bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Socioeconomic Status Affects Birth and Death Rates in Rural Kerala, India: Results of a Health Study
Authors: Kutty V. Raman , Thankappan K. R. , Kannan K. P. , Aravindan K. P.
Published: May 2005

Data relating to birth and death were collected from throughout the state of Kerala, India, in a health survey conducted by the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, a voluntary organization. In this study, the authors analyze birth and death rates as calculated from the sample of 9,940 households (57,665 persons), with respect to other variables such as region, religion, and socioeconomic status. In order to study the effect of socioeconomic factors on birth and death rates, a socioeconomic status rating (SES rating) was developed, taking into account such factors as income, education, housing conditions, and land ownership. Socioeconomic status was found to have a definite influence on birth and death rates, with higher socioeconomic status resulting in lower birth and death rates. This effect was independent of such confounding variables as age structure of the population, religion, and region. The higher risk of mortality among the poorer households can partly be explained by the material deprivation: the higher birth rates could be the result of poorer educational attainments.
Individual or Social Responsibility for Premature Death? Current Controversies in the British Debate about Health
Authors: Townsend Peter
Published: May 2005

This article uses the current controversies in the British debate about health to illustrate the need to theorize, and therefore critically evaluate, the links between medicine and health policies, including health care policies. The medical model of health is deeply embedded in institutional practices in many countries, and while this model has attracted deserved criticism in recent years, an alternative social model, or one that incorporates indispensable aspects of the medical model, has attracted much less attention and requires sustained development. Comparative study of patterns of inequality in health, and especially of the correlation between material deprivation and premature mortality, necessarily reveals causal determinants of both health and ill-health in populations and invites ambitious programs to develop a social model.
Taking Care of Culturally Different and Non-English Speaking Patients
Authors: Thompson Wendy L. , Thompson Troy L. , House Robert M.
Published: May 2005

Many physicians evaluate and care for non-English speaking patients and patients from different cultures. If not carefully considered, cultural factors, including language, often interfere with optimal diagnosis and treatment of these patients. In addition to improved clinical care, increased awareness and assessment of these issues will often enhance patient and family satisfaction and cooperation with therapeutic recommendations. A number of cultural examples are given to illustrate various points, which of course cannot be comprehensive, but which should alert the physician for areas to focus upon. The knowledge and skills to perform a sociocultural differential diagnosis and to initiate treatments in these areas are especially important for consultation-liaison psychiatrists.
Community Medicine under Imperialism: A New Medical Police?
Authors: Breilh Jaime
Published: May 2005

This paper explains the historical reasons for the reappearance, since the middle of the 20th century, of social issues in the medical context of capitalist countries.

The author interprets the rise of a community trend in medicine as one of the solutions that capitalism is proposing for the problems of public health. He considers that primary care coverage extension projects provide a means to attend to minimal levels of social demand, as well as basic conditions for the protection of previously neglected populations, without changing social relations or significantly diminishing productive investment. On the contrary, the consumer market will in many cases be expanded by new forms of demand.

The contradictory nature of “community” services under capitalism is analyzed so as to provide a basis for the design of a strategy that takes into account the interests of the people.
Psychotropic Drugs in Terminally Ill Patients: A Review of the Clinical and Research Literature
Authors: Templer Donald I. , Arikawa Hiroko , Gariety Patrick C.
Published: May 2005

The principal psychopharmacological drugs used with terminally ill persons were briefly reviewed, and special consideration for various terminal illnesses were discussed. Sections on the analgesic effects of psychotropic drugs, the psychotropic properties of opioids, the beneficial effects of marijuana, and the use of LSD in terminal cancer patients are included.
Interactivity and Computer-Based Instruction
Authors: Milheim William D.
Published: May 2005

Interactivity is one of the most important factors in the design and development of effective computer-based instructional materials. The following article describes this instructional component, its overall purpose in various learning environments, benefits that can be gained from its utilization, and its specific use within computer-based instruction. A number of strategies are also provided to assist instructional designers in their utilization of this significant program element.
Measuring Computer Literacy of Teacher Trainers
Authors: Berger Carl F. , Carlson Elizabeth A.
Published: May 2005

The creation of sufficient numbers of trainers prepared to train teachers in the use of computers has been a difficult task. Work by the Training Modules for Trainers Project has been addressing this problem using a trainer of trainers model. A core group of fifty trainers has been created by the project, in addition to a series of fourteen resource modules to be used by the trainer cadre. Cognitive, behavioral, and affective dimensions of these trainers' perceptions of their expertise were measured before and after an intensive training session by having the trainers respond to a self-measure. Changes in the perceptions of expertise were detected, indicating that participation in training seminars appears to be associated with an increase in participants' self-perceptions of their expertise.
Detecting Depression in Chinese Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study Comparing Four Screening Instruments
Authors: Tang Wai Kwong , Ungvari Gabor S. , Chiu Helen F. K. , Sze Kai-Hoi
Published: May 2005

Objective:

To determine which screening instrument is most suitable for detecting depression in Chinese stroke patients.

Method:

A random sample of 60 Chinese subjects recruited from consecutively admitted patients with first-ever stroke to a rehabilitation facility were assessed using the Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Psychiatric diagnoses, which served as a benchmark for the comparison of screening instruments, were made using the SCID-DSM-III-R. Rating instruments were compared with respect to response rate, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results:

The VAMS was not useful in screening for depression in Chinese stroke patients while both the HADS and the GDS demonstrated satisfactory accuracy in detecting depression in Chinese stroke patients.

Conclusions:

Screening instruments for poststroke depression are culture-specific and even scales well established in other cultures should be tested before being used in clinical practice and research.
The Influence of Previous Personality on Reactions to Having Terminal Cancer
Authors: Hinton John
Published: May 2005

This study of 60 married, terminally-ill cancer patients, 22 males and 38 females inquired into associations between the descriptions of each patient's personality and state of mind before and during his/her last illness. Previous information concerning character, marriage, and religious traits was obtained through interviews with the patient's spouse. Information about the patient's feelings and reactions during the illness came from interviews with the patient, spouse, and senior nurse. The results deviate from some pre-conceived beliefs. For instance, less stable people did not show appreciably more emotional disturbance during their terminal illness. While the techniques of group investigations have limitations in their application to any particular individual, they do uncover information which is valuable in understanding the emotional state of the terminally ill.
Information Literacy: Retooling Evaluation Skills in the Electronic Information Environment
Authors: Farah Barbara D.
Published: May 2005

Electronic information has the potential to impact many of the pedagogical aspects of education and research. As the virtual library becomes a reality on every workstation, strategies for understanding and coping with electronic information can greatly assist students in transforming data into knowledge. The complex information environment to which students are exposed once basic computer skills are learned, however, requires that we find ways to help students develop appropriate responses to the vast amounts of information at their fingertips. Information literacy, the subset of critical thinking skills used to evaluate information, can be integrated into classroom activities in order to more fully exploit electronic resources and to use these resources effectively. This article will deal with the issues involved when information seeking behavior for classroom and/or research activities has become content critical and will explore some of the strengths and weaknesses inherent in the electronic information environment.
The Book as a Vehicle for Science Popularization
Authors: Behrman Daniel
Published: May 2005

Though the oldest form of printed medium, the book retains unique value in scientific and technical popularization. The writing of such popular books is discussed from the viewpoint of the author whose approach, in this case, is to use the technique of the interview to translate science into language accessible to the layman. Experience in research, in handling controversy, and in skirting the dangers of the dubious breakthrough and the time tags that build obsolescence into a manuscript is also related.
An Internet-Based Approach to Legal Issues in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Authors: Vodanovich Stephen J. , Piotrowski Chris
Published: May 2005

This article describes the framework for an Internet-based graduate course titled Legal Issues in Industrial-Organizational Psychology offered at the University of West Florida. The course is centered around a Web-based syllabus which contains hyperlinks to an array of legal material which primarily consists of seminal court decisions and federal statutes. The class format and requirements are described, including the use of small groups for case reviews (written and oral) and summaries of federal statutes, e-mail for feedback and interaction, and course assignments. Finally, some of the advantages and potential drawbacks to utilizing an Internet-based approach for instruction are discussed.
The Main Ingredients for a Successful in-Plant Writing Course
Authors: Rathbone Robert R.
Published: May 2005

Technical writers and editors can organize and teach an effective course in technical writing if they are briefed on the criteria and receive the support of management.
Computer Mediated Communication and University International Students
Authors: Robbins Nancy , Lo Yen-Hai , Hou Feng-Heiung , Chou Tsai-Sheng , Chen Chin-Hung , Chen Chao-Chien , Chen Wen-Chiang , Chen Yen-Chuan , Wang Shih-Jen , Huang Shih-Yu , Lii Jong-Yiing
Published: May 2005

The design for this preliminary study was based on the experiences of the international students and faculty members of a small southwest university being surveyed and interviewed. The data collection procedure blends qualitative and quantitative data. A strong consensus was found that supports the study's premise that there is an association between the use of computer mediated communication (CMC) and teaching and learning performance of international students. Both groups believe CMC to be an effective teaching and learning tool by: increasing the frequency and quality of communication between students and instructors; improving language skills through increased writing and communication opportunities; allowing students and instructors to stay current and to compete effectively; providing alternative teaching and learning methods to increase students' confidence in their ability to communicate effectively with peers and instructors; and improving the instructors' pedagogical focus and questioning techniques.
The Suicidal Patient—An inside View
Authors: Reynolds David K. , Farberow Norman L.
Published: May 2005

This investigation proposes a research tactic, “experiential research,” as a useful supplement in culture and personality studies. The article focuses on the senior author's experience as a researcher/patient in a psychiatric hospital. His two-week stay as a depressed, suicidal patient provides insight into the effects of socio-cultural system pressures on personality functioning and identity reformation. The pervasive communications that patients are powerless and of little worth appears to provoke individual disturbances and group efforts to sustain self-esteem, exchange information, goods and services, and to undermine the imposed system. Journal accounts of the first and fourth days of hospitalization describe the experiences of admission and a near suicide attempt.
Diseases of Anatomical Subjects (Bacteriomycosis and Entomobacteriomycosis)
Authors: Nicoli René M. , Nourrit Jacques , Nguyen Annie
Published: May 2005

The preservation of anatomy subjects (cadavers) for subsequent studies seems relatively simple and well codified. Nevertheless, once in a while the subjects are “ill.” A sticky and repulsive mildew appears, smelling of must and formol, while a thick white or greenish mold coats the surface of the water in the tubs. The corpses are entirely covered as well, rendering the job of dissection difficult if not impossible. The anatomy subjects' illness makes them practically worthless. More serious yet is that the epidemical affection reaches endemic proportions in some work areas. An entire batch of subjects is afflicted at the same time, and, surprisingly enough, even the very low temperatures of the cold storage rooms and the refrigerated rooms do not put a stop to the process. It is then necessary to evacuate the contaminated objects for disinfection which soon proves to be ineffective. A lasting and recurring endemo-epidemic such as described above was experienced in the Anatomy Department at the Marseille Medical School, Northern Campus, and our observations furnished the material for the present article.
Introducing Integrated Health Services in a Traditional Society: The Sudan Community-Based Family Health Project
Authors: El Tom A. R. , Matthews M. Haytham , Wessley Suzan , Mubarak Naila , Lauro Donald
Published: May 2005

The Sudan Community Based Family Health Project, begun in 1980, has sought to demonstrate that the existing cadre of practicing government-trained village midwives in the Sudan can be utilized to extend maternal and child health services to rural areas. A majority of these midwives are nonliterate, and attention was placed on effectively implementing a limited set of services, namely, oral rehydration, birth-spacing, nutrition education, and immunization. Carefully planned inservice training programs for midwives and local health workers and an intensive service introduction campaign implemented in phases resulted in mixed success over a relatively short period of observation. Perhaps the most important lessons that have emerged from the program have been about how to design and implement a rural MCH program building on local resources. The experience has since lead project staff to undertake, in a new area, a follow-up program designed to be a more cost-effective and replicable version of the original one.
Pitfalls for Japanese Specialists in English Technical Writing
Authors: Shinoda Yoshiaki
Published: May 2005

In order to correctly and concisely understand a scientific, technical English article written by Japanese specialists, the readers should understand in what areas of English grammar they are inclined to make mistakes when they write an English version. The most crucial mistakes made are usually certain aspects of English grammar. Learning the key mistakes from a Japanese specialist will also help an English teacher focus more efficiently on profitable areas of teaching.
The Well Baby Lottery: Motivational Procedures for Increasing Attendance at Maternal and Child Health Clinics
Authors: Elder John P. , Salgado Rene
Published: May 2005

A lottery system was used to improve attendance at four well baby clinics in four colonias in Tijuana, Mexico. Mothers earned one lottery ticket for each visit to each clinic during the intervention period. At the end of each month, ticket receipts were entered into drawings for one of three bags of groceries. The lottery system was evaluated within a “multiple baseline design” whereby the intervention was staggered across the four clinics on a month-by-month basis. Although attendance was not enhanced uniformly, an overall improvement of 25 percent was realized. The lottery system was at times hampered by administrative problems, such as the breakdown of a public address system used to announce the open hours of a clinic in one of the colonias.
Perspectives on Death in Relation to Powerlessness and form of Personal Religion
Authors: Minton Barbara , Spilka Bernard
Published: May 2005

Research on religion and death perspectives has resulted in many contradictory findings. It was hypothesized that one reason for this situation stems from the treatment of both domains as unidimensional. The present study examined the pattern of relationships among multidimensional measures of religion and death outlooks. The possible involvement of powerlessness as a confounding factor was also evaluated. Utilizing religious respondents four forms of personal religion and nine death perspectives were found to be complexly related. These associations weakened when powerlessness was removed from the original matrix. Meaningful correlational patterns among the variables were revealed.
Facilitators and Inhibitors of Computer-Aided Instructions: Faculty Perceptions in Singapore
Authors: Inoue Yukiko
Published: May 2005

The primary purpose of this investigation was to identify the facilitators and inhibitors for the use of computer-assisted instruction (CAI), and to prioritize their relative importance as they were perceived by university faculty. The secondary purpose was to examine differences between the perceptions of education and business faculties and to detect possible interactions among a set of independent variables. For these purposes a survey questionnaire was designed and administered to the faculty of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. The results obtained from sixty-two responding faculty indicated that the two most important facilitators were teachers' knowledge and skills in CAI technology, and the availability of hardware and software. The lack of teachers' time, and the lack of technical support were the two most important inhibitors. Some significant differences were detected between the perceptions of education and business faculties.
Cancer Prevention: Assessing Causes, Exposures, and Recent Trends in Mortality for U.S. Males, 1968–1978
Authors: Davis Devra Lee , Bridbord Kenneth , Schneiderman Marvin
Published: May 2005

This paper addresses some enduring issues concerning prevention of environmental and occupational cancer. The first part reviews methodological problems of estimating cancer risks and outlines some research priorities. The second part documents countervailing trends in chemical production during the past two decades, noting the doubling of some synthetic organic human carcinogens and the leveling off of some heavy metal carcinogens. The final section details recent increases in site-specific causes of cancer mortality for men old enough to have developed workplace cancers (ages 35 to 84), considering those cancers that have been linked with exposures to toxic chemicals and to cigarette smoking. This paper points out that Doll and Peto's (1981) analysis of U.S. cancer trends does not indicate some important increases in older males; they conclude that apart from cigarette smoking, there is no generalized increase in cancer for persons up to age 64. In fact, there has been a sharp reduction in cancer mortality for those under age 45. This reduction more than offsets increases in some cancers for those ages 45 to 65. Men ages 55 to 84 have experienced major increases in mortality for certain cancers plausibly associated with occupational exposures, including cancers of the brain, lung, and multiple myeloma. These older age groups have potentially sustained longer workplace exposures to carcinogens, some of which have 25-year or greater latencies. Changes in infectious diseases, workplace exposures, diagnostic trends, environment, and nutrition require further study.
“The Ghost of Health Services Past” Revisited: Comparing British Health Policy of the 1950s with the 1980s and 1990s
Authors: Greener Ian
Published: May 2005

It has been argued repeatedly that British health policy in the 1990s had a number of similarities with that of the 1930s. This article, while accepting that a comparison of these two periods may be useful, argues that comparing policy in the 1950s with that in the 1980s and 1990s is even more illuminating. To demonstrate this the author outlines first the similarities in policy between the early and later periods, then the differences, and the events that led to each. These comparisons suggest that there is evidence of path dependency in British health policy, and although the United Kingdom appeared to break away from the policy path for a short time in the late 1980s, the changes proposed then do not appear to have been as radical as first suggested. Many of the issues highlighted in the 1950s seem to remain unresolved today.
The Psychological Effects of a Stillbirth on Surviving Family Members
Authors: De Frain John , Martens Leona , Stork Jan , Stork Warren
Published: May 2005

The stillbirth of a baby precipitates a major crisis in a family. Interview and written testimony from 350 mothers and fathers suggest several challenges and themes common to many of these bereaved families in the aftermath of the death: shock, blame, guilt, and hardship; the desperate need to remember; the utility of autopsies and funerals; the burden of irrational and terrifying thoughts; the necessity for adequate support systems; issues surrounding surviving siblings and subsequent pregnancies; the long journey to healing; and the need to reach out to help others in distress.
Group Therapy for Kidney Transplant Patients
Authors: Buchanan Denton C.
Published: May 2005

A short-term, open membership group therapy program for kidney transplant patients and their families is described. The content and process of this group is related to the ten curative factors described by Yalom for psychiatric patients. The primary benefits for the patients seemed to be the opportunity to observe others cope with similar problems and to learn of the adaptive strategies used by others. The patients were able to offer advice to others, to overcome their tendency toward seclusion and in general, experience a feeling of hope for the future. The family members gained more from a sense of group cohesiveness than did the patients. Both family and patients utilized the meetings to ventilate their anger and frustrations associated with chronic illness and to learn more about transplantation. A more realistic expectation of the future was provided. The group did not seem long enough to measurably improve the interpersonal relations between patients and their families nor did the group members comment upon maladaptive behaviors exhibited between family members within the meetings.
Minor Depression: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Beck David A. , Koenig Harold G.
Published: May 2005

Objective:

The clinical experience of the authors has suggested there is a significant group of elderly and individuals with medical illness and depressive symptoms who do not meet DSM-IV criteria for major depression. We were interested in all available data regarding minor depression in both the medically ill and community individuals.

Methods:

MEDLINE was searched from 1965 to 1995, using the terms “depressive disorders” and “medical illness,” as well as “atypical depression” and “elderly.” Relevant references from these primary articles were also utilized.

Results:

In medical patients, depressive symptoms were associated with decreased likelihood of discharge to home. Although diagnostic criteria vary, some suggest anhedonia as the central feature. From 3 to 16 percent of medical outpatients suffer from minor depression. Up to 64 percent of medical inpatients will complain of depressed mood. Studies in community samples found that minor depression was responsible for 9 to 16 percent of total disability days, and was associated with absenteeism from work, as well as separation and divorce. Little is known about the natural history and prognosis of minor depression.

Conclusions:

Minor depression is both common and has a significant impact on the health care system, and therefore deserves further study.
Death Threat and Death Concerns in the College Student
Authors: Tobacyk Jerome , Eckstein Daniel
Published: May 2005

A four part investigation of death orientation in college students using the provided-construct form of the Threat Index and the Death Concern Scale was conducted. Part I investigated the construct validity of the Threat Index, reporting significant predicted correlations of the Threat Index with the Death Concern Scale, Trait Anxiety Scale, and Repression-Sensitization Scale. Part II explored death orientation and personality differences between a Thanatology Group (death education students) and a Control Group. Thanatology students reported significantly lesser death threat and significantly greater death concerns than controls. Part III compared pre-test to post-test changes in death threat and death concerns for the Thanatology Group with pre-post changes for the Control Group. Using analysis of covariance procedures, a significantly greater decline in death threat was obtained in the Thanatology Group relative to the controls. Part IV explored two personality variables–trait anxiety and repression-sensitization–as moderators of change in death orientation in the Thantology Group. Trait anxiety was found to be a significant predictor of change in death threat in the Thanatology Group, with lesser anxiety associated with greater decline in death threat.
From Hygiene to Public Health Education
Authors: Marcondes Ruth Sandoval , Candeias Nelly Martins Ferreira
Published: May 2005

This paper is a review of the development of health education in Brazil (identified as “hygiene” in early times, it has evolved to “public health education”). The field has passed through infancy and adolescence facing all kinds of problems, and is entering adulthood with health education leadership now in the hands of an increasing number of specialists trained in the country. The authors suggest that to hasten progress, more attention should be given to integration of health education to health programs, to stimulation of research, to preparation of health personnel, and to administrative support of health education services.
Aesthetics: If not from Below, Whence?
Authors: Machotka Pavel
Published: May 2005

Fechner's attempt to build an aesthetics from below, admirable in its context, is beset with difficulties. Four kinds are examined here: empirical problems in obtaining clear results, definitional problems in deciding what elements it is appropriate to study, contradictions that follow the establishment of rules of combination, and the ultimate paradox for aesthetics of the certainty of outcomes. They are severe enough to require radically different approaches, some of which are suggested here.
Lithic Procurement and Prehistoric Exchange on the Santa Barbara Coast: The Role of Franciscan Chert
Authors: Moore Jerry D.
Published: May 2005

The development of inter-regional exchange systems is one of the outstanding achievements of the native Chumash of southern California, a coastal hunting and gathering society characterized by a relatively high level of cultural complexity. Understanding the evolution of inter-regional exchange is a major research domain, and one element is to characterize the nature and intensity of prehistoric exchange between three macrozones: the offshore islands, the coastal plain, and the interior. Unfortunately, biases in the archaeological record downplay the significance of trade from the interior to the coast and thus skew current views about the evolution of inter-regional exchange. Analysis of an important lithic material—Franciscan chert—documents the significant movement of this resource from the interior to the coast and outlines new research approaches.
A Comparison of Software Evaluation Forms and Reviews
Authors: Schueckler Linda M. , Shuell Thomas J.
Published: May 2005

Various evaluation forms and reviews used to evaluate instructional software are compared with regard to the criteria employed in their assessments, and the usefulness and appropriateness of these criteria for making instructional decisions are discussed. Among the evaluation forms considered are those developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Science Teachers Association, and the Software Evaluation Project at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Software awards such as those sponsored by Classroom Computer Learning and reviews by monthly publications such as Teaching and Computers and Classroom Computer Learning are also considered. Although certain criteria are represented on nearly all of the evaluation forms and reviews, other criteria appear on a more limited basis. Differences between evaluation forms and reviews are discussed, and limitations in current approaches to software evaluation are identified — e.g., concern for valid principles of learning and teaching.
Privatization in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe and its Implications for Occupational Health and Safety and the Environment
Authors: Rice Annie
Published: May 2005

Privatization is key to a well-functioning market economy. Transition has unleashed a complex process with industries in flux, breakups, and mergers, and countries face new health problems. Globalization generates lower wages, relaxes standards, and introduces new work practices. Change must not be abused. Studies show that union-organized workplaces are safer than when no union is present and that an orderly industrial relations system with appropriate collective bargaining mechanisms is important. The problems are political more than technical; the new social partners must engage in dialogue.
Alternative Healing and Health Education
Authors: Pahz James A.
Published: May 2005

As new and unorthodox methods of health care become increasingly popular, more and more stories appear in magazines, television, and even professional journals. Advocates of alternative healing appear as conference speakers for lay and professional groups alike—including health educators. Such therapies appeal to a public eager to take control of their own health and bodies. Via the Internet, new ideas and treatments can spread through the population incredibly fast. The abundance of new healing techniques coupled with an interested audience and the wonders of mass communication present a challenge to the health educator. The author believes health educators need to be aware of trends in popular culture and new forms of alternative health care. Health educators should have the insight, by virtue of their training, to distinguish real from fantasy, science from pseudoscience. They need to become health information specialists and competent in operating the latest technology. Most importantly, health educators need to remain objective and keep an open mind coupled with a healthy degree of skepticism.
CAI Effects on Mathematics Achievement and Academic Self-Concept Seminar
Authors: Reglin Gary L.
Published: May 2005

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of a computer assisted instruction seminar on mathematics skills for admission to teacher education programs and academic self-concept. The CAI increased the mathematics and academic self-concept scores, especially for low socio economic-status students.
An Innovative Application of the Macintosh Classic II Computer for Distance Education
Authors: Olejnik Stephen , Wang Linda
Published: May 2005

The present article describes an innovative application of microcomputers to provide instruction simultaneously to graduate students on campus and to a group of doctoral students located 100 miles from campus. Using Macintosh Classic II computers and supporting equipment, both groups were taught a two-course sequence on statistical methods over two ten-week quarters. Evaluative data indicated similar academic achievement in both groups and comparable performance to previous sections of the course. Student attitudes were mixed, with students on-campus being more critical of the approach than students off-campus. The instructional approach appears to provide a viable alternative solution to a difficult problem for distance education. The use of Macintosh Classic II computers to facilitate instruction over long distance provides an acceptable compromise between extensive travel by either students or an instructor.
Family Therapy in the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa: Theory and Technique
Authors: Lagos John M.
Published: May 2005

Family systems theory views anorexia nervosa not only as a product of dysfunctional transactional patterns within a family, but also as a crucial stabilizing element within the family. This paper describes the dysfunctional characteristics of anorexic families as well as the relevance of these characteristics to the anorexic symptoms. Two approaches to the treatment of these families, one developed by Minuchin and the other by Selvini Palazzoli, are described and the comparability of family therapy with individual therapy is briefly discussed.
Expressive Disclosure and Health Outcomes in a Prostate Cancer Population
Authors: Rosenberg Harriet J. , Rosenberg Stanley D. , Ernstoff Marc S. , Wolford George L. , Amdur Robert J. , Elshamy Mary R. , Bauer-Wu Susan M. , Ahles Tim A. , Pennebaker James W.
Published: May 2005

Objective:

This pilot study explored the feasibility and the efficacy of a brief, well-defined psychosocial intervention (expressive disclosure) in improving behavioral, medical, immunological, and emotional health outcomes in men with diagnosed prostate cancer.

Method:

Thirty prostate cancer patients receiving outpatient oncology care were randomized into experimental (disclosure) and control (non-disclosure) groups. All had been previously treated by surgery or radiation within the last 4 years and were being monitored without further intervention for change in PSA levels. Psychological and physical health surveys were administered and peripheral blood for PSA levels and immune assays was obtained upon study enrollment and again at 3 and 6 months post enrollment. Multivariate analyses were used to examine how the expressive disclosure impacted the hypothesized domains of functioning: physical and psychological symptoms; health care utilization; and immunocompetence.

Results:

Compared to controls, patients in the expressive disclosure condition showed improvements in the domains of physical symptoms and health care utilization, but not in psychological variables nor in disease relevant aspects of immunocompetence.

Conclusions:

Study results support the feasibility of an expressive disclosure intervention for men with prostate cancer. The intervention was well accepted by this population, and participation/adherence was quite high. Results provide only limited support for the hypothesis that a written emotional disclosure task can positively impact health outcomes in a cancer population. However, this pilot study may have lacked adequate power to detect possible intervention benefits. Further studies with larger samples are needed to better assess the intervention's impact on psychological well-being and immunocompetence.
Resource Exchange in the Production and Distribution of a Motion Picture
Authors: Hirschman Elizabeth C.
Published: May 2005

An independently produced motion picture was used as a case study of the resource exchange pattern underlying project-based aesthetic production systems. Several exploratory propositions resulted concerning 1) sources of processual conflict, 2) the nature of resource criticality during the production process, 3) the timing of returns on invested resources, and 4) the commercialization of aesthetic products.
Education about Lymphedema Prevention and Management: A Needs Assessment of Breast Cancer Survivors in a Rural U.S. State
Authors: Nelson Lee , O'Brien Patricia J. , Ashikaga Takamaru , Bosompra Kwadwo
Published: May 2005

Breast cancer survivors who had received treatment at a tertiary hospital in the rural state of Vermont were interviewed to ascertain their sources of information and levels of awareness and practice relating to lymphedema prevention and management. The results generally corroborated those of previous research: surgeons, reading materials, and other breast cancer survivors were the three most cited sources of information. Awareness of recommended practices for preventing and managing lymphedema ranged from 21.4 percent to 71.4 percent and respondents tended to practice what little they knew. Higher levels of awareness and practice were associated with citing a primary care physician as an information source. The results suggest designing different interventions for providers and patients. It seems that providers need to be motivated to provide information to their patients at every opportunity, while patients would benefit from direct discussions with their primary care physicians about lymphedema prevention and management. A package of lymphedema education materials is being developed to facilitate community outreach.
Interpersonal Methods for Coping with Stress: Helping Families of Dying Children
Authors: Heller D. Brian , Schneider Carl D.
Published: May 2005

An attempt to establish a self-help network based on shared peer-counseling for families of dying children in a Midwest teaching hospital is described and evaluated. The structure of the group meeting is delineated in terms of environment, didactic presentations, and the practice of peer-counseling. Recommendations for any future attempts are given. The program is an attempt to use professionals to assist ordinary persons in distress to help and counsel each other.
The Crisis of the International Capitalist Order and its Implications for the Welfare State
Authors: Navarro Vicente
Published: May 2005

This article analyzes the current crisis of the international capitalist order and its consequences for the welfare state policies of developed and underdeveloped capitalist countries. Special emphasis is given to the impact of the crisis on state health care policies in those countries. The first part discusses the response of capital and labor to the crisis, with special focus on capital's political and ideological interventions in the areas of production, consumption, and legitimation; and their realization as health care policies. The second part analyzes the major capitalist responses to the crisis—the “market” and the “social contract” strategies—and their consequences for health care policy. The last part critically evaluates the call for a new economic order and its limitations.
Reforming Ontario's Primary Health Care System: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back?
Authors: Suschnigg Carole
Published: May 2005

In Ontario, one-third of the provincial budget is spent on treatment-oriented, institutionally based medical care. Urgently needed, some critics say, is a shift toward less costly, prevention-oriented, community-based care informed by a nonreductionist approach to health planning. In this regard, Community Health Centres (CHCs) have long been advocated as the most effective way to reform the province's primary health care system. At present, however, Ontario has only 56 CHCs. This article examines factors that gave rise to the implementation of CHCs during the 1970s, their slow growth across the province during the 1980s, and their relatively rapid expansion during the early 1990s. In 1995, the newly elected Progressive Conservative government decided to freeze funding for this innovative program. The author argues that the state's latest plan for “reforming” the province's primary health care system is destined to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Preservice Teachers Preference of the NovaNET Instructional Delivery System among Ten Strategies
Authors: Powell Jack V. , Reiff Judith C.
Published: May 2005

A recent OTA Report places important demands on the preparation of preservice teachers from a technological perspective. Current programs are not sufficiently meeting student needs in relation to computer use and other teaching aspects. This study surveyed the computer utilization of sixty-five preservice early childhood undergraduates covering five CBI lessons via NovaNET, and their preference of CBI among ten strategies. Results showed that computer utilization is important with a similar, positive attitude toward them. The Kolb Inventory and a Strategy Preference Instrument relatedly revealed diverger and accommodator preferences with four strategies as the “most preferred.” College level instruction should give more serious consideration to innovative course designs with an emphasis on exposure and choice of computer variations, and other strategies of learning, hereby providing opportunities for learning styles to be more optimally accommodated.
Simulation Applications in Educational Leadership
Authors: Bozeman William , Wright Robert H.
Published: May 2005

The use of simulations and games to enhance the educational process has been on-going for many years. Recently, with the arrival of powerful personal computers and multimedia software programs, educators and administrators in all phases of education can develop their own simulations for educational uses. This simulation was designed to provide a practical application of current simulation technology with a course in graduate level decision-making and educational administration. The research was also designed to provide a means of accessing results of learning after a block of instruction was provided on decision-making. Lastly, the research was conducted to explore multimedia technology available to educators, its feasibility, costs and time involved in providing a well-documented procedure for using the technology. This work shows that educators and trainers can produce effective simulations for educational uses with minimal time, resources, and experience with simulations.
The Multifaceted Nature of Self-Consciousness: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Consequences
Authors: Ben-Artzi Elisheva , Mikulincer Mario , Glaubman Hanania
Published: May 2005

The present work involves the reconceptualization of self-consciousness as a multifaceted process. In the first study, subjects were asked to freely describe the contents of their thoughts when thinking about themselves. Content analyses resulted in the definition of specific categories of self-consciousness which were found to overlap partly with basic dimensions of the self-concept. In the second study, a valid and reliable self-report questionnaire of self-consciousness was developed, comprising fourteen separate factors. In the third study, different patterns of self-consciousness were found to be associated with depression, anxiety, self-disclosure, and loneliness. The theoretical and empirical implications of conceptualizing self-consciousness as a multiple-content phenomenon are discussed.
The Stream-of-Consciousness Technique in the Novel: Simulating a Stream of Concurrencies
Authors: Steinberg Erwin R.
Published: May 2005

The stream of consciousness gives the effect of flowing in three dimensions of space through time, of containing not only language, but also a variety of images and orientations, and of functioning at several levels of abstraction. The stream-of-consciousness novelist, however, has available only language, which is additive and linear. Recent developments in computer science suggest that one may soon be better able to simulate the psychological stream of consciousness in the computer than on the printed page.
Worker Participation and Autonomy: A Multilevel Approach to Democracy at the Workplace
Authors: Gardell Bertil
Published: May 2005

The article describes a process toward democracy at the workplace in a Swedish middle-sized manufacturing company producing for the export market. The change process was initiated and engineered by the trade union local in close cooperation with management. Within an overall strategy for increased worker control, the democratized work organization combines co-determination for the local trade union board in strategic management decisions with a system of autonomous production groups, where supervisors have been replaced by “contact people” elected by and responsible to the groups. Through the autonomous groups, all workers participate in decisions about production. The groups decide on all matters related to work performance and take collective responsibility for production results. As an introduction to the case, the paper puts this trade union model for democracy at the workplace in the perspective of a 50-year development of productivity and worker participation in Scandinavia. The case report deals both with the change process (why and how it came about) and with the outcome of the new work organization for the workers, the union, and the company. It is shown that the new work organization has meant a richer job content, increased dignity for workers, increased solidarity among workers, increased trade union activity and strength, as well as a more effective use of productive resources in the company. Despite local peculiarities, it is concluded that the experiences gained from this case can be transferred to other workplaces where workers are interested in having more say, more security, and a more meaningful work situation.
The Great Instauration: Restoring Professional and Technical Writing to the Humanities
Authors: Di Renzo Anthony
Published: May 2005

If you wish to start an undergraduate professional and technical writing program at a small liberal arts college, you will find good arguments for your project in the educational writings of Sir Francis Bacon. Unlike other Renaissance Humanists, Bacon located the New Learning (what we now call the humanities) within the related contexts of scientific discovery and invention and professional training and development. His treatise, The Advancement of Learning, proposes to draw knowledge from and apply knowledge to the natural and social world. Bacon's curricular ideas can benefit emerging PTW programs in the humanities in three ways: They make a convincing apologia for most English departments and writing programs, wed humanistic education to public service, and provide a rich but practical theoretical framework for program development and administration.
Key Determinants of Student Satisfaction
Authors: Elliott Kevin M.
Published: May 2005

Student life is seemingly a web of interrelated activities and experiences. This article examines which aspects of a student's educational experience are more important in influencing student satisfaction. The findings suggest that “student centeredness” and “instructional effectiveness” are key determinants of how satisfied a student is with his/her overall educational experience. Implications are included that should help universities enhance student satisfaction and student retention.