaZulu-Natal. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. Self-administered questionnaires provided data from 704 adolescents enrolled in public high schools Data were processed using SPSS 15.0. (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois). Scale reliability analyses were conducted and frequencies on all items calculated. Chi-square tests were used to assess associations between adolescent alcohol use and demographic variables. Logistical regression analyses explored the associations between the different demographic variables, adolescents' perceptions of parental practices and alcohol use behaviours. Results: The results indicated that the most significant others that affect the adolescents' drinking behaviour are parents (51.3%) and peers (33.8%). It was revealed that peers (40.1%) and parents (12.9%) offered the first alcoholic drink to adolescents. Age of alcohol use initiation was found to be as early as 13 years. It was found that mothers who communicated the risks of drinking (84.2%), and it is also mothers (36.9%) who inform adolescents of safe drinking practices. Eighty-two percent of parents are aware of adolescents' whereabouts. Regarding peer connectedness, 86% of the adolescents who drank alcohol felt that they could depend on peers when drunk and 77% of adolescents reported that they discouraged their peers from getting drunk. The best predictors of adolescent alcohol use were: younger age, being male, race (White), religiosity, parental and peer alcohol use. Discussion: The evidence demonstrated a basic understanding of the processes by which parents influence adolescent alcohol use behaviours. Although the study showed a stronger parental protective factor than reported in other studies, the influence of the peers in the adolescents' development is also consistent with that of other studies. Recommendations: Adequate interventions for adolescents are urgently needed to improve parenting skills in order to prevent risky adolescent alcohol use behaviours

The use of traditional medicinal plants for treating dermatological diseases and wound healing in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Doctor of Philosophy in Botany. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2018.Abstract available in PDF file

Food-borne disease prevalence in rural villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Background: The highest burden of food-borne diseases is in Africa. Despite this, food safety does not seem to be a major concern in many African countries. There is also a lack of concern within rural areas of South Africa. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of food-borne diseases in rural areas in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, by comparing data obtained from a cross-sectional survey and clinic records. Setting: The study was conducted in Ncera, Mpongo and Needscamp villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methods: In the first phase of the study, a random sample of household heads (n = 87) were interviewed to determine the prevalence of food-borne diseases between 2012 and 2014. In the second phase, registers from clinics serving the villages were screened for food-borne disease cases during the same time period. Results: A total of 109 (27.3%) household members fell ill because of food-borne diseases. Half (n = 56; 51.3%) of the respondents who fell ill because of food-borne diseases did not seek medical treatment for their illness. Of those who sought treatment, 19 (46%) attended primary health care clinics. However, examination of the clinic registers showed only four recorded cases of food-borne diseases. Conclusion: The prevalence of food-borne diseases in rural villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, was reported as high but the records in clinic registers are low, indicating a gap in the health care system. Monitoring of these diseases needs to improve

Antimicrobial Activity, Phenolic Content, and Cytotoxicity of Medicinal Plant Extracts Used for Treating Dermatological Diseases and Wound Healing in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Medicinal plants used for wound healing and skin diseases are the key to unlocking the doors to combating problematic skin diseases as resistance of pathogens to pharmaceuticals and allopathic management continues to increase. The study aimed at investigating the antimicrobial efficacies, phenolic content and cytotoxicity effects of eleven medicinal plant extracts commonly used for treating skin conditions and wound healing in traditional medicine within KwaZulu-Natal. Eleven plant species were separated into different plant parts (bulbs, roots, leaves) and extracted with different solvents. The extracts were assessed for antimicrobial activity against six Gram-positive and seven Gram-negative bacterial strains and four fungi commonly associated with skin conditions using disc diffusion and microdilution techniques. The aqueous methanolic extracts were screened for phenolic content while cytotoxicity tests were performed on all extracts using the brine shrimp lethality and tetrazolium–based colorimetric (MTT) assays. Extracts from Aloe ferox, A. arborescens and Hypericum aethiopicum were the most active against almost all of the tested bacterial and fungal strains. All plant species exhibited some degree of antimicrobial activity. Total phenolic levels, flavonoids and tannins were also higher for A. ferox, followed by A. arborescens and H. aethiopicum respectively. The cytotoxicity results of all plant extracts were in the range of 90-100% survival after 24 h in the Brine shrimp assay. Extracts considered lethal would demonstrate > 50% shrimp death. The MTT cytotoxicity test yielded LC50 values of > 1 mg/mL on all extracts indicating that they are not cytotoxic. The observed antimicrobial efficacy demonstrated by some plant species and the general lack of cytotoxic effects on all the tested extracts presents some promising and beneficial aspects of these medicinal plant extracts in the treatment of skin diseases and wound healing. The two Aloe species and H. aethiopicum were among the best extracts that exhibited consistently good antimicrobial activity and warrants further investigations and possible isolation of bioactive principles

Circulating soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, soluble endoglin and placental growth factor during pregnancy in normotensive women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: Based on the increased pre-eclampsia and HIV antenatal incidence in South Africa, we determined the angiogenic profiles due to its mechanistic link in preeclampsia development, throughout uncomplicated pregnancies in HIV positive and negative women.Objective: To determine the angiogenic profiles throughout uncomplicated pregnancies in HIV positive and HIV negative women. We explored possible correlations between angiogenic serum levels and selected maternal characteristics (HIV status, gestational age, maternal factors, and pregnancy outcomes).Method: This study was conducted at a primary health care facility in Durban, South Africa. Forty-six pregnant women aged 18-45 years, were enrolled at 10-20, 22-30 and 32-38 weeks’ gestation, respectively through convenient sampling. Serum samples were collected and quantitatively evaluated using ELISAs. Clinical and epidemiological data were analysed using STATA (version 14). A probability level of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Of those enrolled, 28.3% were nulliparous, 82% were HIV positive and none developed pre-eclampsia. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased slightly throughout pregnancy. Fluctuating angiogenic and anti-angiogenic levels were demonstrated during pregnancy.Conclusion: This study contributes to the current angiogenic knowledge in normotensive pregnancies, and may assist as a reference range against which these factors may be compared in HIV complicated pregnancies.Keywords: sFlt-1, PlGF, sEng, pregnancy, HIV

Antimicrobial activity, phenolic content, and cytotoxicity of medicinal plant extracts used for treating dermatological diseases and wound healing in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Medicinal plants used for wound healing and skin diseases are the key to unlocking the doors to combating problematic skin diseases as resistance of pathogens to pharmaceuticals and allopathic management continues to increase. The study aimed at investigating the antimicrobial efficacies, phenolic content, and cytotoxicity effects of 11 medicinal plant extracts commonly used for treating skin conditions and wound healing in traditional medicine within KwaZulu-Natal. Eleven plant species were separated into different plant parts (bulbs, roots, leaves) and extracted with different solvents. The extracts were assessed for antimicrobial activity against six Gram-positive and seven Gram-negative bacterial strains and four fungi commonly associated with skin conditions using disc diffusion and microdilution techniques. The aqueous methanolic extracts were screened for phenolic content while cytotoxicity tests were performed on all extracts using the brine shrimp lethality and tetrazolium-based colorimetric (MTT) assays. Extracts from Aloe ferox, A. arborescens, and Hypericum aethiopicum were the most active against almost all of the tested bacterial and fungal strains. All plant species exhibited some degree of antimicrobial activity. Total phenolic levels, flavonoids and tannins were also higher for A. ferox, followed by A. arborescens and H. aethiopicum, respectively. The cytotoxicity results of all plant extracts were in the range of 90-100% survival after 24 h in the brine shrimp assay. Extracts considered lethal would demonstrate >50% shrimp death. The MTT cytotoxicity test yielded LC50 values of >1 mg/mL on all extracts indicating that they are not cytotoxic. The observed antimicrobial efficacy demonstrated by some plant species and the general lack of cytotoxic effects on all the tested extracts presents some promising and beneficial aspects of these medicinal plant extracts in the treatment of skin diseases and wound healing. The two Aloe species and H. aethiopicum were among the best extracts that exhibited consistently good antimicrobial activity and warrants further investigations and possible isolation of bioactive principles.The University of KwaZulu-Natal and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa.http://www.frontiersin.orgam2016Paraclinical Science

Circulating soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, soluble endoglin and placental growth factor during pregnancy in normotensive women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: Based on the increased pre-eclampsia and HIV antenatal incidence in South Africa, we determined the angiogenic profiles due to its mechanistic link in preeclampsia development, throughout uncomplicated pregnancies in HIV positive and negative women. Objective: To determine the angiogenic profiles throughout uncomplicated pregnancies in HIV positive and HIV negative women. We explored possible correlations between angiogenic serum levels and selected maternal characteristics (HIV status, gestational age, maternal factors, and pregnancy outcomes). Method: This study was conducted at a primary health care facility in Durban, South Africa. Forty-six pregnant women aged 18-45 years, were enrolled at 10-20, 22-30 and 32-38 weeks\u2019 gestation, respectively through convenient sampling. Serum samples were collected and quantitatively evaluated using ELISAs. Clinical and epidemiological data were analysed using STATA (version 14). A probability level of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of those enrolled, 28.3% were nulliparous, 82% were HIV positive and none developed pre-eclampsia. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased slightly throughout pregnancy. Fluctuating angiogenic and anti-angiogenic levels were demonstrated during pregnancy. Conclusion: This study contributes to the current angiogenic knowledge in normotensive pregnancies, and may assist as a reference range against which these factors may be compared in HIV complicated pregnancies. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i2.4 Cite as: Ogunlola M, Reddy P, Sibiya MN, O\u2019Connor L, Borg D, Haffejee F, Ghuman S, Ngxongo T, Govender N. Circulating soluble fmslike tyrosine kinase-1, soluble endoglin and placental growth factor during pregnancy in normotensive women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Afri Health Sci.2019;19(2): 1821-1832. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i2.

Do Parents Still Matter Regarding Adolescents’ Alcohol Drinking? Experience from South Africa

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to improve our understanding of adolescents’ perceptions of parental practices relating to their (adolescents’) alcohol use. A total of 704 students were conveniently selected and completed self-administered questionnaires. More than half (54%) of the adolescents reported that they had consumed alcohol at some time in their life. Parental marital status was significantly associated with whether adolescents ever consumed alcohol or not (p < 0.05). A large number of mothers/female guardians (66.3%) and fathers/male guardians (69.3%) did not allow alcohol use at home. More mothers (54.6%) and fathers (65.3%) were not aware of their adolescents’ alcohol consumption (p < 0.05). Adolescents were more likely to use alcohol when they reported that they had often seen either their father or mother drunk or both (p < 0.05). There were also significant associations between parents’ views against alcohol use and their adolescents’ alcohol use (p < 0.05). Prevalence of alcohol uptake was quite high among these adolescents. Compulsory parenting programmes and skills development should be practiced by education, health, cultural and religious groups. Parents should be motivated to delay the age at which their children are initiated into alcohol use and be provided with guidance on how to counteract social pressures

Knowledge, practices, and attitudes of emergency contraception among female university students in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the knowledge, practices, and attitudes among female university students in South Africa regarding emergency contraceptives (EC). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 582 female university students who were selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find significant predictors for EC awareness. RESULTS: The average age of the female students was 20.9 years (SD=3.0) and 57.2% were presently sexually active. Overall, 49.8% of the participants reported having heard about EC prior to the study. Regarding sexual activities among the female students, 53.2% reported to have sex, and 21.2% of the sexually experienced students used EC prior to the study. Regarding the effectiveness of EC, 29.5% students said it could be used up to 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse, and 8% said it could be used just before sex. About two-thirds (61.8%) would recommend the use of EC and 63.2% would use it if they needed. The multivariate analysis indicated that students who were older (>20 years), presently sexually active, and living with their parents were more likely to be aware of EC (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The students' knowledge and utilization of EC were low. Health education and promotion should be targeted towards these students, and the EC services should be offered on campus