1,720,962 research outputs found
Southern African traditional values and belief systems and the informed consent process in biomedical research : perceptions of the san’s code of ethics.
Full text linkMaster of Art in Population Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal. Durban, 2017.Aside from development, further reductions in mortality rates in the population require advances in medical technologies, medications and vaccinations. To achieve these advances, medical research has to be undertaken in populations to determine the safety, efficacy and cost effectiveness of these interventions. In order to provide this evidence base, human participants are required in randomised control trails and studies of other designs. Obtaining proper informed consent is crucial to ensuring that we conduct such studies in an ethical manner. The focus of this work will be on the comprehensibility of the concept and its application on the general population of South Africa, taking into account the fact that informed consent advocates for individuality while most Southern African concepts like Ubuntu emphasizes communal living.
Concepts such as “I am because you are and you because I am” highlight the thinking that one’s existence is dependent on the existence of the group at large. With that said, it bring us to the African communitarian ethic, whose interest is on mutual dependence rather than autonomy, therefore influencing collective decision-making process over individual consent. The above evidence suggest that the application of ethical concepts like informed consent in Southern Africa may encounter intractable ethical problems (moral dilemmas) that might be generated by some of the traditional values, practices, rituals and taboos that still govern people’s behaviour and relationships. This study explored the concept of informed consent in the doctor-patient relationship in the context of Southern African traditional values, taking into account that the communitarian system in Africa and other traditional African belief systems undoubtedly deepens ones connectedness with family, the language and belief in ancestral spirits/witchcraft. Thus there a dilemma in the application of the western principle of medical ethics in the general population in Africa.
Study Design: The application of the qualitative research method with a case study strategy and the incorporation of the inductive research philosophy with a critical postmodern approach contributed to the effectiveness of the research in achieving its objectives Measures: Individual interviews were conducted. Medical researchers were asked of their experience of implementing informed consent in South African and their perception of the new San code of ethics.
Analysis: the data from the interview was analysed in combination with data available through publications. The research adopted a thematic content analysis of the available data in order to make some evaluations and thereafter, draw inferences.
As a result, it was discovered in the research that bioethics principles and framework in Africa though may take cognizance of the bioethics principles as postulated by Western philosophy but with different approaches and practices. This is because of the difference in understanding of personhood and social interactions existing within the various communities in Africa compared to what is typically adopted in Western communities. Thus, the need for an alternative approach was necessary and Ross’ Prima Facie duties were adopted in the research as an alternative approach to ethical decision making in the process of implementing informed consent in Africa
Examining the challenges of tertiary teaching and learning in the accounting discipline within KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
Full text linkFinancial accounting poses significant challenges for students at tertiary institutions, often resulting in failure, extended graduation timelines, or dropouts, particularly in their first year of study. This study aimed to identify the obstacles encountered in teaching and learning accounting education within South African universities. The research, which employed a qualitative approach, focused on understanding the challenges faced by students in mastering financial accounting at the university level and the underlying causes. Twenty accounting learners from four public tertiary institutions in KwaZulu-Natal were interviewed using open-ended, structured questions via MS Teams. Results highlighted several key themes, including the transition from high school to university, learning strategies and the influence of high school accounting. Challenges identified encompassed the difficult nature of the subject, a shortage of qualified accounting educators, insufficient support staff, poor infrastructure conditions, inadequate classroom facilities and the absence of practical training environments. This study contributes to financial accounting higher education in South Africa by introducing a novel methodological approach, utilising a textual collage to represent data. By merging visual and language-based approaches, the collage offers a fresh perspective on educational research in accounting. Moreover, it contributes to the academic literature within the discipline, aiming to mitigate student dropout rates and prolonged graduation timelines in accounting programmes. Overall, this research endeavours to enhance pedagogical practices and support mechanisms within accounting education, fostering a conducive learning environment for students
The San Code of Ethics Versus International Ethical Guidelines: A Cross-Cultural Analysis
Full text linkThis study was designed to compare the San (Khoisan) code of ethics against key elements of the revised Council for International Organization of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) ethical guidelines, and the World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Helsinki. The study aimed to identify similarities and draw inferences in applying the San code of ethics when conducting biomedical research among indigenous populations groups in Africa and globally. In-depth interviews lasting 45 to 55 minutes were conducted among a group of 12 purposively sampled biomedical researchers in South Africa. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic content analysis. Participants observed some important similarities between the San Code of Ethics, the CIOMS ethical guidelines and the Declaration of Helsinki. Nevertheless, the research discovered that San peoples were of the opinion, that community involvement in biomedical research reduces exploitation, and enhances human dignity, and should be based on mutual respect, honesty, justice, fairness, and the ethics of care
An examination of the moral conundrum of informed consent within the framework of African values and belief systems : a case study
No full textThe notion of bio-medical ethics, which places a strong focus on individual autonomy when
considering informed consent, is mostly inspired by western European medical and moral
traditions, leaving African traditions and values out of the practice of medical ethics. This is
due to the fact that African customs and values favour communitarianism above individualism.
In African culture, your strong relationships with people in the community which include
sharing everything, including decision-making are what define you as a human being. As a
result, it is clear that when applied to the majority of Africans, the idea of individual liberty in
informed consent is inapplicable. This is because African communitarian ethics focuses on the
interests of the family, community and society and not the individual. Thus, there might be a
conflict in the application of the western principle of medical ethics in the general population
in Africa. This review paper intends to use published articles, reports, case studies, and ethical
principles to explore this potential conflict
Assessing tuberculosis knowledge, attitudes, practices, and health-seeking behaviours of students at a selected university in South Africa
Full text linkTuberculosis (TB) remains a public health concern in South Africa, particularly among young adults. This study aimed to assess and investigate the attitudes, practices, and health-seeking behaviours of students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) regarding TB. The research provides valuable insights into the awareness of TB among students, their preventive practices, and their healthcare-seeking behaviours related to the disease. A cross-sectional design was employed, utilising a structured questionnaire to collect data from a representative sample of UKZN students on the Howard College campus. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and percentages, to summarise responses. Inferential statistics, including chi-square tests, were used to explore associations between variables and assess the knowledge, attitudes, and health-seeking behaviours of respondents. The study, which included 221 postgraduate and undergraduate students, revealed that participants were well aware of the symptoms, causes, and modes of TB transmission. The descriptive analysis indicated that 97.7% of respondents exhibited good knowledge about TB, with a total mean score of 0.977 and a standard deviation of 0.149. However, regarding health-seeking behaviours and practices, 53.4% of respondents demonstrated poor health-seeking behaviours, in contrast to 46.6% who exhibited good practices, with a mean score of 0.466 and a standard deviation of 0.499. Although all respondents indicated they would visit health facilities if they suspected they had TB, there was evidence of low screening practices and suboptimal health-seeking behaviours. Based on these findings, the study suggests leveraging social media to disseminate knowledge about TB to promote its prevention and treatment
Enhancing Pedagogy and Learning Outcomes in Financial Accounting: A Case Study of Higher Education Institutions in South Africa
Full text linkThis study explores innovative strategies to enhance instruction and learning in financial accounting within higher education institutions in South Africa. Acknowledging the dynamic nature of the business environment and the evolving learner demands, the research investigates various approaches for optimizing educational outcomes. Through a comprehensive literature review, the study identifies contemporary challenges in financial accounting education and underscores the importance of adapting teaching methods to foster a deeper understanding of complex accounting principles. This research aims to bridge the gap between secondary school outputs and the expectations of tertiary financial accounting programs. The study examines systemic factors affecting financial accounting education and employs a self-study narrative approach, utilizing reflexive praxis to delve into the lived experiences of accounting lecturers. The findings, presented through thematic analysis, illustrate the reflective practices of higher education lecturers, providing valuable insights for professional development and growth in the accounting field. The paper advocates for diverse pedagogical approaches to address the challenges faced by accounting educators, emphasizing strategies to overcome teaching impediments. This article aims to enhance the success of post-secondary teaching and learning in the accounting discipline in South Africa, considering the quality of students transitioning from secondary education and their expectations upon entering tertiary education
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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