Developmental Outcomes of Children From an Urban Middle-Income South African Setting

Author(s):  
Megan Wrigglesworth ◽  
Jeannie van der Linde ◽  
Renata Eccles ◽  
Marien Graham ◽  
Maria du Toit
AIDS Care ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 744-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.W. Kimani-Murage ◽  
L. Manderson ◽  
S.A. Norris ◽  
K. Kahn

Autism ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 1005-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessy Guler ◽  
Petrus J de Vries ◽  
Noleen Seris ◽  
Nokuthula Shabalala ◽  
Lauren Franz

The majority of individuals with autism spectrum disorder live in low- and middle-income countries and receive little or no services from health or social care systems. The development and validation of autism spectrum disorder interventions has almost exclusively occurred in high-income countries, leaving many unanswered questions regarding what contextual factors would need to be considered to ensure the effectiveness of interventions in low- and middle-income countries. This study qualitatively explored contextual factors relevant to the adaptation of a caregiver-mediated early autism spectrum disorder intervention in a low-resource South African setting. We conducted four focus groups and four in-depth interviews with 28 caregivers of young children with autism spectrum disorder and used thematic analysis to identify key themes. Eight contextual factors including culture, language, location of treatment, cost of treatment, type of service provider, support, parenting practices, and stigma emerged as important. Caregivers reported a preference for an affordable, in-home, individualized early autism spectrum disorder intervention, where they have an active voice in shaping treatment goals. Distrust of community-based health workers and challenges associated with autism spectrum disorder-related stigma were identified. Recommendations that integrate caregiver preferences with the development of a low-cost and scalable caregiver-mediated early autism spectrum disorder intervention are included.


While South Africa shares some characteristics with other middle-income countries, it has a unique economic history with distinctive characteristics. South Africa is an economic powerhouse with a significant role not only at the southern African regional and continental levels, but also as a member of BRICS. However, the country faces profound developmental challenges, including the ‘triple challenges’ of poverty, inequality and unemployment. There has been a lack of structural transformation and weak economic growth. Ongoing debates around economic policies to address these challenges need to be based on rigorous and robust empirical evidence and in-depth analysis of South African economic issues. This necessitates wide-ranging research, such as that brought together in this handbook. This volume intends to provide original, comprehensive, detailed, state-of-the-art analytical perspectives, that contribute to knowledge while also contributing to well-informed and productive discourse on the South African economy. While concentrating on the more recent economic challenges facing the country, the handbook also provides historical and political context, an in-depth examination of strategic issues in the various critical economic sectors, and assembles diverse analytical perspectives and arguments that have implications for policymaking.


2021 ◽  
pp. 152574012110547
Author(s):  
Elmien Kraamwinkel ◽  
Alta Kritzinger

Late language emergence (LLE) may result from genetic and environmental factors. Little is known about environmental factors in LLE in South Africa. The study describes the nature of differences in language functioning between toddlers with LLE and without LLE, and which factors were associated with LLE in a middle-income area in South Africa. Toddlers, aged 24 to 36 months with LLE ( n = 20) were matched with a control group (CG, n = 21) for household income, age, gender, maternal education, and parental employment. The research group (RG) showed moderate delays in expressive and receptive language, and play skills, while the controls exhibited no delay. Significant differences in early feeding history and multilingual exposure were found between the groups. As far as known, it is the first study utilizing a South African middle-income sample indicating that multilingual exposure may play a role in LLE. The study focuses the attention on environmental factors which are potentially modifiable in LLE.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. e0186883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Plazy ◽  
Delphine Perriat ◽  
Dumile Gumede ◽  
Sylvie Boyer ◽  
Deenan Pillay ◽  
...  

Burns ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 725-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karlijn Blankers ◽  
Nick Dankerlui ◽  
Nancy van Loey ◽  
Mereille Pursad ◽  
Heinz Rode ◽  
...  

Nova Economia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (spe) ◽  
pp. 1115-1144
Author(s):  
Glenda Kruss

Abstract Through analysis of the South African case, a country stalled in a middle income trap, the paper aims to add to the literature on catch-up. It uses Albuquerque’s (2019) model of the vicious cycles arising from inequality and income concentration, together with the notion of ‘upgrading coalitions’ (Doner and Schneider 2016) required to challenge these vicious cycles, to analyse the persistence of lock-ins. It then analyses a global astronomy project, a ‘window of opportunity’ building on historically grown capabilities, promoted by ‘upgrading coalitions’ operating in the national interest. In contrast, it proposes a ‘detour’ to build domestic capabilities, driven by an upgrading coalition centred on local economic development and livelihoods in the informal economy. The paper aims to reinforce the evidence on how inequality is both a cause and consequence of a middle income trap, and open debate on how upgrading coalitions may be a critical strategy for breaking lock-ins.


2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
D. Y. Dzansi

<p>Researchers and policy makers worldwide are convinced that only clear empirical evidence of the economic benefits of business social responsibility (BSR), rather than normative assertions, can motivate small businesses enough to accept and adopt it as an integral business practice. Unfortunately, empirical research so far has yielded mixed results, such that smaller businesses are right to be skeptical about adopting BSR. This paper reports the findings of empirical research on patterns of BSR engagement practices and growth in firms’ sales and gross profit among small and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in a South African setting. This is to determine how a small firm’s economic performance varies (if at all) with the degree of its BSR performance and the kind of BSR activity it engages in. The results suggest a high degree of BSR activity among firms with substantial portions of profit dedicated to BSR. However, contrary to expectations, very weak (minor) link was found between BSR performance and economic performance among the sample of small businesses on some but not all dimensions of BSR considered in the study. Nonetheless, it is recommended that managers and owners of small businesses be encouraged to adopt and practice BSR. Even if they do not do so for economic reasons, they would be right to do so to ‘atone’ for the widely acknowledged detrimental impacts of business on society. </p>


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