Modernity: a non-European conceptualization

In the light of insights drawn from historical sociology and Parsons' theory of differentiation/modernization, an attempt is made to conceptualize modernity in such a way as to avoid both eurocentrism and the total rejection of the concept by those who view it as an ideological means for the further advancement of western cultural imperialism.     

Residential segregation of West Indians in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area: the roles of race and ethnicity

"To assess the relative roles of race and ethnicity in shaping patterns of residential segregation, this article utilizes indices of segregation and a geographic mapping strategy to examine the residential patterns of West Indian blacks in the greater New York City area. The socioeconomic characteristics of neighborhoods occupied by West Indian blacks are also examined and compared to those of areas occupied by African Americans. The results indicate that, on one hand, West Indians are largely denied access to residential areas occupied predominantly by whites and are confined to areas of large black concentrations. On the other hand, West Indians appear to have carved out somewhat separate residential enclaves within these largely black areas...."     

Exposure of medical students to body fluids

Three hundred forty-two students at 3 Florida medical schools were surveyed concerning occupational exposures to blood and body fluids during their 3rd-year clerkship. The 16-item questionnaire was anonymously returned by 150 students, and differences among groups were assessed at p < .05. Most of the students complied with universal precautions guidelines (UVPG); 62 reported 101 exposures, including 9 with HIV-positive blood and body fluids. Most of the exposed students knew about the guidelines but regarded the incidents as irrelevant to their safety or supervision training. Noncompliant students reported significantly more exposures than compliant students. Time constraints, inconvenience of using gloves during procedures, and belief that patients were at low HIV risk discouraged adherence to the guidelines. Common practices following exposure were "no action" or "washed area only" without medical follow-up. Medical students' UVPG adherence should be increased by workload modification, user-friendly safety products, and supervised practice training in clinical exposure settings.     

Framing Emerging Environmental Movement Tactics: Mobilizing Consensus,Demobilizing Conflict

This paper is a study of an emerging environmental decision-making model that attempts to move beyond traditionally adversarial approaches toward consensus building. Consensus-based decision making ostensibly allows activists equal power with industrialists and state actors in environmental policy-making. This research builds upon the growing literature on frame-analysis by demonstrating that there are instances when challengers actually engage in collaborative framing with their adversaries. This does not presume that activists reject oppositional framing altogether. In these cases, environmentalists actually draw on a mixture of confrontation and negotiation in this innovative form of collective action that positions them in contexts most environmentalists never experience—a place at the decision-making table with elites. This study reveals that environmentalists are becoming more sophisticated in their efforts to protect local communities and natural resources.     

Psychiatric unit fall event

Patient falls in psychiatric units may have an impact on patient outcomes. Fall risk assessment among psychiatric patients is an important issue. Gait/balance problems and history of falling are important considerations in assessing psychiatric patients for fall risk.     

Paving the road to hell: why change programs ultimately fail

A successful change program must have clearly delineated and honestly defined goals. Change requires conviction, money, and effort and the willingness to invest all three. Change programs fail when any of these requirements are lacking. Many health care executives have the conviction, but are unwilling to spend the money or expend the effort. Some lack conviction, despite having money; the effort is merely spinning wheels with no forward motion. Often all three are lacking, despite an outward appearance to the contrary--the result of management delusions. Employees are quick to see through misleading and insincere schemes. It is much easier to foster trust from the outset than to rebuild it after it has been violated.     

Gender and physician-assisted suicide: an analysis of the Kevorkian cases, 1990-1997

This study examines the seventy-five suicide cases Dr. Jack Kevorkian acknowledged assisting during the period between 1990-1997. Although these cases represent a range of regional and occupational backgrounds, a significant majority are women. Most of these individuals had a disabling, chronic, nonterminal-stage illness. In five female cases, the medical examiner found no evidence of disease whatsoever. About half of the women were between the ages of forty-one and sixty, and another third were older adults. Men's conditions were somewhat less likely than women's to be chronic and nonterminal-stage. The main reasons for the hastened death mentioned by both the person and their significant others were having disabilities, being in pain, and fear of being a burden. The predominance of women among Kevorkian's assisted suicides contrasts with national trends in suicide mortality, where men are a clear majority. It is possible that individuals whose death was hastened by Kevorkian are not representative of physician-assisted suicide cases around the country, because of Kevorkian's unique approach. Alternatively, the preponderance of women among Kevorkian's assisted suicides may represent a real phenomenon. One possibility is that, in the United States, assisted suicide is particularly acceptable for women. Individual, interpersonal, social, economic, and cultural factors encouraging assisted suicide in women are examined.