No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to identify variables related to the employment of secondary occupational child care program completors in training related occupations. Research questions which the study sought to answer were: What is the present employment status of the completors? What proportion of the employed completors are in training related occupations? What proportion of the unemployed completors have been employed in a child care related job at some time since their training? What are the main reasons for non-employment in training related occupations and part-time employment? What is the relationship between employment status and the variables of marital status, number of children, perceived availability of jobs, assistance in job placement, reasons for occupational choice, opinions of quality of training, self-reported academic achievement, continuing education, salaries, and willingness to relocate. The subjects for the study were the total population of 1975-76 completors of occupational child care programs in Virginia. A questionnaire was designed for gathering data to fulfill the purpose of the study. Each of the program completors was mailed a letter which explained the purposes of the study, a questionnaire, a small pencil, and an addressed stamped return envelope. All envelopes to the subjects were hand addressed. A response rate of 68 percent was obtained from the 282 subjects who presumably received the questionnaire. The techniques used in the statistical analysis were tabulations, summarization of responses, and rank order of responses. Chi square was used to determine the probability of a relationship between variables. A significant relationship was revealed between employment status and the variables of marital status, number of children, perceived availability of jobs, self-reported academic achievement, continuing education, salaries received by employed respondents and salaries expected by unemployed respondents, and willingness to relocate. Major findings of the study were: 1) Forty-two percent of the respondents were employed; 2) 28 percent of the employed respondents were in related occupations; 3) continuing education was the reason cited most frequently for non-employment in related jobs; 4) the percent of married respondents who were employed was almost equal to the percent of single respondents who were employed; 5) 87 percent of the respondents who had children were employed or seeking employment; 6) more than half the respondents perceived that few jobs were available; 7) one-third of the respondents reported the greatest assistance received in finding a job was from their child care teacher; 8) a large majority of the respondents chose the child care program for reasons other than for gainful employment; 9) employed and unemployed respondents were positive in their opinions of the quality of their training; 10) self-reported academic achievement was generally high; 11) salaries in related occupations were not higher than salaries in unrelated occupations; 12) two-thirds of the unemployed respondents indicated a willingness to relocate in order to get a related job. / Ed. D.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1994. / Includes tables and appendices. Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Marilyn Rawnsley. Dissertation Committee: Jane A. Monroe. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-131).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1992.

Thesis (M.N.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1998. / Bibliography: leaves 123-132.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1992.

Lung transplantation is a treatment for patients with end stage lung disease; they will not survive without such surgery. A caregiver is essential for a patient to become eligible for a lung transplant and the caregiver plays an essential role in the transplant recipient’s care both before and after transplant surgery. Most caregiver research has been conducted on caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or on elderly patients, however, it is important to examine caregivers’ experiences caring for other patient groups with disabling conditions. Caregivers of transplant recipients are one such group. The purpose of this qualitative study, using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, was to examine the lived experiences of caregivers of lung transplant recipients pre- and post-lung transplantation. The study used semi- structured, face to face, tape recorded in- depth interviews to document the experiences of a purposive sampling of 20 caregivers of lung transplant recipients. Interviews (English, Spanish) were transcribed verbatim and analyzed for emerging themes. The resulting 4 themes and 12 sub themes were: 1) Establishing the diagnosis; 2) Caregivers roles; 3) Caregivers psychological and psychosocial Issues; and 4) Support. The 12 sub themes were:1) Caregivers reaction to transplant option; 2) Caregivers’ lack of basic knowledge as related to lung transplant 3) Disease progression: Reality of unanticipated changes/fear of death; 4) Pre- transplant experiences; 5) Hospital course; 6) Home care; 7) Lifestyle changes and Social activities;8) Physical health and Emotional health ; 9) Financial and Employment issues;10) Family/Friends;11) Professional support; 12) Support groups. Study results demonstrated caregivers’ lack of knowledge about transplantation, dramatic changes in caregivers ‘family life, social activities, employment, and often financial status. Results also demonstrated a need for health care providers and policy makers to recognize caregivers’ stressful life changes and implement informational, psychological and emotional interventions and policies to assist these caregivers during their stressful and tedious experiences.

Caring for a family member who is ill can be a draining experience (Cooper et al., 2006; Daire, 2002; Zarit et al, 1980). Providing care for a family member that is living with HIV/AIDS is potentially even more stressful because of social meanings associated with HIV/AIDS infection (Stajduhar, 1998) and the contagious nature of the HIV virus (Powell-Cope & Brown, 1992). Research indicates that most caregivers are female (Bunting, 2001; Songwathana, 2000). In Africa women bear the brunt of the burden of providing care for family members who are living with HIV/AIDS (Mushonga, 2001; Olenja, 1999). This study examined coping factors and caregiver burden among female caregivers (N=116) of a family member living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. Coping factors were derived from a principal components factor analysis of the fourteen scales on the Brief Cope (Carver, 1997). Caregiver burden was measured using the Zarit Caregiver Burden Inventory. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationships between caregiver burden and coping factors. Post–hoc multiple regression analyses further investigated the relationship between caregiver burden and caregiver demographic characteristics. The relationship between caregiver burden and care recipient characteristics was also investigated. The principle components factor analysis of the Brief Cope yielded five coping factors that were labeled: Social support, Hope, Acceptance, Planning, and Disposition. The regression analysis that was conducted to investigate the relationships between these five coping factors and caregiver burden indicated a significant inverse relationship between Hope and caregiver burden. The post-hoc analyses investigating the relationship between various caregiver and care recipient characteristics indicated a significant relationship between the caregiver's age and caregiver burden, and education level and caregiver burden. An increase in age correlated with a decrease in caregiver burden. An increase in education level correlated with reduced caregiver burden. Implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The number of patients with chronic heart failure (HF) is at an all-time high and the incidence is expected to increase as our population ages. HF patients experience impaired cognition, exertional shortness of breath, and persistent fatigue; therefore, family members are needed to assist with their care at home. Although existing literature suggests that HF caregivers experience negative physical, mental, and social outcomes, there is a lack of studies guided by a conceptual model to determine factors associated with these outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with HF caregiver depressive symptoms, life changes, and quality of life guided by a conceptual model derived from Lazarus and colleagues’ transactional approach to stress. Psychometric properties of a new HF caregiver-specific quality of life (HFCQL) scale were also determined. Using a descriptive design, a convenience sample of 100 HF caregivers was interviewed by telephone using established measures along with the new HFCQL scale. The 16-item HFCQL scale, which measures physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being demonstrated evidence of internal consistency reliability (alpha = .89); 2-week test-retest reliability (ICC = .83); construct validity, as evaluated with factor analysis (loadings > .32) and hierarchical multiple regression (59% variance, p < .001); and criterion validity, as shown with significant (p < .001) correlations with the Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale (r = .73), SF-36 general and mental health (r = .45; .59), and a single overall QOL item (r = .71). Using hierarchical multiple regression, the model constructs accounted for 35% variance of depressive symptoms, 46% variance of life changes, and 59% variance of HFCQL (p < .001). Factors significantly associated with these outcomes included caregiving task difficulty, uncertainty, social support, and threat appraisal. Support for the conceptual model was provided, and potential areas for intervention development were identified. The new HFCQL scale showed potential as a quality outcome measure in HF caregivers, and might be used to screen HF caregivers for poor quality of life. Further research using the proposed conceptual model and the HFCQL scale is warranted. Tamilyn Bakas, DNS, RN, Chair