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Background: Despite the numerous health benefits of distance running, it is also associated with the development of 'gradual onset running-related injuries' (GORRIs) one of which is Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS). Novel risk factors associated with a history of ITBS (hITBS) have not been described in a large cohort of distance runners. Objective: To identify risk factors associated with hITBS in distance runners. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: 21.1 km and 56 km Two Oceans Marathon races (2012–2015). Participants: 106 743 race entrants completed the online pre-race medical screening questionnaire. A total of 1 314 runners confirmed an accurate hITBS diagnosis. Methods: Selected risk factors associated with hITBS explored included: demographics (race distance, sex, age groups), training/running variables, history of existing chronic diseases (including a composite chronic disease score) and history of any allergy. Prevalence (%) and prevalence ratios (PR; 95% CI) are reported (uni- & multiple regression analyzes). Results: 1.63% entrants reported hITBS in a 12-month period. There was a higher (p < 0.0001) prevalence of hITBS in the longer race distance entrants (56 km), females, younger entrants, fewer years of recreational running (PR = 1.07; p = 0.0009) and faster average running speed (PR = 1.02; p = 0.0066). When adjusted for race distance, sex, age groups, a higher chronic disease composite score (PR = 2.38 times increased risk for every two additional chronic diseases; p < 0.0001) and a history of allergies (PR = 1.9; p < 0.0001) were independent risk factors associated with hITBS. Conclusion: Apart from female sex, younger age, fewer years of running and slower running speed, two novel independent risk factors associated with hITBS in distance runners are an increased number of chronic diseases and a history of allergies. Identifying athletes at higher risk for ITBS can guide healthcare professionals in their prevention and rehabilitation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitive and responsive caregiving is a critical protective factor for children in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) during their first 1000 days of life. Health initiatives may benefit from evaluating the experience of caregivers in SSA to understand their parenting experiences. This study utilized linguistic analysis to gain insight into the lived experience of 19 Sesotho-speaking mothers of infants aged 18–30 months in low-income areas of Mangaung, Free State, South Africa. Women were asked the same set of questions about their child's first 1000 days of life, and we used LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) LIWC to evaluate the perspectives of mothers in SA compared to published LIWC norms. Analyses revealed word use patterns associated with psychological processes such as negative affect, social processes, anger and anxiety. Findings are discussed within the context of Sesotho culture to aid in the future intervention development for this vulnerable population. This study is important because it yields important information about the subjective experience of an understudied critical population of mothers in SSA. Further, this study points to future directions for the field of understanding the impact of motherhood on women in low resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodsResultsConclusion\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONStroke is often regarded as a disease of the elderly. However, 10–15% of strokes occur in people aged 18 to 50, and rates continue to rise. Young stroke survivors face unique challenges due to their occupational, family and personal commitments, which current stroke rehabilitation services may not fully address. Our qualitative study aimed to identify gaps in patient care and resources for young stroke survivors. We used these findings to develop recommendations to inform clinical care, healthcare system design, and health policy.Using Interpretive Description, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 stroke survivors aged 18–55 living in British Columbia, Canada, to explore their experiences during stroke recovery and assess current gaps in support and resources. We applied broad-based coding and thematic analysis to the transcripts.Key themes included: (1) the need for longitudinal medical follow-up and information provision, (2) the need for psychological/psychiatric care, (3) the need to adapt community supports and resources to young survivors, and (4) the need to centralize and integrate community stroke services and resources.Young stroke survivors experience unique challenges and lack appropriate services and resources. Many of our findings may be representative of remediable gaps that persist nationally and internationally.Young Adult Stroke Survivors face unique challenges due to their occupational, family, and personal commitments, resulting in unmet needs during stroke recovery and rehabilitation.Policymakers, healthcare providers and community organizations need to re-think follow-up and information provision, psychological/psychiatric care, and community support and resources for young adult stroke survivors.Centralization and integration of different community stroke services and resources specific to young stroke survivors are key in stroke rehabilitation and recovery pathways.Young Adult Stroke Survivors face unique challenges due to their occupational, family, and personal commitments, resulting in unmet needs during stroke recovery and rehabilitation.Policymakers, healthcare providers and community organizations need to re-think follow-up and information provision, psychological/psychiatric care, and community support and resources for young adult stroke survivors.Centralization and integration of different community stroke services and resources specific to young stroke survivors are key in stroke rehabilitation and recovery pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigated to what extent South African dietitians make use of social media and electronic communication and their compliance with the ethical guidelines set by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Design: Cross-sectional descriptive design. Setting: South Africa. Subjects: Registered South African dietitians. Methods: Data were collected using an online survey (N = 125) and an observational checklist for selected digital platforms (N = 135). Both parts assessed demographic characteristics, usage of digital platforms and awareness or adherence to ethical guidelines. Results: Most participants used Instagram (45.5%) and Facebook (31.6%) as these platforms were regarded as user friendly, quick and suitable for their target audiences. Barriers to social media usage included time constraints (53.0%) and being unfamiliar with some platforms (37.3%). Enablers to social media usage included better reach of target population (61.4%) and ease of use (56.6%). The majority of survey participants were aware of the HPCSA Ethical Guidelines for Good Practice (n = 68/75, 90.7%). Overall compliance with the HPCSA guidelines was observed, yet nearly half (37/89, 41.6%) of the dietitians who shared information on digital platforms never provided references. Forms of touting/canvassing were observed on 20.7% (n = 28/135) of the platforms, while 15.6% of dietitians (n = 21) sold products on their websites, mostly meal-plans and supplements. Conclusion: South African dietitians actively engage with digital platforms to a varied extent, highlighting the importance of being cognisant of, and applying, the HPCSA Ethical Guidelines for Good Practice. The study can be useful in guiding future research on this unexplored, emerging topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living in a high-density urban environment may be good for people's health and well-being and standard of living but it may also have disadvantages. The international literature debates the extent to which urban living carries a premium or a penalty. Child growth and development indicators are good measures for assessing this. Using the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) database, we take the example of child stunting to investigate the spatial inequalities between urban formal, urban informal and rural areas in South Africa. The figures for child stunting in South Africa are considerably lower than those for other countries in sub-Saharan Africa but this is not a cause for complacency. We found an urban premium for male child stunting when comparing urban formal and rural areas, but an urban penalty for male child stunting when comparing urban informal and rural areas. The paper calls for a renewed focus on managing urbanization in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding difficulties and subsequent malnutrition are common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). A study was undertaken to determine the current practices and challenges of South African registered dietitians (SA RD) regarding the nutritional management of children with CP, to compare these practices with international guidelines and to compare the practices of private- and public-sector dietitians. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study with an analytical component. The SA RDs completed an online questionnaire, which was developed according to the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) guidelines. Participant answers were scored to assess their management of children with CP. Of the 87 SA RDs who participated, 78 had work experience in CP (40 public and 38 private sector). Over two-thirds (n = 62/87, 71.2%) received training on the management of CP at university, albeit inadequate (n = 42/62, 67.7%). Common challenges that affect RDs' management are poor caregiver compliance (n = 72; 92.2%) and poor networking between healthcare professionals (HCPs) (n = 60; 77.0%). The SA RD (n = 78) management of children with CP was significantly different from the ESPGHAN guidelines (p < 0.001). When comparing the total practice score, no significant difference was found between private- and public-sector RDs. The SA RDs did not achieve many of the recommended practices, particularly those pertaining to anthropometry. Improved training of SA RDs in the assessment and management of children with CP, and addressing barriers such as poor caregiver compliance, would enhance SA RDs' competence to improve the nutritional management of children with CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases and obesity is associated with excessive consumption of sugar. To address this concern the taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), known as the Health Promotion Levy (HPL), was implemented in South Africa in April 2018. A study was undertaken to investigate perspectives of dietitians and key industry role-players (KIRs) on the HPL. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. A national study was conducted in South Africa via a virtual platform. The participants were registered dietitians (n = 138) and key industry role-players (KIRs) (n = 39) who had expertise in nutrition, food science and/or sugar taxation legislation. Electronic surveys probed participants' awareness and opinions of the HPL, perceived SSB purchasing of consumers and barriers or facilitators for implementation of the HPL. Dietitians were positive regarding the HPL (75.8%; n = 94/124) but regarded the tax as too little to affect a reduction in obesity (71.8%, n = 89/124). They reported a 19.2% reduction in their perceived clients' daily purchasing of SSBs since implementation of the HPL. The KIRs regarded the HPL as insufficient to influence consumers' purchasing behaviour (64.9%, n = 24/37). Consumers' habitual purchasing was deemed a barrier (83.8%, n = 31/37) and consumer education an enabling factor (76,9%, n = 30/39) to successful implementation. Dietitians have a positive opinion on the HPL. They agree that the HPL alone will not influence the purchasing behaviour of consumers or reduce the prevalence of obesity. KIRs regard the HPL to be insufficient to affect consumers' purchasing behaviour. The HPL should form part of a multi-pronged approach to create a supportive environment to reduce sugar consumption. It is recommended that approaches should include fiscal measures, consumer education and controlled marketing of SSBs. Trained dietitians would be able to enhance the goal of the HPL to combat the obesity pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay, four teacher educators explore their journeys towards foregrounding students' lived experiences when teaching literature. Data about our teaching of literature in different contexts were generated through our personal reflective narratives and ensuing dialogic critical friend conversations. Inductive thematic analysis of the narratives revealed that in spite of our diverse initial teaching contexts and trajectories, we initially all taught in much the same teacher-centred way. We also came to the realisation, however, that over the years our informal conversations had played a role in our teaching, allowing us to move beyond our educations. Collaborative teaching relationships developed out of incidental corridor conversations and these have been instrumental in reshaping our teaching of literature, enabling us to make literary texts relevant to societal issues and the lived experiences of our students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South African adolescent girls experience high rates of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections including HIV. To inform culturally-tailored dual protection interventions to prevent both unintended pregnancy and STIs/HIV, this study qualitatively examined girls' sexual health intervention preferences. Participants were aged 14–17 years old and Sesotho-speaking (N = 25). To elucidate shared cultural beliefs, individual interviews examined participants' perceptions about other adolescent girls' pregnancy and STI/HIV prevention intervention preferences. Interviews were conducted in Sesotho and translated into English. Two independent coders identified key themes in the data using a conventional content analysis approach with discrepancies resolved by a third coder. Participants indicated that intervention content should include efficacious pregnancy and STI/HIV prevention methods and ways to navigate peer pressure. Interventions should be accessible, avoid criticism and provide high-quality information. Preferred intervention formats included online, SMS/text, or delivery by social workers or older, knowledgeable peers, with mixed acceptability for delivery by parents or same-age peers. Schools, youth centres and sexual health clinics were preferred intervention settings. Results highlight the importance of cultural context in tailoring dual protection interventions to address the reproductive health disparities among adolescent girls in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Placental examination is valuable for diagnosing congenital syphilis, but the classic histological triad is not always observed. This study aimed to identify additional morphological clues, evaluate the sensitivity of IHC and qPCR, and investigate the impact of HIV co-infection and penicillin treatment on placental morphology. Materials and methods: Two hundred and fifteen placental specimens with treponemal infection were reviewed. Morphological findings, IHC, and qPCR results were analyzed. Results: Chronic villitis (94%), acute chorioamnionitis (91.6%), and villous immaturity (65.6%) were the most common abnormalities. HIV co-infection and penicillin treatment were associated with reduced frequencies of inflammatory lesions. IHC and qPCR exhibited sensitivities of 74.4 and 25.8%, respectively, confirming the diagnosis in 42 cases with negative or unknown serology. Conclusion: Villitis, chorioamnionitis, and villous immaturity were identified as the predominant placental abnormalities. HIV co-infection and penicillin treatment can impact morphology and hamper the diagnosis. IHC and q-PCR are valuable adjuncts when serology is negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Namib IV (S23° 44.829', E14° 19.720') is frequently cited, as it is one of few Earlier Stone Age sites in the Sand Sea of the Namib Desert. The site was first investigated in 1978 by Myra Shackley, who described 582 artifacts on the surface of a pan as representing an Acheulean butchery site. Descriptions of the artifacts, their number, and area were inconsistently reported. Recently rediscovered, the site of Namib IV is a rare example of a tool-rich and fossil fauna-bearing pan system in the Namib Sand Sea. This project aims to investigate when, how, and under what environmental conditions hominins utilized these landscapes. This article presents the first archaeological research conducted at the site in over 40 years. Typological and technological data was collected from surface-exposed artifacts and large cutting tools (LCTs) and compared to Shackley's assemblage. Data demonstrate that her collection is representative of the Namib IV site and raise many new questions about the original research and the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents models to predict the time until mechanical failure of in-ground wooden test specimens resulting from fungal decay. Historical records of decay ratings were modelled by remotely sensed data from ERA5-Land. In total, 2,570 test specimens of 16 different wood species were exposed at 21 different test sites, representing three continents and climatic conditions from sub-polar to tropical, spanning a period from 1980 until 2022. To obtain specimen decay ratings over their exposure time, inspections were conducted in mostly annual and sometimes bi-annual intervals. For each specimen's exposure period, a laboratory developed dose–response model was populated using remotely sensed soil moisture and temperature data retrieved from ERA5-Land. Wood specimens were grouped according to natural durability rankings to reduce the variability of in-ground wood decay rate between wood species. Non-linear, sigmoid-shaped models were then constructed to describe wood decay progression as a function of daily accumulated exposure to soil moisture and temperature conditions (dose). Dose, a mechanistic weighting of daily exposure conditions over time, generally performed better than exposure time alone as a predictor of in-ground wood decay progression. The open-access availability of remotely sensed soil-state data in combination with wood specimen data proved promising for in-ground wood decay predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnant women participated in multifaceted case management (MCM) to prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Women recruited from antenatal clinics for a longitudinal child development study were screened for alcohol use. Forty-four pregnant women were defined as high-risk drinkers on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) by an AUDIT score ≥8 and participated in 18 months of MCM to facilitate reduction or cessation of alcohol consumption. Forty-one women completed MCM. Fifty-five equally high-risk women who received standard antenatal care comprised the comparison/control group. Development in offspring was evaluated by a blinded interdisciplinary team of examiners through 5 years of age. At five years of age, more children (34%) of MCM participating women did not meet the criteria for FASD vs. non-MCM offspring (22%). Furthermore, a statistically significant (p =.01) lower proportion of MCM offspring (24%) was diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) compared to controls (49%). Children of MCM participants had significantly (p <.05) better physical outcomes: lower total dysmorphology scores, larger head circumferences, longer palpebral fissures, and higher midfacial measurements. Neurodevelopment results showed mixed outcomes. While Bayley developmental scores indicated that MCM offspring were performing significantly worse on most domains through 18 months, group scores equalized and were not significantly different on Kaufman Assessment Battery neurobehavioral measures by five years. Regression analyses indicated that offspring of women who received standard antenatal care were associated with significantly more negative outcomes than MCM offspring: a diagnosis of FAS (OR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.093–9.081), microcephaly (OR = 5.3; 95% CI: 2.1–13.5), head circumference ≤10th centile (OR = 4.3; 95%CI: 1.8–10.4), and short palpebral fissures (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.0–5.8). At age five, proportionally fewer children of MCM participants qualified for a diagnosis of FAS, and proportionally more had physical outcomes indicating better prenatal brain development. Neurobehavioral indicators were not significantly different from controls by age five. Multifaceted Case Management (MCM) was designed and employed for 18 months during the prenatal and immediate postpartum period to successfully meet multiple needs of women who had proven to be very high risk for birthing children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Offspring of the women who participated in MCM were followed up through age five years and were found to have significantly better physical outcomes on multiple variables associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and FASD, such as larger head circumferences and fewer minor anomalies, than those children born to equally at-risk women not receiving MCM. Fewer children of women receiving MCM were diagnosed with FASD than the offspring of equally-at-risk controls, and significantly (p =.01) fewer MCM offspring had FAS, the most severe FASD diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers (MISC) is a mentalization-based intervention which aims to enhance caregiver sensitivity and responsiveness. MISC has demonstrated treatment effects on mental health problems of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in South Africa by working with Community-Based Organization (CBO) care workers as the point of intervention. Recent elaboration of mentalization-based theory points to alternate figures in a child's early environment as critical resources for enhancing children's mentalizing capacity. In this study, we evaluated the treatment effect of MISC on children's mentalizing capacity at baseline and following 12-months of the intervention, controlling for the effects of age, gender, orphan status, socioeconomic status, quality of the home environment, and mental health difficulties at baseline. MISC and Treatment as Usual (TAU) groups were compared using a mixed model linear regression. Results demonstrated significant effects of MISC, time, and mental health difficulties on mentalizing capacity. To our knowledge, this study is the first mentalization-based caregiver intervention to demonstrate treatment effects on child mentalizing capacity, and MISC is the first mentalization-based caregiver intervention to focus on paraprofessionals as the point of intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding wood surface moisture variations is fundamental to the modelling of moisture content. Exposure to sunlight, fluctuating temperature and rain leads to superficial deterioration and reduced surface hydrophobicity. Here, the effect of weathering was studied through monitoring the surface and global moisture content of axially matched pre-weathered and planed sets of specimens exposed outdoors over 18 months. The difference in surface conditions was characterised by analysing the rain-induced peaks. The results suggest that, following precipitation, weathered surfaces remain wet over a longer time period. No effect was observed through the global moisture content. After one year of exposure, the difference between pre-weathered and planed surfaces was small to insignificant. In service life modelling, it is therefore unnecessary to consider the unweathered state and simulations should target the behaviour of weathered wood. Numerical simulations were able to capture the general behaviour of the surface and global moisture content, but discrepancies over individual peaks were observed. Finally, the study demonstrates how peak analysis and signal analysis can be used for isolating subtle differences between time-series of surface moisture content. The same techniques can be used in future studies to characterise other factors influencing surface conditions, such as wood species and detailing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diets in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya have been described as monotonous, consisting chiefly of starchy staple foods, accompanied by green vegetables and oil. To promote healthy eating in the region, 11 food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) were proposed. This study was designed to assess perception of the proposed FBDGs amongst consumers in Lake Victoria region. A qualitative, descriptive cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 36 focus-group discussions (FGD) among adult males (18) and females (18) in Kisumu and Homa Bay Counties. A total of 207 adult males (26–74 years) and 211 females (18–71 years) participated in this study. Proposed FBDGs were printed on posters and presented to FGD participants. Proceedings were audio-taped, transcribed, translated and analysed based on themes. The proposed FBDGs were perceived as promoting the consumption of a balanced diet. As a concept, a balanced diet was misrepresented as composed of only three nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. There was no mention of fats/oils and minerals as other significant nutrient constituents of a balanced diet. Other concepts, which included 'three regular meals', 'snacks', 'food variety', 'healthy and physically active lifestyle', were polysemous. The findings provide insight to guide the adaptation of the national FBDGs. The findings also provide a basis for nutrition advocacy programmes and a rationale for the revision of nutrition education materials, including the school curriculum, to align content with current evidence-based information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the work that goes into the emergence of social-cultural reality. It uses the notion of constraints to think about the non-physical domain of ideas, which are usually studied in the humanities. Constraints on the release of energy are required in order to perform work, which means that work and constraints stand in a circular relation to one another. The article delves into "the absential" as a constraint, in other words, the ways in which that which does not exist or that which could have existed constrains the emergence of social cultural reality. It argues that creativity is linked to the imposition of constraints, and hence argues that it is constraints that get translated in processes of translation, whether interlingual, intralingual or intersemiotic. The article considers the interplay between reality and its adjacent possible for thinking about the role of translation in the emergence of society-culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are over three million orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) currently living in South Africa. OVC are at high risk for a number of negative outcomes, including poor mental health. Hope has been associated with well-being among youth, including youth in South Africa. However, the relationships between hope and mental health in high-adversity populations such as OVC has not been adequately described. The present study sought to address this research gap by evaluating the relationship between hope and mental health, controlling for gender, age, and orphan status, among OVC. This study includes 8- to 12-year-old OVC (N = 61) in Manguang, Free State, South Africa. Hope was assessed using the Children's Hope Scale (CHS) and mental health outcomes were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Hope was significantly, inversely associated with mental health outcomes after controlling for other variables in linear regression analysis. In contrast to previous research, this study found that increased hope scores were associated with adverse mental health outcomes among OVC in South Africa. Hope may be contextualized differently in this population due to resource scarcity and high rates of adversity including HIV-AIDS related stigma and poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role and nature of conflict in the development and manifestation of dissociative identity disorder (DID) remains underexplored beyond theoretical deduction. In this qualitative instrumental case study, we explored the subjective experience and nature of conflict in a group of adult psychiatric patients diagnosed with DID. We purposively selected typed transcriptions of 28 previously recorded in-depth individual interviews with 15 patients, their audio recordings and associated field notes. The data were thematically analyzed and constant comparison was applied. Two main themes emerged from the transcriptions, namely, participants' experiences of having one or more incompatible and conflicting worldviews about their DID, and the type and nature of conflict that arises between dissociative identities, i.e., conflict of information in awareness, conflicting actions or behaviors, conflicting emotions, conflicting goals, conflicting values, and a battle of wills. Patients with DID have contextually and culturally variable comprehension of the origin of their DID. Conflict between dissociative identities was pervasive, multifaceted, and exacerbated by a lack of awareness between identities. The study provides insight into the complexities of conflict between dissociative identities, as well as highlights the role of inter-identity awareness in conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, South Africa has suffered from several large financial statement frauds. To assist stakeholders in identifying fraud, this study investigated the ability of the Beneish M-score and the Dechow et al. F-score to identify fraud in South Africa. The study also explored similarities in earnings management characteristics between false positives and fraudulent companies. Finally, the study re-estimated the models' coefficients based on current South African data to determine if this improved their predictive capabilities. The study used a sample of 23 manipulated and 2 320 non-manipulated observations from 2006 to 2018 and found that both scores showed low sensitivity and precision. The false positives share similar, or higher, earnings management characteristics to the manipulators. Re-estimating the coefficients reduced the M-scores' sensitivity by, on average, 6.52% but improved precision by, on average, 4.21%. Conversely, re-estimation increased the F-scores' sensitivity by, on average, 58.70% but increased the type II error by, on average, 48.09%. These findings suggested that either the M- and F-scores are unsuitable in the South African context or that regulators have failed to identify manipulators adequately. Therefore, investors and other stakeholders should use caution when applying these models in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health issue in Papua New Guinea, with incidence rates particularly high in the South Fly District of Western Province. We present three case studies, along with additional vignettes, that were derived from interviews and focus groups carried out between July 2019 and July 2020 of people living in rural areas of the remote South Fly District depicting their challenges accessing timely TB diagnosis and care; most services within the district are only offered offshore on Daru Island. The findings detail that rather than 'patient delay' attributed to poor health seeking behaviours and inadequate knowledge of TB symptoms, many people were actively trying to navigate structural barriers hindering access to and utilisation of limited local TB services. The findings highlight a fragile and fragmented health system, a lack of attention given to primary health services, and undue financial burdens placed on people living in rural and remote areas associated with costly transportation to access functioning health services. We conclude that a person-centred and effective decentralised model of TB care as outlined in health policies is imperative for equitable access to essential health care services in Papua New Guinea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature linking home and housing with the socio-emotional health of children focuses primarily on the physical attributes of housing. We conducted a pilot study to measure physical and socio-emotional attributes of housing for a sample of 69 children from a low-resource setting in South Africa. We used the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We analysed the data using descriptive and inferential methods. Our preliminary evidence from the descriptive methods shows that the children's socio-emotional health had a statistically significant correlation with six of the subscales in the HOME inventory but with only two of the physical attributes of their housing. We conclude that studies of the relationship between home and children's socio-emotional health should pay more attention to the concept of home and how it has been operationalized through the HOME inventory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to identify cognitive biases in risk communication among pilots during flight debrief. We evaluate the effect of framing language, representation format, and parameter type measured on how pilots interpret flight information. Advancements in technology have created an opportunity for a data-centric approach to flight instruction. The understanding of virtual debrief formats, consisting of visualizations of flight data, relies on the pilot perceiving the information displayed accurately. Cognitive biases may impact how pilots perceive the information and therefore affect how they react to it in future flights. We used flight data to design ways to communicate the information and developed a display prototype for the user. We asked pilots to evaluate eight different representations through a scenario-based survey. Pilots reviewed a flight and rated how risky they thought it was and the likelihood of their debrief resulting in any behavioral changes in upcoming flights. Most significantly, the graphical representation format caused pilots to report a lower risk for the same flight, compared to the numerical representation format. The analysis of the survey has shown that debrief representation affects risk perception, but not necessarily willingness to change unsafe behaviors. Respondents were highly motivated to change unsafe behaviors, independent of how the information was presented to them. Future work should develop specific guidelines to be followed when designing debrief products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities worldwide have seen an expansion of students. We surveyed 1,193 students at the University of the Free State and conducted interviews and focus groups to better understand the factors that contribute to housing satisfaction. Satisfaction depended on a range of environmental factors, particularly noise levels, rules, security, privacy, and the standard of maintenance, rather than on the norms and standards that relate to design issues. The on-campus respondents were doing better academically and socially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the lived workplace flourishing of South African female academics applying an interpretative phenomenological approach. Informants were female academic employees, ranging in ages from 32 to 58 years, within a university of technology. Most of the participants (60%) were black. Microsoft Teams facilitated semi-directive interviews during the lockdown level 5 restriction. Following analyses, themes included work-life languishing from the disconnect of teaching in a digital context and work flourishing from the commitment to sectoral professionalism and enabling digital technology adoption. Traditional academic institutions should reimagine a hybrid work environment that accelerates digital technologies' transformative adoption and incorporation in a post-COVID era. Forthcoming academia's assistance should enhance coping strategies and boundary segmentation skills in the "new normal". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess whether the right to adequate food (RtF) is realised by children and primary caregivers and what actions are required to fully realise this right. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was undertaken using a mixed-methods approach. Rural and urban primary caregivers of children (one to five years old) were recruited if they had resided in the Blue Crane Route (Eastern Cape) for at least six months. Purposefully selected key informants (KIs) involved in nutrition and food security, health or governance participated in in-depth interviews. Primary caregivers responded to interviewer-administered questionnaires (IAQ) (N = 161), which investigated various indicators supporting the realisation of the RtF. Statistical analysis of quantitative data examined relationships between urban and rural participants. Significance was considered at p < 0.05. In-depth interviews with key informants (KIs) examined the perceptions of 11 prominent community leaders. Qualitative data were coded deductively and common themes identified. Based on the IAQ, half (51%) of the caregivers had experienced risk of, or food insecurity in the past month. Common themes indicative of suboptimal realisation of the RtF included insufficient employment opportunities, inadequate policies and programme implementation, and inadequate agrarian practices, while the child support grant partially supported the realisation of the RtF. Caregivers felt disempowered by a sense of inability to realise the right themselves without government assistance but KIs suggested that caregivers needed to take responsibility. The RtF of children and their caregivers is not fully realised in the Blue Crane Route. Concerted, multidisciplinary approaches using a rights-based approach to implement policies and programmes are needed, together with the empowerment of the community with necessary skills and resources to further the realisation of the RtF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study had two objectives. The first objective was to assess the structural validity of the Psychological Career Resources Inventory – Short Form (PCRI-SF) and for measurement equivalence across ethnic (white and black) and gender groups in the South African work setting. The second objective was to assess whether the PCRI-SF predicts individuals' career satisfaction. The article presents the findings of two studies that corroborate the PCRI-SF as a valid and reliable measure of individuals' psychological career resources as attributes of their career self-management behaviour and as predictors of their career satisfaction. The PCRI-SF further exhibited measurement equivalence for white and black people and men and women in the South African organisational setting. The findings indicate that the PCRI-SF is a valid and reliable measure of individuals' psychological career resources as attributes of self-regulated career management behaviour and as meaningful predictors of career satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to equip community-based careworkers with the skills to address the mental health needs of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) as an essential response to shortages in human resources for mental health in Sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a quasi-experimental feasibility trial in South Africa to adapt and evaluate an established year-long semi-structured, manualized video-feedback caregiver intervention (the Mediational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers; MISC) for community-based organizations (CBOs). Following a year-long iterative cross-cultural adaptation of MISC, we recruited 88 OVC (ages 7–11; 45.5% girls) and their CBO careworkers (N = 18; 94.4% female). Two CBOs (45 children; 9 CBO careworkers) received 12 months of MISC, and two CBOs (43 children; 9 CBO careworkers) received treatment as usual. Child mental health and quality of caregiving were assessed at 6 months into the intervention and at completion through multi-informant questionnaires and video-recordings of careworker-child interactions. Qualitative interviews were conducted to evaluate feasibility and acceptability. MISC-CBO was acceptable and feasible in terms of attendance and post-intervention interviews. MISC improved child mental health, as well as the quality of careworker caregiving in terms of interactive effects for affective and cognitive (Expanding) components of MISC, and main effects for the cognitive components of Rewarding and Provision of meaning. MISC components did not mediate the effects of the intervention. The current study shows that laypersons with no tertiary education and virtually no prior training who undergo MISC training can improve caregiving quality and the mental health of OVCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors relevant to degradation are important in every wood application. For wood used in ground and water contact; well documented abiotic factors (or agents) include exposure to temperature and moisture linked to the physiological requirements of biotic degradation agents such as wood-decaying fungi and bacteria. Other biotic degradation agents such as subterranean insects and marine borers occur overshadowing the effect of fungal and bacterial decay, but are restricted in geographical distribution and to aquatic applications, respectively. This review focusses on decay specific to soil exposure. The inherent material characteristics are important to durability in that heartwood and sapwood show differences in resistance to degradation between species, provenance, and individual trees. Wood durability testing methods and classification, as well as a summary of prominent models and variables suitable for regional-level modelling of in-ground wood durability are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental decision-making in infant and child male circumcision is influenced by complex, interrelated factors on many levels. Several studies have highlighted reasons for the acceptance and non-acceptance of child male circumcision. This study investigates the factors that influence parental decision-making in this matter and proposes a parental decision-making framework. The study was conducted in the townships of Diepsloot and Diepkloof in Gauteng, South Africa, using 48 in-depth interviews with parents, grandparents and uncles of the boys, as well as government officials and members of civil society as part of an explorative case study. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select the participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data by applying the conceptual framework of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Three main themes emerged from the data: microsystem factors related to health and hygiene, the father's circumcision status, cultural expectations, pain, the child's autonomy and the extended family; mesosystem factors related to early childhood development centres; and exosystem factors related to circumcision policies and financial considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to refine the YSQ-L3 by identifying the most statistically and clinically appropriate items for each Early Maladaptive Schema (EMS) using Rasch analysis. A Rasch analysis was undertaken on a large sample (N = 838) that included a heterogeneous clinical sample (N = 574) and a smaller non-clinical group (N = 264). Overall, 116 out of 232 items showed misfit across a number of statistical indicators. After the removal of these items, the fit improved for all subscales and showed good (.74) to excellent (.86) reliability with the exception of Enmeshment (.57). In line with previous research, items originally measuring Punitiveness were found to better fit two separate subscales, Punitiveness (Self) and Punitiveness (Other). Similarly, items assessing Emotional Inhibition fit better as two different constructs; Emotional Constriction, reflecting an over-control related to shame/embarrassment of showing emotions, and Fear of Losing Control, related to anxiety of the consequences if emotions are not contained. This is the first study to apply a rigorous methodological process to item selection from the YSQ-L3. The findings of this study are significant given the wide use of this scale cross-culturally in both clinical and research settings and offer a possible alternative to the current short form. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS) are transdiagnostic constructs that arise from unmet needs in childhood and become self-perpetuating through destructive patterns of interacting with the self, others, and the world. The Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) is the primary assessment tool used to assess 18 EMS, usually as part of Schema Therapy which is designed to treat complex and chronic psychological disorders. Psychometric evaluations of the YSQ have primarily focussed on factor structure and assessing the higher-order schema domains and have consistently yielded mixed findings across all versions. What this topic adds: This is the first study to assess the psychometric properties at an individual item level in the YSQ using Rasch Analysis. Overall, only 116 out of 232 items in the YSQ-L3 showed appropriate fit across a number of statistical indicators. In line with previous research, the Emotional Inhibition schema is better conceptualised as two separate constructs which were a Fear of Losing Control and Emotional Constriction. Similarly, Punitiveness (Self) and Punitiveness (Other) are distinct constructs derived from the original Punitiveness schema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The declaration of Covid-19 as a global pandemic on 11 March, 2020, and the disaster management regulations implemented in reply to it had enormous ramifications on ethnographic fieldwork. This situation presented an opportunity to reconsider the methodology used in a research project on lived experiences of childhood health and well-being in Free State province, South Africa. This study explores the argument that technology can establish a virtual space that fieldworker and research participant can treat as "real." It uses fieldwork diaries and insights to evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of telephonic virtual conversations as a replacement for conventional face-to-face fieldwork to access inaccessible fieldwork sites. It adopts a reflexive qualitative case-study approach to document the experiences of two fieldworkers moving from on-site fieldwork to telephone voice calls to conduct their research. By offering a reflexive account of these technology-mediated fieldwork experiences, this article proposes this methodology as possible alternative to documenting lived experience. Lessons from this experience can contribute to reviewing the traditional practice of ethnographic fieldwork and imagining alternative and complementary methodological possibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, many mining companies in South Africa housed their white workforce in towns established and managed by the company and their black workforce in single-sex hostels or compounds. By the early 2000s, most company towns had been 'normalised', the mining industry had abolished the compound system and homeownership had become the dominant policy goal. We use evolutionary governance theory and the concepts of social disruption and place attachment to reveal two problems: the path dependency of the migrant labour system and the goal dependency of government policy. To illustrate the effects on the residents of a coal mining town, we identify three housing clusters: renters, homeowners and informal settlers. Using findings from a survey of one South African mining town (Emalahleni), we show how the housing system created by normalisation places undue pressure on municipal services. We argue that by ignoring the continued migration and the likelihood of mine decline or closure government policy is putting homeowners at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To obtain a better understanding of feeding difficulties experienced by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methodology: Parents/caregivers (n = 325) of children (3–16 years) diagnosed with ASD living in England participated in an online questionnaire investigating early feeding history, food preferences and mealtime environment. Results: The most common feeding problem was the transition from weaning foods to textured food. Food appearance mainly determined food acceptance with over half the children (n = 152) being specific about the colour of their food. Nearly 65% (n = 191) were particular about food presentation, including specific brands and food packaging. Sensory attributes and texture of food affected food acceptance. There were clear preferences for crunchy or dry foods, followed by food with a smooth consistency. Nearly 80% (n = 223) repeatedly chose the same foods from a limited range. For specific food groups, the clear favourite among the study population was refined carbohydrates (64.4%, n = 186). A large proportion of children had tactile sensitivity, where 60% (n = 176) disliked having their hands/face dirty. Over 70% (n = 205) of children disliked strong odours, indicating the importance of the sensory attributes to food and the mealtime environment. Less than 40% (n = 108) of children were seen by a dietitian and the most common concern was the limited variety of foods and dietary intake. Conclusion: The study highlighted the need for nutritional monitoring and intervention where long-term idiosyncratic feeding behaviour may contribute to nutritional deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agency has become a key interest in translation studies since the cultural turn in the 1990s. Robinson is the only scholar mentioned above that situated his thoughts on agency in the body of the translator, but he limited it to the affect of the body or the mirror-neurons in the brain. In my view, the third decade of the twenty-first century is an apt time for translation studies scholars to take note of the ways in which the translators they study are embedded in their biology and how the agency that interests translation studies scholars emerges from and through this biology. Biosemioticians and biologists might disagree on some of the arguments, but translation studies and other humanities scholars will find this volume a rich source of information on the biology-phenomenology of agency. [Extracted from the article]

This article challenges the notion that etymological differences in nomenclature for translation practices across the world is meaningful. It presents data from South Africa that show that the different languages in South Africa use words with diverse etymology but that these differences are not reflected in translation practice. Having made the point that etymological differences do not necessarily provide insight into translation practice, the article then proceeds to suggest a scholarly definition of translation, based on Peircean semiotics. The article further contributes to the conceptualisation of a philosophy of translation by arguing that the biosemiotic theory of translation, based on Peircean semiotics (proposed elsewhere by the author), indeed constitutes a phenomenology of translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmworkers seldom experience place attachment and frequently suffer from social disruption. In South Africa in 1998 one thousand farmworker families were assisted by their employers, via the government's Housing Subsidy Programme, to access housing in the nearest urban area. We investigated whether their ownership of urban housing did indeed create stability through place attachment, asset building and integration into the community. We discussed this with 32 of these relocated farmworkers in four focus groups and interviewed five key informants. We found little evidence of place attachment or stability and it appeared that discrimination against these farmworkers was reinforcing social disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male circumcision is considered by some to be an acceptable global approach to reduce HIV infections. Consequently, many governments in sub-Saharan Africa run voluntary male circumcision programmes. South Africa also provides male circumcision for free at state clinics and hospitals. Very little is known about the men who use this service. This study uses data from Cape Town, a sample of 1194 in 2016, and from Mangaung, a sample of 277 in 2017 and 2018, to fill this gap. The study finds that age targeting is inadequate, risk targeting is absent, and religious and cultural factors have a negative effect on the cost-efficiency of the service in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify teachers' stress profiles from their perceived stress responses, and to determine the relationships between their stress profiles, coping strategies, and mental health. Participants were a convenience sample of teachers (n = 209) in the Sedibeng East District in South Africa (female = 80.4%; mean age = 41.59 years, SD = 12.35 years). The teachers responded to the Perceived Stress Scale, the Brief COPE Inventory, and the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form. Following latent profile analyses, results revealed three stress profiles: distressed, moderately stressed, and self-efficacious. The three stress profiles differed significantly regarding coping strategies and mental health. Teachers with a distressed profile who used self-blame as a coping strategy had poor mental health, while those with a self-efficacious profile and religion as a coping strategy had better mental health. The distressed profile had the most substantial adverse effect on mental health when positive reframing and active coping was low. Interventions aimed to promote mental health in teachers should consider their coping strategies as resources for recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1910, when the four British colonies, became the Union of South Africa, the country's capital city was divided into three parts: the executive in Pretoria, the legislative in Cape Town, and the judicial in Bloemfontein because it had the Appeal Court. The locations of the first two were uncontested, but the decision to put the Appeal Court in Bloemfontein was contested from the outset, and objections were again raised in the late 1990s under the democratic dispensation. The symbolic power of the Appeal Court and its judges is underplayed in Bloemfontein. Nationalist and colonial symbols dominate the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper profiles research on housing policy in Africa and evaluates its scale and quality. Using databases developed from Scopus, we reviewed papers on housing policy research from 1989 to 2018, in Africa and in South Africa in particular. We found a steady increase in the number of papers. The disciplines that have contributed most are geography, health-related disciplines, planning, development studies and economics, in that order, and there has been a shift towards disciplines with a more applied focus. Most researchers had not been involved in housing policy research for very long, apart from some in South Africa. We did not find strong research links between the rest of Africa and South Africa. A large proportion of researchers in the rest of Africa were affiliated to institutions outside Africa, unlike South Africa, which had more local affiliation. We argue that, despite room for improvement, it is understandable that the research mainly reflects the housing reality on the ground rather than analysing it theoretically, given the need to draw African governments' notice to the continent's severe housing problems and the need to develop implementable African housing policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by various filamentous fungi, of which Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium are the three main genera. Fusarium verticillioides is one of the most dominant toxigenic fungal species, associated with fumonisin contamination in grain-based feeds, such as compound abalone feed. Mycotoxin production is influenced by temperature and available nutrients. In this study the aims were: to determine if abalone feed as growth substrate favours mycotoxin production for toxigenic fungi; to determine the most effective temperature for fumonisin production by F. verticillioides on abalone feed; and to assess the effect of the aquatic environment on fumonisin-contaminated abalone feed. A total of 93 fungal isolates were inoculated onto abalone feed, including species belonging to the genera Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium. Feed inoculated with F. verticillioides were incubated at two different temperatures and fumonisin-contaminated feed was submerged into seawater for 24 h. Results showed that mycotoxins were produced when abalone feed was inoculated with toxigenic fungi, and that F. verticillioides produced higher concentrations of fumonisins at a lower temperature. Submerging fumonisin-contaminated feed in seawater showed that this toxin leached into the seawater, lowering the risk of fumonisins to be consumed by abalone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Any situation on the brink of change requires guides to assist in navigating such a new shared social space. Journalism is one such form of guidance. However, just as societal conditions are constantly in flux, so are the conditions under which journalism is practised. This is particularly true for the current generation of journalists with the lines between mainstream and alternative forms of journalism almost completely obscured. While the journalistic landscape is fluid, lessons for navigating this world can be found in the work of journalists from previous eras. This article places the work of South African journalist Nat Nakasa, a member of the 1960s Drum Generation, in conversation with the ideas of existentialism to further an understanding of existentialism in a South African context, and for South African journalism. This is achieved by identifying themes in Nakasa's work and linking these to some of the ideas of existentialism. The article argues that maintaining a public sphere within a democratic society requires a media sphere with space for mainstream and unconventional journalism. At the hand of an analysis of Nakasa's work, the article presents a possibility of how unconventional journalism can be a vital element to a pluralistic media environment and to guide society through any period of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about the non-target effects of glyphosate, a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide on soil-borne nematodes is scarce and not well documented for South African agricultural fields. In the present study, the abundance and identity of plant-parasitic nematodes in roots and rhizosphere soil of commercial glyphosate- tolerant (genetically modified; GM) and conventional (non-glyphosate-tolerant) soybean cultivars from cultivated fields were obtained for two consecutive growing seasons. Grass and soil from adjacent natural vegetation were sampled, representing the reference system. Thirty plant-parasitic nematode species, belonging to 13 genera were identified in the roots and rhizosphere soil of soybean cultivars and natural vegetation. In rhizosphere soil, Meloidogyne (for glyphosate-tolerant and conventional soybean), followed by Helicotylenchus (for glyphosate-tolerant soybean) and Scutellonema (for conventional soybean), were the predominant genera. Seven species, namely Pratylenchus flakkensis, Pratylenchus scribneri, Pratylenchus vulnus, Rotylenchus brevicaudatus, Telotylenchus avaricus, Tylenchorhynchus brevicaudatus and Quinisulcius capitatus are first reports for soybean in South Africa. Although it was not possible to define the impact of each ecosystem on the plant-parasitic nematode assemblages, this study suggested that glyphosate had no deleterious effects on plant-parasitic nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waged work is widely seen as a sufficient basis for meeting basic needs, achieving social inclusion and realizing essential social rights. Yet waged work that provides a livable income on reasonably secure terms is rare in 'developing' economies and increasingly scarce in 'developed' economies. This trend is likely to persist and worsen as the disruptive impacts of economic volatility and climate change intensify and labour market restructuring continues. Aggravating the impact is the diminishing access to livelihood options outside the wage economy. South Africa is an extreme example of this trend, with a very large proportion of the working age population superfluous to the formal economy, high levels of poverty and severe inequality. This paper describes this crisis at the global level and then specifically in South Africa, before considering the option of a universal basic income grant (UBIG). It examines the critiques and the potential merits and risks of such an intervention. To realize its transformative potential, a UBIG would have to be deployed as part of a broad transformation strategy that is led by an active state and driven by a mobilized civil society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review reflects on what the literature to date has taught us about how health systems of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) respond to emerging infectious disease (EID) outbreaks. These findings are then applied to propose a conceptual framework characterising an EID prepared health system. A narrative synthesis approach was adopted to explore the key elements of LMIC health systems during an EID outbreak. Overarching themes ('core health system constructs') and sub-themes ('elements') relevant to EID preparedness were extracted from 49 peer-reviewed articles. The resulting conceptual framework recognised six core constructs: four focused on material resources and structures (i.e. system 'hardware'), including (i) Surveillance, (ii) Infrastructure and medical supplies, (iii) Workforce, and (iv) Communication mechanisms; and two focused on human and institutional relationships, values and norms (i.e. system 'software'), including (i) Governance, and (ii) Trust. The article reinforces the interconnectedness of the traditional health system building blocks to EID detection, prevention and response, and highlights the critical role of system 'software' (i.e. governance and trust) in enabling LMIC health systems to achieve and maintain EID preparedness. The review provides recommendations for refining a set of indicators for an 'optimised' health system EID preparedness tool to aid health system strengthening efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Island of the Day Before (1996) redefines generic motifs of the castaway novel and undermines narrative authority to resist and revise fixed and one-dimensional representations of identity, as well as representations of the appropriation and domination of space and time that characterize shipwreck-literature from pre-colonial and colonial periods, the most well-known probably being Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719). As such, Eco's postmodern representation casts doubt on the legitimacy of any single interpretation of reality as well as the existence of absolute truth. His manipulation of time and space is achieved by alternating different worlds or contexts and time periods that engender the use of intertextual strategies to emphasize the non-linear and incongruous experience of space and time. This ambivalent tempo-spatial experience creates a state of liminality in which the identity of the main protagonist becomes unstable and even hybridized. In addition, Eco's parodic foregrounding of the cultural traits of the Baroque period functions to further complement his view on the nature of fiction as a narrative mode for revisiting, revising and recycling the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual pleasure is complex, not only due to the many ways that it manifests in private, but also in the multiple meanings assigned to it. Sexual pleasure continues to exist in relation to taboo and shame, and remains stigmatised and silenced within public discourses and private discussions (Muzenda, 2014). Pleasure can also be highly gendered with men being more likely to orgasm than women, thus giving rise to sexual inequality. As a cultural phenomenon, sexual pleasure can therefore have broader social implications that both include and go beyond physical bodily experiences. Although widely studied from a range of disciplines in the Global North, sexual pleasure remains understudied especially within African contexts where female sexualities continue to be misrepresented through colonial lenses. In response to these misrepresentations, there have recently been calls by African feminists to reframe the way we think about, talk about, research, and construct contemporary African sexualities. Drawing from the research and work of various African feminists, including Stella Nyanzi (2011), Sylvia Tamale (2011), and Patricia McFadden (2003) and others, this focus article will outline how these feminists are challenging: (1) colonial constructs by encouraging alternative ways of thinking about and researching African sexualities through the inclusion of sexual pleasure; (2) patriarchal paradigms by enlightening and empowering women to view sexual pleasure as a liberating and powerful force; and (3) cultural sexual silences by encouraging and enabling women to engage in conversations about sex and their sexual needs and pleasures. By focusing on the concept of sexual pleasure, this article will explore the different ways that African feminists are reimagining and reframing contemporary African sexualities. Furthermore, by examining women's lived sexual experiences, it will also be shown how these feminists have the capacity to unsilence women's sexualities, thus enabling women to reclaim their sexual pleasure and power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]