ADOLESCENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF STRESSORS CONTRIBUTING TO SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-213
Author(s):  
Henriëtte Van den Berg ◽  
Hester Tancred ◽  
Dap Louw
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Suicidal Behaviour ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
The Impact

South African adolescents show increased levels of suicidal behaviour. This article explores the perceptions of adolescents at risk of suicide regarding the psychosocial stressors they believe contribute to suicidal behaviour among South African adolescents. This study was conducted on 214 adolescents from the Western Cape Province with a high suicide risk. The group was selected on the basis of their high scores on the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire. A qualitative content analysis was performed with their responses on a question about the reasons for adolescent suicide. The analysis highlighted risk factors relating to substance abuse, negative emotional experiences, lack of self-esteem, problem-solving ability and hope for the future; negative family environment and conflict in family relationships; peer group and romantic relationships; stressful life events; and socioeconomic factors. Guided by the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory suggestions were made for adolescent resource development to counter-act the impact of the various stressors they experience.

The impact of climate temperature on counts, recovery, and death rates due to SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa. (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neven Chetty ◽  
Bamise Adeleye ◽  
Abiola Olawale Ilori
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Death Rate ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Warm Climate ◽  
The South ◽  
Recovery Rates ◽  
Death Rates ◽  
Online Resource ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND The impact of climate temperature on the counts (number of positive COVID-19 cases reported), recovery, and death rates of COVID-19 cases in South Africa's nine provinces was investigated. The data for confirmed cases of COVID-19 were collected for March 25 and June 30, 2020 (14 weeks) from South Africa's Government COVID-19 online resource, while the daily provincial climate temperatures were collected from the website of the South African Weather Service. Our result indicates that a higher or lower climate temperature does not prevent or delay the spread and death rates but shows significant positive impacts on the recovery rates of COVID-19 patients. Thus, it indicates that the climate temperature is unlikely to impose a strict limit on the spread of COVID-19. There is no correlation between the cases and death rates, an indicator that no particular temperature range is closely associated with a faster or slower death rate of COVID-19 patients. As evidence from our study, a warm climate temperature can only increase the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients, ultimately impacting the death and active case rates and freeing up resources quicker to enable health facilities to deal with those patients' climbing rates who need treatment. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the impact of climate temperature variation on the counts, recovery, and death rates of COVID-19 cases in all South Africa's provinces. The findings were compared with those of countries with comparable climate temperature values. METHODS The data for confirmed cases of COVID-19 were collected for March 25 and June 30 (14 weeks) for South African provinces, including daily counts, death, and recovery rates. The dates were grouped into two, wherein weeks 1-5 represent the periods of total lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa. Weeks 6-14 are periods where the lockdown was eased to various levels 4 and 3. The daily information of COVID-19 count, death, and recovery was obtained from South Africa's Government COVID-19 online resource (https://sacoronavirus.co.za). Daily provincial climate temperatures were collected from the website of the South African Weather Service (https://www.weathersa.co.za). The provinces of South Africa are Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, Limpopo, Northwest, Mpumalanga, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Gauteng. Weekly consideration was given to the daily climate temperature (average minimum and maximum). The recorded values were considered, respectively, to be in the ratio of death-to-count (D/C) and recovery-to-count (R/C). Descriptive statistics were performed for all the data collected for this study. The analyses were performed using the Person’s bivariate correlation to analyze the association between climate temperature, death-to-count, and recovery-to-count ratios of COVID-19. RESULTS The results showed that higher climate temperatures aren't essential to avoid the COVID-19 from being spread. The present results conform to the reports that suggested that COVID-19 is unlike the seasonal flu, which does dissipate as the climate temperature rises [17]. Accordingly, the ratio of counts and death-to-count cannot be concluded to be influenced by variations in the climate temperatures within the study areas. CONCLUSIONS The study investigates the impact of climate temperature on the counts, recovery, and death rates of COVID-19 cases in all South Africa's provinces. The findings were compared with those of countries with comparable climate temperatures as South Africa. Our result indicates that a higher or lower climate temperature does not prevent or delay the spread and death rates but shows significant positive impacts on the recovery rates of COVID-19 patients. Warm climate temperatures seem not to restrict the spread of the COVID-19 as the count rate was substantial at every climate temperatures. Thus, it indicates that the climate temperature is unlikely to impose a strict limit on the spread of COVID-19. There is no correlation between the cases and death rates, an indicator that there is no particular temperature range of the climatic conditions closely associated with a faster or slower death rate of COVID-19 patients. However, other shortcomings in this study's process should not be ignored. Some other factors may have contributed to recovery rates, such as the South African government's timely intervention to announce a national lockout at the early stage of the outbreak, the availability of intensive medical care, and social distancing effects. Nevertheless, this study shows that a warm climate temperature can only help COVID-19 patients recover more quickly, thereby having huge impacts on the death and active case rates.

Preschool children’s healthy lifestyles: South African parents’ and preschool staff perceptions

2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 897-910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Daniels ◽  
Ulla Forinder ◽  
Marina Clarke ◽  
Stefanus Snyman ◽  
Karin C Ringsberg
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Staff Perceptions ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Health Promoting

Background: The worldwide growth of non-communicable diseases requires important lifestyle adaptations. The earlier a healthy lifestyle is adopted, the better. Enabling a healthy lifestyle for children during the preschool years ideally involves the cooperation of parents and teachers. Health promotion with parents and teachers is most effective if it takes into consideration their views and opinions, as well as context. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of health and healthy lifestyle from the perspective of preschool children’s parents, and the staff caring for children attending preschools in three diverse settings. Design: Qualitative in-depth study. Setting: Preschools in Western Cape Province, South Africa. Method: Data were collected through six focus group discussions and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Parents and staff shared a holistic view of health, agreeing that children and their health were primarily the responsibility of the parents. Informants described their own health and that of children as affected by a variety of interconnected factors, including environmental, economic, social and individual influences. Conclusion: When tailoring a health-promoting education programme, it is important to consider the pre-existing knowledge the participants have and the context in which intervention will take place. There is also a need to structurally address social determinants of health that may be beyond the control of the individuals.

scholarly journals Local content requirements and the impact on the South African renewable energy sector: A survey-based analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Ettmayr ◽  
Hendrik Lloyd
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
South African ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Local Content ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Method Approach ◽  
Procurement Programme

Background: Economies aim to grow over time, which usually implies the need for increased energy availability. Governments can use their procurement of energy to increase benefits in their economies via certain policy tools. One such tool is local content requirements (LCRs), where the purchase of goods prescribes that a certain value has to be sourced locally. The argument for this tool is that spending is localised and manufacturing, as well as job creation, can be stimulated because industry will need to establish in the host economy. However, this practice is distortionary in effect and does not create a fair playing ground for global trade. Furthermore, if the local content definition is weak, or open to manipulation, the goals of such a policy may not be achieved at all.Aim: The objective of this study was to determine how LCRs would ultimately impact on the overall procurement programme.Setting: This study took place as South Africa commenced with large scale development of the renewable energy sector. This was largely achieved via the State run Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).Method: This study utilised opinion-based surveys to look into the LCRs of South Africa’s REIPPPP and measure the impact of this policy on the renewable energy sector in general. The mixed method approach was utilised to analyse qualitative and quantitative data and this was then triangulated with an international peer group to arrive at certain conclusions. The Delphi Technique was then employed to achieve population consensus on the findings.Results and conclusion: It was found that, in order to implement a policy such as local content without any negative welfare effects, the host economy had to show certain pre-existing conditions. Because South Africa does not hold all supportive pre-conditions, the impact and effect of LCRs have not been optimal, and it has not been found to be a sustainable mechanism to continue using indefinitely. The pricing of renewable energy was also found to be higher due to local content and such pricing is passed on to the energy consumer. The welfare created for South Africa, which should be in a trade-off for the creation of jobs and manufacturing, is therefore diminished and coupled with unsustainability and potential manipulation of the system, the country does not seem to be benefitting as it should be from this specific application of a local content policy.

Mosques, Mawlanas and Muharram: Indian Islam in Colonial Natal, 1860-1910

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goolam H. Vahed
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Political Life ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
The Social ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Minority Religion ◽  
Language Region ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis study examines the establishment of Islam in colonial Natal, attempting to fill a void in and correct the existing historiography.1 In comparison with other parts of Africa, the lack of a historiographical tradition on Islamic South Africa is conspicuous, but understandable given that traditionally the impact and consequences of racial segregation occupied the attention of most historians. Although Islam is a minority religion in South Africa, apartheid has created an impression of population density not reflected in the census figures. According to the 1996 census, there were 553,585 Muslims in a total population of forty million.2 Indian Muslims make up one of the two largest sub-groups, the other being Malay¸.3 There are 246,433 Malay and 236,315 Indian Muslims.4 The majority of Indian Muslims are confined to KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng, while most Malay Muslims live in the Western Cape. There is thus very little contact and interaction between them; indeed there are deep differences of history, culture, class and tradition. Muslims have played an important role in the social, economic and political life of the country. The many mosques that adorn the skylines of major South African cities are evidence that Islam has a living presence in South Africa, while the militant activities of the Cape-based People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) in the post-1994 period has ensured that Islam remains in the news. This study demonstrates that, apart from obvious differences between Indian and Malay Muslims, there are deep-seated differences among Indian Muslims. The diversity of tradition, beliefs, class, practices, language, region, and experience of migration has resulted in fundamental differences that have generated conflict.

CONTINUOUS INTENTION CRITERIA OF SNS APPROPRIATION PROCESS IN FAMILY CONTEXT: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

2015 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuzi Mahmud ◽  
Nor Zairah Ab. Rahim ◽  
Suraya Miskon ◽  
Nazean Jomhari
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Family Context ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
The Family ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Level 2

Communication technologies such as Social Network Sites (SNSs) are increasingly being used within family settings to support and extend the family relationships. Although many previous researchers have highlighted the impact of SNSs in family environment, criteria of SNS adoption and use in family context have received little research attention. This paper highlights selected SNS appropriation process criteria in family, individual and technical perspectives in order to understand why and how the SNS is being used in family context. Using the procedure of Bandara et al. (2011), NVivo 9.0 was employed to conduct content analysis of 284 articles published between the year of 2006 until 2014. As a result, the adoption and use criteria of SNS appropriation process were identified, and has been categorized in family, individual and technical perspectives using the Family Appropriation Process of Social Network Site (FAPSNS) framework. The understanding of the criteria could assist in effective and healthy adoption and use of SNSs among family members. However, this paper is merely focusing on level 2 and level 3 of SNS appropriation process in family, individual and technical perspectives. 

Never far from home: A cognitive-affective model of the impact of early-life family relationships on physiological stress responses in adulthood

2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda J. Luecken ◽  
Bradley M. Appelhans ◽  
Amy Kraft ◽  
Ana Brown
Keyword(s):  
Family Environment ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Physiological Reactivity ◽  
Cognitive Responses ◽  
Environmental Challenges ◽  
Vulnerability To Stress ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Early Family

An emerging line of research suggests that characteristics of the early family environment such as parent–child relationships, parental affection, and family conflict may contribute to vulnerability to stress-related illnesses in adulthood. An important long-term mechanism linking early family experiences to risk of illness later in life may lie in the ability to regulate physiological responses to environmental challenges. The current study provides evidence from our research program supportive of a cognitive-affective model in which it is proposed that family-of-origin relationships influence the development of emotional and cognitive responses to environmental challenges that influence physiological reactivity patterns, and ultimately impact vulnerability to stress-related illnesses later in life.

scholarly journals The use of liquefied petroleum gas by South African low-income urban households: A case study

2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 2-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nthabiseng Mohlakoana ◽  
Wendy Annecke
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Liquefied Petroleum Gas ◽  
Household Energy ◽  
Liquid Petroleum Gas ◽  
Electricity Power ◽  
The Impact

At the end of 2005 and in 2006, the Western Cape suffered extended blackouts. The cuts came as a shock and customers were loud in their criticism of Eskom and the City of Cape Town’s failure to provide a reliable electricity supply. The utility Eskom’s responses included the introduction of an aggressive Demand Side Management (DSM) programme with the goal of saving electricity and reducing the need to shed customers. In Khayelitsha, Cape Town, the DSM programme entailed an exchange and subsidy programme: households were encouraged to swop their two-plate electric stoves for Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) stoves. This intervention is the subject of this paper. The results of the study were analysed in terms of the socio-economic characteristics of the sample interviewed, multiple fuel use and transition trends in households in urban areas, changes in behaviour in electricity and LPG use, changing perceptions of LPG and the impact of the intervention. Previous studies in household energy use showed that people perceived LPG to be dangerous saying that it posed a greater danger to the household than paraffin since it might explode. Surprisingly, during the electricity power cuts in 2006, people in low-income communities, readily accepted LPG stoves in great numbers and a year later, up to 89% of the households surveyed, reported still using LPG for cooking.

scholarly journals Education And Small Business Growth: A Gender Perspective Of Two Divergent Provinces In South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Martin Peters ◽  
Garth Van Gensen ◽  
Eslyn Bleighnaul Hugh Isaacs ◽  
Mark Jonathan Botha ◽  
Visvanathan Naicker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Women In Business ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
The Impact

The article attempts to identify whether the level of education and gender has an impact on the business growth of SMMEs in a developing economy. The study furthermore looks at the contribution made by the SMME sector from a spatial perspective. The Western Cape is seen as a more affluent province and a bigger contributor to the countrys GDP as opposed to KwaZulu-Natal, which comprises of the former province of Natal and the Zululand homelands. Entrepreneurship can be considered as one of the means of creating an enabling environment conducive to reducing poverty, stimulating economic growth, and creating employment opportunities, particularly in a South African context. Hence, activities in the SMME sector are often considered to be the bedrock of an economy and a key driver of growth and development. This holds most true for women assuming the role of entrepreneur, especially in developing countries. This study aims to explore and test this delicate relationship between women entrepreneurs and SMME sustainability, and to conduct empirical investigations into high-density SMME operations in two South African provinces. Survey data were collected from SMME owners/managers in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. In building on previous academic literature on SMME sustainability and women in business, various measures are developed and tested for reliability and validity. The study is cross-sectional in design, making use of trained fieldworkers to administer face-to-face surveys to a diverse set of SMMEs. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 465 owners/managers in the two provinces. The findings show (i) a positive relationship between a business owners/managers level of education and business growth, (ii) no correlation between a business owners/managers education and employment, and (iii) no relationship between gender and business growth. The findings of the study can benefit the South African Government in directing policy, SMME owners, educators and women in business by increasing awareness of the nature of sustainable SMMEs, and the effect of operational skills, gender and education on the development thereof. This study focuses on the growing sector of women in business and the impact of education in SMMEs linked toward business sustainability. A contribution is made toward theory development through empirical research.

scholarly journals Results from a water-saving maintenance campaign at Cape Town schools in the run-up to Day Zero

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Booysen ◽  
Cheroline Ripunda` ◽  
Martine Visser
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Smart Water ◽  
Minimum Night Flow ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Water Meters ◽  
The Impact

Many South African schools struggle to maintain their water systems, particularly in the water-constrained Western Cape province, where the so-called "Day Zero'' drought had intensified the urgency of saving water and increased the cost of supply. The problem is compounded by insufficient governmental funding, the lack of well-structured government policies, and a shortage of skilled maintenance staff at the schools. We evaluate the impact of a plumbing maintenance drive at 196 schools at the apex of the drought. Hypothesising that even the most basic maintenance could be a huge financial help to these schools, we gave plumbers a list of typical easy-gain repairs and restricted the budget to R5,000 per school, with some ad hoc exceptions. We then analysed the cost and benefit of these repairs, using data on the minimum night flow as recorded by smart water meters. We found an average of 28% reduction in MNF within five days of the reported maintenance date. The once-off R1,22 million spent on the 196 schools resulted in a monthly saving of R1,90 million -- a saving that the schools could put to academic purposes.

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