South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Repository
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Circumstances and attrition of alcohol-related rapes in the South African criminal justice system
No full textStudy Settings & Methods: RAPSSA Study - the first national study of investigation, prosecution and adjudication of rape matters reported to the police. Aims: Deepen understanding of epidemiology, context and circumstances of rape to inform prevention “Track” case progression/attrition within the criminal justice system and Investigate (amenable) factors for case attrition. Findings & Recommendations: Alcohol intoxication is a situational factor that affects the collection of evidence and impedes possibilities of securing justice for victims through pathways involving prosecutor biases about the credibility of evidence and perception of the potential for convictability. Qualitative data shows that prosecutors are motivated to pursue cases where they perceive higher convictability and that contribute to meeting performance targets. Continual gender-affirming training is a necessary intervention to address the prosecutor biases and rape stereotyping that negatively impact case outcomes. Given the limitations of statement evidence in such cases, there is a need for the NPA to investigate systemic challenges in performance management that negatively affect victims. Strengthening other evidence collection, especially medico-legal and forensic evidence, which is useful, especially in cases where perpetrators are unidentified. Sexual violence risk reduction interventions must incorporate elements sensitising communities about the sexual-violence-related risks of alcohol and other drug intoxication
The impact of seeking protection orders for severe violence on the lives of female survivors in South Africa
No full textPaper presented at the European Conference on Domestic Violence, 11- 14 September 2023, Reykjavik, Iceland.Severe intimate partner violence (IPV) has an enduring impact on affected women. In South Africa, the two predominant routes for women experiencing severe IPV are social and legal services. Protection orders (POs) are a common legal route to prevent the recurrence of intimate partner violence. However, evidence on the effectiveness of POs is almost entirely from high-income countries, and little is known about its impact on women’s lives. This study aims to address a critical research gap among women who seek POs in South Africa by examining their severe violence experience/s, and the impact of obtaining a POs on their overall well-being.Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 demographically diverse women recruited from a magistrate’s court in South Africa. Participants were at differing stages of the PO process. Findings: This study highlights the complex decision-making process in applying for a PO; experiences of severe violence; barriers to obtaining a PO. It shows that most PO -seeking women in South fear being killed by their intimate partner. Key precipitating factors to applying for a PO include: keeping themselves and children safe, obtaining justice, ending a life of violence and “starting over”. Conclusions and implications: Deciding to obtain a PO is complex and multi-faceted including “ a fear of being killed”. Women face personal, social and legal barriers in applying for, obtaining and finalizing POs against their IPs. Findings have important implications for health-care, legal practitioners, and key stakeholders in the social and criminal justice system
Exploring an African perspective to tobacco Endgame
No full textPresented at the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Conference – San Antonio, Texas
Antibiotic prevention and management of laboratory confirmed Strep A skin infections to prevent acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease: A systematic review
No full textPoster presented at the World Congress on Rheumatic Heart Disease. Abu Dhabi. 2-4 November 202
The acceptability of an economic incentive package for improving wellbeing among young caregivers of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) during COVID-19 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
No full text11th SA AIDS Conference 2023. Durban, South Africa. 20-23 June 2023.No abstract available
“I carry the trauma and can vividly remember”: Mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline health care workers in South Africa
No full textPaper presented at the SA mental health conference, Emperors palace, Gauteng, South Africa 24 - 25 April 2023."We know from research that pandemics and disease outbreaks expose HCWs to an increased risk of short and long-term psychosocial and occupational impacts. We conducted qualitative research among 44 frontline health care workers (FHCWs) practicing in seven South African hospitals and clinics. FHCWs were interviewed on their experiences of working during the first-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and its perceived impact on their wellness. In this study, FHCWs included the non-medical and medical professionals in direct contact with COVID-19 patients, providing health care and treatment services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the FHCWs reported stressful
and traumatic experiences relating to being exposed to a deadly virus and working in an emotionally taxing environment. They reported depression, anxiety, traumatic stress symptoms, demoralization, sleep difficulties, poor functioning, increased irritability and fear of being infected or dying from COVID-19. The mental health impacts of COVID-19 on HCWs were also associated with increased poor physical wellbeing, including fatigue, burnout, headache, and chest-pains. FHCWs reported professional commitment and their faith as critical intrinsic motivators that fostered adaptive coping while working on the frontline during the first-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many alluded to gaps in workplace psychosocial support which they perceived as crucial for coping mentally. The findings point to a need to prioritize interventions to promote mental wellness among FHCWs to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare to patients during pandemics or deadly disease outbreaks.
Antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in East London, South Africa
No full textThis poster is for the 33rd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, which took place as a hybrid event both online and in Copenhagen, Denmark on 15 - 18 April 2023.No abstract available
"We really saw that it was working for us: No women ever delivered outside because they are triaged in time.”A Mphatlalatsane success story (South Africa, 2018 - 2022)
No full text"Background: Maternal and neonatal mortality, and still births in South Africa remain relatively high. To address this, the SA National Department of Health launched a multi-partner, facility-based, quality improvement (QI) programme (2018-2022), called Mphatlalatsane, in 21 resource-constrained facilities across three high burden provinces. The programme’s aim was to work with facility staff to establish QI teams. These teams identified key areas to improve maternal and neonatal health (MNH) services, then developed and implemented the QI plans (QIPs).
Methods: The Mphatlalatsane QI teams developed an inventory of replicable QIPs to improve MNH services in similar settings. The first steps were recently taken with spreading these QIPs in neighbouring facilities. Its outcomes are to be carefully monitored to optimise the potential of these QIPs.
Results: Across the facilities, 28 effective QIPs were developed and sustained, addressing a range of MNH services: promoting early antenatal care (ANC) booking (five facilities); triaging patients in labour admission and ANC high risk clinics (six facilities); improving completeness of records, e.g. the partogram (five facilities); TB screening of ANC patients (three facilities); and QIPs implemented in only one facility, e.g. post-partum family planning. Key components in successful implementation were: involving community health workers and traditional practitioners when needed; upskilling staff to use standard tools and protocols; and developing user-friendly tools to monitor effectiveness. The team leader and QI advisor were key drivers for successful teams. Staff shortages and attrition, and the high-pressured environment of MNH services were barriers to successful implementation.
Conclusion: The Mphatlalatsane QI teams developed an inventory of replicable QIPs to improve MNH services in similar settings. The first steps were recently taken with spreading these QIPs in neighbouring facilities. Its outcomes are to be carefully monitored to optimise the potential of these QIPs.
The database of Cochrane nutrition systematic reviews: Making it easier to find nutrition reviews and identify gaps
No full textNutrition Congress 2023. Cape Town, South Africa. 18-20 April 2023
The genetics of PD in sub-Saharan Africa: What do we know?
No full textThe conference “Precision Medicine in Parkinson’s disease: Past lessons and conquering new frontiers” is the third of a series of scientific conferences organised by the trilateral network Luxembourg-German-Indian Alliance on Neurodegenerative diseases and Therapeutics (Lux- GIANT). Held on 26 – 27 January 2023.No abstract