Sociology Commons^™

Indonesia Norplant® Removal Assessment Study, Andrew A. Fisher, Joedo Prihartono, Jayanti Tuladhar, Anthony Tan

Reproductive Health

The Indonesia Norplant® Removal Assessment Study was prepared for the World Bank and USAID/Indonesia. All women interviewed had Norplant (contraceptive implant) inserted for five or more years before the interview. For the entire sample, 8.2 percent had not yet had Norplant removed at the time of the interview. This report indicates a very high continuation rate for each Norplant insertion cohort from 1987 through 1991. Almost all Norplant users continue through the fourth year. Between the end of the fourth year and the end of the fifth year, there is a sharp drop in use from 90 percent to 66 …

Indonesia: Utilization Of Completed Operations Research Studies, Meiwita B. Iskandar, Subadra Indrawati

Reproductive Health

In the past eight years, many operations research (OR) programs were implemented in Indonesia to increase the availability, accessibility, and acceptability of services desired by family planning (FP) users. OR has also been employed to improve quality and sustainability by studying the performance, efficiency, and effectiveness of services delivered by providers. Nonetheless, relatively little is known about the true effects of OR studies in identifying and solving program problems in order to support the planning and coordinating of a particular program. Measuring utilization of OR results is not simple. In 1989, USAID signed its last bilateral assistance agreement with the …

Lactational Amenhorrhoea Method For Birth Spacing In Uttar Pradesh, India: Supporting Technical Data, Leila Caleb-Varkey, John Townsend

Reproductive Health

Following the International Population and Development Conference in Cairo, there has been widespread consensus in the international community that family planning (FP) programs must be people-centered and focus not just on contraception, but on the reproductive health (RH) of men and women throughout their lives. This policy brief reviews the research and policy implications of promoting the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) as a component of FP counseling in India. The Government of India and the Population Council are using a pregnancy-based approach in Uttar Pradesh to improve the delivery of FP services through the rural primary health care system. Introducing …

Communications Needs Assessment: India, Sanjeev Kumar

Reproductive Health

“Needs assessment” refers to the process of assessing needs—of services, products, or information. The objectives of this communications needs assessment report are to identify policymakers and program managers’ specific information needs; to refine project audience segments according to information needs; and to assess current ANE OR/TA dissemination activities in India. Currently the ANE OR/TA Project is using many conventional and some innovative channels to reach a diverse audience, including: research summaries, final reports, policy briefs, working papers, personal communication with decisionmakers, workshops and seminars, OR home page on the Internet, and local and national media. To assess the information needs …

Proceedings Of The Operations Research Training Workshop: Mainstreaming Nfp In The Public Sector, August 15-18, 1996, Family Planning Service, Philippine Federation For Natural Family Planning, The Family Planning Operations Research And Training (Fport) Program, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This report summarizes the proceedings of the “Operations Research Training Workshop: Mainstreaming Natural Family Planning in the Public Sector,” held August 15-18, 1996, in Boracay, Aklan, Philippines. The workshop was sponsored by the Philippine Federation for Natural Family Planning (NFP), the Family Planning Service of the Department of Health, and the Family Planning Operations Research and Training (FPORT) Program of the Population Council, Manila. Program managers and health officials were trained in operations research (OR) to enhance their understanding and appreciation of OR and its role in integrating NFP technology in the public health sector. Results of several diagnostic and …

Dmpa Injectable Use: Findings From The 21-Month Dmpa Monitoring Study, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This report presents the results of the DMPA Monitoring Study undertaken by the Population Council, Manila, as a technical assistance project for the DMPA Reintroduction Program of the Department of Health. The primary objective is to provide data on DMPA utilization and continuation rates to project the logistical needs of the program during the next three years. Data on availability of DMPA supplies and IEC (information, education, and communication) materials relating to DMPA were also monitored to provide some measure of effectiveness of the program's distribution system. The study covers a 21-month observation period from April 1994 to December 1995 …

Proceedings Of The Operations Research Workshop For Lgu Health And Population Officials And Researchers, August 9-13, 1996, Family Planning Service, The Family Planning Operations Research And Training (Fport) Program, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This report summarizes the results of the training workshop for health and population officials and researchers who gathered in Boracay, Aklan, Philippines, on August 9-13, 1996, to discuss the tenets and applications of operations research (OR). This workshop was co-sponsored by the Family Planning Service of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Family Planning Operations Research and Training Program of the Population Council, Manila. Fourteen local government units (LGUs) were represented in the workshop: Benguet, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, Tarlac, Quezon City, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Bacolod, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Sur, Davao City, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato. They …

Women's Experiences Of Unwanted Pregnancy And Induced Abortion In Nigeria, Friday E. Okonofua, Clifford Odimegwu, Bisi Aina, Patrick H. Daru, Agnes Johnson

Reproductive Health

A population-based study was conducted to determine the prevalence and pattern of abortion use among women in two communities of Nigeria. The results show a high frequency of reports of unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion among the women. Furthermore they suggest that detailed information can be obtained on abortion in areas with restrictive laws if a sensitive approach to interviewing is adopted. The results presented in this report have implications as the Nigerian government begins designing a set of realistic policies and programs to address the high rate of morbidity and mortality associated with induced abortion in that country. The …

What's Sex Got To Do With It? Challenges For Incorporating Sexuality Into Family Planning Programs, Kirsten Moore, Judith F. Helzner

Reproductive Health

In February 1996, IPPF/WHR and the Population Council’s Ebert Program on Critical Issues in Reproductive Health jointly hosted a meeting on the challenge of incorporating sexuality into family planning. This report was compiled after organizers concluded that the ideas and strategies presented during the meeting merited wider recognition and debate within the family planning field. The meeting examined five myths that have prevented family planning and reproductive health services from dealing directly with issues of sexuality and gender. The report draws principally on the discussions from the meeting as well as on the perspectives of the organizers. The authors hope …

Issues In Essential Obstetric Care, Diana Measham, Virginia Kallianes

Reproductive Health

This report summarizes the proceedings of a meeting on essential obstetric care (EOC) convened by the Population Council on behalf of the Inter-Agency Group for Safe Motherhood (IAG). This technical meeting was held to clarify the definition of EOC, bridge the gap between research and program planning, and stimulate field-level activity. The president of the Population Council closed and summarized the meeting by noting that the IAG is making progress, but that work remains to be done. Progress will begin to occur more rapidly when we are able to prove that lives have been saved and to state definitively that …

The Detection And Reporting Of Elder Abuse And Neglect: A Training Video For Prehospital Personnel, Jason P. Seamon

Masters Theses

The Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan developed an instructional video for prehospital personnel in hopes of broadening their awareness about elder abuse and neglect. A sample of 60 EMS personnel were asked to complete a pretest in order to assess current knowledge of the subject matter, view the educational video, and then complete the posttest. This session was used to evaluate the video as a potential training device. While the study population reported seeing 256 suspected cases of abuse or neglect in their careers, only 11 (4%) were reported. Furthermore, 60% of the respondents …

The Effectiveness Of Viewing The "Life After Brain Injury" Video Tape By Family Caregivers, Nan Meyers

Masters Theses

Family caregivers readily identify the physical signs of brain injury but the cognitive dysfunction and behavioral change symptoms are less easily recognized. Families need to be knowledgeable about brain injury and how to manage its symptoms. Nurses are in the unique position to provide brain injury education for family caregivers early in the acute hospitalization. This study replicated the works of Sanguinetti and Catanzaro (1987) and Pardee (1993).; Statistical comparison of pretest and posttest knowledge and the pretest and posttest application scores were used to evaluate the effectiveness of family caregivers' ability to apply learned information about brain injury and …

Views Of Feminist Family Therapy: A Q-Methodological Inquiry, Bronwen Cheek

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The feminist critique of family therapy has had a growing impact on theory and practice for almost two decades (Hare-Mustin, 1978; Bograd, 1990). Writings on feminist family therapy (FFT) reveal both common and diverse opinions about what FFT is. The present study examined how views of FFT are segmented using Q-methodology (Stephenson, 1953; Brown, 1980; McKeown & Thomas, 1988), a small-sample empirical technique for identifying emergent viewpoints and studying their similarities and differences. A Q-sort instrument of 60 statements was constructed to sample diverse discourse on FFT. Magraw's (1992) interviews with leading experts in FFT served as a primary source …

The Health Belief Model As A Predictor Of Gynecological Exams: Does Sexual Orientation Matter?, Lynn Elizabeth Kunkel

Dissertations and Theses

Screening and early detection are essential for the management and control of most diseases. It is important for women to practice routine health care that includes both clinical and self examinations. Today, many women go without health care due to barriers which prevent them from obtaining adequate care. The present study was designed to investigate, using the Health Belief Model, whether there is a difference between heterosexual and lesbian women in obtaining gynecological exams. Responses from 238 participants, 70 heterosexuals and 168 lesbians, indicated that the Health Belief Model was a significant predictor of whether women complied with recommended guidelines …

The Dmpa Service Provider: Profile, Problems And Prospects—Philippines, Maria Carmela Patron, Marilou P. Costello

Reproductive Health

This report presents the results of interviews conducted with 60 trained DMPA service providers from seven of the ten local government units (LGUs) covered by Phase I of the Philippine Department of Health's DMPA Reintroduction Program. DMPA, or Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate, is an injectable contraceptive commonly known as Depo-Provera. The interviews were undertaken as part of the DMPA Monitoring and Follow-up Studies sponsored by the Population Council under the Asia and Near East Operations Research and Technical Assistance (ANE OR/TA) Project. While the monitoring study and the follow-up survey focused on DMPA users and dropouts, this study centered on the service …

Collection And Utilization Of Child Abuse Statistics In American Indian Communities, Michelle Chino

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Public health research in American Indian communities involves many complex issues that may both help and hinder the development of an effective research methodology and the collection, analysis, and utilization of data. These issues include: 1) the unique strengths and diversity of Indian cultures; 2) the complicated relationships that exist between federal, state, and tribal agencies; 3) the vast distances between communities and services that exist in rural areas; 4) extremely limited human and financial resources; 5) overlapping and often conflicting legal and jurisdictional authorities; and 6) an array of social issues including poverty, substance abuse, modernization, and assimilation. Defining …

The Association Between Perceived Family Support And Psychological Well-Being In Infertile Couples, Linda Marquardt Mintle

Health Services Research Dissertations

A correlational research design utilizing a cross-sectional survey methodology was used to investigate the association between perceived family support and psychological well-being in infertile couples. Family stress theory and the construct of boundary ambiguity were conceptual frameworks applied to the developmental family life cycle. Respondents were 35 married infertile couples with primary infertility recruited from a private For-profit infertility clinic located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Responses on the Moos and Moos (1984) Family Environment Scale and from the SCL-90-R developed by Derogatis (1977) measured perceived family support and psychological distress respectively. Major findings indicated that infertile couples rated their families …

Ethnic Minorities And Mental Health: Ethical Concerns In Counseling Immigrants And Culturally-Diverse Groups, Gemima M. Remy

Trotter Review

Between 1980 and 1990 nearly 9 million foreign-born individuals migrated to the United States. In 1993, the Immigration and Naturalization Service recorded the entry of over 900,000 immigrants and refugees. This figure is believed to be higher given the estimated 1.5 to 2.5 million people who enter this country illegally each year. Currently, ethnic minority groups make up one-fourth of the United States population. It is estimated that by the year 2000, one-third of the U.S. population will be comprised of ethnic minorities. As the population of the United States becomes increasingly diverse, considerable attention is being directed to a …

Warning: Urban Living May Be Hazardous To Your Health: A Personal Perspective, Frederick G. Adams

Trotter Review

As a result of remarkable scientific and medical achievements of the 20th century, we now know that full and quality health is within reach for all Americans. Yet, despite these achievements, the burdens of inadequate health services too often falls more heavily on some population groups more so than on others. The fact that this "gap" in health status occurs more frequently among people with low income and people belonging to racial/ethnic minority groups, in particular African Americans, has been well documented nationally. Not only does the "gap" in the health status experienced by these groups include consistently higher excess …

Coalition Building: Moving Toward Effective Coalitional Strategies Of Hiv/Aids Prevention In Communities Of Color, Lisa Roland

Trotter Review

Despite the overwhelming burden carried by blacks and Latinos in terms of AIDS, it has become evident that in keeping with the general and historical pattern of discrimination reflected in funding, allocation of resources, policies etc., communities of color have received insufficient support to effectively address the problem at hand. Further compounding this dilemma, communities of color have fought against each other to secure funding for particular community programs. While looking at our individual, immediate, and entirely valid needs, many of us have at times failed to see the impact of our individual actions and attitudes on a broader picture.

Can The Health Needs Of African American Men Be Met Through Public Health Empowerment Strategies?, Deborah Prothrow-Stith, Eric Whitaker

Trotter Review

Health promotion and disease prevention efforts, which use empowerment strategies and emphasize community control, are essential to overcoming the legacy of medical malfeasance and successfully improving the health status of black males. This discussion depicts the legacy of harm and presents the case for empowerment strategies; it also describes one Boston community-based program example of utilizing an empowerment strategy and concludes with a challenge to all health professionals to become enablers of empowerment rather than obstructions to it.

A National Minority Organ/Tissue Transplant Education Program: The First Step In The Evolution Of A National Minority Strategy And Minority Transplant Equity In The Usa, Clive O. Callender, Alvina S. Bey, Patrice V. Miles, Curtis L. Yeager

Trotter Review

In 1978, members of the Southeastern Organ Procurement Foundation approached us concerning the disparity between the large number of African American patients, 50% to 70% of all patients on dialysis (artificial kidney machines), and the small number of African American donors (3%), and asked us why and what could be done about it? From my perspective as an African American transplant surgeon at Howard University, these observations piqued my curiosity and I agreed to investigate them. Our investigation took us into three areas: 1. An evaluation of the data regarding transplantation in patients at the Howard University Hospital Transplant Center …

Programmatic Responses To The Aids Epidemic By Communities Of Color In Massachusetts, Ron E. Armstead

Trotter Review

The Centers for Disease Control found that minorities now account for more than half of all the HIV cases in the United States. For African Americans, the rate was more than 5 times as high as that for whites. Further, the disease has equally affected women and children in the African American community; 84% of the AIDS cases involving children age 12 and under can be found in the African American community. AIDS has now become the second leading cause of death for African American women. This essay describes a research project focusing on the factors involved in developing and …

Executive Summary: Prepared By Institute Of Medicine, Marion Ein Lewin, Barbara Rice

Trotter Review

The underrepresentation of minorities in the health and other professions has long cast a shadow over our nation's efforts to develop a more representative and productive society. Many laudable and durable programs nave been developed over the past 20 years to enlarge the presence of minorities in health careers, but these efforts have been unable to develop the infrastructure and momentum to produce and sustain an adequate number of minority professionals among the ranks of America's clinicians, researchers, and teachers. While there has been an increase in the numbers of African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans enrolled in professional schools …

Increasing The Number Of Black Health Professionals: A Case Of Commitment And Belief In Students, Harold Horton

Trotter Review

The infant mortality rate is as high as ever in the Black community; dental care is yet nil or almost non-existent for the vast majority of Black children; and hypertension continues to be a major problem in the Black community. Hence, even as we approach the 21st Century, healthcare in the Black community is yet, as the song stated in the movie, Casablanca, "it's still the same old story." There is seldom, if ever, a single solution to a catastrophic problem, but some kinds of solutions do stand out as logical and effective. Training Black physicians, who would be privileged …

Disparities In The Health Care Status Of Women: Implications For Research, Marcia I. Wells-Lawson

Trotter Review

Even a cursory review of data on the health status of women reveals striking differences by race. According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, death rates among Black women from the three leading causes of death (cardiac disease, cancer and cerebrovascular disease) exceed those of white, Asian, Native American and Latina women for each age category from 45-84. With the exception of Black women, the death rates among white women from these diseases exceed those of other ethnic groups of women. Data on two of the risk factors for cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases (hypertension and obesity), show …

The Multicultural Mental Health Research Center (Mmhrc), Castellano Turner

Trotter Review

African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, and Native Americans have had relatively less access to the resources of society compared to white Americans. These resources include such things as educational and employment opportunities, political and economic power, and the goods and services that a prosperous society can produce. Health care is an important resource to which access is not equal for all groups. African Americans and other ethnic minority groups are, by most indices of health care access and utilization, underserved. Mental health services, in particular, have been shown to be less available to ethnic minority populations. Jones and Korchin, …

Introduction, James Jennings

Trotter Review

The Summer 1995 issue of the Trotter Review, "Public Health and Communities of Color: Challenges and Strategies," provides a range of essays and two personal commentaries on facets of public health, race, and ethnicity in urban America. The essays are written by scholars and activists familiar with public health and issues of race, access, and diversity. The first article is the Executive Summary of the Institute of Medicine's national report, Balancing the Scales of Opportunity: Ensuring Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Health Professions. This report focuses on the problem of underrepresentation of Blacks, Latinos, and Native Americans in the …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Parents Of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients, Carol Farr

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) produces cognitive, behavioral, and affective deficits with resulting problems such as improper social behavior, increased aggression, emotional, personality and characterological changes. The impact upon the survivor, the sibling, as well as the parental subsystem has been well documented in the literature. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been diagnosed in several different types of trauma survivors, although rarely have individual psychological symptoms been studied in parents.

This research examined the possible vulnerability factors that are associated with TBI and their potential influence upon PTSD symptomology. Questionnaires were mailed to 266 parents of TBI patients with a response …

Feminization Of The Aids Epidemic, Mark S. Kaplan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although males still constitute a substantial number of persons with AIDS, it is becoming clear that this is a disease affecting women and minority populations more adversely. Today women, while representing approximately 16 percent of all AIDS cases nationwide that are reported to the Centers for Disease Control, make up the fastest-growing segment of the population with AIDS. This article contends that AIDS is increasingly afflicting women who have little economic, political, or social power. Furthermore, misdirected public policy has been partly responsible for the greater incidence of the disease in certain regions and populations.