Diversity Within Diversity

Summary

Asian American elderly form a heterogeneous group with respect to immigration history, ethnic/cultural background, socioeconomic position, and health and mental health status. This paper provides an overview of the internal heterogeneity within the Asian American elderly population and identifies those who experience multiple stressors affecting their quality of life. Then it discusses barriers to formal service utilization as well as strengths and deficits of informal support systems. To better serve Asian American elders with their multiple needs for health, mental health, and social services, increased funding is recommended for research on this group, diversification of social service programs in coethnic communities, and increased cultural competence in non-Asian social service agencies.     

Defending Diversity,Sustaining Consensus: NGOs at the Beijing Women's Conference and Beyond

SUMMARY

This article discusses access to and involvement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China, in September 1995. It also looks at the impact on consensus-building of the growing diversity of NGOs participating in these global UN events and at the effect on the international women's movement of the frustrations and difficulties faced in the follow up to Beijing as agreements have been reopened or rolled back. In this climate, women activists and feminist analysts are questioning the future viability of the United Nations as a political space for women's organizing, and under conditions of rapid globalization, are increasingly divided on strategies for implementation and activism.     

Diversity in Canada: Predictors of the perceptions of social interactions

ABSTRACT

Language is an important characteristic of culture. Importantly, with the ever-present migration of persons across countries and cultures, physical boundaries of language have been blurred creating a robust area of study: language brokering in the context of globalization. Migration and immigration often necessitate the learning of a new language and in immigrant families, open an opportunity for language skill differences and language brokering. Language brokering is a process by which a bilingual individual, often the children of immigrants, assists in communication between two parties speaking distinct languages. This common practice has generated an increased focus and body of research on the current and aftereffects of language brokering on individuals who broker. The present article provides a brief review of the literature on language brokering including identified antecedents and select outcomes such as family, academic, and psychological outcomes. Overall, the literature shows the associations among language brokering, the contexts in which it may occur, and the outcomes (family, academic, and psychological) for language brokers remain less than clearly understood, although inroads are being made as researchers delve more deeply into specific areas such as parentification, age, child development, and family dynamics.     

International Dimensions of Diversity

SUMMARY

“The globally aware and knowledgeable social work manager will actively engage in extending relevant services to new populations, creatively attract and organize a multicultural staff, assist staff in taking on practice situations that involve other countries, make use of knowledge and practice innovations from abroad, and participate in shaping agency and community policy relating to the internationalization of social realities” (Healy, in Estes, 1992, p. 84).     

Celebrating Diversity

Summary

Questioning the validity of the middle-class, white, male, heterosexual standard of sexual normality, feminist sexuality education celebrates diversity by considering how socioeconomic class, ethnicity, race, religion, region, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical health or disability function independently and in interaction to shape sexual attitudes and experience. Students are treated as active participants in the learning process, not passive vessels to be filled up with facts. Instruction focuses on affective and cognitive learning simultaneously. This article considers a variety of techniques for empowering students to share thoughts and feelings both in the classroom and through individual and collective homework assignments. By treating those we teach as colleagues, not subordinates, and by attending to individual growth and group process, teachers become students too, taking emotional risks in the classroom, opening ourselves to new information, and being willing to listen to students' criticism and suggestions for improvement.     

Exploring Fatherhood Diversity

SUMMARY

Our analysis, grounded in a social constructionist perspective, explores the theoretical and political complexities facing researchers and policymakers as they attempt to conceptualize, study, and promote fathers' involvement with their children. Taking into account the growing diversity of life course and residency patterns for men and children today, we stress how the definition of fatherhood and conceptualization of paternal involvement are interwoven. As our starting point, we highlight how diverse stakeholders construct differing images and types of fatherhood during an era when men are “doing fatherhood” in a wide range of contexts. Next, we explore issues associated with a broad conceptualization of father involvement, influence, and motivation with an eye toward fatherhood diversity. We then consider how several family processes are implicated in the way men develop, negotiate, and sustain their rights, privileges, and obligations as fathers in different types of family structures. We conclude by suggesting how our treatment of these issues can guide future research on fatherhood.     

The role of emotion dysregulation in the association between subjective social status and eating expectancies among college students

Abstract

Objective: Research suggests that college is a risky period for changes in eating behavior and beliefs. Although social health determinants relate to health behavior changes, research has not explored subjective social status, one’s societal standing, in terms of eating expectancies among college students. The present study examined the emotion dysregulation in association between subjective social status and eating expectancies among college students. Participants: Participants were a diverse sample of 1,589 college students (80.4% females; M_age?=?22.2?years, SD?=?5.27) from an urban university. Results: Results showed a significant indirect association of subjective social status via emotion dysregulation in relation to expectancies of eating to help manage negative affect, to alleviate boredom, and to lead to feeling out of control. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that college students with lower subjective social status may have a higher risk for dysregulated emotions, and consequently, expressing maladaptive eating expectancies.     

Diversity Among Southeast Asian Ethnic Groups

Abstract

In research on mental health disorders, Southeast Asian ethnic groups have been aggregated into a single, undifferentiated category referred to as Southeast Asians. This onegroup approach risks the misrepresentations of the mental health needs of each of the groups involved in the category. As such, this study tested assumptions of homogeneity among Southeast Asians. A total of 422 Southeast Asians-including Cambodians, Laotians, Miens, and Vietnamese-were compared in the four mental health domains of emotional distress, psychotic symptoms, antisocial behaviors, and community living. The results confirmed the diversity in mental health among Southeast Asians and the need for multiethnic agencies and the multicultural education of clinicians.     

No association of serum PSA with vitamin D or total oxidant-antioxidant capacity in healthy men

Background and aim: Vitamin D deficiency and oxidative stress were suggested to be related to prostate cancer risk. We aimed to investigate the association of serum PSA concentration with vitamin D and total oxidant/antioxidant levels.

Materials and methods: A total of 95 healthy men were enrolled for the cross sectional study. Serum PSA, 25(OH)D, serum total oxidant status, and total antioxidant status were measured.

Results: Serum PSA was significantly negatively correlated with serum total oxidant status (r=??0.309, p?=?.003) but there was no significant correlation between PSA and 25(OH)D (p?=?.383) or total antioxidant levels (p?=?.233). After adjustment for age BMI and smoking status with multiple regression analysis, there was no significant association between serum PSA and total oxidant status.

Conclusion: We find no evidence for an association between PSA and vitamin D levels or serum total oxidant/antioxidant levels.     

Student Nurse Education in a University Health Center

Abstract

Objective: This study assessed the association between ethnicity and family socioeconomic status (SES) as it relates to the prevalence of vaginal douching among female undergraduates in a university community. Participants and Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey conducted between September 2011 and February 2012 among 1,535 female undergraduates using a semistructured behavioral questionnaire adapted by the authors from previous research related to vaginal douching practice. Results: The overall prevalence of vaginal douching was 79.35% and the practice was significantly associated with the mother's age, ethnicity, low SES (educational level, occupation, and monthly income), and area of residence. The father's age and SES were statistically nonsignificant. Conclusion: Ethnicity and low SES of mothers were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of douching in daughters. These factors should be considered among others in any intervention to discourage vaginal douching among college women.     

Cultural Diversity and Help-Seeking Behavior

Summary

Four hundred ninety-four parents were surveyed to determine their attitudes about parenting, help-seeking behavior, and obstacles to accessing help with parenting. Comparisons were made with regard to race/elhnicity, gender, and education to determine what attitudinal similarities and differences exist. Most parents identified family members and friends, as well as print and video materials as important sources of help. Parents were less likely to use social service agencies, teachers, doctors and clergy. The likelihood of attending parenting classes was strongly associated with gender and education. High school graduates were more likely than non-graduates to use parenting classes and mothers were more likely than fathers to use parenting classes. African American parents were less likely than other groups to use print and video materials and African American and Hispanic/Latino parents were less likely to seek help from friends.     

The State of the Union: Sexual Health Disparities in a National Sample of US College Students

Abstract

Objective: To examine sexual health disparities between blacks and whites in a national sample of US college students. Participants and Method Summary: Analyses utilized secondary data from 44,165 nonmarried undergraduates (aged 18–24; M = 20.1) responding to the Spring 2007 American College Health Association–National College Health Assessment; 64% were female and 94.7% were white. Results: Whites reported more experience in oral and anal sex, were less likely to use condoms for oral, anal, and vaginal sex, and less likely to have been tested for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) compared with blacks. However, blacks reported more sex partners, lower use of hormonal contraceptives, and higher rates of adverse sexual health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy. Sexual behaviors and outcomes also varied across gender. Conclusions: This study highlights a need to increase access to hormonal contraceptives and early STI screening/treatment among blacks, improve HIV testing among whites, and increase condom use promotion for all students.     

Reflections on Introducing Students to Multicultural Populations and Diversity Content

SUMMARY

The aim of this article is to identify factors the author feels facilitate learning in introductory courses focused on multicultural populations and related issues. These are reflections based on observations of patterns over a number of years, in a variety of teaching settings and structures, and with a very diverse body of students, and include the characteristics and behavior of the teacher and the students, the course structure, and important considerations with regard to course content and methods.     

Policymaking for Diversity Among the Aged in India

Abstract

Population aging is occurring rapidly in India, and the implications of an aging society are likely to be experienced in an adverse manner unless immediate steps are taken to provide social security for all of India's older population. Current provision by central and state governments is grossly inadequate. This article analyzes the major Indian states across three income groups and describes the differences and inequalities across states and rural/urban areas with regard to income, living arrangements, pension benefits, etc. The efforts by central and state governments to meet the needs of older persons are outlined and critiqued. Suggestions are made for the establishment of more equitable income security, and health and social services schemes.     

The Diversity Functions of Organizations That Confront Oppression

ABSTRACT

The twentieth century history of three identity movements is reviewed with reference to their approach toward their oppressors. The African American movement, the Women's Movement, and the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual Movement appear to follow similar paths from accommodation-assimilation, to normative confrontation, disruptive confrontation, separatism, introspective self-help, and pluralistic integration. It is hypothesized and demonstrated that these paths are evolutionary, as each stance appears to encourage conditions for the next stage. The paths are not linear, however, and it is the movement as a whole, not any one organization that is evolutionary. Social workers have distinct roles to play in each stage.     

Socioeconomic Correlates of Current and Regular Smoking Among College Students in Rhode Island

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine how sociodemographic variables, in particular socioeconomic status, correlate with current and regular smoking among college students in Rhode Island. Participants and Methods: Over a 4-year period (academic year 2000-2001 to 2003-2004), the authors examined sociodemographic correlates of cigarette use among 3,984 students aged 17 to 24 years from 10 colleges and universities in Rhode Island. Results: One-third of participants (32.0%) had smoked a cigarette in the 30 days preceding the questionnaire. Findings from a pair of logistic regression models indicated that participants from upper-income families were more likely to be current smokers—although not regular smokers—suggesting that the effect of socioeconomic status on smoking is partly dependent on the level of addiction. In addition, freshmen were more likely to be current and regular smokers than were upperclassmen, and white students were most likely to be regular smokers. Conclusions: The frequency of college students who reported that they first tried smoking and first smoked regularly while in college increased from freshman to senior year, indicating that the college years are a vulnerable period for smoking initiation and habituation.     

The Paradox of Risk: Historically Black College/University Students and Sexual Health

Abstract

Objective: This literature review provides an analysis of the current state of the empirical research on sexual health among students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Methods: Several electronic databases were used to identify 24 empirical studies that met criteria for inclusion in this review. Results: The results indicated that perceived human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk, religiosity, HIV testing, condom use, and substance use were as high or higher for black HBCU students in comparison with students of other racial/ethnic groups. Comment: Consistent with past findings, sexually transmitted infections continue to be of concern among HBCU students, as seen in the general black population. Limitations: This review only examined cross-sectional studies published between 2000 and 2013. Conclusions: The findings in this review suggest the importance of moving beyond individual risk models to examining structural barriers and assets related to promoting sexual health on HBCU campuses.     

Impact of Dietary Acculturation on the Food Habits,Weight, Blood Pressure,and Fasting Blood Glucose Levels of International College Students

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the impact of dietary acculturation on the health status of newly arrived international students at Virginia Tech in Fall 2010. Participants: Thirty-five international students, 18–36 years of age, completed the study. Methods: Data were collected at 3 different time periods (V1, V2, and V3) approximately 6 weeks apart. A food frequency– and dietary pattern–related questionnaire was administered and numerically coded responses were analyzed. Twenty-four-hour dietary recall data were also collected at V1, V2, and V3. Body weight, fasting blood glucose level, and blood pressure of study participants were also determined at each time period. Results: Total sample population (TSP) had a significant increase in mean weight of 2.79 lb from visit 1 (V1) to visit 3 (V3) (p = .0082). Ten participants gained an average of 9.0 lb (participants who gained weight; n = 10). There was also an increase in the frequency of consumption of high-calorie American food items from V1 to V3. However, there were no significant changes in mean systolic blood pressure and mean fasting blood glucose was significantly lower at V3 than at V1. Conclusions: There was a gradual shift in the dietary patterns of international students towards the American diet. Dietary acculturation led to weight gain among some of the students, which may potentially have a negative impact on their health status if continued for longer time periods.     

Integrating Narrative Approaches into Clinical Curricula: Addressing Diversity through Understanding

Abstract

Academic programs in clinical social work often focus on either psychodynamic or systemic approaches. Narrative approaches grounded in postmodern theory also merit attention, as they are well suited for the diverse populations served by social workers. In narrative approaches, practitioners help clients to deconstruct and reconstruct their own life stories, and thereby to empower themselves. This paper compares narrative approaches with psychodynamic and systemic approaches, and suggests ways to integrate their coverage into curricula built around the dominant traditional approaches.     

Theories of Aging and Social Work Practice with Sensitivity to Diversity

Abstract

Aging experiences are multidimensional, and social workers need to know theoretical perspectives on aging which are useful in understanding the diversity of experiences of individuals in later adulthood. This article describes and discusses four theoretical perspectives on aging which are not usually presented in Human Behavior and the Social Environment textbooks but which contribute to understanding of diversity in later adulthood: Atchley's continuity theory; Fisher's age-independent periods; Stoller and Gibson's perspectives on gender, race and ethnicity, class, and the life course; and Friend's theory of successful aging of gay men and lesbian women.