1,723,539 research outputs found
Describing correlates of early childhood screen time and outdoor time in Soweto, South Africa
No full textBackground: contextual factors are likely to influence whether young children are able to adhere to recommended health behaviours. This study aimed to: (1) describe the social and environmental characteristics of children under five living in Soweto, South Africa; and (2) determine factors associated with screen time and outdoor play in this population. Methods: household surveys were conducted in Soweto to collect data on children's screen time and access to outdoor space, as well as information about the household. A multilevel regression analysis was conducted for each outcome. Results: data on 2309 children aged five or under were included in this analysis. Children used screens for an average of one and a half hours per day during the week, and nearly 2 hours per day on weekends. Almost all (92%) children had a safe space to play inside, while just over a third (34%) had a safe space to play outside. A higher socioeconomic status was associated with less time spent playing outside and more screen time. Conclusion: interventions promoting outdoor play and restricting screen time are essential for improving health trajectories, but need to address structural barriers that exist, in order to protect the safety of children while promoting health behaviours.</p
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe 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
Adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: Crisis? What crisis? Solution? What solution?
No full textAddressing adolescent mental health care across sub-Saharan Africa faces numerous challenges, including underfunded public health systems, a shortage of mental health professionals, barriers to access, and pervasive stigma. Untreated adolescents often experience worsening symptoms, academic and social difficulties, physical health risks, and engage in risky behaviours. Early detection and appropriate treatment of common mental health conditions can support adolescents in developing robust social and emotional foundations and enhancing their mental well-being. Ensuring adolescents receive the mental health care required for healthy development depends on collaborative, evidence-based solutions that consider the contextual challenges of sub-Saharan Africa. Innovative community-based solutions to mental health services may significantly improve accessibility and support adolescents close to their homes and schools. For example, co-creation and peer-delivered interventions with professional supervision may enhance uptake and reduce stigma. This short article adds to the current debate arguing for working with communities and implementing community mental health services for common mental health conditions. Sensitivity to community-specific challenges and building referral networks are crucial for effective care. Investing in these strategies, alongside increasing mental health literacy, could lead to affordable and significant interventions to address adolescent mental health.Paper contextMain findings: Addressing adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa requires collaborative, evidence-based solutions that consider local challenges.Added knowledge: To improve adolescent mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa, it is crucial to collaborate with communities, develop community-specific solutions, and establish referral networks.Global health impact for policy and action: Investing in adolescent mental health care and enhancing mental health literacy can lead to significant, cost-effective interventions that support healthy development
Cohort Profile: Africa Wits-INDEPTH partnership for Genomic studies (AWI-Gen) in four sub-Saharan African countries
No full textKey FeaturesAfrica Wits-INDEPTH partnership for Genomic studies (AWI-Gen) was established to examine genomic, environmental and behavioural factors influencing body composition and cardiometabolic diseases and traits in African populations.Population-based longitudinal cohort, involving four sub-Saharan African countries representing rural and urban settings: West Africa [Nanoro (Burkina Faso) and Navrongo (Ghana)]; East Africa [Nairobi (Kenya)]; and South Africa (Agincourt, Dikgale/DIMAMO and Soweto).Baseline data collected from 2013 to 2017, enrolling 12 032 adults [55.1% women; mean (SD) 51.9 (8.3) years, range 37–82], with follow-up ∼5 years later and a retention rate of almost 60%. In Wave 2 an additional 579 individuals were enrolled (n = 7804; 55.9% women; 57.0 (7.9), 39–98).Main categories of data collected at two time points include sociodemographic characteristics, history of chronic diseases and lifestyle behaviours, with spirometry, cognition and frailty added in the second data collection wave. Measurements at both time points include anthropometry, blood pressure, carotid intima–media thickness and body fat distribution. Blood and urine samples are collected to measure biomarkers for diabetes, HIV, dyslipidaemia and kidney disease, and stool samples are collected in a women’s sub-sample for gut microbiome analyses. Genome-wide genotyping is available for all participants and whole genome sequences for a subset.We encourage collaboration, and data are accessible through the AWI-Gen Principal Investigator [[email protected]] in consultation with the steering committee or the H3Africa Data and Biospecimen Access Committee
Health literacy, multimorbidity and its effect on mental health in South African adults: a repeated cross-sectional nationally representative panel study
No full textObjective and methods: Health literacy is a key determinant of physical and mental health outcomes, particularly in low- and middle-income settings like South Africa, where multimorbidity is increasingly common. Limited health literacy may hinder effective management of multiple chronic conditions and worsen mental health. Using repeated cross-sectional nationally representative data, this study examined the relationship between health literacy and multimorbidity, with a specific focus on mental health among South African adults (18 years and older).Results: Most respondents had minimal depression risk, with 21.7% showing probable depression, lower than the 25.7 and 26.2% in Panels 1 (2021) and 2 (2022) respectively. In efforts to further corroborate the odds of having mental or physical health risk with higher levels of ACE exposure, our results confirmed the increased likelihood of depression, anxiety and multimorbidity with increased odds of early adversity, irrespective of differing socio-demographics. The results further revealed that socioeconomic status directly influenced depression, which was partially mediated via health literacy. Additionally, the association between socioeconomic status and multimorbidity was fully mediated by ACE exposure and depression.Conclusion: One in five South Africans experience depressive symptoms, with notable regional differences. Childhood adversity contributes to increased mental health risk and higher multimorbidity. Health literacy was found to influence the link between socioeconomic status and depression, suggesting that lower literacy increases vulnerability. These findings therefore emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address childhood adversity, improve health literacy, and enhance mental health resources across South Africa
Association of maternal prenatal copper concentration with gestational duration and preterm birth: a multicountry meta-analysis
No full textBackground: Copper (Cu), an essential trace mineral regulating multiple actions of inflammation and oxidative stress, has been implicated in risk for preterm birth (PTB).Objectives: This study aimed to determine the association of maternal Cu concentration during pregnancy with PTB risk and gestational duration in a large multicohort study including diverse populations.Methods: Maternal plasma or serum samples of 10,449 singleton live births were obtained from 18 geographically diverse study cohorts. Maternal Cu concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The associations of maternal Cu with PTB and gestational duration were analyzed using logistic and linear regressions for each cohort. The estimates were then combined using meta-analysis. Associations between maternal Cu and acute-phase reactants (APRs) and infection status were analyzed in 1239 samples from the Malawi cohort.Results: The maternal prenatal Cu concentration in our study samples followed normal distribution with mean of 1.92 μg/mL and standard deviation of 0.43 μg/mL, and Cu concentrations increased with gestational age up to 20 wk. The random-effect meta-analysis across 18 cohorts revealed that 1 μg/mL increase in maternal Cu concentration was associated with higher risk of PTB with odds ratio of 1.30 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08, 1.57) and shorter gestational duration of 1.64 d (95% CI: 0.56, 2.73). In the Malawi cohort, higher maternal Cu concentration, concentrations of multiple APRs, and infections (malaria and HIV) were correlated and associated with greater risk of PTB and shorter gestational duration.Conclusions: Our study supports robust negative association between maternal Cu and gestational duration and positive association with risk for PTB. Cu concentration was strongly correlated with APRs and infection status suggesting its potential role in inflammation, a pathway implicated in the mechanisms of PTB. Therefore, maternal Cu could be used as potential marker of integrated inflammatory pathways during pregnancy and risk for PTB
A qualitative exploration of the reasons and influencing factors for pregnancy termination among young women in Soweto, South Africa: a Socio-ecological perspective
No full textBackground: Pregnancy termination is an essential component of reproductive healthcare. In Southern Africa, an estimated 23% of all pregnancies end in termination of pregnancy, against a backdrop of high rates of unintended pregnancies and unsafe pregnancy terminations, which contributes to maternal morbidity and mortality. Understanding the reasons for pregnancy termination may remain incomplete if seen in isolation of interpersonal (including family, peer, and partner), community, institutional, and public policy factors. This study therefore aimed to use a socio-ecological framework to qualitatively explore, in Soweto, South Africa, i) reasons for pregnancy termination amongst women aged 18-28 years, and ii) factors characterising the decision to terminate.Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted between February to March 2022 with ten participants of varying parity, who underwent a termination of pregnancy since being enrolled in the Bukhali trial, set in Soweto, South Africa. A semi-structured, in-depth interview guide, based on the socioecological domains, was used. The data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, and a deductive approach.Results: An application of the socio-ecological framework indicated that the direct reasons to terminate a pregnancy fell into the individual and interpersonal domains of the socioecological framework. Key reasons included financial dependence and insecurity, feeling unready to have a child (again), and a lack of support from family and partners for the participant and their pregnancy. In addition to these reasons, Factors that characterised the participants' decision experience were identified across all socio-ecological domains and included the availability of social support and (lack of) accessibility to termination services. The COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown policies also indirectly impacted participants' decisions through detrimental changes in interpersonal support and financial situation.Conclusions: Amongst the South African women included in this study, the decision to terminate a pregnancy was made within a complex structural and social context. Insight into the reasons why women choose to terminate helps to better align legal termination services with women's needs across multiple sectors, for example by reducing judgement within healthcare settings and improving access to social and mental health support
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“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
- …
