Subject(s)
Skin Diseases/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Hospitals, Public/statistics & numerical data , Humans , India/ethnology , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Skin Diseases/ethnology , South Africa/epidemiology , South Africa/ethnology , White People/ethnology , Young AdultABSTRACT
ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the current practices in relation to best practice criteria and make recommendations for improvements to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) awareness training in the South African mining industry. A survey tool based on fi ndings of a literature review on best practice for NIHL awareness training was developed for use in interviews; with managers responsible for NIHL awareness training at the mines. Thirty managers were interviewed in the survey at mines representative of different sizes and different commodities. Results indicate that NIHL awareness training is not treated as a priority training area. Only 20 of NIHL awareness training programmes had a theoretical basis in health promotion or adult education. Employees received; on average; 15 minutes of training per annum. Evaluation of employee knowledge only occurred at 40 of the mines surveyed. Recommendations were made to address the factors identified in the evaluation of the current practices in the South African mining industry regarding NIHL awareness training needing to be aligned with best practice
Subject(s)
Attitude , Hearing Loss , MiningABSTRACT
Our study was designed to obtain information about the prevalence of breast-feeding among rural and urban Blacks, to determine whether the number of women providing early supplementary feeding has increased over a 4-year period, and to discover groups at particular risk of failure to breast-feed optimally. Women attending child health clinics were interviewed. Over 95% had commenced breast-feeding, but only 50% were still doing so after 5--8 weeks. Women uncertain of whether or not to breast-feed and those unsuccessful on a previous occasion are as likely to commence breast-feeding as are other groups, but are likely to introduce early supplementation. Improvements in hospital and clinic practice as regards a greater emphasis on health education, early suckling and the avoidance of supplementary feeding in neonates may have contributed to the slight improvement in breast-feeding practices seen over the 4-year period studied.