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- This community is for all faculties and schools' research outputs and publications by Wits academics and researchers.
- This community hosts traditional outputs such as published and unpublished research articles, conference papers, book chapters and other research outputs authored by Wits academics and researchers. Items in this collection are also mapped to relevant collections within the Faculties/Schools/Departments communities for more specific browsing and searching.
- This Community hosts a collection of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) submitted by doctoral and masters' students of Wits University.
- This community is for all faculties and schools' theses and dissertations by masters and doctoral students.
Recent Submissions
Genetic risk score for adult body mass index associations with childhood and adolescent weight gain in an African population
(BioMed Central, 2018-08) Munthali, Richard J.; Sahibdeen, Venesa; Kagura, Juliana; Hendry, Liesl M.; Norris, Shane A.; Ong, Ken K.; Lombard, Zané; Day, Felix R.
Background: Ninety-seven independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are robustly associated with adult body mass index (BMI kg/m2) in Caucasian populations. The relevance of such variants in African populations at different stages of the life course (such as childhood) is unclear. We tested whether a genetic risk score composed of the aforementioned SNPs was associated with BMI from infancy to early adulthood. We further tested whether this genetic effect was mediated by conditional weight gain at different growth periods. We used data from the Birth to Twenty Plus Cohort (Bt20+), for 971 urban South African black children from birth to 18 years. DNA was collected at 13 years old and was genotyped using the Metabochip (Illumina) array. The weighted genetic risk score (wGRS) for BMI was constructed based on 71 of the 97 previously reported SNPs.
Results: The cross-sectional association between the wGRS and BMI strengthened with age from 5 to 18 years. The significant associations were observed from 11 to 18 years, and peak effect sizes were observed at 13 and 14 years of age. Results from the linear mixed effects models showed significant interactions between the wGRS and age on longitudinal BMI but no such interactions were observed in sex and the wGRS. A higher wGRS was associated with an increased relative risk of belonging to the early onset obese longitudinal BMI trajectory (relative risk = 1.88; 95%CI 1.28 to 2.76) compared to belonging to a normal longitudinal BMI trajectory. Adolescent conditional relative weight gain had a suggestive mediation effect of 56% on the association between wGRS and obesity risk at 18 years.
Conclusions: The results suggest that genetic susceptibility to higher adult BMI can be tracked from childhood in this African population. This supports the notion that prevention of adult obesity should begin early in life. The genetic risk score combined with other non-genetic risk factors, such as BMI trajectory membership in our case, has the potential to be used to screen for early identification of individuals at increased risk of obesity and other related NCD risk factors in order to reduce the adverse health risk outcomes later.
Investigating the experiences of female Heads of Departments leading at an Independent High School in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Reddy, Leslie Cheston Nicholas; Fleisch, Brahm
Throughout history, women have faced various challenges because of their gender. With society developing and people becoming more aware of gender diversity and equality, organisations still have not purposefully remedied how women are seen in society. More specifically, schools, particularly primary schools, have long been the domain of women due to the stereotypical notions that women are natural caregivers and there to nurture children. However, leadership and management positions within schools have traditionally been dominated by men as many independent schools in South Africa were developed during the apartheid administration, which disadvantaged people of colour, more specifically women of colour. This research report investigated the experiences of female heads of departments (HODs) leading at an independent school in South Africa. Through the use of transformative leadership as the theoretical framework for this study, it became apparent that women's experiences are unique to their gender and often shared with other women. This study used a qualitative research design by looking at seven HODs. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and observations. With this, central themes of their experiences, challenges, and strategies used by female HODs in independent schools were collated thematically. This study revealed that gender-biased perceptions of women leaders exist in several forms of discrimination even though they are in leadership positions. Additionally, the challenges these female HODs faced were aspects that dealt with society's beliefs impacting their ability to lead confidently. These women also have perceptions of male privilege, the demands of working in an independent school, the need to prove themselves as a leader and gender-pay discrepancies. The women in this study also gave insight into their perceptions of male arrogance, recognising a gender shift in school leadership and examining the role of school existence and traditionalism in their role as leaders. The study revealed that the women in this independent school feel better equipped and are better managers than their male counterparts. The women leaders recognised the value of emotional intelligence and also strived to implement various strategies in how they led to ensure that they could manage their positions effectively. These strategies included building relationships with colleagues, students and parents; open communication; adopting iii multiple leadership styles; and caring for and empowering students. All these strategies were implemented to mitigate their challenges as female HODs in an independent school.
Transitioning into and through learnerships for employability: Graduates’ experiences of learnership programmes in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Nyembe, Brenda Zanele; Ojo, Emmanuel
Youth unemployment in South Africa is a critical issue, with graduate unemployment increasing despite various work-based learning interventions aimed at linking youth to the labour market. This mixed methods study explored the experiences of graduates participating in learnership programmes, focusing on their transition from higher education institutions into these programmes and their progression through and beyond them. Additionally, it examined graduates’ understanding and awareness of employability skills developed through the programmes. By analysing graduates' narratives, the study identified the transition and learning experiences that facilitate the development of employability skills necessary for successful entry into the labour market. The study addressed the overarching research question: How do graduates experience the transition into learnership programmes and acquire skills that enhance their employment opportunities upon completion? Findings revealed the motivations driving graduates into learnerships, the challenges they face, and the strategies they employ to maintain balance. Support structures are crucial for facilitating smooth transitions, and workplaces play a key role in skill development. The transformative effects of learnerships on graduates’ personal and professional growth are also highlighted. These insights have significant implications for policymakers, training providers, employers, and other stakeholders involved in the design and implementation of learnership programmes, emphasising the need for well- structured support initiatives tailored to participants' diverse needs.
Adult mortality in sub-Saharan Africa using 2001—2009 census data: does estimation method matter?
(Springer Open, 2018-08) Odimegwu, Clifford; Chisumpa, Vesper H.; Somefun, Oluwaseyi Dolapo
Adult mortality is an important development and public health issue that continues
to attract the attention of demographers and public health researchers. Controversies
exist about the accurate level of adult mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), due to
different data sources and errors in data collection. To address this shortcoming,
methods have been developed to accurately estimate levels of adult mortality. Using
three different methods (orphanhood, widowhood, and siblinghood) of indirect
estimation and the direct siblinghood method of adult mortality, we examined the
levels of adult mortality in 10 countries in SSA using 2001–2009 census and survey
data. Results from the different methods vary. Estimates from the orphanhood data
show that adult mortality rates for males are in decline in South Africa and West
African countries, whilst there is an increase in adult mortality in the East African
countries, for the period examined. The widowhood estimates were the lowest and
reveal a marked increase in female adult mortality rates compared to male. A
notable difference was observed in adult mortality estimates derived from the direct
and indirect siblinghood methods. The method of estimation, therefore, matters in
establishing the level of adult mortality in SSA.
Association between internal migration and epidemic dynamics: an analysis of cause-specific mortality in Kenya and South Africa using health and demographic surveillance data
(BioMed Central, 2018-07) Ginsburg, Carren; Bocquier, Philippe; Kahn, Kathleen; Collinson, Mark A.; Béguy, Donatien; Afolabi, Sulaimon; Obor, David; Tanser, Frank; Tomita, Andrew; Wamukoya, Marylene
Background: Many low- and middle-income countries are facing a double burden of disease with persisting high levels of infectious disease, and an increasing prevalence of non-communicable disease (NCD). Within these settings, complex processes and transitions concerning health and population are underway, altering population dynamics and patterns of disease. Understanding the mechanisms through which changing socioeconomic and environmental contexts may influence health is central to developing appropriate public health policy. Migration, which involves a change in environment and health exposure, is one such mechanism.
Methods: This study uses Competing Risk Models to examine the relationship between internal migration and premature mortality from AIDS/TB and NCDs. The analysis employs 9 to 14 years of longitudinal data from four Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS) of the INDEPTH Network located in Kenya and South Africa (populations ranging from 71 to 223 thousand). The study tests whether the mortality of migrants converges to that of non-migrants over the period of observation, controlling for age, sex and education level.
Results: In all four HDSS, AIDS/TB has a strong influence on overall deaths. However, in all sites the probability of premature death (45q15) due to AIDS/TB is declining in recent periods, having exceeded 0.39 in the South African sites and 0.18 in the Kenyan sites in earlier years. In general, the migration effect presents similar patterns in relation to both AIDS/TB and NCD mortality, and shows a migrant mortality disadvantage with no convergence between migrants and non-migrants over the period of observation. Return migrants to the Agincourt HDSS (South Africa) are on average four times more likely to die of AIDS/TB or NCDs than are non-migrants. In the Africa Health Research Institute (South Africa) female return migrants have approximately twice the risk of dying from AIDS/TB from the year 2004 onwards, while there is a divergence to higher AIDS/TB mortality risk amongst female migrants to the Nairobi HDSS from 2010.
Conclusion: Results suggest that structural socioeconomic issues, rather than epidemic dynamics are likely to be associated with differences in mortality risk by migrant status. Interventions aimed at improving recent migrant’s access to treatment may mitigate risk.