Doctoral Degrees (Population Studies)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/8428

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Male circumcision as an HIV reduction strategy : implications for men and women in Zimbabwe.
(2016) Chikutsa, Antony.; Maharaj, Pranitha.
Male circumcision is not a common practice in Zimbabwe except among a few ethnic groups who circumcise as a rite of passage or for religious reasons. Recent scientific research has shown evidence that male circumcision is efficacious in preventing the transmission of HIV from women to men. In response to this, Zimbabwe introduced voluntary medical male circumcision as an additional HIV prevention strategy in 2009. Prior to this, HIV prevention strategies in Zimbabwe focused on the promotion of abstinence, faithfulness and correct and consistent condom use, popularly known as the ABC approach. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptability of medical male circumcision as an additional approach to preventing the acquisition of HIV. The study also intended to understand the factors which may influence the uptake of medical male circumcision for HIV reduction. In addition, the study also sought to find out the role of women in the promotion of circumcision and the implications on men’s sexual behaviour. The study adopted a mixed methods approach using the convergent parallel design in which both qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously and were then merged during analysis and interpretation. A sample of 681 respondents was determined using a statistical formula and selected using random sampling. One hundred and eighty two female respondents were included in the sample because it was felt that women have a significant role to play in the promotion of medical male circumcision. Thus, it was felt important to assess their knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about circumcision in the study. In addition to the 681 individual interviews, five key informants drawn from the Ministry of Health and Child Care and other stakeholders were interviewed. Furthermore, five focus group discussions were also done to complement the data collected using individual and key informant interviews. Participants in focus group discussions were aged between 18 and 49 years. The prevalence of male circumcision among men in the study sample was found to be 15.8 percent. Of these, 40 percent were circumcised as part of the on-going HIV prevention campaign while 33 percent were circumcised for religious or cultural reasons. A further 12 percent were circumcised for medical reasons. The study also established that about 97 percent of both men and women had heard about male circumcision for HIV prevention. The findings show that men were generally more knowledgeable about voluntary medical male circumcision than women. Also, circumcised men had significantly better understanding of vi circumcision than uncircumcised men. Fifty-seven percent of men compared to 54 percent of women reported that they believe that circumcision works for HIV prevention. The study also established that there is general acceptability of the promotion of medical male circumcision for HIV prevention (76 percent for men and 84 percent for women). However, 43 percent of uncircumcised men reported that they are willing to get circumcised for HIV reduction. On risky behaviour after circumcision, 84 percent of respondents reported that they are willing to abstain for 6 weeks to allow complete healing of the wound while 75 percent reported willingness to use condoms after getting circumcised. The study concluded that knowledge and acceptability about medical male circumcision are generally high. The study also concluded that the level of willingness to get circumcised is not corresponding to the levels of knowledge and acceptability. The study attributed this gap to the embedded fear and uncertainties that people have about circumcision. The study thus recommends that there is a need to continue with promotional campaigns that target increasing knowledge in the population. There is also a need to design specific campaigns that target women in order to address the knowledge gap between men and women.
Understanding social support and determinants of health in old age in South Africa using a mixed method approach.
(2019) Kosse, Alpha Kapinga Mukenge.; Maharaj, Pranitha.
The study attempted to understand social support and determinants of health of people aged 60 years and older living in South Africa and provide a comprehensive definition of the concept of old. This research was motivated by the fact that South Africa has witnessed an increase in the proportion of older people. They have to live with threats inherent in the demise of the extended family, their traditional support networks as well as the risk of being marginalised as a result of modernisation and urbanisation. In the absence of alternative social support, the elderly are left to fend for themselves. For decades, population aging has been overlooked and there is nearly no empirical evidence on factors that affect health in old age in Africa, let alone South Africa. Furthermore, there is no consensus on the concept of old among scholars. The study made use of both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the issue at hand. For this study, both descriptive and explanatory research designs were used, drawing on 18 in-depth interviews from a primary study among participants in an old age home and a nationally representative quantitative sample of publicly available data. The motivation for this methodological approach was to improve the outcome of this study since strengths of one data source will compensate for the weaknesses in the other source. A total of 3545 respondents aged 60 years and older who took part in NIDS wave 5, conducted in 2017, were included in this study. The findings from the in-depth interviews seem to suggest that the current concept of old was flawed and irrelevant. Old age cannot be described using a one-size-fits-all approach, instead, it is heterogeneous and depends on some factors including lifestyle. Old age was well explained according to others and health played an important role in this regard. An older person was regarded as a sickly individual who depended on others for performing activities of daily living. In terms of gender, men and women were believed to age differently. Moreover, from a cultural standpoint, the elderly were those who have procreated and lived long enough to see their children becoming mature and independent members of the community. The elderly reported having at least one monthly medical appointment. The frequency of visits to health care facilities was dependent on the number of medical conditions. It was found that older people were affected by several conditions uncommon at younger ages and some have been on medication for more than a decade. Despite the multiplicity of these medical conditions, many older people were not living healthy. Old age pension was found to be the main source of income of the households headed up by the elderly. In becoming recipients of old age pensions, the elderly were able to keep their medical appointments as they were able to afford taxi fare. The likelihood of receiving emotional and instrumental support was higher than gifts and other donations. Adult children, notably daughters and sons were the main source of support for their parents. It turned out that childless older parents were less likely to receive gifts. Working adult children or family members were more supportive than their unemployed counterparts. Social support was associated with improved well-being and better health. This study could not confirm the abandonment of the elderly highlighted by the modernisation and aging theory. A great deal of ill-health in old age can be prevented by raising awareness about the positive impact of a healthy lifestyle. Providing health care workers with adequate training and making them knowledge about health challenges in old age is likely to change their perception and care of older patients.
Unpacking the social constructions of motherhood: exploring mother presence among young African women=Ukuthukululwa kwezincazelo zomphakathi ngobumama: Ukuhlola ubukhona bukamama kwabesifazane abasebasha bama-Afrika.
(2022) Majola, Thobelani Nompilo.; Maharaj, Pranitha.
The experience of pregnancy and childbirth are life changing for women. In most African societies, childcare is often a woman’s responsibility. The motherhood journey of a young woman may be significantly impacted by the presence and/or absence of a biological mother. The presence of a biological mother is regarded as important in all stages of development, particularly for female children. However, mothers are absent for a number of reasons including their death. The absence of a biological mother exposes children to various challenges, including poverty, poor educational attainments and health issues. A growing body of research in South Africa has focused on father absence; however, few has explored mother absence and the implications this has on children. Therefore, this study aimed to unpack the meaning of motherhood as socially constructed by young African women in a township of KwaZulu-Natal province. The study sought to explore the perspectives and experiences of young women, taking into consideration the presence and/or absence of a biological mother. A qualitative research methodology was employed and data was obtained through telephonic interviews with 20 young women who grew up living with the presence of their biological mothers as well as 20 young women who grew up in the absence of their biological mothers. Young women were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. The findings of the study suggest that the presence of a biological mother was significant for women who fell pregnant at a young age. Even though grandmothers and extended family members were actively supporting young women who had absent mothers, the presence of a biological mother was deemed essential for women. The transition from girlhood to motherhood was accompanied by numerous implications for young women. Financial challenges stemming from unemployment, poor economic backgrounds and father absence affected young mothers. This negatively impacted education and career aspiration of certain young women. The study recommends the involvement of families, government and private stakeholders in supporting young mothers. This can be achieved by enhancing family support programmes within communities. Furthermore, the promotion of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) is deemed important for the reduction of high rates of unemployment among young women in South Africa. Iqoqa Isimo sokukhulelwa kanye nokubeletha siyayiguqula impilo yabesifazane. Emiphakathini eminingi yase-Afrika kungumsebenzi womuntu wesifazane ukunakekela izingane. Uhambo lobumama oluhanjwa ngumuntu wesifazane osemusha lungachapazeleka kakhulu ngokuba khona noma ukungabikho kukamama omzalayo. Ukuba khona kukamama omzalayo kuthathwa njengento ebalulekile kuwo onke amabanga okukhula, ikakhulukazi ezinganeni zamantombazana. Nokho-ke, kuyenzeka omama bangabikho ngezizathu ezahlukene okungabalwa kuzo ukushona kwabo. Ukungabikho kukamama omzalayo kuletha izinselelo eziningi kubantwana. Kungabalwa kuzo ububha, izinkinga zokungasebenzi kahle esikoleni, kanye nezinkinga zezempilo. Ucwaningo oluningi eNingizimu Afrika lugxile kakhulu kobaba abanyamalele; kodwa-ke lumbalwa oluhlola ukungabikho kukamama kanye nemithelela yalokhu kubantwana. Ngakho-ke, lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuphenya ukuthi buchaza ukuthini ubumama ngokwendlela abazibona ngayo abesifazane abasebasha bama-Afrika elokishini lasesifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali. Ucwaningo lwalufuna ukuhlola izindlelakubuka zabantu besifazane abasebasha kanye nendlela impilo yabo engayo uma kubhekwa ukuba khona nokungabikho kukamama omzalayo. Kwasetshenziswa indlelakwenza eyikhwalithethivu kwazise ukuthi imininingo yatholakala ngezingxoxo ezenziwa ngezingcingo kubuzwa imibuzo kwabesifazane abasebasha abangama-20 abakhula behlala nomama ababazalayo, kanye nabangama-20 abakhula bengekho omama ababazalayo. Kwaqoqwa abesifazane abasebasha ngenhloso kanye nangokuqoka okunikezelanayo. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ikhombisa ukuthi kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba khona kukamama omzalayo uma abesifazane bekhulelwa besebancane. Yize ogogo kanye namanye amalunga omndeni ayekhona ukusiza abesifazane abasebasha omama babo ababengekho, ukuba khona kukamama omzalayo kuyinto ethathwa njengebalulekile nedingekayo. Ukudlulela ebangeni lobumama usuka ebuntombazaneni kuhambisana nemithelela eminingi kubantu besifazane abasebasha. Izinkinga zezimali ezibangelwa ukungabikho kwemisebenzi, amakhaya ahluphekayo, kanye nokungabikho kobaba, kuyabathikameza omama abasebancane. Kuthikameza nemfundo kanye nezifiso zabathile abesifazane abasebasha. Ucwaningo luphakamisa ukuthi imindeni, uhulumeni kanye nabanye abantu abathintekayo ukuba baxhase omama abasebasha. Lokhu kungenzeka ngokukhuthaza emiphakathini izinhlelo zokuxhasa imindeni. Okunye futhi, ukuthuthukiswa kwamabhizinisi amancane aziwa ngeSmall, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) kubalulekile ekuncishisweni kwamazinga aphezulu okuntuleka kwemisebenzi kubantu besifazane abasebasha eNingizimu Afrika.

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Population Studies) by Author "Maharaj, Pranitha."