People&rsquo;s thoughts often focus on the suicide victim immediately after a completed suicide. Yet, the real victims of such an event are those individuals who are left behind to cope with the aftermath of the suicide. This phenomenological psychological study explored the lived experiences of late-adolescent suicide survivors, particularly those negative experiences that seemed to worsen in the weeks and months after a significant other&rsquo;s completed suicide. The research participants were five female late-adolescents (aged 17&ndash;22 years) who were recruited by means of purposive sampling at a South African tertiary institution and at youth camps. Data collection consisted of collage-facilitated, face-to-face phenomenological interviews. In addition, some participants provided documentary material in the form of personal diaries, letters and poems. The data analysis was conducted according to Giorgi&rsquo;s phenomenological method. The following salient experiences emerged during the data analysis: guilt, self-blame, blaming others or God, anger, loss or restriction of &lsquo;self&rsquo;, depression, suboptimal behavioural coping patterns, changes in relationship dynamics, and suicidality. The results of this study can be used by mental health professionals and caregivers to support adolescent suicide survivors effectively, in the midst of their mourning.<p><strong>Opsomming</strong></p><p>Mense se gedagtes fokus meestal op die selfmoordslagoffer onmiddellik na &rsquo;n voltooide selfmoord. Tog is die werklike slagoffers die persone wat agterbly om die lewe na die selfmoord te hanteer. Hierdie fenomenologies-sielkundige studie het die geleefde belewenisse van laat-adolessente oorlewendes ondersoek, spesifiek daardie negatiewe belewenisse wat skynbaar erger word in die weke en maande na &rsquo;n betekenisvolle ander se voltooide selfmoord. Die navorsingsdeelnemers was vyf vroulike laat-adolessente (17&ndash;22 jaar oud) wat gewerf is deur middel van doelgerigte selektering by &rsquo;n Suid-Afrikaanse tersi&ecirc;re instelling en jeugkampe. Data-insameling het geskied aan die hand van collage-gefasiliteerde, aangesig-tot-aangesig fenomenologiese onderhoude. Sommige deelnemers het addisionele dokumente in die vorm van persoonlike dagboeke, briewe en gedigte beskikbaar gestel vir data-analise. Die data is geanaliseer volgens Giorgi se fenomenologiese metode. Die volgende belewenisse het na vore getree tydens die data-analise: skuldgevoelens, self-blaam/spyt, blameer ander/God, woede, verlies/inperking van &lsquo;self&rsquo;, depressie, sub-optimale gedragshanteringspatrone, veranderinge in verhoudingsdinamika, en selfmoordneigings. Die resultate van hierdie studie kan deur geestesgesondheidwerkers en versorgers aangewend word om adolessente selfmoordagtergeblewenes effektief te ondersteun in die rouproses.</p><p><strong>How to cite this article:</strong> Hoffmann, W.A., Myburgh, C. &amp; Poggenpoel,...

Few epidemiological studies of traumatic events amongst tertiary students have been conducted in South Africa. The aims of this study were to quantify the number of traumatic events experienced by Technikon Pretoria students in the preceeding year and to record the types of trauma symptoms experienced as a result of these traumatic events. The incidence of 10 traumatic event categories have been measured by means of the Traumatic Stress Schedule in a convenience sample (N = 245). The sample consisted of females (n = 183) and males (n = 61). It was found that more than two thirds (70,6%) of the sample reported one or more traumatic events during the preceeding year, with the most frequent traumatic event categories being the death of a loved one, negative change in life circumstances and witness to injury/death. The least frequent traumatic event categories were natural disasters and motor vehicle accidents. Females reported a significantly higher incidence of unwanted sexual activity than males. Intrusive thoughts, particularly amongst female students, was the most frequent symptom associated with 8 of the 10 traumatic event categories, while physical injuries was the least frequent symptom associated with all the traumatic event categories.

SummaryPrevious reports indicated that hyperinsulinaemic men may exhibit a higher percentage of poorly compacted DNA in their spermatozoa and less success in an IVF programme (Andrologia, 45, 2003, 18; Andrologia, 2014 Andrologia, , doi: 10.1111. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of metformin (Glucophage ® ) and antioxidant treatment (StaminoGro ® ) on the semen parameters of hyperinsulinaemic men. Nineteen hyperinsulinaemic male patients were treated for 3 months with metformin alone (Group A), and fifteen patients used metformin in combination with the nutritional supplement (Group B). Combined data of the two groups (pre-and post-treatment) differ significantly regarding sperm morphology (P = 0.0003) and CMA 3 (P < 0.0001) values. The improvement in sperm morphology after treatment was similar for the two respective groups (P < 0.05). The morphological normal sperm forms increased from the mean percentage of 3.9 to 5.5% and from 4.2 to 5.5% for Group A and B respectively. Where a combination of metformin and the supplement were used (Group B), the combination treatment proved to be superior in obtaining enhanced chromatin packaging quality although not statistically significant (P = 0.5929) when compared with the metformin (Group A) group. The chromatin packaging quality in Group B improved with 10% while the improvement in Group A was approximately 8.3%. Therefore, infertile hyperinsulinaemic men can benefit from metformin treatment and should be advised on the use of nutritional supplements with antioxidant properties.

Background: Much has been written about the patient-centred approach in doctor–patient consultations. Little is known about interactions and communication processes regarding healthcare providers’ and patients’ perspectives on expectations and experiences of diagnostic imaging investigations within the medical encounter. Patients journey through the health system from the point of referral to the imaging investigation itself and then to the post-imaging consultation.Aim and setting: To explore healthcare provider and patient perspectives on interaction and communication processes during diagnostic imaging investigations as part of their clinical journey through a healthcare complex.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted, with two phases of data collection. Twenty-four patients were conveniently selected at a public district hospital complex and were followed throughout their journey in the hospital system, from admission to discharge. The second phase entailed focus group interviews conducted with providers in the district hospital and adjacent academic hospital (medical officers and family physicians, nurses, radiographers, radiology consultants and registrars).Results: Two main themes guided our analysis: (1) provider perspectives; and (2) patient dispositions and reactions. Golden threads that cut across these themes are interactions and communication processes in the context of expectations, experiences of the imaging investigations and the outcomes thereof.Conclusion: Insights from this study provide a better understanding of the complexity of the processes and interactions between providers and patients during the imaging investigations conducted as part of their clinical pathway. The interactions and communication processes are provider–patient centred when a referral for a diagnostic imaging investigation is included.

A significant other's completed suicide elicits complex physical, psychological, and social reactions in most suicide survivors. At present, mental health professionals and other caregivers have limited access to clear information and guidelines to meet the postvention needs of these individuals. Telematic technologies offer innovative and creative resources to address their needs by means of a web-based psychoeducational program. The development of a comprehensive web-based program that deals with the lived experiences of adolescent suicide survivors is described. Potential program users include adolescent suicide survivors, social supporters of suicide survivors, mental health professionals and survivor support groups.

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Psychologists are faced with numerous challenges in their daily practices. Literature indicates that the most frequent ethical transgressions in the 1970s-1990s were the invalid presentation of professional qualifications, unprofessional advertisements, and irresponsible public communications. However, at the turn of the century, it has changed to include sexual or dual relationships with patients as well as unprofessional, unethical, or negligent practice. The objective of this research project is to analyse the case content of all guilty verdicts related to professional standard breaches and ethics misconduct against Health Professions Council of South Africaregistered psychologists in the period 2007-2013 via a qualitative research paradigm focusing on a historical research approach. The findings of this study indicate that only a small fraction of psychologists registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa are annually guilty of ethics misconduct. The results indicate that the majority, around one-third, of transgressions can be regarded as improper professional role conduct. It was followed by negligent and/or incompetent treatment and/or patient care (27%), fraudulent conduct (20%), and disclosure of confidential information without permission (13%). As the age of electronic and social media advances, along with online diagnosis and therapy, clients may have better access to resources of varying authority and reliability, possibly giving them more confidence to question the practices of their service providers.

BackgroundThe role of ethics in a medical context is to protect the interests of patients. Thus, it is critically important to understand the guilty verdicts related to professional standard breaches and ethics misconduct of physiotherapists.AimTo analyse the case content and penalties of all guilty verdicts related to ethics misconduct against registered physiotherapists in South Africa.MethodsA mixed methods approach was followed consisting of epidemiological data analysis and qualitative content analysis. The data documents were formal annual lists (2007–2013) of guilty verdicts related to ethical misconduct. Quantitative data analysis focused on annual frequencies of guilty verdicts, transgression categories and the imposed penalties. Qualitative data analysis focused on content analysis of the case content for each guilty verdict.ResultsRelatively few physiotherapists (0.05%) are annually found guilty of ethical misconduct. The two most frequent penalties were fines of R5000.00 and fines of R8000.00 – R10 000.00. The majority of transgressions involved fraudulent conduct (70.3%), followed by performance of procedures without patient consent (10.8%). Fraudulent conduct involved issuing misleading, inaccurate or false medical statements, and false or inaccurate medical aid scheme claims.ConclusionUnethical conduct by physiotherapists in South Africa occurs rarely. The majority of penalties imposed on sanctioned physiotherapists were monetary penalties.