GENDER ISSUES IN PSYCHOSOCIAL MORBIDITY IN GENERAL PRACTICE

The objective of this study was to compare differences in reasons for encounters, diagnosis and treatment between men and women patients presenting with psychosocial problems as recognised by their general practitioners. The research design was a survey based on structured questionnaires completed by the general practitioners on patients consulting with mental health problems in Bunbury in the rural South West region of Western Australia. The data collection took place for a period of 5 weeks. Twenty two general practitioners, from 5 surgeries, collected information on 428 patients, pertaining to socio-demographic characteristics, reasons for encounter, diagnoses, social problems, chronicity, counselling, medication and use of referral services. The gender differences in the illness profile was quite pronounced. Men patients were older, were more likely to be diagnosed with psychosis or character disorders, to have employment or unknown problems. On the other hand, female patients were younger and more likely not to be given a definite diagnosis, to report more social isolation, dependent/difficult relatives and problems resulting from assault. Men were more likely to be on medication and to be referred to psychiatrists, while women received more counselling from their GPs or were referred to counselling services. On the basis of the findings, it is pointed out that men and women differ in terms of the recognition that they are suffering from a problem, that outside help is needed and making the decision to consult. They also differ in terms of the social factors influencing gender differences in recognition of the illness by the GP and the decision to treat and/or refer.     

WHY FIRMS SEEK ISO 9000 CERTIFICATION: REGULATORY COMPLIANCE OR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE?

Proponents of iso 9000 certification claim that it is a low-cost signal of a firm's commitment to quality and a meaningful component of total quality management (TQM). Critics claim that it has little relation to TQM and is a tariff on international trade. We test the hypothesis that firms obtain ISO 9000 certification to comply with government and customer demands by estimating a probit model of the certification decision. The results support the view of proponents of ISO 9000. After controlling for regulatory and customer pressures to obtain ISO 9000, other factors related to quality management and quality-based competition explain the adoption decision.     

Luchadoras Pensadoras: Reframing the development outcomes of Latina high school wrestlers

Many necessary developmental assets and competencies can be accrued through the participation of sport that aid in the holistic healthy development of adolescent girls; however, much research in this area has focused on adolescent girls as a monolithic group, disregarding the specific outcomes of sport for girls of color. Through analysis of semistructured interviews of 31 Latina high school wrestlers, we identified various developmental outcomes associated with their sport involvement. We apply a new epistemological approach to positive youth development within the context of sports development through the usage of extensive narratives of two of the girls. This study explores adolescent Latinas’ involvement in high school wrestling, a sport that is widely male dominated yet rising in popularity.