Expectations of youth victims of violence regarding healthcare professionals leading them to wellness in South Africa

BACKGROUND: Many youth victims of violence report for treatment at the health care facilities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It was unclear what the youth expected regarding how they could be led towards wellness by health care professionals following an incident of violence (R1.1). OBJECTIVES: This study sought to explore and describe the expectations of the youth victims of violence with regards to health care professionals (R1.2) leading them to wellness in a selected rural community. METHOD: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was used. Nine focus group discussions were conducted with 58 (23 males, 35 females) purposefully selected youth victims of violence between the ages of 15 and 19. Data analysis was done through open coding. Ethics clearance was received from the University Ethics Committee prior to the study being conducted. RESULTS: Findings indicated that the youth victims of violence expect the health care professionals (professional nurses, doctors and social workers) working in their community to act as role models, demonstrate a professional attitude, provide health education, provide confidential counselling services, and establish school and community outreach programmes. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that youth victims of violence have important expectations from health care professionals concerning their wellness. Hence, health care professionals should focus on designing and implementing interventions targeting these expectations.Department of HE and Training approved lis

Empathic technologies for distance and mobile learning: an empirical research based on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)

Pre-printPurpose – This paper examines the acceptance, of a group of 79 students, of an educational forum, used for mobile and distance learning, that has been modified to include empathic characteristics and affective principles. Design/methodology/approach – With this study is proposed that the introduction of empathic and affective principles in educational forums is a useful and effective way to increase students’ participation and motivation in educational contexts. After an analysis of existing literature and research on the subject of empathic technology, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was used as a framework for our research model. The analysis of their acceptance is done via an extended version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) that focuses on the use of the variable attitude toward technology and uses Gender, Age and Experience as moderators. A Partial Least Square technique has been used to test the nine hypotheses. Findings – The results confirmed three of the nine hypothesis: performance expectancy and effort expectancy had a positive influence on the students attitudes towards empathic forums, while the effect of social influence and facilitating conditions was considered insignificant; social influence had a positive influence on the students’ behavioural intention to use emphatic forums, while attitude towards technology, performance expectancy, facilitating conditions and effort expectancy were considered not relevant. Originality/value – The focus of this study was the influence of attitude toward empathic forums, used for mobile and distance learning, and the results establish the grounds for future research on attitude as an important determinant of technology acceptance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio