2009–2010 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among College Students From 8 Universities in North Carolina

Abstract

Objective: The authors sought to describe the 2009–2010 seasonal influenza vaccine coverage of college students. Participants: A total of 4,090 college students from 8 North Carolina universities participated in a confidential, Web-based survey in October–November 2009. Methods: Associations between self-reported 2009–2010 seasonal influenza vaccination and demographic characteristics, campus activities, parental education, and e-mail usage were assessed by bivariate analyses and by a mixed-effects model adjusting for clustering by university. Results: Overall, 20% of students (range 14%–30% by university) reported receiving 2009–2010 seasonal influenza vaccine. Being a freshman, attending a private university, having a college-educated parent, and participating in academic clubs/honor societies predicted receipt of influenza vaccine in the mixed-effects model. Conclusions: The self-reported 2009–2010 influenza vaccine coverage was one-quarter of the 2020 Healthy People goal (80%) for healthy persons 18 to 64 years of age. College campuses have the opportunity to enhance influenza vaccine coverage among its diverse student populations.     

Improving Understanding About Tanning Behaviors in College Students: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: Melanoma is the second most common cancer diagnosed among 15- to 29-year-olds. This pilot study assessed behaviors, barriers, and beliefs relevant to sun exposure and protective behaviors. Participants: The sample comprised 153 undergraduate students at a large state university in western New York. Methods: Participants completed an online survey about sun safety habits, barriers to using sunblock, and beliefs about tanning and sun exposure. Results: Response rate was 90.8% (n = 139). Most students (87.8%) reportedly spent ≥ 3 hours per day outside in the summer, but only 17.3% reported always using sunblock during this time. Sixty percent reported recent indoor tanning and 41% reported more than 10 lifetime sunburns. The greatest barrier to using sunblock was forgetting (84.2%). Conclusions: Demographics coupled with inconsistent and low levels of sunblock use, high annual prevalence of indoor tanning, and multiple lifetime sunburns indicate that this sample is at high risk for skin cancer.     

Frailty in self-neglecting older adults: A secondary analysis

ABSTRACT

Self-neglect (SN) and frailty in older adults is associated with increased disability and mortality. Despite these commonalities, there have been no studies objectively assessing frailty in older adults who SN. This secondary analysis classified frailty in N = 37 older adults with Adult Protective Services validated SN using the Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP) of weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, activity level, and walking speed. Overall, 3% were classified as robust, 62% as prefrail, and 35% as frail. Most (72%) were overweight/obese, with clinically significant decreases in activity level (60%) and walking speed (97%). Compared to the original FFP population, older adults who SN exhibit important differences in frailty phenotypes, and finding that the largest percentage of older adults who SN were prefrail may indicate a critical opportunity for intervening in this population to reduce future functional decline and mortality.     

Rosalie Wolf Memorial Lecture: A logic model to measure the impacts of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

ABSTRACT

This commentary discusses the need to evaluate the impact of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day activities, the elder abuse field’s most sustained public awareness initiative. A logic model is proposed with measures for short-term, medium-term, and long-term outcomes for community-based programs.     

Financial decision-making abilities and financial exploitation in older African Americans: Preliminary validity evidence for the Lichtenberg Financial Decision Rating Scale (LFDRS)

ABSTRACT

This study examines preliminary evidence for the Lichtenberg Financial Decision Rating Scale (LFDRS), a new person-centered approach to assessing capacity to make financial decisions, and its relationship to self-reported cases of financial exploitation in 69 older African Americans. More than one third of individuals reporting financial exploitation also had questionable decisional abilities. Overall, decisional ability score and current decision total were significantly associated with cognitive screening test and financial ability scores, demonstrating good criterion validity. Study findings suggest that impaired decisional abilities may render older adults more vulnerable to financial exploitation, and that the LFDRS is a valid tool.     

The effect of a family-based intervention with a cognitive-behavioral approach on elder abuse

ABSTRACT

Elder abuse may become a health issue in developing countries, including Iran. The purpose of this investigation was to study the effectiveness of Family-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Social Work (FBCBSW) in reducing elder abuse. In a randomized clinical trial in Iran, 27 elders participated in intervention and control groups. The intervention groups received a five-session FBCBSW intervention and completed the Domestic-Elder-Abuse-Questionnaire (DEAQ), which evaluates elder abuse at baseline and follow-ups. Repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Wilcoxon test were used to analyze the data. The repeated measures ANOVA revealed that FBCBSW was successful in reducing elder abuse. The Wilcoxon test indicated that emotional neglect, care neglect, financial neglect, curtailment of personal autonomy, psychological abuse, and financial abuse significantly decreased over time, but there was no statistically significant difference in physical abuse before and after the intervention. The findings from this study suggest that FBCBSW is a promising approach to reducing elder abuse and warrants further study with larger samples.     

Competing Values in Serving Older and Vulnerable Adults: Adult Protective Services,Mandated Reporting,and Domestic Violence Programs

State mandatory reporting statutes may directly or indirectly list domestic violence programs as among those that are mandated reporters of cases of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of older individuals and those with disabilities. Domestic violence programs, however, may not consider themselves to be mandated reporters, because the responsibility of reporting abuse may be contrary to their programmatic philosophy. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, the potential conflict between domestic violence programs and Adult Protective Services about the issue of mandated reporting has created tension between these organizations as each entity continues interpreting the issues and policies of mandated reporting through its own lens. The authors draw out some of the reasons for the conflict as well as make recommendations for improving relationships between the two organizations, which will ultimately benefit vulnerable adults who are experiencing abuse.     

Elder Abuse and Barriers to Help Seeking in Chennai,India: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative study attempts to understand why older persons abused by their family members in India do not seek help. In-depth interviews over three visits were conducted with six adults aged 65 years and above who had been physically abused by their sons/daughters-in-law. The interviews were transcribed and themes identified using a thematic analysis method. The barriers preventing a person from seeking help were service-related (accessibility, lack of trust); religious (Karma); family (deleterious effects on family, family members’ responses to help seeking); and individual (socioeconomic dependency, self-blame). The unique findings that surfaced were fear of losing one's identity by losing one's family, attributing abuse to past sins, and concern over not attaining salvation if one's sons did not perform funeral rites. The authors propose a checklist to explore and assess the barriers to seeking help. Recommendations for geroprofessionals in overcoming barriers include implementing outreach programs and changing the misconceptions regarding Karma.     

A National Comparison of Spousal Abuse in Mid- and Old Age

This exploratory study addresses whether there are similar or different risks and protective factors associated with spousal abuse among mid-age adults (persons aged 45–59) and old-age adults (persons aged 60 and over). The risk and protective factors of abuse are compared across these two age groups and situated within a life course framework. Cross-sectional data from the 1999 and 2004 General Social Surveys are merged to address the research questions. Overall, it was found that there are as many differences as there are similarities in risk/protective factors connected to individual, relationship, and community environments. The findings are discussed in terms of program development and future research.     

“Capacity Is Key”: Investigating New Legal Provisions in England and Wales for Adult Safeguarding

This study aimed to investigate the views and experiences of local Safeguarding Adults Coordinators of the newly implemented Mental Capacity Act 2005. This legislation in England and Wales has both protection and empowerment as its dual goals. Fifteen Safeguarding Adults Coordinators (SACs) employed by local authorities in the London area were interviewed in 2008, and again 2 years later. A total of 12 SACs participated in the 2010 follow-up interviews. The findings are reported here, covering experiences and views on the implementation and uses of the Act. There was overwhelming support for the Act as enhancing people's rights to a life free from abuse, of providing a framework for the assessment of decision-making capacity, and of assisting practitioners in reducing risks and responding to abusive situations. Participants urged better publicity about the Act, more detailed guidance on the new offenses, and greater attention to the interactions with other government policy goals.