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South African universities have one of the lowest graduation rates in the world, especially amongst first-year university students.South Africa's first-year university students are taxed with tremendous challenges.One of the most important amongst these challenges is considered to be academic motivation, which is strongly related to students' academic success.Despite this, to date, little work has been undertaken to source and validate a reliable instrument to measure students' academic...

This paper outlines potential opportunities for Africa's Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) development driven by blue economy from key strategic sectors including: Coastal and Marine Tourism; Climate Resilience; Environment; Blue Carbon and Ecosystem Services and Infrastructure. The sectoral approach is key to economic development in Africa with potential for income generation, employment creation and poverty reduction, as well as creating blue and green carbon sinks to address climate change...

Abstract Purpose: Differences in attitudes between graduating medical and nursing students toward older persons in Ghana were compared. Additionally, the association between the overall quality of students’ experiences with older persons and their attitudes was examined. Materials and Methods: A sample of 135 final year medical and nursing students from a public institution in Ghana participated in a cross-sectional study by completing a web-based self-administered questionnaire consisting...

Inclusive education has featured strongly in the South African education landscape since it was first incorporated into policy in 2001. Although parents are key stakeholders in the successful implementation of inclusive education, there has not been much research exploring parents’ understanding within this space. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parents’ understanding of inclusion and exclusion in education from seven primary schools in the Johannesburg area. This paper is based on...

Abstract We estimated the incidence of cognitive impairment and its key sociodemographic, social, and health-related predictors at the first longitudinal follow-up of the population-representative “Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa” (HAALSI) cohort of adults aged ≥40 in rural Agincourt, South Africa. Cognitive impairment was defined as scoring ≥1.5 SD below the baseline mean composite time orientation and episodic memory score, or...

Abstract Background We aimed to determine the incidence of cognitive impairment and its key sociodemographic, social, and health‐related predictors at the first longitudinal follow‐up of the population‐representative “Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa” (HAALSI) cohort in South Africa. Method Data were from 3,861 adults aged ≥40 in rural Agincourt sub‐district, South Africa from 2014‐19, who were free from cognitive impairment at...

Abstract Voting is a necessary and inherent right of citizens in democracies to select public office holders who decide how public goods and resources are distributed and maintained. It is therefore critical that all citizens who are eligible are able to participate in one of the key aspects of political participation – voting. This study focused on the factors that influence the ability of older adult Ghanaians with disabilities to vote in local and national elections. The study sample of...

The purpose of this study was to explore knowledge and attitudes of health program students towards ethical issues pertaining to the beginning and the end of human life, and associations between these attitudes and demographic variables.The study took a mixed-method approach with self-administered survey questionnaires and in-depth interviews. A total of 88 students participated in the survey, and 10 students participated in interviews. The study was conducted among students in the Health...

The study ascertains the extent and adequacy of motivation within the Ghana Education Service (GES) and its effect on teaching. The population for the study was all teaching staff in the East Gonja District. A Survey design was used in the study and a self-developed questionnaire was administered to 25 schools out of 69 zoned schools giving a 36% representation of the entire population. Random sampling was used to select 4 respondents from each of the selected schools to give a total of 100...

Empathy has been described as a multi-dimensional construct with cognitive and emotional components, both of which are concerned about responsivity to others. It has been touted as a skill essential for medical practice and thus useful to all healthcare professionals. It has been assessed in several countries and among several healthcare cadres however, there is a yawning gap in Ghana about its level in medical students. This study utilised a cross-sectional design to assess empathy using...

The study investigated the potential for adverse health impacts from exposures to inhalable atmospheric dust and radon in the main towns along Namibia's central-western coast. An ambient air quality monitoring network was established at the end of 2016 to measure and track the inhalable dust (specifically PM10) and radon concentrations. Data collected between November 2016 and the end of December 2018 were assessed and selected PM10 samples were analysed for mineral and radionuclide content....

Background: DMFT is used to denote decayed, missing and filled teeth. The DMFT index is the universally employed index for measuring dental caries status. Dental caries is the most common oral disease affecting all age groups and a major cause of tooth loss. A fundamental purpose of dental education is to develop health professionals who will maintain and improve the oral health status of individuals and populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of dental education on...

The decision to put together this collection began as an initiative to engage with presenters and participants of the UNISA Decolonial Summer School of 2019 beyond the content that was presented.UNISA, referring to the University of South Africa, was established in 1873 and is South Africa's foremost distance learning university.UNISA is situated in Pretoria in the province of Gauteng, which is one of South Africa's three capital cities where the executive branch of government is located,...

In this article I unpack the terms ‘decoloniality’ and ‘decolonial’ as a means to address their respective histories in the South African context whilst also drawing on key examples within the global South. Many countries in the global South share histories of usurpation, coloniality and brutality at the hands of the same European colonisers. So, I offer, with overlaps, examples of the early stages of Portuguese, Dutch, British, Spanish, Italian and German colonialism, and their attempts at...

The integration of the theory and practical components in the teaching and learning of the Civil Technology subject is requisite. This is to ensure the transfer of the much needed hands-on skills in a country desperate for technological emancipation. It is regrettable that some South African schools offering the Civil Technology subject have been caught wanting in this aspect. This paper therefore investigate the challenges of transferring Civil Technology hands-on skills and how these...