Papers by Gugulethu Mabena
Mobile Technology Use in Clinical Research Examining Challenges and Implications for Health Promotion in South Africa: Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)
JMIR formative research, Apr 8, 2024
The use of mobile technologies in fostering health promotion and healthy behaviors is becoming an... more The use of mobile technologies in fostering health promotion and healthy behaviors is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon in global health programs. Although mobile technologies have been effective in health promotion initiatives and follow-up research in higher-income countries and concerns have been raised within clinical practice and research in lowand middle-income settings, there is a lack of literature that has qualitatively explored the challenges that participants experience in terms of being contactable through mobile technologies. Objective: This study aims to explore the challenges that participants experience in terms of being contactable through mobile technologies in a trial conducted in Soweto, South Africa. A convergent parallel mixed methods research design was used. In the quantitative phase, 363 young women in the age cohorts 18 to 28 years were contacted telephonically between August 2019 and January 2022 to have a session delivered to them or to be booked for a session. Call attempts initiated by the study team were restricted to only 1 call attempt, and participants who were reached at the first call attempt were classified as contactable (189/363, 52.1%), whereas those whom the study team failed to contact were classified as hard to reach (174/363, 47.9%). Two outcomes of interest in the quantitative phase were "contactability of the participants" and "participants' mobile number changes," and these outcomes were analyzed at a univariate and bivariate level using descriptive statistics and a 2-way contingency table. In the qualitative phase, a subsample of young women (20 who were part of the trial for ≥12 months) participated in in-depth interviews and were recruited using a convenience sampling method. A reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data using MAXQDA software (version 20; VERBI GmbH). Results: Of the 363 trial participants, 174 (47.9%) were hard to reach telephonically, whereas approximately 189 (52.1%) were easy to reach telephonically. Most participants (133/243, 54.7%) who were contactable did not change their mobile number. The highest percentage of mobile number changes was observed among participants who were hard to reach, with three-quarters of the participants (12/16, 75%) being reported to have changed their mobile number ≥2 times. Eight themes were generated following the analysis of the transcripts, which provided an in-depth account of the reasons why some participants were hard to reach. These included mobile technical issues, coverage issues, lack of ownership of personal cell phones, and unregistered number. Remote data collection remains an important tool in public health research. It could, thus, serve as a hugely beneficial mechanism in connecting with participants while actively leveraging the established relationships with participants or community-based organizations to deliver health promotion and practice.
African journal of primary health care & family medicine, Apr 29, 2024
Background: Although studies from high-income countries have examined social support during pregn... more Background: Although studies from high-income countries have examined social support during pregnancy, it remains unclear what type of support is received by expectant mothers from low-and middle-income country settings. Aim: To explore young women's social support networks during pregnancy in Soweto, South Africa. Setting: This study was undertaken in an academic hospital based in the Southwestern Townships (Soweto), Johannesburg, in Gauteng province, South Africa. Methods: An exploratory descriptive qualitative approach was employed. Eighteen (18) young pregnant women were recruited using a purposive sampling approach. In-depth interviews were conducted, and data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Analysis of the data resulted in the development of two superordinate themes namely; (1) relationships during pregnancy and (2) network involvement. Involvement of the various social networks contributed greatly to the young women having a greater sense of potential parental efficacy and increased acceptance of their pregnancies. Pregnant women who receive sufficient social support from immediate networks have increased potential to embrace and give attention to pregnancy-related changes. Focusing on less-examined characteristics that could enhance pregnant women's health could help in the reduction of deaths that arise because of pregnancy complications and contribute in globally accelerating increased accessibility to adequate reproductive health. Contribution: This study's findings emphasise the necessity for policymakers and healthcare providers to educate the broader community about the importance of partner, family and peer support to minimise risks that may affect pregnancy care and wellbeing of mothers.
Young women’s health behaviours in context: a qualitative longitudinal study in the Bukhali trial
The Bukhali trial is being implemented with young women (18-28 years) in Soweto, South Africa. A ... more The Bukhali trial is being implemented with young women (18-28 years) in Soweto, South Africa. A qualitative longitudinal study was conducted to explore Bukhali trial participants’ perceptions of health and their health behaviours over time and in the context of their life circumstances. This article reports an interpretation of interview data from a sub-sample of 11 of 35 participants who participated in four interviews conducted over 12 months. A longitudinal case analysis approach was applied, and four themes were developed: life circumstances, perceptions of health, health behaviours and changes, and experiences of the trial. Participants experienced largely challenging life circumstances characterised by instability and lack of security in terms of employment and education. Their health and health behaviour trajectories also lacked stability and were fragile within the Soweto context. Data were also interpreted through the lens of a concept previously explored in Soweto and int...
Evaluating implementation of the FIGO Nutrition Checklist for preconception and pregnancy within the Bukhali trial in Soweto, South Africa
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
PLOS Global Public Health
Participatory and digital health approaches have the potential to create solutions to health issu... more Participatory and digital health approaches have the potential to create solutions to health issues and related inequalities. A project called Co-Designing Community-based ICTs Interventions for Maternal and Child Health in South Africa (CoMaCH) is exploring such solutions in four different sites across South Africa. The present study captures initial qualitative research that was carried out in one of the urban research sites in Soweto. The aim was twofold: 1) to develop a situation analysis of existing services and the practices and preferences of intended end-users, and 2) to explore barriers and facilitators to utilising digital health for community-based solutions to maternal and child health from multiple perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 participants, including mothers, other caregivers and community health workers. Four themes were developed using a framework method approach to thematic analysis: coping as a parent is a priority; existing servic...
Implementation of Healthy Conversation Skills to support behaviour change in the Bukhali trial in Soweto, South Africa: A process evaluation
SSM - Mental Health
Community-based Co-design across Geographic Locations and Cultures: Methodological Lessons from Co-design Workshops in South Africa
Participatory Design Conference 2022: Volume 1
Social support is deemed to have a crucial influence on maternal health and wellbeing during preg... more Social support is deemed to have a crucial influence on maternal health and wellbeing during pregnancy. The objective of the study was to explore the experiences of pregnant young females and their receipt of social support in Soweto, South Africa. An interpretive phenomenological approach was employed to understand and interpret pregnant young women’s lived experiences of support networks on their pregnancy care and wellbeing. Data was collected conducting 18 indepth interviews with young pregnant women. Analysis of the data resulted in the development of two superordinate themes: (1) relationships during pregnancy and (2) network involvement. Each superordinate theme was linked to subthemes that helped explain whether young women had positive or negative experiences of social support during their pregnancy care, and their wellbeing. The sub-themes emanating from the superordinate theme ‘relationships during pregnancy’ were (a) behavioural response of partner following disclosure o...
Globalization and Health, 2020
Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death globally. While upstre... more Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death globally. While upstream approaches to tackle NCD risk factors of poor quality diets and physical inactivity have been trialled in high income countries (HICs), there is little evidence from low and middle-income countries (LMICs) that bear a disproportionate NCD burden. Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean are therefore the focus regions for a novel global health partnership to address upstream determinants of NCDs. Partnership The Global Diet and Activity research Network (GDAR Network) was formed in July 2017 with funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Units and Groups Programme. We describe the GDAR Network as a case example and a potential model for research generation and capacity strengthening for others committed to addressing the upstream determinants of NCDs in LMICs. We highlight the dual equity targets of research generation and capacity strengthen...
Public Health Nutrition, 2019
Objective: To: (i) understand facilitators and barriers to healthy eating practices and physical ... more Objective: To: (i) understand facilitators and barriers to healthy eating practices and physical activity in younger and older urban adolescent South African boys and girls; and (ii) understand how the views of caregivers interact with, and influence, adolescent behaviours. Design: Semi-structured focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted in July 2018. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Setting: Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. Participants: Seventy-five participants were stratified into eight FGD as follows: two for young boys and girls (10–12 years); two for older boys and girls (15–17 years); two for caregivers of young adolescents (boys and girls); and two for caregivers of older adolescents (boys and girls). Results: Unlike their caregivers, adolescents were not motivated to eat healthily and failed to appreciate the need to develop consistent patterns of both healthy eating and physical activity for their long-term health. Although adolescents gained independenc...
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Coursewo... more A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Coursework and Research Report Faculty of Humanities University of the Witwatersrand
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Papers by Gugulethu Mabena