Developing a Model of Medication Adherence among Filipino Elderly

While adherence to medication remains a problematic area in the care of chronically ill elderly, an extended model that incorporates the interaction of studied variables remains a blank spot. Anchored on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, this article details our efforts to develop and test a model of medication adherence among Filipino elderly relative to their medication belief, follow-up visits, consultation satisfaction, memory task, trust with physician, perceived stress, memory strategies, social support, memory load, depression, length of time taking the medication, number of conditions, and self-efficacy with medication adherence. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to study causalities among all parameters. With the participation of 325 older adults located in District IV, Sampaloc, Manila, data needed were gathered through a multiaspect questionnaire consisting of a robotfoto, a memory strategy usage measure, an eight-scale Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, a General Self-efficacy Scale, a Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire, and a Perceived Stress Scale. Data were analyzed using AMOS version 19. Results revealed that depression, trust with physician, and number of conditions affect adherence positively, while event-based memory, consultation satisfaction, memory load, and external memory strategy affect it otherwise. Some suggested variables were found to have no impact at all. As this study reveals, careful consideration should be given to multiple factors, and their interrelationship should be examined well. Because many factors can influence medication adherence behavior of the elderly, and because the reasons for their noncompliance are also varied, multifaceted solutions must be developed.     

Cognitive Processes,ICT, and Education: A Critical Analysis

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have brought about renewed spaces for the societies of today, full of possibility and transformation. Bordering on the infinite, these spaces have generated new activities and behaviors. This technological scenario is now commonplace, an everyday reality that has taken root in our lives with remarkable speed. Now would therefore be an appropriate time to open up a line of inquiry into how this is shaping educational practice and how it is affecting our cognitive structures. We have chosen to conduct a review of relevant literature that will enable us to adopt a critical analysis to our subject: education and, above all, the learner, seen from the perspective of neuroscience and social analysis. However, the principal aim of this paper is to lay bare the disparities between research findings and current educational practices that use ICT.     

COMPUTER AIDED CREATIVITY?

Human‐computer cooperation in the creative process has a twofold nature: The human being can be either active or passive during the execution of a computer program. In the first case the human may change the course of action of the program and suggest new paths; in the second the human being may detect a particular outcome—autonomously generated by the machine–as the most interesting one. The first cooperation process is the well known one of Human Aided Creativity²(HAC) while the second one may be called Computer Aided Creativity (CAC) and will be analysed here.     

Entrepreneurial Community College Presidents: An exploratory qualitative and quantitative study

Tertiary Education and Management - This study examined the entrepreneurial, nontraditional fundraising behaviors and activities of 23 community college presidents using interview and survey data....     

Integrating Public Art,Environmental Sustainability,and Education: Australia's ‘Creative Village’ Model

This paper will attempt to position the Creative Village project within the parameters of an international debate on public art, sustainability and education. It will begin with a brief history of the project and its community and arts origins, then examine its engagement with environmentally-responsive art and design, and finally its integrative educational paradigm. I will argue that the value and significance of the programme is that it has successfully bridged complex educational, design, community and environmental goals through having clear core values and a practice of flexible delivery.     

“When I Grow up I Would Like to Be …”: Factors Affecting Career Choice of Community Disability Workers in Southern Africa

The effectiveness of community based rehabilitation (CBR) programmes depends on the calibre of staff recruited and employed. Therefore, this study aimed to understand how the life experiences of community disability workers (CDWs) in Malawi, Botswana and South Africa influenced their choice of career. A life history approach was used to gather data from 16 CDWs, involving two interviews of each participant. Disability Studies postgraduate students conducted the interviews and analysed the data with academic staff, using thematic content analysis. It was found that lack of career guidance and information about community disability work affected participants’ initial choice of career. Some ended up in CBR because poor schooling prevented them from choosing other careers. Personal experience of disability and exposure to role models in rehabilitation motivated the career choice of some. The authors make recommendations including the selection of trainees with personal experience of disability and CDWs mentoring potential recruits.