A Longitudinal Examination of Family Processes,Demographic Variables,and Adolescent Weight

Nationally representative studies estimate that almost one in five adolescents in the United States is overweight. This is a major concern for individuals' physical and psychological health and the overall economy in terms of health care costs and loss of productivity. A 12- to 14-year-old subsample of 4,688 adolescents from the NLSY97 cohort was used to address the association between family processes, demographic variables, and adolescent body mass index (BMI) percentile over 4 years. The final model indicated that frequency of family meals, gender, race, control, and mothers' BMI were important predictors of adolescent BMI percentile over time. Mothers' BMI was the strongest predictor of adolescent BMI percentile. More frequent family meals led to decreases in BMI percentile over time, whereas males, African Americans, and Latinos had higher average BMI percentiles than other groups.     

Protecting the economic health of the poor in India: Are health mutuals the right medicine?

In addition to government‐sponsored health insurance schemes (GSHIS), many microfinance institutions (MFIs) and community‐based organizations (CBOs) in India have started microinsurance health insurance schemes. These include health mutuals for the benefit of their members. This article explores these as an alternative health‐financing model in India. A literature search produced 926 relevant publications. After applying advanced search options and removing duplicates, abstracts of 324 papers were read and then 47 papers reviewed, and finally 29 were included in this review. Five key themes emerged: (1) “Health for all” arguments and opportunities in favour of micro health insurance schemes; (2) micro health insurance products; (3) impact of micro health insurance schemes; (4) systematic irregularities and regulatory framework; and (5) innovation. We also look at the emerging market patterns that will define micro health insurance products. Health mutuals can effectively provide mass health protection to the poor and not so poor through efficient business models, bespoke benefit packages and multiple payment plans. They can reduce financial vulnerability and improve health outcomes. While GSHIS can cover a substantial tranche of expected health‐related costs, the balance can be supplemented through innovative financial products that reduce financial risk.     

Factors Influencing Interorganizational Collaboration within a Disaster Relief Context

Despite the need for interorganizational collaboration within a humanitarian setting in recent years, there are a considerable number of challenges to efficient collaboration among humanitarian organizations (HOs) operating after natural disasters. Up to this point, scholars have explored the inhibitors and drivers of collaboration in a number of papers and reports that have primarily served to provide a list of factors that influence collaboration within a disaster relief context. Since each list is partial or limited, we conducted this meta-study to advance and frame knowledge on collaboration among HOs, to trace the gap of the literature and to initiate further studies on this topic. Our systematic literature review proposes a categorization of the factors influencing collaboration among HOs. It contains three clusters of factors: (1) contextual factors; (2) interorganizational factors; and (3) inner-organizational factors. In the last section, we elaborate on opportunities for future research on collaboration among HOs.     

Circular and linear modeling of female sexual desire and arousal

There is debate in the scientific literature regarding which model most accurately represents the female sexual response. Traditionally, sex research has been conducted within the framework of the linear sexual response model proposed by Masters and Johnson, modified by Kaplan, then Robinson. Criticism of linear models prompted the development of a composite model of the female sexual response by Basson et al., which included linear and circular pathways. This review aims to systematically assess published studies to determine the extent to which circular and linear models or pathways reflect the female sexual response. Medline, EMBASE, and PsychINFO databases were searched for original data papers and review articles. Inclusion criteria were that articles were published since 1990, in English, and compared linear and circular sexual response models or addressed aspects of these models. Reviews were required to be systematic and include a meta-analysis. Of the 898 studies identified through the initial literature search, 13 original studies and one review met the inclusion criteria. Two studies directly compared models providing limited evidence that most women identify with linear sexual response pathways. However, there is increasing evidence that circular pathways may accurately reflect some aspects of the female sexual response. Further comparative studies are encouraged.     

Partial Answers to Priority Research Questions—and Gaps—Found in the Public Relations Society of America's Body of Knowledge

The Body of Knowledge (BOK: Public Relations Society of America, 1988, 1990, 1993) of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and other literature were used to examine priority research questions generated in a series of Delphi surveys conducted over the past 10 years. The Delphi surveys involved dozens of scholars and senior practitioners who identified priority re- search questions in the field of public relations for the 1980s and 1990s. We perused PRSA's BOK and other literature to see which aspects of the top 18 research questions for the 1990s have been answered completely or partially, to highlight gaps in this body of knowledge, and to point out opportunities for future research. Noted at the end of each partial answer to the research questions are BOK references and search terms that can be used in an electronic search of the BOK data base.     

A meta-evaluation, or quality assessment, of the evaluations in this issue, based on the African Evaluation Guidelines: 2002

Fourteen evaluations of UNICEF and UNAIDS HIV/AIDS programmes underwent a quality control process called ‘meta-evaluation’, which is an evaluation of the quality of the evaluation. This process of evaluating an evaluation is considered professional good practice by African Evaluation Associations and Networks, as well as the American, Canadian, German, Korean, Swiss and other national professional associations of evaluators. The quality control criteria used were the African Evaluation Guidelines—a list of 30 quality-enhancing standards that can be used as a checklist by evaluators to ensure that evaluation studies are performed well. These quality control criteria can also be applied retrospectively as a quality control method, to assess completed evaluation studies. The results of this quality control review process, for the 14 papers in this issue of Evaluation and Program Planning, are presented and discussed. An indication of a possible area of weakness in HIV/AIDS programme evaluation emerges from this analysis.     

Body Movement Is Associated With Orgasm During Vaginal Intercourse in Women

Very few studies have investigated the relationship between women’s ability to experience an orgasm during vaginal intercourse and specific stimulation techniques. We examined two common techniques during vaginal intercourse both with and without simultaneous external clitoral stimulation: (1) body movement, in particular back-and-forth swinging movements of the pelvis and trunk; and (2) precise rubbing of the clitoris with an immobilized body. Structural equation modeling was used to compare the effects of the two stimulation techniques on women’s orgasm frequency (N = 1,239). As hypothesized, the frequency of orgasm during vaginal intercourse with simultaneous clitoral stimulation was positively associated with a preference for body movement during arousal. Body movement, as opposed to body immobilization, was also associated with a higher frequency of orgasm during vaginal intercourse without simultaneous clitoral stimulation. We conclude that body movement is associated with more orgasms during vaginal intercourse, whereas precise rubbing of the clitoris with an immobilized body is not associated with more orgasms. Teaching women to move their pelvis and trunk in a swinging back-and-forth movement during vaginal intercourse might therefore facilitate reaching an orgasm, whereas encouraging them to self-stimulate the clitoris might be less helpful if done with an immobilized body.     

Democracy and global governance: the case for a bottom-up and context-sensitive approach

This concluding chapter outlines a theoretical framework for understanding the relation between global governance, democracy and the findings of the papers in this volume. It identifies the two principles of affectedness and representation in the literature on democratic global governance, and relates them to the three democratic building blocks of equality, inclusive participation and accountability. These five theoretical components are then combined to relate the findings of the previous chapters to three heuristic models of governance: the domination model, the market model and the global democracy model. We show that the particular global governance arrangements discussed in previous chapters to some extent contain elements of all these models: undemocratic domination, mildly democratic market mechanisms and fully democratic global-democratic processes. Through this theoretical framework, the reader gains insight into how to assess and strategize the democratization project for global governance.     

Cognitive behavioural therapy for violent behaviour in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis

Aggressive behaviours often co-occur with other emotional, behavioural, academic, and social relationship problems. During adolescence, these children often exhibit increased rates of school dropout, depression, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, and poor peer relationships. Some definitions focus on aggression as an emotion; according to this framework, aggressive behaviours stem from anger. Other definitions emphasise the motivational aspect of aggression, wherein intentions are thought to indicate the behavioural characteristics. Cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most extensively researched forms of psychotherapy. This paper aims to review the literature on the use of CBT for treating children and adolescents who demonstrate high levels of violence. Studies were searched for using several methods. First, we used large database of literature on psychological treatments of violence in general. Studies were traced by means of several methods. A large database of 240 papers on the psychological treatment of aggression and violence in general were used. This database was developed through a comprehensive literature search (from 1997 to March 2009) in which we examined abstracts in ERIC (19 abstracts), Psycinfo (30), and Medline (23). Keywords used in computer searches were: Aggression, Violence, CBT, cognitive–behavioural therapy, cognitive therapy, behaviour therapy, and behavioural activation. The options were used in computer searches so that all relevant topics within the broader categories were searched as well. Six studies met the inclusion criteria, all of which indicated beneficial results of using CBT. A meta-analysis suggested an effect size of − 0.094 for reduced violence as a result of CBT treatment; this is considered to be a medium effect. The differential effects of cognitive–behavioural therapy and affective education were variable, although they were also generally in the medium range. In this meta-analytic study, CBT treatment proved less effective in reducing aggressive behaviour. This review tentatively suggests potential for using CBT to reduce violence in children and adolescents. However, there is only a small body of research exploring this relationship at present. Further research is needed before any solid conclusions can be drawn.     

Neighborhood and community effects in East and Southeast Asia: A systematic review and meta-analytical exploration of publication bias

Neighborhood and community effects studies have informed urban policies in the West for three decades. Since about ten years ago, this research line is seen increasingly in East and Southeast Asia as well. As an emerging field, the literature has yet to be critically reviewed and its body of literature provides a unique opportunity to study the effects that different research communities might have on its development. This systematic review collects 165 studies and gives a critical appraisal of this literature, specifically focusing on publication bias. Findings show that “true” neighborhood effects might be overestimated. Health research shows greater publication bias than human geography and general social science. Studies by only local scholars are more prone to bias than studies from collaborative teams or only nonlocal scholars, suggesting that this field is relatively early in its life-cycle or that publication pressure is much higher in Asia compared to the West.     

Quality of life in obese postmenopausal women

The aim of this review was to identify the ways in which obesity affects the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of postmenopausal women. This was considered important because a growing body of literature has identified obesity as a significant predictor for a poor psychological wellbeing and negative HRQoL, particularly in women, and because during the transition through the menopause women tend to accumulate more body weight. After searching eight electronic databases, only nine papers appeared meaningful. Although a meta-analysis was not possible, we found that a body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2 was associated with a poor HRQoL in postmenopausal women; particularly in the areas associated with physical functioning, energy and vitality, and health perceptions. Thus, clinical management of obese postmenopausal women should focus on weight reduction and exercise in an attempt to improve wellbeing in these areas. However, the paucity of research, the different instruments chosen to measure HRQoL and the methodological limitations of the studies identified, prevented firm conclusions being made about whether the relationship between BMI and HRQoL is linear in postmenopausal women. Further research is needed to explore this relationship; particularly in comparison with underweight postmenopausal women and obese premenopausal women, where a few papers have identified these women as having a worse HRQoL than their obese postmenopausal counterparts. Other measures of central adiposity, including waist circumference and waist-hip ratio are recommended as useful supplemental measures to BMI in future studies.     

Disability and disaster recovery: a tale of two cities?

This paper examines the connections between disability and disaster from a global perspective. Concepts from the research and policy literature are used to distinguish between individual and social models of disability, and between natural hazards and human disasters. These concepts are then employed to investigate data on the response to disabled people's recovery needs in two recent case studies: the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. The analysis combines primary, secondary and tertiary sources to explore disability issues in the reconstruction of inclusive communities and the lessons that may be learned about disaster preparedness in poor communities. The conclusions suggest that more attention should be paid to social model approaches, particularly in understanding global links with poverty, and that disabled people's organisations should be resourced as agents of disaster recovery and preparedness.     

EFFICIENCY WAGE MODELS OF UNEMPLOYMENT-ONE VIEW

Persistent wage rigidity and involuntary unemployment appear to be recurrent problems in most economies. What could be preventing the wage adjustment necessary to clear the labor market? Many recent papers claim to have found the answer in efficiency wage models. This paper surveys this literature and attempts to evaluate its accomplishments. It concludes that the efficiency wage models fail to explain wage rigidity or persistent involuntary unemployment.     

SPATIAL COMPETITION AND THE PRICE OF COLLEGE

This article provides the first evidence that universities compete directly on price, and that the market for students depends on the proximity of competitors. Exploiting detailed data from private U.S. universities, price competition is tested by introducing geographic proximity into a spatial-autoregressive tuition model. Standard spatial models show that list and net tuition are inversely related to distance between institutions, consistent with price competition in higher education. An extension to the spatial-econometrics literature relaxes a constraint that estimated spatial relationships are common across all observations, implying that spatial effects differ across qualitative classes of institutions . ( JEL C21, I2, L11)     

Neighborhood Crime Rate,Weight‐Related Behaviors,and Obesity: A Systematic Review of the Literature

A growing body of literature has focused on the link between objectively‐measured neighborhood crime rates, obesity, and weight‐related behaviors including physical activity and diet. Through a systematic search of this literature, the current review evaluates these relationships and stratifies by type of crime (violent or property). Searches on PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar retrieved 24 articles on physical activity/inactivity and 19 articles on obesity or diet. Evidence points to neighborhood crime as being positively associated with obesity and physical inactivity. Studies differentiating these associations by type of crime were lacking, although findings suggest that the link between neighborhood crime and physical activity is stronger for females versus males. Fear of victimization is one explanation for this pattern. Limitations of extant studies are explored, and suggestions for future research are outlined.     

What Does Parental Divorce or Marital Separation Mean for Adolescents? A Scoping Review of North American Literature

Parental divorce in North America and the resulting changes to the traditional family unit as seen in current academic literature are troubling. These changes are especially worrisome as they relate to adolescent life and development. This scoping review examines the past 11 years of North American English language literature concerning adolescents who have experienced parental divorce. Literature was taken from health-related databases using the search terms adolescent and divorce. The resulting articles were analyzed and pared down to 53 papers that adhered to predetermined criteria. Analysis revealed trends in how the studies are conducted as well as seven themes throughout the literature. The authors suggest future research directions based on the trends, themes, and found knowledge gaps in the recent literature.     

Disability and Disaster Recovery

Abstract

This paper examines the connections between disability and disaster from a global perspective. Concepts from the research and policy literature are used to distinguish between individual and social models of disability, and between natural hazards and human disasters. These concepts are then employed to investigate data on the response to disabled people's recovery needs in two recent case studies: the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. The analysis combines primary, secondary and tertiary sources to explore disability issues in the reconstruction of inclusive communities and the lessons that may be learned about disaster preparedness in poor communities. The conclusions suggest that more attention should be paid to social model approaches, particularly in understanding global links with poverty, and that disabled people's organisations should be resourced as agents of disaster recovery and preparedness.     

Non-heterosexual women's experiences of informal social support: A qualitative metasynthesis

ABSTRACT

This metasynthesis explores how non-heterosexual women experience informal social support. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify papers for inclusion, following which Noblit and Hare's (1988) meta-ethnographic approach was adopted to synthesize the findings of 16 papers. Four themes were derived: (a) disconnection from family life, (b) the benefits of cross-sexual orientation friendships, (c) negotiating (internalized) homophobia and seeking a space for authenticity, and (d) the intimacy of friendships between women. The impact of heterosexism on the women's experiences of social support is discussed, implications for health and social care are explored, and future research avenues are proposed.