A Web-based review of sexual and reproductive health services available at colleges and universities in Georgia

Objective: Although two-thirds of graduating high school seniors attend college or university in the U.S., there is a paucity of national or state specific research regarding SRH services available on or near college and university campuses.

Methods: A review of websites for all colleges and universities in Georgia was conducted to evaluate sexual health services available on campuses and evidence of referral to community providers.

Results: Of 96 colleges in Georgia, 44 had campus-located health centers, with only 3 at two-year colleges. Overall SRH service provision was low, with great variation between colleges. Distances between colleges and Title X clinics ranged from 0.33 to 35.45 miles.

Conclusions: Many students lack access to campus health centers, and information on college websites regarding SRH service availability and referrals differs dramatically between campuses. In the absence of robust campus-located services, schools should highlight where students can obtain comprehensive SRH care in the community.     

Life after loss: Comparing student service member/veteran and civilian mental health characteristics among individuals exposed to death by suicide

Objective: This study evaluated the mental health characteristics and beliefs of student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs) who have been exposed to another’s death by suicide.

Participants: A total of 39 SSM/Vs exposed to suicide and 32 SSM/Vs not exposed to suicide were sampled from a larger, epidemiological survey. An age- and gender-matched group of 39 civilian (C) students was drawn from a larger sample of individuals exposed to suicide.

Methods: Data were collected as part of an Internet-based, campus needs survey that occurred in Fall 2014. Participants were asked to complete measures about suicide-related behaviors, suicide prevention, help-seeking, and demographics.

Results: SSM/Vs exposed to suicide had more positive mental health/suicide prevention beliefs than SSM/Vs not exposed to suicide. Cs exposed to suicide were not significantly different from either group. Unique help-seeking patterns were also identified.

Conclusions: The current study identifies unique characteristics of SSM/Vs exposed to suicide that may inform prevention programming.     

The feasibility of goal attainment scaling to measure case resolution in elder abuse and neglect adult protective services intervention

Objectives: This pilot study describes implementation procedures of goal attainment scaling (GAS) and examines the feasibility of using GAS to measure the multifarious intervention outcome of case resolution in elder mistreatment (EM) adult protective services (APS).

Methods: Substantiated EM victims (n = 27) were recruited prospectively from the State of Maine APS. An adapted GAS approach was implemented involving development of a pre-populated goal scale menu and web-based GAS application.

Results: The GAS menu comprised 18 goals and corresponding scales spanning several domains of case resolution: social support, service access, health/functioning, enhancing independence, and protective measures. The overall GAS process had mean length 33.8 min per case. The mean GAS summary t-score (54.3) aligned with theoretical expectations.

Discussion: Without a measure of case resolution, research cannot compare the effectiveness of different EM intervention models. Findings suggest that GAS is a feasible, client-centered strategy to measure the multifarious EM intervention case resolution outcome.     

Effect of warning placement on the information processing of college students reading an OTC drug facts panel

Objective: To compare three over-the-counter (OTC) Drug Facts panel versions for information processing optimization among college students.

Participants: University of Houston students (N = 210) participated in a cross-sectional survey from January to May 2010.

Methods: A current FDA label was compared to two experimental labels developed using the theory of CHREST to test information processing by re-positioning the warning information within the Drug Facts panel. Congruency was defined as placing like information together. Information processing was evaluated using the OTC medication Label Evaluation Process Model (LEPM): label comprehension, ease-of-use, attitude toward the product, product evaluation, and purchase intention.

Results: Experimental label with chunked congruent information (uses-directions-other information-warnings) was rated significantly higher than the current FDA label and had the best average scores among the LEPM information processing variables.

Conclusion: If replications uphold these findings, the FDA label design might be revised to improve information processing.     

Heart checks in college-aged students link poor sleep to cardiovascular risk

Objective: To describe the relationships between the cardiovascular health, lifestyle behaviors, and lifestyle beliefs among college-aged students.

Participants: Seven hundred and twenty-nine college-aged students participated between October 2016 and April 2017.

Methods: Heart checks, consisting of a cross-sectional survey and biometric screening, were conducted on a large Midwestern university campus.

Results: A small proportion of students (24.5%) engaged in the recommended 150+ minutes of physical activity per week and 7.9% consumed 5+ servings of fruit/vegetables daily. Half (49.6%) slept 7 hours or less per night. Biometric screenings found that 26.4% of the students had high stress, 31.9% were overweight or obese, and 17.3% had prehypertension or hypertension. Less sleep was significantly associated with higher risks of being stressed, being overweight/obese, and having elevated blood pressure.

Conclusions: Early detection, treatment, and education is critical to identify individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease and to promote healthy lifestyle changes before heart disease develops or progresses.     

Examining the effect of the computer-based educational package on quality of life and severity of hypogonadism symptoms in males

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the computer-based educational package on men’s QoL and the severity of their hypogonadism symptoms.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 80 male employees. The data collection tool included the ‘Aging Male Symptoms’ (AMS) and ‘Short Form-36’ (SF36) questionnaires. Four sessions were held for the intervention group over a period of 4 weeks. Two months after training, QoL and the severity of hypogonadism symptoms were measured in both the intervention and control groups. The data were analyzed with SPSS 22 software and statistical tests, such as χ², independent t-test, Fisher’s exact test, and paired t-tests.

Results: Significant statistical changes were observed in the intervention group before and 2 months after the training in the QoL score in the overall dimensions of physical–psychological health and all its domains except for three domains of emotional role, social function, and pain. Furthermore, the paired t-tests showed significant differences between 2 months before and after the training in all the domains and the overall hypogonadism score in the intervention group.

Conclusions: Based on our findings, the computer-based educational package has a positive effect on QoL and reduction of hypogonadism symptoms.     

Effects of resistance training on liver structure and function of aged rats

The aging process may cause negative physiological changes. However, exercises as resistance training (RT) have been considered an important intervention to attenuate these changes. Additionally, liver plays an important role in blood glucose homeostasis in exercise.

Aim: This study aimed to analyze the effects of RT on the liver components of aged animals.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: 24 months’ group (CONTROL); and group submitted to a progressive RT protocol for 16 weeks (EXERCISE). Both groups were sacrificed at 24 months.

Results: We observed a decrease in blood flow due to the practice of resistance exercises. Besides, our results showed that hepatic tissue plays an important role in glycemic homeostasis during RT. In addition, RT increased mitogen capacity of hepatocytes.

Conclusions: Our study showed many implications for the knowledge about the effects of strength training on old animals’ liver.     

Acceptability of an Aboriginal Wellbeing Intervention for Supporters of People Using Methamphetamines

Families and workers often suffer significant stress while supporting people who are experiencing problems related to methamphetamine use yet there is little evidence on how best to help. Small pilot studies can provide valuable information about potential ways to intervene. This paper presents a pilot study of an Aboriginal family wellbeing intervention with workers in an Aboriginal health service. The pilot indicated that participation in the intervention improved the psychosocial empowerment and wellbeing of workers, that these workers perceived the program as relevant to families, and that this was an intervention they felt they could deliver to clients themselves.

IMPLICATIONS

• An Aboriginal family wellbeing intervention was piloted and found to improve the empowerment and wellbeing of workers. Participants regarded it as highly relevant for families supporting people using methamphetamines and other drugs.

• This research has added to our knowledge about how to assist those supporting Aboriginal people using methamphetamines and other drugs.

     

Book reviews

The Political Sociology of Florian Znaniecki and Contemporary Politics (in Polish), Olgierd Sochacki (Ed.) Wydawnictwo Gdanskie, The Scientific Society of Gdansk, 1996

Why Read. Internal Space and the Social Function of Literature: An Investigation with. Psychoanalysts and Psychology Students, Graziella Pagliano (Ed.) Bonanno Editore, 1994

Voix Littéraires de Femmes

Cuadernos sobre Vico, Nos 5–6, José M. Sevilla et al. 1995–96

Studi in memoria di Ernesto Grassi Proceedings of the International Conference in Memory of Ernesto Grassi (Ischia, 4–6 October 1993), Emilio Hidalgo‐Serna and Massimo Marassi (Eds), Napoli, La Città del Sole, 1996

Naples Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Fiosofici, La Gittà del Sole, Napoli, 1996

Family, Women and Employment in Central‐Eastern Europe, Barbara Lobodzinska (Ed.) Greenwood Press, 1995     

A meta-analysis of effectiveness of E-interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in college and university students.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and moderators of E-Interventions versus assessment only (AO) controls in the reduction of alcoholic drinks per week (DPW) in university students.

Study design and methods: Cochrane library, CINAEL, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched up to June 2017. Studies were included if they were: an RCT, assessed the effectiveness of E-Interventions at reducing DPW, and employed university/college students. 23 studies (N = 7,614) were included and quality was assessed using the JADAD scale.

Results: Weighted mean effect sizes were calculated using random-effects models. These showed a small, significant effect of E-Interventions at reducing the number of alcoholic DPW. Moderator analysis found a significant advantage for web-based personalised feedback interventions compared to other E-Interventions.

Conclusions: E-Interventions show a small, significant effect at reducing mean alcoholic DPW. Personalised feedback E-Interventions showed the strongest effect.     

Recantation of Sexual Abuse Disclosure Among Child Victims: Accommodation Syndrome

Background: Disclosing the sexual abuse may be related on many individual and/or environmental factors in all age groups. The sociocultural context is the most influential factor of the disclosing process especially for those living in patriarchal cultural values. This study compares the impacts of sexual abuse and other sociodemographic variables between recanting and non-recanting victimized groups in Adana city from Turkey.

Methods: The samples attending our department were divided into two groups: group 1 comprised victims who recanted their first abuse disclosure, and group 2 comprised victims who insisted on the veracity of their first report at further evaluations. The characteristics of the child, family, and abuser were compared between recanting victims and non-recanting victims by retrospective data.

Results: Each group included 27 children, for a total of 54 subjects. All adverse social reactions after the sexual abuse, including keeping secrets and a repressive family attitude, were higher among group 1 victims than group 2 victims (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Although they are victimized by protecting family integrity, victims may show a tendency to keep secrets and to not immediately disclose an abuse event.     

Book review

Wives and warriors. Women and the military in the United States and Canada L. Weinstein & C.C. White (Eds) Westport, Connecticut; London: Bergin & Garver, 1997. ISBN: 0-89789-491-X (hbk), 0-89789-526-6 (pbk)

Social skills for people with learning disabilities–A social capability approach Mark Burton & Carolyn Kagan (with Pat Clements) London: Chapman and Hall, 1995 ISBN: 0-412-43380-X (pbk)

Social Work with Children. The Educational Perspective

Jobs, Technology and People

Children in Difficulty: A Guide to Understanding and Helping

Step-parenting in the 1990s

Jobs and Economic Development Strategies and Practice

Caring to Work: accounts of working parents of disabled children

The WorWFamily Challenge. Rethinking Employment

No Place to Go. The Civil Commitment of Minors

Black Families in Corporate America     

Mental health practitioners’ strategies in equine-assisted psychotherapy: implications for social work

Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), in this study, which included a mental health practitioner, an equine specialist, at least one horse, and a client in therapy sessions, is emerging in social work practice, education, and research. The purpose of this paper was to explore experienced EAP mental health practitioners’ cognitive activities and strategies to inform the social work profession.

Utilizing a constructive narrative approach, eight experienced EAP mental health practitioners participated. Two semi-structured, face-to face, individual interviews were used to gain their perspectives. Qualitative software assisted thematic analysis. The findings included a main theme identified as participants’ concrete strategies used in EAP with two subthemes. The second main theme identified abstract strategies with six subthemes.

EAP provides a holistic framework as social workers incorporate horses and natural environments in practice, which is consistent with systems theory. The findings inform experienced mental health practitioners to be effective therapists and educators, as well as to instill confidence in novices. Recommendations for the application of the findings in social work practice, education, and research are explained.     

Book reviews

Law, socialism and social emancipation

Books Reviewed: M. Los, Communist Ideology, Law and Crime. St. Martin's Press: New York. 1988.

Paul Q. HirstLaw, Socialism and Democracy. London: Allen and Unwin 1986.

Citoyens et citoyennes

Review of: C. Pateman (1988), The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press.

H.M. Hernes (1987), Welfare State and Women Power, Norwegian University Press.

Franco Crespi (1989), Azione sociale e potere, Il Mulino     

Prostate-specific antigen decline pattern in advanced prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy and relationship with prostate-specific antigen progression

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate prostate-specific antigen decline pattern including prostate-specific antigen kinetics following androgen deprivation therapy on prostate-specific antigen progression in the patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Materials and methods: Ninety-seven advanced prostate cancer patients receiving maximum androgen deprivation therapy were enrolled in case–control study. Baseline prostate-specific antigen, Gleason Score, bone metastase, nadir prostate-specific antigen, time to nadir prostate-specific antigen, declining slope to nadir prostate-specific antigen, estimated baseline prostate-specific antigen half-time, current prostate-specific antigen, post-nadir prostate-specific antigen time, estimated prostate-specific antigen, estimated decline of baseline prostate-specific antigen as quantitative, and ratio were recorded and calculated.

Results: The ratio of prostate-specific antigen progression was significantly lower at the patients who had slower declining slope to prostate-specific antigen, longer time to nadir prostate-specific antigen, and lower estimated decline ratio of baseline prostate-specific antigen (p: .016, p: .020, and p: .026, respectively).

Conclusions: The shorter time to nadir prostate-specific antigen following androgen deprivation therapy, faster declining slope to nadir prostate-specific antigen and higher estimated decline ratio of baseline prostate-specific antigen are associated with higher risk of disease progression in patients with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.     

Book Reviews

Welfare States in Transition. National Adaptations in Global Economies. Edited by Gösta Esping-Andersen. London, Sage, 1996. 276pp., ISBN 0–7619–5048–6, £13.95.

Social Protection and the European Economic and Monetary Union. Edited by Jozef Pacolet. Aldetshot, Avebury, 1996. 305 pp., ISBN 1–8562–581–2, £40.

Valuazione e sapere sociologico (Evaluation and Sociological Knowledge). Edited by G. Bertin. Milan, Franco Angeli, 1996. 299pp., L. 38.000.

I bisogni dimenticati. Rapporto 1996 su emarginazione ed esclusione sociale (Report on Social Marginalization and Exclusion). Caritas Italiana—Fondazione E. Zancan. Milan, Feltrinelli, 1997. 292pp., L. 30.000.

Social Theory, Social Change and Social Work. Edited by Nigel Parton. London, Routledge, 1996. 238pp., ISBN 0–415–12698–3, £13.99.

Lena Dominelli: Sociology for Social Work. Basingstoke, Macmillan, 1997. ISBN 0–333–61521–2, £13.99.

Simon Goodwin: Comparative Mental Health Policy: From Institutional to Community Care. London, Sage. 183pp. ISBN 0–8039–7729–8, £13.99.

Anthony Colombo: Understanding Mentally Disordered Offenders. Aldershot, Ashgate, 1997. 226pp. ISBN 1–85972–689–5. £37.50.

Critical Approaches to Ageing and Later Life.

Edited by Anne Jamieson, Sarah Harper and Christina Victor. Buckingham, Open University Press, 1977. 195pp., ISBN 0–335–19725–6. £14.99.

Education and Fascism. Political Identity and Social Education in Nazi Germany. Edited by H. Sünker and H.-U. Otto. London, Falmer Press, 1997. 180pp., ISBN 0–7507–05919-X, £14.95.     

Testing Satisfaction with a Group-based Social Work Field Liaison Model: A Controlled Mixed Methods Study

Social work field education programs rely on the liaison process to oversee and support students during their placement and to assist them to integrate theory and practice. However, the role and importance of liaison has been threatened as social work programs seek alternative and cost-effective ways to undertake these functions. This paper presents findings from a pilot study investigating levels of satisfaction among students and field educators with an innovative group liaison model compared to a control group who experienced the standard liaison practice. Fifty-three students and 47 field educators completed the survey. Twenty-one of the students and 10 of the educators received the intervention (the group liaison); the remaining 32 students and 37 educators received the standard liaison process (the control group). Students in the intervention group reported significantly higher levels of satisfaction with all aspects of the liaison experience than students who received the standard liaison process. Field educators were more positive about liaison than students. This study reaffirms the contribution of face-to-face liaison contact to the student learning experience on placement and suggests that strengthening, rather than devaluing, the liaison role could be a useful strategy to encourage the field’s ongoing commitment to provision of quality placement-based learning opportunities.

IMPLICATIONS

• Highlights the importance of face-to-face liaison contact to the student learning experience on placement.

• Examines social work student and field educator perceptions of and satisfaction with the liaison process and content.

• Describes a group liaison model that potentially offers a cost effective way to undertake the role.

     

An analysis of online content related to testosterone supplementation

Objective: To describe the quality of online information on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in men.

Methods: A quantitative content analysis was conducted on websites providing patient-directed information on TRT for the purpose of treating late onset hypogonadism (LOH). Websites were identified through Google in March 2017. The DISCERN instrument was used to determine the quality of health information.

Results: A total of 20 websites met inclusion criteria. Websites were primarily from the United States (45%), United Kingdom (25%), and Australia (15%). Sources of information were cited by 40% of websites. Several websites (40%) claimed that TRT had benefits, with 25% claiming that TRT was effective for treating LOH. TRT was described as a safe therapy by one website (5%), with gynecomastia (35%) and increased hematocrit (35%) representing the most commonly described side effects. Prostate specific antigen (35%) and serum testosterone monitoring (30%) were the most commonly described monitoring parameters. The mean DISCERN score was 46.4, indicating fair quality information. The Flesh–Kincaid Grade Level was 12.2.

Conclusion: Online TRT information is incomplete, often failing to describe important safety information and the need for regular monitoring.     

Feasibility of intervention in elder self-neglecters: Setting the stage for future research

Objectives: Interventions are critical to improving clinical outcomes in elder self-neglecters. This study assessed feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of oral vitamin D in Adult Protective Services-substantiated self-neglect clients ≥65 years.

Methods: Participants were directly observed to consume ergocalciferol 50,000 IU (treatment) or ergocalciferol 400 IU (control), once a month, for 10 months. For months 6–10, half the control group randomly crossed into the treatment group (crossover). Intervention feasibility was measured by number of potential participants who agreed to participate and by retention rates during the study.

Results: Ninety-four referrals were received and 59 (63%) agreed to participate. Forty-nine participants were enrolled after prescreening and 35 completed the two-phase trial for a 72% retention rate. The participants’ average age was 75.2 ± 6.8 years, mainly female (59%), African-American (47%), and living alone (41%).

Discussion: Despite assumptions that self-neglecters are resistant to care, we have successfully conducted the first clinical intervention in this vulnerable population.     

Impact of metabolic status on the association of serum vitamin D with hypogonadism and lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of metabolic status on associations of serum vitamin D with hypogonadism and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Patients and methods: A total of 612 men underwent physical examination, biochemical/hormonal blood testing, and transrectal prostate ultrasound. Moreover, the subjects filled out standard questionnaires for identification and grading of LUTS and hypogonadism symptoms. Parameters were statistically compared with independent t-tests and correlation analyses.

Results: Vitamin D levels positively correlated with total testosterone (TT) but not with prostate volume or International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Patients with metabolic syndrome had significantly lower vitamin D levels, which were not correlated with TT, prostate volume, or IPSS. However, vitamin D was positively correlated with TT, and negatively correlated with prostate volume and quality-of-life IPSS in subjects without metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion: The clinical usefulness of vitamin D for treatment of hypogonadism or LUTS/BPH varies according to metabolic status.