Green revolution as a planned intervention strategy for agricultural development: A systems perspective

The green revolution was a planned intervention expected to raise cereal-grain production in Third World countries. Use of high yield varieties (HYVs) was to reduce dependence on food imports and bring about food self-sufficiency. Early results were increased overall cereal-grain production, but unforseen and undesirable social and economic consequences. The use of organizational development (OD) analysis of early green revolution results indicates that the initial strategy relied on a “hard” systems analysis to bring about adoption of the high yield varieties. Early green revolution work attempted to induce attitude and behaviour change within existing local and regional institutions. Recognizing the need to ensure distribution of green revolution inputs among subsistence farmers, later strategies used a “soft” systems analysis in developing structural intervention. Largely unable to reform existing government institutions and land-holding patterns which restricted small farmer HYV programme participation, programme managers designed alternative structures to allow the small/subsistence farmer access to HYV inputs.     

Workers' compensation: coverage, benefits, and costs, 1982

Workers' compensation provides medical care and income maintenance protection to workers disabled from work-related injury or illness. This program is of considerable interest to the Social Security Administration (SSA) from several perspectives. For example, since 1965 Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) benefits and workers' compensation payments have been integrated. Information on the experience under workers' compensation provides a framework for examining questions concerning gaps and overlaps in the Nation's social insurance system. In addition, since December 1969 SSA has administered claims filed through 1973 under part B of the Black Lung program--the program providing income maintenance protection to coal miners disabled by pneumoconiosis. The workers' compensation experience reported here consists of information on benefits for work-related injury and disease, including data on the combined benefits paid under the entire Federal Black Lung program administered by the Labor Department and SSA.     

Locating the Issue Public: The Multi-Dimensional Nature of Engagement with Health Care Reform

This research examines in detail the structure of the issue public for health care reform, drawing from extensive, nationally representative survey data tapping general attentiveness to news and public affairs, specific interests in health care issues, and motivations (e.g., personal health and financial conditions) to follow health care reform issues. We furthermore adopt a multi-dimensional approach to defining the contours of the issue public for health care policy, separately studying its cognitive, affective, and behavioral underpinnings. Results indicate only weak interconnections across these dimensions—measured through health care knowledge, holding strong opinions on health care issues, and participation in health-related political activities, respectively—and somewhat different structural and motivational patterns underlying each. Theoretical, conceptual and methodological implications of these findings are discussed.Vincent Price and Joseph N. Cappella are Professors in the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, where Clarissa David, Brian Goldthorpe, and Marci McCoy Roth are doctoral students. Gathering of the data reported here was supported by grants to Vincent Price and Joseph N. Cappella from The National Science Foundation (Grant EIA-0306801) and the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Views expressed are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect opinions of the sponsoring agencies.     

Neurocysticercosis

Neurocysticercosis results when the ingested eggs of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, hatch into larval forms that penetrate the gut wall, disseminate hematogenously, and then encyst in the brain. The subsequent symptoms and associated morbidity are variable. Worldwide, cysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease affecting the central nervous system, but it is not a common autopsy finding in the United States. Neurocysticercosis may be an incidental finding, a contributing cause of death, or the underlying cause of death. It is also important for the forensic pathologist to be aware of the possibility of neurocysticercosis in the autopsy population for purposes of epidemiology studies and infection control. The authors use cases of neurocysticercosis found at autopsy at their institution to give examples of each scenario and to review the clinical and pathologic features of this parasitic disease.     

Peer knowledge of and reactions to adolescent suicide

Questionnaire data were obtained from 120 high school students on their (1) knowledge of risk factors that identify potential suicidal behavior in peers, (2) attitudes toward peers who attempt or commit suicide, and (3) ability to respond appropriately to suicidal messages from peers. Overall, relatively few adolescents possessed accurate information, and many had misinformation concerning various warning signs. Furthermore, respondents expressed negative attitudes toward peers who attempt or commit suicide, and generally were unable to respond sensitively and appropriately to suicidal communications. These results have implications for suicide education programs for adolescents.This study was based on a Masters Thesis conducted by the first author under the direction of the latter two authors. Preliminary results of this investigation were presented at the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, 1988.Received M.A. in clinical psychology from Loyola University. Current research interests include bulimia and alcoholism.Received Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Vanderbilt University. Primary research interests involve community psychology, prevention programs, and child psychology.Received Ph.D. from University of Chicago. Research interests include issues in adolescence and eating disorders.