3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions

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The health seeking behaviours of people with food allergies
(2018) Gumbo, Jelika
Studies on how food allergies impact on the quality of life of those affected have been mostly conducted in Western countries, only few studies have been conducted in Africa, This research sought to understand the health seeking behaviours of young people with food allergies in South Africa. The research employs a qualitative methodology that included auto-ethnography and semi-structured, open ended interviews conducted with a group of eleven students from the University of the Witwatersrand. Through auto ethnography the researcher’ own experience as somebody affected by food allergy is shared to facilitate eliciting the experience of the students. The focus on youth that are in transition from being dependents into adulthood allows to explore issues of self-care. The findings of this study revealed that, in face of a failure on the part of biomedicine to provide cure for this condition health seeking behaviours are influenced by social and cultural factors, including gender and economic factors. The lack of accurate diagnosis and effective treatment fuels different interpretations and the help seeking behaviours. These become especially interesting in the context of a diverse country such as South Africa.