US South Asian Youths' Perspectives on the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes varied medical and healthcare systems, healing practices, and products that are outside of allopathy/biomedicine. The aim of this study was to examine US South Asian youths' beliefs, practices, decision-making, and experiences of using CAM. Ten focus group discussions with 36 participants were conducted.

"It Seems Like a Bad Thing": US South Asian Youths' Perspectives About the Use of Hospice Care.

Background: South Asians are one of the fastest growing populations in the US. Family based decision making is common among this population. Little is known about their knowledge and attitudes towards hospice use.

"The Ones that Care Make all the Difference": Perspectives on Student-Faculty Relationships.

Student-faculty (S-F) interactions that are conducive to students' learning can help reduce the retention and graduation gaps in higher education, especially for college students from underrepresented and underprivileged backgrounds. The aim of the study was to explore students' perceptions of their interactions with faculty, and the subjective impact of these interactions on students' academic and personal life. We analyzed qualitative data from a larger study with the goal of providing best practice models to support students experiencing displacement and food insecurity.

U.S. Providers' Perceptions of the Psychosocial Needs of Seriously Ill Patients of South Asian Origin: Implications for Health Social Work.

The number of individuals of South Asian origin receiving health care in the United States is rapidly growing, yet little is known about their psychosocial needs. To better inform the provision of culturally competent social work services for this patient population, researchers sought to describe U.S.

Health-Care Providers' Perspectives on Decision-Making Among Seriously Ill Patients of South Asian Origin in the United States.

Background: Persons of South Asian origin (SAs) are the fastest growing minority group in the United States. Culturally competent care for patients and families of SA origin necessitates an understanding of the cultural factors that affect decision-making for palliative and end-of-life care.

Objective: To better understand health-care providers' perspectives on decision-making among seriously ill persons of SA origin.

Communication Challenges and Strategies of U.S. Health Professionals Caring for Seriously Ill South Asian Patients and Their Families.

Background: While effective communication is important in the care of seriously ill patients, little is known about communication challenges faced by healthcare providers serving U.S. patients of South Asian origin, one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the United States.

Does Volunteering Experience Influence Advance Care Planning in Old Age?

Advance care planning (ACP) increases the likelihood patients will receive end-of-life care that is congruent with their preferences and lowers stress among both patients and caregivers. Previous efforts to increase ACP have mainly focused on information provision in the very late stage of life. This study examines whether a relationship exists between volunteering and ACP, and whether this relationship is associated with social support.

Exploring Changes in Interagency Collaboration Following AIDS United's Positive Charge: A Five-Site HIV Linkage and Retention in Care Program.

Background: Many out-of-care people living with HIV have unmet basic needs and are served by loosely connected agencies. Prior research suggests that increasing agencies' coordination may lead to higher quality and better coordinated care. This study examines four U.

Perspectives of HIV agencies on improving HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in the USA.

HIV healthcare services in the USA are made available through a complex funding and delivery system. We present perspectives of HIV agencies on improvements that could lead to an ideal system of HIV prevention, treatment and care. We conducted semi-structured interviews with representatives from 21 HIV agencies offering diverse services in Baltimore, MD.

Analysing collaboration among HIV agencies through combining network theory and relational coordination.

Agencies with different foci (e.g. nutrition, social, medical, housing) serve people living with HIV (PLHIV).

The Dog narratives: Benefits of the human-animal bond for women with HIV.

Introduction: Companion animals play important roles in the lives of people managing the many symptoms associated with a chronic illness such as HIV. This study explored meaningful examples of pets, particularly dogs, and their place in support networks among women living with AIDS/HIV.

Method: Data were collected via focus group, as part of a larger Photovoice project.

Perspectives of Health Care Providers on US South Asians' Attitudes Toward Pain Management at End of Life.

A lack of research on pain management among seriously ill South Asians reveals a critical gap in the knowledge base regarding culturally responsive end-of-life care. This qualitative descriptive study investigated the perspectives of health care providers that have cared for seriously ill older South Asians, on the attitudes of US South Asians toward the management of pain experienced at end of life and the factors that influenced these attitudes. Thematic analysis of interviews and focus group discussions with 57 health care providers indicated that providers perceive South Asian patients and families to be generally reluctant to use medications to treat pain experienced at end of life.

Trends in Engagement in Advance Care Planning Behaviors and the Role of Socioeconomic Status.

We investigated the trends in advance care planning (ACP) between 2002 and 2010 and whether socioeconomic status explained such trends. We conducted a pooled regression analysis of Health and Retirement Study data from 6052 proxies of deceased individuals. We studied 3 ACP behaviors, discussing end-of-life (EOL) care preferences, providing written EOL care instructions, and appointing a durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC).

The use of memoranda of understanding in fostering inter-agency collaboration: a qualitative study of health services agencies serving vulnerable populations in Baltimore, USA.

Introduction: We examined whether mandated collaboration reflected in memoranda of understanding (MOUs) developed by health agencies to meet funder expectations is effective in fostering inter-agency collaboration.

Methods: We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews from late 2010 to early 2012 in Baltimore, USA, with representatives of 17 HIV service agencies, three local health department units, and one agency that closed in 2008 (two interviews).

Results: While there was no consensus, most respondents perceived MOUs negatively, mainly because the process of obtaining signed MOUs was time consuming; frontline staff was mostly unaware of MOUs, agencies did not necessarily work with agencies they signed MOUs with and MOUs were rarely evaluated after being signed.

Traditional expectations versus US realities: first- and second-generation Asian Indian perspectives on end-of-life care.

Background: Although end-of-life care preferences vary across racial/ethnic groups, little is known about how cultural values affect end-of-life care preferences among South Asian immigrants and their offspring in the US.

Objective: To examine the perspectives of first- and second-generation South Asians living in the US regarding end-of-life care.

Design: Focus group study.

Correlates of non-medical prescription drug use among a cohort of injection drug users in Baltimore City.

Despite reports of increasing non-medical prescription drug use, relatively few studies have systematically evaluated the prevalence and correlates of non-medical prescription drug use, particularly in populations that might be especially vulnerable (e.g., injection drug users [IDUs]).

HIV/AIDS interventions in Bangladesh: what can application of a social exclusion framework tell us?

Bangladesh has maintained a low HIV prevalence (of less than 1%) despite multiple risk factors. However, recent serological surveillance data have reported very high levels of HIV infection among a subgroup of male injecting drug-users (IDUs). This suggests that an HIV/AIDS epidemic could be imminent in Bangladesh.

Impaired folliculogenesis and ovulation in older reproductive aged women.

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that older reproductive aged women ovulate at a smaller follicle diameter and are more likely to produce multiple follicles during their menstrual cycle compared with midreproductive aged women. We performed a comparative study of 16 midreproductive aged women (MRA; 22-34 yr old) and 34 older reproductive aged women (ORA; > or = 45 yr old). Women underwent serial transvaginal ultrasounds to follow follicular growth over 1 menstrual cycle.