bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transparency as the Route to Evidence-Informed Professional Education
Authors: Gambrill Eileen
Published: June 2007

The author suggests that transparency in all venues, including social work education, practice and policy, and the conduct and reporting of related research, will be required to advance the effectiveness of professional education. Possibilities for improving the quality of professional education differ in terms of how evidence-informed practice is viewed. The process and philosophy of evidence-based practice (EBP) as described in original sources are systemic in focus calling for radical change in multiple venues, including professional education (moving to problem-based learning [PBL]), practice (e.g., involving clients as informed participants), and reporting of research (e.g., accurately describing methodological limitations). In PBL, students are repeatedly confronted with their ignorance and given repeated opportunities to hone self-learning skills. A narrow view of EBP as using EBPs (evidence-based practice guidelines) requires much less change and, the author suggests, much less potential for improving the quality of professional education.
The Center on Race and Social Problems at the University of Pittsburgh
Authors: Davis Larry E. , Bangs Ralph L.
Published: June 2007

In 2002, the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh established the Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP). CRSP, which is the first race research center to be housed in a school of social work, has six foci: economic disparities; educational disparities; interracial group relations; mental health; youth, families, and elderly; and criminal justice and substance abuse. The main activities are promoting research, mentoring young scholars, and disseminating knowledge. CRSP fosters research by organizing research advisory panels, funding pilot studies, and assisting with applications for outside funding. The center mentors young scholars through postdoctoral fellowships and guidance by senior faculty. The center disseminates knowledge through a lecture series, conferences, summer institutes, courses, and academic publications.
Assessing a Self-Report Health Measure for Non-English-Speaking Elders: Issues in Using the SF-36 Health Survey
Authors: Jordan-Marsh Maryalice , Cody Michael , Silverstein Merril , Chin Soo-Young , Garcia Ruth
Published: June 2007

Objective: Approved versions of the SF-36 Version 1.0 are used for limited-English-speaking individuals whose primary languages are Korean, Chinese, and Spanish to test the respective translations for use among immigrants to the United States. Method: Surveys are completed by an older adult and a nominated adult family caregiver (N = 132). Results: Adequate internal consistency and validity are found for Chinese and Spanish with the exception of the Social Functioning (Spanish) and Vitality (Chinese) Scales. The Korean version has reliability and validity issues. Comparisons are made with English language norms and studies that use translations in Spanish and Chinese. No comparative data for Korean Americans are found. Recommendations are made for reading reports of and using SF-36 translations. Conclusion: Paying attention to options in use of translations of the SF-36 in Chinese and Spanish improves the relevance of findings to research and practice.
Evidence-Based Practice and Social Work Education: A View From Washington
Authors: Zlotnik Joan Levy
Published: June 2007

The growing focus on evidence-based practice (EBP) provides important opportunities for the social work profession to expand its research capacities as well as strategies for teaching students to use research. The use of evidence in developing policies and implementing innovative practices provides excellent opportunities for high-quality research and evaluation efforts, and an evidence-based perspective is applicable at the micro and macro levels. State and federal policies are incorporating the words evidence-based into their language, and there are expanding efforts to develop clearinghouses and resource sites to identify what works for whom under what conditions. This essay, responding in part to Corcoran and Thyer, provides a national perspective on the EBP movement in social work.
Teaching Evidence-Based Practice: Strategic and Pedagogical Recommendations for Schools of Social Work
Authors: Howard Matthew Owen , Allen-Meares Paula , Ruffolo Mary C.
Published: June 2007

Widespread adoption of pedagogical methods promoting evidence-based practice (EBP) could enhance the effectiveness of social work practice education. Schools of social work should ensure that faculty are trained in the methods of EBP; establish a committee responsible for tracking and implementing demonstrably effective instructional innovations related to EBP; provide continuing education courses that promote scientifically supported practices and that include a course devoted specifically to teaching the methods of EBP per se; reward faculty who model superior pedagogical skills in relation to EBP; provide extensive training in computerized bibliographic database searching and other information acquisition methods; incorporate problem-based instructional methods into all practice courses; employ skills-based in vivo assessments and other measures to ensure student-practitioner competency in EBP methods prior to graduation; emphasize specialty practice education to an unprecedented degree; and test for competence in specialty practice areas.
Evidence-Based Practice and the Reform of Social Work Education: A Response to Gambrill and Howard and Allen-Meares
Authors: Jenson Jeffrey M.
Published: June 2007

In this report, the author responds to papers by Gambrill and by Howard and Allen-Meares that call for significant pedagogical reforms in social work education based on principles of evidence-based practice (EBP). His remarks focus on the promise of EBP as an agent of broad-based reform in social work education and on the implementation of EBP principles in the social work curriculum. Additional recommendations regarding the application of EBP principles to educational reform and teaching are identified.
Problem-Solving Therapy for Depression in Adults: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gellis Zvi D. , Kenaley Bonnie
Published: June 2007

Objectives: This article presents a systematic review of the evidence on problem-solving therapy (PST) for depressive disorders in noninstitutionalized adults. Method: Intervention studies using randomized controlled designs are included and methodological quality is assessed using a standard set of criteria from the Cochrane Collaborative Review Initiative. Results: Twenty-two studies investigating PST for adult depression are compiled and examined. Studies differ in scope and methodological rigor. Sample sizes vary widely; all study outcomes include depression measures; problems in masking of group assignment and randomization are noted. Conclusions: Mixed evidence for PST as a depression treatment is found. The combined use of PST and antidepressant treatment has more favorable outcomes compared with PST alone for social work practice.
Teaching Evidence-Based Practices: Strategies for Implementation: A Response to Mullen et al. and Proctor
Authors: Franklin Cynthia
Published: June 2007

This article builds on the articles of Proctor (2007 [this issue]) and Mullen, Bellamy, Bledsoe, and Francois (2007 [this issue]) suggesting practical principles on how to implement evidence-based practices in teaching and training. The first part of the article encompasses a discussion about knowledge-building strategies and teaching tools that are most needed to teach evidence-based practices to students and presents a case in favor of focusing on process learning tools for knowledge retrieval and principles for learning instead of for content alone. Clinical decision support tools are also illustrated as being the most relevant process learning tools to add to the curriculum. The second part of the article speaks more specifically of building agency partnerships and relationships for effective, evidence-based teaching. Finally, the article addresses how to provide faculty the professional development necessary to carry out the implementation of evidence-based practices in teaching and professional development.
Reflections on the Teaching of Evidence-Based Practice
Authors: Shlonsky Aron , Stern Susan B.
Published: June 2007

As the process of evidence-based practice (EBP) gains a foothold in the curricula of schools of social work and the various helping professions, instructors have been encountering a unique set of challenges. On one hand, educators must develop new curricula to convey material that is often complex and is, even in its most advanced state, still in its infancy. On the other hand, instructors may find themselves in the awkward position of challenging traditional classroom material and entrenched practices. This article offers a supplement to EBP texts by practically discussing some of the philosophical tenets of EBP, suggesting steps to enhance the learning environment, offering instructional supports, and identifying a common set of pitfalls and some suggested solutions.
Validating the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale With Persons Who Have Severe Mental Illnesses
Authors: O'Hare Thomas , Ce Shen  , Sherrer Margaret
Published: June 2007

Objective: Interview data collected from 275 clients with severe mental illnesses are used to test the construct and criterion validity of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale (PSS). Method: First, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are used to test whether the scale reflects the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., text rev. (DSM-IV-TR ). Second, structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test concurrent validity. Results: A 2-factor PSS reveals an excellent fit to the data, and SEM shows good concurrent validity with key study variables. Conclusion: The PSS reveals a 2-factor structure (Re-experiencing and Avoidance) in this particular sample, and stress from high-risk behaviors and drinking to cope with negative emotions mediate the relationship between subjective distress from trauma and PTSD symptoms.
Assessing and Changing Organizational Culture and Climate for Effective Services
Authors: Glisson Charles
Published: June 2007

The 2007 Aaron Rosen Lecture was presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Social Work and Research, January 12, 2007, in San Francisco, CA. The lecture begins by describing the gap between what is known about efficacious treatments and other evidence-based practices on the one hand and the services that are provided in actual community-based practice settings on the other. To address this gap, the lecture calls for the development of a science of implementation effectiveness and describes the author's research on assessing and changing the social context of mental health and social service organizations as contributing to that effort. The findings of two national studies and one controlled clinical trial are summarized to (a) link organizational social context to service outcomes, (b) describe a new profiling system for assessing organizational social context, and (c) demonstrate how social context can be changed with planned organizational intervention strategies.
New Proposals for Generating and Exploiting Solution-Oriented Knowledge
Authors: Gredig Daniel , Sommerfeld Peter
Published: June 2007

The claim that professional social work should be based on scientific knowledge is many decades old with knowledge transfer usually moving in the direction from science to practice. The authors critique this model of knowledge transfer and support a hybrid one that places more of an emphasis on professional knowledge and action occurring in the real world. The authors particularly focus on the organizational contexts in which social work practice occurs in presenting a model of cooperative knowledge formation.
Review Article: The Rationale for a Multimodal Approach in the Management of Breakthrough Cancer Pain: A Review
Authors: Guilherme Soares Luiz , Chan Vincent W.
Published: June 2007

Breakthrough pain has been described differently in various countries, and not surprisingly, recommendations for its management vary according to the institution. Usually when breakthrough pain occurs, the patient's pain has already been managed according to the World Health Organization 3-step ladder for cancer pain. After this point, the treatment choice is usually based on clinical judgment, the physician's personal experience with interventional procedures, and local resources available. Opioids remain the mainstay of the management of breakthrough cancer pain. However, the combination of radio-oncology, adjuvant drugs, and interventional pain procedures can improve pain relief. This review addresses those questions and proposes a multimodal approach to manage breakthrough cancer pain.
Hegemonic Masculinities in East and West Germany (German Democratic Republic and Federal Republic of Germany)
Authors: Brandes Holger
Published: June 2007

Proceeding from Connell's concept of hegemonic masculinity, this article examines the effect of differing social structures and culturally dominant patterns on masculinities in the German states, separated until 1989, German Democratic Republic and Federal Republic of Germany. The article starts with interviews with East German men, who were questioned about their understanding of masculinity and their view of the differences compared with West German men. The results of the interviews are analyzed against the background of the differing social developments in both German countries. Two different hegemonic patterns are identified: the hegemonic masculinity in West Germany is described as a pattern oriented on the lifestyle and aesthetic standard of modern middle classes and transnational entrepreneurship, while the hegemonic masculinity in the former German Democratic Republic is shaped through a proletarian-petty bourgeois lifestyle and taste. The thesis is formulated that after the unification of the two countries, the proletarian-petty bourgeois pattern lost its hegemonic role and, compared with the West German pattern of masculinity, has become marginalized.
Individual Bodies, Collective State Interests
Authors: Sasson-Levy Orna
Published: June 2007

The primary question this article raises is how democratic societies, whose liberal values seem to contradict the coercive values of the military, persuade men to enlist and participate in fighting. The author argues that part of the answer lies in alternative interpretation of transformative bodily and emotional practices. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Israeli combat soldiers, the author claims that the warrior's bodily and emotional practices are constituted through two opposing discursive regimes: self-control and thrill. The nexus of these two themes promotes an individualized interpretation frame of militarized practices, which blurs the boundaries between choice and coercion, presents mandatory military service as a fulfilling self-actualization, and enables soldiers to ignore the political and moral meanings of their actions. Thus, the individualized body and emotion management of the combat soldier serves the symbolic and pragmatic interests of the state, as it reinforces the cooperation between hegemonic masculinity and Israeli militarism.
The “Real Alaskan”
Authors: Hogan Maureen P. , Pursell Timothy
Published: June 2007

Using a cultural studies approach, we connect recent theories on rural masculinities and nostalgia to show how a particular variety of rural Alaskan masculinity becomes dominant and struggles to maintain its dominance even in late capitalist urban spaces. This Alaskan masculinity, we argue, is embedded in landscape and frontier nostalgia, through discourse, images, and practices surrounding the “real Alaskan.” Our examples come from both reflective nostalgia found in classic and contemporary literature about Alaska and restorative nostalgia found in the modern tourist industry. The real Alaskan, a cultural symbol deeply coded as masculine, rural, and white, repudiates—or at least marginalizes—that which is feminine, urban, and Native. We argue that it is not only part of the nation's imagination but also one in which many Alaskans are invested.
Constructing Masculinities in Juvenile Corrections
Authors: Abrams Laura S. , Anderson-Nathe Ben , Aguilar Jemel
Published: June 2007

Juvenile reoffending is a costly and perplexing social problem. However, research and theory concerning juvenile reoffending have neglected to examine how young men's gender identities are constructed in the context of a juvenile justice system in which behavior reform through various therapies is a primary goal. This study draws on observational fieldwork in two residential correctional facilities and interviews with incarcerated juvenile male offenders to understand how masculinities are shaped within these institutional settings. They find that in the two settings, hegemonic forms of masculinities involving competition, hierarchy, stoicism, sexism, and homo-phobia were reinforced through institutional and interpersonal mechanisms. While alternative gender identity expressions were offered through various therapies, they were largely suppressed. This illustration of how masculinities are constructed in juvenile corrections provides a new way to examine the inner workings of institutions that are geared to change the attitudes and behaviors of the young men whom they serve.
Caring Fathers
Authors: Johansson Thomas , Klinth Roger
Published: June 2007

In this article, we explore Swedish men's relations to fatherhood in general and in particular to the new ideal of the caring and present father. We argue that the image of contemporary hegemonic masculinity is gradually changing. Reforms and informational strategies are used to enhance and create the “new father.” In this article, we explore and analyze how four different groups of Swedish men—Christian men, psychotherapists, a male network, and immigrant men—relate to and discuss issues concerning new gender ideals, the modern father, and fathers as important caretakers. These issues are explored through four focus group interviews. The results from the study point toward the influences of factors such as age, social background, and religion. We also see that the ideology of gender equality has a strong general influence on men's ways of relating to and phrasing these issues.
En-trenched Manhood
Authors: Karpinski Eva C.
Published: June 2007

Using feminist approaches to life writing and subjectivity elaborated by Sidonie Smith, Leigh Gilmore, and Marlene Kadar, this article examines George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia as an example of complex and conflicting negotiations of masculinity in the extreme situations of war and political trauma. Orwell's constructions of male subjectivity reveal both complicity and resistance to traditional discourses of militarism and are less monolithic than usually assumed in feminist interpretations of his work. Orwell's male subject is viewed as a site of contradictory interpellations of ethnicity, class, and physicality of the body. Finally, it is argued that through his rhetoric, Orwell manipulates hegemonic and nonhegemonic notions of manhood and sacrifices a heroic potential of his war narrative to increase his political credibility in the cause of a socialist revolution.
Inclusive Masculinity in a Fraternal Setting
Authors: Anderson Eric
Published: June 2007

This ethnographic research uses thirty-two in-depth interviews and two years of participant observation on a large chapter of a national fraternity to examine the construction of masculinity among heterosexual men. Whereas previous studies of masculine construction maintain that most men in fraternities attempt to bolster their masculinity through the approximation of requisites of hegemonic masculinity, this research shows that there also exists a more inclusive form of masculinity institutionalized in the fraternal system: one based on social equality for gay men, respect for women, and racial parity and one in which fraternity men bond over emotional intimacy.
Not Ready to Fill His Father's Shoes
Authors: Reich Jennifer A.
Published: June 2007

Many men report a profound experience associated with the abortion of a fetus they coconceived. Yet the meanings of abortion for men remain underinvestigated. Using data from in-depth interviews with twenty men involved in thirty abortions, this article explicates a masculinist discourse of abortion. By examining how men account for the process of deciding to terminate an unintended pregnancy and the meanings of the experience, this article demonstrates how the abortion experience is bound by men's understandings of competent fatherhood and dominant meanings of masculinity. In accounting for the decision to terminate the pregnancy, men consider their relative desire to reproduce themselves, their evaluation of self in relation to idealized fatherhood, and whether they feel ready to take on the role of the provider and head of household. Taken together, these narratives reveal the cultural dominance of narrowly defined expectations of fatherhood and how men articulate a desire for traditional family formation.
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Will Truman?
Authors: Linneman Thomas J.
Published: June 2007

Although many gay men do not engage in effeminate behavior, they still may be feminized in social interaction. This article illustrates the importance of this distinction through a two-method study of the popular sitcom Will & Grace. The show includes multiple representations of gay masculinities, from the effeminate gay man to the more masculine “very straight gay.” However, a comprehensive content analysis shows that both gay primary characters frequently are feminized by other characters on the show, often in efforts to castigate them. Very few of these feminizing moments occur as a result of the characters acting in effeminate ways, thus emphasizing the immanent femininity of gay men. Focus group participants' interpretations of this phenomenon include obliviousness to these moments, anger over their inclusion, and acceptance of their role in the show and in real gay life.
Damned If They Do, Damned If They Don't
Authors: Sternberg Peter , White Alan , Hubley John H.
Published: June 2007

This article documents the authors' efforts to listen to Nicaraguan men and to explore with them the foundations of their sexual behavior and masculinities. In 1999 and 2000, the authors conducted focus groups involving ninety men from the Pacific side of Nicaragua. From analysis of the text of these interviews, five discourses were identified: a traditional patriarchal discourse ( machismo), a Catholic discourse, a Western progressive (liberal feminist) discourse, a pro-feminist discourse, and a medical discourse. The authors argue that these discourses construct a series of tensions within Nicaraguan masculinities that greatly affect Nicaraguan men's ability to play a role in change and suggest strategies through which the men may be helped to resolve these tensions and therefore play an active role in the social and political changes that are profoundly affecting the positions of both women and men in Nicaraguan society.
Justifications and Contradictions
Authors: McCarry Melanie J.
Published: June 2007

U.K. studies have found that young people have a high tolerance of violence and abuse if committed within an interpersonal heterosexual relationship. This article draws on empirical data from a school-based study conducted with seventy-seven young people in Glasgow that explored their views and opinions of abuse and violence in interpersonal (heterosexual) relationships. A central finding is that there is profound contradiction in the views of the young people regarding what is interpersonal violence and about who is doing what to whom. The young people in this study were extremely ambivalent about acknowledging the predominance of men as the perpetrators of interpersonal violence, and where they did acknowledge this they constructed numerous justifications to explain it. This article presents these findings and explores the reasons for why these young people both resist accepting men as perpetrators of interpersonal violence and endeavor to justify it.
The Pregnancy Put the Screws On
Authors: Edin Kerstin , Hogberg Ulf , Dahlgren Lars , Lalos Ann
Published: June 2007

Qualitative research interviews were conducted with professionals working with men inclined to violence. The aim was to explore professional discourses about intimate partner violence with special reference to gender and to the partner's period of pregnancy. Three major findings are presented. Firstly, the professionals had a rather fixed understanding of opposite gender positions as well as a split picture of the violent man as both weak and tough, thus violence may result from poor self-confidence combined with a desire for power and control and the fear of losing it. Secondly, the pregnancy was identified as a stressor that, together with other circumstances, could trigger violence. Thirdly, the topic of pregnancy and other relational topics were typically omitted from the conversations with men inclined to violence. This study discusses inconsistencies that might counteract the professionals' intentions of building an alternative masculinity in men inclined to violence.
Hegemonic and Other Masculinities in Local Social Contexts
Authors: Lusher Dean , Robins Garry
Published: June 2007

This article is a theoretical examination of Connell's social theory of gender, discussing how hegemonic, complicit, subordinate, and marginalized masculinities interact and relate to one another in the men's everyday lives in particular social contexts. Connell's theory is articulated in global terms that need to be localized to examine the actual interactions of men with one another. The theory implies a multilevel framework that the authors develop more explicitly. They investigate two interrelated theoretical concerns: (a) inadequately detailed interdependencies between structural, individual, and cultural factors with respect to masculinities, and (b) the lack of contextualization of masculinities in specific relational settings. The authors suggest that theoretical insights gained from social network theory and analysis allow such issues to be addressed and assist in local-level accounts of gendered power relations. The authors conclude by specifying Connell's theory into particular, testable hypotheses for use with statistical models for social networks.
Health Behaviors, Prostate Cancer, and Masculinities
Authors: Oliffe John
Published: June 2007

Epidemiological data indicate that men are overrepresented in mortality rates attributed to both natural causes (e.g., ischemic heart disease) and certain deaths caused by external causes (e.g., motor vehicle accidents). Men's health behaviors are consistently linked to their poor health outcomes, and diverse explanations about what underpins men's health behaviors have been presented by commentators and researchers alike. Recently connections between men's behaviors and dominant ideals of masculinity have provided empirical snapshots about the intersections of gender and health and specific illness events. This study uses a retrospective life course method to describe the connections between health behaviors and masculinity across time among three Anglo-Australian men who were born in the 1920s and 1930s and grew up in Victoria, Australia. The findings from this study illustrate how health behaviors intersect with shifting social constructions of masculinity and are mediated by factors including age, history, social class, culture, and illness.
The Influence of Prayer Coping on Mental Health among Cardiac Surgery Patients
Authors: Ai Amy L. , Peterson Christopher , Tice Terrence N. , Huang Bu , Rodgers Willard , Bolling Steven F.
Published: June 2007

To address the inconsistent findings and based on Hegel's dialectic contradictive principle, this study tested a parallel mediation model that may underlie the association of using prayer for coping with cardiac surgery outcomes. Three sequential interviews were conducted with 310 patients who underwent open-heart surgery. A structural equation model demonstrated that optimism mediated the favorable effect of prayer coping. Prayer coping was also related to preoperative stress symptoms, which had a counterbalance effect on outcomes. Age was associated with better preoperative mental health, but age-related chronic conditions were associated with poor outcomes; both of these were mediated through the same mediators.
Expansion and Validation of the Spiritual Health Locus of Control Scale
Authors: Holt Cheryl L. , Clark Eddiem. , Klem Patrick R.
Published: June 2007

The present study reports on the development and validation of an expanded scale assessing spiritual health locus of control beliefs. Additional items were developed, and the scale was pilot tested among 108 church-attending African American women. The scale was multidimensional, comprised of the original Active and Passive Spiritual dimensions, and additional subscales reflecting `Spiritual Life and Faith' and `God's Grace'. Internal consistency was acceptable, and predictive validity was evidenced by negative correlations between the Passive Spiritual dimension and knowledge about mammography, breast cancer, and breast cancer treatment, and mammography utilization. This instrument provides an in-depth assessment of beliefs regarding the role of God in one's health, and may be useful for the development of church-based health education serving African Americans.
Cultural Differences in Conceptual Models of Everyday Fatigue
Authors: Karasz Alison , Mckinley Paula S.
Published: June 2007

The present study used a qualitative methodology to examine cultural differences in representations of everyday fatigue. Thirty-seven European American women and 36 South Asian immigrant women responded to a vignette describing fatigue. A dimensional model of illness representation was used to develop a coding scheme and analyze the data. Results indicate both similarities and differences in conceptual models of fatigue. European Americans were more likely to medicalize fatigue symptoms and view them as acute, severe and in need of treatment. The social and familial context of women's everyday lives strongly influenced their representations.
Discovery of Meaning and Adherence to Medications in HIV-infected Women
Authors: Westling Erika , Garcia Kelli , Mann Traci
Published: June 2007

Discovery of meaning in response to illness has been linked to positive health outcomes. The mechanisms through which this occurs are unknown. This study tests a previously unexamined mechanism, engagement in healthier behaviors, which has been left uncontrolled in most studies. Forty-one HIV-infected women completed a one-month writing intervention. This writing was coded for signs of discovery of meaning. Adherence to medications was measured before (Time 1) and after (Time 2) the intervention. Women whose writing indicated that they had discovered meaning showed significantly greater adherence to their medical regimens at Time 2, controlling for Time 1 adherence. Discovery of meaning may result in positive health outcomes by leading individuals to engage in healthier behaviors.
Stigma, Concealment and Symptoms of Depression as Explanations for Sexually Transmitted Infections among Gay Men
Authors: Frost David M. , Parsons Jeffrey T. , Nanín José E.
Published: June 2007

This study examined how perceived sociocultural factors influenced the relationship between psychosocial variables and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among gay men. A cross-sectional brief street-intercept survey was administered to 594 gay men. Analyses examined how well stigma, concealment and symptoms of depression explained variation in participants' histories of STIs. Results suggested that concealment partially mediated the relationship between stigma and depression and depression partially mediated the relationship between concealment and STIs. Controlling for sociodemographic factors, symptoms of depression explained more varied histories of STIs; however, concealment was negatively related to STIs. Implications for STI and HIV interventions are discussed.
`Why Can't They Do Anything for a Simple Back Problem?'
Authors: Campbell Carol , Guy Alison
Published: June 2007

In order to examine expectations for pain treatment and outcome and to determine whether they are influential in maintaining health service consumption 16 adults suffering from chronic pain were interviewed. Transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis. The six main themes to emerge were labelled: Unmet Expectations; Health Professionals; the Importance of Self; Getting Something Done; Back to Square One; and Perceptions of the Future with Ruminations on the Past. Participants revealed considerable agency as they continued in a quest to engage and re-engage with the gatekeepers of health care facilities. The implications for pain management providers are discussed.
The Incentive Effects of Overtime Rules in Professional Hockey
Authors: Longley Neil , Sankaran Swaminathan
Published: June 2007

This article analyzes the incentive effects of the National Hockey League's overtime-loss rule by offering an alternative theoretical framework to that of Abrevaya, whose article recently appeared in this journal. Although his theoretical model implied that all teams would find it beneficial to adopt defensive strategies during the late stages of regulation time of a tied game, the model used in this article shows that there are situations where teams will forego such defensive strategies and continue to play offensively aggressive. In particular, the authors show that this decision as to which on-ice strategy to adopt depends crucially on a team's perception of its own on-ice strength, relative to that of its opponent. Using this behavioral model also allows the authors to analyze and compare the incentive effects of a wide range of alternative payoff structures, including the structure currently used in European soccer.
To Race or to Place?
Authors: Schwartz Jeremy T. , Isaacs Justin P. , Carilli Anthony M.
Published: June 2007

The authors use race-level data from 2003 and 2004 to test von Allmen's hypothesis regarding the inefficiency of the NASCAR reward system, where compensation is in the form of points that are accumulated throughout a season. They define drivers as two types, skilled and unskilled. Skilled drivers are hypothesized to be less aggressive than unskilled drivers because they are more productive given the same effort. Accordingly, an unskilled driver must be more aggressive than a skilled one to gain more compensation. The authors test this assertion empirically by modeling accidents as a proxy for aggression. They find that drivers who demonstrate skill in earlier races are less likely to get into accidents in subsequent races, suggesting there is a skill-level difference among drivers.
Does the Baseball Labor Market Properly Value Pitchers?
Authors: Bradbury John Charles
Published: June 2007

Defense in baseball is a product of team production in which pitchers and fielders jointly prevent runs. This means that raw run-prevention statistics that economists often use to gauge the value of pitchers, such as earned run average, may not properly assign credit for their performances. Therefore, marginal revenue product derivations based on such statistics contain some erroneous information that may bias the estimates. In this article, the author examines a method for isolating pitcher contributions to the team production of defense. Evidence from the labor market suggests that pitchers are paid according to their individual contributions, consistent with the areas in which pitchers possess skill.
Impact of Overwhelming Joy on Consumer Demand
Authors: Falter Jean-Marc , Pérignon Christophe , Vercruysse Olivier
Published: June 2007

In this article, the authors identify the period following a Soccer World Cup victory as a period of overwhelming joy for the winning country, and they test the impact of a World Cup victory on the demand for soccer in this country. After controlling for the main determinants of attendance, the authors find that consumer demand has positively, significantly, and durably shifted in France following the 1998 World Cup. They also show that the rise in demand is stronger in the nine cities that hosted the World Cup and that the World Cup effect persists for percentage attendance after they control for season ticket holders. Finally, the authors find supportive evidence to their claim that exceptional performance improves sport popularity when analyzing soccer attendance in several control countries, attendance for a potential substitute for soccer in France, and other episodes of overwhelming joy.
The Price of Thoroughbred Yearlings in Britain
Authors: Parsons Conor , Smith Ian
Published: June 2007

This article investigates the British thoroughbred yearling market using the hedonic pricing method to identify factors affecting the auction price of yearlings sold in 2004. Although the results are consistent with standard findings reported for North American markets, the main focus of the study is an examination of the impact of the British Horseracing Board's recent Owners' Premium initiative, introduced to provide support to the domestic breeding industry. Using quantile regression methods, the authors find only limited evidence for a premium effect on yearling price. With respect to this criterion, the policy measure proves to be somewhat ineffective.
Belgian Football
Authors: Kesenne Stefan
Published: June 2007

In this short note, the author takes a critical look at the causes and cures that have been presented in a previous issue of this journal by Dejonghe and Vandeweghe, regarding the financial problems and performances of Belgian football. He also indicates a few errors against basic economic theory in their contribution.
Comments on ``Measuring Parity''
Authors: Fort Rodney
Published: June 2007

From historical odds Cain and Haddock assign the probability of a tie at 25% and offer functional forms for the standard deviation of a league with equal chances of a win for each team under different point assignment schemes. They then track the ratio of actual to these idealized standard deviations and argue against using an approximation that assigns half a win to both teams in a tie game or match. Their article contains some confusing use of nomenclature and there are some important lapses in scholarship. But perhaps more important, they ignore the fact (after acknowledging it) that if one uses percentages rather than absolute points, their measures of competitive balance are invariant to the point system actually used. Although their point is well-taken for competitive balance questions where absolute points might prove informative, for other competitive balance questions their point is not.
An Economic Model of the College Football Recruiting Process
Authors: Dumond J. Michael , Lynch Allen K. , Platania Jennifer
Published: June 2007

College football programs devote an enormous amount of resources in efforts to persuade high school football players to attend their schools. In this study, we develop an empirical model of the factors that recruits consider when selecting a school, using a database that combines school-specific attributes with recruit-specific information. The authors' estimates imply that recruits' decisions are governed by a handful of primary factors such as the geographic distance between the recruit and the college, the school's recent football rankings, and whether the school is a member of one of the six Bowl Championship Series (BCS) conferences.
Local Heroes and Superstars
Authors: Brandes Leif , Franck Egon , Nüesch Stephan
Published: June 2007

Recent studies of the demand for sports clearly indicate that stars play an important role in promoting fan interest. However, on theoretical grounds it is controversial if a star's talent superiority and/or a star's popularity drive match attendance and hence increase gate revenues. Using longitudinal match attendance data of all clubs in the first German soccer league in a 9-year period, the authors analyze star attraction of national superstars and of so-called ``local heroes'' defined as the most valued players of teams without national superstars. The authors find empirical evidence that these groups differ in the way they attract fans: whereas superstars enhance attendance both at home and on the road, the star attraction of local heroes is limited to home games. In addition, superstars attract fans by outstanding field performances, whereas local heroes facilitate fan support by mere popularity.
Epstein-Barr Virus–Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Local Polymorphic B-Cell Lymphoproliferative Disorder in a Patient With HIV Disease
Authors: Manfredi Roberto , Sabbatani Sergio , Gianelli Umberto , Marinacci Ginevra
Published: June 2007

A rare case report of HIV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma concurrent with local polymorphic B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder is reported and discussed on the ground of the most recent literature evidences. Only very few reports of nasopharyngeal carcinoma have been described until now in patients infected with HIV (one case in adults), and a coexisting lymphoid cell proliferation with a concurrent role of Epstein-Barr virus in prompting both disorders was never reported to date. The relevant pathogenetic, diagnostic, and therapeutic questions raised by this infrequent intriguing association retrieved in a patient with prominent HIV-related immunodeficiency are focused on.
Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding HIV/AIDS in Dakshina Kannada District of Karnataka, India
Authors: Meundi Anand D. , Amma Ambikadevi , Rao Aruna , Shetty Sangeetha , Shetty Avinash K.
Published: June 2007

Objective: To assess HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among the general population in South India. Methods: The 1669 participants (834 males, 835 females) aged 19-49 years were surveyed using a stratified 2-stage random sampling design with probability proportional to size. Results: Although 54% of participants knew that AIDS is caused by “HIV” virus and 44% could correctly identify all modes of transmission, 52% believed in one or more myths, 41% did not know that condoms can prevent HIV, and 18% had not heard of a condom. Higher HIV knowledge scores were significantly associated with male gender, higher education, currently married, higher frequency of reading newspapers, listening to radio or watching television, and willingness to get tested for HIV ( P < .01). Thirty-four percent felt that HIV-infected individuals should be kept away from others, and 40% were not willing to accept a family member with HIV. There was a significant and positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores ( P < .01). Among respondents who ever had sexual intercourse, significantly more males declared having more than one sexual partner compared to females ( P < .01). Only16% of respondents reported that they consistently used condoms. Sixty-two percent of the respondents were willing to undergo an HIV test if provided free of cost. This willingness to opt for HIV testing increased significantly with better knowledge score, better attitude score, and higher education status ( P < .01). Conclusions: HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns in India should focus on public education, stigma reduction, promotion of condom use, and risk-reduction behaviors in urban and rural communities targeted toward young adults.
Targeted Aiming Movements Are Compromised in Nonaffected Limb of Persons With Stroke
Authors: Ketcham Caroline J. , Rodriguez Tiffany M. , Zihlman Kirk A.
Published: June 2007

Background. Research has shown that movement impairments following stroke are typically associated with the limb contralateral to the side of the stroke. Prior studies identified ipsilateral motor declines across a variety of tasks. Objective. Two experiments were conducted to better understand the ipsilateral contributions to organization and execution of proximal upper extremity multisegment aiming movements in persons with right-hemispheric stroke. Methods. Participants performed reciprocal aiming (Experiment 1) and 2-segment aiming movements (Experiment 2) on a digitizing tablet. In both experiments, target size and/or target orientation were manipulated to examine the influence of accuracy constraints on the planning and organization of movements. Results. Kinematic measures, submovement analysis, and harmonicity measures were included in this study. Declines in organization and execution of multisegment movements were found to contribute to performance decrements and slowing in stroke patients. Furthermore, stroke patients were unable to efficiently plan multisegment movements as one functional unit, resulting in discrete movements. Conclusions . Results suggest the importance of considering ipsilateral contributions to the control and organization of targeted aiming movements as well as implications for rehabilitation and recovery.
Intramuscular Electrical Stimulation for Shoulder Pain in Hemiplegia: Does Time From Stroke Onset Predict Treatment Success?
Authors: Chae John , Ng Alan , Yu David T. , Kirsteins Andrew , Elovic Elie P. , Flanagan Steven R. , Harvey Richard L. , Zorowitz Richard D. , Fang Zi-Ping
Published: June 2007

Background. A randomized clinical has shown the effectiveness of intramuscular electrical stimulation for the treatment of poststroke shoulder pain. Objective. Identify predictors of treatment success and assess the impact of the strongest predictor on outcomes. Method. This is a secondary analysis of a multisite randomized clinical trial of intramuscular electrical stimulation for poststroke shoulder pain. The study included 61 chronic stroke survivors with shoulder pain randomized to a 6-week course of intramuscular electrical stimulation (n = 32) versus a hemisling (n = 29). The primary outcome measure was Brief Pain Inventory Question 12. Treatment success was defined as ≥ 2-point reduction in this measure at end of treatment and at 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment. Forward stepwise regression was used to identify factors predictive of treatment success among participants assigned to the electrical stimulation group. The factor most predictive of treatment success was used as an explanatory variable, and the clinical trials data were reanalyzed. Results. Time from stroke onset was most predictive of treatment success. Subjects were divided according to the median value of stroke onset: early (<77 weeks) versus late (> 77 weeks). Electrical stimulation was effective in reducing poststroke shoulder pain for the early group (94% vs 7%, P < .001) but not for the late group (31% vs 33%). Repeated-measure analysis of variance revealed significant treatment ( P < .001), time from stroke onset ( P = .032), and treatment by time from stroke onset interaction ( P < .001) effects. Conclusions. Stroke survivors who are treated early after stroke onset may experience greater benefit from intramuscular electrical stimulation for poststroke shoulder pain. However, the relative importance of time from stroke onset versus duration of pain is not known.