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Selected AbstractsBuyers' perceptions of importance and willingness-to-pay for certain attributes of source and production verified bred heifersAGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 5 2010Joe L. Parcell Cattle; Distribution-free estimation; Willingness-to-pay Abstract This research reports buyers' perceptions of and willingness-to-pay for replacement heifers produced through a rigorous, third-party verified production protocol. Survey respondents attended and registered to purchase heifers at sanctioned Missouri Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program® sales between 1997 and 2002. Responses indicate that pen uniformity, artificially inseminated to calving ease bull, synchronized calving, and heifer size are perceived as important, and their willingness-to-pay for these characteristics is economically significant. Though prior research suggests willingness-to-pay estimates particularly for inexperienced consumers may be biased, we find little difference between inexperienced and experienced buyers and also little difference from hedonic estimates of heifer characteristics' value. [source] Strategies reported used by instructors to address student alternate conceptions in chemical equilibriumJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 10 2005Jeff S. Piquette This study explores general-chemistry instructors' awareness of and ability to identify and address common student learning obstacles in chemical equilibrium. Reported instructor strategies directed at remediating student alternate conceptions were investigated and compared with successful, literature-based conceptual change methods. Fifty-two volunteer general chemistry instructors from 50 U.S. colleges and universities completed an interactive web-based instrument consisting of open-ended questions, a rating scale, classroom scenarios, and a demographic form. Survey respondents who provided responses or described remediation strategies requiring further clarification were identified (n,=,6); these respondents amplified their views in separate, researcher-led semistructured phone interviews. All 52 responding chemistry instructors reported and identified common student areas of difficulty in chemical equilibrium. They reported employing a variety of strategies to address and attempt to remediate students' alternate conceptions; however, these self-reported strategies rarely included all four necessary conditions specified by Posner, Strike, Hewson, and Gertzog (Science Education, 66, 211,217, 1982) to stimulate conceptual change. Instructor-identified student alternate conceptions were congruent with literature-reported alternate conceptions of chemical equilibrium, thus providing validation support for these compilations. Implications for teaching and further research are also highlighted. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 1112,1134, 2005 [source] Reasons for Wage Rigidity in GermanyLABOUR, Issue 2 2006Wolfgang Franz Based on a survey of 801 firms in Germany and an econometric analysis, we find strong support for explanations based on the effects of labour union contracts and efficiency wages that differ between skill groups. Survey respondents indicate that labour union contracts and implicit contracts are important reasons for wage rigidity for the (less) skilled. Specific human capital and negative signals for new hires are causes of the stickiness of wages for the highly skilled. Compared with US evidence, German firms seem to attach more importance to labour union contracts and specific human capital. [source] International development management: A Northern perspective,PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2010Jennifer M. Brinkerhoff Abstract This article reviews international development management (DM) from a Northern (primarily though not exclusively US-based) perspective, identifies lessons learned from experience, and discusses new challenges. The primary data sources are an on-line survey of DM scholars and practitioners, and the results of a focus group discussion. Survey respondents expressed dismay that the lessons from theory and experience have failed to penetrate the world of practice (largely due to political and bureaucratic constraints). They were generally pessimistic about DM's relevance and effectiveness in the face of new challenges. Our analysis points to implications for DM as a discipline, and examines the development manager as activist, the evolution of politics within DM, and DM as an art. Identified lessons related predominantly to DM's process and values dimensions, suggesting these may best define DM's unique contours. In response to the perceived absence of learning and to new challenges, research participants issued a call for development manager activism to speak truth to power, promote DM values, educate new actors and the public, and mentor and train newcomers to the field. This study underscores Northern-based development managers' commitment to the profession, including affirmation of the ongoing utility and relevance of DM's knowledge and lessons, and its underlying values of self-determination, social equity, and empowerment. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Macrophytes in Urban Stream Rehabilitation: Establishment, Ecological Effects, and Public PerceptionRESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2006Scott T. Larned Abstract Efforts to rehabilitate degraded urban streams generally focus on improving physical habitat and rarely include reestablishing biota such as macrophytes. Our objectives in this study were to propagate and transplant native macrophytes into a South Island, New Zealand, urban stream undergoing rehabilitation, assess macrophyte survival and growth, and determine whether native macrophytes suppress non-native macrophytes and/or enhance stream invertebrate communities. Effects of native macrophytes on invertebrates and non-native macrophytes were assessed after transplanting patches of native macrophytes into a 230-m-long stream section. A 100-m-long section upstream was left unplanted for subsequent comparisons. Following the study, a survey was conducted to gauge public opinion about the rehabilitation project and determine whether macrophytes were prominent in perceptions of stream health. In the first growing season, native macrophyte cover in the planted stream section increased from 1.5 to 20%, and then decreased during winter. Regrowth from rhizomes led to rapid aboveground growth during the second year, when cover reached 51%. Non-native macrophytes colonized the stream the first year, but native macrophytes appeared to limit the spread of non-natives, which were absent in the planted section by the second spring. Native macrophyte establishment did not enhance invertebrate communities as predicted; few invertebrate metrics differed significantly between the planted and unplanted sections. Pollution- and sediment-tolerant invertebrate taxa were abundant in both sections, suggesting that invertebrate colonization was limited by water quality or sedimentation, not macrophyte composition. Survey respondents considered the stream to be visually and ecologically improved after rehabilitation, and macrophyte establishment was generally considered positive or neutral. [source] A survey of people's attitudes and beliefs about false confessionsBEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW, Issue 5 2008Linda A. Henkel Ph.D. The attitudes and beliefs of jury eligible individuals regarding false confessions were investigated in order to uncover potential biases. Survey respondents provided perceptions of factors related to false confessions (e.g. their frequency and likely situational and dispositional risk variables). Results indicate that people possess an awareness that false confessions can occur and believe that a confession should not be taken as an absolute indicator of guilt. However, their understanding of predisposing and situational factors that contribute to false confessions was incomplete, as was their understanding of interrogation practices. Furthermore, respondents showed a marked bias against believing that they personally would ever falsely confess, which is discussed in the context of potential inconsistencies between people's self-report and their actual behaviors in naturalistic situations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Variations in the orthotic management of cerebral palsyCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2002Christopher Morris Abstract Objective Anecdotal reports that children with cerebral palsy were provided different orthoses in two adjacent UK health districts were investigated using an observational comparative case study. Method The populations were compared using an epidemiological register of children with cerebral palsy, which confirmed that a comparable health service response could be expected. Merging data from the register with the orthotic patient database facilitated comparison of the orthoses prescribed in each district. A survey questionnaire was used to gather the perceptions of clinicians in both districts to understand how each team decides which orthosis to prescribe. Results There was considerable variation in the types of orthoses prescribed between districts, and particularly of ankle foot orthoses. Survey respondents from the same profession described having the same roles, although clinicians expressed different responsibilities for initiating and sanctioning orthotic prescriptions in their district programmes. The survey also suggested that most clinicians were uncertain when prescribing orthoses, and clinical practice was therefore largely determined by professional preference. Conclusion Defining the spectrum of activity limitation in geographically defined populations would enhance health services research and assist in the development of trials using different interventions to reduce those limitations. [source] Consumer Awareness and Willingness to Pay for High-Pressure Processing of Ready-to-Eat FoodJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE EDUCATION, Issue 2 2009Doris T. Hicks ABSTRACT:, Commercial, nonthermal processing of food, such as high hydrostatic-pressure processing (HPP), has increased. The safety and quality of foods produced by HPP has not been well communicated to the public. An online, nationwide consumer survey was implemented to assess awareness of alternative food processing technologies, consumer food safety attitudes and knowledge, and willingness to pay (WTP) for HPP products. The consumer survey was administered by ZoomerangÔ, an online survey clearinghouse. The survey was completed by 1204 adults. Frequencies and crosstabs were calculated on Zoomerang and SPSS used for one-way ANOVA and chi-square analyses. The survey assessed knowledge of HPP, attitudes about new food processing techniques, WTP for HPP foods and demographics. Overall, many demographic characteristics reflected U.S. census population. While traditional methods, that is, canning, freezing, and microwaving were all well recognized by over 80% of respondents, only 8% recognized HPP. Trends indicated an increase in age, education, and income reflected greater food safety knowledge. Regardless of demographics, no survey respondent exhibited knowledge mastery (80%). Given an explanation of HPP and its benefits, 39% of respondents indicated they would be WTP an additional cost, with higher income and education having the most impact. Majority of respondents indicated a WTP of $0.25 to $0.50 regardless of the value of the food product. More respondents were WTP slightly more for a more expensive product. New technologies often encounter a stumbling block in consumer acceptance and processing costs. A consumer's WTP, once they were informed, could encourage industry to look favorably on this technology. [source] Non-remission of depression in the general population as assessed by the HAMD-7 scaleDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 5 2008Andrew G. Bulloch Ph.D. Abstract Remission from the symptoms of depression is the optimal outcome for depression treatment. Many studies have assessed the frequency of treatment, but there are none that have estimated the frequency of treated remission in the general population. We addressed this issue in the population of Alberta using a brief Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD)-7 scale (recently validated against the HAMD-17 scale in a clinical setting) that has been proposed as a suitable indicator for remission in primary care. We used data from a survey conducted within the Alberta Depression Initiative in 2005 (n=3,345 adults), to produce a population-based estimate of the number of respondents taking antidepressant medication for depression. From this group we selected a subpopulation that did not screen positive when the MINI module for major depression was administered (i.e., who did not have an active episode). Non-remission in this subpopulation was assessed with a version of the HAMD-7 scale adapted for telephone administration by a nonclinician. Of the survey respondents, 189 reported taking antidepressant medication for depression. Of these, 115 were found not to have an active episode. However, 49.0% of this subpopulation was not in remission as evaluated by the HAMD-7. We estimate that 1.3% (95% confidence interval, 0.9,2.0%) of the population is in treated non-remission for depression. Our study indicates a substantial degree of non-remission from depression in individuals taking antidepressants in the general population. This suggests that, in addition to increasing the frequency of treatment, increasing the effectiveness of treatment can have an impact on population health. Depression and Anxiety 0:1,5, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Lay understandings of the effects of poverty: a Canadian perspectiveHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 6 2005Linda I. Reutter RN PhD Abstract Although there is a large body of research dedicated to exploring public attributions for poverty, considerably less attention has been directed to public understandings about the effects of poverty. In this paper, we describe lay understandings of the effects of poverty and the factors that potentially influence these perceptions, using data from a telephone survey conducted in 2002 on a random sample (n = 1671) of adults from eight neighbourhoods in two large Canadian cities (Edmonton and Toronto). These data were supplemented with interview data obtained from 153 people living in these same neighbourhoods. Multivariate linear and logistic regressions were used to determine the effects of basic demographic variables, exposure to poverty and attribution for poverty on three dependent variables relating to the effects of poverty: participation in community life, the relationship between poverty and health and challenges facing low-income people. Ninety-one per cent of survey respondents agreed that poverty is linked to health, while 68% agreed that low-income people are less likely to participate in community life. Affordable housing was deemed especially difficult to obtain by 96%, but other resources (obtaining healthy food, giving children a good start in life, and engaging in healthy behaviours) were also viewed as challenging by at least 70% of respondents. The regression models revealed that when controlling for demographics, exposure to poverty explained some of the variance in recognising the effects of poverty. Media exposure positively influenced recognition of the poverty,health link, and attending formal talks was strongly related to understanding challenges of poverty. Attributions for poverty accounted for slightly more of the variance in the dependent variables. Specifically, structural and sociocultural attributions predicted greater recognition of the effects of poverty, in particular the challenges of poverty, while individualistic attributions predicted less recognition. Older and female respondents were more likely to acknowledge the effects of poverty. Income was positively associated with recognition of the poverty,health link, negatively associated with understanding the challenges of low-income people, and unrelated to perceptions of the negative effect of poverty on participation in community life. [source] Feeding Practices of Dog and Cat Owners Reflect Attitudes Toward Pet FoodsJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 11-12 2005K. N. Willoughby The PET DINER study was a telephone survey conducted to better understand why pet owners make certain nutritional decisions for their pets. Both dog and cat owners were included, which allowed us to differentiate the way people feed pet cats vs. pet dogs and how that might reflect owners' attitudes about pet foods. Prospective survey respondents were selected from local telephone books using a randomized process. A total of 18,194 calls were made from the five study sites between May and August, 2004. 1074 people (6%) representing 619 dogs and 455 cats completed the survey. Detailed information about feeding practices was collected. Pet owners' perceptions were assessed based on agreement/disagreement with statements regarding pet foods and the pet food industry. The Mann,Whitney Rank Sum test was used to detect differences between dog and cat owners and the Kruskal,Wallis one-way analysis of variance on ranks was used to evaluate differences among pet owners based on both type of pet and feeding practices (,75% commercial vs. ,50% home-prepared diets). More cats than dogs ate commercial pet food as ,75% of their main diet (96% vs. 87%, respectively; p < 0.001), and more dogs than cats ate a home-prepared food as ,50% of their main diet (6% vs. 3%, respectively; p < 0.009). For five of the statements, a difference in the attitudes of cat vs. dog owners was detected (p < 0.05). In general, this reflected more positive attitudes regarding commercial foods and less positive attitudes regarding home-prepared foods on the part of cat vs. dog owners. Analysis based on both type of pet and feeding practices identified significant differences among groups for 18/26 statements. However, when the Dunn's Method for pairwise multiple comparisons was applied, significant differences were due to feeding practices rather than type of pet for 17/18 statements. Only differences in attitudes about the statement ,raw bones can be safely fed to pets' remained significant for cat vs. dog owners feeding commercial foods. In conclusion, more cat owners than dog owners feed ,75% commercial foods to their pets and this is reflected in different attitudes about the nutritional soundness of commercial pet foods. [source] Food safety approaches to examining HACCP costs and performance and technologiesAGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2007Michael Ollinger In this article, the authors describe the survey methodology needed to obtain data to support several empirical analyses dealing with food safety issues. The most striking finding about the survey methodology was the much higher response rate due to the use of priority mail and an incentive payment of $5 versus priority mail only or first-class mail only. Letters of support from the major meat and poultry trade associations and the up to five contacts of potential survey respondents by the surveying organization also appear to have improved the response rate. Overall, the survey methodology yielded nearly 1,000 responses from 1,705 possible meat and poultry plants on their costs of compliance with the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point rule of 1996, plant characteristics, and use of food safety technologies and practices. [EconLit Citations: L250, L510, L150] © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 23: 193,210, 2007. [source] Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs About Inclusion of Students with Learning DisabilitiesLEARNING DISABILITIES RESEARCH & PRACTICE, Issue 2 2006Janet R. DeSimone The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate middle school general education mathematics teachers' beliefs and self-perceived knowledge regarding teaching students with learning disabilities (LD) in inclusive classrooms. Teacher beliefs regarding administrative support and higher education teacher preparation were also examined. The Survey on Teaching Mathematics to Students With Learning Disabilities in Middle School was completed by 228 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade general education mathematics inclusion teachers from 19 states. In addition, telephone interviews were conducted with a subset of 26 survey respondents. Frequency analyses were performed on the survey data, with ,2 tests comparing teachers on demographic variables. Follow-up interview responses were summarized to elaborate on the major research questions. The findings revealed three central issues: (1) teachers had a limited understanding of the mathematics learning needs of students with LD, (2) teacher collaboration was judged to be the most beneficial and available resource by general educators teaching students with LD in inclusive mathematics classrooms, and (3) teachers did not feel that teacher education programs at the preservice level and professional development at the inservice level were adequate in preparing them for teaching students with LD in inclusive mathematics classrooms. Implications and recommendations for teacher preparation and program implementation are provided. [source] Ethics in Neuroscience Graduate Training Programs: Views and Models from CanadaMIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION, Issue 1 2010Sofia Lombera Consideration of the ethical, social, and policy implications of research has become increasingly important to scientists and scholars whose work focuses on brain and mind, but limited empirical data exist on the education in ethics available to them. We examined the current landscape of ethics training in neuroscience programs, beginning with the Canadian context specifically, to elucidate the perceived needs of mentors and trainees and offer recommendations for resource development to meet those needs. We surveyed neuroscientists at all training levels and interviewed directors of neuroscience programs and training grants. A total of 88% of survey respondents reported general interest in ethics, and 96% indicated a desire for more ethics content as it applies to brain research and clinical translation. Expert interviews revealed formal ethics education in over half of programs and in 90% of grants-based programs. Lack of time, resources, and expertise, however, are major barriers to expanding ethics content in neuroscience education. We conclude with an initial set of recommendations to address these barriers which includes the development of flexible, tailored ethics education tools, increased financial support for ethics training, and strategies for fostering collaboration between ethics experts, neuroscience program directors, and funding agencies. [source] Speaking Foreign Languages in the United States: Correlates, Trends, and Possible ConsequencesMODERN LANGUAGE JOURNAL, Issue 4 2006JOHN P. ROBINSON With President George W. Bush's unprecedented call in January 2006 to expand the foreign language capacity of the United States, it has become clear that languages other than English (LOE) are of great interest to public policy in the United States. Yet the language capacity of the United States remains poorly documented. The 2000 General Social Survey (GSS) included new questions concerning the languages spoken by 1,398 respondents. Although about one quarter (26%) of respondents to this GSS sample claimed they could speak another language, only 10% overall said they could speak it very well. Those respondents who speak a foreign language were typically aged 25,44, graduate school educated, self-identified as being of a race other than White, and living in large metropolitan cities and on the coasts. Spanish (50%), French (15%), and German (9%) were the most common languages spoken by the survey respondents. Whereas 67% of respondents who learned the language at home as a child said they could speak it very well, only 10% of those who learned it in school or elsewhere did speak it very well. As expected, LOE speakers gave significantly more responses revealing support of LOE and policies favorable to immigration, with LOE-home speakers being more positive about these issues than LOE speakers who learned the language at school. These findings can help to inform national policy debates concerning how best to address the language needs of the United States. [source] Social distance in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the North Caucasus region of Russia: Inter and intra-ethnic attitudes and identities,NATIONS AND NATIONALISM, Issue 2 2009KRISTIN M. BAKKE ABSTRACT. This article examines attitudinal differences and similarities among ethnic groups in conflict-affected societies. Conventional wisdom tells us that societies that have experienced violent struggles in which individuals of different ethnic groups have (been) mobilized against each other are likely to become polarized along ethnic lines. Indeed, both policy-makers and scholars often assume that such divisions are some of the main challenges that must be overcome to restore peace after war. We comparatively examine this conventional wisdom by mapping dimensions of social distance among 4,000 survey respondents in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the North Caucasus region of Russia. The surveys were carried out in December 2005. Using multidimensional scaling methods, we do not find patterns of clear attitudinal cleavages among members of different ethnic groups in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Nor do we find patterns of clear ethnic division in the North Caucasus, although our social distance matrices reveal a difference between Russians and ethnic minority groups. [source] Oral Sex and Condom Use Among Young People In the United KingdomPERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, Issue 1 2006Nicole Stone CONTEXT:: The development of UK national targets to reduce the transmission of HIV and other STDs has focused health promotion efforts on advocating the use of condoms during penetrative vaginal and anal sex. However, other behaviors that can facilitate STD transmission,such as oral sex and, in particular, fellatio,have received limited attention. METHODS:: Between 2003 and 2005, a sample of 1,373 full- and part-time students, primarily aged 16,18, completed questionnaires about their knowledge, attitudes and experiences related to sexual behavior and health. Chi-square tests were used to assess differences by sexual experience and gender. Supplementary data were obtained from sexual event diaries completed by 108 young people. RESULTS:: Fifty-six percent of survey respondents had experienced fellatio or cunnilingus, including 22% of those who had not yet engaged in penetrative intercourse. Of young people who had had vaginal intercourse, 70% had previously had oral sex. Among those who had experienced fellatio once, 17% had used a condom, but only 2% of respondents who had engaged in fellatio more than once reported consistent use. Reduced pleasure and lack of motivation, desire and forethought were reasons given for not using condoms during fellatio; hygiene, avoidance of the dilemma of whether to spit or swallow ejaculate, and taste were commonly cited as triggers for use. CONCLUSION:: Greater efforts are needed to publicize the risk of exposure to STDs that many young people face because of unprotected noncoital sexual activities before, as well as after, they enter into relationships involving intercourse. [source] US grower perceptions and experiences with glyphosate-resistant weedsPEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 4 2008Chuck Foresman Abstract BACKGROUND: A survey of 400 growers of maize, soybeans and cotton was made in the United States to determine perceptions, experiences and management practices with glyphosate-resistant weeds. The survey included growers in the north (corn belt) and south (cotton belt) of the USA in spring 2006. RESULTS: Interestingly, 24 and 39% of northern and southern growers, respectively, assumed they had glyphosate weed resistance on their farm. Of the 200 southern growers interviewed, 67% had planted continuous glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops for a period of 3,5 years. According to the survey respondents, the key method for managing glyphosate-resistant weeds was to rotate to other herbicides. CONCLUSION: Growers do value GR crop technology but are adopting measures to manage resistance only as needed. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source] The role and impact of personal faith and religion among genetic service providers,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2009Gail Geller Abstract This paper describes the impact of genetic service providers' personal faith and religious values on their experiences interacting with colleagues and patients. We surveyed 480 clinical geneticists (MDs), genetic counselors (GCs), and genetic nurses randomly selected from their professional associations, and then interviewed a sample of survey respondents. Outcomes included religiosity, coping with distress through spiritual beliefs, and personal value conflicts (PVCs). Two hundred fourteen providers completed the survey out of an estimated 348 eligible (61% response rate). Importance attributed to regular attendance at religious services ranged from 39% (not at all important) to 27% (very important). Reliance on religion and spiritual beliefs as a source of comfort ranged from 48% (never) to 33% (sometimes or often). Religiosity varied by discipline with 58% of nurses thinking regular attendance at religious services was moderately or very important as compared to 47% of GCs and 30% of MDs (P,=,0.006). Ten percent of respondents had difficulty reconciling their own faith with being a genetics professional, 14% felt the need to hide their own faith from their colleagues or patients, 7% thought their professional stance was not consistent with their personal values, and 4% felt ostracized by the genetics community because of their personal beliefs. The experience of such PVCs was positively correlated with religiosity (r,=,0.35; P,<,0.0001). GCs were more likely to experience PVCs than MDs or nurses (P,=,0.013). Data from the interviews (N,=,54) support these findings. A significant minority of genetic service providers are religiously observant and rely on their religious values to cope with distress. These individuals often experience difficulty reconciling their religious beliefs with the expectations of their profession, and sharing their beliefs with their colleagues and patients. Efforts should be made to prevent or reduce the secrecy surrounding personal faith and religion among genetics professionals. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Political Competition and Ethnic Identification in AfricaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010Benn Eifert This article draws on data from over 35,000 respondents in 22 public opinion surveys in 10 countries and finds strong evidence that ethnic identities in Africa are strengthened by exposure to political competition. In particular, for every month closer their country is to a competitive presidential election, survey respondents are 1.8 percentage points more likely to identify in ethnic terms. Using an innovative multinomial logit empirical methodology, we find that these shifts are accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the salience of occupational and class identities. Our findings lend support to situational theories of social identification and are consistent with the view that ethnic identities matter in Africa for instrumental reasons: because they are useful in the competition for political power. [source] Stereotype Threat and Race of Interviewer Effects in a Survey on Political KnowledgeAMERICAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2003Darren W. Davis Social desirability is generally thought to underlie the propensity for survey respondents to tailor their answers to what they think would satisfy or please the interviewer. While this may in fact be the underlying motivation, especially on attitudinal and opinion questions, social desirability does not seem to be an adequate explanation for interviewer effects on factual questions. Borrowing from the social psychology literature on stereotype threat, we test an alternative account of the race-of-interviewer effects. Stereotype threat maintains that the pressure to disconfirm and to avoid being judged by negative and potentially degrading stereotypes interferes with the processing of information. We argue that the survey context contains many parallels to a testing environment in which stereotype threat might alter responses to factual questions. Through a series of framing experiments in a public opinion survey and the reliance on the sensitivity to the race of the interviewer, our results are consistent with expectations based on a theory of "stereotype threat." African American respondents to a battery of questions about political knowledge get fewer answers right when interviewed by a white interviewer than when interviewed by an African American interviewer. The observed differences in performance on the political knowledge questions cannot be accounted for by differences in the educational background or gender of the respondents. [source] Men's Sexual Health: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Print- and PDA-based CMETHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 9 2009Gregory A. Broderick MD ABSTRACT Introduction., Personal digital assistant (PDA)-based continuing medical education (CME) activities have become widely available. Aims., To evaluate the effectiveness of print- and PDA-based CME materials in erectile dysfunction (ED). Methods., CME materials describing links between ED and comorbid medical conditions, effects of certain lifestyle modifications on ED, and treatment of ED with phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors were distributed as a print supplement and as electronic modules, viewed with PDAs. We evaluated how effectively these materials improved evidence-based clinical choices, using survey questions about case vignettes and comparing responses of CME participants (N = 85) and matched nonparticipants (N = 94). Main Outcome Measures., Effect size, measuring the difference in evidence-based clinical scores between participants and nonparticipants. Results., CME certificates were awarded to 3,557 participants (459 print, 3,098 PDA). Among survey respondents, significantly more CME participants recognized that ED was associated with greater risk for myocardial infarction (61% participants; 34% nonparticipants; P , 0.001) and was a strong marker for diabetes mellitus (37% participants; 9% nonparticipants; P , 0.001). In contrast, participants and nonparticipants both displayed a good understanding of the relationships of smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle with ED and of using PDE5 inhibitors to treat ED in patients with prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia; this likely reflects a good baseline understanding of these topics. Participants and nonparticipants each displayed a poor understanding of the recommendations regarding nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and PDE5 inhibitor use. Patient reluctance to discuss sexual concerns was perceived as the most significant barrier to optimal ED management. Conclusions., Given patient reluctance to discuss sexual concerns, future CME activities should focus on educating health-care providers and patients that ED is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Both print- and PDA-based CME on ED were effective; the large number of lesson completers suggests a trend toward on-demand, self-selected CME is positive. Broderick GA, and Abdolrasulnia M. Men's sexual health: Evaluating the effectiveness of print- and PDA-based CME. J Sex Med 2009;6:2417,2424. [source] FORECASTING MANUFACTURING OUTPUT GROWTH USING FIRM-LEVEL SURVEY DATATHE MANCHESTER SCHOOL, Issue 4 2005JAMES MITCHELL Traditionally forecasts of macroeconomic aggregates are extracted from prospective qualitative survey data by relating official data on the aggregate to both the proportion of survey respondents who are ,optimists' and the proportion who are ,pessimists'. But there is no reason to focus on these proportions to the exclusion of other possible means of aggregating and quantifying the underlying panel of respondent or firm-level survey responses. Accordingly in this paper we show how the panel of firm-level responses underlying these proportions can be exploited to derive forecasts of (aggregate) manufacturing output growth that do not lose information that may be contained in the pattern of individual responses. An application using firm-level prospective survey data from the Confederation of British Industry shows that the forecasts of manufacturing output growth derived using these ,disaggregate' methods mark an improvement over the so-called ,aggregate' methods based on use of the proportions data alone. [source] Bringing features of human dialogue to web surveysAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Frederick G. Conrad When web survey respondents self-administer a questionnaire, what they are doing is in many ways similar to what goes on in human,human interviews. The studies presented here demonstrate that enabling web survey respondents to engage in the equivalent of clarification dialogue can improve respondents' comprehension of questions and thus the accuracy of their answers, much as it can in human,human interviews. In two laboratory experiments, web survey respondents (1) answered more accurately when they could obtain clarification, that is, ground their understanding of survey questions, than when no clarification was available, and (2) answered particularly accurately with mixed-initiative clarification, where respondents could initiate clarification or the system could provide unsolicited clarification when respondents took too long to answer. Diagnosing the need for clarification based on respondent characteristics,in particular, age,proved more effective than relying on a generic model of all respondents' need for clarification. Although clarification dialogue increased response times, respondents preferred being able to request clarification than not. The current results suggest that bringing features of human dialogue to web surveys can exploit the advantages of both interviewer- and self-administration of questionnaires. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Emergency Medicine Residency Applicant Perceptions of Unethical Recruiting Practices and Illegal Questioning in the MatchACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 6 2009R. Jason Thurman MD Abstract Objectives:, The authors hypothesized that unethical recruiting practices and illegal questioning occur during emergency medicine (EM) resident recruitment. The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of specific unethical recruiting practices and illegal questioning by EM programs based on the perceptions of residency applicants and to measure the effect of these perceptions on applicant appraisal of programs. Methods:, This was a cross-sectional survey of all applicants who matched to U.S. EM programs in 2005 and 2006. The survey questionnaire was developed by the study authors and was validated by pretesting on a small group representative of the study population. The survey addressed specific questions regarding program recruiting behaviors and interview questioning. The hyperlink to the secure anonymous online survey questionnaire was distributed to all EM program directors, asking them in turn to forward the hyperlink to their newly matched incoming residency class. All data were calculated with Score method with continuity correction and reported in proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results:, The authors received 671 survey responses. Among respondents, 56 (8.3%, 95% CI = 6.4% to 10.7%) stated that they were specifically asked to disclose at least one program's position on their rank list by a program representative, and 44 (6.6%, 95% CI = 4.9% to 8.9%) reported that they matched at a program residing lower on their rank list than at least one other program that had informed the applicant they were ranked to match. Furthermore, 201 respondents (30.0%, 95% CI = 26.5% to 33.7%) believed that they were asked at least one illegal question during their interviews, the most common of which was inquiry into their marital status (189 respondents: 28.2%, 95% CI = 24.8% to 31.9%). Respondents were 11 times more likely to move a program to a lower position of preference on their rank order list (12.2%, 95% CI = 9.8% to 15.0%) rather than a higher position (1.1%, 95% CI = 0.5% to 2.3%) as a result of perceiving unethical recruiting behaviors or illegal questioning. Conclusions:, These results demonstrate that among survey respondents, some perceived unethical recruiting behaviors and illegal questioning in the 2005 and 2006 Match. Perceptions of such behaviors appeared to have a negative impact on applicant appraisal of EM residency programs. [source] Perioperative management and the associated rate of adverse events in dermatological procedures performed by dermatologists in New ZealandAUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Bob CY Chan SUMMARY Dermatological surgery performed in an outpatient setting is common and generally perceived as safe, but the potential for serious adverse events does exist. Furthermore, there is a current lack of guidelines regarding preoperative and intraoperative monitoring of such patients. This is a retrospective study that involved a written questionnaire sent to current practising New Zealand dermatologists. Aspects investigated include their practice relating to preoperative assessments and intraoperative monitoring during standard dermatological procedures, and the resulting rate of adverse events. We found that most respondents performed dermatological procedures in dedicated theatres in outpatient clinics. The majority of survey respondents would screen for and optimize risk factors prior to surgery. Most respondents would not record vital sign measurements either preoperatively or intraoperatively. Antibiotic prophylaxis was generally only prescribed if clinically indicated, and anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies were in the majority of cases never withheld prior to surgery. Infection (<3.5%) and bleeding (<2%) were the most common postoperative complications, with other serious adverse events being extremely rare. Although dermatological surgery continues to be safely performed in the outpatient setting, attempts should still be made to identify patients who are at higher risk for surgery and extra precautions should be applied to these selected patients. [source] Postnatal testing for diabetes in Australian women following gestational diabetes mellitusAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Melinda K. MORRISON Background:, Postnatal blood glucose testing is recommended for reclassification of glucose tolerance following a pregnancy affected by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); however, there are limited data on the postnatal follow-up sought by Australian women. Aims:, To describe postnatal diabetes testing patterns in Australian women following a pregnancy affected by GDM and identify factors associated with return for follow-up testing in accordance with the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS) guidelines. Methods:, A cross-sectional self-administered survey of 1372 women diagnosed with GDM between 2003 and 2005, sampled from the National Diabetes Services Scheme database. Results:, Postnatal diabetes testing was reported by 73.2% of survey respondents with 27.4% returning for an oral glucose test tolerance at six to eight weeks post-GDM pregnancy. Using logistic regression analysis, factors associated with appropriate postnatal testing were receiving individualised risk reduction advice (odds ratio (OR) 1.41 (1.08,1.84)) or written information (OR 1.35 (1.03,1.76)) and in two-way interactions, being under the care of an endocrinologist and not tertiary educated (OR 2.09 (1.49,2.93)) as well as seeing an obstetrician and diabetes educator during pregnancy (OR 1.72 (1.19,2.48)). Every five years increase in age reduced the likelihood of a woman returning for testing by 17%. Conclusions:, Specialist diabetes care in non-tertiary educated women, or a team approach to management with diabetes education and obstetric care may act to reinforce the need for postnatal diabetes testing in accordance with the ADIPS guidelines. Individualised follow up from a health professional and provision of written information following a GDM pregnancy may also encourage return for postnatal testing in this high-risk group. [source] Environmental management codes and continuous environmental improvements: insights from the chemical industryBUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 4 2001Barry D. Solomon The chemical industry has the highest quantity of toxic releases and hazardous waste generation in the US. We present survey results that examined compliance with seven major environmental statutes at small and medium-sized chemical facilities. This survey was designed to complement the findings of the US Environmental Protection Agency/Chemical Manufacturers Association ,Root Cause' survey, which attempted to determine reasons for environmental noncompliance at large chemical facilities. Results of our study indicated that 30% of the respondents did not have an Environmental Management System in place, including Responsible Care, even though Responsible Care is required for active membership in their trade association. Also, survey respondents looked beyond their own facility for meeting their compliance assistance needs. Statistical analysis of the results showed that for six of seven environmental laws examined, company size had a statistically significant correlation with awareness of compliance requirements. Only in the case of one major environmental statute was the hypothesized relationship not statistically significant. The results point to the need for trade associations, state and federal government and management to devote additional resources to improving environmental compliance for smaller chemical companies. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [source] An international survey of EEG use in the neonatal intensive care unitACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 8 2010GB Boylan Abstract Objective:, To examine the extent of EEG monitoring in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and to survey the level of experience and training of those using it. Study design:, A web-based survey, the link to which was circulated via e-mail, personal contact, specialist societies and professional groups. Survey data were exported to SPSS for analysis. Results:, In total 210 surveys were analysed; 124 from Europe, 54 from the US. Ninety percent of respondents had access to either EEG or aEEG monitoring; 51% had both. EEG was mainly interpreted by neurophysiologists (72%) whereas aEEG was usually interpreted by neonatologists (80%). Only 9% of respondents reported that they felt ,very confident' in their ability to interpret aEEG/EEG with 31% reporting that they were ,not confident'. Half had received no formal training in EEG. Conclusion:, Both aEEG and conventional EEG were used extensively in the NICUs surveyed for this study. Most of the survey respondents were not confident in their ability to interpret EEGs despite the fact that they used monitoring routinely. There is an urgent need for a structured and appropriately targeted training programme in EEG methodologies and EEG interpretation for neonatal intensive care unit staff. [source] Do Integrated Children's Services Improve Children's Outcomes?: Evidence From England's Children's Trust PathfindersCHILDREN & SOCIETY, Issue 5 2009Margaret O'Brien Thirty-five children's trust pathfinders, local cross-sector partnerships, were introduced across England in 2003 to promote greater integration in children's services. Using administrative performance data, this paper tracks yearly trends in child service outputs and child well-being outcomes from 1997 to 2004 in these local areas, including the period before their introduction. Professional perceptions of change in child outcomes are also presented. Time series regression analysis shows there was a general improvement in England in these selected performance indicators prior to the introduction of children's trusts pathfinders. Children's trust pathfinder areas initially focusing on ,all children' in their local area, rather than selected groups of children, showed the most progress. There was no consistent quantitative evidence for better outcomes in more integrated areas, however, 25 of the 35 survey respondents provided locally specific examples of children's trust pathfinder arrangements improving outcomes for children and young people. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||