3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy: implications for at-risk individuals(2010-04-16T09:22:31Z) Erasmus, SurethaDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are severe X-linked recessive, degenerative neuromuscular diseases. DMD/BMD are caused by deletions, duplications and point mutations in the DMD gene situated on the X-chromosome. Studies have shown that the risk of being a carrier for DMD/BMD has a psychosocial impact on individuals and affects their requests for DNA testing and their choices regarding reproduction. Very few articles have been published to date and this study is the first South African study to investigate the behaviours of individuals in DMD/BMD families. The study aimed to investigate why individuals attended genetic counselling and who referred them. It also aimed to identify factors that influence at-risk individuals‟ decisions regarding genetic counselling, carrier testing and reproduction. The study was retrospective and data were obtained by reviewing genetic counselling files at the Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and the University of the Witwatersrand. The sample consisted of 79 files of families seen for genetic counselling regarding DMD/BMD from 1995 to 2008. Subjects included the maternal female relatives of affected individuals, who were all of reproductive age (15-49 years); the total number of at-risk individuals identified was 237. Subjects were divided into three groups according to their assigned reproductive risks: low (0-9%), intermediate (10-24%) and high (>25%). The influence of reproductive risk and other identified variables on decisions to attend genetic counselling, have carrier testing and having children were analysed using chi-squared and logistic regression analysis. iii Reproductive risk and relationship to the affected individuals were shown to be significant predictors of individuals‟ decisions. Other factors that contributed significantly to the behaviour of at-risk individuals were ethnicity, age, whether a mutation was de novo and whether an individual had affected children.Item Disaster planning and preparedness : The case of Protea-South, Johannesburg(2008-12-04T11:44:58Z) Tebid, Theophilus NjiDespite increasing philosophical knowledge of disaster planning and preparedness, disasters still remain a challenge in many communities. As a result, communities, environment and economies remain considerably vulnerable and at the risk of disaster destruction hence, sustainable development is undermined. The purpose of this study is to review and assess the state of community readiness in order to prevent and mitigate common hazards in the City of Johannesburg, especially in previously disadvantaged communities such as Protea-South. A survey and interviews was conducted with the local community members. Results show that, this community like many others, is at high risk, due to their living circumstances. e.g. the presence of densely built shacks on a flood plain; poor hygiene and sanitation, pollution, poverty etc. There is therefore a need for a paradigm shift by institutions from emergency response and the provision of hard infrastructure to disaster prevention, preparedness and soft infrastructure provision by means of an approach encompassing collaborative planning.Item Perceptions of risk and level of precaution used to prevent HIV/AIDS infection : A study of Zimbabwean migrant women living in Johannesburg(2008) Munyewende, Pascalia OzidaPerception of risk was used as an independent variable and behaviour as the dependent variable in the research with the assumption that level of precaution used during sexual practices to safeguard against HIV infection will be positively related to the perception of risk to HIV. The conclusiveness of this approach was dependent on evidence that participants know what risky behaviour can contribute to contracting HIV/AIDS and on their willingness to report their risk perception honestly. A snowball sample consisting of 15 Zimbabwean women living in and around Johannesburg was employed. Research objectives were addressed through semistructured interviews. For all participants, perception of risk was qualified by a number of factors. Common precautionary strategies identified by women were to remain faithful to one partner and being more contemplative when choosing bed partners and using condoms. High risk perception was marked by having had various sexual partners, inconsistently using condoms, fear of sexual violence, mistrust of partners, feeling of fear of vulnerability to HIV whenever they had sex and survival concerns. Migrant women’s adoption of safe sex was limited by their circumstances and strategies of risk management and in particular their biases in assumptions about their partners’ sexual histories. This exposes them to the vulnerabilities of HIV/AIDS. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data.Item COMPASSION FATIGUE AND THE SENSE OF COHERENCE IN CAREGIVERS WORKING WITH SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILDREN IN SOWETO(2006-11-16T09:33:03Z) Nene, NokulungaThe aim of this study was to contribute to literature the effects of working with traumatized children in a continuous traumatic stress environment more specifically in a township which is historically known as characterised by criminal activities and political oppression, Soweto. The study investigates the levels of compassion fatigue and the sense of coherence of caregivers working in a continuous traumatic stress environment. Working with trauma victims especially children who are perceived as vulnerable and helpless may leave caregivers with feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, anger towards the perpetrators or anger toward the parents for being unable to protect the children. Caregivers may view the environment as unsafe for both their own children and the traumatized children that they treat. These emotions may lead to compassion fatigue, meaning that the caregiver’s relationships at home and work become affected due to trauma work. The caregiver’s ability to manage or cope with a stressful situation may also be affected causing their levels of the sense of coherence to be compromised. This study investigated the levels of compassion fatigue and the sense of coherence among caregivers who work with sexually abused children in Soweto. Compassion fatigue was assessed by using the Compassion Fatigue Scale (CFS) (Figley, 1995, Stamm, 1996). The sense of coherence was measured by the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) Antonvosky (1987). The sample group consisted of 25 caregivers working in Soweto. These included nurses, teachers, counsellors and social workers from this area. 2 Results of the study indicated that the majority of the respondents manifested an extremely high risk of compassion fatigue based on the high scores they obtained on the Compassion Fatigue Scale. Interestingly the levels of the sense of coherence for the majority of the participants were also high, which contradicts previous findings. Findings from the qualitative data revealed positive and negative emotions related to the nature of their work. It also became apparent that caregivers with limited resources become frustrated and manifested feelings of inadequacy due to poor referral systems and there was no feedback from other organisation that deal with the children they worked with. Leaving caregivers with feelings of isolation. It also emerged that caregivers used a range of coping strategies in dealing with stressful situations.