History of childhood abuse and neglect and suicidal behavior at hospital admission

Suicide is a major public health problem. Preventive measures have been sought by identifying risk factors. This study evaluates the association of childhood abuse and neglect with suicidal behavior at the time of psychiatric hospital admission. A total of 120 subjects (72 females; mean age 42.5 +/- 15.6 years old) admitted from August 2006 to July 2007 completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to assess severity of exposure to childhood maltreatment. Thereof 62 (51.6%) patients presented with suicidal behavior at admission. Patients who had attempted suicide had significantly higher CTQ scores. Regression analysis indicated that shorter illness duration and severity of childhood maltreatment were predictors of suicidal behavior at admission. The study showed that inpatients of a psychiatric unit of a general hospital who experienced severe childhood abuse or neglect were significantly more likely to present with suicidal behavior. History of childhood maltreatment should be evaluated as an associated risk factor of suicidal behavior at admission of psychiatric inpatients.     

民族自治地方自治权力保障机制研究

各民族享有自治权力,是多民族国家各民族平等原则的具体体现,如果没有或不行使自治权,就无所谓民族区域自治。在市场经济条件下,民族自治地方自治机关怎样充分行使自治权的问题,在很大程度上取决于自治机关自治权力保障机制的建立和健全。本文对此进行一些初步的探讨和研究,供大家参考。一、对自治权的认识什么是自治权?自治权是民族区域自治制度的核心,自治权的充分与否会直接关系到“真正实行民族区域自治”。因此,研究自治权的行使和自治权保障机制的问题时,首先必须弄清它的概念。到目前为止,理论界对此提出了许多不同的解释,概括起来主…     

美国非洲司令部面临形象难题

美国设立非洲司令部（AFRICOM）的目标是改善安全机制、军队职业化、帮助建立负责任的政府,就阻止侵略和危机反应问题与非洲国家和地区组织协力合作。这项工作无疑是个巨大挑战。自2007年2月美国官方公布非洲司令部设想以来,由于非洲顾虑到美国的新殖民主义及其在伊拉克和阿富汗从事的政权更迭活动,对该设想普遍存在抵触情绪。一位美国国务院官员坦诚表示：“走向非洲,我们面临重大的形象问题,非洲的公众舆论反对与美国同床共枕,他们不信任美国。”美国还拟在非洲大陆建立地区总部,目前其总部管理机构暂设在美国欧洲司令部总部所在地德国斯图加特。有证据显示,美国在非洲建立司令部的雄心及其时间期限都面临着许多障碍。