Digital Commons Network^™

An Assessment Of The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council's Community Based Distribution Programme, Baker Ndugga Maggwa, Ian Askew, Caroline S. Marangwanda, Ronika Nyakauru, Barbara Janowitz

Reproductive Health

Since its inception, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council’s (ZNFPC) community-based distribution (CBD) program has made significant and well-documented contributions to the demand for and use of family planning in Zimbabwe. Data from several studies have shown, however, a steady decline in this contribution and that the CBD agents spend more time resupplying existing clients than recruiting new acceptors. Moreover, the CBD program urgently needs to be able to address the AIDS crisis in the country. ZNFPC has undertaken this review to guide it in making appropriate decisions about the future direction of the program, allowing CBDs to have a …

An Assessment Of The Alternative Rites Approach For Encouraging Abandonment Of Female Genital Mutilation In Kenya, Jane Chege, Ian Askew, Jennifer Liku

Reproductive Health

Maendeleo Ya Wanawake (MYWO), with technical assistance from the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), has been implementing an Alternative Rite of passage programme as part of its efforts to eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in five districts in Kenya. This study addressed the factors that influence some families and individuals to adopt the Alternative Rite while others, exposed to the same messages discouraging FGM, decide not to. It also evaluated the effect of the training component of the Alternative Rite on the girls who participated.

Strengthening Social Science Research On Women's Health: Lessons Learned From A Capacity Building Programme, M.E. Khan, Bella C. Patel, John Townsend

Reproductive Health

The International Conference on Population and Development in 1994 led to an upsurge in interest in implementing reproductive health (RH) programs worldwide. The urgency to act has led to the development of disparate activities in several developing countries including India. While programs have been growing in numbers, their quality is in question. A fundamental problem has been lack of capacity at all levels of the health service system to respond to the paradigm shift articulated by the advocates of the reproductive health and rights agenda. To redesign programs, considerable research must be undertaken to understand the health needs and sociocultural …

Special Studies Program Of The Pilot Health Project: West Bank And Gaza, Mahmoud Shaheen, Laila Nawar, Dale Huntington, Sahar Hegazi

Reproductive Health

The Special Studies Program was implemented as part of the Pilot Health Project in the West Bank and Gaza to provide small grants to Palestinian researchers, research organizations, and advanced graduate students to conduct research that examines critical reproductive health topics related to maternal and child health care, including family planning. The research implemented under the Special Studies Program covered a range of topics including male involvement in reproductive health, clients' satisfaction with family planning programs, the relationship between early marriage and the delivery of premature infants, factors affecting compliance for iron supplementation, and diabetes mellitus during pregnancy. The research …

Diverse Realities: Understanding Sexually Transmitted Infections And Hiv In India, Sarah Hawkes, K.G. Santhya

Reproductive Health

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, currently have high salience on the health care agendas of many countries, including India. Strategies for their control are ideally based on a number of well-recognised principles. These include: assessments of the burden of disease; the availability of interventions at policy and programme levels, to influence behaviour change and technical ‘solutions’; and the calculated cost-effectiveness of these interventions. In the case of India, data to inform these principles are often lacking in the case of STI control. In this paper we have reviewed the evidence base for STI control in the Indian context. The …

Outlook Magazine, Winter 2001

Outlook Magazine

No abstract provided.

Religious Faith And Mental Health Outcomes, Thomas G. Plante, Naveen K. Sharma

Psychology

In this chapter we review recent research regarding the relationship between religious faith/spirituality and mental health outcomes, as well as provide directions for future research and discussion. The specific aspects of mental health and illness that we focus on include well-being, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and schizophrenia. We also briefly discuss research pertaining to religious faith and personality disorders, eating disorders, somatoform disorders, and bipolar disorder.

Mental Health Needs And Resources In Christian Communities Of South Korea, Lisa Graham Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Department of Sociology

In an effort to understand the mental health needs and resources of Korean Christians, we collected quantitative and qualitative data through surveys and interviews with Korean pastors and Christian educators. Several mental health concerns were identified: the high level of daily stress faced by many Koreans, marriage and family concerns, conflicts between Korean culture and the teachings of the church, and a tendency to keep emotional discomfort suppressed. Mental health resources include deep spiritual commitment to a life of prayer, high levels of commitment to family and community, cultural values of persistence and patience, and reliance on Christian communities for …

Adult Attachment Styles And Their Relationship To Marital Satisfaction In Couples In First Marriages Of Seven (7) Years Or Longer, Melanie Whiteway

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Three Dimensional Gait Analysis Following The Adeli Treatment For Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report, Troy Lase

Masters Theses

This case report describes the use of three-dimensional gait analysis to identify kinematic changes following the Adeli suit treatment. The suit's original design was to decrease the effects of weightlessness in space but has been modified to become the primary modality for the Adeli treatment used to treat cerebral palsy. Data were quantitatively produced by three-dimensional gait analysis before and after treatment were used to identity any changes in gait. Following the Adeli treatment, instrumented gait analysis showed that no clinically significant changes in four critical events of gait following the Adeli treatment occurred.

A Secondary Analysis Of Twelfth Grade Students And Their Engagement In Risk Behaviors, Dana L. Morton

Masters Theses

This study was a secondary analysis of data from a national survey of 135 high schools throughout the nation, including both rural and urban settings. A sample of 14,056 twelfth grade students participated in the survey. This study explored the relationships between religious attendance, perceived importance of religion, and smoking and consumption of alcohol in adolescents. Very little research was found on the relationship between religion and adolescent health, indicating a need for more investigations. This study found that the greater number of times an individual attended religious services the less they reported engaging in smoking and drinking. Future intention …

Knowledge About Stroke In Adults From Rural Communities, Julie Billett

Masters Theses

Fifty middle to low-income adult clients of a rural family care center were surveyed in a descriptive correlational study in order to determine their abilities to identify the signs and symptoms of a stroke and their knowledge of stroke risk. Additionally, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was used to ascertain whether the participants’ level of knowledge was related to their actual stroke risk, as identified by the American Heart Association’s Stroke Risk Tool Descriptive analysis of the item responses revealed that the percentage of the sample correctly identifying individual signs and symptoms ranged from 44 to 77%. When actual stroke risk was …

Fitness And The Elderly, David B. Mingo

Theses

Statistics show the American population is aging at an explosive rate. The correlation between fitness and the aging process is once again becoming a ripe area for study. Previous studies show that fitness can improve quality of life and health for the elderly. A new defined category of seniors known as the young-old has emerged. This category is comprised of seniors that range in age from 55- 65. This study focuses on the relationship between routine exercise and quality of life issues for the young-old. Subjects for this study were 15 retired military soldiers. Subjects were asked to complete a …

Pro-Aging Vs. Anti-Aging: A Comparative Study Of Attitudes Toward Older Adults, Vanessa Lee Benavidez

Theses

A comparative study was conducted on the attitudes toward older adults between Counselors and Non Counselors. The participants included 50 Licensed Professional Counselors from the state of Missouri, who are registered members of the American Counseling Association (ACA), and 33 Graduate students from Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri, who are enrolled in graduate programs unrelated to professional counseling. The participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Facts on Aging Quiz' (FAQl). The demographic questionnaire contained personal data, and the FAQ 1 measured attitudes and knowledge in five areas: correct answer, negative bias, positive bias, neutral, and don't know. The …

History, Culture And Alcohol: Drinking Patterns In Poland And Australia, Barbara Wolska

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

It is a widely held view in Poland that for centuries those in power have promoted heavy drinking among their subjects in order to achieve their various goals and that this contributed to the development of Polish drinking patterns. There is some empirical evidence that the political economy of alcohol in Poland promoted heavy drinking among the Polish population. Drinking alcohol in Poland was an important aspect of social situations. The most popular beverage was vodka(s). Social pressure to drink in the extreme was attributed to the tradition of hospitality. Cultural norms encouraged very heavy drinking among men and imposed …

Like A Banana Tree : Towards A Model Of Children In Disasters : An Exploration Of An Anthropological Problem, Jennie Anne Ricarda Marten

Theses : Honours

There is currently an emerging literature on the anthropology of disasters, and also an emergent literature on the new anthropology of childhood and children. Despite an extensive search, no significant body of literature on the anthropology of children in natural event based disasters could be found. A central focus of this thesis will be interrogate this gap through a documentary search, to ascertain what factors might influence the absence of children in the anthropology of disasters. To achieve this, the study defines and conceptualizes both the anthropology of disasters and the anthropology of children. Recent research shows that children are …

Acknowledgements, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Review Of Counseling And The Therapeutic State. James J. Chriss (Ed.). Reviewed By Daniel Harkness., Daniel Harkness

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of James J. Chriss (Ed.), Counseling and the Therapeutic State. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter, 1999. $48.95 hardcover, $24.95 papercover.

Full Issue, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Antidepressent Treatment For Depression: Total Charges And Therapy Duration, Deborah G. Dobrez, Catherine A. Melfi, Thomas W. Croghan, Thomas J. Kniesner, Robert L. Obenchain

Center for Policy Research

Background: The economic costs of depression are significant, both the direct medical costs of care and the indirect costs of lost productivity. Empirical studies of antidepressant costeffectiveness suggest that the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) may be no more costly than tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), will improve tolerability, and is associated with longer therapy duration. However the success of depression care usually involves multiple factors, including source of care, type of care, and patient characteristics, in addition to drug choice. The cost-effective mix of antidepressant therapy components is unclear.

Aims of the Study: Our study evaluates cost and antidepressant-continuity …

Review Of The Social Edges Of Psychoanalysis. Neil J. Smelser. Reviewed By Daniel Coleman., Daniel Coleman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Neil J. Smelser, The Social Edges of Psychoanalysis. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1999. $35.00 hardcover, $24.00 papercover.

Toward Improved Support For Research On Delivery Of Home- And Community-Based Long-Term Care, Francis G. Caro

Gerontology Institute Publications

Stronger and more consistent support is needed for research on long-term care. A greater investment in research will strengthen the ability of public and private organizations to provide effective and efficient assistance to people with disabilities and their informal caregivers. This paper provides a rationale for stronger research funding for the field and outlines several options to strengthen research.

Advance Directives And Communication Styles In A Lower Rio Grande Valley Health Facility, Armando G. Dominguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study explores physicians' decision-making communication styles at end-of-life and advance directives in a hospital. Participant observation, case studies and a survey questionnaire are used. Egalitarian communication style is found to have moderate reliability. A .6969 coefficient, is measured by Cronbach's Alpha model. Authoritative communication style, yields a less than moderate alpha coefficient of .4278. Regression analysis using these two variables as the independent variables obtains insignificant results. However, sixty-three percent of the respondents speak Spanish moderately or very little. Eighty percent of the surveyed sample do not have training to administer advance directives. Twenty-two percent of the respondents have …

Attitudes As Barriers In Breast Screening: A Prospective Study Among Singapore Women, Paulin Tay Straughan, Adeline Seow

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Health care systems do not exist in isolation, but rather, as part of the larger social and cultural mosaic. In particular, perceived attitudes are major obstacles in health promotion exercises. This problem is especially true for non-white populations where little is known about the prevailing social and cultural perceptions towards western biomedical prescriptions. To further our understanding of Asian women's acceptance of mammograms, three attitudinal indexes are conceptualised, constructed and validated. Data fi om a prospective survey showed the significance of fatalistic attitudes, perceived barriers and perceived efficacy of early detection in predicting women's acceptance of a free mammogram at …

Gender Differences In Brazilian Street Youth’S Family Circumstances And Experiences On The Street, Marcela Raffaelli, Silvia H. Koller, Caroline T. Reppold, Mateus B. Kuschick, Fernanda M. B. Krum, Denise R. Bandeira, Carson Simões

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: It has been proposed that homeless street girls are more likely to be from dysfunctional families and exhibit psychological distress than homeless street boys, reflecting cultural factors that result in differential norms for male and female behavior. The current analysis examined whether male and female street youth in a mid-sized Brazilian city differed in their family circumstances and day-to-day functioning on the street.

Methods: The opportunity sample consisted of 33 male (mean age 14.3, range 10-17 years) and 33 female (mean age 14.6, range 11-18 years) street youth who participated in a sentence completion task and structured interview examining …

Update - November 2000, Loma Linda University Center For Christian Bioethics

Update

In this issue:

-- An Unlikely Reverence: The story of Centura Health, a partnership between Seventh-day Adventist and Roman Catholics
-- Child Prostitution in Thailand: Epidemic and Ethics

Alternatives To Incarceration For Substance Abusing Female Defendants/Offenders In Massachusetts, 1996-1998, Carol Hardy-Fanta, Sylvia Mignon

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

In July 1997, the Massachusetts State Legislature, recognizing the challenge presented by the problem of substance abuse for women in the criminal justice system, authorized funds to the Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Abuse Services for a study of substance using female offenders to be conducted by the John W. McCormack Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Since March 1998, a group of researchers at the McCormack Institute and the Criminal Justice Center at UMass Boston has gathered and analyzed a wealth of quantitative and qualitative information on women offenders in Massachusetts.

This information includes data from …

Vital Signs, Fall 2000, Boonshoft School Of Medicine

Vital Signs

A twenty four page newsletter created by the Boonshoft School of Medicine to document the current affairs of the school. This issue includes a variety of feature articles, alumni profiles, class notes, and more.

Determinants Of Health Promoting Behaviors In Older Adults, Kay Wallace

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between Health Locus of Control, selected demographic variables, and the Health Promoting Behaviors of Physical Activity and Nutrition in older persons. Pender’s (1996) Health Promotion Model (HPM) was used as the conceptual framework to guide this study.

The sample consisted of 48 subjects, aged 65 years and older, who resided in senior living centers. The subjects were predominantly Caucasian (94%) and female (81%). Research instruments were self-administered questionnaires that consisted of demographic data, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale.

No significant relationships between …

Rubella Vaccine And Medical Policymaking: Fetal Rights And Women's Health, Jacob Heller

New England Journal of Public Policy

U.S. vaccine policies, to all appearances, are based on assumptions about cost effectiveness, safety, and public health needs. Analysis of the peer review health professions’ discourse about rubella vaccine between 1941 and 1999 challenges this view. There were four justifications for the development of the vaccine: (1) cost-benefit projections about vaccine use versus anticipated birth defects; (2) the desire to prevent “fetal wastage” by vaccinating women; (3) a professional imperative to ensure healthy babies; and (4) a bias among vocal vaccine advocates against “unnecessary” abortion. The role of a fifth consideration, the “cultural provenance” of vaccines for American medicine, though …