bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Purposes of Unionization in the Medical Profession: The Unionized Profession's Perspective in the United States
Authors: Marcus Sanford A.
Published: May 2005

In the age of the common man, and ever bigger government, inexorable forces have been interposed between the traditionally independent physician in the Golden Age of Medicine in the United States and his patients. These forces, and associated pressures, come from the insurance industry, the hospital industry, and government involvement in the financing of health services. With these forces arrayed against the physician, the author contends that only medical unionism can protect his best interests and can at the same time serve as an effective consumer advocate for the public.
The Role of the Social Condition of Women in the Decline of Maternal and Female Mortality
Authors: Cortés-Majó Margarita , García-Gil Carmen , Viciana Francisco
Published: May 2005

The objective of this article is to study the changes that have occurred in the mortality pattern of women of fertile age in Spain throughout the 20th century, the significance of maternal mortality in the development of this pattern, and the other causes of death that have contributed most to such changes. Female mortality has most often been approached from the perspective of the genetic differences from males–particularly from the sexual-biological, basically reproductive, aspect–without considering other possible (social) differences. We have studied the female mortality pattern from the double incline of date of death (period) and of date of birth (cohort). Using the mortality theory of competing risks as our basis, we excluded in turn maternal mortality and mortality due to tuberculosis from overall mortality, and analyzed the transformations produced in the mortality pattern. Our results show that maternal mortality alone cannot be held responsible for the excess female mortality of the 1910s and 1920s, or for the mortality pattern among women of fertile age during the first half of this century. We suggest that the social discrimination against females from infancy has been responsible for most of the differences observed in mortality patterns.
Communicating Grief
Authors: Herkert Bryce M.
Published: May 2005

Efforts Have Been Made To Suggest Ways For People To Communicate With Those Going Through The Bereavement Process. Bereavement Is Defined As The Period Of Time Following A Death That An Individual Grieves Or Suffers The Emotional Loss Of Another Person. The Purpose Of The Study Was To Examine Perceptions Of Various Strategies Used To Comfort Grievers, and to examine how relational and situational factors affect those perceptions. A working solution was created to help people know what to communicate and when to discuss death with an individual going through the bereavement process.
Knowledge of Malaria and Management Practices of Primary Health Care Workers Treating Children with Malaria in Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Fawole O. I. , Onadeko M. O. , Oyejide C. O.
Published: May 2005

A survey of the knowledge and management practices of 61 health workers in five primary health care facilities in Ibadan 30 health workers observed as they managed children with fever and the parasite status of 92 children diagnosed to have malaria was conducted. Sixty-seven percent of children had the malaria parasite. Knowledge on some basic concepts was fairly adequate as the majority (75.4%) knew the cause of malaria, and 95.1% correctly recognized its key signs and symptoms. Treatment practices were poor as only 55.7% and 63.9% of health workers, respectively, prescribed chloroquine and paracetamol correctly; most gave underdosage. Observation revealed that history taking and physical examinations were rudimentary. Scores out of 100 on correct prescriptions of chloroquine and paracetamol were 60.1 and 76.8, respectively. There is an urgent need for periodic education programs, especially for health workers with many years of experience to help them maintain clinical skills and refresh their knowledge.
Memory for Aesthetic Qualities
Authors: McLaughlin John P. , Cramer Jennifer E.
Published: May 2005

Right-handed subjects preferred paintings containing cues that suggested left-to-right (LTR) motion over their mirror-reversed versions. When members of a pair were presented successively, the effect was larger if the LTR version was seen first, but interpolation of other images reduced aesthetic choices to chance levels, even though subjects remembered the first version. When seen second, LTR versions were preferred even when four other images were interpolated, so normally-preferred versions continued to be favored when other images did not follow them. The information required for aesthetic choice is different from that required for simple recognition and is easily disrupted by other visual-cognitive experience.
Female Adolescent Smoking: A Delphi Study on Best Prevention Practices
Authors: Davis Sean , Huebner Angela , Piercy Fred , Shettler Lauren , Meszaros Peggy S. , Matheson Jennifer
Published: May 2005

The present researchers used a multi-wave Delphi methodology to determine what 14 knowledgeable substance abuse professionals believe are the most appropriate smoking prevention practices for female adolescents. While there was some agreement with the emerging literature, particularly on weight control issues and parental involvement, there was also endorsement of items that appear to be equally salient for both males and females. While the panelists generally acknowledged differential risk factors for females, and the need for prevention programming around these risk factors, more research on gender specific programming is needed before prevention experts are ready to agree on clear and specific practices for adolescent females.
The Mental Comparison of Distances in a Verbally Described Spatial Layout: Effects of Visual Deprivation
Authors: Afonso Amandine , Gaunet Florence , Denis Michel
Published: May 2005

In this study, we investigated the metric properties of spatial representations built from the verbal description of a spatial layout in early blind, late blind, and transiently visually deprived sighted participants. We adapted the verbal descriptions designed by Denis and Zimmer [1]. Participants had to mentally compare distances separating pairs of landmarks. The analysis of the frequency of correct responses suggests that visual experience does not play a crucial role in the preservation of the topology of a memorized spatial configuration. However, response times differed significantly among groups, with participants who experienced transient visual deprivation being overall faster than those suffering permanent loss of vision. Lastly, for all groups, the smaller the difference between two pairs of distances, the longer the response time, which attests to the presence of a symbolic distance effect. To conclude, if mental representations can be considered as reflecting described spatial layouts analogically, our data do not provide any strong evidence in favor of the visual character of these analog representations.
Parents' Perceptions of Adolescent Sibling Grief Responses after an Adolescent or Young Adult Child's Sudden, Violent Death
Authors: Lohan Janet A. , Murphy Shirley A.
Published: May 2005

The violent death of an adolescent or young adult child is a highly traumatic event for surviving families. A major family adaptation issue relates to individual differences in coping with violent death. This article reports the findings from four data collection points of parental responses over an 18-month time frame to an open-ended question about the difficulties experienced by surviving adolescent children after their sibling's death. The data show that parents reported that they perceived little change over time in their children's responses; surviving adolescents continued to have multiple grief reactions and behavioral changes up to two years after the sibling's death. There were parental role differences between mothers and fathers across time in the perceptions of sibling grief. Further research is needed to understand the sibling grief process following violent death and to develop nursing interventions to support bereaved families.
East Timor in Transition: Health and Health Care
Authors: Povey George , Mercer Mary Anne
Published: May 2005

East Timor was liberated from 400 years of conquest and exploitation in an armed struggle that ended, in September 1999, in a conflagration that destroyed its social and physical infrastructures. For two years the territory has been under United Nations administration. Political conditions remain unstable as the result of many intrinsic and external factors. Its economy continues to depend upon infusions of funds from multilateral, bilateral, and private sources. Efforts by expatriates to introduce Euro-American cultural and technical models have been applied to the factors that determine health, with modest results. East Timor expects to be totally independent of foreign control early in 2002. Its future health will depend upon continuing collaboration between international and local leadership in evolving effective government, economy, and health services designed, managed, and executed by Timorese.
Envisioning the Handheld-Centric Classroom
Authors: Norris Cathleen , Soloway Elliot
Published: May 2005

While appropriate as an initial focus, it is time that the educational community move beyond an emphasis on 1:1 computing (each child having his/her own personal computer) to a vision of a handheld-centric classroom, where each child not only has his/her own personal, handheld computer, but also has access to networked PCs, probeware, digital cameras, etc. Such a classroom digital infrastructure, we argue, uniquely supports project-based learning, where children can engage in multi-week, multi-media, multi-subject, collaborative efforts. With the rapid emergence of low-cost handheld devices, the realization of this vision—and its associated educational affordances—is literally possible tomorrow in our children's classrooms. Thus, it is imperative that the educational community engages in extended conversations, now, about the range of teaching and learning opportunities that the handheld-centric classroom makes possible. Our article is a contribution to that discussion.
Cancer Mortality near OAK Ridge, Tennessee
Authors: Mangano Joseph J.
Published: May 2005

Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is the site of one of the two oldest nuclear facilities in the United States. Although precise records have not been maintained, low levels of radioactive products have been released into the environment since the facility began operation in World War II. Changes in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates for whites between the periods 1950–1952 and 1987–1989 were analyzed to assess whether these radioactive releases have had any adverse effects on the population living near Oak Ridge. Results indicate that the increases in the local area (under 100 miles from Oak Ridge) exceeded regional increases and far exceeded national increases. Within the region, increases were greatest in rural areas, in Anderson County (where Oak Ridge is located), in mountainous counties, and in the region downwind of Oak Ridge. Each of these findings suggest that low levels of radiation, ingested gradually by local residents, were a factor in the increases in local cancer death rates. Results indicate that more studies of this type are called for and that cessation of all future radioactive emissions from nuclear facilities should be considered.
Psychosocial Care by General Practitioners—Where are the Problems? Results of a Demonstration Project on Quality Management in Psychosocial Primary Care
Authors: Fritzsche Kurt , Sandholzer Hagen , Brucks Ursula , Cierpka Manfred , Deter Hans-Christian , Härter Martin , Höger Christoph , Richter Rainer , Schmidt Bettina , Larisch Astrid , Wirsching Michael
Published: May 2005

Objective:

Since 1987, psychosocial services have been a part of the primary care setting in Germany. In the framework of an eight-center national demonstration program, problems in the diagnosis and therapy of psychosocial problems and psychosomatic disorders were assessed. Methods to improve quality were also implemented.

Method:

General practitioners ( n = 191) from six regions participated in the study. One thousand three hundred and forty-one treatment episodes of patients with predominantly psychosocial symptoms were documented. Differences between psychosocial strain, treatment, and outcome were determined by analyses of variance.

Results:

Anxiety (62%), depression (51%), and marital/family conflicts (44%) were the most frequent symptoms. Psychosocial treatment was offered more often to those patients who had the highest level of anxiety and depression. Patients with pain and without a psychological attribution to their illnesses were offered less psychosocial treatment and suffered worse results. Partners and family members were rarely integrated into therapy. The procedures employed to improve outcome were quality circles, family-oriented case conferences, consultation services, and collaborative groups.

Conclusions:

These initial results are promising. A process of internal quality management has been initiated. Some of the physicians still resist documenting the data. Patients with somatic symptoms without psychological attribution may need special psychosocial interventions to improve their outcomes.
Is There a Third Way? A Response to Giddens's The Third Way
Authors: Navarro Vicente
Published: May 2005

Since the early 1990s, there has been in the United Kingdom and the United States a new political position referred to as the Third Way that claims to be intermediate between neoliberalism and social democracy, transcending both. This new position, represented by the Clinton administration in the United States and the Blair Government in the United Kingdom, assumes that both social democracy and neoliberalism are obsolete and calls instead for a new set of public policies that are defined as the Third Way. This article analyzes the most detailed account of the Third Way in the English-speaking world, written by Professor Giddens. It shows that Giddens stereotypes both the neoliberal and the social democratic positions to an unrecognizable degree, failing to portray the varieties of social democratic policies in existence today in developed capitalist countries. The author shows how the Third Way is merely a recycling of liberal positions in some social policy areas and Christian democratic positions in others. Where the Third Way intends to be innovative—as in the U.K. New Deal program—the programs are pale copies of successful labor market policies carried out by northern European social democratic parties. The author concludes that the Third Way, with its questioning of the universalistic welfare state and its preference for assistential and means-tested programs, signifies a break with the social democratic tradition, transforming it into a hybrid between Christian democracy and neoliberalism.
Imagery in Creative Drama
Authors: Rosenberg Helane S. , Pinciotti Patricia
Published: May 2005

The spontaneous imaginative play of the preschool-aged child appears to strengthen and influence learning and a wide range of behaviors. An essential component in imaginative play is the ability to transform one's imagery, mentally and physically. Creative drama, a field devoted to the conduct of drama activities with young people aged seven to fifteen, seems to be the next stage in the development of imagery processes. Mental imagery, seen as the connecting link between such fields as theatre, child development, education, and psychology, provides the focus for a framework for the field of creative drama. Termed the iii Framework, this conceptualization consists of three stages: image (i1), imaging (i2), and imagination (i3). Each stage of the framework, as well as practical application to creative drama, is discussed.
Anaphora in Popular Stories: Implications for Narrative Theory
Authors: Fox Barbara A.
Published: May 2005

Recent work in a variety of fields, including literary criticism, linguistics, cognitive psychology, and computer science, has been rife with theories of narrative, in particular narrative structure. The goal of this article is to evaluate, by exploring data on anaphora in narratives, two specific models of narrative structure, Story Grammar and Conceptual Dependency, whose underlying assumptions are shared by a wide range of theorists and to comment in general on re-visioning narrative theory.
Instructional Development Related to an Intelligent Videodisc
Authors: LaGow Robert L.
Published: May 2005

The Media Development Project for the Hearing Impaired at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is currently investigating possible uses of an interactive videodisc player to provide instructional materials for the deaf. The paper describes some general characteristics of the deaf learner and discusses the videodisc as a means for marketing computer-based visual instructional materials, hardware functions and possible design approaches using a variety of instructional techniques. It further describes one experimental production, for an interactive videodisc, based on the needs for materials generated in the MDPHI project to develop basic reading skills for the hearing impaired.
Social Cognition, Language, and the Non-Conscious Expression of Racial Ideology
Authors: Haskell Robert E.
Published: May 2005

Derived from a set of qualitative methodological procedures of analysis and validation of verbal reports, findings from both small group laboratory sessions and naturalistic observation settings are presented illustrating non-conscious expressions of racial ideology. Literal verbal productions are shown to yield “metaphorical” or subliteral references to racial concerns and stereotypes. The findings are discussed in terms of psychological and sociocultural levels of conditioning, prejudicial intent, the perception of “difference,” and the cognitive structure of prejudice.
Adopting Technology in Third World Classrooms: Students' Viewpoint about Computers in Science Teaching and Learning
Authors: Jegede Olugbemiro J. , Okebukola Peter Akinsola
Published: May 2005

The use of computers in education, which has emerged as a result of the considerable growth in information technology, has several implications for the global search for effective strategies in teaching school subjects. In contrast to what happens in the developed world, several developing countries like Nigeria are yet to fully appreciate the full benefits of computers and their usage in every day life. In Nigeria the Federal Government has only just taken the bold step to introduce computers into some selected classrooms as a modest beginning to the full scale use of computers in the society. The literature is replete with accounts indicating that the importation of several ideas into environments other than where they have been developed or meant, has often caused pedagogic and cultural problems. The paradigm of constructivism argues for the need to begin any instructional endeavor with pupils constructing their own knowledge using prior knowledge. This proposition motivated this study with the aim of seeking information that could be relevant to the effective introduction and use of computer in Third World classrooms. What for example, do Nigerian pupils perceive as the role of computers in the classroom? What is their concept of a computer and do they nurse any apprehensions? What sociocultural consequences would this have? This study was designed to gather and provide answers to these and other related questions. Using a four-part questionnaire with a total of 29 items, data were collected from a sample of 200 senior secondary one (grade level 10) students from the Lagos metropolitan area. The results of this study strongly suggest that the majority of Nigerian students: welcome and are enthusiastic about the introduction of computers into their classrooms; are concerned about their socio-economic status; demonstrate possession of computers have significant effect on their attitudes; and most of the students nurse some social and cultural apprehensions regarding the presence of computers in their classrooms.
Measurement of Risk and Protective Factors for Drug Use and Anti-Social Behavior among High School Students in South Africa
Authors: Morojele Neo K. , Flisher Alan J. , Muller Martie , Ziervogel Carl F. , Reddy Priscilla , Lombard Carl J.
Published: May 2005

The study sought to examine, for South African adolescents: 1) the reliability of sub-scales of the Communities that Care Youth Survey (CTC Youth Survey) of risk and protective factors for drug use and anti-social behavior; and 2) the extent to which tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use can be predicted from community, family, school, and peer-individual factors based on sub-scales of the CTC Youth Survey. On two occasions, 92 male and 31 female, Grade 8 and 11 students completed measures concerning: 1) their past month tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use; and 2) various community, family, school, and peer-individual factors. Cronbach alpha coefficients of sub-scales of the questionnaire ranged between .60 and .94. Kappa values were at least moderate (above .40) on 19 sub-scales, and on the remaining sub-scales observed agreement levels ranged between .49 and .94. Each domain predicted tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that alcohol use was most strongly accounted for by the peer domain, tobacco use by the school domain, and marijuana use by the peer and community domains. The findings support use of the CTC Youth Survey, with slight revisions, among South African high school students.
A “Metacourse” for Basic: Assessing a New Model for Enhancing Instruction
Authors: Schwartz Steven , Perkins D. N. , Estey Greg , Kruidenier John , Simmons Rebecca
Published: May 2005

In response to a number of difficulties many beginners exhibit in trying to master a programming language such as BASIC or LOGO, a “metacourse” was developed to be integrated into a teacher's normal course materials as an enriching “vitamin shot.” The metacourse in BASIC consists of mental models, problem-solving strategies, key concepts, and other structures that may help students to understand more deeply and wield more artfully the knowledge they are acquiring during their regular instruction in BASIC. Highly encouraging results, in terms of increased mastery of BASIC, were found in two large scale empirical studies conducted in a number of high school BASIC programming classes. Metacourse classes exhibited improved performance on a variety of BASIC programming tasks, ranging from comprehension of simple commands to debugging and production of small programs. This same pattern was observed with interventions which offered teachers considerable support (Study 1), or the minimal support more typical of “normal” classroom conditions (Study 2).
Experience in Educational Design for Interactive Videodisc and Quadrasync Presentations
Authors: Leveridge Leo L.
Published: May 2005

Educators prepared to use new electro-mechanical technology are on the threshold of a revolution in education through the use of packages that are interactive, multimedia) and designed to provide the learning experience at a time, pace and place of individual convenience. Sample script pages illustrate how programs can be written to integrate audiovisual communication with the systems approach automated by data processors. A flow chart illustrates the complex branching capabilities of new equipment. The particular concerns involved in programming the QuadraSync and computer-managed videodisc players are described including the videodisc capabilities to keep in mind for educational design. Microcomputers are compared with large computers. Preliminary evaluation is reported. By making the most efficient and effective use of student time these systems offer unlimited opportunities for significant improvement in educational communication.
Grief Casualties on Skid Row
Authors: Hughes Cornelius , Fleming Dagmar
Published: May 2005

Case study research in a southwestern shelter for homeless men revealed a small, but notable, minority suffering from unresolved grief. The grief of these men was due to the death of a spouse, a child, a parent, or other member of their immediate family, or to a particularly painful divorce, earlier in their lives. Their relationship loss and the consequent grief that they were unable to complete appeared to have robbed them of the will to maintain their social standing in society. The result was drastic downward mobility to a life on the street. Their failure to cope with grief would appear to be due to a dearth of primary relationships in their former and present lives.
Doing Unto Others through Technical Communication Internship Programs
Authors: Savage Gerald J.
Published: May 2005

While technical writing continues to struggle for recognition as a legitimate academic discipline, English programs are increasingly perceived not only by nonacademics, but by academics in other fields as having little relevance in nonacademic professions. Internships are routine components of technical communication programs, but they can offer excellent professional opportunities to English majors who do not plan academic careers. A technical communication internship program expanded to encompass the nonacademic needs and interests of English majors has benefits for the English department, for English majors, and for the technical communication profession. First, it can enhance enrollments and retention in the English program. Second, it can build the credibility of the English curriculum in the nonacademic professional community. Finally, it can enhance the credibility of technical communication within the English department. It is to our advantage to do whatever we can to support our English department colleagues rather than to undermine their often precarious status in the academy and in society.
Coping with Anger and Aggression in Mourning
Authors: Rosenblatt Paul C. , Jackson Douglas A. , Walsh Rose P.
Published: May 2005

Content analysis of ethnographic materials was used to study means of coping with anger and aggression by bereaved persons. It appears that anger and aggression by bereaved persons is reduced in societies where ritual specialists are used in the period up to and including initial body disposal. In societies where there are institutionalized patterns of anger and aggression, the problem of keeping the anger and aggression channeled seems to be dealt with by the use of customary isolation or marking of the bereaved. Implications of these data for bereavement processes of Americans are discussed.
Towards a Theory of Suicide: The Case for Modern Fatalism
Authors: Peck Dennis L.
Published: May 2005

This paper explores the empirical relationship between fatalism and suicide in a population of youthful victims. Content analysis of case histories and suicide notes was conducted for 132 individuals between the ages of twelve and thirty-four. Almost one-third (N = 43) of the youthful suicide victims were found to have experienced fatalistic thought-ways prior to their death. A model of fatalistic suicide based upon salient interdisciplinary observations consistent with a fatalistic explanation of youthful suicide is presented. Results are discussed relative to a specific population of victims in the light of a theoretical statement promulgating the relationship between a fatalistic social condition and youthful suicide.
An Integrated Approach to Operations Research for Strengthening Family Planning Programs: A Case Example in Kenya
Authors: Miller Robert A. , Frerichs Ralph R.
Published: May 2005

The Africa Operations Research/Technical Assistance Project developed an integrated approach to introducing and institutionalizing family planning in Kenya. This approach consisted of: 1) the development of the Situation Analysis methodology to diagnose problems; 2) the development of a computer simulation model for choosing operations research (OR) strategies; 3) an OR training workshop; 4) the implementation of three OR field studies testing educational approaches to several program problems; 5) a conference to review the findings and implications from the three studies. Technical assistance was provided in all phases. Results from the field studies indicated that all of the tested educational interventions had at least some short-term impact. Health talks with waiting maternal and child health (MCH) clients doubled the proportion adopting family planning; a simple educational package for clinic supervisors, along with a day of training, raised the proportion of family planning clients receiving education and referral for voluntary surgical sterilization (VSC) and increased the number of tubal ligations at a referral hospital. Waiting time was reduced. The Division of Family Health of the Ministry of Health has submitted plans to introduce these interventions into several districts of the country in the near future. Full institutionalization of OR requires additional cycles of program activities.
Industrialization and Occupational Health in Underdeveloped Countries
Authors: Elling Ray H.
Published: May 2005

This paper examines world political economic relationships, especially the growing disparities between “developed” and underdeveloped countries and the role of multinational corporations in exploiting the people and resources of underdeveloped lands. Workers in these lands are identified as high risk for both new and old forms of occupational health hazards. To protect themselves, workers must establish governments on their own behalf rather than client governments serving external capitalist interests.

This article appeared, in modified form, in the Proceedings of the Third National Symposium on Non-Communicable Diseases, a conference which was held in the German Democratic Republic, April 21–24, 1976.
Motivation, Personality and Well-Being in Older Volunteers
Authors: Pushkar Dolores , Reis Myrna , Morros Melinda
Published: May 2005

This study examined the effects of personality traits and motivation to volunteer on well-being as 107 older participants went through an intervention to increase volunteering. Three groups of volunteers, current, new, and former volunteers, participated. Participants were assessed four times on standardized measures of personality, health, motivation, and well-being: before and after a wait period, after volunteering, and at one year follow-up. There were no differences between pre, post and follow-up well-being. Regression analysis indicated that health, personality traits and motivation predicted well-being at pre-intervention. In contrast, after the intervention, regression analysis indicated that the interaction of higher neuroticism and greater motivation scores predicted lower well-being compared to other volunteers. One year follow-up results indicated that personality traits and health predicted well-being and that higher initial motivation predicted drop-outs while those continuing to volunteer increased their motivation scores.
Identifying Elderly with Coping Difficulties after Two Years of Bereavement
Authors: Lund Dale A. , Dimond Margaret F. , Caserta Michael S. , Johnson Robert J. , Poulton James L. , Connelly J. Richard
Published: May 2005

This study answers three research questions. First, what proportion of the elderly are experiencing major coping difficulties after two years of bereavement? Second, what factors in early bereavement distinguish between those with difficulties and the others? Third, what set of factors are the best predictors of coping difficulties at two years? Of the 138 persons who completed a two-year longitudinal study of bereavement, twenty-five (18%) were found to be having difficulties after two years according to a scale which combined perceived stress, coping, and depression. The poor copers did not differ from the others with respect to any of the sociodemographic, health, or social support variables. However, those who were poor copers had lower self-esteem, experienced several feelings/behaviors with greater intensity/frequency in early bereavement. Low self-esteem, even prior to bereavement, is likely to be predictive of coping difficulties two years following the death of a spouse. Three weeks after the spouse's death, the poor copers expressed confusion and a desire to die with greater intensity. They also were less likely to be proud of how they were managing the death, they cried more frequently, and did not try to keep as busy in this early bereavement period.
Extending the Expressive Power of Language: Tables, Graphs, and Diagrams
Authors: Gross Alan G.
Published: May 2005

Tables, graphs, and diagrams extend the expressive powers of language by exploiting the Euclidean possibilities that a system of writing suggests to the visually creative. Because the elements of graphic displays do not form a compatible natural set, because their value and visual elements are so decisively disparate, they are unlikely candidates for unitary theoretical description.
Process Video in Scientific Higher Education
Authors: Wetzel Mary C.
Published: May 2005

Television has not been used well in modern universities, although technology is well advanced. In scientific education, despite the instrument-dependent nature of modern science, most methods neglect behaviors of teachers and learners. In contrast, variants of “process video” that are described here emphasized three-way interactions among instructors, students, and video machinery. Guidelines show how simple video assistance was introduced and developed gradually into more fully instrumented learning environments, with examples taken from a variety of experimental classrooms. It was concluded that a science of learning which merges video and computer science can help to integrate research, teaching, and service functions of postsecondary institutions.
Scaling the Stressfulness of Gynecological Complaints
Authors: Patterson Virginia , Wilner Nancy
Published: May 2005

The present study determines the amount of agreement among staff members of a gynecology service in assessing the stressfulness of various gynecological conditions, and the efficacy of these estimates in predicting stress symptomatology among patients. Subjects were 103 patients attending a gynecology clinic during a two month period. We found that the gynecological conditions could be consensually ranked according to stressfulness by staff of the gynecology service but assessments of the magnitude of the stress differed according to the sex and professional affiliation of the rater. Judgments of stressfulness did predict the presence of certain kinds of emotional reactions among the patient group but the correlations were not high enough to warrant prediction for the individual case.
Finding and Building the Joinable Society
Authors: Leinhardt Gaea , McQuaide Judith
Published: May 2005

We report the results of research that examined the ways in which a computer simulation of a banking workplace influenced high school students general knowledge and understanding about the world of work. The stance taken is that the society must be seen as joinable and permeable if students are to positively and successfully enter the world of work. Using a semi-structured interview that was built around a conceptual framework of the work-world, students who used the simulation were compared with non-use students. The framework included three core constructs: general job awareness (job list); worksense (pathways in, typical days, and types of skills); and trade-offs (choices, complexity of reasoning, current efforts). Results indicated that students who used the simulation had a broader sense of work and had more subtle understandings of current trade-offs than did the non-use students.
The Effects of Using Colored Paper to Boost Response-Rates to Surveys and Questionnaires
Authors: Hartley James , Rutherford Andrew
Published: May 2005

Many people have speculated over the last 80 years or so about the possibilities of using colored paper to boost response-rates to surveys and questionnaires, and several studies have been carried out. Most of these enquiries report no significant effects from using colored paper, although there have been some exceptions. In this investigation we pooled together the results from all of the experimental studies known to us on the topic and we carried out a meta-analysis to see if there might be a positive effect for colored paper overall. The results indicated that this was not the case, for we found no significant differences between the response rates to white and to colored paper in general. However, when we considered separately the most common colors used, it appeared that pink paper had the greatest effect.
Social Inequalities in Perceived Health and the Use of Health Services in a Southern European Urban Area
Authors: Borrell Carme , Rohlfs Izabella , Ferrando Josep , Pasarín M. Isabel , Domínguez-Berjón Felicitas , Plasència Antoni
Published: May 2005

People of lower social class have worse health and less access to health services and preventive care. This article describes social class inequalities in health status and use of services, both curative and preventive, in Barcelona, in a country with a national health service. The cross-sectional study uses information from the 1992 Barcelona Health Interview Survey. Social class was designated using an adaptation of the British Registrar General classification. The study variables measured health status, health services utilization, and preventive practices. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used. Some 88 percent of men in social class I and 81 percent in class V had very good or good perceived health status. For women these figures were 85.2 and 57.6 percent, respectively. Chronic illness increased with lower social class. There were no social class differences in the frequency of physician visits during the two weeks prior to the interview among people with poor perceived health. Some 60.7 percent of women aged over 29 in social class I had periodic cervical smears, but only 32 percent of those in class V; the corresponding figures for mammography were 37.8 and 11.3 percent. The national health service has advantages in terms of access to health services, but more knowledge about the quality of these services is required. The study findings are sufficient to defend the undertaking of equitable health policies, especially in providing access to preventive care for the entire population.
Some Political Origins of the Denial of Death
Authors: Killilea Alfred G.
Published: May 2005

Although the political dimensions of the attempt to deny death in our culture have been largely neglected, this denial is positively required by the assumptions and incentives of our political ideology. An examination of the political theory of John Locke, the philosopher who has had the largest impact upon American institutions and ideology, reveals how central to his thought were assumptions about the lure of unlimited acquisition, the inevitability of human estrangement and the significance of achievement. All three of these assumptions survive today encased in Locke's widely accepted doctrine on property and all three are undermined by the movement to treat death more openly and humanly. In particular, the recognition of the limits of human existence allows for a perspective on life's activities that threatens the Lockean inspired politics of growth for the sake of growth. The force of this collision reveals both the contemporary prevalence of Locke's ideas and the potential for significant political repercussions in the insights gained from facing death.
Effect of the Doctor on College Students' Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Suicide
Authors: Wooddell Victor , Kaplan Kalman J.
Published: May 2005

Ninety-six students were presented with eighteen different vignettes describing different types of active and passive observed suicide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. Attitudes regarding the morality and desired legality of each situation were measured. Results indicate that the interaction between the doctor and the patient, and, to a lesser extent, the active or passive nature of the agent of death, were more important than the actual actions of the doctor in allowing or causing death to occur.
HIV Risk Factors among Pregnant and Non-Pregnant High-Risk Women in New York City
Authors: Deren Sherry , Beardsley Mark , Davis Rees , Tortu Stephanie
Published: May 2005

A comparison of high-risk pregnant ( n = 55) and non-pregnant ( n = 598) women from Harlem, New York City on HIV-related drug and sexual risk behaviors was undertaken to identify appropriate prevention and intervention policy recommendations. Clients were recruited for an AIDS risk reduction research demonstration project and were either intravenous drug users (IVDUs) or sexual partners of IVDUs. There was a higher percentage of IVDUs among the non-pregnant women, and no significant differences were found between pregnant and non-pregnant IVDUs in terms of needle risk behaviors. The two groups were also similar in non-injected drug use behaviors. Pregnant women were significantly less likely to use condoms. Recommendations focused on the need for increased HIV risk reduction among high-risk women in general, and increased education efforts among pregnant high-risk women regarding condom use as protection from HIV and the potential consequences of maternal substance use for their children.
Stratification and Smoking: A Search for Class-Based Smoking Lifestyles
Authors: Goldstein Jay
Published: May 2005

This study looked for evidence of distinctive smoking lifestyles among social classes. Data on smoking attitudes and behaviors were collected via interviews of a representative sample of residents of a major western Canadian city. Four indicators of social class position (based on two approaches to conceptualizing social class) were employed. Regardless of the indicator of class used, few attitudinal or behavioral differences between social classes were found. The results suggest that the multi-faceted approach to smoking prevention in Canada has fostered a general climate of opinion which is antagonistic to smoking. Sociological factors which can lead to misperceptions of the extent of social class differences in smoking are discussed.
Anorexia Nervosa—An Unusual Presentation of the Plummer-Vinson Syndrome
Authors: Leitersdorf Eran , Israeli Abraham , Raz Itamar
Published: May 2005

A case which presented originally as anorexia nervosa was found on further examination to be a major depressive disorder secondary to iron deficiency. Clinical signs of iron deficiency anemia as a part of the Plummer-Vinson syndrome and severe depression resolved promptly after parenteral iron therapy.
Hispanic Students Face Barriers to Health Careers
Authors: Winder Alvin E. , Bruno Paula , Stein Amy , Torres Maria Idali
Published: May 2005

Holyoke, Massachusetts was selected as the site of this study to identify barriers preventing Hispanic youth from entering the health occupations. The attitudes of students from the local high school towards selected health occupations were assessed. High school guidance counselors were interviewed to determine how they perceived these barriers. Health care agencies in the area were interviewed to determine the number of Hispanics currently in their employ and to assess their willingness to employ others. The most important finding is that Hispanic youth do not differ significantly from Non-Hispanic youth in either their attitudes or their aspirations towards careers in health. The finding is at variance with the perceptions of the majority of the guidance counselors. Health care agencies in the area expressed a willingness to hire trained Hispanics for health occupations. Four major barriers were identified. Recommendations for their removal are presented.
Use of Imagery in a Chronic Pain Outpatient Group
Authors: Newshan Gayle , Balamuth Ron
Published: May 2005

This is a report of an innovative treatment approach to chronic pain, integrating relaxation, cognitive therapy and imagery techniques. Three groups of chronic pain patients were treated using this approach. Characteristics of the patient population, problems in recruitment, compliance and management issues are described. Imagery and visualization were the most important components of the treatment. The use of these methods is demonstrated through specific case examples. Imagery appears to be a powerful and effective technique in the treatment of chronic pain patients. It needs, however, to be used in conjunction with other methods. When used flexibly, both to mobilize the patient's motivation for change and coping, and also to address obstacles and resistances to the treatment, it has been found to be highly effective.
Husband and Adult-Daughter Caregivers' Bereavement
Authors: Bernard Lori L. , Guarnaccia Charles A.
Published: May 2005

Compared the post-patient death bereavement adjustment of 126 husband and 87 adult-daughter hospice caregivers of women terminally ill with breast cancer. Data used is from the National Hospice Study, collected in 1980–1983 (Greer&Mor, 1987). These husband and daughter caregivers did not differ on general grief experience or despair 90 days following the patient's death. Both husbands and daughters had more grief 90 days after the death if the patient died in a hospital setting as compared to at home. Daughter caregivers who lived with their mother had greater despair than daughter caregivers who did not live in the same household as their mother. For this sample of husband and adult-daughter caregivers, the difference in family role, husband versus daughter, did not relate to differences in grief and despair following the patient's death. This study suggests that grief experience varies with specifics of the caregiving relationship.
The Classification of Mental Disorders in Primary Care: A Guide through a Difficult Terrain
Authors: Lamberts Henk , Magruder Kathryn , Kathol Roger G. , Pincus Harold A. , Okkes Inge
Published: May 2005

Background:

Primary care physicians traditionally have a strong interest in the mental health of their patients. Three classification systems are available for them to diagnose, label, and classify mental disorders: 1) The ICD-10 approach with three options, 2) The DSM-IV approach with two options, and 3) the ICPC approach with two options. This article lists important similarities and differences between the systems to help potential users choose the option that best meets their needs.

Methods:

Definitions for depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and somatization disorder are compared on five characteristics of classification: 1. the domain, 2. the scope, 3. the nature of the definitions, 4. focus on episodes of care, and 5. clinical guidelines.

Results:

Primary care physicians and psychiatrists have different perspectives, reflected in different classifications. Each system has specific possibilities and limitations with regard to the diagnosis of mental disorders. For common mental disorders it is possible, however, to choose codes from one system while maintaining compatibility with the other two. Comparability as to the diagnostic content of the different classes, however, is more difficult to establish. The available classification systems give both primary care physicians and psychiatrists options to diagnose, label, and to classify mental disorders from their own perspective, but once a system has been chosen the clinical comparability of a patient with the same diagnosis in other systems is limited.

Conclusion:

Compatibility among systems can be optimized by strictly following a number of rules. The conversion between ICPC and ICD-10 (and consequently DSM-IV) allows simultaneous use of ICPC and ICD-10 as a classification and DSM-IV as the standard nomenclature. This is of particular interest for computer based patient records in primary care. The clinical comparability of the same diagnosis in different systems however is limited by the characteristics of the different system.