The Experience of Women Students at the University of Kansas 1866-1890

This project explores the issue of coeducation from the mid to late nineteenth century and the experience of women students. Specifically, this project details the experience of women students at the University of Kansas (KU) in the nineteenth century from its beginning, in 1866, to 1890. The Introduction and Review of Literature sections discuss the beginnings of coeducation, as well as the experiences of women students on the campuses of other colleges and universities. This information is included in order to establish a foundation as to how women students were included and, in some instances, excluded at other schools. This literature also is utilized in an attempt to compare the experiences of women students at KU to the experiences of women at other colleges. To fully achieve an understanding of the experience of women students at KU from 1866 to 1890, the following historical documents were used in this research endeavor: yearbooks, student newspapers, student organization bylaws and meeting minutes, graduation records, commencement programs and related material, City of Lawrence, Kansas newspapers, personal accounts, diaries and autobiographies, and other University related documents (Chancellor correspondence and speeches). Following the presentation of the research findings, is a discussion which relates the similarities and contrasts of the experiences of women students at KU to women students at other colleges and universities of the time period. Thus, a full understanding of the phenomena of coeducation at KU and the experiences of its women students can be understood and compared to the experiences of women at other schools

Health Literacy and Online Health Discussions of North American Black Women

Purpose: Women increasingly use the Internet for healthcare information. This pilot study examined the use of online chat rooms as a potential health promotion resource for women of color. Design: A directed qualitative content analysis assessed discussions (2002/2003 and 2004/2005) from two Internet chat rooms targeted to North American, English-speaking Black women. Methods: Verbatim transcripts were assessed using Nutbeam\u27s (2001) model of health literacy. Results: Chat 1 and Chat 2 had 18 and 54 messages, respectively. Transcript readability was below grade 8 level. Discussions provided information on healthy behaviors, social support, and provocation for political action. Conclusions: The chat rooms provided health promotion information and social support at recommended readability levels and are illustrative of contemporary reorientation of health promotion services

Chat Room Computer-Mediated Support on Health Issues for Aboriginal Women

Within contemporary health care, increases in chronic disease have necessitated a disease management focus. Given that chronic disease is managed, more so than cured, there are increased demands for greater participation by health care consumers and they are expectated to take on increased responsibility for self-care. The emphasis on consumer responsibility has increased the significance of health-promoting behavior change in contending with contemporary health care concerns. In Canada, the reported inequity in health status between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians further emphasizes the need for innovative health strategies. For Aboriginal women isolated by geography, changing societal norms (e.g., women working outside of the home, single parent families), and cultural distinction, online chat participation serves as a novel medium for the provision of health knowledge, support, and motivation within a virtual “neighborhood.” Recognizing the significance of social support in the promotion of positive health behavior change, we investigated the theme of social support within health conversations among Aboriginal women participating in an online chat room. Content analysis was the primary methodological focus within a mixed methods approach. Of 101 health-based online conversations, the majority reflected one of three forms of social support: (1) emotional support, (2) informational support, or (3) instrumental support. The value of social support and social cohesion within health has been well documented. The current investigation suggests that “community” need not be physically constructed; virtual communities offer great potential for social cohesion around the issues of health and health care

Health Literacy and Numeracy: Key Factors in Cancer Risk Comprehension

In this age of chronic disease and shared decision making, individuals are encouraged to contribute to decisions about health care. Health literacy, including numeracy, is requisite to meaningful participation and has been accepted as a determinant of health. The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of literacy, consisting of prose and numeracy skill, math anxiety, attained education and context of information on participant ability to comprehend Internet-based colorectal cancer prevention information. Prose, numeracy, and math-anxiety data, as well as demographic details, were collected for 140 Canadian adults, aged 50 + years. Participants had adequate prose literacy (STOFHLA) scores, high STOFHLA numeracy scores, moderate levels of health-context numeracy, poorer general-context numeracy and moderate math anxiety. There was better comprehension by participants of common (9.14/11) compared with uncommon (7.64/11) colorectal cancer information (p \u3c 0.01). Prose literacy, numeracy, math anxiety and attained education accounted for 60% of the variation in participant comprehension scores. Numeracy, ranging from basic to advanced proficiency, is required to understand online cancer risk information. Prose literacy enhances numeracy when the subject matter is less familiar. These findings highlight the importance of presenting Web-based information that accommodates diverse health literacy and numeracy levels

Correction to: HCV-infected individuals have higher prevalence of comorbidity and multimorbidity: a retrospective cohort study

After publication of the original article [1], we were notified that an author’s name has been incorrectly spelled. Jeff Kwong’s full name is Jeffery C. Kwong

HCV-infected individuals have higher prevalence of comorbidity and multimorbidity: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background Almost 1% of Canadians are hepatitis C (HCV)-infected. The liver-specific complications of HCV are established but the extra-hepatic comorbidity, multimorbidity, and its relationship with HCV treatment, is less well known. We describe the morbidity burden for people with HCV and the relationship between multimorbidity and HCV treatment uptake and cure in the pre- and post-direct acting antiviral (DAA) era. Methods We linked adults with HCV at The Ottawa Hospital Viral Hepatitis Program as of April 1, 2017 to provincial health administrative data and matched on age and sex to 5 Ottawa-area residents for comparison. We used validated algorithms to identify the prevalence of mental and physical health comorbidities, as well as multimorbidity (2+ comorbidities). We calculated direct age- and sex-standardized rates of comorbidity and comparisons were made by interferon-based and interferon-free, DAA HCV treatments. Results The mean age of the study population was 54.5 years (SD 11.4), 65% were male. Among those with HCV, 4% were HIV co-infected, 26% had liver cirrhosis, 47% received DAA treatment, and 57% were cured of HCV. After accounting for age and sex differences, the HCV group had greater multimorbidity (prevalence ratio (PR) 1.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20 to 1.58) and physical-mental health multimorbidity (PR 2.71, 95% CI 2.29–3.20) compared to the general population. Specifically, prevalence ratios for people with HCV were significantly higher for diabetes, renal failure, cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, substance use disorder, mood and anxiety disorders and liver failure. HCV treatment and cure were not associated with multimorbidity, but treatment prevalence was significantly lower among middle-aged individuals with substance use disorders despite no differences in prevalence of cure among those treated. Conclusion People with HCV have a higher prevalence of comorbidity and multimorbidity compared to the general population. While HCV treatment was not associated with multimorbidity, people with substance use disorder were less likely to be treated. Our results point to the need for integrated, comprehensive models of care delivery for people with HCV