Research Nuggets

Research Nugget Common Chronic Diseases in Adult Cancer Patients in SA In South Africa, the healthcare system is increasingly challenged by a growing number of adult cancer patients who also suffer from multiple chronic diseases. This situation, known as multimorbidity,

Research Nugget Challenges Faced by Humanitarian Organisations The World Humanitarian Day 2024 (19th August) #No Matter What. Humanitarian response and development are vital in fostering recovery, healing, and resilience in communities impacted by disasters. The aftermath of Cyclone Idai in

Research Nugget Advancing Black Women Academic Researchers in South Africa: Overcoming Constraints and Building Success The pursuit of gender and racial equity in South African higher education is an ongoing challenge, particularly for Black women academics. Despite legislative efforts, such

Research Nugget Profile of Postdoctoral Research Fellows in South Africa: Trends over the past two decades Postdoctoral research Fellows, or postdocs, are early-career researchers who play a crucial role in the advancement of scientific knowledge. However, in South Africa and

Research Nugget Training Needs of Traditional Health Practitioners in South African Townships Traditional health practitioners (THPs) play a crucial role in South African communities by addressing various health issues. To improve their effectiveness, they need knowledge and skills in both

Research Nugget Exploring Health Perceptions and Priorities of South African Youth One third South Africa’s population consists of young adults aged 15-34. The periods of adolescence and young adulthood are crucial for the development of health literacy, which has a

Research Nugget Promoting access to and success in postgraduate education in South Africa In celebration of Africa Day 2024, themed  Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century, this nugget highlights a research article that explores the challenges and successes in

Research Nugget Ensuring food security and poverty reduction in South Africa Ensuring food security and the reduction of poverty relies heavily on providing support for agriculture, especially in areas such as South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, where poverty and food

Research Nugget Navigating Complexity: Moringa’s presence and perceptions in South Africa Moringa is a fast-growing, drought-tolerant tree with versatile uses in food, medicine, cosmetics, and agriculture. Despite being an alien species to South Africa, its production has increased due to

Research Nugget Eco-friendly and Affordable Solution to the Water Crisis South Africa is facing a serious crisis due to water scarcity. However, there are solutions available that address this issue and ensure that the country is able to maintain a

Research Nugget Modern Pollen Rain Reveals Landscape Differences in Madagascar Studying pollen is an effective way to learn about the past and present landscapes, including how they have changed over time. By examining the amount and type of pollen, we

Research Nugget Selenium nanoparticles–enhanced potato starch film for active food packaging application The prevention of food contamination during food processing is essential for food safety and quality. However, preservation approaches that are reliant on the addition of chemicals in food

Research Nugget Impact of SA’s Plastic Industry on Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Life-Cycle Approach Plastics are everywhere and part of modern-day living, offering unique properties that make them ideal for a wide range of applications. However, this convenience comes with a

Research Nugget Promising Nano-based Treatment Approach for Parkinson’s Disease Parkinson’s diseases (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder which affects millions of people worldwide. With the number of cases estimated to increase by 2040, alternative treatment approaches are necessary as current therapeutics

Research Nugget SA Traditional Medicinal Plants with Potential to Manage Preeclampsia Preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, is the most common direct cause of maternal deaths in South Africa. Current management strategies of preeclampsia primarily involve the use of pharmaceutical

Research Nugget Breaking the glass ceiling: Women’s publication trends in SA universities The past two decades have seen a significant increase in the publication output of women at South African universities. From 2005 to 2020, the share of female-authored publications

Research Nugget Front-of-Pack Nutrition labels as a tool to guide consumers identify healthier foods The development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, is strongly linked to an unhealthy diet, with ultra-processed foods being

Research Nugget What influences SA consumers to buy green products? With increased awareness of the catastrophic effects of unsustainable patterns of consumption and production on the planet, there is a need to understand which factors influence South African consumers’ purchase

Research Nugget Providing Care to Women Experiencing GBV in Rural SA – Views of Professional Nurses Women in most rural provinces are at a high risk of experiencing gender-based violence (GBV). Furthermore, most of these women are not attended to

Research Nugget SA Adolescents Exposed to High Levels of Domestic Violence Domestic violence is a serious social problem in South Africa. Research suggests that the proximity of exposure to violence contributes to subsequent increases in violent behaviour. Thus, considering exposure

Research Nugget GBV and Women with Physical Disabilities in SA Gender-based violence (GBV) against women with physical disabilities is a lived reality in South Africa and it requires attention and needs to be prioritised through services for vulnerable women. Women

Research Nugget Mental Health Risk in SA Mental health problems among adults are a growing public health concern, and middle-income countries such as South Africa are disproportionally affected. Using a large scale, nationally representative, weighted survey, researchers at the DSI-NRF

Research Nugget Sleep Health and Long COVID Poor sleep health is evident in individuals with a history of COVID-19, particularly those with more severe symptoms at the time of their COVID-19 infection, and is associated with a poorer quality of

Research Nugget Women’s Mobile Phone Ownership Matters for Health Gender inequality is a pervasive societal challenge that affects far more areas of everyday life than most people realise. One research project, funded in part by the NRF, has revealed that

Research Nugget Non-Medical Use of Prescription or over the Counter Medication among Employed South African Women The non-medical use of prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines has increased over the years and is a global concern, especially among women in several

Research Nugget Collagen-Based Nanofibers for Skin Regeneration and Wound Dressing Applications Wound management is challenging, particularly for chronic injuries. Despite the availability of various types of wound dressing scaffolds in the market, some of the wound dressings that are available

Research Nugget Youth Participation in the Adolescent and Youth Health Policy in South Africa Involving young people in all that is relevant to them is part of the global commitment to eradicate poverty in all its forms; end discrimination and

Research Nugget Non-Communicable Disease Comorbidity Development in Young People Youth in South Africa face a myriad of challenges, among those being high rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, hypertension, and depression. The prevalence of these diseases differ by

Research Nugget Alcohol Consumption and Risky Sexual Behaviour Among Youth Alcohol is a major obstacle to achieving 13 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. Globally there have been a series of initiatives to reduce harmful

Research Nugget Youth Unemployment in South Africa: Drivers and interventions This year marks 45 years since the 1976 student uprising in Soweto. Although today’s youth may no longer be fighting the same battle as their predecessors, for many young people

Research Nugget Youth, faith and environmental consciousness in Africa Climate change is a worldwide environmental concern and Africa is expected to be among the regions severely affected due to its impoverished population which is more vulnerable to climate change and

Research Nugget Youth gang involvement: Risk and Protective Factors Youth gang involvement is a serious public challenge, with significant family, personal and societal costs, as youths in gangs are at an increased risk of engaging in and being exposed to

Research Nugget Youth Participation in Agriculture Youth unemployment is a challenge in the Global South and, in particular, Africa faces significant challenging conditions. This is primarily due to rapid population growth; slow economic growth; and a higher unemployment rate associated

Research Nugget Knowledge about Plastic Food Packaging among Young Adults in South Africa Although much is written about plastic food packaging safety, a lack of knowledge about plastic food packaging could result in its potential misuse and health concerns. Research

Research Nugget The Potential of Fish to Improve Food and Nutrition Security in Sub-Saharan Africa With high levels of malnutrition and hunger among the population of sub-Saharan Africa, fish can play a crucial role in improving food and nutrition in

Research Nugget How to fight fake news disinformation and misinformation Knowledge in media and information literacy can help people to combat inaccurate information encountered in daily life. This is according to a NRF-funded study, conducted by Dr Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey

Research Nugget For the Love of Bread: Shifting Towards Climate-Resilient Crops for Healthy Diets and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa Urbanisation, increased disposable income, and consumption of refined wheat breads have changed diets and lifestyle in sub-Saharan Africa. As a

Research Nugget Adversity in childhood is linked to unrealised potential in human development Researchers from the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development at the University of Witwatersrand found that exposure to adversity in childhood can be linked to poor