3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/45
For queries relating to content and technical issues, please contact IR specialists via this email address : openscholarship.library@wits.ac.za, Tel: 011 717 4652 or 011 717 1954
Browse
2 results
Search Results
Item Elimination disorders in a group of South African children(2010-09-17) Patel, Firuzan HarishkumarBackground: Elimination disorders are childhood behavioural disorders. In South Africa these disorders fall within a neglected field of study when compared to physical illnesses. This report serves as formative research in order to address this neglect. Aims: To identify and summarise the clinical presentations, age and gender distribution, associated comorbid disorders and psychosocial factors in our mainly black patients from Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. Methodology: One hundred and sixteen children aged 4 – 14 years with these conditions were enrolled into a descriptive prevalence or survey study over a period of three years. An interview questionnaire was explained and responses recorded, from the caregivers and subjects. Result: There were 72 males and 44 females and their mean age at presentation was 9 years. More males suffered from encopresis only and both elimination disorders than females. There was only one female with encopresis alone. More females had enuresis than males. A greater percentage of subjects had primary enuresis as compared to encopresis, which was predominantly secondary in nature. Mental retardation, learning disability and ADHD were common comorbid conditions. Conclusion: The prevalence of elimination disorders in children attending an outpatient paediatric facility does justify the need for a specialised elimination disorder clinic. This clinic needs to be accommodated within an ambulatory paediatric unit such as the paediatric outpatients department of the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.Item Prevalence, causative factors and management of nocturnal enuresis in South African children(2009-05-19T07:18:57Z) Fockema, Margaret WilleminaObjective A cross sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire to establish the prevalence and causative factors of nocturnal enuresis in 5-10 year old South African children. Subjects and methods A questionnaire was distributed to the parents of 4700 school going children between the ages of 5-10 years in selected areas of Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Western Cape in South Africa. Where permission was granted, schools listed in these areas, and schools from different socio-economic areas (suburbs differing in affluence), were contacted telephonically. Those willing to participate were included in the study. Parents anonymously filled out the questionnaire and returned it to school. Data were reported as frequency and percentages in tables and graphs. The Chi-square test was used to compare proportions between groups with Fisher’s Exact test used to correct for small numbers of observations (n<5). Age differences were determined using Student’s t-test. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The questionnaire response rate was 72.1%. The overall prevalence of nocturnal enuresis was 16.0%, 14.4% for mono-symptomatic nocturnal enuresis and 1.6% for daytime incontinence. A positive family history was found in 50.5% children and constipation was a problem in 16.0% of children with enuresis. Various stress factors were linked to enuresis according to vi the parents’ perceptions. Only 28.3% had received a form of treatment and 13.5% had been treated by a doctor. A higher prevalence rate of enuresis could not be linked to a lower socio-economic grouping. Parents’ awareness of treatment modalities available to their children is outdated and most of the management of the problem was done by the parents themselves. Conclusion These results suggest that the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis and associated causative factors in South Africa is similar to the prevalence in other countries, although it is difficult to compare these prevalence rates as studies use different inclusion criteria.