Cultural Diversity Among Older Adults: Addressing Health Education

ABSTRACT

The diversity of the older adult population is increasing, and health professionals need to learn new knowledge and skills to improve the adherence of older ethnic clients to their health recommendations. Much of the existing research literature on diversity in gerontology concludes that ethnic older adults are at a health disadvantage. Few if any of these studies, however, offer practical applications for health promoters. This article reports on a paradox: there is a surprising amount of diversity within each group of ethnic elders, but it may be the similarities across these groups that lead to practical applications of use to health-promoters. The article ends with health-promotion questions of relevance to older adults, regardless of ethnicity.     

Secondary school students’ perceptions of working life skills in science-related careers

ABSTRACT

School students demonstrate a lack of interest in choosing science studies and science-related careers. To better understand the underlying reasons, this study aims to examine secondary school students’ perceptions of working life skills and how these perceptions relate to the skills of the twenty-first century. The participants in this study were 144 Finnish 7th graders (aged 13–14 years). Using a questionnaire and qualitative content analysis, we examined their perceptions of working life skills in ‘careers in science’ and ‘careers with science’. Results reveal that although students have a great deal of knowledge about working life skills, it is often just stereotyped. Sector-specific knowledge and skills were highlighted in particular but skills related to society, organisation, time and higher order thinking, were often omitted. Results also indicate that students do not associate ‘careers in science’ with creativity, innovation, collaboration or technology and ICT skills. Conversely, according to the students, these careers demand more sector-specific knowledge and responsibility than ‘careers with science’. We conclude that students need more wide-ranging information about scientific careers and the competencies demanded; such information can be acquired by e.g. interacting with professionals and their real working life problems.     

Arizona State University: Prominence Within the University Essential; Prominence Within the Academic Field Is Nice

ABSTRACT

This article posits that each content area that falls under the umbrella of kinesiology must develop a future cadre of professionals who are competent in their content knowledge and are trained as leaders who are able to understand the essential impacts of culture on their work. The intentional development of culturally fluent leaders should be a cornerstone placed at the intersections of the discrete fields contained within kinesiology to collectively and authentically promote excellence in the whole, which is potentially greater than anything possible for the individual parts. Cultural fluency is an on-going process of critical reflection with the intention of accurately interpreting intercultural interactions. Leadership is essential to support cultural fluency, and being culturally fluent may be essential for effective leadership. Both must be explicitly taught to future kinesiology professionals at the undergraduate and graduate levels to collectively move the professions forward to accurately serve the health, wellness, and physical activity needs of all individuals in our dynamic society.     

Perceptions of typically developing children in India about their siblings with disabilities

ABSTRACT

In India, people with disabilities often struggle to access various opportunities and resources. As a result of perceptions within the Indian culture around disabilities, families may face social, financial, and emotional difficulties. Within the family, a child with a disability may lead to strained relationships, particularly with siblings. Often siblings have little knowledge about disabilities and may feel ostracised. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of 12 Indian children regarding their siblings with disabilities, including their perceptions about disabilities against the backdrop of societal attitudes. Participants were interviewed to understand their knowledge of their siblings’ disabilities, to examine their sibling relationships, and to assess how school and society influenced their perceptions about disabilities. Results from this study can help family members understand how disability shapes relationships between children. The findings also provide key stakeholders with information that might help them better support families.     

Therapeutic interventions with child survivors of sibling sexual abuse: The professionals’ perspective

BackgroundSibling sexual abuse (SSA) is a continuum of childhood sexual behaviors that do not fit age-appropriate curiosity. SSA may be the most prevalent, longest lasting form of intrafamilial sexual abuse – and the least reported, studied and treated.ObjectiveThis exploratory qualitative study examined the experience of intervention with SSA survivors from the perspective of mental health professionals, and explored their major therapeutic challenges.Participants and settingThe sample consisted of 20 Jewish Israeli mental health professionals working in private clinics or public social welfare services who had experience with SSA.MethodsSemi-structured interviews focusing on the characteristics of SSA events, perceptions about the effects of abuse, intervention priorities and therapeutic challenges compared to other types of child abuse.ResultsProfessionals working with SSA survivors are preoccupied with the need to provide them with physical and emotional protection, as well as to help them process the abuse narrative. They also find themselves dealing with survivors who do not experience themselves as victims despite external evidence of abuse, or with the need to reconcile their perception of the sexual relationship as mutual, as opposed to the formal requirement to differentiate between “offender” and “victim”. In either case, the reality of these survivors can be just as painful as in other SSA cases.ConclusionsThe complexity of SSA calls for unique intervention skills, including working with survivor narratives that do not fit the victim/offender dichotomy on one hand and that do not minimize the potentially harsh consequences of SSA on the other.     

Teachers’ differing perceptions of classroom disturbances

Background: Efficient classroom management and adequate discipline are major issues for teachers in schools worldwide, with the guiding of students’ behaviour as one of the primary challenges. Teachers’ knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour play central roles in the appropriate handling of classroom disturbances.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how practising teachers perceive classroom disturbances and to compare their views to those presented in the literature. By clarifying typical perceptions, this research is intended to give individual teachers tools to develop their insights by comparing their perceptions with those of other teachers.

Sample: The empirical material was collected by interviewing 14 home economics teachers in Finland. Home economics is a school subject that involves individual and group work as well as theoretical and practical work. In Finland, home economics is a compulsory subject for students aged 13–15 years, which are challenging ages in regard to classroom management.

Design and methods: The empirical research was completed via deep, qualitative theme interviews for data gathering and phenomenography for analysis.

Results: The analysis identified five dimensions in which interviewees expressed varying views of classroom disturbances: who or what disturbs, whose work is disturbed, why students disturb, who is responsible and how to prevent classroom disturbances. Based on the various perceptions within each dimension, the main perceptions for understanding classroom disturbances can be condensed into four categories: unavoidable nuisance, deficient resources, the matter of atmosphere and educational task.

Conclusions: Teachers who wish to develop their classroom management skills may use these findings as tools to compare their perceptions with those of other teachers. This knowledge may also be useful for developing teacher education.     

Overcoming ageism: critical reflexivity for gerontology practice

ABSTRACT

Ageism is an age-based form of discrimination that still prevails in our modern society. As other forms of discrimination, older adults may encounter ageist discourses in a variety of contexts, including health care settings. In this paper, we consider critical reflexivity as an approach to challenge ageism within health care contexts. We explore the potential of critical reflexivity to transform the perceptions of older age among students in the health professions who work with older adults. We examine observation, narrative and reflexive writing as fruitful strategies to facilitate dialogue and critically interrogate ageist discourses.     

Distance education for dentists: Improving the quality of online instruction

Abstract

This study describes the development and the evaluation of quality assurance criteria for online dental education. These criteria were developed by the authors and evaluated by oral health professionals through an Internet survey. The survey indicated that oral health professionals ranked the creation of scientifically based, frequently updated courses that clearly define their educational goals and objectives as highly important.     

RECENTLY COMPLETED DISSERTATIONS ON COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES

This study was undertaken to investigate the perceptions held by developmental educators and counselors—student affairs professionals of current procedures for working with students with learning disabilities in community colleges. Current knowledge of students with learning disabilities and perceptions about their academic success were also examined. Implications for practice based on the results of this study were included.     

Belonging,school support and communication: Essential aspects of school success for students with cerebral palsy in mainstream schools

PurposeInvestigate successful school experiences for students with cerebral palsy (CP); identify and describe learning and participation at school.MethodsA phenomenologically-informed qualitative study using in-depth interviews with students (n = 7), parents (n = 11), teachers (n = 10), principals (n = 9), and allied health (n = 10) was conducted to investigate multiple perceptions. Thematic analysis occurred within and between groups.ResultsThree themes were identified: Students belong and benefit; Classroom enablers that help; Communication is crucial.ConclusionsStudents’ school experiences are enhanced by innovative classroom solutions that support classroom learning and involvement. Students rely on a diverse team that communicate well and implement individualised solutions that enable success.     

Depression and Its Treatments

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to gather information within a specific college population about the general prevalence of anti-depressant use and psychotherapy for depression, which treatments people tend to prefer, people's perceptions of the helpfulness of treatments, and if this information was consistent with the research and the current status of the managed health care system. The results demonstrate a high prevalence rate, that people tend to prefer psychotherapy, and that the managed health care system is not providing the best or equal coverage of treatments for depression.     

Knowledge and attitudes of secondary school teachers regarding sexual health education in England

Objective To assess the sexual health knowledge of teachers who contribute to secondary school sexual health education in order to determine whether teachers are adequately prepared to implement present government education and public health policies.

Design Results were obtained from a questionnaire as part of a two‐phase intervention study.

Setting Nineteen mixed‐sex, state secondary schools in central England.

Participants One hundred and fifty‐five teachers (94 female, 61 male) participated.

Main outcome measures The questionnaires were distributed to teachers to assess their knowledge of sexual health, contraception and sexually transmitted infections. In addition, teachers' attitudes on the subject of sex and relationships education were evaluated.

Results The results suggest that teachers have insufficient sexual health knowledge to effectively teach sexually transmitted infections or emergency contraception, although their general sexual health knowledge was good. Therefore, at present teachers do not have adequate specialist knowledge in sexual health to contribute to current recommendations for sex and relationships education in secondary schools. There were no statistically significant differences in the results regarding location of school, area of residence, gender or age of the participant.

Conclusions Many teachers are being expected to contribute to secondary school sexual health education programmes at a time when they do not have sufficient knowledge to provide young people with adequate sexual health education and when they do not feel prepared to teach, and in many cases would prefer not to teach, these programmes.     

Knowledge of secondary school pupils regarding sexual health education

Objective: To assess the sexual health knowledge of secondary school pupils in order to ascertain whether the current government public health and education policies are having any impact on pupils' sexual health.

Design: Results obtained from a questionnaire as part of a two‐phase intervention study.

Setting: Nineteen mixed‐sex, state secondary schools in central England.

Participants: Year 8 pupils (350 male, 345 female), year 9 pupils (300 male, 325 female) and year 10 pupils (310 male, 329 female).

Intervention: A questionnaire survey to assess the knowledge of pupils' sexual health education.

Main outcome measures: Questionnaires distributed to pupils as baseline to assess their knowledge of sexual health, contraception and sexually transmitted infections.

Results: Sexual health knowledge improves with age. A significant difference across all age groups was found, although knowledge regarding sexually transmitted infections and emergency contraception is poor for all age groups.

Conclusions: Current sexual health education provision is not providing young people with adequate knowledge regarding sexual health and contraception.     

Higher education students’ experiences of a short-term international programme: Exploring cultural competency and professional development

Background: Globalisation trends such as increased migration to and within European countries have led to even greater cultural diversity in European societies. Cultural diversity increases the demand of cultural competency amongst professionals entering their work field. In particular, healthcare professionals need knowledge and skills to equip them to work with clients from different cultural backgrounds. Within higher education (HE), the professional development of cultural competency should ideally feature in undergraduate education and is often promoted as a by-product of a study abroad period. However, recognising that logistical and financial barriers often exist for extended study abroad, one alternative approach could be participation, at home or abroad, in a short-term international programme set within students’ own HE institutions.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore HE students’ experiences of participating in international ‘short-term mobility week’ programmes at three European universities.

Methods: Each university involved in the research offered short-term programmes for healthcare professions students at their own institution, where both local students and students from abroad could participate. Participants were healthcare students in the programme at one of the three universities. Data were collected through focus group interviews (4–8 students per group; n = 25). The data were transcribed and then analysed qualitatively, using a content comparison method.

Results: The analysis identified six categories, which reflected students’ journeys within the short-term international experiences.

Conclusions: The analysis suggested that, for these students, engagement in a short-term mobility week programme provided valuable opportunities for encounters with others, which contributed to personal and professional development, greater confidence in the students’ own professional identities, as well as an increasing sense of cultural awareness.     

Learning outdoors or with a computer: the contribution of the learning setting to learning and to environmental perceptions

ABSTRACT

Background: Outdoor learning and computer-based learning are two different alternatives to in-class conventional teacher-centered learning.

Purpose: This study compares the outdoor learning setting with computer-based learning in class. It examines the influence of the two different learning settings on academic achievements, the learning experience, and pro-environmental perceptions.

Sample: A total of 90 elementary school students (third and fourth-grade classes) participated in the study.

Design and methods: The academic knowledge of the study participants was tested through identical exams for both learning settings. In addition, in each group the students’ perceptions were examined by means of a questionnaire about environmental values and the learning experience.

Results: The study demonstrates that academic achievements in the two settings were similar, but the students expressed more enthusiasm about the outdoor learning experience than about in-class learning. In addition, the outdoor learning setting contributed more to promoting positive environmental perceptions even though students did not learn directly about environmental issues and sustainability.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that learning in the natural environment is valuable: Alongside the fostering of computerized learning, it is also important to promoteoutdoor learning settings and integrate both settings by implementing mobile technologies in the outdoor teaching.     

Evidence-based health promotion in nursing homes: A pilot intervention to improve oral health

ABSTRACT

Nursing home residents over the age of 65 years are at high risk for poor oral health and related complications such as pneumonia and adverse diabetes outcomes. A preliminary study found that Massachusetts’ nursing homes generally lack the training and resources needed to provide adequate oral health care to residents. In this study, an intervention targeting Certified Nurses’ Aides (CNAs) was developed and tested. We hypothesized that following the training, CNAs would have increased knowledge and self-efficacy toward providing oral health care to the residents in their charge.

This pilot study used a one-group pretest-posttest design to test the effectiveness of a psycho-educational training intervention. Utilizing the constructs of knowledge and self-efficacy from the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Social Cognitive Theory, we framed the content of a training intervention and administered a 21-item instrument. The survey was distributed to the CNA staff of a single midsize nursing home immediately prior to and after the intervention. The 1-hour training intervention was empirically supported by formative data and delivered by dental faculty researchers.

Findings indicate increases in two areas of oral health knowledge: toothbrush position and frequency of brushing. Self-efficacy, however, did not significantly change. Although the results marginally supported our hypothesis, this pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of delivering interventions to CNAs who have direct responsibility for promoting the oral health of long-term care facility residents.     

Taking Responsibility for Learning isn't Everything: A case for developing tertiary students' conceptions of learning

This study examines first year university student perceptions of responsibility for their learning, within the context of their conceptions of learning, with a view to meeting two of the objectives of higher education in Australia: teaching students to think and to learn. A questionnaire was distributed to 100 students undertaking at least one first year subject at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) in 1998. Their written responses provided information about their conceptions of learning, as well as both direct and indirect indications of their perceptions of responsibility. Results indicated that students held perceptions of personal responsibility for their learning, but that their conceptions of learning were essentially quantitative in nature and were at the lower levels of complexity. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of university teaching and learning, and of meeting the ultimate objectives of higher education.     

A comparative study on student perceptions of their learning outcomes in undergraduate science degree programmes with differing curriculum models

ABSTRACT

This study investigated students’ perceptions of their graduate learning outcomes including content knowledge, communication, writing, teamwork, quantitative skills, and ethical thinking in two Australian universities. One university has a traditional discipline-orientated curriculum and the other, an interdisciplinary curriculum in the entry semester of first year. The Science Students Skills Inventory asked students (n?=?613) in first and final years to rate their perceptions of the importance of developing graduate learning outcomes within the programme; how much they improved their graduate learning outcomes throughout their undergraduate science programme; how much they saw learning outcomes included in the programme; and how confident they were about their learning outcomes. A framework of progressive curriculum development was adopted to interpret results. Students in the discipline-oriented degree programme reported higher perceptions of scientific content knowledge and ethical thinking while students from the interdisciplinary curriculum indicated higher perceptions of oral communication and teamwork. Implications for curriculum development include ensuring progressive development from first to third years, a need for enhanced focus on scientific ethics, and career opportunities from first year onwards.     

Meeting the speech and language needs of first nation's children attending band‐controlled schools in Northern Saskatchewan,Canada

Abstract

This paper describes an initiative by the Running Waters Cree Nation to seek speech and language services for children in the locally controlled school system. The result was a contract with a team of speech/ language pathologists from southern Saskatchewan, who were able to demonstrate that the provision of long distance service Is not without possibility. The success of this project also convinced the nations of the Tribal Council that speech and language is a vital special‐needs service. Favourable outcomes of the venture included the provision of ongoing funding, enhanced teacher knowledge, and the hiring of a qualified speech/language pathologist for the Woodlands Tribal Council, which serves 12 First Nations in the northern region of Saskatchewan, Canada.