Patterns of Giving in COPPS 2001

Serious researchers of philanthropy have bemoaned the lack of panel datasets for studying giving behavior. That gap is beginning to be filled with the start of the Center on Philanthropy Panel Study (COPPS). COPPS provides the first comprehensive panel study of giving and volunteering in the U.S., and one of the only such studies worldwide to date. Previous U.S. panels studies of giving have employed tax return data, which are limited to gifts of money and property by (in most years) itemizers and include only the financial and limited demographic data reported on those returns

Tracking Giving Across Generations

In an article prepared for New Directions for Philanthropic Fundraising, Richard Steinberg and Mark Wilhelm summarize the type of data collected in COPPS and provide at least four areas of fundraising practice that can be improved with knowledge gained about donors from COPPS: targeting, predicting, benchmarking, and persuasion

Religious and Secular Giving, by Race and Ethnicity

In this article, the authors advance the literature on whether apparent differences in the giving and volunteering of black versus white, or Hispanic versus other families, are real. They employ new data, COPPS, that help to determine whether the differences are due to race and ethnicity themselves or a variety of factors that are correlated with these labels

The Intergenerational Transmission of Generosity

The Center on Philanthropy Panel Study (COPPS) has provided the first data on the giving of parents and their children. COPPS has found that adult children whose parents give currently are much more likely to be donors themselves than are children whose parents do not give currently; they are also far more likely to give more money than children of non-donors. In addition, parents' religious giving emerges as an engine for religious generosity, affecting the religious giving of their adult children, but having no effect on children's "secular" giving (e.g., to United Way, help the poor, education, etc. ). No relationship exists between the adult children's religious affiliation and their secular giving (except among those of the Jewish faith, who also make large donations to secular causes). There is a significant relationship between parents’ secular giving and their adult children's secular giving; Parents who give generously to secular causes have adult children with higher probability of giving to secular causes and who give at higher amounts than are seen among adult children whose parents do not give as generously to secular causes. This suggests a transmission of values for secular giving

The workplace as a learning environment: Perceptions and experiences of undergraduate medical students at a contemporary medical training university in Uganda

Background. One of the most effective ways of translating medical theory into clinical practice is through workplace learning, because practice is learnt by practising. Undergraduate medical students at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda, have workplace rotations at Mulago National Referral and Teaching Hospital (MNRTH), Kampala, for the purpose of learning clinical medicine. Objectives. To explore undergraduate medical students’ perceptions and experiences regarding the suitability of MNRTH as a learning environment to produce competent health professionals who are ready to meet the demands of contemporary medical practice, research and training. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study with a mixed-methods approach. Students’ perceptions and experiences were assessed using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM), as well as focus group discussions (FGDs). Data from DREEM were analysed as frequencies and means of scores of perceptions of the learning environment. FGD data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results. The majority of students perceived the learning environment as having more positives than negatives. Among the positive aspects were unrestricted access to large numbers of patients and a wide case mix. Negative aspects included overcrowding due to too many students, and inadequate workplace affordances. Conclusions. The large numbers of patients, unrestricted access to patients and the wide case mix created authentic learning opportunities for students – they were exposed to a range of conditions that they are likely to encounter often once they qualify. The areas of concern identified in the study need to be addressed to optimise learning at the workplace for undergraduate medical students

Diabetes Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in adults with type 2 diabetes at primary health care clinics in Kimberley South Africa

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common non-communicable disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality globally. It poses a huge public health and economic challenge. People with diabetes need to have adequate knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) to prevent complications from diabetes. This study aims to evaluate the KAP towards diabetes among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients attending primary healthcare clinics in Kimberley. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical, quantitative questionnaire-based study was done using a convenient sampling method in Sol Plaatje Municipality, Kimberley, Northern Cape. Results: A total of 363 type 2 diabetic patients took part in the study. Most of the participants (62.0%) were females. Most had good knowledge (67.5%), while 64.5% of the participants showed good attitudes towards diabetes. However, only 35.8% of the participants had good practices towards diabetes. There was a significant association between the participant’s level of education and (1) knowledge and (2) practice, with p-values of 0.002 and 0.0075, respectively. No significant association was found between the participant’s level of education and attitudes towards diabetes (p = 0.2416). Conclusion: This study demonstrated good diabetes-related knowledge and attitudes but inadequate practices among participants. Educational programmes to assist patients with diabetes to improve their practice towards diabetes should be encouraged and implemented. Contribution: This study will help to create awareness of the need for people with diabetes to improve their practices towards diabetes

Corrigendum: Diabetes Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in adults with type 2 diabetes at primary health care clinics in Kimberley South Africa

No abstract available

A modified delphi study to determine the contents of a seizure diary for patients living with epilepsy in South Africa

Background: Epilepsy is a debilitating chronic medical condition affecting many patients globally. A seizure diary is used in monitoring and managing patients with epilepsy. In South Africa, no standardized diary is currently being used. Objective: This study intended to develop a consensus among experts managing patients with epilepsy on the content of a seizure diary. Methods: The modified Delphi method consisted of three survey rounds spanning six months. Using a three-point Likert scale questionnaire, in round one, the panelists were required to choose an option (definitely required, optional, and not required) for 50 items and comment on the contents of the diary. In round two, three items were added based on comments from the panelists. In round three, panelists were allowed to deliberate further on unresolved items and change their responses in view of the group responses. The consensus was determined as a priori threshold of >70% on items definitely required, optional, or not required. Results: Eleven local and two international panelists were enrolled in this study. Twelve completed all three rounds. The consensus was achieved in 21 of 50 items in round 1, three of seven items in round 2, and one of two items in round 3, of which 18 were definitely required as contents of a seizure diary. Conclusions: Based on expert opinions, the modified Delphi study determined the essential contents of a seizure diary for use by patients with epilepsy in South Africa