Gender and racial/ethnic differences in predicting adolescent sexual risk: athletic participation versus exercise

Though often conflated, informal physical exercise and organized athletic participation have very different implications for adolescent sexual risk outcomes. The purpose of this research is to disaggregate strenuous exercise from sports, examine how each is associated with sexual risk, and explain the observed differences using the conceptual lens of cultural resource theory. Using a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 public and private high school students, we employ logistic regression to test hypotheses about the gender-specific and race-specific effects of strenuous exercise and athletic participation on adolescent sexual risk behavior. The results show that both forms of physical activity buffer sexual risk for girls. Strenuous exercise is associated with increased odds of sexual risk for boys. Sports and race interact to influence boys' sexual risk outcomes: Athletic participation is associated with lowered odds of sexual risk for white male adolescents, but heightened odds of sexual risk for black male adolescents.     

Reports of childhood sexual abuse by adolescents and young adults: stability over time

The consistency of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) reporting was explored in this study. Two-hundred seventeen adolescents and young adults (ages 14-24) enrolled in urban health care clinics completed self-report questionnaires assessing CSA and other problem behaviors at enrollment and at 7 months. Results indicated that the stability of CSA self-report at two time points was poor (58% consistent nonreporters of CSA, 20% consistent reporters, 22% inconsistent reporters). Consistent and inconsistent reporters were differentiated on risk measures. Adolescents who endorsed more items from the CSA scale were five times more likely to be consistent reporters. In sum, adolescent CSA reporting was quite inconsistent over time. Using multi-item scales and assessing CSA at two time points enhances accuracy of reporting.     

An analysis of VDT monitor placement and daily hours of use for female bifocal users

A population of 72 bifocal wearers was studied to determine the relationship between VDT (video display terminal) placement for those who reported musculoskeletal pain and those who did not. The mean hours worked was 50.4 minutes (p=0.003) greater for those who reported head/neck pain versus those who did not and 48.6 minutes (p=0.004) greater for those who reported shoulder/arm pain that those who did not. There was no statistically significant difference between the means of monitor height, distance, or angle for those who reported pain symptoms versus those who did not. This study indicates that, self reported pain symptoms are correlated with hours of VDT work and that there appears to be a threshold at approximately five hours for pain symptoms among bifocal wearers. No such correlation can be made for monitor placement     

Work hardening: Outdated fad or effective intervention?

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this outcome measurement study was to determine the effectiveness of a work hardening program as measured by the participants' work status at three months after program completion. Predictors of successful return to work were explored. STUDY DESIGN: The sequential case series design was employed, and data were gathered at three points: the initial work hardening assessment, the discharge assessment, and three months post-discharge from the work hardening program. Seventy-nine participants were included. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent (82%) of the clients who completed a work hardening program reported that they were working in some capacity three months after program completion. They listed their employment status in 5 sub-categories. Significant predictors of employment included "single" marital status, lower perceived disability scores at program entry, reduction in reported pain during program duration, and funding source. CONCLUSION: Work hardening remains an effective treatment strategy which promotes successful return to the workplace. Ongoing analyses of these programs is imperative.     

The value of information concept applied to data systems

Cost-benefit analysis has a considerable literature in which information systems have been patently ignored. This reflects the considerable difficulties of applying the theory to information systems, and the state-of-the art remains relatively as Koopmans described it some 19 years ago (1957). A bar to further development would appear to be the lack of an applicable value-of-information concept. This paper seeks to clarify the issues and provide a robust theoretical and data analysis framework that will cover most situations. The approach here is to separate explicitly the dimensions of cost from those of information benefit, and examine the implications. The Null Information Benefit condition emerges as a special theoretical case, but potentially a most important one in applications. This case together with the Pareto optimum defines a large class of such problems that can be handled by the decision criteria and data analysis techniques tabulated and discussed here. The selection of input data techniques defines the limits of later project justification and may be crucial to the political viability of the projects throughout its life. Finally, the general management vs information systems management relationships are discussed in terms of this situation.