ABSTRACT
Background: One of the most popular means of public transport within South Africa is mini-bus taxis. Objectives: As South Africa is made up of diverse cultures, religions and beliefs, the aim of this study was to explore Johannesburg based taxi drivers' experiences of beliefs about, and attitudes towards passengers who have a communication disability. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 mini-bus taxi drivers. Results: Interviews revealed that almost all the taxi drivers had encountered passengers with a communication disability, and had an awareness of passengers with a hearing disability as opposed to a speech disability. Furthermore mini-bus taxi drivers generally held a positive view of their passengers with a communication disability.Conclusion: Study findings contribute to existing literature within the fields of speech pathology and audiology, advocacy groups and policy makers, particularly research studies on participation experiences of persons with communication disabilities related to transportation access. The results of the study should also provide a foundation for disability policy development initiatives with the aim of increasing levels of public awareness
Subject(s)
Attitude , Automobiles , Communication , Communication Disorders , Culture , South AfricaABSTRACT
Abstract:Objective:To determine ocular health status among automobile drivers in Birnin Kebbi.Methods:Structured questionnaire was used to collect data on automobile drivers' socio-demographiccharacteristics; visual conditions and challenges relevant to adequate visual functions. Also conductedwere eye tests including visual acuity; visual field; colour vision; subjective refraction; pen-light eye examination; funduscopy and applanation tonometry results:Forty-two male automobile drivers with a mean age of 41.7 SD 8.7. All had at least 3 years driving experience and thought eye test was at least necessary before driving. However; only 4 (9.5) ever had an eye test to obtain a driving license. Though;39 (92.9) engaged in daylight and night driving; 5 (11.9) had blurred vision to road side objects; one (2.4) had experienced transient visual obscurations driving and one (2.4) wore corrective eyeglasses while driving. None had difficulty recognizing shades of colours. Four had visual acuity worse than 6/12. Ocular conditions among the drivers' eyes include refractive errors 48;pinguecula 37; pterygium 17; glaucoma 4 and cataract 2. The commonest refractive error was presbyopia.Two drivers had glaucoma and 4 were glaucoma suspects. The care given included counselling 6 (8); prescription 11 (28); and referral for eye care 12 (48).Conclusion:Potentially vision impairing eye conditions exist among automobile drivers and pre-licensing eye test is poorly observed. The need to enforce eye test before the issuance and renewal of driving license is underscored
Subject(s)
Automobiles , Eye Diseases , Health Status , Licensure , Mass ScreeningABSTRACT
Forty-four welders working in car maintenance industry in Jos; Nigeria had their haemoglobin; haematocrit; leucocyte; platelet and serum lead level determined; while their urine were screened for haem synthetic products. The serum lead level in welders was 28.5 plus 11.2/ng/dl which was significantly higher than the value of 20.8 plus 9/ng/dl recorded for the control group. Though 24 welders who had worked over 10 years had higher serum levels than 20 welders who had worked for less than 10 years this was not statistically significant; also urine examination did not reveal the presence of porphyrinogen or porphyrin in the welders