Marital Status and Self-Rated Health in Rural Inhabitants in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Poor self-rated health is considered to be a predictor of short survival, and self-rated health is associated with several lifestyle and sociodemographic factors. To determine whether marital status is an independent risk factor for poor self-rated health among inhabitants in rural areas, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of inhabitants in Japan. Complete responses were obtained from 10,268 individuals. Self-ratings of mental health, demographics, and symptoms were used to predict self-rated health. Being male; having disease, questionnaire-based physical complaints, and depressive state; having lower levels of education; and being divorced resulted in higher odds (95% confidence interval) for poor self-rated health, presenting 1.41 (1.18–1.69), 10.8 (8.62–13.7), 1.11 (1.09–1.12), 1.11 (1.08–1.13), 1.22 (1.02–1.46), and 1.53 (1.01–2.31), respectively. In contrast, age, friendship, and other marital status such as single or bereaved showed no significant relationship with poor self-rated health. To improve self-rated health among rural inhabitants, attention should be focused on divorced inhabitants, especially men.     

Ethnic monitoring in higher education: Some reflections on methodology

Ethnic Monitoring in higher education has been limited and piecemeal. It often fails to explore the relationships between ethnicity and student progress and achievement, and to account for any ethnic inequalities revealed. In this paper an approach to ethnic monitoring that utilizes quantitative and qualitative methods is discussed. We argue that such an approach gives a clear statistical picture of group progress and achievement, identifies social, economic and institutional factors that might account for ethnic inequalities, and highlights the processes of racism and discrimination in higher education. All of these aspects are vital to a thorough understanding of ethnic inequalities in the higher education sector in the United Kingdom.     

Who decides the position for birth? A follow-up study of a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundPhysical benefits are suggested for women and their babies when women adopt an upright position of their choice at birth. Available care options during labour influence women's impressions of what intrapartum care is. This indicates that choice of birth positions may be determined more by midwives than by women's preferences.QuestionThe aims of this study were to investigate factors associated with adherence to allocated birth position and also to investigate factors associated with decision-making for birth position.MethodAn invitation to answer an on-line questionnaire was mailed.FindingsDespite being randomised, women who gave birth on the seat were statistically significantly more likely to report that they participated in decision-making and that they took the opportunity to choose their preferred birth position. They also reported statistically significantly more often than non-adherers that they felt powerful, protected and self-confident.ConclusionsMidwives should be conscious of the potential impact that birth positions have on women's birth experiences and on maternal outcomes. Midwives should encourage women's autonomy by giving unbiased information about the birth seat. An upright birth position may lead to greater childbirth satisfaction. Women's experience of and preferences for birth positions are consistent with current evidence for best practice.     

理工科新生大学英语学习的需求分析

研究以问卷形式对北航2008级理工科新生大学英语学习的需求情况进行了调查和分析。数据表明,理工科新生大学英语学习者在宏观性学习策略上和课堂形式上都对视听说具有高度的心理倾向,在学习题材上对人文知识具有高度的心理倾向,这些调查结果与2007版《大学英语课程教学要求》（以下及文中简称《新要求》）中所设定的教学目标相符,证明《新要求》所规定教学目标具有合理性和现实意义。研究还表明,理工科新生学习者高度重视课堂情绪/情感体验尤其是成就感体验。根据研究结果,文章对大学英语教学改革提出了建议。     

大学选修课“选而不修”问题的分析与对策——以公选课《美国文化解读》为例

各普通高校对英语选修课日趋重视,然而学生选而不修的问题也很突出。作者在对两学期的选修课授课对象从选课动机、课后作业、考核方式、存在问题等方面分别进行了两次问卷调查之后,在认真对比和分析调查结果数据基础上,结合《美国文化解读》教学实例,对大学英语选修课程体系在教学和管理方面提出了一些设想和对策。     

The development and validation of a job crafting measure for use with blue-collar workers

Abstract

Job crafting describes a set of proactive behaviours in which employees may engage to shape their work in order to minimize hindering job demands and maximize resources and challenging demands. Such behaviours may be particularly important among blue-collar workers whose jobs are characterized by poor working conditions and low well-being. We present the development and adaptation of a job crafting measure that may be used among blue-collar workers, based on an existing scale by Tims, Bakker, and Derks (2012) that was not specifically developed for blue-collar workers. We test the validity and reliability of the measure in a longitudinal study based on multiple source information from mail delivery workers in Denmark (N=362 at Time 1; N=408 at Time 2). Results indicate the presence of five job crafting dimensions: increasing challenging demands, decreasing social job demands, increasing social job resources, increasing quantitative demands and decreasing hindering job demands. These can be reliably measured with 15 items. The measure shows acceptable discriminant and criterion validity, and test-retest reliability. The findings extend the application of the original questionnaire. They also add to knowledge of the job crafting behaviours in which blue-collar workers engage and link them to well-being outcomes.     

高校国防教育现状评析——基于合肥工业大学国防教育问卷调查的反思

合肥工业大学2007级本科学生国防教育问卷调查表明,高校国防教育得到大学生们认可,但是要使高校国防教育走内涵式发展道路,任重而道远。在高校国防教育的理念探索、机构设置、课程建设和师资培养等方面可进一步探讨。国防教育理念需要创新,突出实用性功能;国防教育机构需要独立,定位于教研单位;在国防教育课程设置需要深化,形成课程体系;国防教育师资需要引进,充当领军人物。     

大学生心理和谐的维度探讨

心理和谐是心理各种要素和关系相互融洽的状态,是一个复杂的多维度系统,它涉及自我、人与社会,人与人、人与自然等多重关系.通过文献综述、开放式调查、专家咨询等提出了大学生心理和谐维度结构的理论构想,包括自我和谐与社会和谐、人际和谐与自然和谐四个二阶因素和积极性、适当性、敏锐性、认同性、和睦性、融洽性、亲近性和相融性八个一阶因素.以此为基础自编了大学生心理和谐问卷,并对调查结果进行了探索性因素分析和验证性因素分析,进一步验证了大学生心理和谐维度结构,表明该结构可作为今后深入研究的基础.     

Addiction severity predictions using client network properties

By statistical analysis of client data it is shown how past or current network information together with other knowledge assesses treatment needs. The main findings are as follows. The client's previous exposure to addicts in the family has almost no influence on his or her present contacts with addicts in daily life. About 30% of the clients have experienced addicts both in family and among friends, about 30% have only family exposure, about 20% have neither kind of exposure, and about 20% have no family exposure but have current exposure to addicts. Exposure to addicts in family implies a higher risk of severe need for professional intervention than no such exposure. For the clients with no family exposure but with current exposure to addicts there is, somewhat surprisingly, a lower risk than for the other three categories of clients. This effect seems to be mainly because the psychiatric status of these clients is somewhat better than for those in the other three categories. The effect disappears if we look solely for drug addiction intervention needs; then there is a clear increase in relative treatment needs for the categories with previous or present addiction exposure compared to those without.     

留学生汉语新词语课的建设问题初探

对外汉语教学领域的“汉语新词新语”课程是一门专门介绍汉语词汇新变化的新兴课程,通过对外国留学生汉语新词语认知度及特点所作的调查,从课程定位、教学内容、教学方法等方面对如何加强该课程建设进行了探讨。