Older Women in New Romantic Relationships.

Although research has found that sexual activity declines with age, most of this literature examines people in long-term marriages. Little is known about the initiation of new sexual relationships in later life. In-depth interviews with 14 women aged 64 to 77 years were conducted to examine their personal and collective narratives regarding sexuality in later life.

Close relationships and disordered eating: Partner perspectives.

The role and potential significance of romantic partners have been acknowledged in the eating disorder literature; yet, few studies have addressed partner perspectives, and none of these have involved dating relationships or considered the implications of the initiation of recovery for partner perceptions. In this study, common themes in the analysis of 12 partner interviews included changing understandings of disordered eating, development of strategies to support their partners, and lack of resources. In addition, participants whose partners did not initiate recovery reported confusion and helplessness, while those whose partners initiated recovery expressed responsibility for and gratification in the positive changes.

Using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) to study the molecular conformation of parchment artifacts in different macroscopic states.

Maintaining appropriate temperatures and relative humidity is considered essential to extending the useful life of parchment artifacts. Although the relationship between environmental factors and changes to the physical state of artifacts is reasonably understood, an improved understanding of the relationship between the molecular conformation and changes to the macroscopic condition of parchment is needed to optimize environmental conditions. Using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) analysis, the conformation of the molecular structure in selected parchment samples with specific macroscopic conditions, typically discoloration and planar deformations (e.

Older adults navigating medicare: when benefits are denied.

Guided by Bourdieu's theory of practice and symbolic violence, this qualitative study explored experiences and perceptions of elderly beneficiaries who had been denied rehabilitation services by Medicare. In semistructured interviews, 12 beneficiaries or family members told of the physical, psychological, and financial consequences of service denial/termination. The resulting perception of Medicare was as a cumbersome, difficult to negotiate system.

Meal patterns and food choices of young African-American men: understanding eating within the context of daily life.

Although young African-American men are at particularly high risk of developing hypertension at an early age, dietary interventions that have successfully reduced blood pressure among African-American adults have not been translated into programs for this group. Life contexts such as school enrollment, participation in competitive athletics, and employment influence the daily activities and meal patterns of African-American men. This study explored the activities of young African-American men to identify opportunities to increase healthful food choices.

Women narrate later life remarriage: Negotiating the cultural to create the personal.

Narrative provides a window to experience in a way that is different from traditional research methods. In this study, narrative affords both a holistic vantage point on later life relationships, and at the same time, a "view from the inside"-older women's own accounts of single life, relationship development, and remarriage. The narratives were obtained in interviews with eight recently remarried women between the ages of sixty-five and eighty.

"It has made college possible for me": feedback on the impact of a university-based center for students in recovery.

Objective: The authors aimed to gain information on (1) the challenges for recovering students on a university campus and (2) the most helpful components of a collegiate recovery program.

Participants: The 15 students in the study were all in recovery from substance abuse. They entered the university and also entered the campus recovery program either in fall 2002 or fall 2003.

Situating alcohol use and delinquency within developmental and societal context: the case of Korean youth.

In this study involving self-report questionnaire data from 955 tenth-grade students in three locations within Korea, we address the meanings of alcohol use and delinquency for Korean youth. Findings (a) supported a facilitative role for alcohol, but not delinquency, with respect to perceived peer social competence; (b) indicated negative associations of both alcohol use and delinquency with parental relations, valuing academic achievement, and collectivistic values, and positive associations with friends' risk behaviours; (c) showed no relationship of these behaviours with self-esteem, coping, parental permissiveness or individualistic values; and (d) revealed that perceived benefits of alcohol use and delinquency include not only social facilitation but also exploration and assertion of independence, suggesting a potential connection, as in Western societies, between risk taking, and identity exploration.

Narratives of development, experiences of risk: adult women's perspectives on relationships and safer sex.

Mid-life women are increasingly at risk for HIV/AIDS, yet relatively few studies have targeted this age group. In this study, we explored views of relationships and safer sex practices among eight well-educated, single, heterosexual adult women through in-depth interviews and supplemental questionnaires. The women viewed themselves as competent, responsible, and mature in terms of their relationship and sexual choices.

Self-reflecting in developmental context: variations in level and patterning during the first 2 university years.

Self-reflection, typically operationalized in scales of egocentrism and introspectiveness, is portrayed as problematic in much of the literature on adolescents. Self-reflection has been linked to dysfunctional self-consciousness, symptomatology, and risk behaviors. Yet, self-reflection also is seen as essential for adolescent development, particularly with respect to individuation and identity.

Does aqueous or sucralfate cream affect the severity of erythematous radiation skin reactions? A randomised controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: Evidence on which to base decisions about the management of radiation skin reactions is lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether sucralfate or aqueous cream reduced acute skin toxicity during radiotherapy to the head and neck, breast or anorectal area (phase A), and to evaluate the effect of hydrogels and dry dressings on moist desquamation (phase B). This paper presents the results of phase A.

Age-related parenting stress differences in mothers of children with spina bifida.

This study examined whether ages of child and parent were risk factors for general parenting stress and disability-specific stress in families of children with spina bifida. Parents of 64 children with spina bifida completed the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, Parents of Children with Disabilities Inventory, and measures of family support and resources. Scores of families with children under 6 years (preschool) versus 6- to 12-yr.

Individual differences in attachment-autonomy configurations: linkages with substance use and youth competencies.

Variations in attachment-autonomy configurations are explored as these relate to substance use and several adolescent competencies. Questionnaires completed by 470 university students included measures of parental attachment, autonomy (both emotional autonomy and self-reliance), substance use, problems associated with substance use, social competencies, and coping. Analyses of subgroups representing four attachment-autonomy patterns, derived from cluster analysis, showed higher competency levels and fewer problems related to substance use for the group combining strong attachment and self-reliance coupled with low levels of emotional autonomy.

Extent of services provided by pharmacists in the Iowa Medicaid Pharmaceutical Case Management program.

Objective: To summarize the start-up experience with patients identified as eligible during the first four quarters of the Iowa Pharmaceutical Case Management (PCM) program and to characterize the extent of the services proved by pharmacists in the program.

Design: Prospective pharmaceutical care intervention project.

Setting: One hundred seventeen community pharmacies in Iowa.

Extent of services provided by pharmacists in the iowa medicaid pharmaceutical case management program.

OBJECTIVE To summarize the start-up experience with patients identified as eligible during the first four quarters of the Iowa Pharmaceutical Case Management (PCM) program and to characterize the extent of the services proved by pharmacists in the program. DESIGN Prospective pharmaceutical care intervention project. SETTING One hundred seventeen community pharmacies in Iowa.

Antibiotic resistance: the Iowa experience.

Background: In the past 10 years, the number of strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and other common respiratory pathogens that are resistant to penicillin has increased.

Objective: The Iowa Department of Public Health convened a multidisciplinary task force in January 1998 to develop strategies to combat antibiotic resistance in the state because they were alarmed by these reports.

Methods: Within 18 months, the task force implemented statewide surveillance of resistant organisms and posted information about the surveillance on the Internet, distributed a public health guide on judicious antibiotic use and infection control measures to 7500 healthcare providers, and held a press conference to inform the public about antibiotic resistance.

The effect of financial risk arrangements on service access and satisfaction among medicaid beneficiaries.

Objective: The relationship between financial risk arrangements, access to services, and consumer satisfaction with services was assessed in a sample of Medicaid beneficiaries who were enrolled under three different financial risk arrangements for health care and mental health care.

Methods: A survey was mailed to a stratified random sample of 9,449 recipients of Supplemental Security Income. Respondents reported their health and mental health service needs, service use, and satisfaction with services.