An overview of rural-urban migration in South Africa: its causes and implications

Disability benefits protect against lost income for South Africans living with Schizophrenia

Little is known about the economic impact of disability grants for people living with schizophrenia in low- and middle- income countries. In this brief report, we show that receipt of disability benefits is significantly associated (β = 0.105, p < 0.0001) with increased household and personal wealth in large sample of people living with schizophrenia in South Africa (n = 1154). This study provides further support for the use of disability grants as a mechanism to protect people living with schizophrenia and their families against the economic costs associated with schizophrenia.

Making sense of uncertainty: The precarious lives of young migrants from rural Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

This study aims to examine the experiences of young migrants and the role of uncertainty in their precarious lives. Drawing on data from individual interviews and a workshop with young migrants aged 16-24 years old in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, we use uncertainty as a theoretical lens, to illustrate the ways in which young migrants' experiences provide meaning for them and give them an opportunity to assess, and plan for better opportunities despite the stark outlook. Thematic analysis was used to examine the multidimensionality of socio-spatial identities in young migrants. The findings illustrate how young migrants hustle for opportunities to lead valuable lives in the face of uncertainty. The implications highlight how attending to the complex intersectional nuances of uncertainty can serve as an enabler of aspirations, alongside essential structural factors influencing migration among young people brought up in rural communities. However, in proposing this alternative view of positive uncertainty, the structural violence experienced by these young people should not be overlooked and should be addressed as per their context.

Using qualitative study designs to understand treatment burden and capacity for self-care among patients with HIV/NCD multimorbidity in South Africa: A methods paper

Background

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including South Africa, are currently experiencing multiple epidemics: HIV and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), leading to different patterns of multimorbidity (the occurrence of two or more chronic conditions) than experienced in high income settings. These adversely affect health outcomes, increase patients' perceived burden of treatment, and impact the workload of self-management. This paper outlines the methods used in a qualitative study exploring burden of treatment among people living with HIV/NCD multimorbidity in South Africa.

Methods

We undertook a comparative qualitative study to examine the interaction between individuals' treatment burden (self-management workload) and their capacity to take on this workload, using the dual lenses of Burden of Treatment Theory (BoTT) and Cumulative Complexity Model (CuCoM) to aid conceptualisation of the data. We interviewed 30 people with multimorbidity and 16 carers in rural Eastern Cape and urban Cape Town between February-April 2021. Data was analysed through framework analysis.

Findings

This paper discusses the methodological procedures considered when conducting qualitative research among people with multimorbidity in low-income settings in South Africa. We highlight the decisions made when developing the research design, recruiting participants, and selecting field-sites. We also explore data analysis processes and reflect on the positionality of the research project and researchers.

Conclusion

This paper illustrates the decision-making processes conducting this qualitative research and may be helpful in informing future research aiming to qualitatively investigate treatment burden among patients in LMICs.

The knowledge, attitudes, and practices of smallholder cattle farmers concerning the epidemiology of bovine fasciolosis in the North West Province, South Africa

Bovine fasciolosis has negative impacts on cattle production worldwide, more so on the African continent and especially in smallholder farming areas with limited level of awareness. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning bovine fasciolosis among smallholder cattle farmers in the North West Province of South Africa. A total of 153 farmers were interviewed from three villages of the Moretele Local Municipality in Bojanala District. The majority of respondents were male (84%) farm owners (81%) that had low education levels (56% primary school or less) and employed extensive cattle management systems (84%). A large number of farms lacked infrastructure including calving pens (88%), restraining equipment (85%), and weight determination equipment (92%) while sourcing drinking water for cattle from rivers or dams (58%). No evaluated factors were significantly associated with a positive fasciolosis epidemiological knowledge score. However, education level (P = 0.046), some cattle breeds (P = 0.022), and management system (P < 0.001) of the smallholder farmers were associated with a positive practice score concerning bovine fasciolosis prevention. We therefore recommend that education programs be introduced that focus on the mode of transmission, risk factors, zoonotic importance, and practices associated with the prevention and control of bovine fasciolosis.

Critical Infrastructures: Reliability, Resilience and Wastage

By 2050, according to the UN medium forecast, 68.6% of the world’s population will live in cities. This growth will place a strain on critical infrastructure distribution networks, which already operate in a state that is complex and intertwined within society. In order to create a sustainable society, there needs to be a change in both societal behaviours (for example, reducing water, energy or food waste activities) and future use of smart technologies. The main challenges are that there is a limited aggregated understanding of current waste behaviours within critical infrastructure ecosystems, and a lack of technological solutions to address this. Therefore, this article reflects on theoretical and applied works concerning waste behaviours, the reliability/availability and resilience of critical infrastructures, and the use of advanced technologies for reducing waste. Articles in the Scopus digital library are considered in the investigation, with 51 papers selected by means of a systematic literature review, from which 38 strains, 86 barriers and 87 needs are identified, along with 60 methods of analysis. The focus of the work is primarily on behaviours, barriers and needs that create an excess or wastage.

Are Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera traits reliable indicators of semi-urban pollution in the Tsitsa River, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa?

The taxonomy-based response pattern of macroinvertebrates to pollution gradient is well established, with tolerant taxa increasing in impacted conditions, while sensitive taxa increase with decreasing deterioration, typical of rural pollution. This study identified rural indicator and sensitive traits of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa by examining their trait distribution pattern in relation to rural pollution. Physicochemical parameters and EPT were sampled seasonally from August 2016 to April 2017. Eight sites were selected and categorised into three site groups. Site group 1 served as the least impacted site group and Site group 2 as the moderately influenced, whereas Site group 3 was the most impacted. Seven traits were selected and categorised into 27 trait modalities. The response of EPT traits to physicochemical parameters was analysed using the simultaneous analysis of the information contained in three tables: R (environmental characteristics of samples), L (taxa distribution across samples) and Q (species traits) (RLQ) and confirmed with fourth-corner analysis. Three trait attributes, large (10-20 mm), swimming, shredding, streamlined body shape and large body size (≥ 10-20), were considered tolerant signature traits of semi-urban pollution. These trait attributes were associated with the influenced Site group 3 and indicated a significant positive affinity with at least one physicochemical indicator of increasing semi-urban pollution (NH₄-N, NO₃-N, NO₂-N, PO₄-P, EC, turbidity, temperature and pH). Conversely, small body size (< 10 mm), operculate gills, spherical body shape and a preference for sediments were correlated with the least influenced Site group 1 and were considered sensitive traits of semi-urban disturbance. Overall, this study provided critical insights into EPT responses to disturbance, revealing that semi-urban activities influenced EPT traits differently in the Tsitsa River.

Urbanization and Floods in Sub-Saharan Africa: Spatiotemporal Study and Analysis of Vulnerability Factors—Case of Antananarivo Agglomeration (Madagascar)

Flooding is currently one of the major threats to cities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The demographic change caused by the high rate of natural increase, combined with the migration toward cities, leads to a strong demand for housing and promotes urbanization. Given the insufficiency or absence of adequate planning, many constructions are installed in flood-prone zones, often without adequate infrastructure, especially drainage systems. This makes them very vulnerable. Our research consists of carrying out a spatiotemporal analysis of the agglomeration of Antananarivo (Madagascar). It shows that urbanization leads to increased exposure of populations and constructions to floods. There is a pressure on land in flood-prone zones due to the exponential growth of the population at the agglomeration level. Some 32% of the population of the Antananarivo agglomeration lived in flood-prone zones in 2018. An analysis of the evolution of built spaces from 1953 to 2017 highlights that urban expansion was intense over those years (6.1% yearly increase of built areas). This expansion triggered the construction of built areas in flood-prone zones, which evolved from 399 ha in 1953 to 3675 ha in 2017. In 2017, 23% of the buildings in the agglomeration, i.e., almost one out of every four buildings, were in flood-prone zones. A share of the urban expansion in flood-prone zones is related to informal developments that gather highly vulnerable groups with very little in terms of economic resources. Better integration of flood risk management in spatial planning policies thus appears to be an essential step to guide decisions so as to coordinate the development of urban areas and drainage networks in a sustainable way, considering the vulnerability of the population living in the most exposed areas.

Social and Psychological Predictors of Body Mass Index among South Africans 15 Years and Older: SANHANES-1

This study investigated how psychological distress and the proxies for social position combine to influence the risk of both underweight and overweight in South Africans aged 15 years and older. This was a cross-sectional study that included 2254 men and 4170 women participating in the first South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1). An analysis exploring the associations of social and mental health characteristics with body mass index (BMI) was conducted using binary and multinomial logistic regressions. Results suggested that, overall, women had a higher risk of overweight/obesity compared to men (age-adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.65; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 3.94–5.50). The gender effect on BMI was smaller in non-African participants (AOR 3.02; 95% CI 2.41–3.79; p-value for interaction = 0.004). Being employed and having a higher level of education were associated with higher risks of overweight and obesity and a lower risk of underweight. Being single or without a spouse and poor mental health were found to increase the odds of being underweight, especially in men. To conclude, there are strong social gradients and important gender and ethnic differences in how BMI is distributed in the South African population.