Petal Petersen Williams
Biographic Data
| ID | 5419441 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Petal Petersen Williams |
| GIVEN NAMES | Petal Petersen |
| FAMILY NAME | Williams |
| SIGNATURE | WILLIAMS P P |
| AFFILIATIONS | South African Medical Research Council |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5535-2458 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 2 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 18 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Prioritization of methods for assessing alcohol use in emergency room settings
Limited alcohol-related injury data in hospital settings globally underscore the need for routine monitoring to inform policy formulation for injury prevention, especially in addressing violence and road traffic injuries. COVID-19 and the related alcohol sales bans in South Africa in 2020–21 brought the impact of alcohol on trauma presenting to health facilities into sharp focus and highlighted the absence of practical, cost-effective, and accura…
Perceptions of perinatal alcohol use and treatment needs in Cape Town, South Africa
Findings from this study highlight the need for an alcohol intervention programme that is innovative and tailored to the needs of women who are pregnant or postpartum. It also highlights the importance of including community-based support and partner involvement in these interventions
Adapting an evidence-based contingency management and text messaging intervention for South African perinatal women who drink
South Africa has one of the highest prevalence rates globally for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Despite this, few interventions are routinely available for countering the adverse effects of perinatal drinking. The current study used the ADAPT-ITT framework to guide the development of a behavioral intervention with remote alcohol use monitoring and provision of financial incentives contingent on alcohol abstinence for people who are pregnant a…
Effective alcohol policies and lifetime abstinence
Community-based counselling programme for pregnant women with alcohol problems in Cape Town, South Africa
Findings provide essential information to facilitate the adaptation of a community-based alcohol counselling programme for greater acceptability, feasibility and cultural appropriateness for the South African context. Intensive training, supervision and support is required to ensure the programme is delivered as planned
Benchmarking alcohol policy based on stringency and impact
This study developed a measurement tool to assess stringency and ‘on-the-ground’ impact of four key alcohol policy domains to create an alcohol policy index suitable for benchmarking alcohol policy and assessing change over time in middle- and high-income countries. It involved a collaboration between researchers in 12 diverse countries: New Zealand; Australia; England; Scotland; Netherlands; Vietnam; Thailand; South Africa; Turkey; Chile; Saint …
Strategies for supporting the implementation of a task-shared psychological intervention in South Africa’s chronic disease services
BACKGROUND: Although evidence indicates that task-shared psychological interventions can reduce mental health treatment gaps in resource-constrained settings, systemic barriers have limited their widespread implementation. Evidence on how to sustain and scale such approaches is scant. This study responds to this gap by examining the experiences of South African health managers involved in the implementation of a task-shared counselling service fo…
Did Covid-19-Related Alcohol Sales Restrictions Reduce Alcohol Consumption? Findings from a National Online Survey in South Africa
Policies intended to increase the pricing of alcohol may have the potential to reduce alcohol intake. Reducing stress and anxiety may be key to curtailing HED during emergency situations
On‐ and off‐licensed premises drinking behaviour among adults in the city of Tshwane, South Africa
Associations Between Patterns of Alcohol Use and Viral Load Suppression Amongst Women Living with HIV in South Africa
This study aimed to identify alcohol use patterns associated with viral non-suppression among women living with HIV (WLWH) and the extent to which adherence mediated these relationships. Baseline data on covariates, alcohol consumption, ART adherence, and viral load were collected from 608 WLWH on ART living in the Western Cape, South Africa. We defined three consumption patterns: no/light drinking (drinking ≤ 1/week and ≤ 4 drinks/occasion), occ…
Young South African Women on Antiretroviral Therapy Perceptions of a Psychological Counselling Program to Reduce Heavy Drinking and Depression
Young women in South Africa remain most at risk for HIV infection. Several factors contribute to the high incidence rate in this population, including hazardous drinking and depression. Addressing common mental disorders (CMDs) such as depression and alcohol use disorders is key to effective HIV treatment. We explored the experiences and perceptions of young South African women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) of a lay health worker (LHW)-delivere…
Characteristics and Predictors of Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) among Young People Aged 16–25
In South Africa, little is known about alcohol consumption patterns, such as drinks consumed, container size, salience of alcohol price, affordability and availability, and perceptions of alcohol policies as potential predictors of heavy episodic alcohol (HED) use among young people. This paper examines predictors of HED among young people with specific consideration given to these alcohol consumption patterns. This study conducted in the Tshwane…
Cannabis use and breastfeeding
Doing more with less’
Building resilience in health systems is an imperative for low- and middle- income countries. Health service managers’ ability to implement health innovations may be a key aspect of resilience in primary healthcare facilities, promoting adaptability and functionality. This study investigated health service managers’ perceptions and experiences of adopting health innovations. We aimed to identify perceptions of constraints to adoption and emergent…
Reducing substance use and risky sexual behaviour among drug users in Durban, South Africa
Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is increasingly recognised as having a direct and indirect effect on the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, there is evidence to suggest that drug- and sex-related HIV risk-reduction interventions targeted at drug users within drug treatment centres or via community outreach efforts can lead to positive health outcomes. This study aimed to test whether a community-level intervention aimed…
Need for and Readiness to Implement a Performance Measurement System for South Africa’s Substance Abuse Treatment Services
Feasibility and Preliminary Responses to a Screening and Brief Intervention Program for Maternal Mental Disorders Within the Context of Primary Care
The prevalence of risk for mental health problems among high school students in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
The aim of this article is to describe the prevalence of risk for developing mental health problems in a large survey of high school students in the Western Cape Province in South Africa. The study population comprised students in Grades 8, 9, and 10 attending public schools in the Western Cape Province. Schools were randomly sampled proportional to total school size (all grades). A total of 227 schools and a total of 20,855 students completed th…
Doing more with less’
Building resilience in health systems is an imperative for low- and middle- income countries. Health service managers’ ability to implement health innovations may be a key aspect of resilience in primary healthcare facilities, promoting adaptability and functionality. This study investigated health service managers’ perceptions and experiences of adopting health innovations. We aimed to identify perceptions of constraints to adoption and emergent…
The prevalence of risk for mental health problems among high school students in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
The aim of this article is to describe the prevalence of risk for developing mental health problems in a large survey of high school students in the Western Cape Province in South Africa. The study population comprised students in Grades 8, 9, and 10 attending public schools in the Western Cape Province. Schools were randomly sampled proportional to total school size (all grades). A total of 227 schools and a total of 20,855 students completed th…
Feasibility and Preliminary Responses to a Screening and Brief Intervention Program for Maternal Mental Disorders Within the Context of Primary Care
Need for and Readiness to Implement a Performance Measurement System for South Africa’s Substance Abuse Treatment Services
Reducing substance use and risky sexual behaviour among drug users in Durban, South Africa
Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is increasingly recognised as having a direct and indirect effect on the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, there is evidence to suggest that drug- and sex-related HIV risk-reduction interventions targeted at drug users within drug treatment centres or via community outreach efforts can lead to positive health outcomes. This study aimed to test whether a community-level intervention aimed…
Doing more with less’
Building resilience in health systems is an imperative for low- and middle- income countries. Health service managers’ ability to implement health innovations may be a key aspect of resilience in primary healthcare facilities, promoting adaptability and functionality. This study investigated health service managers’ perceptions and experiences of adopting health innovations. We aimed to identify perceptions of constraints to adoption and emergent…
Young South African Women on Antiretroviral Therapy Perceptions of a Psychological Counselling Program to Reduce Heavy Drinking and Depression
Young women in South Africa remain most at risk for HIV infection. Several factors contribute to the high incidence rate in this population, including hazardous drinking and depression. Addressing common mental disorders (CMDs) such as depression and alcohol use disorders is key to effective HIV treatment. We explored the experiences and perceptions of young South African women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) of a lay health worker (LHW)-delivere…
Characteristics and Predictors of Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) among Young People Aged 16–25
In South Africa, little is known about alcohol consumption patterns, such as drinks consumed, container size, salience of alcohol price, affordability and availability, and perceptions of alcohol policies as potential predictors of heavy episodic alcohol (HED) use among young people. This paper examines predictors of HED among young people with specific consideration given to these alcohol consumption patterns. This study conducted in the Tshwane…
Cannabis use and breastfeeding
On‐ and off‐licensed premises drinking behaviour among adults in the city of Tshwane, South Africa
Associations Between Patterns of Alcohol Use and Viral Load Suppression Amongst Women Living with HIV in South Africa
This study aimed to identify alcohol use patterns associated with viral non-suppression among women living with HIV (WLWH) and the extent to which adherence mediated these relationships. Baseline data on covariates, alcohol consumption, ART adherence, and viral load were collected from 608 WLWH on ART living in the Western Cape, South Africa. We defined three consumption patterns: no/light drinking (drinking ≤ 1/week and ≤ 4 drinks/occasion), occ…
Benchmarking alcohol policy based on stringency and impact
This study developed a measurement tool to assess stringency and ‘on-the-ground’ impact of four key alcohol policy domains to create an alcohol policy index suitable for benchmarking alcohol policy and assessing change over time in middle- and high-income countries. It involved a collaboration between researchers in 12 diverse countries: New Zealand; Australia; England; Scotland; Netherlands; Vietnam; Thailand; South Africa; Turkey; Chile; Saint …
Strategies for supporting the implementation of a task-shared psychological intervention in South Africa’s chronic disease services
BACKGROUND: Although evidence indicates that task-shared psychological interventions can reduce mental health treatment gaps in resource-constrained settings, systemic barriers have limited their widespread implementation. Evidence on how to sustain and scale such approaches is scant. This study responds to this gap by examining the experiences of South African health managers involved in the implementation of a task-shared counselling service fo…
Did Covid-19-Related Alcohol Sales Restrictions Reduce Alcohol Consumption? Findings from a National Online Survey in South Africa
Policies intended to increase the pricing of alcohol may have the potential to reduce alcohol intake. Reducing stress and anxiety may be key to curtailing HED during emergency situations
Effective alcohol policies and lifetime abstinence
Community-based counselling programme for pregnant women with alcohol problems in Cape Town, South Africa
Findings provide essential information to facilitate the adaptation of a community-based alcohol counselling programme for greater acceptability, feasibility and cultural appropriateness for the South African context. Intensive training, supervision and support is required to ensure the programme is delivered as planned
Perceptions of perinatal alcohol use and treatment needs in Cape Town, South Africa
Findings from this study highlight the need for an alcohol intervention programme that is innovative and tailored to the needs of women who are pregnant or postpartum. It also highlights the importance of including community-based support and partner involvement in these interventions
Adapting an evidence-based contingency management and text messaging intervention for South African perinatal women who drink
South Africa has one of the highest prevalence rates globally for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Despite this, few interventions are routinely available for countering the adverse effects of perinatal drinking. The current study used the ADAPT-ITT framework to guide the development of a behavioral intervention with remote alcohol use monitoring and provision of financial incentives contingent on alcohol abstinence for people who are pregnant a…
Prioritization of methods for assessing alcohol use in emergency room settings
Limited alcohol-related injury data in hospital settings globally underscore the need for routine monitoring to inform policy formulation for injury prevention, especially in addressing violence and road traffic injuries. COVID-19 and the related alcohol sales bans in South Africa in 2020–21 brought the impact of alcohol on trauma presenting to health facilities into sharp focus and highlighted the absence of practical, cost-effective, and accura…
Medicine (18 works) · Environmental health (12 works) · Psychiatry (11 works) · Psychology (10 works) · Nursing (9 works) · Psychological intervention (7 works) · Business (6 works) · Qualitative research (6 works) · Sociology (6 works) · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes (6 works)