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Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices of male adults regarding the uptake of HIV counselling and testing in Opuwo district, Kunene region, Namibia
No full textA research thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Nursing scienceHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) are one among the different approaches implemented to curb the spread of HIV infections and minimise the impact on individuals and families. VCT are considered effective strategies in risk reduction among sexually active individuals, hence, the involvement of men in HIV services is critical to ensure the success of such services. Efforts by government and civil society organisations to get more men involved in HIV services in Namibia over the years have yielded little benefits. This research focused on determining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of male adults regarding the use of VCT services in Opuwo District, Kunene Region, in Namibia. Data were collected in Opuwo town, Otuzemba and Katutura locations. The aim was to determine the role played by the male adults’ knowledge, attitudes, or practices in the uptake of HIV testing. The purpose of this research was to appraise the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of VCT and to determine their association with demographic data on HIV uptake of the male adults in Opuwo district. The study employed a descriptive cross section study, method was used to select the respondents from a population which was done from September to November 2019. The simple random sampling of men aged between 15-50 years and above. The sampling formular used was EPI-INFO version 7 with a confidence interval of 95% and a power of 80%, which gave a sample of 113 participants. Data were gathered from 113 participants using a structured questionnaire that was distributed by the researcher and with the help of two people. The theoretical framework that was utilised in this study was the Health Belief Model, which submits the way beliefs guide individual actions and the process that people go through to change their behaviour The study was guided by ethical principles of beneficence, principle of respect for person and principle of justice. The research sought to determine the degree of knowledge regarding attitude and ii consumption of VCT services by male participants. The association between the data of the participants and other variables was tested using a Chi square. The participants in the study were men who had an average age of 30years. While 95.5% of the participants were knowledgeable about HIV/VCT, 60% had a negative attitude towards VCT, and 60% of the participants had never tested for HIV. The fear of positive results, stigma and discrimination, and confidentiality of test results if they were positive was reported as the main barrier for VCT uptake among men. Arguably, if male participation in accessing VCT services is to be enhanced, VCT programme should reduce, HIV stigma and improve access and trust towards VCT in the district. Other possible interventions are the setting up of regular home-based VCT programmes and the mainstreaming of HIV Testing Services in community development programmes. The chi-square test showed that the type of occupation has an influence on the knowledge of HIV. Finally, the study concluded that outreach programmes that target the testing of men should be encouraged or introduced by Community Based Organisations, and the Ministry of Health and Social Services
A critical analysis of the impact of research in education: A systematic review
No full textMany studies have demonstrated the impact of research in many spheres of life. With the scientific knowledge on the rise, we postulated that impact of research is evident in different scientific fields, which includes education. It is not easy to provide a scholarly definition of the term impact of research as it lacks a standard definition and has various applications. Its uses ranges measuring specific measures to measuring different phenomena. However, impact of research is a demonstrable contribution outside academia. It is a benefit that society gets because of research activities and one way of archiving this benefit can be through the addition of value and improvement of the quality of life as a consequence of research. From the education perspective, the meaning of the impact of research may include the development of skills, knowledge, values, and cultural norms of a people. It is equally alluded to the ability to transform the art of teaching, which might lead to useful lessons that explain the curriculum to the benefit of the students. The impact of research can also mean the ability to influence the modification of educational policies to align them with the global educational trends. This critical systematic review addresses the gap in knowledge about the impact of research in basic education. It further provides a broader understanding of how the research impact affects teaching approaches, education policy, and how it influences education management.Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science, and Technology (CREST), Stellenbosch Universit
A reflection on constructively aligned remote assessment for quality learning beyond COVID-19 pandemic: A case of University of Namibia
No full textThis paper will describe three aspects of remote assessment as a point of reflection at UNAM. It premises its discussion on an understanding that remote assessment is context specific, and it is not implemented in isolation from the theories and principles of assessment. Furthermore, to guide academics reflection on the remote assessment process post COVID-19, it is essential that the paper sheds light on both summative and formative assessment as approaches to assessment.To take a critical reflection on quality assessment used beyond remote teaching, learning and assessment at the University of Namibia. Objectives: 1) To encourage assessment tasks that promote critical thinking beyond remote learning period. 2) To promote constructively aligned assessment that enhances quality student learning. 3) To fulfill various purposes of assessment in higher education setting. Method: The paper adopted Donald Schön’s Reflection-in-Action as method to critique constructive aligned assessment for quality learning beyond COVID-19 era. Findings: The main findings revealed that for quality post-remote assessment to take place it should be aligned to curriculum, teaching and learning activities. Quality assessment promotes student lifelong learning and the assessment criteria should be explicit. Conclusion: The paper concluded that assessment is the heart of education and should be well understood by both lecturers and students. Effort should be made to ensure that culture does not constraint quality remote assessment. Recommendations: It is recommended that the university should organize capacity building training for lecturers in the ever-changing assessment practice. Finally, it is recommended that attention should be placed on demystifying remote assessment which enhances teaching and lifelong learnin
Facebook as a learning support tool for physical science grade 12 learners in selected school in the Oshikoto Region, Namibia
No full textA research thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Education (Education Technology)The purpose of the study was to explore whether Facebook has the potential to support
teaming and mastery of Physical Science to improve learners' academic performance
on the topic of stoichiometry at Grade 12 level in selected schools in the Oshikoto
Region. The hypothesis of this study was:
Ho: There is no significant difference in the learner's academic performance in
NSSCO Physical Science on the topic of stoichiometry when Facebook is
used as a learning support tool.
HJ: There is a significant difference in the learner's academic performance in
NSSCO Physical Science on the topic of stoichiometry when Facebook is
used as a learning support tool.
The study used a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design, constituted
of a Non- Equivalent-Groups Pre-test, Intervention and Post-test. The sample
consisting of 38 participants were selected using stratified random sampling method
in order to ensure that not all students of the same academic ability are in the same
group. Both the control and experimental group consisted of 19 participants in each
group.
During the intervention, the control group participants were supported in a traditional
way of teaching. They received notes, handouts, exercises and homework. While for
the experimental group, in addition to the traditional way of teaching, had access to
multimedia and interaction through Facebook.
After the intervention the mean score of the experimental group highly increased
exceeding the mean score of the control group. The calculated statistical value (t-value
= 4.5802363101) at a= 0.05 with a degree of freedom of36 is greater than the critical
statistical value (t - critical =2.750). Therefore, there exists a significant difference
between the control and experimental score marks when Facebook was used as a
learning support tools. These reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative
hypothesis. This study shows that teachers can no longer avoid using relevant social
media technologies. Therefore, the study put forward a case that there is a need to
develop models and strategies to guide all educational stakeholders on how Social
Media Networks can be effectively used as learning environments
An exploration of romantic relationship quality of adults from divorced parents in Windhoek, Namibia
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology)Parental divorce is not a uniform experience and diverse experiences associated with parental divorce may account for variation in romantic relationship outcomes among children of divorce. It is very likely that parental divorce may influence young adults’ romantic relationships by shaping their attitudes towards marriage or divorce and their commitment to their own relationships. Intimacy, security, commitment and trust in adult relationships are often threatened by having experienced a parental divorce sometime during childhood. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the quality of romantic relationships of (young) adults whose parents divorced. Little research has explored the connection between experiencing parental divorce as a child and the quality of the child’s adult romantic relationships. The study employed a qualitative research approach, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The sample consists out of 11 Namibian adults between the ages of 25 and 35 years that lives in Windhoek, and who are in a long-term romantic relationship or married; the parents of one person in the relationship had divorced when he/she was growing up. The results revealed that almost all participants had a negative experience of their parents’ divorce which affected their perception toward divorce. Unfavourable attitudes toward own divorce were reported and favourable attitudes toward others getting a divorce. It further revealed that the overall level of commitment in the relationships of the participants resulted as very high. Participants’ satisfaction in their current relationship also resulted as high. Moreover, the quality of their relationships was not negatively affected. The study recommends interventions in the form of providing therapy to children of divorce and educating parents about the effect of divorce on the psychological functioning of children and adaptation
An investigative study into the impact of the newly introduced procurement policy on the supply chain departments in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the master of business administration finance degreeThe study investigated the impact of the newly introduced procurement act on
the supply chain departments in Namibia. The Public Procurement Act, 2015
(Act No. 15 of 2015) was enacted and came into effect on 01 April 2017. The
act aims to increase transparency and accountability. The Namibian government
uses public procurement to achieve socio-economic objectives, which are
commonly referred to as horizontal policies. This practice is a widely accepted
tool of public procurement and has been around for a long time and includes
objectives such as poverty alleviation by reducing the unemployment rate and
providing equal opportunities to groups from previously disadvantaged
communities such as women and youth through economic empowerment. The
mixed methods research design was used in this study. Purposive sampling was
used to select employees from finance and procurement departments. The study
established that 40% of the respondents were male while 60% were female. In
addition, 80% of the participants indicated that the procurement act had
improved the processes of selecting suppliers, while 20% of the respondents
thought there was no improvement. A total of 40% of the respondents indicated
that the effectiveness of the procurement act was high, and 30% indicated that
it was just average. Conversely, 15% of the respondents indicated that it was
low, 5% indicated that it was very low, and 5% indicated that it was very high.
The study also established that the Government should invest in appropriate
information and communication technology such as databases on goods and
services prices to support procurement officials in their daily work and
decisions. A key challenge in Namibia has been the need to define an adequate
level of transparency to ensure fair and equal treatment of providers and
integrity in public procurement, given that transparency in public procurement
bears an immediate cost for government and bidders. The recommendations
drawn from the research were that there should be promotion and enhancement
of transparency regarding preferential procurement policies, determinants, and
related information for the public and promotion of inclusion of new entrants in
the supplier value chai
Clinicopathological study of snakebite injury resulting from Zebra spitting Cobra (naja nigricincta nigricincta) and Puff adder (bitis arietans)
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Pathology)Snakebite injury is a significant public health hazard worldwide, with an estimated 1.8 – 2.7 million people bitten annually by venomous snakes, resulting in about 81 000 – 137 8800 deaths. It is frequently overlooked and understudied, and it primarily affects rural and remote areas. Snakebites have been reported to be common in Namibia. The most commonly striking species being the zebra spitting cobra (Naja nigricincta nigricincta) and the puff adder (Bitis areitans) which are also regarded to be among the most venomous. There is a lack of information on snakebite pathology with few health care facilities equipped to treat snakebites. This study described for the first time, clinical course of patients bitten by Naja nigricincta nigricincta (N. n. nigricincta) and Bitis areitans (B. a. arietans) in Namibia. Furthermore, the current study evaluated systemic symptoms of organ damage as well as patient’s recovery from snakebite injuries. This was a mixed method, observational study including 20 patients with snakebite injury who presented to and were treated at Namibia's two major referral hospitals, Katutura Intermediate State Hospital and Windhoek Central Hospital. Clinical and laboratory data were gathered from patient hospital records and personal observation. GraphPad Prism (version 8.0.2) software was utilized for the analysis. Out of 20 cases of snakebites, the majority of about 65 % (13) were males, with minors between the age of 0 – 15 years accounting for 65 % (13) of the snakebite cases. N. n. nigricincta was responsible for 60 % (12) of the snakebite injuries and 40 % (8) by B. a. arietans. Most patients (80 %) admitted to the hospital showed cytotoxic bites, with two cases of dry bites from B. a. arietans. Neurotoxicity was observed in 40 % (8) patients bitten by N. n. nigricincta and 10 % (2) bitten by B. a. arietans. Snake antivenom was only administered to 15 % (3) patients with snakebite injuries. The bite of a N. n. nigricincta was associated with anaemia, haemolysis, rhabdomyolysis, kidney damage, and liver damage. Whereas bites form B. a. arietans had no systemic damage, beside mild neurotoxicity in the patients. Three patients of the snakebite cases required amputation, with no fatalities, and six required physiotherapy intervention to restore, maintain, and improve most of the participants' mobility and functions. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that in general snakebite injuries is common in Namibia. To reduce chances of complications it is essential that community members present early to health facilities. For the first time, this study documented clinical pathology induced by N. n. nigricincta and B. a. arietans in Namibia
The effect of pharmacist-provided discharge counselling on medication knowledge and adherence among patients with cardiovascular diseases at Windhoek central hospital, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Pharmacy (Clinical Pharmacy)Background: Pharmacists are ideally placed to provide medication counselling to patients during the discharge stage of the patient care journey due to their extensive knowledge of medications. The provision of tailored educational counselling and adequate information about medications may improve patients’ adherence, level of confidence, self-efficacy, and understanding of how to take their medications. Objectives: To pilot the implementation of a pharmacist-provided discharge counselling service and to measure patients’ level of medication knowledge and adherence before and after implementation of the service. Methods: A prospective quasi-experimental study was completed among adult patients with cardiovascular diseases admitted to Windhoek Central Hospital during between November 2020 and May 2021. Patients taking at least one chronic medicine prior to admission and at discharge were included in the study. The study comprised of a control phase prior to implementation of the pharmacist-provided discharge counselling service and an intervention phase following implementation. Each phase was 3 months long with a one-month period between the two phases that was devoted to educational programmes. Patients in the intervention group received discharge counselling by trained pharmacists while patients in the control group received usual care. Patients’ level of medication adherence and medication knowledge were assessed through interviews within a day of admission and on days 7 and 14 post-discharge. Repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to compare the level of medication knowledge and adherence among patients in the control and intervention groups. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 84 patients comprising 42 patients in each group were evaluated. Female patients accounted for 59.5% (25/42) and 69.0% (29/42) of the patients in the control and intervention group, respectively. The mean age of patients in the control group was 45.5 years (range: 18-80 years) compared to 39.3 years (range: 18-69 years) in the intervention group. After controlling for the level of adherence at admission, there was a statistically significant difference in the levels of patient adherence to medication on days 7 and 14 post discharge as a consequence of pharmacist-provided counselling, (F (1, 81) = 110.626, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.577). Estimated marginal means of adherence levels were different in the control (M = 80.273, SE = 0.46) and intervention (M = 87.14, SE = 0.46) groups. The level of adherence at admission was significantly related to the levels of adherence on days 7 and 14 post-discharge, F (1, 81) = 126.35, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.609). In addition, there was no significant difference in the levels of adherence measured on days 7 and 14 after discharge from hospital, F (1, 81) = 0.030, p = 0.862, ηp2 = 0.001). After controlling for patient’s level of medication knowledge at admission, there was a significant effect of pharmacist-provided counselling on the levels of patients’ medication knowledge measured on days 7 and 14 post-discharge, (F (1, 81) = 41.49, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.339). Estimated marginal means of levels of knowledge were different in the control (M = 62.20, SE = 0.72) and intervention (M = 68.76, SE = 0.72) groups. The level of medication knowledge at admission was significantly related to the levels of medication knowledge on days 7 and 14 post-discharge, F (1, 81) = 273.79, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.772). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the levels of medication knowledge measured on days 7 and 14 after discharge from hospital, F (1, 81) = 9.03, p = 0.004, ηp2 = 0.1). ii Conclusions: Implementation of a pharmacist-provided discharge counselling service resulted in improvements in the level of medication knowledge and adherence among patients
Prophylactic phenylephrine bolus versus infusion for prevention of maternal hypotension during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section at Windhoek-based teaching hospitals, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Medicine (Anaesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Management)Background: Maternal hypotension is a common complication of spinal anaesthesia during caesarean delivery. Injection of vasopressors with non-pharmacological measures have been investigated for prevention of martenal hypotension as well as the foeto-maternal effects of treatment.
Aim: The primary aim of the study was to compare prophylactic 50 mcg phenylephrine bolus (PB) with a fixed continuous 25 mcg/min phenylephrine infusion (PI). The secondary aim was to assess the side effects and neonatal outcomes of the two treatments.
Settings and design: A prospective, randomised, controlled double-blinded study was conducted in the maternity theatres of Windhoek Central Hospital and Katutura Intermediate Hospital.
Methods and Materials: Ninety-two eligible parturients, ASA I and II, scheduled for elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia were recruited and randomised into two groups. PB group received a prophylactic 50 mcg phenylephrine (PE) bolus immediately after spinal anaesthesia whereas PI group received prophylactic 25 mcg/min PE infusion. Maternal blood pressure, heart rate and side effects were recorded every minute for the first 20 minutes while neonatal outcome was assessed with Apgar score at the 1st and 5th minute.
Statistical Analysis: Categorical variables were presented in numbers and percentages.
Normally distributed continuous variables were presented as mean standard deviation (±SD) and compared using t-test. Non normally distributed continuous variables were compared with Mann-Whitney test. A p-value of p< 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: Parturients in the PI group had a significantly lower incidence of hypotension than PB
group (32% vs 71% p = 0.0001). Nausea and vomiting was lower in PI group than PB group (13% vs 31% p = 0.033). Reflex bradycardia was comparable between groups (p= 0.489). No parturient in the PB group had reactive hypertension whereas 11% of participants in PI group did (p=0.024). Participants in the PI group received about 36% more phenylephrine than the PB group (p=0. 0277). Apgar scores between the two groups showed good neonatal outcomes.
Conclusion: There was better control of blood pressure in the PI group than PB group. Both groups had similar incidence of reflex bradycardia as well as good neonatal outcomes.
Intraoperative nausea and vomiting (IONV) was higher in the PB group than PI group, whereas no reactive hypertension experienced in PB group
Utilization of plant genetic resources of Bambara groundnut conserved ex situ and genetic diversification of its primary genepool for semi-arid production
No full textBambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) is a nutritious and drought-tolerant crop that is native to Africa. Currently, it possesses a cosmopolitan distribution across the semi-arid agro-ecologies of Africa and its cultivation has extended to other regions, particularly in the drier parts of Asia and Indonesia. Due to historic neglect, research on the crop and policy prioritization in national breeding programs is lagging; hence, varietal development is in its infancy. Farmers rely on traditional landraces, which are characterized by low productivity and yield. Breeding for moisture stress adaptation and high yield is crucial to improve its productivity and adequate genetic diversity is desired to strengthen resiliency for climate adaptation and nutritional and food security. Nevertheless, thousands of plant genetic resources (PGRs) conserved in several gene banks are still not being fully utilized to reintroduce lost diversity into farmers’ fields and pre-breeding activities.
The exploitation of ex situ conserved PGRs has been minimal due to a lack of extensive genetic characterization. Thus, to harness utilization of the PGRs in genetic improvement programs, holistic strategies including the traditional genomic resources and participatory-led trait discoveries are needed to bridge the gap between conservation and utilization of ex situ germplasm. This review focuses on the PGRs of bambara, methods to widen genetic diversity, genomic resources, and highthroughput phenotyping to enhance the utilization of genetic resources in pre-breeding programs, and approaches to identify useful adaptive features for yield and drought