Studying Abroad Has Positive Effects on Students

Joe Kools \u2718, Jason Kools \u2720 and their mother Jennifer discuss their experiences with study abroad in Fall 2019

"I Am Normal": Claiming Normalcy in Christian-Identified HIV-Infected Adolescent and Emerging Adult Males.

Acquiring HIV in adolescence and young adulthood, when development of self-identity, personal values, and life purpose are central, is challenging. The purpose of our study was to explore the spiritual needs of young people with HIV, learning strategies they used to cope with the disease. A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted. A purposive sample of 21 Christian-identified HIV-infected males was interviewed. The iterative coding phases of grounded theory, including open, axial, selective, and theoretical, were used to analyze data, and a theory of claiming normalcy with HIV was generated. We present the salient theme "I am normal," describing young people's attempts to function the same as peers despite requiring daily treatment. Conditions associated with feelings of normalcy included disclosure status, stigma experiences, support, and health status. Participants sought meaning in the disease, ongoing social engagement, and self-belief. Reinforcing feelings of normalcy may help young people cope with HIV

Three methods for integration of environmental risk into the benefit-risk assessment of veterinary medicinal products

Veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) require, as part of the European Union (EU) authorization process, consideration of both risks and benefits. Uses of VMPs have multiple risks (e.g., risks to the animal being treated, to the person administering the VMP) including risks to the environment. Environmental risks are not directly comparable to therapeutic benefits; there is no standardized approach to compare both environmental risks and therapeutic benefits. We have developed three methods for communicating and comparing therapeutic benefits and environmental risks for the benefit-risk assessment that supports the EU authorization process. Two of these methods support independent product evaluation (i.e., a summative classification and a visual scoring matrix classification); the other supports a comparative evaluation between alternative products (i.e., a comparative classification). The methods and the challenges to implementing a benefit-risk assessment including environmental risk are presented herein; how these concepts would work in current policy is discussed. Adaptability to scientific and policy development is considered. This work is an initial step in the development of a standardized methodology for integrated decision-making for VMPs