The Relevancy of the apostolate of the lay educator in Catholic elementary schools, of the archdiocese of Hew Orleans, in the state of Louisiana, in the light of Vatican council II

This study has been accomplished as a result of the inspiration of lay personnel with whom the writer was privileged to be associated from 1963-1969. These lay teachers, who were employed at Christ the King Elementary School, Gretna, Louisiana, were men and women of great sincerity. The efforts they expanded for the Catholic Church and its apostolate of education will be long remembered by the parents and others of the area. It is to there tremendously dedicated teaching that this paper is dedicated -- in return for their Christian spirit in really giving of themselves to better others

The Do\u27s and Don\u27ts of Working with Local Communities: Tips for Successful Community-Based Public Meetings

Communities must be provided with a forum to express residents\u27 opinions on proposed public policies through effective community-based public meetings. Planning is essential to conducting an effective public meeting. To be successful, an effective public policy education process must be implemented before, during, and after the public meeting

The Relevancy of Apostolate Of The Lay Educator In Catholic Elementry Schools, Of The Archdiocese Of New Orleans, In the State Of Louisiana In The Light Of Vatican Council II

For decades the Catholic of the United States have voluntarily supported school systems. Statistics attest that in 1970, 4,367,323 pupils we being educated in the elementary and secondary schools alone. In the recent past these schools were staffed and administered largely by religious personnel. However, research indicates that the layman pioneered in the nineteenth century in the organizing, financing administering and staffing of the Catholic School

Stigma and Therapy Completion for Latent Tuberculosis among Haitian-origin Patients

A prospective cohort study of LTBI treatment conducted within the Haitian population of South Florida investigated the predictive association between illness-related stigma among patients near the beginning of treatment and completion of preventive therapy. Factors associated with perceived stigma were also investigated. Ninety patients from Broward and Palm Beach counties were administered a questionnaire that included items related to illness history, perceptions and understanding of latent tuberculosis, and a 25-item stigma scale adapted from previously developed measures of tuberculosis-related stigma. Therapy completion was determined through a follow-up chart review. Data analyses compared patients who completed therapy with those who defaulted on a number of variables including perceived stigma. No association was found between perceived stigma or demographic characteristics and adherence to preventive therapy. Perceived stigma was associated with patient report of illness-related distress and was higher among patients who were lost to follow up. Some evidence suggested that stigma was higher among contacts of cases, patients with limited understanding of the condition, and patients who were more closely monitored during treatment. Case management should focus on patient-centered approaches to education and counseling about LTBI that address patient understanding of the condition and concerns about its physical and psychosocial effects

Meanings of Breast Cancer Survivorship Among Members of Ethnically-Identified Support Groups

Research on both cancer survivorship and support needs has been limited in its attention to survivors from culturally-diverse communities.  This study examined the perspectives of members and leaders of ethnically-identified breast cancer support groups regarding the meanings and expectations attached to survivorship.  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 38 African American and Latina survivors in Central Florida.  Participant narratives invoked themes of spiritual renewal and deepening religious faith, and deemphasized individual responsibility for personal change.  Participants emphasized the importance of shared cultural identity in shaping the survivor experience, and some Latina women drew parallels between survivorship and the challenges of migration to a new country.  An unwavering display of optimism was held to be paramount.  These themes are interpreted within the framework of the interplay between dominant societal discourses of survivorship and locally-constructed meanings.  Findings underscore the importance for healthcare providers to be cognizant and respectful of diverse perspectives on illness

Mark NICHTER, Global Health: Why Cultural Perceptions, Social Representations, and Biopolitics Matter

Le nouveau livre de Mark Nichter, portant sur la santé globale, est issu d'un rapport commandité par le programme spécial OMS-UNICEF-PNUD-Banque mondiale de recherche et de formation concernant les maladies tropicales (TDR). Il passe en revue l'état des recherches en sciences sociales sur la compréhension culturelle des maladies tropicales et la santé des enfants et des femmes. Son objectif principal est d'explorer les perceptions et représentations des populations locales des pays en dévelop..

Women's Time and the Use of Health Services

Summary The premise of this paper is that services and information can only contribute to improving health to the extent that people are aware of them, are able to make use of them, and choose to do so. Many service?related factors, as well as social, economic and cultural aspects of people's lives, can interfere with the use of health services or the implementation of health practices. The specific issue with which this article is concerned, however, is the possible negative effect of time constraints on women's capacity to use health services or to engage in other health related activities. It attempts to disaggregate health services and practices along a number of dimensions, with the goal of identifying those health related activities that may be particularly vulnerable to non?utilization because of conflicting demands on women's time. Resumé Les femmes, leur temps disponible et leur utilisation des services de soins de santé Le présent article a pour thèse que les services et l'information ne peuvent contribuer à l'amélioration de la santé que dans la mesure où les gens se rendent compte de leur disponibilité; se sentent capables de les utiliser; et se décident à le faire. Un grand nombre de facteurs qui ont trait aux services mêmes, en plus des aspects sociaux, économiques et culturels de la vie des utilisateurs de ces services, sont susceptibles d'affecter négativement l'utilisation des services de soins de santé et même, la mise en vigueur des pratiques de santé correspondantes. Ceci dit, cet article s'adresse spécifiquement aux éventuels effets négatifs des contraintes temporelles sur les capacités d'exploitation des services de santé parmi les femmes, voire sur leurs capacités de participer à d'autres activités qui ont trait à la santé. L'article tente d'analyser les services et pratiques de soins de santé sur plusieurs axes, dans l'optique d'identifier quelles sont les activités concernant la santé les plus menacées de non?utilisation en raison des nombreuses contraintes imposées sur le temps disponible des femmes. Resumen El tiempo de las mujeres y el uso de los servicios sanitarios La principal premisa de este artículo es que los servicios y la información sólo pueden contribuir al mejoramiento de las condiciones de sanidad en tanto y en cuanto la gente esté enterada de su existencia, pueda hacer uso de ellos, y lo elijan así. Muchos factores relacionados con los servicios, así como aspectos culturales, sociales y económicos, pueden interferir con el uso de los servicios de salud o la implementación de prácticas sanitarias. Sin embargo, el punto específico que aborda este artículo es el posible efecto negativo de los apremios del tiempo en la capacidad de la mujer para usar servicios sanitarios o comprometerse en otras actividades relacionadas a la salud. Trata de segregar pra?ticas y servicios sanitarios en diferentes dimensiones, con el objetivo de identificar esas actividades relacionadas de sanidad que pueden ser particularmente vulnerables a no ser usadas a causa de los requerimientos conflictivos en el tiempo de las mujeres

Factors Associated with Institutionalization for Treatment of Active Tuberculosis: A Synopsis from In-depth Patient Interviews

To increase the effectiveness of therapeutic regimens for tuberculosis (TB) and to reduce the societal risks for both infected and uninfected individuals, it is beneficial to be able to predict factors associated with non-adherence to treatment. The purpose of this study was to acquire detailed case histories of TB patients admitted to a hospital setting and to gain a better understanding of how patients explain the life events leading up to their admission for treatment. Twenty-one patients with active TB were interviewed concerning their knowledge of TB, diagnosis and treatment history, recent history prior to hospitalization, reactions to and life changes associated with having TB, and future life intentions following treatment. Three situations were identified that contributed to institutionalization: inability to carry out self-care; need for specialized care to address conditions beyond the patient’s control; and failure to follow the therapeutic regimen. Results confirmed known risk factors for acquisition of TB, situations that delay diagnosis and treatment, and variables that influence adherence and defaulting. Coordinated case management of multiple problems co-occurring with TB treatment may contribute to improved adherence. Consideration of psychosocial and economic needs is important to patient care. Improved communication between health care personnel and patients may enhance the likelihood of successful directly observed therapy (DOT) outside of an institutionalized setting. Some circumstances may preclude non- institutionalized care. These findings bring a dimensional richness to understanding of the patient’s view of the disease and institutionalized care

The Emerging Story of Disability Associated with Lymphatic Filariasis: A Critical Review

Globally, 40 million people live with the chronic effects of lymphatic filariasis (LF), making it the second leading cause of disability in the world. Despite this, there is limited research into the experiences of people living with the disease. This review summarises the research on the experiences of people living with LF disability. The review highlights the widespread social stigma and oppressive psychological issues that face most people living with LF-related disability. Physical manifestations of LF make daily activities and participation in community life difficult. The findings confirm the need for the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) to support morbidity management activities that address the complex biopsychosocial issues that people living with LF-related disability face