3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Exploring extreme rainfall events in KwaZulu-Natal over the period 1989-2019(2024) Ntleko, Thabisile Phiwengomusa ZibusisozonkeChanges in weather and climate extremes have been observed across the globe. These include an increase in the frequency, magnitude, and severity of extreme events, have been attributed mainly to climate change due to increased anthropogenic activity since pre-industrial times. Although these weather and extreme events have increased and intensified globally on average, some spatial and temporal variations of trends are evident at regional scales. This study was conducted to explore the incidence and trends of extreme rainfall events over KwaZulu-Natal for the period 1989-2019. Rainfall data was sourced from the South African Weather Service for 11 stations distributed across the province. Extreme climate events (ECEs) were identified by calculating subsets of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Expert Team on Climate Change Detection Indices (ETCCDI) and WMO Expert on Sector-Specific Climate Indices (ET-SCI) for each of the 30 years of interest. Thereafter, trends in these extreme climate events were calculated using linear regression. The results reveal marked spatial and temporal differences in both the occurrence of the ECEs and their trends. The incidence of ECEs depict a seasonal pattern, where majority of events occur during the summer rainfall months. However, over the coastal regions ECE’s occur throughout the year and exhibit more frequent and intense events compared to overland regions. The trend analysis detected a majority of decreasing trends in the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme rainfall events for the period of study, with only 10 of the 77 calculated trends being statistically significant. The spatial distribution of trends was heterogeneous for most parts of the province apart for the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, which consistently observed decreasing trends for all calculated indices.Item The role of the oral hygienist in the public sector in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng Province(2010-02-24T07:24:41Z) Govender, UrvashneeIntroduction: There are high levels of dental caries, gingival and periodontal diseases and a lack of oral health awareness in the wider South African population. Thus every district’s oral health strategy must include disease prevention and health promotion approach. Oral hygienists are the main drivers of these services in the public sector. Aim: To determine the activities of oral hygienists in the public sector in Gauteng and KwaZulu – Natal provinces. Objectives: 1) To obtain the demographic profile of oral hygienists employed in Gauteng and KwaZulu -Natal provinces. 2) To determine their current duties, tasks and responsibilities. 3) To identify factors that may hinder the provision of services. Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study and data was collected by means of a self administered questionnaire that was hand delivered to all oral hygienists employed in Gauteng and in KwaZulu - Natal provinces in 2005. Results: Thirty two oral hygienists (78%) responded to the questionnaire, 94% of whom were female with an average age of 37 years. Twenty three (72%) were Black, 6 (19%) White, 2 (6%) Indian and 1 (3%) Coloured, with an average iv working experience of 10 years. Almost half (47%) were employed as chief, 16% as senior and 37% as junior oral hygienist. Almost all (94%) complained of poor salaries and 78% said that there were no opportunities for promotion. Oral hygienists performed both clinic-based and community-based services. The majority (95%) of the community-based services was preventive; the most common preventive services being rendered to the community was oral health education (84%), brushing programs (75%) and examination, charting and screening (69%). Seventy seven percent (77%) of clinic-based services included preventive procedures the most common being scaling and polishing or root planing (88%), examination and charting (84%) and oral hygiene instructions (75%). The majority of oral hygienists (94%) worked in the public sector to provide a service to the community. Seventy six percent (76%) had experiences that hindered the provision of services. Almost all (97%) wanted to study further, the main area of interest being the dental field. Conclusion: It is evident that the duties, tasks and responsibilities of oral hygienists in both KZN and GP include activities associated predominantly with the prevention and control of oral diseases and oral health promotion. In South Africa, a decline in oral diseases (dental caries and periodontal diseases) can be achieved by enhancing the use of oral hygienists in the public sector.Item A quality of care audit of children referred with suspected epilepsy to two hospitals in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal(2009-10-20T07:22:08Z) Madekurozwa, Matilda NtombizonkeTwo public sector hospitals in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, Edendale and Grey‟s have specialist clinics for children with epilepsy. Children with suspected epilepsy are referred to Edendale and Grey‟s hospital Paediatric Outpatient Department for their assessment from primary health care clinics, level 1 and level 2 hospitals. Health care workers managing children with suspected epilepsy do not adhere to childhood epilepsy guidelines and protocols and therefore find epilepsy a difficult condition to manage. The purpose of this clinical audit was to assess the quality of care of children referred to Edendale and Grey‟s hospital with suspected epilepsy. Information obtained from this audit will be used to improve the quality and consistency of patient care and therefore reduce childhood morbidity and mortality from the complications of epilepsy among children in Area 2, KwaZulu-Natal. Materials and Methods The Paediatric Outpatient Department registers at Edendale and Grey‟s hospital were used to identify children referred with suspected epilepsy, and their case notes were retrieved. Children who met the inclusion criteria for the study were: i) those referred to the Paediatric Outpatient Department, Neurodevelopment or Epilepsy clinics for their first assessment with a diagnosis of suspected epilepsy and ii) children aged 14 years at Grey‟s hospital and 10 years at Edendale hospital. Children excluded from the study were those i) with febrile convulsions; ii) who had repeat visits and iii) not referred with suspected epilepsy. MN Madekurozwa v Letters from referring hospitals and patient case notes were reviewed and this information was used to fill in the audit forms. A modified British Paediatric Neurology Association audit tool was used for the study. The study period covered was from January 1st 2004 to January 31st 2006. Results From the two-site audit, 232 folders were retrieved and of these 119 case notes met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed, 83 from Edendale and 36 from Grey‟s hospital. The median age of the patients at Edendale hospital was 4-years (age range 2-months to 10-years) at Grey‟s hospital the median age was 3-years (age range 8-months to 12-years). Sixty-six patients were male and fifty-three were female. At Edendale hospital, the majority of patients, 88% were seen within a week of referral, with only 2% seen more than a month later. Of these patients, 37% were assessed by interns and 16% by paediatricians. At Grey‟s hospital the majority of patients were seen more than a month after booking for their first assessment and were assessed by registrars (35%), paediatricians (28%) and senior medical officers (14%), none of the patients were assessed by interns. From reviewing the history, examination, diagnosis, treatment, communication and future care it was found that the overall care of children presenting with suspected epilepsy to both hospitals was poor. Conclusion This was a retrospective study that relied on the availability and review of patient case notes and adequate documentation by the assessing health care workers. The findings from this audit suggest that the quality of care of children presenting with suspected epilepsy to Edendale and Grey‟s hospital is inadequate, with a lack of adherence to guidelines as shown by the lack of adequate statements from history taking, diagnosis, inappropriate use of investigations and inadequate counselling on treatment and future patient care. To improve the management of children referred with suspected epilepsy there should be an improvement in health care worker training to ensure that epilepsy guidelines are adhered to. There should also be an improvement in caregiver and child counselling and education; and strengthening of systems - record keeping, research, and audit with a regular review of epilepsy guidelines.Item The distribution and abundance of herpetofauna on a Quaternary aeolian dune deposit : Implications for strip mining(2008-11-04T11:31:54Z) Maritz, BryanExxaro KZN Sands is planning the development of a heavy minerals strip mine south of Mtunzini, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The degree to which mining activities will affect local herpetofauna is poorly understood and baseline herpetofaunal diversity data are sparse. This study uses several methods to better understand the distribution and abundance of herpetofauna in the area. I reviewed the literature for the grid squares 2831DC and 2831 DD and surveyed for herpetofauna at the study site using several methods. I estimate that 41 amphibian and 51 reptile species occur in these grid squares. Of these species, 19 amphibian and 39 reptile species were confirmed for the study area. In all, 29 new unique, grid square records were collected. The paucity of ecological data for cryptic fauna such as herpetofauna is particularly evident for taxa that are difficult to sample. Because fossorial herpetofauna spend most of their time below the ground surface, their ecology and biology are poorly understood and warrant further investigation. I sampled fossorial herpetofauna using two excavation techniques. Sites were selected randomly from the study area which was expected to host high fossorial herpetofaunal diversity and abundance. A total of 218.6 m3 of soil from 311 m2 (approximately 360 metric tons) was excavated and screened for herpetofauna. Only seven specimens from three species were collected. All were within approximately 100 mm of the surface even though some samples removed soil 1 m below the surface. There was no detectable difference in fossorial herpetofaunal density (individuals.m-2) between methods or from areas under different land uses. Neither soil compaction nor land use nor soil texture predicted fossorial herpetofaunal density or abundance. The data suggest that fossorial herpetofauna occur at extremely low densities in the area. This finding has implications for population estimates and conservation measures for these species. In order to better understand the effects of land use on herpetofaunal diversity, I used sample-based rarefaction curves to compare the diversity of the herpetofaunal species assemblages occurring in each of the four main land uses on the study site. Forest areas hosted significantly higher diversity than grasslands and the two agricultural mono-cultures, Eucalyptus and sugarcane plantations. Additionally I demonstrated empirically that riparian woodlands host higher species richness and herpetofaunal abundance than non-riparian areas. Potential reasons for the apparently suppressed diversity of these areas include the use of pesticides and/or herbicides, harvesting regimes, and the reduction in habitat heterogeneity. The potential value of riparian woodlands as refugia and corridors that could facilitate recolonisation of revegetated areas post-mining is discussed. Negative influences of mining activities on local herpetofauna are of particular interest given the potential and verified presence of several threatened taxa in the area including Bitis gabonica, Python natalensis, Afrixalus spinifrons, Hemisus guttatus and Hyperolius pickersgilli. These, as well as the “conservation needy” species proposed in a specialist report on the impacts of the mine on local herpetofauna are discussed in the light of my fieldwork. Mitigatory measures are required to reduce the negative impacts likely to be experienced by certain threatened taxa. I discuss a proposal for the development of a wetland reserve targeting, among other amphibian species, H. pickersgilli.