76 FR 76712 - Notice of Staff Attendance at Southwest Power Pool Markets and Operations Policy Committee Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-08

.... Markets and Operations Policy Committee. Their attendance is part of the Commission's ongoing outreach... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Staff Attendance at Southwest Power Pool Markets and Operations Policy Committee Meeting The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission...

roles of traditional birth attendants and perceptions on the policy

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-03-01

Mar 1, 2014 ... the perceptions of TBAs and Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs) towards the policy discouraging home ... improve maternal health, with the targets of reducing maternal ... Asia, where the majority of maternal deaths occur (3). These two ..... The SBA, with an attitude of cultural humility, could learn from the.

75 FR 63168 - Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the Southwest Power Pool ICT Stakeholder Policy Committee...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-14

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the Southwest Power Pool ICT Stakeholder Policy Committee Meeting and the Entergy Regional State Committee... members of its staff may attend the meetings noted below. Their attendance is part of the Commission's...

75 FR 23262 - Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the Southwest Power Pool ICT Stakeholder Policy Committee...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-03

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the Southwest Power Pool ICT Stakeholder Policy Committee Meeting and the Entergy Regional State Committee... staff may attend the meetings noted below. Their attendance is part of the Commission's ongoing outreach...

Mind the Gap: How Students Differentially Perceive Their School's Attendance Policies in Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Saelzer, Christine; Lenski, Anna Eva

2016-01-01

Truant student behavior can be due to various reasons. Some of these reasons are located in schools. So far, little is known about how student perception of school rules is related to truancy. This study aims to identify types of school attendance policies and how these policies are associated with individual truancy. Self-reports from the German…

The Role of Attendance in Lecture Classes: You Can Lead a Horse to Water...

Science.gov (United States)

Golding, Jonathan M.

2011-01-01

A review of prior research on the role of attendance policies in large lecture classes (including psychology) is presented. This research showed that although students often did not attend class, various policies were effective in getting students to the classroom. Moreover, some research showed that an attendance policy did not lower instructor…

76 FR 13613 - Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the ICT Stakeholders Policy Committee and Entergy Regional...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-14

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the ICT Stakeholders Policy Committee and Entergy Regional State Committee Meetings The Federal Energy... noted below. Their attendance is part of the Commission's ongoing outreach efforts. ICT Stakeholder...

76 FR 2369 - Notice of Staff Attendance at Southwest Power Pool Markets and Operation Policy Committee and...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-13

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Staff Attendance at Southwest Power Pool Markets and Operation Policy Committee and Strategic Planning Committee Meetings January 5... the meetings of the Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP) Markets and Operations Policy Committee (MOPC...

75 FR 41858 - Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the Southwest Power Pool ICT Stakeholder Policy Committee Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-19

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of FERC Staff Attendance at the Southwest Power Pool ICT Stakeholder Policy Committee Meeting July 12, 2010. The Federal Energy Regulatory... is part of the Commission's ongoing outreach efforts. ICT Stakeholder Policy Committee Meeting July...

Attendance as control

OpenAIRE

Beckton, Julian

2013-01-01

Student attendance in higher education, particularly at lectures, is a topic that researchers have largely neglected, other than in relatively small scale studies. This paper reviews university attendance policies based on documentary research in university web sites. While there are acknowledged methodological limitations to this approach, some universities are beginning to implement automated recording of student attendance in UK higher education and others are debating the merits of doing ...

How Measurement and Modeling of Attendance Matter to Assessing Dimensions of Inequality

Science.gov (United States)

Dougherty, Shaun M.

2018-01-01

Each iteration of high stakes accountability has included requirements to include measures of attendance in their accountability programs, thereby increasing the salience of this measure. Researchers too have turned to attendance and chronic absence as important outcomes in evaluations and policy studies. Often, too little attention is paid to the…

ROLES OF TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANTS AND PERCEPTIONS ON THE POLICY DISCOURAGING HOME DELIVERY IN COASTAL KENYA.

Science.gov (United States)

Wanyua, S; Kaneko, S; Karama, M; Makokha, A; Ndemwa, M; Kisule, A; Changoma, M; Goto, K; Shimada, M

2014-03-01

To describe the roles of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), to determine the perceptions of TBAs and Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs) towards the policy discouraging home delivery by TBAs and to establish the working relationship between TBAs and SBAs in Kwale, Kenya. Community based cross-sectional study. Mwaluphamba, Kinango and Golini locations of Kwale County, Kenya. Fifty eight participants were involved in the study. Interviews were conducted with 22 TBAs and 8 SBAs as well as 3 FGDs with 28 TBAs were carried out in July 2012. Roles of TBAs, policy awareness and support as well as the working relationship between TBAs and SBAs. Before delivery, the main role of TBAs was checking position of the baby in the womb (86%) while during delivery, the main role was stomach massage (64%). However, majority (95%) of the TBAs did not provide any after delivery. All SBAs and 59% of TBAs were aware of the policy while 88% SBAs and 36% of TBAs supported it. The working relationship between TBAs and SBAs mainly involved the referral of women to health facilities (HFs). Sometimes, TBAs accompanied women to the HF offering emotional support until after delivery. TBAs in Kwale have a big role to play especially during pregnancy and delivery periods. Awareness and support of the policy as well as the collaboration between SBAs and TBAs should be enhanced in Kwale.

Improving access to skilled attendance at delivery: a policy brief for Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabudere, Harriet; Asiimwe, Delius; Amandua, Jacinto

2013-04-01

This study describes the process of production, findings for a policy brief on Increasing Access to Skilled Birth Attendance, and subsequent use of the report by policy makers and others from the health sector in Uganda. The methods used to prepare the policy brief use the SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed health policy making. The problem that this evidence brief addresses was identified through an explicit priority setting process involving policy makers and other stakeholders, further clarification with key informant interviews of relevant policy makers, and review of relevant documents. A working group of national stakeholder representatives and external reviewers commented on and contributed to successive drafts of the report. Research describing the problem, policy options, and implementation considerations was identified by reviewing government documents, routinely collected data, electronic literature searches, contact with key informants, and reviewing the reference lists of relevant documents that were retrieved. The proportion of pregnant women delivering from public and private non-profit facilities was low at 34 percent in 2008/09. The three policy options discussed in the report could be adopted independently or complementary to the other to increase access to skilled care. The Ministry of Health in deliberating to provide intrapartum care at first level health facilities from the second level of care, requested for research evidence to support these decisions. Maternal waiting shelters and working with the private-for-profit sector to facilitate deliveries in health facilities are promising complementary interventions that have been piloted in both the public and private health sector. A combination of strategies is needed to effectively implement the proposed options as discussed further in this article. The policy brief report was used as a background document for two stakeholder dialogue meetings involving members of parliament, policy makers

Clear Skies and Grey Areas: Flight Attendants' Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Attitudes toward Smoke-Free Policy 25 Years since Smoking was Banned on Airplanes.

Science.gov (United States)

Stillman, Frances A; Soong, Andrea; Zheng, Laura Y; Navas-Acien, Ana

2015-06-04

Our objective was to provide descriptive data on flight attendant secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in the work environment, and to examine attitudes toward SHS exposure, personal health, and smoke-free policy in the workplace and public places. Flight attendants completed a web-based survey of self-reported SHS exposure and air quality in the work environment. We assessed the frequency and duration of SHS exposure in distinct areas of the workplace, attitudes toward SHS exposure and its health effects, and attitudes toward smoke-free policy in the workplace as well as general public places. A total of 723 flight attendants participated in the survey, and 591 responded to all survey questions. The mean level of exposure per flight attendant over the past month was 249 min. The majority of participants reported being exposed to SHS always/often in outdoor areas of an airport (57.7%). Participants who worked before the in-flight smoking ban (n=240) were more likely to support further smoking policies in airports compared to participants who were employed after the ban (n=346) (76.7% versus 60.4%, p-valuesmoke-free policies and want to see further restrictions in airports and public places.

29 CFR 785.28 - Involuntary attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Involuntary attendance. 785.28 Section 785.28 Labor... POLICY OR INTERPRETATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO REGULATIONS HOURS WORKED Application of Principles Lectures, Meetings and Training Programs § 785.28 Involuntary attendance. Attendance is not voluntary, of...

Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism in Indiana: The Impact on Student Achievement. Education Policy Brief, Volume 10, Number 3, Summer 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Spradlin, Terry; Cierniak, Katherine; Shi, Dingjing; Chen, Minge

2012-01-01

This Education Policy Brief summarizes the research and data analysis completed by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) on Indiana's student attendance and absenteeism data. The study was initiated by The Indiana Partnerships Center and conducted by CEEP with funding from USA Funds and State Farm. Additional partners in the study…

41 CFR 301-74.16 - What must be included in any advertisement or application form relating to conference attendance?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What must be included in any advertisement or application form relating to conference attendance? 301-74.16 Section 301-74.16... included in any advertisement or application form relating to conference attendance? (a) Any advertisement...

Attendance and Exam Performance at University

OpenAIRE

David O. Allen; Don J. Webber

2006-01-01

Marburger (2006) explored the link between absenteeism and exam performance by assessing the impact on absenteeism of removing a university wide policy of mandatory attendance for a single class. His results indicate that while an attendance policy has a strong impact on reducing absenteeism the link between absenteeism and exam performance is weak.This paper presents an alternative exploration into the link between absenteeism and exam performance by assessing the impact of implementing a mo...

Why September Matters: Improving Student Attendance. Policy Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Linda S.

2014-01-01

This brief examines absences in September and students' attendance over the rest of the year. Attendance should be addressed before it becomes problematic. Chronic absenteeism, missing more than 20 days of a school year, is an early indicator of disengagement. High absence rates have negative consequences not only for individual students, but also…

32 CFR 724.213 - Attendance of witnesses.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... BOARD Authority/Policy for Departmental Discharge Review § 724.213 Attendance of witnesses. Arrangement for attendance of witnesses testifying in behalf of the applicant at discharge review hearings is the... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Attendance of witnesses. 724.213 Section 724.213...

Point-Counterpoint: Should Attendance Be Required in Collegiate Classrooms?

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Jo Ann M.; Lohrey, Peter

2016-01-01

This paper examines two divergent viewpoints about whether or not class attendance should be mandatory in higher education. The authors, both accounting professors at the same institution, delineate their respective viewpoints citing school policy, federal regulations and academic freedom as factors which motivate their attendance policy.

Comparing policies for children of parents attending hospital emergency departments after intimate partner violence, substance abuse or suicide attempt

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoytema van Konijnenburg, Eva M. M.; Diderich, Hester M.; Teeuw, Arianne H.; Klein Velderman, Mariska; Oudesluys-Murphy, Anne Marie; van der Lee, Johanna H.; Biezeveld, Maarten H.; Brilleslijper-Kater, Sonja N.; Edelenbos, Esther; Flapper, Boudien C.; van Goudoever, Johannes B.; Lindauer, Ramón J. L.; Mahdi, Ulrike; Poldervaart, Jacoba D.; Sanders, Marian K.; Schoonenberg, N. Jolande; Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn, Tessa; van Sommeren, Pauwlina G. W.; Vogt, Anne; Wilms, Janneke F.; Baeten, Paul; Fekkes, Minne; Pannebakker, Fieke D.; Sorensen, Peggy J. G.; Verkerk, Paul H.

2016-01-01

To improve identification of child maltreatment, a new policy ('Hague protocol') was implemented in hospitals in The Netherlands, stating that adults attending the hospital emergency department after intimate partner violence, substance abuse or a suicide attempt should be asked whether they care

Comparing policies for children of parents attending hospital emergency departments after intimate partner violence, substance abuse or suicide attempt

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoytema van Konijnenburg, E.M.; Diderich, H.M.; Teeuw, A.H.; Klein Velderman, M.; Oudesluys-Murphy, A.M.; Lee, J.H. van der

2016-01-01

To improve identification of child maltreatment, a new policy (‘Hague protocol’) was implemented in hospitals in The Netherlands, stating that adults attending the hospital emergency department after intimate partner violence, substance abuse or a suicide attempt should be asked whether they care

Post-Secondary Attendance by Parental Income in the U.S. and Canada: What Role for Financial Aid Policy? NBER Working Paper No. 17218

Science.gov (United States)

Belley, Philippe; Frenette, Marc; Lochner, Lance

2011-01-01

This paper examines the implications of tuition and need-based financial aid policies for family income--post-secondary (PS) attendance relationships. We first conduct a parallel empirical analysis of the effects of parental income on PS attendance for recent high school cohorts in both the U.S. and Canada using data from the 1997 Cohort of the…

46 CFR 201.125 - Attendance and mileage fees.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Attendance and mileage fees. 201.125 Section 201.125 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION POLICY, PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Subpoenas (Rule 12) § 201.125 Attendance and mileage fees. Persons attending...

Self-Sampling for Human Papillomavirus Testing among Non-Attenders Increases Attendance to the Norwegian Cervical Cancer Screening Programme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enerly, Espen; Bonde, Jesper; Schee, Kristina

2016-01-01

Increasing attendance to screening offers the best potential for improving the effectiveness of well-established cervical cancer screening programs. Self-sampling at home for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as an alternative to a clinical sampling can be a useful policy to increase attendance....... To determine whether self-sampling improves screening attendance for women who do not regularly attend the Norwegian Cervical Cancer Screening Programme (NCCSP), 800 women aged 25-69 years in the Oslo area who were due to receive a 2nd reminder to attend regular screening were randomly selected and invited...... alternative for increasing cervical cancer screening coverage in Norway....

Attendance Policies, Instructor Communication, Student Attendance, and Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Jason; Frank, Lisa A. C.

2016-01-01

The authors utilized a quasiexperimental design across five sections of a managerial communication course (N = 150) to test the role of course policies and student perceptions of the instructor in influencing student absenteeism and three indicators of student learning: grades, affective learning, and cognitive learning. The experimental group…

The Argument Is Not Compulsory Law, but How Attendance Is Recorded

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Michael; Hemmer, Lynn

2015-01-01

This paper examines attendance accounting policies and practices for students enrolled in public schools in Texas and in alternative schools of choice (ASC) in particular. Technology advancement allows students to complete their coursework virtually anywhere they have internet access; however, conventional state attendance policies still require…

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of fining non-attendance at public hospitals: a randomised controlled trial from Danish outpatient clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Blæhr, Emely Ek; Væggemose, Ulla; Søgaard, Rikke

2018-04-13

Fines have been proposed as means for reducing non-attendance in healthcare. The empirical evidence of the effect of fines is however limited. The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of fining non-attendance at outpatient clinics. 1:1 randomised controlled trial of appointments for an outpatient clinic, posted to Danish addresses, between 1 May 2015 and 30 November 2015. Only first appointment for users was included. Healthcare professionals and investigators were masked. A fine of DKK250 (€34) was issued for non-attendance. Users were informed about the fine in case of non-attendance by the appointment letter, and were able to reschedule or cancel until the appointment. A central administration office administered the fine system. The main outcome measures were non-attendance of non-cancelled appointments, fine policy administration costs, net of productivity consequences and probability of fining non-attendance being cost-effective over no fining for a range of hypothetical values of reduced non-attendance. All of the 6746 appointments included were analysed. Of the 3333 appointments randomised to the fine policy, 130 (5%) of non-cancelled appointments were unattended, and of the 3413 appointments randomised to no-fine policy, 131 (5%) were unattended. The cost per appointment of non-attendance was estimated at DKK 56 (SE 5) in the fine group and DKK47 (SE 4) in the no-fine group, leading to a non-statistically significant difference of DKK10 (95% CI -9 to 22) per appointment attributable to the fine policy. The probability of cost-effectiveness remained around 50%, irrespective of increased values of reduced non-attendance or various alternative assumptions used for sensitivity analyses. At a baseline level of around 5%, fining non-attendance does not seem to further reduce non-attendance. Future studies should focus on other means for reduction of non-attendance such as nudging or negative reinforcement. ISRCTN

Attendance and exam performance at university: A case study

OpenAIRE

Allen, D. O.; Webber, D. J.

2010-01-01

The link between absenteeism and students’ academic performance at university is perpetually a hot topic for teaching academics. Most studies suggest the effect is negative, although the strength of this effect is in dispute. The issue is complicated further when researchers draw their inferences from different angles, such as the removal of a mandatory attendance policy or the implementation of a module-specific attendance policy. Although previous studies have suggested the effect on exam p...

School Attendance and Child Labor in Ecuador. Policy Research Working Paper Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Acevedo, Gloria

Data from Ecuador's Living Standard and Measurement Surveys were used to analyze the characteristics and determinants of child labor and schooling. Of particular interest was the influence of adult wages on child labor. Survey data on children aged 10-17 included sex, age, rural or urban residence, monthly wages, whether or not attending school,…

Women's persistent utilisation of unskilled birth attendants in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... facilities to address the discrepancy between antenatal attendance and delivery by skilled birth attendance. We hope that the information generated from this study will be used by the policy makers leading to appropriate interventions or strategies which will reduce the number of home deliveries and maternal deaths.

Improving Skilled Birth Attendance in Ghana: An Evidence-Based Policy Brief.

Science.gov (United States)

Apanga, Paschal Awingura; Awoonor-Williams, John Koku

2017-01-01

This commentary has the objective of improving skilled birth attendance in Ghana to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. We have provided evidence of causes of low-skilled birth attendance in Ghana. Physical accessibility of health care, sociocultural factors, economic factors and health care system delivery problems were found as the main underlying causes of low levels of skilled birth attendance in Ghana. The paper provides potential strategies in addressing maternal and child health issues in Ghana.

Sexual Violence Among College Students Attending a Nonresidential Campus.

Science.gov (United States)

Solinas-Saunders, Monica

2018-03-01

Using the empirical powers of theories of intersectionality, the study investigates the association between students' demographics (such as gender identity, race, ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status) and sexual violence victimization. An anonymous survey was employed to collect data from a cluster random sample of 966 students attending face-to-face courses at a midsize urban nonresidential campus. The empirical findings suggest that being older and female are the only statistically significant factors in the analysis. As the first attempt to focus on students attending nonresidential programs in the United States, the study presents implications for policy and program implementation to include issues pertinent to students' diversity to better respond to students' risk of victimization.

Including policy and management in socio-hydrology models: initial conceptualizations

Science.gov (United States)

Hermans, Leon; Korbee, Dorien

2017-04-01

Socio-hydrology studies the interactions in coupled human-water systems. So far, the use of dynamic models that capture the direct feedback between societal and hydrological systems has been dominant. What has not yet been included with any particular emphasis, is the policy or management layer, which is a central element in for instance integrated water resources management (IWRM) or adaptive delta management (ADM). Studying the direct interactions between human-water systems generates knowledges that eventually helps influence these interactions in ways that may ensure better outcomes - for society and for the health and sustainability of water systems. This influence sometimes occurs through spontaneous emergence, uncoordinated by societal agents - private sector, citizens, consumers, water users. However, the term 'management' in IWRM and ADM also implies an additional coordinated attempt through various public actors. This contribution is a call to include the policy and management dimension more prominently into the research focus of the socio-hydrology field, and offers first conceptual variables that should be considered in attempts to include this policy or management layer in socio-hydrology models. This is done by drawing on existing frameworks to study policy processes throughout both planning and implementation phases. These include frameworks such as the advocacy coalition framework, collective learning and policy arrangements, which all emphasis longer-term dynamics and feedbacks between actor coalitions in strategic planning and implementation processes. A case about longter-term dynamics in the management of the Haringvliet in the Netherlands is used to illustrate the paper.

The One-Child Policy and School Attendance in China

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Juhua

2007-01-01

In addition to its goal of limiting China's population growth, a key purpose of China's one-child policy is to improve children's well-being. The government has made a strenuous effort to limit parents' childbearing in exchange for the greater opportunities it provides for their only children, including educational opportunities. In this article,…

16 CFR 1012.4 - Public attendance at agency meetings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Public attendance at agency meetings. 1012.4 Section 1012.4 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL MEETINGS POLICY-MEETINGS BETWEEN AGENCY PERSONNEL AND OUTSIDE PARTIES § 1012.4 Public attendance at agency meetings. (a) Any person...

Smartphone use during inpatient attending rounds: prevalence, patterns and potential for distraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Katz-Sidlow, Rachel J; Ludwig, Allison; Miller, Scott; Sidlow, Robert

2012-10-01

While there are numerous benefits of smartphone use for physicians, little is known about the negative effects of using these devices in the context of patient care. To assess resident and faculty smartphone use during inpatient attending rounds and its potential as a source of distraction during transfer of clinical information. Cross-sectional survey. University-affiliated public teaching hospital. All housestaff and inpatient faculty in the departments of Medicine and Pediatrics. Participants were asked about smartphone ownership, usage patterns during attending rounds, and whether team members had ever missed important data during rounds due to distraction from smartphones. Attendings were asked whether policies should be established for smartphone use during rounds. The overall response rate was 73%. Device ownership was prevalent (89% residents, 98% faculty), as was use of smartphones during inpatient rounds (57% residents, 28% attendings). According to self-reports, smartphones were used during rounds for patient care (85% residents, 48% faculty), reading/responding to personal texts/e-mails (37% residents, 12% faculty), and other non-patient care uses (15% residents, 0% faculty). Nineteen percent of residents and 12% of attendings believed they had missed important information because of distraction from smartphones. Residents and faculty agreed that smartphones "can be a serious distraction during attending rounds," and nearly 80% of faculty believed that smartphone policies should be established. Smartphone use during attending rounds is prevalent and can distract users during important information transfer. Attendings strongly favored the institution of formal policies governing appropriate smartphone use during inpatient rounds. Copyright © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Rural/Nonrural Differences in College Attendance Patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Soo-Yong; Irvin, Matthew J; Meece, Judith L

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, this study documented college attendance patterns of rural youth in terms of the selectivity of first postsecondary institution of attendance, the timing of transition to postsecondary education, and the continuity of enrollment. The study also examined how these college attendance patterns among rural students differed from those among their non-rural counterparts and which factors explained these rural/nonrural differences. Results showed that rural youth were less likely than their nonrural counterparts to attend a selective institution. In addition, rural youth were more likely to delay entry to postsecondary education, compared to their urban counterparts. Finally, rural students were less likely than their urban counterparts to be continuously enrolled in college. Much of these rural/nonrural disparities in college attendance patterns were explained by rural/nonrural differences in socioeconomic status and high school preparation. Policy implications, limitations of the study, and future research directions are also discussed.

7 CFR 989.139 - Compensation for attendance of alternates at Committee meetings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Compensation for attendance of alternates at Committee... Administrative Committee § 989.139 Compensation for attendance of alternates at Committee meetings. Whenever a..., as amended at 49 FR 18731, May 2, 1984] Marketing Policy ...

Increasing Student Attendance: A Study Comparing Superintendents' Knowledge of Best Practices to Enacted Policies

Science.gov (United States)

Isom, Dena K.

2014-01-01

This report describes a problem-based learning project focused on the information available to superintendents related to improving student attendance. This information has the potential to assist school districts in improving the attendance of each student as is required by attendance standards such as those of the fifth version of the Missouri…

Self-Sampling for Human Papillomavirus Testing among Non-Attenders Increases Attendance to the Norwegian Cervical Cancer Screening Programme.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Espen Enerly

Full Text Available Increasing attendance to screening offers the best potential for improving the effectiveness of well-established cervical cancer screening programs. Self-sampling at home for human papillomavirus (HPV testing as an alternative to a clinical sampling can be a useful policy to increase attendance. To determine whether self-sampling improves screening attendance for women who do not regularly attend the Norwegian Cervical Cancer Screening Programme (NCCSP, 800 women aged 25-69 years in the Oslo area who were due to receive a 2nd reminder to attend regular screening were randomly selected and invited to be part of the intervention group. Women in this group received one of two self-sampling devices, Evalyn Brush or Delphi Screener. To attend screening, women in the intervention group had the option of using the self-sampling device (self-sampling subgroup or visiting their physician for a cervical smear. Self-sampled specimens were split and analyzed for the presence of high-risk (hr HPV by the CLART® HPV2 test and the digene® Hybrid Capture (HC2 test. The control group consisted of 2593 women who received a 2nd reminder letter according to the current guidelines of the NCCSP. The attendance rates were 33.4% in the intervention group and 23.2% in the control group, with similar attendance rates for both self-sampling devices. Women in the self-sampling subgroup responded favorably to both self-sampling devices and cited not remembering receiving a call for screening as the most dominant reason for previous non-attendance. Thirty-two of 34 (94.1% hrHPV-positive women in the self-sampling subgroup attended follow-up. In conclusion, self-sampling increased attendance rates and was feasible and well received. This study lends further support to the proposal that self-sampling may be a valuable alternative for increasing cervical cancer screening coverage in Norway.

Self-Sampling for Human Papillomavirus Testing among Non-Attenders Increases Attendance to the Norwegian Cervical Cancer Screening Programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Enerly, Espen; Bonde, Jesper; Schee, Kristina; Pedersen, Helle; Lönnberg, Stefan; Nygård, Mari

2016-01-01

Increasing attendance to screening offers the best potential for improving the effectiveness of well-established cervical cancer screening programs. Self-sampling at home for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as an alternative to a clinical sampling can be a useful policy to increase attendance. To determine whether self-sampling improves screening attendance for women who do not regularly attend the Norwegian Cervical Cancer Screening Programme (NCCSP), 800 women aged 25-69 years in the Oslo area who were due to receive a 2nd reminder to attend regular screening were randomly selected and invited to be part of the intervention group. Women in this group received one of two self-sampling devices, Evalyn Brush or Delphi Screener. To attend screening, women in the intervention group had the option of using the self-sampling device (self-sampling subgroup) or visiting their physician for a cervical smear. Self-sampled specimens were split and analyzed for the presence of high-risk (hr) HPV by the CLART® HPV2 test and the digene® Hybrid Capture (HC)2 test. The control group consisted of 2593 women who received a 2nd reminder letter according to the current guidelines of the NCCSP. The attendance rates were 33.4% in the intervention group and 23.2% in the control group, with similar attendance rates for both self-sampling devices. Women in the self-sampling subgroup responded favorably to both self-sampling devices and cited not remembering receiving a call for screening as the most dominant reason for previous non-attendance. Thirty-two of 34 (94.1%) hrHPV-positive women in the self-sampling subgroup attended follow-up. In conclusion, self-sampling increased attendance rates and was feasible and well received. This study lends further support to the proposal that self-sampling may be a valuable alternative for increasing cervical cancer screening coverage in Norway.

Does Attendance Matter? An Examination of Student Attitudes, Participation, Performance and Attendance

Science.gov (United States)

Massingham, Peter; Herrington, Tony

2006-01-01

Non attendance of lectures and tutorials appears to be a growing trend. The literature suggests many possible reasons including students' changing lifestyle, attitudes, teaching and technology. This paper looks at the reasons for non attendance of students in the Faculty of Commerce at the University of Wollongong and identifies relationships…

factors associated with late antenatal care attendance in selected

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Esem

perception of no benefits derived from commencement of ... despite efforts to reverse the trend. ..... Table 4: Predictors of Late ANC attendance in Mpongwe and Ndola-logistic regression .... Institutional and Public Policy Factors Associated.

How common is multiple general practice attendance in Australia?

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Michael; Hall, Jane; van Gool, Kees; Haas, Marion

2018-05-01

Australians can seek general practice care from multiple general practitioners (GPs) in multiple locations. This provides high levels of patient choice but may reduce continuity of care. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of attendance at multiple general practices in Australia, and identify patient characteristics associated with multiple practice attendances. A cross-sectional survey of 2477 Australian adults was conducted online in July 2013. Respondents reported whether they had attended more than one general practice in the past year, and whether they had a usual general practice and GP. Demographic information, health service use and practice characteristics were also obtained from the survey. Over one-quarter of the sample reported attending more than one practice in the previous year. Multiple practice attendance is less common with increasing age, and less likely for survey respondents from regional Australia, compared with respondents from metropolitan areas. Multiple practice attenders are just as likely as single practice attenders to have a usual GP. A significant proportion of general practice care is delivered away from usual practices. This may have implications for health policy, in terms of continuity and quality of primary care.

Student nurse absenteeism in higher education: An argument against enforced attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipscomb, Martin; Snelling, Paul C

2010-08-01

Unauthorised student nurse absenteeism in higher education troubles many university lecturers. Anecdotally, absenteeism is occasionally raised as an issue by attending students who resent others "getting away" with non-attendance and some policy documents appear to suggest that attendance should be mandated. This paper argues against enforced attendance in higher education and challenges those who would mandate attendance to explain and justify their position. Drawing on a range of nursing and non-nursing material we here discuss some of the literature on attendance, absenteeism, effort or time spent in study and grade attainment. Informed by this admittedly partial review we maintain that the evidence linking grade attainment with attendance and study effort is less conclusive than intuition might initially suggest. We note that enforcing attendance apparently runs counter to important pedagogic (humanistic and androgogic) principles. We propose that responses to absenteeism cannot be separated from questions of 'harm' and we suggest that lecturers should refrain from associating non-attendance with unprofessional behaviour and poor professionalization. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing improved attendance in the UK fire service.

Science.gov (United States)

Litchfield, I; Hinckley, P

2016-12-01

Sickness absence rates in the UK continue to exceed those in much of the developed world, with an annual cost to employers of £29 billion. Rates of sickness absence in the public sector are higher than those in the private sector, with the exception of the fire service where they are consistently lower. To understand the influences that increase attendance among operational firefighters. A series of semi-structured interviews undertaken with operational staff to explore their attitudes to sickness absence. Review and analysis of participant responses identified a number of key themes, namely employee well-being, including physical fitness and mental health; employee engagement with the fire service as manifested by culture, experience, nature of the job and leadership; organizational factors including the staffing model and relationship with occupational health services and policy, which describes both refinements to and implementation of targeted policies. Previously observed factors such as improved fitness and the distinct firefighter culture play a role, yet other factors emerged that could explain the differences. These include the greater work-life balance offered by their shift patterns, the terms and conditions of employment and perhaps most importantly the evolution of precisely targeted policies that understand the unique nature of the operational fire service. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine.

Advocacy and policy issues Tutorial 2

CERN Document Server

CERN. Geneva

2007-01-01

This tutorial is aimed at those who are new to the area of repositories and who want to learn more about key advocacy and policy issues. The tutorial will include information and advice on putting together an institutional advocacy campaign and developing policies for your repository. There will be opportunities for participants to share experiences and to ask questions. The tutorial will include a practical exercise in developing an advocacy presentation. Participants with experience of advocacy are welcome to attend the session to share their experiences, but should bear in mind that it is aimed primarily at those looking for help and advice in advocacy matters.

Involving traditional birth attendants in emergency obstetric care in Tanzania: policy implications of a study of their knowledge and practices in Kigoma Rural District.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyagusa, Dismas B; Mubyazi, Godfrey M; Masatu, Melchiory

2013-10-14

Access to quality maternal health services mainly depends on existing policies, regulations, skills, knowledge, perceptions, and economic power and motivation of service givers and target users. Critics question policy recommending involvement of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in emergency obstetric care (EmoC) services in developing countries. This paper reports about knowledge and practices of TBAs on EmoC in Kigoma Rural District, Tanzania and discusses policy implications on involving TBAs in maternal health services. 157 TBAs were identified from several villages in 2005, interviewed and observed on their knowledge and practice in relation to EmoC. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were used for data collection and analysis depending on the nature of the information required. Among all 157 TBAs approached, 57.3% were aged 50+ years while 50% had no formal education. Assisting mothers to deliver without taking their full pregnancy history was confessed by 11% of all respondents. Having been attending pregnant women with complications was experienced by 71.2% of all respondents. Only 58% expressed adequate knowledge on symptoms and signs of pregnancy complications. Lack of knowledge on possible risk of HIV infections while assisting childbirth without taking protective gears was claimed by 5.7% of the respondents. Sharing the same pair of gloves between successful deliveries was reported to be a common practice by 21.1% of the respondents. Use of unsafe delivery materials including local herbs and pieces of cloth for protecting themselves against HIV infections was reported as being commonly practiced among 27.6% of the respondents. Vaginal examination before and during delivery was done by only a few respondents. TBAs in Tanzania are still consulted by people living in underserved areas. Unfortunately, TBAs' inadequate knowledge on EmOC issues seems to have contributed to the rising concerns about their competence to deliver the recommended maternal

Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects on School Attendance among Chronic Truant Students. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 2012:10

Science.gov (United States)

Maynard, Brandy R.; McCrea, Katherine Tyson; Pigott, Terri D.; Kelly, Michael S.

2012-01-01

The main objective of this systematic review was to examine the effects of interventions on school attendance to inform policy, practice, and research. The questions guiding this study were: (1) Do truancy programs with a goal of increasing student attendance for truant youth affect school attendance behaviors of elementary and secondary students…

Self-reported practices among traditional birth attendants surveyed in western Kenya: a descriptive study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bucher, Sherri; Konana, Olive; Liechty, Edward; Garces, Ana; Gisore, Peter; Marete, Irene; Tenge, Constance; Shipala, Evelyn; Wright, Linda; Esamai, Fabian

2016-08-12

The high rate of home deliveries conducted by unskilled birth attendants in resource-limited settings is an important global health issue because it is believed to be a significant contributing factor to maternal and newborn mortality. Given the large number of deliveries that are managed by unskilled or traditional birth attendants outside of health facilities, and the fact that there is on-going discussion regarding the role of traditional birth attendants in the maternal newborn health (MNH) service continuum, we sought to ascertain the practices of traditional birth attendants in our catchment area. The findings of this descriptive study might help inform conversations regarding the roles that traditional birth attendants can play in maternal-newborn health care. A structured questionnaire was used in a survey that included one hundred unskilled birth attendants in western Kenya. Descriptive statistics were employed. Inappropriate or outdated practices were reported in relation to some obstetric complications and newborn care. Encouraging results were reported with regard to positive relationships that traditional birth attendants have with their local health facilities. Furthermore, high rates of referral to health facilities was reported for many common obstetric emergencies and similar rates for reporting of pregnancy outcomes to village elders and chiefs. Potentially harmful or outdated practices with regard to maternal and newborn care among traditional birth attendants in western Kenya were revealed by this study. There were high rates of traditional birth attendant referrals of pregnant mothers with obstetric complications to health facilities. Policy makers may consider re-educating and re-defining the roles and responsibilities of traditional birth attendants in maternal and neonatal health care based on the findings of this survey.

CERN’s Computing rules updated to include policy for control systems

CERN Multimedia

IT Department

2008-01-01

The use of CERN’s computing facilities is governed by rules defined in Operational Circular No. 5 and its subsidiary rules of use. These rules are available from the web site http://cern.ch/ComputingRules. Please note that the subsidiary rules for Internet/Network use have been updated to include a requirement that control systems comply with the CNIC(Computing and Network Infrastructure for Control) Security Policy. The security policy for control systems, which was approved earlier this year, can be accessed at https://edms.cern.ch/document/584092 IT Department

Migrant Home Attendants: Regulation and Practice in 7 Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Garms-Homolová, Vjenka; Bentwich, Miriam

2013-01-01

We compared regulation and working and living conditions of foreign home attendants in 7 countries (Canada, Germany, Israel, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United States). We conducted a literature search in the PSYCinfo, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases for 2002 to 2012. We found substantial between-country differences in the legal status of migrant caregivers and regulations regarding working and living conditions and drew 3 conclusions. Improving regulations will likely improve not only the well-being of foreign home attendants but also the care they provide. Countries in which many foreign home attendants work without specific legal entry programs should rethink their policies. Finally, requiring an employer’s recommendation to obtain permanent residency may constrain foreign workers from registering complaints or leaving suboptimal employment situations. PMID:24134377

Association between attendance and overall academic performance on a module within a professional pharmacy degree.

Science.gov (United States)

Irwin, Nigel; Burnett, Kathryn M; McCarron, Paul A

2018-03-01

As the higher education (HE) classroom begins to adopt newer internet-based technologies, the relationship between attendance and performance needs to be re-evaluated, particularly for professional degree courses such as pharmacy. In the present study, we aimed to establish if an association exists between attendance at all timetabled classes and academic performance, in a Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT) module, as part of the Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree course at Ulster University. Data on attendance, final examination and coursework performance were collected over two academic years (2013-14 and 2014-15) of the CPT module at Ulster. In total 67 students were analysed. The MPharm degree at Ulster University implements an attendance policy, both as a pastoral support tool and to reinforce the need for professional conduct as a pharmacist. Student (2013-14 and 2014-15, n = 35 and 32, respectively) attendance on the module across both year groups was approximately 80%. We observed positive, and statistically significant relationships between attendance and performance on the examination, and especially in the coursework elements of the module. Student failure (below 40%) in the final examination was linked to attendance below an 80% threshold in nine of 12 cases. Reasons for not attending class varied, but illness was unquestionably the most commonly cited extenuation. Taken together, these data confirm a convincing association between student attendance and academic achievement. Our studies promote the use of attendance monitoring policies for professional degree courses such as pharmacy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Student attendance and academic performance in undergraduate obstetrics/gynecology clinical rotations.

Science.gov (United States)

Deane, Richard P; Murphy, Deirdre J

2013-12-04

Student attendance is thought to be an important factor in the academic performance of medical students, in addition to having important regulatory, policy, and financial implications for medical educators. However, this relationship has not been well evaluated within clinical learning environments. To evaluate the relationship between student attendance and academic performance in a medical student obstetrics/gynecology clinical rotation. A prospective cohort study of student attendance at clinical and tutorial-based activities during a full academic year (September 2011 to June 2012) within a publicly funded university teaching hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Students were expected to attend 64 activities (26 clinical activities and 38 tutorial-based activities) but attendance was not mandatory. All 147 fourth-year medical students who completed an 8-week obstetrics/gynecology rotation were included. Student attendance at clinical and tutorial-based activities, recorded using a paper-based logbook. The overall examination score (out of a possible 200 points) was obtained using an 11-station objective structured clinical examination (40 points), an end-of-year written examination comprising 50 multiple-choice questions (40 points) and 6 short-answer questions (40 points), and an end-of-year long-case clinical/oral examination (80 points). Students were required to have an overall score of 100 points (50%) and a minimum of 40 points in the long-case clinical/oral examination (50%) to pass. The mean attendance rate was 89% (range, 39%-100% [SD, 11%], n = 57/64 activities). Male students (84% attendance, P = .001) and students who failed an end-of-year examination previously (84% attendance, P = .04) had significantly lower rates. There was a positive correlation between attendance and overall examination score (r = 0.59 [95% CI, 0.44-0.70]; P year examination, and the timing of the rotation during the academic year. Distinction grades (overall score

Tracing policy movements: methods for studying learning and policy circulation

OpenAIRE

Wood, Astrid

2016-01-01

Policy flows are not quantifiable and calculating processes but part of the uneven movement of ideas and experiences that involves power and personalities. Processes of learning and policy circulation have thus proven difficult to study especially as the exchanges taking place between actors and localities rarely lead directly to uptake. This paper outlines a conceptual and methodological framework for conducting policy mobilities research by attending to the plethora of ordinary practices – ...

Effect on attendance by including focused information on spirometry in preventive health checks: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ørts, Lene Maria; Løkke, Anders; Bjerregaard, Anne-Louise; Maindal, Helle Terkildsen; Sandbæk, Annelli

2016-12-01

Early detection of lung diseases can help to reduce their severity. Lung diseases are among the most frequently occurring and serious diseases worldwide; nonetheless, many patients remain undiagnosed. Preventive health checks including spirometry can detect lung diseases at early stages; however, recruitment for health checks remains a challenge, and little is known about what motivates the attendance. The aim of the study is to examine whether focused information on spirometry in the invitation compared to general information will impact the attendance rate in preventive health checks. This randomized, controlled trial tests the effect of information on spirometry embedded in the Check your Health Preventive Program (CHPP). The CHPP is an open-label, household cluster-randomized, controlled trial offering a preventive health check to 30- to -49-year-olds in a Danish municipality from 2012 to 2017 (n = 26,216). During 2015-2016, 4356 citizens aged 30-49 years will be randomized into two groups. The intervention group receives an invitation which highlights the value and contents of spirometry as part of a health check and information about lung diseases. The comparison group receives a standard invitation containing practical information and specifies the contents of the general health check. Outcomes are (1) differences in attendance rates measured by the proportion of citizens attending each of the two study groups and (2) proportion of persons at risk defined by smoking status and self-reported lung symptoms in the study groups. The proportion of participants with abnormal spirometry assessed at the preventive health check will be compared between the two study groups. The results from the present study will inform future recruitment strategies to health checks. The developed material on content, value, and information about lung disease is feasible and transferable to other populations, making it easy to implement if effective. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT

Skilled attendance at delivery; how skilled are institutional birth attendants? : An explorative study on birth attendants at Bansang Hospital, The Gambia

OpenAIRE

Kreyberg, Ina; Helsingen, Lise Mørkved

2010-01-01

Abstract Background: As reflected in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN MDG 5), reducing maternal mortality represents an important area of concern. The common causes of maternal deaths may be preventable and treatable by having access to emergency obstetric care (EmOC), including skilled birth attendance (SBA), when needed. Measuring the presence of a birth attendant has been the main focus until now, not their skills and qualifications, and by this we cannot presuppose ...

Effect of delivery care user fee exemption policy on institutional ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: To improve access to skilled attendance at delivery and thereby reduce maternal mortality, the Government of Ghana introduced a policy exempting all women attending health facilities from paying delivery care fees. Objective: To examine the effect of the exemption policy on delivery-related maternal mortality.

Responses to Including Parents in Teacher Evaluation Policy: A Critical Policy Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, Erica; LeChasseur, Kimberly; Donaldson, Morgaen L.

2018-01-01

The intersection of development in family and school settings has been well established and education policies have begun to promote ways to bridge the two contexts (i.e. teacher evaluations). For this manuscript, authors focus on how teachers and principals used a state educator evaluation policy to position parents as authorities on education.…

Representations of women and drug use in policy: A critical policy analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Natalie; Bull, Melissa

2018-06-01

Contemporary research in the drugs field has demonstrated a number of gender differences in patterns and experiences of substance use, and the design and provision of gender-responsive interventions has been identified as an important policy issue. Consequently, whether and how domestic drug policies attend to women and gender issues is an important question for investigation. This article presents a policy audit and critical analysis of Australian national and state and territory policy documents. It identifies and discusses two key styles of problematisation of women's drug use in policy: 1) drug use and its effect on women's reproductive role (including a focus on pregnant women and women who are mothers), and 2) drug use and its relationship to women's vulnerability to harm (including violent and sexual victimisation, trauma, and mental health issues). Whilst these are important areas for policy to address, we argue that such representations of women who use drugs tend to reinforce particular understandings of women and drug use, while at the same time contributing to areas of 'policy silence' or neglect. In particular, the policy documents analysed are largely silent about the harm reduction needs of all women, as well as the needs of women who are not mothers, young women, older women, transwomen or other women deemed to be outside of dominant normative reproductive discourse. This analysis is important because understanding how women's drug use is problematised and identifying areas of policy silence provides a foundation for redressing gaps in policy, and for assessing the likely effectiveness of current and future policy approaches. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Women's Autonomy and Skilled Attendance During Pregnancy and Delivery in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Kc, Situ; Neupane, Subas

2016-06-01

Objectives This study aims to explore the association between women's autonomy and skilled attendance during pregnancy and delivery in Nepal. Methods We adopt data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2011). We include only married women who gave birth in the 5 years preceding the survey (N = 4148). Women's autonomy was assessed on the basis of four indicators of decision making: healthcare, visiting friends or relatives, household purchases and spending earned money. Each indicator was dichotomized (yes/no) and then summarized into a single variable to measure overall autonomy. Next, we measured health attendance (skilled vs. unskilled) during antenatal and delivery care. The association between women's autonomy and skilled attendance was analysed using a logistic regression model. Results Most women had a medium (40 %) and high (35 %) level of overall autonomy. The proportion of women accessing skilled providers during antenatal and delivery care was 51 and 36 %. Women with autonomy in healthcare, visiting friends or relatives, making household purchases and spending money earned were associated with a higher likelihood of receiving care from skilled providers during antenatal care and delivery. An elevated probability of access to skilled attendance during antenatal (aOR 1.33; 95 % CI 1.10-1.59) and delivery care (aOR 1.38; 95 % CI 1.12-1.70) was reported among women with higher levels of overall autonomy. Conclusion Women's autonomy was significantly associated with the maternal health care utilization by skilled attendants. This study will provide insights for policy makers to develop strategies in improving maternal health.

Kindergarten Attendance and Readiness for Baltimore's Class of 2027. Policy Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Grigg, Jeffrey; Connolly, Faith; D'Souza, Stephanie; Mitchell, Charlie

2016-01-01

This brief examines kindergarten readiness and attendance in kindergarten for children enrolled in publicly provided early education programs as well as similar children who entered kindergarten without enrolling in these programs. Key findings detail the effects for children if they were enrolled for at least 90 calendar days as a three- or…

Characterization of Vaccination Policies for Attendance and Employment at Day/Summer Camps in New York State.

Science.gov (United States)

Prescott, William A; Violanti, Kelsey C; Fusco, Nicholas M

2018-01-01

New York state requires day/summer camps to keep immunization records for all enrolled campers and strongly recommends requiring vaccination for all campers and staff. The objective of this study was to characterize immunization requirements/recommendations for children/adolescents enrolled in and staff employed at day/summer camps in New York state. An electronic hyperlink to a 9-question survey instrument was distributed via e-mail to 178 day/summer camps located in New York state cities with a population size greater than 100 000 people. A follow-up telephone survey was offered to nonresponders. The survey instrument included questions pertaining to vaccination documentation policies for campers/staff and the specific vaccines that the camp required/recommended. Fisher's exact and Chi-square tests were used to analyze categorical data. Sixty-five day/summer camps responded to the survey (36.5% response rate): 48 (73.8%) and 23 (41.8%) camps indicated having a policy/procedure for documenting vaccinations for campers and staff, respectively. Camps that had a policy/procedure for campers were more likely to have a policy/procedure for staff ( P = .0007). Age-appropriate vaccinations that were required/recommended for campers by at least 80% of camps included: measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP), hepatitis B, inactivated/oral poliovirus (IPV/OPV), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and varicella. Age-appropriate vaccinations that were required/recommended for staff by at least 80% of camps included: DTaP, hepatitis B, IPV/OPV, MMR, meningococcus, varicella, Hib, and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap). Vaccination policies at day/summer camps in New York state appear to be suboptimal. Educational outreach may encourage camps to strengthen their immunization policies, which may reduce the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Is welfare all that matters? A discussion of what should be included in policy-making regarding animals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yeates, J.W.; Röcklinsberg, H.; Gjerris, Mickey

2011-01-01

Policy-making concerned with animals often includes human interests, such as economy, trade, environmental protection, disease control, species conservation etc. When it comes to the interests of the animals, such policy-making often makes use of the results of animal welfare science to provide...... assessments of ethically relevant concerns for animals. This has provided a scientific rigour that has helped to overcome controversies and allowed debates to move forward according to generally agreed methodologies. However, this focus can lead to policies leaving out other important issues relevant...... to animals. This can be considered as a problem of what is included in welfare science, or of what is included in policy. This suggests two possible solutions: expanding animal welfare science to address all ethical concerns about animals’ interests or widening the perspective considered in policy...

Included as Excluded and Excluded as Included: Minority Language Pupils in Norwegian Inclusion Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Hilt, Line Torbjørnsen

2015-01-01

This article offers an analysis of four Norwegian policy documents on inclusion of minority language pupils. The main concepts of this policy will be reconstructed and re-described, applying Niklas Luhmann's systems theory at different levels of the analysis. Luhmann's theory about society as a conglomerate of self-referential social systems…

Progresses and challenges of utilizing traditional birth attendants in maternal and child health in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Amutah-Onukagha, Ndidiamaka; Rodriguez, Monica; Opara, Ijeoma; Gardner, Michelle; Assan, Maame Araba; Hammond, Rodney; Plata, Jesus; Pierre, Kimberly; Farag, Ehsan

2017-01-01

Despite advances in modern healthcare, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) have continued to be heavily utilized in rural communities in Nigeria. Major disparities in maternal health care in Nigeria remain present despite the goal of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal mortality by 2015. The objective of this study is to review the contribution of TBAs in the birthing process in Nigeria, and to examine barriers and opportunities for utilizing TBAs in improving maternal and child health outcomes in Nigeria. A literature review of two major electronic databases was conducted using the PRISMA framework to identify English language studies conducted between 2006 and 2016. Inclusion criteria included articles that examined the role of traditional birth attendants as a factor influencing maternal health in Nigeria. The value of TBAs has not been fully examined as few studies have aimed to examine its potential role in reducing maternal mortality with proper training. Eight manuscripts that were examined highlighted the role of TBAs in maternal health including outcomes of utilizing trained versus non-trained TBAs. Specific areas of training for TBAs that were identified and recommended in review including: recognizing delivery complications, community support for TBA practices through policy, evaluation of TBA training programs and increasing collaboration between healthcare facilities and TBAs. Policies focused on improving access to health services and importantly, formal health education training to TBAs, are required to improve maternal health outcomes and underserved communities.

Comparing policies for children of parents attending hospital emergency departments after intimate partner violence, substance abuse or suicide attempt.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoytema van Konijnenburg, Eva M M; Diderich, Hester M; Teeuw, Arianne H; Klein Velderman, Mariska; Oudesluys-Murphy, Anne Marie; van der Lee, Johanna H

2016-03-01

To improve identification of child maltreatment, a new policy ('Hague protocol') was implemented in hospitals in The Netherlands, stating that adults attending the hospital emergency department after intimate partner violence, substance abuse or a suicide attempt should be asked whether they care for children. If so, these children are referred to the Reporting Center for Child Abuse and Neglect (RCCAN), for assessment and referrals to support services. An adapted, hospital-based version of this protocol ('Amsterdam protocol') was implemented in another region. Children are identified in the same manner, but, instead of a RCCAN referral, they are referred to the pediatric outpatient department for an assessment, including a physical examination, and referrals to services. We compared results of both protocols to assess how differences between the protocols affect the outcomes on implementation, detection of child maltreatment and referrals to services. Furthermore, we assessed social validity and results of a screening physical examination. We included 212 families from the Amsterdam protocol (cohort study with reports by pediatric staff and parents) and 565 families from the Hague protocol (study of RCCAN records and telephone interviews with parents). We found that the RCCAN identified more maltreatment than pediatric staff (98% versus at least 51%), but referrals to services were similar (82% versus 80% of the total sample) and parents were positive about both interventions. Physical examination revealed signs of maltreatment in 5%. We conclude that, despite the differences, both procedures can serve as suitable methods to identify and refer children at risk for maltreatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

34 CFR 99.7 - What must an educational agency or institution include in its annual notification?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... notify parents of students currently in attendance, or eligible students currently in attendance, of... has a policy of disclosing education records under § 99.31(a)(1), a specification of criteria for...

Smoking habits of pharmacy students attending the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Targu Mures.

Science.gov (United States)

Nemes-Nagy, Enikő; Fazakas, Zita; Preg, Zoltán; László, Mihály; Fogarasi, Erzsébet; Germán-Salló, Márta; Bálint-Szentendrey, Dalma; Ianosi, Edith Simona; Ábrám, Zoltán; Balázs, Péter; Kristie, Foley; Pái, István Kikeli

2016-01-01

Smoking is common among health professional students. The aim of this study was to assess the smoking habits of the pharmacy students attending the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Târgu Mureș (UMPh TM), Romania. Smoking habits and attitudes toward smoking among 414 pharmacy students attending UMPh TM (86% female) were evaluated using a self-completed questionnaire. The rate of smoking increases during the time students attend the university (24.1% to 33.3% from 1st to 5th year) and males are significantly are more likely to smoke than females (41.4% vs. 27.3%, p=0.042). 36.9% of the smoking pharmacy students are tobacco-dependent, and 40.4% of smokers started daily smoking at the age of 16-19. We found significant differences between smoker and non-smoker pharmacy students regarding their attitudes toward smoking and tobacco control policies, with non-smokers being more supportive of smoke-free policies. Prevention programs and education have a very important role in decreasing the percentage of smokers and support for smokefree policies, but it is critical to begin such programs early in their university training.

The account system for students school‘s attendance

OpenAIRE

Birgėlienė, Raminta

2007-01-01

SUMMARY The account system for students school‘s attendance The purpose of the created students school‘s attendance account system is to assist teachers in registering, observing and making reports on students school‘s attendance. This work presents the of secondary school students���result attendance account transferred to the informatics system. The system includes the analysis, separable processes, adjustable structured analysis and projections‘methods, which allow dealing with a real prob...

Traditional Birth Attendant Training and Local Birthing Practices in India

Science.gov (United States)

Saravanan, Sheela; Turrell, Gavin; Johnson, Helen; Fraser, Jenny; Patterson, Carla

2011-01-01

Training birth attendants (TBAs) to provide essential maternal and infant health care services during delivery and ongoing community care in developing countries. Despite inadequate evidence of relevance and effectiveness of TBA training programmes, there has been a policy shift since the 1990s in that many donor agencies funding TBA training…

The development of rhythmic attending in auditory sequences: attunement, referent period, focal attending.

Science.gov (United States)

Drake, C; Jones, M R; Baruch, C

2000-12-15

This paper is divided into three sections. The first section is theoretical; it extends Dynamic Attending Theory (Jones, M. R. Psychological Review 83 (1976) 323; Jones, M. R. Perception and Psychophysics 41(6) (1987) 631; Jones, M. R. Psychomusicology 9(2) (1990) 193; Jones, M. R., & Boltz, M. Psychological Review 96(3) (1989) 459) to developmental questions concerning tempo and time hierarchies. Generally Dynamic Attending Theory proposes that, when listening to a complex auditory sequence, listeners spontaneously focus on events occurring at an intermediate rate (the referent level), and they then may shift attention to events occurring over longer or shorter time spans, that is at lower (faster) or higher (slower) hierarchical levels (focal attending). The second section of the paper is experimental. It examines maturational changes of three dynamic attending activities involving referent period and level, attunement, and focal attending. Tasks involve both motor tapping (including spontaneous motor tempo and synchronization with simple sequences and music) and tempo discrimination. We compare performances by 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-year-old children and adults, with or without musical training. Results indicate three changes with increased age and musical training: (1) a slowing of the mean spontaneous tapping rate (a reflection of the referent period) and mean synchronization rate (a reflection of the referent level), (2) enhanced ability to synchronize tapping and discriminate tempo (improved attunement), and (3) an enlarged range of tapping rates towards slower rates and higher hierarchical levels (improved focal attending). A final section considers results in light of the theory proposed here. It is suggested that growth trends can be expressed in terms of listeners' engagement of slower attending oscillators with age and experience, accompanied by the passage from the initial use of a single oscillator towards the coupling of multiple oscillators.

16 CFR 1012.1 - General policy considerations; scope.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Policy, sets forth requirements for advance public notice, public attendance, and recordkeeping for... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false General policy considerations; scope. 1012.1 Section 1012.1 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL MEETINGS POLICY-MEETINGS...

Epidemiology of frequent attenders: a 3-year historic cohort study comparing attendance, morbidity and prescriptions of one-year and persistent frequent attenders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ter Riet Gerben

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background General Practitioners spend a disproportionate amount of time on frequent attenders. So far, trials on the effect of interventions on frequent attenders have shown negative results. However, these trials were conducted in short-term frequent attenders. It would be more reasonable to target intervention at persistent frequent attenders. Typical characteristics of persistent frequent attenders, as opposed to 1-year frequent attenders and non-frequent attenders, may generate hypotheses regarding modifiable factors on which new randomized trials may be designed. Methods We used the data of all 28,860 adult patients from 5 primary healthcare centers. Frequent attenders were patients whose attendance rate ranked in the (age and sex adjusted top 10 percent during 1 year (1-year frequent attenders or 3 years (persistent frequent attenders. All other patients on the register over the 3-year period were referred to as non-frequent attenders. The lists of medical problems coded by the GP using the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC were used to assess morbidity. First, we determined which proportion of 1-year frequent attenders was still a frequent attender during the next two consecutive years and calculated the GPs' workload for these patients. Second, we compared morbidity and number of prescriptions for non-frequent attenders, 1-year frequent attenders and persistent frequent attenders. Results Of all 1-year frequent attenders, 15.4% became a persistent frequent attender equal to 1.6% of all patients. The 1-year frequent attenders (3,045; 10.6% were responsible for 39% of the face-to-face consultations; the 470 patients who would become persistent frequent attenders (1.6% were responsible for 8% of all consultations in 2003. Persistent frequent attenders presented more social problems, more psychiatric problems and medically unexplained physical symptoms, but also more chronic somatic diseases (especially diabetes

A Dynamical View of High School Attendance: An Assessment of Short-term and Long-term Dependencies in Five Urban Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Koopmans, Matthijs

2015-01-01

While school attendance is a critical mediator to academic achievement, its time dependent characteristics are rarely investigated. To remedy situation, this paper reports on the analysis of daily attendance rates in five urban high schools over a seven-year period. Traditional time series analyses were conducted to estimate short-range and cyclical dependencies in the data. An Autoregressive Fractional Integrated Moving Average (ARFIMA) approach was used to address long-range correlational patterns, and detect signs of self-organized criticality. The analysis reveals a strong cyclical pattern (weekly) in all five schools, and evidence for self-organized criticality in one of the five. These findings illustrate the insufficiency of traditional statistical summary measures to characterize the distribution of daily attendance, and they suggest that daily attendance is not necessarily the stable and predictable feature of school effectiveness it is conventionally assumed to be. While educational practitioners can probably attest to the many of the irregularities in attendance patterns as well as some of their sources, a systematic description of these temporal aspects needs to be included in our assessment of daily attendance behavior to inform policy decisions, if only to better align formal research in this area with existing local knowledge about those patterns.

Maternity leave policies in academic and private radiology practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spirt, B.A.; Rauth, V.; Price, A.P.F.; Pagani, A.H.

1988-01-01

In 1987, the American Association of Women Radiologists surveyed both academic and private radiology departments regarding pregnancy and maternity leave policies. One hundred academic institutions (70% response), 30 radiotherapy departments (38% response), and 31 private practices responded. Details were obtained regarding maternity leave policy for residents and attending physicians; availability of paternity leave; policies regarding on-call time, fluoroscopy time and intracavitary/interstitial applications during pregnancy; and problems that occurred during resident or attending physician pregnancies. There was a wide range of responses regarding paid leave time, availability of additional time, and the use of vacation time during maternity leave

How the integration of traditional birth attendants with formal health systems can increase skilled birth attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, Abbey; Morgan, Alison

2011-11-01

Forty years of safe motherhood programming has demonstrated that isolated interventions will not reduce maternal mortality sufficiently to achieve MDG 5. Although skilled birth attendants (SBAs) can intervene to save lives, traditional birth attendants (TBAs) are often preferred by communities. Considering the value of both TBAs and SBAs, it is important to review strategies for maximizing their respective strengths. To describe mechanisms to integrate TBAs with the health system to increase skilled birth attendance and examine the components of successful integration. A systematic review of interventions linking TBAs and formal health workers, measuring outcomes of skilled birth attendance, referrals, and facility deliveries. Thirty-three articles met the selection criteria. Mechanisms used for integration included training and supervision of TBAs, collaboration skills for health workers, inclusion of TBAs at health facilities, communication systems, and clear definition of roles. Impact on skilled birth attendance depended on selection of TBAs, community participation, and addressing barriers to access. Successful approaches were context-specific. The integration of TBAs with formal health systems increases skilled birth attendance. The greatest impact is seen when TBA integration is combined with complementary actions to overcome context-specific barriers to contact among SBAs, TBAs, and women. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kindergarten attendance may reduce developmental impairments in children: results from the Bavarian Pre-School Morbidity Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Caniato, Riccardo N; Alvarenga, Marlies E; Stich, Heribert L; Jansen, Holger; Baune, Berhard T

2010-08-01

The relative risks and benefits of children attending kindergarten or pre-school remain uncertain and controversial. We used data from the Bavarian Pre-School Morbidity Survey (BPMS) to look at the prevalence of developmental impairments in pre-school children entering primary school and to assess if these were correlated with the duration of kindergarten attendance. We collected data from all school beginners in the district of Dingolfing, Bavaria from 2004 to 2007 (n = 4,005) and utilised a retrospective cross-sectional study design to review the information. The children were assessed for motor, cognitive, language and psychosocial impairments using a standardized medical assessment. Point prevalence of impairments of speech, cognition, motor functioning and psychosocial functioning were compared by chi(2)-test for the variable of time spent in kindergarten. We detected a high incidence of impairments, with boys showing higher rates than girls in all the areas assessed. Longer length of time spent in kindergarten was associated with reduced rates of motor, cognitive and psychosocial impairments. There was no clear correlation between length of kindergarten attendance and speech disorders. Kindergarten attendance may have a positive effect on a number of domains of development including motor, cognitive and psychosocial development, but no significant effect on speech impairments. Implications for public health policies are discussed.

Mobile phone messaging reminders for attendance at healthcare appointments.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurol-Urganci, Ipek; de Jongh, Thyra; Vodopivec-Jamsek, Vlasta; Atun, Rifat; Car, Josip

2013-12-05

included in this review shows that mobile phone text messaging reminders increase attendance at healthcare appointments compared to no reminders, or postal reminders.Text messaging reminders were similar to telephone reminders in terms of their effect on attendance rates, and cost less than telephone reminders. However, the included studies were heterogeneous and the quality of the evidence therein is low to moderate. Further, there is a lack of information about health effects, adverse effects and harms, user evaluation of the intervention and user perceptions of its safety. The current evidence therefore still remains insufficient to conclusively inform policy decisions.There is a need for more high-quality randomised trials of mobile phone messaging reminders, that measure not only patients' attendance rates, but also focus on the cost-effectiveness of these interventions. Health outcomes, patients' and healthcare providers' evaluation and perceptions of the safety of the interventions, potential harms, and adverse effects of mobile phone messaging reminders should be assessed. Studies should report message content and timing in relation to the appointment.

Hidden Gains: Effects of Early U.S. Compulsory Schooling Laws on Attendance and Attainment by Social Background

Science.gov (United States)

Rauscher, Emily

2014-01-01

Research on early compulsory schooling laws finds minimal effects on attendance but fails to investigate heterogeneous effects. Similarly, research proposes limited contexts in which expansion policies can increase equality but has difficulty separating policy and cohort effects. Capitalizing on within-country variation in timing of early…

Towards universal access to skilled birth attendance: the process of transforming the role of traditional birth attendants in Rural China.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Hong; Qian, Xu; Chen, Lili; Li, Jian; Escobar, Erin; Story, Mary; Tang, Shenglan

2016-03-21

Institution-based childbirth, with the ultimate goal of universal access to skilled birth attendance (SBA), has been selected as a key strategy to reduce the maternal mortality rate in many developing countries. However, the question of how to engage traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in the advocacy campaign for SBA poses a number of challenges. This paper aims to demonstrate how TBAs in rural regions of China have been integrated into the health system under a policy of institutional delivery. Research was conducted through literature and document reviews and individual in-depth interviews with stakeholders of the safe motherhood program in rural Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. A total of 33 individual interviews were conducted with regional and local politicians, policy makers, health managers, health providers, civil society members, village cadres for women affairs, former TBAs, village maternal health workers, mothers and their mother-in-laws. Since 1998, TBA's traditional role of providing in-home care during childbirth has been restructured and their social role has been strengthened in rural Guangxi. TBAs were redesigned to function as the linkage between women and the health system. A new policy in 1999 shifted the role of TBAs to village maternal health workers whose responsibilities were mainly to promote perinatal care and institution-based delivery of pregnant women. This successful transformation involved engaging with government and other actors, training TBAs for their new role, and providing incentives and sanctions for human resources management. The China experience of transforming the role of TBAs in Guangxi rural area is an example of successfully engaging TBAs in promoting institution-based childbirth.

12 CFR 918.2 - Annual directors' compensation policy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... § 918.3. At a minimum, such policy shall address the activities or functions for which attendance is... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Annual directors' compensation policy. 918.2... HOME LOAN BANKS BANK DIRECTOR COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES § 918.2 Annual directors' compensation policy...

Effect of a policy to reduce user fees on the rate of skilled birth attendance across socioeconomic strata in Burkina Faso.

Science.gov (United States)

Langlois, Étienne V; Karp, Igor; Serme, Jean De Dieu; Bicaba, Abel

2016-05-01

In Sub-Saharan Africa, maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates are associated with underutilization of skilled birth attendance (SBA). In 2007, Burkina Faso introduced a subsidy scheme for SBA fees. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Burkina Faso's subsidy policy on SBA rate across socioeconomic status (SES) strata. We used a quasi-experimental design. The data sources were two representative surveys (n = 1408 and n = 1403) of women from Houndé and Ziniaré health districts of Burkina Faso, and a survey of health centres assessing structural quality of care. Multilevel Poisson regression models were used with robust variance estimators. We estimated adjusted rate ratios (RR) and rate differences (RD) as a function of time and SES. For lowest-SES women, immediately upon the introduction of the subsidy policy, the rate of SBA was 45% higher (RR = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19-1.77) than expected in the absence of subsidy introduction. The results indicated a sustained effect after introduction of the subsidy policy, based on RR estimate (95% CI) of 1.48 (1.21-1.81) at 2 years. For middle-SES women, the RR estimates were 1.28 (1.09-1.49) immediately after introduction of the subsidy policy and 1.30 (1.11-1.51) at 2 years, respectively. For highest-SES women, the RR estimates were 1.19 (1.02-1.38) immediately after subsidy introduction and 1.21 (1.06-1.38) at 2 years, respectively. The RD (95% CI) was 14% (3-24%) for lowest-SES women immediately after introduction of the policy, and the effect was sustained at 14% (4-25%) at 2 years. Our study suggests that the introduction of a user-fee subsidy in Burkina Faso resulted in increased rates of SBA across all SES strata. The increase was sustained over time and strongest among the poorest women. These findings have important implications for evidence-informed policy making in Burkina Faso and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. © The Author 2015. Published by

Emergency department attendance by patients with cancer in the last month of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Henson, Lesley; Gao, Wei; Higginson, Irene; Smith, Melinda; Davies, Joanna; Ellis-Smith, Clare; Daveson, Barbara

2015-02-26

Emergency department visits towards the end of life by people with cancer are increasing over time. This increase has occurred despite evidence of an association with poor patient outcomes, the majority of patients preferring home-based care, and significant overcrowding and capacity concerns for many emergency departments. We aimed to explore factors associated with emergency department attendance by cancer patients in the last month of life. We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Library from inception to February, 2014, for studies investigating emergency department attendances by adult cancer patients (≥18 years) towards the end of life. No time or language limitations were applied. We performed meta-analysis of factors using a random-effects model, with results expressed as odds ratios (OR) for emergency department attendance. Sensitivity analysis explored heterogeneity. 30 studies were identified, reporting three demographic, five clinical, and 13 environmental factors; they included data from five countries and 1 181 842 patients. An increased likelihood of emergency department attendance was found for men versus women (OR 1·24, 95% CI 1·19-1·29), black versus white race (1·45, 1·40-1·50), patients with lung cancer versus other cancers (1·17, 1·10-1·23), and those of lowest versus highest socioeconomic status (1·15, 1·10-1·19). Patients receiving palliative care were less likely than those not receiving palliative care to attend the emergency department in the last month of life (OR 0·43, 95% CI 0·36-0·51). We have identified demographic (men, black race), clinical (lung cancer), and environmental (low socioeconomic status, no palliative care) factors associated with an increased risk of emergency department attendance. These findings could be used to develop screening interventions and assist policy makers in directing limited resources. Future studies should also investigate previously neglected areas of

45 CFR 1305.9 - Policy on fees.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY, RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE IN HEAD START § 1305.9 Policy on... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Policy on fees. 1305.9 Section 1305.9 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES...

Electronic Attendance Application Using Raspberry Pi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Dzul Aiman Aslan; Saaidi Ismail; Mohamad Safuan Sulaiman

2016-01-01

Raspberry Pi is a cheap mini-computer that officially runs on a Linux distribution Operating System (OS) such as Raspbian. It has many input and output mechanisms simulating a computer which make it useful replacement for a computer system. SimpleCV, an open source python-based image processing software and Telegram, a popular social application provide API that allow communication trough a device such as Raspberry Pi. Combining these two, an electronic attendance has been developed using open source basis, and the electronic attendance also provide enhancement of current system that is to record the person face and sending information through Telegram application. The methodology include gathering requirements on remaining system and test it on Linux which will discuss further. This project is serve as a prototype for enhancement of current Commersial Of The Shelf (COTS) electronic attendance that only record ID of the attendees. In the future, the electronic attendance can be enhanced with many features and should be make in-a-box for commercialization. (author)

The occupational health and safety of flight attendants.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Robin F; Powell, David M C

2012-05-01

In order to perform safety-critical roles in emergency situations, flight attendants should meet minimum health standards and not be impaired by factors such as fatigue. In addition, the unique occupational and environmental characteristics of flight attendant employment may have consequential occupational health and safety implications, including radiation exposure, cancer, mental ill-health, musculoskeletal injury, reproductive disorders, and symptoms from cabin air contamination. The respective roles of governments and employers in managing these are controversial. A structured literature review was undertaken to identify key themes for promoting a future agenda for flight attendant health and safety. Recommendations include breast cancer health promotion, implementation of Fatigue Risk Management Systems, standardization of data collection on radiation exposure and health outcomes, and more coordinated approaches to occupational health and safety risk management. Research is ongoing into cabin air contamination incidents, cancer, and fatigue as health and safety concerns. Concerns are raised that statutory medical certification for flight attendants will not benefit either flight safety or occupational health.

Accounting for Attribute-Level Non-Attendance in a Health Choice Experiment: Does it Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Erdem, Seda; Campbell, Danny; Hole, Arne Risa

2015-07-01

An extensive literature has established that it is common for respondents to ignore attributes of the alternatives within choice experiments. In most of the studies on attribute non-attendance, it is assumed that respondents consciously (or unconsciously) ignore one or more attributes of the alternatives, regardless of their levels. In this paper, we present a new line of enquiry and approach for modelling non-attendance in the context of investigating preferences for health service innovations. This approach recognises that non-attendance may not just be associated with attributes but may also apply to the attribute's levels. Our results show that respondents process each level of an attribute differently: while attending to the attribute, they ignore a subset of the attribute's levels. In such cases, the usual approach of assuming that respondents either attend to the attribute or not, irrespective of its levels, is erroneous and could lead to misguided policy recommendations. Our results indicate that allowing for attribute-level non-attendance leads to substantial improvements in the model fit and has an impact on estimated marginal willingness to pay and choice predictions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Teacher-student relationship climate and school outcomes: implications for educational policy initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Barile, John P; Donohue, Dana K; Anthony, Elizabeth R; Baker, Andrew M; Weaver, Scott R; Henrich, Christopher C

2012-03-01

In recent discussions regarding concerns about the academic achievement of US students, educational policy makers have suggested the implementation of certain teacher policies. To address the limited empirical research on the putative educational impact of such policies, this study used multilevel structural equation models to investigate the longitudinal associations between teacher evaluation and reward policies, and student mathematics achievement and dropout with a national sample of students (n = 7,779) attending one of 431 public high schools. The student sample included an equal number of boys and girls averaging 16 years of age, and included a White (53%) majority. This study examined whether associations between teacher policies and student achievement were mediated by the teacher-student relationship climate. Results of this study were threefold. First, teacher evaluation policies that allowed students to evaluate their teachers were associated with more positive student reports of the classroom teaching climate. Second, schools with teacher reward policies that included assigning higher performing teachers with higher performing students had a negative association with student perceptions of the teaching climate. Lastly, schools with better student perceptions of the teaching climate were associated with lower student dropout rates by students' senior year. These findings are discussed in light of their educational policy implications.

Including environmental concerns in energy policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potier, Michel

2014-05-01

In this article, the author comments the different impacts on the environment and risks related to energy, provided that all energies have an impact on the environment (renewable energies are generally cleaner than fossil energies) and these impacts can be on human health, ecosystems, buildings, crops, landscapes, and climate change. He comments the efforts made in the search for a higher energetic efficiency, and proposes an overview of the various available tools implemented by environmental policies in the energy sector: regulatory instruments, economic instruments, negotiated agreements, and informational instruments. He comments the implementation of an energetic taxing aimed at developing a greater respect of the environment

My Summer with Science Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Marissa

This past summer I interned at the American Institute of Physics and helped research and write articles for the FYI Science Policy Bulletin. FYI is an objective digest of science policy developments in Washington, D.C. that impact the greater physical sciences community. Over the course of the summer, I independently attended, analyzed, and reported on a variety of science, technology, and funding related events including congressional hearings, government agency advisory committee meetings, and scientific society events. I wrote and co-wrote three articles on basic energy research legislation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology improvement act, and the National Science Foundation's big ideas for future investment. I had the opportunity to examine some challenging questions such as what is the role of government in funding applied research? How should science priorities be set? What is the right balance of funding across different agencies and programs? I learned about how science policy is a two-way street: science is used to inform policy decisions and policy is made to fund and regulate the conduct of science. I will conclude with how my summer working with FYI showed me the importance of science advocacy, being informed, and voting. Society of Physics Students.

The relationship between attendance at birth and maternal mortality rates: an exploration of United Nations' data sets including the ratios of physicians and nurses to population, GNP per capita and female literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, J J; Wharrad, H

2001-05-01

The relationship between attendance at birth and maternal mortality rates: an exploration of United Nations' data sets including the ratios of physicians and nurses to population, GNP per capita and female literacy. This is the third and final paper drawing on data taken from United Nations (UN) data sets. The first paper examined the global distribution of health professionals (as measured by ratios of physicians and nurses to population), and its relationship to gross national product per capita (GNP) (Wharrad & Robinson 1999). The second paper explored the relationships between the global distribution of physicians and nurses, GNP, female literacy and the health outcome indicators of infant and under five mortality rates (IMR and u5MR) (Robinson & Wharrad 2000). In the present paper, the global distribution of health professionals is explored in relation to maternal mortality rates (MMRs). The proportion of births attended by medical and nonmedical staff defined as "attendance at birth by trained personnel" (physicians, nurses, midwives or primary health care workers trained in midwifery skills), is included as an additional independent variable in the regression analyses, together with the ratio of physicians and nurses to population, female literacy and GNP. To extend our earlier analyses by considering the relationships between the global distribution of health professionals (ratios of physicians and nurses to population, and the proportion of births attended by trained health personnel), GNP, female literacy and MMR. countries, regression analyses were performed using numbers of physicians, and numbers of nurses, per 1000 population, the proportion of births attended by trained health personnel, GNP per capita and female literacy as independent variables and MMRs as the dependent variable. Linear regression analyses show positive associations for MMRs and the ratios of physicians to population (73%, n=136), ratios of nurses to population (56%, n=137), and

What do we know about who does and does not attend general health checks? Findings from a narrative scoping review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dryden Ruth

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background General and preventive health checks are a key feature of contemporary policies of anticipatory care. Ensuring high and equitable uptake of such general health checks is essential to ensuring health gain and preventing health inequalities. This literature review explores the socio-demographic, clinical and social cognitive characteristics of those who do and do not engage with general health checks or preventive health checks for cardiovascular disease. Methods An exploratory scoping study approach was employed. Databases searched included the British Nursing Index and Archive, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI. Titles and abstracts of 17463 papers were screened; 1171 papers were then independently assessed by two researchers. A review of full text was carried out by two of the authors resulting in 39 being included in the final review. Results Those least likely to attend health checks were men on low incomes, low socio-economic status, unemployed or less well educated. In general, attenders were older than non-attenders. An individual’s marital status was found to affect attendance rates with non-attenders more likely to be single. In general, white individuals were more likely to engage with services than individuals from other ethnic backgrounds. Non-attenders had a greater proportion of cardiovascular risk factors than attenders, and smokers were less likely to attend than non-smokers. The relationship between health beliefs and health behaviours appeared complex. Non-attenders were shown to value health less strongly, have low self-efficacy, feel less in control of their health and be less likely to believe in the efficacy of health checks. Conclusion Routine health check-ups appear to be taken up inequitably, with

Factors Affecting Antenatal Care Attendance: Results from Qualitative Studies in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi

Science.gov (United States)

Pell, Christopher; Meñaca, Arantza; Were, Florence; Afrah, Nana A.; Chatio, Samuel; Manda-Taylor, Lucinda; Hamel, Mary J.; Hodgson, Abraham; Tagbor, Harry; Kalilani, Linda; Ouma, Peter; Pool, Robert

2013-01-01

Background Antenatal care (ANC) is a key strategy to improve maternal and infant health. However, survey data from sub-Saharan Africa indicate that women often only initiate ANC after the first trimester and do not achieve the recommended number of ANC visits. Drawing on qualitative data, this article comparatively explores the factors that influence ANC attendance across four sub-Saharan African sites in three countries (Ghana, Kenya and Malawi) with varying levels of ANC attendance. Methods Data were collected as part of a programme of qualitative research investigating the social and cultural context of malaria in pregnancy. A range of methods was employed interviews, focus groups with diverse respondents and observations in local communities and health facilities. Results Across the sites, women attended ANC at least once. However, their descriptions of ANC were often vague. General ideas about pregnancy care – checking the foetus’ position or monitoring its progress – motivated women to attend ANC; as did, especially in Kenya, obtaining the ANC card to avoid reprimands from health workers. Women’s timing of ANC initiation was influenced by reproductive concerns and pregnancy uncertainties, particularly during the first trimester, and how ANC services responded to this uncertainty; age, parity and the associated implications for pregnancy disclosure; interactions with healthcare workers, particularly messages about timing of ANC; and the cost of ANC, including charges levied for ANC procedures – in spite of policies of free ANC – combined with ideas about the compulsory nature of follow-up appointments. Conclusion In these socially and culturally diverse sites, the findings suggest that ‘supply’ side factors have an important influence on ANC attendance: the design of ANC and particularly how ANC deals with the needs and concerns of women during the first trimester has implications for timing of initiation. PMID:23335973

Factors affecting antenatal care attendance: results from qualitative studies in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Pell

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Antenatal care (ANC is a key strategy to improve maternal and infant health. However, survey data from sub-Saharan Africa indicate that women often only initiate ANC after the first trimester and do not achieve the recommended number of ANC visits. Drawing on qualitative data, this article comparatively explores the factors that influence ANC attendance across four sub-Saharan African sites in three countries (Ghana, Kenya and Malawi with varying levels of ANC attendance. METHODS: Data were collected as part of a programme of qualitative research investigating the social and cultural context of malaria in pregnancy. A range of methods was employed interviews, focus groups with diverse respondents and observations in local communities and health facilities. RESULTS: Across the sites, women attended ANC at least once. However, their descriptions of ANC were often vague. General ideas about pregnancy care - checking the foetus' position or monitoring its progress - motivated women to attend ANC; as did, especially in Kenya, obtaining the ANC card to avoid reprimands from health workers. Women's timing of ANC initiation was influenced by reproductive concerns and pregnancy uncertainties, particularly during the first trimester, and how ANC services responded to this uncertainty; age, parity and the associated implications for pregnancy disclosure; interactions with healthcare workers, particularly messages about timing of ANC; and the cost of ANC, including charges levied for ANC procedures - in spite of policies of free ANC - combined with ideas about the compulsory nature of follow-up appointments. CONCLUSION: In these socially and culturally diverse sites, the findings suggest that 'supply' side factors have an important influence on ANC attendance: the design of ANC and particularly how ANC deals with the needs and concerns of women during the first trimester has implications for timing of initiation.

Factors associated with attendance in 12-step groups (Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous) among adults with alcohol problems living with HIV/AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Orwat, John; Samet, Jeffrey H; Tompkins, Christopher P; Cheng, Debbie M; Dentato, Michael P; Saitz, Richard

2011-01-15

Despite the value of 12-step meetings, few studies have examined factors associated with attendance among those living with HIV/AIDS, such as the impact of HIV disease severity and demographics. This study examines predisposing characteristics, enabling resources and need on attendance at Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings among those living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol problems. Secondary analysis of prospective data from the HIV-Longitudinal Interrelationships of Viruses and Ethanol study, a cohort of 400 adults living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol problems. Factors associated with AA/NA attendance were identified using the Anderson model for vulnerable populations. Generalized estimating equation logistic regression models were fit to identify factors associated with self-reported AA/NA attendance. At study entry, subjects were 75% male, 12% met diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence, 43% had drug dependence and 56% reported attending one or more AA/NA meetings (past 6 months). In the adjusted model, female gender negatively associated with attendance, as were social support systems that use alcohol and/or drugs, while presence of HCV antibody, drug dependence diagnosis, and homelessness associated with higher odds of attendance. Non-substance abuse related barriers to AA/NA group attendance exist for those living with HIV/AIDS, including females and social support systems that use alcohol and/or drugs. Positive associations of homelessness, HCV infection and current drug dependence were identified. These findings provide implications for policy makers and treatment professionals who wish to encourage attendance at 12-step meetings for those living with HIV/AIDS and alcohol or other substance use problems. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

29 CFR 1612.3 - Open meeting policy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Open meeting policy. 1612.3 Section 1612.3 Labor... ACT REGULATIONS § 1612.3 Open meeting policy. (a) All meetings of the Commission shall be conducted in... adequate acoustics for persons in attendance at the meeting. (d) Observers may take still photographs and...

A prospective study of methamphetamine use as a predictor of high school non-attendance in Cape Town, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parry Charles D

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This prospective study investigated the association between life-long methamphetamine and other drug use and high school non-attendance, in a sample of high school students in Cape Town, South Africa. Methods A random sample of 1535 high school students completed a baseline questionnaire in 2006, and were asked to complete a follow-up questionnaire 12 months later. The questionnaire included questions on substance use, including tobacco, alcohol, methamphetamine and cannabis use, demographic factors, and questions relating to school attendance and performance. Results Forty-three percent of the students surveyed at baseline did not complete a follow-up questionnaire after 12 months. Compared with students who were not using selected substances, an adjusted logistic regression model showed that life-time methamphetamine use in addition to other substances was significantly associated with non-attendance (OR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.24 - 5.36 when other non-substance use factors (repeating a year at school and being older than the norm for current grade were taken into account. Conclusions Early identification of students with methamphetamine and other substance use problems, and a supportive rather than punitive school policy, may be valuable in improving high school completion and student retention rates.

Mobile phones as a health communication tool to improve skilled attendance at delivery in Zanzibar: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, S; Hemed, M; Nielsen, B B; Said, A; Said, K; Makungu, M H; Rasch, V

2012-09-01

To examine the association between a mobile phone intervention and skilled delivery attendance in a resource-limited setting. Pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial with primary healthcare facilities as the unit of randomisation. Primary healthcare facilities in Zanzibar. Two thousand, five hundred and fifty pregnant women (1311 interventions and 1239 controls) who attended antenatal care at one of the selected primary healthcare facilities were included at their first antenatal care visit and followed until 42 days after delivery. All pregnant women were eligible for study participation. Twenty-four primary healthcare facilities in six districts in Zanzibar were allocated by simple randomisation to either mobile phone intervention (n = 12) or standard care (n = 12). The intervention consisted of a short messaging service (SMS) and mobile phone voucher component. Skilled delivery attendance. The mobile phone intervention was associated with an increase in skilled delivery attendance: 60% of the women in the intervention group versus 47% in the control group delivered with skilled attendance. The intervention produced a significant increase in skilled delivery attendance amongst urban women (odds ratio, 5.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.51-21.81), but did not reach rural women. The mobile phone intervention significantly increased skilled delivery attendance amongst women of urban residence. Mobile phone solutions may contribute to the saving of lives of women and their newborns and the achievement of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, and should be considered by maternal and child health policy makers in developing countries. © 2012 The Authors BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology © 2012 RCOG.

Nigeria's National Population Policy and its Implications for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nigeria's National Population Policy and its Implications for Sustainable Development. Good Wilson. Abstract. Given the prevailing view that population policy has the potentials to reduce pressure of population on development and the attendant improvement of the welfare of people in society now and in the future, ...

Do young people attending addiction services differ from those attending youth mental health services?

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Christie, Grant; Merry, Sally; Robinson, Elizabeth

2010-07-01

We aimed to describe and compare the self-reported substance use, psychopathology and psychosocial morbidity in adolescents attending two adolescent outpatient services, a triage-based mental health service and an engagement-focused addiction service in Auckland, New Zealand. A naturalistic cross-section of 131 (addiction service = 67, mental health service = 64) 14-18-year-old boys and girls attending each service completed a standardised screening and assessment instrument, the Drug Use Screening Inventory-Revised. The Drug Use Screening Inventory-Revised measures self-reported problems across 10 domains of functioning, including substance use, behaviour, psychiatric symptoms and school and family functioning. Descriptive statistics were used to provide an overview of the self-reported morbidity in each group and t-tests were used to determine differences between the two groups. Adolescents attending the addiction service reported significantly more problems with substance use, school performance and peer relationships than those attending the mental health service. There was no significant difference in reported psychiatric symptoms, behavioural problems, social competency, health problems, family problems, difficulties in work functioning or leisure time between the two groups. Young people presenting to engagement-focused substance use services report similar difficulties to those at mental health services across most areas of psychosocial functioning. Addiction services may require equivalent staffing expertise and workforce development to that in mental health to effectively meet young people's needs.

The meaning and importance of vigilant attendance for the relatives of intensive care unit patients.

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Plakas, Sotirios; Taket, Ann; Cant, Bob; Fouka, Georgia; Vardaki, Zambia

2014-09-01

To explore the meaning of vigilant attendance for relatives of critically ill patients in Greece. A plethora of international research has identified proximity to the patient to be a major concern for relatives of critically ill patients. Greece however follows a strict visiting policy in intensive care units (ICUs) so Greek relatives spend great amounts of time just outside the ICUs. This qualitative study adopted the social constructionist version of grounded theory. Data were collected from three ICUs in Athens through in depth interviews with 25 informants and approximately 10 h of observations outside the ICUs on 159 relatives. Vigilant attendance was one of the main coping mechanisms identified for relatives. Four subcategories were found to comprise vigilant attendance: (1) being as close as possible to feel relief, (2) being there to find out what is going on, (3) monitoring changes in the loved one and making own diagnosis and (4) interacting with the ICU professionals. Vigilant attendance describes the way in which relatives in Greece stayed outside the ICUs. Relatives felt satisfaction from being close as the best alternative for not actually being inside the ICU and they tried to learn what was going on by alternative methods. By seeing the patients, relatives were also able to make their own diagnoses and could therefore avoid relying solely on information given to them. However, a prerequisite for successful vigilant attendance was to get on well with doctors and nurses. Changes in visiting policies in Greece are needed to meet the needs of relatives adequately. Recommendations for changes with minimal investment of time and funding are made. © 2013 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Factors associated with non-attendance in a general practice super clinic population in regional Australia: A retrospective cohort study.

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Nancarrow, Susan; Bradbury, Joanne; Avila, Catherine

2014-01-01

Non-attendance at medical appointments is associated with increased patient morbidity and is a significant drain on health service resources. Australian studies have focused on secondary healthcare settings, screening, and interventions to reduce non-attendance. To explore factors associated with non-attendance in a regional primary care setting. A retrospective cohort of all patients with a scheduled appointment between October 2011 and October 2013 at a regional, primary care clinic providing medical and allied health services in a region of New South Wales (NSW) serving a large Aboriginal population (10.7 per cent). Using multivariate logistic regression, non-attendance was regressed on a range of covariates, including number of appointments per person, gender and ethnicity, and day of the week. The overall proportion of missed appointments was 7.6 per cent. Risk factors for non-attendance were day of the week [Mondays (8.1 per cent), Fridays (8.0 per cent), and Thursdays (7.9 per cent), (χ2(4)= 20.208, pattend (FTA) (95% CI: 11-28%)]; Aboriginality (OR=4.022, 95% CI: 3.263, 4.956), and female gender (OR=1.077; 95% CI 1.024, 1.132). There was a trend toward an interaction between gender and Aboriginality, with Aboriginal females being the group most likely to miss appointments (OR=1.272, 95% CI: 0.949, 1.705). This is the largest study of non-attendance in an Australian primary healthcare setting. While not a typical setting, the study had the advantage of a large, mixed population. The suggested high rates of non-attendance by Aboriginal females have potentially important policy implications.

Inequalities in Dental Attendance throughout the Life-course

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2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify socio-economic inequalities in regular dental attendance throughout the life-course. The analyses relied on data from SHARE (waves 1 to 3 of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe), which includes retrospective information on life-course dental attendance of 26,525 persons currently aged 50 years or greater from 13 European countries (Austria, Poland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, the Czech Republic, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden). Inequalities in dental attendance were assessed by means of Concentration Indices. Socio-economic disparities in regular dental attendance were identified as early as childhood. Moreover, higher educational attainment resulted in increased probabilities of regular dental attendance throughout subsequent life-years in all nations. In most countries, inequality levels remained relatively inelastic throughout the life-course. These findings suggest that a considerable proportion of inequalities in dental care use is already established at childhood and persists throughout the life-course. PMID:22699676

Father Attendance in Nurse Home Visitation

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Holmberg, John R.; Olds, David L.

2015-01-01

Our aim was to examine the rates and predictors of father attendance at nurse home visits in replication sites of the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP). Early childhood programs can facilitate father involvement in the lives of their children, but program improvements require an understanding of factors that predict father involvement. The sample consisted of 29,109 low-income, first-time mothers who received services from 694 nurses from 80 sites. We conducted mixed-model multiple regression analyses to identify population, implementation, site, and nurse influences on father attendance. Predictors of father attendance included a count of maternal visits (B = 0.12, SE = 0.01, F = 3101.77), frequent contact between parents (B = 0.61, SE = 0.02, F = 708.02), cohabitation (B = 1.41, SE = 0.07, F = 631.51), White maternal race (B = 0.77, SE = 0.06, F = 190.12), and marriage (B = 0.42, SE = 0.08, F = 30.08). Random effects for sites and nurses predicted father-visit participation (2.7 & 6.7% of the variance, respectively), even after controlling for population sociodemographic characteristics. These findings suggest that factors operating at the levels of sites and nurses influence father attendance at home visits, even after controlling for differences in populations served. Further inquiry about these influences on father visit attendance is likely to inform program-improvement efforts. PMID:25521707

29 CFR 1949.1 - Policy regarding tuition fees.

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2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Policy regarding tuition fees. 1949.1 Section 1949.1 Labor... Institute § 1949.1 Policy regarding tuition fees. (a) The OSHA Training Institute shall charge tuition fees for all private sector students attending Institute courses. (b) The following private sector students...

Evaluating Tobacco Control Policies in 28 Countries (including 9 EU countries: The ITC Project

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Geoffrey Fong

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Since its start in 2002, the ITC Project has been conducting evaluation studies of tobacco control policies via prospective cohort surveys of tobacco users in 28 countries, including 9 EU countries. This presentation will focus on the design of the ITC Project and how it differs from and complements existing evidence-gathering systems (monitoring and surveillance systems in measuring and understanding the impact of FCTC policies. The presentation will also describe the ITC Project's most recent initiatives: (1 the EUREST-PLUS study focusing on measuring the impact of the Tobacco Products Directive, and (2 a large-scale international cohort study of e-cigarettes starting in the United States, Canada, England, and Australia.

Comparison of Complications and Surgical Outcomes of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Between Junior Attending Surgeons and Senior Attending Surgeons.

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Qiao, Jun; Xiao, Lingyan; Xu, Leilei; Shi, Benlong; Qian, Bangping; Zhu, Zezhang; Qiu, Yong

2018-04-24

To our knowledge, few studies have compared complications and surgical outcomes of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) between junior attending surgeons and senior attending surgeons. To compare surgical strategies, complications, and outcomes of posterior corrective surgery for AIS between junior attending surgeons and senior attending surgeons. According to experience level of operation surgeons, the patients were assigned to 2 groups. Group A was the "junior surgeon" group. Group B was the "senior surgeon" group. The following parameters were compared between the 2 groups: age, sex, diagnosis, hospital of record, surgeon experience level, type of instrumentation, type of screws, estimated blood loss, duration of surgery, length of fusion, correction techniques, main curve correction, and thoracic kyphosis correction. A total of 132 patients with AIS were included in group A, whereas 207 were in group B. The translational technique was used more often in group A (P Senior surgeons used more monoaxial screws than junior surgeons (P senior group (P senior group had significant better correction rates of severe main curve (>70°) and thoracic kyphosis than the junior group (P Senior attending surgeons outperformed junior surgeons in blood loss control, thoracic kyphosis correction, and correction of severe curves. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Professional development through attending conferences: reflections of a health librarian.

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Jenkins, Ruth

2015-06-01

In this article, guest writer Ruth Jenkins from Berkshire Heathcare Foundation Trust reflects on two conferences she attended in 2014, LILAC and SLA. Through the process of reflection, she considers the benefits that attending conferences can have to library and information professionals in the health sector. In particular, she discusses the opportunities and areas for learning and professional development that conferences can offer including evidence-based practice and current awareness, gaining new knowledge and objectivity, and networking and the unexpected benefits of conferences. Ruth also offers some practical hints and tips on ways to facilitate your attendance at conferences, including through awards and funding. H.S. © 2015 Health Libraries Group.

Exploring the school attendance of children with epilepsy

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Karina Piccin Zanni

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The childhood epilepsy is a chronic disease that can have an impact in various spheres of life of the child, including academic performance and school attendance. This study aimed to describe and compare the school attendance of children with epilepsy who attend mainstream and special schools. Participants were 56 children aged between 7 and 14 years who attended regular or special schools located in two Brazilian cities of medium size. To collect the information we used two instruments: Data sheet of identification and characterization of the child and Data sheet to record the attendance school. The results showed that children in special schools had higher rates of absenteeism compared to students in regular schools. Additionally, we observed that these children use more drugs and have implications on health more severe than children in regular schools. Thus, it is the childhood epilepsy as a disease complex that brings substantial effects on various areas of children’s lives by reinforcing the need for studies that might expand the knowledge to and the experiences associated with the education of these children.

Clinic Attendance of Youth With Sickle Cell Disease on Hydroxyurea Treatment.

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Ingerski, Lisa M; Arnold, Trisha L; Banks, Gabrielle; Porter, Jerlym S; Wang, Winfred C

2017-07-01

The objective of this study is to describe rates of clinic attendance of youth with sickle cell disease prescribed hydroxyurea and examine potential demographic and medical factors related to consistent clinic attendance. Participants included 148 youth diagnosed with sickle cell disease and prescribed hydroxyurea during a single calendar year. Clinic attendance and potential demographic and medical factors related to attendance were extracted via systematic retrospective medical chart review. Youth attended 90.3% of scheduled appointments and 85.1% of youth attended at least 80% of scheduled clinic appointments during the study window. Adjusting for other factors, multivariate analysis revealed families with fewer children in the household, families with private insurance, youth experiencing fever, and youth not experiencing pain during the calendar year were more likely to consistently attend clinic visits. Adherence to clinic appointments is critical to optimizing health outcomes for youth with sickle cell disease and integral for adequate monitoring of youth prescribed hydroxyurea, in particular. Findings may aid providers in appropriately identifying possible barriers to clinic attendance to develop attendance promotion interventions.

Using Attendance Worksheets to Improve Student Attendance, Participation, and Learning

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Rhoads, Edward

2013-06-01

As science instructors we are faced with two main barriers with respect to student learning. The first is motivating our students to attend class and the second is to make them active participants in the learning process once we have gotten them to class. As we head further into the internet age this problem only gets exacerbated as students have replaced newspapers with cell phones which can surf the web, check their emails, and play games. Quizzes can motivated the students to attend class but do not necessarily motivate them to pay attention. Active learning techniques work but we as instructors have been bombarded by the active learning message to the point that we either do it already or refuse to. I present another option which in my classroom has doubled the rate at which students learn my material. By using attendance worksheets instead of end of class quizzes I hold students accountable for not just their attendance but for when they show up and when they leave the class. In addition it makes the students an active participant in the class even without using active learning techniques as they are writing notes and answering the questions you have posed while the class is in progress. Therefore using attendance worksheets is an effective tool to use in order to guide student learning.

Family care work: a policy-relevant research agenda.

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Moen, Phyllis; DePasquale, Nicole

2017-03-01

This article addresses the need for policy-relevant research agendas on family care in transaction with formal care and public as well as organisational norms and policies in light of the crisis in caregiving for older adults. We propose a combined institutional and life-course theoretical approach, suggesting seven ways of organising scholarly enquiry to promote understanding of the changing nature of family care in the 21st century, inform policymakers' efforts at supporting family caregivers and improve caregivers' and care recipients' quality of life. These include: (1) moving beyond snapshots of individuals; (2) conducting comparative cross-cultural and crosscohort analyses; (3) documenting social heterogeneity, vulnerability and inequality; (4) capturing individuals' and families' adaptive strategies and cycles of control during the caregiving process; (5) investigating policy innovations and natural experiments; (6) assessing third parties as mediating institutions between regulatory environments and caregiving families; and (7) attending to the subjective meanings of care.

Should Attendance Be Required in Lecture Classrooms in Dental Education? Two Viewpoints: Viewpoint 1: Attendance in the Lecture Classroom Should Be Required and Viewpoint 2: Attendance Should Not Be Required in the Lecture Classroom.

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Cutler, Christopher W; Parise, Mary; Seminario, Ana Lucia; Mendez, Maria Jose Cervantes; Piskorowski, Wilhelm; Silva, Renato

2016-12-01

This Point/Counterpoint discusses the long-argued debate over whether lecture attendance in dental school at the predoctoral level should be required. Current educational practice relies heavily on the delivery of content in a traditional lecture style. Viewpoint 1 asserts that attendance should be required for many reasons, including the positive impact that direct contact of students with faculty members and with each other has on learning outcomes. In lectures, students can more easily focus on subject matter that is often difficult to understand. A counter viewpoint argues that required attendance is not necessary and that student engagement is more important than physical classroom attendance. This viewpoint notes that recent technologies support active learning strategies that better engage student participation, fostering independent learning that is not supported in the traditional large lecture classroom and argues that dental education requires assimilation of complex concepts and applying them to patient care, which passing a test does not ensure. The two positions agree that attendance does not guarantee learning and that, with the surge of information technologies, it is more important than ever to teach students how to learn. At this time, research does not show conclusively if attendance in any type of setting equals improved learning or ability to apply knowledge.

Policies for including disabled people in education. obstacles and facilitating factors for their implementation: Bucaramanga, 2010

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Claudia P. Serrano R

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: to explore the factors enabling or hindering the implementation of inclusive education policies for the disabled population of Bucaramanga. Methodology: a descriptive study, involving representatives from governmental agencies (EG, members of the faculty boards of educational institutions (DIE and guardians of disabled individuals (APSD. Physical, social, and political obstacles and facilitating factors that could potentially determine the implementation of these policies were analyzed. Data was collected through interviews. Results: there was a total of 2, 32, and 34 participants from the EG, DIE, and APSD groups respectively. Identified obstacles included: lack of strategies to support educational institutions, poor or limited teacher training, high tuition fees, and negative attitude towards disability. The facilitating factors included: availability of places, inclusion of this issue in the political agenda, and desire of the disabled individuals’ families to provide them with education. Discussion: These findings provide useful information for further research on this issue and show how action has been taken, as well as how urgent it is to establish a direct relationship between academia and the public sector to propose strategies for assessing and modifying these policies.

How Insecurity impacts on school attendance and school drop out among urban slum children in Nairobi

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Chimaraoke Izugbara

2008-06-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses how perceptions of personal security can impact on school enrolment and attendance. It mainly focuses on threats of physical harm, crime, and community and domestic violence. These security fears can include insecurity that children suffer from as they go to school, maybe through the use of unsafe routes; insecurity that children feel at school; and the insecurity they suffer from in their homes. Although poverty can be a source and/or an indicator of insecurity, this paper does not focus solely on poverty as it is well covered elsewhere in the literature. The paper relies on qualitative data col- lected in Korogocho and Viwandani slum areas in Nairobi, Kenya between October and November 2004. The paper analyses data from individual interviews and focus group interviews and focuses on the narrative of slum dwellers on how insecurity impacts on educational attainment. The conclusion in this paper is that insecure neighbourhoods may have a negative impact on schooling. As a result policies that address insecurity in slum neighbourhoods can also improve school attendance and performance.

Comparing resident cataract surgery outcomes under novice versus experienced attending supervision

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Puri S

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Sidharth Puri,1 Amanda E Kiely,2 Jiangxia Wang,3 Alonzo S Woodfield,4 Saras Ramanathan,5 Shameema Sikder21Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 2Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 3Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 4Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, Sacramento, 5San Francisco School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USAPurpose: To determine whether supervision by an attending new to surgical teaching or an experienced attending measurably influences intraoperative complications rates or outcomes in phacoemulsification performed by ophthalmology residents.Setting: Single tertiary hospital.Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Resident-performed phacoemulsification cases supervised by one novice attending (N=189 and experienced attending (N=172 over 1 year were included. Data included: resident year, patient age, sex, preoperative risk factors (4+ dense/white/brunescent cataracts, Flomax, zonular dialysis, pseudoexfoliation, glaucoma risk, post-vitrectomy, intraoperative risk factors (Trypan blue, iris hooks, and intraoperative complications (capsule tears, vitreous loss, zonular dialysis, zonular dehiscence, burns, nuclear fragment loss, Descemet’s tear. Experienced attending data were compared against those of the novice attending.Results: Regarding preoperative risks, experienced attending cases more likely involved 4+ cataract (P=0.005, Flomax (P<0.001, or glaucoma risk (P=0.001. For intraoperative risks, novice attending cases more likely involved Trypan blue (P<0.001. Regarding complications, novice attending cases were associated with vitreous loss (P=0.002 and anterior capsule tears (P<0.001. When comparing total complications, the novice attending was more likely to have both increased number of cases with complications and total complications than the experienced attending. The novice

The Diverse Risk Profiles of Persistently Absent Primary Students: Implications for Attendance Policies in Australia

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Hancock, Kirsten J.; Mitrou, Francis; Taylor, Catherine L.; Zubrick, Stephen R.

2018-01-01

The risk factors associated with absenteeism are well known. However, children's exposure to combinations of risks and how these relate to absence patterns remains unclear. Understanding variations in risk profiles among persistently non-attending children will inform the development of absence interventions. Using a longitudinal sample of…

Divergent Urban-Rural Trends in College Attendance: State Policy Bias and Structural Exclusion in China

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Tam, Tony; Jiang, Jin

2015-01-01

Despite the massive expansion of higher education in China since 1998, the cohort trends of urban and rural "hukou" holders in college attendance have widened sharply. Prevailing explanations emphasize the advantages of urban students over rural students in school quality and household financial resources. We propose the structural…

Radiology 24/7 In-House Attending Coverage: Do Benefits Outweigh Cost?

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Coleman, Stephanie; Holalkere, Nagaraj Setty; O׳Malley, Julie; Doherty, Gemma; Norbash, Alexander; Kadom, Nadja

2016-01-01

Many radiology practices, including academic centers, are moving to in-house 24/7 attending coverage. This could be costly and may not be easily accepted by radiology trainees and attending radiologists. In this article, we evaluated the effects of 24/7 in-house attending coverage on patient care, costs, and qualitative aspects such as trainee education. We retrospectively collected report turnaround times (TAT) and work relative value units (wRVU). We compared these parameters between the years before and after the implementation of 24/7 in-house attending coverage. The cost to provide additional attending coverage was estimated from departmental financial reports. A qualitative survey of radiology residents and faculty was performed to study perceived effects on trainee education. There were decreases in report TAT following 24/7 attending implementation: 69% reduction in computed tomography, 43% reduction in diagnostic radiography, 7% reduction in magnetic resonance imaging, and 43% reduction in ultrasound. There was an average daytime wRVU decrease of 9%, although this was compounded by a decrease in total RVUs of the 2013 calendar year. The financial investment by the institution was estimated at $850,000. Qualitative data demonstrated overall positive feedback from trainees and faculty in radiology, although loss of independence was reported as a negative effect. TAT and wRVU metrics changed with implementation of 24/7 attending coverage, although these metrics do not directly relate to patient outcomes. Additional clinical benefits may include fewer discrepancies between preliminary and final reports that may improve emergency and inpatient department workflows and liability exposure. Radiologists reported the impression that clinicians appreciated 24/7 in-house attending coverage, particularly surgical specialists. Loss of trainee independence on call was a perceived disadvantage of 24/7 attending coverage and raised a concern that residency education

Solving the Policy Implementation Problem

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Gregg A. Garn

1999-08-01

Full Text Available When Republican legislators in Arizona failed to approve educational vouchers in four consecutive legislative sessions, a charter school program was approved as a compromise. The charter school policy was written during a special summer session and within three years, over 30,000 students were enrolled in 260 charter schools across the state. Republican policy makers, who failed to enact voucher legislation, proclaimed the charter school program to be an overwhelming success and protected it from amendments by Democrats and potential actions of bureaucrats that could have altered the policy intent. Research on the implementation of policy indicates that state and local implementors frequently undermine or alter legislative intentions. However, when Arizona policy makers approved the charter school policy, they overcame this persistent implementation phenomenon and, in fact, succeeded in preserving the legislative intentions in the working program. This policy study analyzes how they were able to achieve this elusive result. Key policy makers attended to four significant features of policy implementation in creating the charter school policy: communication, financial resources, implementor attitudes, and bureaucratic structure. Manipulating these key variables allowed policy makers to reduce implementation slippage.

Medical school gift restriction policies and physician prescribing of newly marketed psychotropic medications: difference-in-differences analysis.

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King, Marissa; Essick, Connor; Bearman, Peter; Ross, Joseph S

2013-01-30

To examine the effect of attending a medical school with an active policy on restricting gifts from representatives of pharmaceutical and device industries on subsequent prescribing behavior. Difference-in-differences approach. 14 US medical schools with an active gift restriction policy in place by 2004. Prescribing patterns in 2008 and 2009 of physicians attending one of the schools compared with physicians graduating from the same schools before the implementation of the policy, as well as a set of contemporary matched controls. Probability that a physician would prescribe a newly marketed medication over existing alternatives of three psychotropic classes: lisdexamfetamine among stimulants, paliperidone among antipsychotics, and desvenlafaxine among antidepressants. None of these medications represented radical breakthroughs in their respective classes. For two of the three medications examined, attending a medical school with an active gift restriction policy was associated with reduced prescribing of the newly marketed drug. Physicians who attended a medical school with an active conflict of interest policy were less likely to prescribe lisdexamfetamine over older stimulants (adjusted odds ratio 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.22 to 0.88; P=0.02) and paliperidone over older antipsychotics (0.25, 0.07 to 0.85; P=0.03). A significant effect was not observed for desvenlafaxine (1.54, 0.79 to 3.03; P=0.20). Among cohorts of students who had a longer exposure to the policy or were exposed to more stringent policies, prescribing rates were further reduced. Exposure to a gift restriction policy during medical school was associated with reduced prescribing of two out of three newly introduced psychotropic medications.

45 CFR 702.16 - Attendance of news media at public sessions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Attendance of news media at public sessions. 702... Attendance of news media at public sessions. Reasonable access for coverage of public sessions shall be provided to the various communications media, including newspapers, magazines, radio, newsreels, and...

Factors affecting poor attendance for outpatient physiotherapy by patients discharged from Mthatha General Hospital with a stroke

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N.P. Ntamo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Stroke is a major cause of disability inthe world and its long term effects require adherence to physiotherapyprotocols for optimal rehabilitation. Clinical impression of data fromMthatha General Hospital (MGH Physiotherapy Department revealedthat there was poor attendance of outpatient physiotherapy by strokepatients discharged from MGH and this had negative effects on outcomesand health care costs.Objective: To determine the extent and the socio-demographic reasonsfor poor attendance for outpatient physiotherapy by stroke patients.Methods: An observational descriptive study was conducted using arandomly selected sample of 103 stroke patients from a population of 139who attended physiotherapy in MGH in 2007. Structured interviews wereconducted and SPSS was used for data analysis.Results: The majority (86% of patients did not attend physiotherapy until discharge from the Physiotherapy Department. Themajor reasons for poor attendance were lack of finances (95%, migration to other areas (36%, and living a long distance fromMGH (38%.Conclusion: Almost 9 out of 10 stroke patients fail to attend for outpatient physiotherapy because of lack of finances.Recommendation: Development of a Provincial Rehabilitation Policy with specific reference to decentralization of rehabilitationservices to address unavailability of physiotherapy services at clinics and health care centers which are proximal to the patients’residential areas is recommended.

Indigenous Policy Conference Summary Report: Beyond Reconciliation

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Sophie Lorefice

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The School of Public Policy (SPP at the University of Calgary organized a conference to announce the establishment of its Indigenous Policy program and to share knowledge and stories about policy issues critical to Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The conference, titled “Beyond Reconciliation,” was held at the University of Calgary Downtown Campus on Nov. 21, 2016 and was attended by 73 participants. This included Indigenous elders, chiefs and leaders, and members of Indigenous organizations, including a women’s group. Also included were members of universities and academic institutions, including students; industry representatives from the oil and gas, pipeline, forestry, electricity, legal and financial sectors; as well as representatives from government and regulatory agencies. The purpose of the conference was established with the following abstract, which was circulated to speakers and participants: The School of Public Policy is establishing a new Indigenous Policy program in order to produce widely disseminated research and engage in outreach that covers an array of policy areas, such as health, education, self-government, and natural resource development. The program will directly engage Indigenous communities in the search for original, long-term, and evidence-based solutions, as part of an effort to improve our national capacity in problem-solving and policy development. The conference will provide a platform to launch the program, showcasing preliminary research and providing a venue for discussion of policy solutions. The conference included three moderated panel sessions and a keynote speaker.1 The first panel considered business and entrepreneurship in Indigenous communities; the second panel showcased case studies that are examining the experiences of Indigenous communities with natural resource development projects, and particularly their experiences with consultation and engagement. The final panel focused on ways of

In-center hemodialysis attendance: patient perceptions of risks, barriers, and recommendations.

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Chenitz, Kara B; Fernando, Michael; Shea, Judy A

2014-04-01

Missed hemodialysis treatments lead to increased morbidity and mortality in the end-stage renal disease population. Little is known about why patients have difficulty attending their scheduled in-center dialysis treatments. Semistructured interviews with 15 adherent and 15 nonadherent hemodialysis patients were conducted to determine patients' attitudes about dialysis, health beliefs and risk perception regarding missed treatments, barriers and facilitators to hemodialysis attendance, and recommendations to improve the system to facilitate dialysis attendance. Average time on dialysis was 2.5 years for the nonadherent group and 7.3 years in the adherent group. In both groups, patients felt that dialysis is life-saving and a necessity. A substantial number of patients in both groups understood that missing hemodialysis treatments is dangerous and several patients could clearly communicate the risk of skipping. The most common barriers to hemodialysis were inadequate or unreliable transportation (mentioned in both groups) and a lack of motivation to get to dialysis or that dialysis is not a priority (typically mentioned by the nonadherent group). Facilitators to hemodialysis attendance included explanations from the health care team regarding the risk of skipping and relationships with other dialysis patients. Patient recommendations to improve dialysis attendance included continued education about the risk of poor attendance and more accessible transportation. Patients did not feel that home dialysis would improve adherence. Hemodialysis patients must adhere to a complex and burdensome regimen. Through the elucidation of barriers and facilitators to hemodialysis attendance and through specific patient recommendations, at least three interventions may be further investigated to improve hemodialysis attendance: Improvement of the transportation system, education and supportive encouragement from the health care team, and peer support mentorship. © 2014 International

[Factors determining irregular attendance to follow-up visits among human immunodeficiency virus patients: results of the hospital survey of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus].

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz, Asuncion; Ten, Alicia; Marcos, Henar; Gutiérrez, Gonzalo; González-García, Juan; Moreno, Santiago; Barrios, Ana María; Arponen, Sari; Portillo, Álvaro; Serrano, Regino; García, Maria Teresa; Pérez, José Luis; Toledo, Javier; Royo, Maria Carmen; González, Gustavo; Izquierdo, Ana; Viloria, Luis Javier; López, Irene; Elizalde, Lázaro; Martínez, Eva; Castrillejo, Daniel; Aranguren, Rosa; Redondo, Caridad; Diez, Mercedes

2015-05-01

To describe the occurrence of non-regular attendance to follow-up visits among HIV patients and to analyze the determining factors. One-day survey carried out annually (2002-2012) in public hospitals. Epidemiological, clinical and behavioral data are collected in all HIV-infected inpatients and outpatients receiving HIV-related care on the day of the survey. "Non-regular attendance to a follow-up visit" was defined as sporadic attendance to the medical appointments, according to the judgment of the attending physician. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, and factors associated to non-regular attendance to follow-up visits were estimated using logistic regression. A total of 7,304 subjects were included, of whom 13.7% did not attend medical appointments regularly. Factors directly associated with non-regular attendance were: age between 25-49 years; birth in Sub-Saharan Africa or Latin-America; low educational level; being homeless or in prison; living alone or in closed institutions; being unemployed or retired; being an intravenous drug user; not using a condom at last sexual encounter, and injecting drugs in the last 30 days. Conversely, HIV diagnosis within the last year and being men who have sex with men were factors inversely associated with non-regular attendance to follow-up visits. In spite of health care beings free of charge for everyone in Spain, social factors can act as barriers to regular attendance to medical appointments, which, in turn, can endanger treatment effectiveness in some population groups. This should be taken into account when planning HIV policies in Spain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Carnegie Units and High School Attendance Policies: An Absence of Thought?!?

Science.gov (United States)

Outhouse, Craig Michael

2012-01-01

This case was developed as part of a doctoral course for educational administration students who were specializing in K-12 educational administration. It could be used in a leadership, special education, or policy course for future school leaders or teachers. Currently, most educational institutions use Carnegie Units to structure how students…

Effect of a reorganized after-hours family practice service on frequent attenders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vedsted, Peter; Olesen, Frede

1999-01-01

of this reorganization on the use of services by frequent attenders (FAs). METHODS: From 1990 to 1994, methods of contact and annual costs per attender were analyzed in an ecological time-trend study based on aggregated administrative data collected from the database of the Public Health Insurance, Aarhus County......, Denmark (600,000 inhabitants). The study only included attenders ages 18 and over. FAs were defined as the group that, within each calendar year (12 months), had 4 or more contacts with the after-hours family practice service. RESULTS: FAs made up 9.5% of the attenders and accounted for more than 40...

Designing services for frequent attenders to the emergency department: a characterisation of this population to inform service design.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Rebecca; Wong, Mai Luen; Hayhurst, Catherine; Watson, Peter; Morrison, Cecily

2016-08-01

Frequent attendance to the emergency department (ED) is a growing public health concern. Designing services for frequent attenders poses challenges, given the heterogeneous nature of this group. This was a two-part observational study identifying frequent attenders from ED records. The first stage studied trends and developed personas with emphasis on differentiating moderate frequent attenders (attending between 5 and 20 times per year) and extreme frequent attenders (attending more than 20 times). Stage 2 included a case note review of 100 consecutive frequent attenders. Results showed an increase in frequent attendance from 2.59% to 4.12% over 8 years. Moderate frequent attenders accounted for 97%. Of the 100 frequent attenders studied, 45% had medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), associated with younger age (p0.05). In conclusion, the ED is a useful hub for identifying frequent attenders with MUS, particularly among moderate frequent attenders; service design for this group should consider a 'whole-systems approach' with integration between primary and secondary care, including specialist liaison psychiatry services where appropriate. © 2016 Royal College of Physicians.

Differential campsite pricing and campground attendance

Science.gov (United States)

Wilbur F. LaPage; Paula L. Cormier; George T. Hamilton; Alan D. Cormier

1975-01-01

Several changes in the characteristics of campers' visits were discovered by comparing camping permit data before and after the start of differential campsite pricing at a New Hampshire state park campground in 1973. Differentials included a premium charge for waterfront sites and a preferential rate for New Hampshire residents. Attendance by state residents...

Factors associated with non-attendance, opportunistic attendance and reminded attendance to cervical screening in an organized screening program: a cross-sectional study of 12,058 Norwegian women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eriksen Tormod

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cervical cancer incidence and mortality may be reduced by organized screening. Participant compliance with the attendance recommendations of the screening program is necessary to achieve this. Knowledge about the predictors of compliance is needed in order to enhance screening attendance. Methods The Norwegian Co-ordinated Cervical Cancer Screening Program (NCCSP registers all cervix cytology diagnoses in Norway and individually reminds women who have no registered smear for the past three years to make an appointment for screening. In the present study, a questionnaire on lifestyle and health was administered to a random sample of Norwegian women. The response rate was 68%. To address the predictors of screening attendance for the 12,058 women aged 25-45 who were eligible for this study, individual questionnaire data was linked to the cytology registry of the NCCSP. We distinguished between non-attendees, opportunistic attendees and reminded attendees to screening for a period of four years. Predictors of non-attendance versus attendance and reminded versus opportunistic attendance were established by multivariate logistic regression. Results Women who attended screening were more likely than non-attendees to report that they were aware of the recommended screening interval, a history of sexually transmitted infections and a history of hormonal contraceptive and condom use. Attendance was also positively associated with being married/cohabiting, being a non-smoker and giving birth. Women who attended after being reminded were more likely than opportunistic attendees to be aware of cervical cancer and the recommended screening interval, but less likely to report a history of sexually transmitted infections and hormonal contraceptive use. Moreover, the likelihood of reminded attendance increased with age. Educational level did not significantly affect the women's attendance status in the fully adjusted models. Conclusions The

Effect of weather on football attendances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cairns, J A

1984-01-01

On the premise that weather should have an effect on spectator attendance at sports events in outdoor settings (a topic which has received surprisingly little formalized study), the author examined the record of home attendances for three football teams in Scotland. In general, it was found that the greater the rainfall on the day of the match the lower the attendance. Dividing spectators into different groups, it was further found that an additional hour of sunshine was associated 162 more adults attending Aberdeen matches, while high temperatures appeared to increase juvenile attendance (by 57 for ever 1 deg. C. rise in temperature). Weather disruption of football games is attended by a number of costs, both direct and indirect. Quantifying the impact of weather can shed substantial light on the problem of scheduling for the season. For example, since certain periods are, on average, wetter than others, rescheduling to drier periods might encourage greater attendance.

Making multiple 'online counsellings' through policy and practice: an evidence-making intervention approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Savic, Michael; Dilkes-Frayne, Ella; Carter, Adrian; Kokanovic, Renata; Manning, Victoria; Rodda, Simone N; Lubman, Dan I

2018-03-01

Online counselling services for a range of health conditions have proliferated in recent years. However, there is ambiguity and tension around their role and function. It is often unclear whether online counselling services are intended to provide only a brief intervention, the provision of information or referral, or constitute an alternative to face-to-face treatment. In line with recent analyses of alcohol and other drug (AOD) policy and interventions that draw on a critical social science perspective, we take an evidence-making intervention approach to examine how online counselling in the AOD field is made in policy and through processes of local implementation. In this article, we analyse how online AOD counselling interventions and knowledges are enacted in Australia's AOD policy, and compare these enactments with an analysis of information about Australia's national online AOD counselling service, Counselling Online, and transcripts of counselling sessions with clients of Counselling Online. We suggest that while the policy enacts online counselling as a brief intervention targeting AOD use, and as an avenue to facilitate referral to face-to-face treatment services, in its implementation in practice online counselling is enacted in more varied ways. These include online counselling as attempting to attend to AOD use and interconnected psychosocial concerns, as a potential form of treatment in its own right, and as supplementing face-to-face AOD treatment services. Rather than viewing online counselling as a singular and stable intervention object, we suggest that multiple 'online counsellings' emerge in practice through local implementation practices and knowledges. We argue that the frictions that arise between policy and practice enactments need to be considered by policy makers, funders, clinicians and researchers as they affect how the concerns of those targeted by the intervention are attended to. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs Las Vegas, Nevada, Roundtable Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2011-03-16

LAS VEGAS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Las Vegas, Nevada DOE Tribal Roundtable convened on March 16th, at the Las Vegas Hilton. The meeting was hosted by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Policy and Programs (DOE Office of Indian Energy) and facilitated by JR Bluehouse, Program Manager, Udall Foundation’s U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (U.S. Institute). Mr. Bluehouse was assisted by Tamara, Underwood, Program Assistant, U.S. Institute.  Tribal leaders and representatives from multiple tribal governments and communities attended the roundtable. Tracey LeBeau, newly appointed Director of the Office of Indian Energy attended.    LaMont Jackson from DOE’s Office of Electricity attended. Also attending from the administration and federal agencies were Kim Teehee, Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs, The White House; Charlie Galbraith, Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement and Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, The White House; Jodi Gillette, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development, the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

A qualitative study on why did the poorly-educated Chinese elderly fail to attend nurse-led case manager clinic and how to facilitate their attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Susanna Lok Lam; Fu, Sau Nga; Lau, Po Shan; Wong, Samuel Yeung Shan

2015-01-31

This study explored the views, barriers and facilitators of the poorly-educated elderly who were non-attendee of the nurse-led case manager clinic. The case managers provide assessment for diabetes complication screening and can refer patients to the appropriate multidisciplinary team in public outpatient primary care setting. We adopted qualitative research method by individual semi-structured face to face interviews. Nineteen Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects aged ≥ 60 who failed to attend the nurse-led case manager clinic were interviewed. They all came from a socially deprived urban district in Hong Kong. Content and thematic analysis was performed. Seven men and twelve women aged 60 to 89 were interviewed. Nine of them received no formal education and ten of them attended up to primary school. The reasons for non-attendance included attitude and poor knowledge towards diabetes complication screening and confusion of the nurse-led clinic as an educational talk. Most respondents could not understand the reason for the screening of diabetic complications, the concept of multidisciplinary care and the procedure and outcomes of nurse assessment. Five respondents were unable to follow multiple appointments because they could not read. Other reasons included physical barriers and comorbidity, family and financial constraint. They either had a tight daily schedule because of the need to take care of family members, or the family members who brought them to clinic had difficulty in attending multiple appointments. Enhanced understanding of the importance and procedure of diabetes multidisciplinary management, a flexible appointment system and a single clear appointment sheet may facilitate their attendance. Poorly-educated Chinese elderly with DM and their care givers faced physical, social and psychological barriers when attending the nurse-led case manager clinic. Strategies targeting on their low literacy include effective communication and education

Religion and attitudes toward abortion and abortion policy in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogland, Curtis P; Verona, Ana Paula

2011-01-01

This study examines the association between religion and attitudes toward the practice of abortion and abortion policy in Brazil. Drawing upon data from the 2002 Brazilian Social Research Survey (BSRS), we test a number of hypotheses with regard to the role of religion on opposition to the practice of abortion and its legalization. Findings indicate that frequently attending Pentecostals demonstrate the strongest opposition to the practice of abortion and both frequently attending Pentecostals and Catholics demonstrate the strongest opposition to its legalization. Additional religious factors, such as a commitment to biblical literalism, were also found to be significantly associated with opposition to both abortion issues. Ultimately, the findings have implications for the future of public policy on abortion and other contentious social issues in Brazil.

Insights on skilled attendance at birth in Malawi - the findings of a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Increasing the number of women who access skilled attendance at birth is the goal of many developing countries including Malawi. The Skilled Attendance for Everyone (SAFE) international research programme coordinated by the Dugald Baird Centre for research on Women\\'s Health at the University of Aberdeen, ...

A Multilevel, Statewide Investigation of School District Anti-Bullying Policy Quality and Student Bullying Involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Gower, Amy L; Cousin, Molly; Borowsky, Iris W

2017-03-01

Although nearly all states in the United States require school districts to adopt anti-bullying policies, little research examines the effect of these policies on student bullying and health. Using a statewide sample, we investigated associations between the quality of school district anti-bullying policies and student bullying involvement and adjustment. School district anti-bullying policies (N = 208) were coded for their quality based on established criteria. District-level data were combined with student reports of bullying involvement, emotional distress, and school connectedness from a state surveillance survey of 6th, 9th, and 12th grade students (N = 93,437). Results indicated that policy quality was positively related to bullying victimization. Furthermore, students reporting frequent perpetration/victimization who also attended districts with high-quality policies reported more emotional distress and less school connectedness compared with students attending districts with low quality policies. Although statistically significant, the magnitude of these associations was small. Having a high-quality school district anti-bullying policy is not sufficient to reduce bullying and protect bullying-involved young people. Future studies examining policy implementation will inform best practices in bullying prevention. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Social capital and frequent attenders in general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pasgaard, Alexander A.; Mæhlisen, Maiken H.; Overgaard, Charlotte

2018-01-01

weeks. RESULTS: Using multiple logistic regression, we found that frequent attendance was associated with a lower score in interpersonal trust [OR 0.86 (0.79-0.94)] and social network [OR 0.88 (0.79-0.98)] for women, when adjusted for age, education, income and SF12 health scores. Norms of reciprocity...... at the individual level, and includes cognitive (interpersonal trust and norms of reciprocity) as well as structural (social network and civic engagement) dimensions. Frequent attendance is defined as the upper-quartile of the total number of measured consultations with a general practitioner over a period of 148...... and civic engagement were not significantly associated with frequent attendance for women [OR 1.05 (0.99-1.11) and OR 1.01 (0.92-1.11) respectively]. None of the associations were statistically significant for men. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that for women, some aspects of social capital are associated...

Number needed to eat: pizza and resident conference attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosimini, Michael J; Mackintosh, Liza; Chang, Todd P

2016-12-01

The didactic conference is a common part of the resident education curriculum. Given the demands of clinical responsibilities and restrictions on duty hours, maximising education is a challenge faced by all residency programmes. To date, little research exists with respect to how the provision of complimentary food affects physician and resident conference attendance. The objective of this study was to determine whether complimentary food improves resident arrival times and attendance at educational conferences and, furthermore, to test whether this provision is a potentially cost-effective tool for improving education. A retrospective review of 36 resident educational Friday noon conferences, including 1043 resident arrivals, was performed. Data were analysed for total attendance, arrival times, number needed to eat (NNE) and the percentage of residents arriving on time, and compared between days on which food was and was not provided. Median attendance was 3.7% higher (p = 0.04) on days on which food was provided, at a cost of US$46 for each additional resident in attendance. Arrival times were also statistically significantly improved when food was provided, with a median improvement of 0.7 minutes (p = 0.02) and an 11.0% increase in on-time arrivals (p < 0.001). The NNE was 10.6. Complimentary food improves both attendance and arrival times by a small, but statistically significant, degree. The provision of complimentary food can be considered as an incentive for attendance and on-time arrival at didactic educational sessions, although more cost-effective modalities may exist. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Argentine-Brazilian declaration on common nuclear policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-12-01

The document reproduces the text of the Argentine-Brazilian Declaration on Common Nuclear Policy, signed by the Presidents of Argentina and Brazil at Foz do Ignacu, Brazil, on 28 November 1990. At the invitation of the Governments of Argentina and Brazil, the Agency's Director General attended the signing ceremony

Clear Skies and Grey Areas: Flight Attendants’ Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Attitudes toward Smoke-Free Policy 25 Years since Smoking was Banned on Airplanes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frances A. Stillman

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Our objective was to provide descriptive data on flight attendant secondhand smoke (SHS exposure in the work environment, and to examine attitudes toward SHS exposure, personal health, and smoke-free policy in the workplace and public places. Flight attendants completed a web-based survey of self-reported SHS exposure and air quality in the work environment. We assessed the frequency and duration of SHS exposure in distinct areas of the workplace, attitudes toward SHS exposure and its health effects, and attitudes toward smoke-free policy in the workplace as well as general public places. A total of 723 flight attendants participated in the survey, and 591 responded to all survey questions. The mean level of exposure per flight attendant over the past month was 249 min. The majority of participants reported being exposed to SHS always/often in outdoor areas of an airport (57.7%. Participants who worked before the in-flight smoking ban (n = 240 were more likely to support further smoking policies in airports compared to participants who were employed after the ban (n = 346 (76.7% versus 60.4%, p-value < 0.01. Flight attendants are still being exposed to SHS in the workplace, sometimes at concerning levels during the non-flight portions of their travel. Flight attendants favor smoke-free policies and want to see further restrictions in airports and public places.

Attending and non-attending patients in a real-life setting of an early arthritis clinic: why do people leave clinics and where do they go?

Science.gov (United States)

Nell-Duxneuner, Valerie; Rezende, Lucila Stange; Stamm, Tanja A; Duer, Mona; Smolen, Josef S; Machold, Klaus P

2012-01-01

Rheumatologist assessment as early as possible is considered essential for patients with inflammatory joint disease. In our Very Early Arthritis Clinic (VEAC), a substantial proportion of initially included and followed patients later stop attendance in the clinic. We questioned attending (AP) and non-attending patients (NAP) regarding current health status and satisfaction with care as well as reasons for discontinuation and current care received by NAP. VEAC patients first seen between 1996 and 2003 were included. Assessment included the RADAI, HAQ, and visual analogue scales for pain, disease activity, fatigue, satisfaction with current health care. Current (DMARD) treatment was recorded. Among AP, 87% had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 13% non-RA. Of NAP, 37% had RA, 23% non-RA and 40% no more rheumatic disease. Satisfaction with health care concerning rheumatic disease was better in AP than NAP. Likewise, most outcome parameters were better in AP. Substantially more RA patients in the AP than NAP group received DMARDs. Apart from the disappearance of arthritis, logistic reasons were given most frequently for discontinuation of attendance. Less than 10% of NAP indicated dissatisfaction with medical care. We found advantages in both disease activity measures and satisfaction with health care for patients receiving continuous care in a highly specialised Rheumatology clinic. Furthermore, different DMARD usage in RA in AP and NAP may indicate significant deficits in treatment quality outside specialist care. Logistic issues associated with access to continuous Rheumatology care for early arthritis patients need improvement.

The association between child and adolescent emotional disorder and poor attendance at school: a systematic review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Finning, Katie; Moore, Darren; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Danielsson-Waters, Emilia; Ford, Tamsin

2017-06-28

Anxiety and depression are common in young people and are associated with a range of adverse outcomes. Research has suggested a relationship between emotional disorder and poor school attendance, and thus poor attendance may serve as a red flag for children at risk of emotional disorder. This systematic review aims to investigate the association between child and adolescent emotional disorder and poor attendance at school. We will search electronic databases from a variety of disciplines including medicine, psychology, education and social sciences, as well as sources of grey literature, to identify any quantitative studies that investigate the relationship between emotional disorder and school attendance. Emotional disorder may refer to diagnoses of mood or anxiety disorders using standardised diagnostic measures, or measures of depression, anxiety or "internalising symptoms" using a continuous scale. Definitions for school non-attendance vary, and we aim to include any relevant terminology, including attendance, non-attendance, school refusal, school phobia, absenteeism and truancy. Two independent reviewers will screen identified papers and extract data from included studies. We will assess the risk of bias of included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random effects meta-analysis will be used to pool quantitative findings when studies use the same measure of association, otherwise a narrative synthesis approach will be used. This systematic review will provide a detailed synthesis of evidence regarding the relationship between childhood emotional disorder and poor attendance at school. Understanding this relationship has the potential to assist in the development of strategies to improve the identification of and intervention for this vulnerable group. PROSPERO CRD42016052961.

Policy Impact on the Chinese Stock Market: From the 1994 Bailout Policies to the 2015 Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang-Chao Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available From the 1994 bailout policies to the 2015 Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, the policy impact on the Chinese stock market has changed over time. By May 2015, global investors can directly invest in a more legalized and normalized Chinese stock market, whereas they are still concerned about the policy-oriented market and its attendant risks. In this study, we employ the family of GARCH models to investigate the structural changes in risks with the implementation of a series of policies. Our results show that although many policies improve or stabilize the stock market, certain policies lead to substantial volatility. Among them, macro-control policies and transaction cost adjustments are a double-edged sword, which should be used with caution. Furthermore, with opening-up policies being launched recently, the Chinese stock market has entered a new stage in which it affects international capital markets. However, the increased risks, which may result in a sharp turnaround, cause worry.

Report and policy brief from the 4th Africa Conference on Social ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

G Setswe, K Peltzer, M Banyini, D Skinner, J Seager, S Maile, S Sedumedi, D Gomis,. I van der Linde. ABSTRACT. About 520 delegates from all over Africa and 21 countries attended the conference.This report and policy brief summarises the key findings and suggested policy options that emerged from rapporteur reports ...

Mobile phone messaging reminders for attendance at healthcare appointments.

Science.gov (United States)

Car, Josip; Gurol-Urganci, Ipek; de Jongh, Thyra; Vodopivec-Jamsek, Vlasta; Atun, Rifat

2012-07-11

Missed appointments are a major cause of inefficiency in healthcare delivery, with substantial monetary costs for the health system, leading to delays in diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Patients' forgetfulness is one of the main reasons for missed appointments, and reminders may help alleviate this problem. Modes of communicating reminders for appointments to patients include face-to-face communication, postal messages, calls to landlines or mobile phones, and mobile phone messaging. Mobile phone messaging applications such as Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Message Service (MMS) could provide an important, inexpensive delivery medium for reminders for healthcare appointments. To assess the effects of mobile phone messaging reminders for attendance at healthcare appointments. Secondary objectives include assessment of patients' and healthcare providers' evaluation of the intervention; costs; and possible risks and harms associated with the intervention. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL,The Cochrane Library 2009, Issue 2), MEDLINE (OvidSP) (January 1993 to June 2009), EMBASE (OvidSP) (January 1993 to June 2009), PsycINFO (OvidSP) (January 1993 to June 2009), CINAHL (EbscoHOST) (January 1993 to June 2009), LILACS (January 1993 to June 2009) and African Health Anthology (January 1993 to June 2009). We also reviewed grey literature (including trial registers) and reference lists of articles. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-randomised controlled trials (QRCTs), controlled before-after (CBA) studies, or interrupted time series (ITS) studies with at least three time points before and after the intervention. We included studies assessing mobile phone messaging as reminders for healthcare appointments. We only included studies in which it was possible to assess effects of mobile phone messaging independent of other technologies or interventions.   Two review authors independently assessed all

Learning Barriers among Grade 6 Pupils Attending Rural Schools in Uganda: Implications to Policy and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Hungi, Njora; Ngware, Moses; Mahuro, Gerald; Muhia, Nelson

2017-01-01

The paper uses multilevel analysis procedures to examine individual- and group-level learning barriers that have the greatest impact on pupil achievement in Uganda. The data for this study were collected in 2014 among 2711 Grade 6 pupils attending 82 schools in two rural districts of Iganga and Mayuge in Uganda. Data used in this paper are part of…

Tobacco control policies and perinatal and child health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timor Faber

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background Tobacco smoking and smoke exposure during pregnancy and childhood cause considerable childhood morbidity and mortality. We aimed to determine whether implementation of the World Health Organization's recommended tobacco control policies (MPOWER were of benefit to perinatal and child health. Methods We searched 19 electronic databases, hand-searched references and citations, and consulted experts to identify (quasi-experimental studies assessing the association between implementation of MPOWER policies and child health. Our primary outcomes of interest were: perinatal mortality, preterm birth, hospital attendance for asthma exacerbations, and hospital attendance for respiratory tract infections (RTIs. Where possible and appropriate, we combined data from different studies in random-effects meta-analyses. Results We identified 41 eligible studies that assessed (combinations of MPOWER policies: smoke-free legislation (n=35, tobacco taxation (n=11, and smoking cessation services (n=3. Following implementation of smoke-free legislation, rates of preterm birth decreased by -3.77% (10 studies, 27,530,183 individuals; 95%CI -6.37 to -1.16, hospital attendance for asthma exacerbations decreased by -9.83% (five studies, 684,826 events; 95%CI -16.62 to -3.04, and hospital attendance for RTIs decreased by -3.45% (two studies, 1,681,020 events; 95%CI -4.64, -2.25 for all RTIs, and by -18.48% (three studies, 887,414 events; 95%CI -32.79 to -4.17 for lower RTIs. Associations appeared to be stronger when comprehensive smoke-free laws were implemented. Among two studies assessing the association between smoke-free legislation and perinatal mortality, one demonstrated significant reductions in stillbirth and neonatal mortality. Meta-analysis of studies on other MPOWER policies was not possible; all four studies on increasing tobacco taxation and one of two on offering disadvantaged pregnant women help to quit smoking that reported on our primary

Threat Assessment and Targeted Violence at Institutions of Higher Education: Implications for Policy and Practice Including Unique Considerations for Community Colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Laura; Bates, Michael

2015-01-01

This article provides an overview of the research on targeted violence, including campus violence, and the implications for policy and practice at institutions of higher education. Unique challenges of threat assessment in the community college setting are explored, and an overview of an effective threat assessment policy and team at William…

Characteristics of motorcyclists involved in road traffic accidents attended at public urgent and emergency services.

Science.gov (United States)

Mascarenhas, Márcio Dênis Medeiros; Souto, Rayone Moreira Costa Veloso; Malta, Deborah Carvalho; Silva, Marta Maria Alves da; Lima, Cheila Marina de; Montenegro, Marli de Mesquita Silva

2016-12-01

Injuries resulting from motorcycle road traffic accidents are an important public health issue in Brazil. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of motorcyclists involved in traffic accidents attended in public urgent and emergency services in the state capitals and the Federal District. This is a cross-sectional study based on data from the Violence and Accident Surveillance System (VIVA Survey) in 2014. Data were analyzed according to sociodemographic, event and attendance characteristics. Proportional differences between genders were analyzed by chi-square test (Rao-Scott) with 5% significance level. Motorcyclist-related attendances (n = 9,673) reported a prevalence of men (gender ratio = 3.2), young people aged 20-39 years (65.7%), black / brown (73.6%), paid work (76.4%). Helmet use was reported by 79.1% of the victims, 13.3% had consumed alcohol in the six hours prior to the accident, 41.4% of the events were related to the victim's work. Accidents were more frequent on weekends, in the morning and late afternoon. These characteristics can support the development of public accident prevention policies and health promotion.

Association Between Academic Medical Center Pharmaceutical Detailing Policies and Physician Prescribing.

Science.gov (United States)

Larkin, Ian; Ang, Desmond; Steinhart, Jonathan; Chao, Matthew; Patterson, Mark; Sah, Sunita; Wu, Tina; Schoenbaum, Michael; Hutchins, David; Brennan, Troyen; Loewenstein, George

2017-05-02

In an effort to regulate physician conflicts of interest, some US academic medical centers (AMCs) enacted policies restricting pharmaceutical representative sales visits to physicians (known as detailing) between 2006 and 2012. Little is known about the effect of these policies on physician prescribing. To analyze the association between detailing policies enacted at AMCs and physician prescribing of actively detailed and not detailed drugs. The study used a difference-in-differences multivariable regression analysis to compare changes in prescribing by physicians before and after implementation of detailing policies at AMCs in 5 states (California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York) that made up the intervention group with changes in prescribing by a matched control group of similar physicians not subject to a detailing policy. Academic medical center implementation of policies regulating pharmaceutical salesperson visits to attending physicians. The monthly within-drug class market share of prescriptions written by an individual physician for detailed and nondetailed drugs in 8 drug classes (lipid-lowering drugs, gastroesophageal reflux disease drugs, diabetes drugs, antihypertensive drugs, hypnotic drugs approved for the treatment of insomnia [sleep aids], attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drugs, antidepressant drugs, and antipsychotic drugs) comparing the 10- to 36-month period before implementation of the detailing policies with the 12- to 36-month period after implementation, depending on data availability. The analysis included 16 121 483 prescriptions written between January 2006 and June 2012 by 2126 attending physicians at the 19 intervention group AMCs and by 24 593 matched control group physicians. The sample mean market share at the physician-drug-month level for detailed and nondetailed drugs prior to enactment of policies was 19.3% and 14.2%, respectively. Exposure to an AMC detailing policy was associated with a

Considerations When Including Students with Disabilities in Test Security Policies. NCEO Policy Directions. Number 23

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarus, Sheryl; Thurlow, Martha

2015-01-01

Sound test security policies and procedures are needed to ensure test security and confidentiality, and to help prevent cheating. In this era when cheating on tests draws regular media attention, there is a need for thoughtful consideration of the ways in which possible test security measures may affect accessibility for some students with…

Policy offers protection from harassment

Science.gov (United States)

McNutt, Marcia

We face a number of legal and ethical issues in our work as scientists and as AGU members. To uphold the highest ethical standards in our professional activities, the Council has adopted policies on free access to published material, ethics in publishing, and misconduct in science. But what about guidelines to govern the personal behavior that constitutes harassment, sexual or otherwise?For years the AGU headquarters staff has had a policy that offers protection from harassment and rules for dealing with it, but the membership went without one until 1994. That year the Council adopted a policy that extends to the membership as well as to the staff and the vendors they encounter at meetings. The law only requires a policy to prevent harassment in the workplace, but the Council felt that a harassment policy was particularly important for members because the subtle behavior that can constitute harassment is most likely to occur at events that combine work and social interaction, such as the meetings, conferences, and training seminars that AGU members attend.

Predicting intention to attend and actual attendance at a universal parent-training programme: a comparison of social cognition models.

Science.gov (United States)

Thornton, Sarah; Calam, Rachel

2011-07-01

The predictive validity of the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) were examined in relation to 'intention to attend' and 'actual attendance' at a universal parent-training intervention for parents of children with behavioural difficulties. A validation and reliability study was conducted to develop two questionnaires (N = 108 parents of children aged 4-7).These questionnaires were then used to investigate the predictive validity of the two models in relation to 'intention to attend' and 'actual attendance' at a parent-training intervention ( N = 53 parents of children aged 4-7). Both models significantly predicted 'intention to attend a parent-training group'; however, the TPB accounted for more variance in the outcome variable compared to the HBM. Preliminary investigations highlighted that attendees were more likely to intend to attend the groups, have positive attitudes towards the groups, perceive important others as having positive attitudes towards the groups, and report elevated child problem behaviour scores. These findings provide useful information regarding the belief-based factors that affect attendance at universal parent-training groups. Possible interventions aimed at increasing 'intention to attend' and 'actual attendance' at parent-training groups are discussed.

Mobile phones improve antenatal care attendance in Zanzibar: a cluster randomized controlled trial

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Applying mobile phones in healthcare is increasingly prioritized to strengthen healthcare systems. Antenatal care has the potential to reduce maternal morbidity and improve newborns’ survival but this benefit may not be realized in sub-Saharan Africa where the attendance and quality of care is declining. We evaluated the association between a mobile phone intervention and antenatal care in a resource-limited setting. We aimed to assess antenatal care in a comprehensive way taking into consideration utilisation of antenatal care as well as content and timing of interventions during pregnancy. Methods This study was an open label pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial with primary healthcare facilities in Zanzibar as the unit of randomisation. 2550 pregnant women (1311 interventions and 1239 controls) who attended antenatal care at selected primary healthcare facilities were included at their first antenatal care visit and followed until 42 days after delivery. 24 primary health care facilities in six districts were randomized to either mobile phone intervention or standard care. The intervention consisted of a mobile phone text-message and voucher component. Primary outcome measure was four or more antenatal care visits during pregnancy. Secondary outcome measures were tetanus vaccination, preventive treatment for malaria, gestational age at last antenatal care visit, and antepartum referral. Results The mobile phone intervention was associated with an increase in antenatal care attendance. In the intervention group 44% of the women received four or more antenatal care visits versus 31% in the control group (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.03-5.55). There was a trend towards improved timing and quality of antenatal care services across all secondary outcome measures although not statistically significant. Conclusions The wired mothers’ mobile phone intervention significantly increased the proportion of women receiving the recommended four antenatal care

A Comparison of Sexual Minority Youth Who Attend Religiously Affiliated Schools and Their Nonreligious-School-Attending Counterparts

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Brandon T.; Heck, Nicholas C.; Cochran, Bryan N.

2015-01-01

Sexual minority youth are an at-risk group for negative health outcomes. The present study compares descriptive characteristics and outness of sexual minority youth who attend religious schools to sexual minorities who do not attend religious schools, and also investigates if attending religiously affiliated schools is associated with levels of…

Effect of second timed appointments for non-attenders of breast cancer screening in England: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Allgood, Prue C; Maroni, Roberta; Hudson, Sue; Offman, Judith; Turnbull, Anne E; Peacock, Lesley; Steel, Jim; Kirby, Geraldine; Ingram, Christine E; Somers, Julie; Fuller, Clare; Threlfall, Anthony G; Gabe, Rhian; Maxwell, Anthony J; Patnick, Julietta; Duffy, Stephen W

2017-07-01

significantly higher in the intervention group (2861 [22%] of 12 807) than in the control group (1632 [12%] of 13 247); relative risk of participation 1·81 (95% CI 1·70-1·93; p<0·0001). These findings show that a policy of second appointments with fixed date and time for non-attenders of breast screening is effective in improving participation. This strategy can be easily implemented by the screening sites and, if combined with simple interventions, could further increase participation and ensure an upward shift in the participation trend nationally. Whether the policy should vary by time since last attended screen will have to be considered. National Health Service Cancer Screening Programmes and Department of Health Policy Research Programme. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Re-attenders to the emergency department of a major urban hospital serving a population of 290,000.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ramasubbu, B

2015-01-01

The national Emergency Medicine Programme (EMP) in Ireland, defines a re-attender as any patient re-presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) within 28 days with the same chief complaint. A retrospective, electronic patient record audit was carried out on all re-attenders to Connolly ED during November 2012. There were 2919 attendances made up from 2530 patients; 230 patients re-attended a total of 389 times. The re-attendance rate was 13% (389\\/2919). 63 (27%) were frequent presenters. There was a significantly higher admission rate at second attendance than first (89 (39%) vs 39 (17%), p < 0.001). 25% (57\\/230) of patients \\'left before completion of treatment\\' (LBCT) at first attendance (significantly higher than the number at second attendance (p < 0.01)). 14\\/57 (25%) of those who LBCT at first attendance required admission at second attendance. 28\\/89 (31%) of second attendance admissions were failed discharges from first attendance. Reasons for re-attendance are multi-factorial and include both patient and departmental factors.

Epidemiology of Mental Health Attendances at Emergency Departments: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen Barratt

Full Text Available The characteristics of Emergency Department (ED attendances due to mental or behavioural health disorders need to be described to enable appropriate development of services. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of mental health-related ED attendances within health care systems free at the point of access, including clinical reason for presentation, previous service use, and patient sociodemographic characteristics.Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies describing ED attendances by patients with common mental health conditions.18 studies from seven countries met eligibility criteria. Patients attending due to mental or behavioural health disorders accounted for 4% of ED attendances; a third were due to self-harm or suicidal ideation. 58.1% of attendees had a history of psychiatric illness and up to 58% were admitted. The majority of studies were single site and of low quality so results must be interpreted cautiously.Prevalence studies of mental health-related ED attendances are required to enable the development of services to meet specific needs.

Postpartum Visit Attendance Increases the Use of Modern Contraceptives.

Science.gov (United States)

Masho, Saba W; Cha, Susan; Charles, RaShel; McGee, Elizabeth; Karjane, Nicole; Hines, Linda; Kornstein, Susan G

2016-01-01

Background. Delays in postpartum contraceptive use may increase risk for unintended or rapid repeat pregnancies. The postpartum care visit (PPCV) is a good opportunity for women to discuss family planning options with their health care providers. This study examined the association between PPCV attendance and modern contraceptive use using data from a managed care organization. Methods. Claims and demographic and administrative data came from a nonprofit managed care organization in Virginia (2008-2012). Information on the most recent delivery for mothers with singleton births was analyzed ( N = 24,619). Routine PPCV (yes, no) and modern contraceptive use were both dichotomized. Descriptive analyses provided percentages, frequencies, and means. Multiple logistic regression was conducted and ORs and 95% CIs were calculated. Results. More than half of the women did not attend their PPCV (50.8%) and 86.9% had no modern contraceptive use. After controlling for the effects of confounders, women with PPCV were 50% more likely to use modern contraceptive methods than women with no PPCV (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.31, 1.72). Conclusions. These findings highlight the importance of PPCV in improving modern contraceptive use and guide health care policy in the effort of reducing unintended pregnancy rates.

Postpartum Visit Attendance Increases the Use of Modern Contraceptives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saba W. Masho

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Delays in postpartum contraceptive use may increase risk for unintended or rapid repeat pregnancies. The postpartum care visit (PPCV is a good opportunity for women to discuss family planning options with their health care providers. This study examined the association between PPCV attendance and modern contraceptive use using data from a managed care organization. Methods. Claims and demographic and administrative data came from a nonprofit managed care organization in Virginia (2008–2012. Information on the most recent delivery for mothers with singleton births was analyzed (N = 24,619. Routine PPCV (yes, no and modern contraceptive use were both dichotomized. Descriptive analyses provided percentages, frequencies, and means. Multiple logistic regression was conducted and ORs and 95% CIs were calculated. Results. More than half of the women did not attend their PPCV (50.8% and 86.9% had no modern contraceptive use. After controlling for the effects of confounders, women with PPCV were 50% more likely to use modern contraceptive methods than women with no PPCV (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.31, 1.72. Conclusions. These findings highlight the importance of PPCV in improving modern contraceptive use and guide health care policy in the effort of reducing unintended pregnancy rates.

Impact of Students’ Class Attendance on Recalling Previously Acquired Information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camellia Hemyari

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: In recent years, availability of class material including typed lectures, the professor’s Power Point slides, sound recordings, and even videos made a group of students feel that it is unnecessary to attend the classes. These students usually read and memorize typed lectures within two or three days prior to the exams and usually pass the tests even with low attendance rate. Thus, the question is how effective is this learning system and how long the one-night memorized lessons may last.Methods: A group of medical students (62 out of 106 students, with their class attendance and educational achievements in the Medical Mycology and Parasitology course being recorded since two years ago, was selected and their knowledge about this course was tested by multiple choice questions (MCQ designed based on the previous lectures.Results: Although the mean re-exam score of the students at the end of the externship was lower than the corresponding final score, a significant association was found between the scores of the students in these two exams (r=0.48, P=0.01. Moreover, a significant negative association was predicted between the number of absences and re-exam scores (r=-0.26, P=0.037.Conclusion: As our findings show, the phenomenon of recalling the acquired lessons is preserved for a long period of time and it is associated with the students’ attendance. Many factors including generation effect (by taking notes and cued-recall (via slide picture might play a significant role in the better recalling of the learned information in students with good class attendance.Keywords: STUDENT, MEMORY, LONG-TERM, RECALL, ABSENTEEISM, LEARNING

[Job stress in locomotive attendants in a locomotive depot and related influencing factors].

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, L; Jia, X C; Lu, F; Zhou, W H; Chen, R

2017-10-20

Objective: To investigate the current status of job stress in locomotive attendants in a locomotive depot and related influencing factors. Methods: From 2012 to 2013, cluster sampling was used to select 1500 locomotive attendants in a locomotive depot in Zhengzhou Railway Bureau as respondents.The contents of the investigation included general data and occupational information.A job satisfaction questionnaire was used to investigate the degree of satisfaction, a depression scale was used to investigate the frequency of symptoms, and a daily stress scale was used to investigate the frequency of fatigue and stress. Results: There was a significant difference in depression score between locomotive attendants with different ages, working years, degrees of education, working situations of spouse, total monthly family incomes, numbers of times of attendanceat night, monthly numbers of times of attendance,ormonthly attendance times( P job satisfaction score between locomotive attendants with different ages,working years, degrees of education, working situations of spouse, total monthly family incomes, numbers of times of attendance at night, monthly attendance times,or ways to work( P job satisfaction( β =1.546)and monthly number of times of attendance,working years,attendance time at night,and degree of education were negatively correlated with job satisfaction( β =-0.185,-0.097,-0.020,and -1.106); monthly number of times of attendance andcommute time were positively correlated with depression( β =0.243 and 0.029); attendance time at night,working situation of spouse,commute time,monthly number of times of attendance,degree of education,and working years were positively correlated with daily stress( β =0.006,0.473,0.010,0.043,0.585, and 0.028). Conclusion: Number of times of attendance, attendance time,working years,and spouse are influencing factors for job stress in locomotive attendants. Improvement in work process and care for their personal life help to reduce

From home deliveries to health care facilities: establishing a traditional birth attendant referral program in Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomedi, Angelo; Stroud, Sophia R; Maya, Tania Ruiz; Plaman, Christopher R; Mwanthi, Mutuku A

2015-07-16

To assess the effectiveness of a traditional birth attendant (TBA) referral program on increasing the number of deliveries overseen by skilled birth attendants (SBA) in rural Kenyan health facilities before and after the implementation of a free maternity care policy. In a rural region of Kenya, TBAs were recruited to educate pregnant women about the importance of delivering in healthcare facilities and were offered a stipend for every pregnant woman whom they brought to the healthcare facility. We evaluated the percentage of prenatal care (PNC) patients who delivered at the intervention site compared with the percentage of PNC patients who delivered at rural control facilities, before and after the referral program was implemented, and before and after the Kenya government implemented a policy of free maternity care. The window period of the study was from July of 2011 through September 2013, with a TBA referral intervention conducted from March to September 2013. The absolute increases from the pre-intervention period to the TBA referral intervention period in SBA deliveries were 5.7 and 24.0% in the control and intervention groups, respectively (p facility significantly increased compared to control health facilities when TBAs educated women about the need to deliver with a SBA and when TBAs received a stipend for bringing women to local health facilities to deliver. Furthermore, this TBA referral program proved to be far more effective in the target region of Kenya than a policy change to provide free obstetric care.

Factors Affecting Non-Attendance in Irish Primary Schools and Reasons for Differences between Urban and Rural levels of Non-attendance

OpenAIRE

Gurhy, Anne Marie; Perry, Glen; Farrell, Mark

2018-01-01

This study will investigative the factors that influence school non-attendance, in designated disadvantaged Irish primary schools (DEIS1). Currently, no comprehensive data exists on the factors contributing to the levels and types of non-attendance within the Irish context. Since 2003/2004, the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB, Appendix A) the agency with responsibility for school attendance, has collected specific data on attendance levels and the frequency of non-attendance across a...

Psychiatric status, somatisation, and health care utilization of frequent attenders at the emergency department: a comparison with routine attenders.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, E R; Guthrie, E; Mackway-Jones, K; James, M; Tomenson, B; Eastham, J; McNally, D

2001-03-01

Seventy-seven frequent attenders at an emergency department (ED) in an inner-city hospital in the UK (defined as seven or more visits in the previous 12 months) were compared with 182 patients who were attending the same department on a routine basis. Patients completed the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) and the Short Form (SF)-36. Information was obtained on 64% of the frequent attenders and 45% underwent a detailed psychiatric assessment. Of the frequent attenders, 45% had psychiatric disorder and 49% had some form of an alcohol-related disorder. Compared with routine attenders, frequent attenders reported lower health status, had more psychiatric disorder (odds ratio: OR=8.2, 95% confidence interval: CI=3.8--18.1), had more general hospital admissions (OR=19.9, 95% CI=8.3--47.8), more psychiatric admissions (OR=167.5, 95% CI=9.5--2959.0), and more GP visits (95% CI for difference=-10.2 to -5.7). There was no evidence that frequent attenders had more somatisation than routine attenders. Specific treatment and management strategies need to be developed for this group of patients, although a substantial proportion may be difficult to engage in the treatment process.

Discourse versus practice: are traditional practices and beliefs in pregnancy and childbirth included or excluded in the Ecuadorian health care system?

Science.gov (United States)

Gallegos, Carlos Andres; Waters, William F; Kuhlmann, Anne Sebert

2017-03-01

Traditional beliefs, knowledge and practices are formally integrated into the Ecuadorian health system. We sought to understand whether they are integrated in practice. Qualitative data were collected in two rural parishes in the central highlands of Ecuador through four focus group discussions (30 participants), eight key informant interviews, three participatory exercises (24 participants), structured observations of health facilities and analysis of official documents. We found different levels of integration, coexistence, tolerance, and intolerance of traditional health beliefs and practices in health facilities. One parish has undergone dramatic social and cultural transformation, and the role of traditional birth attendants is limited. In the other parish, traditional indigenous norms and values persist, and traditional birth attendants are sought during pregnancy and childbirth. The degree to which traditional birth attendants, indigenous women and their families are included or excluded from public health services depends largely on decisions taken by local health professionals. Formal policies in Ecuador stipulate that health care should be intercultural, but the role of traditional birth attendants is not necessarily incorporated in practice. The integration of culturally-informed beliefs and practices is critical for providing appropriate health services to members of vulnerable populations. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reasons for Preference of Home Delivery with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in Rural Bangladesh: A Qualitative Exploration.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarker, Bidhan Krishna; Rahman, Musfikur; Rahman, Tawhidur; Hossain, Jahangir; Reichenbach, Laura; Mitra, Dipak Kumar

2016-01-01

Although Bangladesh has made significant progress in reducing maternal and child mortality in the last decade, childbirth assisted by skilled attendants has not increased as much as expected. An objective of the Bangladesh National Strategy for Maternal Health 2014-2024 is to reduce maternal mortality to 50/100,000 live births. It also aims to increase deliveries with skilled birth attendants to more than 80% which remains a great challenge, especially in rural areas. This study explores the underlying factors for the major reliance on home delivery with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) in rural areas of Bangladesh. This was a qualitative cross-sectional study. Data were collected between December 2012 and February 2013 in Sunamganj district of Sylhet division and data collection methods included key informant interviews (KII) with stakeholders; formal and informal health service providers and health managers; and in-depth interviews (IDI) with community women to capture a range of information. Key questions were asked of all the study participants to explore the question of why women and their families prefer home delivery by TBA and to identify the factors associated with this practice in the local community. The study shows that home delivery by TBAs remain the first preference for pregnant women. Poverty is the most frequently cited reason for preferring home delivery with a TBA. Other major reasons include; traditional views, religious fallacy, poor road conditions, limited access of women to decision making in the family, lack of transportation to reach the nearest health facility. Apart from these, community people also prefer home delivery due to lack of knowledge and awareness about service delivery points, fear of increased chance of having a caesarean delivery at hospital, and lack of female doctors in the health care facilities. The study findings provide us a better understanding of the reasons for preference for home delivery with TBA among this

Reasons for Preference of Home Delivery with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs in Rural Bangladesh: A Qualitative Exploration.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bidhan Krishna Sarker

Full Text Available Although Bangladesh has made significant progress in reducing maternal and child mortality in the last decade, childbirth assisted by skilled attendants has not increased as much as expected. An objective of the Bangladesh National Strategy for Maternal Health 2014-2024 is to reduce maternal mortality to 50/100,000 live births. It also aims to increase deliveries with skilled birth attendants to more than 80% which remains a great challenge, especially in rural areas. This study explores the underlying factors for the major reliance on home delivery with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA in rural areas of Bangladesh.This was a qualitative cross-sectional study. Data were collected between December 2012 and February 2013 in Sunamganj district of Sylhet division and data collection methods included key informant interviews (KII with stakeholders; formal and informal health service providers and health managers; and in-depth interviews (IDI with community women to capture a range of information. Key questions were asked of all the study participants to explore the question of why women and their families prefer home delivery by TBA and to identify the factors associated with this practice in the local community.The study shows that home delivery by TBAs remain the first preference for pregnant women. Poverty is the most frequently cited reason for preferring home delivery with a TBA. Other major reasons include; traditional views, religious fallacy, poor road conditions, limited access of women to decision making in the family, lack of transportation to reach the nearest health facility. Apart from these, community people also prefer home delivery due to lack of knowledge and awareness about service delivery points, fear of increased chance of having a caesarean delivery at hospital, and lack of female doctors in the health care facilities.The study findings provide us a better understanding of the reasons for preference for home delivery with TBA

Including Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Policies in Electricity Demand Projections

Science.gov (United States)

Find more information on how state and local air agencies can identify on-the-books EE/RE policies, develop a methodology for projecting a jurisdiction's energy demand, and estimate the change in power sector emissions.

Attendance Control System based on RFID technology

OpenAIRE

Nurbek Saparkhojayev; Selim Guvercin

2012-01-01

In Kazakhstan, checking students' attendance is one of the important issues for universities, because many universities evaluate students attendance and while giving the final grade, professors consider their total number of appearances on classes during the whole semester. This brings to the idea of having some tool to control students attendance. Some universities prefer to use paper sheet for controlling attendance, whereas some universities prefer to use paper sheet for checking students'...

Two Polarities of Attention in Social Contexts: From Attending-to-Others to Attending-to-Self.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuang, Shenbing

2016-01-01

Social attention is one special form of attention that involves the allocation of limited processing resources in a social context. Previous studies on social attention often regard how attention is directed toward socially relevant stimuli such as faces and gaze directions of other individuals. In contrast to attending-to-others, a different line of researches has shown that self-related information such as own face and name automatically captures attention and is preferentially processed comparing to other-related information. These contrasting behavioral effects between attending-to-others and attending-to-self prompt me to consider a synthetic viewpoint for understanding social attention. I propose that social attention operates at two polarizing states: In one extreme, individual tends to attend to the self and prioritize self-related information over others', and, in the other extreme, attention is allocated to other individuals to infer their intentions and desires. Attending-to-self and attending-to-others mark the two ends of an otherwise continuum spectrum of social attention. For a given behavioral context, the mechanisms underlying these two polarities will interact and compete with each other in order to determine a saliency map of social attention that guides our behaviors. An imbalanced competition between these two behavioral and cognitive processes will cause cognitive disorders and neurological symptoms such as autism spectrum disorders and Williams syndrome. I have reviewed both behavioral and neural evidence that support the notion of polarized social attention, and have suggested several testable predictions to corroborate this integrative theory for understanding social attention.

Mothers' and fathers' attendance in a community-based universally offered parenting program in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Wells, Michael B; Sarkadi, Anna; Salari, Raziye

2016-05-01

Using a public health perspective, this study examined the characteristics of mothers and fathers who attended, compared to those who did not attend, a community-based practitioner-led universally offered parenting program. Mothers (141) and fathers (96) of 4- to 5-year-olds completed a set of questionnaires, including their demographic characteristics, their child's behavioral and emotional problems, and their own parenting behavior. They were all then given the opportunity to attend level 2 of the Triple P--Positive Parenting Program. During the first six months of the study, 33 mothers and 11 fathers opted to attend the program. The relation between program attendance and parental characteristics was similar for mothers and fathers. In general, fathers, non-native and lower educated parents were less likely to attend the program. Mothers, but not fathers, were more likely to attend if they reported more child behavior problems, while fathers, but not mothers, were observed at a trend level to attend if they perceived their child as having more emotional problems. In addition, parents in general were more likely to attend if they used more harsh parenting strategies. Although the universal offer did not reach parents universally, generally those parents who needed it were more likely to attend. Furthermore, this study shows that different factors may impact mothers' and fathers' attendance; therefore, parental data should be analyzed separately and different recruitment strategies should be used for mothers and fathers. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

[Inclusion of traditional birth attendants in the public health care system in Brazil: reflecting on challenges].

Science.gov (United States)

Gusman, Christine Ranier; Viana, Ana Paula de Andrade Lima; Miranda, Margarida Araújo Barbosa; Pedrosa, Mayane Vilela; Villela, Wilza Vieira

2015-05-01

The present article describes an experience with traditional birth attendants carried out in the state of Tocantins, Brazil, between 2010 and 2014. The experience was part of a diagnostic project to survey home deliveries in the state of Tocantins and set up a registry of traditional birth attendants for the Health Ministry's Working with Traditional Birth Attendants Program (PTPT). The project aimed to articulate the home deliveries performed by traditional birth attendants to the local health care systems (SUS). Sixty-seven active traditional birth attendants were identified in the state of Tocantins, and 41 (39 indigenous) participated in workshops. During these workshops, they discussed their realities, difficulties, and solutions in the context of daily adversities. Birth attendants were also trained in the use of biomedical tools and neonatal resuscitation. Based on these experiences, the question came up regarding the true effectiveness of the strategy to include traditional birth attendants in the SUS. The present article discusses this theme with support from the relevant literature. The dearth of systematic studies focusing on the impact of PTPT actions on the routine of traditional birth attendants, including perinatal outcomes and remodeling of health practices in rural, riverfront, former slave, forest, and indigenous communities, translates into a major gap in terms of the knowledge regarding the effectiveness of such initiatives.

Policies, Procedures, and Practices Regarding Sport-Related Concussion in Community College Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Paddack, Michael; DeWolf, Ryan; Covassin, Tracey; Kontos, Anthony

2016-01-01

College sport organizations and associations endorse concussion-management protocols and policies. To date, little information is available on concussion policies and practices at community college institutions. To assess and describe current practices and policies regarding the assessment, management, and return-to-play criteria for sport-related concussion (SRC) among member institutions of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA). Cross-sectional study. Web-based survey. A total of 55 head athletic trainers (ATs) at CCCAA institutions. Data about policies, procedures, and practices regarding SRC were collected over a 3-week period in March 2012 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Fisher exact test, and the Spearman test. Almost half (47%) of ATs stated they had a policy for SRC assessment, management, and return to play at their institution. They reported being in compliance with baseline testing guidelines (25%), management guidelines (34.5%), and return-to-play guidelines (30%). Nearly 31% of ATs described having an SRC policy in place for academic accommodations. Conference attendance was positively correlated with institutional use of academic accommodations after SRC (r = 0.44, P = .01). The number of meetings ATs attended and their use of baseline testing were also positively correlated (r = 0.38, P = .01). At the time of this study, nearly half of CCCAA institutions had concussion policies and 31% had academic-accommodation policies. However, only 18% of ATs at CCCAA institutions were in compliance with all of their concussion policies. Our findings demonstrate improvements in the management of SRCs by ATs at California community colleges compared with previous research but a need for better compliance with SRC policies.

Al-Anon newcomers: benefits of continuing attendance for six months.

Science.gov (United States)

Timko, Christine; Laudet, Alexandre; Moos, Rudolf H

2016-07-01

Al-Anon Family Groups, a 12-step mutual-help program for people concerned about another person's drinking, is the most widely used form of help by Concerned Others. This longitudinal study examined newcomers' outcomes of attending Al-Anon. Aims were to better understand early gains from Al-Anon to inform efforts in the professional community to facilitate concerned others' attendance of and engagement in Al-Anon. We compared two groups of Al-Anon newcomers who completed surveys at baseline and 6 months later: those who discontinued attendance by the 6-month follow-up (N = 133), and those who were still attending Al-Anon meetings (N = 97); baseline characteristics were controlled in these comparisons. Newcomers who sustained participation in Al-Anon over the first 6 months of attendance were more likely than those who discontinued participation during the same period to report gains in a variety of domains, such as learning how to handle problems due to the drinker, and increased well-being and functioning, including reduced verbal or physical abuse victimization. Newcomers to Al-Anon reported more personal gains than drinker-related gains. The most frequent drinker gain was a better relationship with the Concerned Other; attendees were more likely to report this, as well as daily, in-person contact with the drinker. Al-Anon participation may facilitate ongoing interaction between Concerned Others and drinkers, and help Concerned Others function and feel better. Thus, short-term participation may be beneficial. Health-care professionals should consider providing referrals to Al-Anon and monitoring early attendance.

South African law and policy regulating learner absenteeism

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Packard Bell

Learner absenteeism often occurs involuntarily due to learners' social and economic circumstances. ..... still a child; e.g. under 18 years of age, and ... schools to take the age and maturity of the ... 5). The Policy on Learner Attendance (DBE, RSA,. 2010, para. 13(i)) allows the ..... Emotional literacy and the ecology of.

Incidence and predictors of onboard injuries among Sri Lankan flight attendants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agampodi Thilini C

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Occupational injuries among flight attendants have not been given appropriate attention in Sri Lanka. The purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence of onboard injury among Sri Lankan flight attendants and to describe the determinants of onboard injury. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among Sri Lankan flight attendants. All flight attendants undergoing their annual health and first aid training were invited to participate. Flight attendants who flew continuously for a six-month period prior to data collection were included in the study sample. Recall history of injuries for a period of six months was recorded. Results The study sample consisted of 98 (30.4% male and 224 (69.6% female flight attendants. The mean age of the study sample was 31 years (SD = 8 and the average duration of service was 10 years (SD = 7. A total of 100 onboard falls, slips or trips in the previous six months were reported by 52 (16.1% respondents. Of the total sample, 128 (39.8% cabin crew members reported an injury in the six months preceding the study. This represents a total injury incidence of 795 per 1000 person per year. The leading causes of injury was pulling, pushing or lifting (60.2%. The commonest type of injuries were strains and sprains (52.3%. Turbulence related injuries were reported by 38 (29.7% flight attendants. The upper limbs (44.5% and the back (32% were the commonest sites affected. After controlling for other factors, female flight attendants had 2.9 times higher risk (95% CI 1.2–7.2 of sustaining and injury than males. Irrespective of sex, body weight less than 56 kilograms (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.4–5.8 and less than seven years of on board experience (OR 10.5, 95% CI 3.6–31.0 were associated with higher risk of injury. Conclusion Work related injury is a major occupational hazard to flight attendants. Appropriate preventive strategies are required to minimize them.

Occurrence and impact of negative behaviour, including domestic violence and abuse, in men attending UK primary care health clinics: a cross-sectional survey

Science.gov (United States)

Hester, M; Ferrari, G; Jones, S K; Williamson, E; Bacchus, L J; Peters, T J; Feder, G

2015-01-01

Objective To measure the experience and perpetration of negative behaviour, including domestic violence and abuse (DVA), and investigate its associations with health conditions and behaviours in men attending general practice. Design Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study conducted between September 2010 and June 2011. Setting 16 general practices in the south west of England. Participants Male patients aged 18 or older, attending alone, who could read and write English. A total of 1403 of eligible patients (58%) participated in the survey and 1368 (56%) completed the questions relevant to this paper. 97% of respondents reported they were heterosexual. Main outcome measures Lifetime occurrence of negative behaviour consistent with DVA, perceived health impact of negative behaviours, associations with anxiety and depression symptoms, and cannabis use in the past 12 months and binge drinking. Results 22.7% (95% CI 20.2% to 24.9%) of men reported ever experiencing negative behaviour (feeling frightened, physically hurt, forced sex, ask permission) from a partner. All negative behaviours were associated with a twofold to threefold increased odds of anxiety and depression symptoms in men experiencing or perpetrating negative behaviours or both. 34.9% (95% CI 28.7% to 41.7%) of men who reported experiencing negative behaviour from a partner, and 30.8% (95% CI 23.7% to 37.8%) of men who perpetrated negative behaviours said they had been in a domestically violent or abusive relationship. No associations with problematic drinking were found; there was a weak association with cannabis use. Conclusions DVA is experienced or perpetrated by a large minority of men presenting to general practice, and these men were more likely to have current symptoms of depression and anxiety. Presentation of anxiety or depression to clinicians may be an indicator of male experience or perpetration of DVA victimisation. PMID:25991450

Church Attendance and Religious Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianne Nilsen Kvande

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that gender may moderate the relationship between religiousness and mental health in most countries, but few studies have been conducted in Norway and Denmark. This study examined gender differences in religious experiences and church attendance as predictors of existential well-being among 295 women and 233 men from the general Norwegian population. Analyses showed that the structural equation models for women and men did not differ significantly on the global level. The models for women and men, however, showed different patterns. Among men, church attendance and negative religious experiences predicted existential well-being; among women, positive and negative religious experiences were related to existential well-being, but church attendance was not. The present findings suggest that men may benefit more from active religiousness, whereas women may benefit more from affective religiousness. Comparing these results with research in other cultural contexts, we find that different operationalizations of church attendance yield the same types of patterns across cultural contexts. Consequently, the benefits of religiousness may be similar for women and men irrespective of cultural context.

Barriers and facilitators to accessing skilled birth attendants in Afar region, Ethiopia.

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King, Rosemary; Jackson, Ruth; Dietsch, Elaine; Hailemariam, Asseffa

2015-05-01

to explore barriers and facilitators that enable women to access skilled birth attendance in Afar Region, Ethiopia. researchers used a Key Informant Research approach (KIR), whereby Health Extension Workers participated in an intensive training workshop and conducted interviews with Afar women in their communities. Data was also collected from health-care workers through questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. fourteen health extension workers were key informants and interviewers; 33 women and eight other health-care workers with a range of experience in caring for Afar childbearing women provided data as individuals and in focus groups. participants identified friendly service, female skilled birth attendants (SBA) and the introduction of the ambulance service as facilitators to SBA. There are many barriers to accessing SBA, including women׳s low status and restricted opportunities for decision making, lack of confidence in health-care facilities, long distances, cost, domestic workload, and traditional practices which include a preference for birthing at home with a traditional birth attendant. many Afar men and women expressed a lack of confidence in the services provided at health-care facilities which impacts on skilled birth attendance utilisation. ambulance services that are free of charge to women are effective as a means to transfer women to a hospital for emergency care if required and expansion of ambulance services would be a powerful facilitator to increasing institutional birth. Skilled birth attendants working in institutions need to ensure their practice is culturally, physically and emotionally safe if more Afar women are to accept their midwifery care. Adequate equipping and staffing of institutions providing emergency obstetric and newborn care will assist in improving community perceptions of these services. Most importantly, mutual respect and collaboration between traditional birth attendants (Afar women׳s preferred caregiver), health

Evaluation of policies to promote physical activity in afterschool programs: are we meeting current benchmarks?

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Beets, Michael W; Rooney, Laura; Tilley, Falon; Beighle, Aaron; Webster, Collin

2010-01-01

Policies now recommend afterschool programs (ASP, 3-6 pm) provide children a minimum amount of physical activity daily. We examined the extent to which children attending ASPs meet existing national and state-level policies that specify expected levels of physical activity (PA). Accelerometer-derived physical activity (light and moderate-to-vigorous, MVPA) of 253 children (5-13 years) was compared to policies that recommend varying amounts of PA children should achieve during an ASP. The proportion of children achieving a policy ranged from 0.0% (California 60 min MVPA and North Carolina 20% of daily program time devoted to MVPA), 1.2% (California 30 min MVPA), to 48.2% (National Afterschool Association 30 min light plus MVPA). Random effects logistic models indicated boys (odds ratio [OR] range 2.0 to 6.27) and children from a minority background (Black/Hispanic, OR range 1.87 to 3.98) were more likely to achieve a recommended level of physical activity, in comparison to girls and White children. Neither age nor BMI were related to achieving a policy. The PA of children attending ASP falls below policy recommended levels; however, these policies were developed in absence of data on expected PA levels during ASPs. Thus, concerted effort towards building a stronger ASP evidence-base for policy refinement is required. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-border policy effects on alcohol outcomes: drinking without thinking on the u.s.-Mexico border?

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Mills, Britain A; Caetano, Raul; Vaeth, Patrice

2014-11-01

Rates of alcohol-related outcomes are sensitive to policy differences in politically distinct, adjacent territories. Factors that shape these cross-border effects, particularly when the policy differences are longstanding, remain poorly understood. We compared the ability of 2 classes of variables with theoretical relevance to the U.S.-Mexico border context-bar attendance and alcohol-related social-cognitive variables-to explain elevated drinking on the U.S. side of the border relative to other areas of the United States. Data were collected from multistage cluster samples of adult Mexican Americans on and off the U.S.-Mexico border (current drinker N = 1,351). Structural equation models were used to test drinking context (frequency of bar attendance) and 6 different social-cognitive variables (including alcohol-related attitudes, norms, motives, and beliefs) as mediators of border effects on a composite drinking index. The border effect on drinking varied by age (with younger adults showing a stronger effect), consistent with previous findings and known risk factors in the region. Contrary to theoretical expectations, 6 different social-cognitive variables-despite relating strongly with drinking-were comparable in border and nonborder areas (within and across age) and played no role in elevated drinking on the border. Conversely, elevated drinking among border youth was mediated by bar attendance. This mediated moderation effect held after adjusting for potential sociodemographic and neighborhood-level confounders. Increased drinking among U.S.-Mexico border youth is explained by patterns of bar attendance, but not by more permissive alcohol-related social-cognitive variables in border areas: Border youth attend bars and drink more than their nonborder counterparts, despite having comparable alcohol-related beliefs, attitudes, norms, and motives for use. Alcohol's heightened availability and visibility on both sides of the border may create opportunities for

[Factors Associated with Stress Check Attendance: Possible Effect of Timing of Annual Health Examination].

Science.gov (United States)

Ishimaru, Tomohiro; Hattori, Michihiro; Nagata, Masako; Kuwahara, Keisuke; Watanabe, Seiji; Mori, Koji

2018-01-01

The stress check program has been part of annual employees' health screening since 2015. Employees are recommended, but not obliged, to undergo the stress check offered. This study was designed to examine the factors associated with stress check attendance. A total of 31,156 Japanese employees who underwent an annual health examination and a stress check service at an Occupational Health Service Center in 2016 participated in this study. Data from the annual health examination and stress check service included stress check attendance, date of attendance (if implemented), gender, age, workplace industry, number of employees at the workplace, and tobacco and alcohol consumption. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. The mean rate of stress check attendance was 90.8%. A higher rate of stress check attendance was associated with a lower duration from the annual health examination, age ≥30 years, construction and transport industry, and 50-999 employees at the workplace. A lower rate of stress check attendance was associated with medical and welfare industry and ≥1,000 employees at the workplace. These findings provide insights into developing strategies for improving the rate of stress check attendance. In particular, stress check attendance may improve if the stress check service and annual health examination are conducted simultaneously.

Church attendance and self-esteem among adolescents

OpenAIRE

Robbins, Mandy; Francis, Leslie J.; Williams, Emyr

2007-01-01

A total of 279 young people (123 males and 156 females) aged between 12 and 16 years of age attending one school in Wales completed the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory alongside a measure of frequency of church attendance. The data indicate a small positive correlation (r = .18) between self-esteem and church attendance.

Teacher-Provided Positive Attending to Improve Student Behavior

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Perle, Jonathan G.

2016-01-01

A teacher serves many important roles within a classroom, including an educator and a manager of child behavior. Inattention, overactivity, and noncompliance have long been cited as some of the most common areas of reported difficulty for schools (Axelrod & Zank, 2012; Goldstein, 1995). The evidence-based practice of positive attending (i.e.,…

Factors associated with early neonatal attendance to a paediatric emergency department.

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Flanagan, C F; Stewart, M

2014-03-01

To examine the demographic and perinatal factors involved in the presentation of newborn babies to a paediatric emergency department (PED) and outcome following attendance. Term babies who attended the PED of the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC) in the first 2 weeks of life, during two separate 3-month periods in summer and winter 2010-2011 were identified retrospectively from the PED electronic database. Perinatal and demographic data were also obtained on all babies born in the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital (RJMH) during the same time period. A total of 223 attendances to the PED involving 208 babies were identified with almost equal distribution during summer and winter months. Almost two thirds (n=139, 62%) of babies presented out-of-hours. Over half of babies were self-referred by parent/carer. The most common presentation was feeding difficulty, vomiting or faltering growth, accounting for 36%. Significant factors associated with attendance to PED included birth weight working day. Overall, a third of babies admitted stayed less than 24 h (34%). Large numbers of babies attend the PED in the first 2 weeks of life, commonly out of hours, from deprived areas and with feeding difficulties. A quarter of babies attending are admitted to hospital, with one-third discharged following an overnight stay. Services should be reevaluated, particularly in this current financial climate, in an attempt to find new models of care for these young babies.

Perceptions of 24/7 In-house Attending Coverage on Fellow Education and Autonomy in a Pediatric Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit.

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Owens, Sonal T; Owens, Gabe E; Rajput, Shaili H; Charpie, John R; Kidwell, Kelley M; Mullan, Patricia B

2015-01-01

The 24/7 in-house attending coverage is emerging as the standard of care in intensive care units. Implementation costs, workforce feasibility, and patient outcomes resulting from changes in physician staffing are widely debated topics. Understanding the impact of staffing models on the learning environment for medical trainees and faculty is equally warranted, particularly with respect to trainee education and autonomy. This study aims to elicit the perceptions of pediatric cardiology fellows and attendings toward 24/7 in-house attending coverage and its effect on fellow education and autonomy. We surveyed pediatric cardiology fellows and attendings practicing in the pediatric cardiothoracic intensive care unit (PCTU) of a large, university-affiliated medical center, using structured Likert response items and open-ended questions, prior to and following the transition to 24/7 in-house attending coverage. All (100%) trainees and faculty completed all surveys. Both prior to and following transition to 24/7 in-house attending coverage, all fellows, and the majority of attendings agreed that the overnight call experience benefited fellow education. At baseline, trainees identified limited circumstances in which on-site attending coverage would be critical. Preimplementation concerns that 24/7 in-house attending coverage would negatively affect the education of fellows were not reflected following actual implementation of the new staffing policy. However, based upon open-ended questions, fellow autonomy was affected by the new paradigm, with fellows and attendings reporting decreased "appropriateness" of autonomy after implementation. Our prospective study, showing initial concerns about limiting the learning environment in transitioning to 24/7 in-house attending coverage did not result in diminished perceptions of the educational experience for our fellows but revealed an expected decrease in fellow autonomy. The study indirectly facilitated open discussions about

The Policy Dystopia Model: An Interpretive Analysis of Tobacco Industry Political Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulucanlar, Selda; Fooks, Gary J; Gilmore, Anna B

2016-09-01

Tobacco industry interference has been identified as the greatest obstacle to the implementation of evidence-based measures to reduce tobacco use. Understanding and addressing industry interference in public health policy-making is therefore crucial. Existing conceptualisations of corporate political activity (CPA) are embedded in a business perspective and do not attend to CPA's social and public health costs; most have not drawn on the unique resource represented by internal tobacco industry documents. Building on this literature, including systematic reviews, we develop a critically informed conceptual model of tobacco industry political activity. We thematically analysed published papers included in two systematic reviews examining tobacco industry influence on taxation and marketing of tobacco; we included 45 of 46 papers in the former category and 20 of 48 papers in the latter (n = 65). We used a grounded theory approach to build taxonomies of "discursive" (argument-based) and "instrumental" (action-based) industry strategies and from these devised the Policy Dystopia Model, which shows that the industry, working through different constituencies, constructs a metanarrative to argue that proposed policies will lead to a dysfunctional future of policy failure and widely dispersed adverse social and economic consequences. Simultaneously, it uses diverse, interlocking insider and outsider instrumental strategies to disseminate this narrative and enhance its persuasiveness in order to secure its preferred policy outcomes. Limitations are that many papers were historical (some dating back to the 1970s) and focused on high-income regions. The model provides an evidence-based, accessible way of understanding diverse corporate political strategies. It should enable public health actors and officials to preempt these strategies and develop realistic assessments of the industry's claims.

A Study on Attendance and Academic Achievement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sund, Kristian J.; Bignoux, Stephane

In this study we attempt to answer Romer’s (1993) question: “Should attendance be mandatory?” Contrary to many existing studies, we conclude that in the case of business and management programs the answer is ‘no’. In a study of over 900 undergraduate strategy students, spanning four academic years......, we examine the link between attendance and exam results. Unlike prior research on this topic, our findings show that attendance is not the best determinant of student performance. We find instead that the best determinant of student performance for third year bachelor students is their over......-all degree classification, which we see as a proxy for academic ability. We suggest that attendance may simply be a reflection of student conscientiousness, engagement and motivation. We also challenge the assumptions about gender differences found in prior research on student attendance and student...

TEACHING, COEXISTENCE AND ATTENDANCE AT A TECHNOLOGICAL HIGH SCHOOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leticia Carranza-Peña

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article, which stems from ethnographic research, shows the importance of faculty intervention in the classroom setting in encouraging student attendance. Our findings indicate that the habitus the educator establishes can either encourage youth to continue their studies, or lead them to drop out, thus placing them at risk of addictions, illegal activities, unemployment or low-paid jobs. The Pedagogy of Hope therefore provides an option for effecting large-scale changes in personal, school, family, community and socio-economic conditions. The paper’s conclusions include providing training to teaching faculties on coexistence issues; ensuring coordination between school and family, and emphasizing an integral approach to education as means of promoting school attendance.

Infant outcomes of certified nurse midwife attended home births: United States 2000 to 2004.

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Malloy, M H

2010-09-01

Home births attended by certified nurse midwives (CNMs) make up an extremely small proportion of births in the United States (home deliveries compared with certified nurse midwife in-hospital deliveries in the United States as measured by the risk of adverse infant outcomes among women with term, singleton, vaginal deliveries. United States linked birth and infant death files for the years 2000 to 2004 were used for the analysis. Adverse neonatal outcomes including death were determined by place of birth and attendant type for in-hospital certified nurse midwife, in-hospital 'other' midwife, home certified nurse midwife, home 'other' midwife, and free-standing birth center certified nurse midwife deliveries. For the 5-year period there were 1 237 129 in-hospital certified nurse midwife attended births; 17 389 in-hospital 'other' midwife attended births; 13 529 home certified nurse midwife attended births; 42 375 home 'other' midwife attended births; and 25 319 birthing center certified nurse midwife attended births. The neonatal mortality rate per 1000 live births for each of these categories was, respectively, 0.5 (deaths=614), 0.4 (deaths=7), 1.0 (deaths=14), 1.8 (deaths=75), and 0.6 (deaths=16). The adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for neonatal mortality for home certified nurse midwife attended deliveries vs in-hospital certified nurse midwife attended deliveries was 2.02 (1.18, 3.45). Deliveries at home attended by CNMs and 'other midwives' were associated with higher risks for mortality than deliveries in-hospital by CNMs.

Differences in hospital attendance for anaphylaxis between immigrants and non-immigrants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norredam, M.; Sheikh, Aziz; Svendsen, K. Dynnes

2016-01-01

Background: The impact of migration on the risk of anaphylaxis remains unknown. We hypothesized that non-Western immigrants have a lower incidence of anaphylaxis compared to Danish-born. We investigated variations in hospital attendance for anaphylaxis between immigrants and Danish-born including...... time- and age- trends. Methods: A register-based, historical prospective cohort design. Refugees or family reunified immigrants (n = 127 250) who, between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 2010, obtained residency permits in Denmark were included and matched in a 1 : 6 ratio on age and sex with Danish......, adjusting for age using a Cox regression model including the influence of duration of residence and age when residence was obtained. Results: In total 1053 hospital attendances for anaphylaxis were identified: 89 among non-Western immigrants, 9 among Western immigrants and 955 among Danish-born patients...

The Severity of State Truancy Policies and Chronic Absenteeism

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Conry, Jillian M.; Richards, Meredith P.

2018-01-01

Since the Common School era, states have maintained truancy laws to ensure that students attend school. However, we know little about the severity of these laws and their relationship to student outcomes, particularly absenteeism. In this study, we survey state education statutes to document the severity of truancy policies. We estimate the…

Wanting to attend isn't just wanting to quit: why some disadvantaged smokers regularly attend smoking cessation behavioural therapy while others do not: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Fiona E; Stronks, Karien; Willemsen, Marc C; Bogaerts, Nina M M; Nierkens, Vera

2014-07-07

Attendance of a behavioural support programme facilitates smoking cessation. Disadvantaged smokers have been shown to attend less than their more affluent peers. We need to gain in-depth insight into underlying reasons for differing attendance behaviour in disadvantaged smokers, to better address this issue. This study aims to explore the underlying motivations, barriers and social support of smokers exhibiting different patterns of attendance at a free smoking cessation behavioural support programme in a disadvantaged neighbourhood of The Netherlands. In 29 smokers undertaking smoking cessation group therapy or telephone counselling in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, qualitative interviews were completed, coded and analysed. Major themes were motivations, barriers to attend and social support. Motivations and social support were analysed with reference to the self-determination theory. Two distinct patterns of attendance emerged: those who missed up to two sessions ("frequent attenders"), and those who missed more than two sessions ("infrequent attenders"). The groups differed in their motivations to attend, barriers to attendance, and in the level of social support they received. In comparison with the infrequent attenders, frequent attenders more often had intrinsic motivation to attend (e.g. enjoyed attending), and named more self-determined extrinsic motivations to attend, such as commitment to attendance and wanting to quit. Most of those mentioning intrinsic motivation did not mention a desire to quit as a motivation for attendance. No organizational barriers to attendance were mentioned by frequent attenders, such as misunderstandings around details of appointments. Frequent attenders experienced more social support within and outside the course. Motivation to attend behavioural support, as distinct from motivation to quit smoking, is an important factor in attendance of smoking cessation courses in disadvantaged areas. Some focus on increasing motivation to

Institutional policy changes aimed at addressing obesity among mental health clients.

Science.gov (United States)

Knol, Linda L; Pritchett, Kelly; Dunkin, Jeri

2010-05-01

People with mental illness often experience unique barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. For these clients, interventions should focus on changes in the immediate environment to change behaviors. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate policy changes that would limit calorie intake and increase calorie expenditure of clients receiving mental health services. This intervention was implemented in a rural mental health system in the southeastern United States. Clients live in small group homes, where they are served breakfast, dinner, and a snack, and attend outpatient day treatment programs, where they are served lunch and can purchase snacks from vending machines. This intervention included institutional policy changes that altered menus and vending machine options and implemented group walking programs. Primary outcome measures were changes in clients' weight at 3 and 6 months after policy implementation. At the 3-month follow-up, the median weight loss for overweight/obese clients (n = 45) was 1.4 kg. The 33 overweight/obese clients who were still in the group homes at the 6-month follow-up either maintained or continued to lose weight. Institutional policy changes aimed at improving dietary intake and physical activity levels among clients receiving mental health services can promote weight loss in overweight clients.

The Impact of Attending Religious Schools on the Moral Competencies of Accounting Students

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Umaru Mustapha Zubairu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available For over a century, scholars have argued that religious education is crucial for the developed of students' moral competencies. This study sought to empirically test this assertion by comparing the moral competencies of two sets of Muslim accounting students: those who had attended a religious secondary school and those who attended a public (secular secondary school in Malaysia. The focus on accounting students is quite important in an era where the moral competencies of accountants has been in the public eye due to their complicity in the rash of financial scandals that have plagued the business world over the last two decades. The Muslim Accountant Moral Competency Test (MAMOC was developed by a collaboration with Islamic accounting scholars and was used to measure the students' moral competencies. Although the results revealed that there was no difference in the moral competencies of both sets of students, they both displayed satisfactory levels of moral competency which vindicates the Malaysian government's policy of mandating Islamic education in all secondary schools, whether religious or secular. 

Systematic Review of Voluntary Participation in Simulation-Based Laparoscopic Skills Training: Motivators and Barriers for Surgical Trainee Attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Gostlow, Hannah; Marlow, Nicholas; Babidge, Wendy; Maddern, Guy

To examine and report on evidence relating to surgical trainees' voluntary participation in simulation-based laparoscopic skills training. Specifically, the underlying motivators, enablers, and barriers faced by surgical trainees with regard to attending training sessions on a regular basis. A systematic search of the literature (PubMed; CINAHL; EMBASE; Cochrane Collaboration) was conducted between May and July 2015. Studies were included on whether they reported on surgical trainee attendance at voluntary, simulation-based laparoscopic skills training sessions, in addition to qualitative data regarding participant's perceived barriers and motivators influencing their decision to attend such training. Factors affecting a trainee's motivation were categorized as either intrinsic (internal) or extrinsic (external). Two randomised control trials and 7 case series' met our inclusion criteria. Included studies were small and generally poor quality. Overall, voluntary simulation-based laparoscopic skills training was not well attended. Intrinsic motivators included clearly defined personal performance goals and relevance to clinical practice. Extrinsic motivators included clinical responsibilities and available free time, simulator location close to clinical training, and setting obligatory assessments or mandated training sessions. The effect of each of these factors was variable, and largely dependent on the individual trainee. The greatest reported barrier to attending voluntary training was the lack of available free time. Although data quality is limited, it can be seen that providing unrestricted access to simulator equipment is not effective in motivating surgical trainees to voluntarily participate in simulation-based laparoscopic skills training. To successfully encourage participation, consideration needs to be given to the factors influencing motivation to attend training. Further research, including better designed randomised control trials and large

Attending to the reasons for attribute non-attendance in choice experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alemu, Mohammed Hussen; Mørkbak, Morten Raun; Olsen, Søren Bøye

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on behavioural reasons underlying stated attribute non-attendance in choice experiments. In order to identify and incorporate procedures for dealing with heterogeneous attribute processing strategies, we ask respondents follow-up questions regarding their reasons for ignoring...... not affect their utility. Excluding these genuine zero preferences, as the standard approach essentially does, might bias results. Other respondents claim to have ignored attributes to simplify choices. However, we find that these respondents have actually not completely ignored attributes. We argue along...... the rationally adaptive behavioural model that valid preference information may indeed be elicited in these cases, and we illustrate how recoding of non-attendance statements conditional on stated reasons may be a more appropriate solution than the current standard way of taking stated non...

Examining the Effects of Religious Attendance on Resilience for Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, Lydia K; Miles, Andrew

2018-02-01

Growing older often brings hardship, adversity, and even trauma. Resilience is a broad term used to describe flourishing despite adversity. To date, resilience and the connections to religion have not been well studied, despite compelling evidence that religious practice can promote psychological health. This research examines the role that religion plays in promoting resilience among older adults. Research questions include: (a) What is the relationship between religion and trait resilience? and (b) Does religion promote resilient reintegration following traumatic life events? Results indicate that religious service attendance is tied to higher levels of trait resilience and that both service attendance and trait resilience directly predict lower levels of depression and higher rates of resilient reintegration following traumatic life events. Findings suggest that religious service attendance has protective properties that are worthy of consideration when investigating resilience.

Attending physician work hours: ethical considerations and the last doctor standing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercurio, Mark R; Peterec, Steven M

2009-08-01

Based at least in part on concerns for patient safety and evidence that long shifts are associated with an increased risk of physician error, residents' and fellows' work hours have been strictly limited for the past several years. Little attention has been paid, however, to excessive attending physician shift duration, although there seems to be no reason to assume that this common practice poses any less risk to patients. Potential justifications for allowing attending physicians to work without hourly limits include physician autonomy, workforce shortages in certain communities or subspecialties, continuity of care, and financial considerations. None of these clearly justify the apparent increased risk to patients, with the exception in some settings of workforce shortage. In many hospital settings, the practice of allowing attending physicians to work with no limit on shift duration could pose an unnecessary risk to patients.

The relation between indicators of low employment quality and attendance behavior in countries of the European Union.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssens, Heidi; Braeckman, Lutgart; De Clercq, Bart; De Bacquer, Dirk; Clays, Els

2017-12-01

Previous research demonstrated an association between low employment quality and lower sickness absence, which may be explained by presenteeism. Therefore, this study aimed exploring the relation between three indicators of employment quality (long working hours, precarious employment, job insecurity) and attendance behavior. The association between employment quality and attendance behavior was investigated in 28.999 workers (mean age: 40.0 years, 53% males) of the fifth wave of the European Working Conditions Survey, using multilevel multinomial logistic regression analysis. Attendance behavior was operationalized as different combinations of sickness absence and presenteeism. Those working >48 h/week, had a higher risk to report presenteeism (with or without sickness absence). They had a lower risk to report sickness absence without presenteeism. Workers with a precarious contract had a lower risk to report absenteeism without presenteeism and the combination of both presenteeism and absenteeism. Finally, for workers perceiving job insecurity, the risk for presenteeism without sickness absence was significantly higher. Several indicators of low employment quality were associated with attendance behavior, suggesting a complex behavioral mechanism in workers facing low job quality employment. Therefore, policy makers are recommended to re-establish the indefinite contractual employment as the standard, avoiding long working hours. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Automobile Accidents Attended by Mobile Emergency Care Service

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Ana Virgínia Gomes Barros

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Automobile accidents are increasing every day and are becoming a serious public health problem due to the high morbidity and mortality rate. The goal of the current study was to characterise the traffic accidents attended by the Mobile Emergency Care Service (MECS in Ibiara, PB. Methods: This exploratory, descriptive, documentary study adopted a quantitative approach and analysis of data. The population consisted of all victims of traffic accidents attended by MECS in the city of Ibiara, PB, from June 2015 to June 2016. The following variables were studied: age, gender, time and day of the week the accident occurred, nature of the incident, substance ingested by the victim, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE or not, the anatomical lesions on the victim and the body regions hit during the accident. Results: The sample consisted of 49 accident victims, and the majority (81.6% were male, predominately 30 to 59 years. Events occurring at night (63.3% and during the week (65.3% predominated. The most frequent type of accident was motorcycle fall (71.4%, with almost half having consumed alcohol (46.9% and most not wearing PPE (77.6%. The regions of the body most affected were the lower limbs (67.3% and upper limbs (53.1%. Conclusion: The main factor/cause of these accidents was due to imprudence and violation of traffic laws, highlighting the need to invest in traffic education policies, to direct campaigns for the prevention of traffic accidents, as well as expand the surveillance of traffic laws by authorities.

Domestic violence against women attending gynecologic outpatient clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Nojomi, Marzieh; Agaee, Saideh; Eslami, Samira

2007-07-01

Violence against women and threat of violence are some of the main barriers to women's empowerment and equal participation in the society. However, they often go unnoticed and undocumented and therefore unresolved. For women, one of every five years of healthy life lost because of injury, disease, or premature death is attributable to violence. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of domestic violence in women attending three obstetric and gynecologic clinics in Tehran, and to determine the association between domestic violence and demographic factors. One thousand women, 15-64 years old, attending three obstetric and gynecologic clinics affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey with self-administered questionnaire. The association between demographic factors (age, level of education, religious believes, annual income, job, husband's employment status, drug and alcohol abuse, previous custody of husbands) and domestic violence was assessed by questionnaire. Five hundred and ninety out of the 1000 women had experienced at least one form of violence (physical, mental, not sexual) from their husbands, 196 women had experienced some forms of controlling behavior and mental violence, and 361 women had been physically threatened. Low level of education in women, nongovernmental job, previous custody, psychiatric disorders of men, and coercive marriage for women were associated with an increased risk of domestic violence. With the high prevalence of domestic violence, health workers should not ignore the seriousness of domestic violence. Health and social personnel should be appropriately trained before "asking all cases" becomes a policy within health and social services.

Response Patterns in Health State Valuation Using Endogenous Attribute Attendance and Latent Class Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hole, Arne Risa; Norman, Richard; Viney, Rosalie

2016-02-01

Not accounting for simplifying decision-making heuristics when modelling data from discrete choice experiments has been shown potentially to lead to biased inferences. This study considers two ways of exploring the presence of attribute non-attendance (that is, respondents considering only a subset of the attributes that define the choice options) in a health state valuation discrete choice experiment. The methods used include the latent class (LC) and endogenous attribute attendance (EAA) models, which both required adjustment to reflect the structure of the quality-adjusted life year (QALY) framework for valuing health outcomes. We find that explicit consideration of attendance patterns substantially improves model fit. The impact of allowing for non-attendance on the estimated QALY weights is dependent on the assumed source of non-attendance. If non-attendance is interpreted as a form of preference heterogeneity, then the inferences from the LC and EAA models are similar to those from standard models, while if respondents ignore attributes to simplify the choice task, the QALY weights differ from those using the standard approach. Because the cause of non-attendance is unknown in the absence of additional data, a policymaker may use the range of weights implied by the two approaches to conduct a sensitivity analysis. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Traditional Birth Attendants: A Field Guide to Their Training, Evaluation, and Articulation with Health Services. World Health Organization Offset Publication No. 44.

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World Health Organization, Geneva (Switzerland).

Guidelines for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of nationwide programs for the training and utilization of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) are presented. The guide begins with a chart outlining the steps in the development and evaluation of TBA programs. The next section discusses the formulation of basic policies regarding the…

The Effect of Education about Preventive Behaviors of Urinary Infection Based on Health Belief Model by Attending and Non- Attending Educational Programs in Pregnant Women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Noroozi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Urinary tract infection is the second most common complication of pregnancy, maternal and fetal complications and serious consequences will follow. So, the purpose of this study is comparison of education effect between attend and non-attend methods on promotion prevailing behavior from urinary tract infection in pregnant women based on the health belief model. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 140 pregnant women coming to Bushehr medical center, in two group (70 people each were studied. In attend group, two education meetings, including 1.5 hour were hold based on the health belief model with an interval of a week. Non-attend education group, just received a booklet arranged based on health belief model. The information about awareness, structures model and function were collected before, one week and three months later via questionnaire. The urinary test results were collected before and three months after the intervention. After getting information, data were analyzed by software SPSS version 20 via perfect tests. Results: Before educational intervention, knowledge, preventive behaviors of urinary infection and all structures model were same in both groups. After the intervention, average of perceived susceptibility, severity, benefit and self-efficacy increased and average of perceived barrier decreased significantly in attend education group (P≤0/001, and in non-attend education group, awareness score and perceived susceptibility, benefit and self-efficacy increased and average of perceived barrier decreased significantly. Average of perceived susceptibility, barrier, self-efficacy, awareness, and mean of preventive behaviors of urinary infection between two groups were different significantly (P≤0/001. Conclusion: Regarding to changes in health belief model constructs, knowledge and function in two groups after education, using booklets based on health belief model for pregnant women can be useful due to their

Worship Discourse and White Race-based Policy Attitudes

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Brown, R. Khari; Kaiser, Angela; Jackson, James S.

2014-01-01

The current study relies upon the 2004 National Politics Study to examine the association between exposure to race-based messages within places of worship and White race-based policy attitudes. The present study challenges the notion that, for White Americans, religiosity inevitably leads to racial prejudice. Rather, we argue, as others have, that religion exists on a continuum that spans from reinforcing to challenging the status quo of social inequality. Our findings suggests that the extent to which Whites discuss race along with the potential need for public policy solutions to address racial inequality within worship spaces, worship attendance contributes to support for public policies aimed at reducing racial inequality. On the other hand, apolitical and non-structural racial discussions within worship settings do seemingly little to move many Whites to challenge dominant idealistic perceptions of race that eschews public policy interventions as solutions to racial inequality. PMID:25324579

Email for the coordination of healthcare appointments and attendance reminders.

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Atherton, Helen; Sawmynaden, Prescilla; Meyer, Barbara; Car, Josip

2012-08-15

Email is a popular and commonly-used method of communication, but its use in health care is not routine. Where email communication has been utilised in health care, its purposes have included the coordination of healthcare appointments and attendance reminders, but the effects of using email in this way are not known. This review considers the use of email for the coordination of healthcare appointments and reminders for attendance; particularly scheduling, rescheduling and cancelling healthcare appointments, and providing prompts/reminders for attendance at appointments. To assess the effects of using email for the coordination of healthcare appointments and attendance reminders, compared to other forms of coordinating appointments and reminders, on outcomes for health professionals, patients and carers, and health services, including harms. We searched: the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 1 2010), MEDLINE (OvidSP) (1950 to January 2010), EMBASE (OvidSP) (1980 to January 2010), PsycINFO (OvidSP) (1967 to January 2010), CINAHL (EbscoHOST) (1982 to February 2010),and ERIC (CSA) (1965 to January 2010). We searched grey literature: theses/dissertation repositories, trials registers and Google Scholar (searched July 2010). We used additional search methods: examining reference lists and contacting authors. Randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised trials, controlled before and after studies and interrupted time series studies of interventions that use email for scheduling health appointments, for reminders for a scheduled health appointment or for ongoing coordination of health appointments and that took the form of 1) unsecured email 2) secure email or 3) web messaging. All healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers in all settings were considered. Two review authors independently assessed the titles and abstracts of retrieved

The return of the Traditional Birth Attendant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Lane

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Sub–Saharan Africa and Southern Asia lag behind other regions in the provision of antenatal care and skilled attendance at birth (although typically attended by a family member or villager and over 32 million of the 40 million births not attended by skilled health personnel in 2012 occurred in rural areas. Overall, one–quarter of women in developing nations still birth alone or with a relative to assist them.

Flight Attendant Fatigue: A Quantitative Review of Flight Attendant Comments

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-01

Hellesoy, 1994; Hunt & Space, 1994; Nagda & Koontz , 2003; Nesthus et al., 2007; Rayman, 1997; Smolensky, Lee, Mott, & Colligan, 1982; Tashkin...www.boeing. com/commercial/cabinair/ventilation.pdf Nagda, N.L., & Koontz , M.D. (2003). Review of studies on flight attendant health and comfort in

Where There Are (Few) Skilled Birth Attendants

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Prata, Ndola; Rowen, Tami; Bell, Suzanne; Walsh, Julia; Potts, Malcolm

2011-01-01

Recent efforts to reduce maternal mortality in developing countries have focused primarily on two long-term aims: training and deploying skilled birth attendants and upgrading emergency obstetric care facilities. Given the future population-level benefits, strengthening of health systems makes excellent strategic sense but it does not address the immediate safe-delivery needs of the estimated 45 million women who are likely to deliver at home, without a skilled birth attendant. There are currently 28 countries from four major regions in which fewer than half of all births are attended by skilled birth attendants. Sixty-nine percent of maternal deaths in these four regions can be attributed to these 28 countries, despite the fact that these countries only constitute 34% of the total population in these regions. Trends documenting the change in the proportion of births accompanied by a skilled attendant in these 28 countries over the last 15-20 years offer no indication that adequate change is imminent. To rapidly reduce maternal mortality in regions where births in the home without skilled birth attendants are common, governments and community-based organizations could implement a cost-effective, complementary strategy involving health workers who are likely to be present when births in the home take place. Training community-based birth attendants in primary and secondary prevention technologies (e.g. misoprostol, family planning, measurement of blood loss, and postpartum care) will increase the chance that women in the lowest economic quintiles will also benefit from global safe motherhood efforts. PMID:21608417

Work stress among nursing home care attendants in Taiwan: a questionnaire survey.

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Hsu, Hui-Chuan; Kung, Yuan-Wei; Huang, Hsiao-Chien; Ho, Pei-Yu; Lin, Ya-Ying; Chen, Wen-Shin

2007-07-01

Care attendants constitute the main workforce in nursing homes, but their heavy workload, low autonomy, and indefinite responsibility result in high levels of stress and may affect quality of care. However, few studies have focused of this problem. The aim of this study was to examine work-related stress and associated factors that affect care attendants in nursing homes and to offer suggestions for how management can alleviate these problems in care facilities. We recruited participants from nine nursing homes with 50 or more beds located in middle Taiwan; 110 care attendants completed the questionnaire. The work stress scale for the care attendants was validated and achieved good reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.93). We also conducted exploratory factor analysis. Six factors were extracted from the work stress scale: insufficient ability, stressful reactions, heavy workload, trouble in care work, poor management, and working time problems. The explained variance achieved 64.96%. Factors related to higher work stress included working in a hospital-based nursing home, having a fixed schedule, night work, feeling burden, inconvenient facility, less enthusiasm, and self-rated higher stress. Work stress for care attendants in nursing homes is related to human resource management and quality of care. We suggest potential management strategies to alleviate work stress for these workers.

EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF POLICY OPTIONS ON AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES: AN ALTERNATIVE-FUTURES APPROACH

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Alternative-futures analysis was used to analyze different scenarios of future growth patterns and attendant resource allocations on the agricultural system of Oregon's Willamette River Basin. A stakeholder group formulated three policy alternatives: a continuation of current tr...

75 FR 10507 - Information Security Oversight Office; National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-08

... NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION Information Security Oversight Office; National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee (NISPPAC) AGENCY: National Archives and Records... individuals planning to attend must be submitted to the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) no later...

75 FR 20843 - Notice of Workshop To Discuss Policy-Relevant Science to Inform EPA's Integrated Plan for the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-21

... Policy-Relevant Science to Inform EPA's Integrated Plan for the Review of the Lead National Ambient Air.... Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that a workshop entitled, ``Workshop to Discuss Policy... workshop will be open to attendance by interested public observers on a first-come, first-served basis up...

Automated attendance management and alert system | Rahim ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Automated attendance management and alert system. ... Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences ... AAMAS provides various functions, from managing and recording students' attendance record, to sending automatic alerts to students ...

Occurrence and impact of negative behaviour, including domestic violence and abuse, in men attending UK primary care health clinics: a cross-sectional survey.

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Hester, M; Ferrari, G; Jones, S K; Williamson, E; Bacchus, L J; Peters, T J; Feder, G

2015-05-19

To measure the experience and perpetration of negative behaviour, including domestic violence and abuse (DVA), and investigate its associations with health conditions and behaviours in men attending general practice. Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study conducted between September 2010 and June 2011. 16 general practices in the south west of England. Male patients aged 18 or older, attending alone, who could read and write English. A total of 1403 of eligible patients (58%) participated in the survey and 1368 (56%) completed the questions relevant to this paper. 97% of respondents reported they were heterosexual. Lifetime occurrence of negative behaviour consistent with DVA, perceived health impact of negative behaviours, associations with anxiety and depression symptoms, and cannabis use in the past 12 months and binge drinking. 22.7% (95% CI 20.2% to 24.9%) of men reported ever experiencing negative behaviour (feeling frightened, physically hurt, forced sex, ask permission) from a partner. All negative behaviours were associated with a twofold to threefold increased odds of anxiety and depression symptoms in men experiencing or perpetrating negative behaviours or both. 34.9% (95% CI 28.7% to 41.7%) of men who reported experiencing negative behaviour from a partner, and 30.8% (95% CI 23.7% to 37.8%) of men who perpetrated negative behaviours said they had been in a domestically violent or abusive relationship. No associations with problematic drinking were found; there was a weak association with cannabis use. DVA is experienced or perpetrated by a large minority of men presenting to general practice, and these men were more likely to have current symptoms of depression and anxiety. Presentation of anxiety or depression to clinicians may be an indicator of male experience or perpetration of DVA victimisation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Social capital and frequent attenders in general practice: a register-based cohort study.

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Pasgaard, Alexander A; Mæhlisen, Maiken H; Overgaard, Charlotte; Ejlskov, Linda; Torp-Pedersen, Christian; Bøggild, Henrik

2018-03-02

Frequent attendance to primary care constitutes a large use of resources for the health care system. The association between frequent attendance and illness-related factors has been examined in several studies, but little is known about the association between frequent attendance and individual social capital. The aim of this study is to explore this association. The analysis is conducted on responders to the North Denmark Region Health Profile 2010 (n = 23,384), individually linked with information from administrative registers. Social capital is operationalized at the individual level, and includes cognitive (interpersonal trust and norms of reciprocity) as well as structural (social network and civic engagement) dimensions. Frequent attendance is defined as the upper-quartile of the total number of measured consultations with a general practitioner over a period of 148 weeks. Using multiple logistic regression, we found that frequent attendance was associated with a lower score in interpersonal trust [OR 0.86 (0.79-0.94)] and social network [OR 0.88 (0.79-0.98)] for women, when adjusted for age, education, income and SF12 health scores. Norms of reciprocity and civic engagement were not significantly associated with frequent attendance for women [OR 1.05 (0.99-1.11) and OR 1.01 (0.92-1.11) respectively]. None of the associations were statistically significant for men. This study suggests that for women, some aspects of social capital are associated with frequent attendance in general practice, and the statistically significant dimensions belonged to both cognitive and structural aspects of social capital. This association was not seen for men. This indicates a multifaceted and heterogeneous relationship between social capital and frequent attendance among genders.

Low sugar nutrition policies and dental caries: A study of primary schools in South Auckland.

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Thornley, Simon; Marshall, Roger; Reynolds, Gary; Koopu, Pauline; Sundborn, Gerhard; Schofield, Grant

2017-05-01

The study assessed whether a healthy food policy implemented in one school, Yendarra Primary, situated in a socio-economically deprived area of South Auckland, had improved student oral health by comparing dental caries levels with students of similar schools in the same region with no such policy. Records of caries of the primary and adult teeth were obtained between 2007 and 2014 for children attending Yendarra, and were compared to those of eight other public schools in the area, with a similar demographic profile. Children were selected between the ages of 8 and 11 years. Linear regression models were used to estimate the strength of association between attending Yendarra school and dental caries. During the study period, 3813 records were obtained of children who attended dental examinations and the schools of interest. In a linear model, mean number of carious primary and adult teeth were 0.37 lower (95% confidence interval: 0.09-0.65) in Yendarra school children, compared to those in other schools, after adjustment for confounders. Pacific students had higher numbers of carious teeth (adjusted β coefficient: 0.25; 95% confidence interval: 0.03-0.46) than Māori. This nutrition policy, implemented in a school in the poorest region of South Auckland, which restricted sugary food and drink availability, was associated with a marked positive effect on the oral health of students, compared to students in surrounding schools. We recommend that such policies are a useful means of improving child oral health. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Communication between residents and attending doctors on call after hours.

Science.gov (United States)

Novoselsky Persky, Michal A; Yinnon, Amos M; Freier-Dror, Yossi; Henshke-Bar-Meir, Ruth

2013-12-01

Off-hours medical care in hospitals is provided by residents, while attendings on call are available for assistance. This study evaluated the gap between residents' expectations and professional guidelines' requirements of attendings on call and what actually occurs during night shifts, while comparing surgical and medical specialties. Two questionnaires based on professional guidelines were filled by residents. The first queried about residents' expectations of attendings on call, and the second asked about communication with the attendings during actual night shifts. While 91 (100%) of residents expected the attending on call to be available by phone during the shift, only 44 (48%) expected the attending to initiate contact, and only 17 (19%) expected the attending to visit the ward or emergency department (ED) without being requested to do so. In 127 shifts (84%), some form of communication occurred. Residents called their attendings during 105 shifts (70%). However, attendings initiated contact with residents at the beginning or during the shift in only 67 (44%) and 62 (41%) shifts, respectively, and initiated a visit to the ward/ED during the shift in only 41 cases (27%). Surgical attendings initiated contact in these three ways significantly more frequently than medical attendings [21 (28%) versus 46 (61%), 20 (26%) versus 42 (56%) and 4 (5%) versus 37 (50%), respectively; P communication during night shifts between residents and attendings occurs in most shifts, attendings initiate far less contact with residents than is required by the guidelines. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Community College Attendance and Socioeconomic Plans

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sueuk; Pascarella, Ernest T.

2010-01-01

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, 1988 (NELS: 88), this paper documents differences in the socioeconomic plans of students in two-year and four-year colleges. We found attendance at a two-year college led to a modest but statistically significant disadvantage in socioeconomic plans. However, the impact of attending a…

Differences in hospital attendance for anaphylaxis between immigrants and non-immigrants: a cohort study.

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Norredam, M; Sheikh, A; Dynnes Svendsen, K; Holm Petersen, J; Garvey, L H; Kristiansen, M

2016-07-01

The impact of migration on the risk of anaphylaxis remains unknown. We hypothesized that non-Western immigrants have a lower incidence of anaphylaxis compared to Danish-born. We investigated variations in hospital attendance for anaphylaxis between immigrants and Danish-born including time- and age- trends. A register-based, historical prospective cohort design. Refugees or family reunified immigrants (n = 127 250) who, between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 2010, obtained residency permits in Denmark were included and matched in a 1 : 6 ratio on age and sex with Danish-born individuals (n = 740 600). Personal identification numbers were cross-linked to the Danish National Patient Registry identifying all first-time hospital attendances for anaphylaxis from January 1, 1994 and December 31, 2010. Incidence rate ratios were estimated, stratified for sex and region of birth, adjusting for age using a Cox regression model including the influence of duration of residence and age when residence was obtained. In total 1053 hospital attendances for anaphylaxis were identified: 89 among non-Western immigrants, 9 among Western immigrants and 955 among Danish-born patients. Both male (RR = 0.65; 95%CI: 0.46;0.90) and female (RR = 0.64; 95%CI: 0.48;0.85) non-Western immigrants had a significantly lower risk ratio of hospital attendance for anaphylaxis compared to Danish-born. Compared to Danish-born, non-Western immigrants living in Denmark during the entire follow-up period also showed a decreased risk (RR = 0.65; 95%CI: 0.34;1.25). Compared to Danish-born, non-Western immigrants who obtained residence permission as children had a decreased risk of hospital attendance for anaphylaxis (RR = 0.48; 95%CI: 0.25;0.91). This Danish register-based study using nationwide data revealed fewer hospital attendances for anaphylaxis among non-Western immigrants compared to Danish-born; however this protection was lost over time. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improving policy making through government-industry policy learning: The case of a novel Swedish policy framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stigson, Peter; Dotzauer, Erik; Yan Jinyue

2009-01-01

Climate change poses an unprecedented challenge for policy makers. This paper analyzes how industry sector policy expertise can contribute to improved policy making processes. Previous research has identified that policy making benefit by including non-governmental policy analysts in learning processes. Recent climate and energy policy developments, including amendments and the introduction of new initiatives, have rendered current policy regimes as novel to both governments and the industry. This increases business investment risk perceptions and may thus reduce the effectiveness and efficiency of the policy framework. In order to explore how government-industry policy learning can improve policy making in this context, this article studied the Swedish case. A literature survey analyzed how policy learning had been previously addressed, identifying that the current situation regarding novel policies had been overlooked. Interviews provided how industrial actors view Swedish policy implementation processes and participatory aspects thereof. The authors conclude that an increased involvement of the industry sector in policy design and management processes can be an important measure to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of climate and energy policies

Supervisors' Performance Ratings Correlated with Selected Personal Characteristics of Attendants in a Mental Retardation Developmental Center.

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Frederick, Joseph; And Others

A research study investigated the relationship between personal characteristics and selected demographic data of 75 attendants in a mental retardation developmental center and the assessment by 24 administrators of the attendants' job performance. Instruments used included a 20-item Direct Care Performance Scale and the Demographic Data Scale,…

Computer program for the automated attendance accounting system

Science.gov (United States)

Poulson, P.; Rasmusson, C.

1971-01-01

The automated attendance accounting system (AAAS) was developed under the auspices of the Space Technology Applications Program. The task is basically the adaptation of a small digital computer, coupled with specially developed pushbutton terminals located in school classrooms and offices for the purpose of taking daily attendance, maintaining complete attendance records, and producing partial and summary reports. Especially developed for high schools, the system is intended to relieve both teachers and office personnel from the time-consuming and dreary task of recording and analyzing the myriad classroom attendance data collected throughout the semester. In addition, since many school district budgets are related to student attendance, the increase in accounting accuracy is expected to augment district income. A major component of this system is the real-time AAAS software system, which is described.

Characteristics of people attending psychiatric clinics in inner Sydney homeless hostels.

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Nielssen, Olav B; Stone, William; Jones, Naidene M; Challis, Sarah; Nielssen, Amelia; Elliott, Gordon; Burns, Nicholas; Rogoz, Astrid; Cooper, Lucy E; Large, Matthew M

2018-03-05

To describe the characteristics of people attending mental health clinics at shelters for the homeless in inner city Sydney. Retrospective review of medical records of homeless hostel clinic attenders. Mental health clinics located in three inner city homeless hostels. Consecutive series of clinic attenders, 21 July 2008 - 31 December 2016. Demographic characteristics; social, medical and mental health histories of homeless people. 2388 individual patients were seen at the clinics during the 8.5-year study period. Their mean age was 42 years (standard deviation, 13 years), 93% were men, and 56% were receiving disability support pensions. 59% of attenders had been homeless for more than a year, and 34% of all attenders reported sleeping in the open. The most common diagnoses were substance use disorder (66%), psychotic illness (51%), acquired brain injury (14%), and intellectual disability (5%). Most patients had more than one diagnosis. Early life and recent trauma was reported by 42% of patients. Pathways to homelessness included release from prison (28% of the homeless), discharge from a psychiatric hospital (21%), loss of public housing tenancy (21%), and inability to pay rent because of problem gambling. The high rates of substance use and mental disorder among homeless people in inner Sydney confirms the need for increased access to treatment for these conditions in this setting. Homelessness among those with mental illness might be reduced by developing alternative housing models, and supporting people with multiple problems to retain tenancy.

Comparison of Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) Measure Adherence Between Oncology Fellows, Advanced Practice Providers, and Attending Physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jason; Zhang, Tian; Shah, Radhika; Kamal, Arif H; Kelley, Michael J

2015-12-01

Quality improvement measures are uniformly applied to all oncology providers, regardless of their roles. Little is known about differences in adherence to these measures between oncology fellows, advance practice providers (APP), and attending physicians. We investigated conformance across Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) measures for oncology fellows, advance practice providers, and attending physicians at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center (DVAMC). Using data collected from the Spring 2012 and 2013 QOPI cycles, we abstracted charts of patients and separated them based on their primary provider. Descriptive statistics and the chi-square test were calculated for each QOPI measure between fellows, advanced practice providers (APPs), and attending physicians. A total of 169 patients were reviewed. Of these, 31 patients had a fellow, 39 had an APP, and 99 had an attending as their primary oncology provider. Fellows and attending physicians performed similarly on 90 of 94 QOPI metrics. High-performing metrics included several core QOPI measures including documenting consent for chemotherapy, recommending adjuvant chemotherapy when appropriate, and prescribing serotonin antagonists when prescribing emetogenic chemotherapies. Low-performing metrics included documentation of treatment summary and taking action to address problems with emotional well-being by the second office visit. Attendings documented the plan for oral chemotherapy more often (92 vs. 63%, P=0.049). However, after the chart audit, we found that fellows actually documented the plan for oral chemotherapy 88% of the time (p=0.73). APPs and attendings performed similarly on 88 of 90 QOPI measures. The quality of oncology care tends to be similar between attendings and fellows overall; some of the significant differences do not remain significant after a second manual chart review, highlighting that the use of manual data collection for QOPI analysis is an imperfect system, and there may

Attendance at NHS mandatory training sessions.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Darren

2015-02-17

To identify factors that affect NHS healthcare professionals' attendance at mandatory training sessions. A quantitative approach was used, with a questionnaire sent to 400 randomly selected participants. A total of 122 responses were received, providing a mix of qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data were analysed using statistical methods. Open-ended responses were reviewed using thematic analysis. Clinical staff value mandatory training sessions highly. They are aware of the requirement to keep practice up-to-date and ensure patient safety remains a priority. However, changes to the delivery format of mandatory training sessions are required to enable staff to participate more easily, as staff are often unable to attend. The delivery of mandatory training should move from classroom-based sessions into the clinical area to maximise participation. Delivery should be assisted by local 'experts' who are able to customise course content to meet local requirements and the requirements of different staff groups. Improved arrangements to provide staff cover, for those attending training, would enable more staff to attend training sessions.

Vitamin D levels in patients with albinism compared with those in normally pigmented Black patients attending dermatology clinics in the Free State province, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Walt, Johanna E C; Sinclair, Werner

2016-09-01

Associations between vitamin D deficiency and a broad variety of independent diseases, including several bone diseases, various types of cancer, autoimmune diseases, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, have been suggested. It is therefore important to detect and treat vitamin D deficiency in high-risk groups. Because patients with albinism (PWA) practice a policy of strict sun avoidance, they may be at risk for low levels of vitamin D. This study was conducted in patients attending dermatology clinics in the Free State, South Africa, to determine sun avoidance behavior in the patient population and to compare 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels in PWA with those in normally pigmented Black patients attending the same clinics. Serum 25(OH)D levels were assessed in 50 PWA and 50 normally pigmented Black control subjects. Questionnaires on sun exposure avoidance behaviors were administered to all participants. The present study showed no statistically significant difference in median 25(OH)D levels between PWA and controls with normally pigmented Black skin. Rather, the study found a tendency for controls to have lower 25(OH)D levels. A total of 53% (n = 53) of all study participants (PWA and controls) had a 25(OH)D level of albinism attending dermatology clinics in the Free State, South Africa, need not be viewed as specifically at risk for low vitamin D levels. © 2015 The International Society of Dermatology.

Swimming attendance during childhood and development of asthma: Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Valeriani, Federica; Protano, Carmela; Vitali, Matteo; Romano Spica, Vincenzo

2017-05-01

The association between asthma and swimming pool attendance has not been demonstrated and currently there are conflicting results. In order to clarify the association between asthma diagnosis in children and swimming pool attendance, and to assess the consistency of the available epidemiological studies, we completed a literature analysis on the relationship between the exposure to disinfection by-products in indoor swimming pools during childhood and asthma diagnosis. Following the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed by searching MEDLINE via PubMed, TOXNET, and Scopus databases (from inception to 20 April 2015) using the key word "Asthma" together with "swimming pool", "disinfection by-products", "indoor air pollution" and "children". Inclusion criteria were: English language, a complete analytic study design involving a cohort of children (0-16 years), a well-defined definition of exposure, and the presence of data on effect and variance. Studies on in vivo, in vitro or professional and accidental exposure were excluded. After a screening process, seven reports (n = 5851 subjects) were included out of a total of 2928 references. The reported OR of the association between swimming pool attendance and asthma prevalence ranged from 0.58 to 2.30. The present meta-analysis failed to identify a significant difference in asthma development between children attending swimming pools and controls (OR, 1.084; 95% CI: 0.89-1.31). Swimming in childhood does not increase the likelihood of doctor-diagnosed asthma. Based on this meta-analysis review, the association of the disease with indoor pool attendance is still unclear. © 2016 Japan Pediatric Society.

Impact of conference attendance on librarians' leadership ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... attendance to leadership developments hows approximately 0.370.m Conference attendance was highly recommended as a means of enhancing leadership development of academic librarians. Keywords: Experiential learning, self efficacy, attitude, Conference, Impact, Leadership, Teamwork, development, brainstorm, ...

Language Ideology Change over Time: Lessons for Language Policy in the U.S. State of Arizona and Beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzsimmons-Doolan, Shannon

2018-01-01

In the U.S. state of Arizona, language minority students who are English learners attend schools governed by a restrictive medium of instruction (MOI) language policy (LP). Educators and educational researchers widely agree that effective reforms of this policy are urgently needed (e.g., Arias & Faltis, 2012; Lawton, 2012; Lillie, 2016).…

Students Attendance Management System Based On RFID And Fingerprint Reader

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moth Moth Myint Thein

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Today students class attendance is become more important part for any organizationsinstitutions. The conventional method of taking attendance by calling names or signing on paper is very time consuming and insecure hence inefficient. This paper presents the manual students attendance management into computerized system for convenience or data reliability. So the system is developed by the integration of ubiquitous computing systems into classroom for managing the students attendance using RFID and fingerprint reader. The system is designed to implement an attendance management system based on RFID and fingerprint reader which students need to use their student identification card ID and their finger ID to success the attendance where only authentic student can be recorded the attendance during the class. In this system passive RFID tag and reader pairs are used to register the student ID cards individually and fingerprint reader is used for attendance. This system takes attendance electronically with the help of the RFID and finger print device and the records of the attendance are stored in a database. Students roll call percentages and their details are easily seenvia Graphical User Interface GUI. This system will have the required databases for students attendance teachers subjects and students details. This application is implemented by Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft SQL Server as IDE. C language is used to implement this system.

The Private Tutoring Industry in Taiwan: Government Policies and Their Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Shengli

2014-01-01

Previous studies show that attending private tutoring has become a necessity to many primary and secondary students in East Asia. Educational policies and their effective implementation are crucial to guarantee the healthy development of the private tutoring industry and thus protect the rights of students and their families. Under the framework…

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs Phoenix, Arizona, Roundtable Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2011-04-05

The Phoenix, Arizona, Roundtable on Tribal Energy Policy convened at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 5th, at the downtown Phoenix Hyatt. The meeting was hosted by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (DOE Office of Indian Energy) and facilitated by the Udall Foundation’s U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (U.S. Institute). Approximately thirty-eight people attended the meeting, including representatives of ten different tribes, as well as representatives of the Colorado Indian Tribes, the All Indian Pueblo Council and the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona. Interested state, federal, university, NGO and industry representatives also were present. A full list of attendees is at the end of this summary. DOE representatives were Tracey LeBeau, Directory of the DOE Office of Indian Energy, Pilar Thomas, Deputy Director-Policy of the DOE Office of Indian Energy, and David Conrad, Director of Tribal and Intergovernmental Affairs, DOE Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Mobile Phone-Based Mood Ratings Prospectively Predict Psychotherapy Attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruehlman-Senecal, Emma; Aguilera, Adrian; Schueller, Stephen M

2017-09-01

Psychotherapy nonattendance is a costly and pervasive problem. While prior research has identified stable patient-level predictors of attendance, far less is known about dynamic (i.e., time-varying) factors. Identifying dynamic predictors can clarify how clinical states relate to psychotherapy attendance and inform effective "just-in-time" interventions to promote attendance. The present study examines whether daily mood, as measured by responses to automated mobile phone-based text messages, prospectively predicts attendance in group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression. Fifty-six Spanish-speaking Latino patients with elevated depressive symptoms (46 women, mean age=50.92years, SD=10.90years), enrolled in a manualized program of group CBT, received daily automated mood-monitoring text messages. Patients' daily mood ratings, message response rate, and delay in responding were recorded. Patients' self-reported mood the day prior to a scheduled psychotherapy session significantly predicted attendance, even after controlling for patients' prior attendance history and age (OR=1.33, 95% CI [1.04, 1.70], p=.02). Positive mood corresponded to a greater likelihood of attendance. Our results demonstrate the clinical utility of automated mood-monitoring text messages in predicting attendance. These results underscore the value of text messaging, and other mobile technologies, as adjuncts to psychotherapy. Future work should explore the use of such monitoring to guide interventions to increase attendance, and ultimately the efficacy of psychotherapy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Issue 7: Museum Attendance, Population Shifts, and Changing Tastes

OpenAIRE

Haselhoff, Kim; Ong, Paul M.

2005-01-01

SCS Fact Sheet no. 7 looks at the extent to which Southern California residents attend art and cultural museums. The findings are consistent with other studies, which have found differences in museum attendance based on ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics. We also found similarities in the general rate of museum attendance in the region over the past twenty years, as well as some changes in attendance rates among groups over the past two decades.

Predictors of emergency department attendance by people with dementia in their last year of life: Retrospective cohort study using linked clinical and administrative data.

Science.gov (United States)

Sleeman, Katherine E; Perera, Gayan; Stewart, Robert; Higginson, Irene J

2018-01-01

A fall in hospital deaths in dementia has been interpreted as indicating an improvement in end-of-life care. Whether other indicators of quality of end-of-life care, such as emergency department (ED) attendance, show a similar trend is unclear. Retrospective cohort study using electronic medical records from a large mental health care provider, linked to national mortality and hospital use data (2008-2013). Of 4867 patients, 78.6% (3824) had at least one ED attendance during their last year of life (mean 2.13, standard deviation 2.34, range 0-54). ED attendance increased over the time period (incidence rate ratio 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.46-1.80 for 2012-2013 compared with 2008-2009). ED attendance in the last year of life for people with dementia is common and is increasing. Policy makers must pay attention to a broader range of indicators of poor end-of-life care alongside the place of death. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Did professional attendance at home births improve early neonatal survival in Indonesia?

Science.gov (United States)

Hatt, Laurel; Stanton, Cynthia; Ronsmans, Carine; Makowiecka, Krystyna; Adisasmita, Asri

2009-07-01

BACKGROUND Early neonatal mortality has been persistently high in developing countries. Indonesia, with its national policy of home-based, midwife-assisted birth, is an apt context for assessing the effect of home-based professional birth attendance on early neonatal survival. METHODS We pooled four Indonesian Demographic and Health Surveys and used multivariate logistic regression to analyse trends in first-day and early neonatal mortality. We measured the effect of the context of delivery, including place and type of provider, and tested for changes in trend when the 'Midwife in the Village' programme was initiated. RESULTS Reported first-day mortality did not decrease significantly between 1986 and 2002, whereas early neonatal mortality decreased by an average of 3.2% annually. The rate of the decline did not change over the time period, either in 1989 when the Midwife in the Village programme was initiated, or in any year following when uptake of professional care increased. In simple and multivariate analyses, there were no significant differences in first-day or early neonatal death rates comparing home-based births with or without a professional midwife. Early neonatal mortality was higher in public facilities, likely due to selection. Biological determinants (twin births, male sex, short birth interval, previous early neonatal loss) were important for both outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Decreasing newborn death rates in Indonesia are encouraging, but it is not clear that these decreases are associated with greater uptake of professional delivery care at home or in health facilities. This may suggest a need for improved training in immediate newborn care, strengthened emergency referral, and continued support for family planning policies.

Climate implications of including albedo effects in terrestrial carbon policy

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, A. D.; Collins, W.; Torn, M. S.; Calvin, K. V.

2012-12-01

Proposed strategies for managing terrestrial carbon in order to mitigate anthropogenic climate change, such as financial incentives for afforestation, soil carbon sequestration, or biofuel production, largely ignore the direct effects of land use change on climate via biophysical processes that alter surface energy and water budgets. Subsequent influences on temperature, hydrology, and atmospheric circulation at regional and global scales could potentially help or hinder climate stabilization efforts. Because these policies often rely on payments or credits expressed in units of CO2-equivalents, accounting for biophysical effects would require a metric for comparing the strength of biophysical climate perturbation from land use change to that of emitting CO2. One such candidate metric that has been suggested in the literature on land use impacts is radiative forcing, which underlies the global warming potential metric used to compare the climate effects of various greenhouse gases with one another. Expressing land use change in units of radiative forcing is possible because albedo change results in a net top-of-atmosphere radiative flux change. However, this approach has also been critiqued on theoretical grounds because not all climatic changes associated with land use change are principally radiative in nature, e.g. changes in hydrology or the vertical distribution of heat within the atmosphere, and because the spatial scale of land use change forcing differs from that of well-mixed greenhouse gases. To explore the potential magnitude of this discrepancy in the context of plausible scenarios of future land use change, we conduct three simulations with the Community Climate System Model 4 (CCSM4) utilizing a slab ocean model. Each simulation examines the effect of a stepwise change in forcing relative to a pre-industrial control simulation: 1) widespread conversion of forest land to crops resulting in approximately 1 W/m2 global-mean radiative forcing from albedo

Incidence and Nature of Medical Attendance Injuries in English Community Rugby Union

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Simon P.; Trewartha, Grant; England, Mike; Stokes, Keith A.

2014-01-01

Background: Previous research has identified injury patterns during community-level rugby union match play, but none have investigated the frequency and reasons for on-field injury management. Purpose: To establish the frequency, reasons, and patterns of on-field injury management in English community rugby, including differences between different levels of play. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Over 3 seasons, injury information was collected from 46 (2009-2010), 67 (2010-2011), and 76 (2011-2012) English community clubs (Rugby Football Union [RFU] levels 3-9). Club injury management staff reported information for all medical attendances during match play, including details on the injury site and type, playing position (seasons 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 only), and whether the player was removed from play. Clubs were subdivided into groups A (RFU levels 3 and 4 [mainly semiprofessional]; n = 39), B (RFU levels 5 and 6 [mainly amateur]; n = 71), and C (RFU levels 7-9 [social and recreational]; n = 79) to differentiate playing levels. Results: The overall medical attendance incidence was 229 per 1000 player-match hours (95% CI, 226-232), with 45 players removed per 1000 player-match hours (95% CI, 44-46). Attendance incidence for group A (294 per 1000 player-match hours; 95% CI, 287-301) was higher compared with group B (213; 95% CI, 208-218; P < .001) and C (204; 95% CI, 200-209; P < .001). There was a higher incidence of attendances to forwards (254; 95% CI, 249-259) compared with backs (191; 95% CI, 187-196; P < .001). The head was the most common specific site of injury (55 per 1000 player-match hours; 95% CI, 53-57) but the lower limb region overall accounted for most attendances (87; 95% CI, 85-89) and the greatest chance of removal from the pitch (22; 95% CI, 21-23). Conclusion: With the likelihood of 1 injury for each team per match severe enough for the player to leave the pitch and with at least 1 attendance for a head injury per match

Social environment and frequent attendance in Danish general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vedsted, Peter; Olesen, Frede

2005-01-01

of 1423 (73.7%) frequent attenders and 1103 (74.9%) infrequent attenders responded. Male frequent attendance was associated, with statistical significance, with living alone and being without work or on a disability pension. Among women, lack of professional education or being without work tended...

Patient-Centered Handovers: Ethnographic Observations of Attending and Resident Physicians: Ethnographic Observations of Attending and Resident Physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Mount-Campbell, Austin F; Rayo, Michael F; OʼBrien, James J; Allen, Theodore T; Patterson, Emily S

Handover communication improvement initiatives typically employ a "one size fits all" approach. A human factors perspective has the potential to guide how to tailor interventions to roles, levels of experience, settings, and types of patients. We conducted ethnographic observations of sign-outs by attending and resident physicians in 2 medical intensive care units at one institution. Digitally audiotaped data were manually analyzed for content using codes and time spent using box plots for emergent categories. A total of 34 attending and 58 resident physician handovers were observed. Resident physicians spent more time for "soon to be discharged" and "higher concern" patients than attending physicians. Resident physicians spent less time discussing patients which they had provided care for within the last 3 days ("handbacks"). The study suggested differences for how handovers were conducted for attending and resident physicians for 3 categories of patients; handovers differ on the basis of role or level of expertise, patient type, and amount of prior knowledge of the patient. The findings have implications for new directions for subsequent research and for how to tailor quality improvement interventions based upon the role, level of experience, level of prior knowledge, and patient categories.

The impact of daycare attendance on outdoor free play in young children.

Science.gov (United States)

Carsley, S; Liang, L Y; Chen, Y; Parkin, P; Maguire, J; Birken, C S

2017-03-01

Outdoor free play is important for healthy growth and development in early childhood. Recent studies suggest that the majority of time spent in daycare is sedentary. The objective of this study was to determine whether there was an association between daycare attendance and parent-reported outdoor free play. Healthy children aged 1-5 years recruited to The Applied Research Group for Kids! (TARGet Kids!), a primary care research network, were included. Parents reported daycare use, outdoor free play and potential confounding variables. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the association between daycare attendance and outdoor free play, adjusted for age, sex, maternal ethnicity, maternal education, neighborhood income and season. There were 2810 children included in this study. Children aged 1 to <3 years (n = 1388) and ≥3 to 5 years (n = 1284) who attended daycare had 14.70 min less (95% CI -20.52, -8.87; P < 0.01) and 9.44 min less (95% CI -13.67, -5.20; P < 0.01) per day of outdoor free play compared with children who did not attend daycare, respectively. Children who spend more time in daycare have less parent-reported outdoor free play. Parents may be relying on daycare to provide opportunity for outdoor free play and interventions to promote increased active play opportunities outside of daycare are needed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of energy policy. [Including proposal by American Inst. of Architects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Windheim, L S

1977-02-01

It has been evident to some future-looking individuals for some time that both the availability of abundant cheap energy supplies and the exponential increasing use of unlimited amounts must change. However, official energy policy thinking in the U.S. either fails to believe that 'times have changed' or, if believing, is responding in a deleterious and counter-productive manner. This fantastically pervasive and interactive problem cannot be dealt with in the long run by any policy of 'normalizing', of trying to return to doing more with more. The more successful the U.S. is in maintaining or increasing its total energy consumption under conditions of declining net energy, or striving for simplistic first-law efficiencies without analyzing the second level or entropy effects or realizing that every energy exchange adds a minute but rapidly aggregating portion to the environmental pollution limit--doing more with more--the more rapidly inflation, unemployment, and general economic instability will increase. A small group of architectural professionals, the American Institute of Architects, has proposed an alternate energy strategy, essentially doing more with less which, if pursued, can provide more jobs, less inflation, less pollution, and the potential for better matching of energy task and source (entropy efficiency). This strategy exemplifies the characteristics of an appropriate technology response. It stresses capital and energy as well as labor productivity.

Religious attendance after elevated depressive symptoms: is selection bias at work?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lloyd Balbuena

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In an attempt to determine if selection bias could be a reason that religious attendance and depression are related, the predictive value of elevated depressive symptoms for a decrease in future attendance at religious services was examined in a longitudinal panel of 1,673 Dutch adults. Religious attendance was assessed yearly over five years using the single question, “how often do you attend religious gatherings nowadays?” Depressive symptoms were assessed four times within the first year using the Depression subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory. Logistic regression models of change in attendance were created, stratifying by baseline attendance status. Attenders who developed elevated symptoms were less likely to subsequently decrease their attendance (relative risk ratio: 0.55, 95% CI [0.38–0.79] relative to baseline as compared to those without elevated symptoms. This inverse association remained significant after controlling for health and demographic covariates, and when using multiply imputed data to account for attrition. Non-attenders were unlikely to start attending after elevated depressive symptoms. This study provides counter evidence against previous findings that church attenders are a self-selected healthier group.

The Effect of Men's Body Attitudes and Motivation for Gym Attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Caudwell, Kim M; Keatley, David A

2016-09-01

Caudwell, KM and Keatley, DA. The effect of men's body attitudes and motivation for gym attendance. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2550-2556, 2016-The current study integrates men's body attitudes with implicitly and explicitly measured motivation to investigate the role of these factors in predicting gym attendance. Male participants (N = 99) who regularly attended a gym were recruited to participate in an online questionnaire. Participants completed implicit and explicit measures of motivation, explicitly measured men's body attitudes, and reported the average number of gym visits per week. Attitudes related to body fat and explicitly measured autonomous motivation significantly predicted typical gym attendance. Implicitly measured motivation significantly and negatively predicted gym attendance. Results indicate some support for a dual-systems account of gym attendance. Men's body attitudes and autonomous motivation influences gym attendance; however, implicitly measured motivation showed antagonistic effects. Although individuals may explicitly state their autonomous motivation for gym attendance, attendance may also be influenced at the explicit level. Health and fitness professionals may improve gym attendance by focusing on people's reasons for attending a gym, facilitating autonomous motivation in clients, and minimizing the influence of controlled reasons for exercise.

Speech-based Class Attendance

Science.gov (United States)

Faizel Amri, Umar; Nur Wahidah Nik Hashim, Nik; Hazrin Hany Mohamad Hanif, Noor

2017-11-01

In the department of engineering, students are required to fulfil at least 80 percent of class attendance. Conventional method requires student to sign his/her initial on the attendance sheet. However, this method is prone to cheating by having another student signing for their fellow classmate that is absent. We develop our hypothesis according to a verse in the Holy Qur’an (95:4), “We have created men in the best of mould”. Based on the verse, we believe each psychological characteristic of human being is unique and thus, their speech characteristic should be unique. In this paper we present the development of speech biometric-based attendance system. The system requires user’s voice to be installed in the system as trained data and it is saved in the system for registration of the user. The following voice of the user will be the test data in order to verify with the trained data stored in the system. The system uses PSD (Power Spectral Density) and Transition Parameter as the method for feature extraction of the voices. Euclidean and Mahalanobis distances are used in order to verified the user’s voice. For this research, ten subjects of five females and five males were chosen to be tested for the performance of the system. The system performance in term of recognition rate is found to be 60% correct identification of individuals.

The experience of being a traditional midwife: relationships with skilled birth attendants.

Science.gov (United States)

Dietsch, Elaine

2010-01-01

This article focuses on an unexpected finding of a research project which explored the experience of being a traditional midwife. The unexpected finding was that traditional midwives often perceive skilled (professional) birth attendants to be abusive of both them and the women who are transferred to hospital for emergency obstetric care. Eighty-four traditional midwives in the Western Province of Kenya were interviewed individually or in groups with a Bukusu/Kiswahili/English-speaking interpreter. Interviews were audiotaped and the English components were transcribed verbatim. Interview transcripts and observations were thematically analysed. A minority of relationships between traditional midwives and skilled birth attendants were based on mutual respect and collaborative practice. However, the majority of encounters with skilled birth attendants were perceived by the traditional midwives to be abusive for them and the women requiring emergency obstetric care. In the interests of improving health outcomes for women and their newborns, interpersonal skills, including maintaining respectful communication and relationships must be a core competency for all caregivers. Providing opportunities for reciprocal learning and strategies to enhance relationships between traditional midwives and skilled birth attendants are recommended. Current global strategies to reduce maternal and newborn mortality by increasing the number of women birthing with a skilled (professional) birth attendant in an enabling environment may be limited while the reasons for traditional midwives being the caregiver of choice for the majority of women living in areas such as Western Kenya remain unaddressed.

Direct and Indirect Factors Influencing Selection of Birthing Attendants in Gunungsari, West Lombok (NTB

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ni Nyoman Aryaniti

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose: This study aims to determine the direct and indirect factors influencing the selection of birth attendants in Gunungsari subdistrict, West Lombok.Methods: This study was cross-sectional with a purposively selected sample of 27 mothers giving birth assisted by non-health professionals. Samples of those assisted by health professionals were taken by means of proportional systematic random sampling in Gunungsari and Penimbung health centers, respectively 29 of 916 and 14 of 437. Exogenous factors were maternal education levels, attendance to ANC classes, knowledge levels regarding to birthing attendants, maternal attitude, family support, and access to facilities. Birth attendant selection was the endogenousfactor. Data were collected by means of interviews. Data analysis includes descriptive and inferential analysis with path analysis by linear regression.Results: The majority of respondents were 21-25 years old (87.4% , housewives (47.14% had educat ion under high school (65.72% and were married (88.57%. Family support had a direct influence in decision making with a coefficient of 0.534 and 35.54% influence overall. Attendance to ANC classes in addition to family support had anindirect influence with a coefficient of 0.520 and 34.78% influence overall. Family support had a direct influence and the factor of attendance to ANC classes and family support has an indirect effect with the overall effect of 70.32%.Conclusion: The presence of the husband/family was needed in ANC class, through an implementation of schedule agreement.Keywords: family support, ANC class, birth attendants, path analysis, West Lombok

A Survey of Readmission Policies Pertaining to Students Who Had Been Out of School for Five or More Years.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, John B.

To determine the policies followed by certain institutions in admitting or readmitting students who had attended regionally accredited colleges or universities but who had been out of school for 5 or more years, a questionnaire was sent to 40 regional institutions. Responses were analyzed on the basis of 3 types of admission policies: readmission…

Stakeholder engagement: a model for tobacco policy planning in Oklahoma Tribal communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchard, Jessica W; Petherick, J T; Basara, Heather

2015-01-01

Oklahoma law pre-empts local governments from enacting smoking restrictions inside public places that are stricter than state law, but the sovereign status of Oklahoma's 38 Tribal nations means they are uniquely positioned to stand apart as leaders in the area of tobacco policy. To provide recommendations for employing university-Tribal partnerships as an effective strategy for tobacco policy planning in tribal communities. Using a community-based participatory research approach, researchers facilitated a series of meetings with key Tribal stakeholders in order to develop a comprehensive tobacco policy plan. Ongoing engagement activities held between January 2011 and May 2012, including interdepartmental visits, facility site tours, interviews, and attendance at tribal activities, were critical for fostering constructive and trusting relationships between all partners involved in the policy planning process. The 17-month collaborative engagement produced a plan designed to regulate the use of commercial tobacco in all Tribally owned properties. The extended period of collaboration between the researchers and Tribal stakeholders facilitated: (1) levels of trust between partners; and (2) a steadfast commitment to the planning process, ensuring completion of the plan amid uncertain political climates and economic concerns about tobacco bans. Extended engagement produced an effective foundation for policy planning that promoted collaboration between otherwise dispersed Tribal departments, and facilitated communication of diverse stakeholder interests related to the goal of tobacco policies. The findings of this study provide useful strategies and best practices for those looking to employ Tribal-university partnerships as strategies for tobacco control planning and policy-based research. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rural-Nonrural Differences in College Attendance Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Soo-Yong; Irvin, Matthew J.; Meece, Judith L.

2015-01-01

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, this study documented college attendance patterns of rural youth in terms of the selectivity of first postsecondary institution of attendance, the timing of transition to postsecondary education, and the continuity of enrollment. The study also examined how these college attendance…

Contribution of traditional birth attendants to the formal health system in Ethiopia: the case of Afar region.

Science.gov (United States)

Temesgen, Tedla Mulatu; Umer, Jemal Yousuf; Buda, Dawit Seyoum; Haregu, Tilahun Nigatu

2012-01-01

Traditional birth attendants (TBAs) have been a subject of discussion in the provision of maternal and newborn health care. The objective of this study was to assess the role of trained traditional birth attendants in maternal and newborn health care in Afar Regional State of Ethiopia. A qualitative study was used where 21 in-depth interviews and 6 focus group discussions were conducted with health service providers, trained traditional birth attendants, mothers, men, kebele leaders and district health personnel. The findings of this study indicate that trained traditional birth attendants are the backbone of the maternal and child health development in pastoralist communities. However, the current numbers are inadequate and cannot meet the needs of the pastoralist communities including antenatal care, delivery, postnatal care and family planning. In addition to service delivery, all respondents agreed on multiple contributions of trained TBAs, which include counselling, child care, immunisation, postnatal care, detection of complication and other social services. Without deployment of adequate numbers of trained health workers for delivery services, trained traditional birth attendants remain vital for the rural community in need of maternal and child health care services. With close supportive supervision and evaluation of the trainings, the TBAs can greatly contribute to decreasing maternal and newborn mortality rates.

Unilateral collaboration: The practices and understandings of traditional birth attendants in southeastern Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohaja, Magdalena; Murphy-Lawless, Jo

2017-08-01

Despite the promotion of hospital-based maternity care as the safest option, for less developed countries, many women particularly those in the rural areas continue to patronise indigenous midwives or traditional birth attendants. Little is known about traditional birth attendants' perspectives regarding their pregnancy and birth practices. To explore traditional birth attendants' discourses of their pregnancy and birthing practices in southeast Nigeria. Hermeneutic phenomenology guided by poststructural feminism was the methodological approach. Individual face to face semi-structured interviews were conducted with five traditional birth attendants following consent. Participants' narratives of their pregnancy and birth practices are organised into two main themes namely: 'knowing differently,' and 'making a difference.' Their responses demonstrate evidence of expertise in sustaining normal birth, safe practice including hygiene, identifying deviation from the normal, willingness to refer women to hospital when required, and appropriate use of both traditional and western medicines. Inexpensive, culturally sensitive, and compassionate care were the attributes that differentiate traditional birth attendants' services from hospital-based maternity care. The participants provided a counter-narrative to the official position in Nigeria about the space they occupy. They responded in ways that depict them as committed champions of normal birth with ability to offer comprehensive care in accordance with the individual needs of women, and respect for cultural norms. Professional midwives are therefore challenged to review their ways of practice. Emphasis should be placed on what formal healthcare providers and traditional birth attendants can learn from each other. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress Factors Associated With Burnout Among Attending Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawamura, Yurika; Takayashiki, Ayumi; Ito, Makoto; Maeno, Takami; Seo, Emiko; Maeno, Tetsuhiro

2018-03-01

Burnout in attending physicians is a crucial issue that may negatively impact patient outcomes, as well as affect the quality of training provided to residents. To investigate the association between burnout and stress-coping ability, we conducted a cross-sectional study of attending physicians. From April 2013 to March 2014, we distributed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire to 1,897 attending physicians who attended teaching-related training sessions and workshops. The questionnaire included the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS, Japanese version) to evaluate burnout; the sense of coherence scale (SOC, Japanese version) to measure stress-coping ability, with higher scores indicating higher stress-coping ability; the Brief Scales for Job Stress (BSJS) to assess stress and buffering factors; demographic factors; mean weekly working hours; and factors related to instructing residents. The MBI-GS was used to determine the presence of physician burnout. Subjects were divided into tertiles based on SOC scores. We conducted logistic regression analysis of burnout using the following independent variables: physician experience, sex, mean weekly working hours, SOC group, mental workload, and reward from work. Of the 1,543 (81.3%) attending physicians who responded, 376 did not meet the inclusion criteria and 106 had missing data, thus 1,061 (55.9%) were analyzed. The prevalence of burnout was 17.2%. Physicians with burnout had significantly fewer years of experience as a doctor (P burnout. On the BSJS, the mean score of all stress factors was higher and that of buffering factors was lower in physicians with burnout (P burnout were 35.7%, 12.8%, and 3.2% in the low, middle, and high SOC groups, respectively (P burnout in the low SOC group was 4.7 (95% confidence interval: 2.31 - 9.63) (P burnout among attending physicians was significantly associated with SOC scores after adjustment for stress factors and buffering factors.

Students Attendance Management System Based On RFID And Fingerprint Reader

OpenAIRE

Moth Moth Myint Thein; Chaw Myat Nweand Hla Myo Tun

2015-01-01

Abstract Today students class attendance is become more important part for any organizationsinstitutions. The conventional method of taking attendance by calling names or signing on paper is very time consuming and insecure hence inefficient. This paper presents the manual students attendance management into computerized system for convenience or data reliability. So the system is developed by the integration of ubiquitous computing systems into classroom for managing the students attendance ...

Design of Lightweight e Attendance Prototype Using Raspberry Pi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Dzul Aiman Aslan; Mohamad Safuan Sulaiman; Saaidi Ismail; Mohd Fauzi Haris; Nurbahyah Hamdan; Abdul Muin Abd Rahman

2014-01-01

E-Attendance is a system that has been extensively used to record attendance in most of the official ceremony of Nuclear Malaysia. Currently, a computer is used as the client to record the input from the proximity card. However, further study on Raspberry Pi, the single board computer that use system on a chip (SoC) in the current market, discover that it is capable of delivering a simple light task of the e-attendance. With a compact memory and in linux environment, a prototype for lightweight e-attendance is being developed. This prototype of Raspberry Pi is believe to have potential in computer based system of Nuclear Technology such as access control, monitoring system and even robotic assistance. This paper will discuss the design of the prototype that resemble e-attendance to improve the robustness of the system. (author)

Results of the 2015 Scoliosis Research Society Survey on Single Versus Dual Attending Surgeon Approach for Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheer, Justin K; Sethi, Rajiv K; Hey, Lloyd A; LaGrone, Michael O; Keefe, Malla; Aryan, Henry E; Errico, Thomas J; Deviren, Vedat; Hart, Robert A; Lafage, Virginie; Schwab, Frank; Daubs, Michael D; Ames, Christopher P

2017-06-15

An electronic survey administered to Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) membership. To characterize surgeon practices and views regarding the use of two attending surgeons for adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. The use of two experienced attending surgeons can decrease the operative time, estimated blood loss, and perioperative complication rates. However, the current practice patterns for the use of two attending surgeons remains unknown. An electronic, 27-question survey regarding single/dual attending surgeons was administered to the SRS membership. Determinants included: surgeon/practice demographics, assistant type/level of training, and questions regarding use of two attending surgeons. Overall reporting and comparisons between groups were made: US versus international, academic versus private practice, and experience 15 years. A total of 199 surgeons responded from 27 different countries. Overall and between the groups, the respondents significantly reported believing that two attending spine surgeons improves safety, decreases complications, and improves outcomes (P < 0.01). Approximately, 67.3% reported using a second attending ≤25% of the time (33.2% do not), and 24.1% use one ≥51% of the time (similar between groups); 51.1% that have a second attending feel it's limited by reimbursement and access concerns and 71.9% have difficulty getting the second attending reimbursed. 72.3% use a second attending for ALL of the following reasons (no difference between groups): "it's safer/reduces complications," "it decreases operative time," "it decreases blood loss," "it results in improved outcomes," "it's less work and stress for me." If reimbursement was equal/assured for a second attending, 67.5% would use one "more often" or "always." The respondents feel that having a second attending surgeon improves patient care, however most do not use one often. Reasons include reimbursement/access concerns and the majority would use one if reimbursement was

Factors influencing choice of skilled birth attendance at ANC: evidence from the Kenya demographic health survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyongesa, Caroline; Xu, Xiaoyue; Hall, John J; Macharia, William M; Yego, Faith; Hall, Brigid

2018-04-10

In Kenya, skilled attendance at delivery is well below the international target of 90% and the maternal mortality ratio is high at 362 (CI 254-471) per 100,000 live births despite various interventions. The preventative role of skilled attendance at delivery makes it a benchmark indicator for safe motherhood. Maternal health data from the Service Provision Assessment Survey, a subset of the 2010 Kenya Demographic Health Survey was analyzed. Logistic regression models were employed using likelihood ratio test to explore association between choice of skilled attendance and predictor variables. Overall, 94.8% of women are likely to seek skilled attendance at delivery. Cost, education level, number of antenatal visits and sex of provider were strongly associated with client's intention to deliver with a skilled birth attendant at delivery. Women who reported having enough money set aside for delivery were 4.34 (p < 0.002, 95% CI: 1.73; 10.87) times more likely to seek skilled attendance. Those with primary education and above were 6.6 times more likely to seek skilled attendance than those with no formal education (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 3.66; 11.95). Women with four or more antenatal visits were 5.95 (p < 0.018, 95% CI: 1.35; 26.18) times more likely to seek skilled attendance. Compared to men, female providers impacted more on the client's plan (OR = 2.02 (p < 0.014, 95% CI: 1.35; 3.53). Interventions aimed at improving skilled attendance at delivery should include promotion of formal education of women and financial preparation for delivery. Whenever circumstances permit, women should be allowed to choose gender of preferred professional attendant at delivery.

Understanding Barriers and Solutions Affecting Preschool Attendance in Low-Income Families

Science.gov (United States)

Susman-Stillman, Amy; Englund, Michelle M.; Storm, Karen J.; Bailey, Ann E.

2018-01-01

Preschool attendance problems negatively impact children's school readiness skills and future school attendance. Parents are critical to preschoolers' attendance. This study explored parental barriers and solutions to preschool attendance in low-income families. School-district administrative data from a racially/ethnically diverse sample of…

Attendance, Employability, Student Performance and Electronic Course Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sund, Kristian J.

2016-01-01

This chapter discusses the possible detrimental effects of low attendance on the achievement of important learning outcomes in terms of "soft" employability-enhancing skills among undergraduate students in business schools, and explores how the use of learning technologies may contribute to high...... or low class attendance levels. The chapter describes the exploratory results of a survey carried out among final year bachelor students attending a strategic management course, the findings of which suggest that a significant number of students view virtual learning environments as a substitute...

The implementation of a municipal indoor ice skating helmet policy: effects on helmet use, participation and attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Mahony-Menton, Colleen; Willmore, Jacqueline; Russell, Katherine

2015-12-01

In Ottawa, between 2005 and 2009 there was an annual average of 47.2 head injuries due to ice skating in children and youth (1-19 years of age) requiring a visit to the emergency department, with the highest rates among those aged 5-14 years. Between 2002 and 2007, only 6% of children were wearing a helmet during ice skating when the head injury occurred. During indoor public skating sessions, 93% of children (skating helmet policy coupled with education and promotional activities on helmet use, participation and attitudes towards helmet use. An ice skating helmet policy for children (skating experience at indoor rinks during public skating sessions was developed, implemented and evaluated. Supportive activities such as discount coupons, promotional materials, a media launch, social marketing and staff training are described. The helmet policy was associated with increased helmet use for young children and for older children, youth and adults not included in the policy, without decreasing attendance to public skating sessions. 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/

Prospective study on determinants of repeat attendance and attendance patterns in breast cancer screening using the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drossaert, Constance H.C.; Boer, Hendrik; Seydel, E.R.

2003-01-01

This prospective study, using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as a theoretical framework, was carried out to identify the determinants of repeat attendance and attendance patterns in organised breast screening. A group of 2657 women filled out a baseline questionnaire, approximately 8 weeks

Flight attendant radiation dose from solar particle events.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Jeri L; Mertens, Christopher J; Grajewski, Barbara; Luo, Lian; Tseng, Chih-Yu; Cassinelli, Rick T

2014-08-01

Research has suggested that work as a flight attendant may be related to increased risk for reproductive health effects. Air cabin exposures that may influence reproductive health include radiation dose from galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events. This paper describes the assessment of radiation dose accrued during solar particle events as part of a reproductive health study of flight attendants. Solar storm data were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center list of solar proton events affecting the Earth environment to ascertain storms relevant to the two study periods (1992-1996 and 1999-2001). Radiation dose from exposure to solar energetic particles was estimated using the NAIRAS model in conjunction with galactic cosmic radiation dose calculated using the CARI-6P computer program. Seven solar particle events were determined to have potential for significant radiation exposure, two in the first study period and five in the second study period, and over-lapped with 24,807 flight segments. Absorbed (and effective) flight segment doses averaged 6.5 μGy (18 μSv) and 3.1 μGy (8.3 μSv) for the first and second study periods, respectively. Maximum doses were as high as 440 μGy (1.2 mSv) and 20 flight segments had doses greater than 190 μGy (0.5 mSv). During solar particle events, a pregnant flight attendant could potentially exceed the equivalent dose limit to the conceptus of 0.5 mSv in a month recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements.

What can a meta-analysis tell us about traditional birth attendant training and pregnancy outcomes?

Science.gov (United States)

Sibley, Lynn; Ann Sipe, Theresa

2004-03-01

to summarise the available published and unpublished studies on traditional birth attendant (TBA) training effectiveness. a meta-analysis. sixty studies (n=60) spanning 1971-1999 from 24 countries and three regions. the effect size index, Cohen's h for each outcome; the variance-weighted mean effect size and 95% confidence interval for sub-group of outcomes; homogeneity tests on the distribution of the weighted mean effect sizes; and sensitivity analysis to detect the presence of publication bias. TBA training was associated with significant increases in attributes such as TBA 'knowledge' (90%), 'attitude' (74%), 'behaviour' (63%) and 'advice' (90%) over the untrained TBA baseline. Results for 'behaviour' and 'advice' in specific content areas related to peri-neonatal health outcome, however, reveal sources of variability and underscore the conflicting evidence on TBA training. TBA training was also associated with small but significant decreases in peri-neonatal mortality (8%) and birth asphyxia mortality (11%). Incomplete reporting limited the assessment of neonatal mortality due to tetanus and acute respiratory infection, maternal mortality, as well as assessment of the relationship between intervention characteristics and outcomes. The quality of studies included in the meta-analysis lack sufficient rigour to address the question of causality. Thus, while the data suggest that TBA training is effective in terms of the outcomes measured, we are unable to demonstrate that it is a cost-effective intervention. skilled attendance at birth is a distant reality in many developing countries and effective community-based strategies are needed to help reduce high levels of mortality. Given the magnitude of peri-neonatal mortality, the associations observed between TBA training peri-neonatal and birth asphyxia mortality, and TBA attributes in content relevant to peri-neonatal survival, we suggest that these strategies may usefully include TBA training in appropriate

Role of an audience response system in didactic attendance and assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoneking, Lisa R; Grall, Kristi H; Min, Alice; Dreifuss, Bradley; Spear Ellinwood, Karen C

2014-06-01

The Residency Review Committee for Emergency Medicine mandates conference participation, but tracking attendance is difficult and fraught with errors. Feedback on didactic sessions, if not collected in real time, is challenging to obtain. We assessed whether an audience response system (ARS) would (1) encourage residents to arrive on time for lectures, and (2) increase anonymous real-time audience feedback. The ARS (Poll Everywhere) provided date/time-stamped responses to polls from residents, including a question to verify attendance and questions to gather immediate, anonymous postconference evaluations. Fisher exact test was used to calculate proportions. The proportion of residents who completed evaluations prior to the institution of the ARS was 8.75, and it was 59.42 after (P didactic sessions.

Including values in evidence-based policy making for breast screening: An empirically grounded tool to assist expert decision makers.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Lisa

2017-07-01

Values are an important part of evidence-based decision making for health policy: they guide the type of evidence that is collected, how it is interpreted, and how important the conclusions are considered to be. Experts in breast screening (including clinicians, researchers, consumer advocates and senior administrators) hold differing values in relation to what is important in breast screening policy and practice, and committees may find it difficult to incorporate the complexity and variety of values into policy decisions. The decision making tool provided here is intended to assist with this process. The tool is modified from more general frameworks that are intended to assist with ethical decision making in public health, and informed by data drawn from previous empirical studies on values amongst Australian breast screening experts. It provides a structured format for breast screening committees to consider and discuss the values of themselves and others, suggests relevant topics for further inquiry and highlights areas of need for future research into the values of the public. It enables committees to publicly explain and justify their decisions with reference to values, improving transparency and accountability. It is intended to act alongside practices that seek to accommodate the values of individual women in the informed decision making process for personal decision making about participation in breast screening. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social inequality in phase II cardiac rehabilitation attendance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Maria; Egerod, Ingrid; Overgaard, Dorthe

2018-01-01

: Thirty per cent attended full cardiac rehabilitation. Patients with low educational attainment, comorbidities, long commute to cardiac rehabilitation centre, and lone dwelling were less likely to attend full cardiac rehabilitation, whereas patients with high anxiety and depression score were more likely...

A Large-Scale Investigation into the Relationship between Attendance and Attainment: A Study Using an Innovative, Electronic Attendance Monitoring System

Science.gov (United States)

Newman-Ford, Loretta; Fitzgibbon, Karen; Lloyd, Stephen; Thomas, Stephen

2008-01-01

The literature available on the relationship between student attendance and attainment is inconsistent. Nevertheless, there is some empirical evidence to suggest that attendance is a determinant of academic performance and progression. Colby published results of a study which examined the relationship within a single year 1 undergraduate module,…

CBP Time and Attendance Management

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — The TAMS, supports time and attendance (payroll), overtime cap monitoring, overtime scheduling functions, budget reporting, staffing level reporting, and a variety...

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Based Employee Attendance Management System

Science.gov (United States)

Maramis, G. D. P.; Rompas, P. T. D.

2018-02-01

Manually recorded attendance of all the employees has produced some problems such as the data accuracy and staff performance efficiency. The objective of this research is to design and develop a software of RFID attendance system which is integrated with database system. This RFID attendance system was developed using several main components such as tags that will be used as a replacement of ID cards and a reader device that will read the information related to the employee attendance. The result of this project is a software of RFID attendance system that is integrated with the database and has a function to store the data or information of every single employee. This system has a maximum reading range of 2 cm with success probability of 1 and requires a minimum interval between readings of 2 seconds in order to achieve an optimal functionality. By using the system, the discipline attitude of the employees and also the performance of the staff will be improved instantly.

Attendroid : An Android Application in Attendance Management System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorissa Joana E. Buenas

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This research involves an android application in attendance management system. The study sought to provide an alternative solution to the increasing demand for time management in the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences in Batangas State University ARASOF. Through the said Android application the attendance checking will be much easier, for it will reduce the roll call that takes a lot of time. It was developed to help the lecturers have sufficient time for teaching and the students for learning. The researchers used research design, development process, and programming procedures in their study. The “Attendroid”, was designed and develop using Eclipse, Java Script, Php and HTML. This application is for android phones and tablet which has portable hotspot. The android application for the students will run on 2.2versions of android and higher. The android application has gone through an evaluation to test whether the system is acceptable in terms of security, accuracy, reliability, maintainability and user-friendliness against the manual checking of attendance. The result shows that the respondents are more favorable in the Attendroid because it can be gleaned that they gave an excellent feedback to the application compared to the manual process of attendance checking. After thorough study of the old ways of attendance checking against the newly developed application, a necessity to improve the manual checking was observed, and therefore, strengthen the advantages of implementing Attendroid. Based on the result of the proposed users’ acceptability, Attendroid could become the formal attendance checking system of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences.

A qualitative study of conceptions and attitudes regarding maternal mortality among traditional birth attendants in rural Guatemala.

Science.gov (United States)

Rööst, Mattias; Johnsdotter, Sara; Liljestrand, Jerker; Essén, Birgitta

2004-12-01

To explore conceptions of obstetric emergency care among traditional birth attendants in rural Guatemala, elucidating social and cultural factors. design Qualitative in-depth interview study. Rural Guatemala. Thirteen traditional birth attendants from 11 villages around San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Guatemala. Interviews with semi-structured, thematic, open-ended questions. Interview topics were: traditional birth attendants' experiences and conceptions as to the causes of complications, attitudes towards hospital care and referral of obstetric complications. Conceptions of obstetric complications, hospital referrals and maternal mortality among traditional birth attendants. Pregnant women rather than traditional birth attendants appear to make the decision on how to handle a complication, based on moralistically and fatalistically influenced thoughts about the nature of complications, in combination with a fear of caesarean section, maltreatment and discrimination at a hospital level. There is a discrepancy between what traditional birth attendants consider appropriate in cases of complications, and the actions they implement to handle them. Parameters in the referral system, such as logistics and socio-economic factors, are sometimes subordinated to cultural values by the target group. To have an impact on maternal mortality, bilateral culture-sensitive education should be included in maternal health programs.

The potential of transnational language policy to promote social inclusion of immigrants: An analysis and evaluation of the European Union's INCLUDE project

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, Cui

2017-08-01

Language issues and social inclusion consistently remain two major concerns for member countries of the European Union (EU). Despite an increasing awareness of the importance of language learning in migrants' social inclusion, and the promotion of language policies at European and national levels, there is still a lack of common actions at the European level. Challenged by questions as to whether language learning should be prioritised as a human right or as human capital building, how host/mainstream language learning can be reinforced while respecting language diversity, and other problems, member countries still need to find solutions. Confronting these dilemmas, this study analyses the relationship and interactions between language learning and immigrants' social inclusion in different contexts. It explores the potential of enhancing the effectiveness of language policies via a dialogue between policies and practices in different national contexts and research studies in the field of language and social inclusion. The research data are derived from two databases created by a European policy for active social inclusion project called INCLUDE. This project ran from 2013 to 2016 under the EU's lifelong learning programme, with funding support from the European Commission. Through an analysis of these two project databases, the paper reviews recent national language policies and their effect on the social inclusion of migrants. In the second part of her article, the author interprets the process of language learning and social inclusion using poststructuralist theories of language and identity.

The impact of self-transcendence on physical health status promotion in multiple sclerosis patients attending peer support groups.

Science.gov (United States)

JadidMilani, Maryam; Ashktorab, Tahereh; AbedSaeedi, Zhila; AlaviMajd, Hamid

2015-12-01

This study aimed to investigate the effect of self-transcendence on the physical health of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients attending peer support groups. This study was a quasi-experimental before-and-after design including 33 MS patients in three groups: 10 men in the men-only group, 11 women in the women-only group, and 12 men and women in the mixed group. Participants were required to attend eight weekly sessions of 2 h each. Instruments included the physical health section of the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Inventory and Reed's Self-Transcendence Scale. Peer support group attendance was found to have a significant positive effect on the physical health and self-transcendence of MS patients when comparing average scores before and after attendance. Regression analysis showed that improvement in self-transcendence predicted improvement in physical health. Results show the positive effects of peer support groups on self-transcendence and physical health in MS patients, and suggest that improvement in well-being can be gained by promoting self-transcendence and physical health. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Modeling flight attendants' exposure to secondhand smoke in commercial aircraft: historical trends from 1955 to 1989.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ruiling; Dix-Cooper, Linda; Hammond, S Katharine

2015-01-01

Flight attendants were exposed to elevated levels of secondhand smoke (SHS) in commercial aircraft when smoking was allowed on planes. During flight attendants' working years, their occupational SHS exposure was influenced by various factors, including the prevalence of active smokers on planes, fliers' smoking behaviors, airplane flight load factors, and ventilation systems. These factors have likely changed over the past six decades and would affect SHS concentrations in commercial aircraft. However, changes in flight attendants' exposure to SHS have not been examined in the literature. This study estimates the magnitude of the changes and the historic trends of flight attendants' SHS exposure in U.S. domestic commercial aircraft by integrating historical changes of contributing factors. Mass balance models were developed and evaluated to estimate flight attendants' exposure to SHS in passenger cabins, as indicated by two commonly used tracers (airborne nicotine and particulate matter (PM)). Monte Carlo simulations integrating historical trends and distributions of influence factors were used to simulate 10,000 flight attendants' exposure to SHS on commercial flights from 1955 to 1989. These models indicate that annual mean SHS PM concentrations to which flight attendants were exposed in passenger cabins steadily decreased from approximately 265 μg/m(3) in 1955 and 1960 to 93 μg/m(3) by 1989, and airborne nicotine exposure among flight attendants also decreased from 11.1 μg/m(3) in 1955 to 6.5 μg/m(3) in 1989. Using duration of employment as an indicator of flight attendants' cumulative occupational exposure to SHS in epidemiological studies would inaccurately assess their lifetime exposures and thus bias the relationship between the exposure and health effects. This historical trend should be considered in future epidemiological studies.

Public Staff Meetings – thank you for a large attendance

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2013-01-01

The public meetings of the Staff Association which took place recently were attended by about 500 staff, a large fraction of them young and on a limited duration (LD) contract. The audience mainly shared the worries of the Staff Association concerning the low number of IC post openings in this and the coming years. Moreover, after the meeting several LD contract holders contacted the Staff Association to express their point of view and to put forward their ideas to tackle this problem. As explained in those meetings, the Staff Association emphasizes that personnel policy should not be guided by self-imposed quota, even under pressure by the Member States. As we have repeated several times, CERN needs a total staff complement well beyond the baseline ceiling of 2250, the number agreed by Council, if it has to guarantee an efficient and excellence level of service to the ever-growing user community, which has almost doubled over the last decade. Moreover, the indefinite contract (IC) component should stan...

An Efficient Automatic Attendance System Using Fingerprint Reconstruction Technique

OpenAIRE

Ramakrishnan, Josphineleela; Ramakrishnan, M.

2012-01-01

Biometric time and attendance system is one of the most successful applications of biometric technology. One of the main advantage of a biometric time and attendance system is it avoids "buddy-punching". Buddy punching was a major loophole which will be exploiting in the traditional time attendance systems. Fingerprint recognition is an established field today, but still identifying individual from a set of enrolled fingerprints is a time taking process. Most fingerprint-based biometric syste...

Association between Breastfeeding Duration and Type of Birth Attendant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jordyn T. Wallenborn

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Healthcare providers play an integral role in breastfeeding education and subsequent practices; however, the education and support provided to patients may differ by type of provider. The current study aims to evaluate the association between type of birth attendant and breastfeeding duration. Methods. Data from the prospective longitudinal study, Infant Feeding Practices Survey II, was analyzed. Breastfeeding duration and exclusive breastfeeding duration were defined using the American Academy of Pediatrics’ national recommendations. Type of birth attendant was categorized into obstetricians, other physicians, and midwife or nurse midwife. If mothers received prenatal care from a different type of provider than the birth attendant, they were excluded from the analysis. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to obtain crude and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results. Compared to mothers whose births were attended by an obstetrician, mothers with a family doctor or midwife were twice as likely to breastfeed at least six months. Similarly, mothers with a midwife birth attendant were three times as likely to exclusively breastfeed less than six months and six times more likely to exclusively breastfeed at least six months compared to those who had an obstetrician birth attendant. Conclusions. Findings from the current study highlight the importance of birth attendants in breastfeeding decisions. Interventions are needed to overcome barriers physicians encounter while providing breastfeeding support and education. However, this study is limited by several confounding factors that have not been controlled for as well as by the self-selection of the population.

Malaria among antenatal clients attending primary health care ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study assessed the prevalence of fever, malarial parasitemia and anemia among pregnant women attending PHC facilities in Kano, northern Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 360 ANCs attending PHC facilities in two Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kano state. Data were ...

Class attendance and academic performance of second year ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the impact of classroom attendance on academic performance of university students in an Organic Chemistry course. It also looked into the moderating effect of gender on attendance and academic performance. Data was collected through expo-facto survey involving real time documentation of ...

Factors associated with infertility among women attending the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate and determine the factors associated with infertility in women attending the gynaecology clinic at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: Using an unmatched case-control study design, women attending the gynaecology clinic for infertility ...

Energy policy in transport and transport policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Dender, Kurt

2009-01-01

Explanations for, and indirect evidence of, imperfections in the market for private passenger vehicle fuel economy suggest there is a reasonable case for combining fuel economy standards and fuel or carbon taxes to contribute to an energy policy that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. Estimates of key elasticities, including the rebound effect, indicate that the positive and negative side-effects of fuel economy measures on transport activities and external costs are limited. However, an energy policy for transport does not replace a transport policy that aims to manage the main transport externalities including congestion and local pollution. Conventional marginal cost estimates and standard cost-benefit reasoning suggest that policies that address congestion and local pollution likely bring benefits at least as large as those from fuel economy measures. But the large uncertainty on the possible effects of greenhouse gas emissions constitutes a strong challenge for standard cost-benefit reasoning. Emerging results from methods to cope with this uncertainty suggest that policies to stimulate the widespread adoption of low-carbon technologies in transport are justified.

Energy policy in transport and transport policy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Dender, Kurt [Joint Transport Research Centre of the International Transport Forum and the OECD, 2 rue Andre Pascale, F-75775 Paris Cedex 16 (France)

2009-10-15

Explanations for, and indirect evidence of, imperfections in the market for private passenger vehicle fuel economy suggest there is a reasonable case for combining fuel economy standards and fuel or carbon taxes to contribute to an energy policy that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. Estimates of key elasticities, including the rebound effect, indicate that the positive and negative side-effects of fuel economy measures on transport activities and external costs are limited. However, an energy policy for transport does not replace a transport policy that aims to manage the main transport externalities including congestion and local pollution. Conventional marginal cost estimates and standard cost-benefit reasoning suggest that policies that address congestion and local pollution likely bring benefits at least as large as those from fuel economy measures. But the large uncertainty on the possible effects of greenhouse gas emissions constitutes a strong challenge for standard cost-benefit reasoning. Emerging results from methods to cope with this uncertainty suggest that policies to stimulate the widespread adoption of low-carbon technologies in transport are justified. (author)

Pakistan's maternal and child health policy: analysis, lessons and the way forward.

Science.gov (United States)

Siddiqi, S; Haq, I U; Ghaffar, A; Akhtar, T; Mahaini, R

2004-07-01

An estimated 400,000 infant and 16,500 maternal deaths occur annually in Pakistan. These translate into an infant mortality rate and maternal mortality ratio that should be unacceptable to any state. Disease states including communicable diseases and reproductive health (RH) problems, which are largely preventable account for over 50% of the disease burden. The analysis of Pakistan's maternal and child health (MCH) and family planning (FP) policy covers the period 1990-2002, and focuses on macroeconomic influences, priority programs and gaps, adequacy of resources, equity and organizational aspects, and the process of policy formulation. The overall MCH/FP policy is well directed. MCH/FP has been a priority in all policies; resource allocation, although unacceptably low, has substantially increased during the last decade; and there is a progressive shift from MCH to the reproductive health (RH) agenda. Areas in need of improvement include greater use of evidence as a basis for policy; increased priority to nutrition programs, measures to reduce neonatal and perinatal mortality, provision of emergency obstetric care, availability of skilled birth attendants, and a clear policy on integrated management of childhood illnesses. Enhanced planning capacity, development of a balanced human resource, improved governance to reduce staff absenteeism and frequent transfers, and a greater role of the private sector in the provision of services are some organizational aspects that need the governments' consideration. There are several lessons to be learnt: (i) Ministries of Health need sustained stewardship and well-documented evidence to protect cuts in resource allocation; (ii) frequent policy announcement sends inappropriate signals to managers and weakens on-going implementation; (iii) MCH/FP policies unless informed by evidence and participation of interest groups are unlikely to address gaps in programs; (iv) distributional and equity objectives of MCH/FP be addressed

"I was on the way to the hospital but delivered in the bush": Maternal health in Ghana's Upper West Region in the context of a traditional birth attendants' ban.

Science.gov (United States)

Rishworth, Andrea; Dixon, Jenna; Luginaah, Isaac; Mkandawire, Paul; Tampah Prince, Caesar

2016-01-01

This study examines perceptions and experiences of mothers, traditional birth attendants (TBA), and skilled birth attendants (SBA) regarding Ghana's recent policy that forbids TBAs from undertaking deliveries and restricts their role to referrals. In the larger context of Ghana's highly underdeveloped and geographically uneven health care system, this study draws on the political ecology of health framework to explore the ways global safe motherhood policy discourses intersect with local socio-cultural and political environments of Ghana's Upper West Region (UWR). This study reveals that futile improvements in maternal health and the continued reliance on TBAs illustrate the government's inability to understand local realities marked by poor access to SBAs or modern health care services. Using focus group discussions (FGDs) (n = 10) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) (n = 48) conducted in Ghana's UWR, the findings suggest that mothers generally perceive TBAs as better placed to conduct deliveries in rural isolated communities, where in most cases no SBAs are present or easily accessible. The results indicate that by adhering to the World Health Organization's guidelines, the local government may be imposing detrimental, unintended consequences on maternal and child health in remote rural locations. In addition, the findings suggest that the new policy has resulted in considerable confusion among TBAs, many of whom remain oblivious or have not been officially notified about the new policy. Furthermore, participant accounts suggest that the new policy is seen as contributing to worsening relations and tensions between TBAs and SBAs, a situation that undermines the delivery of maternal health services in the region. The study concludes by suggesting relevant policy recommendations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indigenous Australians and Preschool Education: Who Is Attending?

Science.gov (United States)

Biddle, Nicholas

2007-01-01

This paper discusses the individual, family, household and area level characteristics associated with preschool attendance for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians (aged three to five years who are not at school). Controlling for these factors explains all of the difference between Indigenous and non-Indigenous attendance rates for…

Detecting causality in policy diffusion processes

Science.gov (United States)

Grabow, Carsten; Macinko, James; Silver, Diana; Porfiri, Maurizio

2016-08-01

A universal question in network science entails learning about the topology of interaction from collective dynamics. Here, we address this question by examining diffusion of laws across US states. We propose two complementary techniques to unravel determinants of this diffusion process: information-theoretic union transfer entropy and event synchronization. In order to systematically investigate their performance on law activity data, we establish a new stochastic model to generate synthetic law activity data based on plausible networks of interactions. Through extensive parametric studies, we demonstrate the ability of these methods to reconstruct networks, varying in size, link density, and degree heterogeneity. Our results suggest that union transfer entropy should be preferred for slowly varying processes, which may be associated with policies attending to specific local problems that occur only rarely or with policies facing high levels of opposition. In contrast, event synchronization is effective for faster enactment rates, which may be related to policies involving Federal mandates or incentives. This study puts forward a data-driven toolbox to explain the determinants of legal activity applicable to political science, across dynamical systems, information theory, and complex networks.

Do school break-time policies influence child dental health and snacking behaviours? An evaluation of a primary school programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, R; Oliver, M

2009-06-27

The aim of the two-year controlled trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of the 'Boosting Better Breaks' (BBB) break-time policy to reduce obvious decay experience and sugar snacking in a cohort of nine-year-old children attending intervention and control primary schools. A matched controlled prospective trial design. Children in Year 5 were invited with their parents/guardians to take part. The children were assessed at baseline and at 24-month follow-up. One hundred and eighty-nine children attended intervention schools and 175 attended control schools which were matched for socio-economic status (SES), school location and co-education status. The outcome variables were obvious decay experience and evidence of sugar snacks found in the children's rubbish bags. All children were asked to complete a questionnaire and keep evidence of the snacks they consumed starting from school-time break to when they retired for bed in a numbered and coded 'rubbish bag' on a specific collection day at baseline and 24-month follow-up. All children had a dental examination at baseline and 24-month follow-up. Sixty percent of children at baseline and all of the children at follow-up had at least one sugar snack in their rubbish bag. The most popular snacks at follow-up were sweets, chocolate, crisps and carbonated drinks. In the school environment children attending BBB policy schools had significantly lower mean scores for sugar snacks scores at baseline but equivalent mean sugar snacks scores at follow-up compared with children attending control schools. In the outside school environment there was no effect of school intervention on sugar snack scores. Decay into dentine at follow-up was predicted by school intervention status and evidence of sugar snacks consumption outside school and at home. The BBB break-time policy did not achieve its health promotion goals of promoting child dental health or encouraging children to adopt healthier dietary habits in school or in the wider

Associations between usual school lunch attendance and eating habits and sedentary behaviour in French children and adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubuisson, C; Lioret, S; Dufour, A; Volatier, J L; Lafay, L; Turck, D

2012-12-01

Our objective was to investigate whether school lunch attendance was associated with overall eating habits and sedentary behaviour in a French sample of children and adolescents. Data for the study were taken from the second French cross-sectional dietary survey (INCA2-2006-07). In total, 1413 school children aged 3-17 years old were classified according to their school type and their usual school lunch attendance. Eating habits included meal regularity, dietary diversity, purchase in vending machine, snacking habits and frequency of eating in fast-foods. Two composite indices of eating habits were derived from multiple correspondence analyses. Sedentary behaviour was assessed by the average daily screen times for TV and computer. The association between school lunch attendance and each variable was tested. Multivariate association between school lunch attendance and the composite indices of eating habits and sedentary behaviours was studied. In all, 69.0% (CI(95%): 64.2-73.9) of secondary school children and 63.0% (CI(95%): 58.5-67.5) of pre- and elementary school children usually attended school lunch at least once a week. Pre- and elementary school children attending school lunches showed a higher dietary diversity score (P=0.02) and ate morning snacks more frequently (P=0.02). In secondary school children, attending school canteen was related to a lower rate of skipping breakfast (P=0.04) and main meals (P=0.01). In all school children, school lunch attendance was simultaneously associated with healthier overall eating habits and less sedentary behaviour. In France, children attending school canteens seem to have healthier eating habits and display less sedentary behaviour, independently of their socio-economic and demographic background.

38 CFR 21.374 - Authorization for travel of attendants.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... severity of the veteran's disability. Attendants may only be used to enable a veteran to attend... or marriage is the veteran's (i) Spouse, (ii) Parent, (iii) Child, (iv) Brother, (v) Sister, (vi...

Development policy and the projects for fertility decline in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Cain, M; Lieberman, S S

1983-09-01

This paper reviews Bangladesh's government policy and suggests which development measures other than family planning services would increase contraceptive usage. It develops a framework for policy analysis by reviewing the fertility determinants literature in general, and that on Bangladesh. Conventional approaches, based on demographic transition theory (which presupposes economic development in the Third World will follow the historical path of the West, with attendant rates of urbanization and industrialization) and the microeconomic theory of consumer choice (whereby costs of children are measured only in the context of the internal workings of the household without regard to outside influences) are rejected in favor of an institutional framework, which emphasizes the productive value of children in the context of the institutional underpinnings of the costs and benefits of children. The analysis identifies the extremely harsh environment of risk, and the absence of effective forms of risk insurance, as crucial to understanding the persistence of Bangladesh's high fertility. It concludes that to ensure the country's fertility transition, the positive reproductive incentive associated with children as insurance against risk must be eliminated or reduced. Therefore policies with the greatest impact on reproductive behavior would either alter the environment of risk or introduce other effective means of adjusting to risk. Among the components of the development program in the Second Five Year Plan, rural public employment measures hold the greatest promise for reducing fertility. Such current initiatives have had program limitations, such as relief rather than long-term orientation and bottlenecks in communication and transportation. However, these efforts form a basis for developing a policy of guaranteed public works employment. This policy's potential flexibility, broad base, and success in other parts of South Asia (particularly Maharashtra State, India) make

Prevalence and Risk Factors of HIV Infection among Clients Attending ICTCs in Six Districts of Tamilnadu, South India

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Rajeswari Ramachandran

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To assess the HIV serostatus of clients attending integrated counseling and testing centres (ICTCs in Tamilnadu, south India (excluding antenatal women and children, and to study its association with demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral risk factors. Design. In a prospective observational study, we interviewed clients attending 170 ICTCs from six districts of Tamilnadu during 2007 utilizing a standard pretest assessment questionnaire. All the clients were tested for HIV with rapid test kits. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinants of HIV infection. Results. Of 18329 clients counseled, 17958 (98% were tested for HIV and 732 (4.1%; range 2.6 to 6.2% were tested positive for HIV. Median age of clients was 30 years; 89% had never used condoms in their lives and 2% gave history of having received blood transfusion. In multivariate analysis HIV seropositivity was associated with HIV in the family (adjusted odds ratio (AOR 11.6, history of having sex with sex workers (AOR 2.9, age ≥31 years (AOR 2.8; being married (AOR 2.5, previously tested for HIV (AOR 1.9, illiteracy (AOR 1.7, unemployment (AOR 1.5, and alcoholism (AOR 1.5. Conclusion. HIV seroprevalence being high in ICTC clients (varied from 2.6 to 6.2%, this group should also be included in routine programme monitoring of sero-positivity and risk factors for better understanding of the impact of the National AIDS Control Programme. This would help in evolving appropriate policies and strategies to reduce the spread of HIV infection.

Associations between classroom CO2 concentrations and student attendance in Washington and Idaho.

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Shendell, D G; Prill, R; Fisk, W J; Apte, M G; Blake, D; Faulkner, D

2004-10-01

Student attendance in American public schools is a critical factor in securing limited operational funding. Student and teacher attendance influence academic performance. Limited data exist on indoor air and environmental quality (IEQ) in schools, and how IEQ affects attendance, health, or performance. This study explored the association of student absence with measures of indoor minus outdoor carbon dioxide concentration (dCO(2)). Absence and dCO(2) data were collected from 409 traditional and 25 portable classrooms from 22 schools located in six school districts in the states of Washington and Idaho. Study classrooms had individual heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, except two classrooms without mechanical ventilation. Classroom attributes, student attendance and school-level ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) were included in multivariate modeling. Forty-five percent of classrooms studied had short-term indoor CO(2) concentrations above 1000 p.p.m. A 1000 p.p.m. increase in dCO(2) was associated (P student absence. Annual ADA was 2% higher (P student attendance, and occupant health and student performance, with longer term indoor minus outdoor CO(2) concentrations and more accurately measured ventilation rates. If our findings are confirmed, improving classroom ventilation should be considered a practical means of reducing student absence. Adequate or enhanced ventilation may be achieved, for example, with educational training programs for teachers and facilities staff on ventilation system operation and maintenance. Also, technological interventions such as improved automated control systems could provide continuous ventilation during occupied times, regardless of occupant thermal comfort demands.

Student and Teacher Attendance: The Role of Shared Goods in Reducing Absenteeism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Banerjee, Ritwik; King, Elizabeth; Orazem, Peter

2012-01-01

. Controlling for the endogeneity of teacher and student attendance, the most powerful factor raising teacher attendance is the attendance of the children in the school, and the most important factor influencing child attendance is the presence of the teacher. The results suggest that one important avenue...

Class Attendance and Performance in Principles of Economics

Science.gov (United States)

Cohn, Elchanan; Johnson, Eric

2006-01-01

A sample of 347 students, enrolled in principles of economics classes during the period 1997-2001, is used to examine the relation between class attendance and student performance on examinations. Among the questions examined are: Is attendance related to performance, with and without controls for other factors? Do only substantial levels of…

Neural responses to complex auditory rhythms: the role of attending

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Heather L Chapin

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to explore the role of attention in pulse and meter perception using complex rhythms. We used a selective attention paradigm in which participants attended to either a complex auditory rhythm or a visually presented word list. Performance on a reproduction task was used to gauge whether participants were attending to the appropriate stimulus. We hypothesized that attention to complex rhythms – which contain no energy at the pulse frequency – would lead to activations in motor areas involved in pulse perception. Moreover, because multiple repetitions of a complex rhythm are needed to perceive a pulse, activations in pulse related areas would be seen only after sufficient time had elapsed for pulse perception to develop. Selective attention was also expected to modulate activity in sensory areas specific to the modality. We found that selective attention to rhythms led to increased BOLD responses in basal ganglia, and basal ganglia activity was observed only after the rhythms had cycled enough times for a stable pulse percept to develop. These observations suggest that attention is needed to recruit motor activations associated with the perception of pulse in complex rhythms. Moreover, attention to the auditory stimulus enhanced activity in an attentional sensory network including primary auditory, insula, anterior cingulate, and prefrontal cortex, and suppressed activity in sensory areas associated with attending to the visual stimulus.

What do we know about sibling attended birth? An integrative literature review.

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Naber, Nora L; Miller, Suzanne; Baddock, Sally A

2018-05-08

to consolidate existing research in the field of sibling attended birth (SAB) into a body of knowledge to inform decision-making processes and guide midwifery practice throughout the sibling attended birth experience. An integrative literature review. CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Index New Zealand, Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre, grey literature databases REVIEW METHODS: An extensive search of five electronic databases as well as 17 grey literature databases was conducted. Abstracts of 2340 papers and full texts of 39 papers were scrutinised for inclusion criteria leading to 22 studies being included in this review. The Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool was used to facilitate a systematic quality appraisal process. This review included 22 studies (13 qualitative, 4 quantitative and 5 mixed methods). Studies were analysed using a narrative synthesis approach. Publications mainly focussed on families' motivations for choosing SAB, the preparation for the event, and the impact of SAB on children's behaviour and the infant/sibling relationship. This review identified that children experienced birth as a positive, exciting and important life event and parents viewed their SAB experiences as overwhelmingly positive and reported a heightened sense of family unity. Included studies did not address the long term effects of sibling attended birth, however, in the short-term, children did not show signs of trauma or severe distress, though differing levels of transient fear and anxiety were described. Families could benefit from receiving evidence based information to enable an informed decision regarding their children's involvement during pregnancy, birth and the immediate postpartum. Information shared by the midwife could focus on how families can achieve an optimal SAB experience for all family members. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Religious beliefs and alcohol control policies: a Brazilian nationwide study

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Giancarlo Lucchetti

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: The connection between lower alcohol use and religiousness has been extensively examined. Nevertheless, few studies have assessed how religion and religiousness influence public policies. The present study seeks to understand the influence of religious beliefs on attitudes toward alcohol use. Methods: A door-to-door, nationwide, multistage population-based survey was carried out. Self-reported religiousness, religious attendance, and attitudes toward use of alcohol policies (such as approval of public health interventions, attitudes about drinking and driving, and attitudes toward other alcohol problems and their harmful effects were examined. Multiple logistic regression was used to control for confounders and to assess explanatory variables. Results: The sample was composed of 3,007 participants; 57.3% were female and mean age was 35.7 years. Religiousness was generally associated with more negative attitudes toward alcohol, such as limiting hours of sale (p < 0.01, not having alcohol available in corner shops (p < 0.01, prohibiting alcohol advertisements on TV (p < 0.01, raising the legal drinking age (p < 0.01, and raising taxes on alcohol (p < 0.05. Higher religious attendance was associated with less alcohol problems (OR: 0.61, 95%CI 0.40-0.91, p = 0.017, and self-reported religiousness was associated with less harmful effects of drinking (OR: 0.61, 95%CI 0.43-0.88, p = 0.009. Conclusions: Those with high levels of religiousness support more restrictive alcohol policies. These findings corroborate previous studies showing that religious people consume less alcohol and have fewer alcohol-related problems.

The efficacy of attendance and semi-attendance group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on the anxiety disorders of adolescent girls

Science.gov (United States)

Karbasi, Afsaneh; Arman, Soroor; Maracy, Mohamad Reza

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are one of the most psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents that can cause long life functional disability. The first line treatment for this disorder is cognitive behavioral therapy that has primary, secondary and tertiary preventive effect, but is expensive and long time. Today there is some effort to find short term, group, semi-attendance and low cost therapies. METHODS: Subjects were 42 girls (12- 17 y) with at least one anxiety disorder according to DSM-IV-TR with their parents who were divided into two groups randomly: group A which participated in 8 sessions and group B which participated in 4 sessions and the contents of sessions 3, 4, 6, and 7 were recorded on a CD for them. The tests used in this study were: SCARED, CATS, CAIS-C, CAIS-P, conducted before (T0), just after (T1) and three months after the treatment (T2). The collected data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance test using SPSS software package, version 15.0. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between efficacy of semi-attendance group CBT and attendance group CBT in T0, T1 and T2 according to 4 tests (p = 0.311). The difference between the scores of these tests between T0 andT1 and T0 and T2 was significant in both groups (p < 0.001) but the difference between T1 and T2 was not significant. (p = 0.771). CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of semi-attendance group CBT and attendance group CBT is similar and would sustain after 3 months. PMID:21526093

The efficacy of attendance and semi-attendance group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT on the anxiety disorders of adolescent girls

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Afsaneh Karbasi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Anxiety disorders are one of the most psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents that can cause long life functional disability. The first line treatment for this disorder is cognitive behavioral therapy that has primary, secondary and tertiary preventive effect, but is expensive and long time. Today there is some effort to find short term, group, semi-attendance and low cost therapies. Methods: Subjects were 42 girls (12- 17 y with at least one anxiety disorder according to DSM-IV-TR with their parents who were divided into two groups randomly: group A which participated in 8 sessions and group B which participated in 4 sessions and the contents of sessions 3, 4, 6, and 7 were recorded on a CD for them. The tests used in this study were: SCARED, CATS, CAIS-C, CAIS-P, conducted before (T0, just after (T1 and three months after the treatment (T2. The collected data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance test using SPSS software package, version 15.0. Results: There was no significant difference between efficacy of semi-attendance group CBT and attendance group CBT in T0, T1 and T2 according to 4 tests (p = 0.311. The difference between the scores of these tests between T0 andT1 and T0 and T2 was significant in both groups (p < 0.001 but the difference between T1 and T2 was not significant. (p = 0.771. Conclusions: The efficacy of semi-attendance group CBT and attendance group CBT is similar and would sustain after 3 months.

Policy for Sustainable Entrepreneurship

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Watson, Rosina; Nielsen, Kristian Roed; Wilson, Hugh N.

open innovation with SME entrepreneurs, business execs, academics and policymakers via an online crowdsourcing event with 150 participants. Through inductive analysis of 1,696 text comments, five policy domains are identified: creating awareness/skills; building networks; funding/investing; measuring......Sustainable entrepreneurship—entrepreneurship with social and ecological gains as well as economic ones—can significantly address societal and environmental challenges, however, it is not clear how policy can support it. The authors develop a policy framework for sustainable entrepreneurship, using...... impact/performance; and innovating government. Contributions to entrepreneurship policy literature include measuring impact/performance and open policy innovation for entrepreneurship policy. Contributions to sustainability policy literature include empowering individuals as entrepreneurs and not just...

Resident perceptions of the impact of duty hour restrictions on resident-attending interactions: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerjevic, Kristen A; Rosenbaum, Marcy E; Suneja, Manish

2017-07-18

The institution of duty hour reforms by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in 2003 has created a learning environment where residents are consistently looking for input from attending physicians with regards to balancing duty hour regulations and providing quality patient care. There is a paucity of literature regarding resident perceptions of attending physician actions or attitudes towards work hour restrictions. The purpose of this study was to identify attending physician behaviors that residents perceived as supportive or unsupportive of their compliance with duty hour regulations. Focus group interviews were conducted with residents exploring their perceptions of how duty hour regulations impact their interactions with attending physicians. Qualitative analysis identified key themes in residents' experiences interacting with faculty in regard to duty hour regulations. Forty residents from five departments in two hospital systems participated. Discussion of these interactions highlighted that attending physicians demonstrate behaviors that explicitly or implicitly either lend their support and understanding of residents' need to comply with these regulations or imply a lack of support and understanding. Three major themes that contributed to the ease or difficulty in addressing duty hour regulations included attending physicians' explicit communication of expectations, implicit non-verbal and verbal cues and the program's organizational culture. Resident physicians' perception of attending physicians' explicit and implicit communication and residency programs organization culture has an impact on residents' experience with duty hour restrictions. Residency faculty and programs could benefit from explicitly addressing and supporting the challenges that residents perceive in complying with duty hour restrictions.

Psychosocial predictors of first attendance for organised mammography screening

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aro, A R; de Koning, H J; Absetz, P

1999-01-01

Scale, Illness Attitude Scale, Health Locus of Control Scale, Anxiety Inventory, and Depression Inventory. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to predict attendance. RESULTS: Those most likely to attend were working, middle income, and averagely educated women, who had...... not had a mass mammogram recently, but who regularly visited gynaecologists, attended for Pap smear screening, practised breast self examination, and who did not smoke. Low confidence in their own capabilities in breast cancer prevention, overoptimism about the sensitivity of mammography, and perception...

To What Extent Are Canadian Second Language Policies Evidence-Based? Reflections on the Intersections of Research and Policy

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Jim eCummins

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The paper addresses the intersections between research, ideology, and Canadian educational policies focusing on four major areas: (a core and immersion programs for the teaching of French to Anglophone students, (b policies concerning the learning of English and French by students from immigrant backgrounds, (c heritage language teaching, and (d the education of Deaf and hard-of hearing students. With respect to the teaching of French, policy-makers have largely ignored the fact that most core French programs produce meager results for the vast majority of students. Only a small proportion of students (< 10% attend more effective alternatives (e.g. French immersion and Intensive French programs. With respect to immigrant-background students, a large majority of teachers and administrators have not had opportunities to access the knowledge base regarding effective instruction for these students nor have they had opportunities for pre-service or in-service professional development regarding effective instructional practices. Educational policies have also treated the linguistic resources that children bring to school with, at best, benign neglect. In some cases (e.g., Ontario school systems have been explicitly prohibited from instituting enrichment bilingual programs that would promote students’ bilingualism and biliteracy. Finally, with respect to Deaf students, policy-makers have ignored overwhelming research on the positive relationship between academic success and the development of proficiency in natural sign languages, preferring instead to perpetuate the falsehood that acquisition of languages such as American Sign Language by young children (with or without cochlear implants will impede children’s language and academic development. The paper reviews the kinds of policies, programs, and practices that could be implemented (at no additional cost if policy-makers and educators pursued evidence-based educational policies.

Investigating Level of Mathematics Knowledge for Students Attending Vocational Schools in Turkey

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Colakoglu, Nurdan

2013-01-01

Students attend mathematics courses in Turkey for totally 11 years, throughout education life ranging from primary school to university, including eight years in primary education and three years in secondary education (four years based on new arrangement); however, level of mathematic knowledge of students is upsetting when they reach university…

["Hormone bomb": risks of emergency contraception from the perspective of pharmacy attendants in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

Science.gov (United States)

Brandão, Elaine Reis; Cabral, Cristiane da Silva; Ventura, Miriam; Paiva, Sabrina Pereira; Bastos, Luiza Lena; Oliveira, Naira Villas Boas Vidal de; Szabo, Iolanda

2016-09-19

This study focused on views towards emergency contraception among pharmacy attendants in Greater Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The empirical material came from a socio-anthropological study with 20 semi-structured interviews of pharmacy attendants of both sexes (8 females and 12 males). The interviews showed negative views of emergency contraception, emphasizing its potential health risks. Interviews considered emergency contraception a "hormone bomb" that can harm the female reproductive organs and other organ systems. The pharmacy attendants highlighted the risks of "uncontrolled" or "indiscriminate" use, especially by adolescents and young women. Since they considered it "dangerous" to women's bodies, they assigned the responsibility for orientation and counseling on use of the method to gynecologists rather than to pharmacists. The article discusses the need to expand the public debate on emergency contraception in Brazil to include pharmacists and pharmacy attendants, in addition to health professionals in general and teachers.

Determinants of skilled birth attendants for delivery in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Baral, Y R; Lyons, K; Skinner, J; van Teijlingen, E R

2010-01-01

This review is to explore the factors affecting the uptake of skilled birth attendants for delivery and the issues associated with women's role and choices of maternal health care service for delivery in Nepal. Literature was reviewed across the globe and discussed in a Nepalese context. Delivery by Skilled Birth Attendance serves as an indicator of progress towards reducing maternal mortality worldwide, the fifth Millennium Development Goal. Nepal has committed to reducing its maternal mortality by 75% by 2015 through ensuring accessibility to the availability and utilisation of skilled care at every birth. The literature suggests that several socio-economic, cultural and religious factors play a significant role in the use of Skilled Birth Attendance for delivery in Nepal. Availability of transportation and distance to the health facility; poor infrastructure and lack of services; availability and accessibility of the services; cost and convenience; staff shortages and attitudes; gender inequality; status of women in society; women's involvement in decision making; and women's autonomy and place of residence are significant contributing factors for uptake of Skilled Birth Attendance for delivery in Nepal. The review found more quantitative research studies exploring the determinants of utilisation of the maternal health services during pregnancy in Nepal than qualitative studies. Findings of quantitative research show that different social demographic, economic, socio-cultural and religious factors are responsible for the utilisation of maternal health services but very few studies discussed how and why these factors are responsible for utilisation of skilled birth attendants in pregnancy. It is suggested that there is need for more qualitative research to explore the women's role and choice regarding use of skilled birth attendants services and to find out how and why these factors are responsible for utilisation of skilled birth attendants for delivery

[Prevalence and factors associated with frequent attendence in family medicine clinic].

Science.gov (United States)

Parejo Maestre, N; Lendínez-de la Cruz, J M; Bermúdez-Torres, F M; Gónzalez-Contero, L; Gutierrez-Espinosa de Los Monteros, M P; Espejo-Almazán María, T

2016-01-01

The use of health services has seen a steep rise. The frequent users are responsible for significant economic, human and social impact. The objective is to analyze the characteristics of frequent attenders in our Health Center, in order to evaluate the possibility of taking corrective measures to improve the quality of care and efficiency in the use of resources. Descriptive observational study of a sample of 379 patients over 18 years old. The dependent variables were attendance (number of visits to their family doctor during the previous year), frequent attendance (10 or more visits to the family doctor in the last year), and persistent frequent attenders (10 or more visits to the family doctor in each of the last two years). Data were collected from medical records and by telephone interview. The mean attendance was 6.83 (95%CI: 6.13-7.53), frequent attendance reached 25.4% (95%CI: 21.4-29.6), and persistent frequent attenders, 1.6% (95%CI: 0.5-2.9). Frequent attendance was associated with sex, age, marital status, educational level, family structure, existence of chronic disease, use of anxiolytic and antidepressants, request for additional tests, and referrals to other specialists, proximity to the health center, and level of satisfaction with their family doctor. The low persistent frequent attenders found suggests that frequent attendance could be largely due to factors related to professional and organization. Studies are required to address the high level of consumption of psychotropic drugs, and improving professional skills in dealing with mental problems. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Predicting Scheduling and Attending for an Oral Cancer Examination

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Shepperd, James A.; Emanuel, Amber S.; Howell, Jennifer L.; Logan, Henrietta L.

2015-01-01

Background Oral and pharyngeal cancer is highly treatable if diagnosed early, yet late diagnosis is commonplace apparently because of delays in undergoing an oral cancer examination. Purpose We explored predictors of scheduling and attending an oral cancer examination among a sample of Black and White men who were at high risk for oral cancer because they smoked. Methods During an in-person interview, participants (N = 315) from rural Florida learned about oral and pharyngeal cancer, completed survey measures, and were offered a free examination in the next week. Later, participants received a follow-up phone call to explore why they did or did not attend their examination. Results Consistent with the notion that scheduling and attending an oral cancer exam represent distinct decisions, we found that the two outcomes had different predictors. Defensive avoidance and exam efficacy predicted scheduling an examination; exam efficacy and having coping resources, time, and transportation predicted attending the examination. Open-ended responses revealed that the dominant reasons participants offered for missing a scheduled examination was conflicting obligations, forgetting, and confusion or misunderstanding about the examination. Conclusions The results suggest interventions to increase scheduling and attending an oral cancer examination. PMID:26152644

[Psychosocial aspects associated with excessive attendance in primary care paediatric clinics].

Science.gov (United States)

Martín Martín, Raquel; Sánchez Bayle, Marciano; Teruel de Francisco, Carmen

2018-04-20

Hyper-attendance is a significant problem in paediatric Primary Care clinics. The aim of our study was to analyse the level of attendance in these clinics and its relationship with certain psychosocial aspects of the families attending them. Observational descriptive study was conducted using questionnaires collected during a period of 6months, as well as recording the frequency of attendance in the previous 6months. A total of 346 questionnaires of children between 6months and 13years of age belonging to 2 urban Primary Care clinics in Madrid were completed. The raw data was analysed, and comparisons between groups and multivariate analysis were performed. The mean number of consultations in the last 6months, of the total included in the study, was 3.06 in the Primary Care centre, and 0.77 in the emergency services. It was considered over-frequent for those who had attended the Primary Care health centre 6 or more times in this period (>p90), of which there were 33 children (9.53%). In the multivariate analysis, the variables related to being frequent users of Primary Care clinics were: the presence of high level of anxiety in the parents (OR=5.50; 95%CI: 2.49-12.17, P<.0001), and the age of the children (OR=0.73; 95%CI: 0.58-0.91, P=.005). The model presented an area under the curve of 0.761 (95%CI: 0.678-0.945, P<.0001). The frequency of visits in paediatric Primary Care clinics is directly related to the high level of anxiety of the parents, and inversely to the age of the children. It would be advisable to detect and, if possible, intervene in cases of high parental anxiety in order to try to reduce the over-frequency in the paediatric primary health care. Copyright © 2018. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Appointment attendance at a remote rural dental training facility in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lalloo, Ratilal; McDonald, Jenny M

2013-08-02

Non-attended appointments have impacts on the operations of dental clinics. These impacts vary from lost productivity, loss of income and loss of clinical teaching hours. Appointment data were analysed to assess the percentage of completed, failed to attend (FTA) and cancelled appointments at an Australian remote rural student dental clinic training facility. The demographic and time characteristics of FTA and cancelled appointments were analysed using simple and multivariate multinomial regression analysis, to inform interventions that may be necessary. Over the 2-year study period a total of 3,042 appointments were made. The percentage of FTA was 21.3% (N = 648) and cancelled appointments 13.7% (N = 418). The odds of an FTA were in excess of 4 times higher in patients aged 19-25 years (OR = 4.1; 95% CI = 2.3-7.3) and 26-35 years (OR = 4.4; 95% CI = 2.5-7.9) compared to patients 65 years and older. The odds of an FTA was 2.3 (95% CI = 1.8-3.1) times higher in public patients compared to private patients. The odds of a cancellation was 1.7 (95% CI = 1.1-2.6) times higher on a Friday compared to a Monday and 1.8 (95% CI = 1.1-2.9) times higher on the last appointment of the day compared to the first appointment. For cancelled appointments, 71.3% were cancelled on the day of the appointment and 16.6% on the day before. Non-attended appointments (FTA or cancelled) were common at this remote rural dental clinic training facility. Efforts to reduce these need to be implemented; including telephonic reminders, educating the community on the importance of attending their appointments, block booking school children and double booking or arranging alternative activities for the students at times when non-attendance is common.

Targeting brains, producing responsibilities: the use of neuroscience within British social policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Broer, Tineke; Pickersgill, Martyn

2015-05-01

Concepts and findings 'translated' from neuroscientific research are finding their way into UK health and social policy discourse. Critical scholars have begun to analyse how policies tend to 'misuse' the neurosciences and, further, how these discourses produce unwarranted and individualizing effects, rooted in middle-class values and inducing guilt and anxiety. In this article, we extend such work while simultaneously departing from the normative assumptions implied in the concept of 'misuse'. Through a documentary analysis of UK policy reports focused on the early years, adolescence and older adults, we examine how these employ neuroscientific concepts and consequently (re)define responsibility. In the documents analysed, responsibility was produced in three different but intersecting ways: through a focus on optimisation, self-governance, and vulnerability. Our work thereby adds to social scientific examinations of neuroscience in society that show how neurobiological terms and concepts can be used to construct and support a particular imaginary of citizenship and the role of the state. Neuroscience may be leveraged by policy makers in ways that (potentially) reduce the target of their intervention to the soma, but do so in order to expand the outcome of the intervention to include the enhancement of society writ large. By attending as well to more critical engagements with neuroscience in policy documents, our analysis demonstrates the importance of being mindful of the limits to the deployment of a neurobiological idiom within policy settings. Accordingly, we contribute to increased empirical specificity concerning the impacts and translation of neuroscientific knowledge in contemporary society whilst refusing to take for granted the idea that the neurosciences necessarily have a dominant role (to play). Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Performance on Low Dose Computed Tomography For Acute Appendicitis Among Attending and Resident Radiologists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Chih-Chen; Wong, Yon-Cheong; Wu, Cheng-Hsien; Chen, Huan-Wu; Wang, Li-Jen; Lee, Yu-Hsien; Wu, Patricia Wanping; Irama, Wiwan; Chen, Wei Yuan; Chang, Chee-Jen

2016-01-01

Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) techniques can reduce exposure to radiation. Several previous studies have shown that radiation dose reduction in LDCT does not decrease the diagnostic performance for appendicitis among attending radiologists. But, the LDCT diagnostic performance for acute appendicitis in radiology residents with variable training levels has not been well discussed. To compare inter-observer and intra-observer differences of diagnostic performance on non-enhanced LDCT (NE-LDCT) and contrast-enhanced standard dose CT (CE-SDCT) for acute appendicitis among attending and resident radiologists. This retrospective study included 101 patients with suspected acute appendicitis who underwent NE-LDCT and CE-SDCT. The CT examinations were interpreted and recorded on a five-point scale independently by three attending radiologists and three residents with 4, 1 and 1 years of training. Diagnostic performance for acute appendicitis of all readers on both examinations was represented by area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Inter-observer and intra-observer AUC values were compared using Jackknife FROC software on both modalities. The diagnostic accuracy of each reader on NE-LDCT was compared with body mass index (BMI) subgroups and noise using independent T test. Diagnostic performances for acute appendicitis were not statistically different for attending radiologists at both examinations. Better performance was noted on the CE-SDCT with a borderline significant difference (P = 0.05) for senior radiology resident. No statistical difference of AUC values was observed between attending radiologists and fourth year resident on both examinations. Statistically signifi@@cant differences of AUC values were observed between attending radiologists and first year residents (P = 0.001 ~ 0.018) on NE-LDCT. Diagnostic accuracies of acute appendicitis on NE-LDCT for each reader were not significantly related to BMI or noise. Attending radiologists

CHARACTERIZATION OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OF STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IN A CITY OF SÃO PAULO STATE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Garcia Gonçalves

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The study aimed to characterize the educational services offered to students with physical disabilities in a Municipal Education of a midsize city of São Paulo state. We gathered the data through document analysis and application of semi-structured interviews. We recorded the data on audio, transcribed and analyzed them. We categorized them into two categories, the first of which referred to the attendance policies and second, the organization of care for students with physical disabilities. The results showed that the system investigated showed accessibility policies supporting the use of assistive technology for students with disabilities enrolled in regular education, despite not indicate the need for specialized educational services when the student has no associated cognitive impairment. We concluded that there are myriad factors to contemplate the school inclusion of students with physical disabilities and that many actions are needed to ensure education and social participation of this target audience. Keywords: Special Education. Physical Disabilities. Specialized Educational Services. Assistive Technology.

The Zulu traditional birth attendant

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Some of the important practices of Zulu traditional birth attendants ... the people as regards pregnancy and labour. This article docu- .... into account previous perinatal deaths. ... They were either widows or married to husbands unable to work.

7-year trajectories of Alcoholics Anonymous attendance and associations with treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Kaskutas, Lee Ann; Bond, Jason; Avalos, Lyndsay Ammon

2009-01-01

Although many members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) are introduced to AA during treatment, the relationship between treatment and AA attendance over time is unknown. This paper describes four latent classes of AA attendance among 586 dependent alcoholics interviewed by telephone 1, 3, 5 and 7 years after baseline, and models the relationship between treatment exposure and AA attendance in each class. There was a low AA group (averaging fewer than 5 meetings at most follow-ups), a medium AA group (about 50 meetings a year at each follow-up), a descending AA group (about 150 meetings year 1, then decreasing steeply), and a high AA group (about 200 meetings at 1 year, then decreasing gradually by year 7). Declines in meeting attendance were not always accompanied by decreases in abstinence. After accounting for the effect of time on AA attendance (i.e., the “ups-and-downs” that occur over time), treatment exposure was minimally related to AA attendance in all but the descending AA group, where it was negatively associated (p<.001). Considering AA patterns over time highlights a different role for treatment in AA attendance than what is gleaned from analyses at single timepoints. PMID:19632789

Birth attendance and magnitude of obstetric complications in Western Kenya: a retrospective case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liambila, Wilson N; Kuria, Shiphrah N

2014-09-08

Skilled birth attendance is critical in the provision of child birth related services. Yet, literature is scanty on the outcomes of child birth related complications in situations where majority of women deliver under the care of non-skilled birth attendants compared to those who are assisted by skilled providers. The study sought to assess the nature of childbirth related complications among the skilled and the non-skilled birth attendants in Western Kenya. A case-control study was conducted among women aged 15-49 years at the household. Controls were individually matched to cases on the basis of age and socio-economic status. A total of 294 cases and 291 controls were interviewed. Data were collected on various demographic and socio-economic characteristics and women's perception on the quality of care. All independent variables were analysed initially in bivariate models and those that were significantly associated with obstetric complications were included in multiple logistic regression model in order to control for confounding factors. Odds ratios (ORs), with 95% confidence intervals, were computed to show the association between the occurrence, magnitude and the extent to which child birth related complications were managed. Demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the cases and controls were similar. About 52% of the deliveries were assisted by skilled birth attendants while non-skilled providers attended to 48% of them. The odds of the occurrence of obstetric complications were greater among the women who were attended to by skilled providers in health facilities: adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.32 (CI 0.95, 1.84) than among those who were assisted by unskilled birth attendants, AOR 0.76 (CI 0.55, 1.06). Undignified care, high delivery and transport costs and fear of hospital procedures such as HIV tests and mishandling of the placenta were cited as some of the barriers to facility deliveries. Skilled birth attendants in facilities were associated

Factors affecting disclosure of serostatus to children attending Jinja ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Factors affecting disclosure of serostatus to children attending Jinja Hospital ... twenty children and all (ten) health workers at Jinja Hospital paediatric HIV clinic. ... and child attending psychosocial support group (OR 7.4 CI 3.6-15.3 p < 0.001).

Non-English speakers attend gastroenterology clinic appointments at higher rates than English speakers in a vulnerable patient population

Science.gov (United States)

Sewell, Justin L.; Kushel, Margot B.; Inadomi, John M.; Yee, Hal F.

2009-01-01

Goals We sought to identify factors associated with gastroenterology clinic attendance in an urban safety net healthcare system. Background Missed clinic appointments reduce the efficiency and availability of healthcare, but subspecialty clinic attendance among patients with established healthcare access has not been studied. Study We performed an observational study using secondary data from administrative sources to study patients referred to, and scheduled for an appointment in, the adult gastroenterology clinic serving the safety net healthcare system of San Francisco, California. Our dependent variable was whether subjects attended or missed a scheduled appointment. Analysis included multivariable logistic regression and classification tree analysis. 1,833 patients were referred and scheduled for an appointment between 05/2005 and 08/2006. Prisoners were excluded. All patients had a primary care provider. Results 683 patients (37.3%) missed their appointment; 1,150 (62.7%) attended. Language was highly associated with attendance in the logistic regression; non-English speakers were less likely than English speakers to miss an appointment (adjusted odds ratio 0.42 [0.28,0.63] for Spanish, 0.56 [0.38,0.82] for Asian language, p gastroenterology clinic appointment, not speaking English was most strongly associated with higher attendance rates. Patient related factors associated with not speaking English likely influence subspecialty clinic attendance rates, and these factors may differ from those affecting general healthcare access. PMID:19169147

HIV Surveillance Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics: Evolution and Current Direction.

Science.gov (United States)

Dee, Jacob; Garcia Calleja, Jesus M; Marsh, Kimberly; Zaidi, Irum; Murrill, Christopher; Swaminathan, Mahesh

2017-12-05

Since the late 1980s, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) sentinel serosurveillance among pregnant women attending select antenatal clinics (ANCs) based on unlinked anonymous testing (UAT) has provided invaluable information for tracking HIV prevalence and trends and informing global and national HIV models in most countries with generalized HIV epidemics. However, increased coverage of HIV testing, prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), and antiretroviral therapy has heightened ethical concerns about UAT. PMTCT programs now routinely collect demographic and HIV testing information from the same pregnant women as serosurveillance and therefore present an alternative to UAT-based ANC serosurveillance. This paper reports on the evolution and current direction of the global approach to HIV surveillance among pregnant women attending ANCs, including the transition away from traditional UAT-based serosurveillance and toward new guidance from the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS on the implementation of surveillance among pregnant women attending ANCs based on routine PMTCT program data. ©Jacob Dee, Jesus M Garcia Calleja, Kimberly Marsh, Irum Zaidi, Christopher Murrill, Mahesh Swaminathan. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 05.12.2017.

Residents' and attendings' perceptions of a night float system in an internal medicine program in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Anurag; Desanghere, Loni; Skomro, Robert P; Wilson, Thomas W

2015-01-01

The Night Float system (NFS) is often used in residency training programs to meet work hour regulations. The purpose of this study was to examine resident and attendings' perceptions of the NFS on issues of resident learning, well-being, work, non-educational activities and the health care system (patient safety and quality of care, inter-professional teams, workload on attendings and costs of on-call coverage). A survey questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions (26 residents and eight attendings in an Internal Medicine program), informal discussions with the program and moonlighting and financial data were collected. The main findings included, (i) an overall congruency in opinions between resident and attendings across all mean comparisons, (ii) perceptions of improvement for most aspects of resident well-being (e.g. stress, fatigue) and work environment (e.g. supervision, support), (iii) a neutral effect on the resident learning environment, except resident opinions on an increase in opportunities for learning, (iv) perceptions of improved patient safety and quality of care despite worsened continuity of care, and (v) no increases in work-load on attendings or the health care system (cost-neutral call coverage). Patient safety, handovers and increased utilization of moonlighting opportunities need further exploration.

School Board Policies on Leaves and Absences. Educational Policies Development Kit.

Science.gov (United States)

National School Boards Association, Waterford, CT. Educational Policies Service.

This report provides board policy samples and other policy resources on leaves and absences. The intent in providing policy samples is to encourage thinking in policy terms and to provide working papers that can be edited, modified, or adapted to meet local requirements. Topics covered in the samples include (1) sick leave, (2) maternity leave,…

The Quality of Written Feedback by Attendings of Internal Medicine Residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Jeffrey L; Kay, Cynthia; Jackson, Wilkins C; Frank, Michael

2015-07-01

Attending evaluations are commonly used to evaluate residents. Evaluate the quality of written feedback of internal medicine residents. Retrospective. Internal medicine residents and faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin from 2004 to 2012. From monthly evaluations of residents by attendings, a randomly selected sample of 500 written comments by attendings were qualitatively coded and rated as high-, moderate-, or low-quality feedback by two independent coders with good inter-rater reliability (kappa: 0.94). Small group exercises with residents and attendings also coded the utterances as high, moderate, or low quality and developed criteria for this categorization. In-service examination scores were correlated with written feedback. There were 228 internal medicine residents who had 6,603 evaluations by 334 attendings. Among 500 randomly selected written comments, there were 2,056 unique utterances: 29% were coded as nonspecific statements, 20% were comments about resident personality, 16% about patient care, 14% interpersonal communication, 7% medical knowledge, 6% professionalism, and 4% each on practice-based learning and systems-based practice. Based on criteria developed by group exercises, the majority of written comments were rated as moderate quality (65%); 22% were rated as high quality and 13% as low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback rated residents significantly lower in all six of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies (p service examination scores. Most attending written evaluation was of moderate or low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback appeared to be more discriminating, providing significantly lower ratings of residents in all six ACGME core competencies, and across a greater range. Attendings' negative written comments on medical knowledge correlated with lower in-service training scores.

Evidence-based policy versus morality policy: the case of syringe access programs.

Science.gov (United States)

de Saxe Zerden, Lisa; O'Quinn, Erin; Davis, Corey

2015-01-01

Evidence-based practice (EBP) combines proven interventions with clinical experience, ethics, and client preferences to inform treatment and services. Although EBP is integrated into most aspects of social work and public health, at times EBP is at odds with social policy. In this article the authors explore the paradox of evidence-based policy using syringe access programs (SAP) as a case example, and review methods of bridging the gap between the emphasis on EBP and lack of evidence informing SAP policy. Analysis includes the overuse of morality policy and examines historical and current theories why this paradox exists. Action steps are highlighted for creating effective policy and opportunities for public health change. Strategies on reframing the problem and shifting target population focus to garner support for evidence-based policy change are included. This interdisciplinary understanding of the way in which these factors converge is a critical first step in moving beyond morality-based policy toward evidence-based policy.

Patient explanations for non-attendance at type 2 diabetes self-management education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schwennesen, Nete; Henriksen, Jan Erik; Willaing, Ingrid

2016-01-01

AIM: To explore reasons for non-attendance at type 2 diabetes self-management education. METHODS: To elicit the main themes explaining non-attendance, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with persons referred to, but not attending, self-management education. Systematic text condensation...... as reasons for non-attendance. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, patients cited both individual and organisational factors as explaining non-attendance at type 2 diabetes self-management education. Further studies should take into account the importance of timing and of tailoring schedules and content...... to individuals' life situations and resources. As organisational factors are likely to vary across programmes and settings, more case studies are needed to further elucidate the dynamic relationship between individual and organisational factors to explain non-attendance at type 2 diabetes self...

General statement of policy and procedures for NRC enforcement actions: Enforcement policy. Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-05-01

This document includes the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s (NRC`s or Commission`s) revised General Statement of Policy and Procedure for Enforcement Actions (Enforcement Policy) as it was published in the Federal Register on May 13, 1998 (63 ER 26630). The Enforcement Policy is a general statement of policy explaining the NRC`s policies and procedures in initiating enforcement actions, and of the presiding officers and the Commission in reviewing these actions. This policy statement is applicable to enforcement matters involving the radiological health and safety of the public, including employees` health and safety, the common defense and security, and the environment.

General statement of policy and procedures for NRC enforcement actions: Enforcement policy. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-05-01

This document includes the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's or Commission's) revised General Statement of Policy and Procedure for Enforcement Actions (Enforcement Policy) as it was published in the Federal Register on May 13, 1998 (63 ER 26630). The Enforcement Policy is a general statement of policy explaining the NRC's policies and procedures in initiating enforcement actions, and of the presiding officers and the Commission in reviewing these actions. This policy statement is applicable to enforcement matters involving the radiological health and safety of the public, including employees' health and safety, the common defense and security, and the environment

The Influence of Advertising on Attendance at Park Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Reyburn, Jerry H.; Knudson, Douglas M.

1975-01-01

Investigated were the effects on attendance of four types of pre-program advertising: no advertising, personal invitation, signs, and innovation. All three advertising treatments increased program attendance over no advertising. Each advertising technique has advantages and disadvantages. Signs are impersonal, but effective. Personal invitation is…

The evolving role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health in post-conflict Africa: A qualitative study of Burundi and northern Uganda

OpenAIRE

Chi, Primus Che; Urdal, Henrik

2018-01-01

Objectives: Many conflict-affected countries are faced with an acute shortage of health care providers, including skilled birth attendants. As such, during conflicts traditional birth attendants have become the first point of call for many pregnant women, assisting them during pregnancy, labour and birth, and in the postpartum period. This study seeks to explore how the role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health, especially childbirth, has evolved in two post-conflict settings in...

24/7 pediatric radiology attending coverage: times are changing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donaldson, James S. [Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Department of Medical Imaging, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children' s Hospital of Chicago, IL (United States); Thakrar, Kiran H. [University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Body Imaging, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Chicago, IL (United States)

2017-06-15

The job of the pediatric radiologist long ago ceased to be an 8-to-5 role. Many practices have adopted evening shifts of in-house attending radiologists to cover the busy evening activity. With the ever-increasing role of imaging in clinical decisions and patient management, there is a need - if not a demand - to further extend attending pediatric radiology coverage. In this article, we discuss the needs and justification for extending pediatric radiology coverage at a tertiary-care children's hospital. We also describe the approach we took toward implementing 24/7 attending in-house coverage of pediatric radiology. (orig.)

Comment on “Policy offers protection from harassment” [by Marcia McNutt

Science.gov (United States)

Hickman, Martha H.

Regarding “Policy Offers Protection From Harassment” (Eos, October 15, 1996), I am disturbed that the AGU has extended its harassment policy to its membership at “events that combine work and social interaction, such as the meetings, conferences, and seminars that AGU members attend.” As a woman, I have always found the so-called protections extended to females and other supposedly vulnerable groups to be intrusive and patronizing, but this policy in particular goes too far by trying to sponsor aspects of members' social behavior.I am old enough to remember the days when one responded to uncomfortable situations by drawing on one's own resources. A sense of one's inviolable self developed over time, and meaningful self-esteem derived from an ability to cope with the world. Now, cowering from jokes and recoiling from eye contact, the modern geoscientist apparently requires a patron for protection—a shining knight in the form of this new policy.

When Life Got in the Way: How Danish and Norwegian Immigrant Women in Sweden Reason about Cervical Screening and Why They Postpone Attendance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatima Azerkan

Full Text Available Danish and Norwegian immigrant women in Sweden have an increased risk of cervical cancer compared to Swedish-born women. In addition, Danish and Norwegian immigrant women follow the national recommendations for attendance at cervical screening to much lesser extent than Swedish-born women. The aim of this study was to explore how Danish and Norwegian immigrant women in Sweden reason about attending cervical screening, focusing on women's perceptions as to why they and their compatriots do not attend.Eight focus group discussions (FGDs were conducted with Danish and Norwegian immigrant women living in Stockholm. The women were between 26 and 66 years of age at the time of the FGDs, and were aged between <1 and 48 years old when they immigrated to Sweden. A FGD guide was used, which included questions related to cervical screening, and obstacles and motivators to attend cervical screening. The FGDs were tape recorded and transcribed, and the results analysed according to the principles of qualitative content analysis.The main theme was "Women have a comprehensive rationale for postponing cervical screening, yet do not view themselves as non-attenders". Investigation of women's rationale for non-attendance after being invited to cervical screening revealed some complex reasons related to immigration itself, including competing needs, organisational and structural factors and differences in mentality, but also reasons stemming from other factors. Postponing attendance at cervical screening was the category that linked all these factors as the reasons to why women did not attend to cervical screening according to the recommendations of the authorities.The rationale used to postpone cervical screening, in combination with the fact that women do not consider themselves to be non-attenders, indicates that they have not actively taken a stance against cervical screening, and reveals an opportunity to motivate these women to attend.

When Life Got in the Way: How Danish and Norwegian Immigrant Women in Sweden Reason about Cervical Screening and Why They Postpone Attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Azerkan, Fatima; Widmark, Catarina; Sparén, Pär; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Tillgren, Per; Faxelid, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Danish and Norwegian immigrant women in Sweden have an increased risk of cervical cancer compared to Swedish-born women. In addition, Danish and Norwegian immigrant women follow the national recommendations for attendance at cervical screening to much lesser extent than Swedish-born women. The aim of this study was to explore how Danish and Norwegian immigrant women in Sweden reason about attending cervical screening, focusing on women's perceptions as to why they and their compatriots do not attend. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with Danish and Norwegian immigrant women living in Stockholm. The women were between 26 and 66 years of age at the time of the FGDs, and were aged between <1 and 48 years old when they immigrated to Sweden. A FGD guide was used, which included questions related to cervical screening, and obstacles and motivators to attend cervical screening. The FGDs were tape recorded and transcribed, and the results analysed according to the principles of qualitative content analysis. The main theme was "Women have a comprehensive rationale for postponing cervical screening, yet do not view themselves as non-attenders". Investigation of women's rationale for non-attendance after being invited to cervical screening revealed some complex reasons related to immigration itself, including competing needs, organisational and structural factors and differences in mentality, but also reasons stemming from other factors. Postponing attendance at cervical screening was the category that linked all these factors as the reasons to why women did not attend to cervical screening according to the recommendations of the authorities. The rationale used to postpone cervical screening, in combination with the fact that women do not consider themselves to be non-attenders, indicates that they have not actively taken a stance against cervical screening, and reveals an opportunity to motivate these women to attend.

Does Improved Water Access Increase Child School Attendance? A Quasi-Experimental Approach From Rural Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Masuda, Y.; Cook, J.

2012-12-01

This paper analyzes the impact of improved water access on child school attendance using two years of primary panel data from a quasi-experimental study in Oromiya, Ethiopia. A predominant form of child labor in rural poor households in least developed countries is water collection. Girls are often the primary water collectors for households, and because of the time intensive nature of water collection improved water access may allow for time to be reallocated to schooling (Rosen and Vincent 1999; Nankhuni and Findeis 2004). Understanding how improved water access may increase schooling for girls has important development policy implications. Indeed, abundant research on returns to education suggests increased schooling for girls is tied to improved future child and maternal health, economic opportunities, and lower fertility rates (Handa 1996; Schultz 1998; Michaelowa 2000). The literature to date finds that improved water access leads to increased schooling; however, there still exists a clear gap in the literature for understanding this relationship for two reasons. First, only four studies have directly examined the relationship between improved water access and schooling in sub-Saharan Africa, and analyses have been limited due to the use of cross-sectional data and research designs (Nankhuni and Findeis 2004; Koolwal and Van de Walle 2010; Ndiritu and Nyangan 2011; Nauges and Strand 2011). Indeed, only two studies have attempted to control for the endogenous nature of water access. Second, all studies use a binary school enrollment indicator from household surveys, which may suffer from response bias and may be an imperfect measure for actual schooling. Respondents may feel pressured to report that their children are enrolled in school if, like in Ethiopia, there are compulsory education laws. This may result in an overestimation of school enrollment. In addition, most children from rural poor households combine work and school, and a binary indicator does

Substance abuse in outpatients attending rural and urban health ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Substance abuse in outpatients attending rural and urban health centres in Kenya. ... Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and pattern of substance use among patients attending primary health centres in urban and rural areas of Kenya. Design: A ... Socio-cultural factors might be responsible for the differences noted.

Development of Attendance Database System Using Bar-coded Student Card

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Fadlil

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The calculation of the level of attendance is very important, because one indicator of a person's credibility can be seen from the level of attendance. For example, at a university, data about the level of attendance of a student in a lecture is very important as one of components in the assessment. The manual presence system is considered less effective. This research presents the draft of presence system using bar codes (barcodes as input data representing the attendance. The presence system is supported by three main components, those are a bar code found on the student card (KTM, a CCD barcode scanner series and a CD-108E computer. Management of attendance list using this system allows for optimization of functions of KTM. The presence system has been tested with several KTM through a variety of distances and positions of the barcode scanner barcode. The test results is obtained at ideal position for reading a barcode when a barcode scanner is at 2 cm from the object with 90 degree. At this position the level of accuracy reach 100%.

Exploring the relationship between general practice characteristics, and attendance at walk-in centres, minor injuries units and EDs in England 2012/2013: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tammes, Peter; Morris, Richard W; Brangan, Emer; Checkland, Kath; England, Helen; Huntley, Alyson; Lasserson, Daniel; MacKichan, Fiona; Salisbury, Chris; Wye, Lesley; Purdy, Sarah

2016-10-01

For several years, EDs in the UK NHS have faced considerable increases in attendance rates. Walk-in centres (WiCs) and minor injuries units (MIUs) have been suggested as solutions. We aimed to investigate the associations between practice and practice population characteristics with ED attendance rates or combined ED/WiC/MIU attendance, and the associations between WiC/MIU and ED attendance. We used general practice-level data including 7462 English practices in 2012/2013 and present adjusted regression coefficients from linear multivariable analysis for relationships between patients' emergency attendance rates and practice characteristics. Every percentage-point increase in patients reporting inability to make an appointment was associated with an increase in emergency attendance by 0.36 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.66) per 1000 population. Percentage-point increases in patients unable to speak to a general practitioner (GP)/nurse within two workdays and patients able to speak often to their preferred GP were associated with increased emergency attendance/1000 population by 0.23 (95% CI 0.05 to 0.42) and 0.10 (95% CI 0.00 to 0.19), respectively. Practices in areas encompassing several towns (conurbations) had higher attendance than rural practices, as did practices with more non-UK-qualified GPs. Practice population characteristics associated with increased emergency attendance included higher unemployment rates, higher percentage of UK whites and lower male life expectancy, which showed stronger associations than practice characteristics. Furthermore, higher MIU or WiC attendance rates were associated with lower ED attendance rates. Improving availability of appointments and opportunities to speak a GP/nurse at short notice might reduce ED attendance. Establishing MIUs and WiCs might also reduce ED attendance. 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/

Knowledge and Practice of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction. One of the strategies Ministries of Health and their partners have adopted with the aim of promoting safe motherhood since the 1980's is training unskilled traditional birth attendants (TBAs). However, the assumption that training of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) would contribute greatly to reduce maternal ...

Traditional Birth Attendants Issue: A Menace in Developing Countries

African Journals Online (AJOL)

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of births in Nigeria still occur at homes of traditional birth attendant. Traditional birth attendants are popular in developing and low resource countries. They lack no formal education or medical training and their clients end up with obstetric complications which lead to severe morbidity ...

Favouring New Indigenous Leadership: Indigenous Students Attending Higher Education in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado, Manuel Lopez

2016-01-01

The opportunities to attend higher education in Mexico have traditionally been offered to the middle class population since around 30% of students who finish high school are able to attend higher education. The main reason for this low attendance is the poverty in which much of the population lives and the lack of higher education institutions in…

Global facilitation of attended features is obligatory and restricts divided attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Søren K; Hillyard, Steven A; Müller, Matthias M

2013-11-13

In many common situations such as driving an automobile it is advantageous to attend concurrently to events at different locations (e.g., the car in front, the pedestrian to the side). While spatial attention can be divided effectively between separate locations, studies investigating attention to nonspatial features have often reported a "global effect", whereby items having the attended feature may be preferentially processed throughout the entire visual field. These findings suggest that spatial and feature-based attention may at times act in direct opposition: spatially divided foci of attention cannot be truly independent if feature attention is spatially global and thereby affects all foci equally. In two experiments, human observers attended concurrently to one of two overlapping fields of dots of different colors presented in both the left and right visual fields. When the same color or two different colors were attended on the two sides, deviant targets were detected accurately, and visual-cortical potentials elicited by attended dots were enhanced. However, when the attended color on one side matched the ignored color on the opposite side, attentional modulation of cortical potentials was abolished. This loss of feature selectivity could be attributed to enhanced processing of unattended items that shared the color of the attended items in the opposite field. Thus, while it is possible to attend to two different colors at the same time, this ability is fundamentally constrained by spatially global feature enhancement in early visual-cortical areas, which is obligatory and persists even when it explicitly conflicts with task demands.

Effects of the 2010 World Cup football tournament on emergency department assault attendances in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Quigg, Zara; Hughes, Karen; Bellis, Mark A

2013-06-01

We explore the impact of the 2010 World Cup, held in South Africa, on levels of assault attendances to 15 emergency departments in England. The majority (70.1%) of assault attendees during the 2010 World Cup was male and aged 18-34 years (52.5%). Assault attendances increased by 37.5% on the days that England played (P 001). Preparation for major sporting events in non-host countries should include violence prevention activity. Emergency department data can be used to identify violence associated with such events and thus inform both the targeting of prevention efforts and assessments of their effectiveness.

Ecological factors regulating brood attendance patterns of the western sandpiper calidris mauri

Science.gov (United States)

Ruthrauff, D.R.; Keller, J.N.; Rizzolo, D.J.

2009-01-01

Parental brood attendance patterns vary greatly among shorebird species. For monogamous calidridine species, biparental care with female-first brood departure is most common. It is believed that adult sandpipers balance potential individual survival costs associated with extended parental care against the benefit gained by their brood of prolonged parental care. These costs and benefits are difficult to quantify and factors affecting the termination of parental brood attendance are unclear. We compared clutch size, nesting phenology, and parental attendance patterns of Western Sandpipers Calidris mauri at Nome and Kanaryarmiut, Alaska, sites separated by three degrees of latitude. The sites differed in breeding density and duration of breeding season, but the distribution of clutch sizes did not differ between sites or between nesting attempts. Parental attendance patterns were similar between sites, suggesting that parental attendance is a highly conserved life-history trait in Western Sandpipers. Male Western Sandpipers attended broods longer than females, and the duration of parental attendance decreased at a similar rate for both sexes as the season progressed. Male and female Western Sandpipers undertake differential migrations to their non-breeding grounds, with males typically settling at more northerly locations and females at more southerly sites, a migration pattern shared by certain other monogamous calidridine species. These same species exhibit similar parental brood attendance patterns, suggesting the strong role of overall migration distance in shaping the expression of parental attendance behaviours. A contrast of more geographically disjunct sites coupled with a better understanding of the migratory connectivity between Western Sandpiper breeding and non-breeding populations would elucidate the role of cross-seasonal effects on parental brood attendance decisions. ?? 2009 British Ornithologists' Union.

If We Build It, They Will Come: Exploring Policy and Practice Implications of Public Support for Couple and Relationship Education for Lower Income and Relationally Distressed Couples.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradford, Angela B; Hawkins, Alan J; Acker, Jennifer

2015-12-01

Over the past decade, public funding for Couple and Relationship Education programs has expanded. As program administrators have been able to extend their reach to low-income individuals and couples using this support, it has become apparent that greater numbers of relationally distressed couples are attending classes than previously anticipated. Because psychoeducational programs for couples have traditionally served less distressed couples, this dynamic highlights the need to examine the policy and practice implications of more distressed couples accessing these services. This paper reviews some of the most immediate issues, including screening for domestic violence and couple needs, pedagogical considerations, and the potential integration of therapy and education services. We also make suggestions for future research that can inform policy and practice efforts. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

6 CFR 13.23 - Subpoenas for attendance at hearing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 6 Domestic Security 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Subpoenas for attendance at hearing. 13.23 Section 13.23 Domestic Security DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES § 13.23 Subpoenas for attendance at hearing. (a) A party wishing to procure the...

“What Cultural Policies?” Explicit and Implicit Cultural Policies in Lebanon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadia von Maltzahn

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Cultural policies define a vision for culture, and provide frameworks for institutional practice to translate this vision on the ground. A 1981 study on Lebanese cultural policy reached the conclusion that one cannot speak of cultural policies in Lebanon if one refers to state laws, regulations and plans. However, if cultural policy was understood as the method of a state to give its citizens the space to develop themselves in a way that they could create culture, one could certainly speak of cultural policies in Lebanon (Abou Rizk. In cultural policy research, there is a distinction between explicit and implicit cultural policy (Ahearne. In this article, the concept of explicit and implicit cultural policy is applied to the case of Lebanon. The two terms are extended so that the former does not only include cultural policies designatedas such by the state, but also those created by civil society actors, and that the latter does not only include political strategies, but also practices that in the end determine cultural policies. Drawing on empirical research conducted in the context of a larger study on the role of cultural institutions in the public sphere, the power struggles between different actors involved in cultural policy making cultural policy defined in the Lebanese context, which in turn will be positioned within the regional context.

Study of the audiological' profile of individuals attended in a brazilian diagnostic service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jardim, Isabela de Souza

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Hearing loss can affect the health and quality of life of the individual. The finding of the audio logical profile becomes important epidemiological tool for the explanation of new health policies, effective prevention measures, aid in medical diagnosis and improvement of techniques for the auditory rehabilitation. Objective: To evaluate the audio logical profile of the individuals treated in a service of audio logical diagnosis describing the age, gender, chief complaints and to characterize the audiometric thresholds of individuals second degree, type and configuration. Method: A retrospective study, through analysis of medical records of 217 individuals of both genders in the private sector attended in a Brazilian service of diagnostic audiology between January and June 2009. For the study were analyzed the complaints following the evaluation of tonal audiometry. Results: The main complaints were 110 (50.7% individuals reported tinnitus, 48 (22.1% dizziness, and 116 (53.4% dysacusis. The audio logical profile of the individuals was characterized by 36.4% of individuals with normal hearing, 45.6% with dysacusis bilateral and unilateral 18%. When considering both groups with dysacusis there was predominance of the sensory neuro type and of mild grade. Conclusion: The main complaints founded were tinnitus, dizziness, and dysacusis. The Audiometry showed the predominance of bilateral dysacusis of type sensory neuro and of mild grade for the study constituted by adults and seniors individuals attended in the sector.

447 Asthma Knowledge among Parents and/or Caregivers of Asthmatic Children Attending a Practical Allergy Course

Science.gov (United States)

Sandoval-Ramírez, Eunice; Livano Prez, Mayra Alondra; Tercero-Quintanilla, Gabriela; Rosas-Vargas, Miguel Angel; del Rio, Blanca; del Río-Chivardí, Jaime Mariano

2012-01-01

Background Asthma is one of the most frequent chronic diseases, with worldwide prevalence of 1 to 18%. Patient and the patient's family education is considered by all International Guides fundamental to achieve this disease control. The aim of this study is to asses the asthma knowledge among parents and/or caregivers of pediatric asthmatic patients before and after attending to a Practical Allergy Course given at Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez by the Pediatric Allergy Department. Methods Transversal Study that included 115 persons attending to a Practical Allergy Course that answered the previously validated instrument to asses the asthma knowledge among parents or caregivers NAKQ (Newcastle Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire); its Spanish version consisting in 31 questions; before and after the practical course. A descriptive annalysis was made; usefullness of the course was determinated by x2. Stadistical packagge used was SPSS 17. Results A total of 115 questionnaires were applied, only 99 were properly answered and were included in the analysis; from these 35 were male and 64 female; 80% with high-school and middle school schooling; 92% were small families with 1 to 3 children; 90% of the families had only one child with asthma; 63% was receiving the practical course for the first time. Before attending the practical course the mean answered questions was 30 and after attending the mean answered questions was 31 (LR = 57.465; P < 0.000); for the first evaluation the mean correct answers was 19 and the latter 22 correct answers, finding statistical significant differences (LR = 30.253; P < 0.000). Conclusions We found improved asthma knowledge among parents and caregivers of asthmatic children after attending to a Practical Allergy Course.

Prevalence of problem alcohol use among patients attending primary care for methadone treatment

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ryder, Niamh

2009-06-11

Abstract Background Problem alcohol use is associated with adverse health outcomes among current or former heroin users and primary care is providing methadone treatment for increasing numbers of this population. This study aimed todetermine the prevalence of problem alcohol use among current or former heroin users attending primary care for methadone treatment and to describe the socio-demographic characteristics and health service utilisation characteristics associated with problem alcohol uses. Methods We conducted a cross sectional survey of patients sampled from a national database of patients attending general practice for methadone treatment. Participants were recruited by their general practitioner and data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, which included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (\\'AUDIT\\'), with a score of >7 considered abnormal (ie \\'AUDIT positive cases\\') and socio-demographic, medical and substance use characteristics. Results We interviewed 196 patients (71% of those invited, 31% of those sampled, 11% of the national database). The median age was 32 years, 55% were hepatitis C positive, 79% had used illicit drugs in the previous month and 68% were male. Sixty-eight \\'AUDIT positive\\' cases were identified (prevalence of 35%, 95% CI = 28–41%) and these were more likely to have attended a local Emergency Department in the previous year (p < 0.05) and less likely to have attended a hospital clinic in the previous year (p < 0.05). Twenty-seven (14%) scored 20 or higher indicating possible alcohol dependence. Conclusion Problem alcohol use has a high prevalence among current or former heroin users attending primary care for methadone treatment and interventions that address this issue should be explored as a priority. Interventions that address problem alcohol use in this population should be considered as a priority, although the complex medical and psychological needs of this population may make

Prevalence of problem alcohol use among patients attending primary care for methadone treatment.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ryder, Niamh

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Problem alcohol use is associated with adverse health outcomes among current or former heroin users and primary care is providing methadone treatment for increasing numbers of this population. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of problem alcohol use among current or former heroin users attending primary care for methadone treatment and to describe the socio-demographic characteristics and health service utilisation characteristics associated with problem alcohol uses. METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional survey of patients sampled from a national database of patients attending general practice for methadone treatment. Participants were recruited by their general practitioner and data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, which included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (\\'AUDIT\\'), with a score of >7 considered abnormal (ie \\'AUDIT positive cases\\') and socio-demographic, medical and substance use characteristics. RESULTS: We interviewed 196 patients (71% of those invited, 31% of those sampled, 11% of the national database). The median age was 32 years, 55% were hepatitis C positive, 79% had used illicit drugs in the previous month and 68% were male. Sixty-eight \\'AUDIT positive\\' cases were identified (prevalence of 35%, 95% CI = 28-41%) and these were more likely to have attended a local Emergency Department in the previous year (p < 0.05) and less likely to have attended a hospital clinic in the previous year (p < 0.05). Twenty-seven (14%) scored 20 or higher indicating possible alcohol dependence. CONCLUSION: Problem alcohol use has a high prevalence among current or former heroin users attending primary care for methadone treatment and interventions that address this issue should be explored as a priority. Interventions that address problem alcohol use in this population should be considered as a priority, although the complex medical and psychological needs of this population may make this

The effects of Crew Resource Management (CRM) training on flight attendants' safety attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Jane; Henderson, Robert; O'Hare, David

2014-02-01

A number of well-known incidents and accidents had led the aviation industry to introduce Crew Resource Management (CRM) training designed specifically for flight attendants, and joint (pilot and flight attendant) CRM training as a way to improve teamwork and communication. The development of these new CRM training programs during the 1990s highlighted the growing need for programs to be evaluated using research tools that had been validated for the flight attendant population. The FSAQ (Flight Safety Attitudes Questionnaire-Flight Attendants) was designed specifically to obtain safety attitude data from flight attendants working for an Asia-Pacific airline. Flight attendants volunteered to participate in a study before receiving CRM training (N=563) and again (N=526) after CRM training. Almost half (13) of the items from the 36-item FSAQ showed highly significant changes following CRM training. Years of experience, crew position, seniority, leadership roles, flight attendant crew size, and length of route flown were all predictive of safety attitudes. CRM training for flight attendants is a valuable tool for increasing positive teamwork behaviors between the flight attendant and pilot sub-groups. Joint training sessions, where flight attendants and pilots work together to find solutions to in-flight emergency scenarios, provide a particularly useful strategy in breaking down communication barriers between the two sub-groups. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health and nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices of pregnant women attending and not-attending ANC clinics in Western Kenya: a cross-sectional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Perumal, Nandita; Cole, Donald C; Ouédraogo, Hermann Z; Sindi, Kirimi; Loechl, Cornelia; Low, Jan; Levin, Carol; Kiria, Christine; Kurji, Jaameeta; Oyunga, Mary

2013-07-11

Antenatal care (ANC) is a key strategy to decreasing maternal mortality in low-resource settings. ANC clinics provide resources to improve nutrition and health knowledge and promote preventive health practices. We sought to compare the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) among women seeking and not-seeking ANC in rural Kenya. Data from a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted in Western Province, Kenya were used. Nutrition knowledge (NKS), health knowledge (HKS), attitude score (AS), and dietary diversity score (DDS) were constructed indices. χ2 test and Student's t-test were used to compare proportions and means, respectively, to assess the difference in KAP among pregnant women attending and not-attending ANC clinics. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess the impact of the number of ANC visits (none, ANC clinics while 39% had not. The mean (±SD) NKS was 4.6 (1.9) out of 11, HKS was 6.2 (1.7) out of 12, DDS was 4.9 (1.4) out of 12, and AS was 7.4 (2.2) out of 10. Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and DDS were not significantly different between ANC clinic attending and non-attending women. Among women who attended ANC clinics, 82.6% received malaria and/or antihelmintic treatment, compared to 29.6% of ANC clinic non-attendees. Higher number of ANC clinic visits and higher maternal education level were significantly positively associated with maternal health knowledge. Substantial opportunities exist for antenatal KAP improvement among women in Western Kenya, some of which could occur with greater ANC attendance. Further research is needed to understand multi-level factors that may affect maternal knowledge and practices.

Prevalence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium species in dog park attending dogs compared to non-dog park attending dogs in one region of Colorado.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Andrea; Ruch-Gallie, Rebecca; Scorza, Valeria; Lin, Philip; Lappin, Michael R

2012-03-23

Dog parks are very popular in urban areas, but there are no current studies attempting to correlate visits to dog parks and risk of colonization by enteric parasites. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dog park visitation is associated with an increased prevalence of enteric parasites or an increase in prevalence of gastrointestinal signs in dogs in northern Colorado. Feces from dogs owned by veterinary students or Veterinary Teaching Hospital staff members were submitted with a completed survey form detailing dog park attendance rates, fecal character scores, and other clinical information. Feces were examined microscopically for parasites after sugar centrifugation, for Giardia spp. cysts and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts by a commercially available immunofluorescence assay (FA) and the FA positive samples were genotyped after PCR amplification. The Giardia assemblages were determined using the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) β-giardin and triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) genes and the Cryptosporidium species were determined using the heat shock protein-70 gene. A total of 129 fecal samples were assayed; 66 were from dog park attending dogs and 63 were from non-dog park-attending dogs. The overall parasite prevalence rate was 7.0% (9 of 129 samples). Dog park attending dogs were more likely to be positive for Giardia or Cryptosporidium than non-dog park-attending dogs (p=0.0279), but there was no association of gastrointestinal signs with dog park attendance or with fecal flotation or FA results. The five Giardia isolates were assemblage C and/or D and the one Cryptosporidium isolate was Ctenocephalides canis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Empowerment, intimate partner violence and skilled birth attendance among women in rural Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwagala, Betty; Nankinga, Olivia; Wandera, Stephen Ojiambo; Ndugga, Patricia; Kabagenyi, Allen

2016-05-04

There is limited research on how the empowerment of women and intimate partner violence (IPV) are associated with skilled birth attendance (SBA) among rural women in Uganda. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to investigate the association between women's empowerment, their experience of IPV and SBA in rural Uganda. Using data from the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS), we selected 857 rural women who were in union, had given birth in the last 5 years preceding the survey and were selected for the domestic violence (DV) module. Frequency distributions were used to describe the background characteristics of the women and their partners. Pearson's chi-squared (χ (2)) tests were used to investigate the associations between SBA and women's empowerment; and partners' and women's socio-demographic factors including sexual violence. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between SBA and explanatory variables. More than half (55 %) of the women delivered under the supervision of skilled birth attendant. Women's empowerment with respect to participation in household decision-making, property (land and house) (co)ownership, IPV, and sexual empowerment did not positively predict SBA among rural women in Uganda. Key predictors of SBA were household wealth status, partners' education, ANC attendance and parity. For enhancement of SBA in rural areas, there is a need to encourage a more comprehensive ANC attendance irrespective of number of children a woman has; and design interventions to enhance household wealth and promote men's education.

Metabolic Syndrome among Undergraduate Students Attending ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methods: A total of 384 first-year students attending university medical clinics for obligatory medical ... Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, Obesity, Hypertension, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, ..... requires the attention of all health professionals.

Practices of traditional birth attendants in Machakos District, kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaingu, Catherine Kaluwa; Oduma, Jemimah Achieng; Kanui, Titus I

2011-09-01

The aim of the study was to document TBAs practices as well as the indigenous herbal remedies they use to manage pre, intra and post partum complications in a rural Kenyan community. A cross sectional study was conducted on practicing TBAs and their clients living in the study area. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and interviews. Focused group discussions were held with the TBAs to supplement the interviews and questionnaire survey. Two hundred TBAs and 20 clients were interviewed. The majority of the TBAs were females 75% of them having attended to over 200 pregnant women over a period of 5 years and above compared to only 6% of the males. A total of 10 pregnancy related complications and symptoms including threatened abortion, labor complications, post partum hemorrhage and retained after birth were recorded. Fifty five plant species most of them belonging to Euphorbiaceae family were identified for the management of the complications. Traditional Birth Attendants still have a role to play in assisting pregnant women in rural communities. Their knowledge on herbal medicines is equally important and should be preserved for posterity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of general psychological factors with frequent attendance in primary care: a population-based cross-sectional observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, André; Bock, Jens-Oliver; König, Hans-Helmut

2017-03-24

Whereas several studies have examined the association between frequent attendance in primary care and illness-specific psychological factors, little is known about the relation between frequent attendance and general psychological factors. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between being a frequent attender in primary care and general psychological factors. Data were used from a large, population-based sample of community-dwelling individuals aged 40 and above in Germany in 2014 (n = 7,446). Positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, optimism, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-regulation were included as general psychological factors. The number of self-reported GP visits in the past twelve months was used to quantify frequency of attendance; individuals with more than 9 visits (highest decile) were defined as frequent attenders. Multiple logistic regressions showed that being a frequent attender was positively associated with less life satisfaction [OR: 0.79 (0.70-0.89)], higher negative affect [OR: 1.38 (1.17-1.62)], less self-efficacy [OR: 0.74 (0.63-0.86)], less self-esteem [OR: 0.65 (0.54-0.79)], less self-regulation [OR: 0.74 (0.60-0.91)], and higher perceived stress [OR: 1.46 (1.28-1.66)], after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, morbidity and lifestyle factors. However, frequent attendance was not significantly associated with positive affect and self-regulation. The present study highlights the association between general psychological factors and frequent attendance. As frequent GP visits produce high health care costs and are potentially associated with increased referrals and use of secondary health care services, this knowledge might help to address these individuals with high needs.

Losing women along the path to safe motherhood: why is there such a gap between women's use of antenatal care and skilled birth attendance? A mixed methods study in northern Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Anastasi, Erin; Borchert, Matthias; Campbell, Oona M R; Sondorp, Egbert; Kaducu, Felix; Hill, Olivia; Okeng, Dennis; Odong, Vicki Norah; Lange, Isabelle L

2015-11-04

Thousands of women and newborns still die preventable deaths from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications in poor settings. Delivery with a skilled birth attendant is a vital intervention for saving lives. Yet many women, particularly where maternal mortality ratios are highest, do not have a skilled birth attendant at delivery. In Uganda, only 58 % of women deliver in a health facility, despite approximately 95 % of women attending antenatal care (ANC). This study aimed to (1) identify key factors underlying the gap between high rates of antenatal care attendance and much lower rates of health-facility delivery; (2) examine the association between advice during antenatal care to deliver at a health facility and actual place of delivery; (3) investigate whether antenatal care services in a post-conflict district of Northern Uganda actively link women to skilled birth attendant services; and (4) make recommendations for policy- and program-relevant implementation research to enhance use of skilled birth attendance services. This study was carried out in Gulu District in 2009. Quantitative and qualitative methods used included: structured antenatal care client entry and exit interviews [n = 139]; semi-structured interviews with women in their homes [n = 36], with health workers [n = 10], and with policymakers [n = 10]; and focus group discussions with women [n = 20], men [n = 20], and traditional birth attendants [n = 20]. Seventy-five percent of antenatal care clients currently pregnant reported they received advice during their last pregnancy to deliver in a health facility, and 58 % of these reported having delivered in a health facility. After adjustment for confounding, women who reported they received advice at antenatal care to deliver at a health facility were significantly more likely (aOR = 2.83 [95 % CI: 1.19-6.75], p = 0.02) to report giving birth in a facility. Despite high antenatal care coverage, a number of demand and supply side

39 CFR 6.4 - Attendance by conference telephone call.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Attendance by conference telephone call. 6.4 Section 6.4 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE MEETINGS (ARTICLE VI) § 6.4 Attendance by conference telephone call. For regularly scheduled meetings of...

Attendance of male partners to different reproductive health services ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Additional in-depth interviews were conducted among married men found attending RH services. Factors that motivates the uptake of locally available RH services together with their partners were explored. Results: A total of 204 men participated in the study, 94.4 % (193/204) of them reported to have ever attended the RH ...

Class attendance, peer similarity, and academic performance in a large field study

Science.gov (United States)

Bjerre-Nielsen, Andreas; Mones, Enys; Lehmann, Sune; Lassen, David Dreyer

2017-01-01

Identifying the factors that determine academic performance is an essential part of educational research. Existing research indicates that class attendance is a useful predictor of subsequent course achievements. The majority of the literature is, however, based on surveys and self-reports, methods which have well-known systematic biases that lead to limitations on conclusions and generalizability as well as being costly to implement. Here we propose a novel method for measuring class attendance that overcomes these limitations by using location and bluetooth data collected from smartphone sensors. Based on measured attendance data of nearly 1,000 undergraduate students, we demonstrate that early and consistent class attendance strongly correlates with academic performance. In addition, our novel dataset allows us to determine that attendance among social peers was substantially correlated (>0.5), suggesting either an important peer effect or homophily with respect to attendance. PMID:29117190

Tired, weak, or in need of rest: fatigue among general practice attenders.

Science.gov (United States)

David, A; Pelosi, A; McDonald, E; Stephens, D; Ledger, D; Rathbone, R; Mann, A

1990-11-24

To determine the prevalence and associations of symptoms of fatigue. Questionnaire survey. London general practice. 611 General practice attenders. Scores on a fatigue questionnaire and reasons given for fatigue. 10.2% Of men (17/167) and 10.6% of women (47/444) had substantial fatigue for one month or more. Age, occupation, and marital status exerted minor effects. Subjects attributed fatigue equally to physical and non-physical causes. Physical ill health, including viral infection, was associated with more severe fatigue. Women rather than men blamed family responsibilities for their fatigue. The profile of persistent fatigue did not differ from that of short duration. Only one person met criteria for the chronic fatigue syndrome. Fatigue is a common complaint among general practice attenders and can be severe. Patients may attribute this to physical, psychological, and social stress.

How Federal Government Policies Have Helped Women Earn College Degrees?

OpenAIRE

Rose, Deondra

2014-01-01

Scholars have long recognized that higher education brings knowledge and skills that translate into economic gains and enhanced political engagement, but little attention has been paid to the shifting impact of U.S. policies on college attendance by men and women. Once a male bastion, American higher education has become much more welcoming to women since the mid twentieth century. Starting in 1981, women earned the majority of bachelor’s degrees, and by 2003 U.S. colleges enrolled 1.3 women ...

The ties that bind: bonding versus bridging social capital and college student party attendance.

Science.gov (United States)

Buettner, Cynthia K; Debies-Carl, Jeffrey S

2012-07-01

This study explored the relationship between bonding and bridging social capital and college student attendance at alcohol-present parties, a common method for building informal social networks. A random sample of students (n = 6,291; 52% female) from a large public midwestern university completed a survey regarding their alcohol use and party-related behaviors on targeted weekends. The survey also included questions regarding students' living arrangements, romantic relationships, and membership in student and community organizations. Based on a dichotomous logistic regression analysis, we concluded that the act of attending parties largely serves as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, more conventional and formal social capital. Membership in bonding groups is associated with increased odds of party attendance, and bridging exerts no direct effect on party attendance. However, bridging capital does mitigate the effect of bonding capital, reducing its apparent tendency to promote or contribute to partying. Off-campus parties may offer an informal supplement to more conventional social capital as students establish themselves in their new context. These findings may have implications for structural decisions (e.g., number of roommates) as well as the design of context-based prevention programs that address students' need to quickly build social capital without exposing both themselves and the students around them to the harms associated with high-risk drinking.

Boosting Student Attendance: Beyond Stickers, Stars, and Candy Bars

Science.gov (United States)

Dill, Vicky; Lopez, Patrick; Stahlke, Tim; Stamp, Jeanne

2016-01-01

We know that students cannot learn if they are not in school, and that students with economic challenges miss school more frequently than other students. What obstacles create this attendance gap, and how can school districts provide the supports to improve attendance for these students? The authors of this article, who work with the Texas…

Mobile Attendance Checking System on Android Platform for Kazakhstani University

Science.gov (United States)

Saparkhojayev, N.; Shakhov, E.; Mailybayev, Y.

2016-04-01

In the 21st century-the century of Information Technology, it is difficult to imagine life without any gadgets: phones, tablets, computers, laptops, and so on. Today, smartphones and tablets are becoming popular, and thus their operating systems become popular too. Android is designed for low-power devices that run on battery power at full capacity, using all of its services, such as cameras, lights, GPS navigation, Wi-Fi, etc. In Kazakhstani universities, the process of checking students’ attendance is one of the important issues, because final grade evaluation of students is based on their total number of appearances and their grades during the whole semester. This raises the question of having some tool to control students’ attendance. There are many possible ways of controlling attendance: there are many examples when universities prefer to control attendance by the use of paper sheet, and some universities prefer to use two-stage way of controlling attendance: firstly, teachers and professors use paper sheet for checking students’ attendance and after this, they fill out these information into a system manually. However, this is not an efficient way since there will be spent much of time for calling students names and putting marks like “presence” or “absence” if the class is a lecture class, and in this class at least 5 groups are presented. Furthermore, some students may call his/her friend as “presence” nevertheless to the fact that this student is currently absent. After taking into consideration all these issues and the fact that many gadgets use Android platform, authors of the following research paper decided to create a mobile system that makes easier to check students’ attendance automatically, and this system is implemented in Almaty Management University, Kazakhstan. The system is based on Android platform, and in this paper, details of this system are presented.

Estimating attendance for breast cancer screening in ethnic groups in London.

Science.gov (United States)

Renshaw, Christine; Jack, Ruth H; Dixon, Steve; Møller, Henrik; Davies, Elizabeth A

2010-03-25

Breast screening uptake in London is below the Government's target of 70% and we investigate whether ethnicity affects this. Information on the ethnicity for the individual women invited is unavailable, so we use an area-based method similar to that routinely used to derive a geographical measure for socioeconomic deprivation. We extracted 742,786 observations on attendance for routine appointments between 2004 and 2007 collected by the London Quality Assurance Reference Centre. Each woman was assigned to a lower super output (LSOA) based on her postcode of residence. The proportions of the ethnic groups within each LSOA are known, so that the likelihood of a woman belonging to White, Black and Asian groups can be assigned. We investigated screening attendance by age group, socioeconomic deprivation using the Index of Deprivation 2004 income quintile, invitation type and breast screening service. Using logistic regression analysis we calculated odds ratios for attendance based on ethnic composition of the population, adjusting for age, socioeconomic status, the invitation type and screening service. The unadjusted attendance odds ratios were high for the White population (OR: 3.34 95% CI [3.26-3.42]) and low for the Black population (0.13 [0.12-0.13]) and the Asian population (0.55 [0.53-0.56]). Multivariate adjustment reduced the differences, but the Black population remained below unity (0.47 [0.44-0.50]); while the White (1.30 [1.26-1.35]) and Asian populations (1.10 [1.05-1.15]) were higher. There was little difference in the attendance between age groups. Attendance was highest for the most affluent group and fell sharply with increasing deprivation. For invitation type, the routine recall was higher than the first call. There were wide variations in the attendance for different ethnic groups between the individual screening services. Overall breast screening attendance is low in communities with large Black populations, suggesting the need to improve

A smart technique for attendance system to recognize faces through parallelism

Science.gov (United States)

Prabhavathi, B.; Tanuja, V.; Madhu Viswanatham, V.; Rajashekhara Babu, M.

2017-11-01

Major part of recognising a person is face with the help of image processing techniques we can exploit the physical features of a person. In the old approach method that is used in schools and colleges it is there that the professor calls the student name and then the attendance for the students marked. Here in paper want to deviate from the old approach and go with the new approach by using techniques that are there in image processing. In this paper we presenting spontaneous presence for students in classroom. At first classroom image has been in use and after that image is kept in data record. For the images that are stored in the database we apply system algorithm which includes steps such as, histogram classification, noise removal, face detection and face recognition methods. So by using these steps we detect the faces and then compare it with the database. The attendance gets marked automatically if the system recognizes the faces.

When learning a second language does not mean losing the first: bilingual language development in low-income, Spanish-speaking children attending bilingual preschool.

Science.gov (United States)

Winsler, A; Díaz, R M; Espinosa, L; Rodríguez, J L

1999-01-01

This article discusses two investigations which explored the bilingual language development outcomes of comparable groups of low-income, Spanish-speaking, Mexican American children who either did or did not attended a bilingual (Spanish/English) preschool. Study 1 is a replication of a study by Rodríguez, Díaz, Duran, and Espinosa, involving a new sample of 26 children who attended bilingual preschool for one year and 20 control children who remained at home. Study 2 represents a 1-year, longitudinal follow-up of Rodríguez et al.'s, sample of children during and after the children spent another year at home or in the preschool. In both investigations, standardized, objective measures of three components of children's language proficiency (productive language, receptive language, and language complexity) in English and Spanish were obtained at the beginning and end of the academic year. Contrary to fears that have been expressed by some that early exposure to English would lead to children's native language loss, the results of both studies offered no evidence of Spanish proficiency loss for children attending bilingual preschool. Children who attended bilingual preschool, compared to those who remained at home, showed significant and parallel gains in Spanish language development as well as significant and greater increases in English language proficiency over time. Results are discussed in terms of the need for more systematic research to be conducted in this area to inform policy and practice in the early education and development of language-minority children.

RFID and IOT for Attendance Monitoring System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dedy Irawan Joseph

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, RFID technology has been widely used in various sectors, such as in-education, transportation, agriculture, animal husbandry, store sales and other sectors. RFID utilization in education is student attendance monitoring system, by using Internet of Things (IoT and Cloud technology, it will produce a real time attendance monitoring system that can be accessed by various parties, such as lecturer, campus administration and parents. With this monitoring system if there are students who are not present can be immediately discovered and can be taken immediate action and the learning process can run smoothly.

Student decisions about lecture attendance: do electronic course materials matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Billings-Gagliardi, Susan; Mazor, Kathleen M

2007-10-01

This study explored whether first-year medical students make deliberate decisions about attending nonrequired lectures. If so, it sought to identify factors that influence these decisions, specifically addressing the potential impact of electronic materials. Medical students who completed first-year studies between 2004 and 2006 responded to an open-ended survey question about their own lecture-attendance decisions. Responses were coded to capture major themes. Students' ratings of the electronic materials were also examined. Most respondents made deliberate attendance decisions. Decisions were influenced by previous experiences with the lecturer, predictions of what would occur during the session itself, personal learning preferences, and learning needs at that particular time, with the overriding goal of maximizing learning. Access to electronic materials did not influence students' choices. Fears that the increasing availability of technology-enhanced educational materials has a negative impact on lecture attendance seem unfounded.

AGU Public Affairs: How to Get Involved in Science Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Landau, E. A.; Hankin, E. R.; Uhlenbrock, K. M.

2012-12-01

AGU Public Affairs offers many ways for its members to get involved in science policy at different levels of participation, whether you would love to spend a year working as a resident science expert in a congressional office in Washington, D.C., or would rather simply receive email alerts about Earth and space science policy news. How you can get involved: Sign up for AGU Science Policy Alerts to receive the most relevant Earth and space science policy information delivered to your email inbox. Participate in one of AGU's Congressional Visits Days to speak with your legislators about important science issues. Attend the next AGU Science Policy Conference in spring 2013. Participate in events happening on Capitol Hill, and watch video of past events. Learn about AGU Embassy Lectures, where countries come together to discuss important Earth and space science topics. Learn how you can comment on AGU Position Statements. Apply to be an AGU Congressional Science Fellow, where you can work in a congressional office for one year and serve as a resident science expert, or to be an AGU Public Affairs Intern, where you can work in the field of science policy for three months. The AGU Public Affairs Team will highlight ways members can be involved as well as provide information on how the team is working to shape policy and inform society about the excitement of AGU science.

Impact of drug awareness and treatment camps on attendance at a community outreach de-addiction clinic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Om Prakash Giri

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Substance misuse is an increasing problem in urban and rural India. The utility of community-based interventions and preventive strategies are increasingly emphasized in this context. The drug de-addiction and treatment center, Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, has been running a drug de-addiction and treatment clinic at Kharar Civil Hospital, Kharar, District Mohali, Punjab, since 1998. As part of an effort to enhance this community outreach program, community-based drug awareness and treatment camps have been organized since March 2004 in villages in and around Tehsil Kharar of Mohali. Aim: To study the impact of the drug awareness and treatment camps on the attendance of patients at the community outreach drug de-addiction and treatment clinic at Kharar Civil Hospital. Methods: Sociodemographic and clinical variables, including treatment outcome-related variables, of patients attending the clinic at Kharar Civil Hospital, before and after the camps were compared. Discussion and Conclusion: The study showed a positive impact on drug awareness and treatment camps held in the community on outpatient attendance at a community outreach clinic, with attendance increasing more than 1.8 times.

Impact of free delivery policy on utilization of maternal health services in county referral hospitals in Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Njuguna, John; Kamau, Njoroge; Muruka, Charles

2017-06-21

Kenya has a high maternal mortality rate. Provision of skilled delivery plays a major role in reducing maternal mortality. Cost is a hindrance to the utilization of skilled delivery. The Government of Kenya introduced a policy of free delivery services in government facilities beginning June 2013. We sought to determine the impact of this intervention on facility based deliveries in Kenya. We compared deliveries and antenatal attendance in 47 county referral hospitals and 30 low cost private hospitals not participating in the free delivery policy for 2013 and 2014 respectively. The data was extracted from the Kenya Health Information System. Multiple regression was done to assess factors influencing increase in number of deliveries among the county referral hospitals. The number of deliveries and antenatal attendance increased by 26.8% and 16.2% in county referral hospitals and decreased by 11.9% and 5.4% respectively in low cost private hospitals. Increase in deliveries among county referral hospitals was influenced by population size of county and type of county referral hospital. Counties with level 5 hospitals recorded more deliveries compared to those with level 4 hospitals. This intervention increased the number of facility based deliveries. Policy makers may consider incorporating low cost private hospitals so as to increase the coverage of this intervention.

Emergency department attendance patterns during Ramadan.

Science.gov (United States)

Butt, Taimur; Khan, Hameed Ullah; Ahmed, Israr; Eldali, Abdelmoneim

2016-01-01

Patient attendance in the emergency department (ED) is inherently variable and unpredictable. Resources might be better allocated if use of the ER could be predicted during the month of fasting (Ramadan), healthy adult Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to sunset and in the Middle East, social activities occur mostly during night. There is no published data that has reported changes in local ED attendance pattern during Ramadan. Determine if there are differences in tertiary care ed attendance during Ramadan compared to other times of the year. Retrospective, using data from the hospital integrated clinical information system. Tertiary care institution in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All ED visits during the Islamic calendar years of 1431-1434 (December 18, 2009-October 13, 2013) were analyzed. Patient volume, acuity, demographics and admission rate variability between Ramadan and other months. During the study period of 4 years, of 226075 ED patients, 129178 (57.14%) patients were seen during the day shift (07:00 to 18:59). During Ramadan, 10 293 (60%) patients presented during the night shift compared with the day shift (P many ED patients were actually fasting during the study period. This study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital and the patient population presenting to our ed is predominantly Muslim; therefore, the results may not be generalized to populations that are not predominantly Muslim.

Class attendance, peer similarity, and academic performance in a large field study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kassarnig, Valentin; Bjerre-Nielsen, Andreas; Mones, Enys

2017-01-01

Identifying the factors that determine academic performance is an essential part of educational research. Existing research indicates that class attendance is a useful predictor of subsequent course achievements. The majority of the literature is, however, based on surveys and self-reports, methods....... Based on measured attendance data of nearly 1,000 undergraduate students, we demonstrate that early and consistent class attendance strongly correlates with academic performance. In addition, our novel dataset allows us to determine that attendance among social peers was substantially correlated (>0...

An evaluation of an attendance monitoring system for undergraduate nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, Louise; O'Brien, Frances; Timmins, Fiona; Tobin, Gerard; O'Rourke, Frank; Doherty, Lena

2008-03-01

Internationally the preparation and ongoing education of nurses continues to evolve in response the changing nature of both nursing and health care. The move into third level structures that has taken place in countries such as the UK and the Republic of Ireland, results in new challenges to the historical fabric of nurse education. One such challenge is monitoring of nursing students' attendance. Viewed by students as a patriarchal and draconian measure, the nursing profession historically value their ability to ensure the public and professional bodies that nursing students fully engage with educational programmes. University class sizes and the increased perception of student autonomy can negate against formalised monitoring systems. This paper reports on an evaluation of one such monitoring system. The findings revealed that attendance was recognised implicitly by nurse educators as an important learning activity within these programmes results and that current methods employed were less than reliable and so did little to appropriately control the phenomenon. Subsequent to the evaluation; a standardised approach to the measurement of absenteeism was employed. Deliberate short-term absence was a feature of this group. Reasons cited included travelling long distances, dissatisfaction with programme timetables and personal reasons. Preventative measures employed included improvement in student timetable delivery.

The effect of sporting events on emergency department attendance rates in a district general hospital in Northern Ireland.

Science.gov (United States)

McGreevy, A; Millar, L; Murphy, B; Davison, G W; Brown, R; O'Donnell, M E

2010-10-01

Previous studies have reported a conflicting relationship between the effect of live and televised sporting events on attendance rates to emergency departments (ED). The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship of major sporting events on emergency department attendance rates and to determine the potential effects of such events on service provision. A retrospective analysis of ED attendances to a district general hospital (DGH) and subsequent admissions over a 24-h period following live and televised sporting activities was performed over a 5-year period. Data were compiled from the hospital's emergency record books including the number of attendances, patient demographics, clinical complaint and outcome. Review patients were excluded. Analysis of sporting events was compiled for live local, regional and national events as well as world-wide televised sporting broadcasts. A total of 137,668 (80,445 men) patients attended from April 2002 to July 2007. Mean attendance rate per day was 80 patients (men = 47). Mean admission rate was 13.6 patients per day. Major sporting events during the study period included; Soccer: 4 FA Cup and 1 World Cup (WC) finals; Rugby: 47 Six Nations, 25 Six nations games involving Ireland, 1 WC final, 2 WC semi-finals, 2 WC quarter-finals and 4 WC games involving Ireland; and Gaelic Football [Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)]: 5 All-Ireland finals, 11 semi-finals, 11 quarter-finals and 5 provincial finals. There was a significantly higher patient admission rate during the soccer FA Cup final, Rugby Six Nations and games involving Ireland and for GAA semi- and quarter-final games (p = 0.001-0.01). There was no difference identified in total attendance or non-admission rates for sporting events throughout the study period. Although there was no correlation identified between any of these sporting events and total emergency department attendances (r 0.07), multinomial logistic regression demonstrated that FA Cup final (p

Improving the Quantity and Quality of Attendance Data to Enhance Student Retention

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Eleri; Price, Trevor; Lloyd, Steve; Thomas, Steve

2005-01-01

This article draws attention to local and global attendance monitoring in higher education. The paper outlines benefits of attendance monitoring for both the individual learner and university, and compares traditional paper-based attendance monitoring systems with an electronic system piloted in the Business School and School of Technology at the…

The impact of a pre-hospital medical response unit on patient care and emergency department attendances.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Deasy, C

2012-02-03

A rapid response team was instigated in Cork to improve prehospital care and reduce unnecessary Emergency Department (ED) visits. This consisted of a Specialist Registrar (SpR) in Emergency Medicine and a Paramedic who attended all "999" calls in a designated rapid response vehicle on the allotted study days. Two hundred and sixty-three patients were seen on designated days between Jan 2004 and March 2006. Presentations seen included; road traffic accident (23%) collapse (12%), fall (10%) and seizure (8%). The majority of calls were to houses (36%). The most common medical intervention was intravenous cannulation (25%). Intravenous medications were administered in 21% of these patients--morphine sulphate was the most common drug given. It was possible to safely discharge 31% of patients on scene. In our experience skilled Emergency Medicine doctors attending at scene could provide advanced care and reduce ambulance transportation and patient attendance.

The health system benefits of attending an HIV/AIDS conference ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Respondents reported that they attended ICASA 2013 to learn more about tuberculosis/HIV/AIDS/sexually transmitted infections and networking opportunities. The majority reported that they gained professionally from attending ICASA 2013 and made 'new contacts and opportunities for partnership and collaboration' and ...

Reasons why patients referred to diabetes education programmes choose not to attend: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Horigan, G; Davies, M; Findlay-White, F; Chaney, D; Coates, V

2017-01-01

To identify the reasons why those offered a place on diabetes education programmes declined the opportunity. It is well established that diabetes education is critical to optimum diabetes care; it improves metabolic control, prevents complications, improves quality of life and empowers people to make informed choices to manage their condition. Despite the significant clinical and personal rewards offered by diabetes education, programmes are underused, with a significant proportion of patients choosing not to attend. A systematic search of the following databases was conducted for the period from 2005-2015: Medline; EMBASE; Scopus; CINAHL; and PsycINFO. Studies that met the inclusion criteria focusing on patient-reported reasons for non-attendance at structured diabetes education were selected. A total of 12 studies spanning quantitative and qualitative methodologies were included. The selected studies were published in Europe, USA, Pakistan, Canada and India, with a total sample size of 2260 people. Two broad categories of non-attender were identified: 1) those who could not attend for logistical, medical or financial reasons (e.g. timing, costs or existing comorbidities) and 2) those who would not attend because they perceived no benefit from doing so, felt they had sufficient knowledge already or had emotional and cultural reasons (e.g. no perceived problem, denial or negative feelings towards education). Diabetes education was declined for many reasons, and the range of expressed reasons was more diverse and complex than anticipated. New and innovative methods of delivering diabetes education are required which address the needs of people with diabetes whilst maintaining quality and efficiency. © 2016 Diabetes UK.

Decompression tables for inside chamber attendants working at altitude.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, James; Thombs, Paul A; Davison, William J; Weaver, Lindell K

2014-01-01

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) multiplace chamber inside attendants (IAs) are at risk for decompression sickness (DCS). Standard decompression tables are formulated for sea-level use, not for use at altitude. At Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center (Denver, Colorado, 5,924 feet above sea level) and Intermountain Medical Center (Murray, Utah, 4,500 feet), the decompression obligation for IAs is managed with U.S. Navy Standard Air Tables corrected for altitude, Bühlmann Tables, and the Nobendem© calculator. IAs also breathe supplemental oxygen while compressed. Presbyterian/St. Luke's (0.83 atmospheres absolute/atm abs) uses gauge pressure, uncorrected for altitude, at 45 feet of sea water (fsw) (2.2 atm abs) for routine wound care HBO2 and 66 fsw (2.8 atm abs) for carbon monoxide/cyanide poisoning. Presbyterian/St. Luke's provides oxygen breathing for the IAs at 2.2 atm abs. At Intermountain (0.86 atm abs), HBO2 is provided at 2.0 atm abs for routine treatments and 3.0 atm abs for carbon monoxide poisoning. Intermountain IAs breathe intermittent 50% nitrogen/50% oxygen at 3.0 atm abs and 100% oxygen at 2.0 atm abs. The chamber profiles include a safety stop. From 1990-2013, Presbyterian/St. Luke's had 26,900 total IA exposures: 25,991 at 45 fsw (2.2 atm abs) and 646 at 66 fsw (2.8 atm abs); there have been four cases of IA DCS. From 2008-2013, Intermountain had 1,847 IA exposures: 1,832 at 2 atm abs and 15 at 3 atm abs, with one case of IA DCS. At both facilities, DCS incidents occurred soon after the chambers were placed into service. Based on these results, chamber inside attendant risk for DCS at increased altitude is low when the inside attendants breathe supplemental oxygen.

Telephone reminders reduced the non-attendance rate in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jeppesen, Maja Haunstrup; Ainsworth, Mark Andrew

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Non-attendance is a global health-care problem. The aim of the present study was 1) to investigate if a telephone reminder could reduce the non-attendance rate, 2) to study reasons for non-attendance and 3) to evaluate if a permanent implementation would be economically advantageous......,705). Patients in the following three-month period were reminded by telephone one weekday in advance of their appointment, when possible (intervention group, n = 2,479). Non-attending patients in the intervention group received a questionnaire. Based on the results, a financial cost-benefit analysis was made...

Climate policy and ancillary benefits. A survey and integration into the modelling of international negotiations on climate change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pittel, Karen; Ruebbelke, Dirk T.G.

2008-01-01

Currently informal and formal international negotiations on climate change take place in an intensive way since the Kyoto Protocol expires already in 2012. A post-Kyoto regulation to combat global warming is not yet stipulated. Due to rapidly increasing greenhouse-gas emission levels, industrialized countries urge major polluters from the developing world like China and India to participate in a future agreement. Whether these developing countries will do so, depends on the prevailing incentives to participate in international climate protection efforts. This paper identifies ancillary benefits of climate policy to provide important incentives to attend a new international protocol and to positively affect the likelihood of accomplishing a post-Kyoto agreement which includes commitments of developing countries. (author)

How well do the theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behaviour predict intentions and attendance at screening programmes? A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooke, Richard; French, David P

2008-01-01

Meta-analysis was used to quantify how well the Theories of Reasoned Action and Planned Behaviour have predicted intentions to attend screening programmes and actual attendance behaviour. Systematic literature searches identified 33 studies that were included in the review. Across the studies as a whole, attitudes had a large-sized relationship with intention, while subjective norms and perceived behavioural control (PBC) possessed medium-sized relationships with intention. Intention had a medium-sized relationship with attendance, whereas the PBC-attendance relationship was small sized. Due to heterogeneity in results between studies, moderator analyses were conducted. The moderator variables were (a) type of screening test, (b) location of recruitment, (c) screening cost and (d) invitation to screen. All moderators affected theory of planned behaviour relationships. Suggestions for future research emerging from these results include targeting attitudes to promote intention to screen, a greater use of implementation intentions in screening information and examining the credibility of different screening providers.

Policy Development Fosters Collaborative Practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyer, Daniel M; Kaste, Linda M; Lituri, Kathy M

2016-01-01

This article provides an example of interprofessional collaboration for policy development regarding environmental global health vis-à-vis the Minamata Convention on Mercury. It presents an overview of mercury and mercury-related environmental health issues; public policy processes and stakeholde...... requiring dental engagement for interprofessional policy development include education, disaster response, HPV vaccination, pain management, research priorities, and antibiotic resistance.......; and specifics including organized dentistry's efforts to create global policy to restrict environmental contamination by mercury. Dentistry must participate in interprofessional collaborations and build on such experiences to be optimally placed for ongoing interprofessional policy development. Current areas...

Attending Behaviors of ADHD Children in Math and Reading Using Various Types of Software.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Mary Jane; And Others

1993-01-01

Compared the effects of using various computer software programs on the attending behavior of children with attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Found that the attention of ADHD children increased while they used software with a game format when animation was not excessive. Other factors affecting nonattending behaviors included the…

Making healthy eating and physical activity policy practice: the design and overview of a group randomized controlled trial in afterschool programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Beets, Michael W; Glenn Weaver, R; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Huberty, Jennifer; Ward, Dianne S; Freedman, Darcy A; Saunders, Ruth; Pate, Russell R; Beighle, Aaron; Hutto, Brent; Moore, Justin B

2014-07-01

National and state organizations have developed policies calling upon afterschool programs (ASPs, 3-6 pm) to serve a fruit or vegetable (FV) each day for snack, while eliminating foods and beverages high in added-sugars, and to ensure children accumulate a minimum of 30 min/d of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Few efficacious and cost-effective strategies exist to assist ASP providers in achieving these important public health goals. This paper reports on the design and conceptual framework of Making Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Policy Practice in ASPs, a 3-year group randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of strategies designed to improve snacks served and increase MVPA in children attending community-based ASPs. Twenty ASPs, serving over 1800 children (6-12 years) will be enrolled and match-paired based on enrollment size, average daily min/d MVPA, and days/week FV served, with ASPs randomized after baseline data collection to immediate intervention or a 1-year delayed group. The framework employed, STEPs (Strategies To Enhance Practice), focuses on intentional programming of HEPA in each ASPs' daily schedule, and includes a grocery store partnership to reduce price barriers to purchasing FV, professional development training to promote physical activity to develop core physical activity competencies, as well as ongoing technical support/assistance. Primary outcome measures include children's accelerometry-derived MVPA and time spend sedentary while attending an ASP, direct observation of staff HEPA promoting and inhibiting behaviors, types of snacks served, and child consumption of snacks, as well as, cost of snacks via receipts and detailed accounting of intervention delivery costs to estimate cost-effectiveness. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Making Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy Practice: The Design and Overview of a Group Randomized Controlled Trial in Afterschool Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Beets, Michael W.; Weaver, R. Glenn; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Huberty, Jennifer; Ward, Dianne S.; Freedman, Darcy A.; Saunders, Ruth; Pate, Russell R.; Beighle, Aaron; Moore, Justin B.

2014-01-01

National and state organizations have developed policies calling upon afterschool programs (ASPs, 3-6pm) to serve a fruit or vegetable (FV) each day for snack, while eliminating foods and beverages high in added-sugars, and to ensure children accumulate a minimum of 30 min/d of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Few efficacious and cost-effective strategies exist to assist ASP providers in achieving these important public health goals. This paper reports on the design and conceptual framework of Making Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Policy Practice in ASPs, a 3-year group randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of strategies designed to improve snacks served and increase MVPA in children attending community-based ASPs. Twenty ASPs, serving over 1,800 children (6-12yrs) will be enrolled and match-paired based on enrollment size, average daily min/d MVPA, and days/week FV served, with ASPs randomized after baseline data collection to immediate intervention or a 1-year delayed group. The framework employed, STEPs (Strategies To Enhance Practice), focuses on intentional programming of HEPA in each ASPs’ daily schedule, and includes a grocery store partnership to reduce price barriers to purchasing FV, professional development training to promote physical activity to develop core physical activity competencies, as well as ongoing technical support/assistance. Primary outcome measures include children’s accelerometry-derived MVPA and time spend sedentary while attending an ASP, direct observation of staff HEPA promoting and inhibiting behaviors, types of snacks served, and child consumption of snacks, as well as, cost of snacks via receipts and detailed accounting of intervention delivery costs to estimate cost-effectiveness. PMID:24893225

Children's attitudes towards Electronic Gambling Machines: an exploratory qualitative study of children who attend community clubs.

Science.gov (United States)

Bestman, Amy; Thomas, Samantha; Randle, Melanie; Pitt, Hannah

2017-05-08

This research sought to explore whether children's visual and auditory exposure to Electronic Gambling Machines (EGMs) in community clubs contributed to shaping their attitudes towards these types of potentially harmful gambling products. This research also examined children's knowledge of EGM behaviours in adults within their social networks. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 45 children in a regional area of New South Wales, Australia. All children had attended a club that contained gambling products in the previous 12 months. Face to face, semi-structured interviews explored a range of themes including recall of and attitudes towards EGMs. Data were analysed using thematic techniques. Four social learning theory concepts-attentional, retention, reinforcement and reproduction-were used to explore the range of processes that influenced children's attitudes towards EGMs. In relation to attentional factors, children recalled having seen EGMs in clubs, including where they were located, auditory stimuli and the physical appearance of EGMs. Children also retained information about the behaviours associated with gambling on EGMs, most prominently why adults gamble on these machines. Attitudes towards EGMs were reinforced by the child's knowledge of adults EGM behaviours. Some older children's attitudes were positively reinforced by the perception that profits from the machines would go back to their local sporting teams. Finally, while some children expressed a desire to reproduce EGM behaviours when they were older, others were concerned about the negative consequences of engaging in this type of gambling. Despite policies that try to prevent children's exposure to EGMs in community venues, children have peripheral exposure to EGMs within these environments. This exposure and children's awareness of gambling behaviours of adults appear to play a role in shaping their attitudes towards EGMs. While further research should explore the

Noise-robust cortical tracking of attended speech in real-world acoustic scenes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fuglsang, Søren; Dau, Torsten; Hjortkjær, Jens

2017-01-01

Selectively attending to one speaker in a multi-speaker scenario is thought to synchronize low-frequency cortical activity to the attended speech signal. In recent studies, reconstruction of speech from single-trial electroencephalogram (EEG) data has been used to decode which talker a listener...... is attending to in a two-talker situation. It is currently unclear how this generalizes to more complex sound environments. Behaviorally, speech perception is robust to the acoustic distortions that listeners typically encounter in everyday life, but it is unknown whether this is mirrored by a noise......-robust neural tracking of attended speech. Here we used advanced acoustic simulations to recreate real-world acoustic scenes in the laboratory. In virtual acoustic realities with varying amounts of reverberation and number of interfering talkers, listeners selectively attended to the speech stream...

HIV-Risk Behaviors and Social Support Among Men and Women Attending Alcohol-Serving Venues in South Africa: Implications for HIV Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Velloza, Jennifer; Watt, Melissa H; Abler, Laurie; Skinner, Donald; Kalichman, Seth C; Dennis, Alexis C; Sikkema, Kathleen J

2017-11-01

Alcohol use is associated with increased HIV-risk behaviors, including unprotected sex and number of sex partners. Alcohol-serving venues can be places to engage in HIV-related sexual risk behaviors, but are also important sites of social support for patrons, which may mitigate risks. We sought to examine the relationship between alcohol-serving venue attendance, social support, and HIV-related sexual risk behavior, by gender, in South Africa. Adult patrons (n = 496) were recruited from six alcohol-serving venues and completed surveys assessing frequency of venue attendance, venue-based social support, and recent sexual behaviors. Generalized estimating equations tested associations between daily venue attendance, social support, and sexual behaviors, separately by gender. Interaction effects between daily attendance and social support were assessed. Models were adjusted for venue, age, education, and ethnicity. Daily attendance at venues was similar across genders and was associated with HIV-related risk behaviors, but the strength and direction of associations differed by gender. Among women, daily attendance was associated with greater number of partners and higher proportion of unprotected sex. Social support was a significant moderator, with more support decreasing the strength of the relationship between attendance and risk. Among men, daily attendance was associated with a lower proportion of unprotected sex; no interaction effects were found for attendance and social support. Frequent venue attendance is associated with additional HIV-related risks for women, but this risk is mitigated by social support in venues. These results were not seen for men. Successful HIV interventions in alcohol-serving venues should address the gendered context of social support and sexual risk behavior.

An Investigation into Patient Non-Attendance and Use of a Short-Message Reminder System at a University Dental Clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Storrs, Mark J; Ramov, Helen M; Lalloo, Ratilal

2016-01-01

Non-attended appointments in health care facilities create inefficiencies and loss of clinical productivity: clinical teaching hours are reduced, impacting students' ability to meet the competencies necessary for professional registration. The aim of this study was to assess demographic and time-related factors for patient non-attendance at a dental school clinic in Australia. Appointment data were extracted from the patient management system for the years 2011 and 2012. Data included the status of appointment (attended, cancelled, or failed to attend [FTA]) and an array of demographic and time-related factors. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to assess relationships between these factors and appointment status. Attendance rates were also compared by year following implementation of a short message service (SMS) reminder at the beginning of 2012. The results showed that, of 58,622 appointments booked with students during 2011 and 2012, 68% of patients attended, 23% cancelled, and 9% were FTA. The percentage of non-attended (cancelled or FTA) appointments differed by demographic and time-related factors. Females were 7% less likely to be FTA, those aged 16-24 years were five times more likely to be FTA, and early morning appointments were 18% less likely to be cancelled and FTA. With the SMS reminder system, the odds of a cancellation were 15% higher, but FTAs were 14% lower (both were statistically significant differences). This study found that failing to attend an appointment was significantly related to a number of factors. Clinical scheduling and reminder systems may need to take these factors into account to decrease the number of teaching hours lost due to patients' missing their appointments.

A decomposition analysis of change in skilled birth attendants, 2003 to 2008, Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosomprah, Samuel; Aryeetey, Genevieve Cecelia; Nonvignon, Justice; Adanu, Richard M

2014-12-24

The single most critical intervention to improve maternal and neonatal survival is to ensure that a competent health worker with midwifery skills is present at every birth, and transport is available to a referral facility for obstetric care in case of an emergency. This study aims to describe changes in percentage of skilled birth attendants in Ghana and to identify causes of the observed changes as well as the contribution of different categories of mother's characteristics to these changes. This study uses two successive nationally representative household surveys: the 2003 and 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHS). The two datasets have comparable information on household characteristics and skilled attendants at birth at the time of the survey. The 2003 GDHS database includes information on 6,251 households and 3639 live births in the five years preceding the survey, whereas the 2008 GDHS database had information on11, 778 households and 2909 live births in the five years preceding the survey. A decomposition approach was used to explain the observed change in percentage of skilled birth attendants. Random-effects generalized least square regression was used to explore the effect of changes in population structure in respect of the mother's characteristics on percentage of skilled birth attendants over the period. Overall, the data showed absolute gain in the proportion of births attended by a health professional from 47.1% in 2003 to 58.7% in 2008, which represents 21.9% of gap closed to reach universal coverage. The increase in skilled birth attendants was found to be caused by changes in general health behaviour. The gain is regardless of the mother's characteristics. The structural change in the proportion of births in respect of birth order and mother's education had little effect on the change in percentage of skilled birth attendants. Improvement in general health behaviour can potentially contribute to an accelerated increase in proportion

Employee Lounge Attendant | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Job Summary Under the direction of the Chief, Conference Management, the Employee Lounge Attendant is responsible to prepare coffee, beverages, and ... The incumbent also assists with food preparation for daily meals as well as ensure ...

Agenda Setting and Evidence in Maternal Health: Connecting Research and Policy in Timor-Leste.

Science.gov (United States)

Wild, Kayli; Kelly, Paul; Barclay, Lesley; Martins, Nelson

2015-01-01

The evidence-based policy (EBP) movement has received significant attention in the scientific literature; however, there is still very little empirical research to provide insight into how policy decisions are made and how evidence is used. The lack of research on this topic in low- and middle-income countries is of particular note. We examine the maternity waiting home policy in Timor-Leste to understand the role of context, policy characteristics, individual actors, and how evidence is used to influence the policy agenda. The research tracked the maternity waiting home policy from 2005 to 2009 and is based on in-depth interviews with 31 senior policy-makers, department managers, non-government organization representatives, and United Nations advisors. It is also informed by direct observation, attendance at meetings and workshops, and analysis of policy documents. The findings from this ethnographic case study demonstrate that although the post-conflict context opened up space for new policy ideas senior Ministry of Health officials rather than donors had the most power in setting the policy agenda. Maternity waiting homes were appealing because they were a visible, non-controversial, and logical solution to the problem of accessing maternal health services. Evidence was used in a variety of ways, from supporting pre-determined agendas to informing new policy directions. In the pursuit of EBP, we conclude that the power of research to inform policy lies in its timeliness and relevance, and is facilitated by the connection between researchers and policy-makers.

The use of evidence in maternal health: Connecting research and policy in Timor-Leste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kayli Janine Wild

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The evidence-based policy (EBP movement has received significant attention in the scientific literature, however, there is still very little empirical research to provide insight into how policy decisions are made and how evidence is used. The lack of research on this topic in low and middle-income countries is of particular note. We examine the maternity waiting home policy in Timor-Leste to understand the role of context, policy characteristics, individual actors and how evidence is used to influence the policy agenda. The research tracked the maternity waiting home policy from 2005 to 2009 and is based on in-depth interviews with 31 senior policy-makers, department managers, non-government organisation (NGO representatives and United Nations (UN advisors. It is also informed by direct observation, attendance at meetings and workshops and analysis of policy documents. The findings from this case study demonstrate the importance of political context, policy characteristics and the power of senior Ministry of Health officials rather than donors in setting the policy agenda. Maternity waiting homes were appealing because they were a visible, non-controversial and logical solution to the problem of accessing maternal health services. Evidence was used in a variety of ways, from supporting pre-determined agendas to informing new policy directions. In the pursuit of EBP, we conclude that the power of research to inform policy lies in its timeliness and relevance, and is facilitated by the connection between researchers and policy-makers.

Estimating attendance for breast cancer screening in ethnic groups in London

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Møller Henrik

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast screening uptake in London is below the Government's target of 70% and we investigate whether ethnicity affects this. Information on the ethnicity for the individual women invited is unavailable, so we use an area-based method similar to that routinely used to derive a geographical measure for socioeconomic deprivation. Methods We extracted 742,786 observations on attendance for routine appointments between 2004 and 2007 collected by the London Quality Assurance Reference Centre. Each woman was assigned to a lower super output (LSOA based on her postcode of residence. The proportions of the ethnic groups within each LSOA are known, so that the likelihood of a woman belonging to White, Black and Asian groups can be assigned. We investigated screening attendance by age group, socioeconomic deprivation using the Index of Deprivation 2004 income quintile, invitation type and breast screening service. Using logistic regression analysis we calculated odds ratios for attendance based on ethnic composition of the population, adjusting for age, socioeconomic status, the invitation type and screening service. Results The unadjusted attendance odds ratios were high for the White population (OR: 3.34 95% CI [3.26-3.42] and low for the Black population (0.13 [0.12-0.13] and the Asian population (0.55 [0.53-0.56]. Multivariate adjustment reduced the differences, but the Black population remained below unity (0.47 [0.44-0.50]; while the White (1.30 [1.26-1.35] and Asian populations (1.10 [1.05-1.15] were higher. There was little difference in the attendance between age groups. Attendance was highest for the most affluent group and fell sharply with increasing deprivation. For invitation type, the routine recall was higher than the first call. There were wide variations in the attendance for different ethnic groups between the individual screening services. Conclusions Overall breast screening attendance is low in communities with

The Value of Attending a Women's College: Education, Occupation, and Income Benefits.

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Riordan, Cornelius

1994-01-01

A study using data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 compared effects of attendance at a women's college for one to six years (n=125) with attendance at only coeducational colleges (n=1832). Findings indicated significant occupational achievement benefits were realized for each year of attendance at a women's…

Postpartum care attendance at a rural district hospital in Zambia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J. Lagro (Joep); A. Liche (Agnes); J. Mumba (John); R. Ntebeka (Ruth); J. van Roosmalen (Jos)

2006-01-01

textabstractPostpartum care is an important tool in both preventive and promotive maternal health care. We studied the postpartum care attendance rate in 540 women who delivered at a district hospital in Zambia. Forty-two percent of the women attended postpartum care within six weeks of delivery.

Policy Driven Development: Flexible Policy Insertion for Large Scale Systems.

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Demchak, Barry; Krüger, Ingolf

2012-07-01

The success of a software system depends critically on how well it reflects and adapts to stakeholder requirements. Traditional development methods often frustrate stakeholders by creating long latencies between requirement articulation and system deployment, especially in large scale systems. One source of latency is the maintenance of policy decisions encoded directly into system workflows at development time, including those involving access control and feature set selection. We created the Policy Driven Development (PDD) methodology to address these development latencies by enabling the flexible injection of decision points into existing workflows at runtime , thus enabling policy composition that integrates requirements furnished by multiple, oblivious stakeholder groups. Using PDD, we designed and implemented a production cyberinfrastructure that demonstrates policy and workflow injection that quickly implements stakeholder requirements, including features not contemplated in the original system design. PDD provides a path to quickly and cost effectively evolve such applications over a long lifetime.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of traditional birth attendants in pastoralist communities of Laikipia and Samburu counties, Kenya: a cross-sectional survey.

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Reeve, Matthew; Onyo, Pamela; Nyagero, Josephat; Morgan, Alison; Nduba, John; Kermode, Michelle

2016-01-01

Current efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality focus on promoting institutional deliveries with skilled birth attendants (SBAs), and discouraging deliveries at home attended by traditional birth attendants (TBAs). In rural Kenya, semi-nomadic pastoralist communities are underserved by the formal health system, experience high maternal and neonatal mortality, and rely primarily on TBAs for delivery care, despite Government proscription of TBA-assisted births. This study examined the knowledge, attitude and practices of TBAs serving these communities to assess the potential for collaboration between TBAs and SBAs. A cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey was conducted among 171 TBAs from Maasai and Samburu pastoralist communities in Laikipia and Samburu counties, Kenya, as part of a larger mixed-methods study in partnership with a local service provider. BAs were relatively elderly (mean age 59.6 years), and attended an average of 5-6 deliveries per year. A minority (22.2%) had received formal training. They provided antenatal, intra-partum and post-partum care. Most TBA care was non-interventionist, but not necessarily consistent with best practice. Most had encountered birth complications, but knowledge regarding management of complications was sub-optimal. Most had previously referred at least one woman to a health facility (80.1%), were key participants in decision making to refer women (96.5%), and had been present at an institutional delivery (54.4%). TBAs continue to be key providers of maternal and neonatal healthcare in regions where the formal health system has poor coverage or acceptability. Strengthening existing TBA/SBA collaborations could improve both community links to the formal health system, and the quality of care provided to pastoralist women, while remaining consistent with current Government policy.

Association between attendance at religious services and self-reported health in 22 European countries.

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Nicholson, Amanda; Rose, Richard; Bobak, Martin

2009-08-01

There are consistent reports of protective associations between attendance at religious services and better self-rated health but existing data rarely consider the social or individual context of religious behaviour. This paper investigates whether attendance at religious services is associated with better self-rated health in diverse countries across Europe. It also explores whether the association varies with either individual-level (gender, educational, social contact) or country-level characteristics (overall level of religious practice, corruption, GDP). Cross-sectional data from round 2 of the European Social Survey were used and 18,328 men and 21,373 women from 22 European countries were included in multilevel analyses, with country as higher level. Compared to men who attended religious services at least once a week, men who never attended were almost twice as likely to describe their health as poor, with an age and education adjusted odds ratio of 1.83 [95% CI, 1.49-2.26]. A similar but weaker effect was seen in women, with an age and education adjusted odds ratio of 1.38 [1.19-1.61]. The associations were reduced only marginally in men by controlling for health status, social contact and country-level variables, but weakened in women. The relationships were stronger in people with longstanding illness, less than university education and in more affluent countries with lower levels of corruption and higher levels of religious belief. These analyses confirm that an association between less frequent attendance at religious services and poor health exists across Europe, but emphasise the importance of taking individual and contextual factors into account. It remains unclear to what extent the observed associations reflect reverse causality or are due to differing perceptions of health.

Why Students Do and Do Not Attend Classes: Myths and Realities.

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Friedman, Paul; Rodriguez, Fred; McComb, Joe

2001-01-01

Explored student characteristics and course characteristics influencing why college students skip class. Found that attendance behavior cannot be easily explained and that the decision to attend is influenced by multiple factors. (EV)

Factors And Challenges Influencing Mothers Choice Of Birth Attendance In Bunyala Sub-County Kenya

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June Victoria Omollo

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Despite investments made in maternal health in the developing world and a free maternal health programme being launched in Kenya maternal and neo- natal deaths in Bunyala Sub county remain high. This paper is based on a study which sought to determine the factors Influencing Mothers Choice of Birth attendance in Bunyala Sub-County Kenya. This included an examination of the challenges they face in trying to access facility-based maternity services. A sample of 385 mothers living in different locations of the sub county were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Health personnel in the main health facility in each location were also interviewed and focus group discussions held with Community Health Workers and Traditional Birth Attendants separately. Data revealed that the mothers of Bunyala sub county generally prefer the government facilities over the TBAs primarily due to availability of skilled staff medicines and equipment. However some mothers prefer the TBAs because of flexibility of payments payments in kind accessibility at odd hours because of good relations for cultural reasonsto refrain from having male birth attendants and for fear of the mandatory HIV testing done under the PMTCT program. The challenges faced were mainly the distance to the health facility the in affordability of travel the cost of medical drugs and supplies poor roads unavailability of night time ferry services verbal abuse and negative attitudes from some skilled attendants and long waiting hours.

Low prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection in population attending a major hospital in New Delhi, India.

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Aggarwal, R K; Chattopadhya, D; Kumari, S

1996-03-01

During 4 year period between April 1990 and March 1994, 4120 specimens from the patients attending out patient departments of Medical, Surgical and Antenatal units of a major city hospital were tested for HIV infection as a part of an on-going sentinel surveillance programme. In addition, 1440 specimens from the patients attending STD clinic of the same hospital and 862 females seeking termination of pregnancy from a near by hospital were included for comparison. It was found that only 3 individuals with high risk behaviours out of 2002 females attending antenatal clinic showed evidence of HIV infection (rate 1.49 per 1000). The corresponding rate for the group of patients attending STD clinic and seeking termination of pregnancy were 3 out of 1440 (rate 2.15 per 1000) and 1 out of 862 (rate 1.16 per 1000) respectively. It was noted that prevalence of HIV infection in the hospital attending population with unspecified risk factor (medical, surgical and antenatal clinics) was not a matter of serious concern. The importance of finding out risk factors in females attending antenatal clinic is evident from the study.

Danish Patients are positive towards fees for non-attendance in public hospitals

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Lou, Stina; Frumer, Michal; Olesen, Steen

2016-01-01

Introduction: Patients’ non-attendance is a significant problem in modern healthcare. Non-attendance delays treatment, reduces efficiency and increases healthcare costs. For several years, the introduction of financial incentives such as a non-attendance fee has been discussed in Denmark. Set...... in the context of a tax-financed, free-for-all healthcare system, the political hesitance to introduce fees relates to concerns that additional fees may be badly received by tax-paying citizens and may undermine the polit­ical priority of patient equity. The aim of this qualitative sub-study was to investigate...... patients’ attitudes towards a fee for non-attendance. Methods: Six semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 44 patients who had been informed about being charged a fee for non-attendance. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a qualitative content analysis. Results...

A qualitative systematic review of the reasons for parental attendance at the emergency department with children presenting with minor illness.

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Butun, Ahmet; Hemingway, Pippa

2018-01-01

Over 5 million children attend the Emergency Department (ED) annually in England with an ever-increasing paediatric emergency caseload echoed globally. Approximately 60% of children present with illness and the majority have non-urgent illness creating burgeoning pressures on children's ED and this crisis resonates globally. To date no qualitative systematic review exists that focuses on the parental reasons for childhood attendance at the ED in this sub-group. To identify parental reasons for attending ED for their children presenting with minor illness. A qualitative systematic review was conducted against inclusion/exclusion criteria. Five electronic databases and key journals were searched in June 2015. 471 studies were identified and following study selection, 4 qualitative studies were included. Nine themes were identified e.g. dissatisfaction with family medical services, perceived advantages of ED and 'child suffering' with novel and insightful sub-themes of 'hereditary anxiety', 'taking it off our hands', ED as a 'magical place'. This novel qualitative systematic review examined parental attendance presenting with childhood minor illness of interest to emergency care reformers and clinicians. ED attendance is complex and multifactorial but parents provide vital insight to ED reformers on parental reasons for ED attendance in this sub-group. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Telephone reminders reduced the non-attendance rate in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeppesen, Maja Haunstrup; Ainsworth, Mark Andrew

2015-06-01

Non-attendance is a global health-care problem. The aim of the present study was 1) to investigate if a telephone reminder could reduce the non-attendance rate, 2) to study reasons for non-attendance and 3) to evaluate if a permanent implementation would be economically advantageous in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic like ours. This was a comparative intervention study with a historical control group in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic. The study lasted six months. Patients with a scheduled appointment in the first three-month period received no reminder (control group, n = 2,705). Patients in the following three-month period were reminded by telephone one weekday in advance of their appointment, when possible (intervention group, n = 2,479). Non-attending patients in the intervention group received a questionnaire. Based on the results, a financial cost-benefit analysis was made. In the intervention group, 1,577 (64%) patients answered the reminder telephone call. The non-attendance rate was significantly lower in the intervention group (6.1%) than in the control group (10.5%) (p < 0.00001). Only 1.3% of the patients who answered the reminder turned out to be non-attendees. The most common explanation for non-attendance in the intervention group was forgetfulness (39%). The reminder telephone call was cost-effective. In this outpatient clinic, telephone reminders were cost-effective and significantly reduced the non-attendance rate by 43%.

Political Incongruity between Students' Ideological Identity and Stance on Specific Public Policies in a Predominantly White Southeastern State Institution

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Coles, Jeremy T.; Carstens, Brittany A.; Wright, Jennifer M.; Williams, Robert L.

2015-01-01

The study determined whether or not a predominantly Caucasian sample (N = 187) attending a southeastern state's major public university embraced political policies consistent with their self-identified political ideology. The findings showed that the highest percentage of students identified with a conservative ideology and that a much lower…

Social environment and frequent attendance in Danish general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vedsted, Peter; Olesen, Frede

2005-01-01

inequalities in health or whether social factors in themselves determine the use of general practice. AIM: To examine if social factors are associated with frequent attendance in general practice after adjusting for physical and psychological health variables. DESIGN OF STUDY: Population-based cross......BACKGROUND: A lack of social support is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and a decreased effect of prevention. Frequent attenders to primary care are characterised by poorer social conditions than other patients in general practice, but we do not know whether this is due to social...... during the period November 1997-October 1998. A questionnaire about physical, psychological and social factors was sent to the patients. The associations between social factors and frequent attendance were adjusted for physical and psychological health and tendency towards somatisation. RESULTS: A total...

The quality of school wellness policies and energy-balance behaviors of adolescent mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Haire-Joshu, Debra; Yount, Byron W; Budd, Elizabeth L; Schwarz, Cynthia; Schermbeck, Rebecca; Green, Scoie; Elliott, Michael

2011-03-01

In this study, we 1) compared the quality of school wellness policies among schools participating in Moms for a Healthy Balance (BALANCE), a school- and home-based weight loss study conducted with postpartum adolescents in 27 states; and 2) assessed the relationship between policy quality with energy-balance behaviors and body mass index z scores of postpartum adolescents. As a part of BALANCE, we collected data on high-calorie food and beverage consumption, minutes spent walking, and height and weight for 647 participants. The School Wellness Policy Coding Tool was used to assess the strength and comprehensiveness of school district wellness policies from 251 schools attended by participating adolescent mothers. Schools averaged low scores for wellness policy comprehensiveness and strength. When compared with participants in schools with the lowest policy comprehensiveness scores, adolescent mothers in schools with the highest scores reported consuming significantly fewer daily calories from sweetened beverages while reporting higher consumption of water (P = .04 and P = .01, respectively). School wellness policy strength was associated with lower BMI z scores among adolescent mothers (P = .01). School wellness policies associated with BALANCE may be limited in their ability to promote a healthy school environment. Future studies are needed to evaluate the effect of the strength and comprehensiveness of policy language on energy balance in high-risk postpartum adolescents. Evidence from this work can provide additional guidance to federal or state government in mandating not only policy content, but also systematic evaluation.

Prevalence of Horizontal Violence Among Emergency Attending Physicians, Residents, and Physician Assistants

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Nico B. Volz

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Horizontal violence (HV is malicious behavior perpetrated by healthcare workers against each other. These include bullying, verbal or physical threats, purposeful disruptive behavior, and other malicious behaviors. This pilot study investigates the prevalence of HV among emergency department (ED attending physicians, residents, and mid-level providers (MLPs. Methods: We sent an electronic survey to emergency medicine attending physicians (n=67, residents (n=25, and MLPs (n=24 in three unique EDs within a single multi-hospital medical system. The survey consisted of 18 questions that asked participants to indicate with what frequency (never, once, a few times, monthly, weekly, or daily they have witnessed or experienced a particular behavior in the previous 12 months. Seven additional questions aimed to elicit the impact of HV on the participant, the work environment, or the patient care. Results: Of the 122 survey invitations 91 were completed, yielding a response rate of 74.6%. Of the respondents 64.8% were male and 35.2% were female. Attending physicians represented 41.8%, residents 37.4%, and MLPs 19.8% of respondents. Prevalence of reported behaviors ranged from 1.1% (Q18: physical assault to 34.1% (Q4: been shouted at. Fourteen of these behaviors were most prevalent in the attending cohort, six were most prevalent in the MLP cohort, and three of the behaviors were most prevalent in the resident cohort. Conclusion: The HV behaviors investigated in this pilot study were similar to data previously published in nursing cohorts. Furthermore, nearly a quarter of participants (22.2% indicated that HV has affected care for their patients, suggesting further studies are warranted to assess prevalence and the impact HV has on staff and patients. [West J Emerg Med. 2017;18(2213-218.

The characteristics and effects of motivational music in exercise settings: the possible influence of gender, age, frequency of attendance, and time of attendance.

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Priest, D L; Karageorghis, C I; Sharp, N C C

2004-03-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the characteristics and effects of motivational music in British gymnasia. The secondary purpose was to determine whether the characteristics and effects of motivational music were invariant in relation to gender, age, frequency of gymnasium attendance, and the time of day at which exercise participants attended gymnasia. Participants (n=532) from 29 David Lloyd Leisure exercise facilities across Britain responded to a questionnaire that was designed to assess music preferences during exercise via 2 open-ended questions and 1 scaled-response item. A content analysis of the questionnaire data yielded 45 analytic properties that were grouped into the following categories: specific music factors, general music factors, music programme factors, delivery factors, televisual factors, personal factors, contextual factors, and psychophysical response factors. The relative incidence of these analytic properties across gender groups (male/female), age groups (16-26 y, 27-34 y, 35-45 y, 46+ y), frequency of attendance groups (low, medium, high), and time of attendance groups (morning, afternoon, evening) was tested by use of chi(2) analyses. Of the personal variables tested, age exerted the greatest influence on musical preference during exercise; older participants expressed a preference for quieter, slower, and generally less overtly stimulative music. Music programmes that are prescribed to accompany exercise should be varied in terms of musical idiom and date of release. Such programmes will account for the preferences of different groups of exercise participants that attend gymnasia at different times of the day. Further, the music chosen should be characterised by a strong rhythmical component.

Conference attendance does not correlate with emergency medicine residency in-training examination scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Gene Hern, H; Wills, Charlotte; Alter, Harrison; Bowman, Steven H; Katz, Eric; Shayne, Philip; Vahidnia, Farnaz

2009-12-01