Apartheid, stress and illness: The demographic context of distress reported by South African Africans

Stress among black women in a South African township: The protective role of religion

“…Few studies have examined the relationship between stress and health among Black South African adults (e.g., Magwaza & Bhana, 1991;Mclean, 2002;Pretorius, 1992Pretorius, , 1996Spangenberg & Pieterse, 1995;Turton & Chalmers, 1990;Williams, Herman, Kessler, Sonnega, Seedat, Stein, Moomal, & Wilson, 2004). In a sample of 200 randomly selected Black migrant and nonmigrant women and men, Magwaza and Bhana (1991) found that migrants perceived more stress and were more psychologically distressed than nonmigrants.…”

“…Their results revealed that the adverse sociopolitical condition of the women's lives had a stronger negative effect on women's mental health than did stressful events of a personal nature. Turton and Chalmers (1990) examined the relationship between apartheid and the distress experienced by urbandwelling Africans. Their findings indicated that the effects of apartheid (represented by socioeconomic disadvantage) were significantly related to the experience of stress and illness for Black South Africans.…”

The influence of biological affinity and sex on morphometric parameters of the clavicle in a South African sample

“…Recently, studies have shown that both systemic inflammation during infection and systemic inflammation resulting from untreated medical conditions (e.g., gastrointestinal illnesses such as Crohn's disease or persistent diarrhea) are associated with low levels of important growth factors (e.g., insulin‐like growth factor [IGF‐1]) and poor responsiveness of growth plates, thus impairing linear growth (Bhutta et al, ; De Boer & Denson, ; De Boer et al, ; MacRae, Farquharson, & Ahmed, ). The South African coloured sample experienced malnutrition, lack of proper medical care, and high exposure to infectious diseases and illnesses as a result of discrimination and segregation stemming from the apartheid regime (1948‐1994) (Das‐Munshi et al, ; Harris et al, ; Pfeiffer, Heinrich, Beresheim, & Alblas, ; Turton & Chalmers, ; Wisner, ). In particular, death certificates associated with individuals represented in the Kirsten Skeletal Collection list gastrointestinal illnesses as one of the untreated conditions which affected morbidity in the sample (Pfeiffer et al, ).…”

Familial and Contextual Influences on Children’s Prosocial Behavior: South African Caregivers as Adult Protective Shields in Enhancing Child Mental Health

“…Therefore, their mental health problems are exacerbated by the discrimination and the effects of poverty and food insecurity faced by many of these children (Mkhize 1994; Straker et al 1996; Tolfree 2003). As such, the nature of apartheid delinked children’s attachment to their parents which brings about pervasive negative mental health consequences and behaviors (Dommisse 1986; Straker 1987; Mohutsioa-Makhudu 1989; Turton and Chalmers 1990). …”