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Questionnaire Study (questionnaire + study)
Kinds of Questionnaire Study Selected AbstractsBeliefs on Mandatory Influenza Vaccination of Health Care Workers in Nursing Homes: A Questionnaire Study from the NetherlandsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 12 2009Ingrid Looijmans-van den Akker MD OBJECTIVES: To assess whether nursing homes (NHs) made organizational improvements to increase influenza vaccination rates in healthcare workers (HCWs) and to quantify the beliefs of NH administrators on the arguments used in favor of implementation of mandatory influenza vaccination of HCWs. DESIGN: Anonymous questionnaire study. SETTING: Dutch NHs. PARTICIPANTS: Dutch NH administrators. MEASUREMENTS: Influenza vaccination rates in NH residents and NH HCWs, organizational aspects of influenza vaccination of HCWs, and agreement of respondents with arguments in favor of implementation of mandatory influenza vaccination in HCWs. RESULTS: Of the 310 distributed questionnaires, 185 were returned (response rate 59.7%). The average vaccination rate in NH HCWs was 18.8% and in NH residents was 91.6%. In all, 126 (68.1%) NHs had a written policy, 161 (87.0%) actively requested that their employees be immunized, and 161 (87.0%) offered information to HCWs in any way. Despite the fact that the majority of NH administrators (>69%) agreed with all arguments in favor of implementation of mandatory influenza vaccination, only a minority (24.3%) agreed that mandatory vaccination should be implemented if voluntary vaccination fails to reach sufficient vaccination rates. CONCLUSION: Despite the low vaccination rate of NH HCWs, most NH administrators did not support mandatory influenza vaccination of NH HCWs. [source] Student and Instructor Beliefs and Attitudes about Target Language Use, First Language Use, and Anxiety: Report of a Questionnaire StudyMODERN LANGUAGE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003Glenn S. Levine This article presents the results of an anonymous, Internet-based questionnaire study on target language (TL) and first language (L1) use in university-level foreign language (FL) classes. The participants were 600 FL students and 163 FL instructors. The goals of the study were to develop preliminary components of a descriptive model of TL and L1 use and explore the relationships between TL use and student anxiety about TL use. It was hypothesized that (a) amounts of TL use would vary according to constellation of interlocutors and communicative contexts, and (b) the amount of TL use overall would correlate positively with student anxiety about it. The results support the first hypothesis. The second hypothesis was not supported. Analysis of the data revealed a negative relationship between reported amounts of TL use and reported TL-use anxiety. Tenets are offered for maximizing TL use while at the same time granting to L1 pedagogically sound functions. [source] The role of doctor's opinion in shared decision making: what does shared decision making really mean when considering invasive medical procedures?,HEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 2 2005Dennis J. Mazur MD Abstract Objective, The goal of this study was to gain understanding about patients' perspectives on decision making in the context of invasive medical interventions and whether patients' decision-making preferences influenced the type of information they desired to be provided by physicians. Design, Questionnaire study of consecutive patients in a university-based general medicine clinic. Interventions, Patients were presented with a randomized list of three types of information that physicians could provide (risk, benefit and physician's opinion on whether they should undergo the procedure). Patients were asked whether they preferred patient-based, physician-based, or shared decision making and then were asked to select which one or combination of these three information types was most important to them in their own decision making. Patients were also asked to self-report on how many invasive procedures they had undergone in their own lives. Participants, A total of 202 consecutive patients (mean age = 65.1 years, SD = 12.3, range 28,88; mean education 13.3 years, SD 2.9, range 2,23). Main outcome measures, Patient reports. Results, Of the 202 patients, two patients reported no decision-making preference. These two patients were excluded from the analysis. Of the 200 remaining patients, 62.5% (125/200) preferred shared, 22.5%(45/200) preferred physician-based, and 15.5% (31/200) preferred patient-based decision making. More than half of all subjects chose physician opinion as the most important type of information for decision making. Older patients (odds ratio 1.028; confidence interval 1.003,1.053) were more likely to have ranked the doctor's opinion as the most important in their decision making for invasive medical interventions. Conclusions, Although most patients want to share decision making with their physicians regarding invasive procedures, the majority of these patients report relying on the doctor's opinion on whether to undergo the procedure as the most important information in their own decision making. [source] Questionnaire study of canine neutering techniques taught in UK veterinary schools and those used in practiceJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 9 2005M. S. Tivers Objectives: To gather information about the different techniques employed in general practice and to compare this with current undergraduate teaching. This would provide an insight into any areas of discrepancy and influences on technique in practice. Methods: A questionnaire was composed and distributed to 407 practices throughout the UK, using a commercial mailing list. Fifty further questionnaires were distributed by final-year students to their foster practices and five were sent to practices on request. A second questionnaire was composed and sent to the members of staff responsible for teaching surgical neutering techniques at each of the UK veterinary schools. Results: Completed questionnaires were received from 183 respondents. These were compared with seven questionnaires from university teachers. Only areas in which the teachers reached a consensus of opinion were directly compared. Clinical Significance: Several areas of discrepancy between current teaching and techniques in practice were identified. A study of complications compared with technique would provide further information. There is a lack of published material or an evidence base in many aspects of surgical neutering to support one technique over another. [source] Subjective daytime sleepiness and its predictors in Finnish adolescents in an interview studyACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 5 2001O Saarenpää-Heikkilä The purpose of this study is to evaluate the predictors of subjective daytime sleepiness (SDS) and its chronicity in adolescents. Two groups of adolescents (107 with SDS and 107 without SDS) from our first questionnaire study were invited to an interview after 3 y. A follow-up questionnaire had been sent to them one year earlier. The interview included questions about sleep, daytime sleepiness, living habits, physical and mental health, and progress at school. The adolescents were also examined clinically. Interviews were conducted with 66 out of 107 subjects with SDS and 64 out of 107 without SDS (age range 12 to 19 y). In this interview 42 out of the 130 adolescents had SDS. A total of 20 adolescents reported SDS in both questionnaire studies and in the interview (chronic SDS). In a multivariate analysis (logistic regression) sleep disorders, frequent medication and depressive emotions were significantly associated with SDS. Chronic SDS was connected in a bivariate analysis (Pearson's chi-square) with excessive night waking, difficulty in falling asleep, dreaming, frequent medication, frequent alcohol drinking, and irregular breakfast eating, and in our previous studies also with delayed sleep rhythm. Conclusion: Sleep disorders and health problems were more common causes of SDS than undesirable living habits. However, alcohol drinking and delayed sleep rhythm were associated with chronic SDS in addition to sleep disorders and medication. [source] Physical assessment of patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: an international comparisonEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 6 2003D. Kovacs Abstract Objective: A questionnaire study was carried out to determine which investigations were carried out routinely on patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Method: A specially designed questionnaire was sent to 168 clinicians working in the field of eating disorders in 25 countries. Respondents were asked to supply information about how often they carry out specific investigations on new patients with AN and BN. The questionnaire covered the use of physical examination, biochemical and haematological tests and cardiac investigations. Results: 71,(42.3,per cent) questionnaires were returned. Biochemical investigations and full blood counts were carried out frequently. Significant differences were found between AN patients and BN patients in the measurement of calcium, phosphate and magnesium levels. In some cases, patients with BN were not routinely assessed for hypokalaemia. Micronutrient levels were measured rarely and only 40,per cent of respondents carried out routine electrocardiograms (ECGs) in AN. Discussion: Measurement of serum potassium should be routine in BN and other electrolytes should probably measured more often in both disorders. Detection of treatable micronutrient deficiencies should be given more emphasis and the ECG should become a routine investigation in AN. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Measuring therapeutic attitudes in the prison environment: development of the Prison Attitude to Drugs scaleADDICTION, Issue 2 2003Nick Airey ABSTRACT Aims, To develop and test the validity of a scale measuring therapeutic attitudes among prison staff working with drug misusers. Design, A cross-sectional postal questionnaire study using 27 statements with a five-point Likert scale. Setting, Four prisons in the south-west of England Participants, A total of 252 prison staff (response rate 70%), including 67 for test,retest (response rate 57%). Findings, The study resulted in a three-dimensional, nine-item scale: the Prison Attitude to Drugs scale (PAD). The three subscales measure confidence in skills (four items), personal rewards (three items) and job satisfaction (two items). Test,retest correlations for the questions were above 0.7, with each factor having an internal coherence (coefficient alpha) of greater than 0.7. Conclusions, The PAD is a reliable tool that can be used in the prison environment. [source] Attitudes to dental care among parents of uncooperative vs. cooperative child dental patientsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2002Kristina Arnrup The aim of this cross-sectional questionnaire study was to investigate four aspects of parents' attitudes to dental care (knowledge, child's oral health behavior, priorities and responsibility). One study group (n=50) of parents of uncooperative child dental patients (aged 8,12 yr) was compared to a reference group (n=113) of parents of ordinary child dental patients of similar age, and to a second study group (n=36) of parents of uncooperative younger child patients (aged 4,7 yr). Study group parents had significantly lower socio-economic status and a higher level of dental fear as compared to parents of ordinary child patients. We found indications of a poorer dental knowledge and a differing responsibility-taking profile among study group parents. Their children also had sweets more often. As compared to parents of younger children, the older study group parents had lower socio-economic status and showed a lower responsibility-taking related to the child's treatment refusal. In conclusion, parents of uncooperative children differ from parents of ordinary child dental patients, not only in socio-economic status and dental fear, but also in aspects such as dental knowledge and responsibility-taking. These differences were partly related to the child's age. [source] Ethnic minority identity and group context: self-descriptions, acculturation attitudes and group evaluations in an intra- and intergroup situationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Maykel Verkuyten In an experimental questionnaire study among Chinese participants living in the Netherlands, it was found that self-descriptions, acculturation attitudes and ingroup evaluation were affected by the comparative group context. Following self-categorization theory, different predictions were tested and supported. Self-ratings on trait adjectives systematically differed between an intragroup (Chinese) and an intergroup (Chinese versus Dutch) context. Furthermore, ethnic self-categorization turned out to be related to self-descriptions in the intragroup context, whereas ethnic self-esteem showed an effect on self-descriptions in the intergroup context. Acculturation attitudes and ingroup favouritism were also affected by the comparative context. In the intergroup context, participants were more strongly in favour of heritage culture maintenance and reported higher ingroup favouritism than in the intragroup context. It is concluded that studies on ethnic minorities should consider the important and often neglected intragroup processes and comparisons in addition to the familiar minority,majority group comparisons. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The relationship between acculturation strategies, relative fit and intergroup relations: immigrant-majority relations in GermanyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Hanna Zagefka This study examined the impact of the acculturation strategy preferences of both immigrants and host society on intergroup relations. It was expected that integration would lead to the best outcome for both groups. Moreover, it was tested whether the relative ,fit' between host society and immigrant strategy preference would predict intergroup relations. The predictive power of two different operationalisations of fit was compared. School students (193 German host society members and 128 immigrants to Germany) participated in a questionnaire study. Findings revealed that both acculturation strategies of one group and relative ,fit' between immigrant and host society strategy preference were predictive of intergroup relations. In general, a strategy of integration was associated with more favourable intergroup relations in both groups, and a mismatch between host and immigrant preferred strategies yielded the most negative outcomes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Developing a general practice library: a collaborative project between a GP and librarianHEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001David Pearson The authors report on a self-completed questionnaire study from a North Yorkshire based general practice regarding the information needs of its clinicians. The work was carried out with a particular focus on the practice library, and the findings identified that a new approach to maintaining and developing the library was needed. The literature regarding the information needs of primary care clinicians and the role of practice libraries is considered, and compared to those of the clinicians at the practice. Discussion follows on how a collaborative project was set up between the practice and a librarian based at the local NHS Trust library in order to improve the existing practice library. Difficulties encountered and issues unique to the project are explored, including training implications presented by the implementation of electronic resources. Marketing activities implemented are discussed, how the library will operate in its new capacity, and how ongoing support and maintenance of the library will be carried out. It is concluded that although scepticism still exists regarding librarian involvement in practice libraries, collaboration between clinicians and librarians is an effective approach to the successful development and maintenance of a practice library, and recommendations are therefore made for similar collaborative work. [source] Preoperative smoking cessation: a questionnaire studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 12 2007D. Owen Summary Background:, Preoperative smoking cessation has been shown to improve postoperative outcomes. Methods:, A total of 120 anonymous questionnaires were distributed to non-vascular surgeons practising in four centres in the UK asking about their smoking cessation advice practices, and whether they appreciated both the benefits of preoperative smoking cessation, and the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions. Results:, Eighty-three questionnaires were returned (response rate 69%). Twenty-three gastrointestinal surgeons, 11 orthopaedic surgeons, 9 breast surgeons, 12 plastic surgeons, 13 neurosurgeons and 15 urologists took part in this study. Eighty-eight per cent of respondents had not referred any elective patients to smoking cessation services in the previous month. Most non-vascular surgeons underestimated both the benefits of preoperative smoking cessation on outcome, and the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions. Conclusions:, This survey demonstrates that non-vascular surgeons underestimate the fact that preoperative smoking cessation can improve postoperative outcome, and that smoking cessation interventions are successful in helping patients to quit smoking. They largely do not refer patients to smoking cessation services. In order for patients to benefit postoperatively from this intervention it would be necessary to educate surgeons about the scale of the benefit, and the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions or to set up systematic frameworks to offer smoking cessation advice to preoperative patients who smoke. [source] Medical students' recognition of elder abuseINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 7 2009Jonas Thompson-McCormick Abstract Objectives To determine the proportion of fourth-year medical students who correctly recognise abusive and not abusive care of older people and whether recognition is related to sociodemographic factors and education. Design A cross-sectional self-report questionnaire study, using the Caregiving Scenario Questionnaire; measuring recognition of elder abuse according to the Department of Health's definition. Participants Fourth-year medical students at University College London and the University of Birmingham, UK. Results Two hundred and two of 207 students (97.6%) responded. Twenty-nine of 201 (14.4%) identified accepting someone was not clean; 113/200 (56.5%) locking someone in alone; and 160/200 (80.0%) trapping someone in an armchair as abusive. All medical students correctly identified four out of five not abusive responses. Twelve (6.0%) incorrectly identified camouflaging the door to prevent wandering as abusive. Logistic regression analysis found the independent predictors of recognising that locking in alone was abusive were working as a professional carer (OR,=,3.33, 95% CI,=,1.25,8.89, p,<,0.05) and reporting being taught to look for elder abuse (OR,=,0.46, 95% CI,=,0.24,0.89, p,<,0.05). Similarly, the independent predictors of recognising that restraint in an armchair was abusive were attending university A versus university B (OR,=,2.38, 95% CI,=,1.09,5.26, p,<,0.05); being of White British versus Asian ethnicity (OR,=,4.00, 95% CI,=,1.75,9.09, p,<,0.01). Conclusions Medical students are good at recognising not abusive care, but not as successful at recognising elder abuse. Working as a professional carer was associated with better recognition of abuse, while personal contact with a person with dementia and recalling formal education about abuse were not. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Danish dentists' knowledge, attitudes and management of procedural dental pain in children: association with demographic characteristics, structural factors, perceived stress during the administration of local analgesia and their tolerance towards painINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 3 2005J. K. RASMUSSEN Summary., Objective., The aim of the present study was to describe Danish dentists' knowledge of, attitudes towards and management of procedural pain during paediatric dental care, and to assess the importance of demographic characteristics, structural factors, perceived stress during administration of local analgesia and the dentists' own tolerance towards procedural dental pain. Design., A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in Denmark in May 2001. Subjects and methods., The subjects were a random sample of 30% of Danish dentists treating children. Usable information was obtained from 327 (80·3%) of the dentists in the sample. Results., One-quarter of the respondents answered that a 3,5-year-old child could report pain only with uncertainty. More than 80% of the dentists stated that they never compromised on painlessness. Very few agreed to the statement that children forget pain faster than adults. One-third agreed to, or were neutral to, the statement that all restorative care in primary teeth could be performed painlessly using N2O-O2 sedation alone. The majority of the respondents reported using three or more methods to assess the effect of their pain control methods. Almost 90% reported using local analgesia for restorative work ,always' or ,often'. A similar proportion reported using topical analgesia before injection ,always' or ,often'. Administering a mandibular block to preschool children was the procedure perceived as the most stressful (33·6%) pain control method. Demographic factors (gender), structural factors (always working alone and treating 3,5-year-old children daily), perceived stress during the administration of a mandibular block in preschool children and the dentists' own willingness to accept potentially painful dental treatment without local analgesia were associated with knowledge of, attitudes towards and management of procedural dental pain in children. Conclusions., Danish dentists treating children demonstrate concern about procedural dental pain in children. Factors amenable to change via training and reorganization into larger clinical units seem to determine their knowledge of, attitudes towards and management of procedural dental pain in children. [source] Social Group and Moral Orientation Factors as Mediators of Religiosity and Multiple Attitude TargetsJOURNAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION, Issue 3 2008KENNETH I. MAVOR Although there is a tradition of examining generalized discrimination against multiple targets, recent studies have tended to consider race and homosexuality as separate targets without considering their relationship with each other. Recent studies have also argued for a moral dimension in attitudes to homosexuality, but this has not yet been explicitly modeled as an explanation for patterns of social attitudes. In a questionnaire study of practicing Australian Christians (N= 143), we examined the relationship of religious orientation and ideology (intrinsic, extrinsic, fundamentalism, orthodoxy, and quest) with four attitude targets (Aboriginal Australians, women, homosexual persons, and abortion). Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we develop a two-factor model, incorporating group and moral orientation factors, which completely mediates the relationships between the religiosity variables and the social attitudes. Religiosity variables exhibit different patterns of correlation with the two factors. The two-factor model provides a useful framework for further exploration of socially and politically contested attitudes. [source] Beliefs on Mandatory Influenza Vaccination of Health Care Workers in Nursing Homes: A Questionnaire Study from the NetherlandsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 12 2009Ingrid Looijmans-van den Akker MD OBJECTIVES: To assess whether nursing homes (NHs) made organizational improvements to increase influenza vaccination rates in healthcare workers (HCWs) and to quantify the beliefs of NH administrators on the arguments used in favor of implementation of mandatory influenza vaccination of HCWs. DESIGN: Anonymous questionnaire study. SETTING: Dutch NHs. PARTICIPANTS: Dutch NH administrators. MEASUREMENTS: Influenza vaccination rates in NH residents and NH HCWs, organizational aspects of influenza vaccination of HCWs, and agreement of respondents with arguments in favor of implementation of mandatory influenza vaccination in HCWs. RESULTS: Of the 310 distributed questionnaires, 185 were returned (response rate 59.7%). The average vaccination rate in NH HCWs was 18.8% and in NH residents was 91.6%. In all, 126 (68.1%) NHs had a written policy, 161 (87.0%) actively requested that their employees be immunized, and 161 (87.0%) offered information to HCWs in any way. Despite the fact that the majority of NH administrators (>69%) agreed with all arguments in favor of implementation of mandatory influenza vaccination, only a minority (24.3%) agreed that mandatory vaccination should be implemented if voluntary vaccination fails to reach sufficient vaccination rates. CONCLUSION: Despite the low vaccination rate of NH HCWs, most NH administrators did not support mandatory influenza vaccination of NH HCWs. [source] Personality and Dutch Emigrants' Reactions to Acculturation StrategiesJOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 12 2006Winny 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] Suicidality among Finnish anaesthesiologistsACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 8 2009P. M. LINDFORS Background: Suicide rates among physicians have constantly been reported to be higher than in the general population and anaesthesiologists appear to lead the suicide statistics among physicians. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was sent to all working Finnish anaesthesiologists (n=550) investigating their suicidality (ideation and/or planning and/or attempt). The response rate was 60%. Results: One in four had at some time seriously been thinking about suicide. Respondents with poor health (crude odds ratios 11.2 and 95% confidence interval 3.8,33.0), low social support (10.5, 4.0,27.9), and family problems (6.5, 3.4,12.5) had the highest risk of suicidality. The highest risks at work were conflicts with co-workers (4.1, 2.3,7.1) and superiors (2.1, 1.2,3.6), on-call-related stress symptoms (3.9, 1.9,8.3) and low organizational justice (1.9, 1.1,3.2). If a respondent had several risk factors, the risk of suicidality doubled with each cumulating factor. Conclusions: The reported level of suicidal ideation among Finnish anaesthesiologists is worth concern. It should be of utmost importance to screen the risk factors and recognize suicidal physicians in order to help them. Interpersonal relationships, decision-making procedures, and on-call-burden should be focused on when aiming to prevent suicidality among physicians. [source] An epidemiological study of environmental factors associated with canine obesityJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 7 2010E. A. Courcier Objectives: To assess the relationships between socioeconomic and other environmental factors with canine obesity. Methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study of dog owners attending five primary veterinary practices in the UK. Owners were asked about dog age, neuter status, feeding habits, dog exercise, household income and owner age. The body condition score of the dogs was also assessed. Factors hypothesised to be associated with obesity were investigated. Results: In total, data from 696 questionnaires were evaluated. Out of those data evaluated, 35·3% of dogs (n=246) were classed as an ideal body shape, 38·9% (n=271) were overweight, 20·4% (n=142) were obese and 5·3% (n=37) were underweight. Identified risk factors associated with obesity included owner age, hours of weekly exercise, frequency of snacks/treats and personal income. Clinical Significance: Environmental risk factors associated with canine obesity are multifactorial and include personal income, owner age, frequency of snacks/treats and amount of exercise the dog receives. Awareness about health risks associated with obesity in dogs is significantly less in people in lower income brackets. This phenomenon is recognised in human obesity. [source] The Sociolinguistic Distribution of and Attitudes Toward Focuser like and Quotative likeJOURNAL OF SOCIOLINGUISTICS, Issue 1 2000Jennifer Dailey-O'Cain This paper accomplishes three tasks: it considers the actual age and gender distribution of like in a corpus of informal U.S. English, compares the findings of that study with the perceived age and gender distribution as determined by a questionnaire study and a matched-guise study, and analyzes specific sociolinguistic stereotypes associated with this usage. It is found that younger people use both kinds of like more often than older people do, and that men and women use it approximately equally often. The perceived age and gender distribution is quite different, however; young women are perceived as using like most often. Additionally, informants guess the age of like guises as younger than they do the age of non- like guises in a matched-guise study, and also rate like guises more positively in terms of solidarity-based criteria, but less positively in terms of status-based criteria. [source] A Price Is a Signal: on Intrinsic Motivation, Crowding-out, and Crowding-inKYKLOS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2010Friedel Bolle SUMMARY If a previously unpaid activity (e.g. donating blood) is paid, then we often observe that this activity is reduced. In this paper, it is hypothesized that the price offered is taken as a proxy for the "value" of the activity. Depending on how the actor valued the activity previously, crowding-out or crowding-in is implied, an effect with or without persistence after stopping the payment. The model can be adapted to a number of similar situations, including those where a high price signals high costs instead of high values. Our "naïve" explanation is confronted with Bènabou and Tirole's (2003) Principal-Agent model. A questionnaire study supports our basic hypothesis as well as some of the derived consequences, and contradicts Bènabou and Tirole's model. [source] Adulthood asthma after wheezing in infancy: a questionnaire study at 27 years of ageALLERGY, Issue 4 2010M. Ruotsalainen To cite this article: Ruotsalainen M, Piippo-Savolainen E, Hyvärinen MK, Korppi M. Adulthood asthma after wheezing in infancy: a questionnaire study at 27 years of age. Allergy 2010; 65: 503,509. Abstract Background:, Wheezing in early childhood is a heterogeneous condition, the long-term prognosis varying from total recovery to chronic asthma. Though short-term outcome has been actively studied, there is lack of data on long-term outcome until adulthood. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of asthma at 26,29 years of age after early-life wheezing. Methods:, At the median age of 27.3 years (range 26.3,28.6), a questionnaire was sent to 78 study subjects hospitalized for wheezing at <24 months of age, and 59 (76%) answered. Asthma, allergy and weight status were compared with selected controls followed up from birth and with non-selected population controls recruited for this adulthood study. Results:, Doctor-diagnosed asthma was present in 20% of the former bronchiolitis patients, compared with 5% in the two control groups (OR 2.1, 95% CI 0.3,17.9 vs selected controls; OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.7,15.8 vs nonselected controls). The respective figures for current self-reported asthma were 41% and 7,10% (OR 11.4, 95% CI 2.3,56.1 vs selected controls; OR 12.2, 95% CI 4.4,33.7 vs nonselected controls). Current allergic rhinitis and current smoking were significantly associated with asthma, but current overweight or obesity was not. In multivariate analyses, early-life wheezing was an independent risk factor of adulthood asthma. Conclusion:, An increased asthma risk in early-life wheezers continues, even after many symptom-free years at school age, at least until 27 years of age. [source] Does the presence of medical students affect quality in general practice consultations?MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 4 2008Richard Price Context, Previous studies have suggested that the patient's experience of a consultation with a doctor is not affected by the presence of medical students. However, no study has looked at the effect of student presence on conventional UK general practice consultations. Objectives, This study aimed to measure the quality of the consultation as experienced by patients when students are present, to explore patients' attitudes to the presence of medical students, and to look at the relationships between these factors. Methods, We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study in general practices in north-east England. General practitioners (GPs) from practices teaching fourth and final year students administered questionnaires to patients who were seen in either teaching or non-teaching consultations. The questionnaire comprised previously validated measures of empathy and enablement as measures of quality, attitudinal statements regarding the presence of students, a scale rating pertaining to the patient's degree of acquaintance with the doctor, and items on demographic data. Results, Results showed no significant differences in enablement scores between the 2 groups. Consultations with student presence last longer. Empathy scores were significantly lower in the ,student present' group, but the size of the difference was small. Attitudinal statements regarding the presence of students showed a high proportion of positive responses, and some groupings of negative ones. Further analysis demonstrated some significant links between attitudinal statements and enablement and empathy scores. Conclusions, The quality of general practice consultations was not adversely affected by medical student presence. However, significant numbers of patients who agreed to be seen with a student present were resistant to the student's presence. [source] Teaching and learning about human sexuality in undergraduate medical educationMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 5 2002Mary Dixon-Woods Background Effective management of the doctor's role in relation to human sexuality requires sensitivity and tact, an ability to put patients at ease, use of appropriate language, and therapeutic, non-discriminatory attitudes. However, previous research suggests that medical students and doctors may hold negative attitudes towards homosexuality and some forms of sexual behaviour. Some educational programmes have started to help students develop communication skills for sexual health consultations, but little work has addressed the broader issue of attitudes and values which may underlie behaviour. It is vital that medical students begin early the process of reflection and recognition of how their attitudes and values might influence their care of patients. In this paper we report on a course designed to initiate this process at Leicester-Warwick Medical School (LWMS). Course description The course utilizes techniques of desensitization, problem-solving and reflection to enable the students to achieve the learning outcomes, which are primarily oriented towards reflection and self-development. It uses a variety of teaching and learning strategies, combining peer learning with self-directed learning, and small-group learning with whole class learning. Course evaluation We report observations and a before-and-after questionnaire study of students' views and attitudes. This evaluation suggests that the course is successful in reducing students' anxieties about human sexuality and improving their confidence in developing appropriate skills. Conclusions The LWMS course is one model which might be used to begin the process of encouraging medical students to develop ways of appropriately managing their responsibilities in relation to human sexuality. [source] Student and Instructor Beliefs and Attitudes about Target Language Use, First Language Use, and Anxiety: Report of a Questionnaire StudyMODERN LANGUAGE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003Glenn S. Levine This article presents the results of an anonymous, Internet-based questionnaire study on target language (TL) and first language (L1) use in university-level foreign language (FL) classes. The participants were 600 FL students and 163 FL instructors. The goals of the study were to develop preliminary components of a descriptive model of TL and L1 use and explore the relationships between TL use and student anxiety about TL use. It was hypothesized that (a) amounts of TL use would vary according to constellation of interlocutors and communicative contexts, and (b) the amount of TL use overall would correlate positively with student anxiety about it. The results support the first hypothesis. The second hypothesis was not supported. Analysis of the data revealed a negative relationship between reported amounts of TL use and reported TL-use anxiety. Tenets are offered for maximizing TL use while at the same time granting to L1 pedagogically sound functions. [source] Rheumatology nurse practitioners' perceptions of their roleMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 2 2006Leslie Goh MRCP(UK) Abstract Objectives:,To identify the current practices of rheumatology nurse practitioners and ascertain their perceptions of how their role could be enhanced. Method:,A cross-sectional questionnaire study of currently employed nurse practitioners in rheumatology in the United Kingdom (UK) was undertaken. Results:,200 questionnaires were distributed and 118 nurses responded. Ninety-five respondents met the inclusion criteria for undertaking an advanced nursing role. Typical conditions dealt with included: rheumatoid arthritis (96.8%); psoriatic arthritis (95.8%); osteoarthritis (63.2%); ankylosing spondylitis (62.8%); systemic lupus erythematosus (51.6%); and scleroderma (34.7%). Drug monitoring, education, counselling of patients and arranging basic investigations were routinely performed by more than 80% of respondents. A smaller proportion performed an extended role that included dealing with referrals, research and audit, the administration of intra-articular injections, and admission of patients. Specific attributes identified as being necessary for competence were: knowledge and understanding of rheumatic diseases (48.4%); drug therapy (33.7%); good communication skills (35.8%); understanding of the roles of the team (27.4%); working effectively (23.2%) as part of a multidisciplinary team; assessment of patients by physical examination (28.4%); teaching (26.3%), research (17.9%); organizational skills (14.7%); and the interpretation of investigations (9.5%). Factors that could enhance their role included: attendance at postgraduate courses (30.5%); obtaining further qualifications (13.7%); active participation in the delivery of medical education (41.1%); training in practical procedures (31.6%); protected time and resources for audit and research (11.6%); formal training in counselling (11.6%); and implementation of nurse prescribing (10.5%). Conclusion:,Nurse practitioners already have a wide remit and play an invaluable part in the delivery of modern rheumatology services. An extended role could improve patient care and enhance nursing career pathways in rheumatology. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Marital adjustment in post-Soviet Eastern Europe: A focus on LithuaniaPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, Issue 4 2009JURGITA BABARSKIENE Seventy-five married female and 43 married male residents of Lithuania participated in a questionnaire study of their marital adjustment and marital chore division. The participants reported their marital chore division, beliefs about gender appropriateness for a list of chores, and the number of hours per week they spend on these chores. They also completed the Marital Adjustment Test (H. J. Locke & K. M. Wallace, 1959). Egalitarian chore practices were positively correlated with marital adjustment for women, but egalitarian chore beliefs were positively correlated with marital adjustment for men. The results are consistent with speculation that chore division may be particularly relevant to marital adjustment in a post-Soviet context that has a tendency toward egalitarianism in the workplace, but not in the home. [source] PATTERNS OF INTERDEPENDENCE IN WORK TEAMS: A TWO-LEVEL INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONS WITH JOB AND TEAM SATISFACTIONPERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2001GERBEN S. VAN DER VEGT A questionnaire study in 17 school and 24 engineering teams examined affective reactions to task and goal interdependence at the group and individual level of analysis. Group-level task interdependence was positively related to group members' job and team satisfaction. Within-group differences in the degree of task interdependence were unrelated to affective responses. Interactions revealed that within-group task interdependence is positively related to both job and team satisfaction only if the degree of goal interdependence in the work team is high. [source] Changing GPs' prescription patterns through guidelines and feedback.PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 6 2007Intervention study Abstract Purpose To investigate whether and how a multi-dimensional intervention including clinical guidelines on the choice of medical treatment in the primary and the secondary health care sector, and individual feedback to general practices about their own and other practices' prescription patterns in five Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system (ATC)-groups was followed by changes in the practices' prescription pattern. Methods Prospective historical registry study and a questionnaire study of GPs' self-reported use of guidelines and feedback. Results In every ATC-group the number of prescribed defined daily doses (DDDs) kept growing after the intervention, while potential savings by DDD decreased. Individual practices' changes in the prescription pattern differed by ATC-group and practices with high potential savings/DDD before the intervention showed the greatest relative reduction in potential savings/DDD. The county's average cost/DDD for the five ATC-groups declined from above the Danish average before the intervention to a level below the average cost/DDD after the intervention. In the questionnaire study (response rate: 79%), 69% of respondents had read the guidelines and 78% reported that the feedback influenced their prescription of drugs. Conclusions The observed changes in drug costs and potential savings were not due to volume effects but a combination of price effects, including generic substitution and choice of less expensive analogues, demonstrating that it is possible to change GPs' prescription patterns without interfering with patients' access to treatment or with GPs' clinical freedom.' Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Renovation of a "sick building": The challenge of attaining the confidence of occupantsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 5 2009Marjaana Lahtinen PhD (Psychology) Abstract Background This case study focused on the renovation of a building with severe mold and HVAC problems. The users did not trust the success of the planned remedies, and the situation became conflict-prone. The aims of the study were to improve communication and cooperation between experts participating in the renovation process and the future users of the building and monitor the success of the remedies. Methods An intervention was implemented with the aim of making the renovation easily understood by the future users of the building and preventing the escalation of unnecessary concern among them. The follow-up methods comprised a questionnaire study, technical inspections, quality measurements of the indoor air, structural follow-up measurements, and interviews of key persons. Results The renovation itself seems to have been successful, and the model to improve communication and cooperation appears to be a promising one. The confidence of the future users was attained, and the relocation took place as planned. Conclusions In order to succeed in the renovation of a "sick building," both technical expertise and investment in information and communication are needed. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:438,445, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||