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Sample records for high schools adherence

  1. Feeding in full-time public schools: Do students adhere and accept?

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    Nágila Araújo de CARVALHO

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective Identifying adherence to, and acceptance of school feeding, and analyzing the factors associated with non-adherence/non-acceptance in full-time public schools in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. Methods Cross-sectional study with students of both sexes aged 6-14 years. Issues regarding the consumption of meals, food distribution, food eaten outside the school and socioeconomic data, including nutritional assessment of students, were investigated. Adherence to meals was defined as the consumption of school meals four to five times/week, and acceptance was defined as meal approval, using the facial hedonic scale. Results A total of 359 students participated in this study and it was observed that adherence was high for lunch (95% and afternoon snacks (78%, and low for morning snacks (44%. Acceptance did not reach the required minimum percentage of 85% for any of the meals. Factors associated with non-adherence were the presence of >4 people in a household, having meals in a refectory, the meal location being considered uncomfortable and a negative evaluation of utensils used in eating meals. Factors associated with non-acceptance were age >10 years, female sex, the negative evaluation of utensils used in eating meals and inadequate food temperature. Conclusion Lunch and afternoon snacks showed the highest adherence, but the stipulated acceptance was not reached. Non-adherence and non-acceptance were mainly associated with aspects related to school feeding. This study allowed the evaluation of feeding in full-time public schools, in order to influence its improvement.

  2. Factors associated with medication adherence in school-aged children with asthma

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    Amy H.Y. Chan

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Adherence to preventive asthma treatment is poor, particularly in children, yet the factors associated with adherence in this age group are not well understood. Adherence was monitored electronically over 6 months in school-aged children who attended a regional emergency department in New Zealand for an asthma exacerbation and were prescribed twice-daily inhaled corticosteroids. Participants completed questionnaires including assessment of family demographics, asthma responsibility and learning style. Multivariable analysis of factors associated with adherence was conducted. 101 children (mean (range age 8.9 (6–15 years, 51% male participated. Median (interquartile range preventer adherence was 30% (17–48% of prescribed. Four explanatory factors were identified: female sex (+12% adherence, Asian ethnicity (+19% adherence, living in a smaller household (−3.0% adherence per person in the household, and younger age at diagnosis (+2.7% for every younger year of diagnosis (all p<0.02. In school-aged children attending the emergency department for asthma, males and non-Asian ethnic groups were at high risk for poor inhaled corticosteroid adherence and may benefit most from intervention. Four factors explained a small proportion of adherence behaviour indicating the difficulty in identifying adherence barriers. Further research is recommended in other similar populations.

  3. [Factors associated with adherence to school meals by adolescents in State public schools in Colombo, Paraná State, Brazil].

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    Valentim, Emanuele de Araujo; Almeida, Claudia Choma Bettega de; Taconeli, César Augusto; Osório, Mônica Maria; Schmidt, Suely Teresinha

    2017-10-26

    This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of adherence to school meals and associated factors among adolescent schoolchildren (N = 1,569). The adolescents completed an on-line questionnaire on adherence to school meals, and their parents answered another questionnaire on socioeconomic data. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between adherence to school meals and gender, nutritional status, per capita family income, maternal schooling, adolescents' opinions on the dining hall layout, whether they considered school meals healthy, and consumption of other foods. Variables with statistical significance for adherence to school meals were included in the multilevel proportional odds logistic regression model. The covariates for comprising the final model were defined by backward selection methods. The results of the adjusted model were presented as odds ratios with respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Prevalence of adherence to school meals was low, especially effective adherence (19.8%). Adherence was associated with per capita family income less than one minimum wage, lower consumption of foods outside of school meals, the fact that adolescents considered the dining hall space adequate, and believing that school meals are healthy. Adherence to school meals in this study falls short of universal coverage for the program. Different factors contribute to incomplete program implementation, which may hinder achieving the food and nutritional security policy under the Brazilian National School Feeding Program (PNAE).

  4. Teachers' Adherence to Highly Effective Instructional Practices as Related to Graduation Rates in Average-Need School Districts in New York State

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    Yannucci, Michael J.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate school administrators' perceptions of teachers' adherence to the highly effective critical attributes of the four domains of Charlotte Danielson's "Framework for Teaching" (Planning and Preparation, The Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities) in kindergarten…

  5. Adherence to pharmacotherapy improves school performance in children with rhinitis and asthma.

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    Sánchez, J; Sánchez, A; Cardona, R

    2018-03-17

    Adherence to pharmacotherapy reduces symptoms of asthma and rhinitis, however, little is known of its impact on school performance. To evaluate the impact of pharmacotherapy in absenteeism and school performance in a child population. A cross-sectional study, carried out in eight schools. All participants and their parents were given a questionnaire assessing parameters related to respiratory diseases and pharmacotherapy. Data on school performance was obtained from the academic history of each child who participated in the study. Adherence to pharmacotherapy was classified as a correct use of therapy for more than five days per week. 1109 children agreed to participate. Students were divided into two groups: symptomatic (36%) and asymptomatic (63%). The symptomatic group had a higher frequency of school absenteeism (1 vs. 3.1days/year/patient pperformance (failed: 20% vs. 33% pperformance to the asymptomatic group and it was significantly different from the no-adherent group. Respiratory symptoms are associated with poor school performance and with an increase in school absenteeism, but adherence to pharmacotherapy can reduce these negative impacts in children. Copyright © 2018 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. Uptake and adherence of a self-directed internet-based mental health intervention with tailored e-mail reminders in senior high schools in Norway.

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    Lillevoll, Kjersti R; Vangberg, Hans Christian B; Griffiths, Kathleen M; Waterloo, Knut; Eisemann, Martin R

    2014-01-21

    Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) is a promising approach to the prevention and reduction of depressive symptoms among adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of disseminating a self-directed internet-based mental health intervention (MoodGYM) in senior high schools. It also sought to investigate possible effects of tailored and weekly e-mail reminders on initial uptake and adherence to the intervention. A baseline survey was conducted in four senior high schools in two Norwegian municipalities (n = 1337). 52.8% (707/1337) of the students consented to further participation in the trial and were randomly allocated to one of three MoodGYM intervention groups (tailored weekly e-mail reminder (n = 175), standardized weekly e-mail reminder (n = 176 ) or no e-mail reminder (n = 175)) or a waitlist control group (n = 180). We tested for effects of the intervention on depression and self-esteem using multivariate analysis of variance, effects of tailored e-mail and self-reported current need of help on initial uptake of the intervention using logistic regression and the effect of weekly e-mails on adherence using ordinal regression. There was substantial non-participation from the intervention, with only 8.5% (45/527) participants logging on to MoodGYM, and few proceeding beyond the first part of the programme. No significant effect on depression or self-esteem was found among the sample as a whole or among participants with elevated depression scores at baseline. Having a higher average grade in senior high school predicted initial uptake of the intervention, but tailored e-mail and self-reported current need of help did not. Weekly e-mail prompts did not predict adherence. The main reasons for non-use reported were lack of time/forgetting about it and doubt about the usefulness of the program. Overall, disseminating a self-directed internet-based intervention to a school population proved difficult despite steps taken to

  7. To what extent have high schools in California been able to implement state-mandated nutrition standards?

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    Samuels, Sarah E; Bullock, Sally Lawrence; Woodward-Lopez, Gail; Clark, Sarah E; Kao, Janice; Craypo, Lisa; Barry, Jay; Crawford, Patricia B

    2009-09-01

    To determine extent and factors associated with implementation of California's school nutrition standards 1 year after standards became active. Information on competitive foods and beverages available in schools was collected from a representative sample of 56 public high schools in California. Adherence to nutrition standards was calculated for each item and summarized for each school by venue. The association between schools' sociodemographic characteristics and adherence to standards was determined by multivariate analysis. The majority of schools were adhering to the required beverage standards. None of the schools selling competitive foods were 100% adherent to the food standards. Adherence to both standards tended to be highest in food service venues. In univariate analyses, percent nonwhite enrollment, population density, percent free/reduced-price (FRP) meal eligibility, and school size were significantly correlated with the beverage adherence rate. Percent nonwhite enrollment and population density remained significant in the multivariate regression model. Percent nonwhite enrollment and percent FRP meal eligibility were significantly correlated with the food adherence rate in univariate analysis, but neither remained significant in the multiple regression model. California high schools are making progress toward implementation of the state nutrition standards. Beverage standards appear easier to achieve than nutrient-based food standards. Additional support is needed to provide schools with resources to implement and monitor these policies. Simpler standards and/or a reduction in the foods and beverages sold could better enable schools to achieve and monitor adherence.

  8. High School Girl's Adherence to 5-a-Day Serving's Fruits and Vegetables: An Application Theory of Planned Behavior

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    Babak Moeini

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: One of the basics of healthy eating is five times consumption of fruits and vegetable a day. Given the importance of recognizing effective factors of consuming fruit and vegetable in this group, the present study aimed to investigate high school girl's adherence to five-time serving fruits and vegetables per day in Hamadan based on the theory of planned behavior application. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 400 girl students from high schools of Hamadan recruited with a multistage cluster sampling method. Participants filled out questionnaires including demographic variables, the theory of planned behavior constructs and a fruit and vegetable consumption measure one week later. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-18 by Chi-square, Pearson correlation and Logistic regression. Results: Fruit and vegetable consumption by female students is 3.4 times daily. Among the demographic variables, family size, mother's education, father's occupation, household income, body mass index and type of school had significant associations with fruit and vegetable consumption (P<0.05. Behavioral intention predicted 35% of the variation in daily fruit and vegetable consumption. Moreover, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and attitude were able to predict 32% of behavioral intention. Conclusion: Fruit and vegetable consumption in female students is inadequate. The theory of planned behavior may be a useful framework to design a 5-A-Day intervention for female students.

  9. [Secondary school menu in Madrid (Spain): knowledge and adherence to the Spanish National Health System recommendations].

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    Berradre-Sáenz, Belén; Royo-Bordonada, Miguel Ángel; Bosqued, María José; Moya, María Ángeles; López, Lázaro

    2015-01-01

    To establish the degree of knowledge and adherence to the Spanish National Health System recommendations on nutrition in schools in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. Cross-sectional study of a random sample of 182 secondary schools from Madrid, during 2013-2014 school year. Information on the characteristics of the schools and the knowledge of the recommendations was collected by internet and telephone interviews, as well as a copy of the school menu. The average number of rations per week offered for each food item and the percentage of schools within the recommended range were calculated. The overall adherence was obtained as the mean of food items (0-12) within the range. 65.5% of the schools were unaware of the national recommendations. The supply of rice, pasta, fish, eggs, salad and fruit was lower than recommended, whereas for meat, accompaniment and other desserts was higher. The percentage of schools within the range for each food item varied between 13% and 95%. The mean of overall adherence was 6.3, with no differences depending on whether the menu was prepared or not at schools or there was or not a person in charge of nutrition standards. The degree of adherence to the recommendations was variable, being advised to increase the supply of cereals, eggs, fish, salad and fruit. Programs for dissemination and implementation of the recommendations, leaded by trained professionals, are required to improve the nutritional value of school menu. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  10. The Relationship between Perceived School Climate and the Adolescents' Adherence to Humanitarian Values

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    Turhan, Muhammed; Akgül, Tülin

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between students' perception of school climate and their adherence to humanitarian values. To this end, the study group consisted of 1094 students in 21 secondary schools in Elazig province of Turkey. The "School Climate Scale," developed by Çalik and Kurt, and the "Humanitarian Values…

  11. Moving Forward with School Nutrition Policies: A Case Study of Policy Adherence in Nova Scotia.

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    McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D; Shearer, Cindy L; Veugelers, Paul J; Kirk, Sara F L

    2015-12-01

    Many Canadian school jurisdictions have developed nutrition policies to promote health and improve the nutritional status of children, but research is needed to clarify adherence, guide practice-related decisions, and move policy action forward. The purpose of this research was to evaluate policy adherence with a review of online lunch menus of elementary schools in Nova Scotia (NS) while also providing transferable evidence for other jurisdictions. School menus in NS were scanned and a list of commonly offered items were categorized, according to minimum, moderate, or maximum nutrition categories in the NS policy. The results of the menu review showed variability in policy adherence that depended on food preparation practices by schools. Although further research is needed to clarify preparation practices, the previously reported challenges of healthy food preparations (e.g., cost, social norms) suggest that many schools in NS are likely not able to use these healthy preparations, signifying potential noncompliance to the policy. Leadership and partnerships are needed among researchers, policy makers, and nutrition practitioners to address the complexity of issues related to food marketing and social norms that influence school food environments to inspire a culture where healthy and nutritious food is available and accessible to children.

  12. Controller adherence following hospital discharge in high risk children: A pilot randomized trial of text message reminders.

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    Kenyon, Chén C; Gruschow, Siobhan M; Quarshie, William O; Griffis, Heather; Leach, Michelle C; Zorc, Joseph J; Bryant-Stephens, Tyra C; Miller, Victoria A; Feudtner, Chris

    2018-02-13

    To assess the feasibility of a mobile health, inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) adherence reminder intervention and to characterize adherence trajectories immediately following severe asthma exacerbation in high-risk urban children with persistent asthma. Children aged 2-13 with persistent asthma were enrolled in this pilot randomized controlled trial during an asthma emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization. Intervention arm participants received daily text message reminders for 30 days, and both arms received electronic sensors to measure ICS use. Primary outcomes were feasibility of sensor use and text message acceptability. Secondary outcomes included adherence to prescribed ICS regimen and 30-day adherence trajectories. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to examine adherence trajectories. Forty-one participants (mean age 5.9) were randomized to intervention (n = 21) or control (n = 20). Overall, 85% were Black, 88% had public insurance, and 51% of the caregivers had a high school education or less. Thirty-two participant families (78%) transmitted medication adherence data; of caregivers who completed the acceptability survey, 25 (96%) chose to receive daily reminders beyond that study interval. Secondary outcome analyses demonstrated similar average daily adherence between groups (intervention = 36%; control = 32%, P = 0.73). Three adherence trajectories were identified with none ever exceeding 80% adherence. Within a high-risk pediatric cohort, electronic monitoring of ICS use and adherence reminders delivered via text message were feasible for most participants, but there was no signal of effect. Adherence trajectories following severe exacerbation were suboptimal, demonstrating an important opportunity for asthma care improvement.

  13. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Factors Affecting Obesity in High School Students

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    Aysun Yüksel

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The prevalence overweight and obese among children and adolescents increases gradually in the world and became an epidemic in both developing and developed countries. Overweight and obesity in the adolescent period are the main risk factors contributing to the development of cardiovascular diseases in the adulthood period. This study was planned to reveal the prevalence of obesity and association of healthy lifestyle behaviors with obesity in adolescents. Methods: This research was carried out 859 students studying at Istanbul Hezarfen High School between the dates 1 February to 31 March 2017. The general dietary habits and night eating statuses were determined using the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED and Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ and anthropometric parameters such as height and body weight were measured. Results: The mean age of the students was 15.9 ± 1.3 years. Of the students, 19.2% had overweight, 13.7% had obese BMI values. In this study, 32.4% of all students had low and 13% of them had optimal nutritional quality. The difference between two genders was statistically significant (p<0.05. The Night Eating Syndrome was not present in 78.9% of all students whereas it was detected in 21.1% of them. Conclusions: In our study, there was no statistically significant relationship between obesity, adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Night Eating Syndrome.

  14. Asthma medication adherence among urban teens: a qualitative analysis of barriers, facilitators and experiences with school-based care.

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    Blaakman, Susan W; Cohen, Alyssa; Fagnano, Maria; Halterman, Jill S

    2014-06-01

    Teens with persistent asthma do not always receive daily preventive medications or do not take them as prescribed, despite established clinical guidelines. The purpose of this study was to understand urban teens' experiences with asthma management, preventive medication adherence and participation in a school-based intervention. Teens (12-15 years) with persistent asthma, and prescribed preventive medication, participated in a pilot study that included daily observed medication therapy at school and motivational interviewing. Semi-structured interviews occurred at final survey. Qualitative content analysis enabled data coding to identify themes. Themes were classified as "general asthma management" or "program-specific." For general management, routines were important, while hurrying interfered with taking medications. Forgetfulness was most commonly linked to medication nonadherence. Competing demands related to school preparedness and social priorities were barriers to medication use. Independence with medications was associated with several benefits (e.g. avoiding parental nagging and feeling responsible/mature). Program-specific experiences varied. Half of teens reported positive rapport with their school nurse, while a few felt that their nurse was dismissive. Unexpected benefits and barriers within the school structure included perceptions about leaving the classroom, the distance to the nurse's office, the necessity of hall passes and morning school routines. Importantly, many teens connected daily medication use with fewer asthma symptoms, incenting continued adherence. Teens with asthma benefit from adherence to preventive medications but encounter numerous barriers to proper use. Interventions to improve adherence must accommodate school demands and unique teen priorities. The school nurse's role as an ally may support teens' transition to medication independence.

  15. Correlates of highly active antiretroviral therapy adherence among ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Correlates of highly active antiretroviral therapy adherence among urban Ethiopian clients. ... clients' self-reported adherence to HAART medication, a descriptive, comparative cross-sectional study was carried out among adults receiving HAART medication at the Zewditu Memorial Hospital ART clinic in Addis Ababa.

  16. Perspectives Regarding Adherence to Prescribed Treatment in Highly Adherent HIV-Infected Gay Men.

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    Brion, John M; Menke, Edna M

    2008-01-01

    Focus group methodology was used to describe the medication adherence experience of 24 HIV-infected gay men who reported being adherent to their medication regimens. A conceptualization of medication adherence as an evolving process consisted of challenges to adherence (learning the diagnosis, starting the medications, struggling with the medications, dealing with side effects, coping with stigma) as well as those factors supportive of adherence (believing in medications, finding motivating factors, using reminders, depending on others, owning the disease). Themes associated with challenges to adherence focused on diagnosis and the physical and emotional adjustments individuals made to incorporate antiretroviral medications into their daily lives and move toward medication adherence. The factors supportive of adherence were related to the ongoing behaviors identified with establishing and maintaining adherence behaviors. What can be taken from the study is that adherence is a complex and dynamic process rather than a static behavior.

  17. Roles of family dynamics on adherence to highly active antiretroviral ...

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    EB

    Background: Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been proven .... Table 1: Relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and HAART adherence among ... constraints (44%), stigma (15%), travel/migration.

  18. Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Testing for Indonesia Junior High School Biology

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    Kuo, Bor-Chen; Daud, Muslem; Yang, Chih-Wei

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes a curriculum-based multidimensional computerized adaptive test that was developed for Indonesia junior high school Biology. In adherence to the Indonesian curriculum of different Biology dimensions, 300 items was constructed, and then tested to 2238 students. A multidimensional random coefficients multinomial logit model was…

  19. High school mathematics teachers' perspectives on the purposes of mathematical proof in school mathematics

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    Dickerson, David S.; Doerr, Helen M.

    2014-12-01

    Proof serves many purposes in mathematics. In this qualitative study of 17 high school mathematics teachers, we found that these teachers perceived that two of the most important purposes for proof in school mathematics were (a) to enhance students' mathematical understanding and (b) to develop generalized thinking skills that were transferable to other fields of endeavor. We found teachers were divided on the characteristics (or features) of proofs that would serve these purposes. Teachers with less experience tended to believe that proofs in the high school should adhere to strict standards of language and reasoning while teachers with more experience tended to believe that proofs based on concrete or visual features were well suited for high school mathematics. This study has implications for teacher preparation because it appears that there is a wide variation in how teachers think about proof. It seems likely that students would experience proof very differently merely because they were seated in different classrooms.

  20. Parental Depression and Pancreatic Enzymes Adherence in Children With Cystic Fibrosis.

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    Barker, David H; Quittner, Alexandra L

    2016-02-01

    Treatment adherence in cystic fibrosis (CF) is often poor, however, less is known about adherence to pancreatic enzymes, a critical component of the CF treatment regimen. Parent caregivers often report elevations in depression, and parental depression may adversely affect children's adherence. This prospective study evaluated adherence to pancreatic enzymes in 83 patients (1-13 years) . Adherence was measured across 3 months with electronic pill-caps . Weight was measured at baseline and a 3-month follow-up. Parental depressive symptoms were evaluated by using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Adherence to pancreatic enzymes was 49.4% ± 3.4%. Adherence was higher at school (94.4% ± 6.1%) than at home (42.3% ± 3.1%), and higher for toddlers (50.6% ± 5.2%) than for school-aged children (37.5% ± 3.7%). Parents reported high rates of depressive symptoms (30% in the clinical range, 18% with moderate symptoms). Children of parents with symptoms of depression versus those without were less adherent (34.8% ± 4.5% vs 48.5% ± 4.1%), and adherence to enzymes was significantly related to 3-month weight outcomes. Average gain in weight z scores across 3 months was 0.5 ± 0.2for children who were >50% adherent and -0.1 ± 6.1for children who were <33% adherent. Parental depression had a signifcant, indirect effect on weight via adherence (-0.005 ± 0.003 gain in weight z score per CES-D unit ). High rates of parental depressive symptoms, coupled with its negative effects on adherence, suggest that measuring and treating parental depression may improve children's adherence to therapy. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  1. Arts Integration as a Catalyst for High School Renewal

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    Dorfman, Dorinne

    2008-01-01

    The director of a small career academy of the arts in a public high school reflects on the conflicting demands to establish a college-preparatory program adhering to state standards and to facilitate the personal growth, artistic discovery, and democratic empowerment of teens. By narrating experiences that go to the heart of philosophical discord,…

  2. Adherence to nutritional recommendations in vending machines at secondary schools in Madrid (Spain), 2014-2015.

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    Monroy-Parada, Doris Xiomara; Jácome-González, María Luisa; Moya-Geromini, María Ángeles; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando; Royo-Bordonada, Miguel Ángel

    2017-07-13

    To describe the nutritional content of products offered in food and drink vending machines at secondary schools in the Madrid Autonomous Community (Spain), and to evaluate these items' adherence to the nutritional recommendations of the National Health System Consensus Document on School Food. Cross-sectional study of a sample of 330 secondary schools in Madrid across the period 2014-2015. Secondary school vending machines were identified by telephone interview. The products offered in a representative sample of six machines were identified by inspection in situ, and their nutritional composition was obtained from the labelling. A total of 94.5% of the 55 products on offer failed to comply with at least one nutritional criterion of the Consensus Document on School Food. The recommendation relating to sugar content registered the highest level of non-compliance, with 52.7% of products, followed by the recommendations relating to energy (47.3%) and fats (45.5%). The mean number of unmet criteria was 2.2, with this figure being higher in foods than in drinks (2.8 versus 1; p <0.01). Almost all the products on display in secondary school vending machines in Madrid were in breach of the Consensus Document on School Food, mainly due to an excess of calories, sugars and fats. Compulsory nutritional criteria and a procedure for monitoring adherence should be established, specifying those responsible for performing this task and the corrective measures to be applied in the event of non-compliance. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Adherence to COPD treatment in Turkey and Saudi Arabia: results of the ADCARE study

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    Kokturk N

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Nurdan Kokturk,1 Mehmet Polatli,2 I Kivilcim Oguzulgen,1 Sarfraz Saleemi,3 Mohammed Al Ghobain,4 Javed Khan,5 Adam Doble,6 Luqman Tariq,7 Fayaz Aziz,7 Abdelkader El Hasnaoui7 1Department of Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, Gazi University, Besevler, Turkey; 2Department of Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey; 3Section of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Medicine, King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Foxymed, Paris, France; 7GlaxoSmithKline, Dubai, UAE Background: COPD affects millions of people worldwide. Poor treatment adherence contributes to increased symptom severity, morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to investigate adherence to COPD treatment in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study in adult COPD patients in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Through physician-led interviews, data were collected on sociodemographics and disease history, including the impact of COPD on health status using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT; quality of life, using the EuroQol Five-Dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D; and anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS. Treatment adherence was measured using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8. Multivariate logistic regression analysis examined the predictors of non-adherence and the impact of adherence on symptom severity. Results: Four hundred and five COPD patients participated: 199 in Turkey and 206 in Saudi Arabia. Overall, 49.2% reported low adherence (MMAS-8 <6. Of those, 74.7% reported high disease impact (CAT >15 compared to 58.4% reporting medium/high adherence (p=0.0008. Patients with low adherence reported a lower mean 3-level EQ-5D

  4. Factors associated with low adherence to a Mediterranean diet in healthy children in northern Spain.

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    Arriscado, Daniel; Muros, José J; Zabala, Mikel; Dalmau, José M

    2014-09-01

    There is a tendency in Mediterranean countries to abandon the characteristic Mediterranean diet. This is especially apparent within younger populations. This could have negative consequences for health such as, cardiovascular diseases, obesity or metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to describe adherence to the Mediterranean diet within a population of school children and to examine the influence of different socio-demographic factors and lifestyle habits. The study was conducted on a representative sample of 321 school children aged 11-12 years from 31 schools in the city of Logroño (La Rioja). Socio-demographic variables, anthropometric variables, blood pressure, level of development, aerobic fitness, lifestyle, physical activity habits and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were recorded. High adherence to the Mediterranean diet was reported by 46.7% of school children, with low adherence being reported by 4.7% of them. Children attending state schools, immigrants and families from low-to-medium socio-economic strata reported significantly lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p = .039), but the results did not reveal any significant differences in terms of body composition. Correlations were found between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and other lifestyle habits, especially level of physical activity (r = .38) and screen time (r = -.18). Adherence to a Mediterranean diet differs according to the type of school attended by children, and the child's nationality and socio-economic status. Children who attended state schools, immigrants and those from families with a medium-to-low socio-economic status were less likely to follow healthy diets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Adherence to Mediterranean diet in a sample of Tuscan adolescents.

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    Santomauro, Francesca; Lorini, Chiara; Tanini, Tommaso; Indiani, Laura; Lastrucci, Vieri; Comodo, Nicola; Bonaccorsi, Guglielmo

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to estimate the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a group of Italian high school students, in relation to their lifestyles and social and family contexts, and to compare the nutrition habits of the sample with other similar groups. The KIDMED index and an ad hoc questionnaire were administered to 1127 students (mean age 16.8 ± 1.6 y) in the province of Florence. Any significant associations between the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the aforementioned variables were assessed by the χ(2) test and by logistic regression analysis. The adherence to the Mediterranean diet was good in 16.5%, average in 60.5%, and poor in 23% of the students. The students attending technical high schools, those who played sports less than "almost every day", those who spent >3 h/d in sedentary activities, those who defined their school performance as worse than "more than sufficient," and those who referred to use of a car/moped as the most frequent mode of transportation, had significantly higher odds of poor rather than average or good adherence to Mediterranean diet. Moreover, being normal weight or overweight/obese, and referring to health workers as source of information on diet, seem to be protective factors against poor adherence to Mediterranean diet. Our sample presents a departure from the Mediterranean dietary pattern. It is certainly necessary to implement public health policies targeting teenagers to promote healthier lifestyle choices; the nutritional patterns of the Mediterranean diet should be among these choices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Roles of family dynamics on adherence to highly active antiretroviral ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been proven to be the only effective treatment for HIV/AIDS worldwide. Good adherence to HAART might require good family support. Objective: To determine the family dynamics and social support of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and its ...

  7. Barriers to standard precautions adherence in a dental school in Iran: a qualitative study.

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    Hedayati, Hamidreza; Marjadi, Brahmaputra; Askarian, Mehrdad

    2014-07-01

    Setting up good infection control practices in educational institutions is crucial in shaping future health professionals. The implementation of standard precautions (SPs) in Iranian dental schools has not been explored qualitatively to identify barriers to good practice. Twelve focus group discussions and 8 semistructured interviews were conducted with students, residents, and staff members (n = 83) of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Dental School. The interview guide addressed performance, subjective norms, and behavioral control domains of SP-related behaviors. Thematic analysis was performed manually to identify barriers to SP practices. Proximal factors of poor SP adherence were a lack of knowledge and technical difficulties. These factors were compounded by intermediate factors in the work environment: lack of facilities, heavy workload, patient expectations, interprofessional conflicts, and lack of good role models. Two underlying distal factors were financial issues and unsupportive organizational culture. The social constructionism theory was useful in analyzing the situation and suggesting an educational approach as part of the solution. Complex and intertwined barriers of SP adherence were found in this dental school. A social construction approach may assist in addressing these problems by shifting the culture through education to construct a contextual new knowledge. Further research in medical sociology of SP practices would be useful. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Adherence to guidelines for cardiovascular screening in current high school preparticipation evaluation forms.

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    Rausch, Christopher M; Phillips, George C

    2009-10-01

    We compared the content of the cardiac screening questions on US state high school athletic association preparticipation evaluation forms with current consensus recommendations. We reviewed the high school athletic association's approved, recommended, or required sports preparticipation form from each of the 50 US states and the District of Columbia, and compared the content of the personal and family history components with current recommendations for cardiac screening questions. We found that 85% of the preparticipation forms in current use contain all elements of the formerly recommended guidelines, but only 17% contain all elements of the new consensus guidelines. We conclude that although there appears to be some improvement in the content of the preparticipation forms in current use compared with previous studies, the vast majority of these forms are incomplete compared with current consensus guidelines.

  9. Highly active antiretroviral therapy adherence and its determinants in selected regions in Indonesia

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    Felix F. Widjaja

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART can reduce morbidity and mortality of HIV-infected patients. However, it depends upon adherence to medication. The objective of this study was to examine the adherence to HAART and to evaluate individual patient characteristics i.e. self-efficacy, depression level, and social support and to finally determine HAART adherence in selected regions in Indonesia.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jakarta, Malang, Bandung, Makasar and Banda Aceh. The subject of the study was HIV-infected patients who were older than 13 years old and had taken HAART for at least a month. They were recruited consecutively then asked how many pills they had missed during the previous month. Poor adherence can be stated if the percentage of adherence rate is below 95%. HIV treatment adherence self-efficacy scale  (HIVASES, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II and Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL was adapted to assess self-efficacy, depression level and social support, respectively.Results: We found that 96% (n=53 of the subjects adhered to HAART. There were no associations between adherence with self-efficacy, depression level, and social support. The main cause of non-adherence in this study was ‘simply  forget’.Conclusion: Adherence to HAART was found to be high and not associated with self-efficacy, depression level and social support in some central regions in Indonesia. (Med J Indones 2011; 20:50-5Keywords: adherence, depression, HAART, HIV, self-efficacy, social support

  10. Medication Adherence Among Elderly Patients with High Blood Pressure in Gweru, Zimbabwe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wariva, Elizabeth; January, James; Maradzika, Julita

    2014-02-04

    High blood pressure is a global health concern which is mainly managed by taking anti-hypertensive medications. Although medication is available to control high blood pressure, adhering to treatment is a major problem among hypertensive patients. The purpose of the study was to assess the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors to medication adherence among hypertensive patients in Gweru urban aged 40-70 years. A descriptive cross sectional study was used with a sample size of 110 conveniently sampled hypertensive patients. We used an interviewer administered questionnaire designed using phase 4 of the PRECEDE model. The modal age was 70 years and mean age was 58 years (SD=10.29). There were 61.8% females and 38.2% males. Variables associated with medication adherence were: age (P=0.0059), marital status (P=0.015), average monthly income (P=0.0002), support group (P=0.027) and knowledge (P=0.0058). Providing information to patients with high blood pressure and having a good patient-provider relationship improves medication adherence. There is need to focus on the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors of medication adherence since demographic and socio-economic factors may be more difficult to change.

  11. Preventing Sudden Cardiac Death: Automated External Defibrillators in Ohio High Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lear, Aaron; Hoang, Minh-Ha; Zyzanski, Stephen J

    2015-10-01

    Ohio passed legislation in 2004 for optional public funding of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in all Ohio high schools. To report occurrences of sudden cardiac arrest in which AEDs were used in Ohio high schools and to evaluate the adherence of Ohio high schools with AEDs to state law and published guidelines on AEDs and emergency action plans (EAPs) in schools. Cross-sectional survey. Web-based survey. A total of 264 of 827 schools that were members of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. We surveyed schools on AED use, AED maintenance, and EAPs. Twenty-five episodes of AED deployment at 22 schools over an 11-year period were reported; 8 (32%) involved students and 17 (68%) involved adults. The reported survival rate was 60% (n = 15). Most events (n = 20, 80%) in both students and adults occurred at or near athletic facilities. The annual use rate of AEDs was 0.7%. Fifty-three percent (n = 140) of schools reported having an EAP in place for episodes of cardiac arrest. Of the schools with EAPs, 57% (n = 80) reported having rehearsed them. Our data supported the placement of AEDs in high schools given the frequency of use for sudden cardiac arrest and the survival rate reported. They also suggested the need for increased awareness of recommendations for EAPs and the need to formulate and practice EAPs. School EAPs should emphasize planning for events in the vicinity of athletic facilities.

  12. Self-reported adherence and biomarker levels of CoQ10 and alpha-tocopherol

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    Vitolins MZ

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Mara Z Vitolins,1 L Douglas Case,1 Stephen R Rapp,2 Mark O Lively,3 Edward G Shaw,4 Michelle J Naughton,5 Jeffrey Giguere,6 Glenn J Lesser7 1Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 3Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 4Department of Internal Medicine-Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 5Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; 6Greenville Community Oncology Research Program of the Carolinas, Greenville, SC, USA; 7Department of Internal Medicine-Hematology and Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, USA Purpose: Women with breast cancer were randomized to receive coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 plus Vitamin E or placebo in a clinical trial. The objective of this evaluation is to examine the association between participant self-reported adherence to the study supplements and changes in plasma biomarker levels.Patients and methods: Correlation coefficients quantified the association between changes in alpha-tocopherol and CoQ10 levels and the association between self-reported adherence and changes in biomarkers. Participants were categorized by self-reported adherence; Kruskal–Wallis tests compared changes in alpha-tocopherol and CoQ10 levels between self-reported adherence groups.Results: Women (N=155 provided baseline and post-treatment biomarkers; 147 completed at least one diary. While changes in alpha-tocopherol and CoQ10 levels were moderately correlated, correlations ranged from 0.40 to 0.48, association between self-reported adherence and plasma alpha-tocopherol or CoQ10 levels was weak; correlations ranged from 0.10 to 0.29 at weeks 8, 16, and 24. Some participants with high self-reported adherence actually

  13. Adherence treatment factors in hypertensive African American women

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    Marie N Fongwa

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Marie N Fongwa1, Lorraines S Evangelista1, Ron D Hays2, David S Martins3, David Elashoff4, Marie J Cowan1, Donald E Morisky51University of California Los Angeles School of Nursing, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 2University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 3To Help Everyone Clinic Inc. Los Angeles, CA, USA; 4University of California Los Angeles Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 5University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health, CA, USABackground: Hypertension among African American women is of epidemic proportions. Nonadherence to treatment contributes to uncontrolled blood pressure in this population. Factors associated with adherence to treatment in African American women are unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with adherence to hypertension treatment in African American women.Methods: Five audio-taped focus groups were conducted with hypertensive African American women, 35 years and older receiving treatment for hypertension from an inner-city free clinic. All transcripts from the tapes were analyzed for content describing adherence to treatment factors.Findings: Factors associated with adherence to treatment in hypertensive African American women were in three main categories including: beliefs about hypertension, facilitators of adherence to treatment, and barriers to adherence to treatment.Implications: The study supports the need for education on managing hypertension and medication side effects, early screening for depression in hypertensive African Americans, development of culturally sensitive hypertension educational material, and formation of support groups for promoting adherence to treatment among African American women with hypertension.Keywords: adherence, African American, hypertension treatment factors

  14. Predictors of medication adherence in high risk youth of color living with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonell, Karen E; Naar-King, Sylvie; Murphy, Debra A; Parsons, Jeffrey T; Harper, Gary W

    2010-07-01

    To test predictors of medication adherence in high-risk racial or ethnic minority youth living with HIV (YLH) using a conceptual model of social cognitive predictors including a continuous measure of motivational readiness. Youth were participants in a multi-site clinical trial examining the efficacy of a motivational intervention. Racial-minority YLH (primarily African American) who were prescribed antiretroviral medication were included (N = 104). Data were collected using computer-assisted personal interviewing method via an Internet-based application and questionnaires. Using path analysis with bootstrapping, most youth reported suboptimal adherence, which predicted higher viral load. Higher motivational readiness predicted optimal adherence, and higher social support predicted readiness. Decisional balance was indirectly related to adherence. The model provided a plausible framework for understanding adherence in this population. Culturally competent interventions focused on readiness and social support may be helpful for improving adherence in YLH.

  15. Factors associated with non-adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy in Nairobi, Kenya

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    Wakibi Samwel N

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART requires high-level (> 95% adherence. Kenya is rolling out ART access programmes and, issue of adherence to therapy is therefore imperative. However, published data on adherence to ART in Kenya is limited. This study assessed adherence to ART and identified factors responsible for non adherence in Nairobi. Methods This is a multiple facility-based cross-sectional study, where 416 patients aged over 18 years were systematically selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire about their experience taking ART. Additional data was extracted from hospital records. Patients were grouped into adherent and non-adherent based on a composite score derived from a three questions adherence tool developed by Center for Adherence Support Evaluation (CASE. Multivariate regression model was used to determine predictors of non-adherence. Results Overall, 403 patients responded; 35% males and 65% females, 18% were non-adherent, and main (38% reason for missing therapy were being busy and forgetting. Accessing ART in a clinic within walking distance from home (OR = 2.387, CI.95 = 1.155-4.931; p = 0.019 and difficulty with dosing schedule (OR = 2.310, CI.95 = 1.211-4.408, p = 0.011 predicted non-adherence. Conclusions The study found better adherence to HAART in Nairobi compared to previous studies in Kenya. However, this can be improved further by employing fitting strategies to improve patients' ability to fit therapy in own lifestyle and cue-dose training to impact forgetfulness. Further work to determine why patients accessing therapy from ARV clinics within walking distance from their residence did not adhere is recommended.

  16. Adherence to antidepressants

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    Abimbola Farinde

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available While major depression is considered a frequent mental illness there are ongoing reports of high non-adherence to antidepressant medications which places suffers at high risk for relapse, recurrence, or greater impairment,. The World Health Organization (WHO defines adherence as the extent to which a person′s behavior (e.g. taking medications can align with the agreed recommendations of a health care provider. Unfortunately while patient may recognize the importance of adherence to antidepressant medications the majority of patients do not adhere to their prescribed antidepressants. Some of the factors that may contribute to or lead to non-adherence include knowingly or unknowingly missing doses, taking extra doses, delaying administration times, or taking drug holidays. Pharmacists have the unique ability to deter non-adherence through the performance of continuous assessment and monitoring of adherence in this population given these accessibility. Additionally, pharmacists are able to develop therapeutic alliances with patients that can help to increase the likelihood of achieving positive patient outcomes. Antidepressant non-adherence can be viewed as a significant public health concern so it is important for patients to be educated about the importance of adherence, and health care professionals should be aware of factors or patient characteristics that can serve as barriers to non-adherence.

  17. Low- and High-Resistance Exercise: Long-Term Adherence and Motivation among Older Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Roie, Evelien; Bautmans, Ivan; Coudyzer, Walter; Boen, Filip; Delecluse, Christophe

    2015-01-01

    In terms of motivation and long-term adherence, low-resistance exercise might be more suitable for older adults than high-resistance exercise. However, more data are needed to support this claim. The objective was to investigate the effect of low- and high-resistance exercise protocols on long-term adherence and motivation. This study was designed as an exploratory 24-week follow-up of a randomized 12-week resistance training intervention in older adults. Participants were free to decide whether or not they continued resistance training at their own expense following the intervention. Fifty-six older adults were randomly assigned to HIGH [2 × 10-15 repetitions at 80% of one repetition maximum (1RM)], LOW (1 × 80-100 repetitions at 20% of 1RM), or LOW+ (1 × 60 repetitions at 20% of 1RM + 1 × 10-20 repetitions at 40% 1RM). Motivation, self-efficacy and the perceived barriers for continuing resistance exercise were measured after cessation of each supervised intervention and at follow-up, while long-term adherence was probed retrospectively at follow-up. Participants reported high levels of self-determined motivation before, during, and after the supervised intervention, with no differences between groups (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, only few participants continued strength training after the intervention: 17% in HIGH, 21% in LOW+, and 11% in LOW (p > 0.05). The most commonly reported barriers for continuing resistance exercise were perceived lack of time (46%), being more interested in other physical activities (40%), seasonal reasons (40%), and financial cost (28%). The results suggest no difference in long-term adherence after the end of a supervised exercise intervention at high or low external resistances. Long-term adherence was limited despite high levels of self-determined motivation during the interventions. These findings highlight the importance of further research on developing strategies to overcome barriers of older adults to adhere to resistance

  18. Adolescents in southern regions of Italy adhere to the Mediterranean diet more than those in the northern regions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noale, Marianna; Nardi, Mariateresa; Limongi, Federica; Siviero, Paola; Caregaro, Lorenza; Crepaldi, Gaetano; Maggi, Stefania

    2014-09-01

    There is a large amount of literature regarding the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in the adult population; however, there is growing curiosity about the individuals who naturally adhere to those principles early in life. The "Evaluation of Dietary Habits in Adolescents," carried out by the National Research Council of Italy in 2009, is a survey that aimed to assess the dietary habits and lifestyles of Italian adolescents and their adherence to the Mediterranean diet. We hypothesized that there would be differences across regions, with a higher adherence in Southern Italy compared with Northern Italy based on geography. The survey was conducted in 3 different geographic locations in Italy and included a convenience sample of adolescents who attended either a middle or high school. The participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire concerning demographic data, lifestyle factors, and eating patterns, and scores were assigned according to adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as calculated using Trichopoulou's Mediterranean diet scale. The final sample included 565 adolescents, between 12 and 19 years old, who attended school in the northeastern, northwestern, or southern regions of Italy in 2009. According to the findings, 38.6% of the respondents had scores indicating a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, whereas only 14% had scores showing a high adherence. Teenagers from the Southern region showed the highest adherence. Those with a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet consumed higher quantities of fiber, iron, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, and monounsaturated fats. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. High School Principals and the High School Journalism Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Jane W.

    A study asked selected high school principals to respond to statements about the value of high school journalism to the high school student and about the rights and responsibilities of the high school journalist. These responses were then checked against such information as whether or not the high school principal had worked on a high school…

  20. What strategies do ulcerative colitis patients employ to facilitate adherence?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kawakami A

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Aki Kawakami,1,2 Makoto Tanaka,3 Makoto Naganuma,4 Shin Maeda,5 Reiko Kunisaki,1 Noriko Yamamoto-Mitani2 1Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Minami-ku, Yokohama, Japan; 2Department of Gerontological Home Care and Long-term Care Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 3Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand; 4Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Keio University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 5Department of Gastroenterology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan Background: Overall, 30%–45% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC are non-adherent and have difficulties taking their medications; this non-adherence increases the risk of clinical relapse 1.4- to 5.5-fold. This study aimed to clarify the strategies patients employ to facilitate adherence and determine whether the strategies had an impact on good adherence.Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire and review of medical records. Patients diagnosed as having UC and attending one of the outpatient clinics of four urban hospitals from June 2009 to December 2012 were enrolled. A questionnaire was developed to identify the strategies patients employ to facilitate adherence and then administered to patients with UC. Adherence to 5-aminosalicylic acid was calculated, and univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the strategies that were associated with good adherence.Results: The final analyses included 671 participants (mean age 40.2 years; 54.3% males. The valid response rate was 96.9%; 186 (27.7% participants were classified as non-adherent, the mean adherence rate being 86.1% (standard deviation [SD] 17.9. Seven strategies that patients employ to facilitate adherence were identified, the

  1. GENDER VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTHERN OF GUANAJUATO

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    Rocío Rosas-Vargas

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This article focuses on some of the main results of the project Gender, Violence and Marginalization in elementary schools and high schools in southern Guanajuato. What was found is that a high number of female students presented some types of violence by either her classmates or teachers. Gossip and insults by other women were the main types of violence detected among female students analyzed; and also insults and gossip by men stood out. Both, male and female teachers, use violence towards some students, strengthening patriarchal ideas about what a woman has to be and punishing those who do not adhere to these stereotypes. Surveys were applied by using a sample; workshop surveys and deep interviews were conducted among students and teachers.

  2. Adherence and health care costs

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    Iuga AO

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Aurel O Iuga,1,2 Maura J McGuire3,4 1Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2Johns Hopkins University, 3Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, 4Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Abstract: Medication nonadherence is an important public health consideration, affecting health outcomes and overall health care costs. This review considers the most recent developments in adherence research with a focus on the impact of medication adherence on health care costs in the US health system. We describe the magnitude of the nonadherence problem and related costs, with an extensive discussion of the mechanisms underlying the impact of nonadherence on costs. Specifically, we summarize the impact of nonadherence on health care costs in several chronic diseases, such as diabetes and asthma. A brief analysis of existing research study designs, along with suggestions for future research focus, is provided. Finally, given the ongoing changes in the US health care system, we also address some of the most relevant and current trends in health care, including pharmacist-led medication therapy management and electronic (e-prescribing. Keywords: patient, medication, adherence, compliance, nonadherence, noncompliance, cost

  3. Factors that determine self-reported immunosuppressant adherence in kidney transplant recipients: a correlational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weng, Li-Chueh; Yang, Ya-Chen; Huang, Hsiu-Li; Chiang, Yang-Jen; Tsai, Yu-Hsia

    2017-01-01

    To determine the factors related to immunosuppressant therapy adherence in kidney transplant recipients in Taiwan. Adherence to immunosuppressant treatment is critical after kidney transplantation. Thus, the factors associated with self-reported medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients warrant investigation. The study used a cross-sectional and correlation design. A convenience sample of 145 kidney transplant recipients was included. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data during 2012-2013. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the factors related to immunosuppressant therapy adherence. Over half of the participants were female (54·5%), mean age was 45·5 years, and mean year after transplant was 7·4. The mean score for medication adherence was 29·73 (possible score range 7-35). The results of the multivariate linear regression analysis showed that gender (male), low income with a high school or college education, years after transplantation and concerns about medication taking were negatively associated with adherence. Medication self-efficacy was positively associated with adherence. Therapy-related factors, partnerships with healthcare professionals and having private healthcare insurance did not significantly relate to immunosuppressant therapy adherence. Kidney transplant recipients demonstrated a high level of adherence. Strategies to enhance patients' self-efficacy and alleviate concerns about medication may promote medication adherence. Male patients, those with a lower income and those with a higher education level, should be a focus of efforts to maintain adherence to the medication regimen. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Mediterranean diet adherence and body composition among Southern Italian adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mistretta, Antonio; Marventano, Stefano; Antoci, Mariagrazia; Cagnetti, Antonella; Giogianni, Gabriele; Nolfo, Francesca; Rametta, Stefania; Pecora, Giulia; Marranzano, Marina

    Adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet has been associated with health benefits in young populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cardio-metabolic parameters in adolescents living in Sicily, Southern Italy. A cross-sectional study was conducted during two school years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014) on 1643 adolescents of 11-16 years attending 15 secondary schools. Socio-demographic, dietary, lifestyle, and anthropometric data were collected. The KIDMED score was used to evaluate the adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Linear and logistic regression models were used to test the association between the variable of interest and the outcomes. A higher percentage of boys compared with girls was overweight (30.8% vs. 25.4%) and obese (28.7% vs. 18.5%) and only 9.1% had high adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Vegetable intake was negatively associated with being overweight/obese whereas higher intake of sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fast foods was associated with overweight and obesity. A good adherence to the Mediterranean diet resulted in 30% decreased odds of being overweight or obese (odd ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval: 0.56-0.87) in both boys and girls. An inverse correlation was found between KIDMED score and BMI, waist circumference and fat mass. No relation with blood pressure was found. Mediterranean dietary pattern resulted significantly associated with weight status in adolescents. These results underline the importance of providing lifestyle and dietary habits education to prevent overweight and obesity in adolescent. Copyright © 2016 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Adherence to a behavioral weight loss treatment program enhances weight loss and improvements in biomarkers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushama D Acharya

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Sushama D Acharya3, Okan U Elci3, Susan M Sereika1,2,3, Edvin Music3, Mindi A Styn3, Melanie Warziski Turk3, Lora E Burke2,31Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, 2Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, 3School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USAObjectives: To describe participants’ adherence to multiple components (attendance, energy intake, fat gram, exercise goals, and self-monitoring eating and exercise behaviors of a standard behavioral treatment program (SBT for weight loss and how adherence to these components may influence weight loss and biomarkers (triglycerides, low density lipoproteins [LDL], high density lipoprotein, and insulin during the intensive and less-intensive intervention phases. Methods: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial consisting of a SBT with either fat-restricted standard or lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. The 12-month intervention was delivered in 33 group sessions. The first six months reflected the intensive phase; the second six months, the less-intensive intervention phase. We conducted the analysis without regard to treatment assignment. Eligible participants included overweight/obese adults (N = 176; mean body mass index = 34.0 kg/m2. The sample was 86.9% female, 70.5% White, and 44.4 ± 8.6 years old. The outcome measures included weight and biomarkers. Results: There was a significant decline in adherence to each treatment component over time (P < 0.0001. In the first six months, adherence to attendance, self-monitoring and the energy goal were significantly associated with greater weight loss (P < 0.05. Adherence to attendance and exercise remained significantly associated with weight loss in the second six months (P < 0.05. Adherence to attendance, self-monitoring and exercise had indirect effects through weight loss on LDL, triglycerides, and insulin (P < 0.05.Conclusions: We observed a decline in adherence to each

  6. Adherence to Vaginal Dilation Following High Dose Rate Brachytherapy for Endometrial Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Friedman, Lois C.; Abdallah, Rita; Schluchter, Mark; Panneerselvam, Ashok; Kunos, Charles A.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: We report demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with adherence to vaginal dilation and describe the sexual and marital or nonmarital dyadic functioning of women following high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for endometrial cancer. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively evaluated women aged 18 years or older in whom early-stage endometrial (IAgr3-IIB) cancers were treated by HDR intravaginal brachytherapy within the past 3.5 years. Women with or without a sexual partner were eligible. Patients completed questionnaires by mail or by telephone assessing demographic and clinical variables, adherence to vaginal dilation, dyadic satisfaction, sexual functioning, and health beliefs. Results: Seventy-eight of 89 (88%) eligible women with early-stage endometrial cancer treated with HDR brachytherapy completed questionnaires. Only 33% of patients were adherers, based on reporting having used a dilator more than two times per week in the first month following radiation. Nonadherers who reported a perceived change in vaginal dimension following radiation reported that their vaginas were subjectively smaller after brachytherapy (p = 0.013). Adherers reported more worry about their sex lives or lack thereof than nonadherers (p = 0.047). Patients reported considerable sexual dysfunction following completion of HDR brachytherapy. Conclusions: Adherence to recommendations for vaginal dilator use following HDR brachytherapy for endometrial cancer is poor. Interventions designed to educate women about dilator use benefit may increase adherence. Although sexual functioning was compromised, it is likely that this existed before having cancer for many women in our study.

  7. Factors associated with false-positive self-reported adherence to antihypertensive drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tedla, Y G; Bautista, L E

    2017-05-01

    Self-reported medication adherence is known to overestimate true adherence. However, little is known about patient factors that may contribute to the upward bias in self-reported medication adherence. The objective of this study is to examine whether demographic, behavioral, medication and mood factors are associated with being a false-positive self-reported adherer (FPA) to antihypertensive drug treatment. We studied 175 patients (mean age: 50 years; 57% men) from primary-care clinics starting antihypertensive drug treatment. Self-reported adherence (SRA) was measured with the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS) and by the number of drug doses missed in the previous week/month, and compared with pill count adherence ratio (PCAR) as gold standard. Data on adherence, demographic, behavioral, medication and mood factors were collected at baseline and every 3 months up to 1 year. FPA was defined as being a non-adherer by PCAR and an adherer by self-report. Mixed effect logistic regression was used for the analysis. Twenty percent of participants were FPA. Anxiety increased (odds ratio (OR): 3.00; P=0.01), whereas smoking (OR: 0.40; P=0.03) and drug side effects (OR: 0.46, P=0.03) decreased the probability for FPA by MARS. Education below high-school completion increased the probability of being an FPA as measured by missing doses in the last month (OR: 1.66; P=0.04) and last week (OR: 1.88; P=0.02). The validity of SRA varies significantly according to drug side effects, behavioral factors and patient's mood. Careful consideration should be given to the use of self-reported measures of adherence among patients likely to be false-positive adherers.

  8. Adherence to wearing prescription custom-made footwear in patients with diabetes at high risk for plantar foot ulceration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waaijman, Roelof; Keukenkamp, Renske; de Haart, Mirjam; Polomski, Wojtek P; Nollet, Frans; Bus, Sicco A

    2013-06-01

    Prescription custom-made footwear can only be effective in preventing diabetic foot ulcers if worn by the patient. Particularly, the high prevalence of recurrent foot ulcers focuses the attention on adherence, for which objective data are nonexisting. We objectively assessed adherence in patients with high risk of ulcer recurrence and evaluated what determines adherence. In 107 patients with diabetes, neuropathy, a recently healed plantar foot ulcer, and custom-made footwear, footwear use was measured during 7 consecutive days using a shoe-worn, temperature-based monitor. Daily step count was measured simultaneously using an ankle-worn activity monitor. Patients logged time away from home. Adherence was calculated as the percentage of steps that prescription footwear was worn. Determinants of adherence were evaluated in multivariate linear regression analysis. Mean ± SD adherence was 71 ± 25%. Adherence at home was 61 ± 32%, over 3,959 ± 2,594 steps, and away from home 87 ± 26%, over 2,604 ± 2,507 steps. In 35 patients with low adherence (footwear were significantly associated with higher adherence. The results show that adherence to wearing custom-made footwear is insufficient, particularly at home where patients exhibit their largest walking activity. This low adherence is a major threat for reulceration. These objective findings provide directions for improvement in adherence, which could include prescribing specific off-loading footwear for indoors, and they set a reference for future comparative research on footwear adherence in diabetes.

  9. Factors related to high and low levels of drug adherence according to patients with type 2 diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Borgsteede, S.D.; Westerman, M.J.; Kok, I.L.; Meeuse, J.C.; de Vries, T.P.G.M.; Hugtenburg, J.G.

    2011-01-01

    Objective Adherence to medication in patients with type 2 diabetes varies widely, yet the factors that influence adherence according to patients are not fully known. The aim of this study is to explore both factors related to high and lower levels of adherence that patients with type 2 diabetes

  10. Accurate reporting of adherence to inhaled therapies in adults with cystic fibrosis: methods to calculate normative adherence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hoo ZH

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Zhe Hui Hoo,1,2 Rachael Curley,1,2 Michael J Campbell,1 Stephen J Walters,1 Daniel Hind,3 Martin J Wildman1,2 1School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR, University of Sheffield, 2Sheffield Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, Northern General Hospital, 3Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK Background: Preventative inhaled treatments in cystic fibrosis will only be effective in maintaining lung health if used appropriately. An accurate adherence index should therefore reflect treatment effectiveness, but the standard method of reporting adherence, that is, as a percentage of the agreed regimen between clinicians and people with cystic fibrosis, does not account for the appropriateness of the treatment regimen. We describe two different indices of inhaled therapy adherence for adults with cystic fibrosis which take into account effectiveness, that is, “simple” and “sophisticated” normative adherence. Methods to calculate normative adherence: Denominator adjustment involves fixing a minimum appropriate value based on the recommended therapy given a person’s characteristics. For simple normative adherence, the denominator is determined by the person’s Pseudomonas status. For sophisticated normative adherence, the denominator is determined by the person’s Pseudomonas status and history of pulmonary exacerbations over the previous year. Numerator adjustment involves capping the daily maximum inhaled therapy use at 100% so that medication overuse does not artificially inflate the adherence level. Three illustrative cases: Case A is an example of inhaled therapy under prescription based on Pseudomonas status resulting in lower simple normative adherence compared to unadjusted adherence. Case B is an example of inhaled therapy under-prescription based on previous exacerbation history resulting in lower sophisticated normative adherence compared to unadjusted adherence and simple normative adherence

  11. Trying to make things right: adherence work in high-poverty, African American neighborhoods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senteio, Charles; Veinot, Tiffany

    2014-12-01

    Adherence to treatment recommendations for chronic diseases is notoriously low across all patient populations. But African American patients, who are more likely to live in low-income neighborhoods and to have multiple chronic conditions, are even less likely to follow medical recommendations. Yet we know little about their contextually embedded, adherence-related experiences. We interviewed individuals (n = 37) with at least two of the following conditions: hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Using an "invisible work" theoretical framework, we outline the adherence work that arose in patients' common life circumstances. We found five types: constantly searching for better care, stretching medications, eating what I know, keeping myself alive, and trying to make it right. Adherence work was effortful, challenging, and addressed external contingencies present in high-poverty African American neighborhoods. This work was invisible within the health care system because participants lacked ongoing, trusting relationships with providers and rarely discussed challenges with them. © The Author(s) 2014.

  12. Risk factors for suboptimal antiretroviral therapy adherence in HIV-infected adolescents in Gaborone, Botswana: a pilot cross-sectional study

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    Ndiaye M

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Maimouna Ndiaye,1,2 Peter Nyasulu,1 Hoang Nguyen,6,7 Elizabeth D Lowenthal,8,9 Robert Gross,10 Edward J Mills,3 Jean B Nachega4–6 1School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 2Central Medical Stores, Ministry of Health, Gaborone, Botswana; 3Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; 4Department of Medicine and Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; 5Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research Program, Pittsburgh University Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 6Departments of Epidemiology and International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; 7Tay Ho Clinics, Department of Medicine, Hanoi Health Services, Hanoi, Vietnam; 8Departments of Pediatrics and Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 9Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 10Departments of Medicine and Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA Objective: Little is known about factors associated with suboptimal antiretroviral treatment (ART adherence among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our objective was to determine the level of ART adherence and predictors of non-adherence among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected adolescents at the Botswana-Baylor Children's Clinical Centre of Excellence in Gaborone, Botswana. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 82 HIV-infected adolescents receiving ART and their caregivers were administered a structured questionnaire. The patient's clinical information was retrieved from medical records. Outcome measures included excellent pill count ART adherence (>95% and virologic suppression

  13. Improving medication adherence: a framework for community pharmacy-based interventions

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    Pringle J

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Janice Pringle,1 Kim C Coley2 1Program Evaluation and Research Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 2Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Abstract: Evidence supports that patient medication adherence is suboptimal with patients typically taking less than half of their prescribed doses. Medication nonadherence is associated with poor health outcomes and higher downstream health care costs. Results of studies evaluating pharmacist-led models in a community pharmacy setting and their impact on medication adherence have been mixed. Community pharmacists are ideally situated to provide medication adherence interventions, and effective strategies for how they can consistently improve patient medication adherence are necessary. This article suggests a framework to use in the community pharmacy setting that will significantly improve patient adherence and provides a strategy for how to apply this framework to develop and test new medication adherence innovations. The proposed framework is composed of the following elements: 1 defining the program's pharmacy service vision, 2 using evidence-based, patient-centered communication and intervention strategies, 3 using specific implementation approaches that ensure fidelity, and 4 applying continuous evaluation strategies. Within this framework, pharmacist interventions should include those services that capitalize on their specific skill sets. It is also essential that the organization's leadership effectively communicates the pharmacy service vision. Medication adherence strategies that are evidence-based and individualized to each patient's adherence problems are most desirable. Ideally, interventions would be delivered repeatedly over time and adjusted when patient's adherence circumstances change. Motivational interviewing principles are particularly well

  14. Achieving equity in HIV-treatment outcomes: can social protection improve adolescent ART-adherence in South Africa?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cluver, L D; Toska, E; Orkin, F M; Meinck, F; Hodes, R; Yakubovich, A R; Sherr, L

    2016-03-01

    Low ART-adherence amongst adolescents is associated with morbidity, mortality and onward HIV transmission. Reviews find no effective adolescent adherence-promoting interventions. Social protection has demonstrated benefits for adolescents, and could potentially improve ART-adherence. This study examines associations of 10 social protection provisions with adherence in a large community-based sample of HIV-positive adolescents. All 10-19-year-olds ever ART-initiated in 53 government healthcare facilities in a health district of South Africa's Eastern Cape were traced and interviewed in 2014-2015 (n = 1175 eligible). About 90% of the eligible sample was included (n = 1059). Social protection provisions were "cash/cash in kind": government cash transfers, food security, school fees/materials, school feeding, clothing; and "care": HIV support group, sports groups, choir/art groups, positive parenting and parental supervision/monitoring. Analyses used multivariate regression, interaction and marginal effects models in SPSS and STATA, controlling for socio-demographic, HIV and healthcare-related covariates. Findings showed 36% self-reported past-week ART non-adherence (75 copies/ml) (aOR 1.98, CI 1.1-3.45). Independent of covariates, three social protection provisions were associated with reduced non-adherence: food provision (aOR .57, CI .42-.76, p < .001); HIV support group attendance (aOR .60, CI .40-.91, p < .02), and high parental/caregiver supervision (aOR .56, CI .43-.73, p < .001). Combination social protection showed additive benefits. With no social protection, non-adherence was 54%, with any one protection 39-41%, with any two social protections, 27-28% and with all three social protections, 18%. These results demonstrate that social protection provisions, particularly combinations of "cash plus care", may improve adolescent adherence. Through this they have potential to improve survival and wellbeing, to prevent HIV transmission, and to advance treatment

  15. The status of safety in the public high school chemistry laboratories in Mississippi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lacy, Sarah Louise Trotman

    Since laboratory-based science courses have become an essential element of any science curriculum and are required by the Mississippi Department of Education for graduation, the chemistry laboratories in the public high schools in Mississippi must be safe. The purpose of this study was to determine: the safety characteristics of a high school chemistry laboratory; the perceived safety characteristics of the chemistry laboratories in public high schools in Mississippi; the basic safety knowledge of chemistry teachers in public high schools in Mississippi, where chemistry teachers in Mississippi gain knowledge about laboratory safety and instruction; if public high school chemistry laboratories in Mississippi adhere to recommended class size, laboratory floor space per student, safety education, safety equipment, and chemical storage; and the relationship between teacher knowledge of chemistry laboratory safety and the safety status of the laboratory in which they teach. The survey instrument was composed of three parts. Part I Teacher Knowledge consisted of 23 questions concerning high school chemistry laboratory safety. Part II Chemistry Laboratory Safety Information consisted of 40 items divided into four areas of interest concerning safety in high school chemistry laboratories. Part III Demographics consisted of 11 questions relating to teacher certification, experience, education, and safety training. The survey was mailed to a designated chemistry teacher in every public high school in Mississippi. The responses to Part I of the survey indicated that the majority of the teachers have a good understanding of knowledge about chemistry laboratory safety but need more instruction on the requirements for a safe high school chemistry laboratory. Less than 50% of the responding teachers thought they had received adequate preparation from their college classes to conduct a safe chemistry laboratory. According to the responses of the teachers, most of their high school

  16. Accountability: a missing construct in models of adherence behavior and in clinical practice

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    Oussedik E

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Elias Oussedik,1 Capri G Foy,2 E J Masicampo,3 Lara K Kammrath,3 Robert E Anderson,1 Steven R Feldman1,4,5 1Center for Dermatology Research, Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 2Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 3Department of Psychology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 4Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 5Department of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA Abstract: Piano lessons, weekly laboratory meetings, and visits to health care providers have in common an accountability that encourages people to follow a specified course of action. The accountability inherent in the social interaction between a patient and a health care provider affects patients’ motivation to adhere to treatment. Nevertheless, accountability is a concept not found in adherence models, and is rarely employed in typical medical practice, where patients may be prescribed a treatment and not seen again until a return appointment 8–12 weeks later. The purpose of this paper is to describe the concept of accountability and to incorporate accountability into an existing adherence model framework. Based on the Self-Determination Theory, accountability can be considered in a spectrum from a paternalistic use of duress to comply with instructions (controlled accountability to patients’ autonomous internal desire to please a respected health care provider (autonomous accountability, the latter expected to best enhance long-term adherence behavior. Existing adherence models were reviewed with a panel of experts, and an accountability construct was incorporated into a modified version of Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. Defining accountability and incorporating it into an adherence model will facilitate the development of measures of accountability as well

  17. Self-perception of knowledge and adherence reflecting the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy

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    Dagli-Hernandez C

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Carolina Dagli-Hernandez,1 Rosa Camila Lucchetta,1 Tales Rubens de Nadai,2 José Carlos Fernandez Galduróz,3 Patricia de Carvalho Mastroianni1 1Department of Drugs and Medications, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, Araraquara, 2Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Americo Brasiliense State Hospital, 3Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil Objectives: To evaluate which indirect method for assessing adherence best reflects highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART effectiveness and the factors related to adherence. Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed in 2012 at a reference center of the state of São Paulo. Self-report (simplified medication adherence questionnaire [SMAQ] and drug refill parameters were compared to the viral load (clinical parameter of the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy [EP] to evaluate the EP. The “Cuestionario para la Evaluación de la Adhesión al Tratamiento Antiretroviral” (CEAT-VIH was used to evaluate factors related to adherence and the EP and, complementarily, patient self-perception of adherence was compared to the clinical parameter of the EP. Results: Seventy-five patients were interviewed, 60 of whom were considered as adherent from the clinical parameter of the EP and ten were considered as adherent from all parameters. Patient self-perception about adherence was the instrument that best reflected the EP when compared to the standardized self-report questionnaire (SMAQ and drug refill parameter. The level of education and the level of knowledge on HAART were positively correlated to the EP. Forgetfulness, alcohol use, and lack of knowledge about the medications were the factors most frequently reported as a cause of nonadherence. Conclusion: A new parameter of patient self-perception of adherence, which is a noninvasive, inexpensive instrument, could be applied and assessed as easily as self

  18. Self-reported adherence to oral cancer therapy: relationships with symptom distress, depression, and personal characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berry DL

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Donna L Berry,1–3 Traci M Blonquist,4 Fangxin Hong,4,5 Barbara Halpenny,1 Ann H Partridge2,3 1Phyllis F Cantor Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 2Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 3Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 4Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 5Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA Background: Therapeutic cancer chemotherapy is most successful when complete dosing is achieved. Because many newer therapeutic agents are oral and self-administered by the patient, adherence is a concern. The purpose of our analysis was to explore relationships between adherence, patient characteristics, and barriers to adherence.Methods: This secondary analysis utilized self-reported data from a randomized trial of self-care management conducted at two cancer centers in the US. Symptom distress was measured using the 15-item Symptom Distress Scale (SDS-15 and depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9. Adherence to oral medication was self-reported using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8. Measures were collected via Web-based, study-specific software ~8 weeks after treatment start date. Odds of low/medium adherence (score <8 were explored using univariate logistic regression. Given the number of factors and possible relationships among factors, a classification tree was built in lieu of a multivariable logistic regression model.Results: Of the eligible participants enrolled, 77 were on oral therapy and 70 had an MMAS score. Forty-nine (70% reported a high adherence score (=8. Higher odds of low/medium adherence were associated with greater symptom distress (P=0.09, more depression (P=0.05, chemotherapy vs hormonal oral medication (P=0.03, being female (P=0.02, and being randomized to the control group in the parent trial (P=0.09. Conversely, high adherence was associated with

  19. Comparisons of Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in a High-Risk Population in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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    Zhou Huan

    Full Text Available Reports on antiretroviral therapy (ART adherence are scare in China; we performed this meta-analysis to estimate ART adherence rates in different populations at high risk for HIV transmission in China.We searched PubMed, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (Chinese, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (Chinese, and Wanfang (Chinese to identify studies published from January 1985 to May 2015. We used random-effects meta-analysis to calculate weighted mean estimates across studies and 95% CIs. Data were pooled with proportions transformed prior to pooling using the Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation and then back transformed to the original scale. We calculated the I2 (and its 95% confidence intervals and tau2 to assess between-study heterogeneity.We identified 36 eligible articles, including 6885 HIV-positive individuals, reporting ART adherence. Pooled analysis produced an estimate of 77.61% (95% CI = 71.63-83.08 of patients with HIV with adequate adherence; however, high heterogeneity was observed between studies (I2 = 96.60%, 95%CI = 96.00%-97.20%; tau2 = 0.16. Three studies, which included 149 old HIV-infected patients, reported the highest ART adequate adherence rate (89.39%, 95% CI = 72.01-99.26 with high heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 86.20%, 95%CI = 60.00-95.20%; tau2 = 0.13. While, only two studies, which included 143 heterosexual transmission group (HTG patients, reported the lowest ART adequate adherence rate (51.55%, 95% CI = 41.33-61.71 with low heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 31.3%, tau2 = 0.007. In the multivariable meta-regression model, high-risk populations was the main factor explaining heterogeneity (variance explained 28.14%.ART adherence in some high-risk populations (e.g., heterosexual transmission group is below the recommended levels for maintaining virologic suppression. It is crucial to develop comprehensive intervention strategies to promote ART adherence in high-risk populations and

  20. Measurement of treatment adherence with antipsychotic agents in patients with schizophrenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinhua S Ren

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Xinhua S Ren1,2,3, Lawrence Herz4,5, Shirley Qian1,2,3, Eric Smith3,4, Lewis E Kazis1,2,31The Center for the Assessment of Pharmaceutical Practices (CAPP, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; 2Department of Health Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; 3Center for Health Quality, Outcomes, and Economic Research, Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA, USA; 4Division of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; 5Mental Health Service Line, Bedford VA Medical Center, Bedford, MA, USAAbstract: The importance of medication adherence in sustaining control of schizophrenic symptoms has generated a great deal of interest in comparing levels of treatment adherence with different antipsychotic agents. However, the bulk of the research has yielded results that are often inconsistent. In this prospective, observational study, we assessed the measurement properties of 3 commonly used, pharmacy-based measures of treatment adherence with antipsychotic agents in schizophrenia using data from the Veterans Health Administration during 2000 to 2005. Patients were selected if they were on antipsychotics and diagnosed with schizophrenia (N = 18,425. A gap of ≥30 days (with no filled index medication was used to define discontinuation of treatment as well as medication “episodes,” or the number of times a patient returned to the same index agent after discontinuation of treatment within a 1-year period. The study found that the 3 existing measures differed in their approaches in measuring treatment adherence, suggesting that studies using these different measures would generate different levels of treatment adherence across antipsychotic agents. Considering the measurement problems associated with each existing approach, we offered a new, medication episode-specific approach, which would provide a fairer comparison of the levels of treatment adherence

  1. ‘It’s not about money, it’s about my health’: determinants of participation and adherence among women in an HIV-HSV2 prevention trial in Johannesburg, South Africa

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    MacPhail C

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Catherine MacPhail,1 Sinead Delany-Moretlwe,1 Philippe Mayaud21Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; 2Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UKAbstract: High levels of adherence in clinical trials are essential for producing accurate intervention efficacy estimates. Adherence to clinical trial products and procedures is dependent on the motivations that drive participants. Data are presented to document reasons for trial participation and adherence to daily aciclovir for HSV-2 and HIV-1 genital shedding suppression among 300 HIV-1/HSV-2 seropositive women in South Africa. In-depth interviews after exit from the trial with 31 randomly selected women stratified by age and time since HIV diagnosis confirmed high levels of adherence measured during the trial. Main reasons for trial participation were related to seeking high-quality health care, which explains high levels of adherence in both study arms. Concerns that women would abuse reimbursements, fabricate data, and share or dump pills were not corroborated. Altruism is not a primary motivator in these settings where access to quality services is an issue. This study provides further evidence that good adherence of daily medication is possible in developing countries, particularly where study activities resonate with participants or fill an unmet need.Keywords: adherence, trial, HIV prevention, South Africa

  2. Inhibition of Enterococcus faecium adherence to collagen by antibodies against high-affinity binding subdomains of Acm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Sillanpää, Jouko; Ganesh, Vannakambadi K; Höök, Magnus; Murray, Barbara E

    2007-06-01

    Strains of Enterococcus faecium express a cell wall-anchored protein, Acm, which mediates adherence to collagen. Here, we (i) identify the minimal and high-affinity binding subsegments of Acm and (ii) show that anti-Acm immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) purified against these subsegments reduced E. faecium TX2535 strain collagen adherence up to 73 and 50%, respectively, significantly more than the total IgGs against the full-length Acm A domain (28%) (P Acm adherence with functional subsegment-specific antibodies raises the possibility of their use as therapeutic or prophylactic agents.

  3. Authoritative school climate and high school dropout rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Yuane; Konold, Timothy R; Cornell, Dewey

    2016-06-01

    This study tested the association between school-wide measures of an authoritative school climate and high school dropout rates in a statewide sample of 315 high schools. Regression models at the school level of analysis used teacher and student measures of disciplinary structure, student support, and academic expectations to predict overall high school dropout rates. Analyses controlled for school demographics of school enrollment size, percentage of low-income students, percentage of minority students, and urbanicity. Consistent with authoritative school climate theory, moderation analyses found that when students perceive their teachers as supportive, high academic expectations are associated with lower dropout rates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  4. Assessment of the Policy Guidelines for the Teaching and Learning of Geography at the Senior High School Level in Ghana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ababio, Bethel T.; Dumba, Hillary

    2014-01-01

    This article empirically assessed the extent to which geography teachers adhered to the Ghana Education Service policy guidelines on the teaching of geography at the Senior High School Level in Ghana. Census survey was used to collect data from seven geography teachers because of the researchers' objective of gaining a quick insight into the…

  5. Improving diabetes medication adherence: successful, scalable interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zullig LL

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Leah L Zullig,1,2 Walid F Gellad,3,4 Jivan Moaddeb,2,5 Matthew J Crowley,1,2 William Shrank,6 Bradi B Granger,7 Christopher B Granger,8 Troy Trygstad,9 Larry Z Liu,10 Hayden B Bosworth1,2,7,11 1Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; 2Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 3Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Pittsburgh Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 4Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 5Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 6CVS Caremark Corporation; 7School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 8Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; 9North Carolina Community Care Networks, Raleigh, NC, USA; 10Pfizer, Inc., and Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA; 11Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA Abstract: Effective medications are a cornerstone of prevention and disease treatment, yet only about half of patients take their medications as prescribed, resulting in a common and costly public health challenge for the US healthcare system. Since poor medication adherence is a complex problem with many contributing causes, there is no one universal solution. This paper describes interventions that were not only effective in improving medication adherence among patients with diabetes, but were also potentially scalable (ie, easy to implement to a large population. We identify key characteristics that make these interventions effective and scalable. This information is intended to inform healthcare systems seeking proven, low resource, cost-effective solutions to improve medication adherence. Keywords: medication adherence, diabetes mellitus, chronic disease, dissemination research

  6. Middle School Concept Helps High-Poverty Schools Become High-Performing Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Picucci, Ali Callicoatte; Brownson, Amanda; Kahlert, Rahel; Sobel, Andrew

    2004-01-01

    The results of a study conducted by the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin for the U.S. Department of Education during the 2001-02 school year showed that elements of the middle school concept can lead to improved student performance, even in high-poverty schools. This article describes common elements of the middle school…

  7. Self-reported Medication Adherence and CKD Progression

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    Esteban A. Cedillo-Couvert

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: In the general population, medication nonadherence contributes to poorer outcomes. However, little is known about medication adherence among adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD. We evaluated the association of self-reported medication adherence with CKD progression and all-cause death in patients with CKD. Methods: In this prospective observational study of 3305 adults with mild-to-moderate CKD enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC Study, the baseline self-reported medication adherence was assessed by responses to 3 questions and categorized as high, medium, and low. CKD progression (50% decline in eGFR or incident end-stage renal disease and all-cause death were measured using multivariable Cox proportional hazards. Results: Of the patients, 68% were categorized as high adherence, 17% medium adherence, and 15% low adherence. Over a median follow-up of 6 years, there were 969 CKD progression events and 675 deaths. Compared with the high-adherence group, the low-adherence group experienced increased risk for CKD progression (hazard ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval = 1.05, 1.54 after adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical factors, cardiovascular medications, number of medication types, and depressive symptoms. A similar association existed between low adherence and all-cause death, but did not reach standard statistical significance (hazard ratio = 1.14 95% confidence interval = 0.88, 1.47. Conclusion: Baseline self-reported low medication adherence was associated with an increased risk for CKD progression. Future work is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying this association and to develop interventions to improve adherence. Keywords: CKD, death, medication adherence, progression

  8. Bible Study in Public Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riede, Paul

    2012-01-01

    A growing number of teachers across the U.S. are comfortable using the Bible as a teaching tool. Public school courses involving study of the Bible have spread to at least 43 states, and at least seven state legislatures have approved laws encouraging some form of Bible study. High schools now offer elective courses on the Bible that adhere to a…

  9. Noninfectious uveitis: strategies to optimize treatment compliance and adherence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dolz-Marco R

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Rosa Dolz-Marco,1 Roberto Gallego-Pinazo,1 Manuel Díaz-Llopis,2 Emmett T Cunningham Jr,3–6 J Fernando Arévalo7,8 1Unit of Macula, Department of Ophthalmology, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe, 2Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Spain; 3Department of Ophthalmology, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, 4Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 5The Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco Medical Center, 6West Coast Retina Medical Group, San Francisco, CA, USA; 7Vitreoretina Division, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 8Retina Division, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Abstract: Noninfectious uveitis includes a heterogenous group of sight-threatening ocular and systemic disorders. Significant progress has been made in the treatment of noninfectious uveitis in recent years, particularly with regard to the effective use of corticosteroids and non-corticosteroid immunosuppressive drugs, including biologic agents. All of these therapeutic approaches are limited, however, by any given patient’s ability to comply with and adhere to their prescribed treatment. In fact, compliance and adherence are among the most important patient-related determinants of treatment success. We discuss strategies to optimize compliance and adherence. Keywords: noninfectious uveitis, intraocular inflammation, immunosuppressive treatment, adherence, compliance, therapeutic failure

  10. Perceived adherence barriers among patients failing second-line ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1 School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa ... To examine factors affecting adherence to second-line ART from the perspective of clinic staff and .... because she did not realise her VL would go up.

  11. Experiences and perceptions of patients with 100% adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidat, Mohsin; Fairley, Christopher; Grierson, Jeffrey

    2007-07-01

    A decade has passed since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) as standard of care for HIV/AIDS patients. The success of HAART is largely dependent on almost 100% adherence to it. In this study our primary aim was to understand from patients' own perspectives and experiences what resulted in them having 100% adherence to HAART. Thus, we purposefully recruited for in-depth interviews 10 participants (7 men and 3 women) with 100% adherence to HAART (>/=6 months previous to the interviews). All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by using Giorgi's phenomenological analysis approach. The following issues emerged from the analysis: readiness to go on HAART; HAART viewed as a life-line; maintenance of 100% adherence related with willingness to live longer and healthier; optimal ongoing patient-physician relationship, better coping and/or lack of perceived side effects; and improvements in clinical condition as well as in CD4 T-cells count and viral load reinforced the motivation to continue 100% adherence. The study findings should be helpful for health professionals caring for HIV-infected individuals on HAART.

  12. Educational Philosophies Adhered by Filipino Preservice Teachers: Basis for Proposing Initiatives for 21st Century Teacher Education Preparation Program

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    Gilbert C. Magulod Jr.

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The study endeavoured to ascertain the educational philosophies adhered by Filipino preservice teachers. Descriptive survey research method was employed. The participants of the study were the 76 fourth year Bachelor in Elementary Education (BEED and Bachelor in Secondary Education (BSED of the College of Teacher Education in one state university in the Philippines. Data were gathered with the use of standardized research tool. Research findings showed that the Filipino preservice teachers espoused a very high adherence to progressivism educational philosophy and high orientation to existentialism and reconstructionism. They also showed a moderate adherence to perennialism and existentialism philosophies. These imply that they espoused a high student-centred teaching belief with partial acceptance to teacher-centred teaching belief. Test of difference and Post hoc analysis revealed that course, residence and scholastic standing in high school spelled differences on the educational philosophies of the Filipino preservice teachers. Findings of the study present initiatives for 21st century teacher education preparation program.

  13. Authoritative School Climate and High School Dropout Rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Yuane; Konold, Timothy R.; Cornell, Dewey

    2016-01-01

    This study tested the association between school-wide measures of an authoritative school climate and high school dropout rates in a statewide sample of 315 high schools. Regression models at the school level of analysis used teacher and student measures of disciplinary structure, student support, and academic expectations to predict overall high…

  14. Promoting adherence to nebulized therapy in cystic fibrosis: poster development and a qualitative exploration of adherence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jones S

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Stephen Jones,1 Nathan Babiker,2 Emma Gardner,2,3 Jane Royle,2 Rachael Curley,3,4 Zhe Hui Hoo,3,4 Martin J Wildman3,4 1Psychology Department, University of Sheffield, 2Psychological Services, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 3Adult Cystic Fibrosis Unit, Northern General Hospital, 4School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF health care professionals recognize the need to motivate people with CF to adhere to nebulizer treatments, yet little is known about how best to achieve this. We aimed to produce motivational posters to support nebulizer adherence by using social marketing involving people with CF in the development of those posters. Methods: The Sheffield CF multidisciplinary team produced preliminary ideas that were elaborated upon with semi-structured interviews among people with CF to explore barriers and facilitators to the use of nebulized therapy. Initial themes and poster designs were refined using an online focus group to finalize the poster designs. Results: People with CF preferred aspirational posters describing what could be achieved through adherence in contrast to posters that highlighted the adverse consequences of nonadherence. A total of 14 posters were produced through this process. Conclusion: People with CF can be engaged to develop promotional material to support adherence, providing a unique perspective differing from that of the CF multidisciplinary team. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these posters to support nebulizer adherence. Keywords: behavior change, social marketing, patient participation, nebulizers, medication adherence

  15. Evaluating adherence to ocular hypotensives using the Travatan dosing aid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O'Dell L

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Leslie O'Dell1, Amy L Hennessy2,3, Alan L Robin2–41May Eye Care Center, Hanover, PA, USA; 2Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; 3Glaucoma Specialists, Baltimore, MD, USA; 4Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USAPurpose: The Travatan™ Dosing Aid (TDA is the first commercially available device designed to aid in patients' adherence to their glaucoma therapies and to record patients' eyedrop administration, so that doctors can better assess adherence. No prior studies have objectively evaluated adherence to glaucoma medications and its relationship to the severity of glaucoma or the use of multiple systemic medications.Methods: We enrolled 100 consecutive subjects from a private glaucoma practice, all currently using topical travoprost 0.004%. Each subject was issued a TDA to record the time and date of each drop instilled. Informed consents were signed and the subjects were aware that their medication use was being monitored. Patients returned for follow-up 30–60 days after their initial exam.Results: 89 subjects completed the study: 44 were male, with a mean age of 67 years, and 69.7% were Caucasian. Overall, patient adherence was 74.8% (range 22%–100% improving to 85.4% on the day prior to follow-up. The mean number of missed doses per month was 6.24 ± 5.9. Only 7.9% of the study population never missed a dose and 23.6% ± 4.3% missed more than ten drops per month. No marked association was observed between the severity of glaucoma, race, or the number of systemic medications and adherence. A marked improvement in adherence was noted in patients using travoprost 0.004% as monocular therapy rather than binocular therapy, 84.0% ± 17.1% vs 67.4% ± 23.5% (P < 0.005.Conclusion: Patient adherence to glaucoma medical therapy is a major barrier in the management and treatment of glaucoma patients given the chronic nature and asymptomatic course of the disease. Until recently

  16. School-Within-A-School (Hawaii Nui High) Hilo High School Report 1969-70.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawaii Univ., Honolulu. Social Welfare Development and Research Center.

    The second year of operation of Hilo High School's "School-Within-A-School" [SWS] program is evaluated in this paper. Planning, training, and program implementation are described in the document. The following are the results of the program: There was an improvement in attendance among project students when compared to their record in…

  17. The Adherence Estimator: a brief, proximal screener for patient propensity to adhere to prescription medications for chronic disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McHorney, Colleen A

    2009-01-01

    To conceptualize, develop, and provide preliminary psychometric evidence for the Adherence Estimator--a brief, three-item proximal screener for the likelihood of non-adherence to prescription medications (medication non-fulfillment and non-persistence) for chronic disease. Qualitative focus groups with 140 healthcare consumers and two internet-based surveys of adults with chronic disease, comprising a total of 1772 respondents, who were self-reported medication adherers, non-persisters, and non-fulfillers. Psychometric tests were performed on over 150 items assessing 14 patient beliefs and skills hypothesized to be related to medication non-adherence along a proximal-distal continuum. Psychometric tests included, but were not limited to, known-groups discriminant validity at the scale and item level. The psychometric analyses sought to identify: (1) the specific multi-item scales that best differentiated self-reported adherers from self-reported non-adherers (non-fulfillers and non-persisters) and, (2) the single best item within each prioritized multi-item scale that best differentiated self-reported adherers from self-reported non-adherers (non-fulfillers and non-persisters). The two rounds of psychometric testing identified and cross-validated three proximal drivers of self-reported adherence: perceived concerns about medications, perceived need for medications, and perceived affordability of medications. One item from each domain was selected to include in the Adherence Estimator using a synthesis of psychometric results gleaned from classical and modern psychometric test theory. By simple summation of the weights assigned to the category responses of the three items, a total score is obtained that is immediately interpretable and completely transparent. Patients can be placed into one of three segments based on the total score--low, medium, and high risk for non-adherence. Sensitivity was 88%--of the non-adherers, 88% would be accurately classified as medium

  18. Journalism Beyond High School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Sally

    2001-01-01

    Discusses the shift from high school journalism to college journalism for students. Describes the role of the high school journalism advisor in that process. Offers checklists for getting to know a college publication. Outlines ways high school journalism teachers can take advantage of journalism resources available at local colleges and…

  19. Preliminary investigation of adherence to antiretroviral therapy ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Treatment of HIV with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has resulted in declining morbidity and mortality rates from HIV-associated diseases, but concerns regarding access and adherence are growing. To determine the adherence level and the reasons for non-adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among ...

  20. Excellent adherence to antiretrovirals in HIV+ Zambian children is compromised by disrupted routine, HIV nondisclosure, and paradoxical income effects.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica E Haberer

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available A better understanding of pediatric antiretroviral therapy (ART adherence in sub-Saharan Africa is necessary to develop interventions to sustain high levels of adherence.Adherence among 96 HIV-infected Zambian children (median age 6, interquartile range [IQR] 2,9 initiating fixed-dose combination ART was measured prospectively (median 23 months; IQR 20,26 with caregiver report, clinic and unannounced home-based pill counts, and medication event monitoring systems (MEMS. HIV-1 RNA was determined at 48 weeks. Child and caregiver characteristics, socio-demographic status, and treatment-related factors were assessed as predictors of adherence. Median adherence was 97.4% (IQR 96.1,98.4% by visual analog scale, 94.8% (IQR 86,100% by caregiver-reported last missed dose, 96.9% (IQR 94.5,98.2% by clinic pill count, 93.4% (IQR 90.2,96.7% by unannounced home-based pill count, and 94.8% (IQR 87.8,97.7% by MEMS. At 48 weeks, 72.6% of children had HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/ml. Agreement among adherence measures was poor; only MEMS was significantly associated with viral suppression (p = 0.013. Predictors of poor adherence included changing residence, school attendance, lack of HIV disclosure to children aged nine to 15 years, and increasing household income.Adherence among children taking fixed-dose combination ART in sub-Saharan Africa is high and sustained over two years. However, certain groups are at risk for treatment failure, including children with disrupted routines, no knowledge of their HIV diagnosis among older children, and relatively high household income, possibly reflecting greater social support in the setting of greater poverty.

  1. What puts heart failure patients at risk for poor medication adherence?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Knafl GJ

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available George J Knafl,1 Barbara Riegel2,31School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 2School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 3Leonard Davis Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USABackground: Medication nonadherence is a major cause of hospitalization in patients with heart failure (HF, which contributes enormously to health care costs. We previously found, using the World Health Organization adherence dimensions, that condition and patient level factors predicted nonadherence in HF. In this study, we assessed a wider variety of condition and patient factors and interactions to improve our ability to identify those at risk for hospitalization. Materials and methods: Medication adherence was measured electronically over the course of 6 months, using the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS. A total of 242 HF patients completed the study, and usable MEMS data were available for 218 (90.1%. Participants were primarily white (68.3%, male (64.2%, and retired (44.5%. Education ranged from 8–29 years (mean, 14.0 years; standard deviation, 2.9 years. Ages ranged from 30–89 years (mean, 62.8 years; standard deviation, 11.6 years. Analyses used adaptive methods based on heuristic searches controlled by cross-validation scores. First, individual patient adherence patterns over time were used to categorize patients in poor versus better adherence types. Then, risk factors for poor adherence were identified. Finally, an effective model for predicting poor adherence was identified based on identified risk factors and possible pairwise interactions between them. Results: A total of 63 (28.9% patients had poor adherence. Three interaction risk factors for poor adherence were identified: a higher number of comorbid conditions with a higher total number of daily medicines, older age with poorer global sleep quality, and fewer months since diagnosis of HF with poorer

  2. Factors associated with non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy in adults with AIDS in the first six months of treatment in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, José Adriano Góes; Dourado, Inês; Brito, Ana Maria de; Silva, Carlos Alberto Lima da

    2015-06-01

    The control of viral replication is essential in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and adherence to therapy is instrumental for such control. Individual and external factors influence adhesion to the use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. This is a cross-sectional study to investigate factors associated with non-adherence to HAART in AIDS patients in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, with age ≥ 13 years and first prescription in 2009. Data was collected from patient charts and pharmacy records. From a total of 216 patients, 65.3% were males; mean age 37.8 ± 9.5 years; single, 67.9%; heterosexual, 64%; more than 8 years of school education, 65.3%; alcohol users, 61.5%; non-smokers, 75,1% or non-illicit drug users, 93.7%. A proportion of 94% started ARV therapy with TCD4+ drug reaction. The prevalence of non-adherence was 25%. The variables associated were: longer time between HIV infection and AIDS (aOR = 3.9), adverse drug reaction (aOR = 2.4), under 34 years of age (aOR = 2.2), less than 8 years of school education (aOR = 2.2) and illicit drugs use (aOR = 2.6). A high-non-adherence rate is an important problem within the first six months of HAART.

  3. Evaluating High School IT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Brett A.

    2004-01-01

    Since its inception in 1997, Cisco's curriculum has entered thousands of high schools across the U.S. and around the world for two reasons: (1) Cisco has a large portion of the computer networking market, and thus has the resources for and interest in developing high school academies; and (2) high school curriculum development teams recognize the…

  4. Factors related to medication non-adherence for patients with hypertension in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wen-Wen; Kuo, Chi-Tai; Hwang, Shiow-Li; Hsu, Hsin-Tien

    2012-07-01

    To characterise a Taiwanese population and to examine the prevalence of antihypertensive medication non-adherence and how the cultural/clinical factors were associated with non-adherence in Taiwan. Antihypertensive medication non-adherence is a significant clinical issue in the United States. However, little is known about hypertension (HTN) control and cultural/clinical factors related to non-adherence in Taiwan. A convenience sample survey design was used. Data were gathered from a convenience sample of 200 subjects recruited from a large teaching hospital. Medication non-adherence and cultural/clinical factors were recorded using various self-administered questionnaires, and blood pressure was taken twice for each participant. The mean age of the participants was 60.4 (SD 11.5 years) including 62% men. Two-thirds had less than a high school education (64.5%), and the majority of them were married (86·0%) and lived with family or close friends (93.5%). The average length of HTN diagnosis was 8.6 years (SD 9.0 years). Medication non-adherence rate was 47·5%, and uncontrolled HTN rate was 49.0%. Some participants (17.0%) used Chinese herbs for treating their disease (e.g. cough) and promoting health in addition to their regular antihypertensive medications. Two factors were found to be statistically significant for predicting medication non-adherence: Lower Perceived Susceptibility to Specific Diseases [OR = 1.15 (95%CI, 1.01-1.31)] and Longer Length of HTN Diagnosis [OR = 1.06 (95%CI, 1.01-1.12)]. Taiwanese at risk of non-adherence included those who perceived lower susceptibility to specific diseases and had been diagnosed with HTN for a longer time. Those using herbs need to be studied for an impact of herbs on their adherence behaviour. These findings can help guide the development of culturally sensitive and clinically appropriate nursing interventions for HTN management in Taiwan. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Pedagogical Stances of High School ESL Teachers: "Huelgas" in High School ESL Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    del Carmen Salazar, Maria

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a qualitative case study of the pedagogical stances of high school English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, and the subsequent responses of resistance or conformity by their English Language Learners (ELLs). The participants include three high school ESL teachers and 60 high school ESL students of Mexican origin. Findings…

  6. Medication adherence among adult patients on hemodialysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdulmalik M Alkatheri

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Medication adherence was assessed in 89 patients on hemodialysis (HD at the King Abdul Aziz Medical City using an Arabic version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MASS-8. The results of the study revealed that 31.46% and 40.45% of the participants showed low and medium adherence, respectively, while 28.09% showed high medication adherence. Accordingly, 71.91% of the patients visiting the dialysis unit were considered medication non-adherent. While being of older age (P = 0.012, being married (P = 0.012 increased the level of adherence, being of medium level of education (P = 0.024 decreased adherence levels. On the other hand, gender, presence of a care-giver, number of members in the household and employment status seems to have no effect on the level of medication adherence. These results call upon the practitioners in HD units to develop intervention programs that can increase the level of medication adherence.

  7. Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Relevance Strategic Designs: 8. High Tech High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

    2008-01-01

    This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

  8. Early College High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dessoff, Alan

    2011-01-01

    For at-risk students who stand little chance of going to college, or even finishing high school, a growing number of districts have found a solution: Give them an early start in college while they still are in high school. The early college high school (ECHS) movement that began with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 10 years ago…

  9. Participation in Summer School and High School Graduation in the Sun Valley High School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Gabriel

    2012-01-01

    This study examines the effectiveness of a summer school credit recovery program in the Sun Valley High School District. Using logistic regression I assess the relationship between race, gender, course failure, school of origin and summer school participation for a sample of students that failed one or more classes in their first year of high…

  10. Adherence to vitamin supplementation following adolescent bariatric surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modi, Avani C; Zeller, Meg H; Xanthakos, Stavra A; Jenkins, Todd M; Inge, Thomas H

    2013-03-01

    Adolescents with extreme obesity, who have undergone bariatric surgery, must adhere to many lifestyle and nutritional recommendations, including multivitamin therapy. Little is known about multivitamin adherence following adolescent bariatric surgery. The present study aims to document self-reported and electronically-monitored adherence to multivitamins, determine convergence between self-report and electronic monitoring adherence for multivitamins, and identify barriers to multivitamin adherence for adolescents who have undergone bariatric surgery. The study used a prospective, longitudinal observational design to assess subjective (self-reported) and objective (electronic monitors) multivitamin adherence in a cohort of 41 adolescents (Mean age = 17.1 ± 1.5; range = 13-19) who have undergone bariatric surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Mean adherence as derived from electronic monitoring for the entire 6-month study period was 29.8% ± 23.9. Self-reported adherence was significantly higher than electronically monitored adherence across both the 1 and 6-month assessment points (z = 4.5, P bariatric surgery, high rates of nonadherence to multivitamin therapy were observed in adolescents who had undergone bariatric surgery with forgetting and difficulty swallowing pills as reported barriers to adherence. These high rates of nonadherence to multivitamin therapy should be considered when devising treatment and family education pathways for adolescents considering weight loss surgery. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

  11. Concussion Knowledge and Reporting Behavior Differences Between High School Athletes at Urban and Suburban High Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Jessica; Covassin, Tracey; Nogle, Sally; Gould, Daniel; Kovan, Jeffrey

    2017-09-01

    We determined differences in knowledge of concussion and reporting behaviors of high school athletes attending urban and suburban high schools, and whether a relationship exists between underreporting and access to an athletic trainer in urban schools. High school athletes (N = 715) from 14 high schools completed a validated knowledge of concussion survey consisting of 83 questions. The independent variable was school type (urban/suburban). We examined the proportion of athletes who correctly identified signs and symptoms of concussion, knowledge of concussion and reasons why high school athletes would not disclose a potential concussive injury across school classification. Data were analyzed using descriptive, non-parametric, and inferential statistics. Athletes attending urban schools have less concussion knowledge than athletes attending suburban schools (p urban schools without an athletic trainer have less knowledge than urban athletes at schools with an athletic trainer (p urban schools and 10 reasons for not reporting. Concussion education efforts cannot be homogeneous in all communities. Education interventions must reflect the needs of each community. © 2017, American School Health Association.

  12. Evaluation of Increasing Antecedent Specificity in Goal Statements on Adherence to Positive Behavior-Management Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohrs, Corey M.; Shriver, Mark D.; Burke, Raymond V.; Allen, Keith D.

    2016-01-01

    We evaluated the impact of antecedent specificity in goal statements on adherence to positive behavior-management strategies. Teaching staff were recruited from 2 different school settings where there were routine expectations to use behavior-specific praise in the classroom, but adherence was poor. In a concurrent multiple baseline design, the…

  13. Alcohol use, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and preferences regarding an alcohol-focused adherence intervention in patients with human immunodeficiency virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kekwaletswe CT

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Connie T Kekwaletswe,1 Neo K Morojele1,21Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Pretoria, 2School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaBackground: The primary objectives of this study were to determine the association between alcohol and antiretroviral therapy (ART adherence and the perceived appropriateness and acceptability of elements of an adherence counseling program with a focus on alcohol-related ART nonadherence among a sample of ART recipients in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV clinics in Tshwane, South Africa.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with purposive sampling. The sample comprised 304 male and female ART recipients at two President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief-supported HIV clinics. Using an interview schedule, we assessed patients' alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, other drug use, level of adherence to ART, and reasons for missing ART doses (AIDS Clinical Trials Group adherence instrument. Additionally, patients’ views were solicited on: the likely effectiveness of potential facilitators; the preferred quantity, duration, format, and setting of the sessions; the usefulness of having family members/friends attend sessions along with the patient; and potential skill sets to be imparted.Results: About half of the male drinkers’ and three quarters of the female drinkers’ Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores were suggestive of hazardous or harmful drinking. Average self-reported ART adherence was 89.7%. There was a significant association between level of alcohol use and degree of ART adherence. Overall, participants perceived two clinic-based sessions, each of one hour’s duration, in a group format, and facilitated by a peer or adherence counselor, as most appropriate and acceptable. Participants also had a favorable attitude towards family and friends accompanying them to the sessions. They also favored an

  14. A Systematic Review of CPAP Adherence Across Age Groups: Clinical and Empiric Insights for Developing CPAP Adherence Interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawyer, A.M.; Gooneratne, N.; Marcus, C.L.; Ofer, D.; Richards, K.C.; Weaver, T.E.

    2011-01-01

    Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a highly efficacious treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but adherence to the treatment limits its overall effectiveness across all age groups of patients. Factors that influence adherence to CPAP include disease and patient characteristics, treatment titration procedures, technological device factors and side effects, and psychological and social factors. These influential factors have guided the development of interventions to promote CPAP adherence. Various intervention strategies have been described and include educational, technological, psychosocial, pharmacological, and multi-dimensional approaches. Though evidence to date has led to innovative strategies that address adherence in CPAP-treated children, adults, and older adults, significant opportunities exist to develop and test interventions that are clinically applicable, specific to subgroups of patients likely to demonstrate poor adherence, and address the multifactorial nature of CPAP adherence. The translation of CPAP adherence promotion interventions to clinical practice is imperative to improve health and functional outcomes in all persons with CPAP-treated OSA. PMID:21652236

  15. An information-motivation-behavioral skills model of adherence to antiretroviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Jeffrey D; Fisher, William A; Amico, K Rivet; Harman, Jennifer J

    2006-07-01

    HIV-positive persons who do not maintain consistently high levels of adherence to often complex and toxic highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens may experience therapeutic failure and deterioration of health status and may develop multidrug-resistant HIV that can be transmitted to uninfected others. The current analysis conceptualizes social and psychological determinants of adherence to HAART among HIV-positive individuals. The authors propose an information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model of HAART adherence that assumes that adherence-related information, motivation, and behavioral skills are fundamental determinants of adherence to HAART. According to the model, adherence-related information and motivation work through adherence-related behavioral skills to affect adherence to HAART. Empirical support for the IMB model of adherence is presented, and its application in adherence-promotion intervention efforts is discussed.

  16. Fixing High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perkins-Gough, Deborah

    2005-01-01

    Reports from national education organizations in the US indicate the sorry state of high schools in the country that are accused of failing to adequately prepare their graduates for college or for the workforce, highlighting what is a serious problem in light of the troubled state of the US economy. The need to improve high schools is urgent and…

  17. Understanding how adherence goals promote adherence behaviours: a repeated measure observational study with HIV seropositive patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jones Gareth

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The extent to which patients follow treatments as prescribed is pivotal to treatment success. An exceptionally high level (> 95% of HIV medication adherence is required to suppress viral replication and protect the immune system and a similarly high level (> 80% of adherence has also been suggested in order to benefit from prescribed exercise programmes. However, in clinical practice, adherence to both often falls below the desirable level. This project aims to investigate a wide range of psychological and personality factors that may lead to adherence/non-adherence to medical treatment and exercise programmes. Methods HIV positive patients who are referred to the physiotherapist-led 10-week exercise programme as part of the standard care are continuously recruited. Data on social cognitive variables (attitude, intention, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and outcome beliefs about the goal and specific behaviours, selected personality factors, perceived quality of life, physical activity, self-reported adherence and physical assessment are collected at baseline, at the end of the exercise programme and again 3 months later. The project incorporates objective measures of both exercise (attendance log and improvement in physical measures such as improved fitness level, weight loss, improved circumferential anthropometric measures and medication adherence (verified by non-invasive hair analysis. Discussion The novelty of this project comes from two key aspects, complemented with objective information on exercise and medication adherence. The project assesses beliefs about both the underlying goal such as following prescribed treatment; and about the specific behaviours such as undertaking the exercise or taking the medication, using both implicit and explicit assessments of patients’ beliefs and attitudes. We predict that i the way people think about the underlying goal of their treatments explains medication and exercise

  18. Comparison of physical activities of female football players in junior high school and high school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inoue, Yuri; Otani, Yoshitaka; Takemasa, Seiichi

    2017-08-01

    [Purpose] This study aimed to compare physical activities between junior high school and high school female football players in order to explain the factors that predispose to a higher incidence of sports injuries in high school female football players. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-nine female football players participated. Finger floor distance, the center of pressure during single limb stance with eyes open and closed, the 40-m linear sprint time, hip abduction and extension muscle strength and isokinetic knee flexion and extension peak torque were measured. The modified Star Excursion Balance Test, the three-steps bounding test and three-steps hopping tests, agility test 1 (Step 50), agility test 2 (Forward run), curl-up test for 30 seconds and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test were performed. [Results] The high school group was only significantly faster than the junior high school group in the 40-m linear sprint time and in the agility tests. The distance of the bounding test in the high school group was longer than that in the junior high school group. [Conclusion] Agility and speed increase with growth; however, muscle strength and balance do not develop alongside. This unbalanced development may cause a higher incidence of sports injuries in high school football players.

  19. Factors associated with adherence to medication among depressed patients from Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al Jumah K

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Khalaf Al Jumah,1 Mohamed Azmi Hassali,2 Dalal Al Qhatani,1 Kamal El Tahir3 1Department of Pharmacy, Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 3College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Background: Several studies have investigated the factors associated with adherence to antidepressants, with inconsistent conclusions. However, no similar study has investigated this issue among patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study is to explore patients’ adherence to antidepressant medications, and the factors associated with adherence.Methods: A non-experimental cross-sectional design was used to measure adherence to antidepressants among major depressive disorder patients, and the factors associated with adherence. The patients were recruited from the outpatient clinic at the Al-Amal Complex for Mental Health in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between August 2013 and January 2014. Eligible participants met with one of the research coordinators for assessment of their adherence. Adherence was investigated indirectly by use of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, and patients’ beliefs were assessed through the Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire. Information about the severity of their depression, demographics, and other study variables were collected.Results: A total of 403 patients met the inclusion criteria and participated in the study. Of those, 203 (50.37% were females, while the remaining 200 (49.6% were males. There was an average age of 39 years (standard deviation, ±11 years. Half of the patients (52.9% reported low adherence to their antidepressant medication, with statistically significant differences between the low adherence and high adherence scores relating to sex, age, and duration of illness. Conclusion: Low medication adherence is a common problem among major depressive disorder

  20. Improving adherence to acne treatment: the emerging role of application software

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Park C

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Chanhyun Park,1 Gilwan Kim,1 Isha Patel,2 Jongwha Chang,3 Xi Tan2 1College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; 2College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; 3McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Samford University, Birmingham, AL, USA Objective: To examine recent studies on the effect of mobile and electronic (ME-health technology on adherence to acne treatment. Background: With emerging use of ME-health technology, there is a growing interest in evaluating the effectiveness of the tools on medication adherence. Examples of ME-health technology-based tools include text message-based pill reminders and Web-based patient education. Methods: MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for articles on adherence to acne treatment published through November 2013. A combination of search terms such as "acne" and "adherence" or "compliance" were used. Results: Adherence to oral acne medication was higher than for topical acne medication. The frequency of office visits was also an influencing factor for acne treatment adherence. The telephone-based reminders on a daily basis did not improve acne patients' medication adherence, whereas the Web-based educational tools on a weekly basis had a positive effect on medication adherence in acne treatment. Conclusion: In using ME-health interventions, factors such as medication dosage forms, frequency of intervention, and patients' preferences should be taken into consideration. Developing disease-specific text message reminders may be helpful to increase adherence rates. In addition, a combination of text message reminders with another type of intervention may improve medication adherence. Keywords: acne vulgaris, medication adherence, compliance, mobile and electronic health technology, application software, telemedicine

  1. CHILDREN'S ADHERENCE TO HAART ADHERENCE

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    han or equal IQ 2 log" and in 64% of children wirh smaller man 2 log,o decrease in viral load. Secondly, i caregivers are not well prepared for adherence issues before starting HAART, or if regimens are too onerous to follow, treatment is likely to fail. Every effort should be made to see the burden of adherence from the.

  2. Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy in depressed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A sociodemographic and drug adherence questionnaire was administered. The Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to screen for depressive symptoms while the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) was used to confirm the diagnosis of depressive disorder.

  3. Demographic and lifestyle factors associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet in relation to overweight/obesity among Israeli adolescents: findings from the Mabat Israeli national youth health and nutrition survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Wen; Goldsmith, Rebecca; Berry, Elliot M

    2017-04-01

    To investigate demographic and lifestyle factors associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) in Israeli adolescents. Cross-sectional. School-based. Schoolchildren (n 5268) aged 11-19 years answered self-administered questionnaires on food consumption, eating habits and lifestyle; a subset (n 578) also completed 24 h food recalls. Using a modified KIDMED index, 25·5 % of the students had poor, 55·2 % had average and 19·3 % had good MD adherence. Jewish middle-school children had the highest proportion (28·2 %) of poor MD adherence. Olive oil usage, derived from 24 h food recalls, was 18·1 % in Jewish families v. 71·1 % in Arab homes. In Jewish boys, the odds (OR; 95 % CI) of having poor MD adherence was higher in those who watched television/videos/listened to music for ≥2 h/d (1·25; 0·98, 1·58) and those who sometimes/don't read food labels (1·69; 1·31, 2·18). In Jewish girls, the odds for having poor MD adherence was significantly higher in those whose mother's schooling was <12 years (2·06; 1·41, 3·00) and those who sometimes/don't read food labels (1·35; 1·08, 1·69). In Arab boys, watching television/videos/listening to music for ≥2 h/d was significantly associated with poor MD adherence (1·89; 1·16, 3·07). In Arab girls, no aerobic activity or ball games weekly was associated with poor MD adherence (1·38; 0·91, 2·09). Israeli adolescents had overall a high rate of poor MD adherence. Jewish middle-school children were at the highest risk. Interventions aimed at increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary time, improving mother's education and promoting reading of food labels are recommended.

  4. Influence of Spirituality and Religion on Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Adult HIV/AIDS Patients in Calabar, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agam Ebaji Ayuk

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The emergence of a chronic medical illness such as Human Immune Deficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS may be the time when people turn to the Sacred through spirituality and religion. HIV is a chronic illness that requires strict adherence to medication regimens that may be influenced by spirituality/religion. This study was aimed at finding the association between spirituality/religion and adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART in adult HIV/AIDS patients. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study of 370 patients. Adherence was measured using an adapted adult AIDS clinical trial group (AACTG and visual analogue scale (VAS tools. Spirituality was assessed using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spirituality Expanded (FACIT-Sp-Ex scale, religiosity with Duke University Religion index (DUREL, and religious coping with Brief Religious Coping (RCOPE scale. Adherence rates were 86.2 and 43.8% using AACTG and VAS tools, respectively. Statistical significant correlation was found between spirituality and adherence to HAART (r = 0.265; p = 0.00. Also, significant correlation was found between positive religious coping and adherence (r = 0.15, p = 0.003. Odds ratio indicated that female respondents were 1.6 times more likely to be adherent, compared with males. Similarly, every unit rise in spirituality score yielded a 1.3 times increased likelihood of adherence to HAART on multiple logistic regression of adherence to HAART with relevant predictors. Both spirituality and positive religious coping have positive influence on optimal adherence. Therefore, the training of health care personnel to assess and provide spiritual care and involvement of chaplains/religious leaders is advocated for improved adherence.

  5. Patient education in groups increases knowledge of osteoporosis and adherence to treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Dorthe; Ryg, Jesper; Nielsen, Winnie

    2010-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Non-adherence to pharmacological treatment in osteoporosis is a well-recognized problem. We hypothesized that a group-based educational programme would increase patients' knowledge and level of adherence with medical treatment. METHODS: A total of 300 patients (32 men aged 65 ± 9 years...... and 268 women aged 63 ± 8 years), recently diagnosed with osteoporosis, were randomised to either an osteoporosis school programme (four classes of 8-12 participants over four weeks) or a control group. Teaching was multidisciplinary, based on patients' experiences and background and designed to encourage...... empowerment. Patients' knowledge about osteoporosis and adherence to treatment was assessed with self-completed questionnaires at baseline and after 3, 12, and 24 months. RESULTS: There were no significant differences at baseline between the two groups with respect to knowledge score or level of adherence...

  6. The Relationship between High School Math Courses, High School GPA, and Retention of Honors Scholarships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Megert, Diann Ackerman

    2005-01-01

    This research examined the high school transcripts of honors scholarship recipients to identify a better criterion for awarding scholarships than high school grade point average (GPA) alone. Specifically, this study compared the honors scholarship retention rate when the scholarship was awarded based on completed advanced high school math classes…

  7. A technology-enabled adherence enhancement system for people with bipolar disorder: results from a feasibility and patient acceptance analysis

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    Sajatovic M

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Martha Sajatovic,1 Michael S Davis,2 Kristin A Cassidy,3 Joseph Nestor,2 Johnny Sams,3 Edna Fuentes-Casiano3 1Department of Psychiatry and Neurological and Behavioral Outcomes Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA; 2MedicaSafe, New York, NY, USA; 3Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA Objective: As poor medication adherence is common in bipolar disorder (BD, technology-assisted approaches may help to monitor and enhance adherence. This study evaluated preliminary feasibility, patient satisfaction and effects on adherence, BD knowledge, and BD symptoms associated with the use of a multicomponent technology-assisted adherence enhancement system. Methods: This prospective study tested the system in five BD patients over a 15-day period. System components included: 1 an automated pill cap with remote monitoring sensor; 2 a multimedia adherence enhancement program; and 3 a treatment incentive program. This study evaluated system usability, patient satisfaction and effects on adherence (Morisky scale, knowledge (treatment knowledge test [TKT], and symptoms (internal state scale [ISS]. Results: Mean age of the sample was 62 years, 4/5 (80% Caucasian, and 4/5 (80% single/divorced or widowed. Most participants (4/5, 80% were on a single BD medication. Participants had BD for an average of 21 years. Challenges included attaching the pill sensor to standard pharmacy bottles for individuals using very large pill containers or those with multiday pill boxes. Three of five (60% individuals completed the full 15-day period. Usability scores were high overall. Mean Morisky scores improved. Means on all four subscales of the ISS were all in the direction of improvement. On the TKT, there was a 40% increase in mean scores. Conclusion: A multicomponent technology-assisted BD

  8. Switching Schools: Reconsidering the Relationship Between School Mobility and High School Dropout

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gasper, Joseph; DeLuca, Stefanie; Estacion, Angela

    2014-01-01

    Youth who switch schools are more likely to demonstrate a wide array of negative behavioral and educational outcomes, including dropping out of high school. However, whether switching schools actually puts youth at risk for dropout is uncertain, since youth who switch schools are similar to dropouts in their levels of prior school achievement and engagement, which suggests that switching schools may be part of the same long-term developmental process of disengagement that leads to dropping out. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, this study uses propensity score matching to pair youth who switched high schools with similar youth who stayed in the same school. We find that while over half the association between switching schools and dropout is explained by observed characteristics prior to 9th grade, switching schools is still associated with dropout. Moreover, the relationship between switching schools and dropout varies depending on a youth's propensity for switching schools. PMID:25554706

  9. Adherence to oral and topical medication in 445 patients with tinea pedis as assessed by the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsunemi, Yuichiro; Abe, Shinya; Kobayashi, Miwa; Kitami, Yuki; Onozuka, Daisuke; Hagihara, Akihito; Takeuchi, Satoshi; Murota, Hiroyuki; Sugaya, Makoto; Masuda, Koji; Hiragun, Takaaki; Kaneko, Sakae; Saeki, Hidehisa; Shintani, Yoichi; Tanioka, Miki; Imafuku, Shinichi; Abe, Masatoshi; Inomata, Naoko; Morisky, Donald E; Furue, Masutaka; Katoh, Norito

    2015-01-01

    Adherence is defined as the extent to which a person's behavior corresponds with recommendations from health care providers. Adherence to treatment is an important factor for a good therapeutic outcome. This study aimed to examine the adherence of patients with tinea pedis and to clarify the factors related to it. We assessed medication adherence for oral and topical drugs using a translated version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (MMAS-8) together with other background factors in 445 Japanese patients with tinea pedis, using a questionnaire in a web-based monitoring system. Overall, high, medium and low adherence rates as assessed by MMAS-8 were 8.7%, 31.7% and 59.6% for oral medication, and 8.6%, 17.4% and 74.0% for topical medication, respectively. The adherence level was significantly higher for oral medication than for topical medication. Subgroup analyses showed that the adherence level for topical medication was significantly higher when topical and oral medications were used in combination than when topical medication was used alone. A low adherence level was shown in employed patients, those for whom their oral medication had not been effective and those with topical medication who had visited their hospital less often than once every six months. Patient adherence to therapy can be effectively improved by selecting highly effective medication while considering the prescription of topical and oral antifungal medications concomitantly, by carefully selecting a therapy plan for employed patients and by encouraging patients to visit their doctor regularly.

  10. A Study of School Size among Alabama’s Public High Schools

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    Ronald A. Lindahl

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the size of Alabama’s public high schools, selected school quality and financial indicators, and their students’ performance on standardized exams. When the socioeconomic level of the student bodies is held constant, the size of high schools in Alabama has relatively little relationship with 11th grade student (both regular and special education performance on the reading and math portions of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE. High schools’ average daily attendance rates and pupil-to-computer (and computer with Internet connections ratios do not vary in accordance with school size. Higher percentages of highly qualified teachers are found in Alabama’s largest high schools. There was very little difference in the percentage of teachers with a master’s degree or above across school size categories. Very little difference exists across size categories in regard to mean expenditures per pupil (range = $7,322 to $7,829. However, districts of the large high schools exert over twice the effort of those with small high schools (3.2 mills to 1.5 mills and approximately 50 percent greater local effort than the districts of the medium-size high schools.

  11. The relationship between adherence behaviors and recovery time in adolescents after a sports-related concussion: an observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moor, Heather M; Eisenhauer, Rita C; Killian, Kathleen D; Proudfoot, Nick; Henriques, Ashley A; Congeni, Joseph A; Reneker, Jennifer C

    2015-04-01

    Adherence to rehabilitation is widely accepted as vital for recovery and return to play following sports injuries. Medical management of concussion is centered around physical and cognitive rest, a theory largely based on expert opinion, not empirical evidence. Current research on this topic focuses on factors that are predictive of adherence to rehabilitation, but fails to examine if patient adherence leads to a better outcome. The purpose of this study was to determine the adherence tendencies of adolescents to treatment recommendations provided by a sports-medicine physician after a concussion and to determine if adherence to each recommendation was a predictor of treatment duration. Observational. Participants were enrolled in the study at their initial visit to the Sports-Medicine Center for medical care after a sports-related concussion. Individual treatment recommendations provided by a sports-medicine physician for concussion were recorded over the course of each participant's care. Once released from medical care, each participant was contacted to complete an online questionnaire to measure self-reported adherence tendencies to each treatment recommendation. Adherence was measured by two constructs: 1) the reported receptivity to the recommendation and 2) the frequency of following the recommendation. Exploratory univariate Poisson regression analyses were used to describe the relationship between adherence behaviors and the number of days of treatment required before the participant was returned to play. Fifty-six questionnaires were completed, by 30 male and 26 female adolescent athletes. The self-reported adherence tendencies were very high. None of the measures of adherence to the treatment recommendations were significant predictors of the number of days of treatment; however, there was a clear tendency in five of the six rest parameters (physical rest, cognitive rest with restrictions from electronics, and cognitive rest with restrictions from school

  12. At-risk high school seniors: Science remediation for Georgia's High School Graduation Test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Carolyn M.

    State departments of education have created a system of accountability for the academic achievement of students under the mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The Georgia Department of Education established the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) as their method of evaluating the academic achievement of high school students. The GHSGT consist of five sections and students must pass all five sections before students they are eligible to receive a diploma. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of teacher-lead and computer based remediation for a group of high school seniors who have been unsuccessful in passing the science portion of the GHSGT. The objectives of this study include (a) Identify the most effective method of remediation for at-risk students on the science section of the GHSGT, and (b) evaluate the methods of remediation for at-risk students on the science section of GHSGT available to high school students. The participants of this study were at-risk seniors enrolled in one high school during the 2007-2008 school year. The findings of this research study indicated that at-risk students who participated in both types of remediation, teacher-led and computer-based, scored significantly higher than the computer-based remediation group alone. There was no significant relationship between the test scores and the number of times the students were tested.

  13. School Start Times for Middle School and High School Students - United States, 2011-12 School Year.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheaton, Anne G; Ferro, Gabrielle A; Croft, Janet B

    2015-08-07

    Adolescents who do not get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight; not engage in daily physical activity; suffer from depressive symptoms; engage in unhealthy risk behaviors such as drinking, smoking tobacco, and using illicit drugs; and perform poorly in school. However, insufficient sleep is common among high school students, with less than one third of U.S. high school students sleeping at least 8 hours on school nights. In a policy statement published in 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urged middle and high schools to modify start times as a means to enable students to get adequate sleep and improve their health, safety, academic performance, and quality of life. AAP recommended that "middle and high schools should aim for a starting time of no earlier than 8:30 a.m.". To assess state-specific distributions of public middle and high school start times and establish a pre-recommendation baseline, CDC and the U.S. Department of Education analyzed data from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). Among an estimated 39,700 public middle, high, and combined schools* in the United States, the average start time was 8:03 a.m. Overall, only 17.7% of these public schools started school at 8:30 a.m. or later. The percentage of schools with 8:30 a.m. or later start times varied greatly by state, ranging from 0% in Hawaii, Mississippi, and Wyoming to more than three quarters of schools in Alaska (76.8%) and North Dakota (78.5%). A school system start time policy of 8:30 a.m. or later provides teenage students the opportunity to achieve the 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep recommended by AAP and the 8-10 hours recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.

  14. Adherence is a multi-dimensional construct in the POUNDS LOST trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williamson, Donald A.; Anton, Stephen D.; Han, Hongmei; Champagne, Catherine M.; Allen, Ray; LeBlanc, Eric; Ryan, Donna H.; McManus, Katherine; Laranjo, Nancy; Carey, Vincent J.; Loria, Catherine M.; Bray, George A.; Sacks, Frank M.

    2011-01-01

    Research on the conceptualization of adherence to treatment has not addressed a key question: Is adherence best defined as being a uni-dimensional or multi-dimensional behavioral construct? The primary aim of this study was to test which of these conceptual models best described adherence to a weight management program. This ancillary study was conducted as a part of the POUNDS LOST trial that tested the efficacy of four dietary macro-nutrient compositions for promoting weight loss. A sample of 811 overweight/obese adults was recruited across two clinical sites, and each participant was randomly assigned to one of four macronutrient prescriptions: (1) Low fat (20% of energy), average protein (15% of energy); (2) High fat (40%), average protein (15%); (3) Low fat (20%), high protein (25%); (4) High fat (40%), high protein (25%). Throughout the first 6 months of the study, a computer tracking system collected data on eight indicators of adherence. Computer tracking data from the initial 6 months of the intervention were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory analyses. Two factors (accounting for 66% of the variance) were identified and confirmed: (1) behavioral adherence and (2) dietary adherence. Behavioral adherence did not differ across the four interventions, but prescription of a high fat diet (vs. a low fat diet) was found to be associated with higher levels of dietary adherence. The findings of this study indicated that adherence to a weight management program was best conceptualized as being multi-dimensional, with two dimensions: behavioral and dietary adherence. PMID:19856202

  15. Predictors of duloxetine adherence and persistence in patients with fibromyalgia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cui Z

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Zhanglin Cui, Yang Zhao, Diego Novick, Douglas FariesEli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USAObjectives: Adherence to medication for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM is predictive of lower overall health-care costs, and thus a lower burden on both patients and providers. The objectives of this study were to examine the predictors of adherence to and persistence with duloxetine therapy among commercially insured FM patients, and to identify subgroups of patients with high duloxetine persistence and adherence.Study design: This cross-sectional, retrospective study analyzed medical and pharmacy records over 1 year for patients in the US aged 18–64 years with FM who initiated (no prior 90-day use duloxetine treatment in 2008.Methods: Adherence to duloxetine was measured by medication possession ratio (MPR, with high adherence defined as MPR ≥ 0.8. Persistence was defined as the duration of therapy from the index date to the earliest of: the ending date of the last prescription, the date of the first gap of >15 days between prescriptions, or the end of the study period (12 months. Demographic and clinical predictors of adherence were examined via multiple logistic regression (MLR, and subgroups of duloxetine-persistent and -adherent patients were identified using classification and regression trees (CART.Results: Among 4660 duloxetine patients, 33% achieved high adherence. Factors associated with high adherence from MLR included older age, North Central and Northeast regions, prior venlafaxine, pregabalin, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI, or other antidepressant use, or comorbid dyslipidemia or osteoarthritis (all P < 0.05. CART analysis revealed that patients with prior antidepressant use, aged ≥46, or prior osteoarthritis had higher MPR (all P < 0.05, and patients aged ≥45 with a history of SSRI, venlafaxine, or anticonvulsant use had longer duration of therapy (all P < 0.05.Conclusions: Patients with high adherence to and

  16. Risk Factors for Non-Adherence to cART in Immigrants with HIV Living in the Netherlands: Results from the ROtterdam ADherence (ROAD Project.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabrina K Been

    Full Text Available In the Netherlands, immigrant people living with HIV (PLWH have poorer psychological and treatment outcomes than Dutch PLWH. This cross-sectional field study examined risk factors for non-adherence to combination Antiretroviral Therapy (cART among immigrant PLWH. First and second generation immigrant PLWH attending outpatient clinics at two HIV-treatment centers in Rotterdam were selected for this study. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics for all eligible participants were collected from an existing database. Trained interviewers subsequently completed questionnaires together with consenting participants (n = 352 to gather additional data on socio-demographic characteristics, psychosocial variables, and self-reported adherence to cART. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted among 301 participants who had used cART ≥6 months prior to inclusion. Independent risk factors for self-reported non-adherence were (I not having attended formal education or only primary school (OR = 3.25; 95% CI: 1.28-8.26, versus University, (II experiencing low levels of social support (OR = 2.56; 95% CI: 1.37-4.82, and (III reporting low treatment adherence self-efficacy (OR = 2.99; 95% CI: 1.59-5.64. Additionally, HIV-RNA >50 copies/ml and internalized HIV-related stigma were marginally associated (P<0.10 with non-adherence (OR = 2.53; 95% CI: 0.91-7.06 and OR = 1.82; 95% CI: 0.97-3.43. The findings that low educational attainment, lack of social support, and low treatment adherence self-efficacy are associated with non-adherence point to the need for tailored supportive interventions. Establishing contact with peer immigrant PLWH who serve as role models might be a successful intervention for this specific population.

  17. School connectedness and high school graduation among maltreated youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemkin, Allison; Kistin, Caroline J; Cabral, Howard J; Aschengrau, Ann; Bair-Merritt, Megan

    2018-01-01

    Maltreated youth have higher rates of school dropout than their non-maltreated peers. School connectedness is a modifiable predictor of school success. We hypothesized maltreated youth's school connectedness (supportive relationships with adults at school and participation in school clubs) would be positively associated with high school graduation. We included youth with at least one Child Protective Services (CPS) report by age twelve from Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect, a prospective cohort study. Participation in extracurricular activities and adult relationships reported at age 16, high school graduation/General Education Development (GED) status reported at age 18, and demographics were provided by youth and caregivers. Maltreatment data were coded from CPS records. The outcome was graduation/receipt of GED. Multivariable logistic regressions examined the association between school connectedness and graduation/receipt of GED, controlling for confounders. In our sample of 318 maltreated youth, 73.3% graduated. School club was the only activity with a statistically significant association with graduation in bivariate analysis. Having supportive relationships with an adult at school was not significantly associated with graduation, though only 10.7% of youth reported this relationship. Maltreated youth who participated in school clubs had 2.54 times the odds of graduating, adjusted for study site, gender, poverty status, caregiver high school graduation status, and age at first CPS report (95% CI: [1.02, 6.33]). Few maltreated youth reported relationships with adults at school, and additional efforts may be needed to support these vulnerable youth. School club participation may represent an opportunity to modify maltreated youth's risk for school dropout. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Living situation affects adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adolescents in Rwanda: a qualitative study.

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    Philippe R Mutwa

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART is vital for HIV-infected adolescents for survival and quality of life. However, this age group faces many challenges to remain adherent. We used multiple data sources (role-play, focus group discussions (FGD, and in-depth interviews (IDI to better understand adherence barriers for Rwandan adolescents. Forty-two HIV positive adolescents (ages 12-21 and a selection of their primary caregivers were interviewed. All were perinatally-infected and received (cART for ≥ 12 months. Topics discussed during FGDs and IDIs included learning HIV status, disclosure and stigma, care and treatment issues, cART adherence barriers. RESULTS: Median age was 17 years, 45% female, 45% orphaned, and 48% in boarding schools. We identified three overarching but inter-related themes that appeared to influence adherence. Stigma, perceived and experienced, and inadvertent disclosure of HIV status hampered adolescents from obtaining and taking their drugs, attending clinic visits, carrying their cARTs with them in public. The second major theme was the need for better support, in particular for adolescents with different living situations, (orphanages, foster-care, and boarding schools. Lack of privacy to keep and take medication came out as major barrier for adolescents living in congested households, as well the institutionalization of boarding schools where privacy is almost non-existent. The third important theme was the desire to be 'normal' and not be recognized as an HIV-infected individual, and to have a normal life not perturbed by taking a regimen of medications or being forced to disclose where others would treat them differently. CONCLUSIONS: We propose better management of HIV-infected adolescents integrated into boarding school, orphanages, and foster care; training of school-faculty on how to support students and allow them privacy for taking their medications. To provide better care and

  19. Association between patients' beliefs and oral antidiabetic medication adherence in a Chinese type 2 diabetic population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wu P

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Ping Wu,1 Naifeng Liu2 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 2Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Southeast University Medical School, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB, patients’ beliefs about taking oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs as prescribed, and to measure the correlations between beliefs and medication adherence.Patients and methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of type 2 diabetic patients using structured questionnaires in a Chinese tertiary hospital. A total of 130 patients were enrolled to be interviewed about TPB variables (behavioral, normative, and control beliefs relevant to medication adherence. Medication adherence was assessed using the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to assess the association between TPB and MMAS-8. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between different variables and MMAS-8, with statistical significance determined at P<0.05.Results: From 130 eligible Chinese patients with an average age of 60.6 years and a male proportion of 50.8%, a nonsignificant relationship between behavioral, normative, and the most facilitating control beliefs and OAD adherence was found in our study. Having the OADs on hand (P=0.037 was the only facilitating control belief associated with adherence behavior. Being away from home or eating out (P=0.000, not accepting the disease (P=0.000, ignorance of life-long drug adherence (P=0.038, being busy (P=0.001, or poor memory (P=0.008 were control belief barriers found to be correlated with poor adherence. TPB is the only important determinant influencing OAD adherence among all the factors (P=0.011.Conclusion: The results indicate that the TPB model could be used to examine adherence to OADs. One

  20. Longitudinal Analysis of Adherence to First-Line Antiretroviral Therapy: Evidence of Treatment Sustainability from an Indian HIV Cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shet, Anita; Kumarasamy, N; Poongulali, Selvamuthu; Shastri, Suresh; Kumar, Dodderi Sunil; Rewari, Bharath B; Arumugam, Karthika; Antony, Jimmy; De Costa, Ayesha; D'Souza, George

    2016-01-01

    Given the chronic nature of HIV infection and the need for life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART), maintaining long-term optimal adherence is an important strategy for maximizing treatment success. In order to understand better the dynamic nature of adherence behaviors in India where complex cultural and logistic features prevail, we assessed the patterns, trajectories and time-dependent predictors of adherence levels in relation to virological failure among individuals initiating first-line ART in India. Between July 2010 and August 2013, eligible ART-naïve HIV-infected individuals newly initiating first-line ART within the national program at three sites in southern India were enrolled and monitored for two years. ART included zidovudine/stavudine/tenofovir plus lamivudine plus nevirapine/efavirenz. Patients were assessed using clinical, laboratory and adherence parameters. Every three months, medication adherence was measured using pill count, and a structured questionnaire on adherence barriers was administered. Optimal adherence was defined as mean adherence ≥95%. Statistical analysis was performed using a bivariate and a multivariate model of all identified covariates. Adherence trends and determinants were modeled as rate ratios using generalized estimating equation analysis in a Poisson distribution. A total of 599 eligible ART-naïve patients participated in the study, and contributed a total of 921 person-years of observation time. Women constituted 43% and mean CD4 count prior to initiating ART was 192 cells/mm3. Overall mean adherence among all patients was 95.4%. The proportion of patients optimally adherent was 75.6%. Predictors of optimal adherence included older age (≥40 years), high school-level education and beyond, lower drug toxicity-related ART interruption, full disclosure, sense of satisfaction with one's own health and patient's perception of having good access to health-care services. Adherence was inversely proportional to virological

  1. Effectiveness of a peer-delivered dissonance-based program in reducing eating disorder risk factors in high school girls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciao, Anna C; Latner, Janet D; Brown, Krista E; Ebneter, Daria S; Becker, Carolyn B

    2015-09-01

    This pilot study investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a peer-led dissonance-based eating disorders (ED) prevention/risk factor reduction program with high school girls. Ninth grade girls (n = 50) received the peer-led program within the school curriculum. A quasi-experimental design was used to assess changes in ED risk factors preintervention and postintervention compared with waitlist control. Participants were followed through 3-month follow-up. Peer-leader adherence to an intervention manual tailored for this age group was high. The intervention was rated as highly acceptable, with a large proportion of participants reporting that they enjoyed the program and learned and applied new information. Intervention participants exhibited significantly greater pre-post reductions in a majority of risk-factor outcomes compared to waitlist controls. When groups were combined to assess program effects over time there were significant pre-post reductions in a majority of outcomes that were sustained through 3-month follow-up. This pilot study provides tentative support for the effectiveness of using peer leaders to implement an empirically supported ED risk factor reduction program in a high school setting. Additional research is needed to replicate results in larger, better-controlled trials with longer follow-up. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Assessing adolescent asthma symptoms and adherence using mobile phones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulvaney, Shelagh A; Ho, Yun-Xian; Cala, Cather M; Chen, Qingxia; Nian, Hui; Patterson, Barron L; Johnson, Kevin B

    2013-07-17

    Self-report is the most common method of measuring medication adherence but is influenced by recall error and response bias, and it typically does not provide insight into the causes of poor adherence. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of health behaviors using mobile phones offers a promising alternative to assessing adherence and collecting related data that can be clinically useful for adherence problem solving. To determine the feasibility of using EMA via mobile phones to assess adolescent asthma medication adherence and identify contextual characteristics of adherence decision making. We utilized a descriptive and correlational study design to explore a mobile method of symptom and adherence assessment using an interactive voice response system. Adolescents aged 12-18 years with a diagnosis of asthma and prescribed inhalers were recruited from an academic medical center. A survey including barriers to mobile phone use, the Illness Management Survey, and the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire were administered at baseline. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of asthma symptoms and adherence were conducted with daily calls to mobile phones for 1 month. The Asthma Control Test (ACT) was administered at 2 study time points: baseline and 1 month after baseline. The sample consisted of 53 adolescents who were primarily African American (34/53, 64%) and female (31/53, 58%) with incomes US$40K/year or lower (29/53, 55%). The majority of adolescents (37/53, 70%) reported that they carried their phones with them everywhere, but only 47% (25/53) were able to use their mobile phone at school. Adolescents responded to an average of 20.1 (SD 8.1) of the 30 daily calls received (67%). Response frequency declined during the last week of the month (b=-0.29, PMobile phones provided a feasible method to assess asthma symptoms and adherence in adolescents. The EMA method was consistent with the ACT, a widely established measure of asthma control, and results

  3. Adherence to, and outcomes of, a galactomannan screening protocol in high-risk hematology patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harricharan, S; Biederman, K; Bombassaro, A M; Lazo-Langner, A; Elsayed, S; Fulford, A; Delport, J A; Xenocostas, A

    2018-04-01

    A twice-weekly galactomannan (gm) screening protocol was implemented in high-risk hematology inpatients. Study objectives were to determine adherence to the protocol, use of selected resources, and patient outcomes. This retrospective cohort study compared outcomes of interest before and after implementation of gm screening. Adults undergoing matched related allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation or induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia were eligible. Patients could be enrolled more than once and were evaluated as episodes. Adherence to the gm protocol was assessed in post-implementation episodes. Use of broad-spectrum antifungals (bsafs), consultations (infectious diseases, respirology), and diagnostic procedures (computed tomography imaging, bronchoalveolar lavage) were compared between phases, as were the patient outcomes of all-cause mortality and clinical success (alive and not taking a bsaf). Of 182 episodes consecutively screened, 70 per phase were enrolled. Clinical characteristics and duration of assessment were similar for the phases. Full or partial adherence to the protocol was observed in 61 post-implementation episodes (87%), with full adherence in 40 episodes (57%). More episodes in the pre-implementation phase than in the post-implementation phase involved receipt of bsafs, consultations, and diagnostics (27% vs. 7%, p = 0.02; 46% vs. 26%, p = 0.014; and 46% vs. 31%, p = 0.083 respectively). Although mortality was similar in the two phases, clinical success at the final assessment was observed in fewer pre-implementation than post-implementation episodes (79% vs. 98%, p < 0.001). Implementation of a gm screening protocol was feasible and associated with significantly fewer episodes involving receipt of bsafs and consultations, and with significantly more episodes showing clinical success.

  4. Medication Adherence Survey: A First Year Pharmacy Immersion Students’ Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia F Ortiz Lopez

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available First year pharmacy Immersion students from University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy used a three question survey during their rotation at Moses H. Cone Hospital that analyzed patients’ medication adherence. Data collection revealed common trends that have been shown in the literature and areas for improvement. This method of evaluation was used by Phase I Immersion students to gain perspective on the problems we continue to have with medication adherence. Conflict of Interest We do not have any potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.   Type: Student Project

  5. Effect of adherence to self-monitoring of diet and physical activity on weight loss in a technology-supported behavioral intervention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang J

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Jing Wang1, Susan M Sereika2,3, Eileen R Chasens2, Linda J Ewing4, Judith T Matthews2,5, Lora E Burke2,31School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 2School of Nursing, 3Graduate School of Public Health, 4School of Medicine, 5University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USABackground: Examination of mediating behavioral factors could explain how an intervention works and thus provide guidance to optimize behavioral weight-loss programs. This study examined the mediating role of adherence to self-monitoring of diet and physical activity on weight loss in a behavioral weight-loss trial testing the use of personal digital assistants (PDA for self-monitoring.Methods: Mediation analysis was conducted to examine the possible mediating role of adherence to self-monitoring of diet and physical activity between treatments using varying self-monitoring methods (paper record, PDA, and PDA with daily tailored feedback messages and weight loss.Findings: The sample (N = 210 was predominantly white (78% and female (85%. Compared to a paper record, using a PDA for self-monitoring diet (P = 0.027 and physical activity (P = 0.014 had significant direct effects on weight loss at 12 months, as well as a significant indirect effect on outcomes through improved adherence to self-monitoring (PS < 0.001. Receiving an automated daily feedback message via PDA only had a significant indirect effect on weight through self-monitoring adherence to diet (P = 0.004 and physical activity (P = 0.002.Conclusions: Adherence to self-monitoring of diet and physical activity is important as the underlying mechanism in this technology-supported behavioral weight-loss intervention.Keywords: behavioral intervention, self-monitoring, mobile technology, mediation analysis, weight loss, adherence 

  6. Current strategies for improving access and adherence to antiretroviral therapies in resource-limited settings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scanlon ML

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Michael L Scanlon,1,2 Rachel C Vreeman1,21Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 2USAID, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH Partnership, Eldoret, KenyaAbstract: The rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART significantly reduced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-related morbidity and mortality, but good clinical outcomes depend on access and adherence to treatment. In resource-limited settings, where over 90% of the world’s HIV-infected population resides, data on barriers to treatment are emerging that contribute to low rates of uptake in HIV testing, linkage to and retention in HIV care systems, and suboptimal adherence rates to therapy. A review of the literature reveals limited evidence to inform strategies to improve access and adherence with the majority of studies from sub-Saharan Africa. Data from observational studies and randomized controlled trials support home-based, mobile and antenatal care HIV testing, task-shifting from doctor-based to nurse-based and lower level provider care, and adherence support through education, counseling and mobile phone messaging services. Strategies with more limited evidence include targeted HIV testing for couples and family members of ART patients, decentralization of HIV care, including through home- and community-based ART programs, and adherence promotion through peer health workers, treatment supporters, and directly observed therapy. There is little evidence for improving access and adherence among vulnerable groups such as women, children and adolescents, and other high-risk populations and for addressing major barriers. Overall, studies are few in number and suffer from methodological issues. Recommendations for further research include health information technology, social-level factors like HIV stigma, and new research directions in cost-effectiveness, operations, and implementation. Findings from this review make a

  7. Timetabling at High Schools

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Matias

    on the publicly available XHSTT format for modeling instances and solutions of the HSTP) and the Danish High School Timetabling Problem (DHSTP). For both problems a complex Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP) model is developed, and in both cases are empirical tests performed on a large number of real-life datasets......High school institutions face a number of important planning problems during each schoolyear. This Ph.D. thesis considers two of these planning problems: The High School Timetabling Problem (HSTP) and the Consultation Timetabling Problem (CTP). Furthermore a framework for handling various planning....... The second part contains the main scienti_c papers composed during the Ph.D. study. The third part of the thesis also contains scienti_c papers, but these are included as an appendix. In the HSTP, the goal is to obtain a timetable for the forthcoming school-year. A timetable consists of lectures scheduled...

  8. Concordance of Adherence Measurement Using Self-Reported Adherence Questionnaires and Medication Monitoring Devices: An Updated Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monnette, Alisha; Zhang, Yichen; Shao, Hui; Shi, Lizheng

    2018-01-01

    As medication adherence continues to be a prevalent issue in today's society, the methods used to monitor medication-taking behaviors are constantly being re-evaluated and compared in search of the 'gold standard' measure. Our review aimed to assess the current literature surrounding the correlation between self-reported questionnaires (SRQs) and electronic monitoring devices to determine if these measures produce similar results. We performed a literature search from 2009 to 2017 using PubMed, PubMed In-Process and Non-Indexed, EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, and Ovid MEDLINE In-Process. A keyword search using the terms 'patient compliance', 'treatment compliance', 'medication adherence', 'drug monitoring', 'drug therapy', 'electronic', 'digital', 'computer', 'monitor', 'monitoring', 'drug', 'pharmaceutical preparations', 'compliance', and 'medications' was done to capture all articles. We included articles measuring adherence using both monitoring devices and SRQs. Thirty-five articles were included in this review. The average difference in measured adherence rates between the two measures was 9.2% (range -66.3 to 61.5). A majority (62.7%) of articles reported moderate (n = 12; 27.9%), high (n = 5, 11.6%), or significant (n = 10, 23.3%) correlations between SRQs and monitoring devices. Results from our review are consistent with previous studies, as we found that many of our studies produced moderate to high correlation between both SRQs and monitoring devices [Farmer, Clin Ther 21(6):1074-90 (1999), IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. Avoidable costs in US health care (2012), Patel et al., Respirology 18(3):546-52 (2013), Siracusa et al., J Cyst Fibros 14(5):621-6 (2015), Smith et al., Int J Cardiol 145(1):122-3 (2010)]. Our findings demonstrate that self-reported adherence produces comparable results to electronic monitoring devices. As there is not yet a 'gold standard' measure for monitoring patient adherence, SRQs and Medication Event Monitoring Systems

  9. Motivational interviewing: a tool for increasing psychotropic medication adherence for youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamrin, Vanya; McGuinness, Teena M

    2013-06-01

    There are serious outcomes to nonadherence to psychotropic medications in children and adolescents, including poor school performance, prolonged duration of illness, increased psychopathology, poor interpersonal relationships, increased psychiatric episodes, and suicide attempts. Medication treatment has demonstrated improved psychiatric functioning and a 50% reduction in suicidal behavior. more than 50% of youth with mental health problems are nonadherent with psychiatric medications. A review of literature examining motivational interviewing (MI) for the problem of treatment adherence in children and adolescents is discussed. MI has great potential to improve psychiatric medication adherence in adolescents. An example of how to implement MI with youth is provided.

  10. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-09-01

    Secondary School Feature Articles * Authentic Research within the Grasp of High School Students, by Annis Hapkiewicz, p 1212 * JCE Classroom Activity #19: Blueprint Photography by the Cyanotype Process, by Glen D. Lawrence and Stuart Fishelson, p 1216A Author Recognition A new program has been instituted to recognize high school teachers who are authors or coauthors of manuscripts published in the Journal. In May, letters were sent to teachers who wrote articles published in JCE beginning with Volume 74 (1997). If you were an author, you should have received a letter from us in late May or early June stating that your high school principal has been sent a Certificate of High School Author Recognition to be presented to you at a suitable occasion. Because the letters were sent late in the school year, you may not see the certificate until fall, or you may not receive your letter until then if we had only your school address. If you have authored or coauthored an article published in JCE and did not receive a letter, please contact me using the information about the Secondary School Chemistry Editor appearing on the Information Page in this issue. Syllabus Swap In the August issue, this column contained an invitation to exchange high school syllabi. The day after my copy of the August issue arrived, I received an email from a teacher indicating an interest in participating in an exchange. If you are interested, check the August "Especially for High School Chemistry Teachers" column for a brief discussion of the informal exchange program, or contact me. Research Conducted by High School Students In his June 1999 editorial "Learning Is a Do-It-Yourself Activity", p 725, John Moore wrote about the need to engage students actively in the learning process. As I have mentioned in this column previously, research conducted by students is one means of accomplishing this goal. In this issue, p 1212, Annis Hapkiewicz explains how she has drawn her Okemos [Michigan] High School

  11. A Social-Ecological View of Barriers and Facilitators for HIV Treatment Adherence: Interviews with Puerto Rican HIV Patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eida M Castro

    Full Text Available To identify perceived barriers and facilitators for HAART adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Puerto Rico using a Social Ecological framework.Individual in-depths interviews were conducted with 12 HIV patients with a history of HAART non-adherence. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Content analysis was performed for each transcribed interview by three independent coders using a codebook. Using Atlas TI, super-codes and families were generated to facilitate the categorization tree as well as grounded analyses and density estimates.Most participants reported a monthly income of $500 or less (n = 7, a high school education level (n = 7, being unemployed (n = 9 and being recipients of government health insurance (n = 11. Three out of six women reported living alone with their children and most men informed living with their parents or other relatives (n = 4. For the grounded analyses, the top four sub-categories linked to high number of quotations were mental health barriers (G = 32 followed by treatment regimen (G = 28, health system (G = 24 and interpersonal relations (G = 16. The top four sub-categories linked to high number of codes are treatment regimen (D = 4, health status perception (D = 3, interpersonal relations (D = 3 and health system (D = 3.The results of this study suggest the interconnection of HIV treatment adherence barriers at various system levels. Future studies on HIV treatment barriers should explore these interactions and investigate the possible synergistic effect on non-adherent behavior.

  12. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and academic performance in youth: the UP&DOWN study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esteban-Cornejo, Irene; Izquierdo-Gomez, Rocio; Gómez-Martínez, Sonia; Padilla-Moledo, Carmen; Castro-Piñero, Jose; Marcos, Ascensión; Veiga, Oscar L

    2016-04-01

    To examine the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and academic performance in children and adolescents. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 1371 youth aged 12.04 ± 2.50 years (685 girls) in Spain during 2011-2012. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the KIDMED index (Mediterranean Diet Quality Index in children and adolescents), which includes 16 questions on specific dietary patterns. Levels of adherence were classified into three groups: poor adherence (0-3), average adherence (4-7), and good adherence (8-12). Academic performance was assessed through school records using four indicators: math, language, an average of math and language, and grade point average score. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was related to academic performance (β ranging from 0.107 to 0.148; all P Mediterranean diet had significantly higher scores in all of the academic indicators compared with the poor group (ranging from +0.429 to 0.464; all P ≤ 0.001); as well as the group of average adherence to the Mediterranean diet had significantly higher scores in all of the academic indicators compared with the poor group (ranging from +0.292 to 0.344; all P ≤ 0.06). There were no differences between the groups of good and average adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may have a beneficial influence on academic performance in youth. Importantly, the benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on academic performance may be stronger as youth adhered to the optimal Mediterranean diet levels.

  13. Barriers to adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy as expressed by people living with HIV/AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proctor, V E; Tesfa, A; Tompkins, D C

    1999-09-01

    The primary objective of this study was to gain a clearer understanding of the barriers to adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) faced by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHIV/AIDS) on Long Island, New York. Focus group, a qualitative research method, was used to study these barriers. The study was conducted in 1998 on Long Island, NY, at five institutions that provide services to 1700 PLWHIV/AIDS. Five focus groups were conducted with 6 to 13 PLWHIV/AIDS in each group, a total of 39 subjects. PLWHIV/AIDS identified eight common barriers to adherence to HAART. In descending order, the barriers include: (1) frequency and severity of side effects, (2) conflicts with daily routines, (3) dietary requirements, (4) frequency of taking medications, (5) number and dosage of medications, (6) psychosocial factors (i.e., stress, feeling good, and bad news), (7) pharmacy refills, and (8) physiological needs (i.e., sleep, hunger, or thirst). Many factors play a role in the success or failure of HAART, including preexisting drug resistance, drug-drug interactions, and the ability of PLWHIV/AIDS to adhere to a rigid and frequently changing medication regimen. The information gleaned from focus groups is limited in that it may not be generalized to a larger population with any known reliability. However, clinicians sensitive to barriers to adherence to HAART, including those identified by PLWHIV/AIDS in this study, may play a more proactive role in supporting adherence to the medication regimen, increasing the durability of effective viral suppression, decreasing morbidity and mortality, and decreasing the selection and transmission of resistant strains of HIV.

  14. Optimal Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and High Muscular Fitness Are Associated with a Healthier Cardiometabolic Profile in Collegiate Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robinson Ramírez-Vélez

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to investigate the combined association of adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet and muscular fitness (MF with cardiometabolic health in collegiate students. The present cross-sectional analysis consisted of 1248 (714 females healthy collegiate students (20.1 ± 2.7 years old. Adherence to a MedDiet was assessed by a KIDMED (Mediterranean Diet Quality Index questionnaire. Standing broad jump, standing vertical jump, and isometric handgrip dynamometry were used as indicators of MF. The cardiometabolic profile was assessed using the following components: triglycerides, blood pressure, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL-cholesterol, glucose, and waist circumference. Analysis of covariance shows a significant difference in the cardiometabolic profile of both genders between the high MF/low MedDiet and high MF/optimal MedDiet groups, and the low MF/low MedDiet and low MF/optimal MedDiet groups (p < 0.001. No difference was found on cardiometabolic profile between high MF/optimal MedDiet and high MF/low MedDiet, both in males and females. Additionally, logistic regression shows that both female (odds ratio (OR = 2.01; 95% confidence interval (CI: (1.8–3.7; p = 0.02 and male (OR = 3.38; 95% CI: (1.9–5.8; p < 0.001 participants in the optimal MedDiet/high MF group had the highest odds of expressing a healthier cardiometabolic profile as compared to those in the low MF/low MedDiet group. In conclusion, a combination of high MF levels and optimal adherence to a MedDiet is associated with a healthier cardiometabolic profile; however, high MF levels seem to circumvent the deleterious effects of having a low adherence to a MedDiet.

  15. Carpet Aids Learning in High Performance Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurd, Frank

    2009-01-01

    The Healthy and High Performance Schools Act of 2002 has set specific federal guidelines for school design, and developed a federal/state partnership program to assist local districts in their school planning. According to the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), high-performance schools are, among other things, healthy, comfortable,…

  16. Medication non-adherence and uncertainty

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kriegbaum, Margit; Lau, Sofie Rosenlund

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Statins are widely prescribed to lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, statin non-adherence is very high. PURPOSE: The aim of this paper was to investigate reasons for stopping statin treatment in the general population and to study how aspects of information-seeking ......BACKGROUND: Statins are widely prescribed to lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, statin non-adherence is very high. PURPOSE: The aim of this paper was to investigate reasons for stopping statin treatment in the general population and to study how aspects of information......-seeking and processing is associated with statin non-adherence. METHODS: This study used a population survey on 3050 Danish residents aged 45-65 years. Reasons for statin discontinuation was studied among those who were previous statin users. The association between information seeking and processing and statin...... from information disseminated by media outlets. Side effects and fear of side effects should be addressed in clinical practice. Health care professionals should pay attention to emotional aspects of how information is disseminated and perceived by statin users....

  17. School lunch and snacking patterns among high school students: Associations with school food environment and policies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Story Mary

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objectives This study examined associations between high school students' lunch patterns and vending machine purchases and the school food environment and policies. Methods A randomly selected sample of 1088 high school students from 20 schools completed surveys about their lunch practices and vending machine purchases. School food policies were assessed by principal and food director surveys. The number of vending machines and their hours of operation were assessed by trained research staff. Results Students at schools with open campus policies during lunchtime were significantly more likely to eat lunch at a fast food restaurant than students at schools with closed campus policies (0.7 days/week vs. 0.2 days/week, p Conclusion School food policies that decrease access to foods high in fats and sugars are associated with less frequent purchase of these items in school among high school students. Schools should examine their food-related policies and decrease access to foods that are low in nutrients and high in fats and sugars.

  18. High-Performance Schools: Affordable Green Design for K-12 Schools; Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Plympton, P.; Brown, J.; Stevens, K.

    2004-08-01

    Schools in the United States spend $7.8 billion on energy each year-more than the cost of computers and textbooks combined, according to a 2003 report from the National Center for Education Statistics. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that these high utility bills could be reduced as much as 25% if schools adopt readily available high performance design principles and technologies. Accordingly, hundreds of K-12 schools across the country have made a commitment to improve the learning and teaching environment of schools while saving money and energy and protecting the environment. DOE and its public- and private-sector partners have developed Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools, customized for nine climate zones in U.S. states and territories. These design guidelines provide information for school decision makers and design professionals on the advantages of energy efficiency and renewable energy designs and technologies. With such features as natural day lighting, efficient electric lights, water conservation, and renewable energy, schools in all types of climates are proving that school buildings, and the students and teachers who occupy them, are indeed high performers. This paper describes high performance schools from each of the nine climate zones associated with the Energy Design Guidelines. The nine case studies focus on the high performance design strategies implemented in each school, as well as the cost savings and benefits realized by students, faculty, the community, and the environment.

  19. School-Based Drug Abuse Prevention Programs in High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Manoj; Branscum, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Drug abuse, or substance abuse, is a substantial public health problem in the United States, particularly among high school students. The purpose of this article was to review school-based programs implemented in high schools for substance abuse prevention and to suggest recommendations for future interventions. Included were English language…

  20. Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Personalization Strategic Designs: 9. MetWest High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

    2008-01-01

    This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

  1. The Effect of High School Shootings on Schools and Student Performance

    OpenAIRE

    Louis-Philippe Beland; Dongwoo Kim

    2015-01-01

    We analyze how fatal shootings in high schools affect schools and students using data from shooting databases, school report cards, and the Common Core of Data. We examine schools’ test scores, enrollment, and number of teachers, as well as graduation, attendance, and suspension rates at schools that experienced a shooting, employing a difference-in-differences strategy that uses other high schools in the same district as the comparison group. Our findings suggest that homicidal shootings s...

  2. Catholic High Schools and Rural Academic Achievement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sander, William

    1997-01-01

    A study of national longitudinal data examined effects of rural Catholic high schools on mathematics achievement, high school graduation rates, and the likelihood that high school graduates attend college. Findings indicate that rural Catholic high schools had a positive effect on mathematics test scores and no effect on graduation rates or rates…

  3. Bacterial adherence to extended wear soft contact lenses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aswad, M.I.; John, T.; Barza, M.; Kenyon, K.; Baum, J.

    1990-01-01

    The authors studied the adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus to extended wear soft contact lenses (EWSCLs) with and without focal deposits using both a radiolabeling technique and electron microscopy. P. aeruginosa showed significant adherence to contact lenses in vitro. In contrast, S. aureus failed to show significant adherence to contact lenses in vitro (i.e., the radioactive uptake was not significantly above background). The extent of adherence of Pseudomonas was proportional to the number of focal deposits on the lenses. Results of electron microscopic examination showed the bacteria to be adherent primarily to large focal deposits (greater than or equal to 150 microns). There was no pseudomonal adherence to the small focal deposits (less than or equal to 50 microns) and little adherence to the areas in between the focal deposits. The authors hypothesize that worn lenses, especially those with large focal deposits, serve as a vehicle for the transport of P. aeruginosa to the cornea. This hypothesis could be a partial explanation for the high incidence of keratitis caused by P. aeruginosa in EWSCL patients

  4. Teaching Ethics to High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pass, Susan; Willingham, Wendy

    2009-01-01

    Working with two teachers and thirty-four high school seniors, the authors developed procedures and assessments to teach ethics in an American high school civics class. This approach requires high school students to discover an agreement or convergence between Kantian ethics and virtue ethics. The authors also created an instrument to measure…

  5. Evaluation of adherence and depression among patients on peritoneal dialysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Zhen Li; Yeoh, Lee Ying; Seow, Ying Ying; Luo, Xue Chun; Griva, Konstadina

    2012-07-01

    It is challenging for dialysis patients to maintain adherence to their medical regimen, and symptoms of depression are prevalent among them. Limited data is available about adherence and depression among patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD). This study aimed to examine the rates of treatment non-adherence and depression in PD patients. A total of 20 PD patients (response rate 71.4%; mean age 64.4 ± 11.6 years) were assessed using the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire, Self Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) and Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form. A self-reported adherence (PD exchanges, medication and diet) scale developed for the study was also included. Medical information (e.g. most recent biochemistry results) was obtained from chart review. The mean self-reported scores indicated an overall high level of adherence, although a significant proportion of patients were non-adherent. Among the latter, 20% of patients were non-adherent to medication and 26% to diet due to forgetfulness, while 15% and 26% of patients admitted to deliberate non-adherence to medication and diet, respectively. Treatment modality, employment, self-care status and self-efficacy were associated with overall adherence. Using a cutoff point of 8 for HAD depression and anxiety subscales, 40% of patients were found to be depressed and 30% had symptoms of anxiety. This is the first study to document treatment adherence and depression among PD patients in Singapore. Findings of high prevalence of depression and anxiety, and reports of poor adherence warrant development of intervention programmes.

  6. The relationship between ART adherence and smoking status among HIV+ individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Jose L; Catley, Delwyn; Lee, Hyoung S; Goggin, Kathy

    2015-04-01

    Smoking is highly prevalent among HIV+ individuals and studies indicate that it may be associated with poor ART adherence, though the relationship is poorly understood. In addition little is known about interest in quitting among HIV+ smokers who are having adherence difficulties. We examined smoking and ART adherence among 203 HIV+ individuals enrolled in a randomized trial of interventions to increase ART adherence. Prior analyses indicated there were no overall treatment group effects. Smoking status and motivation to quit was assessed at baseline and ART adherence was assessed at week 12, 24, 36, and 48. Longitudinal generalized estimating equation analysis that controlled for treatment group revealed that smoking status was not significantly related to adherence over time. Motivation to quit was high with 58 % intending to quit in the next 6 months and 25 % intending to quit in the next 30 days. Findings suggest that smoking is not associated with adherence among those with adherence difficulties. However it does not diminish importance of addressing both behaviors especially given HIV+ smokers substantial interest in changing smoking behavior.

  7. High-level adherence to a Mediterranean diet beneficially impacts the gut microbiota and associated metabolome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Filippis, Francesca; Pellegrini, Nicoletta; Vannini, Lucia; Jeffery, Ian B; La Storia, Antonietta; Laghi, Luca; Serrazanetti, Diana I; Di Cagno, Raffaella; Ferrocino, Ilario; Lazzi, Camilla; Turroni, Silvia; Cocolin, Luca; Brigidi, Patrizia; Neviani, Erasmo; Gobbetti, Marco; O'Toole, Paul W; Ercolini, Danilo

    2016-11-01

    Habitual diet plays a major role in shaping the composition of the gut microbiota, and also determines the repertoire of microbial metabolites that can influence the host. The typical Western diet corresponds to that of an omnivore; however, the Mediterranean diet (MD), common in the Western Mediterranean culture, is to date a nutritionally recommended dietary pattern that includes high-level consumption of cereals, fruit, vegetables and legumes. To investigate the potential benefits of the MD in this cross-sectional survey, we assessed the gut microbiota and metabolome in a cohort of Italian individuals in relation to their habitual diets. We retrieved daily dietary information and assessed gut microbiota and metabolome in 153 individuals habitually following omnivore, vegetarian or vegan diets. The majority of vegan and vegetarian subjects and 30% of omnivore subjects had a high adherence to the MD. We were able to stratify individuals according to both diet type and adherence to the MD on the basis of their dietary patterns and associated microbiota. We detected significant associations between consumption of vegetable-based diets and increased levels of faecal short-chain fatty acids, Prevotella and some fibre-degrading Firmicutes, whose role in human gut warrants further research. Conversely, we detected higher urinary trimethylamine oxide levels in individuals with lower adherence to the MD. High-level consumption of plant foodstuffs consistent with an MD is associated with beneficial microbiome-related metabolomic profiles in subjects ostensibly consuming a Western diet. This study was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT02118857. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  8. High-Temperature Self-Healing and Re-Adhering Geothermal Well Cement Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pyatina, T.; Sugama, T.; Boodhan, Y.; Nazarov, L.

    2017-12-01

    Self-healing cementitious materials are particularly attractive for the cases where damaged areas are difficult to locate and reach. High-temperature geothermal wells with aggressive environments impose most difficult conditions on cements that must ensure durable zonal isolation under repeated thermal, chemical and mechanical stresses. The present work evaluates matrix and carbon steel (CS) - cement interface self-healing and re-adhering properties of various inorganic cementitious composites under steam, alkali carbonate or brine environments at 270-300oC applicable to geothermal wells. The composite materials included blends based on Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and natural zeolites and alkali or phosphate activated composites of Calcium Aluminate Cement (CAC) with fly ash, class F. Class G cement blend with crystalline silica was used as a baseline. Compressive-strength and bond-strength recoveries were examined to evaluate self-healing and re-adhering properties of the composites after repeated crush tests followed by 5-day healing periods in these environments. The optical and scanning electron microscopes, X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform infrared, Raman spectroscopy and EDX measurements were used to identify phases participating in the strengths recoveries and cracks filling processes. Amorphous silica-rich- and small-size crystalline phases played an important role in the healing of the tested composites in all environments. Possible ways to enhance self-healing properties of cementitious composites under conditions of geothermal wells were identified.

  9. Credentialing high school psychology teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weaver, Kenneth A

    2014-09-01

    The National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula (American Psychological Association, 2013b) require a teacher with considerable psychology content knowledge to teach high school psychology courses effectively. In this study, I examined the initial teaching credential requirements for high school psychology teachers in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia. Thirty-four states (the District of Columbia is included as a state) require the social studies credential to teach high school psychology. An analysis of the items on standardized tests used by states to validate the content knowledge required to teach social studies indicates little or no presence of psychology, a reflection of psychology's meager presence in the social studies teacher preparation curricula. Thus, new teachers with the social studies teaching credential are not prepared to teach high school psychology according to the National Standards. Approval of The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History (National Council for the Social Studies, 2013) presents an opportunity to advocate for establishing a psychology credential in the 34 states. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  10. Improving medication adherence of patients with chronic heart failure: challenges and solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shah D

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Deval Shah,1 Kim Simms,2 Debra J Barksdale,3 Jia-Rong Wu3 1Internal Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, Winston-Salem, 2Duke University Hospital, Durham, 3School of Nursing, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA Abstract: Heart failure is a chronic debilitating illness that affects 5.7 million Americans. The financial burden of heart failure in the US toppled $31 billion in 2012, which is one of the highest among all chronic medical conditions. Medication adherence is a major component of heart failure self-care behaviors. Therefore, medication non-adherence is associated with more emergency department visits, frequent rehospitalizations, and higher medical cost. Medication adherence rates have varied from 10% to 98% depending on the definition and measurement used to assess and analyze adherence. Many factors contribute to medication non-adherence such as lack of support, finances, absent of symptoms, cognitive decline, adverse reactions, depression, poor attention span, poor knowledge about medication, multiple medications, difficulty swallowing large pills, and inconveniences of urinary frequency with diuretics. Researchers have explored various strategies such as the use of pharmacists, nurses, telemedicine, and interdisciplinary teams to provide interventions to improve medication adherence in heart failure. Health care providers should continue to provide education, constantly reinforce the importance of taking medication as prescribed, and when feasible, utilize one of the successful evidence-based strategies to increase adherence. Keywords: pharmacy, tele-health, interdisciplinary, registered nurse, interventions

  11. Analysis of Institutional Competitiveness of Junior High Schools through the Admission Test to High School Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armendáriz, Joyzukey; Tarango, Javier; Machin-Mastromatteo, Juan Daniel

    2018-01-01

    This descriptive and correlational research studies 15,658 students from 335 secondary schools in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, through the results of the examination of admission to high school education (National High School Admission Test--EXANI I from the National Assessment Center for Education--CENEVAL) on logical-mathematical and verbal…

  12. School Uniforms in Urban Public High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draa, Virginia Ann Bendel

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the implementation of a mandatory uniform policy in urban public high schools improved school performance measures at the building level for rates of attendance, graduation, academic proficiency, and student conduct as measured by rates of suspensions and expulsions. Sixty-four secondary…

  13. High School Physics Courses & Enrollments: Results from the 2012-13 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers. Focus On

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Susan; Tesfaye, Casey Langer

    2014-01-01

    This report examines enrollments in high school physics during the 2012-13 school year. Based on data from the most recent survey (which includes both public and private high schools in the U.S.), it is estimated that 39% of the class of 2013 took high school physics before graduating. During the 2012-13 school year, 1.38 million students were…

  14. High School Physics Availability: Results from the 2012-13 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers. Focus On

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Susan; Tesfaye, Casey Langer

    2014-01-01

    In this report, the authors share their analysis of the data from over 3,500 high schools in the U.S. beginning with an examination of the availability of physics in U.S. high schools. The schools in their sample are a nationally-representative random sample of the almost 25,000 high schools in forty-nine of the fifty states. Table 1 shows the…

  15. High Adherence to CPAP Treatment Does Not Prevent the Continuation of Weight Gain among Severely Obese OSAS Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myllylä, Minna; Kurki, Samu; Anttalainen, Ulla; Saaresranta, Tarja; Laitinen, Tarja

    2016-01-01

    Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients benefit from continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in a dose-response manner. We determined adherence and weight control, as well as their predictors, among long-term CPAP users. Methods: Cohort of 1,023 OSAS patients had used CPAP on average of 6.6 ± 1.2 years. BMI was determined at baseline and at follow-up visits. There were 7.4 ± 1.7 BMI and 6.5 ± 1.8 CPAP usage measurements per patient on average. Using the Bayesian hierarchical model, we determined the patients' individual trends of BMI and adherence development. Patients with significantly increasing or decreasing trends were identified at the posterior probability level of > 90%. Results: The mean age in the cohort was 55.6 ± 9.8 years, BMI 33.5 ± 6.4 kg/m2, apnea-hypopnea index 33.7 ± 23.1, and CPAP usage 6.0 ± 1.8 h/day. The majority of patients had no significant change in BMI (mean annual weight gain 0.04 ± 0.29 kg/m2) or CPAP adherence (mean annual increase 11.4 ± 7.0 min/day). However, at the individual level, 10% of the patients showed significant annual weight gain (0.63 ± 0.35 kg/m2) during the 5-year follow-up period. At baseline these patients were already more severely obese (mean BMI 40.0 ± 5.9 kg/m2) despite being younger (mean 50.9 ± 9.5 years) than the rest of the cohort. Conclusions: In the majority of CPAP-treated OSAS patients, weight did not significantly change but gained slightly slower than in age-matched population in general. However, in 10% of patients, high adherence to CPAP treatment did not prevent the continuation of weight gain. These patients present a high-risk group for OSAS-related multimorbidity later in life. Citation: Myllylä M, Kurki S, Anttalainen U, Saaresranta T, Laitinen T. High adherence to CPAP treatment does not prevent the continuation of weight gain among severely obese OSAS patients. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(4):519–528. PMID:26888588

  16. After Installation: Ubiquitous Computing and High School Science in Three Experienced, High-Technology Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drayton, Brian; Falk, Joni K.; Stroud, Rena; Hobbs, Kathryn; Hammerman, James

    2010-01-01

    There are few studies of the impact of ubiquitous computing on high school science, and the majority of studies of ubiquitous computing report only on the early stages of implementation. The present study presents data on 3 high schools with carefully elaborated ubiquitous computing systems that have gone through at least one "obsolescence cycle"…

  17. Poor medication adherence to bisphosphonates and high self-perception of aging in elderly female patients with osteoporosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, X; Wei, D; Sun, B; Wu, X N

    2016-10-01

    Non-adherence to bisphosphonates exposes the elderly female osteoporosis patients to an increased risk of fracture. This was one of the first studies to explore the relationship between medication adherence and self-perception of aging. Feelings of lacking control and expectations for negative events, beliefs of illness's chronic duration nature, and its linkage with aging were associated with of poor medication adherence. To examine the relationship between medication adherence to bisphosphonates and self-perception of aging in elderly female patients with osteoporosis. This was a cross-sectional survey. A convenience sample of 245 elderly female patients with osteoporosis prescribed regular oral bisphosphonate therapy was recruited from three tertiary hospitals in China. Sociodemographic and osteoporosis-related data, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (MMAS-8) and Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ) data were collected. Mean adherence score measured by MMAS-8 was 4.46(SD = 1.91; range, 0.25-7.00). Percentages of good and poor adherence were 28.6 and 71.4 %, which showed a poor medication adherence. Six domains of APQ statistically significantly associated with medication adherence. Interestingly, with control of age, educational status, marital status, and symptoms accompanying osteoporosis as covariates in the multivariate linear regression model, the effects of three domains disappeared. Significantly, worse adherence was observed in those patients who had higher feelings of lack of control, more expectations for negative events, more beliefs of osteoporosis's chronic duration nature and its linkage with aging. We conclude that feelings of lacking control, expectations for negative events, beliefs of illness's chronic duration nature, and its linkage with aging were associated with poor medication adherence in elderly female patients with osteoporosis. Concerns about self-perception of aging need to be addressed in order to improve medication adherence.

  18. Characteristics of HIV antiretroviral regimen and treatment adherence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vera Lúcia da Silveira

    Full Text Available The relationship between characteristics of HIV antiretroviral regimens and treatment adherence was studied in adolescent and adult patients who underwent antiretroviral therapy from January 1998 to September 2000, at the Service for Specialized Assistance in Pelotas. The patients were interviewed on two occasions, and the use of antiretrovirals during the previous 48 hours was investigated by a self-report. Adherence was defined as use of 95% or more of the prescribed medication. Social-demographic variables were collected through direct questionnaires. The antiretroviral regimen and clinical data were copied from the patients' records. Associations between the independent variables and adherence were analyzed by means of logistic regression. The multivariate analysis included characteristics of the antiretroviral regimens, social-demographic variables, as well as perception of negative effects, negative physiological states, and adverse effects of the treatment. Among the 224 selected patients, 194 participated in our study. Their ages varied from 17 to 67 years; most patients were men, with few years of schooling and a low family income. Only 49% adhered to the treatment. Adherence to treatment regimens was reduced when more daily doses were indicated: three to four doses (odds ratio of adherence to treatment (OR=0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI 0.22-1.01 and five to six (OR=0.24, 95% CI 0.09-0.62; two or more doses taken in a fasting state (OR=0.59, 95% CI 0.11-0.68, and for patients who reported adverse effects to the treatment (OR=0.39, 95% CI 0.19-0.77. Most of the regimens with more than two daily doses of medication included at least one dose apart from mealtimes. The results suggest that, if possible, regimens with a reduced number of doses should be chosen, with no compulsory fasting, and with few adverse effects. Strategies to minimize these effects should be discussed with the patients.

  19. Adherence to self-administered tuberculosis treatment in a high HIV-prevalence setting: a cross-sectional survey in Homa Bay, Kenya.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabienne Nackers

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Good adherence to treatment is crucial to control tuberculosis (TB. Efficiency and feasibility of directly observed therapy (DOT under routine program conditions have been questioned. As an alternative, Médecins sans Frontières introduced self-administered therapy (SAT in several TB programs. We aimed to measure adherence to TB treatment among patients receiving TB chemotherapy with fixed dose combination (FDC under SAT at the Homa Bay district hospital (Kenya. A second objective was to compare the adherence agreement between different assessment tools. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey amongst a series of new TB patients receiving 6 months of standard TB chemotherapy with FDC under SAT. Adherence was assessed at home with urine testing for Isoniazid (INH, pill count, interviewer-administered questionnaire and visual analogue scale (VAS. RESULTS: In November 2008 and in June 2009, 212 of 279 eligible patients were assessed for adherence. Overall, 95.2% [95%CI: 91.3-97.7] of the patients reported not having missed a tablet in the last 4 days. On the VAS, complete adherence was estimated at 92.5% [95%CI: 88.0-95.6]. INH urine test was positive for 97.6% [95%CI: 94.6-99.2] of the patients. Pill count could be assessed among only 70% of the interviewed patients. Among them, it was complete for 82.3% [95%CI: 75.1-88.1]. Among the 212 surveyed patients, 193 (91.0% were successfully treated (cured or treatment completed. The data suggest a fair agreement between the questionnaire and the INH urine test (k = 0.43 and between the questionnaire and the VAS (k = 0.40. Agreement was poor between the other adherence tools. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that SAT, together with the FDC, allows achieving appropriate adherence to antituberculosis treatment in a high TB and HIV burden area. The use of a combination of a VAS and a questionnaire can be an adequate approach to monitor adherence to TB treatment in routine program

  20. PICS: A Case Study of Bureaucratic Organization and Cross Cultural Conflict in a Micronesian High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colletta, N. J.

    1974-01-01

    This paper focused on the school organizational structure as a network of contrived social roles held together by psychological bonds evolving in some instances from adherence to the formal structure, in other instances from resistance to that very same structure, and essentially from the interplay between these factors (Katz & Kahn 1966).…

  1. Highly specific reasons for nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy: results from the German adherence study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boretzki J

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Johanna Boretzki,1,2 Eva Wolf,3 Carmen Wiese,4 Sebastian Noe,4 Annamaria Balogh,3 Anja Meurer,5 Ivanka Krznaric,6 Alexander Zink,7 Christian Lersch,1 Christoph D Spinner1,2 1Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, 2German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Munich, 3MUC Research, Munich, 4MVZ Karlsplatz, HIV Clinical Care Center, Munich, 5Center for Infectiology and Internal Medicine, Munich, 6Center for Infectiology Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, 7Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany Background: Reasons for and frequency of nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART may have changed due to pharmacological improvements. In addition, the importance of known non-pharmacologic reasons for nonadherence is unclear.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional, noninterventional, multicenter study to identify current reasons for nonadherence. Patients were categorized by physicians into the following adherence groups: good, unstable, or poor adherence. Co-variables of interest included age, sex, time since HIV diagnosis, ART duration, current ART regimen, HIV transmission route, comorbidity, HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL, and CD4 cell count. Patients self-reported the number of missed doses and provided their specific reasons for nonadherent behavior. Statistical analyses were performed using Fisher’s extended exact test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and logistic regression models.Results: Our study assessed 215 participants with good (n=162, unstable (n=36, and poor adherence (n=17. Compared to patients with good adherence, patients with unstable and poor adherence reported more often to have missed at least one dose during the last week (good 11% vs unstable 47% vs poor 63%, p<0.001. Physicians’ adherence assessment was concordant with patients’ self-reports of missed doses during the last week (no vs one or more in 81% cases. Similarly, we found a

  2. Stigma toward schizophrenia among parents of junior and senior high school students in Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshii Hatsumi

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Stigma toward schizophrenia is a substantial barrier to accessing care and adhering to treatment. Provisions to combat stigma are important, but in Japan and other developed countries there are few such provisions in place that target parents of adolescents. The attitudes of parents are important to address as first schizophrenic episodes typically occur in adolescence. In overall efforts to develop an education program and provisions against stigma, here we examined the relationship between stigma toward schizophrenia and demographic characteristics of parents of junior and senior high school students in Japan. The specific hypothesis tested was that contact and communication with a person with schizophrenia would be important to reducing stigma. A questionnaire inquiring about respondent characteristics and which included a survey on stigma toward schizophrenia was completed by 2690 parents. Results The demographic characteristics significantly associated with the Devaluation- Discrimination Measure were family income, occupation, presence of a neighbor with schizophrenia, and participation in welfare activities for people with mental illness (p Conclusions Stigma toward schizophrenia among parents of junior and senior high school students was in fact significantly stronger among members of the general public who had had contact with individuals with schizophrenia. In addition, stigma was associated with family income.

  3. Considerations in using text messages to improve adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy: a qualitative study among clients in Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mbuagbaw L

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Lawrence Mbuagbaw1,2, Renée Cécile Bonono-Momnougui1, Lehana Thabane2,31Centre for the Development of Best Practices in Health (CDBPH, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon; 2Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; 3Biostatistics Unit, Father Sean O'Sullivan Research Centre, St Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaAbstract: Poor adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART is a major hindrance to the reduction of mortality and morbidity due to HIV. This qualitative study used focus groups to explore the views and experiences of HIV patients on HAART with adherence reminders, especially the text message (SMS [short message service]. The ethnographic data obtained were used to design a clinical trial to assess the effect of motivational text messages versus usual care to enhance adherence to HAART among HIV patients in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Participants appreciated the idea of a timely SMS reminder, and cited the physician as a role model. They expressed concerns about privacy. Long-term life goals were a motivating factor to adhere. Overall, text messaging was viewed positively as a tool with a dual function of reminder and motivator. Messages coming from the attending physician may have a stronger impact. Trials investigating the use of text messages to improve adherence to HAART need to consider the content and timing of SMS, taking into account technical challenges and privacy.Keywords: focus groups, adherence, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART, text message, short message service (SMS, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV

  4. Electronic Adherence Monitoring in a High-Utilizing Pediatric Asthma Cohort: A Feasibility Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenyon, Chén Collin; Chang, Joyce; Wynter, Sheri-Ann; Fowler, Jessica C; Long, Jin; Bryant-Stephens, Tyra C

    2016-06-22

    scores improved by a mean of 2.7 points (P=.05) over the 3-month intervention. High-utilizer, minority families who completed a community health worker-delivered electronic adherence intervention found it generally acceptable. Prominent feasibility concerns, however, such as recruitment, data transmission failure, and lost devices, should be carefully considered when designing interventions in this setting.

  5. Adherence to Medical Cannabis Among Licensed Patients in Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zolotov, Yuval; Baruch, Yehuda; Reuveni, Haim; Magnezi, Racheli

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: To evaluate adherence among Israeli patients who are licensed to use medical cannabis and to identify factors associated with adherence to medical cannabis. Methods: Ninety-five novice licensed patients were interviewed for this cross-sectional study. The questionnaire measured demographics, the perceived patient-physician relationship, and the level of patients' active involvement in their healthcare. In addition, patients were queried about adverse effect(s) and about their overall satisfaction from this medical treatment. Results: Eighty percent ( n =76) has been identified as adherent to medical cannabis use. Variables found associated with adherence were "country of origin" (immigrant status), "type of illness" (cancer vs. non-cancer), and "experiencing adverse effect(s)." Three predictors of adherence were found significant in a logistic regression model: "type of illness" (odds ratio [OR] 0.101), patient-physician relationship (OR 1.406), and level of patient activation (OR 1.132). 71.5% rated themselves being "completely satisfied" or "satisfied" from medical cannabis use. Conclusions: Our findings show a relatively high adherence rate for medical cannabis, as well as relative safety and high satisfaction among licensed patients. Additionally indicated is the need to develop and implement standardized education about this evolving field-to both patients and physicians.

  6. A counselor in your pocket: feasibility of mobile health tailored messages to support HIV medication adherence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cook PF

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Paul F Cook,1 Jane M Carrington,2 Sarah J Schmiege,1 Whitney Starr,3 Blaine Reeder11University of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora, CO, USA; 2University of Arizona College of Nursing, Tucson, AZ, USA; 3University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USAPurpose: Medication adherence is a major challenge in HIV treatment. New mobile technologies such as smartphones facilitate the delivery of brief tailored messages to promote adherence. However, the best approach for tailoring messages is unknown. Persons living with HIV (PLWH might be more receptive to some messages than others based on their current psychological state.Methods: We recruited 37 PLWH from a parent study of motivational states and adherence. Participants completed smartphone-based surveys at a random time every day for 2 weeks, then immediately received intervention or control tailored messages, depending on random assignment. After 2 weeks in the initial condition, participants received the other condition in a crossover design. Intervention messages were tailored to match PLWH’s current psychological state based on five variables – control beliefs, mood, stress, coping, and social support. Control messages were tailored to create a mismatch between message framing and participants’ current psychological state. We evaluated intervention feasibility based on acceptance, ease of use, and usefulness measures. We also used pilot randomized controlled trial methods to test the intervention’s effect on adherence, which was measured using electronic caps that recorded pill-bottle openings.Results: Acceptance was high based on 76% enrollment and 85% satisfaction. Participants found the hardware and software easy to use. However, attrition was high at 59%, and usefulness ratings were slightly lower. The most common complaint was boredom. Unexpectedly, there was no difference between mismatched and matched messages’ effects, but each group showed a 10%–15% improvement

  7. Sequence Curriculum: High School to College. Middlesex Community College/Haddam-Killingworth High School. Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Middlesex Community Coll., Middletown, CT.

    Through a collaborative effort between Middlesex Community College (MxCC) and Haddam-Killingworth High School (HKHS), students taking specific high school courses in television production, broadcast journalism, electronics, and photography are granted college credit by MxCC upon admission to the college's Broadcast Communication Program. The…

  8. Middle School and High School Students Who Stutter: A Qualitative Investigation of School Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cobb, Tiffany R.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and further understand the ways in which middle school and high school students perceive their school experiences within the school environment. School has an important impact on the social development of children (Milsom, 2006). Learning is not done individually as classrooms are inherently social…

  9. Qualitative evaluation of adherence therapy in Parkinson’s disease: a multidirectional model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daley DJ

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available David James Daley,1,2 Katherine Helen O’Leary Deane,3 Richard John Gray,4 Rebekah Hill,3 Phyo Kyaw Myint5 1Norwich Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, 2Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 3School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK; 4Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 5Epidemiology Group, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK Background: Medication can control the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD. Despite this, non-adherence with medication is prevalent in PD. Treatments for improving adherence with medication have been investigated in many chronic conditions, including PD. However, few researchers have evaluated their interventions qualitatively. We investigated the acceptability and potential mechanism of action of adherence therapy (AT in PD patients and their spouse/carers who received the intervention as part of a randomized controlled trial. Methods: Sixteen participants (ten patients and six spouses/carers who had recently completed the trial were purposely selected in order to cover a range of ages and disease severity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the participants’ homes. Data were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic approach. A second researcher, naïve to PD and AT, analyzed the data independently to limit bias. Results: The trial showed that AT significantly improved both medication adherence and quality of life in people with PD. Specifically, patients who received AT reported improvements in mobility, activities of daily living, emotional wellbeing, cognition, communication, and body discomfort. General beliefs about medication also significantly improved in those who received AT compared with controls. In the current qualitative evaluation, a

  10. Rebellion in a High School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stinchcombe, Arthur L.

    The premise of this book is that high school rebellion is an "expression of alienation from socially present authorities." Such rebellion is a manifestation of "expressive alienation" and has the quality of hatred or sullenness. Rebellious high school students are likely to be non-utilitarian, negativistic, hedonistic, and to stress group…

  11. Continuing Care in High Schools: A Descriptive Study of Recovery High School Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finch, Andrew J.; Moberg, D. Paul; Krupp, Amanda Lawton

    2014-01-01

    Data from 17 recovery high schools suggest programs are dynamic and vary in enrollment, fiscal stability, governance, staffing, and organizational structure. Schools struggle with enrollment, funding, lack of primary treatment accessibility, academic rigor, and institutional support. Still, for adolescents having received treatment for substance…

  12. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emory Howell, J.

    1999-11-01

    many of our readers. The High School/College Interface Luncheon was part of the very rich day-long High School Program at the New Orleans ACS Meeting. Shown here (from left) are Glenn Crosby, the luncheon speaker; Lillie Tucker-Akin, the High School Day program chair; and Fred Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Shelby County (TN) schools and Immediate Past President of NSTA. The recipient of the James Bryant Conant Award in High School Chemistry Teaching is Frank G. Cardulla, who taught for many years at Niles North High School, Skokie, Illinois. His extensive record of service to fellow teachers includes editing the JCE "View from My Classroom" feature for several years and writing several articles, as well as his recent appointment to the JCE Board of Publication. The recipient of the George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education is Jerry A. Bell of the American Chemical Society in Washington, DC. An author of numerous articles appearing in JCE and a member of the JCE Board of Publication for several years, he currently serves as Board Chair. The 16th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education Readers who attended the 15th BCCE in Waterloo, Ontario, know that much of the programming at these conferences is of interest to high school teachers. Many work shops, papers, and demonstrations are presented by high school teachers. There are many other outstanding papers and posters, plenary speakers, and exciting demonstrations. The 16th BCCE will be held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, July 30-August 3, 2000. Among the high school teachers already scheduled to present workshops at the 16th BCCE are George Hague, Lynn Hershey, and Jack Randall, and there will be many more before the program is completed. The High School Chemistry Program Chair is Tim Graham, Roosevelt High School (MI). The Organizing Committee is seeking the assistance of local sections of the American Chemical Society within a 300-mile radius of Ann Arbor in providing support for high school

  13. A photovoice study of school belongingness among high school students in Norway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieblein, Vaiva Sunniva Deraas; Warne, Maria; Huot, Suzanne; Laliberte Rudman, Debbie; Raanaas, Ruth Kjærsti

    2018-12-01

    Although high school graduation is important for living conditions and health throughout life, many students do not complete. In Norway's northern most county, Finnmark, up to 45% of students do not complete high school. Contrary to prior research that has primarily focused on causes for dropout, this study's aim was to deepen understanding of factors that support high school attendance. A strengths-based participatory approach using photovoice addressed attendance factors as perceived by seven participating students from one high school in Finnmark. Qualitative content analysis of data generated through group dialogue about participant-generated photos and individual interviews identified six factors important for students' school attendance: a supportive school environment, a good learning environment, recuperation and recreation, family and friends, goals and ambitions, and place attachment. Related aspects of a supportive environment and belongingness, where school staff made important contributions to promoting a positive environment, were essential.

  14. Pediatric psychotropic medication initiation and adherence: a literature review based on social exchange theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamrin, Vanya; McCarthy, Erin M; Tyson, Veda

    2010-08-01

    Psychotropic medication initiation and adherence is an identified problem. This literature review explores factors that determine families' decisions to initiate, sustain, or discontinue use of psychotropic medication in children and adolescents. Social exchange theory is used as a framework to explore decisions to initiate and adhere to psychotropic medications. Contributing factors related to psychotropic medication initiation, adherence, and discontinuation are explored. Themes in the literature encompassing costs and benefits of psychotropic medication adherence include family experiences with adverse effects, previous psychotropic medication experience, medication psychoeducation, stigma, societal views about psychotropic medication, particular diagnosis, the effect of comorbid diagnosis on adherence, attitudes and beliefs about medication by both children and parents, and relationships with the provider. The impact of family demographics including parent gender, age of the child, ethnicity, and parent educational level on psychotropic medication adherence is evaluated. International and U.S. studies from Medline, Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature and PsychInfo evaluating medication initiation and adherence in the pediatric psychiatric population and social exchange theory was incorporated from relevant textbook resources. Rewards experienced from medication treatment include improvement in symptoms, school performance and family relationships, and reduced level of parenting stress. Identified costs include impact of adverse side effects, social stigma, lack of response, fears of addiction, and changing the child's personality. Acceptance of the diagnosis influences adherence while medication education has varying effects. Families' attitudes, beliefs and perceptions about psychiatric illness and treatment play a large role in medication treatment decisions. A trusting provider relationship has a positive effect on adherence

  15. Green accounts & day high schools

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Michael Søgaard

    1997-01-01

    The arcticle presents the concept of green accounts and describes how it can be used in the daily work and the teaching at day high schools.......The arcticle presents the concept of green accounts and describes how it can be used in the daily work and the teaching at day high schools....

  16. High Pressure Reform: Examining Urban Schools' Response to Multiple School Choice Policies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holme, Jennifer Jellison; Carkhum, Rian; Rangel, Virginia Snodgrass

    2013-01-01

    Over the past several decades, policymakers have sought to address the problem of school failure by exposing traditional public schools to competitive market forces. In this analysis, we examine how two traditional public schools in a "high pressure/high choice" urban school cluster in Texas responded to a number of overlapping choice…

  17. CSR Model Implementation from School Stakeholder Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrmann, Suzannah

    2006-01-01

    Despite comprehensive school reform (CSR) model developers' best intentions to make school stakeholders adhere strictly to the implementation of model components, school stakeholders implementing CSR models inevitably make adaptations to the CSR model. Adaptations are made to CSR models because school stakeholders internalize CSR model practices…

  18. Correlates of Pediatric CPAP Adherence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkins, Stephen M.M.; Jensen, Emily L.; Simon, Stacey L.; Friedman, Norman R.

    2016-01-01

    Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common pediatric condition characterized by recurrent partial or complete cessation of airflow during sleep, typically due to inadequate upper airway patency. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a therapeutic option that reduces morbidity. Despite efforts to promote use, CPAP adherence is poor in both pediatric and adult populations. We sought to determine whether demographics, insurance status, OSA severity, therapeutic pressure, or comorbid conditions were associated with pediatric CPAP adherence. Methods: A retrospective review of adherence download data was performed on all pediatric patients with initiation or adjustment of CPAP treatment over a one-year period with documented in-laboratory CPAP titration. Patients were grouped as CPAP adherent or non-adherent, where adherence was defined as > 70% nightly use and average usage ≥ 4 hours per night. Differences between the groups were analyzed by χ2 test. Results: Overall, nearly half of participants were CPAP adherent (49%, 69/140). Of the demographic data collected (age, ethnicity, sex, insurance status), only female sex was associated with better adherence (60.9% vs 39.5% of males adherent; odds ratio [OR] = 2.41, 95%CI = 1.20–4.85; p = 0.01). Severity of OSA (diagnostic apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] and degree of hypoxemia), therapeutic pressure, and residual AHI did not impact CPAP adherence (p > 0.05). Patients with developmental delay (DD) were more likely to be adherent with CPAP than those without a DD diagnosis (OR = 2.55, 95%CI = 1.27–5.13; p = 0.007). Female patients with trisomy 21 tended to be more adherent, but this did not reach significance or account for the overall increased adherence associated with female sex. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that adherence to CPAP therapy is poor but suggests that female sex and developmental delay are associated with better adherence. These findings support efforts to understand the

  19. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Inflammatory Markers

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    Antoni Sureda

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim was to assess inflammatory markers among adults and adolescents in relation to the adherence to the Mediterranean diet. A random sample (219 males and 379 females of the Balearic Islands population (12–65 years was anthropometrically measured and provided a blood sample to determine biomarkers of inflammation. Dietary habits were assessed and the adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern calculated. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased with age in both sexes. The adherence to the Mediterranean diet in adolescent males was 51.3% and 45.7% in adults, whereas in females 53.1% and 44.3%, respectively. In males, higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with higher levels of adiponectin and lower levels of leptin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP in adults, but not in young subjects. In females, higher adherence was associated with lower levels of leptin in the young group, PAI-1 in adults and hs-CRP in both groups. With increasing age in both sexes, metabolic syndrome increases, but the adherence to the Mediterranean diet decreases. Low adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP is directly associated with a worse profile of plasmatic inflammation markers.

  20. The Effect of High School Shootings on Schools and Student Performance

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    Beland, Louis-Philippe; Kim, Dongwoo

    2016-01-01

    We analyze how fatal shootings in high schools affect schools and students using data from shooting databases, school report cards, and the Common Core of Data. We examine schools' test scores, enrollment, number of teachers, graduation, attendance, and suspension rates at schools that experienced a shooting, employing a difference-in-differences…

  1. Attitudes of High School Students towards Geometry

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    Esat Avcı

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In this research, attitudes of high school students towards geometry were investigated in terms of gender, grade, types of the field and school. Population of research includes students who were studying at high school in five distincs of Mersin in 2013-2014 academical year. Sample of research includes 935 students from twelve high schools. Attitude scale which was developed by Su-Özenir (2008 was used for data collection. For data analysis, mean, standart deviation, t test and ANOVA were used. A meaningful difference between students’ attitudes towards geometry and variance of gender and grade level wasn’t observed, on the other hand a meaningful difference according to field and school type is observed.Key Words:    Attitudes towards geometry, high school geometry lesson, attitude scale

  2. Investing in High School

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    Green, Daniel G.

    2012-01-01

    Strapped for cash, a Massachusetts high school creates its own venture capital fund to incentivize teachers to create programs that improve student learning. The result has been higher test scores and higher job satisfaction. One important program is credited with helping close the achievement gap at the school, while others have helped ambitious…

  3. High-intensity interval and moderate-intensity continuous training elicit similar enjoyment and adherence levels in overweight and obese adults.

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    Vella, Chantal A; Taylor, Katrina; Drummer, Devin

    2017-10-01

    High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to improve cardiometabolic health during supervised lab-based studies but adherence, enjoyment, and health benefits of HIIT performed independently are yet to be understood. We compared adherence, enjoyment, and cardiometabolic outcomes after 8 weeks of HIIT or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), matched for energy expenditure, in overweight and obese young adults. 17 adults were randomized to HIIT or MICT. After completing 12 sessions of supervised training over 3 weeks, participants were asked to independently perform HIIT or MICT for 30 min, 4 times/week for 5 weeks. Cardiometabolic outcomes included cardiorespiratory fitness (VO 2 peak), lipids, and inflammatory markers. Exercise enjoyment was measured by the validated Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. Exercise adherence (93.4 ± 3.1% vs. 93.1 ± 3.7%, respectively) and mean enjoyment across the intervention (100.1 ± 4.3 vs. 100.3 ± 4.4, respectively) were high, with no differences between HIIT and MICT (p > .05). Similarly, enjoyment levels did not change over time in either group (p > .05). After training, HIIT exhibited a greater decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol than MICT (-0.66 mmol L -1 vs. -0.03 mmol L -1 , respectively) and a greater increase in VO 2 peak than MICT (p HIIT (+0.5 pg mL -1 and + 31.4 nmol L -1 , respectively) and decreased in MICT (-0.6 pg mL -1 and -6.7 nmol L -1 , respectively, p HIIT is enjoyable and has high unsupervised adherence rates in overweight and obese adults. However, HIIT may be associated with an increase in inflammation with short-term exercise in this population.

  4. Beliefs about medications predict adherence to antidepressants in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fawzi, Waleed; Abdel Mohsen, Mohamed Yousry; Hashem, Abdel Hamid; Moussa, Suaad; Coker, Elizabeth; Wilson, Kenneth C M

    2012-01-01

    Adherence to treatment is a complex and poorly understood phenomenon. This study investigates the relationship between older depressed patients' adherence to antidepressants and their beliefs about and knowledge of the medication. Assessment was undertaken of 108 outpatients over the age of 55 years diagnosed with depressive disorder and treated for at least four weeks with antidepressants. Adherence was assessed using two self-report measures: the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) and a Global Adherence Measure (GAM). Potential predictors of adherence investigated included sociodemographic, medication and illness variables. In addition, 33 carers were interviewed regarding general medication beliefs. 56% of patients reported 80% or higher adherence on the GAM. Sociodemographic variables were not associated with adherence on the MARS. Specific beliefs about medicines, such as "my health depends on antidepressants" (necessity) and being less worried about becoming dependant on antidepressants (concern) were highly correlated with adherence. General beliefs about medicines causing harm or being overprescribed, experiencing medication side-effects and severity of depression also correlated with poor adherence. Linear regression with the MARS as the dependent variable explained 44.3% of the variance and showed adherence to be higher in subjects with healthy specific beliefs who received more information about antidepressants and worse with depression severity and autonomic side-effects. Our findings strongly support a role for specific beliefs about medicines in adherence. Challenging patients' beliefs, providing information about treatment and discussing side-effects could improve adherence. Poor response to treatment and medication side-effects can indicate poor adherence and should be considered before switching medications.

  5. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-12-01

    Chemistry and the Environment This issue contains more than 20 articles relating to the environment. Several articles of potential interest are indicated in the Table of Contents with the SSC mark (). Others are not so indicated because they depict use of expensive instrumentation or costly procedures, but if you have an interest in environmental chemistry you may wish to examine all the environmentally related articles. While many of the articles, both marked and unmarked, are targeted to college-level environmental chemistry curricula or to introductory courses for non-major, the methods described in several could be readily adapted to high school chemistry courses. One article likely to be of interest to teachers is found in News from Online, pp 1608-1609. The author explains how to use the U.S. Environment Protection Agency's EnviroMapper Web site to view and query environmental information. She mentioned finding a hazardous waste handler located near her home, so I decided to check the area near my home. I quickly located a natural gas salt dome storage facility marked on the map and, with a few more mouse clicks, I found information that included status of compliance with regulations, amounts of each compound released to the air in tons per year, and how to contact the corporation owning the site. Email and Web site addresses were included for the convenience of anyone wishing to contact the corporation. Students could learn a great deal about where they live that is relevant to chemistry by using the EPA site. Additional Web sites dealing with environmental issues and chemistry are cited in the sidebar at the bottom of p 1609. Among the articles that could be adapted to an advanced high school chemistry class or possibly even to an introductory class is one titled Bridge of Mandolin County (pp 1671-1672). It describes a case-study strategy similar to the scenarios used in ChemStudy. Students analyze information from various sources, including laboratory

  6. How High School Students Select a College.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilmour, Joseph E., Jr.; And Others

    The college selection process used by high school students was studied and a paradigm that describes the process was developed, based on marketing theory concerning consumer behavior. Primarily college freshmen and high school seniors were interviewed, and a few high school juniors and upper-level college students were surveyed to determine…

  7. High School Students’ Social Media Addiction

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    Deniz, Levent; Gürültü, Ercan

    2018-01-01

    Theaim of this study is to investigate high school students’ social mediaaddiction. The study was conducted with 473 students who were educated in2014-2015 academic year at 6 different schools in İstanbul, Eyüp disctrict.‘Social Media Addiction Scale’ developed by Tutgun, Ünal and Deniz (2015) wasused to determine the students’ social media addiction. The results in general showedthat high school students have a medium level social media addiction. Besides,it was also concluded that high scho...

  8. Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Core Academic Strategic Designs: 2. Noble Street Charter High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

    2008-01-01

    This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

  9. Eye Injuries in High School and Collegiate Athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boden, Barry P; Pierpoint, Lauren A; Boden, Rebecca G; Comstock, R Dawn; Kerr, Zachary Y

    Although eye injuries constitute a small percentage of high school and college sports injuries, they have the potential to be permanently debilitating. Eye injury rates will vary by sport, sex, and between the high school and college age groups. Descriptive epidemiology study. Level 3. Data from eye injury reports in high school and college athletes were obtained from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance System, High School Reporting Information Online (HS RIO) database over a 10-year span (2005-2006 through 2014-2015 school years) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) over an 11-year span (2004-2005 through 2014-2015 school years). Injury rates per 100,000 athlete-exposures (AEs), injury rate ratios (RRs), and 95% CIs were calculated. Distributions of eye injuries by diagnosis, mechanism, time loss, and surgery needs were also examined. A total of 237 and 273 eye injuries were reported in the HS RIO and the NCAA ISP databases, respectively. The sports with the highest eye injury rates (per 100,000 AEs) for combined high school and college athletes were women's basketball (2.36), women's field hockey (2.35), men's basketball (2.31), and men's wrestling (2.07). Overall eye injury rates at the high school and college levels were 0.68 and 1.84 per 100,000 AEs, respectively. Eye injury rates were higher in competition than practice in high school (RR, 3.47; 95% CI, 2.69-4.48) and college (RR, 3.13; 95% CI, 2.45-3.99). Most injuries were contusions (high school, 35.9%; college, 33.3%) and due to contact (high school, 89.9%; college, 86.4%). Only a small percentage of injuries resulted in time loss over 21 days (high school, 4.2%; college, 3.0%). Eye injury rates and patterns vary by sport, sex, and between the high school and college age groups. Although severe injuries do occur, most eye injuries sustained by high school and college athletes are minor, with limited time loss and full recovery

  10. [Adherence with proton pump inhibitor therapy, by continuously taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pimanov, S I; Makarenko, E V; Dikareva, E A

    2015-01-01

    To estimate the impact of adherence with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy on the incidence of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced gastropathy (NSAID gastropathy) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). PPI pharmacotherapy adherence was estimated using the Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ) in 92 patients with RA, including 32 patients did not take a PPI and 60 used a PPI. The groups were matched for age, disease duration, and used NSAIDs. All those asked underwent video esophagogastroduodenoscopy. According to the data of MAQ survey, low, moderate, and high adherence subgroups could be identified among the patients treated with a PPI. NSAID gastropathy was detected in 43.8% of the patients taking no PPI, in 50% of those with low PPI treatment adherence, in 12.5% with moderate adherence, and in 4.5% with high adherence. In the patients with low adherence to PPI therapy, NSAID gastropathy was recorded 11 times more frequently than in those with high adherence (c2 = 7.77; p = 0.005). This condition occurred in 28.6% of the patients taking NSAID without preventively using a PPI in the absence of risk factors for NSAID gastropathy. Only 36.7% patients who had been recommended to use a PPI for the prevention of NSAID gastropathy strictly observed their doctor's directions. Low PPI pharmacotherapy adherence may serve as an additional risk factor for NSAID gastropathy in patients in whom preventive antisecretory therapy used in combination with NSAID is indicated.

  11. Perspectives of patients on factors relating to adherence to post-acute coronary syndrome medical regimens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lambert-Kerzner A

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Anne Lambert-Kerzner,1,2 Edward P Havranek,2,3 Mary E Plomondon,1,2 Katherine M Fagan,1 Marina S McCreight,1 Kelty B Fehling,1 David J Williams,2 Alison B Hamilton,4 Karen Albright,2 Patrick J Blatchford,2 Renee Mihalko-Corbitt,5 Chris L Bryson,6 Hayden B Bosworth,7 Miriam A Kirshner,7 Eric J Del Giacco,5 P Michael Ho1,2 1Department of Cardiology, Veterans Health Administration (VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, CO, 2School of Public Health or School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 3Cardiology, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, 4Health Services Research, Veterans Health Administration (VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, 5Internal Medicine, John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital, Little Rock, AR, 6Health Services Research, Veterans Health Administration (VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, 7Health Services Research, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA Purpose: Poor adherence to cardioprotective medications after acute coronary syndrome (ACS hospitalization is associated with increased risk of rehospitalization and mortality. Clinical trials of multifaceted interventions have improved medication adherence with varying results. Patients’ perspectives on interventions could help researchers interpret inconsistent outcomes. Identifying factors that patients believe would improve adherence might inform the design of future interventions and make them more parsimonious and sustainable. The objective of this study was to obtain patients’ perspectives on adherence to medical regimens after experiencing an ACS event and their participation in a medication adherence randomized control trial following their hospitalization. Patients and methods: Sixty-four in-depth interviews were conducted with ACS patients who participated in an efficacious, multifaceted, medication adherence randomized control trial. Interview transcripts were

  12. Therapist adherence is associated with outcome in cognitive-behavioral therapy for bulimia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Folke, Sofie; Daniel, Sarah I F; Gondan, Matthias; Lunn, Susanne; Tækker, Louise; Poulsen, Stig

    2017-06-01

    Studies of therapist adherence in relation to treatment outcome have produced mixed results. The aim of the present study was to investigate change in therapist adherence to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for bulimia nervosa over time, and to investigate the relationship between adherence and client outcome in early, middle, and late phases of treatment. Thirty-six clients received the focused form of "enhanced" CBT (CBT-E) for bulimia nervosa. Trained observers rated audiotapes of 92 full-length therapy sessions from early (Session 3), middle (Session 11), and late phases (Session 20) of treatment using the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Treatment Protocol Adherence Scale. Change in adherence across the 3 treatment phases was examined using multilevel analysis. The relationship between early, middle, and late adherence levels and end-of-treatment binging frequency was examined using multilevel Poisson regression analysis. Adherence decreased significantly over the course of treatment. Higher levels of therapist adherence in early and middle phases of treatment were associated with reduced binging frequency, whereas higher levels of adherence measured late in treatment was not. Results indicate that therapists' adherence to the CBT-E treatment protocol decreases over time and that high levels of protocol adherence in early and middle phases of treatment are more important for positive client outcomes than high levels of adherence in the end of treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  13. THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR BEFORE CONFLICTS AND THE SCHOOL VIOLENCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubén Sánchez-Carranza

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This article aims to reflect on the figure and role of high school counselor in the task of addressing conflict situations in which students are immersed. The existence of a rising tide of violence in school conflicts and how important it is to know what countries in Europe , Asia and Latin America is done to promote a culture of peace is recognized. What happened it is exposed in a high school in Germany and how questions from the critical eye that are applicable to our Mexican reality are issued. Finally, it highlights the importance of skills that the counselor must possess or develop to prevent school conflicts escalate to levels of violence.Finally experience working with the School counselors S033 about this subject area is described.

  14. Correlation Among Students’ Family Background, Academic Performance in Junior High School, and Senior High School Tracking in Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Fu Huang

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available There were numerous previous studies on educational tracking. However, most of the data adopted in these studies were collected a decade ago, involving sample population 20-64 years of age. Among them, many elderly samples had undergone senior high school tracking in the early years. The present study used the data of students and parents from the 3rd wave (2005 of the Taiwan Education Panel Survey (TEPS. A path analysis was conducted to investigate the inequality of opportunities involved in the influence of student family background on educational tracking at the senior high school stage. The results show: although the overall percentage of junior high school graduates entering advanced levels was approximately 100% and almost all students of different family backgrounds entered advanced levels, the most crucial factor among those affecting educational tracking of senior high school stage was students’ academic performance during junior high school. Students with higher family socioeconomic status and fewer siblings showed better academic performance in junior high schools, and consequently had higher possibilities of entering public senior high schools leading to a more promising future. This indicates that though the inequality in the quantity of opportunities approached 0, the inequality in the quality of opportunities still remained, which fails to support the hypothesis of the maximally maintained inequality of educational opportunity (MMI; however, the result supports the hypothesis of the effectively maintained inequality of educational opportunity (EMI.

  15. Availability of high school extracurricular sports programs and high-risk behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Deborah A; Taylor, Stephanie L; Zonta, Michela; Vestal, Katherine D; Schuster, Mark A

    2007-02-01

    The Surgeon General has called for an expansion of school-based extracurricular sports programs to address the obesity epidemic. However, little is known about the availability of and participation in high school extracurricular sports and how participation in these sports is related to high-risk behaviors. We surveyed Los Angeles County public high schools in 2002 to determine the number of extracurricular sports programs offered and the percentage of students participating in those programs. We used community data on rates of arrests, births, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among youth to examine associations between risk behaviors and participation in sports programs. The average school offered 14 sports programs, and the average participation rate was 39% for boys and 30% for girls. Smaller schools and schools with higher percentages of disadvantaged students offered fewer programs. The average school offering 13 or fewer programs had 14% of its students participating, while the average school offering 16 or more programs had 31% of its students participating in sports. Controlling for area-level demographics, juvenile arrest rates and teen birth rates, but not STD rates, were lower in areas where schools offered more extracurricular sports. Opportunities for participation in high school extracurricular sports are limited. Future studies should test whether increased opportunities will increase physical activity and impact the increasing overweight problem in youths.

  16. Should School Boards Discontinue Support for High School Football?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margolis, Lewis H; Canty, Greg; Halstead, Mark; Lantos, John D

    2017-01-01

    A pediatrician is asked by her local school board to help them decide whether to discontinue their high school football program. She reviews the available evidence on the risks of football and finds it hopelessly contradictory. Some scholars claim that football is clearly more dangerous than other sports. Others suggest that the risks of football are comparable to other sports, such as lacrosse, ice hockey, or soccer. She finds very little data on the long-term sequelae of concussions. She sees claims that good coaching and a school culture that prioritizes the health of athletes over winning can reduce morbidity from sports injuries. In this paper, 3 experts also review the evidence about sports risks and discuss what is known and not known about the science and the ethics of high school football. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  17. Factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS patients: a cross-sectional study in Southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C.A.T. Pinheiro

    2002-10-01

    Full Text Available A cross-sectional study was conducted on HIV-infected adults being treated with antiretroviral drugs at a reference service in Southern Brazil. Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and were tested by scales assessing sociocognitive variables. Adherence to treatment was assessed by a self-report inventory developed for the study. Clinical information was obtained from the patients' records. Significance tests were conducted using univariate logistic regressions followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 195 patients participated in the study and 56.9% of them reported > or = 95% adherence on the previous two days. In univariate analysis, the odds of adherence increased with self-efficacy (a person's conviction that he/she can successfully execute the behavior required to produce a certain desired outcome in taking medications as prescribed (OR = 3.50, 95% CI 1.90-6.55, and decreased with perception of negative affect and physical concerns (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.95. The odds were lower for taking antiretroviral medications >4 times a day (OR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.94 and higher for patients with 8 years of schooling (OR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.12-4.66. In the multivariate analysis, self-efficacy (OR = 3.33, 95% CI 1.69-6.56 and taking medication >4 times a day (OR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.14-0.80 were independently associated with adherence. Self-efficacy was the most important predictor of adherence, followed by number of times antiretroviral medication was taken per day. Among sociodemographic and clinical variables, only the number of years of schooling was associated with adherence. Motivational interventions based on self-efficacy may be useful for increasing treatment adherence.

  18. Acceptance-based behavior therapy to promote HIV medication adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moitra, Ethan; Herbert, James D; Forman, Evan M

    2011-12-01

    A significant number of adults with HIV in the USA do not maintain adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) at adequate levels. Although traditional cognitive behavioral interventions have shown promise in promoting HAART adherence, acceptance-based behavior therapy (ABBT) may be particularly useful in this population. ABBT has the potential to overcome common avoidance-based barriers associated with poor adherence, including denial of various illness-related factors and avoidance of stigmatization. We describe the rationale for promoting psychological and behavioral acceptance in HIV-positive populations; outline an ABBT to promote HAART adherence targeting primary care patients from urban, minority, low socioeconomic backgrounds; and report preliminary qualitative observations of treatment feasibility and acceptability.

  19. Use of Social Networking Sites and Adherence to Physical Activity and Screen Time Recommendations in Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues; Chaput, Jean-Philippe

    2016-05-01

    Adolescents are recommended to achieve ≥ 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA) and ≤2 h/day of screen time (ST). This study examined the relationships between the use of social networking sites (SNSs) and adherence to PA and ST recommendations in a large sample of Canadian adolescents. This cross-sectional school-based survey included a representative sample of 9388 students in grades 7 to 12 across Ontario, Canada. After adjustment for several confounding variables, results showed that male adolescents who use SNSs for fewer hours (≤ 1 h/day) had greater odds of adherence to PA and to both PA and ST recommendations concurrently, while those who use it for more hours (≥ 3 h/day) had lower odds of adherence to the ST recommendation. Female adolescents who use SNSs for more hours had lower odds of adherence to the ST recommendation (use of SNSs ≥ 2 h/day) and to both PA and ST recommendations concurrently (use of SNSs ≥ 5 h/day). Heavy use of SNSs has a negative influence on the adherence to the ST recommendation in both males and females; however, infrequent use of SNSs was related to the adherence to the PA recommendation and concurrent adherence to both recommendations in males only.

  20. School and community predictors of smoking: a longitudinal study of Canadian high schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lovato, Chris; Watts, Allison; Brown, K Stephen; Lee, Derrick; Sabiston, Catherine; Nykiforuk, Candace; Eyles, John; Manske, Steve; Campbell, H Sharon; Thompson, Mary

    2013-02-01

    We identified the most effective mix of school-based policies, programs, and regional environments associated with low school smoking rates in a cohort of Canadian high schools over time. We collected a comprehensive set of student, school, and community data from a national cohort of 51 high schools in 2004 and 2007. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to predict school and community characteristics associated with school smoking prevalence. Between 2004 and 2007, smoking prevalence decreased from 13.3% to 10.7% in cohort schools. Predictors of lower school smoking prevalence included both school characteristics related to prevention programming and community characteristics, including higher cigarette prices, a greater proportion of immigrants, higher education levels, and lower median household income. Effective approaches to reduce adolescent smoking will require interventions that focus on multiple factors. In particular, prevention programming and high pricing for cigarettes sold near schools may contribute to lower school smoking rates, and these factors are amenable to change. A sustained focus on smoking prevention is needed to maintain low levels of adolescent smoking.

  1. Modeling the economic impact of medication adherence in type 2 diabetes: a theoretical approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David S Cobden

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available David S Cobden1, Louis W Niessen2, Frans FH Rutten1, W Ken Redekop11Department of Health Policy and Management, Section of Health Economics – Medical Technology Assessment (HE-MTA, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 2Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USAAims: While strong correlations exist between medication adherence and health economic outcomes in type 2 diabetes, current economic analyses do not adequately consider them. We propose a new approach to incorporate adherence in cost-effectiveness analysis.Methods: We describe a theoretical approach to incorporating the effect of adherence when estimating the long-term costs and effectiveness of an antidiabetic medication. This approach was applied in a Markov model which includes common diabetic health states. We compared two treatments using hypothetical patient cohorts: injectable insulin (IDM and oral (OAD medications. Two analyses were performed, one which ignored adherence (analysis 1 and one which incorporated it (analysis 2. Results from the two analyses were then compared to explore the extent to which adherence may impact incremental cost-effectiveness ratios.Results: In both analyses, IDM was more costly and more effective than OAD. When adherence was ignored, IDM generated an incremental cost-effectiveness of $12,097 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY gained versus OAD. Incorporation of adherence resulted in a slightly higher ratio ($16,241/QALY. This increase was primarily due to better adherence with OAD than with IDM, and the higher direct medical costs for IDM.Conclusions: Incorporating medication adherence into economic analyses can meaningfully influence the estimated cost-effectiveness of type 2 diabetes treatments, and should therefore be ­considered in health care decision-making. Future work on the impact of adherence on health

  2. School-wide implementation of the elements of effective classroom instruction: Lessons from a high-performing, high-poverty urban school

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dyson, Hilarie

    2008-10-01

    The purpose of the study was to identify structures and systems implemented in a high-performing high-poverty urban school to promote high academic achievement among students of color. The researcher used a sociocultural theoretical framework to examine the influence of culture on the structures and systems that increased performance by African American and Hispanic students. Four research questions guided the study: (1) What are the trends and patterns of student performance among students of color? (2) What are the organizational structures and systems that are perceived to contribute to high student performance in high-poverty urban schools with high concentrations of students of color? (3) How are the organizational structures and systems implemented to support school-wide effective classroom instruction that promotes student learning? (4) How is the construct of race reflected in the school's structures and systems? Qualitative data were collected through interviews, observations, and artifact collection. A single case study method was employed and collected data were triangulated to capture and explore the rich details of the study. The study focused on a high-performing high-poverty urban elementary school located in southern California. The school population consisted of 99% students of color and 93% were economically disadvantaged. The school was selected for making significant and consistent growth in Academic Performance Index and Adequate Yearly Progress over a 3-year period. The school-wide structures and systems studied were (a) leadership, (b) school climate and culture, (c) standards-based instruction, (d) data-driven decision making, and (e) professional development. Four common themes emerged from the findings: (a) instructional leadership that focused on teaching and learning; (b) high expectations for all students; (c) school-wide focus on student achievement using standards, data, and culturally responsive teaching; and (d) positive

  3. Low Adherence to Immunosuppressants Is Associated With Symptom Experience Among Kidney Transplant Recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, S Y; Chu, S H; Oh, E G; Huh, K H

    2015-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between immunosuppressant-related symptom experience (SE) and adherence to immunosuppressant regimens among kidney transplant (KT) recipients. A total of 239 KT recipients on an immunosuppressant regimen who were followed up after transplantation participated in this study. Data was collected through a self-reported questionnaire survey (medication adherence, SE, and quality of life) and medical record review. Low adherence in the immunosuppressant group was associated with longer time since KT, less comorbidity (adherence among KT recipients showed significantly greater overall symptom occurrence (P = .001) and symptom distress (P = .002) levels than patients with high or medium adherence after adjusting for a number of covariates. The most common symptom both in terms of occurrence (96.4%) and distress (91.1%) among poorly adherent KT recipients was tiredness. Low adherence to an immunosuppressant regimen was significantly associated with high SE among KT recipients. Strategies to decrease immunosuppressant-related SE are needed to improve adherence to immunosuppressants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. High school science fair and research integrity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalley, Simon; Shepherd, Karen; Reisch, Joan

    2017-01-01

    Research misconduct has become an important matter of concern in the scientific community. The extent to which such behavior occurs early in science education has received little attention. In the current study, using the web-based data collection program REDCap, we obtained responses to an anonymous and voluntary survey about science fair from 65 high school students who recently competed in the Dallas Regional Science and Engineering Fair and from 237 STEM-track, post-high school students (undergraduates, 1st year medical students, and 1st year biomedical graduate students) doing research at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Of the post-high school students, 24% had competed in science fair during their high school education. Science fair experience was similar overall for the local cohort of Dallas regional students and the more diverse state/national cohort of post-high school students. Only one student out of 122 reported research misconduct, in his case making up the data. Unexpectedly, post-high school students who did not participate in science fair anticipated that carrying out science fair would be much more difficult than actually was the case, and 22% of the post-high school students anticipated that science fair participants would resort to research misconduct to overcome obstacles. No gender-based differences between students’ science fair experiences or expectations were evident. PMID:28328976

  5. Non-adherence to topical treatments for actinic keratosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shergill B

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Bav Shergill,1 Simon Zokaie,2 Alison J Carr3 1Department of Dermatology, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Elm Grove, Brighton, UK; 2Leo Pharma, Princes Risborough, 3Hamell, London, UK Background: There is limited information on the patterns of use, adherence rates, and factors that impact adherence with topical treatments for actinic keratosis (AK. Objectives: To establish patterns of use and adherence with topical treatments for AK and to identify treatment-related factors that impact on adherence. Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was performed using a standardized questionnaire completed online or via telephone interview. Patients were stratified according to the presence of AK lesions on the scalp and/or other extremities; and presence of scarring resulting from treatment. Results: This study included 305 patients with AK who were currently using a patient-applied topical therapy for AK or had used one within the previous 12 months. In total, 88% (n = 268/305 of patients were either non-adherent, non-persistent or both non-adherent and non-persistent to topical therapy. Duration of treatment was associated with increasing rates of non-adherence (adjusted odds ratio [OR]; for treatment durations greater than 4 weeks, 2.2, P < 0.01: 52% of patients were non-adherent with 3–4 week treatment duration; 69% of patients with 4–8 week treatment duration; and 71% of patients with 6–12 week treatment duration. There were similar increases in non-persistence with increasing treatment duration (adjusted OR; for treatment durations greater than 4 weeks, 2.1, P < 0.05. Conclusion: This study found high rates of non-adherence and non-persistence in patients with AK. Duration of treatment was a significant factor contributing to non-adherence and non-persistence to topical treatments. Patient-applied topical therapies that require less frequent application and have shorter treatment duration may be associated with improved

  6. Schools or Students? Identifying High School Effects on Student Suspensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker-Smith, E. Christine

    2015-01-01

    Evidence is clear that discipline in high school is associated with negative outcomes across the life course. Not only are suspensions related to declining academic trajectories during high school in the form of attendance and academic achievement, students suspended once are also more likely to be suspended again and also substantially increase…

  7. High School Book Fairs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzgerald, Marianne

    2006-01-01

    Many secondary students have given up the joy of reading. When asked why they don't read for pleasure, students came up with many different reasons, the first being lack of time. High school students are busy with after school jobs, sports, homework, etc. With the growing number of students enrolled in AP classes, not only is there not much time…

  8. Strategies to improve adherence to treatment in adolescents and young adults with cancer: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robertson EG

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Eden G Robertson,1,2 Claire E Wakefield,1,2 Kate H Marshall,2 Ursula M Sansom-Daly1–3 1Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia; 2Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, 3Sydney Youth Cancer Service, Prince of Wales/Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia Purpose: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs with cancer have higher rates of nonadherence to treatment relative to younger and older cancer patients. Efforts to improve adherence in this population are therefore increasing. This review aimed: 1 to synthesize recommendations and strategies used to improve treatment adherence in AYAs with cancer, and 2 to summarize the available evidence supporting the efficacy of adherence-promoting strategies for AYAs with cancer.Methods: We conducted a systematic review with two stages: 1 a narrative stage, to analyze expert recommendations, and 2 an evaluative stage, to summarize quantitative evidence for interventions. Four electronic databases were searched for studies involving AYAs, aged 10–39 years, with cancer, published from 2005 to 2015. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA guidelines were used to ensure quality of the review. The Delphi list was used to assess study quality.Results: Nine articles were identified in the narrative stage of the review. For the evaluative stage, out of 113 screened abstracts, only one eligible intervention was identified. Common themes of adherence-promoting strategies were grouped into five domains: developmental, communication, educational, psychological well-being, and logistical/management strategies. Strategies to address developmental stage and to improve communication were the most highly recommended to improve adherence. Few strategies focused on the role of the patient in adherence. One

  9. The New Urban High School: A Practitioner's Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Big Picture Co., Cambridge, MA.

    In October 1996, the Big Picture Company set out to find six urban high schools that use school-to-work strategies as a lever for whole-school reform. In the schools finally selected for the New Urban High Schools Project, and in others examined for the study, "school-to-work" is a misnomer, because the majority of students are entering…

  10. [Cardiovascular recovery during intermittent exercise in highly-adherent partic pants with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cano-Montoya, Johnattan; Álvarez, Cristian; Martínez, Cristian; Salas, Andrés; Sade, Farid; Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo

    2016-09-01

    Despite the evidence supporting metabolic benefits of high intensity interval exercise (HIIT), there is little information about the cardiovascular response to this type of exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension (HTA). To analyze the changes in heart rate at rest, at the onset and at the end of each interval of training, after twelve weeks of a HIIT program in T2D and HTA patients. Twenty-three participants with T2D and HTA (20 women) participated in a controlled HIIT program. Fourteen participants attended 90% of more session of exercise and were considered as adherent. Adherent and non-adherent participants had similar body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure. A “1x2x10” (work: rest-time: intervals) HIIT exercise protocol was used both as a test and as training method during twelve weeks. The initial and finishing heart rate (HR) of each of the ten intervals before and after the intervention were measured. After twelve weeks of HIIT intervention, adherent participants had a significant reduction in the heart rate at the onset of exercise, and during intervals 4, 5, 8 and 10. A reduction in the final heart rate was observed during intervals 8 and 10. In the same participants the greatest magnitude of reduction, at the onset or end of exercise was approximately 10 beats/min. No significant changes in BMI, resting heart rate and blood pressure were observed. A HIIT program reduces the cardiovascular effort to a given work-load and improves cardiovascular recovery after exercise.

  11. Method of detaching adherent cells for flow cytometry

    KAUST Repository

    Kaur, Mandeep

    2015-12-24

    In one aspect, a method for detaching adherent cells can include adding a cell lifting solution to the media including a sample of adherent cells and incubating the sample of adherent cells with the cell lifting solution. No scraping or pipetting is needed to facilitate cell detachment. The method do not require inactivation of cell lifting solution and no washing of detaching cells is required to remove cell lifting solution. Detached cells can be stained with dye in the presence of cell lifting solution and are further analyzed using flow cytometer. The method has been tested using 6 different cell lines, 4 different assays, two different plate formats (96 and 384 well plates) and two different flow cytometry instruments. The method is simple to perform, less time consuming, with no cell loss and makes high throughput flow cytometry on adherent cells a reality.

  12. Excellence in Urban High Schools: An Emerging District/School Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Robert K.; And Others

    This report presents the preliminary findings of the District/Secondary School Study. The study had two purposes: (1) to identify ways of managing urban high schools to produce excellence, and (2) to recommend policy-relevant guidance to existing school and district administrators. The study design focused on the testing of two specific theories…

  13. Building a Virtual High School...Click by Click

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podoll, Sue; Randle, Darcy

    2005-01-01

    The Rapid City Academy is the alternative high school program for South Dakota's Rapid City Area Schools, which has an enrollment of about 13,000 K-12 students, with five middle schools feeding two large traditional high schools and the alternative program. A high percentage of students at the academy are considered "at-risk" due to…

  14. Case Study of Leadership Practices and School-Community Interrelationships in High-Performing, High-Poverty, Rural California High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masumoto, Marcia; Brown-Welty, Sharon

    2009-01-01

    Many rural California high schools are impacted by the disadvantages of poverty, non-English speaking students, limited resources, changing demographics, and challenges of the rural context. Focusing on contemporary leadership theories and school-community interrelationships, this qualitative study examines the practices of educational leaders in…

  15. Effects of Part-Time Work on School Achievement During High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Kusum; Chang, Mido; Dika, Sandra

    2007-01-01

    The authors explored the effects of part-time work on school achievement during high school. To estimate the true effects of part-time work on school grades, the authors included family background, students' educational aspirations, and school engagement as controls. Although a substantial literature exists on the relationship of part-time work…

  16. The Preparation of Schools for Serious School Violence: An Analysis of New Mexico Public High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiMatteo, Henry

    2012-01-01

    This study surveyed New Mexico high school principals on their current state of preparedness for serious school violence. The researcher surveyed 119 public high schools, receiving a 65% return rate from a 25-question survey. Specifically, this study analyzed the relationships of three predictor variables: prevention, response, and building of…

  17. Dual Campus High School

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen P. Mombourquette

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available September 2010 witnessed the opening of the first complete dual campus high school in Alberta. Catholic Central High School, which had been in existence since 1967 in one building, now offered courses to students on two campuses. The “dual campus” philosophy was adopted so as to ensure maximum program flexibility for students. The philosophy, however, was destined to affect student engagement and staff efficacy as the change in organizational structure, campus locations, and course availability was dramatic. Changing school organizational structure also had the potential of affecting student achievement. A mixed-methods study utilizing engagement surveys, efficacy scales, and interviews with students and teachers was used to ascertain the degree of impact. The results of the study showed that minimal impact occurred to levels of student engagement, minor negative impact to staff efficacy, and a slight increase to student achievement results.

  18. A Study of Democratic School Culture Perceptions of Sport High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isikgöz, Enes

    2016-01-01

    In this study; the perceptions of the students studying at sport high schools about democratic school culture were analysed in accordance with different variables. Participants of the research consisted of 216 students studying at Sport High Schools in Sakarya and Batman Provinces of Turkey. The data were collected with the Democratic School…

  19. Teacher Accountability at High Performing Charter Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguirre, Moises G.

    2016-01-01

    This study will examine the teacher accountability and evaluation policies and practices at three high performing charter schools located in San Diego County, California. Charter schools are exempted from many laws, rules, and regulations that apply to traditional school systems. By examining the teacher accountability systems at high performing…

  20. Psychosocial Characteristics Associated with Both Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence and Risk Behaviors in Women Living with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holstad, Marcia McDonnell; Spangler, Sydney; Higgins, Melinda; Dalmida, Safiya George; Sharma, Sanjay

    2016-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify key psychosocial characteristics of HIV-infected women who exhibit different levels of both ART adherence and risk behaviors. We analyzed baseline data from 193 predominately African American HIV-infected women participating in a behavioral clinical trial. Women were categorized into high/low groups based on levels of adherence and risky behaviors. There was a significant interaction effect for internal motivation for adherence. Women at high risk for poor health and transmitting HIV (low adherence/high risk group) had the lowest levels of internal motivation and also reported more difficult life circumstances. Gender roles, caretaking and reliance on men for economic and other support may promote external versus internal motivation as well as riskier behaviors in this group. The highest levels of internal motivation were found in those with High Adherence/High Risk behaviors. This group was highly knowledgeable about HIV and had the lowest VL. Compared to others, this group seems to tolerate risky behaviors given their high level of adherence. Adherence and risk reduction behaviors are key to individual and public health. Motivation and risk compensation should be addressed when providing interventions to women living with HIV.

  1. Factors associated with high rates of antiretroviral medication adherence among youth living with perinatal HIV in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Ezer; Delzell, Darcie A P; Chhabra, Manik; Oberdorfer, Peninnah

    2015-07-01

    Antiretroviral medication adherence behaviour among Thai youth with perinatal HIV in Thailand has received growing attention. However, few studies have examined individual predictors of antiretroviral adherence using multiple self-reports. A convenience sample of 89 Thai youth (interquartile range 14-16 years) with perinatal HIV at three paediatric programmes in Chiang Mai completed a structured questionnaire and reported their antiretroviral adherence in the past one, seven and 30 days using count-based recall and a visual analog scale. Mean self-reported adherence rates ranged from 83.5% (past 30 days) to 99.8% (yesterday) of the time. One-inflated beta regression models were used to examine the associations between antiretroviral adherence outcomes, treatment self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, social support and beliefs/attitudes about medications. Higher percentage of medications taken in the past 30 days was independently associated with higher treatment self-efficacy and fewer symptoms of depression. Adherence monitoring would benefit from focal assessment of youth depression and perceived capacity to follow their antiretroviral regimen. © The Author(s) 2014.

  2. National standards for high school psychology curricula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    The National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula attempts to represent current knowledge in the field of psychology in developmentally appropriate ways. Psychology is a popular high school course, one that can introduce students to scientific ideas and engage students in the learning process. However, it is difficult for even the best of teachers to present all of psychology in a single course for students who begin with virtually no formal knowledge of psychology. The standards presented here constitute the first of two reports in this issue of the American Psychologist (January 2013) representing recent American Psychological Association (APA) policies that support high-quality instruction in the teaching of high school psychology. These standards provide curricular benchmarks for student learning in the high school course.

  3. Cyberbullying Among Greek High School Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gkiomisi, Athanasia; Gkrizioti, Maria; Gkiomisi, Athina; Anastasilakis, Dimitrios A; Kardaras, Panagiotis

    2017-05-01

    To investigate the presence of cyberbullying among Greek students and the efficacy of proposed preventive interventions. Three types of high schools (private, experimental and public) with different politics on on-line aggression were enrolled. All students of the aforementioned schools were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire. Around 62 % of the high school students experienced cyberbullying by electronic means, especially by cell phone, mostly the public school students (p 0.008). The bully was a stranger in more than 40 % of the cases. Over 60 % of the victims had not seeked help but dealt with the attack on their own. Only 20 % of the victims manifested sleep or eating disorders, physical/ psychological symptoms or changes in their social life as a consequence of the cyber-attack. Cyberbullying is a usual phenomenon among high school students. The bully is frequently unacquainted to the victim. Most of the victims are not physically or psychologically affected by the cyber-attack and do not share the event with anyone. There was a slight difference in the response of the students to cyberbullying among the different school politics of on-line aggression.

  4. Sports-related injuries among high school athletes--United States, 2005-06 school year.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-09-29

    Participation in high school sports helps promote a physically active lifestyle. High school sports participation has grown from an estimated 4 million participants during the 1971-72 school year to an estimated 7.2 million in 2005-06. However, despite the documented health benefits of increased physical activity (e.g., weight management, improved self-esteem, and increased strength, endurance, and flexibility), those who participate in athletics are at risk for sports-related injuries. High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits, and 30,000 hospitalizations annually. To date, the study of these injuries has been limited by inabilities to calculate injury rates, compare results among groups, and generalize findings from small, nonrepresentative samples. During the 2005-06 school year, researchers at a children's hospital in Ohio used an Internet-based data-collection tool to pilot an injury surveillance system among athletes from a representative national sample of U.S. high schools. This report summarizes the findings of that study, which indicated that participation in high school sports resulted in an estimated 1.4 million injuries at a rate of 2.4 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures (i.e., practices or competitions). Surveillance of exposure-based injury rates in a nationally representative sample of high school athletes and analysis of injury patterns can help guide activities aimed at reducing these injuries.

  5. Demographic Factors Affecting Internet Using Purposes of High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilic, Abdullah Faruk; Güzeller, Cem Oktay

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed at determining the impact of demographic factors on the Internet usage purposes of high school students. The population of the study consisted of students between 9th and 12th grades from the Anatolian high schools, science high schools, social sciences high schools, sports high schools and fine arts high schools in Turkey. The…

  6. Success Despite Socioeconomics: A Case Study of a High-Achieving, High-Poverty School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilley, Thomas Brent; Smith, Samuel J.; Claxton, Russell L.

    2012-01-01

    This case study of a high-achieving, high-poverty school describes the school's leadership, culture, and programs that contributed to its success. Data were collected from two surveys (the School Culture Survey and the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education), observations at the school site, and interviews with school personnel. The…

  7. Including Children Dependent on Ventilators in School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Jack M.

    1996-01-01

    Guidelines for including ventilator-dependent children in school are offered, based on experience with six such students at a New York State school. Guidelines stress adherence to the medical management plan, the school-family partnership, roles of the social worker and psychologist, orientation, transportation, classroom issues, and steps toward…

  8. Quality of life and adherence to treatment in early-treated Brazilian phenylketonuria pediatric patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, E; Maia, H S; Monteiro, C B; Carvalho, L M; Tonon, T; Vanz, A P; Schwartz, I V D; Ribeiro, M G

    2017-12-11

    Early dietary treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU), an inborn error of phenylalanine (Phe) metabolism, results in normal cognitive development. Although health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of PKU patients has been reported as unaffected in high-income countries, there are scarce data concerning HRQoL and adherence to treatment of PKU children and adolescents from Brazil. The present study compared HRQoL scores in core dimensions of Brazilian early-treated PKU pediatric patients with those of a reference population, and explored possible relationships between adherence to treatment and HRQoL. Early-treated PKU pediatric patient HRQoL was evaluated by self- and parent-proxy reports of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) core scales. Adherence to treatment was evaluated by median Phe levels and percentage of results within the therapeutic target range in two periods. Means for total and core scales scores of PedsQL self- and parent proxy-reports of PKU patients were significantly lower than their respective means for controls. Adequacy of median Phe concentrations and the mean percentage of values in the target range fell substantially from the first year of life to the last year of this study. There was no significant difference in mean total and core scale scores for self- and parent proxy-reports between patients with adequate and those with inadequate median Phe concentrations. The harmful consequences for intellectual capacity caused by poor adherence to dietary treatment could explain the observed decrease in all HRQoL scales, especially in school functioning. Healthcare system and financial difficulties may also have influenced negatively all HRQoL dimensions.

  9. Short Sleep Duration Among Middle School and High School Students - United States, 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheaton, Anne G; Jones, Sherry Everett; Cooper, Adina C; Croft, Janet B

    2018-01-26

    Insufficient sleep among children and adolescents is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes, injuries, poor mental health, attention and behavior problems, and poor academic performance (1-4). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has recommended that, for optimal health, children aged 6-12 years should regularly sleep 9-12 hours per 24 hours and teens aged 13-18 years should sleep 8-10 hours per 24 hours (1). CDC analyzed data from the 2015 national, state, and large urban school district Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBSs) to determine the prevalence of short sleep duration (school nights among middle school and high school students in the United States. In nine states that conducted the middle school YRBS and included a question about sleep duration in their questionnaire, the prevalence of short sleep duration among middle school students was 57.8%, with state-level estimates ranging from 50.2% (New Mexico) to 64.7% (Kentucky). The prevalence of short sleep duration among high school students in the national YRBS was 72.7%. State-level estimates of short sleep duration for the 30 states that conducted the high school YRBS and included a question about sleep duration in their questionnaire ranged from 61.8% (South Dakota) to 82.5% (West Virginia). The large percentage of middle school and high school students who do not get enough sleep on school nights suggests a need for promoting sleep health in schools and at home and delaying school start times to permit students adequate time for sleep.

  10. School-Related Factors Affecting High School Seniors' Methamphetamine Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanley, Jarrod M.; Lo, Celia C.

    2009-01-01

    Data from the 2005 Monitoring the Future survey were used to examine relationships between school-related factors and high school seniors' lifetime methamphetamine use. The study applied logistic regression techniques to evaluate effects of social bonding variables and social learning variables on likelihood of lifetime methamphetamine use. The…

  11. Pattern and Determinants of Antiretroviral Drug Adherence among Nigerian Pregnant Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. O. Ekama

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The need for a high level of adherence to antiretroviral drugs has remained a major hurdle to achieving maximal benefit from its use in pregnancy. This study was designed to determine the level of adherence and identify factors that influence adherence during pregnancy. Method. This is a cross-sectional study utilizing a semistructured questionnaire. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression models were used to determine factors independently associated with good drug adherence during pregnancy. Result. 137 (80.6% of the interviewed 170 women achieved adherence level of ≥95% using 3 day recall. The desire to protect the unborn child was the greatest motivation (51.8% for good adherence. Fear of being identified as HIV positive (63.6% was the most common reason for nonadherence. Marital status, disclosure of HIV status, good knowledge of ART, and having a treatment supporter were found to be significantly associated with good adherence at bivariate analysis. However, after controlling for confounders, only HIV status disclosure and having a treatment partner retained their association with good adherence. Conclusion. Disclosure of HIV status and having treatment support are associated with good adherence. Maternal desire to protect the child was the greatest motivator for adherence.

  12. Effect of Nanotechnology Instructions on Senior High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Chow-Chin; Sung, Chia-Chi

    2011-01-01

    In this research, we cooperate with senior high school teachers to understand current nanotechnology model of senior high school nanotechnology curriculum in Taiwan. Then design senior high school nanotechnology (nano-tech) curriculum to teach 503 senior high school students. After teaching the nano-tech curriculum we use the "Nanotechnology…

  13. Mediterranean diet adherence by patients with primary open angle glaucoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abreu-Reyes, J A; Álvarez-Luis, D; Arteaga-Hernández, V; Sánchez-Mendez, M; Abreu-González, R

    2017-08-01

    To study the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients affected by primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). An observational study was conducted to assess the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients affected by POAG, and who attended the Ophthalmology Department of the Canary Islands University Hospital. The study included completing a 14-item questionnaire validated by the PREDIMED Study, in person or by telephone. A total of 100 questionnaires were completed successfully by 50 males and 50 females. The mean age was 69.58 years for the males and 67.42 years for women. The men had more comorbidities than women (tobacco 14 vs. 3%), arterial hypertension, and diabetes (30 vs. 28%, and 16 vs. 6%, respectively). Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in males, was low in 9 patients (18%), moderate in 37 (74%), and high in 4 (8%) cases. In women adherence was low in 14 patients (28%), moderate in 34 (68%), and high in 2 (6%) cases. The overall adhesion to the Mediterranean diet is low in 23%, moderate in 71% and high in 6% of the cases. Patients who are affected by POAG have moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  14. Creating a Comprehensive School Reform Model: The Talent Development High School with Career Academies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Will J.; McPartland, James M.; Legters, Nettie E.; Balfanz, Robert

    2000-01-01

    Discusses the need for comprehensive reforms in school organization, curriculum and instruction, and professional development to address the problems of large urban high schools. Describes the Talent Development High School with Career Academies model being developed to meet the needs of such schools. (SLD)

  15. Dual Enrollment for High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Linsey; Hughes, Katherine

    2011-01-01

    Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to enroll in college courses and potentially earn college credit. The term concurrent enrollment is sometimes used interchangeably with dual enrollment, and sometimes to refer to a particular model of dual enrollment. In some programs, students earn high school and college credit simultaneously;…

  16. Impact of different recruitment strategies on accelerometry adherence and resulting physical activity data: A secondary analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin Rudolf

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Strategies for increasing adherence to physical activity assessments are often linked to extra financial or personal effort. This paper aims to investigate the influence of the recruitment strategy on participants' adherence to accelerometry and resulting PA data. Data were used from two previous studies conducted in 2013 and 2016 in Cologne, Germany, differing in recruitment strategy (N = 103, 40.8% male, mean age 20.9 ± 3.7 years, mean BMI 23.7 ± 4.1 kg/m2. In the passive recruitment (PR group, vocational students took part in the accelerometry (ActiGraph GT3X+ in line with the main study unless they denied participation. In the active recruitment (AR group, vocational students were invited to actively volunteer for the accelerometry. Impact of recruitment strategy on adherence and PA data was examined by regression analysis. Average adherence to the accelerometry was 66.7% (AR and 74.0% (PR. No statistically significant influence of recruitment strategy on adherence and resulting PA was found (all p > 0.05. The difference in recruitment strategy did not affect adherence to accelerometry. The data imply that AR may be applicable. Future studies using larger sample sizes and diverse populations should further investigate these trends. Keywords: Physical activity, Adherence, Recruitment, Accelerometry, Vocational school students, Sampling bias

  17. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-08-01

    Care to Share? An Informal Syllabus Exchange A recent email message from Thomas Shiland, who teaches at Saratoga Springs Senior High School, noted that the process of revising the high school chemistry syllabus is underway in New York State. He expressed a strong interest in helping construct a chemistry syllabus that represents the best thinking about appropriate content. He wondered if it would be possible to develop a way in which different secondary chemistry syllabi could easily be exchanged. It is likely that readers from other states and countries are involved in a similar process and might also be interested in exchanging syllabi. Many states do not use the term syllabus to describe their guiding curricular document for chemistry but rather refer to it as a framework or as guidelines. In most cases, the document includes a list of key ideas or topics, performance indicators, and the major understandings associated with each key idea. Such documents would be appropriate for exchange among those of you involved in the revision process. If you are interested in arranging an exchange please contact me by email at j.e.howell@usm.edu or by mail at J. E. Howell, Box 5043, USM, Hattiesburg, MS39406-5043, USA. High School Day Information The High School Chemistry Program at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana will be held Sunday, August 22, 1999, at the Doubletree Hotel, 300 Canal Street. If you wish to register only for the High School Day activities, which includes a pass to the ACS Exposition, a special registration form is available from Lillie Tucker-Akin, 2800 Reynard Dr., Tupelo, MS38801; sci4me@aol.com; fax: 662/566-7906. Advance registration is 25 and the cost of the High School Luncheon is 12. Register in advance by August 1, 1999, or from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. at the High School Day table in the conference room area of the Doubletree. The workshop schedule is shown below. Secondary School Feature Articles * Exploring the

  18. Improving medication adherence among community-dwelling seniors with cognitive impairment: a systematic review of interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kröger, Edeltraut; Tatar, Ovidiu; Vedel, Isabelle; Giguère, Anik M C; Voyer, Philippe; Guillaumie, Laurence; Grégoire, Jean-Pierre; Guénette, Line

    2017-08-01

    Background Medication non-adherence may lead to poor therapeutic outcomes. Cognitive functions deteriorate with age, contributing to decreased adherence. Interventions have been tested to improve adherence in seniors with cognitive impairment or Alzheimer disease (AD), but high-quality systematic reviews are lacking. It remains unclear which interventions are promising. Objectives We conducted a systematic review to identify, describe, and evaluate interventions aimed at improving medication adherence among seniors with any type of cognitive impairment. Methods Following NICE guidance, databases and websites were searched using combinations of controlled and free vocabulary. All adherence-enhancing interventions and study designs were considered. Studies had to include community dwelling seniors, aged 65 years or older, with cognitive impairment, receiving at least one medication for a chronic condition, and an adherence measure. Study characteristics and methodological quality were assessed. Results We identified 13 interventions, including six RCTs. Two studies were of poor, nine of low/medium and two of high quality. Seven studies had sample sizes below 50 and six interventions focused on adherence to AD medication. Six interventions tested a behavioral, four a medication oriented, two an educational and one a multi-faceted approach. Studies rarely assessed therapeutic outcomes. All but one intervention showed improved adherence. Conclusion Three medium quality studies showed better adherence with patches than with pills for AD treatment. Promising interventions used educational or reminding strategies, including one high quality RCT. Nine studies were of low/moderate quality. High quality RCTs using a theoretical framework for intervention selection are needed to identify strategies for improved adherence in these seniors.

  19. Transitions from high school to college.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venezia, Andrea; Jaeger, Laura

    2013-01-01

    The vast majority of high school students aspire to some kind of postsecondary education, yet far too many of them enter college without the basic content knowledge, skills, or habits of mind they need to succeed. Andrea Venezia and Laura Jaeger look at the state of college readiness among high school students, the effectiveness of programs in place to help them transition to college, and efforts to improve those transitions. Students are unprepared for postsecondary coursework for many reasons, the authors write, including differences between what high schools teach and what colleges expect, as well as large disparities between the instruction offered by high schools with high concentrations of students in poverty and that offered by high schools with more advantaged students. The authors also note the importance of noncurricular variables, such as peer influences, parental expectations, and conditions that encourage academic study. Interventions to improve college readiness offer a variety of services, from academic preparation and information about college and financial aid, to psychosocial and behavioral supports, to the development of habits of mind including organizational skills, anticipation, persistence, and resiliency. The authors also discuss more systemic programs, such as Middle College High Schools, and review efforts to allow high school students to take college classes (known as dual enrollment). Evaluations of the effectiveness of these efforts are limited, but the authors report that studies of precollege support programs generally show small impacts, while the more systemic programs show mixed results. Dual-enrollment programs show promise, but the evaluation designs may overstate the results. The Common Core State Standards, a voluntary set of goals and expectations in English and math adopted by most states, offer the potential to improve college and career readiness, the authors write. But that potential will be realized, they add, only if the

  20. A longitudinal study of school belonging and academic motivation across high school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neel, Cari Gillen-O'; Fuligni, Andrew

    2013-01-01

    This longitudinal study examined how school belonging changes over the years of high school, and how it is associated with academic achievement and motivation. Students from Latin American, Asian, and European backgrounds participated (N = 572; age span = 13.94-19.15 years). In ninth grade, girls' school belonging was higher than boys'. Over the course of high school, however, girls' school belonging declined, whereas boys' remained stable. Within-person longitudinal analyses indicated that years in which students had higher school belonging were also years in which they felt that school was more enjoyable and more useful, above and beyond their actual level of achievement. Results highlight the importance of belonging for maintaining students' academic engagement during the teenage years. © 2012 The Authors. Child Development © 2012 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

  1. Demographic Factors Affecting Internet Using Purposes of High School Students

    OpenAIRE

    Abdullah Faruk Kılıç; Cem Oktay Güzeller

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed at determining the impact of demographic factors on the Internet usage purposes of high school students. The population of the study consisted of students between 9th and 12th grades from the Anatolian high schools, science high schools, social sciences high schools, sports high schools and fine arts high schools in Turkey. The sample was chosen through the stratified and cluster sampling procedure. The students were chosen randomly depending on the regions of their school at...

  2. Psychosocial predictors of patient adherence to disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alosaimi FD

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Fahad D Alosaimi,1 Alaa AlMulhem,2 Hanan AlShalan,2 Mohammad Alqazlan,3 Abdulgader Aldaif,4 Matthew Kowgier,5 Janooshsheya Balasundaram,6 Sanjeev Sockalingam6,7 1Department of Psychiatry, 2College of Medicine, King Saud University, 3Department of Mental Health, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, 4Department of Neurology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 6Centre for Mental Health, University Health Network, 7Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada Objectives: Our aim was to identify the impact of psychosocial predictors, specifically relationship style, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, cognitive impairment, and culture-specific disease beliefs, on treatment adherence for multiple sclerosis (MS patients.Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, patients from two MS clinics in Saudi Arabia completed self-reported questionnaires focused on MS treatment adherence, physical symptom burden, relationship style, cultural beliefs, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and cognitive impairment.Results: A total of 163 MS patients participated, 81.6% of them were female, and the mean age of the patients was 31.6 years. Mean patient-reported adherence to their MS treatment regimen was 79.47%±25.26%. Multivariate linear regression analysis only identified patients’ belief that their MS was due to “supernatural” forces as being significantly negatively associated with MS medication adherence.Conclusion: This study demonstrates the importance of cultural interpretations to MS medication adherence in comparison to psychosocial factors. Education and family involvement in the treatment planning may address this issue and warrant further research. Keywords: multiple sclerosis, adherence, depression, attachment style, culture

  3. What Time is it? Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiruneh, Yordanos M; Wilson, Ira B

    2016-11-01

    This study assessed adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and explored the sociocultural context in which they relate to their regimen requirements. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 105 patients on ART and observations held at the study clinic. We analyzed data using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Our findings indicate that study participants are highly adherent to dose but less adherent to dose schedule. Strict dose time instructions were reported as stressful and unrealistic. The discrepancy between adherence to dose and dose schedule could be explained by time perception, difficulty with the strictness of medication regimens, or beliefs about dose timing adherence. Care providers should acknowledge the complexities of medication practices and engage in shared decision-making to incorporate patients' perspectives and identify effective interventions.

  4. The Impact of Health Care Appointment Non-Adherence on Graft Outcomes in Kidney Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taber, David J; Fleming, James N; Fominaya, Cory E; Gebregziabher, Mulugeta; Hunt, Kelly J; Srinivas, Titte R; Baliga, Prabhakar K; McGillicuddy, John W; Egede, Leonard E

    2017-01-01

    Non-adherence to medication is a well-studied and known cause of late allograft loss, but it is difficult to measure and prospectively monitor. The aim of this study was to assess if appointment non-adherence was correlated with medication non-adherence and a predictor of graft outcomes. This was a longitudinal cohort study that used the National United States Renal Data System and veterans affairs health records data with time-to-event analyses conducted to assess the impact on graft and patient survival. The number of transplants that were included in the analysis was 4,646 (3,656 with complete records); 14.6% of patients had an appointment no show rate of ≥12% (non-adherence). Appointment and medication non-adherence were highly correlated and both were significant independent predictors of outcomes. Those with appointment non-adherence had 1.5 times the risk of acute rejection (22.0 vs. 14.7%, p adherence; those with appointment and medication non-adherence were at very high risk of graft loss (aHR 4.18, 95% CI 3.39-5.15, p adherence (aHR 1.39, 95% CI 0.97-2.01, p = 0.0766) or only medication non-adherence (aHR 2.44, 95% CI 2.11-2.81, p adherence to health care appointments is a significant and independent risk factor for graft loss. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. An Approach to Energy Education for High School, Junior High School and Elementary School Students at Aichi Institute of Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yukita, Kazuto; Ichiyanagi, Katsuhiro; Mori, Tsuyoshi; Goto, Yasuyuki

    This paper discusses the methods of implementation and improvement adopted in the energy education program of “Marugoto Taiken World” (“Total Experience World”) at Aichi Institute of Technology. The program, which is aimed at high school, junior high school and elementary school students, has been carried on at Aichi Institute of Technology for a number of years now, and the authors have been involved in the energy education project for the past four years. During that time, the following four courses have been held : 1) Let's use wind power to generate electricity, 2) Let's use flowers to build a solar battery, 3) Let's use bottles to build a fuel cell battery, 4) Let's make all sorts of batteries.

  6. High School Graduation Rates:Alternative Methods and Implications

    OpenAIRE

    Jing Miao; Walt Haney

    2004-01-01

    The No Child Left Behind Act has brought great attention to the high school graduation rate as one of the mandatory accountability measures for public school systems. However, there is no consensus on how to calculate the high school graduation rate given the lack of longitudinal databases that track individual students. This study reviews literature on and practices in reporting high school graduation rates, compares graduation rate estimates yielded from alternative methods, and estimates d...

  7. Highlighting High Performance: Whitman Hanson Regional High School; Whitman, Massachusetts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2006-06-01

    This brochure describes the key high-performance building features of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School. The brochure was paid for by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as part of their Green Schools Initiative. High-performance features described are daylighting and energy-efficient lighting, indoor air quality, solar and wind energy, building envelope, heating and cooling systems, water conservation, and acoustics. Energy cost savings are also discussed.

  8. Trust, Behavior, and High School Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero, Lisa S.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on student trust and to examine the relationship between student trust, behavior, and academic outcomes in high school. It asks, first, does trust have a positive effect on high school outcomes? Second, does trust influence student behavior, exerting an indirect effect on…

  9. High School Redesign Gets Presidential Lift

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Caralee J.

    2013-01-01

    President Barack Obama applauded high school redesign efforts in his State of the Union address and encouraged districts to look to successful models for inspiration. Last week, he followed up with a request in his fiscal 2014 budget proposal for a new, $300 million competitive-grant program. Recognition is widespread that high schools need to…

  10. The Classification of Romanian High-Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivan, Ion; Milodin, Daniel; Naie, Lucian

    2006-01-01

    The article tries to tackle the issue of high-schools classification from one city, district or from Romania. The classification criteria are presented. The National Database of Education is also presented and the application of criteria is illustrated. An algorithm for high-school multi-rang classification is proposed in order to build classes of…

  11. Direct Self-Injurious Behavior (D-SIB and Life Events among Vocational School and High School Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lili O. Horváth

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Although several studies have recently assessed direct self-injurious behavior (D-SIB among adolescents, it is still understudied in adolescents attending vocational schools: an educational setting generally associated with lower socioeconomic status. After extending the “Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe” (SEYLE project to a vocational school population, we examined their D-SIB and life event characteristics compared to the high school population. SEYLE’s Hungarian randomly selected high school sample (N = 995 was completed with a randomly selected vocational school sample (N = 140 in Budapest, Hungary. Participants aged 14–17 years completed the SEYLE project’s self-administered questionnaires. D-SIB lifetime prevalence was significantly higher (29.4% in the vocational school group compared to the high school group (17.2% (Χ2(1 = 12.231, p< 0.001. D-SIB was associated with suicidal ideation in the vocational school group. Different life events were more frequent in the high school than in the vocational school group, and associations between D-SIB and life events differed in the vocational school group compared to the high school group. In conclusion, vocational school students are a vulnerable population with a higher prevalence of D-SIB compared to high school students. Life events and their association with D-SIB also differ in vocational school students compared to high school students. Taking all these into account might contribute to prevention/intervention designed for this population.

  12. Predicting Parental Home and School Involvement in High School African American Adolescents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes, DeMarquis

    2011-01-01

    Predictors of parental home and school involvement for high school adolescents were examined within two groups of urban African American parents from various socioeconomic levels. Home involvement was defined as parent-adolescent communication about school and learning, while school involvement was defined in terms of parent attendance and…

  13. Transient improvement of urticaria induces poor adherence as assessed by Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaneko, Sakae; Masuda, Koji; Hiragun, Takaaki; Inomata, Naoko; Furue, Masutaka; Onozuka, Daisuke; Takeuchi, Satoshi; Murota, Hiroyuki; Sugaya, Makoto; Saeki, Hidehisa; Shintani, Yoichi; Tsunemi, Yuichiro; Abe, Shinya; Kobayashi, Miwa; Kitami, Yuki; Tanioka, Miki; Imafuku, Shinichi; Abe, Masatoshi; Hagihara, Akihito; Morisky, Donald E; Katoh, Norito

    2015-11-01

    Poor adherence to medication is a major public health challenge. Here, we aimed to determine the adherence to oral and topical medications and to analyze underlying associated factors using the translated Japanese version of Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 regarding urticaria treatment. Web-based questionnaires were performed for 3096 registered dermatological patients, along with a subanalysis of 751 registered urticaria patients in this study. The adherence to oral medication was significantly associated with the frequency of hospital visits. Variables that affected the adherence to topical medication included age and experience of drug effectiveness. The rate of responses that "It felt like the symptoms had improved" varied significantly among the dermatological diseases treated with oral medications. Dermatologists should be aware that adherence to the treatment of urticaria is quite low. Regular visits and active education for patients with urticaria are mandatory in order to achieve a good therapeutic outcome by increasing the adherence. © 2015 The Authors. The Journal of Dermatology published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Japanese Dermatological Association.

  14. The Effects of School Turnaround in Tennessee's Achievement School District and Innovation Zones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmer, Ron; Henry, Gary T.; Kho, Adam

    2017-01-01

    In recent years, the federal government has invested billions of dollars to reform chronically low-performing schools. To fulfill their federal Race to the Top grant agreement, Tennessee implemented three turnaround strategies that adhered to the federal restart and transformation models: (a) placed schools under the auspices of the Achievement…

  15. Medication Adherence Apps: Review and Content Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Imran; Ahmad, Niall Safir; Ali, Shahnaz; Ali, Shair; George, Anju; Saleem Danish, Hiba; Uppal, Encarl; Soo, James; Mobasheri, Mohammad H; King, Dominic; Cox, Benita; Darzi, Ara

    2018-03-16

    further analyzed to identify strategies used to improve medication adherence. This identified three broad categories of adherence strategies, reminder, behavioral, and educational. A total of 250 apps utilized a single method, 149 apps used two methods, and only 22 apps utilized all three methods. To our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically review all available medication adherence apps on the two largest app repositories. The results demonstrate a concerning lack of HCP involvement in app development and evidence base of effectiveness. More collaboration is required between relevant stakeholders to ensure development of high quality and relevant adherence apps with well-powered and robust clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of these interventions. A sound evidence base will encourage the adoption of effective adherence apps, and thus improve patient welfare in the process. ©Imran Ahmed, Niall Safir Ahmad, Shahnaz Ali, Shair Ali, Anju George, Hiba Saleem Danish, Encarl Uppal, James Soo, Mohammad H Mobasheri, Dominic King, Benita Cox, Ara Darzi. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 16.03.2018.

  16. Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Celiac Dietary Adherence Test: a simple questionnaire to measure adherence to a gluten-free diet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Fueyo-Díaz

    Full Text Available Background and aims: A gluten-free diet is to date the only treatment available to celiac disease sufferers. However, systematic reviews indicate that, depending on the method of evaluation used, only 42% to 91% of patients adhere to the diet strictly. Transculturally adapted tools that evaluate adherence beyond simple self-informed questions or invasive analyses are, therefore, of importance. The aim is to obtain a Spanish transcultural adaption and validation of Leffler's Celiac Dietary Adherence Test. Methods: A two-stage observational transversal study: translation and back translation by four qualified translators followed by a validation stage in which the questionnaire was administered to 306 celiac disease patients aged between 12 and 72 years and resident in Aragon. Factorial structure, criteria validity and internal consistency were evaluated. Results: The Spanish version maintained the 7 items in a 3-factor structure. Feasibility was very high in all the questions answered and the floor and ceiling effects were very low (4.3% and 1%, respectively. The Spearman correlation with the self-efficacy and life quality scales and the self-informed question were statistically significant (p < 0.01. According to the questionnaire criteria, adherence was 72.3%. Conclusion: The Spanish version of the Celiac Dietary Adherence Test shows appropriate psychometric properties and is, therefore, suitable for studying adherence to a gluten-free diet in clinical and research environments.

  17. James Madison High: A School at the Crossroads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stroup, John T.; Salmonowicz, Michael J.; Broom, Christopher C.

    2007-01-01

    This case tells the story of James Madison High School, which became the epicenter of a debate over the future reorganization and control of large secondary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The LAUSD, recently taken over by the newly elected mayor, was fighting for control of this 3,000-student high school with a charter…

  18. Indoor Air Quality in High Performance Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    High performance schools are facilities that improve the learning environment while saving energy, resources, and money. The key is understanding the lifetime value of high performance schools and effectively managing priorities, time, and budget.

  19. Treatment acceptance and adherence in HIV disease: patient identity and the perceived impact of physician–patient communication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laws MB

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available M Barton Laws,1 Gary S Rose,2 Tanya Bezreh,1 Mary Catherine Beach,3 Tatiana Taubin,1 Laura Kogelman,4 Marcia Gethers,3 Ira B Wilson11Department of Health Services Policy and Practice, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; 2Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, Boston, MA, USA; 3Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; 4Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USAAbstract: Studies have found that physician–patient relationships and communication quality are related to medication adherence and outcomes in HIV care. Few qualitative studies exist of how people living with HIV experience clinical communication about their self-care behavior. Eight focus groups with people living with HIV in two US cities were conducted. Participants responded to a detailed discussion guide and to reenactments of actual physician–patient dialogue about antiretroviral adherence. The 82 participants were diverse in age, sex, and ethnicity. Most had been living with HIV for many years and had stable relationships with providers. They appreciated providers who knew and cared about their personal lives, who were clear and direct about instructions, and who were accessible. Most had struggled to overcome addiction, emotional turmoil, and/or denial before gaining control over their lives and becoming adherent to medications. They made little or no causal attribution for their transformation to any outside agency, including their providers. They generally saw medication adherence as a function of autonomous motivation. Successful coping with HIV with its prevalent behavioral comorbidities, stigma, and other challenges requires a transformation of identity and internalization of motivation to maintain health. Effective methods for clinicians to support such development are needed.Keywords: HIV, physician–patient communication, treatment adherence

  20. Patient adherence with COPD therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. S. Rand

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Although there are very few published studies on adherence to treatment regimens in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, the evidence that exists suggests that, as with asthma therapy, adherence is poor. Patient beliefs about COPD, as well as their motivation and expectations about the likelihood of success of medical interventions, can influence adherence rates. Other critical factors include the patient's understanding of their illness and therapy, and the complexity of the prescribed treatment regimen. Incorrect inhaler technique is also a common failing. When prescribing in primary or specialist care, healthcare professionals should address adherence as a vital part of the patient consultation. Improved patient education may also increase adherence rates.

  1. [Adherence of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus to drug treatment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boas, Lilian Cristiane Gomes-Villas; Foss-Freitas, Maria Cristina; Pace, Ana Emilia

    2014-01-01

    This cross-sectional and quantitative study aimed to evaluate the adherence to drug treatment of the people with diabetes mellitus and its relation to clinical, treatment and metabolic control variables. Sample consisted of 162 people with type 2 diabetes mellitus on follow-up outpatient care. The Measure of Treatment Adherence and consultation to the participants' medical records were used for data collection. A high adherence to drug treatment was obtained. For a p<0.05, it was obtained an inverse correlation with diastolic blood pressure and a direct correlation with the frequency of daily administration of insulin and oral antidiabetic agents. There were no statistically significant correlations between adherence and metabolic control variables. Results diverge from the literature regarding the adherence to drug treatment in chronic diseases, as well as in the correlation between adherence and complexity of drug regimen, which points to the need for more studies on this theme.

  2. Medication adherence in inflammatory bowel disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Webber Chan

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory condition with intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations. Medications are the cornerstone of treatment of IBD. However, patients often adhere to medication poorly. Adherence to medications is defined as the process by which patients take their medications as prescribed. Treatment non-adherence is a common problem among chronic diseases, averaging 50% in developed countries and is even poorer in developing countries. In this review, we will examine the adherence data in IBD which vary greatly depending on the study population, route of administration, and methods of adherence measurement used. We will also discuss the adverse clinical outcomes related to non-adherence to medical treatment including increased disease activity, flares, loss of response to anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy, and so forth. There are many methods to measure medication adherence namely direct and indirect methods, each with their advantages and drawbacks. Finally, we will explore different intervention strategies to improve adherence to medications.

  3. Freedom of Expression for High School Journalists: A Case Study of Selected North Carolina Public Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Kay D.

    A study examined the freedom of the high school press in North Carolina to determine whether publication guidelines should be in place, and if so, what those guidelines should contain. High school newspaper advisors, high school principals, and high school newspaper editors from large and small, urban and rural, eastern and western high schools…

  4. Identification of validated questionnaires to measure adherence to pharmacological antihypertensive treatments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pérez-Escamilla B

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Beatriz Pérez-Escamilla,1 Lucía Franco-Trigo,1 Joanna C Moullin,2 Fernando Martínez-Martínez,1 José P García-Corpas1 1Academic Centre in Pharmaceutical Care, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; 2Graduate School of Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia Background: Low adherence to pharmacological treatments is one of the factors associated with poor blood pressure control. Questionnaires are an indirect measurement method that is both economic and easy to use. However, questionnaires should meet specific criteria, to minimize error and ensure reproducibility of results. Numerous studies have been conducted to design questionnaires that quantify adherence to pharmacological antihypertensive treatments. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether questionnaires fulfil the minimum requirements of validity and reliability. The aim of this study was to compile validated questionnaires measuring adherence to pharmacological antihypertensive treatments that had at least one measure of validity and one measure of reliability. Methods: A literature search was undertaken in PubMed, the Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE, and the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database (Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde [LILACS]. References from included articles were hand-searched. The included papers were all that were published in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish from the beginning of the database’s indexing until July 8, 2013, where a validation of a questionnaire (at least one demonstration of the validity and at least one of reliability was performed to measure adherence to antihypertensive pharmacological treatments. Results: A total of 234 potential papers were identified in the electronic database search; of these, 12 met the eligibility criteria. Within these 12 papers, six questionnaires were validated: the Morisky

  5. Relations between Popularity and Prosocial Behavior in Middle School and High School Chinese Adolescents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Ting; Li, Ling; Niu, Li; Jin, Shenghua; French, Doran C.

    2018-01-01

    The concurrent and longitudinal associations between popularity, likeability, and prosocial behavior were evaluated in this three-year study of middle school and high school Chinese adolescents. The initial sample included 766 middle school (mean age = 13.3 years) and 668 high school participants (mean age = 16.6 years); there were 880 (399 girls)…

  6. Principals' Perceptions of Professional Development in High- and Low-Performing High-Poverty Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Sheila; Kochan, Frances

    2013-01-01

    This is the second part of a two-part study examining issues related to professional development in high-poverty schools. The findings from the initial study indicated that principals in high-poverty, high-performing schools perceived higher levels of implementation of quality professional development standards in their schools than did principals…

  7. System for integrated adherence monitoring: real-time non-adherence risk assessment in pediatric kidney transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pai, Ahna L H; Rausch, Joseph; Tackett, Alayna; Marsolo, Keith; Drotar, Dennis; Goebel, Jens

    2012-06-01

    This study reports initial results of the development of the SIAM, a non-adherence risk assessment system for tacrolimus and sirolimus for the pediatric kidney transplant population. Forty-eight youths between 10 and 25 yr of age diagnosed with chronic kidney disease or a kidney transplant used an electronic pill bottle (EM; time stamps each bottle opening) to dispense their medication for at least 30 days or until their next clinic appointment. Youth also completed a self-report adherence measure, and standard deviations were calculated for the last four medication serum trough levels obtained for each patient. Estimation models were developed for each medication (i.e., SIAM(TACRO) and SIAM(SIRO) ) to assign weights to these clinically available adherence measures (self-report and trough levels) for the calculation of a non-adherence risk composite score. SIAM(TACRO) models included both self-report and tacrolimus trough levels and significantly predicted EM. For sirolimus, the model predictive of adherence as measured by EM consisted of the standard deviation of sirolimus trough levels only (SIAM(SIRO) ). Non-adherence risk can be effectively assessed using clinically available assessment tools. However, the best methods for using self-report and trough levels to predict non-adherence likely differ based on the medication for which adherence is being assessed. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  8. The association between adherence to the New Nordic Diet and diet quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helga Birgit Bjørnarå

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Previous studies have reported a positive association between scoring on healthy Nordic diet scales and the intake of healthy foods and nutrients, and also with higher intake of meat, sweets, cakes, and energy in general. These studies have used the same food frequency questionnaire (FFQ responses for constructing the diet score as for calculating intakes of foods and nutrients. Thus, it is not clear whether the coexistence of healthy and less healthy dietary aspects among adherers to Nordic diets would occur even though separate methods were applied for exploring these relations. Objective: To assess the association between adherence to the New Nordic Diet (NND, derived from an FFQ, and diet quality, determined from two 24-h dietary recall interviews. Design: In total, 65 parents of toddlers in Southern Norway answered the NND FFQ and two 24-h dietary recall interviews. NND adherence was determined from the FFQ and categorized into low, medium, and high adherence. The two 24-h recalls provided data for the intake of specific foods and nutrients, selected on the basis of the Norwegian food-based guidelines as an indicator of a healthy diet. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used for assessing differences in food and nutrient intake across NND groups. Results: High NND adherence derived from FFQ was associated with a high intake of fruits (p=0.004 and fiber (p=0.02, and a low intake of meat (p=0.004 and margarines (p=0.05, derived from recalls. A larger proportion of high NND adherers (68% complied with the national dietary recommendation targeting meat intake compared with low NND adherers (29% (p=0.04. Conclusion: The present study showed that higher NND adherence measured with FFQ was associated with a higher intake of selected healthy foods and nutrients, measured with recalls. However, a higher intake of meat, sweets, and energy, as earlier reported, was not observed.

  9. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    2001-05-01

    Literature Cited National Science Education Standards; National Academy Press: Washington, DC, 1996; http://www. nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/. Principles and Standards for School Mathematics; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Washington, DC, 2000; http://standards.nctm.org/. Visit CLIC, an Online Resource for High School Teachers at http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/HS/

  10. Medication adherence assessment: high accuracy of the new Ingestible Sensor System in kidney transplants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisenberger, Ute; Wüthrich, Rudolf P; Bock, Andreas; Ambühl, Patrice; Steiger, Jürg; Intondi, Allison; Kuranoff, Susan; Maier, Thomas; Green, Damian; DiCarlo, Lorenzo; Feutren, Gilles; De Geest, Sabina

    2013-08-15

    This open-label single-arm exploratory study evaluated the accuracy of the Ingestible Sensor System (ISS), a novel technology for directly assessing the ingestion of oral medications and treatment adherence. ISS consists of an ingestible event marker (IEM), a microsensor that becomes activated in gastric fluid, and an adhesive personal monitor (APM) that detects IEM activation. In this study, the IEM was combined to enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (ECMPS). Twenty stable adult kidney transplants received IEM-ECMPS for a mean of 9.2 weeks totaling 1227 cumulative days. Eight patients prematurely discontinued treatment due to ECMPS gastrointestinal symptoms (n=2), skin intolerance to APM (n=2), and insufficient system usability (n=4). Rash or erythema due to APM was reported in 7 (37%) patients, all during the first month of use. No serious or severe adverse events and no rejection episode were reported. IEM detection accuracy was 100% over 34 directly observed ingestions; Taking Adherence was 99.4% over a total of 2824 prescribed IEM-ECMPS ingestions. ISS could detect accurately the ingestion of two IEM-ECMPS capsules taken at the same time (detection rate of 99.3%, n=2376). ISS is a promising new technology that provides highly reliable measurements of intake and timing of intake of drugs that are combined with the IEM.

  11. Predicting Malawian Women's Intention to Adhere to Antiretroviral Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinney, Ogbochi; Modeste, Naomi N; Lee, Jerry W; Gleason, Peter C

    2015-07-16

    With the increase in scaling up of antiretroviral therapy (ART), knowledge of the need for adherence to ART is pivotal for successful treatment outcomes. A cross-sectional study was carried out between October and December 2013. We administered theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and adherence questionnaires to 358 women aged 18-49 years, from a rural and urban ART-clinics in southern Malawi. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to predict intentions to adhere to ART. Regression models show that attitude (β=0.47), subjective norm (β=0.31) and perceived behavioural control (β=0.12) explain 55% of the variance in intentions to adhere to ART. The relationship between both food insecurity and perceived side effects with intentions to adhere to ART is mediated by attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. Household (r=0.20) and individual (r=0.21) food insecurity were positively and significantly correlated with perceived behavioural control. Household food insecurity had a negative correlation with perceived side effects (r=-0.11). Perceived side effects were positively correlated with attitude (r=0.25). There was no statistically significant relationship between intentions to adhere to ART in the future and one month self-report of past month adherence. These interactions suggest that attitude predicted adherence only when food insecurity is high or perception of side effects is strong. This study shows that modification might be needed when using TPB constructs in resource constraint environments. Significance for public healthThe knowledge of the rates of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) could be used to evaluate planning and project, which could lead to better outcomes predicted by treatment efficacy data. In addition, knowledge of adherence behaviour could help the development of interventions focusing on collaboration between healthcare providers and Malawian government to provide food support for patients on ART. The

  12. A Positive Model for Reducing and Preventing School Burnout in High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aypay, Ayse

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to develop and test the validity of a model limited to attitude towards the future and subjective well-being for reducing and preventing the school burnout that high school students can experience. The study is designed as a relational screening model conducted over 389 high school students. The data in this study are analyzed…

  13. Adherence with Preventive Medication in Childhood Asthma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott Burgess

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Suboptimal adherence with preventive medication is common and often unrecognised as a cause of poor asthma control. A number of risk factors for nonadherence have emerged from well-conducted studies. Unfortunately, patient report a physician's estimation of adherence and knowledge of these risk factors may not assist in determining whether non-adherence is a significant factor. Electronic monitoring devices are likely to be more frequently used to remind patients to take medication, as a strategy to motivate patients to maintain adherence, and a tool to evaluate adherence in subjects with poor disease control. The aim of this paper is to review non-adherence with preventive medication in childhood asthma, its impact on asthma control, methods of evaluating non-adherence, risk factors for suboptimal adherence, and strategies to enhance adherence.

  14. Quality of life and treatment adherence in Parkinson’s disease patients

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    Sara Mínguez-Mínguez

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Quality of life and adherence to treatment are parameters of high relevance in those patients with chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to ascertain the quality of life and adherence to treatment of Parkinson’s disease patients. To this end, we performed a cross sectional study in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease who belong to one of Albacete’s associations of patients and their families. The PDQ-39 and Morisky-Green questioners were used to determine the quality of life and adherence to treatment for a sample of 95 patients. Our data showed an average score of 33.47% in the PDQ-39, being the worst score domains mobility and bodily discomfort. On the other hand, a 31.6% of the patients were classified as adherent to treatment. The main factor associated with adequate adherence is the importance given to the medication by the patient. We found no association between adherence and quality of life.

  15. Clarifying the Concept of Adherence to eHealth Technology: Systematic Review on When Usage Becomes Adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sieverink, Floor; Kelders, Saskia M; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia Ewc

    2017-12-06

    In electronic health (eHealth) evaluations, there is increasing attention for studying the actual usage of a technology in relation to the outcomes found, often by studying the adherence to the technology. On the basis of the definition of adherence, we suggest that the following three elements are necessary to determine adherence to eHealth technology: (1) the ability to measure the usage behavior of individuals; (2) an operationalization of intended use; and (3) an empirical, theoretical, or rational justification of the intended use. However, to date, little is known on how to operationalize the intended usage of and the adherence to different types of eHealth technology. The study aimed to improve eHealth evaluations by gaining insight into when, how, and by whom the concept of adherence has been used in previous eHealth evaluations and finding a concise way to operationalize adherence to and intended use of different eHealth technologies. A systematic review of eHealth evaluations was conducted to gain insight into how the use of the technology was measured, how adherence to different types of technologies was operationalized, and if and how the intended use of the technology was justified. Differences in variables between the use of the technology and the operationalization of adherence were calculated using a chi-square test of independence. In total, 62 studies were included in this review. In 34 studies, adherence was operationalized as "the more use, the better," whereas 28 studies described a threshold for intended use of the technology as well. Out of these 28, only 6 reported a justification for the intended use. The proportion of evaluations of mental health technologies reporting a justified operationalization of intended use is lagging behind compared with evaluations of lifestyle and chronic care technologies. The results indicated that a justification of intended use does not require extra measurements to determine adherence to the technology. The

  16. Adherence of murine lymphocytes to high endothelial venules in vitro and its radiation effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lixin, Liu; Zijun, Mao; Zhiwei, Yin [Suzhou Medical Coll., JS (China). Dept. of Pathophysiology

    1991-02-01

    Using the assay of specific adhesion of lymphocytes to high endothelial venules (HEV) on cryostat sections of mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), the effects of different doses (0, 1, 2, 4, 8 Gy) of {sup 60}Co {gamma}-ray irradiation of murine MLN lymphocytes in vitro on adhesion to normal HEV was observed. The results showed that in the irradiated murine MLN lymphocytes the ability to adhere to HEV of normal MLN was reduced. Statistical significance was revealed at 2, 4, 8 Gy irradiations. This results suggests that irradiation can inhibit the specific recognition and adhesion of lymphocytes to HEV to a certain extent.

  17. UV tanning advertisements in national high school newspapers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lofgreen, Seth J; Domozych, Renee; Doctor, Monica; Reimer, Christine; Self, Alyssa; Dellavalle, Robert P

    2017-04-15

    Many young adults have utilized indoor ultraviolet(UV) tanning, putting them at higher risk for development of skin cancers. Prior to the increased regulations on indoor tanning for minors, indoor tanning businesses marketed to teens through modalities such as advertisements in high school newspapers. The purpose of this study was to quantify tanning advertisements in high school newspapers published across the United States between August 2014 and July 2015. Online versions of the newspaper issues were available on issuu.com. Tanning advertisements appeared in 3 of 23 high school newspapers with advertisements of any kind(13%). Among all newspapers with advertisements, 10% were indoor tanning advertisements. One newspaper in Colorado contained advertisements of any kind and had 0 tanning advertisements. A prior study of Colorado high schools showed 11 of 23 schools (48%) to contain tanning advertisements. This suggests that there may be a decrease in indoor UV tanning advertisements owing to increased tanning regulation by state legislatures, national attention to UV tanning, or a general decrease in high school tanning advertisements.

  18. An ontology for factors affecting tuberculosis treatment adherence behavior in sub-Saharan Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogundele OA

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Olukunle Ayodeji Ogundele,1 Deshendran Moodley,1 Anban W Pillay,1 Christopher J Seebregts1,2 1UKZN/CSIR Meraka Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Health Architecture Laboratory, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 2Jembi Health Systems NPC, Cape Town, South Africa Purpose: Adherence behavior is a complex phenomenon influenced by diverse personal, cultural, and socioeconomic factors that may vary between communities in different regions. Understanding the factors that influence adherence behavior is essential in predicting which individuals and communities are at risk of nonadherence. This is necessary for supporting resource allocation and intervention planning in disease control programs. Currently, there is no known concrete and unambiguous computational representation of factors that influence tuberculosis (TB treatment adherence behavior that is useful for prediction. This study developed a computer-based conceptual model for capturing and structuring knowledge about the factors that influence TB treatment adherence behavior in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA.Methods: An extensive review of existing categorization systems in the literature was used to develop a conceptual model that captured scientific knowledge about TB adherence behavior in SSA. The model was formalized as an ontology using the web ontology language. The ontology was then evaluated for its comprehensiveness and applicability in building predictive models. Conclusion: The outcome of the study is a novel ontology-based approach for curating and structuring scientific knowledge of adherence behavior in patients with TB in SSA. The ontology takes an evidence-based approach by explicitly linking factors to published clinical studies. Factors are structured around five dimensions: factor type, type of effect, regional variation, cross-dependencies between factors, and treatment phase. The ontology is

  19. Sleep disorders among high school students in New Zealand

    OpenAIRE

    Fernando AT; Samaranayake CB; Blank CJ; Roberts G; Arroll B

    2013-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Adolescents are known to have high risk factors for sleep disorders, yet the youth rates of sleep disturbances are unknown. AIM: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sleep disorders among New Zealand high school students. METHODS: The Auckland Sleep Questionnaire (ASQ) was administered to high school students at six schools in the North Island. Schools were chosen to reflect a range of ethnicities and school deciles, which identify the socioeconomic status of househol...

  20. Treatment simplification in HIV-infected adults as a strategy to prevent toxicity, improve adherence, quality of life and decrease healthcare costs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitória M

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Jean B Nachega1–3, Michael J Mugavero4, Michele Zeier2, Marco Vitória5, Joel E Gallant3,61Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; 2Department of Medicine and Centre for Infectious Diseases (CID, Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa; 3Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; 4Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; 5HIV Department, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; 6Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USAAbstract: Since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART, the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection has become more potent and better tolerated. While the current treatment regimens still have limitations, they are more effective, more convenient, and less toxic than regimens used in the early HAART era, and new agents, formulations and strategies continue to be developed. Simplification of therapy is an option for many patients currently being treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART. The main goals are to reduce pill burden, improve quality of life and enhance medication adherence, while minimizing short- and long-term toxicities, reducing the risk of virologic failure and maximizing cost-effectiveness. ART simplification strategies that are currently used or are under study include the use of once-daily regimens, less toxic drugs, fixed-dose coformulations and induction-maintenance approaches. Improved adherence and persistence have been observed with the adoption of some of these strategies. The role of regimen simplification has implications not only for individual patients, but also for health care policy. With increased interest in ART regimen simplification, it is critical to

  1. Effects of Perceived Discrimination on the School Satisfaction of Brazilian High School Graduates

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    Rubia R. Valente

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper analyzes the consequences of peer victimization for the satisfaction with schooling (“happiness” of college-bound high school graduates in Brazil.  Several types of victimization are explored including discrimination due to race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, and disability. We compare the satisfaction with their schooling of students planning to head to college straight from high school and older students applying for college later in life (“nontraditional students”. We conclude that students who perceived that they had been discriminated against were more dissatisfied with their school experience than those who did not, ceteris paribus, and we relate level of dissatisfaction to type of discrimination. The older student evidence reveals that this dissatisfaction wanes with time and age, however. Our conclusions are based upon ordered logistic analyses of data for 2.4 million current high school seniors and 78.7 thousand older students drawn from the Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio questionnaire (ENEM.

  2. Non-adherence in patients on peritoneal dialysis: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griva, Konstadina; Lai, Alden Yuanhong; Lim, Haikel Asyraf; Yu, Zhenli; Foo, Marjorie Wai Yin; Newman, Stanton P

    2014-01-01

    It has been increasingly recognized that non-adherence is an important factor that determines the outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. There is therefore a need to establish the levels of non-adherence to different aspects of the PD regimen (dialysis procedures, medications, and dietary/fluid restrictions). A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature was performed in PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases using PRISMA guidelines in May 2013. Publications on non-adherence in PD were selected by two reviewers independently according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant data on patient characteristics, measures, rates and factors associated with non-adherence were extracted. The quality of studies was also evaluated independently by two reviewers according to a revised version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project assessment tool. The search retrieved 204 studies, of which a total of 25 studies met inclusion criteria. Reported rates of non-adherence varied across studies: 2.6-53% for dialysis exchanges, 3.9-85% for medication, and 14.4-67% for diet/fluid restrictions. Methodological differences in measurement and definition of non-adherence underlie the observed variation. Factors associated with non-adherence that showed a degree of consistency were mostly socio-demographical, such as age, employment status, ethnicity, sex, and time period on PD treatment. Non-adherence to different dimensions of the dialysis regimen appears to be prevalent in PD patients. There is a need for further, high-quality research to explore these factors in more detail, with the aim of informing intervention designs to facilitate adherence in this patient population.

  3. Brief report: Adherence to fluid recommendations in children receiving treatment for retentive encopresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhl, Elizabeth S; Felt, Barbara T; Patton, Susana R

    2009-01-01

    Limited data are available regarding whether children being treated for retentive encopresis are adherent to recommendations to increase their daily fluid intake. The purpose of this study was to examine fluid adherence in children who received treatment for retentive encopresis. A retrospective chart review was performed using diet diary data for 26 children (ages 3-12) who completed a group behavioral intervention for retentive encopresis. Mean daily intake of clear fluid increased significantly during treatment and children relied primarily on water and juice to make this dietary change. However, adherence rates to clear fluid goals were <50%. Children's increased clear fluid intake did not equate to high fluid adherence. Children's high juice consumption is concerning as it could place them at risk for other negative health consequences. Future research should examine whether enhanced fluid education and use of behavior change strategies yield higher fluid adherence.

  4. Impact of combination antiretroviral therapy initiation on adherence to antituberculosis treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marlene Knight

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Healthcare workers are often reluctant to start combination antiretroviral therapy (ART in patients receiving tuberculosis (TB treatment because of the fear of high pill burden, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, and side-effects. Object: To quantify changes in adherence to tuberculosis treatment following ART initiation. Design: A prospective observational cohort study of ART-naïve individuals with baseline CD4 count between 50 cells/mm3 and 350 cells/mm3 at start of TB treatment at a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. Adherence to TB treatment was measured by pill count,self-report, and electronic Medication Event Monitoring System (eMEMS before and after initiation of ART. Results: ART tended to negatively affect adherence to TB treatment, with an 8% – 10% decrease in the proportion of patients adherent according to pill count and an 18% – 22% decrease in the proportion of patients adherent according to eMEMS in the first month following ART initiation, independent of the cut-off used to define adherence (90%, 95% or 100%. Reasons for non-adherence were multi factorial, and employment was the only predictor for optimal adherence (adjusted odds ratio 4.11, 95% confidence interval 1.06–16.0. Conclusion: Adherence support in the period immediately following ART initiation could optimise treatment outcomes for people living with TB and HIV.

  5. Adherence ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis on prosthetic biomaterials: an in vitro study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shida T

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Takayuki Shida,1 Hironobu Koseki,1 Itaru Yoda,1 Hidehiko Horiuchi,1 Hideyuki Sakoda,2 Makoto Osaki11Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; 2Division of Medical Devices, National Institute of Health Sciences, Tokyo, JapanAbstract: Bacterial adhesion to the surface of biomaterials is an essential step in the pathogenesis of implant-related infections. In this in vitro research, we evaluated the ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis to adhere to the surface of solid biomaterials, including oxidized zirconium-niobium alloy (Oxinium, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy, titanium alloy, commercially pure titanium, and stainless steel, and performed a biomaterial-to-biomaterial comparison. The test specimens were physically analyzed to quantitatively determine the viable adherent density of the S. epidermidis strain RP62A (American Type Culture Collection [ATCC] 35984. Field emission scanning electron microscope and laser microscope examination revealed a featureless, smooth surface in all specimens (average roughness <10 nm. The amounts of S. epidermidis that adhered to the biomaterial were significantly lower for Oxinium and the cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy than for commercially pure titanium. These results suggest that Oxinium and cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy are less susceptible to bacterial adherence and are less inclined to infection than other materials of a similar degree of smoothness.Keyword: bacterial adhesion, implant, infection, surface character

  6. Adolescent Views of Time Management: Rethinking the School Day in Junior High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strom, Paris S.; Strom, Robert D.; Sindel-Arrington, Tricia

    2016-01-01

    Junior high school presents a significant increase in time demands both for study and for social relationships. The students (N = 240) in grades 7 and 8 at a junior high school anonymously completed online the Time Management Poll concerning their own use of time and the way their school managed time. The 20 items in the poll allowed them to…

  7. Determinants of adherence to methylphenidate and the impact of poor adherence on maternal and family measures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gau, Susan S F; Shen, Hsin-Yi; Chou, Miao-Churn; Tang, Ching-Shu; Chiu, Yen-Nan; Gau, Churn-Shiouh

    2006-06-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the association between adherence to immediate-release methylphenidate (IR MPH) and maternal psychological distress, parenting style, parent- child relationship, and perceived family support. The sample consisted of 307 children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (271 boys and 36 girls), 6-17 years of age, who had been treated with IR MPH for the past 6 months. The measures included the Chinese Health Questionnaire, Parental Bonding Instrument, Family APGAR, and Home Behaviors of the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents. Reasons for poor adherence (n = 79; 25.7%) included forgetting medication (72.7%), the medication having no effect (20.0%), and refusing medication (12.7%). Increased age and three-times-daily administration were the major predictors for poor adherence to IR MPH. Poor adherence was associated with increased degree of maternal psychological distress, indifferent parenting, maternal overprotection/control, poor family support, decreased interaction with parents, and increased problems at home. Findings indicate that multiple daily dosing of MPH increases the likelihood of poor adherence, particularly in adolescents, and that poor adherence is associated with impaired maternal/family process. Once-daily administration of MPH is necessary to improve adherence and to decrease the possible exacerbation of tense parent-child relationships caused by poor drug adherence.

  8. Might ART Adherence Estimates Be Improved by Combining Biomarker and Self-Report Data?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhead, Rebecca; Masimirembwa, Collen; Cooke, Graham; Takaruza, Albert; Nyamukapa, Constance; Mutsimhi, Cosmas; Gregson, Simon

    2016-01-01

    As we endeavour to examine rates of viral suppression in PLHIV, reliable data on ART adherence are needed to distinguish between the respective contributions of poor adherence and treatment failure on high viral load. Self-reported data are susceptible to response bias and although biomarker data on drug presence and concentration can provide a superior, alternative method of measurement, complications due to drug-drug interactions and genetic variations can cause some inaccuracies. We investigate the feasibility of combining both biomarker and self-report data to produce a potentially more accurate measure of ART adherence. Data were taken from a large general-population survey in the Manicaland province, Zimbabwe, conducted in 2009-2011. HIV-infected adults who had initiated ART (N = 560) provided self-report data on adherence and dried blood spot samples that were analysed for traces of ART medication. A new three-category measure of ART adherence was constructed, based on biomarker data but using self-report data to adjust for cases with abnormally low and high drug concentrations due to possible drug-drug interactions and genetic factors, and was assessed for plausibility using survey data on socio-demographic correlates. 94.3% (528/560) and 92.7% (519/560) of the sample reported faithful adherence to their medication and had traces of ART medication, respectively. The combined measure estimated good evidence of ART adherence at 69% and excellent evidence of adherence at 53%. The regression analysis results showed plausible patterns of ART adherence by socio-demographic status with men and younger participants being more likely to adhere poorly to medication, and higher socio-economic status individuals and those living in more urban locations being more likely to adhere well. Biomarker and self-reported measures of adherence can be combined in a meaningful way to produce a potentially more accurate measure of ART adherence. Results indicate that ART adherence

  9. Might ART Adherence Estimates Be Improved by Combining Biomarker and Self-Report Data?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca Rhead

    Full Text Available As we endeavour to examine rates of viral suppression in PLHIV, reliable data on ART adherence are needed to distinguish between the respective contributions of poor adherence and treatment failure on high viral load. Self-reported data are susceptible to response bias and although biomarker data on drug presence and concentration can provide a superior, alternative method of measurement, complications due to drug-drug interactions and genetic variations can cause some inaccuracies. We investigate the feasibility of combining both biomarker and self-report data to produce a potentially more accurate measure of ART adherence.Data were taken from a large general-population survey in the Manicaland province, Zimbabwe, conducted in 2009-2011. HIV-infected adults who had initiated ART (N = 560 provided self-report data on adherence and dried blood spot samples that were analysed for traces of ART medication. A new three-category measure of ART adherence was constructed, based on biomarker data but using self-report data to adjust for cases with abnormally low and high drug concentrations due to possible drug-drug interactions and genetic factors, and was assessed for plausibility using survey data on socio-demographic correlates.94.3% (528/560 and 92.7% (519/560 of the sample reported faithful adherence to their medication and had traces of ART medication, respectively. The combined measure estimated good evidence of ART adherence at 69% and excellent evidence of adherence at 53%. The regression analysis results showed plausible patterns of ART adherence by socio-demographic status with men and younger participants being more likely to adhere poorly to medication, and higher socio-economic status individuals and those living in more urban locations being more likely to adhere well.Biomarker and self-reported measures of adherence can be combined in a meaningful way to produce a potentially more accurate measure of ART adherence. Results indicate that

  10. The association between higher body mass index and poor school performance in high school students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonetti, L; Fabbri, M; Filardi, M; Martoni, M; Natale, V

    2016-12-01

    This study aimed to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and school performance in high school students by controlling for relevant mediators such as sleep quality, sleep duration and socioeconomic status. Thirty-seven high school students (mean age: 18.16 ± 0.44 years) attending the same school type, i.e. 'liceo scientifico' (science-based high school), were enrolled. Students' self-reported weight and height were used to calculate BMI. Participants wore an actigraph to objectively assess the quality and duration of sleep. School performance was assessed through the actual grade obtained at the final school-leaving exam, in which higher grades indicate higher performance. BMI, get-up time, mean motor activity, wake after sleep onset and number of awakenings were negatively correlated with the grade, while sleep efficiency was positively correlated. When performing a multiple regression analysis, BMI proved the only significant (negative) predictor of grade. When controlling for sleep quality, sleep duration and socioeconomic status, a higher BMI is associated with a poorer school performance in high school students. © 2015 World Obesity Federation.

  11. Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities: Legal and Practice Considerations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Michelle E.; Katsiyannis, Antonis; Ryan, Joseph B.

    2018-01-01

    As of the 2013-2014 school year, about 2.5 million school-age students attended charter schools nationwide. Because charter schools are publicly funded entities, they are required to adhere to all federal nondiscriminatory laws as well as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. This legal brief provides an overview of charter schools,…

  12. Solutions for Failing High Schools: Converging Visions and Promising Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legters, Nettie; Balfanz, Robert; McPartland, James

    Promising solutions to the failings of traditional comprehensive high schools were reviewed to identify basic principles and strategies for improving high schools nationwide. Selected research studies, policy documents, and promising high school programs were reviewed. The review revealed the following principles for helping high schools better…

  13. Attitudes of Turkish High School Students toward Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yenilmez, Kursat

    2007-01-01

    This study examines high school students' attitudes toward mathematics and analyzes whether there were differences in attitude and its source that could be attributed to gender, class level, type of school, mathematics success, whether the students received preschool education, families' income level, and high school student's place of living.…

  14. Predicting Malawian women’s intention to adhere to antiretroviral therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogbochi McKinney

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Background. With the increase in scaling up of antiretroviral therapy (ART, knowledge of the need for adherence to ART is pivotal for successful treatment outcomes. Design and Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out between October and December 2013. We administered theory of planned behaviour (TPB and adherence questionnaires to 358 women aged 18-49 years, from a rural and urban ART-clinics in southern Malawi. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to predict intentions to adhere to ART. Results. Regression models showed that attitude (β=0.47, subjective norm (β=0.31, and perceived behavioral control (β=0.12 explain 55% of the variance in intentions to adhere to ART. The relationship between both food insecurity and perceived side effects with intentions to adhere to ART is mediated by attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. Household (r=0.20 and individual (r=0.21 food insecurity were positively and significantly correlated with perceived behavioural control. Household food insecurity had a negative correlation with perceived side effects (r=-0.11. Perceived side effects were positively correlated with attitude (r=0.25. There was no statistically significant relationship between intentions to adhere to ART in the future and one month self-report of past month adherence. These interactions suggest that attitude predicted adherence only when food insecurity is high or perception of side effects is strong.Conclusions. This study shows that modification might be needed when using TPB constructs in resource constraint environments

  15. Non-adherence to telemedicine interventions for drug users: systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taís de Campos Moreira

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE To estimate rates of non-adherence to telemedicine strategies aimed at treating drug addiction. METHODS A systematic review was conducted of randomized controlled trials investigating different telemedicine treatment methods for drug addiction. The following databases were consulted between May 18, 2012 and June 21, 2012: PubMed, PsycINFO, SciELO, Wiley (The Cochrane Library, Embase, Clinical trials and Google Scholar. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. The criteria evaluated were: appropriate sequence of data generation, allocation concealment, blinding, description of losses and exclusions and analysis by intention to treat. There were 274 studies selected, of which 20 were analyzed. RESULTS Non-adherence rates varied between 15.0% and 70.0%. The interventions evaluated were of at least three months duration and, although they all used telemedicine as support, treatment methods differed. Regarding the quality of the studies, the values also varied from very poor to high quality. High quality studies showed better adherence rates, as did those using more than one technique of intervention and a limited treatment time. Mono-user studies showed better adherence rates than poly-user studies. CONCLUSIONS Rates of non-adherence to treatment involving telemedicine on the part of users of psycho-active substances differed considerably, depending on the country, the intervention method, follow-up time and substances used. Using more than one technique of intervention, short duration of treatment and the type of substance used by patients appear to facilitate adherence.

  16. Adherence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to contact lenses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, M.J.

    1988-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to examined the interactions of P. aeruginosa with hydrogel contact lenses and other substrata, and characterize adherence to lenses under various physiological and physicochemical conditions. Isolates adhered to polystyrene, glass, and hydrogel lenses. With certain lens types, radiolabeled cells showed decreased adherence with increasing water content of the lenses, however, this correlation with not found for all lenses. Adherence to rigid gas permeable lenses was markedly greater than adherence to hydrogels. Best adherence occurred near pH 7 and at a sodium chloride concentration of 50 mM. Passive adhesion of heat-killed cells to hydrogels was lower than the adherence obtained of viable cells. Adherence to hydrogels was enhanced by mucin, lactoferrin, lysozyme, IgA, bovine serum albumin, and a mixture of these macromolecules. Adherence to coated and uncoated lenses was greater with a daily-wear hydrogel when compared with an extended-wear hydrogel of similar polymer composition. Greater adherence was attributed to a higher concentration of adsorbed macromolecules on the 45% water-content lens in comparison to the 55% water-content lens

  17. Understanding Specific Contexts of Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence in Rural South Africa: A Thematic Analysis of Digital Stories from a Community with High HIV Prevalence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Astrid Treffry-Goatley

    Full Text Available Near-perfect adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART is required to achieve the best possible prevention and treatment outcomes. Yet, there have been particular concerns about the challenges of adherence among patients living in resource-limited settings in sub-Saharan Africa. The primary objective of this study was to explore adherence in a low-resourced, rural community of high HIV prevalence in South Africa and to identify specific individual and structural factors that can either challenge or support adherence in this context. We applied digital stories as a qualitative research tool to gain insights into personal contexts of HIV and ART adherence. Through an inductive thematic analysis of twenty story texts, soundtracks and drawings, we explored experiences, understandings, and contexts of the participants and identified potential barriers and facilitators for those on lifelong treatment. We found that many of the stories reflected a growing confidence in the effectiveness of ART, which should be viewed as a key facilitator to successful adherence since this attitude can promote disclosure and boost access to social support. Nevertheless, stories also highlighted the complexity of the issues that individuals and households face as they deal with HIV and ART in this setting and it is clear that an overburdened local healthcare system has often struggled to meet the demands of a rapidly expanding epidemic and to provide the necessary medical and emotional support. Our analysis suggests several opportunities for further research and the design of novel health interventions to support optimal adherence. Firstly, future health promotion campaigns should encourage individuals to test together, or at least accompany each other for testing, to encourage social support from the outset. Additionally, home-based testing and ART club interventions might be recommended to make it easier for individuals to adhere to their treatment regimens and to

  18. Especially for High School Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, J. Emory

    1999-07-01

    Secondary School Feature Articles * Super Science Connections, by Patricia B. McKean, p 916 * A pHorseshoe, by Roger Plumsky, p 935 National Conferences in Your Part of the Country For the past several months, considerable space in this column has been devoted to forthcoming national conferences and conventions and to highlights of conferences past. For some of us, location is fairly unimportant; but for most of us travel costs and time are both factors to consider when choosing a conference. The community of high school chemistry teachers is favored by the number of national conventions and conferences that are held each year in different locations. In 1999, for example, the spring National Meeting of the American Chemical Society was in Anaheim and the National Science Teachers Association National Convention was in Boston. This summer CHEMED '99 will be held in Fairfield, CT, August 1-5, and the fall National ACS Meeting will be in New Orleans. Teachers from the mid-South especially should consider attending the High School Program at New Orleans, described below by Lillie Tucker Akin, Chairperson of the Division's High School Program Committee. The event will be held on Sunday to minimize conflicts with the beginning of the school year. JCE at CHEMED '99 Stop by the JCE booth at CHEMED '99 in the exhibits area to learn more about the wide array of print and nonprint resources you can use in your classroom and laboratory. Members of the editorial staff will be on hand to talk with you. You are invited to participate in a workshop, "Promoting Active Learning through JCE Activity Sheets and Software", on Monday, August 1, 8:30-10:30. The free hands-on workshop is number WT11 and we encourage you to include it among your choices in the blanks provided on the third page of the registration form. We will also conduct an interactive session to listen to ideas for making the Journal more useful to you. Check the final program for location and time or inquire at the JCE

  19. High School Teacher Perceptions of Empowerment

    OpenAIRE

    Jacobs, Tricia Susan

    2014-01-01

    As the responsibilities of principals become more complex and as accountability becomes more evident in K-12 cultures, it becomes increasingly important that high school principals be trained to empower teachers. This paper examined the research concerning the conditions of the empowerment of teachers. More specifically, it measured high school teachers' perspectives concerning their levels of empowerment by their principals based on the four domains of empowerment: meaning, competence, sel...

  20. Predicting Success in College Mathematics from High School Mathematics Preparation

    OpenAIRE

    Shepley, Richard A.

    1983-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a model to predict the college mathematics courses a freshman could expect to pass by considering their high school mathematics preparation. The high school information that was used consisted of the student's sex, the student's grade point average in mathematics, the highest level of high school mathematics courses taken, and the number of mathematics courses taken in high school. The high school sample was drawn from graduated Seniors in the State...

  1. Clustering based on adherence data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiwuwa-Muyingo, Sylvia; Oja, Hannu; Walker, Sarah A; Ilmonen, Pauliina; Levin, Jonathan; Todd, Jim

    2011-03-08

    Adherence to a medical treatment means the extent to which a patient follows the instructions or recommendations by health professionals. There are direct and indirect ways to measure adherence which have been used for clinical management and research. Typically adherence measures are monitored over a long follow-up or treatment period, and some measurements may be missing due to death or other reasons. A natural question then is how to describe adherence behavior over the whole period in a simple way. In the literature, measurements over a period are usually combined just by using averages like percentages of compliant days or percentages of doses taken. In the paper we adapt an approach where patient adherence measures are seen as a stochastic process. Repeated measures are then analyzed as a Markov chain with finite number of states rather than as independent and identically distributed observations, and the transition probabilities between the states are assumed to fully describe the behavior of a patient. The patients can then be clustered or classified using their estimated transition probabilities. These natural clusters can be used to describe the adherence of the patients, to find predictors for adherence, and to predict the future events. The new approach is illustrated and shown to be useful with a simple analysis of a data set from the DART (Development of AntiRetroviral Therapy in Africa) trial in Uganda and Zimbabwe.

  2. Middle School Teachers and School Leadership Perceptions of School Culture: An Examination of the Transition from Junior Highs to Middle Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaney, Maura Chase

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to examine the transition from junior high school to a middle school as experienced in two middle schools from a mid-sized urban school district located in the Rocky Mountains. The overarching question that guided data collection for this study centered on the factors that influenced school culture before,…

  3. School Variables as Mediators of Personal and Family Factors on School Violence in Taiwanese Junior High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ji-Kang; Astor, Ron Avi

    2012-01-01

    Using a nationally representative sample of 3,058 junior high school students in Taiwan, this study examines a model of how personal traits, family factors, and school dynamics influence school violence committed by students against students and teachers. This model proposed that school violence is directly influenced by personal traits,…

  4. High School Start Times and the Impact on High School Students: What We Know, and What We Hope to Learn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgenthaler, Timothy I.; Hashmi, Sarah; Croft, Janet B.; Dort, Leslie; Heald, Jonathan L.; Mullington, Janet

    2016-01-01

    Study Objectives: Several organizations have provided recommendations to ensure high school starts no sooner than 08:30. However, although there are plausible biological reasons to support such recommendations, published recommendations have been based largely on expert opinion and a few observational studies. We sought to perform a critical review of published evidence regarding the effect of high school start times on sleep and other relevant outcomes. Methods: We performed a broad literature search to identify 287 candidate publications for inclusion in our review, which focused on studies offering direct comparison of sleep time, academic or physical performance, behavioral health measures, or motor vehicular accidents in high school students. Where possible, outcomes were combined for meta-analysis. Results: After application of study criteria, only 18 studies were suitable for review. Eight studies were amenable to meta-analysis for some outcomes. We found that later school start times, particularly when compared with start times more than 60 min earlier, are associated with longer weekday sleep durations, lower weekday-weekend sleep duration differences, reduced vehicular accident rates, and reduced subjective daytime sleepiness. Improvement in academic performance and behavioral issues is less established. Conclusions: The literature regarding effect of school start time delays on important aspects of high school life suggests some salutary effects, but often the evidence is indirect, imprecise, or derived from cohorts of convenience, making the overall quality of evidence weak or very weak. This review highlights a need for higher-quality data upon which to base important and complex public health decisions. Citation: Morgenthaler TI, Hashmi S, Croft JB, Dort L, Heald JL, Mullington J. High school start times and the impact on high school students: what we know, and what we hope to learn. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(12):1681–1689. PMID:27855730

  5. Facilitators and barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence among adolescents in Ghana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ankrah DNA

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Daniel NA Ankrah,1,2 Ellen S Koster,2 Aukje K Mantel-Teeuwisse,2 Daniel K Arhinful,3 Irene A Agyepong,4 Margaret Lartey5,6 1Pharmacy Department, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana; 2Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS, Utrecht, the Netherlands; 3Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana (Legon, 4Health Policy, Planning and Management, University of Ghana School of Public Health, 5Department of Medicine, University of Ghana Medical School, 6Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana Introduction: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART is known to be challenging among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, notwithstanding the life-saving importance of this therapy. Of the global total number of adolescents living with HIV in 2013, 83% reside in sub-Saharan Africa. The study aimed to identify facilitators of and barriers to antiretroviral treatment adherence among adolescents in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study using semi-structured interviews for data collection was carried out among adolescents (aged 12–19 years at the adolescents HIV clinic at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Predominantly open-ended questions relating to ART were used. Interviews were done until saturation. In total, 19 interviews were conducted. Analysis was done manually to maintain proximity with the text. Findings: The main facilitators were support from health care providers, parental support, patient’s knowledge of disease and self-motivation, patient’s perceived positive outcomes, and dispensed formulation. The identified barriers were patient’s forgetfulness to take medicines, perceived stigmatization due to disclosure, financial barriers, and adverse effects of ART. Support from health care workers was the most frequently mentioned facilitator, and patient’s forgetfulness and perceived

  6. School-Related Variables in the Dimensions of Anger in High School Students in Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siyez, Digdem M.

    2018-01-01

    The study aimed to examine the effects of perceived social support from teachers, expectation of academic achievement, school control, and gender on anger dimensions in high school students in Izmir, Turkey. In total, 446 high school students (234 girls, 212 boys) participated in the study. Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses…

  7. Investigating the Link between Home-School Dissonance and Academic Cheating among High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown-Wright, Lynda; Tyler, Kenneth M.; Stevens-Watkins, Danelle; Thomas, Deneia; Mulder, Shambra; Hughes, Travonia; Stevens-Morgan, Ruby; Roan-Belle, Clarissa; Gadson, Nadia; Smith, La Toya

    2013-01-01

    The current study examined the association between home-school dissonance and academic cheating among 344 high school juniors and seniors at two urban high schools. Students completed two subscales of the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scale (PALS) and one subscale of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). Analyses revealed that home-school…

  8. The Relationships among the Fine Arts, School Culture, and High School Graduation Rates in Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lovett, Andrew, Jr.

    2014-01-01

    High school graduation is the single largest hurdle that students must achieve to prepare for college and career (National Governor's Association, 2011). Fleischman & Heppen (2009) agree that American high schools must address the problem of declining graduation rate. Approximately 1.28 million students drop out of high school annually (Amos,…

  9. [Frequency of use of school cafeterias in middle and high schools in 3 French districts].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michaud, C; Feur, E; Gerbouin-Rérolle, P; Leynaud-Rouaud, C; Chateil, S; Gourdon, M

    2000-09-01

    Reports from the French Ministry of Education warn of a decrease in the use of school food services, especially in sensitive urban areas. They also suggest that this decline has led to cases of malnutrition. This article describes the characteristics of the current supply of school meals and measures the evolution of demand observed between 1992 and 1996 in relation to the economic situation of students' families. The study was carried out in 3 departments in France: Doubs, Herault, and Val de Marne. The administrators of all public and private middle and high schools in the 3 departments received a questionnaire asking them to describe the services offered in their cafeterias and to provide the corresponding statistical and accounting data. External food services near the schools were also taken into account. Seventy-nine percent of schools responded to the survey. Concerning the services offered, 91% of schools have their own cafeterias, of which 81% are managed by the schools. Concerning the evolution of utilisation, a significant decrease in the number of meals served in seen in middle schools. On the other hand, high schools have observed stable utilisation. The positive changes in utilisation are linked, in middle schools, to characteristics of the schools' internal food services (self-service, choice of main courses, modulation of seats). In high schools, positive changes in the utilisation of school services are linked to the lack of external food services near the schools. As middle schools and high schools control the logistics and management of food services offered to students, they are potentially in a position to influence a policy on this issue. The evolution in utilisation is very different among departments and between middle and high schools. While economic precariousness has a negative structural effect on utilisation, it doesn't seem to be a major factor in the evolution of the decrease observed over the past few years.

  10. Case Study: North Laurel High School, London, Kentucky.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Southern Regional Education Board, Atlanta, GA.

    When North Laurel High School, London, Kentucky, opened in Fall 1992, students and teachers entered a new facility and a new era of commitment to excellence for all students. In Spring 1993, North Laurel joined the Southern Regional Education Board's High Schools That Work initiative. The new school replaced the general track and raised graduation…

  11. Sexuality Education in Junior High Schools in Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, N.; Shinohara, H.; Tashiro, M.; Suzuki, S.; Hirose, H.; Ikeya, H.; Ushitora, K.; Komiya, A.; Watanabe, M.; Motegi, T.; Morioka, M.

    2012-01-01

    This paper aims to determine via responses to three questionnaire surveys how sexuality education programs are conducted at junior high schools in Japan. Study 1 examined the practice of sexuality education in schools, Study 2 investigated junior high school students' (age 12-13 and 14-15 years) knowledge of sexuality, and Study 3 examined…

  12. An Ethics Challenge for School Counselors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Froeschle, Janet G.; Crews, Charles

    2010-01-01

    Ethical issues arise more often for school counselors than for those who work in other settings (Remley, 2002). The challenge of working not only with minors but also with other stakeholders including parents, teachers, school administrators, and community members sets the stage for potential legal and ethical dilemmas. Awareness and adherence to…

  13. Non-adherence in patients on peritoneal dialysis: a systematic review.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konstadina Griva

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: It has been increasingly recognized that non-adherence is an important factor that determines the outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD therapy. There is therefore a need to establish the levels of non-adherence to different aspects of the PD regimen (dialysis procedures, medications, and dietary/fluid restrictions. METHODS: A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature was performed in PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases using PRISMA guidelines in May 2013. Publications on non-adherence in PD were selected by two reviewers independently according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant data on patient characteristics, measures, rates and factors associated with non-adherence were extracted. The quality of studies was also evaluated independently by two reviewers according to a revised version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project assessment tool. RESULTS: The search retrieved 204 studies, of which a total of 25 studies met inclusion criteria. Reported rates of non-adherence varied across studies: 2.6-53% for dialysis exchanges, 3.9-85% for medication, and 14.4-67% for diet/fluid restrictions. Methodological differences in measurement and definition of non-adherence underlie the observed variation. Factors associated with non-adherence that showed a degree of consistency were mostly socio-demographical, such as age, employment status, ethnicity, sex, and time period on PD treatment. CONCLUSION: Non-adherence to different dimensions of the dialysis regimen appears to be prevalent in PD patients. There is a need for further, high-quality research to explore these factors in more detail, with the aim of informing intervention designs to facilitate adherence in this patient population.

  14. Non-Adherence in Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griva, Konstadina; Lai, Alden Yuanhong; Lim, Haikel Asyraf; Yu, Zhenli; Foo, Marjorie Wai Yin; Newman, Stanton P.

    2014-01-01

    Background It has been increasingly recognized that non-adherence is an important factor that determines the outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. There is therefore a need to establish the levels of non-adherence to different aspects of the PD regimen (dialysis procedures, medications, and dietary/fluid restrictions). Methods A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature was performed in PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases using PRISMA guidelines in May 2013. Publications on non-adherence in PD were selected by two reviewers independently according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant data on patient characteristics, measures, rates and factors associated with non-adherence were extracted. The quality of studies was also evaluated independently by two reviewers according to a revised version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project assessment tool. Results The search retrieved 204 studies, of which a total of 25 studies met inclusion criteria. Reported rates of non-adherence varied across studies: 2.6–53% for dialysis exchanges, 3.9–85% for medication, and 14.4–67% for diet/fluid restrictions. Methodological differences in measurement and definition of non-adherence underlie the observed variation. Factors associated with non-adherence that showed a degree of consistency were mostly socio-demographical, such as age, employment status, ethnicity, sex, and time period on PD treatment. Conclusion Non-adherence to different dimensions of the dialysis regimen appears to be prevalent in PD patients. There is a need for further, high-quality research to explore these factors in more detail, with the aim of informing intervention designs to facilitate adherence in this patient population. PMID:24586478

  15. High levels of adherence to a rectal microbicide gel and to oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) achieved in MTN-017 among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carballo-Diéguez, Alex; Balán, Ivan C; Brown, William; Giguere, Rebecca; Dolezal, Curtis; Leu, Cheng-Shiun; Marzinke, Mark A; Hendrix, Craig W; Piper, Jeanna M; Richardson, Barbra A; Grossman, Cynthia; Johnson, Sherri; Gomez, Kailazarid; Horn, Stephanie; Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Ratiya Pamela; Patterson, Karen; Jacobson, Cindy; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Chariyalertsak, Suwat; Chitwarakorn, Anupong; Gonzales, Pedro; Holtz, Timothy H; Liu, Albert; Mayer, Kenneth H; Zorrilla, Carmen; Lama, Javier; McGowan, Ian; Cranston, Ross D

    2017-01-01

    Trials to assess microbicide safety require strict adherence to prescribed regimens. If adherence is suboptimal, safety cannot be adequately assessed. MTN-017 was a phase 2, randomized sequence, open-label, expanded safety and acceptability crossover study comparing 1) daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF), 2) daily use of reduced-glycerin 1% tenofovir (RG-TFV) gel applied rectally, and 3) RG-TFV gel applied before and after receptive anal intercourse (RAI)-if participants had no RAI in a week, they were asked to use two doses of gel within 24 hours. Product use was assessed by mixed methods including unused product return count, text messaging reports, and qualitative plasma TFV pharmacokinetic (PK) results. Convergence interviews engaged participants in determining the most accurate number of doses used based on product count and text messaging reports. Client-centered adherence counseling was also used. Participants (N = 187) were men who have sex with men and transgender women enrolled in the United States (42%), Thailand (29%), Peru (19%) and South Africa (10%). Mean age was 31.4 years (range 18-64 years). Based on convergence interviews, over an 8-week period, 94% of participants had ≥80% adherence to daily tablet, 41% having perfect adherence; 83% had ≥80% adherence to daily gel, 29% having perfect adherence; and 93% had ≥80% adherence to twice-weekly use during the RAI-associated gel regimen, 75% having perfect adherence and 77% having ≥80% adherence to gel use before and after RAI. Only 4.4% of all daily product PK results were undetectable and unexpected (TFV concentrations <0.31 ng/mL) given self-reported product use near sampling date. The mixed methods adherence measurement indicated high adherence to product use in all three regimens. Adherence to RAI-associated rectal gel use was as high as adherence to daily oral PrEP. A rectal microbicide gel, if efficacious, could be an alternative for individuals uninterested in

  16. High levels of adherence to a rectal microbicide gel and to oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP achieved in MTN-017 among men who have sex with men (MSM and transgender women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex Carballo-Diéguez

    Full Text Available Trials to assess microbicide safety require strict adherence to prescribed regimens. If adherence is suboptimal, safety cannot be adequately assessed. MTN-017 was a phase 2, randomized sequence, open-label, expanded safety and acceptability crossover study comparing 1 daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF, 2 daily use of reduced-glycerin 1% tenofovir (RG-TFV gel applied rectally, and 3 RG-TFV gel applied before and after receptive anal intercourse (RAI-if participants had no RAI in a week, they were asked to use two doses of gel within 24 hours. Product use was assessed by mixed methods including unused product return count, text messaging reports, and qualitative plasma TFV pharmacokinetic (PK results. Convergence interviews engaged participants in determining the most accurate number of doses used based on product count and text messaging reports. Client-centered adherence counseling was also used. Participants (N = 187 were men who have sex with men and transgender women enrolled in the United States (42%, Thailand (29%, Peru (19% and South Africa (10%. Mean age was 31.4 years (range 18-64 years. Based on convergence interviews, over an 8-week period, 94% of participants had ≥80% adherence to daily tablet, 41% having perfect adherence; 83% had ≥80% adherence to daily gel, 29% having perfect adherence; and 93% had ≥80% adherence to twice-weekly use during the RAI-associated gel regimen, 75% having perfect adherence and 77% having ≥80% adherence to gel use before and after RAI. Only 4.4% of all daily product PK results were undetectable and unexpected (TFV concentrations <0.31 ng/mL given self-reported product use near sampling date. The mixed methods adherence measurement indicated high adherence to product use in all three regimens. Adherence to RAI-associated rectal gel use was as high as adherence to daily oral PrEP. A rectal microbicide gel, if efficacious, could be an alternative for individuals

  17. Mobile Phone Text Messages to Support Treatment Adherence in Adults With High Blood Pressure (SMS-Text Adherence Support [StAR]): A Single-Blind, Randomized Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bobrow, Kirsten; Farmer, Andrew J; Springer, David; Shanyinde, Milensu; Yu, Ly-Mee; Brennan, Thomas; Rayner, Brian; Namane, Mosedi; Steyn, Krisela; Tarassenko, Lionel; Levitt, Naomi

    2016-02-09

    We assessed the effect of automated treatment adherence support delivered via mobile phone short message system (SMS) text messages on blood pressure. In this pragmatic, single-blind, 3-arm, randomized trial (SMS-Text Adherence Support [StAR]) undertaken in South Africa, patients treated for high blood pressure were randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio to information only, interactive SMS text messaging, or usual care. The primary outcome was change in systolic blood pressure at 12 months from baseline measured with a validated oscillometric device. All trial staff were masked to treatment allocation. Analyses were intention to treat. Between June 26, 2012, and November 23, 2012, 1372 participants were randomized to receive information-only SMS text messages (n=457), interactive SMS text messages (n=458), or usual care (n=457). Primary outcome data were available for 1256 participants (92%). At 12 months, the mean adjusted change in systolic blood pressure compared with usual care was -2.2 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -4.4 to -0.04) with information-only SMS and -1.6 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -3.7 to 0.6) with interactive SMS. Odds ratios for the proportion of participants with a blood pressure high blood pressure, we found a small reduction in systolic blood pressure control compared with usual care at 12 months. There was no evidence that an interactive intervention increased this effect. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02019823. South African National Clinical Trials Register, number SANCTR DOH-27-1212-386; Pan Africa Trial Register, number PACTR201411000724141. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  18. [The influencing factors on alienation in high school students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Eun-Sook

    2004-02-01

    This study was performed to identify the influencing factors on alienation among high school students. Data was collected by questionnaires from 550 students of academic and vocational high schools in G city. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. The scores of alienation among students in financially lower middle class and lower class were higher than those of the upper middle class students, resulting in significant differences(F=6.87, p=.00). A sense of alienation showed a significantly negative correlation with the scores of responding parenting style(r=-.32), family cohesion(r=-.33), school attachment(r=-.51), academic performance(r=-.34), peer relationships(r=-.38), self-control (r=-.43), and social skills(r=-.33). The most powerful predictor of alienation among high school students was school attachment and the variance explained was 26%. A combination of school attachment, self control, peer relationships, family cohesion, demanding parenting style, and academic performance account for 40% of the variance in alienation among high school students. This study suggests that school attachment, self control, peer relationships, family cohesion, demanding parenting style, and academic performance are significant influencing factors on alienation in high school students. Therefore, nursing strategy is needed to manage these revealed factors.

  19. Psychosocial Variables Associated with Immunosuppressive Medication Non-Adherence after Renal Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Felicia Scheel

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available IntroductionNon-adherence to immunosuppressive medication is regarded as an important factor for graft rejection and loss after successful renal transplantation. Yet, results on prevalence and relationship with psychosocial parameters are heterogeneous. The main aim of this study was to investigate the association of immunosuppressive medication non-adherence and psychosocial factors.MethodsIn 330 adult renal transplant recipients (≥12 months posttransplantation, health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety, social support, and subjective medication experiences were assessed, and their associations with patient-reported non-adherence was evaluated.Results33.6% of the patients admitted to be partially non-adherent. Non-adherence was associated with younger age, poorer social support, lower mental, but higher physical health-related quality of life. There was no association with depression and anxiety. However, high proportions of clinically relevant depression and anxiety symptoms were apparent in both adherent and non-adherent patients.ConclusionIn the posttransplant follow-up, kidney recipients with lower perceived social support, lower mental and higher physical health-related quality of life, and younger age can be regarded as a risk group for immunosuppressive medication non-adherence. In follow-up contacts with kidney transplant patients, physicians may pay attention to these factors. Furthermore, psychosocial interventions to optimize immunosuppressive medication adherence can be designed on the basis of this information, especially including subjectively perceived physical health-related quality of life and fostering social support seems to be of importance.

  20. Excessive daytime sleepiness and adherence to antihypertensive medications among Blacks: analysis of the counseling African Americans to control hypertension (CAATCH trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Williams NJ

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Natasha J Williams,1 Girardin Jean-Louis,1 Abhishek Pandey,2 Joseph Ravenell,1 Carla Boutin-Foster,3 Gbenga Ogedegbe1 1Center for Healthful Behavior Change, Division of Internal Medicine, NYU Medical Center, New York, 2Department of Family Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, 3Center of Excellence in Disparities Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS often occurs as a result of insufficient sleep, sleep apnea, illicit substance use, and other medical and psychiatric conditions. This study tested the hypothesis that blacks exhibiting EDS would have poorer self-reported adherence to hypertensive medication using cross-sectional data from the Counseling African-Americans to Control Hypertension (CAATCH trial. Methods: A total of 1,058 hypertensive blacks (average age 57±12 years participated in CAATCH, a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a multilevel intervention for participants who receive care from community health centers in New York City. Data analyzed in this study included baseline sociodemographics, medical history, EDS, and medication adherence. We used the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, with a cutoff score of ≥10, to define EDS. Medication adherence was measured using an abbreviated Morisky Medication Adherence scale, with a score >0 indicating nonadherence. Results: Of the sample, 71% were female, 72% received at least a high school education, 51% reported a history of smoking, and 33% had a history of alcohol consumption. Overall, 27% of the participants exhibited EDS, and 44% of those who exhibited EDS were classified as adherent to prescribed antihypertensive medications. Multivariable logistic regression analysis, adjusting for effects of age, body mass index, sex, education, and smoking and drinking history indicated that participants who exhibited EDS were more than twice as likely to be nonadherent (odds ratio 2.28, 95

  1. Adherence as a language game.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolberg, Espen Skarstein

    2017-04-01

    Non-adherence, i.e. medication intake behavior not corresponding with agreed recommendations, is associated with increased morbidity and death, and it has been estimated that as many as 50% of patients in developed countries are not taking their medications as prescribed. But even as efforts in improving medication adherence over the years have increased, results are inconsistent, with only a minority of clinical trials showing any improvement in both adherence and clinical outcome. Since patient education is central to promoting good medication adherence, and language is integral to education, perhaps an exploration of the meaning and use of language, using the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein, is in order.

  2. The effects of psychological factors in sports medicine rehabilitation adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lampton, C C; Lambert, M E; Yost, R

    1993-09-01

    This study investigated the influence of achievement motivation and self-esteem on injury treatment adherence in a general sample of injured patients receiving treatment in a sports medicine clinic. Subjects consisted of both injured athletes and workers who had incurred an on-the-job injury. Based on scales of self-esteem and achievement motivation, patients were categorized as either high or low in self-esteem certainty, self-esteem level, tendency to be task-involved, and tendency to ego-involved in tasks. Treatment adherence was measured by number of missed appointments and by physical therapist ratings of effort and progress. It was found that patients low in self-esteem certainty and high in ego-involvement tended to miss the most treatment appointments. Contrary to previous findings, task-involvement was not found to be related to treatment adherence.

  3. The Educational Benefits of Attending Higher Performing Schools: Evidence from Chicago High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allensworth, Elaine M.; Moore, Paul T.; Sartain, Lauren; de la Torre, Marisa

    2017-01-01

    Policymakers are implementing reforms with the assumption that students do better when attending high-achieving schools. In this article, we use longitudinal data from Chicago Public Schools to test that assumption. We find that the effects of attending a higher performing school depend on the school's performance level. At elite public schools…

  4. Development of an Attitude Scale towards High School Physics Lessons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yavas, Pervin Ünlü; Çagan, Sultan

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a Likert type attitude scale for high school students with regard to high school physics lessons. The research was carried out with high school students who were studying in Ankara. First, the opinions of 105 high school students about physics lessons were obtained and then 55 scale items were determined from…

  5. The interactive impacts of high school gay-straight alliances (GSAs) on college student attitudes toward LGBT individuals: an investigation of high school characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worthen, Meredith G F

    2014-01-01

    Although gay-straight alliances (GSAs) are becoming more popular in high schools across the U.S., empirical studies investigating GSAs and their impact are sparse. Utilizing a sample of college students drawn from a large Southern university (N = 805; 78% White; 61% female; average age 22), the current study investigates the ways that the presence of high school GSAs affect college student attitudes toward LGBT individuals and how these relationships may vary by high school GSA location (South vs. non-South), town type (rural/small town, suburban, large city), and high school student population size. Overall, results from the current study show that the presence of a GSA in high school is a robust positive predictor of supportive attitudes toward LGBT individuals, even when considering many control variables. Such results suggest that the presence of GSAs in high schools may have significant positive and potentially long-lasting effects on college students' attitudes toward LGBT individuals.

  6. Medicine non-adherence in kidney transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Allison Fiona; Manias, Elizabeth; Gaskin, Cadeyrn J; Crawford, Kimberley

    2014-06-01

    The increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease, the relative shortage of kidney donors and the economic- and health-related costs of kidney transplant rejection make the prevention of adverse outcomes following transplantation a healthcare imperative. Although strict adherence to immunosuppressant medicine regimens is key to preventing kidney rejection, evidence suggests that adherence is sub-optimal. Strategies need to be developed to help recipients of kidney transplants adhere to their prescribed medicines. This review has found that a number of factors contribute to poor adherence, for example, attitudes towards medicine taking and forgetfulness. Few investigations have been conducted, however, on strategies to enhance medicine adherence in kidney transplant recipients. Strategies that may improve adherence include pharmacist-led interventions (incorporating counselling, medicine reviews and nephrologist liaison) and nurse-led interventions (involving collaboratively working with recipients to understand their routines and offering solutions to improve adherence). Strategies that have shown to have limited effectiveness include supplying medicines free of charge and providing feedback on a participant's medicine adherence without any educational or behavioural interventions. Transplantation is the preferred treatment option for people with end-stage kidney disease. Medicine non-adherence in kidney transplantation increases the risk of rejection, kidney loss and costly treatments. Interventions are needed to help the transplant recipient take all their medicines as prescribed to improve general well-being, medicine safety and reduce healthcare costs. © 2014 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  7. Multicultural and multilingual approach: Mathematics, science, and engineering education for junior high school minority students and high school administrators. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crumbly, I.J.; Hodges, J.

    1994-09-01

    During the 1993 school year, LLNL and the US Department of Energy`s San Francisco Field Office provided funds through grant {number_sign}DE-FG03-93SF20045/A000 to assist Cooperative Developmental Energy Program (CDEP) with its network coalition of high school counselors from 19 states and with its outreach and early intervention program in mathematics, science and engineering for minority junior high school students. The program for high school counselors is called the National Educators Orientation Program (NEOP) and the outreach program for minority junior high school students is called the Mathematics, Science and Engineering Academy (MSEA). A total of 35 minority and female rising eighth grade students participated in the Second Annual Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Academy sponsored by the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program of Fort Valley State College (FVSC). There were 24 students from the middle Georgia area, 4 students from Oakland, California, and 7 students from Portland, Oregon. Each student was selected by counselor in his or her respective school. The selection criteria were based on the students` academic performance in science and mathematics courses.

  8. An Analysis of Florida's School Districts' Attendance Policies and their Relationship to High School Attendance Rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reardon, Ryan Turner

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this non-experimental correlational study was to determine the relationship between the type of attendance policies in the high schools of the 67 Florida school districts, the size of the school district (number of high school students), the socioeconomic status SES) of the school district, and the average daily attendance rate of…

  9. Immunosuppressive medication adherence in kidney transplant patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalić, Jelena; Veličković-Radovanović, Radmila; Mitić, Branka; Paunović, Goran; Cvetković, Tatjana

    2014-01-01

    To assess the degree of immunosuppressive medication adherence in kidney transplant patients (KTPs) and to determine if there is a difference in the rate of adherence to tacrolimus (Tac), cyclosporine (CsA) and sirolimus (Sir). From a total of 63 KTPs treated at the Clinic of Nephrology, Clinical Centre Niš, Serbia, 60 participated in the study by responding to questionnaires. They were divided into the adherence group (n = 43) and the nonadherence group (n = 17) according to their degree of adherence which was measured using a validated survey form, the simplified medication adherence questionnaire. The KTP adherence to the different immunosuppressive regimens (Tac, CsA and Sir) was compared. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student t test. Adherence was observed in 43 (71.7%) patients, and only 17 (28.3%) did not follow the prescribed therapy. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was significantly lower in the nonadherence group (38.52 ± 18.22 ml/min) than in the adherence group (52.43 ± 16.91 ml/min, p adherers and the nonadherers (6.30 ± 2.06 vs. 5.0 ± 1.52 ng/ml, p adherence. Nonadherence was associated with worse graft function and a lower Tac level. Knowledge about the degree of adherence could help the early identification of nonadherent patients and the development of strategies to improve this. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

  10. 25 CFR 39.145 - Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment? 39.145 Section 39.145 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Indian School Equalization Formula Small School...

  11. BIG SCHOOL - SMALL SCHOOL. STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF HIGH SCHOOL SIZE UPON THE BEHAVIOR AND EXPERIENCES OF STUDENTS. FINAL REPORT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    BARKER, ROGER G.; AND OTHERS

    STUDIES WERE MADE IN KANSAS HIGH SCHOOLS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF SCHOOL SIZE UPON THE BEHAVIOR AND EXPERIENCES OF STUDENTS. THE FOLLOWING AREAS WERE CONSIDERED-- THE SCHOOL INVOLVED IN THE STUDY, THE DATA GATHERED FROM RECORDS AND RESEARCH, OUT-OF-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AND THE PLACE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE TOTAL LIFE OF FOUR SMALL TOWNS.…

  12. An Examination of the Job Training and Job Experiences of High School Students as They Exit School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, Wilbur Drew

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this investigation was (a) to determine the level of satisfaction that exiting high school students felt regarding the job preparation and training they received in high school, (b) gather data on work experiences during high school, (c) gather data on job training experiences during high school, and (d) gather data on students…

  13. Bacterial adherence on fluorinated carbon based coatings deposited on polyethylene surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terriza, A; Del Prado, G; Perez, A Ortiz; Martinez, M J; Puertolas, J A; Manso, D Molina; Gonzalez-Elipe, A R; Yubero, F; Barrena, E Gomez; Esteban, J

    2010-01-01

    Development of intrinsically antibacterial surfaces is of key importance in the context of prostheses used in orthopaedic surgery. In this work we present a thorough study of several plasma based coatings that may be used with this functionality: diamond like carbon (DLC), fluorine doped DLC (F-DLC) and a high fluorine content carbon-fluor polymer (CF X ). The study correlates the surface chemistry and hydrophobicity of the coating surfaces with their antibacterial performance. The coatings were deposited by RF-plasma assisted deposition at room temperature on ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) samples. Fluorine content and relative amount of C-C and C-F bond types was monitored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and hydrophobicity by water contact angle measurements. Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis to non-coated and coated UHMWPE samples was evaluated. Comparisons of the adherence performance were evaluated using a paired t test (two materials) and a Kruskall Wallis test (all the materials). S. aureus was statistically significant (p< 0.001) less adherent to DLC and F-DLC surfaces than S. epidermidis. Both bacteria showed reduction of adherence on DLC/UHMWPE. For S. aureus, reduction of bacterial adherence on F-DLC/UHMWPE was statistically significant respect to all other materials.

  14. High School Graduation Rates:Alternative Methods and Implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Miao

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available The No Child Left Behind Act has brought great attention to the high school graduation rate as one of the mandatory accountability measures for public school systems. However, there is no consensus on how to calculate the high school graduation rate given the lack of longitudinal databases that track individual students. This study reviews literature on and practices in reporting high school graduation rates, compares graduation rate estimates yielded from alternative methods, and estimates discrepancies between alternative results at national, state, and state ethnic group levels. Despite the graduation rate method used, results indicate that high school graduation rates in the U.S. have been declining in recent years and that graduation rates for black and Hispanic students lag substantially behind those of white students. As to graduation rate method preferred, this study found no evidence that the conceptually more complex methods yield more accurate or valid graduation rate estimates than the simpler methods.

  15. Patient non-adherence: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalvi, Vidya; Mekoth, Nandakumar

    2017-04-18

    Purpose While interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) has been used in health psychology research, it has so far not been applied to seek deeper insights into the patients' experiences about treatment. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap by using IPA to understand patient non-adherence. Design/methodology/approach In total, 18 patients with chronic conditions seeking healthcare services in Goa and Karnataka, India, were selected by using the snowball sampling method. In-depth interviews were conducted face to face. A semi-structured questionnaire developed by the researchers was used to collect the data. IPA was used to explore the themes to predict patient non-adherence. Findings The study results indicate that economic factors, health system related factors, social factors and psychological factors impact patient non-adherence. Patient non-adherence includes medication non-adherence and lifestyle modification non-adherence. Research limitations/implications Being cross sectional in design, the results may not be as appropriate as the results derived from a longitudinal study given that non-adherence occurs over time. Practical implications Patient non-adherence is a global health issue. Multidisciplinary approach to enhance patient adherence to treatment should form part of public healthcare policy. Social implications Exploring the factors influencing patient non-adherence will help the health-care industry stakeholders to reduce healthcare cost and improve patient's quality of life. Originality/value Although there is extensive quantitative research on the prevalence of non-adherence, qualitative research is limited. This paper addresses this gap by using IPA to understand patient non-adherence and its factors and dimensions.

  16. National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula

    Science.gov (United States)

    American Psychologist, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The "National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula" attempts to represent current knowledge in the field of psychology in developmentally appropriate ways. Psychology is a popular high school course, one that can introduce students to scientific ideas and engage students in the learning process. However, it is difficult for even the best…

  17. Viable adhered Staphylococcus aureus highly reduced on novel antimicrobial sutures using chlorhexidine and octenidine to avoid surgical site infection (SSI)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Jochen; Harrasser, Norbert; Tübel, Jutta; Mühlhofer, Heinrich; Pförringer, Dominik; von Deimling, Constantin; Foehr, Peter; Kiefel, Barbara; Krämer, Christina; Stemberger, Axel; Schieker, Matthias

    2018-01-01

    Background Surgical sutures can promote migration of bacteria and thus start infections. Antiseptic coating of sutures may inhibit proliferation of adhered bacteria and avoid such complications. Objectives This study investigated the inhibition of viable adhering bacteria on novel antimicrobially coated surgical sutures using chlorhexidine or octenidine, a critical factor for proliferation at the onset of local infections. The medical need, a rapid eradication of bacteria in wounds, can be fulfilled by a high antimicrobial efficacy during the first days after wound closure. Methods As a pretesting on antibacterial efficacy against relevant bacterial pathogens a zone of inhibition assay was conducted with middle ranged concentrated suture coatings (22 μg/cm). For further investigation of adhering bacteria in detail the most clinically relevant Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC®49230™) was used. Absorbable braided sutures were coated with chlorhexidine-laurate, chlorhexidine-palmitate, octenidine-laurate, and octenidine-palmitate. Each coating type resulted in 11, 22, or 33 μg/cm drug content on sutures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed once to inspect the coating quality and twice to investigate if bacteria have colonized on sutures. Adhesion experiments were assessed by exposing coated sutures to S. aureus suspensions for 3 h at 37°C. Subsequently, sutures were sonicated and the number of viable bacteria released from the suture surface was determined. Furthermore, the number of viable planktonic bacteria was measured in suspensions containing antimicrobial sutures. Commercially available sutures without drugs (Vicryl®, PGA Resorba®, and Gunze PGA), as well as triclosan-containing Vicryl® Plus were used as control groups. Results Zone of inhibition assay documented a multispecies efficacy of novel coated sutures against tested bacterial strains, comparable to most relevant S. aureus over 48 hours. SEM pictures demonstrated uniform layers on

  18. The importance of cholesterol medication adherence: the need for behavioral change intervention programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bosworth HB

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Hayden B Bosworth,1–5 Barbara Ngouyombo,6 Jan Liska,7 Leah L Zullig,1,2 Caroline Atlani,8 Anne C Beal7 1Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, USA; 2Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 3School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 4Department of Psychiatry, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 5Department of Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 6Value & Access Team, Sanofi Pasteur, Lyon, France; 7Center of Excellence for Patient Centricity, Sanofi, Paris, France; 8Patient Strategy, Diabetes & Cardiovascular Unit, Sanofi, Paris, France Abstract: Lipid-lowering medications have been shown to be efficacious, but adherence is suboptimal. This is a narrative, perspective review of recently published literature in the field of medication adherence research for lipid-lowering medications. We provide an overview of the impact of suboptimal adherence and use a World Health Organization framework (patient, condition, therapy, socioeconomic, and health system-related systems to discuss factors that influence hyperlipidemia treatment adherence. Further, the review involves an evaluation of intervention strategies to increase hyperlipidemia treatment adherence with a special focus on mHealth interventions, patient reminders on packaging labels, nurse- and pharmacist-led interventions, and health teams. It also highlights opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to support and scale such behavioral interventions. Medication adherence remains a challenge for the long-term management of chronic conditions, especially those involving asymptomatic disease such as hyperlipidemia. To engage patients and enhance motivation over time, hyperlipidemia interventions must be targeted to individual patients’ needs, with sequencing and frequency of contact tailored to the various stages of behavioral change. Keywords: cardiovascular

  19. The Availability and Utilization of School Library Resources in Some Selected Secondary Schools (High School) in Rivers State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owate, C. N.; Iroha, Okpa

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates the availability and utilization of school library resources by Secondary School (High School) Students. Eight Selected Secondary Schools in Rivers State, Nigeria were chosen based on their performance in external examinations and geographic locations. In carrying out the research, questionnaires were administered to both…

  20. High School Students' Recommendations to Improve School Food Environments: Insights From a Critical Stakeholder Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asada, Yuka; Hughes, Alejandro G; Read, Margaret; Schwartz, Marlene B; Chriqui, Jamie F

    2017-11-01

    The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) directed the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revise school meal standards. Students are most affected by efforts to improve the school food environment; yet, few studies directly include students. This study examined high school students' experiences of school meal reform to gain insight into implementation recommendations. We conducted 5 focus groups with high school students (N = 15) from high schools across 9 states. We also conducted follow-up interviews to further explore personal experiences. Focus groups and interview transcripts were coded and organized in Atlas.ti v7 by analysts, following principles of constant comparative analysis. Students reported overall positive perceptions of the revised school meal standards and supported continued efforts to improve the food environment. Recommendations to improve the food environment included engaging students, focusing on the quality and palatability of meal items, moving toward scratch-cooking, and addressing cafeteria infrastructure. Students' recommendations point to opportunities where school districts, as well as local, state, and federal organizations can work to improve the school food environment. Their insights are directly relevant to USDA's recently released Local School Wellness Policy final rule, of which school meal standards are one provision. © 2017, American School Health Association.

  1. Gay Youth in American Public High Schools: Invisible Diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, Donald B.

    Gay youth enter high school with the knowledge that they are different and with the belief that heterosexuality is normal and that homosexuality is not normal. Also, gay youth enter high school with the belief that honesty and integrity are important personal values. Additionally, the gay youth enter high school without family knowledge of their…

  2. Adolescents with obstructive sleep apnea adhere poorly to positive airway pressure (PAP, but PAP users show improved attention and school performance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dean W Beebe

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA is associated with medical and neurobehavioral morbidity across the lifespan. Positive airway pressure (PAP treatment has demonstrated efficacy in treating OSA and has been shown to improve daytime functioning in adults, but treatment adherence can be problematic. There are nearly no published studies examining functional outcomes such as academic functioning in adolescents treated with PAP. This study was conducted as an initial step towards determining whether PAP treatment improves daytime functioning among adolescents with OSA.Self-reported academic grades, self- and parent-reported academic quality of life, and objectively-measured attention were assessed before and after PAP was clinically initiated in a sample of 13 obese adolescents with OSA, as well as 15 untreated obese Controls without OSA. Based on adherence data, the treated group was divided into PAP Users (n = 6 and Non-Adherent participants (n = 7.Though demographically similar, the three groups significantly differed in how their academic performance and attention scores changed from baseline to follow-up. Non-Adherent participants showed worsening functioning over time, while PAP Users showed stable or improved functioning, similar to controls.Although many adolescents prescribed PAP for OSA are non-adherent to the treatment, those who adhere to treatment can display improved attention and academic functioning.

  3. Stressors may compromise medication adherence among adults with diabetes and low socioeconomic status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborn, Chandra Y; Mayberry, Lindsay Satterwhite; Wagner, Julie A; Welch, Garry W

    2014-10-01

    Studies examining the impact of stressors on diabetes self-care have focused on a single stressor or have been largely qualitative. Therefore, we assessed the stressors experienced by a high-risk population with type 2 diabetes, and tested whether having more stressors was associated with less adherence to multiple self-care behaviors. Participants were recruited from a Federally Qualified Health Center and 192 completed a stressors checklist. Experiencing more stressors was associated with less adherence to diet recommendations and medications among participants who were trying to be adherent, but was not associated with adherence to other self-care behaviors. Because having more stressors was also associated with more depressive symptoms, we further adjusted for depressive symptoms. Stressors remained associated with less adherence to medications, but not to diet recommendations. For adults engaged in adherence, experiencing an accumulation of stressors presents barriers to adherence that are distinct from associated depressive symptoms. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. Stressors May Compromise Medication Adherence among Adults with Diabetes and Low Socioeconomic Status

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborn, Chandra Y.; Mayberry, Lindsay S.; Wagner, Julie A.; Welch, Garry W.

    2014-01-01

    Studies examining the impact of stressors on diabetes self-care have been limited by focusing on a single stressor or have been largely qualitative. Therefore, we assessed the stressors experienced by a high-risk population with type 2 diabetes, and tested whether having more stressors was associated with less adherence to multiple self-care behaviors. Participants were recruited from a Federally Qualified Health Center and 192 completed a stressors checklist. Experiencing more stressors was associated with less adherence to diet recommendations and medications among participants who were trying to be adherent, but was not associated with adherence to other self-care behaviors. Because having more stressors was also associated with more depressive symptoms, we further adjusted for depressive symptoms; stressors remained associated with less adherence to medications, but not to diet recommendations. For adults engaged in adherence, experiencing numerous chronic stressors presents barriers to adherence that are distinct from associated depressive symptoms. PMID:24569697

  5. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in Washington state public high schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reder, Sheri; Quan, Linda

    2003-03-01

    To determine the best approaches for increasing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training opportunities for public high school students, we conducted a statewide survey of all 310 public high schools in Washington State. The findings describe CPR student training currently provided by high schools, barriers to providing, and strategies to increase CPR training of high school students. The response rate was 89% (276 schools) from a combination of mail and telephone surveys; 35% (n=97) reported that they did not provide any CPR student training. Of the 132 schools that provided CPR student training, 23% trained less than 10% of their students, and 39% trained more than 90% of their students. The majority of public high schools, 70%, did not have any teacher trained to teach CPR or had only one teacher with such training. Yet 80% of schools felt that CPR training is best provided in school settings. Schools perceived the greatest benefit of CPR training as providing students with the skill to save a life (43%). The most frequently identified barriers were logistical: limited time to teach the curriculum (24%), lack of funds (16%), and instructor scheduling difficulties (17%). Less than 5% of respondents voiced any opposition to CPR training, and that opposition was for logistical reasons. To increase CPR training, the single best strategies suggested were: increase funding, provide time in the curriculum, have more certified instructors, and make CPR student training a requirement.

  6. Midcentury Modern High Schools: Rebooting the Architecture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Havens, Kevin

    2010-01-01

    A high school is more than a building; it's a repository of memories for many community members. High schools built at the turn of the century are not only cultural and civic landmarks, they are also often architectural treasures. When these facilities become outdated, a renovation that preserves the building's aesthetics and character is usually…

  7. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy and clinical outcomes among young adults reporting high-risk sexual behavior, including men who have sex with men, in coastal Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Susan M; Mugo, Peter; Gichuru, Evanson; Thiong'o, Alexander; Macharia, Michael; Okuku, Haile S; van der Elst, Elise; Price, Matthew A; Muraguri, Nicholas; Sanders, Eduard J

    2013-05-01

    African men who have sex with men (MSM) face significant stigma and barriers to care. We investigated antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among high-risk adults, including MSM, participating in a clinic-based cohort. Survival analysis was used to compare attrition across patient groups. Differences in adherence, weight gain, and CD4 counts after ART initiation were assessed. Among 250 HIV-1-seropositive adults, including 108 MSM, 15 heterosexual men, and 127 women, patient group was not associated with attrition. Among 58 participants who were followed on ART, 40 % of MSM had less than 95 % adherence, versus 28.6 % of heterosexual men and 11.5 % of women. Although MSM gained less weight after ART initiation than women (adjusted difference -3.5 kg/year), CD4 counts did not differ. More data are needed on barriers to adherence and clinical outcomes among African MSM, to ensure that MSM can access care and derive treatment and prevention benefits from ART.

  8. Suboptimal treatment adherence in bipolar disorder: impact on clinical outcomes and functioning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Montes JM

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Jose Manuel Montes1, Jorge Maurino2, Consuelo de Dios3, Esteban Medina21Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario del Sureste, 2AstraZeneca Medical Department, 3Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, SpainBackground: The primary aim of this study was to assess drug treatment adherence in patients with bipolar disorder and to identify factors associated with adherence. The secondary aim was to analyze the impact of suboptimal adherence on clinical and functional outcomes.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of outpatients receiving an oral antipsychotic drug. Medication adherence was assessed combining the 10-item Drug Attitude Inventory, the Morisky Green Adherence Questionnaire, and the Compliance Rating Scale. Logistic regression was used to determine significant variables associated with suboptimal adherence to medication.Results: Three hundred and three patients were enrolled into the study. The mean age was 45.9 ± 12.8 years, and 59.7% were females. Sixty-nine percent of patients showed suboptimal adherence. Disease severity and functioning were significantly worse in the suboptimal group than in the adherent group. Multivariate analysis showed depressive polarity of the last acute episode, presence of subsyndromal symptoms, and substance abuse/dependence to be significantly associated with suboptimal treatment adherence (odds ratios 3.41, 2.13, and 1.95, respectively.Conclusion: A high prevalence of nonadherence was found in an outpatient sample with bipolar disorder. Identification of factors related to treatment adherence would give clinicians the opportunity to select more adequately patients who are eligible for potential adherence-focused interventions.Keywords: bipolar disorder, treatment adherence, functioning, polarity, subsyndromal symptoms

  9. Self-perception of knowledge and adherence reflecting the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dagli-Hernandez, Carolina; Lucchetta, Rosa Camila; de Nadai, Tales Rubens; Galduróz, José Carlos Fernandez; Mastroianni, Patricia de Carvalho

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate which indirect method for assessing adherence best reflects highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) effectiveness and the factors related to adherence. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed in 2012 at a reference center of the state of São Paulo. Self-report (simplified medication adherence questionnaire [SMAQ]) and drug refill parameters were compared to the viral load (clinical parameter of the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy [EP]) to evaluate the EP. The "Cuestionario para la Evaluación de la Adhesión al Tratamiento Antiretroviral" (CEAT-VIH) was used to evaluate factors related to adherence and the EP and, complementarily, patient self-perception of adherence was compared to the clinical parameter of the EP. Seventy-five patients were interviewed, 60 of whom were considered as adherent from the clinical parameter of the EP and ten were considered as adherent from all parameters. Patient self-perception about adherence was the instrument that best reflected the EP when compared to the standardized self-report questionnaire (SMAQ) and drug refill parameter. The level of education and the level of knowledge on HAART were positively correlated to the EP. Forgetfulness, alcohol use, and lack of knowledge about the medications were the factors most frequently reported as a cause of nonadherence. A new parameter of patient self-perception of adherence, which is a noninvasive, inexpensive instrument, could be applied and assessed as easily as self-report (SMAQ) during monthly drug refill, since it allows monitoring adherence through pharmaceutical assistance. Therefore, patient adherence to HAART could be evaluated using self-perception (CEAT-VIH) and the viral load test.

  10. Adherence to Radiology Recommendations in a Clinical CT Lung Screening Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alshora, Sama; McKee, Brady J; Regis, Shawn M; Borondy Kitts, Andrea K; Bolus, Christopher C; McKee, Andrea B; French, Robert J; Flacke, Sebastian; Wald, Christoph

    2018-02-01

    Assess patient adherence to radiologist recommendations in a clinical CT lung cancer screening program. Patients undergoing CT lung cancer screening between January 12, 2012, and June 12, 2013, were included in this institutional review board-approved retrospective review. Patients referred from outside our institution were excluded. All patients met National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines Lung Cancer Screening high-risk criteria. Full-time program navigators used a CT lung screening program management system to schedule patient appointments, generate patient result notification letters detailing the radiologist follow-up recommendation, and track patient and referring physician notification of missed appointments at 30, 60, and 90 days. To be considered adherent, patients could be no more than 90 days past due for their next recommended examination as of September 12, 2014. Patients who died, were diagnosed with cancer, or otherwise became ineligible for screening were considered adherent. Adherence rates were assessed across multiple variables. During the study interval, 1,162 high-risk patients were screened, and 261 of 1,162 (22.5%) outside referrals were excluded. Of the remaining 901 patients, 503 (55.8%) were male, 414 (45.9%) were active smokers, 377 (41.8%) were aged 65 to 73, and >95% were white. Of the 901 patients, 772 (85.7%) were adherent. Most common reasons for nonadherence were patient refusal of follow-up exam (66.7%), inability to successfully contact the patient (20.9%), and inability to obtain the follow-up order from the referring provider (7.8%); 23 of 901 (2.6%) were discharged for other reasons. High rates of adherence to radiologist recommendations are achievable for in-network patients enrolled in a clinical CT lung screening program. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. When and Why Dropouts Leave High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stearns, Elizabeth; Glennie, Elizabeth J.

    2006-01-01

    Teens may leave school because of academic failure, disciplinary problems, or employment opportunities. In this article, the authors test whether the reasons dropouts leave school differ by grade level and age. We compare dropout rates and reasons across grade levels and ages for all high school students, ethnic groups, and gender groups. Across…

  12. Highlighting High Performance: Clearview Elementary School, Hanover, Pennsylvania

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2002-08-01

    Case study on high performance building features of Clearview Elementary School in Hanover, Pennsylvania. Clearview Elementary School in Hanover, Pennsylvania, is filled with natural light, not only in classrooms but also in unexpected, and traditionally dark, places like stairwells and hallways. The result is enhanced learning. Recent scientific studies conducted by the California Board for Energy Efficiency, involving 21,000 students, show test scores were 15% to 26% higher in classrooms with daylighting. Clearview's ventilation system also helps students and teachers stay healthy, alert, and focused on learning. The school's superior learning environment comes with annual average energy savings of about 40% over a conventional school. For example, with so much daylight, the school requires about a third less energy for electric lighting than a typical school. The school's innovative geothermal heating and cooling system uses the constant temperature of the Earth to cool and heat the building. The building and landscape designs work together to enhance solar heating in the winter, summer cooling, and daylighting all year long. Students and teachers have the opportunity to learn about high-performance design by studying their own school. At Clearview, the Hanover Public School District has shown that designing a school to save energy is affordable. Even with its many innovative features, the school's $6.35 million price tag is just $150,000 higher than average for elementary schools in Pennsylvania. Projected annual energy cost savings of approximately $18,000 mean a payback in 9 years. Reasonable construction costs demonstrate that other school districts can build schools that conserve energy, protect natural resources, and provide the educational and health benefits that come with high-performance buildings.

  13. Benefits of adherence to psychotropic medications on depressive symptoms and antiretroviral medication adherence among men and women living with HIV/AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruess, Dean G; Kalichman, Seth C; Amaral, Christine; Swetzes, Connie; Cherry, Chauncey; Kalichman, Moira O

    2012-04-01

    Psychotropic medications are commonly used for depressive symptoms among people living with HIV/AIDS. We examined the relationships between adherence to psychotropic medications, depressive symptoms, and antiretroviral adherence. We assessed depressive symptoms among 324 people living with HIV/AIDS across a 3-month period (70% men; mean age 45 years; 90% African-American). Psychotropic and antiretroviral adherence was assessed using monthly, unannounced telephone pill counts. Multiple-regression and mediation analyses were utilized to examine associations under investigation. Greater depressive symptoms were associated with lower antiretroviral and psychotropic medication adherence. Greater adherence to psychotropic medications regardless of medication class was positively related to higher antiretroviral adherence. Greater adherence to psychotropic medications also significantly mediated the association between depressive symptoms and antiretroviral adherence. This study demonstrates the benefits of adherence to psychotropic medications on both depressive symptoms and antiretroviral adherence. Future work examining psychotropic medication adherence on disease outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS is warranted.

  14. Scientific Literacy of High School Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas, Keith B.; Tulip, David F.

    This investigation was undertaken in order to establish the status of scientific literacy among three groups of secondary school students in four Brisbane, Australia high schools, and to reduce the apparent reticence of science teachers to evaluate students' achievement in the various dimensions of scientific literacy by demonstrating appropriate…

  15. Investigating Reasons for CPAP Adherence in Adolescents: A Qualitative Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prashad, Priya S.; Marcus, Carole L.; Maggs, Jill; Stettler, Nicolas; Cornaglia, Mary A.; Costa, Priscilla; Puzino, Kristina; Xanthopoulos, Melissa; Bradford, Ruth; Barg, Frances K.

    2013-01-01

    Study Objectives: Adolescents with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) represent an important but understudied subgroup of long-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) users. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify factors related to adherence from the perspective of adolescents and their caregivers. Methods: Individual open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents (n = 21) and caregivers (n = 20). Objective adherence data from the adolescents' CPAP machines during the previous month was obtained. Adolescents with different adherence levels and their caregivers were asked their views on CPAP. Using a modified grounded theory approach, we identified themes and developed theories that explained the adolescents' adherence patterns. Results: Adolescent participants (n = 21) were aged 12-18 years, predominantly male (n = 15), African American (n = 16), users of CPAP for at least one month. Caregivers were mainly mothers (n = 17). Seven adolescents had high use (mean use 381 ± 80 min per night), 7 had low use (mean use 30 ± 24 min per night), and 7 had no use during the month prior to being interviewed. Degree of structure in the home, social reactions, mode of communication among family members, and perception of benefits were issues that played a role in CPAP adherence. Conclusions: Understanding the adolescent and family experience of using CPAP may be key to increasing adolescent CPAP adherence. As a result of our findings, we speculate that health education, peer support groups, and developmentally appropriate individualized support strategies may be important in promoting adherence. Future studies should examine these theories of CPAP adherence. Citation: Prashad PS; Marcus CL; Maggs J; Stettler N; Cornaglia MA; Costa P; Puzino K; Xanthopoulos M; Bradford R; Barg FK. Investigating reasons for CPAP adherence in adolescents: a qualitative approach. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(12):1303-1313. PMID:24340293

  16. The Effects of Home-School Dissonance on African American Male High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown-Wright, Lynda; Tyler, Kenneth Maurice

    2010-01-01

    The current study examined associations between home-school dissonance and several academic and psychological variables among 80 African American male high school students. Regression analyses revealed that home-school dissonance significantly predicted multiple academic and psychological variables, including amotivation, academic cheating,…

  17. High school students as science researchers: Opportunities and challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, W. R.; Grannas, A. M.

    2007-12-01

    Today's K-12 students will be the scientists and engineers who bring currently emerging technologies to fruition. Existing research endeavors will be continued and expanded upon in the future only if these students are adequately prepared. High school-university collaborations provide an effective means of recruiting and training the next generation of scientists and engineers. Here, we describe our successful high school-university collaboration in the context of other models. We have developed an authentic inquiry-oriented environmental chemistry research program involving high school students as researchers. The impetus behind the development of this project was twofold. First, participation in authentic research may give some of our students the experience and drive to enter technical studies after high school. One specific goal was to develop a program to recruit underrepresented minorities into university STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs. Second, inquiry-oriented lessons have been shown to be highly effective in developing scientific literacy among the general population of students. This collaboration involves the use of local resources and equipment available to most high schools and could serve as a model for developing high school- university partnerships.

  18. IMPACT OF SCHOOL TUTORING IN THE PROJECTION OF HIGH SCHOOL ADULT STUDENTS, SEMIPRESENTIAL MODALITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Héctor José Peinado-Guevara

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The semipresential modality at high school level for adults, as the offered in the nightlife high school of the Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa, that creates high expectations for Sinaloa´s society, to give the student an opportunity to continue its educational development in high school level and, lead him to continue with their vocational training. With this investigation, and given to their conditions, the objective it´s to know the competitive level at the beginning and during the development in the institution, also to identify the influence of the school tutoring in the development of adult students in high school. It was identified the income profile of students to the institution; was necessary to rescue the results of CENEVAL and EDAOM tests, practiced at the entry of students to the institution. Together this tools, was necessary to practice two questionnaires to evaluate the students perception about their teachers; and another one to identify the main problems they faced and the function of their school tutor in the institution. With the data obtained, were identified some deficiencies of semipresential system, especially in educational planning. Even though the students recognizes that the tutoring its fundamental to the incorporation of students to academic activities and that exists a high level of acceptance to the programs set by the institution.

  19. High School Students' Views on Blended Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yapici, Ibrahim Umit; Akbayin, Hasan

    2012-01-01

    In this study, it is aimed to determine the high school students' views on blended learning. The study was carried out in biology course for the lesson unit of "Classification of Living Things and Biodiversity" with 47 9[superscript th] grade students attending Nevzat Ayaz Anatolian High School in the second term of the academic year of…

  20. Analyzing the Cost-Effectiveness of Instruction Expenditures towards High School Completion among Oahu's Public School Districts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Larson S. W. M.

    2011-01-01

    The following study attempted to ascertain the instructional cost-effectiveness of public high school teachers towards high school completion through a financially based econometric analysis. Essentially, public high school instruction expenditures and completer data were collected from 2000 to 2007 and bivariate interaction analyzed through a…

  1. Humanizing the High School: The Power of Peers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stader, David L.; Gagnepain, F. J.

    2000-01-01

    Discusses what high schools can do to improve student relationships, highlighting a St. Louis area school's efforts to develop peer-mentoring and peer-mediation programs. Offers guidelines to help other schools develop a school culture that promotes caring, teaches constructive conflict resolution, and reduces potential for violence. (MLH)

  2. Resistance profiles and adherence at primary virological failure in three different highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens: analysis of failure rates in a randomized study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Røge, B T; Barfod, T S; Kirk, O

    2004-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To investigate the interplay between resistance and adherence in the virological failure of three fundamentally different highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 56 verified primary virological failures (viral load >400 HIV-1 RNA...... copies/mL) among 293 patients randomized to two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)+ritonavir+saquinavir (RS-arm) (n=115), two NRTIs+nevirapine+nelfinavir (NN-arm) (n=118), or abacavir+stavudine+didanosine (ASD-arm) (n=60) followed up for a median of 90 weeks. Data on adherence were...... collected from patient files, and genotyping was performed on plasma samples collected at time of failure. RESULTS: Treatment interruption or poor adherence was mainly caused by side effects and accounted for 74% of failures, and was associated with absence of resistance mutations. In the 30 failing...

  3. How patients take malaria treatment: a systematic review of the literature on adherence to antimalarial drugs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katia Bruxvoort

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: High levels of patient adherence to antimalarial treatment are important in ensuring drug effectiveness. To achieve this goal, it is important to understand levels of patient adherence, and the range of study designs and methodological challenges involved in measuring adherence and interpreting results. Since antimalarial adherence was reviewed in 2004, there has been a major expansion in the use of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs in the public sector, as well as initiatives to make them more widely accessible through community health workers and private retailers. These changes and the large number of recent adherence studies raise the need for an updated review on this topic. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review of studies reporting quantitative results on patient adherence to antimalarials obtained for treatment. RESULTS: The 55 studies identified reported extensive variation in patient adherence to antimalarials, with many studies reporting very high adherence (90-100% and others finding adherence of less than 50%. We identified five overarching approaches to assessing adherence based on the definition of adherence and the methods used to measure it. Overall, there was no clear pattern in adherence results by approach. However, adherence tended to be higher among studies where informed consent was collected at the time of obtaining the drug, where patient consultations were directly observed by research staff, and where a diagnostic test was obtained. CONCLUSION: Variations in reported adherence may reflect factors related to patient characteristics and the nature of their consultation with the provider, as well as methodological variations such as interaction between the research team and patients before and during the treatment. Future studies can benefit from an awareness of the impact of study procedures on adherence outcomes, and the identification of improved measurement methods less dependent on self-report.

  4. How patients take malaria treatment: a systematic review of the literature on adherence to antimalarial drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruxvoort, Katia; Goodman, Catherine; Kachur, S Patrick; Schellenberg, David

    2014-01-01

    High levels of patient adherence to antimalarial treatment are important in ensuring drug effectiveness. To achieve this goal, it is important to understand levels of patient adherence, and the range of study designs and methodological challenges involved in measuring adherence and interpreting results. Since antimalarial adherence was reviewed in 2004, there has been a major expansion in the use of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in the public sector, as well as initiatives to make them more widely accessible through community health workers and private retailers. These changes and the large number of recent adherence studies raise the need for an updated review on this topic. We conducted a systematic review of studies reporting quantitative results on patient adherence to antimalarials obtained for treatment. The 55 studies identified reported extensive variation in patient adherence to antimalarials, with many studies reporting very high adherence (90-100%) and others finding adherence of less than 50%. We identified five overarching approaches to assessing adherence based on the definition of adherence and the methods used to measure it. Overall, there was no clear pattern in adherence results by approach. However, adherence tended to be higher among studies where informed consent was collected at the time of obtaining the drug, where patient consultations were directly observed by research staff, and where a diagnostic test was obtained. Variations in reported adherence may reflect factors related to patient characteristics and the nature of their consultation with the provider, as well as methodological variations such as interaction between the research team and patients before and during the treatment. Future studies can benefit from an awareness of the impact of study procedures on adherence outcomes, and the identification of improved measurement methods less dependent on self-report.

  5. Approaches to School Leadership in Inclusive STEM High Schools: A Cross-Case Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, Michael Robert

    Inclusive STEM-focused high schools (ISHSs) are a relatively new phenomenon in the landscape of public education. This study of four exemplar ISHSs (identified by experts in STEM education as highly successfully in preparing students underrepresented in STEM for STEM majors in college and future STEM careers) provides a rich description of the approach to ISHS school leadership by identifying various internal and external leadership factors influencing school leadership. This study examined an existing data set that included site visits to four ISHSs along with pre- and post-visit data, and a cross-case analysis focused on the leadership contributions of ISHS leaders and their larger community. This study found that the ISHSs expanded the concept of school leadership to include leadership both within and outside the school. In addition, school leaders needed autonomy to innovate and respond to their schools' needs. This included autonomy in hiring new teachers, autonomy from school district influence, and autonomy from restrictive teachers' union regulation and policies. Finally, ISHSs needed to continually invest in increasing their schools' capacities. This included investing in teacher professionalization, providing pathways for school leadership, collaborating with business and industry, and identifying the best student supports. A product of this study was a proposition for characterizing school leadership in an ISHS. This proposition may offer valuable insight, implications, and information for states and schools districts that may be planning or improving STEM education programs.

  6. Case Studies of Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Relevance Strategic Designs: 6. Perspectives Charter School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shields, Regis Anne; Ireland, Nicole; City, Elizabeth; Derderian, Julie; Miles, Karen Hawley

    2008-01-01

    This report is one of nine detailed case studies of small urban high schools that served as the foundation for the Education Resource Strategies (ERS) report "Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools." These nine schools were dubbed "Leading Edge Schools" because they stand apart from other high…

  7. Antipsychotic medication non-adherence among schizophrenia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2018-03-05

    Mar 5, 2018 ... Non-adherence can cause high rates of relapse within 5 years of recovery from the first episode.7. Thus, lack of .... schizophrenia patients at Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa,. Ethiopia, June 2014 (n = 412). 0. No substance use. Alcohol. Cigarre e. Chat. Alcohol/Cigarete/Chat. Cigarrete/ ...

  8. HYPERTENSION IN THE ELDERLY: AN APPROACH TO MEDICATION ADHERENCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. N. Cunha

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Systemic arterial hypertension is a chronic disease of high prevalence in Brazil, considered a public health problem. The purpose of this study was to analyze medication adherence by the elderly, for this, a quantitative study was carried out with hypertensive patients enrolled in the Hiperdia program and attended in a Basic Health Unit at Sinop, Mato Grosso. Individual interviews were conducted with the elderly in the Family Health Strategy, at prescheduled time and place according to the patient's availability. The interview script was structured with simple, direct and easy-to-understand questions, involving three aspects: socio-demographic variables (gender, age and income, guided questions about the pathology in question (eating habits, physical exercises, drug therapy and assessment of adherence to antihypertensive treatment. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and the prevalence coefficients were calculated. Fifteen elderly (50% adherents to the drug treatment were identified, of whom 13 were female and only two were male, thus making evident that women seek more the public health service and adhere better to the treatment. Given this, it is necessary to seek strategies that allow greater adherence to treatment and that encourage the male gender to seek health services for constant monitoring and not only in extreme cases.

  9. A renewed Medication Adherence Alliance call to action: harnessing momentum to address medication nonadherence in the United States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zullig LL

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Leah L Zullig,1,2 Bradi B Granger,3 Hayden B Bosworth,1–4 On behalf of the Medication Adherence Alliance 1Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Duke University, 3Duke Heart Center Nursing Research Program, School of Nursing, Duke University, 4Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA The problem: Nonadherence to prescription medications is a common and costly problem with multiple contributing factors, spanning the dimensions of individual behavior change, psychology, medicine, and health policy, among others. Addressing the problem of medication nonadherence requires strategic input from key experts in a number of fields.Meeting of experts: The Medication Adherence Alliance is a group of key experts, predominately from the US, in the field of medication nonadherence. Members include representatives from consumer advocacy groups, community health providers, nonprofit groups, the academic community, decision-making government officials, and industry. In 2015, the Medication Adherence Alliance convened to review the current landscape of medication adherence. The group then established three working groups that will develop recommendations for shifting toward solutions-oriented science.Commentary of expert opinion: From the perspective of the Medication Adherence Alliance, the objective of this commentary is to describe changes in the US landscape of medication adherence, framing the evolving field in the context of a recent think tank meeting of experts in the field of medication adherence. Keywords: medication adherence, health planning recommendations, chronic disease

  10. A School-Based Multilevel Study of Adolescent Suicide Ideation in California High Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benbenishty, Rami; Astor, Ron Avi; Roziner, Ilan

    2018-05-01

    To assess the between-school variation in suicide ideation and to estimate the contribution of school-level attributes, student-level characteristics, and 2 cross-level interactions (school by student) to student suicide ideation. A secondary analysis of the California Healthy Kids Survey in 2 large and representative samples of California high schools and students: 2009-2011 and 2011-2013. This is a population sample of all public high school students (grades 9 and 11) in California. Analyses were first conducted on surveys administered in the 2011-2013 academic years to 790 schools with 345 203 students and replicated on surveys administered in 2009-2011 to 860 schools with 406 313 students. School-level suicide ideation rates ranged between 4% and 67%, with a median of 19.3% and mean of 20.0% (SD, 5.7%). Student suicide ideation was explained by student-level characteristics (R 2  = .20) and to a larger extent by school-level attributes (R 2  = .55). Student-level characteristics predictive of suicide ideation included, sex, ethnic and racial affiliation, victimization, and perceptions of school climate. In both samples, school size and average level of academic achievement were not associated with rates of school suicide ideation. Schools with a larger number of girls and higher levels of victimization had higher rates of suicide ideation in both samples. The hypotheses regarding cross-level interactions were not confirmed. Differences among schools in student suicide ideation are meaningful. The findings suggest an emphasis on the role of schools in prevention programs, public health campaigns to reduce suicide, multilevel research, and theory development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Affect of school related factors in the student's choices of the high school

    OpenAIRE

    Gönül Cengiz; Osman Titrek; Özcan Erkan Akgün

    2007-01-01

    It is studied that to determine the school related factors which affects the students’ choices of the high school, according to the type of the schools. This is a survey study. The participants are 523  9 th grade students in 21 secondary schools in Adapazarı. SPSS is used for analyzing data. Kay-Kare Test is used to determine the demografic differences due to the type of the school. To analyze the data for the school related factors, Kruskal Wallis is used. As a result, it is expr...

  12. Sexual Harassment, Bullying, and School Outcomes for High School Girls and Boys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, James; Fineran, Susan

    2016-01-01

    A comparison of the impact of bullying and sexual harassment on five school outcomes was conducted on a sample of high school students. Results revealed that sexual harassment was a stronger predictor than bullying of all school outcomes for both sexes, but especially for girls. This study suggests that sexual harassment, which activates sexist and heterosexist stereotypes, erodes school engagement, alienates students from teachers, and adversely affects academic achievement, to a greater degree than bullying does. © The Author(s) 2015.

  13. The Impact of Low, Moderate, and High Military Family Mobility School District Transfer Rates on Graduating Senior High School Dependents' Achievement and School Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rippe, Jeffrey K.

    2012-01-01

    The results of this study suggest that there were no significant differences in the academic performance of military dependents' with low (n = 20), moderate (n = 20), and high (n = 20) mobility school district transfer rates compared to non-military control students (n = 20) before completing high school. The findings were not consistent with…

  14. Asthma and Adherence to Inhaled Corticosteroids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bårnes, Camilla Boslev; Ulrik, Charlotte Suppli

    2015-01-01

    Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the cornerstone of maintenance asthma therapy. However, in spite of this, adherence to ICS remains low. The aim of this systematic literature review was to provide an overview of the current knowledge of adherence to ICS, effects of poor adherence, and means...... was found to be between 22 and 63%, with improvement up to and after an exacerbation. Poor adherence was associated with youth, being African-American, having mild asthma, ... prescribed fixed-combination therapy (ICS and long-acting β2 agonists). Good adherence was associated with higher FEV1, a lower percentage of eosinophils in sputum, reduction in hospitalizations, less use of oral corticosteroids, and lower mortality rate. Overall, 24% of exacerbations and 60% of asthma...

  15. Highlighting High Performance: Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School; Upton, Massachusetts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2006-10-01

    This brochure describes the key high-performance building features of the Blackstone Valley High School. The brochure was paid for by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as part of their Green Schools Initiative. High-performance features described are daylighting and energy-efficient lighting, indoor air quality, solar energy, building envelope, heating and cooling systems, and water conservation. Energy cost savings are also discussed.

  16. Evaluation of the effectiveness of a school-based cannabis prevention program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariza, Carles; Pérez, Anna; Sánchez-Martínez, Francesca; Diéguez, Marta; Espelt, Albert; Pasarín, M Isabel; Suelves, Josep M; De la Torre, Rafael; Nebot, Manuel

    2013-09-01

    The effectiveness of a cannabis prevention program in high school students was assessed. A quasi-experimental study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention implemented in an intervention group (IG) with 39 schools compared with a control group (CG) of 47 schools not exposed to the intervention. Of 224 secondary schools in Barcelona, 86 were assessed in the 2005-2006 school year through a personal questionnaire administered at baseline and 15 months after the intervention. Participants consisted of 4848 ninth graders (14-15 year-olds), 2803 assigned to the IG and 2043 to the CG, according to the type and size of the school and the socioeconomic status of the school's neighborhood. The intervention consisted of a school-based cannabis prevention program (xkpts.com), with four sessions and 16 activities, implemented over 6-10h, with materials for parents and web-based student involvement. Last-month cannabis use was assessed at baseline and at 15 months' follow-up. Process evaluation indicators were assessed. At 15 months follow-up, 8.2% of boys and 8.3% of girls in the IG became last-month cannabis users versus 11.8% of boys and 11.6% of girls in the CG. These differences were statistically significant (p=0.003), representing a 29% reduction in last-month cannabis users in the IG compared with the CG. The incidence of last-month cannabis use was lowest in classrooms that adhered to the program protocol. The xkpts.com program was effective in preventing progression to last-month cannabis use. Effectiveness was higher in classrooms that adhered closely to the protocol. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Graduation Rates in South Carolina Public High Schools: The Effect of School Size and Socioeconomic Status

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivers, Thomas E., Jr.

    2012-01-01

    This study included a comparison of the graduation rates among high schools in South Carolina closely analyzing school size and socioeconomic status. The purpose for the study was to answer two questions: What patterns and relationships exist between school size and graduation rates at high schools in South Carolina? What patterns and…

  18. Dilator Use After Vaginal Brachytherapy for Endometrial Cancer: A Randomized Feasibility and Adherence Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanlon, Alexandra; Small, William; Strauss, Jonathan; Lin, Lilie L; Hanisch, Laura; Huang, Liming; Bai, Jinbing; Wells, Jessica; Bruner, Deborah Watkins

    Vaginal brachytherapy, a common treatment of endometrial cancer, is associated with high rates of vaginal stenosis. Recommendations for vaginal dilator use to minimize stenosis generally include 3 times per week for approximately 10 minutes per use. However, adherence rates range widely and are generally well less than 50%. The aims of this study were to assess feasibility of recruitment to a study of dilator use and test a theoretically driven enhanced educational program (EEP) to increase adherence. Eligibility included women treated with postoperative vaginal brachytherapy for stage I to IIIc endometrial cancer. Patients were randomized to either nurse-delivered standard institutional instruction or EEP. Of eligible patients, 76% consented, 42 were randomized, and 69% completed the 6-month assessment. Mean age was 58.2 years; 48% were sexually active. There was no difference in adherence between arms. Overall, 20% and 8.3% were adherent to the prescribed use of 3 times per week, and 64% and 16% were adherent to use at least once per week at 6 weeks and 6 months, respectively. Adherence was greater among those motivated by vaginal health and having lower body mass index. Nonadherence was significantly higher among those who are college educated, in the EEP group, and with higher weight. Feasibility of recruitment into a study of vaginal dilator use was high. Adherence was low, and there was no difference between groups. Adherence to vaginal dilator use requires novel interventions to test. Nursing education that includes how dilators may maintain vaginal health may improve use because it was a motivator for adherence in this study.

  19. Live-cell calcium imaging of adherent and non-adherent GL261 cells reveals phenotype-dependent differences in drug responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strong, Averey D; Daniels, Richard L

    2017-08-02

    The tumor-derived GL261 cell line is used as a model for studying glioblastoma and other high-grade gliomas, and can be cultured adherently or as free-floating aggregates known as neurospheres. These different culture conditions give rise to distinct phenotypes, with increased tumorigenicity displayed by neurosphere-cultured cells. An important technique for understanding GL261 pathobiology is live cell fluorescent imaging of intracellular calcium. However, live cell imaging of GL261 neurospheres presents a technical challenge, as experimental manipulations where drugs are added to the extracellular media cause the cells to move during analysis. Here we present a method to immobilize GL261 neurospheres with low melting point agarose for calcium imaging using the fluorescent calcium sensor fura-2. GL261 cells were obtained from the NCI-Frederick Cancer Research Tumor Repository and cultured as adherent cells or induced to form neurospheres by placing freshly trypsinized cells into serum-free media containing fibroblast growth factor 2, epidermal growth factor, and B-27 supplement. Prior to experiments, adherent cells were loaded with fura-2 and cultured on 8-well chamber slides. Non-adherent neurospheres were first loaded with fura-2, placed in droplets onto an 8-well chamber slide, and finally covered with a thin layer of low melting point agarose to immobilize the cells. Ratiometric pseudocolored images were obtained during treatment with ATP, capsaicin, or vehicle control. Cells were marked as responsive if fluorescence levels increased more than 30% above baseline. Differences between treatment groups were tested using Student's t-tests and one-way ANOVA. We found that cellular responses to pharmacological treatments differ based on cellular phenotype. Adherent cells and neurospheres both responded to ATP with a rise in intracellular calcium. Notably, capsaicin treatment led to robust responses in GL261 neurospheres but not adherent cells. We demonstrate the use

  20. Predictors of Vitamin Adherence After Bariatric Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunil, Supreet; Santiago, Vincent A; Gougeon, Lorraine; Warwick, Katie; Okrainec, Allan; Hawa, Raed; Sockalingam, Sanjeev

    2017-02-01

    Vitamin supplementation in bariatric aftercare is essential to prevent nutrient deficiencies; however, rates of vitamin adherence have been as low as 30 % 6 months post-surgery. Preliminary literature suggests non-adherence to prescribed treatments can be linked to demographic and psychological factors. We aimed to determine the relationship between these factors to vitamin adherence in post-bariatric surgery patients. A total of 92 bariatric patients were assessed 6 months post-surgery. Patients were administered a questionnaire collecting demographic information, psychological scores, and self-reported adherence. Nutrient deficiencies were analyzed through serum vitamin levels measured 3 and 6 months after surgery. Wilcoxon rank-sum and chi-square tests were used for analysis. Non-adherence was associated with male sex and full-time employment (p = 0.027, p = 0.015). There were no differences with respect to living situation, education level, or relationship type. Non-adherent patients did not have significantly higher scores for generalized anxiety, depressive symptoms, or avoidant behaviors. However, non-adherent patients displayed greater attachment anxiety than their adherent counterparts (p = 0.0186). Non-adherence was also associated with lower vitamin B12 levels 6 months post-surgery (p = 0.001). Male gender and full-time work have previously been shown to be associated with non-adherence. This is the first study to demonstrate that attachment anxiety is associated with poor multivitamin adherence in the post-surgical bariatric population. This result is concordant with recent literature that has demonstrated attachment anxiety is associated with poor adherence to dietary recommendations in bariatric patients 6 months postoperatively. Presurgical screening for attachment anxiety could facilitate early interventions to promote better bariatric aftercare in this group.

  1. The 9th Grade Shock and the High School Dropout Crisis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pharris-Ciurej, Nikolas; Hirschman, Charles; Willhoft, Joseph

    2011-01-01

    Retrospective questions on educational attainment in national surveys and censuses tend to over-estimate high school graduation rates by 15 to 20 percentage points relative to administrative records. Administrative data on educational enrollment are, however, only available at the aggregate level (state, school district, and school levels) and the recording of inter-school transfers are generally incomplete. With access to linked individual-level administrative records from a very large “West Coast metropolitan school district” we track patterns of high school attrition and on-time high school graduation of individual students. Even with adjustments for the omission of out-of-district transfers (estimates of omission are presented), the results of this study show that failure in high school, as indexed by retention and attrition, are almost as common as on-time high school graduation. In addition to the usual risk factors of disadvantaged background, we find that the “9th grade shock”—an unpredicted decline in academic performance upon entering high school—is a key mechanism behind the continuing crisis of high school attrition. PMID:23017804

  2. Current Situation of Medication Adherence in Hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vrijens, Bernard; Antoniou, Sotiris; Burnier, Michel; de la Sierra, Alejandro; Volpe, Massimo

    2017-01-01

    Despite increased awareness, poor adherence to treatments for chronic diseases remains a global problem. Adherence issues are common in patients taking antihypertensive therapy and associated with increased risks of coronary and cerebrovascular events. Whilst there has been a gradual trend toward improved control of hypertension, the number of patients with blood pressure values above goal has remained constant. This has both personal and economic consequences. Medication adherence is a multifaceted issue and consists of three components: initiation, implementation, and persistence. A combination of methods is recommended to measure adherence, with electronic monitoring and drug measurement being the most accurate. Pill burden, resulting from free combinations of blood pressure lowering treatments, makes the daily routine of medication taking complex, which can be a barrier to optimal adherence. Single-pill fixed-dose combinations simplify the habit of medication taking and improve medication adherence. Re-packing of medication is also being utilized as a method of improving adherence. This paper presents the outcomes of discussions by a European group of experts on the current situation of medication adherence in hypertension.

  3. Bullying among High School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nursel TÜRKMEN, Delia; Halis DOKGÖZ, Mihai; Semra AKGÖZ, Suzana; Bülent EREN, Bogdan Nicolae; Pınar VURAL, Horatiu; Oğuz POLAT, Horatiu

    2013-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective: The main aim of this research is to investigate the prevalence of bullying behaviour, its victims and the types of bullying and places of bullying among 14-17 year-old adolescents in a sample of school children in Bursa, Turkey. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey questionnaire was conducted among class 1 and class 2 high school students for identification bullying. Results: Majority (96.7%) of the students were involved in bullying behaviours as aggressors or victims. For a male student, the likelihood of being involved in violent behaviours was detected to be nearly 8.4 times higher when compared with a female student. Conclusion: a multidisciplinary approach involving affected children, their parents, school personnel, media, non-govermental organizations, and security units is required to achieve an effective approach for the prevention of violence targeting children in schools as victims and/or perpetrators. PMID:24371478

  4. The physical activity climate in Minnesota middle and high schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuelson, Anne; Lytle, Leslie; Pasch, Keryn; Farbakhsh, Kian; Moe, Stacey; Sirard, John Ronald

    2010-11-01

    This article describes policies, practices, and facilities that form the physical activity climate in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota metro area middle and high schools and examines how the physical activity climate varies by school characteristics, including public/private, school location and grade level. Surveys examining school physical activity practices, policies and environment were administered to principals and physical education department heads from 115 middle and high schools participating in the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer-Identifying Determinants of Eating and Activity (TREC-IDEA) study. While some supportive practices were highly prevalent in the schools studied (such as prohibiting substitution of other classes for physical education); other practices were less common (such as providing opportunity for intramural (noncompetitive) sports). Public schools vs. private schools and schools with a larger school enrollment were more likely to have a school climate supportive of physical activity. Although schools reported elements of positive physical activity climates, discrepancies exist by school characteristics. Of note, public schools were more than twice as likely as private schools to have supportive physical activity environments. Establishing more consistent physical activity expectations and funding at the state and national level is necessary to increase regular school physical activity.

  5. High School Sport Specialization Patterns of Current Division I Athletes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Post, Eric G; Thein-Nissenbaum, Jill M; Stiffler, Mikel R; Brooks, M Alison; Bell, David R; Sanfilippo, Jennifer L; Trigsted, Stephanie M; Heiderscheit, Bryan C; McGuine, Timothy A

    Sport specialization is a strategy to acquire superior sport performance in 1 sport but is associated with increased injury risk. Currently, the degree of high school specialization among Division I athletes is unknown. College athletes will display increased rates of specialization as they progress through their high school careers. Descriptive epidemiological study. Level 4. Three hundred forty-three athletes (115 female) representing 9 sports from a Midwest Division I University completed a previously utilized sport specialization questionnaire regarding sport participation patterns for each grade of high school. McNemar and chi-square tests were used to investigate associations of grade, sport, and sex with prevalence of sport specialization category (low, moderate, high) (a priori P ≤ 0.05). Specialization increased throughout high school, with 16.9% (n = 58) and 41.1% (n = 141) of athletes highly specialized in 9th and 12th grades, respectively. Football athletes were less likely to be highly specialized than nonfootball athletes for each year of high school ( P 0.23). The majority of Division I athletes were not classified as highly specialized throughout high school, but the prevalence of high specialization increased as athletes progressed through high school. Nonfootball athletes were more likely to be highly specialized than football athletes at each grade level. Most athletes who are recruited to participate in collegiate athletics will eventually specialize in their sport, but it does not appear that early specialization is necessary to become a Division I athlete. Athletes should be counseled regarding safe participation in sport during high school to minimize injury and maximize performance.

  6. eHealth Technologies as an Intervention to Improve Adherence to Topical Antipsoriatics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, Mathias Tiedemann; Andersen, Flemming; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Topical antipsoriatics are recommended first-line treatment of psoriasis, but rates of adherence are low. Patient support by use of electronic health (eHealth) services is suggested to improve medical adherence. OBJECTIVE: To review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) testing eHealth...... interventions designed to improve adherence to topical antipsoriatics and to review applications for smartphones (apps) incorporating the word psoriasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Literature review: Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched using search terms for eHealth, psoriasis....... CONCLUSION: There is a critical need for high-quality RCTs testing if the ubiquitous eHealth technologies, e.g. some of the numerous apps, can improve psoriasis patients' rates of adherence to topical antipsoriatics....

  7. Using a Computer-based Messaging System at a High School To Increase School/Home Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burden, Mitzi K.

    Minimal communication between school and home was found to contribute to low performance by students at McDuffie High School (South Carolina). This report describes the experience of establishing a computer-based telephone messaging system in the high school and involving parents, teachers, and students in its use. Additional strategies employed…

  8. Mental models of adherence: parallels in perceptions, values, and expectations in adherence to prescribed home exercise programs and other personal regimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rizzo, Jon; Bell, Alexandra

    2018-05-09

    A mental model is the collection of an individual's perceptions, values, and expectations about a particular aspect of their life, which strongly influences behaviors. This study explored orthopedic outpatients mental models of adherence to prescribed home exercise programs and how they related to mental models of adherence to other types of personal regimens. The study followed an interpretive description qualitative design. Data were collected via two semi-structured interviews. Interview One focused on participants prior experiences adhering to personal regimens. Interview Two focused on experiences adhering to their current prescribed home exercise program. Data analysis followed a constant comparative method. Findings revealed similarity in perceptions, values, and expectations that informed individuals mental models of adherence to personal regimens and prescribed home exercise programs. Perceived realized results, expected results, perceived social supports, and value of convenience characterized mental models of adherence. Parallels between mental models of adherence for prescribed home exercise and other personal regimens suggest that patients adherence behavior to prescribed routines may be influenced by adherence experiences in other aspects of their lives. By gaining insight into patients adherence experiences, values, and expectations across life domains, clinicians may tailor supports that enhance home exercise adherence. Implications for Rehabilitation A mental model is the collection of an individual's perceptions, values, and expectations about a particular aspect of their life, which is based on prior experiences and strongly influences behaviors. This study demonstrated similarity in orthopedic outpatients mental models of adherence to prescribed home exercise programs and adherence to personal regimens in other aspects of their lives. Physical therapists should inquire about patients non-medical adherence experiences, as strategies patients

  9. Improving adherence to antiretroviral therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nischal K

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Antiretroviral therapy (ART has transformed HIV infection into a treatable, chronic condition. However, the need to continue treatment for decades rather than years, calls for a long-term perspective of ART. Adherence to the regimen is essential for successful treatment and sustained viral control. Studies have indicated that at least 95% adherence to ART regimens is optimal. It has been demonstrated that a 10% higher level of adherence results in a 21% reduction in disease progression. The various factors affecting success of ART are social aspects like motivation to begin therapy, ability to adhere to therapy, lifestyle pattern, financial support, family support, pros and cons of starting therapy and pharmacological aspects like tolerability of the regimen, availability of the drugs. Also, the regimen′s pill burden, dosing frequency, food requirements, convenience, toxicity and drug interaction profile compared with other regimens are to be considered before starting ART. The lack of trust between clinician and patient, active drug and alcohol use, active mental illness (e.g. depression, lack of patient education and inability of patients to identify their medications, lack of reliable access to primary medical care or medication are considered to be predictors of inadequate adherence. Interventions at various levels, viz. patient level, medication level, healthcare level and community level, boost adherence and overall outcome of ART.

  10. [Transcultural adaptation of scales for treatment adherence in hemodialysis: Renal Adherence Behaviour Questionnaire(RABQ) and Renal Adherence Attitudes Questionnaire(RAAQ)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, Inês Maria de Jesus; Bandeira, Marina Bittencourt; Pinheiro, Hélady Sanders; Dutra, Nathália Dos Santos

    2015-10-01

    Treatment adherence in hemodialysis is important for guaranteeing better results for patients, but Brazil still lacks validated assessment tools for this purpose. The current study aimed to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Renal Adherence Behaviour Questionnaire (RABQ) and the Renal Adherence Attitudes Questionnaire (RAAQ). The two questionnaires were submitted to the following cross-cultural adaptation procedures: translation, back-translation, expert panel review, and pilot study. Changes were made in the items' wording and application, which requires a face-to-face interview. It was not necessary to change the choices of answers. The Brazilian versions of the RABQ and RAAQ showed semantic and cultural equivalence to the original versions and are easy for the target population to understand. The two scales still require validity and reliability studies before use in the field.

  11. Developing High School Geoscientists through Summer Internships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saltzman, J.

    2012-12-01

    High school students in the San Francisco Bay Area have the opportunity to contribute to Earth sciences research during the summer at Stanford University. The School of Earth Sciences hosts about 25 high school students each summer to support ongoing research, through more than just washing glassware. To increase diversity in the geosciences, we select students from diverse backgrounds through an application process which lessens the burden on busy faculty. The students work for 15-20 hours per week under the supervision of graduate students or postdoctoral fellows. The supervisors come to value the interns for a few reasons: not only are they getting some extra help with their research, but they are getting teaching experience in an informal but powerful way and supervising the interns' work over the summer. Another key part of the internship is bringing all of the interns together regularly. Whether it is for career talks, lab tours or field trip, high school students find kindred spirits in the group. Another important reason for weekly gatherings is to introduce the students to the wide field of Earth sciences and the different approaches and paths that scientists take. The summer ends with a culminating event where interns make short informal presentations about their research which give them an opportunity to articulate the big questions they have been helping to answer. Some interns are also invited to present a poster in a session for high school students at the Fall AGU meeting. These experiences of working in the laboratory and communicating about the research are part of the world of Earth sciences that are absent for most youth. The high school internships foster good will between Stanford and the local communities, help develop a more Earth and environmentally knowledgeable public and may have a long-term affect on diversifying the geosciences by exposing more young people to these fields.

  12. "Higher Expectations" in the Catholic Inner City High School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harkins, William

    1987-01-01

    Considers the implications of statistics on death and poverty in minority communities for Catholic high schools with large minority populations. Sees hope at the heart of the Catholic high school. Discusses how teachers, school climate, and careful curriculum design can help instill this hope in the students. (DMM)

  13. Pharmacist's Role in Improving Medication Adherence in Transplant Recipients With Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khorassani, Farah; Tellier, Shannon; Tsapepas, Demetra

    2018-01-01

    Medication nonadherence rates are high in both the transplant and psychiatric populations. The consequence of medication nonadherence posttransplant is graft rejection and psychiatric decompensation, highlighting the importance of optimizing adherence to medication regimens. Pharmacists may work with transplant patients with psychiatric comorbidity to improve medication adherence through identifying patient-specific barriers and recommending an appropriate intervention. Multiple evidence-based practices for improving nonadherence have been detailed in the transplant and psychiatric population. Medication adherence aids, medication management, patient education, and motivational interviewing are all strategies that may be used to improve adherence. Selecting which interventions to make will be based on the reasons for a patient's nonadherence. Most patients benefit from medication management, patient education, and medication adherence aids. Selection of medication adherence aids may be based on patient demographics, technology literacy, and preference. Motivational interviewing may be considered in patients with intentional nonadherence relating to a lack of insight into their illness or the importance of taking medication. Pharmacists may promote adherence and potentially improve patient outcomes in transplant recipients with comorbid psychiatric disorders through assisting patients with designing a tailored medication adherence plan.

  14. Geriatric syndromes are potential determinants of the medication adherence status in prevalent dialysis patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Ter Chao

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background. Geriatric syndromes (GS exhibit high prevalence in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD under chronic dialysis irrespective of age. We sought to determine whether GS influences medication adherence in ESRD patients. Methods. A prospective cohort of chronic dialysis patients was assembled. The presence of GS components, including frailty/prefrailty, polypharmacy, and malnutrition, were ascertained through a validated questionnaire, electronic records and chart abstraction, and laboratory tests. The severity of medication non-adherence was defined using the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed targeting MMAS results and incorporating relevant clinical features and GS. Results. The prevalence of frailty/pre-frailty, polypharmacy, and hypoalbuminemia/ malnutrition among the enrolled participants was 66.7%, 94%, and 14%, respectively. The average MMAS scores in these dialysis patients were 2 ± 1.7 (range, 0–6, with only 15.7% exhibiting high medication adherence. Multiple regression analyses showed that the absence of frailty/pre-frailty (P = 0.01 were significantly associated with poorer medication adherence, while the presence of polypharmacy (P = 0.02 and lower serum albumin, a potential sign of malnutrition (P = 0.03, were associated with poor adherence in another model. Conclusion. This study is among the very few reports addressing GS and medication adherence, especially in ESRD patients. Interventions targeting frailty, polypharmacy, and malnutrition might potentially improve the medication non-adherence and symptom control in these pill-burdened patients.

  15. Physician reported adherence to immunosuppressants in renal transplant patients: Prevalence, agreement, and correlates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pabst, Selma; Bertram, Anna; Zimmermann, Tanja; Schiffer, Mario; de Zwaan, Martina

    2015-11-01

    Adherence to immunosuppressants (IS) is crucial to prevent allograft rejection. Even though there is evidence that non-adherence to IS among kidney transplant recipients is common, it is rarely routinely assessed in clinical practice. Especially, little is known about how physicians estimate patients' adherence to IS medication. In a single center, cross-sectional study adult patients at least 1 year after kidney transplantation were asked to complete measures of adherence (BAASIS©, Transplant Effect Questionnaire) and of general psychopathology (anxiety, depression, perceived social support). Also the physicians were asked to estimate their patients' adherence. Medical data (time since transplantation, treatment for rejection, IS serum trough levels and target levels) were taken from the patients' charts. Physicians rated 22 of 238 (9.2%) patients as non-adherent. Physicians' estimations of non-adherence were lower compared to the results of the self-ratings and biopsy-proven rejections. No association was found between physicians' estimates and the variability of IS through levels. Significantly more women and patients who reported that their native language was not German were rated as non-adherent by the physicians. Also, physician-rated non-adherent patients reported significantly higher depression and anxiety scores as well as less social support compared to adherent patients. Our results suggest that physicians tend to underestimate patient non-adherence to IS medication. They appear to use observable cues such as sex, language skills, and elevated anxiety and depression scores in particular, to make inferences about an individual patient's adherence. Underestimation of medication non-adherence may impede physicians' ability to provide high quality care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Examples from Astronomy for High School Physics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dieterich, Sergio

    2016-01-01

    A formal course in physics is increasingly becoming a standard requirement in the high school curriculum. With that dissemination comes the challenge of reaching and motivating a population that is more diverse in their academic abilities and intrinsic motivation. The abstract nature of pure physics is often made more accessible when motivated by examples from everyday life, and providing copious mathematical as well as conceptual examples has become standard practice in high school physics textbooks. Astronomy is a naturally captivating subject and astronomical examples are often successful in capturing the curiosity of high school students as well as the general population. This project seeks to diversify the range of pedagogical materials available to the high school physics instructor by compiling and publishing specific examples where an astronomical concept can be used to motivate the physics curriculum. This collection of examples will consist of both short problems suitable for daily homework assignments as well as longer project style activities. Collaborations are encouraged and inquiries should be directed to sdieterich at carnegiescience dot edu.This work is funded by the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship Program through NSF grant AST-1400680.

  17. Effects of Optometry School Recruitment Efforts on Urban and Suburban High School Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Andrew D.; Shepard, Jodi; Orleans, Elizabeth; Chae, Eunmi; Ng-Sarver, Joy

    1999-01-01

    In two Oakland (California) high schools, one urban and one suburban, an audiovisual presentation designed to enhance student interest in optometry as a career was given. Results of the presentation, measured by a questionnaire, suggest that few high school students are considering pursuing an optometry doctoral degree, but an on-site presentation…

  18. Optimizing adherence in HIV prevention product trials: Development and psychometric evaluation of simple tools for screening and adherence counseling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolley, Elizabeth E; Guthrie, Kate Morrow; Zissette, Seth; Fava, Joseph L; Gill, Katherine; Louw, Cheryl E; Kotze, Philip; Reddy, Krishnaveni; MacQueen, Kathleen

    2018-01-01

    Low adherence in recent HIV prevention clinical trials highlights the need to better understand, measure, and support product use within clinical trials. Conventional self-reported adherence instruments within HIV prevention trials, often relying on single-item questions, have proven ineffective. While objective adherence measures are desirable, none currently exist that apply to both active and placebo arms. Scales are composed of multiple items in the form of questions or statements that, when combined, measure a more complex construct that may not be directly observable. When psychometrically validated, such measures may better assess the multiple factors contributing to adherence/non-adherence. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically evaluate tools to screen and monitor trial participants' adherence to HIV prevention products within the context of clinical trial research. Based on an extensive literature review and conceptual framework, we identified and refined 86 items assessing potential predictors of adherence and 48 items assessing adherence experience. A structured survey, including adherence items and other variables, was administered to former ASPIRE and Ring Study participants and similar non-trial participants (n = 709). We conducted exploratory factor analyses (EFA) to identify a reduced set of constructs and items that could be used at screening to predict potential adherence, and at follow-up to monitor and intervene on adherence. We examined associations with other variables to assess content and construct validity. The EFA of screener items resulted in a 6-factor solution with acceptable to very good internal reliability (α: .62-.84). Similar to our conceptual framework, factors represent trial-related commitment (Distrust of Research and Commitment to Research); alignment with trial requirements (Visit Adherence and Trial Incompatibility); Belief in Trial Benefits and Partner Disclosure. The EFA on monitoring items resulted in 4

  19. Sharia Adherence Mosque Survey: Correlations between Sharia Adherence and Violent Dogma in U.S. Mosques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mordechai Kedar

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available A random survey of 100 representative mosques in the U.S. was conducted to measure the correlation between Sharia adherence and dogma calling for violence against non-believers.  Of the 100 mosques surveyed, 51% had texts on site rated as severely advocating violence; 30% had texts rated as moderately advocating violence; and 19% had no violent texts at all.  Mosques that presented as Sharia adherent were more likely to feature violence-positive texts on site than were their non-Sharia-adherent counterparts.  In 84.5% of the mosques, the imam recommended studying violence-positive texts.  The leadership at Sharia-adherent mosques was more likely to recommend that a worshipper study violence-positive texts than leadership at non-Sharia-adherent mosques.  Fifty-eight percent of the mosques invited guest imams known to promote violent jihad.  The leadership of mosques that featured violence-positive literature was more likely to invite guest imams who were known to promote violent jihad than was the leadership of mosques that did not feature violence-positive literature on mosque premises.  

  20. Predicting Malawian Women’s Intention to Adhere to Antiretroviral Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinney, Ogbochi; Modeste, Naomi N.; Lee, Jerry W.; Gleason, Peter C.

    2015-01-01

    Background With the increase in scaling up of antiretroviral therapy (ART), knowledge of the need for adherence to ART is pivotal for successful treatment outcomes. Design and Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out between October and December 2013. We administered theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and adherence questionnaires to 358 women aged 18-49 years, from a rural and urban ART-clinics in southern Malawi. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to predict intentions to adhere to ART. Results Regression models show that attitude (β=0.47), subjective norm (β=0.31) and perceived behavioural control (β=0.12) explain 55% of the variance in intentions to adhere to ART. The relationship between both food insecurity and perceived side effects with intentions to adhere to ART is mediated by attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. Household (r=0.20) and individual (r=0.21) food insecurity were positively and significantly correlated with perceived behavioural control. Household food insecurity had a negative correlation with perceived side effects (r=-0.11). Perceived side effects were positively correlated with attitude (r=0.25). There was no statistically significant relationship between intentions to adhere to ART in the future and one month self-report of past month adherence. These interactions suggest that attitude predicted adherence only when food insecurity is high or perception of side effects is strong. Conclusions This study shows that modification might be needed when using TPB constructs in resource constraint environments. Significance for public health The knowledge of the rates of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) could be used to evaluate planning and project, which could lead to better outcomes predicted by treatment efficacy data. In addition, knowledge of adherence behaviour could help the development of interventions focusing on collaboration between healthcare providers and Malawian government to

  1. 3rd Asia-Europe-Pacific School of High-Energy Physics

    CERN Document Server

    2016-01-01

    AEPSHEP (Asia-Europe-Pacific School of High-Energy Physics) is a series of Schools held in the Asia-Pacific region every two years, in even-numbered years. It caters to students at a similar level to the annual CERN-JINR European School of High-Energy physics, and the CERN Latin-American School of High-Energy Physics (held every two years, in odd-numbered years). AEPSHEP is built upon the experience from these Schools as well as from the successful France-Asia Particle-Physics School. The purpose of the School is to provide young physicists with an opportunity to learn about recent advances in elementary-particle physics from world-leading researchers. It also aims to encourage communications among Asian, European and Pacific-region young researchers. The School provides High-Energy Physics courses from an experimental and phenomenological perspective, with a focus on accelerator-based programmes in Asia and Europe, and other related fields such as astro-particle physics and cosmological aspects of particle ...

  2. Food and beverage environment analysis and monitoring system: a reliability study in the school food and beverage environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bullock, Sally Lawrence; Craypo, Lisa; Clark, Sarah E; Barry, Jason; Samuels, Sarah E

    2010-07-01

    States and school districts around the country are developing policies that set nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages sold outside of the US Department of Agriculture's reimbursable school lunch program. However, few tools exist for monitoring the implementation of these new policies. The objective of this research was to develop a computerized assessment tool, the Food and Beverage Environment Analysis and Monitoring System (FoodBEAMS), to collect data on the competitive school food environment and to test the inter-rater reliability of the tool among research and nonresearch professionals. FoodBEAMS was used to collect data in spring 2007 on the competitive foods and beverages sold in 21 California high schools. Adherence of the foods and beverages to California's competitive food and beverage nutrition policies for schools (Senate Bills 12 and 965) was determined using the data collected by both research and nonresearch professionals. The inter-rater reliability between the data collectors was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Researcher vs researcher and researcher vs nonresearcher inter-rater reliability was high for both foods and beverages, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from .972 to .987. Results of this study provide evidence that FoodBEAMS is a promising tool for assessing and monitoring adherence to nutrition standards for competitive foods sold on school campuses and can be used reliably by both research and nonresearch professionals. Copyright 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Violence Prevention after Columbine: A Survey of High School Mental Health Professionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crepeau-Hobson, M. Franci; Filaccio, Marylynne; Gottfried, Linda

    2005-01-01

    The authors examined changes in mental health services and violence prevention strategies in public high schools since the shootings at Columbine High School. Surveys were mailed to school mental health professionals at public high schools in Colorado. Respondents included school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, principals,…

  4. Can human error theory explain non-adherence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barber, Nick; Safdar, A; Franklin, Bryoney D

    2005-08-01

    To apply human error theory to explain non-adherence and examine how well it fits. Patients who were taking chronic medication were telephoned and asked whether they had been adhering to their medicine, and if not the reasons were explored and analysed according to a human error theory. Of 105 patients, 87 were contacted by telephone and they took part in the study. Forty-two recalled being non-adherent, 17 of them in the last 7 days; 11 of the 42 were intentionally non-adherent. The errors could be described by human error theory, and it explained unintentional non-adherence well, however, the application of 'rules' was difficult when considering mistakes. The consideration of error producing conditions and latent failures also revealed useful contributing factors. Human error theory offers a new and valuable way of understanding non-adherence, and could inform interventions. However, the theory needs further development to explain intentional non-adherence.

  5. Split School of High Energy Physics 2015

    CERN Document Server

    2015-01-01

    Split School of High Energy Physics 2015 (SSHEP 2015) was held at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FESB), University of Split, from September 14 to September 18, 2015. SSHEP 2015 aimed at master and PhD students who were interested in topics pertaining to High Energy Physics. SSHEP 2015 is the sixth edition of the High Energy Physics School. Previous five editions were held at the Department of Physics, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  6. Survey on a sleep habits for university and high school students.

    OpenAIRE

    林, 光緒; 堀, 忠雄

    1988-01-01

    A survey was performed on 466 high school students and 403 university students. 86% of high school students and 89% of university students estimated their customary sleep time to be 6-8 hours. Although there was no significant difference between high school students and university students with awake time, bed time was later for university students than high school students. So that sleep time was shorter for university students. Also there was more regular sleepers for high school students a...

  7. Transformational Leadership and Teacher Motivation in Southwestern Arizona High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, Catherine L.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between transformational leadership and teacher motivation in Southwestern Arizona high schools. Teachers in a school district in Southwestern Arizona comprised of high schools were surveyed using two instruments, Leithwood and Jantzi's (1998) The Leadership and Management of Schools in…

  8. High schools and labour market outcomes: Italian graduates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pozzoli, Dario

    2007-01-01

    To provide empirical evidence on differences across high school tracks in early occupational labour market outcome, I estimate how the employment probability, the time before the first job is taken up, and earnings depend on high school type, controlling for student characteristics by a propensit...

  9. CERN High School Teachers Training Programme meets DG

    CERN Multimedia

    Brice, Maximilien

    2014-01-01

    CERN's DG Rolf Heuer met with the participants of the High School Teachers Training Programme on 23 July 2014 for a Q&A Session. Following the interaction, he met with the HST Working Group collaborating on a lesson plan for teaching SESAME in high schools.

  10. An Explorative Study on the Efficacy and Feasibility of the Use of Motivational Interviewing to Improve Footwear Adherence in Persons with Diabetes at High Risk for Foot Ulceration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keukenkamp, Renske; Merkx, Maarten J; Busch-Westbroek, Tessa E; Bus, Sicco A

    2018-03-01

    In this explorative study, we assessed the effect and feasibility of using motivational interviewing to improve footwear adherence in persons with diabetes who are at high risk for foot ulceration and show low adherence to wearing prescribed custom-made footwear. Thirteen individuals with diabetes, ulcer history, and low footwear adherence (ie, motivational interviewing. Adherence was objectively measured over 7 days using ankle- and shoe-worn sensors and was calculated as the percentage of total steps that prescribed footwear was worn. Adherence was assessed at home and away from home at baseline and 1 week and 3 months after the intervention. Feasibility was assessed for interviewer proficiency to apply motivational interviewing and for protocol executability. Median (range) baseline, 1-week, and 3-month adherence at home was 49% (6%-63%), 84% (5%-98%), and 40% (4%-80%), respectively, in the motivational interviewing group and 35% (13%-64%), 33% (15%-55%), and 31% (3%-66%), respectively, in the standard education group. Baseline, 1-week, and 3-month adherence away from home was 91% (79%-100%), 97% (62%-99%) and 92% (86%-98%), respectively, in the motivational interviewing group and 78% (32%-97%), 91% (28%-98%), and 93% (57%-100%), respectively, in the standard education group. None of the differences were statistically significant. Interviewer proficiency was good, and the protocol could be successfully executed in the given time frame. Footwear adherence at home increases 1 week after motivational interviewing to clinically relevant but not statistically significant levels (ie, 80%) but then returns over time to baseline levels. Away from home, adherence is already sufficient at baseline and remains so over time. The use of motivational interviewing seems feasible for the given purpose and patient group. These findings provide input to larger trials and provisionally suggest that additional or adjunctive therapy may be needed to better preserve adherence.

  11. Similar Mediterranean diet adherence but greater central adiposity is observed among Greek diaspora adolescents living in Istanbul, compared to Athens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grammatikopoulou, Maria G; Maraki, Maria I; Giannopoulou, Despoina; Poulimeneas, Dimitrios; Sidossis, Labros S; Tsigga, Maria

    2018-02-01

    The aim of this case-control study was to compare Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence and anthropometry between Greek diaspora adolescents living in Istanbul and Greek adolescents, inhabitants of Athens. A total of 206 adolescents (103 from each site), aged 10.0-19.0 years old, all of Greek origin, were recruited from schools in Athens and minority schools in Istanbul, for the present case-control study. Participants at each site were age and sex-matched. Anthropometric measurements were performed, and diet adherence was assessed with the KIDMED score. Breakfast skipping, decreased dairy and increased commercially baked good/pastries consumption for breakfast, fast-food intake and consumption of several sweets each day was more prevalent in Istanbul, but, on the other hand, students from Athens reported eating fewer fruit, vegetables and nuts. The adoption of unhealthy eating habits in each site was counterbalanced by a more 'healthy' dietary element, resulting in an overall similar MD adherence between both sites. Additionally, although weight status was indifferent between the two cities, higher rates of abdominal obesity were recorded in Istanbul, when the weight-to-height ratio was used for diagnosis. Differences in several domains of the KIDMED score were recorded among cities, possibly as results of food availability and prices. However, MD adherence and weight status appeared similar, indicating that the dietary transition and acculturation experienced by the remnants is actually very slow and minimal during the 93 years since population exchange.

  12. Effects of High School Students' Perceptions of School Life Quality on Their Academic Motivation Levels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akin Kösterelioglu, Meltem; Kösterelioglu, Ilker

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to identify the effects of high school students' perceptions of school life quality on their academic motivation levels. The study was conducted on a sample of high school students (n = 2371) in Amasya Province in the fall semester of 2013-2014 academic year. Study sample was selected with the help of cluster sampling method. Data…

  13. A qualitative study of patient motivation to adhere to combination antiretroviral therapy in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Loggerenberg, Francois; Gray, Debra; Gengiah, Santhanalakshmi; Kunene, Pinky; Gengiah, Tanuja N; Naidoo, Kogieleum; Grant, Alison D

    2015-05-01

    Taken as prescribed, that is, with high adherence, combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) has changed HIV infection and disease from being a sure predictor of death to a manageable chronic illness. Adherence, however, is difficult to achieve and maintain. The CAPRISA 058 study was conducted between 2007 and 2009 to test the efficacy of individualized motivational counselling to enhance ART adherence in South Africa. As part of the overall trial, a qualitative sub-study was conducted, including 30 individual interviews and four focus group discussions with patients in the first 9 months of ART initiation. Data were inductively analyzed, using thematic analysis, to identify themes central to ART adherence in this context. Four themes emerged that characterize the participants' experiences and high motivation to adhere to ART. Participants in this study were highly motivated to adhere, as they acknowledged that ART was 'life-giving', in the face of a large amount of morbidity and mortality. They were further supported by techniques of routine remembering, and highlighted the importance of good social support and access to supportive healthcare workers, to their continued success in negotiating their treatment. Participants in the current study told us that their adherence motivation is enhanced by free accessible care, approachable and supportive healthcare workers, broad social acceptance of ART, and past first-hand experiences with AIDS-related co-morbidity and mortality. Programs that include specific attention to these aspects of care will likely be successful in the long term.

  14. THE CAUSES OF ABSENTEEISM OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

    OpenAIRE

    Gürbüz Ocak; İjlal Ocak; Emine A. Baysal

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to find out the causes of high school students’ absenteeism. Survey method was used. The population was comprised of 531 students in the public high schools. The data was collected with "The Scale of Absenteeism Causes" developed by the researchers. Cronbach Alpha was calculated as α=0.936. Findings show the causes of students' absenteeism aren't related to school, students themselves and their parent, however, student absenteeism causes partly psychological reaso...

  15. Manga High: Literacy, Identity, and Coming of Age in an Urban High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bitz, Michael

    2009-01-01

    Based on a four-year study, "Manga High" explores the convergence of literacy, creativity, social development, and personal identity in one of New York City's largest high schools. Since 2004, students at Martin Luther King, Jr., High School in Manhattan have been creating manga--Japanese comic books. They write the stories, design the…

  16. Harmfulness of smoking among high school students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iwona Rotter

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The aim of the study was to assess the level of awareness of smoking and non smoking students on harmful impact of nicotine and cigarette smoke on human body. Material and methods: The study was carried out in March 2011 in high schools in Szczecin. Own elaborated questionnaire was used. 288 students from high school, technical college and vocational school were tested. Results: The majority of responders (95,1% claimed that cigarette smoke is harmful both for passive and active smokers. They most often pinpoint the direct cause connected with smoking to pulmonary diseases (264 persons and cancers (240 persons. Almost 90% of students found negative impact of tobacco products on development of fetus of pregnant women. Overwhelming majority of respondents (83,2% feels anxious if it comes to stay in a room filled with smoke. Conclusions: The awareness of high school students on negative influence of smoking on human body is quite satisfactory, but there is still a need for more education in the range of diseases and symptoms connected with smoking.

  17. Negative psychological responses of injury and rehabilitation adherence effects on return to play in competitive athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivarsson A

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Andreas Ivarsson,1 Ulrika Tranaeus,2,3 Urban Johnson,1 Andreas Stenling 4 1Center of Research on Welfare, Health and Sport, School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, 2Performance and Training Unit, The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH, 3Musculoskeletal & Sports Injury Epidemiology Center, IMM, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 4Department of Psychology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden Abstract: Previous research offers evidence that psychological factors influence an injured athlete during the rehabilitation process. Our first objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the results from all published studies that examined the relationships among negative affective responses after sport injuries, rehabilitation adherence, and return to play (RTP. The second objective was to use a meta-analytic path analysis to investigate whether an indirect effect existed between negative affective responses and RTP through rehabilitation adherence. This literature review resulted in seven studies providing 14 effect sizes. The results from the meta-analysis showed that negative affective responses had a negative effect on successful RTP, whereas rehabilitation adherence had a positive effect on RTP. The results from the meta-analytic path analysis showed a weak and nonsignificant indirect effect of negative affective responses on RTP via rehabilitation adherence. These results underline the importance of providing supportive environments for injured athletes to increase the chances of successful RTP via a decrease in negative affective responses and increase in rehabilitation adherence. Keywords: affective responses, rehabilitation behaviors, return to play, sport injuries

  18. Adherence to Biobehavioral Recommendations in Pediatric Migraine as Measured by Electronic Monitoring: The Adherence in Migraine (AIM) Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kroon Van Diest, Ashley M; Ramsey, Rachelle; Aylward, Brandon; Kroner, John W; Sullivan, Stephanie M; Nause, Katie; Allen, Janelle R; Chamberlin, Leigh A; Slater, Shalonda; Hommel, Kevin; LeCates, Susan L; Kabbouche, Marielle A; O'Brien, Hope L; Kacperski, Joanne; Hershey, Andrew D; Powers, Scott W

    2016-07-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to examine treatment adherence to medication and lifestyle recommendations among pediatric migraine patients using electronic monitoring systems. Nonadherence to medical treatment is a significant public health concern, and can result in poorer treatment outcomes, decreased cost-effectiveness of medical care, and increased morbidity. No studies have systematically examined adherence to medication and lifestyle recommendations in adolescents with migraine outside of a clinical trial. Participants included 56 adolescents ages 11-17 who were presenting for clinical care. All were diagnosed with migraine with or without aura or chronic migraine and had at least 4 headache days per month. Medication adherence was objectively measured using electronic monitoring systems (Medication Event Monitoring Systems technology) and daily, prospective self-report via personal electronic devices. Adherence to lifestyle recommendations of regular exercise, eating, and fluid intake were also assessed using daily self-report on personal electronic devices. Electronic monitoring indicates that adolescents adhere to their medication 75% of the time, which was significantly higher than self-reported rates of medication adherence (64%). Use of electronic monitoring of medication detected rates of adherence that were significantly higher for participants taking once daily medication (85%) versus participants taking twice daily medication (59%). Average reported adherence to lifestyle recommendations of consistent noncaffeinated fluid intake (M = 5 cups per day) was below recommended levels of a minimum of 8 cups per day. Participants on average also reported skipping 1 meal per week despite recommendations of consistently eating three meals per day. Results suggest that intervention focused on adherence to preventive treatments (such as medication) and lifestyle recommendations may provide more optimal outcomes for children and adolescents with

  19. Adherence of the dysphonic teachers in speech therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Lívia Rodrigues; Almeida, Letícia; Teixeira, Letícia Caldas; Bassi, Iara; Assunção, Ada Ávila; Gama, Ana Cristina Côrtes

    2013-01-01

    To study the possible factors associated with adherence to the speech-language pathology treatment of dysphonia in female teachers of municipal schools of Belo Horizonte. This was a retrospective study that analyzed the medical records of 251 teachers treated at the Voice Ambulatory Speech Language Pathology Service, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (AV-UFMG) from August 2007 to December 2009. The collected data included age, number of scheduled sessions, number of absences, number of children, type of dysphonia, degree of dysphonia, monthly family income, and education. We calculated the distance, in kilometers, of the residence to the place of treatment and the workplace to place of treatment. We also analyzed the social vulnerability index of the workplace. The results of this research indicated that of the 135 records that were included in the study, 89 (65.93%) corresponded to the discharged group and 46 (34.07%) corresponded to the abandonment group. In comparison with all the variables studied, only the number of faults and the type of dysphonia were associated with poor adherence to voice therapy. Results showed that the number of absences in sessions, treatment-related factor, organofuncional dysphonia type, and clinical-related factor were all associated with the abandonment of voice therapy.

  20. Smartphone Addiction and School Life Adjustment Among High School Students: The Mediating Effect of Self-Control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heo, YoungJin; Lee, Kyunghee

    2018-05-08

    Previous studies have reported associations among smartphone addiction, school adjustment, and self-control. However, the causal relationship between smartphone addiction and school adjustment has not been clearly demonstrated. The current study examined the association between smartphone addiction and school adjustment and investigated the mediating effect of self-control in this association. A total of 790 students from five high schools in Daegu City, South Korea, were asked to provide demographic information and complete a self-diagnostic smartphone addiction scale and validated Korean version of a self-control scale. Among at-risk students, self-control did not mediate the relation between smartphone addiction and school adjustment; among those not at risk, there was a partial mediating effect. To improve school adjustment among high school students, prevention of smartphone addiction seems important. Smartphone addiction could be managed by strengthening self-control to promote healthy use of smartphones. The current results can serve as groundwork for the development of programs to improve school adjustment among high school students. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(x), xx-xx.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

  1. Tanzanian High School students' attitude towards five University ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: To determine the attitude of high school students majoring in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) towards Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Nursing as professions at university. Design: A cross sectional study of a representative sample of high school students using a pretested attitudinal ...

  2. Analyzing High School Students' Reasoning about Electromagnetic Induction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jelicic, Katarina; Planinic, Maja; Planinsic, Gorazd

    2017-01-01

    Electromagnetic induction is an important, yet complex, physics topic that is a part of Croatian high school curriculum. Nine Croatian high school students of different abilities in physics were interviewed using six demonstration experiments from electromagnetism (three of them concerned the topic of electromagnetic induction). Students were…

  3. Examination of the Link Between Medication Adherence and Use of Mail-Order Pharmacies in Chronic Disease States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Elena V; McDaniel, Jennifer A; Carroll, Norman V

    2016-11-01

    selecting mail-order pharmacies) depends on how well the statistical controls adjusted for the substantial differences between the mail and retail samples. While the research strongly indicates that consumers who use mail-order pharmacies are more likely to be adherent, more research is needed before it can be conclusively determined that use of mail-order pharmacies causes higher adherence. No outside funding supported this study. Fernandez was partially funded by a Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy PharmD/PhD Summer Fellowship for work on this project. The authors declare no other potential conflicts of interest. Study concept and design were contributed by Carroll and Fernandez. Fernandez took the lead in data collection, along with Carroll and McDaniel, and data interpretation was performed by Carroll and Fernandez. The manuscript was written and revised by Carroll and Fernandez, with assistance from McDaniel.

  4. Adolescent use of school-based health centers and high school dropout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerns, Suzanne E U; Pullmann, Michael D; Walker, Sarah Cusworth; Lyon, Aaron R; Cosgrove, T J; Bruns, Eric J

    2011-07-01

    To determine the association between use of school-based health centers (SBHCs) and school dropout. Quasi-experimental longitudinal analysis of a retrospective student cohort, with SBHC use as the independent variable. We statistically controlled for dropout risk and used propensity score regression adjustment to control for several factors associated with SBHC use. Integrated database from an urban public school district (academic outcomes) and department of public health (SBHC use). District-enrolled students in their first semester of ninth grade in 2005 (N = 3334), followed up through their anticipated on-time graduation semester of 12th grade in 2009. Students were divided into 4 groups: never used (47%); low use (23%); moderate use (20%); and high users (10%). Time to nongraduation (described as dropout). Low to moderate SBHC use (0.125-2.5 visits per semester) was associated with a 33% reduction in dropout compared with non-SBHC users. The high-use group (>2.5 visits per semester) did not have dropout rates that differed from nonusers. For SBHC users who did drop out, dropout occurred approximately 1 semester later than nonusers. Exploratory analyses revealed that the association between SBHC use and prevention of dropout was greatest for higher-risk students. This study found an association between low to moderate SBHC use and reductions in dropout for high school students in an urban school district, especially for students at higher risk for dropout. This study supports the theory that benefits of SBHCs extend beyond managing physical and mental health needs to include academic outcomes.

  5. Psychosocial and demographic predictors of adherence and non-adherence to health advice accompanying air quality warning systems: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Antoni, Donatella; Smith, Louise; Auyeung, Vivian; Weinman, John

    2017-09-22

    Although evidence shows that poor air quality can harm human health, we have a limited understanding about the behavioural impact of air quality forecasts. Our aim was to understand to what extent air quality warning systems influence protective behaviours in the general public, and to identify the demographic and psychosocial factors associated with adherence and non-adherence to the health advice accompanying these warnings. In August 2016 literature was systematically reviewed to find studies assessing intended or actual adherence to health advice accompanying air quality warning systems, and encouraging people to reduce exposure to air pollution. Predictors of adherence to the health advice and/or self-reported reasons for adherence or non-adherence were also systematically reviewed. Studies were included only if they involved participants who were using or were aware of these warning systems. Studies investigating only protective behaviours due to subjective perception of bad air quality alone were excluded. The results were narratively synthesised and discussed within the COM-B theoretical framework. Twenty-one studies were included in the review: seventeen investigated actual adherence; three investigated intended adherence; one assessed both. Actual adherence to the advice to reduce or reschedule outdoor activities during poor air quality episodes ranged from 9.7% to 57% (Median = 31%), whereas adherence to a wider range of protective behaviours (e.g. avoiding busy roads, taking preventative medication) ranged from 17.7% to 98.1% (Median = 46%). Demographic factors did not consistently predict adherence. However, several psychosocial facilitators of adherence were identified. These include knowledge on where to check air quality indices, beliefs that one's symptoms were due to air pollution, perceived severity of air pollution, and receiving advice from health care professionals. Barriers to adherence included: lack of understanding of the indices

  6. Long-term adherence to follow-up after treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barken, Sidsel S; Lynge, Elsebeth; Andersen, Erik S.

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To measure adherence to annual follow-up among women treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. DESIGN: Prospective, population-based, register study. SETTING: Denmark, 1996-2007. POPULATION: All women treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia with conization. METHODS: Treated...... was poor in Denmark. Our findings suggest that because of this poor adherence, recommendations for long-term annual follow-up after treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia may not be highly effective. Shorter follow-up schedules using highly sensitive tests appear attractive....

  7. Subjective reasons for adherence to psychotropic medication and associated factors among older adults with schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sapra, Mamta; Vahia, Ipsit V; Reyes, Pia N; Ramirez, Paul; Cohen, Carl I

    2008-12-01

    There are limited data examining subjective influences on medication adherence among older persons with schizophrenia. The subjective reasons for adherence to antipsychotic medication and associated clinical and psychosocial factors in this population are examined. The sample consisted of 198 community dwelling persons aged >or=55 who developed schizophrenia before age 45. Using the Rating of Medication Influences Scale (ROMI), a principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded three subscales: Medication Affinity and Prevention, Influence of Others, and Impact of Authority. These subscales were dichotomized into high and low based on a median split. We also created an ordinal High Adherence measure based on the summed scores of each person's three dichotomized ROMI subscales. A modified Health Belief Model was used to examine the association between 18 predictor variables and the ROMI subscales and the adherence scale. The mean subscale rankings were Medication Affinity and Prevention > Impact of Authority > Influence of Others. In logistic regression, lower education, more side effects, higher depression scores, and more mental health services were associated with higher scores on Influence of Others subscale. More side effects and more entitlements were associated with higher scores on the Medication Affinity and Prevention subscale. The Impact of Authority subscale had no significant associations. More side effects and higher depression scores were associated with higher scores on High Adherence measure. We identified a three-dimensional model for explaining the subjective reasons for medication adherence in older persons with schizophrenia. Our findings suggest that cognitive approaches and use of authority figures may be useful for promoting adherence in older adults. Independent variables associated with these subscales may provide guidance for improving adherence in this population.

  8. Accurate assessment of adherence: self-report and clinician report vs electronic monitoring of nebulizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniels, Tracey; Goodacre, Lynne; Sutton, Chris; Pollard, Kim; Conway, Steven; Peckham, Daniel

    2011-08-01

    People with cystic fibrosis have a high treatment burden. While uncertainty remains about individual patient level of adherence to medication, treatment regimens are difficult to tailor, and interventions are difficult to evaluate. Self- and clinician-reported measures are routinely used despite criticism that they overestimate adherence. This study assessed agreement between rates of adherence to prescribed nebulizer treatments when measured by self-report, clinician report, and electronic monitoring suitable for long-term use. Seventy-eight adults with cystic fibrosis were questioned about their adherence to prescribed nebulizer treatments over the previous 3 months. Self-report was compared with clinician report and stored adherence data downloaded from the I-Neb nebulizer system. Adherence measures were expressed as a percentage of the prescribed regimen, bias was estimated by the paired difference in mean (95% CI) patient and clinician reported and actual adherence. Agreement between adherence measures was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients (95% CI), and disagreements for individuals were displayed using Bland-Altman plots. Patient-identified prescriptions matched the medical record prescription. Median self-reported adherence was 80% (interquartile range, 60%-95%), whereas median adherence measured by nebulizer download was 36% (interquartile range, 5%-84.5%). Nine participants overmedicated and underreported adherence. Median clinician report ranged from 50% to 60%, depending on profession. Extensive discrepancies between self-report and clinician report compared with nebulizer download were identified for individuals. Self- and clinician-reporting of adherence does not provide accurate measurement of adherence when compared with electronic monitoring. Using inaccurate measures has implications for treatment burden, clinician prescribing practices, cost, and accuracy of trial data.

  9. The Influence of Chronic Ego Depletion on Goal Adherence: An Experience Sampling Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ligang; Tao, Ting; Fan, Chunlei; Gao, Wenbin; Wei, Chuguang

    2015-01-01

    Although ego depletion effects have been widely observed in experiments in which participants perform consecutive self-control tasks, the process of ego depletion remains poorly understood. Using the strength model of self-control, we hypothesized that chronic ego depletion adversely affects goal adherence and that mental effort and motivation are involved in the process of ego depletion. In this study, 203 students reported their daily performance, mental effort, and motivation with respect to goal directed behavior across a 3-week time period. People with high levels of chronic ego depletion were less successful in goal adherence than those with less chronic ego depletion. Although daily effort devoted to goal adherence increased with chronic ego depletion, motivation to adhere to goals was not affected. Participants with high levels of chronic ego depletion showed a stronger positive association between mental effort and performance, but chronic ego depletion did not play a regulatory role in the effect of motivation on performance. Chronic ego depletion increased the likelihood of behavior regulation failure, suggesting that it is difficult for people in an ego-depletion state to adhere to goals. We integrate our results with the findings of previous studies and discuss possible theoretical implications.

  10. Implementation of California State School Competitive Food and Beverage Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuels, Sarah E.; Hutchinson, Krista S.; Craypo, Lisa; Barry, Jason; Bullock, Sally L.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Competitive foods and beverages are available on most US school campuses. States and school districts are adopting nutrition standards to regulate these products, but few studies have reported on the extent to which schools are able to adhere to competitive regulations. The purpose of this study was to describe the extent to which…

  11. An observational study of health literacy and medication adherence in adult kidney transplant recipients

    OpenAIRE

    Demian, Maryam N.; Shapiro, R. Jean; Thornton, Wendy Loken

    2016-01-01

    Background There is a high prevalence of non-adherence to immunosuppressants in kidney transplant recipients. Although limited health literacy is common in kidney recipients and is linked to adverse outcomes in other medical populations, its effect on medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients remains poorly understood. The objective was to investigate the effect of lower health literacy on immunosuppressant adherence. Methods Kidney recipients who were at least 6 months post-transp...

  12. NASA Ames Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, P.

    1985-01-01

    The Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program (SHARP) is described. This program is designed to provide engineering experience for gifted female and minority high school students. The students from this work study program which features trips, lectures, written reports, and job experience describe their individual work with their mentors.

  13. Reshaping High School English.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pirie, Bruce

    This book takes up the question of what shape high school English studies should take in the coming years. It describes an English program that blends philosophical depth with classroom practicality. Drawing examples from commonly taught texts such as "Macbeth,""To Kill a Mockingbird," and "Lord of the Flies," the…

  14. Reducing School Factors That Lead to Student Dropout at Sussex Central High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jerns, Pamela Renee

    2012-01-01

    The focus of this Executive Position Paper (EPP) is to address the dropout rate at Sussex Central High School (SCHS) in the Indian River School District (IRSD). Studies conducted for this EPP align with current research--student dropout is a result of culminating school-based factors that include poor attendance and lack of exposure to rigorous…

  15. The Nature, Causes and Effects of School Violence in South African High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ncontsa, Vusumzi Nelson; Shumba, Almon

    2013-01-01

    We sought to investigate the nature, causes and effects of school violence in four South African high schools. A purposive sample of five principals, 80 learners and 20 educators was selected from the four schools used in the study. A sequential mixed method approach was used in this study; both questionnaires and interviews were used. The design…

  16. High School Renewal in South Carolina: An Angry Response to Abandonment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hicks, Anna T.; Anderson, Lorin W.

    1998-01-01

    Feeling angry and abandoned over losing a cooperative training center, South Carolina high school educators began a series of "what next?" conversations. Following two information-sharing conferences, 17 high schools and the University of South Carolina formed a school-university partnership called the South Carolina High School Renewal…

  17. Scientific Production about the Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regina Célia De Oliveira

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To identify the elite of authors about the subject adherence to antiretroviral therapy; to identify the journals turned to publishing articles about adherence to antiretroviral therapy; and to identify and analyze the most commonly used words in abstracts of articles about adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Method: A bibliometric study conducted through the Scopus base. We used articles published between 1996 and 2014, after application of the eligibility criteria, there were composed the sample with 24 articles. The data were analyzed descriptively. Were used the laws of bibliometric (Lotka, Bradford and Zipf and the conceptual cloud map of words, through the program Cmap tools. Results: Lotka's Law identified the 5 authors more productive (46% of the total published. Bradford is impaired in this study. Concerning Zipf, 3 zones were determined, 31.47% of the words with in the first zone, 26.46% in the second and 42.06% in the third. In the conceptual map, the words/factors that positively and negatively influence adherence were emphasized, among them the need for more research in the health services. Conclusion: There are few publications about the accession to antiretroviral therapy, and the scientific production is in the process of maturation. One can infer that the theme researched is not yet an obsolete topic. It should be noted that the Bibliometric was a relevant statistic tool to generate information about the publications about the antiretroviral therapy. Descriptors: Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Medication Adherence; Bibliometric; HIV; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

  18. Antihypertensive Medications Adherence Among Nigerian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hospital, Ogbomosho, 2Goshen Heart Clinic, Osogbo, 3Department of Economics, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria ... significant impact of antihypertensive medication adherence.[13]. The level of information provided to patients may also impact ..... Muntner P. New medication adherence scale versus pharmacy.

  19. Microbial adherence to cosmetic contact lenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Ka Yin; Cho, Pauline; Boost, Maureen

    2014-08-01

    To investigate whether cosmetic contact lenses (CCL) with surface pigments affect microbial adherence. Fifteen brands of CCL were purchased from optical, non-optical retail outlets, and via the Internet. A standardized rub-off test was performed on each CCL (five lenses per brand) to confirm the location of the pigments. The rub-off test comprised gentle rubbing on the surfaces of each CCL with wetted cotton buds for a maximum of 20 rubs per surface. A new set of CCL (five lenses per brand) were incubated in Pseudomonas aeruginosa overnight. Viable counts of adhered bacteria were determined by the number of colony-forming units (CFU) on agar media on each lens. The adherence of P. aeruginosa as well as Staphylococcus aureus and Serratia marcescens to three brands of CCL (A-C) (five lenses per brand) were also compared to their adherences on their clear counterparts. Only two of the 15 brands of CCL tested (brands B and C) had pigments that did not detach with the rub-off test. The remaining 13 brands of CCL all failed the rub-off test and these lenses showed higher P. aeruginosa adherence (8.7 × 10(5)-1.9 × 10(6) CFU/lens). Brands B and C lenses showed at least six times less bacterial adhesion than the other 13 brands. Compared to their clear counterparts, bacterial adherence to brands B and C lenses did not differ significantly, whereas brand A lenses showed significantly higher adherence. Surface pigments on CCL resulted in significantly higher bacterial adherence. Copyright © 2013 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Re-Conceptualizing Extra Help for High School Students in a High Standards Era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balfanz, Robert; McPartland, James; Shaw, Alta

    The push for higher academic standards has resulted in an increase in the numbers of high school students needing extra help. The need for extra help is most pervasive in high-poverty areas and most high school students need extra help not in traditional basic elementary skills but in reading, mathematics, and advanced reasoning skills. Most…

  1. Improving Adherence to Web-Based and Mobile Technologies for People With Psychosis: Systematic Review of New Potential Predictors of Adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killikelly, Clare; He, Zhimin; Reeder, Clare; Wykes, Til

    2017-07-20

    Despite the boom in new technologically based interventions for people with psychosis, recent studies suggest medium to low rates of adherence to these types of interventions. The benefits will be limited if only a minority of service users adhere and engage; if specific predictors of adherence can be identified then technologies can be adapted to increase the service user benefits. The study aimed to present a systematic review of rates of adherence, dropout, and approaches to analyzing adherence to newly developed mobile and Web-based interventions for people with psychosis. Specific predictors of adherence were also explored. Using keywords (Internet or online or Web-based or website or mobile) AND (bipolar disorder or manic depression or manic depressive illness or manic-depressive psychosis or psychosis or schizophr* or psychotic), the following databases were searched: OVID including MedLine, EMBASE and PsychInfo, Pubmed and Web of Science. The objectives and inclusion criteria for suitable studies were defined following PICOS (population: people with psychosis; intervention: mobile or Internet-based technology; comparison group: no comparison group specified; outcomes: measures of adherence; study design: randomized controlled trials (RCT), feasibility studies, and observational studies) criteria. In addition to measurement and analysis of adherence, two theoretically proposed predictors of adherence were examined: (1) level of support from a clinician or researcher throughout the study, and (2) level of service user involvement in the app or intervention development. We provide a narrative synthesis of the findings and followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for reporting systematic reviews. Of the 20 studies that reported a measure of adherence and a rate of dropout, 5 of these conducted statistical analyses to determine predictors of dropout, 6 analyzed the effects of specific adherence

  2. Factors influencing adherence to standard precautions among nursing professionals in psychiatric hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thaís Helena Piai-Morais

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE Evaluate and correlate individual, work-related and organizational factors that influence adherence to standard precautions among nursing professionals of psychiatric hospitals in São Paulo. METHOD An exploratory cross-sectional study conducted with 35 nursing professionals, using the assessment tool for adherence to standard precautions through the Likert scale, ranging from 1 to 5. RESULTS Knowledge of the precautions received a high score (4.69; adherence received (3.86 and obstacles (3.78, while intermediaries and the scales of organizational factors received low scores (2.61. There was a strong correlation between the magnitude adherence scale and the personal protective equipment availability (r = 0.643; p = 0.000. The training scale for prevention of HIV exposure (p = 0.007 was statistically different between the nurses and nursing assistants. CONCLUSION The organizational factors negatively contributed to adherence to standard precautions, indicating that psychiatric institutions lack safe working conditions, ongoing training and management actions to control infections.

  3. TOCUSO: Test of Conceptual Understanding on High School Optics Topics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akarsu, Bayram

    2012-01-01

    Physics educators around the world often need reliable diagnostic materials to measure students' understanding of physics concept in high school. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new diagnostic tool on High School Optics concept. Test of Conceptual Understanding on High School Optics (TOCUSO) consists of 25 conceptual items that measures…

  4. The Information–Motivation–Behavioral Skills Model of ART Adherence in a Deep South HIV+ Clinic Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amico, K. Rivet; Barta, William; Konkle-Parker, Deborah J.; Fisher, Jeffrey D.; Cornman, Deborah H.; Shuper, Paul A.; Fisher, William A.

    2011-01-01

    High levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) are critical to the management of HIV, yet many people living with HIV do not achieve these levels. There is a substantial body of literature regarding correlates of adherence to ART, and theory-based multivariate models of ART adherence are emerging. The current study assessed the determinants of adherence behavior postulated by the Information–Motivation–Behavioral Skills model of ART adherence in a sample of 149 HIV-positive patients in Mississippi. Structural equation modeling indicated that ART-related information correlated with personal and social motivation, and the two sub-areas of motivation were not intercorrelated. In this Deep South sample, being better informed, socially supported, and perceiving fewer negative consequences of adherence were independently related to stronger behavioral skills for taking medications, which in turn associated with self-reported adherence. The IMB model of ART adherence appeared to well characterize the complexities of adherence for this sample. PMID:17876697

  5. The information-motivation-behavioral skills model of ART adherence in a Deep South HIV+ clinic sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amico, K Rivet; Barta, William; Konkle-Parker, Deborah J; Fisher, Jeffrey D; Cornman, Deborah H; Shuper, Paul A; Fisher, William A

    2009-02-01

    High levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) are critical to the management of HIV, yet many people living with HIV do not achieve these levels. There is a substantial body of literature regarding correlates of adherence to ART, and theory-based multivariate models of ART adherence are emerging. The current study assessed the determinants of adherence behavior postulated by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model of ART adherence in a sample of 149 HIV-positive patients in Mississippi. Structural equation modeling indicated that ART-related information correlated with personal and social motivation, and the two sub-areas of motivation were not intercorrelated. In this Deep South sample, being better informed, socially supported, and perceiving fewer negative consequences of adherence were independently related to stronger behavioral skills for taking medications, which in turn associated with self-reported adherence. The IMB model of ART adherence appeared to well characterize the complexities of adherence for this sample.

  6. Space and place in researching male early high school leaving in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    question the school systems' organisational components (Coleman, 1988), curriculum .... 2001:379) because of the value placed on a high-school certificate. Early school ..... Male early high school leaving in Orange Farm Township: A hidden.

  7. Intertextuality in Chinese High School Students' Essay Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liddicoat, Anthony J.; Scrimgeour, Andrew; Chen, Toni

    2008-01-01

    This paper investigates the intertextual practices developed for writing in Chinese of high school students in Taiwan. On the basis of texts written by Chinese high school students, we investigate these practices within their own cultural context to develop an understanding of intertextual practices into which Chinese learners are socialised. We…

  8. Perceptions of sexual harassment in Swedish high schools: experiences and school-environment problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witkowska, Eva; Menckel, Ewa

    2005-02-01

    Sexual harassment in schools is recognized as a public-health problem detrimental to girls' psychosomatic health. This study examines the magnitude of sexual harassment and types of behaviours related to sexual harassment that female students are exposed to in a school environment, and their perceptions of them as problems in school. A random sample of 540 female high school students, from all over Sweden, responded to an anonymous self-report mail questionnaire consisting of items related to personal experiences of different behaviours related to sexual harassment during the previous school year. Sexual harassment was identified by 49% of the female students as a problem present in their schools. The most common types were verbal behaviours, such as: sexualized conversations, attractiveness rating, demeaning comments about gender, name-calling, and sexual personal comments. The most common non-verbal displays were: sexualized contact seeking and sexual looks. Behaviours in the sexual assault and teacher-to-student categories were less prevalent. In all four categories, the respondents who reported exposure to a particular behaviour were significantly more likely to identify that behaviour as a problem in their school. However, many non-exposed respondents also perceived such behaviours as problems in their school. Female high-school students in Sweden are exposed to a variety of inappropriate and/or unacceptable behaviours of a sexual nature, or based on sex, that may infringe their right to a supportive, respectful and safe learning environment or their dignity. Greater efforts are needed to analyse and prevent sexual harassment in schools.

  9. High pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake and early adherence among men who have sex with men and transgender women at risk for HIV Infection: the PrEP Brasil demonstration project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoagland, Brenda; Moreira, Ronaldo I; De Boni, Raquel B; Kallas, Esper G; Madruga, José Valdez; Vasconcelos, Ricardo; Goulart, Silvia; Torres, Thiago S; Marins, Luana M S; Anderson, Peter L; Luz, Paula M; Costa Leite, Iuri da; Liu, Albert Y; Veloso, Valdilea G; Grinsztejn, Beatriz

    2017-04-06

    The efficacy of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing sexual acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is well established. Little is known about the feasibility of PrEP implementation in middle-income settings with concentrated epidemics among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). PrEP Brasil is a prospective, multicentre, open-label demonstration project assessing PrEP delivery in the context of the Brazilian Public Health System. HIV-uninfected MSM and TGW in 3 referral centres in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo were evaluated for eligibility and offered 48 weeks of daily emtricitabine/tenofovir for PrEP. Concentrations of tenofovir diphosphate in dried blood spot samples (DBS) at week 4 after enrolment (early adherence) were measured. Predictors of drug levels were assessed using ordinal logistic regression models considering the DBS drug level as a 3 level variable (<350 fmol/punch, ≥350-699 fmol/punch and ≥700 fmol/punch). 1,270 individuals were assessed for participation; n = 738 were potentially eligible and n = 450 were offered PrEP (PrEP uptake was 60.9%). Eligible but not enrolled individuals were younger, had lower HIV risk perception and had lower PrEP awareness. At week 4, 424 participants (of the 450 enrolled) had DBS TFV-DP concentrations, 94.1% in the protective range (≥350 fmol/punch, consistent with ≥2 pills per week), and 78% were in the highly protective range (≥700 fmol/punch, ≥4 pills per week). Participants with ≥12 years of schooling had 1.9 times the odds (95%CI 1.10-3.29) of a higher versus lower drug level than participants with <12 years of schooling. Condomless receptive anal intercourse in the prior 3 months was also associated with higher drug levels (adjusted OR = 1.78; 95% CI 1.08-2.94). The high uptake and early adherence indicate that PrEP for high-risk MSM and TGW can be successfully delivered in the context of the Brazilian Public Health System. Interventions to

  10. Educational Management Organizations as High Reliability Organizations: A Study of Victory's Philadelphia High School Reform Work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, David E.

    2013-01-01

    This executive position paper proposes recommendations for designing reform models between public and private sectors dedicated to improving school reform work in low performing urban high schools. It reviews scholarly research about for-profit educational management organizations, high reliability organizations, American high school reform, and…

  11. Changes in cognitive functions of students in the transitional period from elementary school to junior high school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuno, Kei; Tanaka, Masaaki; Fukuda, Sanae; Sasabe, Tetsuya; Imai-Matsumura, Kyoko; Watanabe, Yasuyoshi

    2011-05-01

    When students proceed to junior high school from elementary school, rapid changes in the environment occur, which may cause various behavioral and emotional problems. However, the changes in cognitive functions during this transitional period have rarely been studied. In 158 elementary school students from 4th- to 6th-grades and 159 junior high school students from 7th- to 9th-grades, we assessed various cognitive functions, including motor processing, spatial construction ability, semantic fluency, immediate memory, delayed memory, spatial and non-spatial working memory, and selective, alternative, and divided attention. Our findings showed that performance on spatial and non-spatial working memory, alternative attention, divided attention, and semantic fluency tasks improved from elementary to junior high school. In particular, performance on alternative and divided attention tasks improved during the transitional period from elementary to junior high school. Our finding suggests that development of alternative and divided attention is of crucial importance in the transitional period from elementary to junior high school. Copyright © 2010 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. School Engagement, Risky Peers, and Student-Teacher Relationships as Mediators of School Violence in Taiwanese Vocational versus Academically Oriented High Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ji-Kang; Astor, Ron Avi

    2011-01-01

    Educational tracking based on academic ability accounts for different school dynamics between vocational versus academically-oriented high schools in Taiwan. Many educational practitioners predict that the settings of vocational schools and academic schools mediate school violence in different ways. Alternatively, some researchers argue the actual…

  13. Every Student Succeeds Act High School Graduation Rate: Non-Regulatory Guidance

    Science.gov (United States)

    US Department of Education, 2017

    2017-01-01

    Student graduation from high school with a regular high school diploma is an important indicator of school success and one of the most significant indicators of student college and career readiness. In addition, there are substantial economic benefits to high school completion. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Education's National…

  14. Distance Education of Vocational High Schools in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tuğçe GÜNTER

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of vocational high schools is to teach qualified, high self-sufficient, self-confident, technical staff who have critical and mathematical thinking competence and who can utilize science and technology efficiently. However, because of the limitations of traditional education, students can not take enough education attendance. In this context; along with the advances in science and technology area, “Web- Based Distance Education Programme”, which provides equal education conditions to students, is developed. This programme has got great progresses in abroad, and has also started to practice in Turkish Vocational High Schools. It is determined that some Vocational High Schools have applied Web-Based Distance Education in Medical Documentation and Secretarial (MDS and Medical Laboratory Techniques (MLT Associate Degree Programmes which are also existed in Bülent Ecevit University (BEU Ahmet Erdoğan Health Services Vocational High School. It is observed that the universities, that implemented distance education in these associate degree programmes, have higher technical infrastructure and they design a constructivism-based modules. It is considered that this distance education programme for MDS and MLT Associate Degree Programmes in certain Vocational Schools, can also be implemented for students in Medical Documentation and Secretarial (MDS and Medical Laboratory Techniques (MLT which continues education by computers and overhead projector that is slightly different from traditional education.

  15. An Evaluation of the Intended and Implemented Curricula’s Adherence to the NCTM Standards on the Mathematics Achievement of Third Grade Students: A Case Study

    OpenAIRE

    Griffin, Cynthia C.; Xin, Yan Ping; Jitendra, Asha

    2010-01-01

    This article describes the results of a case study evaluating the influence of the intended (textbook) and implemented curricula’s (teachers’ instructional practice) adherence to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ (NCTM) Standards on student outcomes in mathematics. We collected data on 72 third-grade students from four classrooms in one elementary school. Textbook and teacher adherence to the standards were evaluated using content analysis and direct observation procedures, res...

  16. High School Start Times and the Impact on High School Students: What We Know, and What We Hope to Learn.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgenthaler, Timothy I; Hashmi, Sarah; Croft, Janet B; Dort, Leslie; Heald, Jonathan L; Mullington, Janet

    2016-12-15

    Several organizations have provided recommendations to ensure high school starts no sooner than 08:30. However, although there are plausible biological reasons to support such recommendations, published recommendations have been based largely on expert opinion and a few observational studies. We sought to perform a critical review of published evidence regarding the effect of high school start times on sleep and other relevant outcomes. We performed a broad literature search to identify 287 candidate publications for inclusion in our review, which focused on studies offering direct comparison of sleep time, academic or physical performance, behavioral health measures, or motor vehicular accidents in high school students. Where possible, outcomes were combined for meta-analysis. After application of study criteria, only 18 studies were suitable for review. Eight studies were amenable to meta-analysis for some outcomes. We found that later school start times, particularly when compared with start times more than 60 min earlier, are associated with longer weekday sleep durations, lower weekday-weekend sleep duration differences, reduced vehicular accident rates, and reduced subjective daytime sleepiness. Improvement in academic performance and behavioral issues is less established. The literature regarding effect of school start time delays on important aspects of high school life suggests some salutary effects, but often the evidence is indirect, imprecise, or derived from cohorts of convenience, making the overall quality of evidence weak or very weak. This review highlights a need for higher-quality data upon which to base important and complex public health decisions. © 2016 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

  17. "Life Skills": A Single-Sex Classroom Intervention for Black Boys Transitioning from Middle School to High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flennaugh, Terry

    2017-01-01

    The transition from middle school to high school can be difficult for many students due to increases in school size, the structure of an academic schedule, and the complexity of social interactions in high school. However, Black boys face unique challenges during this transition period due to racism and structural inequalities. In response to…

  18. Multimodal Behavior Therapy: Case Study of a High School Student.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seligman, Linda

    1981-01-01

    A case study of a high school student concerned with weight problems illustrates multimodal behavior therapy and its use in a high school setting. Multimodal therapy allows the school counselor to maximize referral sources while emphasizing growth and actualization. (JAC)

  19. Adherence to Eating and Drinking Guidelines for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Dysphagia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chadwick, Darren D.; Jolliffe, Jane; Goldbart, Juliet

    2003-01-01

    The extent to which 40 individuals with intellectual disorders and dysphagia and their caregivers adhered to speech and language pathology dysphagia guidelines was evaluated across four settings. Although adherence was generally high, there were significant differences across settings, type of guidelines, and between people who were fed by…

  20. School District Wellness Policy Quality and Weight-Related Outcomes among High School Students in Minnesota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Pamela K.; Davey, Cynthia S.; Larson, Nicole; Grannon, Katherine Y.; Hanson, Carlie; Nanney, Marilyn S.

    2016-01-01

    Weight-related outcomes were examined among high school students in Minnesota public school districts according to the quality of district wellness policies. Wellness policy strength and comprehensiveness were scored using the Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) for 325 Minnesota public school districts in 2013. The associations between…

  1. Organizational culture affecting quality of care: guideline adherence in perioperative antibiotic use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ukawa, Naoto; Tanaka, Masayuki; Morishima, Toshitaka; Imanaka, Yuichi

    2015-02-01

    The objective of this work was to elucidate aspects of organizational culture associated with hospital performance in perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis using quantitative data in a multicenter and multidimensional study. Cross-sectional retrospective study using a survey data and administrative data. Eighty-three acute hospitals in Japan. A total of 4856 respondents in the organizational culture study, and 23 172 patients for the quality indicator analysis. Multilevel models of various cultural dimensions were used to analyze the association between hospital organizational culture and guideline adherence. The dependent variable was adherence or non-adherence to Japanese and CDC guidelines at the patient level and main independent variable was hospital groups categorized according to organizational culture score. Other control variables included hospital characteristics such as ownership, bed capacity, region and urbanization level of location. The multilevel analysis showed that hospitals with a high score in organizational culture were more likely to adhere to the Japanese and CDC guidelines when compared with lower scoring hospitals. In particular, the hospital group with high scores in the 'collaboration' and 'professional growth' dimensions had three times the odds for Japanese guideline adherence in comparison with low-scoring hospitals. Our study revealed that various aspects of organizational culture were associated with adherence to guidelines for perioperative antibiotic use. Hospital managers aiming to improve quality of care may benefit from improving hospital organizational culture. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

  2. Patient Medication Knowledge Governing Adherence to Asthma ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Samuel Olaleye

    disturbing levels of patients adherence with management recommendations. Asthma education strategies need to be modified to engage ... and quick procedure. ... Participants' medication adherence and skills at using .... In this study 17 of the 67 patients studied .... adherence: changing behaviour to promote better self-.

  3. Creative Approaches to Teaching Shakespeare in High School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dienstfrey, Sherri R.

    William Shakespeare should be taught in high schools in an entertaining fashion so the high school student will appreciate his genius, keen insights, and talents. A strategy to accomplish this goal starts with simple material and progresses to the more difficult. Shakespeare's personal and historical background are presented in a short lecture,…

  4. Interpretation Awareness of Creativity Mathematics Teacher High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastuti, Ajeng Gelora; Nusantara, Toto; Purwanto; As'ari, Abdurrahman; Subanji; Abadyo; Susiswo

    2016-01-01

    The purposes of this study are: a) to investigate high school math teacher creativity equality, b) to investigate what factors can inhibit their creativity consciousness. The subjects of this study consisted of two high school math teacher who had a different experience academically. The results of the qualitative research show the relationship…

  5. High School Education in Vietnam

    OpenAIRE

    Hasebe, Io

    2018-01-01

    In this report, I will introduce high school school education in Vietnam in two aspects: time schedule and language instruction. When I had an international exchange with local high school students, I was surprised at how fluently students spoke English and Japanese and thus became interested in language instruction in Vietnam. As I continued my research, I discovered many unique differences between Vietnam and Japan in terms of education. This is why I chose high school education as my repor...

  6. Improving low-performing high schools: searching for evidence of promise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleischman, Steve; Heppen, Jessica

    2009-01-01

    Noting that many of the nation's high schools are beset with major problems, such as low student reading and math achievement, high dropout rates, and an inadequate supply of effective teachers, Steve Fleischman and Jessica Heppen survey a range of strategies that educators have used to improve low-performing high schools. The authors begin by showing how the standards-based school reform movement, together with the No Child Left Behind Act requirement that underperforming schools adopt reforms supported by scientifically based research, spurred policy makers, educators, and researchers to create and implement a variety of approaches to attain improvement. Fleischman and Heppen then review a number of widely adopted reform models that aim to change "business as usual" in low-performing high schools. The models include comprehensive school reform programs, dual enrollment and early college high schools, smaller learning communities, specialty (for example, career) academies, charter high schools, and education management organizations. In practice, say the authors, many of these improvement efforts overlap, defying neat distinctions. Often, reforms are combined to reinforce one another. The authors explain the theories that drive the reforms, review evidence of their reforms' effectiveness to date, and suggest what it will take to make them work well. Although the reforms are promising, the authors say, few as yet have solid evidence of systematic or sustained success. In concluding, Fleischman and Heppen emphasize that the reasons for a high school's poor performance are so complex that no one reform model or approach, no matter how powerful, can turn around low-performing schools. They also stress the need for educators to implement each reform program with fidelity to its requirements and to support it for the time required for success. Looking to the future, the authors suggest steps that decision makers, researchers, and sponsors of research can take to promote

  7. Promoting adherence to nebulized therapy in cystic fibrosis: poster development and a qualitative exploration of adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Stephen; Babiker, Nathan; Gardner, Emma; Royle, Jane; Curley, Rachael; Hoo, Zhe Hui; Wildman, Martin J

    2015-01-01

    Cystic fibrosis (CF) health care professionals recognize the need to motivate people with CF to adhere to nebulizer treatments, yet little is known about how best to achieve this. We aimed to produce motivational posters to support nebulizer adherence by using social marketing involving people with CF in the development of those posters. The Sheffield CF multidisciplinary team produced preliminary ideas that were elaborated upon with semi-structured interviews among people with CF to explore barriers and facilitators to the use of nebulized therapy. Initial themes and poster designs were refined using an online focus group to finalize the poster designs. People with CF preferred aspirational posters describing what could be achieved through adherence in contrast to posters that highlighted the adverse consequences of nonadherence. A total of 14 posters were produced through this process. People with CF can be engaged to develop promotional material to support adherence, providing a unique perspective differing from that of the CF multidisciplinary team. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these posters to support nebulizer adherence.

  8. An observational study of health literacy and medication adherence in adult kidney transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demian, Maryam N; Shapiro, R Jean; Thornton, Wendy Loken

    2016-12-01

    There is a high prevalence of non-adherence to immunosuppressants in kidney transplant recipients. Although limited health literacy is common in kidney recipients and is linked to adverse outcomes in other medical populations, its effect on medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients remains poorly understood. The objective was to investigate the effect of lower health literacy on immunosuppressant adherence. Kidney recipients who were at least 6 months post-transplant and outpatients of Vancouver General Hospital in B.C., Canada were recruited through invitation letters. A total of 96 recipients completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire, which provides a multifactorial profile of self-reported health literacy and the Transplant Effects Questionnaire-Adherence subscale measuring self-reported immunosuppressant adherence. Hierarchical linear regression was used to analyze the association between health literacy and adherence after controlling for identified risk factors of non-adherence. Our sample was on average 53 years old, 56% male and 9 years post-transplant. Kidney recipients reported low levels of health literacy on scales measuring active health management and critical appraisal of information and 75% reported non-perfect adherence. Worse adherence was associated with poorer overall health literacy (Δ R 2 = 0.08, P = 0.004) and lower scores on six of nine of the health literacy factors. Poorer health literacy is associated with lower immunosuppressant adherence in adult kidney transplant recipients suggesting the importance of considering a recipient's level of health literacy in research and clinical contexts. Medication adherence interventions can target the six factors of health literacy identified as being risk factors for lower medication adherence.

  9. Homeless High School Students in America: Who Counts?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cumming, John M.; Gloeckner, Gene W.

    2012-01-01

    After interviewing homeless high school students, the research team in a Colorado school district discovered that many students had not revealed their true living conditions (homelessness) to anyone in the school district. This research team developed an anonymous survey written around the homeless categories identified in the McKinney-Vento…

  10. The anthropometric match between high school learners and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: A South African study illustrated that the school computer chair was the least ergonomic aspect of a school computer workstation and this may explain why computer usage was the only predictor of cervical pain among high school students (Smith et al. 2007). An alarming percentage of South African learners ...

  11. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and quality of life in the SUN Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henríquez Sánchez, P; Ruano, C; de Irala, J; Ruiz-Canela, M; Martínez-González, M A; Sánchez-Villegas, A

    2012-03-01

    Mediterranean diet has been related with reduced morbidity and better well-being. The aim of this study was to assess whether the adherence to the Mediterranean diet were associated with mental and physical health related to quality of life. This analysis included 11 015 participants with 4 years of follow-up in the SUN Project (a multipurpose cohort study based on university graduates from Spain). A validated 136-item food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the adherence to the Mediterranean diet at baseline, according to a nine-point score, presented in four categories (low, low-moderate, moderate-high and high). Health-related quality of life (HRQL) was measured after 4 years of follow-up with the Spanish version of the SF-36 Health Survey. Generalized Linear Models were fitted to assess adjusted mean scores, the regression coefficients (β) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the SF-36 domains according to categories of adherence to Mediterranean diet. Multivariate-adjusted models revealed a significant direct association between adherence to Mediterranean diet and all the physical and most mental health domains (vitality, social functioning and role emotional). Vitality (β=0.50, 95% CI=0.32-0.68) and general health (β=0.45, 95% CI=0.26-0.62) showed the highest coefficients. Mean values for physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health and vitality domains were significantly better with increasing adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Those having improved their initial high diet scores have better scores in physical functioning, general health and vitality. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet seems to be a factor importantly associated with a better HRQL.

  12. In-Service Teacher Training to Provide Psychosocial Support and Care in High-Risk and High-Need Schools: School-Based Intervention Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebersöhn, Liesel; Loots, Tilda; Eloff, Irma; Ferreira, Ronél

    2015-01-01

    This article uses a South African case study to argue that postcolonial, emerging economy societies in transition often contain schools characterised as high risk and high need. Such schools require teachers to adapt to roles other than facilitating learning, such as psychosocial support and care, and which requires additional professional…

  13. Measuring school climate in high schools: a focus on safety, engagement, and the environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradshaw, Catherine P; Waasdorp, Tracy E; Debnam, Katrina J; Johnson, Sarah Lindstrom

    2014-09-01

    School climate has been linked to multiple student behavioral, academic, health, and social-emotional outcomes. The US Department of Education (USDOE) developed a 3-factor model of school climate comprised of safety, engagement, and environment. This article examines the factor structure and measurement invariance of the USDOE model. Drawing upon 2 consecutive waves of data from over 25,000 high school students (46% minority), a series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses examined the fit of the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Climate Survey with the USDOE model. The results indicated adequate model fit with the theorized 3-factor model of school climate, which included 13 subdomains: safety (perceived safety, bullying and aggression, and drug use); engagement (connection to teachers, student connectedness, academic engagement, school connectedness, equity, and parent engagement); environment (rules and consequences, physical comfort, and support, disorder). We also found consistent measurement invariance with regard to student sex, grade level, and ethnicity. School-level interclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.04 to .10 for the scales. Findings supported the USDOE 3-factor model of school climate and suggest measurement invariance and high internal consistency of the 3 scales and 13 subdomains. These results suggest the 56-item measure may be a potentially efficient, yet comprehensive measure of school climate. © 2014, American School Health Association.

  14. School Improvement in High-Capacity Schools: Educational Leadership and Living-Systems Ontology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Coral; Sackney, Larry

    2016-01-01

    Although school improvement continues to present as an unresolved educational problem, the required changes are relatively straightforward. Essentially, schools need to be retooled with students' experiences and high-quality instruction at the center of the design. In this article, we present the findings of research into the leadership of…

  15. Assessment of medication adherence among type 2 diabetic patients in Quetta city, Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Qaiser; Bashir, Sajid; Iqbal, Javeid; Iftikhar, Shehla; Godman, Brian

    2017-08-01

    Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a growing burden among all countries including Pakistan, with medication adherence very important to improve care. However, little is known about medication adherence in Pakistan and potential predictors among T2DM patients to provide future guidance. This needs to be addressed. Consequently, the present study sought to assess medication adherence among type 2 diabetic patients in Quetta city, Pakistan. Questionnaire based, descriptive study among 300 Pakistani patients attending public and private hospitals aged 18 years and above, having a confirmed diagnosis of T2DM, without additional co-morbidities were targeted. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic and disease characteristics. The association between socio-demographic data and study variables was compared through the Mann Whitney/Kruskal Wallis test (where applicable). The factors that were significantly associated with medication adherence were further assessed by logistic regression analysis. 55.6% of patients had high adherence although overall patients reported moderate adherence. Age, gender, education, diabetes-related knowledge and treatment satisfaction were significantly associated with medication adherence. Older males with only primary education and with poor diabetes-related knowledge had the lowest adherence. This study presents a model that is associated with medication adherence among T2DM patients, with disease-related knowledge as a significant predictor of likely adherence. Results of the current study revealed that improved diabetes related knowledge plays a significant role in improving medication adherence. Healthcare practitioners and the system should formalize and acknowledge patient education as a key component to treat patients with T2DM. This should include a greater role for pharmacists and other professionals.

  16. Medication Adherence Improvements in Employees Participating in a Pharmacist-Run Risk Reduction Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mallory C. McKenzie

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the medication adherence of individuals participating in a pharmacist-run employee health Cardiovascular and Diabetes Risk Reduction Program. Design: Retrospective analysis of medication adherence using pharmacy refill data. Setting: A medium sized university located in the Midwest United States and the organization's outpatient pharmacy. Participants: 38 participants ≥ 18 years of age, employed and receiving their health insurance through the organization, and have a diagnosis of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, or a combination thereof. Intervention: Participation in the risk reduction program that emphasizes medication therapy management (MTM, lifestyle medicine and care coordination. Main Outcome Measures: The Proportion of Days Covered (PDC and the Medication Possession Ratio (MPR. Results: PDC and MPR analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in medication adherence for 180 days and 360 days post enrollment versus the 180 days prior to enrollment (P<0.01. The PDC analysis demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the number of medications that achieved a PDC ≥ 80% (high adherence for the 180 days post enrollment versus the 180 days prior to enrollment (+30%, P<0.01. The MPR analysis showed a non-statistically significant improvement in the number of medications that achieved an MPR ≥ 80% (high adherence pre enrollment versus post enrollment (+10%, P=0.086. The percentage of participants in the program that reached a PDC and MPR adherence rate ≥ 80% at 180 days post enrollment was 78.9% and 94.4%, respectively which exceeds that of a matched cohort that reached a PDC and MPR adherence rate ≥ 80% of 66.4% and 82.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Pharmacists can improve medication adherence as measured by PDC and MPR when working with employees enrolled in a novel pharmacist-run employee health risk reduction program. Medication adherence was shown to be sustainable for

  17. Sleep patterns in high school and university students: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urner, Martin; Tornic, Jure; Bloch, Konrad E

    2009-08-01

    We performed a longitudinal study to investigate whether changes in social zeitgebers and age alter sleep patterns in students during the transition from high school to university. Actimetry was performed on 24 high-school students (mean age+/-SD: 18.4+/-0.9 yrs; 12 females) for two weeks. Recordings were repeated in the same subjects 5 yrs later when they were university students. The sleep period duration and its center, the mid-sleep time, and total sleep time were estimated by actimetry. Actigraphic total sleep time was similar when in high school and at the university on school days (6.31+/-0.47 vs. 6.45+/-0.80 h, p = ns) and longer on leisure days by 1.10+/-1.10 h (p school days) when in high school, but not at the university. Compared to the high school situation, the mid-sleep time was delayed when at the university on school days (03:11+/-0.6 vs. 03:55+/-0.7 h, p sleep times on school and leisure days when in high school were significantly correlated with the corresponding values 5 yrs later when at the university (r = 0.58 and r = 0.55, p sleep time between school and leisure days when students attended high school and the delayed mid-sleep time on school days when students attended university are consistent with a circadian phase shift due to changes in class schedules, other zeitgebers, and lifestyle preferences. Age-related changes may also have occurred, although some individuality of the sleep pattern was maintained during the 5 yr study span. These findings have important implications for optimizing school and work schedules in students of different age and level of education.

  18. Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools: Tropical Island Climates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2004-11-01

    The Energy Design Guidelines for High Performance Schools--Tropical Island Climates provides school boards, administrators, and design staff with guidance to help them make informed decisions about energy and environmental issues important to school systems and communities. These design guidelines outline high performance principles for the new or retrofit design of your K-12 school in tropical island climates. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans, schools can significantly reduce energy consumption and costs.

  19. On the Front Lines of Schools: Perspectives of Teachers and Principals on the High School Dropout Problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bridgeland, John M.; Dilulio, John J., Jr.; Balfanz, Robert

    2009-01-01

    Teachers and administrators in public high schools recognize there is a dropout problem, know they are confronted with daunting challenges in classrooms and in schools, and express strong support for reforms to address high dropout rates. Yet, less than one-third of teachers believe that schools should expect all students to meet high academic…

  20. High School Psychology: A Coming of Age Story

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keith, Kenneth D.; Hammer, Elizabeth Yost; Blair-Broeker, Charles T.; Ernst, Randal M.

    2013-01-01

    Although institutional recognition of high school psychology is fairly recent, psychology and psychological subject matters have a history dating to at least the 1830s. By the middle of the twentieth century, high school psychology courses existed in nearly all U.S. states, and enrollments grew throughout the second half of the century. However,…

  1. Adherence therapy improves medication adherence and quality of life in people with Parkinson's disease: a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daley, D J; Deane, K H O; Gray, R J; Clark, A B; Pfeil, M; Sabanathan, K; Worth, P F; Myint, P K

    2014-08-01

    Many factors are associated with medication non-adherence in Parkinson's disease (PD), including complex treatment regimens, mood disorders and impaired cognition. However, interventions to improve adherence which acknowledge such factors are lacking. A phase II randomised controlled trial was conducted investigating whether Adherence Therapy (AT) improves medication adherence and quality of life (QoL) compared with routine care (RC) in PD. Eligible PD patients and their spouse/carers were randomised to intervention (RC plus AT) or control (RC alone). Primary outcomes were change in adherence (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale) and QoL (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39) from baseline to week-12 follow up. Secondary outcomes were MDS-UPDRS (part I, II, IV), Beliefs about Medication Questionnaire (BMQ), EuroQol (EQ-5D) and the Caregiving Distress Scale. Blinded data were analysed using logistic and linear regression models based on the intention-to-treat principle. Seventy-six patients and 46 spouse/carers completed the study (intervention: n = 38 patients, n = 24 spouse/carers). At week-12 AT significantly improved adherence compared with RC (OR 8.2; 95% CI: 2.8, 24.3). Numbers needed to treat (NNT) were 2.2 (CI: 1.6, 3.9). Compared with RC, AT significantly improved PDQ-39 (-9.0 CI: -12.2, -5.8), BMQ general harm (-1.0 CI: -1.9, -0.2) and MDS-UPDRS part II (-4.8 CI: -8.1, -1.4). No significant interaction was observed between the presence of a spouse/carer and the effect of AT. Adherence Therapy improved self-reported adherence and QoL in a PD sample. The small NNT suggests AT may be cost-effective. A larger pragmatic trial to test the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of AT by multiple therapists is required. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Parental attitudes towards soft drink vending machines in high schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendel-Paterson, Maia; French, Simone A; Story, Mary

    2004-10-01

    Soft drink vending machines are available in 98% of US high schools. However, few data are available about parents' opinions regarding the availability of soft drink vending machines in schools. Six focus groups with 33 parents at three suburban high schools were conducted to describe the perspectives of parents regarding soft drink vending machines in their children's high school. Parents viewed the issue of soft drink vending machines as a matter of their children's personal choice more than as an issue of a healthful school environment. However, parents were unaware of many important details about the soft drink vending machines in their children's school, such as the number and location of machines, hours of operation, types of beverages available, or whether the school had contracts with soft drink companies. Parents need more information about the number of soft drink vending machines at their children's school, the beverages available, the revenue generated by soft drink vending machine sales, and the terms of any contracts between the school and soft drink companies.

  3. Associations between patients' adherence and GPs' attitudes towards risk, statin therapy and management of non-adherence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barfoed, Benedicte L; Paulsen, Maja S; Christensen, Palle M

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that doctors' personal lifestyle, risk taking personality and beliefs about risk reducing therapies may affect their clinical decision-making. Whether such factors are further associated with patients' adherence with medication is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE...... statin treatment as important, how they managed non-adherence and whether non-adherence annoyed them. The Jackson Personality Inventory-revised was used to measure risk attitude. The GPs' responses were linked to register data on their patients' redeemed statin prescriptions. Mixed effect logistic...

  4. Adherence to Behavioral Interventions for Stress Incontinence: Rates, Barriers, and Predictors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgio, Kathryn L.; Goode, Patricia S.; Ye, Wen; Weidner, Alison C.; Lukacz, Emily S.; Jelovsek, John-Eric; Bradley, Catherine S.; Schaffer, Joseph; Hsu, Yvonne; Kenton, Kimberly; Spino, Cathie

    2013-01-01

    12 months post-randomization, only “trouble remembering” was associated with exercise adherence. Limitations Adherence and barrier questionnaires were not validated. Conclusions Adherence to PFM exercises and bladder control strategies for SUI can be high and sustained over time. However, behavioral interventions to help women link exercise to environmental and behavioral cues may only be beneficial over the short term. PMID:23431210

  5. Self-replenishing low-adherence coatings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dikic, T.; Ming, W.; Benthem, van R.A.T.M.; With, de G.; Schmets, A.J.M.; Zwaag, van der S.

    2007-01-01

    Low-adherence coatings are widely used today since their water/oil repellency makes them easily cleanable (a well-known example is PTFE). The low surface tension is provided by fluorine- or silicon-containing species that are present at the film surface. Low adherence coatings have already been

  6. Medication adherence and its determinants among psychiatric patients in an Ethiopian referral hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Demoz Z

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Zaid Demoz,1 Befikadu Legesse,1 Gebrehiwot Teklay,1 Birhanu Demeke,1 Tewodros Eyob,2 Zewdneh Shewamene,3 Mubarek Abera4 1Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, 2Department of Pharmacy, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, 3Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Gondar, Gondar, 4Department of Psychiatry, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia Background: The degree to which an individual follows medical advice is a major concern in every medical specialty. Non-adherence to psychiatric treatment regimens has a pro­found impact on the disease course, relapse, future recovery, cost of health care, and the outcome for the patient. The aim of this study was to assess medication adherence and its correlates among psychiatric patients at Ayder Referral Hospital, Northern Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to September 2013 at Ayder Referral Hospital, where 423 patients were selected by a systematic random sampling technique from all patients attending the psychiatric clinic at the hospital. Data were collected by trained data collectors through interview of the patients using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epi Info version 7 and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 software. Logistic regression was used to assess independent predictors of adherence. Results: A total of 387 patients completed the interview. Two hundred and sixteen (55.8% and 113 (29.2% were patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and mood disorder, respectively, while 35 (9% and 23 (5.9% had a diagnosis of drug addiction and autistic disorder. Two hundred and seven (71.6% patients were found to be adherent to their medication. When adherence rates were observed according to type of disorder, 60 (53.1%, 24 (68.6%, 149 (69%, and 18 (78.3% of patients

  7. Behavioral and Pharmacological Adherence in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: Parent-Child Agreement and Family Factors Associated With Adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klitzman, Page H; Carmody, Julia K; Belkin, Mary H; Janicke, David M

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed to evaluate agreement between children and parents on a measure of behavioral and pharmacological adherence in children with sickle cell disease (SCD), and the associations among family factors (i.e., problem-solving skills, routines, communication) and adherence behaviors. In all, 85 children (aged 8-18 years) with SCD and their parents completed questionnaires assessing individual and family factors. Overall parent-child agreement on an adherence measure was poor, particularly for boys and older children. Greater use of child routines was associated with better overall child-reported adherence. Open family communication was associated with higher overall parent-reported adherence. While further research is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn, results suggest the need to assess child adherence behaviors via both child and parent reports. Findings also suggest that more daily family routines and open family communication may be protective factors for better disease management. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  8. School Reform in a High Poverty Elementary School: A Grounded Theory Case Study of Capacity Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodman, Stephanie Lynn

    2011-01-01

    There is a persistent and significant gap in the achievement of students who attend high-poverty schools and those who attend low-poverty schools. Students in high-poverty schools, the majority of whom are African American and Hispanic, are not achieving the same levels of academic success as their low-poverty or White counterparts. Retention…

  9. Understanding Students' Precollege Experiences with Racial Diversity: The High School as Microsystem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Julie J.; Chang, Stephanie H.

    2015-01-01

    Few qualitative studies consider how high school experiences affect readiness for diversity engagement in college. Using data from an ethnographic case study, three central trends (student experiences within homogeneous high schools, racial divisions within diverse high schools, and students who attended diverse high schools but had little…

  10. High School Dropouts: Interactions between Social Context, Self-Perceptions, School Engagement, and Student Dropout

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fall, Anna-Maria; Roberts, Greg

    2012-01-01

    Research suggests that contextual, self-system, and school engagement variables influence dropping out from school. However, it is not clear how different types of contextual and self-system variables interact to affect students' engagement or contribute to decisions to dropout from high school. The self-system model of motivational development…

  11. A risk stratification model for antihypertensive medication non-adherence among Chinese immigrants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Wen Li

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to establish a risk stratification model for identifying Chinese immigrants at risk for non-adherence to antihypertensive medications. Questionnaires were self-administered to 200 Chinese immigrants in San Francisco, USA. Questionnaires included demographics, culture factors (e.g., Perceived Susceptibility in General, Perceived Benefits of Western Medication, Perceived Benefits of Chinese Herbs, and Health-Related Social Support, and medications adherence. Participants' mean age was 70.6 (±10.3 years. Three stratification factors were identified for non-adherence: Lower Perceived Susceptibility in General, lower Perceived Benefit of Western Medications, and longer Length of Stay in the United States. The probability of non-adherence was 77%, 62%, and 57% for lower perceived susceptibility, longer stay in the United States, and lower perceived benefits of Western medications, respectively. A combination of lower perceived susceptibility and lower perceived benefits of medication predicted 81% non-adherence and lower perceived susceptibility with longer stay in the United States predicted at 84%. All three factors combined predicted nearly 90%. Patients with all three factors had the highest risk for non-adherence. The second priority groups are patients with lower perceived susceptibility and those with lower perceived susceptibility combined with any of the other two factors. In the clinical setting, these three groups are a high priority for education on the importance of medication adherence.

  12. Adherence to an Aerobic Exercise Intervention after an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dougherty, Cynthia M; Luttrell, Matilda N; Burr, Robert L; Kim, Misun; Haskell, William L

    2016-02-01

    Exercise adherence is an important element in achieving important exercise outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe adherence in a home-based aerobic exercise program following an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), determine effects of adherence on peakVO2 , and outline reasons for nonadherence. A single-blind randomized control trial of home walking compared to usual care in 160 patients with an ICD for primary or secondary prevention was conducted. This report is on adherence in the exercise arm (N = 84). Home walking exercise consisted of 8 weeks of aerobic conditioning (60 minutes/day, 5 days/week) followed by 16 weeks of aerobic maintenance (150 minutes/week, 30 minutes/session) at 60-80% of heart rate reserve. Adherence was tracked using Polar heart rate (HR) monitors, pedometers, home exercise logs, and telephone follow-up. Adherence was defined as performing at least 80% of prescribed exercise. For aerobic conditioning, there was a mean frequency of 3.81 walks/week, duration of 1,873 minutes walked, and 17.5% of exercise was in the target HR (THR) zone. For aerobic maintenance, there was a mean frequency of 2.4 walks/week, duration of 1,872 minutes/walked, and 8.7% of exercise was in the THR zone. Those who were 80% adherent achieved a 3.4 mL/kg/min (P = 0.03) improvement in peakVO2 over those who were exercise ranged from scheduling issues to viral illness and fatigue. Adherence to aerobic exercise frequency and duration was high with few dropouts, resulting in higher peakVO2 . Exercise monitoring equipment encouraged adherence and conferred a sense of safety to exercise. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. ExpandED Options: Learning beyond High School Walls

    Science.gov (United States)

    ExpandED Schools, 2014

    2014-01-01

    Through ExpandED Options by TASC, New York City high school students get academic credit for learning career-related skills that lead to paid summer jobs. Too many high school students--including those most likely to drop out--are bored or see classroom learning as irrelevant. ExpandED Options students live the connection between mastering new…

  14. The Method of High School English Word Learning

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    吴博涵

    2016-01-01

    Most Chinese students are not interested in English learning, especially English words. In this paper, I focus on English vocabulary learning, for example, the study of high school students English word learning method, and also introduce several ways to make vocabulary memory becomes more effective. The purpose is to make high school students grasp more English word learning skills.

  15. Validating the Modified Drug Adherence Work-Up (M-DRAW) Tool to Identify and Address Barriers to Medication Adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sun; Bae, Yuna H; Worley, Marcia; Law, Anandi

    2017-09-08

    Barriers to medication adherence stem from multiple factors. An effective and convenient tool is needed to identify these barriers so that clinicians can provide a tailored, patient-centered consultation with patients. The Modified Drug Adherence Work-up Tool (M-DRAW) was developed as a 13-item checklist questionnaire to identify barriers to medication adherence. The response scale was a 4-point Likert scale of frequency of occurrence (1 = never to 4 = often). The checklist was accompanied by a GUIDE that provided corresponding motivational interview-based intervention strategies for each identified barrier. The current pilot study examined the psychometric properties of the M-DRAW checklist (reliability, responsiveness and discriminant validity) in patients taking one or more prescription medication(s) for chronic conditions. A cross-sectional sample of 26 patients was recruited between December 2015 and March 2016 at an academic medical center pharmacy in Southern California. A priming question that assessed self-reported adherence was used to separate participants into the control group of 17 "adherers" (65.4%), and into the intervention group of nine "unintentional and intentional non-adherers" (34.6%). Comparable baseline characteristics were observed between the two groups. The M-DRAW checklist showed acceptable reliability (13 item; alpha = 0.74) for identifying factors and barriers leading to medication non-adherence. Discriminant validity of the tool and the priming question was established by the four-fold number of barriers to adherence identified within the self-selected intervention group compared to the control group (4.4 versus 1.2 barriers, p tool will include construct validation.

  16. Demographic Factors Affecting Internet Using Purposes of High School Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah Faruk Kılıç

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed at determining the impact of demographic factors on the Internet usage purposes of high school students. The population of the study consisted of students between 9th and 12th grades from the Anatolian high schools, science high schools, social sciences high schools, sports high schools and fine arts high schools in Turkey. The sample was chosen through the stratified and cluster sampling procedure. The students were chosen randomly depending on the regions of their school attendance. The sample for this research numbered 3170 students. The research was conducted in the second term of the 2014-2015 academic year. The data were obtained through online forms and the bases of participation are honesty, sincerity, and volunteerism. The data collection tool is a questionnaire and a demographic information form prepared by the researchers. Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID analysis was conducted through SPSS in order to determine the demographic factors affecting the purposes of internet usage among high school students. The results of this research show that 9th grade students in Turkey mostly use the Internet to do homework while students from other grades mostly use the Internet for social networking. The male students use the Internet for playing video games more frequently in comparison with female students. Also, socioeconomic status affects the purpose of Internet usage. Hence it is suggested that teachers talking to male students might use the examples of computers and games and with female students they might relate the topics to social media.

  17. Impact of Texas high school science teacher credentials on student performance in high school science

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Anna Ray Bayless

    A study was conducted to determine the relationship between the credentials held by science teachers who taught at a school that administered the Science Texas Assessment on Knowledge and Skills (Science TAKS), the state standardized exam in science, at grade 11 and student performance on a state standardized exam in science administered in grade 11. Years of teaching experience, teacher certification type(s), highest degree level held, teacher and school demographic information, and the percentage of students who met the passing standard on the Science TAKS were obtained through a public records request to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). Analysis was performed through the use of canonical correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicate that a larger percentage of students met the passing standard on the Science TAKS state attended schools in which a large portion of the high school science teachers held post baccalaureate degrees, elementary and physical science certifications, and had 11-20 years of teaching experience.

  18. Alignment of adherence and risk for HIV acquisition in a demonstration project of pre-exposure prophylaxis among HIV serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda: a prospective analysis of prevention-effective adherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haberer, Jessica E; Kidoguchi, Lara; Heffron, Renee; Mugo, Nelly; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Katabira, Elly; Asiimwe, Stephen; Thomas, Katherine K; Celum, Connie; Baeten, Jared M

    2017-07-25

    Adherence is essential for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to protect against HIV acquisition, but PrEP use need not be life-long. PrEP is most efficient when its use is aligned with periods of risk - a concept termed prevention-effective adherence. The objective of this paper is to describe prevention-effective adherence and predictors of adherence within an open-label delivery project of integrated PrEP and antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda (the Partners Demonstration Project). We offered PrEP to HIV-uninfected participants until the partner living with HIV had taken ART for ≥6 months (a strategy known as "PrEP as a bridge to ART"). The level of adherence sufficient to protect against HIV was estimated in two ways: ≥4 and ≥6 doses/week (per electronic monitoring). Risk for HIV acquisition was considered high if the couple reported sex with 25 years, older male partners and desire for relationship success. Predictors of not achieving sufficient adherence were no longer being a couple, delayed PrEP initiation, >6 months  of follow-up, ART use >6 months  by the partner living with HIV and problem alcohol use. Over three-quarters of participant-visits by HIV-uninfected partners in serodiscordant couples achieved prevention-effective adherence with PrEP. Greater adherence was observed during months with HIV risk and the strongest predictor of achieving sufficient adherence was sexual activity.

  19. High blood pressure: prevalence and adherence to guidelines in a population-based cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walther, Diana; Curjuric, Ivan; Dratva, Julia; Schaffner, Emmanuel; Quinto, Carlos; Rochat, Thierry; Gaspoz, Jean-Michel; Burdet, Luc; Bridevaux, Pierre-Olivier; Pons, Marco; Gerbase, Margaret W; Schindler, Christian; Probst-Hensch, Nicole

    2016-01-01

    High blood pressure, the single leading health risk factor worldwide, contributes greatly to morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to add to the understanding of diagnosed and undiagnosed high blood pressure in Switzerland and to evaluate adherence to hypertension guidelines. Included were 3962 participants from the first (2001-2003) and second (2010-2011) follow-ups of the population-based Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Disease in Adults. High blood pressure was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg and the prevalence of doctor-diagnosed hypertension was based on questionnaire information. High blood pressure was found in 34.9% of subjects, 49.1% of whom were unaware of this condition; 30.0% had doctor-diagnosed hypertension and, although 82.1% of these received drug treatments, in only 40.8% was blood pressure controlled (<140/90 mm Hg). Substantial first-line beta-blocker use and nonadherence to comorbidity-specific prescription guidelines were observed and remained mostly unexplained. Age-adjusted rates of unawareness and uncontrolled hypertension were more than 20% higher than in the USA. There is room for improvement in managing hypertension in Switzerland. Population-based observational studies are essential for identifying and evaluating unmet needs in healthcare; however, to pinpoint the underlying causes it is imperative to facilitate linkage of cohort data to medical records.

  20. Mediterranean diet adherence rates in Sicily, southern Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grosso, Giuseppe; Marventano, Stefano; Giorgianni, Gabriele; Raciti, Teodoro; Galvano, Fabio; Mistretta, Antonio

    2014-09-01

    To assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet and nutrient intakes in a population of Sicily, southern Italy and to evaluate possible determinants, particularly socio-cultural and lifestyle factors. Cross-sectional. Urban and rural areas of eastern Sicily. Between May 2009 and December 2010, 3090 adults were randomly recruited through the collaboration of fourteen general practitioners. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured by the MedDietScore. Nutrient intakes were assessed through the 24 h recall of the previous day's dietary intake. Rural participants were barely more adherent to the Mediterranean diet than their urban counterparts (mean scores were 27·8 and 27·2, respectively, P = 0·037). The MedDietScore was correlated with intakes of MUFA, fibre and vitamin C, as well as with consumption of non-refined cereals, vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy products, alcohol and nuts. Regression analysis revealed that older and more educated people were more likely to be in the highest tertile of MedDietScore (OR = 1.90; 95 % CI 1·39, 2·59 and OR = 1·29; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·58, respectively). A significant difference in quantity (moderate) and quality (red wine and beer) of alcohol was found according to adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Finally, more active participants were 1·5 times more likely to form part of the high-adherence group. A slow but concrete moving away from traditional patterns has been observed in younger people and low educated people. Public health interventions should focus on these target populations in order to improve the quality of their diet.