The association between psychopathology and substance use: adolescent and young adult substance users in inpatient treatment in Cape Town, South Africa.

Introduction: Evidence suggests that comorbid psychopathology can negatively affect treatment outcomes in substance users. In South Africa, limited information exists regarding the prevalence, nature and role of psychiatric comorbidity in substance users. This study examined psychiatric comorbidity and its association with specific substance use, and young adult substance users in treatment for substance use.

The association between substance use and common mental disorders in young adults: results from the South African Stress and Health (SASH) Survey.

Introduction: Although substance use is commonly associated with mental disorders, limited data on this association are available from low and middle income countries such as South Africa. The aims of the study were i) to determine patterns of substance use in young adults, ii) to identify trends of common psychiatric disorders in relation to use of specific substances, and iii) to determine whether specific psychiatric disorders were associated with use of specific substances in the South African population.

Methods: Data were drawn from the South African Stress and Health (SASH) study, a nationally-representative, cross-sectional survey of South African households that forms part of a World Health Organisation (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) initiative to standardise information on the global burden of mental illness and its correlates.

Peer education training for sexual health and well-being in public high schools in South Africa: Is it enough to change peer educators themselves?

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a high school peer educator training programme on the sexual behaviour and related psychosocial outcomes of peer educators.

Method: A total of 728 students from 15 randomly selected public high schools in the Western Cape, South Africa, with a peer education programme and 15 matched comparison schools were recruited, comprising 295 students in the intervention group and 433 students in the comparison arms of the study respectively. Age of sexual debut, use of condom at last sex and psychosocial outcomes such as decision making, goal orientation, critical thinking and self-esteem were measured at baseline and follow-up 18 months later.

The relationship between substance use and delinquency among high-school students in Cape Town, South Africa.

Research has shown a positive relationship between substance use and delinquent-type behaviours among adolescents. The aim of this study is to explore the temporal relationships between these outcomes through secondary data analysis of a longitudinal study of high-school students' risk behaviours. Two regression models were compared and gender, socioeconomic status and repeating a grade were found to be consistent predictors of delinquent-type behaviour.

Predicting referral practices of traditional healers of their patients with a mental illness: an application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Objective: Although many studies indicate that traditional healers are willing to collaborate with Western practitioners in South Africa, none focus specifically on mental health care, and none use a theory of health behaviour to explain their findings. The present study applies the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to predict traditional healer referral practices of patients with a mental illness.

Method: One hundred traditional healers were first interviewed to assess the TPB variables and were contacted again 5 months later to measure self-reported behaviour.