Performance of Breast Self-Exam

SUMMARY

Breast cancer is a significant health threat for women and is currently the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. When breast cancer is diagnosed early in the disease process, the probability of survival is quite high, but when diagnosis is made at a later stage, mortality increases dramatically. Thus, early detection is crucial, and monthly breast self-exam (BSE) is recommended for all women over the age of 20. Despite this recommendation, adherence to BSE guidelines is quite low. The current study investigated the role of perceived susceptibility to breast cancer as it relates to the performance of BSE among a sample of community women. As hypothesized, a significant interaction between perceived susceptibility and age was found such that perceived susceptibility was significantly positively related to BSE performance for older women but was not related to BSE performance among younger women. Although there are certainly other variables associated with BSE performance, the implications of this particular finding for the design of interventions to increase BSE performance are discussed.     

Exercise Interventions for Older Adults with High Blood Pressure

This paper reviews studies on the effects of aerobic exercise upon blood pressure in older hypertensives. Controlled evaluations indicate average decreases in systolic and diastolic resting blood pressure of 8.8 rnm Hg systolic and 7.8 mm Hg, respectively, indicating a moderate, yet clinically important reduction. However, few studies have independently focused on the older adult hypertensive, an increasingly important source of cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, and costly health care utilization. Still fewer studies address the critically' related problem of adherence, including the demonstration of eficacious methods of enhancing adherence to exercise with this population. Some factors associated with higher exercise adherence rates in the older adult include participation in low-intensity exercise that is perceived as reinforcing and safe. Research also indicates the potential value of home-based exercise programs in promoting compliance to the regimen. Several suggestions for further research are offered including the necessity for larger scale studies to establish the short and long-term efficacy of exercise on reducing blood pressure and overall cardiovascular risk reduction, especially in those most likely to experience costly cardiovascular endpoints, such as hypertensives over 60, as well as middle-aged to older individuals of African heritage.     

广西民族地区农村居家养老模式探析

居家养老模式是家庭养老和机构养老的有效整合,是未来我国养老事业重点建设的目标之一。中国目前居家养老服务多为政府购买服务、民间组织提供服务或社区承办服务等模式。广西民族地区农村人口老龄化速度快、经济欠发达、家庭结构失衡、养老设施匮乏,居家养老模式应成为养老方式的首选。建设广西农村居家养老模式应重点完善农村基本医疗照顾,加强农村传统邻里互助关系,保护和传承少数民族文化习俗。     

Literacy for the community, by the community

Literacy is a significant challenge in the U.S. and its territories, especially in low income communities where use of English language is non-standard. Wedeveloped the Actual Community Empowerment (ACE) Reading program for students at risk in such communities. ACE is a small-group tutoring program to support fluency, word recognition and decoding, and comprehension at the best pace of learning for individual, struggling readers. It has several variations (e.g., for different ages, different uses of technology), depending on local needs and resources. The program has been successfully implemented in 40 locations from Philadelphia to Pohnpei, with a 95% success rate for significant reading improvement. ACE tutors are community paraprofessionals or school students with backgrounds similar to the children who receive tutoring. In the first major section of this paper, the ACE Reading Program is described and empirical research demonstrating the benefits of the program for students' literacy is reviewed. The second major section presents preliminary qualitative research evidence that paraprofessional tutors progress through recognizable stages toward increased professionalism. Recommendations for future research are provided.     

Intensive Family Preservation Services

Family-based services have evolved over the past twenty years as a means of helping families in crisis avoid the removal of a child from the home. As a result of the Family Preservation Act of 1992, a number of preplacement prevention programs, designated as Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) have been developed. The overall effectiveness of IFPS programs is now under scrutiny by various interested organizations. Few of the published studies were designed to employ rigorous, empirical research methods, and even fewer dircctly addressed families with adolescents. The purpose of the current paper is to identify problems associated with family preservation, to examine theoretical issues and assessment issues, summarize the available research, and explore implications that focus on prevention.     

School Violence Interventions in the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative

Abstract

The Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative was designed to encourage collaboration among school districts and local community service providers in the provision of behavioral health prevention and early intervention efforts. These efforts would address the physical safety of students as well as provide mental health, violence prevention, and social skills services. One local SS/HS Initiative brought together community and school collaborators in an ambitious agenda that included 14 distinct programs that addressed the needs of over 110,000 students in a large school district. The purpose of the current paper is to report the results of the evaluation of two of the programs designed to reduce violent and disruptive behavior in schools. The programs include a school-based anger management program and a community-based, alternative-to-suspension program. Working in cooperation with program staff and the school district, quasi-experimental designs were used to measure change over time for students. The two studies demonstrate the application of multiple methodologies in evaluating the effectiveness of prevention and early intervention efforts with the aim of providing data to support program improvement and sustainability.     

Doctoral Education in Clinical-Community Psychology

SUMMARY

This paper provides an overview of doctoral clinical-community psychology programs and highlights some possible future directions in training. Clinical-community doctoral programs were categorized as: (1) formally labeled clinical-community programs, (2) clinical programs with a formal community track, or (3) clinical programs with an informal community emphasis. Many graduates from these programs obtain a basic understanding and appreciation of community psychology through required or elective courses, and through contact with students and faculty involved in community research and action. Those students who focus their research and electives around community psychology obtain a thorough and in-depth training experience in community research and action. Changes precipitated by managed care will challenge current ways that psychological services are provided allowing for more community based, innovative, and preventive approaches for which community psychology training would be particularly useful. Greater flexibility in APA accreditation guidelines provide opportunities for greater flexibility within clinical-community programs. Doctoral programs in clinical-community psychology are positioned to lead the development of a public health and human service approach to doctoral training through the integration of community and clinical psychology.     

Home as a locus of work and career

In response to contemporary work environments and the increased availability of technologies, individuals and organizations are experimenting with alternate forms of work located in the home. This article examines the complex and creative intersection of "home" and "work." From 1990-1997, the number of individuals classified as home-based workers nearly tripled, reaching 9.3 million. Areas explored in the present study include emerging patterns in the work-at-home arena, the critical success factors that facilitate development of work and career in the home, and the opportunities afforded to individuals, families and communities when home is the locus of work. Directions for future research and debate in this area are presented.     

Protective Factors Against the Impact of School Bullying Perpetration and Victimization on Young Adult Externalizing and Internalizing Problems

School-based bullying perpetration and victimization is common worldwide and has profound impacts on student behavior and mental health. However, few studies have examined young adult outcomes of bullying perpetration or victimization. Research on factors that protect students who have bullied or been bullied is also lacking. This study examined young adult externalizing and internalizing problems (age 18–19 years) and adolescent protective factors related to self-reported bullying perpetration and victimization among over 650 Victorians ages 16–17 years. Opportunities for prosocial involvement in the family lessened subsequent involvement in nonviolent antisocial behavior, as an outcome of prior bullying. High academic performance and having strategies to cope with stress reduced young adult depressive symptoms for participants who had been victims of bullying. The implications for bullying prevention and early intervention programs are discussed.     

Home as a Locus of Work and Career

SUMMARY

In response to contemporary work environments and the increased availability of technologies, individuals and organizations are experimenting with alternate forms of work located in the home. This article examines the complex and creative intersection of “home” and “work.” From 1990-1997, the number of individuals classified as home-based workers nearly tripled, reaching 9.3 million. Areas explored in the present study include emerging patterns in the work-at-home arena, the critical success factors that facilitate development of work and career in the home, and the opportunities afforded to individuals, families and communities when home is the locus of work. Directions for future research and debate in this area are presented.     

STEALING THE SHOW

The differently abled ooze confidence on social media Smooth skin, clear eyes and a sweet dimpled smile: meet Li Daifeng, aka Xiao Dai. The 17-year-old ocarina player, who lives in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, is autistic, but this doesn’t stop the teen and his mother from streaming their daily ongoings on Douyin.     

Tailoring health programming to clergy: findings from a study of United Methodist clergy in North Carolina

Research indicating high rates of chronic disease among some clergy groups highlights the need for health programming for clergy. Like any group united by similar beliefs and norms, clergy may find culturally tailored health programming more accessible and effective. There is an absence of research on what aspects clergy find important for clergy health programs. We conducted 11 focus groups with United Methodist Church pastors and district superintendents. Participants answered open-ended questions about clergy health program desires and ranked program priorities from a list of 13 possible programs. Pastors prioritized health club memberships, retreats, personal trainers, mental health counseling, and spiritual direction. District superintendents prioritized for pastors: physical exams, peer support groups, health coaching, retreats, health club memberships, and mental health counseling. District superintendents prioritized for themselves: physical exams, personal trainers, health coaching, retreats, and nutritionists. Additionally, through qualitative analysis, nine themes emerged concerning health and health programs: (a) clergy defined health holistically, and they expressed a desire for (b) schedule flexibility, (c) accessibility in rural areas, (d) low cost programs, (e) institutional support, (f) education on physical health, and (g) the opportunity to work on their health in connection with others. They also expressed concern about (h) mental health stigma and spoke about (i) the tension between prioritizing healthy behaviors and fulfilling vocational responsibilities. The design of future clergy health programming should consider these themes and the priorities clergy identified for health programming.     

From “Handicapped” to “Physically Challenged”: the Discourse Transformation in China's Cause of the Physically Challenged in the New Era

In the human rights discourse of China, the terminology used for canfei(handicapped) was changed to canji(persons with disabilities) and then canzhang(physically challenged), which has literally manifested the unfolding of the new philosophy for the physically challenged. In particular, the achievements of the China physically-challenged programs in the new era shows that at both institutional and mindset dimensions, it has stepped beyond the definition of canji and entered into the higher level featured by the term canzhang. As for the future practical strategies of the national physically-challenged programs, it is important to hold on the ideas of socialist humanism, and to explore the constitutional model and human rights model for physically-challenged rights protection. This is also the major clue to conclude the achievements of the two "30 years" physically-challenged programs since the establishment of the PRC. Countries worldwide, particularly developing countries, can draw experience from this China model of developing the programs and strategies of human rights-based governance. The Chinese experience and theories also can be shared by community with a shared future for human beings.     

Attitudinal and Academic Effects of Service-Learning

SUMMARY

We examined perceived learning and attitude change in classes in Cognitive Psychology and Sensation and Perception in which some but not all of the students did service-learning with autistic children or in other settings. Attitudes toward people served became more positive based on questionnaire and journal entry data, and in one class, service-learning students felt they learned more about course material from their experiences.     

Rapid assessment of existing HIV prevention programming in a community mental health center

In preparation for implementation of a comprehensive HIV prevention program in a Community Mental Health Center for persons with mental illness who are also abusing substances, a rapid assessment procedure (RAP) of existing prevention services that may have developed in the setting over time was undertaken at baseline. In addition to an ecological assessment of the availability of HIV-related information that was available on-site, in-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with Center administrators, direct-care staff, and mental health consumers. Results indicated that responses regarding available services differed depending upon type of respondent, with administration reporting greater availability of preventive programs and educational materials than did direct-care staff or mental health consumers themselves. But overall, formalized training on HIV prevention by case managers is extremely rare. Case managers felt that other providers, such as doctors or nurses, were more appropriate to deliver an HIV prevention intervention.     

'Focus' ( Jiaodian Fangtan ) and the Changes in the Chinese Television Industry

As China changes, so the Chinese television industry changes. Once exclusively supported and supervised by the Communist government, Chinese television channels have been granted increased autonomy in the past two decades as China has pursued a policy of economic liberalization. This paper will outline the significant structural changes in the Chinese television industry over the past several years, particularly at China Central Television (CCTV). It will focus on the phenomenon of a highly popular program, 'Focus', (jiao dian fang tan) as a case study to analyse the impact of changing television programs on Chinese politics and society.     

Becoming better health care providers: outcomes of a primary care service-learning project in medical school

Medical educators have begun to embrace service-learning as a method for teaching medical students to be more socially responsible, patient-oriented practitioners. However, research documenting the learning outcomes of service-learning in medical education is limited. In this paper, written documents generated through evaluation of a mandatory, structured community service-learning experience were analyzed qualitatively to discover the diverse learning outcomes among 24 students who participated in the experience. Preliminary findings indicate that students developed skills and attitudes directly related to competencies of concern in most U.S. medical programs. These preliminary findings may help other programs articulate learning outcomes for their service-learning programs. Further, these preliminary findings may stimulate more systematic research (qualitative and quantitative) in this area.     

政党政治与台湾地区大陆政策的立法过程——以“两岸人民关系条例”为个案

台湾地区立法机构制订的“两岸人民关系条例”，是规划台湾大陆政策基本框架的主要法规，其立法时期正值台湾进入政党政治时代。“两岸人民关系条例”在立法过程中的政党政治主要表现在提案立场、政策主张、审议与修正程序。提案立场与政策主张之争主要反映出台湾地区主要政党大陆政策主张的差异。而审议与修正程序之争则是与当时的政党政治具体运作有关，其中民进党凸显的是抗争性立法风格，而国民党更多是内部的派系之争。从上世纪90年代至今，岛内日趋激烈的政党政治发展，对台湾地区大陆政策立法过程的作用与影响是不言而喻的。     

Providing Financial Empowerment to Mothers on Welfare

SUMMARY

Three samples of urban Latina and African-American women in hospitality training programs were assessed on their perceived self-efficacy. In Sample 1, the typical Latina (n= 25) and African-American (n= 71) woman was a young, single, mother of three children who had received benefits for over six years and who, at the start of a two-week training program, reported low self-efficacy and moderate social desirability. Sample 2 participants were mostly single Latina (n= 25) or African-American (n= 49) mothers who received six weeks of training/internship, but reported no significant change in their level of self-efficacy, social desirability, or hopefulness from pre- to post-training. Sample 3 (16 Latinas, 36 African-Americans) was a subset of women from the first sample who were interviewed by telephone four months after completing the two-week training program and were now employed. These working women reported a significant increase in their level of self-efficacy compared to the start of training. Results suggest that some minority women may benefit from job skill training in terms of their sense of mastery over their life situation, although the impact of such training may not emerge until after they have been actively employed.