Beliefs on Heredity in Welkom, Free State

Davies, Chante

Beliefs on Heredity in Welkom, Free State

Master Thesis

2018

Abstract

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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