Sense of humour and adolescents’ cognitive flexibility

Objective: There is a lack of research on humour among adolescents in South Africa. This article examines cognitive flexibility and humour. The objective was to investigate the roles of gender and language as possible moderating variables in the relationship between adolescents’ cognitive flexibility and sense of humour. Design: A correlational research design was used in which pupils were asked to complete the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale to assess their sense of humour. In order to determine the cognitive flexibility of the sample group, Martin and Rubin’s Cognitive Flexibility Scale was applied. Setting and subjects: The initial sample comprised 1 203 adolescents (Grade 11 and 12 pupils) randomly selected from the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. Of these, a final 392 adolescents qualified after eliminating criteria had been applied.Results: No significant correlations were found between the total group or for the two genders. Significant positive correlations were found between cognitive flexibility and two of the scores for humour (creating and expressing humour), as well as for the total score for Afrikaans-speaking participants. Significant negative correlations were found between cognitive flexibility and all five of the scores for humour for the Nguni language speakers. Conclusion: This study recommends that culturally sensitive measuring instruments should be developed.Keywords: sense of humour, cognitive flexibility, adolescents, psychological well-being, language, gende

Professional consequence for dentists involved in unethical decision-making

ABSTRACT The previously gullible and apathetic South African public, generally speaking, is lately becoming increasingly rights-based sophisticated. Patients are no longer accepting inferior quality work and have become more knowledgeable especially regarding the expected skills and professional conduct of dentists. The present study examined archival material as published between 2007 and 2013 of penalties against ethical misconduct. It was found that the majority of ethical transgressions took place in urban settings and the most predominant transgression was charging for services not performed and submitting these claims to medical aids as well as performing sub-optimal interventions. Legally a practitioner who performs such acts may be held liable for the damage or injury suffered by the patient as a consequence of these acts, on the basis of negligence. Penalties imposed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa vary between 5,000 Rand and 15,000 Rand, as well as suspensions of between 9 to 12 months. It is doubtful that transgressors would change their behaviour in the light of the present Continuous Professional Development programmes where attendance is really the only prerequisite and not moral reflection. This study recommends that the Health Professions Council of South Africa need to re-evaluate the effectiveness of their ethical training programmes and adapt the model to incorporate more inclusive learning

High HIV prevalence in an early cohort of hospital admissions with COVID-19 in Cape Town, South Africa

Background. South Africa (SA) has a high prevalence of HIV and tuberculosis. Cape Town was the SA metropole most affected in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early observational data from Africa may provide valuable insight into what can be expected as the pandemic expands across the continent.Objectives. To describe the prevalence, clinical features, comorbidities and outcome of an early cohort of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients admitted with COVID-19.Methods. This was a descriptive observational study of an early cohort of adults with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted from 25 March to 11 May 2020.Results. Of 116 patients (mean age 48 years, 61% female) admitted, 24 were HIV-positive (21%). The most common symptoms reported were cough (n=88; 73%), shortness of breath (n=78; 69%), fever (n=67; 59%), myalgia (n=29; 25%) and chest pain (n=22; 20%). The most common comorbidities were hypertension (n=46; 41%), diabetes mellitus (n=43; 38%), obesity (n=32; 28%) and HIV (n=24; 21%). Mortality was associated with older age (mean (standard deviation) 55 (12) years v. 46 (14) years; p<0.01); the presence of hypertension or hypertension along with diabetes and/or obesity; lower partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio; and higher urea level, white cell count, neutrophil count, and C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin levels, and high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. The overall survival rate for all hospital admissions was 86/116 (73%). In this early cohort, survival was similar in patients with HIV (n=18; 75%) compared with those without HIV (n=67; 75%) (p=1). Of the 74 patients admitted to the wards, 63 (85%) survived, whereas 22 of 42 (52%) admitted to the intensive care unit survived.Conclusions. Patients with HIV infection represented a large proportion of all COVID-19 admissions. The presentation and outcome of patients with HIV did not differ significantly from those of patients without HIV

Calcifying Odontogenic Cysts: A 20-year Retrospective Clinical and Radiological Review

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ITFvU7cm3hNQyBRHV6LwRI47pgIWN37E/view?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Rm_GimQtumx7roigsBwBPMnhFTTUZ-UC?usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TtTOHdcYPzNddB4h2MCDaXeYTkkHn_v7?usp=sharin

Parameters in panoramic radiography for differentiation of radiolucent lesions

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to establish parameters in panoramic radiography for interpretation of unilocular radiolucent lesions, and to compare the accuracy of diagnoses given by examiners before and after using these parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In Part I, 12 specialists analyzed 24 images and the diagnostic criteria used by each examiner to make correct diagnoses were used to build a list of basic radiographic parameters for each pathology (ameloblastoma, keratocystic odontogenic tumor, dentigerous cyst, and idiopathic bone cavity). In Part II, this list was used by 6 undergraduate students (Un), 8 recently graduated dentists (D), 3 oral pathologists, 3 stomatologists, 3 oral radiologists, and 3 oral surgeons to diagnose the corresponding pathologies in the other set of 24 panoramic radiographs (T2). The same analysis occurred without using this list (T1). The method of generalized estimating equations (GEE) was used in order to estimate the probability of making a correct diagnosis depending on the specialty of the examiner, type of lesion, and moment of the evaluation, T1 or T2 (before or after they had access to the list of parameters, respectively). RESULTS: Higher values were obtained for the probability (GEE) of making a correct diagnosis on T2; the group Un presented the highest improvement (14.6 %); no differences between the probabilities were observed either between Un and D, or among the different groups of specialists. CONCLUSIONS: The use of panoramic radiographic parameters did allow improving the diagnostic accuracy for all groups of examiners

The hidden curriculum and integrating cure- and care-based approaches to medicine

Although current literature about the “cure versus care” issue tends to promote a patient-centered approach, the disease-centered approach remains the prevailing model in practice. The perceived dichotomy between the two approaches has created a barrier that could make it difficult for medical students and physicians to integrate psychosocial aspects of patient care into the prevailing disease-based model. This article examines the influence of the formal and hidden curricula on the perception of these two approaches and finds that the hidden curriculum perpetuates the notion that “cure” and “care” based approaches are dichotomous despite significant changes in formal curricula that promote a more integrated approach. The authors argue that it is detrimental for clinicians to view the two approaches as oppositional rather than complementary and attempt to give recommendations on how the influence of the hidden curriculum can be reduced to get a both-cure-and-care-approach, rather than an either-cure-or-care-approach

Ethical misconduct by registered physiotherapists in South Africa (2007–2013): A mixed methods approach

Background: The role of ethics in a medical context is to protect the interests of patients. Thus,it is critically important to understand the guilty verdicts related to professional standard breaches and ethics misconduct of physiotherapists. Aim: To analyse the case content and penalties of all guilty verdicts related to ethics misconduct against registered physiotherapists in South Africa. Methods: A mixed methods approach was followed consisting of epidemiological data analysis and qualitative content analysis. The data documents were formal annual lists (2007–2013) of guilty verdicts related to ethical misconduct. Quantitative data analysis focused on annual frequencies of guilty verdicts, transgression categories and the imposed penalties. Qualitative data analysis focused on content analysis of the case content for each guilty verdict. Results: Relatively few physiotherapists (0.05%) are annually found guilty of ethical misconduct. The two most frequent penalties were fines of R5000.00 and fines of R8000.00–R10 000.00. The majority of transgressions involved fraudulent conduct (70.3%), followed by performance of procedures without patient consent (10.8%). Fraudulent conduct involved issuing misleading, inaccurate or false medical statements, and false or inaccurate medical aid scheme claims. Conclusion: Unethical conduct by physiotherapists in South Africa occurs rarely. The majority of penalties imposed on sanctioned physiotherapists were monetary penalties

Patterns of unprofessional conduct by medical practitioners in South Africa (2007–2013)

A role of ethics in the medical context is to protect the interests, freedoms and well-being of patients. A critical analysis of unprofessional conduct by medical practitioners registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) requires a better understanding of the specific ethics misconduct trends.To investigate the objectives the case content and sanctions of all guilty decisions related to unprofessional conduct against HPCSA-registered medical practitioners in the period 2007 to 2013 were analysed. A mixed methods approach was followed. The quantitative component focused on annual frequency data regarding the number of decisions taken against practitioners, number of practitioners, number of specific sanctions and categories. Relatively few medical practitioners (between 0.11% and 0.24%) are annually found guilty of unprofessional conduct. The annual average number of guilty decisions per guilty medical practitioner ranged between 1.29 and 2.58. The three most frequent sanctions imposed were fines between ZAR10 000 and ZAR15 000 (28.29%), fines between ZAR1 000 and ZAR8 000 (23.47%) and suspended suspensions between 1 month and 1 year (17.37%). The majority of the unprofessional conduct involved fraudulent behaviour (48.4%), followed by negligence or incompetence in evaluating, treating or caring for patients (29%).Unethical behaviour by medical practitioners in South Africa occurs relatively infrequently