scholarly journals Risk factors for undernutrition of young children in a rural area of South Africa

2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 645-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mickey Chopra

AbstractObjective:To identify the factors associated with childhood undernutrition.Design:Cross-sectional survey.Setting:Hlabisa health district in KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa.Subjects:Eight hundred and sixty-eight children aged 3–59 months.Methods:Questionnaire survey and anthropometric survey of 516 random house-holds with children in the health district. Multivariate analysis took into account the hierarchical relationships between the proposed risk factors. This conceptual model was built up during qualitative studies and with reference to international research in this area.Results:The mean Z-scores for weight-for-age and height-for-age were −0.52 (95% confidence interval (CI)−0.44 to −0.60) and −1.25 (95% CI −1.15 to −1.35), respectively. Of the children, 26.3% (95% CI 23.3–29.3%) were stunted, 12.0% (95% CI 9.8–4.2%) were underweight-for-age (UWFA) and only 1.3% were wasted. Migrant father, mother's education, literate mother, whether the house was made of traditional materials, the presence of a toilet, whether the last child was breast-fed, duration of breast-feeding and birth weight were found to be significantly related to UWFA, the latter with an odds ratio of more than eight.Conclusion:While there are individual health and feeding behaviours that need to be addressed, this study has also uncovered the maternal and socio-economic factors which present an array of constraints in the social environment shaping the infant feeding and caring practices employed by women. For the full potential of nutrition promotion activities to be realised, there is a need to address some of these ‘deeper’ constraints.

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Bongongo ◽  
J. V. Ndimande ◽  
G. A. Ogunbanjo ◽  
A. T. Masango-Makgobela ◽  
S. N. Nyalunga ◽  
...  

Background: The Ward Based Outreach Team (WBOT) is an organised team approach to a healthcare system based on the principles of epidemiology, primary health care, preventive medicine and health promotion. Globally, it has become a primary care response to many health challenges such as universal health coverage. The beneficiaries are community members, also referred to as households.Methods: The study assessed the awareness of the WBOT and the services offered by the programme in the Tshwane health district of South Africa. This was a cross-sectional survey conducted in all seven sub-districts of the health district. The health district is further sub-divided into 150 health wards. Eighty-five health wards were randomly selected for the study. Using the sample size calculator, with a confidence interval of 5% and confidence level of 99%, the sample size of participants was 654. However, during the data collection process there was over-sampling of up to 764. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling. Data were collected between October 12 and December 3, 2015, using a pre-piloted, structured questionnaire administered by 14 trained field workers.Results: The study obtained 6 288 responses from the 764 participants. The responses were grouped into two sections, ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. A summary of the responses showed that the number of ‘yes’ responses, the number of participants who were aware of the WBOT and the services offered by the programme were higher than the number of participants who were unaware of the programme. The figures were 5 590 (88.8%) ‘yes’ responses and 698 (11.1%) ‘no’ responses.Conclusion: In summary, the awareness of the WBOT and the services offered by the programme in the Tshwane health district, South Africa is evaluated to be 88.8%.


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
T Puckree ◽  
KJ Thomas

Objective. To determine the incidence of shoulder injuries in competitive swimmers in KwaZulu-Natal, a province in South Africa. Design. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. A random sample of 96 swimmers from a pool of 300 swimmers registered with first-division clubs affiliated to the KwaZulu-Natal Aquatics Association participated in the study by informed voluntary consent. Data were gathered using a validated questionnaire. Setting. Data were gathered at time trials, races and club meetings. Main measures. Variables monitored included the incidence of shoulder injuries, shoulder pain and proportion of overuse injury. Results. Seventy-one per cent of the swimmers had shoulder pain and 64% reported injury to the shoulder. Forty-six per cent of the swimmers with pain complained of anterior shoulder pain, while 65% of all injuries were due to overuse. The commonest diagnoses included tendonitis (35%), muscle imbalance (29%), impingement (19%) and other (17%). Sixty-nine per cent of the swimmers swam freestyle which was related to 70% of the injuries. Eighty-one per cent of the injured swimmers sought physiotherapy for the shoulder pain. Conclusion. The incidence of shoulder injuries in competitive swimmers is high. This study shows the need for more research into swimming injuries, and the conditioning and rehabilitation of athletes in South Africa. South African Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 18 (1) 2006: pp. 10-12


Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 215
Author(s):  
Ngarava ◽  
Mushunje

The objective of the study was to outline the determinants of market awareness and participation in the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) scheme in South Africa. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey of a randomly selected sample of 116 KyD farmers in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A Logit model was used to analyse the data. The results show that more farmers are aware of farmgate market channels, but however, they tended to utilise auction market channels. Furthermore, gender, marital status, educational level, employment status, farm income, source of income, herd size, labour and training were significant variables in the awareness and use of butcheries, auctions and farm gate markets. The study concludes that the scheme is particularly effective in influencing commercialisation through utilisation of more lucrative market channels such as auctions. Furthermore, socio-economic factors had a bearing on the awareness and use of marketing channels for smallholder farmers in the KyD scheme. Labour was particularly significant across butchery, auction and farm gate market channels. The study recommends that the scheme needs to improve awareness and use of market channels through utilisation of information platforms such as radio, television and direct communication though mobile phones. Furthermore, extension should assist farmers not only in awareness of markets, but also in the utilisation of those markets.


2015 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Van Staden ◽  
Luke P. Deutshmann ◽  
Sameer Ganas ◽  
Maxine Manickam ◽  
Amishka Manillal ◽  
...  

Background: The prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is increasing in South Africa as a result of changes in lifestyles and rising levels of obesity. Knowledge of management protocols for DM may empower patients to better control the disease and prevent secondary complications.Aim: The aim of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the level of knowledge of DM and its ocular complications amongst public and private hospital diabetic patients.Setting: The study was conducted in four private and four public hospitals in the eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province.Methods: A cross-sectional survey method was used to collect data from diabetic patients attending selected hospitals. Convenience sampling was used and analysis of descriptive and correlation statistics was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.Results: Participants (N = 370) consisted of 44% males and 56% females with 41.6% being from private and 58.4% from public hospitals. The ages of participants ranged from 20 to 79 years. Although most of the participants (74.8%) were knowledgeable about DM and its management, private sector patients were more knowledgeable about DM management than were public sector patients (p = 0.000). Furthermore, private patients had better knowledge of ocular complications related to DM (p = 0.000). Those (74%) who had previously attended a diabetic seminar had significantly better knowledge than those who had not (p = 0.000).Conclusion: Patients with DM attending public hospitals will benefit from targeted education campaigns or seminars related to diabetes and its complications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabelle Gourlay ◽  
Isolde Birdthistle ◽  
Nondumiso Thandiwe Mthiyane ◽  
Benedict O. Orindi ◽  
Sheru Muuo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The DREAMS Partnership is an ambitious effort to deliver combinations of biomedical, behavioural and structural interventions to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). To inform multi-sectoral programming at scale, across diverse settings in Kenya and South Africa, we identified who the programme is reaching, with which interventions and in what combinations. Methods Randomly-selected cohorts of 606 AGYW aged 10–14 years and 1081 aged 15–22 years in Nairobi and 2184 AGYW aged 13–22 years in uMkhanyakude, KwaZulu-Natal, were enrolled in 2017, after ~ 1 year of DREAMS implementation. In Gem, western Kenya, population-wide cross-sectional survey data were collected during roll-out in 2016 (n = 1365 AGYW 15–22 years). We summarised awareness and invitation to participate in DREAMS, uptake of interventions categorised by the DREAMS core package, and uptake of a subset of ‘primary’ interventions. We stratified by age-group and setting, and compared across AGYW characteristics. Results Awareness of DREAMS was higher among younger women (Nairobi: 89%v78%, aged 15-17v18–22 years; uMkhanyakude: 56%v31%, aged 13-17v18–22; and Gem: 28%v25%, aged 15-17v18–22, respectively). HIV testing was the most accessed intervention in Nairobi and Gem (77% and 85%, respectively), and school-based HIV prevention in uMkhanyakude (60%). Among those invited, participation in social asset building was > 50%; > 60% accessed ≥2 core package categories, but few accessed all primary interventions intended for their age-group. Parenting programmes and community mobilisation, including those intended for male partners, were accessed infrequently. In Nairobi and uMkhanyakude, AGYW were more likely to be invited to participate and accessed more categories if they were: aged < 18 years, in school and experienced socio-economic vulnerabilities. Those who had had sex, or a pregnancy, were less likely to be invited to participate but accessed more categories. Conclusions In representative population-based samples, awareness and uptake of DREAMS were high after 1 year of implementation. Evidence of ‘layering’ (receiving multiple interventions from the DREAMS core package), particularly among more socio-economically vulnerable AGYW, indicate that intervention packages can be implemented at scale, for intended recipients, in real-world contexts. Challenges remain for higher coverage and greater ‘layering’, including among older, out-of-school AGYW, and community-based programmes for families and men.


Author(s):  
Samuel T. Ntuli ◽  
Eric Maimela ◽  
Mariannes Alberts ◽  
Solly Choma ◽  
Sekgothe Dikotope

Background: Hypertension is problem already faced by urban populations of South Africa, but little is known about its prevalence and risk factors in rural areas.Aim: To assess the prevalence of and risk factors associated with hypertension amongst adults in a rural community in South Africa.Setting: Dikgale Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Limpopo Province, South Africa.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was carried out at this site where individuals aged 15 years and older were screened using a locally adapted version of the World Health Organization STEPwise questionnaire. Demographics, anthropometry and three independent blood pressure (BP) readings were taken. The average of the three BP measurements was used in analysis, and hypertension taken as systolic and diastolic BP of ≥ 140 or ≥ 90 mmHg respectively, or at least a two-week history of antihypertensive treatment. Analysis included the Chi-square test and statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05.Results: A total of 1407 individuals were interviewed, of whom 1281 had complete BP, weight and height measurements taken. The mean age of participants was 44.2 ± 2 0.9 years (range 15–98 years), 63% were female, 55% were single and 90% were unemployed, whilst 13% were tobacco smokers and 20% reported drinking alcohol. Overall prevalence of hypertension was 41% and this was significantly associated with age and marital status.Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension was found to be high. Prevention strategies are urgently needed to address this life-threatening and important risk factor for cardiovascular disease in rural Limpopo Province.


Author(s):  
Siyabonga H. Kunene ◽  
Nomathemba P. Taukobong

Introduction: The burden of diseases associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours continues to increase in the low- and middle-income countries including South Africa. Among the affected population are the health professionals who are assumed to be knowledgeable about healthy eating.Aim: This study aimed to determine the dietary habits of health professionals in a public district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2012 among 109 randomly selected health professionals. Each received a questionnaire consisting of mostly closed and few open-ended questions. Its main focus was the dietary and eating habits of the professionals. An ethical clearance was granted by the Medunsa Research and Ethics committee at the University of Limpopo. Permission to conduct the study was sought and obtained from participants as well. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were used to analyse data.Results: A 100% (109) response rate was achieved. The majority skipped meals especially breakfast with a significant positive correlation between breakfast intake per week and age (r = 0.98, p = 0.048). The majority consumed a lot of unhealthy foods and carbonated beverages with sugar. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, high fibre and whole grain foods was less common.Conclusion: The study showed poor eating habits among participants. Urgent health interventions are therefore indicated to highlight the importance of healthy eating habits among the entire population.


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