bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study to Assess the Knowledge regarding Sexual Abuse among School-going Children
Authors:   College of Nursing, Army Hospital (R&R), New Delhi, India, Ojha Reena
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Biologically, a human being from the developmental stages of birth to puberty may be referred as a child. Legally, child is usually called a minor, or a person who has not reached the age of majority. Child sexual abuse is a peculiarly ominous kind of trauma as it creates horrific shame in the victim. Victims of sexual abuse during this stagegenerally are too immature and cannot express what is happening and don’t seek out help. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge regarding sexual abuse in school-going children and analyse the relation between a child’s level of knowledge about sexual abuse and selected demographic variables. Methodology: The research design adopted in this study was non-experimental exploratory research design. A semi-structured tool consisting of two parts was used to collect data. Part A of the tool consisted of questions pertaining to demographic profile of the participants and part B consisted of knowledge assessment questions. Results: Out of 60 students, 83% had good knowledge and 17% had average knowledge. A positive correlation was found between the level of knowledge regarding sexual abuse and educational qualification of parents. Conclusion: The results showed that 17% of the students had average knowledge about sexual abuse and 83% had good knowledge.With this, it can be concluded that there is still a need to educate the children regarding sexual abuse and empower them to protect themselves from this traumatising experience. Hence the study was followed by a health education programme with the help of an educational video by NCERT named ‘Komal’.
A Descriptive Study to Assess the Daily Life Challenges Faced by Female Teachers during COVID-19
Authors:   MSc Nursing Student, Rufaida College of Nursing, Jamia Hamdard (Deemed to be University), New Delhi, India, Dabola Mansi
Published: September 2022

Introduction: The challenges of working women differ with the job they are doing, and the family in which they are living. The teaching profession mostly includes female teachers, therefore, a descriptive study was undertaken, to assess the daily-life challenges faced by female teachers doing household chores and taking online classes during COVID-19 lockdown in a selected area of Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Objectives: The study was conducted to assess the daily-life challenges faced by female teachers doing household chores and taking online classes during COVID-19 lockdown and to seek the association between the challenges faced and the selected demographic variables. Methodology: Quantitative approach was adopted using descriptive research design to accomplish the objectives of the study. 60 female teachers were selected as study samples using purposive sampling technique. The tool used for conducting the study was a structured rating scale to assess the daily-life challenges. Online Google survey forms were distributed to samples using their email ids. Result: Data were collected andanalysis and interpretation were done using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study showed that moderate daily life challenges were faced by the female teachers.Conclusion:The study concluded that daily life challenges are faced by female teachers doing household chores and taking online classes during COVID-19 lockdown in the selected area of Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Thin Layer Chromatography of Different Solvent Extract of Bark of Ficus lacor (Pakar)
Authors:   MPharm (Pharmacology), Saraswati Higher Education and Technical College of Pharmacy, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Pathak Karishma
Published: September 2022

Medicinal plant used for many disease treatments in the form of extract. This study performed for confirmation the different solvents extract such as alcoholic, hydroalcoholic, aqueous. An herbal plant Ficus lacor uses different parts for treating various diseases such a seed, leaves, fruits, roots, berries and bark. In this research perform the Phytochemical activities and also perform thin layer chromatography of extract were performed at SHEAT college laboratory. Phytochemical screening resultant a various chemical constituents are found such as: Carbohydrates, Tannins and Phenolic, Alkaloids, Anthraquinones glycoside, Amino Acid, proteins, Reducing Sugar. Thin layer chromatography for analyzed the mixture by separations of a compounds this test are successfully performed for the expected out come as antiulcer activity.
A Review on Incidence of Gastric Ulcer and its Herbal Remedies
Authors:   MPharm (Pharmacology), Saraswati Higher Education and Technical College of Pharmacy, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Pathak Karishma
Published: September 2022

Gastric ulcer is basically an inflamed break in the mucus lining membrane on the gastrointestinal alimentary track. The most common causes of gastric ulcers include H. pylori and gastric prostaglandin loss associated with the use of NSAIDs medication. Gastric ulcer formation depends on the presence of pepsin and acid secretions in gastric juice which breakdown the mucosal defences. It may be caused due to excessive stress or irregular food habits. Many synthetic drugs are used for the treatment of ulcer but they may have certain side effects. On the other hand, herbal medicines are completely safe and beneficial for treating ulcers. This review brings to light that the major incidence of gastric ulcer varies worldwide and the complications thereof put a heavy yet preventable burden on the healthcare expenditure. Some herbal plants helpful in the treatment of ulcer have also been discussed here.
Fall 2022: Clinician Investigator Trainee Association of Canada (CITAC)
Authors: Phuong Melissa S. Phuong , Castanov Valera , Turco Claudia , Lao Robert , Wang Wenxuan , Yuan Amelia , Whittaker Heather
Published: September 2022

On behalf of the Clinical Investigator Trainee Association of Canada (CITAC) Board of Directors, I would like to extend an enthusiastic welcome to our new MD+ trainee members! I hope you soaked up all that summer had to offer and are in good back-to-school spirits. A new academic year is upon us, and opportunities abound for the Canadian physician scientist trainee community.
La conciliación trabajo-familia en un grupo de mujeres líderes emprendedoras del eje cafetero
Authors: Cortés Arcila Maria Camila , Orejuela Gómez Johnny Javier
Published: September 2022

El presente trabajo tiene el objetivo de analizar el manejo que le da un grupo de emprendedoras del Eje Cafetero a la conciliación trabajo-familia. El método es descriptivo de corte transversal y el diseño de la investigación corresponde a un estudio de caso basado en entrevistas a profundidad aplicadas a siete emprendedoras del eje cafetero. Según la investigación, las mujeres sienten que la mayor implicación de ser pilares del hogar y además tener un emprendimiento es lograr manejar los tiempos para cumplir con las actividades que les demandan ambos roles. Se expone que la decisión de emprender fue tomada para atender a sus familias y generar ingresos al hogar; sin embargo, las mujeres descubrieron que el equilibrio de estas dos esferas es agotador, pues las actividades les toman mucho tiempo e incluso las privan de espacios para sí mismas. Se concluye que hay una notable necesidad por establecer un equilibrio entre el trabajo y la familia, porque de este depende el bienestar del entorno en el que se desarrollan. Además, las entrevistadas resaltan la importancia de establecer estrategias para desarrollar actividades diferentes a las del hogar, que les permitan sentirse a gusto con ellas mismas y transmitir estabilidad emocional a su familia. Se evidencia que el desarrollo de las actividades del hogar y del emprendimiento ocasionan muchas veces una sobrecarga laboral que se traduce en horarios de trabajo de hasta 19 horas.
Species Composition Diversity of Chlorophyta and Charophyta Phyla in Bach Ma National Park, Thua Thien Hue Province
Authors: Ha Le Thi Thuy , Tu Hoang Thi Ngoc , Oanh Cao Thi Tu , Ngan Nguyen Thuy , Quynh Nguyen Thi Thuy
Published: September 2022

This study was conducted to investigate the species composition of Chlorophyta and Charophyta in Bach Ma National Park, Thua Thien Hue province. Here, we identified 45 species and subspecies, belonging to 17 genera, 7 families, and 4 orders. Charophyta was the most diverse phylum, with 75.56% total species. The dominant orders and families are Desmidiales and Desmidiaceae. The most diverse genus belongs to Cosmarium (15), Euastrum (5) and Scenedesmus (5). Micrasterias foliacea Bailey ex Ralfs and Cosmarium pardalis Cohn are tropical algae, while transitional species and temperate species are also present such as Cosmarium pachydermum Lund. var. indicum Iyenf. et Vim Bai and Euastrum jenneri W. Archer, respectively. The dominant group is described as Desmidiales with Chlorococcales (Ch. I) index ranging from 0.087 to 0.19 in Thuy dien Dam and Thuy dien bridge, while there are several species of Sphaeropleales with Ch. I index of 0.67 in Hoang Yen stream.
Decolonising Adamastor: From The Lusiads to Thirteen Cents
Authors: Graham Lucy Valerie
Published: September 2022

In 1999 and 2000, two texts appeared that aimed to grapple with post-apartheid South Africa as a new nation, and that doubled back on national myths of origin. One of these, a massive painting entitled T’kama Adamastor by Cyril Coetzee, commissioned for the William Cullen Library at the University of the Witwatersrand, focused on the figure of Adamastor that had been created by Luís Vaz de Camões in his epic poem The Lusiads (1572), but as reinterpreted by André Brink in his novel Cape of Storms: The First Life of Adamastor (1993). In 2000, another text appeared that re-examined and reimagined creation myths, and also referenced the Adamastor story. This was K. Sello Duiker’s award-winning debut novel Thirteen Cents. As I argue, Thirteen Cents presents a radical break with the ways in which the Adamastor story has been imagined by white writers and artists. Part of the aim of the essay is to revisit and assess Andries Walter Oliphant’s critical interventions on the question of a national South African culture, and on the Adamastor story itself.
The Anticipation of #MeToo in J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace
Authors: Smith Craig
Published: September 2022

In this article, I reconsider J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace, often interpreted in the context of South Africa’s transition to post apartheid life and with an eye to the nation’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, by instead reading it in light of the international twenty first century  MeToo movement. I contend that, in retrospect, Disgrace both demonstrates affinities with  MeToo and proleptically envisions, from the postcolonial periphery, the contours of the movement decades before its forceful emergence as a watershed moment in the West. Disgrace tells a story echoed in many  MeToo accounts, depicting the public exposure and fall from grace of a privileged white man following his sexual exploitation of a non white student. My interests lie not in the matter of David Lurie’s potential redemption; rather, I explore Coetzee’s exposure of the persistence of institutionalized gendered and racial privileges through moments of historical transformation. I argue that Disgrace’s highlighting of its own unnarrated perspectives anticipates the forceful challenge to a lingering white heterosexual hegemony that characterizes MeToo, while at the same time exposing the perpetual marginalization of non white and non Western traumas in discourses of transitional justice in South Africa and globally.
Into our Labours: Work and its Representation in World-Literary Perspective, by Neil Lazarus
Authors: Sandwith Corinne
Published: September 2022

Book Review
Using Critical Policy Historiography in Education Policy Analysis: A South African Case Study
Authors: Govender Logan
Published: September 2022

This article foregrounds the value of using “critical policy historiography” as an analytical/methodological tool in undertaking policy formulation research, highlighting the importance of taking a long-term historical perspective. Using school-funding policies in South Africa as a case study, it argues that while there was wide consultation with stakeholders, power dynamics within the policymaking process underscore the influence of policy elites, such as experts and powerful lobby groups, in shaping policy outcomes. In particular, it critiques the foundational moment of school-funding policymaking in the democratic era, that is, the South African Schools Act of 1996, focusing on key actors that shaped the Act, and whose interests were ultimately served. The article then reviews changes made to school-funding policies to date, and, building on the work of Salim Vally and others, argues for a policymaking framework that strengthens the influence of poor and marginalised communities on policy outcomes if the education social justice project in South Africa is to be advanced.
What Universities Owe Democracy, by Ronald J. Daniels, with Grant Shreve and Phillip Spector
Authors: Sinwell Luke
Published: September 2022

Johns Hopkins University Press. 2021. pp. 336.ISBN: 978-1-42144269-3
Alienated Learning in the Context of Curricular Reforms
Authors: Lian Yi , Tsang Kwok Kuen , Wong Jocelyn Lai Ngok , Li Guanyu
Published: September 2022

In neoliberal contexts, schools are accountable for educational quality, and effectiveness is measured by objective indicators, such as examination scores. Schools tend to become committed to preparing students for examinations rather than all-round and complete personal development, making it difficult for students to identify the meaningful connections between themselves and learning activities, and, in turn, resulting in negative learning experiences. Marxist theorists refer to this condition as alienated learning, that is, the internal contradiction between the learner’s self and learning labour. In contrast, curricular reforms across the globe have promoted a progressive pedagogy that values engaging students in the full range of life experiences in education, enabling them to overcome alienated learning. Yet the effects of curricular reforms are still unclear. The present study sheds light on the extent to which reforms permit students to confront alienated learning. To achieve this aim, the study investigated 44 Hong Kong secondary and undergraduate students with photovoice methods. Its findings suggest that the effects of these curricular reforms are minimal, though they offer opportunities for students to explore their interests. Many students will still experience alienated learning; their interests continue to be subordinated to examinations and even devalued by their schools and teachers.
Annual Financial Reporting: A Quantitative Analysis of the Temporal Going Concern Status during Business Rescue Proceedings
Authors: Lamprecht Christiaan , Van Wyk Hendrik Andreas
Published: September 2022

Purpose: Financial reporting guidance such as the Conceptual Framework for the Presentation of Financial statements (CF), together with specific International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) such as International Accounting Standards no. 1 (IAS 1), require an assessment of whether a company can be considered a going concern at the time of preparing its annual financial statements. According to the Companies Act, no. 71 of 2008 (Companies Act), a company in financial distress may file for temporary business rescue protection in order to reorganise its affairs to continue to exist on a solvent basis (return to solvency [RTS]) or, if that is not possible, to offer a better settlement to creditors or shareholders, than under immediate liquidation (better settlement than under immediate liquidation [BSIL]). Building on prior qualitative research in this area, this paper quantitatively investigates the temporal going concern status in the context of a South African company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) while under business rescue.
Design: The paper follows a quantitative cross-sectional design using a purposive nonprobability sampling method. Empirical data were collected from accounting and business rescue experts using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to detect patterns of association between variables of interest.
Findings: The paper presents quantitative empirical evidence supporting prior qualitative research on business rescue context-specific indicators of going concern. In particular, if a South African listed company files for business rescue protection, the company may not be regarded as a going concern, for annual financial reporting purposes, up to the adoption or rejection of a business rescue plan. Furthermore, the evidence shows that when a business rescue plan is adopted that aims to offer a BSIL, the company cannot be considered to be a going concern during the business rescue proceedings. Moreover, should a business rescue practitioner aim for an RTS, the evidence shows that the company can only be likely regarded as a going concern when the business rescue plan is substantially implemented.
Value: Management and auditors should note that in the case of a BSIL, the evidence presented implies an underlying assumption other than the going concern assumption. This is also implied in the case of an RTS aim prior to the substantial implementation of the business rescue plan. In the absence of any other defined underlying assumption, the liquidation basis is the de facto alternative. Moreover, the underlying assumption in an RTS will also likewise be the liquidation basis in the absence of another defined underlying assumption. Standard-setters should take note of the need to provide more guidance on the matter.
Emergency Remote Education in Southern African Schools: Digital Transformation Bridging the Gap in the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Nkomo Sifundo , Matli Walter
Published: September 2022

The World Health Organization on 11 March 2020 declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. Due to the spread of COVID-19 in 2020, several countries in Southern Africa implemented partial or complete lockdowns. This caused a halt to the physical learning process, with a need to move away from the usual face-to-face pedagogical methodologies and adopt emergency innovative instructional strategies that integrate digital technologies. This concept paper reviews the literature on the significance of digital transformation in empowering remote learning in times of crisis in Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These four countries were purposively selected because they play an integral part in the education sector in Southern Africa. Data were obtained from secondary sources. The findings are that, in Southern Africa, during the lockdowns, a variety of technological tools were used for emergency remote learning. These tools include the use of zero-rated applications such as television, radio, digital schools using Zoom and Google Classroom. The findings show that remote learning was the best emergency method to give learners access to education, although it had some challenges, including unfamiliarity with new technology, methods of dealing with the unknown, poor or no infrastructure, higher drop-out rates, and lowered academic achievement levels. From the findings, we conclude that the Southern African education sector massively adopted digital transformation in education, although some challenges were identified. A proposed integrated framework on digital transformation for schools in Southern Africa was crafted. The framework is likely to be feasible in the countries that are struggling to balance the learning process amid the new normal which is remote learning.
Economic Challenges and Students’ Persistence at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) in Zimbabwe
Authors: Kabonga Itai , Chipamaunga Admire , Zvokuomba Kwashirai
Published: September 2022

Using Vincent Tinto’s persistence framework and human agency perspective, we ask how economic challenges impact students’ sense of self-efficacy, their sense of belonging and students’ perception of the curriculum. In times of economic difficulties, the importance students attach to education often declines, as they fear to be examples of graduates without jobs. Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University’s (ZEGU) unique Christian outlook is discussed as somewhat stifling the students’ sense of belonging. Despite their initial motivation and desire to complete their university education, financial difficulties are resulting in some students deferring their studies whereas other students are balancing education and survival strategies. As agentic beings, students are strategically calculating and showing resilience to cope with the challenges through being “prisoners of hope,” transactional relationships and entrepreneurial activities.
Inclusive Education Implementation Challenges Facing Selected Primary and Secondary Schools in Mashonaland East Province in Zimbabwe
Authors: Mazuruse Gideon , Nyagadza Brighton , Makoni Tendai
Published: September 2022

Despite many efforts put forth for the successful implementation of inclusive education in primary and secondary schools in Watershed cluster, Marondera district in Mashonaland East province, Zimbabwe, there are numerous challenges being faced in this area. The study aimed at investigating the challenges faced in the implementation of inclusive education in public primary and secondary schools housed in Watershed cluster, Marondera district in Mashonaland East province. Two secondary schools and one primary school were targeted in this study. The study adopted a qualitative design and conducted a few numerical analyses to examine the challenges faced by schools in implementing inclusive education. Thirty learners and 15 teachers were sampled and data was collected through questionnaires, focus group discussions and observations. The research findings indicate that a lack of support from the society, negative attitudes from the teachers, incapacitation of schools and inadequate physical resources that would assist in the implementation of inclusive education were the major challenges. This means that the Zimbabwean Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) should consider increasing the availability of special needs courses and workshops and conferences for teachers and create funds for renovating and building schools.
Using Critical Race Theory to Analyse Community Engagement Practice in a Graduate Social Work Course
Authors: Mullings Delores V. , Karki Karun K , Giwa Sulaimon , Garland Sandra , Brushett Lisa , Thomas Jordan
Published: September 2022

Post-secondary institutions are increasingly encouraging partnership engagement with the community; however, community engagement from an academic perspective does not necessarily benefit the community. This is partially due to the power differential in this relationship and the emphasis on students’ learning at the community’s expense. The content of this article is drawn from experiences gleaned from 11 students of the “Perspectives with Diverse Communities” (institute component) course at Memorial University, Canada. Of the group, eight identified as cisgender, heterosexual, white females. The professor—a Black woman—and two students deviated from this in terms of gender identity, sexual orientation, and race. During a week of on-campus education, the students participated in community engagement activities prompted by the 2017 United States ban on immigration and refugees. Through a Critical Race Theory (CRT) lens, the students acknowledged their own identities as mostly white cisgender women, given the institutional racism surrounding them. As graduate students, they are taught self-reflexive practice, but question whether this is enough to effectively work with Black, Indigenous, and racialised groups. During the course institute, they steered towards a course of action that was familiar to them instead of developing deeper levels of understanding in working with Black, Indigenous, and racialised populations. This article details one aspect and the process of community engagement undertaken by the class and provides a critical reflection on how the students could have better engaged the community and challenged power dynamics and epistemology while using CRT.
Government Support to Selected Primary School Learners with Disabilities in the Kingdom of Eswatini
Authors: Shongwe Elmon Jabulane
Published: September 2022

The study sought to establish the governmental support for a selected primary school in Eswatini to realise the right to education of learners with disabilities in accordance with the Suitability, Availability and Equitability (SAVE) Framework. The regular schools in Eswatini fail to educate learners with disabilities, which is against the right to education of learners with disabilities. A qualitative approach was used, employing a case study design to study one primary school. The participants included two teachers, the school principal, a National Curriculum Centre director, a senior inspector of Special and Inclusive Education, and a parent of an out-of-school child with a disability. The researcher used the findings to produce a framework that could assist the school to work with the government to comply with the SAVE Framework to realise the right to education of learners with disabilities. The study shows that government support for the school did not comply with the minimum standards of the SAVE Framework; hence, the school was not ready to educate learners with disabilities. The government grants to the school did not accommodate learners with disabilities and the school has never contacted the government for assistance in handling learners with disabilities. The school must work with the government to assist learners with disabilities. The findings of this study suggest that people should educate their children with disabilities within their community. Quantitative research that could involve many primary schools in investigating the state’s compliance with policies in all primary schools is necessary. Researchers should investigate teachers’ attitudes when teaching learners with disabilities in regular schools.
Pioneering Gendered African Theology: A Historical Perspective of Mary-Anne Elizabeth Plaatjies-Van Huffel
Authors: Baloyi Ezekiel
Published: September 2022

This article is a contribution to the Church History Society of Southern Africa as a tribute to the late Professor Mary-Anne Elizabeth Plaatjies-Van Huffel (15 December 1959–19 May 2020). On 28 November 1992, she was the first female minister to be ordained by a Dutch Reformed Church in Southern Africa. The author, who is a former student of the late Plaatjies-Van Huffel, is aware of the delicacy of such an inscription and is mindful of the pain which her family and relatives, the church and the academic world has experienced after losing such a dedicated person. The article is a historical review of the contribution of Plaatjies-Van Huffel as a church pastor, a church leader, an expert on church polity (i.e., church government), an academic, and a renowned scholar. Her contribution made an impact on both the church and society not only in South Africa but across the globe. In honouring her, the article will give a historical narrative of Plaatjies-Van Huffel’s life and achievements before her death. An overview of how Plaatjies-Van Huffel pioneered gendered African theology is presented as a way of honouring her contributions to and achievements in the church and the academic world and these will be discussed in four parts. The first part narrates her life with a singular focus on her early years and education; the second part relates her pastoral career; while the third part discusses her participation in church leadership – both local and international – and her serving on various boards and committees. Finally, the fourth part focuses mainly on her life as an academic. Since the narrative is historical in nature only archival sources will be used. The road for women to become pioneering gendered African theologians has not been an easy one because it has been marred by women despising and being frustrated with one another. Therefore, it is important for the church to have proper and up-to-date knowledge and information about church regulations and a critical analysis from a gender perspective of current church rules and procedures to allow inclusive language. In conclusion, the article presents a challenge and provides encouragement for women who desire to serve as leaders in the church, society and tertiary institutions that it is possible to do so even if there are patriarchal barriers and domination.
An Appraisal of Gunther Wittenberg’s Theology of Hope in post-1994 South Africa
Authors: Masoga Mogomme
Published: September 2022

South Africa’s reluctance to deploy religion in the public sphere can be understood in terms of the country’s political and socioeconomic trajectories from the apartheid era. Theology has always featured in the struggle history of the majority of the Black population, but has been neglected by most historians and theologians in the face of crises facing the country today. This article examines Wittenberg’s theocratisation of the “theology of hope” as a means of redressing this apparent neglect, highlighting the invaluable role of the church in the struggle against apartheid. During the early 1990s, Wittenberg’s ideas became a force to reckon with in challenging the negative impact of apartheid policies on Black people. I focus on Wittenberg because of his rich experience and knowledge of Lutheran theology. The main aim of this article, therefore, is to elaborate on the significance of the theology of hope in the context of a democratic South Africa amid unprecedented political and socioeconomic crises. I have adopted secondary data analysis and experientialism as research approaches for this paper.
A Historical Survey of the Acceptance and Impact of the Belhar Confession since 1986
Authors: Pillay Jerry
Published: September 2022

The Belhar Confession was adopted by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) in 1982, and in 1994 it became the theological foundation for the newly emerging Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa (URCSA). Focusing on the themes of unity, reconciliation and restorative justice, it challenged apartheid in South Africa. Since then, it has become a “gift” to the world-wide church to challenge all forms of discrimination and oppression in the world. The Belhar Confession has been adopted by ecumenical bodies and other denominations both nationally and internationally. This article attempts to assess the acceptance and impact of the Belhar Confession in South Africa and globally. The methodology employed is that of a historical survey examining the responses of churches to the Belhar Confession and conducting interviews to assess the impact of the Confession in transforming lives and communities today.
The Naming of Independent Churches in the 21st Century: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Charismatic Churches in South Africa
Authors: Majola Yanga LP
Published: September 2022

South Africa is a democratic country, wherein every individual has the right to belong to any religious community. Churches in the Bible were not given specific names, but the church’s location was used to refer to that church. Mainline churches named their churches using doctrinal convictions, and some used the names of their founders. However, leaders of charismatic churches in South Africa are more creative in naming churches, using names that communicate what the church stands for or a name depicting an expected contribution of the church to the community in which it is based. This article discusses the naming patterns and practices of three church categories as representative examples: the early church (in the Bible), mainline churches, and charismatic churches in South Africa. Using content analysis as a qualitative approach, data were gathered by analysing content from sources such as the Bible, the South African Charter of Religious Rights and Freedoms, and content posted on Facebook and YouTube, while critical discourse analysis and text analysis constituted the analytical framework. The study found that there has been a major shift in the naming practices of churches in the three categories.
The Scots Afrikaners: Identity Politics and Intertwined Religious Cultures in Southern and Central Africa, by Retief Müller
Authors: Landman Christina
Published: September 2022

Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2021
Family Members’ Support Needs to Prevent and Manage Relapse of Mental Health Care Users Living with Schizophrenia in Gauteng, South Africa
Authors: Thwala Ntuthuko , Havenga Yolanda , Bester Michelle
Published: September 2022

Mental health care users (MHCUs) living with schizophrenia experience an altered reality with regard to cognition and perceptions. Research shows that between 37% and 58% of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia relapse due to poor treatment compliance; lack of insight into their illness; and non-adherence to medication. The aim of the current study was to explore and describe the views of family members on preventing and managing relapse of MHCUs, and their support needs with regard to preventing and managing relapse of MHCUs at a selected government psychiatric hospital in Gauteng, South Africa. An exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed. Fourteen family members of MHCUs were purposively sampled from the hospital outpatient department. Data was collected through in-depth individual interviews. Ethical considerations were adhered to, and approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board and gatekeepers. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant. The findings of the study indicated that violence, financial burden, emotional burden and stigmatisation by the community were challenges experienced by family members. The family members were of the view that substance use and non-adherence led to relapse of MHCUs. Thus, the family members viewed themselves as a source of emotional support who provided supervision and monitoring. Enhanced health care provider support and improved health care services to MHCUs and their family members are needed. Relapse could be addressed by means of a holistic integrated and multidisciplinary approach to the care, treatment and rehabilitation of MHCUs.
Midwives’ Risk Perception of and Preventive Behavioural Responses to COVID-19
Authors: Gayatri Mergy , Akingbade Oluwadamilare , Adesuyi Emmanuel O. , Antwerpen Natasha van , Herlina Marizsa , Laksono Agung Dwi
Published: September 2022

As the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is highly contagious, application of preventive practices, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) usage and hand-washing, are crucial to prevent its spread. Evidence suggests that preventive behavioural responses to COVID-19 might be affected by risk perception. The present study aimed to assess risk perception and preventive behavioural responses among midwives and the association between them. In September 2020, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Indonesia among 421 midwives. Spearman’s correlation coefficient or Spearman’s rho (ρ) was used to identify the factors associated with risk perception and preventive behavioural responses as well as the correlation between risk perception and preventive practices. Generally, the midwives had a high-risk perception of COVID-19 infection. However, approximately 27% of the midwives did not always use PPE, and around 56% did not often wash their hands. Midwives who worked at health facilities had a higher level of risk perception of COVID-19 infection as well as adherence to preventive practices than those who worked at universities. A significant association was found between perception of risk severity and preventive practices (p < 0.05). The healthier the midwives, the higher their level of adherence to PPE and hand-washing. Older midwives tended to use PPE at any time, while those who had a chronic disease were more likely to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds more frequently. Although the midwives had a high-risk perception of the COVID-19, it is necessary to improve their preventive practices, particularly hand hygiene.
Editorial
Authors: Zungu Lindiwe
Published: September 2022

Editorial for issue 1 of 2022
Family Collaboration during Pregnancy: Perceptions of Newly Delivered Mothers
Authors: Musa Gloria L. , Zondi Zanele , Brysiewicz Petra
Published: September 2022

Pregnancy is not a disease but a physiological process, and the family as a whole should take part in helping to ensure a healthy outcome for the woman. Family involvement and collaboration during this time cannot be over-emphasised. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe newly delivered married mothers’ perceptions of family involvement during pregnancy. A descriptive qualitative research approach, using content analysis, was used in this study. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 newly delivered mothers who met the inclusion criteria for the study. The following four categories emerged from the findings of the study: being there physically and spiritually; contributing financially; setting family rules and privileges; and lack of support. The study adds to the limited body of knowledge on family collaboration within midwifery, specifically in Nigeria. This also creates awareness of the need for family involvement in caring for pregnant women. Further studies are recommended from a larger population of pregnant women to explore in-depth, specific collaborations needed in the different trimesters of pregnancy.
Prevalence and Determinants of Unintended Pregnancy among Married Women Seeking Antenatal Care at Bwaila District Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi
Authors: Masamba Linda , Zileni Barbara , Kadango Alice
Published: September 2022

In many countries, women fall pregnant much sooner than desired and have more pregnancies and bear more children than they want. Pregnancies are usually associated with an array of negative health, economic, social and psychological outcomes for women and children. Preventing unintended pregnancies through family planning is an integral component in limiting associated consequences and population growth. However, despite widely available contraceptives, the demand for family planning among married women is still high. A quantitative study was conducted to explore the prevalence and determinants of unintended pregnancy among married women seeking antenatal care at Bwaila District Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Permission was granted by the relevant authorities to conduct the study. Between July and August 2019, 413 married pregnant women were interviewed. The women gave written consent before joining the study and all the completed questionnaires were personally collected daily. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data while nonparametric tests were used to explore associations amongst the variables. The mean age of the participants was 23 years and 43.1% of the participants reported that their most recent pregnancy was unintended. Multivariate analysis revealed that young age (18–25 years), low education level and preference for the sex of the child were significant determinants of unintended pregnancy. Inconsistent use of family planning methods increased the risk of unintended pregnancy. Unintended pregnancy among married women indicates the need for improving education among women to delay marriage to the universal minimum of 18 years, and increasing access to long-term family planning methods to avoid failure and discontinuation of contraceptives.
Is Circumcision a simple Operation? A Study about Parents’ Anxiety and Fears
Authors: Mammadov Betül , Mammadov Emil
Published: September 2022

Objectives: To determine the factors which affect the anxiety of the parents of children undergoing circumcision.
Patients and methods: A self-structured survey and Statefulness and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-1 and STAI-2) were applied to both mothers and fathers (n=240) in the period prior to circumcision. STAI-1 State Anxiety Inventory was given to the parents on the day of the procedure. STAI-2 trait anxiety inventory was filled by the parents in the outpatient clinic during the preoperative preparation.
Results: The average age of the mothers was 33.21±6.00 and the average age of the fathers was 36.74±7.34. There was a significant difference between the mean scores of STAI-1 state anxiety levels between the mothers and fathers (p=0.001), showing higher state anxiety levels among both. The STAI-2 trait anxiety level scores of mothers were found to be significantly higher than fathers (p=0.002). The anxiety levels of both mothers (p=0.001) and fathers (p=0.001) increased significantly on the day of circumcision. The parental anxiety was significantly associated with education level, father’s income level, number of children, and the child’s chronic health problem. Families were mostly worried about anaesthesia complications (72.5%); risk of infection (71.7%); post-operative pain (70%); post-operative bleeding (60.3%); and inadequate removal of the foreskin (55%).
Conclusion: The anxiety levels of both parents increased significantly on the day of circumcision, but mothers’ anxiety levels were higher than fathers. Families were mostly concerned about the anaesthesia-related complications
Prevalence and Coping Strategies of Postnatal Depression among Women in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Authors: Uzobo Endurance , Teibowei Bodisere Juliet , Ogeh Victoria Imomoemi
Published: September 2022

This study examined the prevalence and coping strategies of Postnatal Depression (PND) among mothers in Bayelsa, the state of Nigeria. The general aim was to describe the level of PND experienced by women and the methods they adopt to cope with this syndrome. This study was a cross-sectional survey of 345 women with babies between 1-6 weeks old. The women were selected purposively at health and maternity centres and clinics in Bayelsa state. A structured questionnaire was used in data collection. The data gathered were analysed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses at a p≤0.05 level of significance. The prevalence rate of PND ranged from mild depression (37.7%), moderate depression (3.5%) to severe depression (3.2%). There is a statistically significant relationship between socio-demographic variables and PND among mothers (p=0.000). PND prevalent among the study population exerts adverse effects on the health and cognitive development of the mother and child. However, the strategies adopted by mothers to cope with PND ranged from social support to music therapy. This study recommended that counselling of mothers during and after childbirth should be carried out as part of the routine for mothers and childcare.
Investigating the Possibility of Dismissing an Employee on Account of Breach of COVID-19 Regulations
Authors: Tenza Mlungizi
Published: September 2022

The taking of disciplinary action against employees who fail to comply with COVID-19 regulations appears to be a route that employers would prefer to ensure the safety of employees and other people in the workplace. Generally, employers are compelled by law to provide a safe working environment. Employees, on the other hand, are also obliged to play their role in ensuring their own safety and that of fellow employees. Safety measures in the workplace will include compliance with COVID-19 regulations. If employees fail to comply with COVID-19 regulations, their conduct will put the lives of other employees or people in the workplace at risk of contracting the virus. To enforce compliance with safety rules and COVID-19 measures, employers need to adopt a policy that will regulate COVID-19-related conduct and consequences for the failure to comply with such regulations. The failure to comply with a policy that regulates the conduct of employees in the workplace may constitute misconduct. An employer may impose a sanction of dismissal on such employees. The question that arises is whether dismissal for the failure to obey COVID-19 rules will be an appropriate sanction and perhaps justified in terms of the Constitution? The article argues that the dismissal will be justified in terms of section 36 of the Constitution. It will aim to achieve the worthwhile purpose of protecting employees against COVID-19 transmission and saving their lives as the virus has killed many people in the past two years. It will also save the employer from liability for the failure to ensure a safe working environment as such employees will risk other employees with the transmission of the virus.
The Trajectory of Illicit Waste Trade in Africa: Implications for Human Rights and Sustainable Development
Authors: Umenze Nnamdi Stanislaus
Published: September 2022

As globalisation intensifies, the environmental burden of economic development is being shifted to poor countries. This development manifests in waste trade involving the transboundary shipment of toxic waste from developed to developing countries. This article evaluates the strategies with which waste trade is being perpetuated to the detriment of sustainable development and human rights values in Sub-Sahara Africa. It argues that capitalism has influenced massive generation and commodification of waste, especially in industrialised countries. It has also established that globalisation has made the transboundary shipment of waste easy. Moreover, foreign investments in the waste industry in developing countries appear to be a means by developed countries to perpetuate waste shipment to developing countries, which helps waste traders to avoid stringent regulations and high costs of waste management in developed countries. Therefore, such investments in developing countries should not always be viewed as a breakthrough in attracting foreign investments. The findings made include that despite the existence of the Basel and Bamako Conventions at global and regional levels, respectively, waste trade has continued in different forms in Africa, where waste merchants exploit the low-cost facilities, cheap labour and weak regulatory frameworks. The trend includes the reckless dumping of hazardous industrial waste, electronic waste as well as ostensible investment in “dirty industries” in some African countries. It concludes by urging the states to individually establish robust mechanisms that protect the environment and enforce environmental rights. These measures will help complement the collective efforts they have made in multilateral and regional agreements.