Guidelines for providers of psychological services to ethnic, linguistic, and culturally diverse populations.

Presents guidelines formulated by the American Psychological Association to provide psychological service providers with the requisite skills for multicultural assessment and intervention and to assist them in understanding the role that culture and ethnicity/race play in the sociopsychological and economic development of culturally diverse populations. The guidelines are intended to enlighten all areas of service delivery, not simply clinical or counseling endeavors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nurse anesthetists'' perspectives on improving the anesthesia care of culturally diverse patients

This report of a 1995 survey presents data regarding nurses' attitudes and beliefs about assisted suicide in AIDS. The authors surveyed 428 nurses working at facilities serving AIDS patients in the San Francisco Bay Area, using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. They received 215 responses (50%). There was a high level of agreement with statements that place assisted suicide in the context of humane action to relieve suffering. An AIDS diagnosis did not change respondents' attitudes toward assisted suicide, although many nurses said that the relentless suffering and specific nature of the AIDS epidemic did influence their thinking.     

Managing within a culturally diverse environment

This paper attempts to elucidate whether common (nonspecific) brain mechanisms are responsible for seizures of epileptic and nonepileptic origin. A comparative study of the following 4 paroxysmal disorders--partial epileptic seizures, paroxysmal dystonia, pseudoseizures and panic attacks was performed. Spontaneous (EEG-mapping) and evoked (contingent negative variation-CNV) bioelectrical activity was measures in all patients several times during interictal periods and after 24-hour sleep deprivation. The main common neurophysiological features of these types of paroxysmal disorders were the increased total power of spontaneous electrical activity, an asymmetric increase of theta-EEC power in the right hemisphere, an increase in total amplitude of CNV. Readiness of the brain for the development of the paroxysms was characterized by dynamic increases of the above parameters of spontaneous and evoked bioelectrical activity.     

Integrating health care: The clear advantage for underserved diverse populations.

Integrating health care into primary and specialty physician practices and clinics has potential benefits for women; racial/ethnic minorities; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered populations, thus making a major contribution to the health disparities in America. Mounting evidence suggests that physical illnesses are accompanied and exacerbated by emotional, social, and cultural factors. Many of the chronic diseases, cardiovascular disease, HIV-AIDS, diabetes, and some cancers can be prevented and altered by behavioral changes and are thus considered behavioral diseases. In addition, nonadherence to medication is a significant factor in less-than-optimal treatment of any illness. Thus, medical treatment without coordinated attempts to also treat the behavioral and social factors compromises its effectiveness. Treatment is often complicated by the lack of timely diagnoses of issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Furthermore, helping patients negotiate medical visits, treatment options, and disease prevention and management can be effectively addressed within an integrated primary care system of health delivery with better outcomes for minorities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The delivery of culturally sensitive health care to Native Americans

Cultural factors significantly influence the Native American's perspectives of traditional professional health care practices. To most effectively deal with Native American clients, health care providers must understand, respect, and demonstrate sensitivity to the values and implications of the Native American culture. A basic understanding of a group's cultural beliefs, values, and practices will enable the holistic nurse to appreciate the importance of appropriate interactions and techniques and, therefore, make health care more readily accepted. This article reviews the health and illness beliefs, the traditional remedies, the critical need for holistic health care, and the Five Great Values that guide Native American behavior. Familiarization with these cultural components will facilitate the provision of quality, holistic health care through improved interactions with Native American clients.     

Teaching headache management to medicine residents

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of teaching headache management to PG-1 medicine residents. DESIGN: Observational study using prerotation and postrotation ratings by residents of improvement in their knowledge of etiology, diagnosis, appropriate use of narcotics, and treatment of headache. SETTING: Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two medicine residents. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: There was small but significant improvement in the total knowledge score (P = .03) and in areas of etiology of headache (P = .02) and appropriate use of narcotics (P = .001). CONCLUSION: We found there were substantial increases in residents subjective levels of understanding, history-taking and in the diagnosis and treatment of headache (P < .0001) in contrast to the objective knowledge test.     

Declining health care provision to adolescents and the need for considering culturally competent interventions

A 13-year-old female adolescent presented with pelvic pain localized in the right lower abdominal quadrant with diffusion to the groin and internal thigh and worsened by marked leg abduction. No symptoms were detected on physical or sonography examination. The patient reported pain for a further 4 months with no moderation. A laparoscopy was performed, which showed normal adnexa and pelvic hollow. No adhesions were found. The uterus was normal in size and appearance, but the right round ligament presented with a partial detachment at cornual insertion. An inflammation was present. The decision was made to perform no surgical repair with the belief that pain would worsen. The pain gradually lessened, and in 1998 she remains pain free.     

Teaching psychological testing to psychiatric residents.

Psychologists can help alleviate the disenchantment with testing by participating in the training of psychiatric residents. Such training should familiarize residents with the basic principles of testing to help them become sophisticated consumers of the psychologist's consultative service rather than test practitioners themselves. This introduction of testing to residents must take into account their specific educational needs, especially the difficulties they have in learning psychological constructs early in their career, due to the physicalistic orientation of their former training. Of equal importance to teaching the principles of assessment is the elucidation of the collaborative diagnostic effort as an interpersonal process with opportunities for cooperation or interdisciplinary friction. The landmarks and pitfalls encountered during the collaborative diagnostic process involving psychologist and psychiatrist are outlined as crucial issues to be covered in training to help foster improved teamwork between the 2 disciplines. The sources of political friction that can arise when psychologists train psychiatrists are discussed. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teaching medical ethics to orthopaedic surgery residents

Orthopaedic surgery residents will be faced with a variety of ethical issues when they enter clinical practice. A previous survey suggested that they lack knowledge about how to approach several types of medical ethics dilemmas. We developed a medical ethics curriculum for orthopaedic surgery residents and presented it over a one-year period to the residents in one training program. The effect of the educational intervention on the residents' knowledge of medical ethics and their ability to handle hypothetical situations was measured by comparing their responses to a questionnaire, administered before and after the intervention, with those of residents in a training program in which the intervention was not provided. The twenty-five residents at the site of the educational intervention had a mean improvement of 0.10 in the overall score, from a mean score of 0.71 on the baseline survey to a mean score of 0.81 on the follow-up survey. This improvement was significantly greater than the mean improvement of 0.02 for the thirty residents at the control site, who had a mean score of 0.72 on the baseline survey and a mean score of 0.74 on the follow-up survey (p = 0.002). Six residents who participated in the medical ethics curriculum rated it as very useful; seventeen, as somewhat useful; one, as slightly useful; and one, as not at all useful. A medical ethics curriculum can increase orthopaedic residents' knowledge of medical ethics. Whether this curriculum also will lead to behavioral changes requires additional evaluation.     

Position changes for residents in long-term care

The purpose of this study in long-term care facilities was to determine the factors associated with the common pressure ulcer prevention practice of turning and positioning of residents. The study showed there was a deficit in performance of two-hour turning, but not in knowledge that turning should be done. The chief reason for the aides' performance deficit was a lack of specific assignment to the task as well as a lack of time and staff. Head nurses and directors of nursing acknowledged these problems and also cited copious paperwork that prevented them from spending the necessary time to monitor compliance to facility policies on turning and positioning.     

Ecological and psychocultural mediators in the delivery of services for urban, culturally diverse Hispanic clients.

Influences on underuse of mental health services by the urban, low-income Latino subgroup are analyzed through a systems-cultural framework. Results of a review of over 100 applied, empirical, and theoretical published works in the last 14–26 yrs strongly suggest that when social-ecological and psychocultural perspectives are used by service providers, their therapeutic relationship, techniques, and treatment plan become more clinically and culturally compatible with the presenting problems of the urban Latino client. Accuracy of assessment and effectiveness of treatment also have been found to increase. Recommendations for the overlapping domains of clinical practice, graduate training, and program and policy development are offered. By augmenting assessment and intervention models to encompass a psychocultural and socioecological view, professionals move toward a greater concordance with the life problems, phenomenology, and value orientation of urban, culturally diverse Hispanic families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Assessing culturally and linguistically diverse students: A practical guide.

Reviews the book, Assessing culturally and linguistically diverse students: A practical guide by Robert L. Rhodes, Salvador Hector Ochoa, and Samuel O. Ortiz (see record 2006-12379-000). This book provides school practitioners with a practical guide to the assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) children that may help reduce inappropriate referral and placement practices. The book is divided the book into three sections, the first of which focuses on the demographic, legal, and educational issues related to CLD students. The second section takes on a practical, "how to" approach to assessment. The final section proposes an integrated format for assessing cognitive and academic ability. This book is unique in that it provides a practical "how to" handbook of multicultural assessment with the culturally and linguistically diverse learner. The book is well-organized and presented in a logical manner. It begins with a clearly defined problem (i.e., disproportionality of CLD students in special education) and provides a comprehensive discussion on related background information. The authors then take the next step by providing suggestions and information that will help the professional take ownership of and change the problem. This book will be a helpful tool for providing the practitioner with information related to the disproportion of CLD students in special education. This book's foundation in current research, practical suggestions, and reproducible materials make it a worthy edition to any practitioner's library. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Assessing and treating culturally diverse clients: A practical guide.

Reviews the book, Assessing and treating culturally diverse clients: A practical guide by Freddy A. Panaigua (see record 1996-97152-000). This book is a timely and provocative delineation of highly relevant considerations to be made by counselors, psychotherapists, and other mental health professionals in the delivery of services to multicultural groups. The book deals with four ethnic populations in the United States—African American, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian. Panaigua's contribution is part of a series on Multicultural Aspects of Counseling by Sage Publications. The purpose of the series is to increase the mental health practitioner's knowledge and sensitivity to cultural differences and to assist in alleviating bias in the therapeutic process. This purpose is accomplished with precision and insight by Panaigua. Unlike some other books dealing with cultural diversity, Panaigua's work offers specific treatment methods which have been demonstrated to be successful in treating members of the targeted groups. Problem solving and social skills training are recommended in some cases. In other instances, assertiveness training, music therapy, or direct advice are the modalities of choice. In other cases, education, medication, or behavioral approaches are preferred. Assessing and Treating Culturally Diverse Clients can serve the educational needs of graduate students in the fields of psychology, counseling, family therapy, and social work. It is an excellent guide for use in either the training or practice of these helping professions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quantitative assessment of recruitment efforts for prevention trials in two diverse black populations

BACKGROUND: Prevention efforts to reduce the morbidity and mortality disparity between blacks and whites in the United States present a national health priority. However, participation of blacks in prevention trials has been low. The present study reports successful recruitment processes from two economically diverse black populations. METHODS: The two studies were independent projects, but both were part of a nationally funded collaboration on cardiovascular health. "Hip Hop to Health" is a 4-year randomized controlled trial aimed at dietary fat reduction and increased exercise among inner-city black families. The Fat Reduction Intervention Trial in African-Americans project is a 5-year trial to reduce total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol intake among black families from a working class community. RESULTS: The two populations differed on demographic characteristics. Direct presentation was the most effective recruitment strategy in the "Hip Hop to Health" program. In contrast, telephone recruitment and neighborhood canvassing were the more successful strategies for FRITAA. CONCLUSIONS: Although both populations were black and at comparable cardiovascular disease risk, the differing demographics between the groups made different recruitment strategies necessary. This study documented the labor-intensive quality of successful recruitment, and results suggest that successful recruitment requires strategies tailored to the needs, experiences, and environment of the target group.