bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mathematical Modeling of Student Flows for a Large Residential University
Authors: Smith Alan D.
Published: May 2005

The research in the literature on the problematic effects of attrition in higher education has been well documented in the past. Obviously, the nature and purpose of the colleges/universities involved have a significant impact on the dropout problem, and there may be many factors that post-secondary institutions can control in order to curb attrition. The attempt to delineate those factors require models to be generated to provide additional information on the interruption of student flow toward degree completion, in order to produce forecasting tools. Since most of the attrition appears to be during the first year of college attendance, the spatial distributions of incoming freshmen students coming to Eastern Kentucky University, a large residential university, were inspected to determine if detectable patterns of enrollment trends existed. The University has a regional mission, thus spatial characterization of student flows are important to determine stability of enrollment in its service area and surrounding counties. Student flow models were created and statistically tested for enrollment data from 1979 through 1982, inclusively, as well as change in enrollment from 1981 to 1982, based on data obtained from 117 counties in Kentucky. Three-dimensional modeling techniques as well as hypotheses testing and model comparisons of polynomial trend surfaces were utilized in modeling the spatial distributions of incoming freshmen students. Powerful and statistically significant predictive models of student flow were generated and graphically portrayed for the years studied. The best fit surfaces accounted for a low of 56.32 to a high of 61.61 percent of explained variance in predicting student flows as a function of geographic distribution in Kentucky. However, no such relationship was found to be significant for student change from one year to the next, as evident from the analysis of the change in 1981/1982.
An Analysis of the Medical Supply Industries
Authors: Turshen Meredeth
Published: May 2005

Medical supply industries are dominated by widely diversified multinational companies that produce chemicals, pharmaceuticals, computers, cosmetics, and electronic equipment. Of these products, the most profitable group is prescription drugs. This article contains a description of the general structure of the pharmaceutical industry worldwide and the specific details of drug operations in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is of special interest because of its long-standing and partially successful attempt to regulate drug prices. The government's inability to achieve total control is related to the competitive structure of capitalist economy, to the patent system that grants monopoly privileges to drug firms, and to the duplication of research efforts and waste of resources that push up drug costs.

The pharmaceutical industry serves the needs of people poorly in developed countries; its impact on underdeveloped countries is much worse. In the Third World, nascent national companies and small local producers of drugs cannot compete with the huge multinationals; the patent system proves to be an imperfect mechanism for the transfer of medical science and technology; and the high cost of imported drugs determines the amount of health care governments can provide for the population. The multinational corporations are now global enterprises that integrate the production of chemicals for many different uses-drugs for human and animal consumption, fertilizers, pesticides, and food additives. Thus the multinationals affect agricultural production and animal husbandry in underdeveloped countries and thereby nutrition as well as the treatment of disease.
Differing Bereavements: Suicide, Natural, and Accidental Death
Authors: Sheskin Arlene , Wallace Samuel E.
Published: May 2005

This paper compares the bereavement experiences which attend suicide, natural and accidental death for widows. Two recent studies, Glick, Weiss and Parkes The First Year of Bereavement and Samuel E. Wallace's After Suicide provide the data. The aspects of bereavement which are reviewed and compared include (1) anticipation of death, (2) personal reactions to death, (3) reactions of others, (4) adjustments and reinvolvement. New directions for bereavement research are also suggested.
Case Studies of Violations of Workers' Freedom of Association: Manufacturing Workers
Authors: McMahon Jean
Published: May 2005

As part of its report “Unfair Advantage: Workers' Freedom of Association in the United States under International Human Rights Standards,” Human Rights Watch conducted a series of case studies in a dozen states, covering a variety of industries and employment sectors, analyzing the U.S. experience in the light of both national law and international human rights and labor rights norms. Presented here are the case studies of manufacturing workers.
The Process of Health Care Decision Making among Cambodian Immigrant Women
Authors: Frye Barbara
Published: May 2005

This qualitative study examined the congruence between health beliefs and behavior as reported by thirty Cambodian (Khmer) refugee women in Southern California. Utilizing in-home interviewing in the Khmer language, data were gathered on 226 illness episodes occurring among 157 family members tracked over an eight-month span. Informants reported a strong maternal role in health care decision making with all ages of children. Adult decision making demonstrated an individualistic pattern. Causes of illness were attributed primarily to humoral imbalances and illness avoidance behavior reflected these beliefs. Treatment was a blend of scientific and traditional medicine. Health care was accessed in settings of linguistic and cultural comfort regardless of distance. Disease prevention was linked to adequate food quantity. Chronic degenerative disease, stress, and reproductive complications were reported frequently. The adolescents and women appeared to be at high risk for cultural stress.
Recognition of Work-Related Diseases: An Original Collaborative Project in Québec
Authors: King Norman
Published: May 2005

Establishing the causal link between disease and working conditions is no easy task. In Québec, an original collaborative project combining epidemiology, community organization, and medical care has evolved over the years in order to promote the recognition of work-related diseases, particularly among non-unionized workers. This article will describe this innovative project as well as its achievements, strengths, and weaknesses.
Perceptions and Use of the Male Condom among African American University Students
Authors: Harvey S. Marie , Beckman Linda J. , Wright Catherine
Published: May 2005

This study examines differences in condom use among female and male African-American young adults; investigates how perceptions of contraceptive characteristics vary by gender; and determines which combination of contraceptive attitudes best discriminates between condom users and nonusers. In a classroom setting, 244 African-American college students completed the Contraceptive Attributes Questionnaire-2. Significantly more men than women reported condom use, both actual and intended. Women and men differed in the importance they place on contraceptive characteristics and in their perceptions of both the condom and the contraceptive pill. Finally, perceived contraceptive attributes significantly differentiated men and women who used condoms from those who did not and predicted those who reported that they definitely intend to use condoms from those who do not. These findings suggest that prevention efforts to promote condom use must be gender specific as well as culture specific if they are to be effective.
Productivity Tool and Cognitive Stimulator
Authors: Harrell William L.
Published: May 2005

Personal computers today are able to play natural sounding human speech and provide full-screen interactive video. Computers can also allow users to communicate globally and to interact with one another in real-time using chat lines, Webcams (Web cameras), etc. Such virtual communication avenues offer opportunities for authentic language use between native and non-native. Furthermore, CD-ROMS used with laptop computers can offer language instruction almost anywhere on demand. With so many possibilities available, broadly speaking, the computer can be used essentially in three ways for language teaching. It can be used to present material to the entire class; it can be used by small groups of learners working collaboratively at the screen, either in the classroom or on a self-access basis; and it can be used as an individual resource either in the classroom or on a self-access basis [1]. Whenever the computer is used in any of the three ways for language teaching, it can be utilized as a productivity tool and as an instrument for promoting higher-order thinking skills—in other words, as a cognitive stimulator. This article considers the role of cognition in language learning and explores constructivism and Bloom's taxonomy of higher-order thinking skills. By noting how computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and cognitive development are linked, we can understand why the computer is under-utilized as a promoter of higher-order thinking skills and suggests ways to remedy that situation for language learning with computers.
Integrating Computer Assisted Instruction with the Teaching of Language
Authors: Shenouda Wagih , Wolfe Vicki
Published: May 2005

Faculty and Educational Technology Center staff at the College at Old Westbury have created an electronic language laboratory and integrated it into a variety of language courses, including English as a Second Language (ESL), Spanish, and French. This presentation describes the selection of the lab's software and hardware, a description of two ESL programs, and a discussion of the integration of these programs into the classroom curriculum. Using pre- and post-tests, we have measured students' progress in acquiring college-level English language skills by supplementing in-class instruction with independent work in the language lab.
Calculating Production Ratios for Computer-Based Multimedia Instruction: Descriptive Analyses of Production Data of Experienced Developers
Authors: Cates Ward Mitchell
Published: May 2005

This article reports descriptive analyses of production data gathered from experienced instructional developers who used a commercial authoring package and supplemental coding over a one-year period to produce three separate instructional lessons on thinking skills as part of a larger commercial educational product. Reported data include production ratios for the lessons developed and distribution of development time across various development activities. Analyses of these data suggest ways to make decisions about job timelines, budgets, and assigned responsibilities.
Attitudes and Knowledge about Drinking: Relationships with Drinking Behavior among Pregnant Teenagers
Authors: Cornelius Marie D. , Lebow Howard A. , Day Nancy L.
Published: May 2005

Data were collected on the drinking behavior of 415 pregnant adolescents from 1990 to 1994. The relationships between knowledge and attitudes about drinking and drinking behavior were examined. Knowledge about drinking was not related to average daily volume of alcohol before or during pregnancy. Those with specific knowledge about fetal alcohol effects drank less before pregnancy, and in the first trimester, and were also less likely to drink to intoxication. Among drinkers, general knowledge about drinking was significantly related to a decrease in drinking between pre-pregnancy and first trimester, as well as between first and third trimesters. Those with more intolerant attitudes about drinking drank less before and during pregnancy. They had fewer episodes of binge drinking, intoxication, negative consequences, and problem drinking during pregnancy. They were more likely to decrease drinking from the first to third trimesters. These relationships are relevant to developing effective education programs for the high-risk group of pregnant teenagers who drink.
The Double Standard in Industrial Hazards
Authors: Castleman Barry I.
Published: May 2005

Industrial health hazards, both occupational and environmental, have been the object of increasing concern in industrialized nations. Control requirements and compensation liabilities have favored the emergence of alternatives to asbestos, carcinogenic dye intermediates, mercury, and other very hazardous materials. However, despite the domination of world markets and production by firms well aware of such dangers, progress has been delayed in the developing countries. Numerous examples of a double standard in health protection are cited, in which the affiliates of companies based in the United States, Europe, and Japan expose workers and communities in developing countries to dangers that would not be tolerated in the home countries of the multinationals. This widespread problem stands as a threat to public health and a challenge to professionals in this field, worldwide.
Gender-Based Factors in Computing Enrollments and Achievement: Evidence from a Study of Tertiary Students
Authors: Clarke Valerie A. , Chambers Susan M.
Published: May 2005

Fewer females than males enroll in secondary and tertiary computing courses. This has implications for both the national economy and for the development of women as individuals. Explanations for gender differences in enrollments place varying emphasis on 1) social learning explanations focusing on the importance of experience, encouragement from significant others, the provision of male role models, and the generalization of pre-existing attitudes to mathematics and science, 2) category-based explanations of computer selection and avoidance, 3) beliefs about gender differences in abilities, and 4) gender differences in attributions for success and failure. Using a sample of 222 Australian first year tertiary students enrolled in a compulsory unit of computer studies, data were collected from questionnaires and the university database. Initial gender differences in computing experience and attitudes were found. Women were less likely to intend to pursue further computing studies, although their achievement was comparable to that of men. Achievement related to computing experience and in the case of men, to mathematics experience. Intentions to pursue further computing studies related to attitudes to computing and, in the case of women to mathematics experience and attitudes to statistics. The results are discussed in terms of the different roles of prior experience and attitudes and the implications for changing women's attitudes to computing.
Conservative Economics: A Menace to Health Planning in the United States
Authors: Wolfe Samuel
Published: May 2005

The position of a well known and well publicized conservative economist of the United States is critically evaluated, focussing on the myths of consumer preferences, equal access to and use of service, and the notion that less insurance for moderate-sized hospital bills with associated greater out-of-pocket expense will in some mysterious way be beneficial to the public.
A Qualitative Investigation of Alcohol Drinking among Male High School Students from Three Communities in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa
Authors: Ziervogel C. F. , Morojele N. K. , Van Der Riet J. , Parry C. D. H. , Robertson B. A.
Published: May 2005

This article reports on a qualitative study using focus group discussions about alcohol binge drinking with tenth grade male high-school students. Groups were run separately with binge drinking and non-binge drinking adolescents in three different communities. The Theory of Planned Behaviour with two additional constructs was used to provide a theoretical framework for the semi-structured discussions and for the analysis of the data. Although the findings are complex some clear differences did emerge between binge drinkers and non-binge drinkers and between participants from the three different communities. The binge drinkers perceived positive outcomes from binge drinking, were embedded within a peer group culture of binge drinking, and found few obstacles of obtaining alcohol. The non-binge drinkers were more concerned with longer term life goals and were motivated to comply with family pressures not to drink excessively. The implications of these findings for preventive programs and for future research are discussed.
Effectiveness of a Death-Education Program in Reducing Death Anxiety of Nursing Students
Authors: Johansson Noreen , Lally Terry
Published: May 2005

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a death education program in reducing death anxiety experienced by nursing students. Twenty-two junior and thirty-two senior baccalaureate nursing students in a private sectarian liberal arts college were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. All participants were pre- and posttested with the State Form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory following the viewing of a film depicting a death experience. Posttest analysis indicated that the death education program was effective in decreasing the death anxiety of some of the seniors, but it had an opposite effect on some of the juniors. This discrepancy in findings could result from the fact that seniors had prior supervised clinical experience with dying patients, and juniors did not have this experience.
Psychosocial Factors and Recurrent Genital Herpes: A Review of Prediction and Psychiatric Treatment Studies
Authors: Longo David , Koehn Kent
Published: May 2005

Objective:

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the evidence which supports the association between psychosocial factors and genital herpes simplex virus recurrences (HSV), as well as to examine the biological and psychological treatments for disease.

Method:

Forty-five studies were reviewed from the years 1928 to 1991. Studies were identified via computerized biographic literature search of Psychological Abstracts and Medline. Additional studies were located by inspection of key article reference sections. Studies were included in the review if the sample consisted of recurrent genital herpes sufferers and the design was either correlational or experimental. Cases studies were reviewed if they described HSV psychiatric treatment and provided outcome information.

Results:

Psychosocial variables are important elements in the prediction, maintenance, and management of recurrent genital herpes. Furthermore, the effectiveness of psychological treatment regimes may be explained via psychoimmunological theory.

Conclusions:

Psychosocial treatment should be considered as adjunctive therapy for biological treatment of recurrent HSV infections. Future research should address primary prevention of genital herpes and other sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infections.
Technical Writing's Roots in Computer Science: The Evolution from Technician to Technical Writer
Authors: Shirk Henrietta Nickels
Published: May 2005

The history of Technical Writing closely parallels trends in the discipline of Computer Science. The early technical writers in the computer software industry were its own technicians (programmers and analysts), who used a variety of diagramming techniques to document computer systems. As a result of the widespread availability of computers and software which began in the 1970s, professional communicators joined the software industry and reinterpreted these diagramming techniques from technical source documents into user documentation. The impact of this assimilation process has influenced graphic representations in Technical Writing, as well as created the conceptual metaphors of the “user” and the “module” (which are emerging archetypes). In the past, Technical Writing's historical roots have been the result of reactions to Computer Science. However, the increasing presence of online documentation is now creating opportunities for technical writers to shape their own future by joining with computer scientists as influential equals.
Factor Structure of the Bereavement Experience Questionnaire: The Beq-24, a Revised Short-Form
Authors: Guarnaccia Charles A. , Hayslip Bert
Published: May 2005

To empirically determine the factor structure of the original sixty-seven-item Bereavement Experience Questionnaire (BEQ) (Demi, 1984; Demi & Schroeder, 1987, 1989), data from 437 adults bereaved within the past two years were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Results did not support the original theoretically based, eight-factor structure, but did suggest a three-factor structure with fewer items. A twenty-four-item three-factor (Existential Loss/Emotional Needs, Guilt/Blame/Anger, Preoccupation with Thoughts of Deceased) LISREL measurement model fit the data well. In addition, this three-factor model made good theoretical sense. This empirically derived twenty-four-item three-factor scale was then cross-validated with independent data from an additional 297 bereaved adults. The use of this refined measure of grief, the BEQ-24, is discussed.
The Politics of Suffering: The Impact of the U.S. Embargo on the Health of the Cuban People
Authors: Kuntz Diane , Jackson Cheryl
Published: May 2005

The past several years have been difficult for the Cuban people. The economies of Cuba's major trading partners have collapsed. The 33-year U.S. embargo was tightened with passage of “The Cuban Democracy Act of 1992” to include trade—mostly in food and medicines—by subsidiaries of U.S. companies in other countries. The March 1993 “Storm of the Century,” which devastated communities from the Caribbean to Canada, caused an estimated $1 billion in damage to Cuba. A mysterious disease known as neuropathy, which can affect vision, appeared in late 1991 and has spread throughout the island. All this has created a situation of scarcity and uncertainty that has affected all aspects of Cuban society, including its health care system. In June 1993 a delegation that included members of the American Public Health Association traveled to Cuba to investigate the current health situation in the country, with an emphasis on the impact of the U.S. embargo. The delegation found that compared to two and three years ago, the general standard of living in Cuba and the quality of health services have declined dramatically. It concluded that while the overall health of the Cuban population has not yet seriously eroded as a result of the economic decline, severe problems threaten to emerge in the future. The delegation called for lifting of the embargo as part of a new approach in U.S. policy toward Cuba.
E. Nesbit's Forty-First Year: Her Life, Times, and Symbolizations of Personality Growth
Authors: Helson Ravenna
Published: May 2005

Relationships between gender and imaginative themes and styles in literature are clearly demonstrable but complicated. The life, times, and best-known works of fantasy of an Edwardian author of children's literature, Edith Nesbit, are examined to illustrate what Jung described as the individuation process; to show how this process affected her creativity, career, and perhaps her personality development; and to explore the influence of gender and gender-related conflicts in her imaginative expressions.
Worker Training in Job Safety and Health: How Do We Know it Works?
Authors: Vojtecky Michael A. , Berkanovic Emil , Schmitz Mary F.
Published: May 2005

Two methods of occupational disease and injury prevention specifically required by Federal law are education and training of workers in job safety and health. Basic assumptions underlying these strategies are that they will increase safe behavior thereby reducing health risk. However, questions continue to arise regarding the effect of ongoing training as a preventive measure and, therefore, about the practical usefulness of these assumptions. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which evaluations of ongoing training programs can provide information to test the basic assumptions. A self-administered mail survey concerning the evaluation practices of occupational health professionals responsible for the evaluation of health and safety training programs was conducted. Results suggest that for many evaluations the information collected is inappropriate for the uses to which it is put. Furthermore, the results also suggest that measurement validity is a problem. Thus, in effect, we have no way of knowing whether or not the majority of training programs are effective.
Teaching Psychiatry in Medical School
Authors: Roose Lawrence J.
Published: May 2005

Considerable dissatisfaction of students and educators exists in regard to the teaching of psychiatry in medical school. This paper recommends that the liaison model of teaching directed to house and attending staffs be applied to the teaching of medical students during their clerkships throughout the general hospital, with a concomitant de-emphasis of training solely on the psychiatric service.
The Days of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico: An Historical Inquiry
Authors: Green Judith Strupp
Published: May 2005

The Days of the Dead in Mexico are occasions for elaborate celebration and extensive rituals. These can be traced far back in history, both to Europe and to the Aztecs. Present-day customs in the city of Oaxaca arise directly from this historical tradition.
Metaphors of Death: A Thematic Analysis of Personal Meanings
Authors: Ross Lawrence M. , Pollio Howard R.
Published: May 2005

The present study describes some of the meanings death holds for contemporary individuals. Twenty-six well-educated participants were given the Knapp metaphor inventory and asked to discuss the metaphors they chose as most closely reflecting their views of death. The results of a hermeneutic analysis of these discussions yielded three independent themes: death viewed negatively as a barrier to life's meanings, death viewed ambivalently as an essentially negative condition made acceptable by a variety of mitigating factors, and death viewed positively as a reinstatement or transformation of life's meanings. A correlational analysis comparing results produced by Knapp's original participants with those of the present group revealed significant stability in metaphoric choices over a thirty-year period. A further analysis evaluating the influence of religiosity on the meanings of death revealed that participants from church groups viewed death significantly more frequently as a transformation of life's meanings than did non-church participants who viewed it significantly more frequently as a barrier to life's meanings.
Agent Orange in War Medicine: An Aftermath Myth
Authors: Hardell Lennart , Eriksson Mikael , Axelson Olav
Published: May 2005

Since the late 1970s several epidemiological studies have appeared linking exposure to phenoxy herbicides or chlorophenols to some malignant tumors. Most of these compounds are contaminated with dioxins and dibenzofurans; for example, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD) is a contaminant of 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), a component of Agent Orange which was sprayed in Vietnam during the war. The results of some of the epidemiological studies on cancer risks associated with exposure to these compounds have been manipulated and misinterpreted, particularly by the Australian Royal Commission on the Use and Effects of Chemical Agents on Australian Personnel in Vietnam. Furthermore, a book on Australian war history entitled Medicine at War, commissioned by the Federal Government, reiterates several of these misinterpretations, despite available contrary evaluations from Australian and U.S. authorities. These remarkable and confusing circumstances in the scientific process are considered also in the light of the recent classification of TCDD as carcinogenic to humans, Group 1, by a Working Group at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France.
Psychiatry and Primary Care as Neighbors: From the Promethean Primary Care Physician to Multidisciplinary Clinic
Authors: Paulsen Randall H.
Published: May 2005

Objective:

A successful eight-year experience developing a co-practice model for psychiatry in a primary care practice is described.

Methods:

The effect on service delivery of specific changes in availability, shared location, and consistency of interdisciplinary relationships are discussed.

Results:

The following components of successful collaboration were identified: 1) The importance of fiscal organization and leadership factors in creating a successful bridge between psychiatry and primary care. 2) How individual tailoring for the setting (rural vs. urban) affects the collaboration. 3) Adaptations incumbent upon psychiatrists to function well in such settings. 4) The development of a teaching program and training track for medical and psychiatric housestaff in such settings.

Conclusions:

Making psychiatry accessible at the front line of primary care enhances delivery of care and does not detract from any service.
Taking Liberties with Women: Abortion, Sterilization, and Contraception
Authors: Savage Wendy
Published: May 2005

This paper analyzes four areas in which reproductive freedom is being denied to women. The first area involves the use of sterilization without adequate counseling as to the risks or reversibility of the method or when it is made a precondition for performing an abortion. The second concerns the sterilization technique chosen, especially in developing countries, and the failure of international population agencies to note the higher complication rates of certain procedures. The third involves the inadequate information provided to women about the side-effects of the controversial injectable contraceptive, Depo-Provera. The fourth area concerns the unethical marketing of the Dalkon Shield device. It is concluded that physicians have a responsibility to avoid allowing authoritarian attitudes or racial, class, or sex prejudices to influence their treatment of women.
Death Concern among Mental Health Workers
Authors: Morrison James K. , Vanderwyst Donna , Cocozza Joseph J. , Dowling Suzanne
Published: May 2005

Concerns toward death of 106 mental health workers were measured by means of Dickstein's Death Concern Scale. Analyses of the data indicated that respondents, marital status and medical condition had significant effects on death concern scores. Results are discussed within the context of clinical psychology.
The Impact of Colonialism on Health and Health Services in Tanzania
Authors: Turshen Meredeth
Published: May 2005

This article is about the problems of malnutrition and disease in a rural area of an underdeveloped country, Tanzania. The particular way in which health problems were conceptualized during the colonial era, the structure of the medical services established, and the effects of health care on the health status and size of the rural population of Songea District in Tanzania are shown in the article to have been determined by the economic, social, and political requirements of German and British colonial rulers rather than by the health needs of the African population.

Colonial economic policy emphasized the production of cash crops for export, whether by African peasant farmers or by European plantation owners. To provide workers for the plantations, a system of labor migration was instituted. Songea District became an area that supplied male workers to other parts of the country, with grave consequences to the health and nutrition of the women and children left behind. Domestic food production was neglected by Africans forced to migrate in search of cash to pay taxes and by those engaged in the cultivation of cash crops. Extensive malnutrition and persistent ill health related to poor diet are thus traced directly to capitalist underdevelopment of the Tanzanian economy and the structural distortions of a dependent relationship between Tanzania and the metropolitan power.
Neonatal Tetanus in South Eastern Nigeria: A Qualitative Study of the Pattern and Influence of Local Perception
Authors: Oyo-Ita A. E. , Meremikwu M. M. , Edet E. E. , Akpan E. A.
Published: May 2005

An in-depth study of the knowledge, attitude, belief, and practice of the people toward neonatal tetanus was carried out through focus group discussion in two villages (Awi and Ayaebam) in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Neonatal tetanus was a disease entity called “Odon” by the four ethnic groups in the areas of study. Aetiologically it was believed to be caused by the “Odon” spirit. This concept affected attitudes toward preventive measures and cord care practices.
Building Families through Intercountry Adoption
Authors: Pahz James A.
Published: May 2005

In the United States today, one in six couples face the problem of infertility. Although advanced medical techniques will be able to help about half of those couples, the remainder will stay childless. For those adults who desire the parenting experience, adoption is an important solution. Since healthy, adoptable infants are increasingly difficult to find in the United States, parents wanting to adopt are looking elsewhere. Intercountry adoption offers a solution to the problem of not being able to find healthy infants for adoption. Adopting from a foreign country is an option which is being selected by more and more Americans who wish to add to their family.
The Role of Social Support Network in College Persistence among Freshman Students
Authors: Skahill Michael P.
Published: May 2005

This study examined the role of social support networks in student persistence among residential and commuter students at an urban technical arts college for a 12-week duration. Fifteen commuter students and 25 residential students completed the study. The research methodology was social network analysis. Findings indicate that commuter students are less likely to persist in their college studies, students residing in student housing facilities experience significant and abrupt changes in social network density. However, residential students who reported making greater numbers of new friends with connections to the school also reported attaining personal and academic goals at a rate significantly greater than other subjects. The article concludes with a discussion about the role and importance of a socially connected academic community to learning and persistence.
The Relevance of Occupational Epidemiology to Radiation Protection Standards
Authors: Wing Steve , Richardson David , Stewart Alice
Published: May 2005

Large-scale epidemiological studies of U.S. Department of Energy workers have been underway since the 1960s. Despite the increasing availability of information about long-term follow-up of badge-monitored nuclear workers, standard-setting bodies continue to rely on the Life Span Study (LSS) of A-bomb survivors as the primary epidemiological basis for making judgments about hazards of low-level radiation. Additionally, faith in the internal and external validity of studies of A-bomb survivors has influenced decisions about the design, analysis, and interpretation of many worker studies. A systematic comparison of the LSS and worker studies in terms of population characteristics, types of radiation exposures, selection factors, and dosimetry errors suggests that the priority given to dose response findings from the LSS is no longer warranted. Evidence from worker studies suggests that excess radiation-related cancer deaths occur at doses below the current occupational limits; low-dose effects have also been seen in studies of childhood cancers in relation to fetal irradiation. These findings should be considered in revising current radiation protection standards.
Medicare Drug Law Has Rorschach Test Features
Authors: Elwood Thomas W.
Published: May 2005

An analysis of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. Its evolvement in the U.S. political context, particularly Congress, and its social ramifications are reviewed.
Application of Behavioral Principles in the Management of Suffocation Phobia: A Case Study of Chronic Respiratory Failure
Authors: Malatesta Victor J. , West Brian L.
Published: May 2005

This case study presents the first application of behavioral techniques in the management of psychological reactions associated with respiratory weaning. A forty-eight-year-old woman, with a history of brain stem dysfunction and repeated respiratory arrests participated in a four-week behavioral treatment program designed to 1) eliminate suffocation fear and depression, 2) promote respiratory self-sufficiency, and 3) facilitate successful ventilatory weaning. At one year follow-up, the patient continued to display no evidence of respiratory difficulty, depressive symptomatology, or agitated mood states.
Psychological Distress in Healthy Women with Familial Breast Cancer: Like Mother, like Daughter?
Authors: Baider Lea , Ever-Hadani Pnina , De-Nour Atara Kaplan
Published: May 2005

Objective:

In 1977, the Israel Cancer Association held a one-day conference, on the subject of familial breast cancer, for healthy women with at least one first-degree relative diagnosed with breast cancer. The objective of this study was to assess the psychological distress of a sample of the women who attended.

Method:

Of the 333 healthy women present at the conference, 230 completed three questionnaires: one on sociodemographic data and the medical history of the first-degree relative(s) (mother and/or sister), and two that measure psychological distress: the Brief Symptom Inventory and the Impact of Events Scale. Sample: The subjects were divided into three categorical groups: those whose mother had breast cancer (group A, N = 176), those whose sister had breast cancer (group B, N = 34), and those whose mother and sister both had the disease (group C, N = 20). In addition, subjects were divided into two groups according to the psychological distress level.

Results:

Analysis of results (using ANOVA and a Chi square test for categorical variables and both univariate and multivariate procedures for psychological distress assessment) showed elevated levels of distress and persistent intrusive thoughts in all groups, and particularly in group C.

Conclusion:

There is a need to promote genetic diagnostic and appropriate counseling, notwithstanding the potential risks that genetic counseling poses for such women.
Technical Communication: The Academic Dilemma
Authors: Hunt Peter , Wilkinson Sarah
Published: May 2005

The status and standards of technical communication teaching in universities are much lower than in business and industry. The four main reasons—that scientists and engineers don't know that they have a problem; that they know and don't care; that professional technical communication teaching is confused with basic literacy skills teaching; and that technical communication is not regarded as a legitimate academic subject—have a circularity that is difficult to break. Awareness of the problem is the beginning of an answer, and some examples, gleaned from a sabbatical tour of universities, are given.
Parents' Responses to the Death of Adult Children from Accidents and Cancer: A Comparison
Authors: Shanfield Stephen B. , Swain Barbara J. , Benjamin G. Andrew H.
Published: May 2005

Parents who lose adult children in traffic accidents are different from parents who lose adult children from cancer. Accident parents tend to be middle-aged and their children young adults at the time of death. They also tend to have more psychiatric distress and more health complaints than cancer parents. Cancer parents are usually older with children who are middle aged at the time of death, and these parents tend to experience the loss less painfully. Two factors explain a high percentage of differences between the groups. These are: 1) older age of children at the time of death; and 2) less intense expression of grief. The relationship between parent and child changes at different stages over the life cycle. Thus, accident parents tend to be more attached to their children than cancer parents, and this can account for differences between the groups. The circumstances of death also determine the different responses. Sudden loss of young adult children in traffic accidents appears to be more distressing. These findings have important implications for prevention.
Sex Differences and their Effect upon Cultural Evaluations of Methods of Self-Destruction
Authors: Marks Alan
Published: May 2005

A sample of 694 college students was used to test for differences in preferences for particular methods of self-destruction for men and women. Significant differences were found for six of nine methods. Cultural evaluations of suicide methods, particularly firearms and drugs-poison, varied by sex and suicide. Women associated painlessness and efficiency with drugs-poison; men associated masculinity, efficiency and being knowledgeable of the method with firearms. These findings support previous theorizing on the relationship between sex, sociocultural patterns and methods of self-destruction. Implications for clinical evaluations of female attempters regarding their intent to suicide may be underestimated if females report they are considering drugs-poison.
The Communication of Suicidal Intent by Completed Suicides
Authors: Bernstein Michael
Published: May 2005

This article reviews the literature on the communication of suicidal intent by completed suicides. Research problems and methodological differences which limit knowledge about suicidal communications are discussed. Despite these difficulties, available data confirms that suicides frequently do communicate their intent. Furthermore, suicides identified as noncommunicators may, nevertheless, provide cues suggesting their intent. Although a few differences are indicated, attempts to distinguish communicators from noncommunicators according to such variables as sex, age, marital status, education, religion, social status, and clinical diagnosis have met with little success.
Attitude Change among Health Educators Studying Abroad
Authors: Weinstein Sanford
Published: May 2005

This study examined change in attitudes about international health efforts among health educators who participated in graduate study-abroad programs in Japan and Jamaica. No statistically significant changes were found in levels of hostility toward other nations or attitude toward international health cooperation. However, correlations found between individual attitude change and measures of dogmatism and tolerance for ambiguity suggest that participants may vary in their receptiveness to the messages of such programs, and that openness of participant's belief systems may have some role in the success of such programs. The nature of this role is unclear since more dogmatic participants in the Japan group reported greater attitude change than their more open minded peers. This result was opposite to that expected and was not found for the Jamaica group.
Side Effects of Side Effect Information in Drug Information Leaflets
Authors: Maat H. Pander , Klaassen R.
Published: May 2005

This study examines the way side effects information is presented in patient information leaflets about drugs. In a field experiment, we tested the effects of two attempts to improve a side effects paragraph in a leaflet about a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug. First, a short introductory passage on the nature of side effects was added. Second and more importantly, we changed the frequency descriptors (FDs) for the side effects. A preliminary study had shown that the frequencies associated with common Dutch FDs are much higher than the writers of patient information leaflets and package inserts mean to convey. In our experiment we replaced the original FDs by lower-assessed FDs. For instance, soms (sometimes) was replaced by zelden (seldomly). Replacing FDs led to lower recall for the side effects mentioned in the leaflet. It also decreased the number of side effects experienced. Contrary to our expectations, lower FDs did not significantly increase the confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the drug, nor did they increase therapy compliance; incompliance was extremely rare in our sample of patients. Adding an introductory passage on the nature of side effects lowered FD interpretations. It did not significantly affect any of the other dependent variables.
Who Benefits from More Structured Depression Treatment?
Authors: Bush Terry , Rutter Carolyn , Simon Greg , Von Korff Michael , Katon Wayne J. , Walker Edward A. , Lin Elizabeth , Ludman Evette
Published: May 2005

Objective:

This article uses data from two studies that have demonstrated the overall effectiveness of Collaborative Care interventions to evaluate factors associated with poor outcomes overall (general prognostic factors) and factors associated with greater or lesser effects of treatment (differential treatment effects).

Methods:

Adult primary care patients initiating antidepressant treatment for major depression were randomized to usual care or to Collaborative Care, a structured depression treatment program that included planned, proactive and coordinated care with a health care team and informed, activated patients ( n = 156, mean age = 43, 85% white). Response to treatment was defined as a 50% or greater reduction in depression at four months.

Results:

High neuroticism and a history of recurrent major depression (3+ episodes) or dysthymia predicted poor outcomes in general. While the magnitude of the intervention effects differed, frequently cited predictors of persistence of depression (age, gender, depression severity, medical and psychiatric comorbidity) were not significantly associated with greater or lesser benefit from Collaborative Care (no differential treatment effects). Results demonstrate the robustness of intervention effects across numerous groups at risk for persistence of depression.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that at the time of diagnosis it is not possible to predict who is most likely to benefit from Collaborative Care. Instead, outcomes of treatment should be routinely monitored among depressed patients to ensure optimal response.
Grandmothers' Diaries: A Glimpse at Daily Lives
Authors: Musil Carol M. , Standing Theresa
Published: May 2005

Little information exists about the daily lives of women who are grandmothers, and the differences in daily stresses based on caregiving status to grandchildren. This content analysis examines the stresses of 64 grandmothers as grouped by caregiver status (grandmothers raising grandchildren, grandmothers living in multigeneration homes, non-caregivers to grandchildren) as recorded in three-week diaries. The nature of salient issues and stressful interactions differed by caregiver groups. Grandmothers raising grandchildren reported more stresses related to grandchildren's routines, activities, and school progress, more time pressure, and difficult interactions with grandchildren. The diary entries of grandmothers in multigenerational homes reflected their supplemental role in childcare, and sometimes stressful interactions with other family members. Grandmothers with no routine caregiving to grandchildren reported more involvement with those outside the immediate family. Many general concerns about the well-being of the family represent commonalities in grandmothers despite differences in current caregiving roles to grandchildren.