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HIV-1 subtype C is the predominant circulating virus in South Africa. There are reports of non-C subtypes emerging in different regions of the country, however, very little information exists on the genetic diversity of HIV in the Eastern Cape Province, despite having the third largest HIV epidemic in the country. In the current study, a near full-length genomic sequence obtained from a heterosexual woman in the Eastern Cape (ADE/CMH/0032), was analyzed using two rapid online subtyping tools; REGA and the jumping Profile Hidden Markov Model (jpHMM). There was agreement between the two tools in the assignment of the pol, Vif, and vpr regions, identified as a C/D recombinant (pol) and subtype C (vif and vpr). Some degree of agreement existed in the assignment of the Gag region, as recombinant: A1/C/B/D by REGA, and A1/C/D by jPHMM, respectively. There was disparity between the two online tools in the subtype assignment of the remaining gene regions. Phylogenetic analysis with pure subtype reference sequences showed that the query sequence clustered with a subtype C reference strain, with a low bootstrap value of 43%. This is the first report from South Africa of a putative unique recombinant as classified by rapid online subtyping tools, involving subtype A1, C, D, B, and K. However, the clinical and epidemiological implications of this variant remain unclear. Further studies are needed to fully understand the genetic diversity of HIV in the Eastern Cape.

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Teenage pregnancy has become a common global public health issue, associated with increased risk of obstetric complications and adverse neonatal outcomes. Teenagers are more prone to obstetric complications compared to older women. This study examined the maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes among teenagers, and compared them with older pregnant women. This study extracted maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes from 196 medical records of women delivered at Fort Beaufort Hospital from April 2017 to March 2018. Teenagers developed anaemia (13%) and pre-eclampsia (2.1%) during pregnancy as compared to older pregnant women. Most of the women delivered through normal vertex, although the teenagers had the highest percentage of caesarean section (27%) compared to the older women. Few proportions of women developed complications during delivery, however, obstructed labour (14.7%), prolonged labour (11.5%), foetal distress (14.8%) was more prevalent in teenagers. Most neonates were delivered at preterm birth and were alive across all age groups. However, few of the preterm births (23.2%) and very premature neonates (7.4%) occurred among the teenager mothers compared to older women. Few neonates had an Apgar score of less than 7 in 1 minute across all age groups. The risk of obstructed labour, prolonged labour, and foetal distress was predominant among teenagers compared to the older women. There was high incidence of vaginal deliveries, preterm babies and low Apgar score among teenagers compared to the older women. The findings of this study revealed that the teenagers start booking at the second trimester, which may impose the risk of complications if not observed at an early stage. There was high incidence of vaginal deliveries, preterm babies and low Apgar score among teenagers compared to the older women. Programmes to support early antenatal bookings for teenagers are important to address adverse maternal complications associated with late antenatal bookings.

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Maternal mortality is a global problem, particularly in developing countries. This study explored perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of women of reproductive age concerning maternal deaths in Qaukeni Sub-District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. This was a community-based qualitative study using using in-depth interviews among women of reproductive age. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found some of the mothers knew the causes, signs and symptoms of pregnancy as well as danger signs during pregnancy such as haemorrhage, sepsis, high blood pressure and complications of unsupervised home deliveries, while others had little knowledge about these signs and symptoms. The participants indicated that using herbal medications during pregnancy could result to serious complications and even maternal death. Women do not attend antenatal care because of the long distances, absence of clinics, shortage of nurses and doctors; thus, predisposing women to deliver at homes with the assistance of traditional birth attendants, who had limited knowledge related to health issues and the Prevention of Mother- to-Child-Transmission programme. The findings indicated that some women are knowledgeable about the causes of maternal deaths during pregnancy as well as the signs and symptoms of pregnancy. Health education during pregnancy and provision of better resources would help improve the maternal health of women in this rural setting.

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BACKGROUND: HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of death among pregnant women in South Africa. Isoniazid prevention therapy (IPT) strategy was implemented in South Africa concurrently with life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART) to reduce the TB-associated morbidity and mortality in individuals living with HIV. This study assessed the extent of the implementation of IPT and the performance of the Mantoux test by geographic settings of health facilities and residences of pregnant women living with HIV in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. METHODS: We conducted a data analysis of 1709 pregnant women enrolled in the new electronic database of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme of the East London Prospective Cohort Study. Relevant data on place of residence and antenatal care, performance of the Mantoux test and subsequent initiation of IPT were obtained. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyse the geographical variations and accessibility to Mantoux test and IPT. RESULTS: The analysis shows that Mantoux test was performed on 803 pregnant women (47%) with significant geographical variation. After controlling for relevant covariates, pregnant women who resided in rural areas (AOR:0.63; CI: 0.47-0.84) compared to those who resided in urban areas were significantly less likely to receive Mantoux test. The rate of uptake of IPT was 79% with significant geographic variations. In the unadjusted model, rural place of residence (UOR:0.68; CI: 0.49-0.96) was independently associated with lower likelihood of uptake of INH prophylaxis; however, the effect was not significant after controlling for important covariates. CONCLUSIONS: The high uptake rate of isoniazid prevention therapy in pregnant women living with HIV at the study sites is commendable; however, concerted efforts are needed to address the inequality gaps in the roll-out of IPT. Poor performance of Mantoux test is a serious concern and requires the attention of TB programme managers and other relevant authorities.

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Undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus constitutes a significant threat to the health of commercial taxi drivers, safety of the passengers and other road users. This study determines the prevalence of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus among commercial taxi drivers in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), Eastern Cape and examines the factors associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.A cross-sectional survey of 403 commercial taxi drivers was undertaken using the World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise approach. Anthropometric, blood pressure, and blood glucose measurements followed standard procedure. Diabetes status was determined using the fasting blood glucose (FBG) test. Diabetes was defined as a FBG ≥7.0mmol/L or self-reported history of diabetes or current diabetes medication use (treatment), while pre-diabetes was defined as a FBG of 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L. Awareness of diabetes was defined as a self-reported history of diabetes.The mean age of the study participants was 43.3 ±â€Š12.5years. Prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes were 17% (95% CI: 13.4-20.6) and 16% (95% CI: 12.4-19.6), respectively. Of those who had diabetes (n = 63), the majority were aware of their diabetes status (n = 43) and were on treatment (n = 30). In the unadjusted logistic regression, age, ever married, hypertension, obesity, and driving for more than 5 years were independently associated with diabetes. However, only age >35 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]= 3.65, CI: 1.17-11.32), ever married (AOR= 3.26, CI: 1.52-6.99) and hypertension (AOR= 3.23, CI: 1.56-6.69) were associated with diabetes in the adjusted logistic regression model.The prevalence of diabetes among commercial taxi drivers in this study is high, almost twice the national prevalence of diabetes in South Africa. Periodic health screening among this sub-population group is important to bridge the gap of undiagnosed diabetes in South Africa.

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BACKGROUND:  Nurses in primary health care settings are key stakeholders in the diagnosis and management of hypertensive patients. Unfortunately, the working conditions of nurses predispose them to stress, long hours of work, shift duties and unhealthy diets, which are drivers of hypertension. Yet nurses are often overlooked in health screening exercises, primarily because they are assumed to be informed and 'healthy'. AIM:  This study examined the prevalence, awareness, control and determinants of hypertension among professional primary health care nurses in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. SETTING:  This was a cross-sectional survey of 203 professional nurses working at 41 primary health care facilities of the Eastern Cape Province. METHODS:  A modified WHO STEPwise questionnaire was used for data collection during face-to-face interviews. The information obtained included demographic information, behavioural lifestyles, anthropometric and blood pressure (BP) measurements. Hypertension is defined as an average of two BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg or self-reported history of antihypertensive medication use. RESULTS:  The prevalence of hypertension was 52%. Of this, 41% were unaware of their hypertension status. Of those who were aware and on treatment, only 38.1% had a controlled blood pressure. After adjusting for confounders (for physical activity, dietary practices, parity, income and alcohol use), only age and duration of practice were independent predictors of hypertension among the study population. CONCLUSION:  There is a high prevalence of hypertension among the study participants. There is an unexpected low rate of awareness and suboptimal control of blood pressure among the participants. Age is the significant predictor of hypertension among professional nurses in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. There is an urgent need for the implementation of an effective workplace health programme for nurses in the province.

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BACKGROUND: Context-specific factors influence adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among pregnant women living with HIV. Gaps exist in the understanding of the reasons for the variable outcomes of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme at the health facility level in South Africa. This study examined adherence levels and reasons for non-adherence during pregnancy in a cohort of parturient women enrolled in the PMTCT programme in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. METHODS: This was a mixed-methods study involving 1709 parturient women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. We conducted a multi-centre retrospective analysis of the mother-infant pair in the PMTCT electronic database in 2016. Semi-structured interviews of purposively selected parturient women with self-reported poor adherence (n = 177) were conducted to gain understanding of the main barriers to adherence. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the independent predictors of ART non-adherence. RESULTS: A high proportion (69.0%) of women reported perfect adherence. In the logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding factors, marital status, cigarette smoking, alcohol use and non-disclosure to a family member were the independent predictors of non-adherence. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed that drug-related side-effects, being away from home, forgetfulness, non-disclosure, stigma and work-related demand were among the main reasons for non-adherence to ART. CONCLUSIONS: Non-adherence to the antiretroviral therapy among pregnant women in this setting is associated with lifestyle behaviours, HIV-related stigma and ART side-effects. In order to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, clinicians need to screen for these factors at every antenatal clinic visit.

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OBJECTIVE: Waist circumference has been identified as one of the strongest predictive tool for metabolic syndrome. This study determines the optimal cut-off point of waist circumference for metabolic syndrome among low-income earning South African black population, in Eastern Cape, South Africa. The optimal waist circumference cut-off point was determined through receiver operating characteristics analysis using the maximum Youden index. RESULTS: Among men, waist circumference at a cut-off value of 95.25 cm yielded the highest Youden index of 0.773 (sensitivity = 98%, specificity = 79%, area under curve 0.893). For women, waist circumference of 89.45 cm yielded the highest Youden index of 0.339 (sensitivity = 88%, specificity = 46%, area under curve 0.713). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among men, women and both sexes using the new cut-off points were: 17.8, 20.8 and 17.7%, respectively, compared to; 15.6, 24.8 and 21.8%, using the traditional cut-off values of 94 and 80 cm for men and women, respectively. The traditional waist circumference value slightly under-estimated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among men and over-estimated among women and the overall population. A specific waist circumference cut-off point for South African blacks is needed for correct identification of the metabolic state of the populace in order to develop appropriate interventions.

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BACKGROUND: This study determined the diagnostic performance of new biomarkers for a composite diagnosis of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among Central Africans. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted at LOMO Medical Centre, Kinshasa, DR Congo (DRC) between January - December, 2008. The cases comprised 226 participants with concurrent presence of at least 2 or more of NCDs. Anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were measured while blood samples were assayed for biomarkers. The receiver operating characteristics curve and the logistic regression model were applied. RESULTS: Serum selenium (Se) had specificity and sensitivity of 72.4% and 91.1%, respectively with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.802; Nitric oxide (NO) (specificity: 72.4%; sensitivity: 93.0%) (AUC = 0.800); Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels > 6 Mu/L (specificity: 75%; sensitivity: 65%) (AUC = 0.0.727); serum calcium levels of ≥ 110g/L (specificity: 76%; sensitivity: 75%) (AUC = 0.822); and daily salt intake of ≥10 g/day (specificity: 75%; sensitivity: 67%) (AUC = 0.653) in the diagnosis of all NCDs, which were all highly significant (<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Serum Se, NO, calcium, TSH and daily salt intake had high diagnostic performance as biomarkers for identification of patients with concurrent NCDs in the study population.

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BACKGROUND: Central obesity (CO) confers a significant threat on the cardio-metabolic health of individuals, independently of overall obesity. Disparities in the measures of fat distribution lead to misclassification of individuals who are at risk of cardio-metabolic diseases. This study sought to determine the prevalence and correlates of central obesity and normal-weight central obesity among adults attending selected healthcare facilities in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), South Africa, assess their health risk and examine the association between central obesity and cardio-metabolic diseases among adults with normal weight, measured by body mass index (BMI). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 998 adults was carried out at the three largest outpatient clinics in BCMM. Overall and central obesity were assessed using BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHTR). The WHO STEPwise questionnaire was used for data collection. Blood pressure and blood glucose were measured. Normal-weight central obesity was defined as CO among individuals with normal weight, as assessed by BMI. Health risk levels were assessed using the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) BMI-WC composite index. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the prevalence of CO, normal-weight central obesity and the predictors of CO. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 42.6 (± 16.5) years. The prevalence of CO was 67.0, 58.0 and 71.0% by WC, WHR and WHTR, respectively. The prevalence of normal-weight central obesity was 26.9, 36.9 and 29.5% by WC, WHR and WHTR, respectively. About 41% of the participants had a very high health risk, 13% had increased risk or high risk and 33% had no health risk. Central obesity was significantly associated with hypertension but not associated with diabetes among those with normal weight (by BMI). Female sex, age over 30 years, marriage, secondary or tertiary level of education, non-smoking status, diabetes and hypertension significantly predicted central obesity among the study participants. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of central obesity among the study participants is high, irrespective of the defining criteria. One in three adults of normal weight had central obesity. Body mass index should therefore not be used alone for clinical assessment by healthcare workers in the study setting.

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BACKGROUND: The vulnerabilities of young women of low socio-economic status and those with little or no formal education tend to dominate the discourse on unplanned pregnancy, unsafe abortion and emergency contraception (EC) in sub-Saharan Africa. This article draws on a survey conducted among female undergraduate students to shed light on sexual behaviour and the dynamics of emergency contraceptive use among this cohort. METHODS: The survey involved 420 female undergraduate students drawn using a multistage sampling technique, while a self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Univariate and bivariate analyses were applied to examine the factors associated with the use of emergency contraception. RESULTS: Of the 176 female students who reported being sexually active in the year preceding the survey, only 38.6% reported the use of condom during the entire year. Of those who reported unplanned pregnancy anxiety n = 94, about 30.1% used EC, 20.4% used non-EC pills as EC, while others reported having used no EC. A few respondents (n = 3) had terminated a pregnancy under unsafe conditions. Awareness of EC (p < 0.001), knowledge of timing of EC (p = 0.001), perceived risk of unplanned pregnancy (p < 0.001), and level of study (p = 0.013), were significantly correlated with the use of EC. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that educated youths engaged in high-risk sexual activities and also, sought recourse to unproven and unsafe contraceptive methods. Poor knowledge of EC methods and timing of use, as well as wrong perception about EC side effects, are barriers to the utilisation of EC for the prevention of unplanned pregnancy among the study participants.

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OBJECTIVES: South Africa has pledged to the sustainable development goal of promoting good health and well-being to all residents. While this is laudable, paucity of reliable epidemiological data for different regions on diabetes and treatment outcomes may further widen the inequalities of access and quality of healthcare services across the country. This study examines the sociodemographic and clinical determinants of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in individuals attending primary healthcare in OR Tambo district, South Africa. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analytical study. SETTING: Primary healthcare setting in OR Tambo district, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: Patients treated for T2DM for 1 or more years (n=327). PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Prevalence of uncontrolled T2DM. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Determinants of uncontrolled T2DM (glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥7%). RESULTS: Out of the 327 participants, 274 had HbA1c≥7% (83.8%). Female sex (95% CI 1.3 to 4.2), overweight/obesity (95% CI 1.9 to 261.2), elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (95% CI 4.4 to 23.8), sedentary habits (95% CI 7.2 to 61.3), lower monthly income (95% CI 1.3 to 6.5), longer duration of T2DM (95% CI 4.4 to 294.2) and diabetes information from non-health workers (95% CI 1.4 to 7.0) were the significant determinants of uncontrolled T2DM. There was a significant positive correlation of uncontrolled T2DM with increasing duration of T2DM, estimated glomerular filtration rate and body mass index. However, a significant negative correlation exists between monthly income and increasing HbA1c. CONCLUSIONS: We found a significantly high prevalence (83.8%) of uncontrolled T2DM among the patients, possibly attributable to overweight/obesity, sedentary living, lower income and lack of information on diabetes. Addressing these determinants will require re-engineering of primary healthcare in the district.

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BACKGROUND: Paucity of data on the prevalence, treatment and control of hypertension in individuals living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the rural communities of South Africa may undermine efforts to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular diseases. This study examines the socio-demographic and clinical determinants of uncontrolled hypertension among individuals living with T2DM in the rural communities of Mthatha, South Africa. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved a serially selected sample of 265 individuals living with T2DM and hypertension at Mthatha General Hospital, Mthatha. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90mmHg in accordance with the Eight Joint National Committee Report (JNC 8) (2014). We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify the significant determinants of uncontrolled hypertension. RESULTS: Of the total participants (n = 265), the prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension was 75.5% (n = 200). In univariate analysis of all participants, male gender (p = 0.029), age≥65 years (p = 0.016), unemployed status (p<0.0001), excessive alcohol intake (p = 0.005) and consumption of western-type diet (p<0.0001) were positively associated with uncontrolled hypertension. In multivariate logistic regression (LR method) analysis, unemployed status (p<0.0001), excessive alcohol intake (p = 0.007) and consumption of western-type diet (p<0.0001) were independently and significantly associated with uncontrolled hypertension. There is significant association between increasing number and classes of anti-hypertensive drugs and uncontrolled hypertension (p = 0.05 and 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension was high in individuals with concomitant hypertension and T2DM in the study population. Male sex, aging, clinic inertia, unemployed status and nutritional transitions are the most important determinants of uncontrolled hypertension in T2DM in Mthatha, South Africa. Treatment to blood pressure targets, though feasible in our setting, would require concerted efforts by addressing these determinants and clinic inertia.

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BACKGROUND: Despite the overwhelming evidence confirming the morbidity and mortality benefits of early initiation of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-infected infants, some children are still disadvantaged from gaining access to care. The understanding of the maternal perspective on early infant HIV diagnosis and prompt initiation of HAART has not been adequately explored, especially in the rural communities of South Africa. This study explores the perspectives of mothers of HIV-exposed infants with regard to early infant diagnosis (EID) through a lens of social and structural barriers to accessing primary healthcare in OR Tambo district, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. METHODS: In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews at two primary healthcare centres in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality of the OR Tambo district, South Africa. Twenty-four purposive sample of mothers of HIV-exposed infants took part in the study. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and field notes were obtained. The findings were triangulated with two focus group discussions in order to enrich and validate the qualitative data. Thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data. RESULTS: The participants have fairly good knowledge of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the risks during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. The majority of participants were confident of the protection offered by anti-retroviral drugs provided during pregnancy, however, lack knowledge of optimal time for early infant diagnosis of HIV. Reasons for not accessing EID included fear of finding out that their child is HIV positive, feelings of guilt and/or shame and embarrassment with respect to raising an HIV infected infant. Personal experiences of HIV diagnosis and HAART were associated with participants' attitudes and beliefs toward care-seeking behaviours. Stigma resulting from their own disclosure to others reduced their likelihood of recommending EID to other members of their communities. CONCLUSION: Despite the good knowledge of mothers about infant HIV infection and the availability of treatment, the knowledge of the optimal time for early infant diagnosis is lacking. Fear of infant HIV diagnosis and stigma are challenges for universal coverage of early infant diagnosis in these rural communities. Hence, community education and intensive counselling of pregnant women about early infant diagnosis are urgently needed.

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INTRODUCTION: Rapid scale-up of antiretroviral therapy rollout in Sub-Saharan African countries faces the challenge of virological failure. This could be the consequence of transmitted drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus strains at the population level. While a pre-antiretroviral therapy genotypic test has been a major component of the human immunodeficiency virus management programme in developed nations, it is yet to be incorporated into the antiretroviral therapy programme in resource-poor countries. CASE PRESENTATION: A 32-year-old Black African woman was seen for her six-month routine review. Her viral load after initiation of fixed drug combination of tenofovir, emtricitabine and efavirenz was 31,397 RNA copies/mL. Adherence was assessed to be good based on pharmacy pick-up dates, on-time clinic appointment records, medical file review, self-reporting and treatment supporter's report. Her viral load was repeated after another two months of close monitoring; the result showed viral load of 31,159 RNA copies/mL. She was assessed as virological failure to her first-line antiretrovirals and commenced on second-line antiretrovirals: zidovudine/lamivudine/Aluvia(®) (lopinavir and ritonavir). A human immunodeficiency virus drug genotypic testing showed she was only susceptible to zidovudine and protease inhibitors. At third month on the new regimen, her viral load was suppressed. CONCLUSIONS: This case report demonstrates the possibility of a silent epidemic within the human immunodeficiency virus pandemic in resource-poor settings like Eastern Cape, South Africa. We described a case of early virological failure in a highly motivated young woman. Although, a pre-antiretroviral therapy genotypic test is yet to be incorporated into a human immunodeficiency virus programme in resource-poor countries, the need for it might become evident as the programme expands. Close monitoring of the viral load of patients according to national guidelines will enable early detection of a failing regimen and prompt intervention can be instituted to prevent morbidity and mortality. There is an urgent need to strengthen the human immunodeficiency virus programme in resource-poor countries to prevent the emergence of an epidemic of transmitted drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus strains within the existing human immunodeficiency virus pandemic.

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BACKGROUND: Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have recently been experiencing increases in the prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other non-communicable diseases in both urban and rural areas. Despite their growing influence on population health in the region, there is a paucity of epidemiological studies on the twin epidemic of obesity and T2DM, particularly in the rural communities in South Africa. We investigated the prevalence and the determinants of overall obesity among patients with T2DM in rural and semi-urban areas surrounding the town of Mthatha, South Africa. METHODS: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with T2DM attending the outpatient department at Mthatha General Hospital, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data were obtained from 327 participants using standardized questionnaires that included items on sex, age, level of education, type of residence, employment status, smoking status, physical activity, diet and alcohol intake. After taking measurements of height and weight, participants were defined as obese if their body mass index exceeded 30 kg/m(2). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the determinants of obesity in our sample population. RESULTS: We found that 60.2% of our sample population were defined as obese. In our univariate analyses, female sex (p < 0.001), age ≥50 years (p = 0.023), rural residence (p < 0.001), excessive alcohol intake (p = 0.002), current cigarette smoking (p < 0.001), level of education (p < 0.001), regular consumption of soft drinks (p < 0.001) and unemployment (p = 0.043) were found to be positively and significantly associated with obesity. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, female sex (p < 0.001), unemployment (p = 0.012) and level of education (p < 0.001) were found to be independent determinants of obesity. CONCLUSION: We found that female sex, educational attainment, unemployment and current cigarette smoking were positively associated with obesity among the study participants. Lifestyle changes, poverty reduction and public education are urgently needed to address the growing obesity epidemic in rural areas of South Africa.

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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the effects of mat Pilates on resting heart rate, resting blood pressure and fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides in elderly women. METHODOLOGY: Fifty sedentary, apparently healthy females aged 60 and older were randomly assigned into a control (CG, n = 25) or an intervention (IG, n = 25) group. The IG took part in an eight-week progressive mat Pilates exercise program, three times weekly while the CG did not take part in any structured exercises throughout the eight-week period. All subjects underwent pre- and post-tests in which cardiometabolic parameters were assessed. RESULTS: In the eight-week mat Pilates program, the IG only demonstrated a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in systolic BP (p = 0.040) from 135.84 ± 14.66mmHg to 128.80 ± 16.36mmHg and a significant increase in blood glucose (p = 0.000) from 5.07 ± 0.46mmol.L(-1) to 5.83 ± 0.57mmol.L(-1), whereas resting HR (p = 0.148) (from 68.80 ± 12.58beats.min(-1) to 73.20 ± 11.46beats.min(-1)), resting diastolic BP (p = 0.342) (from 75.64 ± 10.10mmHg to 77.44 ± 9.32mmHg), blood TC (p = 0.073) (from 5.37 ± 0.99mmol.L(-1) to 5.67 ± 1.04mmol.L(-1)) and blood TG (p = 0.384) (from 1.77 ± 0.88mmol.L(-1) to 1.92 ± 0.87mmol.L(-1)) did not produce any significant changes. CONCLUSION: Due to the contradictory nature of the cardiometabolic variables (except systolic BP) with the findings of previous studies, it is difficult to establish a case for using Pilates as a substitute for more conventional forms of exercising when exclusively attempting to favourably alter cardiometabolic parameters at least among the elderly women in our sample.

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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of University students regarding the severity of unwanted pregnancy. METHODS: This cross sectional study involved 408 (206 females and 202 males) students residing within the university campus. Simple and systematic sampling methods were used to select participants. A 4-likert scaled self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. RESULT: Majority (87.70%) of participants perceived unwanted pregnancy as leading to impaired mental health; 86.30% perceived it as a cause of many other health problems; 86.60% believed it could result to shame and withdrawal from society or even suicidal attempts; and child neglect and abandonment (84.80%). Using the cut-off points of 75% of the total scores as a criteria for assessing perception, fewer (60.30%) participants perceived unwanted pregnancy as preventing a girl from continuing with her education; insufficient money to provide for both mother and child (74.50%) and leading to higher risk of substance abuse and problem behaviour among children born from unwanted pregnancies (51.20%). Females students strongly agreed that unwanted pregnancy could lead to shame and withdrawal from the society compared to their male counterparts (Chi-square = 10.788, p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: Few students at the University of Venda perceived unwanted pregnancy as being severe enough and associated with truncated education, poverty for the young mother, and increased risk of problem behaviours. Thus, intervention strategies should be instituted to prevent unwanted pregnancies among the students.

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Objectives : The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of University of Venda students on their susceptibility to the negative outcomes associated with unprotected sex. Methods : This cross sectional study involved 408 (206 females and 202 males) University of Venda students residing within the university campus. Simple and systematic sampling methods were used to select participants. A 4-likert scaled self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection and a cut-off point of 75% of the total scores was used as criteria for assessing perception. Results : Majority (90.90%) of the participants understood the magnitude and problems posed by HIV and other sexually transmitted infection in the society, 94.60% believe that anyone can be infected with HIV or fall pregnant when exposed to unprotected sex. Majority (87.30%) believed that alcohol consumption while engaging in sexual activities increases the chances of being infected with HIV, other STI or falling pregnant, 92.40% believed that having multiple sexual partnerships increases the risk of being infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Eighty six percent of participants agreed or strongly agreed that pregnancy could occur with one sexual intercourse in a month and only 68.45% of the participants believed that practising oral sex could expose them to HIV infection (with no significant difference between male and female). Conclusion : Majority of the students showed high perception regarding their susceptibility to the negative outcomes associated with unprotected sex, especially when they consume alcohol while engaging in sexual activities and when having multiple sexual partnerships. Contrastingly, the students demonstrated low perception regarding susceptibility to HIV transmission through the practice of oral sex. There is a need to create awareness on the dangers posed by the practise of oral sex.