'Their status will be affected by that child': How masculinity influences father involvement in the education of learners with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Parents play a critical role in the formal education of their children. However, a limited body of scientific knowledge exists on fathers' involvement in the formal education of their children with disabilities, particularly in Global South settings. This study sought to understand how father involvement is constructed in the formal education of learners with intellectual disabilities in an African context. METHODS: The study uses data from a broad qualitative case study of one special school in Kenya. Data were collected from eight fathers, six mothers, nine teachers and six children with disabilities using individual interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. A document review was also conducted. The data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Two themes emerging from the data are presented, named using selected quotes from the participants thus: 'He's a monster, you're the one who gave birth to him' and 'The excuse that he has work to do'. Father involvement in the education of learners with intellectual disabilities is influenced by the need of the fathers to protect their identities as men in a society whose cultural norms and values associates manliness with strength and perfection, and disability with weakness and imperfection. Father involvement is also impacted by the teachers' perceptions of the fathers' masculinity. Additionally, father involvement is influenced by the ways fathers cope with the threats to their masculinity. CONCLUSION: Perceptions of masculinity and disability intersect to construct father involvement in the formal education of learners with intellectual disabilities in this African context.

Malawian mothers' experiences of raising children living with albinism: A qualitative descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Albinism in humans is characterised by a reduced amount of pigment (melanin) present in the skin, hair follicles and the eye; approximately 7000-10 000 Malawians of all ages are affected. Children with these features face extreme forms of human rights abuses, even death. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe Malawian mothers' experiences, perceptions and understanding of raising children with albinism (CWA). METHODS: The study was conducted in 2018 using a qualitative descriptive design, with purposive sampling and voluntary participation. Mothers, 18 years and older, who had given birth to a CWA and who attended the dermatology clinic of a local public hospital participated. An interview guide used during standardised, open-ended interviews was translated from English to Chichewa using forward and backward translation. Interviews were conducted in Chichewa, audio recorded, transcribed and forward and back translated from English to Chichewa. Thematic data analysis was employed. RESULTS: The mean age of participants (N = 10) was 33 years; two had albinism. Emerging themes confirmed the existence of myths and stereotypes regarding albinism but from the mothers' perspectives. Mothers reported: (1) some experiences of emotional pain, initially, but also love and acceptance of their children, despite adverse reactions of others; (2) their experiences of stigmatisation of their children and themselves, and of intended harm to their children, and (3) their own lack of knowledge and understanding of albinism. CONCLUSION: In our limited study, mothers' self-reported experiences of raising CWA in Malawi highlight the need for educational programmes on albinism at national level, particularly for families with a CWA, health professionals and educators.

"As young men we have a role to play in preventing sexual violence": Development and relevance of the men with conscience intervention to prevent sexual violence.

Sexual violence against women and girls is a major public health problem globally and in South Africa. Although young men have been identified as an important risk group for prevention interventions, scant attention have been given to this age cohort in low and middle-income countries. There is strong evidence that perpetration starts early and increasing attention is being drawn to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as settings for prevention interventions. The main objective of this study was to adapt the One Man Can Intervention for use with male university students in residences and develop materials for implementation. This paper presents the qualitative findings of the adaptation process of the One Man Can Intervention with 15 young male student leaders at a HEI in South Africa. The same participants who started in the study, participated throughout. Only five of the 15 participants were located and participated in the interviews six months post intervention. The results show the emergence of a six-hour session adapted intervention that addresses key drivers of violence against women and girls (VAWG). Critical engagement and dialogue on sexual violence is shown to shift key norms on gender equality, on being a man and reflection on their role in preventing sexual violence. This paper contributes to the field where much learning, refining and improvement of prevention interventions for VAWG are ongoing.

Characterization of the South African HIV type 1 subtype C complete 5' long terminal repeat, nef, and regulatory genes.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C has become the major etiological agent in the global and especially African epidemic. To gain better understanding of the genetic diversity and rapid transmission of HIV-1 subtype C, we have characterized the complete 5' long terminal repeat (LTR) region along with the regulatory genes tat and rev as well as the accessory gene nef of 14 South African HIV-1 subtype C isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a subtype C 5' LTR cluster, as well as subclustering of our nef sequences with various subtype C strains separate from the India and China subclusters. At least 3 NF-kappaB sites were present in the 5' LTR of most isolates and 13 isolates had the subtype C-specific Rev truncation. Some length variation in exon 2 and the absence of a critical cysteine were found in Tat. Residue variation in the myristoylation signal and motifs involved in CD4 and MHC-I downregulation was recorded in our nef gene sequences.

Pre-registration nursing students' perceptions and experiences of violence in a nursing education institution in South Africa.

Violence is a growing problem worldwide in the field of health care and within the nursing profession. A study comprising a survey and focus groups with nursing students, and interviews with nurse educators was conducted to examine nursing students' perceptions and experiences of violence at a nursing education institution in the Western Cape, South Africa. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all nursing students. Two hundred and twenty three (n = 223) respondents completed the questionnaire. Focus groups were conducted with purposively sampled student participants and semi-structured interviews with nurse educators. The findings indicated that the nature of the violent incidents experienced by students on campus, especially in the residences, ranged from verbal abuse to violation of students' property and personal space, and could be attributed primarily to substance abuse. Violence among student nurses could negatively affect learning. In a profession in which nurses are exposed to violence in the workplace, it is important that violence in the learning environment is actively prevented and respect of individual rights, tolerance and co-operation are promoted.