Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Information Needs Of Women Diagnosed With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - Implications For Treatment And Health Outcomes, Jodie C. Avery, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study about the information women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) want to know about their condition and the consequences of this information for future treatment and health outcomes. Methods In-depth qualitative interviews regarding their information needs were undertaken with ten South Australian women diagnosed with PCOS. These women were aged 28-38 years and at differing stages of their fertility experience. The time since diagnosis ranged from 1-17 years. The main outcome measures sought were the identification of the information needs of women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) during different …

Meta-Analysis Of Clodronate And Breast Cancer Survival, Tam C. Ha, Huihua Li

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Clinical trials have reported conflicting results on whether oral clodronate therapy improves survival in breast cancer patients. This study was undertaken to evaluate further the effect of oral clodronate therapy on overall survival, bone metastasis-free survival and nonskeletal metastasis-free survival among breast cancer patients. An extensive literature search was undertaken for the period 1966 to July 2006 to identify clinical trials examining survival in breast cancer patients who received 2 or 3 years of oral clodronate therapy at 1600 mg day⁻¹ compared with those without therapy. Meta-analyses were carried out separately for patients diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and …

Effective Pre-School And Primary Education 3-11 Project (Eppe 3-11): Influences On Children's Attainment And Progress In Key Stage 2: Cognitive Outcomes In Year 5, Pam Sammons, Kathy Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Brenda Taggart, Yvonne Grabbe, Sofka Barreau

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Research Brief: Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 (EPPE 3-11) (2003-2008) builds on the work of the earlier Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) project (1996-2003) which investigated the impact of pre-school provision on a national sample of young children in England between the ages of 3 and 7 years. EPPE 3-11 is following the same sample of around 2,500 children to age 11, the end of Key Stage 2. This Research Brief focuses on the relationships between various child, family, home, pre-school and primary school characteristics and measures of children's cognitive attainment in Year 5 of primary school (age …

Influences On Children's Attainment And Progress In Key Stage 2: Cognitive Outcomes In Year 5, Pam Sammons, Kathy Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Brenda Taggart, Yvonne Grabbe, Sofka Barreau

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This report presents the results of analyses related to the Key Stage 2 phase of a major longitudinal study investigating the influence of pre-school and primary school on children's cognitive and social/behavioural development (EPPE 3-11) in England. The study is funded by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). The focus of this report is on children's cognitive attainments at the end of Year 5. A report on children's social/behavioural development at this age has been published separately. The original EPPE pre-school sample was recruited to the study at age 3 years plus and followed to the end of Key …

Applying Gis In Practitioner Settings, Pauline M. Mcguirk, Phillip O'Neill

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This paper focuses on the involvement of CURS in a project aimed at developing an integrated GIS to facilitate inter-agency data sharing and analysis so as to enhance the planning and provision of family services in the Hunter. The paper focuses on the process of developing the 'soft technologies of engagement' necessary to facilitate the co-operative data-sharing between key government human services agencies that must underpin an integrated GIS. These soft technologies are required to address the ethical, procedural and technical challenges of data sharing and, more intangibly, to manage the organisation and institutional barriers to inter-agency data sharing. The …

Towards An Antipodean Theory Of Space, Phillip O'Neill, Pauline M. Mcguirk

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The paper explores the idea of a critique of Antipodean theory of space as one agenda for the Spatial Theory paradigm in ARCRNSISS. The paper has three parts. First it seeks to resuscitate aspirations for a distinctive Antipodean understanding of Australia's socio-cultural, economic, personal and organisational spaces. It argues that theoretical advances underpinning such a project require an appreciation of the role of intertextuality and metaphor in theory building. Second, it identifies the nature and role of imported metaphors of space, especially those from northern hemisphere academic hearths, and how these have impacted on Australian life. Third, it speculates on …

What Drives Health-Care Spending Priorities? An International Survey Of Health-Care Professionals, Glenn P. Salkeld, David A. Henry, Suzanne Hill, Danielle Lang, Nick Freemantle, Jefferson D'Assuncao

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this study is to compare spending priorities for health care across a selection of predominantly middle-income countries, based on the opinions of current and future decision makers.

Building The Capacity To Govern The Australian Metropolis: Challenges And Opportunities, Pauline M. Mcguirk

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This paper traces key policy challenges facing Australia's metropolitan cities as a result of multiscaled shifts in their governance contexts. These shifts, related both to the neoliberal erosion of a national commitment to universal social provision and the adoption of a 'competitive city' governance paradigm at the urban scale, have produced a set of governance challenges, particularly concerning urban social inclusion and cohesion. Moreover, a range of institutional obstacles continues to hinder the generation of urban governance capacity to address these challenges. The paper works through the nature of these obstacles and takes a pragmatic approach to identifying opportunities to …

Banking On Housing; Spending The Home, Susan J. Smith, Beverley A. Searle, Nicole T. Cook

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

British mortgagors hold more wealth in their homes than ever before. They are spending more freely from these assets now than they are likely to again. 'Banking on housing' is concerned with when, where, why and how people choose and use their mortgages to roll equity out of housing and into other things. It is a study of the consumption of housing, the consumption of mortgages, and the use of housing wealth in consumption more broadly.

Contraception Use And Pregnancy Among 15-24 Year Old South African Women: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Survey, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Audrey Pettifor, Sophie Pascoe, Helen Rees

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Adolescent reproductive health has not continued to receive the attention it deserves since the start of the HIV epidemic. In South Africa, high numbers of adolescent women report pregnancies that are unwanted and yet few have accessed available termination of pregnancy services. Enabling contraception use is vital for meeting the goals of HIV prevention. Methods A nationally representative survey of South African 15-24 year olds was undertaken. Participants completed a questionnaire on sexual behaviour and provided an oral fluid sample for HIV testing. Analysis of the data was restricted to women (n = 6217), particularly those who reported being …

A Conversation With Virus X: Outing A Malevolent And Subversive Force In Parents' Lives, Peter Wilkins, Mark O. Donovan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The following conversation describes a narrative means of uncovering (or ‘deconstructing’) some of the invisible forces that undermine parents’ capacities in caring for their children in preferred ways. In the authors’ experience, parents can be hugely resourceful and provide a clear account of what they ‘should’ be doing, yet seem unable to act upon their own good advice — it is as though an external agent, named below as ‘Virus X’, prevents them from being the parents they would like to be. Through naming this external agent, identifying its influences and noticing parents’ acts of resistance in the face of …

Lessons Of The Local: Primary English And The Relay Of Curriculum Knowledge, Pauline T. Jones

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This paper reflects upon the implementation of the current NSW English primary Syllabus (Board of Studies, NSW, 1998); in particular those aspects to do with oral interaction. It demonstrates how official curriculum is read varyingly in classroom settings with the result that learners are positioned differently in respect of the communicative resources necessary for schooling success. Such readings are shaped by teachers’ beliefs about language and learning and features of the local context including its ‘distance’from the site of syllabus development. It is argued that closer attention to syllabus implementation in local settings and to relationships between local and official …

Association Analysis Of Chromosome 1 Migraine Candidate Genes, Francesca Fernandez, Robert P. Curtain, Natalie J. Colson, Micky Ovcaric, John Macmillan, Lyn R. Griffiths

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Migraine with aura (MA) is a subtype of typical migraine. Migraine with aura (MA) also encompasses a rare severe subtype Familial Hemiplegic Migraine (FHM) with several known genetic loci. The type 2 FHM (FHM-2) susceptibility locus maps to chromosome 1q23 and mutations in the ATP1A2 gene at this site have recently been implicated. We have previously provided evidence of linkage of typical migraine (predominantly MA) to microsatellite markers on chromosome 1, in the 1q31 and 1q23 regions. In this study, we have undertaken a large genomic investigation involving candidate genes that lie within the chromosome 1q23 and 1q31 regions …

Differential Response: A Critical Examination Of A Secondary Prevention Model, Amy Conley Wright

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Whether and when to intervene and what services to offer families in crisis are critical questions in the field of child welfare. Policy makers and administrators struggle with how to target services appropriately to ensure provision to families at greatest risk while avoiding endangerment through miscalculation. This paper examines the differential (also known as alternative) response paradigm of child welfare services under which families at moderate to high risk for child maltreatment are offered preventative, strengths-based services. The Another Road to Safety Program, an example of a differential response program utilizing home visiting as a service delivery mechanism, is critically …

Availability And Accessibility Of Social Services In Areas With High Rates Of Child Maltreatment Referrals, Amy Conley Wright

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The Another Road to Safety (ARS) program, an alternative response intervention, is targeted to zip codes with the highest rates of child abuse and neglect reporting in Alameda County. This program takes a new approach in child welfare by attempting to intervene with families early, to prevent future incidence and escalation of child maltreatment. Families who are reported to the Alameda County hotline are referred to the ARS program if they meet the following criteria: screened as no investigation need (i.e., low risk); child age 0-5 or a pregnant mother in the home; and residence in certain designated zip codes …

Inter-Agency And University Research Collaboration: A Study Of The Another Road To Safety Program, Amy Conley Wright

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Presentation at the California Social Work Education Center Leadership Symposia on Evidence-Based Practice in Human Services on 28 June 2007.

Do Children's Food Preferences Align With Dietary Recommendations?, C G. Russell, Anthony Worsley

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives To examine how Australian children's reported everyday food preferences reflect dietary recommendations, and the impact of sociodemographic factors on these associations.

Design Cross-sectional survey.

Setting/subjects Three hundred and seventy-one parents of children aged 2–5 years, recruited from three socio-economic groups in two Australian cities, completed a survey on their child's liking for 176 foods and drinks on a 5-point Likert scale in addition to demographic descriptors. Preferences were compared with the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Results Foods in the Extra Foods (non-nutritious foods) and …

Values And Attitudes In Ancient And Modern History, Erika S. Matruglio

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The demanding literacy levels required of senior secondary students are widely acknowledged, yet the area of literacy in the senior secondary high school remains relatively under researched. In particular, there is a lack of detailed studies which aim to differentiate the literacy expectations of different subject areas. A first step in this process is to differentiate the underlying objectives stated for different subjects. This paper will report on preliminary research into the rationales and values statements contained in the Stage 6 Modern and Ancient History syllabi carried out as part of a larger research project investigating the literacy demands of …

Promoting Equality In The Early Years: Report To The Equalities Review, Kathy Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Pam Sammons, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Brenda Taggart

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In March 2006 the Effective Pre-school and Primary Education Project (EPPE 3-11) team were asked to give evidence on 'Associations between the Pre-School, Home Learning Environment (HLE), Family SES, Ethnicity, Gender and SEN status of children and their attainment at age 7 years' to The Equalities Review team to help inform the consultation paper being prepared for the Cabinet Office. The EPPE team were subsequently commissioned to provide further evidence on equality and inequality in early years education and care. This report to The Equalities Review Team provides an evidential base for practical recommendations that can enhance the life chances …

"Cheapening The Struggle:" Obese People's Attitudes Towards The Biggest Loser, Samantha Thomas, Jim Hyde, Paul Komesaroff

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Once the domain of clinicians and researchers, we must now accept that 'obesity' has become ingrained in popular culture. An example is the emergence of a feast of reality television shows about obesity and weight loss. The most popular show is The Biggest Loser, where contestants compete to lose weight and win cash.

Justifying Knowledge, Justifying Method, Taking Action: Epistemologies, Methodologies, And Methods In Qualitative Research, Stacy M. Carter, Miles Little

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In this article, the authors clarify a framework for qualitative research, in particular for evaluating its quality, founded on epistemology, methodology, and method. They define these elements and discuss their respective contributions and interrelationships. Epistemology determines and is made visible through method, particularly in the participant- researcher relationship, measures of research quality, and form, voice, and representation in analysis and writing. Epistemology guides methodological choices and is axiological. Methodology shapes and is shaped by research objectives, questions, and study design. Methodologies can prescribe choices of method, resonate with particular academic disciplines, and encourage or discourage the use and/or development of …

A New Voice In Science. Patient Participation In Decision‐Making On Biomedical Research, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Book review

Spatial Theories Of The Urban, Pauline M. Mcguirk, Phillip O'Neill

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This paper explores how spatial theories, models and concepts function as representations whose underlying logic and reasoning are primarily metaphorical. We examine the underlying metaphors and founding premises of key theories of urban systems and of cities' internal spatialisation, and we trace these theories' production as artifacts of how we think space. The purpose of this is to focus attention on how metaphors, as representations of space, make the city available to us for analysis; what they foreground and what they elide. We suggest how, as representations, these theories give us interpretive frames through which we grasp empirical data and …

Urban Vitality, Culture And The Public Realm, Pauline Mcguirk, Robyn Dowling, Christopher R. Gibson, Kurt Iveson, Kathy Mee

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The urban public realm is critical to creating and maintaining vital and inclusive cities. There has been a welcome acknowledgement of the importance of the urban public realm in Australian urban policy, with increasing amounts of energy and resources devoted to its improvement. However, while there is apparent agreement on the significance of public space there is less clarity over what constitutes 'good' public space and the degree to which it can be deliberately created. Beyond this, urban public spaces and institutions are being transformed by urban redevelopment trends, culture-based and creative city planning strategies, shifts in management and ownership …

Effective Pre-School And Primary Education 3-11 Project (Eppe 3-11): Influences On Children's Development And Progress In Key Stage 2: Social/Behavioural Outcomes In Year 5, Pam Sammons, Kathy Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Brenda Taggart, Sofka Barreau, Yvonne Grabbe

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Research brief: The Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 project (EPPE 3-11) investigates the impact of pre-school provision on a national sample of young children in England between the ages of 3 and 11 years. This Research Brief focuses on the relationships between various child, family, home, pre-school and primary school characteristics and measures of children's social/behavioural development collected at age 10 in Year 5 of primary school. It compares the findings at age 10 with the influence of the same factors when the children were in Year 1 (age 6). The Brief also reports findings about the combined influence …

The Impact Of A Cancer Diagnosis On The Health Behaviors Of Cancer Survivors And Their Family And Friends, Nancy Humpel, Christopher Magee, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Goals The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a cancer diagnosis on the health behaviors of cancer survivors and their family and friends, and to determine whether a cancer diagnosis could be a teachable moment for intervention. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional study of the health behaviors of individuals taking part in a cancer fundraising event. The questionnaire was completed by 657 participants. Main results Participants were 81.4% women, had a mean age of 46 years, and comprised of 17.2% cancer survivors. For cancer survivors, 31.3% reported an increase in physical activity, 50% of …

Talking About Food And Nutrition: Australian Women's Magazines, Danielle Mcvie, Heather Yeatman, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the Cultivating Appetites for Knowledge International Food Conference, May 30 - Jun 3 2007, Victoria, Canada