bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preventive Discussions with Health Care Providers: Exploring Differences by Race/Ethnicity and Place
Authors: Earnshaw Valerie A. , Carroll-Scott Amy , Rosenthal Lisa , Chwastiak Lydia , Santilli Alycia , Ickovics Jeannette R.
Published: February 2013

The goal of the current investigation was to explore differences in discussions of health topics with health care providers by race/ethnicity and place to identify who is receiving this preventive care and where it is being received in a low-income urban area in which people are at increased risk of chronic disease. 1,147 adults responded to a health survey in New Haven, Connecticut. Black and Latino participants reported that their health care providers discussed more topics with them than White participants reported. Participants who received care at community health centers and hospital primary care centers discussed more topics than participants who received care at hospital emergency departments and private doctors' offices. Findings suggest that community health centers are important sources of preventive care in low-income urban settings, thereby supporting the goals of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the community health center model of care delivery.
Measuring and Assessing Preventive Medicine Services in a Student-Run Free Clinic
Authors: Zucker Jason , Lee Janet , Khokhar Mamoona , Schroeder Robin , Keller Steven
Published: February 2013

We conducted a chart review of 119 patients between June 2008 and June 2009, in order to determine the rates of seven preventive medicine services in our student-run free clinic. We compared our results with national goals as well as with the national adherence rates and the adherence rates of other community clinics. We found that our clinic met or exceeded the standard set by these clinics with respect to smoking cessation, alcohol abuse screening, and mammography; however, it did not meet this standard with respect to colonoscopy, Pap smear, influenza vaccination, or pneumococcal vaccination. Barriers to providing these services were examined. To improve the quality of our clinic further, we reviewed the literature in order to determine potential interventions to increase the number of preventive medicine services our patients receive.
Disease Pattern and Social Needs of Street People in the Race Course Area of Kano, Nigeria
Authors: Abdu Lawan , Withers James , Habib Abdulrazaq G. , Mijinyawa Muhammad S. , Yusef Shehu M.
Published: February 2013

Purpose . The study is aimed at examining street people on Race Course Street in Kano, Nigeria for prevalence of common diseases. Study design . Descriptive report. Subjects and methods . Institutional ethical approval was obtained. Information was obtained on age, sex, place of residence, drug habits, source of drinking water, toilet facility used, visual acuity, blood pressure, random blood sugar level, presence of skin diseases and physical disability. Results . Sixty five subjects were examined and 7 declined. There were 16 males and 49 females (M:F=1:3). The mean age was 48 + 9.2 years. They were mainly widows, some live in the street and have no access to basic amenities and six use non-narcotic medicinal substances. Diseases observed are hypertension, visual problems, and trauma. Conclusion . Religious factors, socio-cultural factors, and lack of government policy leads to poor access to health care for street people.
The Effect of Conspiracy Beliefs and Trust on HIV Diagnosis, Linkage, and Retention in Young MSM with HIV
Authors: Gillman Jason , Davila Jessica , Sansgiry Shubhada , Parkinson-Windross Diana , Miertschin Nancy , Mitts Beau , Henley Charles , Giordano Thomas P.
Published: February 2013

Conspiracy beliefs about HIV may result in delayed diagnosis, medication non-adherence, and low retention in care. The impact of such beliefs is not well described for minority youth. We assessed conspiracy beliefs, trust in physicians, and trust in the health care system in 47 HIV-infected, minority, adolescent men who have sex with men (MSM). We identified correlations of these factors with two intermediate outcomes (general self-efficacy and medication attitudes) and with three clinical outcomes (CD4 cell count at diagnosis, linkage to care, and retention in care). Greater conspiracy beliefs were associated with negative medication attitudes (r=-0.37, p=.01), while trust in physicians was correlated with positive medication attitudes (r=0.42, p=.003). Neither conspiracy beliefs nor trust was correlated with self-efficacy, nor were they correlated with any of the three clinical outcomes. Conspiracy beliefs and lack of trust did not predict delayed diagnosis or poor linkage and retention in this population of young, minority MSM.
Audit of Ophthalmic Surgical Interventions in a Resource-deficient Tertiary Eye Care Facility in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Eze Boniface Ikenna
Published: February 2013

Background . Ophthalmic surgical intervention is a critical component of therapeutic eye care services. Periodic audit of its output and outcome is needed to monitor service effectiveness and inform evidence-based eye health care reforms, in the spirit of VISION 2020-The Right to Sight. Objectives. To investigate the pattern and results of ophthalmic surgical interventions at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Nigeria. Methods . The UNTH's eye theatre surgical logbook and patients' clinical charts were retrospectively reviewed, from August 2003-July 2008, to obtain patients' relevant demographic and clinical data. Personnel data were obtained from UNTH's human resources department. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed. A p<.01 was considered statistically significant. Results . Of the 881 eye operations on 676 patients, cataract extraction (45.1%), pterygium excision (18.4%) and trabeculectomy (7.5%) were the main surgeries performed. The yearly surgical output per surgeon was 23.2. The early outcome was satisfactory for trabeculectomy but sub-optimal for cataract surgery. Surgeries were performed mainly to restore or preserve vision (p<.01). Conclusions . The output and outcome of eye operations at UNTH, Enugu, are sub-optimal. Overcoming surgical uptake barriers, improved pre-operative evaluation, and provisions of micro-surgical consumables are instructive.
The Problem of Late ART Initiation in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Transient Aspect of Scale-up or a Long-term Phenomenon?
Authors: Lahuerta Maria , Ue Frances , Hoffman Susie , Elul Batya , Kulkarni Sarah Gorrell , Wu Yingfeng , Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha Harriet , Remien Robert H. , El Sadr Wafaa , Nash Denis
Published: February 2013

Efforts to scale-up HIV care and treatment have been successful at initiating large numbers of patients onto antiretroviral therapy (ART), although persistent challenges remain to optimizing scale-up effectiveness in both resource-rich and resource-limited settings. Among the most important are very high rates of ART initiation in the advanced stages of HIV disease, which in turn drive morbidity, mortality, and onward transmission of HIV. With a focus on sub-Saharan Africa, this review article presents a conceptual framework for a broader discussion of the persistent problem of late ART initiation, including a need for more focus on the upstream precursors (late HIV diagnosis and late enrollment into HIV care) and their determinants. Without additional research and identification of multilevel interventions that successfully promote earlier initiation of ART, the problem of late ART initiation will persist, significantly undermining the long-term impact of HIV care scale-up on reducing mortality and controlling the HIV epidemic.
Health Beliefs, Attitudes and Service Utilization among Haitians
Authors: Allen Jennifer D. , Mars Dana R. , Tom Laura , Apollon Guy , Hilaire Dany , Iralien Gerald , Cloutier Lindsay B. , Sheets Margaret M. , Zamor Riché
Published: February 2013

Understanding the factors that influence health beliefs, attitudes, and service use among Haitians in the United States is increasingly important for this growing population. We undertook a qualitative analysis to explore the factors related to cancer screening and utilization of health services among Haitians in Boston. Key informant interviews (n=42) and nine focus groups (n=78) revealed that Haitians experience unique barriers to health services. These include language barriers, unfamiliarity with preventive care, confidentiality concerns, mistrust and stigma concerning Western medicine, and a preference for natural remedies. Results suggest that many Haitians could benefit from health system navigation assistance, and highlight the need for comprehensive, rather than disease-focused programs, to decrease stigma and increase programmatic reach. Faith-based organizations, social service agencies, and Haitian media were identified as promising channels for disseminating health information. Leveraging positive cultural traditions and existing communication networks could increase the impact of Haitian health initiatives.
Exploring Community Health Center and Faith-based Partnerships: Community Residents' Perspectives
Authors: Patel Kavita K. , Frausto Kenneth A. , Staunton Anne D. , Souffront Janine , Derose Kathryn Pitkin
Published: February 2013

Community health centers (CHCs) play a critical role in the primary care safety net. Partnerships between CHCs and faith-based organizations are promoted as a way to increase outreach to underserved populations and support health-promoting behaviors and effective disease management. Through six focus groups (totaling 58 participants), we explored low-income residents' perspectives (African American, Latino, and White) of their communities, the meaning of health, the role of spirituality, and their experiences with and preferences for congregation-based health programming to inform future outreach efforts of a CHC. We found that community perspectives varied based on race/ethnicity and neighborhood, but health concerns tended to cluster by race/ethnicity alone. We also found that spirituality was deemed important for health by all racial-ethnic groups, but attendance at religious services, religious affiliation, and preferences for congregation-based health programming varied across and within groups. Community health center-faith based partnerships could facilitate health care access in underserved communities but may have limited reach among certain subgroups and individuals.
Cervical Cancer Screening Preferences among African American Women in the Mississippi Delta
Authors: Litton Allison G. , Castle Philip E. , Partridge Edward E. , Scarinci Isabel C.
Published: February 2013

Although cervical cancer screening rates have increased in the United States, there are still geographic areas that experience a high cervical cancer burden, including the Mississippi Delta. Human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection may be a feasible alternative to traditional clinician-collection for cervical cancer screening for under-screened women. This study examined women's preferences for cervical cancer screening methods. Interviewer-administered questionnaires regarding cervical cancer screening preferences were completed by 524 African American women in the Mississippi Delta. Statistically significant differences were observed for age, employment status, and number of children across recruitment groups. Regardless of how women were recruited, the majority preferred self-sampling for HPV testing method to clinician-collection. Among women who preferred self-collected sampling for HPV testing, the most frequent reasons given were convenience, privacy, and comfort. Alternative strategies must be considered when targeting the under-screened to reduce the burden of cervical cancer.
Black Mothers' Perceptions about Urban Neighborhood Safety and Outdoor Play for their Preadolescent Daughters
Authors: Dias Janice Johnson , Whitaker Robert C.
Published: February 2013

Using narratives of single low-income Black mothers with preadolescent children in a high-crime neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey, this study aims (1) to understand if and how neighborhood safety influences mothers' decisions about allowing their daughters to play outdoors and (2) to identify what neighborhood changes would need to occur to alter their perceptions about safety. Mothers reported that unpredictable violence, related to drug and gang activity of neighbors, and the absence of safe play areas in their neighborhood led them to sequester their daughters indoors. Hostile neighborhood conditions contributed to children's physical inactivity and put girls at risk for obesity.
Barriers to Health Care among Asian Immigrants in the United States: A Traditional Review
Authors: Clough Juliana , Lee Sunmin , Chae David H.
Published: February 2013

Asian immigrants in the U.S. are far less likely to have health insurance or use health care services than both U.S.-born Asians and non-Hispanic Whites. Furthermore, Asian immigrants who access the U.S. health care system are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to receive high-quality services. This paper reviews four barriers faced by Asian immigrants to participating in the U.S. health care system fully: (1) linguistic discordance between providers and patients; (2) health-related beliefs and cultural incompetency of health systems; (3) issues related to accessing health services; and (4) discrimination in the health care system. Interventions to improve the health of Asian immigrants must address barriers experienced at multiple levels, including those that occur interpersonally and institutionally, as well as broader societal factors that affect health care access and quality.
Using the Health Belief Model to Determine Safer Sexual Behavior among African Immigrants
Authors: Asare Matthew , Sharma Manoj , Bernard Amy L. , Rojas-Guyler Liliana , Wang Lihshing Leigh
Published: February 2013

Background . African immigrants in the U.S. are at high risk of HIV/AIDS because of their risky sexual behaviors, but they are infrequently studied. The purpose of this study was to use health belief model (HBM) to examine safe sexual behaviors among African immigrants. Methods . A cross-sectional design with a 44-item valid and reliable questionnaire based on constructs of HBM was administered to a quota sample of 412 African immigrants in Ohio. Results . The logistic regression analyses revealed that the HBM constructs as a set significantly accounted for the variance in condom use and monogamous behaviors. The findings showed that perceived susceptibility (OR=1.10), perceived barriers (OR=1.10), cues to action (OR=1.19) and self-efficacy (OR=1.21) were significant predictors of condom use (p<.05). Discussion . Based on the findings future HIV/AIDS risk reduction programs among African immigrants can be designed based on HBM.
"I wouldn't look at it as stress": Conceptualizations of Caregiver Stress among Low-Income Families of Children with Asthma
Authors: Sampson Natalie R. , Parker Edith A. , Cheezum Rebecca R. , Lewis Toby C. , O'Toole Ashley , Zuniga Adriana , Patton Jean , Robbins Thomas G. , Keirns Carla C.
Published: February 2013

Low-income caregivers of children with asthma experience multiple stressors, likely worsening family health. As part of Community Action Against Asthma's community-based participatory research partnership, researchers conducted 40 qualitative semi-structured interviews and quantitative surveys with low-income caregivers of children with asthma in Detroit, Michigan. Participants described daily childhood asthma experiences and completed scales including the Peds Quality of Life Family Impact Module and Zarit Burden Caregiver Scale. Quantitative scale findings suggested participants are moderately stressed or affected by their child's illness. While there was some accordance between qualitative and quantitative findings, qualitative findings additionally captured many relevant life stressors, seemingly overlooked or conflated in scale responses. Many participants described asthma as part of childrearing, rather than as a stressor or burden. Findings encourage improvement of clinical, psychometric assessments used to measure and address stressors that shape health for many families with children with asthma.
Reducing Disparities in Access to Primary Care and Patient Satisfaction with Care: The Role of Health Centers
Authors: Shi Leiyu , Lebrun-Harris Lydie A. , Daly Charles A. , Sharma Ravi , Sripipatana Alek , Hayashi A. Seiji , Ngo-Metzger Quyen
Published: February 2013

This paper examined disparities in access to and satisfaction with primary care among patients of different racial/ethnic groups and insurance coverage, in health centers and the nation overall. Data came from the 2009 Health Center Patient Survey and 2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Study outcomes included usual source of care, type of usual source of care, satisfaction with provider office hours, and satisfaction with overall care. Health center patients were more racially and ethnically diverse than national patients, and health center patients were more likely than national patients to be uninsured or publicly insured. No significant health care disparities in access to care existed among patients from different racial/ethnic and insurance groups among health centers, unlike low-income patients nationwide or the U.S. population in general. Additional focus on the uninsured, in health centers and other health care settings nationwide, is needed to enhance satisfaction with care among these patients.
Characteristics Related to Sexual Experience and Condom Use Among Jamaican Female Adolescents
Authors: Kang Sung-Yeon , Hutchinson M. Katherine , Waldron Norman
Published: February 2013

Young women in Jamaica face significant risk for HIV and other STIs. A clearer understanding of the factors associated with sexual experience and unprotected intercourse is needed. Data were collected from 330 adolescent females aged 13 to 17 recruited through community based organizations in Kingston, Jamaica, from 2009-2011. Nearly one-third of sexually experienced participants reported not using a condom the last time they had sex. Characteristics associated with sexual experience included older age, marijuana use, and less comfort talking to mother about sexual topics. Characteristics associated with condom use included perceived importance of religion, positive attitudes toward condoms, and not-having multiple sexual partners. Sexually experienced Jamaican female adolescents were engaging in behaviors that made them vulnerable to HIV and other STIs. Interventions with young adolescent girls and their mothers are recommended to postpone sexual debut and promote safer sexual behaviors in those who do engage in sex.
Advancing Research in Transitional Care: Challenges of Culture, Language and Health Literacy in Asian American and Native Hawaiian Elders
Authors: Nishita Christy , Browne Colette
Published: February 2013

Recent federal policy supports an individual's preference for home and community-based long-term care, even among nursing home residents. Optimizing transitions from the nursing home to home is a complex undertaking that requires addressing the interrelationships between health literacy and cultural-linguistic factors in the nation's increasingly diverse older adult population. We look at four Asian American and Pacific Islander elder populations to illustrate that differing health profiles and cultural-linguistic values can affect the type of care and support needed and preferred. A research gap exists that links these factors together for optimal transitional care. The paper presents a conceptual framework and proposes a six-point research agenda that includes family assessments of health literacy abilities, exploring the relationship between culture, health, and decision-making, and the development/adaptation of transition planning tools.
Racial Disparities in Receiving Total Hip/Knee Replacement Surgery: The Effect of Hospital Admission Sources
Authors: Chen Jie , Rizzo John A. , Parasuraman Shreekant , Gunnarsson Candace
Published: February 2013

Using a nationally-representative inpatient care dataset (the HCUP National Inpatient Sample from 2002 to 2007) we examined racial disparities in receiving total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries. Multivariable logistic regression models revealed that racial minorities were significantly less likely to receive THR or TKR than Whites, controlling for patients' hospital admission source and hospital characteristics. Employing Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition techniques, we found that observed difference in population characteristics explained 55%-67% and 78% of the racial disparities in THR and TKR, respectively. Differences in patients' hospital admission source emerged as the major individual factor associated with these disparities, explaining 57%-77% of racial disparities in THR and 26%-50% of racial disparities in TKR. This study suggests that substantive racial and ethnic disparities exist in utilization of THR and TKR surgery. Observed population characteristics accounted for most of these differences, with hospital admission source being the key factor.
Classification and Correlates of Eating Disorders among Blacks: Findings from the National Survey of American Life
Authors: Taylor Jacquelyn Y. , Caldwell Cleopatra Howard , Baser Raymond E. , Matusko Niki , Faison Nakesha , Jackson James S.
Published: February 2013

Objective . To assess classification adjustments and examine correlates of eating disorders among Blacks. Methods . The National Survey of American Life (NSAL) was conducted from 2001-2003 and consisted of adults (n=5,191) and adolescents (n=1,170). The World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI-World Health Organization 2004-modified) and DSM-IV-TR eating disorder criteria were used. Results . Sixty-six percent of African American and 59% Caribbean Black adults were overweight or obese, while 30% and 29% of adolescents were overweight or obese. Although lifetime rates of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa were low, binge eating disorder was high for both ethnic groups among adults and adolescents. Eliminating certain classification criteria resulted in higher rates of eating disorders for all groups. Conclusion . Culturally sensitive criteria should be incorporated into future versions of Diagnostic Statistical Manual ( DSM) classifications for eating disorders that consider within-group ethnic variations.
Improvement in Surrogate Endpoints by a Multidisciplinary Team in a Mobile Clinic Serving a Low-income, Immigrant Minority Population in South Florida
Authors: Singh-Franco Devada , Perez Alexandra , Wolowich William R.
Published: February 2013

To determine effect on surrogate endpoints for cardiovascular disease (CVD), we performed a retrospective chart review of 114 patients seen by a multidisciplinary team that provided primary care services in a mobile clinic over 12 months. Eligible patients had outcomes available for at least six months. Mixed effect modeling examined variation in surrogate markers for CVD: blood pressure (BP), heart rate, and body mass index. Repeated measures ANOVA compared lipids, hemoglobin A1c, and medication use from baseline and throughout study. Most patients were female (75%), Haitian (76%), and low-income ($747/month) with average age 63 years. Common diagnoses were hypertension (82%) and hyperlipidemia (63%). Significant reduction in systolic BP, total- and LDL-cholesterol, and hemoglobin A1c were found (p<.05). Use of ACE-inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics, aspirin, metformin, and statins increased significantly (p<.05). Mobile clinic with a multidisciplinary team improved surrogate endpoints over 12 months in underserved, low-income, mostly foreign-born, Haitian population in U.S.
Health and Prevention among East African Women in the U.S.
Authors: Murray Kate E. , Mohamed Amina Sheik , Ndunduyenge Godelièvre
Published: February 2013

African-born individuals in the U.S. face significant health challenges, including low utilization of preventive screening services. Using a community-based participatory research framework, we describe preliminary efforts at establishing a collaborative relationship with the East African communities of San Diego, identifying salient community health needs, and developing a framework for disseminating information and addressing identified health gaps. To this end, 40 East African-born women participated in focus groups with the purpose of eliciting community perspectives on U.S. health care services, beliefs about preventive screening, and to garner recommendations for future outreach. Qualitative analyses identified participants' desire to engage in primary prevention techniques that incorporated best practices from their home countries and the U.S., and the need for health education programs to provide information on increasingly prevalent chronic diseases. The findings are discussed in connection with continued community-engaged efforts and the implications for health and resettlement policies to reduce inequities disfavoring resettled refugees.
Awareness of Critical Danger Signs of Pregnancy and Delivery, Preparations for Delivery, and Utilization of Skilled Birth Attendants in Nigeria
Authors: Doctor Henry V. , Findley Sally E. , Cometto Giorgio , Afenyadu Godwin Y.
Published: February 2013

Maternal mortality in northern Nigeria is among the highest in the world. To understand better the pathways through which the socio-demographic environment affects awareness of obstetric danger signs (i.e., potential problems associated with pregnancy), preparations for delivery, and skilled birth attendance, we conducted a survey of 5,083 women with recent pregnancies in three northern Nigerian states. Only 25% attended antenatal care (ANC), and 91% of all births took place at home. Less than one-third knew three or more danger signs of pregnancy or labor and delivery. Higher socioeconomic status was associated with knowledge of danger signs, but not with knowledge of life-threatening, critical danger signs. Antenatal care visits did not increase knowledge of critical danger signs, but they were associated with skilled birth attendance. Knowledge of critical pregnancy danger signs also was associated with skilled birth attendance. Improving the quality and coverage of ANC will ensure greater awareness of the critical danger signs. Future research is needed to identify creative and innovative ways to strengthen strategies for educating pregnant women about danger signs and in facilitating uptake of delivery services.
A Tailored Prostate Cancer Education Intervention for Low-income African Americans: Impact on Knowledge and Screening
Authors: Ukoli Flora A. , Patel Kushal , Hargreaves Margaret , Beard Katina , Moton Pierre J. , Bragg Richard , Beech Derrick , Davis Rodney
Published: February 2013

African American men bear disproportionate burden of prostate cancer (PCa) that can be reduced by early detection. A 15-minute culturally appropriate PCa education intervention developed to communicate effective, relevant, and balanced PCa screening information to low-income African American men was evaluated in men 42 years and older who had not been screened in one year. Of 539 men enrolled, 392 (72.7%) completed the six-month follow-up. Mean age was 54.4±8.9, 34.7% had no high school diploma, and 65.3% earned less than $25,000 annually. Barriers to screening included health insurance (41.4%), discomfort of digital rectal exam (32.1%), and fear of cancer diagnosis (29.9%). Mean knowledge score of 21 points increased from 13.27±3.51 to 14.95±4.14 (p<.001), and prostate-specific antigen screening from 22.1% to 62.8%. Men without high school diploma recorded the lowest post-intervention PCa knowledge and screening rate (47.7%), suggestive of the need for more than a single education session. Annual physicals with free prostate examination can maintain the positive trend observed.
Do We Know Who Will Drop Out?: A Review of the Predictors of Dropping out of High School: Precision, Sensitivity, and Specificity
Authors: Bowers Alex J. , Sprott Ryan , Taff Sherry A.
Published: February 2013

The purpose of this study is to review the literature on the most accurate indicators of students at risk of dropping out of high school. We used Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis to compare the sensitivity and specificity of 110 dropout flags across 36 studies. Our results indicate that 1) ROC analysis provides a means to compare the accuracy of different dropout indicators, 2) the majority of dropout flags to date have high precision yet lack accuracy, 3) longitudinal growth models provided the most accurate flags, while 4) the most accurate cross-sectional flags examine low or failing grades. We provide recommendations for future policy and practice.
The Making of Masculinities: Fighting the Forces of Hierarchy and Hegemony in the High School Setting
Authors: Heinrich Jill
Published: February 2013

This study stems from a yearlong qualitative inquiry examining the influence that gender ideologies exercised in the lives of four young men in the high school setting. Utilizing a feminist, post-structuralist perspective (Davies, 1997, 1989; Connell, 1996, 1997, 1989; Martino, 1995), it analyzes how masculinity constructs itself through discursive practices. The study involves four adolescent boys, Michael, Peter, Aiden and Jack, all friends and classmates in a small, Midwestern high school comprised mainly of working class and farming families. This study examines each boy’s idiosyncratic positioning within dominant discourses of masculinity, specifically questioning its ability to shape, influence and possibly constrain posture and performance in the classroom setting.
Extrinsic Motivation for Large-Scale Assessments: A Case Study of a Student Achievement Program at One Urban High School
Authors: Emmett Joshua , McGee Dean
Published: February 2013

The purpose of this case study was to discover the critical attributes of a student achievement program, known as “Think Gold,” implemented at one urban comprehensive high school as part of the improvement process. Student achievement on state assessments improved during the period under study. The study draws upon perspectives on motivation as a lens for understanding the attributes of the program. The theoretical framework guiding this study emerged from a convergence of literature on high school improvement and studies on the use of extrinsic motivation to promote student achievement. These studies revealed a gap between the goals promoted for improved student outcomes and the performance results from non-consequential, large-scale assessments. Data sources included structured interviews with school personnel and students, achievement data from 2009–2011, and survey results, which were analyzed to construct a case narrative. Critical attributes of the achievement program were distilled, including the differentiated incentive system, sustainability, and personalized meaning for students between state assessments and their decision-making. This study is not an evaluation of the program, but the discussion offered of the use of extrinsic motivation to promote student achievement may prove beneficial.
Assessment of Foreign Language Teachers: A Model for Shifting Evaluation Toward Growth and Learning
Authors: Brown Iryna Ivanovna , Crumpler Thomas
Published: February 2013

Although there is no consensus on how to assess teacher quality, scholars do agree that the improvement of teaching is the most important step that we can take toward improving the quality of education of our students and the one that directly affects learning outcomes (Perlman & McCann, 1998). Teacher assessment has become a cornerstone issue insofar as teaching improvement is concerned; yet, there is no consensus as to what constitutes an effective assessment method (Brent & Felder, 1997; Wood & Harding, 2007). This problem particularly affects foreign language teachers. In this conceptual article, we explore and argue for a model that situates peer evaluation at the center of teacher assessment. Further, we argue that foreign language teacher assessment: 1) should include multiple types of assessments, ranging from administrative evaluations to peer observations and feedback; and 2) should primarily serve as a platform for improvement of the quality of teaching and for the teacher’s growth and professional development. We conclude by identifying directions for future research examining the potential of this proposed model.
Moving From College Aspiration to Attainment: Learning From One College Access Program
Authors: Dyce Cherrel Miller , Albold Cheryll , Long Deborah
Published: February 2013

Using data from a survey of 75 parents and high school students who were eligible for a college access program, this article examines parents’ and students’ college aspirations and their confidence in fulfilling that goal. The authors argue that pre-college preparation programs can benefit from the non-economic forms of capital that these families undoubtedly have. Moreover, students’ and their parents’ confidence in college aspirations are often situated in deeply-rooted beliefs in the ultimate benefits of education for individual, familial, and communal uplift. Understanding the valuable role of social and cultural capital in the college goals of first-generation and low-income youth will help college preparation programs build stronger partnerships with their students and families as they help them move from college aspirations to attainment.
Japan’s Rhetoric of Crisis: Prospects for Change after 3.11
Authors: Samuels Richard J.
Published: February 2013

For some Japanese political entrepreneurs, the March 2011 catastrophe in Tohoku (3.11) was a warning for Japan to “put it in gear” and head in a new direction—away from nuclear power or toward a muscular military. For others, 3.11 was a once-in-a-millennium “black swan,” so Japan should “stay the course.” Still others say Japan must rebuild what was lost to modernity and globalization. The battle among these perspectives on change and the use of three other tropes—leadership, community, and risk—have defined post-3.11 politics and public policy in Japan.
Reevaluating Rikyū: Kaiseki and the Origins of Japanese Cuisine
Authors: Rath Eric C.
Published: February 2013

Current historiography recognizes that modern Japanese cuisine is an expression of national identity and traces its origin to tea cuisine ( kaiseki ) said to have been perfected by Sen no Rikyū (1522–91). Yet, Rikyū’s contributions to the development of kaiseki are not substantiated in the historical records. This article aims to clarify the role of Rikyū in the development of tea cuisine and to call for a broader investigation of the history of tea cuisine to consider more diffuse and diverse practices involving multiple actors over time rather than attribute foundational principles in national culture to individual genius.
Grand Demons and Little Devils: Akutagawa’s Kirishitan mono as a Mirror of Modernity
Authors: Suter Rebecca
Published: February 2013

Like many Japanese intellectuals, Akutagawa Ryūnosuke had a deep interest in European traditions, including Christianity. Scholars have often looked at Akutagawa’s representations of religion to shed light on the author’s personal beliefs; in this article I focus on the writer’s portrayal of the Kirishitan of the seventeenth century as a metaphor for the ideological and cultural transformations of modern Japan. Through a close reading of three short stories, I investigate the interplay of perceptions and representations of national past and foreign culture in Taisho Japan and the role that Akutagawa’s “rediscovery” of early Kirishitan culture played within this context.
Concrete Results?: The TVA and the Appeal of Large Dams in Occupation-Era Japan
Authors: Dinmore Eric
Published: February 2013

Progressive Japanese economic thinkers and U.S. policymakers promoted the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) as a model for post–World War II water use. In the late 1940s, when the escalating cold war called the future of international trade into question, these thinkers embraced the TVA model as a way to rebuild the country by converting Japan’s hydrosphere into a reliable domestic source of energy. They steadfastly endorsed state-guided hydrologic projects as a means of fostering social democratization, raising living standards, providing employment opportunities, and instilling a “rational” way of daily life in rural Japan.
Carma Zimmerman Leigh and the Diffusion of Cooperation through California Libraries, 1951–1972
Authors: Mediavilla Cindy
Published: February 2013

The diffusion of innovation is a multilayered process that involves five main steps: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. Between 1951 and 1963 California State Librarian Carma Zimmerman Leigh utilized several methods to introduce and eventually develop public library cooperative systems statewide. But the process was not easy. A study conducted by Ed Wight provided the knowledge needed to persuade the state’s librarians to adopt (or decide on) a library master plan for California, which was finally implemented with the passage of the Public Library Development Act in 1963. Confirmation occurred shortly afterward with the successful creation of public library systems statewide.
A State Library Transformed: Pennsylvania, 1878–1921
Authors: Lear Bernadette A.
Published: February 2013

The Gilded Age and Progressive Era were pivotal times for those state libraries founded in the colonial era. Like many such institutions, the State Library of Pennsylvania (SLP) was initially established to archive and supply information pertinent to legislators and government officials. Into the 1860s staff found the notion of circulating collections “simply preposterous” and affirmed that the SLP’s mission was to “facilitate the business of government.” Yet after the Civil War, successive state librarians broadened the SLP’s concerns, activities, collections, and spheres of influence. Examination of librarians’ reports, news coverage, and other sources illustrates how their vision of the possibilities and responsibilities of state libraries expanded over time, embracing the concerns not only of government officials but also of citizens, fellow practitioners, and posterity.
Letters to Lucy Johnston: Addressing the Need for Literature on the Kansas Prairies
Authors: Weaver Diana
Published: February 2013

A majority of the pioneer settlers of Kansas migrated from cities in the eastern United States. A profound hardship to the newcomers was the lack of books. Women’s clubs quickly formed in many settlements, determined to re-create the literary culture left behind. Under the leadership of women’s club activist Lucy Johnston, a system of traveling libraries was developed in Kansas. Letters written to Johnston at the start of the program reveal the acute yearning for books on the prairies and the power of disenfranchised women to rally for a cause in turn-of-the-century Kansas.
Depoliticizing the California State Library: The Political and Professional Transformation of James Gillis, 1899–1917
Authors: Hansen Debra Gold
Published: February 2013

This article examines the career of James Gillis, California’s state librarian from 1899 to 1917. It reviews the role politics played in library staffing prior to Gillis’s appointment and considers the extent to which Gillis filled his own staff with patronage hires. It then discusses why and how Gillis ended the state library’s spoils system and professionalized operations. While duly crediting Gillis’s importance as a library administrator, this article highlights the role California’s Progressive movement played in the state library’s modernization.
“My Duty and My Pleasure”: Alice S. Tyler’s Reluctant Oversight of Carnegie Library Philanthropy in Iowa
Authors: Stuart Shana L.
Published: February 2013

In 1900 the Iowa Legislature authorized the creation of the Iowa Library Commission, which immediately hired Alice S. Tyler as its first secretary to promote library growth. During her tenure of thirteen years, there was phenomenal growth in the number of libraries and library buildings. The growth was due primarily to Carnegie monies for buildings, which Iowa’s communities individually and enthusiastically pursued without official oversight by Tyler. It is evident from Tyler’s publications that she was not a proponent of Carnegie funding, and her writings reveal the strategies she developed to attempt to mitigate the perceived negative consequences of Carnegie library grants.
“Interested in Public Libraries”: J. O. Modisette and the Contributions of a Louisiana Library Commissioner
Authors: Jumonville Florence M.
Published: February 2013

J. O. Modisette (1881–1942), a small-town Louisiana attorney, was “interested in public libraries” and resolute that every Louisianian deserved the opportunity to read. As a longtime member of the Louisiana Library Commission, Modisette supported the library cause by doing the commission’s legal work, seeking grant funding, and publicizing the commission—all free of charge. This biographical sketch examines the role of a library trustee during a formative period of library development and illustrates Modisette’s productive collaboration with the library community to place libraries within reach of all the people of Louisiana.
Struggles Within: Lura G. Currier, the Mississippi Library Commission, and Library Services to African Americans
Authors: Cook Karen
Published: February 2013

Lura G. Currier was director of the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) from 1957 to 1967. She earned an international reputation for her tireless work to expand public library services. A state employee, Currier felt obligated to obey Mississippi laws requiring the racial segregation of libraries and of Mississippi Library Association activities, contrary to American Library Association policies and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Examination of Currier’s prolific and expressive correspondence provides a rare glimpse into the professional life and mind of a southern white librarian struggling to reconcile her professional ethics and standards with the realities of segregation.
The Origins of a State Library: New Jersey, 1704–1824
Authors: Shaw John T.
Published: February 2013

State libraries began to form in the United States around 1800, but the collections on which some were based had been established long before. The New Jersey State Library provides an example of this pattern. Though the generally recognized date for its founding is March 18, 1796, by that time the library’s collection had already been serving the needs of the state government for much of the eighteenth century. Drawing on entries in the New Jersey General Assembly’s minutes, this article provides an account of the growth and use of this collection beginning in 1704. It goes on to describe the evolution of this legislative reference collection to a state library and concludes with a brief look at the library after 1796.
Did Human Character Change?: Representing Women and Fiction from Shakespeare to Virginia Woolf
Authors: Manning Susan
Published: February 2013

This essay reconsiders Virginia Woolf’s much-debated claim that “on or about December 1910, human character changed,” reassessing its import not as the provocation to her contemporaries that seems to have been intended, or as a statement of originality, but in a historical envelope that encompasses Woolf’s own fictional oeuvre within a tradition of representing women in fiction. This tradition is essentially rhetorical and literary rather than essentialist; it engages with representations and associations rather than directly with psychological or philosophical questions about personality or identity. As such, “character” should be understood as involving a series of recognizable codes or tropes played through new contexts, with Shakespeare’s representations of women as a constant touchstone or reference point. A pioneer of “stream of consciousness” prose and Modernist fiction, Woolf is normally read for her innovations in representing selfhood; this experimentalism, I suggest, is built on a bedrock of familiar imagery that reveals her involvement in a continuing literary tradition of character representation. Her interest in late nineteenth-century and contemporary developments in depth psychology notwithstanding, Woolf’s revolutionary prose style shows evidence of her careful reading of previous literary evocations of character, particularly the characters of women. What is at issue, then, is not primarily existential questions about whether character “is” innate, self-fashioned, or merely linguistic, but rather critical or representational issues of how literary character has been evoked so as to create certain responses in readers. In the process, however, the larger existential questions are implicitly invoked, and shown to be not novel concerns of modernist psychology but continuing issues in literary understandings of the concept of “character” itself, at least as far back as the seventeenth century. In addition to a range of Woolf’s own critical and creative writing, the essay considers works by Daniel Defoe, Alexander Pope, Robert Burns, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Oakes Smith, Walter Pater, Henry James and Oscar Wilde.
Mysticism of Immanence: Lettrism, Sprachkritik , and the Immediate Message
Authors: Sjöberg Sami
Published: February 2013

The essay examines the epistemological possibilities of artistic imaginary languages and their ontological effects in the avant-garde movement “lettrism.” The movement employed imaginary language, which illustrates an anti-rational theory of language. The problematics of such quasi-language are manifested most radically in relation to quietist-linguistic philosophy ( Sprachkritik ): the identification of the limits of thinking and language in philosophy confronts the utopian belief in the possibility of “private” communication in the avant-garde. Lettrism subverts the normative order of systematic language by means of invented signs, which are not arbitrary but unorthodox. These signs supposedly express that which philosophy designates as epistemic privacy — what can be known to one person only. The paradoxical claim that an imaginary language can express the epistemically private gives rise to what I term the mysticism of immanence . Neither distinctively religious nor atheistic, the mysticism of immanence is based on the idealistic assertion that one is able to express not only the existence but also the contents of epistemic privacy. Moreover, the renunciation of conventional language suggests that immanence is in this case alinguistic. In brief, for lettrists, thinking did not necessitate language.

Lettrist imaginary language points out the necessity for convention as a stabilizing framework for meaning production. By advocating the idea of an “immediate message,” which remains between mediation and immediacy, imaginary language exceeds the limits of immanence. Since an imaginary language cannot be shared or self-contained, it is an opening of immanence towards other than immanence. This other is not represented as any absolute transcendence, any version of the beyond, but rather as a collapse of the limits of immanence, limits that are subject to negotiation because the immediate message gives rise to a new and expanded sense of the immanent.