Browsing by Subject "barriers"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Open Access
    The Correlates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Ambulance Personnel and Barriers Faced in Accessing Care for Work-Related Stress
    (2022-02-11) Ntatamala, Itumeleng; Adams, Shahieda
    We investigated factors associated with increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in ambulance personnel and the barriers faced in accessing support for work-related stress (WRS). A cross-sectional study of 388 ambulance personnel used self-administered questionnaires to assess for PTSD and level of occupational stressors: Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Critical Incident Inventory, EMS Chronic Stress Questionnaire, SF-36 Quality of Life and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale. The prevalence of PTSD in the study population was 30%. The participants were predominantly female (55%), with a median age of 38 (IQR; 31–44) years. PTSD was associated with smoking (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.05–2.95), illicit drug use (OR = 16.4, 95% CI: 1.87–143.86) and problem drinking (OR = 3.86, 95% CI: 1.80–8.23). A self-reported mental health condition (OR = 3.76, 95% CI: 1.96–7.21), being treated for a medical condition (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.22–3.11), exposure to critical incident stress (OR = 4.27, 95% CI: 2.24–8.15) and chronic WRS (OR = 4.46, 95% CI: 1.93–10.31) were associated with PTSD risk. Barriers to seeking help included concerns that services were not confidential and the negative impact on the participant’s career. The increased levels of WRS, strong associations with substance use and barriers to accessing care offer starting points for workplace interventions to reduce the impact of PTSD in ambulance personnel.
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    Exploring enablers and barriers to student engagement in university sustainability transitions in Africa: a case study of the University of Cape Town
    (2026) Du-Pont, Tamika Carmen; Rennkamp, Britta; Norton, Marieke
    Universities are widely recognised as key actors in sustainability transitions, with students positioned as pivotal drivers of environmental responsibility and institutional transformation. Whilst sustainability grows in prominence, there remains a research gap on universities within the Global South, leaving a gap in understanding how students engage with sustainability within regions including Southern Africa. This study explores the enablers and barriers to student engagement in sustainability at the University of Cape Town (UCT), one of the few institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa actively pursuing a sustainability transition. The research approach is embedded in Social Practice Theory (SPT) which conceptualizes student engagement as both an individual and structural process shaped by institutional culture, governance, and social norms. Using a multi-methods approach, incorporating online surveys, interviews, and a focus group discussion to investigate student perspectives on sustainability awareness, engagement motivators, and factors acting as barriers to student engagement in the university's sustainability transition. Findings reveal that while students generally demonstrate an awareness of sustainability issues, knowledge of university-specific sustainability policies and initiatives remains limited. Key enablers of engagement include self-motivation, social norms, environmental knowledge, and convenience-driven factors such as institutional support and infrastructure. Conversely, barriers to engagement include competing academic priorities, lack of project visibility, poor communication, and perceived slow action and lack of “buy-in” of university management and staff. The study underscores the importance of fostering a sustainability culture through enhanced institutional leadership, collaborative governance, and structured student engagement mechanisms. This research advances understanding of sustainability transitions in the Global South by revealing the context-specific enablers and barriers influencing student engagement. It contributes original insights into how institutional leadership, culture, and governance shape sustainability participation—providing practical implications for policy and institutional reform in African higher education contexts.
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    Predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder among ambulance personnel in the western cape province
    (2021) Ntatamala, Itumeleng Mmoko Theophelus; Adams, Shahieda
    Objective: To determine the factors associated with an increased risk for PTSD in ambulance personnel and the barriers faced in accessing support for work related stress (WRS). Methods: A cross-sectional study of voluntary participants comprising 388 ambulance personnel was conducted. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires: Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), EMS Critical Incident Inventory (CII), EMS Chronic Stress Questionnaire (EMSCSQ), SF-36 Quality of Life questionnaire (SF-36) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) which were used to assess PTSD and level of occupational stressors. Results: The prevalence of PTSD in the study population was 30%. Participants were predominantly female (55%), median age 38 (IQR; 31 - 44) years with a professional qualification (83%). Those with PTSD were more likely current smokers (OR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.05 - 2.95), current illicit drug users (OR=16.4, 95% CI: 1.87 - 143.86) and problem drinkers (OR=3.86, 95% CI: 1.80 - 8.23). A self-reported mental health condition (OR=3.76, 1.96 - 7.21), being treated for a medical condition (OR=1.95, 1.22 - 3.11), exposure to chronic WRS (OR=1.05, 1.04 - 1.07) and high critical incident stress score (OR=1.03, 1.02 - 1.04) were positively associated with PTSD risk. Barriers to seeking help for WRS included concerns that services were not confidential, and that the participant's career would be negatively affected. Conclusion: The PTSD prevalence in ambulance personnel is considerably higher than that found in previous studies conducted among this occupational group in the Western Cape. Identified risk factors should inform interventions designed to support ambulance personnel and a greater focus on addressing barriers to accessing care is needed.
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    Series of lectures to the UCT rugby team
    (2011) Noakes, Tim
    In the first lecture Prof Noakes speaks of the role of self belief in athletic performance ""what you really believe will happen is exactly what will happen"". The greatest hurdle is the mental barrier"". This trilogy of lectures was originally presented to the University of Cape Town's Rugby Team in 2008. The lectures centre around Prof Noakes' teachings of self belief and team unity as role players in athletic performance.