From the Editor

ABSTRACT

Data from focus groups held in Montréal (Canada) with 13 women born in Cameroon, Colombia, and Democratic Republic of Congo were used to explore cancer knowledge among immigrant grandmothers and mothers-in-law and their influence over family cancer-preventative practices. Thematic analysis identified the following leading themes: cancer literacy and influence over family cancer preventative and early detection practices, cancer literacy in relation to family health behaviors, and barriers to accessing health services. Perceived external causes of cancer and its prevention are countered by healthy eating and exercises. Cancer literacy was contextualized by the development of women’s ways of being and doing.     

Developing and using local community wellbeing indicators: Learning from the experience of Community Indicators Victoria

The recent upsurge of interest in local community wellbeing indicators in Australia and internationally reflects growing awareness of their importance as a platform for citizen engagement, community planning, and evidence based policy making. More broadly community wellbeing indicators are part of an international movement towards rethinking the ways in which political priorities are debated and in which progress and wellbeing are defined and measured. This article documents the establishment of Community Indicators Victoria (CIV), a local community wellbeing indicators initiative in Victoria, Australia. The article begins by locating the CIV initiative in the broad historical and international context of work on wellbeing, progress and sustainability indicators as well as the Australian and Victorian policy context. We then outline the steps involved in the establishment of CIV, critical partnerships and initial outcomes. We conclude with some reflections on lessons from the CIV experience to date and on future research and policy development priorities.     

Understanding those who self-mutilate

Self-mutilating behavior is a symptom seen in both men and women with various psychiatric disorders, but the majority of those who self-mutilate are women with borderline personality disorder. This complex, maladaptive behavior is used by clients as a means of self-preservation and emotion regulation, and is often associated with childhood trauma. Clients who self-mutilate perceive they receive poor care in hospital emergency departments and are retraumatized by these experiences. Clinicians who understand the complexity and purposes of self-mutilating behavior are better able to provide clients with supportive, empathetic care.     

Normative mediation of reactions to crowding

Previous research on short-term crowding had found that males and females react differently. In general, males respond to spatial restriction more negatively while females react more positively than their noncrowded counter-parts. Epstein and Karlin (1975) suggested that these differences are based on group processes rather than biological differences. The present study manipulated norms governing interaction levels in crowded groups of women. Results indicated that these norms influenced reactions to crowding as predicted. Women reacted most positively when interaction levels were high and most negatively when interaction levels were low.The present research was supported by grant # HD-08546-01 to Drs. Epstein and Aiello and by grant #07-2119-08 from the Rutgers Research Council to Dr. Karlin.     

Reports of Conferences,Institutes, and Seminars

This quarter's column features a report from the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Conference, held March 25–28, 2015, in Portland, OR; a couple of reports from the Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians (OVGTSL) Conference, held May 18–20 in Terre Haute, IN; one report from NASIG, held May 27–30 in Washington, DC; and several reports from the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, held June 25–30 in San Francisco, CA. Topics discussed range from scholarly publishing, copyright and authors’ rights—including as they relate to zines—privacy and analytics, and linked data.