Youth employment, crime, and schooling: A longitudinal study of a national sample.

Examined the effect of employment on delinquent behavior in over 2,000 6th–12th grade students who were surveyed on their work experiences and the extent of their involvement during the last year in drug use and other delinquent activities. Regression analysis was used to examine the effect of working while attending secondary school on 1982 self-reported delinquency. Evidence from this study implies that teenage working does not increase delinquency and does not have a detrimental effect on commitment to education, involvement in extracurricular activities, time spent on homework, attachment to school, or attachment to parents. The models examined suggest that working decreases school attendance and dependence on parents for some subgroups, but these effects are not translated into increases in delinquency. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevalence of civilian trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in a representative national sample of women.

Prevalence of crime and noncrime civilian traumatic events, lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD in the past 6 mo were assessed in a sample of 4,008 US adult women. Random digit-dial telephone methods were used to identify study participants. Structured telephone interviews for assessment of specific crime or other traumatic event history and PTSD were conducted by trained female interviewers. Lifetime exposure to any type of traumatic event was 69%, whereas exposure to crimes that included sexual or aggravated assault or homicide of a close relative or friend occurred among 36%. Overall sample prevalence of PTSD was 12.3% lifetime and 4.6% within the past 6 mo. The rate of PTSD was significantly higher among crime vs noncrime victims (25.8% vs 9.4%). History of incidents that included direct threat to life or receipt of injury was a risk factor for PTSD. Findings are compared with data from other epidemiological studies. Results are discussed as they relate to PTSD etiology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Women, marital status, and symptoms of depression in a midlife national sample

Hospitals have to purchase new technology, update equipment, and replenish supplies continually to meet the needs of patients and the medical and nursing staff in a sound financial way. Thus, inventories must be maintained accurately and adequately with proper controls. Awareness of the cost of capital and operational supplies is essential to meeting budget allocations. With or without centralized buying, the MM department has the expertise to assist every department in purchasing to meet its needs and in setting and resetting inventory levels for its supplies. Explanations and formulas for handling capital equipment and regular supplies and some formats have been presented to facilitate the process. Because OR items are both expensive and numerous and OR storage space the most costly space in the hospital, physicians and nurse managers must understand the financial processes and inventory management and educate their staffs in these matters.     

Origins of health inequalities in a national population sample

BACKGROUND: Explanations for social inequalities in health are often explored but remain largely unresolved. To elucidate the origins of health inequalties, we investigated the extent to which adult-disease risk factors vary systematically according to social position over three decades of early life. METHODS: We used the 1958 birth cohort (all children born in England, Scotland, and Wales on March 3-9, 1958) with data up to age 33 years from parents, teachers, doctors, and cohort members (n = 11,407 for age 33 interview). FINDINGS: Social class of origin was associated with physical risk factors (birthweight, height, and adult body-mass index); economic circumstances, including household overcrowding, basic amenities, and low income; health behaviour of parents (breastfeeding and smoking) and of participants (smoking and diet); social and family functioning and structure, such as divorce or separation of participants or their parents, emotional adjustment in adolescence, social support in early adulthood; and educational achievement and working career, in particular no qualifications, unemployment, job strain, and insecurity. With few exceptions, there were strong significant trends of increasing risk from classes I and II to classes IV and V. Self-perceived health status and symptoms were worse in participants with lower class origins. INTERPRETATION: An individual's chance of encountering multiple adverse health risks throughout life is influenced powerfully by social position. Social trends in adult-disease risk factors do not emerge exclusively in mid-life, but accumulate over decades. Investment in educational and emotional development is needed in all social groups to strengthen prevention strategies relating to health behaviour, work-place environment, and income inequality.     

Perceived racial/ethnic discrimination, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and health risk behaviors among Mexican American adolescents.

Utilizing the concept of race-based traumatic stress, this study tested whether posttraumatic stress symptoms explain the process by which perceived discrimination is related to health risk behaviors among Mexican American adolescents. One hundred ten participants were recruited from a large health maintenance organization in Northern California. Mediational analyses indicated that adolescents who perceived more discrimination reported worse posttraumatic stress symptoms, controlling for covariates. In turn, adolescents who experienced heightened posttraumatic stress symptoms reported more alcohol use, more other drug use, involvement in more fights, and more sexual partners. Perceived discrimination was also directly related to involvement in more fights. Results provide support for the notion of race-based traumatic stress, specifically, that perceived discrimination may be traumatizing for Mexican American adolescents. Counseling psychologists and counselors in schools and community settings should assess Mexican American adolescents for the effects of discrimination and provide appropriate interventions to reduce its negative emotional impact. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job stress in midlife working women: Relationships among personality type, job characteristics, and job tension.

Investigated the relationships among midlife working women's Type A (coronary prone) personality, perceived job characteristics, and feelings of job tension. The Women's Work Questionnaire was administered to 161 35–55 yr old females who were employed by a large state social service agency. The questionnaire, developed for the present study, comprises sections for demographic and job-related information, the Sales Type A Personality Index—Short Form, the Job Characteristics Inventory, and the Job-Related Tension Index. Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant relationship between job tension and a linear combination of Type A personality and job characteristics (i.e., autonomy, feedback, significance, friendship opportunities, variety, challenge, identity, dealing with others). There were also significant relationships between job tension and the following variables considered singularly: Type A personality, autonomy, feedback, significance, and friendship opportunities. Results support a person–environment fit approach to the study, prevention, and remediation of job stress. (80 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender, socioeconomic status, age, and jealousy: Emotional responses to infidelity in a national sample.

The authors used a representative national sample (N = 777) to test the evolutionary hypothesis that men would be more bothered by sexual infidelity and women by emotional infidelity, the Jealousy as a Specific Innate Module (JSIM) effect. Our alternative conceptualization of jealousy suggests that there are distinct emotional components of jealousy that did not evolve differently by gender. The authors looked for effects of age, socioeconomic status (SES), and type of measure (continuous or dichotomous) on jealousy. The authors did not find age or SES effects. Forced-choice items provided support for our alternative view; both genders showed more anger and blame over sexual infidelity but more hurt feelings over emotional infidelity. Continuous measures indicated more emotional response to sexual than emotional infidelity among both genders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role burdens: the impact of employment and family responsibilities on the health status of Latino women

This paper explores the relative effects of employment and family responsibility on the perceived health status of Latino women. The data source analyzed for this study was the 1990 Panel Study of Income Dynamics/Latino National Political Survey (PSID/LNPS) Early-Release File (n = 1,502). Regression analyses were used to investigate the contributions of variables associated with perceived health status, including sociodemographics, Latino ethnicity, language, employment, and family responsibility. The results suggest that annual employment hours, occupation, and family responsibilities, such as child care and weekly housework, significantly affect self-reported health status of employed Latinas. Both social causation and social selection may be underlying the associations found. The results suggest that there is need for the development of public policies that seek to increase Latinas' labor force participation rate since any expansion has the potential to have a positive impact on their health status.     

Psychological health in a non-clinical sample of obese women

PURPOSE: A new semi-continuous thermodilution cardiac output (CCO) system has been developed recently (Opti-Q and Q-vue Abbott critical care system). The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy and reproducibility of this new device with conventional ice-bolus thermodilution cardiac output (BCO). METHODS: Fifteen critically ill patients who needed pulmonary artery catheterization were prospectively investigated. Eighty seven paired data using BCO and CCO methods were compared. Reproducibility was assessed from 90 BCO and 87 CCO determinations by calculation of the mean standard error (SEM) and according to Bland and Altman methodology. RESULTS: The BCO and CCO ranged from 2.46 to 11.20 L.min-1 and from 1.75 to 10.05 L.min-1 respectively. Bias (mean difference between BCO and CCO) was null (0.002 L.min-1, P = 0.98), precision (SD of the bias) was 0.74 L.min-1 and the limits of agreement (mean difference +/- 1.96 SD) ranged from -1.45 to 1.45 L.min-1. The threshold to consider two cardiac outputs as different (3 x SEM) was equivalent for BCO and CCO (0.54 and 0.465 L.min-1 respectively). According to the Bland and Altman method, reproducibility of CCO was greater than that of BCO; bias of repeated measurements of BCO and CCO were 0.15 L.min-1 (P < 0.05) and 0.047 L.min-1 (NS), respectively. CONCLUSION: Compared with BCO, this new device was accurate but cannot be considered as interchangeable regarding the limits of agreement. Reproducibility of CCO was superior to BCO.     

Race of employment interviewer and reasons given by black job seekers for leaving their jobs.

Compared the job-leaving reasons given by 40 black job seekers to black and white female employment interviewers at a state employment service. Black interviewers elicited more reasons that involved a rejection of the job by the worker or a rejection of the worker by the employer than did white interviewers. Because job-leaving reasons are often viewed by state employment service interviewers as part of a job seeker's credentials, it is possible that interviewer decisions are influenced by this racial artifact of the interviewing situation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivational implications of pain: Chronicity, psychological distress, and work goal construal in a national sample of adults.

A heterogeneous national sample of adults (mean age = 40 years) employed in management positions was contacted by random digit dialing procedures and interviewed about current pain experience, work-goal cognitions, and psychological status (depression and anxiety). In accord with predictions, persistent pain experience was differentially related to the construal of work-related goals. Specifically, individuals with both persistent and episodic pain (relative to those with no pain) reported lower levels of goal-centered value, self-efficacy, and positive arousal and heightened perceptions of goal-based self-criticism, negative arousal, and conflict between work and nonwork goals. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed that goal cognition accounted for unique variance in depression and anxiety over and above the contribution of pain chronicity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic fatigue, and psychiatric disorders: Predictors of functional status in a national nursing sample.

Members of 2 nurses' associations (N?=?71) were assessed using 2 mail questionnaires, a telephone questionnaire, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, and medical records. Physicians reviewed participants to determine whether they met current criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Stepwise multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of functional status scores. Impairments in physical, role, and social functioning increased as fatigue severity increased. Bodily pain increased as fatigue severity increased, and ratings of overall health increased as severity of fatigue decreased. Nurses with a current psychiatric diagnosis reported more impairments in emotional functioning than nurses with a lifetime diagnosis or no psychiatric diagnosis. Quality of life decreased as fatigue severity increased. Nurses with fatigue not meeting CFS criteria reported better quality of life than those with CFS or medical exclusions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in energy intakes during pregnancy and lactation in a national sample of US women

Increases in energy intakes during pregnancy and lactation were evaluated by examining dietary data for 458 pregnant women who participated in the Continuing Surveys of Food Intakes by Individuals conducted in 1985 and 1986. Energy intakes were well below recommendations during all reproductive states; however, increases during pregnancy approximated recommendations, while increases during lactation were low. Postpartum non-lactating intakes did not return to prepregnancy levels for Black women or women with lower incomes.     

Benefits of comprehensive health care for improving health outcomes in women.

The American Psychological Association Health Care for the Whole Person Task Force was formulated to provide a rationale for integrating behavioral health services in primary care. Collectively, the task force called for a transformation of the biomedical system into one based on the biopsychosocial model. This article is a summary of the Women's Health Committee position paper that reviewed contextual factors in women's health, provided recommendations for clinical service action, and recommended an integrated primary health care system to address women's health needs. This article provides a vision of integrated care and a practical guide for psychology practitioners as they collaborate with other health care providers and health policy groups to improve health outcomes for women over the life course. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Violence against women by male partners: Prevalence, outcomes, and policy implications.

Violence against women has only recently been addressed in national policy and legislation. Responses by most societal institutions to women assaulted by male partners are still based primarily on a lack of knowledge about the prevalence, severity, and outcomes of violence perpetrated by men against female intimates. Although well suited to make a vital contribution, psychologists still rarely involve themselves in proactive interventions with women victims. This article reviews empirical literature on the physical and sexual assault of women by their male intimates and discusses potential physical and psychological outcomes, with a focus on linking what is known about abused women's reactions with the rich literature on survivors' responses to trauma. Implications for research, treatment interventions, and policy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

New Mexico women with no prenatal care: reasons, outcomes, and nursing implications

A retrospective chart review was conducted to determine why women received no prenatal care during pregnancy and their subsequent maternal and neonatal outcomes. Five hundred and eighty medical records from 1990 through 1993 that were labeled as no care were reviewed. Actually, only 270 records had no care and of these, 92 had 156 recorded reasons as to why women did not receive prenatal care. These reasons were categorized into three types of barriers: attitudinal, sociodemographic, and system-related. The majority of the women were young, Hispanic, unmarried, between 20 and 29 years of age, and uninsured, and had one to three children. Overall, the women did not smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or use drugs during pregnancy. Overall, the women had good maternal and newborn outcomes. Results suggest a need to reevaluate the effect of prenatal care use on young Hispanic women.     

Discriminant analysis of risk factors for sexual victimization among a national sample of college women.

Examined the accuracy with which rape and lesser sexual assaults were predicted among a representative national sample of 2,723 college women. A total of 14 risk variables operationalized three vulnerability hypotheses: (a) vulnerability-creating traumatic experiences, (b) social-psychological vulnerability, and (c) vulnerability-enhancing situations. Each hypothesis was tested individually, and a composite model was developed via discriminant analysis. Only the traumatic experiences variables clearly improved over the base rates in identifying rape victims, but risk variables from each vulnerability hypothesis met criteria for inclusion in the composite model. A risk profile emerged that characterized only 10% of the women, but among them the risk of rape was twice the rate of women without the profile. The concept of traumatic sexualization was used to explain this finding. However, the vast majority of sexually victimized women (75–91%) could not be differentiated from nonvictims. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)