Research Articles (University of Pretoria)

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This collection offers open access to the full text of research articles published by staff, students and affiliates of the University of Pretoria. These items are identical in content to their published counterparts. It is linked to the Research Information System and complements the Annual Research Report.

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Transforming e-participatory budgeting with blockchain : boosting transparency and citizen engagement
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2025-04) Ibrahimy, Mohammad Mustafa; Norta, Alex; Normak, Peeter; Nowandish, Hadi
Integrating blockchain technology into the public sector promotes transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in e-government services. This study discovers key challenges of the e-participatory budgeting (e-PB) model in Estonia using an exploratory case study research method in software engineering. We conducted semistructured interviews with 16 participants, including local government officials from multiple Estonian municipalities, e-democracy experts, citizens, and IT and/or participatory budgeting (PB) project managers, using a snowball-purpose sampling technique. The study highlights the main issues in existing e-PB systems, such as lack of public deliberation, inadequate tracking of PB funds, low citizen participation, transparency issues, data manipulation risks, and inclusivity concerns. Our findings indicate that the core attributes of blockchain, including decentralization, immutability, traceability, and disintermediation, mitigate these issues. These intrinsic characteristics of blockchain prevent data manipulation risks, facilitate tracking of the status and budget of the PB project, and ensure equal participation, thus fostering citizen trust in the e-PB system. We propose a conceptual model of blockchain-based e-PB that unifies multiple e-PB systems into a single platform. Finally, we discuss the practical implications for engineering managers and policymakers who integrate blockchain-based solutions into e-governance systems.
Preliminary characterisation of the Thaumatococcus daniellii fruit as a potential biomass source for biorefinery
(Springer, 2025) Elango, Lena Yoh Ekaney; Langmi, Henrietta Wakuna; Beckley, Victorine Namondo; Etape, Ekane Peter; Akoachere, Jane-Francis; Foba-Tendo, Josepha
The inherent variability of biomass composition and structure, as well as the increased trends towards blending of biomass feedstock for energy, chemicals and materials, requires the systematic characterisation of biomass from both established and new sources. The high-value sweet protein thaumatin is produced from Thaumatococcus daniellii (T.d) fruit, native to West Africa, leaving about 90% of the fruit as waste. In this study, the proximate, ultimate, compositional and thermochemical characterisation of T.d fruit pulp and seeds, are determined, with a view to establishing the potential for a T.d biorefinery platform. Extractives content was determined through ethanol soxhlet extraction; cellulose, lignin and pectin contents by alkali hydrolysis, Klason method and acid hydrolysis respectively; while the thermochemical properties were determined by FTIR, EA, EDS and TGA. The proximate composition for pulp and seed biomass, respectively were; ash 17.47%/11.64%, moisture 16.29%/9.56%, fixed carbon 12.5/14.2%, extractives 15.7/3.4%, cellulose 25.34/26.82%, hemicellulose 21.61/15.89%, lignin 10.75/18.20%, pectin14.78/20.85%; elemental composition; C 34.27%/43.09%, H 4.7%/5.72%, N 1.08%/2.16% S 0.33%/ 0.15%, O 59.62%/48.88%. Analyses of the Thaumatococcus daniellii pulp and seed biomass samples revealed a relatively low lignin content, and high pectin and ash content. These characteristics indicate their potential as feedstock for low to medium value products such as pectin, cellulose and mineral-rich biochar. The potential for the recovery of a wide range of low to high value products from this biomass merits its consideration for a biorefinery platform. This should increase the economic value of this local plant while simultaneously alleviating pollution problems.
Ensuring equal and inclusive rights to access sexual and reproductive health services for adolescent girls with disabilities in Africa
(Brill Academic Publishers, 2025) Nkomo, Sindiso Nozitha; Durojaye, Ebenezer; ebenezer.durojaye@up.ac.za
In many African societies, access to sexual and reproductive health care services for adolescent girls remains very problematic. This is due to a number of reasons including socio-cultural factors, influence of religion, negative attitudes of health care providers and legal and policy barriers. The situation is further compounded for adolescent girls with disabilities as many of them are perceived as asexual and cannot make decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Unfortunately, laws and policies related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of adolescent girls with disabilities tend to exclude their views, reinforcing stigma and discrimination against them. Using the substantive equality and inclusivity lens, this article argues that if adolescent girls with disabilities are to live a fulfilling and healthy life, they must have access to sexual and reproductive health services on an equal basis with others. More importantly, laws and policies to address gaps in access to SRHR services for adolescent girls with disabilities must adhere to rights-based principles such as respect for dignity, non-discrimination, participation and accountability which are entrenched in different human rights instruments. Drawing exemplars from across the region, the paper notes that these human rights instruments require African governments among other things to remove different barriers to access to SRHR services for adolescent girls with disabilities.
Enhancing financial inclusion and entrepreneurship drive in Africa : do digital technologies matter?
(Wiley, 2025-09) Mathibe, Motshedisi Sina; Oppong, Clement
The study investigates the use of digital technologies in promoting entrepreneurship and financial inclusion (FI) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Employing an exploratory and quantitative design, the research utilises a longitudinal dataset spanning 2016–2023, aligning with the UN SDGs implementation. Secondary data from 30 SSA nations were analysed, based on specific inclusion criteria and data availability, to examine the interplay between FI, digital technologies (DT), and entrepreneurship. A Pooled OLS regression model was used to assess the impact of digital technologies on FI and entrepreneurial drive in Africa. Recognising potential limitations of the pooled OLS model, including omitted variable bias and specification error, the GMM was applied as a robust check. Modern financial services like mobile banking, fintech solutions, and digital platforms significantly enhance FI and entrepreneurship success in underdeveloped regions. The study stressed the need for diverse financial products, regulations, and policies tailored to varying socio-economic backgrounds. The research contributes to existing literature by exploring how customer-centric innovations and stakeholder collaboration can sustainably promote FI, entrepreneurship, the achievement of SDGs, and economic growth in Africa.
Working at Cross-PURPOSEs to ending HIV
(Massachusetts Medical Society, 2025-04) Gray, Glenda E.; Venter, Willem Daniel Francois
No abstract available.
Reconciling customary law and modern governance : the developmental role of African traditional systems
(Edinburgh University Press, 2025-05) Fombad, Charles Manga; charles.fombad@up.ac.za
Before the advent of colonialism, African societies were self-contained and self-governing within the framework of traditional systems that ensured development, peace and stability. During the colonial period, these were distorted and relegated to an inferior and informal status, whilst Western laws and systems of governance were imposed to facilitate the essentially selfish, exploitative mission of the colonial powers. Independence in the 1960s offered an opportunity for African leaders to restore these systems and break the inherited patterns of discrimination and marginalisation to which they had been subjected. Unfortunately, many of the new leaders saw traditional systems either as archaic or as dangerous bastions of rival political power that needed to be dismantled or have their authority limited. In spite of this antipathy to traditional systems, the reality today is that the majority of Africans live in rural areas and are still subject to traditional justice systems and governance institutions. The post-1990 wave of democratic revival raised fresh hopes that the important governance role of African traditional systems would be restored in the new constitutional dispensations that emerged. This paper looks at some of the challenges that are faced in trying to reconcile a multiplicity of sometimes contradictory traditional systems with the demands of constitutionalism and democracy in a manner that can help them to play a greater role in fostering national development. The main argument is that African traditional systems have the potential to contribute positively to development but, equally so, the potential to be exploited as a means to oppress the people and perpetuate autocratic rule, thereby promoting underdevelopment and poverty. The paper suggests that, to ensure that the former rather than the latter prevails, what is necessary is a profound rethinking and reorientation of national policies and regulation of traditional systems vis-à-vis the modern state.
Forecasting real housing price returns of the USA using machine learning : the role of climate risks
(Inderscience, 2025-07) Sales, Bruno Tag; Torrent, Hudson S.; Gupta, Rangan
Climate change, a pressing global challenge, has wide-ranging implications for various aspects of our lives, including housing prices. This paper delves into the complex relationship between climate change and real housing price returns in the USA, leveraging a comprehensive dataset and advanced machine learning technique - the stepwise boosting method. This ensemble learning technique significantly enhances our analysis. Our findings suggest that climate change variables can influence real housing price returns, particularly in the short term, but the relationship is complex and varies by region. The adaptive learning capability of step-wise boosting has been crucial in uncovering these insights. This methodological approach not only underscores the importance of employing advanced predictive models in analysing the effects of climate change on urban development but also highlights the potential for informed decision-making, sustainable urban planning, and climate risk mitigation.
Tournaments of destruction : consumers battling for visibility
(Oxford University Press, 2025) Coulter, Robin A.; Martin, Kelly D.; Van der Westhuizen, Liezl-Marie
This research introduces tournaments of destruction, defined as staged and ritualized social performances involving entertainment and competitive rivalry in which consumers destroy valued material objects before a focused gathering. The conceptualization of tournaments of destruction is borne from a qualitative, phenomenological-based case study of low-income, low-power Black African male youth, who as members of the Izikhothane subculture in Soweto, South Africa, battle powerless anonymity by engaging in conspicuous consumption and the counterintuitive conspicuous destruction of high-end Italian apparel brands. Alexander’s theory of social performance provides an enabling lens to explore tournaments of destruction within a system of meanings, and findings provide insights about motivation to participate in a destructive subculture, the social performance of tournaments of destruction, and the agency and navigation of visibility within their hyper-local community. Emergent themes of spatiotemporal visibility, intentionality of destruction, focused gatherings and collective effervescence, and sociomoral condemnation contribute to understanding tournaments of destruction and other destructive enactments by social collectives both in pre-market and contemporary societies. This research extends Alexander’s theory of social performance and provides grounding for future work on destruction and visibility within contemporary consumer culture.
Separating historical catches among pygmy blue whale populations using recent song detections
(Wiley, 2025-07) Branch, Trevor A.; Monnahan, Cole C.; Leroy, Emmanuelle C.; Shabangu, Fannie Welcome; Sirovic, Ana; Cerchio, Salvatore; Al Harthi, Suaad; Allison, Cherry; Cabrera, Naysa Balcazar; Barlow, Dawn R.; Calderan, Susannah V.; Double, Michael C.; Dreo, Richard; Gavrilov, Alexander N.; Gedamke, Jason; Hodge, Kristin B.; Jenner, K. Curt S; Jenner, Micheline N. -M.; Kiszka, Jeremy J.; Letsheleha, Ishmail S.; Mccauley, Robert D.; Miksis-Olds, Jennifer L.; Miller, Brian S.; Panicker, Divya; Pierpoint, Chris; Rand, Zoe R.; Reeve, Kym; Rogers, Tracey; Royer, Jean-Yves; Samaran, Flore; Stafford, Kathleen M.; Thomisch, Karolin; Torres, Leigh G.; Torterotot, Maelle; Tripovich, Joy S.; Warren, Victoria E.; Willson, Andrew; Willson, Maia S.
In the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean, there are at least five populations of pygmy blue whales, Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda, residing in the Northwest Indian Ocean (NWIO, Oman), central Indian Ocean (CIO, Sri Lanka), Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO, Madagascar to Subantarctic), Southeast Indian Ocean (SEIO, Australia to Indonesia), and Southwest Pacific Ocean (SWPO, New Zealand). Each population produces a distinctive repeated song, but none have population assessments or reliable measures of historical whaling pressure. Here we created pygmy blue whale catch time series by removing Antarctic blue whale catches using length data and then fitting generalized additive models (based on latitude, longitude, and month) to contemporary song data (largely from 1995 to 2023) to allocate historical catches to the five populations. Most pygmy blue whale catches (97% of 12,207) were taken by Japanese and Soviet operations during 1959/1960 to 1971/1972, with the highest totals taken from the SWIO (6514), SEIO (2593), and CIO (2023), and lower catches from the NWIO (549) and SWPO (528). The resulting predicted annual catch assignments provide the first indication of the magnitude of whaling pressure on each population and are a key step toward assessing the status of these five pygmy blue whale populations.
Towards urban alter-politics : scholar-activists situated solidarities in Philippine housing struggles
(Cambridge University Press, 2025) Arcilla, Chester Antonino Cunan
In this paper, I marked the critical alter-political works of urban scholar-activists in the Philippines. Slums are at the heart of capitalist dispossessions. Slumdwellers live, survive, negotiate, and resist on an everyday basis. In the Philippines, the struggles of slum community organisations are strongly influenced, formed, and pulled in divergent ideological trajectories by contending larger political formations. I draw on my own experience and that of 20 Filipino urban scholar-activists with varied political commitments, reflecting on decades of community work, to highlight the alter-works and challenges of navigating the web of political heterogeneity within urban poor organisations and movements. By scholar-activists, I do not refer solely to those who are based in universities, but to the many who struggle every day to unearth subaltern political knowledges and collectively fight for the right to adequate housing, as well as, for some, the right to the city. I enumerate the multiple functions and necessary labours of being 'embedded' in these complex politics. We engage in political advising, framing, networking, organizing, translating, and capacity-building. Caught in a complex web that may necessitate strategic essentialisation, silencing, and foreclosures, scholar-activists play a crucial role of strategic facilitation that connects collective forms of living among urban surplus lives and corrodes neoliberal urban dispossessions. These alter-works are continuous efforts towards situated solidarities, where urban scholar activists critically draw from and reshape ‘inherited’ social movement frames and strategies grounded on actually existing subaltern realities, capacities, and political opportunities.
Efficacy of aerobic exercise for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders receiving ART : an RCT
(AOSIS, 2024-12-11) Nweke, Martins C.; Mshunqane, Nombeko; u19394595@tuks.co.za
BACKGROUND : HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) affects an individual’s capacity for independence and engagement in everyday activities, posing challenges in environments with limited resources and low social support. OBJECTIVES : To ascertain the efficacy of exercise (AE) for activity and participation (AP) level in people with HAND. METHOD : This is a randomised controlled trial that is parallel-group in nature, with intention-to-treat analysis and disguised allocation. Seventy-three people with HAND in total were randomised at random to the AE and control groups. Three 20 -60-min sessions of moderate-intensity AE training on a cycle ergometer were included of the 12-week intervention. Individual tolerability served as the basis for progression. Three months after the intervention, at the conclusion of the intervention, and at the baseline, outcomes were measured. The AP constitutes the main outcome variable. To investigate the impact of AE on AP level, rank analysis of covariance was performed after log-transformation. RESULTS : When comparing the AE to the control group, there were significant increases in social wellbeing AP (Cohen d = 0.550; p = 0.021), emotion AP (Cohen d = 0.641; p = 0.007) and overall AP level (Cohen d = 0.896; p < 0.001). There was no discernible variation in AP across the groups three months following AE (Cohen d = 0.437; p = 0.067). CONCLUSION : AE induces a small increase in AP among individuals with HAND. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS : For people with HAND, regular AE is a good way to manage AP restriction. Increasing AE participation may improve AP restriction.
Physiotherapists transgressions lodged at the Health Professions Council of South Africa between 2010 and 2020
(AOSIS, 2024-11-29) Dantile, Nokuzola Doris; Mshunqane, Nombeko; Van Staden, Cornelius W.
BACKGROUND : Complaints of ethical and professional misconduct are lodged and processed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in accordance with their legal mandate. OBJECTIVES : This study describes the nature and frequency of transgressions by physiotherapists as concluded by the HPCSA for the period from 2010 to 2020. METHOD : A total sampling method was used to extract all records of transgressions lodged against physiotherapists between 2010 and 2020. In a quantitative retrospective records review design, data were captured with the objective to report these descriptively. Ethics approval was granted by the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee of the University of Pretoria and permission to use the records was granted by HPCSA. RESULTS : Twenty-one transgressions by physiotherapists during the study period were recorded at the HPCSA. Most transgressions were charging for services not rendered (n = 20 times), invoices drafted inaccurately (n = 17) and false claims submitted to the medical aid schemes (n = 15). Other transgressions included failure to obtain informed consent and patient identity prior to treatment, charging for an unkept appointment, overservicing, misleading advertisements, love relationship with a patient and treating an animal in the same practice as humans. CONCLUSION : The transgressions were unprofessional in nature with the most frequently reported being false claims and accounts submitted to the medical aid by physiotherapists for services not rendered. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS : The knowledge of transgressions will influence decision making and restrain infringement to enhance sound ethical practice.
The genetic landscape of acute myeloid leukaemia in the South African public sector
(AOSIS, 2024-11-14) Hodkinson, Katherine E.; Willem, Pascale; Moodley, Mishalan; Engelbrecht, Dewaldt; Patel, Pareen; Wiggill, Tracey; Ketseoglou, Irene; Van Zijl, Hanri; Vaughan, Jenifer; Chapanduka, Zivanai; Joubert, Jaco; Kloppers, Jean; Mahlangu, Johnny; Moodley, Vanessa; Opie, Jessica; Potgieter, Joachim; Walton, Ashleigh H.
BACKGROUND : Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a heterogeneous group of myeloid neoplasms for which two international classification systems exist: the 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) and international consensus classification of myeloid neoplasms (ICC), with an emphasis on molecular abnormalities. AIM : To determine the molecular-genetic profile of AML in the South African public sector. SETTING : The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Somatic Cell Genetics Unit, National Health Laboratory Service, South Africa. METHODS : All newly diagnosed AML cases analysed with next generation sequencing (NGS) between January 2019 and December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained from the laboratory information system. RESULTS : In total, 194 AML cases were tested by NGS (162 classifiable), with a median age of 42 years for adults and 7 years for the paediatric cohort. There were 21 cases of AML with mutated TP53 (ICC), 5 of which were unclassifiable with the WHO classification system. In t(8;21) (q22;q22.1), KIT and FLT3-ITD mutations were present in 43% and 20% of cases respectively; FLT3-ITD in 50% of acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) and ~20% of AML with NPM1 were triple mutated (NPM1, DNMT3A, FLT3-ITD). CONCLUSION : This study revealed a high proportion of exon 17 KIT mutations in t(8;21), FLT3-ITD mutations in APL and triple mutated AML with mutated NPM1, all of which are likely to be driving the poor outcomes seen in these AML subgroups in our setting. CONTRIBUTION : This is the first nationwide description of the molecular-genetic landscape of AML in the South African public sector.
The occupation of self-employment in South African informal microenterprises
(Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa, 2024-04) Monareng, Luther Lebogang; Casteleijin, Daleen; Franzsen, Denise
INTRODUCTION : Self-employment, in which individuals work for themselves in a small business or microenterprise to earn an income or generate a salary, has been encouraged to facilitate employment opportunities in South Africa. However, participation in self-employment within the community served by professionals such as occupational therapists is limited by many factors, including effective government initiatives, such as implementing the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) policies. To enable individuals and community participation in this type of work for those with occupational dysfunction, mainly persons with disabilities, professionals such as occupational therapists need to understand the structural, contextual and occupational outcomes related to self-employment. Based on the Framework for Occupational Justice, this study explored the occupation of self-employment in microenterprises in the low-resourced urban community of Alexandra Township. METHOD : A quantitative descriptive non-experimental design study was used to identify informal microenterprises in the community using a transect walk and community mapping. Structured interviews were conducted to complete a questionnaire with key informants (service providers and business owners) who provided perceptions on factors that impacted the occupational outcomes of microenterprises. RESULTS : Structural and contextual factors from the participants' experience resulted in unjust occupational outcomes, which indicates that occupational rights, particularly participation, choice and balance, were negatively affected by the lack of opportunities, such as jobs. Occupational marginalisation and imbalance were reported since many businesses lacked adequate and appropriate space for trade. Some business owners, however, reported just occupational outcomes related to the occupational right for meaningful occupation in providing a service to the community and financial income to support themselves and their families. CONCLUSION : Occupational therapists need to play various active roles in raising the consciousness of unjust occupational outcomes and support for just occupational outcomes that are achieved in engagement in self-employment in informal microenterprises. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE : Occupational therapists should take note of the factors and occupational outcomes of being self-employed identified in this study and consider the roles they could play in expediting success in this occupation for clients. Occupational therapists could assume: • A collaborative role, such as referring and working with various key role players or sectors in the interest of sourcing and providing opportunities for skills development for those entering self-employment, particularly in entrepreneurial training. This may include working with the government (e.g., Department of Labour and Small Enterprise Development Agency), private sector (e.g., yes4youth), other professions (social workers and industrial psychologists) and organisations for persons with disabilities (e.g., Disabled People South Africa). • A researcher role by conducting further research in this field, e.g., the development of an evidence-based framework on self-employment for occupational therapists. More research is still needed on, e.g., domains such as performance patterns, performance skills and client factors related to self-employment for persons with disabilities. • An educator's role by incorporating and teaching content on self-employment as an occupation when training occupational therapy students. • A clinical role, where they could assist with adaptations to the skills, tasks or environment to facilitate engagement in self-employment. Essential aspects to consider by the occupational therapist together with their clients during the collaborative occupational therapy process include, but are not limited to, o The client's motivation, dedication and whether self-employment is the client's primary choice. o The client's potential to be self-employed and their level of resilience in dealing with factors affecting self-employment in the informal labour sector.
Occupational therapy practice in psychiatric day hospitals : a scoping review
(Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa, 2024-11) Masango, July; Casteleijin, Daleen; Adams, Fasloen; Van der Merwe, Tania Rauch
INTRODUCTION : The aim of this scoping review was to explore whether clear guidelines for the practice of occupational therapists in psychiatric day hospitals exist, both locally and globally. METHODOLOGY : Searches were conducted in January 2024; 38 articles were screened and 22 were identified for data extraction. Articles were imported onto Covidence software. Data charting was done, and data were exported into a Microsoft Excel sheet, where content analysis was performed based on the review's objectives. Synthesis of the results was done through discussion and reported according to the PRISMA for Scoping Reviews guidelines. RESULTS : Thirty-eight articles were included but only 22 were relevant. Group therapy, individualised therapy, vocational and community workshops were identified as common modes of intervention in psychiatric day hospitals. Occupation-based activities are integral to intervention. However, there was no explicit definition regarding the role of occupational therapy and practice guidelines for psychiatric day hospitals. CONCLUSION : The general scope of occupational therapy remains the same for overnight hospitals, day hospitals and community-based centres. It is mainly occupation-centred, function-orientated, and patient-centred. However, there remains ambiguity on specific practice principles and guidelines that clearly define the role of occupational therapists in day hospitals. There is a need for occupational therapy practice guidelines specific for psychiatric day hospitals. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE : • The study provides valuable insights into the current knowledge and availability regarding the role and scope of practice for occupational therapy in the rapidly expanding psychiatric day hospital setting, emphasising areas for further development. • Tangible evidence was identified on therapeutic principles, practice approaches, program content, and guidance for resource allocation in psychiatric day hospitals, which can be translated into practical guidelines. • Ultimately, the results inform occupational therapy service delivery, solidify the profession's role in psychiatric care, and contribute towards National Health Insurance (NHI) policy development.
Occupational therapists' perceptions of a school-to-work transition programme for learners at a special educational needs school
(Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa, 2024-08) Msimango, Henry; Phalatse, Nthabiseng; Germishuys, Rienie Marie; Jamieson, Megan; Avenant, Kay-Lee; Rameetse, Thabang; henry.msimango@up.ac.za
INTRODUCTION : South Africa has a high unemployment rate and few post-school employment opportunities for learners with disabilities. School-to-work transition programmes in special educational needs schools prepare learners with disabilities for work in the open labour market, optimizing post-school employment opportunities. Occupational therapists are the main key role players in facilitating school-to-work transition programme in many contexts of education. AIM: This study explores the perceptions of occupational therapists of a school-to-work transition programme at the school for learners with special needs. METHODS : This study was a descriptive qualitative study. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with six occupational therapists involved in delivering the programme at the school. To ensure ethical compliance, we obtained clearance from the UP-Research Ethics Committee. The collected data underwent reflective thematic analysis for interpretation. FINDINGS : Three prominent themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) The Significance of the Programme: Participants highlighted the importance and benefits of the program. (2) Facilitators affecting school-to-work transition programme: Various factors that positively influenced the smooth transition from school to the workforce were identified and discussed. (3) Barriers to school-to-work transition programme: Participants also pointed out obstacles and challenges that hindered the successful transition from school to the workforce. CONCLUSION : The school-to-work transition programme was influenced by personal, environmental, and occupational barriers and facilitators. The findings highlighted that the benefits of the programme should be viewed in a broader context, as learners mature and develop self-confidence. The value of the programme thus extends beyond employment opportunities. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE : The research findings inform barriers that need to be focused on in order to have a successful and effective school-to-work transition programme. There are facilitators that show the perceived effectiveness of the school-to-work transition programme that could assist in motivating for more assistance from stakeholders of the school.
The lifeworld of families of mental health care users in rural South Africa : a phenomenological study
(AOSIS, 2024-11-29) Mbedzi, Takalani Ellen; Van der Wath, Anna Elizabeth; Moagi, Mmamphamo Miriam
BACKGROUND : In recovery-oriented mental health care, family members of mental health care users form part of the caring team. Families are expected to care for mental health care users without support in the under-resourced rural Vhembe district in South Africa. AIM : This study aims to describe the lifeworld of family members caring for mental health care users in rural areas to inform the development of a support programme. SETTING : Purposive sampling was used to select 16 family members from eight community health centres in the Vhembe district. METHODS : A qualitative approach, using a descriptive phenomenological design, was adopted to conduct unstructured interviews that were transcribed, translated and analysed using a descriptive method. RESULTS : Family members continuously contemplate their responsibilities. Endless concerns and stress result in forgetfulness and physical problems such as insomnia, hypertension and pain. Family members feel powerless and helpless when there is no improvement and support from community resources. Fear of being violated, embarrassed and stigmatised by community members results in social isolation and depression. CONCLUSION : Caregiving is burdensome in poorly resourced areas. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness Psychosomatic and depressive symptoms relate to the lack of effective community support which are likely to result in compromising the care they provide. CONTRIBUTION : The results call for the Department of Health to strengthen community mental health services and for health care professionals to provide supportive interventions based on the needs of mental health care users and their families.
Air travel and the risk of venous thromboembolism
(Medpharm Publications, 2025-04-01) Schellack, G.; Schellack, Natalie; Agyepong-Yeboah, Amma; natalie.schellack@up.ac.za
Passenger air travel is a convenient and frequently used mode of transportation across the globe. However, certain health risks are associated with commercial flights, many of which are inherent to this distinctive method of transportation. It has been shown that air travel innately carries an increased risk of the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE), and although small, this risk is significantly higher than in the general, healthy, non-flying population. Individual air travellers are strongly encouraged to consult a suitable healthcare professional for an individual risk assessment and guidance on suitable or required prophylactic measures prior to undertaking either frequent or long-distance travel via aeroplane.
Clearing the air : methods and challenges of smoking and vaping cessation
(Medpharm Publications, 2025-04-01) Van Nieuwenhuizen, T,J.; Schellack, Natalie; Bronkhorst, E.; Bronkhorst, E., Natalie; Savides, Isabella A.; natalie.schellack@up.ac.za
South Africa has a particularly high prevalence of smoking compared to the rest of the world. In spite of the fact that smoking rates in South Africa have been declining since the implementation of tobacco control measures in 1993, there are still an estimated eight million smokers in the country. Smoking has been associated with detrimental health risks and related complications for decades, and such health issues are further compounded by the high incidence of tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome in the population. Vaping has been offered as an alternative for smoking. This article aims to provide an overview of the importance of smoking cessation, and the nonpharmacological and pharmacological measures aimed at ensuring quitting. The vaping trend is fueled by the assumption that these products are safer and less harmful than traditional tobacco smoking. The rapid growth of the vaping industry has prompted debates on whether vaping functions as a smoking cessation aid or a gateway for new smokers. The evidence regarding vaping's efficacy in aiding smoking cessation is inconsistent, but there is compelling data suggesting a correlation between vaping and an increase in the number of smokers, particularly among the youth. Notwithstanding the well-established research on the greater harm of tobacco, early studies have already indicated the adverse effects of vaping. Despite the lack of comprehensive health studies, the expanding popularity of electronic cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems such as vapes, especially among the younger demographic, has soared.
Beyond metformin : the expanding landscape of Type 2 diabetes treatment
(Medpharm Publications, 2025-03) Ncube, Keith Ntokozo; Malange, T.D.; keith.ncube@up.ac.za
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic, progressive metabolic disorder characterised by elevated and uncontrolled blood glucose levels and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Type 2 DM accounts for over 90% of all diabetes cases and is primarily managed through lifestyle modification and pharmacological interventions. While metformin remains the first-line drug for the treatment of Type 2 DM, other adjunct therapies provide additional glycaemic control as well as cardiovascular and metabolic benefits. This review provides an overview of the pharmacological agents used in the management of Type 2 DM, and an insight into their mechanisms of action, therapeutic benefits, and side effects. Understanding these agents’ roles is crucial in optimising management and reducing possibly preventable and devastating sequalae of inadequately controlled diabetes

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