Risk factors associated with teenage pregnancy at Ga-Dikgale villages in the Northern Province of South Africa

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this documentDissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010.School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH)Unrestricte

THE PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDLESS WOMEN ON SURROGACY AS AN ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUE (ART) IN LEBOWAKGOMO, CAPRICORN DISTRICT, LIMPOPO PROVINCE

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of childless women of surrogacy as an assistive reproductive technique.  Childless women in marriage experience psychological problems characterised by marital instability, divorce, stigmatisation and abuse. The objectives of the study were to (a) identify childless women, (b) determine their awareness and knowledge of surrogacy, (c) establish their values and beliefs on the issue of surrogacy, and (e) assess whether they would be willing to consider surrogacy as an option to address their infertility.  The study was qualitative and a case study design was used. Ten childless women were recruited from a social worker’s caseload.  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with these women and saturation was reached with the seventh participant.  Data were analysed thematically. The findings of the study suggest that childless women knew about surrogacy as an assisted reproductive technique and that they would consider the technique as an option to address their childlessness brought about by infertility

Strategies to Enhance Compliance to Health and Safety Protocols within the South African Mining Environment

Occupational health focuses on promotive and preventive and curative health. The occupational health practitioners have the responsibility to guide management and employees on the occupational legislative obligations aiming to safeguard legal compliance at the workplace. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the health professionals within the mining industry to provide primary, secondary and tertiary prevention strategies to improve the health and safety of workers. However, the prevalence of work-related diseases such as noise induced hearing loss, silicosis and the occurrence of accidents in the mining industry is an alarming factor. Systematic review method was adopted to identify and screen relevant citations. This book chapter aims to review and discuss existing literature on health and safety strategies to enhance safety compliance within the South African mining industry

Indigenous practices of pregnant women at Dilokong hospital in Limpopo province, South Africa

Background: Indigenous practices (IPs) are experiences generated by people who are living in a specific regional context and cultural group. IPs are shaped by cultural traits that are passed from one generation to the next. IPs practices are rooted and embedded in society and, therefore, the practices become part of the people’s lifestyle. It is difficult to try and change these practices as people have adhered to them throughout their entire lives. The believe system plays a major role in health care seeking behaviour of individuals because they are informed by the IPs that are observed in their environment. Objectives: To explore and describe the IPs of pregnant women at Dilokong hospital in Limpopo province. Method: A qualitative, descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was used for the participants to describe the IPs used by pregnant women. Data were collected through unstructured one-on-one interviews. Results: The following four themes with sub-themes emerged from the data: IPs based on ancestral knowledge; IPs based on spiritual diviners versus church principles; restricted practices versus instructions followed during pregnancy; and labour and IPs during labour and delivery. Conclusion: IPs are regarded as an honourable health intervention by traditional health practitioners (THPs), families and pregnant women. IPs like cords around women’s waists are still observed during physical examinations. However, there is a reduction of prescribed indigenous oral medication used to accelerate labour because of their potential toxicity

How is becoming pregnant whilst HIV-positive? Voices of women at a selected rural clinic in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa

Background: Pregnancy decision-making is complicated for HIV-positive women because they have to contend with unpredictable symptoms, potential vertical transmission, and often a problematic life context including poverty, abuse, and stigma. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the views of HIV-positive women attending a support group at a clinic in the Mpumalanga Province, on becoming pregnant. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive, and phenomenological research design was adopted to conduct one-on-one interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Purposive sampling aided the selection of fifteen HIV-positive women who were members of the HIV/AIDS support group at the clinic. Data saturation was reached at participant number 15. Lincoln and Guba’s four criteria for ensuring the trustworthiness of data were applied. Data were analysed using the open coding technique. Results: The following categories emerged: Mitigating fears of becoming pregnant through the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme; relationship between becoming pregnant and stigma attached to HIV/AIDS; cultural and social norms about becoming pregnant and the relationship between support groups and becoming pregnant. Conclusion: The study concluded that the desire to become pregnant amongst HIV-positive women is influenced by several aspects such as knowledge about the prevention of mother to child transmission, cultural values and social norms, and belonging to support groups where they were able to share experiences. Furthermore, becoming pregnant was viewed as an obligation to satisfy their partners/husbands and security to maintain marriages

Challenges for Optimum Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in the Emergency Departments of Limpopo Province: A Qualitative Study

Aim: To describe the challenges for optimum resuscitation processes in Emergency Departments in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Design: A qualitative explorative research approach was adopted to explore the resuscitation team’s experiences in Emergency Departments. Method: Five medical doctors and twelve professional nurses were purposively sampled to participate in the study. The depth of the information obtained from the participants determined the sample size. Data collected from semi-structured individual interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Data quality was ensured by applying four elements: credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Results: The study findings indicated diverse challenges for optimum resuscitation processes that include: A general shortage of emergency personnel, the lack of material resources and the unavailability of funds for payment of national and international trauma symposiums, the poor maintenance of emergency equipment, the lack of a continuous training program and the resuscitation team receiving different instructions from various team leaders about the standardized procedures and policies of the resuscitation process. The team leaders and managers often blamed, depreciated and disregarded the resuscitation team for failed resuscitation efforts. Public contribution: The study findings are a point of reference for the emergency resuscitation team and the department of health policymakers. Trained and well-equipped emergency resuscitation teams can improve the quality of life for patients with cardiac arrest

Exploring Occupational Health and Safety Standards Compliance in the South African Mining Industry, Limpopo Province, Using Principal Component Analysis

The health and safety of the miners in the South African mining industry are guided by the regulations and standards applied to promote a healthy work environment. The miners must comply with these regulations/standards to protect themselves from potential occupational health and safety risks, accidents, and fatalities. The status of compliance to safety regulations and standards in the mining industry of Limpopo Province has received little attention from scholars. This study explores the practices related to occupational health and safety standards compliance in the mining industry. A total of 277 miners were randomly selected from 1300 respondents in the mining industry. Data were collected using a 31-item survey questionnaire, administered to miners to explore occupational health and safety standards compliance from December 2019 to May 2020. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) extracted key attributes of occupational health and safety standards compliance in the mining industry and uncovered relationships between different dimensions. The study revealed that seven factors could measure occupational health and safety standards practices. It was observed that Factor 1 (occupational health practice related to regulations) is correlated with Factor 2 (measures to reduce risk of injuries/accidents). Additionally, Factor 2 (measures to minimise the risk of injuries/accidents) is correlated with Factor 4 (impact of the environment and production). There is a correlation between non-compliance with the safety regulations and the occurrence of injuries and accidents