Developmental Assets in South African Adolescents Exposed to Violence: a Qualitative Study on Resilience.

Violence exposure is associated with psychological and behavioural maladjustment in adolescents. Yet, not all adolescents exposed to violence experience negative symptoms. Resilience is an outcome that is in part determined by multiple protective factors, or developmental assets, that protect adolescents from the negative influence of encountered stressors and allow them to attain positive developmental outcomes.

Social network determinants of alcohol and tobacco use: A qualitative study among out of school youth in South Africa.

An important determinant of alcohol and tobacco use is the adolescent's social network, which has not been explored among out of school youth (OSY). OSY are adolescents not currently enrolled in school and have not completed their schooling. This study aims to qualitatively understand how OSY's social networks support or constrain alcohol and tobacco use.

Violence typologies and sociodemographic correlates in South African adolescents: a three-wave cross-sectional study.

Background: Violence victimisation and violence perpetration may co-occur in adolescents. Understanding the sociodemographic correlates of the independent and joint profiles of victimisation and perpetration may inform preventive interventions. This study examined the associations of sociodemographic factors with four violence typologies, namely, 1) non-involvement in both victimisation and perpetration, 2) victims only, 3) perpetrators only, and 4) victim-perpetrators.

Exposure to violence across multiple contexts and health risk behaviours in South African adolescents: the moderating role of emotion dysregulation.

The association between violence exposure and health risk behaviours in South African adolescents, and the moderating role of emotion dysregulation were investigated. A multi-ethnic sample of adolescents ( = 925: boy: 47.3%, girl: 52.

Cigarette smoking and reasons for leaving school among school dropouts in South Africa.

Background: School dropouts are at heightened risk of tobacco use compared to in-school learners. School dropouts are described as those not currently enrolled in school for the academic year, have not completed their schooling, and are between 13 and 20 years old. This paper examines the relationship between reasons for leaving school and past month cigarette smoking, taking into account gender differences.

Violence Exposure in South African Adolescents: Differential and Cumulative Effects on Psychological Functioning.

This study examined the associations between different types of violence victimization and psychological functioning in South African adolescents. Both differential and cumulative effects of violence were investigated. A multi-ethnic (Black, White, people of mixed heritage, and people of Indian/Asian descent) sample of adolescents in secondary schools in the Western Cape Province ( = 1,574; boys = 46.

Understanding the role played by parents, culture and the school curriculum in socializing young women on sexual health issues in rural South African communities.

Background: the decline in South Africa's HIV infection rates especially among young women is encouraging. However, studies show that the 15-24-year-old cohort remains vulnerable. As they still report early sexual debut, being involved in sexual partnerships with older men as well as having unprotected sex.

Intimate Partner Violence and Its Association With Self-Determination Needs and Gender-Power Constructs Among Rural South African Women.

This study aimed to identify psychosocial correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) by using constructs derived from the self-determination theory (SDT) and gender-power scales. Cross-sectional data ( = 238) were collected from women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, and were used to test a structural equation model (SEM). The majority (87%) of the participants reported having sexual partners in the past 3 months, and in terms of IPV victimization, 36% and 26% of women had ever experienced verbal and physical abuse, respectively.

Self-determination and gender-power relations as predictors of condom use self-efficacy among South African women.

This article identifies correlates of condom use self-efficacy using concepts from self-determination theory and gender-power measures. A cross-section of Xhosa-speaking women ( = 238) from Eastern Cape, South Africa, was used to conduct bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression analyses. Gender equality beliefs and HIV knowledge were positively associated with condom use self-efficacy generally and in risky situations.

Prevalence and correlates of smokeless tobacco use among grade 8-11 school students in South Africa: a nationwide study.

Introduction: Smokeless tobacco in South Africa is commonly used in the form of snuff or chewing tobacco. This paper reports its use among secondary school students and provides evidence of its association with demographic characteristics, tobacco smoking, and socioeconomic status.

Methods: Data were derived from a nationally representative study conducted in 2008 among 10,270 grade 8-11 students from 192 schools in South Africa.

Psychosocial correlates of condom use consistency among Isixhosa-speaking women living with HIV in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

Many HIV-positive South African women continue to have unprotected sex. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess correlates of condom use consistency among Xhosa-speaking HIV-positive women in South Africa. One hundred and twenty women were recruited from five primary care clinics and completed a questionnaire.

Condom use promotion among isiXhosa speaking women living with HIV in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: a pilot study.

The prevalence of HIV infection continues to increase among women in South Africa while there are few interventions specifically targeting condom use promotion in this population. We report the results of an experimental pilot study of a health education intervention aimed at enhancing coping skills and consistent condom use among HIV-positive women attending primary health clinics in the Western Cape province of South Africa. One hundred and twenty women were randomised into the intervention condition or a control condition.

Correlates of risky sexual behaviors in recently traditionally circumcised men from initiation lodges in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

This exploratory quantitative study examines past risky sexual behaviors among young men who were circumcised as part of a rite of passage to adulthood embedded within a cultural and traditional belief system in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. Following permission from the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (ECHOTL), individual face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire were conducted among 114 initiates. The mean age of the participants was 18.

Longitudinal association of adolescents' sense of coherence with tooth-brushing using an integrated behaviour change model.

Objective: To determine the association between adolescents' sense of coherence (SOC) and their tooth-brushing behaviour.

Methods: This 18-month longitudinal study involved a representative sample of 8th-graders (n = 1025) from 11 randomly selected public high schools in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Data collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire included respondents' socio-demographic profiles, vulnerability to depression, smoking status, dental treatment attendance pattern, frequency of and motivation for tooth-brushing.

Adolescents' sense of coherence and smoking as longitudinal predictors of self-reported gingivitis.

Objective: This study sought to determine the influence of sense of coherence (SOC), a personal stress-coping resource, and smoking on the self-reported gingival health of a cohort of rural black South African adolescents.

Methods: This 18-month study involved a three-wave survey of a representative sample of eighth graders from 11 randomly selected high schools in the Limpopo province, South Africa (n=970). Using a generalized estimating equation model, we examined the correlates of recent gingivitis, defined as self-reporting frequent gingival bleeding (GB).

Longitudinal association of smoking-related attitude to oral health with adolescents' smoking onset.

Objective: The negative oral health effects of smoking, such as stained teeth, gum infection, and bad breath may be more salient to adolescents, and therefore, more important expectancies for adolescent smokers and nonsmokers alike. Informed by the social cognitive theory, this prospective study sought to determine the role of smoking-related attitude to oral health on smoking onset among adolescents over a 12-month interval.

Method: This prospective study involved a community sample of 422 nonsmoking eighth graders selected from three public schools in the capital city of South Africa.

The effectiveness of a peer-led HIV/AIDS and STI health education intervention for prison inmates in South Africa.

This article reports on the effectiveness of the first systematically developed health education intervention for the reduction of risky sexual behavior among soon-to-be-released prisoners in South Africa. Data from three out of four prisons are eligible for data analysis including 263 inmates. Using a nested experimental design, short-term evaluation while inmates were still in prison demonstrate that experimental groups showed higher knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and had a more positive intention to reduce risky behavior than the control group in two out of three prisons.

Are students in public high schools in South Africa physically active? Outcome of the 1st South African National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey.

Background: The first Youth Risk Behaviour Survey in South Africa was carried out to establish the prevalence of key health risk behaviours among high school students. Though physical inactivity is a commonly reported contributory factor to chronic diseases of lifestyle in South Africa, there is no reliable national database on the participation of children and adolescents in physical activity.

Methods: This cross-sectional national prevalence study among students attending government schools in the nine provinces in South Africa utilized a two-stage cluster sample design.

Lifetime occurrence of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and substance use risk among prerelease South African prison inmates.

The current study examined self-reported history of STI and substance use risk behaviors in a sample of South African prison inmates. Participants were 344 inmates from four prisons in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. Significance tests were conducted using univariate logistic regressions to examine the independent associations of Lifetime occurrence of a Sexual Transmitted Infection and dichotomized correlates of substance use risk behavior.

Household smoking as a risk indicator for caries in adolescents' permanent teeth.

This study investigated the association between household member's (HHM) smoking or secondhand smoke exposure and caries, using a cross-sectional sample of adolescents who had both dental examination and data on HHM smoking (n = 1,873). The results suggest that HHM smoking may be a risk indicator for caries in adolescents' permanent teeth.

Participation of South African youth in the design and development of AIDS photocomics. 1997-98.

In response to an increasing incidence in HIV prevalence among South Africa's youth, a group of interdisciplinary professionals have developed a series of photocomics to address issues around HIV/AIDS communication and sexually transmitted diseases. This article examines the theory behind the use of photocomics in health, and the way the stories work to influence behavior. Results from evaluation of the comics support their use as tools with which to increase information and knowledge while role modeling desirable behavior.