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Feasibility of store-and-forward teledermatology in out-patient care: A prospective study from rural India utilising specialist referral services through an instant messaging platform - "WhatsApp"
Get PDFObjectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented demands on the delivery of health care in rural areas of India. We examined the feasibility of store-and-forward mobile teledermatology for outpatient access to specialist dermatologic care in underserved areas in India. Methods: We conducted a prospective study using smartphone-based teledermatology, connecting six underserved clinics manned by primary care physicians (PCP) to three dermatologists, using the instant messaging platform WhatsApp. We assessed the concordance between PCPs and dermatologists (using Cohen’s kappa coefficient), consultation time, the spectrum of conditions, and the outcome. Results: Of the 730 dermatology patients screened in the clinics, (13%) (36 males and 59 females) required teleconsultation, among which 61.1% were non-infective, 34.7% were infective, and the diagnosis could not be ascertained in 4.2 %. The mean time takenwas 13.5 (± 18.4) minutes. Twenty per cent (n=19) required referral, and 80% (n=76) of consultations could be resolved at the clinic, of whom 36.8 % were cured, 38.2% had moderate, 4% had minimal improvement, 13% were lost to follow-up, and 8% refused treatment. Cure was observed in viral infections and eczema. The diagnostic concordance ranged from low values [0.38 (95% CI: 0-0.68)] in infective to moderate [0.66 (95% CI: 0.42-0.83), p=0.033] in non-infective disorders. Conclusion: Asynchronous mobile teledermatology, using specialist referral via instant messaging platforms, is a powerful modality for providing real-time dermatologic care, while offering a very promising alternative for decreasing healthcare disparities and continuity of services even in adverse situations like the Covid-19 pandemic
Towards inclusivity and sustainability in the leadership of an academic department in a South African university: A distributed perspective
Get PDFHistorically, the concept of Head of Department within a university context has been understood as a one-person role. Despite the increasing complexity of the role, the position remains exclusive and, for many academics, undesirable. Reliant only on a single individual, the position, located at the centre of complex relational interfaces, is known to generate tension and role conflict between the scholarly project and management and administrative matters. Against this backdrop, this paper argues for the conceptualisation of the leadership of an academic department through a distributed lens. It argues that, by so doing, the possibility exists for inclusion and sustainability in the practice of departmental leadership. In making this argument, the paper draws on the case of the leadership of an academic department in a South African university. Participants included the academic and administrative staff within the department and data were generated through document analysis as well as individual and focus group interviews.
 
Teaching and Learning for Change: Education and Sustainability in South Africa (2021) edited by Ingrid Schudel, Zintle Songqwaru, Sirkka Tshiningayamwe and Heila Lotz-Sisitka
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Unpacking the efficacy of a continuous professional development programme to support teachers to use assessment in no-fee schools
Get PDFIn 2017, a series of assessment for learning (AfL) workshops were run with 18 Grade 3 foundation phase teachers from five primary schools in the Cape Winelands to enhance their use of AfL to improve teaching and learning. This professional development model comprised six monthly workshops, supplemented by classroom support visits by two of the workshop presenters. Afterwards, participating teachers, subject advisers, management and district officials were interviewed about programme efficacy.
What emerged was that while all stakeholders saw value in this CPD initiative, the subject advisers and teachers felt that they had particularly benefitted from the programme in terms of the training received, training model, materials and follow-up support visits. However, despite the teachers’ enthusiasm, there was a varied level of implementation of AfL practices in classrooms shaped by the context in which the schools were located and their internal dynamics. Affecting the efficacy of the programme – and thus having implication for sustainability – were extraneous factors such as programme timing, competing priorities and school dynamic
BUS RAPID TRANSIT AND THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE URBAN TRANSPORTATION IN METROPOLITAN KANO, NIGERIA
Get PDFKano metropolitan area is witnessing increasing population growth with transportation problems that has continued to pose serious mobility crisis of ever-increasing congestions on her roads. With growing inadequacy of public transport services, benefits of efficient planning for sustainable transportation system for a city like Kano cannot be overemphasized. This research assessed the likely challenges and opportunities of proposed Bus Rapid Transit Operations in Kano Metropolis. Through quantitative data survey and analysis, the study revealed that Kano metropolis public transport are commonly used by the low-income city residents and often fall short of demands. Although, the Kano State Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA) has been managing traffic problems in the metropolis, introducing BRT can further accelerate successful realization of the goals of 21st urban transport services that can become model for similar cities in Nigeria and beyond. Even though Kano is ancient city, it is anticipated that there would be little challenges in the introduction, building and operations of the proposed BRT in regards to structural construction and similar road expansion exercise. Generally low-income level of the city residents and the equallylow revenue base of the state are also issues that, although, important but, can hardly derail the present and future prospects of the project. We concluded that, just as the pre-colonial Trans-Sahara trades and the 20th century north-south movements were aided by camels and trains for the city of Kano, this same ancient city is yet on the verge of receiving another veritable impetus of urban and regional economic development in this 21st century of urbanization through the BRT
MULTI-DIMENSIONAL MODEL FOR FLOOD VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT IN MOKWA: A CASE OF DOWNSTREAM COMMUNITIES OF KAINJI DAM, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA
Get PDFOne of the most devastating and expensive natural hazards in the world today is flooding. Hence, several attempts have been made by different scholars and researchers across the globe and in Nigeria to study flood vulnerability. These studies focused on assessing either the physical or social components of vulnerability without a holistic assessment of all vulnerability components. A multi-dimensional approach to flood risk assessment is required to provide a holistic view of residents’ degree of vulnerability to flooding. However, where the multidimensional approach was adopted the result were aggregated and not localized to specific areas. Therefore, this study attempts to quantify the vulnerability indicators using the participatory approach and develop a multi-dimensionalapproach for flood vulnerability assessment in Mokwa, Nigeria. Vulnerability was explored through the lens of four dimensions (economic, environmental, physical, and social) and eighteen indicators. The indicators were scrutinized and standardized for easy aggregation and comparability. The indicators were weighted unequally using Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP). Nine communities and 382 households were selected purposively from the downstreamarea of the Kainji dam for sampling. The data collected were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics using XLSTAT (2014) and spatial analysis in ARCGIS 10.7 environment. The flood vulnerability index revealed that the communities experienced high flood vulnerability from all dimensions; economic (0.71), physical (0.66), social (0.62), and environmental (0.57). The study reported a multi-dimensional flood vulnerability index of 0.65, which implies a high level of vulnerability to flooding. This study has found significant variations in all dimensions of vulnerability among the communities. The study concludes that the multi-dimensional approach to flood vulnerability provides information on the vulnerable population as well as the factors driving vulnerability in the area. The study recommends the use of a multi-dimensional approach, sophisticated models, site-specific indicators, and fine-resolution satellite data for future vulnerability assessment
In search of teacher professionalism: TVET teachers’ “dual narrative” of professionalism
Get PDFThe Green Paper (2012) and the White Paper (2013) for post-school education and training (PSET) identified the South African college sector as the sub-system targeted to undergo the greatest expansion and diversification in terms of enrolments despite acknowledgement that the sector lacked capacity to achieve acceptable levels of throughput or absorb larger student numbers. The professionalisation of college teaching staff through formal teaching qualifications became a key remedial policy focus.
Against this background, the research study on which we report investigated what professionalism means in TVET institutions where occupational expertise and workplace experience have traditionally been valued higher than formal teaching qualifications. A sample of just over 200 NC(V) teachers[i] in Business Studies and Engineering Studies participated in a mixed-method study across five provinces.
A key finding was that, although professional qualifications serve a motivational and career aspiration function for TVET teachers, professionalism as a benchmark of quality improvement requires an instiutional and curriculum framing that extends beyond credentialing.
[i] We are using TVET teachers throughout as this best corresponds with international conventions although in South Africa lecturer is preferred
Influence of selected social factors on career decisionmaking of grade 12 learners in township secondary schools in South Afric
Get PDFCareer decision-making is a challenge to most learners in secondary schools in South Africa. The present study examined the influence of selected social factors (influence of older siblings, peer influence, teacher's influence, and career information services) on career decision-making of grade 12 learners in township secondary schools in South Africa. A correlational survey research design was adopted. The sample size of 260 learners was obtained using the stratified random sampling technique. The questionnaire including peer influence, teacher's influence, career information service, the influence of older siblings, and career decision-making was used to collect data. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient analysis was used to measure the internal consistency of the questionnaire and all sub-scales had excellent internal consistency reliability. The Kaiser-Meyer-Oklin measure of sample adequacy (KMO Index) and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity were used to confirm internal validity. Quantitative data were analysed using inferential statistics such as Pearson Product Moment Correlation, linear, and multiple regression analysis. According to the findings, the strongest correlation was between teacher influence and career decision-making (r=.643, n=204, p.01), followed by the relationship between career information services and career decision-making (r =.607, n=204, p.01), but peer influence had the least relationship with career decision-making (r (204) =.514, p.01. The influence of older siblings also had a significant direct relationship with career decision-making among the grade 12 learners (r=.566, n=204, p<.01). The study recommends that teacher counsellors should adopt a multifaceted approach in developing career decision-making programmes for learners in secondary schools
Telemedicine use and satisfaction among Filipinos during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFIntroduction: There is limited knowledge on telemedicine use and patient satisfaction in the Philippines, especially during COVID-19. Aim: To examine visit-related characteristics of two years of video consultations conducted during the pandemic, patient satisfaction, and identified patient- and visit-related characteristics associated with video consultation satisfaction scores. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of telemedicine use and satisfaction of patients aged ≥18y, who had a video consultation between 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2022, using the SeeYouDoc (SYD) platform. As part of SYD’s routine oversight, after each video consultation, SYD a 6-item feedback survey was automatically prompted which assessed the patient’s level of comfort during the encounter, their perception of the convenience of telemedicine, the acceptability of the lack of physical contact during the consult, presence of privacy-related concerns, overall satisfaction, and their intention to use teleconsultation again. Each item was evaluated on a 5-point Likert scale with 5 as the highest score. These scores were collected, and t-test and ANOVA were employed to measure the differences in mean telemedicine satisfaction scores. Results: 12,378 telemedicine visits were conducted from 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2022 and patient feedback was received from1,896 patients (15.3%). The mean age of the respondents was 34.7±12.3y. The majority were females (83.1%), new SYD telemedicine patients (69.1%), and in the 26-39y age group (57.0%). Satisfaction with telemedicine was expressed by 73.8%, 63.4% were highly satisfied while 26.2% reported dissatisfaction. Mean telemedicine satisfaction scores were significantly higher among patients who had their telemedicine visit in 2021 (x̄=4.7±0.92) compared to 2020 (x̄=3.4±1.75) and 2022 (x̄=4.3±1.32), p<0.001. Patients aged 60-79 years old had a higher mean satisfaction score compared to other age groups, p=0.014. Higher mean telemedicine satisfaction scores were observed among male patients, those with completed video consultations, and patients who paid for their consultation, p<0.001. Conclusion: We observed high patient satisfaction with telemedicine during COVID-19. Filipino patients and families consider telemedicine a viable medium to receive healthcare services