Johannesburg Area Research Articles

Building knowledge, optimising physical and mental health and setting up healthier life trajectories in South African women (Bukhali): a preconception randomised control trial part of the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (HeLTI)

IntroductionSouth Africa’s evolving burden of disease is challenging due to a persistent infectious disease, burgeoning obesity, most notably among women and rising rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). With two thirds...

Immigrant entrepreneurship with a focus on human and social capital as determinants of success: evidence from South Africa

PurposeAs a consequence of global changes, the landscape of immigration is changing. This brings opportunities for researching more nuanced aspects related to immigrant entrepreneurship in new contexts. The purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which Africa-to-African immigrants leverage their social capital and human capital towards improving the success of their entrepreneurial ventures.Design/methodology/approachFirst-generation immigrant entrepreneurs within the Johannesburg area in South Africa were surveyed (n = 230). Instrument validity and reliability was first established, and then the hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analyses.FindingsHypotheses are supported insofar African immigrant entrepreneurs in South Africa rely on their structural and resource-related dimensions of social capital to achieve entrepreneurial success. Furthermore, human capital in terms of both work experience and entrepreneurial experience was found to be a significant predictor of entrepreneurial success.Research limitations/implicationsThere is value in developing policies that promote African immigrant entrepreneurs with higher levels of human and social capital. These African immigrants have the potential to increase the national skills base and knowledge required for successful entrepreneurship development in South Africa.Originality/valueWhile both human capital and social capital have been associated significantly with the generic entrepreneurship literature, this paper provides an empirical contribution by focusing on the relevance of these constructs in the context of immigrant entrepreneurship from an African emerging market perspective.

Assessment of quality of alcohol-based hand sanitizers used in Johannesburg area during the CoViD\u201019 pandemic

Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CoViD-19), the World Health Organization has recommended that, in absence of soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used to prevent the transmission of coronaviruses. Unfortunately, many media and anecdotal reports indicate that many alcohol-based hand sanitizers sold in South Africa are substandard and some contain potentially toxic ingredients. The study aimed to identify hand sanitizers used in the Johannesburg area during the CoViD-19 pandemic that do not contain the recommended alcohol concentration of at least 70% propanol or 60% ethanol, and contain traces of toxic ingredients. Hand sanitizers randomly collected from various traders around Johannesburg were analyzed using Agilent auto sampler coupled to a gas chromatograph utilizing flame ionisation detection. Of the 94 hand sanitizer samples collected, three preparations contained no alcohol, whereas the rest contained either ethanol, 2-propanol or 1-propanol or a combination of two alcohols. Of the alcohol-containing hand sanitizers, 37 (41%) contained less than 60% alcohol. Ethyl acetate, isobutanol and other non-recommended alcohols (methanol and 3-methyl-butanol) were also identified. Consumers are therefore warned that among the many brands of hand sanitizers found around Johannesburg, there are some substandard preparations and some that contain traces of toxic ingredients.

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CHALLENGES FACING SMMES IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR

Ponte Academic JournalJan 2022, Volume 78, Issue 1 AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CHALLENGES FACING SMMES IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTORAuthor(s): Jeremiah Madzimure ,James Johannes AbrahamsJ. Ponte - Jan 2022 - Volume 78 - Issue 1 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2022.1.5 Abstract:The purpose of the research was to investigate the challenges facing Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME’s) in the Telecommunications sector within the Johannesburg area. Although the government acknowledged SMME development as important to economic growth and a vehicle to job creation, SMME’s are struggling within the Telecommunications sector. The research explores and understand the operational struggles, competitive market environment and Covid-19 affected market space that further contribute to the high SMME failure rate within the first two years of establishment. The research conducted a qualitative approach dealing with the subject or insider’s viewpoint. Findings from the research highlighted that there is a lot of work to be done in SMME enablement to realise the benefit of SMMEs that are fully functional, profitable and creators of lasting and real employment. The respondents suggested various recommendations and strategies that will create an environment for them to flourish and address the challenges currently facing them. Finances were identified as just lagging government support and intervention as one of the most important enablers that would assist the SMMEs to compete and be market drivers for sustainability, growth, and development by 2030. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

Transitioning to electrified, automated and shared mobility in an African context: A comparative review of Johannesburg, Kigali, Lagos and Nairobi

This article focuses on the drivers and barriers afforded by three innovations—automated vehicles, electric mobility, and ridesharing and bike-sharing—in the four African urban areas of Johannesburg (South Africa), Kigali (Rwanda), Lagos (Nigeria) and Nairobi (Kenya). We ask: what are the drivers behind these innovations in these regions? What are the potential barriers? And what implications for policy or sustainability transitions emerge? Based on a review of the academic literature, we argue that these innovations are particularly important at providing low-carbon transitions for the transport sector, even though low-carbon development is an important topic that is under-researched in many developing economies. We begin by introducing these three innovations and justifying our four case studies. We base the research design on an interdisciplinary critical and umbrella literature review. We then discuss the results of our review, which is organized as a dualism of positive drivers and negative barriers, before discussing how to better harness innovation for low-carbon mobility in an African context. We find that the possible benefits of our three innovations exist only juxtaposed against negative barriers; no innovation is purely positive or negative and all of them have multiple dimensions of positivity and negativity. Although we have treated each of the three innovations as fairly isolated from one another, there are emergent (and potentially strong) couplings or entanglements between them, e.g. between electrification and two-wheelers or automation and ridesharing. In some contexts, hybridization, incrementalism and leapfrogging are seen as positive attributes and desirable characteristics of planning and technology adoption.

An exploration of guesthouse fresh produce purchasing behaviour and supply chains in Johannesburg

Background: Globally, the challenges of confronting poverty and unemployment continue to dominate the development agenda. The South African government has sought to incorporate local economic development (LED) into their economic development framework. Guesthouses can contribute to LED through procurement of locally produced products and services for their operations.Objectives: The objective of this article was to determine the fresh produce purchasing behaviour and supply chains of guesthouses in the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan area, and to ascertain their attitudes towards purchasing fresh produce from urban farmers in and around the Soweto area.Method: A quantitative survey was conducted in the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan area amongst guesthouses in close proximity to the urban farmers in and around Soweto. Qualitative interviews with urban farmers were conducted to ascertain the fruit and vegetable crops propagated in order to attempt to match the supply of urban farmers with the demand of guesthouses.Results: Several constructive outcomes are obtained. The fresh produce purchasing behaviour of guesthouses in the Johannesburg area is better understood. There is a willingness on the part of guesthouses to change their fresh produce purchasing behaviour. After establishing the fresh produce production in the Soweto area, there are possibilities for matching the fresh produce production with the fresh produce needs of guesthouses.Conclusion: Although there may be a number of challenges relating to the sale and type of fresh produce from urban farmers to guesthouses in the Johannesburg area, there are possibilities for trade.

Zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8) autoantibody prevalence in black South African participants with type 1 diabetes

BackgroundAutoantibodies to β-cell specific antigens are markers of type 1 diabetes. The most recently identified autoantibodies are targeted to the zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8) protein located in the membrane of β-cell insulin secretory granules. The prevalence of ZnT8 autoantibodies in newly diagnosed participants with type 1 diabetes has been found to range from 33 to 80 %. Due to the lack of data on the immunological aetiology of type 1 diabetes in African populations, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of ZnT8 autoantibodies in black South Africans with type 1 diabetes and whether ZnT8 autoantibody positivity was associated with age at diagnosis and disease duration.MethodsParticipants with type 1 diabetes and controls were recruited from the greater Johannesburg area, South Africa. Positivity for ZnT8, GAD65 and IA2 autoantibodies was determined by ELISA.ResultsParticipants with type 1 diabetes (n = 183) and controls (n = 49) were matched for age (29.1 ± 9.53 vs. 27.3 ± 7.29, respectively; p = 0.248). The mean age at diagnosis for participants with type 1 diabetes was 20.8 ± 8.46 years. The prevalence of ZnT8 autoantibody positivity was 17.5 % (32 of 183) in participants with type 1 diabetes with a median disease duration of 7.00 [2.00; 11.0] years. ZnT8 autoantibody prevalence in newly diagnosed participants (< 1 year duration) was 27.3 % (6 of 22). Logistic regression analysis found an association between ZnT8 autoantibody positivity and shorter disease duration (OR: 0.9 (0.81-1.00); p = 0.042). In addition, ZnT8 autoantibody positivity was significantly associated with an increased chance of being GAD65 (OR: 3.37 (1.10–10.3)) and IA2 (OR: 8.63 (2.82–26.4)) autoantibody positive. Multiple regression analysis found no association between ZnT8 autoantibody positivity and age at diagnosis. However, the presence of ≥ 2 autoantibodies was associated with a younger age at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes when compared to participants with ≤ 1 autoantibody (B = -5.270; p = 0.002).ConclusionsThe presence of ZnT8 autoantibodies was not related to a younger age at diagnosis in black South African patients with type 1 diabetes. However, the greater the numbers of autoantibodies present in an individual the earlier the age at diagnosis. ZnT8 autoantibodies decline with disease duration in the black South African population.

Self-Sampling for SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostic Testing by Using Nasal and Saliva Specimens: Protocol for Usability and Clinical Evaluation.

BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus discovered in December 2019 and is currently the cause of the global COVID-19 pandemic. A critical aspect of fighting this pandemic is to obtain accurate and timely test results so that patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 can be identified and isolated to reduce the spread of the virus. Research has shown that saliva is a promising candidate for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics because its collection is minimally invasive and can be reliably self-administered. However, little research has been conducted on saliva testing and SARS-CoV-2 self-sampling (SARS-CoV-2SS) in Sub-Saharan Africa.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study is to comparatively evaluate the clinical sensitivity and specificity of nasal and oral samples self-collected by individuals for SARS-CoV-2 testing against a reference method involving sample collection and testing by a health care professional. The secondary objectives of this study are to evaluate the usability of nasal self-sampling and saliva self-sampling as a sample collection method for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing by using failure mode and error assessment.MethodsParticipants will be recruited from the general population by using various methods, Participants will be screened progressively as they present at the clinical trial sites as well as in primary health care catchment areas in the inner city of Johannesburg, South Africa. In the event that recruitment numbers are low, we will use a mobile van to recruit participants from outlying areas of Johannesburg. We aim to enroll 250 participants into this study in approximately 6 weeks. Two sample types—a self-administered nasal swab and a self-administered saliva sample—will be collected from each participant, and a health care professional will collect a third sample by using a nasopharyngeal swab (ie, the standard reference method).ResultsThis protocol has been approved by the University of the Witwatersrand Human Research Ethics Committee on July 31, 2020 (Protocol number EzCov003). As of May 13, 2021, 120 participants have been enrolled into the study.ConclusionsSARS-CoV-2SS may offer many benefits to individuals, by allowing for initial self-identification of symptoms and collection of samples without involving third parties and potential risk of infection provided the sample can be safely processed via a collection system. The results of this study will provide preliminary data on the acceptability, feasibility, and usability of SARS-CoV-2SS among the general population for its future implementation.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/24811

Emergency centre handover from the perspective of prehospital emergency care providers in Johannesburg, South Africa

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe handover in the emergency centre from the perspective of prehospital emergency care providers in Johannesburg, South Africa. Reference to emergency centre handover from the prehospital perspective will have particular relevance to all deliverers of emergency centre handover.Design/methodology/approachA purposive, cross-sectional design addressed the study aim by using a purpose-designed, validated, paper-based questionnaire to collect data relating to prehospital emergency care personnel's perspectives on emergency centre handover.FindingsThere were 175 completed questionnaires collected from South African prehospital personnel within the Johannesburg area. The response rate was 175/290 or 62%. Training on handover was described as poor. There was a general appreciation of mnemonics and how well they ensured that all relevant information was handed over. However, this was countered by poor familiarity of common mnemonics. Perception of the accuracy of their own and observed prehospital handovers was generally positive. Handover length was generally perceived to be appropriate. The qualification of emergency centre personnel was perceived to impact on how handovers were received.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to one geographical area and did not include all potential participants in the study area. The self-reported data collection meant that there was a risk of self-report bias. These factors may have negatively affected the generalisability of the data.Originality/valueThis paper seeks to describe perceptions related to emergency centre handover from the perspective of prehospital emergency care personnel. In doing so, it is postulated that there is the potential to use these findings to improve certain aspects of emergency centre handover.

Are adults just big kids? Can the newer paediatric weight estimation systems be used in adults?

The weight of a patient is an important variable that impacts on their medical care. Although some drugs are prescribed on a so-called 'adult dose' basis, we know that adults come in all shapes and sizes - a 'one-dose-fits-all' approach is not necessarily appropriate. As a measured weight may not always be available, an alternative method of accurately estimating weight is required. To assess and compare the accuracy of weight estimations in adults by patient self-estimation, the Mercy method, Buckley method, Broca index and PAWPER XL-MAC (paediatric advanced weight prediction in the emergency room eXtra length/eXtra large mid-arm circumference) method. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary academic hospital in a metropolitan area of Johannesburg, South Africa. Anthropometric variables of height, abdominal circumference, thigh circumference, mid-arm circumference and humeral length were measured. These variables were then applied to the various weight estimation methods and compared with the patient's actual weight. There were 188 adult patients included in the study. None of the methodologies evaluated in this study achieved the recommended &gt;70% of weight estimations within 10% of the patient's actual weight (PW10). The Mercy method was the closest to achieving greater than the recommended 95% for weight estimation falling within 20% of the patient's actual weight (PW20). The PW20 for the Mercy method was 91.5%. The PAWPER XL-MAC and patient self-estimate methods achieved a PW20 of 85.1% and 86.1%, respectively. The Broca and Buckley methods performed poorly overall. None of the evaluated weight estimation methodologies was accurate enough for use in adult weight estimation. The Mercy and PAWPER XL-MAC methodologies both showed significant promise for use in adult weight estimation, but need further refinement. Although patient self-estimates were similarly accurate to those found in previous studies, they were not an accurate option; self-estimations would remain the first choice if the patient was able to provide such an estimation. The Broca index and Buckley method cannot be recommended owing to their poor performance.

‘There is no more future for me? Like really, are you kidding?’: agency and decision-making in early motherhood in an urban area in Johannesburg, South Africa

ABSTRACT Background: The South African development goals for young women aged 15 to 24 are to reduce HIV incidence, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence, and to increase school completion and economic security. Early, unintended pregnancy undermines these goals, creating discourses of early motherhood that position young women as powerless. There has been scant attention on the agency of young women in their structural context. Objective: This study explored how young women exercise agency after an unintended pregnancy and make decisions concerning their future, including sexual and reproductive health, school completion and/or income generation, and caregiving for their babies. Methods: I used narrative analysis to explore the lived experiences of young mothers, paying attention to decision-making during pregnancy and motherhood. Domains of analysis included health care, education, and caregiving. I conducted in-depth interviews with 30 young mothers: 30 were interviewed once, nine were interviewed twice, and six were interviewed three times. I interviewed four significant people in the lives of young mothers and six health care providers at a health centre. Results: Progressive policy facilitates increased access to services for young pregnant and parenting women. However, education and health care providers continue to discriminate against them, formally through denying them access to services and informally through discourses of shame which pervade their structural context. Kinship capital in urban and rural contexts and the Child Support Grant mitigate some struggles in early motherhood and help young mothers navigate decision-making. Conclusion: Young mothers exercise agency along a continuum to realise their aspirations. Social and structural support mediate their agency. Policy needs to expand the focus from prevention to include issues of care and support after an early, unintended pregnancy to ensure the health and wellbeing of young mothers and their children.

An early numeracy intervention for first-graders at risk for mathematical learning difficulties

The aim of this study was to investigate whether early numeracy skills of South African first graders who are at-risk for mathematical learning difficulties can be improved with an intervention program. The participants were 267 children from 17 classrooms in the greater Johannesburg area. In this quasi-experimental small group intervention study (15 sessions over 5 weeks) the outcome measure was early numeracy skills. Based on pretest early numeracy scores, the children were divided into an intervention group (N = 40), a low performing control group (N = 32), and an average performing control group (N = 195). The main result was that the intervention group had improved more in numerical relational skills, compared to low-controls; this effect remained statistically significant after controlling for executive functions, language skills and kindergarten attendance, and was also observable in the delayed post-measurement. Executive functions, language skills and kindergarten attendance all predicted the level of early numeracy skills at the beginning of the intervention, but only executive functions explained individual differences in counting skills development from pre- to delayed posttest.

South African parents’ understanding of inclusion and exclusion in education in primary schools

Inclusive education has featured strongly in the South African education landscape since it was first incorporated into policy in 2001. Although parents are key stakeholders in the successful implementation of inclusive education, there has not been much research exploring parents’ understanding within this space. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parents’ understanding of inclusion and exclusion in education from seven primary schools in the Johannesburg area. This paper is based on the qualitative data drawn from a larger mixed methods study where 559 written responses exploring parents of primary school learners’ understanding were analysed and 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the results. Four core themes were identified, namely, inclusion/ exclusion criteria, levels of inclusion and exclusion, effects of exclusion and the effects of inclusion. Sub-themes of interpersonal and extra-personal characteristics emerged for the theme of inclusion/exclusion criteria, while further analysis of levels of inclusion/exclusion resulted in the sub-themes of formal and epistemological access. It was clear that parents’ understanding of inclusion and exclusion was grounded more in the practices of inclusion/exclusion as opposed to a more abstract, theoretical understanding. These results are discussed within the context of the SASA and Education White Paper 6 policy within South Africa, as well as literature around the types of educational access.

Primary health care nurses’ perceptions of the socio-ecology of mental illness among patients: An exploratory study

The de-institutionalisation of the health care system in South Africa had implications for the dissemination of resources from tertiary facilities to primary health care (PHC) clinics. Since there are little to no psychological or psychiatric services available at the PHC level, nurses serve the function of screening, assessing, and treating patients with mental health problems. We explored how primary health care nurses perceive the aetiology and socio-ecology of mental health problems as presented by their patients. Informants were eight nurses from three PHC facilities in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Area of Johannesburg, South Africa. They responded to a semi-structured interview that explored their perceptions of mental illness and psychological disorders. Thematic analysis yielded themes suggesting that nurses attribute mental illness and psychological disorders to community socio-ecological factors of (i) cultural beliefs; and (ii) fear of violent behaviours. The nurses acknowledged that the socio-cultural setting greatly impacted how symptoms associated with mental illness were interpreted. Additionally, a lack of training in mental health care provision hinders the ability of nurses to provide quality care to mental health care users at PHC facilities.

Teacher advocacy for the enhancement of professional learning and development in continuous professional teacher development programmes

This article focuses on the key role of teachers in the decision-making process concerning the design and implementation of Continuous Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) at a network of independent schools in Johannesburg. The procedure of examining the role-players in the CPTD process and the level of ownership that teachers appropriate in setting and developing their own topics and goals for training, learning and development are discussed. Activity theory and the theory of communities of practice informed the qualitative study undertaken at three independent primary schools in geographically different areas of Johannesburg. The aim of the study was to indicate that teachers as adult learners can generate useful ideas and topics for CPTD and can inform and improve their practice by recommending effective CPTD activities. Semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and document analysis were employed as data gathering techniques to collect rich data from a purposefully selected sample of primary school teachers. Teachers described activities and methods of learning that could improve their CPTD practices. The findings identify important elements that can be applied in CPTD and professional learning contexts. The proposed elements can be implemented to enhance teacher participation, decision-making and ownership of CPTD and teacher learning.

Data modelling consumer-generated content usage for apparel shopping.

This data article presents raw inferential statistical data which determine the use of consumer-generated content for online fashion apparel shopping among young adult consumers in South Africa. The data was gathered from consumers within the Gauteng Province metropolitan area of Johannesburg. Structural equation modelling approach using partial least squares statistical software (Smart PLS) was used to test the posited hypotheses in the conceptual research model. Structured questionnaires were distributed to consumers within the Johannesburg Metropolitan area. This data set show that perceived usefulness, perceived trustworthiness, knowledge and Competence has a major statistical impact on attitude towards the use of consumer generated content. The data also suggested a statistically significant relationship between attitude and intention to use consumer generated content as a source of information for online apparel shopping. In addition, the data showed that the perceived usefulness and trustworthiness had a statically marginal impact on usage intention. The data also shows that the perceived enjoyment of user generated content by users has had a negative and statically insignificant impact on attitude, while attitude has had a positive and significant effect on consumer behavioural intentions.

Antecedents That Influence the Intention to Use the Uber Mobile Application: Customer Perspectives in South Africa

&lt;p class="0abstract"&gt;In today’s postmodern era, there is phenomenal growth in the use of smartphones, GPS as well as Internet. This has given a rise to a revolution in the business world and the revolution is focused on conducting business on the move usually by mobile commerce applications. The study sought to determine the impact of perceived convenience, facilitation conditions, social influence and price value on the intention to the use an Uber application. A quantitative methodology was utilised and the research concentrated specifically on consumers, located in the Johannesburg area and using of a non-probability convenience sample. A self-administered questionnaire was designed based on the scales used in previous studies. The statistical data analysis procedures utilised for the quantitative study were descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, reliability analysis, structural equation modelling approach by means of the partial least squares structural equation modelling approach. The hypotheses testing results revealed that the intention to use an Uber application was influenced significantly and positively by perceived convenience, facilitation conditions, social influence and price value. The study authenticates those factors such as perceived convenience, facilitating conditions, social influence and price value are instrumental in stimulating the intention to use the Uber application. Lastly, based on the findings of this study, limitations were discussed along with the recommendations and concluding remarks.&lt;/p&gt;

Johannesburg’s implementation of the National Water Act, 1998 in Soweto, South Africa

ABSTRACT The Guide to the National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) regards the availability of water as a basic human right. However, local governments seem to struggle to pay for the water they provide to their residents as prescribed in the Water Services Act, 1997 (Act 108 of 1997). This study focused on the domestic provision and consumption of water in Soweto, one of the largest townships in the Johannesburg area of South Africa. Surveys were conducted with 372 respondents from three different socio-economic suburbs in Soweto with the aim to establish their water use perceptions and practices. Study results indicate implementation of the National Water Act is still being resisted by Sowetan households more than two decades after its adoption, due to the difference in expectations of the municipality and the residents regarding rights to water access and responsible usage.

Role of family history and clinical screening in the identification of families with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Familial disease is implicated in 20 - 50% of cases of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) worldwide. The contribution of familial factors to IDCM in the Johannesburg area, South Africa, is unknown. To describe the demographic details of patients with IDCM who presented at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH), and to determine if there is evidence of familial disease through family history assessment and clinical screening of relatives. This was a single-centre, cohort study performed at a quaternary care centre at CMJAH. Fifty unrelated probands diagnosed with IDCM and available first- and second-degree relatives were included in the study. A three-generation family pedigree was drawn up for all 50 probands. The pedigrees were analysed to identify the presence or absence of familial disease and categorised as positive, intermediate, negative or unreliable according to the family history obtained. From the 50 proband cases, there were 21 family members available for screening for features of IDCM. Eighty-two family members (55 first-degree and 27 second-degree relatives) were screened clinically. Screening included a personal history, full physical examination, electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram. The mean age at diagnosis of IDCM in the probands was 41.7 (standard deviation (SD) 12.4) years. The majority of probands were males (n=38; 76%). Of 50 pedigrees analysed, 14 (28%) were positive and likely to be indicative of familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and 9 (18%) patients were at intermediate risk of familial disease. Eighty-two asymptomatic family members were screened, with a median age of 33 (range 11 - 76) years. No asymptomatic family members were identified with features of DCM or presymptomatic DCM. Eleven of the 21 families screened had relatives with possible presymptomatic DCM identified by abnormalities on the echocardiogram in 3 families (14.3%) (4 individuals; all first-degree relatives of the index case) or identified on the basis of a conduction defect (an arrhythmia or first-/ second-/third-degree heart block) in 8 families (72.7%) (11 individuals; 9 first-degree and 2 second-degree relatives). Screening for IDCM should include a three-generation family history and clinical screening of all first-degree family members. As IDCM has an age-related penetrance, at-risk family members should receive follow-up for screening to assess symptoms and signs of IDCM. Genetic testing would potentially identify family members at high risk, who would benefit from screening; this might be a less expensive option.

The five-factor model and individualism and collectivism in South Africa: Implications for personality assessment

The five-factor model (FFM) of personality is one of the prominent models in contemporary psychology and defines personality in terms of five broad factors, namely Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Recent research, however, questions the applicability of the FFM in non-Western cultures, suggesting that it is not exhaustive enough and that it does not account for some other personality factors, most notably Individualism and Collectivism. Yet, it remains the gold standard against which all personality instruments are compared. This study investigated whether the FFM of personality is related to Individualism and/or Collectivism in a sample of 272 South Africans from the general Johannesburg area. Individuals completed a questionnaire consisting of a demographic section, the Horizontal–Vertical Individualism/Collectivism scale and the NEO-PI-3. Exploratory factor analysis was used to analyse the data. The results indicated support for an Individualism–Collectivism dimension. These results are discussed within the context of the universal applicability of the FFM.