Sample records for jce online home

  1. Introducing JCE Online

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1998-01-01

    One of the many transitions that occurred while moving the Journal editorial offices from Austin to Madison was the unification of the WWW sites of the Journal and JCE Software into JCE Online. Since that time JCE Online has provided several valuable resources to the chemistry education community. With the introduction of JCE Online+ (see below), we have expanded these resources and have plans to expand them even further. We thought that the Journal readership might like to know what is available to them at JCE Online. That's what this new column will do each month. JCE Online is divided into several areas. Each constituent part maintains an area at JCE Online: this Journal, JCE Software, JCE Internet, and JCE Books. There also is an area that lists Chemical Education Happenings and an area that contains information About JCE.

  2. JCE Online 99

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmes, Jon L.

    1999-04-01

    As I write this, JCE Online is in the middle of being redesigned to make it a more usable resource. By the time you read this, the typical online page for articles of this Journal will look like Figure 1. The page has five main features:

    • the page heading with the global menu bar
    • the left-hand navigation bar
    • the page menu bar near the top of the page and repeated near the bottom
    • the main content region in the middle of the page
    • the right-hand column of local navigation links
    The navigation links on each page are divided into global links that take you to the different main areas of JCE Online and local links that are restricted to the current issue of the Journal. Global Navigation Global navigation among the areas of JCE Online is divided into a menu bar across the top of the page and the strip along the left-hand side. The menu bar links go to JCE Online resources that pertain to all the main content areas: the JCE Online Home page, Subscription and Ordering information, the Service and Support area, Contributor information (Authors and Reviewers), and site information. The left-hand navigation bar provides links to each of the content areas of JCE Online: Login, Journal, JCE Software, JCE Internet, ChemEd Today, JCE Books, and About JCE. As you move into one of these content areas the left-hand navigation bar will change to provide links to the various resources within that area. In the case of the Journal, these are links to the current issue, past issues, list of supplemental materials, feature columns, JCE Index, and JCE CD. A feature of the left-hand navigation bar is the floating icon that denotes any access restrictions of the link that the mouse is over. Local Navigation Local navigation is provided by a page menu bar echoed at the top and bottom of the page and by links in the right-hand column. The page menu bar allows you to easily switch among the abstract of the current article, any supplementary materials available

  3. JCE Feature Columns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmes, Jon L.

    1999-05-01

    The Features area of JCE Online is now readily accessible through a single click from our home page. In the Features area each column is linked to its own home page. These column home pages also have links to them from the online Journal Table of Contents pages or from any article published as part of that feature column. Using these links you can easily find abstracts of additional articles that are related by topic. Of course, JCE Online+ subscribers are then just one click away from the entire article. Finding related articles is easy because each feature column "site" contains links to the online abstracts of all the articles that have appeared in the column. In addition, you can find the mission statement for the column and the email link to the column editor that I mentioned above. At the discretion of its editor, a feature column site may contain additional resources. As an example, the Chemical Information Instructor column edited by Arleen Somerville will have a periodically updated bibliography of resources for teaching and using chemical information. Due to the increase in the number of these resources available on the WWW, it only makes sense to publish this information online so that you can get to these resources with a simple click of the mouse. We expect that there will soon be additional information and resources at several other feature column sites. Following in the footsteps of the Chemical Information Instructor, up-to-date bibliographies and links to related online resources can be made available. We hope to extend the online component of our feature columns with moderated online discussion forums. If you have a suggestion for an online resource you would like to see included, let the feature editor or JCE Online (jceonline@chem.wisc.edu) know about it. JCE Internet Features JCE Internet also has several feature columns: Chemical Education Resource Shelf, Conceptual Questions and Challenge Problems, Equipment Buyers Guide, Hal's Picks, Mathcad

  4. Only@JCE Online

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmes, Jon L.

    2001-08-01

    The JCE High School ChemEd Learning Information Center (CLIC) and Buyers Guide continue to be updated with each issue of the print Journal. Every month, links to articles of interest to high school teachers are added to CLIC. Links to all new book and media reviews are added to the Buyers Guide. Additions to the Biographical Snapshots of Famous Women and Minority Chemists (March 2001) and the updated WWW Site Review feature (July 2001) have been previously noted in this column. The Conceptual Questions and Challenge Problems feature has a useful, new tool, Chemical Concepts Inventory, that can be used to assess the level of chemistry misconceptions held by students.

  5. Online Resources for High School Teachers--A CLIC Away

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmes, Jon L.

    2000-04-01

    "I'm a high school teacher. I don't have time to sift through all of JCE to find what I need. I don't have enough time as it is!" If you need to find things in a hurry, go to JCE HS CLIC, the JCE High School Chemed Learning Information Center, http://JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu/HS/. You will find good solid, reliable information, and you will find it fast. CLIC is open 24 hours every day, all over the world. What You Will Find at JCE CLIC We know teachers are pressed for time. During the few minutes between classes or at the end of the day, information needs to be found very quickly. Perhaps you are looking for a demo that illustrates electrochemistry using Cu, Mg, orange juice, and a clock; or a student activity on chromatography that is ready to copy and hand out; or a video to illustrate the action of aqua regia on gold, because you can't use aqua regia and can't afford gold. You can find each of these quickly at CLIC. The Journal has always provided lots of articles designed with high school teachers in mind. What the new JCE HS CLIC does is collect the recent materials at one address on JCE Online, making it quicker and easier for you to find them. Information has been gathered from both print and online versions of the Journal, from JCE Software, and from JCE Internet. It is organized as shown at the bottom of the page. Getting Access to Information You have located something that interests you, perhaps a list of tested demonstrations that pertain to consumer chemistry. Now it is time to get it. JCE subscribers (individuals and libraries) can read, download, and print the full versions of the articles as well as all supplemental materials, including student handouts and instructor's notes. You will need the username and password that are on the mailing label that comes with your Journaleach month. JCE HS CLIC home page: http://JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu/HS/ Your Suggestions, Please Our plans for JCE HS CLIC do not end with what you find now. Other resources and features

  6. JCE Digital Library Grand Opening

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Journal of Chemical Education, 2004

    2004-01-01

    The National Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematical Education Digital Library (NSDL), inaugurated in December 2002, is developed to promote science education on a comprehensive scale. The Journal of Chemical, Education (JCE) Digital Library, incorporated into NSDL, contains its own collections of digital resources for chemistry…

  7. National Chemistry Week 2000: JCE Resources in Food Chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jacobsen, Erica K.

    2000-10-01

    November brings another National Chemistry Week, and this year's theme is food chemistry. I was asked to collect and evaluate JCE resources for use with this theme, a project that took me deep into past issues of JCE and yielded many treasures. Here we present the results of searches for food chemistry information and activities. While the selected articles are mainly at the high school and college levels, there are some excellent ones for the elementary school level and some that can be adapted for younger students. The focus of all articles is on the chemistry of food itself. Activities that only use food to demonstrate a principle other than food chemistry are not included. Articles that cover household products such as cleansers and pharmaceuticals are also not included. Each article has been characterized as a demonstration, experiment, calculation, activity, or informational item; several fit more than one classification. Also included are keywords and an evaluation as to which levels the article may serve.

  8. Now That I Have It, What Can I Do with It?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmes, Jon L.

    1999-11-01

    All JCE subscribers now have access to all areas of JCE Online. As a reader of the print Journal you may be wondering what benefits JCE Online offers you and how you can reap those benefits. Point your WWW browser at jchemed.chem.wisc.edu, login, and follow along. Keep in mind that the three benefits outlined below are those that directly benefit you as a Journal reader. JCE Online contains many other resources that will benefit you as a chemistry teacher. Find an Article, Any Article The JCE Online feature that I perceive to be most beneficial to Journal readers is the ease and speed of finding articles. Finding a particular Journal article or several related articles is quickly and conveniently accomplished by using JCE Index online. Clicking the JCE Index item in the left-hand navigation bar leads to the JCE Index search page. A vanity search for articles that I authored or co-authored (type "holmes j" into the search text field and press Enter) produces a list of the ten most recent articles. A click on one of the articles and another click on the Full Text (.pdf) button (in the page menu bar near the top of the page below the global menu bar) and I am looking at one of my articles just as it appeared in the Journal. Four clicks, nine keystrokes, and 25 seconds (your time may vary)... not bad! Searching the Journal has never been easier than using the online JCE Index. If you remember which issue of the Journal contains the article you are looking for, then that article is never more than six mouse clicks away from the JCE Online Home Page. Of course, this only applies if we have the article online; full text articles begin with the September 1996 issue. The first click is on the Past Issues item in the left-hand navigation bar. If the article is not in the current volume of the Journal (your memory is much better than mine if you remember farther back) then the next click (click two) is

  9. Chemists, Access, Statistics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmes, Jon L.

    2000-06-01

    New JCE Internet Feature at JCE Online Biographical Snapshots of Famous Chemists is a new JCE Internet feature on JCE Online. Edited by Barbara Burke, this feature provides biographical information on leading chemists, especially women and minority chemists, fostering the attitude that the practitioners of chemistry are as human as those who endeavor to learn about it. Currently, the column features biographical "snapshots" of 30 chemists. Each snapshot includes keywords and bibliography and several contain links to additional online information about the chemist. More biographical snapshots will appear in future installments. In addition, a database listing over 140 women and minority chemists is being compiled and will be made available online with the snapshots in the near future. The database includes the years of birth and death, gender and ethnicity, major and minor discipline, keywords to facilitate searching, and references to additional biographical information. We welcome your input into what we think is a very worthwhile resource. If you would like to provide additional biographical snapshots, see additional chemists added to the database, or know of additional references for those that are already in the database, please contact JCE Online or the feature editor. Your feedback is welcome and appreciated. You can find Biographical Snapshots of Famous Chemists starting from the JCE Online home page-- click the Features item under JCE Internet and then the Chemist Bios item. Access JCE Online without Name and Password We have recently been swamped by libraries requesting IP-number access to JCE Online. With the great benefit IP-number authentication gives to librarians (no user names and passwords to administer) and to their patrons (no need to remember and enter valid names and passwords) this is not surprising. If you would like access to JCE Online without the need to remember and enter a user name and password, you should tell your librarian about our

  10. On-line hemodiafiltration at home.

    PubMed

    Vega, Almudena; Abad, Soraya; Macías, Nicolás; Aragoncillo, Inés

    2018-04-01

    Survival with online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) is higher than with hemodialysis; frequent hemodialysis has also improved survival and quality of life. Home hemodialysis facilitates frequent therapy. We report our experience with 2 patients with stage 5 CKD who started home hemodialysis with OL-HDF in November 2016. After a training period at the hospital, they started home hemodialysis with OL-HDF after learning how to manage dialysis monitors and how to administer water treatment. We used the "5008-home" (FMC © ) monitor, and the Acqua C © (Fresenius Medical Care) for water treatment. Water conductivity was always checked before and during dialysis sessions and was always 2.5 to 3 mS/cm. Water cultures always fulfilled the criteria for ultrapurity. As far as we know, this is the first report on patients receiving OL-HDF at home. The technique proved to be safe and valid for renal replacement therapy and transfers the benefits of hospital convective therapy to the home setting. Future data will enable us to determine whether survival has also improved. © 2017 International Society for Hemodialysis.

  11. There Has to Be a Better Way to...

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holmes, Jon L.

    1999-12-01

    There Has to Be a Better Way to... Entering into the next millennium, we begin to think about what new advances the future may bring. For JCE subscribers the new millennium brings global access to all of JCE Online, which ushers in several advances in the use of the Journal. I would like to present here some of the "better ways" that JCE Online offers. Find Journal Articles Last month (J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 1599) we presented a step-by-step recipe for finding articles that have been published in the Journal. I think you will agree that searching online for an article is better than looking through multiple volumes of past indices. If the articles you find are available online, then only a mouse click or two is needed to retrieve each one. Store Your Journals: Let JCE Online and JCE CD Do It Is your office getting short of shelf space? You may want to consider moving your collection of the Journal to another location and replace it with a copy of our annual CD or use JCE Online. With easy access from your desktop computer for all articles published in the Journal since September 1996, including all supplementary materials, both JCE Online and JCE CD can replace those more recent volumes and free up some shelf space. One advantage of JCE CD is that, unlike JCE Online, it is still there and accessible even if you let your subscription lapse. Share Dynamic Media Chemistry is very visual. Only relatively recently has technology allowed us to visually present our models for explaining chemical phenomena. Now, with molecular modeling and symbolic algebra tools, we are able to use 3-D graphics and animation to adequately present our models in a very stimulating and revealing manner. We can write thousands of words and produce many stunning figures, but when it comes right down to it, the print medium cannot do an adequate job of publishing articles about many chemical models. Figure Caption: For a better

  12. Featured Molecules: Sucrose and Vanillin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coleman, William F.; Wildman, Randall J.

    2003-04-01

    The WebWare molecules of the month for April relate to the sense of taste. Apple Fool, the JCE Classroom Activity, mentions sucrose and vanillin and their use as flavorings. Fully manipulable (Chime) versions of these and other molecules are available at Only@JCE Online.

  13. Home Manufacture of Drugs: An Online Investigation and a Toxicological Reality Check of Online Discussions on Drug Chemistry.

    PubMed

    Hearne, Evelyn; Alves, Emanuele Amorim; Van Hout, Marie Claire; Grund, Jean-Paul C

    2017-01-01

    Emerging trends in market dynamics and the use of new psychoactive substances are both a public health concern and a complex regulatory issue. One novel area of investigation is the availability of homemade opioids, amphetamines and dissociatives, and the potential fueling of interest in clandestine home manufacture of drugs via the Internet. We illustrate here how online communal folk pharmacology of homemade drugs on drug website forums may actually inform home manufacture practices or contribute to the reduction of harms associated with this practice. Discrepancies between online information around purification and making homemade drugs safer, and the synthesis of the same substances in a proper laboratory environment, exist. Moderation and shutdown of synthesis queries and discussions online are grounded in drug websites adhering to harm-reduction principles by facilitating discussions around purification of homemade drugs only. Drug discussion forums should consider reevaluating their policies on chemistry discussions in aiming to reach people who cannot or will not refrain from cooking their own drugs with credible information that may contribute to reductions in the harms associated with this practice.

  14. Exploring Online Learning at Primary Schools: Students' Perspectives on Cyber Home Learning System through Video Conferencing (CHLS-VC)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, June; Yoon, Seo Young; Lee, Chung Hyun

    2013-01-01

    The purposes of the study are to investigate CHLS (Cyber Home Learning System) in online video conferencing environment in primary school level and to explore the students' responses on CHLS-VC (Cyber Home Learning System through Video Conferencing) in order to explore the possibility of using CHLS-VC as a supportive online learning system. The…

  15. HomeBank: An Online Repository of Daylong Child-Centered Audio Recordings

    PubMed Central

    VanDam, Mark; Warlaumont, Anne S.; Bergelson, Elika; Cristia, Alejandrina; Soderstrom, Melanie; De Palma, Paul; MacWhinney, Brian

    2017-01-01

    HomeBank is introduced here. It is a public, permanent, extensible, online database of daylong audio recorded in naturalistic environments. HomeBank serves two primary purposes. First, it is a repository for raw audio and associated files: one database requires special permissions, and another redacted database allows unrestricted public access. Associated files include metadata such as participant demographics and clinical diagnostics, automated annotations, and human-generated transcriptions and annotations. Many recordings use the child-perspective LENA recorders (LENA Research Foundation, Boulder, Colorado, United States), but various recordings and metadata can be accommodated. The HomeBank database can have both vetted and unvetted recordings, with different levels of accessibility. Additionally, HomeBank is an open repository for processing and analysis tools for HomeBank or similar data sets. HomeBank is flexible for users and contributors, making primary data available to researchers, especially those in child development, linguistics, and audio engineering. HomeBank facilitates researchers’ access to large-scale data and tools, linking the acoustic, auditory, and linguistic characteristics of children’s environments with a variety of variables including socioeconomic status, family characteristics, language trajectories, and disorders. Automated processing applied to daylong home audio recordings is now becoming widely used in early intervention initiatives, helping parents to provide richer speech input to at-risk children. PMID:27111272

  16. Early home literacy and adolescents’ online reading behavior in comparative perspective

    PubMed Central

    Notten, Natascha; Becker, Birgit

    2017-01-01

    Online reading behavior can be regarded as a ‘new’ form of cultural capital in today’s digital world. However, it is unclear whether ‘traditional’ mechanisms of cultural and social reproduction are also found in this domain, and whether they manifest uniformly across countries at different stages of development. This article analyzes whether the early home literacy environment has an impact on informational online reading behavior among adolescents and whether this association varies between countries with different levels of digitalization and educational expansion. Data from the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) were used for the empirical analyses. The results of regression models with country-fixed effects indicate a positive association between literacy activities in early childhood and informational online reading at age 15. This association was quite stable across countries. These findings are discussed in light of cultural and social reproduction theory and digital divide research. PMID:29276306

  17. Attitudes towards HIV testing via home-sampling kits ordered online (RUClear pilots 2011-12).

    PubMed

    Ahmed-Little, Y; Bothra, V; Cordwell, D; Freeman Powell, D; Ellis, D; Klapper, P; Scanlon, S; Higgins, S; Vivancos, R

    2016-09-01

    The burden of disease relating to undiagnosed HIV infection is significant in the UK. BHIVA (British HIV Association) recommends population screening in high prevalence areas, expanding outside traditional antenatal/GUM settings. RUClear 2011-12 piloted expanding HIV testing outside traditional settings using home-sampling kits (dry-blood-spot testing) ordered online. Greater Manchester residents (≥age 16) could request testing via an established, online chlamydia testing service (www.ruclear.co.uk). Participant attitudes towards this new service were assessed. Qualitative methods (thematic analysis) were used to analyse free-text data submitted by participants via hard copy questionnaires issued in all testing kits. 79.9% (2447/3062) participants completed questionnaires, of which 30.9% (756/2447) provided free-text data. Participants overwhelmingly supported the service, valuing particularly accessibility and convenience, allowing individuals to order tests any time of day and self-sample comfortably at home; avoiding the invasive nature of venipuncture and avoiding the need for face-to-face interaction with health services. The pilot was also clinically and cost-effective. Testing via home-sampling kits ordered online (dry-blood-spot testing) was felt to be an acceptable and convenient method for accessing a HIV test. Many individuals undertook HIV testing where they would otherwise not have been tested at all. Expansion of similar services may increase the uptake of HIV testing. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Home and Online Management and Evaluation of Blood Pressure (HOME BP) digital intervention for self-management of uncontrolled, essential hypertension: a protocol for the randomised controlled HOME BP trial

    PubMed Central

    Morton, Katherine; Stuart, Beth; Raftery, James; Bradbury, Katherine; Yao, Guiqing Lily; Zhu, Shihua; Little, Paul; Yardley, Lucy

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Self-management of hypertension, including self-monitoring and antihypertensive medication titration, lowers blood pressure (BP) at 1 year compared to usual care. The aim of the current trial is to assess the effectiveness of the Home and Online Management and Evaluation of Blood Pressure (HOME BP) intervention for the self-management of hypertension in primary care. Methods and analysis The HOME BP trial will be a randomised controlled trial comparing BP self-management—consisting of the HOME BP online digital intervention with self-monitoring, lifestyle advice and antihypertensive drug titration—with usual care for people with uncontrolled essential hypertension. Eligible patients will be recruited from primary care and randomised to usual care or to self-management using HOME BP. The primary outcome will be the difference in mean systolic BP (mm Hg) at 12-month follow-up between the intervention and control groups adjusting for baseline BP and covariates. Secondary outcomes (also adjusted for baseline and covariates where appropriate) will be differences in mean BP at 6 months and diastolic BP at 12 months; patient enablement; quality of life, and economic analyses including all key resources associated with the intervention and related services, adopting a broad societal perspective to include NHS, social care and patient costs, considered within trial and modelled with a lifetime horizon. Medication beliefs, adherence and changes; self-efficacy; perceived side effects and lifestyle changes will be measured for process analyses. Qualitative analyses will explore patient and healthcare professional experiences of HOME BP to gain insights into the factors affecting acceptability, feasibility and adherence. Ethics and dissemination This study has received NHS ethical approval (REC reference 15/SC/0082). The findings from HOME BP will be disseminated widely through peer-reviewed publications, scientific conferences and workshops. If

  19. Looking Tasks Online: Utilizing Webcams to Collect Video Data from Home

    PubMed Central

    Semmelmann, Kilian; Hönekopp, Astrid; Weigelt, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    Online experimentation is emerging as a new methodology within classical data acquisition in psychology. It allows for easy, fast, broad, and cheap data conduction from the comfort of people’s homes. To add another method to the array of available tools, here we used recent developments in web technology to investigate the technical feasibility of online HyperText Markup Language-5/JavaScript-based video data recording. We employed a preferential looking task with children between 4 and 24 months. Parents and their children participated from home through a three-stage process: First, interested adults registered and took pictures through a webcam-based photo application. In the second step, we edited the pictures and integrated them into the design. Lastly, participants returned to the website and the video data acquisition took place through their webcam. In sum, we were able to create and employ the video recording application with participants as young as 4 months old. Quality-wise, no participant had to be removed due to the framerate or quality of videos and only 7% of data was excluded due to behavioral factors (lack of concentration). Results-wise, interrater reliability of rated looking side (left/right) showed a high agreement between raters, Fleiss’ Kappa, κ = 0.97, which can be translated to sufficient data quality for further analyses. With regard to on-/off-screen attention attribution, we found that children lost interest after about 10 s after trial onset using a static image presentation or 60 s total experimental time. Taken together, we were able to show that online video data recording is possible and viable for developmental psychology and beyond. PMID:28955284

  20. Looking Tasks Online: Utilizing Webcams to Collect Video Data from Home.

    PubMed

    Semmelmann, Kilian; Hönekopp, Astrid; Weigelt, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    Online experimentation is emerging as a new methodology within classical data acquisition in psychology. It allows for easy, fast, broad, and cheap data conduction from the comfort of people's homes. To add another method to the array of available tools, here we used recent developments in web technology to investigate the technical feasibility of online HyperText Markup Language-5/JavaScript-based video data recording. We employed a preferential looking task with children between 4 and 24 months. Parents and their children participated from home through a three-stage process: First, interested adults registered and took pictures through a webcam-based photo application. In the second step, we edited the pictures and integrated them into the design. Lastly, participants returned to the website and the video data acquisition took place through their webcam. In sum, we were able to create and employ the video recording application with participants as young as 4 months old. Quality-wise, no participant had to be removed due to the framerate or quality of videos and only 7% of data was excluded due to behavioral factors (lack of concentration). Results-wise, interrater reliability of rated looking side (left/right) showed a high agreement between raters, Fleiss' Kappa, κ = 0.97, which can be translated to sufficient data quality for further analyses. With regard to on-/off-screen attention attribution, we found that children lost interest after about 10 s after trial onset using a static image presentation or 60 s total experimental time. Taken together, we were able to show that online video data recording is possible and viable for developmental psychology and beyond.

  1. The Perception Created of Online Home Work by High School Student, Their Teacher and Parents in Saudi Arabia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alshehri, Abdulhalim Ali

    2017-01-01

    The paper investigates the internet utilizing in online homework accomplishing at Saudi High Schools. The study covered three Saudi cities, namely; Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The paper concerned about the teachers, parents and students perceptions toward using internet in education path with concentration on online home works, and its effect in…

  2. Attractiveness of working in home care: An online focus group study among nurses.

    PubMed

    De Groot, Kim; Maurits, Erica E M; Francke, Anneke L

    2018-01-01

    Many western countries are experiencing a substantial shortage of home-care nurses due to the increasing numbers of care-dependent people living at home. In-depth knowledge is needed about what home-care nurses find attractive about their work in order to make recommendations for the recruitment and retention of home-care nursing staff. The aims of this explorative, qualitative study were to gain in-depth knowledge about which aspects home-care nurses find attractive about their work and to explore whether these aspects vary for home-care nurses with different levels of education. Discussions were conducted with six online focus groups in 2016 with a total of 38 Dutch home-care nurses. The transcripts were analysed using the principles of thematic analysis. The findings showed that home-care nurses find it attractive that they are a "linchpin", in the sense of being the leading professional and with the patient as the centre of care. Home-care nurses also find having autonomy attractive: autonomy over decision-making about care, freedom in work scheduling and working in a self-directed team. Variety in patient situations and activities also makes their work attractive. Home-care nurses with a bachelor's degree did not differ much in what they found attractive aspects from those with an associate degree (a nursing qualification after completing senior secondary vocational education). It is concluded that autonomy, variety and being a "linchpin" are the attractive aspects of working in home care. To help recruit and retain home-care nursing staff, these attractive aspects should be emphasised in nursing education and practice, in recruitment programmes and in publicity material. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. The Joy of Telecomputing: Everything You Need to Know about Going On-Line at Home.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pearlman, Dara

    1984-01-01

    Discusses advantages and pleasures of utilizing a personal computer at home to receive electronic mail; participate in online conferences, software exchanges, and game networks; do shopping and banking; and have access to databases storing volumes of information. Information sources for the services mentioned are included. (MBR)

  4. What Consumers Say About Nursing Homes in Online Reviews.

    PubMed

    Kellogg, Caitlyn; Zhu, Yujun; Cardenas, Valeria; Vazquez, Katalina; Johari, Kayla; Rahman, Anna; Enguidanos, Susan

    2018-04-20

    Although patient-centered care is an expressed value of our healthcare system, no studies have examined what consumers say in online reviews about nursing homes (NHs). Insight into themes addressed in these reviews could inform improvement efforts that promote patient-centered NH care. We analyzed nursing home (NH) Yelp reviews. From a list of all NHs in California, we drew a purposeful sample of 51 NHs, selecting facilities representing a range of geographical areas and occupancy rates. Two research teams analyzed the reviews using grounded theory to identify codes and tracked how frequently each code was mentioned. We evaluated 264 reviews, identifying 24 codes, grouped under five categories: quality of staff care and staffing; physical facility and setting; resident safety and security; clinical care quality; and financial issues. More than half (53.41%) of Yelp reviewers posted comments related to staff attitude and caring and nearly a third (29.2%) posted comments related to staff responsiveness. Yelp reviewers also often posted about NHs' physical environment. Infrequently mentioned were the quality of health care provided and concerns about resident safety and security. Our results are consistent with those from related studies. Yelp reviewers focus on NH aspects that are not evaluated in most other NH rating systems. The federal Nursing Home Compare website, for instance, does not report measures of staff attitudes or the NH's physical setting. Rather, it reports measures of staffing levels and clinical processes and outcomes. We recommend that NH consumers consult both types of rating systems because they provide complementary information.

  5. Quality of information accompanying on-line marketing of home diagnostic tests.

    PubMed

    Datta, Adrija K; Selman, Tara J; Kwok, Tony; Tang, Teresa; Khan, Khalid S

    2008-01-01

    To assess the quality of information provided to consumers by websites marketing medical home diagnostic tests. A cross-sectional analysis of a database developed from searching targeted websites. Data sources were websites written in English which marketed medical home diagnostic tests. A meta-search engine was used to identify the first 20 citations for each type of home diagnostic medical test. Relevant websites limited to those written in English were reviewed independently and in triplicate, with disputes resolved by two further reviewers. Information on the quality of these sites was extracted using a pre-piloted performer. 168 websites were suitable for inclusion in the review. The quality of these sites showed marked variation. Only 24 of 168 (14.2%) complied with at least three-quarters of the quality items and just over half (95 of 168, 56.5%) reported official approval or certification of the test. Information on accuracy of the test marketed was reported by 87 of 168 (51.7%) websites, with 15 of 168 (8.9%) providing a scientific reference. Instructions for use of the product were found in 97 of 168 (57.9%). However, the course of action to be taken after obtaining the test result was stated in only 63 of 168 (37.5%) for a positive result and 43 of 168 (25.5%) for a negative result. The quality of information posted on commercial websites marketing home tests online is unsatisfactory and potentially misleading for consumers.

  6. Quality of information accompanying on-line marketing of home diagnostic tests

    PubMed Central

    Datta, Adrija K; Selman, Tara J; Kwok, Tony; Tang, Teresa; Khan, Khalid S

    2008-01-01

    Objective To assess the quality of information provided to consumers by websites marketing medical home diagnostic tests. Design A cross-sectional analysis of a database developed from searching targeted websites. Setting Data sources were websites written in English which marketed medical home diagnostic tests. Main outcome measures A meta-search engine was used to identify the first 20 citations for each type of home diagnostic medical test. Relevant websites limited to those written in English were reviewed independently and in triplicate, with disputes resolved by two further reviewers. Information on the quality of these sites was extracted using a pre-piloted performer. Results 168 websites were suitable for inclusion in the review. The quality of these sites showed marked variation. Only 24 of 168 (14.2%) complied with at least three-quarters of the quality items and just over half (95 of 168, 56.5%) reported official approval or certification of the test. Information on accuracy of the test marketed was reported by 87 of 168 (51.7%) websites, with 15 of 168 (8.9%) providing a scientific reference. Instructions for use of the product were found in 97 of 168 (57.9%). However, the course of action to be taken after obtaining the test result was stated in only 63 of 168 (37.5%) for a positive result and 43 of 168 (25.5%) for a negative result. Conclusions The quality of information posted on commercial websites marketing home tests online is unsatisfactory and potentially misleading for consumers. PMID:18263912

  7. Comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation in home-based online groups: a mixed method pilot study in COPD.

    PubMed

    Burkow, Tatjana M; Vognild, Lars K; Johnsen, Elin; Risberg, Marijke Jongsma; Bratvold, Astrid; Breivik, Elin; Krogstad, Trine; Hjalmarsen, Audhild

    2015-12-10

    Comprehensive multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation is vital in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is considered for any stage of the disease. Rehabilitation programmes are often centre-based and organised in groups. However, the distance from the patient's home to the centre and lack of transportation may hinder participation. Rehabilitation at home can improve access to care for patients regardless of disease severity. We had previously studied the technology usability and acceptability of a comprehensive home rehabilitation programme designed for patients with very severe COPD receiving long-term oxygen therapy. The acceptability of such comprehensive home programmes for those with less severe COPD, who may be less homebound, is not known. The aims of this feasibility study were to assess patient acceptability of the delivery mode and components of a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation programme for any stage of COPD, as well as the technology usability, patient outcomes and economic aspects. Ten participants with COPD in the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grade I-IV were enrolled in a 9-week home programme and divided into two rehabilitation groups, with five patients in each group. The programme included exercise training and self-management education in online groups of patients, and individual online consultations. The patients also kept a digital health diary. To assess the acceptability of the programme, the patients were interviewed after the intervention using a semi-structured interview guide. In addition the number of sessions attended was observed. The usability of the technology was assessed using interviews and the System Usability Scale questionnaire. The St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to measure health-related quality of life. The mode of delivery and the components of the programme were well accepted by the patients. The programme provided an environment

  8. Organic Xenobiotics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coleman, William F.

    2005-02-01

    Fully manipulable (Chime) versions of these molecules appear below. These and other molecules are available at Only@ JCE Online . Figure 1. Atrazine molecule. Interactive Chime-based structure (top); static structure graphic (bottom).

  9. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1999-10-01

    If you would like additional information about the products of the advertisers in this issue, the quickest and easiest way is via JCE Online's new service: Ad Index This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. · 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 · phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  10. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1999-09-01

    If you would like additional information about the products of the advertisers in this issue, the quickest and easiest way is via JCE Online's new service: Ad Index This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. · 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 · phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  11. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1999-12-01

    If you would like additional information about the products of the advertisers in this issue, the quickest and easiest way is via JCE Online's new service: Ad Index This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. · 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 · phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  12. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1999-11-01

    If you would like additional information about the products of the advertisers in this issue, the quickest and easiest way is via JCE Online's new service: Ad Index This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. · 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 · phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  13. Nursing Home Staffing and Quality under the Nursing Home Reform Act

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Xinzhi; Grabowski, David C.

    2004-01-01

    Purpose: We examine whether the Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA) improved nursing home staffing and quality. Design and Methods: Data from 5,092 nursing homes were linked across the 1987 Medicare/Medicaid Automated Certification System and the 1993 Online Survey, Certification and Reporting system. A dummy-year model was used to examine the effects…

  14. Linking to the Future

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moore, John W.

    1999-09-01

    my copy of JCE in the mail each month, and I expect you do too. I can glance at the cover to get an overview of an issue's content, and I usually am enticed inside by intriguing cover art. I can scan the table of contents to find articles I want to read, or I can just browse through the issue to see what looks interesting. Usually the editors have juxtaposed related articles so that I often find a small treasure trove. The printed Journal is quite portable and can be read in a car or airplane. It will last a long time, and until the paper deteriorates, I will never have a problem reading back issues. I have almost every issue from the first day I subscribed and have even added some older ones from collections of retired colleagues who no longer had shelf space for them. I certainly would not want to give up my printed copies, and I want to keep getting them. I find that JCE Online provides a different kind of resource that is equally valuable. It contains more information, and information that is more appropriate in electronic form. It links related ideas into a much more complex web of information than is possible in print. And it opens pathways to lots of information that is not part of JCE but resides elsewhere. Using this issue as an example, let's take a tour of what JCE Online can do.

    • Point your Web browser to http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu
    • Click on Journal and then on Current Issue (unless September 1999 is no longer the current issue, in which case you will find it in Past Issues).
    • In the table of contents, find the article "UV Catalysis, Cyanotype Photography, and Sunscreens". Click on the title.
    • When the abstract appears, click on Full Text (PDF) to see the article, just as it appears on page 1199 in this issue.
    • When you are prompted, enter the name and subscriber number from your address label.
    • At the end of the article you will find that supplementary materials are available (including a procedure for testing

    • Getting Hooked on Chemistry

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Mason, Diana S.

      2002-04-01

      Other fun things in this issue include three Quote Boxes by Olney (3) that will allow your students to engage in deductive reasoning to solve the puzzles. Kelkar (4) presents a slightly more difficult but very clever mystery element game; it provides clues to element symbols that all fit into a single matrix. Ibanez's game (5) lists popular sayings or proverbs and the student's job is to match each with an analogous chemical phenomenon. As always, answers are provided. For the more sophisticated among us, there is Who Wants to Be a Chemist Extraordinaire? devised by Campbell and Muzyka (6), who describe their use of online chemistry game shows patterned on popular TV programs. Examples of the HTML files with sample questions are available through JCE Online. These are just some of the many suggestions that can be found in this issue of JCE. Try a few, you might like them!

    • Science Underlying 2008 Nobel Prizes

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Caldwell, Bernadette A.

      2009-01-01

      JCE offers a wealth of materials for teaching and learning chemistry that you can explore online. In the list below, Bernadette Caldwell of the Editorial Staff suggests additional resources that are available through JCE for teaching the science behind some of the 2008 Nobel Prizes . Discovering and Applying the Chemistry of GFP The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP to three scientists: Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, and Roger Y. Tsien. These scientists led the field in discovering and introducing a fluorescing protein from jellyfish into cells and genes under study, which allows researchers to witness biochemistry in action. Now tags are available that emit light in different colors, revealing myriad biological processes and their interactions simultaneously. Identifying HPV and HIV, HIV's Replication Cycle, and HIV Virus-Host Interactions The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for their discovery of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to two scientists: Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier; and for his discovery of human papilloma viruses [HPV] causing cervical cancer to one scientist, Harald zur Hausen. Diseases caused by these infectious agents significantly affect global health. While isolating and studying the virus, researchers discovered HIV is an uncommon retrovirus that infects humans and relies on the host to make its viral DNA, infecting and killing the host's white blood cells, ultimately destroying the immune systems of infected humans. Related Resources at JCE Online The Journal has published articles relating to GFP specifically, and more generally to fluorescing compounds applied to biochemistry. The Journal has also published an article and a video on protease inhibition—a strategy to suppress HIV's biological processes. With the video clips, an accompanying guide

    • Examining pediatric emergency home ventilation practices in home health nurses: Opportunities for improved care.

      PubMed

      Kun, Sheila S; Beas, Virginia N; Keens, Thomas G; Ward, Sally S L; Gold, Jeffrey I

      2015-07-01

      To assess the pediatric home health nurses' knowledge in tracheostomy and ventilator emergency care on home mechanical ventilation (HMV). Emergencies are frightening experiences for solo home health nurses and require advanced skills in emergency response and care, especially in pediatric patients who pose unique challenges. Nurses with greater years of nursing experience would perform better on emergency HMV case-based scenarios than nurses with less years of experience. An exploratory online survey was used to evaluate emergency case-based pediatric scenarios. Demographic and professional experiences were profiled. Seventy-nine nurses had an average of 6.73 (SD = 1.41) years in pediatric nursing. Over 70% received their HMV training in their agency, 41% had less than 4 years of experience, and 30.4% had encountered at least one emergency situation at home. The online survey was distributed by managers of 22 home health agencies to nurses providing pediatric HMV care. Nurses scored an average of 4.87 out of 10 possible points. There were no significant differences between nurses with <4 years of experience versus those with more experience on ventilator alarms knowledge or total knowledge. Ninety-seven percent of the nurses favored more training in HMV from a variety of settings (e.g., agency, on-line training). Nurses did not perform well in case-based ventilator alarm scenarios. Length of nursing experience did not differentiate greater knowledge. It is clear that nurses require and want more training in emergency-based HMV. Recommendations for an enhanced curriculum are suggested. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

    • News & Announcements

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      1999-08-01

      News from Journal House Perspective on JCE Online Recently a reader asked us for a perspective on JCE Onlinehow the chemical education community is receiving it and how the Journal staff itself views it. We share our responses below. Subscriber Numbers How many people subscribe to JCE Online+? As of June 1, 1999, our records show that 13% of individual JCE subscriptions in the USA include JCE Online+. This percentage has increased significantly during the past year- in June 1998 it was approximately 4% and December 1998 about 7%. Almost all subscribers to JCE Online subscribe to print as well. Since JCE Online has only very recently been made available to institutional subscribers, there are no numbers to report. There has been considerable interest in online from libraries. Given that JCE Online+ is a fairly recent subscriber option and that many subscribers have a wait-and-see approach to any new option, we feel that the numbers above are quite high. The steady growth is encouraging. Online Usage How many people visit our Web site? Statistics for the period January 1, 1999, through May 31, 1999, that may be of interest include:

      Total Pages Served 361,115

      Total Visits 138,377

      Total Unique Visitors 51,744

      Total Repeat Visitors 11,536

      Average Visit Length 03:05

      Average Requests/Visit 10.8

      Average Pages/Visit 2.6

      Average Daily Visits 916 Online Rationale and Expectations JCE Online is a very important part of the whole Journal, but we do not expect it to supplant print: online and print are very different media. Usage of JCE Online is growing steadily; our subscribers are realizing what we have learned: it is not possible to deliver the Journal in the print medium alone- print is no longer adequate to accomplish our mission. Examples of things not possible in print include:

      ·JCE Index to all 76

    • The State of Online Retailing.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Tamimi, Nabil; Rajan, Murli; Sebastianelli, Rose

      2003-01-01

      Benchmarks online retailing transactions against critical factors that impact online retailing. Findings suggest several areas that e-retailers should target for improvement, including the speed of home page loading, ability to translate into multiple languages, capabilities of search engines, security policies display, payment options, minimum…

    • Use of Clinical Health Information Technology in Nursing Homes: Nursing Home Characteristics and Quality Measures

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Spinelli-Moraski, Carla

      2014-01-01

      This study compares quality measures among nursing homes that have adopted different levels of clinical health information technology (HIT) and examines the perceived barriers and benefits of the adoption of electronic health records as reported by Nursing Home Administrators and Directors of Nursing. A cross-sectional survey distributed online to…

  1. Especially for High School Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Emory Howell, J.

    1999-11-01

    More Feature Articles This Month This issue contains a larger-than-usual number of Secondary School Chemistry feature articles (see side-bar). Mary Harris, who teaches in St. Louis, Missouri, and her student, Lauren Picard, contributed an account of student research on the cuprammonium rayon process (p 1512). In addition to being informative and interesting, the article provides a model for student-teacher interaction in carrying out an independent research project. Two North Carolina teachers, Charles Roser and Catherine McCluskey, describe how to use a Calculator Based Laboratory (interface) to measure the kinetics of the reaction that occurs when a lightstick is activated (p 1514). The method and the easy-to-construct device they made could be used with other systems, as well. Don't Throw Away the Carrier Sheet All areas of JCE Online are now accessible to all JCE subscribers. To find out how you can benefit, read the article appearing on p 1599, Now That I Have It, What Can I Do with It? Jon Holmes, Editor of JCE Online, explains in the article how you can use this resource most effectively. Access to several areas, such as full text access to articles, requires that you log in. The mailing label on the carrier sheet that accompanies your Journal each month contains a password that you need to log in. That is why you need to keep the carrier sheet, at least until you have logged in for the first time and either memorized the number or written it in a safe place. Detailed instructions for logging on are found by clicking on the "How to Log On" link, which appears near the upper left corner of the JCE Online Home Page, jchemed.chem.wisc.edu. If you read a school library copy you need to ask your librarian what password you need to log in. Congratulations Among the recipients of the most prestigious American Society Awards (p 1481) are two individuals who have given generously of their time and energy to the cause of chemical education. Both are familiar names to

  2. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2001-09-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  3. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2000-12-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the HTML Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  4. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2001-02-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  5. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2000-04-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the HTML Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  6. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2001-05-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  7. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2000-02-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the HTML Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  8. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2001-04-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  9. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2000-10-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the HTML Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  10. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2001-07-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  11. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2000-09-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the HTML Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  12. Advertising in This Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2000-07-01

    To see a list of advertisers from the three most recent issues of JCE, go to the HTML Ad Index. This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. To get advertising information via mail, fax, or email, refer to the top portion of the Readers Service Card inserted in the print issue. Whatever method of communication you use, be sure to mention to advertisers that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. To view a list of the companies that advertised in this issue of JCE, click here. Advertising Representative McNeill Group, Inc. 301 Oxford Valley Road, Suite 804 Yardley, PA 19067 phone: 215/321-9662 or 800/275-5084 fax: 215/321-9636; email: jchemed@mcneill-group.com

  13. An Online Information Skills Tutorial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christensen, Joanne; Morgan, Fawn; Kinikin, Janae

    2013-01-01

    Looking for new way to teach high school students how to use the library and library resources? The HeLIOS (Hemingway Library Information Online Skills) tutorial, an online tool designed specifically for high school students, may be the answer. For the past two years, students at home, in classrooms, and at libraries throughout Utah have used…

  14. News and Announcements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1999-07-01

    New Source of Information from Advertisers The Journal has a new feature effective with the June 1999 issue. If you would like additional information about our advertisers or their products, the quickest and easiest way to get it is via JCE Online: go to http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu click on Ad Index This will take you to the list of advertisers, each conveniently linked to their home page. When you do contact our advertisers, be sure to tell them that you saw their ad in the Journal of Chemical Education. This is important to them, and to us. JCE Software Receives Award The Journal recently received notice that JCE Software portion of JCE Online has been selected as a Links2Go Key Resource for the topic of chemistry software. According to Links2Go (www.links2go.com), JCE Software's home page is one of the top fifty most accessed online resources in the area of chemistry software (currently ranked 45). Thanks to all of you who have visited JCE Online and the JCE Software area to make this possible. If you haven't visited the site yet, you can go there directly (http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/index.html ) as well as via our JCE Online home page. You will be greeted with a short video of nitrogen triiodide exploding and be able to get a wealth of information about our latest releases, software, CD-ROMs/Video, student resources, materials for authors and software developers. You can see color graphics from our CD-ROMs, video, and software,... Actually, if you are familiar with our Catalog, this is much better. 1999 Welch Chemistry Prize Richard N. Zare, the Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor of Natural Science at Stanford University, has been named the 1999 recipient of the Welch Award in Chemistry for his lifetime achievements in physical and analytical chemistry. Zare's interests focus on the development and application of lasers and other novel instruments to explore chemical frontiers, ranging from molecules to chemical processes, from the inside of cells to

  15. English Proficiency and Participation in Online Discussion for Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Steve

    2013-01-01

    Does English proficiency affect participation in online discussion? This study polled 14 students from a postgraduate online course that require online discussion. The students are divided into groups according to their home language spoken and self-assessed English proficiency, and measure against their participation level in the required…

  16. On-Line Assessment: What, Why, How.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Natal, Dottie

    Recent increases in the speed and accessibility of computers and networks have made it possible to administer tests on-line. On-line assessment can be conducted in a controlled setting, such as a testing center, or distributed over local area networks or the Internet to libraries and student homes, allowing students the flexibility to complete…

  17. Caring in the Information Age: Personal Online Networks to Improve Caregiver Support.

    PubMed

    Piraino, Emily; Byrne, Kerry; Heckman, George A; Stolee, Paul

    2017-06-01

    It is becoming increasingly important to find ways for caregivers and service providers to collaborate. This study explored the potential for improving care and social support through shared online network use by family caregivers and service providers in home care. This qualitative study was guided by Rogers' Theory of Diffusion of Innovations [NY: Free Press; 1995], and involved focus group and individual interviews of service providers (n = 31) and family caregivers (n = 4). Interview transcriptions were analyzed using descriptive, topic, and analytic coding, followed by thematic analysis. The network was identified as presenting an opportunity to fill communication gaps presented by other modes of communication and further enhance engagement with families. Barriers included time limitations and policy-related restrictions, privacy, security, and information ownership. Online networks may help address longstanding home-care issues around communication and information-sharing. The success of online networks in home care requires support from care partners. Future research should pilot the use of online networks in home care using barrier and facilitator considerations from this study.

  18. Chemical Applications of a Programmable Image Acquisition System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ogren, Paul J.; Henry, Ian; Fletcher, Steven E. S.; Kelly, Ian

    2003-06-01

    Image analysis is widely used in chemistry, both for rapid qualitative evaluations using techniques such as thin layer chromatography (TLC) and for quantitative purposes such as well-plate measurements of analyte concentrations or fragment-size determinations in gel electrophoresis. This paper describes a programmable system for image acquisition and processing that is currently used in the laboratories of our organic and physical chemistry courses. It has also been used in student research projects in analytical chemistry and biochemistry. The potential range of applications is illustrated by brief presentations of four examples: (1) using well-plate optical transmission data to construct a standard concentration absorbance curve; (2) the quantitative analysis of acetaminophen in Tylenol and acetylsalicylic acid in aspirin using TLC with fluorescence detection; (3) the analysis of electrophoresis gels to determine DNA fragment sizes and amounts; and, (4) using color change to follow reaction kinetics. The supplemental material in JCE Online contains information on two additional examples: deconvolution of overlapping bands in protein gel electrophoresis, and the recovery of data from published images or graphs. The JCE Online material also presents additional information on each example, on the system hardware and software, and on the data analysis methodology.

  19. Checkbook Online

    Science.gov Websites

    Search the Division of Finance site DOF State of Alaska Finance Home Content Area Accounting Charge Cards Checkbook Online Overview The State of Alaska is publishing information from the statewide accounting system mission of the Division of Finance is to provide accounting, payroll, and travel services for State

  20. Online information for parents caring for their premature baby at home: A focus group study and systematic web search.

    PubMed

    Alderdice, Fiona; Gargan, Phyl; McCall, Emma; Franck, Linda

    2018-01-30

    Online resources are a source of information for parents of premature babies when their baby is discharged from hospital. To explore what topics parents deemed important after returning home from hospital with their premature baby and to evaluate the quality of existing websites that provide information for parents post-discharge. In stage 1, 23 parents living in Northern Ireland participated in three focus groups and shared their information and support needs following the discharge of their infant(s). In stage 2, a World Wide Web (WWW) search was conducted using Google, Yahoo and Bing search engines. Websites meeting pre-specified inclusion criteria were reviewed using two website assessment tools and by calculating a readability score. Website content was compared to the topics identified by parents in the focus groups. Five overarching topics were identified across the three focus groups: life at home after neonatal care, taking care of our family, taking care of our premature baby, baby's growth and development and help with getting support and advice. Twenty-nine sites were identified that met the systematic web search inclusion criteria. Fifteen (52%) covered all five topics identified by parents to some extent and 9 (31%) provided current, accurate and relevant information based on the assessment criteria. Parents reported the need for information and support post-discharge from hospital. This was not always available to them, and relevant online resources were of varying quality. Listening to parents needs and preferences can facilitate the development of high-quality, evidence-based, parent-centred resources. © 2018 The Authors Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Influence of parental attitudes towards Internet use on the employment of online safety measures at home.

    PubMed

    Floros, Georgios; Siomos, Konstantinos; Dafouli, Evaggelia; Fisoun, Virginia; Geroukalis, Dimitrios

    2012-01-01

    In this paper we present the results of a cross-sectional study of the entire adolescent student population aged 12-18 of the island of Kos and their parents, on Internet safety-related practices and attitudes towards the Internet. Total sample was 2017 students and 1214 parent responders. Research material included extended demographics and an Internet security questionnaire, the Internet Attitudes Scale (IAS) for parents and the Adolescent Computer Addiction Test (ACAT) for children and both parents. Both parents thus provided their views on their children's computer use and an estimate for their degree of computer addiction which was tested against their child's self-report. Results indicated that fathers and mothers who had negative views of the Internet, tended to encourage less their children to engage in online activities and worried more for the possibility that their child is addicted to computer use; their worries weren't correlated with their children's results. Parental views on the Internet had no effect on the level of security precautions they employed at home. Those parents who reported a low level of security knowledge and were unsure as to what their children were doing online, tended to consider their children more likely to be addicted to computer use; those views were confirmed by their children' self-reported results.

  2. News & Announcements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1999-09-01

    Unification of Journal Options Beginning in 2000, the Journal subscription form will get much simpler and your Journal subscription will bring you even more than previously. Below is an outline of how the new system will work for individuals. Subscriptions for Individuals

    • Beginning September 1, 1999, all Journal print subscriptionscurrent, continuing, new, and renewalwill bring you monthly print issues and give you full access to JCE Online+everything that we have online.
    • If you don't want paper copy of your issue, there is a No-Print Optionwe donate your print copy to our Teacher Workshop Program and you have full access to everything online.
    • If you do want both paper and online but don't want to keep back issuessaving storage spaceyou can purchase JCE CD each year.
    A chart illustrating this new system appears below. It lists all subscription choices for individuals in the U. S., for ACS Student Affiliates, and for non-U.S. individuals. Other Subscription Rates There are now two types of subscriptions for libraries. These are described under New IP-Address Option for Libraries, below. For information about Promotional (larger quantities for workshops, classes, etc.) or Gift Subscription Award Certificate rates, contact the Journal (jce@chem.wisc.edu); 1-800-991-5534 (U.S.) or 608/262-5153. Extensions for Current JCE Online Subscribers At present there are more than 1,000 subscribers to JCE Online+: we think of these as our technological pioneers. These subscribers will have their subscriptions automatically extended according to the scheme below.

    Online Subscription Expires

    JCE Subscriptions Extended By

    Sept. 1, 1999 - Feb. 29, 2000
  3. Bringing Instructional Strategies Home: Reaching Families Online

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curtiss, Sarah L.; Pearson, Jamie N.; Akamoglu, Yusuf; Fisher, Kim W.; Snodgrass, Melinda R.; Meyer, Lori E.; Meadan, Hedda; Halle, James W.

    2016-01-01

    Online family education can be challenging but rewarding for both families and practitioners. Parents of children with disabilities are integral in fostering children's early development and in promoting independence across the life span. Practitioners and parents working collaboratively can enhance this development. Collaboration between parents…

  4. Featured Molecules: Ascorbic Acid and Methylene Blue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coleman, William F.; Wildman, Randall J.

    2003-05-01

    The WebWare molecules of the month for May are featured in several articles in this issue. "Arsenic: Not So Evil After All?" discusses the pharmaceutical uses of methylene blue and its development as the first synthetic drug used against a specific disease. The JCE Classroom Activity "Out of the Blue" and the article "Greening the Blue Bottle" feature methylene blue and ascorbic acid as two key ingredients in the formulation of the blue bottle. You can also see a colorful example of these two molecules in action on the cover. "Sailing on the 'C': A Vitamin Titration with a Twist" describes an experiment to determine the vitamin C (ascorbic acid) content of citrus fruits and challenges students, as eighteenth-century sea captains, to decide the best fruit to take on a long voyage. Fully manipulable (Chime) versions of these and other molecules are available at Only@JCE Online.

  5. MGS Online, Maryland Geological Survey's Internet Home

    Science.gov Websites

    Maryland Department of Natural Resources Maryland Geological Survey State of Maryland Home Maryland available through the Maryland Geological Survey. Explore our website! (Dale Shelton of MGS discusses the the Maryland Geological Survey! The Maryland Geological Survey, created in 1896, is a scientific

  6. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Home Environment and Home Social Behavior Data from the Elementary School Success Profile for Families

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wegmann, Kate M.; Thompson, Aaron M.; Bowen, Natasha K.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the current study was to test the factor structure and scale quality of data provided by caregivers about the home environment and child behavior at home using the Elementary School Success Profile (ESSP) for Families. The ESSP for Families is one component of the ESSP, an online social-environmental assessment that also collects…

  7. The Nature of Online Charter Schools: Evolution and Emerging Concerns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waters, Lisa Hasler; Barbour, Michael K.; Menchaca, Michael P.

    2014-01-01

    Online charter schools are unique among K-12 online learning options for students. They are full-time, public schools that combine online learning with traditional and home schooling practices. They are often chartered by a state agency, supported in full or in part with state funds and most often managed by a private educational management…

  8. Ownership conversions and nursing home performance.

    PubMed

    Grabowski, David C; Stevenson, David G

    2008-08-01

    To examine the effects of ownership conversions on nursing home performance. Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting system data from 1993 to 2004, and the Minimum Data Set (MDS) facility reports from 1998 to 2004. Regression specification incorporating facility fixed effects, with terms to identify trends in the pre- and postconversion periods. The annual rate of nursing home conversions almost tripled between 1994 and 2004. Our regression results indicate converting facilities are generally different throughout the pre/postconversion years, suggesting little causal effect of ownership conversions on nursing home performance. Before and after conversion, nursing homes converting from nonprofit to for-profit status generally exhibit deterioration in their performance, while nursing homes converting from for-profit to nonprofit status generally exhibit improvement. Policy makers have expressed concern regarding the implications of ownership conversions for nursing home performance. Our results imply that regulators and policy makers should not only monitor the outcomes of nursing home conversions, but also the targets of these conversions.

  9. Exergaming for Physical Activity in Online Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kooiman, Brian J.; Sheehan, Dwayne P.; Wesolek, Michael; Reategui, Eliseo

    2016-01-01

    For many the thought of students taking an online course conjures up images of students sitting at a computer desk. Students taking online physical education (OLPE) at home may lack opportunities for competitive or cooperative physical activity that are available to students in a traditional setting. Active video games (exergames) can be played…

  10. Willingness to Take a Free Home HIV Test and Associated Factors among Internet-Using Men Who Have Sex with Men.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Akshay; Sullivan, Patrick S; Khosropour, Christine M

    2011-01-01

    Online HIV prevention studies have been limited in their ability to obtain biological specimens to measure study outcomes. We describe factors associated with willingness of men who have sex with men (MSM) to take a free home HIV test as part of an online HIV prevention study. Between March and April 2009, we interviewed 6163 HIV-negative MSM and assessed the willingness to test for HIV infection using a home collection kit. Men reported being very likely (3833; 62%) or likely (1236; 20%) to accept a home HIV test as part of an online HIV prevention study. The odds of being willing to home test were higher for men who were offered incentives of $10 or $25, were black, had unprotected anal intercourse in the past 12 months, and were unaware of their HIV status. Home testing offered as part of online HIV prevention research is acceptable overall and in important subgroups of high-risk MSM.

  11. The Online Parent Information and Support project, meeting parents' information and support needs for home-based management of childhood chronic kidney disease: research protocol.

    PubMed

    Swallow, Veronica; Knafl, Kathleen; Sanatacroce, Sheila; Hall, Andrew; Smith, Trish; Campbell, Malcolm; Webb, Nicholas J A

    2012-09-01

    This article is a report of a protocol for studying the development and evaluation of an online parent information and support package for home-based care of children with chronic kidney disease stages 3-5. The study is funded by a National Institute of Health Research, Research for Patient Benefit Grant awarded (December 2010). Approval to undetake the study was obtained from the Department of Health National Research Ethics Service (June 2011). Children with chronic kidney disease require skilled, home-based care by parents, supported by professionals. Parents have identified a need for continuously available online resources to supplement professional support, and structured resources tailored to parents' needs are highlighted by policy makers as key to optimizing care; yet, online resource provision is patchy with little evidence base. Using mixed methods, we will (i) conduct parent/child/young person/professional/patient and parent volunteer focus groups to explore views on existing resources, (ii) collaboratively define gaps in provision, identify desirable components, develop/test resources and conduct a feasibility randomized controlled trial, and (iii) of usual professional support versus usual support supplemented by the package. Eighty parents of children with chronic kidney disease will be randomized. Primary outcomes will assess parents' self-efficacy and views of resources, using standardized measures at entry and 24 weeks, and semi-structured interviews at 24 weeks. We will finalize trial components for a later definitive trial. By working collaboratively, we will derive a detailed insight into parents' information and support needs and experiences of using the package, and should see improved parental self-efficacy. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  12. The Jackson Career Explorer: Correlates With Self-Monitoring and Social Desirability.

    PubMed

    Schermer, Julie Aitken

    2018-01-01

    The Jackson Career Explorer (JCE) is a short form and continuous version of the Jackson Vocational Interest Survey measuring 34 vocational interest dimensions which can be reduced to seven factors (six vocational interest factors and one work style factor). Both the scales and factors were examined for possible significant correlations with social desirability and self-monitoring. Volunteer participants ( N = 779) aged 14 to 92 years completed the JCE, a social desirability scale, and a self-monitoring scale. Social desirability did not correlate significantly with the JCE scales and factors. Self-monitoring was found to correlate significantly with only a few of the JCE dimensions, including the performing arts, dominant leadership, and law scales as well as the business factor. Interestingly, the accountability JCE work style scale, which assesses a preference to work in an environment requiring high levels of honesty, had a significant negative correlation with self-monitoring. These results add to the validity of the JCE and add information to the area of vocational interest assessment.

  13. Private investment purchase and nursing home financial health.

    PubMed

    Orfaly Cadigan, Rebecca; Stevenson, David G; Caudry, Daryl J; Grabowski, David C

    2015-02-01

    To explore the impact of nursing home acquisition by private investment firms on nursing home costs, revenue, and overall financial health. Merged data from the Medicare Cost Reports and the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting system for the period 1998-2010. Regression specification incorporating facility and time fixed effects. We found little impact on the financial health of nursing homes following purchase by private investment companies. However, our findings did suggest that private investment firms acquired nursing home chains in good financial health, possibly to derive profit from the company's real estate holdings. Private investment acquired facilities are an important feature of today's nursing home sector. Although we did not observe a negative impact on the financial health of nursing homes, this development raises important issues about ownership oversight and transparency for the entire nursing home sector. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  14. Staffing and Worker Injury in Nursing Homes

    PubMed Central

    Trinkoff, Alison M.; Johantgen, Meg; Muntaner, Carles; Le, Rong

    2005-01-01

    Objectives. We examined the relationship between nursing home staffing levels and worker injury rates in 445 nursing homes in 3 states. Methods. We obtained First Reports of Injury and workers’ compensation data from 3 states (Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland) for the year 2000. We then linked these data to Medicare’s Online Survey, Certification and Reporting system to obtain nursing home staffing details and organizational descriptors. We used ordinary least squares and log-transformed regression models to examine the association between worker injury rate and nursing home staffing and organizational characteristics. Results. Total nursing hours per resident day were significantly associated with worker injury rates in nursing homes after we adjusted for organizational characteristics and state dummy variables (P=.0004). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that nursing home staffing levels have an important impact on worker health. These findings were supported for multiple facilities across different states; therefore, policies and resources that increase staffing levels in nursing homes are warranted. PMID:15983274

  15. Home Care Nursing Improves Cancer Symptom Management

    Cancer.gov

    Home care nursing (HCN) improves the management of symptoms in breast and colorectal cancer patients who take the oral chemotherapy drug capecitabine, according to a study published online November 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

  16. World Wide Web home page for the South Platte NAWQA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Qi, Sharon L.; Dennehy, Kevin F.

    1997-01-01

    A World Wide Web home page for the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, South Platte River Basin study is now online. The home page includes information about the basinwide investigation and provides viewing and downloading access to physical, chemical, and biological data collected by the study team.

  17. Identifying undiagnosed HIV in men who have sex with men (MSM) by offering HIV home sampling via online gay social media: a service evaluation.

    PubMed

    Elliot, E; Rossi, M; McCormack, S; McOwan, A

    2016-09-01

    An estimated one in eight men who have sex with men (MSM) in London lives with HIV, of which 16% are undiagnosed. It is a public health priority to minimise time spent undiagnosed and reduce morbidity, mortality and onward HIV transmission. 'Dean Street at Home' provided an online HIV risk self-assessment and postal home HIV sampling service aimed at hard-to-reach, high-risk MSM. This 2-year service evaluation aims to determine the HIV risk behaviour of users, the uptake of offer of home sampling and the acceptability of the service. Users were invited to assess their HIV risk anonymously through messages or promotional banners on several gay social networking websites. Regardless of risk, they were offered a free postal HIV oral fluid or blood self-sampling kit. Reactive results were confirmed in clinic. A user survey was sent to first year respondents. 17 361 respondents completed the risk self-assessment. Of these, half had an 'identifiable risk' for HIV and a third was previously untested. 5696 test kits were returned. 121 individuals had a reactive sample; 82 (1.4% of returned samples) confirmed as new HIV diagnoses linked to care; 14 (0.25%) already knew their diagnosis; and 14 (0.25%) were false reactives. The median age at diagnosis was 38; median CD4 505 cells/µL and 20% were recent infections. 61/82 (78%) were confirmed on treatment at the time of writing. The post-test email survey revealed a high service acceptability rate. The service was the first of its kind in the UK. This evaluation provides evidence to inform the potential roll-out of further online strategies to enhance community HIV testing. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  18. Evaluating the effectiveness of home exercise programmes using an online exercise prescription tool in children with cerebral palsy: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    Williams, Sian A; Gucciardi, Daniel F; Bear, Natasha; Gibson, Noula

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Children with cerebral palsy (CP) and other neurodevelopmental disabilities often receive a home programme of exercises to assist in reaching their therapy goals. Adherence to exercise programmes is necessary to attain the level of practice required to achieve goals; however, adherence can be difficult to accomplish. In this paper, we describe the protocol for a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of delivering a home exercise programme to school-age children with disabilities using Physitrack, an online exercise prescription tool with a website or app interface. Methods and analysis Participants aged 6–17 years, with CP or other neurodevelopmental disabilities, receiving community physiotherapy services in Western Australia, will be recruited. Participants will be stratified by age and functional mobility and randomised to either the intervention group, who will complete an 8-week home exercise programme using Physitrack, or the control group, who will complete an 8-week exercise programme without Physitrack. Researcher blinding to group allocation, and participant blinding to outcome, will be maintained. The primary outcome measures are adherence to the home exercise programme with weekly collection of home exercise logs; achievement of individualised goals by phone interview before and after intervention; and correctness of exercise performance by collection and analysis of videos of participants performing home exercises. Secondary outcome measures include enjoyment of physical activity, confidence to complete exercise programme, preferred method of delivery of programme and usability of Physitrack. A sample size of 58 participants will be necessary to see an effect on home programme adherence. Data will be analysed using the intention-to-treat principle. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee in July 2016 (10391). Outcomes will be disseminated through

  19. Private Investment Purchase and Nursing Home Financial Health

    PubMed Central

    Cadigan, Rebecca Orfaly; Stevenson, David G; Caudry, Daryl J; Grabowski, David C

    2015-01-01

    Objective To explore the impact of nursing home acquisition by private investment firms on nursing home costs, revenue, and overall financial health. Data Sources Merged data from the Medicare Cost Reports and the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting system for the period 1998–2010. Study Design Regression specification incorporating facility and time fixed effects. Principal Findings We found little impact on the financial health of nursing homes following purchase by private investment companies. However, our findings did suggest that private investment firms acquired nursing home chains in good financial health, possibly to derive profit from the company’s real estate holdings. Conclusions Private investment acquired facilities are an important feature of today’s nursing home sector. Although we did not observe a negative impact on the financial health of nursing homes, this development raises important issues about ownership oversight and transparency for the entire nursing home sector. PMID:25104476

  20. The Influence of Consistent Assignment on Nursing Home Deficiency Citations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castle, Nicholas G.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: The association of consistent assignment of nurse aides (NAs) with quality of care and quality of life of nursing home residents is examined (using 5 groups of deficiency citations). Methods: Data used came from a survey of nursing home administrators, the Online Survey Certification and Reporting data, and the Area Resource File. The…

    1. Nursing home safety: does financial performance matter?

      PubMed

      Oetjen, Reid M; Zhao, Mei; Liu, Darren; Carretta, Henry J

      2011-01-01

      This study examines the relationship between financial performance and selected safety measures of nursing homes in the State of Florida. We used descriptive analysis on a total sample of 1,197. Safety information was from the Online Survey, Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data of 2003 to 2005, while the financial performance measures were from the Medicare cost reports of 2002 to 2004. Finally, we examined the most frequently cited deficiencies as well as the relationship between financial performance and quality indicators. Nursing homes in the bottom quartile of financial performance perform poorly on most resident-safety measures of care; however, nursing homes in the top two financial categories also experienced a higher number of deficiencies. Nursing homes in the next to lowest quartile of financial performance category best perform on most of these safety measures. The results reinforce the need to monitor nursing home quality and resident safety in US nursing homes, especially among facilities with poor overall financial performance.

    2. Nursing home evacuation plans.

      PubMed

      Castle, Nicholas G

      2008-07-01

      I examined evacuation plans from 2134 nursing homes and analyzed national data to determine the types of nursing homes cited for deficiencies in their evacuation plans. Evacuation plans were assessed according to criteria developed by an expert panel funded by the Office of the Inspector General. Deficiency citations came from the Online Survey, Certification, and Recording database, collected from 1997 to 2005. Four specific citations, for written emergency plans, staff training, written evacuation plans, and fire drills, were examined with multivariate logistic regression. Most plans had water supply provisions (96%). Only 31% specified an evacuation route. The rate of citations was relatively stable throughout the study period: each year approximately 0.6% of facilities were found to be deficient in written emergency plans, 2.1% in staff training, 1.2% in written evacuation plans, and 7.9% in fire drills. Some nursing homes need more specific evacuation plans. Water supply was the most and evacuation routes were the least well-addressed areas.

    3. Fermilab History and Archives Project | Home

      Science.gov Websites

      Fermilab History and Archives Project Fermilab History and Archives Project Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Home About the Archives History & Archives Online Request Contact Us Site Index SEARCH the site: History & Archives Project Fermilab History and Archives Project The History of

    4. General Chemistry Collection for Students (CD-ROM), Abstract of Special Issue 16, 4th Edition

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      2000-07-01

      The General Chemistry Collection contains both new and previously published JCE Software programs that are intended for use by introductory-level chemistry students. These peer-reviewed programs for Macintosh and for Windows are available on a single CD-ROM for convenient distribution to and access by students, and the CD may be adopted for students to purchase as they would a textbook. General Chemistry Collection covers a broad range of topics providing students with interesting information, tutorials, and simulations that will be useful to them as they study chemistry for the first time. There are 22 programs included in the General Chemistry Collection 4th Edition. Their titles and the general chemistry topics they cover are listed in Table 1. Features in This Edition General Chemistry Collection, 4th edition includes:

      • Lessons for Introductory Chemistry and INQUAL-S, two new programs not previously published by JCE Software (abstracts appear below)
      • Writing Electron Dot Structures (1) and Viscosity Measurement: A Virtual Experiment for Windows (2), two programs published individually by JCE Software
      • Periodic Table Live! LE, a limited edition of Periodic Table Live!, 2nd Edition (3) (this replaces Chemistry Navigator (4) and Illustrated Periodic Table (5))
      • Many of the programs from previous editions (6)1
      Hardware and Software Requirements System requirements are given in Table 2. Some programs have additional requirements. See the individual program abstracts at JCE Online, or documentation included on the CD-ROM for more specific information. Licensing and Discounts for Adoptions The General Chemistry Collection is intended for use by individual students. Institutions and faculty members may adopt General Chemistry Collection 4th Edition as they would a textbook. We can arrange for CDs to be packaged with laboratory manuals or other course materials or to be sold for direct distribution to students through the campus

    5. A Comparison between National and Transnational Students' Access of Online Learning Support Materials and Experience of Technical Difficulties on a Fully Online Distance Learning Master of Public Health Programme

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Gemmell, Isla; Harrison, Roger

      2017-01-01

      Online distance learning (ODL) is now recognised as a mainstream teaching method for undergraduate and postgraduate students around the world. However, differences in learner characteristics such as help-seeking behaviour between transnational students and home students may impact on student attainment. 64 students undertaking an online master of…

    6. Internationalization at Home for Counseling Students: Utilizing Technology to Expand Global and Multicultural Horizons

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Bhat, Christine Suniti; McMahon, Mary

      2016-01-01

      Advances in information and communications technology have created increased avenues to internationalize educational experiences for students on their home campuses. This article reports on a teaching strategy that used Blackboard to provide an "Internationalization at Home" online exchange experience for Australian and American graduate…

    7. Keyword: help! Online resources for disaster preparedness.

      PubMed

      Hart, Amadie H; Cushman, Margaret J

      2002-01-01

      Health care organizations such as home care agencies should have post-disaster contingency plans in place that include contacts with the local, county, or state emergency management office, local branch of the Red Cross, and a clearly identified point person within the agency to coordinate disaster response efforts. Home care agencies must plan for the far-reaching effects that disasters can have on people in the community. This article provides some online resources to help you, your organization, and your family prepare for unexpected events.

    8. A Conceptual Framework for Detecting Cheating in Online and Take-Home Exams

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      D'Souza, Kelwyn A.; Siegfeldt, Denise V.

      2017-01-01

      Selecting the right methodology to use for detecting cheating in online exams requires considerable time and effort due to a wide variety of scholarly publications on academic dishonesty in online education. This article offers a cheating detection framework that can serve as a guideline for conducting cheating studies. The necessary theories and…

    9. [eLearning service for home palliative care].

      PubMed

      Sakuyama, Toshikazu; Komatsu, Kazuhiro; Inoue, Daisuke; Fukushima, Osamu

      2008-12-01

      In order to support the home palliative care learning, we made the eLearning service for home palliative care (beta version) and tried to teach the palliative care to the medical staffs in the community. The various learners (such as nurses, pharmacists and the like) accessed to the online learning and used this eLearning service. After the learners finished eLearning for home palliative care, some questionnaires were distributed to the learners and analyzed by us. The analysis of questionnaires revealed that almost all were satisfied with our eLearning services. Especially the learners were not only interested in using the skills of opioids and the management of pain control, but they had a good cognition for the usage of opioids.

    10. The Current Status and Future Directions in the Development of the Cyber Home Learning System in Korea

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Kang, Myunghee; Kim, Seyoung; Yoon, Seonghye; Chung, Warren

      2017-01-01

      The purpose of this study was to set future directions of the Cyber Home Learning System in Korea based on its current status. The Cyber Home Learning System has been designed and used by K-12 students to study voluntarily at home using online lessons. The development process of the Cyber Home Learning System was composed of the following four…

    11. Korean Student's Online Learning Preferences and Issues: Cultural Sensitivity for Western Course Designers

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Washburn, Earlene

      2012-01-01

      Scope and Method of Study: While online courses offer educational solutions, they are not academically suited for everyone. International students find distractions in online courses constructed with American philosophy, epistemology, values, and cultures as compared to experiences in their home country. Learner's culture, value system, learning…

    12. Online discussions with pregnant and parenting adolescents: perspectives and possibilities.

      PubMed

      Valaitis, Ruta K; Sword, Wendy A

      2005-10-01

      The Internet is an innovative strategy to increase public participation. It is important to include pregnant and parenting teens' perspectives when planning programs to meet their needs. This qualitative study explored online discussions as a strategy to enhance participation by this population. Findings showed that online communication was preferred over face-to-face group discussions. Being anonymous online encouraged open and honest feedback. Participants experienced various forms of social support, however, there was an overall lack of teen involvement online. Strategies to engage adolescents in online discussions and reduce barriers are discussed. Strategies included the use of teen moderators, home computer access, technical support, and engagement in naturally flowing online discussions to meet social support needs. Blending researchers' with teens' needs for social support in an online environment is encouraged. With careful planning and design, online communications can result in mutual benefits for researchers, service providers, and pregnant and parenting adolescents.

    13. Commercially Available or Home-Grown: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of K-12 Online Courses

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Proffitt, Susan

      2014-01-01

      Online learning in K-12 education is becoming a familiar option for students. By the end of 2011, all 50 states and the District of Columbia offered some form of online learning as an option for some students (Watson, Murin, Vashaw, Gemin, & Rapp, 2011). Online courses are appealing to students for a variety of reasons. The five most common…

    14. Contextual determinants of US nursing home racial/ethnic diversity.

      PubMed

      Davis, Jullet A; Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Lapane, Kate L; Laberge, Alex

      2014-03-01

      We hypothesized that for-profit/chain affiliated nursing homes, those in states with higher Medicaid reimbursement, and those in more competitive markets would have greater resident racial/ethnic diversity than nursing homes not meeting these criteria. Using 2004 Online Survey, Certification and Reporting data, Minimum Data Set, Lewis Mumford Center for Comparative Urban and Regional Research data, and the Area Resource File, we included U.S. Medicare/Medicaid certified nursing homes (N = 8950) located in 310 Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The dependent variable quantified facility-level multiracial diversity. Ordinary least squares regression showed support for the hypothesized relationships: for-profit/chain affiliated nursing homes were more diverse than nursing homes in all other ownership/chain member categories, while higher Medicaid per-diem rates, greater residential diversity, and stronger market competition were also positively associated with nursing home racial/ethnic composition. Results suggest there is room for policy changes to achieve equitable access to all levels of nursing home services for minority elders. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    15. Applications of Online Instruction: An Overview for Teachers, Students with Mild Disabilities, and Their Parents.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Smith, Sean J.; Meyen, Edward L.

      2003-01-01

      This article describes online instruction in the context of online technologies, instructional environment, and home environment of students with disabilities. Topics covered include advantages, cost effectiveness, Web accessibility, universal design for learning, tools for accessing and organizing resources, tools for communication, learning…

    16. Cultural competence: assessment and education resources for home care and hospice clinicians.

      PubMed

      Hines, Deborah

      2014-05-01

      Home healthcare and hospice clinicians face many challenges in the complex healthcare system caring for patients and their families in the home environment. One of those challenges is providing culturally competent care for an increasingly diverse population. This article will highlight free, easily accessible, online resources to assist clinicians and organizations to assess organizational and individual cultural competence and provide many resources for cultural competency education programs.

    17. Especially for High School Teachers

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Howell, J. Emory

      1999-05-01

      assigned as a take-home activity. JCE Classroom Activity #15, "Liver and Onions: DNA Extraction from Animal and Plant Tissues" (p 400A, March 1999) also integrates chemical and biological concepts. The JCE Software videotape HIV-1 Protease: An Enzyme at Work is another useful resource. It can be used in any classroom where kinetics, catalysis, proteins, or enzymes are discussed. Information about JCE Software products can be found in recent issues of the Journal or by accessing JCE Online (http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu). Because most high school students complete at least one year of biology before enrolling in chemistry, developing the connections between biology and chemistry can be especially productive. Connections between chemistry and biology often seem to be more real to students than do many of the phenomena we cite as applications. For example, students often are not able to make the connection between the excitation of electrons to produce electromagnetic radiation and anything that is personally relevant. The light given off by sodium or mercury vapor lights provides a common example of relating atomic emission to a useful process, but many students do not seem to find that particularly interesting. The need to make a connection between biology and chemistry becomes especially meaningful to students when the chemical change occurs within the human body. As an example, the interaction of emitted electromagnetic radiation with human cells to cause well-tanned skin seems more relevant to a greater number of students than the color of lights in a parking lot. This issue contains an article that describes a useful application of light to kill cancer cells through use of photosensitizers (p 592). The process of photodynamic therapy (PDT) provides another example that could help students make a connection between the emission of electromagnetic radiation and the challenge of killing cancer cells without harming healthy cells. Certainly this example is not a magic

    18. The challenges of a home-based nursing consultation business.

      PubMed

      Schulmeister, L

      1999-03-01

      The transition from working in a traditional setting to working at home alone can be challenging for new nurse consultants. Home-based consultants can use a variety of strategies to stay focused and connected, such as having a designated work area, limiting distractions, and networking. Nurse consultants can obtain information about business management from community resources, and computer on-line services offer a means of contacting other small-business owners. Ongoing business evaluations, which include professional accomplishments as well as an examination of income and expenses, help in planning. Home-based nurse consultants can increase the likelihood of business success by setting objectives, working diligently, and networking with others in the business community.

    19. Public claims about automatic external defibrillators: an online consumer opinions study.

      PubMed

      Money, Arthur G; Barnett, Julie; Kuljis, Jasna

      2011-05-18

      Patients are no longer passive recipients of health care, and increasingly engage in health communications outside of the traditional patient and health care professional relationship. As a result, patient opinions and health related judgements are now being informed by a wide range of social, media, and online information sources. Government initiatives recognise self-delivery of health care as a valuable means of responding to the anticipated increased global demand for health resources. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), designed for the treatment of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), have recently become available for 'over the counter' purchase with no need for a prescription. This paper explores the claims and argumentation of lay persons and health care practitioners and professionals relating to these, and how these may impact on the acceptance, adoption and use of these devices within the home context. We carry out a thematic content analysis of a novel form of Internet-based data: online consumer opinions of AED devices posted on Amazon.com, the world's largest online retailer. A total of #83 online consumer reviews of home AEDs are analysed. The analysis is both inductive, identifying themes that emerged from the data, exploring the parameters of public debate relating to these devices, and also driven by theory, centring around the parameters that may impact upon the acceptance, adoption and use of these devices within the home as indicated by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Five high-level themes around which arguments for and against the adoption of home AEDs are identified and considered in the context of TAM. These include opinions relating to device usability, usefulness, cost, emotional implications of device ownership, and individual patient risk status. Emotional implications associated with AED acceptance, adoption and use emerged as a notable factor that is not currently reflected within the existing TAM. The value, credibility and

    20. Public Claims about Automatic External Defibrillators: An Online Consumer Opinions Study

      PubMed Central

      2011-01-01

      Background Patients are no longer passive recipients of health care, and increasingly engage in health communications outside of the traditional patient and health care professional relationship. As a result, patient opinions and health related judgements are now being informed by a wide range of social, media, and online information sources. Government initiatives recognise self-delivery of health care as a valuable means of responding to the anticipated increased global demand for health resources. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), designed for the treatment of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), have recently become available for 'over the counter' purchase with no need for a prescription. This paper explores the claims and argumentation of lay persons and health care practitioners and professionals relating to these, and how these may impact on the acceptance, adoption and use of these devices within the home context. Methods We carry out a thematic content analysis of a novel form of Internet-based data: online consumer opinions of AED devices posted on Amazon.com, the world's largest online retailer. A total of #83 online consumer reviews of home AEDs are analysed. The analysis is both inductive, identifying themes that emerged from the data, exploring the parameters of public debate relating to these devices, and also driven by theory, centring around the parameters that may impact upon the acceptance, adoption and use of these devices within the home as indicated by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Results Five high-level themes around which arguments for and against the adoption of home AEDs are identified and considered in the context of TAM. These include opinions relating to device usability, usefulness, cost, emotional implications of device ownership, and individual patient risk status. Emotional implications associated with AED acceptance, adoption and use emerged as a notable factor that is not currently reflected within the existing TAM

    1. Changes in nursing home staffing levels, 1997 to 2007.

      PubMed

      Seblega, Binyam K; Zhang, Ning Jackie; Unruh, Lynn Y; Breen, Gerald-Mark; Seung Chun Paek; Wan, Thomas T H

      2010-04-01

      A positive relationship has been demonstrated between the quality of care delivered in nursing homes and the quality of nursing staff providing the care. The general perception, however, is that there is a decline in registered nurses' staff hours in nursing homes. The primary objective of this study is to investigate whether the levels of registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nursing assistants (NAs) as well as skill mix has changed in nursing homes between the years 1997 and 2007. A descriptive research design was employed on data derived from Online Survey Certification and Reporting System database. After accounting for facility size and ownership, it was found that more nursing homes have increased-rather than decreased-LPN and NA hours per resident day between 1997 and 2007. On the other hand, more nursing homes have decreased-rather than increased-RN hours per resident day and skill mix during the same time period.

    2. Nursing home consumer complaints and quality of care: a national view.

      PubMed

      Stevenson, David G

      2006-06-01

      This study uses 5 years of national data on investigated nursing home complaints (1998-2002) to evaluate whether complaints might be used to assess nursing home quality of care. On-Line Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data are used to evaluate the association between consumer complaints, facility and resident characteristics, and other nursing home quality measures. The analyses are undertaken in the context of considerable cross-state variation in nursing home complaint processes and rates. Complaints varied across facility characteristics in ways consistent with the nursing home quality literature. Complaints were significantly positively associated with survey deficiencies and the presence of serious survey deficiencies, and significantly negatively associated with nurse and nurse aide staffing. Complaints performance was significantly predictive of survey deficiencies at subsequent inspections. This study presents the first national evidence for using consumer complaints to assess nursing home quality of care. Despite limitations, nursing home complaints appear to offer a real-time signal of quality concerns.

    3. Exploring Staff Perceptions: Early Childhood Teacher Educators Examine Online Teaching and Learning Challenges and Dilemmas

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Davis, Julie; Lennox, Sandra; Walker, Sue; Walsh, Kerryann

      2007-01-01

      Early Childhood teacher educators at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have been engaging with online teaching and learning since the mid 1990s. On campus students have lectures and tutorials supported by information and communication technologies via QUT's home grown learning management system, Online Learning and Teaching (OLT). We…

    4. Home-made online hyphenation of pressurized liquid extraction, turbulent flow chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography, Cistanche deserticola as a case study.

      PubMed

      Song, Qingqing; Li, Jun; Liu, Xiao; Zhang, Yuan; Guo, Liping; Jiang, Yong; Song, Yuelin; Tu, Pengfei

      2016-03-18

      Incompatibility between the conventional pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) devices and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) extensively hinders direct and green chemical analysis of herbal materials. Herein, a facile PLE module was configured, and then it was online hyphenated with HPLC via a turbulent flow chromatography (TFC) column. Regarding PLE module, a long PEEK tube (0.13 × 1000 mm) was employed to generate desired pressure (approximately 13.0 MPa) when warm acidic water (70 °C) was delivered as extraction solvent at a high flow rate (2.5 mL/min), and a hollow guard column (3.0 × 4.0 mm) was implemented to hold crude materials. Effluent was collected from the outlet of PEEK tube, concentrated, and subjected onto HPLC coupled with hybrid ion trap-time of flight mass spectrometer to assess the extraction efficiency and also to profile the chemical composition of Cistanche deserticola (CD) that is honored as "Ginseng of the desert". Afterwards, a TFC column was introduced to accomplish online transmission of low molecule weight components from PLE module to HPLC coupled with diode array detection, and two electronic 6-port/2-channel valves were in charge of alternating the whole system between extraction (0-3.0 min) and elution (3.0-35.0 min) phases. Quantitative method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of eight primary phenylethanoid glycosides in CD using online PLE-TFC-HPLC. All findings demonstrated that the home-made platform is advantageous at direct chemical analysis, as well as time-, solvent-, and material-savings, suggesting a robust tool for chemical fingerprinting of herbs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

    5. Transitioning Communication Education to an Interactive Online Module Format.

      PubMed

      Williams, Kristine; Abd-Hamid, Nor Hashidah; Perkhounkova, Yelena

      2017-07-01

      The Changing Talk intervention improves nursing home staff communication by reducing elderspeak. To facilitate dissemination, interactive online modules were created, maintaining the original content. This article reports on the process of transitioning and the results of pilot testing the modules. Interactive online modules were developed, pilot tested, and the evaluated in comparison to outcomes from the classroom format training. Online participants (N = 9) demonstrated pre to posttest knowledge gain (scores improved from M = 82.4% to M = 91.2%). Rating of a staff-resident interaction showed improved recognition of elderspeak and person-centered communication after training. Online and original participants reported similar intentions to use learned skills and rated the program highly. Evidence-based interventions can be translated from traditional classroom to online format maintaining effects on increasing staff knowledge and intentions to use learned skills in practice. However, the modules should be tested in a larger and more representative sample. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2017;48(7):320-328. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

    6. What do we know about care home managers? Findings of a scoping review.

      PubMed

      Orellana, Katharine; Manthorpe, Jill; Moriarty, Jo

      2017-03-01

      This article reports selected findings from a scoping review of the literature about care home managers in England. The review was undertaken between December 2013 and April 2014, with searches conducted in December 2013, and completed in July 2014. Its aim was to identify the characteristics of care home managers, descriptions of their leadership and managerial roles, their experience, skills and support, and the managers' perceptions of their work and status and to identify knowledge gaps. The databases searched included Web of Knowledge, EBSCO, ASSIA, Embase, AgeInfo, NHS Evidence, Social Care Online and the publication platforms IngentaConnect, Wiley Online and JSTOR together with specialist sites and national information providers. Sixteen relevant studies directly about care home managers, reported in 24 articles, were identified. A further body of literature pertinent to the questions was located (n = 84), including sector reports, professional press, expert opinion, enquiries and reviews, and other material, which also informed the review. A consultation exercise with stakeholders informed the findings of the review. The review found that, despite frequent allusions to their impact on organisational culture, few studies have focused on care home managers, and, such as there are, mainly relate to managers of care homes for older people. This is despite managers' major responsibilities for the care of many frail and disabled people. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

    7. Ocean Drilling Program: Publication Services: Online Manuscript Submission

      Science.gov Websites

      products Drilling services and tools Online Janus database Search the ODP/TAMU web site ODP/TAMU Science Operator Home ODP's main web site Publications Policy Author Instructions Scientific Results Manuscript use the submission and review forms available on the IODP-USIO publications web site. ODP | Search

    8. Student, Teacher, Professor: Three Perspectives on Online Education

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Pearcy, Mark

      2014-01-01

      Today, a third of American children regularly use computer tablets, while over 40% use smartphones and 53% regularly use laptops in their home. While this is encouraging there is still considerable debate about the shape and direction technology should take in school, particularly online education making it necessary for educators to change in…

    9. Assisted Living Expansion and the Market for Nursing Home Care

      PubMed Central

      Grabowski, David C; Stevenson, David G; Cornell, Portia Y

      2012-01-01

      Objective To analyze the effect of market-level changes in assisted living supply on nursing home utilization and resident acuity. Data Sources Primary data on the supply of assisted living over time were collected from 13 states from 1993 through 2007 and merged with nursing home-level data from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting System and market-level information from the Area Resource File. Study Design Least squares regression specification incorporating market and time-fixed effects. Principal Findings A 10 percent increase in assisted living capacity led to a 1.4 percent decline in private-pay nursing home occupancy and a 0.2–0.6 percent increase in patient acuity. Conclusions Assisted living serves as a potential substitute for nursing home care for some healthier individuals with greater financial resources, suggesting implications for policy makers, providers, and consumers. PMID:22578039

    10. Collaborative Experiments Online in a Module Presented Globally

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Robinson, David J.

      2011-01-01

      A new module for Level 1 students called "Science Investigations" provides an introduction to practical work, in an on-line environment. Most of the activities in the module require observational or experimental work done at home, with only the field work being "virtual". The aim is to encourage practical and group work in an…

    11. Guidelines for Selecting Quality K-12 Online Courses

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Rothschild, Mimi

      2005-01-01

      This article presents guidelines formulated by Learning By Grace, Inc., one of the nation's leading providers of online resources for homeschoolers, and is intended to help home educators navigate the multitude of available choices so that they will be better equipped to select the provider that offers the curriculum and services most suited to…

    12. Prospectus 2000

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Holmes, Jon L.; Gettys, Nancy S.

      2000-01-01

      be "Web-ready". General Chemistry Collection, 4th Edition The General Chemistry Collection will be revised early in the summer and CDs will be shipped in time for fall adoptions. The 4th edition will include JCE Software publications for general chemistry published in 1999, as well as any programs for general chemistry accepted in 2000. Regular Issues We have had many recent submissions and submissions of work in progress. In 2000 we will work with the authors and our peer-reviewers to complete and publish these submissions individually or as part of a software collection on CD-ROM. An Invitation In collaboration with JCE Online we plan to make available in 2000 more support files for JCE Software. These will include not only troubleshooting tips and technical support notes, but also supporting information submitted by users such as lessons, specific assignments, and activities using JCE Software publications. All JCE Software users are invited to contribute to this area. Get in touch with JCE Software and let us know how you are using our materials so that we can share your ideas with others! Although the word software is in our name, many of our publications are not traditional software. We also publish video on videotape, videodisc, and CD-ROM and electronic documents (Mathcad and Mathematica, spreadsheet files and macros, HTML documents, and PowerPoint presentations). Most chemistry instructors who use a computer in their teaching have created or considered creating one or more of these for their classes. If you have an original computer presentation, electronic document, animation, video, or any other item that is not printed text it is probably an appropriate submission for JCE Software. By publishing your work in any branch of the Journal of Chemical Education, you will share your efforts with chemistry instructors and students all over the world and get professional recognition for your achievements. All JCE Software publications are Y2K compliant.

    13. A scoping review of home-produced heroin and amphetamine-type stimulant substitutes: implications for prevention, treatment, and policy.

      PubMed

      Hearne, Evelyn; Grund, Jean-Paul Cornelius; Van Hout, Marie Claire; McVeigh, Jim

      2016-04-19

      Several home-produced substances such as krokodil and boltushka are prevalent in many Eastern European countries. Anecdotal reports of its use have been circulating in Germany and Norway; however, this has not been confirmed. Its use has also been reported by the media in the USA, although only one confirmed report of its use exists. Home-produced drugs are associated with high levels of morbidity and a number of complex health issues such as the spread of blood borne viruses, gangrene, and internal organ damage. The high incidence of HIV rates amongst people who inject home-produced substances is a public health concern. The resulting physical health consequences of injecting these crude substances are very severe in comparison to heroin or amphetamine acquired in black markets. Due to this fact and the increased mortality associated with these substances, professionals in the area of prevention, treatment, and policy development need to be cognisant of the presentation, harms, and the dangers associated with home-produced substances globally. This scoping review aimed to examine existing literature on the subject of home-produced heroin and amphetamine-type stimulant substitutes. The review discussed the many implications such research may have in the areas of policy and practice. Data were gathered through the use of qualitative secondary resources such as journal articles, reports, reviews, case studies, and media reports. The home production of these substances relies on the utilisation of precursor drugs such as less potent stimulants, tranquillizers, analgesics, and sedatives or natural plant ingredients. The Internet underpins the facilitation of this practice as recipes, and diverted pharmaceutical sales are available widely online, and currently, ease of access to the Internet is evident worldwide. This review highlights the necessity of prevention, education, and also harm reduction related to home-produced drugs and also recommends consistent monitoring

    14. KernPaeP - a web-based pediatric palliative documentation system for home care.

      PubMed

      Hartz, Tobias; Verst, Hendrik; Ueckert, Frank

      2009-01-01

      KernPaeP is a new web-based on- and offline documentation system, which has been developed for pediatric palliative care-teams supporting patient documentation and communication among health care professionals. It provides a reliable system making fast and secure home care documentation possible. KernPaeP is accessible online by registered users using any web-browser. Home care teams use an offline version of KernPaeP running on a netbook for patient documentation on site. Identifying and medical patient data are strictly separated and stored on two database servers. The system offers a stable, enhanced two-way algorithm for synchronization between the offline component and the central database servers. KernPaeP is implemented meeting highest security standards while still maintaining high usability. The web-based documentation system allows ubiquitous and immediate access to patient data. Sumptuous paper work is replaced by secure and comprehensive electronic documentation. KernPaeP helps saving time and improving the quality of documentation. Due to development in close cooperation with pediatric palliative professionals, KernPaeP fulfils the broad needs of home-care documentation. The technique of web-based online and offline documentation is in general applicable for arbitrary home care scenarios.

    15. Administrator turnover and quality of care in nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Castle, N G

      2001-12-01

      In this article, I examine the association between turnover of nursing home administrators and five important quality of care outcomes. The data came from a survey of 420 nursing facilities and the 1999 On-line Survey, Certification, and Reporting System. Using multivariate logistic regression analyses, I looked at the effects of turnover of administrators in nursing homes belonging to chain organizations and in nursing homes not belonging to chain organizations. I found the average annual turnover rate of administrators to be 43%. The multivariate logistic regression analyses show that in nursing homes belonging to chains, administrator turnover is associated with a higher than average proportion of residents who were catheterized, had pressure ulcers, and were given psychoactive drugs and with a higher than average number of quality-of-care deficiencies. In nursing homes not belonging to chains I found that turnover of administrators is associated with a higher than average proportion of residents who were restrained, were catheterized, had pressure ulcers, and were given psychoactive drugs. There is a need to improve understanding of how and why better outcomes are achieved in some nursing homes. This investigation serves to focus attention on nursing home administrators. I believe this study provides preliminary evidence that the turnover of administrators may have an important association with quality of care in nursing homes.

    16. Never Say Never: Opening New Doors to Online Learning

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Johnson, Kimberly P.

      2010-01-01

      Whether someone is a businessperson, teacher, laborer, or a stay-at-home parent, there is always a challenge associated with change. However, the opportunities to face challenges can open unbelievable doors. Current data indicate that the United States has almost four million students enrolled in online learning (Allen & Seaman, 2008). This…

    17. Home care in Europe: a systematic literature review

      PubMed Central

      2011-01-01

      Background Health and social services provided at home are becoming increasingly important. Hence, there is a need for information on home care in Europe. The objective of this literature review was to respond to this need by systematically describing what has been reported on home care in Europe in the scientific literature over the past decade. Methods A systematic literature search was performed for papers on home care published in English, using the following data bases: Cinahl, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts, and Social Care Online. Studies were only included if they complied with the definition of home care, were published between January 1998 and October 2009, and dealt with at least one of the 31 specified countries. Clinical interventions, instrument developments, local projects and reviews were excluded. The data extracted included: the characteristics of the study and aspects of home care 'policy & regulation', 'financing', 'organisation & service delivery', and 'clients & informal carers'. Results Seventy-four out of 5,133 potentially relevant studies met the inclusion criteria, providing information on 18 countries. Many focused on the characteristics of home care recipients and on the organisation of home care. Geographical inequalities, market forces, quality and integration of services were also among the issues frequently discussed. Conclusions Home care systems appeared to differ both between and within countries. The papers included, however, provided only a limited picture of home care. Many studies only focused on one aspect of the home care system and international comparative studies were rare. Furthermore, little information emerged on home care financing and on home care in general in Eastern Europe. This review clearly shows the need for more scientific publications on home care, especially studies comparing countries. A comprehensive and more complete insight into the

    18. The Jackson Career Explorer: Two Further Validity Studies

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Schermer, Julie Aitken

      2012-01-01

      The present report consists of two further validity studies using the Jackson Career Explorer (JCE), a short form and continuous version of the Jackson Vocational Interest Survey, measuring 34 interests. The first study examined the relationships between the JCE and five personality factors, from a sample of 528 individuals. The correlations found…

    19. Students' and Teachers' Perceptions of after School Online Course

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Yalavaç, Gamze; Samur, Yavuz

      2016-01-01

      This study analyzes students' and teachers' perceptions of after school online courses (ASOC) undertaken by an institutional private middle school, which manages several campuses across Turkey. The aim of ASOC is to support students when they are home by helping them to revise the lessons, practice topics synchronously with hundreds of other…

    20. Examining the Use of Online Storytelling as a Motivation for Young Learners to Practice Narrative Skills

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Beckmann Wells, Patricia

      2013-01-01

      The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the use of online storytelling as a motivation for young learners to practice narrative skills, measured through active choice, persistence and mental effort (Pintrich & Schunk, 2002). Web analytics was used to track 24 home schooled participants of an online application to teach a 21st…

    1. Nursing Home Price and Quality Responses to Publicly Reported Quality Information

      PubMed Central

      Clement, Jan P; Bazzoli, Gloria J; Zhao, Mei

      2012-01-01

      Objective To assess whether the release of Nursing Home Compare (NHC) data affected self-pay per diem prices and quality of care. Data Sources Primary data sources are the Annual Survey of Wisconsin Nursing Homes for 2001–2003, Online Survey and Certification Reporting System, NHC, and Area Resource File. Study Design We estimated fixed effects models with robust standard errors of per diem self-pay charge and quality before and after NHC. Principal Findings After NHC, low-quality nursing homes raised their prices by a small but significant amount and decreased their use of restraints but did not reduce pressure sores. Mid-level and high-quality nursing homes did not significantly increase self-pay prices after NHC nor consistently change quality. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the release of quality information affected nursing home behavior, especially pricing and quality decisions among low-quality facilities. Policy makers should continue to monitor quality and prices for self-pay residents and scrutinize low-quality homes over time to see whether they are on a pathway to improve quality. In addition, policy makers should not expect public reporting to result in quick fixes to nursing home quality problems. PMID:22092366

    2. The Jackson Career Explorer in Relation to the Career Directions Inventory

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Schermer, Julie Aitken; MacDougall, Robyn

      2011-01-01

      The Jackson Career Explorer (JCE) is a short form and continuous version of the Jackson Vocational Interest Survey (JVIS). The 34 scales of the JCE were investigated in relation to the Career Directions Inventory (CDI). Participants (N = 282) aged 14-57 years were volunteers from local high schools and colleges and completed both measures. The…

    3. Association between Traditional Nursing Home Quality Measures and Two Sources of Nursing Home Complaints

      PubMed Central

      Troyer, Jennifer L; Sause, Wendy

      2013-01-01

      Objective To test for an association between traditional nursing home quality measures and two sources of resident- and caregiver-derived nursing home complaints. Data Sources Nursing home complaints to the North Carolina Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and state certification agency from October 2002 through September 2006 were matched with Online Survey Certification and Reporting data and Minimum Data Set Quality Indicators (MDS-QIs). Study Design We examine the association between the number of complaints filed against a facility and measures of inspection violations, staffing levels, and MDS-QIs. Data Extraction One observation per facility per quarter is constructed by matching quarterly data on complaints to OSCAR data from the same or most recent prior quarter and to MDS-QIs from the same quarter. One observation per inspection is obtained by matching OSCAR data to complaint totals from both the same and the immediate prior quarter. Principal Findings There is little relationship between MDS-QIs and complaints. Ombudsman complaints and inspection violations are generally unrelated, but there is a positive relationship between state certification agency complaints and inspection violations. Conclusions Ombudsman and state certification agency complaint data are resident- and caregiver-derived quality measures that are distinctive from and complement traditional quality measures. PMID:23216541

    4. Carer preferences for home support services in later stage dementia.

      PubMed

      Kampanellou, Eleni; Chester, Helen; Davies, Linda; Davies, Sue; Giebel, Clarissa; Hughes, Jane; Challis, David; Clarkson, Paul

      2017-11-01

      To examine the relative importance of different home support attributes from the perspective of carers of people with later-stage dementia. Preferences from 100 carers, recruited through carers' organisations, were assessed with a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) survey, administered online and by paper questionnaire. Attributes were informed by an evidence synthesis and lay consultations. A conditional logit model was used to estimate preference weights for the attributes within a home support 'package'. The most preferred attributes were 'respite care, available regularly to fit your needs' (coefficient 1.29, p = < 0.001) and 'home care provided regularly for as long as needed' (coefficient 0.93, p = < 0.001). Cost had a significant effect with lower cost packages preferred. Findings were similar regardless of the method of administration, with respite care considered to be the most important attribute for all carers. Carers reported that completing the DCE had been a positive experience; however, feedback was mixed overall. These carer preferences concur with emerging evidence on home support interventions for dementia. Respite care, home care and training on managing difficulties provided at home are important components. Carers' preferences revealed the daily challenges of caring for individuals with later stage dementia and the need for tailored and specialised home support.

    5. Public opinion concerning residential sprinkler systems for 1- and 2-family homes.

      PubMed

      Frattaroli, Shannon; Pollack, Keshia M; Cook, Phillip J; Salomon, Michele; Omaki, Elise; Gielen, Andrea C

      Residential sprinkler systems (RSS) are one intervention to prevent fire injury and death, yet there is no literature documenting why RSS homeowners opt to purchase a sprinkler-equipped home. This manuscript describes homeowners' decisions to purchase homes with residential sprinkler systems (RSS) and their experiences with the technology. It also compares how RSS homeowners and owners of homes without RSS value sprinklers and their levels of support for policies to mandate RSS in new homes. We used a national online web panel to sample owners of 1- and 2-family homes, and descriptive methods to analyze the resulting data. Our final sample included 1,357 homeowners of 1- and 2-family homes without RSS and 976 homeowners with RSS. RSS homeowners were more likely than owners of non-RSS homes to indicate they would buy an RSS home in the future (75 % vs. 30 %), and more often indicated a willingness to pay for sprinklers (70 % vs. 40 %). RSS homeowners also expressed higher levels of support for policies to mandate RSS in all new 1- and 2-family homes (48 % vs. 19 %). The findings offer insight into educational and policy strategies to promote RSS in all new homes, and provide a foundation for future research in this area.

    6. Galaxy Makers Exhibition: Re-engagement, Evaluation and Content Legacy through an Online Component

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Borrow, J.; Harrison, C.

      2017-09-01

      For the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2016, Durham University's Institute of Computational Cosmology created the Galaxy Makers exhibit to communicate our computational cosmology and astronomy research. In addition to the physical exhibit we created an online component to foster re-engagement, create a permanent home for our content and allow us to collect important information about participation and impact. Here we summarise the details of the exhibit and the degree of success attached to the online component. We also share suggestions for further uses and improvements that could be implemented for the online components of other science exhibitions.

    7. Malpractice litigation and nursing home quality of care.

      PubMed

      Konetzka, R Tamara; Park, Jeongyoung; Ellis, Robert; Abbo, Elmer

      2013-12-01

      To assess the potential deterrent effect of nursing home litigation threat on nursing home quality. We use a panel dataset of litigation claims and Nursing Home Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1995 to 2005 in six states: Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Missouri, and Delaware, for a total of 2,245 facilities. Claims data are from Westlaw's Adverse Filings database, a proprietary legal database, on all malpractice, negligence, and personal injury/wrongful death claims filed against nursing facilities. A lagged 2-year moving average of the county-level number of malpractice claims is used to represent the threat of litigation. We use facility fixed-effects models to examine the relationship between the threat of litigation and nursing home quality. We find significant increases in registered nurse-to-total staffing ratios in response to rising malpractice threat, and a reduction in pressure sores among highly staffed facilities. However, the magnitude of the deterrence effect is small. Deterrence in response to the threat of malpractice litigation is unlikely to lead to widespread improvements in nursing home quality. This should be weighed against other benefits and costs of litigation to assess the net benefit of tort reform. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    8. Malpractice Litigation and Nursing Home Quality of Care

      PubMed Central

      Konetzka, R Tamara; Park, Jeongyoung; Ellis, Robert; Abbo, Elmer

      2013-01-01

      Objective. To assess the potential deterrent effect of nursing home litigation threat on nursing home quality. Data Sources/Study Setting. We use a panel dataset of litigation claims and Nursing Home Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1995 to 2005 in six states: Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Missouri, and Delaware, for a total of 2,245 facilities. Claims data are from Westlaw's Adverse Filings database, a proprietary legal database, on all malpractice, negligence, and personal injury/wrongful death claims filed against nursing facilities. Study Design. A lagged 2-year moving average of the county-level number of malpractice claims is used to represent the threat of litigation. We use facility fixed-effects models to examine the relationship between the threat of litigation and nursing home quality. Principal Findings. We find significant increases in registered nurse-to-total staffing ratios in response to rising malpractice threat, and a reduction in pressure sores among highly staffed facilities. However, the magnitude of the deterrence effect is small. Conclusions. Deterrence in response to the threat of malpractice litigation is unlikely to lead to widespread improvements in nursing home quality. This should be weighed against other benefits and costs of litigation to assess the net benefit of tort reform. PMID:23741985

    9. An online learning course in Ergonomics.

      PubMed

      Weiss, Patrice L Tamar; Schreuer, Naomi; Jermias-Cohen, Tali; Josman, Naomi

      2004-01-01

      For the past two years, the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Haifa has offered an online course to third year occupational therapists on the topic of Ergonomics for Health Care Professionals. The development and implementation of this course was funded by the Israeli Ministry of Education. Unique teaching materials, developed and uploaded to the University's server via "High Learn", included interactive and self-directed documents containing graphics, animations, and video clips. Extensive use was made of the discussion forum and survey tools, and students submitted all assignments online. For the final topic, an expert in ergonomics from Boston University delivered a lecture via two-way videoconferencing. The course site included comprehensive library listings in which all bibliographic materials were made available online. Students accessed course materials at the University in a computer classroom and at home via modem. In an accompanying research study, the frequency of student usage of the various online tools was tracked and extensive data were collected via questionnaires documenting students' demographic background, preferred learning style, prior usage of technology, satisfaction with the course and academic achievement. This paper focuses on the results of the research study that examined how the students responded to and coped with teaching material presented and accessed in this format.

    10. Prospectus 1999

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Holmes, Jon L.; Gettys, Nancy S.

      1999-01-01

      optimized for delivery via the World Wide Web. If all goes according to plan, two new CCA! volumes will be announced in 1999, and CCA! 1 and CCA! 2 will be updated to take advantage of the latest digital video technology. Chem Pages Chem Pages, Laboratory Techniques, was developed by the New Traditions Curriculum Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is an HTML-based CD-ROM for Mac OS and Windows that contains lessons and tutorials to prepare introductory chemistry students to work in the laboratory. It includes text, photographs, computer graphics, animations, digital video, and voice narration to introduce students to the laboratory equipment and procedures. Regular Issues Programs that have been accepted for publication as Regular Issues in 1999 include a gas chromatography simulation for Windows 95 by Bruce Armitage, a collection of lessons on torsional rotation for organic chemistry students by Ronald Starkey, and a tutorial on pericyclic reactions, also for organic chemistry, by Albert Lee, C. T. So, and C. L. Chan. We have had many recent submissions and submissions of work in progress. In 1999 we will work with the authors and our peer-reviewers to complete and publish these submissions. Submissions include Multimedia Problems for General Chemistry by David Whisnant, lessons on point groups and crystallography by Margaret Kastner, et al., a mass spectrum simulator by Stephen W. Bigger and Robert A. Craig, a tutorial for introductory chemistry on determining the pH of very dilute acid and base solutions by Paul Mihas and George Papageorgiou, and many others. Also under development by the JCE Software staff are The General Chemistry Collection (instructor's edition) CD-ROM along with an updated student edition. An Invitation In collaboration with JCE Online we plan to make available in 1999 support files for JCE Software. These will include not only troubleshooting tips and technical support notes, but also supporting information such as lessons, specific

    11. A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Efficacy of Promoting a Home-Based HIV Self-Testing with Online Counseling on Increasing HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men.

      PubMed

      Wang, Zixin; Lau, Joseph T F; Ip, Mary; Ho, Shara P Y; Mo, Phoenix K H; Latkin, Carl; Ma, Yee Ling; Kim, Yoona

      2018-01-01

      We developed an innovative home-based HIV self-testing (HIVST) service that included mailing of a free HIVST kit, and providing online real-time instructions and pre-test/post-test counseling (HIVST-OIC). The present parallel-group and non-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of promoting HIVST-OIC in increasing HIV testing rate among 430 men who have sex with men (MSM), with access to online live-chat applications in Hong Kong. At month 6, as compared to the control group, the intervention group reported significantly higher prevalence of HIV testing of any type (89.8 vs. 50.7%; relative risk (RR): 1.77; p < 0.001). Among those who have taken up any HIV testing in the last six months, significant between-group difference was found in multiple male sex partnerships (34.2 vs. 47.7%, RR: 0.72; p = 0.021). HIVST-OIC has a strong potential in increasing prevalence of HIV testing and reducing sexual risk behaviors. Implementation research is warranted.

    12. Developing 21st Century Skills through Gameplay: To What Extent Are Young People Who Play the Online Computer Game Minecraft Acquiring and Developing Media Literacy and the Four Cs Skills?

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Morgan, Mia Lynn

      2015-01-01

      Two questions drove this case study. 1) To what extent does playing the online computer game Minecraft at home in a multiplayer environment impact a player's media literacy skills of analysis, evaluation, and access? 2) To what extent does playing the online computer game Minecraft at home in a multiplayer environment impact a player's 21st…

    13. Online Screening and Referral for Postpartum Depression: An Exploratory Study

      PubMed Central

      Drake, Emily; Gustavson, Erica; Kinsey, Emily

      2013-01-01

      The fear and stigma associated with Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a major challenge in the treatment of this disease. Our goal is to develop innovative methods of screening women for the symptoms of PPD to facilitate referral and treatment. This study explores the efficacy of the Internet in reaching out to postpartum women in the convenience and privacy of their own homes, particularly those in rural and underserved areas. An exploratory study design was used to explore the feasibility and acceptability of online screening for PPD with postpartum women in the first 2–3 months after delivery (N=18). In the first phase, a focus group was conducted with a small group of postpartum women; the second phase consisted of individual interviews of postpartum women in their homes; and in phase three, 10 women participated in the on-line screening intervention. Postpartum depression was measured using an online version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) a well-established instrument with reported alpha reliabilities (0.81–0.88) across studies and concurrent validity demonstrated using the gold standard, DSM IV criteria for depression interview. Qualitative data collected from all the participants were also analyzed. The sample included women age 18–29; 70% White/Caucasian, 50% low income, and the majority living in rural areas. The EPDS scores ranged from 0–13 (mean 8.0; SD 4.76). Participants described the online PPD screening process as easy, straightforward and personalized and provided additional suggestions for improvement. PMID:23283485

    14. [Patient safety in home care - A review of international recommendations].

      PubMed

      Czakert, Judith; Lehmann, Yvonne; Ewers, Michael

      2018-06-08

      In recent years there has been a growing trend towards nursing care at home in general as well as towards intensive home care being provided by specialized home care services in Germany. However, resulting challenges for patient safety have rarely been considered. Against this background we aimed to explore whether international recommendations for patient safety in home care in general and in intensive home care in particular already exist and how they can stimulate further practice development in Germany. A review of online English documents containing recommendations for patient safety in intensive home care was conducted. Available documents were analyzed and compared in terms of their form and content. Overall, a small number of relevant documents could be identified. None of these documents exclusively refer to the intensive home care sector. Despite their differences, however, the analysis of four selected documents showed similarities, e. g., regarding specific topics of patient safety (communication, involvement of patients and their relatives, risk assessment, medication management, qualification). Furthermore, strengths and weaknesses of the documents became apparent: e. g., an explicit understanding of patient safety, a literature-based introduction to safety topics or an adaptation of the recommendations to the specific features of home care were occasionally lacking. This document analysis provides interesting input to the formal and content-related development of specific recommendations and to practice development in Germany to improve patient safety in home care. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

    15. Home media server content management

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Tokmakoff, Andrew A.; van Vliet, Harry

      2001-07-01

      With the advent of set-top boxes, the convergence of TV (broadcasting) and PC (Internet) is set to enter the home environment. Currently, a great deal of activity is occurring in developing standards (TV-Anytime Forum) and devices (TiVo) for local storage on Home Media Servers (HMS). These devices lie at the heart of convergence of the triad: communications/networks - content/media - computing/software. Besides massive storage capacity and being a communications 'gateway', the home media server is characterised by the ability to handle metadata and software that provides an easy to use on-screen interface and intelligent search/content handling facilities. In this paper, we describe a research prototype HMS that is being developed within the GigaCE project at the Telematica Instituut . Our prototype demonstrates advanced search and retrieval (video browsing), adaptive user profiling and an innovative 3D component of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) which represents online presence. We discuss the use of MPEG-7 for representing metadata, the use of MPEG-21 working draft standards for content identification, description and rights expression, and the use of HMS peer-to-peer content distribution approaches. Finally, we outline explorative user behaviour experiments that aim to investigate the effectiveness of the prototype HMS during development.

    16. Online K-12 Schooling in the U.S.: Uncertain Private Ventures in Need of Public Regulation

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Glass, Gene V.; Welner, Kevin G.

      2011-01-01

      Over just the past decade, online learning at the K-12 level has grown from a novelty to a movement. Often using the authority and mechanism of state charters, and in league with home schoolers and other allies, private companies and some state entities are now providing full-time online schooling to a rapidly increasing number of students in the…

    17. Factors associated with increasing nursing home closures.

      PubMed

      Castle, Nicholas G; Engberg, John; Lave, Judith; Fisher, Andrew

      2009-06-01

      We determine the rate of nursing home closures for 7 years (1999-2005) and examine internal (e.g., quality), organizational (e.g., chain membership), and external (e.g., competition) factors associated with these closures. The names of the closed facilities and dates of closure from state regulators in all 50 states were obtained. This information was linked to the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting data, which contains information on internal, organizational, and market factors for almost all nursing homes in the United States. One thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine facilities closed over this time period (1999-2005). The average annual rate of closure was about 2 percent of facilities, but the rate of closure was found to be increasing. Nursing homes with higher rates of deficiency citations, hospital-based facilities, chain members, small bed size, and facilities located in markets with high levels of competition were more likely to close. High Medicaid occupancy rates were associated with a high likelihood of closure, especially for facilities with low Medicaid reimbursement rates. As states actively debate about how to redistribute long-term care services/dollars, our findings show that they should be cognizant of the potential these decisions have for facilitating nursing home closures.

    18. Feasibility of an Online Professional Development Program for Early Intervention Practitioners

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Kyzar, Kathleen B.; Chiu, Caya; Kemp, Peggy; Aldersey, Heather Michelle; Turnbull, Ann P.; Lindeman, David P.

      2014-01-01

      This article reports findings from 2 studies situated within a larger scope of design research on a professional development program, "Early Years," for Part C early intervention practitioners, working with families in home and community settings. Early Years includes online modules and onsite mentor coaching, and its development has…

    19. Malpractice paid losses and financial performance of nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Zhao, Mei; Haley, D Rob; Oetjen, Reid M; Carretta, Henry J

      2011-01-01

      Florida's nursing home industry has experienced significant financial pressure over the past decade. One of the primary reasons is the dramatic increase in litigation activity for nursing home providers claiming negligent care and abuse. Although anecdotal reports indicate a higher cost because of malpractice in nursing facilities, few studies have examined the extent of malpractice paid losses and their effect on the financial performance of nursing homes. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of malpractice paid losses on the financial performance of nursing homes. Medicare Cost Report data and Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting data for Florida skilled nursing facilities over the 6-year period from 2001 to 2006 were used to calculate the malpractice paid losses and the financial performance indicators as well as the nursing home organizational and market factors. Descriptive analysis and multivariate regression analysis were used to examine the effect of paid loss on financial performance. The paid loss for malpractice claims was strongly associated with financial performance. Nursing facilities with malpractice paid losses had consistently lower total margins over the study period. The threat of nursing home litigation may create an incentive for nursing homes to improve quality of care; however, large paid claims can also force nursing homes into a financial situation where the organization no longer has the resources to improve quality. Nursing home managers must assess their malpractice litigation risk and identify tactics to mitigate these risks to better provide a safe and secure environment for the older persons. In addition, this research offers support for local, state, and federal policymakers to revisit the issue of malpractice litigation and the nursing home industry through its insight on the relationship of nursing home margins and litigation.

    20. New Systems Keep a Close Eye on Online Students at Home

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Foster, Andrea L.

      2008-01-01

      Tucked away in a 1,200-page bill now in Congress is a small paragraph that could lead distance-education institutions to require spy cameras in their students' homes. It sounds Orwellian, but the paragraph--part of legislation renewing the Higher Education Act--is all but assured of becoming law by the fall. No one in Congress objects to it. The…

    1. Nursing home quality and financial performance: does the racial composition of residents matter?

      PubMed

      Chisholm, Latarsha; Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Laberge, Alex; Lin, Feng-Chang; Hyer, Kathryn

      2013-12-01

      To examine the effects of the racial composition of residents on nursing homes' financial and quality performance. The study examined Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes across the United States that submitted Medicare cost reports between the years 1999 and 2004 (11,472 average per year). Data were obtained from the Minimum Data Set, the On-Line Survey Certification and Reporting, Medicare Cost Reports, and the Area Resource File. Panel data regression with random intercepts and negative binomial regression were conducted with state and year fixed effects. Financial and quality performance differed between nursing homes with high proportions of black residents and nursing homes with no or medium proportions of black residents. Nursing homes with no black residents had higher revenues and higher operating margins and total profit margins and they exhibited better processes and outcomes than nursing homes with high proportions of black residents. Nursing homes' financial viability and quality of care are influenced by the racial composition of residents. Policy makers should consider initiatives to improve both the financial and quality performance of nursing homes serving predominantly black residents. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    2. Professional conduct among registered nurses in the use of online social networking sites.

      PubMed

      Levati, Sara

      2014-10-01

      To explore the use of Facebook by Registered Nurses (RNs) in Italy and the United Kingdom (UK), focusing on the disclosure of personal and professional information. The use of online social network sites among medical students and doctors is posing new ethical challenges to the profession. To date, little research has explored the use of online social networking sites among nurses. A cross-national survey. Data were assessed on 124 nurses' profile pages, readily available without viewing restrictions. Content analysis and inferential statistics were undertaken to describe usage and identify similarities and differences between the two country-groups of nurses. Data were collected between December 2011-January 2012. Overall, UK and Italian RNs showed a similar use of the online platform, tending to disclose personal pictures, home town and current home location, as well as updates and comments related to personal and work-related activities. A statistically significant higher proportion of nurses in Italy disclosed their sexual orientation. In both groups, a few cases were observed of potentially unprofessional content in relation to the use of alcohol, nudity and material of a salacious nature. Although most of the UK and Italy RNs appear to be aware of the risks posed by their online exposure, their online activity indicates the blurring of their personal and professional lives; this is posing new ethical, legal and professional challenges to members of the nursing profession. Further research and debate is encouraged at national and international level. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

    3. Correlates of requesting home HIV self-testing kits on online social networks among African-American and Latino men who have sex with men.

      PubMed

      Chiu, ChingChe J; Young, Sean D

      2016-01-01

      High levels of HIV stigma are one of the main difficulties in engaging African-American and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) in HIV testing. The availability of home HIV test and the possibility of self-testing in private may improve uptake and counteract stigma. This paper sought to determine the correlates of requesting home HIV test kits among a sample of MSM social media users. The odds of participants requesting a test kit were significantly associated with using social networks to seek sexual partners (aOR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.07-6.06) and thinking it is easier to use social networks for seeking sexual partners (1.87, 1.2-3.12), uncertain HIV status (4.29, 1.37-14.4), and having sex under the influence of alcohol (2.46, 1.06-5.77). Participants who had not been tested for more than 6 months were more likely to request a test kit than those who were tested in the past 6 months (2.53, 1.02-6.37). Participants who frequently talked to others about having sex with men online were less likely to request a test kit (0.73, 0.56-0.92). By reaching people over social media and offering them access to test kits, we were able to reach at-risk individuals who were uncertain about their HIV status and had not been regularly tested. The findings of the study will help to inform future HIV testing interventions.

    4. Does Information Matter? Competition, Quality, and the Impact of Nursing Home Report Cards

      PubMed Central

      Grabowski, David C; Town, Robert J

      2011-01-01

      Objective We evaluate the effects of the Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI), which introduced quality measures to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Nursing Home Compare website, on facility performance and consumer demand for services. Data Sources The nursing home Minimum Data Set facility reports from 1999 to 2005 merged with facility-level data from the On-Line Survey, Certification, and Reporting System. Study Design We rely on the staggered rollout of the report cards across pilot and nonpilot states to examine the effect of report cards on market share and quality of care. We also exploit differences in nursing home market competition at baseline to identify the impacts of the new information on nursing home quality. Results The introduction of the NHQI was generally unrelated to facility quality and consumer demand. However, nursing homes facing greater competition improved their quality more than facilities in less competitive markets. Conclusions The lack of competition in many nursing home markets may help to explain why the NHQI report card effort had a minimal effect on nursing home quality. With the introduction of market-based reforms such as report cards, this result suggests policy makers must also consider market structure in efforts to improve nursing home performance. PMID:21790590

    5. Does information matter? Competition, quality, and the impact of nursing home report cards.

      PubMed

      Grabowski, David C; Town, Robert J

      2011-12-01

      We evaluate the effects of the Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI), which introduced quality measures to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Nursing Home Compare website, on facility performance and consumer demand for services. The nursing home Minimum Data Set facility reports from 1999 to 2005 merged with facility-level data from the On-Line Survey, Certification, and Reporting System. We rely on the staggered rollout of the report cards across pilot and nonpilot states to examine the effect of report cards on market share and quality of care. We also exploit differences in nursing home market competition at baseline to identify the impacts of the new information on nursing home quality. The introduction of the NHQI was generally unrelated to facility quality and consumer demand. However, nursing homes facing greater competition improved their quality more than facilities in less competitive markets. The lack of competition in many nursing home markets may help to explain why the NHQI report card effort had a minimal effect on nursing home quality. With the introduction of market-based reforms such as report cards, this result suggests policy makers must also consider market structure in efforts to improve nursing home performance. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    6. The Influence of Nurse Staffing Levels on Quality of Care in Nursing Homes

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Hyer, Kathryn; Thomas, Kali S.; Branch, Laurence G.; Harman, Jeffrey S.; Johnson, Christopher E.; Weech-Maldonado, Robert

      2011-01-01

      Objective: This study examines the relationship between increasing certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and licensed nurse staffing ratios and deficiencies in Florida nursing homes over a 4-year period. Methods: Data from Florida staffing reports and the Online Survey Certification and Reporting database examine the relationship among staffing…

    7. Work-life balance culture, work-home interaction, and emotional exhaustion: a structural equation modeling approach.

      PubMed

      Nitzsche, Anika; Pfaff, Holger; Jung, Julia; Driller, Elke

      2013-01-01

      To examine the relationships among employees' emotional exhaustion, positive and negative work-home interaction, and perceived work-life balance culture in companies. Data for this study were collected through online surveys of employees from companies in the micro- and nanotechnology sectors (N = 509). A structural equation modeling analysis was performed. A company culture perceived by employees as supportive of their work-life balance was found to have both a direct negative effect on emotional exhaustion and an indirect negative effect meditated by negative work-home interaction. In addition, whereas negative work-home interaction associated positively with emotional exhaustion, positive work-home interaction had no significant effect. The direct and indirect relationship between work-life balance culture and emotional exhaustion has practical implications for health promotion in companies.

    8. Why do nursing homes close? An analysis of newspaper articles.

      PubMed

      Fisher, Andrew; Castle, Nicholas

      2012-01-01

      Using Non-numerical Unstructured Data Indexing Searching and Theorizing (NUD'IST) software to extract and examine keywords from text, the authors explored the phenomenon of nursing home closure through an analysis of 30 major-market newspapers over a period of 66 months (January 1, 1999 to June 1, 2005). Newspaper articles typically represent a careful analysis of staff impressions via interviews, managerial perspectives, and financial records review. There is a current reliance on the synthesis of information from large regulatory databases such as the Online Survey Certification And Reporting database, the California Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development database, and Area Resource Files. Although such databases permit the construction of studies capable of revealing some reasons for nursing home closure, they are hampered by the confines of the data entered. Using our analysis of newspaper articles, the authors are able to add further to their understanding of nursing home closures.

    9. Impact of Voluntary Accreditation on Deficiency Citations in U.S. Nursing Homes

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Wagner, Laura M.; McDonald, Shawna M.; Castle, Nicholas G.

      2012-01-01

      Purpose of the Study: This study examines the association between nursing home accreditation and deficiency citations. Design and Methods: Data originated from a web-based search of The Joint Commission (TJC) accreditation and On-line Survey Certification of Automated Records from 2002 to 2010. Deficiency citations were divided into 4 categories:…

    10. Medicaid Bed-Hold Policies and Hospitalization of Long-Stay Nursing Home Residents

      PubMed Central

      Unruh, Mark Aaron; Grabowski, David C; Trivedi, Amal N; Mor, Vincent

      2013-01-01

      Objective To evaluate the effect of Medicaid bed-hold policies on hospitalization of long-stay nursing home residents. Data Sources A nationwide random sample of long-stay nursing home residents with data elements from Medicare claims and enrollment files, the Minimum Data Set, the Online Survey Certification and Reporting System, and Area Resource File. The sample consisted of 22,200,089 person-quarters from 754,592 individuals who became long-stay residents in 17,149 nursing homes over the period beginning January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2005. Study Design Linear regression models using a pre/post design adjusted for resident, nursing home, market, and state characteristics. Nursing home and year-quarter fixed effects were included to control for time-invariant facility influences and temporal trends associated with hospitalization of long-stay residents. Principal Findings Adoption of a Medicaid bed-hold policy was associated with an absolute increase of 0.493 percentage points (95% CI: 0.039–0.946) in hospitalizations of long-stay nursing home residents, representing a 3.883 percent relative increase over the baseline mean. Conclusions Medicaid bed-hold policies may increase the likelihood of hospitalization of long-stay nursing home residents and increase costs for the federal Medicare program. PMID:23521571

    11. Reliability and validity of a self-administered tool for online neuropsychological testing: The Amsterdam Cognition Scan.

      PubMed

      Feenstra, Heleen E M; Murre, Jaap M J; Vermeulen, Ivar E; Kieffer, Jacobien M; Schagen, Sanne B

      2018-04-01

      To facilitate large-scale assessment of a variety of cognitive abilities in clinical studies, we developed a self-administered online neuropsychological test battery: the Amsterdam Cognition Scan (ACS). The current studies evaluate in a group of adult cancer patients: test-retest reliability of the ACS and the influence of test setting (home or hospital), and the relationship between our online and a traditional test battery (concurrent validity). Test-retest reliability was studied in 96 cancer patients (57 female; M age  = 51.8 years) who completed the ACS twice. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess consistency over time. The test setting was counterbalanced between home and hospital; influence on test performance was assessed by repeated measures analyses of variance. Concurrent validity was studied in 201 cancer patients (112 female; M age  = 53.5 years) who completed both the online and an equivalent traditional neuropsychological test battery. Spearman or Pearson correlations were used to assess consistency between online and traditional tests. ICCs of the online tests ranged from .29 to .76, with an ICC of .78 for the ACS total score. These correlations are generally comparable with the test-retest correlations of the traditional tests as reported in the literature. Correlating online and traditional test scores, we observed medium to large concurrent validity (r/ρ = .42 to .70; total score r = .78), except for a visuospatial memory test (ρ = .36). Correlations were affected-as expected-by design differences between online tests and their offline counterparts. Although development and optimization of the ACS is an ongoing process, and reliability can be optimized for several tests, our results indicate that it is a highly usable tool to obtain (online) measures of various cognitive abilities. The ACS is expected to facilitate efficient gathering of data on cognitive functioning in the near future.

    12. An Evaluation of Performance Thresholds in Nursing Home Pay-for-Performance.

      PubMed

      Werner, Rachel M; Skira, Meghan; Konetzka, R Tamara

      2016-12-01

      Performance thresholds are commonly used in pay-for-performance (P4P) incentives, where providers receive a bonus payment for achieving a prespecified target threshold but may produce discontinuous incentives, with providers just below the threshold having the strongest incentive to improve and providers either far below or above the threshold having little incentive. We investigate the effect of performance thresholds on provider response in the setting of nursing home P4P. The Minimum Data Set (MDS) and Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting (OSCAR) datasets. Difference-in-differences design to test for changes in nursing home performance in three states that implemented threshold-based P4P (Colorado, Georgia, and Oklahoma) versus three comparator states (Arizona, Tennessee, and Arkansas) between 2006 and 2009. We find that those farthest below the threshold (i.e., the worst-performing nursing homes) had the largest improvements under threshold-based P4P while those farthest above the threshold worsened. This effect did not vary with the percentage of Medicaid residents in a nursing home. Threshold-based P4P may provide perverse incentives for nursing homes above the performance threshold, but we do not find evidence to support concerns about the effects of performance thresholds on low-performing nursing homes. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    13. Especially for High School Teachers

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Howell, J. Emory

      1999-06-01

      to plan on attending an outstanding program put together by Lillie Tucker Akin and her committee. Watch the Journal for program and registration information. Glenn Seaborg Memorial Periodic Table Quilt Raffle Harvey Gendreau of Framingham High School, MA, reports that Barbara McCarty, award-winning quilter and president of the Wayside Quilters Guild, has made a wall-sized periodic table quilt to honor the memory of Glenn Seaborg. The quilt will be raffled at ChemEd99 and funds from the raffle will be used to defray conference costs. The quilt is 2.5 meters wide by 1.5 meters high and the element squares are 13 cm on each side. Each of the 109 element squares contains the appliqué of the symbol and has stenciling for its atomic number and mass. The major periodic families are color coded and the border fabric has an eye-catching symbolic atom design. Nine colors for the elements include royal blue, deep purple, lilac, pink, burgundy and gold. The element square for seaborgium, atomic number 106, has been autographed by Glenn T. Seaborg. A certificate of authenticity will accompany the quilt. This is a unique opportunity to win a classroom (or home) art treasure. Each ticket is 2 or a book of 3 is 5. Tickets may be purchased on the ChemEd99 registration form and will be included in your conference packet. The quilt will be on display at the exposition hall and additional tickets can be purchased at the Unlimited Potential booth. Drawing will be on Wednesday, August 4th, in the expo area when door prizes are announced. You need not be present to win. Information about ChemEd99 may be obtained online at http://www.sacredheart.edu/chemed/. 1999 CMA Catalyst Awards Special congratulations to the High School and Pre-High School award recipients. National Winners are George R. Hague, Dallas, TX, and Wayne Goates, Goddard, KS. Regional winners are Rhonda Lynn Reist, Olathe, KS, and Anne Marie Holbrook, Cincinnati, OH. A complete list of the awardees, including the post

    14. Improving patients' home cooking - A case series of participation in a remote culinary coaching program.

      PubMed

      Polak, Rani; Pober, David M; Budd, Maggi A; Silver, Julie K; Phillips, Edward M; Abrahamson, Martin J

      2017-08-01

      This case series describes and examines the outcomes of a remote culinary coaching program aimed at improving nutrition through home cooking. Participants (n = 4) improved attitudes about the perceived ease of home cooking (p < 0.01) and self-efficacy to perform various culinary skills (p = 0.02); and also improved in confidence to continue online learning of culinary skills and consume healthier food. We believe this program might be a viable response to the need for effective and scalable health-related culinary interventions.

    15. Leadership Styles of Nursing Home Administrators and Their Association with Staff Turnover

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Donoghue, Christopher; Castle, Nicholas G.

      2009-01-01

      Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between nursing home administrator (NHA) leadership style and staff turnover. Design and Methods: We analyzed primary data from a survey of 2,900 NHAs conducted in 2005. The Online Survey Certification and Reporting database and the Area Resource File were utilized to extract…

    16. Impact of medical director certification on nursing home quality of care.

      PubMed

      Rowland, Frederick N; Cowles, Mick; Dickstein, Craig; Katz, Paul R

      2009-07-01

      This study tests the research hypothesis that certified medical directors are able to use their training, education, and knowledge to positively influence quality of care in US nursing homes. F-tag numbers were identified within the State Operations Manual that reflect dimensions of quality thought to be impacted by the medical director. A weighting system was developed based on the "scope and severity" level at which the nursing homes were cited for these specific tag numbers. Then homes led by certified medical directors were compared with homes led by medical directors not known to be certified. DATA/PARTICIPANTS: Data were obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Online Survey Certification and Reporting database for nursing homes. Homes with a certified medical director (547) were identified from the database of the American Medical Directors Association. The national survey database was used to compute a "standardized quality score" (zero representing best possible score and 1.0 representing average score) for each home, and the homes with certified medical directors compared with the other homes in the database. Regression analysis was then used to attempt to identify the most important contributors to measured quality score differences between the homes. The standardized quality score of facilities with certified medical directors (n=547) was 0.8958 versus 1.0037 for facilities without certified medical directors (n=15,230) (lower number represents higher quality). When nursing facility characteristics were added to the regression equation, the presence of a certified medical director accounted for up to 15% improvement in quality. The presence of certified medical directors is an independent predictor of quality in US nursing homes.

    17. Adoption of online health management tools among healthy older adults: An exploratory study.

      PubMed

      Zettel-Watson, Laura; Tsukerman, Dmitry

      2016-06-01

      As the population ages and chronic diseases abound, overburdened healthcare systems will increasingly require individuals to manage their own health. Online health management tools, quickly increasing in popularity, have the potential to diminish or even replace in-person contact with health professionals, but overall efficacy and usage trends are unknown. The current study explored perceptions and usage patterns among users of online health management tools, and identified barriers and barrier-breakers among non-users. An online survey was completed by 169 computer users (aged 50+). Analyses revealed that a sizable minority (37%) of participants use online health management tools and most users (89%) are satisfied with these tools, but a limited range of tools are being used and usage occurs in relatively limited domains. Improved awareness and education for online health management tools could enhance people's abilities to remain at home as they age, reducing the financial burden on formal assistance programs. © The Author(s) 2014.

    18. Scientists@Home: what drives the quantity and quality of online citizen science participation?

      PubMed

      Nov, Oded; Arazy, Ofer; Anderson, David

      2014-01-01

      Online citizen science offers a low-cost way to strengthen the infrastructure for scientific research and engage members of the public in science. As the sustainability of online citizen science projects depends on volunteers who contribute their skills, time, and energy, the objective of this study is to investigate effects of motivational factors on the quantity and quality of citizen scientists' contribution. Building on the social movement participation model, findings from a longitudinal empirical study in three different citizen science projects reveal that quantity of contribution is determined by collective motives, norm-oriented motives, reputation, and intrinsic motives. Contribution quality, on the other hand, is positively affected only by collective motives and reputation. We discuss implications for research on the motivation for participation in technology-mediated social participation and for the practice of citizen science.

    19. Real world implementation lessons and outcomes from the Worker Interactive Networking (WIN) project: workplace-based online caregiver support and remote monitoring of elders at home.

      PubMed

      Mahoney, Diane M F; Mutschler, Phyllis H; Tarlow, Barbara; Liss, Ellen

      2008-04-01

      The objective of this research was to determine the feasibility of and receptivity to the first computerized workplace-based direct caregiver intervention and to assess the effects on businesses, working family caregivers, and their elderly relatives. Working family caregivers, with at least one health and/or safety concern related to an elder residing alone at home during the workday, were recruited from five companies (n = 27). Caregivers received free computer access to the Worker Interactive Networking (WIN) Internet online caregiver support group and a remote elder monitoring system at home for 6 months. The remote monitoring system provided Web-based status reports and e-mail/pager alerts when individualized parameters were exceeded. Motion sensor signals were transmitted to a transponder that uploaded via wireless cellular communications to the project server, thereby not interfering with elders' telephone use. Formative qualitative analyses clarified acceptance and implementation issues. Summative quantitative evaluation determined pilot intervention effects and was conducted by external evaluators. Despite interoperability and cellular reception issues, the system was successfully deployed across four states to a variety of businesses and housing types. Positive results occurred on worker morale, productivity, and reduction of caregiver stress. Participants found it easy to learn and use. Elders did not find the technology "intrusive" or "isolating." Contrary to their expectations, managers reported no abuse of Internet access. Workers expressed a willingness to pay for a similar system in the future ranging from $10 to $130, depending on the features. They would pay the most for the option involving a geriatric nurse coach. The WIN system innovatively tailored to users' wants, and provided users customized control and personalized support. Use of the system was associated with positive outcomes. Enrollment response suggests a specific niche market for

    20. Does school health and home economics education influence adults' food knowledge?

      PubMed

      Worsley, A; Wang, W C; Yeatman, H; Byrne, S; Wijayaratne, P

      2016-12-01

      Home economics and health teachers are to be found in many parts of the world. They teach students about food in relation to its nutritional, safety and environmental properties. The effects of such teaching might be expected to be reflected in the food knowledge of adults who have undertaken school education in these areas. This study examined the food knowledge associations of school home economics and health education among Australian adults. Two separate online surveys were conducted nationwide among 2022 (November 2011) and 2146 Australian adults (November-December 2012). True/false and multiple choice questions in both surveys were used to assess nutrition, food safety and environmental knowledge. Knowledge scores were constructed and compared against respondents' experience of school health or home economics education via multiple regression analyses. The results from both studies showed that home economics (and similar) education was associated with higher levels of food knowledge among several age groups. The associations of home economics education with food knowledge differed across several Australian states and recall of home economics themes differed across the age groups. These findings suggest that home economics education may bring about long-lasting learning of food knowledge. Further research is required, however, to confirm the findings and to test the causal influence of home economics education on adults' food knowledge. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

    1. Lessons Learned Designing and Using an Online Discussion Forum for Care Coordinators in Primary Care.

      PubMed

      Ferrante, Jeanne M; Friedman, Asia; Shaw, Eric K; Howard, Jenna; Cohen, Deborah J; Shahidi, Laleh

      2015-10-18

      While an increasing number of researchers are using online discussion forums for qualitative research, few authors have documented their experiences and lessons learned to demonstrate this method's viability and validity in health services research. We comprehensively describe our experiences, from start to finish, of designing and using an asynchronous online discussion forum for collecting and analyzing information elicited from care coordinators in Patient-Centered Medical Homes across the United States. Our lessons learned from each phase, including planning, designing, implementing, using, and ending this private online discussion forum, provide some recommendations for other health services researchers considering this method. An asynchronous online discussion forum is a feasible, efficient, and effective method to conduct a qualitative study, particularly when subjects are health professionals. © The Author(s) 2015.

    2. Lessons Learned Designing and Using an Online Discussion Forum for Care Coordinators in Primary Care

      PubMed Central

      Ferrante, Jeanne M.; Friedman, Asia; Shaw, Eric K.; Howard, Jenna; Cohen, Deborah J.; Shahidi, Laleh

      2016-01-01

      While an increasing number of researchers are using online discussion forums for qualitative research, few authors have documented their experiences and lessons learned to demonstrate this method’s viability and validity in health services research. We comprehensively describe our experiences, from start to finish, of designing and using an asynchronous online discussion forum for collecting and analyzing information elicited from care coordinators in Patient-Centered Medical Homes across the United States. Our lessons learned from each phase, including planning, designing, implementing, using, and ending this private online discussion forum, provide some recommendations for other health services researchers considering this method. An asynchronous online discussion forum is a feasible, efficient, and effective method to conduct a qualitative study, particularly when subjects are health professionals. PMID:26481942

    3. Play to Learn: Self-Directed Home Language Literacy Acquisition through Online Games

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Eisenchlas, Susana A.; Schalley, Andrea C.; Moyes, Gordon

      2016-01-01

      Home language literacy education in Australia has been pursued predominantly through Community Language Schools. At present, some 1,000 of these, attended by over 100,000 school-age children, cater for 69 of the over 300 languages spoken in Australia. Despite good intentions, these schools face a number of challenges. For instance, children may…

    4. The Efficacy of Exergames for Social Relatedness in Online Physical Education

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Kooiman, Brian J.; Sheehan, Dwayne P.

      2015-01-01

      Online physical education (OLPE) has been viewed as an oxymoron. Physical education curriculum at all levels seeks to help learners grow socially in the way they interact and deal with diverse and challenging fellow students and settings. Students who have no contact with other students while they are at home for various reasons may not be able to…

    5. Methodological Issues in Researching Online Representations: Production, Classification and Personal Web Space

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Seale, Jane; Abbott, Chris

      2007-01-01

      This paper argues that if education practitioners, policy-makers and researchers are to gain insights from new forms of online self-representations, there is a need to take stock of research involving homepages in order to identify important methodological issues and lessons that need to be addressed in future research. Home page authorship…

    6. Public reporting and the quality of care of German nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Herr, Annika; Nguyen, Thu-Van; Schmitz, Hendrik

      2016-10-01

      Since 2009, German nursing homes have been evaluated regularly by an external institution with quality report cards published online. We follow recent debates and argue that most of the information in the report cards does not reliably measure quality of care. However, a subset of up to seven measures does. Do these measures that reflect "risk factors" improve over time? Using a sample of more than 3000 German nursing homes with information on two waves, we assume that the introduction of public reporting is an exogenous institutional change and apply before-after-estimations to obtain estimates for the relation between public reporting and quality. We find a significant improvement of the identified risk factors. Also, the two employed outcome quality indicators improve significantly. The improvements are driven by nursing homes with low quality in the first evaluation. To the extent that this can be interpreted as evidence that public reporting positively affects the (reported) quality in nursing homes, policy makers should carefully choose indicators reflecting care-sensitive quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

    7. Nursing home queues and home health users.

      PubMed

      Swan, J H; Benjamin, A E

      1993-01-01

      Home health market growth suggests the need for models explaining home health utilization. We have previously explained state-level Medicare home health visits with reference to nursing home markets. Here we introduce a model whereby state-level Medicare home health use is a function of nursing home queues and other demand and supply factors. Medicare home health users per state population is negatively related to nursing home bed stock, positively to Medicaid eligibility levels and to Medicaid nursing home recipients per population, as well as to various other demand and supply measures. This explanation of home health users explains previously-reported findings for home health visits. The findings support the argument that home health use is explained by factors affecting lengths of nursing home queues.

    8. Scientists@Home: What Drives the Quantity and Quality of Online Citizen Science Participation?

      PubMed Central

      Nov, Oded; Arazy, Ofer; Anderson, David

      2014-01-01

      Online citizen science offers a low-cost way to strengthen the infrastructure for scientific research and engage members of the public in science. As the sustainability of online citizen science projects depends on volunteers who contribute their skills, time, and energy, the objective of this study is to investigate effects of motivational factors on the quantity and quality of citizen scientists' contribution. Building on the social movement participation model, findings from a longitudinal empirical study in three different citizen science projects reveal that quantity of contribution is determined by collective motives, norm-oriented motives, reputation, and intrinsic motives. Contribution quality, on the other hand, is positively affected only by collective motives and reputation. We discuss implications for research on the motivation for participation in technology-mediated social participation and for the practice of citizen science. PMID:24690612

    9. Online system for knowledge assessment enhances students' results on school knowledge test.

      PubMed

      Kralj, Benjamin; Glazar, Sasa Aleksej

      2013-01-01

      Variety of online tools were built to help assessing students' performance in school. Many teachers changed their methods of assessment from paper-and-pencil (P&P) to online systems. In this study we analyse the influence that using an online system for knowledge assessment has on students' knowledge. Based on both a literature study and our own research we designed and built an online system for knowledge assessment. The system is evaluated using two groups of primary school teachers and students (N = 686) in Slovenia: an experimental and a control group. Students solved P&P exams on several occasions. The experimental group was allowed to access the system either at school or at home for a limited period during the presentation of a selected school topic. Students in the experimental group were able to solve tasks and compare their own achievements with those of their coevals. A comparison of the P&P school exams results achieved by both groups revealed a positive effect on subject topic comprehension for those with access to the online self-assessment system.

    10. Supervised Patient Self-Testing of Warfarin Therapy Using an Online System

      PubMed Central

      2013-01-01

      Background Point-of-care international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring devices simplify warfarin management by allowing selected patients to monitor their own therapy in their homes. Patient self-testing (PST) has been shown to improve the clinical outcomes of warfarin therapy compared to usual care. Objective To compare management of warfarin therapy using PST combined with online supervision by physicians via a custom system with usual warfarin management, which involved laboratory testing and physician dosing. Methods Interested patients were recruited via community pharmacies to participate in a warfarin PST training program. Participants were required to have a long-term indication for warfarin, have been taking warfarin for at least 6 months, and have Internet access in their home. The training involved two sessions covering theoretical aspects of warfarin therapy, use of the CoaguChek XS, and the study website. Following training, patients monitored their INR once weekly for up to 3 months. Patients and physicians utilized a secure website to communicate INR values, dosage recommendations, and clinical incidents. Physicians provided a 6-12 month history of INR results for comparison with study results. The percentage of time spent within the therapeutic INR range (TTR) was the primary outcome, with participants acting as their own historical controls. The percentage of INR tests in range and participant satisfaction were secondary outcomes. Results Sixteen patients completed training requirements. The mean age of participants was 69.8 (SD 10.1) years. TTR improved significantly from 66.4% to 78.4% during PST (P=.01), and the number of tests within the target range also improved significantly (from 66.0% at prior to the study to 75.9% during PST; P=.04). Patients and physicians expressed a high degree of satisfaction with the monitoring strategy and online system. Conclusions PST supported by an online system for supervision was associated with improved INR

    11. Multimethod evaluation of the VA's peer-to-peer Toolkit for patient-centered medical home implementation.

      PubMed

      Luck, Jeff; Bowman, Candice; York, Laura; Midboe, Amanda; Taylor, Thomas; Gale, Randall; Asch, Steven

      2014-07-01

      Effective implementation of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) in primary care practices requires training and other resources, such as online toolkits, to share strategies and materials. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) developed an online Toolkit of user-sourced tools to support teams implementing its Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) medical home model. To present findings from an evaluation of the PACT Toolkit, including use, variation across facilities, effect of social marketing, and factors influencing use. The Toolkit is an online repository of ready-to-use tools created by VA clinic staff that physicians, nurses, and other team members may share, download, and adopt in order to more effectively implement PCMH principles and improve local performance on VA metrics. Multimethod evaluation using: (1) website usage analytics, (2) an online survey of the PACT community of practice's use of the Toolkit, and (3) key informant interviews. Survey respondents were PACT team members and coaches (n = 544) at 136 VA facilities. Interview respondents were Toolkit users and non-users (n = 32). For survey data, multivariable logistic models were used to predict Toolkit awareness and use. Interviews and open-text survey comments were coded using a "common themes" framework. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided data collection and analyses. The Toolkit was used by 6,745 staff in the first 19 months of availability. Among members of the target audience, 80 % had heard of the Toolkit, and of those, 70 % had visited the website. Tools had been implemented at 65 % of facilities. Qualitative findings revealed a range of user perspectives from enthusiastic support to lack of sufficient time to browse the Toolkit. An online Toolkit to support PCMH implementation was used at VA facilities nationwide. Other complex health care organizations may benefit from adopting similar online peer-to-peer resource libraries.

    12. The End of Education As We Know It?

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Moore, John W.

      2000-10-01

      One of my main goals for JCE is that it should serve our profession by helping organize the human resources of chemical education. One example appears on p 1375. David Whisnant has created a new way to help students tie together concepts from disparate parts of an introductory course: Web-deliverable Multimedia Problems. He was able to draw on work of literally dozens of others who had created videos of chemical reactions, apparatus, and techniques. These were available in JCE Software's Chemistry Comes Alive! series of CD-ROMs--a digital library of videos. Thus JCE was able to mediate development of a new learning aid that might not have been possible for one individual to create. This is but one small step toward the rich learning environment that I envision, but a lot of people developing a lot of new materials can begin to make a real difference. I encourage you to collaborate with JCE to achieve this goal.

      Literature Cited

      1. Lewis, M. Boom Box, The New York Times Magazine, August 13, 2000, p 36.
      2. Russell, A.; Chapman, O.; Wegner, P. J. Chem. Educ. 1998, 75, 578.

    13. Authoritative feeding behaviors to reduce child BMI through online interventions.

      PubMed

      Frenn, Marilyn; Pruszynski, Jessica E; Felzer, Holly; Zhang, Jiannan

      2013-01-01

      PURPOSE.: The purpose of the study was to examine the feasibility and initial efficacies of parent- and/or child-focused online interventions and variables correlated with child body mass index percentile change. DESIGN AND METHODS.: A feasibility and cluster randomized controlled pilot study was used. RESULTS.: Recruitment was more effective at parent-teacher conferences compared with when materials were sent home with fifth- to eighth-grade culturally diverse students. Retention was 90% for students and 62-74% for parents. Authoritative parent feeding behaviors were associated with lower child body mass index. A larger study is warranted. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.: Online approaches may provide a feasible option for childhood obesity prevention and amelioration. © 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

    14. Nursing home staffing requirements and input substitution: effects on housekeeping, food service, and activities staff.

      PubMed

      Bowblis, John R; Hyer, Kathryn

      2013-08-01

      To study the effect of minimum nurse staffing requirements on the subsequent employment of nursing home support staff. Nursing home data from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) System merged with state nurse staffing requirements. Facility-level housekeeping, food service, and activities staff levels are regressed on nurse staffing requirements and other controls using fixed effect panel regression. OSCAR surveys from 1999 to 2004. Increases in state direct care and licensed nurse staffing requirements are associated with decreases in the staffing levels of all types of support staff. Increased nursing home nurse staffing requirements lead to input substitution in the form of reduced support staffing levels. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    15. Private equity ownership and nursing home financial performance.

      PubMed

      Pradhan, Rohit; Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Harman, Jeffrey S; Laberge, Alex; Hyer, Kathryn

      2013-01-01

      Private equity has acquired multiple large nursing home chains within the last few years; by 2009, it owned nearly 1,900 nursing homes. Private equity is said to improve the financial performance of acquired facilities. However, no study has yet examined the financial performance of private equity nursing homes, ergo this study. The primary purpose of this study is to understand the financial performance of private equity nursing homes and how it compares with other investor-owned facilities. It also seeks to understand the approach favored by private equity to improve financial performance-for instance, whether they prefer to cut costs or maximize revenues or follow a mixed approach. Secondary data from Medicare cost reports, the Online Survey, Certification and Reporting, Area Resource File, and Brown University's Long-term Care Focus data set are combined to construct a longitudinal data set for the study period 2000-2007. The final sample is 2,822 observations after eliminating all not-for-profit, independent, and hospital-based facilities. Dependent financial variables consist of operating revenues and costs, operating and total margins, payer mix (census Medicare, census Medicaid, census other), and acuity index. Independent variables primarily reflect private equity ownership. The study was analyzed using ordinary least squares, gamma distribution with log link, logit with binomial family link, and logistic regression. Private equity nursing homes have higher operating margin as well as total margin; they also report higher operating revenues and costs. No significant differences in payer mix are noted. Results suggest that private equity delivers superior financial performance compared with other investor-owned nursing homes. However, causes for concern remain particularly with the long-term financial sustainability of these facilities.

    16. Do Medicaid Wage Pass-through Payments Increase Nursing Home Staffing?

      PubMed Central

      Feng, Zhanlian; Lee, Yong Suk; Kuo, Sylvia; Intrator, Orna; Foster, Andrew; Mor, Vincent

      2010-01-01

      Objective To assess the impact of state Medicaid wage pass-through policy on direct-care staffing levels in U.S. nursing homes. Data Sources Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data, and state Medicaid nursing home reimbursement policies over the period 1996–2004. Study Design A fixed-effects panel model with two-step feasible-generalized least squares estimates is used to examine the effect of pass-through adoption on direct-care staff hours per resident day (HPRD) in nursing homes. Data Collection/Extraction Methods A panel data file tracking annual OSCAR surveys per facility over the study period is linked with annual information on state Medicaid wage pass-through and related policies. Principal Findings Among the states introducing wage pass-through over the study period, the policy is associated with between 3.0 and 4.0 percent net increases in certified nurse aide (CNA) HPRD in the years following adoption. No discernable pass-through effect is observed on either registered nurse or licensed practical nurse HPRD. Conclusions State Medicaid wage pass-through programs offer a potentially effective policy tool to boost direct-care CNA staffing in nursing homes, at least in the short term. PMID:20403054

    17. Realising dignity in care home practice: an action research project.

      PubMed

      Gallagher, Ann; Curtis, Katherine; Dunn, Michael; Baillie, Lesley

      2017-06-01

      More than 400,000 older people reside in over 18,000 care homes in England. A recent social care survey found up to 50% of older people in care homes felt their dignity was undermined. Upholding the dignity of older people in care homes has implications for residents' experiences and the role of Registered Nurses. The study aimed to explore how best to translate the concept of dignity into care home practice, and how to support this translation process by enabling Registered Nurses to provide ethical leadership within the care home setting. Action research with groups of staff (Registered Nurses and non-registered caregivers) and groups of residents and relatives in four care homes in the south of England to contribute to the development of the dignity toolkit. Action research groups were facilitated by 4 researchers (2 in each care home) to discuss dignity principles and experiences within care homes. These groups reviewed and developed a dignity toolkit over six cycles of activity (once a month for 6 months). The Registered Nurses were individually interviewed before and after the activity. Hard copy and online versions of a dignity toolkit, with tailored versions for participating care homes, were developed. Registered Nurses and caregivers identified positive impact of making time for discussion about dignity-related issues. Registered Nurses identified ongoing opportunities for using their toolkit to support all staff. Nurses and caregivers expressed feelings of empowerment by the process of action research. The collaborative development of a dignity toolkit within each care home has the potential to enable ethical leadership by Registered Nurses that would support and sustain dignity in care homes. Action research methods empower staff to maintain dignity for older people within the care home setting through the development of practically useful toolkits to support everyday care practice. Providing opportunities for caregivers to be involved in such

    18. Sexuality Education Goes Viral: What We Know about Online Sexual Health Information

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Holstrom, Amelia M.

      2015-01-01

      Internet use among young people in the United States is nearly ubiquitous; they are online from home computers, from school computers, and from mobile devices. This offers incredible opportunity for sexual health educators to access individuals who are at a critical time in sexual development over the life course. Currently, the research base on…

    19. Telemedicine in Neonatal Home Care: Identifying Parental Needs Through Participatory Design.

      PubMed

      Garne, Kristina; Brødsgaard, Anne; Zachariassen, Gitte; Clemensen, Jane

      2016-07-08

      For the majority of preterm infants, the last weeks of hospital admission mainly concerns tube feeding and establishment of breastfeeding. Neonatal home care (NH) was developed to allow infants to remain at home for tube feeding and establishment of breastfeeding with regular home visits from neonatal nurses. For hospitals covering large regions, home visits may be challenging, time consuming, and expensive and alternative approaches must be explored. To identify parental needs when wanting to provide neonatal home care supported by telemedicine. The study used participatory design and qualitative methods. Data were collected from observational studies, individual interviews, and focus group interviews. Two neonatal units participated. One unit was experienced in providing neonatal home care with home visits, and the other planned to offer neonatal home care with telemedicine support. A total of 9 parents with preterm infants assigned to a neonatal home care program and 10 parents with preterm infants admitted to a neonatal unit participated in individual interviews and focus group interviews, respectively. Three overall themes were identified: being a family, parent self-efficacy, and nurse-provided security. Parents expressed desire for the following: (1) a telemedicine device to serve as a "bell cord" to the neonatal unit, giving 24-hour access to nurses, (2) video-conferencing to provide security at home, (3) timely written email communication with the neonatal unit, and (4) an online knowledge base on preterm infant care, breastfeeding, and nutrition. Our findings highlight the importance of neonatal home care. NH provides parents with a feeling of being a family, supports their self-efficacy, and gives them a feeling of security when combined with nursing guidance. Parents did not request hands-on support for infant care, but instead expressed a need for communication and guidance, which could be met using telemedicine.

    20. Nursing home financial performance: the role of ownership and chain affiliation.

      PubMed

      Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Laberge, Alex; Pradhan, Rohit; Johnson, Christopher E; Yang, Zhou; Hyer, Kathryn

      2012-01-01

      The nursing home industry serves one of the most vulnerable populations, and its financial sustainability is a matter of public concern. However, limited empirical evidence exists on the impact of ownership and chain affiliation on nursing home financial performance. The aim of this study was to examine the joint effects of ownership and chain affiliation on the financial performance of the nursing home industry for the study period 1999-2004 on a national sample of 11,236 nursing homes per year. Data included the Medicare Cost Reports; the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting file; and the Area Resource File. Dependent variables included operating and total margins. Independent variables included four ownership/chain affiliation combinations: for-profit chain, for-profit independent, not-for-profit chain, and not-for-profit independent. Random effects generalized least square regressions were performed. Results show that for-profit nursing homes delivered better financial performance than not-for-profit facilities did across both operating and total margins. However, the relationship between chain affiliation and financial performance was more nuanced. In the case of operating margin, chain-affiliated facilities delivered superior financial performance irrespective of ownership type; however, in the case of total margin, independents outperformed chain-affiliated facilities among for-profits. Our findings show an interactive effect of ownership and chain affiliation on nursing home financial performance, suggesting the pursuit of different organizational strategies by different ownership/chain affiliation subgroups (for-profit chain, for-profit independent, not-for-profit chain, and not-for-profit independent), with implications for financial performance. For-profit independent nursing homes managed to be the top performing group in terms of overall financial despite the operating financial advantage of for-profit chain-affiliated nursing homes. Similarly

    1. Home-based, Online Mindfulness and Cognitive Training for Soldiers and Veterans with TBI

      DTIC Science & Technology

      2017-10-01

      evaluated as a Quality of Life (QOL) enhancing strategy by comparing it to an active control condition (casual video games + online TBI information...Contribution to Project: Dr. Jackson has developed study website. Funding Support: Name: Jose Gallegos Project Role: Game Programmer Researcher

    2. Nursing home resident smoking policies.

      PubMed

      Stefanacci, Richard G; Lester, Paula E; Kohen, Izchak

      2008-01-01

      To identify nursing home standards related to resident smoking through a nation wide survey of directors of nursing. A national survey was distributed online and was completed by 248 directors of nursing. The directors of nurses answered questions concerning resident smoking including the criteria utilized to determine an unsafe resident smoker. For those residents identified as unsafe, the questions asked were specifically related to monitoring, staff involvement, safety precautions and policy. The results of the survey demonstrated a consistent policy practiced among facilities across the United States. The monitoring of nursing home residents is based on a resident's mental acuity, physical restrictions and equipment requirements. Once a resident was identified as a smoker at risk of harm to self or others, staff involvement ranged from distributing cigarettes to direct supervision. In addition, the majority of facilities required residents to wear fire resistant aprons and provided a fire extinguisher in smoking areas. Monitoring policies of nursing home residents who smoke starts with identifying those residents at risk based on an assessment of mental acuity, physical restrictions and equipment requirements. Those that are identified as being at risk smokers have their cigarettes controlled and distributed by nursing staff and are supervised by facility staff when smoking. This policy is implemented through written policy as well as staff education. Despite some discrepancies in the actual implementation of policies to supervise residents who smoke, the policies for assessment for at-risk smokers requiring monitoring is consistent on a national basis.

    3. Using "Blueprint Photography by the Cyanotype Process"

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Editorial Staff, Jce

      2008-05-01

      Do you want to try the cyanotype process with your students? That's easy to do! Start with JCE Classroom Activity #19, "Blueprint Photography by the Cyanotype Process", by Glen D. Lawrence and Stuart Fishelson ( JCE , 1999 , 76 , 1216A-1216B ). In this ready-to-use activity, students create their own cyanotype paper and use it to make blueprint photographs in the sunlight. It's a great way to connect chemistry with art.

    4. Comparing online opportunities and risks among Israeli children and youth Hebrew and Arabic speakers

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Blau, Ina

      2014-10-01

      This study explores the relationships between application usage, online communication patterns, problematic Internet use (PIU) of online applications, and online self-disclosure among children from culturally different groups. An online survey was administered in Hebrew and Arabic among 3867 Israeli 7-17 year old, including Jews, Arabs, and Bedouins. The level of PIU was relatively low-only 9.5% scored "very high" in the PIU index. For all the groups the highest level of communication was reported for safe interactions with family and friends, lower level for purely virtual communication with online acquaintances, and the lowest level for meeting online acquaintances face-to-face. However, various forms of the online communication patterns and use of applications differed across the groups, suggesting cultural diversity in Internet usage among children in the same country. PIU and self-disclosure explained 47.3% of variance in risky e-communication activities (e.g. sending ones' photos to online acquaintances, providing them with a school or home address, and meeting them face-to-face), as well as 34.4% of variance in exposure to unpleasant online experiences (e.g. receiving messages, pictures, or videos that make the children feel uncomfortable). However, both PIU and self-disclosure were unrelated to educational activities and to the use of educational applications.

    5. Home advantage in soccer--A matter of expectations, goal setting and tactical decisions of coaches?

      PubMed

      Staufenbiel, Kathrin; Lobinger, Babett; Strauss, Bernd

      2015-01-01

      In soccer, home teams win about 67% of decided games. The causes for this home advantage are still unresolved. There is a shortage of research on the psychological states of actors involved. In this study, we examined soccer coaches' expectations, goal setting and tactical decisions in relation to game location. Soccer coaches (N = 297) with different expertise levels participated in an experimental, online management game and were randomly assigned to one of two groups, "home game (HG)" or "away game." Participants received information on the game for which they were asked to make decisions in multiple points. The only differing information between groups was game location. Regardless of expertise, HG coaches had higher expectations to win, set more challenging goals and decided for more offensive and courageous playing tactics. Possible consequences of these findings concerning home advantage in soccer are discussed.

    6. Environmental impact on young children's participation in home-based activities.

      PubMed

      Albrecht, Erin C; Khetani, Mary A

      2017-04-01

      To test the effect of child, family, and environmental factors on young children's participation in home-based activities. Caregivers of young children were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling. Participants were 395 caregivers of children (222 males, 173 females) aged from 1 month to 5 years and 11 months. Demographic items and the home section of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure were administered online, followed by completion of the daily activities, mobility, and social/cognitive domains of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Test by telephone interview. A structural equation model fitted the data well (comparative fit index=0.91) and explained 31.2% of the variance in perceived environmental support and 42.5% of the variance in home involvement. Functional limitations and performance had an indirect effect on young children's participation through their effect on perceived environmental support. Specifically, fewer functional limitations and higher task performance were associated with greater environmental support, which in turn predicted higher levels of home involvement. Results suggest the importance of a young child's functional abilities and task performance on caregiver perceptions of environmental support at home, and the impact of environmental support on a child's participation in home-based activities during the early childhood period. Results warrant replication with more diverse samples to evaluate model generalizability. © 2016 The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Mac Keith Press.

    7. The dream of home ownership.

      PubMed

      Loxterkamp, David

      2009-01-01

      Part of the American Dream involves home ownership and its claim to a stronger investment in one's family, neighborhood, and community. The medical version of that dream is called private practice. Almost overnight, it seems, we have awakened to the reality that most primary care physicians are now employed by large corporations or hospital networks. What does this mean for our patients and the practice of medicine? Did patients lose a sense of ownership when insurance companies began to speak on their behalf? Have boutique practices, Internet sales, and online information banks restored their control? This essay explores the fundamental question, "Does ownership matter?" and suggests what we all can do to retrieve paradise lost.

    8. Home sweet home? Home physical environment and inflammation in children

      PubMed Central

      Schmeer, Kammi K.; Yoon, Aimee J.

      2016-01-01

      The home environment includes important social and physical contexts within which children develop. Poor physical home environments may be a potential source of stress for children through difficult daily experiences. Using a sub-sample from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (N = 425), we consider how the home physical environment affects stress-related immune system dysregulation in children ages 3–18 years. Results indicated that children in poorer quality homes had higher inflammation (measured by C-reactive protein). The associations were particularly strong for younger children. We also found that part of the home physical environment association with CRP worked through increased risk of obesity for children living in low-quality homes. Future research should assess how home physical environments could be improved to reduce stress and improve health outcomes in children. PMID:27712682

    9. Priorities for the professional development of registered nurses in nursing homes: a Delphi study.

      PubMed

      Cooper, Emily; Spilsbury, Karen; McCaughan, Dorothy; Thompson, Carl; Butterworth, Tony; Hanratty, Barbara

      2017-01-08

      To establish a consensus on the care and professional development needs of registered nurses (RNs) employed by UK care homes. Two-stage, online modified Delphi study. A panel (n = 352) of individuals with experience, expertise or interest in care home nursing: (i) care home nurses and managers; (ii) community healthcare professionals (including general practitioners, geriatricians, specialist and district nurses); and (iii) nurse educators in higher education. RNs employed by nursing homes require particular skills, knowledge, competence and experience to provide high-quality care for older residents. The most important responsibilities for the nursing home nurse were: promoting dignity, personhood and wellbeing, ensuring resident safety and enhancing quality of life. Continuing professional development priorities included personal care, dementia care and managing long-term conditions. The main barrier to professional development was staff shortages. Nursing degree programmes were perceived as inadequately preparing nurses for a nursing home role. Nursing homes could improve by providing supportive learning opportunities for students and fostering challenging and rewarding careers for newly RNs. If nurses employed by nursing homes are not fit for purpose, the consequences for the wider health and social-care system are significant. Nursing homes, the NHS, educational and local authorities need to work together to provide challenging and rewarding career paths for RNs and evaluate them. Without well-trained, motivated staff, a high-quality care sector will remain merely an aspiration.

    10. Nursing home consumer complaints and their potential role in assessing quality of care.

      PubMed

      Stevenson, David G

      2005-02-01

      State survey agencies collect and investigate consumer complaints for care in nursing homes and other health care settings. Complaint investigations play a key role in quality assurance, because they can respond to concerns of consumers and families. This study uses 5 years of nursing home complaints data from Massachusetts (1998-2002) to investigate whether complaints might be used to assess nursing home quality of care. The investigator matches facility-level complaints data with On-Line Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data and Minimum Data Set Quality Indicator (MDS QI) data to evaluate the association between consumer complaints, facility and resident characteristics, and other nursing home quality measures. Consumer complaints varied across facility characteristics in ways consistent with the nursing home quality literature. Complaints were consistently and significantly associated with survey deficiencies, the presence of a serious survey deficiency, and nurse aide staffing. Complaints were not significantly associated with nurse staffing, and associations with 6 MDS QIs were mixed. The number of complaints was significantly predictive of survey deficiencies identified at the subsequent inspection. Nursing home consumer complaints provide a supplemental tool with which to differentiate nursing homes on quality. Despite limitations, complaints data have potential strengths when used in combination with other quality measures. The potential of using consumer complaints to assess nursing home quality of care should be evaluated in states beyond Massachusetts. Evaluating consumer complaints also might be a productive area of inquiry for other health care settings such as hospitals and home health agencies.

    11. Does "Flipping" Promote Engagement?: A Comparison of a Traditional, Online, and Flipped Class

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Burke, Alison S.; Fedorek, Brian

      2017-01-01

      "Flipped" or inverted classrooms are designed to utilize class time for application and knowledge building, while course content is delivered through the use of online lectures and watched at home on the students' time. It is believed that flipped classrooms promote student engagement and a deeper understanding of the class material. The…

    12. Utah obstetricians' opinions of planned home birth and conflicting NICE/ACOG guidelines: A qualitative study.

      PubMed

      Rainey, Emily; Simonsen, Sara; Stanford, Joseph; Shoaf, Kimberley; Baayd, Jami

      2017-06-01

      The United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently published recommendations that support planned home birth for low-risk women. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) remains wary of planned home birth, asserting that hospitals and birthing centers are the safest birth settings. Our objective was to examine opinions of obstetricians in Salt Lake City, Utah about home birth in the context of rising home birth rates and conflicting guidelines. Participants were recruited through online searches of Salt Lake City obstetricians and through snowball sampling. We conducted individual interviews exploring experiences with and attitudes toward planned home birth and the ACOG/NICE guidelines. Fifteen obstetricians who varied according to years of experience, location of medical training, sex, and subspecialty (resident, OB/GYN, maternal-fetal medicine specialist) were interviewed. Participants did not recommend home birth but supported a woman's right to choose her birth setting. Obstetrician opinions about planned home birth were shaped by misconceptions of home birth benefits, confusion surrounding the scope of care at home and among home birth providers, and negative transfer experiences. Participants were unfamiliar with the literature on planned home birth and/or viewed the evidence as unreliable. Support for ACOG guidelines was high, particularly in the context of the United States health care setting. Physician objectivity may be limited by biases against home birth, which stem from limited familiarity with published evidence, negative experiences with home-to-hospital transfers, and distrust of home birth providers in a health care system not designed to support home birth. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

    13. Animal-Assisted Interventions in Dutch Nursing Homes: A Survey.

      PubMed

      Schuurmans, Lonneke; Enders-Slegers, Marie-Jose; Verheggen, Theo; Schols, Jos

      2016-07-01

      Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have become more and more popular in nursing homes in the past decade. Various initiatives for using animals in nursing homes have been developed over the years (eg, animal visiting programs, residential companion animals, petting zoos) and, on the whole, the number of nursing homes that refuse animals on their premises has declined. In this survey, we aimed to determine how many Dutch nursing homes offer AAIs, what type of interventions are used, and with what aim. We also focus on the use of underlying health, hygiene, and (animal) safety protocols. Using an online Dutch nursing home database, we invited all listed (457) nursing home organizations in the Netherlands (encompassing a total of 804 nursing home locations) to participate in our digital survey, powered by SurveyMonkey. The survey consisted of a total of 45 questions, divided into general questions about the use of animals in interventions; the targeted client population(s); and specific questions about goals, guidelines, and protocols. The results were analyzed with SPSS Statistics. In the end, 244 surveys, representing 165 organizations, were returned: 125 nursing homes used AAI in one way or another, 40 did not. Nursing homes that did not offer AAI cited allergy and hygiene concerns as the most important reasons. Most nursing homes offering AAI used visiting animals, mostly dogs (108) or rabbits (76). A smaller number of nursing homes had resident animals, either living on the ward or in a meadow outside. Almost all programs involved animal-assisted activities with a recreational purpose; none of the participating nursing homes provided animal assisted therapy with therapeutic goals. Psychogeriatric patients were most frequently invited to participate. A total of 88 nursing homes used alternatives when animals were not an option or not available. The most popular alternative was the use of stuffed animals (83) followed by FurReal Friends robotic toys (14). The

    14. Doing better to do good: the impact of strategic adaptation on nursing home performance.

      PubMed

      Zinn, Jacqueline S; Mor, Vincent; Feng, Zhanlian; Intrator, Orna

      2007-06-01

      To test the hypothesis that a greater commitment to strategic adaptation, as exhibited by more extensive implementation of a subacute/rehabilitation care strategy in nursing homes, will be associated with superior performance. Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1997 to 2004, and the area resource file (ARF). The extent of strategic adaptation was measured by an aggregate weighted implementation score. Nursing home performance was measured by occupancy rate and two measures of payer mix. We conducted multivariate regression analyses using a cross-sectional time series generalized estimating equation (GEE) model to examine the effect of nursing home strategic implementation on each of the three performance measures, controlling for market and organizational characteristics that could influence nursing home performance. DATA COLLECTION/ABSTRACTION METHODS: OSCAR data was merged with relevant ARF data. The results of our analysis provide strong support for the hypothesis. From a theoretical perspective, our findings confirm that organizations that adjust strategies and structures to better fit environmental demands achieve superior performance. From a managerial perspective, these results support the importance of proactive strategic leadership in the nursing home industry.

    15. Nursing Home Staffing Requirements and Input Substitution: Effects on Housekeeping, Food Service, and Activities Staff

      PubMed Central

      Bowblis, John R; Hyer, Kathryn

      2013-01-01

      Objective To study the effect of minimum nurse staffing requirements on the subsequent employment of nursing home support staff. Data Sources Nursing home data from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) System merged with state nurse staffing requirements. Study Design Facility-level housekeeping, food service, and activities staff levels are regressed on nurse staffing requirements and other controls using fixed effect panel regression. Data Extraction Method OSCAR surveys from 1999 to 2004. Principal Findings Increases in state direct care and licensed nurse staffing requirements are associated with decreases in the staffing levels of all types of support staff. Conclusions Increased nursing home nurse staffing requirements lead to input substitution in the form of reduced support staffing levels. PMID:23445455

    16. What Online Traditional Medicine Dictionaries Bring To English Speakers Now? Concepts or Equivalents?

      PubMed Central

      Fang, Lu

      2018-01-01

      Nowadays, more and more Chinese medicine practices are applied in the world and popularizing that becomes an urgent task. To meet the requiremets, an increasing number of Chinese - English traditional medicine dictionaries have been produced at home or abroad in recent decades. Nevertheless, the users are still struggling to spot the information in dictionaries. What traditional medicine dictionaries are needed for the English speakers now? To identify an entry model for online TCM dictionaries, I compared the entries in five printed traditional medicine dictionaries and two online ones. Based upon this, I tentatively put forward two samples, “阳经 (yángjīng)” and “阴经 (yīn jīng)”, focusing on concepts transmitting, for online Chinese - English TCM dictionaries. PMID:29875861

    17. Online Educators Won't Be Forced to Spy on Students, New Rules Say

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Parry, Marc

      2009-01-01

      Distance educators won't have to become FBI-style investigators, installing cameras in the homes of online students and scanning fingerprints to ensure that people are who they say they are. At least not yet. The recently reauthorized Higher Education Opportunity Act requires accreditors to monitor steps colleges take to verify that an enrolled…

    18. Personal Web home pages of adolescents with cancer: self-presentation, information dissemination, and interpersonal connection.

      PubMed

      Suzuki, Lalita K; Beale, Ivan L

      2006-01-01

      The content of personal Web home pages created by adolescents with cancer is a new source of information about this population of potential benefit to oncology nurses and psychologists. Individual Internet elements found on 21 home pages created by youths with cancer (14-22 years old) were rated for cancer-related self-presentation, information dissemination, and interpersonal connection. Examples of adolescents' online narratives were also recorded. Adolescents with cancer used various Internet elements on their home pages for cancer-related self-presentation (eg, welcome messages, essays, personal history and diary pages, news articles, and poetry), information dissemination (e.g., through personal interest pages, multimedia presentations, lists, charts, and hyperlinks), and interpersonal connection (eg, guestbook entries). Results suggest that various elements found on personal home pages are being used by a limited number of young patients with cancer for self-expression, information access, and contact with peers.

    19. Changes in Consumer Demand Following Public Reporting of Summary Quality Ratings: An Evaluation in Nursing Homes.

      PubMed

      Werner, Rachel M; Konetzka, R Tamara; Polsky, Daniel

      2016-06-01

      Limited consumer use of health care report cards may be due to the large amount of information presented in report cards, which can be difficult to understand. These limitations may be overcome with summary measures. Our objective was to evaluate consumer response to summary measures in the setting of nursing homes. 2005-2010 nursing home Minimum Data Set and Online Survey, Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) datasets. In December 2008, Medicare converted its nursing home report card to summary or star ratings. We test whether there was a change in consumer demand for nursing homes related to the nursing home's star rating after the information was released. The star rating system was associated with a significant change in consumer demand for low- and high-scoring facilities. After the star-based rating system was released, 1-star facilities typically lost 8 percent of their market share and 5-star facilities gained over 6 percent of their market share. The nursing home star rating system significantly affected consumer demand for high- and low-rated nursing homes. These results support the use of summary measures in report cards. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    20. Medical staff organization in nursing homes: scale development and validation.

      PubMed

      Katz, Paul R; Karuza, Jurgis; Intrator, Orna; Zinn, Jacqueline; Mor, Vincent; Caprio, Thomas; Caprio, Anthony; Dauenhauer, Jason; Lima, Julie

      2009-09-01

      To construct a multidimensional self-report scale to measure nursing home (NH) medical staff organization (NHMSO) dimensions and then pilot the scale using a national survey of medical directors to provide data on its psychometric properties. Instrument development process consisting of the proceedings from the Nursing Home Physician Workforce Conference and focus groups followed by cognitive interviews, which culminated in a survey of a random sample of American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) affiliated medical directors. Analyses were conducted on surveys matched to Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data from freestanding nonpediatric nursing homes. A total of 202 surveys were available for analysis and comprised the final sample. Dimensions were identified that measured the extent of medical staff organization in nursing homes and included staff composition, appointment process, commitment (physiciancohesion; leadership turnover/capability), departmentalization (physician supervision, autonomy and interdisciplinary involvement), documentation, and informal dynamics. The items developed to measure each dimension were reliable (Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.81 to 0.65).Intercorrelations among the scale dimensions provided preliminary evidence of the construct validity of the scale. This report, for the first time ever, defines and validates NH medical staff organization dimensions, a critical first step in determining the relationship between physician practice and the quality of care delivered in the NH.

    1. The Dream of Home Ownership

      PubMed Central

      Loxterkamp, David

      2009-01-01

      Part of the American Dream involves home ownership and its claim to a stronger investment in one’s family, neighborhood, and community. The medical version of that dream is called private practice. Almost overnight, it seems, we have awakened to the reality that most primary care physicians are now employed by large corporations or hospital networks. What does this mean for our patients and the practice of medicine? Did patients lose a sense of ownership when insurance companies began to speak on their behalf? Have boutique practices, Internet sales, and online information banks restored their control? This essay explores the fundamental question, “Does ownership matter?” and suggests what we all can do to retrieve paradise lost. PMID:19433846

    2. "Who matters most?": Clinician perspectives of influence and recommendation on home dialysis uptake.

      PubMed

      Walker, Rachael C; Marshall, Roger; Howard, Kirsten; Morton, Rachael L; Marshall, Mark R

      2017-12-01

      There is little research exploring the association between clinicians' behaviours and home dialysis uptake. This paper aims to better understand the influence of clinicians on home dialysis modality recommendations and uptake. Online survey of all NZ renal units to determine the influence of individuals within pre-dialysis teams. We used the self-declaration scale of influence to rate the identified member's perceived influence on decision-making. We used this measure of 'decisional power' to compare the perceived influence of pre-dialysis nurses with nephrologists using both parametric and non-parametric methods. We developed a generalized linear model to investigate the relationship between the influence of nephrologists and pre-dialysis nurses with home dialysis uptake by individual centre using additional data from Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA). Finally, respondents rated the importance of a list of patient and service-level factors in recommendations for home dialysis. Data suggest the nephrologists are the most influential member of the pre-dialysis team. This contrasts with perceptions of survey respondents who view pre-dialysis nurses as most influential. Nephrologists' recommendations are likely to be a successful way of increasing home dialysis. A single point increase in nephrologist decisional power is associated with a 6.1% increase in the prevalence of home dialysis. The decisional power around home dialysis in NZ sits with nephrologists. It is therefore critical that nephrologists exercise their decisional power in advocating home dialysis and address reasons why they may not recommend home dialysis to well-suited and appropriate patients. © 2016 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

    3. Take-Home Experiments in Undergraduate Fluid Mechanics Education

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Cimbala, John

      2007-11-01

      Hands-on take-home experiments, assigned as homework, are useful as supplements to traditional in-class demonstrations and laboratories. Students borrow the equipment from the department's equipment room, and perform the experiment either at home or in the student lounge or student shop work area. Advantages include: (1) easy implementation, especially for large classes, (2) low cost and easy duplication of multiple units, (3) no loss of lecture time since the take-home experiment is self-contained with all necessary instructions, and (4) negligible increase in student or teaching assistant work load since the experiment is assigned as a homework problem in place of a traditional pen and paper problem. As an example, a pump flow take-home experiment was developed, implemented, and assessed in our introductory junior-level fluid mechanics course at Penn State. The experimental apparatus consists of a bucket, tape measure, submersible aquarium pump, tubing, measuring cup, and extension cord. We put together twenty sets at a total cost of less than 20 dollars per set. Students connect the tube to the pump outlet, submerge the pump in water, and measure the volume flow rate produced at various outflow elevations. They record and plot volume flow rate as a function of outlet elevation, and compare with predictions based on the manufacturer's pump performance curve (head versus volume flow rate) and flow losses. The homework assignment includes an online pre-test and post-test to assess the change in students' understanding of the principles of pump performance. The results of the assessment support a significant learning gain following the completion of the take-home experiment.

    4. Health Benefits and Risks of Pets in Nursing Homes: A Survey of Facilities in Ohio.

      PubMed

      Stull, Jason W; Hoffman, Cydney C; Landers, Timothy

      2018-05-01

      Pets are encountered in nursing homes and although they provide health benefits to individuals, they are also a source of health risks. The current study aimed to determine the frequency and types of animals in nursing homes, perceived benefits, and content of policies addressing health risks. Ninety-five administrators from unique nursing homes in Ohio completed an online survey addressing perceived benefits and risks of animals and policies in place. Animals were permitted in 99% of nursing homes, with dogs (95%), cats (85%), birds (71%), fish (55%), and farm animals (40%) most frequently reported. Respondents perceived animal interactions resulted in high health benefits for residents. Most facilities (70/75; 93%) reported having an animal policy, yet important gaps were frequently identified in the content of policies. Most respondents (75%) did not report health and safety concerns with animals in facilities. Best practice guidelines and policies should be developed and implemented in nursing homes to address requirements for different animal ownership models, range of animal species, and staff knowledge. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(5), 39-45.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

    5. Bellco Formula Domus Home Care System.

      PubMed

      Trewin, Elizabeth

      2004-01-01

      There are certain characteristics in a dialysis machine that would be desirable for use in home and limited care environments. These features relate to safety, ease of use, consideration of physical space, and reliability. The Bellco Formula Domus Home Care System was designed to meet all these requirements. Bellco's philosophy of patient treatment centers on global biocompatibility. This is evident in the design of the Formula Domus Home Care System. It has the smallest hydraulic fluid pathway of any dialysis machine on the market. Formula is capable of preparing ultrapure dialysate. The ultrafiltration measurement mechanism, the patented Coriolis flow meter, measures the mass of the dialysate, not the volume. For this reason it is the only dialysis machine that detects actual backfiltration, not just the theoretical possibility of it based on transmembrane pressure. The Coriolis flow meter also ensures that dialysate flow is a true single pass. The operator interface is a single window operating control. It is possible to select up to 14 different languages. There is an online help key to assist patients with troubleshooting. Programmable start-up and shutdown times save time for the patient. Formula is the only dialysis machine to offer a backup battery feature. Formula is capable of communicating with any software available. The focus on global biocompatibility ensures the best quality dialysis treatments for a population of patients who will likely remain on dialysis for a longer period of time than conventional dialysis patients.

    6. Massive open online nutrition and cooking course for improved eating behaviors and meal composition.

      PubMed

      Adam, Maya; Young-Wolff, Kelly C; Konar, Ellen; Winkleby, Marilyn

      2015-12-03

      Behavioral shifts in eating, favoring the increased consumption of highly processed foods over healthier, home-cooked alternatives, have led to widespread health problems. This study reports on the effectiveness of a massive open online course (MOOC), offering integrated nutrition and cooking instruction, for improving eating behaviors and meal composition among course participants. The course, consisting of 47 short (4-6 min.) videos, was offered through Coursera, an open, online learning platform, available to individuals worldwide who have access to the Internet. Beginning in January 2014, participants viewed course videos, completed quizzes and participated in optional cooking assignments, over a 5-week period. Participants were invited to complete optional pre- and post-course surveys assessing their eating behaviors, typical meal composition and perceived barriers to home cooking. McNemar-Bowker tests of symmetry and within subject t-tests were conducted to evaluate pre-post survey changes in the primary variables measured. 7,422 participants from more than 80 countries completed both pre- and post-course surveys, while 19,374 participants completed the pre-survey only. Class participants were primarily women in the child-rearing ages (20-49 years of age). There were significant positive changes in eating behaviors and meal composition over time, including an increase in the percentage of participants who reported cooking dinner at home using mostly fresh ingredients 5-7 times in the previous week (63.4 % to 71.4 %), and who felt that yesterday's dinner was very/extremely healthy (39.3 % to 56.4 %) and enjoyable (55.2 % to 66.7 %) (all p values < .0001). Integrated nutrition and cooking courses, delivered via open online learning platforms, offer a free and flexible venue for reaching adults worldwide and have the potential to catalyze powerful behavioral shifts that align well with efforts to improve eating behaviors and meal composition.

    7. Fabrication and properties of multifilamentary MgB 2 wires by in-situ powder-in-tube process

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Wang, Q. Y.; Jiao, G. F.; Liu, G. Q.; Xiong, X. M.; Yan, S. C.; Zhang, P. X.; Sulpice, A.; Mossang, E.; Feng, Y.; Yan, G.

      2010-11-01

      We have fabricated the long TiC-doped MgB2 wires with 6 filaments by in-situ powder-in-tube method using Nb as the barrier and copper as the stabilizer. To improve the strength of wires, the Nb-core was used as the central filament. The transport engineering critical current density (Jce) of the samples sintered at different temperature were measured, which reaches 2.5 × 104 A/cm2 at 4.2 K, 5 T. 100 m MgB2 wires with different diameter were wound into coils and the transport critical current (Ic) of the coil were measured at 30 K in self-field. The Jce value 100 m coil achieves 1.1 × 104 A/cm2 in 1.2 mm wire. The reasons leading to the enhancement of high field Jce were discussed. The results show a good potential to fabricate high performance MgB2 wires and tapes at ambient pressure on an industrial scale.

    8. Comparing Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Rehabilitation Professionals among Hospital and Home Care Employers

      PubMed Central

      Tran, Diem; Davis, Aileen; McGillis Hall, Linda

      2012-01-01

      ABSTRACT Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare hospital and home care employers' rankings of both the importance and the feasibility of workforce strategies for recruiting and retaining rehabilitation professionals. Methods: An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all employers of rehabilitation professionals in Ontario hospitals (n=144) and Community Care Access Centre home care providers (n=34). Importance and feasibility rankings were based on the percentage of high ratings; 95% CIs were used to determine significant differences between hospital and home care rankings of recruitment and retention strategies. Results: The response rate was 50% (72/144) from hospitals and 73.5% (25/34) from home-care settings. The recruitment and retention strategies considered most important and feasible for rehabilitation therapists, regardless of setting, were communication between employer and worker, compensation packages, access to research, and professional development in budget planning. Tangible resources, support personnel, work safety, and marketing rehabilitation careers to high school students were ranked significantly higher by hospitals than by home care providers. Conclusions: Similarities exist between hospital and home care employers in terms of the importance and feasibility of recruitment and retention strategies for rehabilitation professionals. However, when developing a rehabilitation health human resources plan, the strategies identified as different between hospital and home care settings should be taken into account. PMID:23277683

    9. The health consequences of using physical restraints in nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Castle, Nicholas G; Engberg, John

      2009-11-01

      Using a national longitudinal sample of nursing homes residents (N = 264,068), we examine whether physical restraint use contributes to subsequent physical or psychological health decline. The minimum data set, the on-line survey certification and recording system, and the area resource file were the data sources used. This data represented the period of 2004 and 2005. To control for the difference in characteristics between residents who were subsequently physically restrained and who were not, we use a propensity score matching method. For all outcomes examined (except depression), that is, behavior issues, cognitive performance, falls, walking dependence, activities of daily living, pressure ulcers, and contractures, were all significantly worse for restrained residents compared with matched residents who were not restrained. Physical restraint use represents poor clinical practice, and the benefits to residents of further reducing physical restraint use in nursing homes are substantial.

    10. Organizational and environmental factors associated with nursing home participation in managed care.

      PubMed Central

      Zinn, J S; Mor, V; Castle, N; Intrator, O; Brannon, D

      1999-01-01

      OBJECTIVE: To develop and test a model, based on resource dependence theory, that identifies the organizational and environmental characteristics associated with nursing home participation in managed care. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING: Data for statistical analysis derived from a survey of Directors of Nursing in a sample of nursing homes in eight states (n = 308). These data were merged with data from the On-line Survey Certification and Reporting System, the Medicare Managed Care State/County Data File, and the 1995 Area Resource File. STUDY DESIGN: Since the dependent variable is dichotomous, the logistic procedure was used to fit the regression. The analysis was weighted using SUDAAN. FINDINGS: Participation in a provider network, higher proportions of resident care covered by Medicare, providing IV therapy, greater availability of RNs and physical therapists, and Medicare HMO market penetration are associated with a greater likelihood of having a managed care contract. CONCLUSION: As more Medicare recipients enroll in HMOs, nursing home involvement in managed care is likely to increase. Interorganizational linkages enhance the likelihood of managed care participation. Nursing homes interested in managed care should consider upgrading staffing and providing at least some subacute services. PMID:10029508

    11. Online Recruitment: Feasibility, Cost, and Representativeness in a Study of Postpartum Women.

      PubMed

      Leach, Liana S; Butterworth, Peter; Poyser, Carmel; Batterham, Philip J; Farrer, Louise M

      2017-03-08

      Online recruitment is feasible, low-cost, and can provide high-quality epidemiological data. However, little is known about the feasibility of recruiting postpartum women online, or sample representativeness. The current study investigates the feasibility of recruiting a population of postpartum women online for health research and examines sample representativeness. Two samples of postpartum women were compared: those recruited online as participants in a brief survey of new mothers (n=1083) and those recruited face-to-face as part of a nationally representative study (n=579). Sociodemographic, general health, and mental health characteristics were compared between the two samples. Obtaining a sample of postpartum women online for health research was highly efficient and low-cost. The online sample over-represented those who were younger (aged 25-29 years), were in a de facto relationship, had higher levels of education, spoke only English at home, and were first-time mothers. Members of the online sample were significantly more likely to have poor self-rated health and poor mental health than the nationally representative sample. Health differences remained after adjusting for sociodemographic differences. Potential exists for feasible and low-cost e-epidemiological research with postpartum populations; however, researchers should consider the potential influence of sample nonrepresentativeness. ©Liana S Leach, Peter Butterworth, Carmel Poyser, Philip J Batterham, Louise M Farrer. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 08.03.2017.

    12. Interaction effect of Medicaid census and nursing home characteristics on quality of psychosocial care for residents.

      PubMed

      Kang-Yi, Christina D; Mandell, David S; Mui, Ada C; Castle, Nicholas G

      2011-01-01

      Numerous studies have identified disparities in nursing home quality of care. Although previous studies have found the overlap among Medicaid census, nursing home characteristics, and negative quality of care outcomes, few studies have examined how the psychosocial well-being of nursing home residents is associated with Medicaid census and other nursing home characteristics. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the intertwined relationships between Medicaid census and other important nursing home factors and its impact on psychosocial care for residents. This study examined the interactive effects of (1) nursing home ownership status and Medicaid census, (2) staffing level and Medicaid census, and (3) resident ethnic mix and Medicaid census on psychosocial well-being outcomes. The sample, derived from a combined data set of New York State nursing homes' Online Survey Certification and Reporting System and Minimum Data Set, included 565 nursing homes in rural and urban areas of the state. Medicaid census had no main effect on psychosocial well-being outcomes of nursing home care but had a significant interactive effect with other nursing home characteristics. High Medicaid census was associated with lower level of psychosocial symptom detection in nonprofit nursing homes and nursing homes with a higher proportion of ethnic minority residents. Nursing staff training on better psychosocial well-being care, in particular, better psychosocial assessment, is important. To obtain the training resources, nursing homes with high Medicaid census can collaborate with other nursing homes or social service agencies. Considering that nursing homes with a high proportion of ethnic minority residents have lower level of detection rate for psychosocial well-being issues, culturally competent care should be a component of quality improvement plans.

    13. Do nursing home chain size and proprietary status affect experiences with care?

      PubMed Central

      You, Kai; Li, Yue; Intrator, Orna; Stevenson, David; Hirth, Richard; Grabowski, David; Banaszak-Holl, Jane

      2015-01-01

      Background In 2012, over half of nursing homes were operated by corporate chains. Facilities owned by the largest for-profit chains were reported to have lower quality of care. However, it is unknown how nursing home chain ownerships are related with experiences of care. Objectives To study the relationship between nursing home chain characteristics (chain size and profit status) with patients' family member reported ratings on experiences with care. Data Sources and Study Design Maryland nursing home care experience reports, the Online Survey, Certification, And Reporting (OSCAR) files, and Area Resource Files are used. Our sample consists of all non-governmental nursing homes in Maryland from 2007 to 2010. Consumer ratings were reported for: overall care; recommendation of the facility; staff performance; care provided; food and meals; physical environment; and autonomy and personal rights. We identified chain characteristics from OSCAR, and estimated multivariate random effect linear models to test the effects of chain ownership on care experience ratings. Results Independent nonprofit nursing homes have the highest overall rating score of 8.9, followed by 8.6 for facilities in small nonprofit chains, and 8.5 for independent for-profit facilities. Facilities in small, medium and large for-profit chains have even lower overall ratings of 8.2, 7.9, and 8.0, respectively. We find similar patterns of differences in terms of recommendation rate, and important areas such as staff communication and quality of care. Conclusions Evidence suggests that Maryland nursing homes affiliated with large- and medium- for-profit chains had lower ratings of family reported experience with care. PMID:26765147

    14. Do Nursing Home Chain Size and Proprietary Status Affect Experiences With Care?

      PubMed

      You, Kai; Li, Yue; Intrator, Orna; Stevenson, David; Hirth, Richard; Grabowski, David; Banaszak-Holl, Jane

      2016-03-01

      In 2012, over half of nursing homes were operated by corporate chains. Facilities owned by the largest for-profit chains were reported to have lower quality of care. However, it is unknown how nursing home chain ownerships are related with experiences of care. To study the relationship between nursing home chain characteristics (chain size and profit status) with patients' family member reported ratings on experiences with care. Maryland nursing home care experience reports, the Online Survey, Certification, And Reporting (OSCAR) files, and Area Resource Files are used. Our sample consists of all nongovernmental nursing homes in Maryland from 2007 to 2010. Consumer ratings were reported for: overall care; recommendation of the facility; staff performance; care provided; food and meals; physical environment; and autonomy and personal rights. We identified chain characteristics from OSCAR, and estimated multivariate random effect linear models to test the effects of chain ownership on care experience ratings. Independent nonprofit nursing homes have the highest overall rating score of 8.9, followed by 8.6 for facilities in small nonprofit chains, and 8.5 for independent for-profit facilities. Facilities in small, medium, and large for-profit chains have even lower overall ratings of 8.2, 7.9, and 8.0, respectively. We find similar patterns of differences in terms of recommendation rate, and important areas such as staff communication and quality of care. Evidence suggests that Maryland nursing homes affiliated with large-for-profit and medium-for-profit chains had lower ratings of family reported experience with care.

    15. User Statistics for an Online Health Game Targeted at Children.

      PubMed

      Alblas, Eva E; Folkvord, Frans; Anschütz, Doeschka J; Ketelaar, Paul E; Granic, Isabela; Mensink, Fréderike; Buijzen, Moniek; van 't Riet, Jonathan P

      2017-10-01

      Given that many households in western countries nowadays have home access to the Internet, developing health-promoting online interventions has the potential to reach large audiences. Studies assessing usage data of online health interventions are important and relevant but, as of yet, scarce. The present study reviewed usage data from Monkey Do, an existing online health game developed specifically for children from 4 to 8 years old. In addition, the effect of advertising on usage was examined. In an observational study, a web-based analysis program was used to examine usage data of all visits to the online health game for the first 31 months following the launch. We reported descriptives for usage data. We analyzed the relationship between advertising and usage with a Mann-Whitney U test, and used a Pearson's chi-square test to investigate the association between advertising and the number of first-time visitors. In the period of data analysis, there were 224,859 sessions. Around 34% of the visitors played the game more than once. Compared with first-time visitors, the average session time of returning visitors was doubled. The game was most frequently accessed via search engine query, on a desktop computer (compared to mobile devices). Advertising was found to be positively related to the number of sessions and the number of first-time visitors. Placing a game online can reach a large audience, but it is important to also consider how to stimulate retention. Furthermore, repeated advertisement for an online game appears to be necessary to maintain visitors over time.

    16. The Online Bingo Boom in the UK: A Qualitative Examination of Its Appeal.

      PubMed

      Stead, Martine; Dobbie, Fiona; Angus, Kathryn; Purves, Richard I; Reith, Gerda; Macdonald, Laura

      2016-01-01

      Online bingo has seen significant growth in recent years. This study sought to increase understanding of this growth by exploring the appeal of online bingo. Our aim was to examine the content of ten online bingo websites in the UK and analyse a qualitative secondary dataset of 12 female bingo players to investigate the appeal of online bingo. Using two distinct data sources allowed us to assess how the key messages online websites are trying to convey compare with actual players' motivation to play bingo. Our analysis of bingo websites found a common theme where websites were easy to navigate and structured to present a light-hearted, fun, reassuring, social image of gambling. In addition, the design decisions reflected in the bingo sites had the effect of positioning online bingo as a benign, child-like, homely, women-friendly, social activity. Comparison of the website content with our participants' reasons to play bingo showed congruence between the strategies used by the bingo websites and the motivations of bingo players themselves and the benefits which they seek; suggesting that bingo websites strive to replicate and update the sociability of traditional bingo halls. Online bingo differs from traditional forms of bingo in its ability to be played anywhere and at any time, and its capacity to offer a deeply immersive experience. The potential for this type of online immersion in gambling to lead to harm is only just being investigated and further research is required to understand how the industry is regulated, as well as the effects of online bingo on individual gambling 'careers.'

    17. Home-Based HIV Testing and Counseling for Male Couples (Project Nexus): A Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

      PubMed

      Stephenson, Rob; Freeland, Ryan; Sullivan, Stephen P; Riley, Erin; Johnson, Brent A; Mitchell, Jason; McFarland, Deborah; Sullivan, Patrick S

      2017-05-30

      HIV prevalence remains high among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States, yet the majority of research has focused on MSM as individuals, not as dyads, and has discussed HIV risks primarily in the context of casual sex. Nexus is an online prevention program that combines home-based HIV testing and couples HIV testing and counseling (CHTC). It allows partners in dyadic MSM relationships to receive HIV testing and care in the comfort of their designated residence, via video-based chat. By using video-based technologies (eg, VSee video chat), male couples receive counseling and support from a remote online counselor, while testing for HIV at home. This randomized control trial (RCT) aims to examine the effects of video-based counseling combined with home-based HIV testing on couples' management of HIV risk, formation and adherence to explicit sexual agreements, and sexual risk-taking. The research implements a prospective RCT of 400 online-recruited male couples: 200 self-reported concordant-negative couples and 200 self-reported discordant couples. Couples in the control arm will receive one or two home-based HIV self-testing kits and will be asked to report their results via the study's website. Couples in the experimental arm will receive one or two home-based HIV self-testing kits and will conduct these tests together under the facilitation of a remotely located counselor during a prescheduled VSee-based video CHTC session. Study assessments are taken at baseline, as well as at 3- and 6-month follow-up sessions. Project Nexus was launched in April 2016 and is ongoing. To date, 219 eligible couples have been enrolled and randomized. Combining home-based HIV testing with video-based counseling creates an opportunity to expand CHTC to male couples who (1) live outside metro areas, (2) live in rural areas without access to testing services or LGBTQ resources, or (3) feel that current clinic-based testing is not for them (eg, due to fears of

    18. Top management leadership style and quality of care in nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Castle, Nicholas G; Decker, Frederic H

      2011-10-01

      The purpose of this study was to examine the association of Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) leadership style and Director of Nursing (DON) leadership style with quality of care. Leaders were categorized into 4 groups: consensus managers, consultative autocrats, shareholder managers, or autocrats. This leadership style assessment came from primary data collected from approximately 4,000 NHAs and DONs that was linked to quality information (i.e., Nursing Home Compare Quality Measures and 5-Star rating scores) and nursing home information (i.e., Online Survey, Certification, And Reporting data). A consensus manager leadership style has a strong association with better quality. Top managers using this style solicit and act upon input from their employees. For NHAs exhibiting this leadership style, the coefficients on 5 of the 7 quality indicators are statistically significant, and all 7 are significant when the DON exhibits this style. When the NHA and DON both have a consensus manager leadership style, 6 of the 7 quality indicator coefficients are significantly associated with better quality. The findings indicate that NHA and DON leadership style is associated with quality of care. Leadership strategies are amenable to change; thus, the findings of this study may be used to develop policies for promoting more effective leadership in nursing homes.

    19. Ambiguities: residents' experience of 'nursing home as my home'.

      PubMed

      Nakrem, Sigrid; Vinsnes, Anne G; Harkless, Gene E; Paulsen, Bård; Seim, Arnfinn

      2013-09-01

      Residential care in nursing homes continues to be necessary for those individuals who are no longer able to live at home. Uncovering what nursing home residents' view as quality of care in nursing homes will help further understanding of how best to provide high quality, person-centred care. To describe residents' experiences of living in a nursing home related to quality of care. The study utilises a descriptive exploratory design. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 15 residents who were not cognitively impaired, aged 65 and over and living in one of four nursing homes. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed by categorising of meaning. Residents perceived the nursing home as their home, but at the same time not 'a home'. This essential ambiguity created the tension from which the categories of perceptions of quality emerged. Four main categories of quality of care experience were identified: 'Being at home in a nursing home', 'Paying the price for 24-hour care', 'Personal habits and institutional routines', and 'Meaningful activities for a meaningful day'. Ambiguities concerning the nursing home as a home and place to live, a social environment in which the residents experience most of their social life and the institution where professional health service is provided were uncovered. High-quality care was when ambiguities were managed well and a home could be created within the institution. Implication for practice. Achieving quality care in nursing homes requires reconciling the ambiguities of the nursing home as a home. This implies helping residents to create a private home distinct from the professional home, allowing residents' personal habits to guide institutional routines and supporting meaningful activities. Using these resident developed quality indicators is an important step in improving nursing home services. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

    20. Searching Online Chemical Data Repositories via the ChemAgora Portal.

      PubMed

      Zanzi, Antonella; Wittwehr, Clemens

      2017-12-26

      ChemAgora, a web application designed and developed in the context of the "Data Infrastructure for Chemical Safety Assessment" (diXa) project, provides search capabilities to chemical data from resources available online, enabling users to cross-reference their search results with both regulatory chemical information and public chemical databases. ChemAgora, through an on-the-fly search, informs whether a chemical is known or not in each of the external data sources and provides clikable links leading to the third-party web site pages containing the information. The original purpose of the ChemAgora application was to correlate studies stored in the diXa data warehouse with available chemical data. Since the end of the diXa project, ChemAgora has evolved into an independent portal, currently accessible directly through the ChemAgora home page, with improved search capabilities of online data sources.

    1. Influence of Nurse Aide Absenteeism on Nursing Home Quality.

      PubMed

      Castle, Nicholas G; Ferguson-Rome, Jamie C

      2015-08-01

      In this analysis, the association of nurse aide absenteeism with quality is examined. Absenteeism is the failure of nurse aides to report for work when they are scheduled to work. Data used in this investigation came from survey responses from 3,941 nursing homes; Nursing Home Compare; the Online System for Survey, Certification and Administrative Reporting data; and the Area Resource File. Staffing characteristics, quality indicators, facility, and market information from these data sources were all measured in 2008. The specific quality indicators examined are physical restraint use, catheter use, pain management, and pressure sores using negative binomial regression. An average rate of 9.2% for nurse aide absenteeism was reported in the prior week. We find that high levels of absenteeism are associated with poor performance on all four quality indicators examined. The investigation presented, to our knowledge, is one of the first examining the implications of absenteeism in nursing homes. Absenteeism can be a costly staffing issue, one of the potential costs identified in this analysis is an impact on quality of care. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

    2. Primary School Students' Strategies in Early Algebra Problem Solving Supported by an Online Game

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja; Kolovou, Angeliki; Robitzsch, Alexander

      2013-01-01

      In this study we investigated the role of a dynamic online game on students' early algebra problem solving. In total 253 students from grades 4, 5, and 6 (10-12 years old) used the game at home to solve a sequence of early algebra problems consisting of contextual problems addressing covarying quantities. Special software monitored the…

    3. The 24/7 Professor--What to Do When Home Is Just Another Word for the Office

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Fogg, Piper

      2008-01-01

      Technology has revolutionized the way professors work. With just a few keystrokes, they can gain access to vast library collections online. They can collaborate with peers halfway around the globe. They can read e-mail at home in their pajamas or at a research site thousands of miles away. The convenience of being able to work virtually anywhere…

    4. SQUID: sensorized shirt with smartphone interface for exercise monitoring and home rehabilitation.

      PubMed

      Farjadian, Amir B; Sivak, Mark L; Mavroidis, Constantinos

      2013-06-01

      Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States. There is a need for new technological adjuncts to expedite patients' scheduled discharge from hospital and pursue rehabilitation procedure at home. SQUID is a low-cost, smart shirt that incorporates a six-channel electromyography (EMG) and heart rate data acquisition module to deliver objective audiovisual and haptic biofeedback to the patient. The sensorized shirt is interfaced with a smartphone application, for the subject's usage at home, as well as the online database, for the therapist's remote supervision from hospital. A single healthy subject was recruited to investigate the system functionality during improperly performed exercise. The system can potentially be used in automated, remote monitoring of variety of physical therapy exercises, rooted in strength or coordination training of specific muscle groups.

    5. Learning about light and optics in on-line general education classes using at-home experimentation

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Millspaw, Jacob; Wang, Gang; Masters, Mark F.

      2014-07-01

      College students are facing a constantly evolving educational system. Some still see mostly the traditional face to face lecture type classes where as others may never set foot on campus thanks to distance learning programs. In between they may enroll in a mix of face-to-face, two-way broadcasted interactive courses, streaming lecture courses, hybrid face-to-face/ on-line courses and the ominous MOOC! A large number of these non-traditional courses are general education courses and play an important role in developing non-science majors' understanding of science in general, and of physics in particular. We have been keeping pace with theses modern modes of instruction by offering several on-line courses such as Physics for Computer Graphics and Animation and Light and Color. These courses cover basic concepts in light, color and optics.

    6. The Online Bingo Boom in the UK: A Qualitative Examination of Its Appeal

      PubMed Central

      2016-01-01

      Online bingo has seen significant growth in recent years. This study sought to increase understanding of this growth by exploring the appeal of online bingo. Our aim was to examine the content of ten online bingo websites in the UK and analyse a qualitative secondary dataset of 12 female bingo players to investigate the appeal of online bingo. Using two distinct data sources allowed us to assess how the key messages online websites are trying to convey compare with actual players’ motivation to play bingo. Our analysis of bingo websites found a common theme where websites were easy to navigate and structured to present a light-hearted, fun, reassuring, social image of gambling. In addition, the design decisions reflected in the bingo sites had the effect of positioning online bingo as a benign, child-like, homely, women-friendly, social activity. Comparison of the website content with our participants’ reasons to play bingo showed congruence between the strategies used by the bingo websites and the motivations of bingo players themselves and the benefits which they seek; suggesting that bingo websites strive to replicate and update the sociability of traditional bingo halls. Online bingo differs from traditional forms of bingo in its ability to be played anywhere and at any time, and its capacity to offer a deeply immersive experience. The potential for this type of online immersion in gambling to lead to harm is only just being investigated and further research is required to understand how the industry is regulated, as well as the effects of online bingo on individual gambling ‘careers.’ PMID:27138116

    7. Online support to facilitate the reintegration of students with brain injury: trials and errors.

      PubMed

      Verburg, Geb; Borthwick, Burt; Bennett, Bill; Rumney, Peter

      2003-01-01

      The reintegration of students after acquired/traumatic brain injury (ABI/TBI) continues to be fraught with difficulties. Presented are (1) case studies exploring the potential of online support for teachers of students with ABI after returning from a paediatric rehabilitation centre; (2) results of Internet-based courses about reintegrating students with ABI; (3) outcomes of videoconferencing-based and Internet email-based support; (4) development of an online support process that uses Questions and Answers as a quick and immediate resource for teachers. The authors recommend that a collaborative process be instituted, in order to generate a relatively small number of high quality online resources about re-integrating students into their school and community. A second recommendation focuses on the development of online support network which may be text or email based or which may use videoconferencing over the Internet. Such networks allow students with ABI to maintain contact with their family and friends in the home community and facilitate their reintegration. An Internet-based support structure also allows professionals to provide consultation, collaboration and continuing input.

    8. Online Sellers’ Website Quality Influencing Online Buyers’ Purchase Intention

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Shea Lee, Tan; Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Zakuan, Norhayati; Sulaiman, Zuraidah; Zameri Mat Saman, Muhamad

      2016-05-01

      The increase adoption of Internet among young users in Malaysia provides high prospect for online seller. Young users aged between 18 and 25 years old are important to online sellers because they are actively involved in online purchasing and this group of online buyers is expected to dominate future online market. Therefore, examining online sellers’ website quality and online buyers’ purchase intention is crucial. Based on the Theory of planned behavior (TPB), a conceptual model of online sellers’ website quality and purchase intention of online buyers was developed. E-tailQ instrument was adapted in this study which composed of website design, reliability/fulfillment, security, privacy & trust, and customer service. Using online questionnaire and convenience sampling procedure, primary data were obtained from 240 online buyers aged between 18 to 25 years old. It was discovered that website design, website reliability/fulfillment, website security, privacy & trust, and website customer service positively and significantly influence intention of online buyers to continuously purchase via online channels. This study concludes that online sellers’ website quality is important in predicting online buyers’ purchase intention. Recommendation and implication of this study were discussed focusing on how online sellers should improve their website quality to stay competitive in online business.

    9. Especially for High School Teachers

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Howell, J. Emory

      2000-05-01

      , edited by Cary Kilner

    10. Interdisciplinary Connections, edited by Mark Alber
    11. Second Year and Advanced Placement Chemistry, edited by John Fischer
    12. View From My Classroom, edited by David Byrum Information about the expectations for each feature and contact information for each feature editor may be found online, http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/AboutJCE/Features/index.html. So review the various features today, and drop one of the editors or me an email briefly discussing your idea. We will begin a dialogue to explore the topic more thoroughly and do our best to provide feedback to help you submit the best possible manuscript. If you have selected a topic and are ready to prepare a manuscript for submission, be sure to consult the Guide to Submissions (JCE 2000, 77, 29-30 or http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/Journal/Authors/Guidelines.html). If you are considering writing about a laboratory experiment, consult Supplemental Guidelines, JCE Lab-Experiment Manuscripts ( this issue, p 562). We look forward to hearing from you soon.

    13. The Development of a Design and Construction Process Protocol to Support the Home Modification Process Delivered by Occupational Therapists.

      PubMed

      Russell, Rachel; Ormerod, Marcus; Newton, Rita

      2018-01-01

      Modifying the home environments of older people as they age in place is a well-established health and social care intervention. Using design and construction methods to redress any imbalance caused by the ageing process or disability within the home environment, occupational therapists are seen as the experts in this field of practice. However, the process used by occupational therapists when modifying home environments has been criticised for being disorganised and not founded on theoretical principles and concepts underpinning the profession. To address this issue, research was conducted to develop a design and construction process protocol specifically for home modifications. A three-stage approach was taken for the analysis of qualitative data generated from an online survey, completed by 135 occupational therapists in the UK. Using both the existing occupational therapy intervention process model and the design and construction process protocol as the theoretical frameworks, a 4-phase, 9-subphase design and construction process protocol for home modifications was developed. Overall, the study is innovative in developing the first process protocol for home modifications, potentially providing occupational therapists with a systematic and effective approach to the design and delivery of home modification services for older and disabled people.

    14. Nursing Homes

      MedlinePlus

      ... our e-newsletter! Aging & Health A to Z Nursing Homes Basic Facts & Information Nursing homes have changed ... guide care in nursing homes. Who lives in nursing homes? Almost half of all people who live ...

    15. Enabling at-homeness for residents living in a nursing home: Reflected experience of nursing home staff.

      PubMed

      Saarnio, Lotta; Boström, Anne-Marie; Hedman, Ragnhild; Gustavsson, Petter; Öhlén, Joakim

      2017-12-01

      Older people are often living the last period of their lives in institutions such as nursing homes. Knowledge of this period, specifically related to at-homeness which can be described as wellbeing in spite of illness and has been regarded as one of the goals in palliative care, has been very little researched in the context of nursing homes and the experience of nursing home staff. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of nursing home staff of how to enable at-homeness for residents. Qualitative interpretive description methodology guided the design. The data generation was conducted in winter 2014-2015, when seven repetitive reflective group discussions with staff in a nursing home were held. The results show five patterns for how healthcare staff enabled at-homeness for the residents: Striving to know the resident, Showing respect for the resident's integrity, Creating and working in family-like relationships, Helping to find a new ordinariness and Preparing and making plans to ensure continuity. Nursing home staff seem to have collegial knowledge of how to enable at-homeness for the residents in a nursing home. Close relationships with respect for the resident's integrity stand out as enabling at-homeness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    16. Plant biology: From on-campus to on-line development and implementation

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Bradley, Lucy K.

      The lecture content of the Plant Biology class for non-majors was transformed from a traditional on-campus lecture to an asynchronous website that could be used both as a stand-alone course and as an adjunct to the on campus course sections. In addition, an interactive, on-line website with home laboratory experiments was developed and implemented by the Plant Biology Department in collaboration with design specialists from the Information Technology and Instructional Support Department of the Arizona State University. The 259-page lecture website included 134 interactive animations, as well as 11 videos. The lab website included 176 pages, with 187 graphics and 36 separate animations. Convenience was identified by most students as the key benefit of taking the course on-line. Website construction was rated highly by all of the students; however, website audio was problematic for 50% of them; video, for 71%. Students, staff, and faculty all agreed that to benefit fully from the website, adequate hardware, software, and internet connection speed were vital. Challenges with the web-based lab were either technological (inadequate equipment or skills), logistical (dissatisfaction with having to pick up home lab kits from campus), or motivational (student survey responses added to the growing literature that suggests that mature, focused, self-motivated students benefit more from distance learning).

    17. Factors predicting a home death among home palliative care recipients

      PubMed Central

      Ko, Ming-Chung; Huang, Sheng-Jean; Chen, Chu-Chieh; Chang, Yu-Ping; Lien, Hsin-Yi; Lin, Jia-Yi; Woung, Lin-Chung; Chan, Shang-Yih

      2017-01-01

      Abstract Awareness of factors affecting the place of death could improve communication between healthcare providers and patients and their families regarding patient preferences and the feasibility of dying in the preferred place. This study aimed to evaluate factors predicting home death among home palliative care recipients. This is a population-based study using a national representative sample retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Subjects receiving home palliative care, from 2010 to 2012, were analyzed to evaluate the association between a home death and various characteristics related to illness, individual, and health care utilization. A multiple-logistic regression model was used to assess the independent effect of various characteristics on the likelihood of a home death. The overall rate of a home death for home palliative care recipients was 43.6%. Age; gender; urbanization of the area where the patients lived; illness; the total number of home visits by all health care professionals; the number of home visits by nurses; utilization of nasogastric tube, endotracheal tube, or indwelling urinary catheter; the number of emergency department visits; and admission to intensive care unit in previous 1 year were not significantly associated with the risk of a home death. Physician home visits increased the likelihood of a home death. Compared with subjects without physician home visits (31.4%) those with 1 physician home visit (53.0%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.93–5.42) and those with ≥2 physician home visits (43.9%, AOR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.06–4.70) had higher likelihood of a home death. Compared with subjects with hospitalization 0 to 6 times in previous 1 year, those with hospitalization ≥7 times in previous 1 year (AOR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.34–0.95) had lower likelihood of a home death. Among home palliative care recipients, physician home visits increased the likelihood of a home death

    18. Interactive Spreadsheets in JCE Webware

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Coleman, William F.; Fedosky, Edward W.

      2005-01-01

      A description of the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet simulation, Anharmonicity.xls that can be used to smoothly and continuously switch a plotted function and its quadratic approximation is presented. It can be used in a classroom demonstration or incorporated into a student-centered computer-laboratory exercise to examine the qualitative behavior of…

    19. Community Discharge of Nursing Home Residents: The Role of Facility Characteristics.

      PubMed

      Holup, Amanda A; Gassoumis, Zachary D; Wilber, Kathleen H; Hyer, Kathryn

      2016-04-01

      Using a socio-ecological model, this study examines the influence of facility characteristics on the transition of nursing home residents to the community after a short stay (within 90 days of admission) or long stay (365 days of admission) across states with different long-term services and supports systems. Data were drawn from the Minimum Data Set, the federal Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting (OSCAR) database, the Area Health Resource File, and the LTCFocUs.org database for all free-standing, certified nursing homes in California (n = 1,127) and Florida (n = 657) from July 2007 to June 2008. Hierarchical generalized linear models were used to examine the impact of facility characteristics on the probability of transitioning to the community. Facility characteristics, including size, occupancy, ownership, average length of stay, proportion of Medicare and Medicaid residents, and the proportion of residents admitted from acute care facilities are associated with discharge but differed by state and whether the discharge occurred after a short or long stay. Short- and long-stay nursing home discharge to the community is affected by resident, facility, and sometimes market characteristics, with Medicaid consistently influencing discharge in both states. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    20. An online survey of horse-owners in Great Britain

      PubMed Central

      2013-01-01

      Background Contingency planning for potential equine infectious disease outbreaks relies on accurate information on horse location and movements to estimate the risk of dissemination of disease(s). An online questionnaire was used to obtain unique information linking owner and horse location to characteristics of horse movements within and outwith Great Britain (GB). Results This online survey yielded a strong response, providing more than four times the target number of respondents (1000 target respondents) living in all parts of GB. Key demographic findings of this study indicated that horses which were kept on livery yards and riding schools were likely to be found in urban environments, some distance away from the owner’s home and vaccinated against influenza and herpes virus. Survey respondents were likely to travel greater than 10 miles to attend activities such as eventing or endurance but were also likely to travel and return home within a single day (58.6%, 2063/3522). This may affect the geographical extent and speed of disease spread, if large numbers of people from disparate parts of the country are attending the same event and the disease agent is highly infectious or virulent. The greatest risk for disease introduction and spread may be represented by a small proportion of people who import or travel internationally with their horses. These respondents were likely to have foreign horse passports, which were not necessarily recorded in the National Equine Database (NED), making the location of these horses untraceable. Conclusions These results illustrate the difficulties which exist with national GB horse traceability despite the existence of the NED and the horse passport system. This study also demonstrates that an online approach could be adopted to obtain important demographic data on GB horse owners on a more routine and frequent basis to inform decisions or policy pertaining to equine disease control. This represents a reasonable alternative

    21. Racial and ethnic disparities in social engagement among US nursing home residents.

      PubMed

      Li, Yue; Cai, Xueya

      2014-04-01

      The numbers and proportions of racial and ethnic minorities have increased dramatically in US nursing homes in recent years. Concerns exist about whether nursing homes can serve appropriately the clinical and psychosocial needs of patients with increasingly diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This study determined racial and ethnic disparities in social engagement among nursing home long-term residents. We analyzed the 2008 national Minimum Data Set supplemented with the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting File and the Area Resource File. We estimated multivariable logistic regressions to determine disparities and how disparities were explained by individual, facility, and geographic factors. Stratified analyses further determined persistent disparities within patient and facility subgroups. Compared with white residents (n = 690,228), black (n = 123,116), Hispanic (n = 37,099), and other (n = 17,568) residents showed lower social engagement, with overall scores (mean ± SD) being 2.5 ± 1.7, 2.2 ± 1.6, 2.0 ± 1.6, and 2.1 ± 1.6, respectively. Disparities were partially explained by variations in individual, facility, and geographic covariates, but persisted after multivariable adjustments. Stratified analyses confirmed that disparities were similar in magnitude across patient and facility subgroups. Although nursing home residents showed overall low social engagement levels, racial/ethnic minority residents were even less socially engaged than white residents. Efforts to address disparities in psychosocial well-being and quality of life of nursing home residents are warranted.

    22. [Vision on and use of physical restraints and 'smart technology' in nursing homes in Flanders].

      PubMed

      Carlassara, V; Lampo, E; Degryse, B; Van Audenhove, C; Spruytte, N

      2017-04-01

      The STAFF-project investigates in what way 'smart technology' can offer an alternative for physical restraints in nursing homes. A survey is realized aimed at gaining more insight into the vision on and the use of physical restraints and 'smart technology'. Two partly overlapping structured questionnaires were developed and sent to nursing home staff in Flanders (Belgium). One hundred fifty six administrators (managers or assistant-managers) and 238 caregiving staff (nurses, nursing aids, paramedical staff and other) completed the online questionnaire. In general there is a low acceptability of physical restraint use, however, a more nuanced picture of acceptability is present depending on the specific motivation for using physical restraints and on the specific means of physical restraints. About half of the administrators say they use smart technology in the nursing home. The two main reasons for not applying (yet) smart technology are 'too high price for smart technology' and 'inadequate infrastructure of the nursing home'. All respondents underscore the importance of multiple strategies to diminish the use of physical restraints in nursing homes. Physical restraint use is a complex theme and needs a nuanced analysis and management. This study shows that there is still room for improvement in diminishing the use of physical restraints and that nursing homes in Flanders are open to use smart technology.

    23. Changes in clinical and hotel expenditures following publication of the nursing home compare report card.

      PubMed

      Mukamel, Dana B; Spector, William D; Zinn, Jacqueline; Weimer, David L; Ahn, Richard

      2010-10-01

      Nursing Home Compare first published clinical quality measures at the end of 2002. It is a quality report card that for the first time offers consumers easily accessible information about the clinical quality of nursing homes. It led to changes in consumers' demand, increasing the relative importance of clinical versus hotel aspects of quality in their search and choice of a nursing home. To examine the hypothesis that nursing homes responding to these changes in demand shifted the balance of resources from hotel to clinical activities. The study included 10,022 free-standing nursing homes nationwide during 2001 to 2006. RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA: A retrospective multivariate statistical analysis of trends in the ratio of clinical to hotel expenditures, using Medicare cost reports, Minimum Data Set and Online Survey, Certification and Reporting data, controlling for changes in residents' acuity and facility fixed effects. Inference is based on robust standard errors. The ratio of clinical to hotel expenditures averaged 1.78. It increased significantly (P < 0.001) by 5% following the publication of the report card. The increase was larger and more significant among nursing homes with worse reported quality, lower occupancy, those located in more competitive markets, for-profit ownership and owned by a chain. The increase in the ratio of clinical to hotel expenditures following publication of the report card suggests that nursing homes responded as expected to the changes in the elasticity of demand with respect to clinical quality brought about by the public reporting of clinical quality measures. The response was stronger among nursing homes facing stronger incentives.

    1. Understanding the Home Math Environment and Its Role in Predicting Parent Report of Children's Math Skills.

      PubMed

      Hart, Sara A; Ganley, Colleen M; Purpura, David J

      2016-01-01

      There is a growing literature concerning the role of the home math environment in children's math development. In this study, we examined the relation between these constructs by specifically addressing three goals. The first goal was to identify the measurement structure of the home math environment through a series of confirmatory factor analyses. The second goal was to examine the role of the home math environment in predicting parent report of children's math skills. The third goal was to test a series of potential alternative explanations for the relation between the home math environment and parent report of children's skills, specifically the direct and indirect role of household income, parent math anxiety, and parent math ability as measured by their approximate number system performance. A final sample of 339 parents of children aged 3 through 8 drawn from Mechanical Turk answered a questionnaire online. The best fitting model of the home math environment was a bifactor model with a general factor representing the general home math environment, and three specific factors representing the direct numeracy environment, the indirect numeracy environment, and the spatial environment. When examining the association of the home math environment factors to parent report of child skills, the general home math environment factor and the spatial environment were the only significant predictors. Parents who reported doing more general math activities in the home reported having children with higher math skills, whereas parents who reported doing more spatial activities reported having children with lower math skills.

    2. The HOME network: an Australian national initiative for home therapies.

      PubMed

      Chow, Josephine; Fortnum, Debbie; Moodie, Jo-Anne; Simmonds, Rosemary; Tomlins, Melinda

      2013-01-01

      Longer, more frequent dialysis at home can improve life expectancy for patients with chronic kidney disease. Increased use of home dialysis therapies also benefits the hospital system, allowing for more efficient allocation of clinic resources. However, the Australian and New Zealand Data Registry statistics highlight the low uptake of home haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis across Australia. In August 2009, the Australia's HOME Network was established as a national initiative to engage and empower healthcare professionals working in the home dialysis specialty. The aim was to develop solutions to advocate for and ultimately increase the use of home therapies. This paper describes the development, achievement and future plan of the Australian HOME Network. Achievements to date include: a survey of HOME Network members to assess the current state of patient and healthcare professional-targeted education resources; development of two patient case studies and activities addressing how to overcome the financial burden experienced by patients on home dialysis. Future projects aim to improve patient and healthcare professional education, and advocacy for home dialysis therapies. The HOME Network is supporting healthcare professionals working in the home dialysis specialty to develop solutions and tools that will help to facilitate greater utilisation of home dialysis therapies. © 2013 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

    3. Location, Location, Location: Characteristics and Services of Long-Stay Home Care Recipients in Retirement Homes Compared to Others in Private Homes and Long-Term Care Homes

      PubMed Central

      Sinn, Chi-Ling Joanna; Grinchenko, Galina; Blums, Jane; Peirce, Tom; Hirdes, John

      2017-01-01

      We examine recipients of publicly funded ongoing care in a single Ontario jurisdiction who reside in three different settings: long-stay home care patients in private homes and apartments, other patients in retirement homes and residents of long-term care homes, using interRAI assessment instruments. Among home care patients, those in retirement homes have higher proportions of dementia and moderate cognitive impairment, less supportive informal care systems as well as more personal care and nursing services above those provided by the public home care system, more frequent but shorter home support visits and lower than expected public home care expenditures. These lower expenditures may be because of efficiency of care delivery or by retirement homes providing some services otherwise provided by the public home care system. Although persons in each setting are mostly older adults with high degrees of frailty and medical complexity, long-term care home residents show distinctly higher needs. We estimate that 40% of retirement home residents are long-stay home care patients, and they comprise about one in six of this Community Care Access Centre's long-stay patients. PMID:28277206

    4. Location, Location, Location: Characteristics and Services of Long-Stay Home Care Recipients in Retirement Homes Compared to Others in Private Homes and Long-Term Care Homes.

      PubMed

      Poss, Jeffrey W; Sinn, Chi-Ling Joanna; Grinchenko, Galina; Blums, Jane; Peirce, Tom; Hirdes, John

      2017-02-01

      We examine recipients of publicly funded ongoing care in a single Ontario jurisdiction who reside in three different settings: long-stay home care patients in private homes and apartments, other patients in retirement homes and residents of long-term care homes, using interRAI assessment instruments. Among home care patients, those in retirement homes have higher proportions of dementia and moderate cognitive impairment, less supportive informal care systems as well as more personal care and nursing services above those provided by the public home care system, more frequent but shorter home support visits and lower than expected public home care expenditures. These lower expenditures may be because of efficiency of care delivery or by retirement homes providing some services otherwise provided by the public home care system. Although persons in each setting are mostly older adults with high degrees of frailty and medical complexity, long-term care home residents show distinctly higher needs. We estimate that 40% of retirement home residents are long-stay home care patients, and they comprise about one in six of this Community Care Access Centre's long-stay patients. Copyright © 2017 Longwoods Publishing.

    5. Geographic Disparities in Access to Nursing Home Services: Assessing Fiscal Stress and Quality of Care.

      PubMed

      Park, Young Joo; Martin, Erika G

      2017-11-12

      We test whether nursing homes serving predominately low-income and racial minority residents (compositional explanation) or located in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of low-income and racial minority residents (contextual explanation) have worse financial outcomes and care quality. Healthcare Cost Report Information System, Nursing Home Compare, Online Survey Certification and Reporting Certification, and American Community Survey. A cross-sectional study design of nursing homes within U.S. metropolitan areas. Data were obtained from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and U.S. Census Bureau. Medicaid-dependent nursing homes have a 3.5 percentage point lower operating ratio. Those serving primarily racial minorities have a 2.64-point lower quality rating. A 1 percent increase in the neighborhood population living in poverty is associated with a 1.20-point lower quality rating, on a scale from 10 to 50, and a 1 percent increase in the portion of neighborhood black residents is associated with a 0.8 percentage point lower operating ratio and a 0.37 lower quality rating. Medicaid dependency (compositional effect) and concentration of racial minority residents in neighborhoods (contextual effect) are associated with higher fiscal stress and lower quality of care, indicating that nursing homes' geographic location may exacerbate long-term care inequalities. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    6. Online self-management interventions for chronically ill patients: cognitive impairment and technology issues.

      PubMed

      Archer, Norm; Keshavjee, Karim; Demers, Catherine; Lee, Ryan

      2014-04-01

      As the fraction of the population with chronic diseases continues to grow, methods and/or technologies must be found to help the chronically ill to take more responsibility to self-manage their illnesses. Internet based and/or mobile support for disease self-management interventions have often proved effective, but patients with chronic illnesses may have co-occurring cognitive impairment, making it more difficult for them to cope with technologies. Many older patients are also not familiar with technologies or they may have cognitive disabilities or dementia that reduce their ability to self-manage their healthcare. On-line solutions to the needs of chronically ill patients must be investigated and acted upon with care in an integrated manner, since resources invested in these solutions will be lost if patients do not adopt and continue to use them successfully. To review the capabilities of online and mobile support for self-management of chronic illnesses, and the impacts that age and disease-related issues have on these interventions, including cognitive impairment and lack of access or familiarity with Internet or mobile technologies. This study includes a review of the co-occurrence of cognitive impairment with chronic diseases, and discusses how cognitive impairment, dyadic caregiver patient support, patient efficacy with technology, and smart home technologies can impact the effectiveness and sustainability of online support for disease self-management. Disease self-management interventions (SMIs) using online patient centered support can often enable patients to manage their own chronic illnesses. However, our findings show that cognitive impairment often co-occurs in patients with chronic disease. This, along with age-related increases in multiple chronic illnesses and lack of technology efficacy, can be obstacles to Internet and mobile support for chronic disease self-management. Patients with chronic diseases may have greater than expected difficulties

    7. Enthusiastic Teachers, Vivid Experiments

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Moore, John W.

      2000-04-01

      attention and effort. I hope that JCE contributes in important ways to such professional development. My overriding goal for this Journal is to provide accurate, interesting, relevant information that can enhance chemistry teaching and learning. Your editorial staff organize the information so that access is as quick and easy as possible, and we try to make connections both by juxtaposition of articles in print and by linking information electronically. The latest example of this is being introduced this month. It is a new feature directed especially to busy high school chemistry teachers: the JCE High School Chemed Learning Information Center (JCE HS CLIC). In this special section of JCE Online we have collected and organized JCE's many articles that are of interest to high school teachers, aiming to provide the quickest, easiest access to the information. You can read more about it on page 536. We look forward to feedback from those who have tried CLIC and have suggestions for adding to it or otherwise improving it. When asked how children today could be weaned from the many distractions of modern life and turned on to chemistry, Oliver Sacks recommended, "Enthusiastic teachers, vivid experiments". I recommend that you read Sacks's article in the New Yorker to rejuvenate your enthusiasm and read JCE to find new, vivid experiments. The combination may be just what is needed to capture students' attention for the rest of this school year and to enhance learning for many years to come.

    8. Online cancer education and immigrants: effecting culturally appropriate websites.

      PubMed

      Changrani, Jyotsna; Gany, Francesca

      2005-01-01

      The online population is becoming increasingly diverse. Cancer information websites are a popular destination. However, culturally-appropriate cancer information websites are lacking. An Internet behavior and preference study was conducted in Caribbean immigrant women. 60 English-speaking Caribbean immigrant women in New York City participated in website review sessions. Three-quarters of the participants used computers regularly. Over 80% accessed the Internet from home. Over 50% felt confident using the Internet. However, only 6% used the Internet to search for health information. A "cultural digital divide" exists. The Internet should be tailored to immigrants to facilitate web-based cancer education.

    9. Workplace response to virtual caregiver support and remote home monitoring of elders: The WIN project.

      PubMed

      Mahoney, Diane F; Tarlow, Barbara

      2006-01-01

      Research has demonstrated the health and financial cost to working caregivers of older adults and the cost to business in lost productivity. This paper describes the implementation of the Worker Interactive Networking (WIN) project, a Web-based program designed to support employed caregivers at work. WIN innovatively linked working caregivers via the Internet to home to monitor elders' status using wireless sensor technology and included an online information and support group for a six-month period. Twenty-seven employees from thirteen business sites participated. Despite problems with wireless carrier service, feasibility outcomes were achieved. We were able to collect six months of continuous real time data wirelessly from multiple types of homes across 4 states. This model demonstrates that businesses can offer a similar program and not be overwhelmed by employee demand or abuse of technology access. Reluctance to consider home monitoring was apparent and was influenced by familial relationships and values of privacy and independence.

    10. Instrumental variable applications using nursing home prescribing preferences in comparative effectiveness research.

      PubMed

      Huybrechts, Krista F; Gerhard, Tobias; Franklin, Jessica M; Levin, Raisa; Crystal, Stephen; Schneeweiss, Sebastian

      2014-08-01

      Nursing home residents are of particular interest for comparative effectiveness research given their susceptibility to adverse treatment effects and systematic exclusion from trials. However, the risk of residual confounding because of unmeasured markers of declining health using conventional analytic methods is high. We evaluated the validity of instrumental variable (IV) methods based on nursing home prescribing preference to mitigate such confounding, using psychotropic medications to manage behavioral problems in dementia as a case study. A cohort using linked data from Medicaid, Medicare, Minimum Data Set, and Online Survey, Certification and Reporting for 2001-2004 was established. Dual-eligible patients ≥65 years who initiated psychotropic medication use after admission were selected. Nursing home prescribing preference was characterized using mixed-effects logistic regression models. The plausibility of IV assumptions was explored, and the association between psychotropic medication class and 180-day mortality was estimated. High-prescribing and low-prescribing nursing homes differed by a factor of 2. Each preference-based IV measure described a substantial proportion of variation in psychotropic medication choice (β(IV → treatment): 0.22-0.36). Measured patient characteristics were well balanced across patient groups based on instrument status (52% average reduction in Mahalanobis distance). There was no evidence that instrument status was associated with markers of nursing home quality of care. Findings indicate that IV analyses using nursing home prescribing preference may be a useful approach in comparative effectiveness studies, and should extend naturally to analyses including untreated comparison groups, which are of great scientific interest but subject to even stronger confounding. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

    11. Analyzing Online Behaviors, Roles, and Learning Communities via Online Discussions

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Yeh, Yu-Chu

      2010-01-01

      Online learning communities are an important means of sharing and creating knowledge. Online behaviors and online roles can reveal how online learning communities function. However, no study has elucidated the relationships among online behaviors, online roles, and online learning communities. In this study, 32 preservice teachers participated in…

    12. Family and home characteristics correlate with mold in homes.

      PubMed

      Reponen, Tiina; Levin, Linda; Zheng, Shu; Vesper, Stephen; Ryan, Patrick; Grinshpun, Sergey A; LeMasters, Grace

      2013-07-01

      Previously, we demonstrated that infants residing in homes with higher Environmental Relative Moldiness Index were at greater risk for developing asthma by age seven. The purpose of this analysis was to identify the family and home characteristics associated with higher moldiness index values in infants' homes at age one. Univariate linear regression of each characteristic determined that family factors associated with moldiness index were race and income. Home characteristics associated with the moldiness index values were: air conditioning, carpet, age of the home, season of home assessment, and house dust mite allergen. Parental history of asthma, use of dehumidifier, visible mold, dog and cat allergen levels were not associated with moldiness index. Results of multiple linear regression showed that older homes had 2.9 units higher moldiness index (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.4, 5.4), whereas homes with central air conditioning had 2.5 units lower moldiness index (95% CI=-4.7, -0.4). In addition, higher dust mite allergen levels and carpeting were positively and negatively associated with higher moldiness index, respectively. Because older homes and lack of air conditioning were also correlated with race and lower income, whereas carpeting was associated with newer homes, the multivariate analyses suggests that lower overall socioeconomic position is associated with higher moldiness index values. This may lead to increased asthma risk in homes inhabited by susceptible, vulnerable population subgroups. Further, age of the home was a surrogate of income, race and carpeting in our population; thus the use of these factors should carefully be evaluated in future studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    13. Home health care

      MedlinePlus

      ... Skilled nursing - home health; Skilled nursing - home care; Physical therapy - at home; Occupational therapy - at home; Discharge - ... and any medicines that you may be taking. Physical and occupational therapists can make sure your home ...

    14. Online help: cancer patients participate in a computer-mediated support group.

      PubMed

      Weinberg, N; Schmale, J; Uken, J; Wessel, K

      1996-02-01

      This study investigated a computer mediated support group of six breast cancer patients. For a three-month period, patients used home computers to connect to a computer bulletin board on which they read messages from and posted messages to each other. The patients had no difficulty learning to use the computer and used it an average of one hour a week. The patients discussed their medical conditions, shared personal concerns, and offered support. This online approach provided many features of traditional face-to-face support groups.

    15. Internet-using men who have sex with men would be interested in accessing authorised HIV self-tests available for purchase online.

      PubMed

      Greacen, Tim; Friboulet, David; Blachier, Audrey; Fugon, Lionel; Hefez, Serge; Lorente, Nicolas; Spire, Bruno

      2013-01-01

      Men who have sex with men (MSM) recruited in sex venues have been shown to be interested in accessing HIV home-tests if reliable and authorised tests were available. To what extent is this true for MSM recruited online? In an online survey in French on the use of unauthorised HIV home-tests purchased online, MSM previously unaware of the existence of these tests were asked if they would be interested in accessing them if these tests were authorised. Among 5908 non-HIV positive respondents, 86.5% expressed interest. Independent variables associated with interest included: being younger, living in smaller towns, having a job but not tertiary education and living in a conventional family with one's parents or a wife and family. Interested men were also more likely to have never done the standard HIV test or not in the last year, to have casual sex partners but on average not more than once a week, to take sexual risks with these partners, to live their sex-lives with men in absolute secrecy and yet often to try to make a date to see their sex partners again. Of the 5109 respondents interested in accessing self-tests purchasable online, 4362 (85.4%) answered an open question on their reasons for being interested. Using thematic analysis, principle themes identified proved to be similar to those found in earlier studies with MSM recruited in sex venues: convenience, rapidity accessing results and privacy. In answer to a closed question, men not interested chose as reasons: satisfaction with current method, doubts about reliability, not wanting to be alone when discovering results and fear of incorrect use. In conclusion, although the online questionnaire may have introduced selection bias over-representing men already interested, many Internet-using MSM are interested in accessing self-tests available for purchase online.

    16. The Development of a Design and Construction Process Protocol to Support the Home Modification Process Delivered by Occupational Therapists

      PubMed Central

      Ormerod, Marcus; Newton, Rita

      2018-01-01

      Modifying the home environments of older people as they age in place is a well-established health and social care intervention. Using design and construction methods to redress any imbalance caused by the ageing process or disability within the home environment, occupational therapists are seen as the experts in this field of practice. However, the process used by occupational therapists when modifying home environments has been criticised for being disorganised and not founded on theoretical principles and concepts underpinning the profession. To address this issue, research was conducted to develop a design and construction process protocol specifically for home modifications. A three-stage approach was taken for the analysis of qualitative data generated from an online survey, completed by 135 occupational therapists in the UK. Using both the existing occupational therapy intervention process model and the design and construction process protocol as the theoretical frameworks, a 4-phase, 9-subphase design and construction process protocol for home modifications was developed. Overall, the study is innovative in developing the first process protocol for home modifications, potentially providing occupational therapists with a systematic and effective approach to the design and delivery of home modification services for older and disabled people. PMID:29682348

    17. New Evidence on the Green House Model of Nursing Home Care: Synthesis of Findings and Implications for Policy, Practice, and Research.

      PubMed

      Zimmerman, Sheryl; Bowers, Barbara J; Cohen, Lauren W; Grabowski, David C; Horn, Susan D; Kemper, Peter

      2016-02-01

      To synthesize new findings from the THRIVE Research Collaborative (The Research Initiative Valuing Eldercare) related to the Green House (GH) model of nursing home care and broadly consider their implications. Interviews and observations conducted in GH and comparison homes, Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments, Medicare data, and Online Survey, Certification and Reporting data. Critical integration and interpretation of findings based on primary data collected 2011-2014 in 28 GH homes (from 16 organizations), and 15 comparison nursing home units (from 8 organizations); and secondary data derived from 2005 to 2010 for 72 GH homes (from 15 organizations) and 223 comparison homes. Implementation of the GH model is inconsistent, sometimes differing from design. Among residents of GH homes, adoption lowers hospital readmissions, three MDS measures of poor quality, and Part A/hospice Medicare expenditures. Some evidence suggests the model is associated with lower direct care staff turnover. Recommendations relate to assessing fidelity, monitoring quality, capitalizing opportunities to improve care, incorporating evidence-based practices, including primary care providers, supporting high-performance workforce practices, aligning Medicare financial incentives, promoting equity, informing broad culture change, and conducting future research. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    18. Understanding the Home Math Environment and Its Role in Predicting Parent Report of Children’s Math Skills

      PubMed Central

      Ganley, Colleen M.; Purpura, David J.

      2016-01-01

      There is a growing literature concerning the role of the home math environment in children’s math development. In this study, we examined the relation between these constructs by specifically addressing three goals. The first goal was to identify the measurement structure of the home math environment through a series of confirmatory factor analyses. The second goal was to examine the role of the home math environment in predicting parent report of children’s math skills. The third goal was to test a series of potential alternative explanations for the relation between the home math environment and parent report of children’s skills, specifically the direct and indirect role of household income, parent math anxiety, and parent math ability as measured by their approximate number system performance. A final sample of 339 parents of children aged 3 through 8 drawn from Mechanical Turk answered a questionnaire online. The best fitting model of the home math environment was a bifactor model with a general factor representing the general home math environment, and three specific factors representing the direct numeracy environment, the indirect numeracy environment, and the spatial environment. When examining the association of the home math environment factors to parent report of child skills, the general home math environment factor and the spatial environment were the only significant predictors. Parents who reported doing more general math activities in the home reported having children with higher math skills, whereas parents who reported doing more spatial activities reported having children with lower math skills. PMID:28005925

    19. Virtual Voices: Online Teachers' Perceptions of Online Teaching Standards

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Smith, Robin Davidson

      2009-01-01

      Online teachers' perceptions of online teaching standards published in 2006 by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the National Education Association (NEA). Interviews with two teachers from each of the four online schools were studied following an online survey of 49 online teachers from these schools. Overall, participants reported…

    20. 24 CFR 982.612 - Group home: State approval of group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

      2012-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Group home: State approval of group home. 982.612 Section 982.612 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND URBAN... Types Group Home § 982.612 Group home: State approval of group home. A group home must be licensed...

    1. 24 CFR 982.612 - Group home: State approval of group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

      2011-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Group home: State approval of group home. 982.612 Section 982.612 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND URBAN... Types Group Home § 982.612 Group home: State approval of group home. A group home must be licensed...

    2. 24 CFR 982.612 - Group home: State approval of group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

      2010-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Group home: State approval of group home. 982.612 Section 982.612 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... Types Group Home § 982.612 Group home: State approval of group home. A group home must be licensed...

    3. 24 CFR 982.612 - Group home: State approval of group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

      2014-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Group home: State approval of group home. 982.612 Section 982.612 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND URBAN... Types Group Home § 982.612 Group home: State approval of group home. A group home must be licensed...

    4. 24 CFR 982.612 - Group home: State approval of group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

      2013-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Group home: State approval of group home. 982.612 Section 982.612 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND URBAN... Types Group Home § 982.612 Group home: State approval of group home. A group home must be licensed...

    5. Suicidality, psychopathology, and the internet: Online time vs. online behaviors.

      PubMed

      Harris, Keith M; Starcevic, Vladan; Ma, Jing; Zhang, Wei; Aboujaoude, Elias

      2017-09-01

      This study investigated whether several psychopathology variables, including suicidality, could predict the time people spend using the internet (hours online). Next, we examined a specific at-risk population (suicidal individuals) by their online behaviors, comparing suicidal individuals who went online for suicide-related purposes with suicidal individuals who did not go online for suicide-related purposes. An anonymous online sample of 713 (aged 18-71) reported hours online, psychiatric histories, and completed several standardized scales. After accounting for age and education, hierarchical regression modeling showed that the assessed psychopathology variables, including suicidality, did not explain significant variance in hours online. Hours online were better predicted by younger age, greater willingness to develop online relationships, higher perceived social support, higher curiosity, and lower extraversion. Suicidal participants, who did or did not go online for suicide-related purposes, did not differ on hours online. Multiple regression modeling showed that those who went online for suicide-related purposes were likely to be younger, more suicidal, and more willing to seek help from online mental health professionals. These findings revealed that hours online are not a valid indicator of psychopathology. However, studying online behaviors of specific at-risk groups could be informative and useful, including for suicide prevention efforts. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

    6. Caregiver staffing in nursing homes and their influence on quality of care: using dynamic panel estimation methods.

      PubMed

      Castle, Nicholas G; Anderson, Ruth A

      2011-06-01

      There is inconclusive evidence that nursing home caregiver staffing characteristics influence quality of care. In this research, the relationship of caregiver staffing levels, turnover, agency use, and professional staff mix with quality is further examined using a longitudinal analysis to overcome weaknesses of earlier research. The data used came from a survey of nursing home administrators, Nursing Home Compare, the Online Survey Certification and Reporting data, and the Area Resource File. The staffing variables of Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Nurse Aides were measured quarterly from 2003 through 2007, and came from 2839 facilities. Generalized method of moments estimation was used to examine the effects of changes in staffing characteristics on changes in 4 quality measures (physical restraint use, catheter use, pain management, and pressure sores). Regression analyses show a robust association between the staffing characteristic variables and quality indicators. A change to more favorable staffing is generally associated with a change to better quality. With longitudinal information and quarterly staffing information, we are able to show that for many nursing homes improving staffing characteristics will improve quality of care.

    7. Psychosocial behaviour management programme for home-dwelling people with dementia: A cluster-randomized controlled trial.

      PubMed

      Nakanishi, Miharu; Endo, Kaori; Hirooka, Kayo; Granvik, Eva; Minthon, Lennart; Nägga, Katarina; Nishida, Atsushi

      2018-03-01

      Little is known about the effectiveness of a psychosocial behaviour management programme on home-dwelling people with dementia. We developed a Behaviour Analytics & Support Enhancement (BASE) programme for care managers and professional caregivers of home care services in Japan. We investigated the effects of BASE on challenging behaviour of home-dwelling people with dementia. A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted with home care providers from 3 different districts in Tokyo. Each provider recruited persons with dementia aged 65 years or older to receive home care in the BASE programme in August 2016. An online monitoring and assessment system was introduced to the intervention group for repeated measures of challenging behaviour with a total score of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Care professionals in both the intervention and control groups evaluated challenging behaviour of persons with dementia at baseline (September 2016) and follow-up (February 2017). A majority of persons with dementia had Alzheimer disease (59.3%). One-hundred and forty-one persons with dementia were included in the intervention group and 142 in the control group. Multilevel modelling revealed a significant reduction in challenging behaviour in the intervention group after 6 months (mean score, 18.3 to 11.2) compared with that of the control group (11.6 to 10.8; P < .05). The implementation of the BASE programme resulted in a reduction of challenging behaviour of home-dwelling people with dementia. Future research should examine the long-term effects of behaviour management programmes on behaviour, nursing home placement, and hospital admission of home-dwelling people with dementia. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

    8. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Palo Duro Homes — Palo Duro Homes, Albuquerque, NM

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      none,

      2014-09-01

      This builder was honored for Most DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes Built in the 2014 Housing Innovation Awards. By July 2014, Palo Duro had completed 152 homes since the program began in 2013 (under the original program title DOE Challenge Home), all of them certified to the stringent efficiency requirements of DOE’s Zero Energy Ready Home program.

    9. The Effect of Pay-for-Performance in Nursing Homes: Evidence from State Medicaid Programs

      PubMed Central

      Werner, Rachel M; Konetzka, R Tamara; Polsky, Daniel

      2013-01-01

      Objective Pay-for-performance (P4P) is commonly used to improve health care quality in the United States and is expected to be frequently implemented under the Affordable Care Act. However, evidence supporting its use is mixed with few large-scale, rigorous evaluations of P4P. This study tests the effect of P4P on quality of care in a large-scale setting—the implementation of P4P for nursing homes by state Medicaid agencies. Data Sources/Study Setting 2001–2009 nursing home Minimum Data Set and Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting (OSCAR) datasets. Study Design Between 2001 and 2009, eight state Medicaid agencies adopted P4P programs in nursing homes. We use a difference-in-differences approach to test for changes in nursing home quality under P4P, taking advantage of the variation in timing of implementation across these eight states and using nursing homes in the 42 non-P4P states plus Washington, DC as contemporaneous controls. Principal Findings Quality improvement under P4P was inconsistent. While three clinical quality measures (the percent of residents being physically restrained, in moderate to severe pain, and developed pressure sores) improved with the implementation of P4P in states with P4P compared with states without P4P, other targeted quality measures either did not change or worsened. Of the two structural measures of quality that were tied to payment (total number of deficiencies and nurse staffing) deficiency rates worsened slightly under P4P while staffing levels did not change. Conclusions Medicaid-based P4P in nursing homes did not result in consistent improvements in nursing home quality. Expectations for improvement in nursing home care under P4P should be tempered. PMID:23398330

    10. The effect of pay-for-performance in nursing homes: evidence from state Medicaid programs.

      PubMed

      Werner, Rachel M; Konetzka, R Tamara; Polsky, Daniel

      2013-08-01

      Pay-for-performance (P4P) is commonly used to improve health care quality in the United States and is expected to be frequently implemented under the Affordable Care Act. However, evidence supporting its use is mixed with few large-scale, rigorous evaluations of P4P. This study tests the effect of P4P on quality of care in a large-scale setting-the implementation of P4P for nursing homes by state Medicaid agencies. 2001-2009 nursing home Minimum Data Set and Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting (OSCAR) datasets. Between 2001 and 2009, eight state Medicaid agencies adopted P4P programs in nursing homes. We use a difference-in-differences approach to test for changes in nursing home quality under P4P, taking advantage of the variation in timing of implementation across these eight states and using nursing homes in the 42 non-P4P states plus Washington, DC as contemporaneous controls. Quality improvement under P4P was inconsistent. While three clinical quality measures (the percent of residents being physically restrained, in moderate to severe pain, and developed pressure sores) improved with the implementation of P4P in states with P4P compared with states without P4P, other targeted quality measures either did not change or worsened. Of the two structural measures of quality that were tied to payment (total number of deficiencies and nurse staffing) deficiency rates worsened slightly under P4P while staffing levels did not change. Medicaid-based P4P in nursing homes did not result in consistent improvements in nursing home quality. Expectations for improvement in nursing home care under P4P should be tempered. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

    11. From Online Student to Online Instructor: Assistive Strategies

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      McKnight, Jodi

      2012-01-01

      With the influx of online learning opportunities, online students and instructors are faced with a variety of challenges. Online students face the same challenges as do face-to-face learners, but by facing them in an online context, the interpretations of those challenges can lead to the success or failure of their overall educational experience.…

    12. Impact of serious mental illness online training for certified nursing assistants in long term care.

      PubMed

      Molinari, Victor; Hobday, John V; Roker, Rosalyn; Kunik, Mark E; Kane, Rosalie; Kaas, Merrie J; Mehrotra, Chandra; Williams, Christine L; Robbins, Joyce C; Dobbs, Debra

      2017-01-01

      Certified nurse assistants (CNAs) spend the most staff time with nursing home residents, yet they receive little training in addressing the mental health needs of residents with serious mental illness (SMI). Forty CNAs from four long-term-care facilities took the online interactive CARES- ® Serious Mental Illness ™ training consisting of two modules guided by the Recovery Movement philosophy of care. Responses from pre-post testing, Likert-type items, and open-ended questions indicated that CNAs gained information, changed their perspectives, and had more confidence in dealing with SMI. Although there were minor concerns regarding length, clarity of content, and technical issues, CNAs found the online format acceptable and easy to use, and many said they would recommend the training. CARES Serious Mental Illness online training appears to be a viable way of helping CNAs address the mental health needs of long term care residents. Additional testing on CARES Serious Mental Illness is planned.

    13. Outcome evaluation of Family Eats: An eight-session web-based program promoting healthy home food environments and dietary behaviors for African American families

      USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

      This article presents the results of a randomized clinical trial evaluating the eight-session Family Eats web-based intervention promoting healthy home food environments for African American families. African American families (n=126) with 8- to 12-year-old children completed online baseline questio...

    14. Low Energy Technology. A Unit of Instruction in Housing and Home Environment. Single Family Homes--Multi-Family Homes--Mobile Homes.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Beaulieu, Barbara; And Others

      This unit of instruction on selection and living styles for energy conservation in single-family and multi-family housing and mobile homes was designed for use by home economics teachers in Florida high schools and by home economics extension agents as they work with their clientele. It is one of a series of 11 instructional units (see note)…

    15. Home programs for upper extremity recovery post-stroke: a survey of occupational therapy practitioners.

      PubMed

      Donoso Brown, Elena V; Fichter, Renae

      2017-12-01

      Upper extremity hemiparesis is an impairment post-stroke that impacts quality of life. Home programs are an intervention strategy used by many occupational therapists to support continued motor recovery post-stroke, yet little is known about how these programs are designed and implemented. The purpose of this study was to describe how occupational therapy practitioners approach this task and specifically what strategies they use to support adherence and what types of technology are most commonly used. An on-line survey methodology was used. Participants were recruited through multiple sources including state associations and occupational therapy educational program directors. A total of 73 occupational therapy practitioners submitted complete surveys. It was found that majority of occupational therapy practitioners in the sample (n = 53) reported creating home programs focused on upper extremity motor recovery more than 80% of the time. Range of motion and strengthening were reported as being in the top three most commonly used interventions by more than half the sample, however incorporating clients' goals and interests were reported most often as strategies to create meaning in the home program. Respondents also reported limited incorporation of technology and strategies to support adherence. Personal motivation was reported by occupational therapy practitioners to be a key moderator of adherence to a home program. Occupational therapy practitioners often provide home programs for individuals post-stroke focusing on upper extremity function. Future research that aims to understand stakeholders' perspectives on home programs and determine effective strategies for ensuring adherence is needed.

    16. Online disease management of diabetes: engaging and motivating patients online with enhanced resources-diabetes (EMPOWER-D), a randomized controlled trial.

      PubMed

      Tang, Paul C; Overhage, J Marc; Chan, Albert Solomon; Brown, Nancy L; Aghighi, Bahar; Entwistle, Martin P; Hui, Siu Lui; Hyde, Shauna M; Klieman, Linda H; Mitchell, Charlotte J; Perkins, Anthony J; Qureshi, Lubna S; Waltimyer, Tanya A; Winters, Leigha J; Young, Charles Y

      2013-05-01

      To evaluate an online disease management system supporting patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Engaging and Motivating Patients Online With Enhanced Resources for Diabetes was a 12-month parallel randomized controlled trial of 415 patients with type 2 diabetes with baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) values ≥7.5% from primary care sites sharing an electronic health record. The intervention included: (1) wirelessly uploaded home glucometer readings with graphical feedback; (2) comprehensive patient-specific diabetes summary status report; (3) nutrition and exercise logs; (4) insulin record; (5) online messaging with the patient's health team; (6) nurse care manager and dietitian providing advice and medication management; and (7) personalized text and video educational 'nuggets' dispensed electronically by the care team. A1C was the primary outcome variable. Compared with usual care (UC, n=189), patients in the intervention (INT, n=193) group had significantly reduced A1C at 6 months (-1.32% INT vs -0.66% UC; p<0.001). At 12 months, the differences were not significant (-1.14% INT vs -0.95% UC; p=0.133). In post hoc analysis, significantly more INT patients had improved diabetes control (>0.5% reduction in A1C) than UC patients at 12 months (69.9 (95% CI 63.2 to 76.5) vs 55.4 (95% CI 48.4 to 62.5); p=0.006). A nurse-led, multidisciplinary health team can manage a population of diabetic patients in an online disease management program. INT patients achieved greater decreases in A1C at 6 months than UC patients, but the differences were not sustained at 12 months. More INT than UC patients achieved improvement in A1C (>0.5% decrease). Trial registered in clinical trials.gov: #NCT00542204.

    17. Online disease management of diabetes: Engaging and Motivating Patients Online With Enhanced Resources-Diabetes (EMPOWER-D), a randomized controlled trial

      PubMed Central

      Tang, Paul C; Overhage, J Marc; Chan, Albert Solomon; Brown, Nancy L; Aghighi, Bahar; Entwistle, Martin P; Hui, Siu Lui; Hyde, Shauna M; Klieman, Linda H; Mitchell, Charlotte J; Perkins, Anthony J; Qureshi, Lubna S; Waltimyer, Tanya A; Winters, Leigha J; Young, Charles Y

      2013-01-01

      Objective To evaluate an online disease management system supporting patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods Engaging and Motivating Patients Online With Enhanced Resources for Diabetes was a 12-month parallel randomized controlled trial of 415 patients with type 2 diabetes with baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) values ≥7.5% from primary care sites sharing an electronic health record. The intervention included: (1) wirelessly uploaded home glucometer readings with graphical feedback; (2) comprehensive patient-specific diabetes summary status report; (3) nutrition and exercise logs; (4) insulin record; (5) online messaging with the patient's health team; (6) nurse care manager and dietitian providing advice and medication management; and (7) personalized text and video educational ‘nuggets’ dispensed electronically by the care team. A1C was the primary outcome variable. Results Compared with usual care (UC, n=189), patients in the intervention (INT, n=193) group had significantly reduced A1C at 6 months (−1.32% INT vs −0.66% UC; p<0.001). At 12 months, the differences were not significant (−1.14% INT vs −0.95% UC; p=0.133). In post hoc analysis, significantly more INT patients had improved diabetes control (>0.5% reduction in A1C) than UC patients at 12 months (69.9 (95% CI 63.2 to 76.5) vs 55.4 (95% CI 48.4 to 62.5); p=0.006). Conclusions A nurse-led, multidisciplinary health team can manage a population of diabetic patients in an online disease management program. INT patients achieved greater decreases in A1C at 6 months than UC patients, but the differences were not sustained at 12 months. More INT than UC patients achieved improvement in A1C (>0.5% decrease). Trial registered in clinical trials.gov: #NCT00542204 PMID:23171659

    18. [Cooperation between nursing homes and intellectual disability care services : State of affairs in Flanders].

      PubMed

      Campens, J; Schiettecat, T; Vervliet, M; Van Heck, L; Lesseliers, J; Goethals, I; De Witte, N

      2017-10-01

      Considering the increasing life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities (ID), the importance of cooperation between services for people with ID and elderly care services has been stressed in Flanders and the Netherlands, as well as internationally. However, the prevalence, intensity and content of such a cooperation are yet unknown. In order to gain information to address this issue, an online-survey was delivered to directors of all nursing homes in Flanders (n = 781). 229 surveys were completed.In more than 75% of the nursing homes, people with ID were among the residents over the past decade. However, at the same time a lack of expertise has been identified as a barrier to provide them optimal care and support. Hence, the respondents point out that a cooperation with ID care services could be beneficial. Nevertheless, those partnerships only arose in a quarter of the nursing homes so far, primarily for the purpose of exchange of expertise. Intersectoral multidisciplinary consultations and intersectoral care team consultations have been taking place as well, be it mainly in the context of a persons' transition from an ID care service to a nursing home. Until now, radical cooperations which involve an exchange of staff, seem to be rather rare.

    19. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Green Extreme Homes & Carl Franklin Homes — First DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Retrofit, Garland, TX

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      none,

      This builder was honored with an Affordable Builder award in the 2014 Housing Innovation Awards, for the first retrofit home certified to the DOE Zero Energy Ready home requirements.The 60-year-old, three-bedroom ranch home is expected to save its homeowner more than $1,000 a year in utility bills compared to a home built to the current 2009 International Energy Conservation Code.

    20. Associations Between Home Death and the Use and Type of Care at Home.

      PubMed

      McEwen, Rebecca; Asada, Yukiko; Burge, Frederick; Lawson, Beverley

      2018-01-01

      Despite wishes for and benefits of home deaths, a discrepancy between preferred and actual location of death persists. Provision of home care may be an effective policy response to support home deaths. Using the population-based mortality follow-back study conducted in Nova Scotia, we investigated the associations between home death and formal care at home and between home death and the type of formal care at home. We found (1) the use of formal care at home at the end of life was associated with home death and (2) the use of formal home support services at home was associated with home death among those whose symptoms were well managed.

    1. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Thrive Home Builders, Lowry Plan

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

      Thrive Home Builders built this 4,119-ft2 home at the Lowry development in Denver, Colorado, to the high-performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home Program. Despite the dense positioning of the homes, mono-plane roof designs afforded plenty of space for the 8.68 kW of photovoltaic panels. With the PV, the home achieves a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 4 and the home owners should enjoy energy bills of about $-11 a year. Without the PV, the home would score a HERS 38 (far lower than the HERS 80 to 100 of typical new homes).

    2. An Online Course Improves Nurses’ Awareness of their Role as Antimicrobial Stewards in Nursing Homes

      PubMed Central

      Wilson, Brigid M.; Shick, Sue; Carter, Rebecca R.; Heath, Barbara; Higgins, Patricia A.; Sychla, Basia; Olds, Danielle M; Jump, Robin L. P.

      2017-01-01

      Background To support the role of nurses as active proponents of antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care facilities, we developed an educational intervention consisting of a free online course comprised of 6 interactive modules. Here, we report the effect of the course on the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards antimicrobial stewardship of nurses working in long-term care facilities. Measurements We used a paired pre- and post-course survey instrument to assess nurses’ knowledge regarding the care of long-term care facility residents with infections as well as attitudes and beliefs regarding antimicrobial stewardship. Results 103 respondents, RNs or LPNs, completed the pre and post-surveys. Their mean knowledge scores improved, from 75% (pre-course) to 86% (post-course, P < 0.001). Following the course, nurses’ agreement that their role influences whether or not residents receive antimicrobials increased significantly (P < 0.001). Discussion The online course improves nurses’ knowledge regarding the care of long-term care facility residents with infections and improves their confidence to engage in antimicrobial stewardship activities. Conclusion Empowering nurses to be antimicrobial stewards may help reduce unnecessary antibiotic use among institutionalized older adults. PMID:28189411

    3. The ability of older adults to use customized online medical databases to improve their health-related knowledge.

      PubMed

      Freund, Ophir; Reychav, Iris; McHaney, Roger; Goland, Ella; Azuri, Joseph

      2017-06-01

      Patient compliance with medical advice and recommended treatment depends on perception of health condition, medical knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy. This study investigated how use of customized online medical databases, intended to improve knowledge in a variety of relevant medical topics, influenced senior adults' perceptions. Seventy-nine older adults in residence homes completed a computerized, tablet-based questionnaire, with medical scenarios and related questions. Following an intervention, control group participants answered questions without online help while an experimental group received internet links that directed them to customized, online medical databases. Medical knowledge and test scores among the experimental group significantly improved from pre- to post-intervention (p<0.0001) and was higher in comparison with the control group (p<0.0001). No significant change occurred in the control group. Older adults improved their knowledge in desired medical topic areas using customized online medical databases. The study demonstrated how such databases help solve health-related questions among older adult population members, and that older patients appear willing to consider technology usage in information acquisition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

    4. Home Rx: The Health Benefits of Home Performance

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      Wilson, Jonathan; Jacobs, David; Reddy, Amanda

      Evidence in a new, groundbreaking U.S. Department of Energy report, Home Rx: The Health Benefits of Home Performance, shows that home performance upgrades can improve the quality of a home’s indoor environment by reducing the prevalence of harmful indoor air pollutants and contaminants. Until recently, no systematic review of this evidence had been conducted, limiting full understanding of the link between home performance and health. This new report summarizes current knowledge and identifies research gaps. The design characteristics and results of each of the 40 studies considered in the report are summarized in a searchable matrix.

    5. Mother and Home Visitor Personality Characteristics, the Mother-Home-Visitor Relationship, and Home Visit Intensity.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Ispa, Jean; Sharp, Elizabeth; Brookes, Sheila; Wolfenstein, Miriam; Thornburg, Kathy; Fine, Mark; Lane, Valeri

      Noting that families in home visiting early intervention programs receive only about half the number of intended visits, this research used quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate how personality and other factors affect the mother-home visitor relationship and thereby, influence home visit intensity. Participating in the study were 5…

    6. A comparison of Tier 1 and Tier 3 medical homes under Oklahoma Medicaid program.

      PubMed

      Kumar, Jay I; Anthony, Melody; Crawford, Steven A; Arky, Ronald A; Bitton, Asaf; Splinter, Garth L

      2014-04-01

      "red tape"with prior authorizations, higher pay, and help with panel member follow-up. Multiple interventions may help medical homes in Oklahoma advance from the basic to the optimal level such as sharing of resources among nearby practices, expansion of OHCA online resources to help with preauthorizations and patient follow up, and the generation and transmission of data on the benefits of medical homes.

    7. Acceptability of self-conducted home-based HIV testing among men who have sex with men in Brazil: data from an on-line survey

      PubMed Central

      Lippman, Sheri A.; Périssé, André R. S.; Veloso, Valdiléa G.; Sullivan, Patrick S.; Buchbinder, Susan; Sineath, R. Craig; Grinsztejn, Beatriz

      2014-01-01

      The Brazilian HIV/AIDS epidemic is concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM), however HIV testing rates among MSM are not commensurate with their risk. Strategies to expand early diagnosis may include use of self-conducted home-based testing kits, which are now available for purchase in the US. In April 2011 we conducted a survey with Brazilian MSM using Facebook to assess HIV testing preferences and acceptability of home-based testing. Among 356 previously tested, HIV-negative MSM, 47% reported a preference for home-based testing, 27% preferred clinic-based testing, and 26% had no preference. Less frequent testers and those who had considered testing but failed to test were more likely to prefer home-based testing. Close to 90% reported that they would use self-test kits; 62% and 54% said they would use home-based testing to make choices about unprotected sex with regular and new partners, respectively. Concerns included difficulty to understand the tests (32%) and receiving results alone (23%). Overall, home-based testing may appeal to MSM and result in increased testing frequency. Research on feasibility and utilization of self-tests in practice is needed. PMID:24896048

    8. A Socio-Ecological Examination of Weight-Related Characteristics of the Home Environment and Lifestyles of Households with Young Children.

      PubMed

      Quick, Virginia; Martin-Biggers, Jennifer; Povis, Gayle Alleman; Hongu, Nobuko; Worobey, John; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol

      2017-06-14

      Home environment and family lifestyle practices have an influence on child obesity risk, thereby making it critical to systematically examine these factors. Thus, parents ( n = 489) of preschool children completed a cross-sectional online survey which was the baseline data collection conducted, before randomization, in the HomeStyles program. The survey comprehensively assessed these factors using a socio-ecological approach, incorporating intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental measures. Healthy intrapersonal dietary behaviors identified were parent and child intakes of recommended amounts of 100% juice and low intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages. Unhealthy behaviors included low milk intake and high parent fat intake. The home environment's food supply was found to support healthy intakes of 100% juice and sugar-sweetened beverages, but provided too little milk and ample quantities of salty/fatty snacks. Physical activity levels, sedentary activity and the home's physical activity and media environment were found to be less than ideal. Environmental supports for active play inside homes were moderate and somewhat better in the area immediately outside homes and in the neighborhood. Family interpersonal interaction measures revealed several positive behaviors, including frequent family meals. Parents had considerable self-efficacy in their ability to perform food- and physical activity-related childhood obesity protective practices. This study identified lifestyle practices and home environment characteristics that health educators could target to help parents promote optimal child development and lower their children's risk for obesity.

    9. Attitudes About Cognitive Screening: A Survey of Home Care Physical Therapists.

      PubMed

      Miles, Jean D; Staples, William H; Lee, Daniel J

      2018-02-14

      Home care physical therapists (PTs) are inconsistent regarding cognitive screening, possibly because screening tools were traditionally considered the domain of other home care disciplines, or because therapists perceive their dementia training to be inadequate. A cross sectional study was designed to survey home care therapists' attitudes and beliefs about the management of persons with dementia and to find out whether any specific cognitive tools or measures are currently used. A 5-point Likert-type survey was administered to home care PTs via an online survey. Three state home care associations and individual home care agencies agreed to share the survey link. The survey was also made available to American Physical Therapy Association members through the Home Health and Geriatric Section listservs. Two hundred fifty-one PTs opened the survey and 233 completed the survey. Respondents included 180 females and 53 males. Seventy-four had a bachelor's degree (BS), 53 held a master's degree (MS), 104 had achieved a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) or doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree, and 2 did not provide this information. Significant differences were found between those with the highest doctoral degrees and those with master's or bachelor's degrees (P = .01) regarding whether they were qualified to screen (strongly agree, agree) for cognitive deficits. Therapists with the highest degrees also attended continuing education for dementia training more than those with less formal education (P = .042.) Gender differences were found in 2 questions regarding positive outcomes (P = .010 and .42); for both questions, males were more likely to believe that dementia has a negative impact. Eighty-seven percent indicated that PTs are qualified (strongly agree, agree), but only 53% said that they possess the necessary skills (strongly agree, agree) to perform cognitive screens. Specialty certification revealed significant differences in several of the questions. No significance

    10. Hospitalization of nursing home residents: the effects of states' Medicaid payment and bed-hold policies.

      PubMed

      Intrator, Orna; Grabowski, David C; Zinn, Jacqueline; Schleinitz, Mark; Feng, Zhanlian; Miller, Susan; Mor, Vince

      2007-08-01

      Hospitalizations of nursing home residents are costly and expose residents to iatrogenic disease and social and psychological harm. Economic constraints imposed by payers of care, predominantly Medicaid policies, are hypothesized to impact hospitalizations. Federally mandated resident assessments were merged with Medicare claims and eligibility files to determine hospitalizations and death within 150 days of baseline assessment. Nursing home and market characteristics were obtained from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting, and the Area Resource File, respectively. States' average daily Medicaid nursing home payments and bed-hold policies were obtained independently. Prospective cohort study of 570,614 older (> or =65-year-old), non-MCO (Medicare Managed Care), long-stay (> or =90 days) residents in 8,997 urban, freestanding nursing homes assessed between April and June 2000, using multilevel models to test the impact of state policies on hospitalizations controlling for resident, nursing home, and market characteristics. Overall, 99,379 (17.4 percent) residents were hospitalized with rates varying from 8.4 percent in Utah to 24.9 percent in Louisiana. Higher Medicaid per diem was associated with lower odds of hospitalizations (5 percent lower for each $10 above average $103.5, confidence intervals [CI] 0.91-0.99). Hospitalization odds were higher by 36 percent in states with bed-hold policies (CI: 1.12-1.63). State Medicaid bed-hold policy and per-diem payment have important implications for nursing home hospitalizations, which are predominantly financed by Medicare. This study emphasizes the importance of properly aligning state Medicaid and federal Medicare policies in regards to the subsidy of acute, maintenance, and preventive care in the nursing home setting.

    11. Online video game therapy for mental health concerns: a review.

      PubMed

      Wilkinson, Nathan; Ang, Rebecca P; Goh, Dion H

      2008-07-01

      There has been research on the use of offline video games for therapeutic purposes but online video game therapy is still fairly under-researched. Online therapeutic interventions have only recently included a gaming component. Hence, this review represents a timely first step toward taking advantage of these recent technological and cultural innovations, particularly for the treatment of special-needs groups such as the young, the elderly and people with various conditions such as ADHD, anxiety and autism spectrum disorders. A review integrating research findings on two technological advances was conducted: the home computer boom of the 1980s, which triggered a flood of research on therapeutic video games for the treatment of various mental health conditions; and the rise of the internet in the 1990s, which caused computers to be seen as conduits for therapeutic interaction rather than replacements for the therapist. We discuss how video games and the internet can now be combined in therapeutic interventions, as attested by a consideration of pioneering studies. Future research into online video game therapy for mental health concerns might focus on two broad types of game: simple society games, which are accessible and enjoyable to players of all ages, and online worlds, which offer a unique opportunity for narrative content and immersive remote interaction with therapists and fellow patients. Both genres might be used for assessment and training purposes, and provide an unlimited platform for social interaction. The mental health community can benefit from more collaborative efforts between therapists and engineers, making such innovations a reality.

    12. Modeling and Detecting Feature Interactions among Integrated Services of Home Network Systems

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Igaki, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Masahide

      This paper presents a framework for formalizing and detecting feature interactions (FIs) in the emerging smart home domain. We first establish a model of home network system (HNS), where every networked appliance (or the HNS environment) is characterized as an object consisting of properties and methods. Then, every HNS service is defined as a sequence of method invocations of the appliances. Within the model, we next formalize two kinds of FIs: (a) appliance interactions and (b) environment interactions. An appliance interaction occurs when two method invocations conflict on the same appliance, whereas an environment interaction arises when two method invocations conflict indirectly via the environment. Finally, we propose offline and online methods that detect FIs before service deployment and during execution, respectively. Through a case study with seven practical services, it is shown that the proposed framework is generic enough to capture feature interactions in HNS integrated services. We also discuss several FI resolution schemes within the proposed framework.

    13. Online social networking for HIV education and prevention: a mixed-methods analysis.

      PubMed

      Young, Sean D; Jaganath, Devan

      2013-02-01

      The purpose of this study is to use mixed (qualitative/quantitative) methods to determine (1) the feasibility and acceptability of using online social networking to facilitate HIV-related discussions and (2) the relationship between HIV-related online discussions and requests for a home-based HIV testing kit among men who have sex with men. Participants, primarily African American and Latino, were invited to join a "secret" group on the social networking Web site, Facebook. Peer leaders, trained in HIV prevention, posted HIV-related content. Participants were not obligated to respond to discussions or remain within the group. Participant public group conversations were qualitatively and thematically analyzed. Quantitative methods tested associations between qualitative data, participants' demographic information, and likelihood of requesting a home-based HIV testing kit. Latino and African American participants (n = 57) voluntarily used Facebook to discuss the following HIV-related topics (n = 485 conversations): prevention and testing, knowledge, stigma, and advocacy. Older participants more frequently discussed prevention and testing, stigma, and advocacy, although younger participants more frequently discussed HIV knowledge-related conversations. As the study progressed, the proportion of messages related to prevention and testing and HIV stigma increased. Multivariate analysis showed that participants posting about HIV prevention and testing (compared with those who did not) were significantly more likely to request an HIV testing kit (odds ratio, 11.14; P = 0.001). Facebook can serve as an innovative forum to increase both HIV prevention discussions and HIV testing requests among at-risk groups.

    14. Predictors of Home Care Expenditures and Death at Home for Cancer Patients in an Integrated Comprehensive Palliative Home Care Pilot Program

      PubMed Central

      Howell, Doris M.; Abernathy, Tom; Cockerill, Rhonda; Brazil, Kevin; Wagner, Frank; Librach, Larry

      2011-01-01

      Purpose: Empirical understanding of predictors for home care service use and death at home is important for healthcare planning. Few studies have examined these predictors in the context of the publicly funded Canadian home care system. This study examined predictors for home care use and home death in the context of a “gold standard” comprehensive palliative home care program pilot in Ontario where patients had equal access to home care services. Methods: Secondary clinical and administrative data sources were linked using a unique identifier to examine multivariate factors (predisposing, enabling, need) on total home care expenditures and home death for a cohort of cancer patients enrolled in the HPCNet pilot. Results: Subjects with gastrointestinal symptoms (OR: 1.64; p=0.03) and those with higher income had increased odds of dying at home (OR: 1.14; p<0.001), whereas age, number of GP visits, gastrointestinal symptoms (i.e., nausea, vomiting, bowel obstruction) and eating problems (i.e., anorexia/cachexia) predicted home care expenditures. Conclusions: Predictors of home death found in earlier studies appeared less important in this comprehensive palliative home care pilot. An income effect for home death observed in this study requires examination in future controlled studies. Relevance: Access to palliative home care that is adequately resourced and organized to address the multiple domains of issues that patients/families experience at the end of life has the potential to enable home death and shift care appropriately from limited acute care resources. PMID:22294993

    15. Status and Needs Research for On-line Monitoring of VOCs Emissions from Stationary Sources

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Zhou, Gang; Wang, Qiang; Zhong, Qi; Zhao, Jinbao; Yang, Kai

      2018-01-01

      Based on atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pollution control requirements during the twelfth-five year plan and the current status of monitoring and management at home and abroad, instrumental architecture and technical characteristics of continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) for VOCs emission from stationary sources are investigated and researched. Technological development needs of VOCs emission on-line monitoring techniques for stationary sources in china are proposed from the system sampling pretreatment technology and analytical measurement techniques.

    16. Development of HIHM (Home Integrated Health Monitor) for ubiquitous home healthcare.

      PubMed

      Kim, Jung Soo; Kim, Beom Oh; Park, Kwang Suk

      2007-01-01

      Home Integrated Health Monitor (HIHM) was developed for ubiquitous home healthcare. From quantitative analysis, we have elicited modal of chair. The HIHM could detect Electrocardiogram (ECG) and Photoplethysmography (PPG) non-intrusively. Also, it could estimate blood pressure (BP) non-intrusively, measure blood glucose and ear temperature. Detected signals and information were transmitted to home gateway and home server through Zigbee communication technology. Home server carried them to Healthcare Center, and specialists such as medical doctors could monitor by Internet. There was also feedback system. This device has a potential to study about ubiquitous home healthcare.

    17. Home Energy Assessments

      ScienceCinema

      Dispenza, Jason

      2017-12-27

      A home energy assessment, also known as a home energy audit, is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. An assessment will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time. This video shows some of the ways that a contractor may test your home during an assessment, and helps you understand how an assessment can help you move toward energy savings. Find out more at: http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11160

    18. Outcome Evaluation of "Family Eats": An Eight-Session Web-Based Program Promoting Healthy Home Food Environments and Dietary Behaviors for African American Families

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Cullen, Karen Weber; Thompson, Debbe; Chen, Tzu-An

      2017-01-01

      This article presents the results of a randomized clinical trial evaluating the eight-session "Family Eats" web-based intervention promoting healthy home food environments for African American families. African American families (n = 126) with 8- to 12-year-old children completed online baseline questionnaires and were randomized into…

    19. An Analysis of the Effect of a Cyber Home Learning System on Korean Secondary School Students' English Language Achievement and Attitude

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Shin, Ji Hye; Albers, Peggy

      2015-01-01

      This study examined the effectiveness of a Cyber Home Learning System (CHLS), an online learning system currently being employed in South Korea to improve the access and quality of public education as well as to reduce private tutoring expenditures. The quasi-experimental research design used experiment and survey methods to learn about the impact…

    20. Hospice use among nursing home and non-nursing home patients.

      PubMed

      Unroe, Kathleen T; Sachs, Greg A; Dennis, M E; Hickman, Susan E; Stump, Timothy E; Tu, Wanzhu; Callahan, Christopher M

      2015-02-01

      For nursing home patients, hospice use and associated costs have grown dramatically. A better understanding of hospice in all care settings, especially how patients move across settings, is needed to inform debates about appropriateness of use and potential policy reform. Our aim was to describe characteristics and utilization of hospice among nursing home and non-nursing home patients. Medicare, Medicaid and Minimum Data Set data, 1999-2008, were merged for 3,771 hospice patients aged 65 years and above from a safety net health system. Patients were classified into four groups who received hospice: 1) only in nursing homes; 2) outside of nursing homes; 3) crossover patients utilizing hospice in both settings; and 4) "near-transition" patients who received hospice within 30 days of a nursing home stay. Differences in demographics, hospice diagnoses and length of stay, utilization and costs are presented with descriptive statistics. Nursing home hospice patients were older, and more likely to be women and to have dementia (p < 0.0001). Nearly one-third (32.3 %) of crossover patients had hospice stays > 6 months, compared with the other groups (16 % of nursing home hospice only, 10.7 % of non-nursing home hospice and 7.6 % of those with near transitions) (p < 0.0001). Overall, 27.7 % of patients had a hospice stay <1 week, but there were marked differences between groups-48 % of near-transition patients vs. 7.4 % of crossover patients had these short hospice stays (p < 0.0001). Crossover and near-transition hospice patients had higher costs to Medicare compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Dichotomizing hospice users only into nursing home vs. non-nursing home patients is difficult, due to transitions across settings. Hospice patients with transitions accrue higher costs. The impact of changes to the hospice benefit on patients who live or move through nursing homes near the end of life should be carefully considered.

    1. IV treatment at home

      MedlinePlus

      ... venous catheter - home; Port - home; PICC line - home; Infusion therapy - home; Home health care - IV treatment ... is given quickly, all at once. A slow infusion, which means the medicine is given slowly over ...

    2. EU Kids Online II Dataset: A Cross-National Study of Children's Use of the Internet and Its Associated Opportunities and Risks

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Livingstone, Sonia; Cagiltay, Kursat; Ólafsson, Kjartan

      2015-01-01

      In the EU Kids Online II project, data were collected from children and parents via in-home face-to-face interviews in 25 European countries to examine children's Internet use, activities and skills, the risk of harm they encountered, parental awareness, and safety strategies regarding children's Internet use and risks. The project provides…

    3. 77 FR 72738 - Contracts and Provider Agreements for State Home Nursing Home Care

      Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

      2012-12-06

      ... State Home Nursing Home Care AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Interim final rule. SUMMARY... into contracts or provider agreements with State homes for the nursing home care of certain disabled... submitted in response to ``RIN 2900-AO57--Contracts and Provider Agreements for State Home Nursing Home Care...

    4. Comparative Investigation of Shared Filesystems for the LHCb Online Cluster

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Vijay Kartik, S.; Neufeld, Niko

      2012-12-01

      This paper describes the investigative study undertaken to evaluate shared filesystem performance and suitability in the LHCb Online environment. Particular focus is given to the measurements and field tests designed and performed on an in-house OpenAFS setup; related comparisons with NFSv4 and GPFS (a clustered filesystem from IBM) are presented. The motivation for the investigation and the test setup arises from the need to serve common user-space like home directories, experiment software and control areas, and clustered log areas. Since the operational requirements on such user-space are stringent in terms of read-write operations (in frequency and access speed) and unobtrusive data relocation, test results are presented with emphasis on file-level performance, stability and “high-availability” of the shared filesystems. Use cases specific to the experiment operation in LHCb, including the specific handling of shared filesystems served to a cluster of 1500 diskless nodes, are described. Issues of prematurely expiring authenticated sessions are explicitly addressed, keeping in mind long-running analysis jobs on the Online cluster. In addition, quantitative test results are also presented with alternatives including NFSv4. Comparative measurements of filesystem performance benchmarks are presented, which are seen to be used as reference for decisions on potential migration of the current storage solution deployed in the LHCb online cluster.

    5. Nursing Home Checklist

      MedlinePlus

      Nursing home checklist Name of nursing home: ____________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ Phone number: __________________________________________________________ Date of visit: _____________________________________________________________ Basic information Yes No Notes Is the nursing home Medicare certified? Is the nursing ...

    6. [Self-Medication, Health and Online Orders: An Online Survey].

      PubMed

      Eichenberg, C; Hübner, L

      2017-02-01

      Background: The intensive use of Internet as health guide is proved by a current representative survey. Online orders of OTC pharmaceuticals and prescription medicine represent a special way of utillisation. Intention: The aim of the following study is to investigate motives and backgrounds of self-medication in coherency of health and ordering of OTC pharmaceuticals via Internet. Method: With an online questionnaire developed in particular for this thesis N=104 internet users (mean age M=32,7; SD=11,1 consisting of 73 female and 31 male participants) were questioned concerning the relevant topics. Furthermore, the subjects were interviewed with regard to identification of their quality of life (with the German version of the EUROHIS-QOL 8 item index), their well-being (by using the German version of the WHO-5 well-being index, version II). Results: The wish for (especially temporal) independence from a physicians treatment and the idea of a faster convalescence or prevention of worse ailment could be identified as motives for self-medication. The most frequently selected advantages of ordering drugs via internet were the lower price, organisational aspects such as direct home delivery or saving time without a consultation. In contrast, the lack of advice was often mentioned as a possible disadvantage, just like the risk of undetected and undiagnosed diseases. Compared to participants who did not do any Internet orders, participants who ordered their non-prescription drugs on the Internet were less aware of possible risks and they also used painkillers available without prescription more frequently. However, there were no differences in the total amount of applied OTC medications, which made a drug abuse less likely. Overall, self-medication of the users of Internet forums interviewed within this thesis seemed to be quantitatively and qualitatively appropriate. Conclusion: Self-medication by Internet users in this study seems to be reasonable in a quantitative and

    7. Negotiating Femininities Online

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Davies, Julia

      2004-01-01

      Much has been written about the potential for online learning (Fryer, 1997; www. ngfl.gov.uk/ngfl/index.html). However this literature typically emphasizes not online learning but online education. In this paper I focus on the potential for online learning, specifically learning about issues surrounding femininity in the presence of online peers,…

    8. Performing Well on Nursing Home Report Cards: Does It Pay Off?

      PubMed Central

      Park, Jeongyoung; Konetzka, R Tamara; Werner, Rachel M

      2011-01-01

      Objective To examine whether high performance or improvement on quality measures leads to economic rewards for nursing homes in the presence of public reporting. Data Sources Data from 6,286 freestanding Medicare-certified nursing homes between 1999 and 2005 were identified in Medicare Cost Reports, Minimum Data Set, and Online Survey and Certification Reporting System. Study Design Using a facility-level fixed-effects model, the effect of public reporting on financial performance was measured by comparing each of four financial outcomes (revenues, expenses, operating, and total profit margins) before (1999–2002) to after (2003–2005) public reporting was initiated. The effects were estimated separately by level of performance and improvement over time. Principal Findings Facilities that improved on publicly reported performance had increased revenues and higher profit margins after public reporting, mainly through increased Medicare admissions. High-scoring facilities showed similar patterns, though differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions Providers that improve their performance under public reporting may receive a return on their investment in quality improvement. This supports the business case for public reporting. PMID:21029093

    9. 16 CFR 460.16 - What new home sellers must tell new home buyers.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

      2011-01-01

      ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What new home sellers must tell new home... LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF HOME INSULATION § 460.16 What new home sellers must tell new home buyers. If you are a new home seller, you must put the following information in every sales contract: The type...

    10. 16 CFR 460.16 - What new home sellers must tell new home buyers.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

      2013-01-01

      ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false What new home sellers must tell new home... LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF HOME INSULATION § 460.16 What new home sellers must tell new home buyers. If you are a new home seller, you must put the following information in every sales contract: The type...

    11. 16 CFR 460.16 - What new home sellers must tell new home buyers.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

      2010-01-01

      ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What new home sellers must tell new home... LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF HOME INSULATION § 460.16 What new home sellers must tell new home buyers. If you are a new home seller, you must put the following information in every sales contract: The type...

    12. 16 CFR 460.16 - What new home sellers must tell new home buyers.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

      2012-01-01

      ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false What new home sellers must tell new home... LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF HOME INSULATION § 460.16 What new home sellers must tell new home buyers. If you are a new home seller, you must put the following information in every sales contract: The type...

    13. 16 CFR 460.16 - What new home sellers must tell new home buyers.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

      2014-01-01

      ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false What new home sellers must tell new home... LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF HOME INSULATION § 460.16 What new home sellers must tell new home buyers. If you are a new home seller, you must put the following information in every sales contract: The type...

    14. NGA: GNS Home

      Science.gov Websites

      NGA Home NGA Home NGA Home NGA Banner NGA Banner GNS Survey GNS Survey Label GNS Survey Tooltip Home News What's New? RSS for Headlines What's Coming? GNS Survey GNS Search OGC Viewer Page Text Based names, etc. This page will function properly with most modern browsers. GNS Offered Services GNS SURVEY

    15. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Sterling Brook Custom Homes — Village Park Eco Home, Double Park, TX

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      none,

      This builder won a Custom Builder honor in the 2014 Housing Innovation Awards for this showcase home that serves as an energy-efficient model home for the custom home builder: 1,300 visitors toured the home, thousands more learned about the home’s advanced construction via the webpage, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    16. Hospitalization of Nursing Home Residents: The Effects of States' Medicaid Payment and Bed-Hold Policies

      PubMed Central

      Intrator, Orna; Grabowski, David C; Zinn, Jacqueline; Schleinitz, Mark; Feng, Zhanlian; Miller, Susan; Mor, Vince

      2007-01-01

      Objective Hospitalizations of nursing home residents are costly and expose residents to iatrogenic disease and social and psychological harm. Economic constraints imposed by payers of care, predominantly Medicaid policies, are hypothesized to impact hospitalizations. Data Sources/Study Setting Federally mandated resident assessments were merged with Medicare claims and eligibility files to determine hospitalizations and death within 150 days of baseline assessment. Nursing home and market characteristics were obtained from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting, and the Area Resource File, respectively. States' average daily Medicaid nursing home payments and bed-hold policies were obtained independently. Study Design Prospective cohort study of 570,614 older (≥65-year-old), non-MCO (Medicare Managed Care), long-stay (≥90 days) residents in 8,997 urban, freestanding nursing homes assessed between April and June 2000, using multilevel models to test the impact of state policies on hospitalizations controlling for resident, nursing home, and market characteristics. Principal Findings Overall, 99,379 (17.4 percent) residents were hospitalized with rates varying from 8.4 percent in Utah to 24.9 percent in Louisiana. Higher Medicaid per diem was associated with lower odds of hospitalizations (5 percent lower for each $10 above average $103.5, confidence intervals [CI] 0.91–0.99). Hospitalization odds were higher by 36 percent in states with bed-hold policies (CI: 1.12–1.63). Conclusions State Medicaid bed-hold policy and per-diem payment have important implications for nursing home hospitalizations, which are predominantly financed by Medicare. This study emphasizes the importance of properly aligning state Medicaid and federal Medicare policies in regards to the subsidy of acute, maintenance, and preventive care in the nursing home setting. PMID:17610442

    17. Exploring pharmacy and home-based sexually transmissible infection testing

      PubMed Central

      Habel, Melissa A.; Scheinmann, Roberta; Verdesoto, Elizabeth; Gaydos, Charlotte; Bertisch, Maggie; Chiasson, Mary Ann

      2015-01-01

      Background This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of pharmacy and home-based sexually transmissible infection (STI) screening as alternate testing venues among emergency contraception (EC) users. Methods The study included two phases in February 2011–July 2012. In Phase I, customers purchasing EC from eight pharmacies in Manhattan received vouchers for free STI testing at onsite medical clinics. In Phase II, three Facebook ads targeted EC users to connect them with free home-based STI test kits ordered online. Participants completed a self-administered survey. Results Only 38 participants enrolled in Phase I: 90% female, ≤29 years (74%), 45% White non-Hispanic and 75% college graduates; 71% were not tested for STIs in the past year and 68% reported a new partner in the past 3 months. None tested positive for STIs. In Phase II, ads led to >45 000 click-throughs, 382 completed the survey and 290 requested kits; 28% were returned. Phase II participants were younger and less educated than Phase I participants; six tested positive for STIs. Challenges included recruitment, pharmacy staff participation, advertising with discretion and cost. Conclusions This study found low uptake of pharmacy and home-based testing among EC users; however, STI testing in these settings is feasible and the acceptability findings indicate an appeal among younger women for testing in non-traditional settings. Collaborating with and training pharmacy and medical staff are key elements of service provision. Future research should explore how different permutations of expanding screening in non-traditional settings could improve testing uptake and detect additional STI cases. PMID:26409484

    18. Exploring pharmacy and home-based sexually transmissible infection testing.

      PubMed

      Habel, Melissa A; Scheinmann, Roberta; Verdesoto, Elizabeth; Gaydos, Charlotte; Bertisch, Maggie; Chiasson, Mary Ann

      2015-11-01

      Background This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of pharmacy and home-based sexually transmissible infection (STI) screening as alternate testing venues among emergency contraception (EC) users. The study included two phases in February 2011-July 2012. In Phase I, customers purchasing EC from eight pharmacies in Manhattan received vouchers for free STI testing at onsite medical clinics. In Phase II, three Facebook ads targeted EC users to connect them with free home-based STI test kits ordered online. Participants completed a self-administered survey. Only 38 participants enrolled in Phase I: 90% female, ≤29 years (74%), 45% White non-Hispanic and 75% college graduates; 71% were not tested for STIs in the past year and 68% reported a new partner in the past 3 months. None tested positive for STIs. In Phase II, ads led to >45000 click-throughs, 382 completed the survey and 290 requested kits; 28% were returned. Phase II participants were younger and less educated than Phase I participants; six tested positive for STIs. Challenges included recruitment, pharmacy staff participation, advertising with discretion and cost. This study found low uptake of pharmacy and home-based testing among EC users; however, STI testing in these settings is feasible and the acceptability findings indicate an appeal among younger women for testing in non-traditional settings. Collaborating with and training pharmacy and medical staff are key elements of service provision. Future research should explore how different permutations of expanding screening in non-traditional settings could improve testing uptake and detect additional STI cases.

    19. The effect of state medicaid case-mix payment on nursing home resident acuity.

      PubMed

      Feng, Zhanlian; Grabowski, David C; Intrator, Orna; Mor, Vincent

      2006-08-01

      To examine the relationship between Medicaid case-mix payment and nursing home resident acuity. Longitudinal Minimum Data Set (MDS) resident assessments from 1999 to 2002 and Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1996 to 2002, for all freestanding nursing homes in the 48 contiguous U.S. states. We used a facility fixed-effects model to examine the effect of introducing state case-mix payment on changes in nursing home case-mix acuity. Facility acuity was measured by aggregating the nursing case-mix index (NCMI) from the MDS using the Resource Utilization Group (Version III) resident classification system, separately for new admits and long-stay residents, and by an OSCAR-derived index combining a range of activity of daily living dependencies and special treatment measures. We followed facilities over the study period to create a longitudinal data file based on the MDS and OSCAR, respectively, and linked facilities with longitudinal data on state case-mix payment policies for the same period. Across three acuity measures and two data sources, we found that states shifting to case-mix payment increased nursing home acuity levels over the study period. Specifically, we observed a 2.5 percent increase in the average acuity of new admits and a 1.3 to 1.4 percent increase in the acuity of long-stay residents, following the introduction of case-mix payment. The adoption of case-mix payment increased access to care for higher acuity Medicaid residents.

    20. Adherence of pain assessment to the German national standard for pain management in 12 nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Osterbrink, Jürgen; Bauer, Zsuzsa; Mitterlehner, Barbara; Gnass, Irmela; Kutschar, Patrick

      2014-01-01

      Pain is very common among nursing home residents. The assessment of pain is a prerequisite for effective multiprofessional pain management. Within the framework of the German health services research project, 'Action Alliance Pain-Free City Muenster', the authors investigated pain assessment adherence according to the German national Expert Standard for Pain Management in Nursing, which is a general standard applicable to all chronic⁄acute pain-affected persons and highly recommended for practice. To evaluate the state of pain assessment and to identify need for improvement in 12 nursing homes in a German city. In the present study, the authors used an ex-post-facto design (survey methodology). Available written policies for routine pain assessment in residents ≥65 years of age were reviewed and a standardized online survey completed by 151 of 349 nurses in 12 nursing home facilities was conducted between September 2010 and April 2011. Most of the included nursing homes provided written policies for pain assessment, and the majority of nurses reported that they assess and regularly reassess pain. However, observational tools for residents with severe cognitive impairment and written reassessment schedules were lacking in many facilities or were inconsistent. Essentially, pain assessment appeared to be feasible in the majority of the German nursing homes studied. However, the absence or inconsistency of reassessment schedules indicate that pain management guidelines should include a detailed and explicit reassessment schedule for the heterogenic needs of nursing home residents. For residents with severe cognitive impairment, assessment tools are needed that are simple to use and clearly indicate the presence or absence of pain.

    1. The structure and organisation of home-based postnatal care in public hospitals in Victoria, Australia: A cross-sectional survey.

      PubMed

      Forster, Della A; McKay, Heather; Powell, Rhonda; Wahlstedt, Emma; Farrell, Tanya; Ford, Rachel; McLachlan, Helen L

      2016-04-01

      There is limited evidence regarding the provision of home-based postnatal care, resulting in a weak evidence-base for policy formulation and the further development of home-based postnatal care services. To explore the structure and organisation of public hospital home-based postnatal care in Victoria, Australia. An online survey including mostly closed-ended questions was sent to representatives of all public maternity providers in July 2011. The response rate of 87% (67/77) included rural (70%; n=47), regional (15%; n=10) and metropolitan (15%; n=10) services. The majority (96%, 64/67) provided home-based postnatal care. The median number of visits for primiparous women was two and for multiparous women, one. The main reason for no visit was the woman declining. Two-thirds of services attempted to provide some continuity of carer for home-based postnatal care. Routine maternal and infant observations were broadly consistent across the services, and various systems were in place to protect the safety of staff members during home visits. Few services had a dedicated home-based postnatal care coordinator. This study demonstrates that the majority of women receive at least one home-based postnatal visit, and that service provision on the whole is similar across the state. Further work should explore the optimum number and timing of visits, what components of care are most valued by women, and what model best ensures the timely detection and prevention of postpartum complications, be they psychological or physiological. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    2. Nursing perception of patient transitions from hospitals to home with home health.

      PubMed

      Smith, Shannon Bright; Alexander, Judith W

      2012-01-01

      The study's purpose was to determine nurses' opinions of sending patients from the hospital to home with home health services. The study occurred in the Charleston, South Carolina, Tricounty area (Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties). Home health agencies and hospitals were invited to participate. The study used a survey design to gather information on nursing perceptions of current practices and needed changes to improve transition of patients. The population was nurses (licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs)) employed at inpatient hospitals or home health agencies in the area. Thirty-four RNs responded with no LPNs respondents. Agency administrators/chief nursing officers agreed for their agencies to participate and distributed the survey using a Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) Internet-based survey tool. Using the survey results and information from a literature review, the study developed a list of propositions, which participating administrators reviewed, for improving transitions to home. Both home health and hospital nurses reported a need to improve the process of sending patients from hospital to home with home health services. This study provides hospitals and home health agencies with propositions to facilitate the establishment of a process to communicate effectively patients care needs and streamline the discharging patients from the hospital to home health care; thus, improving patient transition. Case managers and discharge planners will need interagency collaboration along with evidence-based interventions to transition patients from the hospital to home with home health services with various populations. Direct patient care nurses in both hospital and home health settings should share the same accountability as case managers to ensure successful transitions.

    3. Home Health Compare: Find a Home Health Agency

      MedlinePlus

      ... page could not be loaded. The Medicare.gov Home page currently does not fully support browsers with " ... widget - Select to show Back to top Footer Home A federal government website managed and paid for ...

    4. [Pharmacotherapy in nursing homes].

      PubMed

      Kersten, Hege; Ruths, Sabine; Wyller, Torgeir Bruun

      2009-09-10

      There is a high risk of drug-related problems in nursing homes due to polypharmacy, multi-morbidity and age-related changes. We describe the drug use and compare the pharmacotherapy in two nursing homes with different staffing of physicians. We included 48 long-term patients from two nursing homes in Oslo; i.e. nursing home A (24 patients) and nursing home B (24 patients). A pharmacist recorded information on patients' drug use, identified and classified drug-related problems, and classified the drugs used according to their anticholinergic burden. Two physicians (with experience in geriatrics and nursing home medicine) assessed the clinical importance of the drug-related problems independently from each other. The physicians were blinded with respect to which nursing home the patients came from. Patients in nursing home A used a median (interquartile range [IQR]) of 7.0 (5.3-11.0) drugs, and those in nursing home B used 9.5 (8.0-12.8); the median difference was 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-4.0, p = 0.006). Patients also had lower anticholinergic drug scores in nursing home A (1.0 [0.0-2.0]) than in nursing home B (2.0 [2.0-3.8]); median difference 1.0, 95% CI 0.0-2.0, p = 0.009). Patients in home A also had lower numbers of drug-related problems (3.0 [2.0-4.0]) than those in home B (5.5 [3.3-8.0]); median difference 1.0, 85% CI 0.0-3.0, p = 0.007. No significant differences were found between the nursing homes with regard to patients' age, co-morbidity, kidney function, or dementia state, but nursing home A had a better staffing of physicians. The number of drugs used as well as the quality indicators varied considerably between the nursing homes assessed. Differences in physician staffing might be one reasonable explanation. Our study highlights the importance of systematic multidisciplinary medication reviews for quality improvement in nursing homes.

    5. No Jobs Like Homes: Careers in Helping Home Buyers and Sellers

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Torpey, Elka

      2013-01-01

      Millions of people buy and sell homes each year. And because these transactions are often complex, many home buyers and sellers turn to workers who can help with the search or the sale--or both. From preparing to put a home on the market to filing the sales documents, many workers are involved in helping a home change hands. Other key industries…

    6. The art and science of cancer education and evaluation: toward facilitating improved patient outcomes.

      PubMed

      Johnson, Lenora; Ousley, Anita; Swarz, Jeffrey; Bingham, Raymond J; Erickson, J Bianca; Ellis, Steven; Moody, Terra

      2011-03-01

      Cancer education is a constantly evolving field, as science continues to advance both our understanding of cancer and its effects on patients, families, and communities. Moving discoveries to practice expeditiously is paramount to impacting cancer outcomes. The continuing education of cancer care professionals throughout their practice life is vital to facilitating the adoption of therapeutic innovations. Meanwhile, more general educational programs serve to keep cancer patients, their families, and the public informed of the latest findings in cancer research. The National Cancer Institute conducted an assessment of the current knowledge base for cancer education which involved two literature reviews, one of the general literature of the evaluation of medical and health education efforts, and the other of the preceding 5 years of the Journal of Cancer Education (JCE). These reviews explored a wide range of educational models and methodologies. In general, those that were most effective used multiple methodologies, interactive techniques, and multiple exposures over time. Less than one third of the articles in the JCE reported on a cancer education or communication product, and of these, only 70% had been evaluated for effectiveness. Recommendations to improve the evaluation of cancer education and the educational focus of the JCE are provided.

    7. HomeADL for adaptive ADL monitoring within smart homes.

      PubMed

      Hong, Xin; Nugent, Chris D; Finlay, Dewar D; Mulvenna, Maurice

      2008-01-01

      In this paper we present homeADL: a representation standard for an inference hierarchy of activities of daily living which may be monitored in a sensor equipped smart home. The approach allows a free exchange of ADL monitoring structures between different communities who share the same concern of providing high quality healthcare to the elderly. Its ability of matching different ADL protocols enables a mapping between an ADL protocol to a suitable smart home which makes an effective management of smart homes within a community hence, not only being able to satisfy an individual's healthcare requirements but also efficiently using monitoring resources at hand.

    8. Online Educators' Recommendations for Teaching Online: Crowdsourcing in Action

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Dunlap, Joanna C.; Lowenthal, Patrick R.

      2018-01-01

      Over the years, online educators have learned a great deal about what works and does not work when designing and facilitating online courses. During the past few years, we have used crowdsourcing to invite experienced online educators to share their recommendations for teaching online. In this article, we describe our use of crowdsourcing to…

    9. Online Education Forum--Part Three: A Quality Online Educational Experience

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Dykman, Charlene A.; Davis, Charles K.

      2008-01-01

      This is the third in a series of three papers about online pedagogy and educational practice as part of the JISE "Online Education Forum." This paper deals with the question: "What approaches help assure a quality online educational experience?" Clearly achieving quality is the chief concern of everyone involved with online education. This article…

    10. Home Use Tests

      MedlinePlus

      ... Medical Devices Radiation-Emitting Products Vaccines, Blood & Biologics Animal & Veterinary Cosmetics Tobacco Products Medical Devices Home Medical Devices Products and Medical Procedures In Vitro Diagnostics Home Use Tests Home Use Tests Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it ...

    11. Ethics and safety in home care: perspectives on home support workers.

      PubMed

      Storch, Janet; Curry, Cherie Geering; Stevenson, Lynn; Macdonald, Marilyn; Lang, Ariella

      2014-03-01

      Home support workers (HSWs) encounter unique safety issues in their provision of home care. These issues raise ethical concerns, affecting the care workers provide to seniors and other recipients. This paper is derived from a subproject of a larger Canada-wide study, Safety at Home: A Pan-Canadian Home Care Safety Study, released in June 2013 by the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. Semi-structured, face-to-face, audiotaped interviews were conducted with providers, clients and informal caregivers in British Columbia, Manitoba and New Brunswick to better understand their perceptions of patient safety in home care. Using the BC data only, we then compared our findings to findings of other BC studies focusing on safety in home care that were conducted over the past decade. Through our interviews and comparative analyses it became clear that HSWs experienced significant inequities in providing home care. Utilizing a model depicting concerns of and for HSWs developed by Craven and colleagues (2012), we were able to illustrate the physical, spatial, interpersonal and temporal concerns set in the context of system design that emphasized the ethical dilemmas of HSWs in home care. Our data suggested the necessity of adding a fifth domain, organizational (system design). In this paper, we issue a call for stronger advocacy for home care and improved collaboration and resource equity between institutional care and community care.

    12. Hospital at home: home-based end of life care

      PubMed Central

      Shepperd, Sasha; Wee, Bee; Straus, Sharon E

      2014-01-01

      Background The policy in a number of countries is to provide people with a terminal illness the choice of dying at home. This policy is supported by surveys indicating that the general public and patients with a terminal illness would prefer to receive end of life care at home. Objectives To determine if providing home-based end of life care reduces the likelihood of dying in hospital and what effect this has on patients’ symptoms, quality of life, health service costs and care givers compared with inpatient hospital or hospice care. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library) to October 2009, Ovid MED-LINE(R) 1950 to March 2011, EMBASE 1980 to October 2009, CINAHL 1982 to October 2009 and EconLit to October 2009. We checked the reference lists of articles identified for potentially relevant articles. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials, interrupted time series or controlled before and after studies evaluating the effectiveness of home-based end of life care with inpatient hospital or hospice care for people aged 18 years and older. Data collection and analysis Two authors independently extracted data and assessed study quality. We combined the published data for dichotomous outcomes using fixed-effect Mantel-Haenszel meta-analysis. When combining outcome data was not possible we presented the data in narrative summary tables. Main results We included four trials in this review. Those receiving home-based end of life care were statistically significantly more likely to die at home compared with those receiving usual care (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.55, P = 0.0002; Chi 2 = 1.72, df = 2, P = 0.42, I2 = 0% (three trials; N=652)). We detected no statistically significant differences for functional status (measured by the Barthel Index), psychological well-being or cognitive status, between patients receiving home-based end of life care compared with those receiving standard care (which

    13. JCE Resources for Chemistry and Art.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Jacobsen, Erica K.

      2001-01-01

      Includes an annotated bibliography of articles featured in this journal on art, dyes, glass, pottery and ceramics, interdisciplinary courses in art and chemistry, light and color, metalwork, and music. (YDS)

    14. Online Social Networking for HIV Education and Prevention: A Mixed Methods Analysis

      PubMed Central

      Young, Sean D.; Jaganath, Devan

      2013-01-01

      Background The purpose of this study is to use mixed (qualitative/quantitative) methods to determine 1) the feasibility and acceptability of using online social networking to facilitate HIV-related discussions, and 2) the relationship between HIV-related online discussions and requests for a home-based HIV testing kit, among men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods Participants, primarily African American and Latino, were invited to join a “secret” group on the social networking website, Facebook. Peer leaders, trained in HIV prevention, posted HIV-related content. Participants were not obligated to respond to discussions or remain within the group. Participant public group conversations were qualitatively and thematically analyzed. Quantitative methods tested associations between qualitative data, participants’ demographic information, and likelihood of requesting a home-based HIV testing kit. Results Latino and African-American participants (N=57) voluntarily used Facebook to discuss the following HIV-related topics (N=485 conversations): Prevention and Testing; Knowledge; Stigma; and Advocacy. Older participants more frequently discussed Prevention and Testing, Stigma, and Advocacy, though younger participants more frequently discussed HIV Knowledge-related conversations. As the study progressed, the proportion of messages related to Prevention and Testing and HIV Stigma increased. Multivariate analysis showed that participants posting about HIV Prevention and Testing (compared to those who did not) were significantly more likely to request an HIV testing kit (OR 11.14, p = 0.001). Conclusions Facebook can serve as an innovative forum to increase both HIV prevention discussions and HIV testing requests among at-risk groups. PMID:23324979

    15. Smart homes and home health monitoring technologies for older adults: A systematic review.

      PubMed

      Liu, Lili; Stroulia, Eleni; Nikolaidis, Ioanis; Miguel-Cruz, Antonio; Rios Rincon, Adriana

      2016-07-01

      Around the world, populations are aging and there is a growing concern about ways that older adults can maintain their health and well-being while living in their homes. The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic literature review to determine: (1) the levels of technology readiness among older adults and, (2) evidence for smart homes and home-based health-monitoring technologies that support aging in place for older adults who have complex needs. We identified and analyzed 48 of 1863 relevant papers. Our analyses found that: (1) technology-readiness level for smart homes and home health monitoring technologies is low; (2) the highest level of evidence is 1b (i.e., one randomized controlled trial with a PEDro score ≥6); smart homes and home health monitoring technologies are used to monitor activities of daily living, cognitive decline and mental health, and heart conditions in older adults with complex needs; (3) there is no evidence that smart homes and home health monitoring technologies help address disability prediction and health-related quality of life, or fall prevention; and (4) there is conflicting evidence that smart homes and home health monitoring technologies help address chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The level of technology readiness for smart homes and home health monitoring technologies is still low. The highest level of evidence found was in a study that supported home health technologies for use in monitoring activities of daily living, cognitive decline, mental health, and heart conditions in older adults with complex needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

    16. Online genetic counseling from the providers' perspective: counselors' evaluations and a time and cost analysis.

      PubMed

      Otten, Ellen; Birnie, Erwin; Ranchor, Adelita V; van Langen, Irene M

      2016-08-01

      Telemedicine applications are increasingly being introduced in patient care in various disciplines, including clinical genetics, mainly to increase access to care and to reduce time and costs for patients and professionals. Most telegenetics reports describe applications in large geographical areas, showing positive patients' and professionals' satisfaction. One economic analysis published thus far reported lower costs than in-person care. We hypothesized that telegenetics can also be beneficial from the professional's view in relatively small geographical areas. We performed a pilot study in the Northern Netherlands of 51 home-based online counseling sessions for cardiogenetic and oncogenetic cascade screening, and urgent prenatal counseling. Previously, we showed patient satisfaction, anxiety, and perceived control of online counseling to be comparable to in-person counseling. This study focuses on expectations, satisfaction, and practical evaluations of the involved counselors, and the impact in terms of time and costs. Most counselors expected disadvantages of online counseling for themselves and their patients, mainly concerning insufficient non-verbal communication; few expected advantages for themselves. Afterwards, counselors additionally raised the disadvantage of insufficient verbal communication, and reported frequent technical problems. Their overall mean telemedicine satisfaction itemscore was 3.38 before, and 2.95 afterwards, being afterwards slightly below the minimum level we set for a satisfactory result. We estimated reduced time and costs by online counseling with about 8% and 10-12%, respectively. We showed online genetic counseling to be effective, feasible and cost-efficient, but technical improvements are needed to increase counselors' satisfaction.

    17. Home Care Services

      MedlinePlus

      Home care is care that allows a person with special needs stay in their home. It might be for people who are getting ... chronically ill, recovering from surgery, or disabled. Home care services include Personal care, such as help with ...

    18. Attitudes of palliative home care physicians towards palliative sedation at home in Italy.

      PubMed

      Mercadante, Sebastiano; Masedu, Francesco; Mercadante, Alessandro; Marinangeli, Franco; Aielli, Federica

      2017-05-01

      Information about the attitudes towards palliative sedation (PS) at home is limited. The aim of this survey was to assess the attitudes of palliative care physicians in Italy regarding PS at home. A questionnaire was submitted to a sample of palliative care physicians, asking information about their activity and attitudes towards PS at home. This is a survey of home care physicians in Italy who were involved in end-of-life care decisions at home. One hundred and fifty participants responded. A large heterogeneity of home care organizations that generate some problems was found. Indications, intention and monitoring of PS seem to be appropriate, although some cultural and logistic conditions were limiting the use of PS. Specialized home care physicians are almost involved to start PS at home. Midazolam was seldom available at home and opioids were more frequently used. These data should prompt health care agencies to make a minimal set of drugs easily available for home care. Further research is necessary to compare attitudes in countries with different sociocultural profiles.

    19. Analyzing user-generated online content for drug discovery: development and use of MedCrawler.

      PubMed

      Helfenstein, Andreas; Tammela, Päivi

      2017-04-15

      Ethnopharmacology, or the scientific validation of traditional medicine, is a respected starting point in drug discovery. Home remedies and traditional use of plants are still widespread, also in Western societies. Instead of perusing ancient pharmacopeias, we developed MedCrawler, which we used to analyze blog posts for mentions of home remedies and their applications. This method is free and accessible from the office computer. We developed MedCrawler, a data mining tool for analyzing user-generated blog posts aiming to find modern 'traditional' medicine or home remedies. It searches user-generated blog posts and analyzes them for correlations between medically relevant terms. We also present examples and show that this method is capable of delivering both scientifically validated uses as well as not so well documented applications, which might serve as a starting point for follow-up research. Source code is available on GitHub at {{ https://github.com/a-hel/medcrawler }}. paivi.tammela@helsinki.fi. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

    20. The marketing plan and outcome indicators for recruiting and retaining parents in the HomeStyles randomized controlled trial.

      PubMed

      Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Delaney, Colleen; Martin-Biggers, Jennifer; Koenings, Mallory; Quick, Virginia

      2017-11-15

      Despite the critical importance of successful recruitment and retention to study integrity, reporting of recruitment and retention strategies along with factors associated with successful recruitment and retention of participants in health-related interventions remain rare, especially for health and obesity prevention programs. Thus, the purpose of this article is to retrospectively examine the recruitment and retention marketing plan used in the online HomeStyles randomized controlled trial (RCT) and discuss outcomes associated with completion of the intervention. The HomeStyles RCT is an online intervention developed to motivate parents of young children to gain the skills and self-confidence needed to shape home environments and lifestyles to be protective against childhood obesity. Using the seven Ps of services marketing (i.e., people, place, product, physical evidence, price, promotion, and process), a comprehensive and systematic plan for recruitment and retention was implemented and outcomes assessed. A total of 489 parents with a young child aged 2 to < 6 years were eligible to participate, a final capture rate of 33%. Only 23% of Hispanic participants chose to use the Spanish-language version of HomeStyles intervention materials, below the demand anticipated. However, Hispanic enrollment overall was substantially higher than the U.S. population proportion (i.e., 17%). The number of participants prematurely leaving the study was similar in both treatment groups, indicating attrition was not differential. Completers reported high satisfaction of HomeStyles, using a 1-5 scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) on guide attractiveness, interestingness, and usefulness. Despite all the retention efforts, the average monthly recruitment accrual rate of ~ 33 eligible enrolled participants at baseline (i.e., 489 participants/15-month recruitment period), declined to ~ 18, 11, 9, and 8 remaining recruited participants/month at midpoint, post, follow

    1. Bringing Your Baby Home

      MedlinePlus

      ... for Educators Search English Español Bringing Your Baby Home KidsHealth / For Parents / Bringing Your Baby Home What's ... recall your baby's seemingly endless crying episodes. The Home Front Introducing your baby to others at home ...

    2. 24 CFR 982.610 - Group home: Who may reside in a group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

      2014-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Group home: Who may reside in a group home. 982.610 Section 982.610 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND... Housing Types Group Home § 982.610 Group home: Who may reside in a group home. (a) An elderly person or a...

    3. 24 CFR 982.610 - Group home: Who may reside in a group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

      2010-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Group home: Who may reside in a group home. 982.610 Section 982.610 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and... Housing Types Group Home § 982.610 Group home: Who may reside in a group home. (a) An elderly person or a...

    4. 24 CFR 982.610 - Group home: Who may reside in a group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

      2013-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Group home: Who may reside in a group home. 982.610 Section 982.610 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND... Housing Types Group Home § 982.610 Group home: Who may reside in a group home. (a) An elderly person or a...

    5. 24 CFR 982.610 - Group home: Who may reside in a group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

      2011-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Group home: Who may reside in a group home. 982.610 Section 982.610 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND... Housing Types Group Home § 982.610 Group home: Who may reside in a group home. (a) An elderly person or a...

    6. 24 CFR 982.610 - Group home: Who may reside in a group home.

      Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

      2012-04-01

      ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Group home: Who may reside in a group home. 982.610 Section 982.610 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO HOUSING AND... Housing Types Group Home § 982.610 Group home: Who may reside in a group home. (a) An elderly person or a...

    7. Exploring the relationship between nursing home financial performance and management entrepreneurial attributes.

      PubMed

      Davis, Jullet A; Marino, Louis D; Vecchiarini, Mariangela

      2013-01-01

      This paper explores the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) (i.e., their innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking) and financial performance in nursing homes. We hypothesize that nursing homes that are more proactive will report better short-term financial performance, while when firms with higher propensities for innovativeness and risk-taking will experience poorer financial performance in the short period due to the high costs associated with the initial adoption of innovation and with pursuing high-risks ventures. In 2004, a survey was developed and mailed to a population of 670 nursing homes in the state of Florida who were listed in the Florida Nursing Home Guide of the Agency for Health Care Administration. The final sample for this study included 104 respondents. The data from these surveys were merged with additional variables gathered from the 2004 Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) system and the 2004/2005 Medicare Cost Reports (MCR). EO was operationalized using a nine-item scale adapted from Covin and Slevin (1989), and financial performance was assessed using total profit margin. The overall findings suggest partial support for the hypotheses. Support was found for the negative relationship between innovativeness and short-term financial performance, but only partial support was found for the relationship between performance and risk-taking. Our results demonstrated that the various aspects of entrepreneurial behaviors have a differential effect on firm performance. From a managerial perspective, nursing home administrators may continue to seek ways to be entrepreneurial while understanding that some activities may only lead to short-term profitability. These findings should not dissuade administrators from innovative behaviors. They do suggest, however, that innovative administrators should prepare for some initial decrease in profitability following new service implementation. Findings suggest that to varying

    8. Computer use, internet access, and online health searching among Harlem adults.

      PubMed

      Cohall, Alwyn T; Nye, Andrea; Moon-Howard, Joyce; Kukafka, Rita; Dye, Bonnie; Vaughan, Roger D; Northridge, Mary E

      2011-01-01

      Computer use, Internet access, and online searching for health information were assessed toward enhancing Internet use for health promotion. Cross-sectional random digit dial landline phone survey. Eight zip codes that comprised Central Harlem/Hamilton Heights and East Harlem in New York City. Adults 18 years and older (N=646). Demographic characteristics, computer use, Internet access, and online searching for health information. Frequencies for categorical variables and means and standard deviations for continuous variables were calculated and compared with analogous findings reported in national surveys from similar time periods. Among Harlem adults, ever computer use and current Internet use were 77% and 52%, respectively. High-speed home Internet connections were somewhat lower for Harlem adults than for U.S. adults overall (43% vs. 68%). Current Internet users in Harlem were more likely to be younger, white vs. black or Hispanic, better educated, and in better self-reported health than non-current users (p<.01). Of those who reported searching online for health information, 74% sought information on medical problems and thought that information found on the Internet affected the way they eat (47%) or exercise (44%). Many Harlem adults currently use the Internet to search for health information. High-speed connections and culturally relevant materials may facilitate health information searching for underserved groups. Copyright © 2011 by American Journal of Health Promotion, Inc.

    9. A roundtable discussion: home healthcare-not a hospital in the home.

      PubMed

      Logan, Mary K; Parker, Chuck; Gardner-Bonneau, Daryle; Treu, Denny; Keller, James; Winstel, Lisa; Weick-Brady, Mary; Kramer, Nancy; Cyrus, Reginald; Thiel, Scott; Lewis, Vicki R; Rogers, Wendy

      2013-01-01

      Home healthcare is vital for a large percentage of the population. According to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 7 million people in the United States receive home healthcare annually. The use of medical devices in the home and other nonclinical environments is increasing dramatically. By the year 2050, an estimated 27 million people will need continuing care in the home or in the community and not in a controlled clinical environment. 1 The FDA recently announced its Home Use Devices Initiative and issued the document, "Draft Guidance for Industry and FDA Staff-Design Considerations for Devices Intended for Home Use" on Dec. 12, 2012. 2 The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) regulates medical devices, but that regulatory authority alone is not enough to ensure safe and effective use of devices in the home. To address these and other issues, AAMI and FDA will co-host a summit on healthcare technology in nonclinical settings Oct. 9-10, 2013.

    10. Quality of Life in Group Homes and Older Persons' Homes

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Higgins, Laura; Mansell, Jim

      2009-01-01

      Older people with intellectual disabilities sometimes live in older people's homes rather than homes for people with intellectual disabilities. Little is known about their quality of life in these homes. A non-equivalent comparison group design was used to compare the quality of life of 59 people in three groups; older people without an…

    11. Teachers' Online Experience: Is There a Covert Curriculum in Online Professional Development?

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Norton, Priscilla; Hathaway, Dawn

      2015-01-01

      Although the literature emphasizes the need for teachers to have online learning experiences in preparation for teaching online, teachers have few opportunities to experience online learning. One opportunity is online professional development. The authors hypothesized that online professional development might serve not only as a way to gain…

    12. Facilitating home birth.

      PubMed

      Finigan, Valerie; Chadderton, Diane

      2015-06-01

      The birth of a baby is a family experience. However, in the United Kingdom birth often occurs outside the family environment, in hospital. Both home and hospital births have risks and benefits, but research shows that, for most women, it is as safe to give birth at home as it is in hospital. Women report home-birth to be satisfying with lowered risks of intervention and less likelihood of being separated from their family. It is also more cost effective for the National Health Service. Yet, whilst midwives are working hard to promote home birth as an option, it remains controversial. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of the safety of home birth and the needs of women and midwives when a home birth is chosen. It provides an overview of care required and the role of the midwife in the ensuring care is woman-centred and personalised.

    13. Hospice and nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Castle, N G

      1999-01-01

      In this article a descriptive analysis of nursing homes with special care hospice units is provided. These are compared to nursing homes with other special care units and to nursing homes without any special care units. An analysis of the determinants of nursing homes with special care hospice units is also provided. Factors such as ownership, staffing levels, having other special care units, case-mix intensity, competitiveness of the nursing home market, and the state Medicaid reimbursement rate structure are examined. Finally, the influence of policies on hospice care in nursing homes is discussed.

    14. Heat protection behaviour in the UK: results of an online survey after the 2013 heatwave.

      PubMed

      Khare, Swarna; Hajat, Shakoor; Kovats, Sari; Lefevre, Carmen E; de Bruin, Wändi Bruine; Dessai, Suraje; Bone, Angie

      2015-09-10

      The Heatwave Plan for England provides guidance for personal and home protection measures during heatwaves. Although studies in the USA, Australia and Europe have surveyed heat-related behaviours during heatwaves, few have been conducted in the UK. This study assesses personal and housing (at-home) behaviour and housing characteristics of the UK population during the 2013 heatwave. This paper analyses data from 1497 respondents of an online survey on heat protection measures and behaviour. Participants were asked questions about their behaviour during the 2013 heatwave, the characteristics of their current housing as well as about any negative health outcomes experienced due to the hot weather. We used multinomial logit regression to analyse personal and home heat protection behaviour and logistic regression to analyse characteristics of participants' current home (installed air conditioner, curtains etc.). We stratified the outcomes by age, sex, ethnicity, income, education and regional location. In 2013, for all heat-related illness (except tiredness), a higher proportion of those in the younger age groups reported symptoms compared with those in the older age groups. Women, higher income groups and those with higher education levels were found to be more likely to report always/often taking personal heat protective measures. The elderly were less likely to take some personal and home protective measures but were more likely to live in insulated homes and open windows at night to keep their home cool. Our study has found a high level of awareness of the actions to take during heatwaves in the UK, and has identified important demographic indicators of sections of the UK population that might benefit from additional or more targeted information. The health agencies should attempt to provide better information about heatwaves to those vulnerable (elderly, those at risk living in London, low income earners) or identify any barriers that might be preventing them from

    15. Snails home

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Dunstan, D. J.; Hodgson, D. J.

      2014-06-01

      Many gardeners and horticulturalists seek non-chemical methods to control populations of snails. It has frequently been reported that snails that are marked and removed from a garden are later found in the garden again. This phenomenon is often cited as evidence for a homing instinct. We report a systematic study of the snail population in a small suburban garden, in which large numbers of snails were marked and removed over a period of about 6 months. While many returned, inferring a homing instinct from this evidence requires statistical modelling. Monte Carlo techniques demonstrate that movements of snails are better explained by drift under the influence of a homing instinct than by random diffusion. Maximum likelihood techniques infer the existence of two groups of snails in the garden: members of a larger population that show little affinity to the garden itself, and core members of a local garden population that regularly return to their home if removed. The data are strongly suggestive of a homing instinct, but also reveal that snail-throwing can work as a pest management strategy.

    16. Simple & Secure: Attitude and behaviour towards security and usability in internet products and services at home

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Wolthuis, Reinder; Broenink, Gerben; Fransen, Frank; Schultz, Sven; de Vries, Arnout

      This paper is the result of research on the security perception of users in ICT services and equipment. We analyze the rationale of users to have an interest in security and to decide to change security parameters of equipment and services. We focus on the home environment, where more and more devices are (inter)connected to form a complex end-to-end chain in using online services. In our research, we constructed a model to determine the delta between the perceived overall security and the real security in home networks. To achieve an understanding of perception and how to identify the delta between perceived and real security, our work forms the basis for examining how perception relates to behaviour. Since humans are referred to as the weakest link in security, there are also differences in behaviour and desired behaviour from a security perspective.

    17. RITES: Online (Reaching In-Service Teachers With Earth Sciences Online)

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Baptiste, H.

      2002-12-01

      The RITES: Online project team (Drs. H. Prentice Baptiste, Susan Brown, Jennifer Villa) believe that the power of technology could not be effectively utilized unless it is grounded in new models of teaching and learning based on a student centered and project based curriculum, that increases opportunities for active, hands-on learning and respect for multiculturalism. We subscribe to an inquiry approach to learning. Specifically, science teaching should actively engage the learners in activities that draw on multiple abilities and learning styles. Recent brain-based research has shown that human beings construct knowledge through actions and interactions within their environment. Learning occurs in communities, and new ideas are linked to previous knowledge and constructed by the learner. Knowledge is acquired by making connections. We believe the aforementioned ideas and points to be equally true for the inservice teachers participating in the RITES: Online project as well as for their students. The ESSEA science courses are delivered by distance learning via the university WebCt distance education system. Teachers are encouraged to use technology in their classrooms and to record their students' involvement in science activities with digital cameras. Teachers involved in the ESSEA courses are engaged in earth science inquiry activities relevant to the four spheres (atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere) with the students in their classes. This presentation will highlight the teachers in the roles of designer, researcher, and collaborator. As a result of our courses our teachers attain the following positive outcomes: 1) Teachers experience the inquiry approach to learning about the spheres of our earth. 2) Teachers become confident in using technology. 3) Teachers learn to work cooperatively in-groups and understand what their own students must feel. 4) Teachers find ways to obtain dynamic professional development and not leave their classrooms or homes

    18. [Home blood transfusion].

      PubMed

      Gay, V; Prévôt, G; Amico, I; Bonnet, B; Mansard, M-O

      2010-12-01

      The development of alternatives to hospitalization including home medical care (HAD), an aging population and a more secure transfusion raises the question of the feasibility of home blood transfusion. The legislation allows the home blood transfusion under specified conditions, but when they are met, the texts on nursing care and the transfusion gesture may hamper this progress. We report our experience of 3 years: a protocol was established to do home blood transfusions by trained transfusion nurses from the HAD. Six patients were eligible for transfusion at home but only three of them could be treated at home. Moreover, since late 2009, the Nursing Department no longer allows this practice for legal reasons. At the same time, a questionnaire was sent to 224 HAD to find out about their practice on the subject. In the light of practices in different countries, earnings for the quality of life of the patient, lack of space in hospitals and the aging population, it seems essential to change the law to permit a rational transfusion, thoughtful, safe for the patient at home and for caregivers who are involved. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

    19. How to Better Engage Online Students with Online Strategies

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Britt, Margaret

      2015-01-01

      Online education is growing at a phenomenal rate. This growth in online education offers many opportunities to colleges and universities to reach students who may not have attended a traditional (brick and mortar) college or university. Online education also gives students more control over their education along with a more flexible schedule. As…

    20. Home range and travels

      USGS Publications Warehouse

      Stickel, L.F.; King, John A.

      1968-01-01

      The concept of home range was expressed by Seton (1909) in the term 'home region,' which Burr (1940, 1943) clarified with a definition of home range and exemplified in a definitive study of Peromyscus in the field. Burt pointed out the ever-changing characteristics of home-range area and the consequent absence of boundaries in the usual sense--a finding verified by investigators thereafter. In the studies summarized in this paper, sizes of home ranges of Peromyscus varied within two magnitudes, approximately from 0.1 acre to ten acres, in 34 studies conducted in a variety of habitats from the seaside dunes of Florida to the Alaskan forests. Variation in sizes of home ranges was correlated with both environmental and physiological factors; with habitat it was conspicuous, both in the same and different regions. Food supply also was related to size of home range, both seasonally and in relation to habitat. Home ranges generally were smallest in winter and largest in spring, at the onset of the breeding season. Activity and size also were affected by changes in weather. Activity was least when temperatures were low and nights were bright. Effects of rainfall were variable. Sizes varied according to sex and age; young mice remained in the parents' range until they approached maturity, when they began to travel more widely. Adult males commonly had larger home ranges than females, although there were a number of exceptions. An inverse relationship between population density and size of home range was shown in several studies and probably is the usual relationship. A basic need for activity and exploration also appeared to influence size of home range. Behavior within the home range was discussed in terms of travel patterns, travels in relation to home sites and refuges, territory, and stability of size of home range. Travels within the home range consisted of repeated use of well-worn trails to sites of food, shelter, and refuge, plus more random exploratory travels

    1. DOE Challenge Home Case Study: e2 Homes – Winter Park, Florida

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      none,

      2013-01-01

      This Challenge Home case study describes the first certified DOE Challenge Home as constructed by e2 Homes. Completed in May 2012, the “Wilson Residence” in Winter Park, Florida, is a 4,305-ft2 custom home that scores a HERS 57 without solar and a better than zero net-energy HERS -7 with solar.

    2. Home Sweet Home: Parent and Home Environmental Factors in Adolescent Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages.

      PubMed

      Bogart, Laura M; Elliott, Marc N; Ober, Allison J; Klein, David J; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Cowgill, Burton O; Uyeda, Kimberly; Schuster, Mark A

      2017-07-01

      Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are key contributors to obesity among youth. We investigated associations among parental and home-related factors (parental attitudes and consumption; home availability) regarding 3 types of SSBs-soda, sports drinks, and fruit-flavored drinks-with consumption of each type of SSB in a general school-based sample of adolescents. Data were collected across 3 school semesters, from 2009 to 2011. A total of 1313 seventh grade student-parent dyads participated. Students completed in-class surveys across 9 schools in a large Los Angeles school district; their parents completed telephone interviews. Youth were asked about their SSB consumption (soda, sports drinks, and fruit-flavored drinks), and parents were asked about their attitudes, consumption, and home availability of SSBs. We estimated expected rates of youth SSB consumption for hypothetical parents at very low (5th) and very high (95th) percentiles for home/parental risk factors (ie, they consumed little, had negative attitudes, and did not keep SSBs in the home; or they consumed a lot, had positive attitudes, and did keep SSBs in the home). Youth of lower-risk parents (at the 5th percentile) were estimated to drink substantially less of each type of beverage than did youth of higher-risk parents (at the 95th percentile). For example, youth with higher-risk parents averaged nearly double the SSB consumption of youth of lower-risk parents (2.77 vs 1.37 glasses on the previous day; overall model significance F 22,1312  = 3.91, P < .001). Results suggest a need to focus on parental and home environmental factors when intervening to reduce youths' SSB consumption. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    3. Online Organic Chemistry

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Janowicz, Philip A.

      2010-01-01

      This is a comprehensive study of the many facets of an entirely online organic chemistry course. Online homework with structure-drawing capabilities was found to be more effective than written homework. Online lecture was found to be just as effective as in-person lecture, and students prefer an online lecture format with shorter Webcasts. Online…

    4. Outcomes of home-based employment service programs for people with disabilities and their related factors--a preliminary study in Taiwan.

      PubMed

      Lin, Yi-Jiun; Huang, I-Chun; Wang, Yun-Tung

      2014-01-01

      The aim of this exploratory study is to gain an understanding of the outcomes of home-based employment service programs for people with disabilities and their related factors in Taiwan. This study used survey method to collect 132 questionnaires. Descriptive and two-variable statistics including chi-square (χ(2)), independent sample t-test and analysis of variance were employed. The results found that 36.5% of the subjects improved their employment status and 75.8% of them improved in employability. Educational level and and vocational categories including "web page production", "e-commerce", "internet marketing", "on-line store" and "website set-up and management" were significantly "positively" associated with either of the two outcome indicators - change of employment status and employability. This study is the first evidence-based study about the outcomes of home-based employment service programs and their related factors for people with disabilities in Taiwan. The outcomes of the home-based employment service programs for people with disabilities were presented. Implications for Rehabilitation Home-based rehabilitation for people with disabilities can be effective. A programme of this kind supports participants in improving or gaining employment status as well as developing employability skills. Further consideration should be given to developing cost-effective home-based programmes and evaluating their effectiveness.

    5. Online Poker Gambling in University Students: Further Findings from an Online Survey

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Griffiths, Mark; Parke, Jonathan; Wood, Richard; Rigbye, Jane

      2010-01-01

      Online poker is one of the fastest growing forms of online gambling yet there has been relatively little research to date. This study comprised 422 online poker players (362 males and 60 females) and investigated some of the predicting factors of online poker success and problem gambling using an online questionnaire. Results showed that length of…

    6. Cost-effectiveness implications based on a comparison of nursing home and home health case mix.

      PubMed Central

      Kramer, A M; Shaughnessy, P W; Pettigrew, M L

      1985-01-01

      Case-mix differences between 653 home health care patients and 650 nursing home patients, and between 455 Medicare home health patients and 447 Medicare nursing home patients were assessed using random samples selected from 20 home health agencies and 46 nursing homes in 12 states in 1982 and 1983. Home health patients were younger, had shorter lengths of stay, and were less functionally disabled than nursing home patients. Traditional long-term care problems requiring personal care were more common among nursing home patients, whereas problems requiring skilled nursing services were more prevalent among home health patients. Considering Medicare patients only, nursing home patients were much more likely to be dependent in activities of daily living (ADLs) than home health patients. Medicare nursing home and home health patients were relatively similar in terms of long-term care problems, and differences in medical problems were less pronounced than between all nursing home and all home health patients. From the standpoint of cost-effectiveness, it would appear that home health care might provide a substitute for acute care hospital use at the end of a hospital stay, and appears to be a more viable option in the care of patients who are not severely disabled and do not have profound functional problems. The Medicare skilled nursing facility, however, is likely to continue to have a crucial role in posthospital care as the treatment modality of choice for individuals who require both highly skilled care and functional assistance. PMID:3932258

    7. Adherence of pain assessment to the German national standard for pain management in 12 nursing homes

      PubMed Central

      Osterbrink, Jürgen; Bauer, Zsuzsa; Mitterlehner, Barbara; Gnass, Irmela; Kutschar, Patrick

      2014-01-01

      BACKGROUND: Pain is very common among nursing home residents. The assessment of pain is a prerequisite for effective multiprofessional pain management. Within the framework of the German health services research project, ‘Action Alliance Pain-Free City Muenster’, the authors investigated pain assessment adherence according to the German national Expert Standard for Pain Management in Nursing, which is a general standard applicable to all chronic/acute pain-affected persons and highly recommended for practice. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the state of pain assessment and to identify need for improvement in 12 nursing homes in a German city. METHODS: In the present study, the authors used an ex-post-facto design (survey methodology). Available written policies for routine pain assessment in residents ≥65 years of age were reviewed and a standardized online survey completed by 151 of 349 nurses in 12 nursing home facilities was conducted between September 2010 and April 2011. RESULTS: Most of the included nursing homes provided written policies for pain assessment, and the majority of nurses reported that they assess and regularly reassess pain. However, observational tools for residents with severe cognitive impairment and written reassessment schedules were lacking in many facilities or were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS: Essentially, pain assessment appeared to be feasible in the majority of the German nursing homes studied. However, the absence or inconsistency of reassessment schedules indicate that pain management guidelines should include a detailed and explicit reassessment schedule for the heterogenic needs of nursing home residents. For residents with severe cognitive impairment, assessment tools are needed that are simple to use and clearly indicate the presence or absence of pain. PMID:24851238

    8. Disseminating Innovations in Teaching Value-Based Care Through an Online Learning Network.

      PubMed

      Gupta, Reshma; Shah, Neel T; Moriates, Christopher; Wallingford, September; Arora, Vineet M

      2017-08-01

      A national imperative to provide value-based care requires new strategies to teach clinicians about high-value care. We developed a virtual online learning network aimed at disseminating emerging strategies in teaching value-based care. The online Teaching Value in Health Care Learning Network includes monthly webinars that feature selected innovators, online discussion forums, and a repository for sharing tools. The learning network comprises clinician-educators and health system leaders across North America. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of all webinar presenters and the active members of the network, and we assessed program feasibility. Six months after the program launched, there were 277 learning community members in 22 US states. Of the 74 active members, 50 (68%) completed the evaluation. Active members represented independently practicing physicians and trainees in 7 specialties, nurses, educators, and health system leaders. Nearly all speakers reported that the learning network provided them with a unique opportunity to connect with a different audience and achieve greater recognition for their work. Of the members who were active in the learning network, most reported that strategies gleaned from the network were helpful, and some adopted or adapted these innovations at their home institutions. One year after the program launched, the learning network had grown to 364 total members. The learning network helped participants share and implement innovations to promote high-value care. The model can help disseminate innovations in emerging areas of health care transformation, and is sustainable without ongoing support after a period of start-up funding.

    9. The Flipped Classroom in Emergency Medicine Using Online Videos with Interpolated Questions.

      PubMed

      Rose, Emily; Claudius, Ilene; Tabatabai, Ramin; Kearl, Liza; Behar, Solomon; Jhun, Paul

      2016-09-01

      Utilizing the flipped classroom is an opportunity for a more engaged classroom session. This educational approach is theorized to improve learner engagement and retention and allows for more complex learning during class. No studies to date have been conducted in the postgraduate medical education setting investigating the effects of interactive, interpolated questions in preclassroom online video material. We created a flipped classroom for core pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) topics using recorded online video lectures for preclassroom material and interactive simulations for the in-classroom session. Lectures were filmed and edited to include integrated questions on an online platform called Zaption. One-half of the residents viewed the lectures uninterrupted (Group A) and the remainder (Group B) viewed with integrated questions (2-6 per 5-15-min segment). Residents were expected to view the lectures prior to in-class time (total viewing time of approximately 2½ h). The 2½-h in-class session included four simulation and three procedure stations, with six PEM faculty available for higher-level management discussion throughout the stations. Total educational time of home preparation and in-class time was approximately 5 h. Residents performed better on the posttest as compared to the pretest, and their satisfaction was high with this educational innovation. In 2014, performance on the posttest between the two groups was similar. However, in 2015, the group with integrated questions performed better on the posttest. An online format combined with face-to-face interaction is an effective educational model for teaching core PEM topics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    10. Healthy Homes Tools

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Peek, Gina; Lyon, Melinda; Russ, Randall

      2012-01-01

      Extension is focusing on healthy homes programming. Extension educators are not qualified to diagnose consumers' medical problems as they relate to housing. We cannot give medical advice. Instead, we can help educate consumers about home conditions that may affect their well-being. Extension educators need appropriate healthy homes tools to…

    11. Recent developments in the use of online resources and mobile technologies to support mental health care.

      PubMed

      Turvey, Carolyn L; Roberts, Lisa J

      2015-01-01

      This review describes recent developments in online and mobile mental health applications, including a discussion of patient portals to support mental health care. These technologies are rapidly evolving, often before there is systematic investigation of their effectiveness. Though there are some reviews of the effectiveness of mental health mobile apps, perhaps the more significant development is innovation in technology evaluation as well as new models of interprofessional collaboration in developing behavioural health technologies. Online mental health programs have a strong evidence base. Their role in population health strategies needs further exploration, including the most effective use of limited clinical staff resources. Patient portals and personal health records serve to enhance mental health treatment also, though concerns specific to mental health must be addressed to support broader adoption of portals. Provider concerns about sharing psychiatric notes with patients hinder support for portals. Health information exchange for mental health information requires thoughtful consent management strategies so mental health patients can benefit. Finally, the broad array of health information technologies may overwhelm patients. User-friendly, well-designed, patient-centred health information technology homes may integrate these functions to promote a holistic approach to care plans and overall wellness. Such technology homes have special security needs and require providers and patients to be well informed about how best to use these technologies to support behavioural health interventions.

    12. A Socio-Ecological Examination of Weight-Related Characteristics of the Home Environment and Lifestyles of Households with Young Children

      PubMed Central

      Quick, Virginia; Martin-Biggers, Jennifer; Povis, Gayle Alleman; Hongu, Nobuko; Worobey, John; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol

      2017-01-01

      Home environment and family lifestyle practices have an influence on child obesity risk, thereby making it critical to systematically examine these factors. Thus, parents (n = 489) of preschool children completed a cross-sectional online survey which was the baseline data collection conducted, before randomization, in the HomeStyles program. The survey comprehensively assessed these factors using a socio-ecological approach, incorporating intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental measures. Healthy intrapersonal dietary behaviors identified were parent and child intakes of recommended amounts of 100% juice and low intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages. Unhealthy behaviors included low milk intake and high parent fat intake. The home environment’s food supply was found to support healthy intakes of 100% juice and sugar-sweetened beverages, but provided too little milk and ample quantities of salty/fatty snacks. Physical activity levels, sedentary activity and the home’s physical activity and media environment were found to be less than ideal. Environmental supports for active play inside homes were moderate and somewhat better in the area immediately outside homes and in the neighborhood. Family interpersonal interaction measures revealed several positive behaviors, including frequent family meals. Parents had considerable self-efficacy in their ability to perform food- and physical activity-related childhood obesity protective practices. This study identified lifestyle practices and home environment characteristics that health educators could target to help parents promote optimal child development and lower their children’s risk for obesity. PMID:28613270

    13. Online Help Systems

      DTIC Science & Technology

      1989-09-07

      online materials (and the concomitant increase in the cost for hardcopy materials) will make online delivery the marketing choice. In sum, medium of...involved in programming, marketing , human factors research, training, and business management. Job Titles of Online Help Designers Job Title...of Company Senior Research Librarian Advisory Information Developer Research Staff Assistant Marketing Manager Manager of Online Documentation Table

    14. The Effect of State Medicaid Case-Mix Payment on Nursing Home Resident Acuity

      PubMed Central

      Feng, Zhanlian; Grabowski, David C; Intrator, Orna; Mor, Vincent

      2006-01-01

      Objective To examine the relationship between Medicaid case-mix payment and nursing home resident acuity. Data Sources Longitudinal Minimum Data Set (MDS) resident assessments from 1999 to 2002 and Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1996 to 2002, for all freestanding nursing homes in the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Study Design We used a facility fixed-effects model to examine the effect of introducing state case-mix payment on changes in nursing home case-mix acuity. Facility acuity was measured by aggregating the nursing case-mix index (NCMI) from the MDS using the Resource Utilization Group (Version III) resident classification system, separately for new admits and long-stay residents, and by an OSCAR-derived index combining a range of activity of daily living dependencies and special treatment measures. Data Collection/Extraction Methods We followed facilities over the study period to create a longitudinal data file based on the MDS and OSCAR, respectively, and linked facilities with longitudinal data on state case-mix payment policies for the same period. Principal Findings Across three acuity measures and two data sources, we found that states shifting to case-mix payment increased nursing home acuity levels over the study period. Specifically, we observed a 2.5 percent increase in the average acuity of new admits and a 1.3 to 1.4 percent increase in the acuity of long-stay residents, following the introduction of case-mix payment. Conclusions The adoption of case-mix payment increased access to care for higher acuity Medicaid residents. PMID:16899009

    15. Does hospital at home for palliative care facilitate death at home? Randomised controlled trial

      PubMed Central

      Grande, Gunn E; Todd, Chris J; Barclay, Stephen I G; Farquhar, Morag C

      1999-01-01

      Objective To evaluate the impact on place of death of a hospital at home service for palliative care. Design Pragmatic randomised controlled trial. Setting Former Cambridge health district. Participants 229 patients referred to the hospital at home service; 43 randomised to control group (standard care), 186 randomised to hospital at home. Intervention Hospital at home versus standard care. Main outcome measures Place of death. Results Twenty five (58%) control patients died at home compared with 124 (67%) patients allocated to hospital at home. This difference was not significant; intention to treat analysis did not show that hospital at home increased the number of deaths at home. Seventy three patients randomised to hospital at home were not admitted to the service. Patients admitted to hospital at home were significantly more likely to die at home (88/113; 78%) than control patients. It is not possible to determine whether this was due to hospital at home itself or other characteristics of the patients admitted to the service. The study attained less statistical power than initially planned. Conclusion In a locality with good provision of standard community care we could not show that hospital at home allowed more patients to die at home, although neither does the study refute this. Problems relating to recruitment, attrition, and the vulnerability of the patient group make randomised controlled trials in palliative care difficult. While these difficulties have to be recognised they are not insurmountable with the appropriate resourcing and setting. Key messagesTerminally ill patients allocated to hospital at home were no more likely to die at home than patients receiving standard careAlthough the subsample of patients actually admitted to hospital at home did show a significant increase in likelihood of dying at home, whether this was due to the service itself or the characteristics of patients admitted to hospital at home could not be determinedThe need to

    16. Executive Views of Home Economists in Home Equipment and Related Industries.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Michael, Carol M.

      1991-01-01

      From 32 responses of supervisors (91% male) of 87 female home economists employed in industry, it appeared executives had fairly accurate understanding of home economists' training and qualifications. Although they believed home economists had qualities for career advancement, executives rated them lower than women with business degrees. (SK)

    17. Current advance care planning practice in the Australian community: an online survey of home care package case managers and service managers.

      PubMed

      Sellars, Marcus; Detering, Karen M; Silvester, William

      2015-04-23

      Advance care planning (ACP) is the process of planning for future healthcare that is facilitated by a trained healthcare professional, whereby a person's values, beliefs and treatment preferences are made known to guide clinical decision-making at a future time when they cannot communicate their decisions. Despite the potential benefits of ACP for community aged care clients the availability of ACP is unknown, but likely to be low. In Australia many of these clients receive services through Home Care Package (HCP) programs. This study aimed to explore current attitudes, knowledge and practice of advance care planning among HCP service managers and case managers. An invitation to take part in a cross-sectional online survey was distributed by email to all HCP services across Australia in November 2012. Descriptive analyses were used to examine overall patterns of responses to each survey item in the full sample. 120 (response rate 25%) service managers and 178 (response rate 18%) case managers completed the survey. Only 34% of services had written ACP policies and procedures in place and 48% of case managers had previously completed any ACP training. In addition, although most case managers (70%) had initiated an ACP discussion in the past 12 months and viewed ACP as part of their role, the majority of the conversations (80%) did not result in documentation of the client's wishes and most (85%) of the case managers who responded did not believe ACP was done well within their service. This survey shows low organisational ACP systems and support for case managers and a lack of a normative approach to ACP across Australian HCP services. As HCPs become more prevalent it is essential that a model of ACP is developed and evaluated in this setting, so that clients have the opportunity to discuss and document their future healthcare wishes if they choose to.

    18. Online pediatric information seeking among mothers of young children: results from a qualitative study using focus groups.

      PubMed

      Bernhardt, Jay M; Felter, Elizabeth M

      2004-03-01

      Pre-natal and post-natal periods are times when many women actively seek health information from multiple sources, including the Internet. However, little is known about how pregnant women and mothers of young children seek and process online pediatric health information. To explore why and where mothers of young children look for online health information and how they determine if the information they receive is trustworthy. Focus groups were conducted in a Southeastern US city to provide an in-depth exploration of web-related behaviors and beliefs among mothers who work inside and outside of the home. Data from the focus groups were coded using deductive and inductive coding schemes and content was analyzed for the existence of themes. Twenty mothers of young children participated in four focus groups. Most participants sought information on the Internet during pregnancy and nearly all sought online information after their child was born, primarily to diagnose or treat pediatric conditions and to seek advice on parenting and development. Participants mainly used commercial information websites for health information and many expressed disdain for commercial product websites. Many also expressed concerns about the reliability of health information on the web and described strategies for determining how much they trust each website. Women appear to be high information seekers during pregnancy and the first few years following delivery, and this period represents an important window of time for providing online health information. Participants suggested that online information sources and motives for providing online information should be clear in order to increase perceptions of trust. Participants expressed preference for online clinical health information that is presented by clinical professionals, and online parenting advice that is presented from other parents.

    19. Modeling efficiency at the process level: an examination of the care planning process in nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Lee, Robert H; Bott, Marjorie J; Gajewski, Byron; Taunton, Roma Lee

      2009-02-01

      To examine the efficiency of the care planning process in nursing homes. We collected detailed primary data about the care planning process for a stratified random sample of 107 nursing homes from Kansas and Missouri. We used these data to calculate the average direct cost per care plan and used data on selected deficiencies from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting System to measure the quality of care planning. We then analyzed the efficiency of the assessment process using corrected ordinary least squares (COLS) and data envelopment analysis (DEA). Both approaches suggested that there was considerable inefficiency in the care planning process. The average COLS score was 0.43; the average DEA score was 0.48. The correlation between the two sets of scores was quite high, and there was no indication that lower costs resulted in lower quality. For-profit facilities were significantly more efficient than not-for-profit facilities. Multiple studies of nursing homes have found evidence of inefficiency, but virtually all have had measurement problems that raise questions about the results. This analysis, which focuses on a process with much simpler measurement issues, finds evidence of inefficiency that is largely consistent with earlier studies. Making nursing homes more efficient merits closer attention as a strategy for improving care. Increasing efficiency by adopting well-designed, reliable processes can simultaneously reduce costs and improve quality.

    20. Command Home Page

      Science.gov Websites

      Home Naval Special Warfare Home Subscribe to Navy News Service Search Navy.mil Advanced Search Home coordinator, explains details of the Montgomery G.I. Bill for active-duty service members to Naval Special fees, yearly books and supplies, and a monthly housing allowance to qualified service members. U.S

    1. National Structural Survey of Veterans Affairs Home-Based Primary Care Programs.

      PubMed

      Karuza, Jurgis; Gillespie, Suzanne M; Olsan, Tobie; Cai, Xeuya; Dang, Stuti; Intrator, Orna; Li, Jiejin; Gao, Shan; Kinosian, Bruce; Edes, Thomas

      2017-12-01

      To describe the current structural and practice characteristics of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) program. We designed a national survey and surveyed HBPC program directors on-line using REDCap. We received 236 surveys from 394 identified HBPC sites (60% response rate). HBPC site characteristics were quantified using closed-ended formats. HBPC program directors were most often registered nurses, and HBPC programs primarily served veterans with complex chronic illnesses that were at high risk of hospitalization and nursing home care. Primary care was delivered using interdisciplinary teams, with nurses, social workers, and registered dietitians as team members in more than 90% of the sites. Most often, nurse practitioners were the principal primary care providers (PCPs), typically working with nurse case managers. Nearly 60% of the sites reported dual PCPs involving VA and community-based physicians. Nearly all sites provided access to a core set of comprehensive services and programs (e.g., case management, supportive home health care). At the same time, there were variations according to site (e.g., size, location (urban, rural), use of non-VA hospitals, primary care models used). HBPC sites reflected the rationale and mission of HBPC by focusing on complex chronic illness of home-based veterans and providing comprehensive primary care using interdisciplinary teams. Our next series of studies will examine how HBPC site structural characteristics and care models are related to the processes and outcomes of care to determine whether there are best practice standards that define an optimal HBPC structure and care model or whether multiple approaches to HBPC better serve the needs of veterans. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

    2. Exploring Online Graduate Students' Responses to Online Self-Regulation Training

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Dunn, Karee E.; Rakes, Glenda C.

      2015-01-01

      In this study, online graduate students participated in four brief online self-regulatory trainings for self-efficacy, achievement goal orientation, learning strategies, and attributional thinking. These variables are critical to success in learning environments, but perhaps even more so in the online academic environment (Rakes, Dunn, &…

    3. At Home in the Office. A Guide for the Home Worker.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Thomas, Neil; And Others

      This guide provides information to persons interested in establishing a work-at-home program, specifically those in clerical or support staff positions who use modern automated office equipment. The text is divided into two sections. The Home Worker section provides a summary of the At Home in the Office Project, personality characteristics…

    4. Effectiveness of Home Study.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Diehl, Grover E.; And Others

      Home study has enjoyed a slow but steady growth in popularity and acceptance. The growth of independent home study may be attributed to both the realities of the present educational environment and the consistently positive results of the home study method. At least one researcher has suggested that the initially slow growth of home study may have…

    5. Online Support Service Quality, Online Learning Acceptance, and Student Satisfaction

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Lee, Jung-Wan

      2010-01-01

      This paper examines potential differences between Korean and American students in terms of their perception levels regarding online education support service quality, online learning acceptance, and satisfaction. Eight hundred and seventy-two samples, which were collected from students in online classes in the United States and Korea, were…

    6. [Home chemotherapy].

      PubMed

      Ichihara, Toshiaki

      2010-12-01

      We report the case of a male gastric cancer patient who had undergone outpatient chemotherapy with TAXOTAL+TS-1 for adrenal and lung metastases.The disease was in progress.Next, we performed home chemotherapy with TAXOL.However, this chemotherapy also was not effective either.Therefore, the patient was started on Campto with the premedication including NaseaOD, GasterD and Decadron.The 17-course was performed in the period of 12 months.However, his condition did not improve.He experienced delirium and was hospitalized and the chemotherapy was discontinued.Later, his disease was advanced further and he died.Because of our close relationship with the general hospital, this patient had undergone home chemotherapy as long as 13 months, so that if a seamless cooperation was insured, chemotherapy could have been more safely and effectively performed at the patient's home.This study suggests that home chemotherapy is an important treatment modality.

    7. Lessons Learned from Home Visiting with Home-Based Child Care Providers

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      McCabe, Lisa A.; Peterson, Shira M.; Baker, Amy C.; Dumka, Marsha; Brach, Mary Jo; Webb, Diana

      2011-01-01

      Caring for Quality and Partners in Family Child Care are home visiting programs designed to improve the quality of home-based child care. This article describes the experiences of two different home visitors to demonstrate how programs such as these can help providers improve the overall quality of care, increase children's development, and lead…

    8. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Amaris Homes, Afton Model

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

      Amaris Homes built this 3,734-ft2 home in Afton, Minnesota, to the performance criteria of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program. A high-efficiency gas boiler provides hot water for the zoned radiant floor system as well as for faucets and showers. A high-efficiency heat pump provides zoned cooling.

    9. Online genetic counseling from the providers' perspective: counselors' evaluations and a time and cost analysis

      PubMed Central

      Otten, Ellen; Birnie, Erwin; Ranchor, Adelita V; van Langen, Irene M

      2016-01-01

      Telemedicine applications are increasingly being introduced in patient care in various disciplines, including clinical genetics, mainly to increase access to care and to reduce time and costs for patients and professionals. Most telegenetics reports describe applications in large geographical areas, showing positive patients' and professionals' satisfaction. One economic analysis published thus far reported lower costs than in-person care. We hypothesized that telegenetics can also be beneficial from the professional's view in relatively small geographical areas. We performed a pilot study in the Northern Netherlands of 51 home-based online counseling sessions for cardiogenetic and oncogenetic cascade screening, and urgent prenatal counseling. Previously, we showed patient satisfaction, anxiety, and perceived control of online counseling to be comparable to in-person counseling. This study focuses on expectations, satisfaction, and practical evaluations of the involved counselors, and the impact in terms of time and costs. Most counselors expected disadvantages of online counseling for themselves and their patients, mainly concerning insufficient non-verbal communication; few expected advantages for themselves. Afterwards, counselors additionally raised the disadvantage of insufficient verbal communication, and reported frequent technical problems. Their overall mean telemedicine satisfaction itemscore was 3.38 before, and 2.95 afterwards, being afterwards slightly below the minimum level we set for a satisfactory result. We estimated reduced time and costs by online counseling with about 8% and 10–12%, respectively. We showed online genetic counseling to be effective, feasible and cost-efficient, but technical improvements are needed to increase counselors' satisfaction. PMID:26785833

    10. At-home and away-from-home dietary patterns and BMI z-scores in Brazilian adolescents.

      PubMed

      Cunha, Diana Barbosa; Bezerra, Ilana Nogueira; Pereira, Rosangela Alves; Sichieri, Rosely

      2018-01-01

      Away-from-home food intake has been associated with high rates of overweight among children and adolescents. However, there are no studies comparing at-home and away-from-home eating patterns among adolescents. The objective of this paper was to identify at-home and away-from-home dietary patterns among adolescents in Brazil, and to evaluate the relationship between these patterns and body mass index (BMI) z-scores. Data from the Brazilian National Dietary Survey 2008-2009 were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. Dietary intake was assessed by completion of written food records on two non-consecutive days. Five thousand two hundred sixty-six adolescents 10-19 years of age living in urban areas of Brazil were included in the analysis. Thirty-two food groups were examined by factor analysis, stratified by at-home and away-from-home eating. The associations between the food patterns and BMI z-scores were ascertained using linear regression analysis. In general, mean at-home food intake was greater than away-from-home food intake, but the ratio of away-from-home/at-home was greater than 30% for baked and deep-fried snacks, soft drinks, sandwiches, pizza, and desserts, and was lower than 10% for rice and beans. Three main similar dietary patterns were identified both at-home and away-from-home: the "Traditional pattern", the "Bread and Butter pattern" and the "Western pattern"; however, away-from-home patterns encompassed more overall food items. Only the at-home "Western pattern" was positively associated with BMI z-scores (β = 0.0006; p < 0.001). Our results indicate that unhealthy dietary pattern consumed at home is associated to BMI z-score, while away-from-home food consumption is not associated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    11. Strategy Guideline. Demonstration Home

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      Hunt, A.; Savage, C.

      2012-12-01

      This guideline will provide a general overview of the different kinds of demonstration home projects, a basic understanding of the different roles and responsibilities involved in the successful completion of a demonstration home, and an introduction into some of the lessons learned from actual demonstration home projects. Also, this guideline will specifically look at the communication methods employed during demonstration home projects. And lastly, we will focus on how to best create a communication plan for including an energy efficient message in a demonstration home project and carry that message to successful completion.

    12. Strategy Guideline: Demonstration Home

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      Savage, C.; Hunt, A.

      2012-12-01

      This guideline will provide a general overview of the different kinds of demonstration home projects, a basic understanding of the different roles and responsibilities involved in the successful completion of a demonstration home, and an introduction into some of the lessons learned from actual demonstration home projects. Also, this guideline will specifically look at the communication methods employed during demonstration home projects. And lastly, we will focus on how to best create a communication plan for including an energy efficient message in a demonstration home project and carry that message to successful completion.

    13. A comparison of home care clients and nursing home residents: can community based care keep the elderly and disabled at home?

      PubMed

      Shugarman, L R; Fries, B E; James, M

      1999-01-01

      Admission cohorts from the Michigan Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver program and Ohio nursing homes were compared on measures of resource utilization including a modified Resource Utilization Groups (RUG-III) system, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), and overall case mix. We found that, contrary to previous research, the two samples were remarkably similar across RUG-III categories. However, the nursing home sample was more functionally impaired on measures of ADL functioning and overall case mix. Results of this study may inform policymakers and providers of the potential for maintaining the appropriate population in the home with government-funded home care.

    14. Negotiating and valuing spaces: The discourse of space and 'home' in care homes.

      PubMed

      Kenkmann, Andrea; Poland, Fiona; Burns, Diane; Hyde, Paula; Killett, Anne

      2017-01-01

      This paper examines how space in care homes is experienced and negotiated by people who live and work in them. The analysis of qualitative data of five in-depth case studies of care homes in England revealed three key ways in which space is negotiated: a) the way in which values affect interactions inside versus outside the care home environment, b) the negotiation of boundaries and domains within the homes, and c) the sense of being at 'home'. The paper illuminates how the design of the buildings and organisational factors can reinforce or bridge dichotomies between inside and outside spaces. Residents' abilities to re-negotiate boundaries, domains and communal spaces within homes are shown to be affected by organisational factors such as priorities of staff members. Despite 'home' being a common discourse, the spaces within care homes were often organised, ordered and experienced as two distinct, co-present worlds: the dwelling place of residents and the workplace of staff. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    15. Alert management for home healthcare based on home automation analysis.

      PubMed

      Truong, T T; de Lamotte, F; Diguet, J-Ph; Said-Hocine, F

      2010-01-01

      Rising healthcare for elder and disabled people can be controlled by offering people autonomy at home by means of information technology. In this paper, we present an original and sensorless alert management solution which performs multimedia and home automation service discrimination and extracts highly regular home activities as sensors for alert management. The results of simulation data, based on real context, allow us to evaluate our approach before application to real data.

    16. Introducing Online Bibliographic Service to its Users: The Online Presentation

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Crane, Nancy B.; Pilachowski, David M.

      1978-01-01

      A description of techniques for introducing online services to new user groups includes discussion of terms and their definitions, evolution of online searching, advantages and disadvantages of online searching, production of the data bases, search strategies, Boolean logic, costs and charges, "do's and don'ts," and a user search questionnaire. (J…

    17. Using Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games for Online Learning

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Childress, Marcus D.; Braswell, Ray

      2006-01-01

      This article addresses the use of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) to foster communication and interaction and to facilitate cooperative learning in an online course. The authors delineate the definition and history of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), and describe current uses of MMORPGs in education, including…

    18. Comparing Person-Centered Communication Education in Long-Term Care Using Onsite and Online Formats.

      PubMed

      Coleman, Carissa K; Fanning, Kim; Williams, Kristine N

      2015-11-01

      Educating nursing home (NH) staff to provide person-centered care is complicated by scheduling, costs, and other feasibility issues. The current study compared outcomes for an in-service program focused on person-centered communication provided in onsite and online formats. The Changing Talk program was provided onsite in seven NHs (n = 327 staff). The online program included eight NHs (n = 211 staff). Analysis of variance revealed an interaction between format type and pre-/post-test scores with improved recognition of person-centered communication in the onsite group only. Group program evaluations based on the modified Diffusion of Innovation in Long-Term Care Battery indicated no significant differences between training formats. Staff perception of the program was similar. Although statistically significant gains were noted in posttest scores indicating awareness of person-centered communication for the onsite group, gains were of limited clinical significance. Feasibility and effectiveness are important considerations for in-service education supporting NH culture change. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

    19. Homes away from Home.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Hansen, Laurel D.; And Others

      1993-01-01

      Describes the construction of a variety of inexpensive, escape-proof, and safe insect homes--each complete with window, ventilation screen, and cover--so students can observe firsthand the intriguing world of insects. (PR)

    20. Family and home characteristics correlate with mold in homes

      EPA Science Inventory

      Previously, we demonstrated that infants exposed to higher Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) value homes were more likely to develop asthma by age seven. The purpose of this analysis was to determine what family and home characteristics were associated with higher ER...

    1. Predicting nursing home placement among home- and community-based services program participants.

      PubMed

      Greiner, Melissa A; Qualls, Laura G; Iwata, Isao; White, Heidi K; Molony, Sheila L; Sullivan, M Terry; Burke, Bonnie; Schulman, Kevin A; Setoguchi, Soko

      2014-12-01

      Several states offer publicly funded-care management programs to prevent long-term care placement of high-risk Medicaid beneficiaries. Understanding participant risk factors and services that may prevent long-term care placement can facilitate efficient allocation of program resources. To develop a practical prediction model to identify participants in a home- and community-based services program who are at highest risk for long-term nursing home placement, and to examine participant-level and program-level predictors of nursing home placement. In a retrospective observational study, we used deidentified data for participants in the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders who completed an annual assessment survey between 2005 and 2010. We analyzed data on patient characteristics, use of program services, and short-term facility admissions in the previous year. We used logistic regression models with random effects to predict nursing home placement. The main outcome measures were long-term nursing home placement within 180 days or 1 year of assessment. Among 10,975 study participants, 1249 (11.4%) had nursing home placement within 1 year of annual assessment. Risk factors included Alzheimer's disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% CI, 1.18-1.43), money management dependency (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.18-1.51), living alone (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.31-1.80), and number of prior short-term skilled nursing facility stays (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.31-1.62). Use of a personal care assistance service was associated with 46% lower odds of nursing home placement. The model C statistic was 0.76 in the validation cohort. A model using information from a home- and community-based service program had strong discrimination to predict risk of long-term nursing home placement and can be used to identify high-risk participants for targeted interventions.

    2. Virtually supportive: a feasibility pilot study of an online support group for dementia caregivers in a 3D virtual environment.

      PubMed

      O'Connor, Mary-Frances; Arizmendi, Brian J; Kaszniak, Alfred W

      2014-08-01

      Caregiver support groups effectively reduce stress from caring for someone with dementia. These same demands can prevent participation in a group. The present feasibility study investigated a virtual online caregiver support group to bring the support group into the home. While online groups have been shown to be helpful, submissions to a message board (vs. live conversation) can feel impersonal. By using avatars, participants interacted via real-time chat in a virtual environment in an 8-week support group. Data indicated lower levels of perceived stress, depression and loneliness across participants. Importantly, satisfaction reports also indicate that caregivers overcame the barriers to participation, and had a strong sense of the group's presence. This study provides the framework for an accessible and low cost online support group for a dementia caregiver. The study demonstrates the feasibility of interactive group in a virtual environment for engaging members in meaningful interaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    3. Volume of home- and community-based services and time to nursing-home placement.

      PubMed

      Sands, Laura P; Xu, Huiping; Thomas, Joseph; Paul, Sudeshna; Craig, Bruce A; Rosenman, Marc; Doebbeling, Caroline C; Weiner, Michael

      2012-01-01

      The purpose of this study was to determine whether the volume of Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) that target Activities of Daily Living disabilities, such as attendant care, homemaking services, and home-delivered meals, increases recipients' risk of transitioning from long-term care provided through HCBS to long-term care provided in a nursing home. Data are from the Indiana Medicaid enrollment, claims, and Insite databases. Insite is the software system that was developed for collecting and reporting data for In-Home Service Programs. Enrollees in Indiana Medicaid's Aged and Disabled Waiver program were followed forward from time of enrollment to assess the association between the volume of attendant care, homemaking services, home-delivered meals, and related covariates, and the risk for nursing-home placement. An extension of the Cox proportional hazard model was computed to determine the cumulative hazard of nursing-home placement in the presence of death as a competing risk. Of the 1354 Medicaid HCBS recipients followed in this study, 17% did not receive any attendant care, homemaking services, or home-delivered meals. Among recipients who survived through 24 months after enrollment, one in five transitioned from HCBS to a nursing-home. Risk for nursing-home placement was significantly lower for each five-hour increment in personal care (HR=0.95, 95% CI=0.92-0.98) and homemaking services (HR=0.87, 95% CI=0.77-0.99). Future policies and practices that are focused on optimizing long-term care outcomes should consider that a greater volume of HCBS for an individual is associated with reduced risk of nursing-home placement.

    4. Online Learning Self-Efficacy in Students with and without Online Learning Experience

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Zimmerman, Whitney Alicia; Kulikowich, Jonna M.

      2016-01-01

      A need was identified for an instrument to measure online learning self-efficacy, which encompassed the wide variety of tasks required of successful online students. The Online Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (OLSES) was designed to include tasks required of students enrolled in paced online courses at one university. In the present study, the…

    5. Library Services Online: Introducing Library Services for Online MBA Classes

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Slavin, Laura C.

      2015-01-01

      In this article, a librarian at Lincoln Memorial University creates library services for an MBA program offered entirely online that is in the early stages of development. The library services include a subject guide and 4 tutorials that will be added to the MBA online orientation. Other services include offering online office hours and…

    6. Pre-school nutrition-related behaviours at home and early childhood education services: findings from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study.

      PubMed

      Gerritsen, Sarah; Anderson, Sarah E; Morton, Susan Mb; Wall, Clare R

      2018-05-01

      Pre-school nutrition-related behaviours influence diet and development of lifelong eating habits. We examined the prevalence and congruence of recommended nutrition-related behaviours (RNB) in home and early childhood education (ECE) services, exploring differences by child and ECE characteristics. Telephone interviews with mothers. Online survey of ECE managers/head teachers. New Zealand. Children (n 1181) aged 45 months in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study. A mean 5·3 of 8 RNB were followed at home, with statistical differences by gender and ethnic group, but not socio-economic position. ECE services followed a mean 4·8 of 8 RNB, with differences by type of service and health-promotion programme participation. No congruence between adherence at home and in ECE services was found; half of children with high adherence at home attended a service with low adherence. A greater proportion of children in deprived communities attended a service with high adherence, compared with children living in the least deprived communities (20 and 12 %, respectively). Children, across all socio-economic positions, may not experience RNB at home. ECE settings provide an opportunity to improve or support behaviours learned at home. Targeting of health-promotion programmes in high-deprivation areas has resulted in higher adherence to RNB at these ECE services. The lack of congruence between home and ECE behaviours suggests health-promotion messages may not be effectively communicated to parents/family. Greater support is required across the ECE sector to adhere to RNB and promote wider change that can reach into homes.

    7. Teaching Astronomy Online

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Radnofsky, Mary L.; Bobrowsky, Matthew

      This article is intended to provide an overview of the practical, pedagogical, and philosophical considerations in designing a Web-based astronomy course, and to demonstrate the educational benefits that such online courses can afford students. Because online students need to take more responsibility for their learning, faculty must make course expectations extremely clear. Online education allows for increased student participation and equal access to college by such groups as the military, the handicapped, full-time employees, and rural and senior citizens. Teaching the sciences online--especially astronomy--gives students more time to think critically about new information. This article also includes tools, checklists, and resources helpful for introducing faculty to online course development in astronomy.

    8. Asthma Home Environment Checklist

      EPA Pesticide Factsheets

      This checklist guides home care visitors in identifying environmental asthma triggers most commonly found in homes. It includes sections on the building, home interior and room interior and provides low-cost action steps for remediation.

    9. Increased care demand and medical costs after falls in nursing homes: A Delphi study.

      PubMed

      Sterke, Carolyn Shanty; Panneman, Martien J; Erasmus, Vicki; Polinder, Suzanne; van Beeck, Ed F

      2018-04-21

      To estimate the increased care demand and medical costs caused by falls in nursing homes. There is compelling evidence that falls in nursing homes are preventable. However, proper implementation of evidence-based guidelines to prevent falls is often hindered by insufficient management support, staff time and funding. A three-round Delphi study. A panel of 41 experts, all working in nursing homes in the Netherlands, received three online questionnaires to estimate the extra hours of care needed during the first year after the fall. This was estimated for ten falls categories with different levels of injury severity, in three scenarios, that is a best-case, a typical-case and a worst-case scenario. We calculated the costs of falls by multiplying the mean amount of extra hours that the participants spent on the care for a resident after a fall with their hourly wages. In case of a noninjurious fall, the extra time spent on the faller is on average almost 5 hr, expressed in euros that add to € 193. The extra staff time and costs of falls increased with increasing severity of injury. In the case of a fracture of the lower limb, the extra staff time increased to 132 hr, expressed in euros that is € 4,604. In the worst-case scenario of a fracture of the lower limb, the extra staff time increased to 284 hr, expressed in euros that is € 10,170. Falls in nursing homes result in a great deal of extra staff time spent on care, with extra costs varying between € 193 for a noninjurious fall and € 10,170 for serious falls. This study could aid decision-making on investing in appropriate implementation of falls prevention interventions in nursing homes. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

    10. Medicaid payment rates, case-mix reimbursement, and nursing home staffing--1996-2004.

      PubMed

      Feng, Zhanlian; Grabowski, David C; Intrator, Orna; Zinn, Jacqueline; Mor, Vincent

      2008-01-01

      We examined the impact of state Medicaid payment rates and case-mix reimbursement on direct care staffing levels in US nursing homes. We used a recent time series of national nursing home data from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting system for 1996-2004, merged with annual state Medicaid payment rates and case-mix reimbursement information. A 5-category response measure of total staffing levels was defined according to expert recommended thresholds, and examined in a multinomial logistic regression model. Facility fixed-effects models were estimated separately for Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), and Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) staffing levels measured as average hours per resident day. Higher Medicaid payment rates were associated with increases in total staffing levels to meet a higher recommended threshold. However, these gains in overall staffing were accompanied by a reduction of RN staffing and an increase in both LPN and CNA staffing levels. Under case-mix reimbursement, the likelihood of nursing homes achieving higher recommended staffing thresholds decreased, as did levels of professional staffing. Independent of the effects of state, market, and facility characteristics, there was a significant downward trend in RN staffing and an upward trend in both LPN and CNA staffing. Although overall staffing may increase in response to more generous Medicaid reimbursement, it may not translate into improvements in the skill mix of staff. Adjusting for reimbursement levels and resident acuity, total staffing has not increased after the implementation of case-mix reimbursement.

    11. A resource perspective on the work-home interface: the work-home resources model.

      PubMed

      ten Brummelhuis, Lieke L; Bakker, Arnold B

      2012-10-01

      The objective of this article is to provide a theoretical framework explaining positive and negative work-home processes integrally. Using insights from conservation of resources theory, we explain how personal resources (e.g., time, energy, and mood) link demanding and resourceful aspects of one domain to outcomes in the other domain. The resulting work-home resources (W-HR) model describes work-home conflict as a process whereby demands in one domain deplete personal resources and impede accomplishments in the other domain. Enrichment is described as a process of resource accumulation: Work and home resources increase personal resources. Those personal resources, in turn, can be utilized to improve home and work outcomes. Moreover, our resource approach to the work-home interface allows us to address two other issues that have thus far lacked a solid theoretical foundation. The W-HR model also explains how conditional factors such as personality and culture may influence the occurrence of work-home conflict and enrichment. Furthermore, the model allows us to examine how work-home conflict and enrichment develop over time. Finally, the model provides useful insights for other psychology subdisciplines, such as gender studies and developmental psychology.

    12. An online tool for obesity intervention and public health.

      PubMed

      Su, Jason G

      2016-02-10

      Though the United States of America (U.S.A.) obesity rate shows signs of leveling off, rates remain high. Poor nutrition contributes to the development of obesity, and physical inactivity is an important cause of numerous diseases and directly linked to obesity. Efforts to improve diet, increase physical activity and pursue other behavioral changes seem imperative. However, the effective management of intervention strategies for large number of participants are challenging because services in primary, secondary, and tertiary cares are often under-resourced, relatively uncoordinated with other parts of the health system. It is thus necessary to have accompanying intervention strategies that can be carried out at population level. In this paper, we describe an online intervention tool designed for the Obesity Prevention Tailored for Health II project to help achieve such goals. The first part of the online tool locates healthy food stores and recreational programs within a specified distance of a participant's home or a place of interest. The food environments include fruit & vegetable stores, farmers' markets and grocery stores, and the companying popup window shows the street address and contact information of each store. The parks and recreational programs are displayed on names of park or recreational program, types of program available, and city each amenity belongs to. The tool also provides spatial coverage of vegetation greenness, air pollution and of historical traffic accidents involving active travel. The second part of the tool provides optimized travel options for reaching various amenities. By incorporating bicycling, walking and public transit into the trip planner, this online tool helps increase active transport and reduce dependence on automobiles. It promotes transportation that encourages safety awareness, physical activity, health, recreation, and resource conservation. We developed the first Google-based online intervention tool that assists

    13. Smart homes, private homes? An empirical study of technology researchers' perceptions of ethical issues in developing smart-home health technologies.

      PubMed

      Birchley, Giles; Huxtable, Richard; Murtagh, Madeleine; Ter Meulen, Ruud; Flach, Peter; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael

      2017-04-04

      Smart-home technologies, comprising environmental sensors, wearables and video are attracting interest in home healthcare delivery. Development of such technology is usually justified on the basis of the technology's potential to increase the autonomy of people living with long-term conditions. Studies of the ethics of smart-homes raise concerns about privacy, consent, social isolation and equity of access. Few studies have investigated the ethical perspectives of smart-home engineers themselves. By exploring the views of engineering researchers in a large smart-home project, we sought to contribute to dialogue between ethics and the engineering community. Either face-to-face or using Skype, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 20 early- and mid-career smart-home researchers from a multi-centre smart-home project, who were asked to describe their own experience and to reflect more broadly about ethical considerations that relate to smart-home design. With participants' consent, interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach. Two overarching themes emerged: in 'Privacy', researchers indicated that they paid close attention to negative consequences of potential unauthorised information sharing in their current work. However, when discussing broader issues in smart-home design beyond the confines of their immediate project, researchers considered physical privacy to a lesser extent, even though physical privacy may manifest in emotive concerns about being watched or monitored. In 'Choice', researchers indicated they often saw provision of choice to end-users as a solution to ethical dilemmas. While researchers indicated that choices of end-users may need to be restricted for technological reasons, ethical standpoints that restrict choice were usually assumed and embedded in design. The tractability of informational privacy may explain the greater attention that is paid to it. However, concerns about physical privacy may

    14. At the Intersection of Networks and Highly Interactive Online Games

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Armitage, Grenville

      The game industry continues to evolves its techniques for extracting the most realistic 'immersion' experience for players given the vagaries on best-effort Internet service. A key challenge for service providers is understanding the characteristics of traffic imposed on networks by games, and their service quality requirements. Interactive online games are particularly susceptible to the side effects of other non-interactive (or delay- and loss-tolerant) traffic sharing next- generation access links. This creates challenges out toward the edges, where high-speed home LANs squeeze through broadband consumer access links to reach the Internet. In this chapter we identify a range of research work exploring many issues associated with the intersection of highly interactive games and the Internet, and hopefully stimulate some further thinking along these lines.

    15. A home-based individualized information communication technology training program for older adults: a demonstration of effectiveness and value.

      PubMed

      Arthanat, Sajay; Vroman, Kerryellen G; Lysack, Catherine

      2016-01-01

      To demonstrate the effectiveness and value of a home-based information communication technology (ICT) training program for older adults. Thirteen older adults were provided in-home ICT training by graduate occupational therapy students using an iPad. The breadth and frequency of ICT use, perspectives on technology, and perceived independence were recorded at baseline, during the 3-month training and at follow-up, along with an end-of-study questionnaire. Non-parametric Friedman analysis was conducted to verify trends in the outcome measures. The qualitative data were examined by content analysis. Participants' breadth of ICT activities showed a significant trend across 6 months. Leisure accounted for the significant increase, while health management and social connections activities increased modestly. A positive trend in participants' perspectives on technology was evident along with a marginal increase in perceived independence. Participants' perspectives were thematically categorized as technology experiences, interactions with coach, training approach, and specific activities. As reflection of the training program's value, 12 of the 13 participants took ownership of the iPad at the end of the study. Building capacity of older adults to utilize the multifaceted potential of ICT is critical in addressing declines in health, impending disabilities, and social isolation. Implications for Rehabilitation A one-on-one home-based individualized information communication technology (ICT) training program for older adults could result in a progressive increase in the breadth of online activities carried out by them. Specifically, the increase in their usage of ICT could be expected in leisure-based online activities. Individualized training programs designed based on needs, priorities, and learning style of older adults could have a positive impact on their technological perspectives and intrinsic motivation to adopt ICT.

    16. Effect of training and structured medication review on medication appropriateness in nursing home residents and on cooperation between health care professionals: the InTherAKT study protocol.

      PubMed

      Mahlknecht, Angelika; Nestler, Nadja; Bauer, Ulrike; Schüßler, Nadine; Schuler, Jochen; Scharer, Sebastian; Becker, Ralf; Waltering, Isabel; Hempel, Georg; Schwalbe, Oliver; Flamm, Maria; Osterbrink, Jürgen

      2017-01-18

      Pharmacotherapy in residents of nursing homes is critical due to the special vulnerability of this population. Medical care and interprofessional communication in nursing homes are often uncoordinated. As a consequence, polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use are common and may lead to hospitalizations and health hazards. The aim of this study is to optimize communication between the involved professional groups by specific training and by establishing a structured medication review process, and to improve medication appropriateness and patient-relevant health outcomes for residents of nursing homes. The trial is designed as single-arm study. It involves 300 nursing home residents aged ≥ 65 years and the members of the different professional groups practising in nursing home care (15-20 general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists). The intervention consists of interprofessional education on safe medication use in geriatric patients, and a systematic interprofessional therapy check (recording, reviewing and adapting the medication of the participating residents by means of a specific online platform). The intervention period is divided into two phases; total project period is 3 years. Primary outcome measure is the change in medication appropriateness according to the Medication Appropriateness Index. Secondary outcomes are cognitive performance, occurrence of delirium, agitation, tendency of falls, total number of drugs, number of potentially dangerous drug-drug interactions and appropriateness of recorded analgesic therapy regimens according to the Medication Appropriateness Index. Data are collected at t 0 (before the start of the intervention), t 1 (after the first intervention period) and t 2 (after the second intervention period). Cooperation and communication between the professional groups are investigated twice by qualitative interviews. The project aims to establish a structured system for monitoring of drug therapy in nursing home residents

    17. Making the Transition from Traditional to Home Schooling: Home School Family Motivations

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Anthony, Kenneth Vance; Burroughs, Susie

      2010-01-01

      This study examined the motivations of families that operate home schools. Four intact, religiously conservative families were interviewed and observed over one year. Findings showed that families were motivated by multiple factors to leave traditional schooling and begin home schooling. Additionally, the motivations to home school influenced the…

    18. Selfish DNA: homing endonucleases find a home.

      PubMed

      Edgell, David R

      2009-02-10

      Self-splicing group I introns come in two flavours - those with a homing endonuclease to promote mobility of the intron, and those without an endonuclease. How homing endonucleases and self-splicing introns associate to form a composite selfish genetic element is a question of long-standing interest. Recent work has revealed that a shared characteristic of both introns and endonucleases, the targeting of conserved sequences, may provide the impetus for the evolution of composite mobile genetic elements.

    19. Paramedic-Initiated Home Care Referrals and Use of Home Care and Emergency Medical Services.

      PubMed

      Verma, Amol A; Klich, John; Thurston, Adam; Scantlebury, Jordan; Kiss, Alex; Seddon, Gayle; Sinha, Samir K

      2018-01-01

      We examined the association between paramedic-initiated home care referrals and utilization of home care, 9-1-1, and Emergency Department (ED) services. This was a retrospective cohort study of individuals who received a paramedic-initiated home care referral after a 9-1-1 call between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Home care, 9-1-1, and ED utilization were compared in the 6 months before and after home care referral. Nonparametric longitudinal regression was performed to assess changes in hours of home care service use and zero-inflated Poisson regression was performed to assess changes in the number of 9-1-1 calls and ambulance transports to ED. During the 24-month study period, 2,382 individuals received a paramedic-initiated home care referral. After excluding individuals who died, were hospitalized, or were admitted to a nursing home, the final study cohort was 1,851. The proportion of the study population receiving home care services increased from 18.2% to 42.5% after referral, representing 450 additional people receiving services. In longitudinal regression analysis, there was an increase of 17.4 hours in total services per person in the six months after referral (95% CI: 1.7-33.1, p = 0.03). The mean number of 9-1-1 calls per person was 1.44 (SD 9.58) before home care referral and 1.20 (SD 7.04) after home care referral in the overall study cohort. This represented a 10% reduction in 9-1-1 calls (95% CI: 7-13%, p < 0.001) in Poisson regression analysis. The mean number of ambulance transports to ED per person was 0.91 (SD 8.90) before home care referral and 0.79 (SD 6.27) after home care referral, representing a 7% reduction (95% CI: 3-11%, p < 0.001) in Poisson regression analysis. When only the participants with complete paramedic and home care records were included in the analysis, the reductions in 9-1-1 calls and ambulance transports to ED were attenuated but remained statistically significant. Paramedic

    20. Home Hemodialysis

      MedlinePlus

      ... home hemodialysis: You do this three times a week for three to four hours or longer each time. You and your care partner are trained to do dialysis safely and to handle any problems that may come up. Training may take from several weeks to a few months. 2. Short daily home ...

    1. Home-based HIV testing for men who have sex with men in China: a novel community-based partnership to complement government programs.

      PubMed

      Tao, Jun; Li, Ming-ying; Qian, Han-Zhu; Wang, Li-Juan; Zhang, Zheng; Ding, Hai-Feng; Ji, Ya-Cheng; Li, Dong-liang; Xiao, Dong; Hazlitt, Melissa; Vermund, Sten H; Xiu, Xiangfei; Bao, Yugang

      2014-01-01

      The coverage of HIV testing among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) remains low after the scale-up of free HIV testing at government-sponsored testing sites. We evaluated the feasibility of home-based HIV self-testing and the willingness to be HIV tested at community-based organizations (CBO). We recruited MSM via on-line advertisement, where they completed an on-line informed consent and subsequent questionnaire survey. Eligible MSM received HIV rapid testing kits by mail, performed the test themselves and reported the result remotely. Of the 220 men taking a home-based HIV self-testing, 33 MSM (15%) were seropositive. Nearly 65% of the men reported that they were willing to take HIV testing at CBO, while 28% preferred receiving free HIV testing in the government programs at local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Older and lower-income MSM, those who self-reported homosexual orientation, men with no history of sexually transmitted diseases and a lower number of sexual partners in the past six months were associated with preference for taking HIV testing at CBOs. The top three self-reported existing barriers for HIV testing were: no perception of HIV risk (56%), fear of an HIV positive result being reported to the government (41%), and fear of a positive HIV test result (36%). Home-based HIV self-testing is an alternative approach for increasing the coverage of HIV testing among Chinese MSM. CBO-based HIV testing is a potential alternative, but further studies are needed to evaluate its feasibility.

    2. Home-Based HIV Testing for Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Novel Community-Based Partnership to Complement Government Programs

      PubMed Central

      Qian, Han-Zhu; Wang, Li-Juan; Zhang, Zheng; Ding, Hai-Feng; Ji, Ya-Cheng; Li, Dong-liang; Xiao, Dong; Hazlitt, Melissa; Vermund, Sten H.; Xiu, Xiangfei; Bao, Yugang

      2014-01-01

      Background The coverage of HIV testing among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) remains low after the scale-up of free HIV testing at government-sponsored testing sites. We evaluated the feasibility of home-based HIV self-testing and the willingness to be HIV tested at community-based organizations (CBO). Methods We recruited MSM via on-line advertisement, where they completed an on-line informed consent and subsequent questionnaire survey. Eligible MSM received HIV rapid testing kits by mail, performed the test themselves and reported the result remotely. Results Of the 220 men taking a home-based HIV self-testing, 33 MSM (15%) were seropositive. Nearly 65% of the men reported that they were willing to take HIV testing at CBO, while 28% preferred receiving free HIV testing in the government programs at local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Older and lower-income MSM, those who self-reported homosexual orientation, men with no history of sexually transmitted diseases and a lower number of sexual partners in the past six months were associated with preference for taking HIV testing at CBOs. The top three self-reported existing barriers for HIV testing were: no perception of HIV risk (56%), fear of an HIV positive result being reported to the government (41%), and fear of a positive HIV test result (36%). Conclusion Home-based HIV self-testing is an alternative approach for increasing the coverage of HIV testing among Chinese MSM. CBO-based HIV testing is a potential alternative, but further studies are needed to evaluate its feasibility. PMID:25051160

    3. Facilitating Successful Online Discussions

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Woods, Kathryn; Bliss, Kadi

      2016-01-01

      As online course offerings continue to evolve, researchers have examined many strategies for improving the online learning experience for both the instructor and the student. Asynchronous, online discussions are one of the most common components of online courses. This article provides information about the best practices for facilitating…

    4. Does litigation increase or decrease health care quality?: a national study of negligence claims against nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Stevenson, David G; Spittal, Matthew J; Studdert, David M

      2013-05-01

      The tort system is supposed to help improve the quality and safety of health care, but whether it actually does so is controversial. Most previous studies modeling the effect of negligence litigation on quality of care are ecologic. To assess whether the experience of being sued and incurring litigation costs affects the quality of care subsequently delivered in nursing homes. We linked information on 6471 negligence claims brought against 1514 nursing homes between 1998 and 2010 to indicators of nursing home quality drawn from 2 US national datasets (Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting system; Minimum Data Set Quality Measure/Indicator Reports). At the facility level, we tested for associations between 9 quality measures and 3 variables indicating the nursing homes' litigation experience in the preceding 12-18 months (total indemnity payments; total indemnity payments plus administrative costs; ≥ 1 paid claims vs. none). The analyses adjusted for quality at baseline, case-mix, ownership, occupancy, year, and facility and state random effects. Nearly all combinations of the 3 litigation exposure measures and 9 quality measures--27 models in all--showed an inverse relationship between litigation costs and quality. However, only a few of these associations were statistically significant, and the effect sizes were very small. For example, a doubling of indemnity payments was associated with a 1.1% increase in the number of deficiencies and a 2.2% increase in pressure ulcer rates. Tort litigation does not increase the quality performance of nursing homes, and may decrease it slightly.

    5. Online Instructors as Thinking Advisors: A Model for Online Learner Adaptation

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Benedetti, Christopher

      2015-01-01

      This article examines the characteristics and challenges of online instruction and presents a model for improving learner adaptation in an online classroom. Instruction in an online classroom presents many challenges, including learner individualization. Individual differences in learning styles and preferences are often not considered in the…

    6. Library Online Systems.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Folda, Linda; And Others

      1989-01-01

      Issues related to library online systems are discussed in six articles. Topics covered include staff education through vendor demonstrations, evaluation of online public access catalogs, the impact of integrated online systems on cataloging operations, the merits of smart and dumb barcodes, and points to consider in planning for the next online…

    7. A household LOC device for online monitoring bacterial pathogens in drinking water with green design concept.

      PubMed

      Zhao, Xinyan; Dong, Tao

      2013-01-01

      Bacterial waterborne pathogens often threaten the water safety of the drinking water system. In order to protect the health of home users, a household lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device was developed for online monitoring bacterial pathogens in drinking water, which are in accord with green design concept. The chip integrated counter-flow micromixers, a T-junction droplet generator and time-delay channels (TD-Cs), which can mix water sample and reactants into droplets in air flow and incubate the droplets in the LOC for about 18 hours before observation. The detection module was simplified into a transparent observation chamber, from which the home users can evaluate the qualitative result by naked eyes. The liquid waste generated by the LOC system was sterilized and absorbed by quicklime powders. No secondary pollution was found. The preliminary test of the prototype system met its design requirements.

    8. Technology Solutions Case Study: Southern Energy Homes, First DOE Zero Energy Ready Manufactured Home

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      None

      The country’s first Zero Energy Ready manufactured home that is certified by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is up and running in Russellville, Alabama. The manufactured home was built by a partnership between Southern Energy Homes and the Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative (ARIES), which is a DOE Building America team. The effort was part of a three-home study including a standard-code manufactured home and an ENERGY STAR® manufactured home. Cooling-season results showed that the building used half the space-conditioning energy of a manufactured home built to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Manufactured Homemore » Construction and Safety Standards. These standards are known collectively as the HUD Code, which is the building standard for all U.S. manufactured housing.« less

    9. There is no place like @home!: The value of home consultations in paediatric rehabilitation.

      PubMed

      van Maren-Suir, I; Ketelaar, M; Brouns, B; van der Sanden, K; Verhoef, M

      2018-07-01

      Family-centred services (FCS) is widely regarded as the best practice approach in early interventions. Creating a therapeutic environment, which also stimulates collaboration between parents and service professionals, is a way to conform to the principles of FCS. The present paper describes the project entitled @home, involving the implementation of home consultations by a specialized team working with children aged 0-5 years at our rehabilitation centre in the Netherlands. The objectives of this article are to (a) describe the development and implementation of home consultations as part of regular care and (b) share the experiences of parents and service providers with home consultations. The implementation process was divided into 3 steps: (1) interviewing experts, (2) adjusting current rehabilitation trajectories, and (3) service providers offering consultations to children at home. The experiences with the home consultations were immediately incorporated in the system, making the implementation an iterative process. In 82% of the 133 home conducted consultations, the service professionals reported that it was more valuable to offer home consultations than seeing the child at the rehabilitation centre. The semistructured interviews revealed that parents and service providers found that they received and provided more tailored advice, perceived a more equal partnership between service professionals and parents, and reported that the home consultations provided a good natural therapeutic environment where a child can be itself and where the child performs best. By using the @home system based on the 3 service models, home consultations are now part of the regular paediatric rehabilitation system at our rehabilitation centre. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

    10. Online Interactions and Social Presence in Online Learning

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Lee, Sang Joon; Huang, Kun

      2018-01-01

      The community of inquiry framework identified three essential elements of cognitive, social, and teaching presences for a successful online learning experience. Among them, social presence is key for developing personal relationships and enhancing collaboration and critical discourse in online courses. This study examined whether providing more…

    11. The determinants of nursing home costs in Nebraska's proprietary nursing homes.

      PubMed

      Palm, D W; Nelson, S

      1984-01-01

      In the past few years nursing home care expenditures in Nebraska and the U.S. have been the fastest growing component of total health care expenditures. This rate of increase is particularly alarming in view of the fact that nursing home care is financed primarily by the Medicaid program or direct out-of-pocket payments. In fact, given the cutbacks in federal and state funds for this program, consumers will be forced to allocate a larger share of their income to meet the costs of nursing home care. Although nursing home expenditures have grown at an extremely rapid rate, relatively few empirical studies exist which analyze the cost function of nursing home providers. The purpose of this study is to identify factors which have directly influenced the cost of nursing home care in Nebraska and to evaluate the current Nebraska Medicaid reimbursement system in terms of its impact upon nursing home costs. The study was limited to a sample of 40 nursing homes in Nebraska which represents 42% of the total proprietary nursing homes in the state. The sample was limited to those facilities licensed only as an Intermediate Care Facility--I and they had to be receiving some Medicaid revenue. The data were averaged over the period of 1977-79, but the year of analysis corresponded to 1978. Multiple regression analysis was used to measure the effect of the hypothesized independent variables upon two different measures of cost--the average total cost per patient day and the average variable cost per patient day. In the first regression model 76% of the variance was explained and 71% was explained in the second equation. The results of this analysis are basically consistent with the findings of other studies and indicate that the number of staffing hours, patient mix, facility age, administrator experience and administrative intensity are significant determinants of nursing home costs. The most important finding from a policy perspective is that the current retrospective cost

    12. University Student Online Plagiarism

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Wang, Yu-mei

      2008-01-01

      This article reports a study investigating university student online plagiarism. The following questions are investigated: (a) What is the incidence of student online plagiarism? (b) What are student perceptions regarding online plagiarism? (c) Are there any differences in terms of student perceptions of online plagiarism and print plagiarism? (d)…

    13. Online shopping hesitation.

      PubMed

      Cho, Chang-Hoan; Kang, Jaewon; Cheon, Hongsik John

      2006-06-01

      This study was designed to understand which factors influence consumer hesitation or delay in online product purchases. The study examined four groups of variables (i.e., consumer characteristics, contextual factors perceived uncertainty factors, and medium/channel innovation factors) that predict three types of online shopping hesitation (i.e., overall hesitation, shopping cart abandonment, and hesitation at the final payment stage). We found that different sets of delay factors are related to different aspects of online shopping hesitation. The study concludes with suggestion for various delay-reduction devices to help consumers close their online decision hesitation.

    14. A Faculty Evaluation Model for Online Instructors: Mentoring and Evaluation in the Online Classroom

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Mandernach, B. Jean; Donnelli, Emily; Dailey, Amber; Schulte, Marthann

      2005-01-01

      The rapid growth of online learning has mandated the development of faculty evaluation models geared specifically toward the unique demands of the online classroom. With a foundation in the best practices of online learning, adapted to meet the dynamics of a growing online program, the Online Instructor Evaluation System created at Park University…

    15. Assessing Online Learning

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Comeaux, Patricia, Ed.

      2004-01-01

      Students in traditional as well as online classrooms need more than grades from their instructors--they also need meaningful feedback to help bridge their academic knowledge and skills with their daily lives. With the increasing number of online learning classrooms, the question of how to consistently assess online learning has become increasingly…

    16. Home Safety, Safe Behaviors of Elderly People, and Fall Accidents At Home

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Erkal, Sibel

      2010-01-01

      The present study analyzed home safety and safe behaviors against fall accidents of elderly people living at home. The study group comprised 121 people aged 65+ living in the catchment area of Ankara Mamak Halil Ulgen Health Center. Data were collected via a personal information form and Home-Screen Scale. Statistical analysis used an independent…

    17. The Science of Home Automation

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Thomas, Brian Louis

      Smart home technologies and the concept of home automation have become more popular in recent years. This popularity has been accompanied by social acceptance of passive sensors installed throughout the home. The subsequent increase in smart homes facilitates the creation of home automation strategies. We believe that home automation strategies can be generated intelligently by utilizing smart home sensors and activity learning. In this dissertation, we hypothesize that home automation can benefit from activity awareness. To test this, we develop our activity-aware smart automation system, CARL (CASAS Activity-aware Resource Learning). CARL learns the associations between activities and device usage from historical data and utilizes the activity-aware capabilities to control the devices. To help validate CARL we deploy and test three different versions of the automation system in a real-world smart environment. To provide a foundation of activity learning, we integrate existing activity recognition and activity forecasting into CARL home automation. We also explore two alternatives to using human-labeled data to train the activity learning models. The first unsupervised method is Activity Detection, and the second is a modified DBSCAN algorithm that utilizes Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) as a distance metric. We compare the performance of activity learning with human-defined labels and with automatically-discovered activity categories. To provide evidence in support of our hypothesis, we evaluate CARL automation in a smart home testbed. Our results indicate that home automation can be boosted through activity awareness. We also find that the resulting automation has a high degree of usability and comfort for the smart home resident.

    18. A Case Study of Online Degree Course Design and Performance of Online Learners

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Saul, Robert

      2013-01-01

      The increasing demand of learners in online higher education courses currently presents a challenge to online course designs in increasing the performance of learners. The online course design process involves many challenges, including a new delivery system, understanding online drivers for success, and an emerging profession of online…

    19. Enhancing the Online Class: Effective Use of Synchronous Interactive Online Instruction

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Acosta-Tello, Enid

      2015-01-01

      The delivery of instruction through an online platform has become more prevalent, popular, and available every year. While students are taking advantage of the convenience provided by online instruction, their instructors are grappling with presenting, in an online format, the depth and richness of academic content without creating long, written…

    20. Which organizational characteristics are associated with increased management of depression using antidepressants in US nursing homes?

      PubMed

      Lapane, Kate L; Hughes, Carmel M

      2004-10-01

      There is universal agreement that organizational characteristics of nursing facilities can and do influence the quality of care and resident outcomes. This study evaluated the relation between organizational characteristics and management of depression using antidepressants. This was a cross-sectional study of Medicare/Medicaid certified nursing homes in 6 states in 2000. We studied 87,907 residents with depression in 2,128 facilities. Minimum Data Set (MDS) provided information regarding use of antidepressants and resident factors. On-line Survey and Certification of Automated Records (OSCAR) provided facility characteristics information including structural, resource, and staffing levels. Adjusted estimates of organizational effects on antidepressant drug use were derived from generalized estimating equations. Increased treatment of depression with antidepressants was associated with facilities with a higher percentage of residents from payer sources other than Medicare/Medicaid (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.06) and more professional nursing staff (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.05-1.26). Decreased treatment tended to be related to larger homes (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.68-0.84) or if the home employed full-time physicians (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78-0.96). Once the decision to treat was made, treatment with tricyclics tended to be inversely related to larger homes, for-profit facilities, and homes with more Medicare residents. Facilities that are required to be more fiscally conservative, be it larger facilities with fewer private pay patients or for profit facilities, have lower rates of pharmacologic treatment. Resource and structural characteristics influence the type of antidepressant being prescribed; resident characteristics may not be the over-riding factor in prescribing.

    1. Conducting interactive experiments online.

      PubMed

      Arechar, Antonio A; Gächter, Simon; Molleman, Lucas

      2018-01-01

      Online labor markets provide new opportunities for behavioral research, but conducting economic experiments online raises important methodological challenges. This particularly holds for interactive designs. In this paper, we provide a methodological discussion of the similarities and differences between interactive experiments conducted in the laboratory and online. To this end, we conduct a repeated public goods experiment with and without punishment using samples from the laboratory and the online platform Amazon Mechanical Turk. We chose to replicate this experiment because it is long and logistically complex. It therefore provides a good case study for discussing the methodological and practical challenges of online interactive experimentation. We find that basic behavioral patterns of cooperation and punishment in the laboratory are replicable online. The most important challenge of online interactive experiments is participant dropout. We discuss measures for reducing dropout and show that, for our case study, dropouts are exogenous to the experiment. We conclude that data quality for interactive experiments via the Internet is adequate and reliable, making online interactive experimentation a potentially valuable complement to laboratory studies.

    2. Relationship between Online Learning Readiness and Structure and Interaction of Online Learning Students

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Demir Kaymak, Zeliha; Horzum, Mehmet Baris

      2013-01-01

      Current study tried to determine whether a relationship exists between readiness levels of the online learning students for online learning and the perceived structure and interaction in online learning environments. In the study, cross sectional survey model was used. The study was conducted with 320 voluntary students studying online learning…

    3. Smart Home Test Bed: Examining How Smart Homes Interact with the Power Grid

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      This fact sheet highlights the Smart Home Test Bed capability at the Energy Systems Integration Facility. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working on one of the new frontiers of smart home research: finding ways for smart home technologies and systems to enhance grid operations in the presence of distributed, clean energy technologies such as photovoltaics (PV). To help advance this research, NREL has developed a controllable, flexible, and fully integrated Smart Home Test Bed.

    4. Protect Your Home from Wildfire!

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      PTA Today, 1994

      1994-01-01

      Homes in wooded areas or in the wildland/urban interface are at special risk for wildfire. The article provides a checklist of what to keep on hand to make homes safer from wildfire, focusing on vegetation around the home and maintenance of the yard and home. (SM)

    5. Safety Risks Among Home Infusion Nurses and Other Home Health Care Providers

      PubMed Central

      Galligan, Catherine; Quinn, Margaret

      2017-01-01

      In the United States, home health care (HHC) is a rapidly growing industry and home infusion therapy is a rapidly growing market. HHC can present substantial occupational safety and health (OSH) risks. This article summarizes major OSH risks relevant to home infusion therapy by illustrating them through real-life scenarios collected systematically using qualitative research methods by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-funded research projects at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The need for home infusion therapy will continue to grow in the future, and safety interventions to prevent or minimize OSH risks are essential. PMID:28683000

    6. Depression in Home-Based Care: The Role of the Home Health Nurse.

      PubMed

      Groh, Carla J; Dumlao, Manuel S

      2016-01-01

      Depression is a major health issue among older adults receiving home-based services yet is underdiagnosed and undertreated, which can result in negative health outcomes. Despite the recognized need for improved mental health services, significant gaps and barriers exist that contribute to less than optimal home-based depression management interventions. Home healthcare clinicians are well positioned to drive this effort for improving depression care with enhanced learning. Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide guidelines on improving depression care in homebound older adults based on four clinical functions central to home healthcare: screening, assessment, medication management, and patient/family education.

    7. Effects of online group exercises for older adults on physical, psychological and social wellbeing: a randomized pilot trial.

      PubMed

      Baez, Marcos; Khaghani Far, Iman; Ibarra, Francisco; Ferron, Michela; Didino, Daniele; Casati, Fabio

      2017-01-01

      Intervention programs to promote physical activity in older adults, either in group or home settings, have shown equivalent health outcomes but different results when considering adherence. Group-based interventions seem to achieve higher participation in the long-term. However, there are many factors that can make of group exercises a challenging setting for older adults. A major one, due to the heterogeneity of this particular population, is the difference in the level of skills. In this paper we report on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing outcomes of a technology-based intervention that enable online group exercises in older adults with different levels of skills. A total of 37 older adults between 65 and 87 years old followed a personalized exercise program based on the OTAGO program for fall prevention, for a period of eight weeks. Participants could join online group exercises using a tablet-based application. Participants were assigned either to the Control group, representing the traditional individual home-based training program, or the Social group, representing the online group exercising. Pre- and post- measurements were taken to analyze the physical, psychological and social wellbeing outcomes. After the eight-weeks training program there were improvements in both the Social and Control groups in terms of physical outcomes, given the high level of adherence of both groups. Considering the baseline measures, however, the results suggest that while in the Control group fitter individuals tended to adhere more to the training, this was not the case for the Social group, where the initial level had no effect on adherence. For psychological outcomes there were improvements on both groups, regardless of the application used. There was no significant difference between groups in social wellbeing outcomes, both groups seeing a decrease in loneliness despite the presence of social features in the Social group. However, online social interactions

    8. Effects of online group exercises for older adults on physical, psychological and social wellbeing: a randomized pilot trial

      PubMed Central

      Khaghani Far, Iman; Ibarra, Francisco; Ferron, Michela; Didino, Daniele; Casati, Fabio

      2017-01-01

      Background Intervention programs to promote physical activity in older adults, either in group or home settings, have shown equivalent health outcomes but different results when considering adherence. Group-based interventions seem to achieve higher participation in the long-term. However, there are many factors that can make of group exercises a challenging setting for older adults. A major one, due to the heterogeneity of this particular population, is the difference in the level of skills. In this paper we report on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing outcomes of a technology-based intervention that enable online group exercises in older adults with different levels of skills. Methods A total of 37 older adults between 65 and 87 years old followed a personalized exercise program based on the OTAGO program for fall prevention, for a period of eight weeks. Participants could join online group exercises using a tablet-based application. Participants were assigned either to the Control group, representing the traditional individual home-based training program, or the Social group, representing the online group exercising. Pre- and post- measurements were taken to analyze the physical, psychological and social wellbeing outcomes. Results After the eight-weeks training program there were improvements in both the Social and Control groups in terms of physical outcomes, given the high level of adherence of both groups. Considering the baseline measures, however, the results suggest that while in the Control group fitter individuals tended to adhere more to the training, this was not the case for the Social group, where the initial level had no effect on adherence. For psychological outcomes there were improvements on both groups, regardless of the application used. There was no significant difference between groups in social wellbeing outcomes, both groups seeing a decrease in loneliness despite the presence of social features in the Social group. However

    9. Building America Top Innovations 2012: Affordable High Performance in Production Homes: Artistic Homes

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      none,

      2013-01-01

      This Building America Top Innovations profile describes Artistic Homes, a successful New Mexico production builder, who went from code-minimum to under HERS 50 standard on every home, with optional PV upgrades to HERS 35 or true net zero on every home plan offered.

    10. A study protocol of a three-group randomized feasibility trial of an online yoga intervention for mothers after stillbirth (The Mindful Health Study).

      PubMed

      Huberty, Jennifer; Matthews, Jeni; Leiferman, Jenn; Cacciatore, Joanne; Gold, Katherine J

      2018-01-01

      In the USA, stillbirth (in utero fetal death ≥20 weeks gestation) is a major public health issue. Women who experience stillbirth, compared to women with live birth, have a nearly sevenfold increased risk of a positive screen for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a fourfold increased risk of depressive symptoms. Because the majority of women who have experienced the death of their baby become pregnant within 12-18 months and the lack of intervention studies conducted within this population, novel approaches targeting physical and mental health, specific to the needs of this population, are critical. Evidence suggests that yoga is efficacious, safe, acceptable, and cost-effective for improving mental health in a variety of populations, including pregnant and postpartum women. To date, there are no known studies examining online-streaming yoga as a strategy to help mothers cope with PTSD symptoms after stillbirth. The present study is a two-phase randomized controlled trial. Phase 1 will involve (1) an iterative design process to develop the online yoga prescription for phase 2 and (2) qualitative interviews to identify cultural barriers to recruitment in non-Caucasian women (i.e., predominately Hispanic and/or African American) who have experienced stillbirth ( N  = 5). Phase 2 is a three-group randomized feasibility trial with assessments at baseline, and at 12 and 20 weeks post-intervention. Ninety women who have experienced a stillbirth within 6 weeks to 24 months will be randomized into one of the following three arms for 12 weeks: (1) intervention low dose (LD) = 60 min/week online-streaming yoga ( n  = 30), (2) intervention moderate dose (MD) = 150 min/week online-streaming yoga ( n  = 30), or (3) stretch and tone control (STC) group = 60 min/week of stretching/toning exercises ( n  = 30). This study will explore the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week, home-based, online-streamed yoga intervention, with varying doses

    11. Home Economics Cooperative Education.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Texas Tech. Univ., Lubbock. School of Home Economics.

      Prepared by home economics instructional materials center staff, this handbook is for use by home economics cooperative education teacher-coordinators in planning vocational home economics gainful employment programs and courses on the high school level. Contents include: (1) general information on the program, (2) approved occupations for the…

    12. Allowing cigarette or marijuana smoking in the home and car: prevalence and correlates in a young adult sample

      PubMed Central

      Padilla, Mabel; Berg, Carla J.; Schauer, Gillian L.; Lang, Delia L.; Kegler, Michelle C.

      2015-01-01

      Given the increased marijuana use, negative health consequences of marijuana secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) and dearth of research regarding marijuana SHSe in personal settings, we examined the prevalence and correlates of allowing marijuana versus cigarette smoking in personal settings among 2002 online survey respondents at two southeastern US universities in 2013. Findings indicated that 14.5% allowed cigarettes in the home, 17.0% marijuana in the home, 35.9% cigarettes in cars and 27.3% marijuana in cars. Allowing cigarettes in the home was associated with younger age, racial/ethnic minority status, living off campus, personal marijuana use, parental tobacco use and positive perceptions of cigarettes (P < 0.05). Correlates of allowing marijuana in the home included older age, not having children, living off campus, positive perceptions of marijuana and personal, parental and friend marijuana use (P < 0.05). Correlates of allowing cigarettes in cars included personal cigarette and marijuana use, parental tobacco and marijuana use, more cigarette-smoking friends and positive perceptions of cigarettes (P < 0.05). Correlates of allowing marijuana in cars included being non-Hispanic black; positive perceptions of marijuana; and personal, parental and friend marijuana use (P < 0.05). Interventions must target distinct factors influencing policies regarding cigarette versus marijuana use in personal settings to address the consequences of marijuana and cigarette SHSe. PMID:25214515

    13. The effect of Channeling on in-home utilization and subsequent nursing home care: a simultaneous equation perspective.

      PubMed Central

      Rabiner, D J; Stearns, S C; Mutran, E

      1994-01-01

      OBJECTIVE. This study explored the relationship between participation in a home/community-based long-term care case management intervention (known as the Channeling demonstration), use of formal in-home care, and subsequent nursing home utilization. STUDY DESIGN. Structural analysis of the randomized Channeling intervention was conducted to decompose the total effects of Channeling on nursing home use into direct and indirect effects. DATA COLLECTION METHOD. Secondary data analysis of the National Long-Term Care Data Set. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. The use of formal in-home care, which was increased by the Channeling intervention, was positively associated with nursing home utilization at 12 months. However, the negative direct effect of Channeling on nursing home use was of sufficient magnitude to offset this positive indirect effect, so that a small but significant negative total effect of Channeling on subsequent nursing home utilization was found. CONCLUSIONS. This study shows why Channeling did not have a large total impact on nursing home utilization. The analysis did not provide evidence of direct substitution of in-home care for nursing home care because the direct reductions in nursing home utilization due to other aspects of Channeling (including, but not limited to case management) were substantially offset by the indirect increases in nursing home utilization associated with additional home care use. PMID:8002352

    14. What Online Networks Offer: "Online Network Compositions and Online Learning Experiences of Three Ethnic Groups"

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Lecluijze, Suzanne Elisabeth; de Haan, Mariëtte; Ünlüsoy, Asli

      2015-01-01

      This exploratory study examines ethno-cultural diversity in youth's narratives regarding their "online" learning experiences while also investigating how these narratives can be understood from the analysis of their online network structure and composition. Based on ego-network data of 79 respondents this study compared the…

    15. BostonBreathes: Improving pediatric asthma care with a home-based interactive website for patient education, monitoring, and clinical teamwork

      PubMed Central

      Wiecha, John M.; Adams, William G.

      2006-01-01

      The BostonBreathes (BB) system is an interactive website enabling physician-physician and physician-patient communication, monitoring (peak-flow, medication use, symptoms) of asthma patients in the home, and patient and family asthma education. The system helps primary care physicians to function in team relationships with asthma specialists and nurses. Patients and families can interact with their health professionals online as members of the care team. BB uniquely combines patient education, monitoring, and clinical teamwork functions into one integrated web environment. PMID:17238763

    16. Using the "Indicators of Engaged Learning Online" Framework to Evaluate Online Course Quality

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Bigatel, Paula M.; Edel-Malizia, Stephanie

      2018-01-01

      This article is a case study of the use of the "Indicators of Engaged Learning Online" (IELO) framework (See Appendix 1) as a guide to evaluate the quality of online courses. The framework lends itself well to measures of engagement, particularly, in terms of online course design because of its comprehensiveness. Six online courses were…

    17. On the Design of Smart Homes: A Framework for Activity Recognition in Home Environment.

      PubMed

      Cicirelli, Franco; Fortino, Giancarlo; Giordano, Andrea; Guerrieri, Antonio; Spezzano, Giandomenico; Vinci, Andrea

      2016-09-01

      A smart home is a home environment enriched with sensing, actuation, communication and computation capabilities which permits to adapt it to inhabitants preferences and requirements. Establishing a proper strategy of actuation on the home environment can require complex computational tasks on the sensed data. This is the case of activity recognition, which consists in retrieving high-level knowledge about what occurs in the home environment and about the behaviour of the inhabitants. The inherent complexity of this application domain asks for tools able to properly support the design and implementation phases. This paper proposes a framework for the design and implementation of smart home applications focused on activity recognition in home environments. The framework mainly relies on the Cloud-assisted Agent-based Smart home Environment (CASE) architecture offering basic abstraction entities which easily allow to design and implement Smart Home applications. CASE is a three layered architecture which exploits the distributed multi-agent paradigm and the cloud technology for offering analytics services. Details about how to implement activity recognition onto the CASE architecture are supplied focusing on the low-level technological issues as well as the algorithms and the methodologies useful for the activity recognition. The effectiveness of the framework is shown through a case study consisting of a daily activity recognition of a person in a home environment.

    18. Prediction of Advisability of Returning Home Using the Home Care Score

      PubMed Central

      Matsugi, Akiyoshi; Tani, Keisuke; Tamaru, Yoshiki; Yoshioka, Nami; Yamashita, Akira; Mori, Nobuhiko; Oku, Kosuke; Ikeda, Masashi; Nagano, Kiyoshi

      2015-01-01

      Purpose. The aim of this study was to assess whether the home care score (HCS), which was developed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Japan in 1992, is useful for the prediction of advisability of home care. Methods. Subjects living at home and in assisted-living facilities were analyzed. Binominal logistic regression analyses, using age, sex, the functional independence measure score, and the HCS, along with receiver operating characteristic curve analyses, were conducted. Findings/Conclusions. Only HCS was selected for the regression equation. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (0.9), sensitivity (0.82), specificity (0.83), and positive predictive value (0.84) for HCS were higher than those for the functional independence measure, indicating that the HCS is a powerful predictor for advisability of home care. Clinical Relevance. Comprehensive measurements of the condition of provided care and the activities of daily living of the subjects, which are included in the HCS, are required for the prediction of advisability of home care. PMID:26491568

    19. The Impact of Certificate-of-Need Laws on Nursing Home and Home Health Care Expenditures.

      PubMed

      Rahman, Momotazur; Galarraga, Omar; Zinn, Jacqueline S; Grabowski, David C; Mor, Vincent

      2016-02-01

      Over the past two decades, nursing homes and home health care agencies have been influenced by several Medicare and Medicaid policy changes including the adoption of prospective payment for Medicare-paid postacute care and Medicaid-paid long-term home and community-based care reforms. This article examines how spending growth in these sectors was affected by state certificate-of-need (CON) laws, which were designed to limit the growth of providers and have remained unchanged for several decades. Compared with states without CON laws, Medicare and Medicaid spending in states with CON laws grew faster for nursing home care and more slowly for home health care. In particular, we observed the slowest growth in community-based care in states with CON for both the nursing home and home health industries. Thus, controlling for other factors, public postacute and long-term care expenditures in CON states have become dominated by nursing homes. © The Author(s) 2015.

    20. The Impact of Certificate-of-Need Laws on Nursing Home and Home Health Care Expenditures

      PubMed Central

      Rahman, Momotazur; Galarraga, Omar; Zinn, Jacqueline S.; Grabowski, David C.; Mor, Vincent

      2016-01-01

      Over the past two decades, nursing homes and home health care agencies have been influenced by several Medicare and Medicaid policy changes including the adoption of prospective payment for Medicare-paid postacute care and Medicaid-paid long-term home and community-based care reforms. This article examines how spending growth in these sectors was affected by state certificate-of-need (CON) laws, which were designed to limit the growth of providers and have remained unchanged for several decades. Compared with states without CON laws, Medicare and Medicaid spending in states with CON laws grew faster for nursing home care and more slowly for home health care. In particular, we observed the slowest growth in community-based care in states with CON for both the nursing home and home health industries. Thus, controlling for other factors, public postacute and long-term care expenditures in CON states have become dominated by nursing homes. PMID:26223431

    1. Home Schooling Goes Mainstream

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Gaither, Milton

      2009-01-01

      This article reports that while home schooling may have particular appeal to celebrities, over the last decade families of all kinds have embraced the practice for widely varying reasons: no longer is home schooling exclusive to Christian fundamentalism and the countercultural Left. Along with growing acceptance of home schooling nationally has…

    2. Association of Discharge Home with Home Health Care and 30-day Readmission after Pancreatectomy

      PubMed Central

      Sanford, Dominic E; Olsen, Margaret A; Bommarito, Kerry M; Shah, Manish; Fields, Ryan C; Hawkins, William G; Jaques, David P; Linehan, David C

      2014-01-01

      Background We sought to determine if discharge home with home health care (HHC) is an independent predictor of increased readmission following pancreatectomy. Study Design We examined 30-day readmissions in patients undergoing pancreatectomy using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database for California from 2009 to 2011. Readmissions were categorized as severe or non-severe using the Modified Accordion Severity Grading System. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association of discharge home with HHC and 30-day readmission using discharge home without HHC as the reference group. Propensity score matching was used as an additional analysis to compare the rate of 30-day readmission between patients discharged home with HHC to patients discharged home without HHC. Results 3,573 patients underwent pancreatectomy and 752 (21.0%) were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. In a multivariable logistic regression model, discharge home with HHC was an independent predictor of increased 30-day readmission (OR=1.37; 95%CI=1.11-1.69, p=0.004). Using propensity score matching, patients who received HHC had a significantly increased rate of 30-day readmission compared to patients discharged home without HHC (24.3% vs 19.8%, p<0.001). Patients discharged home with HHC had a significantly increased rate of non-severe readmission compared to those discharged home without HHC by univariate comparison (19.2% vs 13.9%, p<0.001), but not severe readmission (6.4% vs 4.7%, p= 0.08). In multivariable logistic regression models, excluding patients discharged to facilities, discharge home with HHC was an independent predictor of increased non-severe readmissions (OR=1.41; 95%CI=1.11-1.79, p=0.005), but not severe readmissions (OR=1.31; 95%CI=0.88-1.93, p=0.18). Conclusions Discharge home with HHC following pancreatectomy is an independent predictor of increased 30-day readmission; specifically, these services are associated with

    3. Home Schooling: Parents as Educators.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Mayberry, Maralee; And Others

      Acknowledging the growing trend to educate school-aged children at home, this book provides a detailed account of home schooling, providing a vision of home education that reflects its multidimensional nature. The book consists of seven chapters: (1) "Learning about Home Schools" describes the research study from which this book is drawn…

    4. Prescribing quality for older people in Norwegian nursing homes and home nursing services using multidose dispensed drugs.

      PubMed

      Halvorsen, Kjell H; Granas, Anne Gerd; Engeland, Anders; Ruths, Sabine

      2012-09-01

      To examine and compare the quality of drug prescribing for older patients in nursing homes and home nursing services. Cross-sectional study comprising 11,254 patients aged ≥ 65 years in nursing homes (n = 2986) and home nursing services (n = 8268). Potentially inappropriate medications were identified by using the Norwegian General Practice criteria and drug-drug interactions through a Norwegian Web-based tool. The impact of care setting on exposure to selected drug groups, potentially inappropriate medications, and drug interactions was calculated, adjusting for patients' age, gender, and number of drugs used. Patients in nursing homes and home nursing services used on average 5.7 (SD = 2.6) multidose dispensed regular drugs. Twenty-six percent used at least one potentially inappropriate medication, 31% in nursing homes and 25% in home nursing services, p < .001. Concomitant use of three or more psychotropic and/or opioid drugs was the criterion most commonly identified in nursing homes (18%) and home nursing services (9%), p < .001. Compared with nursing homes, more patients in home nursing services used cardiovascular drugs and fewer patients used psychotropic drugs. Altogether, 8615 drug-drug interactions were identified in 55% of patients, 48% in nursing homes and 57% in home nursing services, p < .001. There are significant differences in the quality of drug prescribing in nursing homes compared with home nursing services. Explanations as to why these differences exist need to be further explored. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

    5. Online cognitive behavioral therapy for bulimic type disorders, delivered in the community by a nonclinician: qualitative study.

      PubMed

      McClay, Carrie-Anne; Waters, Louise; McHale, Ciaran; Schmidt, Ulrike; Williams, Christopher

      2013-03-15

      Cognitive behavioral therapy is recommended in the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines for the treatment of bulimia nervosa. In order to make this treatment option more accessible to patients, interactive online CBT programs have been developed that can be used in the user's own home, in privacy, and at their convenience. Studies investigating online CBT for bulimic type eating disorders have provided promising results and indicate that, with regular support from a clinician or trained support worker, online CBT can be effective in reducing bulimic symptoms. Two main factors distinguish this study from previous research in this area. First, the current study recruited a wide range of adults with bulimic type symptoms from the community. Second, the participants in the current study had used cCBT with support from a nonclinical support worker rather than a specialist eating disorder clinician. To investigate participants' experiences of using an online self-help cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) package (Overcoming Bulimia Online) for bulimia nervosa (BN) and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Eight participants with a mean age of 33.9 years took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a 6-step thematic analysis process. Saturation was achieved, and 7 themes were identified in the dataset. These were: (1) conceptualizing eating disorders, (2) help-seeking behavior, (3) aspects of the intervention, (4) motivation to use the online package, (5) privacy and secrecy with regard to their eating problems, (6) recovery and the future, and (7) participant engagement describing individuals' thoughts on taking part in the online research study. Participants suggested that online CBT self-help represented a generally desirable and acceptable treatment option for those with bulimic type eating problems, despite some difficulties with motivation and implementation of some elements of the package

    6. Going Online the MI Way.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Feldt, Jill

      This booklet describes online searching using Materials Information, a metallurgy and metals science information service of the Institute of Metals in London and ASM International in Cleveland, Ohio, which is available through the major online vendors. Described in detail are online searching, online databases, costs, online hosts or vendors,…

    7. Population Health and Tailored Medical Care in the Home: the Roles of Home-Based Primary Care and Home-Based Palliative Care.

      PubMed

      Ritchie, Christine S; Leff, Bruce

      2018-03-01

      With the growth of value-based care, payers and health systems have begun to appreciate the need to provide enhanced services to homebound adults. Recent studies have shown that home-based medical services for this high-cost, high-need population reduce costs and improve outcomes. Home-based medical care services have two flavors that are related to historical context and specialty background-home-based primary care (HBPC) and home-based palliative care (HBPalC). Although the type of services provided by HBPC and HBPalC (together termed "home-based medical care") overlap, HBPC tends to encompass longitudinal and preventive care, while HBPalC often provides services for shorter durations focused more on distress management and goals of care clarification. Given workforce constraints and growing demand, both HBPC and HBPalC will benefit from working together within a population health framework-where HBPC provides care to all patients who have trouble accessing traditional office practices and where HBPalC offers adjunctive care to patients with high symptom burden and those who need assistance with goals clarification. Policy changes that support provision of medical care in the home, population health strategies that tailor home-based medical care to the specific needs of the patients and their caregivers, and educational initiatives to assure basic palliative care competence for all home-based medical providers will improve access and reduce illness burden to this important and underrecognized population. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    8. Recruiting a U.S. national sample of HIV-negative gay and bisexual men to complete at-home self-administered HIV/STI testing and surveys: Challenges and Opportunities

      PubMed Central

      Grov, Christian; Cain, Demetria; Whitfield, Thomas H. F.; Rendina, H. Jonathon; Pawson, Mark; Ventuneac, Ana; Parsons, Jeffrey T.

      2015-01-01

      We describe enrollment for the One Thousand Strong panel, present characteristics of the panel relative to other large U.S. national studies of gay and bisexual men (GBM), and examine demographic and behavioral characteristics that were associated with passing enrollment milestones. A U.S. national sample of HIV-negative men were enrolled via an established online panel of over 22,000 GBM. Participants (n = 1071) passed three milestones to join our panel. Milestone 1 was screening eligible and providing informed consent. Milestone 2 involved completing an hour-long at-home computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) survey. Milestone 3 involved completing at-home self-administered rapid HIV testing and collecting/returning urine and rectal samples for gonorrhea and chlamydia testing. Compared to those who completed milestones: those not passing milestone 1 were more likely to be non-White and older; those not passing milestone 2 were less likely to have insurance or a primary care physician; and those not passing milestone 3 were less educated, more likely to be bisexual as opposed to gay, more likely to live in the Midwest, had fewer male partners in the past year, and less likely to have tested for HIV in the past year. Effect sizes for significant findings were small. We successfully enrolled a national sample of HIV-negative GBM who completed at-home CASI assessments and at-home self-administered HIV and urine and rectal STI testing. This indicates high feasibility and acceptability of incorporating self-administered biological assays into otherwise fully online studies. Differences in completion of study milestones indicate a need for further investigation into the reasons for lower engagement by certain groups. PMID:26858776

    9. Acceptance and usability of a home-based monitoring tool of health indicators in children of people with dementia: a Proof of Principle (POP) study.

      PubMed

      Boessen, April Bcg; Vermeulen, Joan; de Witte, Luc P

      2017-01-01

      Large-scale cohort studies are needed to confirm the relation between dementia and its possible risk factors. The inclusion of people with dementia in research is a challenge, however, children of people with dementia are at risk and are highly motivated to participate in dementia research. For technologies to support home-based data collection during large-scale studies, participants should be able and willing to use technology for a longer period of time. This study investigated acceptance and usability of iVitality, a research platform for home-based monitoring of dementia health indicators, in 151 children of people with dementia and investigated which frequency of measurements is acceptable for them. Participants were randomized to fortnightly or monthly measurements. At baseline and after 3 months, participants completed an online questionnaire regarding the acceptance (Technology Acceptance Model; 38 items) and usability (Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire; 24 items) of iVitality. Items were rated from 1 (I totally disagree) to 7 (I totally agree). Participants were also invited to take part in an online focus group (OFG) after 3 months of follow-up. Descriptive statistics and both two-sample/independent and paired t -tests were used to analyze the online questionnaires and a directed content analysis was used to analyze the OFGs. Children of people with dementia accept iVitality after long-term use and evaluate iVitality as a user-friendly, useful, and trusted technology, despite some suggestions for improvement. Overall, mean scores on acceptance and usability were higher than 5 (I somewhat agree), although the acceptance subscales "social influence" and "time" were rated somewhat lower. No significant differences in acceptance and usability were found between both protocol groups. Over time, "affect" significantly increased among participants measuring blood pressure fortnightly. iVitality has the potential to be used in large-scale studies for

    10. Acceptance and usability of a home-based monitoring tool of health indicators in children of people with dementia: a Proof of Principle (POP) study

      PubMed Central

      Boessen, April BCG; Vermeulen, Joan; de Witte, Luc P

      2017-01-01

      Background Large-scale cohort studies are needed to confirm the relation between dementia and its possible risk factors. The inclusion of people with dementia in research is a challenge, however, children of people with dementia are at risk and are highly motivated to participate in dementia research. For technologies to support home-based data collection during large-scale studies, participants should be able and willing to use technology for a longer period of time. Objective This study investigated acceptance and usability of iVitality, a research platform for home-based monitoring of dementia health indicators, in 151 children of people with dementia and investigated which frequency of measurements is acceptable for them. Methods Participants were randomized to fortnightly or monthly measurements. At baseline and after 3 months, participants completed an online questionnaire regarding the acceptance (Technology Acceptance Model; 38 items) and usability (Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire; 24 items) of iVitality. Items were rated from 1 (I totally disagree) to 7 (I totally agree). Participants were also invited to take part in an online focus group (OFG) after 3 months of follow-up. Descriptive statistics and both two-sample/independent and paired t-tests were used to analyze the online questionnaires and a directed content analysis was used to analyze the OFGs. Results Children of people with dementia accept iVitality after long-term use and evaluate iVitality as a user-friendly, useful, and trusted technology, despite some suggestions for improvement. Overall, mean scores on acceptance and usability were higher than 5 (I somewhat agree), although the acceptance subscales “social influence” and “time” were rated somewhat lower. No significant differences in acceptance and usability were found between both protocol groups. Over time, “affect” significantly increased among participants measuring blood pressure fortnightly. Conclusion i

    11. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Amaris Custom Homes, St. Paul, Minnesota

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      None

      For this project, Amaris worked with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) team, NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership, to develop the first Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) in Minnesota's cold climate using reasonable, cost-effective, and replicable construction materials and practices. The result is a passive solar, super-efficient 3542-ft2 walkout ranch-style home with all the creature comforts. Along with meeting ZERH standards, Amaris also achieved certifications for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Homes v4, MN Green Path Emerald, and a Builders Association of the Twin Cities Reggie Award of Excellence. The home achieves a HERS score of 41 without photovoltaics; withmore » PV, the home achieves a HERS score of 5.« less

    12. Effects of the Evidence-Based Nursing Care Algorithm of Dysphagia for Nursing Home Residents.

      PubMed

      Park, Yeonhwan; Oh, Seieun; Chang, Heekyung; Bang, Hwal Lan

      2015-11-01

      HOW TO OBTAIN CONTACT HOURS BY READING THIS ARTICLE INSTRUCTIONS 1.2 contact hours will be awarded by Villanova University College of Nursing upon successful completion of this activity. A contact hour is a unit of measurement that denotes 60 minutes of an organized learning activity. This is a learner-based activity. Villanova University College of Nursing does not require submission of your answers to the quiz. A contact hour certificate will be awarded once you register, pay the registration fee, and complete the evaluation form online at http://goo.gl/gMfXaf. To obtain contact hours you must: 1. Read the article, "Effects of the Evidence-Based Nursing Care Algorithm of Dysphagia for Nursing Home Residents" found on pages 30-39, carefully noting any tables and other illustrative materials that are included to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content. Be sure to keep track of the amount of time (number of minutes) you spend reading the article and completing the quiz. 2. Read and answer each question on the quiz. After completing all of the questions, compare your answers to those provided within this issue. If you have incorrect answers, return to the article for further study. 3. Go to the Villanova website listed above to register for contact hour credit. You will be asked to provide your name; contact information; and a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card number for payment of the $20.00 fee. Once you complete the online evaluation, a certificate will be automatically generated. This activity is valid for continuing education credit until October 31, 2018. CONTACT HOURS This activity is co-provided by Villanova University College of Nursing and SLACK Incorporated. Villanova University College of Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES 1. Explain the development and testing of the Evidence-Based Nursing Care Algorithm of

    13. An Analysis of Home Energy Score and REM/Rate Energy Simulation Results for Homes in Three Climates

      DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

      Merket, Noel D

      Energy ratings and scores for homes attempt to give homeowners a understandable metric to compare the energy efficiency of homes. Two rating systems in the marketplace include RESNET's Home Energy Rating System (HERS) and DOE's Home Energy Score (HEScore) and include differing energy calculation methodologies. This report compares the energy predictions from both REM/Rate and Home Energy Score for populations of real homes in three climates and determines some features of homes that lead to the greatest differences between energy predictions.

    14. Comparison of Long-term Care in Nursing Homes Versus Home Health: Costs and Outcomes in Alabama.

      PubMed

      Blackburn, Justin; Locher, Julie L; Kilgore, Meredith L

      2016-04-01

      To compare acute care outcomes and costs among nursing home residents with community-dwelling home health recipients. A matched retrospective cohort study of Alabamians aged more than or equal to 65 years admitted to a nursing home or home health between March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2008 (N = 1,291 pairs). Medicare claims were compared up to one year after admission into either setting. Death, emergency department and inpatient visits, inpatient length of stay, and acute care costs were compared using t tests. Medicaid long-term care costs were compared for a subset of matched beneficiaries. After one year, 77.7% of home health beneficiaries were alive compared with 76.2% of nursing home beneficiaries (p < .001). Home health beneficiaries averaged 0.2 hospital visits and 0.1 emergency department visits more than nursing home beneficiaries, differences that were statistically significant. Overall acute care costs were not statistically different; home health beneficiaries' costs averaged $31,423, nursing home beneficiaries' $32,239 (p = .5032). Among 426 dual-eligible pairs, Medicaid long-term care costs averaged $4,582 greater for nursing home residents (p < .001). Using data from Medicare claims, beneficiaries with similar functional status, medical diagnosis history, and demographics had similar acute care costs regardless of whether they were admitted to a nursing home or home health care. Additional research controlling for exogenous factors relating to long-term care decisions is needed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

    15. Online Facilitation and Motivation in Online MBA Courses

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Kim, Kyong-Jee; Lu, Xiaojing; Lee, Seung-hee; Bonk, Curtis J.; Magjuka, Richard J.; Liu, Shijuan; Zhai, Mengyu; Su, Bude; Wise, Alyssa

      2004-01-01

      Online teaching and learning is making a significant impact on the fabric of higher education. In particular, online MBA programs have seen a rapid rise in student enrollments in recent years while the student enrollments in traditional in-residence MBA programs are in decline (Hayward, 2004; Lorenzo, 2004). This appears to be due, in part, to the…

    16. Home Away from Home: A Toolkit for Planning Home Visiting Partnerships with Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Johnson-Staub, Christine; Schmit, Stephanie

      2012-01-01

      Home visiting is one tool used to prevent child abuse and improve child well-being by providing education and services in families' homes through parent education and connection to community resources. This toolkit provides state policymakers and advocates with strategies for extending and expanding access to state- or federally-funded home…

    17. Home Is where You Draw Strength and Rest: The Meanings of Home for Houseless Young People

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Kidd, Sean A.; Evans, Josh D.

      2011-01-01

      This qualitative study examined the meanings ascribed to the construct "home" by 208 youths defined by mainstream society as "homeless". Youth narratives on the topic of home ranged across a continuum with home as state at one end (i.e., home is a state of mind, comprised of one's friends) and home as place at the other (i.e.,…

    18. Pervasive Home Environments

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Bull, P.; Limb, R.; Payne, R.

      An increasing number of computers and other equipment, such as games consoles and multimedia appliances for the home, have networking capability. The rapid growth of broadband in the home is also fuelling the demand for people to network their homes. In the near future we will see a number of market sectors trying to 'own' the home by providing gateways either from the traditional ISP or from games and other service providers. The consumer is bombarded with attractive advertising to acquire the latest technological advances, but is left with a plethora of different appliances, which have a bewildering range of requirements and features in terms of networking, user interface, and higher-level communications protocols. In many cases, these are proprietary, preventing interworking. Such technical and usability anarchy confuses the consumer and could ultimately suppress market adoption.

    19. Vascular access for home haemodialysis.

      PubMed

      Al Shakarchi, Julien; Day, C; Inston, N

      2018-03-01

      Home haemodialysis has been advocated due to improved quality of life. However, there are very little data on the optimum vascular access for it. A retrospective cohort study was carried on all patients who initiated home haemodialysis between 2011 and 2016 at a large university hospital. Access-related hospital admissions and interventions were used as primary outcome measures. Our cohort consisted of 74 patients. On initiation of home haemodialysis, 62 individuals were using an arteriovenous fistula as vascular access, while the remaining were on a tunnelled dialysis catheter. Of the 12 patients who started on a tunnelled dialysis catheter, 5 were subsequently converted to either an arteriovenous fistula ( n = 4) or an arteriovenous graft ( n = 1). During the period of home haemodialysis use, four arteriovenous fistula failed or thrombosed with patients continuing on home haemodialysis using an arteriovenous graft ( n = 3) or a tunnelled dialysis catheter ( n = 1). To maintain uninterrupted home haemodialysis, interventional rates were 0.32 per arteriovenous fistula/arteriovenous graft access-year and 0.4 per tunnelled dialysis catheter access-year. Hospital admission rates for patients on home haemodialysis were 0.33 per patient-year. Our study has shown that home haemodialysis can be safely and independently performed at home within a closely managed home haemodialysis programme. The authors also advocate the use of arteriovenous fistulas for this cohort of patients due to both low complication and intervention rates.

    20. Giving rheumatology patients online home access to their electronic medical record (EMR): advantages, drawbacks and preconditions according to care providers.

      PubMed

      van der Vaart, Rosalie; Drossaert, Constance H C; Taal, Erik; van de Laar, Mart A F J

      2013-09-01

      Technology enables patients home access to their electronic medical record (EMR), via a patient portal. This study aims to analyse (dis)advantages, preconditions and suitable content for this service, according to rheumatology health professionals. A two-phase policy Delphi study was conducted. First, interviews were performed with nurses/nurse practitioners (n = 9) and rheumatologists (n = 13). Subsequently, collected responses were quantified, using a questionnaire among the interviewees. The following advantages of patient home access to the EMR were reported: (1) enhancement of patient participation in treatment, (2) increased knowledge and self-management, (3) improved patient-provider interaction, (4) increased patient safety, and (5) better communication with others. Foreseen disadvantages of the service included: (1) problems with interpretation of data, (2) extra workload, (3) a change in consultation content, and (4) disturbing the patient-provider interaction. Also, the following preconditions emerged from the data: (1) optimal security, (2) no extra record, but a patient-accessible section, (3) no access to clinical notes, and (4) a lag time on the release of lab data. Most respondents reported that data on diagnosis, medication, treatment plan and consultations could be released to patients. On releasing more complex data, such as bodily examinations, lab results and radiological images the opinions differed considerably. Providing patients home access to their medical record might be a valuable next step into patient empowerment and in service towards the patient, provided that security is optimal and content and presentation of data are carefully considered.

    1. Characteristics of the Effective Online Teaching Faculty: Perspectives of Online University Administrators

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Samora, Dina Lee

      2013-01-01

      The purpose of this explorative qualitative case study was to identify the characteristics online administrators reveal as existing in their most effective, and ineffective online teaching faculty (OTF). By identifying the characteristics of effective OTF, online administrators can develop practices to reduce and avoid the negative effects…

    2. Marketing through Online Leadership to Retain Invisible Customers: Perceptions of Online Students

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Kibiloski, F. Terry.

      2012-01-01

      This quantitative study examined the relationship between student perceived leadership styles of online university instructors, and the perceived customer satisfaction and retention of online students. Specifically, the four goals of this study were to determine: (a) students' perception of their online instructor's leadership style, (b) if…

    3. Improving end of life care in care homes; an evaluation of the six steps to success programme.

      PubMed

      O'Brien, Mary; Kirton, Jennifer; Knighting, Katherine; Roe, Brenda; Jack, Barbara

      2016-06-03

      There are approximately 426,000 people residing within care homes in the UK. Residents often have complex trajectories of dying, which make it difficult for staff to manage their end-of-life care. There is growing recognition for the need to support care homes staff in the care of these residents with increased educational initiatives. One educational initiative is The Six Steps to Success programme. In order to evaluate the implementation of Six Steps with the first cohort of care homes to complete the end-of-life programme in the North West of England., a pragmatic evaluation methodology was implemented in 2012-2013 using multiple methods of qualitative data collection; online questionnaire with facilitators (n = 16), interviews with facilitators (n = 9) and case studies of care homes that had completed the programme (n = 6). The evaluation explored the implementation approach and experiences of the programme facilitators and obtain a detailed account of the impact of Six Steps on individual care homes. Based upon the National Health Service (NHS) End of Life Care (EoLC) Programme, The Route to Success in EoLC - Achieving Quality in Care Homes. The programme was flexibly designed so that it could be individually tailored to the geographical location and the individual cohort requirements. Facilitators provided comprehensive and flexible support to care homes. Challenges to programme success were noted as; lack of time allocated to champions to devote to additional programme work, inappropriate staff selected as 'Champions' and staff sickness/high staff turnover presented challenges to embedding programme values. Benefits to completing the programme were noted as; improvement in Advance Care Planning, improved staff communication/confidence when dealing with multi-disciplinary teams, improved end-of-life processes/documentation and increased staff confidence through acquisition of new knowledge and new processes. The findings suggested an overall

    4. Belonging Online: Students' Perceptions of the Value and Efficacy of an Online Learning Community

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      LaPointe, Loralee; Reisetter, Marcy

      2008-01-01

      The proliferation of online course designs has changed the learning environments for many students and professors. Recommendations for best practice in online course design frequently include maximizing students' online peer connections, with the intention of building a viable, if virtual, online learning community. However, students' responses to…

    5. Combining Teletherapy and On-line Language Exercises in the Treatment of Chronic Aphasia: An Outcome Study

      PubMed Central

      STEELE, RICHARD D.; BAIRD, ALLISON; MCCALL, DENISE; HAYNES, LISA

      2015-01-01

      We report a 12-week outcome study in which nine persons with long-term chronic aphasia received individual and group speech-language teletherapy services, and also used on-line language exercises to practice from home between therapy sessions. Participants were assessed at study initiation and completion using the Western Aphasia Battery, a portion of the Communicative Effectiveness Index, ASHA National Outcome Measurement System, and RIC Communication Confidence Rating Scale for Aphasia; additionally participants were polled regarding satisfaction at discharge. Pretreatment and post-treatment means were calculated and compared, and matched t-tests were used to determine significance of improvements following treatment, with patterns of independent on-line activity analyzed. Analysis of scores shows that means improved on most measures following treatment, generally significantly: the WAB AQ improved +3.5 (p = .057); the CETI Overall (of items administered) — +17.8 (p = .01), and CCRSA Overall — + 10.4 (p = .0004). Independent work increased with time, and user satisfaction following participation was high. PMID:25945225

    6. Restructuring in response to case mix reimbursement in nursing homes: a contingency approach.

      PubMed

      Zinn, Jacqueline; Feng, Zhanlian; Mor, Vincent; Intrator, Orna; Grabowski, David

      2008-01-01

      Resident-based case mix reimbursement has become the dominant mechanism for publicly funded nursing home care. In 1998 skilled nursing facility reimbursement changed from cost-based to case mix adjusted payments under the Medicare Prospective Payment System for the costs of all skilled nursing facility care provided to Medicare recipients. In addition, as of 2004, 35 state Medicaid programs had implemented some form of case mix reimbursement. The purpose of the study is to determine if the implementation of Medicare and Medicaid case mix reimbursement increased the administrative burden on nursing homes, as evidenced by increased levels of nurses in administrative functions. The primary data for this study come from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Online Survey Certification and Reporting database from 1997 through 2004, a national nursing home database containing aggregated facility-level information, including staffing, organizational characteristics and resident conditions, on all Medicare/Medicaid certified nursing facilities in the country. We conducted multivariate regression analyses using a facility fixed-effects model to examine the effects of the implementation of Medicaid case mix reimbursement and Medicare Prospective Payment System on changes in the level of total administrative nurse staffing in nursing homes. Both Medicaid case mix reimbursement and Medicare Prospective Payment System increased the level of administrative nurse staffing, on average by 5.5% and 4.0% respectively. However, lack of evidence for a substitution effect suggests that any decline in direct care staffing after the introduction of case mix reimbursement is not attributable to a shift from clinical nursing resources to administrative functions. Our findings indicate that the administrative burden posed by case mix reimbursement has resource implications for all freestanding facilities. At the margin, the increased administrative burden imposed by case mix may

    7. Restructuring in response to case mix reimbursement in nursing homes: A contingency approach

      PubMed Central

      Zinn, Jacqueline; Feng, Zhanlian; Mor, Vincent; Intrator, Orna; Grabowski, David

      2013-01-01

      Background Resident-based case mix reimbursement has become the dominant mechanism for publicly funded nursing home care. In 1998 skilled nursing facility reimbursement changed from cost-based to case mix adjusted payments under the Medicare Prospective Payment System for the costs of all skilled nursing facility care provided to Medicare recipients. In addition, as of 2004, 35 state Medicaid programs had implemented some form of case mix reimbursement. Purpose The purpose of the study is to determine if the implementation of Medicare and Medicaid case mix reimbursement increased the administrative burden on nursing homes, as evidenced by increased levels of nurses in administrative functions. Methodology/Approach The primary data for this study come from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Online Survey Certification and Reporting database from 1997 through 2004, a national nursing home database containing aggregated facility-level information, including staffing, organizational characteristics and resident conditions, on all Medicare/Medicaid certified nursing facilities in the country. We conducted multivariate regression analyses using a facility fixed-effects model to examine the effects of the implementation of Medicaid case mix reimbursement and Medicare Prospective Payment System on changes in the level of total administrative nurse staffing in nursing homes. Findings Both Medicaid case mix reimbursement and Medicare Prospective Payment System increased the level of administrative nurse staffing, on average by 5.5% and 4.0% respectively. However, lack of evidence for a substitution effect suggests that any decline in direct care staffing after the introduction of case mix reimbursement is not attributable to a shift from clinical nursing resources to administrative functions. Practice Implications Our findings indicate that the administrative burden posed by case mix reimbursement has resource implications for all freestanding facilities. At the

    8. Early Childhood Home Visiting.

      PubMed

      Duffee, James H; Mendelsohn, Alan L; Kuo, Alice A; Legano, Lori A; Earls, Marian F

      2017-09-01

      High-quality home-visiting services for infants and young children can improve family relationships, advance school readiness, reduce child maltreatment, improve maternal-infant health outcomes, and increase family economic self-sufficiency. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports unwavering federal funding of state home-visiting initiatives, the expansion of evidence-based programs, and a robust, coordinated national evaluation designed to confirm best practices and cost-efficiency. Community home visiting is most effective as a component of a comprehensive early childhood system that actively includes and enhances a family-centered medical home. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

    9. Ovulation home test

      MedlinePlus

      ... test (home test); Ovulation prediction test; Ovulation predictor kit; Urinary LH immunoassays; At-home ovulation prediction test; ... Ovulation prediction test kits most often come with five to seven sticks. You may need to test for several days to detect a ...

    10. Health Professionals' Use of Online Information Retrieval Systems and Online Evidence.

      PubMed

      Lialiou, Paschalina; Pavlopoulou, Ioanna; Mantas, John

      2016-01-01

      Across-sectional survey was designed to determine health professionals' awareness and usage of online evidence retrieval systems in clinical practice. A questionnaire was used to measure professionals' behavior and utilization of online evidences, as well as, reasons and barriers on information retrieval. 439 nurses and physicians from public and private hospitals in Greece formulate the study's sample. The two most common reasons that individuals are using online information systems were for writing scientific manuscripts or filling a knowledge gap. A positive correlation was found between participants with postgraduate studies and information system usage. The majority of them (90,6%) believe that online information systems improves patient care and 67,6% of them had their own experiences on this. More support is needed to nurses and physicians in order to use the online evidence and as a result to improve the provided care and practices.

    11. Designing online audiovisual heritage services: an empirical study of two comparable online video services

      NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

      Ongena, G.; van de Wijngaert, L. A. L.; Huizer, E.

      2013-03-01

      The purpose of this study is to seek input for a new online audiovisual heritage service. In doing so, we assess comparable online video services to gain insights into the motivations and perceptual innovation characteristics of the video services. The research is based on data from a Dutch survey held among 1,939 online video service users. The results show that online video service held overlapping antecedents but does show differences in motivations and in perceived innovation characteristics. Hence, in general, one can state that in comparison, online video services comply with different needs and have differences in perceived innovation characteristics. This implies that one can design online video services for different needs. In addition to scientific implications, the outcomes also provide guidance for practitioners in implementing new online video services.

    12. Interpersonal Interaction in Online Learning: Experienced Online Instructors' Perceptions of Influencing Factors

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      York, Cindy S.; Richardson, Jennifer C.

      2012-01-01

      A multitude of factors influence interpersonal interaction between students and instructors in an online course. This study examines perceptions of six experienced online instructors to determine factors they believe increase interaction among their students and between the students and instructor of online courses. The end result is an inventory…

    13. Tornado Safety (Online Tornado FAQ)

      Science.gov Websites

      , nursing homes, hospitals, sports arenas, stadiums, mobile home communities and offices should have a ; you could be trapped in them if the power is lost. In a mobile home:Get out! Even if your home is tied destroy even tied-down mobile homes; and it is best not to play the low odds that yours will make it. This

    14. A virtual caravan--A metaphor for home-internationalization through social media: A qualitative content analysis.

      PubMed

      Chan, Engle A; Nyback, Maj-Helen

      2015-06-01

      An internationalized curriculum in nursing education was created in response to the rise of globalization and the need to provide nursing care to people of diverse cultures. Through technology, internationalization at home can facilitate intercultural experiences for more nursing students. The aim of this study is to explore and describe how a virtual course in intercultural communication between students of two universities, through internationalization at home, can support the development of cultural competence. Qualitative research Junior year nursing students Qualitative content analysis of transcribed written and oral presentations during a course on intercultural communication. Four major themes, which are not mutually exclusive, were identified. Through this intercultural experience, without leaving home, students uncovered their cultural selves and others based on their own reflective understanding and collaborative discourse with each other and the use of social media for communication. Through experiential intercultural encounters beyond textbook and online materials, they learned to appreciate each other as people with cultural differences yet with much in common, and to recognize their assumptions and the value of subtleties and nuances. They were able to explore solutions within an unfamiliar context through their own efforts and with the support of peers and teachers. This led to a deeper understanding of cultural sensitivity and competence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    15. Suicidal and online: how do online behaviors inform us of this high-risk population?

      PubMed

      Harris, Keith M; McLean, John P; Sheffield, Jeanie

      2014-01-01

      To assist suicide prevention we need a better understanding of how suicidal individuals act in their environment, and the online world offers an ideal opportunity to examine daily behaviors. This anonymous survey (N = 1,016) provides first-of-its-kind empirical evidence demonstrating suicide-risk people (n = 290) are unique in their online behaviors. Suicidal users reported more time online, greater likelihood of developing online personal relationships, and greater use of online forums. In addition, suicide-risk women reported more time browsing/surfing and social networking. The authors conclude that suicide prevention efforts should respond to suicide-risk users' greater demands for online interpersonal communications.

    16. HeinOnline: An Online Archive of Law Journals.

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Marisa, Richard J.

      Law is grounded in the past, in the decisions and reasoning of generations of lawyers, judges, juries, and professors. Ready access to this history is vital to solid legal research, and yet, until 2000, much of it was buried in vast collections of aging paper journals. HeinOnline is a new online archive of law journals. Development of HeinOnline…

    17. Comparison of home and away-from-home physical activity using accelerometers and cellular network-based tracking devices.

      PubMed

      Ramulu, Pradeep Y; Chan, Emilie S; Loyd, Tara L; Ferrucci, Luigi; Friedman, David S

      2012-08-01

      Measuring physical at home and away from home is essential for assessing health and well-being, and could help design interventions to increase physical activity. Here, we describe how physical activity at home and away from home can be quantified by combining information from cellular network-based tracking devices and accelerometers. Thirty-five working adults wore a cellular network-based tracking device and an accelerometer for 6 consecutive days and logged their travel away from home. Performance of the tracking device was determined using the travel log for reference. Tracking device and accelerometer data were merged to compare physical activity at home and away from home. The tracking device detected 98.6% of all away-from-home excursions, accurately measured time away from home and demonstrated few prolonged signal drop-out periods. Most physical activity took place away from home on weekdays, but not on weekends. Subjects were more physically active per unit of time while away from home, particularly on weekends. Cellular network-based tracking devices represent an alternative to global positioning systems for tracking location, and provide information easily integrated with accelerometers to determine where physical activity takes place. Promoting greater time spent away from home may increase physical activity.

    18. Online Sexuality Education Pedagogy: Translating Five In-Person Teaching Methods to Online Learning Environments

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Green, Eli R.; Hamarman, Amelia M.; McKee, Ryan W.

      2015-01-01

      As higher education expands online course offerings, it is essential that sexuality educators strive to translate success from in-person courses into online pedagogy. While many educators remain anxious about, or sceptical of, the benefits of online sexuality education, the popularity of online courses demands engagement if educators are not to…

    19. Building online brand perceptual map.

      PubMed

      Chiang, I-Ping; Lin, Chih-Ying; Wang, Kaisheng M

      2008-10-01

      Many companies have launched their products or services online as a new business focus, but only a few of them have survived the competition and made profits. The most important key to an online business's success is to create "brand value" for the customers. Although the concept of online brand has been discussed in previous studies, there is no empirical study on the measurement of online branding. As Web 2.0 emerges to be critical to online branding, the purpose of this study was to measure Taiwan's major Web sites with a number of personality traits to build a perceptual map for online brands. A pretest identified 10 most representative online brand perceptions. The results of the correspondence analysis showed five groups in the perceptual map. This study provided a practical view of the associations and similarities among online brands for potential alliance or branding strategies. The findings also suggested that brand perceptions can be used with identified consumer needs and behaviors to better position online services. The brand perception map in the study also contributed to a better understanding of the online brands in Taiwan.

    20. Rurality and Nursing Home Quality: Evidence from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey

      ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

      Kang, Yu; Meng, Hongdao; Miller, Nancy A.

      2011-01-01

      Purpose of the Study: To evaluate the impact of rural geographic location on nursing home quality of care in the United States. Design and Methods: The study used cross-sectional observational design. We obtained resident- and facility-level data from 12,507 residents in 1,174 nursing homes from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey. We used…