Misinformation about cannabis use can have serious implications for people facing mental health challenges. Mental healthcare practitioners can counter this by running education campaigns for vulnerable people, including mental healthcare users and especially the youth.

This recommendation comes from Isaac Mokgaola, an academic in the School of Nursing Science, who recently conducted a study on mental healthcare practitioners’ perspectives on the legalisation of cannabis in South Africa.

His study was supervised by Prof Leepile Sehularo and Prof Emmerentia du Plessis.

Prof Doris Bohman, a registered nurse, nurse tutor and associate professor at the Department of Health, Blekinge Institute of Technology, in Sweden, was recently appointed as an extraordinary professor at the North-West University's (NWU’s) Optentia research unit. 

Dr Bohman holds a PhD in medical science and has extensive experience working with ethnographic methods focusing on gerontological care.

Prompted by the high cost of chemicals fertilisers and their impact on the environment, a master’s student the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus, took on the challenge of searching for environmentally friendly options to replace or supplement chemical fertilisers.

Motlagomang Khantsi’s study titled “Determination and comparison of intraspecific variation in the bacterial strains resident around the root area of bambara nut”, was conducted in the Food Security and Safety research focus area at the NWU.

High blood pressure or hypertension is not only a disease in adults, but starts during childhood and tracks into adulthood.

In a study conducted by the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) of the North-West University (NWU), researchers emphasised the importance of screening children, especially black children, for elevated blood pressure.

Prof Leepile Sehularo, an associate professor in the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Nursing, conducted a literature review in line with the theme for World Mental Health Day 2022 – “Mental Health in an Unequal World”.

The World Federation for Mental Health has encouraged researchers to share their knowledge about mental health inequality and to suggest ways how this inequality may be addressed.

Written from a South African perspective, Prof Sehularo’s paper was submitted to and accepted by the Journal of Gender and Behaviour.

Climate change, environmental destruction and the collapse of biodiversity pose a severe threat to the planet and mankind, and especially to poor and marginalised communities.

The threat may be even greater for citizens of South Africa as the southern African region has been identified as a hotspot. In recent years, South Africa has experienced significant changes in weather patterns, fuelling concerns about their impact on vulnerable people. This has in turn given rise to a new branch of social work known as environmental social work (ESW).

On 4 May 2022 a delegation from the Sasol Foundation visited the subject group Chemistry on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed into effect three anti gender-based violence bills that will afford victims more protection.

These amendments will, among other things, allow victims to apply for protection orders online without having to appear in court, and will require all sexual offenders to be placed on a national registry.

The Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill, Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill, and Domestic Violence Amendment Bill were all signed into law.

Blood is the life-giving substance that flows through our veins, but if the pressure in our veins becomes too high it can be detrimental to our health.

Phenyo Mokgothu

Globally, one of the main causes of street homelessness is chronic mental illness, and South Africa is no different. Researchers from the North-West University (NWU) have some recommendations on how the plight of these vulnerable people can be alleviated.