"Fundamental causes" of social inequalities in mortality: a test of the theory

Medicine and epidemiology currently dominate the study of the strong association between socioeconomic status and mortality. Socioeconomic status typically is viewed as a causally irrelevant "confounding variable" or as a less critical variable marking only the beginning of a causal chain in which intervening risk factors are given prominence. Yet the association between socioeconomic status and mortality has persisted despite radical changes in the diseases and risk factors that are presumed to explain it. This suggests that the effect of socioeconomic status on mortality essentially cannot be understood by reductive explanations that focus on current mechanisms. Accordingly, Link and Phelan (1995) proposed that socioeconomic status is a "fundamental cause" of mortality disparities-that socioeconomic disparities endure despite changing mechanisms because socioeconomic status embodies an array of resources, such as money, knowledge, prestige, power, and beneficial social connections, that protect health no matter what mechanisms are relevant at any given time. We identified a situation in which resources should be less helpful in prolonging life, and derived the following prediction from the theory: For less preventable causes of death (for which we know little about prevention or treatment), socioeconomic status will be less strongly associated with mortality than for more preventable causes. We tested this hypothesis with the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, which followed Current Population Survey respondents (N = 370,930) for mortality for nine years. Our hypothesis was supported, lending support to the theory of fundamental causes and more generally to the importance of a sociological approach to the study of socioeconomic disparities in mortality.     

Male and female betting behaviour: New perspectives

This paper uses an analysis of betting decisions made in offcourse betting offices in the UK to explore differences between the nature of male and female betting behaviour. Specifically gender differences in levels of performance, propensity for risk taking and levels of confidence in betting decisions are considered. The results provide some evidence for greater risk propensity amongst male bettors, lower levels of female bettor confidence in their choices and some degree of performance advantage for women bettors. The results are discussed in relation to previous research; some of the apparent discrepancies are explained in terms of differences in motivational focus and gender differences in definitions of risk-taking and successful performance. In this context areas for future research are highlighted.The research reported here was made possible by grants from Ladbroke Racing and the cooperation of Ladbrokes and Vetabet. Special thanks to Philip Cooper for his statistical advice and to the insightful comments of the anonymous referees on an earlier draft of this paper.     

Nonverbal communication in clinical social work practice

The value of nonverbal cues in treating clients in reasserted, citing first the need for baseline data as well as an understanding of the context in which behavior occurs. The use of the various sensory channels to observe cues is introduced informally, followed by the three formal approaches to nonverbal data: proxemics, the study of distance and body orientation; kinesics, the study of body motion, posture, ect.; and paralinguistics, the study of the acoustical accompaniment of words. Skill in using nonverbal cues can enhance the therapeutic relationship, e.g., holding can be represented symbolically. A case illustration is presented where crying and weeping are explored in their multiple meanings; a family that used crying as a resistance in the initial stage of treatment was able to continue to cry, but in the service of mourning. It is concluded that the use of nonverbal analysis to break the code of communication with individual clients as well as larger groups is a necessary component of the therapist's approach.     

The Fiscal Disparity and Achievement Gap between Extremely Wealthy and Poor School Districts in Illinois

Public Organization Review - This study investigates the achievement gap and horizontal disparity of schools’ funding by exploring and comparing the differences of funding between extremely...     

An examination of associations among manager-boss gender,self-awareness,and managerial derailment

Using the data of managers in the United States (N = 42,792), United Kingdom (N = 3,797), and China (N = 1,893), we examined the associations among manager-boss gender combinations, self-awareness and the managerial derailment potential. First, the study demonstrated an association between manager-boss gender combinations and managerial self-awareness, even though the specific gender joint effects were not consistent among the three countries. Second, both self-awareness and manager-boss gender combinations contributed to explaining additional variance of managerial derailment potential. Consistently across three countries, overestimators were more likely to derail than the managers who were in touch with their bosses. In terms of gender effects, compared to male managers, female managers with male bosses were more likely to derail. These results imply that, to achieve high levels of self-awareness and provide accurate prediction of managerial derailment potential, organizational scholars and practitioners must consider both the gender of both managers and their bosses.     

Variability in measures of health and health behavior among emerging adults 1 year after high school according to college status

Objective: To examine changes in health behaviors among US emerging adults 1 year after high school. Participants: The national sample of participants (N = 1,927), including those attending 4-year college/university (n = 884), 2-year colleges/technical schools (n = 588), and no college (n = 455), participated in annual spring surveys 2013–2014. Methods: Health behaviors were assessed the last year of high school and first year of college; differences by college status controlling for previous-year values were estimated using regression analyses. Results: Relative to 4-year college attendees, those attending technical school/community college were less likely to binge drink (odds ratio [OR] = 0.57, confidence interval [CI] = 0.38–0.86) but more likely to speed (OR = 1.26, CI = 1.0–2.84), consume sodas (OR = 1.57, CI = 1.0–2.47), and report lower family satisfaction (p < .01), with marginally more physical and depressive symptoms. College nonattendees reported more DWI (driving while intoxicated; OR = 1.60, CI = 1.05–2.47), soda drinking (OR = 2.51, CI = 1.76–3.59), oversleeping (OR = 4.78, CI = 3.65–8.63), and less family satisfaction (p < .04). Conclusions: Health risk behaviors among emerging adults varied by college status.