Financial literacy: an overview of practice, research, and policy

Attention to financial literacy has grown in recent years, in large part because technological, market, and legislative changes have resulted in a more complex financial services industry that requires consumers to be more actively involved in managing their finances. Consumer and community interest groups, banking companies, government agencies, and policymakers, among others, have become concerned that many consumers lack a working knowledge of financial concepts and the tools they need to make decisions most advantageous to their economic well-being. As a result, considerable resources have been devoted to financial literacy, with a wide range of organizations providing training, including banks, consumer and community groups, employers, and government agencies. Overall, studies suggest that financial literacy training can lead to better decisionmaking; however, the findings raise numerous questions about the best means of providing that training, the most appropriate setting, and the most opportune timing. Findings from recent research on personal money management styles, combined with awareness of human behavioral traits, offer insights that may be useful in developing successful training programs and strategies.Financial literacy ; Economics - Study and teaching ; Finance, Personal

Killing the Spirit: Doublespeak and Double Jeopardy in a Classroom of Scholars

One of the most difficult tasks we face as human beings is trying to communicate across individual differences, trying to make sure that what we say to someone is interpreted the way we intended. This becomes even more difficult when we attempt to communicate across social differences, gender, race, or class lines, or any situation of unequal power. We have conducted a nine-year longitudinal study of the relationship between pre-college enrichment experiences and the development of academic ethos (scholar identity) in educationally disadvantaged African-American adolescents. The study, Project EXCEL, examines how each participant constructs a definition of scholar and how, or if, that definition affects achievement in a university-sponsored enrichment program in reading, writing, and foreign language study. Student participants enter the program as sophomores and exit at the conclusion of their senior year

Experiences of Sure Start Children's Centre Teachers: emerging roles and identities in a collaborative setting

Sure Start Children’s Centres deliver a wide range of services to families with young children. For over a decade an important aspect of Sure Start has been collaborative work involving diverse practitioners, professionals, agencies and organisations. The role of Children’s Centre Teacher (CCT) was established in 2005 with the aim of improving children’s social and cognitive development. This qualitative study examines the experiences of individual CCTs, paying attention to their descriptions of role, their professional identities and how they experience and understand collaborative working. The study uses two methods to collect data, iterative email interviews and personal interviews conducted on a one-to-one basis or in small groups. A total of 15 informants provided data through emails, interviews or both. In terms of role, the study finds that respondents report considerable differences between the centre-based role and that of a classroom teacher. Uncertainty, variability and change pervade their accounts. Despite this it is possible to identify key characteristics of the nature of CCT activity through CCTs’ comparisons of their new role and their previous work. In terms of identity, CCTs clearly position themselves as professionals and place themselves as senior members of the Children’s Centre team. However, identifying the CCT role as a unique profession, teaching specialism or discrete occupation is found to be problematic for a number of reasons. Informants endorse collaborative working, which they describe as part aspiration and part achievement, reporting a mixture of successes and barriers. Children’s Centre Teachers invoke two modes to describe the collaborative work they undertake, the first appears close to traditional models of interprofessional working, the second, which describes the majority of the work they undertake, casts CCTs as advisors and consultants to staff members they see as subordinate. The study also comments on how email interviews might be used in future research

The lived experiences of international students who's family remains at home

The significant increase of international students, who leave their family at home,to study abroad, especially in the discipline of nursing, has implications for educational practice. This study’s aim was to explore adult international students’ experiences of leaving spouse and children – for further education overseas. A descriptive phenomenological approach to inquiry using Colaizzi’s (1978)analysis framework revealed four themes : living with emotional turmoil, living in a world of negativity, living with an expectation to cope and driven by personal ambition. The findings identified a hidden world of emotional trauma, psychological stress, and negativity, specifically related to relinquishing their role in the family. The authors conclude that an ‘open door policy’ that provides individual counselling and timely support for academic and social purposes is necessary

Self-Reported Musculoskeletal Pain in Latino Vineyard Workers

The agricultural economy in the United States is dependent on millions of Latino migratory workers. Despite the health risks associated with this line of work, many agricultural workers lack health insurance or access to health care services. The purpose of this study was to collect demographic data and investigate the musculoskeletal health of Latino migratory vineyard workers. A physical therapy team collected demographic data at health clinics held at vineyards in Oregon. Nearly half (48.4%) of all vineyard workers reported experiencing musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) in at least one region of the body. The primary region of reported MSS was the back (32% of all men and 43.7% of all women). In most cases, those who reported MSS were significantly older than those who did not report MSS. Future research is necessary to identify personal and work related injury risk factors in order to develop prevention programs

Induced frailty and acute sarcopenia are overlapping consequences of hospitalisation in older adults

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of hospitalisation upon frailty and sarcopenia. METHODS: Prospective cohort study at single UK hospital including adults ≥70 years-old admitted for elective colorectal surgery, emergency abdominal surgery, or acute infections. Serial assessments for frailty (Fried, Frailty Index, Clinical Frailty Scale [CFS]), and sarcopenia (handgrip strength, ultrasound quadriceps and/or bioelectrical impedance analysis, and gait speed and/or Short Physical Performance Battery) were conducted at baseline, 7 days post-admission/post-operatively, and 13 weeks post-admission/post-operatively. RESULTS: Eighty participants were included (mean age 79.2, 38.8% females). Frailty prevalence by all criteria at baseline was higher among medical compared to surgical participants. Median and estimated marginal CFS values and Fried frailty prevalence increased after 7 days, with rates returning towards baseline at 13 weeks. Sarcopenia incidence amongst those who did not have sarcopenia at baseline was 20.0%. However, some participants demonstrated improvements in sarcopenia status, and overall sarcopenia prevalence did not change. There was significant overlap between diagnoses with 37.3% meeting criteria for all four diagnoses at 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: Induced frailty and acute sarcopenia are overlapping conditions affecting older adults during hospitalisation. Rates of frailty returned towards baseline at 13 weeks, suggesting that induced frailty is reversible

Duplex assessment of venous reflux and chronic venous insufficiency: The significance of deep venous reflux

AbstractPurpose: This study was undertaken to examine the role of superficial and deep venous reflux, as defined by duplex-derived valve closure times (VCTs), in the pathogenesis of chronic venous insufficiency.Methods: Between January 1992 and November 1995, 320 patients and 500 legs were evaluated with clinical examinations and duplex scans for potential venous reflux. VCTs were obtained with the cuff deflation technique with the patient in the upright position. Imaging was performed at the saphenofemoral junction, the middle segment of the greater saphenous vein, the lesser saphenous vein, the superficial femoral vein, the profunda femoris vein, and the popliteal vein. Not all patients had all segments examined because tests early in the series did not examine the profunda femoris or lesser saphenous vein and because some patients had previous ligation and stripping or venous thrombosis. VCTs were examined for individual segment reflux, grouped into superficial and deep systems, and then correlated with the clinical stage as defined by the SVS/ISCVS original reporting standards in venous disease. Segment reflux was considered present if the VCT was greater than 0.5 seconds, and system reflux was considered present if the sum of the segments was greater than 1.5 seconds. Between-group differences were analyzed with analysis of variance and post hoc tests where appropriate.Results: Sixty-nine limbs studied were in class 0, 149 limbs were in class 1, 168 limbs were in class 2, and 114 limbs were in class 3. VCTs in the superficial veins were significantly lower in class 0 than in the other clinical classes. There was no difference in superficial reflux in the symptomatic limbs (classes 1 to 3). Reflux VCTs in the superficial femoral and popliteal veins increased as the clinical symptoms progressed, with a significant increase in class 3 ulcerated limbs when compared with nonulcerated limbs. The incidence of deep venous reflux was 60% in class 3 limbs, compared with 29% in class 2 limbs, whereas the incidence of superficial venous reflux did not differ among the symptomatic limbs. Isolated superficial femoral and popliteal vein reflux was uncommon, even in class 3 limbs, but combined superficial femoral and popliteal vein reflux was found in 53% of class 3 limbs, compared with 18.5% of class 2 limbs.Conclusions: Reflux in the deep venous system plays a significant role in the progression of chronic venous insufficiency. Deep system reflux increases as clinical changes become more severe, with significant axial reflux contributing to ulcer formation. (J Vasc Surg 1996;24:755-62.

Baseline Nutritional Status and In-Hospital Step Count are Associated with Muscle Quantity, Quality, and Function:Results of an Exploratory Study

This exploratory study aimed to assess associations of baseline nutritional status and in-hospital step count with muscle quantity, quality, and function. Seventy-nine participants aged ≥70 years (mean age 79.1 years, 44.3% female) were recruited (elective colorectal surgery, emergency abdominal surgery, and general medical patients with infections). Baseline nutrition (Mini Nutritional Assessment) and in-hospital step count (Fitbit Inspire devices) were assessed. Ultrasound quadriceps, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and physical function were assessed at baseline and 7 (±2) days and 13 (±1) weeks post-admission/post-operatively. Baseline nutritional status was associated with baseline rectus femoris ultrasound echogenicity (normal: 58.5, at risk: 68.5, malnourished: 81.2; p = 0.025), bilateral anterior thigh thickness (normal: 5.07 cm, at risk: 4.03 cm, malnourished: 3.05 cm; p = 0.021), and skeletal muscle mass (Sergi equation) (normal: 21.6 kg, at risk: 18.2 kg, malnourished: 12.0 kg; p = 0.007). Step count was associated with baseline patient-reported physical function (&lt;900 37.1, ≥900 44.5; p = 0.010). There was a significant interaction between nutrition, step count, and time for skeletal muscle mass (Janssen equation) (p = 0.022).</p