Faculty of Community and Health Sciences
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The Faculty of Community and Health Sciences (CHS) is committed to excellence in education and training, research and community service which promotes a progressive primary health care approach in an inter-professional manner.
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Item A case study of transport services for physically disabled citizens in the city of Cape Town(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Morta-Andrews, Nadheerah; Minnaar-McDonald, MarieAccess to transport is a fundamental human right for citizens in any country, and this includes people with physical disabilities. Globally, this right is enshrined in policies and legislative documents of various countries. Developed countries have made enormous strides for inclusion of people with disabilities in their social policies, planning and expansion of transport services. In South Africa, despite a multitude of policies and legislation, there has been limited research conducted on the experiences of physically disabled citizens and their right to accessible transport. The political ethics of care was used as a framework to analyse the experiences of people with physical disabilities in relation to the Dial-A-Ride special transport policy service available in the City of Cape Town. The main aim of the study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the accessible transport service programme, subsidised by the City of Cape Town by exploring the perspectives of both service users and service providers; documenting how the special transport needs of the physically disabled service users as care receivers are catered for by care givers or special transport service providers. This study addressed the research question: "What are the expectations, experiences, and needs of physically disabled transport service users in relation to the special transport service provided by the City of Cape Town?" Due to the explorative, descriptive and contextual nature the study adopted a qualitative case study research design.Item A case study of transport services for physically disabled citizens in the city of Cape Town(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Morta-Andrews, Nadheerah; Minnaar-McDonald, MarieAccess to transport is a fundamental human right for citizens in any country, and this includes people with physical disabilities. Globally, this right is enshrined in policies and legislative documents of various countries. Developed countries have made enormous strides for inclusion of people with disabilities in their social policies, planning and expansion of transport services. In South Africa, despite a multitude of policies and legislation, there has been limited research conducted on the experiences of physically disabled citizens and their right to accessible transport. The political ethics of care was used as a framework to analyse the experiences of people with physical disabilities in relation to the Dial-A-Ride special transport policy service available in the City of Cape Town. The main aim of the study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the accessible transport service programme, subsidised by the City of Cape Town by exploring the perspectives of both service users and service providers; documenting how the special transport needs of the physically disabled service users as care receivers are catered for by care givers or special transport service providers. This study addressed the research question: "What are the expectations, experiences, and needs of physically disabled transport service users in relation to the special transport service provided by the City of Cape Town?" Due to the explorative, descriptive and contextual nature the study adopted a qualitative case study research design.Item A collaborative model to identify talent and develop sports in the city of Ekurhuleni(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Bhengu, PoppyIn South Africa, a country renowned for its athletic talent, many athletes fail to reach their peak performance due to resource limitations, inequalities in selection processes, and other systemic barriers. Existing frameworks often assign responsibility for sports promotion to a single entity, resulting in a siloed approach that fails to leverage the combined resources and expertise of various stakeholders, including local governments, educational institutions, and sports clubs. This study addressed this fragmentation by developing a collaborative model for talent identification and sports development in the City of Ekurhuleni. The study employed a qualitative research approach across five stages. It analysed policies governing school sports in South Africa, reviewed literature on best practices in talent identification and sports development and conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 participants to gather data on current processes, barriers, and facilitators. Document analysis and thematic analysis were employed to extract 20 themes from the collected data. These themes informed the development of the collaborative model. The findings emphasis the importance of a well-integrated and effective sports system for achieving both social and economic goals. Such a system should be performance-driven, equitable, and accessible to all stakeholders, particularly learners and athletes. Furthermore, the research revealed a significant shift in talent identification techniques, moving from an emphasis solely on physical characteristics to a more holistic approach that incorporates psychological, social, and contextual factors critical for talent development.Item A combined strategies intervention on the world health organization prescribing indicators: a quasi-randomised trial(AOSIS (pty) Ltd, 2024) Ncube, Nondumiso B.Q.; Mukumbang, Ferdinand C; Laing, Richard; Schneider, Helen; Laing, RichardBackground: Irrational medicine use is a global problem that may potentiate antimicrobial resistance. Aim: This study aims to assess prescribing practices and the effect of a prescription audit and feedback coupled with small-group education intervention on prescribing indicators. Setting: The study was conducted in public-sector healthcare facilities in Eswatini. Methods: A cluster quasi-randomised controlled study was conducted from 2016 to 2019 using the World Health Organization/International Network for Rational Use of Drugs (WHO/INRUD) prescribing indicators at baseline, post-intervention and post-follow-up. A 6-month unblinded intervention was tested in 32 healthcare facilities, randomly allocated to intervention (16) and control (16) arms. Prescribing practices were assessed post-intervention, and 6 months after the intervention, through an audit of 100 randomly selected prescriptions from each facility. Comparisons of WHO or INRUD prescribing indicators were conducted using the intention-to-treat analysis at the two times. Results: At baseline, in both arms, rational prescribing standards were met by the number of medicines per prescription and the use of injections. Antibiotic use was above 50% in both arms. After adjustment for baseline antibiotics use, region and level of care, there were no significant differences in all prescribing indicators between the two arms, post-intervention and at 6 months follow-up. Conclusion: In a lower middle-income setting with a high prevalence of irrational prescribing practices, a prescription audit, feedback and small-group education intervention had no benefits in improving rational prescribing. Contribution: Multifaceted strategies, strengthening of pharmacy and therapeutics committees, and holistic monitoring of medicine use are recommended to promote rational medicine use.Item A comparative study of the relationship between sociodemographic factors and physical activity levels among black urban and rural adults(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Allen, Wilfred;Introduction: The health benefits of engaging in physical activity (PA) in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases are well established. A physically inactive lifestyle places individuals at risk for premature complications in health, as well as early onset and progression of non-communicable disease. Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic factors and physical activity levels among black urban adult South Africans residing in Langa, Western Cape, and black rural adult South Africans residing in Mt Frere, Eastern Cape. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional and comparative study design was employed. This study was an analysis of secondary data from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) cohort study, comprising black South African adults, males and females aged between 35 and 70 years in the urban setting of Langa in the Western Cape (n = 661), and the rural setting of Mt Frere in the Eastern Cape (n = 699). A p-value of less than 0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance. Ethics clearance to conduct the study was obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (BMREC) at the University of the Western Cape (BM23/3/13).Item A conceptual framework for nurse educationalists and professional nurses to facilitate professionalism among undergraduate learner nurses for nursing practice in the Western Cape(University of Western Cape, 2017) Bimray, Portia Benita; Jooste, K.Learner nurses are socialised into the professional nursing culture through a formal undergraduate nursing programme, where the professional values of nursing are instilled in them throughout their four-year training. During the four years, learner nurses are prepared by nurse educationalists (nurse educators and clinical supervisors) and professional nurses to become professional to render a quality nursing service. This is in spite of the pressures and challenges related to the ever-changing socio-economic and political climate that influence the health context within which these nurses practice. The researcher became aware of a growing number of complaints from various stakeholders in the nursing profession in the Western Cape about the unprofessional conduct of learner nurses. Nurse educators and professional nurses in practice also complained that learner nurses had not developed professionalism by the end of their 4th years of the nursing programme. Perceptions of nursing professionals were that graduate nurses did not conduct themselves in a professional manner after they had completed the formal undergraduate nurses training programme. From these problems, it became evident that a clear framework for professionalism should be developed for nurse educationalists and professional nurses to facilitate professionalism in undergraduate learner nurses for nursing practice in the Western Cape. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for nurse educationalists and professional nurses with which they can facilitate professionalism in undergraduate learner nurses of the nursing practice in the University of the Western Cape. The study departed within the paradigm of the professionalism taxonomy of Brown and Ferrill (2009) and Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1968).Item A contemporary work performance management framework for the Assistant Nurse Manager in the provincial health-care setting(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Swartz, Beryldene Lucinda; Jooste, KarienPerformance management (PM) in a work setting is seen as process within the broader human resource management (HRM) system that involves people in the attempt to secure the best work performance from the individuals, the working groups and that of the entire work society. Various factors play a role in the performance of nurse managers in South Africa. Since the determination and the simultaneous implementation in 2007 of the occupational specific dispensation (OSD) job descriptions for nurses working in the government setting in South Africa, the understanding of what the required work performance for the Assistant Nurse Manager (ANM) was, remained unclear, as there was no PM framework that directed the work performance of the ANM in the Western Cape Province (WCP).Item A critical view of applying life cycle assessment on disposable diapers in a rural context(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2025) Chitaka, Takunda Y.; Schenck, Catherina; Nell, CharlotteThe environmental impacts of disposable diapers in comparison to reusable diapers have been a matter of interest within the life cycle assessment (LCA) community for many years. However, the majority of LCAs have been conducted in developed countries with well-developed waste management infrastructure. This study takes a critical view of the application of LCA to evaluate the environmental impacts of disposable diapers in rural areas. In the study area, the majority of diapers were openly dumped (43.8%), sent to unsanitary landfills (26.1%) or burned (18.6%). The production phase contributed the most to the majority of impact categories, excluding freshwater exotoxicity, marine exotoxicity and human carcinogenic toxicity. These impacts were instead dominated by end-of-life impacts and also had the highest relative significance when normalisation was conducted. The lack of and/or poor waste management has resulted in the end of life of diapers being a significant environmental risk. However, current life cycle impact methodologies are not able to fully cover the scope of impacts presented by mismanaged diaper waste. This study demonstrates the importance of geographical contexts when conducting diaper LCAs wherein, in some scenarios, it may be necessary to include impacts beyond the scope of a traditional LCA. significance: • This is the first LCA conducted on diapers in the rural context of Africa. • The majority of impacts were attributed to the production of disposable diapers. • The majority of disposable diapers were dumped or sent to unsanitary landfills.Item A decline in tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment initiation and success during the covid-19 pandemic, using routine health data in Cape Town, South Africa(PLoS ONE, 2024) Jennings, Karen; Lembani, Martina; Hesseling, AnnekeCoronavirus disease (COVID-19) negatively impacted tuberculosis (TB) programs which were already struggling to meet End-TB targets globally. We aimed to quantify and compare diagnosis, treatment initiation, treatment success, and losses along this TB care cascade for drug-susceptible TB in Cape Town, South Africa, prior to and during COVID-19. This observational study used routine TB data within two predefined cohorts: pre-COVID-19 (1 October 2018-30 September 2019) and during-COVID-19 (1 April 2020-31 March 2021). The numbers of people diagnosed, treated for TB and successfully treated were received from the Western Cape Provincial Health Data Centre. Pre and post treatment loss to follow up and cascade success rates (proportion of individuals diagnosed with an outcome of treatment success) were calculated and compared across cohorts, disaggregated by sex, age, HIV status, TB treatment history and mode of diagnosis. There were 27,481 and 19,800 individuals diagnosed with drug-susceptible TB in the pre- and during-COVID-19 cohorts respectively, a relative reduction of 28% (95% CI [27.4% - 28.5%]). Initial loss to follow up increased from 13.4% to 15.2% (p<0.001), while post treatment loss increased from 25.2% to 26.1% (p < 0.033). The overall cascade success rate dropped by 2.1%, from 64.8% to 62.7% (p< 0.001). Pre- and during-COVID-19 cascade success rates were negatively associated with living with HIV and having recurrent TB. An already poorly performing TB program in Cape Town was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a substantial reduction in the number of individuals diagnosed with drug-susceptible. Increases in pre-and post-treatment losses resulted in a decline in TB cascade success rates. Strengthened implementation of TB recovery plans is vital, as health services now face an even greater gap between achievements and targets and will need to become more resilient to possible future public health disruptions.Item A global investigation into antimicrobial knowledge in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and veterinary undergraduate students: a scoping review to inform future planetary health multidisciplinary education(Springer Nature, 2024) Alzard, Shahd; Coetzee, Renier; Exintaris, BettyInappropriate use of antimicrobials can push the environment out of balance, and cause unnecessary waste that can contaminate our soil, animals and waterways. Health professional education is committed to preparing students for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and supporting planetary health, but a more multidisciplinary action is needed to curb the expansion of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The aim of this scoping review is to showcase the current antimicrobial knowledge of undergraduate students across the disciplines of medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and veterinary. This will consequently showcase the gaps and trends across the different disciplines and countries to help inform planetary health multidisciplinary undergraduate curriculums.Item A health literacy intervention for Jordanian nurses to promote patient adaptation post myocardial infarction(University of the Western Cape, 2025) Alrababah, Deyaaldeen Mohammad HasanMyocardial infarction is a leading cause of death in Jordan. Nurses’ inadequate health literacy practices may impede effective patient care, and lead to increased costs, complications, and mortality. Health literacy training programmes could enhance nurses' ability to support patients in adapting to myocardial infarction. Aim: to develop an intervention for Jordanian nurses about utilising health literacy practices to facilitate adaptive coping and adherence to disease management among patients with myocardial infarction. Methods: A multi-method research design was used in this study. Lazarus and Folkman's Psychological Stress and Coping Theory guided the study's theoretical framework. The first four phases of Rothman and Thomas’s (1994) intervention research design guided the study. Phase One: Problem analysis and project planning. A literature review was conducted on the coping strategies and health literacy practices of patients with myocardial infarction and nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions, experience and educational needs regarding health literacy. Phase Two: Three studies were conducted to gather information about the problem. Study One is a descriptive survey describing coping strategies and health literacy levels of 140 Jordanian patients with myocardial infarction. Study Two is a descriptive survey which describes nurses’ health literacy practices knowledge, skills and experience, perceptions, attitudes, and educational needs in facilitating adaptive coping and treatment adherence among patients with myocardial infarction. A systematic review was conducted in Study Three to determine the effectiveness of health literacy interventions developed for registered nurses in health care facilities to improve their health literacy knowledge, experience or skills, perceptions, and attitudes towards the promotion of health literacy.Item A human resource strategy to facilitate competencies of assistant nurse managers in the public health facilities in the Western Cape(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Makie, Vatiswa Veronica; Jooste, K.The health workforce provides the most important input to any health system. There are estimated to be 59.2 million full-time paid health workers worldwide. The workforce has a strong comprehensive impact on the performance of the health system. Competent nurse managers are needed, particularly in countries such as South Africa, which places nurses at the epicentre of the health delivery system. During the implementation of the Occupational Specific Dispensation in 2007, the post of Assistant Director of Nursing was amended to Assistant Nurse Manager on a higher managerial level and newly appointed ANMs were expected to be competent. A generic human resources strategy was initiated in 2010 because of complaints about the competencies of nurse managers in the South African public health sector. This attempt excluded assistant nurse managers. The aim of this study was to develop a human resources strategy for facilitating the competencies of ANMs at the public health facilities in the Western Cape.Item A model for the integration of spiritual care into the nursing curriculum in Nigeria(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Afolayan, Joel Adeleke; Frantz, JoséMan is a bio-psycho-social-spiritual being, and his needs are informed by all these elements. The need for spiritual care in nursing education and practice is no longer a new concept in developed countries, nor even in some developing countries. However, in Nigeria, there is no consistent evidence of how spirituality is taught within the nursing curriculum nor how it is practised. The literature review also confirms that no existing set of rules or models for integrating spiritual care into the curriculum of nursing exists in the country. If nursing care is to be holistic, concerted attention must be paid to spiritual care, and to the training of nurses so that they can provide spiritual care within the context of holistic care for patients in the healthcare system. The main purpose of this academic work was to develop a model for the integration of spiritual care-giving into the nursing curriculum. This cross-sectional study used adapted modified Intervention Mapping (IM) strategies with a mixed method approach, to collect in-depth information.Item A planetary health perspective on the translation of climate change research into public health policy and practice: A scoping review protocol(Public Library of Science, 2024) Mulopo, Chanelle; Abimbola, Samuel; Onkoba, Nyamongo; Schmidt, Bey-MarrieBackground climate change (CC) emanating from anthropocentric human activities is a great threat to the quality of human life and well-being worldwide. The translation of CC research evidence can play a critical role in promoting the formulation of climate-sensitive policies to equip public health systems for CC-associated disaster preparedness, response, and management. This scoping review seeks to explore knowledge translation approaches for promoting, the uptake, and use of CC research evidence in public health policy and practice. Methods This scoping review will be conducted according to the guidelines of Arksey and O’Malley. A search strategy will be developed for published articles in PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases and for grey literature in the world health organization, planetary health alliance, and the University of the Western Cape repositories. Discussion the proposed scoping review will gather existing evidence on the relationship between knowledge translation, CC research, and public health decision-making. This will provide insights into research and practice gaps, and recommendations will be made to ensure effective knowledge translation for CC related decision-making.Item A qualitative exploration of the dimensions of family resilience in a rural community on the West Coast(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Twigg, Jennifer; Florence, Maria; Isaacs, SerenaHistorically, families living in disenfranchised communities were viewed as being dysfunctional. This view led to the perpetuation of the challenges and adverse situations faced by these families. It is important to view the family holistically rather than just to focus on the risk factors and/or the dysfunctional nature of the family. This study endeavoured to explore how the family functions and copes with the challenges they face. The aim of the study was to qualitatively explore the dimensions of family resilience as perceived by families in a rural community on the West Coast, South Africa. Family resilience theory was used as the theoretical framework for the research study. Three family resilience dimensions were explored. These dimensions are family belief systems, family organisation and resources, and family communication patterns. Participants were selected by means of nonprobability sampling. The local NGO in collaboration with the researcher identified the participants. The participants were homogenous in terms of being parents who participated in a parent support programme and were from the same community. Six semi-structured, oneon- one interviews were conducted as the data collection method. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged, in congruence with the theoretical framework. These themes were the family's belief system, their organisational patterns when faced with adversity, as well as the communication patterns of the family. The participants all reported that their strong sense of faith was used as coping mechanisms through their adversities. They had varying reports on how their family organised themselves and how they communicated. Some participants reported that living in a small community could at times be challenging, especially when sharing adversities as they feared community gossip, which then acted as a barrier to seeking help. The researcher adhered to the ethics requirements of the study in terms of confidentiality, provided the participants with informed consent forms and informed them of their rights as participants. Participants were free to discontinue the research process at any point without prejudice.Item A qualitative process evaluation of community-based participatory research and human-centered design in the ‘let’s talk about vaccines’ approach in Mozambique and Malawi(BioMed Central Ltd, 2025) Shuro, Linda; De Man, Jeroen; Knight, Lucia; Tabana, Hanani; Schneider, HelenBackground: Ensuring full coverage of childhood vaccination programmes is a persistent challenge in low- and middle-income countries. Urgent action is required to ensure catch up of missed immunisations in children, while simultaneously building trust and demand within communities to sustainably address existing immunization gaps. This paper summarizes the findings of a process evaluation of the ‘Let’s talk about vaccines’ approach by VillageReach in Mozambique and Malawi. The approach used community-based participatory research to identify the barriers to childhood vaccination faced by caregivers and healthcare workers, with human-centered design to codesign potential interventions to improve under two immunization access and uptake. Methods: To evaluate the implementation of the ‘Let’s talk about vaccines’ approach we conducted a qualitative process evaluation guided by the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance framework and Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). We completed a total of 76 qualitative interviews and 85 self-administered surveys among caregivers, healthcare workers, health officials and other stakeholders involved in the approach. We transcribed the interviews verbatim and analysed them using thematic analysis and constructs of the RE-AIM and CFIR frameworks. We analysed the survey results in Excel. Results: Key elements of the approach contributing to high fidelity to community-based participatory research principles in both countries, included diverse collaborative study and project teams, involvement of eight caregiver researchers, novel and traditional participatory methods, and extensive mobilization efforts. Success factors for human-centered design in the ideation and prototyping phase included fostering equal participation and empathy, value placed on each participant’s input, mitigating inherent power differences, interactive feedback processes, and extensive iterative processes leading to tangible solutions. Challenges included adjusting to new methods and contextual realities. Factors influencing the potential adoption of the approach included locally developed solutions, participant involvement, collaboration, a major advantage over alternative approaches, ease of use of the co-created interventions, alignment with government objectives, and adaptability for system-wide integration into immunization programming. The potential sustainability of the approach was supported by the involvement of health ministries, health professionals, community representatives, and capacity building of local structures. However, resource and incentive constraints posed as a potential challenge to maintaining long-term motivation and action. Conclusion: The evaluation findings from the ‘Let’s talk about vaccines’ approach highlighted key elements for applying community-based participatory research and human-centered design to collaboratively identify immunization barriers and create tangible solutions to overcome them. By integrating these approaches into routine immunization programs, it can potentially improve vaccination efforts for children under two in low and middle-income countries, leading to lasting change. Supporting policies that prioritize community involvement in research, program design and implementation and sustainable funding enhances immunization strategies, ensuring that they are tailored to local needs.Item A qualitative study exploring the experiences of Black South African vegetarians residing in the urban settings of Cape Town.(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Sedupane, George; Waggie, FirdouzaVegetarianism is a growing global trend. Movie stars and world class athletes proudly brand themselves vegetarian. Apart from its health implications vegetarianism has been extensively studied as a social and psychological phenomenon. However the understanding that has emerged from these studies has almost exclusively reflected Caucasian Western societies. Internationally there is a paucity of research regarding vegetarianism among people of African descent. The purpose of this study was to fill this knowledge gap by exploring the development of a vegetarian identity among Black urban South Africans living in Cape Town and the contextual factors involved in their adoption and practice of vegetarianism. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory which emphasizes the bidirectional influence between human behaviour and broader contextual factors was used as a theoretical framework for understanding vegetarianism among Black South Africans. This study used a qualitative exploratory approach to describe the perceptions and experiences of Black vegetarians. Snowball sampling was used to locate eight Black South African adult vegetarians who were interviewed in depth. The audio recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed through thematic analysis yielding three main themes. The first and central theme is that “vegetarianism is life.” This theme encapsulates the fact participants view vegetarianism as an instrument through which the highest ideals of life are attained including physical vitality, spiritual vibrancy and intellectual superiority. In the second theme the process of developing a vegetarian identity was unfolded. Contextual religio-cultural influences of Rastafarianism and Seventh day Adventism were a major influence in the development of a vegetarian identity. The last theme unfolds the experience of Black vegetarians living in meat dominated society. The study reveals that becoming a vegetarian definitely affects one’s social relations. However the gender of the vegetarians modulated the reaction of family members. Vegetarians also employed several strategies to manoeuvre difficult social situations. This study is among the first to contribute an African perspective to the global vegetarian discourse. It has highlighted the way Black Africans develop a vegetarian identity and the contextual factors acting as barriers and facilitators to this development. It has highlighted how this identity is informed by their Africanness though at times it conflicts with certain African ideals. Finally it has identified the social, cultural and psychological variables involved in the vegetarian phenomenon on the African continent.Item A qualitative study exploring the experiences of Black South African vegetarians residing in the urban settings of Cape Town.(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Sedupane, George; Waggie, FirdouzaVegetarianism is a growing global trend. Movie stars and world class athletes proudly brand themselves vegetarian. Apart from its health implications vegetarianism has been extensively studied as a social and psychological phenomenon. However the understanding that has emerged from these studies has almost exclusively reflected Caucasian Western societies. Internationally there is a paucity of research regarding vegetarianism among people of African descent. The purpose of this study was to fill this knowledge gap by exploring the development of a vegetarian identity among Black urban South Africans living in Cape Town and the contextual factors involved in their adoption and practice of vegetarianism. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory which emphasizes the bidirectional influence between human behaviour and broader contextual factors was used as a theoretical framework for understanding vegetarianism among Black South Africans. This study used a qualitative exploratory approach to describe the perceptions and experiences of Black vegetarians. Snowball sampling was used to locate eight Black South African adult vegetarians who were interviewed in depth. The audio recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed through thematic analysis yielding three main themes. The first and central theme is that “vegetarianism is life.” This theme encapsulates the fact participants view vegetarianism as an instrument through which the highest ideals of life are attained including physical vitality, spiritual vibrancy and intellectual superiority. In the second theme the process of developing a vegetarian identity was unfolded. Contextual religio-cultural influences of Rastafarianism and Seventh day Adventism were a major influence in the development of a vegetarian identity. The last theme unfolds the experience of Black vegetarians living in meat dominated society. The study reveals that becoming a vegetarian definitely affects one’s social relations. However the gender of the vegetarians modulated the reaction of family members. Vegetarians also employed several strategies to manoeuvre difficult social situations. This study is among the first to contribute an African perspective to the global vegetarian discourse. It has highlighted the way Black Africans develop a vegetarian identity and the contextual factors acting as barriers and facilitators to this development. It has highlighted how this identity is informed by their Africanness though at times it conflicts with certain African ideals. Finally it has identified the social, cultural and psychological variables involved in the vegetarian phenomenon on the African continent.Item A qualitative study on adolescents’ perceptions and understandings of flourishing in the Western Cape, South Africa(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2024-08-22) Witten, Heidi; Savahl, Shazly; Adams, SabirahAdolescence is a transitional period characterised by puberty, physical growth, and the capacity to complete life tasks. During this period, adolescents are faced with various challenges in completing various life tasks. Flourishing is defined as a state in which an individual functions optimally, and has a good level of well-being in all aspects of their life. Previous studies on adolescent flourishing have focused on measuring flourishing quantitatively, which suggests a need for further research that qualitatively explores adolescent flourishing. In this study we use the conceptualisation of flourishing that encompasses hedonia and eudaimonia. It is crucial to position adolescents at the core of research endeavours, to gain insight into the unique factors, values, and goals that contribute to their flourishing. The overall aim of the study is to explore adolescents’ understandings and perceptions of flourishing in the Western Cape, South Africa. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to gain a comprehensive understanding of adolescents’ perceptions and understanding of flourishing. The interviews were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s theoretical thematic analysis. We found two overarching thematic categories: 1) Understanding flourishing and 2) Factors that promote flourishing. The study findings emphasise the significance of balance in different aspects of life such as mental health, self-reflection, and self-expression to support adolescents in developing their own sense of flourishing and to understand their own experiences. The central role of relationships as a support structure for adolescents was found to be significant as the participants were able to identify what is needed through these relationships, which could promote their own flourishing. Future empirical research should endeavour to include both hedonic and eudaimonic traditions in exploring adolescent flourishing.Item A qualitative study on the role of alcohol in the lives of a group of sexual minority women in South Africa(Sage, 2025) Padmanabhanunni, Anita; McKenzie, SharonDespite extensive research on alcohol misuse in South Africa, a significant gap remains in the literature regarding the experiences of sexual minorities, defined as individuals whose sexual orientation or gender identity differs from heteronormative expectations. International studies have confirmed that sexual minority women are at a higher risk of harmful alcohol use compared with their heterosexual counterparts. This disparity is attributed to the distinctive and chronic stressors that sexual minorities face. There remains a paucity of research in South Africa on the experience of alcohol misuse among sexual minority women. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature. Twenty-five sexual minority women from diverse backgrounds residing in Cape Town, South Africa, participated in the study. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study explored participants’ lived experiences of alcohol misuse and their perspectives of the reasons for initiating such use. The findings indicate that alcohol served as an emotional regulation strategy, helping them to manage emotional distress arising from experiences of rejection, stigma, and discrimination related to their sexual minority status. Rejection and ostracism from family and religious communities were identified as salient sources of distress precipitating alcohol misuse. In addition, participants identified childhood sexual abuse and internal conflicts related to reconciling their sexual identity with cultural and religious beliefs as key drivers of their alcohol misuse. The findings underscore the importance of addressing individual, familial, and societal-level factors in efforts to reduce harmful alcohol consumption within this population.