Evaluation Of Football Shoulder Pads

The development of sports protective equipment has been largely the result of trial and error and, with the exception of foot and head protective devices, has not involved the research process. Claims related to football shoulder pad innovations have not typically been supported by relevant objective data. The purpose of this study was to develop procedures and instrumentation for comparison of the effectiveness of shoulder pads. The most important criterion for protective effectiveness was considered to be the prevention of high peak pressures on body parts and tissues underneath the pads. Phase I of the study was designed to determine player perceptions of high-pressure sites following performance of drills on the field using a variety of pads. Phase II involved the development of instrumentation and procedures to directly measure pressure on sites identified in phase I during a controlled blocking drill simulating field conditions. Pressure measurements were taken using twelve pressure sensing resistors (0.6 mm thick and 12 mm in diameter) attached to selected sites underneath the pads. Signal conditioning circuity was developed to provide output from these transducers proportional to pressure. The output was routed to a digital computer via an analog-todigital interface board for subsequent analysis. The measurement system was used to evaluate six sets of shoulder pads representing the use of conventional, closed-cell foam and the use of open-cell foam (one and three layers) with an air management system. Four experienced subjects used each set of pads to hit a blocking dummy several times. Results were consistent with subjects' perceptions of areas of greatest pressure, indicating that: 1) greatest peak forces for all pads were received on the portion of the superior portion of the deltoid, acromion, and superior portion of the trapezius; and 2) pads using open-cell foam with an air management system were superior to pads using closed-cell foam in preventing high peak pressures. This study was partially supported by the Kansas State University Research Foundation

Omnibus Survivorship Narratives: Multiple Morbidities Among Female Cancer Survivors in South Central Appalachia

This study examines the illness narratives of female cancer survivors living in Southern Central Appalachia. Stories of 29 female Appalachian cancer survivors from northeastern Tennessee and southwcstmn Virginia were collected via a mixed methods approach in either a day-long story circle (n=26) or an in-depth interview (n=3), Qualitative content analysis was used to guide an inductive analysis of the tTanscript\u3c;, What emerged was that as participants survived cancer, they also survived other health conditions, their intorsccting stories yielding an omnibus survivorship narrative

Barriers to Family Cancer Communication in Southern Appalachia

This study examines cultural issues surrounding family cancer communication in Appalachia, providing insight into participants’ communication choices regarding their illness within their families. Stories of 29 female Appalachian cancer survivors from Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia were collected via a mixed methods approach in either a day-long story circle (N=26) or an in-depth interview (N=3). Qualitative content analysis was used to identify unique barriers to family cancer communication in Appalachia. Two barriers emerged: 1) the health of other family members and 2) cancer in a “taboo” area. These findings suggest that Appalachian female cancer survivors struggle with similar issues as survivors outside of the region regarding family cancer communication. However, there appear to be additional barriers to family cancer communication for Appalachian women that may be a result of cultural norms of the region

Personal Identity Changes of Female Cancer Survivors in Southern Appalachia

Navigating personal identity changes through the cancer journey can be challenging, especially for women in a culture that places emphasis on traditional gender roles and values close-knit families. Drawing on a story circule approach, this study examined the intersecting identities of female cancer survivors in southern Appalachia. Stories of 29 female Appalachian cancer survivors from Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia were collected via a mixed methods approach in either a day-long story circule (N-26) or an in-depth interview (N=3). Transcripts from both phases were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim; NVivo 8.0 facilitated qualitative content analysis of the data. Inductive analysis revealed that women in this study appeared in struggle with (1) maintaining place in the family, (2) mothering, and (3) navigating physical changes. Ideas of family versus self appeared to overlap and intertwine with how women in Appalachia navigate personal identify changes through the cancer journey

Navigating Family Cancer Communication: Communication Strategies of Female Cancer Survivors in Central Appalachia

In a multiphasic study, the stories of 29 female Appalachian cancer survivors were collected through either a day-long modified story circle event (n=26) or an in-depth interview (n=3). Qualitative content analysis was used to identify emergent themes in the data. The analysis revealed 5 types of family cancer communication including both pre-diagnosis and postdiagnosis cancer communication strategie

Culturally Tailored Cancer Communication, Education, and Research: The Highways and Back Roads of Appalachia

We have varying experiences with Appalachia, yet we all agree that there is a unique relationship between Appalachians and cancer. Two of us are nurses who have worked with various communities. Two of us grew up here; 1 watched several of her relatives battle cancer in their Appalachian homes. All of us are scholars who want to talk with practitioners and researchers who are developing culturally tailored cancer control interventions. This goal to have a dialogue emerged after we had a series of discussions about cancer in Appalachia, discussions resulting in our developing a list of cultural traits that seem to be related to this region’s high cancer morbidity and morality (Table). For example, in one of our previous publications we describe the association between the traditional Appalachian oral culture and the cancer experience, finding that cancer stories appeared to pass from 1 generation to the next (1). In turn, these stories seem to affect some community members\u27 willingness to be screened. Our essay\u27s purpose is not to justify the elements presented in the Table. Rather, we write to consider the following: What are the advantages and disadvantages of making generalizations about a culture that has already been marginalized by overgeneralizations

Mothered, Mothering & Motherizing in Illness Narratives: What Women Cancer Survivors in Southern Central Appalachia Reveal About Mothering-Disruption

Informed by a mothering-disruption framework, our study examines the illness narratives of women cancer survivors living in Southern Central Appalachia. We collected the stories of twenty-nine women cancer survivors from northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia using a multi-phasic qualitative design. Phase I consisted of women cancer survivors participating in a day-long story circle (n=26). Phase II consisted of women cancer survivors who were unable to attend the story circle ; this sample sub-set participated in in-depth interviews (n=3) designed to capture their illness narratives. Participants\u27 illness narratives revealed the presence of: (1) mothering-disruption whereby cancer adversely impacted the mothering role ; and (2) mothering-connection , whereby the cancer experience motivatedmother-survivors. Participants\u27 illness narratives reflected thatthe role of mother was the preeminent role for mother-survivor and whenever there was oppositional tension between the roles of mother and survivor , the women-survivors seemed to linguistically relocate away from the survivor role and toward the mothering role. As a result , women-survivors seemingly rejected medicalization of their identities by emphasizing their mothering responsibilities , something we term motherizing