Birth kits for safe motherhood in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Nessa, S; Arco, E S; Kabir, I A

1992-01-01

Tetanus infection remains the leading cause of high neonatal mortality in Bangladesh. Birth kits which instruct and assist in a clean, safe birth are seen as a key measure in reducing the high incidence of neonatal deaths. A multisectoral programme has developed a simple kit and tested its potential for distribution to pregnant women. Initial results are positive and development is continuing.

Pragmatic Politics and Epistemological Diversity: The Contested and Authoritative Uses of Historical Evidence in the Safe Motherhood Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Béhague, Dominique; Storeng, Katerini

2013-01-01

In recent years, the demand for cost-effective evidence of health impact has grown exponentially, often to the exclusion of other disciplines and of epidemiology's longstanding interest in the multivariate determinants of health. Drawing on an ethnography of the Safe Motherhood Initiative, this paper focuses on experts who, in producing historical…

Quality of care in reproductive health programmes: monitoring and evaluation of quality improvement.

PubMed

Kwast, B E

1998-12-01

As 200 million women become pregnant every year, at least 30 million will develop life-threatening complications requiring emergency treatment at any level of society where they live. But it is a basic human right that pregnancy be made safe for all women as complications are mostly unpredictable. This requires reproductive health programmes which are responsive to women's and their families' needs and expectations on the one hand and enhancement of community participation, high quality obstetric services, and both provider collaboration and satisfaction on the other. Monitoring and evaluation of these facets need to be an integral part of any safe motherhood programme, not only to assess progress, but also to use this information for subsequent planning and implementation cycles of national programmes. Lessons learned from ten years' implementation of Safe Motherhood programmes indicate that process and outcome indicators are more feasible for short-term evaluation purposes than impact indicators, such as maternal mortality reduction. The former are described in this paper with relevant country examples. This is the third, and last, article in a series on quality of care in reproductive health programmes. The first (Kwast 1998a) contains an overview of concepts, assessments, barriers and improvements of quality of care. The second (Kwast 1998b) addresses education issues for quality improvement.

The safe motherhood initiative: a call to action.

PubMed

Mahler, H

1987-03-21

A conference on Safe Motherhood, convened in Nairobi in February 1987 by the World Bank, World Health Organization, and United Nations Fund for Population Activities, has issued a call to reduce maternal mortality in developing countries by 50% in 1 decade. Of the 500,000 maternal deaths that occur each year, 99% are in developing countries. This has been a seriously neglected problem, largely because its victims are those with the least power and influence in society--they are poor, rural peasants, and female. The roots of mush maternal mortality lie in discrimination agianst women, in terms of legal status and access to education, financial resources and health care, including family planning. It is essential that all women are ensured access to maternal health and family planning services, especially obstetric care for life-threating conditions such as obstructed labor, eclampsia, toxemia, infection, and complications from spontaneous and induced abortion. The primary health care system at the district and subdistric leveles needs strengthening to provide adequate prenatal care and family planning services and to upgrade district hospitals and maternity centers so they can perform emergency care in pregnancy and childbirth. Since illegal abortion from unwanted pregnancy accounts for 25-50% of maternal deaths, access to family planning services and safe procedures is particularly important. In his remarkes to the conference, Halfdan Mahler, Director-General of WHO, outlined a 4-part strategy to combat maternal mortality: 1) adequate primary health care and an adequate share of available food for females from infancy to adolescence, and universally available family planning; 2) good prenatal care, including nutrtion, with early detection and referral of those at high risk; 3) the assistance of a trained person at all births; and 4) access to the essential elements of obstetric care for women at higher risk.

An impact evaluation of the safe motherhood promotion project in Bangladesh: evidence from Japanese aid-funded technical cooperation.

PubMed

Kamiya, Yusuke; Yoshimura, Yukie; Islam, Mohammad Tajul

2013-04-01

This paper reports the findings from a quasi-experimental impact evaluation of the Safe Motherhood Promotion Project (SMPP) conducted in the Narsingdi district of Bangladesh. SMPP is a Japanese aid-funded technical cooperation project aimed at developing local capacities to tackle maternal and newborn health problems in rural areas. We assessed whether the project interventions, in particular, community-based activities under the Model Union approach, had a favorable impact on women's access to and knowledge of maternal health care during pregnancy and childbirth. The project comprises a package of interlinked interventions to facilitate safe motherhood practices at primary and secondary care levels. The primary-level activities focused on community mobilization through participatory approaches. The secondary-level activities aimed at strengthening organizational and personnel capacities for delivering emergency obstetric care (EmOC) at district and sub-district level hospitals. The project impact was estimated by difference-in-differences logistic regressions using two rounds of cross-sectional household survey data. The results showed that the project successfully increased the utilization of antenatal visits and postpartum EmOC services and also enhanced women's knowledge of danger signs during pregnancy and delivery. The project also reduced income inequalities in access to antenatal care. In contrast, we found no significant increase in the use of skilled birth attendants (SBA) in the project site. Nonetheless, community mobilization activities and the government's voucher scheme played a complementary role in promoting the use of SBA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Motherhood Inventory: A Questionnaire for Studying Attitudes Toward Motherhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hare-Mustin, Rachel T.; Broderick, Patricia C.

The Motherhood Inventory (MI) is a 40-item questionnaire developed to study attitudes toward motherhood and the motherhood myth. It includes items related to the control of reproduction, abortion, adoption, single motherhood, male-female relationships, and idealized and punitive attitudes toward mothers. The MI was investigated using 301 subjects…

Re-Engineering Motherhood? Sure Start in the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hey, Valerie; Bradford, Simon

2006-01-01

This article draws on data collected through two focus groups and eight telephone interviews undertaken as part of an evaluation of a local Sure Start programme. Located in the context of New Labour's valorisation of parenting, and specifically mothering, the article explores the impact of Sure Start policy on discourses of motherhood in this…

Women's authority during childbirth and Safe Motherhood in Yemen.

PubMed

Kempe, Annica; Noor-Aldin Alwazer, Fatoom A; Theorell, Töres

2010-11-01

In the effort to increase utilization of professional care during childbirth in low-income countries, few studies have taken a holistic approach to investigating women's perspective of safety and the link to perceived own authority at birth. The aim of the study was to examine women's authority at birth with reference to the intrapartum factors, the level of training of staff and the social and demographic background of women. A multistage (stratified-purposive-random) sampling process was used. We interviewed 220 women with childbirth experience in urban/rural Yemen. We performed bivariate chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analysis. Women who had their questions answered and requests met during childbirth had 83% higher probability (95% CI 1.66-2.02) to perceive own authority. Women who reported skin-to-skin contact/newborn in arms had 28% higher (95% CI 1.03-1.59) and those who had more distant contact 15% lower (95% CI 0.75-0.95) probability. A graded negative association was found between the perceived authority of the woman in childbirth and the level of biomedical training of staff (p<.0001). Women's social and demographic background played no role for their perceived own authority at birth. This paper argues that supporting Yemeni women to exercise their own authority during childbirth would significantly facilitate their ability to give birth successfully and with personal satisfaction. In a country where women are routinely disempowered, their personal empowerment at birth is very important to them. Skilled birth assistants often, in women's perceptions, work against their personal power and authority, most especially MDs but also midwives. This failure results in women failing to seek medical care when needed. Supporting women to experience their own authority at birth would facilitate the accomplishment of both the Millennium Development Goals and those of the Safe Motherhood Initiative. We call for increased cooperation between modern

“Playing the Numbers Game”: Evidence-based Advocacy and the Technocratic Narrowing of the Safe Motherhood Initiative

PubMed Central

Storeng, Katerini T; Béhague, Dominique P

2014-01-01

Based on an ethnography of the international Safe Motherhood Initiative (SMI), this article charts the rise of evidence-based advocacy (EBA), a term global-level maternal health advocates have used to indicate the use of scientific evidence to bolster the SMI's authority in the global health arena. EBA represents a shift in the SMI's priorities and tactics over the past two decades, from a call to promote poor women's health on the grounds of feminism and social justice (entailing broad-scale action) to the enumeration of much more narrowly defined practices to avert maternal deaths whose outcomes and cost effectiveness can be measured and evaluated. Though linked to the growth of an audit- and business-oriented ethos, we draw from anthropological theory of global forms to argue that EBA—or “playing the numbers game”—profoundly affects nearly every facet of evidence production, bringing about ambivalent reactions and a contested technocratic narrowing of the SMI's policy agenda. PMID:24599672

Reframing motherhood through the culture-centered approach: articulations of agency among young Nepalese women.

PubMed

Basnyat, Iccha; Dutta, Mohan Joyti

2012-01-01

Based upon the culture-centered approach that foregrounds the relevance of interrogating the taken-for-granted assumptions that circulate in the dominant models of health communication on family planning, this article argues that traditional approaches to reproductive health campaigns are concerned with safe motherhood (e.g., fertility, birth spacing, hospital delivery) rather than with the processes through which women construct, negotiate, and maintain meanings of motherhood and health within their cultural contexts. In doing so, this traditional framework leaves out the broader sociocultural, political, and economic contexts of social structures that constrain and enable the possibilities for health in the realm of motherhood. The culture-centered approach notes the erasure of these voices of women from dominant epistemic structures, and seeks to interrupt knowledge production by co-constructing meanings of reproductive health through dialogues with women at the margins. Therefore, in-depth interviews were conducted to centralize experiences of the cultural participants, allowing alternative health meanings to emerge within their local contexts. In particular, highlighting narratives of young Nepalese women living under poverty, we are able to understand how women actively (re)construct meanings of motherhood within their localized cultural spaces.

"Safe motherhood", family planning and maternal mortality: an Indonesian case study.

PubMed

Smyth, I

1994-06-01

This case study in Indonesia examined some assumptions about the outcome of family planning services. Safe Motherhood programs were flawed, because of the misplaced emphasis on family planning as a strategy to reduce maternal mortality. Family planning programs reduce the exposure to the risks of child-bearing, but they do not reduce the actual risks. Reproductive health should not be linked so tightly to demographic concerns and family planning. That cost saving occurs from family planning is insufficient to justify inattention to the needs of high quality obstetric care. Family planning should be viewed as just one component of a larger, comprehensive set of measures designed to assure the health of women at all stages in the life cycle: as citizens and workers, as mothers, and as adolescents. Interventions must begin before childbearing and include growth in economic, educational, and health opportunities. The aim of reducing maternal mortality by 50% by the year 2000 was included in Indonesia's five-year development plan: Repelita V. The example of Indonesia was important, because of its achievements in reducing poverty and increasing the standard of living of the population, and because of its large population size. Estimated maternal mortality in Indonesia was 450/100,000 live births in 1989, up from 390/100,000 in 1982. There was evidence from other studies that maternal mortality has increased. Criticism has been directed to the misplaced emphasis on family planning and the top-down delivery of professional services for ignoring local health-enhancing practices and the role of families, fathers, and communities as health providers. The realized cost effectiveness of family planning is an abstraction. Fertility has declined with an increase in family planning from 5.6 children to 3.0 children in 1990, but, for example, Bali has both high levels of contraception use and high maternal mortality. Integrated programs and the high risk approach have not been

The recent fall in postperinatal mortality in New Zealand and the Safe Sleep programme.

PubMed

Mitchell, Edwin A; Cowan, Stephanie; Tipene-Leach, David

2016-11-01

Postneonatal mortality rates changed very little from 2000 until recently. There has been a decrease in mortality in New Zealand from 2009 to 2015. This study describes an infant Safe Sleep programme and postulates it is the cause for the recent decrease in deaths. The Safe Sleep programme involved as follows: a focus on preventing accidental suffocation, a 'blitz' approach to SUDI education, the targeted provision of portable infant Safe Sleep devices (ISSD) and the development of Safe Sleep policy across all district health boards (DHBs). Participation in the education 'blitz' by health professionals exceeded one in 23 live births, distribution of Safe Sleep leaflets exceeded two for every live birth, and over 16 500 ISSDs have been distributed to vulnerable infants. Postperinatal mortality fell 29% from 2009 to 2015 (2.8 to 2.0/1000 live births). The fall has been greatest for Māori and in regions with the most intensive programmes. The recent fall in postperinatal mortality has not happened by chance. It is likely that the components of end-stage prevention strategy, a focus on preventing accidental suffocation, the education 'blitz', the targeted supply of ISSDs and strengthened health policy, have all contributed to varying degrees. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Adolescent motherhood in Bangladesh: Trends and determinants

PubMed Central

Islam, Md. Kamrul; Hasan, Mohammad Sazzad; Hossain, Mohammad Bellal

2017-01-01

Background While studies on fertility and contraceptives issues are available, until recently adolescent motherhood has not received enough attention among policy makers in understanding adolescent motherhood in Bangladesh. We aimed to examine the trends and determinants of adolescent motherhood among women aged 15–49 years. Methods For trend analysis we used all the 7 waves of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS, 1993–2014) data but for multivariate analysis 4 waves of BDHS (2004–2014). Two separate analyses were carried out on ever married women aged 15–49: (1) teenage girls aged 15–19 and (2) adult women aged 20 and above. Results The prevalence of adolescent motherhood had declined to a slower pace from 1993 to2014 (from 33.0% to 30.8%). Lower spousal age gap and higher education were found to be associated with lower likelihood of adolescent motherhood both among teenage girls [OR 0.447 (0.374–0.533)] and adult women [OR 0.451 (0.420–0.484)]. Teenage girls in the poorest wealth quintile [OR 1.712 [1.350–2.173] were more likely to experience adolescent motherhood than the richest wealth quintile. Teenage girls who had no education were found to have 2.76 times higher odds of adolescent motherhood than their counterparts who had higher than secondary education. Concerning the time effect, the odds of adolescent motherhood among adult women was found to decline overtime. Conclusions Despite substantial decrease in total fertility rate in Bangladesh adolescent motherhood is still highly prevalent though declining from 1993 to 2014. Social policies including those addressing poverty, ensuring greater emphasis on education for women; and adolescent mothers in rural areas are needed. PMID:29176807

Reproductive policy and the social construction of motherhood.

PubMed

Bonnie, Stabile

2016-01-01

Reproductive technologies allow women to embrace or forgo motherhood, but a woman's ability to make autonomous reproductive choices depends on access to these technologies. In the United States, public policies - laws, regulations, appropriations, and rulings - have either broadened or narrowed this access. Have U.S. public policies affecting reproductive choices conformed to attitudinal distinctions about motherhood itself? I identified policies covering infertility, contraception, and abortion and examined them contextually within the Ingram-Schneider social construction framework. Women's choices fell within social construction quadrants as being positively portrayed and powerful; negatively portrayed but powerful; positively portrayed but powerless; and negatively portrayed and powerless. Married heterosexual women embracing motherhood were likely to be viewed positively and to reap benefits. Women forgoing motherhood, poor women, and women seeking to form nontraditional families were likely to be viewed negatively and to bear burdens; critical among these burdens was restriction of access to technologies that could be used to support a decision to avoid motherhood or to achieve motherhood through nontraditional methods. Yes, U.S. public policies affecting reproductive choices have conformed to attitudinal distinctions about motherhood itself. These policies may also have altered those choices.

Motherhood as a choice.

PubMed

Mcfadden, P

1994-06-01

The choice of motherhood for women and women's rights have been forbidden in law by men, in religious doctrines by men, and within the medical system by men. Women in poverty have little say in determining whether to have children or not. When choice is exercised for abortion, poor women have unsafe and illegal abortions, which can be life-threatening. Rich women have safer options. Women historically have allowed their rights to be eroded by gender inequality and patriarchal manipulation. The religious right and the Roman Catholic church have been allowed to speak and decide for women. Abortion rights are not about western influences, but about maternal mortality. The right to make choices about one's life is the fundamental premise of the universal rights of all human beings. African governments have signed the UN Convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, but the practice of human rights has not been implemented at the local and family level. Motherhood needs to be demystified. Motherhood is linked with the absence of personhood and bodily integrity. The rhetoric of moral obligations and the rights of the unborn child take precedence over the rights of women. The right of an African woman not to have children is not recognized in most Africa societies. The issue of AIDS creates an even more difficult milieu for women. The interests of the family and the interests of men overwhelm the interests of women to protect themselves. Motherhood is essential to validating one's heterosexuality and gaining stature, and females without a child are marginalized and unrecognized. Women whose babies do not survive are marginalized further than barren women. Men derive power from women's birthing. The terminology of male power is replete with expressions such as "pregnant with promise" and "miscarriage of justice's", no one says "uterus envy." Male psychologists only recognize "penis envy." Men need children for purposes of property, lineage, and

Teaching about Motherhood: Revisioning Family

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffnung, Michele

2011-01-01

Motherhood is both an important topic and a challenge to teach. Pregnancy, childbirth, and the transition to motherhood are significant life experiences for most women, important choices for all women, and major events in the lives of most men. At the same time, they are topics about which everyone thinks they know a good deal. The complexity of…

Community-level effect of the reproductive health vouchers program on out-of-pocket spending on family planning and safe motherhood services in Kenya.

PubMed

Obare, Francis; Warren, Charlotte; Kanya, Lucy; Abuya, Timothy; Bellows, Ben

2015-08-25

Although vouchers can protect individuals in low-income countries from financial catastrophe and impoverishment arising from out-of-pocket expenditures on healthcare, their effectiveness in achieving this goal depends on whether both service and transport costs are subsidized as well as other factors such as service availability in a given locality and community perceptions about the quality of care. This paper examines the community-level effect of the reproductive health vouchers program on out-of-pocket expenditure on family planning, antenatal, delivery and postnatal care services in Kenya. Data are from two rounds of cross-sectional household surveys in voucher and non-voucher sites. The first survey was conducted between May 2010 and July 2011 among 2,933 women aged 15-49 years while the second survey took place between July and October 2012 among 3,094 women of similar age groups. The effect of the program on out-of-pocket expenditure is determined by difference-in-differences estimation. Analysis entails comparison of changes in proportions, means and medians as well as estimation of multivariate linear regression models with interaction terms between indicators for study site (voucher or non-voucher) and period of study (2010-2011 or 2012). There were significantly greater declines in the proportions of women from voucher sites that paid for antenatal, delivery and postnatal care services at health facilities compared to those from non-voucher sites. The changes were also consistent with increased uptake of the safe motherhood voucher in intervention sites over time. There was, however, no significant difference in changes in the proportions of women from voucher and non-voucher sites that paid for family planning services. The results further show that there were significant differences in changes in the amount paid for family planning and antenatal care services by women from voucher compared to those from non-voucher sites. Although there were greater

Gulf Arab women's transition to motherhood.

PubMed

Missal, Bernita

2013-01-01

This paper is a report of the findings of a study of Gulf Arab women's perspectives of the transition to motherhood. Transition to motherhood is a universal phenomenon in which every culture has its own expectations and varying supports for women moving through this transition. International studies have provided models or categories of maternal responses related to cultural aspects of transition to motherhood. However, no known research has focused on transition to motherhood among Gulf Arab women. In the initial cohort seventeen first time Gulf Arab mothers in the United Arab Emirates were interviewed during the following three times: before childbirth, two-four weeks after childbirth, and forty-days after childbirth. A second cohort of seventeen first time new mothers was interviewed after childbirth in Sultanate of Oman. Four patterns were identified as indicators of change as women transitioned into motherhood: 1) Women's personal transition: women changed from feeling of freedom to feeling of dependency to self-confidence. 2) Mother/baby relationships: women changed from fear, anxiety, and uncertainty to feelings of care and confidence. 3) Family influences: women experienced family support to being integrated and feeling respected by family. 4) Cultural/religious beliefs and practices: women felt they were initially observers of culture, to experiencing cultural/religious beliefs and practices. This was followed by accomplishment in childbearing and childrearing practices. As Gulf Arab new mothers made the transition to motherhood, four implications for international nursing practice emerged: 1) patient teaching to help relieve anxiety, fears, and uncertainty, 2) facilitation of mother/baby relationships, 3) family-centered care, and 4) the importance of cultural/religious beliefs and practices to new mothers.

Programmable control means for providing safe and controlled medication infusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fischell, Robert E. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

An implantable programmable infusion pump (IPIP) is disclosed and generally includes: a fluid reservoir filled with selected medication; a pump for causing a precise volumetric dosage of medication to be withdrawn from the reservoir and delivered to the appropriate site within the body; and, a control means for actuating the pump in a safe and programmable manner. The control means includes a microprocessor, a permanent memory containing a series of fixed software instructions, and a memory for storing prescription schedules, dosage limits and other data. The microprocessor actuates the pump in accordance with programmable prescription parameters and dosage limits stored in the memory. A communication link allows the control means to be remotely programmed. The control means incorporates a running integral dosage limit and other safety features which prevent an inadvertent or intentional medication overdose. The control means also monitors the pump and fluid handling system and provides an alert if any improper or potentially unsafe operation is detected.

How safe are HEMS-programmes in Germany? A retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Thies, Karl-Christian; Sep, Daan; Derksen, Remon

2006-03-01

Recent accidents with helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) aircraft raise the question how safe HEMS in Germany is and how accidents could be prevented. We surveyed all German HEMS-programmes and reviewed the data of the German Aviation Authority regarding accidents with HEMS. An average German HEMS-programme encounters one accident leading to at least severe damage or loss of the helicopter in 26 operating years, one accident resulting in casualties in 65 operating years and one fatal accident in 111 operating years. The major causes of accidents were obstacle strikes during landing at the scene. Flying in bad weather conditions and lack of discipline were other factors contributing to HEMS-accidents. HEMS-safety could be improved by special training programmes for pilots and HEMS-crewmembers to address the factors listed above. Safety training for doctors is recommended but we did not find support for the notion of changing the doctor's legal position of a passenger to a HEMS-crewmember.

Perceived Delay in Healthcare-seeking for Episodes of Serious Illness and Its Implications for Safe Motherhood Interventions in Rural Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Killewo, J.; Bashir, I.; Yunus, M.; Chakraborty, J.

2006-01-01

Delay in accessing emergency obstetric-care facilities during life-threatening obstetric complications is a significant determinant of high maternal mortality in developing countries. To examine the factors associated with delays in seeking care for episodes of serious illness and their possible implications for safe motherhood interventions in rural Bangladesh, a cross-sectional study was initiated in Matlab sub-district on the perceptions of household heads regarding delays in seeking care for episodes of serious illness among household members. Of 2,177 households in the study, 881 (40.5%) reported at least one household member who experienced an illness perceived to be serious enough to warrant care-seeking either from health facilities or from providers. Of these, 775 (88.0%) actually visited some providers for treatment, of whom 79.1% used transport. Overall, 69.3% perceived a delay in deciding to seek care, while 12.1% and 24.6% perceived a delay in accessing transport and in reaching the provider respectively. The median time required to make a decision to seek care was 72 minutes, while the same was 10 minutes to get transport and 80 minutes to reach a facility or a provider. Time to decide to seek care was shortest for pregnancy-related conditions and longest for illnesses classified as chronic, while time to reach a facility was longest for pregnancy-related illnesses and shortest for illnesses classified as acute. However, the perceived delay in seeking care did not differ significantly across socioeconomic levels or gender categories but differed significantly between those seeking care from informal providers compared to formal providers. Reasons for the delay included waiting time for results of informal treatment, inability to judge the graveness of disease, and lack of money. For pregnancy-related morbidities, 45% reported ‘inability to judge the graveness of the situation’ as a reason for delay in making decision. After controlling for

Factors influencing women's decisions about timing of motherhood.

PubMed

Benzies, Karen; Tough, Suzanne; Tofflemire, Karen; Frick, Corine; Faber, Alexandra; Newburn-Cook, Christine

2006-01-01

To examine the factors that influence women's decisions about the timing of motherhood from a life span perspective. Qualitative. Large Western Canadian city with a high rate of infants born to women aged 35 years and older. 45 Canadian women aged 20 to 48 years. Independence, a stable relationship, and declining fertility influenced women's decisions about the timing of motherhood. Women integrated child developmental transitions into a projected life plan as they considered the timing of motherhood. Partner readiness and family of origin influences played a lesser role. Delayed childbearing has become more socially acceptable, with subsequent negative connotations associated with younger motherhood. Parental benefits have limited influence on the timing of motherhood. Recognition by nurses of the various and complex factors that influence women's decisions about the timing of motherhood may flag the importance of pregnancy-related counseling for woman across the fertility life span. Policy decision makers must be cognizant of the need for additional high-risk obstetric and neonatal health services when societal norms encourage women to delay childbearing in favor of completing education and establishing a career. (c) 2006, AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

Is motherhood good for women? A feminist exploration.

PubMed

Kirkley, D L

2000-01-01

Motherhood as biologic destiny for women, has been long assumed. As nurses who aid women struggling with the demands of career and motherhood, we need to question this assumption. An exploration of feminist theory offers nurses ideas (and perhaps permission) to question the purpose and effects of mothering and the effects of mothering on women in our culture. Additionally, parallels between motherhood and the nursing profession are drawn.

The Importance of Motherhood among Women in the Contemporary United States

PubMed Central

McQuillan, Julia; Greil, Arthur L.; Scheffler, Karina M.; Tichenor, Veronica

2010-01-01

We contribute to feminist and gender scholarship on cultural notions of motherhood by analyzing the importance of motherhood among mothers and non-mothers. Using a national probability sample (N = 2,519) of U.S. women ages 25–45, we find a continuous distribution of scores measuring perceptions of the importance of motherhood among both groups. Employing OLS multiple regression, we examine why some women place more importance on motherhood, focusing on interests that could compete with valuing motherhood (e.g., education, work success, leisure), and controlling for characteristics associated with becoming a mother. Contrary to cultural schemas that view mother and worker identities as competing, we find that education level is not associated with the importance of motherhood for either group and that valuing work success is positively associated with valuing motherhood among mothers. Consistent with feminist explanations for delayed fertility, valuing leisure is negatively associated with valuing motherhood for non-mothers. PMID:20407592

Development of a balance, safe mobility and falls management programme for people with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Gunn, Hilary; Endacott, Ruth; Haas, Bernhard; Marsden, Jonathan; Freeman, Jennifer

2017-08-07

To utilise stakeholder input to inform the structure, format and approach of a multiple sclerosis (MS) balance, safe mobility and falls management programme. Using a three-round nominal group technique, participants individually rated their agreement with 20 trigger statements, followed by a facilitated group discussion and re-rating. Three mixed groups included service users (n = 15) and providers (n = 19). Quantitative analysis determined agreement, whilst qualitative responses were analysed thematically. Median scores for each of the 20 trigger statements did not change significantly over sequential rounds, however, deviations around the medians indicated more agreement amongst participants over time. Key recommendations were: Aims and approach: The programme should be tailored to the needs of people with MS. Falls and participation-based outcomes are equally important. Structure and format: The programme should balance expected burden and anticipated benefit, moving away from models requiring weekly attendance and promoting and supporting self-efficacy. Optimising engagement: Support to maintain engagement and intensity of practice over the long term is essential. Sustainability: Adequate funding is necessary. Staff should have MS specific knowledge and experience. Participants collaboratively identified critical components of a MS balance, safe mobility and falls management programme. They also highlighted the importance of a collaborative, user-centred, MS-specific approach. Implications for Rehabilitation People with multiple sclerosis need condition-specific interventions focussed on maximising balance and safe mobility and reducing falls. Programme design should support self-efficacy and flexible engagement. Adequate support and funding are seen as essential by both service users and providers.

The life stories of motherhood among divorced women in Taiwan.

PubMed

Yang, Li-Ling

2008-09-01

The purpose of this study is to delineate life stories of motherhood among divorced women, and to answer the following research questions: (1) How does their motherhood develop? (2) How does divorce impact on motherhood? (3) How do mothers cope with divorce? (4) What does motherhood mean for these mothers? Through in-depth interviews, inter-subjective interaction and story writing, a total of six women's stories were collected. The following titles were found for stories of motherhood among these divorced women: (1) Walking in balanced steps. (2) Becoming a single mom is not a surprise. (3) Seeking reunion for the sake of the kids. (4) Grieving for the loss of an integrated family. (5) I found myself. (6) A diamond becomes a stone. Motherhood was found not to be a set of stable role expectations, but to be transforming and shaping through reflective thoughts on motherhood, which were impacted by interactions between the mothers and their children, and by the social contexts they encountered. The impact of divorce on motherhood was found to be both positive and negative. Some families even enjoyed life more after discontinuing their chaotic marriage. Still, motherhood of divorced women was full of challenges and disadvantages due to a concrete double burden and invisible social persecution. Invisible social persecution of divorce was performed through the mechanism of stigma. Stigma was transmitted through the value myths of motherhood, which are passed from generation to generation through parent-child interactions. Stigmatized divorce made these mothers feel more guilt and powerlessness. Divorced motherhood was therefore found to be intertwined with processes of caring and grieving. In this research, however, community resources were found to be very helpful in supporting these families, and were able to empower them to overcome the myths. Life story research was found to be an effective support, inspiring deeper reflection, and empowering the storyteller. The

Teen motherhood and long-term health consequences.

PubMed

Patel, Payal H; Sen, Bisakha

2012-07-01

The objective of this article is to examine the association of teen motherhood and long-term physical and mental health outcomes. The physical and mental health components (PCS and MCS) of the SF-12 Healthy Survey in the NLSY79 health module were used to assess long-term health outcomes of women who experienced teenage motherhood. Various familial, demographic, and environmental characteristics were indentified and controlled for that may have predicted teen motherhood and long-term health outcomes. The two comparison groups for teen mothers were women who experienced teen-pregnancy only and women who were engaged in unprotected sexual activity as a teenage but did not experience pregnancy. Multivariate ordinary least squares regression was used for analysis. The average PCS and MCS for teen mothers was 49.91 and 50.89, respectively. Teen mothers exhibited poorer physical health later in life compared to all women as well as the comparison groups. When controlling for age, teen mothers had significantly lower PCS and MCS scores compared to all other women. Furthermore, when controlling for familial, demographic, and environmental characteristics, teen mothers exhibited significantly lower PCS and MCS scores. When comparing teen mothers to the two comparison groups, PCS was not statistically different although MCS was significantly lower in the teen-pregnancy group. Teen motherhood does lead to poorer physical health outcomes later in life. On the other hand, poorer mental health outcomes in later life may be attributed to the unmeasured factors leading to a teen pregnancy and not teen motherhood itself. Additional research needs to be conducted on the long-term consequences of teen motherhood.

Myths of motherhood. The role of culture in the development of postpartum depression.

PubMed

Ambrosini, Alessandra; Stanghellini, Giovanni

2012-01-01

This paper intends to offer a theoretical insight into the myths of motherhood and how these myths can bear on the pathogenesis of postpartum depression. From a man's view motherhood is conceptualized as a necessary stage in the progress towards the attainment of femininity. This view is impersonal and external to the experience of motherhood. From a female perspective, motherhood presents itself as a conflicting situation. We will then focus on the necessity to construct a discourse on motherhood by using a code which belongs to women rather than men. The analysis of a blog and a comedy show will provide evidence concerning the evolution of the female discourse on motherhood thus contributing to the debunking of the myths of motherhood. The final section discusses ways in which myths of motherhood can bear on the pathogenesis of postpartum. Among "melancholic type" women, who tend to abide by social norms, play established social roles and hide their inner conflicts, myths of motherhood contribute to suppress the contradiction which is intrinsic to motherhood itself making this contradiction uncontrollable and potentially devastating.

Quality of intrapartum care by skilled birth attendants in a refugee clinic on the Thai-Myanmar border: a survey using WHO Safe Motherhood Needs Assessment.

PubMed

Hoogenboom, Gabie; Thwin, May Myo; Velink, Kris; Baaijens, Marijke; Charrunwatthana, Prakaykaew; Nosten, François; McGready, Rose

2015-02-05

Increasing the number of women birthing with skilled birth attendants (SBAs) as one of the strategies to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity must be partnered with a minimum standard of care. This manuscript describes the quality of intrapartum care provided by SBAs in Mae La camp, a low resource, protracted refugee context on the Thai-Myanmar border. In the obstetric department of Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) the standardized WHO Safe Motherhood Needs Assessment tool was adapted to the setting and used: to assess the facility; interview SBAs; collect data from maternal records during a one year period (August 2007 - 2008); and observe practice during labour and childbirth. The facility assessment recorded no 'out of stock' or 'out of date' drugs and supplies, equipment was in operating order and necessary infrastructure e.g. a stand-by emergency car, was present. Syphilis testing was not available. SBA interviews established that danger signs and symptoms were recognized except for sepsis and endometritis. All SBAs acknowledged receiving theoretical and 'hands-on' training and regularly attended deliveries. Scores for the essential elements of antenatal care from maternal records were high (>90%) e.g. providing supplements, recording risk factors as well as regular and correct partogram use. Observed good clinical practice included: presence of a support person; active management of third stage; post-partum monitoring; and immediate and correct neonatal care. Observed incorrect practice included: improper controlled cord traction; inadequate hand washing; an episiotomy rate in nulliparous women 49% (34/70) and low rates 30% (6/20) of newborn monitoring in the first hours following birth. Overall observed complications during labour and birth were low with post-partum haemorrhage being the most common in which case the SBAs followed the protocol but were slow to recognize severity and take action. In the clinic of SMRU in Mae La refugee camp, SBAs were

Motherhood, Choice and the British Media: A Time to Reflect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadfield, L.; Rudoe, N.; Sanderson-Mann, J.

2007-01-01

In this paper we ask: How is motherhood being represented in the British media, especially in relation to choice, age and fertility? Do media discourses reflect a redefinition or transformation of "motherhood" in the twenty-first century, and what implications do they have for feminist research into maternal identity and motherhood? As…

Ranking of healthcare programmes based on health outcome, health costs and safe delivery of care in hospital pharmacy practice.

PubMed

Brisseau, Lionel; Bussières, Jean-François; Bois, Denis; Vallée, Marc; Racine, Marie-Claude; Bonnici, André

2013-02-01

To establish a consensual and coherent ranking of healthcare programmes that involve the presence of ward-based and clinic-based clinical pharmacists, based on health outcome, health costs and safe delivery of care. This descriptive study was derived from a structured dialogue (Delphi technique) among directors of pharmacy department. We established a quantitative profile of healthcare programmes at five sites that involved the provision of ward-based and clinic-based pharmaceutical care. A summary table of evidence established a unique quality rating per inpatient (clinic-based) or outpatient (ward-based) healthcare programme. Each director rated the perceived impact of pharmaceutical care per inpatient or outpatient healthcare programme on three fields: health outcome, health costs and safe delivery of care. They agreed by consensus on the final ranking of healthcare programmes. A ranking was assigned for each of the 18 healthcare programmes for outpatient care and the 17 healthcare programmes for inpatient care involving the presence of pharmacists, based on health outcome, health costs and safe delivery of care. There was a good correlation between ranking based on data from a 2007-2008 Canadian report on hospital pharmacy practice and the ranking proposed by directors of pharmacy department. Given the often limited human and financial resources, managers should consider the best evidence available on a profession's impact to plan healthcare services within an organization. Data are few on ranking healthcare programmes in order to prioritize which healthcare programme would mostly benefit from the delivery of pharmaceutical care by ward-based and clinic-based pharmacists. © 2012 The Authors. IJPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

An economic analysis of midwifery training programmes in South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

PubMed

Walker, Damian; McDermott, Jeanne M; Fox-Rushby, Julia; Tanjung, Marwan; Nadjib, Mardiati; Widiatmoko, Dono; Achadi, Endang

2002-01-01

In order to improve the knowledge and skills of midwives at health facilities and those based in villages in South Kalimantan, Indonesia, three in-service training programmes were carried out during 1995-98. A scheme used for both facility and village midwives included training at training centres, peer review and continuing education. One restricted to village midwives involved an internship programme in district hospitals. The incremental cost-effectiveness of these programmes was assessed from the standpoint of the health care provider. It was estimated that the first scheme could be expanded to increase the number of competent midwives based in facilities and villages in South Kalimantan by 1% at incremental costs of US$ 764.6 and US$ 1175.7 respectively, and that replication beyond South Kalimantan could increase the number of competent midwives based in facilities and villages by 1% at incremental costs of US$ 1225.5 and US$ 1786.4 per midwife respectively. It was also estimated that the number of competent village midwives could be increased by 1% at an incremental cost of US$ 898.1 per intern if replicated elsewhere, and at a cost of US$ 146.2 per intern for expanding the scheme in South Kalimantan. It was not clear whether the training programmes were more or less cost-effective than other safe motherhood interventions because the nature of the outcome measures hindered comparison.

Lifting and exertion injuries decrease after implementation of an integrated hospital-wide safe patient handling and mobilisation programme.

PubMed

Dennerlein, Jack T; O'Day, Elizabeth Tucker; Mulloy, Deborah F; Somerville, Jackie; Stoddard, Anne M; Kenwood, Christopher; Teeple, Erin; Boden, Leslie I; Sorensen, Glorian; Hashimoto, Dean

2017-05-01

With increasing emphasis on early and frequent mobilisation of patients in acute care, safe patient handling and mobilisation practices need to be integrated into these quality initiatives. We completed a programme evaluation of a safe patient handling and mobilisation programme within the context of a hospital-wide patient care improvement initiative that utilised a systems approach and integrated safe patient equipment and practices into patient care plans. Baseline and 12-month follow-up surveys of 1832 direct patient care workers assessed work practices and self-reported pain while an integrated employee payroll and injury database provided recordable injury rates collected concurrently at 2 hospitals: the study hospital with the programme and a comparison hospital. Safe and unsafe patient handling practice scales at the study hospital improved significantly (p<0.0001 and p=0.0031, respectively), with no differences observed at the comparison hospital. We observed significant decreases in recordable neck and shoulder (Relative Risk (RR)=0.68, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.00), lifting and exertion (RR=0.73, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.89) and pain and inflammation (RR=0.78, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.00) injury rates at the study hospital. Changes in rates at the comparison hospital were not statistically significant. Within the context of a patient mobilisation initiative, a safe patient handling and mobilisation programme was associated with improved work practices and a reduction in recordable worker injuries. This study demonstrates the potential impact of utilising a systems approach based on recommended best practices, including integration of these practices into the patient's plan for care. 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/.

Safe motherhood professional responsibility, notes from the World Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Rio de Janeiro.

PubMed

Huezo, C

1989-04-01

Maternal mortality and morbidity are community diseases which need to be addressed mainly at the community level. As was noted in the 1988 World Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, obstetricians and gynecologists have a social responsibility to promote women's health, with the 1st step being prevention of mortality and morbidity. 2 important facets of prevention are good family planning education and services to prevent high-risk pregnancies and adequate obstetric care. The General Assembly of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, which preceded the Congress, urged governments to ensure adequate nutrition, education and health care for girls; support to family planning within the context of maternal and child health; and expansion of the coverage and improvement of the quality of maternity services. The General Assembly requested its member associations: 1) to advocate and support promotion of women's health and social status and to support governments in establishing national committees involving all relevant sectors of society; 2) to support governments in their efforts to rationalize the allocation of resources to provide essential care for every woman; 3) to provide governments with the necessary technical support in their efforts to expand the availability of essential elements of obstetric care and the necessary technologies associated with them; 4) to promote and support the involvement of obstetricians in action-oriented research aimed at developing and testing innovative approaches to the delivery of maternity care services, including their cost effectiveness; and 5) to act as the focal point for rallying other professional associations and non-governmental organizations, and to collaborate with women's groups for the cause of safe motherhood and improving the health of women in general.

"Without this program, women can lose their lives": migrant women's experiences with the Safe Abortion Referral Programme in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

PubMed

Tousaw, Ellen; La, Ra Khin; Arnott, Grady; Chinthakanan, Orawee; Foster, Angel M

2017-11-01

For displaced and migrant women in northern Thailand, access to health care is often limited, unwanted pregnancy is common, and unsafe abortion is a major contributor to maternal death and disability. Based on a pilot project and situational analysis research, in 2015 a multinational team introduced the Safe Abortion Referral Programme (SARP) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to reduce the socio-linguistic, economic, documentation, and transportation barriers women from Burma face in accessing safe and legal abortion care in Thailand. Our qualitative study documented the experiences of women with unwanted pregnancies who accessed the SARP in order to inform programme improvement and expansion. We conducted 22 in-depth, in-person interviews and analysed them for content and themes using deductive and inductive techniques. Women were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences using the SARP. They reported lack of costs, friendly programme staff, accompaniment to and interpretation at the providing facility, and safety of services as key features. Financial and legal circumstances shaped access to the programme and women learned about the SARP through word-of-mouth and community workshops. After accessing the SARP and receiving support, women became community advocates for reproductive health. Efforts to expand the programme and raise awareness in migrant communities appear warranted. Our findings suggest that referral programmes for safe and legal abortion can be successful in settings with large displaced and migrant populations. Identifying ways to work within legal constraints to expand access to safe services has the potential to reduce harm from unsafe abortion even in humanitarian settings.

Motherhood in the 21st Century: Implications for Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medina, Sondra; Magnuson, Sandy

2009-01-01

Although mental health professionals frequently work with mothers, the social construction of motherhood is rarely discussed in the counseling field. In this article, the literature on motherhood is reviewed. Intensive mothering expectations are critiqued, and the impact of these expectations on employed mothers, mothers on welfare, and…

Single Motherhood, Alcohol Dependence, and Smoking During Pregnancy: A Propensity Score Analysis.

PubMed

Waldron, Mary; Bucholz, Kathleen K; Lian, Min; Lessov-Schlaggar, Christina N; Miller, Ruth Huang; Lynskey, Michael T; Knopik, Valerie S; Madden, Pamela A F; Heath, Andrew C

2017-09-01

Few studies linking single motherhood and maternal smoking during pregnancy consider correlated risk from problem substance use beyond history of smoking and concurrent use of alcohol. In the present study, we used propensity score methods to examine whether the risk of smoking during pregnancy associated with single motherhood is the result of potential confounders, including alcohol dependence. Data were drawn from mothers participating in a birth cohort study of their female like-sex twin offspring (n = 257 African ancestry; n = 1,711 European or other ancestry). We conducted standard logistic regression models predicting smoking during pregnancy from single motherhood at twins' birth, followed by propensity score analyses comparing single-mother and two-parent families stratified by predicted probability of single motherhood. In standard models, single motherhood predicted increased risk of smoking during pregnancy in European ancestry but not African ancestry families. In propensity score analyses, rates of smoking during pregnancy were elevated in single-mother relative to two-parent European ancestry families across much of the spectrum a priori risk of single motherhood. Among African ancestry families, within-strata comparisons of smoking during pregnancy by single-mother status were nonsignificant. These findings highlight single motherhood as a unique risk factor for smoking during pregnancy in European ancestry mothers, over and above alcohol dependence. Additional research is needed to identify risks, beyond single motherhood, associated with smoking during pregnancy in African ancestry mothers.

Motherhood, Medicine, and Morality: Scenes from a Medical Encounter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heritage, John; Lindstrom, Anna

1998-01-01

Examines moments in the course of informal medical encounters between English health visitors and mothers in which motherhood and medicine collide. Within the conversations, motherhood, medicine, and morality are yoked to the interaction order that is inflected and influenced by the medical context of the encounters. The paper discusses motherhood…

Becoming an 'Amai': Meanings and experiences of motherhood amongst Zimbabwean women living in Melbourne, Australia.

PubMed

Benza, Sandra; Liamputtong, Pranee

2017-02-01

little is known about the meanings and experiences of motherhood among Zimbabwean migrant women. This paper discusses the meanings and experiences of motherhood from the perspectives of Zimbabwean migrant women living in Melbourne, Australia. qualitative methods (in-depth interviewing, photo elicitation and drawing) were conducted with 15 Zimbabwean women who had children in Zimbabwe and in Australia. Data were analysed using thematic analysis method. Zimbabwean women defined motherhood in varied ways. Common to all women was that becoming a mother had a significant meaning. Motherhood came with a sense of responsibility for children which resulted from their compromise and sacrifice. The dedication was exhibited by participants who demonstrated commitment to motherhood when striving to be a good mother. While motherhood provided pleasure and joy, some women found the role of motherhood burdensome in their new homeland. Due to cultural expectations of motherhood, women kept their difficulties silent for fear of being judged a 'bad mother'. The unfamiliarity with the health and social care systems in Australia presented challenges to these women. Often, they were treated without respect and felt discriminated against. our findings reveal the paradox of motherhood. Although motherhood can be burdensome, there are positive changes brought about by the process of motherhood. Due to a lack of knowledge about the health and social care system and the negative experiences with health care in Australia, the women felt overwhelmed about becoming a mother in Australia. healthcare providers, including midwives, need to understand how migrant women perceive and experience motherhood and their mothering role as this will help to improve the health and social care for these women and their children. Findings from this study provide a basis for further investigation into the formation and strengthening of support networks for Zimbabwean mothers in particular, and to other migrant

Performing Motherhood in a Disablist World: Dilemmas of Motherhood, Femininity and Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malacrida, Claudia

2009-01-01

Women are expected to aspire to norms of femininity that include ideal motherhood, where mothers are positioned as ever available, ever nurturing providers of active, involved and expert mothering--indeed, being a caregiver is a master status for adult women in modernity. While this may be the case for all women, mothers who are disabled can have…

Can Motherhood Earnings Losses Be Ever Regained? Evidence from Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Xuelin

2010-01-01

This study examines earnings losses associated with motherhood using longitudinal administrative Canadian data. Contrary to the endogenous motherhood hypothesis, the author found no dips in earnings for women during their prechildbirth years. Although the results show that earnings losses incurred by mothers in the year of childbirth and the year…

[The paradox of motherhood].

PubMed

Ouaidou, N G

1990-08-01

All Sahelian countries are working to define their population policies. A population policy document avoids dispersion and duplication. It opens the path to efficiency. It makes it easier to achieve governmental socioeconomic objectives. Various recent population-related meetings have at least two points in common: they aim to overstep and improve a given situation and are at the same time some examples of implementing the Ndjamena action program, adopted in January 1989. All these population-centered actions return to the problem of adolescent fertility--a poignant problem. Adolescent pregnancy is a major source of family and social break-ups. This paradox of motherhood makes a violent storm burst in the skies ordinarily serene with joy and hope. It is an enemy perverse to economic development and social progress. Adolescent motherhood is a phenomenon which complicates and aggravates population problems and is taboo to the point it is still imperceptible, unknown. It is a problem of premier importance in the Sahel. Pregnancy strikes a woman so very unprepared for motherhood and its demands. It risks the life of a being which is preparing itself to enter the world. Adolescent pregnancy has equally tragic health effects: poorly performed underground abortions and maternal and infant deaths. Adolescent fertility is a burning problem regardless of the perspective (demographic, economic, social, or health). In Sahelian countries, one is beginning to be interested in and to speak about it. It will be necessary to search for solutions. Schools must be a top target for all activities aiming to check adolescent fertility. The emphasis must be on information, education, and responsibility of girls, boys, teachers, and parents. Education and training are of capital importance for socioeconomic development of the Sahel. All activities implemented in the education sector should include a large place for family life education in pregnancy prevention.

Exploring beliefs and expectations about motherhood in Bulgarian mothers: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Staneva, Aleksandra; Wittkowski, Anja

2013-03-01

to provide a methodologically robust and in-depth exploration of maternal expectations and beliefs in a non-clinical sample of Bulgarian mothers who described their ideas about motherhood postnatally. qualitative study using face to face interviews for data collection. the cities of Sofia and Varna, Bulgaria. 10 women, 7 primiparae and 3 multipara, aged 28-32 years, who gave birth within the last 18 months. interviews were carried out using a semi-structured schedule. Discussions were audio-recorded with participants' consent, translated and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used under the contextualist theoretical framework. four general themes of women's expectations about motherhood were identified, concerning expectations of motherhood, parenting self-confidence, beliefs about the mother-infant dyad and anticipated social support. Findings suggest that there was a substantial discrepancy between expectations and the reality of motherhood, for primiparae and multipara mothers. Unrealistic expectations about motherhood were related to a more difficult postnatal adjustment, lowered self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. the way in which women view themselves as mothers during pregnancy can have a significant impact on their emotional well-being following birth. The implications of these findings are discussed with particular reference to promoting a successful adjustment to motherhood through appropriate antenatal care, focussing on maternal expectations about their new role. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Programmable shunts and headphones: Are they safe together?

PubMed

Spader, Heather S; Ratanaprasatporn, Linda; Morrison, John F; Grossberg, Jonathan A; Cosgrove, G Rees

2015-10-01

Programmable shunts have a valuable role in the treatment of patients with hydrocephalus, but because a magnet is used to change valve settings, interactions with external magnets may reprogram these shunts. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of magnetic toys and iPads to erroneously reprogram shunts. Headphones are even more ubiquitous, and they contain an electromagnet for sound projection that sits on the head very close to the shunt valve. This study is the first to look at the magnetic field emissions of headphones and their effect on reprogrammable shunt valves to ascertain whether headphones are safe for patients with these shunts to wear. In this in vitro study of the magnetic properties of headphones and their interactions with 3 different programmable shunts, the authors evaluated Apple earbuds, Beats by Dr. Dre, and Bose QuietComfort Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones. Each headphone was tested for electromagnetic field emissions using a direct current gaussmeter. The following valves were evaluated: Codman Hakim programmable valve, Medtronic Strata II valve, and Aesculap proGAV. Each valve was tested at distances of 0 to 50 mm (in 5-mm increments) from each headphone. The exposure time at each distance was 1 minute, and 3 trials were performed to confirm results at each valve setting and distance. All 3 headphones generated magnetic fields greater than the respective shunt manufacturer's recommended strength of exposure, but these fields did not persist beyond 5 mm. By 2 cm, the fields levels were below 20 G, well below the Medtronic recommendation of 90 G and the Codman recommendation of 80 G. Because the mechanism for the proGAV is different, there is no recommended gauss level. There was no change in gauss-level emissions by the headphones with changes in frequency and amplitude. Both the Strata and Codman-Hakim valves were reprogrammed by direct contact (distance 0 mm) with the Bose headphones. When a rotation component was added, all

A Behavior Genetic Investigation of Adolescent Motherhood and Offspring Mental Health Problems

PubMed Central

Harden, K. Paige; Lynch, Stacy K.; Turkheimer, Eric; Emery, Robert E.; D’Onofrio, Brian M.; Slutske, Wendy S.; Waldron, Mary D.; Heath, Andrew C.; Statham, Dixie J.; Martin, Nicholas G.

2010-01-01

The present study examines the relations between adolescent motherhood and children’s behavior, substance use, and internalizing problems in a sample of 1,368 children of 712 female twins from Australia. Adolescent motherhood remained significantly associated with all mental health problems, even when using a quasiexperimental design capable of controlling for genetic and environmental confounds. However, the relation between adolescent motherhood and offspring behavior problems and substance use was partially confounded by family background variables that influence both generations. The results are consistent with a causal relation between adolescent motherhood and offspring mental health problems, and they highlight the usefulness of behavior genetic designs when examining putative environmental risks for the development of psychopathology. The generalizability of these results to the United States, which has a higher adolescent birth rate, is discussed. PMID:18020715

Community-level impact of the reproductive health vouchers programme on service utilization in Kenya.

PubMed

Obare, Francis; Warren, Charlotte; Njuki, Rebecca; Abuya, Timothy; Sunday, Joseph; Askew, Ian; Bellows, Ben

2013-03-01

This paper examines community-level association between exposure to the reproductive health vouchers programme in Kenya and utilization of services. The data are from a household survey conducted among 2527 women (15-49 years) from voucher and comparable non-voucher sites. Analysis entails cross-tabulations with Chi-square tests and significant tests of proportions as well as estimation of multi-level logit models to predict service utilization by exposure to the programme. The results show that for births occurring after the voucher programme began, women from communities that had been exposed to the programme since 2006 were significantly more likely to have delivered at a health facility and to have received skilled care during delivery compared with those from communities that had not been exposed to the programme at all. There were, however, no significant differences in the timing of first trimester utilization of antenatal care (ANC) and making four or more ANC visits by exposure to the programme. In addition, poor women were significantly less likely to have used safe motherhood services (health facility delivery, skilled delivery care and postnatal care) compared with their non-poor counterparts regardless of exposure to the programme. Nonetheless, a significantly higher proportion of poor women from communities that had been exposed to the programme since 2006 used the services compared with their poor counterparts from communities that had not been exposed to the programme at all. The findings suggest that the programme is associated with increased health facility deliveries and skilled delivery care especially among poor women. However, it has had limited community-level impact on the first trimester timing of antenatal care use and making four or more visits, which remain a challenge despite the high proportion of women in the country that make at least one antenatal care visit during pregnancy.

Community-level impact of the reproductive health vouchers programme on service utilization in Kenya

PubMed Central

Obare, Francis; Warren, Charlotte; Njuki, Rebecca; Abuya, Timothy; Sunday, Joseph; Askew, Ian; Bellows, Ben

2013-01-01

This paper examines community-level association between exposure to the reproductive health vouchers programme in Kenya and utilization of services. The data are from a household survey conducted among 2527 women (15–49 years) from voucher and comparable non-voucher sites. Analysis entails cross-tabulations with Chi-square tests and significant tests of proportions as well as estimation of multi-level logit models to predict service utilization by exposure to the programme. The results show that for births occurring after the voucher programme began, women from communities that had been exposed to the programme since 2006 were significantly more likely to have delivered at a health facility and to have received skilled care during delivery compared with those from communities that had not been exposed to the programme at all. There were, however, no significant differences in the timing of first trimester utilization of antenatal care (ANC) and making four or more ANC visits by exposure to the programme. In addition, poor women were significantly less likely to have used safe motherhood services (health facility delivery, skilled delivery care and postnatal care) compared with their non-poor counterparts regardless of exposure to the programme. Nonetheless, a significantly higher proportion of poor women from communities that had been exposed to the programme since 2006 used the services compared with their poor counterparts from communities that had not been exposed to the programme at all. The findings suggest that the programme is associated with increased health facility deliveries and skilled delivery care especially among poor women. However, it has had limited community-level impact on the first trimester timing of antenatal care use and making four or more visits, which remain a challenge despite the high proportion of women in the country that make at least one antenatal care visit during pregnancy. PMID:22492923

[Biomedical Perspective of the Surrogate Motherhood].

PubMed

Jouve de la Barreda, Nicolás

2017-01-01

The subrogated motherhood takes place when an embryo created by in vitro fertilization (IVF) technology is implanted in a surrogate, sometimes called a gestational mother, by means a contract with her. It can imply to natural families (woman and man) with or without infertility problems, or to monoparental or biparental families of the same sex. Concerning the origin of the gametes used in the IVF emerges different implications on the genetic relationship of the resulting child with the surrogate and the future parents. The subrogated motherhood was initially considered an option to solve infertility problems. Nevertheless this practice has become a possible and attractive option as a source of economic resources for poor women. The cases of benefit of a pregnancy without mediating a contract are exceptional and they are not properly cases of ″subrogated maternity″ but of ″altruistic maternity″ and must be considered as heterologous in vitro fertilization. In this article are analyzed the medical, genetic and bioethics aspects of this new derivation of the fertilization in vitro. As points of special attention are considered the following questions: Is it the surrogate motherhood used preferably to solve infertility problems? Is not this actually a new form of exploitation of the woman? Does not suppose an attack to the natural family? Does not suppose in addition an attack to the dignity of the human being?

Players' and coaches' knowledge and awareness of the BokSmart Safe Six injury prevention programme: an ecological cross-sectional questionnaire study.

PubMed

Sewry, Nicola; Verhagen, Evert; Lambert, Mike; van Mechelen, Willem; Brown, James

2017-11-03

Rugby has a high injury incidence and therefore BokSmart introduced the Safe Six injury prevention programme in 2014 in an attempt to decrease this incidence. In 2015, BokSmart used a 'targeted marketing approach' to increase the awareness and knowledge of the Safe Six . Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the change in the knowledge of coaches and players of the Safe Six programme, compared with the launch year, following a 'targeted marketing approach'. Ecological cross-sectional questionnaire study SETTING: The 2014-2016 South African rugby union youth week tournaments. Questionnaires were completed by 4502 players and coaches who attended any of the four youth week tournaments during 2014-2016. Logistic regression (adjusted OR, 95% CI) was performed in comparison to year prior to targeted marketing, separately for coaches and players, for changes in awareness and knowledge. The awareness of the Safe Six increased significantly for players in 2015 (1.74 times (95% CI 1.49 to 2.04)) and in 2016 (1.54 times (95% CI 1.29 to 1.84)). Similarly for coaches, there was a 3.55 times (95% CI 1.23 to 9.99) increase in 2015 and a 10.11 times (95% CI 2.43 to 42.08) increase in 2016 compared with 2014. Furthermore, a player was significantly more likely to be aware of the Safe Six if his coach was aware of the programme (p<0.05). The knowledge and awareness of the BokSmart Safe Six of both players and coaches increased in 2015 and 2016 (compared with 2014) since the launch of the programme. Coaches, the Unions/the South African Rugby Union and social media were the largest contributors to knowledge in coaches and players. While the 'targeted marketing approach' was associated with an increase in awareness, future studies should determine if this translates into behavioural change. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly

[Pregnancy and delivery in western Africa. High risk motherhood].

PubMed

Prual, A

1999-06-01

According to the World Health Organization, 585,000 women die each year from a pregnancy-related cause, 99% of whom are from developing countries. The first International Conference on Safe Motherhood in 1987 sensitized the world community to this drama. Ever since, maternal mortality and its medical causes are better known. The maternal mortality ratio is highest in West Africa (1,020 maternal deaths per 100,000 live borns) when it is 27/100,000 in industrialized countries. Direct obstetric causes account for 80% of the deaths: hemorrhage, infection, dystocia, hypertension and abortion. Indirect causes are essentially anemia, malaria, hepatitis C and AIDS. Severe maternal morbidity is 6 to 10 times more frequent than maternal mortality but it also leads to handicaps which end up often in women's social rejection. However, WHO estimates that 95% of these deaths and handicaps are avoidable, and at a low cost.

Cluster randomised controlled trial of 'whole school' child maltreatment prevention programme in primary schools in Northern Ireland: study protocol for Keeping Safe.

PubMed

McElearney, Aisling; Brennan-Wilson, Aoibheann; Murphy, Christina; Stephenson, Phyllis; Bunting, Brendan

2018-05-03

Child maltreatment has a pervasive, detrimental impact on children's wellbeing. Despite a growing focus on prevention through school based education, few programmes adopt a whole- school approach, are multi-component, seek to address all forms of maltreatment, or indeed have been robustly evaluated. This paper describes a cluster randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate a school based child maltreatment prevention programme: 'Keeping Safe' in primary schools in Northern Ireland. The intervention has been designed by a non-profit agency. Programme resources include 63 lessons taught incrementally to children between four and 11 years old, and is premised on three core themes: healthy relationships, my body, and being safe. There are programme resources to engage parents and to build the capacity and skills of school staff. A cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) will be conducted with children in 80 schools over a two-year period. The unit of randomisation is the school. Schools will be allocated to intervention or wait-list control groups using a computer-generated list. Data will be collected at three time points: baseline, end of year one, and end of year two of programme implementation. Primary outcomes will include: children's understanding of key programme concepts, self-efficacy to keep safe in situations of maltreatment, anxiety arising from programme participation, and disclosure of maltreatment. Secondary outcomes include teachers' comfort and confidence in teaching the programme and parents' confidence in talking to their children about programme concepts. This RCT will address gaps in current practice and evidence regarding school based child maltreatment prevention programmes. This includes the use of a whole- school approach and multi-component programme that addresses all maltreatment concepts, a two-year period of programme implementation, and the tracking of outcomes for children, parents, and teachers. Methodologically, it will extend

Information system needs in health promotion: a case study of the Safe Community programme using requirements engineering methods.

PubMed

Timpka, Toomas; Olvander, Christina; Hallberg, Niklas

2008-09-01

The international Safe Community programme was used as the setting for a case study to explore the need for information system support in health promotion programmes. The 14 Safe Communities active in Sweden during 2002 were invited to participate and 13 accepted. A questionnaire on computer usage and a critical incident technique instrument were distributed. Sharing of management information, creating social capital for safety promotion, and injury data recording were found to be key areas that need to be further supported by computer-based information systems. Most respondents reported having access to a personal computer workstation with standard office software. Interest in using more advanced computer applications was low, and there was considerable need for technical user support. Areas where information systems can be used to make health promotion practice more efficient were identified, and patterns of computers usage were described.

The Pregnancy & Motherhood Diary: Planning the First Year of Your Second Career. Revised and Updated.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stautberg, Susan Schiffer

Intended for women who plan to combine a career with motherhood, this book is a planning document for the full-time working mother-to-be during the three trimesters of pregnancy and the first trimester of motherhood. Each section discusses physical and mental changes associated with motherhood and includes a calendar for appointments and events…

Motherhood: a potential source of bias in employment decisions.

PubMed

Heilman, Madeline E; Okimoto, Tyler G

2008-01-01

Results of 2 experimental studies in which job incumbents were said to be applying for promotions to traditionally male positions demonstrated bias against mothers in competence expectations and in screening recommendations. This bias occurred regardless of whether the research participants were students (Study 1) or working people (Study 2). Although anticipated job commitment, achievement striving, and dependability were rated as generally lower for parents than for nonparents, anticipated competence was uniquely low for mothers. Mediational analyses indicated that, as predicted, negativity in competence expectations, not anticipated job commitment or achievement striving, promoted the motherhood bias in screening recommendations; expected deficits in agentic behaviors, not in dependability, were found to fuel these competence expectations. These findings suggest that motherhood can indeed hinder the career advancement of women and that it is the heightened association with gender stereotypes that occurs when women are mothers that is the source of motherhood's potentially adverse consequences. 2008 APA

Individual responsibility and social constraint: the construction of adolescent motherhood in social scientific research.

PubMed

Breheny, Mary; Stephens, Christine

2007-01-01

Research has an important role in the production of knowledge and in shaping dominant social attitudes towards adolescent motherhood. Although adolescent motherhood has been framed as a social problem in social scientific research, recent researchers have attempted to go beyond the focus on disadvantage to suggest that outcomes for adolescent mothers depend upon individual differences and contextual factors related to successful mothering. Social structures have also been considered, and adolescent motherhood has been investigated from the perspective of the mothers themselves. Each of these approaches to researching adolescent motherhood provides a subject position for adolescent mothers with associated potential for both positive and negative impact on their social lives. These implications and the alternatives to individualizing success and discounting social constraint require consideration. Useful strategies could include valuing motherhood regardless of the social and economic position of the mother, and addressing structures which contribute to the exclusion of adolescent mothers from education and economic participation.

Surrogate motherhood as a medical treatment procedure for women's infertility.

PubMed

Jovic, Olga S

2011-03-01

The content of this work is conceived on the research of the consequences of surrogate motherhood as a process of assisted procreation, which represent a way of parenthood in cases when it is not possible to realize parenthood through a natural way. Surrogate motherhood is a process in which a woman (surrogate mother) agrees to carry a pregnancy with the intent to give the child to the couple with whom she has made a contract on surrogate maternity after the birth. This process of conception and birth makes the determination of the child's origin on its mother's side hard to determine, because of the distinction of the genetic and gestation phases of the two women. The concept of surrogate motherhood is to appear in two forms, depending on the existence or the non-existence of the genetic link between the surrogate mother and the child she gives birth to. There are gestation (full) and genetic (partial) surrogates each with different modalities and legal and ethical implications. In Serbia, Infertility Treatment and the Bio-medically Assisted Procreation Act from 2009 explicitly forbids surrogate motherhood, despite the fact that an infertile couple decides to use it, as a rule, after having tried all other treatment procedures, in cases when there is a diagnosis but the conventional treatment applied has not produced the desired results. Given the fact that no one has the right to ignore the sufferings of people who cannot procreate naturally, the medical practice and legal science in our country plead for a formulation of a legal framework in which to apply surrogate motherhood as an infertility treatment, under particular conditions.

Surrogate Motherhood II: Reflections after "Baby M."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Lita Linzer

1988-01-01

Discusses the "Baby M" surrogate motherhood case which has produced heated debate in popular media, legal publications, and other professional journals. Summarizes arguments offered and reasoning behind actions of judiciary. (Author/ABL)

Interpretations, perspectives and intentions in surrogate motherhood

PubMed Central

van Zyl, L.; van Niekerk, A.

2000-01-01

In this paper we examine the questions "What does it mean to be a surrogate mother?" and "What would be an appropriate perspective for a surrogate mother to have on her pregnancy?" In response to the objection that such contracts are alienating or dehumanising since they require women to suppress their evolving perspective on their pregnancies, liberal supporters of surrogate motherhood argue that the freedom to contract includes the freedom to enter a contract to bear a child for an infertile couple. After entering the contract the surrogate may not be free to interpret her pregnancy as that of a non-surrogate mother, but there is more than one appropriate way of interpreting one's pregnancy. To restrict or ban surrogacy contracts would be to prohibit women from making other particular interpretations of their pregnancies they may wish to make, requiring them to live up to a culturally constituted image of ideal motherhood. We examine three interpretations of a "surrogate pregnancy" that are implicit in the views and arguments put forward by ethicists, surrogacy agencies, and surrogate mothers themselves. We hope to show that our concern in this regard goes beyond the view that surrogacy contracts deny or suppress the natural, instinctive or conventional interpretation of pregnancy. Key Words: Surrogate motherhood • parental rights and responsibilities PMID:11055048

Motherhood, Labor Force Behavior, and Women’s Careers: An Empirical Assessment of the Wage Penalty for Motherhood in Britain, Germany, and the United States

PubMed Central

GANGL, MARKUS; ZIEFLE, ANDREA

2009-01-01

Using harmonized longitudinal data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), we trace career prospects after motherhood for five cohorts of American, British, and West German women around the 1960s. We establish wage penalties for motherhood between 9% and 18% per child, with wage losses among American and British mothers being lower than those experienced by mothers in Germany. Labor market mechanisms generating the observed wage penalty for motherhood differ markedly across countries, however. For British and American women, work interruptions and subsequent mobility into mother-friendly jobs fully account for mothers’ wage losses. In contrast, respective penalties are considerably smaller in Germany, yet we observe a substantial residual wage penalty that is unaccounted for by mothers’ observable labor market behavior. We interpret this finding as indicating a comparatively more pronounced role for statistical discrimination against mothers in the German labor market. PMID:21305397

Surrogate Motherhood I: Responses to Infertility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Lita Linzer

1987-01-01

Surrogate motherhood is a path to parenthood filled with legal "potholes" and psychological "rocks." Mental health specialists, especially marital and family therapists, may well be called upon to provide their professional services to people attempting to negotiate it. Introduces a number of potential hazards, presenting the…

A Study of Motherhood and Perceived Career Satisfaction of Women in Student Affairs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Kacee Ferrell

2011-01-01

There is limited research available on the relationship between motherhood and career satisfaction. This dissertation examined women who worked as student affairs professionals to develop a greater understanding of the relationship between motherhood and career satisfaction. The following research questions were addressed: Is there a difference…

Ambivalence or Continuity?: Motherhood and Employment among Chicanas and Mexican Immigrant Women Workers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segura, Denise A.

1991-01-01

Extensive interviews with 30 working and nonworking mothers (Chicanas and Mexican immigrants) found that immigrants had a broader conceptualization of motherhood that encompassed employment outside the home, whereas Chicanas were more likely to seek an idealized middle-class "stay at home" motherhood and thus experienced more ambivalence…

Gender, infertility, motherhood, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Turkey.

PubMed

Sahinoglu, Serap; Buken, Nuket Ornek

2010-01-01

In Turkey, as in many other countries, infertility is generally regarded as a negative phenomenon in a woman's life and is associated with a lot of stigma by society. In other words, female infertility and having a baby using Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) have to be taken into consideration with respect to gender motherhood, social factors, religion and law. Yet if a woman chooses to use ART she has to deal with the consequences of her decision, such as being ostracized by society. Other types of procedures in this area, such as sperm and ova donation or surrogate motherhood, are not permitted in law. However; both before and after the development of this techonology, society has been finding its own solutions which are rarely questioned and are still performed This article will discuss what these practices are and try to reach some pragmatic conclusions concerning female infertility, the concept of motherhood and some traditional practices in Turkey.

Early Motherhood and Subsequent Life Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boden, Joseph M.; Fergusson, David M.; Horwood, L. John

2008-01-01

Background: Early motherhood has been linked with a number of adverse outcomes, including mental health difficulties and barriers to completing educational qualifications and workforce participation. The present study examined the extent to which these linkages could be explained by the influence of social, family, and background factors that were…

The experiences of districts in implementing a national incentive programme to promote safe delivery in Nepal

PubMed Central

Powell-Jackson, Timothy; Morrison, Joanna; Tiwari, Suresh; Neupane, Basu Dev; Costello, Anthony M

2009-01-01

Background Nepal's Safe Delivery Incentive Programme (SDIP) was introduced nationwide in 2005 with the intention of increasing utilisation of professional care at childbirth. It provided cash to women giving birth in a health facility and an incentive to the health provider for each delivery attended, either at home or in the facility. We explored early implementation of the programme at the district-level to understand the factors that have contributed to its low uptake. Methods We conducted in ten study districts a series of key informant interviews and focus group discussions with staff from health facilities and the district health office and other stakeholders involved in implementation. Manual content analysis was used to categorise data under emerging themes. Results Problems at the central level imposed severe constraints on the ability of district-level actors to implement the programme. These included bureaucratic delays in the disbursement of funds, difficulties in communicating the policy, both to implementers and the wider public and the complexity of the programme's design. However, some district implementers were able to cope with these problems, providing reasons for why uptake of the programme varied considerably between districts. Actions appeared to be influenced by the pressure to meet local needs, as well individual perceptions and acceptance of the programme. The experience also sheds light on some of the adverse effects of the programme on the wider health system. Conclusion The success of conditional cash transfer programmes in Latin America has led to a wave of enthusiasm for their adoption in other parts of the world. However, context matters and proponents of similar programmes in south Asia should give due attention to the challenges to implementation when capacity is weak and health services inadequate. PMID:19508710

"It's like giving him a piece of me.": Exploring UK and Israeli women's accounts of motherhood and feeding.

PubMed

Shloim, N; Hugh-Jones, S; Rudolf, M C J; Feltbower, R G; Lans, O; Hetherington, M M

2015-12-01

The present study explored how Israeli and UK mothers integrate feeding into their conceptualisations of mothering 2-6 months post-partum. The nature and importance of motherhood is subject to differential contextual, cultural, political and historical influences. We set out to compare experiences of motherhood and feeding between these two countries using a qualitative approach. Forty one women (mean age 36.4 ± 2.7 years) from Israel and the UK, mostly married or in a committed relationship were interviewed about their experience of pregnancy, motherhood and feeding. Data were analysed thematically. The experience of motherhood in the early postnatal period was dominated, for all mothers, by the experience of breastfeeding and clustered around three representations of mothering, namely; 1) a devoted mother who ignores her own needs; 2) a mother who is available for her infant but acknowledges her needs as well; and 3) a struggling mother for whom motherhood is a burden. Such representations existed within both cultural groups and sometimes coexisted within the same mothers. UK women described more struggles within motherhood whereas a tendency towards idealising motherhood was observed for Israeli women. There are similarities in the ways that UK and Israeli women experienced motherhood and feeding. Where family life is strongly emphasized, mothers reported extremes of idealism and burden and associated an "ideal" mother with a breastfeeding mother. Where motherhood is represented as just one of many roles women take up, they are more likely to represent a "good enough" approach to mothering. Understanding the experience of motherhood and feeding in different cultural settings is important to provide the context for postnatal care specifically where mothers are reluctant to share problems or difficulties encountered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of motherhood on neural systems for reward processing in low income, minority, young women.

PubMed

Moses-Kolko, Eydie L; Forbes, Erika E; Stepp, Stephanie; Fraser, David; Keenan, Kate E; Guyer, Amanda E; Chase, Henry W; Phillips, Mary L; Zevallos, Carlos R; Guo, Chaohui; Hipwell, Alison E

2016-04-01

Given the association between maternal caregiving behavior and heightened neural reward activity in experimental animal studies, the present study examined whether motherhood in humans positively modulates reward-processing neural circuits, even among mothers exposed to various life stressors and depression. Subjects were 77 first-time mothers and 126 nulliparous young women from the Pittsburgh Girls Study, a longitudinal study beginning in childhood. Subjects underwent a monetary reward task during functional magnetic resonance imaging in addition to assessment of current depressive symptoms. Life stress was measured by averaging data collected between ages 8-15 years. Using a region-of-interest approach, we conducted hierarchical regression to examine the relationship of psychosocial factors (life stress and current depression) and motherhood with extracted ventral striatal (VST) response to reward anticipation. Whole-brain regression analyses were performed post-hoc to explore non-striatal regions associated with reward anticipation in mothers vs nulliparous women. Anticipation of monetary reward was associated with increased neural activity in expected regions including caudate, orbitofrontal, occipital, superior and middle frontal cortices. There was no main effect of motherhood nor motherhood-by-psychosocial factor interaction effect on VST response during reward anticipation. Depressive symptoms were associated with increased VST activity across the entire sample. In exploratory whole brain analysis, motherhood was associated with increased somatosensory cortex activity to reward (FWE cluster forming threshold p<0.001). These findings indicate that motherhood is not associated with reward anticipation-related VST activity nor does motherhood modulate the impact of depression or life stress on VST activity. Future studies are needed to evaluate whether earlier postpartum assessment of reward function, inclusion of mothers with more severe depressive symptoms

Juggling identities of rheumatoid arthritis, motherhood and paid work - a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Feddersen, Helle; Mechlenborg Kristiansen, Tine; Tanggaard Andersen, Pernille; Hørslev-Petersen, Kim; Primdahl, Jette

2018-02-01

To explore how women with rheumatoid arthritis manage their illness, motherhood, and work life. A constructivist, grounded theory approach based on individual interviews and participant observations with 20 women with rheumatoid arthritis who participated in work life and had children living at home or were pregnant. After initial and focused coding Goffman's concepts of social identity were applied. A core category: "Juggling meaningful identities" and three conceptual categories were developed: (1) Work life as the strongest identity marker; (2) Motherhood: a two-sided act; (3) Living with rheumatoid arthritis as an identity? Paid work, motherhood, and illness are linked to the women's social identities. The women construct and change their identities in interactions with children, partners, other parents, colleagues, and employers. The women attribute the highest priority to their professional identity, spending the majority of their time and energy in an effort to appear as "good stable workers". The disease is seen as a hindrance in this regard, and the illness identity is almost completely rejected. In motherhood, the women prioritize close interaction with their children, and deprioritize external activities. Extended outbreaks of the disease and issues regarding the children force the women to deprioritize working life. Implications for rehabilitation Juggling meaningful identities of rheumatoid arthritis, motherhood, and paid work challenge women in managing their everyday lives. Therefore, rehabilitation professionals should support individuals to develop new strategies to manage the challenges they experience regarding juggling motherhood and work ability. Work is a dominant identity marker for women with rheumatoid arthritis therefore, rehabilitation professionals have an important role to play in investigating possible ways for the individual to maintain employment or return to work. Living with rheumatoid arthritis and being a paid worker challenge

Legal regulation of surrogate motherhood in Israel.

PubMed

Frenkel, D A

2001-01-01

The Israeli Law on surrogate motherhood demands a preconception agreement to include payments to be made to the surrogate mother. Surrogacy arrangements with family members are forbidden. Commercial surrogacy is allowed and encouraged. The Law causes many problems. Validity of consent given by surrogate mothers is doubtful. Possible future psychological harm are ignored. There is a danger of "commodification" of children. Abusing women of low socio-economic status as breeding machines may be another outcome. No clear responsibility is imposed on the "intended parents" for an impaired child. The law ignores possibility of divorce or death of the "intended parents" before the child's birth. Splitting motherhood is another social problem that has to be dealt with. So far the sperm of the husband from the "intended parents" has to be used, but further steps may follow. It is not certain that a policy of "positive eugenics" will not develop.

Justifying gender discrimination in the workplace: The mediating role of motherhood myths.

PubMed

Verniers, Catherine; Vala, Jorge

2018-01-01

The issue of gender equality in employment has given rise to numerous policies in advanced industrial countries, all aimed at tackling gender discrimination regarding recruitment, salary and promotion. Yet gender inequalities in the workplace persist. The purpose of this research is to document the psychosocial process involved in the persistence of gender discrimination against working women. Drawing on the literature on the justification of discrimination, we hypothesized that the myths according to which women's work threatens children and family life mediates the relationship between sexism and opposition to a mother's career. We tested this hypothesis using the Family and Changing Gender Roles module of the International Social Survey Programme. The dataset contained data collected in 1994 and 2012 from 51632 respondents from 18 countries. Structural equation modellings confirmed the hypothesised mediation. Overall, the findings shed light on how motherhood myths justify the gender structure in countries promoting gender equality.

Early motherhood: a qualitative study exploring the experiences of African Australian teenage mothers in greater Melbourne, Australia.

PubMed

Ngum Chi Watts, Mimmie Claudine; Liamputtong, Pranee; Mcmichael, Celia

2015-09-10

Motherhood is a significant and important aspect of life for many women around the globe. For women in communities where motherhood is highly desired, motherhood is considered crucial to the woman's identity. Teenage motherhood, occurring at a critical developmental stage of teenagers' lives, has been identified as having adverse social and health consequences. This research aimed to solicit the lived experiences of African Australian young refugee women who have experienced early motherhood in Australia. This qualitative research used in-depth interviews. The research methods and analysis were informed by intersectionality theory, phenomenology and a cultural competency framework. Sixteen African born refugee young women who had experienced teenage pregnancy and early motherhood in Greater Melbourne, Australia took part in this research. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and data analysed using thematic content analysis. Ethics approval for this research was granted by Victoria University Human Research Ethics committee. Motherhood brings increased responsibilities, social recognition, and a sense of purpose for young mothers. Despite the positive aspects of motherhood, participants faced challenges that affected their lives. Most often, the challenges included coping with increased responsibilities following the birth of the baby, managing the competing demands of schooling, work and taking care of a baby in a site of settlement. The young mothers indicated they received good support from their mothers, siblings and close friends, but rarely from the father of their baby and the wider community. Participants felt that teenage mothers are frowned upon by their wider ethnic communities, which left them with feelings of shame and embarrassment, despite the personal perceived benefits of achieving motherhood. We propose that service providers and policy makers support the role of the young mothers' own mother, sisters, their grandmothers and aunts following

Chinese primiparous women's experiences of early motherhood: factors affecting maternal role competence.

PubMed

Ngai, Fei-Wan; Chan, Sally W C; Holroyd, Eleanor

2011-05-01

The aim of this study was to explore Chinese women's perceptions of maternal role competence and factors contributing to maternal role competence during early motherhood. Developing a sense of competence and satisfaction in the maternal role are considered critical components in maternal adaptation, which have a significant impact on parenting behaviours and the psychosocial development of the child. However, qualitative studies that address maternal role competence are limited in the Chinese population. This was an exploratory descriptive study. A purposive sample of 26 Chinese primiparous mothers participated in a childbirth psychoeducation programme and was interviewed at six weeks postpartum. Data were analysed using content analysis. Women perceived a competent mother as being able to make a commitment to caring for the physical and emotional well-being of child, while cultivating appropriate values for childhood. Personal knowledge and experience of infant care, success in breastfeeding, infant's well-being, availability of social support and contradictory information from various sources were major factors affecting maternal role competency. The findings highlight the importance of understanding Chinese cultural attitudes to childrearing and maternal role competence. New Chinese mothers need information on child care, positive experiences of infant care, social support and consistent information to enhance their maternal role competency. Recommendations are made for Chinese culturally specific guidelines and healthcare delivery interventions to enhance maternal role competence in early motherhood. Nursing and midwifery care should always take into account the cultural beliefs and enable adaptation of traditional postpartum practices. Providing consistent information and positive experience on parenting skills and infant behaviour as well as enhancing effective coping strategies could strengthen Chinese women's maternal role competency. © 2011 Blackwell

A cross sectional comparison of postnatal care quality in facilities participating in a maternal health voucher program versus non-voucher facilities in Kenya.

PubMed

Warren, Charlotte E; Abuya, Timothy; Kanya, Lucy; Obare, Francis; Njuki, Rebecca; Temmerman, Marleen; Bellows, Ben

2015-07-24

Health service fees constitute substantial barriers for women seeking childbirth and postnatal care. In an effort to reduce health inequities, the government of Kenya in 2006 introduced the output-based approach (OBA), or voucher programme, to increase poor women's access to quality Safe Motherhood services including postnatal care. To help improve service quality, OBA programmes purchase services on behalf of the poor and marginalised, with provider reimbursements for verified services. Kenya's programme accredited health facilities in three districts as well as in two informal Nairobi settlements. Postnatal care quality in voucher health facilities (n = 21) accredited in 2006 and in similar non-voucher health facilities (n = 20) are compared with cross sectional data collected in 2010. Summary scores for quality were calculated as additive sums of specific aspects of each attribute (structure, process, outcome). Measures of effect were assessed in a linear regression model accounting for clustering at facility level. Data were analysed using Stata 11.0. The overall quality of postnatal care is poor in voucher and non-voucher facilities, but many facilities demonstrated 'readiness' for postnatal care (structural attributes: infrastructure, equipment, supplies, staffing, training) indicated by high scores (83/111), with public voucher facilities scoring higher than public non-voucher facilities. The two groups of facilities evinced no significant differences in postnatal care mean process scores: 14.2/55 in voucher facilities versus 16.4/55 in non-voucher facilities; coefficient: -1.70 (-4.9, 1.5), p = 0.294. Significantly more newborns were seen within 48 hours (83.5% versus 72.1%: p = 0.001) and received Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) (82.5% versus 76.5%: p < 0.001) at voucher facilities than at non-voucher facilities. Four years after facility accreditation in Kenya, scores for postnatal care quality are low in all facilities, even those with Safe Motherhood

Trends and correlates of single motherhood in Kenya: Results from the Demographic and Health Survey.

PubMed

Muthuri, Stella K; Oyolola, Maharouf; Faye, Cheikh

2017-01-01

Single motherhood exposes women to poorer socioeconomic and health outcomes, which may also negatively impact child outcomes. The Demographic and Health Surveys of 1989, 1993, 1998, 2003, and 2009 were used to investigate trends over time and factors associated with single motherhood in Kenya. Urban residence, older age, and poorer economic status were associated with single motherhood over time. Women with more than one child, and those with children under 15 years living at home were less likely to be single mothers. As women become single mothers at different stages, targeted and supportive strategies are required to mitigate associated risks.

Older Motherhood and the Changing Life Course in the Era of Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

PubMed

Friese, Carrie; Becker, Gay; Nachtigall, Robert D

2008-01-01

Midlife, once a focus of particular interest to gerontologists because of its implications for later life, has recently received little attention. But as new reproductive technologies have expanded in the United States, motherhood is occurring at older ages. While older motherhood is not a new social practice, what is unique is that an increasing number of women are becoming pregnant through technological means, often for the first time, at the end of their reproductive cycle. These women can be understood as part of a new middle age, engaging in new life course possibilities that respond to changing social, cultural, physical, and economic realities, and potentially extending much later in the life course. Drawing on interviews with 79 couples, we utilize symbolic interactionist conceptualizations of identity and stigma to consider how women negotiate the shifting social identities associated with older motherhood. We conclude that older motherhood will be one phenomenon contributing to an enduring change in views of what constitutes old age, and that it will be seen as occurring much later in the life course.

Older Motherhood and the Changing Life Course in the Era of Assisted Reproductive Technologies

PubMed Central

Friese, Carrie; Becker, Gay; Nachtigall, Robert D.

2008-01-01

Midlife, once a focus of particular interest to gerontologists because of its implications for later life, has recently received little attention. But as new reproductive technologies have expanded in the United States, motherhood is occurring at older ages. While older motherhood is not a new social practice, what is unique is that an increasing number of women are becoming pregnant through technological means, often for the first time, at the end of their reproductive cycle. These women can be understood as part of a new middle age, engaging in new life course possibilities that respond to changing social, cultural, physical, and economic realities, and potentially extending much later in the life course. Drawing on interviews with 79 couples, we utilize symbolic interactionist conceptualizations of identity and stigma to consider how women negotiate the shifting social identities associated with older motherhood. We conclude that older motherhood will be one phenomenon contributing to an enduring change in views of what constitutes old age, and that it will be seen as occurring much later in the life course. PMID:18443646

Psychiatry, Sex, and Science: The Making of "Adolescent" Motherhood in Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Béhague, Dominique P

2018-01-01

Research linking teen motherhood to psychoneurodevelopmental causes and pathologies has proliferated in the past two decades. In Brazil, a psychodevelopmental project of teen motherhood has gained traction despite many experts' long-standing commitment to psychodynamic psychiatry and social epidemiology, generating epistemic tension rather than substitution. Drawing on historical ethnography conducted in Southern Brazil, I explore how this project materialized through the co-production of epistemic struggles, remedial interventions, and ontological politics. In showing how this co-production became interwoven with incremental changes in young women's emotions, sexualities, relationships, and bodies, I describe how one particular "kind" of teen motherhood emerged and became entangled with both psychiatric knowledge-production and the angst of working-class political agency. In giving women a contested psychiatric language with which to rework their social-moral worlds, I argue that science did more than conceptualize teen childbearing in pathological terms; it contributed to its troubled transformation.

Justifying gender discrimination in the workplace: The mediating role of motherhood myths

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The issue of gender equality in employment has given rise to numerous policies in advanced industrial countries, all aimed at tackling gender discrimination regarding recruitment, salary and promotion. Yet gender inequalities in the workplace persist. The purpose of this research is to document the psychosocial process involved in the persistence of gender discrimination against working women. Drawing on the literature on the justification of discrimination, we hypothesized that the myths according to which women’s work threatens children and family life mediates the relationship between sexism and opposition to a mother’s career. We tested this hypothesis using the Family and Changing Gender Roles module of the International Social Survey Programme. The dataset contained data collected in 1994 and 2012 from 51632 respondents from 18 countries. Structural equation modellings confirmed the hypothesised mediation. Overall, the findings shed light on how motherhood myths justify the gender structure in countries promoting gender equality. PMID:29315326

Psychosocial issues of women with type 1 diabetes transitioning to motherhood: a structured literature review.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Bodil; Hendrieckx, Christel; Clarke, Brydie; Botti, Mari; Dunning, Trisha; Jenkins, Alicia; Speight, Jane

2013-11-23

Life transitions often involve complex decisions, challenges and changes that affect diabetes management. Transition to motherhood is a major life event accompanied by increased risk that the pregnancy will lead to or accelerate existing diabetes-related complications, as well as risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, all of which inevitably increase anxiety. The frequency of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia often increases during pregnancy, which causes concern for the health and physical well-being of the mother and unborn child. This review aimed to examine the experiences of women with T1DM focusing on the pregnancy and postnatal phases of their transition to motherhood. The structured literature review comprised a comprehensive search strategy identifying primary studies published in English between 1990-2012. Standard literature databases were searched along with the contents of diabetes-specific journals. Reference lists of included studies were checked. Search terms included: 'diabetes', 'type 1', 'pregnancy', 'motherhood', 'transition', 'social support', 'quality of life' and 'psychological well-being'. Of 112 abstracts returned, 62 articles were reviewed in full-text, and 16 met the inclusion criteria. There was a high level of diversity among these studies but three common key themes were identified. They related to physical (maternal and fetal) well-being, psychological well-being and social environment. The results were synthesized narratively. Women with type 1 diabetes experience a variety of psychosocial issues in their transition to motherhood: increased levels of anxiety, diabetes-related distress, guilt, a sense of disconnectedness from health professionals, and a focus on medicalisation of pregnancy rather than the positive transition to motherhood. A trusting relationship with health professionals, sharing experiences with other women with diabetes, active social support, shared decision and responsibilities for diabetes management assisted the

Targeting Recovery in Persistent Persecutory Delusions: A Proof of Principle Study of a New Translational Psychological Treatment (the Feeling Safe Programme).

PubMed

Freeman, Daniel; Bradley, Jonathan; Waite, Felicity; Sheaves, Bryony; DeWeever, Natalie; Bourke, Emilie; McInerney, Josephine; Evans, Nicole; Černis, Emma; Lister, Rachel; Garety, Philippa; Dunn, Graham

2016-09-01

Many patients do not respond adequately to current pharmacological or psychological treatments for psychosis. Persistent persecutory delusions are common in clinical services, and cause considerable patient distress and impairment. Our aim has been to build a new translational personalized treatment, with the potential for wide use, that leads to high rates of recovery in persistent persecutory delusions. We have been developing, and evaluating individually, brief modular interventions, each targeting a key causal factor identified from our cognitive model. These modules are now combined in "The Feeling Safe Programme". To test the feasibility of a new translational modular treatment for persistent persecutory delusions and provide initial efficacy data. 12 patients with persistent persecutory delusions in the context of non-affective psychosis were offered the 6-month Feeling Safe Programme. After assessment, patients chose from a personalized menu of treatment options. Four weekly baseline assessments were carried out, followed by monthly assessments. Recovery in the delusion was defined as conviction falling below 50% (greater doubt than certainty). 11 patients completed the intervention. One patient withdrew before the first monthly assessment due to physical health problems. An average of 20 sessions (SD = 4.4) were received. Posttreatment, 7 out of 11 (64%) patients had recovery in their persistent delusions. Satisfaction ratings were high. The Feeling Safe Programme is feasible to use and was associated with large clinical benefits. To our knowledge this is the first treatment report focused on delusion recovery. The treatment will be tested in a randomized controlled trial.

Being in charge - new mothers' perceptions of reflective leadership and motherhood.

PubMed

Akerjordet, Kristin; Severinsson, Elisabeth

2010-05-01

To explore new mothers' perceptions of reflective leadership in relation to motherhood. Mindfulness, discovery of a deep personal self, sense of life purpose and authenticity appear to be the essence of self-reflective leadership. In this regard, women may be unprepared for the level of distress associated with the transition to motherhood. This study comprised interviews with ten new mothers on day 2-3 after giving birth conducted between March and May 2005. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and interpreted by a method grounded in hermeneutics. The content of the text was interpreted as one overall theme; the nature of responsibility in motherhood, encompassing the following four sub-themes: 'Being a good mother by reflecting and developing self-identity', 'managing fear, demands and commitments as a mother', 'having the necessary resources to act and lead as a mother' and 'believing and trusting in others and self as a leader'. In the new mother's transformation and growth of self, true strength has to overcome the vulnerability of life by means of caring and courage mediated by reflective leadership anchored in love.

The concept of motherhood among three generations of African American women.

PubMed

Fouquier, Katherine Ferrell

2011-06-01

To provide an understanding of the experiences of three generations of African American women in the transition to motherhood. Hermeneutic phenomenology from an Afrocentric feminist perspective is the methodological approach used in this study. Using the snowball technique, a purposive sample of 18 African American women from three generations who were mostly middle class, partnered, and educated was recruited. Individual open-ended interviews were used to identify information-rich cases that would provide an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon. Generation 1 included seven women, between the ages of 65 and 83 years, who became mothers between 1950 and 1970, prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Generation 2 included five women, between the ages of 51 and 58 years, who became mothers between 1971 and 1990, after the Civil Rights Movement. There were six women in Generation 3, between the ages of 30 and 41 years, who became mothers between 1991 and 2003. Three constitutive patterns and their associated themes were identified. The first pattern, It Took Me a Minute, had three themes: Finding Out, Realizing What Mothers Do, and Way Tricked! The second pattern, Preserving Our Home, had four themes: Mothering Within the isms: Racism, Classism, and Sexism, I Did the Best I Could, Mothers and Others, and Spiritual Mothers. Eat the Meat, Throw Away the Bone, the third pattern, had two themes: The Ways in Which We Learn and Someone Who Looks Like Me. The results of this study reveal some consistency with current descriptions of maternal identity and becoming a mother and add to our understanding of the complexities that racism, classism, and sexism play in the lives of African American mothers and their families. The data from this study also suggest that future development of theoretical frameworks and analytical tools, used to assess the effects of stress and other psychosocial factors on health, need to be grounded in a historic understanding of the African American

A feminist critique of foundational nursing research and theory on transition to motherhood.

PubMed

Parratt, Jenny A; Fahy, Kathleen M

2011-08-01

is using 'transition to motherhood theory' the best way to guide midwives in providing woman-centred care? contemporary research about changes to women's embodied sense of self during childbearing is influenced by foundational research and theory about the transition to motherhood. Rubin and Mercer are two key nursing authors whose work on transition to motherhood theory still shapes the ways in which a woman's experience of change during childbearing is understood in midwifery. using a feminist post-structural framework, Rubin and Mercer's theory and research is described, critiqued and discussed. Rubin and Mercer used pre-existing theories and concepts that had the effect of finding similarities and discarding differences between women. Rubin and Mercer's theory and research is an expression of humanistic philosophy. This philosophy creates frameworks that have an assumed, disempowered role for childbearing women. Their research used a logico-empirical, quantitative approach. Qualitative interpretive or constructivist approaches offer more appropriate ways to study the highly individualised, embodied, lived experience of a woman's changing self during childbearing. Rubin and Mercer's theory is baby-centred. Transition to motherhood theory privileges the position of experts in directing how a woman should become a mother. This has the effect of making midwives agents for the social control of women. Rubin and Mercer's transition to motherhood theory is a well-intentioned product of its time. The theory is inconsistent with contemporary midwifery philosophy which promotes a woman-centred partnership between the midwife and the woman. The usefulness of this outdated nursing theory in midwifery teaching, research or practice is debatable. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sacrificing Their Careers for Their Families? An Analysis of the Penalty to Motherhood in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gash, Vanessa

2009-01-01

This paper examines the extent of and the mechanisms behind the penalty to motherhood in six European countries. Each country provides different levels of support for maternal employment allowing us to determine institutional effects on labour market outcome. While mothers tend to earn less than non-mothers, the penalty to motherhood is…

[Factors influencing student nurses' emotions toward children and their concept of motherhood].

PubMed

Jitsuzaki, Mina; Anan, Ayumi; Fukuzawa, Yukiko; Kawachi, Shinobu; Kanayama, Masako

2006-09-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the emotions of student nurses toward children in order to apply the results to their practical training, since the opportunity for contact with children has been decreasing in recent years due to the declining birth rate. 278 student nurses completed a self-administered anonymous questionnaire that consisted of their background, such as living with children and experience of contact with children, their learning process, such as finished lectures and nursing training in child and maternal care or not, 28 items from Hanazawa's scale of emotions toward children, and 27 items for the concept of motherhood. The obtained data was analyzed using the SPSS 12.0J for Windows with the Spearman's correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis test. The valid recovery was 121 (43.5%). The negative point for the concept of motherhood was significantly lower in the group that had finished nursing training in child and maternal care than in the group without such training. On the other hand, living with children and experience of contact with children did not influence their emotions toward children or concept of motherhood. The results of this study suggest that the experiences that student nurses have some deliberate and active contacts with children and mothers during their nursing training in child and maternal care have an influence on their concept of motherhood.

Advantages of later motherhood.

PubMed

Myrskylä, M; Barclay, K; Goisis, A

2017-01-01

In high-income countries childbearing has been increasingly postponed since the 1970s and it is crucial to understand the consequences of this demographic shift. The literature has tended to characterize later motherhood as a significant health threat for children and parents. We contribute to this debate by reviewing recent evidence suggesting that an older maternal age can also have positive effects. Literature linking the age at parenthood with the sociodemographic characteristics of the parents, with macrolevel interactions, and with subjective well-being. Comprehensive review of the existing literature. Recent studies show that there can also be advantages associated with later motherhood. First, whilst in past older mothers had low levels of education and large families, currently older mothers tend to have higher education and smaller families than their younger peers. Consequently, children born to older mothers in the past tended to have worse outcomes than children born to younger mothers, whilst the opposite is true in recent cohorts. Second, postponement of childbearing means that the child is born at a later date and in a later birth cohort, and may benefit from secular changes in the macroenvironment. Evidence shows that when the positive trends in the macroenvironment are strong they overweigh the negative effects of reproductive ageing. Third, existing studies show that happiness increases around and after childbirth among older mothers, whereas for younger mothers the effect does not exist or is short-lived. There are important sociodemographic pathways associated with postponement of childbearing which might compensate or even more than compensate for the biological disadvantages associated with reproductive ageing.

"Out of All of this Mess, I Got a Blessing": Perceptions and Experiences of Reproduction and Motherhood in African American Women Living With HIV.

PubMed

Fletcher, Faith; Ingram, Lucy Annang; Kerr, Jelani; Buchberg, Meredith; Richter, Donna L; Sowell, Richard

2016-01-01

HIV disproportionately impacts African American women of childbearing age residing in the southern United States. Antiretroviral therapy has increased the quantity and quality of life for people living with HIV and produced viable and safe reproduction possibilities for women living with HIV. However, little is known about reproductive decision-making processes for African American women living with HIV. The overall goal of our study was to qualitatively explore perspectives related to reproduction and motherhood in HIV-infected African American women of childbearing capacity. HIV-infected African American women of childbearing capacity in South Carolina (N = 42) participated in in-depth interviews. Our respondents held positive views about pregnancy and motherhood, despite nonsupportive pregnancy messages from interpersonal influences, including health care providers. Study findings uncovered the need for programs and interventions to support women's reproductive autonomy and focus on reducing conception- and pregnancy-related transmission risks to infants and uninfected sexual partners. Copyright © 2016 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stepping Up to Motherhood among Inner-City Teens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shanok, Arielle F.; Miller, Lisa

2007-01-01

This mixed-methods, context-oriented study explored transitions to motherhood among pregnant and newly parenting inner-city teenagers (n = 80) attending an alternative public school. Additionally, a novel research approach was assessed. Using data from a 2-year psychotherapy trial, inductive content analyses of therapy sessions and post hoc…

Young Adult Women and the Pilgrimage of Motherhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipperini, Patricia T.

2016-01-01

Motherhood is a complex experience that can be transformative, offering women opportunities for personal enrichment and spiritual development. Because the largest incidence of births occurs to women in the Millennial or late Generation X generations, this complex, potentially transformative experience occurs at a critical time in young adult…

[Surrogate Motherhood and Woman Dignity].

PubMed

Aparisi Miralles, Ángela

2017-01-01

Motherhood by subrogation is an issue that directly affects human rights and, ultimately, human dignity. Therefore, if we want to give an adequate response to this issue, it is essential to reflect on how this practice affects the dignity and rights of the people involved in it and, more specifically, the pregnant mother. This study tries to show how in relation to the latter, maternity by subrogation directly contradicts some basic requirements of human dignity, since it reifies, instrumentalizes, convert into an object of commerce, and disregards the personal uniqueness of pregnant women.

Silenced, Silence, Silent: Motherhood in the Margins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Lorelei; Austin, Helena

2007-01-01

This project explores the experiences of women who mother children with ADHD. The authors use the metaphor of the text and the margin. The text is the "motherhood myth" that describes a particular sort of "good" mothering. The margin is the space beyond that text. This marginal space is inhabited by some or all of the mothers they spoke with, some…

Manipulations with human life and surrogate motherhood: ethical aspects and moral guidelines.

PubMed

Boyko, Fr Ihor

2011-06-01

Surrogate motherhood necessarily leads to the question of who is really the mother and what is motherhood. In the judgment of the author, it is necessary to develop a new culture that will bring back to every person the sense of limit and will help humanity develop a more accurate understanding of the duality of scientific and technological progress. Communication between a mother and her unborn child is clearly very close from the biological point of view, but at the same time there exists a mental and spiritual connection. The motherly desire creates the link between a mother and her future child, while the relationship with the child is established at the moment of conception. There is a good alternative to the surrogate motherhood, which most appropriately corresponds to a married couple or family, namely, adoption, which is one of the forms of the valuable service of life. The moral duty of everyone is to protect human race from radical attacks and various forms of manipulation and pass it over intact and preserved for future generations to come.

Psychiatry, Sex, and Science: The Making of “Adolescent” Motherhood in Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

Béhague, Dominique P.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Research linking teen motherhood to psychoneurodevelopmental causes and pathologies has proliferated in the past two decades. In Brazil, a psychodevelopmental project of teen motherhood has gained traction despite many experts’ long-standing commitment to psychodynamic psychiatry and social epidemiology, generating epistemic tension rather than substitution. Drawing on historical ethnography conducted in Southern Brazil, I explore how this project materialized through the co-production of epistemic struggles, remedial interventions, and ontological politics. In showing how this co-production became interwoven with incremental changes in young women’s emotions, sexualities, relationships, and bodies, I describe how one particular “kind” of teen motherhood emerged and became entangled with both psychiatric knowledge-production and the angst of working-class political agency. In giving women a contested psychiatric language with which to rework their social–moral worlds, I argue that science did more than conceptualize teen childbearing in pathological terms; it contributed to its troubled transformation. PMID:28453300

Stress, Pregnancy, and Motherhood: Implications for Birth Weights in the Borderlands of Texas.

PubMed

Fleuriet, K Jill; Sunil, T S

2017-03-01

We argue that changes over time in how ideas of stress are incorporated into understandings of pregnancy and motherhood among Mexican immigrant women living in the United States may affect the documented increase of low birth weight infants born to those women. Stress has consistently been linked to low birth weight, and pregnant Mexican American and Mexican immigrant women differ in levels of perceived social stress. What is lacking is an explanation for these differences. We utilize a subset of 36 ethnographic interviews with pregnant immigrant women from northern Mexico and Mexican Americans living in south Texas to demonstrate how meanings of pregnancy and motherhood increasingly integrate notions of stress the longer immigrant Mexican women live in the United States. We situate our results within anthropological and sociological research on motherhood in the United States and Mexico, anthropological research in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, and interdisciplinary research on Hispanic rates of low birth weight. © 2016 by the American Anthropological Association.

When Your Pregnancy Echoes Your Illness: Transition to Motherhood With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

PubMed

Ghorayeb, Jihane; Branney, Peter; Selinger, Christian P; Madill, Anna

2018-03-01

Our aim is to provide an understanding of the experience of women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who have made the transition to motherhood. A total of 22 mothers with IBD were recruited from around the United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. The central concept- Blurred Lines-offers a novel frame for understanding the transition to motherhood with IBD through identifying parallels between having IBD and becoming, and being, a mother. Parallels clustered into three main themes: Need for Readiness, Lifestyle Changes, and Monitoring Personal and Physical Development. Hence, women with IBD are in some ways well prepared for the challenges of motherhood even though, as a group, they tend to restrict their reproductive choices. We recommend health professionals initiate conversations about reproduction early and provide a multidisciplinary approach to pregnancy and IBD in which women have confidence that their ongoing treatment will be integrated successfully with their maternity care.

Unmarried women’s ways of facing single motherhood in Sri Lanka – a qualitative interview study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In Sri Lanka, motherhood within marriage is highly valued. Sex out of wedlock is socially unacceptable and can create serious public health problems such as illegal abortions, suicide and infanticide, and single motherhood as a result of premarital sex is considered shameful. The way unmarried women facing single motherhood reflect on and make use of their agency in their social environments characterised by limited social and financial support has consequences for the health and well-being of both themselves and their children. The aim of this study was to explore and describe how unmarried women facing single motherhood in Sri Lanka handle their situation. Methods This qualitative study comprised semi-structured interviews with 28 unmarried pregnant women or single mothers. The data were analysed by qualitative content analysis and the results related to the conceptual framework of social navigation. Results The women facing single motherhood expressed awareness of having trespassed norms of sexuality through self-blame, victimhood and obedience, and by considering or attempting suicide. They demonstrated willingness to take responsibility for becoming pregnant before marriage by giving the child up for adoption, bringing up the child themselves, claiming a father for their child, refraining from marriage in the future, permanently leave their home environment, and taking up employment. Throughout the interviews, the women expressed fear of shame, and striving for familial and societal acceptance and financial survival. Conclusions A social environment highly condemning of unmarried motherhood hindered these women from making strategic choices on how to handle their situation. However, to achieve acceptance and survival, the women tactically navigated norms of femininity, strong family dependence, a limited work market, and different sources of support. Limited access to resources restricted the women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights

The Motherhood Earnings Dip: Evidence from Administrative Records

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez-Kranz, Daniel; Lacuesta, Aitor; Rodriguez-Planas, Nuria

2013-01-01

Using Spanish Social Security records, we document the channels through which mothers fall onto a lower earnings track, such as shifting into part- time work, accumulating lower experience, or transitioning to lower-paying jobs, and are able to explain 71 percent of the unconditional individual fixed- effects motherhood wage gap. The earnings…

Teenage motherhood: its relationship to undetected learning problems.

PubMed

Rauch-Elnekave, H

1994-01-01

This study describes characteristics of a group of 64 adolescent mothers and their infants who participated in a program for teenage mothers run by a local health department. A majority of the girls for whom California Achievement Test (CAT) scores were available scored one or more years below grade level in reading and in language skills. Relative delays in infant development (language and social domains) were also documented. High levels of self-esteem as well as general social acceptance (by adults and peers) of early out-of-wedlock parenting suggest that early motherhood may represent an alternative avenue to experiencing success for girls who are having academic difficulties. These findings, which suggest the likelihood of a high incidence of undetected learning problems in this population, indicate that these difficulties may have a significant relationship to the high rate of school dropout associated with adolescent motherhood. The findings bring into question the notion of "unintended pregnancies" and the wisdom of current federal policies for preventing adolescent parenthood that rely on the promotion of abstinence.

Motherhood: making it safer for Filipino women.

PubMed

Baylon, M C

1996-01-01

In November 1995, in the Philippines, the Department of Health implemented the Women's Health and Safe Motherhood Project. Its target audience is poor women in remote and underserved provinces. It addresses maternal health, reproductive tract infections (RTIs), sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cervical cancer, domestic violence, and the desire to space births. It aims to improve the quality of women's health services through training of health providers, providing women with information to help them make informed choices, providing regular supplies and drugs, privacy and infection control at service delivery points, providing follow-up care, and improved cost-effective and technically-sound referral systems. The project also aims to ensure accessible service delivery points, well-equipped and maintained facilities, client and community feedback in managing service delivery, and information provision in order to increase acceptability of health services. The major components of the project include service delivery, institutional strengthening (via information, education, and communication; training of health providers; and improvement of the logistics system), community partnership for women's health development, and policy and operations research. The service delivery component will adopt a life-cycle approach to service delivery in Region 8 (urban and rural communities). It will pilot the syndromic approach in the management and detection of RTIs and STDs in 10 provinces. The biggest tasks of the project are upgrading referral networks from provincial and district hospitals to rural health units and barangay health stations and upgrading primary hospitals.

Surrogate motherhood.

PubMed

Chang, Curtis Li-ming

2004-03-01

A "surrogate mother" is a woman who, for financial or other reasons, agrees to bear a child for another woman who is incapable to conceive herself. In other words, she is a "substitute mother" that conceives, gestates and delivers a baby on behalf of another woman who is subsequently to be seen as the "real" (social and legal) mother of the child. Though the practice of surrogacy has already become a big market in western countries, it has also generated countless challenges for the law because it adds a third dimension to the meaning of motherhood. Like adoption, surrogacy separates the role of rearing mother from what the law has called the natural mother, but gestational surrogacy breaks the latter down into the roles of genetic mother and birth mother, leaving two women with biological connections to the child. Because surrogacy tends to commodify and dehumanize people, and because of all its legal, social, and psychological complications, it is obviously not wise to accept surrogacy as an alternative way of procreation.

From motherhood penalties to husband premia: the new challenge for gender equality and family policy, lessons from Norway.

PubMed

Petersen, Trond; Penner, Andrew M; Høgsnes, Geir

2014-03-01

Given the key role that processes occurring in the family play in creating gender inequality, the family is a central focus of policies aimed at creating greater gender equality. We examine how family status affects the gender wage gap using longitudinal matched employer-employee data from Norway, 1979-96, a period with extensive expansion of family policies. The motherhood penalty dropped dramatically from 1979 to 1996. Among men the premia for marriage and fatherhood remained constant. In 1979, the gender wage gap was primarily due to the motherhood penalty, but by 1996 husband premia were more important than motherhood penalties.

Causes of maternal mortality decline in Matlab, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Mahbub Elahi; Ahmed, Anisuddin; Kalim, Nahid; Koblinsky, Marge

2009-04-01

Bangladesh is distinct among developing countries in achieving a low maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 322 per 100,000 livebirths despite the very low use of skilled care at delivery (13% nationally). This variation has also been observed in Matlab, a rural area in Bangladesh, where longitudinal data on maternal mortality are available since the mid-1970s. The current study investigated the possible causes of the maternal mortality decline in Matlab. The study analyzed 769 maternal deaths and 215,779 pregnancy records from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) and other sources of safe motherhood data in the ICDDR,B and government service areas in Matlab during 1976-2005. The major interventions that took place in both the areas since the early 1980s were the family-planning programme plus safe menstrual regulation services and safe motherhood interventions (midwives for normal delivery in the ICDDR,B service area from the late 1980s and equal access to comprehensive emergency obstetric care [EmOC] in public facilities for women from both the areas). National programmes for social development and empowerment of women through education and microcredit programmes were implemented in both the areas. The quantitative findings were supplemented by a qualitative study by interviewing local community care providers for their change in practices for maternal healthcare over time. After the introduction of the safe motherhood programme, reduction in maternal mortality was higher in the ICDDR,B service area (68.6%) than in the government service area (50.4%) during 1986-1989 and 2001-2005. Reduction in the number of maternal deaths due to the fertility decline was higher in the government service area (30%) than in the ICDDR,B service area (23%) during 1979-2005. In each area, there has been substantial reduction in abortion-related mortality--86.7% and 78.3%--in the ICDDR,B and government service areas respectively. Education of women was a strong predictor

Causes of Maternal Mortality Decline in Matlab, Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Anisuddin; Kalim, Nahid; Koblinsky, Marge

2009-01-01

Bangladesh is distinct among developing countries in achieving a low maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 322 per 100,000 livebirths despite the very low use of skilled care at delivery (13% nationally). This variation has also been observed in Matlab, a rural area in Bangladesh, where longitudinal data on maternal mortality are available since the mid-1970s. The current study investigated the possible causes of the maternal mortality decline in Matlab. The study analyzed 769 maternal deaths and 215,779 pregnancy records from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) and other sources of safe motherhood data in the ICDDR,B and government service areas in Matlab during 1976-2005. The major interventions that took place in both the areas since the early 1980s were the family-planning programme plus safe menstrual regulation services and safe motherhood interventions (midwives for normal delivery in the ICDDR,B service area from the late 1980s and equal access to comprehensive emergency obstetric care [EmOC] in public facilities for women from both the areas). National programmes for social development and empowerment of women through education and microcredit programmes were implemented in both the areas. The quantitative findings were supplemented by a qualitative study by interviewing local community care providers for their change in practices for maternal healthcare over time. After the introduction of the safe motherhood programme, reduction in maternal mortality was higher in the ICDDR,B service area (68.6%) than in the government service area (50.4%) during 1986-1989 and 2001-2005. Reduction in the number of maternal deaths due to the fertility decline was higher in the government service area (30%) than in the ICDDR,B service area (23%) during 1979-2005. In each area, there has been substantial reduction in abortion-related mortality—86.7% and 78.3%—in the ICDDR,B and government service areas respectively. Education of women was a strong

The Motherhood Penalty at Midlife: Long-Term Effects of Children on Women’s Careers

PubMed Central

Kahn, Joan R.; García-Manglano, Javier; Bianchi, Suzanne M.

2014-01-01

The authors build on prior research on the motherhood wage penalty to examine whether the career penalties faced by mothers change over the life course. They broaden the focus beyond wages to also consider labor force participation and occupational status and use data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Young Women to model the changing impact of motherhood as women age from their 20s to their 50s (n = 4,730). They found that motherhood is “costly” to women’s careers, but the effects on all 3 labor force outcomes attenuate at older ages. Children reduce women’s labor force participation, but this effect is strongest when women are younger, and is eliminated by the 40s and 50s. Mothers also seem able to regain ground in terms of occupational status. The wage penalty for having children varies by parity, persisting across the life course only for women who have 3 or more children. PMID:24904185

Transition to motherhood and the self: measurement, stability, and change.

PubMed

Ruble, D N; Brooks-Gunn, J; Fleming, A S; Fitzmaurice, G; Stangor, C; Deutsch, F

1990-03-01

Different ways of conceptualizing and measuring change in attitudes during transition to motherhood are examined. A series of analyses was performed on data from a cross-sectional sample (N = 667) and a smaller longitudinal sample (n = 48) to demonstrate sound psychometric properties for 2 new scales and to show construct comparability across different phases of childbearing. For Childbearing Attitudes Questionnaire, results demonstrated equality of covariance for 16 scales and comparability of structure and meaning of 4 higher order factors--identification with motherhood, social orientation, self-confidence, and negative aspects of giving birth. For Mothering Self-Definition Questionnaire, results demonstrated equality of covariance of 5 scales and comparability of structure and meaning of a single higher order factor, interpreted as reflecting positive feelings about one's mothering characteristics. Analyses of correlations and mean differences identified areas of change and stability.

Is Prevent a Safe Space?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsay, Peter

2017-01-01

In this article, I test the claims of the UK government and universities that the Prevent programme aims to create a safe space for the discussion of "extremist" ideas in universities. I do this by comparing the main elements of the Prevent duty that has been imposed on universities with those of safe spaces as imagined by student…

Motherhood in the teens and twenties: some surprises.

PubMed Central

Cupples, M. E.; Bradley, T.; Irvine, H.; McCann, B.; Wilson-Davis, K.

2000-01-01

We report a study of the association of health and social support variables with motherhood in teenagers and older mothers. Both teenage and older mothers reported poorer physical and mental health and fewer and less frequent social contacts than their nulliparous peers. Contrary to expectation, however, older mothers reported less extensive and less adequate social support networks than did teenagers. PMID:10881643

Psychosocial issues of women with type 1 diabetes transitioning to motherhood: a structured literature review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Life transitions often involve complex decisions, challenges and changes that affect diabetes management. Transition to motherhood is a major life event accompanied by increased risk that the pregnancy will lead to or accelerate existing diabetes-related complications, as well as risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, all of which inevitably increase anxiety. The frequency of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia often increases during pregnancy, which causes concern for the health and physical well-being of the mother and unborn child. This review aimed to examine the experiences of women with T1DM focusing on the pregnancy and postnatal phases of their transition to motherhood. Methods The structured literature review comprised a comprehensive search strategy identifying primary studies published in English between 1990–2012. Standard literature databases were searched along with the contents of diabetes-specific journals. Reference lists of included studies were checked. Search terms included: ‘diabetes’, ‘type 1’, ‘pregnancy’, ‘motherhood’, ‘transition’, ‘social support’, ‘quality of life’ and ‘psychological well-being’. Result Of 112 abstracts returned, 62 articles were reviewed in full-text, and 16 met the inclusion criteria. There was a high level of diversity among these studies but three common key themes were identified. They related to physical (maternal and fetal) well-being, psychological well-being and social environment. The results were synthesized narratively. Conclusion Women with type 1 diabetes experience a variety of psychosocial issues in their transition to motherhood: increased levels of anxiety, diabetes-related distress, guilt, a sense of disconnectedness from health professionals, and a focus on medicalisation of pregnancy rather than the positive transition to motherhood. A trusting relationship with health professionals, sharing experiences with other women with diabetes, active social support

Perceptions of teen motherhood in Australian adolescent females: life-line or lifederailment.

PubMed

Smith, Jennifer L; Skinner, S Rachel; Fenwick, Jennifer

2012-12-01

The findings presented in this paper describe the beliefs and attitudes of three different groups of adolescent females about teen motherhood. These were elicited from a larger analysis that explored and theorized contraceptive pathways in a sample of young Australian women. A purposive sample of females aged 14 to 19 years was recruited from three distinct populations in the city of Perth, Western Australia: (1) never-pregnant; (2) pregnant-terminated; and (3) pregnant-continued. Grounded theory principles were used to analyze data generated from 69 semi-structured interviews conducted over a 21 month period (2006-2008). Two categories that described teenagers' attitudes to pregnancy and motherhood were elicited from the analysis. These explained the level of priority that teenagers placed on using contraception and postponing the transition to parenthood. The category labeled 'life derailment' represented how those who had never had a pregnancy or had terminated a pregnancy constructed teen motherhood as potentially restricting their personal, career and social transition to adulthood. The alternative category, 'life-line', reflected how those who continued with their pregnancy perceived teen motherhood as a positive and transformative experience that fostered personal growth. The findings from this study contribute further insight into the complex nature of adolescent contraceptive use and pregnancy risk. The analysis has strengthened evidence of the critical role of self-perceptions of pregnancy and childbearing on teenagers' fertility outcomes. It has also emphasized the broader life circumstances that shape these attitudes, intentions and related behavior. Strategies directed toward academic support and vocational skill development may broaden teenage girls' perceived future options and achievement capacity, thus influencing key reproductive health outcomes. Copyright © 2011 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feeling safe and motivated to achieve better health: Experiences with a partnership-based nursing practice programme for in-home patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Leine, Marit; Wahl, Astrid Klopstad; Borge, Christine Råheim; Hustavenes, Magne; Bondevik, Hilde

2017-09-01

To explore chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients' experiences with a partnership-based nursing practice programme in the home setting. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease suffer from psychological and physiological problems, especially when they return home after hospitalisation from exacerbation. Many express a need for information and knowledge about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Partnership as practice is a patient-centred framework providing an individualised practice for each patient. This study intends to achieve a nuanced and improved understanding of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients' experiences with a partnership-based nursing practice programme comprising home visits from a respiratory nurse after hospital discharge, alongside interdisciplinary collaboration. This study has a qualitative design with interviews. Six individual semi-structured interviews collected in 2012-2013 constitute the material. Interviews were recorded, transcribed to written text and analysed using systematic text condensation. Three key themes were identified: to be seen, talked with and understood; healthcare support at home-continuity, practical support and facilitation; and exchange of knowledge. However, there were two generic themes that permeated the material: feeling safe and comforted, and motivation to achieve better health. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can experience feeling safe and comforted, and be motivated to make changes in order to achieve better health after participating in a partnership-based nursing practice programme that includes home visits from a respiratory nurse and interdisciplinary cooperation after hospital discharge. To feel safe is of great importance, and how this relates to the patient's ability to cope with illness should be explored in further research. The results suggest that the partnership-based nursing practice programme that includes home visits and interdisciplinary

For better or for worse? The dilemmas of unmarried motherhood in mid-twentieth-century popular British film and fiction.

PubMed

Fink, Janet

2011-01-01

This article investigates representations of unmarried motherhood in the late 1940s and early 1950s through readings of popular British film and fiction. These sources are used to illustrate contradictions and conflicts in the meanings afforded to unmarried motherhood and, in turn, to highlight how the unmarried mother was used as a motif for exploring post-war normative boundaries around marriage, motherhood, and female sexuality. The article draws upon Raymond Williams's idea of a 'structure of feeling' to make connections between these representations and issues and debates about the role and status of women and mothers more generally in post-war Britain.

Balancing Act: Motherhood, Marriage, and Employment among American Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spain, Daphne; Bianchi, Suzanne M.

Data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau (the Current Population Survey and Survey of Income and Program Participation) and other federal agencies were used to examine trends in the ways different cohorts of women born between 1906 and 1975 have attempted to balance motherhood, marriage, and employment. The study focused on the following:…

Construction of meaningful identities in the context of rheumatoid arthritis, motherhood and paid work: A meta-ethnography.

PubMed

Feddersen, Helle; Kristiansen, Tine Mechlenborg; Andersen, Pernille Tanggaard; Hørslev-Petersen, Kim; Primdahl, Jette

2017-12-01

To derive new conceptual understanding about how women with rheumatoid arthritis manage their illness, motherhood and paid work, based on a comprehensive overview of existing knowledge, gained from qualitative studies. Rheumatoid arthritis affects several social aspects of life; however, little is known about how women with rheumatoid arthritis simultaneously manage their illness, motherhood and paid work. Qualitative metasynthesis. A qualitative metasynthesis informed by Noblit and Hare's meta-ethnography was carried out, based on studies identified by a systematic search in nine databases. Six studies were included. Social interactions in the performance of three interdependent subidentities emerged as an overarching category, with three subcategories: subidentities associated with (1) paid work, (2) motherhood and (3) rheumatoid arthritis. Pressure in managing one of the subidentities could restrict the fulfilment of the others. The subidentities were interpreted as being flexible, situational, contextual and competing. The women strove to construct meaningful subidentities by taking into account feedback obtained in social interactions. The subidentities associated with paid work and motherhood are competing subidentities. Paid work is given the highest priority, followed by motherhood and illness is the least attractive subidentity. Because of the fluctuating nature of the illness, the women constantly reconstruct the three interdependent subidentities. When healthcare professionals meet a woman with rheumatoid arthritis, they should consider that she might not accept the subidentity as an ill person. Health professionals should not expect that women will prioritise their illness in their everyday life. This could be included in clinical conversation with the women. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A community-based cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) to evaluate the impact and operational assessment of "safe motherhood and newborn health promotion package": study protocol.

PubMed

Hoque, Dewan Md Emdadul; Chowdhury, Mohiuddin Ahsanul Kabir; Rahman, Ahmed Ehsanur; Billah, Sk Masum; Bari, Sanwarul; Tahsina, Tazeen; Hasan, Mohammad Mehedi; Islam, Sajia; Islam, Tajul; Mori, Rintaro; Arifeen, Shams El

2018-05-03

Despite considerable progress in reduction of both under-five and maternal mortality in recent decades, Bangladesh is still one of the low and middle income countries with high burden of maternal and neonatal mortality. The primary objective of the current study is to measure the impact of a comprehensive package of interventions on maternal and neonatal mortality. In addition, changes in coverage, quality and utilization of maternal and newborn health (MNH) services, social capital, and cost effectiveness of the interventions will be measured. A community-based, cluster randomized controlled trial design will be adopted and implemented in 30 unions of three sub-districts of Chandpur district of Bangladesh. Every union, the lowest administrative unit of the local government with population of around 20,000-30,000, will be considered a cluster. Based on the baseline estimates, 15 clusters will be paired for random assignment as intervention and comparison clusters. The primary outcome measure is neonatal mortality, and secondary outcomes are coverage of key interventions like ANC, PNC, facility and skilled provider delivery. Baseline, midterm and endline household survey will be conducted to assess the key coverage of interventions. Health facility assessment surveys will be conducted periodically to assess facility readiness and utilization of MNH services in the participating health facilities. The current study is expected to provide essential strong evidences on the impact of a comprehensive package of interventions to the Bangladesh government, and other developmental partners. The study results may help in prioritizing, planning, and scaling-up of Safe Motherhood Promotional interventions in other geographical areas of Bangladesh as well as to inform other developing countries of similar settings. NCT03032276 .

BEYOND LABOR: THE ROLE OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC OXYTOCIN IN THE TRANSITION TO MOTHERHOOD

PubMed Central

Bell, Aleeca F.; Erickson, Elise N.; Carter, C. Sue

2013-01-01

Endogenous oxytocin is a key component in the transition to motherhood affecting molecular pathways that buffer stress reactivity, support positive mood, and regulate healthy mothering behaviors (including lactation). Synthetic oxytocin is widely used throughout labor and postpartum care in modern obstetrics. Yet research on the implications beyond labor of maternal exposure to perinatal synthetic oxytocin is rare. In this article, we review oxytocin-related biological pathways and behaviors associated with the transition to motherhood, and evidence supporting the need for further research on potential effects of intrapartum oxytocin beyond labor. We include a primer on oxytocin at the molecular level. PMID:24472136

Motherhood challenges and well-being along with the studentship role among Iranian women: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Behboodi Moghadam, Zahra; Ordibeheshti Khiaban, Maryam; Esmaeili, Maryam; Salsali, Mahvash

2017-12-01

This study purposed to explore and describe the experiences of Iranian female students with the role of motherhood. This 2015 qualitative study used purposeful sampling to select 20 student mothers aged 24-50 who were studying at a state or non-state university in an urban area in northwest Iran. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews and analysed using a qualitative content analysis approach. Three main themes were developed during data analysis: "simultaneous management", "facilities", and "barriers". The management of maternal and family affairs by female students in universities where motherhood is not supported is a challenge. The significance of mother-student roles must be emphasized and support and education provided for women to gain skills useful in playing these roles. Policy makers should devise strategies for bringing change to the traditional perspective that motherhood and educational responsibilities cannot be met at the same time by one person.

Does adolescent motherhood affect education and labor market outcomes of mothers? A study on young adult women in Chile during 1990-2013.

PubMed

Berthelon, Matias; Kruger, Diana I

2017-03-01

We analyze the impact of adolescent motherhood on several education and labor market outcomes in Chile over the 1990-2013 period. We explore whether effects are different across income levels, timing of adolescent births, and three sub-periods. Using the CASEN national household survey, we applied propensity score-matching methods on two samples of women aged 24: one for women in the 2009-2013 period and another sample of 24-year-old women living with their mother between 1990-2013. In both samples, adolescent motherhood has negative effects on educational outcomes (high school completion, enrollment in technical institutes and universities, and years of education) and on labor outcomes of non-poor women. Childbearing in early adolescence is associated with worse outcomes, and the adverse effects of adolescent motherhood on education and labor outcomes have diminished over the period. Similar to results in developed countries, adolescent motherhood has negative consequences on women's education and labor outcomes, particularly on women that become mothers early in adolescence. Public policies aimed at reducing teen motherhood will have important effects on young women's education and employment.

Politics, doctors, assisted reproductive technologies & religion: Transgenerational understandings and experiences of single motherhood in Spain.

PubMed

Bravo-Moreno, Ana

2017-10-01

The aim is to achieve a transgenerational view of single motherhood in Spain, to look at which contexts it arises in, how it changes with the introduction of assisted reproduction, and how the role of religion in Spanish society permeates medical practice and affects the lives of women patients. I examine single motherhood and investigate two interconnected themes: (a) being a mother and being mothered are both permeated with sociocultural, political, religious, economic and psychological significance; (b) Spain led Europe in multiple births due to assisted reproduction, thus ethical conflicts and patient rights are analyzed.

Field programmable gate array processing of eye-safe all-fiber coherent wind Doppler lidar return signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelazim, S.; Santoro, D.; Arend, M.; Moshary, F.; Ahmed, S.

2011-11-01

A field deployable all-fiber eye-safe Coherent Doppler LIDAR is being developed at the Optical Remote Sensing Lab at the City College of New York (CCNY) and is designed to monitor wind fields autonomously and continuously in urban settings. Data acquisition is accomplished by sampling lidar return signals at 400 MHz and performing onboard processing using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The FPGA is programmed to accumulate signal information that is used to calculate the power spectrum of the atmospherically back scattered signal. The advantage of using FPGA is that signal processing will be performed at the hardware level, reducing the load on the host computer and allowing for 100% return signal processing. An experimental setup measured wind speeds at ranges of up to 3 km.

The Construction of Motherhood: Tasks, Relational Connection, and Gender Equality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowdery, Randi S.; Knudson-Martin, Carmen

2005-01-01

This qualitative analysis of 50 couples explored how gender equality is related to the construction of motherhood in their day-to-day interactions. Results identified two models of mothering: (a) mothering as a gendered talent and (b) mothering as conscious collaboration. The first model perpetuated gender inequality through a recursive…

Dysfunctional beliefs towards motherhood and postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms: Uncovering the role of experiential avoidance.

PubMed

Fonseca, Ana; Monteiro, Fabiana; Canavarro, Maria Cristina

2018-06-06

This study aimed to examine the relationship between dysfunctional motherhood-related beliefs and postpartum anxiety and depression symptoms, and whether experiential avoidance may be a potential mechanism in explaining these relationships. A sample of 262 postpartum women participated in a cross-sectional online survey. The model presented a good fit (CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.077) suggesting that more dysfunctional motherhood-related beliefs related with maternal responsibility and with others' judgments were associated with higher postpartum anxiety and depressive symptoms. Indirect effects through experiential avoidance were also found. Dysfunctional motherhood-related beliefs are cognitive vulnerabilities for postpartum psychological disorders and should be assessed to identify women that may be prone to early interventions. Moreover, dysfunctional beliefs seem to affect psychopathological symptoms by activating experiential avoidance strategies (e.g., rumination), which may accentuate the frequency of women's negative thoughts and emotions. Early interventions should target the promotion of acceptance of private negative experiences (psychological flexibility). © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Benevolent Sexism, Attitudes Toward Motherhood, and Reproductive Rights: A Multi-Study Longitudinal Examination of Abortion Attitudes.

PubMed

Huang, Yanshu; Davies, Paul G; Sibley, Chris G; Osborne, Danny

2016-07-01

Although Benevolent Sexism (BS)-an ideology that highly reveres women who conform to traditional gender roles-is cloaked in a superficially positive tone, being placed upon a pedestal is inherently restrictive. Accordingly, because the paternalistic beliefs associated with BS are based on the idealization of traditional gender roles (which include motherhood), BS should predict people's attitudes toward women's reproductive rights. Using data from a nationwide longitudinal panel study (N = 12,299), Study 1 showed that BS (but not Hostile Sexism) had cross-lagged effects on opposition to both elective and traumatic abortion. Study 2 (N = 309) extended these findings by showing that the relationship between BS and support for abortion was fully mediated by attitudes toward motherhood. These results highlight the pernicious nature of BS by demonstrating that the idealization of women-and motherhood, in particular-comes at a substantial cost (namely, the restriction of women's reproductive rights). © 2016 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Motherhood challenges and well-being along with the studentship role among Iranian women: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Behboodi Moghadam, Zahra; Ordibeheshti Khiaban, Maryam; Esmaeili, Maryam; Salsali, Mahvash

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT This study purposed to explore and describe the experiences of Iranian female students with the role of motherhood. This 2015 qualitative study used purposeful sampling to select 20 student mothers aged 24–50 who were studying at a state or non-state university in an urban area in northwest Iran. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews and analysed using a qualitative content analysis approach. Three main themes were developed during data analysis: “simultaneous management”, “facilities”, and “barriers”. The management of maternal and family affairs by female students in universities where motherhood is not supported is a challenge. The significance of mother-student roles must be emphasized and support and education provided for women to gain skills useful in playing these roles. Policy makers should devise strategies for bringing change to the traditional perspective that motherhood and educational responsibilities cannot be met at the same time by one person. PMID:28628417

Understanding Motherhood as Maturation: Maternity Scripts in Lois Lowry's "Son"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deszcz-Tryhubczak, Justyna; Marecki, Mateusz

2015-01-01

When put together with the other parts of The Giver Quartet, "Son" (2012), Lowry's recently published concluding book, emerges as an odd exception to the focus on young adult protagonists since it foregrounds the mother's perspective and addresses the issue of motherhood. It presents the reader with at least three conceptual models of…

Defending commercial surrogate motherhood against Van Niekerk and Van Zyl.

PubMed Central

McLachlan, H V

1997-01-01

The arguments of Van Niekerk and Van Zyl that, on the grounds that it involves an inappropriate commodification and alienation of women's labour, commercial surrogate motherhood (CSM) is morally suspect are discussed and considered to be defective. In addition, doubt is cast on the notion that CSM should be illegal. PMID:9451602

Beyond altruistic and commercial contract motherhood: the professional model.

PubMed

Van Zyl, Liezl; Walker, Ruth

2013-09-01

It has become common to distinguish between altruistic and commercial contract motherhood (or 'surrogacy'). Altruistic arrangements are based on the 'gift relationship': a woman is motivated by altruism to have a baby for an infertile couple, who are free to reciprocate as they see fit. By contrast, in commercial arrangements both parties are motivated by personal gain to enter a legally enforceable agreement, which stipulates that the contract mother or 'surrogate' is to bear a child for the intending parents in exchange for a fee. She is required to undergo medical examinations and to refrain from behaviour that could harm the foetus. The intending parents are the child's legal parents from the outset. The parties to the contract can, but are not expected to, maintain contact after the transaction is completed. We argue that contract motherhood should not be organized according to the norms of the gift relationship, and that contract mothers should be compensated for their labour. However, we accept that there are good reasons for rejecting the commercial model as a suitable framework for contract pregnancy, and argue, instead, in favour of viewing it as a profession. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Safe communities in China as a strategy for injury prevention and safety promotion programmes in the era of rapid economic growth.

PubMed

Wang, Shu-Mei; Dalal, Koustuv

2013-02-01

Due to its rapid economic development, China is facing a huge health, social, and economic burden resulting from injuries. The study's objective was to examine Safe Communities in China as a strategy for injury prevention and safety promotion programmes in the era of rapid economic growth. Literature searches in English and Chinese, which included grey literature, were performed on the Chinese Journal Full-text Search System and Medline, using the words "Safe Community", "injury", "economics", and "prevention". The results showed that the existing 35 recognized members of the International Safe Community Network have not placed due emphasis on suicide prevention, which is one of the leading problems in both rural and urban China. A few groups, such as children, the elderly, cyclists, and pedestrians, have received due emphasis, while other vulnerable groups, such as migrant workers, motorcyclists, students, players, and farmers have not received the necessary attention from the Safe Community perspective. As the evidence describes, Safe Communities in China can be a very effective strategy for injury prevention, but four aspects need to be strengthened in the future: (1) establish and strengthen the policy and regulations in terms of injury prevention at the national level; (2) create a system to involve professional organizations and personnel in projects; (3) consider the economic development status of different parts of China; and (4) intentional injury prevention should receive greater attention.

The Within-Job Motherhood Wage Penalty in Norway, 1979-1996

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Trond; Penner, Andrew M.; Hogsnes, Geir

2010-01-01

The motherhood wage penalty is a substantial obstacle to progress in gender equality at work. Using matched employer-employee data from Norway (1979-1996, N = 236,857 individuals, N = 1,027,462 individual-years), a country with public policies that promote combining family and career, we investigate (a) whether the penalty arises from differential…

"Dear mother England": motherhood and nineteenth-century criticism of Shakespeare.

PubMed

Banks, Carol

2010-01-01

This article examines a selection of nineteenth-century appraisals of the mothers in Shakespeare's plays. Nineteenth-century interest in motherhood is hardly surprising, since society at this time regarded the family as the foundation stone of social order, with the mother figure at its ideological centre. The royal family itself set the standard with Queen Victoria, mother of nine, representing the ideal. The significance of motherhood at this time coincided with a rising wave of enthusiasm for Shakespeare's plays and the characters he created, characters that subsequently became role models for real women to emulate. Moreover, where the plays appeared to be wanting in respect of ideal mothers, nineteenth-century critics supplied the void with speculative adaptations and interpretations. In reality, however, notions of the ideal mother were fraught with difficulties and the evidence presented here suggests that whilst many nineteenth-century appraisals of Shakespearean mothers helped to perpetuate notions of the ideal and thereby uphold this significant part of the dominant ideology, others were clearly an attempt to negotiate a place between the real and the ideal.

Motivation for motherhood in women with hypertensive diseases in pregnancy.

PubMed

Leeners, Brigitte; Neumaier-Wagner, Peruka; Kuse, Sabine; Merki, Susanne; Stiller, Ruth; Neises, Mechthild; Imthurn, Bruno; Rath, Werner

2009-06-01

To investigate the motivation for motherhood in women with hypertensive diseases in pregnancy. A questionnaire was sent to 2600 women with hypertensive diseases in pregnancy and 1233 controls. Diagnoses from medical records were differentiated according to the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy criteria. After matching, data from 739 patients and 623 controls were evaluated with Student's-t, Chi square tests and multiple logistic regression models. Women with hypertensive diseases in pregnancy longed more often for children (85.3%/70.3%, p < 0.0001), considered children more often as the sense of their life (33.6%/29.7%, p < 0.005) and used pregnancy more often to stop a disliked professional activity (9.7%/2.3%, p < 0.0001). Controls reported more often to give birth to avoid termination of pregnancy (5.3%/10.4%, p = 0.0005). Women with hypertensive diseases in pregnancy concentrate more extensively on motherhood in their life. If this attitude is already present before pregnancy it may augment the risk for disease and might be used for prophylaxis.

Genetic and adoptive motherhood: stress, marital relationship, and child care support.

PubMed

Howat-Rodrigues, Anna Beatriz Carnielli; Tokumaru, Rosana Suemi; de Amorim, Thalita Novaes; Garcia, Agnaldo; Izar, Patrícia

2013-01-01

In this paper we characterize adoptive and genetic motherhood with or without stress indicators. Participants were 86 mothers (36 adoptive, 50 genetic) with children from 0 to 12 years old. They answered questions about focal child and mother profile, marital relationship, child care support and the Lipp's Stress Symptoms Inventory for Adults. Results showed that mothers in both groups reported child care support, but there was more participation of nonrelatives in the care of adoptive children and relatives in the care of genetic children. There was greater marital stability and less conflict with the arrival of the child in the adoptive families and predominance of stress indicators in genetic mothers. We concluded that, although there are differences between adoptive and genetic motherhood, these do not imply advantages for one versus the other. Moreover, marital stability related to the adoption process and sociodemographic characteristics of adoptive mothers may have contributed to lower prevalence of stress.

Age, psychological maturity, and the transition to motherhood among English-speaking Australian women in a metropolitan area.

PubMed

Camberis, Anna-Lisa; McMahon, Catherine A; Gibson, Frances L; Boivin, Jacky

2014-08-01

In the context of the trend toward delayed parenthood, this study examines whether older maternal age is associated with greater psychological maturity and whether greater psychological maturity provides any adaptive benefit during the transition to motherhood. A sample of 240 predominantly English-speaking Australian women in a metropolitan area expecting their 1st baby (mean age = 32.81 years; 41% conceived after fertility treatment) completed measures of psychological maturity (hardiness, ego development, and ego resiliency) and pregnancy adaptation (maternal fetal attachment and formation of a maternal identity) in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and a measure of postnatal adjustment at 4-6 months postpartum. Structural equation modeling showed age was positively associated with a latent construct of psychological maturity, and psychological maturity was associated with more optimal adaptation in pregnancy and early motherhood. Both psychological maturity and pregnancy adaptation predicted positive postnatal adjustment. Age was indirectly related to adaptation through its relationship with psychological maturity. The relationships in the model applied regardless of mode of conception (fertility treatment or spontaneous). Potentially confounding contextual factors associated with older age at motherhood, higher education, and maternal and child health were included in the model. These results suggest that psychological maturity is a benefit of motherhood at older ages. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Implications of the legalization of non-commercial surrogacy for local kinship and motherhood in Vietnamese society.

PubMed

Hibino, Yuri

2015-02-01

Until recently, surrogacy was banned in Vietnam for all cases. The government, however, has altered its position on reproductive technology and will soon legalize non-commercial surrogacy among relatives. Motherhood is highly venerated in Vietnamese society and, under this local kinship conception, gestational process is of paramount importance in establishing a connection between the fetus and the woman. The implications of this new government decision for local kinship, motherhood and the individuals concerned will be discussed. Copyright © 2014 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"I Would Want to Give My Child, Like, Everything in the World": How Issues of Motherhood Influence Women Who Have Abortions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Rachel K.; Frohwirth, Lori F.; Moore, Ann M.

2008-01-01

The majority of U.S. women who have abortions (61%) have children. This exploratory study analyzes qualitative information from 38 women obtaining abortions to examine how issues of motherhood influenced their decisions to terminate their pregnancies. Women in the sample had abortions because of the material responsibilities of motherhood, such as…

Perinatal Risks in "Late Motherhood" Defined Based On Parity and Preterm Birth Rate - an Analysis of the German Perinatal Survey (20th Communication).

PubMed

Schure, V; Voigt, M; Schild, R L; Hesse, V; Carstensen, M; Schneider, K T M; Straube, S

2012-01-01

Aim: "Late motherhood" is associated with greater perinatal risks but the term lacks precise definition. We present an approach to determine what "late motherhood" associated with "high risk" is, based on parity and preterm birth rate. Materials and Methods: Using data from the German Perinatal Survey of 1998-2000 we analysed preterm birth rates in women with zero, one, or two previous live births. We compared groups of "late" mothers (with high preterm birth rates) with "control" groups of younger women (with relatively low preterm birth rates). Data of 208 342 women were analysed. For women with zero (one; two) previous live births, the "control" group included women aged 22-26 (27-31; 29-33) years. Women in the "late motherhood" group were aged > 33 (> 35; > 38) years. Results: The "late motherhood" groups defined in this way were also at higher risk of adverse perinatal events other than preterm birth. For women with zero (one; two) previous live births, normal cephalic presentation occurred in 89 % (92.7 %; 93.3 %) in the "control" group, but only in 84.5 % (90 %; 90.4 %) in the "late motherhood" group. The mode of delivery was spontaneous or at most requiring manual help in 71.3 % (83.4 %; 85.8 %) in the "control" group, but only in 51.4 % (72.2 %; 76.4 %) in the "late motherhood" group. Five-minute APGAR scores were likewise worse for neonates of "late" mothers and the proportion with a birth weight ≤ 2499 g was greater. Conclusion: "Late motherhood" that is associated with greater perinatal risks can be defined based on parity and preterm birth rate.

Motherhood during residency training: challenges and strategies.

PubMed

Walsh, Allyn; Gold, Michelle; Jensen, Phyllis; Jedrzkiewicz, Michelle

2005-07-01

To determine what factors enable or impede women in a Canadian family medicine residency program from combining motherhood with residency training. To determine how policies can support these women, given that in recent decades the number of female family medicine residents has increased. Qualitative study using in-person interviews. McMaster University Family Medicine Residency Program. Twenty-one of 27 family medicine residents taking maternity leave between 1994 and 1999. Semistructured interviews. The research team reviewed transcripts of audiotaped interviews for emerging themes; consensus was reached on content and meaning. NVIVO software was used for data analysis. Long hours, unpredictable work demands, guilt because absences from work increase workload for colleagues, and residents' high expectations of themselves cause pregnant residents severe stress. This stress continues upon return to work; finding adequate child care is an added stress. Residents report receiving less support from colleagues and supervisors upon return to work; they associate this with no longer being visibly pregnant. Physically demanding training rotations put additional strain on pregnant residents and those newly returned to work. Flexibility in scheduling rotations can help accommodate needs at home. Providing breaks, privacy, and refrigerators at work can help maintain breastfeeding. Allowing residents to remain involved in academic and clinical work during maternity leave helps maintain clinical skills, build new knowledge, and promote peer support. Pregnancy during residency training is common and becoming more common. Training programs can successfully enhance the experience of motherhood during residency by providing flexibility at work to facilitate a healthy balance among the competing demands of family, work, and student life.

Scales for Measuring College Student Views of Traditional Motherhood and Fatherhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whatley, Mark; Knox, David

2005-01-01

College students rank "raising a family" as one of their primary values (American Council on Education and University of California, 2003). Yet, little is known about their understanding of the respective roles of motherhood and fatherhood. Feminism, dual career marriages, and more egalitarian role models may have altered adherence to…

The safe implementation of a prison-based methadone maintenance programme: 7 year time-series analysis of primary care prescribing data

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Internationally there is policy support for the introduction of methadone maintenance programmes into prison settings. Increasingly GPs are encouraged to undertake this work although concerns remain regarding the safety of such programmes. This study sought to evaluate the impact and safety of the introduction of a general practitioner with a special interest (GPsi) in substance misuse led methadone prescribing service into a UK prison between 2003 and 2010. Methods Time series analysis of secondary prescribing data pertaining to opiate maintenance therapies, opiate detoxification therapies and opiate related deaths for the time period 2003 to 2010. Results Results show that following introduction of a GPsi in substance misuse there was a statistically significant increase in both methadone maintenance and detoxification treatments. Over time the rate of methadone maintenance prescribing plateaued with a corresponding decrease in the rate of methadone detoxification prescribing. There were no methadone related deaths in prison over the study period. Conclusion The phased introduction of opiate replacement therapies into a busy remand prison did not result in any deaths within the prison for which opiate replacement was identified as the cause. GPsi led opiate prescribing programmes can be introduced safely into secure environments. PMID:24712316

Intentional parenthood: responsibilities in surrogate motherhood.

PubMed

Van Zyl, Liezl

2002-01-01

In recent years, a number of writers dealing with questions over parenthood that arise in the context of reproductive technologies and surrogate motherhood, have appealed to the notion of "intentional parenthood". Basing their argument on liberal values such as individual autonomy, the freedom to enter contracts, the right to privacy, and individual self-fulfilment, they argue that contractually stated intentions, rather than genetic or gestational relationships, should form the basis of parental rights. Against this I argue that parental rights do not derive from contractual agreements, but are based in their obligations towards the child. I then examine the nature of the obligations that the various parties have towards the child both pre- and postnatally.

Educational Pairings, Motherhood, and Women's Relative Earnings in Europe.

PubMed

Van Bavel, Jan; Klesment, Martin

2017-12-01

As a consequence of the reversal of the gender gap in education, the female partner in a couple now typically has as much as or more education compared with the male partner in most Western countries. This study addresses the implications for the earnings of women relative to their male partners in 16 European countries. Using the 2007 and 2011 rounds of the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (N = 58,292), we investigate the extent to which international differences in women's relative earnings can be explained by educational pairings and their interaction with the motherhood penalty on women's earnings, by international differences in male unemployment, or by cultural gender norms. We find that the newly emerged pattern of hypogamy is associated with higher relative earnings for women in all countries and that the motherhood penalty on relative earnings is considerably lower in hypogamous couples, but neither of these findings can explain away international country differences. Similarly, male unemployment is associated with higher relative earnings for women but cannot explain away the country differences. Against expectations, we find that the hypogamy bonus on women's relative earnings, if anything, tends to be stronger rather than weaker in countries that exhibit more conservative gender norms.

Commercial agencies and surrogate motherhood: a transaction cost approach.

PubMed

Galbraith, Mhairi; McLachlan, Hugh V; Swales, J Kim

2005-03-01

In this paper we investigate the legal arrangements involved in UK surrogate motherhood from a transaction-cost perspective. We outline the specific forms the transaction costs take and critically comment on the way in which the UK institutional and organisational arrangements at present adversely influence transaction costs. We then focus specifically on the potential role of surrogacy agencies and look at UK and US evidence on commercial and voluntary agencies. Policy implications follow.

More than Motherhood: Reasons for Becoming a Family Day Care Provider

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armenia, Amy B.

2009-01-01

This article examines motivations for entering family day care work as they relate to responsibilities of motherhood and the prominence of these motivations for the women providing day care within and across groups of workers. Using data from a large-scale representative survey of family day care workers in Illinois, the author examines the range…

[Mexico. Federal agreement for voluntary motherhood].

PubMed

1991-01-01

In June 1991, the National Forum for Voluntary Motherhood and the Decriminalization of Abortion was convened in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico. The forum culminated in the signing of a pact in which participants pledged to support the women of Chiapas in their efforts to win approval of legislation assuring the right to legal abortion. The action in Chiapas was viewed as the beginning of a national legislative process aimed at achieving juridical recognition of the sexual freedom of women. The participants planned to promote discussion in each community and state of existing abortion legislation and the proposed reforms to assure women the right to abortion. Space will be demanded in the mass media in order to inform the population. The movement will seek to develop a widespread local and national consensus on the right to voluntary maternity. Voluntary maternity implies recognition of the rights to women to make decisions regarding their own sexuality and fertility. It implies availability of sex education and contraception, as well as access to safe and legal abortions. Voluntary maternity implies elimination by society of morbidity and mortality due to causes associated with reproduction, and it implies generalized use of contraception and elimination of involuntary sterilization. Voluntary maternity requires that the state develop an ethic of protection of mothers and children, and that authoritarian demographic programs that do not recognize the humanity and autonomy of women be abandoned. Voluntary maternity requires protection by public institutions, and it requires that women and children have access to a decent standard of living. It requires as well that the daily care of children cease to be the exclusive responsibility of women and that it be shared by men. Women cannot be free as long as maternity is compulsory. It is proposed that the discussions and proposals made to local legislatures will eventually be brought before the national Congress in

Early Motherhood in an Intergenerational Perspective: The Experiences of a British Cohort.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manlove, Jennifer

1997-01-01

Uses nationally representative, longitudinal data from Great Britain to examine the fertility patterns of daughters (N=2,183) of teen mothers. Explores how early motherhood is reproduced across generations, including an earlier inherited age of menarche, poor family and educational environments, and an early ideal age of childbearing. (RJM)

Psychological Implications of Motherhood and Fatherhood in Midlife: Evidence from Sibling Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pudrovska, Tetyana

2008-01-01

Using data from 4,744 full, twin, half-, adopted, and stepsiblings in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, I examine psychological consequences of motherhood and fatherhood in midlife. My analysis includes between-family models that compare individuals across families and within-family models comparing siblings from the same family to account for…

Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Implementation of the BokSmart Safe Six Injury Prevention Programme: a study protocol.

PubMed

Sewry, Nicola; Verhagen, Evert; Lambert, Mike; van Mechelen, Willem; Brown, James

2017-12-01

The injury burden in rugby union ('rugby') is high. While exercise-based injury prevention programmes have successfully reduced injuries in other sports such as football, there is minimal research on this topic in rugby union. To evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of an exercise-based intervention (BokSmart Safe Six ) in junior rugby players that aims to reduce the injury risk profile and burden of injury. 14-16-year-old junior rugby players in two geographically separated locations in South Africa over the 2017 rugby playing season. A cluster-randomised controlled trial where the teams are allocated to groups that either (1) have a coach-delivered exercise intervention in their warm-up (BokSmart Safe Six ) or (2) continue with their warm-up 'as usual' (control group). Injury risk profiles will be assessed through musculoskeletal screening on all players performed at the beginning, middle and end of the trial. Epidemiological measurements include injury surveillance at all matches and training sessions, and exposure to the various warm-up exercises (including BokSmart Safe Six exercises). Behavioural determinants of coaches will be assessed through standardised theory of planned behaviour questionnaires and focus groups before and after the intervention. Comparison in injury risk profiles and burden of injury between the intervention and control groups. Changes in the behavioural determinants of coaches. PACTR201608001730223. Pre-Results. 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/.

Changing notions of lone motherhood in twentieth-century Finland.

PubMed

May, Vanessa

2011-01-01

Through written life stories of lone mothers, this article examines changes in lone motherhood in twentieth-century Finland. While the older life-story writers' narratives are clearly influenced by an 'ethos of survival' and the regulation of female sexuality, the younger writers relate their experiences with the help of scripts on gender equality and the psychological importance of 'good' parenting. These narrative shifts point to important changes in cultural scripts on women's positions in families, on the labour market, and in society.

Comfort with motherhood in late pregnancy facilitates maternal role attainment in early postpartum.

PubMed

Nakamura, Yasuka; Takeishi, Yoko; Ito, Naoko; Ito, Mizuki; Atogami, Fumi; Yoshizawa, Toyoko

2015-01-01

Quality of life, comfort, and wellbeing during pregnancy are essential for every country in the world. Pregnancy is considered a preparation period for becoming a mother. Maternal role development, including confidence and satisfaction as a mother, is important in the transition to motherhood. Negative psychosocial affect, such as increased anxiety and distress, during pregnancy adversely influences the childbirth experience and childcare, which contributes to postpartum depression. However, the impact of positive feelings on the maternal role development remains unclear. Therefore, the study purpose was to clarify the relationship between comfort in late pregnancy and maternal role attainment and childcare during early postpartum. We designed a descriptive, longitudinal, correlational study by using the Prenatal Comfort Scale, the Postpartum Maternal Role Confidence Scale, and the Postpartum Maternal Satisfaction Scale. Among 339 participants who had received care at a university hospital located in Sendai city in Japan, 215 subjects completed the longitudinal study by answering a questionnaire for the respective Scale late in their pregnancy or during early postpartum. The subjects consisted of 114 primipara (32.0 ± 5.4 years) and 101 multipara (33.4 ± 4.9 years). In primipara, comfort with motherhood was significantly correlated with maternal confidence regarding knowledge and childcare skills and maternal satisfaction. In multipara, comfort in late pregnancy was related to maternal confidence and satisfaction. Positive affect was related to maternal confidence and maternal satisfaction in early postpartum. Therefore, a prenatal nursing intervention helps women become more comfortable with impending motherhood, thereby promoting maternal role attainment after delivery.

Stereotypes of Black American Women Related to Sexuality and Motherhood.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Lisa; Lobel, Marci

2016-09-01

Intersectionality theorists and researchers suggest the importance of examining unique stereotypes associated with intersecting group identities. We focus on the unique stereotypes of Black women in the United States related to sexuality and motherhood. In an online experimental study, 435 undergraduates from a Northeastern U.S. university were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions in which they viewed a photograph and read a description of a target young woman. The target's race (Black vs. White) and pregnancy status (pregnant vs. no pregnancy information) were varied. A Black female target (pregnant or not) was perceived more negatively on items related to historically rooted societal stereotypes about sexual activity, sexual risk, motherhood status, and socioeconomic status than was a White female target, but there were no differences on items unrelated to societal stereotypes. A Black target described as pregnant was also perceived as more likely to be a single mother and to need public assistance than was a White target described as pregnant. Current findings, along with evidence that societal stereotypes have damaging effects, underscore the importance of diversifying images of Black women and increasing awareness of how stereotypes affect perceptions of Black women. Findings also highlight the value of research employing intersectionality to understand stereotypes.

Stereotypes of Black American Women Related to Sexuality and Motherhood

PubMed Central

Rosenthal, Lisa; Lobel, Marci

2016-01-01

Intersectionality theorists and researchers suggest the importance of examining unique stereotypes associated with intersecting group identities. We focus on the unique stereotypes of Black women in the United States related to sexuality and motherhood. In an online experimental study, 435 undergraduates from a Northeastern U.S. university were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions in which they viewed a photograph and read a description of a target young woman. The target’s race (Black vs. White) and pregnancy status (pregnant vs. no pregnancy information) were varied. A Black female target (pregnant or not) was perceived more negatively on items related to historically rooted societal stereotypes about sexual activity, sexual risk, motherhood status, and socioeconomic status than was a White female target, but there were no differences on items unrelated to societal stereotypes. A Black target described as pregnant was also perceived as more likely to be a single mother and to need public assistance than was a White target described as pregnant. Current findings, along with evidence that societal stereotypes have damaging effects, underscore the importance of diversifying images of Black women and increasing awareness of how stereotypes affect perceptions of Black women. Findings also highlight the value of research employing intersectionality to understand stereotypes. PMID:27821904

Disciplining Youth, Disciplining Women: Motherhood, Delinquency, and Race in Postwar American Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafka, Judith

2008-01-01

This article brings together, and builds upon, previous scholarship on juvenile delinquency, motherhood, and education in 1950s America, and explores how the widespread contention that inadequate mothering was responsible for a rise in juvenile crime and social deviance helped shape the organization of schooling in the postwar era. In the first…

Factors to consider in the introduction of huddles on clinical wards: perceptions of staff on the SAFE programme.

PubMed

Stapley, Emily; Sharples, Evelyn; Lachman, Peter; Lakhanpaul, Monica; Wolpert, Miranda; Deighton, Jessica

2018-02-01

To explore paediatric hospital staff members' perceptions of the emerging benefits and challenges of the huddle, a new safety improvement initiative, as well as the barriers and facilitators to its implementation. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to explore staff perspectives and experiences. Situation Awareness For Everyone (SAFE), a safety improvement programme, was implemented on a sample of National Health Service (NHS) paediatric wards from September 2014 to June 2016. Previously untested in England, the huddle was a central component of the programme. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 76 staff members on four wards ~4 months after the start of the programme. A thematic analysis showed that staff perceived the huddle as helping to increase their awareness of important issues, improve communication, facilitate teamwork, and encourage a culture of increased efficiency, anticipation and planning on the ward. Challenges of the huddle included added pressure on staff time and workload, and the potential for junior nurses to be excluded from involvement, thus perhaps inadvertently reinforcing medical hierarchies. Staff also identified several barriers and facilitators to the huddle process, including the importance of senior nursing and medical staff leadership and managing staff time and capacity issues. The findings point towards the potential efficacy of the huddle as a way of improving hospital staff members' working environments and clinical practice, with important implications for other sites seeking to implement such safety improvement initiatives. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Attitudes toward surrogate motherhood in Canada.

PubMed

Krishnan, V

1994-01-01

The issue of surrogate motherhood captured worldwide attention with the Baby M case in the United States. Some medical practitioners now claim that the surrogate arrangement may be the answer for certain women who are unable to conceive children naturally. Feminist activists are highly critical about the issue. In her landmark book The Mother Machine, Corea (1985) called surrogates "breeders," women whose bodies are being used by men. Lawyers and ethicists debate whether surrogacy is baby selling or not, and religious fundamentalists have condemned any form of procreation outside the "normal" or "natural" form of sexual relations within a marriage. But what do Canadian women think about commercial surrogacy? Findings pertaining to this issue from the latest national fertility survey of 5,315 women in the reproductive ages of 18-49 are reported.

Iran's experience with surrogate motherhood: an Islamic view and ethical concerns.

PubMed

Aramesh, K

2009-05-01

Gestational surrogacy as a treatment for infertility is being practised in some well-known medical institutions in Tehran and some other cities in Iran. While the majority of Muslims in the world are Sunni, the majority of Iranians are Shiite. Most Sunni scholars do not permit surrogate motherhood, since it involves introducing the sperm of a man into the uterus of a woman to whom he is not married. Most Shiite scholars, however, have issued jurisprudential decrees (fatwas) that allow surrogate motherhood as a treatment for infertility, albeit only for legal couples. They regard this practice as transferring an embryo or fetus from one womb to another, which is not forbidden in Shiite jurisprudence. Nevertheless, there are some controversies concerning some issues such as kinship and inheritance. The main ethical concern of Iran's experience with gestational surrogacy is the monetary relation between the intended couple and the surrogate mother. While monetary remuneration is practised in Iran and allowed by religious authorities, it seems to suffer from ethical problems. This article proposes that this kind of monetary relation should be modified and limited to reimbursement of normal costs. Such modification requires new legislation and religious decrees.

Motherhood and Work–Life Balance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Setting: Mentors and the Female Athletic Trainer

PubMed Central

Eason, Christianne M.; Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Goodman, Ashley

2014-01-01

Context: One of the greatest catalysts for turnover among female athletic trainers (ATs) is motherhood, especially if employed at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level. The medical education literature regularly identifies the importance of role models in professional character formation. However, few researchers have examined the responsibility of mentorship and professional role models as it relates to female ATs' perceptions of motherhood and retention. Objective: To evaluate perceptions of motherhood and retention in relation to mentorship and role models among female ATs currently employed in the collegiate setting. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Female athletic trainers working in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-seven female ATs employed in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I setting volunteered. Average age of the participants was 35 ± 9 years. All were full-time ATs with an average of 11 ± 8 years of clinical experience. Data Collection and Analysis: Participants responded to questions by journaling their thoughts and experiences. Multiple-analyst triangulation and peer review were included as steps to establish data credibility. Results: Male and female role models and mentors can positively or negatively influence the career and work–life balance perceptions of female ATs working in the Division I setting. Female ATs have a desire to see more women in the profession handle the demands of motherhood and the demands of their clinical setting. Women who have had female mentors are more positive about the prospect of balancing the rigors of motherhood and job demands. Conclusions: Role models and mentors are valuable resources for promoting perseverance in the profession in the highly demanding clinical settings. As more female ATs remain in the profession who are able to maintain work–life balance and are available to serve as role models, the

Motherhood and work-life balance in the national collegiate athletic association division I setting: mentors and the female athletic trainer.

PubMed

Eason, Christianne M; Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Goodman, Ashley

2014-01-01

One of the greatest catalysts for turnover among female athletic trainers (ATs) is motherhood, especially if employed at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level. The medical education literature regularly identifies the importance of role models in professional character formation. However, few researchers have examined the responsibility of mentorship and professional role models as it relates to female ATs' perceptions of motherhood and retention. To evaluate perceptions of motherhood and retention in relation to mentorship and role models among female ATs currently employed in the collegiate setting. Qualitative study. Female athletic trainers working in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I. Twenty-seven female ATs employed in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I setting volunteered. Average age of the participants was 35 ± 9 years. All were full-time ATs with an average of 11 ± 8 years of clinical experience. Participants responded to questions by journaling their thoughts and experiences. Multiple-analyst triangulation and peer review were included as steps to establish data credibility. Male and female role models and mentors can positively or negatively influence the career and work-life balance perceptions of female ATs working in the Division I setting. Female ATs have a desire to see more women in the profession handle the demands of motherhood and the demands of their clinical setting. Women who have had female mentors are more positive about the prospect of balancing the rigors of motherhood and job demands. Role models and mentors are valuable resources for promoting perseverance in the profession in the highly demanding clinical settings. As more female ATs remain in the profession who are able to maintain work-life balance and are available to serve as role models, the attitudes of other women may start to change.

The impact of a school-based safe water and hygiene programme on knowledge and practices of students and their parents: Nyanza Province, western Kenya, 2006

PubMed Central

O'REILLY, C. E.; FREEMAN, M. C.; RAVANI, M.; MIGELE, J.; MWAKI, A.; AYALO, M.; OMBEKI, S.; HOEKSTRA, R. M.; QUICK, R.

2008-01-01

SUMMARY Safe drinking water and hygiene are essential to reducing Kenya's diarrhoeal disease burden. A school-based safe water and hygiene intervention in Kenya was evaluated to assess its impact on students' knowledge and parents' adoption of safe water and hygiene practices. We surveyed 390 students from nine schools and their parents at baseline and conducted a final evaluation of 363 students and their parents. From baseline to final evaluation, improvement was seen in students' knowledge of correct water treatment procedure (21–65%, P<0·01) and knowing when to wash their hands. At final evaluation, 14% of parents reported currently treating their water, compared with 6% at baseline (P<0·01). From 2004 to 2005, school absenteeism in the September–November term decreased in nine project schools by 35% and increased in nine neighbouring comparison schools by 5%. This novel programme shows promise for reducing school absenteeism and promoting water and hygiene interventions in the home. PMID:17306051

[Perception of the transition to motherhood: a phenomenological study in the Barcelona region].

PubMed

Berlanga Fernández, Sofía; Vizcaya-Moreno, María Flores; Pérez-Cañaveras, Rosa María

2013-10-01

To describe needs and experiences of mothers with children under one year old, to identify the factors that hinder the transition to motherhood, and to design the content of a health promotion program to develop motherhood support group sessions. A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Eight Primary Care Centres in the province of Barcelona, between July 2011 and July 2012. A total of 21 mothers participating in group dynamics maternity support: All of them participated in interviews and 8 in focus group. Semi-structured interviews were used in a purposive sample. The transcriptions were analysed by structure (latent content analysis) and content (manifest content analysis), with different categories being obtained. The participants in the study defined the construct of motherhood around three categories: Changes in lifestyle, feelings and perceptions. They identified as the most stressful times; «the new role», «changes in the partner relationship», «feelings», «experiences of pregnancy and childbirth», «idealisation», «lack of support», «crying», «colic», «read the signs of the child», «bath», «rest», «contradictory opinions», «learning», and «acquisition of new skills». They highlighted, as key topics for group dynamics, feeding, development, affective relationship, maternal confidence, fathers participation, family role, emotional, rest, massage, bath, accident prevention, colic, first aid, childcare, resources, and vaccines. Dynamic groups should be contextualised according to the perceived needs of the mothers, and other family members should be allowed to participate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Unmarried motherhood in twentieth-century England.

PubMed

Thane, Pat

2011-01-01

This article explores the experiences of unmarried mothers who kept and tried to raise their children between World War One and the end of the twentieth century. It argues that there has not been a simple progression from their experiencing social stigma and ostracism to more enlightened attitudes since the 1970s. Rather there is a great deal that has hitherto been unknown about what the evidence suggests were very diverse experiences and attitudes throughout the period. A major change since the 1970s has been from pervasive secrecy about unmarried motherhood, cohabitation, adultery and similar 'irregular' practices, especially among the middle classes, to greater openness. The article uses a variety of sources, including the records of the National Council for the Unmarried Mother and Her Child (founded in 1918, now One Parent Families), oral histories, contemporary interviews and official and unofficial investigations.

[An approach to the legal and ethical problem of surrogate motherhood].

PubMed

López Guzmán, José; Aparisi Miralles, Angela

2012-01-01

Surrogate motherhood is an issue which currently gives rise to considerable complexity. Some consider that it is a justifiable practice which should be permitted by law. However, western legal systems have traditionally understood that whereas objects can be traded freely, persons, including the human body, its organs and most essential functions, cannot be the object of commerce. This means that the freedom of the individual to make contracts for mutual benefit is limited. Regarding the child, legalization of surrogate motherhood means converting the parent-child relationship into a commercial relationship, since in the last instance this would depend on a financial transaction. Moreover, experience has shown that the child is left in a very vulnerable position, since his or her situation depends on the clauses set forth in the contract, which in no sense guarantees that his or her interests and rights will be protected. For all these reasons, we must conclude that the wish on the part of infertile couples should be taken seriously by society. However, not all desires that adults have should be regarded as rights, particularly if this is detrimental to the dignity and rights of other subjects involved, particularly those of vulnerable women and their children.

Making abortions safe: a matter of good public health policy and practice.

PubMed Central

Berer, M.

2000-01-01

Globally, abortion mortality accounts for at least 13% of all maternal mortality. Unsafe abortion procedures, untrained abortion providers, restrictive abortion laws and high mortality and morbidity from abortion tend to occur together. Preventing mortality and morbidity from abortion in countries where these remain high is a matter of good public health policy and medical practice, and constitutes an important part of safe motherhood initiatives. This article examines the changes in policy and health service provision required to make abortions safe. It is based on a wide-ranging review of published and unpublished sources. In order to be effective, public health measures must take into account the reasons why women have abortions, the kind of abortion services required and at what stages of pregnancy, the types of abortion service providers needed, and training, cost and counselling issues. The transition from unsafe to safe abortions demands the following: changes at national policy level; abortion training for service providers and the provision of services at the appropriate primary level health service delivery points; and ensuring that women access these services instead of those of untrained providers. Public awareness that abortion services are available is a crucial element of this transition, particularly among adolescent and single women, who tend to have less access to reproductive health services generally. PMID:10859852

Health Resources and Strategies among Employed Women in Norway during Pregnancy and Early Motherhood

PubMed Central

Alstveit, Marit; Karlsen, Bjørg

2015-01-01

The number of women in paid employment is increasing. However, when becoming a mother for the first time, many seem unprepared for the challenge of balancing motherhood and work as well as for the impact on their health. The aim of this study was to investigate the health resources and strategies of employed women in Norway during pregnancy and early motherhood by means of salutogenic theory. A hypothetical-deductive interpretive approach based on Antonovsky's salutogenic theory was applied in a secondary analysis. A total of six themes were identified; three were classified as health resources when experiencing tension and three as health strategies. Salutogenic theory seems to be a useful framework for illuminating the health resources and strategies adopted by employed women who become mothers. The identified health resources when experiencing tension and the health strategies applied may have implications for maternity care professionals and employers in promoting the health of such women and supporting them to combine work and family life. PMID:25945258

Early Motherhood and Harsh Parenting: The Role of Human, Social, and Cultural Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yookyong

2009-01-01

Objective: This study examined the role of maternal human, social, and cultural capital in the relationship between early motherhood and harsh parenting behavior. Methods: This study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing (FFCW) Study. Harsh parenting behaviors by mothers who were 19 years or younger at birth of the focal child (n…

"But You Would Be the Best Mother": Unwomen, Counterstories, and the Motherhood Mandate.

PubMed

Gotlib, Anna

2016-06-01

This paper addresses and challenges the pronatalist marginalization and oppression of voluntarily childless women in the Global North. These conditions call for philosophical analyses and for sociopolitical responses that would make possible the necessary moral spaces for resistance. Focusing on the relatively privileged subgroups of women who are the targets of pronatalist campaigns, the paper explores the reasons behind their choices, the nature and methods of Western pronatalism, and distinguishes three specific sources of some of the more lasting, and stigmatizing attacks: popular culture, law and policy, and medicine itself. I then argue that because they are construed by motherhood-essentializing, and increasingly popular, pronatalist narratives as, among other things, "failed" or "selfish," voluntarily childless women are subsequently burdened with damaged identities that can leave them personally othered and uniquely liminal in ways that are destructive to moral agency. Finally, I conclude with a challenge to the pronatalist master narratives by suggesting the possibility of counter narratives to the voluntarily childless woman's liminality that might serve as the ground of moral and political solidarity among differently situated women, regardless of their motherhood status.

Public health communications for safe motherhood.

PubMed

Kessel, E

1994-03-30

Public health communication aims to influence health practices of large populations, including maternal health care providers (traditional birth attendants, (TBAs), nurse-midwives, other indigenous practitioners, and physicians). A quality assurance process is needed to give public sector health providers feedback. Computerized record keeping is needing for quality assurance of maternal health programs. The Indian Rural Medical Association has trained more than 20,000 rural indigenous practitioners in West Bengal. Training of TBAs is expensive and rarely successful. However, trained health professional leading group discussions of TBAs is successful at teaching them about correct maternity care. Health education messages integrated into popular songs and drama is a way to reach large illiterate audiences. Even though a few donor agencies and governments provide time and technical assistance to take advantage of the mass media as a means to communicate health messages, the private sector has most of the potential. Commercial advertisements pay for Video on Wheels, which, with 100 medium-sized trucks each fitted with a 100-inch screen, plays movies for rural citizens of India. They are exposed to public and family planning messages. Jain Satellite Television (JST) broadcasts 24 hours a day and plans to broadcast programs on development, health and family planning, women's issues, and continuing education for all health care providers (physicians, nurses, TBAs, community workers, and indigenous practitioners). JST and the International Federation for Family Health plan to telecast courses as part of an Open University of Health Sciences.

Cystic Fibrosis through a Female Perspective: Psychosocial Issues and Information Concerning Puberty and Motherhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johannesson, Marie; Carlson, Margareta; Brucefors, Agneta Bergsten; Hjelte, Lena

1998-01-01

Investigates psychosocial issues concerning puberty and motherhood among adult women with cystic fibrosis (CF) to see how they had obtained information on these matters and how they would like information to be given. Results reveal problems with destructive behavior during puberty. Information about puberty and fertility should be given…

The Emotional Experience of Motherhood in Planned Lesbian Families in the South African Context: "… Look How Good a Job I'm Doing, Look How Amazing We Are".

PubMed

Van Ewyk, Jacquetta; Kruger, Lou-Marié

2017-01-01

This article focuses on lesbian mothers' emotional experience of motherhood. It forms part of a larger qualitative and exploratory study with 10 lesbian couples in South Africa on their lived experience of planned motherhood. The study is located in a feminist phenomenological framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants described many different emotions associated with new motherhood: hope, joy, love, anxiety, helplessness, exhaustion, and feeling companionship and togetherness as well as feeling compromised and deprived. Mothers described these emotions but also focused on the development of a new identity, that of being a mother.

Fertile bodies, immature brains?: A genealogical critique of neuroscientific claims regarding the adolescent brain and of the global fight against adolescent motherhood.

PubMed

Koffman, Ofra

2015-10-01

This article presents a critique of neuroscientific claims regarding the adolescent brain and the suggestion that adolescent motherhood disrupts the healthy development of the mother and her child. It does so by presenting a genealogical investigation of the conceptualisation of 'adolescence' in Western psychology and the emergence of the problematization of 'adolescent motherhood'. This examination reveals that antecedents to neuroscientific claims regarding adolescent immaturity, impulsivity and instability were articulated by psychologists throughout the first half of the 20th century. However, up until the 1960s there was no problematization of 'adolescent motherhood' per se and adolescent mothers were only discussed as part of the concern with 'unwed mothers'. Exploring the continuities and shifts in assertions regarding adolescence, this article highlights the complex history of some of the notions currently found in neuroscience. In doing so it aims to contribute to a growing body of critical literature questioning the universality of neuroscientific findings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Views of Expectant Mothers about Sources of Knowledge and Skills Related to Motherhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biber, Kazim

2016-01-01

When expectant mothers prepare for motherhood, this has a positive impact on their own lives and in terms of their children. The preparations in the process of pregnancy, birth, postpartum and baby care made by a mother-to-be who is becoming a parent for the first time also have an impact on preventing the prevalence of non-functional beliefs and…

Long-Term Alterations in Neural and Endocrine Processes Induced by Motherhood

PubMed Central

Bridges, Robert S.

2015-01-01

The reproductive experience of pregnancy, lactation and motherhood can significantly remodel the female’s biological state, affecting endocrine, neuroendocrine, neural, and immunological processes. The brain, pituitary gland, liver, thymus, and mammary tissue are among the structures that are modified by reproductive experience. The present review that focuses on rodent research, but also includes pertinent studies in sheep and other species, identifies specific changes in these processes brought about by the biological states of pregnancy, parturition, and lactation and how the components of reproductive experience contribute to the remodeling of the maternal brain and organ systems. Findings indicate that prior parity alters key circulating hormone levels and neural receptor gene expression. Moreover, reproductive experience results in modifications in neural processes and glial support. The possible role of pregnancy-induced neurogenesis is considered in the context of neuroplasticity and behavior, and the effects of reproductive experience on maternal memory, i.e. the retention of maternal behavior, together with anxiety and learning are presented. Together, these sets of findings support the concept that the neural and biological state of the adult female is significantly and dramatically altered on a long-term basis by the experiences of parity and motherhood. Remodeling of the maternal brain and other biological systems is posited to help facilitate adaptations to environmental/ecological challenges as the female raises young and ages. PMID:26388065

Marriage and motherhood are associated with lower testosterone concentrations in women

PubMed Central

Barrett, Emily S.; Tran, Van; Thurston, Sally; Jasienska, Grazyna; Furberg, Anne-Sofie; Ellison, Peter T.; Thune, Inger

2012-01-01

Testosterone has been hypothesized to modulate the trade-off between mating and parenting effort in males. Indeed, evidence from humans and other pair-bonded species suggests that fathers and men in committed relationships have lower testosterone levels than single men and men with no children. To date, only one published study has examined testosterone in relation to motherhood, finding that mothers of young children have lower testosterone than non-mothers. Here, we examine this question in 195 reproductive-age Norwegian women. Testosterone was measured in morning serum samples taken during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, and marital and maternal status were assessed by questionnaire. Mothers of young children (age ≤3) had 14% lower testosterone than childless women and 19% lower testosterone than women who only had children over age 3. Among mothers, age of the youngest child strongly predicted testosterone levels. There was a trend towards lower testosterone among married women compared to unmarried women. All analyses controlled for body mass index (BMI), age, type of testosterone assay, and time of serum sample collection. This is the first study to look at testosterone concentrations in relation to marriage and motherhood in Western women, and it suggests that testosterone may differ with marital and maternal status in women, providing further corroboration of previous findings in both sexes. PMID:23123222

Impact of community-based interventions on maternal and neonatal health indicators: Results from a community randomized trial in rural Balochistan, Pakistan.

PubMed

Midhet, Farid; Becker, Stan

2010-11-05

Pakistan has high maternal mortality, particularly in the rural areas. The delay in decision making to seek medical care during obstetric emergencies remains a significant factor in maternal mortality. We present results from an experimental study in rural Pakistan. Village clusters were randomly assigned to intervention and control arms (16 clusters each). In the intervention clusters, women were provided information on safe motherhood through pictorial booklets and audiocassettes; traditional birth attendants were trained in clean delivery and recognition of obstetric and newborn complications; and emergency transportation systems were set up. In eight of the 16 intervention clusters, husbands also received specially designed education materials on safe motherhood and family planning. Pre- and post-intervention surveys on selected maternal and neonatal health indicators were conducted in all 32 clusters. A district-wide survey was conducted two years after project completion to measure any residual impact of the interventions. Pregnant women in intervention clusters received prenatal care and prophylactic iron therapy more frequently than pregnant women in control clusters. Providing safe motherhood education to husbands resulted in further improvement of some indicators. There was a small but significant increase in percent of hospital deliveries but no impact on the use of skilled birth attendants. Perinatal mortality reduced significantly in clusters where only wives received information and education in safe motherhood. The survey to assess residual impact showed similar results. We conclude that providing safe motherhood education increased the probability of pregnant women having prenatal care and utilization of health services for obstetric complications.

Navigating Motherhood and the Role of the Head Athletic Trainer in the Collegiate Setting.

PubMed

Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Eason, Christianne M

2016-07-01

Motherhood has been identified as a barrier to the head athletic trainer (AT) position. Role models have been cited as a possible facilitator for increasing the number of women who pursue and maintain this role in the collegiate setting. To examine the experiences of female ATs balancing motherhood and head AT positions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics settings. Qualitative study. National Collegiate Athletic Association Divisions II and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. A total of 22 female head ATs (average age = 40 ± 8 years) who were married with children completed our study. Our participants had been certified for 15.5 ± 7.5 years and in their current positions as head ATs for 9 ± 8 years. We conducted online interviews with all participants. Participants journaled their reflections on a series of open-ended questions pertaining to their experiences as head ATs. Data were analyzed following a general inductive approach. Credibility was confirmed through peer review and researcher triangulation. We identified 3 major contributors to work-life conflict. Two speak to organizational influences on conflict: work demands and time of year. The role of motherhood, which was more of a personal contributor, also precipitated conflict for our ATs. Four themes emerged as work-life balance facilitators: planning, attitude and perspective, support networks, and workplace integration. Support was defined at both the personal and professional levels. In terms of the organization, our participants juggled long work hours, travel, and administrative tasks. Individually and socioculturally, they overcame their guilt and their need to be present and an active part of the parenting process. These mothers demonstrated the ability to cope with their demanding roles as both moms and head ATs.

Irrational non-reproduction? The 'dying nation' and the postsocialist logics of declining motherhood in Poland.

PubMed

Mishtal, Joanna

2012-01-01

Polish birthrates during the state socialist period, 1948-1989, stayed above replacement level but since 1989 fell dramatically to one of the lowest in Europe, at 1.29 in 2010. The Polish Catholic Church and the newly-elected nationalist government of Lech Wałęsa reacted by escalating pronatalist rhetoric calling on women to increase childbearing in the name of economic and nationalist causes. Reflecting the renewed dominance of the Church, Wałęsa implemented restrictions on family planning, including abortion, contraception, and sex education, justifying them in moral and demographic terms. Plummeting fertility has been portrayed by the Church, media, and state as dangerous and unreasonable - a sign of Polish women's rejection of motherhood and the embrace of selfish priorities. Simultaneously however, the state cut back motherhood-friendly policies established by the socialist regime, including subsidized childcare, maternity leave, and healthcare. This paper draws on 19 months of fieldwork between 2000 and 2007, using interviews with 55 women in four healthcare clinics in Gdańsk area, and participant-observation at the social services offices in Krakow. This paper shows that far from irrational rejection of motherhood, Polish middle-class women are guided by pragmatic reasons when delaying parenthood in order to navigate the new political landscape marked by job insecurity and gendered discrimination in employment. Yet, rather than implementing work-family reconciliation policies that have stimulated fertility elsewhere in Europe, the Church and state insist on blaming women for 'irrational' non-reproduction, thus betraying a lack of political commitment to gender equity in employment, reproductive health, and in the family.

Vouchers for health: A demand side output-based aid approach to reproductive health services in Kenya.

PubMed

Janisch, C P; Albrecht, M; Wolfschuetz, A; Kundu, F; Klein, S

2010-01-01

Reaching the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals has been a focus for many countries and development partners. In Kenya, as in many other countries with low levels of development, access to and equity of basic quality health services is limited, especially for the very poor. Among poor populations, maternal mortality is high as access to medical care and financial means are lacking. In 2005, the Governments of Kenya and Germany in cooperation with KfW Banking Group made funds available for the Reproductive Health OBA Voucher Programme offering vouchers for Safe Motherhood, Family Planning and Gender Violence Recovery Services. This programme, herein referred to as Vouchers for Health, was launched in June of 2006 in five Kenyan districts with the aim of providing health services for safe deliveries, long-term family planning methods and victims of gender violence. The way that the programme is being implemented in Kenya demonstrates that the voucher-based approach comprises a variety of key structural elements of a national health insurance scheme: accreditation; quality assurance; reimbursement system; claims processing; integrating the private sector; client choice; provider competition; and access to and equity of services provided.

Orientations to motherhood and male partner support among women in Mexico and Mexican-origin women in the United States.

PubMed

Guendelman, S; Malin, C; Herr-Harthorn, B; Vargas, P N

2001-06-01

Previous studies suggest that favorable pregnancy outcomes among Mexican immigrant women in the United States may be attributed to a protective sociocultural orientation, but few have explored the attitudes and values that shape Mexican women's perceptions of motherhood. This exploratory study examines orientation towards motherhood among Mexican and Mexican-origin women living in Mexico and the United States and their perceptions of their male partners' attitudes and roles. Focus groups were conducted with 60 pregnant low-income women in rural and urban communities in Mexico with high rates of migration to the US, among immigrant communities in rural and urban California and with US-born women of Mexican descent (Mexican Americans) in urban California. Notable differences were observed between women in Mexico and the US and between immigrant and Mexican American women in California as more women articulated life plans. Life plans seemed to reflect both processes of individuation and changing gender roles. While participants in Mexico largely abided by the conventional discourse on motherhood and domesticity, immigrants in California alternated between this ethos and the discourse of working mother, depending on financial resources. In contrast, Mexican American participants assumed multiple roles. These differing orientations may be linked to other factors, including fertility control, the amount and type of partner support, and stress during pregnancy.

Motherhood and infant contact regulate neuroplasticity in the serotonergic midbrain dorsal raphe.

PubMed

Holschbach, M Allie; Lonstein, Joseph S

2017-02-01

The adult brain shows remarkable neuroplasticity in response to hormones and the socioemotional modifications that they influence. In females with reproductive and maternal experience, this neuroplasticity includes the birth and death of cells in several forebrain regions involved in maternal caregiving and postpartum affective state. Such plasticity in midbrain sites critical for these behavioral and emotional processes has never been examined, though. By visualizing bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to label mitotic cells, NeuroD for neuronal precursors, and TUNEL to identify dying cells, we found that the midbrain dorsal raphe nucleus (DR, the source of most ascending serotoninergic projections) exhibited significant neuroplasticity in response to motherhood. Specifically, BrdU analyses revealed that DR newborn cell survival (but not proliferation) was regulated by reproductive state, such that cells born early postpartum were less likely to survive 12 days to reach the late postpartum period compared to cells born during late pregnancy that survived 12 days to reach the early postpartum period. Many of the surviving cells in the DR were NeuN immunoreactive, suggesting a neuronal phenotype. Consistent with these findings, late postpartum rats had fewer NeuroD-immunoreactive DR cells than early postpartum rats. Maternal experience contributed to the late postpartum reduction in DR newborn cell survival because removing the litter at parturition increased cell survival as well as reduced cell death. Unlike cytogenesis in the maternal hippocampus, which is reduced by circulating glucocorticoids, DR newborn cell survival was unaffected by postpartum adrenalectomy. These effects of reproductive state and motherhood on DR plasticity were associated with concurrent changes in DR levels of serotonin's precursor, 5-HTP, and its metabolite, 5-HIAA. Our results demonstrate for the first time that cytogenesis occurs in the midbrain DR of any adult mammal, that DR plasticity is

Factors associated with safe delivery service utilization among women in Sheka zone, southwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Asres, Abyot; Davey, Gail

2015-04-01

Attempts to predict pregnancy and childbirth complications before they occur have not been successful. Provision of safe delivery service for all births is considered to be a critical intervention for ensuring safe motherhood. Hence the aim of the study was to assess factors associated with safe delivery service utilization among women in Sheka Zone South West Ethiopia. A community based comparative cross sectional survey was conducted among 554 women in Sheka Zone from February to March 2008. Data were collected through structured pre-tested questionnaire and entered into Epinfo version 3.3. Analyses were done with SPSS version 13 computer software with which bivariate and multiple logistic regressions were carried out. Mothers who completed at least secondary school were more likely to give birth at health facility than those uneducated (AOR = 3.26, 95 % CI 1.51-7.06). Women with birth order above four were less likely to give birth in a health facility than those with first order births (AOR = 0.21, 95 %CI 0.10-0.43). Women who had encountered problems in their immediate birth and received prenatal care were more likely to give birth at health facilities AOR = 33.78 95 % CI 16.44-69.39) and (AOR = 2.55, 95 % CI 1.05-6.21) respectively. Factors associated with safe delivery service utilization are related to the women's socioeconomic status and obstetric experiences. Consequently promotion of maternal education, prenatal care utilization, information education and communication on obstetric risks and general health service expansion are needed to ensure safe delivery service.

School scoliosis screening programme-a systematic review.

PubMed

Sabirin, J; Bakri, R; Buang, S N; Abdullah, A T; Shapie, A

2010-12-01

A systematic review on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of school scoliosis screening programme was carried out. A total of 248 relevant titles were identified, 117 abstracts were screened and 28 articles were included in the results. There was fair level of evidence to suggest that school scoliosis screening programme is safe, contributed to early detection and reduction of surgery. There was also evidence to suggest that school-based scoliosis screening programme is cost-effective. Based on the above review, screening for scoliosis among school children is recommended only for high risk group such as girls at twelve years of age.

The social construction of surrogacy research: an anthropological critique of the psychosocial scholarship on surrogate motherhood.

PubMed

Teman, Elly

2008-10-01

This article presents a critical appraisal of the psychosocial empirical research on surrogate mothers, their motivations for entering into surrogacy agreements and the outcome of their participation. I apply a social constructionist approach toward analyzing the scholarship, arguing that the cultural assumption that "normal" women do not voluntarily become pregnant with the premeditated intention of relinquishing the child for money, together with the assumption that "normal" women "naturally" bond with the children they bear, frames much of this research. I argue that this scholarship reveals how Western assumptions about motherhood and family impact upon scientific research. In their attempt to research the anomalous phenomenon of surrogacy, these researchers respond to the cultural anxieties that the practice provokes by framing their research methodologies and questions in a manner that upholds essentialist gendered assumptions about the naturalness and normalness of motherhood and childbearing. This leads the researchers to overlook the intrinsic value of the women's personal experiences and has implications for social policy.

Effects of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood on High School Dropout. Discussion Paper No. 1027-93.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Douglas K.

This paper uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to explore the effect of fertility on high school dropout, and differences in that effect by age at first birth. Fertility is conceptualized as a series of states: pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and motherhood. Pregnant students and mothers are much more likely to drop out…

"Paying the price to get there": Motherhood and the dynamics of pregnancy deliberations among women with disabilities.

PubMed

LaPierre, Tracey A; Zimmerman, Mary K; Hall, Jean P

2017-07-01

Women with disabilities report fewer pregnancies than those without disabilities. To explore the range of factors involved in pregnancy decision-making among women with disabilities, and give insight into the decision making process. Data were obtained from 4 focus groups conducted with 22 women of child-bearing age, who had a chronic physical or mental health condition or disability that influenced their pregnancy decisions. Group transcripts were analyzed using conventional content analysis to identify the types of factors that influence pregnancy decisions and themes related to pregnancy decision-making. Most had a strong desire for motherhood, although there were varied decisions and some ambivalence over whether or not to attempt pregnancy. Decisions were influenced by an interplay of biomedical, social and personal factors that shaped assessments of three key areas of consideration: importance, feasibility, and costs of pregnancy/motherhood. It is not just the 'biomedical facts' of health conditions that are relevant, but rather the meaning attributed to these facts and how they are weighed in relation to other significant non-medical factors. By moving beyond the medical model of disability to recognize the importance of social and personal factors, and engaging in patient-centered communication, healthcare providers can facilitate pregnancy decision-making that is consistent with the values and preferences of women with disabilities and improve quality of care and support. In order to make motherhood a more viable option for women with disabilities, societal attitudes and a lack of role models for these women also need to be addressed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Explaining the motherhood wage penalty during the early occupational career.

PubMed

Staff, Jeremy; Mortimer, Jeylan T

2012-02-01

Prior research shows that mothers earn lower hourly wages than women without children, and that this maternal wage penalty cannot be fully explained by differences between mothers and other women in work experience and job characteristics. This research examines whether the residual motherhood wage penalty results from differences between mothers and other women in the accumulation of work interruptions and breaks in schooling. Using longitudinal data for 486 women followed from ages 19 to 31 in the Minnesota Youth Development Study, we find that accumulated months not in the labor force and not enrolled in school explain the residual pay gap between mothers and other women.

EXPLAINING THE MOTHERHOOD WAGE PENALTY DURING THE EARLY OCCUPATIONAL CAREER

PubMed Central

STAFF, JEREMY; MORTIMER, JEYLAN T.

2011-01-01

Prior research shows that mothers earn lower hourly wages than women without children, and that this maternal wage penalty cannot be fully explained by differences between mothers and other women in work experience and job characteristics. This research examines whether the residual motherhood wage penalty results from differences between mothers and other women in the accumulation of work interruptions and breaks in schooling. Using longitudinal data for 486 women followed from ages 19 to 31 in the Youth Development Study, we find that accumulated months not in the labor force and not enrolled in school explain the residual pay gap between mothers and other women. PMID:22037996

Navigating Motherhood and the Role of the Head Athletic Trainer in the Collegiate Setting

PubMed Central

Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Eason, Christianne M.

2016-01-01

Context:  Motherhood has been identified as a barrier to the head athletic trainer (AT) position. Role models have been cited as a possible facilitator for increasing the number of women who pursue and maintain this role in the collegiate setting. Objective:  To examine the experiences of female ATs balancing motherhood and head AT positions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics settings. Design:  Qualitative study. Setting:  National Collegiate Athletic Association Divisions II and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Patients or Other Participants:  A total of 22 female head ATs (average age = 40 ± 8 years) who were married with children completed our study. Our participants had been certified for 15.5 ± 7.5 years and in their current positions as head ATs for 9 ± 8 years. Data Collection and Analysis:  We conducted online interviews with all participants. Participants journaled their reflections on a series of open-ended questions pertaining to their experiences as head ATs. Data were analyzed following a general inductive approach. Credibility was confirmed through peer review and researcher triangulation. Results:  We identified 3 major contributors to work-life conflict. Two speak to organizational influences on conflict: work demands and time of year. The role of motherhood, which was more of a personal contributor, also precipitated conflict for our ATs. Four themes emerged as work-life balance facilitators: planning, attitude and perspective, support networks, and workplace integration. Support was defined at both the personal and professional levels. Conclusions:  In terms of the organization, our participants juggled long work hours, travel, and administrative tasks. Individually and socioculturally, they overcame their guilt and their need to be present and an active part of the parenting process. These mothers demonstrated the

Pregnancy and Motherhood During Surgical Training.

PubMed

Rangel, Erika L; Smink, Douglas S; Castillo-Angeles, Manuel; Kwakye, Gifty; Changala, Marguerite; Haider, Adil H; Doherty, Gerard M

2018-03-21

the operating room to express milk. Sixty-four women (18.4%) had institutional support for childcare, and 231 (66.8%) reported a desire for greater mentorship on integrating a surgical career with motherhood and pregnancy. A total of 135 (39.0%) strongly considered leaving surgical residency, and 102 (29.5%) would discourage female medical students from a surgical career, specifically because of the difficulties of balancing pregnancy and motherhood with training. The challenges of having children during surgical residency may have significant workforce implications. A deeper understanding is critical to prevent attrition and to continue recruiting talented students. This survey characterizes these issues to help design interventions to support childbearing residents.

Impact of Teenage Motherhood on the Academic Performance in Public Primary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barmao-Kiptanui, Catherine; Kindiki, Jonah Nyaga; Lelan, Joseph K.

2015-01-01

Teenage pregnancy and motherhood is a concern in both developed and developing countries and is a complex reality of contemporary society however the re-entry of teenage mothers into the school system continues to demand attention as society's negative attitude towards pregnant girls and teenage mothers persists. Those who do return to school…

Seeking Safety and Empathy: Adolescent Health Seeking Behavior during Pregnancy and Early Motherhood in Central Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atuyambe, Lynn; Mirembe, Florence; Annika, Johansson; Kirumira, Edward K.; Faxelid, Elisabeth

2009-01-01

Purpose: To explore adolescent health seeking behavior during pregnancy and early motherhood in order to contribute to health policy formulation and improved access to health care. This will in long-term have an impact on the reduction of morbidity and mortality among adolescent mothers and their newborns. Methods: This was a qualitative study…

Early motherhood and harsh parenting: the role of human, social, and cultural capital.

PubMed

Lee, Yookyong

2009-09-01

This study examined the role of maternal human, social, and cultural capital in the relationship between early motherhood and harsh parenting behavior. This study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing (FFCW) Study. Harsh parenting behaviors by mothers who were 19 years or younger at birth of the focal child (n=598) were compared with that of adult mothers 26 years or older (n=1,363). Measures included: For harsh parenting behavior, three proxies were created from the Parent to Child version of the Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS-PC) and self-reports of maternal spanking. For maternal human capital, education, employment, and depression were used. For maternal social capital, expected-social support, paternal support, and lone caregiver status were included. For maternal cultural capital, religious attendance and attachment to race/ethnic heritage were used. Multivariate analyses indicated that adolescent motherhood has a significant impact on all three harsh parenting behavior outcomes even after controlling for demographic and maternal capital characteristics. Working since the birth of the focal child, depression scores, paternal support, expected-social support, and attendance at religious services made independent contributions to the prediction of harsh parenting behavior. Findings emphasize the importance of the prevention of adolescent motherhood and suggest intervention strategies for reducing the risk of maternal harsh parenting behavior. Further study is necessary to examine the complicated relationships among maternal capital and parenting. One method may be to focus on the development of measures of maternal capital, notably measures of expectations regarding and perceptions of received capital. Findings from this study have implications for social work practice, particularly for the prevention of adolescent pregnancy and intervention with adolescent mothers and their children. First, the study calls for more recognition of school social

Teen motherhood and pregnancy prototypes: the role of social context in changing young African American mothers' risk images and contraceptive expectations.

PubMed

Barr, Ashley B; Simons, Ronald L; Simons, Leslie Gordon; Gibbons, Frederick X; Gerrard, Meg

2013-12-01

Despite the declining rate of teen pregnancies in the United States, academic and public health experts have expressed concern over the still relatively high rate of rapid repeat pregnancies among adolescents, particularly among minority youth. Using a sample of over 300 African American female adolescents, the current study used insights from the prototype/willingness model of adolescent risk behavior to explore this risk. More specifically, it assessed the relationship between entry into unwed motherhood during mid-to-late adolescence and changes in prototypes of unmarried pregnant teens. Further, it explored the extent to which these changing prototypes accounted for young mothers' later contraceptive expectations. We tested the possibility that social images were affected not only by personal experience (the birth of a child) but also by the family and community context in which this experience took place. The findings show that the early entrance into teen motherhood was associated with a shift toward more favorable prototypes of unwed pregnant teens, but that this was only the case for young mothers in disadvantaged contexts. Given this, prototype changes helped to explain the link between teen motherhood and contraceptive expectations only for those in disadvantaged contexts. We discuss these findings in terms of their practical and theoretical implications.

Sociodemographic characteristics and attitudes towards motherhood among single women compared with cohabiting women treated with donor semen - a Danish multicenter study.

PubMed

Salomon, Maria; Sylvest, Randi; Hansson, Helena; Nyboe Andersen, Anders; Schmidt, Lone

2015-05-01

To examine sociodemographic characteristics, family backgrounds, reproductive histories, and attitudes towards motherhood in single vs. cohabiting women seeking treatment with donor semen. Baseline data collection in a multicenter cohort study. All nine public fertility clinics in Denmark. In total n = 311 childless women initiating assisted reproduction using donor semen. Self-reported questionnaire responses from n = 184 single women seeking treatment by using donor semen were compared with responses from n = 127 cohabiting women. Sociodemographic characteristics, family backgrounds, reproductive histories, attitudes towards motherhood. Single women were 3.5 years older on average when initiating treatment compared with cohabiting women. No significant differences were found regarding sociodemographic characteristics, previous long-term relationships, previous pregnancies, or attitudes towards motherhood between single women and cohabiting women. The vast majority of single women wanted to achieve parenthood with a partner, 85.8% wished to have a partner in the future, and approximately half of them preferred for a partner to take parental responsibilities. In this study single women seeking treatment with donor semen in the public health system did not differ from cohabiting women, except that they were older. To be a single mother by choice is not their preferred way of parenthood, but a solution they needed to accept. © 2015 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Connected Motherhood: Social Support for Moms and Moms-to-Be on Facebook.

PubMed

Holtz, Bree; Smock, Andrew; Reyes-Gastelum, David

2015-05-01

Research addressing online social support, especially for new mothers, has typically focused on forums and dedicated Web sites, and not on social networking sites like Facebook. Here we expand on this existing body of work by addressing a Facebook page, Ask the Chicks, themed around questions and answers related to motherhood. Using the uses and gratification lens, we explore motivations for participation as they relate to engagement with the page. Individuals were recruited to participant in an online survey through posts on the Ask the Chicks Facebook page made by the page owner over a 1-week period. To be eligible to complete the survey, participants had to be 18 years old or older, female, and pregnant or have at least one child under the age of 5 years. Analyses of survey data collected from users of the page (n=647) revealed that engagement has a positive relationship with the motives of relaxing entertainment, expressive information sharing, social interaction, and information seeking. Online support groups, and especially Facebook, appear to be a more convenient method than traditional online support groups for people who want to obtain information about certain topics, in this case, about motherhood and raising kids. Having this type of social support tool is important, as social support has been found to reduce levels of stress, which can improve overall health and quality of life. This study provides a better understanding of why people use this type of social support group for questions about parenting.

Educational Expansion and Changes in Women's Entry into Marriage and Motherhood in the Federal Republic of Germany.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blossfeld, Hans-Peter; Jaenichen, Ursula

1992-01-01

Examined whether women's growing economic independence, resulting from better education, is major factor in rise in delayed marriage and motherhood. New panel data from (former) Federal Republic of Germany showed that women's increasing educational attainment could explain part of changes in process of family formation. Better educated women…

Age, Psychological Maturity, and the Transition to Motherhood among English-Speaking Australian Women in a Metropolitan Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camberis, Anna-Lisa; McMahon, Catherine A.; Gibson, Frances L.; Boivin, Jacky

2014-01-01

In the context of the trend toward delayed parenthood, this study examines whether older maternal age is associated with greater psychological maturity and whether greater psychological maturity provides any adaptive benefit during the transition to motherhood. A sample of 240 predominantly English-speaking Australian women in a metropolitan area…

[Toward safe motherhood: a call for action].

PubMed

Mahler, H

1987-12-01

The most shocking fact about maternal health today is the difference between maternal mortality rates in developed and developing countries. In developed countries, mortality risks range from 1/4000 to 1/10,000, but in developing countries the risk may be 1/15 to 1/50. Most countries with high maternal mortality rates have inadequate vital registration systems. The magnitude of the maternal mortality problem was unknown until recently, when reliable statistics from Asia, Africa, and Latin America became available. Discrimination against females in education, nutrition, and other aspects of life is a more or less direct cause of maternal mortality. Maternal deaths often have their roots in the life of the woman before the pregnancy or even before the woman's birth. Persistent deficiencies of calcium, vitamin D, or iron may result in a constricted pelvis, eventually leading to death during labor. Chronic anemia may lead to death from hemorrhage. Risks resulting from adolescent pregnancy, maternal exhaustion due to closely spaced births and heavy physical labor during the reproductive years, procreation after age 35 and especially after age 40, and illegal induced abortion are all factors in high maternal mortality rates in developing countries. The only hope of providing access to essential maternal health services, family planning, and especially obstetrical services for life threatening emergencies to poor women living in remote areas is through primary health care. Local health care cannot exist in a vacuum; technical and administrative help is required from municipal centers. Fewer than 50% of the world's women receive trained care during deliveries. The consequences of unregulated fertility are particularly important as a determinant of maternal mortality. The World Health Organization family planning policy is based on recognition of family planning as an inseparable part of maternal and child health care. Longterm economic and social development and elimination of female illiteracy are other parts of the multiple strategy of controlling maternal mortality. 4 steps are essential in strategies to control maternal mortality: 1) providing adequate health and nutrition services for girls and family planning services for women 2) providing good prenatal nutrition and health care and identifying high risk women early in the pregnancy 3) assuring professional attention for all deliveries, and 4) providing access to obstetrical care for high risk deliveries and obstetrical emergencies. Some of the needed resources to make childbearing safer already exist in each country and can be strengthened by cooperative efforts between national and local governments, international assistance agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and families and communities of each region.

Perceived Impact of Motherhood on Adherence to Therapy in Mothers with Cystic Fibrosis.

PubMed

Ullrich, G; Bobis, I; Bewig, B

2015-11-01

To explore the stress related to motherhood and its perceived impact on adherence to therapy in women with cystic fibrosis (CF). Cross-sectional study with a purpose-designed questionnaire. 46/73 eligible women were enrolled and 38 returned the questionnaire. Mean age of mothers was 33.8 y  ± 7.1 y, mean age of firstborn child was 6.9 y  ± 5.7 y. Nine women had more than one biological child. 18 mothers (47%) were currently employed, 12 of whom worked 19 to 30 hours per week and none full-time. There were mothers who reported a detrimental effect on adherence (time constraints 38%; intentional nonadherence 42%), and mothers who reported that adherence had actually improved (29%). Both of these effects were related to daily CF therapy at home. By contrast, i. v. antibiotic therapy was less impaired by role strains, mainly due to home i. v. therapy being an alternative and/or due to intensive social support (husband, parents). Participants clearly addressed the importance of adherence and the need for adequate self-management in narrative comments. Motherhood may improve adherence to CF therapy as well as it may affect it negatively. Health caregivers are well-advised to address a possible detrimental effect, proactively. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Does being a mom help or hurt? Workplace incivility as a function of motherhood status.

PubMed

Miner, Kathi N; Pesonen, Amanda D; Smittick, Amber L; Seigel, Michael L; Clark, Emily K

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the extent to which motherhood status predicts being a target of workplace incivility and moderates the relationship between incivility and negative outcomes among employed women. Participants included a nationwide sample of law school faculty members (N = 1,234; 48% female, 85% White) who completed measures of workplace incivility, parenting status, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and depression. Results showed that mothers with 3 children were treated more uncivilly than women with fewer children and that mothering mitigated negative outcomes associated with being the target of incivility. Exploratory analyses examining fatherhood status as a predictor of workplace incivility and moderator of incivility and outcomes showed that fathers reported experiencing more workplace incivility than nonfathers, but being a father did not attenuate the negative outcomes of incivility. In addition, mothers reported more incivility than fathers and childless women reported more incivility than childless men. Childless women were also the most negatively affected by incivility at work. This study advances our understanding of how motherhood status affects women's experiences at work. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): harbinger of safe motherhood and child development.

PubMed

Lal, S

1993-01-01

Editorial comment was provided on the features that made the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program in India unique and on whether or not the system could focus on younger age groups (e.g., 2-3 years of age). As part of a worldwide effort, India's ICDS program has been directed to human resource development. Over the past 17 years, the program has expanded to include almost 50% of the country's most vulnerable and deprived population. The focus on children aimed to improve their nutrition and health by reducing the incidence of morbidity, mortality, malnutrition, and school dropouts. The concern encompassed physical, social, and psychological development. The focus on mothers stressed enabling them to better care for the health and nutrition of their children. The program included prenatal care, safe delivery, and post natal concern for lactation, breast feeding, and physical growth monitoring in the early years. The program's unique features were its voluntary membership of community health workers, integrated services, and targeted coverage of economically weaker and deprived populations during critical child development periods. Indigenous Indian resources provided the primary financial support. Nation coverage was given for universal immunization, family welfare, child and maternal health, diarrheal disease control, vitamin A supplementation, and anemia screening and treatment. The multisectoral nature of the program has been realized at the village, sector, block, and district levels with linkages within Health, Education, and Social Welfare sectors, and with the Medical Colleges and Home Science Colleges. Feedback from operations research studies and other research activities was provided at the local program level, and interactions occurred between students in training programs and health care delivery systems. The program will be expanded to include the entire country. Health and nutrition education were considered the weakest part of ICDS

Determining Factors for Cyberbullying Prevention Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manzuoli, Cristina Hennig; Medina, Liliana Cuesta

2017-01-01

This study reports on the first stages of a larger project to develop an ICT-supported cyberbullying prevention programme that fosters development of children's communication skills for the safe use of social media. To establish baseline data on the incidence and growth of cyberbullying in Bogotá, Colombia, we applied a Revised School Violence…

[A father's motherhood... or a mother's fatherhood? Transgender, assisted reproduction and bioethics].

PubMed

Alvarez-Díaz, Jorge Alberto

2009-01-01

The presence of a transsexual pregnant male in the mass media has made people reassess if transsexuals should have access to assisted reproduction. The bioethical discussion should focus on the future child best interests. This article describes the story of this transsexual man, legally married to a woman in the state of Oregon in the United States. A brief overview of transsexuality and the specific characteristics of this case, with special considerations towards fertility in transsexual people is included. We suggest reflections on what constitutes motherhood and fatherhood and bioethical considerations brought forth by this groundbreaking event.

Long-term alterations in neural and endocrine processes induced by motherhood in mammals.

PubMed

Bridges, Robert S

2016-01-01

This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". The reproductive experience of pregnancy, lactation and motherhood can significantly remodel the female's biological state, affecting endocrine, neuroendocrine, neural, and immunological processes. The brain, pituitary gland, liver, thymus, and mammary tissue are among the structures that are modified by reproductive experience. The present review that focuses on rodent research, but also includes pertinent studies in sheep and other species, identifies specific changes in these processes brought about by the biological states of pregnancy, parturition, and lactation and how the components of reproductive experience contribute to the remodeling of the maternal brain and organ systems. Findings indicate that prior parity alters key circulating hormone levels and neural receptor gene expression. Moreover, reproductive experience results in modifications in neural processes and glial support. The possible role of pregnancy-induced neurogenesis is considered in the context of neuroplasticity and behavior, and the effects of reproductive experience on maternal memory, i.e. the retention of maternal behavior, together with anxiety and learning are presented. Together, these sets of findings support the concept that the neural and biological state of the adult female is significantly and dramatically altered on a long-term basis by the experiences of parity and motherhood. Remodeling of the maternal brain and other biological systems is posited to help facilitate adaptations to environmental/ecological challenges as the female raises young and ages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

'If you have children, you have responsibilities': motherhood, sex work and HIV in southern Tanzania.

PubMed

Beckham, Sarah W; Shembilu, Catherine R; Winch, Peter J; Beyrer, Chris; Kerrigan, Deanna L

2015-01-01

Many female sex workers begin sex work as mothers, or because they are mothers, and others seek childbearing. Motherhood may influence women's livelihoods as sex workers and their subsequent HIV risks. We used qualitative research methods (30 in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions) and employed Connell's theory of Gender and Power to explore the intersections between motherhood, sex work, and HIV-related risk. Participants were adult women who self-reported exchanging sex for money within the past month and worked in entertainment venues in southern Tanzania. Participants had two children on average, and two-thirds had children at home. Women situated their socially stigmatised work within their respectable identities as mothers caring for their children. Being mothers affected sex workers' negotiating power in complex manners, which led to both reported increases in HIV-related risk behaviours (accepting more clients, accepting more money for no condom, anal sex), and decreases in risk behaviours (using condoms, demanding condom use, testing for HIV). Sex workers/mothers were aware of risks at work, but with children to support, their choices were constrained. Future policies and programming should consider sex workers' financial and practical needs as mothers, including those related to their children such as school fees and childcare.

Functions and responsibilities of organizations dealing with surrogate motherhood in the UK.

PubMed

van Den Akker, Olga B. A.

1998-01-01

The separation of maternity from social motherhood and progress in reproductive technology raise many social, psychological, medical and legal issues (van den Akker, 1994). The most recent British Medical Association report (BMA, 1996) acknowledged the practice of surrogacy and issued new guidelines for good practice and support for those involved. Surrogate motherhood services have increased around the country over the last decade, even before the formal British Medical Association acknowledgement of their necessity and existence (BMA, 1996). The present survey investigated the incidence, accessibility, and functions of such organizations, specifically, the legal, medical and psychological problems encountered and how they were dealt with, to discover what advice and support is given. Ten centres were interviewed. The incidence of surrogacy conducted through these organizations is widespread, but the processes involved and therefore the implications of the types of surrogacy dealt with are very different. The two major surrogacy agencies deal primarily with partial surrogacy, whereas the clinics are concerned almost exclusively with full (IVF) surrogacy. Information about the procedures involved appears to rely on experience; screening is generally carried out 'in house', and psychological factors are dealt with by counsellors on request by the couples. In general, although the roles of the organizations are disparate and clearly defined, no holistic or long-term care is provided by any of the organizations involved with surrogacy in the UK. The reasons for this are clear cut and stem from the nature of the organizations, and the behaviour of the clients. The data indicate that the current procedures used by the organizations are adequate but could be improved and standardized.

Motherhood and the Wages of Women in Professional Occupations.

PubMed

Buchmann, Claudia; McDaniel, Anne

2016-08-01

It is well established that mothers are paid less than childless women and that fathers tend to earn higher wages relative to childless men, but we do not know whether these findings apply to workers in all occupations. Using IPUMS and ACS data from 1980 and 2010, we examine the family wage gap for highly educated professionals, the most advantaged sector of the occupational distribution. Results indicate that the size of the negative wage differential for motherhood has declined over time in all professions. Moreover, in the traditionally male-dominated professions of STEM, medicine, and law, women with children experience a positive wage differential, whereas their counterparts in female-dominated professions continue to experience a negative one. The positive differential for fatherhood has remained stable over time. These findings underscore the growing heterogeneity of women's experiences in combining work and family and raise important questions for further research.

Motherhood and the Wages of Women in Professional Occupations

PubMed Central

BUCHMANN, CLAUDIA; MCDANIEL, ANNE

2017-01-01

It is well established that mothers are paid less than childless women and that fathers tend to earn higher wages relative to childless men, but we do not know whether these findings apply to workers in all occupations. Using IPUMS and ACS data from 1980 and 2010, we examine the family wage gap for highly educated professionals, the most advantaged sector of the occupational distribution. Results indicate that the size of the negative wage differential for motherhood has declined over time in all professions. Moreover, in the traditionally male-dominated professions of STEM, medicine, and law, women with children experience a positive wage differential, whereas their counterparts in female-dominated professions continue to experience a negative one. The positive differential for fatherhood has remained stable over time. These findings underscore the growing heterogeneity of women’s experiences in combining work and family and raise important questions for further research. PMID:29177191

Surrogate motherhood, rights and duties: a reply to Campbell.

PubMed

McLachlan, H V; Swales, J K

2001-01-01

In a recent article in Health Care Analysis (Vol. 8, No. 1), Campbell misrepresents our specific arguments about commercial surrogate motherhood (C.S.M.) and our general philosophical and political views by saying or suggesting that we are 'Millsian' liberals and consequentialists. He gives too the false impression that we do not oppose, in principle, slavery and child purchase. Here our position on C.S.M. is re-expressed and elaborated upon in order to eliminate possible confusion. Our general ethical and philosophical framework is also outlined and shown to be other than Campbell says that it is. In particular, a moral philosophy that is based on neither consequentialism nor Kantianism is presented. C.S.M., it is argued, is not child purchase. It is like it in some respects and unlike it in others. It is unlike it in the respects which, relative to the present discussion, matter.

Are Birth-preparedness Programmes Effective? Results From a Field Trial in Siraha District, Nepal

PubMed Central

McPherson, Robert A.; Moore, Judith M.; Sharma, Meena

2006-01-01

The birth-preparedness package (BPP) promotes active preparation and decision-making for births, including pregnancy/postpartum periods, by pregnant women and their families. This paper describes a district-wide field trial of the BPP implemented through the government health system in Siraha, Nepal, during 2003–2004. The aim of the field trial was to determine the effectiveness of the BPP to positively influence planning for births, household-level behaviours that affect the health of pregnant and postpartum women and their newborns, and their use of selected health services for maternal and newborn care. Community health workers promoted desired behaviours through inter-personal counselling with individuals and groups. Content of messages included maternal and newborn-danger signs and encouraged the use of healthcare services and preparation for emergencies. Thirty-cluster baseline and endline household surveys of mothers of infants aged less than one year were used for estimating the change in key outcome indicators. Fifty-four percent of respondents (n=162) were directly exposed to BPP materials while pregnant. A composite index of seven indicators that measure knowledge of respondents, use of health services, and preparation for emergencies increased from 33% at baseline to 54% at endline (p=0.001). Five key newborn practices increased by 19 to 29 percentage points from baseline to endline (p values ranged from 0.000 to 0.06). Certain key maternal health indicators, such as skilled birth attendance and use of emergency obstetric care, did not change. The BPP can positively influence knowledge and intermediate health outcomes, such as household practices and use of some health services. The BPP can be implemented by government health services with minimal outside assistance but should be comprehensively integrated into the safe motherhood programme rather than implemented as a separate intervention. PMID:17591345

Constructions and experiences of motherhood in the context of an early intervention for Aboriginal mothers and their children: mother and healthcare worker perspectives.

PubMed

Ussher, Jane M; Charter, Rosie; Parton, Chloe; Perz, Janette

2016-07-22

The colonisation of Australia has been associated with traumatic consequences for Aboriginal health and wellbeing, including the breakdown of the traditional family unit and negative consequences for the mother/child relationship. Early-intervention programs have been developed to assist families to overcome disadvantage and strengthen mother/child attachment. However, there is no research examining Aboriginal women's subjective experiences and constructions of motherhood in the context of such programs, and no research on the perceived impact of such programs, from the perspective of Aboriginal mothers and healthcare workers (HCWs), with previous research focusing on child outcomes. Researchers conducted participant observation of an early intervention program for Aboriginal mothers and young children over a 6 month period, one-to-one interviews and a focus group with 10 mothers, and interviews with nine HCWs, in order to examine their perspectives on motherhood and the intervention program. Thematic analysis identified 2 major themes under which subthemes were clustered. Constructions of motherhood: 'The resilient mother: Coping with life trauma and social stress' and 'The good mother: Transformation of self through motherhood'; Perspectives on the intervention: '"Mothers come to life": Transformation through therapy'; and '"I know I'm a good mum": The need for connections, skills and time for self'. The mothers constructed themselves as being resilient 'good mothers', whilst also acknowledging their own traumatic life experiences, predominantly valuing the peer support and time-out aspects of the program. HCWs positioned the mothers as 'traumatised', yet also strong, and expressed the view that in order to improve mother/child attachment a therapeutic transformation is required. These results suggest that early interventions for Aboriginal mothers should acknowledge and strengthen constructions of the good and resilient mother. The differing perspectives of

Level of awareness of cervical and breast cancer risk factors and safe practices among college teachers of different states in india: do awareness programmes have an impact on adoption of safe practices?

PubMed

Shankar, Abhishek; Rath, Gk; Roy, Shubham; Malik, Abhidha; Bhandari, Ruchir; Kishor, Kunal; Barnwal, Keshav; Upadyaya, Sneha; Srivastava, Vivek; Singh, Rajan

2015-01-01

. Adoption of BSE was significantly greater in comparison to CBE, mammography and the Pap test. To inculcate safe practices in lifestyle of people, awareness programmes such as pink chain campaign should be conducted more widely and frequently.

Female athletic training students' perceptions of motherhood and retention in athletic training.

PubMed

Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Gavin, Kerri

2013-01-01

Motherhood appears to be a catalyst in job turnover for female athletic trainers, especially those employed at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level. However, most researchers examining this topic have investigated the perspectives of those who are currently employed rather than those who are preparing to enter the profession. To evaluate female athletic training students' perceptions of motherhood and retention. Qualitative study. Athletic training education program. A total of 18 female athletic training students volunteered to participate. They were enrolled in 1 Commission on Accrediting Athletic Training Education-accredited athletic training program and represented 3 levels of academic STUDY. The participants responded to a series of questions related to work-life balance and retention in athletic training. Analysis of the data followed a general inductive process. Credibility was established by interpretive member checks and peer review. The first theme, clinical setting, speaks to the belief that work-life balance and retention in athletic training require an employment setting that fosters a family-friendly atmosphere and a work schedule (including travel) that allows for time at home. The second theme, mentorship, reflects the acknowledgment that a female mentor who is successful in balancing the roles of mother and athletic trainer can serve as a role model. The final theme, work-life balance strategies, illustrates the need to have a plan in place to meet the demands of both home and work life. A female athletic trainer who is successfully balancing her career and family responsibilities may be the most helpful factor in retention, especially for female athletic training students. Young professionals need to be educated on the importance of developing successful work-life balance strategies, which can be helpful in reducing attrition from the profession.

Female Athletic Training Students' Perceptions of Motherhood and Retention in Athletic Training

PubMed Central

Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Gavin, Kerri

2013-01-01

Context: Motherhood appears to be a catalyst in job turnover for female athletic trainers, especially those employed at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level. However, most researchers examining this topic have investigated the perspectives of those who are currently employed rather than those who are preparing to enter the profession. Objective: To evaluate female athletic training students' perceptions of motherhood and retention. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Athletic training education program. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 18 female athletic training students volunteered to participate. They were enrolled in 1 Commission on Accrediting Athletic Training Education–accredited athletic training program and represented 3 levels of academic study. Data Collection and Analysis: The participants responded to a series of questions related to work–life balance and retention in athletic training. Analysis of the data followed a general inductive process. Credibility was established by interpretive member checks and peer review. Results: The first theme, clinical setting, speaks to the belief that work–life balance and retention in athletic training require an employment setting that fosters a family-friendly atmosphere and a work schedule (including travel) that allows for time at home. The second theme, mentorship, reflects the acknowledgment that a female mentor who is successful in balancing the roles of mother and athletic trainer can serve as a role model. The final theme, work–life balance strategies, illustrates the need to have a plan in place to meet the demands of both home and work life. Conclusions: A female athletic trainer who is successfully balancing her career and family responsibilities may be the most helpful factor in retention, especially for female athletic training students. Young professionals need to be educated on the importance of developing successful work–life balance strategies, which can

How to improve communication for the safe use of medicines?: Discussions on social marketing and patient-tailored approaches at the annual meetings of the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring.

PubMed

Bahri, Priya; Harrison-Woolrych, Mira

2012-12-01

Over the past decade, the annual meetings of national centres participating in the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring have increasingly included discussions on how to improve communication between national pharmacovigilance centres, patients, healthcare professionals, policy makers and the general public, with the aim of promoting the safe use of medicines. At the most recent meetings, working groups were dedicated to discuss possible applications and implementation of social marketing and patient-tailored approaches. This article provides the history and a summary of the recent discussions and recommendations to support progress in this respect at national and global level. Recommendations are made to investigate and pilot these approaches in small-scale projects at national pharmacovigilance centres. Applying elements from the social marketing and patient-tailored approaches to support behaviours of safe medicines use in patients and healthcare professionals should give the pharmacovigilance community new tools to achieve their goal to minimize risks with medicines and improve patient safety.

Organizing delivery care: what works for safe motherhood?

PubMed Central

Koblinsky, M. A.; Campbell, O.; Heichelheim, J.

1999-01-01

The various means of delivering essential obstetric services are described for settings in which the maternal mortality ratio is relatively low. This review yields four basic models of care, which are best described by organizational characteristics relating to where women give birth and who performs deliveries. In Model 1, deliveries are conducted at home by a community member who has received brief training. In Model 2, delivery takes place at home but is performed by a professional. In Model 3, delivery is performed by a professional in a basic essential obstetric care facility, and in Model 4 all women give birth in a comprehensive essential obstetric care facility with the help of professionals. In each of these models it is assumed that providers do not increase the risk to women, either iatrogenically or through traditional practices. Although there have been some successes with Model 1, there is no evidence that it can provide a maternal mortality ratio under 100 per 100,000 live births. If strong referral mechanisms are in place the introduction of a professional attendant can lead to a marked reduction in the maternal mortality ratio. Countries using Models 2-4, involving the use of professional attendants at delivery, have reduced maternal mortality ratios to 50 or less per 100,000. However, Model 4, although arguably the most advanced, does not necessarily reduce the maternal mortality ratio to less than 100 per 100,000. It appears that not all countries are ready to adopt Model 4, and its affordability by many developing countries is doubtful. There are few data making it possible to determine which configuration with professional attendance is the most cost-effective, and what the constraints are with respect to training, skill maintenance, supervision, regulation, acceptability to women, and other criteria. A successful transition to Models 2-4 requires strong links with the community through either traditional providers or popular demand. PMID:10361757

Mother-Blaming in the Shadow of Incest: Commentary on "Motherhood in the Shadow of Incest" by Rachel Lev-Wiesel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faller, Kathleen Coulborn

2007-01-01

This commentary on "Motherhood in the Shadow of Incest" by Rachel Lev-Wiesel, is divided into three sections. In the first section, this author addresses the issue of the role of mothers in incest. Faller contends that, with regard to research findings on the role of mothers' own sexual victimization in her child's experience, previous research…

"Opt-Out" Rates at Motherhood across High-Education Career Paths: Selection versus Work Environment. NBER Working Paper No. 14717

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herr, Jane Leber; Wolfram, Catherine

2009-01-01

This paper examines the propensity of highly educated women to exit the labor force at motherhood. We focus on systematic differences across women with various graduate degrees to analyze whether these speak to differences in the capacity to combine children with work over a variety of high-education career paths. Working with a sample of Harvard…

An end to "See one, do one and teach one" residency training programme - impact of the training, education, surgical accreditation and assessment (TESA) programme on medical care and patients' safety.

PubMed

Tan, Thiam-Chye; Tan, Kim-Teng; Tee, John Cs

2007-09-01

The delivery of optimal and safe medical care is critical in healthcare. The traditional practice of "See one, do one and teach one" residency training programme is no longer acceptable. In the past, there was no structured residency training programme in our hospital. There were several cases of organ injuries from surgeries performed by the residents. In 2005, we conducted a pilot study to organise a structured teaching, education, surgical accreditation and assessment (TESA) residency programme for 15 residents in the Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KK Women's and Children's Hospital. We performed a written questionnaire survey of the residents on the new programme and patients' expectation (n = 2926) as subjective outcomes in the 1-year follow-up. We also studied the complication rates of all minor and major surgeries performed by the residents in 2004 and 2005 as an objective outcome. All the residents (n = 15) surveyed supported the TESA programme. Patients' expectation improved significantly from 71% in 2004 (n = 1559) to 83% in 2005 (n = 1367) (P = 0.03). There were 10,755 surgeries in 2004 and 10,558 surgeries in 2005 performed by our residents, with 6 cases (5.6%) of organ injuries in 2004 compared to 3 cases (2.8%) in 2005. This reduction was not statistically significant. The TESA residency programme in our hospital has an impact on the delivery of optimal and safe medical care while ensuring the training of residents to be competent specialists.

Transition to motherhood in type 1 diabetes: design of the pregnancy and postnatal well-being in transition questionnaires.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Bodil; Dunning, Trisha; Hendrieckx, Christel; Botti, Mari; Speight, Jane

2013-02-27

Life transitions are associated with high levels of stress affecting health behaviours among people with Type 1 diabetes. Transition to motherhood is a major transition with potential complications accelerated by pregnancy with risks of adverse childbirth outcomes and added anxiety and worries about pregnancy outcomes. Further, preparing and going through pregnancy requires vigilant attention to a diabetes management regimen and detailed planning of everyday activities with added stress on women. Psychological and social well-being during and after pregnancy are integral for good pregnancy outcomes for both mother and baby. The aim of this study is to establish the face and content validity of two novel measures assessing the well-being of women with type 1 diabetes in their transition to motherhood, 1) during pregnancy and 2) during the postnatal period. The approach to the development of the Pregnancy and Postnatal Well-being in T1DM Transition questionnaires was based on a four-stage pre-testing process; systematic overview of literature, items development, piloting testing of questionnaire and refinement of questionnaire. The questionnaire was reviewed at every stage by expert clinicians, researchers and representatives from consumer groups. The cognitive debriefing approach confirmed relevance of issues and identified additional items. The literature review and interviews identified three main areas impacting on the women's postnatal self-management; (1) psychological well-being; (2) social environment, (3) physical (maternal and fetal) well-being. The cognitive debriefing in pilot testing of the questionnaire identified that immediate postnatal period was difficult, particularly when the women were breastfeeding and felt depressed. The questionnaires fill an important gap by systematically assessing the psychosocial needs of women with type 1 diabetes during pregnancy and in the immediate postnatal period. The questionnaires can be used in larger data

Security giving in surrogacy motherhood process as a caring model for commissioning mothers: A theory synthesis.

PubMed

Zandi, Mitra; Vanaki, Zohreh; Shiva, Marziyeh; Mohammadi, Eesa; Bagheri-Lankarani, Narges

2016-07-01

Despite the increasing use of surrogacy, there are no caring theories/models that serve as the basis for nursing care to surrogacy commissioning mothers. This study has designed a model for caring of surrogacy commissioning mothers in 2013. The theory synthesis of Walker and Avant's strategies of theory construction (2011) was used to design a caring model/theory. The theory synthesis includes three stages: (i) selection of focal concept (the concept of "security giving in motherhood" was selected); (ii) review of studies in order to identify factors related to focal concept relevant studies (42 articles and 13 books) were reviewed, statements and concepts related to focal concept were then extracted and classified, and their relations were specified; and (iii) organization of concepts and statements within a relevant general and effective manifestation of the phenomenon under study which led to developing of a model. In this caring model/theory, entitled "security giving in surrogacy motherhood", nurses roles were conceptualized within the conceptual framework that includes three main roles: (i) coordination; (ii) participation; and (iii) security giving (physical, emotional, and legal support; empowerment; presence; relationship management between both parties and advocacy). Training surrogacy specialist nurses and establishment of surrogacy care centers are important factors for implementation of the model. This model could help to provided better caring for surrogacy clients, especially for commissioning mothers. © 2016 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

New Developments in FPGA: SEUs and Fail-Safe Strategies from the NASA Goddard Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Melanie D.; Label, Kenneth A.; Pellish, Jonathan

2016-01-01

It has been shown that, when exposed to radiation environments, each Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device has unique error signatures. Subsequently, fail-safe and mitigation strategies will differ per FPGA type. In this session several design approaches for safe systems will be presented. It will also explore the benefits and limitations of several mitigation techniques. The intention of the presentation is to provide information regarding FPGA types, their susceptibilities, and proven fail-safe strategies; so that users can select appropriate mitigation and perform the required trade for system insertion. The presentation will describe three types of FPGA devices and their susceptibilities in radiation environments.

New Developments in FPGA: SEUs and Fail-Safe Strategies from the NASA Goddard Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Melanie D.; LaBel, Kenneth; Pellish, Jonathan

2015-01-01

It has been shown that, when exposed to radiation environments, each Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device has unique error signatures. Subsequently, fail-safe and mitigation strategies will differ per FPGA type. In this session several design approaches for safe systems will be presented. It will also explore the benefits and limitations of several mitigation techniques. The intention of the presentation is to provide information regarding FPGA types, their susceptibilities, and proven fail-safe strategies; so that users can select appropriate mitigation and perform the required trade for system insertion. The presentation will describe three types of FPGA devices and their susceptibilities in radiation environments.

Postnatal care in the community: report of an evaluation of birthing women's assessments of a postnatal home-care programme.

PubMed

Zadoroznyj, Maria

2007-01-01

For more than a decade, there has been a strong trend in many Western countries to decrease the length of time that women spend in hospital following childbirth. The research evidence regarding the consequences of early discharge for mothers and babies is mixed. Recent evidence has suggested that early discharge may not be randomly distributed across all sociodemographic groups of birthing women, and that the structures of home care have an important influence on maternal and child outcomes. In the context of decreasing lengths of hospital stay, the aim of the present study was to evaluate a new postnatal home support worker introduced into a geographically defined catchment area of a metropolitan hospital in South Australia. The evaluation included a formative process component to monitor recruitment strategies into the programme, as well as summative evaluation of a number of projected programme outcomes. The research methods used included interviews with antenatal women (n = 20) about their knowledge of and attitudes to the programme, and interviews with postnatal women (n = 63) about their transition home experience and assessment of the programme. Secondary analysis of client satisfaction surveys (n = 163) and aggregate breast-feeding data was also conducted. The results concur with previous research findings regarding the importance of rest and practical, home-based support in the postnatal period to maternal well-being, successful bonding and transition to motherhood. The results demonstrate the importance of well-structured home support services to maternal satisfaction and maternal well-being through the provision of physical, social and emotional care and support in the home.

Managing motherhood: strategies used by new mothers to maintain perceptions of wellness.

PubMed

Currie, Janet

2009-07-01

The first year or so of motherhood can represent a transitional lifestyle change; however, experiences are not well understood from the mother's own perspective. In a series of interviews, nine mothers related their beliefs and ideas about strategies utilized to maintain a perceived sense of wellness. The mothers used three main strategies: (a) obtaining help, (b) having a plan, and (c) taking time-out. Discovery of a successful strategy lead to a mother feeling greater confidence in the efficacy of her selected method, calmer, and in greater control. In order to achieve a true sense of increasing control over her own health, however, it is recommended a mother prioritize strategies to meet her own personal needs in addition to meeting the needs of others.

Babies, child bearers and commodification: Anderson, Brazier et al., and the political economy of commercial surrogate motherhood.

PubMed

McLachlan, H V; Swales, J K

2000-01-01

It is argued by Anderson and also in the Brazier Report that Commercial Surrogate Motherhood (C.S.M.) contracts and agencies should be illegal on the grounds that C.S.M. involves the commodification of both mothers and babies. This paper takes issue with this view and argues that C.S.M. is not inconsistent with the proper respect for, and treatment of, children and women. A case for the legalization of C.S.M. is made.

New Developments in FPGA Devices: SEUs and Fail-Safe Strategies from the NASA Goddard Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Melanie; LaBel, Kenneth; Pellish, Jonathan

2016-01-01

It has been shown that, when exposed to radiation environments, each Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device has unique error signatures. Subsequently, fail-safe and mitigation strategies will differ per FPGA type. In this session several design approaches for safe systems will be presented. It will also explore the benefits and limitations of several mitigation techniques. The intention of the presentation is to provide information regarding FPGA types, their susceptibilities, and proven fail-safe strategies; so that users can select appropriate mitigation and perform the required trade for system insertion. The presentation will describe three types of FPGA devices and their susceptibilities in radiation environments.

Choice of study discipline and the postponement of motherhood in Europe: the impact of expected earnings, gender composition, and family attitudes.

PubMed

Van Bavel, Jan

2010-05-01

Theory suggests that the field of study may be at least as consequential for fertility behavior as the duration and level of education. Yet, this qualitative dimension of educational achievement has been largely neglected in demographic studies. This article analyzes the mechanisms relating the field of study with the postponement of motherhood by European college-graduate women aged 20-40. The second round of the European Social Survey is used to assess the impact of four features of study disciplines that are identified as key to reproductive decision making: the expected starting wage, the steepness of the earning profile, attitudes toward gendered family roles, and gender composition. The results indicate that the postponement of motherhood is relatively limited among graduates from study disciplines in which stereotypical attitudes about family roles prevail and in which a large share of the graduates are female. Both the level of the starting wage and the steepness of the earning profile are found to be associated with greater postponement. These results are robust to controlling for the partnership situation and the age at entry into the labor market.

Evaluation of RugbySmart: a rugby union community injury prevention programme.

PubMed

Gianotti, Simon M; Quarrie, Ken L; Hume, Patria A

2009-05-01

RugbySmart, a rugby union injury prevention programme, was launched in New Zealand in 2001. It was compulsory for all coaches and referees to complete RugbySmart requirements annually in order to continue coaching or refereeing. After 5 years of implementation the programme partners, Accident Compensation Corporation and New Zealand Rugby Union, evaluated RugbySmart to determine its effectiveness in reducing injuries. The purpose was to evaluate the effect of RugbySmart on reducing injury rates per 100,000 players and resulting injury prevention behaviours. The RugbySmart programme was associated with a decrease in injury claims per 100,000 players in most areas the programme targeted; the programme had negligible impact on non-targeted injury sites. The decrease in injury claims numbers was supported by results from the player behaviour surveys pre- and post-RugbySmart. There was an increase in safe behaviour in the contact situations of tackle, scrum and ruck technique.

Expecting motherhood? Stratifying reproduction in twenty-first century Scottish abortion practice

PubMed Central

Beynon-Jones, Siân M.

2015-01-01

This article illustrates how Scottish health professionals involved in contemporary abortion provision construct stratified expectations about women’s reproductive decision-making. Drawing on 42 semi-structured interviews I reveal the contingent discourses through which health professionals constitute the ‘rationality’ of the female subject who requests abortion. Specifically, I illustrate how youth, age, parity and class are mobilised as criteria through which to distinguish ‘types’ of patient whose requests for abortion are deemed particularly understandable or particularly problematic. I conceptualise this process of differentiation as a form of ‘stratified reproduction’ (Colen, 1995; Ginsburg and Rapp, 1995) and argue that it is significant for two reasons. Firstly, it illustrates the operation of dominant discourses concerning abortion and motherhood in twenty-first century Britain. Secondly, it extends the forms of critique which feminist scholarship has, to date, developed of the regulation of abortion provision in the UK. PMID:25774067

"Lives in the balance": The politics of integration in the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.

PubMed

Storeng, Katerini T; Béhague, Dominique P

2016-10-01

A decade ago, the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) was established to combat the growing fragmentation of global health action into uncoordinated, issue-specific efforts. Inspired by dominant global public-private partnerships for health, the PMNCH brought together previously competing advocacy coalitions for safe motherhood and child survival and attracted support from major donors, foundations and professional bodies. Today, its founders highlight its achievements in generating priority for 'MNCH', encouraging integrated health systems thinking and demonstrating the value of collaboration in global health endeavours. Against this dominant discourse on the success of the PMNCH, this article shows that rhetoric in support of partnership and integration often masks continued structural drivers and political dynamics that bias the global health field towards vertical goals. Drawing on ethnographic research, this article examines the Safe Motherhood Initiative's evolution into the PMNCH as a response to the competitive forces shaping the current global health field. Despite many successes, the PMNCH has struggled to resolve historically entrenched programmatic and ideological divisions between the maternal and child health advocacy coalitions. For the Safe Motherhood Initiative, the cost of operating within an extremely competitive policy arena has involved a partial renouncement of ambitions to broader social transformations in favour of narrower, but feasible and 'sellable' interventions. A widespread perception that maternal health remains subordinated to child health even within the Partnership has elicited self-protective responses from the safe motherhood contingent. Ironically, however, such responses may accentuate the kind of fragmentation to global health governance, financing and policy solutions that the Partnership was intended to challenge. The article contributes to the emerging critical ethnographic literature on global health

“Lives in the balance”: The politics of integration in the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

PubMed Central

Béhague, Dominique P

2016-01-01

A decade ago, the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) was established to combat the growing fragmentation of global health action into uncoordinated, issue-specific efforts. Inspired by dominant global public-private partnerships for health, the PMNCH brought together previously competing advocacy coalitions for safe motherhood and child survival and attracted support from major donors, foundations and professional bodies. Today, its founders highlight its achievements in generating priority for ‘MNCH’, encouraging integrated health systems thinking and demonstrating the value of collaboration in global health endeavours. Against this dominant discourse on the success of the PMNCH, this article shows that rhetoric in support of partnership and integration often masks continued structural drivers and political dynamics that bias the global health field towards vertical goals. Drawing on ethnographic research, this article examines the Safe Motherhood Initiative’s evolution into the PMNCH as a response to the competitive forces shaping the current global health field. Despite many successes, the PMNCH has struggled to resolve historically entrenched programmatic and ideological divisions between the maternal and child health advocacy coalitions. For the Safe Motherhood Initiative, the cost of operating within an extremely competitive policy arena has involved a partial renouncement of ambitions to broader social transformations in favour of narrower, but feasible and ‘sellable’ interventions. A widespread perception that maternal health remains subordinated to child health even within the Partnership has elicited self-protective responses from the safe motherhood contingent. Ironically, however, such responses may accentuate the kind of fragmentation to global health governance, financing and policy solutions that the Partnership was intended to challenge. The article contributes to the emerging critical ethnographic literature on

The ambiguity of disabled women's experiences of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood: a phenomenological understanding.

PubMed

Walsh-Gallagher, Dympna; Sinclair, Marlene; Mc Conkey, Roy

2012-04-01

there is limited knowledge about the pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood experiences of women living with a disability. Traditionally, such women have been viewed unsympathetically by society and professionals have challenged their fitness for motherhood. The situation is compounded by a lack of robust evidence regarding the life experience of pregnant women with a disability and their perspective on childbirth. seventeen pregnant women from the island of Ireland who had a physical, sensory and/or intellectual disability were interviewed at home, pre and post birth, using a qualitative approach derived from descriptive phenomenology. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), was chosen for data analysis. the women in this study welcomed pregnancy as affirming their identity and worth as women and as mothers. They encountered mixed reactions from partners and families, while professionals tended to view them as liabilities, regarding most as 'high risk'. These reactions intensified mothers' fears. They felt their ability to make choices and maintain control over their childbirth experiences was removed as the usual services were geared to provide for 'normal', able bodied women and were not adapted to their individual needs. Moreover, a proportion were offered a termination and, although all refused, they subsequently went on to indicate feeling pressurised to place their newborn babies into social services care. pregnant women with disabilities, in particular those labelled 'high risk', should expect equal ease of access to appropriate maternity care and consultation as that enjoyed by their mainstream, 'low risk' or 'normal' counterparts. Maternity services should foster these vulnerable women's independence and autonomy as far as practicable and uphold their identity and worth as women and as mothers. Three strategies are proposed for doing this. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Domestic Violence and Abuse Prevention Programmes in the Early Years Classroom: A Pastoral, Academic and Financial Priority?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKee, Bronagh E.; Mason, Sarah

2015-01-01

Prevention programmes underpin every child's right to "feel" safe and to "be" safe from all forms of harm. Delivered in schools across the globe, they aim to equip children with knowledge about safety and the skills to seek help early. By drawing upon international prevalence and impact research, as well as the legal, policy…

Smartphones and Programmable Shunts: Are These Indispensable Phones Safe and Smart?

PubMed

Ozturk, Sait; Cakin, Hakan; Kurtuldu, Huseyin; Kocak, Onur; Erol, Fatih S; Kaplan, Metin

2017-06-01

This study aimed to determine whether smartphones affect programmable shunts. iPhone 5S (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, USA) and Samsung Galaxy S5 (Samsung Electronics, Gumi, South Korea) smartphones were chosen for this study. For both phones, magnetic field mapping was performed with 3-dimensional magnetic scanning systems constructed with high-precision motorized stages, and a Hall effect sensor was used to measure the flux density on the smartphone surface. The distance (h) between the distal outlet of the reservoir and the rugby ball of the Strata valve (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) was measured using highly sensitive microanalysis optical method. During optical microanalysis, while keeping a 3-cm distance between the valve and the magnetic generator, the h value (μm) was recorded for different magnetic flux densities (MFDs). Then, direct x-ray radiography was performed for radiologic assessment after each process under different magnetic fields. For analysis of the Codman Certas valve (Codman Neuro, Raynham, MA, USA), the magnet orientation and the angle between the magnet with the tantalum ball were measured with the same optical analysis. Maximum MFDs found 62 G for iPhone 5S and 61 G for Samsung Galaxy S5. When the magnetic generator formed a current at 0, 30, 60, and 90 G, the h values of the Strata valve adjusted to 100 mm H 2 O opening pressure were 320, 280, 190, and 175 μm, respectively. When the magnetic generator was removed from the environment, the h value returned to 320 μm. In direct graphs taken after each optical analysis at different Gauss values, substitution was not observed at the indicator. The angle in the Codman Certas valve was 123.9°, 112.5°, and 103.6° at the magnetic flux densities of 0, 60, and 90 G, respectively. When the magnetic field was removed (0 G), the angle was still 103.6°, suggesting an irreversible effect in the shunt construct. Smartphones exert reversible effects on Strata programmable valves without

Maternalism, race, class and citizenship: aspects of illegitimate motherhood in Nazi Germany.

PubMed

Joshi, Vandana

2011-01-01

This article juxtaposes three types of illegitimate motherhood that came in the wake of the Second World War in Nazi Germany. The first found institutional support in the Lebensborn project, an elite effort to raise the flagging birth-rates, which at the same time turned a new page in the history of sexuality. The second came before the lower courts in the form of paternity and guardianship suits that had a long precedent, and the third was a social practice that the regime considered a ‘mass crime' among its female citizenry: namely, forbidden unions between German women and prisoners of war. Through these cases the article addresses issues such as morality, sexuality, paternity, citizenship and welfarism. The flesh-and-blood stories have been culled from the Lebensborn Dossiers and Special Court files, as well as cases from the lower courts.

The impact of a child's special health care needs on maternal work participation during early motherhood.

PubMed

Hauge, Lars Johan; Kornstad, Tom; Nes, Ragnhild Bang; Kristensen, Petter; Irgens, Lorentz M; Eskedal, Leif T; Landolt, Markus A; Vollrath, Margarete E

2013-07-01

Many women temporarily reduce work hours or stop working when caring for small children. However, mothers of children with special health care needs may face particular challenges balancing childrearing responsibilities and employment demands. This study examines how the work participation among mothers of children with special health care needs compares with that of mothers in general during early motherhood, focusing in particular on the extent of the child's additional health care needs. By linkage of the population-based Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study with national registers on employment, child health care needs, and social background factors, 41,255 mothers employed prior to childbirth were followed until child age 3 years to investigate associations between the child's care needs and mother's dropping out of employment. In total, 16.3% of the formerly employed mothers were no longer employed at child age 3 years. Mothers of children with mild care needs did not differ from mothers in general, whereas mothers of children with moderate [Risk Ratio (RR) 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17, 1.80] and severe care needs [RR 2.19; 95% CI 1.67, 2.87] were at substantial risk of not being employed at follow-up. The impact of the child's health care needs remained strong also after adjusting for several factors associated with employment in general. Extensive childhood health care needs are associated with reduced short-term employment prospects and remain a substantial influence on mothers' work participation during early motherhood, irrespective of other important characteristics associated with maternal employment. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Choice of Study Discipline and the Postponement of Motherhood in Europe: The Impact of Expected Earnings, Gender Composition, and Family Attitudes

PubMed Central

VAN BAVEL, JAN

2010-01-01

Theory suggests that the field of study may be at least as consequential for fertility behavior as the duration and level of education. Yet, this qualitative dimension of educational achievement has been largely neglected in demographic studies. This article analyzes the mechanisms relating the field of study with the postponement of motherhood by European college-graduate women aged 20–40. The second round of the European Social Survey is used to assess the impact of four features of study disciplines that are identified as key to reproductive decision making: the expected starting wage, the steepness of the earning profile, attitudes toward gendered family roles, and gender composition. The results indicate that the postponement of motherhood is relatively limited among graduates from study disciplines in which stereotypical attitudes about family roles prevail and in which a large share of the graduates are female. Both the level of the starting wage and the steepness of the earning profile are found to be associated with greater postponement. These results are robust to controlling for the partnership situation and the age at entry into the labor market. PMID:20608105

Health system reform and safe abortion: a case study of Mongolia.

PubMed

Beck, Christina; Berry, Nicole S; Choijil, Semjidmaa

2013-01-01

Unsafe abortion serves as a marker of global inequity as it is concentrated in the developing world where the poorest and most vulnerable women live. While liberalisation of abortion law is essential to the reduction of unsafe abortion, a number of challenges exist beyond this important step. This paper investigates how popular health system reforms consonant with neoliberal agendas can challenge access to safe abortion. We use Mongolia, a country that has liberalised abortion law, yet, limited access to safe abortion, as a case study. Mongolia embraced market reforms in 1990 and subsequently reformed its health system. We document how common reforms in the areas of finance and regulation can compromise the safety of abortions as they foster challenges that include inconsistencies in service delivery that further foment health inequities, adoption of reproductive health programmes that are incompatible with the local sociocultural context, unregulated growth of the private sector and poor enforcement of standards and technical guidelines for safe abortion. We then discuss how this case study suggests the conversations that reproductive health policy-makers must have with those engineering health sector reform to ensure access to safe abortion in a liberalised environment.

Safe sex

MedlinePlus

... sex; Sexually transmitted - safe sex; GC - safe sex; Gonorrhea - safe sex; Herpes - safe sex; HIV - safe sex; ... contact. STIs include: Chlamydia Genital herpes Genital warts Gonorrhea Hepatitis HIV HPV Syphilis STIs are also called ...

Safe motherhood in Jamaica: from slavery to self-determination.

PubMed

McCaw-Binns, Affette

2005-07-01

The development of maternal health care in Jamaica is reviewed by examining government documents and publications to identify social and political factors associated with maternal mortality decline. Modern maternity services began with the 1887 establishment of the Victoria Jubilee Hospital and Midwifery School. Community midwives were deployed widely by the 1930s and community antenatal care expanded in the 1950s. Social policies in the 1970s increased women's access to primary health care, education and social support; improved transportation in the 1990s facilitated hospital delivery. Maternal mortality declined rapidly from approximately 600/100 000 in the 1930s to 200/100 000 in 1960, led by a 69% decline in sepsis by 1950, and a 72% decline from all causes thereafter, settling at approximately 100/100 000 in the 1980s. Skilled birth attendant deliveries moved from 39% in 1950 to 95% in 2001 and hospital births from 31% in 1960 to 91% in 2001. Maternal mortality plateaued at 70-80% prevalence of skilled delivery care. Deployment of midwives into rural communities and social development focused on women and children were associated with the observed improvements. Further reductions will require greater attention to the quality of emergency obstetric care.

Predictors of low back pain in nursing home workers after implementation of a safe resident handling programme.

PubMed

Gold, Judith E; Punnett, Laura; Gore, Rebecca J

2017-06-01

Healthcare workers have high rates of low back pain (LBP) related to handling patients. A large chain of nursing homes experienced reduced biomechanical load, compensation claims and costs following implementation of a safe resident handling programme (SRHP). The aim of this study was to examine whether LBP similarly declined and whether it was associated with relevant self-reported occupational exposures or personal health factors. Worker surveys were conducted on multiple occasions beginning with the week of first SRHP introduction (baseline). In each survey, the outcome was LBP during the prior 3 months with at least mild severity during the past week. Robust Poisson multivariable regression models were constructed to examine correlates of LBP cross-sectionally at 2 years (F3) and longitudinally at 5-6 years (F5) post-SRHP implementation among workers also in at least one prior survey. LBP prevalence declined minimally between baseline and F3. The prevalence was 37% at F3 and cumulative incidence to F5 was 22%. LBP prevalence at F3 was positively associated with combined physical exposures, psychological job demands and prior back injury, while frequent lift device usage and 'intense' aerobic exercise frequency were protective. At F5, the multivariable model included frequent lift usage at F3 (relative risk (RR) 0.39 (0.18 to 0.84)) and F5 work-family imbalance (RR=1.82 (1.12 to 2.98)). In this observational study, resident lifting device usage predicted reduced LBP in nursing home workers. Other physical and psychosocial demands of nursing home work also contributed, while frequent intense aerobic exercise appeared to reduce LBP risk. 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/.

Does It Make Any Difference if She Is a Mother? An Interactional Perspective on Intimate Partner Violence with a Focus on Motherhood and Pregnancy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vatnar, Solveig Karin Bo; Bjorkly, Stal

2010-01-01

The authors report on the impact of motherhood and pregnancy on interactional aspects of intimate partner violence (IPV) among help-seeking women. Is having children a protective or a risk factor for IPV severity, injury, duration, frequency, and mortal danger, controlling for sociodemographics? Regarding interactional aspects of IPV, do survivors…

Surrogate Motherhood and Abortion for Fetal Abnormality.

PubMed

Walker, Ruth; van Zyl, Liezl

2015-10-01

A diagnosis of fetal abnormality presents parents with a difficult - even tragic - moral dilemma. Where this diagnosis is made in the context of surrogate motherhood there is an added difficulty, namely that it is not obvious who should be involved in making decisions about abortion, for the person who would normally have the right to decide - the pregnant woman - does not intend to raise the child. This raises the question: To what extent, if at all, should the intended parents be involved in decision-making? In commercial surrogacy it is thought that as part of the contractual agreement the intended parents acquire the right to make this decision. By contrast, in altruistic surrogacy the pregnant woman retains the right to make these decisions, but the intended parents are free to decide not to adopt the child. We argue that both these strategies are morally unsound, and that the problems encountered serve to highlight more fundamental defects within the commercial and altruistic models, as well as in the legal and institutional frameworks that support them. We argue in favour of the professional model, which acknowledges the rights and responsibilities of both parties and provides a legal and institutional framework that supports good decision-making. In particular, the professional model acknowledges the surrogate's right to decide whether to undergo an abortion, and the intended parents' obligation to accept legal custody of the child. While not solving all the problems that arise in surrogacy, the model provides a framework that supports good decision-making. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dirt and diarrhoea: formative research in hygiene promotion programmes.

PubMed

Curtis, V; Kanki, B; Cousens, S; Sanou, A; Diallo, I; Mertens, T

1997-06-01

Investment in the promotion of better hygiene for the prevention of diarrhoeal diseases and as a component of water and sanitation programmes is increasing. Before designing programmes capable of sustainably modifying hygiene behaviour in large populations, valid answers to a number of basic questions concerning the site and the intended beneficiaries have to be obtained. Such questions include 'what practices favour the transmission of enteric pathogens?', 'what advantages will be perceived by those who adopt safe practices?' and 'what channels of communication are currently employed by the target population?' A study of hygiene and diarrhoea in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, used a mixture of methods to address such questions. This paper draws on that experience to propose a plan of preliminary research using a variety of techniques which could be implemented over a period of a few months by planners of hygiene promotion programmes. The techniques discussed include structured observation, focus group discussions and behavioural trials. Modest investment in such systematic formative research with clear and limited goals is likely to be repaid many times over in the increased effectiveness of hygiene promotion programmes.

Motherhood in adolescent mothers: maternal attachment, mother-infant styles of interaction and emotion regulation at three months.

PubMed

Riva Crugnola, Cristina; Ierardi, Elena; Gazzotti, Simona; Albizzati, Alessandro

2014-02-01

Early motherhood is considered a risk factor for an adequate relationship between mother and infant and for the subsequent development of the infant. The principal aim of the study is to analyze micro-analytically the effect of motherhood in adolescence on the quality of mother-infant interaction and emotion regulation at three months, considering at the same time the effect of maternal attachment on these variables. Participants were 30 adolescent mother-infant dyads compared to 30 adult mother-infant dyads. At infant 3 months, mother-infant interaction was video-recorded and coded with a modified version of the Infant Caregiver Engagement Phases and the Adult Attachment Interview was administered to the mother. Analysis showed that adolescent mothers (vs. adult mothers) spent more time in negative engagement and their infants spent less time in positive engagement and more time in negative engagement. Adolescent mothers are also less involved in play with their infants than adult mothers. Adolescent mother-infant dyads (vs. adult mother-infant dyads) showed a greater duration of negative matches and spent less time in positive matches. Insecure adolescent mother-infant dyads (vs. insecure adult mother-infant dyads) demonstrated less involvement in play with objects and spent less time in positive matches. To sum up adolescent mother-infant dyads adopt styles of emotion regulation and interaction with objects which are less adequate than those of dyads with adult mothers. Insecure maternal attachment in dyads with adolescent mothers (vs. adult mother infant dyads) is more influential as risk factor. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence of behaviour change following a hygiene promotion programme in Burkina Faso.

PubMed Central

Curtis, V.; Kanki, B.; Cousens, S.; Diallo, I.; Kpozehouen, A.; Sangaré, M.; Nikiema, M.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a large, 3-year hygiene promotion programme in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, was effective in changing behaviours associated with the spread of diarrhoeal diseases. The programme was tailored to local customs, targeted specific types of behaviour, built on existing motivation for hygiene, and used locally appropriate channels of communication. METHODS: Two population surveys recorded the coverage of the programme among target audiences (mothers of children aged 0-35 months). Four surveys were carried out: three prior to the programme and one in 1998 (after the programme had been running for 3 years), using structured observation of hygiene behaviours in the participants' homes to document changes in target behaviours. FINDINGS: After the programme had run for 3 years, three-quarters of the mothers targeted had had contact with programme activities. Half could cite the two main messages of the programme correctly. Although the safe disposal of children's stools changed little between 1995 and 1998 (80% pre-intervention, 84% post-intervention), hand-washing with soap after cleaning a child's bottom rose from 13% to 31%. The proportion of mothers who washed their hands with soap after using the latrine increased from 1% to 17%. CONCLUSION: Hygiene promotion programmes can change behaviour and are more likely to be effective if they are built on local research and use locally appropriate channels of communication repeatedly and for an extended time. PMID:11436473

One mum too few: maternal status in host surrogate motherhood arrangements.

PubMed

Oultram, Stuart

2015-06-01

In a host surrogate motherhood arrangement, the surrogate agrees to be implanted with, and carry to term, an embryo created from the commissioning couple's gametes. When the surrogate child is born, it is the surrogate mother who, according to UK law, holds the legal status of mother. By contrast, the commissioning mother possesses no maternal status and she can only attain it once the surrogate agrees to the completion of the arrangement. One consequence of this is that, in the event that a host arrangement fails, the commissioning mother is left without maternal status. In this paper, I argue that this denial of maternal status misrepresents the commissioning mother's role in the host arrangement and her relationship with the surrogate child. Consequently, I suggest that commissioning mothers participating in host surrogacy arrangements ought to be granted the status of mother in the event that the arrangement fails. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

State of the science: does the theory of maternal role attainment apply to African American motherhood?

PubMed

Fouquier, Katherine Ferrell

2013-01-01

This article reviews the current state of knowledge of the theory of maternal role attainment (MRA) and its relevance in describing African American motherhood. EBSCOhost Research Databases that included PubMed, CINAHL plus, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science were searched for journal articles that examined maternal identity and MRA. Keyword searches included maternal identity, maternal role attainment, becoming a mother, prenatal attachment, maternal-fetal attachment, and maternal-infant attachment. Inclusion criteria for this review were published journal articles of studies conducted in the United States, with a clear delineation of the theoretical framework of MRA. Journal articles that measured MRA among women with depression or medically fragile infants were excluded. Two hundred and twelve studies were reviewed; 25 studies, published between 1975 and 2007, met the inclusion criteria. Nine articles described the theory of MRA, 11 articles measured variables thought to influence MRA, and 6 articles described maternal-fetal attachment, a construct of MRA. Studies were reviewed, categorized, and analyzed to determine current knowledge of how the theory of MRA describes African American motherhood. Categories included studies describing the theoretical framework of maternal identity and MRA, studies measuring key variables thought to impact MRA, and studies measuring maternal-fetal attachment and maternal-infant attachment. The studies were limited by homogenous samples of upper-middle-class white women and low-income, single, African American adolescents. Study results of MRA cannot be generalized to African American women. Further research is essential to identify attributes influencing MRA, specifically among larger samples of African American women with demographics similar to that of the white populations that have been included in studies thus far. © 2013 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Female juvenile delinquency, motherhood, and the intergenerational transmission of aggression and antisocial behavior.

PubMed

Tzoumakis, Stacy; Lussier, Patrick; Corrado, Raymond

2012-01-01

The current study explored the intergenerational transmission of aggression and antisocial behavior by examining mothers' juvenile delinquency, their pregnancies, and its impact on their children's aggressive behavior. The sample consisted of the first 181 biological mothers recruited as part of the Vancouver Longitudinal Study on the Psychosocial Development of Children (British Columbia, Canada). Results indicated that mothers who were juvenile delinquents were more likely to experience social adversity, to use substances during pregnancy and to offend in adulthood. Furthermore, mothers who reported juvenile delinquency had children who were more physically aggressive and had an earlier onset of physical aggression. This pattern of association held when controlling for sociodemographics, social adversities, prenatal substance exposure, and criminal involvement in adulthood. The study findings highlighted the importance of understanding the role and impact of female delinquency and motherhood on the intergenerational transmission of antisocial behavior. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Moral implications of obstetric technologies for pregnancy and motherhood.

PubMed

Brauer, Susanne

2016-03-01

Drawing on sociological and anthropological studies, the aim of this article is to reconstruct how obstetric technologies contribute to a moral conception of pregnancy and motherhood, and to evaluate that conception from a normative point of view. Obstetrics and midwifery, so the assumption, are value-laden, value-producing and value-reproducing practices, values that shape the social perception of what it means to be a "good" pregnant woman and to be a "good" (future) mother. Activities in the medical field of reproduction contribute to "kinning", that is the making of particular social relationships marked by closeness and special moral obligations. Three technologies, which belong to standard procedures in prenatal care in postmodern societies, are presently investigated: (1) informed consent in prenatal care, (2) obstetric sonogram, and (3) birth plan. Their widespread application is supposed to serve the moral (and legal) goal of effecting patient autonomy (and patient right). A reconstruction of the actual moral implications of these technologies, however, reveals that this goal is missed in multiple ways. Informed consent situations are marked by involuntariness and blindness to social dimensions of decision-making; obstetric sonograms construct moral subjectivity and agency in a way that attribute inconsistent and unreasonable moral responsibilities to the pregnant woman; and birth plans obscure the need for a healthcare environment that reflects a shared-decision-making model, rather than a rational-choice-framework.

Ensuring implementation success: how should coach injury prevention education be improved if we want coaches to deliver safety programmes during training sessions?

PubMed

White, Peta E; Otago, Leonie; Saunders, Natalie; Romiti, Maria; Donaldson, Alex; Ullah, Shahid; Finch, Caroline F

2014-03-01

Coaches play a major role in encouraging and ensuring that participants of their teams adopt appropriate safety practices. However, the extent to which the coaches undertake this role will depend upon their attitudes about injury prevention, their perceptions of what the other coaches usually do and their own beliefs about how much control they have in delivering such programmes. Fifty-one junior netball coaches were surveyed about incorporating the teaching of correct (safe) landing technique during their delivery of training sessions to junior players. Overall, >94% of coaches had strongly positive attitudes towards teaching correct landing technique and >80% had strongly positive perceptions of their own control over delivering such programmes. Coaches' ratings of social norms relating to what others think about teaching safe landing were more positive (>94%) than those relating to what others actually do (63-74%). In conclusion, the junior coaches were generally receptive towards delivering safe landing training programmes in the training sessions they led. Future coach education could include role modelling by prominent coaches so that more community-level coaches are aware that this is a behaviour that many coaches can, and do, engage in.

Avoiding complications by a hands-on mentor programme.

PubMed

Lefebvre, Guylaine G; Shore, Eliane M

2016-08-01

The complexity of gynaecologic surgery has increased in recent years, while the duration of residency training has remained fixed with reduced work hours compared with our predecessors. Residents may not be graduating with the advanced surgical skill set required for complex cases, which are now considered standard of care. The ever-changing advancements in the field of gynaecologic surgery warrant the development of training programmes for practicing surgeons to incorporate recent advances and best practices. This can be accomplished through mentorship in training residents as well as the continuing professional development of safe gynaecologic surgeons. This review outlines the process of mentorship to enhance surgical skills, and objective feedback tools for surgeons seeking to improve performance. Mentorship programmes can help surgeons incorporate new technologies in a structured environment, which seeks to decrease the risk of complications for our patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community Mothers Programme--seven year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial of non-professional intervention in parenting.

PubMed

Johnson, Z; Molloy, B; Scallan, E; Fitzpatrick, P; Rooney, B; Keegan, T; Byrne, P

2000-09-01

The Community Mothers Programme aims at using experienced volunteer mothers in disadvantaged areas to give support to first-time parents in rearing their children up to 1 year of age. The programme was evaluated by randomized controlled trial in 1990. Seven years later, trial participants were interviewed about child health, nutrition, cognitive stimulation, parenting skills, and maternal self-esteem. The aim of this study was to see whether the demonstrated benefits at 1 year of age of this programme could be sustained at age 8. One-third of the original group (38 intervention, 38 control), were contacted and interviewed. The risk for having an accident requiring a hospital visit was lower in the intervention group: relative risk (RR) 0.59, 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 0.31-1.11. Intervention children were more likely to visit the library weekly: RR 1.58, 95 per cent CI 1.10-2.26. Intervention mothers were more likely to check homework every night: RR 1.23, 95 per cent CI 1.05-1.43 (p=0.006); and to disagree with the statement 'children should be smacked for persistently bad behaviour': RR 2.11, 95 per cent CI 1.10-4.06. They were more likely to disagree with the statement 'I do not have much to be proud of': RR 1.24, 95 per cent CI 1.04-1.40; and to make a positive statement about motherhood than controls: RR 1.53, 95 per cent CI 1.06-2.20. Subsequent children of intervention mothers were more likely to have completed Haemophilus influenzae b: RR 1.26, 95 per cent CI 1.06-1.51; and polio immunization: RR 1.19, 95 per cent CI 1.02-1.40. The Community Mothers programme had sustained beneficial effects on parenting skills and maternal self-esteem 7 years later with benefit extending to subsequent children.

Interaction between HIV awareness, knowledge, safe sex practice and HIV prevalence: evidence from Botswana.

PubMed

Ray, Ranjan; Sinha, Kompal

2012-05-01

This paper makes methodological and empirical contributions to the study of HIV in the context of Botswana, a country with high HIV prevalence. Comparable evidence is presented from India to put the Botswana results in perspective. The results point to the strong role played by affluence and education in increasing HIV knowledge, promoting safe sex and reducing HIV prevalence. The study presents African evidence on the role played by the empowerment of women in promoting safe sex practices such as condom use. The lack of significant association between HIV prevalence and safe sex practice points to the danger of HIV-infected individuals spreading the disease through multiple sex partners and unprotected sex. This danger is underlined by the finding that females with multiple sex partners are at higher risk of being infected with HIV. These results take on special policy significance in the context of Botswana, where the issue of multiple sex partners has not been adequately addressed in the programme to contain the spread of HIV.

Engaged mothering: the transition to motherhood for a group of African American women.

PubMed

Sawyer, L M

1999-01-01

Using grounded theory methodology, 17 first-time African American mothers were interviewed to elicit their experiences of pregnancy and motherhood. Participants had a mean age of 30 years, were mostly married, employed, middle income, college educated, and all received adequate prenatal care. Engaged Mothering was identified as the core category, denoting the active, involved, and mutual process in which a woman prepares to be a mother, cares for herself and her infant, and dreams about and plans for the future to have a good life for her child. Strategies women used in this process included getting ready, dealing with the reality, settling in, and dreaming. Conditions of intentionality of the pregnancy and prior history of miscarriage or health problems of the mother affected the process. Women described the effects of racism on their daily lives and on the criteria they used to choose providers. Nursing interventions are proposed based on these results.

Legal access to surrogate motherhood in illness that does not cause infertility.

PubMed

Jordaan, Donrich W

2016-06-17

The threshold requirement for surrogate motherhood entails that a commissioning parent or parents must be permanently unable to give birth to a child. The question of whether a commissioning mother who suffers from a permanent illness that does not cause infertility as such, but that renders pregnancy a significant health risk to such mother and/or to her prospective child in utero, has arisen in practice. In this article, I propose that the inability to give birth to a child as per the threshold requirement should not be interpreted narrowly as referring only to a commissioning parent's inherent inability to give birth to a child, but should rather be interpreted broadly as referring only to a commissioning parent's effective inability to give birth to a child - allowing consideration of the medical sequelae of pregnancy for the commissioning mother and her prospective child. I argue that such a broad interpretation of the threshold requirement is compatible with legislative intent and case law, and is demanded by our country's constitutional commitment to human rights.

Motherhood Preconceived: The Emergence of the Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative

PubMed Central

Waggoner, Miranda R.

2013-01-01

Since the 1980s, maternal and child health experts have sought to redefine maternity care to include the period prior to pregnancy, essentially by expanding the concept of prenatal care to encompass the time before conception. In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed and promoted this new definition when it launched the Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative. In arguing that prenatal care was often too little too late, a group of maternal and child health experts in the United States attempted to spur improvements in population health and address systemic problems in health care access and health disparities. By changing the terms of pregnancy risk and by using maternalism as a social policy strategy, the preconception health and health care paradigm promoted an ethic of anticipatory motherhood and conflated women’s health with maternal health, sparking public debate about the potential social and clinical consequences of preconception care. This article tracks the construction of this policy idea and its ultimate potential utility in health and health policy discussions. PMID:23262764

Experiences of pregnancy and motherhood among teenage mothers in a suburb of Accra, Ghana: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Gyesaw, Nana Yaa Konadu; Ankomah, Augustine

2013-01-01

Background The proportion of teenage girls who are mothers or who are currently pregnant in sub-Saharan African countries is staggering. There are many studies regarding teenage pregnancy, unsafe abortions, and family planning among teenagers, but very little is known about what happens after pregnancy, ie, the experience of teenage motherhood. Several studies in Ghana have identified the determinants of early sexual activity, contraception, and unsafe abortion, with teenage motherhood only mentioned in passing. Few studies have explored the experiences of adolescent mothers in detail with regard to their pregnancy and childbirth. This qualitative study explores the experiences of adolescent mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and care of their newborns. Methods This qualitative study was based on data from focus group discussions and indepth interviews with teenage mothers in a suburb in Accra. Participants were recruited from health facilities as well as by snowball sampling. Results Some of the participants became pregnant as a result of transactional sex in order to meet their basic needs, while others became pregnant as a result of sexual violence and exploitation. A few others wanted to become pregnant to command respect from people in society. In nearly all cases, parents and guardians of the adolescent mothers were upset in the initial stages when they heard the news of the pregnancy. One key finding, quite different from in other societies, was how often teenage pregnancies are eventually accepted, by both the young women and their families. Also observed was a rarity of willingness to resort to induced abortion. Conclusion Special programs should be initiated by the government and the various responsible departments to address ignorance on sexual matters, and the challenges and risks associated with pregnancy and parenting by adolescents. Parenting techniques should be taught in sex education programs. PMID:24250233

A self‐directed home yoga programme for women with breast cancer during chemotherapy: A feasibility study

PubMed Central

Yagasaki, Kaori; Yamauchi, Hideko; Yamauchi, Teruo; Takebayashi, Toru

2015-01-01

Recent studies suggest yoga as a promising approach for improving the cognitive function of cancer survivors. We studied whether a self‐directed home yoga programme was feasible for patients with breast cancer who were undergoing chemotherapy. Participants' preferences for the type of yoga course and the clinical effects of the programme were also assessed. In this study, 18 women (mean age, 43.9 years) were enrolled (44.7% recruitment rate). Of the participants, 63.6% had stage II cancer and 71.4% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Favourable retention (86%), adherence (94.4%) and acceptability (96.5%) rates were determined. Most (94.4%) of the women practiced the home programme more than twice a week on average. The participants preferred to gradually increase the intensity of the exercises. We only observed improvements in the cognitive aspects of fatigue. No serious adverse events were encountered during the programme. This self‐directed home yoga programme was safe and feasible for patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. PMID:26643264

Internet-Based Training to Improve Preschool Playground Safety: Evaluation of the Stamp-in-Safety Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwebel, David C.; Pennefather, Jordan; Marquez, Brion; Marquez, Jessie

2015-01-01

Objective: Playground injuries result in over 200,000 US pediatric emergency department visits annually. One strategy to reduce injuries is improved adult supervision. The Stamp-in-Safety programme, which involves supervisors stamping rewards for children playing safely, has been demonstrated in preliminary classroom-based work to reduce child…

Social capital to strengthen health policy and health systems.

PubMed

Ogden, Jessica; Morrison, Ken; Hardee, Karen

2014-12-01

This article recounts the development of a model for social capital building developed over the course of interventions focused on HIV-related stigma and discrimination, safe motherhood and reproductive health. Through further engagement with relevant literature, it explores the nature of social capital and suggests why undertaking such a process can enhance health policy and programmes, advocacy and governance for improved health systems strengthening (HSS) outcomes. The social capital process proposed facilitates the systematic and effective inclusion of community voices in the health policy process-strengthening programme effectiveness as well as health system accountability and governance. Because social capital building facilitates communication and the uptake of new ideas, norms and standards within and between professional communities of practice, it can provide an important mechanism for integration both within and between sectors-a process long considered a 'wicked problem' for health policy-makers. The article argues that the systematic application of social capital building, from bonding through bridging into linking social capital, can greatly enhance the ability of governments and their partners to achieve their HSS goals. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

Development of the community midwifery education initiative and its influence on women's health and empowerment in Afghanistan: a case study.

PubMed

Speakman, Elizabeth M; Shafi, Ahmad; Sondorp, Egbert; Atta, Nooria; Howard, Natasha

2014-09-15

Political transition in Afghanistan enabled reconstruction of the destroyed health system. Maternal health was prioritised due to political will and historically high mortality. However, severe shortages of skilled birth attendants--particularly in rural areas--hampered safe motherhood initiatives. The Community Midwifery Education (CME) programme began training rural midwives in 2002, scaling-up nationally in 2005. This case study analyses CME development and implementation to help determine successes and challenges. Data were collected through documentary review and key informant interviews. Content analysis was informed by Walt and Gilson's policy triangle framework. The CME programme has contributed to consistently positive indicators, including up to a 1273/100,000 reduction in maternal mortality ratios, up to a 28% increase in skilled deliveries, and a six-fold increase in qualified midwives since 2002. Begun as a small pilot, CME has gained support of international donors, the Afghan government, and civil society. CME is considered by stakeholders to be a positive model for promoting women's education, employment, and health. However, its future is threatened by insecurity, corruption, lack of regulation, and funding uncertainties. Strategic planning and resource mobilisation are required for it to achieve its potential of transforming maternal healthcare in Afghanistan.

Cool and Safe: Multiplicity in Safe Innovation at Unilever

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penders, Bart

2011-01-01

This article presents the making of a safe innovation: the application of ice structuring protein (ISP) in edible ices. It argues that safety is not the absence of risk but is an active accomplishment; innovations are not "made safe afterward" but "safe innovations are made". Furthermore, there are multiple safeties to be accomplished in the…

Twenty-five years of the WHO vaccines prequalification programme (1987-2012): lessons learned and future perspectives.

PubMed

Dellepiane, Nora; Wood, David

2015-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) vaccines prequalification programme was established in 1987. It is a service provided to United Nations procurement agencies to ensure that the vaccines supplied through these agencies are consistently safe and effective under conditions of use in national immunization programmes. This review describes the purpose and aims of the programme, its evolution during 25 years of existence, its added value, and its role in the context of the WHO strategy to ensure the global availability of vaccines of assured quality. The rationale for changes introduced during the implementation of the programme is provided. The paper also discusses the resources involved, both human and financial, its performance, strengths and weaknesses and steps taken to maximize its efficiency. This historical perspective is used to inform proposed future changes to the service. Copyright © 2013 World Health Organization. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Safe school].

PubMed

Liberal, Edson Ferreira; Aires, Roberto Tschoepke; Aires, Mariana Tschoepke; Osório, Ana Carla de Albuquerque

2005-11-01

To review the strategies to make school a safe environment. The paper first addresses the social context of accidents and violence in the school environment, and makes recommendations, based on the literature data, for the implementation of safe schools. Articles published between 1993 and 2005 in the MEDLINE database. Brazilian epidemiological and literature data have also been searched. There is growing evidence that intervention has multiple components, focusing on health education practices, with the participation of the whole community. The aim of those interventions is to help students and community members to adopt healthy and safe behaviors. Schools are taking on an increasing role in health promotion, disease prevention, and injury prevention. In the context of prevention of external causes of morbidity and mortality, it is important to recognize a risky environment, places, and risk behaviors as favorable to injury and violence, as well as the concept of accident as something one can avoid. Implementation of safe schools represents a promising new direction for school-based preventive work. It is important to note that a safe school should intervene not only in its physical structure, but it should also make it as safe as possible by gathering the school community through health education, and mainly encouraging healthy behavior.

Investigation of safe-life fail-safe criteria for the space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

An investigation was made to determine the effects of a safe-life design approach and a fail-safe design approach on the space shuttle booster vehicle structure, and to recommend any changes to the structural design criteria. Two configurations of the booster vehicle were considered, one incorporating a delta wing (B-9U configuration) and the other a swept wing (B-16B configuration). Several major structural components of the booster were studied to determine the fatigue life, safe-life, and fail-safe capabilities of the baseline design. Each component was investigated to determine the practicability of applying a safe-life or fail-safe design philosophy, the changes such design approaches might require, and the impact of these changes on weight, cost, development plans, and performance.

Formal intergenerational mentoring at Australian Men's Sheds: a targeted survey about mentees, mentors, programmes and quality.

PubMed

Cordier, Reinie; Wilson, Nathan J; Stancliffe, Roger J; MacCallum, Judith; Vaz, Sharmila; Buchanan, Angus; Ciccarelli, Marina; Falkmer, Torbjorn S

2016-11-01

Intergenerational mentoring enables a purposeful exchange of skills and knowledge to enhance individual and social outcomes for sub-groups at risk of health and social disparities. Male intergenerational mentoring may be an approach to help address these disparities in young men. Over 1000 Men's Sheds operate in Australia with 39% providing some form of mentoring mainly to youth. Yet, little is known about the variables intrinsic to creating and running quality programmes. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of formal intergenerational mentoring programmes, review their quality against the Australian Youth Mentoring Network (AYMN) quality benchmarks, and identify the factors that predict quality in these programmes. All known Australian Men's Sheds were invited to participate in an online cross-sectional survey. Forty sheds with formal mentor programmes completed the survey for a total of 387 mentees (mean = 9.7 mentees/programme), the majority being male. The majority of mentor programme facilitators were unpaid male volunteers aged 61 years and older, and programmes were unfunded. Promoting social and emotional well-being of the mentees was the primary focus in more than half of the programmes, and working on a shared construction project was the most common activity. Respondents rated the three most important factors that influenced programme effectiveness as being: (i) meaningful activities; (ii) mentors' approach; and (iii) a safe environment. Univariate analyses revealed that mentoring programmes that had a system in place for screening mentors, trained mentors and evaluated the programme were most likely to rate highly against the AYMN quality benchmarks. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Safe Zones: Creating LGBT Safe Space Ally Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poynter, Kerry John; Tubbs, Nancy Jean

2008-01-01

This article discusses model LGBT Safe Space Ally programs. These programs, often called "Safe Zones," include self selected students, faculty, and employees who publicly show support by displaying stickers, signs, and other identifiable items. Issues covered in the article include history, development, training, membership, assessment, and…

The SAFE strategy for the elimination of trachoma by 2020: will it work?

PubMed Central

Bailey, R.; Lietman, T.

2001-01-01

WHO has recently launched a programme (GET 2020) for the elimination of trachoma, the leading cause of preventable blindness. GET 2020 has adopted the SAFE strategy, a comprehensive set of control measures (Surgery for entropion/trichiasis; Antibiotics for infectious trachoma; Facial cleanliness to reduce transmission; Environmental improvements such as control of disease-spreading flies and access to clean water). The present article reviews the strengths and weaknesses of each component of the strategy. Although significant hurdles remain to be overcome there is every reason to hope that GET 2020 will be successful. PMID:11285668

Patient safety in nursing education: contexts, tensions and feeling safe to learn.

PubMed

Steven, Alison; Magnusson, Carin; Smith, Pam; Pearson, Pauline H

2014-02-01

Education is crucial to how nurses practice, talk and write about keeping patients safe. The aim of this multisite study was to explore the formal and informal ways the pre-registration medical, nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy students learn about patient safety. This paper focuses on findings from nursing. A multi-method design underpinned by the concept of knowledge contexts and illuminative evaluation was employed. Scoping of nursing curricula from four UK university programmes was followed by in-depth case studies of two programmes. Scoping involved analysing curriculum documents and interviews with 8 programme leaders. Case-study data collection included focus groups (24 students, 12 qualified nurses, 6 service users); practice placement observation (4 episodes=19 hrs) and interviews (4 Health Service managers). Within academic contexts patient safety was not visible as a curricular theme: programme leaders struggled to define it and some felt labelling to be problematic. Litigation and the risk of losing authorisation to practise were drivers to update safety in the programmes. Students reported being taught idealised skills in university with an emphasis on 'what not to do'. In organisational contexts patient safety was conceptualised as a complicated problem, addressed via strategies, systems and procedures. A tension emerged between creating a 'no blame' culture and performance management. Few formal mechanisms appeared to exist for students to learn about organisational systems and procedures. In practice, students learnt by observing staff who acted as variable role models; challenging practice was problematic, since they needed to 'fit in' and mentors were viewed as deciding whether they passed or failed their placements. The study highlights tensions both between and across contexts, which link to formal and informal patient safety education and impact negatively on students' feelings of emotional safety in their learning. Copyright © 2014

Delivery practices of traditional birth attendants in Dhaka slums, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Fronczak, N; Arifeen, S E; Moran, A C; Caulfield, L E; Baqui, A H

2007-12-01

This paper describes associations among delivery-location, training of birth attendants, birthing practices, and early postpartum morbidity in women in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. During November 1993-May 1995, data on delivery-location, training of birth attendants, birthing practices, delivery-related complications, and postpartum morbidity were collected through interviews with 1,506 women, 489 home-based birth attendants, and audits in 20 facilities where the women from this study gave birth. Associations among maternal characteristics, birth practices, delivery-location, and early postpartum morbidity were specifically explored. Self-reported postpartum morbidity was associated with maternal characteristics, delivery-related complications, and some birthing practices. Dais with more experience were more likely to use potentially-harmful birthing practices which increased the risk of postpartum morbidity among women with births at home. Postpartum morbidity did not differ by birth-location. Safe motherhood programmes must develop effective strategies to discourage potentially-harmful home-based delivery practices demonstrated to contribute to morbidity.

Artificial insemination and eugenics: celibate motherhood, eutelegenesis and germinal choice.

PubMed

Richards, Martin

2008-06-01

This paper traces the history of artificial insemination by selected donors (AID) as a strategy for positive eugenic improvement. While medical artificial insemination has a longer history, its use as a eugenic strategy was first mooted in late nineteenth-century France. It was then developed as 'scientific motherhood' for war widows and those without partners by Marion Louisa Piddington in Australia following the Great War. By the 1930s AID was being more widely used clinically in Britain (and elsewhere) as a medical solution to male infertility for married couples. In 1935 English postal clerk, Herbert Brewer, promoted AID (eutelegenesis) as the socialization of the germ plasm in a eugenic scheme. The next year Hermann Muller, American Drosophila geneticist and eugenicist, presented his plan for human improvement by AID to Stalin. Some twenty years later, Muller, together with Robert Klark Graham, began planning a Foundation for Germinal Choice in California. This was finally opened in 1980 as the first practical experiment in eugenic AID, producing some 215 babies over the twenty years it functioned. While AID appeared to be a means of squaring a eugenic circle by separating paternity from love relationships, and so allowing eugenic improvement without inhibiting individual choice in marriage, it found very little favour with those who might use it, not least because of a couple's desire to have their 'own' children has always seemed stronger than any eugenic aspirations. No state has ever contemplated using AID as a social policy.

Helping doctors in training to STEP-UP: A leadership and quality improvement programme in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

PubMed

Donaghy, Grainne; McKeever, Kris; Flanagan, Catherine; O'Kane, Donal; McQuillan, Bernie; Cash, Johnny; Jack, Cathy; Lundy, Claire

2018-05-01

Medical engagement in healthcare organisations can improve service development and patient experience. Doctors in training have limited opportunities to engage in service improvement work and develop leadership skills. We describe the Specialist Trainees Engaged in Leadership Programme (STEP) , a programme developed to introduce concepts of medical leadership and quality improvement skills in the Belfast Trust. STEP started in 2013 and over 140 trainees have now participated in the programme. Over 42 quality improvement projects have been completed with the support of the programme. Evaluation of STEP has demonstrated an improvement across all domains explored throughout the duration of the programme, with benefits for the individual trainee and the wider organisation. We describe the programme in detail. The STEP curriculum can easily be adapted to meet the needs of NHS trainees, allowing them to understand the objectives and strategy of their employers and improve their ability to plan and deliver safe, effective, patient-centred care.

A qualitative study about the gendered experiences of motherhood and perinatal mortality in mountain villages of Nepal: implications for improving perinatal survival.

PubMed

Paudel, Mohan; Javanparast, Sara; Dasvarma, Gouranga; Newman, Lareen

2018-05-15

We aim to examine the gendered contexts of poor perinatal survival in the remote mountain villages of Nepal. The study setting comprised two remote mountain villages from a mid-western mountain district of Nepal that ranks lowest on the Human Development Index (0.304), and is reported as having the lowest child survival rates in the country. The findings are taken from a larger study of perinatal survival in remote mountain villages of Nepal, conducted through a qualitative methodological approach within a framework of social constructionist and critical theoretical perspectives. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 42 women and their families, plus a range of healthcare providers (nurses/auxiliary nurses, female health volunteers, support staff, Auxiliary Health Worker and a traditional healer) and other stakeholders from February to June, 2015. Data were analysed with a comprehensive coding process utilising the thematic analysis technique. The social construction of gender is one of the key factors influencing poor perinatal survival in the villages in this study. The key emerging themes from the qualitative data are: (1) Gendered social construct and vulnerability for poor perinatal survival: child marriages, son preference and repeated child bearing; (2) Pregnancy and childbirth in intra-familial dynamics of relationships and power; and (3) Perception of birth as a polluted event: birth in Gotha (cowshed) and giving birth alone. Motherhood among women of a low social position is central to women and their babies experiencing vulnerabilities related to perinatal survival in the mountain villages. Gendered constructions along the continuum from pre-pregnancy to postnatal (girl settlement, a daughter-in-law, ritual pollution about mother and child) create challenges to ensuring perinatal survival in these villages. It is imperative that policies and programmes consider such a context to develop effective working strategies for sustained reduction

Safe Schools, Safe Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Julie E.; Pickett, Dean; Pulliam, Janet L.; Schwartz, Richard A.; St. Germaine, Anne-Marie; Underwood, Julie; Worona, Jay

Schools must work together with agencies, groups, and individuals to eliminate the forces leading children to violence. Chapter 1, "School Safety: Working Together to Keep Schools Safe," stresses the importance of community collaboration in violence prevention. Effective prevention requires sharing information about students, consistent…

Ethiopia Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthes Control Programme: Progress and Prospects.

PubMed

Negussu, Nebiyu; Mengistu, Birhan; Kebede, Biruck; Deribe, Kebede; Ejigu, Ephrem; Tadesse, Gemechu; Mekete, Kalkidan; Sileshi, Mesfin

2017-01-01

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes are among seventeen WHO prioritized neglected tropical diseases that infect humans. These parasitic infections can be treated using single-dose and safe drugs. Ethiopia successfully mapped the distribution of these infections nationwide. According to the mapping there are an estimated 37.3 million people living in schistosomiasis endemic areas, and 79 million in schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes endemic areas. The Federal Ministry of Health successfully scaled up Schistosomiasis and schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes intervention in endemic areas and treated over 19 million individuals in 2015. The Ministry of Health has made a huge effort to establish neglected tropical diseases, including schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthes program in the health system which helped to map majority of the woredas and initiate nationwide intervention. The National control programme is designed to achieve elimination for those diseases as a major public health problem by 2020 and aim to attain transmission break by 2025. The programme focuses on reaching those school-aged children who are not attending school, integration between neglected tropical diseases programme, and further collaboration with the WASH actors.

Coaches' perspectives on implementing an evidence-informed injury prevention programme in junior community netball.

PubMed

Saunders, N; Otago, L; Romiti, M; Donaldson, A; White, P; Finch, Cf

2010-12-01

For effective sports injury prevention, information is needed about the implementation context for interventions. This study describes coaches' feedback on the implementation of an evidence-informed injury prevention programme in community junior netball using coaches' perceptions and the RE-AIM framework. A lower-limb injury prevention programme (Down to Earth; D2E), for teaching safe-landing techniques, was delivered to 31 coaches from 31 junior community netball teams in a 1-h workshop. Coaches then delivered a 6-week programme at team training sessions starting in the week before the competition season commenced. 65% of coaches completed a feedback survey 17 weeks after they had delivered the programme. Most (88%) coaches believed that D2E improved their players' ability to perform correct landing techniques in games and that players had retained these improvements over the season. The majority (83%) indicated that an improvement in player athletic attributes was the greatest advantage of D2E, followed by a reduction in injury risk. Identified barriers to implementing D2E were running out of time and very young players finding the drills too difficult. Coaches reported that they needed more ideas for training drills that could be incorporated into their programmes and believed that their own coaching training did not adequately prepare them to implement an injury prevention programme. Although coaches believed that D2E was effective in developing correct landing techniques, some modifications are needed to make it more suitable for younger players and coach education by accreditation courses could be improved to support the implementation of injury prevention programmes.

Development of the Community Midwifery Education initiative and its influence on women’s health and empowerment in Afghanistan: a case study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Political transition in Afghanistan enabled reconstruction of the destroyed health system. Maternal health was prioritised due to political will and historically high mortality. However, severe shortages of skilled birth attendants - particularly in rural areas - hampered safe motherhood initiatives. The Community Midwifery Education (CME) programme began training rural midwives in 2002, scaling-up nationally in 2005. Methods This case study analyses CME development and implementation to help determine successes and challenges. Data were collected through documentary review and key informant interviews. Content analysis was informed by Walt and Gilson’s policy triangle framework. Results The CME programme has contributed to consistently positive indicators, including up to a 1273/100,000 reduction in maternal mortality ratios, up to a 28% increase in skilled deliveries, and a six-fold increase in qualified midwives since 2002. Begun as a small pilot, CME has gained support of international donors, the Afghan government, and civil society. Conclusion CME is considered by stakeholders to be a positive model for promoting women’s education, employment, and health. However, its future is threatened by insecurity, corruption, lack of regulation, and funding uncertainties. Strategic planning and resource mobilisation are required for it to achieve its potential of transforming maternal healthcare in Afghanistan. PMID:25220577

Financing intersectoral health promotion programmes: some reasons why collaborators are collaborating as indicated by cost-effectiveness analyses.

PubMed

Johansson, Pia; Tillgren, Per

2011-03-01

Intersectoral collaboration is an important part of many health promotion programmes. The reasons for the local organisations to collaborate, i.e. to finance programmes, are presumably based on benefits they derive from the collaboration. The aim of this study is to discuss whether subsector financial analyses based on data from cost-effectiveness analyses reflect incentives of collaborating organisations in two intersectoral health promotion programmes. Within economics, financial incentives are important reasons for actions. The financial incentives of collaborators are exemplified with two subsector financial analyses containing avoided disease-related costs as estimated in two cost-effectiveness analyses, on an elderly safety promotion programme (Safe Seniors in Sundbyberg) and on a diabetes prevention programme (Stockholm Diabetes Prevention Program, SDPP) from Stockholm, Sweden. The subsector financial analyses indicate that there are financial incentives for the key local community organisation, i.e. the local authority, to collaborate in one of the programmes but not the other. There are no financial benefits for other important community organisations, such as non-governmental organisations. The reasons for collaborating organisations to collaborate within intersectoral health promotion programmes extend beyond financial benefits from averted disease. Thus, the reported subsector financial analyses are only partial reflections of the incentives of collaborators, but they might be used as a starting point for discussions on cost sharing among potential intersectoral collaborators.

Attitudes towards motherhood of women with physical versus psychiatric disabilities.

PubMed

Hasson-Ohayon, Ilanit; Hason-Shaked, Meiran; Silberg, Tamar; Shpigelman, Carmit-Noa; Roe, David

2018-05-16

Women with disabilities may face social negative attitudes with regard to their being mothers. In addition, attitudes toward different disabilities form a hierarchy, with more positive attitudes being displayed toward persons with physical disabilities than toward persons with psychiatric disabilities. Current observational study examined whether the relationship between a woman's type of disability (psychiatric vs. physical) and the social attitude towards her would be moderated by her being presented as a mother. University students (N = 100) filled out the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities and the Social Distance Scale, after reading one of six randomly assigned fictitious vignettes. The vignettes consisted of a woman with a physical disability/a woman with a psychiatric disability/a woman without a disability, who either was or was not a mother. Type of disability was found to have a main effect in some attitude domains, suggesting that attitudes toward women with physical disabilities were better than attitudes towards women with psychiatric disabilities. An interaction between type of disability and motherhood was found for the interpersonal distress subscale of the attitudes scale. It was found that when women had physical disabilities, there was no change in attitude towards them regardless of whether they were presented as mothers or not; However, when the target woman had a psychiatric disability, and she was presented as a mother, negative attitudes were generated towards her. The study demonstrates the existence of a hierarchy of stigmatization and the effect of being a mother on stigmatization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Motherhood and Genetic Screening: A Personal Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Place, Fiona

2008-01-01

According to the medical profession the direction and scope of reproductive services such as IVF and pre-natal screening are based on solid evidence; the evidence indicates these are effective and safe services. Moreover, women want them. As a consequence these services are usually presented to the wider community in a positive light with images…

Safe sex self-efficacy and safe sex practice in a Southern United States College

PubMed Central

Addoh, Ovuokerie; Sng, Eveleen; Loprinzi, Paul D.

2017-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between safe sex self-efficacy and safe-sex practice in a Southern college setting. Methods: Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between safe sex self-efficacy in four domains (mechanics, partner disapproval, assertiveness, intoxicants) and safe sex practice (outcome variable). Results: For every 1-unit increase in the composite condom use self-efficacy score, there was an 8% increase in the odds of being beyond the median safe-sex practice score (odds ration [OR]: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02-1.15). Additionally, for every 1-unit increase in intoxicants self-efficacy score, there was a 31% increase in the odds of being beyond the median safe-sex practice score (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.08-1.58). Conclusion: A greater degree of safe-sex self-efficacy is associated with increased odds of safe-sex practice. These findings are informative for the development of targeted approaches to foster safe-sex behavior in Southern US colleges. PMID:28326287

Safe sedation practices among gastroenterology registrars: do we need more training?

PubMed Central

Mohanaruban, Aruchuna; Bryce, Kathleen; Radhakrishnan, Archchana; Gallaher, Joseph; Johnson, Gavin

2015-01-01

Endoscopy training is a central component of gastroenterology training for the vast majority of UK trainees, and integral to this is the practice of safe sedation. The majority of endoscopic procedures are performed with the patient under conscious sedation with a benzodiazepine, often combined with an opioid. Little data exists on the practice of sedation among gastroenterology trainees, including their degree of knowledge of the common sedation agents used and their actions. Using both an online and paper-based questionnaire, we surveyed current gastroenterology speciality trainees (ST) in the UK and received 78 responses giving a response rate of 10%. Fifty-one per cent of the trainees did not receive structured training in safe sedation, despite national guidelines advising this to be an essential part of the training programme, and 92% felt a structured sedation course would be beneficial. We also identified some gaps in trainees’ knowledge of the action of sedation agents. We propose that a formal training session in sedation or an e-learning module could be incorporated as part of a deanery or trust induction for gastroenterology trainees and kept under regular review. PMID:28839813

DroidSafe

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

branches of our work . 3.1 Understanding Sensitive API Call and API Information Usage Android applications are written in a type- safe language (Java...directly invoke resolved targets. Because DroidSafe works with a comprehensive model of the Android environment , it supports precise resolution of...STATEMENT. FOR THE CHIEF ENGINEER: / S / / S / MARK K. WILLIAMS WARREN H. DEBANY, JR. Work Unit Manager

A Safe Ride to School; A Safe Ride Home.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Board of Education, Springfield.

Text and illustrations are used to teach safe school bus riding practices. The guide begins with instructions to parents or guardians to set a good example of safe behavior, and to help children learn safety rules and be on time. Instructions to children concern obeying the bus driver, boarding the bus, riding the bus, crossing the road, and using…

Motherhood and subsistence work: the Tamang of rural Nepal.

PubMed

Panter-brick, C

1989-06-01

A time-allocation study conducted over a 1-year period among rural women in Nepal indicated that these women are able to perform rigorous subsistence labor during pregnancy and motherhood through cultural practices that facilitate a combining of economic and childcare duties. The fieldwork was conducted in 1982-83 in the predominately Tamang village of Salme. A total of 7678 hours of minute-by-minute observation were collected on Tamang women and their male kin from 43 households. The sample included 19 nonpregnant, nonlactating women and 24 pregnant or lactating mothers. Among the Tamang, agriculture is the responsibility of women, and nonpregnant and pregnant/lactating women devoted similar numbers of hours a day (5-8 hours, depending on the season) to working fields. In addition, there were no significant differences in the amount of time nonpregnant and pregnant/lactating women devoted to animal husbandry, mountain work, and travel. The Tamang women did not ease their workloads in the final weeks of pregnancy--a finding that is consistent with a practice of not making allowances in economic activity level for age, sex, physical fitness, or maternal status due to severe labor shortage and the tight time schedule inherent to agricultural production. On the other hand, there was evidence of behavioral flexibility to cope with the demands of women's dual roles. Mothers of infants take their babies to the fields with them and breastfeed during their rest periods. The use of mobile cattle shelters minimizes the amount of time that is spent away from children. Older children care for younger siblings--a phenomenon facilitated by the long interbirth intervals among the Tamang--and contractual exchanges take place among families. The health risk of this arrangement seems greatest for older children who are left behind during periods of intense agricultural activity and are often deprived of adequate nutrition.

Prediction of safe driving Behaviours based on health belief model: the case of taxi drivers in Bandar Abbas, Iran.

PubMed

Razmara, Asghar; Aghamolaei, Teamur; Madani, Abdoulhossain; Hosseini, Zahra; Zare, Shahram

2018-03-20

Road accidents are among the main causes of mortality. As safe and secure driving is a key strategy to reduce car injuries and offenses, the present research aimed to explore safe driving behaviours among taxi drivers based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). This study was conducted on 184 taxi drivers in Bandar Abbas who were selected based on a multiple stratified sampling method. Data were collected by a questionnaire comprised of a demographic information section along with the constructs of the HBM. Data were analysed by SPSS ver19 via a Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regressions. The mean age of the participants was 45.1 years (SD = 11.1). They all had, on average, 10.3 (SD = 7/5) years of taxi driving experience. Among the HBM components, cues to action and perceived benefits were shown to be positively correlated with safe driving behaviours, while perceived barriers were negatively correlated. Cues to action, perceived barriers and perceived benefits were shown to be the strongest predictors of a safe drivers' behaviour. Based on the results of this study in designing health promotion programmes to improve safe driving behaviours among taxi drivers, cues to action, perceived benefits and perceived barriers are important. Therefore, advertising, the design of information campaigns, emphasis on the benefits of safe driving behaviours and modification barriers are recommended.

Juggling work and motherhood: the impact of employment and maternity leave on breastfeeding duration: a survival analysis on Growing Up in Scotland data.

PubMed

Skafida, Valeria

2012-02-01

In 2005, Scotland became the first nation to make breastfeeding in public a legal right, but current breastfeeding targets and maternity leave allowance do not acknowledge the conflicting demands women face when juggling employment and motherhood. This paper explores how employment and maternity leave relate to breastfeeding duration among mothers in Scotland. The Growing Up in Scotland national longitudinal cohort study of 5,217 babies born in 2004-2005 was used. Multivariate proportional hazards regression models were specified using one cross-sectional wave of data to predict breastfeeding duration. Mothers working as employees, full-time (Hazard Ratio 1.6) or part-time (HR1.3), had a higher risk of earlier breastfeeding cessation than non-working mothers. However, self-employed mothers did not differ significantly from non-working mothers in their breastfeeding patterns. Mothers who took longer maternity leave breastfed for longer. The relationships between employment, maternity leave and breastfeeding duration were significant when controlling for known predictors of breastfeeding. Younger mothers, those with less formal education, single mothers, those of white ethnic background, and first-time mothers were more likely to stop breastfeeding sooner, as has been noted in previous research. Employment and early return to work are both factors associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding. More flexible working conditions and more generous employment leave could help to prolong breastfeeding among working mothers. Current health and employment policy in Scotland and the UK could be better coordinated so that working mothers have the adequate support to meet the conflicting demands of employment and motherhood.

Migrant women's perceptions of healthcare during pregnancy and early motherhood: addressing the social determinants of health.

PubMed

Almeida, Lígia Moreira; Casanova, Catarina; Caldas, José; Ayres-de-Campos, Diogo; Dias, Sónia

2014-08-01

Recent guidelines from the World Health Organization emphasize the need to monitor the social determinants of health, with particular focus on the most vulnerable groups. With this in mind, we evaluated the access, use and perceived quality of care received by migrant women during pregnancy and early motherhood, in a large urban area in northern Portugal. We performed semi-structured interviews in 25 recent mothers, contacted through welfare institutions, who had immigrated from Eastern European countries, Brazil, or Portuguese-speaking African countries. Six native-Portuguese women of equal economic status were also interviewed for comparison. Misinformation about legal rights and inadequate clarification during medical appointments frequently interacted with social determinants, such as low social-economic status, unemployment, and poor living conditions, to result in lower perceived quality of healthcare. Special attention needs to be given to the most vulnerable populations in order to improve healthcare. Challenges reside not only in assuring access, but also in promoting equity in the quality of care.

3D printing of robotic soft actuators with programmable bioinspired architectures.

PubMed

Schaffner, Manuel; Faber, Jakob A; Pianegonda, Lucas; Rühs, Patrick A; Coulter, Fergal; Studart, André R

2018-02-28

Soft actuation allows robots to interact safely with humans, other machines, and their surroundings. Full exploitation of the potential of soft actuators has, however, been hindered by the lack of simple manufacturing routes to generate multimaterial parts with intricate shapes and architectures. Here, we report a 3D printing platform for the seamless digital fabrication of pneumatic silicone actuators exhibiting programmable bioinspired architectures and motions. The actuators comprise an elastomeric body whose surface is decorated with reinforcing stripes at a well-defined lead angle. Similar to the fibrous architectures found in muscular hydrostats, the lead angle can be altered to achieve elongation, contraction, or twisting motions. Using a quantitative model based on lamination theory, we establish design principles for the digital fabrication of silicone-based soft actuators whose functional response is programmed within the material's properties and architecture. Exploring such programmability enables 3D printing of a broad range of soft morphing structures.

Dangers associated with civil nuclear power programmes: weaponization and nuclear waste.

PubMed

Boulton, Frank

2015-07-24

The number of nuclear power plants in the world rose exponentially to 420 by 1990 and peaked at 438 in 2002; but by 2014, as closed plants were not replaced, there were just 388. In spite of using more renewable energy, the world still relies on fossil fuels, but some countries plan to develop new nuclear programmes. Spent nuclear fuel, one of the most dangerous and toxic materials known, can be reprocessed into fresh fuel or into weapons-grade materials, and generates large amounts of highly active waste. This article reviews available literature on government and industry websites and from independent analysts on world energy production, the aspirations of the 'new nuclear build' programmes in China and the UK, and the difficulties in keeping the environment safe over an immense timescale while minimizing adverse health impacts and production of greenhouse gases, and preventing weaponization by non-nuclear-weapons states acquiring civil nuclear technology.

Process evaluation of the teacher training for an AIDS prevention programme.

PubMed

Ahmed, Nazeema; Flisher, Alan J; Mathews, Catherine; Jansen, Shahieda; Mukoma, Wanjiru; Schaalma, Herman

2006-10-01

This paper provides a process evaluation of a 6-day teacher training programme which forms part of a sexuality education project. The training aimed at providing teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively teach a 16-lesson Grade 8 (14 year olds) life skills curriculum consisting of participatory exercises on sexual reproductive health, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), sexual decision-making, abstinence, consequences of sexual activity, safe sex practices, substance abuse and sexual violence. Questionnaires administered prior to the training, on completion of the training and at two follow-up time periods were analysed as well as participant observation notes. Findings indicate that teachers reported increased confidence and comfort in teaching the sexuality curriculum. However, many struggled with the transfer of sexual reproductive knowledge and facilitative teaching methods into the classroom context. This highlights the need for HIV education to form part of teacher trainee programmes. Ongoing support and engagement with teachers is needed to encourage alternative teaching practices.

Readjusting one's life in the tension inherent in work and motherhood.

PubMed

Alstveit, Marit; Severinsson, Elisabeth; Karlsen, Bjørg

2011-10-01

This paper is a report on a study undertaken to interpret employed first-time mothers' experiences of returning to work after maternity leave, in a Norwegian context. Despite the increasing rate of employed fertile women and increasing welfare benefits to support the work-life balance, the first years after giving birth are described as being the most demanding on mothers' health. However, little is known about mothers' experiences of returning to work after maternity leave. The study included nine Norwegian employees who were individually interviewed during the first months after their return to work following maternity leave. The interviews were conducted during 2009 and interpreted using a method grounded in hermeneutics. Overall, the meaning of returning to work was interpreted as 'Readjusting one's life in the tension inherent in work and motherhood'. This comprehensive theme was based on three sub-themes: (a) Striving to manage the workload and taking responsibility for the best interests of the child, (b) Struggling with feelings of not being a good enough mother, and (c) Maintaining a balance between sensitivity and self-confidence. Returning to work after maternity leave appears to be a transitional phase that can be critical to the well-being of first-time mothers. To support women during this phase, employers and public health nurses should monitor the work in relation to the women's capacity and value their competence both as employees and mothers. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Use Medicines Safely

MedlinePlus

... Medicines Safely Print This Topic En español Use Medicines Safely Browse Sections The Basics Overview Prescription Medicines ... Medicines 1 of 7 sections The Basics: Prescription Medicines There are different types of medicine. The 2 ...

Picture Me Safe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irvin, Daniel W.

1977-01-01

The validity of well-written articles can be destroyed by poor illustration, especially when the pictures show unsafe practices. The responsibility lies with the author to provide clear printable pictures showing safe working environments and safe practices. (Editor)

A Mother’s Heart is Weighed Down with Stones: A Phenomenological Approach to the Experience of Transnational Motherhood

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Although recent scholarship on transnational mothers has rigorously examined the effect of migration on gender constructs and ideologies, it neglects analysis of the lived experience of separated mothers and children. In privileging the exploration of transnational separations through the single analytical lens of gender, such research reduces the embodied distress of mothers and children to mere “gender false consciousness.” This paper calls upon anthropologists to redress this oversight by undertaking a phenomenological analysis of the lived experience of transnational motherhood. Eschewing an analysis of mothers and children as isolated social roles, I show that the suffering of mothers and children is profoundly relational. Through analysis of the narratives of undocumented Salvadoran mothers residing in the U.S., I show how the strain of such mothers’ undocumented status is lived and shouldered within the intersubjective space of the family. PMID:19101786

Safe Schools/Safe Communities: A Directory of Resources for Pennsylvania.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania State Dept. of Education, Harrisburg.

This document contains a directory of resources available in Pennsylvania to help achieve the goal of safe schools. Following a copy of the Safe Schools Act of 1993, nine sections list agencies that provide services and products under the headings of: conflict resolution/mediation, gangs, suicide, crisis response, family violence, diversity,…

Lessons Learned from Safe Kids/Safe Streets. Juvenile Justice Bulletin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronin, Roberta; Gragg, Frances; Schultz, Dana; Eisen, Karla

2006-01-01

This bulletin reports results from an evaluation of six sites of the Safe Kids/Safe Streets (SK/SS) program, which applies a comprehensive, collaborative approach to the child maltreatment field. The bulletin provides insights into collaboration building, systems reform, service options, and other strategies. Among the findings were that the SK/SS…

76 FR 12719 - Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Safe Schools/Healthy...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-08

... official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Office of Safe and Drug- Free... telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339...

Description and student self-evaluation of a pilot integrated small group learning and simulation programme for medical students in the first clinical year.

PubMed

Levinson, Michele; Kelly, Diane; Zahariou, Krisoula; Johnson, Matthew; Jackman, Christine; Mackenzie, Sara

2017-02-01

Contemporary education for medical students should be student-centred, integrated and contextualised. Small group learning promotes clinical reasoning and skills for lifelong learning. Simulation can provide experiential learning in a safe and controlled environment. We developed a weekly integrated problem-based learning and simulation programme (IPS) over two semesters in the first clinical year to augment clinical placement experience and contextualise theory into work-relevant practice. To evaluate the new programme at Kirkpatrick level 1. An anonymous survey of participating students. The programme was well liked. Students found the programme relevant and that they had a better understanding of patient safety and the assessment of the deteriorating patient. They felt it contributed to integration of theory and practice, clinical reasoning and the acquisition of non-technical skills, particularly affective and communication elements. This IPS programme in the first clinical year can deliver a student-centred curriculum to complement clinical placement that delivers the important requirements of contemporary medical student education. © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Irish nursing students' changing levels of assertiveness during their pre-registration programme.

PubMed

Begley, Cecily M; Glacken, Michèle

2004-10-01

Stress and bullying have been found to be common problems in a number of studies of Irish nursing and midwifery. Victims of bullying need high levels of assertiveness to enable them to withstand the stress of victimization. It was deemed important to measure nursing students' level of assertiveness prior to, and near completion of, their pre-registration education programme. Aim. To ascertain nursing students' perceived levels of assertiveness prior to, and nearing the completion of, their three-year pre-registration programme. Ethical approval was given. The students commencing general nurse education programmes in two schools in Southern Ireland agreed to take part (n=72). A questionnaire adapted from a number of assertiveness scales, and tested for validity and reliability in this population, was used to collect data. In general, students' reported assertiveness levels rose as they approached completion of their three-year education programme. The resource constrained health service of the 21st century requires nurses who are assertive to meet the needs of its users. Nursing students' assertiveness skills could be augmented through concentrated efforts from nurse educationalists and clinicians to reduce the communication theory practice gap in nurse education today. To address the multi-dimensional nature of assertiveness, strategies to increase assertiveness should operate at the individual, interface and organisational level. The students in this study reported an increase in levels of assertiveness as they approached completion of their three-year education programme. To function as effective, safe practitioners registered nurses need to be assertive, therefore education in assertiveness should be an integral part of their preparation. The precise composition and mode of delivery of this education requires exploration and evaluation.

The need for theory evaluation in global citizenship programmes: The case of the GCSA programme.

PubMed

Goodier, Sarah; Field, Carren; Goodman, Suki

2018-02-01

Many education programmes lack a documented programme theory. This is a problem for programme planners and evaluators as the ability to measure programme success is grounded in the plausibility of the programme's underlying causal logic. Where the programme theory has not been documented, conducting a theory evaluation offers a foundational evaluation step as it gives an indication of whether the theory behind a programme is sound. This paper presents a case of a theory evaluation of a Global Citizenship programme at a top-ranking university in South Africa, subsequently called the GCSA Programme. This evaluation highlights the need for documented programme theory in global citizenship-type programmes for future programme development. An articulated programme theory produced for the GCSA Programme, analysed against the available social science literature, indicated it is comparable to other such programmes in terms of its overarching framework. What the research found is that most other global citizenship programmes do not have an articulated programme theory. These programmes also do not explicitly link their specific activities to their intended outcomes, making demonstrating impact impossible. In conclusion, we argue that taking a theory-based approach can strengthen and enable outcome evaluations in global citizenship programmes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Safe syringe disposal is related to safe syringe access among HIV-positive injection drug users.

PubMed

Coffin, Phillip O; Latka, Mary H; Latkin, Carl; Wu, Yingfeng; Purcell, David W; Metsch, Lisa; Gomez, Cynthia; Gourevitch, Marc N

2007-09-01

We evaluated the effect of syringe acquisition on syringe disposal among HIV-positive injection drug users (IDUs) in Baltimore, New York City, and San Francisco (N = 680; mean age 42 years, 62% male, 59% African-American, 21% Hispanic, 12% White). Independent predictors of safe disposal were acquiring syringes through a safe source and ever visiting a syringe exchange program. Weaker predictors included living in San Francisco, living in the area longer, less frequent binge drinking, injecting with an HIV+ partner, peer norms supporting safe injection, and self-empowerment. Independent predictors of safe "handling"-both acquiring and disposing of syringes safely-also included being from New York and being older. HIV-positive IDUs who obtain syringes from a safe source are more likely to safely dispose; peer norms contribute to both acquisition and disposal. Interventions to improve disposal should include expanding sites of safe syringe acquisition while enhancing disposal messages, alternatives, and convenience.

Digital Device Architecture and the Safe Use of Flash Devices in Munitions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard B.; Flowers, David; Bergevin, Keith

2017-01-01

Flash technology is being utilized in fuzed munition applications and, based on the development of digital logic devices in the commercial world, usage of flash technology will increase. Digital devices of interest to designers include flash-based microcontrollers and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Almost a decade ago, a study was undertaken to determine if flash-based microcontrollers could be safely used in fuzes and, if so, how should such devices be applied. The results were documented in the Technical Manual for the Use of Logic Devices in Safety Features. This paper will first review the Technical Manual and discuss the rationale behind the suggested architectures for microcontrollers and a brief review of the concern about data retention in flash cells. An architectural feature in the microcontroller under study will be discussed and its use will show how to screen for weak or failed cells during manufacture, storage, or immediately prior to use. As was done for microcontrollers a decade ago, architectures for a flash-based FPGA will be discussed, showing how it can be safely used in fuzes. Additionally, architectures for using non-volatile (including flash-based) storage will be discussed for SRAM-based FPGAs.

Abortion law in Nepal: the road to reform.

PubMed

Thapa, Shyam

2004-11-01

In 2002 Nepal's parliament passed a liberal abortion law, after nearly three decades of reform efforts. This paper reviews the history of the movement for reform and the combination of factors that contributed to its success. These include sustained advocacy for reform; the dissemination of knowledge, information and evidence; adoption of the reform agenda by the public sector and its leadership in involving other stakeholders; the existence of work for safe motherhood as the context in which the initiative could gain support; an active women's rights movement and support from international and multilateral organisations; sustained involvement of local NGOs, civil society and professional organisations; the involvement of journalists and the media; the absence of significant opposition; courageous government officials and an enabling democratic political system. The overriding rationale for reforming the abortion law in Nepal has been to ensure safe motherhood and women's rights. The first government abortion services officially began in March 2004 at the Maternity Hospital in Kathmandu; services will be expanded gradually to other public and private hospitals and private clinics in the coming years.

Does antenatal education reduce fear of childbirth?

PubMed

Karabulut, Ö; Coşkuner Potur, D; Doğan Merih, Y; Cebeci Mutlu, S; Demirci, N

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of antenatal education on fear of childbirth, acceptance of pregnancy and identification with motherhood role. There is insufficient evidence pertaining to the effect of antenatal education on fear of childbirth, acceptance of pregnancy and identification with motherhood role. The purpose of antenatal education is to help couples make the right decisions during delivery. Through antenatal education, couples prepare themselves for delivery. This is a quasi-experimental and prospective study that employs a pre- and post-education model. In total, 192 pregnant women (education group, n = 69 and control group, n = 123) participated in the study. Data were collected using the pregnancy identification form: the Prenatal Self-Evaluation Questionnaire and a version of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire. Prior to participating in the study, the education group and control group had similar levels of acceptance of pregnancy and identification with motherhood role, whereas a significant difference was found in their fear of childbirth levels. When surveyed again after receiving education, the two groups' levels of acceptance of pregnancy and fear of childbirth were found to be significantly different. However, they had similar levels of identification with the motherhood role. Antenatal education appears to increase the acceptance of pregnancy, does not affect the identification with motherhood role and reduces the fear of childbirth. A systematic antenatal education programme, as part of routine antenatal care services, would help reduce the rate of interventional labour and facilitate pregnant women's conscious participation in the act of labour by reducing their fear of childbirth. © 2015 International Council of Nurses.

Satisfaction with life during pregnancy and early motherhood in first-time mothers of advanced age: a population-based longitudinal study.

PubMed

Aasheim, Vigdis; Waldenström, Ulla; Rasmussen, Svein; Espehaug, Birgitte; Schytt, Erica

2014-02-25

The trend to delay motherhood to the age of 30 and beyond is established in most high-income countries but relatively little is known about potential effects on maternal emotional well-being. This study investigates satisfaction with life during pregnancy and the first three years of motherhood in women expecting their first baby at an advanced and very advanced age. The study was based on the National Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Data on 18 565 nulliparous women recruited in the second trimester 1999-2008 were used. Four questionnaires were completed: at around gestational weeks 17 and 30, and at six months and three years after the birth. Medical data were retrieved from the national Medical Birth Register. Advanced age was defined as 32-37 years, very advanced age as ≥38 years and the reference group as 25-31 years. The distribution of satisfaction with life from age 25 to ≥40 years was investigated, and the mean satisfaction with life at the four time points was estimated. Logistic regression analyses based on generalised estimation equations were used to investigate associations between advanced and very advanced age and satisfaction with life when controlling for socio-demographic factors. Satisfaction with life decreased from around age 28 to age 40 and beyond, when measured in gestational weeks 17 and 30, and at six months and three years after the birth. When comparing women of advanced and very advanced age with the reference group, satisfaction with life was slightly reduced in the two older age groups and most of all in women of very advanced age. Women of very advanced age had the lowest scores at all time points and this was most pronounced at three years after the birth. First-time mothers of advanced and very advanced age reported a slightly lower degree of satisfaction with life compared with the reference group of younger women, and the age-related effect was greatest

Creating a culture to support patient safety. The contribution of a multidisciplinary team development programme to collaborative working.

PubMed

Benson, Anne

2010-01-01

Effective teamwork is crucial for ensuring the provision of safe high quality care. Teams whose members collaborate through questioning, reflecting on and reviewing their work, offering each other feedback and where reporting is encouraged are more likely to promote a safe environment of care. This paper describes a multidisciplinary development programme intended to increase team effectiveness. The teams that took part developed their ability to work collaboratively together with levels of open dialogue, critical reflection and direct feedback increasing. The paper goes on to discuss aspects of the programme which were helpful in enabling these positive changes and concludes with a number of recommendations for those commissioning and facilitating team development initiatives. These include: the need for people from different disciplines and different levels within the hierarchy to spend time reviewing their work together, the need to explicitly address issues of power and authority, the usefulness taking an action orientated approach and requiring participants to work on real issues together, the importance of providing sufficient time and resource to support people to work with the challenges associated with implementing change and addressing team dynamics, The importance of skilled facilitation.

Safe Grid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chow, Edward T.; Stewart, Helen; Korsmeyer, David (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

The biggest users of GRID technologies came from the science and technology communities. These consist of government, industry and academia (national and international). The NASA GRID is moving into a higher technology readiness level (TRL) today; and as a joint effort among these leaders within government, academia, and industry, the NASA GRID plans to extend availability to enable scientists and engineers across these geographical boundaries collaborate to solve important problems facing the world in the 21 st century. In order to enable NASA programs and missions to use IPG resources for program and mission design, the IPG capabilities needs to be accessible from inside the NASA center networks. However, because different NASA centers maintain different security domains, the GRID penetration across different firewalls is a concern for center security people. This is the reason why some IPG resources are been separated from the NASA center network. Also, because of the center network security and ITAR concerns, the NASA IPG resource owner may not have full control over who can access remotely from outside the NASA center. In order to obtain organizational approval for secured remote access, the IPG infrastructure needs to be adapted to work with the NASA business process. Improvements need to be made before the IPG can be used for NASA program and mission development. The Secured Advanced Federated Environment (SAFE) technology is designed to provide federated security across NASA center and NASA partner's security domains. Instead of one giant center firewall which can be difficult to modify for different GRID applications, the SAFE "micro security domain" provide large number of professionally managed "micro firewalls" that can allow NASA centers to accept remote IPG access without the worry of damaging other center resources. The SAFE policy-driven capability-based federated security mechanism can enable joint organizational and resource owner approved remote

Experiences of women seeking medical care for obstetric fistula in Eritrea: implications for prevention, treatment, and social reintegration.

PubMed

Turan, Janet Molzan; Johnson, Khaliah; Polan, Mary Lake

2007-01-01

This article presents findings from qualitative interviews with women seeking medical care for obstetric fistula in Eritrea. The interviews were designed to inform programme design for the prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula. Interviews were conducted with 11 new fistula repair patients, 15 women returning for follow-up for their fistula repairs, and five accompanying family members at Massawa Hospital in the Northern Red Sea Zone of Eritrea during November-December 2004. The women described long delays in accessing emergency obstetric care due to delayed recognition of the seriousness of the problem and lack of transportation from remote villages. Follow-up patients described improvements in their conditions, but many continued to have problems with incontinence and sexual health. Both new and returning patients lacked specific information about their condition, what to expect in terms of treatment and recovery, and how to care for themselves. The findings point to a need for community mobilization and education on safe motherhood for prevention of fistula, as well as for improved information, counselling, follow-up, and social services for women who develop obstetric fistulas.

Maternal Health Situation in India: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Mavalankar, Dileep V.; Ramani, K.V.; Upadhyaya, Mudita; Sharma, Bharati; Iyengar, Sharad; Gupta, Vikram; Iyengar, Kirti

2009-01-01

Since the beginning of the Safe Motherhood Initiative, India has accounted for at least a quarter of maternal deaths reported globally. India's goal is to lower maternal mortality to less than 100 per 100,000 livebirths but that is still far away despite its programmatic efforts and rapid economic progress over the past two decades. Geographical vastness and sociocultural diversity mean that maternal mortality varies across the states, and uniform implementation of health-sector reforms is not possible. The case study analyzes the trends in maternal mortality nationally, the maternal healthcare-delivery system at different levels, and the implementation of national maternal health programmes, including recent innovative strategies. It identifies the causes for limited success in improving maternal health and suggests measures to rectify them. It recommends better reporting of maternal deaths and implementation of evidence-based, focused strategies along with effective monitoring for rapid progress. It also stresses the need for regulation of the private sector and encourages further public-private partnerships and policies, along with a strong political will and improved management capacity for improving maternal health. PMID:19489415

Why gender matters in the solution towards safe sanitation? Reflections from rural India.

PubMed

Khanna, Tina; Das, Madhumita

2016-12-01

While the topic of women and water, sanitation and hygiene is a widely accepted concern among academics and activists, it continues to be an issue in developing countries with serious consequences. Based on a qualitative research conducted in rural Uttar Pradesh, India, the paper affirms that sanitation issues for women and girls are compounded by inequitable gender norms that put them at greater risk of experiencing violence and multiple health vulnerabilities. Women, despite having a high demand for safe toilet facilities, continue to practise unsafe sanitation. The findings highlight the role of three structural constraints as the key factors influencing toilet construction and use: poverty, inadequate sanitation policy and its implementation and gender-based power dynamics at the household level. The paper concludes by emphasising the relevance of engendering sanitation programmes and policies by involving women and girls in the planning process to ensure that dignified and gender-sensitive sanitation solutions are developed. The paper also stresses the need to have measures for strengthening and effectively implementing a sanitation policy for the poor and for programmes to work with both men and women to address gender power relations which influence toilet adoption and use.

Rubella elimination programme strengthened through measles elimination programme in Catalonia.

PubMed

Domínguez, Angela; Torner, Nuria; Martínez, Ana; Costa, Josep; Plans, Pere; Ciruela, Pilar; Salleras, Lluís

2006-02-27

The drastic fall in rubella cases recorded in Catalonia from 1988 on, when the second dose of Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine was implemented, and especially from 1998, when the measles elimination programme began, led to the introduction, in May 2002, of the rubella and congenital rubella syndrome elimination by 2005 programme. From May 2002 to May 2004, 13 suspected rubella cases were reported to the Statutory Disease Reporting System; of these, one postnatal case and one congenital rubella case were confirmed (15.4%), both being imported cases. Through the screening of viruses established in the measles elimination programme, 28 possible cases were analyzed and six (21.4%) confirmed imported postnatal rubella cases were detected. The small number and imported nature of the cases of rubella and the detection of the majority of the confirmed cases through the measles elimination programme, strongly suggests that both programmes should continue.

Safe Manual Jettison

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barton, Jay

2008-01-01

In space, the controlled release of certain cargoes is no less useful than the maritime jettisons from which they take their name but is also much more dangerous. Experience has shown that jettisons can be performed safely, but the process is complicated with the path to performing a jettison taking months or even years. In the background, time is also required to write procedures, train the crew, configure the vehicle, and many other activities. This paper outlines the current process used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for manual jettisons, detailing the methods used to assure that the jettisons and the jettisoned objects are as safe as achievable and that the crew is adequately trained to be able to affect the safe jettison. The goal of this paper is not only to capture what it takes to perform safe jettisons in the near Earth environment but to extrapolate this knowledge to future space exploration scenarios that will likely have Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and International Partner (IP) interfaces.

Scottish Bowel Screening Programme Colonoscopy Quality - scope for improvement?

PubMed

Quyn, A J; Fraser, C G; Stanners, G; Carey, F A; Rees, C J; Moores, B; Steele, R J

2018-06-04

The delivery of the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme (SBoSP) is rooted in the provision of a high quality, effective and participant-centred service. Safe and effective colonoscopy forms an integral part of the process. Additional accreditation as part of a multi-faceted programme for participating colonoscopists, as in England, does not exist in Scotland. This study aimed to describe the quality of colonoscopy in the SBoSP and compare this to the English national screening standards. Data were collected from the SBoSP between 2007 and 2014. End-points for analysis were caecal intubation, cancer, polyp and adenoma detection, and complications. Overall results were compared with 2012 published English national standards for screening and outcomes from 2006-2009. During the study period 53,332 participants attended for colonoscopy. Colonoscopy completion rate was 95.6% overall. The mean cancer detection rate (CDR) was 7.1%, the polyp detection rate (PDR) 45.7% and the adenoma detection rate (ADR) was 35.5%.The overall complication rate was 0.47%. Colonoscopy quality in the SBoSP has exceeded the standard set for screening colonoscopy in England, despite not adopting a multi-faceted programme for screening colonoscopy. However, the overall ADR in Scotland was 9.1% lower than that in England which has implications for colonoscopy quality and may have an impact on the cancer prevention rates, a key aim of the SBoSP. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Auditing emergency management programmes: Measuring leading indicators of programme performance.

PubMed

Tomsic, Heather

Emergency Management Programmes benefit from review and measurement against established criteria. By measuring current vs required programme elements for their actual currency, completeness and effectiveness, the resulting timely reports of achievements and documentation of identified gaps can effectively be used to rationally support prioritised improvement. Audits, with their detailed, triangulated and objectively weighted processes, are the ultimate approach in terms of programme content measurement. Although Emergency Management is often presented as a wholly separate operational mechanism, distinct and functionally different from the organisation's usual management structure, this characterisation is only completely accurate while managing an emergency itself. Otherwise, an organisation's Emergency Management Programme is embedded within that organisation and dependent upon it. Therefore, the organisation's culture and structure of management, accountability and measurement must be engaged for the programme to exist, much less improve. A wise and successful Emergency Management Coordinator does not let the separate and distinct nature of managing an emergency obscure their realisation of the need for an organisation to understand and manage all of the other programme components as part of its regular business practices. This includes its measurement. Not all organisations are sufficiently large or capable of supporting the use of an audit. This paper proposes that alternate, less formal, yet effective mechanisms can be explored, as long as they reflect and support organisational management norms, including a process of relatively informal measurement focused on the organisation's own perception of key Emergency Management Programme performance indicators.

Attitudes towards motherhood and fertility awareness among 20-40-year-old female healthcare professionals.

PubMed

Mortensen, Luise Lermark; Hegaard, Hanne Kristine; Andersen, Anders Nyboe; Bentzen, Janne Gasseholm

2012-12-01

To explore attitudes towards family formation and fertility awareness among Danish female healthcare professionals. We collected cross-sectional baseline data from a prospective cohort study of 863 women, ranging in age from 20 to 40 years, working at a hospital in Denmark. Information about participants' intentions and attitudes towards family formation and fertility knowledge was gathered by means of a questionnaire. Only 2% of the respondents did not want children. Most women believed that motherhood is important, and hoped to have two to three children. About half of the respondents intended to have their last child after the age of 35 years. The most important prerequisites for family formation included: living in a stable relationship, having completed one's studies, a sound financial situation, a job that can be kept when having children, access to public child day care, and the possibility of travelling. As many as 50% of women underrated the impact of a woman's age on fertility, and overestimated the success rates of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments. Many female healthcare professionals contemplated giving birth after the age of 35 years. Knowledge of fertility and ART success rates is needed to make well-informed decisions about when to have children.

Is praziquantel therapy safe during pregnancy?

PubMed

Adam, Ishag; Elwasila, El Taib; Homeida, Mamoun

2004-09-01

Schistosomiasis control programmes are generally based on mass distribution of praziquantel (PZQ). This approach has been further strengthened by studies that demonstrated reduction in schistosomiasis-related morbidity following regular use of PZQ. Many women were excluded from this therapy when pregnant. Since a high degree of parity is achieved in many schistosomiasis-endemic regions, excluded women often miss treatment and consequently the beneficial effect of this therapy. This study investigated the effect of PZQ therapy on pregnancy in the Gezira region of Sudan. As part of the Blue Nile Health Project, more than 320,000 individuals received annual treatment with PZQ from 1980 to 1990. The present study reviewed the treatment records of all women between 1990 and 1995 in four villages. Eighty-eight of 637 women interviewed had received PZQ during their pregnancy. The outcome and the effect of PZQ therapy on their offspring were compared with a group of 549 women who had not received the drug during pregnancy. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the rate of abortion or preterm deliveries. No congenital abnormalities were noted by clinical examination in any of the babies born to either group. This retrospective study suggested that PZQ therapy is safe during pregnancy.

Evaluating SafeClub: can risk management training improve the safety activities of community soccer clubs?

PubMed

Abbott, K; Klarenaar, P; Donaldson, A; Sherker, S

2008-06-01

To evaluate a sports safety-focused risk-management training programme. Controlled before and after test. Four community soccer associations in Sydney, Australia. 76 clubs (32 intervention, 44 control) at baseline, and 67 clubs (27 intervention, 40 control) at post-season and 12-month follow-ups. SafeClub, a sports safety-focused risk-management training programme (3x2 hour sessions) based on adult-learning principles and injury-prevention concepts and models. Changes in mean policy, infrastructure and overall safety scores as measured using a modified version of the Sports Safety Audit Tool. There was no significant difference in the mean policy, infrastructure and overall safety scores of intervention and control clubs at baseline. Intervention clubs achieved higher post-season mean policy (11.9 intervention vs 7.5 controls), infrastructure (15.2 vs 10.3) and overall safety (27.0 vs 17.8) scores than did controls. These differences were greater at the 12-month follow-up: policy (16.4 vs 7.6); infrastructure (24.7 vs 10.7); and overall safety (41.1 vs 18.3). General linear modelling indicated that intervention clubs achieved statistically significantly higher policy (p<0.001), infrastructure (p<0.001) and overall safety (p<0.001) scores compared with control clubs at the post-season and 12-month follow-ups. There was also a significant linear interaction of time and group for all three scores: policy (p<0.001), infrastructure (p<0.001) and overall safety (p<0.001). SafeClub effectively assisted community soccer clubs to improve their sports safety activities, particularly the foundations and processes for good risk-management practice, in a sustainable way.

Development and perceived effects of an educational programme on quality and safety in medication handling in residential facilities.

PubMed

Mygind, Anna; El-Souri, Mira; Rossing, Charlotte; Thomsen, Linda Aagaard

2018-04-01

To develop and test an educational programme on quality and safety in medication handling for staff in residential facilities for the disabled. The continuing pharmacy education instructional design model was used to develop the programme with 22 learning objectives on disease and medicines, quality and safety, communication and coordination. The programme was a flexible, modular seven + two days' course addressing quality and safety in medication handling, disease and medicines, and medication supervision and reconciliation. The programme was tested in five Danish municipalities. Municipalities were selected based on their application for participation; each independently selected a facility for residents with mental and intellectual disabilities, and a facility for residents with severe mental illnesses. Perceived effects were measured based on a questionnaire completed by participants before and after the programme. Effects on motivation and confidence as well as perceived effects on knowledge, skills and competences related to medication handling, patient empowerment, communication, role clarification and safety culture were analysed conducting bivariate, stratified analyses and test for independence. Of the 114 participants completing the programme, 75 participants returned both questionnaires (response rate = 66%). Motivation and confidence regarding quality and safety in medication handling significantly improved, as did perceived knowledge, skills and competences on 20 learning objectives on role clarification, safety culture, medication handling, patient empowerment and communication. The programme improved staffs' motivation and confidence and their perceived ability to handle residents' medication safely through improved role clarification, safety culture, medication handling and patient empowerment and communication skills. © 2017 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Buying & Using Medicine Safely

MedlinePlus

... Generic Drugs - Patient Education Resources Patient and Prescriber materials: Videos, PSAs, factsheets and more. Spotlight Drugs@FDA Index to Drug-Specific Information Protecting Yourself Safe Disposal of Medicines Generic Medicines – safe, effective and ...

Being normal, not vulnerable: case study of a 2-day residential programme for young adults with cancer

PubMed Central

Martins, Ana; Taylor, Rachel M; Morgan, Sue; Fern, Lorna A

2017-01-01

Objectives To identify and describe the outcomes and facilitating processes of participation at ‘Find Your Sense of Tumour’ (FYSOT), a 2-day residential programme/conference for young people with cancer, from the perspective of professionals attending and patient representatives. Design Case study. Setting Observation of the ‘Find Your Sense of Tumour’ over 18s residential programme and face-to-face interviews in hospital and phone interviews. Participants Twenty-six participants — 19 professionals from hospitals across the UK who accompanied young people to FYSOT; 3 programme organisers; and 4 young people from the programme steering committee. Methods Participant observation and semistructured interviews. Results This process evaluation of an educational, social and peer-to-peer support residential weekend for young people with cancer identified key outcomes for young people — positive attitudes (increased sociability, confidence), belonging (feeling accepted, understood), recreation (trying new activities, having fun) and increased knowledge (balance between educational talks and interactions with other young people); and three overarching facilitating processes — being with other young people, the professionals accompanying young people to the event for support and guidance, and the conference/intentional programming. Being in a safe, relaxed and fun environment with other young people facilitates the development of peer support networks and increases young people’s confidence and knowledge. Although the focus of the residential programme is on young people, interviewees acknowledge the impact of attending on professionals’ motivation, learning and changes in practice. Conclusions This study has extended our understanding of the role of residential programmes by identifying outcomes and facilitating mechanisms. We have shown that residential programmes have an important role in providing participants with social, emotional and informational

The research group, the conference programme and academic training in safety promotion - a report of the activities at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.

PubMed

Hörte, Lars-Gunnar; Jansson, Bjarne; Svanström, Leif

2012-01-01

The research group was established in 1967 at Lund University and moved to Karolinska Institutet in 1980. Work began with epidemiological studies of all injuries in the local community in support of various experimental local interventions. An important element was the creation of 'surveillance systems' in healthcare. The work resulted in the establishment of a WHO Collaborating Centre and an international safety-building programme called 'Safe Communities'. In parallel, training at both master's and doctoral level and the building of a conference programme were embarked upon. The research group consists of three sections. Specific efforts are being made by some countries to address their own injury problems.

Determinants of prenatal care use: evidence from 32 low-income countries across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

PubMed

Guliani, Harminder; Sepehri, Ardeshir; Serieux, John

2014-08-01

While much has been written on the determinants of prenatal care attendance in low-income countries, comparatively little is known about the determinants of the frequency of prenatal visits in general and whether there are separate processes generating the decisions to use prenatal care and the frequency of use. Using the Demographic and Health Surveys data for 32 low-income countries (across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America) and appropriate two-part and multilevel models, this article empirically assesses the influence of a wide array of observed individual-, household- and community-level characteristics on a woman's decision to use prenatal care and the frequency of that use, while controlling for unobserved community level factors. The results suggest that, though both the decision to use care and the number of prenatal visits are influenced by a range of observed individual-, household- and community-level characteristics, the influence of these determinants vary in magnitude for prenatal care attendance and the frequency of prenatal visits. Despite remarkable consistency among regions in the association of individual, household and community indicators with prenatal care utilization, the estimated coefficients of the risk factors vary greatly across the three world regions. The strong influence of household wealth, education and regional poverty on the use of prenatal care suggests that safe motherhood programmes should be linked with the objectives of social development programmes such as poverty reduction, enhancing the status of women and increasing primary and secondary school enrolment rate among girls. Finally, the finding that teenage mothers and unmarried women and those with unintended pregnancies are less likely to use prenatal care and have fewer visits suggests that safe mother programmes need to pay particular attention to the disadvantaged and vulnerable subgroups of population whose reproductive health issues are often fraught with

Effect of pelvic floor muscle exercise programme on stress urinary incontinence among pregnant women.

PubMed

Sangsawang, Bussara; Serisathien, Yaowalak

2012-09-01

This article is a report of a study of the effects of a pelvic floor muscle exercise programme on the severity of stress urinary incontinence in pregnant women. Pregnancy is main risk factor for the development of stress urinary incontinence. Stress urinary incontinence can be cured by pelvic floor muscle exercise which is a safe inexpensive treatment with no complications and does not require the use of instruments. A quasi-experimental study, pre-post test with control group design was used at the antenatal care unit in a tertiary care hospital between June and October of 2006. The participants were 66 pregnant women who had stress urinary incontinence with gestational ages of 20-30 weeks. The main outcome measure was severity of stress urinary incontinence which comprised frequency and amount of urine leakage and perceived severity of stress urinary incontinence. After the experimental group's participation in the pelvic floor muscle exercise programme, the frequency and amount of urine leakage and the score of perceived stress urinary incontinence severity were significantly lower than the same scores before participation in the programme. In addition, women in the experimental group had frequency and volume of urine leakage, and score of perceived stress urinary incontinence severity after participation significantly lower than those in the control group. The 6-week pelvic floor muscle exercise programme was able to decrease the severity of symptoms in pregnant women with stress urinary incontinence. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cultivating the Art of Safe Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Mary Ann

2008-01-01

Performance-making and peace-building are processes predicated on the production of safe space. But what is "safe space"? In performance-making, what is it that makes space safe without losing the creative potential of tension? What role is there for risk? And, once achieved, how does safe space become meaningful beyond its immediate…

'I am stronger, I'm no longer afraid…', an evaluation of a home-visiting mentor mother support programme for abused women in primary care.

PubMed

Prosman, Gert-Jan; Lo Fo Wong, Sylvie H; Römkens, Renée; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine L M

2014-12-01

We aimed to investigate which factors make a mentor mother support programme for abused women successful. We used semi-structured interviews with abused women and focus group discussions with the mentor mothers to evaluate their experiences and needs within a mentor support programme (MeMoSA). Fourteen abused women were interviewed 6 months after the support programme ended. Mentor mothers participated in two focus group discussions. Abused women emphasised that nonjudgmental listening, equivalence, involvement and bonding are important factors for successful support. Mentor mothers described that empathy, availability, persistence and advocacy fitted the needs of women best to empower them and help them to cope with their violent situation at home. A safe place to meet each other was also an important factor. A good relationship, tailored support provided by home visiting, advocacy and safety are required to effectively help abused women. MeMoSA, a home-visiting support programme, is a promising valuable new support programme in primary care for abused women. © 2013 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Safe Affordable Fission Engine-(SAFE-) 100a Heat Exchanger Thermal and Structural Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steeve, B. E.

2005-01-01

A potential fission power system for in-space missions is a heat pipe-cooled reactor coupled to a Brayton cycle. In this system, a heat exchanger (HX) transfers the heat of the reactor core to the Brayton gas. The Safe Affordable Fission Engine- (SAFE-) 100a is a test program designed to thermally and hydraulically simulate a 95 Btu/s prototypic heat pipe-cooled reactor using electrical resistance heaters on the ground. This Technical Memorandum documents the thermal and structural assessment of the HX used in the SAFE-100a program.

Sensitivity of fetal RHD screening for safe guidance of targeted anti-D immunoglobulin prophylaxis: prospective cohort study of a nationwide programme in the Netherlands.

PubMed

de Haas, Masja; Thurik, Florentine F; van der Ploeg, Catharina P B; Veldhuisen, Barbera; Hirschberg, Hoang; Soussan, Aicha Ait; Woortmeijer, Heleen; Abbink, Frithjofna; Page-Christiaens, Godelieve C M L; Scheffer, Peter G; Ellen van der Schoot, C

2016-11-07

 To determine the accuracy of non-invasive fetal testing for the RHD gene in week 27 of pregnancy as part of an antenatal screening programme to restrict anti-D immunoglobulin use to women carrying a child positive for RHD DESIGN:  Prospectively monitoring of fetal RHD testing accuracy compared with serological cord blood typing on introduction of the test. Fetal RHD testing was performed with a duplex real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, with cell-free fetal DNA isolated from 1 mL of maternal plasma The study period was between 4 July 2011 and 7 October 2012. The proportion of women participating in screening was determined.  Nationwide screening programme, the Netherlands. Tests are performed in a centralised setting.  25 789 RhD negative pregnant women.  Sensitivity, specificity, false negative rate, and false positive rate of fetal RHD testing compared with serological cord blood typing; proportion of technical failures; and compliance to the screening programme.  A fetal RHD test result and serological cord blood result were available for 25 789 pregnancies. Sensitivity for detection of fetal RHD was 99.94% (95% confidence interval 99.89% to 99.97%) and specificity was 97.74% (97.43% to 98.02%). Nine false negative results for fetal RHD testing were registered (0.03%, 95% confidence interval 0.01% to 0.06%). In two cases these were due to technical failures. False positive fetal RHD testing results were registered for 225 samples (0.87%, 0.76% to 0.99%). Weak RhD expression was shown in 22 of these cases, justifying anti-D immunoglobulin use. The negative and positive predictive values were 99.91% (95% confidence interval 99.82% to 99.95%) and 98.60% (98.40% to 98.77%), respectively. More than 98% of the women participated in the screening programme.  Fetal RHD testing in week 27 of pregnancy as part of a national antenatal screening programme is highly reliable and can be used to target both antenatal and postnatal anti

Determinants of participation in a fall assessment and prevention programme among elderly fallers in Hong Kong: prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Wong, Eliza L Y; Woo, Jean; Cheung, Annie W L; Yeung, Pui-Yi

2011-04-01

The study was undertaken to estimate the uptake rate of a fall prevention programme among older fallers and explore related factors. Fall injuries are a major cause nationally of the loss of independence in old age, but they are preventable. Acceptance of fall prevention programmes is therefore important to reduce the risk of falling. Patients aged ≥60 attending the Department of Accident & Emergency of a regional hospital in Hong Kong between 2006 and 2007 were recruited. The study included a baseline interview, focus group interview and a cross-sectional 1-year follow-up telephone survey to assess uptake and its related factors. A total 68% of 1194 older people attended the fall programme. Factors associated with programme participation included the perception of fall as being preventable [OR=3.47, 95% CI (1.59-7.56)] or recoverable [OR=1.73, 95% CI (1.06-2.82)], a safe outside environment; absence of chronic illness, and ability to walk without aids. Old-age people, those living in old-age homes and of lower education level were less likely to join the programme. Older people with the selected characteristics were less likely to attend the fall prevention programme, thus were less likely to benefit from them. Support from family/carers may be an important element in participation. In a nursing context, in primary care practice, all of these factors should be taken into account in any future development of a fall prevention programme in Hong Kong of this nature. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Breastfeeding FAQs: Safely Storing Breast Milk

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Breastfeeding FAQs: Safely Storing Breast Milk KidsHealth / For Parents / Breastfeeding FAQs: Safely Storing Breast Milk What's in this ...

Accounting for water quality in monitoring access to safe drinking-water as part of the Millennium Development Goals: lessons from five countries.

PubMed

Bain, Rob E S; Gundry, Stephen W; Wright, Jim A; Yang, Hong; Pedley, Steve; Bartram, Jamie K

2012-03-01

To determine how data on water source quality affect assessments of progress towards the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target on access to safe drinking-water. Data from five countries on whether drinking-water sources complied with World Health Organization water quality guidelines on contamination with thermotolerant coliform bacteria, arsenic, fluoride and nitrates in 2004 and 2005 were obtained from the Rapid Assessment of Drinking-Water Quality project. These data were used to adjust estimates of the proportion of the population with access to safe drinking-water at the MDG baseline in 1990 and in 2008 made by the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, which classified all improved sources as safe. Taking account of data on water source quality resulted in substantially lower estimates of the percentage of the population with access to safe drinking-water in 2008 in four of the five study countries: the absolute reduction was 11% in Ethiopia, 16% in Nicaragua, 15% in Nigeria and 7% in Tajikistan. There was only a slight reduction in Jordan. Microbial contamination was more common than chemical contamination. The criterion used by the MDG indicator to determine whether a water source is safe can lead to substantial overestimates of the population with access to safe drinking-water and, consequently, also overestimates the progress made towards the 2015 MDG target. Monitoring drinking-water supplies by recording both access to water sources and their safety would be a substantial improvement.

The safe home project.

PubMed

Arphorn, Sara; Jiraniratisai, Sopaphan; Rungtakul, Rungsri; Phutta, Nikom

2011-12-01

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation supported the Improvement of Quality of Life of Informal Workers project in Ban Luang District, Amphur Photaram, Ratchaburi Province. There were many informal workers in Ban Luang District. Sweet-crispy fish producers in Ban Luang were the largest group among the sweet-crispy fish producers in Thailand. This project was aimed at improving living and working conditions of informal workers, with a focus on the sweet-crispy fish group. Good practices of improved living and working conditions were used to help informal workers build safe, healthy and productive work environments. These informal workers often worked in substandard conditions and were exposed to various hazards in the working area. These hazards included risk of exposure to hot work environment, ergonomics-related injuries, chemical hazards, electrical hazards etc. Ergonomics problems were commonly in the sweet-crispy fish group. Unnatural postures such as prolonged sitting were performed dominantly. One hundred and fifty informal workers participated in this project. Occupational health volunteers were selected to encourage occupational health and safety in four groups of informal workers in 2009. The occupational health volunteers trained in 2008 were farmers, beauty salon workers and doll makers. The occupational health and safety knowledge is extended to a new informal worker group: sweet-crispy fish producer, in 2009. The occupational health and safety training for sweet-crispy fish group is conducted by occupational health volunteers. The occupational health volunteers increased their skills and knowledge assist in to make safe home and safe community through participatory oriented training. The improvement of living and working condition is conducted by using a modified WISH, Work Improvement for Safe Home, checklist. The plans of improvement were recorded. The informal workers showed improvement mostly on material handling and storage. The safe uses and safe

Hiding or hospitalising? On dilemmas of pregnancy management in East Cameroon.

PubMed

van der Sijpt, Erica

2013-01-01

Current international debates and policies on safe motherhood mainly propose biomedical interventions to reduce the risks during pregnancy and delivery. Yet, the conceptualisations of risk that underlie this framework may not correspond with local perceptions of reproductive dangers; consequently, hospital services may remain underutilised. Inspired by a growing body of anthropological literature exploring local fertility-related fears, and drawing on 15 months of fieldwork, this paper describes ideas about risky reproduction and practices of pregnancy protection in a Cameroonian village. It shows that social and supernatural threats to fertility are deemed more significant than the physical threats of fertility stressed at the (inter)national level. To protect their pregnancies from those social and supernatural influences, however, women take very physical measures. It is in this respect that biomedical interventions, physical in their very nature, do connect to local methods of pregnancy management. Furthermore, some pregnant women purposefully deploy hospital care in an attempt to reduce relational uncertainties. Explicit attention to the intersections of the social and the physical, and of the supernatural and the biomedical, furthers anthropological knowledge on fertility management and offers a starting point for more culturally sensitive safe motherhood interventions.

Level of awareness of lung cancer risk factors, signs, symptoms and safe practices among college teachers of different states in India: Do awareness programmes have an impact on adoption of safe practices?

PubMed

Shankar, A; Roy, S; Bhandari, R; Malik, A; Rath, G K; Julka, P K; Barnwal, K; Upadhyaya, S; Singh, R; Srivastava, V

2015-09-01

information and effective warnings about cigarette smoking are necessary to increase public awareness. To ensure the adoption of safe practices in the lifestyle of people who smoke and consume alcohol, awareness programmes such as the pink chain campaign should be conducted regularly, frequently and more widely in various areas of India.

Safe surgery: validation of pre and postoperative checklists 1

PubMed Central

Alpendre, Francine Taporosky; Cruz, Elaine Drehmer de Almeida; Dyniewicz, Ana Maria; Mantovani, Maria de Fátima; Silva, Ana Elisa Bauer de Camargo e; dos Santos, Gabriela de Souza

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to develop, evaluate and validate a surgical safety checklist for patients in the pre and postoperative periods in surgical hospitalization units. Method: methodological research carried out in a large public teaching hospital in the South of Brazil, with application of the principles of the Safe Surgery Saves Lives Programme of the World Health Organization. The checklist was applied to 16 nurses of 8 surgical units and submitted for validation by a group of eight experts using the Delphi method online. Results: the instrument was validated and it was achieved a mean score ≥1, level of agreement ≥75% and Cronbach’s alpha >0.90. The final version included 97 safety indicators organized into six categories: identification, preoperative, immediate postoperative, immediate postoperative, other surgical complications, and hospital discharge. Conclusion: the Surgical Safety Checklist in the Pre and Postoperative periods is another strategy to promote patient safety, as it allows the monitoring of predictive signs and symptoms of surgical complications and the early detection of adverse events. PMID:28699994

Individualized follow up programme and early discharge in term neonates.

PubMed

De Carolis, Maria Pia; Cocca, Carmen; Valente, Elisabetta; Lacerenza, Serafina; Rubortone, Serena Antonia; Zuppa, Antonio Alberto; Romagnoli, Costantino

2014-07-15

Early discharge of mother/neonate dyad has become a common practice, and its effects are measured by readmission rates. We evaluated the safety of early discharge followed by an individualized Follow-up programme and the efficacy in promoting breastfeeding initiation and duration. During a nine-month period early discharge followed by an early targeted Follow-up was carried out in term neonates in the absence of weight loss <10% or hyperbilirubinaemia at risk of treatment. Follow-up visits were performed at different timepoints with a specific flow-chart according to both bilirubin levels and weight loss at discharge. During the study period early discharge was performed in 419 neonates and Follow-up was carried out in 408 neonates (97.4%). No neonates required readmission for hyperbilirubinaemia and dehydration during the first 28 days of life. Breastfeeding rate was 90.6%, 75.2%, 41.5% at 30, 90 and 180 days of life, respectively. A six-month phone interview was performed for 383 neonates (93.8%) and satisfaction of parents about early discharge was high in 345 cases (90.1%). Early discharge in association with an individualized Follow-up programme resulted safe for the neonate and effective for breastfeeding initation and duration.

How Safe Are Kid-Safe Search Engines?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masterson-Krum, Hope

2001-01-01

Examines search tools available to elementary and secondary school students, both human-compiled and crawler-based, to help direct them to age-appropriate Web sites; analyzes the procedures of search engines labeled family-friendly or kid safe that use filters; and tests the effectiveness of these services to students in school libraries. (LRW)

SOME PROBLEMS OF "SAFE DOSE" ESTIMATION

EPA Science Inventory

In environmental carcinogenic risk assessment, the usually defined "safe doses" appear subjective in some sense. n this paper a method of standardizing "safe doses" based on some objective parameters is introduced and a procedure of estimating safe doses under the competing risks...

Programmable pulse generator based on programmable logic and direct digital synthesis.

PubMed

Suchenek, M; Starecki, T

2012-12-01

The paper presents a new approach of pulse generation which results in both wide range tunability and high accuracy of the output pulses. The concept is based on the use of programmable logic and direct digital synthesis. The programmable logic works as a set of programmable counters, while direct digital synthesis (DDS) as the clock source. Use of DDS as the clock source results in stability of the output pulses comparable to the stability of crystal oscillators and quasi-continuous tuning of the output frequency.

[Motherhood behind bars: the struggle for citizens' rights and health for women inmates and their children in Brazil].

PubMed

Ventura, Miriam; Simas, Luciana; Larouzé, Bernard

2015-03-01

This study analyzes the links between health, rights, legislation, and public policies based on document research on legal safeguards for women and their children residing in prison. The research was conducted at the Federal level and in four States of Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso, Paraná, and São Paulo. The study aims to back measures by public agencies to guarantee such rights and to raise awareness of the problem, given the extreme vulnerability of women inmates and their children and the issue's legal and administrative invisibility. The authors identified 33 different legal provisions as points of tension, such as the possibility of house arrest and disparities in the terms and conditions for children to remain inside the prison system. Various provisions cite the Constitutional guarantee of women inmates' right to breastfeed in prison. Meanwhile, the study found gaps in other issues pertaining to motherhood in prison, expressed as dual incarceration (imprisonment arbitrarily extended to their children). It is necessary to expand and enforce the existing legislation to prevent such violations of rights.

Being normal, not vulnerable: case study of a 2-day residential programme for young adults with cancer.

PubMed

Martins, Ana; Taylor, Rachel M; Morgan, Sue; Fern, Lorna A

2017-07-13

To identify and describe the outcomes and facilitating processes of participation at 'Find Your Sense of Tumour' (FYSOT), a 2-day residential programme/conference for young people with cancer, from the perspective of professionals attending and patient representatives. Case study. Observation of the 'Find Your Sense of Tumour' over 18s residential programme and face-to-face interviews in hospital and phone interviews. Twenty-six participants - 19 professionals from hospitals across the UK who accompanied young people to FYSOT; 3 programme organisers; and 4 young people from the programme steering committee. Participant observation and semistructured interviews. This process evaluation of an educational, social and peer-to-peer support residential weekend for young people with cancer identified key outcomes for young people - positive attitudes (increased sociability, confidence), belonging (feeling accepted, understood), recreation (trying new activities, having fun) and increased knowledge (balance between educational talks and interactions with other young people); and three overarching facilitating processes - being with other young people, the professionals accompanying young people to the event for support and guidance, and the conference/intentional programming. Being in a safe, relaxed and fun environment with other young people facilitates the development of peer support networks and increases young people's confidence and knowledge. Although the focus of the residential programme is on young people, interviewees acknowledge the impact of attending on professionals' motivation, learning and changes in practice. This study has extended our understanding of the role of residential programmes by identifying outcomes and facilitating mechanisms. We have shown that residential programmes have an important role in providing participants with social, emotional and informational support, as well as play an important role in redefining normality. Longitudinal

They know it's safe - they know what to expect from that face: perceptions towards a cognitive-behavioural counselling programme among caregivers of children with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Moola, Fiona J; Henry, Lauren Av; Huynh, Elizabeth; Stacey, Jenna A; Faulkner, Guy Ej

2017-10-01

To explore the experiences of eight caregivers who provide care to children with cystic fibrosis in an eight-week cognitive-behavioural counselling programme at a children's hospital in Winnipeg, Canada. Youth with cystic fibrosis experience significant behavioural and psychosocial challenges, such as depression, anxiety and poor treatment adherence. Caregivers are critical to the provision of care and treatment to young people living with cystic fibrosis. Caregivers of youth with cystic fibrosis experience psychosocial morbidity. Thus, the development of counselling interventions is required to enhance psychosocial well-being among the caregivers of youth with cystic fibrosis. This study was informed by the thematic analytic qualitative research tradition. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with eight caregivers who participated in our programme. The audiotaped interviews were then subject to thematic analysis. The counselling sessions were experienced as 'distinctly different' from routine appointments at the hospital and were characterised by a sense of listening and bidirectional communication. In addition to acquiring a sense of trust and accountability through the programme, counselling appeared to enhance caregivers' perception of their time use, leading to greater temporal agency. From this evidence-based cognitive-behavioural counselling programme, insights about the complex psychosocial lives of the cystic fibrosis community are discussed within the context of the literature. Integrating cognitive-behavioural counselling into routine clinical CF care should be considered as a method to enhance caregiving capacity in the CF community and should be championed by nurses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using Opioids Safely After Surgery

MedlinePlus

... Adult , Geriatric Using Opioids Safely After Surgery Using Opioids Safely After Surgery Stick to the lowest dose ... need opioid pain medicine. If your doctor says opioids aren’t necessary. If your doctor thinks you ...

How Safe Is Safe Enough for Self-Driving Vehicles?

PubMed

Liu, Peng; Yang, Run; Xu, Zhigang

2018-05-21

Self-driving vehicles (SDVs) promise to considerably reduce traffic crashes. One pressing concern facing the public, automakers, and governments is "How safe is safe enough for SDVs?" To answer this question, a new expressed-preference approach was proposed for the first time to determine the socially acceptable risk of SDVs. In our between-subject survey (N = 499), we determined the respondents' risk-acceptance rate of scenarios with varying traffic-risk frequencies to examine the logarithmic relationships between the traffic-risk frequency and risk-acceptance rate. Logarithmic regression models of SDVs were compared to those of human-driven vehicles (HDVs); the results showed that SDVs were required to be safer than HDVs. Given the same traffic-risk-acceptance rates for SDVs and HDVs, their associated acceptable risk frequencies of SDVs and HDVs were predicted and compared. Two risk-acceptance criteria emerged: the tolerable risk criterion, which indicates that SDVs should be four to five times as safe as HDVs, and the broadly acceptable risk criterion, which suggests that half of the respondents hoped that the traffic risk of SDVs would be two orders of magnitude lower than the current estimated traffic risk. The approach and these results could provide insights for government regulatory authorities for establishing clear safety requirements for SDVs. © 2018 Society for Risk Analysis.

Accounting for water quality in monitoring access to safe drinking-water as part of the Millennium Development Goals: lessons from five countries

PubMed Central

Bain, Rob ES; Wright, Jim A; Yang, Hong; Pedley, Steve; Bartram, Jamie K

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective To determine how data on water source quality affect assessments of progress towards the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target on access to safe drinking-water. Methods Data from five countries on whether drinking-water sources complied with World Health Organization water quality guidelines on contamination with thermotolerant coliform bacteria, arsenic, fluoride and nitrates in 2004 and 2005 were obtained from the Rapid Assessment of Drinking-Water Quality project. These data were used to adjust estimates of the proportion of the population with access to safe drinking-water at the MDG baseline in 1990 and in 2008 made by the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, which classified all improved sources as safe. Findings Taking account of data on water source quality resulted in substantially lower estimates of the percentage of the population with access to safe drinking-water in 2008 in four of the five study countries: the absolute reduction was 11% in Ethiopia, 16% in Nicaragua, 15% in Nigeria and 7% in Tajikistan. There was only a slight reduction in Jordan. Microbial contamination was more common than chemical contamination. Conclusion The criterion used by the MDG indicator to determine whether a water source is safe can lead to substantial overestimates of the population with access to safe drinking-water and, consequently, also overestimates the progress made towards the 2015 MDG target. Monitoring drinking-water supplies by recording both access to water sources and their safety would be a substantial improvement. PMID:22461718

Home visiting programmes for the prevention of child maltreatment: cost-effectiveness of 33 programmes.

PubMed

Dalziel, Kim; Segal, Leonie

2012-09-01

There is a body of published research on the effectiveness of home visiting for the prevention of child maltreatment, but little in the peer reviewed literature on cost-effectiveness or value to society. The authors sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of alternative home visiting programmes to inform policy. All trials reporting child maltreatment outcomes were identified through systematic review. Information on programme effectiveness and components were taken from identified studies, to which 2010 Australian unit costs were applied. Lifetime cost offsets associated with maltreatment were derived from a recent Australian study. Cost-effectiveness results were estimated as programme cost per case of maltreatment prevented and net benefit estimated by incorporating downstream cost savings. Sensitivity analyses were conducted. 33 home visiting programmes were evaluated and cost-effectiveness estimates derived for the 25 programmes not dominated. The incremental cost of home visiting compared to usual care ranged from A$1800 to A$30 000 (US$1800-US$30 000) per family. Cost-effectiveness estimates ranged from A$22 000 per case of maltreatment prevented to several million. Seven of the 22 programmes (32%) of at least adequate quality were cost saving when including lifetime cost offsets. There is great variation in the cost-effectiveness of home visiting programmes for the prevention of maltreatment. The most cost-effective programmes use professional home visitors in a multi-disciplinary team, target high risk populations and include more than just home visiting. Home visiting programmes must be carefully selected and well targeted if net social benefits are to be realised.

We have the programme, what next? Planning the implementation of an injury prevention programme

PubMed Central

Donaldson, Alex; Lloyd, David G; Gabbe, Belinda J; Cook, Jill

2017-01-01

Background and aim The impact of any injury prevention programme is a function of the programme and its implementation. However, real world implementation of injury prevention programmes is challenging. Lower limb injuries (LLIs) are common in community Australian football (community-AF) and it is likely that many could be prevented by implementing exercise-based warm-up programmes for players. This paper describes a systematic, evidence-informed approach used to develop the implementation plan for a LLI prevention programme in community-AF in Victoria, Australia. Methods An ecological approach, using Step 5 of the Intervention Mapping health promotion programme planning protocol, was taken. Results An implementation advisory group was established to ensure the implementation plan and associated strategies were relevant to the local context. Coaches were identified as the primary programme adopters and implementers within an ecological system including players, other coaches, first-aid providers, and club and league administrators. Social Cognitive Theory was used to identify likely determinants of programme reach, adoption and implementation among coaches (eg, knowledge, beliefs, skills and environment). Diffusion of Innovations theory, the Implementation Drivers framework and available research evidence were used to identify potential implementation strategies including the use of multiple communication channels, programme resources, coach education and mentoring. Conclusions A strategic evidence-informed approach to implementing interventions will help maximise their population impact. The approach to implementation planning described in this study relied on an effective researcher-practitioner partnership and active engagement of stakeholders. The identified implementation strategies were informed by theory, evidence and an in-depth understanding of the implementation context. PMID:26787739

Programmable hydrogels.

PubMed

Wang, Yong

2018-03-05

Programmable hydrogels are defined as hydrogels that are able to change their properties and functions periodically, reversibly and/or sequentially on demand. They are different from those responsive hydrogels whose changes are passive or cannot be stopped or reversed once started and vice versa. The purpose of this review is to summarize major progress in developing programmable hydrogels from the viewpoints of principles, functions and biomedical applications. The principles are first introduced in three categories including biological, chemical and physical stimulation. With the stimulation, programmable hydrogels can undergo functional changes in dimension, mechanical support, cell attachment and molecular sequestration, which are introduced in the middle of this review. The last section is focused on the introduction and discussion of four biomedical applications including mechanistic studies in mechanobiology, tissue engineering, cell separation and protein delivery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RHrFPGA Radiation-Hardened Re-programmable Field-Programmable Gate Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, A. B.; LaBel, K. A.; McCabe, J. F.; Gardner, G. A.; Lintz, J.; Ross, C.; Golke, K.; Burns, B.; Carts, M. A.; Kim, H. S.

2004-01-01

Viewgraphs on the development of the Radiation-Hardened Re-programmable Field-Programmable Gate Array (RHrFPGA) are presented. The topics include: 1) Radiation Test Suite; 2) Testing Interface; 3) Test Configuration; 4) Facilities; 5) Test Programs; 6) Test Procedure; and 7) Test Results. A summary of heavy ion and proton testing is also included.

Electrically-programmable diffraction grating

DOEpatents

Ricco, A.J.; Butler, M.A.; Sinclair, M.B.; Senturia, S.D.

1998-05-26

An electrically-programmable diffraction grating is disclosed. The programmable grating includes a substrate having a plurality of electrodes formed thereon and a moveable grating element above each of the electrodes. The grating elements are electrostatically programmable to form a diffraction grating for diffracting an incident beam of light as it is reflected from the upper surfaces of the grating elements. The programmable diffraction grating, formed by a micromachining process, has applications for optical information processing (e.g. optical correlators and computers), for multiplexing and demultiplexing a plurality of light beams of different wavelengths (e.g. for optical fiber communications), and for forming spectrometers (e.g. correlation and scanning spectrometers). 14 figs.

Electrically-programmable diffraction grating

DOEpatents

Ricco, Antonio J.; Butler, Michael A.; Sinclair, Michael B.; Senturia, Stephen D.

1998-01-01

An electrically-programmable diffraction grating. The programmable grating includes a substrate having a plurality of electrodes formed thereon and a moveable grating element above each of the electrodes. The grating elements are electrostatically programmable to form a diffraction grating for diffracting an incident beam of light as it is reflected from the upper surfaces of the grating elements. The programmable diffraction grating, formed by a micromachining process, has applications for optical information processing (e.g. optical correlators and computers), for multiplexing and demultiplexing a plurality of light beams of different wavelengths (e.g. for optical fiber communications), and for forming spectrometers (e.g. correlation and scanning spectrometers).

How to Safely Give Acetaminophen

MedlinePlus

... Educators Search English Español How to Safely Give Acetaminophen KidsHealth / For Parents / How to Safely Give Acetaminophen ... without getting a doctor's OK first. What Is Acetaminophen Also Called? Acetaminophen is the generic name of ...

Heart failure management programmes in Europe.

PubMed

Jaarsma, T; Strömberg, A; De Geest, S; Fridlund, B; Heikkila, J; Mårtensson, J; Moons, P; Scholte op Reimer, W; Smith, K; Stewart, S; Thompson, D R

2006-09-01

The ESC guidelines recommend that an organised system of specialist heart failure (HF) care should be established to improve outcomes of HF patients. The aim of this study was therefore to identify the number and the content of HF management programmes in Europe. A two-phase descriptive study was conducted: an initial screening to identify the existence of HF management programmes; and a survey to describe the content in countries where at least 30% of the hospitals had a programme. Of the 43 European countries approached, 26 (60%) estimated the percentage of HF management programmes. Seven countries reported that they had such programmes in more than 30% of their hospitals. Of the 673 hospitals responding to the questionnaire, 426 (63%) had a HF management programme. Half of the programmes (n = 205) were located in an outpatient clinic. In the UK a combination of hospital and home-based programmes was common (75%). The most programmes included physical examination, telephone consultation, patient education, drug titration and diagnostic testing. Most (89%) programmes involved nurses and physicians. Multi-disciplinary teams were active in 56% of the HF programmes. The most prominent differences between the 7 countries were the degree of collaboration with home care and GP's, the role in palliative care and the funding. Only a few European countries have a large number of organised programmes for HF care and follow up. To improve outcomes of HF patients throughout Europe more effort should be taken to increase the number of these programmes in all countries.

Geothermal projects funded under the NER 300 programme - current state of development and knowledge gained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shortall, Ruth; Uihlein, Andreas

2017-04-01

Introduction The NER 300 programme, managed by the European Commission is one of the largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. NER 300 is so called because it is funded from the sale of 300 million emission allowances from the new entrants' reserve (NER) set up for the third phase of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale with a view to scaling up production of low-carbon technologies in the EU. Consequently, it supports a wide range of CCS and RES technologies (bioenergy, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and smart grids). Funded projects and the role of geothermal projects for the programme In total, about EUR 2.1 billion have been awarded through the programme's 2 calls for proposals (the first awarded in December 2012, the second in July 2014). The programme has awarded around EUR 70 million funding to 3 geothermal projects in Hungary, Croatia and France. The Croatian geothermal project will enter into operation during 2017 the Hungarian in 2018, and the French in 2020. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge sharing requirements are built into the legal basis of the programme as a critical tool to lower risks in bridging the transition to large-scale production of innovative renewable energy and CCS deployment. Projects have to submit annually to the European Commission relevant knowledge gained during that year in the implementation of their project. The relevant knowledge is aggregated and disseminated by the European Commission to industry, research, government, NGO and other interest groups and associations in order to provide a better understanding of the practical challenges that arise in the important step of scaling up technologies and operating them at commercial scale. The knowledge sharing of the NER 300

Geothermal projects funded under the NER 300 programme - current state of development and knowledge gained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uihlein, Andreas; Salto Saura, Lourdes; Sigfusson, Bergur; Lichtenvort, Kerstin; Gagliardi, Filippo

2015-04-01

Introduction The NER 300 programme, managed by the European Commission is one of the largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. NER 300 is so called because it is funded from the sale of 300 million emission allowances from the new entrants' reserve (NER) set up for the third phase of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale with a view to scaling up production of low-carbon technologies in the EU. Consequently, it supports a wide range of CCS and RES technologies (bioenergy, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and smart grids). Funded projects and the role of geothermal projects for the programme In total, about EUR 2.1 billion have been awarded to 39 projects through the programme's 2 calls for proposals (the first awarded in December 2012, the second in July 2014). The programme has awarded around 70 mEUR funding to 3 geothermal projects in Hungary, Croatia and France (see Annex). The Hungarian geothermal project awarded funding under the first call will enter into operation at the end of 2015 and the rest are expected to start in 2016 (HR) and in 2018 (FR), respectively. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge sharing requirements are built into the legal basis of the programme as a critical tool to lower risks in bridging the transition to large-scale production of innovative renewable energy and CCS deployment. Projects have to submit annually to the European Commission relevant knowledge gained during that year in the implementation of their project. The relevant knowledge is aggregated and disseminated by the European Commission to industry, research, government, NGO and other interest groups and associations in order to provide a better understanding of the practical challenges that arise in the important step of

The Implementation of a Behavioural Support Programme: Teachers' Perceptions of the Programme and Themselves as Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingemarson, Maria; Bodin, Maria; Rubenson, Birgitta; Guldbrandsson, Karin

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how teachers received and perceived the school programme Prevention in School (PS), a positive behavioural support programme; how did the teachers perceive the programme characteristics and themselves as providers; and how did this affect programme implementation? Design/methodology/approach:…

Programmable Logic Controllers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Insolia, Gerard; Anderson, Kathleen

This document contains a 40-hour course in programmable logic controllers (PLC), developed for a business-industry technology resource center for firms in eastern Pennsylvania by Northampton Community College. The 10 units of the course cover the following: (1) introduction to programmable logic controllers; (2) DOS primer; (3) prerequisite…

The Lidköping Accident Prevention Programme--a community approach to preventing childhood injuries in Sweden.

PubMed

Svanström, L; Ekman, R; Schelp, L; Lindström, A

1995-09-01

In Sweden about 100 children 0-14 years die from accidental injuries every year, roughly 40 girls and 60 boys. To reduce this burden the Safe Community concept was developed in Falköping, Sweden in 1975. Several years later a second programme was initiated in Lidköping. The objectives of this paper are to describe the programme in Lidköping and to relate it to changes in injury occurrence. The Lidköping Accident Prevention Programme (LAPP) was compared with four bordering municipalities and to the whole of Skaraborg County. The programme included five elements: surveillance, provision of information, training, supervision, and environmental improvements. Process evaluation was based mainly on notes and reports made by the health planners, combined with newspaper clippings and interviews with key people. Outcome evaluation was based on information from the hospital discharge registry. In Lidköping there was an on average annual decrease in injuries leading to hospital admissions from 1983 to 1991 of 2.4% for boys and 2.1% for girls compared with a smaller decline in one comparison area and an increase in the other. Because the yearly injury numbers are small there is a great variation from year to year. However, comparisons over the nine year study period with the four border municipalities and the whole of Skaraborg County strengthen the impression that the programme has had a positive effect. The findings support the proposition that the decrease in the incidence of childhood injuries after 1984 could be attributed to the intervention of the LAPP. Nevertheless, several difficulties in drawing firm conclusions from community based studies are acknowledged and discussed.

Impact of training traditional birth attendants on maternal mortality and morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Kayombo, Edmund J

2013-04-01

This paper presents discussion on impact of training traditional birth attendants (TBAs) on overall improvement of reproductive health care with focus on reducing the high rate of maternal and new-born mortality in rural settings in sub-Saharan Africa. The importance of TBAs for years has been denied by professional western trained health practitioners and other scientists until during the late 1980s, when World Health Organization through Safe motherhood 1987 found TBAs have a significant role in reducing maternal and new-born mortality. Trained TBAs in sub-Sahara Africa can have positive impact on reducing maternal and new-born mortality if the programme is well implemented with systematic follow-up after training. This could be done through joint meeting between health workers and TBAs as feed and learning experience from problem encountered in process of providing child delivery services. TBAs can help to break socio-cultural barriers on intervention on reproductive health programmes. However projects targeting TBAs should not be of hit and run; but gradually familiarize with the target group, build trust, transparency, and tolerance, willing to learn and creating rappour with them. In this paper, some case studies are described on how trained TBAs can be fully utilized in reducing maternal and new-born mortality rate in rural areas. What is needed is to identify TBAs, map their distribution and train them on basic primary healthcare related to child deliveries and complications which need to be referred to conventional health facilities immediately.

Optical programmable metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Cheng; Zhang, Nan; Dai, Zijie; Liu, Weiwei

2018-02-01

We suggest and demonstrate the concept of optical programmable metamaterials which can configure the device's electromagnetic parameters by the programmable optical stimuli. In such metamaterials, the optical stimuli produced by a FPGA controlled light emitting diode array can switch or combine the resonance modes which are coupled in. As an example, an optical programmable metamaterial terahertz absorber is proposed. Each cell of the absorber integrates four meta-rings (asymmetric 1/4 rings) with photo-resistors connecting the critical gaps. The principle and design of the metamaterials are illustrated and the simulation results demonstrate the functionalities for programming the metamaterial absorber to change its bandwidth and resonance frequency.

Gender legacies of jung and freud as epistemology in emergent feminist research on late motherhood.

PubMed

Barone-Chapman, Maryann

2014-03-01

While conducting doctoral research in social science on late motherhood, two analytical engagements with the feminine came to my attention as evidence of a patriarchal bias toward the realm of womanhood. Jung's mythopoetic tension between symbolism and enactments with the feminine and Freud's supposition that a denial of the feminine was necessary for psychological and emotional development appeared to be perpetuating a social problem continuing in current times. Across affective behavior and narrative within stories of late procreative desire, dream journals and Word Association Tests of eight participants was the memory of a male sibling who had enjoyed primacy of place in the parental home over the daughter. The female body with a voice was missing in the one-sided perspectives of Analytical Psychology and Psychoanalysis on the subject of the feminine, until a whole view of psyche's discontents in Feminist inspired Psychoanalytic theories from both schools on the female body were included. Freud and Jung's views became evidence of patriarchy as background while extension of Feminist inspired psychoanalytical thinking, Queer theories and Creation Myth allowed new meanings of the embodied feminine to emerge through a recapitulation of a union of opposites as a union of epistemology and ethos. The essence of Jung's mid-life theories, altered by modernity and eclipsed by female advancement, remains replicatable and paradigmatic outside of essentialist gender performance.

Gender Legacies of Jung and Freud as Epistemology in Emergent Feminist Research on Late Motherhood

PubMed Central

Barone-Chapman, Maryann

2014-01-01

While conducting doctoral research in social science on late motherhood, two analytical engagements with the feminine came to my attention as evidence of a patriarchal bias toward the realm of womanhood. Jung’s mythopoetic tension between symbolism and enactments with the feminine and Freud’s supposition that a denial of the feminine was necessary for psychological and emotional development appeared to be perpetuating a social problem continuing in current times. Across affective behavior and narrative within stories of late procreative desire, dream journals and Word Association Tests of eight participants was the memory of a male sibling who had enjoyed primacy of place in the parental home over the daughter. The female body with a voice was missing in the one-sided perspectives of Analytical Psychology and Psychoanalysis on the subject of the feminine, until a whole view of psyche’s discontents in Feminist inspired Psychoanalytic theories from both schools on the female body were included. Freud and Jung’s views became evidence of patriarchy as background while extension of Feminist inspired psychoanalytical thinking, Queer theories and Creation Myth allowed new meanings of the embodied feminine to emerge through a recapitulation of a union of opposites as a union of epistemology and ethos. The essence of Jung’s mid-life theories, altered by modernity and eclipsed by female advancement, remains replicatable and paradigmatic outside of essentialist gender performance. PMID:25379265

InaSAFE applications in disaster preparedness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pranantyo, Ignatius Ryan; Fadmastuti, Mahardika; Chandra, Fredy

2015-04-01

Disaster preparedness activities aim to reduce the impact of disasters by being better prepared to respond when a disaster occurs. In order to better anticipate requirements during a disaster, contingency planning activities can be undertaken prior to a disaster based on a realistic disaster scenario. InaSAFE is a tool that can inform this process. InaSAFE is a free and open source software that estimates the impact to people and infrastructure from potential hazard scenarios. By using InaSAFE, disaster managers can develop scenarios of disaster impacts (people and infrastructures affected) to inform their contingency plan and emergency response operation plan. While InaSAFE provides the software framework exposure data and hazard data are needed as inputs to run this software. Then InaSAFE can be used to forecast the impact of the hazard scenario to the exposure data. InaSAFE outputs include estimates of the number of people, buildings and roads are affected, list of minimum needs (rice and clean water), and response checklist. InaSAFE is developed by Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Australian Government, through the Australia-Indonesia Facility for Disaster Reduction (AIFDR), in partnership with the World Bank - Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). This software has been used in many parts of Indonesia, including Padang, Maumere, Jakarta, and Slamet Mountain for emergency response and contingency planning.

Programmable pH buffers

DOEpatents

Gough, Dara Van; Huber, Dale L.; Bunker, Bruce C.; Roberts, Mark E.

2017-01-24

A programmable pH buffer comprises a copolymer that changes pK.sub.a at a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in water. The copolymer comprises a thermally programmable polymer that undergoes a hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic phase change at the LCST and an electrolytic polymer that exhibits acid-base properties that are responsive to the phase change. The programmable pH buffer can be used to sequester CO.sub.2 into water.

Strategies for Countering Terrorist Safe Havens

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-20

within safe havens, tactical containment, pseudo operations, and surrogate security forces. The thesis draws from four historical case studies to...leadership targeting within safe havens, tactical containment, pseudo operations, and surrogate security forces. The thesis draws from four historical case ...surrogate forces and pseudo operations—provide viable potential options for USSOF to counter the complex problem of safe havens. Overall, the case

Physiotherapy programme reduces fatigue in patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pyszora, Anna; Budzyński, Jacek; Wójcik, Agnieszka; Prokop, Anna; Krajnik, Małgorzata

2017-09-01

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common and relevant symptom in patients with advanced cancer that significantly decreases their quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a physiotherapy programme on CRF and other symptoms in patients diagnosed with advanced cancer. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. Sixty patients diagnosed with advanced cancer receiving palliative care were randomized into two groups: the treatment group (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30). The therapy took place three times a week for 2 weeks. The 30-min physiotherapy session included active exercises, myofascial release and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) techniques. The control group did not exercise. The outcomes included Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and satisfaction scores. The exercise programme caused a significant reduction in fatigue scores (BFI) in terms of severity of fatigue and its impact on daily functioning. In the control group, no significant changes in the BFI were observed. Moreover, the physiotherapy programme improved patients' general well-being and reduced the intensity of coexisting symptoms such as pain, drowsiness, lack of appetite and depression. The analysis of satisfaction scores showed that it was also positively evaluated by patients. The physiotherapy programme, which included active exercises, myofascial release and PNF techniques, had beneficial effects on CRF and other symptoms in patients with advanced cancer who received palliative care. The results of the study suggest that physiotherapy is a safe and effective method of CRF management.

Back School programme for nurses has reduced low back pain levels: A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Járomi, Melinda; Kukla, Aniko; Szilágyi, Brigitta; Simon-Ugron, Ágnes; Bobály, Viktória Kovácsné; Makai, Alexandra; Linek, Pawel; Ács, Pongrác; Leidecker, Eleonóra

2018-03-01

(i) To examine patient lifting techniques used by nurses, and (ii) to evaluate an effectiveness of the Spine Care for Nurses programme in chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome reduction and the execution of proper patient lifting techniques. Millions of nurses around the world suffer from occupational-related chronic nonspecific low back pain (chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome). Generally, low back pain in nurses is a result of increased pressure on the spine and can be associated with improperly conducted patient lifting techniques. A randomised controlled trial was conducted among 137 nurses with chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome. Participants were randomised into an experimental and control group (experimental group n = 67, control group n = 70). Nurses in the experimental group attended the Spine Care for Nurses programme for 3 months. The programme consisted of didactic education, spine-strengthening exercises and education on safe patient handling techniques. The control group only received a brief written lifestyle guidance. The Zebris WinSpine Triple Lumbar examination was used to analyse nurses' patient lifting techniques (horizontal and vertical lifting). The lumbar pain intensity was measured with a 0-100 visual analogue scale. The pre-intervention average chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome intensity score on visual analogue scale decreased from 49.3 to the postintervention score of 7.5. The correct execution of vertical lifting techniques in the experimental group increased from 8.91%-97.01% (control group: 8.57% pre-intervention test and postintervention test 11.42%). The horizontal patient lifting technique pre-intervention increased from 10.44%-100% correct execution in the experimental group (control group: pre-intervention test 10.00% and postintervention test 11.42%). The Spine Care for Nurses programme significantly reduced chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome and increased the number of properly executed

Changing pattern of landslide risk in Europe - The SafeLand project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadim, F.; Kalsnes, B. G.; SafeLand Research Consortium

2011-12-01

The changing pattern of landslide hazard and risk caused by climate change and changes in demography, the need to protect people and property, the reality for society in Europe to live with hazard and risk and the need to manage risk were the motives for the project SafeLand: "Living with landslide risk in Europe: Assessment, effects of global change, and risk management strategies." SafeLand is a large, integrating research project under the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme (FP7). It started on 1 May 2009 and will go on for 3 years, ending on 30 April 2012. There project involves 27 partners from 12 European countries, and has international collaborators and advisers from China, India, USA, Japan and Hong Kong. SafeLand also involves 25 End-Users from 11 countries. SafeLand is coordinated by the International Centre for Geohazards (ICG) at Norwegian Geotechnical Institute in Norway. Further information on the SafeLand project can be found at its web site http://www.safeland-fp7.eu/ . SafeLand is an ongoing project, which results will be finalized in 2012. This lecture summarizes the SafeLand's activities and achievements until November 2011. The main results achieved so far include: - Development and testing of several empirical methods for predicting the characteristics of threshold rainfall events for triggering of precipitation-induced landslides. - Identification of landslide hazard and risk hotspots by an objective, GIS-based analysis for Europe. The results show clearly where landslides pose the largest hazard in Europe and the objective approach allows a ranking of the countries by exposed area and population. - Different regional climate model simulations over Europe (from the EU FP6 project ENSEMBLES) at a spatial resolution of 25 x 25 km have been used to perform an extreme value analysis for trends in heavy precipitation events. In winter a general trend towards more heavy precipitation events across all analyzed regional climate model

Informationist programme in support of biomedical research: a programme description and preliminary findings of an evaluation

PubMed Central

Whitmore, Susan C.; Grefsheim, Suzanne F.; Rankin, Jocelyn A.

2008-01-01

Background The informationist programme at the Library of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, USA has grown to 14 informationists working with 40 clinical and basic science research teams. Purpose This case report, intended to contribute to the literature on informationist programmes, describes the NIH informationist programme including implementation experiences, the informationists' training programme, their job responsibilities and programme outcomes. Brief description The NIH informationist programme was designed to enhance the library's service capacity. Over time, the steps for introducing the service to new groups were formalized to ensure support by leadership, the team being served and the library. Job responsibilities also evolved from traditional library roles to a wide range of knowledge management activities. The commitment by the informationist, the team and the library to continuous learning is critical to the programme's success. Results/outcomes NIH scientists reported that informationists saved them time and contributed to teamwork with expert searching and point-of-need instruction. Process evaluation helped refine the programme. Evaluation method High-level, preliminary outcomes were identified from a survey of scientists receiving informationist services, along with key informant interviews. Process evaluation examined service implementation, informationists' training, and service components. Anecdotal evidence has also indicated a favorable response to the programme. PMID:18494648

Informationist programme in support of biomedical research: a programme description and preliminary findings of an evaluation.

PubMed

Whitmore, Susan C; Grefsheim, Suzanne F; Rankin, Jocelyn A

2008-06-01

The informationist programme at the Library of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, USA has grown to 14 informationists working with 40 clinical and basic science research teams. This case report, intended to contribute to the literature on informationist programmes, describes the NIH informationist programme, including implementation experiences, the informationists' training programme, their job responsibilities and programme outcomes. The NIH informationist programme was designed to enhance the library's service capacity. Over time, the steps for introducing the service to new groups were formalized to ensure support by leadership, the team being served and the library. Job responsibilities also evolved from traditional library roles to a wide range of knowledge management activities. The commitment by the informationist, the team and the library to continuous learning is critical to the programme's success. RESULTS / OUTCOMES: NIH scientists reported that informationists saved them time and contributed to teamwork with expert searching and point-of-need instruction. Process evaluation helped refine the programme. High-level, preliminary outcomes were identified from a survey of scientists receiving informationist services, along with key informant interviews. Process evaluation examined service implementation, informationists' training and service components. Anecdotal evidence has also indicated a favourable response to the programme.

Feasibility, safety and preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of a home-based exercise programme for older people with Alzheimer's disease: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Suttanon, Plaiwan; Hill, Keith D; Said, Catherine M; Williams, Susan B; Byrne, Karin N; LoGiudice, Dina; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; Dodd, Karen J

2013-05-01

To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a home-based exercise programme for people with Alzheimer's disease, and to provide preliminary evidence of programme effectiveness in improving balance and mobility and reducing falls risk. A randomized controlled trial. Community. Forty people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (mean age 81.9, SD 5.72; 62.5% female). Participants were randomized to a six-month home-based individually tailored balance, strengthening and walking exercise programme (physiotherapist) or a six-month home-based education programme (control) (occupational therapist). Both programmes provided six home-visits and five follow-up phone calls. Balance, mobility, falls and falls risk were measured at baseline and programme completion. Intention-to-treat analysis using a generalized linear model with group allocation as a predictor variable was performed to evaluate programme effectiveness. Feasibility and adverse events were systematically recorded at each contact. Fifty-eight per cent of the exercise group finished the programme, completing an average of 83% of prescribed sessions, with no adverse events reported. Functional Reach improved significantly (P = 0.002) in the exercise group (mean (SD), 2.28 (4.36)) compared to the control group (-2.99 (4.87)). Significant improvement was also observed for the Falls Risk for Older People - Community score (P = 0.008) and trends for improvement on several other balance, mobility, falls and falls risk measures for the exercise group compared to the control group. The exercise programme was feasible and safe and may help improve balance and mobility performance and reduce falls risk in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Programme coordinators' perceptions of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with school nutrition programmes.

PubMed

Valaitis, Renata F; Hanning, Rhona M; Herrmann, Isabela S

2014-06-01

As part of a larger evaluation of school nutrition programmes (SNP), the present study examined programme coordinators' perceptions of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) regarding their SNP and public health professionals' support. Qualitative interviews were conducted with twenty-two of eighty-one programme coordinators who had completed a programme evaluation survey. Interviews followed a SWOT framework to evaluate programmes and assessed coordinators' perceptions regarding current and future partnerships with public health professionals. The study was conducted in a large, urban region within Ontario. The twenty-two coordinators who participated represented a cross-section of elementary, secondary, Public and Catholic schools. SNP varied enormously in foods/services offered, how they offered them and perceived needs. Major strengths included universality, the ability to reach needy students and the provision of social opportunities. Major weaknesses included challenges in forming funding partnerships, lack of volunteers, scheduling and timing issues, and coordinator workload. Common threats to effective SNP delivery included lack of sustainable funding, complexity in tracking programme use and food distribution, unreliable help from school staff, and conflicts with school administration. Opportunities for increased public health professionals' assistance included menu planning, nutrition education, expansion of programme food offerings, and help identifying community partners and sustainable funding. The present research identified opportunities for improving SNP and strategies for building on strengths. Since programmes were so diverse, tailored strategies are needed. Public health professionals can play a major role through supporting menu planning, food safety training, access to healthy foods, curriculum planning and by building community partnerships.

Anaesthetic training programmes in the UK: the role of the programme director.

PubMed

Barker, I

1998-02-01

Schools of anaesthesia provide anaesthetic training in the UK. Each school has at least one programme director undertaking some or all of the management duties. Most programme directors appears to be unresourced volunteers whose roles have developed in response to local requirements. A postal questionnaire was sent to all anaesthetic training programme directors in the UK, asking about their role. Respondents had a wide variation in duties and responsibilities towards anaesthetic training schemes. Few had terms of reference, clear lines of responsibility, remuneration or resources to undertake the role.

Introducing new diagnostics into STI control programmes: the importance of programme science.

PubMed

Peeling, Rosanna W; Mabey, David; Ballard, Ronald C

2013-03-01

Many innovative diagnostic technologies will become commercially available over the next 5-10 years. These tests can potentially transform the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections but their introduction into control programmes can be hampered by health system constraints, and political, cultural, socioeconomic and behavioural factors. We used the introduction of syphilis rapid tests to illustrate the importance of programme science to address the gap between accruing evidence of acceptable test performance and the complexity of programme design, implementation and evaluation of test deployment to address public health needs and improve patient-important outcomes.

Safe Schools, Safe Students. Proceedings of the National Education Goals Panel/National Alliance of Pupil Services Organizations Conference on "Safe Schools, Safe Students: A Collaborative Approach to Achieving Safe, Disciplined, and Drug-free Schools Conducive to Learning" (Washington, D.C., October 28-29, 1994).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talley, Ronda C., Ed.; Walz, Garry R., Ed.

The "Safe Schools, Safe Students" conference brought together leading researchers and practitioners in order to share knowledge about innovative safety strategies being used in America's schools. The papers here represent the thinking of scientific experts and school-based pupil service providers who are implementing programs to prevent…

Integration of mass drug administration programmes in Nigeria: The challenge of schistosomiasis.

PubMed Central

Richards, Frank O.; Eigege, Abel; Miri, Emmanuel S.; Jinadu, M. Y.; Hopkins, Donald R.

2006-01-01

PROBLEM: Annual mass drug administration (MDA) with safe oral anthelminthic drugs (praziquantel, ivermectin and albendazole) is the strategy for control of onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis (LF) and schistosomiasis. District health officers seek to integrate treatment activities in areas of overlapping disease endemicity, but they are faced with having to merge different programmatic guidelines. APPROACH: We proceeded through the three stages of integrated MDA implementation: mapping the distribution of the three diseases at district level; tailoring district training and logistics based on the results of the mapping exercises; and implementing community-based annual health education and mass treatment where appropriate. During the process we identified the "know-do" gaps in the MDA guidelines for each disease that prevented successful integration of these programmes. LOCAL SETTING: An integrated programme launched in 1999 in Plateau and Nasarawa States in central Nigeria, where all three diseases were known to occur. RELEVANT CHANGES: Current guidelines allowed onchocerciasis and LF activities to be integrated, resulting in rapid mapping throughout the two states, and states-wide provision of over 9.3 million combined ivermectin-albendazole treatments for the two diseases between 2000 and 2004. In contrast, schistosomiasis activities could not be effectively integrated because of the more restrictive guidelines, resulting in less than half of the two states being mapped, and delivery of only 701,419 praziquantel treatments for schistosomiasis since 1999. LESSONS LEARNED: Integration of schistosomiasis into other MDA programmes would be helped by amended guidelines leading to simpler mapping, more liberal use of praziquantel and the ability to administer praziquantel simultaneously with ivermectin and albendazole. PMID:16917658

Steering teens safe: a randomized trial of a parent-based intervention to improve safe teen driving.

PubMed

Peek-Asa, Corinne; Cavanaugh, Joseph E; Yang, Jingzhen; Chande, Vidya; Young, Tracy; Ramirez, Marizen

2014-07-31

Crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and parent-based interventions are a promising approach. We assess the effectiveness of Steering Teens Safe, a parent-focused program to increase safe teen driving. Steering Teens Safe aimed to improve parental communication with teens about safe driving using motivational interviewing techniques in conjunction with 19 safe driving lessons. A randomized controlled trial involved 145 parent-teen dyads (70 intervention and 75 control). Intervention parents received a 45-minute session to learn the program with four follow-up phone sessions, a DVD, and a workbook. Control parents received a standard brochure about safe driving. Scores were developed to measure teen-reported quantity and quality of parental communication about safe driving. The main outcome measure was a previously validated Risky Driving Score reported by teens. Because the Score was highly skewed, a generalized linear model based on a gamma distribution was used for analysis. Intervention teens ranked their parent's success in talking about driving safety higher than control teens (p = 0.035) and reported that their parents talked about more topics (non-significant difference). The Risky Driving Score was 21% lower in intervention compared to control teens (85% CI = 0.60, 1.00). Interaction between communication quantity and the intervention was examined. Intervention teens who reported more successful communication had a 42% lower Risky Driving Score (95% CI = 0.37, 0.94) than control parents with less successful communication. This program had a positive although not strong effect, and it may hold the most promise in partnership with other programs, such as Driver's Education or Graduated Driver's License policies. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01014923. Registered Nov. 16, 2009.

Changing pattern of landslide risk in Europe - The SafeLand project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadim, F.; Kalsnes, B.

2012-04-01

The need to protect people and property with a changing pattern of landslide hazard and risk caused by climate change and changes in demography, and the reality for societies in Europe to live with the risk associated with natural hazards, were the motives for the project SafeLand: "Living with landslide risk in Europe: Assessment, effects of global change, and risk management strategies." SafeLand is a large, integrating research project under the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme (FP7). The project started on 1 May 2009 and will end on 30 April 2012. It involves 27 partners from 12 European countries, and has international collaborators and advisers from China, India, USA, Japan and Hong Kong. SafeLand also involves 25 End-Users from 11 countries. SafeLand is coordinated by the International Centre for Geohazards (ICG) at Norwegian Geotechnical Institute in Norway. Further information on the SafeLand project can be found at its web site http://safeland-fp7.eu/. Main results achieved in SafeLand include: - Various guidelines related to landslide triggering processes and run-out modelling. - Development and testing of several empirical methods for predicting the characteristics of threshold rainfall events for triggering of precipitation-induced landslides, and development of an empirical model for assessing the changes in landslide frequency (hazard) as a function of changes in the demography and population density. - Guideline for landslide susceptibility, hazard and risk assessment and zoning. - New methodologies for physical and societal vulnerability assessment. - Identification of landslide hazard and risk hotspots for Europe. The results show clearly where areas with the largest landslide risk are located in Europe and the objective approach allows a ranking of the countries by exposed area and population. - Different regional and local climate model simulations over selected regions of Europe at spatial resolutions of 10x10 km and 2.8x2.8 km

Programmable hardware for reconfigurable computing systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Stephen

1996-10-01

In 1945 the work of J. von Neumann and H. Goldstein created the principal architecture for electronic computation that has now lasted fifty years. Nevertheless alternative architectures have been created that have computational capability, for special tasks, far beyond that feasible with von Neumann machines. The emergence of high capacity programmable logic devices has made the realization of these architectures practical. The original ENIAC and EDVAC machines were conceived to solve special mathematical problems that were far from today's concept of 'killer applications.' In a similar vein programmable hardware computation is being used today to solve unique mathematical problems. Our programmable hardware activity is focused on the research and development of novel computational systems based upon the reconfigurability of our programmable logic devices. We explore our programmable logic architectures and their implications for programmable hardware. One programmable hardware board implementation is detailed.

Overexpression of biologically safe Rorippa indica defensin enhances aphid tolerance in Brassica juncea.

PubMed

Sarkar, Poulami; Jana, Kuladip; Sikdar, Samir Ranjan

2017-11-01

Transgenic mustard plants ( Brassica juncea ) expressing non-allergenic and biologically safe RiD peptide show higher tolerance against Lipaphis erysimi. Rorippa indica defensin (RiD) has previously been reported as a novel insecticidal protein derived from a wild crucifer Rorippa indica. RiD was found to have an effective insecticidal property against mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi. In the present study, RiD was highly upregulated in R. indica during aphid infestation initiating a defense system mediated by jasmonic acid (JA), but not by salicylic acid (SA)/abscisic acid (ABA). RiD has also been assessed for biosafety according to the FAO/WHO guideline (allergenicity of genetically modified foods; Food And Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, 2001) and Codex Alimentarius Guideline (Guidelines for the design and implementation of national regulatory food safety assurance programme associated with the use of veterinary drugs in food producing animals. Codex Alimentarius Commission. GL, pp 71-2009, 2009). The purified protein was used to sensitize BALB/c mice and they showed normal histopathology of lung and no elevated IgE level in their sera. As the protein was found to be biologically safe and non-allergenic, it was used to develop transgenic Brassica juncea plants with enhanced aphid tolerance, which is one of the most important oilseed crops and is mostly affected by the devastating pest-L. erysimi. The transgene integration was monitored by Southern hybridization, and the positive B. juncea lines were further analyzed by Western blot, ELISA, immunohistolocalization assays and in planta insect bioassay. Transgenic plants expressing RiD conferred a higher level of tolerance against L. erysimi. All these results demonstrated that RiD is a novel, biologically safe, effective insecticidal agent and B. juncea plants expressing RiD are important components of integrated pest management.

Safe biodegradable fluorescent particles

DOEpatents

Martin, Sue I [Berkeley, CA; Fergenson, David P [Alamo, CA; Srivastava, Abneesh [Santa Clara, CA; Bogan, Michael J [Dublin, CA; Riot, Vincent J [Oakland, CA; Frank, Matthias [Oakland, CA

2010-08-24

A human-safe fluorescence particle that can be used for fluorescence detection instruments or act as a safe simulant for mimicking the fluorescence properties of microorganisms. The particle comprises a non-biological carrier and natural fluorophores encapsulated in the non-biological carrier. By doping biodegradable-polymer drug delivery microspheres with natural or synthetic fluorophores, the desired fluorescence can be attained or biological organisms can be simulated without the associated risks and logistical difficulties of live microorganisms.

Safe Haven.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bush, Gail

2003-01-01

Discusses school libraries as safe havens for teenagers and considers elements that foster that atmosphere, including the physical environment, lack of judgments, familiarity, leisure, and a welcoming nature. Focuses on the importance of relationships, and taking the time to listen to teens and encourage them. (LRW)

A qualitative evaluation of a comprehensive self-management programme for COPD patients: effectiveness from the patients' perspective.

PubMed

Monninkhof, Evelyn; van der Aa, Maaike; van der Valk, Paul; van der Palen, Job; Zielhuis, Gerhard; Koning, Karen; Pieterse, Marcel

2004-11-01

The COPE self-management programme, including a self-management education course, self-treatment of exacerbations and a fitness programme, appeared to have no significant effect on health related quality of life (HRQoL) as measured by the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). This is in contrast to our hypothesis and despite expressions of satisfaction of patients to healthcare workers. To understand this discrepancy, a qualitative study was performed. A purposive sample of 20 participants of the COPE self-management programme were interviewed at home using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim and analysed according grounded theory. The fitness programme was most positively evaluated by patients due to the perceived increase of exercise capacity and the social aspect of the group training. Major effects gained by the self-management education course reported by patients were the skills to evenly distribute their energy and to listen to their body signals. Most patients thought favourable about self-treatment of exacerbations. The possibility to start early, not having to call a doctor and autonomy were raised as important advantages. Furthermore, several patients reported increased self-confidence and coping behaviour as important effects of the COPE programme. Finally, many patients reported feeling safe due to the frequent follow-up visits and 24h access to the hospital, and this aspect elicited to be very important. In this study, the qualitative interviews suggest that the SGRQ and possibly other existing HRQoL instruments might fail to capture the full experience of patients in self-management studies. The need for more elaborate qualitative research on this subject is indicated.

Programmable Pacemaker

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

St. Jude Medical's Cardiac Rhythm Management Division, formerly known as Pacesetter Systems, Inc., incorporated Apollo technology into the development of the programmable pacemaker system. This consists of the implantable pacemaker together with a physician's console containing the programmer and a data printer. Physician can communicate with patient's pacemaker by means of wireless telemetry signals transmitted through the communicating head held over the patient's chest. Where earlier pacemakers deliver a fixed type of stimulus once implanted, Programalith enables surgery free "fine tuning" of device to best suit the patient's changing needs.

More than a Safe Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadowski, Michael

2016-01-01

Over the past three decades, much of the conversation about LGBTQ students in schools has centered on safety--anti-bullying policies, the "safe space" of gay-straight alliances, and "safe zones" marked by rainbow-colored stickers on classroom doors. In this article, Michael Sadowski argues that it's time to move beyond safety…

A small group aerobic exercise programme that reduces body weight is feasible in adults with severe chronic schizophrenia: a pilot study.

PubMed

Dodd, Karen J; Duffy, Sean; Stewart, Jan A; Impey, Jennifer; Taylor, Nicholas

2011-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility and effects of an exercise programme on people with severe, chronic schizophrenia. A single-group, pre-post pilot study incorporating a baseline familiarisation phase was followed by a 24-week, small-group aerobic exercise programme for up to 30-min each session, twice a week and a 30-min weekly walking session. Adherence was assessed by attendance, and by analysing the exercise supervisor's comments in a programme diary and in each participant's exercise logbook. Body weight, cardio-respiratory fitness (VO₂ max), walking endurance (6-min walk test) and psychiatric symptoms (the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) were measured at each time point. Eight participants (6 men, 2 women; mean age 45 years, 9 months (SD 10 years, 1 month); mean body mass index 27.0 (SD 4.2)) attended a mean of 73% of the scheduled exercise sessions, and 83% of the walking sessions, with no adverse events and no dropouts. All participants displayed positive and negative behaviours during training sessions. There were significant reductions in weight (2.4%) and body mass index (2.2%), but no changes in other measures. It was feasible and safe to conduct a small-group aerobic exercise programme for adults with severe chronic schizophrenia that reduced body weight.

Evolution of the Hubble Space Telescope Safing Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pepe, Joyce; Myslinski, Michael

2006-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched on April 24 1990, with an expected lifespan of 15 years. Central to the spacecraft design was the concept of a series of on-orbit shuttle servicing missions permitting astronauts to replace failed equipment, update the scientific instruments and keep the HST at the forefront of astronomical discoveries. One key to the success of the Hubble mission has been the robust Safing systems designed to monitor the performance of the observatory and to react to keep the spacecraft safe in the event of equipment anomaly. The spacecraft Safing System consists of a range of software tests in the primary flight computer that evaluate the performance of mission critical hardware, safe modes that are activated when the primary control mode is deemed inadequate for protecting the vehicle, and special actions that the computer can take to autonomously reconfigure critical hardware. The HST Safing System was structured to autonomously detect electrical power system, data management system, and pointing control system malfunctions and to configure the vehicle to ensure safe operation without ground intervention for up to 72 hours. There is also a dedicated safe mode computer that constantly monitors a keep-alive signal from the primary computer. If this signal stops, the safe mode computer shuts down the primary computer and takes over control of the vehicle, putting it into a safe, low-power configuration. The HST Safing system has continued to evolve as equipment has aged, as new hardware has been installed on the vehicle, and as the operation modes have matured during the mission. Along with the continual refinement of the limits used in the safing tests, several new tests have been added to the monitoring system, and new safe modes have been added to the flight software. This paper will focus on the evolution of the HST Safing System and Safing tests, and the importance of this evolution to prolonging the science operations of the

Managing Cassini Safe Mode Attitude at Saturn

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burk, Thomas A.

2010-01-01

The Cassini spacecraft was launched on October 15, 1997 and arrived at Saturn on June 30, 2004. It has performed detailed observations and remote sensing of Saturn, its rings, and its satellites since that time. In the event safe mode interrupts normal orbital operations, Cassini has flight software fault protection algorithms to detect, isolate, and recover to a thermally safe and commandable attitude and then wait for further instructions from the ground. But the Saturn environment is complex, and safety hazards change depending on where Cassini is in its orbital trajectory around Saturn. Selecting an appropriate safe mode attitude that insures safe operation in the Saturn environment, including keeping the star tracker field of view clear of bright bodies, while maintaining a quiescent, commandable attitude, is a significant challenge. This paper discusses the Cassini safe table management strategy and the key criteria that must be considered, especially during low altitude flybys of Titan, in deciding what spacecraft attitude should be used in the event of safe mode.

"Safe Schools within Safe Communities: A Regional Summit in the Heartland." Policy Briefs Special Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huertas, Aurelio, Jr.; Sullivan, Carol

This report documents the proceedings of a regional policy seminar hosted by the Iowa Department of Education with support from the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) and the Midwest Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities (MRC). The seminar, "Safe Schools Within Safe Communities," was held on September 19-20,…

Cardiac rehabilitation and the therapeutic environment: the importance of physical, social, and symbolic safety for programme participation among women.

PubMed

Sutton, Erica J; Rolfe, Danielle E; Landry, Mireille; Sternberg, Leonard; Price, Jennifer A D

2012-08-01

To report an exploration of the multidimensionality of safety in cardiac rehabilitation programmes as perceived by women who were enrolled in the Women's Cardiovascular Health Initiative in Toronto, Canada. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women. Although cardiac rehabilitation is clinically effective, significantly fewer women than men participate in available programmes. The literature identifies factors affecting women's cardiac rehabilitation participation, and provides possible explanations for this gender disparity. Although safety is mentioned among the barriers to women's cardiac rehabilitation participation, the extent to which safety contributes to programme participation, completion, and maintenance remains under-explored in the cardiac rehabilitation literature. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to examine the role safety and place play for women engaged in cardiac prevention and rehabilitation at the Women's Cardiovascular Health Initiative. Methods.  From 2005-2006, 14 participants engaged in semi-structured, qualitative interviews lasting 30-90 minutes. Discussions addressed women's experiences at the Women's Cardiovascular Health Initiative. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes were developed: 'Safety', which was sub-categorized according to physical, social, and symbolic interpretations of safety, 'searching for a sense of place', and 'confidence and empowerment'. Feeling physically, socially, and symbolically safe in one's cardiac rehabilitation environment may contribute to programme adherence and exercise maintenance for women. Focusing on comprehensive notions of safety in future cardiac rehabilitation research could offer insight into why many women do not maintain an exercise regimen in currently structured cardiac rehabilitation and community programmes. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Reaching their potential: Perceived impact of a collaborative academic-clinical partnership programme for early career nurses in New Zealand.

PubMed

McKillop, Ann; Doughty, Lesley; Atherfold, Cheryl; Shaw, Kathy

2016-01-01

The dynamic nature of healthcare ensures that early career nurses enter an uncertain and complex world of practice and consequently require support to develop their practice, build confidence and reach their potential. The New Zealand Nurse Entry to Practice programme for registered nurses in their first year of practice has been operating since 2005 to enable safe and confident practice, improve the quality of care, and positively impact on recruitment and retention. This academic and clinical programme was offered as a partnership between a university and a clinical provider with postgraduate academic credits gained. The aim of this study was to explore the perceived impact of postgraduate university education for early career nurses in one regional health area of New Zealand. Participants were registered nurses who had completed the early career nurse programme and their clinical preceptors. The research was conducted via an online survey of 248 nurses and three focus groups to explore how the programme was experienced and its impact on knowledge and practice. Early career nurses and their preceptors found that the programme enables improved knowledge and skills of patient assessment, application of critical thinking to clinical practice, perceived improvement in patient care delivery and outcomes, enhanced interprofessional communication and knowledge sharing, and had a positive impact on professional awareness and career planning. This clinical-academic partnership positively impacted on the clinical practice and transition experience of early career nurses and was closely aligned to an organization's strategic plan for nursing workforce development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safe Use Practices for Pesticides

Science.gov Websites

; Environment Human Health Animal Health Safe Use Practices Food Safety Environment Air Water Soil Wildlife Ingredients Low-Risk Pesticides Organic Pesticide Ingredients Pesticide Incidents Human Exposure Pet Exposure Home Page Pesticide Health and Safety Information Safe Use Practices for Pesticides Related Topics

75 FR 29391 - National Safe Boating Week, 2010

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-26

... Safe Boating Week, 2010 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Our Nation's... National Safe Boating Week to practicing safe techniques so boaters of all ages can enjoy this pastime... annually the 7-day period prior to Memorial Day weekend as ``National Safe Boating Week.'' NOW, THEREFORE...

Implementation of Adolescent Family-Based Substance Use Prevention Programmes in Health Care Settings: Comparisons across Conditions and Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aalborg, Annette E.; Miller, Brenda A.; Husson, Gail; Byrnes, Hilary F.; Bauman, Karl E.; Spoth, Richard L.

2012-01-01

Objective: To examine factors that influence the effectiveness and quality of implementation of evidence-based family-focused adolescent substance use prevention programmes delivered in health care settings and to assess the effects of programme choice versus programme assignment on programme delivery. Design: Strengthening Families Program: For…

30 CFR 77.312 - Fail safe monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Fail safe monitoring systems. 77.312 Section 77... Thermal Dryers § 77.312 Fail safe monitoring systems. Thermal dryer systems and controls shall be protected by a fail safe monitoring system which will safely shut down the system and any related equipment...

30 CFR 77.312 - Fail safe monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Fail safe monitoring systems. 77.312 Section 77... Thermal Dryers § 77.312 Fail safe monitoring systems. Thermal dryer systems and controls shall be protected by a fail safe monitoring system which will safely shut down the system and any related equipment...

30 CFR 77.312 - Fail safe monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Fail safe monitoring systems. 77.312 Section 77... Thermal Dryers § 77.312 Fail safe monitoring systems. Thermal dryer systems and controls shall be protected by a fail safe monitoring system which will safely shut down the system and any related equipment...

30 CFR 77.312 - Fail safe monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Fail safe monitoring systems. 77.312 Section 77... Thermal Dryers § 77.312 Fail safe monitoring systems. Thermal dryer systems and controls shall be protected by a fail safe monitoring system which will safely shut down the system and any related equipment...

30 CFR 77.312 - Fail safe monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Fail safe monitoring systems. 77.312 Section 77... Thermal Dryers § 77.312 Fail safe monitoring systems. Thermal dryer systems and controls shall be protected by a fail safe monitoring system which will safely shut down the system and any related equipment...

29 CFR 1915.15 - Maintenance of safe conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Enclosed Spaces and Other Dangerous Atmospheres in Shipyard Employment § 1915.15 Maintenance of safe... into spaces that have been certified “Safe for Workers” or “Safe for Hot Work” shall be disconnected... certificates. A competent person shall visually inspect and test each space certified as “Safe for Workers” or...

29 CFR 1915.15 - Maintenance of safe conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Enclosed Spaces and Other Dangerous Atmospheres in Shipyard Employment § 1915.15 Maintenance of safe... into spaces that have been certified “Safe for Workers” or “Safe for Hot Work” shall be disconnected... certificates. A competent person shall visually inspect and test each space certified as “Safe for Workers” or...

Staying Healthy and Safe at Work

MedlinePlus

... The Prematurity Campaign About us Annual report Our work Community impact Global programs Research Need help? Frequently ... safe at work Staying healthy and safe at work E-mail to a friend Please fill in ...

Safe Surgery for All: Early Lessons from Implementing a National Government-Driven Surgical Plan in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Burssa, Daniel; Teshome, Atlibachew; Iverson, Katherine; Ahearn, Olivia; Ashengo, Tigistu; Barash, David; Barringer, Erin; Citron, Isabelle; Garringer, Kaya; McKitrick, Victoria; Meara, John; Mengistu, Abraham; Mukhopadhyay, Swagoto; Reynolds, Cheri; Shrime, Mark; Varghese, Asha; Esseye, Samson; Bekele, Abebe

2017-12-01

Recognizing the unmet need for surgical care in Ethiopia, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has pioneered innovative methodologies for surgical system development with Saving Lives through Safe Surgery (SaLTS). SaLTS is a national flagship initiative designed to improve access to safe, essential and emergency surgical and anaesthesia care across all levels of the healthcare system. Sustained commitment from the FMOH and their recruitment of implementing partners has led to notable accomplishments across the breadth of the surgical system, including but not limited to: (1) Leadership, management and governance-a nationally scaled surgical leadership and mentorship programme, (2) Infrastructure-operating room construction and oxygen delivery plan, (3) Supplies and logistics-a national essential surgical procedure and equipment list, (4) Human resource development-a Surgical Workforce Expansion Plan and Anaesthesia National Roadmap, (5) Advocacy and partnership-strong FMOH partnership with international organizations, including GE Foundation's SafeSurgery2020 initiative, (6) Innovation-facility-driven identification of problems and solutions, (7) Quality of surgical and anaesthesia care service delivery-a national peri-operative guideline and WHO Surgical Safety Checklist implementation, and (8) Monitoring and evaluation-a comprehensive plan for short-term and long-term assessment of surgical quality and capacity. As Ethiopia progresses with its commitment to prioritize surgery within its Health Sector Transformation Plan, disseminating the process and outcomes of the SaLTS initiative will inform other countries on successful national implementation strategies. The following article describes the process by which the Ethiopian FMOH established surgical system reform and the preliminary results of implementation across these eight pillars.

But the kids are okay: motherhood, consumption and sex work in neo-liberal Latin America.

PubMed

Rivers-Moore, Megan

2010-12-01

Although sex work remains highly stigmatized around the world, its relatively high value (when compared to other kinds of work available for low-income women) allows sex workers to attain some level of economic, if not social, mobility. This article challenges the idea that sex work in 'third world' settings is always about mere subsistence. Instead, it suggests that sex workers in Costa Rica's tourism sector work to survive, but they also demonstrate significant personal ambition and aim not only to increase their own consumption levels, but crucially to get ahead. Women are clear about what sex work enables for their families and themselves: not the maintenance of the status quo, but rather a level of consumption otherwise unavailable to them as low-income and poor women. Sex work offers an opportunity to consume and to get ahead that these women have been unable to attain in other kinds of employment, primarily domestic and factory work. Furthermore, sex work allows women to think of themselves as particularly good mothers, able to provide for and spend important quality time with their kids. The article argues that survival, consumption, and motherhood are discursively deployed, in often contradictory and conflicting ways, in order to counteract the effects that stigma has on sex workers. It also suggests that sex workers may very well be the quintessential subjects of neo-liberalism in Latin America, in their embrace of entrepreneurial work and consumption.

33 CFR 83.06 - Safe speed (Rule 6).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safe speed (Rule 6). 83.06... Safe speed (Rule 6). Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take... prevailing circumstances and conditions. In determining a safe speed the following factors shall be among...

33 CFR 83.06 - Safe speed (Rule 6).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safe speed (Rule 6). 83.06... Safe speed (Rule 6). Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take... prevailing circumstances and conditions. In determining a safe speed the following factors shall be among...

"When you carry condoms all the boys think you want it": negotiating competing discourses about safe sex.

PubMed

Hillier, L; Harrison, L; Warr, D

1998-02-01

With the advent of HIV, sexual health campaigns and formal sex education in schools have worked to instil the concept of safe sex into the collective minds of Australia's youth. However the concept in its present guise is a fairly limited one. We argue in this paper that the predominant emphasis in education programmes on safe sex as condom use may be counter-productive for some young heterosexuals for two reasons. First, this strategy is male-focused and may not extrapolate well to young women who face special risks around pregnancy and rigid societal gender norms which govern sexual behaviour. Second, health promotion strategies aimed at young heterosexuals are based on an assumption of rational decision-making in sexual encounters and obscure the non-rational nature of arousal and desire, and the unequal power relations that exist between young men and women engaging in sex. Five hundred and twelve senior rural students participated in the study which included group discussions about sexuality and survey items which focused on the meanings of safe sex and the accessibility and use of condoms. The results showed that though most students identified condoms with safe sex, many were ambivalent about using them. Reasons given related to problems of negotiation, difficulties of access, and the risks which condoms gave no protection from, such as a sullied reputation. Perhaps, partly because of this, some students were looking to less secure methods of protection such as informal history-taking and monogamy. It is argued that successful sexual health promotion strategies must address the broad spectrum of concerns facing young men and women when they become sexually active and that consideration be given to the social context in which young people conduct their sexual lives.

Realistic Testing of the Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE-100) Thermal Simulator Using Fiber Bragg Gratings

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

Stinson-Bagby, Kelly L.; Fielder, Robert S.; Van Dyke, Melissa K.

2004-02-04

The motivation for the reported research was to support NASA space nuclear power initiatives through the development of advanced fiber optic sensors for space-based nuclear power applications. Distributed high temperature measurements were made with 20 FBG temperature sensors installed in the SAFE-100 thermal simulator at the NASA Marshal Space Flight Center. Experiments were performed at temperatures approaching 800 deg. C and 1150 deg. C for characterization studies of the SAFE-100 core. Temperature profiles were successfully generated for the core during temperature increases and decreases. Related tests in the SAFE-100 successfully provided strain measurement data.

Libyan cochlear implant programme: achievements, difficulties, and future goals

PubMed Central

Salamat, Ali; Esriti, Anwer; Ehtuish, Asia; El-Ogbi, Samya

2011-01-01

Cochlear implantation has become established worldwide as a safe and effective method of auditory rehabilitation of selected severely and profound deaf children and adults. Over 100,000 patients have received cochlear implants worldwide with the paediatric population proving to be the main beneficiaries. The Libyan cochlear implant programme was set up in 2004. Data relating to the patients who received cochlear implantation at Tripoli Medical Centre between October 2007 and February 2010 were analysed. Implant operations were performed on 37 patients. All patients received Med-El SONATATI100 devices. Thirty-four (91.9%) of these patients were children, whilst three (8.1%) were adults. Combined, congenital hearing loss (56.8%) and perinatal/neonatal (29.7%) were the two main aetiological factors in children. Seventeen patients (45.9%) had a positive family history of deafness. Sixteen patients (43.2%) were born to blood-related parents. The overall rate of minor and major complications was 16.2%, which is comparable to previous studies. PMID:21694783

Libyan cochlear implant programme: achievements, difficulties, and future goals.

PubMed

Salamat, Ali; Esriti, Anwer; Ehtuish, Asia; El-Ogbi, Samya

2011-01-01

Cochlear implantation has become established worldwide as a safe and effective method of auditory rehabilitation of selected severely and profound deaf children and adults. Over 100,000 patients have received cochlear implants worldwide with the paediatric population proving to be the main beneficiaries. The Libyan cochlear implant programme was set up in 2004. Data relating to the patients who received cochlear implantation at Tripoli Medical Centre between October 2007 and February 2010 were analysed. Implant operations were performed on 37 patients. All patients received Med-El SONATA(TI) (100) devices. Thirty-four (91.9%) of these patients were children, whilst three (8.1%) were adults. Combined, congenital hearing loss (56.8%) and perinatal/neonatal (29.7%) were the two main aetiological factors in children. Seventeen patients (45.9%) had a positive family history of deafness. Sixteen patients (43.2%) were born to blood-related parents. The overall rate of minor and major complications was 16.2%, which is comparable to previous studies.

33 CFR 62.27 - Safe water marks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safe water marks. 62.27 Section 62.27 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AIDS TO NAVIGATION UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM The U.S. Aids to Navigation System § 62.27 Safe water marks. Safe...

75 FR 1734 - Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule Safe Harbor Proposed Self-Regulatory Guidelines; i-SAFE...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-13

...The Federal Trade Commission publishes this notice and request for public comment concerning proposed self-regulatory guidelines submitted by i-SAFE, Inc. under the safe harbor provision of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule.

Adapting Nepal's polio eradication programme.

PubMed

Paudel, Krishna P; Hampton, Lee M; Gurung, Santosh; Bohara, Rajendra; Rai, Indra K; Anaokar, Sameer; Swift, Rachel D; Cochi, Stephen

2017-03-01

Many countries have weak disease surveillance and immunization systems. The elimination of polio creates an opportunity to use staff and assets from the polio eradication programme to control other vaccine-preventable diseases and improve disease surveillance and immunization systems. In 2003, the active surveillance system of Nepal's polio eradication programme began to report on measles and neonatal tetanus cases. Japanese encephalitis and rubella cases were added to the surveillance system in 2004. Staff from the programme aided the development and implementation of government immunization policies, helped launch vaccination campaigns, and trained government staff in reporting practices and vaccine management. Nepal eliminated indigenous polio in 2000, and controlled outbreaks caused by polio importations between 2005 and 2010. In 2014, the surveillance activities had expanded to 299 sites, with active surveillance for measles, rubella and neonatal tetanus, including weekly visits from 15 surveillance medical officers. Sentinel surveillance for Japanese encephalitis consisted of 132 sites. Since 2002, staff from the eradication programme have helped to introduce six new vaccines and helped to secure funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Staff have also assisted in responding to other health events in the country. By expanding the activities of its polio eradication programme, Nepal has improved its surveillance and immunization systems and increased vaccination coverage of other vaccine-preventable diseases. Continued donor support, a close collaboration with the Expanded Programme on Immunization, and the retention of the polio eradication programme's skilled workforce were important for this expansion.

Curiosity's Autonomous Surface Safing Behavior Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neilson, Tracy A.; Manning, Robert M.

2013-01-01

The safing routines on all robotic deep-space vehicles are designed to put the vehicle in a power and thermally safe configuration, enabling communication with the mission operators on Earth. Achieving this goal is made a little more difficult on Curiosity because the power requirements for the core avionics and the telecommunication equipment exceed the capability of the single power source, the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. This drove the system design to create an operational mode, called "sleep mode", where the vehicle turns off most of the loads in order to charge the two Li-ion batteries. The system must keep the vehicle safe from over-heat and under-heat conditions, battery cell failures, under-voltage conditions, and clock failures, both while the computer is running and while the system is sleeping. The other goal of a safing routine is to communicate. On most spacecraft, this simply involves turning on the receiver and transmitter continuously. For Curiosity, Earth is above the horizon only a part of the day for direct communication to the Earth, and the orbiter overpass opportunities only occur a few times a day. The design must robustly place the Rover in a communicable condition at the correct time. This paper discusses Curiosity's autonomous safing behavior and describes how the vehicle remains power and thermally safe while sleeping, as well as a description of how the Rover communicates with the orbiters and Earth at specific times.

33 CFR 62.27 - Safe water marks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safe water marks. 62.27 Section... UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM The U.S. Aids to Navigation System § 62.27 Safe water marks. Safe water marks indicate that there is navigable water all around the mark. They are often used to indicate...

33 CFR 62.27 - Safe water marks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Safe water marks. 62.27 Section... UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM The U.S. Aids to Navigation System § 62.27 Safe water marks. Safe water marks indicate that there is navigable water all around the mark. They are often used to indicate...

33 CFR 62.27 - Safe water marks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Safe water marks. 62.27 Section... UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM The U.S. Aids to Navigation System § 62.27 Safe water marks. Safe water marks indicate that there is navigable water all around the mark. They are often used to indicate...

Stakeholders' perceptions of programme sustainability: findings from a community-based fall prevention programme.

PubMed

Hanson, H M; Salmoni, A W

2011-08-01

Sustainability of health promotion and injury prevention programmes is a goal of practitioners and an increasingly common requirement of funding bodies. However, less is known about the views held by individual stakeholders involved in such programmes regarding their perceptions of facilitators and barriers to achieving sustainability. This paper aims to share the perceptions of programme sustainability held by key stakeholders involved in a community-based fall prevention programme in three Ontario demonstration communities in Canada. A qualitative case study research design. A holistic multiple case study method was employed. In total, 45 stakeholders involved in various aspects of the project participated from three demonstration sites. Stakeholders' perceptions were gathered on the individual actions they took in an effort to promote sustainability, and the barriers they perceived as preventing or limiting sustainability. Stakeholders reported taking a number of actions to aid programme sustainability, with some actions deemed to be more functional in aiding sustainability than others. Common actions reported by stakeholders included partnership formation, networking and increasing community capacity. Stakeholders also perceived a number of barriers to achieving sustainability, including insufficient human and financial resources, lack of co-ordination and buy-in, heavy reliance on volunteers and an inability to mobilize physicians. Stakeholders' perceptions of sustainability were used to develop recommendations for sustainability for both communities and funding bodies. The views and experiences shared by the stakeholders in this project can serve as lessons learnt to aid in the sustainability of other health promotion and injury prevention programmes in the future. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removing Hair Safely

MedlinePlus

... For Consumers Home For Consumers Consumer Updates Removing Hair Safely Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing ... related to common methods of hair removal. Laser Hair Removal In this method, a laser destroys hair ...

A fail-safe CMOS logic gate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bobin, V.; Whitaker, S.

1990-01-01

This paper reports a design technique to make Complex CMOS Gates fail-safe for a class of faults. Two classes of faults are defined. The fail-safe design presented has limited fault-tolerance capability. Multiple faults are also covered.

Practical assessment of the SWMM programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hlustik, P.

2017-10-01

The article describes the advantages and disadvantages of the SWMM programme user environment when working with it. The Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) is a programme developed by the U.S. EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency). The SWMM programme is used worldwide to plan, analyse and design rainfall-runoff, combined and separate sanitary sewage systems and other drainage systems in urban areas [1]. The programme is freely available to download from the U.S. EPA website [2].

Safe mobility for older people notebook

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-04-01

The Safe Mobility for Older People Notebook is a research product of the "Model Driver Screening and Evaluation Program" project sponsored by NHTSA, and is intended as a resource to support program initiatives promoting the safe mobility of older per...

A leadership programme for critical care.

PubMed

Crofts, Linda

2006-08-01

This paper describes the genesis, design and implementation of a leadership programme for critical care. This was an initiative funded by the National Health Service (NHS) Nursing Leadership Project and had at the core of its design flexibility to meet the needs of the individual hospitals, which took part in it. Participation was from the multi-disciplinary critical care team. Six NHS hospitals took part in the programme which was of 20 days duration and took place on hospital sites. The programme used the leadership model of as its template and had a number of distinct components; a baseline assessment, personal development, principles of leadership and critical case reviews. The programme was underpinned by three themes; working effectively in multi-professional teams to provide patient focussed care, managing change through effective leadership and developing the virtual critical care service. Each group set objectives pertinent to their own organisation's needs. The programme was evaluated by a self-reporting questionnaire; group feedback and feedback from stakeholders. Programme evaluation was positive from all the hospitals but it was clear that the impact of the programme varied considerably between the groups who took part. It was noted that there was some correlation between the success of the programme and organisational 'buy in' as well as the organisational culture within which the participants operated. A key feature of the programme success was the critical case reviews, which were considered to be a powerful learning tool and medium for group learning and change management.

Programmable Pulser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baumann, Eric; Merolla, Anthony

1988-01-01

User controls number of clock pulses to prevent burnout. New digital programmable pulser circuit in three formats; freely running, counted, and single pulse. Operates at frequencies up to 5 MHz, with no special consideration given to layout of components or to terminations. Pulser based on sequential circuit with four states and binary counter with appropriate decoding logic. Number of programmable pulses increased beyond 127 by addition of another counter and decoding logic. For very large pulse counts and/or very high frequencies, use synchronous counters to avoid errors caused by propagation delays. Invaluable tool for initial verification or diagnosis of digital or digitally controlled circuity.

33 CFR 62.27 - Safe water marks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Safe water marks. 62.27 Section 62.27 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AIDS TO NAVIGATION UNITED STATES AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM The U.S. Aids to Navigation System § 62.27 Safe water marks. Safe water marks indicate that there is...

Developing Safe Schools Partnerships with Law Enforcement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosiak, John

2009-01-01

Safe schools are the concern of communities throughout the world. If a school is safe, and if children feel safe, students "are better able to learn. But what are the steps to make" this happen? First, it is important to understand the problem: What are the threats to school safety? These include crime-related behaviors that find their way to…

Empowering change: realist evaluation of a Scottish Government programme to support normal birth.

PubMed

Cheyne, Helen; Abhyankar, Purva; McCourt, Christine

2013-10-01

midwife-led care has consistently been found to be safe and effective in reducing routine childbirth interventions and improving women's experience of care. Despite consistent UK policy support for maximising the role of the midwife as the lead care provider for women with healthy pregnancies, implementation has been inconsistent and the persistent use of routine interventions in labour has given rise to concern. In response the Scottish Government initiated Keeping Childbirth Natural and Dynamic (KCND), a maternity care programme that aimed to support normal birth by implementing multiprofessional care pathways and making midwife-led care for healthy pregnant women the national norm. the evaluation was informed by realist evaluation. It aimed to explore and explain the ways in which the KCND programme worked or did not work in different maternity care contexts. the evaluation was conducted in three phases. In phase one semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with key informants to elicit the programme theory. At phase two, this theory was tested using a multiple case study approach. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted and a case record audit was undertaken. In the final phase the programme theory was refined through analyses and interpretation of the data. the setting for the evaluation was NHS Scotland. In phase one, 12 national programme stakeholders and 13 consultant midwives participated. In phase two case studies were undertaken in three health boards; overall 73 participants took part in interviews or focus groups. A case record audit was undertaken of all births in Scotland during one week in two consecutive years before and after pathway implementation. government and health board level commitment to, and support of, the programme signalled its importance and facilitated change. Consultant midwives tailored change strategies, using different approaches in response to the culture of care and inter

The Impact of Self-Narratives of Motherhood for Mothers of Children with Autism

PubMed Central

Trzebiński, Jerzy; Wołowicz-Ruszkowska, Agnieszka; Wójcik, Adrian Dominik

2016-01-01

The main goal of this study was to identify the impact of a narrative construction of a life challenge - discovering to have a child with autism - on the meaning of life and on resources for coping depending on the challenge’s novelty, i.e., the number of years from the diagnosis. Three hundred and sixty four mothers of children with autism participated in a long-term 3 × 2 experiment. Half of the mothers had children with autism at the age of 9–12 years. For the remaining half, having children with autism was a new and stressful life situation. Their children were 2–3 years old and just diagnosed by a medical center as having autism spectrum disorder. The mothers were assigned to one of three study conditions: they were either asked to write stories of their motherhood or to describe their children’s behavior on a questionnaire or they did not participate in any tasks. One month and then 4 months after this task the participants completed measures of meaning of life and several well-being scales. The results indicated that following the narrative writing the participants had the highest scores on the meaning of life and well-being scales. This affect was sustained over 4 months and was significant only for mothers with older children. The mediation analysis showed that the effects of the experimental conditions on different well-being scales were mediated by the changes in perceived meaning of life. The results suggest that construction of self-narratives of difficult ongoing challenges facilitates meaning making and subsequently strengthens resources for coping. However, it seems that a meaning-making construction of such self-story may be blocked by the uncertainty and stress caused by novelty of the challenging situation. PMID:27994568

Safe haven laws as crime control theater.

PubMed

Hammond, Michelle; Miller, Monica K; Griffin, Timothy

2010-07-01

This article examines safe haven laws, which allow parents to legally abandon their infants. The main objective is to determine whether safe haven laws fit the criteria of crime control theater, a term used to describe public policies that produce the appearance, but not the effect, of crime control, and as such are essentially socially constructed "solutions" to socially constructed crime "problems." The analysis will apply the principles of crime control theater to safe haven laws. Specifically, the term crime control theater applies to laws that are reactionary responses to perceived criminal threats and are often widely supported as a way to address the crime in question. Such laws are attractive because they appeal to mythic narratives (i.e., saving an innocent child from a predator); however they are likely ineffective due to the complexity of the crime. These laws can have deleterious effects when policymakers make false claims of success and stunt public discourse (e.g., drawing attention away from more frequent and preventable crimes). This analysis applies these criteria to safe haven laws to determine whether such laws can be classified as crime control theater. Many qualities inherent to crime control theater are present in safe haven laws. For example, the laws are highly publicized, their intentions lack moral ambiguity, rare cases of success legitimize law enforcement and other agencies, and they appeal to the public sense of responsibility in preventing crime. Yet the goal of saving infant lives may be unattainable. These qualities make the effectiveness of the laws questionable and suggest they may be counterproductive. This analysis determined that safe haven laws are socially constructed solutions to the socially constructed problem of child abandonment. Safe haven laws are appropriately classified as crime control theater. It is imperative that further research be conducted to examine the effectiveness and collateral effects of safe haven laws

Programmable shunt valve interactions with osseointegrated hearing devices.

PubMed

Pierson, Matthew J; Wehrmann, Daniel; Albers, J Andrew; El Tecle, Najib E; Costa, Dary; Elbabaa, Samer K

2017-04-01

OBJECTIVE Patients with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts with programmable valves who would benefit from osseointegrated hearing devices (OIHDs) represent a unique population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the magnetic field strengths of 4 OIHDs and their interactions with 5 programmable VP shunt valves. METHODS Magnetic field strength was measured as a function of distance for each hearing device (Cochlear Baha 5, Cochlear Baha BP110, Oticon Ponto Plus Power, and Medtronic Sophono) in the following modes: inactive, active in quiet, and active in 60 decibels of background noise in the sound booth. The hearing devices were introduced to each shunt valve (Aesculap proGAV, Aesculap proGAV 2.0, Codman Hakim, Codman Certas, and Medtronic Strata II) also as a function of distance in these identical 3 settings. Each trial was repeated 5 times. Between each trial, the valves were assessed for a change in setting. Finally, using a skull model, the devices were introduced to each other in standard anatomical locations and the valves were assessed for a change in settings. RESULTS The maximum magnetic field strengths generated by the Cochlear Baha 5, BP110, and Oticon OIHDs were 1.1, 36.2, and 48.7 gauss (G), respectively. The maximum strength generated by the Sophono device was > 800 G. The magnetic field strength of the hearing devices decreased markedly with increasing distance from the device. The strength of the Sophono's magnetic attachment decreased to 34.8 G at 5 mm. The Codman Hakim, Codman Certas, and Medtronic Strata II valve settings changed when rotating the valves next to the Sophono abutment. No other changes in valve settings occurred in the distance or anatomical models for any other trials. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study evaluating the interaction between OIHDs and programmable VP shunt valves. The findings suggest that it is safe to use these devices together without having to switch to a nonprogrammable valve or move the shunt valve to a more

Japan's Eco-School Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mori, Masayuki

2007-01-01

Since 1997, several ministries in Japan have collaborated on an eco-school programme, which applies to both newly constructed and renovated school buildings, in an effort to make its schools more environmentally friendly. The programme equips school buildings with ecological features such as photovoltaic cells, solar thermal collectors, other new…

Poverty alleviation programmes in India: a social audit.

PubMed

K Yesudian, C A

2007-10-01

The review highlights the poverty alleviation programmes of the government in the post-economic reform era to evaluate the contribution of these programmes towards reducing poverty in the country. The poverty alleviation programmes are classified into (i) self-employment programmes; (ii) wage employment programmes; (iii) food security programmes; (iv) social security programmes; and (v) urban poverty alleviation programmes. The parameter used for evaluation included utilization of allocated funds, change in poverty level, employment generation and number or proportion of beneficiaries. The paper attempts to go beyond the economic benefit of the programmes and analyzes the social impact of these programmes on the communities where the poor live, and concludes that too much of government involvement is actually an impediment. On the other hand, involvement of the community, especially the poor has led to better achievement of the goals of the programmes. Such endeavours not only reduced poverty but also empowered the poor to find their own solutions to their economic problems. There is a need for decentralization of the programmes by strengthening the panchayat raj institutions as poverty is not merely economic deprivation but also social marginalization that affects the poor most.

Safe Sleep Practices of Kansas Birthing Hospitals

PubMed Central

Ahlers-Schmidt, Carolyn R.; Schunn, Christy; Sage, Cherie; Engel, Matthew; Benton, Mary

2018-01-01

Background Sleep-related death is tied with congenital anomalies as the leading cause of infant mortality in Kansas, and external risk factors are present in 83% of these deaths. Hospitals can impact caregiver intentions to follow risk-reduction strategies. This project assessed the current practices and policies of Kansas hospitals with regard to safe sleep. Methods A cross-sectional survey of existing safe sleep practices and policies in Kansas hospitals was performed. Hospitals were categorized based on reported delivery volume and data were compared across hospital sizes. Results Thirty-one of 73 (42%) contacted hospitals responded. Individual survey respondents represented various hospital departments including newborn/well-baby (68%), neonatal intensive care unit (3%) and other non-nursery departments or administration (29%). Fifty-eight percent of respondents reported staff were trained on infant safe sleep; 44% of these held trainings annually. High volume hospitals tended to have more annual training than low or mid volume birth hospitals. Thirty-nine percent reported a safe sleep policy, though most of these (67%) reported never auditing compliance. The top barrier to safe sleep education, regardless of delivery volume, was conflicting patient and family member beliefs. Conclusions Hospital promotion of infant safe sleep is being conducted in Kansas to varying degrees. High and mid volume birth hospitals may need to work more on formal auditing of safe sleep practices, while low volume hospitals may need more staff training. Low volume hospitals also may benefit from access to additional caregiver education materials. Finally, it is important to note hospitals should not be solely responsible for safe sleep education. PMID:29844848

Home treatment with Elaprase and Naglazyme is safe in patients with mucopolysaccharidoses types II and VI, respectively.

PubMed

Bagewadi, S; Roberts, J; Mercer, J; Jones, S; Stephenson, J; Wraith, J E

2008-12-01

Enzyme replacement therapy for lysosomal storage disorders has made an important contribution to improving the quality of life of affected patients. The treatment, however, is invasive and onerous, involving weekly or biweekly intravenous infusions of product over a 3-4 h period. Such therapy can be extremely disruptive of normal family life and the provision of a safe, home treatment regimen is greatly appreciated by affected families. In this report we demonstrate the safety of home treatment with Elaprase for mucopolysaccharidosis type II (17 patients) and Naglazyme for mucopolysaccharidosis type VI (6 patients). Careful patient selection, an experienced home care company and a detailed management plan for potential anaphylaxis and infusion-associated reactions are important components in a successful home treatment programme.

Programme Costing of a Physical Activity Programme in Primary Prevention: Should the Costs of Health Asset Assessment and Participatory Programme Development Count?

PubMed Central

Wolfenstetter, Silke B.; Schweikert, Bernd; John, Jürgen

2012-01-01

This analysis aims to discuss the implications of the “health asset concept”, introduced by the WHO, and the “investment for health model” requiring a “participatory approach” of cooperative programme development applied on a physical activity programme for socially disadvantaged women and to demonstrate the related costing issues as well as the relevant decision context. The costs of programme implementation amounted to €48,700. Adding the costs for developing the programme design of €48,800 results in total costs of €97,500; adding on top of that the costs of asset assessment running to €35,600 would total €133,100. These four different cost figures match four different types of potentially relevant decisions contexts. Depending on the decision context the total costs, and hence the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of a health promotion intervention, could differ considerably. Therefore, a detailed cost assessment and the identification of the decision context are of crucial importance. PMID:22536517

Programme costing of a physical activity programme in primary prevention: should the costs of health asset assessment and participatory programme development count?

PubMed

Wolfenstetter, Silke B; Schweikert, Bernd; John, Jürgen

2012-01-01

This analysis aims to discuss the implications of the "health asset concept", introduced by the WHO, and the "investment for health model" requiring a "participatory approach" of cooperative programme development applied on a physical activity programme for socially disadvantaged women and to demonstrate the related costing issues as well as the relevant decision context. The costs of programme implementation amounted to €48,700. Adding the costs for developing the programme design of €48,800 results in total costs of €97,500; adding on top of that the costs of asset assessment running to €35,600 would total €133,100. These four different cost figures match four different types of potentially relevant decisions contexts. Depending on the decision context the total costs, and hence the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of a health promotion intervention, could differ considerably. Therefore, a detailed cost assessment and the identification of the decision context are of crucial importance.

21 CFR 870.3700 - Pacemaker programmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Pacemaker programmers. 870.3700 Section 870.3700...) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Prosthetic Devices § 870.3700 Pacemaker programmers. (a) Identification. A pacemaker programmer is a device used to change noninvasively one or more of...

21 CFR 870.3700 - Pacemaker programmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Pacemaker programmers. 870.3700 Section 870.3700...) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Prosthetic Devices § 870.3700 Pacemaker programmers. (a) Identification. A pacemaker programmer is a device used to change noninvasively one or more of...

21 CFR 870.3700 - Pacemaker programmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Pacemaker programmers. 870.3700 Section 870.3700...) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Prosthetic Devices § 870.3700 Pacemaker programmers. (a) Identification. A pacemaker programmer is a device used to noninvasively change one or more of...

21 CFR 870.3700 - Pacemaker programmers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Pacemaker programmers. 870.3700 Section 870.3700...) MEDICAL DEVICES CARDIOVASCULAR DEVICES Cardiovascular Prosthetic Devices § 870.3700 Pacemaker programmers. (a) Identification. A pacemaker programmer is a device used to noninvasively change one or more of...

Assessing the Financial Viability of Academic Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swift, Lynette

2012-01-01

This paper reviews and examines approaches to determining the financial viability of academic programmes as a critical component of assessing a programme's overall sustainability. Key to assessing the financial viability of a programme is understanding the teaching activities required to deliver the programme and the cost of those activities. A…

Motherhood in the shade of migration: A qualitative study of the experience of Syrian refugee mothers living in Turkey.

PubMed

Korukcu, Oznur; Aydın, Ruveyde; Conway, Jane; Kukulu, Kamile

2018-03-01

Turkey receives the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world. Some of these refugee women become mothers in Turkey. This paper reports on a qualitative, descriptive study that investigated the experience of seven Syrian women migrants who gave birth in Turkey, and explores their experiences of transition to motherhood in a foreign country. The research identified that aspects of transition can be clustered under five main themes: difficulties during the pregnancy period, giving birth in a foreign country, problems of refugee mothers, milestones in life of refugee mothers, and influence of cultural beliefs of refugee mothers on baby care. Key findings revealed that the women in the study had negative experiences related to being pregnant and having a baby in a foreign country. In addition to identifying challenges associated with migration, such as language barriers, racism, discrimination, poverty, and separation from their culture and family, the study highlighted the fears and difficulties experienced by refugee mothers, the cultural beliefs of refugee women about caring for their babies, and turning points in the life of refugee mothers. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Using Medications Safely

MedlinePlus

... health systems play an important role in preventing medication errors. To make sure you use medicines safely and effectively, ASHP recommends that you: Keep a list of all medications that you take (prescribed drugs, nonprescription medicines, herbal ...

Computer-Assisted Learning in UK Engineering Degree Programmes: Lessons Learned from an Extensive Case Study Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothberg, S. J.; Lamb, F. M.; Willis, L.

2006-01-01

This paper gives a synopsis of an extensive programme of case studies on real uses of computer-assisted learning (CAL) materials within UK engineering degree programmes. The programme was conducted between 2000 and 2003 and followed a questionnaire-based survey looking at CAL use in the UK and in Australia. The synopsis reveals a number of key…

A Programmer-Oriented Approach to Safe Concurrency

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-05-01

and leaving a synchronized block additionally has effects on the management of memory values in the JMM. The practical outcome of these effects is...object-oriented effects system; (3) analysis to track the association of locks with regions, (4) policy descriptions for allowable method...Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 4 An Object-Oriented Effects System 45 4.1 Regions Identify State

Meeting Teacher Expectations in a DL Professional Development Programme--A Case Study for Sustained Applied Competence as Programme Outcome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruger, Cornè Gerda; Van Rensburg, Ona Janse; De Witt, Marike W.

2016-01-01

Meeting teacher expectations for a professional development programme (PDP) is expected to strengthen sustainable applied competence as programme outcome since teachers will be more motivated to apply the programme content in practice. A revised distance learning (DL) programme was augmented by a practical component comprising a work-integrated…

School Inclusion Programmes (SIPS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drossinou-Korea, Maria; Matousi, Dimitra; Panopoulos, Nikolaos; Paraskevopoulou, Aikaterini

2016-01-01

The purpose of this work was to understand the school inclusion programmes (SIPs) for students with special educational needs (SEN). The methodology was conducted in the field of special education (SE) and focuses on three case studies of students who was supported by SIPs. The Targeted, Individual, Structured, Inclusion Programme for students…

Building a global business continuity programme.

PubMed

Lazcano, Michael

2014-01-01

Business continuity programmes provide an important function within organisations, especially when aligned with and supportive of the organisation's goals, objectives and organisational culture. Continuity programmes for large, complex international organisations, unlike those for compact national companies, are more difficult to design, build, implement and maintain. Programmes for international organisations require attention to structural design, support across organisational leadership and hierarchy, seamless integration with the organisation's culture, measured success and demonstrated value. This paper details practical, but sometimes overlooked considerations for building successful global business continuity programmes.

Managing drugs safely.

PubMed

van den Anker, John N

2005-02-01

There is hard data to show that newborn infants are more likely than adults to experience adverse reactions to drugs. Paradoxically, drug-related legislation to ensure safe and effective drug use in humans neglected neonates until 2002, when the Best Pharmaceuticals Act for Children was signed into law in the USA. The situation for neonates should now catch up with that for adults and neonates will be prescribed more licensed drugs in the near future. If we are to be able to analyze the underlying system errors to improve the safe use of drugs in the studied patient population, reporting of adverse drug events and reactions needs to happen in a blame free environment. In addition, computerized physician order entry will certainly further improve the current situation by preventing errors in ordering, transcribing, verifying, and transmitting medication orders.

Options of sustainable groundwater supply from safe aquifers in areas with elevated arsenic - a case study from Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakariya, M.; Bhattacharya, P.; Bromssen, M. V.

2008-05-01

Access to safe drinking water is a basic human right. Several millions of people, mainly in developing countries are affected by arsenic in drinking water and the global impact now makes it a top priority water quality issue. A wide gap between the number of exposed people and the pace of mitigation programmes in rural areas of developing countries is the main problem in providing safe drinking water. The main challenge is to develop a sustainable mitigation option that rural and disadvantaged people can adopt and implement themselves to overcome possible public heath hazards. During the recent years, new approaches have emerged in Bangladesh, primarily emerging out of people's own initiative. The local drillers target presumed safe aquifers on the basis of colour and texture of the sediments. A recent study by our research group revealed a distinct correlation between the colour characteristics of the sediments and the groundwater redox conditions. The coupling between the colour of sediments and the redox characteristics of groundwater may thus be used as a tool to assess the risk for As mobilization from the aquifers. The study showed that it is possible to assess the relative risk of high concentrations of As in aquifers if the colour characteristics of the sediments are known and thus, local drillers may target safe aquifers. For validating the sustainability of this mitigation option geological, hydrogeological and microbiological investigations are needed. The sustainability of the aquifers needs to be assessed by combining results from various field and laboratory investigations and by running predictive models. There is also a need to raise the awareness and thereby create a platform for motivating the local drillers to be educated in installing safe tubewells. Awareness raising and community mobilisation are two top priorities for implementing a sustainable safe water project in rural village areas. Significant preparation, attention, and focus must be

School Security Assessment Programme in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marrapodi, John

2007-01-01

This article describes a successful security risk management programme in Australia. The state-wide programme follows a structured risk management approach focusing on the safety and security of people, information, provision, and assets in the school environment. To assist school principals, a Security Risk Assessment Programme was developed on a…

An Automated Safe-to-Mate (ASTM) Tester

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Phuc; Scott, Michelle; Leung, Alan; Lin, Michael; Johnson, Thomas

2013-01-01

Safe-to-mate testing is a common hardware safety practice where impedance measurements are made on unpowered hardware to verify isolation, continuity, or impedance between pins of an interface connector. A computer-based instrumentation solution has been developed to resolve issues. The ASTM is connected to the circuit under test, and can then quickly, safely, and reliably safe-to-mate the entire connector, or even multiple connectors, at the same time.

Effect of teenage motherhood on cognitive outcomes in children: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Morinis, Julia; Carson, Claire; Quigley, Maria A

2013-12-01

To examine the association between teenage motherhood and cognitive development at 5 years. Data from Millennium Cohort Study, a prospective, nationally representative UK cohort of 18 818 infants born between 2000 and 2001. 12 021 (64%) mother-child pairs from white, English-speaking, singleton pregnancies were included. Cognitive ability at 5 years was measured by the British Ability Scales II. Difference in mean cognitive scores across maternal age groups was estimated using linear regression, with adjustment for potential confounders and mediators. 617 (5%) children were born to mothers aged ≤18 years. Our analysis revealed that children of teenage mothers had significantly lower cognitive scores compared with children of mothers aged 25-34 years: difference in mean score for verbal ability -8.9 (-10.88 to -6.86, p<0.001); non-verbal ability -7.8 (-10.52 to -5.19, p<0.001); spatial ability -4.7 (-6.39 to -3.07, p<0.001), which is equivalent to an average delay of 11, 7 and 4 months, respectively. After adjustment for perinatal and sociodemographic factors, the effect of young maternal age on non-verbal and spatial ability mean scores was attenuated. A difference persisted in the mean verbal ability scores -3.8 (-6.34 to -1.34, p=0.003), equivalent to an average delay of 5 months. Results suggest that the difference observed in the initial analyses for non-verbal and spatial skills are almost entirely explained by marked inequalities in sociodemographic circumstances and perinatal risk. However, there remains a significant adverse effect on verbal abilities in the children born to teenage mothers.

Attachment representations among substance-abusing women in transition to motherhood: implications for prenatal emotions and mother-infant interaction.

PubMed

Isosävi, Sanna; Flykt, Marjo; Belt, Ritva; Posa, Tiina; Kuittinen, Saija; Puura, Kaija; Punamäki, Raija-Leena

2016-08-01

We studied how attachment representations contribute to central components of transition to motherhood, prenatal emotion processing (EP) and emotional availability (EA) of mother-infant interaction, and whether there are group specific differences. Participants were 51 treatment-enrolled substance-abusing (SA) mothers and their infants and 50 non-using comparison dyads with obstetric risk. Mother's attachment representations (AAI) and EP were assessed prenatally and EA when infants were four months. Results showed that autonomous attachment only had a buffering effect on prenatal EP among comparisons. All SA mothers showed more dysfunctional EP than comparisons and, contrary to comparisons, autonomous SA mothers reported more negative cognitive appraisals and less meta-evaluation of emotions than dismissing SA mothers. Preoccupied SA mothers showed high negative cognitive appraisals, suggesting under-regulation of emotions. Attachment representations were not associated with EA in either group; rather, SA status contributed to global risk in the relationship. Surprisingly, autonomous SA mothers showed a tendency towards intrusiveness. We propose that obstetric risk among comparisons and adverse relational experiences among almost all SA mothers might override the protective role of mother's autonomous representations for dyadic interaction. We conclude that prenatal emotional turbulence and high interaction risk of all SA mothers calls for holistic treatment for the dyad.

The Scientific Return of VLT Programmes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterzik, M.; Dumas, C.; Grothkopf, U.; Kaufer, A.; Leibundgut, B.; Marteau, S.; Meakins, S.; Patat, F.; Primas, F.; Rejkuba, M.; Romaniello, M.; Stoehr, F.; Tacconi-Garman, L.; Vera, I.

2015-12-01

An in-depth analysis of the publications from 8414 distinct scheduled VLT observing programmes between April 1999 and March 2015 (Periods 63 to 94) is presented. The productivity by mode (Visitor or Service Mode) and type (Normal and Large, Guaranteed Time, Target of Opportunity, Director's Discretionary Time) are examined through their publication records. We investigate how Service Mode rank classes impact the scientific return. Several results derive from this study: Large Programmes result in the highest productivity, whereas only about half of all scheduled observing programmes produce a refereed publication. Programmes that result in a publication yield on average two refereed papers. B rank class Service Mode Programmes appear to be slightly less productive. Follow-up studies will investigate in more detail the parameters that influence the productivity of the Observatory.

Strategies for safe injections.

PubMed Central

Battersby, A.; Feilden, R.; Stoeckel, P.; Da Silva, A.; Nelson, C.; Bass, A.

1999-01-01

In 1998, faced with growing international concern, WHO set out an approach for achieving injection safety that encompassed all elements from patients' expectations and doctors' prescribing habits to waste disposal. This article follows that lead and describes the implications of the approach for two injection technologies: sterilizable and disposable. It argues that focusing on any single technology diverts attention from the more fundamental need for health services to develop their own comprehensive strategies for safe injections. National health authorities will only be able to ensure that injections are administered safely if they take an approach that encompasses the whole system, and choose injection technologies that fit their circumstances. PMID:10680247

Feeling safe during an inpatient hospitalization: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Mollon, Deene

2014-08-01

This paper aims to explore the critical attributes of the concept feeling safe. The safe delivery of care is a high priority; however; it is not really known what it means to the patient to 'feel safe' during an inpatient hospitalization. This analysis explores the topic of safety from the patient's perspective. Concept analysis. The data bases of CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo and Google Scholar for the years 1995-2012 were searched using the terms safe and feeling safe. The eight-step concept analysis method of Walker and Avant was used to analyse the concept of feeling safe. Uses and defining attributes, as well as identified antecedents, consequences and empirical referents, are presented. Case examples are provided to assist in the understanding of defining attributes. Feeling safe is defined as an emotional state where perceptions of care contribute to a sense of security and freedom from harm. Four attributes were identified: trust, cared for, presence and knowledge. Relationship, environment and suffering are the antecedents of feeling safe, while control, hope and relaxed or calm are the consequences. Empirical referents and early development of a theory of feeling safe are explored. This analysis begins the work of synthesizing qualitative research already completed around the concept of feeling safe by defining the key attributes of the concept. Support for the importance of developing patient-centred models of care and creating positive environments where patients receive high-quality care and feel safe is provided. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of the national roll-out of parenting programmes across England: the parenting early intervention programme (PEIP).

PubMed

Lindsay, Geoff; Strand, Steve

2013-10-19

Evidence based parenting programmes can improve parenting skills and the behaviour of children exhibiting, or at risk of developing, antisocial behaviour. In order to develop a public policy for delivering these programmes it is necessary not only to demonstrate their efficacy through rigorous trials but also to determine that they can be rolled out on a large scale. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the UK government funded national implementation of its Parenting Early Intervention Programme, a national roll-out of parenting programmes for parents of children 8-13 years in all 152 local authorities (LAs) across England. Building upon our study of the Pathfinder (2006-08) implemented in 18 LAs. To the best of our knowledge this is the first comparative study of a national roll-out of parenting programmes and the first study of parents of children 8-13 years. The UK government funded English LAs to implement one or more of five evidence based programmes (later increased to eight): Triple P, Incredible Years, Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities, Families and Schools Together (FAST), and the Strengthening Families Programme (10-14). Parents completed measures of parenting style (laxness and over-reactivity), and mental well-being, and also child behaviour at three time points: pre- and post-course and again one year later. 6143 parents from 43 LAs were included in the study of whom 3325 provided post-test data and 1035 parents provided data at one-year follow up. There were significant improvements for each programme, with effect sizes (Cohen's d) for the combined sample of 0.72 parenting laxness, 0.85 parenting over-reactivity, 0.79 parent mental well-being, and 0.45 for child conduct problems. These improvements were largely maintained one year later. All four programmes for which we had sufficient data for comparison were effective. There were generally larger effects on both parent and child measures for Triple P, but not all between

Tangential gunshot wound with MagSafe ammunition.

PubMed

Rapkiewicz, Amy V; Tamburri, Robert; Basoa, Mark E; Catanese, Charles A

2005-09-01

MagSafe ammunition is a type of unconventional prefragmented ammunition. A fatal tangential gunshot wound involving MagSafe ammunition is presented. The ammunition and wound characteristics are discussed.

Creating Safe Spaces for Music Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendricks, Karin S.; Smith, Tawnya D.; Stanuch, Jennifer

2014-01-01

This article offers a practical model for fostering emotionally safe learning environments that instill in music students a positive sense of self-belief, freedom, and purpose. The authors examine the implications for music educators of creating effective learning environments and present recommendations for creating a safe space for learning,…

Asymptotically safe standard model extensions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelaggi, Giulio Maria; Plascencia, Alexis D.; Salvio, Alberto; Sannino, Francesco; Smirnov, Juri; Strumia, Alessandro

2018-05-01

We consider theories with a large number NF of charged fermions and compute the renormalization group equations for the gauge, Yukawa and quartic couplings resummed at leading order in 1 /NF. We construct extensions of the standard model where SU(2) and/or SU(3) are asymptotically safe. When the same procedure is applied to the Abelian U(1) factor, we find that the Higgs quartic can not be made asymptotically safe and stay perturbative at the same time.

Dragon 2 Programme Achievements and Cooperation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desnos, Yves-Louis; Li, Zengyuan; Zmuda, Andy; Gao, Zhihai

2013-01-01

The cooperation between ESA and National Remote Sensing Center of China (NRSCC) / Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) in the development of Earth Observation (EO) applications started 17 years ago. In 2004, a new phase in cooperation began with the start of the Dragon Programme which focused on science and application using ESA ERS and Envisat satellite data. The programme was completed in 2008. Following on, the cooperation took on greater momentum with the start of a four-year EO science and exploitation programme called “Dragon 2”. The programme formally closed in June at the 2012 Beijing Symposium. The programme brought together joint Sino-European teams to investigate land, ocean and atmospheric applications in P.R. China using EO data from ESA, Third Party Mission (TPM) and Chinese satellites. The teams were led by principal EO scientists. Young European and Chinese scientists were also engaged on the projects. Advanced training courses in land, ocean and atmospheric applications were held in each year of the programme in China. Altogether, two courses on land, one course on atmospheric applications and one course on oceanographic applications were held. Here-in provided is an overview of the achievements, cooperation, reporting and training activities at the completion of the programme. The Sino-European teams have delivered world-class scientific results across a wide range of disciplines. The programme provided a platform for the joint exploitation of ESA, TPM and Chinese EO data from optical, thermal and microwave sensors for geo-science application and development in China.

76 FR 30495 - National Safe Boating Week, 2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-25

... Safe Boating Week, 2011 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation As Americans... to watergoers. National Safe Boating Week is an opportunity to highlight the importance of safety... can save lives. Each year for National Safe Boating Week, the United States Coast Guard partners with...

Safe injection practice among health care workers, Gharbiya, Egypt.

PubMed

Ismail, Nanees A; Aboul Ftouh, Aisha M; El Shoubary, Waleed H

2005-01-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 health care facilities in Gharbiya governorate to assess safe injection practices among health care workers (HCWs). Two questionnaires, one to collect information about administrative issues related to safe injection and the other to collect data about giving injections, exposure to needle stick injuries, hepatitis B vaccination status and safe injection training. Practices of injections were observed using a standardized checklist. The study revealed that there was lack of both national and local infection control policies and lack of most of the supplies needed for safe injection practices. Many safe practices were infrequent as proper needle manipulation before disposal (41%), safe needle disposal (47.5%), reuse of used syringe & needle (13.2%) and safe syringe disposal (0%). Exposure to needle stick injuries were common among the interviewed HCWs (66.2%) and hand washing was the common post exposure prophylaxis measure (63.4%). Only 11.3% of HCWs had full course hepatitis B vaccination. Infection control -including safe injections- training programs should be afforded to all HCWs.

Safe handling of antineoplastic drugs.

PubMed

Harrison, B R

1994-07-01

Managers should be aware of the hazardous properties of antineoplastic drugs and of the procedures and equipment commonly recommended to provide a safe working environment for employees, patients, and visitors. Compliance with the many published guidelines should help ensure passage of the inevitable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or Joint Commission inspection. Acute and chronic toxicities of the antineoplastic drugs, the potential for exposure in the workplace, and the basic guidelines for safe handling of these agents are reviewed.

SafeNet: a methodology for integrating general-purpose unsafe devices in safe-robot rehabilitation systems.

PubMed

Vicentini, Federico; Pedrocchi, Nicola; Malosio, Matteo; Molinari Tosatti, Lorenzo

2014-09-01

Robot-assisted neurorehabilitation often involves networked systems of sensors ("sensory rooms") and powerful devices in physical interaction with weak users. Safety is unquestionably a primary concern. Some lightweight robot platforms and devices designed on purpose include safety properties using redundant sensors or intrinsic safety design (e.g. compliance and backdrivability, limited exchange of energy). Nonetheless, the entire "sensory room" shall be required to be fail-safe and safely monitored as a system at large. Yet, sensor capabilities and control algorithms used in functional therapies require, in general, frequent updates or re-configurations, making a safety-grade release of such devices hardly sustainable in cost-effectiveness and development time. As such, promising integrated platforms for human-in-the-loop therapies could not find clinical application and manufacturing support because of lacking in the maintenance of global fail-safe properties. Under the general context of cross-machinery safety standards, the paper presents a methodology called SafeNet for helping in extending the safety rate of Human Robot Interaction (HRI) systems using unsafe components, including sensors and controllers. SafeNet considers, in fact, the robotic system as a device at large and applies the principles of functional safety (as in ISO 13489-1) through a set of architectural procedures and implementation rules. The enabled capability of monitoring a network of unsafe devices through redundant computational nodes, allows the usage of any custom sensors and algorithms, usually planned and assembled at therapy planning-time rather than at platform design-time. A case study is presented with an actual implementation of the proposed methodology. A specific architectural solution is applied to an example of robot-assisted upper-limb rehabilitation with online motion tracking. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 31147 - National Safe Boating Week, 2012

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... Safe Boating Week, 2012 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation For generations... friends and family a well- loved tradition. During National Safe Boating Week, we renew our commitment to... mark National Safe Boating Week, let us reflect on that important mission and resolve to do our part to...

Petroleum Jelly: Safe for a Dry Nose?

MedlinePlus

... dryness. Is this safe? Answers from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. Petroleum jelly is generally safe to ... several hours of lying down. With Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. Marchiori E, et al. Exogenous lipoid ...

Taking Medicines Safely: At Your Doctor's Office

MedlinePlus

... on. Feature: Taking Medicines Safely At Your Doctor's Office Past Issues / Summer 2013 Table of Contents Download ... Articles Medicines: Use Them Safely / At Your Doctor's Office / Ask Your Pharmacist / Now, It's Your Turn: How ...

Evaluation of the national roll-out of parenting programmes across England: the parenting early intervention programme (PEIP)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Evidence based parenting programmes can improve parenting skills and the behaviour of children exhibiting, or at risk of developing, antisocial behaviour. In order to develop a public policy for delivering these programmes it is necessary not only to demonstrate their efficacy through rigorous trials but also to determine that they can be rolled out on a large scale. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the UK government funded national implementation of its Parenting Early Intervention Programme, a national roll-out of parenting programmes for parents of children 8–13 years in all 152 local authorities (LAs) across England. Building upon our study of the Pathfinder (2006–08) implemented in 18 LAs. To the best of our knowledge this is the first comparative study of a national roll-out of parenting programmes and the first study of parents of children 8–13 years. Methods The UK government funded English LAs to implement one or more of five evidence based programmes (later increased to eight): Triple P, Incredible Years, Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities, Families and Schools Together (FAST), and the Strengthening Families Programme (10–14). Parents completed measures of parenting style (laxness and over-reactivity), and mental well-being, and also child behaviour at three time points: pre- and post-course and again one year later. Results 6143 parents from 43 LAs were included in the study of whom 3325 provided post-test data and 1035 parents provided data at one-year follow up. There were significant improvements for each programme, with effect sizes (Cohen’s d) for the combined sample of 0.72 parenting laxness, 0.85 parenting over-reactivity, 0.79 parent mental well-being, and 0.45 for child conduct problems. These improvements were largely maintained one year later. All four programmes for which we had sufficient data for comparison were effective. There were generally larger effects on both parent and child measures

The Stamp-in-Safety programme, an intervention to promote better supervision of children on childcare centre playgrounds: an evaluation in an urban setting.

PubMed

Chelvakumar, Gayathri; Sheehan, Karen; Hill, Amy L; Lowe, Danita; Mandich, Nicole; Schwebel, David C

2010-10-01

Using a non-equivalent control group design, this report evaluated a previously studied behavioural intervention, the Stamp-in-Safety programme, which is designed to reduce the injury risk for young children on playgrounds at childcare centres by increasing the quality of adult supervision and rewarding children for safe play. In an urban, commercial childcare centre, 71 children aged 3-5 years and 15 teachers participated. Primary outcome measures were teacher verbalisations (warnings, explanations, redirects), teacher location (core, outskirt, or fringe of playground), child risk-taking behaviours (using equipment appropriately) and the number of injuries on the playground. Analyses revealed that the intervention had a modest positive effect in promoting safer teacher and child playground behaviours. This study reaffirms previous results that the Stamp-in-Safety programme is an effective method to decrease the risk of playground injuries at childcare centres.

What do community football players think about different exercise-training programmes? Implications for the delivery of lower limb injury prevention programmes

PubMed Central

Finch, Caroline F; Doyle, Tim LA; Dempsey, Alasdair R; Elliott, Bruce C; Twomey, Dara M; White, Peta E; Diamantopoulou, Kathy; Young, Warren; Lloyd, David G

2014-01-01

Background Players are the targeted end-users and beneficiaries of exercise-training programmes implemented during coach-led training sessions, and the success of programmes depends upon their active participation. Two variants of an exercise-training programme were incorporated into the regular training schedules of 40 community Australian Football teams, over two seasons. One variant replicated common training practices, while the second was an evidence-based programme to alter biomechanical and neuromuscular factors related to risk of knee injuries. This paper describes the structure of the implemented programmes and compares players’ end-of-season views about the programme variants. Methods This study was nested within a larger group-clustered randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of two exercise-training programmes (control and neuromuscular control (NMC)) for preventing knee injuries. A post-season self-report survey, derived from Health Belief Model constructs, included questions to obtain players’ views about the benefits and physical challenges of the programme in which they participated. Results Compared with control players, those who participated in the NMC programme found it to be less physically challenging but more enjoyable and potentially of more benefit. Suggestions from players about potential improvements to the training programme and its future implementation included reducing duration, increasing range of drills/exercises and promoting its injury prevention and other benefits to players. Conclusions Players provide valuable feedback about the content and focus of implemented exercise-training programmes, that will directly inform the delivery of similar, or more successful, programmes in the future. PMID:24047571

Multi-criteria analysis for improving strategic environmental assessment of water programmes. A case study in semi-arid region of Brazil.

PubMed

Garfì, Marianna; Ferrer-Martí, Laia; Bonoli, Alessandra; Tondelli, Simona

2011-03-01

Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) is a family of decision-making tools that can be used in strategic environmental assessment (SEA) procedures to ensure that environmental, social and economic aspects are integrated into the design of human development strategies and planning, in order to increase the contribution of the environment and natural resources to poverty reduction. The aim of this paper is to highlight the contribution of a particular multi-criteria technique, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), in two stages of the SEA procedure applied to water programmes in developing countries: the comparison of alternatives and monitoring. This proposal was validated through its application to a case study in Brazilian semi-arid region. The objective was to select and subsequently monitor the most appropriate programme for safe water availability. On the basis of the SEA results, a project was identified and implemented with successful results. In terms of comparisons of alternatives, AHP meets the requirements of human development programme assessment, including the importance of simplicity, a multidisciplinary and flexible approach, and a focus on the beneficiaries' concerns. With respect to monitoring, the study shows that AHP contributes to SEA by identifying the most appropriate indicators, in order to control the impacts of a project. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ESA SSA Programme in support of Space Weather forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luntama, J.; Glover, A.; Hilgers, A. M.

2010-12-01

In 2009 European Space Agency (ESA) started a new programme called Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Preparatory Programme. The objective of the programme is to support the European independent utilisation of and access to space research or services. This will be performed through providing timely and quality data, information, services and knowledge regarding the environment, the threats and the sustainable exploitation of the outer space surrounding the planet Earth. SSA serves the implementation of the strategic missions of the European Space Policy based on the peaceful uses of the outer space by all states, by supporting the autonomous capacity to securely and safely operate the critical European space infrastructures. The SSA Preparatory Program will establish the initial elements that will eventually lead into the full deployment of the European SSA services. The SWE Segment of the SSA will provide user services related to the monitoring of the Sun, the solar wind, the radiation belts, the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. These services will include near real time information and forecasts about the characteristics of the space environment and predictions of space weather impacts on sensitive spaceborne and ground based infrastructure. The SSA SWE system will also include establishment of a permanent database for analysis, model development and scientific research. These services are will support a wide variety of user domains including spacecraft designers, spacecraft operators, human space flights, users and operators of transionospheric radio links, and space weather research community. The precursor SWE services to be established starting in 2010 will include a selected subset of these services based on pre-existing space weather applications and services in Europe. This paper will present the key characteristics of the SSA SWE system that is currently being designed. The presentation will focus on the system characteristics that support space weather

Strategies for Countering Terrorist Safe Havens

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

tactical containment, pseudo operations, and surrogate security forces. The thesis draws from four historical case studies to examine these strategies...safe havens, tactical containment, pseudo operations, and surrogate security forces. The thesis draws from four historical case studies to examine...pseudo operations—provide viable potential options for USSOF to counter the complex problem of safe havens. Overall, the case studies will demonstrate

Implementation of Safe-by-Design for Nanomaterial Development and Safe Innovation: Why We Need a Comprehensive Approach

PubMed Central

Kraegeloh, Annette; Suarez-Merino, Blanca; Sluijters, Teun; Micheletti, Christian

2018-01-01

Manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) are regarded as key components of innovations in various fields with high potential impact (e.g., energy generation and storage, electronics, photonics, diagnostics, theranostics, or drug delivery agents). Widespread use of MNMs raises concerns about their safety for humans and the environment, possibly limiting the impact of the nanotechnology-based innovation. The development of safe MNMs and nanoproducts has to result in a safe as well as functional material or product. Its safe use, and disposal at the end of its life cycle must be taken into account too. However, not all MNMs are similarly useful for all applications, some might bear a higher hazard potential than others, and use scenarios could lead to different exposure probabilities. To improve both safety and efficacy of nanotechnology, we think that a new proactive approach is necessary, based on pre-regulatory safety assessment and dialogue between stakeholders. On the basis of the work carried out in different European Union (EU) initiatives, developing and integrating MNMs Safe-by-Design and Trusted Environments (NANoREG, ProSafe, and NanoReg2), we present our point of view here. This concept, when fully developed, will allow for cost effective industrial innovation, and an exchange of key information between regulators and innovators. Regulators are thus informed about incoming innovations in good time, supporting a proactive regulatory action. The final goal is to contribute to the nanotechnology governance, having faster, cheaper, effective, and safer nano-products on the market. PMID:29661997

Implementation of Safe-by-Design for Nanomaterial Development and Safe Innovation: Why We Need a Comprehensive Approach.

PubMed

Kraegeloh, Annette; Suarez-Merino, Blanca; Sluijters, Teun; Micheletti, Christian

2018-04-14

Manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) are regarded as key components of innovations in various fields with high potential impact (e.g., energy generation and storage, electronics, photonics, diagnostics, theranostics, or drug delivery agents). Widespread use of MNMs raises concerns about their safety for humans and the environment, possibly limiting the impact of the nanotechnology-based innovation. The development of safe MNMs and nanoproducts has to result in a safe as well as functional material or product. Its safe use, and disposal at the end of its life cycle must be taken into account too. However, not all MNMs are similarly useful for all applications, some might bear a higher hazard potential than others, and use scenarios could lead to different exposure probabilities. To improve both safety and efficacy of nanotechnology, we think that a new proactive approach is necessary, based on pre-regulatory safety assessment and dialogue between stakeholders. On the basis of the work carried out in different European Union (EU) initiatives, developing and integrating MNMs Safe-by-Design and Trusted Environments (NANoREG, ProSafe, and NanoReg2), we present our point of view here. This concept, when fully developed, will allow for cost effective industrial innovation, and an exchange of key information between regulators and innovators. Regulators are thus informed about incoming innovations in good time, supporting a proactive regulatory action. The final goal is to contribute to the nanotechnology governance, having faster, cheaper, effective, and safer nano-products on the market.

Environmentally safe fluid extractor

DOEpatents

Sungaila, Zenon F.

1993-01-01

An environmentally safe fluid extraction device for use in mobile laboratory and industrial settings comprising a pump, compressor, valving system, waste recovery tank, fluid tank, and a exhaust filtering system.

Environmentally safe fluid extractor

DOEpatents

Sungaila, Zenon F.

1993-07-06

An environmentally safe fluid extraction device for use in mobile laboratory and industrial settings comprising a pump, compressor, valving system, waste recovery tank, fluid tank, and a exhaust filtering system.

End-to-End Demonstrator of the Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) 30: Power Conversion and Ion Engine Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hrbud, Ivana; VanDyke, Melissa; Houts, Mike; Goodfellow, Keith; Schafer, Charles (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) test series addresses Phase 1 Space Fission Systems issues in particular non-nuclear testing and system integration issues leading to the testing and non-nuclear demonstration of a 400-kW fully integrated flight unit. The first part of the SAFE 30 test series demonstrated operation of the simulated nuclear core and heat pipe system. Experimental data acquired in a number of different test scenarios will validate existing computational models, demonstrated system flexibility (fast start-ups, multiple start-ups/shut downs), simulate predictable failure modes and operating environments. The objective of the second part is to demonstrate an integrated propulsion system consisting of a core, conversion system and a thruster where the system converts thermal heat into jet power. This end-to-end system demonstration sets a precedent for ground testing of nuclear electric propulsion systems. The paper describes the SAFE 30 end-to-end system demonstration and its subsystems.

Results of 30 kWt Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE-30) primary heat transport testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedersen, Kevin; van Dyke, Melissa; Houts, Mike; Godfroy, Tom; Martin, James; Dickens, Ricky; Williams, Eric; Harper, Roger; Salvil, Pat; Reid, Bob

2001-02-01

The use of resistance heaters to simulate heat from fission allows extensive development of fission systems to be performed in non-nuclear test facilities, saving time and money. Resistance heated tests on the Safe Affordable Fission Engine-30 kilowatt (SAFE30) test article are being performed at the Marshall Space Flight Center. This paper discusses the results of these experiments to date, and describes the additional testing that will be performed. Recommendations related to the design of testable space fission power and propulsion systems are made. .