This paper analyses the role of family and church networks as sources of social capital in aiding migration, settlement and social integration of Zimbabwean migrants. It also shows how these networks sometimes inhibit migrant integration into the host community. The study was carried out among Zimbabwean migrants in Tembisa and Kempton Park in Johannesburg. This study adds to the growing literature on bonding and bridging social capital while at the same time revealing how social capital is both a blessing and blight to Zimbabwean migrants. This paper makes an important contribution to the literature by arguing that while sometimes migrant social integration is hindered by the activities of the host population (e.g. xenophobic attitudes among South African locals), in some cases, the migrants themselves could hinder their own social integration through their migrant social networks. I argue that this is an unintended consequence of migrant family and religious networks.

Background This study aimed to determine the impact of preoperative exposure to intravenous contrast for CT and the risk of developing postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods This prospective, multicentre cohort study included adults undergoing gastrointestinal resection, stoma reversal or liver resection. Both elective and emergency procedures were included. Preoperative exposure to intravenous contrast was defined as exposure to contrast administered for the purposes of CT up to 7 days before surgery. The primary endpoint was the rate of AKI within 7 days. Propensity score‐matched models were adjusted for patient, disease and operative variables. In a sensitivity analysis, a propensity score‐matched model explored the association between preoperative exposure to contrast and AKI in the first 48 h after surgery. Results A total of 5378 patients were included across 173 centres. Overall, 1249 patients (23·2 per cent) received intravenous contrast. The overall rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery was 13·4 per cent (718 of 5378). In the propensity score‐matched model, preoperative exposure to contrast was not associated with AKI within 7 days (odds ratio (OR) 0·95, 95 per cent c.i. 0·73 to 1·21; P = 0·669). The sensitivity analysis showed no association between preoperative contrast administration and AKI within 48 h after operation (OR 1·09, 0·84 to 1·41; P = 0·498). Conclusion There was no association between preoperative intravenous contrast administered for CT up to 7 days before surgery and postoperative AKI. Risk of contrast‐induced nephropathy should not be used as a reason to avoid contrast‐enhanced CT.

The study examined stressors and coping strategies of 281 Social Sciences students at the Midlands State University in Zimbabwe (49% female, 51% male). A questionnaire was used to collect data. The results showed that the 7 most common stressors were: finance, reading resources, accommodation, food, transport, inadequate infrastructure and lecturer related problems. The students mentioned 34 coping strategies that were categorized and then analysed for effectiveness. The effects of sex, residence status and academic year differences were evaluated using Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis rank order analysis of variance. There were no significant differences in coping strategies for stressors by demographic variables.

This study evaluates perceptions on the quality of life of older adults and the extent to which they practiced self-determination in an institution. Participant observation, in-depth interviews, and life histories are used to study 16 older adults and 4 officials who are purposively selected and studied over 2.5 months between July and September 2002. Data are analyzed using the Miles and Huberman approach. Findings reveal that the ability to affect decisions pertaining to one's care positively affects that individual's perception of institutional life. The typical life course of an older male is also discussed. Older adults perceive their quality of life as negative and decreasing because they have little choice on their care and quality of life. The institution is affected by many adverse conditions in a socioeconomic environment, such as inflation at the rate of 4000% per annum, dwindling donor support, little government support, and negative attitudes of officials at Rubatsiro. T his article analyses and discusses several dimensions of quality of life of older adults residing at Rubatsiro. Factors identified and discussed by the researcher include the availability and accessibility of food to older adults, health facilities, and the level of social interaction among older adults. On social interaction, the researcher wanted to establish the extent to which relationships were allowed or tolerated and the purposes they served. The research reveals the degree to which older adults exercised Manuscript Downloaded from 334 Journal of Applied Gerontology self-determination on things that particularly concerned them, especially their care and quality of life. Residents made conclusions on their quality of life after analyzing factors mentioned above. These factors were also carefully studied through participant observation by the researcher for almost 3 months (between July and September 2002) on 20 informants who were purposively selected. This study uses the 1982 United Nations definition of old persons as all persons aged 60 and above. This age range of 60 to 65 years more or less coincides with the retirement ages of most countries. The older Persons bill of Zimbabwe cites old age as beginning at 60 (Government of Zimbabwe, 2002, p. 01). In 2007, the older persons were approximately 10% of the 12 million people in Zimbabwe (IRIN, 2007).Two objectives are pursued in the study: (1) to investigate whether older adults exercised self-determination or were involved in decision making on those things that concerned them, especially their care and quality of life. This is done by comparing the older adults' explanations and those of the staff for choices made/not made and met/unmet needs. The study also investigates whether the older adults believed that the officials gave them room to make their choices and respected their preferences, and (2) to establish how Rubatsiro, as a formal structure, modified or enabled the behavior of older adults and how they responded to this structure. Emphasis is laid on analyzing how o...

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