Pejorative phrases or innocent idioms? Exploring terms used by tomorrow’s doctors in relation to older people

ABSTRACT

Older people are the “core business” for 21st century hospitals. Of concern, therefore, is negative stereotyping of older people by medical students. Through a bespoke teaching session for final-year medical students, we aimed to deconstruct the phraseology they employed in relation to older people and to drive attitudinal change among students. This study also aimed to discern whether there was a detectable difference in attitudes toward older people after the session. Forty-seven medical students participated. Students recorded in a “word-cloud” terms they associated with older people in hospital before and after the session. The University of California Los Angeles Geriatrics Attitude Scale (UCLA-GAS) was administered for pre-session. The intervention students, along with a control group, completed this instrument at the end of their placement. Content analysis of word cloud data was performed—an iterative, transparent, structured approach to analysis, along with external critique of findings and collaborative triangulation ensured rigor of analysis. Qualitative analysis demonstrated the use of pejorative and sometimes nihilistic terms. There were evidence of growing appreciation of the inherent complexity of caring for older people and increasing awareness of how healthcare systems can be challenging for older people. Quantitative analysis revealed that there is no statistical difference neither between the UCLA-GAS pre- and post-teaching nor the intervention and control groups. In conclusion, a bespoke educational intervention, designed to promote student reflection on their views toward older people in hospital, can be a catalyst to challenging superficial and stereotypical views.     

Partially plastic thick-walled tubes

A theory is presented for the partial plastic yielding of thick-walled cylindrical tubes acted upon by any combination of internal pressure, external pressure and end load when the material follows an arbitrary stress-strain law. The solution combines (a) the distortion energy theory of plastic flow and (b) the effects of elastic compressibility of the plastic material.Numerical values for stresses and strains are given for certain special cases of internal pressure in thick-walled open-ended tubes for an idealized stress-strain law, and the results are compared with earlier approximate theories.     

Chemical degradation of a paraffin wax-based binder used in granular composite sport surfaces

Chemical changes in high-oil wax-based binders used in Thoroughbred horse racing synthetic surfaces are studied over a 7-year period in an effort to understand the effect of changes in the binder on track behavior. A wax or polymer binder is used to hold the sand, fiber, and rubber constituents together in addition to creating a hydrophobic coating on the sand. The binder was extracted from bulk samples obtained from sampling of a racetrack surface at the same location on a single racetrack. During the 7 years, the material components of the track were not altered nor was material added, although normal maintenance including daily harrowing and annual tilling was performed. The binder was separated via solvent extraction from the samples. Differences in chemical composition were determined through oil extraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography (GC-FID), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results show chemical changes in the binder resulting from oxidation of the oil in the wax, as well as changes in wax molecular structure. The goal of this work is to better understand how the binder changes over time to help guide maintenance and replacement decisions. Other potential changes to the surface materials can include the addition of oil stabilizers and binder replenishment. If the time interval between surface replacements can be extended, it would enable racetracks to provide a consistent and potentially safer racing surface at a lower cost.     

Reading attitudes and reading interests of urban intermediate grade students

The Survey of Reading Attitudes and the Bundy Reading Preference Survey were administered to 130 fourth- and fifth-grade students enrolled in an urban school with a student body that is representative of the student population of the city. The total score of the Bundy Reading Preference Survey resulted in a significant moderate correlation with the Reading as Enjoyment Dimension of the Survey of Reading Attitudes. This correlation contributes to the construct validity of both measures.     

Assessment of alcohol and other drug abuse with referred adolescents

Adolescents with alcohol or other drug problems may be referred to school psychologists for assessment and demonstrate symptoms similar to handicapping conditions such as learning disabilities or emotional disturbance. Therefore, school psychologists have a need for assessment techniques to determine the probablity that referred adolescents have alcohol or other drug problems. In this paper, prereferral questionnaires, initial interviews, behavioral observations, and assessment devices are discussed. Suggestions are made for referring substance-abusing adolescents.     

Now you see it; now you don't: the elusive nature of electronic information

As more and more information is made available in electronic formats, ensuring reliable access to that information over time is becoming a concern for acquisitions and collection management personnel in all types of libraries. This paper looks at the current situation regarding the availability of monographs, serials, government publications, and web-based information. Possible resolutions must be viewed from a library-wide basis since the situation impacts all of us.