Orapuh Journal

Exploring the impact of institutional leadership on nurse educators’ work–life balance

Letta Mathebula, Rirhandzu F. Mathevula, Tshiamo N. Ramalepa — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 18:19:23 +0200

Introduction

Nurse educators often face challenges in balancing work and life within institutional environments. Leadership plays a key role; supportive leaders help promote harmony, whereas disconnected leadership can intensify strain. Institutional leadership therefore shapes a wide range of work–life experiences under the same organisational roof.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of institutional leadership on nurse educators’ work–life balance in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Methods

A qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 16 nurse educators in a selected nursing education institution in Gauteng. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Three themes emerged: (1) regulatory and managerial challenges in nursing education, (2) insufficient management support, and (3) unfair workload distribution and favouritism. The findings reveal that managerial challenges, limited organisational support, and inequitable practices significantly hinder nurse educators’ ability to achieve work–life balance. Institutional reforms, including equitable workload policies, mentorship programmes, and fair leadership practices, are essential to improving work–life balance.

Conclusion

Nurse educators encounter a range of work–life balance challenges that stem from institutional leadership practices. Enhancing work–life balance requires strengthened institutional and managerial support, as well as policy reforms. A key step is implementing strategies that help nurse educators manage their workload while maintaining healthy personal lives. Institutional commitment to supporting the well-being of nurse educators is crucial for promoting job satisfaction, productivity, and overall quality of life.

Assessment of the periodontal health of police officers at the University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 18:25:20 +0200

Introduction

The profession of law enforcement involves demanding working conditions and schedules, which may lead to psychological stress, lifestyle modifications and neglect of oral hygiene. These factors can negatively affect the periodontal health of police officers.

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the periodontal health of police officers at the University of Kinshasa (POUK), with particular attention to oral hygiene practices and lifestyle factors, including smoking.

Methods

This descriptive cross-sectional study involved POUK officers aged 18 years and above and was conducted over two years and six months. Each participant underwent an interview followed by a periodontal clinical examination performed by a single trained and calibrated examiner. Plaque Index (PI), Bleeding on Probing (BOP), Pocket Depth (PD) and Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL) were recorded and assessed. Intra-examiner reliability was verified to ensure consistency. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS version 20.0, applying a 95% confidence interval.

Results

Of the 240 POUK officers examined, 96.3% were men and 3.8% were women, with most aged between 30 and 40 years. All officers (100%) reported practising oral hygiene, and 97.9% used a manufactured toothbrush. A total of 77.9% brushed their teeth once daily. More than half (53.3%) used hard-bristle toothbrushes, and 81.7% used the horizontal brushing technique. None reported using adjunctive oral hygiene measures. Mean CAL and PPD were 1.3 mm and 5 mm, respectively. Mean PI and BOP were 70.5% and 23.1%, respectively. Overall, 63.7% had a CPI score of 3. There was a strong association between periodontal disease and smoking (Χ² = 43.444, p < 0.001), as well as poor oral hygiene (Χ² = 14.594, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

A high prevalence of periodontal disease and inadequate oral hygiene practices were observed among police officers at the University of Kinshasa. These findings highlight the need for oral health education and targeted periodontal disease control programmes to improve oral health and enhance the performance of police personnel.

Epidemiological and bacteriological aspects of children suspected of having febrile urinary tract infections in Kisantu and Kimpese in the province of Kongo-Central in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 18:15:47 +0200

Introduction

Febrile urinary tract infections (FUTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections in children and represent a major cause of paediatric morbidity worldwide due to their clinical polymorphism, severity, and potential consequences on renal function.

Purpose

To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of FUTIs in suspected children and to identify bacteria isolated from blood cultures performed in Kisantu and Kimpese in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using retrospective data collected between January 2018 and December 2022 in Kongo-Central Province, at Saint Luc Hospital (HSL) in Kisantu and the Evangelical Medical Institute (IME) in Kimpese. A convenience sample of 171 children who met the inclusion criteria was selected. Statistical analyses were performed using R version 4.4.2. Proportion comparisons were made using Pearson’s chi-square test, with a 95% confidence interval and a significance level set at p < 0.05.

Results

Among the 171 children suspected of having a UTI, 161 (94.2%) were from HSL, of whom 39 (24.2%) had a positive blood culture, and 10 (5.8%) were from IME, of whom 2 (20%) were positive, giving an overall prevalence of 23.9%. The most represented age group was 0–23 months (31.0%), with girls accounting for 47.4% (95% CI: 39.9–54.9) and an overall sex ratio of 1.11. Salmonella sp. was the most frequently isolated bacterium (36.6%), with a slight male predominance, while Escherichia coli was significantly more frequent in girls (19.5%; χ² = 6.79, p = 0.009). By age group, Salmonella sp. predominated in children aged 24–59 months, whereas E. coli predominated in the 120–204-month age group.

Conclusion

FUTI mainly affects very young children, with an overall balanced gender distribution. Salmonella sp. and E. coli are the most common bacterial pathogens, with variations according to age and gender. These findings provide essential local data to guide diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in paediatrics and highlight the need for further large-scale, longitudinal studies.

Teenage pregnancy and mental health in Africa: A bibliometric analysis

Muhammad Hoque — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:19:35 +0200

Introduction

Adolescent pregnancy is a significant public health and societal challenge in Africa, with far-reaching implications for young people’s mental well-being.

Purpose

This study aimed to analyse research trends, geographic patterns, and thematic focuses on teenage pregnancy and mental health in Africa using bibliometric methods.

Methods

A bibliometric analysis was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and SABINET databases, covering the period 2014–2023. Relevant peer-reviewed journal articles focusing on adolescent pregnancy and mental health were analysed with VOSviewer to assess publication trends, co-authorship, keyword co-occurrence, and citation impact.

Results

A total of 257 articles met the inclusion criteria, showing a sharp rise in research activity after 2015. Most studies originated from South Africa (27.1%), Nigeria (18.3%), and Kenya (13.1%), while Central and North Africa had low output. The main topics studied were depression (72%), anxiety (58%), post-traumatic stress disorder (41%), and suicidal ideation (29%). Commonly cited socio-economic risk factors included poverty, intimate partner violence, and inadequate reproductive health education. Citation analysis indicated generally moderate research impact and limited inter-country collaboration, with only 15.8% of studies involving non-African authors. Despite the growth in publications, only 14% evaluated interventions, and few addressed school-based or digital mental health approaches.

Conclusion

While research on teenage pregnancy and mental health in Africa has increased, regional and thematic gaps persist. Future work should emphasise intervention studies, longitudinal designs, and broader geographic coverage.