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Home Environment (home + environment)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	63%
Psychology	18%
Humanities and Social Sciences	8%
5 Other Domains	11%

Distribution within Medical Sciences

Nursing General	12%
Pediatrics	7%
Allergy & Clinical Immunology	4%
15 Other Subdomains	69%

Selected Abstracts

Do maternal stress and home environment mediate the relation between early income-to-need and 54-months attentional abilities?

INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2007
Janean E. Dilworth-Bart
Abstract Using Ecological Systems Theory and stage sequential modelling procedures for detecting mediation, this study examined how early developmental contexts impact preschoolers' performances on a measure of sustained attention and impulse control. Data from 1273 European-American and African-American participants in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care were used to identify the potential mediators of the relation between early household income-to-need (INR) and 54-month impulsivity and inattention. Exploratory analyses were also conducted to determine whether the relationships between early income, home environment, parenting stress, and the outcome variables differ for African-American versus European-American-American children. We found modest support for the study hypothesis that 36-month home environment quality mediated the INR/attention relationship. INR accounted for more home environment score variance and home environment accounted for more Impulsivity score variance for African-American children. Home environments were related to inattention in the European-American, but not African-American, group. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

A Behavioral Genetic Analysis of the Relationship Between the Socialization Scale and Self-Reported Delinquency

JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 1 2000
Jeanette Taylor
This investigation examined the genetic (A), and shared (C) and nonshared (E) environmental variance contributions to the relationship of self-reported delinquency (as measured by the "Delinquent Behavior Inventory" [DBI; Gibson, 1967]) to the Socialization (So) scale of the California Psychological Inventory using univariate and bivariate structural equation models. The scales were administered to 222 male (145 monozygotic; 77 dizygotic) and 159 female (107 monozygotic; 52 dizygotic) 16- to 18-year-old same-sex twin pairs. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation revealed three interpretable So factors representing family/home environment, self-concept, and behavioral control. Univariate modeling suggested sex differences in etiological influences associated with individual differences in most scales. The bivariate ACE model fit the data, suggesting that the covariance between the So scale and self-reported delinquency owes in part to shared etiological factors. [source]

Foster Family Characteristics and Behavioral and Emotional Problems of Foster Children: A Narrative Review,

FAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 1 2001
John G. Orme
The purpose of this article is to review the literature on the foster family characteristics that are thought to contribute to the behavioral and emotional problems of foster children. The review is shaped by an understanding of the personal and familial factors associated with children's problem behaviors in the general population. These factors include parenting, the family home environment, family functioning, marital functioning, family demography, child temperament, parents' mental health, and social support. Limitations within the existing research on these foster family characteristics are noted, and suggestions for future research are provided. [source]

Oral health and oral implant status in edentulous patients with implant-supported dental prostheses who are receiving long-term nursing care

GERODONTOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
Rita Isaksson
Aim:, The aim of this study was to investigate oral health and oral implant status in a group of edentulous patients receiving long-term residential or nursing care (LTC), all of whom had implant-supported fixed or removable dental prostheses. Material and methods:, A dental examination was performed on a total of 3310 patients receiving LTC and from this population 35 edentulous patients in whom dental implants had been placed formed the cohort for this study. All examinations were performed by a specialist in hospital dentistry and took place in the patients' own home environment. Oral health was assessed by means of a protocol which evaluated oral hygiene status, possible oral mucosal inflammation and oral mucosal friction levels. Any problems with the implant-supported prosthesis, implant mobility or other complications were also assessed. In addition, patients were asked about any oral symptoms and their usual oral hygiene procedures. Results:, About half of the subjects (17/35) were registered as having no/mild inflammation with 18 of 35 having moderate/severe inflammation. Twelve of the 35 patients had good/acceptable oral hygiene and 23 of 35 had poor/bad oral hygiene. Twenty-one of the 35 patients depended on help from the nursing personnel for their daily oral hygiene procedures. Obvious problems with food impaction were noted in 11 patients. A total of 229 implants had been placed in 43 jaws supporting 40 full arch-fixed prostheses and three implant-borne overdentures. There was no evidence of mobility or fractures of either the implants or the prostheses. Fifteen implants showed some exposed screw threads. Pus was exuding from one implant site and general peri-implant gingival hyperplasia was noted in two patients. Twenty-four patients were completely satisfied with the function and appearance of their implant-supported prostheses. Two patients were totally dissatisfied. Conclusion:, This study indicates that oral implant therapy can be considered as a treatment of choice in elderly patients, even if oral hygiene is sub-optimal. [source]

An epigenetic induction of a right-shift in hippocampal asymmetry: Selectivity for short- and long-term potentiation but not post-tetanic potentiation

HIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 1 2008
Akaysha C. Tang
Abstract In humans, it is well established that major psychological functions are asymmetrically represented between the left and right cerebral cortices. The developmental origin of such functional lateralization remains unknown. Using the rat as a model system, we examined whether exposing neonates briefly to a novel environment can differentially affect synaptic plasticity in the left and right hippocampi during adulthood. During the first 3 weeks of life, one half of the pups from a litter spent 3 min daily away from their familiar home environment (Novel) while their littermates remained in that familiar environment (Home). At adulthood (7-months old), post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) of excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs), a very short-lasting form of plasticity, was greater among the Novel than the Home rats in both left and right hippocampi. In contrast, the novelty-induced increases in short- and long-term potentiation (STP, LTP), two relatively longer-lasting forms of plasticity, were found only in the right hippocampus. These findings demonstrate that a phase-selective asymmetry in hippocampal synaptic plasticity can be induced epigenetically by seemingly small systematic differences in early life environment. The selectivity of this asymmetry for the longer-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity suggests that the observed asymmetry in plasticity may contribute specifically to an asymmetric learning process which, in turn, may contribute to a functional asymmetry in the neocortex. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Do maternal stress and home environment mediate the relation between early income-to-need and 54-months attentional abilities?

The effect of different soothing interventions on infant crying and on parent,infant interaction

INFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 3 2002
M. Ruth Elliott Professor Emeritus
Conducted in the home environment, this study examines the effects of three complementary soothing techniques on the duration of infant crying and on caregiver,infant interaction. In one group, the caregivers apply massage; in another, they provide supplemental carrying to their infants, and in the last, the caregivers both massage and provide supplemental carrying. Measurements, for the one control and three treatment groups took place prenatally (third trimester) and in the first 16 weeks postpartum for parental perception of infant temperament, parental sense of competence, parent,infant interaction, and the duration of infant crying. Whereas analyses indicate no statistically significant differences between groups in reducing infant crying, results approached significance (p , .06) in favor of the combined supplemental carrying/massage group. These results challenge accepted beliefs that tactile stimulation and/or supplemental carrying enhance parental sense of competence, positive parental perceptions, and interactions with infants. Practitioners can apply these conclusions when counselling parents on the advisability of selecting any one complementary soothing technique. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. [source]

A history of cancer in the husband does not increase the risk of breast cancer

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 12 2006
Eva Negri
Abstract Spouses share the home environment, and dietary and other lifestyle habits. Furthermore, a cancer diagnosis in the husband is a stressful event for the wife also. Thus, a history of cancer in the husband may be an indicator of breast cancer risk. We investigated the issue in a large Italian multicentric case-control study on 2,588 women with incident breast cancer and 2,569 female hospital controls, admitted for acute, non neoplastic diseases. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 1.0 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.7,1.4) for a history of any type of cancer in the husband, 1.0 (95% 0.4,2.7) for stomach, 0.7 (95% 0.2,2.3) for intestinal (chiefly colorectal), 0.9 (95% CI 0.5,1.7) for lung, and 1.3 (95% CI 0.4,4.3) for prostate cancer. The OR was close to unity also when data were analyzed in separate strata of patient's or husband's age, patient's education, or vital status of the husband. This study suggests that women whose husband had a diagnosis of cancer are not at increased risk of breast cancer, although results for individual cancer sites should be interpreted with caution, due to small numbers. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Victims of Domestic Violence: A Proposal for a Community Diagnosis Based on One of Two Domains of NANDA Taxonomy II

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING TERMINOLOGIES AND CLASSIFICATION, Issue 2003
Patricia Serpa de Souza Batista
PURPOSE To explore and identify diagnostic components to amplify NANDA nursing diagnoses by modifying the root violence. Whereas violence is nondebatable as a diagnostic concept in nursing, other alternatives have not been identified in the two existing diagnoses. METHODS Using the case study method, this qualitative study sought to identify commonalties in a population of women who were "donnas da casa" (homemakers) in a small rural community of approximately 100 families, typical of the Brazilian northeast. The sample of 7 women was identified through a larger study that had been based on health needs of the community. Data were obtained through observation during a home visit and a semistructured interview based on NANDA Taxonomy II. Observations were focused on hygiene, manner of dress, home environment, and physical and emotional state. Data were analyzed by content and clustered into major categories. From these a profile of the women and another of the partners emerged. FINDINGS Subjects ranged in age from 33 to 43 years, and number of children between 3 and 7. One of the 7 women was literate; 5 were underweight; all were slovenly attired. They appeared sad and older than their age. The majority seemed relieved to unburden themselves to the interviewers as they went through a gamut of emotions such as sadness, anguish, and irritability expressed through crying, restlessness, changes in body language, and tone of voice. The shortage of beds was supplemented by hammocks and mats or cardboard. The women spoke of being confined to their home and of male partners who drank on weekends, thus leaving them with little money for necessities of life. There were accounts of beatings when the partner returned home after drinking, overt nonacceptance of children from previous marriages, and general destruction of the family environment. New children were regarded as just another mouth to feed. DISCUSSION The profiles pointed to the necessity of identifying a new nursing diagnosis that would be linked, only tangentially, by the root violence to the two diagnoses in NANDA Taxonomies I and II. This insight led us to consider that a new method of listing NANDA diagnoses, by root only, is imperative in the evolution of Taxonomy II. Proposed descriptors, Victims of (Axis 3) and Domestic (Axis 6) would be identified by Axes, thereby facilitating the process of classifying in the Domains and Classes. The two existing NANDA diagnoses, risk for other-directed violence and risk for self-directed violence, are proposed for classification in Class 3, Violence, in Domain 11 of Taxonomy II. Safety/Protection could, by virtue of their modification power, find anchor in another domain such as Domain 6, Self-Perception. CONCLUSIONS Although Safety/Protection seems the most logical domain for classification by root, the axes, dimensions of human responses, could pull the diagnosis in another direction, thereby dictating other nursing interventions and nursing outcomes [source]

Multiprofessional collaboration promoting home care clients' personal resources: perspectives of older clients

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OLDER PEOPLE NURSING, Issue 2 2008
Sini Eloranta MNSc
Home care can be decisive in supporting older people in the home environment. However, one professional in home care cannot take the whole responsibility for promotion alone; on the contrary multiprofessional collaboration is needed. The aim of the study is to describe the experiences of multiprofessional collaboration in promoting personal resources among older home care clients (75+ years) in Finland. The data were collected by unstructured interviews with 21 older home care clients. Their mean age was 83.5 years, ranging from 75 to 91, with 17 female and four male participants. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze the data. The interviewees described the work of professionals from four perspectives: expertise, communication, decision-making and responsibility. Multiprofessional collaboration promoted the personal resources of interviewees with physical, psychological and social support. This study showed that the professionals worked as being expert-oriented: in the multiprofessional collaboration, each expert took care of his/her own part of the client's situation. This included the risk,, that the client's overall situations remained uncharted. However, the client's overall situation is a very important aspect when professionals suppport older people living in their own homes as long as possible. This study revealed the need for developing collaboration skills between social and health care professionals so that the staffs serve the needs of aged clients better together. [source]

Socio-psychological stressors as risk factors for low back pain in Chinese middle-aged women

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 3 2001
Yin-bing Yip BAppSc MPH PhD GDipEd RN
Socio-psychological stressors as risk factors for low back pain in Chinese middle-aged women Aim(s) of the study.,This study aims to explore the relationship between socio-psychological stress and low back pain (LBP) prevalence among Chinese middle-aged women. Background.,Women in mid-life experience increasing socio-psychological stress because of midlife transitions, stressful life events and housework or work factors. Encountering socio-psychological stress itself may result in the manifestation of LBP. Design.,A case,control study of Hong Kong community-based middle-aged women was conducted. The study subjects were either from the University Family Medicine Clinic or from a previous population-based cross-sectional study of middle-aged women conducted by Department of Community and Family Medicine. Among the 928 potential eligible subjects from both sources, a total of 182 cases and 235 controls participated in this study. Data were collected from face-to-face interviews and included demographic factors, menopausal status, socio-psychological stress and occurrence of LBP. Socio-psychological stress covered social factors, self-reported nature of housework/work, housework/work stress and stressful life events. Results.,Among the 182 cases who entered this study, 83 women (45·6%) had experienced 1,<14 days of LBP, and 99 women (54·4%) had at least 14 days of LBP in the previous 12 months. Those who reported that ,their family members, relatives or friends were very sick, died, needed her to take care of them or who they worried about in the past 12 months' had an increased risk of LBP of 67% (95% confidence interval (CI) 1·09,2·55). In addition women with a bad or ordinary relationship with cohabitants had an increased risk of LBP of 70% (95% CI 1·00,3·04). Lastly, women with a high housework or work stress had an increased risk of suffering both types of LBP of nearly two- and half-fold (95% CI 1·61,3·85). Conclusions.,The results indicate that an association exists between high socio-psychological stress and LBP prevalence. Alleviating the impact of housework or work related factors would, however, involve improving both the work and home environment. [source]

Living with stroke: a phenomenological study

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2000
Christopher R. Burton PGCertHE BN RGN
Living with stroke: a phenomenological study Understanding how stroke sufferers experience their stroke and recovery is essential if the development of rehabilitation services is to be effective and appropriate. Previous research in this area has tended to be either cross-sectional or with a limited amount of informant follow-up, and consequently has limited utility. This paper describes a study underpinned by a phenomenological approach, which tracked the experiences of six patients admitted to a rehabilitation unit in the north-west of England. Informants were followed for at least 12 months after stroke, and a total of 73 interviews were undertaken during the study. The data demonstrate that recovery from stroke involved restructuring and adaptation in physical, social and emotional aspects of an individual's life. Two important features of recovery were highlighted. First, whilst aspects of pre-stroke life may be used to describe individual progress, no end-point to recovery was identified as informants described and anticipated life with stroke. Second, informants focused on the social context of recovery where engagement in the social world was emphasized over discrete physical function. Although no common path of recovery was found, it is recommended that stroke services are structured to take account of the long-term needs of stroke patients and their families in their home environment. [source]

Arab-American Muslims' Home Interiors in the US: Meanings, Uses and Communication

JOURNAL OF INTERIOR DESIGN, Issue 1 2006
Cherif M. Amor Ph.D.
ABSTRACT The role of tradition and the attachment to homeland culture remain prerequisites that guide the development of the interior home environment of Arab-American Muslims in the United States. Space appropriation and the use of artifacts illustrate the rooted sensory need to reaffirm the attachment to the homeland's social and cultural values; additionally, these trends symbolize the enduring values of the group and render the home interior a place apart. This paper explores the role of tradition and its influence in shaping the home interior's physical environment, identifies the meanings associated with the resulting composition, and examines the consequences of adaptation to the host environment. This qualitative investigation used a grounded theory of two Arab-American Muslim immigrant settlements in Chicago, Illinois and Dearborn, Michigan. The sample consisted of 20 household heads living in two-parent families. The heterogeneity of the Arab-Muslim immigrants necessitated the use of purposeful sampling. Focus groups, interviews, and participant observation constituted the different forms of data collection. Data were analyzed using open coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Findings indicated and confirmed that cultural forces remain a pivotal role in influencing the design of the home interior. More importantly, it was found that despite the attachment to traditional values, a growing indifference to homeland ideals can be sensed as the household undergoes generational, social, and cultural metamorphosis. [source]

Ambulatory polysomnography for the assessment of sleep bruxism

JOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 8 2008
S. DOERING
Summary, Ambulatory polysomnography (PSG) is introduced as a new method for assessing sleep bruxism. Nocturnal recordings of masseter electromyography (EMG), electro-encephalography, electro-oculography, electrocardiography, thoracic effort and body position allow for the detection of typical nocturnal masseter activity as well as the determination of sleep stages. Twelve patients with a clinical diagnosis of bruxism were assessed with the ambulatory PSG, all of them fulfilled diagnostic PSG criteria according to Kato et al. (Dent Clin North Am. 2001; 45: 657,684). Per hour of sleep patients showed 34·2 (±10·6) EMG bursts and 5·6 (±1·3) sleep bruxism episodes. Because of the ability to determine sleep stages and the application in the home environment the ambulatory PSG represents a cost-saving alternative to sleep laboratory investigations that might be especially useful in field studies and clinical application. [source]

Death due to electrocution in childhood and early adolescence

JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 1 2003
RW Byard
Objectives: To delineate the clinicopathological features of fatal childhood electrocutions and to identify specific risk factors. Methods: Coronial files in Adelaide (Australia) were searched from 1967 to 2001 and Medical Examiners' files in San Diego (USA) were searched from 1988 to 2001, for cases of deaths of children and adolescents younger than 16 years attributed to electrocution. Results: Sixteen cases were identified aged between 10 months and 15 years (mean 8.0 years) with a male : female ratio of 5 : 3. Deaths were due to accidents occurring while playing with or near faulty electrical equipment at home or at school (n = 8), electrical equipment while in the bath (n = 2), damaged outdoor electrical equipment (n = 1), overhead wires (n = 1), and a high voltage electricity substation (n = 1). In addition, one death was due to suicide involving an electrical appliance placed in a bath, and two other deaths occurred in older children who were moving equipment under overhead wires. No homicides were identified. Conclusions: Childhood deaths due to electrocution are rare and are more likely to occur when children are playing around electrical wires or equipment, and often result from either faulty apparatus, or a lack of understanding of the potential dangers involved. The majority of deaths (11/16; 69%) occur in the home environment. In contrast to adult electrical deaths, high-voltage electrocutions, suicides and workplace deaths are uncommon. Strategies for eliminating childhood electrocution should concentrate on ensuring safe domestic environments with properly maintained electrical devices. [source]

The Fruits of Their Labors: A Longitudinal Exploration of Parent Personality and Adjustment in Their Adult Children

JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 2 2000
Marjorie Solomon
This longitudinal study of several aspects of parenting examines how children "turn out" as adults. Ratings of adjustment (educational and occupational attainment as well as social and emotional maturity) in young adult children (aged 25,37) were made on the basis of information from 64 mothers who were participants in a longitudinal study of women's lives. As hypothesized, mothers who were demanding yet responsive, sensitive, and psychologically mature at ages 27 and 43 had children with higher overall adult adjustment scores. Other factors correlated with adjustment included the mother's long-term commitment to being a wife and mother, and the cohesiveness of the home environment. In their 50s, characteristics of parents associated with adult child adjustment were different for men and women (competence in women and forcefulness and individuality in men). Divorce was not a negative factor, and mothers' paid work (after age 27) was positive at a trend level. [source]

How welfare reform affects young children: Experimental findings from Connecticut,A research note

JOURNAL OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2003
Susanna Loeb
As welfare-to-work reforms increase women's labor market attachment, the lives of their young children are likely to change. This note draws on a random-assignment experiment in Connecticut to ask whether mothers' rising employment levels and program participation are associated with changes in young children's early learning and cognitive growth. Children of mothers who entered Connecticut's Jobs First program, an initiative with strict 21-month time limits and work incentives, displayed moderate advantages in their early learning, compared with those in a control group. A number of potential mechanisms for this effect are explored, including maternal employment and income, home environment, and child care. Mothers in the new welfare program are more likely to be employed, have higher income, are less likely to be married, have more children's books in their home, and take their children to libraries and museums more frequently. However, these effects explain little of the observed gain in child outcomes. Other parenting practices and the home's social environment do explain early learning, but these remained unaffected by welfare reform. © 2003 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management [source]

Family literacy activities in the homes of successful young readers

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN READING, Issue 1 2000
Rhona Stainthorp
This paper presents an account of the literacy activities engaged in by the parents of 29 children around the time that the children were about to start school at Key Stage 1. Fifteen of the children were reading fluently before they began school and the remaining fourteen were matched for age, sex, receptive vocabulary scores, pre-school group attended and socio-economic family status, but not reading fluently. In order to ascertain that the fluent readers were not simply coming from homes where literacy activities were more in evidence, parents were asked to report on their own literacy activities. The data obtained indicated that there were no systematic differences in the activities of the two sets of parents. They also showed that there was a considerable amount of literacy activity evident in the homes. It is argued that, whilst the home environment is highly instrumental in nurturing literacy development, it is not enough to account for precocious reading ability. [source]

Acculturation and Enculturation Trajectories Among Mexican-American Adolescent Offenders

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 4 2009
George P. Knight
This study examines changes over time in ethnic affirmation/belonging and ethnic identity achievement, Spanish language use, English language use, Mexican/Mexican-American affiliation/identification and Anglo affiliation/identification in a sample of Mexican-American adolescents participating in a longitudinal study of juvenile offenders. The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure and the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II were completed by the Mexican-American adolescents 7 times over a 3-year period. The findings from longitudinal growth modeling analyses and growth mixture modeling analyses indicate that there is heterogeneity in the initial scores and changes over time on these variables that are related to markers for the cultural qualities of the home environment (i.e., generational status and mother's most frequent language use). In contrast to expectations, marginalized or assimilated acculturation trajectories/types were not overrepresented in this sample of adolescent offenders. Implications for our understanding of the nature of acculturation and enculturation processes and the way these processes are studied are discussed. [source]

Assessment of an ECG event recorder in healthy dogs in a hospital environment

JOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2003
J. M. Eastwood
Ambulatory electrocardiography techniques are superior to standard electrocardiography in evaluating rhythm disturbances in dogs with episodic weakness or collapse. Disadvantages include cumbersome equipment, short recording periods and an inherent delay in trace analysis. A small programmable cardiac event recorder with combined automatic and owner-triggered recording capability was evaluated in 13 healthy dogs in a hospital environment. The unit was well tolerated and produced diagnostic recordings directly to a personal computer, with useful information about continuous heart rate. It detects premature complexes, pauses and bradycardias according to programmed detection thresholds. These events were counted frequently but trace review revealed concerns regarding specificity. Recordings were often triggered by sinus arrhythmia, sinus tachycardia and unclassifiable rate changes rather than by clinically significant arrhythmias. Correct detection of ventricular ectopic complexes, a single supraventricular premature complex, sinus arrest and second-degree atrioventricular block occurred in individual dogs. Visual review of all automatically recorded events was essential and significantly increased the time required for event recording analysis. Manual recordings might be more useful and the overall results suggest that further studies are warranted to evaluate the system in clinical cases in the home environment. [source]

Trichophyton mentagrophytes of rabbit origin causing family incidence of kerion: an environmental study

MYCOSES, Issue 5 2006
P. Van Rooij
Summary Our laboratory was contacted by a family living directly above a rabbit farm. Both their children had developed a kerion, in consequence of a misdiagnosed superficial mycosis. This study was designed to demonstrate a link between the two kerion cases and the environmental contamination. The degree of contamination was estimated and factors favourising the spread of infection were determined. Dermatophytes were isolated from various environmental sites using Rodac plates. For direct sampling of scalp and fur the brushing technique was used. The farm and home environment initially showed a severe contamination by Trichophyton mentagrophytes. At the farm, cages and surfaces covered with rabbit hair were strongly contaminated. As for the home environment, the dog's basket and clothes from the mother carried a large number of spores. Trichophyton mentagrophytes was identified as responsible agent for the children's kerions and the lesions of the rabbits. Mother, eldest child and dog seemed to be excellent carriers. Cleaning and disinfection measures resulted in a reduction of the overall contamination. The home environment was no longer a source of contamination. Nevertheless, on the farm a fair number of dermatophytes could still be isolated from the wire meshes and roof beams covered with fluff. [source]

The Role of Family and Home in the Literacy Development of Children from Low-Income Backgrounds

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR CHILD & ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT, Issue 92 2001
Stacey A. Storch
The authors of this chapter propose and test a model of individual differences in the development of emergent literacy. The model provides a means for evaluating the contribution of various aspects of the home environment to children's emerging literacy skills and helps to clarify the processes by which family environment and different domains of emergent literacy are related. [source]

Using food experience, multimedia and role models for promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in Bangkok kindergarten children

NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 2 2010
Chutima SIRIKULCHAYANONTA
Abstract Aim:, To evaluate the use of food experience, multimedia and role models for promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in kindergarten children. Methods:, A quasi-experimental study was conducted. A Bangkok public primary school was randomly selected and one of the kindergarten levels was purposively chosen. Program implementation consisted of 11 activities over an eight-week period from July to September, 2003. Data on demographic variables, and types and amounts of fruit and vegetables consumed and frequency of fruit and vegetables served were collected before and after the intervention. Program evaluation consisted of an analysis of the pre- and post-test data. Results:, After the intervention, fruit and vegetable eating behaviour scores (median ± interquartile range) revealed significant changes from 3 ± 8 to 7 ± 8 for vegetables and 6 ± 8 to 9 ± 8 for fruit (P -value < 0.001); the different types of consumed vegetables were increased from two to four (P -value , 0.001); and the fruit and vegetable intake was significantly increased from 53 g to 77 g and from 11 g to 23 g respectively (P -value < 0.005). Conclusions:, Results of this pilot study were effective in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in the kindergarten, however, longer-term evaluation and assessment of the impact on the home environment are required. The inclusion of nutrition education and instruction on healthy eating habits in the course curriculum combined with social support from teachers and families may improve and sustain fruit and vegetable eating behaviours. [source]

Hospital discharge among frail elderly people: a pilot study in Sweden,

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2008
Ingrid Söderback
Abstract A conceptual framework for the hospital discharge process was designed. It was intended to measure frail elderly people's experience of their quality of care in terms of satisfaction and trustworthiness during their hospital discharge and their experience at home. The present pilot study aimed at evaluating the viability of an occupational therapy clinical tool. Nine frail elderly Swedish individuals reported the quality of their care as mostly satisfactory and trustworthy, according to their responses to the Discharged Patients' Enquiry Questionnaire (DPEQ). However, the participants were not satisfied with the non-continuity among the home-helpers, the lack of rehabilitation services and the non-availability of professional help, for example occupational therapy for increasing social contacts. The participant's responses indicated that occupational therapy interventions, that is, assessment of home environment (n = 6), improvement of housing accessibility (n = 3) and prescription of assistive devices (n = 4), contributed to their ability to live at home. The results are limited owing to the small number of participants. Future investigations of the care that patients discharged from hospitals receive are recommended to explore supplementary assessments of spouses' care burden and participants' quality of life, and the psychometric functions of the conceptual framework. In summary, the conceptual framework described may be a viable tool for evaluating the discharge process among frail elderly people discharged from hospitals to their homes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Engagement in occupations among men and women with schizophrenia

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2006
Ulrika Bejerholm
Abstract This study describes engagement in daily occupations of 10 women and 10 men with schizophrenia. A 24-hour diary of time use and interview were used and analysed by content analysis. Three levels of occupational engagement were identified; (1) mainly disengaged throughout the day, (2) disengaged during some part of the day, and (3) largely engaged in occupations during the day. Each level of occupational engagement was related to a daily rhythm and a sense of meaning. The results of the content analysis showed that levels of engagement ranged from performing mostly quiet activities, alone, with little sense of meaning, to engaging in meaningful occupations that involved social interactions. In general female participants preferred activities in their home environment while males preferred activities outside their home environment. Although this study was limited by geographic and cultural boundaries, as well by the sample size, the results showed that being diagnosed as having schizophrenia does not necessarily mean having an impoverished lifestyle. Thus, it is important for occupational therapists to identify these variations in engagement in order to have a realistic point of departure in the evaluation process and in forming a therapeutic alliance with the client. In future research, methods need to be developed that can gather extensive information on how occupational engagement is related to health and well-being in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

A pilot study of the activity patterns of five elderly persons after a housing adaptation

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2006
Bernt Niva
Abstract The importance of an accessible home environment for occupational performance has been emphasized in occupational therapy, but knowledge about how accessibility can affect a person's activity patterns is limited. The purpose of this study was to describe the activity patterns of five elderly persons aged between 70 and 84 years and their views about accessibility and usability of their homes before and after a housing adaptation. Two different questionnaires, ,Accessibility in My Home' and the ,Occupational Questionnaire' were used for data collection. Adaptations in the home included: removing thresholds, installing new taps in the bathroom and kitchen and broadening doorways. After the adaptations the five participants reported that they increased their outside activities, reduced naps during the day and slept better at night. The results showed that the participants performed more and new activities when their home environment had become accessible. Activities performed were also perceived as more important after the housing adaptation. There is a need to replicate the study with a larger sample. Further research is needed on the impact of home adaptations on the activity patterns of elderly people. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons. Ltd [source]

Occupational therapy adaptation of the home environment in Sweden for people with asthma

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2002
Doctoral Candidate, Margot Frisk Occupational Therapist
Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes of lung function, respiratory symptoms and indoor air quality after reducing allergens and indoor pollutants in the home environment of people with asthma (n = 21). A quasi-experimental pre-/post-test design with one group of participants was implemented. The interventions included removal of wall-to-wall carpets (n = 14) or improvement of indoor air exchange (n = 7). Participants' lung function, symptoms, medication and type-1 allergy were recorded before and after the intervention. The indoor environment was monitored at house calls by an occupational therapist using conventional physical, biological and chemical methods. There was an improvement of lung function evidenced by an increased mean Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1 %) and a reduction of airway obstruction (reversibility, % of baseline value), which indicate an improved asthmatic condition. Lung function assessed by vital capacity, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, mean of Peak Expiratory Flow, symptom score and medicine consumption did not change significantly. There was a tendency that the amount of airborne dust (p=0.06) was reduced in the indoor environment. Relative humidity, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and house dust mite levels had decreased after the intervention, but not significantly. Asthma symptoms related to the home environment are probably caused by several factors. When people with asthma suffer from increased symptoms in the home, house calls should be performed routinely. Dust samples from beds and carpets for analysis of allergens give information about exposure, and environmental assessments should be performed before interventions. Occupational therapists can make a valuable contribution in evaluating the home environment and suggesting ergonomic adaptations for individuals with asthma. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]

Goal, intervention and outcome of occupational therapy in individuals with psychoses.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2000
Content analysis through a chart review
Abstract The purpose of the study was to analyse the content of occupational therapy records documenting treatment for individuals with psychoses. A retrospective content analysis of occupational therapy records regarding treatment goals, interventions and outcome was undertaken using a coding scheme, the Template of Occupational Therapy (TOT). Twenty-five occupational therapists chosen at random contributed 64 occupational therapy records, generating 2992 statements. The patients' disorders and functional and activity limitations (n=1723) were comprehensively described. Ability to manage self-care and the home environment, and to engage in a daily occupation, emerged as the prominent treatment goals. The content of the occupational therapy interventions was characterized by descriptions of a wide range of activities, which were used as therapeutic resources. The occupational therapist had a client-centred approach, combining the use of the current activity with the use of herself/himself as a resource. A few statements in the records were interpreted as relating to outcomes of treatment for this patient group. Statements related to outcome were the patients' self-reports and how they were able to manage activities of daily living. This retrospective study was found to be a useful conceptual model for designing studies of evidence-based occupational therapy in mental health. Copyright © 2000 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]

Home Ownership and School Outcomes of Children: Evidence from the PSID Child Development Supplement

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
Lisa L. Mohanty
Using the PSID Child Development Supplement (CDS) and the corresponding PSID main data sets, we examine whether home ownership has positive effects on the academic achievement of children after correcting for selectivity bias and controlling for home environment, neighborhood quality, residential stability, and income. While we find no independent effects of home ownership, there are positive significant effects of home environment, neighborhood quality, and residential stability on the reading and math performance of children between the ages of three and twelve. The main policy implication of our study is that improvement of a child's home environment, residential stability, and the quality of the neighborhood is more important than ownership of a home to achieve better child outcomes. Subsidized home ownership can lead to better child outcomes to the extent that it places a child in a better home environment, in a more stable residence, and in a better neighborhood. [source]

Atopy among schoolchildren in northern and southern Sweden in relation to pet ownership and early life events

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1 2001
L. Bråbäck
Studies have suggested a higher prevalence of asthma and allergies in northern, as compared to southern, Scandinavia. The aim of this study was to evaluate regional differences in atopy in relation to pet ownership and certain early life events among schoolchildren (n = 2108) aged 10,11 years from Linköping in southern Sweden and Östersund in northern Sweden. The parents completed a questionnaire, comprising questions on home environment, heredity, socio-economic conditions, and the core questions on symptoms from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. The children were skin-prick tested to eight common inhalant allergens. Information on maternal smoking habits, gestational age, and anthropometric measures were obtained from the Swedish Medical Birth Registry. The prevalence of atopic symptoms and sensitization to pollen were similar in Östersund and in Linköping. A higher prevalence of sensitization to animal dander among children in Östersund could be linked to a higher occurrence of pets in the community. Current cat ownership was related to less sensitivity to cat allergen but only in children with an atopic heredity. Ponderal index > 30 kg/m3 was related to an increased risk of atopic sensitization, both in Linköping (adjusted odds ratio 2.1; 95% confidence interval 1.1,4.0) and in Östersund (adjusted odds ratio 2.0; 95% confidence interval 1.1,3.5). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was related to an increased risk of atopic sensitization among children in Linköping, whereas current smoking was associated with a decreased risk of sensitization in Östersund. In conclusion, we demonstrated that a high occurrence of pets in the community was associated with sensitization, whereas atopic symptoms were essentially unaffected. This study has also suggested an association between body size at birth and atopic sensitization at 10,11 years of age. [source]