Immersion Research Education: Students as Catalysts for International Collaboration Research

Background:  This paper describes an international nursing and health research immersion program. Minority students from the USA work with an international faculty mentor in teams conducting collaborative research. The Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) program students become catalysts in the conduct of cross-cultural research. Aim:  To narrow the healthcare gap for disadvantaged families in the USA and partner countries. Methods:  Faculty from the USA, Germany, Italy, Colombia, England, Austria and Thailand formed an international research and education team to explore and compare family health issues, disparities in chronic illness care, social inequities and healthcare solutions. USA students in the MHIRT program complete two introductory courses followed by a 3-month research practicum in a partner country guided by faculty mentors abroad. The overall program development, student study abroad preparation, research project activities, cultural learning, and student and faculty team outcomes are explored. Results:  Cross-fertilization of research, cultural awareness and ideas about improving family health occur through education, international exchange and research immersion. Faculty research and international team collaboration provide opportunities for learning about research, health disparities, cultural influences and healthcare systems. The students are catalysts in the research effort, the dissemination of research findings and other educational endeavours. Five steps of the collaborative activities lead to programmatic success. Conclusions:  MHIRT scholars bring creativity, enthusiasm, and gain a genuine desire to conduct health research about families with chronic illness. Their cultural learning stimulates career plans that include international research and attention to vulnerable populations

Modelo para el comportamiento de planificación de los cuidados a largo plazo

Propósito: Explicar el contexto dinámico de la Planificación del Cuidado a Largo Plazo (LTCP) previos a la crisis, a través del desarrollo y la prueba de un modelo derivado del trabajo de Organización Sistémica de Friedemann, que es consistente con la literatura. Adicionalmente, probar las concepciones teóricas acerca de personas blancas, hispanas y no hispanas y personas negras no hispanas entre los 55 y los 70 años de edad.Diseño y métodos: Dos grupos de enfoque fueron guiados a validar los constructos propuestos y los elementos de la encuesta desarrollados para medirlos. Subsecuentemente, la encuesta fue aplicada en entrevistas telefónicas con 153 residentes de Miami-Dade, Florida. Las respuestas fueron sometidas a análisis confirmatorios y explo- *El soporte para esta investigación se recibió de Grant IR03AG20326 del National Institute on Aging (Instituto Nacional sobre el Envejecimiento), Washintong D.C., E.E.U.U. ratorios para desarrollar y probar el modelo. Las diferencias demográficas y étnicas fueron probadas mediante el uso de procedimientos de análisis de varianza y regresión.Resultados: El análisis confirmó el estilo de respuesta de control dentro de tres ámbitos de planeación: área financiera, bienestar-habilidad funcional y socio-ambiental. La respuesta de aceptación pareció significar una actitud que se traduce en aceptación hacia la ayuda en los tres ámbitos. Fueron evidentes diferencias étnicas pero no de género. Conclusiones: Los resultados proporcionaron un modelo de LTCP para futuras pruebas. Entender el proceso de LTCP formará las bases para intervenciones educativas

Peer Behavior Of Kindergarten Children And Parental Depression Associated With Unemployment And Economic Stress (michigan; Ipat).

This study addressed the impact of economic stress and unemployment on families. Previous unemployemnt research had suggested connections between high unemployment rates and increased incidence of depression, suicide and mental illness. Related studies had established linkages between children's social and emotional maladjustment and family economic hardship as well as parental depression. However, the literature had not defined the impact of unemployment and economic stress in measurable terms. This study investigated family effects in terms of parental psychological depression and observable behavior of children with peers. Subjects were 52 white, intact families who each had a child in kindergarten. The majority of fathers were blue-collar workers and 57% had been unemployed within the past two years. The average family had suffered a 23.7% loss of income. Parents were interviewed in their homes and were tested with the IPAT Depression Scale. Interview questions referred to the family's economic situation and ways of coping with stress. The children were observed during three 10-minute sessions in school during free play. Their group leader, follower and loner behavior acts and their peers' responses to these acts were scored with an instrument developed for the study. Analysis indicated that economically stressed fathers were more likely to be depressed than fathers without financial problems. Economic hardship was related to the quality of the marital relationship and a linkage was found between marital problems and high depression scores in fathers and mothers. Families with income setbacks over 31% tended to have children wth lower peer acceptance scores than families wth less severe setbacks. Such children played alone more often and were less involved in play than their peers. Other children who also had families with severe problems were observed to score higher than average in group leader acts, possibly compensating for unmet needs in the family. Findings implied that early intervention and social programming should focus on children who have difficulties adjusting to the peer group. They should be assisted to become accepted by peers and be given opportunities to act as leaders.Ph.D.Individual and family studiesSocial SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/127666/2/8422227.pd

Drift analysis and stabilization of a Fiber Bragg Grating interrogation device

This paper analyzes wavelength drifts of a Fiber Bragg Grating interrogation device due to variations in different environmental conditions. First, the thermal induced wavelength shifts of the Fiber Bragg Gratings were abstracted. Then, it was possible to investigate the correlations between wavelength drifts and A) temperature of the interrogation device, B) air pressure, and C) static inclination of the interrogation device. Out of these three factors, unsteady temperature of the interrogation device proved to be the main reason for wavelength drift in our setup. Variations in air pressure were the second most important factor, whereas the static inclination of the interrogation device showed the least but still considerable effect on wavelength drifts. A temperature stabilization of the device housing temperature is introduced and a software-based offsetting of the air pressure is discussed

Immersion research education : students as catalysts in international collaboration research

Background: This paper describes an international nursing and health research immersion program. Minority students from the USA work with an international faculty mentor in teams conducting collaborative research. The Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) program students become catalysts in the conduct of cross-cultural research. Aim: To narrow the healthcare gap for disadvantaged families in the USA and partner countries. Methods: Faculty from the USA, Germany, Italy, Colombia, England, Austria and Thailand formed an international research and education team to explore and compare family health issues, disparities in chronic illness care, social inequities and healthcare solutions. USA students in the MHIRT program complete two introductory courses followed by a 3-month research practicum in a partner country guided by faculty mentors abroad. The overall program development, student study abroad preparation, research project activities, cultural learning, and student and faculty team outcomes are explored. Results: Cross-fertilization of research, cultural awareness and ideas about improving family health occur through education, international exchange and research immersion. Faculty research and international team collaboration provide opportunities for learning about research, health disparities, cultural influences and healthcare systems. The students are catalysts in the research effort, the dissemination of research findings and other educational endeavours. Five steps of the collaborative activities lead to programmatic success. Conclusions: MHIRT scholars bring creativity, enthusiasm, and gain a genuine desire to conduct health research about families with chronic illness. Their cultural learning stimulates career plans that include international research and attention to vulnerable populations

Two Sides to The Caregiving Story

Purpose: This descriptive study examined problems and successes that a sample of 73 adult caregivers new to the role expressed in the first year of caring for stroke survivors. Data were collected from May 2002 to December 2005. Method: Bimonthly, trained telephone interviewers asked the participants open-ended questions to elicit their experience in caregiving. Guided by Friedemann’s framework of systemic organization, we analyzed the data using Colaizzi’s method of content analysis. Results: There were 2,455 problems and 2,687 successes reported. Three themes emerged from the problems: being frustrated in day-to-day situations (system maintenance in Friedemann’s terms), feeling inadequate and turning to others for help (coherence), and struggling and looking for “normal” in caring (system maintenance vs. change). Three themes were attributed to the successes: making it through and striving for independence (system maintenance), doing things together and seeing accomplishments in the other (coherence), and reaching a new sense of normal and finding balance in life (individuation and system maintenance). Conclusion: These findings provided an in-depth, theorybased description of the experience of being a new caregiver and can help explain how caring can be a difficult yet rewarding experience. Knowledge of the changes over time allows health care professionals to tailor their interventions, understanding, and support