Browsing by Author "Fieggen, K"

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    Open Access
    Beliefs on Heredity in Welkom, Free State
    (2018) Davies, Chante; Fieggen, K; Wessels, Tina-Marie
    South Africa is a diverse country in language, culture, and beliefs. The beliefs on heredity vary widely and may in part relate to an incomplete understanding of the concept of heredity. Congenital disorders, many of which are genetic in origin, are one of the major contributors to neonatal deaths in South Africa. Which is one of the reasons why it is important to document what the beliefs of heredity are in different environments. Being sensitive towards beliefs can improve communication in healthcare service delivery. An understanding of what genetics means to members of the public should also be documented. Objectives 1. To explore the understanding of genetics in the study community. 2. To investigate the beliefs about heredity. 3. To explore the role culture plays in the understanding of heredity. Methodology The study took place in Welkom, in the Matjhabeng municipality area in the Free State, where genetic counselling services are not available and currently no educational intervention on heredity has been done. The study population was foster parents from two of the prominent geographical areas in the area, namely Thabong and Welkom central. Foster parents were sampled as a convenient sample within the study communities and they are already in established groups and were therefore expected to be more open to discussion in a focus group than a group that had been randomly selected. The study is an exploratory cohort study. The main instrument of data collection was focus group discussions (FGD). Between four and eight people made up each focus group and there was a total of five FGDs with 28 participants. The participants were grouped according to to their preferred language. The FGDs were audio recorded, the audio files were then translated and transcribed to allow for thematic analysis. The transcripts were analysed using a coding system and themes were established. Results The beliefs surrounding heredity were categorized into five main themes; namely lifestyle, behaviour, familial, curses and prevention and management. Heredity is believed to be influenced by choice of lifestyle which can be passed on to a future generation. Behaviour is believed to be a heritable trait that can be traced back through many generations. Heredity is thus used as a tool to try to explain or understand a person’s behaviour. Behavioural traits are also believed by some participants to represent “clan inheritance”. Heredity is also seen by participants within families through familial resemblance. Genetic disorders are believed by some to be caused by curses based on cultural beliefs, however, participants also believed that these curses can be broken using prayer and rituals and thus prevented from being transferred to the next generation. Antenatal care was also considered being important in preventing genetic disorders. Conclusion In conclusion, cultural influences and beliefs play a role in how people understand genetics and heredity. Understanding these influences and beliefs will not only provide insight into the public’s views on genetics but can also be used in implementing educational programs that can educate and inform the public about genetics.
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    Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome:dental manifestations and management
    (Health and Medical Publishing Group, 2014) Roberts, T S; Chetty, M; Stephen, L; Urban, M; Fieggen, K; Beighton, P
    Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is an uncommon genetic disorder characterised by a typical facies, small stature, broad angulated thumbs and intellectual impairment. Dental changes are a minor, yet significant component of the condition. Craniofacial growth retardation in RSTS is frequently complicated by unerupted teeth, while dental caries is related to the inherent intellectual deficit. Dental problems necessitate interdisciplinary management in terms of oral surgery, conservative dentistry, periodontics and orthodontics. When affected individuals are unco-operative, certain dental procedures may warrant general anaesthesia. In these instances, dental and medical staff will combine their expertise to enhance the well-being of the patient. In addition, specific dental changes may alert the medical practitioner to the possible diagnosis of RSTS. In this article we document the oro-dental manifestations and review the oro-dental approach in the management of three patients with RSTS. Our experience in South Africa may be relevant to other countries at a similar stage of development.