Digital Commons Network^™

Knowledge, Practice, And Coverage (Kpc) Survey: Baseline Report, Mansehra District, Munir Afridi, Saman Naz, Nayyer Munir

Reproductive Health

The Primary Healthcare Revitalization, Integration, and Decentralization in Earthquake-affected Areas (PRIDE) program is designed to improve primary health-care services and health outcomes for populations in Bagh and Mansehra districts in northern Pakistan that were affected by the devastating earthquake that struck on October 8, 2005. The project aims to strengthen the financial and human resource management capacities of district health authorities and primary health-care providers. Access to and quality of primary health-care services will be improved through an essential package of health services and improved skills of primary health-care personnel. Community demand for quality services will be improved through an …

Strengthening Financial Sustainability Through Integration Of Voluntary Counseling And Testing Services With Other Reproductive Health Services, Rumeli Das, Kaushik Biswas, Pradeep Panda, M.E. Khan, Rick Homan

Reproductive Health

In West Bengal, India, the Child in Need Institute (CINI) operated an HIV/AIDS voluntary confidential counseling and testing center and a reproductive health clinic at separate locations. Concerns about lack of service coordination as well as cost and revenue considerations led CINI to integrate the two services. CINI conducted an operations research study to examine the impact of integration on utilization and revenues. The objective of the study was to examine whether integration of services would yield an increase in clients served and improve the financial position of the program. The study found that integrating services was associated with increased …

Provision Of Emergency Contraceptive Services Through Paraprofessionals In India, Shiv Kumar, Chander Shekhar, N.K. Gupta, Malabika Roy, M.E. Khan, Mary Philip Sebastian, Rukma Idnani, Ardash Bhargava, Vinita Salvi

Reproductive Health

In 2004, with funding for technical assistance provided by USAID, the Indian Council of Medical Research funded and collaborated with the Frontiers in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS) program of the Population Council on a two-year study to assess the usefulness and effectiveness of using paraprofessionals in educating and providing emergency contraception (ECP) services to potential users. Based on the findings and advocacy efforts, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare introduced ECP as an over-the-counter medication beginning in September 2005. This made it possible for paraprofessionals in the National Family Planning Program to provide ECP services, making the method widely …

Developing And Testing Strategies For Increasing Awareness Of The Iud As A Contraceptive Option, Ricardo Vernon, M.E. Khan, Harriet Birungi, Ian Askew, William Stones

Reproductive Health

A workshop was held in England in 2004 to identify the most promising interventions for increasing access to the IUD and to generate protocols for small-scale operations research projects to be undertaken in selected countries. Participants were academics, policymakers, program staff, and service providers from Bangladesh, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, and Nepal. The workshop objectives were to review international experiences with approaches to increase access to and use of the IUD; identify factors explaining the decline in IUD use in many countries; identify factors favoring client demand for IUD; review barriers to effective IUD service delivery; identify issues of …

Addressing The Needs Of Seasonal Migrants In Nashik, Maharashtra, Anjali B. Borhade

Reproductive Health

In order to identify the opportunities and options available to address the vulnerabilities of and socioeconomic needs of seasonal migrants, an intervention project was launched by the Disha Foundation, a nongovernmental organization in Nashik city, Maharashtra, India. This report intends to use the project experience as a case study to provide a blueprint for interventions for seasonal migrants to access a range of basic services in areas of destination and to exercise their rights to access available services. The report documents the array of strategies used to enable seasonal migrants to recognize their entitlement and to access available public sector …

Young People's Sexual And Reproductive Health In India: Policies, Programmes And Realities, K.G. Santhya, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy

Reproductive Health

This paper presents an overview of key policies and government programmes intended to reduce HIV vulnerability and improve sexual and reproductive health among young people in India, and identifies the extent to which these policies and programmes have addressed the gamut of unique sexual and reproductive needs of young women and men. It also explores the extent to which programmes have been adapted to accommodate state-level differences in the sexual and reproductive vulnerability of youth; the review takes the examples of two states, namely, Andhra Pradesh, characterised by both early marriage and high HIV prevalence, and Madhya Pradesh, characterised by …

The Experiences Of Refugee Youth From The Conflicts In The Sudan: A Collective Case Study, Michele Kelly

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the role of familial protective factors in moderating the relationship between risk and resilience in Sudanese refugee youth exposed to political violence. Interviews, direct observations, and physical artifacts were the sources of data. Eight “Lost Boys” participated in the study, providing narratives of their experiences of the Sudanese civil wars. They also answered questions posed about the role of familial protective factors in moderating the relationship between risk and resilience. The interviews were recorded on audiotape and then transcribed. Data consisted of the transcripts and field notes of processes and observations. …

Health Systems And Maternal Mortality, Neonatal Mortality And Child Health: Review Of Selected Service Delivery Models, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob

Reproductive Health

Effective maternal and child health services at the community level in developing countries are rarely available. In many developing countries the health systems cannot provide quality maternal and child health care services due to lack of adequate human resources; shortages of equipment, drugs, and supplies; and absence of proper referral mechanisms. Strengthening health systems is central to improving maternal and child health. A variety of targeted interventions have been implemented in the health systems of developing countries. This study was conducted to identify the health service delivery models that have contributed to the reduction of maternal, infant, and child mortality …

Does Verbal Communication Impairment Affect Quality Of Life In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients?, Jason Michael Duff

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-perceived QOL in ALS patients. Literature will be presented on the incidence, prevalence, prognosis, diagnosis and management of ALS, QOL studies for ALS, the role of the multidisciplinary team, the impairments and dysfunction that ALS patients experience, communication issues, and the development of ALS specific instruments to measure QOL. The "bulbar dysfunction" that ALS patients experience in salivation management, speech, and swallowing were examined in detail. The objectives of this research study were to investigate the following hypotheses: 1. QOL will differ among ALS patients with varying levels of speech, swallowing, …

Effect Of The Consumption Of Farm Animals On The Diet And Hemoglobin Levels Of School Age Children In The Rural Communities Of Topo, Imbabura, Gualabi, Calpaqui, And Compania Of The Imbabura Province, Alexandra Echeverría

Theses and Dissertations

This research addressed malnutrition in the villages of Topo, Imbabura, Gualabí, Calpaquí and Compañía in the city Otavalo, which is in the Province of Imbaura, Ecuador. The research determined the effects of consumption of small-animals on the diet and hemoglobin levels in school aged boys and girls. This study involved 311 indigenous children between 6 and 12 years of age. Following parental authorization, blood tests and fecal samples were taken from each child to analyze hemoglobin and parasites. Additional information gathered from this study group included a socio-economic survey, frequency of food consumption, 24 hour inventory, animal production, and basic …

In A Democracy, Are Some Citizens More Important Than Others?, Sharyn J. Potter

The University Dialogue

No abstract provided.

Boy Cultures And The Performance Of Teenage Masculinities, Cliona Barnes

Doctoral

This thesis is a response to negative media and public portrayals of young white working class men in Ireland It is prompted by the emergence into the public sphere of the Department of Education and Science’s Exploring Masculinities programme, a curriculum initiative designed to counter perceived problematic elements of youthful masculinity. This programme initiated a debate in the Irish media on men and boys, and gave a particular Irish dimension to the international focus on issues and questions about masculinity, social class and youth culture. My research seeks to uncover what lies behind increasingly negative and intransigent portrayals of young …

The Causes And Correlates Of Childhood Obesity: A Study Of Children Between 10 And 14 Years Of Age, Rajani Shakya

All Theses

ABSTRACT


Obesity is an alarming public health problem among people of all age groups in nearly every society. The increasing obesity rates are especially serious in the United States. The main purpose of this thesis is to explore the causes and correlates of obesity among American children between the ages of 10 and 14 using National Longitudinal Survey of Youth Child Data (NLSY79-CA).
This thesis hypothesized three major causal factors for the likelihood of children between the ages of 10 and 14 to be overweight or obese: socio-demographic groups, activities that children prefer to participate in, and the associated health …

Normal Sleep And Circadian Rhythms: Neurobiologic Mechanisms Underlying Sleep And Wakefulness, Dimitri Markov, Marina Goldman

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

Sleep is a vital, highly organized process regulated by complex systems of neuronal networks and neurotransmitters. Sleep plays an important role in the regulation of central nervous system and body physiologic functions. Sleep architecture changes with age and is easily susceptible to external and internal disruption. Reduction or disruption of sleep can affect numerous functions varying from thermoregulation to learning and memory during the waking state.

Elder Economic Security Initiative: The Elder Economic Security Standard For Massachusetts, Laura Henze Russell, Ellen A. Bruce, Judith M. Conahan

Gerontology Institute Publications

What is an adequate income for older adults in Massachusetts to age in place? How does it vary according to where they live, and their life circumstances: whether they are living alone or with a spouse, rent or own their home, drive a car or use other transportation? How do elders’ living costs change as their health status and life circumstances change? What happens if they need long-term care to keep living at home?

This report will address these questions through the development of a measure of income adequacy for older adults using the WOW-GI National Elder Economic Security Standard …

On The Edge: Facing A Challenging And Uncertain Future. Elder Economic Security Standard™ For The Boston Area, Laura Henze Russell, Ellen A. Bruce, Judith M. Conahan

Gerontology Institute Publications

What is an adequate income for older adults in the Boston area to age in place? How does it vary according to their life circumstances: whether they are living alone or with a spouse, rent or own their home, drive a car or use other transportation? How do Boston area elders’ living costs change as their health status and life circumstances change? What happens if they need long-term care to keep living at home?

This report will address these questions through the development of a measure of income adequacy for older adults, the Elder Economic Security Standard (Elder Standard). The …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Cate Weeks, Shane Bevell, Mamie Peers, Lori Bachand

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

The Politics Of Space And Culture In Santiago, Chile's Street Markets, Joel Stillerman

Peer Reviewed Articles

Recent discussions of contentious politics have focused on struggles in and over space and place. This article builds upon these concerns by using ethnographic, interview, and documentary data to analyze the spatial politics of street market vendors in Santiago, Chile. Drawing upon Lefebvre’s concepts of perceived, conceived, and lived space as well as ideas drawn from research on space and protest, I show how street market vendors build upon spatial routines, a sense of place, political alliances, and scale jumping in their self-defense strategies at the local, national, and international scales. The findings illustrate Lefebvre’s argument that the advance of …

The Feasibility Of Establishing The Mosaic Partnerships Program In The City Of Boston, Deb Devenne, Maia Germain, Marsha Inniss-Mitchell, Kyle Reilly, John Sieracki

Emerging Leaders Program Team Projects

Six years ago, Rochester, NY Mayor William A. Johnson contracted with the consulting firm Idea Connection Systems (ICS) to create a program then called Biracial Partnerships for Community Progress. Since that time over 400 leaders from all areas of the Rochester community have participated. ICS has established this program, since renamed the Mosaic Partnerships Program, in several cities. Through the UMASS Boston - Center for Collaborative Leadership, Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), the Mosaic Partnerships Program was introduced as a way to bridge race relations in Boston and be a catalyst for change. Can the Mosaic Partnerships Program provide positive results …

Dai Medicine: Preservation Of And Changes In Ancient Healing Practices, Geoffroy Fauchet

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This independent study project discusses the general concept and theories of Dai medicine and focuses on the conservation of and transformation that both, the traditional and modern Dai medical system have undergone over time.

“Beauty” As A Public Health Concern: An Analysis Of The Internalization And Effects Of The Western Beauty Ideal In Nairobi, Kenya, Elizabeth Lownik

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Acts of personal decoration or even body modification for the purpose of attaining a cultural norm of “beauty” have been undertaken in every human society for centuries. In certain societies, however, people engage in acts or practices to obtain such cultural beauty only at the expense of individual and community health. The current eating disorder epidemic in the United States, based on the Western beauty ideal of an extremely thin woman, is an example of such destructive behavior in the name of beauty. With the current phenomenon of globalization, Western cultural norms, including the beauty ideal, are spreading around the …

“Il Faut Manger” : Eating Disorders In Cameroonian Women, Jennifer Madowitz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study is to investigate unhealthy eating attitudes and negative body images in young Cameroonian women. The study will center around a standardized questionnaire that covers eating attitudes. The research will also focus on the traditional Cameroonian idea of beauty, versus the more Western, “modern,” body image that is popular today. By exploring cultural factors through observation, as well as interviews, and analyzing key statistics from the questionnaire, this paper has come to the conclusion that though the problem of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction are not as high in Cameroon as they are in the United …

Kate 2006 Fall, Jennifer Roberts, Mollie Fingerman, Amber Robertson, Laura Naso, Chris Kirk, Sarah Pyle, Bonita Fee, Alicia Ribar, Jennifer Knox, Marsha Robinson, Sue Butz, Jackie Smith, Julie Eaton, Kimberly Brazwell, Annie Mcguick, Marjorie Vogt, Colleen Deel, Ruth Garrett

Kate

"Each year, kate seeks to:

• explore ideas about normative gender, sex, and sexuality
• work against oppression and hierarchies of power in any and all forms
• serve as a voice for race and gender equity as well as queer positivity
• encourage the silent to speak and feel less afraid
• build a zine and community that we care about and trust"

The Complex Realities Of Indigenous Health Care Delivery, Megan Waterman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The indigenous population of Australia faces a life expectancy that is eighteen years lower than the general population. This study addresses this incredible disparity by exploring the historical, cultural and social forces that impact on health status, focussing especially on health care service utilisation. Qualitative methods of interviewing and participant observation have been used to examine the two sectors of Aboriginal health service delivery in urban Victoria: Aboriginal community controlled health organisations (ACCHOs) and mainstream organisations. Accounting for the complex forces and realities in health service delivery, this is a discussion of the important components of the current realities for …

Sons Providing Care At End-Of-Life: Common Threads And Nuances, Patricia Ebert

Dissertations and Theses

Family care is common in the majority of families in the United States, the primary care providers for older adult family members most often are wives, daughters or daughters-in-law. As the proportion of the oldest old continues to expand so too will the need for family careproviders. Recent demographic changes have served to deplete the pool of available caregivers. Caregiving research has naturally evolved into investigations into the experiences of women with little attention paid to the care contributions men make.

This investigation examined the perceptions of sons who served as primary caregivers for their dying elderly parents. It was …

Latin Heritage Month 2006

Diversity Programs

Lectures, Cultural Events, and Latin Cuisine during Latin Heritage Month, September 15-October 15, 2006.

The Economic Resource Receipt Of New Mothers, Laura Nichols, Cheryl Elman, Kathryn M. Feltey

Sociology

U.S. federal policies do not provide a universal social safety net of economic support for women during pregnancy or the immediate postpartum period but assume that employment and/or marriage will protect families from poverty. Yet even mothers with considerable human and marital capital may experience disruptions in employment, earnings, and family socioeconomic status postbirth. We use the National Survey of Families and Households to examine the economic resources that mothers with children ages 2 and younger receive postbirth, including employment, spouses, extended family and social network support, and public assistance. Results show that many new mothers receive resources postbirth. Marriage …

Insuring The Uninsured: Reducing The Barriers To Public Insurance, Cynthia M. Saunders

The Qualitative Report

Health insurance is one of the essential enabling resources to gain access to medical care and ultimately increase health status. Over 11 million or one quarter of the nation’s uninsured individuals are eligible for Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), but are not enrolled. Interviews with 368 individuals from 1999 through 2003 identify eight primary barriers to enrollment in public insurance. These include: economic aspects of qualifying, lack of knowledge, benefit design of public programs, poor experiences and stigma, complexity and literacy, immigration status, poor customer service, and fear of fraud. These results suggest policy options alone …

Focused Group Interviews As An Innovative Quanti- Qualitative Methodology (Qqm ): Integrating Quantitative Elements Into A Qualitative Methodology, Brian J. Grim, Alison H. Harmon, Judy C. Gromis

The Qualitative Report

There is a sharp divide between quantitative and qualitative methodologies in the social sciences. We investigate an innovative way to bridge this gap that incorporates quantitative techniques into a qualitative method, the “quanti-qualitative method” (QQM). Specifically, our research utilized small survey questionnaires and experiment-like activities as part of the question rout e in a series of five focused group interviews on nutrition education. We show how these quantitative-type activities fit naturally with our question route and contributed to testing the hypotheses within the context of the five important characteristics of focused group interviews. The innovative use of QQM in focused …

Pregnant Teenager Involvement In Sexual Activity And The Social Context, Maria José Carvalho Sant'anna, Júlia Kerr Catunda, Kepler Alencar Mendes Carvalho, Verônica Coates, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Pregnancy during adolescence represents a challenge to society as a whole. Its incidence is increasing and brings about social and medical consequences to both the teen mothers and their children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pregnant teenager involvement in sexual activity and the social context. The group studied comprised 152 pregnant teenagers attending the Department of Pediatrics, Santa Casa de Sao Paulo (SCSP) General Hospital. All information was analyzed. The age at first intercourse was 14.2 years and the average period between first intercourse and pregnancy was 1.4 years. Most pregnancies (75%) were neither planned nor wanted, …