Department of Statistics & Population Studies

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Browsing by Author "Abrams, Robynne Danielle"

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    Determinants of access and utilization of health care facilities among women in South Africa: The case of the Eastern Cape province
    (University of the Western Cape, 2022) Abrams, Robynne Danielle; Nsengiyumva, Philomene
    Access to healthcare is a requirement for human well-being. However, women who seek medical care when needed are still confronted with significant access barriers. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the access and utilization of healthcare facilities among female household heads in South Africa, particularly in the Eastern Cape Province. The study used socio-economic and socio-demographic characteristics such as age, level of education, monthly household income, area of residence, employment status and medical aid membership to measure the relationship between the types of healthcare facilities women utilize, the travelling time to healthcare facilities and the means of transport they use to access healthcare facilities in the Eastern Cape Province.
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    Exploring socio-demographic factors associated with poor school attendance among secondary school learners in South Africa
    (Elsevier, 2025) Showers, Viome Amakuro; Abrams, Robynne Danielle; Nsengiyumva, Philomene
    The Department of Basic Education in South Africa acknowledges that 99% of primary school-aged children attend school, but attendance at secondary school level is not yet universal. Low levels of secondary school attendance contribute to poverty and unemployment. We investigated the socio-demographic elements associated with school attendance among secondary school-aged learners in South Africa. We adopted a quantitative research approach and a cross-sectional design. The positivist research paradigm was applied, and the 2019 General Household Survey data (nationally representative survey) were used. The family socialisation theory and household production framework were embraced as the theoretical framework in this study. Descriptive analysis and cross-tabulations were conducted, and a Chi-square test was performed to measure the association between school attendance and learners’ characteristics. Furthermore, logistic regression was conducted to explore the factors associated with school attendance. Study findings agree with the assertions of the family socialisation theory and household production framework. We found that the overall school attendance level was 93.5% and older learners had significantly lower levels of school attendance. High levels of educational qualification of household heads inspired higher school attendance as the odds of school attendance for learners quadrupled when household heads attained secondary education relative to those with unschooled heads (OR = 4.1; p < 0.001). Being a Coloured learner, being part of a large household, being an orphan, and living in a low-income household were associated with reduced levels of school attendance. We recommend targeting and supporting learners who are over-aged for their grades, Coloured, and with poor or educationally low family backgrounds via conditional cash transfers to improve school attendance in the South African population.
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    The demographic aspects of women with disabilities and access to health care facilities in South Africa: a comparative study between 2013 and 2018
    (University of the Western Cape, 2025) Abrams, Robynne Danielle
    Disability is a normal part of human experience. However, disability is an underexplored topic among women in rural communities in South Africa, especially among women with disabilities (WWD) with regards to access to healthcare facilities. Previously, researchers have usually approached disability using the medical model, but the social model is critical to understand the way disability traverses with and is caused by other inequalities, such as race and gender. South Africa has been recognised by the World Bank as the most unequal country in the world. The inequalities that South Africans experience are encompassed in all areas of basic needs and service provision, especially among WWD who face differentiated disparity as a result of their gender, race and disability status. Thus, in the South African context, numerous social challenges exist in integrating equal and equitable access to healthcare for all, particularly for vulnerable populations such as WWD in rural areas. One of the key challenges include the poorly maintained and ill-functioning transportation services, along with inadequate and non-inclusive transport infrastructure. The demographic and socio-economic characteristics of WWD in rural settings influence and shape how frequently, how long and what mode of transportation they utilize when seeking medical treatment.