Browsing by Author "Govender, Rajen"

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    Open Access
    A phenomenological approach to profiling the life experiences of the Kayayoo in Ghana
    (2021) Dodd, Rose Aba; Govender, Rajen
    The Kayayei of Ghana have been studied over several decades though there still exists a gap in the literature based on their profiles. A contributing factor to that gap is the limited information around how many Kayayoo are across the country. Another is the varied demographic and biographic profiles of Kayayoo that provide a good extent of diversity but not depth. Current policy and program interventions are driven by the profiles of Kayayoo, as is presented in existing research. However, the existing profiles miss out on the richness and texture of the Kayayoo's life, which means that programs and policy interventions that use them are not as effective as they could be in reaching the Kayayoo's needs. This phenomenological study revealed that there is likely no need to continue trying to conduct a census of Kayayoo in other to understand their lives. Especially since the nature of their movements in migration remain nomadic. Instead, what is needed are interventions on their external environment that will strengthen their sense of choice and agency. This study's insights show that the meaning and connections the Kayayoo constructs of family, social network, and work are driven by their construction of self. It showed that the Kayayoo exercises more of their agency than may be evident. Their actions are engendered by what they perceive allows them to exercise this agency and choice. With this insight, what is needed is a mapping of the Kayayoo's external environment to identify their intersections with public policy and other services, and then design interventions on that environment to maximize the benefits of their actions when they make a choice to access it. The outcomes of policy and programs will undoubtedly be better and more impactful if designed based on this more in-depth understanding of the Kayayei from their point of view.
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    An Analysis of the role of governance on effective programme management - A case of Namibia Mass Housing Development Programme Management - A case of Namibia Mass Housing Development Programme
    (2018) Wilhelm, Martha; Govender, Rajen; Platzky, Laurine
    Namibia has been praised for having rigorous policy frameworks that address various national development challenges. Over the years, the country has introduced various policy initiatives to address the housing challenge in the country. However, implementation of such policies and programmes faced various challenges resulting in suboptimal outcomes and consequently, a situation where such programmes are abandoned, and new ones are introduced with little learning from past experiences. This paper, analysed the role of governance on effective programme management using a case study of Namibia’s Mass Housing Development Programme. The findings highlight governance challenges, as one of the key contributing factors to failing programmes. A qualitative approach was employed in gathering data using face to face in-depth interviews with the informants who represented the target population in the study. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge on the importance of governance which public policy and programme makers can draw lessons from for effective programme implementation.
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    Exploring possible influences of HIV/AIDS-related stigma on risky sexual behaviour and childbearing decisions: Cape Town 2002-2009
    (2016) Machemedze, Takwanisa; Nattrass, Nicoli; Govender, Rajen
    This dissertation uses survey data to explore HIV/AIDS-related stigma as it is manifested in the general population of young adults in Cape Town and amongst people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) on highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) in Khayelitsha (an African township in Cape Town). For the general population, we assessed how 'symbolic stigma' (negative attitudes and moral assessments of PLWHA) was related to risky sexual behaviour and whether this was mediated by perceived risk of HIV infection. For PLWHA, we assessed whether 'internalized stigma' and perceptions of stigmatizing attitudes in the broader population (mediated through disclosure of HIV sero-status to sexual partners and experiences of depression and anxiety symptoms) were associated with condom use. We also assessed the relationship between experiences of stigma, internalization of stigma, perceptions of stigma and childbearing desires of PLWHA The study found out that young Black and Coloured women who held symbolic HIV/AIDS-related stigma attitudes were more likely to perceive themselves at a reduced risk of infection with HIV and continue to engage in risky sexual behaviours. There were indications of possible race-gender differences in perceived risk of HIV infection and the practice of risky sexual behaviours. For PLWHA, there was evidence to suggest that both internalized and perceived stigma deterred women's disclosure of their HIV status to sexual partners. However, disclosure of sero-status to sexual partners did not necessarily translate into initiation of safer sex practices. Results suggest that women in this community were disadvantaged when it came to condom use negotiation. Both internalized stigma and disclosure of HIV status to a sexual partner were associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms which in turn was associated with inconsistent or no condom use. Results also suggest that there may be pathways connecting internalized stigma and condom use other than experiences of depression/anxiety and disclosure of one's HIV status to a sexual partner. We found various experiences of stigma among people living with HIV/AIDS in Khayelitsha to be associated with both increased and decreased odds of intending to have children (or more children). Experienced stigma was significantly associated with childbearing intentions. However, women's decisions to bear children appeared to be more influenced by whether they had a live-in sexual partner than experiences of stigma. We could not establish statistically significant relationships between perceived stigma and childbearing intentions both independently and after controlling for other variables. Internalized stigma was independently associated with reduced childbearing intentions but not after controlling for other relevant variables. Reported childbearing intentions among this sample of PLWHA were associated with the occurrence of at least one pregnancy after two years but are not statistically significantly related to condom use practices.
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    Identifying perceived barriers to monitoring service quality among substance abuse treatment providers in South Africa
    (2014-02-05) Myers, Bronwyn; Petersen, Zainonisa; Kader, Rehana; Koch, J R; Manderscheid, Ron; Govender, Rajen; Parry, Charles D
    Abstract Background A performance measurement system is planned for South African substance abuse treatment services. Provider-level barriers to implementing these systems have been identified in the United States, but little is known about the nature of these barriers in South Africa. This study explored the willingness of South African substance abuse treatment providers’ to adopt a performance measurement system and perceived barriers to monitoring service quality that would need to be addressed during system development. Methods Three focus group discussions were held with treatment providers from two of the nine provinces in South Africa. These providers represented the diverse spread of substance abuse treatment services available in the country. The final sample comprised 21 representatives from 12 treatment facilities: eight treatment centres in the Western Cape and four in KwaZulu-Natal. Content analysis was used to extract core themes from these discussions. Results Participants identified barriers to the monitoring of service quality that included outdated modes of collecting data, personnel who were already burdened by paperwork, lack of time to collect data, and limited skills to analyse and interpret data. Participants recommended that developers engage with service providers in a participatory manner to ensure that service providers are invested in the proposed performance measurement system. Conclusion Findings show that substance abuse treatment providers are willing to adopt a performance measurement system and highlight several barriers that need to be addressed during system development in order to enhance the likelihood that this system will be successfully implemented.
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    Implementation Evaluation Of The Smallholder Farmer Support Programme And Its Likelihood Of Increasing Farm Productivity: A Case Of “Abalimi Phambili Project”, Jozini, Kwazulu-Natal
    (2018) Ngcobo, Phumelele Nondumiso; Govender, Rajen; Amisi, Matodzi
    Farmer support programmes are aimed at assisting in unlocking barriers faced by smallholder farmers. These programmes were implemented many years ago by the public and private sector. However, research continues to show that the increase in the number of these initiatives and in budgets/expenditures have not equally translated into an increase in the number of smallholder farmers advancing to commercial status. Therefore, this evaluation research is focused on assessing the implementation progress of a farmer support programme being implemented in Jozini, KwaZulu-Natal. The aim is to assess whether or not the programme is implemented according to the theory of change and to assess the likelihood of the programme achieving its intended outcomes. Both the quantitative and qualitative approaches were applied to collect and analyse data. Quantitative data was made up of project data and qualitative data was obtained through conducting in-depth interviews with farmers currently participating in the programme. Findings from this paper are expected to add to the existing body of knowledge in terms of strengthening and improving the design of farmer support programmes; to emphasise the importance of conducting implementation evaluations to assess programme performance early in implementation; to better understand what is working or not during implementation; and to understand why this is so.
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    An integrated model of HIV/AIDS testing behaviour in the construction industry
    (Taylor & Francis, 2014) Bowen, Paul Anthony; Govender, Rajen; Edwards, Peter J; Cattell, Keith
    The South African construction industry is one of the economic sectors most adversely affected by the HIV/ AIDS pandemic. Prevalence rates exceed those of most other sectors. Little is known about the antibody testing behaviour of construction workers, and the determinants thereof. A field-administered questionnaire survey, using an item catalogue based on similar surveys, gathered data from 512 site-based construction employees in the Western Cape, South Africa. An integrated hypothesized conceptual model of testing behaviour, derived from the literature, was proposed as a starting point for data analysis. This model comprising demographic factors, lifestyle risk and condom use, alcohol consumption, drug use, knowledge about HIV/AIDS, prejudice towards HIV+ persons, and attitudinal fear of being tested, was used to explain testing behaviour. Bivariate analysis, regression modelling, and structural equation modelling were then used to test the conceptual model. A revised model was proposed. The findings indicate that: (1) employment type, alcohol consumption, drug use, and HIV/AIDS knowledge are the terminal predictors of testing behaviour; (2) knowledge about the disease is determined by education level and ethnicity; (3) age, gender, ethnicity and education behave as significant predictors of alcohol consumption; (4) drug use is predicted by employment type, education and alcohol consumption (marginally); and (5) the interrelationship between knowledge, prejudice, and fear of being tested is nuanced and complex. In strategies for positively influencing employee testing behaviour, employers should first ensure that effective communication is established with workers in all employment categories. Interventions relating to alcohol consumption and drug use by employees need particular attention. Existing peer educator training, and awareness campaign media, should be particularly sensitive to ethnic and cultural values that are likely to influence HIV/AIDS testing behaviour.
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    The elements of successful work placement processes: A case study of three Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges
    (2018) Walters, Elizabeth; Govender, Rajen
    Many research documents indicate that learners’ ability to transition from education and training to employment is closely linked to their work placement experience during their studies and on exit from their respective qualifications. This study identifies and analyses successful work placement practices through case studies, to understand which elements have supported TVET Colleges to facilitate the successful placement of their learners. The study starts with a historic overview of the Colleges to provide the context. It then moves on to explore, through secondary research, what the literature says about the identified elements which are institutional responsiveness; Work Integrated (WIL) units, curriculum relevance, partnerships and work readiness and their contribution to the transition from education to employment. The literature analysis was used to formulate key research questions for the primary research with three metro TVET Colleges, to explore how these Colleges have responded to the elements identified. The responses from the interviewees were used to extract the learnings from their practice and to draw out the elements that are key contributors to the successful placement of TVET learners.
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    The impact of exclusion of the urban ultra-poor from public housing on the lives of those excluded
    (2018) Ndjembela, Toivo Djeiko; Govender, Rajen; Platzky, Laurine
    Namibia has experienced an upward growth of informal settlements since independence. Such settlements have become an integral part of urban areas in the country, a situation that begs for, first, acceptance of this reality and, second, action to mitigate challenges that are generally associated with living in such areas. Due to such challenges, which include high rates of poverty as a result unemployment among slum dwellers, informal settlements have become the glaring face of social exclusion in Namibia. In order to arrest this exclusion, planners and policymakers need to find ways of upgrading these settlements so that the residents’ quality of life is incrementally enhanced. This paper is an outcome of a study conducted in five informal settlements in Windhoek, with a deliberate focus on access - or lack thereof - to basic services and infrastructure. Having highlighted the level of exclusion in those informal areas, this paper recommends that instead of re-inventing the wheel, government must embark of a sustained deliberate exercise to upgrade the existing informal settlements instead of demolishing or eradicating them. Policymakers are urged in this study to accept that people, out of desperation fed by social factors, would continue to occupy land illegally. Policymakers must thus find ways to amicably regulate these invasions. This would help attain a degree of inclusivity and compliance with the Constitutional requirement of ensuring dignity for everyone in the country.
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    Understanding the impact of hazardous and harmful use of alcohol and/or other drugs on ARV adherence and disease progression
    (Public Library of Science, 2015) Kader, Rehana; Govender, Rajen; Seedat, Soraya; Koch, John Randy; Parry, Charles
    The objective of this study was to understand the impact of hazardous and harmful use of alcohol and/or other drugs on ARV adherence and disease progression among HIV patients. A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 1503 patients attending HIV clinics in Cape Town, South Africa were screened for problematic substance use. A sub-sample of 607 patients (303 patients who screened positive for problematic substance use and 304 who did not) participated in this study. Hazardous or harmful alcohol use and problematic drug use predicted missing and stopping ARVs which, in turn, was associated with a decrease in CD4 counts and more rapid HIV-disease progression and poorer health outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The findings of this study underscore the need for an integrated approach to managing substance-use disorders in PLWHA.
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    Using quantitative analysis to identify binding development constraints and options for their alleviation - two case studies in health and vocational training in Zambia
    (2016) Mwenge, Felix; Hirsch, Alan; Nattrass, Nicoli; Govender, Rajen
    This report is a quantitative analysis of two case studies demonstrating the binding development constraints and options for their alleviation. The first case study is an analysis of health inequalities which remain an important policy issue in many developing countries. Using the 2014 data for the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), the paper assesses health inequality in Zambia using Child stunting as a health variable. The paper finds that those in the poorest group had more than thrice the Child stunting rate of the richest group, proving the existence of health inequality in Zambia. The paper further investigates the factors associated with stunting and finds that the mother's age, education, marital status, socio-economic status, location and nutritional status measured by body mass index (BMI) are significantly associated with Child stunting. Policy recommendations center on women empowerment, improving household food security and rolling out Social Cash Transfer schemes among others. The second case study is concerned with technical and vocational skills development, which despite being a key factor in economic growth remains limited in Zambia. Using multiple regression, the study finds that participating in skills training is determined by age, level of education, gender and location (rural or urban). These factors also affect participants' choices among the various skills training options that exist in Zambia: on-the-job training, public institutions, private institutions and apprenticeship. The study provides a number of recommendations. One relates to improved access to education for girls to improve their chances of accessing skills training. Another one calls for the formalisation of apprenticeships which remain informal and unofficial despite a substantial proportion of people acquiring skills through this avenue.
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    Validating survey measurement scales for AIDS-related knowledge and stigma among construction workers in South Africa
    (BioMed Central, 2016-01-23) Bowen, Paul; Govender, Rajen; Edwards, Peter
    Background: Construction workers in South Africa are regarded as a high-risk group in the context of HIV/AIDS. HIV testing is pivotal to controlling HIV transmission and providing palliative care and AIDS-related knowledge and stigma are key issues in addressing the likelihood of testing behaviour. In exploring these issues, various studies have employed an 11-item AIDS-related knowledge scale (Kalichman and Simbayi, AIDS Care 16:572-580, 2004) and a 9-item stigma scale (Kalichman et al., AIDS Behav 9:135-143, 2005), but little evidence exists confirming the psychometric properties of these scales. Methods: Using survey data from 512 construction workers in the Western Cape, South Africa, this research examines the validity and reliability of the two scales through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency tests. Results: From confirmatory factor analysis, a revised 10-item knowledge scale was developed (χ2 /df ratio = 1.675, CFI = 0.982, RMSEA = 0.038, and Hoelter (95 %) =393). A revised 8-item stigma scale was also developed (χ2 /df ratio = 1.929, CFI = 0.974, RMSEA = 0.045, and Hoelter (95 %) = 380). Both revised scales demonstrated good model fit and all factor loadings were significant (p < 0.01). Reliability analysis demonstrated excellent to good internal consistency, with alpha values of 0.80 and 0.74, respectively. Both revised scales also demonstrated satisfactory convergent and divergent validity. Limitations of the original survey from which the data was obtained include the failure to properly account for respondent selection of language for completion of the survey, use of ethnicity as a proxy for identifying the native language of participants, the limited geographical area from which the survey data was collected, and the limitations associated with the convenience sample. A limitation of the validation study was the lack of available data for a more robust examination of reliability beyond internal consistency, such as test-retest reliability. Conclusions: The revised knowledge and stigma scales offered here hold considerable promise as measures of AIDS related knowledge and stigma among South African construction workers.
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    Validation of the Schieman and Young measurement scales for work contact, work-family conflict, working conditions, psychological distress and sleep problems in construction industry professionals
    (BioMed Central, 2018-10-24) Bowen, Paul; Govender, Rajen; Edwards, Peter
    Background This study examined the construct validity and internal consistency of modified versions of the job autonomy and control, job pressure, work contact, work-family conflict, psychological distress, and sleep problems scales developed by Schieman and Young (2013) among construction professionals through confirmatory factor analysis and tests of internal consistency. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, survey data were collected from 942 South African construction professionals, of which 630 responses were considered for analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine construct validity. Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was used to determine the internal consistency, and convergent validity was tested using correlation analysis. Results The final CFA indicated very good model fit to the data (χ2 /df ratio = 2.11, IFI = .95, CFI = .95, RMSEA = .06, and Hoelter (95%) = 176). The scales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency: .82; .91; .83; .90; .90; and .73, respectively. Convergent validity was largely demonstrated with respect to direction of association, but not in relation to magnitude. A limitation of the validation study was the lack of available data for a more robust examination of reliability beyond internal consistency, such as test-retest. Conclusions The six scales developed by Schieman and Young (2013) hold promise as measures of work contact, work-family conflict, psychological distress, and sleep problems in relation to working conditions of construction professionals.