Like most employer-employee relationships, the relationship between sport coaches and their employers is governed by legal work contracts which clearly spell out the rights and obligations of the two parties (the employer and the employee). However, formal contracts do not reflect all the exchanges between the employer and the employee in the workplace. The unwritten dimensions (psychological contract) also impacts on coaches' employment relationships which is often a neglected area of research. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine whether the psychological contract, violation of the psychological contract and work-related anxiety predict sport coaches' intention to quit the coaching profession. The study is located within a quantitative research design. The respondents consisted of 151 (n=151) sport coaches sampled through a convenience sampling technique in the Gauteng province, South Africa. The PSYCONES Scale (employer obligations, employee obligations, violation of psychological contract), Work-related Anxiety Scale and Intention to Quit Scale were used to collect data. Descriptive and regression analysis were used to examine the relationship among the constructs. The findings reveal that violation of the psychological contract and work-related anxiety of sport coaches predict intention to quit. This study advocates the notion that, like in other organisational contexts, it is essential for employers in the sport industry to identify and fulfil the psychological contracts of sport coaches in the management of employee relationships between coaches and their employees.
Sedentary individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) are often at increased risk for muscle weakness, decreased cardiovascular and muscular endurance, impaired circulation, limited functional strength, multiple system problems, lower bone density, increased fractures, lower self-esteem, and reduced independence. Regular physical activity for individuals with CP provides numerous benefits which include: an improved sense of wellness and body image, increased capacity to perform activities of daily living as well as reduction of the severity of some symptoms such as spasticity and athetosis. Other recognised benefits of physical activity for those with CP include increased bone density, increased muscular strength, improved cardiorespiratory fitness, increased motor mobility, increased self-esteem, decreased depression and anxiety, and improved personal and caregiver satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the gross motor function would improve in children with spastic CP through a physical activity programme. The participants were 10 children aged 13 to 18 years with mild/moderate CP. They were randomly assigned to two groups, an experimental group (n=5) and a control group (n=5).The experimental group underwent twelve weeks of a physical exercise programme and the control group did not participate in any organised exercise programme. Basic gross motor abilities in daily situations were studied using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM 88). Groups involved in the exercise programme experienced statistically significant improvement in GMFM 88 scores after treatment. GMFM Total Score (Dimensions A-E) increased 12.6% (p< 0.000) after 12 weeks. GMFM Dimension A (Lying and rolling) increased 15.32% after 12 weeks (p< 0.001), Dimension B (Sitting) increased 18.23% (p< 0.01), Dimension D (standing) increased 26.37% (p< 0.006). This suggests that exercise programmes may improve gross motor function in children with CP, which may reduce the degree of motor disability. Further investigation with larger groups is needed to investigate this further, especially in children with more severe disabilities. The results indicate that physical activity programme needs to be incorporated as an intervention strategy for children with CP.
South Africa's health sector is faced with a shortage of skilled personnel in key areas, such as pharmacy. Due to these staff shortages it is difficult to allocate pharmacists to work full time in clinical units. Schellack and Gous (2010) designed a Pharmaceutical Care Risk Assessment Sheet (PCRAS) to prioritize patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for the clinical pharmacist practicing pharmaceutical care. An operational prospective study with a cross sectional design was followed. During the three month study period, 61 patients were enrolled. The total time spent in the NICU was 161 hours in 43 days, i.e. an average of 3.57 hours per day. The pharmacist spent the majority of the time (71 %) with patient care related interventions. Using the PCRAS scores the patients were prioritised into three categories e.g. low, moderate or high. All the patients were seen by the pharmacist for a total of 375 occasions, with an average of 6.15 consultations per patient. Over the study period the researcher made 153 interventions with a mean average of 2.46 interventions per patient. The mean medicines prescribed per patient were 7.97. The pharmaceutical risk assessment sheets allows for risk stratification in prioritizing patient care for the clinical pharmacist. This might save the pharmacist time and enable them to assist with other functions e.g. dosage preparations and stock control in the pharmacy.
Lack of HIV/AIDS knowledge among young children have increased the fear of HIV infection resulting in their negative attitudes towards people affected by HIV and AIDS. This study aimed to determine the knowledge of HIV/AIDS and perception of primary school learners about HIV positive people in Soshanguve. A quantitative cross sectional descriptive survey design was conducted among 370 learners in grades 6 and 7, respectively. The age ranged from 10 to 15 years old. Data were collected using researcher-assisted-questionnaires with closed-ended questions. The findings show that the learners had a mean knowledge score of 19.8 from 27 knowledge-related questions. Accordingly, 44% (163) had high knowledge level classified with a knowledge score of greater or equal to 75%, 52% (n=191) had moderate knowledge classified with a knowledge score of 51% to 74% score, and 4% (n=16) had low knowledge level with less than or equal to 50% score of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS Learners (53%) had positive perception about HIV positive people and there was a significant association between high knowledge level and positive perception. Primary school learners have knowledge levels of HIV transmission but there were knowledge gaps and misconceptions in most of knowledge regarding HIV prevention and control. The misconceptions about HIV/AIDS may provide some reasons why some of the learners have negative perceptions of HIV positive people.
In the last two decades an increasing number of studies have focused on the impacts of tourism development on the environment aimed at the depletion of natural resources, the generation of waste and pollution and general environmental degradation. Consequently, the huge growth in the hotel industry has considerably affected the environment at a global level as the sector consumes large amounts of energy, water and non-durable products. Hotels are therefore now urged to engage in responsible and sustainable environmental management practices. Often hotel managers are keen to engage in responsible environmental practices but are unable to do so due to certain impediments. This article examines the barriers or challenges that are faced in adopting more sustainable and responsible environmental management practices in hotels in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In total, 142 hotels (including hotel chains as one entity) were identified in KwaZulu-Natal and a census approach was adopted, in that all 142 were approached to participate in the study. Sixty hotels responded. Data was collected through a web-based, online survey questionnaire. Quantitative data analysis was undertaken using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). The findings reveal that hoteliers are faced with a number of barriers in the implementation of environmental management practices. These barriers include lack of knowledge and expertise, lack of resources to implement certain environmental management practices, lack of government assistance, lack of legislation and regulation and high costs. Furthermore, a noteworthy finding is that a number of hotels in KwaZulu-Natal are unaware of the savings potential associated with environmental programmes, that is, the direct benefits to their establishments.
The incidence of stroke has become a global challenge with numerous reports suggesting an increase in frequency, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lack of resources and reliable data on stroke incidence and outcomes pose a challenge in diagnosing and treating patients in time, hence an urgent call for intervention is desired. The study objective was to determine the level of understanding of physicians working at Madadeni Provincial Hospital in the management of acute ischaemic stroke measuring the initial clinical intervention, the use of fibrinolytics, antiplatelets and anticoagulants. The study followed a quantitative prospective, cross-sectional design. All twenty three medical practitioners were enrolled with a response rate of 95.6 %. The study revealed that 68.2% of the participants understood that acute ischaemic stroke is a medical emergency and requires urgent intervention. None of the participants could differentiate between thrombo-embolic and cardio-embolic stroke. More than seventy percent (72.7%) of the participants did not know about tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and its recommended dose and 86.4% of the participants did not know about the t-PA administration window period. Participants were also enabled to reflect their own experiences about clinical intervention in stroke management and the average performance by the participants was 24.2%. It is recommended that continuing professional development on acute ischaemic stroke and guidelines should be provided to medical practitioners.
This article is conceptual based on a perusal of academic journal articles and books on matters related to Community-based Tourism (CBT). It contends that CBT is a very important tool for local economic development, community development, empowerment and the attainment of social justice. It observes disparities between rich and poor countries in terms of endowments and how the multiple dimensions of poverty can confound how tourism can be experienced in different contexts. It posits an eight Es model which represents the fundamental pillars upon which to judge a CBT for purposes of support, monitoring and evaluation. The eight E are Endogenous (emphasising a reliance on local resources); Environment - (reflecting the importance of caring for the environment, and broader environmental conditions and infrastructure); Education - (to advance skills and education); Empowerment - (which embraces economic, psychological, social and political empowerment); Equity - (for equitable distribution and re-distribution of both benefits and resources); Evolving - (always improving and changing to take advantage of dynamic opportunities); Enduring - (for long term sustainability) and supporting Entrepreneurship - (for innovation, creativity and viability). The framework/model is also significant as it provides a common ground upon which the understanding of CBT could be carried at international and national level. The model can be customised to take into account local conditions; it is flexible and all-encompassing with potential to be used for rating facilities.
Research indicates that destructive lifestyles during adolescence may lead to serious health risks in later years of life. The prevalence of health risk behaviour among school learners should signal significant red flags to authorities as well as communities. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of some health risk behaviour among learners in selected urbanized secondary schools in Namibia. For this study, 294 learners (boys = 133 and girls = 161) from four secondary schools in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, were randomly selected. To determine the prevalence of health risk behaviour in each age group, height, body mass, body mass index (BMI) and percentage body fat (%BF) were determined and the Youth Risk Behaviour Survey Questionnaire (2003) was completed by each participant. The following constructs were studied, viz. physical activity participation, overweight/obesity, smoking, sexual activity, suicidal ideation, alcohol and drug usage. Data were analysed by using the Statistica for Windows (version 6 software) to calculate the descriptive statistics as well as two-way analysis of variance, to determine the relationship between physical activity participation and health risk behaviour. The effect size (ES) was calculated in order to determine the practical significance of the difference. Descriptive analysis indicated some alarming prevalence of health risk behaviour among the learners. The highest prevalence of health risk behaviour in boys and girls combined are; alcohol intake (47%) and overweight/obesity (39%) respectively, followed by smoking (28%) and sexual activity (25%). For the boys, alcohol intake (46%), sexual activity (30%) and smoking (30%) ranked first, second and third respectively, while for the girls, overweight/obesity (61%) showed the highest prevalence with alcohol consumption (47%) and physical inactivity (28%) in the second and third place respectively. The age group (boys and girls) which revealed the highest prevalence of health risk behaviour is the 15-year-old boys (70% alcohol intake) and 14-year-old girls (80% alcohol intake). It also appears that participation in physical activity can be associated with a decreased prevalence of risky behaviour, although different responses occurred between boys and girls - as well as between age groups in the same gender. This study reveals alarming red flags that should not be ignored by the public and authorities.
Primary Health Care (PHC) is the first level of contact with the National Health System in South Africa, with health care services provided mainly by nurses. The National Drug Policy was developed in South Africa to guide health care services, which resulted in the formulation of Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicine List (STGs/EML) for PHC. Emphasis has been placed on all prescribers to strictly adhere to these guidelines when providing clinical patient care. This study investigated adherence of authorised prescribers to STGs/EML when treating children presenting with respiratory conditions at PHC level in the Umkhanyakude Health District, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Twenty PHC facilities and three prescribers from each facility were randomly selected for interview and auditing of prescription registers. Five prescriptions from each selected prescriber containing any of the children's respiratory conditions to be studied were audited resulting that 15 prescriptions at a PHC facility were audited. Respiratory conditions or symptoms were found to be more prevalent in the prescriptions for children five years and under than those of children above five years up to 12 years. Pneumonia (39.7%) was the most common respiratory condition followed by common cold and influenza. Amoxicillin (52%) was mostly prescribed for these respiratory conditions. Only 4% of prescribers showed full adherence to the 2008 PHC STGs/EML. Also, failure to accurately diagnose respiratory conditions and lack of implementation and monitoring strategies were amongst the factors impacting on adherence. Multifaceted interventions must be implemented by the District Team to improve adherence to the PHC STGs/EML.
A quantitative study using a cross-sectional survey design was conducted to determine the factors affecting the use of male condoms amongst male and female third year undergraduate students at a rural university in South A protocol based on several short standardised questionnaires was used. Demographic questions (sex and age) and an open ended question were added to give a more holistic element to the research. Two hundred (200) questionnaires were handed and one hundred and ten (110) were correctly filled in and returned. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). It was concluded that although knowledge relating to male condom use was good, and the majority of respondents understood how to use one, it did not mean they used male condoms consistently. Qualitative results gleaned from the open-ended question revealed that male condoms are seen as untrustworthy and are viewed as culturally inappropriate as they are not, out of Africa. Qualitative results also suggest that patriarchal norms affect the use of male condoms.
Universities provide a platform for sport and physical activity participation opportunities to students. For students, participation in sport and physical activity is an important part of university life which can lead to improved physical and mental health. Positive consequences such as increased self-esteem and life satisfaction can emanate from participation in sport and physical activity. University students' participation in sport and physical activity can be bound by the social constructions of gender and gender stereotypes. Hence, the purpose of the study was to examine the relationship among attitude towards sport, self-esteem and life satisfaction of university students from a gender perspective. A non-probability convenient sample of university students (from first year to postgraduate) from two universities in the Gauteng Province, participated in the study. A four-section questionnaire comprising questions on demographic variables, participants' attitude towards sport, self-esteem and satisfaction with life was used to collect data. Cronbach alpha was used to assess the reliability of the attitude to sport scale (α=0.943), self-esteem scale (α=0.748) and satisfaction with life scale (α=0.804). Correlations were used to examine the relationship among the constructs. The results of the correlation analysis showed weak, yet positive association between students' attitude towards sport and satisfaction with life. Attitude towards sport and self-esteem showed insignificant associations with satisfaction with life. The mean ranks indicated that male students seem to be more inclined to sport compared to their female counterpart. Limitations and areas for future research are suggested.
Studies have shown how difficult it can be to have a proper patient referral system operating smoothly, especially when not well supported by all stakeholders and/or when patients by-pass the system. This study sought to explore possible reasons contributing to the success or failure of the down referral system of stable chronic patients at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH). A quantitative, descriptive study was conducted in which a structured self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. The target population included all the medical doctors from the identified outpatient clinics at DGMAH that down refer patients. Only 30.5% of the doctors referred to the Standard Treatment Guidelines/Essential Medicine List (STGs/EML) before they prescribe treatment for patients; 77.9% of the doctors have not seen the down referral circular; 76% of the doctors are down referring less than ten patients per week; 40% of the doctors reported the lack or shortage of medication at PHC clinics as a major challenge. The low use of STGs and EML by the doctors and unavailability of medicine at PHC clinics were the major contributory factors for the possible failure of the down referral system.
In South Africa, a woman is killed by a male partner every six hours, making South Africa's intimate femicide rate the highest, globally. Nurses are in a unique position to identify, assist and support women who are at risk or who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) when such women seek help. Unfortunately, nurses often fail to use this critical opportunity to break the cycle of violence because of a lack of confidence, skills and support systems. The purpose of the systematic review was to appraise learning needs and curricula of nurse education on intervention and prevention of intimate partner violence. A selection of electronic databases for the period 2009-2014 was used as data sources. The systematic review involved a computerised search of the selected databases to identify and assess published studies on nurse education curricula and learning programmes on intimate partner violence intervention and prevention. Of the 1 446 identified studies, 56 studies were initially identified for review and then reduced to 14 after excluding studies that did not meet the selection criteria. These articles were critically appraised with the use of a set of qualitative criteria. Studies reviewed identified the need for training nurses on their roles and responsibilities on IPV intervention and prevention and developing their core competencies in this domain. Studies also indicated the skills needed by nurse educators in the education and training of student nurses on IPV intervention and prevention. The key aspects of IPV curricula content that were positively accepted by nurses included knowledge, attitudinal and skills components, as well as environmental-, management- and systems components. A limitation of the study was the exclusion of domestic violence. While intimate partner violence and domestic violence overlap, it may well be that in the literature some studies may have focused on domestic violence prevention and intervention.The outcomes of this review gives insight into how nurse education and professional development can be structured in local- and international health care education settings for IPV intervention and prevention. Recommendations are offered for curriculum design and development for nurse educators and nurse education on IPV intervention and prevention. The findings of the study could contribute to developing nurse education curricula in local and international contexts to prevent and intervene in IPV as a global public health care phenomenon.
The effects of climate change on human health are being experienced in various regions of the world. In South Africa, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns are negatively impacting on the health and well-being of the citizens in many ways including increased risks of diseases, depletion of water resources and food insecurity. The present study examined perceptions on climate change and its effects on the health conditions of Mogalakwena community members in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The responses from 50 elderly members of the community reflected the participants' knowledge of climate change in the form of temperature and rainfall fluctuations. Poor health conditions are exacerbated by temperature and rainfall fluctuation hazards such as cessation of subsistence crop production as a source of food, poor water quality, dust, drought and depletion of biodiversity.
Volunteer tourists have become a critical human resource for many organisations in South Africa. Understanding who the volunteer tourist is as well as how a host organisation benefits from this interaction is imperative for the effective management of this human resource. A review of the current literature showed that most volunteer tourism research studies is volunteer tourist- centred and focus on the motivations for participation and the benefits of participation to the volunteer tourist. Within the South African context, only two volunteer tourist profile studies exist and both excluded host organisation factors that indicated how host organisations benefited from hosting volunteer tourists. This paper created a comprehensive profile of volunteer tourists at a non-profit seabird rehabilitation centre in Table View, Western Cape, South Africa. The profile included demographic and motivational factors as well as host organisation specificinformation that provided valuable information for volunteer management, future marketing and fund-raising campaigns. Data were collected through 110 anonymous, self-administered, online questionnaires and from the data, four conclusions were reached. Firstly, the demographic factorsof volunteer tourists that participated in this international volunteer programme was similar to other South African based volunteer tourism studies. Secondly, to experience something different and new was the most important motivational factor for volunteer tourists. Thirdly, volunteer tourists derived considerable benefit from the experience. Lastly, volunteer tourists continued to support this non-profit organisation (NPO) through social and financial activities after completing the programme, indicating that a mutually beneficial relationship exists between the host organisation and the volunteer tourist.
The development of the Internet has provided an opportunity for offering e-learning as a new addition to modern education. Substantial evidence indicates that many universities across the world are offering study programmes through a variety of e-learning methods. Although e-learning environments are becoming popular, there is limited research on learners' attitudes toward online learning environments. Past research has identified a variety of factors affecting user attitude in relation to e-learning. It is against this background that this article seeks to determine the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students toward e-learning at the University of the Western Cape. A survey was conducted among 213 undergraduate nursing students to assess their attitudes toward e-learning. The study employed a survey methodology based on the questionnaire that was distributed randomly to students to assess their attitudes towards e-learning, and to establish whether any existing demographical factors impacted on the students' use of e-learning. From a valid response rate of 86%, the statistical analysis revealed that learner satisfaction was influenced by perceived ease of use, gender, and study-year level of respondents. The findings demonstrate a favourable attitude towards e-learning among nursing students at the University of the Western Cape.
Within the relationships in modern sport, coaches hold a degree of authority over their athletes and, by implication, operate to some degree as supervisors. Athletes are in the subordinate roles as employees are to employers. As in most employment relationships, there are times when athletes, like employees, find themselves at odds with their respective coaches and vice versa. Understanding the social contract in the context of sport coaching may provide an explanation regarding the role and function of athlete dissent, particularly as it changes or evolves to the level of sport participation and the expectations and demands of coaches. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to examine the relationship between sport coaches' social contract, performance, workload, anxiety and their influence on sport coaches' intention to quit. A non-experimental survey design was used to collect data from sport coaches. A research instrument which included a section requesting demographic information, and the Social Contract Scale, Perceived Performance Scale, Workload Scale, Anxiety Scale, and Intention to Quit Scale was administered to the coaches. Means, standard deviations, skewness and kurtosis were used to describe the empirical data. Reliability and validity were established using factor analysis and Cronbach alpha coefficients. Structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS was employed to test the hypotheses. The results revealed that a positive relationship does not exist between sport coaches social contract and perceived performance. Furthermore sport coaches' anxiety indirectly mediates the relationship between perceived performance and intention to quit. Increased workload and anxiety have the potential to influence coaches' performance levels and intention to quit. Therefore, it is of great importance that sport organisations consider these factors when determining the expected outputs of sport coaches.
The use of condom will provide men and women 100% protection against HIV and AIDS infection. However, the acceptability of condom use in sexual relations including marriage is confronted with culturally entrenched barriers. Health care providers as being socialised within the communities with specific cultures also experience barriers regarding condom use. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe culture and marriage as barriers regarding condom use among health care providers in Tshwane. A qualitative, focused ethnography design was used. Data collection was through semi-structured interviews using three research questions. The population included health care providers who were responsible for provision of HIV and AIDS programmes in selected health care settings in Tshwane. Purposive sampling was used and ethical principles were upheld. Trustworthiness was ensured. Results indicated that irrespective of health care providers being knowledgeable on condom use, when faced with condom use in their sexual relationships they are confronted by culturally entrenched barriers. Marriage becomes a barrier for condom use as it is culturally embedded. Norms and values determining men and women's behaviour in a relationship stipulate that men are decision makers. As such, health care providers' sexual partners refuse to use condoms. It is recommended that culturally sensitive programmes be developed and health care providers receive appropriate training to address culture and marriage as barriers regarding condom use in their sexual relationships.
Early childhood caries (ECC) is a serious oral health problem that has remained unexplored in many developing countries including the Sub-Saharan Africa region, especially among the disadvantaged populations. This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes and practices of parents with regard to ECC affecting their children aged between 1 and 5 years old. A cross-sectional survey design was used involving 299 individuals; where a parent and his/her child were counted as one. The majority of the participants (97%) were the biological parents of the children. About 32% of the parents were under the age of 20 years, and 73% were single. Almost all the parents (91%) had primary level of education. About 87% of the parents did not know that dental caries do affect children who are below the age of 2 years, and that brushing a child's teeth is important for maintaining good oral health (65%). A higher proportion of parents with a caries-free child compare to those parents whose children had caries knew that: "sugar consumption and other cariogenic foods increase caries development" [8%-vs-1%, (p 0.05)]. Overall, the mean-dmft score among the children was 7.5±4.2, ranging from 1 to 20. Girls had an insignificantly higher mean-dmft score than boys [7.9±3.3 vs 6.9±4.6, (p>0.05)]. Children in the age group of 1 to 2 years old had higher mean-dmft scores than those aged 3 to 5 years old [7.6±4.7 -vs- 7.5±3.9, (p>0.05)]. The findings of this study suggest that good oral health knowledge, practices and perceptions of parents has a positive influence in reducing early childhood caries among their children.
Violence continues to take its toll on post-apartheid South Africa and the youth remain the most affected group in many communities. Research has either dealt with violence in isolation, or the youth affected by violence. Very little is known about the nurse leaders delivering healthcare to youth victims of violence. This study sought to explore and describe the experiences of nurse leaders in delivering care to youth victims of violence at a community health centre in Khayelitsha. A qualitative, descriptive, and contextual design was used. The accessible population was professional nurses (N = 40) taking the lead in influencing victims of violence in the community to wellness. Nine individual unstructured interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. The findings of this study showed that nurse leaders experienced challenges in terms of under-preparedness, staff shortages, work load, verbal abuse, as well as victim-related factors. Participants also expressed some rewarding experiences, such as increased personal awareness, personal empowerment, victim empowerment, and job satisfaction. The study recommended that in-service training should be conducted for newly-appointed staff members with the purpose of preparing them for the challenges and expectations in the field of violence amongst youth in the community.
