MRC PhD students

Zibuyile Ndamane is an MRC MSc intern based at the Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle Unit under the supervision of Dr Nelia Steyn. Zibuyile is currently working on the formative assessment part of a larger study funded by the World Diabetes Foundation titled Diabetes related risk behaviours and associated factors in school teachers of disadvantaged communities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

Background
The prevalence diabetes is found to be increasingly high in all ethnic groups in South Africa with the Indian population reflecting the highest statistics (Bradshaw et al., 2000).  South Africa’s first demographic and health survey conducted in 1998, among 13 827 adults of 15 years and older showed that 2.4% of males and 3.7 % female have diabetes.  After the Indian community, the prevalence of diabetes was found to be high in the mixed ancestral population.  This was followed by the white and black South Africans.    Geographical variation was noted with urban males and females who had prevalences of 29% and 4.4% respectively, in comparison to non-urban males (1.7%) and females (2.7%).  The provinces that showed the highest prevalences were KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Gauteng and the lowest were Limpopo and North West Province (Department of Health/MRC 1998).  In  the study conducted by Bradshaw et al., (2000) it is indicated that mortality from diabetes escalated between 1985 and 2000 from 90 to 103 in Indians, 43 to 59 in coloured, 28 to 56 in black Africans and 15-22 in whites per 100 000.  The overall mortality was 54 per 100 000 in year 2000

Aim

• The aim of this study is to conduct a formative assessment of diabetes related risk behaviours (diet and physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use) and associated factors and environmental determinants that predict the development of diabetes in primary school teachers of disadvantaged communities in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Objectives

• To identify the risk behaviours that can lead to the development of diabetes in teachers
• To identify the determinants of unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use at the school environmental level.
• To identify the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors that can influence identified risk behaviours in teachers.

Methods
Both quantitative and qualitative survey methods will be employed in this study. 
The study population is primary school teachers of both genders from rural and urban areas.  A cross-sectional descriptive design will be followed.  The sample size has not yet been finalised but is proposed to be about 200. 

The data will be collected by using a self completed questionnaire and conducting of focus group discussions with the teachers.

The main focus of the larger study is on the risk factors for the development of diabetes in primary school learners of the disadvantaged communities. However, my study will focus on teachers, the main reason being that teachers are perceived as role models to the learners.

Supervisor: Dr Nelia Steyn of the Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle Unit.