Low-income Community In South Africa Research Articles

Normative beliefs as predictors of physical, non-physical and relational aggression among South African adolescents

This study investigated the contribution of general normative beliefs about aggression and specific normative beliefs about retaliatory aggression in predicting physical, non-physical and relational aggression. Adolescents (N = 229) from a low-income community in South Africa completed the Normative Beliefs about Aggression Scale (NOBAGS) and the Aggression–Problem Behaviour Frequency Scale (A–PBFS). The results revealed significantly higher levels of all forms of aggression amongst boys as compared to girls. There were significant gender differences in belief-behaviour associations with more significant correlations found among girls. General beliefs endorsing aggression were positively correlated with physical aggression among girls. For girls, beliefs about the acceptability of verbal and physical retaliation were associated with relational and non-physical aggression. The current findings broaden the understanding of the predictors of aggressive behaviour among South African youth. They emphasise that both general beliefs about aggression and specific beliefs about retaliation predict actual aggressive behaviour. Significantly, the study emphasizes that there are gender differences in the prediction of aggressive behaviour in terms of normative beliefs.

Acceptability and feasibility of a school-based contraceptive clinic in a low-income community in South Africa.

To investigate how acceptable and feasible a school-based contraceptive clinic (SBCC) would be in a low-income South African community. Teenage pregnancy is an important issue in South Africa, with significant health and social consequences. Issues regarding lack of confidentiality in an intimate community, unwelcoming health workers, long distances to clinics and perceptions of contraceptive side effects may all inhibit contraceptive use by adolescents. Although SBCC has been initiated and investigated in other countries, this approach is inadequately researched in South Africa. A mixed method study was conducted to assess the attitudes of one community towards establishment of an SBCC in their area. Methods of data collection included: focus group discussions (FGDs) with teenage girls from a local high school; a key informant interview with the school principal; a structured survey, including open-ended questionnaires with randomly selected parents of teenage girls from the same community; and a documentary analysis to explore relevant legal and policy considerations. Teenage girls, the school principal and parents with teenage daughters largely supported the idea of an SBCC, but with concerns about confidentiality, the possibility of increased promiscuity and contraceptive side effects. While legal statutes and policies in South Africa do not pose any barriers to the establishment of an SBCC, some logistical barriers remain.

When green is grievous: downsides in human-nature interactions in informal urban settlements

Considering how poor households relate with natural ecosystems is crucial to achieving environmentally sustainable low-income communities in South Africa and beyond. This paper presents negative experiences associated with residents’ interactions with, perceptions of, and appropriations of natural ecosystems and green spaces in informal settlements in Johannesburg. In-depth interviews with residents in two communities, key informants, and transect walks were used to identify problems associated with domestic gardens and vegetation in riparian and non-riparian open spaces. Inadequate services and infrastructure exacerbates these problems. This work contributes to knowledge regarding undesirable aspects of green infrastructure in the context of urban poverty. Understanding the downsides in human-nature interactions can usefully inform ecologically sound intervention in low-income informal urban areas.

Rabies vaccine is associated with decreased all-cause mortality in dogs

Evidence suggests that rabies vaccine may have non-specific protective effects in animals and children. We analyzed four years of data (2012–2015) from an observational study of the health and demographics of a population of owned, free-roaming dogs in a low-income community in South Africa. The objective of this analysis was to assess the association between rabies vaccine and all-cause mortality in dogs, stratified by age group (0–3months, 4–11months, and 12months and older), and controlling for the effects of sex and number of dogs in the residence. Rabies vaccination reduced the risk of death from any cause by 56% (95% CI=16–77%) in dogs aged 0–3months, by 44% (95% CI=21–60%) in dogs aged 4–11months and by 16% (95% CI=0–29%) in dogs aged 12months and older. We hypothesize that the protective association between rabies vaccination status and all-cause mortality is due to a protective effect of rabies vaccine against diseases other than rabies. Existence of a strong non-specific protective effect of rabies vaccine on mortality in dogs would have implications for the design of dog rabies control programs that aim to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies cases. Further, we propose that owned domestic dogs in high mortality settings provide a useful animal model to better understand any non-specific protective effect of rabies vaccine in children, due to dogs’ high numbers, high morbidity and mortality rates, relatively short lifespan, exposure to a variety of infectious and parasitic diseases, and shared environment with people.

School Governance in a Fragmented Political and Bureaucratic Environment: Case Studies from South Africa's Eastern Cape Province

This paper explores governance dynamics in four case study schools in low-income communities in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. A main aim is to identify empirically the causal mechanisms through which horizontal, school-level governance might function as an ‘institutional substitute’ for weaknesses in the province’s education bureaucracy. The case studies uncovered both vicious circles of capture, and virtuous spirals – with the latter characterised by shared developmental commitment among school leaders, teachers, parents and the community, strong enough to counter efforts at predation. The findings offer encouragement that non-hierarchical entry points for improving educational outcomes indeed have some potential to achieve gains.

Multiple and mixed methods in formative evaluation: Is more better? Reflections from a South African study.

BackgroundFormative programme evaluations assess intervention implementation processes, and are seen widely as a way of unlocking the ‘black box’ of any programme in order to explore and understand why a programme functions as it does. However, few critical assessments of the methods used in such evaluations are available, and there are especially few that reflect on how well the evaluation achieved its objectives. This paper describes a formative evaluation of a community-based lay health worker programme for TB and HIV/AIDS clients across three low-income communities in South Africa. It assesses each of the methods used in relation to the evaluation objectives, and offers suggestions on ways of optimising the use of multiple, mixed-methods within formative evaluations of complex health system interventions.MethodsThe evaluation’s qualitative methods comprised interviews, focus groups, observations and diary keeping. Quantitative methods included a time-and-motion study of the lay health workers’ scope of practice and a client survey. The authors conceptualised and conducted the evaluation, and through iterative discussions, assessed the methods used and their results.ResultsOverall, the evaluation highlighted programme issues and insights beyond the reach of traditional single methods evaluations. The strengths of the multiple, mixed-methods in this evaluation included a detailed description and nuanced understanding of the programme and its implementation, and triangulation of the perspectives and experiences of clients, lay health workers, and programme managers. However, the use of multiple methods needs to be carefully planned and implemented as this approach can overstretch the logistic and analytic resources of an evaluation.ConclusionsFor complex interventions, formative evaluation designs including multiple qualitative and quantitative methods hold distinct advantages over single method evaluations. However, their value is not in the number of methods used, but in how each method matches the evaluation questions and the scientific integrity with which the methods are selected and implemented.

The effect of exergames on functional strength, anaerobic fitness, balance and agility in children with and without motor coordination difficulties living in low-income communities

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are physically less active, preferring more sedentary behavior and are at risk of developing health problems or becoming overweight. 18 children (age 6–10years) with lower levels of motor coordination attending a primary school in a low-income community in South Africa (score on Movement Assessment Battery for Children Second edition equal to or below the 5th percentile) were selected to participate in the study and were age-matched with typically developing peers (TD). Both groups of children engaged in 20min of active Nintendo Wii Fit gaming on the balance board, twice a week for a period of five weeks. All children were tested before and after the intervention using the lower limb items of the Functional Strength Measurement, the 5×10 meter sprint test, the 5×10 meter slalom sprint test, and the Balance, Running speed and Agility subtest of the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2nd edition (BOT-2).After intervention, both groups of children improved in functional strength and anaerobic fitness. The magnitude of these changes was not related to participant’s motor coordination level. However, differences in change between the TD and DCD group were apparent on the motor performance tests; children with DCD seemed to benefit more in balance skills of the BOT-2, while the TD children improved more in the Running speed and Agility component of the BOT-2. Compliance to the study protocol over 5weeks was high and the effect on physical functioning was shown on standardized measures of physical performance validated for children with and without DCD.

The Impact of Housing and Basic Service Delivery on Low-Income Communities in South Africa: The Case of the northern Free State Region

This article investigates the impact of the provision of housing and basic services on poor communities in the northern Free State (NFS) region of South Africa. Service delivery and housing backlogs in poor communities have led to an increase in violent protest marches throughout the country. Poor communities seem frustrated with the rate of service delivery since the election of the first democratic government in 1994. A community household survey, which included 2 900 households, was conducted in 2013 in the NFS region and included twelve poor communities. The regional result was compared with four selected poor communities in the region, namely Moakeng (Moqhaka Local Municipality), Qalabotjha (Mafube Local Municipality), Tumahole (Ngwathe Local Municipality) and Zamdela (Metsimaholo Local Municipality). The impact of delivery of basic services and housing were analysed regarding poverty levels, as well as the relationship between the concepts of poverty and service delivery. Results of the survey indicate that 75.9 percent of the households reside in formal subsidised houses with high levels of ownership but a relatively low average monthly household income of only R1 458 ($140/month) relating to high levels of poverty. Only 35.6 percent of all households surveyed are of the subjective opinion that local government delivers quality services. More detailed results per specific area are analysed and discussed in the article. The results could play an important role in development policy formulation and policy adjustment. The results should also be taken into account in the formulation of local economic development (LED) plans for the areas under investigation with a focus on the benefits of housing delivery and associated basic services. Improved service delivery must be promoted by means of improved coordination between all spheres of government. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n13p11

The effectiveness of a school-based European injury prevention programme on adolescent risk behaviour in a South African setting

BackgroundUnintentional injuries are identified as a major health concern among adolescents. The one factor that can contribute significantly to their increased rates of injury is their risk taking behaviour. Evidence...

Vulnerability of a low-income community in South Africa to air pollution: Exploring the use of structural equations modelling to identify appropriate interventions

In this study, the relationship between certain household traits and specific environmental health outcome variables was explored in a low-income community from a peri-urban settlement in eMbalenhle, South Africa, with the aim of locating focus areas for targeting appropriate intervention. The susceptibility of this community to environmental pollution-related health outcomes may also be influenced by household-characterizing factors such as nutritional status, hygiene behaviours and other diseases that affect their immune system. Structural equations modelling was used to capture the possible web of relationships between the household traits and a combined respiratory health outcome variable. Specifically, the two traits considered at household level were socio-economic status and household environment, both of which were latent. Results revealed that primary interventions to improve respiratory health should include converting non-flush toilets to flush toilets, increasing the number of toilets, ensuring regular waste collection, increasing access to medical care and increasing the household income.

The effects of gender and socioeconomic status on youth sexual-risknorms: evidence from a poor urban community in South Africa

HIV and AIDS remains one of the most serious problems facing youths in many sub-Saharan African countries. Among young people in South Africa, gender is linked with a number of HIV-risk behaviours and outcomes. The literature suggests that factors such as socioeconomic status, intimate partner violence, and several psychosocial factors contribute to gendered differences in sexual behaviour among youths in South Africa. However, the existing body of literature scarcely addresses the interaction between gender, confounding factors (particularly peer norms) and sexual behaviour outcomes. This study uses a survey design (n = 809) to examine how gender and socioeconomic status moderate the effects of norms and attitudes on higher-risk sexual behaviours among secondary school learners in a low-income community in South Africa. The findings suggest that gender interacts significantly with peer norms to predict sexual behaviour. Peer norms and the experience of intimate partner violence were significantly associated with sexual risk behaviour among girls participating in the study. The article discusses both the wider implications of these findings and the implications for school-based and peer-facilitated HIV interventions.

Mercury exposure in a low-income community in South Africa

Mercury exposure in a low-income community in South Africa

Mercury exposure in a low-income community in South Africa

To establish whether a specific community in a gold mining area, with potentially associated small-scale gold mining activities, was exposed to mercury. The community was situated in Mpumalanga, where some potential sources of mercury emissions may have an impact. Adults >or=18 years were considered eligible. Biological monitoring, supported by questionnaires, was applied. Thirty respondents completed the questionnaire which covered demographics, energy use, food and water consumption, neurological symptoms, and confounders such as alcohol consumption and brain injuries. Mercury levels were determined in 28 urine and 20 blood samples of these respondents. Three (15%) of the blood samples exceeded the guideline (<10 microg/l) for individuals who are not occupationally exposed, while 14 (50%) of the urine samples exceeded the guideline for mercury in urine (<5.0 microg/g creatinine) for those not exposed occupationally. The cause of these elevated levels is unknown, as only 20% of respondents indicated that they used coal as an energy carrier. Furthermore, nobody from the community was reportedly formally employed in a goldmine. Nineteen (63%) respondents consumed locally caught fish, while 20 (67%) drank water from a river. Some individuals in this study may be occupationally exposed to mercury through small-scale gold mining activities. As primary health facilities will be the first point of entry for individuals experiencing symptoms of mercury poisoning, South African primary health care workers need to take cognisance of mercury exposure as a possible cause of neurological symptoms in patients.

Paraprofessional home visitation program to prevent childhood unintentional injuries in low-income communities: a cluster randomized controlled trial

Objective:To investigate the effectiveness of a paraprofessional home visitation program (HVP) to improve home safety and prevent injuries among children living in low-income settings.Methods:The HVP was implemented in two low-income...

RESIDE0NTIAL SOLAR WATER HEATING AS A POTENTIAL CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISM PROJECT: A SOUTH AFRICAN CASE STUDY

A community-based Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project – asolar water heating project in a low-income community in South Africa –is analysed to illustrate the methodological and policy challenges that faceimplementation of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change. We evaluate four baseline options, andthree potential CDM interventions. The emissions reductions range from –670 to +5 929 Mg CO2 per year, with all option but oneshowing positive emission reductions. Using metered solar water heatingwith liquefied petroleum gas back-up as the CDM intervention, and electricstorage geysers as the baseline, the annual emissions reductions are 5686 Mg CO2. The cost-effectiveness from the national perspective,which is the incremental life cycle costs divided by the lifetime emissionsreductions, is –$18 per Mg CO2 From the perspective of theCDM investor, however, the cost-effectiveness is $5.2 per mgCO2, assuming that the investor receives all of the carbon credits forproviding the incremental capital investment. From our analysis, weconclude that using the current technology (kerosene stoves) as a baselineis probably not appropriate because it does not reflect likely future trendsand also penalises the community for their poverty and current lack ofinfrastructure. We also highlight the importance of credit sharing, and howit affects the cost-effectiveness of the project from the CDM investor'sperspective. The lessons from this analysis are important for the currentinternational policy debate on how to preferentially treat small-scale CDMprojects.