Tracheostomy for long-term ventilated patients: a postal survey of ICU practice in The Netherlands.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fikkers, B.G.; Fransen, G.A.J.; Hoeven, J.G. van der; Briede, I.S.; Hoogen, F.J.A. van den

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency, timing, technique, and follow-up of tracheostomy for long-term ventilated patients in different intensive care units (ICUs) in The Netherlands. DESIGN AND SETTING: Postal questionnaire, survey on retrospective data. A questionnaire was sent to all ( n=63) ICUs

Adding Postal Follow-Up to a Web-Based Survey of Primary Care and Gastroenterology Clinic Physician Chiefs Improved Response Rates but not Response Quality or Representativeness.

Science.gov (United States)

Partin, Melissa R; Powell, Adam A; Burgess, Diana J; Haggstrom, David A; Gravely, Amy A; Halek, Krysten; Bangerter, Ann; Shaukat, Aasma; Nelson, David B

2015-09-01

This study assessed whether postal follow-up to a web-based physician survey improves response rates, response quality, and representativeness. We recruited primary care and gastroenterology chiefs at 125 Veterans Affairs medical facilities to complete a 10-min web-based survey on colorectal cancer screening and diagnostic practices in 2010. We compared response rates, response errors, and representativeness in the primary care and gastroenterology samples before and after adding postal follow-up. Adding postal follow-up increased response rates by 20-25 percentage points; markedly greater increases than predicted from a third e-mail reminder. In the gastroenterology sample, the mean number of response errors made by web responders (0.25) was significantly smaller than the mean number made by postal responders (2.18), and web responders provided significantly longer responses to open-ended questions. There were no significant differences in these outcomes in the primary care sample. Adequate representativeness was achieved before postal follow-up in both samples, as indicated by the lack of significant differences between web responders and the recruitment population on facility characteristics. We conclude adding postal follow-up to this web-based physician leader survey improved response rates but not response quality or representativeness. © The Author(s) 2013.

A postal survey of maternal sleep in late pregnancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hutchison B Lynne

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sleep disturbances in late pregnancy are common. This study aimed to survey sleep problems in third trimester pregnant women and to compare sleep in the pre-pregnancy period with the third trimester. Methods Third-trimester women (n=650 were sent a postal survey containing questions relating to sleep experience, including perceived sleep quality, sleep difficulties, night waking, sleep environment, snoring, daytime tiredness and daytime napping. Time periods reported on were before pregnancy and in the last week. Results Respondents numbered 244 (38%. Before pregnancy, the mean reported duration of night-time sleep was 8.1 (SD 1.1 hours; in the last week this had decreased to 7.5 (SD 1.8 hours (p10 prior to pregnancy, whereas in the last week 33% scored in the abnormal range. Likewise, 5% had regularly napped during the daytime before pregnancy, compared with 41% in the last week. Conclusions Sleep problems are common in women in late pregnancy, and increase markedly compared with before pregnancy.

Self-reported recognition of undiagnosed life threatening conditions in chiropractic practice: a random survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Dwain M

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to identify the type and frequency of previously undiagnosed life threatening conditions (LTC, based on self-reports of chiropractic physicians, which were first recognized by the chiropractic physician. Additionally this information may have a preliminary role in determining whether chiropractic education provides the knowledge necessary to recognize these events. Methods The study design was a postal, cross-sectional, epidemiological self-administered survey. Two thousand Doctors of Chiropractic in the US were randomly selected from a list of 57878. The survey asked respondents to state the number of cases from the list where they were the first physician to recognize the condition over the course of their practice careers. Space was provided for unlisted conditions. Results The response rate was 29.9%. Respondents represented 11442 years in practice and included 3861 patients with a reported undiagnosed LTC. The most commonly presenting conditions were in rank order: carcinoma, abdominal aneurysm, deep vein thrombosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, subdural hematoma and a large group of other diagnoses. The occurrence of a previously undiagnosed LTC can be expected to present to the chiropractic physician every 2.5 years based on the responding doctors reports. Conclusion Based on this survey chiropractic physicians report encountering undiagnosed LTC’s in the normal course of practice. The findings of this study are of importance to the chiropractic profession and chiropractic education. Increased awareness and emphasis on recognition of LTC is a critical part of the education process and practice life.

Address-based versus random-digit-dial surveys: comparison of key health and risk indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Link, Michael W; Battaglia, Michael P; Frankel, Martin R; Osborn, Larry; Mokdad, Ali H

2006-11-15

Use of random-digit dialing (RDD) for conducting health surveys is increasingly problematic because of declining participation rates and eroding frame coverage. Alternative survey modes and sampling frames may improve response rates and increase the validity of survey estimates. In a 2005 pilot study conducted in six states as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the authors administered a mail survey to selected household members sampled from addresses in a US Postal Service database. The authors compared estimates based on data from the completed mail surveys (n = 3,010) with those from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone surveys (n = 18,780). The mail survey data appeared reasonably complete, and estimates based on data from the two survey modes were largely equivalent. Differences found, such as differences in the estimated prevalences of binge drinking (mail = 20.3%, telephone = 13.1%) or behaviors linked to human immunodeficiency virus transmission (mail = 7.1%, telephone = 4.2%), were consistent with previous research showing that, for questions about sensitive behaviors, self-administered surveys generally produce higher estimates than interviewer-administered surveys. The mail survey also provided access to cell-phone-only households and households without telephones, which cannot be reached by means of standard RDD surveys.

Assessing smoking status in disadvantaged populations: is computer administered self report an accurate and acceptable measure?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryant Jamie

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Self report of smoking status is potentially unreliable in certain situations and in high-risk populations. This study aimed to determine the accuracy and acceptability of computer administered self-report of smoking status among a low socioeconomic (SES population. Methods Clients attending a community service organisation for welfare support were invited to complete a cross-sectional touch screen computer health survey. Following survey completion, participants were invited to provide a breath sample to measure exposure to tobacco smoke in expired air. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated. Results Three hundred and eighty three participants completed the health survey, and 330 (86% provided a breath sample. Of participants included in the validation analysis, 59% reported being a daily or occasional smoker. Sensitivity was 94.4% and specificity 92.8%. The positive and negative predictive values were 94.9% and 92.0% respectively. The majority of participants reported that the touch screen survey was both enjoyable (79% and easy (88% to complete. Conclusions Computer administered self report is both acceptable and accurate as a method of assessing smoking status among low SES smokers in a community setting. Routine collection of health information using touch-screen computer has the potential to identify smokers and increase provision of support and referral in the community setting.

Findings from Survey Administered to Weatherization Training Centers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conlon, Brian [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Tonn, Bruce Edward [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-03-01

This report summarizes results of a survey administered to directors of weatherization training centers that receive funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. The survey presents results related to questions on training offered and future plans.

Training pharmacy technicians to administer immunizations.

Science.gov (United States)

McKeirnan, Kimberly C; Frazier, Kyle R; Nguyen, Maryann; MacLean, Linda Garrelts

To evaluate the effectiveness of an immunization training program for pharmacy technicians on technicians' self-reported confidence, knowledge, and number of vaccines administered. A one-group pre- and posttest study was conducted with certified pharmacy technicians from Albertsons and Safeway community pharmacies in Idaho. Thirty pharmacy technicians were recruited to participate in an immunization administration training program comprising a 2-hour home study and a 2-hour live training. Pharmacy technician scores on a 10-question knowledge assessment, responses on a pre- and posttraining survey, and number of immunizations administered in the 6-month period following the training were collected. Twenty-five pharmacy technicians completed the home study and live portions of the immunization training program. All 29 pharmacy technicians who took the home study assessment passed with greater than 70% competency on the first attempt. Technicians self-reported increased confidence with immunization skills between the pretraining survey and the posttraining survey. From December 2016 to May 2017, the technicians administered 953 immunizations with 0 adverse events reported. For the first time, pharmacy technicians have legally administered immunizations in the United States. Trained pharmacy technicians demonstrated knowledge of vaccination procedures and self-reported improved confidence in immunization skills and administered immunizations after participating in a 4-hour training program. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Controlled Study to Assess the Clinical Efficacy of Totally Self-Administered Systematic Desensitization

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Rosen, Gerald M.; And Others

1976-01-01

Highly anxious self-referred snake phobics received either (a) therapist-administered desensitization, (b) self-administered desensitization with weekly therapist phone calls, (c) totally self-administered desensitization, (d) self-administered double-blind placebo control, or (e) no treatment. Pretreatment to posttreatment measures revealed…

Pre-notification letter type and response rate to a postal survey among women who have recently given birth.

Science.gov (United States)

Todd, Angela L; Porter, Maree; Williamson, Jennifer L; Patterson, Jillian A; Roberts, Christine L

2015-12-01

Surveys are commonly used in health research to assess patient satisfaction with hospital care. Achieving an adequate response rate, in the face of declining trends over time, threatens the quality and reliability of survey results. This paper evaluates a strategy to increase the response rate in a postal satisfaction survey with women who had recently given birth. A sample of 2048 Australian women who had recently given birth at seven maternity units in New South Wales were invited to participate in a postal survey about their recent experiences with maternity care. The study design included a randomised controlled trial that tested two types of pre-notification letter (with or without the option of opting out of the survey). The study also explored the acceptability of a request for consent to link survey data with existing routinely collected health data (omitting the latter data items from the survey reduced survey length and participant burden). This consent was requested of all women. The survey had an overall response rate of 46% (913 completed surveys returned, total sample 1989). Women receiving the pre-notification letter with the option of opting out of the survey were more likely to actively decline to participate than women receiving the letter without this option, although the overall numbers of women declining were small (27 versus 12). Letter type was not significantly associated with the return of a completed survey. Among women who completed the survey, 97% gave consent to link their survey data with existing health data. The two types of pre-notification letters used in our study did not influence the survey response rate. However, seeking consent for record linkage was highly acceptable to women who completed the survey, and represents an important strategy to add to the arsenal for designing and implementing effective surveys. In addition to aspects of survey design, future research should explore how to more effectively influence personal

Prevalence and Characteristics of Infant's Unexplained Breast Preference for Nursing One Breast: A Self-Administered Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Abdi, Sameer Yaseen; Al Omran, Sadek Abdullah; Al-Aamri, Maryam Ali; Al Nasser, Mohammad Hasan; Al Omran, Abbas Moosa

2015-12-01

Breastfeeding is recommended by international bodies as the only source of infant nutrition during the first 6 months of life. Sometimes infants prefer to nurse on one breast for no obvious reason (hereafter called infant's unexplained breast preference [IUBP]). IUBP might reduce the rate of exclusive breastfeeding. The prevalence of IUBP is unknown because most of the literature on IUBP so far has been anecdotal. This study's objective was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of IUBP among healthy infants in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study between March and August 2013 in the Al-Ahsa area, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Healthy infants who had been born at full term (≥37 weeks of gestation) and were 2-24 months of age were included. We distributed 600 self-administered surveys to mothers who attended vaccination clinics in nine primary healthcare centers. Of 478 mothers who responded to the survey, 121 (25.3%) reported unilateral breastfeeding. IUBP was the most common reason for unilateral breastfeeding, with a prevalence of 13.6% (65/478). IUBP developed at a median age of 1 month (range, 1 day-9 months) and was familial in 42.9% of cases. It was the only reason for formula feeding during the first 6 months of life in 18.5% of cases. IUBP is common, develops very early in life, and can be familial and a reason for formula feeding. However, these findings need to be confirmed in other studies of other populations.

Effect of prize draw incentive on the response rate to a postal survey of obstetricians and gynaecologists: A randomised controlled trial. [ISRCTN32823119

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clark T Justin

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Response rates to postal questionnaires are falling and this threatens the external validity of survey findings. We wanted to establish whether the incentive of being entered into a prize draw to win a personal digital assistant (PDA would increase the response rate for a national survey of consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists. Methods A randomised controlled trial was conducted. This involved sending a postal questionnaire to all Consultant Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the United Kingdom. Recipients were randomised to receiving a questionnaire offering a prize draw incentive (on response or no such incentive. Results The response rate for recipients offered the prize incentive was 64% (461/716 and 62% (429/694 in the no incentive group (relative rate of response 1.04, 95% CI 0.96 – 1.13 Conclusion The offer of a prize draw incentive to win a PDA did not significantly increase response rates to a national questionnaire survey of consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists.

Utilizing the Total Design Method in medicine: maximizing response rates in long, non-incentivized, personal questionnaire postal surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazzazi, Fawz; Haggie, Rebecca; Forouhi, Parto; Kazzazi, Nazar; Malata, Charles M

2018-01-01

Maximizing response rates in questionnaires can improve their validity and quality by reducing non-response bias. A comprehensive analysis is essential for producing reasonable conclusions in patient-reported outcome research particularly for topics of a sensitive nature. This often makes long (≥7 pages) questionnaires necessary but these have been shown to reduce response rates in mail surveys. Our work adapted the "Total Design Method," initially produced for commercial markets, to raise response rates in a long (total: 11 pages, 116 questions), non-incentivized, very personal postal survey sent to almost 350 women. A total of 346 women who had undergone mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction from 2008-2014 (inclusive) at Addenbrooke's University Hospital were sent our study pack (Breast-Q satisfaction questionnaire and support documents) using our modified "Total Design Method." Participants were sent packs and reminders according to our designed schedule. Of the 346 participants, we received 258 responses, an overall response rate of 74.5% with a useable response rate of 72.3%. One hundred and six responses were received before the week 1 reminder (30.6%), 120 before week 3 (34.6%), 225 before the week 7 reminder (64.6%) and the remainder within 3 weeks of the final pack being sent. The median age of patients that the survey was sent to, and the median age of the respondents, was 54 years. In this study, we have demonstrated the successful implementation of a novel approach to postal surveys. Despite the length of the questionnaire (nine pages, 116 questions) and limitations of expenses to mail a survey to ~350 women, we were able to attain a response rate of 74.6%.

Development of a Comprehensive Assessment of Food Parenting Practices: The Home Self-Administered Tool for Environmental Assessment of Activity and Diet Family Food Practices Survey.

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Vaughn, Amber E; Dearth-Wesley, Tracy; Tabak, Rachel G; Bryant, Maria; Ward, Dianne S

2017-02-01

Parents' food parenting practices influence children's dietary intake and risk for obesity and chronic disease. Understanding the influence and interactions between parents' practices and children's behavior is limited by a lack of development and psychometric testing and/or limited scope of current measures. The Home Self-Administered Tool for Environmental Assessment of Activity and Diet (HomeSTEAD) was created to address this gap. This article describes development and psychometric testing of the HomeSTEAD family food practices survey. Between August 2010 and May 2011, a convenience sample of 129 parents of children aged 3 to 12 years were recruited from central North Carolina and completed the self-administered HomeSTEAD survey on three occasions during a 12- to 18-day window. Demographic characteristics and child diet were assessed at Time 1. Child height and weight were measured during the in-home observations (following Time 1 survey). Exploratory factor analysis with Time 1 data was used to identify potential scales. Scales with more than three items were examined for scale reduction. Following this, mean scores were calculated at each time point. Construct validity was assessed by examining Spearman rank correlations between mean scores (Time 1) and children's diet (fruits and vegetables, sugar-sweetened beverages, snacks, sweets) and body mass index (BMI) z scores. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine differences in mean scores between time points, and single-measure intraclass correlations were calculated to examine test-retest reliability between time points. Exploratory factor analysis identified 24 factors and retained 124 items; however, scale reduction narrowed items to 86. The final instrument captures five coercive control practices (16 items), seven autonomy support practices (24 items), and 12 structure practices (46 items). All scales demonstrated good internal reliability (α>.62), 18 factors demonstrated construct

Comparative analysis of customer satisfaction in postal and banking services

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Ratković Milijanka

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The goal of this study is a comparative analysis of customer satisfaction towards postal and banking services in Serbia. In addition, this paper should provide guidance on how managements of the Post Office and the Bank should behave on the market. The survey was conducted throughout the whole Serbian territory. The subject of the research is to measure the perception of postal and banking services, in order to assess the quality of services and the impact of expectations on the level of perceived quality. Testing and final conclusions about the level of quality of postal and banking services was carried out on the basis of the existing literature and modified SERVQUAL model.

Feasibility of online self-administered cognitive training in moderate-severe brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Bhanu; Tomaszczyk, Jennifer C; Dawson, Deirdre; Turner, Gary R; Colella, Brenda; Green, Robin E A

2017-07-01

Cognitive environmental enrichment (C-EE) offers promise for offsetting neural decline that is observed in chronic moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Brain games are a delivery modality for C-EE that can be self-administered over the Internet without therapist oversight. To date, only one study has examined the feasibility of self-administered brain games in TBI, and the study focused predominantly on mild TBI. Therefore, the primary purpose of the current study was to examine the feasibility of self-administered brain games in moderate-severe TBI. A secondary and related purpose was to examine the feasibility of remote monitoring of any C-EE-induced adverse symptoms with a self-administered evaluation tool. Ten patients with moderate-severe TBI were asked to complete 12 weeks (60 min/day, five days/week) of online brain games with bi-weekly self-evaluation, intended to measure any adverse consequences of cognitive training (e.g., fatigue, eye strain). There was modest weekly adherence (42.6% ± 4.4%, averaged across patients and weeks) and 70% patient retention; of the seven retained patients, six completed the self-evaluation questionnaire at least once/week for each week of the study. Even patients with moderate-severe TBI can complete a demanding, online C-EE intervention and a self-administered symptom evaluation tool with limited therapist oversight, though at daily rate closer to 30 than 60 min per day. Further self-administered C-EE research is underway in our lab, with more extensive environmental support. Implications for Rehabilitation Online brain games (which may serve as a rehabilitation paradigm that can help offset the neurodegeneration observed in chronic TBI) can be feasibly self-administered by moderate-to-severe TBI patients. Brain games are a promising therapy modality, as they can be accessed by all moderate-to-severe TBI patients irrespective of geographic location, clinic and/or therapist availability, or impairments that

78 FR 76333 - New Postal Product

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2013-12-17

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2011-4; Order No. 1901] New Postal Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service... not materially affect the cost coverage'' of the product. Id. The Postal Service seeks to incorporate...

Practical Child Safety Education in England: A National Survey of the Child Safety Education Coalition

Science.gov (United States)

Mulvaney, Caroline A.; Watson, Michael C.; Walsh, Patrick

2013-01-01

Objective: To examine the provision of practical safety education by Child Safety Education Coalition (CSEC) organizations in England. Design: A postal survey. Setting: Providers of child practical safety education who were also part of CSEC. Methods: In February 2010 all CSEC organizations were sent a self-completion postal questionnaire which…

Effects of Information Feedback and Self-Administered Consequences on Self-Monitoring Study Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, C. Steven; And Others

1976-01-01

The hypotheses tested among college students (N=87) concerned about study habits were: (a) self-monitoring changes study behavior; (b) information feedback accounts for some of this change; and (c) this change can be enhanced by manipulating the quantity and quality of information feedback and self-administered consequences associated with…

Open-label, multicenter study of self-administered icatibant for attacks of hereditary angioedema

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aberer, W; Maurer, M; Reshef, A

2014-01-01

Historically, treatment for hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks has been administered by healthcare professionals (HCPs). Patient self-administration could reduce delays between symptom onset and treatment, and attack burden. The primary objective was to assess the safety of self-administered ica...

Challenges in converting an interviewer-administered food probe database to self-administration in the National Cancer Institute Automated Self-administered 24-Hour Recall (ASA24).

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Thea Palmer; Hull, Stephen G; McNutt, Suzanne; Mittl, Beth; Islam, Noemi; Guenther, Patricia M; Thompson, Frances E; Potischman, Nancy A; Subar, Amy F

2009-12-01

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is developing an automated, self-administered 24-hour dietary recall (ASA24) application to collect and code dietary intake data. The goal of the ASA24 development is to create a web-based dietary interview based on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM) instrument currently used in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The ASA24 food list, detail probes, and portion probes were drawn from the AMPM instrument; portion-size pictures from Baylor College of Medicine's Food Intake Recording Software System (FIRSSt) were added; and the food code/portion code assignments were linked to the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS). The requirements that the interview be self-administered and fully auto-coded presented several challenges as the AMPM probes and responses were linked with the FNDDS food codes and portion pictures. This linking was accomplished through a "food pathway," or the sequence of steps that leads from a respondent's initial food selection, through the AMPM probes and portion pictures, to the point at which a food code and gram weight portion size are assigned. The ASA24 interview database that accomplishes this contains more than 1,100 food probes and more than 2 million food pathways and will include about 10,000 pictures of individual foods depicting up to 8 portion sizes per food. The ASA24 will make the administration of multiple days of recalls in large-scale studies economical and feasible.

76 FR 47275 - Postal Service Initiative on Retail Postal Locations

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2011-08-04

.... Id. The RAO initiative applies to postal retail facilities across the country, without limit to geography or population, and is driven by Headquarters. The Commission finds that because the Postal Service... be applied in the RAO initiative. Id. at 19-23. \\3\\ See 39 CFR Part 241. The Request and all...

39 CFR 601.104 - Postal purchasing authority.

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2010-07-01

... in writing local buying authority throughout the Postal Service. ... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Postal purchasing authority. 601.104 Section 601.104 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE PROCUREMENT SYSTEM FOR THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE...

A randomized trial found online questionnaires supplemented by postal reminders generated a cost-effective and generalizable sample but don't forget the reminders.

Science.gov (United States)

Loban, Amanda; Mandefield, Laura; Hind, Daniel; Bradburn, Mike

2017-12-01

The objective of this study was to compare the response rates, data completeness, and representativeness of survey data produced by online and postal surveys. A randomized trial nested within a cohort study in Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Participants were randomized to receive either an electronic (online) survey questionnaire with paper reminder (N = 2,982) or paper questionnaire with electronic reminder (N = 2,855). Response rates were similar for electronic contact and postal contacts (50.9% vs. 49.7%, difference = 1.2%, 95% confidence interval: -1.3% to 3.8%). The characteristics of those responding to the two groups were similar. Participants nevertheless demonstrated an overwhelming preference for postal questionnaires, with the majority responding by post in both groups. Online survey questionnaire systems need to be supplemented with a postal reminder to achieve acceptable uptake, but doing so provides a similar response rate and case mix when compared to postal questionnaires alone. For large surveys, online survey systems may be cost saving. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Responsibility for managing musculoskeletal disorders--a cross-sectional postal survey of attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsson, Maria E H; Nordholm, Lena A

2008-08-05

Musculoskeletal disorders are a major burden on individuals, health systems and social care systems and rehabilitation efforts in these disorders are considerable. Self-care is often considered a cost effective treatment alternative owing to limited health care resources. But what are the expectations and attitudes in this question in the general population? The purpose of this study was to describe general attitudes to responsibility for the management of musculoskeletal disorders and to explore associations between attitudes and background variables. A cross-sectional, postal questionnaire survey was carried out with a random sample of a general adult Swedish population of 1770 persons. Sixty-one percent (n = 1082) responded to the questionnaire and was included for the description of general attitudes towards responsibility for the management of musculoskeletal disorders. For the further analyses of associations to background variables 683-693 individuals could be included. Attitudes were measured by the "Attitudes regarding Responsibility for Musculoskeletal disorders" (ARM) instrument, where responsibility is attributed on four dimensions; to myself, as being out of my hands, to employers or to (medical) professionals. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore associations between attitudes to musculoskeletal disorders and the background variables age, sex, education, physical activity, presence of musculoskeletal disorders, sick leave and whether the person had visited a care provider. A majority of participants had internal views, i.e. showed an attitude of taking personal responsibility for musculoskeletal disorders, and did not place responsibility for the management out of their own hands or to employers. However, attributing shared responsibility between self and medical professionals was also found. The main associations found between attitude towards responsibility for musculoskeletal disorders and investigated background variables were that

78 FR 43246 - New Postal Product

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2013-07-19

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2013-15; Order No. 1779] New Postal Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service... competitive products by market dominant products. Id. II. Notice of Filing Interested persons may submit...

78 FR 76863 - New Postal Product

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2013-12-19

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2014-12; Order No. 1905] New Postal Product AGENCY... Competitive Multi-Service Agreements with Foreign Postal Operators 1 (MC2010-34) product on the competitive product list. Notice at 3. \\1\\ Notice of United States Postal Service of Filing Functionally Equivalent...

75 FR 43581 - New Postal Product

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2010-07-26

... Postal Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing... the competitive product list. The Postal Service has also filed related contracts. This notice... Paragraphs I. Introduction The Postal Service seeks to add a new product, Global Plus 1A, to the competitive...

78 FR 79024 - New Postal Product

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2013-12-27

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2011-50; Order No. 1922] New Postal Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service... new product name. Id. at 1 n.1. Attachment A--a redacted copy of the amendment to the existing...

Prescription pattern of antibiotic and analgesic in endodontic treatment in Kuwaiti population: A self-administered Survey

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Manal J Al-Maslamani

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Surgical and non-surgical endodontic treatment of involved teeth can necessitate prescription of analgesics and antimicrobials. The literature suggests confusion amongst practitioners regarding the need for adjunctive medication, mainly during non-surgical endodontic treatment, often leading to over-prescription. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the current clinical practice of dentists participated in this study with respect to antibiotic and analgesic prescription patterns in their endodontic treatment management in Kuwait. Materials and Methods: Prescription patterns for antibiotics and analgesics were analyzed based on the responses to self-administered questionnaire (n = 169. Information was collected based on different clinical endodontic diagnostic scenarios. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS software version 17.0 to determine relationships between prescription patterns, age, gender, and dental qualification (specialists and general dentists. Results: Ninety-two percent of dentists prescribed analgesics for the management of endodontic pain. While 16% prescribed antibiotics for severe dental pain; 62% prescribed antibiotics for acute apical abscesses. Significantly more male dentists prescribed antibiotics for dental pain than female dentists. No significant difference was found between general dental practitioners′ and specialists′ attitude toward drug prescriptions. Amoxicillin and ibuprofen were the most commonly prescribed medications. Conclusion: While the majority of dentists appeared to prescribe antibiotics and analgesics appropriately, some did not. This research confirmed previous studies and established a need for imparting information of evidence-based prescriptions protocols for the dentists surveyed in this study in Kuwait.

75 FR 53353 - New Postal Product

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2010-08-31

... will permit the Postal Service to create pricing for any combination of products in an equivalent... Agreements with Foreign Postal Operators be added as a new product to the competitive product list. Id. at 8... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. MC2010-34 and CP2010-95; Order No. 517] New Postal...

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabienne Nackers

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

The calculation of costs of postal network and universal postal service based on standard and average cost principles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blagojević Mladenka Z.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The provision of universal postal service involves high costs for operator, especially in rural areas. The aim of this paper is to propose and test tool for managing the cost of providing universal postal service and maintaining the postal network in order to facilitate understanding of the problem in the sector. The proposed approach use standard prices and standard quantities (the redefined number of postal units, the number of employees, etc. as well as average costs for calculation of the costs of the universal postal service and postal network. The methodology provides the efficiency analysis, benchmarking and identification of causes of poor performance of management and resource allocation. It can be used for postal operators that do not have modern accounting systems.

A Danish national survey of women operated with mid-urethral slings in 2001

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ammendrup, Astrid Cecilie; Jørgensen, Anette; Sander, Pia

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To perform a national survey on self-reported cure, satisfaction and complications four years after mid-urethral sling (MUS) for urinary stress incontinence in Danish women operated in 2001. DESIGN: A postal questionnaire survey. POPULATION: All Danish women who received an MUS operation...

Work aggravated asthma in Great Britain: a cross-sectional postal survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Lisa; Sumner, Jade; Delic, Julian; Henneberger, Paul; Fishwick, David

2018-04-12

Work aggravated asthma (WAA), asthma made worse by but not caused by workplace exposures, can have a negative impact on personal, social, financial and societal costs. There is limited data on prevalence levels of WAA in Great Britain (GB). The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of WAA in GB, and to assess its potential causes.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional postal questionnaire study was carried out. A total of 1620 questionnaires were sent to three populations of adults with asthma. The questionnaire recorded; demographic details, current job, self-reported health status, presence of asthma and respiratory symptoms, duration and severity of symptoms and medication requirements. Questions relating to work environment and employers' actions were included, and each participant completed an assessment of health-related quality of life using the EuroQol Research Foundation EQ-5D. There were 207 completed questionnaires; response rates were 6% primary care, 45% secondary care and 71% Asthma UK. This represented a 13% overall response rate. Self-reported prevalence of WAA was 33% (95% CI 24.4-41.6%). In all, 19% of workers had changed their job because of breathing problems. Workers with WAA reported higher levels of work-related stress. Quality of life using the EQ-5D utility index was lower in those with WAA. WAA is a common problem in asthmatics in GB. This result is in keeping with international prevalence rates. Further research could assist the understanding of the most significant aggravants to asthma at work and help define appropriate interventions by workplaces.

75 FR 27375 - Postal Rate Case Management

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-14

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. PI2010-3; Order No. 456] Postal Rate Case Management AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is seeking comments relevant to management of an anticipated exigent postal rate case. It has scheduled a technical conference...

Effect of survey mode on response patterns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Anne Illemann; Ekholm, Ola; Glümer, Charlotte

2014-01-01

.7%). Marital status, ethnic background and highest completed education were associated with non-response in both modes. Furthermore, sex and age were associated with non-response in the self-administered mode. No significant mode effects were observed for indicators related to use of health services......BACKGROUND: While face-to-face interviews are considered the gold standard of survey modes, self-administered questionnaires are often preferred for cost and convenience. This article examines response patterns in two general population health surveys carried out by face-to-face interview and self......-administered questionnaire, respectively. METHOD: Data derives from a health interview survey in the Region of Southern Denmark (face-to-face interview) and The Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2010 (self-administered questionnaire). Identical questions were used in both surveys. Data on all individuals were obtained from...

78 FR 76332 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-17

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing recent Postal Service filings requesting the addition of Priority Mail Contract 71 to the competitive product... Contract 71 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts [[Page 76333

Validation of a self-administered questionnaire for assessing occupational and environmental exposures of pregnant women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eskenazi, B.; Pearson, K.

1988-01-01

The present investigation sought to determine whether a self-administered questionnaire could be used to obtain occupational information from pregnant women attending the obstetrical clinics at the University of California, San Francisco from July to November 1986. The authors compared the accuracy of responses of 57 women on the self-administered questionnaire with those obtained on a detailed clinical interview by an occupational health professional. The self-administered questionnaire and the clinical interview included information on the woman's job title, the type of company she worked for, the level of physical activity, her exposures on the job and at home, and her partner's occupation. The authors also examined whether the validity of the self-administered questionnaire could be improved on review by an industrial hygienist. The questionnaire took less than 20 minutes to complete, with over 90% of the women answering three-quarters of it. It was substantially accurate in obtaining information on number of hours worked during pregnancy, type of shift worked, and stress level in the workplace; exposure to radiation, video display terminals, fumes, gases, and cigarette smoke in the workplace; and exposure to pesticides, paint, and cigarette smoke at home. On those variables for which the responses on the self-administered questionnaire were less accurate, review by the industrial hygienist improved the level of accuracy considerably. These findings suggest that a self-administered questionnaire can be used to obtain valid information from pregnant women attending a prenatal clinic

[Construction and validation of an evaluation tool of sexual health using self-administered questionnaires for an application to metabolic diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Petit, F; Hubert-Buron, A; Mollet-Boudjemline, A; Sechepine, A; Milcent, K; Guyonnet, C; Labrune, P

2013-03-01

To elaborate and validate in general population a survey built with self-administered questionnaires in French about evaluation of sexual health for an application to men and women with metabolic disease. Study built with four questionnaires (socio-familial environment [MSPSS scale], self-esteem [Rosenberg scale], anxiety and depression scale [Sigmund and Snaith scale], and male [BISF-M] or female [BISF-W] sexuality) translated in French and distributed to 232 men and 260 women. Hundred and eleven men aged 18 to 56 years and 142 women aged 20 to 60 years answered the self-administered questionnaire. Analysis showed several links between self-esteem, anxiety and depression and the different domains of male sexuality, justifying their association. Comparison between men and women confirmed the differences of sexual approach between the two sexes. Results in our population were concordant with those already reported in literature, indicating the validity and the reliability of our questionnaire and its multiparametric approach. Data obtained in this population will allow to use this multiparametric tool with patients affected by a metabolic disease. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

76 FR 11823 - New Postal Products

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-03

... Postal Service filing concerning proposed changes to First-Class Mail Parcel Product offerings. These.... \\1\\ Request of the United States Postal Service Under Section 3642, February 24, 2011 (Request). The Postal Service explains that commercial First-Class Mail Parcels refers to the First-Class Mail...

75 FR 65675 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-26

... United States Postal Service of Filing Canada Post Group--United States Postal Service Contractual... United States by surface transportation and Xpresspost, a Canadian service for documents, packets, and... tender surface parcels and Xpresspost to the Postal Service at negotiated prices rather than the default...

75 FR 11452 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-11

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Commission is adding special postal services to the product lists. This action is consistent with changes in a postal reform law. Republication of the product lists is also consistent with a statutory provision. The Commission...

76 FR 67496 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2012-1; Order No. 919] New Postal Product AGENCY... to the Inbound Competitive Multi-Service Agreements with Foreign Postal Operators 1 product. \\1... Operators 1 to the Competitive Product List and Approving Included Agreement, September 29, 2010 (Order No...

77 FR 4376 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-27

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add Priority Mail Contract 38 to the competitive product list... 38 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ Priority mail contracts enable the Postal Service to provide...

77 FR 67839 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-14

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning the addition of Priority Mail Contract 48 to the competitive product... Mail Contract 48 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service indicates that the instant...

75 FR 7201 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-18

... Postal Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Commission is adding Priority Mail Contract 24 to the Competitive Product List. This action is consistent with changes in a postal reform law. Republication of the lists of market dominant and competitive products is...

78 FR 79023 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-27

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing requesting the addition of Priority Mail Contract 73 to the competitive product... supporting information to add Priority Mail Contract 73 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal...

75 FR 166 - Postal Product Price Changes

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-04

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2009-49; Order No. 371] Postal Product Price Changes...-filed Postal Service request to change prices for a Global Plus 2 contract. This notice provides an...: On December 21, 2009, the Postal Service filed a notice that prices for the Global Plus 2 contract at...

75 FR 44819 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-29

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service filing to add Priority Mail Contract 27 to the competitive product list. The... to add Priority Mail Contract 27 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that...

78 FR 37851 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-24

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2013-68; Order No. 1750] New Postal Product AGENCY... filing concerning the addition of Global Expedited Package Services 3 Contract to the competitive product... GEPS 3 product. Notice at 2. \\1\\ Notice of United States Postal Service of Filing a Functionally...

78 FR 76334 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-17

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2013-13; Order No. 1900] New Postal Product AGENCY...'' of the product. Id. The Postal Service seeks to incorporate by reference the Application for Non... and Order Concerning the Addition of Parcel Select Contract 6 to the Competitive Product List, October...

Digital transformation, business models and the postal industry

OpenAIRE

Kollara, Nandkumar Harshan

2017-01-01

For many decades, the postal industry offered postal services and in parallel, had a monopoly over the national postal markets. Recently, the postal industry endured a phase where their national postal markets were subjected to liberalisation by the respective nations. This was due to various reasons such as inefficiencies of the postal services, ambiguous monopoly legislations, mounting pressure from competitors, and changing nature of customer demands. The liberalisation of the European Uni...

39 CFR 221.7 - Postal Service emblem.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Postal Service emblem. 221.7 Section 221.7 Postal... Service emblem. The Postal Service emblem, which is identical with the seal, is registered as a trademark and service mark by the U.S. Patent Office. Except for the emblem on official stationery, the emblem...

77 FR 36585 - Postal Rate Changes

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-19

... Service notice of rate and changes affecting Inbound Air Parcel Post at Universal Postal Union (UPU) rates... United States Postal Service of Filing Changes in Rates Not of General Applicability and Application for... the Postal Service's explanation of Inbound Air Parcel Post (at UPU Rates) provided in the initial...

78 FR 13713 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-28

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning the addition of Express Mail Contract 14 to the competitive product list... 14 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that Express Mail Contract 14 is a...

77 FR 1957 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-12

... Postal Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently filed Postal Service request to add Global Plus 2C Contracts to the competitive product..., consisting of two Global Plus 2C agreements, to the competitive products list.\\1\\ The new product covers...

77 FR 2098 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-13

... Postal Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add Global Plus 1C agreements to the competitive product... of two Global Plus 1C agreements, to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The instant agreements are set...

Characteristics of service users and provider organisations associated with experience of out of hours general practitioner care in England: population based cross sectional postal questionnaire survey

OpenAIRE

Warren, Fiona C; Abel, Gary; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Elliott, Marc N; Richards, Suzanne; Barry, Heather E; Roland, Martin; Campbell, John L

2015-01-01

Objective: To investigate the experience of users of out of hours general practitioner services in England, UK. Design: Population based cross sectional postal questionnaire survey. Setting: General Practice Patient Survey 2012-13. Main outcome measures: Potential associations between sociodemographic factors (including ethnicity and ability to take time away from work during working hours to attend a healthcare consultation) and provider organisation type (not for profit, NHS, or commercial)...

Effect of questionnaire length, personalisation and reminder type on response rate to a complex postal survey: randomised controlled trial

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Minimising participant non-response in postal surveys helps to maximise the generalisability of the inferences made from the data collected. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of questionnaire length, personalisation and reminder type on postal survey response rate and quality and to compare the cost-effectiveness of the alternative survey strategies. Methods In a pilot study for a population study of travel behaviour, physical activity and the environment, 1000 participants sampled from the UK edited electoral register were randomly allocated using a 2 × 2 factorial design to receive one of four survey packs: a personally addressed long (24 page) questionnaire pack, a personally addressed short (15 page) questionnaire pack, a non-personally addressed long questionnaire pack or a non-personally addressed short questionnaire pack. Those who did not return a questionnaire were stratified by initial randomisation group and further randomised to receive either a full reminder pack or a reminder postcard. The effects of the survey design factors on response were examined using multivariate logistic regression. Results An overall response rate of 17% was achieved. Participants who received the short version of the questionnaire were more likely to respond (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.07). In those participants who received a reminder, personalisation of the survey pack and reminder also increased the odds of response (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.95). Item non-response was relatively low, but was significantly higher in the long questionnaire than the short (9.8% vs 5.8%; p = .04). The cost per additional usable questionnaire returned of issuing the reminder packs was £23.1 compared with £11.3 for the reminder postcards. Conclusions In contrast to some previous studies of shorter questionnaires, this trial found that shortening a relatively lengthy questionnaire significantly increased the response. Researchers should consider the trade off

78 FR 63519 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-24

... Docket No. MC2014-1. \\1\\ Request of the United States Postal Service to Add Parcel Select and Parcel... recently-filed Postal Service request to add Parcel Select & Parcel Return Service Contract 5 to the...., the Postal Service filed a formal request and associated supporting information to add Parcel Select...

76 FR 80412 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-23

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION Docket No. CP2012-4; Order No. 1057] New Postal Product AGENCY... Agreement within the Inbound Competitive Multi-Service Agreement with a Foreign Postal Operators 1 product... explaining why, after the change, competitive products in total will be in compliance with 39 U.S.C. 3633(a...

75 FR 4593 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-28

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2010-20; Order No. 397] New Postal Product AGENCY... Service request to add GEPS 2 (CP2009-50) to the Competitive Product List. The Postal Service has also... Global Expedited Package Services 2 to the Competitive Product List, August 28, 2009 (Order No. 290). \\4...

78 FR 65014 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-30

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. MC2014-3 and CP2014-3; Order No. 1860] New Postal Product... competitive product list. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes... Mail Express & Priority Mail Contract 15 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts...

Management of dental trauma in primary care: a postal survey of general dental practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, N G; Waterhouse, P J; Maguire, A

2005-03-12

To determine the self-perceived knowledge and attitudes of general dental practitioners (GDPs) concerning management of dental trauma in primary care. To identify potential barriers to the management of dental trauma in primary care. A self-completion postal questionnaire survey of 417 GDPs in six local health authority districts in northeast England. Likert scale responses to 20 statements designed to test self-perceived knowledge and attitudes. Following descriptive statistical analysis. Factor analysis with principle components analysis was undertaken to identify areas of correlation in questionnaire responses, followed by Chi squared test, Spearman's Rank Correlation and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to measure association between variables. The response rate was 74%. Enamel and dentine fractures were the most common injury, with 45% of GDPs responding seeing more than 10 cases of dental trauma in the preceding year and 53% of respondents seeing one to three cases of complicated crown fracture. Seventy-eight per cent believed that NHS remuneration was inadequate, but only 8% would refer patients with dental trauma to secondary care for this reason. Half of the GDPs believed that trauma could be treated more effectively in practice if NHS payments were greater. GDPs were significantly more likely to agree with this statement if they had previously undertaken a postgraduate course in the treatment of dental trauma (p=0.002). Single handed GDPs were statistically significantly more likely to agree with the statements 'I would not treat dental trauma cases at my practice because the NHS payment is inadequate' (p=0.008) and 'Treating dental trauma at my practice requires too much of my clinical time to be worthwhile' (p=0.002). Ninety-six per cent of GDPs disagreed that treatment of dental trauma rested solely within secondary care. Ninety-six per cent of GDPs agreed that they had a responsibility to provide initial emergency treatment for trauma patients prior to

76 FR 55619 - Performance Measurement for Special Postal Services

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-08

..., Corporate & Postal Business Law, United States Postal Service to Shoshana M. Grove, Secretary, Postal... & Postal Business Law, United States Postal Service. III. Background of Postal Service Proposals A...), Public Law 109-435, 120 Stat. 3198 (2006). The proposed rules described herein would establish reporting...

Physical and psychosocial risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in New Zealand nurses, postal workers and office workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Harcombe, Helen; McBride, David; Derrett, Sarah; Gray, Andrew

2010-04-01

To investigate the association of physical and psychosocial risk factors with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in New Zealand nurses, postal workers and office workers. A cross-sectional postal survey asking about demographic, physical and psychosocial factors and MSDs. A total of 911 participants was randomly selected; nurses from the Nursing Council of New Zealand database (n=280), postal workers from their employer's database (n=280) and office workers from the 2005 electoral roll (n=351). Self-reported pain in the low back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand or knee lasting more than 1 day in the month before the survey. The response rate was 58%, 443 from 770 potential participants. 70% (n=310) reported at least one MSDs. Physical work tasks were associated with low back (odds ratio (OR) 1.35, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.6), shoulder (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.69), elbow (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.83) and wrist/hand pain (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.69). Job strain had the strongest association with neck pain (OR 3.46, 95% CI 1.30 to 9.21) and wrist/hand pain. Somatisation was weakly associated with MSDs at most sites. Better general and mental health status were weakly associated with lower odds of MSDs. In injury prevention and rehabilitation the physical nature of the work needs to be addressed for most MSDs, with modest decreases in risk seemingly possible. Addressing job strain could provide significant benefit for those with neck and wrist/hand pain, while the effects of somatisation and the promotion of good mental health may provide smaller but global benefits.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of written self-administered psychosocial interventions among adults with a physical illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Sylvie D; Beatty, Lisa; McElduff, Patrick; Levesque, Janelle V; Lawsin, Catalina; Jacobsen, Paul; Turner, Jane; Girgis, Afaf

2017-12-01

The cost of implementing professionally-led psychosocial interventions has limited their integration into routine care. To enhance the translation of effective psychosocial interventions in routine care, a self-administered format is sometimes used. The meta-analysis examined the efficacy of written self-administered, psychosocial interventions to improve outcomes among individuals with a physical illness. Studies comparing a written self-administered intervention to a control group were identified through electronic databases searching. Pooled effect sizes were calculated across follow-up time points using random-effects models. Studies were also categorised according to three levels of guidance (self-administered, minimal contact, or guided) to examine the effect of this variable on outcomes. Forty manuscripts were retained for the descriptive review and 28 for the meta-analysis. Findings were significant for anxiety, depression, distress, and self-efficacy. Results were not significant for quality of life and related domains as well as coping. Purely self-administered interventions were efficacious for depression, distress, and self-efficacy; only guided interventions had an impact on anxiety. Findings showed that written self-administered interventions show promise across a number of outcomes. Self-administered interventions are a potentially efficacious and cost-effective approach to address some of the most common needs of patients with a physical illness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

39 CFR 221.1 - The United States Postal Service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false The United States Postal Service. 221.1 Section 221.1 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION GENERAL ORGANIZATION § 221.1 The United States Postal Service. The United States Postal Service was established as an...

39 CFR 211.2 - Regulations of the Postal Service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Regulations of the Postal Service. 211.2 Section 211.2 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS § 211.2 Regulations of the Postal Service. (a) The regulations of the Postal Service consist of...

Social Desirability, Non-Response Bias and Reliability in a Long Self-Report Measure: Illustrations from the MMPI-2 Administered to Brunei Student Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Mundia, Lawrence

2011-01-01

The survey investigated the problems of social desirability (SD), non-response bias (NRB) and reliability in the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--Revised (MMPI-2) self-report inventory administered to Brunei student teachers. Bruneians scored higher on all the validity scales than the normative US sample, thereby threatening the…

Recruitment of mental health survey participants using Internet advertising: content, characteristics and cost effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Batterham, Philip J

2014-06-01

Postal and telephone survey research is threatened by declining response rates and high cost. Online recruitment is becoming more popular, although there is little empirical evidence about its cost-effectiveness or the representativeness of online samples. There is also limited research on optimal strategies for developing advertising content for online recruitment. The present study aimed to assess these aspects of online recruitment. Two mental health surveys used advertisements within a social network website (Facebook) to recruit adult Australian participants. The initial survey used advertisements linking directly to an external survey website, and recruited 1283 participants at $9.82 per completed survey. A subsequent survey used advertisements linking to a Facebook page that featured links to the external survey, recruiting 610 participants at $1.51 per completion. Both surveys were more cost-effective than similar postal surveys conducted previously, which averaged $19.10 per completion. Online and postal surveys both had somewhat unrepresentative samples. However, online surveys tended to be more successful in recruiting hard-to-reach populations. Advertising using "problem" terminology was more effective than "positive" terminology, while there was no significant effect of altruistic versus self-gain terminology. Online recruitment is efficient, flexible and cost-effective, suggesting that online recruitment has considerable potential for specific research designs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The development of a self-administered dementia checklist: the examination of concurrent validity and discriminant validity.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamae, Fumiko; Ura, Chiaki; Sakuma, Naoko; Niikawa, Hirotoshi; Inagaki, Hiroki; Ijuin, Mutsuo; Okamura, Tsuyoshi; Sugiyama, Mika; Awata, Shuichi

2016-01-01

The present study aims to develop a self-administered dementia checklist to enable community-residing older adults to realize their declining functions and start using necessary services. A previous study confirmed the factorial validity and internal reliability of the checklist. The present study examined its concurrent validity and discriminant validity. The authors conducted a 3-step study (a self-administered survey including the checklist, interviews by nurses, and interviews by doctors and psychologists) of 7,682 community-residing individuals who were over 65 years of age. The authors calculated Spearman's correlation coefficients between the scores of the checklist and the results of a psychological test to examine the concurrent validity. They also compared the average total scores of the checklist between groups with different Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores to examine discriminant validity and conducted a receiver operating characteristic analysis to examine the discriminative power for dementia. The authors analyzed the data of 131 respondents who completed all 3 steps. The checklist scores were significantly correlated with the respondents' Mini-Mental State Examination and Frontal Assessment Battery scores. The checklist also significantly discriminated the patients with dementia (CDR = 1+) from those without dementia (CDR = 0 or 0.5). The optimal cut-off point for the two groups was 17/18 (sensitivity, 72.0%; specificity, 69.2%; positive predictive value, 69.2%; negative predictive value, 72.0%). This study confirmed the concurrent validity and discriminant validity of the self-administered dementia checklist. However, due to its insufficient discriminative power as a screening tool for older people with declining cognitive functions, the checklist is only recommended as an educational and public awareness tool.

Professional satisfaction of family physicians in Pakistan--results of a cross-sectional postal survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashraf, Hiba; Shah, Nasir; Anwer, Fahad; Akhtar, Hina; Abro, Mairaj Anwar; Khan, Asma

2014-04-01

To assess the level of professional satisfaction amongst family physicians of Pakistan and to identify the factors associated with professional dissatisfaction. The study was part of a larger national survey for "Status of PostgraduateTraining and Continuing Medical Education of Family Physicians in Pakistan" which was a cross-sectional, postal survey of family physicians conducted over 10 months between November 2009 and September 2010. The main outcome variables were professional satisfaction, as well as reasons for professional satisfaction and dissatisfaction. SPSS 17 was used for data analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with professional dissatisfaction. Of the total 1200 survey forms distributed, 288 (24%) were received back. The mean age of the participants was 37 +/- 9 years with a range between 26 and 72 years. Of the total, 226 (78.5%) were males. Overall, 213 (74%) family physicians were satisfied with their profession. The factors significantly associated with professional dissatisfaction included the participants opinion that they were not respected by the public (OR: 11.6, C.I: 1.9-71.5); as well as regretting being a doctor (OR:62.9, C.I: 8.4-469.8). Most of the family physicians had professional satisfaction, but a minority had regrets about being a doctor and were dissatisfied over how their profession affected their family life. Further research may be needed to study work-life balance amongst family physicians of Pakistan.

Pain in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 2: a postal survey in Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Suokas, Kimmo I; Haanpää, Maija; Kautiainen, Hannu; Udd, Bjarne; Hietaharju, Aki J

2012-01-01

Widespread musculoskeletal pain is a well-known symptom of myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2), but so far it has been addressed in only a few studies. A postal survey for all traceable DM2 patients (n = 132) was conducted. A specific questionnaire, and severity and interference subscales of the Brief Pain Inventory, quality of life (RAND-36), and modified Beck Depression Inventory were completed. The response rate was 70%. The mean age of respondents was 53 years, 59% of whom were women. Current pain was reported by 54%. Lifetime prevalence of pain was 76%. The mean intensity of pain at its highest in the last week was 5.9, and 2.3 at its lowest (on a numerical rating scale of 0-10). Quality of life was lower in DM2 patients who reported pain. In 18%, the depression score was noticeably different. Pain of moderate severity and unpleasant muscular symptoms are common in DM2. DM2 should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of musculoskeletal pain. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Test-retest repeatability of child's respiratory symptoms and perceived indoor air quality - comparing self- and parent-administered questionnaires.

Science.gov (United States)

Lampi, Jussi; Ung-Lanki, Sari; Santalahti, Päivi; Pekkanen, Juha

2018-02-09

Questionnaires can be used to assess perceived indoor air quality and symptoms in schools. Questionnaires for primary school aged children have traditionally been parent-administered, but self-administered questionnaires would be easier to administer and may yield as good, if not better, information. Our aim was to compare the repeatability of self- and parent-administered indoor air questionnaires designed for primary school aged pupils. Indoor air questionnaire with questions on child's symptoms and perceived indoor air quality in schools was sent to parents of pupils aged 7-12 years in two schools and again after two weeks. Slightly modified version of the questionnaire was administered to pupils aged 9-12 years in another two schools and repeated after a week. 351 (52%) parents and 319 pupils (86%) answered both the first and the second questionnaire. Test-retest repeatability was assessed with intra-class correlation (ICC) and Cohen's kappa coefficients (k). Test-retest repeatability was generally between 0.4-0.7 (ICC; k) in both self- and parent-administered questionnaire. In majority of the questions on symptoms and perceived indoor air quality test-retest repeatability was at the same level or slightly better in self-administered compared to parent-administered questionnaire. Agreement of self- and parent administered questionnaires was generally indoor air quality. Children aged 9-12 years can give as, or even more, repeatable information about their respiratory symptoms and perceived indoor air quality than their parents. Therefore, it may be possible to use self-administered questionnaires in future studies also with children.

Pharmacists as immunizers: a survey of community pharmacists' willingness to administer adult immunizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Nicholas; Gorman Corsten, Erin; Kiberd, Mathew; Bowles, Susan; Isenor, Jennifer; Slayter, Kathryn; McNeil, Shelly

2015-04-01

Adult immunization rates worldwide fall below desired targets. Pharmacists are highly accessible healthcare providers with the potential to increase immunization rates among adults by administering vaccines in their practice setting. To determine the attitudes of community-based Canadian pharmacists with respect to expanding their scope of practice to include administration of immunizations. An internet-based survey was emailed to community pharmacists across Canada. The survey was piloted through focus groups for qualitative feedback, tested for content validity, and test-retest reliability prior to dissemination. There were 495 responses to the survey. The majority (88 %) agreed that pharmacists as immunizers would increase public access, improve rates (84 %), and be acceptable to the public (72 %). However, only 68 % agreed that pharmacists should be permitted to immunize. The majority of respondents (90 %) agreed that certification in vaccine administration should be required for pharmacists to administer vaccines. Pharmacists identified education, reimbursement, and negative interactions with other providers as barriers to pharmacists administering vaccines. Canadian pharmacists are willing to expand their scope of practice to include immunization. However, implementation requires professional development and certification in vaccine administration.

Responsibility for managing musculoskeletal disorders – A cross-sectional postal survey of attitudes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larsson Maria EH

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Musculoskeletal disorders are a major burden on individuals, health systems and social care systems and rehabilitation efforts in these disorders are considerable. Self-care is often considered a cost effective treatment alternative owing to limited health care resources. But what are the expectations and attitudes in this question in the general population? The purpose of this study was to describe general attitudes to responsibility for the management of musculoskeletal disorders and to explore associations between attitudes and background variables. Methods A cross-sectional, postal questionnaire survey was carried out with a random sample of a general adult Swedish population of 1770 persons. Sixty-one percent (n = 1082 responded to the questionnaire and was included for the description of general attitudes towards responsibility for the management of musculoskeletal disorders. For the further analyses of associations to background variables 683–693 individuals could be included. Attitudes were measured by the "Attitudes regarding Responsibility for Musculoskeletal disorders" (ARM instrument, where responsibility is attributed on four dimensions; to myself, as being out of my hands, to employers or to (medical professionals. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore associations between attitudes to musculoskeletal disorders and the background variables age, sex, education, physical activity, presence of musculoskeletal disorders, sick leave and whether the person had visited a care provider. Results A majority of participants had internal views, i.e. showed an attitude of taking personal responsibility for musculoskeletal disorders, and did not place responsibility for the management out of their own hands or to employers. However, attributing shared responsibility between self and medical professionals was also found. The main associations found between attitude towards responsibility for musculoskeletal

Supraspinally-administered agmatine attenuates the development of oral fentanyl self-administration

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, Carrie L.; Schuster, Daniel J.; Domingo, Kristine M.; Kitto, Kelley F.; Fairbanks, Carolyn A.

2009-01-01

The decarboxylation product of arginine, agmatine, has effectively reduced or prevented opioid-induced tolerance and dependence when given either systemically (intraperitoneally or subcutaneously) or centrally (intrathecally or intracerebroventricularly). Systemically administered agmatine also reduces the escalation phase of intravenous fentanyl self-administration in rats. The present study assessed whether centrally (intracerebroventricular, i.c.v.) delivered agmatine could prevent the development of fentanyl self-administration in mice. Mice were trained to respond under a fixed-ratio 1 (FR1) schedule for either fentanyl (0.7 μg/70 μl, p.o.) or food reinforcement. Agmatine (10 nmol/5 μl), injected i.c.v. 12-14h before the first session and every other evening (12-14h before session) for 2 weeks, completely attenuated oral fentanyl self-administration (but not food-maintained responding) compared to saline-injected controls. When agmatine was administered after fentanyl self-administration had been established (day 8) it had no attenuating effects on bar pressing. This dose of agmatine does not decrease locomotor activity as assessed by rotarod. The present findings significantly extend the previous observation that agmatine prevents opioid-maintained behavior to a chronic model of oral fentanyl self-administration as well as identifying a supraspinal site of action for agmatine inhibition of drug addiction. PMID:18495108

Morocco : French postal administration after 1912 and Morocco's postal services during the First World War

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dietz, A.J.

2017-01-01

An earlier version of (parts of) APH 5 was published as African Studies Centre Leiden Working Paper 125 / 2016: "A postal history of the First World War in Africa and its aftermath - German colonies/postal areas : V Morocco", written by Ton Dietz.

39 CFR 1.1 - Establishment of the U.S. Postal Service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Establishment of the U.S. Postal Service. 1.1 Section 1.1 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE POSTAL POLICY (ARTICLE I) § 1.1 Establishment of the U.S. Postal Service. The U.S. Postal Service is...

77 FR 304 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-04

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add Priority Mail Contract 37 to the competitive product list... competitive product list.\\1\\ Priority mail [[Page 305

Self-administered foot reflexology for the management of chronic health conditions: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Hyun Jin; Choi, Sun Mi; Seo, Hyun-Ju; Lee, Heeyoung; Son, Heejeong; Lee, Sanghun

2015-02-01

To systematically review the effect of self-administered foot reflexology in patients with chronic health conditions. Electronic databases were searched for literature published from 1948 to January 2014. The databases included MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CNKI, J-STAGE, Koreamed, Kmbase, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, and OASIS. Key search terms were "exp/relaxation therapy," "foot," "reflexology," "zone therapy," and "self." All study designs were included. Two raters independently extracted data and assessed study quality by using the Cochrane risk of bias tool (for randomized controlled trials) and the risk of bias assessment tool for nonrandomized studies (for nonrandomized and before-and-after studies). A qualitative and descriptive analysis was performed because of the clinical diversity associated with chronic health conditions. Of the 224 records assessed, 4 trials met the inclusion criteria: 3 nonrandomized controlled trials and 1 before-and-after study without comparison. Self-administered foot reflexology might have a positive effect in type 2 diabetes, but the low quality of the included study and the lack of adequately reported clinical outcomes obscure the results. Two studies of hypertensive patients and 1 study of patients with urinary incontinence showed that self-performed foot reflexology may exert a beneficial effect on lowering blood pressure and urinary incontinence; however, given the small sample size and the lack of any description of medications and other cointerventions, there was insufficient evidence to conclusively determine whether foot reflexology had any effect. The included studies on self-administered foot reflexology in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or urinary incontinence provided insufficient evidence to determine a treatment effect. Therefore, a well-designed, large-scale, and randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm the effect of self-administered foot reflexology for chronic conditions.

39 CFR 762.43 - Issuance of substitute disbursement postal money order.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Issuance of substitute disbursement postal money...; DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS Issuance of Substitutes for Lost, Destroyed, Mutilated, and Defaced Disbursement Postal Money Orders § 762.43 Issuance of substitute disbursement postal...

77 FR 2676 - Competitive Postal Products

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-19

... could give the Postal Service an artificial competitive advantage. The Commission gave considerable... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 39 CFR Part 3015 [Docket No. RM2012-3; Order No. 1108] Competitive... Commission is initiating a review to determine whether competitive products provide the appropriate minimum...

75 FR 34074 - Postal Pricing Methods

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-16

... Methods AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. SUMMARY: The... price sensitivity (elasticity) to volumes actually mailed during the rebate program. This method is... indicated by the market elasticity. Mitchell Comments at 4-6. Postal Service method. In its data collection...

Opponent process properties of self-administered cocaine.

Science.gov (United States)

Ettenberg, Aaron

2004-01-01

Over the past decade, data collected in our laboratory have demonstrated that self-administered cocaine produces Opponent-Process-like behavioral effects. Animals running a straight alley once each day for IV cocaine develop over trials an approach-avoidance conflict about re-entering the goal box. This conflict behavior is characterized by a stop in forward locomotion (usually at the very mouth of the goal box) followed by a turn and 'retreat' back toward the goal box. The results of a series of studies conducted over the past decade collectively suggest that the behavioral ambivalence exemplified by rats running the alley for IV cocaine stems from concurrent and opponent positive (rewarding) and negative (anxiogenic) properties of the drug--both of which are associated with the goal box. These opponent properties of cocaine have been shown to result from temporally distinct affective states. Using a conditioned place preference test, we have been able to demonstrate that while the initial immediate effects of IV cocaine are reinforcing, the state present 15 min post-injection is aversive. In our most recent work, the co-administration of IV cocaine with either oral ethanol or IV heroin was found to greatly diminish the development and occurrence of retreat behaviors in the runway. It may therefore be that the high incidence of co-abuse of cocaine with either ethanol or heroin, stems from the users' motivation to alleviate some of the negative side effects of cocaine. It would seem then that the Opponent Process Theory has provided a useful conceptual framework for the study of the behavioral consequences of self-administered cocaine including the notion that both positive and negative reinforcement mechanisms are involved in the development and maintenance of cocaine abuse.

Development of a self-administered questionnaire to screen patients for cervical myelopathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sekiguchi Yasufumi

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In primary care, it is often difficult to diagnose cervical myelopathy. However, a delay in treatment could cause irreversible aftereffects. With a brief and effective self-administered questionnaire for cervical myelopathy, cervical myelopathy may be screened more easily and oversight may be avoided. As there is presently no screening tool for cervical myelopathy, the aim of this study was to develop a self-administered questionnaire for the screening of cervical myelopathy. Methods A case-control study was performed with the following two groups at our university hospital from February 2006 to September 2008. Sixty-two patients (48 men, 14 women with cervical myelopathy who underwent operative treatment were included in the myelopathy group. In the control group, 49 patients (20 men, 29 women with symptoms that could be distinguished from those of cervical myelopathy, such as numbness, pain in the upper extremities, and manual clumsiness, were included. The underlying conditions were diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, tarsal tunnel syndrome, diabetes mellitus neuropathy, cervical radiculopathy, and neuralgic amyotrophy. Twenty items for a questionnaire in this study were chosen from the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire, which is a new self-administered questionnaire, as an outcome measure for patients with cervical myelopathy. Data were analyzed by univariate analysis using the chi-square test and by multiple logistic regression analysis. According to the resulting odds ratio, β-coefficients, and p value, items were chosen and assigned a score. Results Eight items were chosen by univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses and assigned a score. The Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic showed p = 0.805. The area under the receiver operation characteristic curve was 0.86. The developed questionnaire had a sensitivity of 93.5% and a

76 FR 77271 - Competitive Product Postal Price Changes

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-12

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2012-2; Order No. 997] Competitive Product Postal Price... recently-filed Postal Service request for a change in competitive products prices. The changes will take... and justification for the changes, the effective date, and a schedule of the changed rates. The price...

77 FR 58422 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-20

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add Priority Mail Contract 43 to the competitive product list... request and associated supporting information to add Priority Mail Contract 43 to the competitive product...

77 FR 60727 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-04

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with this filing. DATES: Comments are due... competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that First- Class Package Service Contract 20 is a...

78 FR 43245 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-19

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning the addition of Priority Mail Contract 61 to the competitive product... the competitive product list.\\1\\ It asserts that Priority Mail Contract 61 is a competitive product...

77 FR 60726 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-04

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with this filing. DATES: Comments are due... 19 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that First- Class Package Service...

77 FR 60725 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-04

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with this filing. DATES: Comments are due... competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that First- Class Package Service Contract 16 is a...

77 FR 60729 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-04

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with this filing. DATES: Comments are due... competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that First- Class Package Service Contract 17 is a...

75 FR 45174 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-02

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... competitive product list. The Postal Service has also filed a related contract. This notice addresses... product list within the Mail Classification Schedule (MCS).\\1\\ This product grouping would create a niche...

77 FR 58421 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-20

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add Priority Mail Contract 42 to the competitive product list... request and associated supporting information to add Priority Mail Contract 42 to the competitive product...

77 FR 60728 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-04

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with this filing. DATES: Comments are due... competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that First- Class Package Service Contract 18 is a...

77 FR 305 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-04

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... competitive product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with the filing. DATES: Comments... Services-Non- Published Rates 3 (GEPS-NPR 3) to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal [[Page 306...

77 FR 51583 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-24

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with this filing. DATES: Comments are due... competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that First- Class Package Service Contract 15 is a...

75 FR 65386 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-22

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2011-19; Order No. 562] New Postal Product AGENCY... product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with this filing. DATES: Comments are due... GEPS 1 as a product, also authorized functionally equivalent agreements to be included within the...

78 FR 39783 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-02

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add a new product to the competitive product list. This document... and associated supporting information to add Priority Mail Contract 60 to the competitive product list...

78 FR 77172 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-20

... Counsel, at 202-789-6820. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Contents of Filing III. Commission Action IV. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction On December 13, 2013, the Postal..., 3. II. Contents of Filing The Postal Service's filing consists of the Notice, financial workpapers...

78 FR 59382 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-26

... relevant to the customer's mailing profile, and cost coverage projections. Id. The Postal Service asks the... recently-filed Postal Service request to add a new product to the competitive product list. This document... due: September 27, 2013. ADDRESSES: Submit comments electronically by accessing the ``Filing Online...

77 FR 67840 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-14

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent... competitive product list. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes... to add First-Class Package Service Contract 26 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service...

77 FR 58185 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-19

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2012-56; Order No. 1464] New Postal Product AGENCY... Service request to add a Global Expedited Package Services contract to the competitive product list. This... contracts are small- or medium-size businesses that mail products directly to foreign destinations using...

75 FR 45176 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-02

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add Priority Mail Contract 25 to the competitive product list. The... associated supporting information to add Priority Mail Contract 25 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The...

77 FR 50729 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-22

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. MC2012-44; Order No. 1435] New Postal Product AGENCY... Service request for two related changes to the product lists. The changes involve removing one product from the market dominant product list and adding a nearly identical product to the competitive product...

78 FR 26405 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-06

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning the addition of Priority Mail Contract 58 to the competitive product... 58 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ It asserts that Priority Mail Contract 58 is a competitive...

78 FR 29784 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-21

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2013-62; Order No. 1716] New Postal Product AGENCY... filing concerning the addition of Global Expedited Package Services 3 Contract to the competitive product... GEPS 3 product on grounds of functional equivalence to a previously approved baseline agreement. Id. at...

75 FR 7296 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-18

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2010-23; Order No. 405] New Postal Product AGENCY... Service request to add a Global Expedited Package Services 2 contract to the Competitive Product List... established GEPS 1 as a product, also authorized functionally equivalent agreements to be included within the...

78 FR 13714 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-28

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning the addition of Priority Mail Contract 55 to the competitive product... 55 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ It asserts that Priority Mail Contract 55 is a competitive...

78 FR 70084 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-22

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning the addition of Priority Mail Contract 65 to the competitive product... information to add Priority Mail Contract 65 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ It asserts that Priority Mail...

78 FR 79022 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-27

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent... product list. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other... Mail Express Contract 16 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that Priority...

78 FR 65016 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-30

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing recent Postal Service filings requesting the addition of Priority Mail Contract 66 to the competitive product... Contract 66 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ It is the successor agreement to the contract approved in...

75 FR 65533 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-25

... consideration of the Request pertaining to the proposed Express Mail Contract 9 product and the related contract...-filed Postal Service filing to add Express Mail Contract 9 to the competitive product list. The Postal Service has also filed a related contract. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with the...

75 FR 12805 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-17

... Docket No. CP2010-26 for consideration of matters related to the contract identified in the Postal... Service request to include a new contract within the existing Global Expedited Package Services 2 (GEPS 2) product. The Postal Service characterizes the referenced contract as a successor to a current contract...

75 FR 72846 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-26

...\\ Request of the United States Postal Service to Add Parcel Return Service Contract 2 to the Competitive... recently-filed Postal Service request to add Parcel Return Service Contract 2 to the competitive product... Service filed a formal request and associated supporting information to add Parcel Return Service Contract...

78 FR 40203 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-03

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add a new product to the competitive product list. This document... Rate Boxes--Non-Published Rates (PMI RRB-NPR) to the competitive product list.\\1\\ It provides a related...

78 FR 4478 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-22

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2013-42; Order No. 1623] New Postal Product AGENCY... within the Global Plus 2C product on the grounds of functional equivalence to previously approved.... Id. at 1. Background. The Commission added Global Plus 2 to the competitive product list, based on...

78 FR 963 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-07

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent... 4 to the competitive product list. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public... product list.\\1\\ The Postal Service states that the addition is necessary due to changes in the non...

77 FR 1089 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-09

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2012-9; Order No. 1096] New Postal Product AGENCY... Service request to add a Global Direct Contracts 1 contract to the competitive product list. This notice... believes that the instant Agreement should be included within the Global Direct Contracts 1 product because...

76 FR 4138 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-24

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2011-58; Order No. 652] New Postal Product AGENCY..., which established GREP Contracts 1 as a product, also authorized functionally equivalent agreements to be included within the product, provided that they meet the requirements of 39 U.S.C. 3633. Id. at 1...

75 FR 3383 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-21

... is adding Express Mail Contract 7 to the Competitive Product List. This action is consistent with a postal reform law. Republication of the lists of market dominant and competitive products is also.... Introduction The Postal Service seeks to add a new product identified as Express Mail [[Page 3384

75 FR 65532 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-25

.... MC2011-2 and CP2011-3 for consideration of the Request pertaining to the proposed Priority Mail Contract...-filed Postal Service filing to add Priority Mail Contract 28 to the competitive product list. The Postal Service has also filed a related contract. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with the...

75 FR 65531 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-25

.... MC2011-3 and CP2011-4 for consideration of the Request pertaining to the proposed Priority Mail Contract...-filed Postal Service filing to add Priority Mail Contract 29 to the competitive product list. The Postal Service has also filed a related contract. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with the...

Chest radiography practice in critically ill patients: a postal survey in the Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graat, Marleen E; Hendrikse, Karin A; Spronk, Peter E; Korevaar, Johanna C; Stoker, Jaap; Schultz, Marcus J

2006-01-01

To ascertain current chest radiography practice in intensive care units (ICUs) in the Netherlands. Postal survey: a questionnaire was sent to all ICUs with > 5 beds suitable for mechanical ventilation; pediatric ICUs were excluded. When an ICU performed daily-routine chest radiographs in any group of patients it was considered to be a 'daily-routine chest radiography' ICU. From the number of ICUs responding, 63% practice a daily-routine strategy, in which chest radiographs are obtained on a daily basis without any specific reason. A daily-routine chest radiography strategy is practiced less frequently in university-affiliated ICUs (50%) as compared to other ICUs (68%), as well as in larger ICUs (> 20 beds, 50%) as compared to smaller ICUs (< 20 beds, 65%) (P > 0.05). Remarkably, physicians that practice a daily-routine strategy consider daily-routine radiographs helpful in guiding daily practice in less than 30% of all performed radiographs. Chest radiographs are considered essential for verification of the position of invasive devices (81%) and for diagnosing pneumothorax, pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (82%, 74% and 69%, respectively). On demand chest radiographs are obtained after introduction of thoracic drains, central venous lines and endotracheal tubes in 98%, 84% and 75% of responding ICUs, respectively. Chest films are also obtained in case of ventilatory deterioration (49% of responding ICUs), and after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (59%), tracheotomy (58%) and mini-tracheotomy (23%). There is notable lack of consensus on chest radiography practice in the Netherlands. This survey suggests that a large number of intensivists may doubt the value of daily-routine chest radiography, but still practice a daily-routine strategy

Human resource management in the delivery of postal items

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kujačić Momčilo D.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Delivery of postal items is the last phase in the postal conveyance process. This phase involved up to 57% in total costs of postal items conveyance. In order to reduce the costs of delivery phase, postal organizations apply different methods and techniques. Legal and technological regulations, various restrictions regarding the selection and deployment of employees influence the choice of appropriate methods. Also, the principle of availability of the universal postal service is an essential factor in defining the optimal model. In this paper, the model for assessing and planning of the number of employees in the delivery service observed postal operator has been proposed, with respect to the principles of productivity and accessibility constraints of the universal postal service. This paper will analyze the impact of daily fluctuations in the number of full-time employees and the possibility of hiring a part-time workers in the days with increased traffic volume in the delivery of items, when usually the items from large customers are delivered.

39 CFR 762.28 - Release of original disbursement postal money orders.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Release of original disbursement postal money... and Processing of Disbursement Postal Money Orders § 762.28 Release of original disbursement postal money orders. An original Disbursement Postal Money Order may be released to a responsible endorser only...

75 FR 9523 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-03

... obligations or new requirements on any party to the contract. The docket referenced in the caption should be... adding Global Direct Contracts 1 to the Competitive Product List. This action is consistent with a postal.... Introduction The Postal Service seeks to add a new product identified as Global Direct Contracts 1 to the...

77 FR 27491 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-10

..., April 30, 2012 (Request). Request. In support of its Request, the Postal Service filed six attachments... exceed 85 percent of the total volume of pieces mailed. Id. Valassis has agreed to initiate mailings... 1,000,000 pieces during the following 12 months or pay the Postal Service a one-time fee of $100,000...

Effect of self-administered foot reflexology for symptom management in healthy persons: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Hyun Jin; Son, Heejeong; Seo, Hyun-Ju; Lee, Heeyoung; Choi, Sun Mi; Lee, Sanghun

2015-02-01

Self-administered foot reflexology is unrestricted by time and space, economical, and practical because it is easy to learn and apply. This study estimated the effectiveness of self-foot reflexology for symptom management in healthy persons through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The participants were healthy persons not diagnosed with a specific disease. The intervention was foot reflexology administered by participants, not by practitioners or healthcare providers. The comparative studies either between groups or within group comparison were included. Our search utilized core databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL). We also searched Chinese (CNKI), Japanese (J-STAGE), and Korean databases (KoreaMed, KMbase, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, and OASIS). The search was used MeSH terminology and key words (foot reflexology, foot massage, and self). Analysis of three non-randomized trials and three before-and-after studies showed that self-administered foot reflexology resulted in significant improvement in subjective outcomes such as perceived stress, fatigue, and depression. However, there was no significant improvement in objective outcomes such as cortisol levels, blood pressure, and pulse rate. We did not find any randomized controlled trial. This study presents the effectiveness of self-administered foot reflexology for healthy persons' psychological and physiological symptoms. While objective outcomes showed limited results, significant improvements were found in subjective outcomes. However, owing to the small number of studies and methodological flaws, there was insufficient evidence supporting the use of self-performed foot reflexology. Well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the effect of self-administered foot reflexology in healthy people. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pair housing differentially affects motivation to self-administer cocaine in male and female rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Westenbroek, Christel; Perry, Adam N; Becker, Jill B

2013-09-01

Female rats exhibit greater intake and motivation to self-administer cocaine. In females but not males, isolation by itself is a stressor, which could lead to increased drug intake. Therefore, we hypothesized that social housing would buffer against stress and reduce the motivation to self-administer cocaine primarily in females. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were housed individually or in same-sex pairs. The individually housed rats and one of each pair were allowed to self-administer (SA) a low dose of cocaine (0.2 mg/kg/inf) on a fixed ratio (FR1) schedule for one week. Motivation for cocaine SA was measured for an additional 2 weeks on a progressive ratio schedule. Isolated females had greater cocaine-intake on the FR1 schedule and greater motivation to take cocaine than males. Pair-housing in females, but not males, attenuated the motivation to take cocaine. Isolated females, but not males, showed escalation of their motivation to take cocaine, which was attenuated by pair housing of females. Concluding, the motivation to take cocaine escalates in females but not males, and pair-housing of females attenuates this escalation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

76 FR 67500 - Postal Service Price Adjustment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

... available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides the Postal Service with inflation-based price... includes a brief introductory section, three enumerated parts, and three attachments. The Postal Service also submitted separate workpapers supporting the planned changes. The introductory section includes...

Self-Administered, Home-Based SMART (Sensorimotor Active Rehabilitation Training) Arm Training: A Single-Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayward, Kathryn S; Neibling, Bridee A; Barker, Ruth N

2015-01-01

This single-case, mixed-method study explored the feasibility of self-administered, home-based SMART (sensorimotor active rehabilitation training) Arm training for a 57-yr-old man with severe upper-limb disability after a right frontoparietal hemorrhagic stroke 9 mo earlier. Over 4 wk of self-administered, home-based SMART Arm training, the participant completed 2,100 repetitions unassisted. His wife provided support for equipment set-up and training progressions. Clinically meaningful improvements in arm impairment (strength), activity (arm and hand tasks), and participation (use of arm in everyday tasks) occurred after training (at 4 wk) and at follow-up (at 16 wk). Areas for refinement of SMART Arm training derived from thematic analysis of the participant's and researchers' journals focused on enabling independence, ensuring home and user friendliness, maintaining the motivation to persevere, progressing toward everyday tasks, and integrating practice into daily routine. These findings suggest that further investigation of self-administered, home-based SMART Arm training is warranted for people with stroke who have severe upper-limb disability. Copyright © 2015 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

78 FR 12801 - New Postal Product; Negotiated Service Agreement

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... the United States Postal Service to Add Parcel Return Service Contract 3 to Competitive Product List... Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add Parcel Return Service Contract 3 to the....30 et seq., the Postal Service filed a request and associated supporting information to add Parcel...

Self-administered nicotine differentially impacts body weight gain in obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Rupprecht, Laura E; Smith, Tracy T; Donny, Eric C; Sved, Alan F

2017-07-01

Obesity and tobacco smoking represent the largest challenges to public health, but the causal relationship between nicotine and obesity is poorly understood. Nicotine suppresses body weight gain, a factor impacting smoking initiation and the failure to quit, particularly among obese smokers. The impact of nicotine on body weight regulation in obesity-prone and obesity-resistant populations consuming densely caloric diets is unknown. In the current experiment, body weight gain of adult male rats maintained on a high energy diet (31.8% kcal from fat) distributed into obesity-prone (OP), obesity-resistant (OR) and an intermediate group, which was placed on standard rodent chow (Chow). These rats were surgically implanted with intravenous catheters and allowed to self-administer nicotine (0 or 60μg/kg/infusion, a standard self-administration dose) in 1-h sessions for 20 consecutive days. Self-administered nicotine significantly suppressed body weight gain but not food intake in OP and Chow rats. Self-administered nicotine had no effect on body weight gain in OR rats. These data suggest that: 1) OR rats are also resistant to nicotine-induced suppression of body weight gain; and 2) nicotine may reduce levels of obesity in a subset of smokers prone to obesity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and psychometric evaluation of an information literacy self-efficacy survey and an information literacy knowledge test.

Science.gov (United States)

Tepe, Rodger; Tepe, Chabha

2015-03-01

To develop and psychometrically evaluate an information literacy (IL) self-efficacy survey and an IL knowledge test. In this test-retest reliability study, a 25-item IL self-efficacy survey and a 50-item IL knowledge test were developed and administered to a convenience sample of 53 chiropractic students. Item analyses were performed on all questions. The IL self-efficacy survey demonstrated good reliability (test-retest correlation = 0.81) and good/very good internal consistency (mean κ = .56 and Cronbach's α = .92). A total of 25 questions with the best item analysis characteristics were chosen from the 50-item IL knowledge test, resulting in a 25-item IL knowledge test that demonstrated good reliability (test-retest correlation = 0.87), very good internal consistency (mean κ = .69, KR20 = 0.85), and good item discrimination (mean point-biserial = 0.48). This study resulted in the development of three instruments: a 25-item IL self-efficacy survey, a 50-item IL knowledge test, and a 25-item IL knowledge test. The information literacy self-efficacy survey and the 25-item version of the information literacy knowledge test have shown preliminary evidence of adequate reliability and validity to justify continuing study with these instruments.

39 CFR 762.30 - Disbursement postal money orders issued to incompetent payees.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... shall be forwarded to the Money Order Division, Postal Data Center, P.O. Box 14963, St. Louis, MO 63182... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Disbursement postal money orders issued to... OBLIGATIONS; DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS Endorsements, Payment...

39 CFR 762.31 - Disbursement postal money orders issued to deceased payees.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... should be returned to the Money Order Division, Postal Data Center, P.O. Box 14963, St. Louis, MO 63182... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Disbursement postal money orders issued to... OBLIGATIONS; DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS Endorsements, Payment...

76 FR 25381 - Postal Service Market Test

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-04

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. MT2009-4; Order No. 720] Postal Service Market Test... test, pending Commission action on anticipated request for permanent status. This document grants a one... temporarily extend its Collaborative Logistics market test under 39 U.S.C. 3641(d).\\1\\ The Commission...

The benefits and costs of a master's programme in primary health care: a cross-sectional postal survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsimtsiou, Zoi; Sidhu, Kalwant; Jones, Roger

2010-11-01

Master's programmes can provide continuing professional development, equipping GPs to teach, research, and lead general practice. A previous evaluation of the MSc in primary health care found that graduates were contributing significantly to the discipline of general practice. Given the changes in general practice over the last 10 years, it was considered useful to investigate longer-term outcomes. To assess the benefits GPs have derived from the MSc in terms of the intended learning outcomes and their own plans for involvement in research and teaching. A cross-sectional survey using a postal questionnaire. Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London. A postal questionnaire was sent to the graduates of MSc in primary health care from 1997 until 2008. A total of 50 completed questionnaires were returned (response rate 76%). After graduation, 22 GPs had completed another degree or diploma and 21 had work accepted for publication, resulting in 74 papers. Nine held academic posts at lecturer or senior lecturer level, 21 were GP trainers, and 21 undergraduate teachers. Twenty-five GPs held more than one teaching-related post. The majority of the graduates confirmed the attainment of the MSc's intended outcomes. Positive influences of the MSc were identified, including career development, personal development, and job satisfaction. Graduates reported a number of benefits to themselves, their practices, and their patients. As the requirements for continuing professional development of GPs become more stringent, and with the advent of revalidation, the current ad hoc approach to career development in general practice is becoming unsustainable. To enhance its credibility as an academic discipline, general practice must continue to develop its capacity for research and scholarship. Master's programmes are likely to have an important role in supporting professional development in general practice in the future.

Visual Design, Order Effects, and Respondent Characteristics in a Self-Administered Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Stern

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Recent survey design research has shown that small changes in the structure and visual layout of questions can affect respondents' answers. While the findings have provided strong evidence of such effects, they are limited by the homogeneity of their samples, in that many of these studies have used random samples of college students. In this paper, we examine the effects of seven experimental alterations in question format and visual design using data from a general population survey that allows us to examine the effects of demographic differences among respondents. Results from a 2005 random sample mail survey of 1,315 households in a small metropolitan region of the United States suggest that the visual layout of survey questions affects different demographic groups in similar ways.

ASA24 enables multiple automatically coded self-administered 24-hour recalls and food records

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A freely available web-based tool for epidemiologic, interventional, behavioral, or clinical research from NCI that enables multiple automatically coded self-administered 24-hour recalls and food records.

76 FR 52718 - Complaint About Postal Services

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-23

... Pleadings III. Statutory Alternatives for Commission Action IV. Analysis and Written Determination V....C. 403(c). Id. at 12. II. Postal Service Pleadings On June 7, 2011, the Postal Service filed a...)(1)(B). \\8\\ The statute does not specify the precise nature of the proceedings. IV. Analysis and...

Skills and knowledge of informatics, and training needs of hospital pharmacists in Thailand: A self-assessment survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Chonsilapawit, Teeraporn; Rungpragayphan, Suang

2016-10-01

Because hospital pharmacists have to deal with large amounts of health information and advanced information technology in practice, they must possess adequate skills and knowledge of informatics to operate efficiently. However, most current pharmacy curricula in Thailand barely address the principles and skills concerned with informatics, and Thai pharmacists usually acquire computer literacy and informatics skills through personal-interest training and self-study. In this study, we aimed to assess the skills and knowledge of informatics and the training needs of hospital pharmacists in Thailand, in order to improve curricular and professional development. A self-assessment postal survey of 73 questions was developed and distributed to the pharmacy departments of 601 hospitals throughout the country. Practicing hospital pharmacists were requested to complete and return the survey voluntarily. Within the 3 months of the survey period, a total of 805 out of 2002 surveys were returned. On average, respondents rated themselves as competent or better in the skills of basic computer operation, the Internet, information management, and communication. Understandably, they rated themselves at novice level for information technology and database design knowledge/skills, and at advanced beginner level for project, risk, and change management skills. Respondents believed that skills and knowledge of informatics were highly necessary for their work, and definitely needed training. Thai hospital pharmacists were confident in using computers and the Internet. They realized and appreciated their lack of informatics knowledge and skills, and needed more training. Pharmacy curricula and training should be developed accordingly. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Audio computer-assisted self interview compared to traditional interview in an HIV-related behavioral survey in Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Linh Cu; Vu, Lan T H

2012-10-01

Globally, population surveys on HIV/AIDS and other sensitive topics have been using audio computer-assisted self interview for many years. This interview technique, however, is still new to Vietnam and little is known about its application and impact in general population surveys. One plausible hypothesis is that residents of Vietnam interviewed using this technique may provide a higher response rate and be more willing to reveal their true behaviors than if interviewed with traditional methods. This study aims to compare audio computer-assisted self interview with traditional face-to-face personal interview and self-administered interview with regard to rates of refusal and affirmative responses to questions on sensitive topics related to HIV/AIDS. In June 2010, a randomized study was conducted in three cities (Ha Noi, Da Nan and Can Tho), using a sample of 4049 residents aged 15 to 49 years. Respondents were randomly assigned to one of three interviewing methods: audio computer-assisted self interview, personal face-to-face interview, and self-administered paper interview. Instead of providing answers directly to interviewer questions as with traditional methods, audio computer-assisted self-interview respondents read the questions displayed on a laptop screen, while listening to the questions through audio headphones, then entered responses using a laptop keyboard. A MySQL database was used for data management and SPSS statistical package version 18 used for data analysis with bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques. Rates of high risk behaviors and mean values of continuous variables were compared for the three data collection methods. Audio computer-assisted self interview showed advantages over comparison techniques, achieving lower refusal rates and reporting higher prevalence of some sensitive and risk behaviors (perhaps indication of more truthful answers). Premarital sex was reported by 20.4% in the audio computer-assisted self-interview survey

Psychology of computer use: IX. A menu of self-administered microcomputer-based neurotoxicology tests

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, R. S.; Baltzley, D. R.; Wilkes, R. L.; Kuntz, L. A.

1989-01-01

This study examined the feasibility of repeated self-administration of a newly developed battery of mental acuity tests which may have application in screening for fitness-for-duty or for persons who may be exposed to environmental stress, toxic agents, or disease. 16 subjects self-administered 18 microcomputer-based tests (13 new, 5 "core"), without proctors, over 10 sessions. The hardware performed well throughout the study and the tests appeared to be easily self-administered. Stabilities and reliabilities of the tests from the "core" battery were comparable to those obtained previously under more controlled experimental conditions. Eight of the new tests exceeded minimum criteria for metric and practical requirements and can be recommended as additions to the menu. Although the average retest reliability was high, cross-correlations between tests were low, implying factorial diversity. The menu can be used to form batteries with flexible total testing time which are likely to tap different mental processes and functions.

Interviewer versus self-administered health-related quality of life questionnaires - Does it matter?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ackatz Lori E

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patient-reported outcomes are measured in many epidemiologic studies using self- or interviewer-administered questionnaires. While in some studies differences between these administration formats were observed, other studies did not show statistically significant differences important to patients. Since the evidence about the effect of administration format is inconsistent and mainly available from cross-sectional studies our aim was to assess the effects of different administration formats on repeated measurements of patient-reported outcomes in participants with AIDS enrolled in the Longitudinal Study of Ocular Complications of AIDS. Methods We included participants enrolled in the Longitudinal Study of Ocular Complications in AIDS (LSOCA who completed the Medical Outcome Study [MOS] -HIV questionnaire, the EuroQol, the Feeling Thermometer and the Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ 25 every six months thereafter using self- or interviewer-administration. A large print questionnaire was available for participants with visual impairment. Considering all measurements over time and adjusting for patient and study site characteristics we used linear models to compare HRQL scores (all scores from 0-100 between administration formats. We defined adjusted differences of ≥0.2 standard deviations [SD] to be quantitatively meaningful. Results We included 2,261 participants (80.6% males with a median of 43.1 years of age at enrolment who provided data on 23,420 study visits. The self-administered MOS-HIV, Feeling Thermometer and EuroQol were used in 70% of all visits and the VFQ-25 in 80%. For eight domains of the MOS-HIV differences between the interviewer- and self- administered format were Conclusions Our large study provides evidence that administration formats do not have a meaningful effect on repeated measurements of patient-reported outcomes. As a consequence, longitudinal studies may not need to consider the effect of

Application of Pareto's Method in Analysing Postal Service Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeta Kovač-Striko

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The basic aim of control in postal traffic is to insure high-quality se1vices for customers. The paper presents the analysisof quality control in collecting postal items, based on the dataobtained during the control performed by the internal ControlService in the postal centre for international traffic Zagreb. Thepaper also offers some measures for the improvement of thequality of services.

Self-administered physical activity questionnaires for the elderly: a systematic review of measurement properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsén, Lisa; Loland, Nina Waaler; Vuillemin, Anne; Chinapaw, Mai J M; van Poppel, Mireille N M; Mokkink, Lidwine B; van Mechelen, Willem; Terwee, Caroline B

2010-07-01

To systematically review and appraise studies examining self-administered physical activity questionnaires (PAQ) for the elderly. This article is one of a group of four articles in Sports Medicine on the content and measurement properties of PAQs. LITERATURE SEARCH METHODOLOGY: Searches in PubMed, EMBASE and SportDiscu (until May 2009) on self-administered PAQ. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (i) the study examined (at least one of) the measurement properties of a self-administered PAQ; (ii) the questionnaire aimed to measure physical activity (PA) in older people; (iii) the average age of the study population was >55 years; (iv) the article was written in English. We excluded PA interviews, diaries and studies that evaluated the measurement properties of a self-administered PAQ in a specific population, such as patients. We used a standard checklist (qualitative attributes and measurement properties of PA questionnaires [QAPAQ]) for appraising the measurement properties of PAQs. Eighteen articles on 13 PAQs were reviewed, including 16 reliability analyses and 25 validity analyses (of which 15 were on construct validity, seven on health/functioning associations, two on known-groups validity and one on responsiveness). Many studies suffered from methodological flaws, e.g. too small sample size or inadequate time interval between test and retest. Three PAQs received a positive rating on reliability: IPAQ-C (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Chinese), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) > or = 0.81; WHI-PAQ (Women's Health Initiative-PAQ), ICC = 0.76; and PASE (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly), Pearson correlation coefficient (r) = 0.84. However, PASE was negatively rated on reliability in another study (ICC = 0.65). One PAQ received a positive rating on construct validity: PASE against Mini-Logger (r > 0.52), but PASE was negatively rated in another study against accelerometer and another PAQ, Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.17 and 0

78 FR 67951 - Price Cap Rules for Certain Postal Rate Adjustments; Corrections

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-13

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 39 CFR Part 3010 [Docket No. RM2013-2; Order No. 1786] Price Cap Rules for Certain Postal Rate Adjustments; Corrections AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Correcting amendments. SUMMARY: The Postal Regulatory Commission published a document in the Federal Register...

Self-administered Vitamin D Status Predictor: Older adults are able to use a self-questionnaire for evaluating their vitamin D status.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cedric Annweiler

Full Text Available The 16-item Vitamin D Status Predictor (VDSP questionnaire helps to identify, without resorting to a blood test, older adults with low vitamin D concentrations. Our objective was to determine whether a self-administered VDSP was concordant with the VDSP administered by a physician, and to examine the concordance of every single item of the VDSP.A total of 349 older in- and outpatients (mean, 83.2±7.2years; 59% female were consecutively recruited in the geriatric ward of the University Hospital of Angers, France. All participants completed a self-administered VDSP questionnaire (self-VDSP in paper format composed of 17 items exploring age, gender, general condition, nutrition, vision, mood, cognition, gait and falls, and osteoporosis. All participants underwent subsequently a full clinical examination by a physician exploring the same areas (rater-VDSP.The agreement between the self-VDSP and the rater-VDSP was almost perfect for the probability of having low vitamin D concentrations, regardless of the definition used (i.e., ≤25, ≤50 or ≤75 nmol/L. The agreements between physicians' and patients' responses were significant for every single VDSP item. The agreement was fair to perfect for all items, except for cognitive disorders, undernutrition and polymorbidity (poor agreement.Older adults are able to evaluate their own probabilities of severe vitamin D deficiency, deficiency and insufficiency. A self-questionnaire may promote the use of the VDSP tool in this population, and help clinicians in decisions to supplement their patients in a reasoned way.

39 CFR 762.29 - Endorsement of disbursement postal money orders by payees.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... authorization, the financial organization may use an endorsement substantially as follows: Credit to the account... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Endorsement of disbursement postal money orders by...; DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS Endorsements, Payment, Guaranties, Warranties...

Reliability and Validity of the Self- and Interviewer-Administered Versions of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ)

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Anne H. Y.; Ng, Sheryl H. X.; Koh, David; Müller-Riemenschneider, Falk

2015-01-01

Objective The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was originally designed to be interviewer-administered by the World Health Organization in assessing physical activity. The main aim of this study was to compare the psychometric properties of a self-administered GPAQ with the original interviewer-administered approach. Additionally, this study explored whether using different accelerometry-based physical activity bout definitions might affect the questionnaire’s validity. Methods A total of 110 participants were recruited and randomly allocated to an interviewer- (n = 56) or a self-administered (n = 54) group for test-retest reliability, of which 108 participants who met the wear time criteria were included in the validity study. Reliability was assessed by administration of questionnaires twice with a one-week interval. Criterion validity was assessed by comparing against seven-day accelerometer measures. Two definitions for accelerometry-data scoring were employed: (1) total-min of activity, and (2) 10-min bout. Results Participants had similar baseline characteristics in both administration groups and no significant difference was found between the two formats in terms of validity (correlations between the GPAQ and accelerometer). For validity, the GPAQ demonstrated fair-to-moderate correlations for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for self-administration (r s = 0.30) and interviewer-administration (r s = 0.46). Findings were similar when considering 10-min activity bouts in the accelerometer analysis for MVPA (r s = 0.29 vs. 0.42 for self vs. interviewer). Within each mode of administration, the strongest correlations were observed for vigorous-intensity activity. However, Bland-Altman plots illustrated bias toward overestimation for higher levels of MVPA, vigorous- and moderate-intensity activities, and underestimation for lower levels of these measures. Reliability for MVPA revealed moderate correlations (r s = 0.61 vs. 0.63 for self

Application of summative content analysis to a postal questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Thomas Howard

2016-01-01

Content analysis of replies to closed questions in questionnaires can be undertaken to understand remarks that may explain the responses, provide illustrative examples of issues raised in the questionnaire, define new issues or issues of importance that were not covered in the questionnaire and inform the design of new questions in future surveys. To discuss the usefulness of summative content analysis to free text in postal questionnaires. Content analysis provides useful comparative insights between two respondent groups in the case example provided. Five themes emerged: poor understanding of the concept of 'patient lateral transfer work technique' and the direct instrument nursing observation (DINO) instrument's key directions; outcomes of patient transfer; positive responses; manual handling risk; and poor translation into English of DINO. Respondents need an opportunity to clarify their responses to questionnaires using free text, to provide insight into their understanding of the question being asked, understanding of the concept or construct being discussed, and data triangulation through the confirmation of item responses and free-text comments. Responses to questions in a postal questionnaire and the opportunity for free-text commentary by respondents enable the identification of hidden meanings behind tickbox responses to questions.

Layers And Processes In The Model Of Technological Postal System

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Madleňáková Lucia

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The paper include important aspects of layer model of postal technological system such as makes the possibility to define rules for regulating, technical and technological requirements and interfaces to communicate with other postal systems. The current postal reform is mainly attributable to release of network access and ensuring full interoperability between technological systems. Not only to ensure the development and protection of competition but also in respect to the conservation of requirements to provide the universal service, which is the performance of public interest. There is a space here to examine the postal system, not only from a procedural point of view, but to be viewed as an open communication system. It is possible to find there the commonalities with other communication sector branches and to handle the technological postal system in more layers; similarly as the electronic communication systems are handled. Model of layer postal system, based not only on the processes but on layers functionality, will enable to identify communication protocols and interfaces determining interoperability. It also opens the question of appropriate regulation model.

Psychomotor and Motor Speed in Power Athletes Self-Administering Testosterone and Anabolic Steroids.

Science.gov (United States)

Era, Pertti; And Others

1988-01-01

Self-administered testosterone and anabolic steroids resulted in insignificant improvement in psychomotor and motor speed tests of power athletes. This study is part of a larger study on the effects of such drugs on endocrinology, metabolism and neuromuscular functions. Methodolgy and results are discussed. (Author/JL)

39 CFR 232.1 - Conduct on postal property.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... promotion of social welfare but do not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate or political party for any public office. (ii) Absolutely no partisan or political literature may... that will protect Postal Service property. (3) Postal Inspectors, Office of Inspector General Criminal...

Relationship of self-liking, self-competence with self-reported oral health status among 15-year-old children of Davangere city: A cross-sectional survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anjan Giriraju

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Psychological constructs have been found to have potential effects in the improvement of health. Self-esteem (expressed in the form of sub-constructs: Self-liking and self-competence is a construct, which makes one realize the self. This in turn will result in positive oral-health-seeking behavior and improvement in oral health status. Aim: To assess the relationship of self-liking, self-competence with self-reported oral health status in children aged 15 years, in Davangere city. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted on 220 15-year-old subjects in Davangere City. Specially designed pro forma containing Romanian self-administered questionnaire to record the self-reported oral health status and Tafarodi's SLC scale to measure self-liking/self-competence was used. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: A majority of the participants were found to have moderate self-competence and self-liking and their self-reported oral health status was expressed as "excellent." They reported very less or no untreated decayed teeth and no extracted teeth or gingival bleeding. Conclusion: The participants with better self-competence and self-liking perceived their oral health status as good. They reported lesser incidence of oral diseases and discomfort. Self-esteem and oral health were found to be positively related.

Activities of radiopharmaceuticals administered for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in nuclear medicine in Argentina: results of a national survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bomben, Ana M.; Chiliutti, Claudia A.

2004-01-01

Nuclear medicine in Argentine is carried out at 292 centres, distributed all over the country, mainly concentrated in the capital cities of the provinces. With the purpose of knowing the activity levels of radiopharmaceuticals that were administered to patients for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in nuclear medicine, a national survey was conducted, during 2001 and 2002. This survey was answered voluntarily by 107 centres. Sixty-four percent of the participants centres are equipped with SPECT system while the other centres have a gamma camera or scintiscanner. There were 37 nuclear medicine procedures, chosen among those most frequently performed, were included in the survey. In those diagnostic procedures were included tests for: bone, brain, thyroid, kidney, liver, lung and cardiovascular system; and also activities administered for some therapeutic procedures. The nuclear medicine physicians reported the different radiopharmaceutical activities administered to typical adult patients. In this paper are presented the average radiopharmaceutical activity administered for each of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures included in the survey and the range and distribution of values. In order to place these data in a frame of reference, these average values were compared to the guidance levels for diagnostic procedures in nuclear medicine mentioned at the Safety Series no. 115. From this comparison it was noticed that the activities administered in the 40% of the diagnostic procedures included in the survey were between ±30% of the reference values. For those nuclear medicine procedures that could not be compared with the above mentioned guidance levels, the comparison was made with values published by UNSCEAR or standards recommended by international bodies. As a result of this study, it is important to point out the need to continue the gathering of data in a wider scale survey to increase the knowledge about national trends. It is also essential to widely

Dentists' Preferences for Diagnosis, Management and Referral of Chronic Oro-Facial Pain: Results from a National Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Aggarwal, Vishal R.; Joughin, Amy; Zakrzewska, Joanna; Appelbe, Priscilla; Tickle, Martin

2012-01-01

Aim: To explore the diagnosis, treatment and referral patterns of chronic oro-facial pain patients by generalist primary care dentists (GDPs) in the UK. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a non-stratified random sample of 500 GDPs who were selected from the General Dental Council register. A self-complete postal questionnaire…

Treatment of enuresis risoria in children by self-administered electric and imaginary shock

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elzinga-Plomp, A.; Boemers, T. M.; Messer, A. P.; Vijverberg, M. A.; de Jong, T. P.; van Gool, J. D.

1995-01-01

To treat enuresis risoria (giggle micturition) by a self-administered electric and imaginary shock and to evaluate the outcome after behavioural therapy. Six boys and three girls with enuresis risoria were evaluated and treated. The mean age at referral was 10.4 years (range 5.7-14.2). All children

77 FR 64362 - Postal Rate and Classification Changes

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-19

.... Promotions As part of this filing, the Postal Service seeks approval of six promotions during calendar year.... Table 6--First-Class Mail Price Changes Percent First-class mail product change Single-Piece Letters and...-piece letter mail (including the Forever stamp), increases by one cent under the Postal Service's plan...

Overview of Self-Management Resources Used by Canadian Chronic Kidney Disease Clinics: A National Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Donald, Maoliosa; Gil, Sarah; Kahlon, Bhavneet; Beanlands, Heather; Straus, Sharon; Herrington, Gwen; Manns, Braden; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R

2018-01-01

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) clinics across Canada provide tailored care for patients with CKD with an aim to slow progression and prevent complications. These clinics provide CKD self-management resources; however, there is limited information about what resources are being used by clinics. We undertook a survey of CKD clinics across Canada to identify self-management resources for adults aged 18 years and over with CKD categories 1 to 5 and not requiring dialysis or transplant. To identify and collate self-management resources (eg, strategies, tools, educational materials) used by CKD clinics across Canada for adults with CKD (categories 1 to 5, not requiring kidney replacement therapy). Self-administered, semistructured electronic survey. Canadian CKD clinics with previously identified contact information. We contacted 57 CKD English-speaking clinics and invited them to complete an online survey. The survey was available from October 2016 to January 2017 and consisted of 17 questions regarding the use and attributes of self-management resources including topic, delivery format, provider, target population, where the intervention was provided, and resource languages. Forty-four clinics (77%) completed the survey. The most common topic was modality education provided in print format, by nurses. The most frequently used resource was the Kidney Foundation of Canada (KFOC) Living With Kidney Disease manual. We also identified that the majority of resources were available in English, targeting both patients and caregivers in the outpatient setting. Our survey included Canadian adult CKD clinics, which may not be generalizability to other settings, such as care of people with CKD in primary care. Adult CKD clinics across Canada provide some similar resources, but also provide many different self-management resources. Even though some of the same resources were used by multiple clinics, the way they were provided them (ie, provider, location, delivery format) varied by

Smoking prevalence and attitudes towards smoking among Estonian physicians: results from cross-sectional studies in 2002 and 2014

OpenAIRE

Põld, Mariliis; Pärna, Kersti

2017-01-01

Objectives To explore smoking prevalence and attitudes towards smoking among Estonian physicians in 2002 and 2014. Design Two self-administered cross-sectional postal surveys were conducted among practising physicians in Estonia. Participants Initial sample consisted of all practising physicians in Estonia. The corrected response rate was 67.8% in 2002 and 53.1% in 2014. Present study sample was restricted to physicians younger than 65 years (n=2549 in 2002, n=2339 in 2014). Methods Age-stand...

Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)--development of a self-administered outcome measure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roos, Ewa M.; Roos, H P; Lohmander, L S

1998-01-01

There is broad consensus that good outcome measures are needed to distinguish interventions that are effective from those that are not. This task requires standardized, patient-centered measures that can be administered at a low cost. We developed a questionnaire to assess short- and long......-term patient-relevant outcomes following knee injury, based on the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index, a literature review, an expert panel, and a pilot study. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) is self-administered and assesses five outcomes: pain, symptoms, activities of daily living, sport...

39 CFR 4.5 - Assistant Postmasters General, General Counsel, Judicial Officer, Chief Postal Inspector.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Assistant Postmasters General, General Counsel, Judicial Officer, Chief Postal Inspector. 4.5 Section 4.5 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE THE... Counsel, a Judicial Officer, a Chief Postal Inspector, and such number of officers, described in 39 U.S.C...

Validation of the Portuguese self-administered computerised 24-hour dietary recall among second-, third- and fourth-grade children

Science.gov (United States)

Current methods for assessing children's dietary intake, such as interviewer-administered 24-h dietary recall (24-h DR), are time consuming and resource intensive. Self-administered instruments offer a low-cost diet assessment method for use with children. The present study assessed the validity of ...

39 CFR 762.25 - Reclamation of amounts of paid disbursement postal money orders.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... paid disbursement postal money orders. The Postal Service shall have the right to demand refund from the presenting bank of the amount of a paid Disbursement Postal Money Order if after payment the... another for a deceased payee where the right to the proceeds of such Disbursement Postal Money Orders...

Attitudes and factors affecting acceptability of self-administered cervicovaginal sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping as an alternative to Pap testing among multiethnic Malaysian women

Science.gov (United States)

Ma'som, Mahirah; Bhoo-Pathy, Nirmala; Nasir, Nazrila Hairizan; Bellinson, Jerome; Subramaniam, Shridevi; Ma, Yuntong; Yap, Siew-Hwei; Goh, Pik-Pin; Gravitt, Patti; Woo, Yin Ling

2016-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the attitudes and acceptability of self-administered cervicovaginal sampling compared with conventional physician-acquired Papanicolaou (Pap) smear among multiethnic Malaysian women. Method A cross-sectional study was carried out via interviewer-administered surveys from August 2013 through August 2015 at five government-run, urban health clinics in the state of Selangor. Subjects were participants from an ongoing community-based human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence study who answered a standard questionnaire before and after self-sampling. The cervicovaginal self-sampling for HPV genotyping was performed using a simple brush (‘Just for Me’; Preventive Oncology International, Hong Kong). Detailed data on sociodemographics, previous Pap smear experience, and attitudes towards self-administered cervicovaginal sampling were collected and analysed. Acceptability was inferred using a five-item Likert scale that included six different subjective descriptives: experience, difficulty, convenience, embarrassment, discomfort or pain, and confidence in collecting one's own sample. Results Of the 839 participants, 47.9% were Malays, followed by 30.8% Indians, 18.8% Chinese and 2.5% from other ethnicities. The median age of the participants was 38 years (IQR 30–48). Some 68.2% of participants indicated a preference for self-sampling over the Pap test, with 95% indicating willingness to follow-up a positive result at the hospital. Age, ethnicity and previous Pap test experience were significant independent factors associated with preference for self-sampling. The older the individual, the less likely they were to prefer self-sampling (adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.98). The Chinese were less likely to prefer self-sampling (72.6%) than the Malays (85.1%) (adjusted OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.98, p=0.004). Participants who had never undergone a Pap smear were also more likely to prefer self-sampling (88.5%) than

Key health promotion factors among male members of staff at a higher educational institution: A cross-sectional postal survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reid Garth

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Men's lifestyles are generally less healthy than women's. This study identifies associations between health-related behaviour in different groups of men working in a Higher Education (HE institution. In addition, men were asked whether they regarded their health-related behaviours as a concern. This article highlights smoking, consumption of alcohol and physical activity as most common men's health-related lifestyle behaviours. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among all male staff employed by a Higher Education institute in Scotland using a postal self-completed questionnaire. A total of 1,335 questionnaires were distributed and 501 were returned completed (38% return rate. The data were analysed using SPSS 13.0 for Windows. Results Less than 10% currently smoked and almost 44% of these smokers were light smokers. Marital status, job title, consumption of alcohol and physical activity level were the major factors associated with smoking behaviour. Men in manual jobs were far more likely to smoke. Nearly all (90% consumed alcohol, and almost 37% had more than recommended eight units of alcohol per day at least once a week and 16% had more than 21 units weekly. Younger men reported higher amount of units of alcohol on their heaviest day and per week. Approximately 80% were physically active, but less than 40% met the current Government guidelines for moderate physical activity. Most men wanted to increase their activity level. Conclusion There are areas of health-related behaviour, which should be addressed in populations of this kind. Needs assessment could indicate which public health interventions would be most appropriately aimed at this target group. However, the low response rate calls for some caution in interpreting our findings.

Model-Based Control for Postal Automation and Baggage Handling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tarau, A.N.

2010-01-01

In this thesis we focus on two specific transportation systems, namely postal automation and baggage handling. Postal automation: During the last decades the volume of magazines, catalogs, and other plastic wrapped mail items that have to be processed by post sorting centers has increased

Are People With Chronic Diseases Interested in Using Telehealth? A Cross-Sectional Postal Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Clare; Gregory, Alison; Yardley, Lucy; O'Cathain, Alicia; Montgomery, Alan A; Salisbury, Chris

2014-01-01

Background There is growing interest in telehealth—the use of technology to support the remote delivery of health care and promote self-management—as a potential alternative to face-to-face care for patients with chronic diseases. However, little is known about what precipitates interest in the use of telehealth among these patients. Objective This survey forms part of a research program to develop and evaluate a telehealth intervention for patients with two exemplar chronic diseases: depression and raised cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The survey was designed to explore the key factors that influence interest in using telehealth in these patient groups. Methods Thirty-four general practices were recruited from two different regions within England. Practice records were searched for patients with (1) depression (aged 18+ years) or (2) 10-year risk of CVD ≥20% and at least one modifiable risk factor (aged 40-74 years). Within each general practice, 54 patients in each chronic disease group were randomly selected to receive a postal questionnaire. Questions assessed five key constructs: sociodemographics, health needs, difficulties accessing health care, technology-related factors (availability, confidence using technology, perceived benefits and drawbacks of telehealth), and satisfaction with prior use of telehealth. Respondents also rated their interest in using different technologies for telehealth (phone, email and Internet, or social media). Relationships between the key constructs and interest in using the three mediums of telehealth were examined using multivariable regression models. Results Of the 3329 patients who were sent a study questionnaire, 44.40% completed it (872/1740, 50.11% CVD risk; 606/1589, 38.14% depression). Overall, there was moderate interest in using phone-based (854/1423, 60.01%) and email/Internet-based (816/1425, 57.26%) telehealth, but very little interest in social media (243/1430, 16.99%). After adjusting for health needs

Are people with chronic diseases interested in using telehealth? A cross-sectional postal survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Louisa; Thomas, Clare; Gregory, Alison; Yardley, Lucy; O'Cathain, Alicia; Montgomery, Alan A; Salisbury, Chris

2014-05-08

There is growing interest in telehealth-the use of technology to support the remote delivery of health care and promote self-management-as a potential alternative to face-to-face care for patients with chronic diseases. However, little is known about what precipitates interest in the use of telehealth among these patients. This survey forms part of a research program to develop and evaluate a telehealth intervention for patients with two exemplar chronic diseases: depression and raised cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The survey was designed to explore the key factors that influence interest in using telehealth in these patient groups. Thirty-four general practices were recruited from two different regions within England. Practice records were searched for patients with (1) depression (aged 18+ years) or (2) 10-year risk of CVD ≥20% and at least one modifiable risk factor (aged 40-74 years). Within each general practice, 54 patients in each chronic disease group were randomly selected to receive a postal questionnaire. Questions assessed five key constructs: sociodemographics, health needs, difficulties accessing health care, technology-related factors (availability, confidence using technology, perceived benefits and drawbacks of telehealth), and satisfaction with prior use of telehealth. Respondents also rated their interest in using different technologies for telehealth (phone, email and Internet, or social media). Relationships between the key constructs and interest in using the three mediums of telehealth were examined using multivariable regression models. Of the 3329 patients who were sent a study questionnaire, 44.40% completed it (872/1740, 50.11% CVD risk; 606/1589, 38.14% depression). Overall, there was moderate interest in using phone-based (854/1423, 60.01%) and email/Internet-based (816/1425, 57.26%) telehealth, but very little interest in social media (243/1430, 16.99%). After adjusting for health needs, access difficulties, technology

A Population-Level Data Analytics Portal for Self-Administered Lifestyle and Mental Health Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xindi; Warren, Jim; Corter, Arden; Goodyear-Smith, Felicity

2016-01-01

This paper describes development of a prototype data analytics portal for analysis of accumulated screening results from eCHAT (electronic Case-finding and Help Assessment Tool). eCHAT allows individuals to conduct a self-administered lifestyle and mental health screening assessment, with usage to date chiefly in the context of primary care waiting rooms. The intention is for wide roll-out to primary care clinics, including secondary school based clinics, resulting in the accumulation of population-level data. Data from a field trial of eCHAT with sexual health questions tailored to youth were used to support design of a data analytics portal for population-level data. The design process included user personas and scenarios, screen prototyping and a simulator for generating large-scale data sets. The prototype demonstrates the promise of wide-scale self-administered screening data to support a range of users including practice managers, clinical directors and health policy analysts.

Design and validation of a self-administered questionnaire as an aid to detection of occupational exposure to lung carcinogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Pélissier, C; Dutertre, V; Fournel, P; Gendre, I; Michel Vergnon, J; Kalecinski, J; Tinquaut, F; Fontana, L; Chauvin, F

2017-02-01

Ten to thirty percent of lung cancer is thought to be of occupational origin. Lung cancer is under-declared as an occupational disease in Europe, and most declarations of occupational disease concern asbestos. The purpose of this study was to design and validate a short, sensitive self-administered questionnaire, as an aid for physicians in detecting occupational exposure to asbestos and other lung carcinogens in order to remedy occupational lung cancer under-declaration. Cross-sectional study. A short (30-question) self-administered questionnaire was drawn up by oncologist-pneumologists and occupational physicians, covering situations of exposure to proven and probable lung carcinogens. Understanding and acceptability were assessed on 15 lung cancer patients. Validity and reliability were assessed on 70 lung cancer patients by comparison against a semi-directive questionnaire considered as gold standard. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed by comparing responses to items on the two questionnaires. Reliability was assessed by analysing the kappa concordance coefficient for items on the two questionnaires. Sensitivity was 0.85 and specificity 0.875. Concordance between responses on the two questionnaires was 85.7%, with a kappa coefficient of 0.695 [0.52-0.87]. Mean self-administration time was 3.1 min (versus 8.12 min to administer the gold-standard questionnaire). In 16 patients, the self-administered questionnaire detected lung carcinogen exposure meeting the criteria for occupational disease. The present short, easy-to-use self-administered questionnaire should facilitate detection of occupational exposure to lung carcinogens. It could be used in occupational lung cancer screening and increase the presently low rate of application for recognition of lung cancer as an occupational disease. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-administered structured food record for measuring individual energy and nutrient intake in large cohorts: Design and validation.

Science.gov (United States)

García, Silvia M; González, Claudio; Rucci, Enzo; Ambrosino, Cintia; Vidal, Julia; Fantuzzi, Gabriel; Prestes, Mariana; Kronsbein, Peter

2018-06-05

Several instruments developed to assess dietary intake of groups or populations have strengths and weaknesses that affect their specific application. No self-administered, closed-ended dietary survey was previously used in Argentina to assess current food and nutrient intake on a daily basis. To design and validate a self-administered, structured food record (NutriQuid, NQ) representative of the adult Argentine population's food consumption pattern to measure individual energy and nutrient intake. Records were loaded onto a database using software that checks a regional nutrition information system (SARA program), automatically quantifying energy and nutrient intake. NQ validation included two phases: (1) NQ construct validity comparing records kept simultaneously by healthy volunteers (45-75 years) and a nutritionist who provided meals (reference), and (2) verification of whether NQ reflected target population consumption (calories and nutrients), week consumption differences, respondent acceptability, and ease of data entry/analysis. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, repeated measures ANOVA, intraclass correlation coefficient, nonparametric regression, and cross-classification into quintiles. The first validation (study group vs. reference) showed an underestimation (10%) of carbohydrate, fat, and energy intake. Second validation: 109 volunteers (91% response) completed the NQ for seven consecutive days. Record completion took about 9min/day, and data entry 3-6min. Mean calorie intake was 2240±119kcal/day (42% carbohydrates, 17% protein, and 41% fat). Intake significantly increased in the weekend. NQ is a simple and efficient tool to assess dietary intake in large samples. Copyright © 2018 SEEN y SED. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Colon dysregulation in methamphetamine self-administering HIV-1 transgenic rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda L Persons

Full Text Available The integrity and function of the gut is impaired in HIV-infected individuals, and gut pathogenesis may play a role in several HIV-associated disorders. Methamphetamine is a popular illicit drug abused by HIV-infected individuals. However, the effect of methamphetamine on the gut and its potential to exacerbate HIV-associated gut pathology is not known. To shed light on this scenario, we evaluated colon barrier pathology in a rat model of the human comorbid condition. Intestinal barrier integrity and permeability were assessed in drug-naïve Fischer 344 HIV-1 transgenic (Tg and non-Tg rats, and in Tg and non-Tg rats instrumented with jugular cannulae trained to self-administer methamphetamine or serving as saline-yoked controls. Intestinal permeability was determined by measuring the urine content of orally gavaged sugars. Intestinal barrier integrity was evaluated by immunoblotting or immunofluorescence of colon claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1, two major tight junction proteins that regulate gut epithelial paracellular permeability. Both non-Tg and Tg rats self-administered moderate amounts of methamphetamine. These amounts were sufficient to increase colon permeability, reduce protein level of claudin-1, and reduce claudin-1 and ZO-1 immunofluorescence in Tg rats relative to non-Tg rats. Methamphetamine decreased tight junction immunofluorescence in non-Tg rats, with a similar, but non-significant trend observed in Tg rats. However, the effect of methamphetamine on tight junction proteins was subthreshold to gut leakiness. These findings reveal that both HIV-1 proteins and methamphetamine alter colon barrier integrity, and indicate that the gut may be a pathogenic site for these insults.

Colon dysregulation in methamphetamine self-administering HIV-1 transgenic rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Persons, Amanda L; Bradaric, Brinda D; Dodiya, Hemraj B; Ohene-Nyako, Michael; Forsyth, Christopher B; Keshavarzian, Ali; Shaikh, Maliha; Napier, T Celeste

2018-01-01

The integrity and function of the gut is impaired in HIV-infected individuals, and gut pathogenesis may play a role in several HIV-associated disorders. Methamphetamine is a popular illicit drug abused by HIV-infected individuals. However, the effect of methamphetamine on the gut and its potential to exacerbate HIV-associated gut pathology is not known. To shed light on this scenario, we evaluated colon barrier pathology in a rat model of the human comorbid condition. Intestinal barrier integrity and permeability were assessed in drug-naïve Fischer 344 HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) and non-Tg rats, and in Tg and non-Tg rats instrumented with jugular cannulae trained to self-administer methamphetamine or serving as saline-yoked controls. Intestinal permeability was determined by measuring the urine content of orally gavaged sugars. Intestinal barrier integrity was evaluated by immunoblotting or immunofluorescence of colon claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), two major tight junction proteins that regulate gut epithelial paracellular permeability. Both non-Tg and Tg rats self-administered moderate amounts of methamphetamine. These amounts were sufficient to increase colon permeability, reduce protein level of claudin-1, and reduce claudin-1 and ZO-1 immunofluorescence in Tg rats relative to non-Tg rats. Methamphetamine decreased tight junction immunofluorescence in non-Tg rats, with a similar, but non-significant trend observed in Tg rats. However, the effect of methamphetamine on tight junction proteins was subthreshold to gut leakiness. These findings reveal that both HIV-1 proteins and methamphetamine alter colon barrier integrity, and indicate that the gut may be a pathogenic site for these insults.

COORDINATES OF POSTAL SERVICES MARKET IN ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristinel CONSTANTIN

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper contains a research regarding the actual status of Romanian postal services market both from legislative and economic point of view in the context of EU integration. The main objectives of this research were to identify the position of Romanian postal services among the EU member countries and to analyse the competitive environment on the local market in order to find future development strategies for the local companies. The outcomes of our research show a wrong position of Romanian postal sector both regarding the number of permanent offices and financial results of local competitors. The lateness of structural reforms could be a barrier for the future market liberalisation with serious consequences from the social point of view. In this context, a high implication of authorities is expected in order to ensure the adoption of EU regulation with a minimum of negative effects both for population and service providers.

Liberalisation versus national protectionism: the European liberalised postal market: finalisation by whom?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Versteegh, L.

2010-01-01

The new European Postal Directive of 2008 provides the postal market with new opportunities as it allows for the gradual development of competition of services of general interests in Europe. However, the directive leaves room for uncertainties and the full opening of the postal market is hampered

Development and validation of the self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire for adolescents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M J; DunnGalvin, Audrey; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J; Oude Elberink, Joanne N G; Duiverman, Eric J; Hourihane, Jonathan O'Brien; Dubois, Anthony E J

Background: Food allergy can affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, no validated, self-administered, disease-specific HRQL questionnaire for adolescents with food allergy exists. Objective: We sought to develop and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Teenager

Stress Management for Special Educators: The Self-Administered Tool for Awareness and Relaxation (STAR)

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Krista; Poel, Elissa Wolfe

2006-01-01

The Self-Administered Tool for Awareness and Relaxation (STAR) is a stress management strategy designed to facilitate awareness of the physical, mental, emotional, and physiological effects of stress through the interconnectedness of the brain, body, and emotions. The purpose of this article is to present a stress-management model for teachers,…

75 FR 58449 - Postal Rates

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-24

... feel free to discuss the merits of the current Bulk Metered Mail (BMM) base category as well as a... American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO in that docket express a more general desire to re- evaluate and...

Evaluating measurement invariance across assessment modes of phone interview and computer self-administered survey for the PROMIS measures in a population-based cohort of localized prostate cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Mian; Chen, Ronald C; Usinger, Deborah S; Reeve, Bryce B

2017-11-01

To evaluate measurement invariance (phone interview vs computer self-administered survey) of 15 PROMIS measures responded by a population-based cohort of localized prostate cancer survivors. Participants were part of the North Carolina Prostate Cancer Comparative Effectiveness and Survivorship Study. Out of the 952 men who took the phone interview at 24 months post-treatment, 401 of them also completed the same survey online using a home computer. Unidimensionality of the PROMIS measures was examined using single-factor confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models. Measurement invariance testing was conducted using longitudinal CFA via a model comparison approach. For strongly or partially strongly invariant measures, changes in the latent factors and factor autocorrelations were also estimated and tested. Six measures (sleep disturbance, sleep-related impairment, diarrhea, illness impact-negative, illness impact-positive, and global satisfaction with sex life) had locally dependent items, and therefore model modifications had to be made on these domains prior to measurement invariance testing. Overall, seven measures achieved strong invariance (all items had equal loadings and thresholds), and four measures achieved partial strong invariance (each measure had one item with unequal loadings and thresholds). Three measures (pain interference, interest in sexual activity, and global satisfaction with sex life) failed to establish configural invariance due to between-mode differences in factor patterns. This study supports the use of phone-based live interviewers in lieu of PC-based assessment (when needed) for many of the PROMIS measures.

U.S. Postal Service: Deteriorating Financial Outlook Increases Need for Transformation

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2002-01-01

.... The combined effect of these events and the current economic slowdown have served to further exacerbate USPS's financial difficulties by decreasing postal revenues, while postal costs continued...

A self-administered method of acute pressure block of sciatic nerves for short-term relief of dental pain: a randomized study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaolin; Zhao, Wanghong; Wang, Ye; Hu, Jiao; Chen, Qiu; Yu, Juncai; Wu, Bin; Huang, Rong; Gao, Jie; He, Jiman

2014-08-01

While stimulation of the peripheral nerves increases the pain threshold, chronic pressure stimulation of the sciatic nerve is associated with sciatica. We recently found that acute pressure block of the sciatic nerve inhibits pain. Therefore, we propose that, the pain pathology-causing pressure is chronic, not acute. Here, we report a novel self-administered method: acute pressure block of the sciatic nerves is applied by the patients themselves for short-term relief of pain from dental diseases. This was a randomized, single-blind study. Hospital patients. Patients aged 16-60 years with acute pulpitis, acute apical periodontitis, or pericoronitis of the third molar of the mandible experiencing pain ≥3 on the 11-point numerical pain rating scale. Three-minute pressure to sciatic nerves was applied by using the hands (hand pressure method) or by having the patients squat to force the thigh and shin as tightly as possible on the sandwiched sciatic nerve bundles (self-administered method). The primary efficacy variable was the mean difference in pain scores from the baseline. One hundred seventy-two dental patients were randomized. The self-administered method produced significant relief from pain associated with dental diseases (P ≤ 0.001). The analgesic effect of the self-administered method was similar to that of the hand pressure method. The self-administered method is easy to learn and can be applied at any time for pain relief. We believe that patients will benefit from this method. © 2014 The Authors. Pain Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Academy of Pain Medicine.

Self-Administered Computer Therapy for Apraxia of Speech: Two-Period Randomized Control Trial With Crossover.

Science.gov (United States)

Varley, Rosemary; Cowell, Patricia E; Dyson, Lucy; Inglis, Lesley; Roper, Abigail; Whiteside, Sandra P

2016-03-01

There is currently little evidence on effective interventions for poststroke apraxia of speech. We report outcomes of a trial of self-administered computer therapy for apraxia of speech. Effects of speech intervention on naming and repetition of treated and untreated words were compared with those of a visuospatial sham program. The study used a parallel-group, 2-period, crossover design, with participants receiving 2 interventions. Fifty participants with chronic and stable apraxia of speech were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 order conditions: speech-first condition versus sham-first condition. Period 1 design was equivalent to a randomized controlled trial. We report results for this period and profile the effect of the period 2 crossover. Period 1 results revealed significant improvement in naming and repetition only in the speech-first group. The sham-first group displayed improvement in speech production after speech intervention in period 2. Significant improvement of treated words was found in both naming and repetition, with little generalization to structurally similar and dissimilar untreated words. Speech gains were largely maintained after withdrawal of intervention. There was a significant relationship between treatment dose and response. However, average self-administered dose was modest for both groups. Future software design would benefit from incorporation of social and gaming components to boost motivation. Single-word production can be improved in chronic apraxia of speech with behavioral intervention. Self-administered computerized therapy is a promising method for delivering high-intensity speech/language rehabilitation. URL: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1278-0601. Unique identifier: ISRCTN88245643. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Development and validation of the self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire for adolescents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J.; DunnGalvin, Audrey; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J.; Oude Elberink, Joanne N. G.; Duiverman, Eric J.; Hourihane, Jonathan O.'Brien; Dubois, Anthony E. J.

2008-01-01

Food allergy can affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, no validated, self-administered, disease-specific HRQL questionnaire for adolescents with food allergy exists. We sought to develop and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Teenager Form (FAQLQ-TF) in the

The Postal Acceptance Rule in the Digital Age

OpenAIRE

Al Ibrahim, Marwan; Ababneh, Ala’eldin; Tahat, Hisham

2007-01-01

This article examines the application of the postal acceptance rule to email acceptances. Differentviews have been argued against the application of traditional rule like the postal acceptance rule, which wasestablished in 1818 as a legal norm in contract formation to modern communications like the email. The paperpresents the arguments and rationale behind the application of this rule and contends its applicability to themodern communication via e-mail. The paper posits that email is not an ...

Principles of survey development for telemedicine applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Demiris, George

2006-01-01

Surveys can be used in the evaluation of telemedicine applications but they must be properly designed, consistent and accurate. The purpose of the survey and the resources available will determine the extent of testing that a survey instrument should undergo prior to its use. The validity of an instrument is the correspondence between what is being measured and what was intended to be measured. The reliability of an instrument describes the 'consistency' or 'repeatability' of the measurements made with it. Survey instruments should be designed and tested following basic principles of survey development. The actual survey administration also requires consideration, for example data collection and processing, as well as the interpretation of the findings. Surveys are of two different types. Either they are self-administered, or they are administered by interview. In the latter case, they may be administered by telephone or in a face-to-face meeting. It is important to design a survey instrument based on a detailed definition of what it intends to measure and to test it before administering it to the larger sample.

The oral health of people with learning disabilities - a user-friendly questionnaire survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, J; Jones, K; Marshman, Z

2017-03-01

To conduct a user-friendly questionnaire survey of the oral health and service needs of adults with learning disabilities. Researchers collaborated with local self-advocacy services to develop a questionnaire adapted from one used in a regional postal survey. The questionnaire, which covered dental status, oral health and dental services use, was sent to a random sample of people from the learning disability case register. Of 2,000 questionnaires mailed, 117 were returned undelivered and 625 were completed (response rate 31.3%). The self-reported dental status of people with learning disabilities appeared similar to that of the 2008 postal survey of the general population in Sheffield. The major difference in dental status was 11.5% of people with learning disabilities wore upper dentures and 7.2% wore lower dentures, compared to 21.2% and 12.1% of the general population in Sheffield. Using the case register as a recruitment instrument may have excluded people with learning disabilities not registered. Time and finances only permitted one mailing. Analysis on the basis of deprivation could not be conducted. Contrary to current practice, it is possible to include people with learning disabilities in oral health surveys. A multidisciplinary team was essential for enabling the progression and implementation of inclusive research and for people with learning disabilities and their supporters to engage meaningfully. This level of collaboration appears necessary if we are committed to ensuring that people with learning disabilities and their supporters are made visible to policy and decision-makers. Copyright© 2017 Dennis Barber Ltd

75 FR 52378 - International Product Change-United States Postal Service Inbound Market-Dominant Multi-Service...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-25

... POSTAL SERVICE International Product Change--United States Postal Service Inbound Market-Dominant... Inbound Market-Dominant Multi- Service Agreements to the Market-Dominant Products List pursuant to 39 U.S... the Postal Regulatory Commission to Add Market-Dominant Multi-Service Agreements with Foreign Postal...

Development and validation of a self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire for children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; DunnGalvin, A.; Vlieg - Boerstra, B. J.; Oude Elberink, J. N. G.; Duiverman, E. J.; Hourihane, J. O'B.; Dubois, A. E. J.

Having a food allergy may affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, no validated, self-administered, disease-specific HRQL questionnaire exists for children with food allergy. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire - Child Form

Development and validation of a self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire for children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; DunnGalvin, A.; Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J.; Oude Elberink, J. N. G.; Duiverman, E. J.; Hourihane, J. O.'B.; Dubois, A. E. J.

2009-01-01

Having a food allergy may affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, no validated, self-administered, disease-specific HRQL questionnaire exists for children with food allergy. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire--Child Form

Comparison of Survey Data Collection Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VIDAL DÍAZ DE RADA

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of a mixed-mode survey of the general population using a combination of postal, telephone, and Internet survey protocols. Potential respondents were invited to participate by ordinary mail and were allowed to choose their preferred response mode. The paper focuses on response quality (taking non-responses into consideration, fieldwork time and data collection cost. The results reveal that the Internet survey produces the lowest rate of non-responses and requires significantly less fieldwork time, although it is slightly more costly than the postal survey. However, when differences in cost structure are taken into account, we find that the same number of completed questionnaires could have been obtained through the Internet alone at a cost that is 18.2% lower than the mixed-mode survey.

Wireless data collection of self-administered surveys using tablet computers.

Science.gov (United States)

Singleton, Kyle W; Lan, Mars; Arnold, Corey; Vahidi, Mani; Arangua, Lisa; Gelberg, Lillian; Bui, Alex A T

2011-01-01

The accurate and expeditious collection of survey data by coordinators in the field is critical in the support of research studies. Early methods that used paper documentation have slowly evolved into electronic capture systems. Indeed, tools such as REDCap and others illustrate this transition. However, many current systems are tailored web-browsers running on desktop/laptop computers, requiring keyboard and mouse input. We present a system that utilizes a touch screen interface running on a tablet PC with consideration for portability, limited screen space, wireless connectivity, and potentially inexperienced and low literacy users. The system was developed using C#, ASP.net, and SQL Server by multiple programmers over the course of a year. The system was developed in coordination with UCLA Family Medicine and is currently deployed for the collection of data in a group of Los Angeles area clinics of community health centers for a study on drug addiction and intervention.

76 FR 12141 - New Postal Product and New Price Category

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-04

... Service will be available with Express Mail, Priority Mail and Parcel Select for commercial and online customers only. The Postal Service includes the following attachments with its Request: Attachment A... Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add Competitive Ancillary Services to the...

76 FR 395 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-04

... INFORMATION: Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Notice of Filing III. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction... Sample Showcase box, including marketing, assembling, and tendering the box for delivery by the Postal...

Managment of electronic services of the Serbian postal system by benchmarking index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dupljanin Đorđije D.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is analys of the state of electronic services within the postal system in Serbia in order to improve the management of this services. As an indicator of the state of development we can use benchmarking index of development of postal e-services. Benchmarking index is created by PCA (Principal Component Analysis method in statistical software Minitab which has been designed for PCA. The development of electronic economy has influence on postal system to improve postal electronic services. In conclusion we can say those who make the decisions and management experts have to define appropriate strategy of e-services.

SelfMED: Self-Administration of Medication in Hospital: A Prevalence Study in Flanders, Belgium.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanwesemael, Toke; Van Rompaey, Bart; Petrovic, Mirko; Boussery, Koen; Dilles, Tinne

2017-05-01

Self-management is a key element in regaining and maintaining health. However, during hospitalization it becomes less obvious. Patient self-administration of medication during hospitalization is suggested to be beneficial to patient satisfaction, adherence to pharmacotherapy, and self-care competence. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of self-administration of medication during hospitalization, and possible contributing factors. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 12 Belgian hospitals from February 2015 until June 2015. Data were collected on all hospitalized patients at 57 wards, based in 12 hospitals. A structured questionnaire at ward level and patient level on medication management, self-administration of medication, and rationale for prohibiting or allowing patients to self-administer their medication was conducted in consultation with the head nurse. Of the 1,269 patients participating in this study, 22% self-administered at least one medicine during hospitalization and 13.8% self-administered at least 50% of their total amount of medication. In the opinion of the head nurse, 40.9% of the hospitalized patients would have been able to self-administer their medication during hospitalization. Only a few wards had an available procedure and screening tool to assess the competence of the patients to self-administer their medication. This did not affect the prevalence of self-administration. Self-administration occurred significantly more at surgical short-stay wards, compared to other wards. The self-administering patients were on average younger and female and had a lower number of different medications per day before and during hospitalization. These patients had a good health status and were independent to mildly dependent on nurses on the ward. Related factors were used to provide a multivariate logistic regression model. Sometimes self-administration of medication was allowed. According to the surveyed nurses, however, more

2009 Survey of Gulf of Mexico Dockside Seafood Dealers

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This survey employed a two page, self-administered mail survey structured to collect economic and financial information from dockside seafood dealers who operated...

Reliability and validity of a self-administered tool for online neuropsychological testing : The Amsterdam Cognition Scan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feenstra, H.E.M.; Murre, J.M.J.; Vermeulen, I. E.; Kieffer, J.M.; Schagen, S.B.

2018-01-01

Introduction : To facilitate large-scale assessment of a variety of cognitive abilities in clinical studies, we developed a self-administered online neuropsychological test battery: the Amsterdam Cognition Scan (ACS). The current studies evaluate in a group of adult cancer patients: test–retest

Reliability and validity of a self-administered tool for online neuropsychological testing : The Amsterdam Cognition Scan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feenstra, Heleen E.M.; Murre, Jaap M.J.; Vermeulen, Ivar E.; Kieffer, Jacobien M.; Schagen, Sanne B.

2018-01-01

Introduction: To facilitate large-scale assessment of a variety of cognitive abilities in clinical studies, we developed a self-administered online neuropsychological test battery: the Amsterdam Cognition Scan (ACS). The current studies evaluate in a group of adult cancer patients: test–retest

Assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms in women by a self-administered questionnaire: test-retest reliability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernstein, Inge Thomsen; Sejr, T; Able, I

1996-01-01

A self-administered questionnaire assessing female lower urinary tract symptoms and their impact on quality of life is described and validated, on 56 females in six participating departments. The patients answered two identical questionnaires on separate occasions before treatment. Test-retest re...

39 CFR 761.8 - Servicing book-entry Postal Service securities; payment of interest, payment at maturity or upon...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Servicing book-entry Postal Service securities... POSTAL SERVICE POSTAL SERVICE DEBT OBLIGATIONS; DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS BOOK-ENTRY PROCEDURES § 761.8 Servicing book-entry Postal Service securities; payment of interest, payment at maturity or upon...

The problem of bias when nursing facility staff administer customer satisfaction surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodlewsky, R Tamara; Decker, Frederic H

2002-10-01

Customer satisfaction instruments are being used with increasing frequency to assess and monitor residents' assessments of quality of care in nursing facilities. There is no standard protocol, however, for how or by whom the instruments should be administered when anonymous, written responses are not feasible. Researchers often use outside interviewers to assess satisfaction, but cost considerations may limit the extent to which facilities are able to hire outside interviewers on a regular basis. This study was designed to investigate the existence and extent of any bias caused by staff administering customer satisfaction surveys. Customer satisfaction data were collected in 1998 from 265 residents in 21 nursing facilities in North Dakota. Half the residents in each facility were interviewed by staff members and the other half by outside consultants; scores were compared by interviewer type. In addition to a tabulation of raw scores, ordinary least-squares analysis with facility fixed effects was used to control for resident characteristics and unmeasured facility-level factors that could influence scores. Significant positive bias was found when staff members interviewed residents. The bias was not limited to questions directly affecting staff responsibilities but applied across all types of issues. The bias was robust under varying constructions of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. A uniform method of survey administration appears to be important if satisfaction data are to be used to compare facilities. Bias is an important factor that should be considered and weighed against the costs of obtaining outside interviewers when assessing customer satisfaction among long term care residents.

Propuesta de un sistema integral para una empresa de servicios postales

OpenAIRE

Ancajima Navarro, Julia Noemi; Ancajima Navarro, Julia Noemi; Ancajima Navarro, Julia Noemi

2013-01-01

El servicio postal es un sistema dedicado a transportar alrededor del mundo documentos escritos, así como paquetes de tamaño pequeño o mediano (encomiendas). Todo envió a través del sistema postal es llamado correo o correspondencia. Los paquetes y las cartas son "envíos postales" que se pueden transportar por tierra, mar o aire, cada uno con tarifas diferentes. Las cartas y documentos son inviolables hasta que son entregadas al destinatario. La aparición del ferrocarril entre 1840 y 18...

Self-administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE): a brief cognitive assessment Instrument for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Scharre, Douglas W; Chang, Shu-Ing; Murden, Robert A; Lamb, James; Beversdorf, David Q; Kataki, Maria; Nagaraja, Haikady N; Bornstein, Robert A

2010-01-01

To develop a self-administered cognitive assessment instrument to facilitate the screening of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia and determine its association with gold standard clinical assessments including neuropsychologic evaluation. Adults aged above 59 years with sufficient vision and English literacy were recruited from geriatric and memory disorder clinics, educational talks, independent living facilities, senior centers, and memory screens. After Self-administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE) screening, subjects were randomly selected to complete a clinical evaluation, neurologic examination, neuropsychologic battery, functional assessment, and mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Subjects were identified as dementia, MCI, or normal based on standard clinical criteria and neuropsychologic testing. Two hundred fifty-four participants took the SAGE screen and 63 subjects completed the extensive evaluation (21 normal, 21 MCI, and 21 dementia subjects). Spearman rank correlation between SAGE and neuropsychologic battery was 0.84 (0.76 for MMSE). SAGE receiver operating characteristics on the basis of clinical diagnosis showed 95% specificity (90% for MMSE) and 79% sensitivity (71% for MMSE) in detecting those with cognitive impairment from normal subjects. This study suggests that SAGE is a reliable instrument for detecting cognitive impairment and compares favorably with the MMSE. The self-administered feature may promote cognitive testing by busy clinicians prompting earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Psychosocial work conditions, unemployment and self-reported psychological health: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindström, Martin

2005-10-01

To investigate the association between psychosocial conditions at work, unemployment and self-reported psychological health. A cross-sectional postal questionnaire for the 2000 public health survey in Scania was administered to both working and unemployed people aged 18-64 years. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between psychosocial factors at work/unemployment and self-reported psychological health (General Health Questionnaire 12). Psychosocial conditions at work were classified according to the Karasek-Theorell demand-control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive and job strain. The multivariate analyses included age, country of origin, education, economic stress and social participation. A total of 5180 people returned their questionnaire, giving a participation rate of 59%. Fifteen per cent of men and 20% of women reported poor psychological health. Those with high demands and high control (active category), those with high demands and low control (job strain category) and the unemployed had significantly higher odds ratios of poor psychological health compared to those with low demands and high control (relaxed category). Those with low demands and low control (passive category) did not differ significantly from the relaxed category. The associations remained in the multivariate analyses. The study found that certain psychosocial work factors are associated with higher levels of self-reported psychological ill-health and illustrates the great importance of psychosocial conditions in determining psychological health at the population level. As found elsewhere, being unemployed was an even stronger predictor of psychological ill-health.

75 FR 7634 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-22

... public that the Postal Service has filed a request to add International Business Reply Service... entered into two additional International Business Reply Service (IBRS) Contracts.\\1\\ Additionally, the... to Establish Successor Instruments as Baseline International Business Reply Service Competitive...

39 CFR 111.2 - Availability of the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Availability of the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual. 111.2 Section 111.2 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE POST OFFICE SERVICES [DOMESTIC MAIL] GENERAL INFORMATION ON POSTAL SERVICE § 111.2...

76 FR 54510 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

... Service request to enter into an additional agreement under the ``International Business Reply Service... into an additional International Business Reply Service (IBRS) Competitive contract.\\1\\ The Postal... International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 3 Negotiated Service Agreement, August 19, 2011...

76 FR 11532 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-02

... filing concerning an additional International Business Reply Service (IBRS) Competitive Contract 3. It..., that it has entered into an additional International Business Reply Service (IBRS) Competitive contract...-59, Request of the United States Postal Service to Add International Business Reply Service...

Patient responses to research recruitment and follow-up surveys: findings from a diverse multicultural health care setting in Qatar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amal Khidir

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Health care researchers working in the Arabian Gulf need information on how to optimize recruitment and retention of study participants in extremely culturally diverse settings. Implemented in Doha, Qatar in 2012 with 4 language groups, namely Arabic, English, Hindi, and Urdu, this research documents persons’ responses to recruitment, consent, follow-up, and reminder procedures during psychometric testing of the Multicultural Assessment Instrument (MAI, a novel self- or interviewer-administered survey. Methods Bilingual research assistants recruited adults in outpatient clinics by approaching persons in particular who appeared to be from a target language group. Participants completed the MAI, a second acculturation instrument used for content-validity assessment, and a demographics questionnaire. Participants were asked to take the MAI again in 2–3 weeks, in person or by post, to assess test-retest reliability. Recruitment data were analyzed by using nonparametric statistics. Results Of 1503 persons approached during recruitment, 400 enrolled (27 %—100 per language group. The enrollment rates in the language groups were: Arabic-32 %; English-33 %; Hindi-18 %; Urdu-30 %. The groups varied somewhat in their preferences regarding consent procedure, follow-up survey administration, contact mode for follow-up reminders, and disclosure of personal mailing address (for postal follow-up. Over all, telephone was the preferred medium for follow-up reminders. Of 64 persons who accepted a research assistant’s invitation for in-person follow-up, 40 participants completed the interview (follow-up rate, 63 %; among 126 persons in the postal group with a deliverable address, 29 participants mailed back a completed follow-up survey (response rate, 23 %. Conclusions Researchers in the Arabian Gulf face challenges to successfully identify, enroll, and retain eligible study participants. Although bilingual assistants�

An Assessment of Customer Behaviours Regarding the Romanian Postal Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristinel Constantin

2015-09-01

Full Text Available During the time the long distance communication has been one of the most important needs of the humanity. In the absence of telecommunication the postal services have been the main way of sending messages between people and other entities. Taking into account the importance of this market we assessed the nowadays coordinates of the Romanian postal market by conducting a research meant to identify the trends of postal services, the stage of competition and the customers’ behaviours regarding these services. The results show that the market is in developing process, with an increasing number of competitors but with a low number of significant competitors able to provide services on a large scale. In this context, the National Company Posta Romana remains the main market player but its positions are strongly threatened by private competitors especially on those market segments with high profitability. In order to defend its positions the national company has to put in practice proper marketing strategies focused mainly on the development of partnerships both with the senders and recipients of different postal deliveries, especially those ones with a higher attractiveness for the competitors.

Self-administered acupressure for symptom management among Chinese family caregivers with caregiver stress: a randomized, wait-list controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, Agnes; Lao, Lixing; Wang, Amy Xiao-Min; Cheung, Denise Shuk Ting; So, Mike Ka Pui; Yu, Doris Sau Fung; Lum, Terry Yat Sang; Yuk Fung, Helina Yin King; Yeung, Jerry Wing Fai; Zhang, Zhang-Jin

2016-10-28

Caregiving can be stressful, potentially creating physical and psychological strain. Substantial evidence has shown that family caregivers suffer from significant health problems arising from the demands of caregiving. Although there are programs supporting caregivers, there is little evidence regarding their effectiveness. Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing method designed to restore the flow of Qi (vital energy) by applying external pressure to acupoints. A randomized, wait-list controlled trial was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-administered acupressure intervention on caregiver stress (primary objective) and stress-related symptoms of fatigue, insomnia, depression, and health-related quality of life (secondary objectives) in Chinese caregivers of older family members. Two hundred Chinese participants, aged ≥ 21 years, who are the primary caregivers of an older family member and screen positive for caregiver stress and symptoms of fatigue/insomnia/depression will be recruited from a community setting in Hong Kong. Subjects will be randomized to receive either an immediate treatment condition (self-administered acupressure intervention) or a wait-list control condition. The self-administered acupressure intervention will include (i) an individual learning and practice session twice a week for 2 weeks, (ii) a home follow-up visit once a week for 2 weeks, and (iii) 15-min self-practice twice a day for 6 weeks. The wait-list control group will receive the same acupressure training after the intervention group has completed the intervention. We hypothesize that Chinese family caregivers in the intervention group will have lower levels of caregiver stress, fatigue, insomnia, depression, and higher health-related quality of life after completion of the intervention than participants in the wait-list control group. This study will provide evidence for the effectiveness of self-administered acupressure in reducing stress and improving

Recruiting migrants for health research through social network sites: an online survey among chinese migrants in australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jie; Wong, Kam Cheong; Wang, Zhiqiang

2015-04-27

Traditionally, postal surveys or face to face interviews are the main approaches for health researchers to obtain essential research data. However, with the prevalence of information technology and Internet, Web-based surveys are gaining popularity in health research. This study aims to report the process and outcomes of recruiting Chinese migrants through social network sites in Australia and to examine the sample characteristics of online recruitment by comparing the sample which was recruited by an online survey to a sample of Australian Chinese migrants collected by a postal survey. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe and compare the process and outcomes of online recruitment with postal survey questionnaires. Chi square tests and t tests were performed to assess the differences between the two samples for categorical and continuous variables respectively. In total, 473 Chinese migrants completed the online health survey from July to October 2013. Out of 426 participants recruited through the three Chinese social network sites in Australia, over 86.6% (369/426) were recruited within six weeks. Participants of the Web-based survey were younger, with a higher education level or had resided in Australia for less time compared to those recruited via a postal survey. However, there was no significant difference in gender, marital status, and professional occupation. The recruitment of Chinese migrants through social network sites in our online survey was feasible. Compared to a postal survey of Chinese migrants, the online survey attracted different group of Chinese migrants who may have diverse health needs and concerns. Our findings provided insightful information for researchers who are considering employing a Web-based approach to recruit migrants and ethnic minority participants.

Rat nucleus accumbens core astrocytes modulate reward and the motivation to self-administer ethanol after abstinence.

Science.gov (United States)

Bull, Cecilia; Freitas, Kelen C C; Zou, Shiping; Poland, Ryan S; Syed, Wahab A; Urban, Daniel J; Minter, Sabrina C; Shelton, Keith L; Hauser, Kurt F; Negus, S Stevens; Knapp, Pamela E; Bowers, M Scott

2014-11-01

Our understanding of the active role that astrocytes play in modulating neuronal function and behavior is rapidly expanding, but little is known about the role that astrocytes may play in drug-seeking behavior for commonly abused substances. Given that the nucleus accumbens is critically involved in substance abuse and motivation, we sought to determine whether nucleus accumbens astrocytes influence the motivation to self-administer ethanol following abstinence. We found that the packing density of astrocytes that were expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein increased in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcore) during abstinence from EtOH self-administration. No change was observed in the nucleus accumbens shell. This increased NAcore astrocyte density positively correlated with the motivation for ethanol. Astrocytes can communicate with one another and influence neuronal activity through gap-junction hemichannels. Because of this, the effect of blocking gap-junction hemichannels on the motivation for ethanol was examined. The motivation to self-administer ethanol after 3 weeks abstinence was increased following microinjection of gap-junction hemichannel blockers into the NAcore at doses that block both neuronal and astrocytic channels. In contrast, no effect was observed following microinjection of doses that are not thought to block astrocytic channels or following microinjection of either dose into the nucleus accumbens shell. Additionally, the motivation for sucrose after 3 weeks abstinence was unaffected by NAcore gap-junction hemichannel blockers. Next, Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) were selectively expressed in NAcore astrocytes to test the effect of astrocyte stimulation. DREADD activation increased cytosolic calcium in primary astrocytes, facilitated responding for rewarding brain stimulation, and reduced the motivation for ethanol after 3 weeks abstinence. This is the first work to modulate drug-seeking behavior with

Self-efficacy and self-esteem in third-year pharmacy students.

Science.gov (United States)

Yorra, Mark L

2014-09-15

To identify the experiential and demographic factors affecting the self-efficacy and self-esteem of third-year pharmacy (P3) students. A 25-item survey that included the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale, as well as types and length of pharmacy practice experiences and demographic information was administered to doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students from 5 schools of pharmacy in New England at the completion of their P3 year. The survey response rate was approximately 50% of the total target population (399/820). Students with a grade point average (GPA)≥3.0 demonstrated a higher significant effect from unpaid introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) on their self-efficacy scores (pself-esteem (pself-esteem. Self-efficacy and self-esteem are two important factors in pharmacy practice. Colleges and schools of pharmacy should ensure that students complete enough practice experiences, beyond the minimum of 300 IPPE hours, as one way to improve their self-efficacy and self-esteem.

76 FR 22157 - Postal Service Rate Adjustment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-20

... identifies Greg Dawson, Manager of Pricing Strategy, as the official responsible for responding to any... program is an example of the increased pricing flexibility under the Postal Accountability and Enhancement...

75 FR 45175 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-02

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... to the competitive product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with the filing... that Order No. 86, which established GEPS 1 as a product, also authorized functionally equivalent...

77 FR 61307 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-09

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... dominant product list to the competitive product list as ``Lightweight Parcel Select,'' a subcategory of... Granting Request to Transfer Commercial Standard Mail Parcels to the Competitive Product List, March 2...

76 FR 10410 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-24

... recently-filed Postal Service request to add International Business Reply Service (IBRS) Competitive... International Business Reply Service (IBRS) Competitive Contract 3 to the competitive product list and... International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 3 to the Competitive Products List and Notice of...

75 FR 5236 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-02

... Description] Premium Stamped Stationery [Reserved for Product Description] Premium Stamped Cards [Reserved for... determine whether such an agreement (1) Improves the net financial position of the Postal Service or... Descriptions First-Class Mail [Reserved for Class Description] Single-Piece Letters/Postcards [Reserved for...

Postal audit in dental radiodiagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novak, L.; Kroutilikova, D.

2001-01-01

According to Czech laws dental intraoral X-ray machines are classified as s imple sources of ionizing radiation . Consequently , their use is licensed on condition that an adequate quality assurance program is realized. In general, the programme is based on acceptance tests, status tests and constancy tests. The particular methods are specified in the recommendation [1] published by State Office for Nuclear Safety .Both the acceptance and status tests involve in situ measurements to control parameters of the X-ray machine and the developing process. Only persons who were licensed for such handling can do these measurements. The yearly status tests are very detailed and several years ' experience showed it might be advantageous to have a simpler method additionally available for purposes of the state supervision. Such a method is supposed as a postal audit. It should be simple enough to make the operation of the state supervision more effective but it also should provide sufficient information on radiation protection of the patients. Besides it should enable to prolong the period for the status tests ultimately .As for the postal audit, a small package containing a proper dosimetric set would be sent directly to the dentist who would treat it according to instructions. This paper describes such method that was developed in the National Radiation Protection Institute (NRPI) and results of pilot study that was carried out to test the method. The described method will be a helpful tool for the operation of the state supervision in the dental radiodiagnostics. The method will be implemented into the existing system of controls from 2002. Due to its simplicity and a quite rich content of information allows to check a big amount of the dental workplaces at once. It is supposed that one half of all Czech X-ray units will be checked in this way every year performed on state costs. It means 175 audits per month approximately. In this way, the operation of the quality

29 CFR 4.122 - Contracts for operation of postal contract stations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Application of the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act Specific Exclusions § 4.122 Contracts for operation of postal contract stations. The Act, in paragraph (7) of section 7, exempts from its provisions “any... 29 Labor 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Contracts for operation of postal contract stations. 4.122...

75 FR 12445 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-16

... Commission is adding International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 2 to the Competitive Product List. This action is consistent with a postal reform law. Republication of the Market Dominant and... identified as International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 2 to the Competitive Product [[Page...

75 FR 57995 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-23

... contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the GEPS 3 product. \\1\\ Notice of United States... Schedule language for the GEPS product. The Postal Service identifies customer-specific information and... Service asserts that ``[b]ecause the agreements incorporate the same cost attributes and methodology, the...

75 FR 54401 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-07

... Docket No. CP2010-71 serve as the baseline contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the... Classification Schedule language for GEPS. The Postal Service identifies customer-specific information and... Service asserts that ``[b]ecause the agreements incorporate the same cost attributes and methodology, the...

75 FR 52786 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-27

...: 1. Attachment 1--proposed Mail Classification Schedule (MCS) language for Inbound Market Dominant... fit within the proposed MCS language, are with foreign postal operators, conform to a common..., 2010. The public portions of these filings can be accessed via the Commission's website ( http://www...

77 FR 24996 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-26

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a... product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with the filing. DATES: Comments are due... supporting information to add First-Class Package Service Contract 1 to the Competitive Product List.\\1\\ The...

75 FR 44138 - New Postal Products

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-28

... Service International Business Reply Mail Service Money Orders Post Office Box Service Negotiated Service... International Reply Coupon Service International Business Reply Mail Service Money Orders Post Office Box... Entry Contracts with Foreign Postal Administrations 1 (MC2008-6 and CP2009-62) International Business...

Efficient postal service and respectful with the environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vera Lopez, J.A.

2016-07-01

The postal service is suffering an adaptation to the new markets opened by the users. The traditional post, letters and postcards, is being used less and is substituted by mail and packaging. To adequate to this new market it's important for the postal sector companies. In Spain, the operator of the Universal Postal Service has taken example from other companies of the sector, national and international, implanting electrical bicycle mail and packaging service in the centre of big cities. This is due to the fact that there are more the cities that are forbidding vehicle access to it's historical centres and the volume of packaging to deliver is greater. But, is it viable to deliver using hybrid and electrical vehicles in cities? This study intends to improve the distribution in cities with the implantation of these vehicles. It takes into account the characteristics of populations between 50.000 and 100.000 inhabitants, in which it will be analysed the advantages and inconvenience, doing special emphasis in the economic cost, conducting studies of the costs of implantation and amortization time. (Author)

Self-administered Versus Directly Observed Once-Weekly Isoniazid and Rifapentine Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection

Science.gov (United States)

Belknap, Robert; Holland, David; Feng, Pei-Jean; Millet, Joan-Pau; Caylà, Joan A.; Martinson, Neil A.; Wright, Alicia; Chen, Michael P.; Moro, Ruth N.; Scott, Nigel A.; Arevalo, Bert; Miró, José M.; Villarino, Margarita E.; Weiner, Marc; Borisov, Andrey S.

2017-01-01

Background Expanding latent tuberculosis treatment is important to decrease active disease globally. Once-weekly isoniazid and rifapentine for 12 doses is effective but limited by requiring direct observation. Objective To compare treatment completion and safety of once-weekly isoniazid and rifapentine by self-administration versus direct observation. Design An open-label, phase 4 randomized clinical trial designed as a noninferiority study with a 15% margin. Seventy-five percent or more of study patients were enrolled from the United States for a prespecified subgroup analysis. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01582711) Setting Outpatient tuberculosis clinics in the United States, Spain, Hong Kong, and South Africa. Participants 1002 adults (aged ≥18 years) recommended for treatment of latent tuberculosis infection. Intervention Participants received once-weekly isoniazid and rifapentine by direct observation, self-administration with monthly monitoring, or self-administration with weekly text message reminders and monthly monitoring. Measurements The primary outcome was treatment completion, defined as 11 or more doses within 16 weeks and measured using clinical documentation and pill counts for direct observation, and self-reports, pill counts, and medication event–monitoring devices for self-administration. The main secondary outcome was adverse events. Results Median age was 36 years, 48% of participants were women, and 77% were enrolled at the U.S. sites. Treatment completion was 87.2% (95% CI, 83.1% to 90.5%) in the direct-observation group, 74.0% (CI, 68.9% to 78.6%) in the self-administration group, and 76.4% (CI, 71.3% to 80.8%) in the self-administration–with–reminders group. In the United States, treatment completion was 85.4% (CI, 80.4% to 89.4%), 77.9% (CI, 72.7% to 82.6%), and 76.7% (CI, 70.9% to 81.7%), respectively. Self-administered therapy without reminders was noninferior to direct observation in the United States; no other comparisons met

Dose and elasticity of demand for self-administered cocaine in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Kearns, David N; Silberberg, Alan

2016-04-01

The present experiment tested whether the elasticity of demand for self-administered cocaine in rats is dose-dependent. Subjects lever pressed for three different doses of intravenous cocaine - 0.11, 0.33, and 1.0 mg/kg/infusion - on a demand procedure where the number of lever presses required per infusion increased within a session. The main finding was that demand for the 0.11 mg/kg dose was more elastic than it was for the two larger doses. There was no difference in demand elasticity between the 0.33 and 1.0 mg/kg doses. These results parallel findings previously reported in monkeys. The present study also demonstrated that a within-session procedure can be used to generate reliable demand curves.

Application of EPC Standards and Mobile Networks Services to Enhance the Quality of Postal Service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vaculik Juraj

2015-02-01

Full Text Available This article deals with new technologies and methods to optimize the transport and delivery of postal mails. Introduction of this article defines the technologies and procedures that postal operators have started to use. The main part of the article describes specific implemented solutions of several postal operators and their benefits. The last part shows using of EPC standards in a processes chain. The conclusion of the article is devoted to the evaluation of these technologies and their potential in the area of postal sector.

The Importance of the Maternal/Self-Role Satisfaction for Reducing Anxiety: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Japanese Mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwasaki, Riho; Arimoto, Azusa; Naruse, Takashi; Nagata, Satoko; Murashima, Sachiyo

Women who rear children have two types of roles: the maternal role and the self-role. Previous studies have suggested that maternal role satisfaction is related to anxiety, but the importance of self-role satisfaction in promoting the health of mothers has received less attention. The changing roles of women in society, especially in urban areas, have altered mothers' views of child-rearing. Our primary focus was on the relationship between maternal/self-role satisfaction and anxiety in mothers. To examine this, we conducted a cross-sectional survey using self-administered questionnaires that were distributed in 2011 to 2,342 mothers attending the 18-month health checkup of their children, in 7 cities of the Tokyo metropolitan area. A total of 881 responded (effective response rate = 38.0%). Multiple regression analysis revealed that maternal role satisfaction and self-role satisfaction were both significantly and negatively associated with anxiety. Thus, self-role satisfaction should be considered alongside maternal role satisfaction in evaluating and reducing anxiety. Health care professionals in community settings should conduct comprehensive assessments of maternal role satisfaction and self-role satisfaction.

75 FR 65676 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-26

... contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the GEPS 3 product. \\1\\ Notice of United States... Schedule language for the GEPS 3 product. The Postal Service identifies customer-specific information and... Service asserts that ``[b]ecause the agreements incorporate the same cost attributes and methodology, the...

76 FR 49798 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-11

... Docket No. CP2010-36 serve as the baseline contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the... Classification Schedule language for GREP Contracts 1. The Postal Service states that the instant contract... agreement incorporates the same cost attributes and methodology, the relevant characteristics of this GREP...

75 FR 72845 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-26

... contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the GEPS 3 product. \\1\\ Notice of United States... Classification Schedule language for the GEPS 3 product. The Postal Service identifies customer-specific... methodology, the relevant characteristics of these five GEPS contracts are similar, if not the same, as the...

75 FR 61785 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-06

... have the contract in Docket No. CP2010-71 serve as the baseline contract for future functional... GEPS 3 contracts fit within the Mail Classification Schedule language for GEPS. The Postal Service... same cost attributes and methodology, the relevant characteristics of these seven GEPS contracts are...

75 FR 57303 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-20

... Docket No. CP2010-71 serve as the baseline contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the... fit within the Mail Classification Schedule language for GEPS. The Postal Service identifies customer... attributes and methodology, the relevant characteristics of these 11 GEPS contracts are similar, if not the...

78 FR 65015 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-30

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing recent... product list. This notice informs the public of the filings, invites public comment, and takes other... Service Contract 5 to the competitive product list.\\1\\ It is the successor agreement to the contract...

78 FR 79025 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-27

... Product AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is noticing a recent... product list. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other... associated supporting information to add Priority Mail Express Contract 17 to the competitive product list.\\1...

78 FR 77508 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-23

... Counsel, at 202-789-6820. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Contents of Filing III. Commission Action IV. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction Notice of filing. On December 16...' Decision, the new rates and related financial information. Id. at 3. The Postal Service filed redacted...

76 FR 80985 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-27

... calendar year 2011. Id. at 3. Both notices expressed the Postal Service's view that the contingency pricing....gov/prc-pages/filing-online/login.aspx . Commenters who cannot submit their views electronically..., pursuant to 39 CFR 3015.5, of contingency prices under an outstanding International Business Reply Service...

Self-transcendence and spiritual well-being in the Amish.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharpnack, Patricia A; Quinn Griffin, Mary T; Benders, Alison M; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J

2011-06-01

Self-transcendence, the ability to expand one's relationship to others and the environment, has been found to provide hope which helps a person adapt and cope with illness. Spiritual well-being, the perception of health and wholeness, can boost self-confidence and self esteem. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to describe the relationship between self-transcendence and spiritual well-being in adult Amish. A random sample of Old Order Amish was surveyed by postal mail; there were 134 respondents. Two valid and reliable questionnaires were used to measure the key variables. The participants had high levels of self-transcendence and spiritual well-being and there was a statistically significant positive relationship between the two variables. The findings from this study will increase nurses' awareness of the holistic nature of the Amish beliefs and assist nurses in serving this population. Additional research is needed to develop further understanding of the study variables among the Amish.

The development of a postal method to assess X-ray beam parameters and image quality in dental radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenton, D.M.

1994-10-01

Intraoral radiographs are an extremely valuable diagnostic tool in dentistry. Radiography permits the early detection and diagnosis of dental disease and consequently is used extensively. However, public concern about radiation exposure has increased in recent times. This concern is reflected in national and international law, to the extent that, the basic principles of radiological protection, that is, justification, optimisation and dose limitation are written into law. Furthermore, in Ireland, the regulations, as outlined in the Code of Practice for Radiological Protection in Dentistry, require intraoral dental X-ray machines to perform to certain standards. A report of a direct survey of 164 intraoral dental X-ray machines is given in this study. The survey covered mechanical, electrical as well as radiation safety. Inadequacies with respect to focus to skin distance and timer accuracy were found in 45% and 42% of the machines surveyed. Ninety eight machines were assessed for electrical safety in which 48% were found to be unsafe. The results indicate that a complete assessment of the performance of dental X-ray units in Ireland is required. However, as there are in excess of 800 dental X-ray machines located throughout the country, such an assessment would be very costly for the regulatory authority. The development of a postal method for the assessment of the performance of dental X-ray machines is described in this study. This postal method provides information on the kV, total filtration, beam width and timer linearity and is undertaken by means of a penetrameter and film envelopes for exposure to the X-ray set under examination, together with a questionnaire that requests information on environment in which the machine is located. Using this method an accuracy of +-5% of the actual value was achieved in the measurement of kVp. The penetrameter was also used to assess whether or not the filtration of a particular machine complies with the regulations. This

Validity and reliability of a self-administered foot evaluation questionnaire (SAFE-Q).

Science.gov (United States)

Niki, Hisateru; Tatsunami, Shinobu; Haraguchi, Naoki; Aoki, Takafumi; Okuda, Ryuzo; Suda, Yasunori; Takao, Masato; Tanaka, Yasuhito

2013-03-01

The Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot (JSSF) is developing a QOL questionnaire instrument for use in pathological conditions related to the foot and ankle. The main body of the outcome instrument (the Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire, SAFE-Q version 2) consists of 34 questionnaire items, which provide five subscale scores (1: Pain and Pain-Related; 2: Physical Functioning and Daily Living; 3: Social Functioning; 4: Shoe-Related; and 5: General Health and Well-Being). In addition, the instrument has nine optional questionnaire items that provide a Sports Activity subscale score. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the SAFE-Q. Version 2 of the SAFE-Q was administered to 876 patients and 491 non-patients, and the test-retest reliability was evaluated for 131 patients. In addition, the SF-36 questionnaire and the JSSF Scale scoring form were administered to all of the participants. Subscale scores were scaled such that the final sum of scores ranged between zero (least healthy) to 100 (healthiest). The intraclass correlation coefficients were larger than 0.7 for all of the scores. The means of the five subscale scores were between 60 and 75. The five subscales easily separated patients from non-patients. The coefficients for the correlations of the subscale scores with the scores on the JSSF Scale and the SF-36 subscales were all highly statistically significantly greater than zero (p valid and reliable. In the future, it will be beneficial to test the responsiveness of the SAFE-Q.

A survey of group-level antibiotic prescriptions in pig production in France.

Science.gov (United States)

Chauvin, Claire; Beloeil, Pierre-Alexandre; Orand, Jean-Pierre; Sanders, Pascal; Madec, François

2002-09-30

There is world-wide concern that antimicrobial use in food-producing animals might contribute to antimicrobial resistance both in animals and in humans. The relationship between antimicrobial use and resistance is likely to be related to frequency of prescription of the compound, dose and duration of treatment. Routine collection of that information is not possible today in France. A postal survey of French pig veterinarians therefore was carried out in October 2000. The questionnaire focused on the last antibiotic group-level prescription made; data were collected on the type of animals, presumptive clinical diagnosis and drug prescription. The list frame was defined using a veterinary yearbook. All practitioners with mention of pig in the treated species or with employment in intensive animal production were sent the questionnaire. Out of the 431 selected practitioners, 303 responded to the self-administered questionnaire (overall return proportion 70%). 159 prescriptions were received and analysed (response proportion 37%). Their repartitions according to indications and active compounds were summarised. Mean prescribed daily doses and mean treatment length were calculated for four antibiotics: amoxicillin, colistin, oxytetracycline, tylosin. Prescribed daily dose were in the range of dosages used and recommended in Europe. High variations were encountered in treatment length: from 3 to 21 days.

39 CFR 762.27 - Processing of disbursement postal money orders by Federal Reserve Banks.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., and its other depositors which guarantee all prior endorsements thereon; (2) Give immediate credit... DEBT OBLIGATIONS; DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS DISBURSEMENT POSTAL MONEY ORDERS Endorsements...

75 FR 80859 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-23

... consideration of the Request pertaining to the proposed Priority Mail Contract 32 product and the related... recently-filed Postal Service request to add Priority Mail Contract 32 to the competitive product list... Service filed a formal request and associated supporting information to add Priority Mail Contract 32 to...

75 FR 80857 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-23

... CP2011-46 for consideration of the Request pertaining to the proposed Priority Mail Contract 31 product... recently-filed Postal Service request to add Priority Mail Contract 31 to the competitive product list... Service filed a formal request and associated supporting information to add Priority Mail Contract 31 to...

75 FR 67147 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

... requested to have the contract in Docket No. CP2010-36 serve as the baseline contract for future functional... GREP contract fits within the Mail Classification Schedule language for GREP Contracts 1. The Postal... incorporates the same cost attributes and methodology, the relevant characteristics of this GREP contract are...

75 FR 23824 - New Postal Products

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-04

... of Classification Change to Add Existing Shipping Charges to the Mail Classification Schedule for... Form 3202-X, October 2009). Id., Attachment A. The Postal Service states further its belief that the... MCS.\\2\\ Attachment B to the Notice shows the proposed changes to the Stamped Envelope MCS language in...

Conceptual foresight of the volumes of postal money orders in the Republic of Komi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lyubov' Aleksandrovna Kuratova

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a methodology elaborated for forecasting the volume of postal services on the basis of statistical methods of regression analysis on the example of the Republic of Komi. The influence of internal and external factors on the market of postal money orders of the Republic is constructed and investigated using the statistical regression model of the market of postal money orders of the Komi Republic in the period of 2005–2010. The conceptual foresight of development of the regional market of postal money orders for 2011–2012 is presented. Regression models were analyzed not only for the dynamic sequence of data, but also for sequences of data on territories, which revealed independent correlated factors which are weakly changing and evolving over time. The presented results have important practical and methodological significance for predicting both the volume of postal money orders as well as other types of services.

39 CFR Appendix A to Part 3002 - Postal Regulatory Commission, Mission Statement of the Office of the Consumer Advocate

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Postal Regulatory Commission, Mission Statement of the Office of the Consumer Advocate A Appendix A to Part 3002 Postal Service POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION PERSONNEL ORGANIZATION Pt. 3002, App. A Appendix A to Part 3002—Postal Regulatory Commission, Mission Statement of the Office of the Consumer...

Sun safety knowledge and practice in UK postal delivery workers

OpenAIRE

Houdmont, J.; Davis, S.; Griffiths, A.

2015-01-01

Background: Postal delivery workers spend a large proportion of their work time outdoors, placing them at increased risk for skin cancer. To date, no studies have examined occupational sun safety knowledge and practice within this group in the UK.\\ud Aims: To describe the occupational sun safety knowledge and practice of UK postal delivery workers and to investigate the association of demographic, personal and occupational factors with knowledge and practice in order to identify potential str...

A survey of parental self-efficacy experiences: maximising potential through health visiting and universal parenting support.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittaker, Karen A; Cowley, Sarah

2012-11-01

To examine parental self-efficacy experiences for users of a parenting support programme and consider the pertinence of self-efficacy theory to health visiting (public health nursing) practice. Commonly, successful parenting training programmes are underpinned by social learning principles and aim to strengthen parental self-efficacy. However, research examining programme effectiveness rarely discusses how self-efficacy outcomes are achieved. A descriptive survey was completed as the first part of a realistic evaluation study examining how a UK parenting support programme worked. The first part of the realistic evaluation involved validating outcome measures (the Parenting Self-Agency Measure and Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Index subscales) and administering a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was completed by adults accessing a parenting support programme during a 10-month period (n = 168). Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.   Women were the main users of the programme, which included informal drop-in groups as well as more formalised health visiting services and parenting training courses. The Parenting Self-Agency Measure results indicated good general parental self-efficacy; however, the task-specific Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Indexes scales suggested that parents were less self-efficacious in disciplining children. Lower self-efficacy scores correlated with high ratings for 'feeling tired', 'receiving negative comments' and 'giving-in to a child's demands'. Study results indicate that the domain general and task-specific measures provide different, but helpful, insights into parental self-efficacy experiences. By identifying factors associated with the levels of general and task-specific parental self-efficacy, health visitors can gain a fuller appreciation of support needs. To maximise potential through parenting support, attention should be given to addressing factors associated with poorer self

Strategic Resource Use for Learning: A Self-Administered Intervention That Guides Self-Reflection on Effective Resource Use Enhances Academic Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Patricia; Chavez, Omar; Ong, Desmond C; Gunderson, Brenda

2017-06-01

Many educational policies provide learners with more resources (e.g., new learning activities, study materials, or technologies), but less often do they address whether students are using these resources effectively. We hypothesized that making students more self-reflective about how they should approach their learning with the resources available to them would improve their class performance. We designed a novel Strategic Resource Use intervention that students could self-administer online and tested its effects in two cohorts of a college-level introductory statistics class. Before each exam, students randomly assigned to the treatment condition strategized about which academic resources they would use for studying, why each resource would be useful, and how they would use their resources. Students randomly assigned to the treatment condition reported being more self-reflective about their learning throughout the class, used their resources more effectively, and outperformed students in the control condition by an average of one third of a letter grade in the class.

78 FR 37246 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-20

... statement, and supporting financial workpapers. Id. The Postal Service filed redacted versions of the... extension was based on the understanding a successor agreement would be filed. See Docket No. CP2012-30...--a redacted copy of the certified statement required by 39 CFR 3015.5(c)(2); Attachment 3--a redacted...

75 FR 7951 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-23

... is adding Express Mail Contract 8 to the Competitive Product List. This action is consistent with a postal reform law. Republication of the Product Lists is also consistent with a statutory provision... seeks to add a new product identified as Express Mail Contract 8 to the Competitive Product List. For...

Exposure control practices for administering nitrous oxide: A survey of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Boiano, James M; Steege, Andrea L; Sweeney, Marie H

2017-06-01

Engineering, administrative, and work practice controls have been recommended for many years to minimize exposure to nitrous oxide during dental procedures. To better understand the extent to which these exposure controls are used, the NIOSH Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers was conducted among members of professional practice organizations representing dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants. The anonymous, modular, web-based survey was completed by 284 dental professionals in private practice who administered nitrous oxide to adult and/or pediatric patients in the seven days prior to the survey. Use of primary engineering controls (i.e., nasal scavenging mask and/or local exhaust ventilation (LEV) near the patient's mouth) was nearly universal, reported by 93% and 96% of respondents who administered to adult (A) and pediatric (P) patients, respectively. However, adherence to other recommended precautionary practices were lacking to varying degrees, and were essentially no different among those administering nitrous oxide to adult or pediatric patients. Examples of work practices which increase exposure risk, expressed as percent of respondents, included: not checking nitrous oxide equipment for leaks (41% A; 48% P); starting nitrous oxide gas flow before delivery mask or airway mask was applied to patient (13% A; 12% P); and not turning off nitrous oxide gas flow before turning off oxygen flow to the patient (8% A; 7% P). Absence of standard procedures to minimize worker exposure to nitrous oxide (13% of all respondents) and not being trained on safe handling and administration of nitrous oxide (3%) were examples of breaches of administrative controls which may also increase exposure risk. Successful management of nitrous oxide emissions should include properly fitted nasal scavenging masks, supplemental LEV (when nitrous oxide levels cannot be adequately controlled using nasal masks alone), adequate general ventilation, regular

Designing Surveys for Language Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, James Dean

A discussion of survey methodology for investigating second language programs and instruction examines two methods: oral interviews and written questionnaires. Each method is defined, and variations are explored. For interviews, this includes individual, group, and telephone interviews. For questionnaires, this includes self-administered and…

Availability of two self-administered diet history questionnaires for pregnant Japanese women: A validation study using 24-hour urinary markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiraishi, Mie; Haruna, Megumi; Matsuzaki, Masayo; Murayama, Ryoko; Sasaki, Satoshi

2017-04-01

Accurate and easy dietary assessment methods that can be used during pregnancy are required in both epidemiological studies and clinical settings. To verify the utility of dietary assessment questionnaires in pregnancy, we examined the validity and reliability of a self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ) and a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ) to measure energy, protein, sodium, and potassium intake among pregnant Japanese women. The research was conducted at a university hospital in Tokyo, Japan, between 2010 and 2011. The urinary urea nitrogen, sodium, and potassium levels were used as reference values in the validation study. For the reliability assessment, participants completed the questionnaires twice within a 4-week interval. For the DHQ (n = 115), the correlation coefficients between survey-assessed energy-adjusted intake and urinary protein, sodium, and potassium levels were 0.359, 0.341, and 0.368, respectively; for the BDHQ (n = 112), corresponding values were 0.302, 0.314, and 0.401, respectively. The DHQ-measured unadjusted protein and potassium intake levels were significantly correlated with the corresponding urinary levels (r s  = 0.307 and r s  = 0.342, respectively). The intra-class correlation coefficients for energy, protein, sodium, and potassium between the time 1 and time 2 DHQ (n = 58) and between the time 1 and time 2 BDHQ (n = 54) ranged from 0.505 to 0.796. Both the DHQ and the BDHQ were valid and reliable questionnaires for assessing the energy-adjusted intake of protein, sodium, and potassium during pregnancy. In addition, given the observed validity of unadjusted protein and potassium intake measures, the DHQ can be a useful tool to estimate energy intake of pregnant Japanese women. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Availability of two self-administered diet history questionnaires for pregnant Japanese women: A validation study using 24-hour urinary markers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mie Shiraishi

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Accurate and easy dietary assessment methods that can be used during pregnancy are required in both epidemiological studies and clinical settings. To verify the utility of dietary assessment questionnaires in pregnancy, we examined the validity and reliability of a self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ and a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ to measure energy, protein, sodium, and potassium intake among pregnant Japanese women. Methods: The research was conducted at a university hospital in Tokyo, Japan, between 2010 and 2011. The urinary urea nitrogen, sodium, and potassium levels were used as reference values in the validation study. For the reliability assessment, participants completed the questionnaires twice within a 4-week interval. Results: For the DHQ (n = 115, the correlation coefficients between survey-assessed energy-adjusted intake and urinary protein, sodium, and potassium levels were 0.359, 0.341, and 0.368, respectively; for the BDHQ (n = 112, corresponding values were 0.302, 0.314, and 0.401, respectively. The DHQ-measured unadjusted protein and potassium intake levels were significantly correlated with the corresponding urinary levels (rs = 0.307 and rs = 0.342, respectively. The intra-class correlation coefficients for energy, protein, sodium, and potassium between the time 1 and time 2 DHQ (n = 58 and between the time 1 and time 2 BDHQ (n = 54 ranged from 0.505 to 0.796. Conclusions: Both the DHQ and the BDHQ were valid and reliable questionnaires for assessing the energy-adjusted intake of protein, sodium, and potassium during pregnancy. In addition, given the observed validity of unadjusted protein and potassium intake measures, the DHQ can be a useful tool to estimate energy intake of pregnant Japanese women.

More counselling for end-of-life decisions by GPs with own advance directives: A postal survey among German general practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnakenberg, Rieke; Radbruch, Lukas; Kersting, Christine; Frank, Friederike; Wilm, Stefan; Becka, Denise; Weckbecker, Klaus; Bleckwenn, Markus; Just, Johannes M; Pentzek, Michael; Weltermann, Birgitta

2018-12-01

Although general practitioners (GPs) are among the preferred contact persons for discussing end-of-life issues including advance directives (ADs), there is little data on how GPs manage such consultations. This postal survey asked German GPs about their counselling for end-of-life decisions. In 2015, a two-sided questionnaire was mailed to 959 GPs. GPs were asked for details of their consultations on ADs: frequency, duration, template use, and whether they have own ADs. Statistical analysis evaluated physician characteristics associated with an above-average number of consultations on AD. The participation rate was 50.3% (n = 482), 70.5% of the GPs were male; the average age was 54 years. GPs had an average of 18 years of professional experience, and 61.4% serve more than 900 patients per three months. Most (96.9%) GPs perform consultations on living wills (LW) and/or powers of attorney (PA), mainly in selected patients (72.3%). More than 20 consultations each on LWs and PAs are performed by 60% and 50% of GPs, respectively. The estimated mean duration of consultations was 21 min for LWs and 16 min for PAs. Predefined templates were used in 72% of the GPs, 50% of GPs had their ADs. A statistical model showed that GPs with ADs and/or a qualification in palliative medicine were more likely to counsel ≥20 patients per year for each document. The study confirmed that nearly all German GPs surveyed provide counselling on ADs. Physicians with ADs counsel more frequently than those without such documents.

75 FR 42171 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-20

... establishes Docket No. CP2010-66 for consideration of matters related to the contract identified in the Postal... Service request to add a Global Expedited Package Services 2 (GEPS 2) contract to the existing GEPS 2... announcing that it has entered into an additional Global Expedited Package Services 2 (GEPS 2) contract.\\1...

78 FR 33451 - New Postal Product

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-04

.... Introduction II. Contents of Filing III. Commission Action IV. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction On May 24... and supporting financial information required by 39 CFR 3015.5(c).\\2\\ For purposes of 39 CFR 3015.5(a...' Decision No. 11-6 authorizes Postal Service management to prepare and present to the Commission product...

Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem in Third-Year Pharmacy Students

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Objective. To identify the experiential and demographic factors affecting the self-efficacy and self-esteem of third-year pharmacy (P3) students. Methods. A 25-item survey that included the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale, as well as types and length of pharmacy practice experiences and demographic information was administered to doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students from 5 schools of pharmacy in New England at the completion of their P3 year. Results. The survey response rate was approximately 50% of the total target population (399/820). Students with a grade point average (GPA)≥3.0 demonstrated a higher significant effect from unpaid introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) on their self-efficacy scores (pself-esteem (pself-esteem. Conclusion. Self-efficacy and self-esteem are two important factors in pharmacy practice. Colleges and schools of pharmacy should ensure that students complete enough practice experiences, beyond the minimum of 300 IPPE hours, as one way to improve their self-efficacy and self-esteem. PMID:25258439

Use of and confidence in administering outcome measures among clinical prosthetists: Results from a national survey and mixed-methods training program.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaunaurd, Ignacio; Spaulding, Susan E; Amtmann, Dagmar; Salem, Rana; Gailey, Robert; Morgan, Sara J; Hafner, Brian J

2015-08-01

Outcome measures can be used in prosthetic practices to evaluate interventions, inform decision making, monitor progress, document outcomes, and justify services. Strategies to enhance prosthetists' ability to use outcome measures are needed to facilitate their adoption in routine practice. To assess prosthetists' use of outcome measures and evaluate the effects of training on their confidence in administering performance-based measures. Cross-sectional and single-group pretest-posttest survey. Seventy-nine certified prosthetists (mean of 16.0 years of clinical experience) were surveyed about their experiences with 20 standardized outcome measures. Prosthetists were formally trained by the investigators to administer the Timed Up and Go and Amputee Mobility Predictor. Prosthetists' confidence in administering the Timed Up and Go and Amputee Mobility Predictor was measured before and after training. The majority of prosthetists (62%) were classified as non-routine outcome measure users. Confidence administering the Timed Up and Go and Amputee Mobility Predictor prior to training was low-to-moderate across the study sample. Training significantly (p measures. Interactive training resulted in a statistically significant increase of prosthetists' confidence in administering the Timed Up and Go and Amputee Mobility Predictor and may facilitate use of outcome measures in clinical practice. Frequency of outcome measure use in the care of persons with limb loss has not been studied. Study results suggest that prosthetists may not regularly use standardized outcome measures and report limited confidence in administering them. Training enhances confidence and may encourage use of outcome measures in clinical practice. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2014.

Self-administered health literacy instruments for people with diabetes: systematic review of measurement properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Eun-Hyun; Kim, Chun-Ja; Lee, Jiyeon; Moon, Seung Hei

2017-09-01

The aims of this study were to identify all available self-administered instruments measuring health literacy in people with diabetes and to determine the current instrument that is the most appropriate for applying to this population in both practice and research. A systematic review of measurement properties. MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL electronic databases from their inception up to 28 March 2016. The methodological quality of each included study was assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments checklist. The reported results for measurement properties in the studies were assessed according to Terwee's quality criteria. Thirteen self-administered instruments measuring health literacy in people with diabetes were identified, of which six (44%) were diabetes-specific instruments. The instruments that covered the broadest contents of health literacy were the Health Literacy Scale and Health Literacy Questionnaire. The (test-retest) reliability, measurement error and responsiveness were not evaluated for any instrument, while internal consistency and hypothesis testing validity were the most frequently assessed measurement properties. With the current evidence, the Health Literacy Scale may be the most appropriate instrument for patients with diabetes in practice and research. However, the structural validity of this scale needs to be further established, particularly in other language versions. It is also recommended to use the Diabetes Numeracy Test-15 along with the Health Literacy Scale to complement the lack of numeracy measures in the Health Literacy Scale. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Coordination difficulties and self-esteem: a review and findings from a New Zealand survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Eggleston, Matthew; Hanger, Nicola; Frampton, Christopher; Watkins, William

2012-12-01

Children and adolescents with significant coordination difficulties have consistently been found to have lower self-esteem in relation to athletic competence and physical ability. However, findings in relation to global self-esteem have been mixed. This study aimed to investigate the self-esteem of children and adolescents with a diagnosis of dyspraxia in a large New Zealand sample. A confidential postal questionnaire was sent to all members of the Dyspraxia Support Group of New Zealand. Children and adolescents aged seven to 18 years with a diagnosis of dyspraxia were asked to complete the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale 2nd edition (PHCSCS-2), while parents were asked about a range of factors which might affect self-esteem including possible coexisting conditions. There was a response rate of 20% with 75 valid responses. Coexisting conditions were common including 50.7% with a diagnosis of dyslexia or another learning disorder. Children and adolescents with dyspraxia scored significantly lower than PHCSCS-2 norms on the physical appearance and attributes, intellectual and school status and popularity subscales and also the PHCSCS-2 total score, indicating lower global self-esteem. This study strengthens the evidence that an association exists in children and adolescents between having significant coordination difficulties and lower global self-esteem. © 2012 The Authors Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2012 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Conceptual foresight of the volumes of postal money orders in the Republic of Komi

OpenAIRE

Lyubov Kuratova

2012-01-01

This paper describes a methodology elaborated for forecasting the volume of postal services on the basis of statistical methods of regression analysis on the example of the Republic of Komi. The influence of internal and external factors on the market of postal money orders of the Republic is constructed and investigated using the statistical regression model of the market of postal money orders of the Komi Republic in the period of 2005–2010. The conceptual foresight of development of the ...

76 FR 13242 - Change in Postal Prices

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-10

[email protected] (electronic filing assistance). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Notice of Filings III. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction On March 1, 2011, the Commission... Postal Service-branded parcel box designed to contain product samples and other advertising material from...

77 FR 54937 - International Mail Postal Contract

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-06

... recently-filed Postal Service filing addressing a new International Business Reply Service Contract 3. It... contract within the International Business Reply Service (IBRS) Competitive Contract 3 grouping.\\1\\ The... Service Filing of a Functionally Equivalent International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 3...

75 FR 69143 - Postal Rate and Classification Changes

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-10

..., Pricing Strategy, as the official available to provide prompt responses to requests for clarification from..., at 30. II. Postal Service Filing Reply Rides Free. This pricing initiative is available for mailers...

Assessing self-regulation strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Vet, Emely; de Ridder, Denise T. D.; Stok, Marijn

2014-01-01

intake and background characteristics. In study 3, the TESQ-E was administered twice within four weeks to evaluate test-retest reliability (n = 140). Study 4 was a cross-sectional survey (n = 93) that assessed the TESQ-E and related psychological constructs (e.g., motivation, autonomy, self-control). All...... general self-regulation and motivation measures. Conclusions: The TESQ-E provides a reliable and valid measure to assess six theory-based self-regulation strategies that adolescents may use to ensure their healthy eating....

Reliability and validity of the Attributional Style Questionnaire- Survey in people with multiple sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Kneebone, Ian I.; Dewar, Sophie J.

2016-01-01

Background: The current study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of an attributional style measure that can be administered remotely, to people who have multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: A total of 495 participants with MS were recruited. Participants completed the Attributional Style Questionnaire-Survey (ASQ-S) and two comparison measures of cognitive variables via postal survey on three occasions, each 12 months apart. Internal reliability, test-retest reliability and congruent validity were considered. Results: The internal reliability of the ASQ-S was good (α > 0.7). The test-retest correlations were significant, but failed to reach the 0.7 set. The congruent validity of the ASQ-S was established relative to the comparisons. Conclusions: The psychometric properties of the ASQ-S indicate that it shows promise as a tool for researchers investigating depression in people with MS and is likely sound to use clinically in this population. PMID:28450893

Comparing Traditional and Crowdsourcing Methods for Pretesting Survey Questions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Edgar

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Cognitive interviewing is a common method used to evaluate survey questions. This study compares traditional cognitive interviewing methods with crowdsourcing, or “tapping into the collective intelligence of the public to complete a task.” Crowdsourcing may provide researchers with access to a diverse pool of potential participants in a very timely and cost-efficient way. Exploratory work found that crowdsourcing participants, with self-administered data collection, may be a viable alternative, or addition, to traditional pretesting methods. Using three crowdsourcing designs (TryMyUI, Amazon Mechanical Turk, and Facebook, we compared the participant characteristics, costs, and quantity and quality of data with traditional laboratory-based cognitive interviews. Results suggest that crowdsourcing and self-administered protocols may be a viable way to collect survey pretesting information, as participants were able to complete the tasks and provide useful information; however, complex tasks may require the skills of an interviewer to administer unscripted probes.

A Look Inside: Self-Leadership Perceptions of Extension Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Ricketts, Kristina G.; Carter, Hannah S.; Place, Nick T.; McCoy, Teresa

2012-01-01

Extension educators are often considered influential community leaders. Still the question remains--how do educators motivate themselves to success? Does this contribute towards their self-leadership perceptions? Specialists from three universities administered a survey to look at the "self-leadership" of Extension educators. Results…

76 FR 29013 - Change in Postal Prices

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-19

... Contents I. Introduction II. Notice of Filing III. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction On May 11, 2011, the... Service Contract 2 accompanies the Notice. Additionally, the Postal Service states that the financial... methodology is still pending, the notice also provides a financial analysis based upon the current methodology...

Does the COPD assessment test (CAT(TM)) questionnaire produce similar results when self- or interviewer administered?

Science.gov (United States)

Agusti, A; Soler-Cataluña, J J; Molina, J; Morejon, E; Garcia-Losa, M; Roset, M; Badia, X

2015-10-01

The COPD assessment test (CAT) is a questionnaire that assesses the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on health status, but some patients have difficulties filling it up by themselves. We examined whether the mode of administration of the Spanish version of CAT (self vs. interviewer) influences its scores and/or psychometric properties. Observational, prospective study in 49 Spanish centers that includes clinically stable COPD patients (n = 153) and patients hospitalized because of an exacerbation (ECOPD; n = 224). The CAT was self-administered (CAT-SA) or administered by an interviewer (CAT-IA) based on the investigator judgment of the patient's capacity. To assess convergent validity, the Saint George's Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the London Chest Activity of Daily Living (LCADL) instrument were also administered. Psychometric properties were compared across modes of administration. A total of 118 patients (31 %) completed the CAT-SA and 259 (69 %) CAT-IA. Multiple regression analysis showed that mode of administration did not affect CAT scores. The CAT showed excellent psychometric properties in both modes of administration. Internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) were high (0.86 for CAT-SA and 0.85 for CAT-IA) as was test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.83 for CAT-SA and CAT-IA). Correlations with SGRQ and LCADL were moderate to strong both in CAT-SA and CAT-IA, indicating good convergent validity. Similar results were observed when testing longitudinal validity. The mode of administration does not influence CAT scores or its psychometric properties. Hence, both modes of administration can be used in clinical practice depending on the physician judgment of patient's capacity.

Sun safety knowledge and practice in UK postal delivery workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Houdmont, J; Davis, S; Griffiths, A

2016-06-01

Postal delivery workers spend a large proportion of their work time outdoors, placing them at increased risk of skin cancer. To date, no studies have examined occupational sun safety knowledge and practice within this group in the UK. To describe the occupational sun safety knowledge and practice of UK postal delivery workers and to investigate the association of demographic, personal and occupational factors with knowledge and practice in order to identify potential strategies for improving sun safety in this occupational group. Postal delivery workers completed a questionnaire that collected data on occupational sun safety knowledge and practice in addition to demographic, personal and workplace characteristics. One-way analysis of variances were applied to assess differences in knowledge and practice by these characteristics. A total of 1153 postal delivery workers completed the questionnaire, a 60% response rate. Thirty-three per cent reported receiving sun safety training within the previous 12 months. The majority of respondents reported correct knowledge on three of the six domains and good practice on four of the six behavioural domains. However, only one-fifth of respondents reported wearing sunglasses and ensuring a plentiful intake of water. Knowledge and practice differed significantly according to demographic, personal and workplace characteristics. There is a need to raise the profile of occupational skin cancer in this occupational group and to increase the priority given to occupational sun safety policies alongside targeted and tailored interventions, the effect of which can be evaluated. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine.

A GIS Application to Explore Postal Retail Outlet Locations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikola Trubint

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The use of GIS in solving a wide variety of problems in postal operations is expanding. This approach provides the development and usage of new methods in spatial data analysis, as support in achieving a better quality of the decision-making process. The use of location analysis model based on GIS software is implemented in solving the Belgrade postal retail outlet problem. One of the most important experiences of model implementation is that the local environmental conditions have a significant impact on strategic as well as operational approach. A portion of the material included in the paper has resulted from the Serbian PTT and CPC (Canada Post Corporation joint project Location Analysis.

A survey of hospital outpatient services for chronic diseases in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A survey of hospital outpatient services for chronic diseases in Gauteng. ... aspects of the organisation of services, and indirect indicators of patient care. Design. A postal survey of services for asthma, epilepsy, diabetes and hypertension at ...

Distinct Neurochemical Adaptations Within the Nucleus Accumbens Produced by a History of Self-Administered vs Non-Contingently Administered Intravenous Methamphetamine

Science.gov (United States)

Lominac, Kevin D; Sacramento, Arianne D; Szumlinski, Karen K; Kippin, Tod E

2012-01-01

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive psychomotor stimulant yet the neurobiological consequences of methamphetamine self-administration remain under-characterized. Thus, we employed microdialysis in rats trained to self-administer intravenous (IV) infusions of methamphetamine (METH-SA) or saline (SAL) and a group of rats receiving non-contingent IV infusions of methamphetamine (METH-NC) at 1 or 21 days withdrawal to determine the dopamine and glutamate responses in the nucleus accumbens (NAC) to a 2 mg/kg methamphetamine intraperitoneal challenge. Furthermore, basal NAC extracellular glutamate content was assessed employing no net-flux procedures in these three groups at both time points. At both 1- and 21-day withdrawal points, methamphetamine elicited a rise in extracellular dopamine in SAL animals and this effect was sensitized in METH-NC rats. However, METH-SA animals showed a much greater sensitized dopamine response to the drug challenge compared with the other groups. Additionally, acute methamphetamine decreased extracellular glutamate in both SAL and METH-NC animals at both time-points. In contrast, METH-SA rats exhibited a modest and delayed rise in glutamate at 1-day withdrawal and this rise was sensitized at 21 days withdrawal. Finally, no net-flux microdialysis revealed elevated basal glutamate and increased extraction fraction at both withdrawal time-points in METH-SA rats. Although METH-NC rats exhibited no change in the glutamate extraction fraction, they exhibited a time-dependent elevation in basal glutamate levels. These data illustrate for the first time that a history of methamphetamine self-administration produces enduring changes in NAC neurotransmission and that non-pharmacological factors have a critical role in the expression of these methamphetamine-induced neurochemical adaptations. PMID:22030712

African Postal Heritage : Tanzania 1885-1920s : part I : German East Africa, 1885-1914

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dietz, A.J.

2016-01-01

An earlier version of this African Postal Heritage Paper was published as African Studies Centre Leiden Working Paper 119 / 2015: "A postal history of the First World War in Africa and its aftermath - German colonies; III Deutsch Ostafrika / German East Africa", written by Ton Dietz.

Information related to postal flows and big data analysis potential. The case of Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez Alvaro, O.; Nuñez Gonzalez, A.

2016-07-01

National Post Offices manage huge volumes of letters and parcels. Data associated to these flows are growing fast, with a great variety related to the diversity of postal products. The research described in this paper has classified all information flows of Correos, the Spanish National Post Office. In spite of the complexity of the current postal service portfolio, only four categories of matrices allow the classification of all postal information flows. Thanks to the migration towards new products, analyses with simple techniques will provide more and better information in the future, due to the structured nature of existing databases. (Author)

75 FR 78915 - Conduct on Postal Property

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-17

... lottery ticket sales contains an exception for Randolph-Sheppard vendors. This exception is amended to... tickets ``for any lottery authorized by State law and conducted by an agency of a State''. This amendment... lottery or pool, or the selling or purchasing of lottery tickets, is prohibited on postal premises. In...

28 CFR 540.22 - Special postal services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 540.22 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT...) In the event of loss or damage, any claim relative to this matter is made to the U.S. Postal Service... example, hobbycraft articles mailed out of the institution). Official mail is not insured. If such an item...

78 FR 12108 - New Postal Product; Negotiated Service Agreement

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-21

.... Introduction II. Contents of Filing III. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction On February 13, 2013, the Postal... unredacted amendment under seal. It asserts that the ``supporting financial documentation and financial...

78 FR 22490 - Administrative Practice and Procedure; Postal Service; Review of Price Cap Rules

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-16

...] Administrative Practice and Procedure; Postal Service; Review of Price Cap Rules AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: The Commission is initiating a review of its Price Cap Rules. The... implemented without a price cap calculation. Docket No. R2011-5, Order Approving Market Dominant Price...

Self rating of health is associated with stressful life events, social support and residency in East and West Berlin shortly after the fall of the wall

OpenAIRE

Hillen, T.; Schaub, R.; Hiestermann, A.; Kirschner, W.; Robra, B.

2000-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE—To compare the health status and factors influencing the health of populations that had previously lived under different political systems.
DESIGN—Cross sectional health and social survey using postal interviews. The relation between self reported health and psychosocial factors (stressful life events, social support, education, health promoting life style and health endangering behaviour) was investigated. To determine East-West differences a logistic regression model includi...

A two-phase sampling survey for nonresponse and its paradata to correct nonresponse bias in a health surveillance survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Santin, G; Bénézet, L; Geoffroy-Perez, B; Bouyer, J; Guéguen, A

2017-02-01

The decline in participation rates in surveys, including epidemiological surveillance surveys, has become a real concern since it may increase nonresponse bias. The aim of this study is to estimate the contribution of a complementary survey among a subsample of nonrespondents, and the additional contribution of paradata in correcting for nonresponse bias in an occupational health surveillance survey. In 2010, 10,000 workers were randomly selected and sent a postal questionnaire. Sociodemographic data were available for the whole sample. After data collection of the questionnaires, a complementary survey among a random subsample of 500 nonrespondents was performed using a questionnaire administered by an interviewer. Paradata were collected for the complete subsample of the complementary survey. Nonresponse bias in the initial sample and in the combined samples were assessed using variables from administrative databases available for the whole sample, not subject to differential measurement errors. Corrected prevalences by reweighting technique were estimated by first using the initial survey alone and then the initial and complementary surveys combined, under several assumptions regarding the missing data process. Results were compared by computing relative errors. The response rates of the initial and complementary surveys were 23.6% and 62.6%, respectively. For the initial and the combined surveys, the relative errors decreased after correction for nonresponse on sociodemographic variables. For the combined surveys without paradata, relative errors decreased compared with the initial survey. The contribution of the paradata was weak. When a complex descriptive survey has a low response rate, a short complementary survey among nonrespondents with a protocol which aims to maximize the response rates, is useful. The contribution of sociodemographic variables in correcting for nonresponse bias is important whereas the additional contribution of paradata in

A Validation Study of the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall for Children, 2014 Version, at School Lunch.

Science.gov (United States)

Krehbiel, Caroline F; DuPaul, George J; Hoffman, Jessica A

2017-05-01

Obtaining valid and reliable estimates of usual dietary intake at a reasonable cost is a challenge in school-based nutrition research. The Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall for Children, 2014 version (ASA24 Kids-2014), a self-administered, computerized 24-hour dietary recall, offers improved feasibility over traditional interviewer-administered 24-hour recalls. This mixed-methods study examined ASA24 Kids-2014's validity for measuring dietary intake from National School Lunch Program lunches. After 24% attrition, 96 middle-school students from three urban schools in eastern Pennsylvania participated in the study. A subsample of 27 participants completed qualitative interviews. Data were collected in the spring of 2014. Self-reported ASA24 Kids-2014 data were compared to direct observations of school lunch, which served as the criterion measure. Dependent variables included eight meal components selected from the National School Lunch Program guidelines (fruit, vegetables, grains, protein-rich foods, dairy, oils, solid fats, and added sugars). A supplemental interview collected qualitative data regarding students' perceptions of content and substantive validity. The Wilcoxon signed rank test and Spearman's ρ examined criterion-related validity; qualitative content analysis examined content and substantive validity. Participants inaccurately recalled food items eaten at lunch, as 58% of foods were reported in error. However, among foods recalled correctly, no statistically significant differences emerged for estimates of portions consumed for six meal components (fruit, vegetables, grains, protein-rich foods, oils, and added sugars). In addition, statistically significant positive correlations emerged between ASA24 Kids-2014 and direct observation for all estimates. Qualitative data identified students' interest and motivation, comprehension, memory, and English-language fluency as relevant sources of error. Middle school students have difficulty

Violence and stress at work in the postal sector

OpenAIRE

Giga, Sabir I; Hoel, Helge; Cooper, Cary L

2003-01-01

Reviews literature on the prevalence, causes and consequences of violence and stress within the postal sector and presents examples of good practice and relevant sources of information to guide practitioners and researchers.

Comparison of the WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) osteoarthritis index and a self-report format of the self-administered Lequesne-Algofunctional index in patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Stucki, G; Sangha, O; Stucki, S; Michel, B A; Tyndall, A; Dick, W; Theiler, R

1998-03-01

To compare the metric properties and validity of German versions of the WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) and a self-administered questionnaire-format of the Lequesne-Algofunctional-Index in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the lower extremities. Cross-sectional analysis of the instruments' internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficient alpha) and construct validity (correlation with radiological OA-severity and limitation in range-of-motion) in ambulatory patients and patients before hip arthroplasty. Test-retest reliability was assessed on a subsample after 10 days. Data from 51 patients out of 91 contacted could be analyzed. Twenty-nine patients had knee and 22 patients had hip OA. Both the WOMAC and Lequesne OA-indices and their scales or sections had a satisfactory test-retest reliability (Intraclass correlation coefficient 0.43-0.96). All scales of the WOMAC were internally consistent (Cronbach's coefficient alpha 0.81-0.96) and associated with radiological OA-severity and joint range of motion. However, only the function but not the symptom sections (Cronbach's coefficient alpha knee: 0.55; hip: 0.63) of the self-administered Lequesne OA index were internally consistent for both, patients with knee and hip OA. Also, the symptom components were not or only weakly associated with radiological OA-severity and joint range of motion. Although our results are based on a German version using a self-report format we may caution using the self-administered Lequesne OA index without prior testing of its metric properties and validity.

Relationships among Aspects of Student Alienation and Self Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Tarquin, Kristen; Cook-Cottone, Catherine

2008-01-01

This study investigated the relationships among previous experiences of student alienation and the various aspects of self concept. A total of 351 undergraduate students were administered the Student Alienation and Trauma Survey-Revised (SATS-R) and the Tennessee Self Concept Scale: Second Edition (TSCS:2). Students were asked to report on their…

Attributional Beliefs of Singapore Students: Relations to Self-Construal, Competence and Achievement Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Wenshu; Hogan, David J.; Yeung, Alexander Seeshing; Sheng, Yee Zher; Aye, Khin Maung

2014-01-01

This study investigates attributional beliefs of Singapore secondary students in their English study and how they can be predicted by self-construal, competence and achievement goals. A total of 1,496 students were administered surveys on seven attributions, independent and interdependent self-construals, previous achievement, self-efficacy,…

The anthrax vaccine and research: reactions from postal workers and public health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Sandra Crouse; Thomas, Tammy; Kumar, Supriya

2008-12-01

During the 2001 anthrax attacks, public health agencies faced operational and communication decisions about the use of antibiotic prophylaxis and the anthrax vaccine with affected groups, including postal workers. This communication occurred within an evolving situation with incomplete and uncertain data. Guidelines for prophylactic antibiotics changed several times, contributing to confusion and mistrust. At the end of 60 days of taking antibiotics, people were offered an additional 40 days' supply of antibiotics, with or without the anthrax vaccine, the former constituting an investigational new drug protocol. Using data from interviews and focus groups with 65 postal workers in 3 sites and structured interviews with 16 public health professionals, this article examines the challenges for public health professionals who were responsible for communication with postal workers about the vaccine. Multiple factors affected the response, including a lack of trust, risk perception, disagreement about the recommendation, and the controversy over the military's use of the vaccine. Some postal workers reacted with suspicion to the vaccine offer, believing that they were the subjects of research, and some African American workers specifically drew an analogy to the Tuskegee syphilis study. The consent forms required for the protocol heightened mistrust. Postal workers also had complex and ambivalent responses to additional research on their health. The anthrax attacks present us with an opportunity to understand the challenges of communication in the context of uncertain science and suggest key strategies that may improve communications about vaccines and other drugs authorized for experimental use in future public health emergencies.

A Proven Method for Meeting Export Control Objectives in Postal and Shipping Sectors

Science.gov (United States)

2015-02-01

A Proven Method for Meeting Export Control Objectives in Postal and Shipping Sectors Gregory Crabb, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Julia H...mail fraud, mail theft, identity theft, child exploitation, and prohibited mailings such as bombs and biological and chemical threats...April 2012. http://resources.sei.cmu.edu/library/asset-view.cfm?assetid=10085 [Allen 2014a] Allen, Julia H., Crabb, Gregory; Curtis, Pamela D

77 FR 64148 - Postal Rate and Classification Changes

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-18

.... Priority Mail International. Overall, Priority Mail International (PMI) prices increase by 15.1 percent. The existing price structure of PMI Flat Rate, Retail, Commercial Base, and Commercial Plus price.... Additionally, the Postal Service may offer a promotional discount or rebate on certain PMI items. International...

Psychosocial determinants of self-reported hand hygiene behaviour: a survey comparing physicians and nurses in intensive care units.

Science.gov (United States)

von Lengerke, T; Lutze, B; Graf, K; Krauth, C; Lange, K; Schwadtke, L; Stahmeyer, J; Chaberny, I F

2015-09-01

Research applying psychological behaviour change theories to hand hygiene compliance is scarce, especially for physicians. To identify psychosocial determinants of self-reported hand hygiene behaviour (HHB) of physicians and nurses in intensive care units (ICUs). A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire that applied concepts from the Health Action Process Approach on hygienic hand disinfection was conducted in 10 ICUs and two haematopoietic stem cell transplantation units at Hannover Medical School, Germany. Self-reported compliance was operationalized as always disinfecting one's hands when given tasks associated with risk of infection. Using seven-point Likert scales, behavioural planning, maintenance self-efficacy and action control were assessed as psychological factors, and personnel and material resources, organizational problems and cooperation on the ward were assessed as perceived environmental factors. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed. In total, 307 physicians and 348 nurses participated in this study (response rates 70.9% and 63.4%, respectively). Self-reported compliance did not differ between the groups (72.4% vs 69.4%, P = 0.405). While nurses reported stronger planning, self-efficacy and action control, physicians indicated better personnel resources and cooperation on the ward (P Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antibiotic Self-Medication among Non-Medical University Students in Punjab, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Hassan Gillani

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Antibiotic resistance is a global threat. Scarce knowledge about safe and appropriate antibiotic use is coupled with frequent self-administration, e.g., in China. This repeated self-medication poses potential risk in terms of antibiotic resistance. Low-resource countries are facing an elevated burden of antibiotic self-medication as compared to developed ones. Thus, this study focused on evaluating the pervasiveness of antibiotic self-medication in 3 universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey in three government sector universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The study was carried out with self-administered paper-based questionnaires. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA. Results: Seven hundred twenty-seven students out of 750 (response rate 97% with a mean age ± SD of 23.0 ± 3.4 years agreed to participate in the study. The proportion of females was slightly greater (52% compared with males (48%, and almost one-third of the respondents (36% were in their 2nd year of university. Out of the total, 58.3% practiced self-medication in the preceding six months, and 326 (45% confirmed the use of antibiotics. Metronidazole was the most frequently self-medicated antibiotic (48%. Out of the total, 72% demonstrated awareness regarding the side effects of antibiotics. Diarrhea was the well-known adverse effect (38%. Forty-three percent affirmed having antibiotic resistance knowledge, and 30% knew that the irregular use of antibiotics would lead to increased antibiotic resistance. Conclusion: Despite having ample awareness of the adverse antibiotic reactions, self-medication among the university students was high and antibiotic resistance was a fairly unknown term.

Antibiotic Self-Medication among Non-Medical University Students in Punjab, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillani, Ali Hassan; Ji, Wenjing; Hussain, Waqar; Imran, Ali; Chang, Jie; Yang, Caijun; Fang, Yu

2017-09-29

Background : Antibiotic resistance is a global threat. Scarce knowledge about safe and appropriate antibiotic use is coupled with frequent self-administration, e.g., in China. This repeated self-medication poses potential risk in terms of antibiotic resistance. Low-resource countries are facing an elevated burden of antibiotic self-medication as compared to developed ones. Thus, this study focused on evaluating the pervasiveness of antibiotic self-medication in 3 universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Methods : We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey in three government sector universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The study was carried out with self-administered paper-based questionnaires. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). Results : Seven hundred twenty-seven students out of 750 (response rate 97%) with a mean age ± SD of 23.0 ± 3.4 years agreed to participate in the study. The proportion of females was slightly greater (52%) compared with males (48%), and almost one-third of the respondents (36%) were in their 2nd year of university. Out of the total, 58.3% practiced self-medication in the preceding six months, and 326 (45%) confirmed the use of antibiotics. Metronidazole was the most frequently self-medicated antibiotic (48%). Out of the total, 72% demonstrated awareness regarding the side effects of antibiotics. Diarrhea was the well-known adverse effect (38%). Forty-three percent affirmed having antibiotic resistance knowledge, and 30% knew that the irregular use of antibiotics would lead to increased antibiotic resistance. Conclusion : Despite having ample awareness of the adverse antibiotic reactions, self-medication among the university students was high and antibiotic resistance was a fairly unknown term.

Validity of self-assessment of hallux valgus using the Manchester scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wee Elin

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hallux valgus (HV is a common condition involving the progressive subluxation of the first metatarsophalangeal joint due to lateral deviation of the hallux and medial deviation of the first metatarsal. The objective of this study was to evaluate the re-test reliability and validity of self-assessment of HV using a simple clinical screening tool involving four standardised photographs (the Manchester scale, in order to determine whether this tool could be used for postal surveys of the condition. Methods HV was assessed with the Manchester scale in 138 people aged 65 to 93 years of age (102 women and 36 men as part of a larger randomised controlled trial. At the six month follow-up assessment, HV was reassessed to determine re-test reliability, and participants were asked to self-assess their degree of HV independent of the examiners. Associations between (i baseline and follow-up assessments of the examiners and (ii participant and examiner assessments were performed using weighted kappa statistics. Analyses were then repeated after HV was dichotomised as present or absent using unweighted kappa, and sensitivity and specificity of self-assessment of HV was determined. Results Re-test reliability of the examiners was substantial to almost perfect (weighted kappa = 0.78 to 0.90, and there was a substantial level of agreement between observations of the participants and the examiners (weighted kappa = 0.71 to 0.80. Overall, there was a slight tendency for participants to rate their HV as less severe than the examiners. When the Manchester scale scores were dichotomised, agreement was substantial to almost perfect for both re-test comparisons (kappa = 0.80 to 0.89 and substantial for comparisons between participants and examiners (kappa = 0.64 to 0.76. The sensitivity and specificity of self-assessment of HV using the dichotomous scale were 85 and 88%, respectively. Conclusions The Manchester scale demonstrates high re

A postal history of the First World War in Africa and its aftermath - German colonies : III Deutsch-Sdwestafrika (SWA)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dietz, A.J.

2015-01-01

The 'Great War' had a major impact on Africa and that is visible in the post stamps used in the various postal territories in Africa. This paper discusses the postal offices, postal services, and stamps used in the German colony Deutsch-Sdwestafrika (SWA) during the early twentieth century. For the

Self-Administered Domiciliary tDCS Treatment for Tinnitus: A Double-Blind Sham-Controlled Study.

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Petteri Hyvärinen

Full Text Available Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS has shown potential for providing tinnitus relief, although positive effects have usually been observed only during a short time period after treatment. In recent studies the focus has turned from one-session experiments towards multi-session treatment studies investigating long-term outcomes with double-blinded and sham-controlled study designs. Traditionally, tDCS has been administered in a clinical setting by a healthcare professional but in studies involving multiple treatment sessions, often a trade-off has to be made between sample size and the amount of labor needed to run the trial. Also, as the number of required visits to the clinic increases, the dropout rate is likely to rise proportionally.The aim of the current study was to find out if tDCS treatment for tinnitus could be patient-administered in a domiciliary setting and whether the results would be comparable to those from in-hospital treatment studies. Forty-three patients with chronic (> 6 months tinnitus were involved in the study, and data on 35 out of these patients were included in final analysis. Patients received 20 minutes of left temporal area anodal (LTA or bifrontal tDCS stimulation (2 mA or sham stimulation (0.3 mA for ten consecutive days. An overall reduction in the main outcome measure, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI, was found (mean change -5.0 points, p < 0.05, but there was no significant difference between active and sham treatment outcomes. Patients found the tDCS treatment easy to administer and they all tolerated it well. In conclusion, self-administered domiciliary tDCS treatment for tinnitus was found safe and feasible and gave outcome results similar to recent randomized controlled long-term treatment trials. The results suggest better overall treatment response-as measured by THI-with domiciliary treatment than with in-hospital treatment, but this advantage is not related to the tDCS variant. The study

Informationally administered reward enhances intrinsic motivation in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyeon-Seung; Jang, Seon-Kyeong; Lee, Ga-Young; Park, Seon-Cheol; Medalia, Alice; Choi, Kee-Hong

2017-10-01

Even when individuals with schizophrenia have an intact ability to enjoy rewarding moments, the means to assist them to translate rewarding experiences into goal-directed behaviors is unclear. The present study sought to determine whether informationally administered rewards enhance intrinsic motivation to foster goal-directed behaviors in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) and healthy controls (HCs). Eighty-four participants (SZ=43, HCs=41) were randomly assigned to conditions involving either a performance-contingent reward with an informationally administered reward or a task-contingent reward with no feedback. Participants were asked to play two cognitive games of equalized difficulty. Accuracy, self-reported intrinsic motivation, free-choice intrinsic motivation (i.e., game play during a free-choice observation period), and perceived competency were measured. Intrinsic motivation and perceived competency in the cognitive games were similar between the two participant groups. The informationally administered reward significantly enhanced self-reported intrinsic motivation and perceived competency in both the groups. The likelihood that individuals with schizophrenia would play the game during the free-choice observation period was four times greater in the informationally administered reward condition than that in the no-feedback condition. Our findings suggest that, in the context of cognitive remediation, individuals with schizophrenia would benefit from informationally administered rewards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Atypical Case of Methemoglobinemia due to Self-Administered Benzocaine

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Thomas M. Nappe

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Acquired methemoglobinemia is an uncommon hemoglobinopathy that results from exposure to oxidizing agents, such as chemicals or medications. Although, as reported in the adult population, it happens most often due to prescribed medication or procedural anesthesia and not due to easily accessed over-the-counter medications, the authors will describe an otherwise healthy male adult with no known medical history and no prescribed medications, who presented to the emergency department reporting generalized weakness, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, and pale gray skin. In addition, the patient reported that he also had a severe toothache for several days, which he had been self-treating with an over-the-counter oral benzocaine gel. Ultimately, the diagnosis of methemoglobinemia was made by clinical history, physical examination, and the appearance of chocolate-colored blood and arterial blood gas (ABG with cooximetry. After 2 mg/kg of intravenous methylene blue was administered, the patient had complete resolution of all signs and symptoms. This case illustrates that emergency physicians should be keenly aware of the potential of toxic hemoglobinopathy secondary to over-the-counter, nonprescribed medications. Discussion with patients regarding the dangers of inappropriate use of these medicines is imperative, as such warnings are typically not evident on product labels.

An Atypical Case of Methemoglobinemia due to Self-Administered Benzocaine.

Science.gov (United States)

Nappe, Thomas M; Pacelli, Anthony M; Katz, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Acquired methemoglobinemia is an uncommon hemoglobinopathy that results from exposure to oxidizing agents, such as chemicals or medications. Although, as reported in the adult population, it happens most often due to prescribed medication or procedural anesthesia and not due to easily accessed over-the-counter medications, the authors will describe an otherwise healthy male adult with no known medical history and no prescribed medications, who presented to the emergency department reporting generalized weakness, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, and pale gray skin. In addition, the patient reported that he also had a severe toothache for several days, which he had been self-treating with an over-the-counter oral benzocaine gel. Ultimately, the diagnosis of methemoglobinemia was made by clinical history, physical examination, and the appearance of chocolate-colored blood and arterial blood gas (ABG) with cooximetry. After 2 mg/kg of intravenous methylene blue was administered, the patient had complete resolution of all signs and symptoms. This case illustrates that emergency physicians should be keenly aware of the potential of toxic hemoglobinopathy secondary to over-the-counter, nonprescribed medications. Discussion with patients regarding the dangers of inappropriate use of these medicines is imperative, as such warnings are typically not evident on product labels.

Electronic surveys: how to maximise success.

Science.gov (United States)

McPeake, Joanne; Bateson, Meghan; O'Neill, Anna

2014-01-01

To draw on the researchers' experience of developing and distributing a UK-wide electronic survey. The evolution of electronic surveys in healthcare research will be discussed, as well as simple techniques that can be used to improve response rates for this type of data collection. There is an increasing use of electronic survey methods in healthcare research. However, in recent published research, electronic surveys have had lower response rates than traditional survey methods, such as postal and telephone surveys. This is a methodology paper. Electronic surveys have many advantages over traditional surveys, including a reduction in cost and ease of analysis. Drawbacks to this type of data collection include the potential for selection bias and poorer response rates. However, research teams can use a range of simple strategies to boost response rates. These approaches target the different stages of achieving a complete response: initial attraction through personalisation, engagement by having an easily accessible link to the survey, and transparency of survey length and completion though targeting the correct, and thereby interested, population. The fast, efficient and often 'free' electronic survey has many advantages over the traditional postal data collection method, including ease of analysis for what can be vast amounts of data. However, to capitalise on these benefits, researchers must carefully consider techniques to maximise response rates and minimise selection bias for their target population. Researchers can use a range of strategies to improve responses from electronic surveys, including sending up to three reminders, personalising each email, adding the updated response rate to reminder emails, and stating the average time it would take to complete the survey in the title of the email.

10 x 15. Las tarjetas postales como huellas de las prácticas de los turistas

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Carla Lois

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Las postales han sido objeto de análisis que han puesto el acento en diferentes cuestiones. De manera destacada puede reconocerse una tradición que ha analizado las imágenes que componen las postales para conocer cómo se retratan los destinos turísticos. Otros abordajes han complementado estos análisis señalando la condición de objeto complejo: un objeto que se elige, se adquiere, se escribe, se envía (e incluso se conserva como parte de la experiencia turística. Se ha sugerido que la postal presenta una imagen estandarizada (la que se encuentra en el verso y un espacio para la escritura del turista (en el reverso marcada por la subjetividad. Este artículo busca cuestionar esa supuesta dicotomía entre imagen estereotipada y anónima versus texto subjetivo y personal a partir de una revisión histórica de la postal como objeto (sus modos de uso, sus formatos, sus usuarios y proponer un análisis cualitativo de las postales que entrelace el verso y el reverso como fuente para indagar sobre las prácticas turísticas desde el punto de vista desde el propio turista.

GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors blockade rescues bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of cocaine self-administering rats.

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deBacker, Julian; Hawken, Emily R; Normandeau, Catherine P; Jones, Andrea A; Di Prospero, Cynthia; Mechefske, Elysia; Gardner Gregory, James; Hayton, Scott J; Dumont, Éric C

2015-01-01

Drugs of abuse have detrimental effects on homeostatic synaptic plasticity in the motivational brain network. Bidirectional plasticity at excitatory synapses helps keep neural circuits within a functional range to allow for behavioral flexibility. Therefore, impaired bidirectional plasticity of excitatory synapses may contribute to the behavioral hallmarks of addiction, yet this relationship remains unclear. Here we tracked excitatory synaptic strength in the oval bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (ovBNST) using whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings in brain slices from rats self-administering sucrose or cocaine. In the cocaine group, we measured both a persistent increase in AMPA to NMDA ratio (A:N) and slow decay time of NMDA currents throughout the self-administration period and after withdrawal from cocaine. In contrast, the sucrose group exhibited an early increase in A:N ratios (acquisition) that returned toward baseline values with continued self-administration (maintenance) and after withdrawal. The sucrose rats also displayed a decrease in NMDA current decay time with continued self-administration (maintenance), which normalized after withdrawal. Cocaine self-administering rats exhibited impairment in NMDA-dependent long-term depression (LTD) that could be rescued by GluN2B-containing NMDA receptor blockade. Sucrose self-administering rats demonstrated no impairment in NMDA-dependent LTD. During the maintenance period of self-administration, in vivo (daily intraperitoneally for 5 days) pharmacologic blockade of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors did not reduce lever pressing for cocaine. However, in vivo GluN2B blockade did normalize A:N ratios in cocaine self-administrating rats, and dissociated the magnitude of ovBNST A:N ratios from drug-seeking behavior after protracted withdrawal. Altogether, our data demonstrate when and how bidirectional plasticity at ovBNST excitatory synapses becomes dysfunctional with cocaine self-administration and that NMDA

Training Self-Administered Acupressure Exercise among Postmenopausal Women with Osteoarthritic Knee Pain: A Feasibility Study and Lessons Learned

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Yan Zhang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Osteoarthritis (OA is more prevalent in women, particularly after menopausal age. Women are more likely to seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM approaches. We examined the feasibility of training self-administered acupressure exercise and assessed its impact on OA symptoms among women with knee OA. Methods. Thirty-six eligible postmenopausal women were randomly assigned in the acupressure exercise group (n=15 or the control group (n=21 for 12 weeks. Feasibility outcomes (e.g., compliance and adverse effects and clinical outcomes (e.g., pain, stiffness, and physical function were assessed. Data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Both per-protocol and intention-to-treat analysis were employed. Results. The training materials were well received. The feedback from participants suggests that self-administered acupressure exercise is easy to learn and safe to perform at home, although no statistically significant results of the clinical outcome were observed. Our findings didn’t reveal superiority or inferiority of acupressure compared with usual care. Conclusion. Acupressure exercise is feasible to be trained among postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis. Due to the limitations of this study such as small sample size and high attrition rate, acupressure’s efficacy needs to be further explored in larger scale studies with more rigorous design.

Perceived importance of sustainability and ethics related to fish: a consumer behavior perspective.

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Verbeke, Wim; Vanhonacker, Filiep; Sioen, Isabelle; Van Camp, John; De Henauw, Stefaan

2007-11-01

Although sustainability and ethics are of increasing public importance, little research has been conducted to reveal its association with fish consumer behavior. Cross-sectional data were collected through a postal self-administered survey (June 2005) from a sample of 381 Flemish women aged 20-50 years. Consumers attach high perceived importance to sustainability and ethics related to fish. However, this perceived importance is neither correlated with fish consumption frequency nor with general attitude toward eating fish. Refusing to eat wild fish is grounded in sustainability and ethical concerns, whereas the decision not to eat farmed fish is associated with a lower expected intrinsic quality rather than shaped by importance attached to sustainability and ethical issues.

Relationship Between University Degree Programmes And Self-Employment And Self-Reliance A Survey Of Kenyan Universities

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Lilian Mwebia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The rising cases of unemployment in many countries are a worrying trend. In Kenya despite the rising levels of education many graduates remain unemployed. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between university degree programmes and self-employment. The selection of private and public universities to participate was done by purposive sampling. Stratified sampling was used to select degree programmes under investigation. Simple random sampling was used to pick the participants. Data was collected through administration of self administered questionnaires. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics frequencies percentages and presented in tables. This study found that most universities have degree programmes aimed at ensuring self reliance and self employment among its graduates. However there are dismally low efforts by most universities in holding workshops on self employment and self reliance every semester establishment and support of many mentorship programmes for students by successful entrepreneurs and mainstreaming of self employment and self reliance in the curriculum. This study recommends that the university programmes offered in the country should be monitored to ensure that they instill skills for self employment self reliance and self direction on the part of the learners. This would compel the learning institutions to offer programmes that are more relevant and reduce the menace of unemployment.

University Benefits Survey. Part 1 (All Benefits Excluding Pensions).

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University of Western Ontario, London.

Results of a 1983 survey of benefits, excluding pensions, for 17 Ontario, Canada, universities are presented. Information is provided on the following areas: whether the university self-administers insurance plans, communication of benefits, proposed changes in benefits, provision of life and dismemberment insurance, maternity leave policy,…

An appraisal of the utility or futility of ENT consultant postal questionnaires.

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Ryan, Stephen; Saunders, J; Clarke, E; Fenton, J E

2013-03-01

Despite an increase in ENT postal questionnaires, the quality of their methodology has been questioned (Ramphul et al. in J Laryngol Otol 119:175-178, 1). This retrospective study examined whether quality and utility of such questionnaires published since 2005 has improved. Seventeen consultant postal questionnaires published between 2005 and 2012 were reviewed. Quality of questionnaires was assessed using a 30-point score based on compliance with 15 criteria previously established to evaluate postal questionnaire study-design (Ramphul et al. in J Laryngol Otol 119:175-178, 1). Citation rates were used as an indicator of utility. The specific comments made in each citing paper was reviewed providing information on whether questionnaire findings (a) had an impact on clinical practice, (b) were the citing comments positive, (c) negative or (d) non-specific. Recurrent methodological flaws were identified in all questionnaires. The average score assigned was 44 %, versus 32 % previously reported (Ramphul et al. in J Laryngol Otol 119:175-178, 1) (P questionnaires. Citations were general non-specific referencing with no clear indication that questionnaire findings positively impacted clinical practice. In conclusion, although the quality of ENT postal questionnaire has improved since the original study (Ramphul et al. in J Laryngol Otol 119:175-178, 1), important recurring methodological flaws still exist. The poor utility, based on low citation rates, also reflects the continued deficiencies in design quality. It is recommended that authors of questionnaire-based research should ensure that guidelines for questionnaire design are adhered in order to improve the validity of findings and hence impact on clinical practice.

Personal hygiene among military personnel: developing and testing a self-administered scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Saffari, Mohsen; Koenig, Harold G; Pakpour, Amir H; Sanaeinasab, Hormoz; Jahan, Hojat Rshidi; Sehlo, Mohammad Gamal

2014-03-01

Good personal hygiene (PH) behavior is recommended to prevent contagious diseases, and members of military forces may be at high risk for contracting contagious diseases. The aim of this study was to develop and test a new questionnaire on PH for soldiers. Participants were all male and from different military settings throughout Iran. Using a five-stage guideline, a panel of experts in the Persian language (Farsi) developed a 21-item self-administered questionnaire. Face and content validity of the first-draft items were assessed. The questionnaire was then translated and subsequently back-translated into English, and both the Farsi and English versions were tested in pilot studies. The consistency and stability of the questionnaire were tested using Cronbach's alpha and the test-retest strategy. The final scale was administered to a sample of 502 military personnel. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses evaluated the structure of the scale. Both the convergent and discriminative validity of the scale were also determined. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were >0.85. Principal component analysis demonstrated a uni-dimensional structure that explained 59 % of the variance in PH behaviors. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit (goodness-of-fit index = 0.902; comparative fitness index = 0.923; root mean square error of approximation = 0.0085). The results show that this new PH scale has solid psychometric properties for testing PH behaviors among an Iranian sample of military personnel. We conclude that this scale can be a useful tool for assessing PH behaviors in military personnel. Further research is needed to determine the scale's value in other countries and cultures.

Spaces of homotopy self-equivalences a survey

CERN Document Server

Rutter, John W

1997-01-01

This survey covers groups of homotopy self-equivalence classes of topological spaces, and the homotopy type of spaces of homotopy self-equivalences. For manifolds, the full group of equivalences and the mapping class group are compared, as are the corresponding spaces. Included are methods of calculation, numerous calculations, finite generation results, Whitehead torsion and other areas. Some 330 references are given. The book assumes familiarity with cell complexes, homology and homotopy. Graduate students and established researchers can use it for learning, for reference, and to determine the current state of knowledge.

A RCT evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of academic detailing versus postal prescribing feedback in changing GP antibiotic prescribing.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Naughton, Corina

2009-10-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of academic detailing (AD) plus postal prescribing feedback versus postal prescribing feedback alone in reducing: (i) the overall rate of antibiotic; and (ii) proportion of second-line antibiotic prescribing. In addition, the cost-effectiveness of an outreach prescriber adviser service versus a postal prescribing feedback service was evaluated.

La imagen postal de Guayaquil. De las imágenes regeneradas a las microintenciones de control estético

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Zerega , Tina

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Los estudios de la visualidad han analizado las series de postales en forma individual y en su conjunto, ya que sintetizan intenciones e idealizaciones que pueden considerarse como actos antropológicos. Este artículo presenta un estudio sobre postales de Guayaquil producidas entre 1970 y 2004 y da cuenta del impacto de la regeneración urbana en el imaginario visual urbano actual. Un análisis de contenido y textual de estas postales, así como entrevistas a los fotógrafos que las producen, permitieron descubrir discursividades visuales generadas alrededor de la ciudad de Guayaquil. Las postales y fotógrafos evidencian cómo la mirada se centra en espacios regenerados que materializan intenciones de control social e idealizaciones urbanas y raciales, así como un rechazo hacia lo popular. Asimismo, también se analizan postales que presentan otras miradas-intenciones alternativas a los discursos hegemónicos visuales.

77 FR 20656 - Postal Service Classification and Price Adjustments

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-05

... and Price Adjustments AGENCY: Postal Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is... implement Picture Permit Imprint Indicia as price categories for First-Class Mail and Standard Mail letters and cards pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3622 and 39 CFR 3010.\\1\\ The classification and price adjustment will...

A Model of Academic Self-Concept for High School Hispanic Students in New York

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Calero, Flor R.; Dalley, Christopher; Fernandez, Nicole; Davenport-Dalley, Tania Marie; Morote, Elsa-Sofia; Tatum, Stephanie L.

2014-01-01

This study examined how Hispanic students' academic self-concept influences the independent variables of family academic expectations, peer relationships, schoolwork, and student-teacher relationships. A survey was administered to 222 ninth-grade students in Long Island, New York, 99 of whom self-identified as Hispanic. A structural equation model…

Correction of body-mass index using body-shape perception and socioeconomic status in adolescent self-report surveys.

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Legleye, Stéphane; Beck, François; Spilka, Stanislas; Chau, Nearkasen

2014-01-01

To propose a simple correction of body-mass index (BMI) based on self-reported weight and height (reported BMI) using gender, body shape perception and socioeconomic status in an adolescent population. 341 boys and girls aged 17-18 years were randomly selected from a representative sample of 2165 French adolescents living in Paris surveyed in 2010. After an anonymous self-administered pen-and-paper questionnaire asking for height, weight, body shape perception (feeling too thin, about the right weight or too fat) and socioeconomic status, subjects were measured and weighed. BMI categories were computed according to Cole's cut-offs. Reported BMIs were corrected using linear regressions and ROC analyses and checked with cross-validation and multiple imputations to handle missing values. Agreement between actual and corrected BMI values was estimated with Kappa indexes and Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). On average, BMIs were underreported, especially among girls. Kappa indexes between actual and reported BMI were low, especially for girls: 0.56 95%CI = [0.42-0.70] for boys and 0.45 95%CI = [0.30-0.60] for girls. The regression of reported BMI by gender and body shape perception gave the most balanced results for both genders: the Kappa and ICC obtained were 0.63 95%CI = [0.50-0.76] and 0.67, 95%CI = [0.58-0.74] for boys; 0.65 95%CI = [0.52-0.78] and 0.74, 95%CI = [0.66-0.81] for girls. The regression of reported BMI by gender and socioeconomic status led to similar corrections while the ROC analyses were inaccurate. Using body shape perception, or socioeconomic status and gender is a promising way of correcting BMI in self-administered questionnaires, especially for girls.

Danish obstetricians' personal preference and general attitude to elective cesarean section on maternal request: a nation-wide postal survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergholt, Thomas; Østberg, Birgitte; Legarth, Jesper

2004-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess Danish obstetricians' and gynecologists' personal preference and general attitude towards elective cesarean section on maternal request in uncomplicated single cephalic pregnancies at term. DESIGN: Nation-wide anonymous postal questionnaire. POPULATION: Four hundred and fifty......-five obstetricians and gynecologists identified in the records of the Danish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology from January 2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Personal preference on the mode of delivery and general attitude towards elective cesarean section on maternal request in an uncomplicated single cephalic...... and gynecologists would personally prefer vaginal delivery in uncomplicated pregnancies, but nearly 40% agree with the woman's right to request a cesarean section....

Comparison of Self-Reported Telephone Interviewing and Web-Based Survey Responses: Findings From the Second Australian Young and Well National Survey

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Davenport, Tracey A; Burns, Jane M; Hickie, Ian B

2017-01-01

Background Web-based self-report surveying has increased in popularity, as it can rapidly yield large samples at a low cost. Despite this increase in popularity, in the area of youth mental health, there is a distinct lack of research comparing the results of Web-based self-report surveys with the more traditional and widely accepted computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). Objective The Second Australian Young and Well National Survey 2014 sought to compare differences in respondent response patterns using matched items on CATI versus a Web-based self-report survey. The aim of this study was to examine whether responses varied as a result of item sensitivity, that is, the item’s susceptibility to exaggeration on underreporting and to assess whether certain subgroups demonstrated this effect to a greater extent. Methods A subsample of young people aged 16 to 25 years (N=101), recruited through the Second Australian Young and Well National Survey 2014, completed the identical items on two occasions: via CATI and via Web-based self-report survey. Respondents also rated perceived item sensitivity. Results When comparing CATI with the Web-based self-report survey, a Wilcoxon signed-rank analysis showed that respondents answered 14 of the 42 matched items in a significantly different way. Significant variation in responses (CATI vs Web-based) was more frequent if the item was also rated by the respondents as highly sensitive in nature. Specifically, 63% (5/8) of the high sensitivity items, 43% (3/7) of the neutral sensitivity items, and 0% (0/4) of the low sensitivity items were answered in a significantly different manner by respondents when comparing their matched CATI and Web-based question responses. The items that were perceived as highly sensitive by respondents and demonstrated response variability included the following: sexting activities, body image concerns, experience of diagnosis, and suicidal ideation. For high sensitivity items, a regression

Comparison of Self-Reported Telephone Interviewing and Web-Based Survey Responses: Findings From the Second Australian Young and Well National Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Milton, Alyssa C; Ellis, Louise A; Davenport, Tracey A; Burns, Jane M; Hickie, Ian B

2017-09-26

Web-based self-report surveying has increased in popularity, as it can rapidly yield large samples at a low cost. Despite this increase in popularity, in the area of youth mental health, there is a distinct lack of research comparing the results of Web-based self-report surveys with the more traditional and widely accepted computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The Second Australian Young and Well National Survey 2014 sought to compare differences in respondent response patterns using matched items on CATI versus a Web-based self-report survey. The aim of this study was to examine whether responses varied as a result of item sensitivity, that is, the item's susceptibility to exaggeration on underreporting and to assess whether certain subgroups demonstrated this effect to a greater extent. A subsample of young people aged 16 to 25 years (N=101), recruited through the Second Australian Young and Well National Survey 2014, completed the identical items on two occasions: via CATI and via Web-based self-report survey. Respondents also rated perceived item sensitivity. When comparing CATI with the Web-based self-report survey, a Wilcoxon signed-rank analysis showed that respondents answered 14 of the 42 matched items in a significantly different way. Significant variation in responses (CATI vs Web-based) was more frequent if the item was also rated by the respondents as highly sensitive in nature. Specifically, 63% (5/8) of the high sensitivity items, 43% (3/7) of the neutral sensitivity items, and 0% (0/4) of the low sensitivity items were answered in a significantly different manner by respondents when comparing their matched CATI and Web-based question responses. The items that were perceived as highly sensitive by respondents and demonstrated response variability included the following: sexting activities, body image concerns, experience of diagnosis, and suicidal ideation. For high sensitivity items, a regression analysis showed respondents who were male

39 CFR 111.1 - Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual; incorporated by...

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2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual; incorporated by reference of regulations governing domestic mail services... the approval of the Director of the Federal Register.” In conformity with that provision, and with 39...

POLLUTION PREVENTION OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT - U.S. POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE FORENSIC & TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION - NATIONAL FORENSIC LABORATORY, DULLES, VIRGINIA

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The United States Postal Service (USPS) in cooperation with EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is engaged in an effort to integrate waste prevention and recycling activities into the waste management programs at Postal facilities. This report describes the...

Patients perception of self-administrated medication in the treatment of hereditary angioedema.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Adrian; Fouche, Andrew; Craig, Timothy J

2015-08-01

Early therapy of hereditary angioedema (HAE) decreases morbidity, improves outcomes, decreases absenteeism, and possibly decreases mortality. This can be accomplished best with self-therapy. Previously, the authors examined barriers to self-therapy from the perspective of the nurse and the physician, but data are lacking on what patients perceive as major barriers to self-administered therapy for HAE. To identify those barriers in a prospective fashion by patient interview. After approval from the institutional review board, a telephone survey was performed of patients with HAE from a database of patients who were recently seen in the clinic. The survey focused on anxiety, depression, stress, concerns regarding method of administration, the ability to inject themselves, and what they perceived as barriers to providing self-care. Ninety-two patients were contacted and 59 agreed to participate. With 69% of those patients currently undergoing self-administered treatment, the results showed minimal depression and anxiety, a high satisfaction with treatment, and significant compliance with treatment. Most of those not yet on self-administered therapy wanted to start despite being satisfied with the care received in the emergency department. They also believed care at home would be optimal. The main concern of the 2 groups was not being able to treat themselves in the event of an HAE attack. From these data, it is obvious that most patients are willing to self-treat. This suggests that physicians should encourage self-treatment of HAE to improve outcomes and quality of life of patients with HAE. Copyright © 2015 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gender differences in predictors of self-rated health in Armenia: a population-based study of an economy in transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Demirchyan, Anahit; Petrosyan, Varduhi; Thompson, Michael E

2012-11-14

Self-rated health is a widely used health outcome measure that strongly correlates with physical and mental health status and predicts mortality. This study identified the set of predictors of fair/poor self-rated health in adult female and male populations of Armenia during a period of long-lasting socio-economic transition to a market economy. Differences in self-rated health were analyzed along three dimensions: socioeconomic, behavioral/attitudinal, and psychosocial. The study utilized data from a 2006 nationwide household health survey that used a multi-stage probability proportional to size cluster sampling with a combination of interviewer-administered and self-administered surveys. Both female and male representatives of a household aged 18 and over completed the self-administered survey. Multivariate odds ratios (OR) for fair/poor self-rated health were calculated for different sets of variables and logistic regression models fitted separately for women and men to identify the determinants of fair/poor self-rated health. Overall, 2310 women and 462 men participated in the survey. The rate of fair/poor self-rated health was 61.8% among women and 59.7% among men. For women, the set of independent predictors of fair/poor self-rated health included age, unemployment, poverty, low affordability of healthcare, depression, and weak social support. For men, the set included age, lower education, depression, weak social support, and drinking alcohol less than once a week. For both genders, depression and weak social support demonstrated the strongest independent association with fair/poor self-rated health. The prevalence of fair/poor self-rated health was similar among men and women in this study, but the sets of independent predictors of perceived health differed somewhat, possibly, reflecting lifestyle differences between men and women in Armenia. Nevertheless, psychosocial variables were the strongest predictors of fair/poor self-rated health for both genders

Gender differences in predictors of self-rated health in Armenia: a population-based study of an economy in transition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demirchyan Anahit

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Self-rated health is a widely used health outcome measure that strongly correlates with physical and mental health status and predicts mortality. This study identified the set of predictors of fair/poor self-rated health in adult female and male populations of Armenia during a period of long-lasting socio-economic transition to a market economy. Methods Differences in self-rated health were analyzed along three dimensions: socioeconomic, behavioral/attitudinal, and psychosocial. The study utilized data from a 2006 nationwide household health survey that used a multi-stage probability proportional to size cluster sampling with a combination of interviewer-administered and self-administered surveys. Both female and male representatives of a household aged 18 and over completed the self-administered survey. Multivariate odds ratios (OR for fair/poor self-rated health were calculated for different sets of variables and logistic regression models fitted separately for women and men to identify the determinants of fair/poor self-rated health. Results Overall, 2310 women and 462 men participated in the survey. The rate of fair/poor self-rated health was 61.8% among women and 59.7% among men. For women, the set of independent predictors of fair/poor self-rated health included age, unemployment, poverty, low affordability of healthcare, depression, and weak social support. For men, the set included age, lower education, depression, weak social support, and drinking alcohol less than once a week. For both genders, depression and weak social support demonstrated the strongest independent association with fair/poor self-rated health. Conclusions The prevalence of fair/poor self-rated health was similar among men and women in this study, but the sets of independent predictors of perceived health differed somewhat, possibly, reflecting lifestyle differences between men and women in Armenia. Nevertheless, psychosocial variables were the

Morocco : Spanish postal administration after 1912 and Morocco during the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dietz, A.J.

2017-01-01

An earlier version of (parts of) APH 5 was published as African Studies Centre Leiden Working Paper 125 / 2016: "A postal history of the First World War in Africa and its aftermath - German colonies/postal areas : V Morocco", written by Ton Dietz.

Survey of radiological safety in dental practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gill, J R [UKAEA Health and Safety Branch, London; Hudson, A P

1977-01-01

A pilot survey of radiological protection in dental practice in Great Britain has been requested by the Health and Safety Executive and is now in progress. The survey should provide more precise data on the use of X-ray equipment. There are approximately 13,000 dentists in Great Britain using X-ray apparatus, and some 600 of these have been selected, on a statistical basis, to be invited to make use of a postal survey over a six month period. The postal survey technique to be used has already been developed as a service following requests from individual dentists. The dentist receives a questionnaire and three initial films to test the timer, then two special cassettes incorporating film and filters. Film badges are worn over a 12 week period by the dentist and by any staff who assist in radiography. Follow-up visits to discuss the survey will be made to one in ten of the selected dentists. The results will give the individual dentists, without cost, assurance of the efficient functioning of their equipment, and advice, should any remedial measures be necessary. Concurrently, the resulting statistics will give an indication of how many, if any, practices fall short of the recommendations of the Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons against Ionizing Radiations arising from Medical and Dental Use. Further action in respect of the Health and Safety at Work Act will be determined in the light of the survey.

Acurácia de informações sobre classes de medicamentos obtidas com questionário postal aplicado a idosos - Rio de Janeiro, RJ Accuracy of drug class information obtained from a postal questionnaire to elderly respondents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Estrella L. Vasconcelos

2009-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: verificar a confiabilidade e a validade das informações sobre medicamentos obtidas em questionário postal, respondido por idosos, sendo a entrevista face a face o padrão-ouro. MÉTODOS: estudo seccional (Perfil de Utilização de Medicamentos por Aposentados Brasileiros, onde foram utilizadas duas abordagens (postal e domiciliar para coleta de informações de aposentados pelo Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS com sessenta anos de idade ou mais. Foram utilizadas também as estatísticas kappa (simples (k, ajustado (PABAK e ponderado, índices de correlação intra-classe, indicadores de sensibilidade e especificidade, e o gráfico de Luiz et al. RESULTADOS: 234 idosos (M = 42%; F = 58% responderam às duas abordagens (média = 71,7 anos. A concordância entre postal e entrevista domiciliar foi excelente (k = 0,94 para hipoglicemiantes; muito boa (k = 0,83-0,82 para inibidores da enzima conversora de angiotensina e anti-hipertensivos; boa (k = 0,71 para diuréticos; e razoável (k = 0,47 para antiinflamatórios não esteróides. A concordância foi boa (k = 0,61 para o número total de medicamentos usados. A validade da abordagem postal foi elevada, às vezes total, para os fármacos empregados no tratamento do diabetes (sensibilidade e especificidade = 100%, seguidos dos anti-hipertensivos. Os menores valores obtidos foram para antiinflamatórios não esteróides (sensibilidade = 64%; especificidade = 88%. CONCLUSÃO: a abordagem postal pode ser usada para se obter informações acuradas sobre classes de medicamentos usados por população com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, considerando idosos com perfil social semelhante ao dos beneficiários do INSS.OBJECTIVES: to determine the reproducibility and validity of information on medication obtained in a postal questionnaire, with face-to-face interviews providing the gold standard. METHODS: cross-sectional study (Perfil de Utilização de Medicamentos por Aposentados

78 FR 51678 - Market Tests of Experimental Postal Products

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-21

... Gift Cards market test on April 28, 2011.\\11\\ The market test enabled customers to purchase a gift card... United States Postal Service for Temporary Extension of Gift Cards Market Test, June 18, 2013; Docket No... authorized the market test to proceed subject to the condition that the sale of gift cards be limited to...

The prevalence of self-reported deliberate self harm in Irish adolescents.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Morey, Carolyn

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Deliberate self harm is major public health problem, in particular among young people. Although several studies have addressed the prevalence of deliberate self harm among young people in the community, little is known about the extent to which deliberate self harm comes to the attention of medical services, the self harm methods used and the underlying motives. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of deliberate self harm in adolescents and the methods, motives and help seeking behaviour associated with this behaviour. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey using an anonymous self-report questionnaire was administered in 39 schools in the Southern area of the Health Service Executive, Ireland. Of the 4,583 adolescents aged 15-17 years who were invited to participate in the survey, 3,881 adolescents took part (response: 85%). RESULTS: A lifetime history of DSH was reported by 9.1% (n = 333) of the adolescents. DSH was more common among females (13.9%) than males (4.3%). Self cutting (66.0%) and overdose (35.2%) were the most common DSH methods. A minority of participants accessed medical services after engaging in DSH (15.3%). CONCLUSION: DSH is a significant problem in Irish adolescents and the vast majority do not come to the attention of health services. Innovative solutions for prevention and intervention are required to tackle DSH in adolescents.

An internet-based self-administered intervention for promoting healthy habits and weight loss in hypertensive people who are overweight or obese: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Banos, Rosa M; Mensorio, Marinna S; Cebolla, Ausias; Rodilla, Enrique; Palomar, Gonzalo; Lisón, JuanFrancisco; Botella, Cristina

2015-08-04

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the rise worldwide with severe physical and psychosocial consequences. One of the most dangerous is hypertension. Lifestyle changes related to eating behaviour and physical activity are the critical components in the prevention and treatment of hypertension and obesity. Data indicates that the usual procedures to promote these healthy habits in health services are either insufficient or not efficient enough. Internet has been shown to be an effective tool for the implementation of lifestyle interventions based on this type of problem. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a totally self-administered online intervention programme versus the usual medical care for obese and overweight participants with hypertension (from the Spanish public health care system) to promote healthy lifestyles (eating behaviour and physical activity). A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 100 patients recruited from the hypertension unit of a public hospital. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a) SII: a self-administered Internet-based intervention protocol; and b) MUC-medical usual care. The online intervention is an Internet-delivered, multimedia, interactive, self-administered programme, composed of nine modules designed to promote healthy eating habits and increase physical activity. The first five modules will be activated at a rate of one per week, and access for modules 5 to 9 will open every two weeks. Patients will be assessed at four points: before the intervention, after the intervention (3 months), and at 6 and 12 months (follow-up). The outcome variables will include blood pressure, and Body Mass Index, as primary outcome measures, and quality of life and other lifestyle and anthropometrical variables as secondary outcome measures. The literature highlights the need for more studies on the benefits of using the Internet to promote lifestyle interventions. This study aims to

Big game hunting practices, meanings, motivations and constraints: a survey of Oregon big game hunters

Science.gov (United States)

Suresh K. Shrestha; Robert C. Burns

2012-01-01

We conducted a self-administered mail survey in September 2009 with randomly selected Oregon hunters who had purchased big game hunting licenses/tags for the 2008 hunting season. Survey questions explored hunting practices, the meanings of and motivations for big game hunting, the constraints to big game hunting participation, and the effects of age, years of hunting...

Using a Calendar and Explanatory Instructions to Aid Within-Household Selection in Mail Surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Stange, Mathew; Smyth, Jolene D.; Olson, Kristen

2016-01-01

Although researchers can easily select probability samples of addresses using the U.S. Postal Service's Delivery Sequence File, randomly selecting respondents within households for surveys remains challenging. Researchers often place within-household selection instructions, such as the next or last birthday methods, in survey cover letters to…

Consumer Ethical Decision Making: Intensity, Self-Consciousness and Neutralization Techniques

OpenAIRE

Syed Afzal Moshadi Shah; Shehla Amjad

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of moral intensity on self-conscious emotions and neutralization techniques in the context of ethical decision making among consumers. A sample of 388 shopping mall retail consumers was recruited through self-administered survey technique. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, correlation was carried out in SPSS whereas the measurement model and structural relationships were estimated using AMOS. Results indicate ...

Presenteeism among self-employed workers: Korean working conditions survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Min-Su; Park, Jae Bum; Min, Kyoung-Bok; Lee, Kyung-Jong; Kwon, Kimin

2014-01-01

Presenteeism has become a public concern recently. Thus, we aimed to understand the relationship between self-employed workers and presenteeism using a nationally representative sample of Korean workers. Using data from the Korean Working Conditions Survey conducted in 2011, a total of 43,392 workers including paid employees and self-employed workers were analyzed. The effect of employment status on presenteeism was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The independent variables were socioeconomic characteristics, working conditions, and working environments. Among the 43,392 workers, 34,783 were paid and 8,609 were self-employed. Self-employed workers were more likely to exhibit presenteeism than were paid workers. An elevated odds ratio of 1.27 (95% CI 1.19-1.36) was found for presenteeism among self-employed workers. Being self-employed was significantly related with exhibiting presenteeism. Additional research should investigate whether other factors mediate the relationship between employment status and presenteeism as well as ways to reduce presenteeism among self-employed workers.

Assessing the validity of a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in the adult population of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The Food- Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) is a dietary assessment tool frequently used in large-scale nutritional epidemiology studies. The goal of the present study is to validate a self-administered version of the Hawaii FFQ modified for use in the general adult population of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Methods Over a one year period, 195 randomly selected adults completed four 24-hour dietary recalls (24-HDRs) by telephone and one subsequent self-administered FFQ. Estimates of energy and nutrients derived from the 24-HDRs and FFQs were compared (protein, carbohydrate, fibre, fat, vitamin A, carotene, vitamin D, and calcium). Data were analyzed using the Pearson’s correlation coefficients, cross-classification method, and Bland–Altman plots. Results The mean nutrient intake values of the 24-HDRs were lower than those of the FFQs, except for protein in men. Sex and energy-adjusted de-attenuated Pearson correlation coefficients for each nutrient varied from 0.13 to 0.61. Except for protein in men, all correlations were statistically significant with p food consumption in the general adult population of NL. This tool can be used to classify individual energy and nutrient intakes into quartiles, which is useful in examining relationships between diet and chronic disease. PMID:23590645

Influence of intravenous self-administered psychomotor stimulants on performance of rhesus monkeys in a multiple schedule paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmeister, F

1980-01-01

Rhesus monkeys were trained to complete three multiple schedules. The schedules consisted of three components: a fixed interval (component 1), a variable interval (component 2), and a fixed ratio (component 3). During components 1 and 2, pressing lever 1 was always reinforced by food delivery. During component 3, pressing lever 2 resulted in either food delivery or intravenous infusions of saline solution, solutions of cocaine, of d-amphetamine, of phenmetrazine, or fenetylline. In schedule I, animals were presented with all three components independent of key-pressing behavior during components 1 and 2. In schedule II the availability of component 2 was dependent on completion of component 1. Component 3 was made available only on completion of component 2. Noncompletion of components 1 or 2 resulted in time-out of 15 and 10 min, respectively. Schedule III was identical with schedule II, except that in schedule III the completion of components was indicated only by a change in the lever lights. The influence of self-administered drugs on behavior in all three components was evaluated. Self-administration of psychomotor stimulants impaired the performance of animals and delayed completion of components 1 and 2 of schedules I, II, and III. The effects on behavior were similar with low drug intake in schedule III, moderate intake in schedule II, and high drug intake in schedule I. These effects were strong with self-administration of phenmetrazine, moderate with self-administration of cocaine and d-amphetamine, and weak with self-administration of fenetylline.

Women in dentistry in South Africa: a survey of their experiences and opinions.

Science.gov (United States)

Naidoo, S

2005-08-01

Women form an increasingly important part of the dentally trained workforce in South Africa. However, little is known about the professional issues and work-related problems affecting women dentists. A postal survey was undertaken of registered female dental practitioners in the country, with the aim to document their experiences. The survey (i) ascertained their current pattern of work, (ii) identified factors influencing their work patterns and (iii) identified factors that would help women remain in the profession or re-enter it more easily after an absence. A self-administered 50-item questionnaire containing open and closed-ended questions was used. Questions related to professional status, working patterns, practice ownership, postgraduate qualifications and career satisfaction. Nine hundred and sixty questionnaires were sent out and 280 were returned (29% response rate). Although a significant majority were currently practicing (96%), about 20% were employed or worked part-time and 7 reported that they were not in practice at the time of the survey for various reasons including maternity leave, ill-health, retirement or that they were now working outside the dental field. Major factors identified in this study were the women's dual responsibility at home and at work. Few women find themselves in specialist practice, although 68% indicated that they would liked to have specialised. Home responsibilities and inflexible working conditions were commonly reported difficulties experienced with further studies. In addition, the lack of part-time training and the geographical location of training facilities also played a role. Women dentists need more flexible working schedules and conditions of employment. Part-time training and part-time career options should be extended. Retraining and refresher courses for Women dentists who have had a break in their careers should be available to enable them to return sooner and more easily to practice. Tertiary training dental

ANALYSIS AND PERSPECTIVES OF PRIVATE POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES IN ROMANIA DURING 2009-2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silviu Dorin GEORGESCU

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Services occupy an important role in a country’s economic development. At present, services sector is under a continuous change and diversification, for this reason theoretical and practical approaches are both difficult and controversial. Services have complex forms of manifestation, being involved in all compartments of economic and social life; have a heterogeneous character (Criveanu, 2009, p.13. The evaluation and measurement of postal services sector through some indicators, such as: the population occupied in this sector and its change in time; internal and international traffic of mail; degree of employees’ burden. The development of postal and courier sector during the period preceding 2009 was influenced by external factors such as the growth of the GDP, the development of niche segments, the ascending trend being a normal consequence of the evolution of the entire national economy. Although the field of postal services has felt the evolution of national economy and the effects of the economic crisis, the strategies adopted by private companies in this sector have demonstrated the necessity of knowing the market, its evolutions and perspectives. The present paper aims at analyzing the evolution of postal and courier services in Romania during 2009-2012, a period marked by the profound economic crisis which affected Romania and the European Union, as well as the perspectives regarding the number of employees in this sector within private companies in Romania during 2013-2015 using statistical methods to forecast the employed population in private companies in this sector.

Danish obstetricians' personal preference and general attitude to elective cesarean section on maternal request: a nation-wide postal survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergholt, Thomas; Østberg, Birgitte; Legarth, Jesper

2004-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess Danish obstetricians' and gynecologists' personal preference and general attitude towards elective cesarean section on maternal request in uncomplicated single cephalic pregnancies at term. DESIGN: Nation-wide anonymous postal questionnaire. POPULATION: Four hundred and fifty......-five obstetricians and gynecologists identified in the records of the Danish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology from January 2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Personal preference on the mode of delivery and general attitude towards elective cesarean section on maternal request in an uncomplicated single cephalic...... indication. Obstetricians and gynecologists who had experienced a noninstrumental vaginal delivery themselves or practiced as a private gynecologist only, were less likely to agree with the woman's right to elective cesarean section on maternal request. CONCLUSION: The vast majority of Danish obstetricians...

Community Practice Implementation of a Self-administered Version of PREMM1,2,6 to Assess Risk for Lynch Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Luba, Daniel G; DiSario, James A; Rock, Colleen; Saraiya, Devki; Moyes, Kelsey; Brown, Krystal; Rushton, Kristen; Ogara, Maydeen M; Raphael, Mona; Zimmerman, Dayna; Garrido, Kimmie; Silguero, Evelyn; Nelson, Jonathan; Yurgelun, Matthew B; Kastrinos, Fay; Wenstrup, Richard J; Syngal, Sapna

2018-01-01

Lynch syndrome is a genetic disorder that greatly increases risk for colorectal and other cancers, although it is underdiagnosed. Prediction of MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6 (PREMM 1,2,6 ) is a web-based tool that analyzes individuals' personal/family histories of cancer to quantify their likelihood of carrying a germline mutation associated with Lynch syndrome. We investigated the feasibility of systematic risk assessment for Lynch syndrome in a community gastroenterology practice using a patient-completed version of PREMM 1,2,6 . PREMM 1,2,6 was adapted into a computer tablet version designed for self-administration by patients. Individuals presenting to a community gastroenterology office and endoscopy facility in California completed the PREMM 1,2,6 assessment before their visit (n = 3134). The total study duration (8 months) comprised a 2-month initiation period (May 1-June 30, 2013) and a 6-month study period (July 1-December 31, 2013). Genetic counseling and germline analysis for mutations in genes associated with Lynch syndrome (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and EPCAM) were offered to individuals with PREMM 1,2,6 scores of 5% or higher. Patients and providers completed surveys to evaluate the feasibility and satisfaction with the process. Of the 3134 individuals assessed by PREMM 1,2,6 during the 6-month study period, 177 individuals (5.6%) had scores of 5% or higher. Of these, 146 individuals underwent genetic testing, along with 28 additional participants recruited nonconsecutively during the initiation period. Mutations associated with Lynch syndrome were detected in 3 of the 146 individuals (2.1%) with PREMM 1,2,6 scores of 5% or higher who underwent germline testing, and 3 of the 28 patients (10.7%) recruited during study initiation with PREMM 1,2,6 scores of 5% or higher. Of the participants who underwent genetic analysis, 98.6% stated that they understood the information provided to them. All of the surveyed providers stated that they were satisfied with the

Public reaction to the natural radiation survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, L [National Radiological Protection Board, Harwell (UK)

1983-11-01

A natural radiation survey of a cross-section of homes in the UK has been under way for over a year. Members of the public are contacted by post by the NRPB and asked whether they would be willing to have dosemeters in their homes for 12 months. To date the survey has elicited approximately 50% positive response for over a year which is encouragingly high compared to response rates of postal surveys in general. The survey has attracted notable media attention; in the main the tenor of the stories has been accurate and informative and only a handful could be described as sensational.

Correistas, estafetas y líneas postales en Antioquia entre 1859 y 1919

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo Adolfo Hernandez Rojas

2016-06-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo es uno de los resultados del proceso de investigación que se llevó a cabo en la tesis de Maestría en Historia: “El sistema de correos en Antioquia 1859-1919”. Este producto, titulado “Correistas, estafetas y líneas postales en Antioquia entre 1859 y 1919”, es una reconstrucción de carácter histórico, donde se plasmó la estructura de la institución y el funcionamiento del ramo postal de la época en el territorio antioqueño. En él, se aborda la dinámica institucional, su distribución y cobertura a través de las líneas  establecidas y las demás técnicas administrativas de control que se implementaron para su operatividad en Antioquia. El presente artículo títulado “Correistas, estafetas y líneas postales en Antioquia entre 1859 y 1919”, es una reconstrucción de carácter histórico, que trata sobre el funcionamiento y la estructura del Ramo Postal de la época, en el territorio antioqueño. En él, se aborda la dinámica institucional, su distribución y cobertura a través de las líneas establecidas y las técnicas administrativas de control que se implementaron para su operatividad. Así, las estafetas, los empleados, las líneas, los tipos de correos y los itinerarios de circulación, sonelementos que evidencian el accionar del correo como institución y servicio.

Diagnostic evaluation of dementia in general practice in Denmark. A national survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Waldorff, Frans Boch; Møller, S

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine GPs' self-reported basic diagnostic evaluation of dementia according to the recommendations in multidisciplinary consensus guidelines and to analyse explanatory factors for GP performance. DESIGN: Postal questionnaire study, spring 1998. SETTING: General practice in Denmark...

Use of the Liverpool Elbow Score as a postal questionnaire for the assessment of outcome after total elbow arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashmore, Alexander M; Gozzard, Charles; Blewitt, Neil

2007-01-01

The Liverpool Elbow Score (LES) is a newly developed, validated elbow-specific score. It consists of a patient-answered questionnaire (PAQ) and a clinical assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the PAQ portion of the LES could be used independently as a postal questionnaire for the assessment of outcome after total elbow arthroplasty and to correlate the LES and the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS). A series of 51 total elbow replacements were reviewed by postal questionnaire. Patients then attended the clinic for assessment by use of both the LES and the MEPS. There was an excellent response rate to the postal questionnaire (98%), and 44 elbows were available for clinical review. Good correlation was shown between the LES and the MEPS (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.84; P PAQ portion of the LES and the MEPS (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.76; P PAQ component and the MEPS, suggesting that outcome assessment is possible by postal questionnaire.

Offering self-administered oral HIV testing to truck drivers in Kenya to increase testing: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelvin, Elizabeth A; George, Gavin; Mwai, Eva; Nyaga, Eston; Mantell, Joanne E; Romo, Matthew L; Odhiambo, Jacob O; Starbuck, Lila; Govender, Kaymarlin

2018-01-01

We conducted a randomized controlled trial among 305 truck drivers from two North Star Alliance roadside wellness clinics in Kenya to see if offering HIV testing choices would increase HIV testing uptake. Participants were randomized to be offered (1) a provider-administered rapid blood (finger-prick) HIV test (i.e., standard of care [SOC]) or (2) a Choice between SOC or a self-administered oral rapid HIV test with provider supervision in the clinic. Participants in the Choice arm who refused HIV testing in the clinic were offered a test kit for home use with phone-based posttest counseling. We compared HIV test uptake using the Mantel Haenszel odds ratio (OR) adjusting for clinic. Those in the Choice arm had higher odds of HIV test uptake than those in the SOC arm (OR = 1.5), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.189). When adding the option to take an HIV test kit for home use, the Choice arm had significantly greater odds of testing uptake (OR = 2.8, p = 0.002). Of those in the Choice arm who tested, 26.9% selected the SOC test, 64.6% chose supervised self-testing in the clinic, and 8.5% took a test kit for home use. Participants varied in the HIV test they selected when given choices. Importantly, when participants who refused HIV testing in the clinic were offered a test kit for home use, an additional 8.5% tested. Offering truck drivers a variety of HIV testing choices may increase HIV testing uptake in this key population.

Short assessment of the Big Five: robust across survey methods except telephone interviewing

OpenAIRE

Lang, Frieder R.; John, Dennis; Lüdtke, Oliver; Schupp, Jürgen; Wagner, Gert G.

2011-01-01

We examined measurement invariance and age-related robustness of a short 15-item Big Five Inventory (BFI–S) of personality dimensions, which is well suited for applications in large-scale multidisciplinary surveys. The BFI–S was assessed in three different interviewing conditions: computer-assisted or paper-assisted face-to-face interviewing, computer-assisted telephone interviewing, and a self-administered questionnaire. Randomized probability samples from a large-scale German panel survey a...

Care during the third stage of labour: A postal survey of UK midwives and obstetricians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tuffnell Derek

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are two approaches to care during the third stage of labour: Active management includes three components: administration of a prophylactic uterotonic drug, cord clamping and controlled cord traction. For physiological care, intervention occurs only if there is clinical need. Evidence to guide care during the third stage is limited and there is variation in recommendations which may contribute to differences in practice. This paper describes current UK practice during the third stage of labour. Methods A postal survey of 2230 fellows and members of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG and 2400 members of the Royal College of Midwives was undertaken. Respondents were asked about care during the third stage of labour, for vaginal and caesarean births and their views on the need for more evidence to guide care in the third stage. The data were analysed in Excel and presented as descriptive statistics. Results 1189 (53% fellows and members of the RCOG and 1702 (71% midwives responded, of whom 926 (78% and 1297 (76% respectively had conducted or supervised births in the last year. 93% (863/926 of obstetricians and 73% (942/1297 of midwives report 'always or usually' using active management. 66% (611/926 of obstetricians and 33% (430/1297 of midwives give the uterotonic drug with delivery of the anterior shoulder; this was intramuscular Syntometrine® for 79% (728/926 and 86% (1118/1293 respectively. For term births, 74% (682/926 of obstetricians and 41% (526/1297 of midwives clamp the cord within 20 seconds, as do 57% (523/926 and 55% (707/1297 for preterm births. Controlled cord traction was used by 94% of both obstetricians and midwives. For caesarean births, intravenous oxytocin was the uterotonic used by 90% (837/926 of obstetricians; 79% (726/926 clamp the cord within 20 seconds for term births as do 63% (576/926 for preterm births. Physiological management was used 'always or usually' by 2% (21

Telephone versus face-to-face interviewing for household drug use surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Aquilino, W S

1992-01-01

This research investigated the use of telephone versus face-to-face interviewing to gather data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs. Telephone and personal drug use surveys of the 18-34 year-old household population were conducted in the state of New Jersey in 1986-1987. Survey modes were compared in terms of unit and item nonresponse rates, sample coverage, and levels of self-reported drug use. Results showed that the telephone survey achieved response rates lower than the personal survey, but comparable to telephone surveys of less threatening topics. Item nonresponse to sensitive drug questions was lower by phone than with the self-administered answer sheets in the personal mode. The exclusion of households without telephones in the telephone survey is a potential source of bias, and may lead to underestimation of alcohol and drug use for minority populations. After controlling for telephone status, the telephone survey furnished significantly lower drug use estimates on several indicators than the personal survey, with the largest mode differences found for Blacks.

Healthcare professionals' attitudes, knowledge and self-efficacy levels regarding the use of self-hypnosis in childbirth: A prospective questionnaire survey.

Science.gov (United States)

McAllister, Sophie; Coxon, Kirstie; Murrells, T; Sandall, J

2017-04-01

to examine healthcare professionals' attitudes, knowledge and levels of self-efficacy regarding the use of self-hypnosis in childbirth. a prospective survey. two large maternity units in London, England. healthcare professionals (n=129) involved in the care of childbearing women (anaesthetists, midwives and obstetricians). online questionnaire assessing healthcare professionals' experience, knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy relating to self-hypnosis in childbirth. attitude, self-efficacy and knowledge. over half of the participants surveyed (56%) reported they had minimal or no knowledge of hypnosis. Higher levels of knowledge were associated with higher levels of self-efficacy (phypnosis than doctors, and more exposure was significantly associated with higher levels of self-efficacy (midwives phypnosis in their own or partners' births had significantly higher self-efficacy scores (phypnosis in childbirth, they need to be confident in their ability to facilitate this method. Previous research has established that self-efficacy is a strong indicator of performance. Professionals with more knowledge of self-hypnosis are also more confident in supporting women using this technique in childbirth. Multi-disciplinary staff training which aims to increase knowledge, and which includes exposure to hypnosis in labour, may be beneficial in assisting staff to support women choosing to use self-hypnosis in labour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does self-selection affect samples' representativeness in online surveys? An investigation in online video game research.

Science.gov (United States)

Khazaal, Yasser; van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-07-07

The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players' virtual characters (avatars). All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars' characteristics were defined using various games' scores, reported on the WoW's official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted.

Satisfaction and self-estimated performance in relation to indoor environmental parameters and building features

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wargocki, Pawel; Frontczak, Monika; Schiavon, Stefano

2012-01-01

The paper examines how satisfaction with indoor environmental parameters and building features affects satisfaction and self-estimated job performance. The analyses used subjective responses from around 50, 000 occupants collected mainly in US office buildings using a web-based survey administered...

Design, implementation, and demographic differences of HEAL: a self-report health care leadership instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Kelly R; McManigle, John E; Wildman-Tobriner, Benjamin M; Little Jones, Amy; Dekker, Travis J; Little, Barrett A; Doty, Joseph P; Taylor, Dean C

2016-01-01

The medical community has recognized the importance of leadership skills among its members. While numerous leadership assessment tools exist at present, few are specifically tailored to the unique health care environment. The study team designed a 24-item survey (Healthcare Evaluation & Assessment of Leadership [HEAL]) to measure leadership competency based on the core competencies and core principles of the Duke Healthcare Leadership Model. A novel digital platform was created for use on handheld devices to facilitate its distribution and completion. This pilot phase involved 126 health care professionals self-assessing their leadership abilities. The study aimed to determine both the content validity of the survey and the feasibility of its implementation and use. The digital platform for survey implementation was easy to complete, and there were no technical problems with survey use or data collection. With regard to reliability, initial survey results revealed that each core leadership tenet met or exceeded the reliability cutoff of 0.7. In self-assessment of leadership, women scored themselves higher than men in questions related to patient centeredness ( P =0.016). When stratified by age, younger providers rated themselves lower with regard to emotional intelligence and integrity. There were no differences in self-assessment when stratified by medical specialty. While only a pilot study, initial data suggest that HEAL is a reliable and easy-to-administer survey for health care leadership assessment. Differences in responses by sex and age with respect to patient centeredness, integrity, and emotional intelligence raise questions about how providers view themselves amid complex medical teams. As the survey is refined and further administered, HEAL will be used not only as a self-assessment tool but also in "360" evaluation formats.

Work-family conflicts and self-rated health among middle-aged municipal employees in Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Torsten; Roos, Eva; Rahkonen, Ossi; Martikainen, Pekka; Lahelma, Eero

2006-01-01

Work-family conflicts are common, but their effects on health are not well known. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between work-family conflicts and self-rated health among middle-aged municipal employees. In addition, the effect of social background factors on the association between work-family conflicts and self-rated health were examined. The data were based on cross-sectional postal surveys, which were carried out in 2001 and 2002, among female and male employees of the city of Helsinki, Finland. The participants were aged 40-60, and the response rate for women was 69%, and for men 60%. In the final analysis, 3,443 women and 875 men were included. For men and woman alike, work-to-family and family-to-work conflicts were associated with poor self-rated health. The association remained after adjusting for sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors. This study shows that a better balance between family life and work outside the home would probably have a health promoting effect.

Statistical Analysis of the Worker Engagement Survey Administered at the Worker Safety and Security Team Festival

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, Adam Christopher [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-08-25

The Worker Safety and Security Team (WSST) at Los Alamos National Laboratory holds an annual festival, WSST-fest, to engage workers and inform them about safety- and securityrelated matters. As part of the 2015 WSST-fest, workers were given the opportunity to participate in a survey assessing their engagement in their organizations and work environments. A total of 789 workers participated in the 23-question survey where they were also invited, optionally, to identify themselves, their organization, and to give open-ended feedback. The survey consisted of 23 positive statements (i.e. “My organization is a good place to work.”) with which the respondent could express a level of agreement. The text of these statements are provided in Table 1. The level of agreement corresponds to a 5-level Likert scale ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.” In addition to assessing the overall positivity or negativity of the scores, the results were partitioned into several cohorts based on the response meta-data (self-identification, comments, etc.) to explore trends. Survey respondents were presented with the options to identify themselves, their organizations and to provide comments. These options suggested the following questions about the data set.

[Three types of self-esteem: its characteristic differences of contingency and contentment of sources of self-esteem].

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Masaya; Kawasaki, Naoki; Kodama, Masahiro

2011-02-01

Previous research and theory (Crocker & Wolfe, 2001; Kernis, 2003) suggests that adaptive self-esteem stems from just being oneself, and is characterized by a sense of authenticity (SOA). Maladaptive self-esteem is derived from meeting external standards and social comparisons, and is characterized by a sense of superiority (SOS). Thus, the qualitative difference between SOA and SOS depends on the sources of self-esteem. We hypothesized that SOA is related to internal sources of self-esteem, while SOS is related to external sources. In order to control for covariance, global self-esteem was also examined in a questionnaire survey of self-esteem that was administered to 273 university students. The results of a partial correlation analysis showed that SOA was positively correlated with internal sources of self-esteem such as committed activities and efforts for self-development. In contrast, SOS was positively correlated with external sources of self-esteem such as approval from others and appearance. These results mainly support our hypotheses.

Determinants of self-rated health in women: a population-based study in Armavir Marz, Armenia, 2001 & 2004

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thompson Michael E

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The former soviet Republic of Armenia entered a turbulent and long-lasting economic transition when it declared its independence in 1991. This analysis sought to identify the determinants of poor self-rated health as an indirect measure of health status and mortality prognosis in an adult female population during a period of socio-economic transition in Armenia. Methods Differences in self-rated health in women respondents were analyzed along three main dimensions: social, behavioral/attitudinal, and psychological. The data used were generated from cross-sectional household health surveys conducted in Armavir marz in 2001 and 2004. The surveys utilized the same instruments and study design (probability proportional to size, multistage cluster sampling with a combination of interviewer-administered and self-administered surveys and generated two independent samples of households representative of Armavir marz. Binary logistic regression models with self-rated health as the outcome were fitted to the 2001 and 2004 datasets and a combined 2001/2004 dataset. Results Overall, 2 038 women aged 18 and over participated in the two surveys (1 019 in each. The rate of perceived "poor" health was relatively high in both surveys: 38.1% in 2001 and 27.0% in 2004. The sets of independent predictors of poor self-rated health were similar in all three models and included severe and moderate material deprivation, probable and possible depression, low level of education, and having ever smoked. These predictors mediated the effect of women's economic activity (including unemployment, ethnicity, low access to/utilization of healthcare services, and living alone on self-rated health. Conclusion Material deprivation was the most influential predictor of self-rated health. Thus, social reforms to decrease the gap between the rich and poor are recommended as a powerful tool for reducing health inequalities and improving the health status of the

78 FR 16464 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request: National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-15

.... Historically, the Census Bureau has conducted the FHWAR by computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI...-screener survey by paper questionnaire or by Internet for the purpose of collecting a household roster... panels. The first panel will receive a letter and a self-administered paper pre-screener questionnaire...

Self-medication with antibiotics in a Swedish general population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Svensson, E; Haaijer-Ruskamp, FM; Lundborg, CS

To assess the extent of antibiotic self-medication in a Swedish population, a postal questionnaire was distributed to 1000 randomly selected subjects. The antibiotics used were in all but 3 cases reported to have been obtained with a prescription. Thus, prescribers are the primary target for

Measuring children's self-reported sport participation, risk perception and injury history: development and validation of a survey instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Siesmaa, Emma J; Blitvich, Jennifer D; White, Peta E; Finch, Caroline F

2011-01-01

Despite the health benefits associated with children's sport participation, the occurrence of injury in this context is common. The extent to which sport injuries impact children's ongoing involvement in sport is largely unknown. Surveys have been shown to be useful for collecting children's injury and sport participation data; however, there are currently no published instruments which investigate the impact of injury on children's sport participation. This study describes the processes undertaken to assess the validity of two survey instruments for collecting self-reported information about child cricket and netball related participation, injury history and injury risk perceptions, as well as the reliability of the cricket-specific version. Face and content validity were assessed through expert feedback from primary and secondary level teachers and from representatives of peak sporting bodies for cricket and netball. Test-retest reliability was measured using a sample of 59 child cricketers who completed the survey on two occasions, 3-4 weeks apart. Based on expert feedback relating to face and content validity, modification and/or deletion of some survey items was undertaken. Survey items with low test-retest reliability (κ≤0.40) were modified or deleted, items with moderate reliability (κ=0.41-0.60) were modified slightly and items with higher reliability (κ≥0.61) were retained, with some undergoing minor modifications. This is the first survey of its kind which has been successfully administered to cricketers aged 10-16 years to collect information about injury risk perceptions and intentions for continued sport participation. Implications for its generalisation to other child sport participants are discussed. Copyright © 2010 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International survey of self-reported medicine use among adolescents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ebba H; Holstein, Bjørn E; Due, Pernille

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine gender, age, and country variations in adolescents' self-reported medicine use. DESIGN: Cross-sectional school surveys of representative samples of 11- to 15-year-old girls and boys were used. The 1997/1998 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study was referenced. A sta...

Multiple Surveys of Students and Survey Fatigue

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Stephen R.; Whitcomb, Michael E.; Weitzer, William H.

2004-01-01

This chapter reviews the literature on survey fatigue and summarizes a research project that indicates that administering multiple surveys in one academic year can significantly suppress response rates in later surveys. (Contains 4 tables.)

Survey Methods, Traditional, Public Opinion Polling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elmelund-Præstekær, Christian; Hopmann, David Nicolas; Pedersen, Rasmus Tue

2017-01-01

Traditional public opinion polls are surveys in which a random sample of a given population is asked questions about their attitudes, knowledge, or behavior. If conducted properly, the answers from such surveys are approximately representative of the entire population. Traditional public opinion...... polling is typically based on four different methods of data gathering, or combinations hereof: face-to-face, postal surveys, phone surveys, and web surveys. Given that opinion polls are based on a sample, we cannot be sure that the sample reflects public opinion perfectly, however—even if randomness...... is perfect. Moreover, responses may be highly dependent on the contextual information provided with the question. Also, it may be difficult to capture past or complex causes of attitudes or behavior. In short, surveys are a precise way of measuring public opinion, but they do not come without challenges....

Guide to the design and application of online questionnaire surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Regmi, Pramod R; Waithaka, Elizabeth; Paudyal, Anjana; Simkhada, Padam; van Teijlingen, Edwin

2016-12-01

Collecting research data through traditional approaches (face-to-face, postal or telephone survey) can be costly and time consuming. The emerging data collection approach based on internet/e-based technologies (e.g. online platforms and email), is a relatively cost effective survey alternative. These novel data collection strategies can collect large amounts of data from participants in a short time frame. Similarly, they also seem to be feasible and effective in collecting data on sensitive issues or with samples they are generally hard to reach, for example, men who have sex with men (MSM) or migrants. As a significant proportion of the population currently in the world are digitally connected, the shift from postal (paper-pencil) or telephone towards online survey use in research is in the interests of researchers in academia as well as in the commercial world. However, compared to designing and executing paper version of the questionnaire, there is limited literature to help a starting researcher with the design and a use of online questionnaires. This short paper highlights issues around: a) methodological aspect of online questionnaire survey; b) online survey planning and management; and c) ethical concerns that may arise while using this option. We believe that this paper will be useful for researchers who want to gain knowledge or apply this approach in their research.

How accurate is our misinformation? A randomized comparison of four survey interview methods to measure risk behavior among young adults in the Dominican Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sigrid Vivo

Full Text Available Objective: To identify the most effective survey interview method for measuring risk behavior among young adults in the Dominican Republic. Methods: 1200 young adults were randomized to one of four different survey interview methods: two interviewer-assisted methods [face-to-face interview (FTFI, and computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI], and two self-administered methods [self-administered interview (SAI, and audio computer-assisted, self-administered interview (ACASI]. Youth were asked about a wide range of youth-specific risk behaviors, including violence, substance use, as well as sexual and reproductive health. Quality of data collected was examined by looking at how the survey was administered, including identifying two sources of errors that typically threaten data quality11 This study assumes that bias does not change with sample size. In order to increase the sample size, the data collection period was extended, leaving everything else unchanged. It is, therefore, assumed that the decreasing effects of the learning curve are negligible.: (i errors at the individual level with regards to survey methodology performance and cognitive difficulties [measured with the Response Consistency Index (RCI]; and (ii errors at the aggregate level (how desirability bias, interviewer gender, and interview privacy settings affect responses. Results: No statistically significant differences in participant non-response rates were found at the individual level across all survey interview methods. At the individual question level, self-completion methods generated higher non-response and error rates than assisted methods. The SAI method showed the poorest performance of all four methods in terms of non-response rate (1.6%22 Percentage of data with non-response values at the question level. and RCI (83.0%.At the aggregate level, the prevalence of several key risk indicators was statistically significant between methods. Using means-adjustment for

Does Self-Selection Affect Samples’ Representativeness in Online Surveys? An Investigation in Online Video Game Research

Science.gov (United States)

van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-01-01

Background The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Objective Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players’ virtual characters (avatars). Methods All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars’ characteristics were defined using various games’ scores, reported on the WoW’s official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. Results We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Conclusions Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted. PMID:25001007

Meal patterns and cooking practices in Southern France and Central England

OpenAIRE

Pettinger, C.; Holdsworth, Michelle; Gerber, M.

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate whether meal patterns and cooking practices in Central England and Mediterranean France conform to popular stereotypes, eating together as a household, preparation of meals, food purchasing patterns, cooking practices and eating out were investigated. Design: Cross-sectional studies conducted simultaneously in April 2001 using self-administered postal questionnaires. Setting: England (Nottingham, East Midlands) and France (Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon). Subjects: A...

Liberlizacija poštnih storitev ter njihovo financiranje v prihodnosti = Liberalisation of Postal Services and Their Financing in the Future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matjaz Andric

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This article analyses the issues in the process of the EU postal services market liberalisation, which is in the final stage of its legal basis drafting process. The acceptance of the legal basis by competent EU institutions will largely define the postal services market liberalisation method, which is to be carried out by all EU Member States in a given period of time. For the final step of the liberalisation the authors (eu expert bodies of the legal basis draft proposal have managed to maintain a relatively high standard of universal postal services (delivery every working day and at least five days a week for EU addresses, and short delivery times and in addition to these also foreseen various financing methods. The latter are based on solutions taken from other sectors where the liberalisation process has been recently concluded and where a sector is also subject to the universal service obligation. Even though those financing models are more or less effective in other sectors, they have been subject to many concerns in a public debate on changes in postal sector. The key concerns relate to the foreseen mechanisms of universal service financing, the regulation of access to the public postal network, and the financing of the public postal network maintenance as well as development. The best way to overcome partially unproductive public debates on the issue is to start making factual and precise estimates of the effect of changes presented in this article by applying simplified financing mechanisms of the universal service. These mechanisms will need the input of specific data which will take into the account all relevant traits of every single EU Member State.

A survey of non-accidental injury imaging in England, Scotland and Wales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, S L.J.; Halliday, K; Somers, J; Broderick, N

2003-09-01

AIM: To identify the potential national variation in non-accidental injury (NAI) imaging in England, Scotland and Wales. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A postal survey was sent to 323 hospitals with both paediatric and radiology departments. These were identified by a search through the Medical Directory. RESULTS: One hundred and thirteen of 323 postal questionnaires were returned within the study period (35%). Sixteen were excluded from the study because either no NAI imaging was performed at that institution or an incorrect address had been used. The total number of completed questionnaires was 97 (30%). Extensive variation was seen in all aspects of NAI imaging including imaging techniques used, total case numbers, follow-up imaging and those who report the NAI imaging. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently no national protocol that incorporates all aspects of NAI imaging in England, Scotland and Wales. Extensive variation in practice has been shown by this survey. Further standardization of NAI imaging practice is required. The draft BSPR skeletal survey guidelines and routine neurological imaging is recommended.

Characteristics of service users and provider organisations associated with experience of out of hours general practitioner care in England: population based cross sectional postal questionnaire survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Fiona C; Abel, Gary; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Elliott, Marc N; Richards, Suzanne; Barry, Heather E; Roland, Martin; Campbell, John L

2015-04-29

To investigate the experience of users of out of hours general practitioner services in England, UK. Population based cross sectional postal questionnaire survey. General Practice Patient Survey 2012-13. Potential associations between sociodemographic factors (including ethnicity and ability to take time away from work during working hours to attend a healthcare consultation) and provider organisation type (not for profit, NHS, or commercial) and service users' experience of out of hours care (timeliness, confidence and trust in the out of hours clinician, and overall experience of the service), rated on a scale of 0-100. Which sociodemographic/provider characteristics were associated with service users' experience, the extent to which any observed differences could be because of clustering of service users of a particular sociodemographic group within poorer scoring providers, and the extent to which observed differences in experience varied across types of provider. The overall response rate was 35%; 971,232/2,750,000 patients returned surveys. Data from 902,170 individual service users were mapped through their registered practice to one of 86 providers of out of hours GP care with known organisation type. Commercial providers of out of hours GP care were associated with poorer reports of overall experience of care, with a mean difference of -3.13 (95% confidence interval -4.96 to -1.30) compared with not for profit providers. Asian service users reported lower scores for all three experience outcomes than white service users (mean difference for overall experience of care -3.62, -4.36 to -2.89), as did service users who were unable to take time away from work compared with service users who did not work (mean difference for overall experience of care -4.73, -5.29 to -4.17). Commercial providers of out of hours GP care were associated with poorer experience of care. Targeted interventions aimed at improving experience for patients from ethnic minorities and

Morocco : postes chérifiennes of the Sultan of Morocco, 1892-1911 and Moroccan private and consular postal services, 1892-1901

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dietz, A.J.

2017-01-01

An earlier version of (parts of) APH 5 was published as African Studies Centre Leiden Working Paper 125 / 2016: "A postal history of the First World War in Africa and its aftermath - German colonies/postal areas : V Morocco", written by Ton Dietz.

Danish obstetricians' personal preference and general attitude to elective cesarean section on maternal request: a nation-wide postal survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergholt, Thomas; Østberg, Birgitte; Legarth, Jesper

2004-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess Danish obstetricians' and gynecologists' personal preference and general attitude towards elective cesarean section on maternal request in uncomplicated single cephalic pregnancies at term. DESIGN: Nation-wide anonymous postal questionnaire. POPULATION: Four hundred and fifty......-five obstetricians and gynecologists identified in the records of the Danish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology from January 2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Personal preference on the mode of delivery and general attitude towards elective cesarean section on maternal request in an uncomplicated single cephalic...... pregnancies at term. RESULTS: Of Danish specialists in obstetrics and gynecology, 1.1% would prefer an elective cesarean section in an uncomplicated pregnancy at 37 weeks of gestation with fetal weight estimation of 3.0 kg. This rose to 22.5% when the fetal weight estimation was 4.5 kg at 37 weeks. The main...

Exploring Online Students' Self-Regulated Learning with Self-Reported Surveys and Log Files: A Data Mining Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Moon-Heum; Yoo, Jin Soung

2017-01-01

Many researchers who are interested in studying students' online self-regulated learning (SRL) have heavily relied on self-reported surveys. Data mining is an alternative technique that can be used to discover students' SRL patterns from large data logs saved on a course management system. The purpose of this study was to identify students' online…

A simple, semi-prescriptive self-assessment model for TQM.

Science.gov (United States)

Warwood, Stephen; Antony, Jiju

2003-01-01

This article presents a simple, semi-prescriptive self-assessment model for use in industry as part of a continuous improvement program such as Total Quality Management (TQM). The process by which the model was constructed started with a review of the available literature in order to research TQM success factors. Next, postal surveys were conducted by sending questionnaires to the winning organisations of the Baldrige and European Quality Awards and to a preselected group of enterprising UK organisations. From the analysis of this data, the self-assessment model was constructed to help organisations in their quest for excellence. This work confirmed the findings from the literature, that there are key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of TQM and these have different levels of importance. These key factors, in order of importance, are: effective leadership, the impact of other quality-related programs, measurement systems, organisational culture, education and training, the use of teams, efficient communications, active empowerment of the workforce, and a systems infrastructure to support the business and customer-focused processes. This analysis, in turn, enabled the design of a self-assessment model that can be applied within any business setting. Further work should include the testing and review of this model to ascertain its suitability and effectiveness within industry today.

Self-administered outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy: a report of three years experience in the Irish healthcare setting.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kieran, J

2012-02-01

Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) was first reported in 1972. OPAT programmes are not well established in Ireland, with no reported outcomes in the literature. An OPAT programme was established at St. James Hospital in 2006. Demographics, diagnoses and outcomes of the first 60 courses are reported. A retrospective analysis of prospectively recorded data was performed on patients treated from March 2006 to February 2009. The data was analysed using SPSS v.17. Sixty OPAT courses were administered to 56 patients, 57 percent of which were male. The median age was 50 years, the median inpatient stay was 19 days, the median duration of OPAT was 16 days and 1,289 inpatient bed days were saved. The additional cost per day of OPAT was 167.60 euros. Vancomycin was the most prescribed antimicrobial, administered to 35%. Musculoskeletal infection was the indication for treatment in 50%. Confirmatory microbiological diagnosis was identified in 72%, most frequently due to Staphylococcus aureus (68%). Only minor adverse events were recorded. Clinical cure was achieved in 92.8%. A patient satisfaction survey showed high satisfaction. OPAT is a safe and effective way of providing parenteral antibiotic therapy in the Irish healthcare system. Better integration of funding and the appointment of Infectious Diseases specialists will facilitate its expansion.

UK nuclear medicine survey, 1989/90

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, A.T.; Shields, R.A.

1993-01-01

A postal survey of UK nuclear medicine departments was carried out to obtain information on activity during the year 1989/90. A rise of 14% in the number of administrations of radiopharmaceuticals was found compared to 1982: a rise of 22% in imaging studies was offset by a 30% decrease in the number of nonimaging investigations. The estimated total number of administrations in the UK was 430 000. (author)

78 FR 52694 - Price Cap Rules for Certain Postal Rate Adjustments

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-26

... Service outlined the basic concept that eventually formed the basis of Sec. 3010.23(d).\\20\\ The Postal... Establishing a System of Ratemaking, January 30, 2007 (Order No. 2). \\20\\ Docket No. RM2007-1, Reply Comments.... RM2007-1, Second Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Regulations Establishing a System of Ratemaking...

Training needs in adolescent medicine of practising doctors: a Swiss national survey of six disciplines.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraus, Barbara; Stronski, Susanne; Michaud, Pierre-André

2003-08-01

To assess and compare the training needs in adolescent medicine of doctors within 6 specialties as a basis for the development of pre/postgraduate and continuing medical education (CME) training curricula. Cross-sectional postal survey. Switzerland. National, representative, random sample of 1857 practising doctors in 6 disciplines (general practitioners, paediatricians, gynaecologists, internists, psychiatrists, child psychiatrists) registered with the Swiss Medical Association. Perceived importance of and training interest in 35 topics related to adolescent medicine listed in a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire. A total of 1367 questionnaires were returned, representing a response rate of 73.9%. Clear interest in adolescent medicine was reported by 62.1% of respondents. Topics perceived to be the most important in everyday practice were functional symptoms (71.4%), acne (67.1%), obesity (64.6%), depression-anxiety (68.1%) and communication with adolescents (61.7%). Differences between disciplines were especially marked for gynaecologists, who expressed interest almost exclusively in medical topics specific to their field. In contrast, other disciplines commonly reported a keen interest in psychosocial problems. Accordingly, interest in further training was expressed mostly for functional symptoms (62.4%), eating disorders (56.3%), depression-anxiety (53.7%) and obesity (52.6%). Issues related to injury prevention, chronic disease and confidentiality were rated as low priorities. Regardless of discipline, Swiss primary care doctors expressed a strong interest in adolescent medicine. Continuing medical education courses should include both interdisciplinary courses and discipline-specific sessions. Further training should address epidemiological and legal/ethical issues (e.g. injury prevention, confidentiality, impact of chronic conditions).

Self-administered versus interview-based questionnaires among patients with intermittent claudication: Do they give different results? A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lozano, Francisco; Lobos, José María; March, José Ramón; Carrasco, Eduardo; Barros, Marcello Barbosa; González-Porras, José Ramón

2016-01-01

Many clinical investigations use generic and/or specific questionnaires to obtain information about participants and patients. There is disagreement about whether the administration method can affect the results. The aim here was to determine whether, among patients with intermittent claudication (IC), there are differences in the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) and European Quality of Life-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) scores with regard to: 1) the questionnaire administration method (self-administration versus face-to-face interview); and 2) the type of interviewer (vascular surgeon, VS, versus general practitioner, GP). Cross-sectional observational multicenter epidemiological study carried out within the Spanish National Health Service. 1,641 evaluable patients with IC firstly completed the WIQ and EQ-5D questionnaires and then were interviewed by their doctor on the same day. Pearson correlations and Chi-square tests were used. There was a strong correlation (r > 0.800; P questionnaires, and between the VS and GP groups. Likewise, there was a high level of concordance (P > 0.05) between the different dimensions of the WIQ-distance and EQ-5D (self-administration versus face-to-face) in the VS and GP groups. There was no difference between the different methods of administering the WIQ and EQ-5D questionnaires, among the patients with IC. Similarly, the two types of interviewers (VS or GP) were equally valid. Therefore, it seems unnecessary to expend effort to administer these questionnaires by interview, in studies on IC.

Does packaging with a calendar feature improve adherence to self-administered medication for long-term use? A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zedler, Barbara K; Kakad, Priyanka; Colilla, Susan; Murrelle, Lenn; Shah, Nirav R

2011-01-01

The therapeutic benefit of self-administered medications for long-term use is limited by an average 50% nonadherence rate. Patient forgetfulness is a common factor in unintentional nonadherence. Unit-of-use packaging that incorporates a simple day-and-date feature (calendar packaging) is designed to improve adherence by prompting patients to maintain the prescribed dosing schedule. To review systematically, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, randomized controlled trial evidence of the adherence benefits and harms of calendar blister packaging (CBP) and calendar pill organizers (CPO) for self-administered, long-term medication use. Data sources included the MEDLINE and Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases from their inception to September 2010 and communication with researchers in the field. Key search terms included blister-calendar pack, blister pack, drug packaging, medication adherence, medication compliance, medication compliance devices, medication containers, medication organizers, multicompartment compliance aid, persistence, pill-box organizers, prescription refill, randomized controlled trials, and refill compliance. Selected studies had an English-language title; a randomized controlled design; medication packaged in CBP or CPO; a requirement of solid, oral medication self-administered daily for longer than 1 month in community-dwelling adults; and at least 1 quantitative outcome measure of adherence. Two reviewers extracted data independently on study design, sample size, type of intervention and control, and outcomes. Ten trials with a total of 1045 subjects met the inclusion criteria, and 9 also examined clinical outcomes (seizures, blood pressure, psychiatric symptoms) or health care resource utilization. Substantial heterogeneity among trials precluded meta-analysis. In 3 studies, calendar packaging was part of a multicomponent adherence intervention. Six of 10 trials

The Effects of Halo Assembly Bias on Self-Calibration in Galaxy Cluster Surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Hao-Yi; Rozo, Eduardo; Wechsler, Risa H.

2008-08-07

Self-calibration techniques for analyzing galaxy cluster counts utilize the abundance and the clustering amplitude of dark matter halos. These properties simultaneously constrain cosmological parameters and the cluster observable-mass relation. It was recently discovered that the clustering amplitude of halos depends not only on the halo mass, but also on various secondary variables, such as the halo formation time and the concentration; these dependences are collectively termed 'assembly bias'. Applying modified Fisher matrix formalism, we explore whether these secondary variables have a significant impact on the study of dark energy properties using the self-calibration technique in current (SDSS) and the near future (DES, SPT, and LSST) cluster surveys. The impact of the secondary dependence is determined by (1) the scatter in the observable-mass relation and (2) the correlation between observable and secondary variables. We find that for optical surveys, the secondary dependence does not significantly influence an SDSS-like survey; however, it may affect a DES-like survey (given the high scatter currently expected from optical clusters) and an LSST-like survey (even for low scatter values and low correlations). For an SZ survey such as SPT, the impact of secondary dependence is insignificant if the scatter is 20% or lower but can be enhanced by the potential high scatter values introduced by a highly-correlated background. Accurate modeling of the assembly bias is necessary for cluster self-calibration in the era of precision cosmology.

Impact of self-administered relaxation and guided imagery techniques during final trimester and birth.

Science.gov (United States)

Gedde-Dahl, Merete; Fors, Egil A

2012-02-01

The objective of this study was to test if and how self-administered practice of relaxation techniques, positive affirmation and guided imagery, in the final part of pregnancy had an impact on giving birth. Further to see if the use of a simple method, a CD with a booklet, with no previous training or specific support of the participants (neither required nor delivered), affected the birth experience. Outcome measures were monitored both during and after delivery: During delivery, pain and anxiety were measured at different stages of birth. Post-delivery Wellbeing (Edmonton Scale 0-10, where 10 is the worst possible feeling of Wellbeing), pain, anxiety, Apgar score, duration of birth, complications and anesthesia/analgesic were recorded. Those in the CD-intervention group also reported how many times they had practiced the techniques. The study employed a randomized controlled trial. Results show that the CD-intervention group had a significantly better score on total Wellbeing, as measured by the ESAS (0-10) Edmonton Scale. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surveying Teens in School to Assess the Prevalence of Problematic Drug Use

Science.gov (United States)

Falck, Russel S.; Nahhas, Ramzi W.; Li, Linna; Carlson, Robert G.

2012-01-01

Background: Illicit drug use by school-aged teens can adversely affect their health and academic achievement. This study used a survey administered in schools to assess the prevalence of problematic drug use among teenagers in a Midwestern community. Methods: Self-report data were collected from 11th- and 12th-grade students (N = 3974) in 16…

Assessing medication adherence in inflammatory bowel diseases. A comparison between a self-administered scale and a pharmacy refill index.

Science.gov (United States)

de Castro, María Luisa; Sanromán, Luciano; Martín, Alicia; Figueira, Montserrat; Martínez, Noemi; Hernández, Vicent; Del Campo, Victor; Pineda, Juan R; Martínez-Cadilla, Jesús; Pereira, Santos; Rodríguez Prada, José Ignacio

2017-08-01

Medication non-adherence in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a negative impact on disease outcome. Different tools have been proposed to assess non-adherence. We aimed to compare a self-administered scale and a pharmacy refill index as a reliable measure of medication adherence and to determine what factors are related to adherence. Consecutive non-active IBD outpatients were asked to fill in the self-reported Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and the Beliefs about Medication Questionnaire (BMQ). Pharmacy refill data were reviewed from the previous three or six months and the medication possession ratio (MPR) was calculated. Non-adherence was defined as MMAS-8 scores harm of medication were significantly associated with MPR non-adherence (p = 0.01). The accuracy of MMAS-8 to identify medication non-adherence in inactive IBD outpatients in our setting is poor due to a low specificity and a negative predictive value. Psychosocial factors such as beliefs about medication seem to be related to IBD non-adherence.

Short assessment of the Big Five: robust across survey methods except telephone interviewing.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Frieder R; John, Dennis; Lüdtke, Oliver; Schupp, Jürgen; Wagner, Gert G

2011-06-01

We examined measurement invariance and age-related robustness of a short 15-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-S) of personality dimensions, which is well suited for applications in large-scale multidisciplinary surveys. The BFI-S was assessed in three different interviewing conditions: computer-assisted or paper-assisted face-to-face interviewing, computer-assisted telephone interviewing, and a self-administered questionnaire. Randomized probability samples from a large-scale German panel survey and a related probability telephone study were used in order to test method effects on self-report measures of personality characteristics across early, middle, and late adulthood. Exploratory structural equation modeling was used in order to test for measurement invariance of the five-factor model of personality trait domains across different assessment methods. For the short inventory, findings suggest strong robustness of self-report measures of personality dimensions among young and middle-aged adults. In old age, telephone interviewing was associated with greater distortions in reliable personality assessment. It is concluded that the greater mental workload of telephone interviewing limits the reliability of self-report personality assessment. Face-to-face surveys and self-administrated questionnaire completion are clearly better suited than phone surveys when personality traits in age-heterogeneous samples are assessed.

What parents of children who have received emergency care think about deferring consent in randomised trials of emergency treatments: postal survey.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carrol Gamble

Full Text Available To investigate parents' views about deferred consent to inform management of trial disclosure after a child's death.A postal questionnaire survey was sent to members of the Meningitis Research Foundation UK charity, whose child had suffered from bacterial meningitis or meningococcal septicaemia within the previous 5 years. Main outcome measures were acceptability of deferred consent; timing of requesting consent; and the management of disclosure of the trial after a child's death.220 families were sent questionnaires of whom 63 (29% were bereaved. 68 families responded (31%, of whom 19 (28% were bereaved. The majority (67% was willing for their child to be involved in the trial without the trial being explained to them beforehand; 70% wanted to be informed about the trial as soon as their child's condition had stabilised. In the event of a child's death before the trial could be discussed the majority of bereaved parents (66% 12/18 anticipated wanting to be told about the trial at some time. This compared with 37% (18/49 of non-bereaved families (p = 0.06. Parents' free text responses indicated that the word 'trial' held strongly negative connotations. A few parents regarded gaps in the evidence base about emergency treatments as indicating staff lacked expertise to care for a critically ill child. Bereaved parents' free text responses indicated the importance of individualised management of disclosure about a trial following a child's death.Deferred consent is acceptable to the majority of respondents. Parents whose children had recovered differed in their views compared to bereaved parents. Most bereaved parents would want to be informed about the trial in the aftermath of a child's death, although a minority strongly opposed such disclosure. Distinction should be drawn between the views of bereaved and non-bereaved parents when considering the acceptability of different consent processes.

Gambling addiction in primary care: a survey of general practitioners ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We set out to study GPs' understanding of gambling addiction, their experiences of, and confidence in, managing these patients in primary care, their perceived role and feasibility, their views on funding gambling treatment services, etc. To this end, we carried out a postal questionnaire survey of all GPs (N=136) in Solihull, ...

Evaluation of web-based, self-administered, graphical food frequency questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Kristal, Alan R; Kolar, Ann S; Fisher, James L; Plascak, Jesse J; Stumbo, Phyllis J; Weiss, Rick; Paskett, Electra D

2014-04-01

Computer-administered food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) can address limitations inherent in paper questionnaires by allowing very complex skip patterns, portion size estimation based on food pictures, and real-time error checking. We evaluated a web-based FFQ, the Graphical Food Frequency System (GraFFS). Participants completed the GraFFS, six telephone-administered 24-hour dietary recalls over the next 12 weeks, followed by a second GraFFS. Participants were 40 men and 34 women, aged 18 to 69 years, living in the Columbus, OH, area. Intakes of energy, macronutrients, and 17 micronutrients/food components were estimated from the GraFFS and the mean of all recalls. Bias (second GraFFS minus recalls) was -9%, -5%, +4%, and -4% for energy and percentages of energy from fat, carbohydrate, and protein, respectively. De-attenuated, energy-adjusted correlations (intermethod reliability) between the recalls and the second GraFFS for fat, carbohydrate, protein, and alcohol were 0.82, 0.79, 0.67, and 0.90, respectively; for micronutrients/food components the median was 0.61 and ranged from 0.40 for zinc to 0.92 for beta carotene. The correlations between the two administrations of the GraFFS (test-retest reliability) for fat, carbohydrate, protein, and alcohol were 0.60, 0.63, 0.73, and 0.87, respectively; among micronutrients/food components the median was 0.67 and ranged from 0.49 for vitamin B-12 to 0.82 for fiber. The measurement characteristics of the GraFFS were at least as good as those reported for most paper FFQs, and its high intermethod reliability suggests that further development of computer-administered FFQs is warranted. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

39 CFR 3050.21 - Content of the Postal Service's section 3652 report.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... competitive advantage for the Postal Service or any mailer. (i) For each nonpostal service, estimate its costs... unreasonable. (g) For each competitive negotiated service agreement: (1) Identify its rates and service... and by competitive product group; (2) Estimate the quality of service of each individual experimental...

Furthering the understanding of olfaction, prevalence of loss of smell and risk factors: a population-based survey (OLFACAT study)

OpenAIRE

Mullol, Joaquim; Alobid, Isam; Mari?o-S?nchez, Franklin; Quint?, Lloren?; de Haro, Josep; Bernal-Sprekelsen, Manuel; Valero, Antonio; Picado, C?sar; Marin, Concepci?

2012-01-01

Objectives: To investigate olfaction in general population, prevalence of olfactory dysfunction and related risk factors. Design: Cross-sectional population-based survey, distributing four microencapsulated odorants (rose, banana, musk and gas) and two self-administered questionnaires (odour description; epidemiology/health status). Setting: The survey was distributed to general population through a bilingual (Catalan, Spanish) newspaper in Catalonia (Spain), on December 2003. Participants: N...

@selfhealthtech: Using self-administered health monitoring technologies to support the self-management of long-term conditions: what about behaviour change?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heather May Morgan

2015-10-01

Conclusions This evidence synthesis adds to emerging research concerning digital technologies, contributing to the literature where there is a knowledge gap around SSM and self-administered health monitoring technologies. It highlights a need to better understand the delivery and quality of care when technologies are used for SSM. It would be beneficial to re-characterise or reconceptualise these technologies and their implementation. More rigorous description of interventions, e.g. using the TIDIER template for intervention description and replication checklist10, or linking systems with BCT taxonomy v.19 through the smartphone app11, as well as a requirement to attend to behaviour change theory and techniques in the design, use and description is also required. Future research should address these concerns to inform developments in SSM for chronic conditions involving technologies, as well as in policy and practices more generally where digital technologies are implicated. In addition, the results of this review suggest that detailed primary research should be undertaken to explore the personal, social and ethical considerations of users in everyday life.

Overview about bias in Customer Satisfaction Surveys and focus on self-selection error

OpenAIRE

Giovanna Nicolini; Luciana Dalla Valle

2009-01-01

The present paper provides an overview of the main types of surveys carried out for customer satisfaction analyses. In order to carry out these surveys it is possible to plan a census or select a sample. The higher the accuracy of the survey, the more reliable the results of the analysis. For this very reason, researchers pay special attention to surveys with bias due to non sampling errors, in particular to self-selection errors. These phenomena are very frequent especially in web surveys. S...

Validity and responsiveness of a self-administered foot evaluation questionnaire in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yano, Koichiro; Ikari, Katsunori; Ochi, Kensuke; Ishida, Osamu; Sakuma, Yu; Yoshida, Shinji; Koyama, Takuma; Koenuma, Naoko; Momohara, Shigeki

2015-05-01

A self-administered foot evaluation questionnaire (SAFE-Q) was developed by the Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot (JSSF). The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity and responsiveness of the SAFE-Q in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In total, 180 patients with RA answered the SAFE-Q. Of 180 patients, 34 answered the SAFE-Q twice, preoperatively and postoperatively, to assess responsiveness. Construct validity was tested by comparing the 5 SAFE-Q subscales and the JSSF standard rating system for the RA foot and ankle scale (JSSF-RA), a Japanese version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (JHAQ), disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28), simplified disease activity index (SDAI), and clinical disease activity index (CDAI). Responsiveness was examined by calculating the standardized response mean (SRM) and effect size (ES) 3 months after surgery. There were moderate correlations between the SAFE-Q and the JSSF-RA and JHAQ. Conversely, a low correlation was observed between the SAFE-Q and DAS28, SDAI, and CDAI. The responsiveness was high, with an SRM of 0.9 and ES of 0.7 for pain subscales. SAFE-Q is a useful tool for assessing the foot and ankle in RA patients.

Referring patients to specialists: A structured vignette survey of Australian and British GPs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ee Hooi

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In Australia and in the United Kingdom (UK access to specialists is sanctioned by General Practitioners (GPs. It is important to understand how practitioners determine which patients warrant referral. Methods A self-administered structured vignette postal survey of General Practitioners in Western Australia and the United Kingdom. Sixty-four vignettes describing patients with colorectal symptoms were constructed encompassing six clinical details. Nine vignettes, chosen at random, were presented to each individual. Respondents were asked if they would refer the patient to a specialist and how urgently. Logistic regression and parametric tests were used to analyse the data Results We received 260 completed questionnaires. 58% of 'cancer vignettes' were selected for 'urgent' referral. 1632/2367 or 69% of all vignettes were selected for referral. After adjusting for clustering the model suggests that 38.4% of the variability is explained by all the clinical variables as well as the age and experience of the respondents. 1012 or 42.8 % of vignettes were referred 'urgently'. After adjusting for clustering the data suggests that 31.3 % of the variability is explained by the model. The age of the respondents, the location of the practice and all the clinical variables were significant in the decision to refer urgently. Conclusion GPs' referral decisions for patients with lower bowel symptoms are similar in the two countries. We question the wisdom of streaming referrals from primary care without a strong evidence base and an effective intervention for implementing guidelines. We conclude that implementation must take into account the profile of patients but also the characteristics of GPs and referral policies.

Socioeconomic inequalities in health in the working population: the contribution of working conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C.Th.M. Schrijvers (Carola); H. van de Mheen (Dike); K. Stronks (Karien); J.P. Mackenbach (Johan)

1998-01-01

textabstractBACKGROUND: The aim was to study the impact of different categories of working conditions on the association between occupational class and self-reported health in the working population. METHODS: Data were collected through a postal survey conducted in 1991

Social Network resources and self-rated health in a deprived Danish neighborhood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tanggaard Andersen, Pernille; Holst Algren, Maria; Fromsejer Heiberg, Regina

2017-01-01

Research has demonstrated that living in a deprived neighborhood contributes to the occurrence and development of poor health. Furthermore evidence shows that social networks are fundamental resources in preventing poor mental health. Neighborhood relationships and networks are vital for sustaining...... and improving quality of life. However, to determine potentials for public health action, the health impact of various types of network resources need to be explored and the association between socioeconomic position and self-rated health needs to be analysed to determine whether it is partially explained...... by social network resources. This is the main aim of this article. Cross-sectional data from one deprived neighborhood located in Denmark were collected in 2008 and 2013 using a postal health survey. The target group was defined as adults older than 16 years. In 2008, 408 residents participated...

Design, implementation, and demographic differences of HEAL: a self-report health care leadership instrument

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murphy KR

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Kelly R Murphy, John E McManigle, Benjamin M Wildman-Tobriner, Amy Little Jones, Travis J Dekker, Barrett A Little, Joseph P Doty, Dean C Taylor Duke Healthcare Leadership Program, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA Abstract: The medical community has recognized the importance of leadership skills among its members. While numerous leadership assessment tools exist at present, few are specifically tailored to the unique health care environment. The study team designed a 24-item survey (Healthcare Evaluation & Assessment of Leadership [HEAL] to measure leadership competency based on the core competencies and core principles of the Duke Healthcare Leadership Model. A novel digital platform was created for use on handheld devices to facilitate its distribution and completion. This pilot phase involved 126 health care professionals self-assessing their leadership abilities. The study aimed to determine both the content validity of the survey and the feasibility of its implementation and use. The digital platform for survey implementation was easy to complete, and there were no technical problems with survey use or data collection. With regard to reliability, initial survey results revealed that each core leadership tenet met or exceeded the reliability cutoff of 0.7. In self-assessment of leadership, women scored themselves higher than men in questions related to patient centeredness (P=0.016. When stratified by age, younger providers rated themselves lower with regard to emotional intelligence and integrity. There were no differences in self-assessment when stratified by medical specialty. While only a pilot study, initial data suggest that HEAL is a reliable and easy-to-administer survey for health care leadership assessment. Differences in responses by sex and age with respect to patient centeredness, integrity, and emotional intelligence raise questions about how providers view themselves amid complex medical teams. As the

[Assessment of the outcome of anorexia nervosa: construction of a self-administered questionnaire based on the patients' perception].

Science.gov (United States)

Ronze, M; Mamelle, N; Combe, C; Pugeat, M

2010-02-01

Our working hypothesis is that a better insight into the outcome of patients suffering from anorexia nervosa should contribute to preventing relapses and further complications and assessing treatment efficiency. Through anorexia nervosa, the patients express the difficulty they have to view themselves as specific subjects. The current classic outcome evaluation is based on the study of objective events, which only partially reflect the reality of the patients' outcome at a subjective level. The objective of this study was to set up a new assessing instrument of the outcome of patients suffering from anorexia nervosa, essentially based on the patients' perception of their experience. The methodology used has been based on: (1) the conduct by the main investigator of unstructured interviews using "free association", with the help of an interview guide. The anorexia nervosa patients were recruited among those who were hospitalized on an isolation contract, or among outpatients under a psychiatrist/psychoanalyst's supervision, aged over 25 years old so that they may have started their reproductive life. The study included 30 patients; (2) the analysis of the interview contents backed by preexisting hypotheses and by new ones suggested by the expression of the patients' perception, so as to set up an inventory of new themes; (3) the construction of a self-administered questionnaire starting from the development of each theme into several questions taking up the patients' own words and offering 4 possible answers (disagree completely, disagree, agree, quite agree). The analysis of the interviews contents has led to the development of 11 themes. The self-administered questionnaire includes a total of 124 items stemming from the development of each theme into between 9 and 16 items that were mixed in the version submitted to patients. This original interpretation of the outcome of the patients through their experience provides a better understanding of their relation to

Using electronic surveys in nursing research.

Science.gov (United States)

Cope, Diane G

2014-11-01

Computer and Internet use in businesses and homes in the United States has dramatically increased since the early 1980s. In 2011, 76% of households reported having a computer, compared with only 8% in 1984 (File, 2013). A similar increase in Internet use has also been seen, with 72% of households reporting access of the Internet in 2011 compared with 18% in 1997 (File, 2013). This emerging trend in technology has prompted use of electronic surveys in the research community as an alternative to previous telephone and postal surveys. Electronic surveys can offer an efficient, cost-effective method for data collection; however, challenges exist. An awareness of the issues and strategies to optimize data collection using web-based surveys is critical when designing research studies. This column will discuss the different types and advantages and disadvantages of using electronic surveys in nursing research, as well as methods to optimize the quality and quantity of survey responses.

Consumer Ethical Decision Making: Intensity, Self-Consciousness and Neutralization Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Afzal Moshadi Shah

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of moral intensity on self-conscious emotions and neutralization techniques in the context of ethical decision making among consumers. A sample of 388 shopping mall retail consumers was recruited through self-administered survey technique. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, correlation was carried out in SPSS whereas the measurement model and structural relationships were estimated using AMOS. Results indicate that moral intensity positively influences consumer’s self-consciousness, neutralization techniques and behavioural intention. Self-consciousness negatively influence consumer’s defence mechanism i.e. neutralization techniques. Neither self-consciousness nor neutralization techniques is found to have an impact on consumers’ behavioural intention. Only self-consciousness is found to complementary mediate the relationship of moral intensity and neutralization. The limitations associated with field survey and crosssectional research design are inevitable. The study offers some relevant practical implications for government, marketing professionals and academia. The study is among the pioneer studies that theoretically links and empirically examines Issue Contingent Model, theory of neutralization and self-consciousness. The study develops and tested an Urdu language version of the questionnaire for retail consumers.

Implementation of Itella mail Logistics System in Ghana Postal Services

OpenAIRE

Tetteh, Richard

2012-01-01

Information technology is one of the major drivers of innovation, economic growth and social change. The emergence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has led to a paradigm shift in the Postal Services industry, where innovation has become a competitive tool in the logistics chain process. Unlike the traditional way of receiving, sorting and delivering letters by human, the modern real-time based practical approach brings the public faster and more reliable services. To resp...

Assessment of female prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) in Barcelona using a self-administered screening questionnaire: the Cuestionario de Autoevaluación del Control de la Vejiga (CACV).

Science.gov (United States)

Lugo Salcedo, Félix; Sánchez Borrego, Rafael

2013-09-01

Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is common urological condition, usually underdiagnosed and difficult to identify. The screening of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) through patient self-administered questionnaires can be useful not only for timely identification of these patients but to implement early interventions for symptoms and their implication in a patients' quality of life (QOL). Our objective was to assess the prevalence of OAB symptoms in patients attending general gynecology units in Barcelona, Spain, through a self-administered screening questionnaire. A cross-sectional, multicenter, observational, epidemiological study was carried out at general gynecology units of ten primary health centers in Barcelona, Spain. The study was conducted during a patient's single visit through self-administered forms. Patients recorded sociodemographic data, medical history and comorbidities, and scored the presence and bother related to specific urological symptoms using the Cuestionario de Autoevaluación del Control de la Vejiga (CACV), the validated Spanish version of the Bladder Control Self-Assessment Questionnaire (B-SAQ). A score ≥6 on the symptoms scale of the CACV was taken as an indicator of suspected OAB. One thousand and four women aged between 18 and 82 participated in the study. The overall prevalence of OAB was 11.8 %. A patient being >50 years was significantly associated with suspected OAB in comparison with the younger group [odds ratio (OR) 3.1 (2.1-4.7); p bladder showed significant association with factors other than age, menopause, and previous urogynecological history, such as high body mass index (BMI) and parity. The estimated prevalence of suspected OAB in patients attending general gynecological services in Barcelona is 11.8 %. Overweight or obese patients and those with three or more children were found to be at elevated risk for developing OAB.

Patient attitudes about financial incentives for diabetes self-management: A survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Blondon, Katherine S

2015-06-10

To study the acceptability of incentives for behavior changes in individuals with diabetes, comparing financial incentives to self-rewards and non-financial incentives. A national online survey of United States adults with diabetes was conducted in March 2013 (n = 153). This survey was designed for this study, with iterative testing and modifications in a pilot population. We measured the demographics of individuals, their interest in incentives, as well as the perceived challenge of diabetes self-management tasks, and expectations of incentives to improve diabetes self-management (financial, non-financial and self-rewards). Using an ordered logistic regression model, we assessed the association between a 32-point score of the perceived challenge of the self-management tasks and the three types of rewards. Ninety-six percent of individuals were interested in financial incentives, 60% in non-financial incentives and 72% in self-rewards. Patients were less likely to use financial incentives when they perceived the behavior to be more challenging (odds ratio of using financial incentives of 0.82 (95%CI: 0.72-0.93) for each point of the behavior score). While the effectiveness of incentives may vary according to the perceived level of challenge of each behavior, participants did not expect to need large amounts to motivate them to modify their behavior. The expected average amounts needed to motivate a 5 lb weight loss in our population and to maintain this weight change for a year was $258 (interquartile range of $10-100) and $713 (interquartile range of $25-250) for a 15 lb weight loss. The difference in mean amount estimates for 5 lb and 15 lb weight loss was significant (P < 0.001). Individuals with diabetes are willing to consider financial incentives to improve diabetes self-management. Future studies are needed to explore incentive programs and their effectiveness for diabetes.

Resilience Associated with Self-Disclosure and Relapse Risks in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Ayako; Yoshioka, Shin-Ichi

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to clarify the self-disclosure and risks of relapse associated with promoting resilience of patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD) and participating in self-help groups. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey was administered to 48 patients with AUD and participating in self-help groups; this questionnaire consisted of basic attributes, a bidimensional resilience scale to assess both innate and acquired resilience factors, a scale to assess depth of self-disclosure, and a scale assessing relapse risks. We conducted an evaluation by dividing the respondents into a high group and low group based on their median values for both innate and acquired resilience. Innate/acquired resilience had a mutually reinforcing relationship, and, compared with the low resilience group, the high resilience group had significantly reduced risks for relapses and resulted in deeper self-disclosure. Patients with high resilience had lower risk of alcohol relapse and deeper self-disclosure. The results suggest that one way of supporting patients with AUD in recovery is assisting them in building personal relationships with others and in deepening self-disclosure in a setting where they can relax, thus promoting their natural ability to recover.

Career Education Program: Geneva Area City Schools. [Grade 2 Units: Postal Services, Our Homes, Clothing, Community Helpers, and Custodians In Our Lives].

Science.gov (United States)

Geneva Area City Schools, OH.

Five curriculum units for the second grade level focus on: (1) clothing producers and suppliers, and the clothing industry; (2) postal service workers and the postal system; (3) janitorial workers; (4) workers who build, furnish, and maintain homes and the housing industry; and (5) various community workers. Behavioral unit objectives emphasize…

The administered activity of radionuclides in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Mototoshi; Koga, Sukehiko; Kondo, Takeshi

1993-01-01

A survey of 104 hospitals was conducted to determine the administered activity of radionuclides. Eighty-five hospitals responded, and reported a total of 119,614 examinations in one year. The examinations included: bone scintigraphy, 26.4%; thallium-201 ( 201 Tl) myocardial scintigraphy, 15.5%; gallium-67 ( 67 Ga) scintigraphy, 13.3%; N-isopropyl-p-[ 123 I] iodoamphetamine (IMP) brain perfusion scintigraphy, 7.0%. The administered activity was corrected by body weight only for children at more than 80% of the responding hospitals. The number of hospitals that reported over-administration of radionuclide varied according to the type of scintigraphy performed: bone, 76%; inflammatory ( 67 Ga), 93%; myocardial ( 201 Tl), 89.2%; brain (IMP), 8.5%. The administered activity of IMP was closer to the upper limits specified in the Recommendations on Standardization of Radionuclide Imaging by the Japan Radioisotope Association (1987), because IMP is very expensive and is supplied as single vials. The highest average effective dose was for myocardial scintigraphy, the second-highest for inflammatory scintigraphy, and the third-highest for bone scintigraphy. In 201 Tl and 67 Ga scintigraphy, the entire contents of the vial may be administered two days before the expiration date, because the ratio of (true patient administered activity) to (declared patient administered activity) is similar to the ratio of (radioactivity on the day of supply) to (radioactivity on the day of expiration). The factors that influence administered activity are through put, price of the radionuclide, and whether the radionuclide is sold as a single vial. In order to decrease the effective dose, it is necessary to establish a close cooperation between medical personnel, the makers of radiopharmaceuticals, and manufactures of gamma cameras. (author)

General practitioner views about discussing sexual issues with patients with coronary heart disease: a national survey in Ireland

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Byrne, Molly

2010-05-25

Abstract Background Sexual problems are common among people with coronary heart disease and can adversely affect patients\\' quality of life. GPs are ideally placed to deal with these problems. Research suggests that GPs are reluctant to address sexual problems but little is known about what currently takes place in practice. The aim of this study was to examine GPs\\' self-reported behaviour and attitudes to discussing sexual problems with people with coronary heart disease. Method Design: A cross-sectional survey which administered 230 postal questionnaires to a nationally representative, stratified random sample of GPs in the Republic of Ireland. GPs were asked about current practice, knowledge, awareness and confidence in dealing with sexual problems, barriers to addressing sexual problems, and about improving services in this area. Results Responses were available for 61 GPs (27% response rate). Seventy percent of GPs reported that they rarely or never discussed sexual problems with coronary patients. While all GPs believed addressing sexual problems was important, many GPs reported lacking awareness, knowledge and confidence in addressing sexual problems. The main barriers were lack of time, feeling the patient wasn\\'t ready and lack of training in the area. GPs wanted more training and guidelines for practice. Conclusions There is currently no standardised protocol for GPs for dealing with sexual problems among coronary patients. Awareness of these issues appears to be low among GPs. Services could be improved by developing practice guidelines for brief, effective actions or assessments, providing training in the area and improving information resources and support services for referral.

Self-Access Centers: Maximizing Learners’ Access to Center Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark W. Tanner

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Originally published in TESL-EJ March 2009, Volume 12, Number 4 (http://tesl-ej.org/ej48/a2.html. Reprinted with permission from the authors.Although some students have discovered how to use self-access centers effectively, the majority appear to be unaware of available resources. A website and database of materials were created to help students locate materials and use the Self-Access Study Center (SASC at Brigham Young University’s English Language Center (ELC more effectively. Students took two surveys regarding their use of the SASC. The first survey was given before the website and database were made available. A second survey was administered 12 weeks after students had been introduced to the resource. An analysis of the data shows that students tend to use SASC resources more autonomously as a result of having a web-based database. The survey results suggest that SAC managers can encourage more autonomous use of center materials by provided a website and database to help students find appropriate materials to use to learn English.

Engaging Australian physicians in evidence-based medicine: a representative national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Toulkidis, V; Donnelly, N J; Ward, J E

2005-01-01

To assess Australian adult physicians' views about evidence-based medicine (EBM) and quality improvement (QI). Cross-sectional postal survey of two hundred and forty-four randomly selected Australian physicians (78.5% response rate). Physicians' views about the promotion of EBM and QI and their impact on patient care, strategies to support better clinical practice and self-reported understanding of EBM terms. Sixty-eight per cent (95% confidence interval (CI): 62-74%) of physicians had a positive view of the current promotion of EBM in Australia. Significantly fewer (45%; 95% CI: 38-51%) were so positive about QI (P evidence, significantly fewer (21%; 95% CI: 17-27%) agreed they had sufficient time to do so (P Australian physicians have positive views of EBM, QI appears less well regarded. Initiatives to improve quality and safety that incorporate principles and language of EBM will likely be received better by physicians than isolated QI. Further enhancement of EBM requires concomitant attention to physician training, workplace infrastructure and supportive professional development.

Parental self-efficacy and its measurement - an evaluation of a parental self-efficacy measurement scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Purssell, Edward; While, Alison

2013-05-01

To field test a parental self-efficacy scale regarding its acceptability and feasibility and to describe parental self-efficacy in a convenience sample of parents with children aged 6 years old or less. Self-care within families is increasingly emphasised in health policy as a means of maximising healthcare resources. This study reports the field testing of a scale designed to measure parental self-efficacy. Cross-sectional survey of parents of children aged 6 years old or less. Subjects were recruited through a parenting internet website (n = 84) and local parenting and community organisations (n = 68) and asked to complete a questionnaire containing the scale. Data collection took place between January and August 2011. The scale, previously validated with an expert panel of professionals, gathered information about parental self-efficacy when administered either directly or through an on-line data collection portal, although there were more missing data when administered via the Internet. Although convenience and self-selecting samples precluded parameter estimation, areas of concern highlighted were difficulties differentiating children with serious illnesses and the use of the Personal Child Health Record. Use of the Internet was widespread, as was use of community pharmacists and nursery staff. Although the primary purpose was not to collect specific data, the data indicated the continuing concern of parents regarding serious illness and where additional investment may be required to meet parental needs and expectations. The previously validated scale can be used to collect information about parental self-efficacy either through a paper questionnaire or the Internet. Although there was slightly more missing data from the Internet version, the ease of its administration makes this an attractive option. Parents generally reported high levels of self-efficacy and satisfaction with services; however, the scale was able to identify areas where further investment

37 CFR 201.8 - Disruption of postal or other transportation or communication services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... transportation or communication services. 201.8 Section 201.8 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights COPYRIGHT OFFICE, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COPYRIGHT OFFICE AND PROCEDURES GENERAL PROVISIONS § 201.8 Disruption of postal or other transportation or communication services. (a) For purposes of 17 U.S.C. 709, when the...

Privacy effects on self-reported drug use: interactions with survey mode and respondent characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Aquilino, W S

1997-01-01

This chapter examines the impact of interview privacy on self-reported illicit drug use. In 1991, interviews were completed with an urban-suburban sample of 2,417 adults aged 18 to 45. Results show that the presence of third parties during the interview significantly influences respondents' willingness to reveal illicit drug use. Among married respondents, presence of a spouse resulted in higher reporting of illicit drug use, while the presence of adults other than the spouse had a consistent negative effect on drug use reports. A parent's presence during the interview significantly reduced respondents' willingness to report illicit drug use. The pattern of findings suggests that the direction of effects due to third party presence is linked to two factors: the extent of the third party's knowledge of the information requested, and the degree of personal stake the third party may have in the respondent's answers. The differential impact of privacy by interview mode was also examined. Tests of interactions between privacy and interview mode failed to support the hypothesis that the use of self-administered answer sheets reduces privacy effects compared with interviewer-administered interviews.

The effectiveness of computer reminders versus postal reminders for improving quality assessment for point-of-care testing in primary care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siersma, Volkert; Kousgaard, Marius Brostrøm; Reventlow, Susanne

2015-01-01

Rationale, aims and objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relative effectiveness of electronic and postal reminders for increasing adherence to the quality assurance programme for the international normalized ratio (INR) point-of-care testing (POCT) device inprimary care. Methods: All 213...... family practices that use the Elective Laboratory of the Capital Region, Denmark, and regularly conduct INR POCT were randomly allocated into two similarly sized groups. During the 4-month intervention, these practices were sent either computer reminders (ComRem) or computer generated postal reminders...... (Postal) if they did not perform a split test to check the quality of their INR POCT for each calendar month. The adherence of the practices was tracked during the subsequent 8 months subdivided into two 4-month periods both without intervention. Outcomes were measures of split test procedure adherence...

Feasibility and validity of the self-administered computerized assessment of mild cognitive impairment with older primary care patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Tierney, Mary C; Naglie, Gary; Upshur, Ross; Moineddin, Rahim; Charles, Jocelyn; Jaakkimainen, R Liisa

2014-01-01

We investigated whether a validated computerized cognitive test, the Computerized Assessment of Mild Cognitive Impairment (CAMCI), could be independently completed by older primary care patients. We also determined the optimal cut-off for the CAMCI global risk score for mild cognitive impairment against an independent neuropsychological reference standard. All eligible patients aged 65 years and older, seen consecutively over 2 months by 1 family practice of 13 primary care physicians, were invited to participate. Patients with a diagnosis or previous work-up for dementia were excluded. Primary care physicians indicated whether they, the patient, or family had concerns about each patient's cognition. A total of 130 patients with cognitive concerns and a matched sample of 133 without cognitive concerns were enrolled. The CAMCI was individually administered after instructions to work independently. Comments were recorded verbatim. A total of 259 (98.5%) completed the entire CAMCI. Two hundred and forty-one (91.6%) completed it without any questions or after simple acknowledgment of their question. Lack of computer experience was the only patient characteristic that decreased the odds of independent CAMCI completion. These results support the feasibility of using self-administered computerized cognitive tests with older primary care patients, given the increasing reliance on computers by people of all ages. The optimal cut-off score had a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 74%.

[Fact-finding survey on regional healthcare services for patients with epilepsy based on a questionnaire administered to public health centers in Japan].

Science.gov (United States)

Fujii, Masami; Ishimaru, Yasutaka; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Egami, Hirofumi; Nishida, Hideki; Oka, Shinji; Shirabe, Komei

2015-01-01

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. The prevalence of epilepsy is about 1%, and its incidence is increasing with the aging population. In addition to their medical problems, epilepsy patients face many social problems, including schooling, working, and maintaining their driver's licenses. However, these problems are not fully recognized by the regional healthcare centers (HCCs), and the inadequacy of collaboration between medical services, healthcare, and welfare is sometimes pointed out. Under these circumstances, this fact-finding survey was administered in the form of a questionnaire to HCCs across the nation for the purpose of improving the support system and educational activities for epilepsy in Japan. A mail-back survey on regional healthcare services for epilepsy patients was sent out to 490 HCCs across the nation. Public health nurses (PHNs) responded to the self-completed questionnaire on behalf of each HCC. The questionnaire was comprised of the presence or absence of consultations on epilepsy, content of the consultations, and holding of workshops, lectures, or conferences in the community covered by the HCC. We obtained responses from 347 HCCs (response rate 71%). Seventy-three percent of the PHNs had experience with consultations regarding the medical and healthcare issues associated with epilepsy. However, only 10% of the PHNs responded that they could provide appropriate consultation for these issues. The content of the consultations mainly included medical services, clinical symptoms of epilepsy, and anxieties about their social life and their future. Workshops, lectures, or conferences on epilepsy were held for residents or health and welfare professionals in only 8% of the communities. This percentage is lower than those (21-70%) for other intractable or mental disorders that are mainly managed by HCCs (Prestrictions. To improve these situations, regional education programs for

Results of regulatory impact survey of industrial and medical materials licensees of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lach, D.; Melber, B.; Brichoux, J.; Hattrup, M.; Conger, R.; Hughes, K.

1995-06-01

This report presents the findings of a regulatory impact survey of nuclear materials licensees of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Commissioners of the NRC directed staff to provide the Commission with first hand information from licensees that could be used to improve the overall regulatory program. A self-administered, mail-out survey questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of licensees who had interaction with the NRC during the previous 12 months. A total of 371 respondents of the 589 who were sent questionnaires returned completed surveys, for a response rate of 63%. The body of the report presents the findings of the survey including a brief introduction to the approach used, followed by survey findings regarding regulations, policies and regulatory guidance; experience with licensing applications, renewals and amendments; inspections; reporting requirements; and enforcement actions. The appendices of the report include a copy of the survey as administered to licensees, a fuller description of the survey design and data collection methods, and detailed graphic material describing survey responses

Dosimetric study for characterization of a postal system of quality control in brachytherapy; Estudo dosimetrico para caracterizacao de um sistema postal de controle de qualidade em braquiterapia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alves, Victor Gabriel Leandro, E-mail: vgalves@inca.gov.b [Instituto Nacional do Cancer (INCa), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Queiroz Filho, Pedro Pacheco de; Santos, Denison de Souza, E-mail: queiroz@ird.gov.b, E-mail: santosd@ird.gov.b [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Begalli, Marcia, E-mail: begalli@uerj.b [Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (IF/UERJ), RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

2009-07-01

This work presents a dosimetric study of a postal system, to be developed for measurements of brachytherapy. It was projected a PMMA phantom with orifices for insertion of the high dose {sup 192}Ir source and the T L dosemeters. The system was characterized with using of Monte Carlo simulations, using the dosimetric magnitudes defined at the T G-43 of AAPM, as function of radial dose g(f)

[COOP/WONCA: Reliability and validity of the test administered by telephone].

Science.gov (United States)

Pedrero-Pérez, Eduardo J; Díaz-Olalla, José Manuel

2016-01-01

The COOP/WONCA test was initially proposed as a self-report in which the answers were supported by drawings illustrating the state investigated. Subsequent studies have confirmed its usefulness as a mere verbal self-report face-to-face administered. No data have been found about its useful when administered by telephone interview. The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the COOP / WONCA test to measure Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) administered by telephone and compare them with those obtained in other forms of prior administration. Cross-sectional study on a random. City of Madrid. Random sample of 802 adult subjects, representative of the adult population in Madrid, obtained by stratification from the population census. Questionnaire COOP/WONCA with 9 ítems included in a broader battery, administered by telephone interview. The unrestricted factor analysis points to the unifactoriality of the scale, which measures a single latent construct (HRQOL), showing high internal consistency, not significantly different from those found by face-to-face administration, ruling out the existence of biases in the phone modality. The COOP/WONCA test appears as a reliable and valid measure of HRQOL and telephonic administration allows to assume no changes in the results, which can reduce costs in population studies, increasing efficiency without loss of quality in the information collected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Educational priorities and current involvement in genetic practice: a survey of midwives in the Netherlands, UK and Sweden.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benjamin, C.M.; Anionwu, E.N.; Kristoffersson, U.; Kate, L.P. ten; Plass, A.M.C.; Nippert, I.; Julian-Reynier, C.; Harris, H.J.; Schmidtke, J.; Challen, K.; Calefato, J.M.; Waterman, C.; Powell, E.; Harris, R.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to investigate whether practising midwives are adequately prepared to integrate genetic information into their practice. DESIGN: a cross-sectional, postal, structured questionnaire survey was sent to practising midwives. SETTING: practising midwives from the Netherlands (NL), Sweden (SE)

La memoria de Vejer en sus primeras tarjetas postales

OpenAIRE

Gámiz-Gordo, Antonio

2013-01-01

Se acaba de imprimir este libro sobre imágenes del pasado del gaditano pueblo de Vejer de la Frontera, donde el profesor Gámiz reúne un novedoso plano de la ciudad de 1907 y 40 tarjetas postales fechadas entre 1904 y 1930 (muchas de ellas con puntos de toma localizables en el plano citado, al ser callejero de la época), además de comentarios y reflexiones que el autor realiza sobre las imágenes gráficas, contexto e historia. Así, se abordan temas como memoria e imagen, sus relaciones e int...

Situated Self-efficacy in Introductory Physics Students

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Rachel; DeVore, Seth; Michaluk, Lynnette; Stewart, John

2017-01-01

Within the general university environment, students' perceived self-efficacy has been widely studied and findings suggest it plays a role in student success. The current research adapted a self-efficacy survey, from the ``Self-Efficacy for Learning Performance'' subscale of the Motivated Learning Strategies Questionnaire and administered it to the introductory, calculus-based physics classes (N=1005) over the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters. This assessment measured students' self-efficacy in domains including the physics class, other science and mathematics classes, and their intended future career. The effect of gender was explored with the only significant gender difference (p gender difference was not explained by a student's performance which was measured by test average. However, a mediation analysis showed that students' overall academic self-efficacy, measured by their math and science self-efficacy, acts as a mediator for the effect of test average on self-efficacy towards the physics class domain. This mediation effect was significant for both female (p < . 01) and male students (p < . 001) however, it was more pronounced for male students.

Psychosocial work characteristics and self rated health in four post-communist countries

OpenAIRE

Pikhart, H; Bobak, M; Siegrist, J; Pajak, A; Rywik, S; Kyshegyi, J; Gostautas, A; Skodova, Z; Marmot, M

2001-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVES—To examine whether psychosocial factors at work are related to self rated health in post-communist countries.
DESIGN AND SETTINGS—Random samples of men and women in five communities in four countries were sent a postal questionnaire (Poland, Czech Republic and Lithuania) or were invited to an interview (Hungary). Working subjects (n=3941) reported their self rated health in the past 12 months (5 point scale), their socioeconomic circumstances, perceived control over life, and...

[Abortion in Brazil: a household survey using the ballot box technique].

Science.gov (United States)

Diniz, Debora; Medeiros, Marcelo

2010-06-01

This study presents the first results of the National Abortion Survey (PNA, Pesquisa Nacional de Aborto), a household random sample survey fielded in 2010 covering urban women in Brazil aged 18 to 39 years. The PNA combined two techniques, interviewer-administered questionnaires and self-administered ballot box questionnaires. The results of PNA show that at the end of their reproductive health one in five women has performed an abortion, with abortions being more frequent in the main reproductive ages, that is, from 18 to 29 years old. No relevant differentiation was observed in the practice of abortion among religious groups, but abortion was found to be more common among people with lower education. The use of medical drugs to induce abortion occurred in half of the abortions, and post-abortion hospitalization was observed among approximately half of the women who aborted. Such results lead to conclude that abortion is a priority in the Brazilian public health agenda.

Parental separation in childhood and self-reported psychological health: A population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindström, Martin; Rosvall, Maria

2016-12-30

The aim of the present study is to investigate associations between parental separation/divorce during childhood, and self-reported psychological health, adjusting for social capital, social support, civil status and economic stress in childhood. A cross-sectional public health survey was conducted in the autumn of 2012 in Scania, southern Sweden, with a postal questionnaire with 28,029 participants aged 18-80. Associations between parental separation/divorce during childhood and self-reported psychological health (GHQ12) were investigated using logistic regressions. A 16.1% proportion of all men 22.4% of all women reported poor psychological health. Among men, 20.4% had experienced parental separation during childhood until age 18 years, the corresponding prevalence among women was 22.3%. Parental separation/divorce in childhood was significantly associated with poor self-rated psychological health among men who had experienced parental separation/divorce at ages 0-4, and among women with this experience at ages 0-4, 10-14 and 15-18. These significant associations remained throughout the multiple analyses. The results support the notion that the experience of parental separation/divorce in childhood may influence psychological health in adulthood, particularly if it is experienced in the age interval 0-4 years. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reducing work disability in Ankylosing Spondylitis – development of a work instability scale for AS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helliwell Philip

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Work Instability Scale for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA-WIS is established and is used by physicians to identify patients at risk of job loss for rapid intervention. The study objective was to explore the concept of Work Instability (a mismatch between an individual's abilities and job demands in Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS and develop a Work Instability Scale specific to this population. Methods New items generated from qualitative interviews were combined with items from the RA-WIS to form a draft AS-WIS. Rasch analysis was used to examine the scaling properties of the AS-WIS using data generated through a postal survey. The scale was validated against a gold standard of expert assessment, a test-retest survey examined reliability. Results Fifty-seven participants who were in work returned the postal survey. Of the original 55 items 38 were shown to fit the Rasch model (χ2 37.5; df 38; p 0.494 and free of bias for gender and disease duration. Following analysis for discrimination against the gold standard assessments 20 items remained with good fit to the model (χ2 24.8; df 20; p 0.21. Test-retest reliability was 0.94. Conclusion The AS-WIS is a self-administered scale which meets the stringent requirements of modern measurement. Used as a screening tool it can identify those experiencing a mismatch at work who are at risk of job retention problems and work disability. Work instability is emerging as an important indication for the use of biologics, thus the AS-WIS has the potential to become an important outcome measure.

Reliability of self-reported childhood physical abuse by adults and factors predictive of inconsistent reporting.

Science.gov (United States)

McKinney, Christy M; Harris, T Robert; Caetano, Raul

2009-01-01

Little is known about the reliability of self-reported child physical abuse (CPA) or CPA reporting practices. We estimated reliability and prevalence of self-reported CPA and identified factors predictive of inconsistent CPA reporting among 2,256 participants using surveys administered in 1995 and 2000. Reliability of CPA was fair to moderate (kappa = 0.41). Using a positive report from either survey, the prevalence of moderate (61.8%) and severe (12.0%) CPA was higher than at either survey alone. Compared to consistent reporters of having experienced CPA, inconsistent reporters were less likely to be > or = 30 years old (vs. 18-29) or Black (vs. White) and more likely to have report one type (vs. > or = 2) of CPA. These findings may assist researchers conducting and interpreting studies of CPA.

Comparison of the PTSD Checklist (PCL) Administered via a Mobile Device Relative to a Paper Form.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Matthew; Kuhn, Eric; Hoffman, Julia E; Ruzek, Josef; Acierno, Ron

2015-10-01

Mobile devices are increasingly used to administer self-report measures of mental health symptoms. There are significant differences, however, in the way that information is presented on mobile devices compared to the traditional paper forms that were used to administer such measures. Such differences may systematically alter responses. The present study evaluated if and how responses differed for a self-report measure, the PTSD Checklist (PCL), administered via mobile device relative to paper and pencil. Participants were 153 trauma-exposed individuals who completed counterbalanced administrations of the PCL on a mobile device and on paper. PCL total scores (d = 0.07) and item responses did not meaningfully or significantly differ across administrations. Power was sufficient to detect a difference in total score between administrations determined by prior work of 3.46 with a d = 0.23. The magnitude of differences between administration formats was unrelated to prior use of mobile devices or participant age. These findings suggest that responses to self-report measures administered via mobile device are equivalent to those obtained via paper and they can be used with experienced as well as naïve users of mobile devices. Copyright © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Doctors' personal health care choices: A cross-sectional survey in a mixed public/private setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao David VK

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Among Western countries, it has been found that physicians tend to manage their own illnesses and tend not have their own independent family physicians. This is recognized as a significant issue for both physicians and, by extension, the patients under their care, resulting in initiatives seeking to address this. Physicians' personal health care practices in Asia have yet to be documented. Methods An anonymous cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey was conducted in Hong Kong, China. All 9570 medical practitioners in Hong Kong registered with the Hong Kong Medical Council in 2003 were surveyed. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were applied. Results There were 4198 respondents to the survey; a response rate of 44%. Two-thirds of respondents took care of themselves when they were last ill, with 62% of these self-medicating with prescription medication. Physicians who were graduates of Hong Kong medical schools, those working in general practice and non-members of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians were more likely to do so. Physician specialty was found to be the most influential reason in the choice of caregiver by those who had ever consulted another medical practitioner. Only 14% chose consultation with a FM/GP with younger physians and non-Hong Kong medical graduates having a higher likelihood of doing so. Seventy percent of all respondents believed that having their own personal physician was unnecessary. Conclusion Similar to the practice of colleagues in other countries, a large proportion of Hong Kong physicians self-manage their illnesses, take self-obtained prescription drugs and believe they do not need a personal physician. Future strategies to benefit the medical care of Hong Kong physicians will have to take these practices and beliefs into consideration.

A national survey of supportive practices for patients undergoing radiotherapy for oral cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osborn, Joanne; Doolan, Caroline

2013-01-01

Purpose: Xerostomia and mucositis are two of the main radiation induced toxicities experienced by patients undergoing radiotherapy to the oral cavity. These toxicities can lead to significant weight loss with the potential to cause complications with radiotherapy treatment. Literature has shown that nutritional intervention can help to minimise these side effects. The aim of the survey was to explore current practice across the UK in nutritional intervention for these patients. Method: Postal questionnaires were sent to all 63 radiotherapy departments in the UK in November 2009. Results: 29 responses (43%) were received. 90% (n = 26) of the departments used 3D-Conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) as the main technique for treatment of these patients, with 48% (n = 14) of departments having implemented Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). All departments referred their patients to a dietician. 93% (n = 27) of departments placed percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or radiologically-inserted gastrostomy tubes. 55% (n = 16) departments administered nasogastric tubes. Conclusion: This survey verified many common practices regarding dietary care and advice, some variation was evident in the use of feeding tubes. All responding centres referred patients to a dietician with the aim to maintain nutritional status and prevent weight loss that could contribute to uncertainty in treatment setup. This survey also demonstrated that since Macknelly and Day's (2009) study, a greater number of centres have implemented IMRT for patients undergoing radiotherapy to the head and neck. Although IMRT has been shown to reduce xerostomia, this audit found no changes in the dietary care and advice given to these patients

Tribute to: Self-administered nicotine activates the mesolimbic dopamine system through the ventral tegmental area [William Corrigall, Kathleen Coen and Laurel Adamson, Brain Res. 653 (1994) 278-284].

Science.gov (United States)

Leri, Francesco; Vaccarino, Franco J

2016-08-15

In this paper, Dr. Corrigall and collaborators described elegant experiments designed to elucidate the neurobiology of nicotine reinforcement. The nicotinic receptor antagonist dihydro-β-erythroidine (DHβE) was infused in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) or nucleus accumbens (NAC) of rats trained to self-administer nicotine intravenously. Additionally, DHβE was infused in the VTA of rats trained to self-administer food or cocaine, and nicotine self-administration was assessed in rats with lesions to the peduculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT). A number of key themes emerged from this fundamental study that remain relevant today. The primary finding was that infusions of DHβE in the VTA, but not in the NAC, lowered nicotine self-administration, suggesting that nicotinic receptors in VTA are involved in the reinforcing action of nicotine. This conclusion has been confirmed by subsequent findings, and the nature of the nicotinic receptors has also been elucidated. The authors also reported that DHβE in the VTA had no effect on food or cocaine self-administration, and that lesions to the PPT did not alter nicotine self-administration. Since this initial investigation, the question of whether nicotinic receptors in the VTA are necessary for the reinforcing action of other stimuli, and by which mechanisms, has been extensively explored. Similarly, many groups have further investigated the role of mesopontine cholinergic nuclei in reinforcement. This paper not only contributed in important ways to our understanding of the neurochemical basis of nicotine reinforcement, but was also a key catalyst that gave rise to several research themes central to the neuropharmacology of substance abuse. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI:50th Anniversary Issue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A quantification of occupational skin exposures and the use of protective gloves among hairdressers in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lysdal, Susan Hovmand; Johansen, Jeanne Duus; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann

2012-01-01

comprising all graduates from hairdressing vocational schools from 1985 to 2007 (n = 7840). The participants received a self-administered postal questionnaire in May 2009, including questions on hairdressing tasks performed in the past week at work and the extent of glove use. A response rate of 67.9% (n...... hairdressers; the extent of wet work and chemical treatments was high, and glove use was inconsistent, especially for certain hair colouring procedures and wet work tasks....

Impact of postal invitations and user fee on influenza vaccination rates among the elderly. A randomized controlled trial in general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nexøe, J; Kragstrup, J; Rønne, T

1997-01-01

, compared with 49% (42-56%) in the group who received a postal reminder and paid the usual fee, and 72% (65-78%) in the group invited to be vaccinated free of charge. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that GPs send postal invitations to their elderly patients in the risk groups urgently recommending influenza...... vaccination. Attention should also be given to offering free influenza vaccination to elderly patients who have recognized indications for vaccination. Udgivelsesdato: 1997-Jun...

"Did I Just Share Too Much Information?" Results of a National Survey on Faculty Self-Disclosure

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Kevin

2009-01-01

How widespread is the use of personal self-disclosure by faculty in the college classroom? Employing a national survey of teaching faculty within liberal arts schools and smaller colleges and universities, the incidence of self-reported faculty self-disclosure was investigated. Teachers (n = 430) provided responses reflecting the content and…

Screening for cognitive impairment in SLE using the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam.

Science.gov (United States)

Meara, A; Davidson, N; Steigelman, H; Zhao, S; Brock, G; Jarjour, W N; Rovin, B H; Madhoun, H; Parikh, S; Hebert, L; Ayoub, I; Ardoin, S P

2018-01-01

Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease that can affect the central nervous system in multiple ways, including causing cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive dysfunction is a common complaint of SLE patients yet diagnosis is challenging, time consuming, and costly. This study evaluated the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE) as a screening test for cognitive impairment in a cohort of SLE patients. Methods A total of 118 SLE patients completed the SAGE. Providers completed the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and the Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics Damage Index (SLICC-DI). SAGE scores were grouped into normal (>16) and abnormal (≤16) categories. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results Of the 118 participants, 21(18%) scored ≤16 on the SAGE instrument. In univariate analysis, race, ethnicity, household income, and SLICC-DI scores were associated with the SAGE ( p SAGE score was independently associated with higher SLICC-DI score (odds ratio (OR) = 1.44, 95% confidence intervals 1.04-1.99, p = 0.03)), Hispanic ethnicity (OR = 43.4, 95% CI 3.1-601, p = 0.005), and lower household income (OR = 11.9 for ≤$15,000 vs >$50,000, 95% CI 2.45-57, p = 0.002). Conclusions In SLE patients, this study demonstrates an independent relationship between neurocognitive impairment (as measured by the SAGE) and higher lupus-related damage, as measured by the SLICC-DI, and lower household income. Abnormal SAGE scores were also associated with Hispanic ethnicity. A language barrier could explain this because the SAGE instrument was conducted in English only. The SAGE was feasible to measure in the clinic setting.

Gift card incentives and non-response bias in a survey of vaccine providers: the role of geographic and demographic factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Otterloo, Joshua; Richards, Jennifer L; Seib, Katherine; Weiss, Paul; Omer, Saad B

2011-01-01

This study investigates the effects of non-response bias in a 2010 postal survey assessing experiences with H1N1 influenza vaccine administration among a diverse sample of providers (N = 765) in Washington state. Though we garnered a high response rate (80.9%) by using evidence-based survey design elements, including intensive follow-up and a gift card incentive from Target, non-response bias could exist if there were differences between respondents and non-respondents. We investigated differences between the two groups for seven variables: road distance to the nearest Target store, practice type, previous administration of vaccines, region, urbanicity, size of practice, and Vaccines for Children (VFC) program enrollment. We also examined the effect of non-response bias on survey estimates. Statistically significant differences between respondents and non-respondents were found for four variables: miles to the nearest Target store, type of medical practice, whether the practice routinely administered additional vaccines besides H1N1, and urbanicity. Practices were more likely to respond if they were from a small town or rural area (OR = 7.68, 95% CI = 1.44-40.88), were a non-traditional vaccine provider type (OR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.06-4.08) or a pediatric provider type (OR = 4.03, 95% CI = 1.36-11.96), or administered additional vaccines besides H1N1 (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.03-3.15). Of particular interest, for each ten mile increase in road distance from the nearest Target store, the likelihood of provider response decreased (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.60-0.89). Of those variables associated with response, only small town or rural practice location was associated with a survey estimate of interest, suggesting that non-response bias had a minimal effect on survey estimates. These findings show that gift card incentives alongside survey design elements and follow-up can achieve high response rates. However, there is evidence that

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among nursing home residents in Nottingham, England: a postal questionnaire survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vivancos Roberto

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies have shown influenza vaccine uptake in UK nursing home residents to be low. Very little information exists regarding the uptake of pneumococcal vaccine in this population. The formulation of policies relating to the vaccination of residents has been proposed as a simple step that may help improve vaccine uptake in care homes. Methods A postal questionnaire was sent to matrons of all care homes with nursing within the Greater Nottingham area in January 2006. Non respondents were followed up with up to 3 phone calls. Results 30% (16/53 of respondents reported having a policy addressing influenza vaccination and 15% (8/53 had a policy addressing pneumococcal vaccination. Seasonal influenza vaccine coverage in care homes with a vaccination policy was 87% compared with 84% in care homes without a policy (p = 0.47. The uptake of pneumococcal vaccination was found to be low, particularly in care homes with no vaccination policy. Coverage was 60% and 32% in care homes with and without a vaccination policy respectively (p = 0.06. This result was found to be statistically significant on multivariate analysis (p = 0.03, R = 0.46 Conclusion The uptake of influenza vaccine among care home residents in the Nottingham region is relatively high, although pneumococcal vaccine uptake is low. This study shows that there is an association between pneumococcal vaccine uptake and the existence of a vaccination policy in care homes, and highlights that few care homes have vaccination policies in place.

Statistics in the Workplace: A Survey of Use by Recent Graduates with Higher Degrees

Science.gov (United States)

Harraway, John A.; Barker, Richard J.

2005-01-01

A postal survey was conducted regarding statistical techniques, research methods and software used in the workplace by 913 graduates with PhD and Masters degrees in the biological sciences, psychology, business, economics, and statistics. The study identified gaps between topics and techniques learned at university and those used in the workplace,…

Sexual harassment of psychiatric trainees: experiences and attitudes

OpenAIRE

Morgan, J.; Porter, S.

1999-01-01

A survey was carried out of psychiatric trainees' work-related experiences of unwanted sexual contact. A structured postal questionnaire was administered to 100 psychiatric trainees from senior house officer to specialist registrar level in a large psychiatric rotation. There was an 85% response rate; 86% (73) of the sample had experienced unwanted sexual contact, with 47% (40) experiencing deliberate touching, leaning over or cornering, and 18% (15) receiving letters, telephone calls or mate...

An Analysis Report of 2014 CALA Self-Assessment Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Anna Xiong

2016-06-01

Full Text Available On the occasion of CALA’s 40th anniversary in 2014, the 2013 Board of Directors appointed a Self-Assessment Task Force to conduct an assessment survey with special focuses on members’ awareness of CALA’s organizational structure and policies, its services to members, the extent of participation in events sponsored by CALA, and the level of satisfaction with CALA leadership. Although only one-fifth of the active members responded to the survey, the answers and feedback have identified areas for organizational improvement and have shown how active members view the current state of CALA. Some essential findings from the survey include: 1 the growth of overseas membership as a demographic trend, 2 a need to recruit student members, 3 a high percentage of CALA members not aware of CALA’s Mission/Vision/Goal, 4 conflicting data on CALA’s leadership, 5 discovery of low ratings (10-30% of respondents on eleven out of twelve rating questions, and 6 strong support for CALA as a representative organization of Chinese American librarians in North America. The findings of the survey will serve as a valuable reference for future strategic planning and for carrying out CALA’s long term goals.

FLUXUS E ARTE POSTAL COMO ARTE RELACIONAL: BREVE ESTUDO

OpenAIRE

Amizo, Isadora Banducci

2014-01-01

Este artigo tem como objetivo a análise das questões que envolvem a produção da Arte postal ou Mail art, e do grupo Fluxus, difundidas ao redor do mundo a partir da década de 1960. Procura-se investigar sua aproximação com o conceito de arte relacional, exposto pelo crítico e filósofo francês Nicolas Bourriaud no livro “Estética relacional”. Para isso, são revisadas algumas das temáticas que envolvem as duas expressões artísticas destacando–se a produção de alguns de seus principais expoentes...

Incorporating ICT Tools in an Active Engagement Strategy-Based Classroom to Promote Learning Awareness and Self-Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Kean, Ang Chooi; Embi, Mohamed Amin; Yunus, Melor Md

2012-01-01

The paper examines the influence of incorporating information and communication technology (ICT) tools to help learners to promote learning awareness and self-monitoring skills. An open-ended online questionnaire survey was administered to 15 course participants at the conclusion of the course. The data were analysed on the basis of the percentage…

39 CFR 447.52 - Holding of State or local office by Postal Service employees.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... ascertaining: (1) Whether the office is “nonpartisan” within the definition in § 447.62(a). (2) Whether State... encouraged to seek advice from his Associate Ethical Conduct Counselor prior to taking any action to seek... that the employee's postal responsibilities are being conducted in a satisfactory manner and that the...

Science self-efficacy of African Americans enrolled in freshman level physical science courses in two historically black institutions

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Prihoda, Belinda Ann

2011-12-01

Science education must be a priority for citizens to function and be productive in a global, technological society. African Americans receive fewer science degrees in proportion to the Caucasian population. The primary purposes of this study were to determine the difference between the pretest and posttest science self-efficacy scores of African-American nonscience majors, the difference between the pretest and posttest science self-efficacy scores of African-American science majors, the relationship between science self-efficacy and course grade, the relationship between gender and science self-efficacy score, and the relationship between science self-efficacy score and course withdrawal. This study utilized a Likert survey instrument. All participants were enrolled in freshman level courses in the physical sciences at a historically black institution: a college or university. Participants completed the pretest survey within two weeks after the 12th class day of the semester. Initially, 458 participants completed the pretest survey. The posttest was administered within two weeks before the final exam. Only 245 participants completed the posttest survey. Results indicate that there is a difference in science self-efficacy of science majors and nonscience majors. There was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest science self-efficacy scores of African-American science majors and nonscience majors. There was no significant relationship between science self-efficacy and course grade, gender and science self-efficacy score, and course withdrawal and science self-efficacy score.

Comparison of self-reported dietary intakes from the Automated Self-Administered 24-h recall, 4-d food records, and food-frequency questionnaires against recovery biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yikyung; Dodd, Kevin W; Kipnis, Victor; Thompson, Frances E; Potischman, Nancy; Schoeller, Dale A; Baer, David J; Midthune, Douglas; Troiano, Richard P; Bowles, Heather; Subar, Amy F

2018-01-01

A limited number of studies have evaluated self-reported dietary intakes against objective recovery biomarkers. The aim was to compare dietary intakes of multiple Automated Self-Administered 24-h recalls (ASA24s), 4-d food records (4DFRs), and food-frequency questionnaires (FFQs) against recovery biomarkers and to estimate the prevalence of under- and overreporting. Over 12 mo, 530 men and 545 women, aged 50-74 y, were asked to complete 6 ASA24s (2011 version), 2 unweighed 4DFRs, 2 FFQs, two 24-h urine collections (biomarkers for protein, potassium, and sodium intakes), and 1 administration of doubly labeled water (biomarker for energy intake). Absolute and density-based energy-adjusted nutrient intakes were calculated. The prevalence of under- and overreporting of self-report against biomarkers was estimated. Ninety-two percent of men and 87% of women completed ≥3 ASA24s (mean ASA24s completed: 5.4 and 5.1 for men and women, respectively). Absolute intakes of energy, protein, potassium, and sodium assessed by all self-reported instruments were systematically lower than those from recovery biomarkers, with underreporting greater for energy than for other nutrients. On average, compared with the energy biomarker, intake was underestimated by 15-17% on ASA24s, 18-21% on 4DFRs, and 29-34% on FFQs. Underreporting was more prevalent on FFQs than on ASA24s and 4DFRs and among obese individuals. Mean protein and sodium densities on ASA24s, 4DFRs, and FFQs were similar to biomarker values, but potassium density on FFQs was 26-40% higher, leading to a substantial increase in the prevalence of overreporting compared with absolute potassium intake. Although misreporting is present in all self-report dietary assessment tools, multiple ASA24s and a 4DFR provided the best estimates of absolute dietary intakes for these few nutrients and outperformed FFQs. Energy adjustment improved estimates from FFQs for protein and sodium but not for potassium. The ASA24, which now can be

Causal modeling of self-concept, job satisfaction, and retention of nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Cowin, Leanne S; Johnson, Maree; Craven, Rhonda G; Marsh, Herbert W

2008-10-01

The critical shortage of nurses experienced throughout the western world has prompted researchers to examine one major component of this complex problem - the impact of nurses' professional identity and job satisfaction on retention. A descriptive correlational design with a longitudinal element was used to examine a causal model of nurses' self-concept, job satisfaction, and retention plans in 2002. A random sample of 2000 registered nurses was selected from the state registering authority listing. A postal survey assessing multiple dimensions of nurses' self-concept (measured by the nurse self-concept questionnaire), job satisfaction (measured by the index of work satisfaction) was undertaken at Time 1 (n=528) and 8 months later at Time 2 (n=332) (including retention plans (measured by the Nurse Retention Index). Using confirmatory factor analysis, correlation matrices and path analysis, measurement and structural models were examined on matching pairs of data from T1 and T2 (total sample N=332). Nurses' self-concept was found to have a stronger association with nurses' retention plans (B=.45) than job satisfaction (B=.28). Aspects of pay and task were not significantly related to retention plans, however, professional status (r=.51), and to a lesser extent, organizational policies (r=.27) were significant factors. Nurses' general self-concept was strongly related (r=.57) to retention plans. Strategies or interventions requiring implementation and evaluation include: counseling to improve nurse general self-concept, education programs and competencies in health communication between health professionals, reporting of nurse-initiated programs with substantial patient benefit, nurse-friendly organizational policies, common health team learning opportunities, and autonomous practice models.

EFL Learners' Use of Online Metacognitive Reading Strategies and Its Relation to Their Self-Efficacy in Reading

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmadian, Moussa; Pasand, Parastou Gholami

2017-01-01

This study explores Iranian EFL learners' online reading metacognitive strategy use and its relation to their self-efficacy in reading comprehension. It further examines the effect of gender in this respect. To these ends, the Online Survey of Reading Strategies (OSORS) and reading selfefficacy questionnaire were adopted and administered to 63…

Me, My “Selfie” and I: A Survey of Self-disclosure Motivations on Social Media

OpenAIRE

Patricia Williamson; Trey Stohlman; Heather Polinsky

2017-01-01

Personal photo-sharing has become a popular activity across social media platforms as a self-disclosure activity. A survey of 366 (N=366) individuals via a web-based questionnaire measured correlations between photo-sharing on social networking sites (SNS) and fulfillment of self-disclosure goals. Data analysis indicated respondents posted selfies to social media to meet the information storage and entertainment self-disclosure goals. Facebook users also posted selfies to aide in relational d...

Perils and potentials of self-selected entry to epidemiological studies and surveys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keiding, Niels; Louis, Thomas A.

2016-01-01

Low front-end cost and rapid accrual make Web-based surveys and enrolment in studies attractive, but participants are often self-selected with little reference to a well-defined study base. Of course, high quality studies must be internally valid (validity of inferences for the sample at hand......), but Web-based enrolment reactivates discussion of external validity (generalization of within-study inferences to a target population or context) in epidemiology and clinical trials. Survey research relies on a representative sample produced by a sampling frame, prespecified sampling process and weighting...

Feasibility study of radiophotoluminescent glass rod dosimeter postal dose intercomparison for high energy photon beam