Musculoskeletal injuries associated with selected university staff and faculty in an office environment

A research team with backgrounds in occupational therapy, rehabilitation, policy and rulemaking, and prevention programs affecting occupational health and safety designed, validated, and analyzed an ergonomics survey of university staff and faculty. The purpose of the study was to validate identified risk factors from the literature contributing to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) in an office setting within a university setting. The study was also designed to determine differences between faculty and staff in the university setting and their exposure to physical risk factors to WRMDs. The results suggest faculty have their keyboard in awkward positions more frequently than staff, and staff had more experience with mechanical stress than faculty. The researchers recommend parameters for the design of a university ergonomics program based on employee and education, management commitment, medical case management, problem job identification, and development of solutions.     

Limit your time,gamble responsibly: setting a time limit (via pop-up message) on an electronic gaming machine reduces time on device

In the current study, we assessed whether undergraduate electronic gaming machine (EGM) gamblers would be more apt to set a time limit and spend less time gambling when asked to consider setting an explicit time limit prior to their gambling session. To this end, participants (N = 43) were randomly assigned to a time limit pop-up condition or control condition, both of which involved gambling on an EGM in a virtual reality (VR) casino. In the time limit pop-up condition, participants were asked (via pop-up message) to consider setting a time limit on play and entering that limit in an available text box prior to commencing play. In the no time limit pop-up condition, participants engaged in play immediately upon accessing the EGM in the VR casino (i.e. they were not exposed to a time limit pop-up message). As predicted, participants who were explicitly asked to consider setting a time limit on their EGM play were significantly more likely to do so and spent less time gambling than those who were not given such instructions. The results provide preliminary support for the contention that setting a time limit on EGM play is an effective responsible gambling strategy.     

Narrative reasoning and coherent alignment in field placement

ABSTRACT

In social work, field placement is considered an essential component to prepare students for professional practice. A significant degree of disjunction between academic and practical learning also is asserted. The present study aims to explore how students develop their professional competence in field placement and relate their learning outcomes across the university setting and the field. Data from students’ learning contracts and placement reports and a focus-group interview are analysed. Concrete practical experiences and the complexity of problems in specific contexts seem to provide inputs on the development of students’ knowledge, skills and personal competence outside the university setting. Although the students were asked to account for these three dimensions separately, the findings demonstrate their ability to connect and integrate them in the narrative reasoning that characterises students’ reflections on their learning from placement. Moreover, our findings show that all three dimensions are developed in both the university setting and in field placement. Preparing students properly for placement training and calling for specific reports on learning outcomes allow access to meaningful connections that are created and developed between the university setting and field placement.     

Anti‐globalization movements and the European agenda

This article examines the relationship between the Europeanization process and the anti‐globalization agenda in Europe. Relying on the results of fieldwork research conducted since 2001 on the anti‐globalization demonstrations surrounding the European summits, it argues that these transnational protest movements are of a dual and, in part, contradictory nature. On the one hand, they have an agenda‐setting character, contributing to the formation of European public opinion. On the other hand, their influence in terms of agenda setting of European policy is constrained by their discourse style which bypasses or circumvents official discourse about European integration.     

The expanded role of nurse case managers

1. Effective nursing practice is responsive to the changing needs of clients. The community, rather than the hospital, has become the primary treatment setting in which the long-term mentally ill manage their daily activities. 2. The professional role of rehabilitative nurse case management can provide an opportunity for nurses to expand their roles and develop new career directions. 3. The primary nursing model provides an excellent foundation for acquiring the attitudes and skills necessary in the delivery of a comprehensive rehabilitative model of case management.     

Effects of Anonymity and Social Setting on Survey Responses

Anonymity was tested by placing an identifying number on halfof the questionnaires on a mail survey designed to elicit reactionsfrom teachers concerning teacher unions. Bias due to socialsetting was tested by mailing half the questionnaires to teachersat their home addresses, the other half to teachers at theirschool addresses. In a two-by-two factorial design, anonymityand social setting had no appreciable effect on response orspeed of return, although social setting did have an effecton return rate. Respondents receiving the questionnaire at theirschool address had a higher return rate than those receivingit at home     

Factors Associated with Adolescents’ Disclosure of Sexual Abuse Experiences in Hong Kong

This research project is the first study conducted in Hong Kong using adolescent subjects to explore predictors of child sexual abuse disclosure. Eight-hundred male and female adolescents aged 13 to 16 years were recruited from the community while another 30 adolescents joined the study from a clinical setting. One hundred and seventy-seven adolescents acknowledged having a child sexual abuse experience. Results showed that the severity of sexual abuse activities and parent attachment were associated with disclosure in the clinical setting, while abuser’s gender and the adolescents’ disclosure tendency were associated with disclosure among participants in the community setting. Among the 104 participants who had disclosed their childhood sexual abuse, 70% of them had disclosed it within one month and 63% of them had disclosed to 2 to 5 people. The majority of the disclosers (81%) shared their child sexual abuse experience(s) with their friends. Participants from the clinical setting tended to reveal the experience more to adults than those from the community. The study suggested that when choosing a potential confidant, adolescents paid more attention to confidant characteristics than to anticipated confidant responses to their disclosure. Limitations and practical implications for increasing child sexual abuse disclosure rates are discussed.     

What’s the Relationship Got to do with It? Understanding the Therapeutic Relationship in Therapeutic Foster Care

The therapeutic relationship is increasingly recognized as important to understanding how process variables contribute to treatment outcomes. In this paper, we examine the therapeutic relationship between children with serious emotional and behavioral disorders and their treatment providers in the context of an observational study of Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC). Our findings suggest that the quality of the relationship between the treatment parent and youth in a TFC setting is significantly associated with better emotional and behavioral functioning for the youth. It appears from these findings that the quality of the relationship between the youth and treatment parent in a TFC setting is at least one of the mechanism or process factors that contribute to improved functioning for the youth.     

Long-Term Care Administrators' Perceptions of the Ombudsman Program in the State of Missouri

The presence of a long-term care ombudsman in a long-term care or nursing facility helps prevent abusive or neglectful situations before they start. Almost all Missouri long-term care facility administrators responding to the survey reported that they were aware of the ombudsman program; however, only half currently house an ombudsman in their facility. Respondents aware of the program were significantly more likely to currently accommodate an ombudsman in their facility, and those managing larger facilities were significantly more likely to currently have an ombudsman present. Given the numerous changes in the long-term care system, the need for more ombudsman advocates in this setting is crucial.     

Kommunikation in E-Learning-Veranstaltungen. Erfahrungen der Studierenden und ihre Präferenzen für Online- oder Face-to-Face-Kommunikation

Altogether, 2,196 students from 29 Austrian universities took part in an empirical investigation on learning and communication in e-learning courses. The students completed a questionnaire on their experiences in an actual e-learning course, on their perceived learning achievements, and their enjoyment of the course. Furthermore, they expressed their preferences for online or face-to-face communication. All in all, students were satisfied with their course. They did not prefer one communication setting over another. They preferred online-communication for the distribution of information but advocated face-to-face communication when joint learning and cooperation are important or when socio-emotional relations are to be developed. The results of the study advocate blended-learning designs and give recommendations for which communication purposes online and for which face-to-face settings are more adequate.     

Effects of the awareness of social dilemmas on advertising budget-setting: A scenario study

In this study, which examines the dynamics involved in setting advertising budgets, the social dilemma theory was applied in an attempt to understand the interdependency problems of advertisers in their investment decisions. In an experiment, a budget decision was made for a company after a period in which the company's market shares had either increased, decreased, or remained stable. Subjects were pre-screened with regard to their social value orientation (cooperative vs competitive). Half of the subjects were informed of the threat of social dilemmas and of the possible negative consequences; the other half were not informed. Budget decisions can be predicted on the basis of subjects' social value orientations and the awareness of the threat of social dilemmas. Subjects with a relatively strong competitive orientation are more zealous in setting their budgets. However, the awareness variable shows the strongest effects, especially in conditions when subjects experience a declining market share. It was concluded that knowledge about the dynamics of social dilemmas may prevent advertisers from a competitive reaction to the loss of share and may thus prevent them from becoming trapped in a competitive (social) dilemma.     

Educational needs of inpatients with severe & persistent mental illness: a partial replication

Although a great deal has been written about the importance of patient education, few replications of past research have been conducted to increase clinicians' confidence in the conclusions of previous studies. This is especially true of studies conducted in clinical settings where findings may or may not be generalizable to other institutions. This partial replication study tested whether previous findings about patient education in an outpatient setting were applicable to an inpatient setting using a modified version of the instrument. A 1998 study published in this journal suggested that differences may exist between the perceived health education needs of outpatients and their health care providers. In this partial replication, we examined the differences between the educational needs of inpatients and those perceived by their attending nurses. As in the original study, we found discrepancies between patients' actual needs and nurses' perceptions of those needs, supporting the importance of assessing patients' health educational needs in the treatment planning process.     

Transnational Adoption Challenges: Through the Eyes of Eastern European Youth

Between 1990 and the early 2000s, thousands of children were adopted into families in the United States from Eastern Europe. While most adoptions are successful, some children have difficulties. This qualitative study of 26 youth between the ages of 12 and 21 who were sent by their parents to an educational alternative setting or left their adoptive home prior to completing high school were interviewed regarding their experiences of adoption. The study found that the youth were appreciative of their adoptive parents, but saw the world through a different lens due to their lived experiences. Conclusions may assist prospective adoptive parents and professionals.     

The Professionalization of Medical Students: Developing Competence And A Cloak of Competence*

This paper describes how medical students in an innovative educational setting adopt a cloak of competence as a critical part of the professionalization process. Faced with inordinate and variable expectations to develop and display competence, students professionalize by distancing themselves from those they interact with and by adopting and manipulating the symbols of their new status. Students were observed to engage in impression management to convince others and themselves that they are competent and confident to face the immense responsibilities of their privileged role. The data were collected by means of participant observation and interviews.     

Crossover youth post arrest: Placement status and recidivism

The association between child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency is well established. Maltreated youth experience significantly higher delinquency rates than their peers. Studies report that placement instability in substitute care and placement in congregate settings (e.g., group homes) contribute to higher rates of offending. To date, no studies have focused on the judicial response and the likelihood of continued offending. The current study investigates the association between post-arrest placement decisions and recidivism. We analyze administrative records from the Los Angeles County Department of Probation and the Department of Children and Family Services. The sample includes all first-time violent offenders with an open child welfare case. Forty-nine percent of youth experienced a subsequent arrest. Using Cox regression, we find that moving crossover youth from a family-like setting to a congregate care setting was associated with significantly higher rates of recidivism. We discuss the policy and practice implications of these findings.     

Accountability Agreements in Ontario Hospitals: Are They Fair?

Governments can be accountable for improving the fairness oftheir priority setting through enhanced transparency and stakeholderengagement. A case analysis is conducted of priority settingin a government health care context in Ontario, Canada, assessinghow implementation of hospital accountability agreements meetsthe conditions of a leading international ethical frameworkfor priority setting, "accountability for reasonableness" (A4R).Hospital accountability agreements provide a mechanism for governmentto ensure that public funding achieves desired performance inhospitals. A key goal of priority setting is fairness. A4R linkspriority setting, legitimacy, and fairness to theories of democraticdeliberation, making a claim for fairness if the four conditionsof relevance, publicity, revision/appeals, and enforcement aresatisfied. Regarding the relevance condition, this analysissuggests that government only partially met the relevance conditionproviding limited stakeholder engagement but with evidence ofpolicy learning and movement toward the establishment of inclusivestakeholder arrangements. Evidence suggests that governmenteventually progressed toward meeting the publicity condition.Government only partially met the revision/appeals conditionand did not meet the enforcement condition, as the other conditionswere only partially met. It is our view that regional governancestructures in Ontario (i.e., Local Health Integration Networksor LHINs) provide an opportunity for the province to improvethe fairness of their accountability agreement processes throughenhancing transparency and stakeholder engagement. More broadly,this case study provides a guide for government to enhance accountabilityby focusing on A4R to improve the fairness of its priority setting.     

Six for Lunch: A Dining Option for Residents with Dementia in a Special Care Unit

Recent research has focused on the design of special care units for residents with dementia, often identifying the social benefits of residentially scaled kitchen and dining areas. This qualitative case study examines how the environmental design features of two dining settings in one special care unit impact residents’ patterns of socialization and interaction at meal times. The first setting is a central dining room for 50 to 60 residents. The second setting is a small office with a residentially scaled kitchen, where once a week, the activity director invites six residents for lunch once a week. Within an ecological theoretical framework, the study findings reveal that, while mealtimes in both settings are highly anticipated, it is the complex relational ties between the operational, managerial, and environmental features of the settings which determine residents’ social interaction and satisfaction with their mealtime experiences.