ABSTRACT
La pathologie dégénérative rachidienne est plus fréquente en région lombale. Son âge de survenu moyen chez les sujets mélanodermes est inférieur à celui des leucodermes. La recherche des causes de cette précocité nous a fait étudier sur une période de six (06) mois les mensurations normales du canal lombal. Nous avons, à partir des Radiographies standards réalisées au Centre d'Imagerie de Brazzaville chez 109 Congolais (70 hommes et 39 femmes), tirés de façon aléatoire, d'âge compris entre 18 et 30 ans, étudié les diamètres transversal et sagittal du canal vertébral de L1 à L5. Il a été constaté une augmentation du diamètre transversal de L1 à L5 avec respectivement pour les hommes 25,75 mm et 30,80 mm et pour les femmes 24,29 mm et 29,93 mm. Les valeurs masculines sont plus importantes que les féminines. Les valeurs du diamètre sagittal étaient minimales en L3 (18,61 mm) pour les femmes et L4 (18,39 mm) pour les hommes. A partir de ces niveaux les valeurs croissaient de façon craniale et caudale. La différence des valeurs,statistiquement significative pour le premier paramètre ne l'est pas pour le deuxième. L'absence de tendance nette lors de la comparaison de nos résultats à des autres auteurs nous a permis d'éliminer l'explication constitutionnelle de laprécocité de la pathologie dégénérative chez le mélanoderme. La table de valeurs normales des mensurations du canal lombal que nous avons obtenu, est un bon moyen dépistage des canaux lombaux étroits constitutionnels dans notre population
Subject(s)
Body Size , Case Reports , Cell Shape , Congo , Constriction, Pathologic , Lumbosacral RegionABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the perception among black South African women that people who are thin are infected with HIV or have AIDS.Setting: Khayelitsha; an urban township in Cape Town.Subjects: 513 women aged 18-65 years.Methods: This was an exploratory study employing both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. Data were collected in two phases. The first phase involved collecting quantitative data among 513 participants. During the second phase; qualitative data were collected in a purposely selected sub-sample of 20 women. For the qualitative data collection; participants were shown eight body figures; ranging from thin to obese; and asked to choose a figure representing the ideal figure; a preferred figure and a figure thought to symbolise health. They were also invited to choose a figure that they thought represented a person infected with HIV or who had AIDS. They had the option of saying that they did not associate any of the figures with people infected with HIV or who had AIDS. Weight and height measurements were also taken. After the quantitative analysis was completed; focus group discussions explored perceptions about body image and the relation to HIV among purposely selected participants. Data were summarised by content based on questions discussed. Results: Sixty-nine per cent of the participants associated a thin figure with a person infected with HIV; or who had AIDS. Only 10.2thought the thin figure symbolised health. Fifty per cent preferred a normal-weight figure; while 34.2thought that normal weight symbolised health. Only 2thought that people in the normal-weight category were infected with HIV or had AIDS.Thirty-four per cent preferred to be overweight and 31thought that being overweight symbolised health. None of the participants thought the overweight figure represented people infected with HIV or who had AIDS. Only 8preferred the obese figure. The results of the qualitative data analysis suggested that participants preferred to be overweight and at risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases; rather than being thin and stigmatised as a person infected with HIV or who had AIDS.Conclusion: This study revealed that the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS may undermine strategies for prevention of chronic noncommunicable diseases among urban black South African women
Subject(s)
Body Size , HIV Infections , Risk Factors , StereotypingABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the perception among black South African women that people who are thin are infected with HIV or have AIDS.Setting: Khayelitsha; an urban township in Cape Town.Subjects: 513 women aged 18-65 years.Methods: This was an exploratory study employing both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. Data were collected in two phases. The first phase involved collecting quantitative data among 513 participants. During the second phase; qualitative data were collected in a purposely selected sub-sample of 20 women. For the qualitative data collection; participants were shown eight body figures; ranging from thin to obese; and asked to choose a figure representing the ideal figure; a preferred figure and a figure thought to symbolise health. They were also invited to choose a figure that they thought represented a person infected with HIV or who had AIDS. They had the option of saying that they did not associate any of the figures with people infected with HIV or who had AIDS. Weight and height measurements were also taken. After the quantitative analysis was completed; focus group discussions explored perceptions about body image and the relation to HIV among purposely selected participants. Data were summarised by content based on questions discussed. Results: Sixty-nine per cent of the participants associated a thin figure with a person infected with HIV; or who had AIDS. Only 10.2thought the thin figure symbolised health. Fifty per cent preferred a normal-weight figure; while 34.2thought that normal weight symbolised health. Only 2thought that people in the normal-weight category were infected with HIV or had AIDS.Thirty-four per cent preferred to be overweight and 31thought that being overweight symbolised health. None of the participants thought the overweight figure represented people infected with HIV or who had AIDS. Only 8preferred the obese figure. The results of the qualitative data analysis suggested that participants preferred to be overweight and at risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases; rather than being thin and stigmatised as a person infected with HIV or who had AIDS.Conclusion: This study revealed that the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS may undermine strategies for prevention of chronic noncommunicable diseases among urban black South African women