16918 research outputs found
Sort by
Fair work for platform workers: lessons from the EU directive and beyond
No full textThe adoption of an EU Directive on Platform Work in March 2024 signals a crucial acknowledgement of the need for legal regulation of a burgeoning form of work which defies traditional conceptions of the employment relationship. In the past decade, platform work has been one of the fastest growing forms of work globally, and Europe has been no exception. It is estimated that, as of 2022, there are over 28 million people performing platform work in the European Union alone, with the number likely to rise to 43 million by 2025. Although it promises flexibility, autonomy and lower barriers to entry compared to more traditional forms of work, platform work has been shown to foster precarity and insecurity for many. Platform work combines the challenges of casual work, which have already strained the boundaries of labour law, with those of algorithmic management, in which managerial power is increasingly mediated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The EU Platform Work Directive (PWD) is potentially a blueprint not just for regulating platform work, but for wider regulation of both casual work and algorithmic management systems. This paper analyses the PWD from the perspective of our extensive on-the-ground research as part of the Fairwork project and uses this experience to suggest ways forward for the proposed ILO Convention. The project works along three axes: to understand the conditions of platform workers better so that we can shape appropriate decent work standards; to achieve change through annual ranking of platforms based on compliance with the Fairwork principles; and to use this evidence to craft legal standards and explore avenues to achieve their formal adoption. The paper begins discussing who should be the subject of legal protection. The paper then turns to the substantive rights which have been formulated and tested by the Fairwork project. The paper concludes with recommendations for a future proposal for an ILO Convention on Platform Work
Taxonomy of the small south african endemic genus microdon choisy (scrophulariaceae: limoselleae)
No full textThe taxonomy of the genus Microdon Choisy (Scrophulariaceae: Limoselleae) is revised. It is a genus of ericoid or microphyllous shrubs separated from Selago L. and other uniovulate members in the tribe by a combination of characters, notably the calyx tube adnate for up to half its length to the bract, with the posticous ovary locule aborted. The entirely eglandular vestiture of the plants is also diagnostic. The plicate calyx is very shortly and sub-equally 5-lobed and glabrous or more usually with spinules on the lower ribs. The flowers are moderately long-tubed with lobes shorter than the tube, and the anticous stamens are shortly included with the posticous pair either exserted or lacking. The fruits are clearly adapted for wind-dispersal, the diaspores shed as a unit comprising the prominent, wing-like bract attached to the calyx that expands to partially or fully enclose the solitary coccus, which remains attached to the receptacle. We recognise seven species in the genus, segregated between sect. Microdon for four species with straight corolla tubes and four stamens with smaller anthers 0.5–1.0 mm long, and sect. Agathelpis for three species with arcuate or geniculate corolla tubes and two stamens with larger anthers ± 2 mm long. The new species M. lyperioides J.C.Manning & R.Maluleke from the Piketberg is distinguished from the sympatric M. dubius by the longer leaves, dense whitish pubescence on the stems, and the markedly patent flowers with longer corolla tube mm 3\0554 mm"?>13–14 mm long and longer corolla lobes 3–4 mm long
Experiences of skilled birth attendants with dissemination strategies and use of maternal clinical guidelines: a qualitative synthesis
No full textDespite several evidence-based clinical guidelines aimed at improving the quality of maternal care as well as avert maternal mortality, guidelines frequently fail to reach the intended users. This qualitative synthesis explored experiences of Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs) dissemination strategies and use of Maternal Clinical Guidelines (MCGs) by SBAs within the primary health care settings. Studies focusing on experiences of dissemination and use of evidence-based MCGs by SBAs were included. Further, it included studies published in English and those conducted between 2010–2023. A search was conducted using search terms “Maternal clinical guidelines “Dissemination” “Use” “Implementation” “Skilled birth attendants” “experiences or perceptions or attitudes or views or feelings or qualitative or perspective”. The search was done via Hinari and EBSCOhost in; Medline, PubMed, CINAHL. Additionally, searches were conducted using reference lists of the selected papers. Grey literature was searched from library repository and google scholar for further information. Search articles were uploaded in Mendeley, and duplicates removed. We included qualitative studies (10), mixed methods studies (5) and two (2) qualitative systematic syntheses because of paucity in qualitative only articles. Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Sumari appraisal tool was used to conduct the appraisal. All the articles included in this study were all imported to ATLAS ti for data management. The articles were code, grouped and themes developed. Three themes emerged: Dissemination strategies of MCGs, Use of MCGs (SBAs health systems factors), Improved utilization of maternal clinical guidelines. The findings of this study show experience in terms of facilitators and barriers to dissemination and use of guidelines. The study found Guidelines factors, Health systems factors, Skilled birth attendants’ factors and Community factors as the main facilitators and barriers for dissemination and use of guidelines. Future primary research may focus on, dissemination methods, actual use, and the outcomes of use. Additionally, the importance of appropriate use of maternal clinical guidelines needs to be emphasized early in midwifery competency education and more emphasis during in-service education
Access to tuberculosis care in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review
No full textBACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health issue in South Africa, a high-burden TB country. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated challenges in accessing essential TB services. This scoping review explores how access to TB care was impacted during the pandemic. AIM: This research aimed to review original studies on access to TB care in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic using a scoping review methodology. METHOD: A scoping review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Five databases were systematically searched for original peer-reviewed research published between 2020 and 2022. Data were extracted and synthesised using the Penchansky and Thomas framework of healthcare access. RESULTS: Three studies met the inclusion criteria. The review identified significant disruptions in TB service delivery during the pandemic, including reduced diagnostic capacity, healthcare facility closures and economic barriers. Patients reported delayed diagnoses and increased stigma, while healthcare workers faced resource shortages and operational challenges
Surviving extremely low birth weight infants have a higher risk of ROP in Sub-Saharan Africa
No full textAim: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) risk factors have been investigated in population-based
studies from most global regions. No such studies are available from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where improved neonatal care is increasing the survival of preterm infants at risk of ROP.
Methods: A population-based study was conducted in infants born in Cape Town, South Africa, from 1 May 2022 to 31 January 2023. The screening criteria were birth weight < 1250 g or gestational age < 32 weeks. The data were extracted from the Retinopathy of Prematurity South African register.
Results: The study included 378 screened infants, 115 (30.4%) of whom developed ROP. In the multiple regression analyses, lower birth weight was an independent ROP risk factor, OR 1.3 95% CI 1.2–1.5, p < 0.001. Surgical necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) was the only other independent ROP risk factor, OR 5.8 95% CI 1.6–21.0, p = 0.007. Infants with birth weight < 1000 g were 39.4% (130/378) of those screened and more likely to develop ROP compared to larger infants, OR 2.4 95% CI 1.5–3.9, p < 0.001.
Conclusion: Birth weight remained a significant ROP risk factor, especially for those born weighing less than 1000 g. These infants represented a larger proportion of screened infants compared to previous Sub-Saharan African studies
Teaching entrepreneurship at a University in South Africa: who should teach and what methods work best?
No full textThe purpose of the current research study was to identify appropriate educators for teaching entrepreneurship at the university level and to explore the best teaching methods for developing entrepreneurial knowledge and skills among students. The study aims to address two key questions in entrepreneurship education: (1) Who should teach entrepreneurship in universities? and (2) What methods are effective in teaching entrepreneurship in universities? The study was conducted using an interpretative phenomenological qualitative research approach. Data were collected from a purposive sample of eight (8) entrepreneurship educators from a South African university. Data collection spanned three months, from November 2024 to January 2025. The key findings of the study suggest that entrepreneurship should be taught by academics with practical experience, academics with at least a Master’s degree, entrepreneurs invited as guest lecturers, incubator professionals, and technology professionals. Additionally, the research revealed teaching methods that can be used to effectively teach entrepreneurship in universities: Universities need to prioritise hiring and training entrepreneurship educators with both academic and real-world experience and facilitate collaborations with incubators and real-world entrepreneurs. Teaching methods need to incorporate experiential learning methods such as startup simulations, case studies, and partnerships with innovation hubs. The study offers valuable insights into who should teach entrepreneurship and how it should be taught, emphasising the need for a multidisciplinary approach and practical orientation to develop entrepreneurial capabilities and mindsets among students
Exploring socio-demographic factors associated with poor school attendance among secondary school learners in South Africa
No full textThe Department of Basic Education in South Africa acknowledges that 99% of primary school-aged children attend school, but attendance at secondary school level is not yet universal. Low levels of secondary school attendance contribute to poverty and unemployment. We investigated the socio-demographic elements associated with school attendance among secondary school-aged learners in South Africa. We adopted a quantitative research approach and a cross-sectional design. The positivist research paradigm was applied, and the 2019 General Household Survey data (nationally representative survey) were used. The family socialisation theory and household production framework were embraced as the theoretical framework in this study. Descriptive analysis and cross-tabulations were conducted, and a Chi-square test was performed to measure the association between school attendance and learners’ characteristics. Furthermore, logistic regression was conducted to explore the factors associated with school attendance. Study findings agree with the assertions of the family socialisation theory and household production framework. We found that the overall school attendance level was 93.5% and older learners had significantly lower levels of school attendance. High levels of educational qualification of household heads inspired higher school attendance as the odds of school attendance for learners quadrupled when household heads attained secondary education relative to those with unschooled heads (OR = 4.1; p < 0.001). Being a Coloured learner, being part of a large household, being an orphan, and living in a low-income household were associated with reduced levels of school attendance. We recommend targeting and supporting learners who are over-aged for their grades, Coloured, and with poor or educationally low family backgrounds via conditional cash transfers to improve school attendance in the South African population
Frameworks used to evaluate community-based rehabilitation interventions: a scoping review
No full textBackground: Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) interventions are important for improving the well-being of people with disabilities. However, there is no universally accepted framework for evaluating these interventions, which limits their effectiveness and integration into policy. Objectives: To explore theoretical frameworks used in evaluating CBR interventions, assessing their suitability, context-specific applicability and cultural relevance. Method: A scoping review methodology was employed to examine the literature. Databases searched included PubMed, CINAHL, EBSCOhost and Web of Science. Broad search terms and keywords used were CBR, analytical and/or methodological and/or theoretical and/or conceptual and/or evaluation framework, impact and evaluation. Only full-text articles written in English and published between 2000 and 2020 were included. Data were analysed using a narrative synthesis metho
Progress towards the control of invasive alien species in the Cape Floristic Region’s protected areas
No full textThis paper assesses progress towards the control of biological invasions in 18 protected areas (PAs) covering 677 584 ha in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), and whether progress has been sufficient to achieve Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We used eight indicators for assessing the inputs (quality of the regulatory framework, money spent and planning coverage for species and protected areas), outputs (species and protected areas treated), and outcomes (effectiveness of species and protected area treatments) of management. The estimated money spent over 13 years (2010–2022) was ZAR 976 million, or ZAR 75 million per year. Management plans for PAs were assessed as adequate over 78.5% of the area, but only six out of 226 regulated invasive species had species-specific control plans in place. A total of 567 alien species occurred in the CFR’s PAs, 226 of which were regulated species (i.e. species that had to be controlled), 126 (55.8%) of which received some management. Spending was highly skewed, with over 60% of all funding spent on trees and shrubs in the genus Acacia. Management efforts reached 24% of the land within the CFR’s protected areas, with higher coverage in national parks (60%) than in provincial nature reserves (9%). Management effectiveness was assessed as either permanent, effective or partially effective for 29 species (20 due to biological control), and ineffective for 25; for the remainder, there was either no management or effectiveness could not be evaluated. We conclude that some progress has been made with respect to controlling invasive alien species in the CFR, but that insufficient and declining funding remains a significant barrier to effective management. To increase efficiency, it will be necessary to secure additional funding from more diversified sources, make more use of biological control and prescribed fire, and regularly monitor the outcomes of management
Cemento-osseous dysplasia: a multi-centre analysis of surgical management
No full textPurpose: Cemento-osseous dysplasia (COD) is a fibro-osseous lesion whose management is highly controversial in the literature. Due to scarcity of comprehensive studies on its management, the aim of this study was to analyse its management and develop a treatment protocol. Methods: A multi-centre retrospective cohort analysis was conducted at two tertiary referral hospitals on 124 patients diagnosed with COD from 2005 to 2023. Demographic, clinical, and radiological data were analysed and correlated with treatment methods. Post-operative complications such as osteomyelitis or pathological fracture were documented along with follow-up visits to evaluate the need for further treatment. Data was analysed using Student’s t-test and Fisher’s exact test. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The patients’ ages ranged from 22 to 78 years (mean: 48.5 years), with majority being females (90.4%) and of African descent (95.9%). Radiopaque CODs presented significantly higher rate of symptoms compared to radiolucent or mixed lesions (p = 0.02). The majority of incidental CODs were managed through observation (72%), while six incidental CODs underwent biopsy due to suspicion of more sinister lesions. Symptomatic lesions were mainly treated by curettage (29.7%) or local excision (48.6%), while only one symptomatic case was managed with observation and antibiotics (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Biopsy of asymptomatic COD should only be reserved for cases with inconclusive clinico-pathological features. The decision to surgically treat COD should be based on the presence of symptoms and infection. Early curettage or excision of infected COD is the most effective approach to eradicate the disease and prevent progression into osteomyelitis. Clinical trial number: : Not applicable