Publications by authors named "Sandile Ndlovu"
Background: Population-based data show high proportions of severe cases of cerebral palsy (CP) in resource-poor regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, where most children have potentially preventable risk factors (factors that may increase the likelihood of CP occurrence but can be mitigated through medical interventions).
Objectives: This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical profile of children living with CP accessing services at Tygerberg Hospital over a period of 10 years (2010-2020), identify the potential gaps in care (proportion of individuals in a country requiring but not receiving suboptimal or inadequate care), and comparison with a similar study at the same centre two decades ago.
Method: This 10-year retrospective study investigated causes and morbidities in children with CP, attending a central hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Aim: To implement a childhood cancer-specific nutritional algorithm adapted for the South African context for interventions at time-set intervals to evaluate differences in the nutritional status of newly diagnosed children with cancer.
Method: Children with newly diagnosed cancer were assessed for stunting, underweight, wasting, and moderate to severe malnutrition (MUAC < -2SD and < - 3 SD) between October 2018 and December 2020 in a longitudinal nutritional assessment study with monthly assessments. Two pediatric oncology units (POUs) served as the intervention group that implemented the nutritional algorithm-directed intervention and three other POUs formed the control group that implemented standard supportive nutritional care.
We investigated the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of an adolescent and young adult (AYA)-aged South African childhood cancer survivor (CCS) cohort. Participants completed the Minneapolis-Manchester Quality of Life adolescent and adult forms. The overall Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.
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- ! Many South African children with cancer face significant challenges due to poverty and food insecurity, impacting their nutritional status and treatment outcomes.*
- ! A study showed that nearly 28% of pediatric oncology patients had high poverty risk, which correlated with stunting and increased likelihood of treatment abandonment and lower survival rates.*
- ! Understanding the links between malnutrition, poverty, and food insecurity is crucial for providing effective nutritional support to at-risk children during their cancer treatment.*
Background: We investigated psychological distress in a South African childhood cancer survivor (CCS) cohort.
Methods: Adult CCSs treated at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, completed the Brief Symptom Inventory-18. Internal consistency was acceptable: Cronbach's alpha values were 0.