Anil Bhagwanjee

The influence of anger, impulsivity, sensation seeking and driver attitudes on risky driving behaviour among post-graduate university students in Durban, South Africa

INTRODUCTION Road traffic accidents (RTAs) constitute a serious global health risk, and evidence suggests that young drivers are significantly overrepresented among those injured or killed in RTAs. This study explores the role of anger, impulsivity, sensation seeking and driver attitudes as correlates for risky driving practices among drivers, drawing comparisons between age and gender. METHOD The study used a cross-sectional survey design, with a sample of 306 post-graduate university students from two universities in Durban, South Africa, who completed the self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS The results indicate that drivers with higher driver anger, sensation seeking, urgency, and with a lack of premeditation and perseverance in daily activities were statistically more likely to report riskier driving acts. Males reported significantly more acts of risky driving behaviour (RDB) than females. Driver attitudes significantly predicted self-reported acts of RDB on most indicators. Older drivers (25 years and older) had safer driver attitudes and a lower sense of sensation seeking and urgency in life. CONCLUSION Interventions targeting young drivers, which focus on impeding the manifestation of anger, impulsivity and sensation seeking are recommended. Also, the empirical support for the attitude-behaviour hypothesis evidenced in this study vindicates the development or continuation of interventions that focus on this dynamic.

Knowledge attitudes and sexual practices of adolescents with mild retardation in relation HIV/AIDS.

This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices of adolescents with mild mental retardation (MMR) in relation to HIV/AIDS. Questionnaires were personally administered to a saturation sample of 90 adolescents with MMR drawn from one specialised educational institution in Durban, South Africa. The study revealed critical gaps and erroneous beliefs regarding knowledge of HIV/AIDS, especially with regard to its existence, transmission and cure. Participants indicated a high degree of exposure to various sources of information, particularly media messages. The results indicate that gender-role prescriptions and prevailing social constructions of immorality have had a negative influence on the attitudes and behaviour of participants, particularly with regard to sexual practices and preventative risk behaviours. Furthermore, the sample was found to have low levels of self-efficacy in relation to sexual negotiation and decision-making, more specifically with regard to condom use. It should be noted, however, that only a small proportion of the sample was sexually active and the use of contraceptives was accordingly found to be extremely low. The findings are discussed against the backdrop of the empirical literature on HIV/AIDS, developmental theory, and pertinent theories and models of health behaviour. This study may help to promote a better understanding of the psycho-educational dynamics of HIV infection in this special group of adolescents, and also help to inform attempts to tailor suitable educational programmes, as well as promote further research to add to our knowledge as we address the problems of HIV/AIDS among this group.

I can't see him hit her again, i just want to run away..... hide and block my ears : A phenomenological analysis of a sample of children's coping responses to exposure to domestic violence

ABSTRACT This article explores the experiences of five children witnessing family violence and the resultant psychological distress they experienced. The study was conducted within a phenomenological framework, using in-depth interviews with the children and caregivers. Analy-Safia Joseph has a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology. She is Principal Psychologist with South African Police Service and has worked extensively with trauma and violence among adults and children. Analysis of the interviews found that children who witnessed family violence experienced significant psychological distress. The study found that child witnesses exhibited behavioral, affective, and cognitive coping responses to witnessing the events, and it was found that the experience of fear was a pervasive result. However, social support acted as an effective buffer. There appeared to be a significant difference in the coping styles in relation to developmental status and gender. This study highlights the need for further research in the area of family violence.

A clinical and optical evaluation of a modified lens for irregular corneae

Background: Correction of high regular and irregular astigmatism with rigid gas‐permeable contact lenses can result in discomfort, compromised corneal physiology and fluctuations in visual acuity due to excessive lens movement. Using a non‐probability sample, this study explored the optical, clinical and subjective performance of a modified countersunk piggyback lens (MCL) for the management of high regular and irregular corneal astigmatic refractive conditions, as the first phase for a larger randomised control study of the efficacy of the custom piggyback MCL system.

Patterns of disclosure and antiretroviral treatment adherence in a South African mining workplace programme and implications for HIV prevention

Social and psychological barriers to the disclosure of ones seropositive HIV status to significant others and poor adherence to taking medications pose significant challenges to the scaling-up of access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in the workplace. Such barriers are predictive of sub-optimal treatment outcomes and bedevil HIV-prevention interventions at a societal level. Against this background, this article explores the lived experiences of 19 HIV-positive male participants, between the ages of 33 and 57 years, who were enrolled in an ART programme managed at an occupational health clinic at a mining company in South Africa. The majority of these mineworkers had been aware of their HIV status for between 5 and 7 years. The study explored psychological and relational factors, as aspects of these participants lived experiences, which had a bearing on their adherence to their ART regimen and the disclosure choices that they made regarding their HIV status. In our sample, those participants who were adherent demonstrated higher levels of control and acceptance of their HIV infection and were more confident in their ability to manage their treatment, while the group who were non-adherent presented with lower levels of adherence motivation and self-efficacy, difficulties in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and significant challenges in maintaining control over their lives. While most of the men favoured disclosing their HIV status to their partners for the sake of treatment support, they were less sure about disclosing to family members and non-family members, respectively, because of their need to protect these persons and due to their fear of being stigmatised. It was evident that treatment adherence choices and behaviours were impacted by psychological and relational factors, including disclosure decisions. We conclude with a bivariate model for understanding the adherence behaviours that influenced different patterns of ART adherence among the sample, and offer recommendations for HIV-prevention and treatment interventions in a mining workplace.

Psychosocial and behavioural correlates of attitudes towards antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a sample of South African mineworkers

Despite being one of the worst affected sectors in South Africa, the mining sector has proven to be one of the most active in intervention efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS (Ellis, 2007). Owing to low uptake rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in mining companies in recent years (Connelly & Rosen, 2006) and the positive relationship between attitudes towards ART and ART uptake (Cooper et al., 2002; Horne, Cooper, Gellaitry, Leake, & Fisher, 2007), this study sought to describe and investigate the psychosocial and behavioural correlates of attitudes towards ART in a sample of South African mineworkers. A total of 806 mineworkers from a large South African mine participated in this quantitative study. Despite a high rate of HIV testing behaviour (83.0%) as well as favourable attitudes towards ART, analysis indicated that temporary employees and contractors were more vulnerable in terms of HIV risk, HIV testing behaviours and ART knowledge and attitudes. Employees who had more positive attitudes towards ART were more knowledgeable of ART and, importantly, had a more favourable attitude towards the mines HIV/AIDS treatment programme. These findings are discussed in relation to the low ART uptake rates in this context and recommendations for the improvement of ART uptake amongst employees at this mining site.

Women's narratives about identity, power and agency within a mining organisation in South Africa.

Drawing on social constructionist and post-structuralist theoretical frameworks, this study examined the complexities that constitute women’s narratives within a mining organisation in South Africa. With specific reference to the social constructs of identity, conflict and power, the aims of this study were to investigate how women narrate their experience, the ways in which women live with the tensions of a workplace that is potentially both liberating and limiting and the implications of these tensions for women’s well-being, identities and social roles. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine women in management positions and were analysed using an inductive emergent thematic analytical method. The nature of identity that emerged from the participants’ narratives was viewed as an act of weaving together the multiple strands of the self, where participants recognised the points at which these multiple strands intercept and where they diverge. At each point of interception and divergence there were expressions of ambiguous identity or identity salience. Identity was seen to be mediated by the micro-physics of power and, within this framework, participants were seen to be agents in negotiating an authentic and egalitarian self, and a space for women in mining.