http://hdl.handle.net/10311/89 Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:52:31 GMT 2026-07-11T08:52:31Z http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1915 I love my baby even unto death: child safety restraint use among drivers in Gaborone, Botswana Monteiro, Nicole M.; Balogun, Shyngle K.; Tlhabano, Kagiso N.; Pheko, Mpho This study examined the use of child safety restraints by drivers transporting children in Gaborone, Botswana. We observed 518 vehicles (329 male drivers, 189 female drivers) carrying children at four different locations in Gaborone over four days. A team of 2-4 trained observers recorded whether the child was restrained or not, where they were seated in the car, the type of vehicle (private or commercial) and model of vehicle. Children were restrained in 111 (21.4%) of the observed vehicles and unrestrained in 407 (78.6%) of the observed vehicles. Additionally, male drivers were more likely than female drivers to have an unrestrained child (chi-square = 4.465, P=.04); commercial vehicles were more likely than private vehicles to have an unrestrained child (chi-square= 7.387, P=.01); SUVs were more likely to have a restrained child (chi-square = 17.499, P=.00); and children in the back seat of the vehicle were less likely to be restrained than children located in the front seat (chi-square = 49.036, P=.00). There was also a noted difference based on location (chi-square= 19.405, P=.00), indicating socioeconomic factors at play. Most drivers in Gaborone are not restraining children in vehicles. There seems to be a general lack of knowledge among drivers about the importance of child safety restraints. It is recommended that stakeholders work to raise awareness, enforce legislation and offer incentives and subsidies for car seat use in order to improve the safety of child passengers on Botswana’s expanding and developing roads. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1915 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1907 Does testing HIV negative encourage potentially dangerous beliefs? a study with young people in Botswana Plattner, Ilse E. While it is assumed that HIV testing could contribute to the reduction of HIV infection rates, little if any research exists regarding whether HIV testing could inadvertently also contribute to the spread of HIV. The study explored whether the experience of testing HIV negative could result in people developing false beliefs about their capability of preventing HIV infection. The study investigated HIV testing and related beliefs among 347 students (18 to 21 years) enrolled at the University of Botswana. Analyses explored whether students who had tested for HIV infection differed in their HIV-related beliefs from students who had never gone for an HIV test. Compared to their counterparts, students who went for an HIV test were more likely to believe that they could trust their dating partner enough not to use a condom and that their dating partner was HIV negative too, even when their partner had not gone for an HIV test; and they were less likely to fear that they could contract HIV from a sexual relationship. The results indicate that the experience of having received an HIV negative test result made students believe that they were in control of HIV, which made them more vulnerable to HIV infection. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1907 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1906 Predicting intentions to seek psychological help among Botswana University students: the role of stigma and help-seeking attitudes Pheko, Mpho M.; Chilisa, Rapelang; Balogun, Shyngle K.; Kgathi, Christiana The current study had two main objectives. The first was to investigate Botswana’s university students’ intentions to seek psychological help. The second was to investigate whether (a) Attitude Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help (ATSPPH), (b) Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH), and (c) Social Stigma of Receiving Psychological Help (SSRPH) predicted the students’ intentions to seek psychological help. A total of N = 519 (283 females and 236 males) students from the University of Botswana completed the survey. Results indicated that generally, the students had moderate intentions of seeking psychological help. Multiple regression analysis revealed that of the three predictors, only ATSPPH and SSRPH significantly predicted intentions to seek psychological help. The current study is important because while it has been established that university students are a high-risk population for mental health problems, there is close to nothing documented on university students in Botswana. Findings of the current study will undoubtedly increase knowledge relating to psychological help-seeking and its predictors in Botswana and may inform interventions that aim to encourage young people to seek psychological or counseling help. Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1906 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1902 Mediators of the relation between war experiences and suicidal ideation among former child soldiers in Northern Uganda: the ways study Amone-P’Olak, Kennedy; Lekhutlile, Tlholego Molemane; Meiser-Stedman, Richard; Ovuga, Emilio Background: Globally, suicide is a public health burden especially in the aftermath of war. Understanding the processes that define the path from previous war experiences (WE) to current suicidal ideation (SI) is crucial for defining opportunities for interventions. We assessed the extent to which different types of previous WE predict current SI and whether post-war hardships and depression mediate the relations between WE and SI among former child soldiers (FCS) in Northern Uganda. Methods: We performed cross-sectional analyses with a sample of 539 FCS (61% male) participating in an on-going longitudinal study. The influence of various types of previous WE on current SI and mediation by post-war hardships and depression were assessed by regression analyses. Results: The following types of war experiences: “witnessing violence”, “direct personal harm”, “deaths”, “Involvement in hostilities”, “sexual abuse” and “general war experiences” significantly predicted current SI in a univariable analyses whereas “direct personal harm”, “involvement in hostilities”, and “sexual abuse” independently predicted current SI in a multivariable analyses. General WE were linked to SI (β = 0.18 (95% CI 0.10 to 0.25)) through post-war hardships (accounting for 69% of the variance in their relationship) and through depression/anxiety (β = 0.17 (95% CI 0.12 to 0.22)) accounting for 65% of the variance in their relationship. The direct relationship between previous WE and current SI reduced but remained marginally significant (β = .08, CI: (.01, .17) for depression/anxiety but not for post-war hardships (β = .09, CI: (−.03, .20). Conclusion: Types of WE should be examined when assessing risks for SI. Interventions to reduce SI should aim to alleviate post-war hardships and treat depression/anxiety. Wed, 24 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1902 2014-09-24T00:00:00Z