Connective complexity: African American adolescents and the relational context of kinship foster care

Attempts to address racial disproportionality in child welfare must include a focus on the benefits and challenges facing children in kinship care. African American children not only are overrepresented in the child welfare system, but also are placed disproportionately in kinship foster care. Using a sample of 18 African American adolescents ages 11 to 14, this article explores how the relational context of care experienced by adolescents in kinship foster care differs from that of adolescents in nonkinship foster family placements. Findings are presented regarding the stability of relationships as well as complex role dilemmas experienced by kinship youth as they relate to caregivers and birthparents in the child welfare context. Implications are given for practice with kinship families.     

Sex and cultural differences in the acceptance of functional foods: a comparison of American, Canadian, and French college students

OBJECTIVE: Functional foods (FF)--foods containing nutritional supplements in addition to natural nutrients--have an increasing presence in the marketplace. Expanding on previous research, the authors investigated college students' acceptance of FF. PARTICIPANTS: In September--March 2004, 811 undergraduates in Canada, the United States, and France participated in the study. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire measured students' general food attitudes and beliefs as well as FF-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and purchase intention. RESULTS: Overall, participants slightly favored FF over traditional foods. However, although most respondents associated FF with positive health benefits, many remained dubious of currently available FF information. In terms of culture and sex, the authors found small but significant divergences in FF knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Stronger labeling and education efforts may increase cross-cultural acceptance of FF by college students.     

College health professionals and academic librarians: collaboration for student health

College health professionals must find new ways of educating students on finding and evaluating consumer health information, specifically in the online environment. Librarians are trained as information professionals; however, librarians at general academic libraries are not taking a lead role in providing consumer health information. OBJECTIVE: The authors' purpose in this research was to determine the health information resource needs of college and university students and provide a model for collaboration between college health professionals and academic librarians. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The authors compared data from a national survey on college health (N = 54,111) with their own results from a survey of general academic librarians (N = 17) to create recommendations for synching students' reported health information needs with librarians' resources. RESULTS: Although the Internet was students' second most-often consulted health information source, they ranked the believability of online health information above only television. In the librarian survey, although 12 respondents indicated that health information provision is a library's responsibility, the majority (n = 11) believed their library's consumer health outreach to be passive. CONCLUSIONS: The authors offer recommendations for partnerships between college healthcare professionals and academic librarians to better provide this information to students.     

Non-estrogen-based treatments for menopausal symptoms

The British Menopause Society Council is committed to provide up-to-date authoritative reviews to aid health professionals to inform and advise women about key issues in postreproductive health. This guidance refers to non-estrogen-based treatments for menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, symptoms of urogenital atrophy and lack of sexual desire. Treatment of choice should be based on up to-date information and targeted to individual women's needs. Non-hormonal strategies may be useful for women with estrogen-dependent disease such as breast cancer.     

Frequency and types of partner violence among Mexican American college women

OBJECTIVE AND PARTICIPANTS: The authors studied the prevalence of partner violence, by type, among Mexican American college women aged 18 to 35 years (N = 149; response rate = 85%). RESULTS: Twelve percent of women who reported a dating partner in the past year were physically or sexually assaulted, 12.1% were stalked, and 9.1% scored as psychologically abused. Among those experiencing partner violence, almost half experienced stalking and 89% reported psychological abuse. Few women (25%) who experienced physical violence believed violence was a problem in their relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Partner violence was prevalent in this population, and participants experienced many forms of violence. Because few women experiencing physical violence report that violence is a problem in their relationship, interventions must address perceptions of violence and its impact on women's mental and physical health in college populations.     

The impact of body-mass index and steps per day on blood pressure and fasting glucose in older adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined impact of obesity and physical activity (PA) on the health of older adults. Pedometer-determined steps/d, body-mass index (BMI), resting blood pressure, and fasting glucose (FG) were assessed in 137 older adults (69.0 +/- 8.9 yr). The active group (>4,227 steps/d) had lower systolic blood pressure (SBP; p = .001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP; p = .028), and FG (p < .001) than the inactive group (< or = 4,227 steps/d). The normal-BMI group (18.5-24.9 kg/m2) had lower SBP (p < .001) and DBP (p = .01) than the obese group (> or =30 kg/m2). There were no differences in SBP (p = .963) or DBP (p = 1.0) between active obese and inactive normal-BMI groups. The active obese group, however, had a more favorable FG than the inactive normal-BMI group (chi 2 = 18.9, df = 3, p = .001). Efforts to increase PA of older adults should receive the same priority as reducing obesity to improve BP and FG levels.     

Supporting families of origin: an exploration of the influence of the Children Act 1948

The 50th anniversary of the Children Act 1948 is an opportunity to look back at the evolution of child care practice in England and Wales. This paper traces the development of social work practice aimed at supporting families of origin. It highlights the transition of the concept of prevention from a narrow focus on the prevention of admission to care, to the wider understanding of family support reflected in the Children Act 1989. Some of the challenges to policy and practice supporting families are identified and it is argued that the retreat from prevention in the 1970s is most evident in the subsequent investment in the child rescue ideology of the 'permanence movement'. The paper draws attention to the intentions of the Children Act 1989 to redress the failures and deficiencies of earlier practice by its emphasis on supporting families of children in need. It highlights current concerns that practice aimed at supporting families of origin continues to be marginalized by an emphasis on child protection and argues for a renewed commitment to section 17, Children Act 1989.     

Families' experience of a single session therapy framework in advanced allied health practice for children with neurodevelopmental and behavioural disabilities: A thematic analysis of qualitative data

Single session therapy (SST) has emerging evidence for facilitating meaningful therapeutic change in a small number of consults, rather than more traditional long-term therapies. This study aimed to explore and describe the parent/caregiver and child experience with advanced allied health practitioners (AAHP) using SST for children with developmental disabilities, by understanding key characteristics of the consultation that led to therapeutic change. Eligible families attending an AAHP outpatient clinic for children with developmental and behavioural concerns participated in one to four SST consultations around their identified areas of need. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 38 parents and 12 children, from 37 different families. Thematic analysis was used to analyse interviews. Demographic information was gathered through parent interviews and by reviewing hospital records. Four key themes emerged relating to the characteristics of the consultation that led to a positive experience for families: (1) the art of mutual presence; (2) the value of time; (3) the power of understanding; and (4) the trust of action. These attributes were influenced by the overarching complexities of the AAHP, the parent's and child's interpersonal skills, and the organisational mechanisms influencing patient care. Parents and children reported clinical change during the consult through increased understanding, and being heard, valued, and respected for their individual decisions on how to manage their child's and family's needs. This study provides preliminary evidence that utilising SST for children and families with developmental and behavioural needs facilitates a positive experience valued by families. SST, with a focus on a family's individual identified areas of concern, was valued and effective when delivered by AAHP. This suggests that SST, when appropriately administered by experienced and trained health practitioners, is useful for families dealing with children with developmental and behavioural challenges.