Cultural Background (cultural + background)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences

Kinds of Cultural Background

  • different cultural background


  • Selected Abstracts


    Cultural Background and Individualistic,Collectivistic Values in Relation to Similarity, Perspective Taking, and Empathy

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 11 2009
    Miriam S. Heinke
    A path model testing antecedents and consequences of perceived similarity was examined for Asian and European Australian participants (N = 240). Cultural background and values were measured, and participants read scenarios describing a target in distress acting according to individualistic or collectivistic values. Consistent with past research, feeling similar to the target was linked to perspective taking and empathy. Moreover, Asian participants were more collectivistic, and collectivistic values were linked to higher empathy. In the present data, however, both endorsed higher levels of collectivism than individualism; individualism scores were equal; and the two values were positively correlated. Moreover, neither cultural background nor values were consistently linked to similarity. Implications are discussed for research on cultural background, values, and social interactions. [source]


    Language in the Balance: Lexical Repetition as a Function of Topic, Cultural Background, and Writing Development

    LANGUAGE LEARNING, Issue 3 2001
    Dudley W. Reynolds
    Writers' use of lexical repetition changes in relation to writing topic, cultural background, and development of writing ability. As the principal means of explicitly marking cohesion in a text, lexical repetition offers insight into how texts are structured and the balance of old and new information. Nonnative writers (134) from four cultural backgrounds (Arab, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish) and NS high school students (57) wrote a timed assessment essay on either a descriptive or a persuasive topic. Multiple regression analysis indicates that writing ability measures are the most important variables for predicting changes in repetition usage, with less significant effects found for topic and cultural background. Discussion focuses on how characteristics of learner texts change in relation to different combinations of the independent variables. [source]


    Cultural Background and Individualistic,Collectivistic Values in Relation to Similarity, Perspective Taking, and Empathy

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 11 2009
    Miriam S. Heinke
    A path model testing antecedents and consequences of perceived similarity was examined for Asian and European Australian participants (N = 240). Cultural background and values were measured, and participants read scenarios describing a target in distress acting according to individualistic or collectivistic values. Consistent with past research, feeling similar to the target was linked to perspective taking and empathy. Moreover, Asian participants were more collectivistic, and collectivistic values were linked to higher empathy. In the present data, however, both endorsed higher levels of collectivism than individualism; individualism scores were equal; and the two values were positively correlated. Moreover, neither cultural background nor values were consistently linked to similarity. Implications are discussed for research on cultural background, values, and social interactions. [source]


    Denial in cancer patients, an explorative review

    PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
    M. S. Vos
    Abstract Denial is a clinically relevant concept in cancer patients. It has been investigated and discussed extensively. Its definition, however, has been subject to different theoretical trends over time. From a psychoanalytical viewpoint, denial is a pathological, ineffective defence mechanism. On the other hand, according to the stress and coping model denial can be seen as an adaptive strategy to protect against overwhelming events and feelings. In this explorative review the different concepts and the prevalence of denial in cancer patients are described. The relationship between denial and background characteristics and the influence of denial on quality of life are reviewed also. The prevalence of denial of diagnosis in cancer patients ranged from 4 to 47%, denial of impact occurred 8,70% and denial of affect in 18,42% of patients. Elderly cancer patients were more likely to deny. Cultural background seemed to play a role in the prevalence of denial. Neither type of cancer nor gender seemed to be related to denial. At the most, men might be more likely to deny during the terminal phase. In a limited number of longitudinal studies, a gradual reduction in denial was found over the course of the illness. The effect of denial on physical and social functioning remained unclear while the effect on psychological functioning seemed to depend on the concept of denial used. Distractive strategies were found to reduce distress, whereas passive escape mechanisms turned out to decrease psychological well-being. Future research on the prevalence and the (mal)adaptive properties of denial in cancer patients has to be based on a clear concept, longitudinal designs and careful recording of background variables. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    EFNS task force on management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: guidelines for diagnosing and clinical care of patients and relatives

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 12 2005
    An evidence-based review with good practice points
    Despite being one of the most devastating diseases known, there is little evidence for diagnosing and managing patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although specific therapy is lacking, correct early diagnosis and introduction of symptomatic and specific therapy can have a profound influence on the care and quality of life of the patient and may increase survival time. This document addresses the optimal clinical approach to ALS. The final literature search was performed in the spring of 2005. Consensus recommendations are given graded according to the EFNS guidance regulations. Where there was lack of evidence but consensus was clear we have stated our opinion as good practice points. People affected with possible ALS should be examined as soon as possible by an experienced neurologist. Early diagnosis should be pursued and a number of investigations should be performed with high priority. The patient should be informed of the diagnosis by a consultant with a good knowledge of the patient and the disease. Following diagnosis, the patient and relatives should receive regular support from a multidisciplinary care team. Medication with riluzole should be initiated as early as possible. PEG is associated with improved nutrition and should be inserted early. The operation is hazardous in patients with vital capacity <50%. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation improves survival and quality of life but is underused. Maintaining the patients ability to communicate is essential. During the entire course of the disease, every effort should be made to maintain patient autonomy. Advance directives for palliative end of life care are important and should be fully discussed early with the patient and relatives respecting the patients social and cultural background. [source]


    Evaluating Acceptance and Understanding of Risk in the Emergency Department:Are All Risk Statements Created Equally?

    ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 4 2002
    James A. Feldman MD
    Abstract. Objective: To determine whether mathematically equivalent but conceptually different presentations of risk from radioactive isotope exposure might affect the rate of agreement to participate in a hypothetical research study. Methods: This was a prospective study of consenting English-speaking subjects more than 18 years of age who were asked whether they would agree to participate in a mock study when presented with six mathematically equivalent statements of research-related risk. Participants were classified as recognizing the equivalence of the risk statements if they accepted all or refused all of the risk statements. Results: Three hundred forty-six subjects were enrolled. There were 55 subjects (16%; 95% CI = 12% to 20%) who refused all of the six risk statements, and 23 participants (6.7%; 95% CI = 4% to 9%) who accepted all of the given risk statements. Most of the participants (77%; 95% CI = 73% to 82%) did not recognize that the six risk statements were equivalent and agreed to some, or did not understand some of the risk statements. In stepwise multivariate logistic regression, being white, being of older age, and having higher education were associated with a higher likelihood of accepting or rejecting all six of the risk statements. Conclusions: Ethnicity, age, and education affected whether patients recognized the equivalence of six risk statements for a hypothetical study of low-dose radiation. Risk acceptance may be more likely when familiar concepts are used to express research risks. Researchers must focus on strategies that enhance the understanding of research risks and address the reasons for nonparticipation by subjects who are younger, of different ethnic or cultural background, or of lower education. [source]


    Different selves, different values: Effects of self-construals on value activation and use

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2009
    Bas Verplanken
    Three experiments demonstrated structural properties and dynamic effects of self-construal on the processing and use of values. In Study 1, it was found that self-focus during encoding caused spontaneous cognitive clustering of individualistic versus relational values. Study 2 demonstrated that self-construal affected the implicit weight of a value-related attribute in a multi-attribute choice task. In Study 3, behavioral intentions were better predicted by personal values than social norms when the personal self was primed, whereas social norms predicted better when the collective self was primed. The effects of manipulated self-construal were mimicked when comparing participants with an individualistic versus collectivistic cultural background. No interaction was found between priming and cultural background. Taken together, the studies demonstrated that different domains of the self are associated with different values, which may instigate different cognitive and behavioral processes when activated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Child temperament in three U.S. cultural groups,

    INFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009
    Marc H. Bornstein
    Temperament among children (N = 111 20-month-olds) from three cultural backgrounds in the United States (Latin American, Japanese American, and European American) was investigated. In accord with a biobehavioral universalist perspective on the expression of early temperament, few significant group differences in child temperament were found, regardless of cultural background; however, factors associated with maternal reports of child temperament differed by cultural group. The findings provide insight into the nature of child temperament generally and temperament of children in immigrant families specifically as well as parenting in immigrant families. [source]


    Development of a registry for monitoring psychotropic drug prescriptions: aims, methods and implications for ordinary practice and research

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005
    Dr Corrado Barbui
    Abstract In psychiatry, individual-based registries have provided key information on risks and benefits associated with the use of psychotropic drugs but they have rarely been employed for monitoring and evaluating the everyday prescribing of psychopharmacological treatments. This article describes the cultural background that gave impetus to the idea of registering all prescriptions of psychotropic drugs dispensed by physicians working in the South Verona community mental health service, and presents the methodology employed to develop such a registry in a community psychiatric service where a psychiatric case register (PCR) has been operating since 1978. We developed a registry including every patient receiving psychotropic medications in ordinary practice. This registry is linked to the PCR in order to obtain data on social and demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, use of services, and outcomes. No exclusion criteria are allowed , anyone receiving treatment is automatically included. This system, which can link drug and service-use data with hard outcome indicators, can generate information on the proportion of subjects discontinuing treatment, switching medication because of side-effects, recovery or inefficacy, as well as on the proportion of subjects failing to return to the physician, and the proportion of patients who improve. The innovative aspect of this approach is that this registry is developed, organized and used by physicians interested in monitoring their clinical practice and in providing patients, relatives and the public with accurate information on drug use in their specific context of care. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Cross-cultural study on adult age-group differences in the recall of the literal and interpretive meanings of narrative text1

    JAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006
    AYA HOSOKAWA
    Abstract:, This study examined cultural and age differences in the recall of the literal and interpretive meanings of narrative text. Twenty Japanese younger adults (age: M = 21.05, SD = 1.02), 20 Japanese older adults (age: M = 66.95, SD = 1.71), 20 American younger adults (age M = 21.7, SD = 1.76), and 16 American older adults (age M = 69.56, SD = 3.43) participated in this study. One story rich in both literal and interpretive content was used as a stimulus text for two recall tasks, to retell and interpret the story. The response task order was counterbalanced across the participants for each group. When asked to retell a story as close to the original as possible, the younger adults in both of the two cultural groups recalled more of the literal propositions than did the older adults. Both older and younger adults in the two cultural groups recalled more of the main ideas relative to the details; however, when asked to interpret the same story, more older than younger adults represented deep and synthetic representations of the story's interpretive meanings in the Japanese group. The interpretive responses by both the older and younger adults were almost to the same extent on depth; however, the younger adults' responses were slightly higher on synthesis in the American group. These interpretive patterns stem from cultural background. [source]


    Cultural Background and Individualistic,Collectivistic Values in Relation to Similarity, Perspective Taking, and Empathy

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 11 2009
    Miriam S. Heinke
    A path model testing antecedents and consequences of perceived similarity was examined for Asian and European Australian participants (N = 240). Cultural background and values were measured, and participants read scenarios describing a target in distress acting according to individualistic or collectivistic values. Consistent with past research, feeling similar to the target was linked to perspective taking and empathy. Moreover, Asian participants were more collectivistic, and collectivistic values were linked to higher empathy. In the present data, however, both endorsed higher levels of collectivism than individualism; individualism scores were equal; and the two values were positively correlated. Moreover, neither cultural background nor values were consistently linked to similarity. Implications are discussed for research on cultural background, values, and social interactions. [source]


    Personality and Dutch Emigrants' Reactions to Acculturation Strategies

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 12 2006
    Winny Bakker
    This experimental questionnaire study examined individual differences in affective and normative reactions to acculturation strategies. A sample of 265 Dutch emigrants with a dual cultural background read scenarios describing the experiences of an emigrant. Eight (4 × 2) different scenario versions were developed, each referring to 1 of 4 acculturation strategies (Berry, 1997) and representing either the Frisian or the Dutch native culture. Participants reacted most positively to the integration strategy. There were no differences in reactions to Frisian or Dutch original culture. With respect to the influence of personality, as measured with the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (van der Zee & van Oudenhoven, 2000), individuals high in flexibility responded more positively to the assimilation strategy than did individuals who scored low on this dimension. [source]


    Prevalence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and clinical conditions in children and adolescents from rural and urban areas of central Italy

    JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 8 2000
    Michele Paolantonio
    Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to report on the prevalence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) and the periodontal clinical conditions in children and adolescents from a rural area of central Italy compared with the ones from an urban area of the same region. Method: The study population consisted of 780 systemically healthy children, aged 6,14 years inhabiting the county of Chieti. 505 children attended 3 primary and 2 secondary schools from a rural area whereas 275 individuals attended 1 primary and 1 secondary school from the city of Chieti. The 2 provincial areas present a great difference in socioeconomic level and cultural background. Clinical examination consisted of recording the % of gingival sites positive for the presence of plaque (Pl+), bleeding on probing (BOP+), mean probing depth (PD) from each primary or permanent tooth fully erupted in the oral cavity. Loss of periodontal attachment (AL+) was evaluated only in interproximal sites. AL+ subjects were distinguished in juvenile periodontitis (JP) prepubertal periodontis and early periodontitis (EP) patients. 8 gingival sites were microbiologically sampled in each subject and cultured, after pooling, for the presence of Aa. Results: 30.3% of rural subjects, were positive for the presence of Aa, the difference from urban children (16%) being statistically significant (p=0.01) irrespective of gender and age. Aa showed a significantly (p=0.006) higher mean proportion in subgingival plaque samples from rural children (0.13% versus 0.02%). Loss of periodontal attachment in at least one site was found in 18 rural children (3.56%) (3 JP; 15 EP) and 2 urban girls (0.72%) (1 JP; 1 EP). No significant differences for AL were observed within the rural group according to the gender and age differentiation. In the urban group, both AL+ subjects were Aa+, while among children from rural areas all 3 JP and 13 EP subjects were Aa+. Rural subjects evidenced significantly worse clinical parameters with respect to urban children (% Pl+ sites: p=0.000; % BOP+ sites: p=0.010; mean PD: p=0.000.) The relative risk for AL+ sites was significantly greater (2.42) in rural subjects harboring Aa in subgingival plaque. Similarly, the presence of Aa in subgingival plaque was related to a greater risk of more than 50% of BOP+ gingival sites in both rural and urban subjects (1.45 and 8.40, respectively). Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that Aa colonization in children and adolescents from central Italy is affected by socioeconomic and cultural factors; these factors also affect the periodontal condition of the subjects. [source]


    In the Enchanted Grove: Financial Conversations and the Marketplace in England and France in the 18th Century

    JOURNAL OF HISTORICAL SOCIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001
    Alex Preda
    The paper examines conversations in the 18th-century London and Paris financial marketplaces. The aim is to highlight the place of conversations as the key form of interaction in the marketplace, and to evaluate financial conversations against the broader cultural background of literary and scientific dialogues of the time. The relevance of this enterprise is that it leads to a better understanding of how the verbal interactions of the marketplace shape transaction outcomes and contribute to forms of rationality specific for financial markets. Grounded in the analysis of empirical material, the paper distinguishes between conversations-qua-transactions and conversations-about-the-world. It shows how they produce and require specific forms of knowledge from the participants; at the same time, they shape the transactions' outcomes. On this basis, the paper argues that the phenomenon of sudden mood swings in the marketplace cannot be entirely explained in irrational, psychological terms, but must be seen as the outcome of a particular conversational system. [source]


    The Relationship Between Learning Styles and Visualization Skills Among Interior Design Students

    JOURNAL OF INTERIOR DESIGN, Issue 2 2000
    Linda L. Nussbaumer
    OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine if learning styles were an influencing factor on visualization skills among interior design students. RESEARCH DESIGN: A sample of 578 interior design students from thirteen universities who were enrolled in interior design courses between fall of 1997 and spring of 1999 completed a biographical data sheet, Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, and Isham's visualization skills test. ANALYSIS: Frequencies, means, and percentages were used to analyze the data. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test these hypotheses: (a) there is a relationship between students' learning styles and visualization skills, and (b) factors that influence students' visualization skills are their year in current major, preprofessional experience, and cultural background. KEY FINDINGS: Results of this study revealed that there is a relationship between learning styles and visualization skills. Converger and Assimilator learning styles scored the highest on visualization tests. Year in major and cultural background were significant factors influencing skills. As students progress through their courses, visualization skills significantly improve, and the greatest improvement occurs between the second and fourth years. Asian/Asian American students scored highest on the visualization test. CONCLUSIONS: Teaching methods need to be developed to enhance visualization skills for all learning styles for interior design students. [source]


    Language in the Balance: Lexical Repetition as a Function of Topic, Cultural Background, and Writing Development

    LANGUAGE LEARNING, Issue 3 2001
    Dudley W. Reynolds
    Writers' use of lexical repetition changes in relation to writing topic, cultural background, and development of writing ability. As the principal means of explicitly marking cohesion in a text, lexical repetition offers insight into how texts are structured and the balance of old and new information. Nonnative writers (134) from four cultural backgrounds (Arab, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish) and NS high school students (57) wrote a timed assessment essay on either a descriptive or a persuasive topic. Multiple regression analysis indicates that writing ability measures are the most important variables for predicting changes in repetition usage, with less significant effects found for topic and cultural background. Discussion focuses on how characteristics of learner texts change in relation to different combinations of the independent variables. [source]


    Preferences for Third-Party Help in Workplace Conflict: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Chinese and Dutch Employees

    NEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT RESEARCH, Issue 4 2009
    Ellen Giebels
    Abstract This study examines conflict parties' preferences for different types of third-party help and how this may be influenced by cultural differences in terms of individualism/collectivism. We focus our analysis on process-related nonsubstantive help and identify three types of third-party help in interpersonal conflict situations: relational help, procedural help, and emotional help. In a pilot study with Chinese and Dutch students (N = 93), we first developed and validated three new scales to measure preferences for the three types of third-party help. To further test specific hypotheses we used another sample of Dutch and Hong Kong Chinese bank employees (N = 71). In line with our expectations, Chinese employees report a higher preference for relational help, while Dutch employees report a higher preference for emotional help. In terms of procedural help, there was no significant difference between Dutch and Chinese employees. Furthermore, additional analyses revealed a gender effect on the preference for emotional help, showing that,regardless of their cultural background,females prefer this type of third-party help more, presumably because they experience more conflict stress. [source]


    Gender and culture differences in the quality of life among Americans and Koreans with atrial fibrillation

    NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES, Issue 3 2009
    Younhee Kang rn, msn-anp
    Abstract This study examined the gender and culture differences in relation to the quality of life among Americans and Koreans with atrial fibrillation. It employed secondary data analysis and a descriptive comparative design. The settings were the cardiology outpatient clinics and the outpatient clinic in two urban hospitals in the USA and one university hospital in Korea. The quality of life was measured by the Short-Form Health Survey. The data from 129 subjects were analyzed by two-way ANCOVA and a post-hoc test. In relation to physical function, there was a statistically significant effect shown by gender, but no significant differences were found by the main effect of culture and the interaction effect of gender and culture. The significant interaction effect of gender and culture on mental health was shown. In conclusion, gender differences in the quality of life perceived by patients with atrial fibrillation varied with their cultural background. Thus, patients' cultural background should be considered in nursing practice. [source]


    Off the beaten track: Freud, sound and music.

    THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOANALYSIS, Issue 5 2008
    Statement of a problem, some historico-critical notes
    The authors note that the element of sound and music has no place in the model of mental functioning bequeathed to us by Freud, which is dominated by the visual and the representational. They consider the reasons for this exclusion and its consequences, and ask whether the simple biographical explanation offered by Freud himself is acceptable. This contribution reconstructs the historical and cultural background to that exclusion, cites some relevant emblematic passages, and discusses Freud's position on music and on the aesthetic experience in general. Particular attention is devoted to the relationship between Freud and Lipps, which is important both for the originality of Lipps's thinking in the turn-of-the-century debate and for his ideas on the musical aspects of the foundations of psychic life, at which Freud ,stopped', as he himself wrote. Moreover, the shade of Lipps accompanied Freud throughout his scientific career from 1898 to 1938. Like all foundations, that of psychoanalysis was shaped by a system of inclusions and exclusions. The exclusion of the element of sound and music is understandable in view of the cultural background to the development of the concepts of the representational unconscious and infantile sexuality. While the consequences have been far reaching, the knowledge accumulated since that exclusion enables us to resume, albeit on a different basis, the composition of the ,unfinished symphony' of the relationship between psychoanalysis and music. [source]


    Assessing chimpanzee personality and subjective well-being in Japan

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
    Alexander Weiss
    Abstract We tested whether the cultural background of raters influenced ratings of chimpanzee personality. Our study involved comparing personality and subjective well-being ratings of 146 chimpanzees in Japan that were housed in zoos, research institutes, and a retirement sanctuary to ratings of chimpanzees in US and Australian zoos. Personality ratings were made on a translated and expanded version of a questionnaire used to rate chimpanzees in the US and Australia. Subjective well-being ratings were made on a translated version of a questionnaire used to rate chimpanzees in the US and Australia. The mean interrater reliabilities of the 43 original adjectives did not markedly differ between the present sample and the original sample of 100 zoo chimpanzees in the US. Interrater reliabilities of these samples were highly correlated, suggesting that their rank order was preserved. Comparison of the factor structures for the Japanese sample and for the original sample of chimpanzees in US zoos indicated that the overall structure was replicated and that the Dominance, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness domains clearly generalized. Consistent with earlier studies, older chimpanzees had higher Dominance and lower Extraversion and Openness scores. Correlations between the six domain scores and subjective well-being were comparable to those for chimpanzees housed in the US and Australia. These findings suggest that chimpanzee personality ratings are not affected by the culture of the raters. Am. J. Primatol. 71:283,292, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Prejudicial Attitudes Toward Older Adults May Be Exaggerated When People Feel Vulnerable to Infectious Disease: Evidence and Implications

    ANALYSES OF SOCIAL ISSUES & PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 1 2009
    Lesley A. Duncan
    Prejudice against elderly people ("ageism") is an issue of increasing social concern, but the psychological roots of ageism are only partially understood. Recent theorizing suggests that ageism may result, in part, from fallible cue-based disease-avoidance mechanisms. The perception of subjectively atypical physical features (including features associated with aging) may implicitly activate aversive semantic concepts (implicit ageism), and this implicit ageism is likely to emerge among perceivers who are especially worried about the transmission of infectious diseases. We report an experiment (N = 88) that provides the first empirical test of this hypothesis. Results revealed that implicit ageism is predicted by the interactive effects of chronic perceptions of vulnerability to infectious disease and by the temporary salience of disease-causing pathogens. Moreover, these effects are moderated by perceivers' cultural background. Implications for public policy are discussed. [source]


    Duration of untreated psychosis, ethnicity, educational level, and gender in a multiethnic South-East Asian country: report from Malaysia schizophrenia registry

    ASIA-PACIFIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2010
    K.Y. Chee
    Abstract Introduction: Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) determines the outcome of schizophrenia. Previously, there was no information about the DUP among patients in Malaysia with schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between DUP and patients' demographic, social cultural background and clinical features. Method: This is a cross-sectional study on patients who presented with first episode schizophrenia. Data from 74 primary care centers and hospitals between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2007 were included in the analysis. All patients with first-episode schizophrenia were enrolled in the study. Results: The mean DUP was 37.6 months. The indigenous community appeared to have the shortest DUP compared to the Malay, Chinese and Indian communities. Female, people with lower educational level, and comorbidity with medical illness during contact had longer DUP. Discussion: DUP in this multiethnicity country was found to be significantly short among the indigenous people, which may sugest that traditional values and strong family and community ties shorten the DUP. Educational level may need to be further investigated, because as upgrading the general educational level could lead to shorter DUP among the patients as well. [source]


    Battery for assessment of neuropsychological status (RBANS) in schizophrenia: a pilot study in the Spanish population,

    ACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 1 2009
    Juan C. Sanz
    Objectives:, The aims of this study were to research the following issues in a Spanish population of patients with schizophrenia. (a) The sensitivity and reliability of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) to detect cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. (b) The convergent validity of RBANS on a larger battery of neuropsychological tests sensitive to the cognition disorders typically observed in schizophrenia. (c) The correlates of poor performance in RBANS with clinical features and illness severity. Method:, Thirty schizophrenia patients, 30 non-psychotic patients and 30 healthy participants were assessed using RBANS (form A). We administered a battery of neuropsychological tests and four scales to evaluate patient's clinical status. Results:, Schizophrenia patients and non-psychotic patients performed significantly worse than healthy controls on RBANS, and schizophrenia patients performed slightly worse than non-psychiatric controls, but this difference was not significant. Good inter-test reliability and concurrent validity were found. Only a moderate correlation between RBANS performance and illness severity was observed. Conclusions:, RBANS revealed coherence in identifying cognitive impairment in schizophrenia patients of a different cultural background, and it is shown to be a sensitive, valid and easy-to-perform tool for the neuropsychological assessment of Spanish patients with schizophrenia. [source]


    Frequency of pterygium in indigenous Kadiweu

    ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2009
    ML VERONESE RODRIGUES
    Purpose Study carried out in Amazonas, north of Brazil, reported that river indigenous people have much higher rates of pterygium than indigenous living in forest. Exposure to the sun was the major risk factor for pterygium . The objective of this study was to verify the frequency of pterygium in indigenous with different ethnic and cultural background, and living in another region of the country, with different geographic characteristics (Kadiwéu indigenous). Methods Ocular examination was performed in 10% of the total population of Kadiwéu indigenous (90 subjects), living in two small villages, in "Serra Boquena" region, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, in center-west Brazil. Results The frequency of pterigyum in all participants was 15%. Considering only individuals over 20 years the rate was 20%. Conclusion The frequency of pterygium in indigenous Kadiwéu is lower than the rate in river indigenous and higher than in forest people. [source]


    Immigrant girls perceive less stress

    ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 7 2008
    F Lindblad
    Abstract Aim: To develop a new stress scale and use it for investigating impact of ethnicity on perception of stress. Subjects and Methods: One thousand one hundred and twenty-four students (grades 6,9) from 14 schools filled in a questionnaire at school with questions about age, sex, use of language at home (proxy for cultural background), stress and stressors. Factor analysis and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. Results: Two-stress dimensions were identified, ,pressure'(7 items, Cronbach's alpha 0.862) and ,activation'(4 items, Cronbach's alpha 0.767). Scores on the two scales and a separate ,stress' item were higher in girls and increased with grade. Use of another language than Swedish at home showed a significant effect only for activation, with lower scores in girls. The interaction effect between sex and language was significant for all variables and was due mainly to lower stress in girls using another language than Swedish at home. Conclusion: This new stress scale has some promising qualities like a condensed format, basis in a specific stress concept and formulated to be as age and culture independent as possible. Immigrant girls seem to perceive less stress than Swedish born girls, which opens up for questions about protective mechanisms. [source]


    Factors affecting writing achievement: mapping teacher beliefs

    ENGLISH IN EDUCATION, Issue 1 2004
    Claire Wyatt-Smith
    Abstract The intersection of teacher beliefs with writing achievement in schooling is a key concern of this paper. The paper reports part of a two-year Australian study that set out to examine in detail how it is that teachers judge Year 5 students' literacy achievement using writing as the case instance. In what follows, we examine the data in the form of concept maps that the teachers them selves made available showing their beliefs about, and insights into the factors that affect student writing achievement. Drawing on these maps, we highlight the range of teacher-identified factors, including those relating to in-class behaviour, motivation, attitudes to school learning, social and cultural backgrounds, oracy and even life circumstances. Additionally, we address how the identified factors function, operating either as standalone elements or within a dynamic network of inter-relationships. [source]


    Long-term prognosis and satisfaction after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in a general hospital,

    GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2004
    Joji Onishi
    Background: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has been widely acknowledged as a safer method for enteral feeding; however, its long-term impact on prognosis and quality of life in elderly patients is not sufficiently understood. There are issues still to be studied regarding the indications for PEG, due to the lack of convincing evidence that it reduces expected complications such as aspiration pneumonia or for improving the prognosis of patients with severe dementia. Method: In this study we investigated the survival rate after PEG and the families' satisfaction in 78 inpatients who underwent PEG. We conducted the investigation by sending questionnaires to the families. Results: The results for the 69 cases (88%) in which the patient recovered showed that the 1-year survival rate was 64.0%, and the 2-year survival rate was 55.5%. Fifty-three per cent of patients' families indicated overall satisfaction regarding of PEG. Conclusions: The survival rates were relatively higher than those from previously reported studies. This may be attributed to variations in patients' clinical, socio-economic, or cultural backgrounds in therapeutic interventions. We recognized the importance of clarifying factors that would affect the living and functional prognosis and quality of life in elderly patients who underwent PEG. The indications for PEG are based on a comprehensive assessment of the relevant factors in individual cases, and by taking patients' and families' wishes into consideration. [source]


    Child temperament in three U.S. cultural groups,

    INFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009
    Marc H. Bornstein
    Temperament among children (N = 111 20-month-olds) from three cultural backgrounds in the United States (Latin American, Japanese American, and European American) was investigated. In accord with a biobehavioral universalist perspective on the expression of early temperament, few significant group differences in child temperament were found, regardless of cultural background; however, factors associated with maternal reports of child temperament differed by cultural group. The findings provide insight into the nature of child temperament generally and temperament of children in immigrant families specifically as well as parenting in immigrant families. [source]


    Association between pacifier use and breast-feeding, sudden infant death syndrome, infection and dental malocclusion

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE BASED HEALTHCARE, Issue 6 2005
    Ann Callaghan RN RM BNurs(Hons)
    Executive summary Objective, To critically review all literature related to pacifier use for full-term healthy infants and young children. The specific review questions addressed are: What is the evidence of adverse and/or positive outcomes of pacifier use in infancy and childhood in relation to each of the following subtopics: ,breast-feeding; ,sudden infant death syndrome; ,infection; ,dental malocclusion. Inclusion criteria, Specific criteria were used to determine which studies would be included in the review: (i) the types of participants; (ii) the types of research design; and (iii) the types of outcome measures. To be included a study has to meet all criteria. Types of participants,The participants included in the review were healthy term infants and healthy children up to the age of 16 years. Studies that focused on preterm infants, and infants and young children with serious illness or congenital malformations were excluded. However, some total population studies did include these children. Types of research design, It became evident early in the review process that very few randomised controlled trials had been conducted. A decision was made to include observational epidemiological designs, specifically prospective cohort studies and, in the case of sudden infant death syndrome research, case,control studies. Purely descriptive and cross-sectional studies were excluded, as were qualitative studies and all other forms of evidence. A number of criteria have been proposed to establish causation in the scientific and medical literature. These key criteria were applied in the review process and are described as follows: (i) consistency and unbiasedness of findings; (ii) strength of association; (iii) temporal sequence; (iv) dose,response relationship; (v) specificity; (vi) coherence with biological background and previous knowledge; (vii) biological plausibility; and (viii) experimental evidence. Studies that did not meet the requirement of appropriate temporal sequencing of events and studies that did not present an estimate of the strength of association were not included in the final review. Types of outcome measures,Our specific interest was pacifier use related to: ,breast-feeding; ,sudden infant death syndrome; ,infection; ,dental malocclusion. Studies that examined pacifier use related to procedural pain relief were excluded. Studies that examined the relationship between pacifier use and gastro-oesophageal reflux were also excluded as this information has been recently presented as a systematic review. Search strategy, The review comprised published and unpublished research literature. The search was restricted to reports published in English, Spanish and German. The time period covered research published from January 1960 to October 2003. A protocol developed by New Zealand Health Technology Assessment was used to guide the search process. The search comprised bibliographic databases, citation searching, other evidence-based and guidelines sites, government documents, books and reports, professional websites, national associations, hand search, contacting national/international experts and general internet searching. Assessment of quality, All studies identified during the database search were assessed for relevance to the review based on the information provided in the title, abstract and descriptor/MeSH terms, and a full report was retrieved for all studies that met the inclusion criteria. Studies identified from reference list searches were assessed for relevance based on the study title. Keywords included: dummy, dummies, pacifier(s), soother(s), comforter(s), non-nutritive sucking, infant, child, infant care. Initially, studies were reviewed for inclusion by pairs of principal investigators. Authorship of articles was not concealed from the reviewers. Next, the methodological quality of included articles was assessed independently by groups of three or more principal investigators and clinicians using a checklist. All 20 studies that were accepted met minimum set criteria, but few passed without some methodological concern. Data extraction, To meet the requirements of the Joanna Briggs Institute, reasons for acceptance and non-acceptance at each phase were clearly documented. An assessment protocol and report form was developed for each of the three phases of review. The first form was created to record investigators' evaluations of studies included in the initial review. Those studies that failed to meet strict inclusion criteria were excluded at this point. A second form was designed to facilitate an in-depth critique of epidemiological study methodology. The checklist was pilot tested and adjustments were made before reviewers were trained in its use. When reviewers could not agree on an assessment, it was passed to additional reviewers and discussed until a consensus was reached. At this stage, studies other than cohort, case,control and randomised controlled trials were excluded. Issues of clarification were also addressed at this point. The final phase was that of integration. This phase, undertaken by the principal investigators, was assisted by the production of data extraction tables. Through a process of trial and error, a framework was formulated that adequately summarised the key elements of the studies. This information was tabulated under the following headings: authors/setting, design, exposure/outcome, confounders controlled, analysis and main findings. Results, With regard to the breast-feeding outcome, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising two randomised controlled trials and eight cohort studies. The research was conducted between 1995 and 2003 in a wide variety of settings involving research participants from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Information regarding exposure and outcome status, and potential confounding factors was obtained from: antenatal and postnatal records; interviews before discharge from obstetric/midwifery care; post-discharge interviews; and post-discharge postal and telephone surveys. Both the level of contact and the frequency of contact with the informant, the child's mother, differed widely. Pacifier use was defined and measured inconsistently, possibly because few studies were initiated expressly to investigate its relationship with breast-feeding. Completeness of follow-up was addressed, but missing data were not uniformly identified and explained. When comparisons were made between participants and non-participants there was some evidence of differential loss and a bias towards families in higher socioeconomic groups. Multivariate analysis was undertaken in the majority of studies, with some including a large number of sociodemographic, obstetric and infant covariates and others including just maternal age and education. As might be expected given the inconsistency of definition and measurement, the relationship between pacifier use and breast-feeding was expressed in many different ways and a meta-analysis was not appropriate. In summary, only one study did not report a negative association between pacifier use and breast-feeding duration or exclusivity. Results indicate an increase in risk for a reduced overall duration of breast-feeding from 20% to almost threefold. The data suggest that very infrequent use may not have any overall negative impact on breast-feeding outcomes. Six sudden infant death syndrome case,control studies met the criteria for inclusion. The research was conducted with information gathered between 1984 and 1999 in Norway, UK, New Zealand, the Netherlands and USA. Exposure information was obtained from a variety of sources including: hospital and antenatal records, death scene investigation, and interview and questionnaire. Information for cases was sought within 2 days after death, within 2,4 weeks after death and in one study between 3 and 11 years after death. Information for controls was sought from as early as 4 days of a nominated sudden infant death syndrome case, to between 1 and 7 weeks from the case date, and again in one study some 3,11 years later. In the majority of the studies case ascertainment was determined by post-mortem. Pacifier use was again defined and measured somewhat inconsistently. All studies controlled for confounding factors by matching and/or using multivariate analysis. Generally, antenatal and postnatal factors, as well as infant care practices, and maternal, family and socioeconomic issues were considered. All five studies reporting multivariate results found significantly fewer sudden infant death syndrome cases used a pacifier compared with controls. That is, pacifier use was associated with a reduced incidence of sudden infant death syndrome. These results indicate that the risk of sudden infant death syndrome for infants who did not use a pacifier in the last or reference sleep was at least twice, and possibly five times, that of infants who did use a pacifier. Three studies reported a moderately sized positive association between pacifier use and a variety of infections. Conversely, one study found no positive association between pacifier use at 15 months of age and a range of infections experienced between the ages of 6 and 18 months. Given the limited number of studies available and the variability of results, no meaningful conclusions could be drawn. Five cohort studies and one case,control study focused on the relationship between pacifier use and dental malocclusion. Not one of these studies reported a measure of association, such as an estimate of relative risk. It was therefore not possible to include these studies in the final review. Implications for practice, It is intended that this review be used as the basis of a ,best practice guideline', to make health professionals aware of the research evidence concerning these health and developmental consequences of pacifier use, because parents need clear information on which they can base child care decisions. With regard to the association between pacifier use and infection and dental malocclusion it was found that, due to the paucity of epidemiological studies, no meaningful conclusion can be drawn. There is clearly a need for more epidemiological research with regard to these two outcomes. The evidence for a relationship between pacifier use and sudden infant death syndrome is consistent, while the exact mechanism of the effect is not well understood. As to breast-feeding, research evidence shows that pacifier use in infancy is associated with a shorter duration and non-exclusivity. It is plausible that pacifier use causes babies to breast-feed less, but a causal relationship has not been irrefutably proven. Because breast-feeding confers an important advantage on all children and the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome is very low, it is recommended that health professionals generally advise parents against pacifier use, while taking into account individual circumstances. [source]


    Identifying the core components of cultural competence: findings from a Delphi study

    JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 18 2009
    Maria Jirwe
    Aim., To identify the core components of cultural competence from a Swedish perspective. Background., The cultural diversity of Swedish society raises challenges for nursing practice. Nurses need to be culturally competent, i.e. demonstrate the effective application of knowledge, skills and attitudes to practice safely and effectively in a multicultural society. Existing frameworks of cultural competence reflect the socio-cultural, historical and political context they were developed in. To date, there has been no research examining cultural competence within a Swedish context. Design., A Delphi survey. Methods., A purposeful sample of 24 experts (eight nurses, eight researchers and eight lecturers) knowledgeable in multicultural issues was recruited. Interviews were undertaken to identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes that formed the components of cultural competence. Content analysis yielded statements which were developed into a questionnaire. Respondents scored questionnaire items in terms of perceived importance. Statements which reached consensus were removed from questionnaires used in subsequent rounds. Three rounds of questionnaires were distributed during 2006. Results., A total of 118 out of 137 components reached a consensus level of 75%. The components were categorised into five areas, cultural sensitivity, cultural understanding, cultural encounters, understanding of health, ill-health and healthcare and social and cultural contexts with 17 associated subcategories. Conclusions., There are some similarities between the issues raised in the current study and existing frameworks of cultural competence from the USA and the UK. However, Swedish experts placed less emphasis on ethnohistory and on developing skills to challenge discrimination and racism. Relevance to clinical practice., This study identified the core components of cultural competence important to nurses practising within a multicultural society such as Sweden. Acquisition of the knowledge, skills and attitudes identified should enable nurses to meet the needs of patients from different cultural backgrounds. The components of cultural competence can form the basis of nursing curricula. [source]