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Factors associated with COVID-19 inpatient mortality cases within 24 hours in South Africa
Get PDFJournal article published in SAMJ June 2023, Vol. 113, No. 6Background. African countries with limited healthcare capacity are particularly vulnerable to the novel coronavirus (COVID‑19). The
pandemic has left health systems short on resources to safely manage patients and protect healthcare workers. South Africa (SA) is still
battling the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB), which had their programme/services interrupted due to the effects of the
pandemic. Lessons learnt from the HIV/AIDS and TB programme have shown that South Africans delay seeking health services when a
new disease presents itself.
Objective. To investigate the risk factors for COVID‑19 inpatients’ mortality within 24 hours of hospital admission in public health facilities
in Limpopo Province, SA.
Methods. The study used retrospective secondary data obtained from the 1 067 clinical records of patients admitted between March 2020
and June 2021 by the Limpopo Department of Health (LDoH). A multivariable logistic regression model, both adjusted and unadjusted,
was used to assess the risk factors associated with COVID‑19 mortality within 24 hours of admission.
Results. This study, which was conducted in Limpopo public hospitals, discovered that 411 COVID‑19 patients (40%) died within 24 hours
of admission. The majority of the patients were aged ≥60 years, mostly of female gender, and had comorbidities. In terms of vital signs, most
had body temperatures <38°C. Our study findings revealed that COVID‑19 patients who present with fever and shortness of breath were
1.8 and 2.5 times more likely to die within 24 hours of admission to the hospital, respectively, than patients without fever and with normal
respiratory rate. Hypertension was independently associated with mortality in COVID‑19 patients within 24 hours of admission, with a
high odds ratio (OR) for hypertensive patients (OR 1.451; 95% confidence interval 1.013 - 2.078) compared with non-hypertensive patients.
Conclusion. Assessing demographic and clinical risk factors for COVID‑19 mortality within 24 hours of admission aids in understanding
and prioritising patients with severe COVID‑19 and hypertension. Finally, this will provide guidelines for planning and optimising the use
of LDoH healthcare resources, and also aid in public awareness endeavours
Underrepresentation of women in management of sports: implications for women's participation in rugby sports in Polokwane Municipality of Limpopo Province
Get PDFThesis (MBA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2023The underrepresentation of women in management positions of rugby is a continued unresolved phenomenon not only in South Africa, but across the globe. It has been thirty years since the Brighton Declaration was adopted, which was attended 289 international states. The Brighton Declaration Conference seeks to promote the interest of women in sport; the conference in line with Sustainable Developmental Goals (also called “SDG. World Rugby has over 15 working committees that constitute less than 5 women serving as members in committees. South African Rugby Union (SARU), a custodian for rugby in South Africa, lacks women representation in senior management positions. Thus, a research conducted in women rugby in Polokwane Municipality. The aim of the research is to investigate the underrepresentation of women in management of sport and the implications for women ‘s participation in rugby sport in Polokwane Municipality, Limpopo Province. The research uses qualitative approach, and 20 participants were purposively sampled to respond to interview questions. The research findings revealed SARU’s inadequacy in developing women for management of rugby. Thus, the research recommends women empowerment through various sustainable development programs accustomed to equip women to occupy management and leadership roles. Furthermore, policy review on sport management should be considered, the review brings together women coaches, technical staff and other team officiating from various stakeholders of sports and rugby in particular. SARU has to review their inclusion policies, and implement them. World Rugby’s inclusion policies must also be implemented because in many cases inclusion policies only exist on paper
Investigating technology integration readiness of English first additional language educators: a case of South African rural public schools
Get PDFThesis (Ph.D. (English Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Technology use is gaining momentum the world over, including South Africa.
Therefore, technology use presupposes technology integration, and educators appear
better positioned to ensure its integration. As a result, the integration of technology by
English First Additional Language (EFAL) educators is of significant importance to
learners’ academic development. The purpose of this research study was to
investigate South African rural public schools EFAL educators’ readiness to integrate
technology into EFAL content. The study was underpinned by a combination of two
theoretical frameworks, the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) and the Technological
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). The study followed a quali-quantitative
approach and an exploratory research design. The triangulation data collection
method employed questionnaires, interviews and equipment checklists. Findings
indicated that EFAL educators in rural public schools are not ready to embrace the
Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and lack relevant and adequate infrastructure to
integrate technology. Findings further revealed that EFAL educators need proper
training in technology skills and technical support in order to be ready to integrate
technology into EFAL. Pertinent intervention strategies should include the
collaboration of all stakeholders to improve the Information Communication
Technology (ICT) context in rural public schools. Additionally, the Department of Basic
Education (DBE) has to bridge the gap between rural and urban schools in SA by
providing adequate technology support to rural public EFAL educators
Isolation, characterisation and cytotoxicity of antifungal compounds present in medicinal plants used against crytococcus neoformans in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province
Get PDFThesis (Ph.D. (Botany)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023The use of medicinal plants as a source of treatment for various ailments including
fungal infections is still practised in South Africa and across the globe. Fungal
infections especially of Cryptococcus, Candida and Aspergillus species are the main
cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries.
Traditional medicine is used as a source of remedies worldwide and has contributed
extensively towards the development of modern medicine. Twelve selected medicinal
plants (Kleinia longiflora DC. Berchemia discolor (Klotzsch) Hemsl., Persea americana
Mill., Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce, Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wright &Arn,
Withania somnifera Dunal (Ashgandh), Momordica balsamina L., Lonchocarpus
capassa, Pappea capensis, Rhus lancea L. fil, Peltophorum africanum, Maytenus
heterophylla (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Robson) were analysed qualitatively for antifungal
activities against Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus
neoformans.
The plant materials were extracted with solvents of various polarities such as acetone,
dichloromethane, methanol, hexane, and water. Methanol extracted the highest
amount of crude extracts from all the plant species as compared to other organic
solvents. Chemical components of the extracts were analysed using aluminum backed Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) plates and developed using three different
eluent systems: Ethyl acetate: methanol: water [EMW], Chloroform: ethyl acetate:
formic acid [CEF] and Benzene: ethanol: ammonia hydroxide [BEA]. CEF was the best
eluent solvent system since it separated more compounds from plant extracts. This
indicates that the active compounds were relatively non-polar. More chemical
compounds were observed in TLC chromatograms separated with CEF, followed by
BEA and EMW. All plant extracts had shown different chemical components when
separated from the three solvent systems.
The bioautography and serial dilution assays were used to determine the biological
activity of plant extracts against the tested microorganisms, respectively. All the tested
plant extracts revealed some varying degrees of fungal inhibition, with minimum
inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values ranging between 0.02 mg/ml and 2.5 mg/ml.
The aqueous extracts had shown some activity against the tested microorganisms.
Noteworthy, antifungal activity was observed in acetone, DCM, hexane, and methanol
root extracts of D. cinerea against the three tested microorganisms with MIC values
ranging between 0.02 mg/ml and 0.04 mg/ml. Furthermore, acetone extracts of D.
cinerea and P. africanum had excellent activity against three fungal pathogens with
MIC values of 0.02 mg/ml and 0.08 mg/ml. Active compounds were observed in
dichloromethane extracts of W. somnifera with Rf values of 0.40 and 0.64. In TLC
chromatograms separated with BEA, active compounds were observed in acetone,
hexane, and methanol leaf extract of P. americana, this indicates that the fungal
compounds were relatively non-polar. No active compounds were observed in plant
extracts of K. longiflora. Active compounds were visible in all extracts of P. capensis
in TLC chromatograms developed in CEF and EMW.
The antioxidant present in plants prevents the free radicals from causing various
diseases in humans by inhibiting the oxidation of free radicals at the cellular level. The
qualitative and quantitative 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) methods were used
to determine the antioxidant activities of plant extracts. The presence of antioxidant
compounds was indicated by yellow bands against the purple background on the TLC
plates. More antioxidant compounds were observed in acetone and dichloromethane
extracts of S. hyacinthoides developed in BEA compared to other plant species tested.
Methanol, hexane, and water extracts of L. capassa revealed good antioxidant activity
against DPPH by having a high percentage of inhibition compared to other solvents.
Noticeably, extracts of P. africanum possess strong antioxidant activity as compared
to other plant species.
Solvent-solvent fractionation using column chromatography of the acetone extract led
to the isolation of six compounds. The biological activity of the isolated compounds of
L. capassa was investigated against the tested pathogenic fungi. The isolated
compounds revealed some varying degrees of inhibition to the fungal pathogens. The
largest quantity was isolated from compound 1 (80 mg), compound 4 (39 mg),
compound 3 (27 mg), compounds 2 and 5 (14 mg) and the least was compound 6 (4.8
mg). However only three compounds were successfully identified as Lupeol
(compound 1), Friedelin (compound 3) and 6-(γ,γ-Dimethylallyl)-3’,4’-dimethoxy-6”,6”-
dimethylpyrano-[2”,3”:7,8]-flavanone (compound 4). Compounds 2, 5 and were not
identified due to some impurities.
More importantly, the isolated compounds exhibited good antioxidant activity in
qualitative and quantitative scavenging assays, which indicates that isolated
compounds of L. capassa can scavenge the free radicals causing fungal infections in
humans. The results support the traditional use of the selected plants to combat fungal
infections and related ailments by the local people and traditional health practitioners
in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province.
The (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol) -2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide) (MTT) assay was used
to determine the toxic effects of the plant crude extract and isolated compounds.
Lupeol and 6-(γ,γ-Dimethylallyl)-3’,4’-dimethoxy-6”,6”-dimethylpyrano-[2”,3”:7,8]-
flavanone revealed the same degree of cytotoxicity against the Vero monkey kidney
cells. All the compounds were not toxic with an LC50 value of ˃ 0.2 mg/ml.University of Limpopo and
National Research Foundatio
Equipment as a potential impediment to optimal intrapartum monitoring and delivery of pregnant women in public hospitals of Sekhukhune District, Limpopo, South Africa
Get PDFThesis (M.A. (Nursing)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Background: Medical equipment is an important tool in a Labour Unit to assess,
monitor, diagnose and prevention of complications during labour. The purpose of
the study was to investigate how equipment is a potential impediment to optimal
intrapartum monitoring and delivery of pregnant women.
Research method: Across-sectional descriptive design of quantitative research
approach was used to investigate how equipment impede monitoring and delivery
of pregnant women. A total of 59 midwives were recruited for participation in the
study. Data collected using an electronic structured questionnaires were
analyzed with descriptive statistics on a Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS) version 28.0.
Results: Midwives described a lack of equipment, and non-functionality of some
equipment as barriers for intrapartum monitoring and delivery of pregnant
women. Midwives expressed that improving the equipment is significant for
optimum labor practice. However, midwives noticed that the use of equipment for
infection control and prevention during intrapartum was of optimum practice.
Conclusion: The availability of good working equipment in the labor unit is
needed to enhance optimal intrapartum monitoring and delivery of pregnant
women. Therefore, it is recommended that quality and quantity of equipment in
labour unit need to be monitored with daily checklist, improved effectively by
fixing or replacing to minimise barriers to optimal care of pregnant women during
labour
In search of lasting peace in schools : learner’s perceptions of peace education in Western Cape Province, South Africa
Get PDFJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning Journal (APORTAL) Vol 7 (2) (2023)Over the last decade, peace education programmes have been implemented in many European and African countries. Peace education is essential to reduce the scourge of violence affecting schools and for developing positive thinking. It is a tool to create consciousness among individuals to better comprehend the threat of conflict and violence. However, research and media reports indicate that violence continues to affect learners in schools. This poses the question of whether learners fully understand peace education as a strategy to combat school violence. The study was undertaken to determine secondary school learners ’perceptions of peace education, using the integrative theory of peace as theoretical lens. The research employed a qualitative approach in three case studies at
secondary schools in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Three focus group interviews with a purposefully selected group of five learners in each school were conducted. The data collected were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicated that most participants had a poor understanding of peace education. It is recommended that schools should promote peace education and increase awareness among all learners by organizing public campaigns for peace education; integrating peace education into the curriculum; and providing learners and teachers with training in peace education
To embrace or not to embrace? New Academics (NAs) or New University Teachers (NUTs)’ challenges and preferences between face-to-face and online teaching
Get PDFJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning Journal (APORTAL) Vol 7 (2) (2023)The COVID-19 pandemic has caused institutions of higher education to urgently seek appropriate methods of involving students in matters of learning and teaching. Whether by conscious decision or circumstantial necessity, the imperative to embrace and implement online instruction has proven to be a formidable challenge for some academics, Particularly those who are new to academia and are referred to as New Academics (NAs) or Newly Appointed University Educators (NUTs). Framed within the context of Glasser (1998)’s Choice Theory (CT) and Rational Choice Theory
(RCT), and employing a qualitative research methodology, this paper draws upon data obtained from questionnaires focused on needs analysis (NAQs) that were distributed during the induction of new academics from 2020 to 2022. The primary aim was to comprehend the challenges and preferences faced by new academics (NAs) or new university teachers (NUTs) pertaining to student instruction. NAQs were sent to NAs/NUTs prior to the induction to understand the kind of support they need, and the NAQ responses were thematically analysed. The study’s findings reveal that NAs and NUTs faced challenges in online teaching due to inadequate resources and reduced student participation. Despite the pandemic’s push for online teaching, these NUTs still favored
in-person interaction. The article’s conclusions suggest that there should be adjustments in how new academics or teachers are introduced to their roles, along with enhanced support to help them develop skills for engaging and instructing students effectively in various online settings
Exploring the challenges and possibilities of using learner-centered approach to teach in Nigeria Public Secondary Schools
Get PDFJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning (APORTAL) Vol 7 (2) (2023)Teaching is a universal human experience, a process of passing down information from generation to generation. Teaching is a deliberate activity done in a professional manner to bring a positive change in the learner; in order to teach well. The 21st-century student, as a digital native, has access to a mobile phone and can surf the internet, they do not want a teacher that will come to the class and still write what they have in their textbook and online, they want to be engaged academically, yet the Nigeria education, most especially secondary level are still rooted in using the traditional method of teaching in the classroom despite the outcry to shift the paradigm from teacher-centered approach to learner-centered approach, Therefore, this study aims to explore the challenges and possibilities of using the learner-centered approach to teach in Nigeria public secondary schools. The research is based on a qualitative research approach while a case study research design was used to explore the phenomenon under consideration, and constructivism theory was used as the theoretical foundation. Three research questions were raised to guide the conduct of this study, thematic coding was used to analyze the interviews where themes such as challenges (class size, attention problem, lack of teaching aids, financial constraints, student attitude, lack of teaching aids, time learner differences, unavailability of instructional material, environmental factors) and possibilities (class size reduction, government intervention, student positive attitude to learn, provision of infrastructure, teaching in area of specialization, teacher professional development) that emerged. The findings of the research show there are numerous possibilities indicating learner-centered approach can be put into practice in Nigeria despite all the challenges that teachers who have and are willing to use this approach encounter
Women navigating leadership in rural schools during the COVID-19 pandemic
Get PDFJournal article published in African perspective of research in teaching a learning Vol. 7 (3) (2023)The obstacles female school principals encounter while leading in rural schools both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were the focus of this qualitative study since they represent a gender that has historically been excluded in society. Six female school principals from the province of Limpopo were purposefully chosen for the study, which was exploratory in nature. Semi-structured interviews and observations were used to collect the information, and then they were thematically examined to provide results. The results showed that female school principals encountered a variety of difficulties due to preconceptions of gender, absence of respect and support from personnel, and inadequate facilities in the schools. The issues mentioned above have been made worse because of the COVID-19 epidemic. The COVID-19 drastically and unexpectedly altered the leadership positions of female school principals. This unprecedented nature calls for a powerful network of supporters to encourage equity and equality in schools, as well as the empowerment of females leading schools to lead in a crisis. The harms and injustices that beset many rural schools were made public by COVID-19. Female school leaders had to contend with an unchecked pandemic while also negotiating decades of underfunding and neglect. Women in educational leadership need to embrace qualities like empathy, listening, creative cooperation, and genuine engagement with staff members—qualities that are not typically associated with high offices and boardrooms
Exclusion of ethnic and other minority language nationals in education: a case of Lesotho's language in education policy
Get PDFJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning (APORTAL) Vol 7 (2) (2023)The exclusion of ethnic and other minority language nationals within the Lesotho educational system is a cause for concern. In the case of Lesotho, even though language policy as articulated in Curriculum and Assessment Policy (CAP) stipulates that mother tongue shall be used as a medium of instruction from Grade 1-3, it does not clarify as to which and whose mother tongue language. It is against this backdrop that the exclusion of ethnic and other minority language nationals in Lesotho education context is explored in this article. Qualitative research methodology was adopted for this study. This study unpacks the policy and how its implementation is difficult due to its exclusion of minority languages. The researchers used a case study research design to critically analyse the contents of Lesotho's language policy. The theoretical framework for this research predominantly draws on social constructionism, inclusive education and translanguaging. The study purposely selected four documents being CAP, Education Sector Strategic Plans of 2005-2015 and 2016-2026 and UNICEF 2016 document for analysis. A content analysis approach was used to analyse the data. The study reveals that in the context of Lesotho, ethnic and other minority language nationals are excluded in education. The education system of Lesotho is, therefore, exclusionist. It is recommended that there should be an ideal language policy to bridge the gap between home and school language(s)