Youth Matters
Asynchronous Session
A Case Study of the Help-seeking Experiences of a Caregiver with a Young Child Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Cynthia Sawasawa
The aim of this study is to characterise the help-seeking experiences of caregivers of young children living with Cerebral Palsy in a township in South Africa. There is sparse information regarding how the notion of help-seeking is conceptualized within this population. Available research has mostly focused on understanding the health seeking experiences of caregivers in relation to their utilization of health services as well as seeking medical attention. To understand help-seeking in this context the following concepts were used: lifeworld, healthworld and whole health. This study was conducted using a qualitative case study design, underpinned by a phenomenological approach. Multiple data sources were used to collect data, namely a series of repeated semi-structured interviews which also included timeline mapping. Purposive and snowball sampling was used to recruit participants. The participant group comprised of 12 mothers, 1 aunt, 1 grandmother and 1 great-grandmother. The preliminary findings were analysed using van Manen’s six steps of interpretive phenomenological approach and the following themes emerged: (1) Various sources of help (2) The pursuit of a cure (3) Uninformed society (4) The role of social media. The findings of this study show that it is important to understand caregiver health beliefs as this influences their help seeking behaviours. Moreover, health professionals need to be cognisant of the needs and priorities of caregivers which go beyond the health needs of their children. There is a need for health education initiatives with the community as there is a lack of understanding and empathy towards caregivers.
Featured Incorporating Suicide Prevention Strategies into Existing Psychosocial Programmes at a University in Johannesburg: Perspectives of Tertiary Students View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nyameka Mbonambi
Suicide related deaths increase amongst students at institutions of higher learning is a challenge in academia. There is evidence that some institutions of higher learning provide mental health care for students in South Africa (SA). However, there seem to be a gap between services offered in relation to the prevention of suicide involving students. As such, suicide amongst students continues to increase. In 2018 at least 23 suicide attempts were reported from an institution in the Gauteng Province. The recent suicide related deaths in South African universities can be interpreted as the inability of students to cope with the pressures of being at university for various reasons. The aim of the study is to explore and describe the perspectives of tertiary students about the adequacy of mental health in addressing suicide related issues. The Social-Ecological Suicide Prevention Model (SESPM) is the theoretical framework that underpinned the study, and is qualitative in nature, using exploratory design. The population consisted of students registered in one of the universities. Non-probability sampling was used to select ten participants who met specific criteria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data. Data was analyzed using six step thematic analysis. Results show that there is a need to incorporate suicide prevention strategies on campus and off campus. It is the researchers hope that the results can contribute towards helping the university put in place and implement strategies that are informed by students' needs.
Parents Perceptions of Childhood Obesity Status View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Phoebe Ajiibade
This study examines the role of and accuracy of parents' perceptions of children's obesity status. A review of the literature and interviews of parents indicate that parents views of their child's weight is a sensitive topic among both urban and rural families. The data also examined accuracy of the parent's assessment of children's weight - low, correct, high. The findings show that parents are concerned about children's weight and open to participating in programming to learn how to improve nutrition and exercise for their youth. This study has implications for future health risks including high cholesterol, blood glucose, digestive health and self-concept among Black and Latina youth. Both physical and psychosocial health can be impacted by overweight among youth.
Prevalence of Depression among College Students in Healthcare and Non-healthcare Related Fields View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Aakanxa Naik
Depression and suicide among students is a rapidly increasing concern in India, which is worsening in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Student deaths by suicide account for 7.4% of total suicide cases in India and the prevalence of such cases is increasing every year (NCRB, n. d.). This study considers the prevalence of depression among college going students in healthcare and non-healthcare related fields and evaluate the impact of various factors such as the field of study and regular exercise on level of depression. Beck Depression Inventory - II (BDI - II) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire- Short Form (IPAQ-SF), along with additional questions about geographical and personal details were used for data collection on 201 students with the hypothesis that there is no significant difference between the prevalence rates of students due to various factors. The results suggested that there is no significant difference between the scores of depression among students studying in different fields and engaging in different levels of physical activity. However, it was found that depression is more prevalent in females than in males. It was also found that around 40.8% of students are experiencing some kind of depressive symptoms.
Creating an Evidence-based Evaluation Strategy to Support Families and Children in the Community View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sandra Reilly, Candace Lind, Natalie Beltrano, Beth Archer Kuhn, Janet Hettler
Since its origin as a grassroots organization, the Children’s Cottage Society (CCS) has promoted relational health. That is, the CCS has worked alongside caregivers, in crisis or in need of respite, over the last 37 years, to develop supportive and nurturing environments for themselves, their infants as well as their children up to 12 years of age. Recently, its accomplishments have led to its designation as the lead organization for a local network of mental health and social services in the field. At about the same time, CCS partnered with researchers in nursing and social work, at the University of Calgary, to evaluate how the CCS incorporates evidence-based practices (EBP) in its nine wraparound programs. The evaluative study would hopefully strengthen its evidence base and its commitment to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. To these ends, the partners conducted a literature review; focus groups with staff; and interviews with families to establish the validity and usefulness of the tools and instruments used in the respective CCS programs. Upon completion of this phase, the CCS would design a logic model that would map what the CCS does, why it does so, and how it measures its outcomes. The model would improve EBP at the CCS; inform families how the CCS provides the best possible interventions in developing resilience through its nine wraparound programs; and depict graphically its operations for others in the local network of mental health and social services.
Effect of High-intensity Children’s Games Compared with Those of Medium Intensity on Cardiac Autonomic Regulation, Obesity Biomarkers and Body Composition in Children with Obesity or Those Who Are Overweight View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Claudia Yaneth Rodriguez Triviño
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high intensity children’s games (HIIG) compared to medium intensity games (MIG) on autonomic cardiac regulation. Biomarkers were measured in saliva related to obesity and body composition in children aged 6 to 9 years with obesity or overweight. In this research, a quasi-experimental design was applied. We randomly included 29 children in the MIIG group and 33 children in the HIIG group overweight and obese children aged 6 to 9, authorized by their guardians and who agreed to participate voluntarily for 16 weeks. In the HIIG group, there was a statistically significant increase in muscle mass (p<0.0001) without an increase in the percentage of fat, and there was resignation of the hip waist ratio from 0.88 to 0.85 (p<0.006). In the MIIG group there was also increased muscle mass without major changes in fat mass. A statistically different decrease was found between salivary leptin levels of 0.35 to 0.32 ng/ml (p=0.008) in both groups. In the Heart Frequency Variability, the HIIG group had differences in frequency predominance increasing FH, which is related to parasympathetic predominance, no significant differences were found between the groups. Conclusions: HIIG and MIIG interventions increased muscle mass without significant increases in body grade. The decrease in salivary leptin levels and inflammatory markers and changes in cardiac frequency variability indicate improvement in post-intervention autonomic modulation in the high-intensity group.
