Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Adaptive Responses To Flooding Incidents In Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, Habiba I. Jimoh, Kayode A. Iroye

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Incidents of floods which are mainly caused by changes in landuse is fast becoming a city life experience in Ilorin as in most urban centres in Nigeria causing untold hardships and sometimes loss of lives. This extreme hydro-meteorological event is also being exacerbated by climate change which thus calls for adaptive response by residents towards reducing its risks, hence this study. Data used were generated from direct field measurements and questionnaire administration. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were used in analyzing the data. Results obtained indicate that most respondents use a wide range of non-structural adaptive response to flood. The …

An Assessment Of Socio-Economic Impact Of Waste Scavenging As A Means Of Poverty Alleviation In Gwagwalada, Abuja., John Yakubu Magaji, Samuel Panse Dakyes

Confluence Journal Environmental Studies (CJES), Kogi State University, Nigeria

Waste scavengers are usually perceived as being among the poor, and scavenging is considered a marginal activity. They tend to have low incomes, but can obtained decent earning when they are not exploited by middlemen. This study was conducted in Gwagwalada town with the aim of assessing the socio-economic impact of scavenging on the people. A structured questionnaire was constructed to capture the demographic characteristics of the scavengers, their experiences, types of items scavenged, the economic gains and the challenges being faced. The target pollution is waste scavengers and a random sampling technique was adopted in selecting the respondents for …

Creating Community-Academic Partnerships For Cancer Disparities Research And Health Promotion, John S. Luque, Cathy D. Meade, Janelle M. Menard, Dinorah Martinez Tyson, Clement K. Gwede

John S. Luque

To effectively attenuate cancer disparities in multiethnic, medically underserved populations, interventions must be developed collaboratively through solid community-academic partnerships and driven by community-based participatory research (CBPR). The Tampa Bay Community Cancer Network (TBCCN) has been created to identify and implement interventions to address local cancer disparities in partnership with community-based nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, community health centers, local media, and adult literacy and education organizations. TBCCN activities and research efforts are geared toward addressing critical information and access issues related to cancer control and prevention in diverse communities in the Tampa Bay area. Such efforts include cross-cultural health promotion, screening, …

Un Currículo Interdisciplinario De Base Teórica Par Enseñar Inglés Como Segunda Lengua (An Interdisciplinary Theory-Based Esl Curriculum), Francisco Soto Mas

Francisco Soto Mas

Among Hispanic immigrants in the United States (US), learning English is considered necessary for economic and social achievement. As a consequence, there is a high demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Despite the recognized benefits of ESL programs, both at the individual and social levels, more research is needed to identify education strategies that effectively promote all aspects of learning English as a second language. This article describes an ESL curriculum that incorporates a theory-based pedagogical approach specifically designed for immigrant Hispanic adults on the US-Mexico border region. The article also describes the implementation of the curriculum …

Epistemic Fault Lines In Biomedical And Social Approaches To Hiv Prevention, Barry D. Adam

Barry D Adam

This paper raises the question of how knowledge creation is organized in the area of HIV prevention and how this concatenation of expertise, resources, at-risk people and viruses shapes the knowledge used to impede the epidemic. It also seeks to trouble the discourses of biomedical pre-eminence in the fi eld of HIV prevention by examining the claim for treatment as prevention, looking at evidence constructed through the biomedical frame and through the lens of the sociology of science. These questions lie within a larger socio-historical context of lagging worldwide attention and funding to prevention in the HIV area and, in …

Characteristics Of Chronic Pain Associated With Sleep Difficulty In Older Adults: The Maintenance Of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, And Zest In The Elderly (Mobilize) Boston Study, Suzanne G. Leveille Phd, Qian Chen Bsn, Rn

Suzanne G. Leveille

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate pain severity and distribution

in relation to sleep difficulty in older adults.

DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Community within a 5-mile radius of the study

center at the Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew Senior-

Life (HSL), Boston.

PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred sixty-five participants of

the Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect,

and Zest in the Elderly (MOBILIZE) Boston Study aged 64

and older.

MEASUREMENTS: Pain severity was measured using the

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Pain Severity Subscale. Musculoskeletal pain distribution was grouped according to no pain, single site, two or more sites, and widespread pain

(upper and lower …

How Do We ‘See’ Occupations? An Examination Of Visual Research Methodologies In The Study Of Human Occupation, L. Hartman, A. Mandich, L. Magalhaes, Treena Orchard

Dr. Treena Orchard

This article argues that visual research methodologies have potential to contribute to the study of occupation. The use of visual research methodologies is quickly growing in a number of disciplines and can help researchers to access information and reasoning not accessible through interview, log or survey. The reflexive, reflective, engaged process of creating and analysing visual materials allows for rich representations on behalf of participants, and immersion in the data on the part of researchers. This paper explores photovoice, body mapping and textual analysis of visual materials to understand how they can contribute to occupational science research. These methods were …

'What's The Use Of Getting A Cow If You Can't Make Any Money From It?': The Reproduction Of Inequality Within Contemporary Social Reforms Of Devadasis, Treena Orchard

Dr. Treena Orchard

No abstract provided.

Tobacco Companies Influence On Youth Smoking Prevalence In Spain (La Influencia De Las Tabaqueras En La Prevalencia De Tabaquismo Entre Los Jóvenes Españoles), Francisco Soto Mas

Francisco Soto Mas

Background: Tobacco companies’ strategies to promote tobacco use and undermine tobacco control policy are key in tobacco use among young people. The analysis of tobacco companies’ internal documents can be instrumental in identifying those strategies, improving social support for tobacco control policy, and planning public health interventions. The goal of this study was to identify and analyze internal documents related to the activities of tobacco companies during the 1980s and 90s aimed at promoting smoking in young Spaniards. Methods: Electronic search by key word of tobacco industry documents held at the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library. Results: More than 1,000 documents …

Evaluation And Control Of Noise And Airborne Chemical Agents, Dale Stephenson

Dale J. Stephenson

This course will cover the fundamentals of evaluation and control of noise and airborne chemical agents encountered in the workplace. Topics will include basic sampling techniques, interpretation of sampling results, compliance with occupational exposure limits, and practical application of ventilation and noise control measures.

Health Development Experiences In Haiti: What Can Be Learned From The Past To Find A Way Forward?, Richard Wamai, Colleen Larkin

Richard G. Wamai

Haiti’s history is marred by neo colonialism, structural violence, dictatorial politics, and severe natural disasters. These social political and geo-ecological factors have played a strong role in shaping the country’s past and current experiences in health and development. This paper overviews Haiti’s recent developments in health in light of the country’s tragic and complex history and comments on the health impact of the 2010 earthquake. In light of this information we draw some general conclusions and recommendations for going forward.

The Role Of Problem Orientation Cognitive Distortions In Depression And Anxiety Intervention For Young Adults., Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Interventions that aim to improve social problem-solving skills can significantly reduce the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms in young people. Anxious and depressed individuals often have a negative orientation to problem solution which acts as a barrier to implementing problem-solving skills. Research with older adults suggests that symptoms impair problem-solving abilities through cognitive processes associated with the development of anxiety and depression. In this study we extend previous investigations by assessing the extent to which specific cognitive distortions and symptoms of anxiety and depression are associated with negative problem orientation in a sample of 285 young adults aged 18 …

Rural Adolescents’ Help Seeking Intentions For Emotional Problems: The Influence Of Perceived Benefits And Stoicism., Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

This paper is the second from a larger multi-cite study developed and led by the third author which explores factors that influence adolescents' help-seeking intentions. Specifically, this paper investigates the extent to which perceived benefits of help seeking, stoicism, gender and symptoms of psychological distress are associated with intentions to seek professional help for emotional problems. A cross sectional self-report questionnaire was administered to adolescents recruited from seven high schools in rural towns in the Riverina region of New South Wales. A total of 778 adolescents were recruited. The sample included 373 male and 404 female participants between 13 and …

Predicting Adolescents’ Future Intentions To Seek Help For Mental Health Problems., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

This study examined whether high school students’ current symptoms of general psychological distress, self-rated social problem-solving skills, and recent help-seeking experiences predict their future intentions to seek help for a mental health problem. At Time 1, 98 high school students, aged 12-17 years, completed the study self-report survey that included measures of psychological distress, social problem-solving skill, and recent help-seeking behaviour. At Time 2, three weeks later, the same students completed measures of help-seeking intentions. Students with more severe levels of distress symptoms at Time 1 had lower intentions to seek help for a mental health problem at Time 2. …

Factors Related To Poor Practice Of Pap Smear Screening Among Secondary School Teachers In Malaysia, Tin Tin Su

Tin Tin Su

Introduction: The Pap smear test has been regarded as a promising cervical screening tool since 1940s. Yet its importance has been overlooked by beneficiaries in Malaysia. This underlines the need to identify the prevalence of Pap smear practice and influencing factors towards the practice among educated working women. Methods: A survey was conducted with 403 female teachers from 40 public secondary schools in Malaysia selected by cluster random sampling. Data were collected from January to March 2010 using a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the factors related to the Pap smear practice. Results: The rate for …

Predicting Adolescents’ Future Intentions To Seek Help For Mental Health Problems., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

This study examined whether high school students’ current symptoms of general psychological distress, self-rated social problem-solving skills, and recent help-seeking experiences predict their future intentions to seek help for a mental health problem. At Time 1, 98 high school students, aged 12-17 years, completed the study self-report survey that included measures of psychological distress, social problem-solving skill, and recent help-seeking behaviour. At Time 2, three weeks later, the same students completed measures of help-seeking intentions. Students with more severe levels of distress symptoms at Time 1 had lower intentions to seek help for a mental health problem at Time 2. …

Early Access And Help Seeking: Practice Implications And New Initiatives., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Seeking appropriate help for early signs and symptoms of psychological distress can reduce the long-term impact of many mental disorders. This article describes practice implications and new initiatives for promoting early access and help-seeking among young people. Relevant help-seeking research is reviewed, and prominent help-seeking barriers are discussed. Prominent barriers for young people include: incomplete mental health and emotional literacy, beliefs about having little need for help versus having a need for autonomy, and the process of help-negation for different symptoms of psychological distress. To improve early access to appropriate help and mental health services, barriers that can be reduced, …

Predictors Of Smoking Cessation Among Staff In Public Universities In Klang Valley, Malaysia, Retneswari Masilamani

Retneswari Masilamani

Smoking cessation studies are often performed in clinic based settings. The present example aimed to find predictors of success among staff in worksite smoking cessation programmes in two major public universities in Klang Valley, Malaysia. All staff from both universities received an open invitation via staff e-mail and letters to participate. At the start of treatment, participants were administered the Rhode Island Stress and Coping Questionnaire and Family Support Redding's Questionnaire. Behaviour therapy with free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were given as treatment. After two months, they were contacted to determine their smoking status. 185 staff from University A (n=138) …

Rural Adolescents’ Help Seeking Intentions For Emotional Problems: The Influence Of Perceived Benefits And Stoicism., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

This paper is the second from a larger multi-cite study developed and led by the third author which explores factors that influence adolescents' help-seeking intentions. Specifically, this paper investigates the extent to which perceived benefits of help seeking, stoicism, gender and symptoms of psychological distress are associated with intentions to seek professional help for emotional problems. A cross sectional self-report questionnaire was administered to adolescents recruited from seven high schools in rural towns in the Riverina region of New South Wales. A total of 778 adolescents were recruited. The sample included 373 male and 404 female participants between 13 and …

The Effects Of Need For Autonomy And Preference For Seeking Help From Informal Sources On Emerging Adults’ Intentions To Access Mental Health Services For Common Mental Disorders And Suicidal Thoughts., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Emerging or early adulthood is the life stage spanning 18-25 years of age. In Australia, anxiety and affective disorders (often classified as ‘common mental disorders’) are prevalent in this age group and suicide is also a concern. Professional mental health care can reduce the long-term impact of these mental health problems and protect against the development of severe forms of these disorders. However, up to three-quarters of young people with mental health needs do not seek professional help for their condition. This study aimed to examine the extent to which belief in the need for autonomy and intentions to seek …