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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
41

The relationship between an Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) literacy program and women's lives in Semi-urban context, in Cape Peninsula

Beauzac, Christolene Bernardine January 2010 (has links)
Magister Artium (Human Ecology) - MA(HE) / The research employed a qualitative research paradigm. The ethnographic approach was used to conduct the research. Data collection was done though various ethnographic techniques, classroom observation, in-depth interviews and document analysis. The population was 85 women who participated in a Adult Basic Education and Training programme in Eersterivier in the Cape Peninsula area a questionnaire was used to collect demographic information of the participants Data was analysed by thematic analysis and coded, categorised and discussed according to the aim and objectives of the study in relation to previous studies The main findings were why exploring the existing literacy practice women were depended on others for literacy assistance, which made them avoid literacy events and become vulnerable in this process to cope with the everyday life. / South Africa
42

Deconstructing the Religious Archive and its Secular Component and its Relationship to Violence

Arrazola, Andres A 05 May 2011 (has links)
The thesis argues for the inclusion of the study of religion within the public school curriculum. It argues that the whole division between “religious” and “secular” spaces and institutions is itself rooted in a specific religious tradition. Using the theories of Jacques Derrida, I argue that, unless the present process of globalization is tempered with alternative models of organizing that don’t include this secular/sacred division, the very process of Western globalization acts as a moral religion. Derrida calls this process “globalatinization,” the imposition of Western defined institutions upon other cultures. The process creates a type of religious violence through act of imposing notions of “secular/public” and “sacred/private.” Drawing from Mark Juergensmeyer’s theory of religious violence, and Derrida’s and Foucault’s understanding of discursive formations, I argue that religious studies should enter this “secular/public” space in the form of educating about the world’s religions. Such education would go a long way in preventing the demonization of the “other” through promoting empathy, understanding, and respect for “other” traditions. Finally, education would provide a needed self-critique of the dividing of “secular/sacred” in contemporary Western life.
43

Incidência, fatores preditores e consequências do delirium no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca em idosos / Incidence, predictive factors and complications of delirium in postoperative cardiac surgery elderly patients

Fatima Rosane de Almeida Oliveira 18 June 2015 (has links)
Delirium é um estado confusional agudo caracterizado por um distúrbio de consciência, alteração na cognição e curso flutuante ao longo do dia. É a complicação mais comum observada em idosos hospitalizados. É freqüente no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca, e pode chegar a taxas tão altas quanto 73% em pacientes mais idosos. Pacientes com delirium apresentam maior risco de morte, demência e institucionalização, aumento do tempo de internação hospitalar e dos custos. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: 1) determinar a incidência do delirium no pós-operatório de cirurgia cardíaca em idosos; 2) identificar fatores predisponentes e precipitantes neste contexto; 3) avaliar a relação entre delirium e morbimortalidade por até 18 meses de seguimento. Este estudo foi observacional, prospectivo, tipo coorte, realizado no Hospital de Messejana no período de Setembro/2011 à Dezembro/2013. Foram estudados 173 pacientes com idade > 60 anos. Antes da cirurgia, os pacientes foram avaliados quanto à função cognitiva através do MEEM e TFV, e pelo CAM, para determinar a presença de delirium pré-operatório, motivo de exclusão do estudo. Foram registradas variáveis referentes aos dados demográficos, doenças prévias, medicações utilizadas, e calculado o risco de mortalidade cirúrgica para cada paciente através do EuroSCORE II. Resultados de exames pré-operatórios como ECG, ecodopplercardiograma, cateterismo cardíaco, Doppler de carótidas e exames laboratoriais também foram registrados. Durante a cirurgia, as variáveis avaliadas foram o tempo de CEC e clampeamento de aorta, duração da cirurgia e anestesia e uso de hemoderivados. Como variáveis pós-operatórias foram analisados o TIOT, tempo de permanência na UTI, presença de disfunção renal, hipoxemia. O delirium foi avaliado pelo CAM-ICU no pós-operatório. Para o desfecho composto foram registrados óbitos por todas as causas, infecções e IAM perioperatório identificados até a alta hospitalar ou 30 dias após a cirurgia. Os pacientes foram seguidos por um período de 12 a 18 meses e registrados eventos como óbitos, reinternações e demência, através de nova avaliação com MEEM e TFV. Após análise univariada foi realizada análise multivariada por regressão logística múltipla para identificar as variáveis independentes. A idade média dos pacientes foi 69,5 + 5,8. Cerca de 75,14% eram hipertensos e 39,88% eram diabéticos. A média do EuroSCORE II foi 4,06 + 3,86. Cerca de 30,06% eram analfabetos. A média do grau de escolaridade foi 3,05 + 3,08 anos. A incidência do delirium foi 34,1%. Em 70% dos casos, o delirium foi detectado nos dois primeiros dias após a cirurgia. Foram identificados o grau de escolaridade (OR = 0,81; IC 95% 0,71 - 0,92; p=0,002), HAS (OR = 2,73; IC 95% 1,16 - 6,40; p=0,021) e a presença de valvopatia mitral ( OR = 2,93; IC 95% 1,32 - 6,50; p=0,008) como fatores predisponentes independentes para delirium. Como fator precipitante independente foi identificado o tempo de internação na UTI com OR=1,18; IC 95% 1,07 - 1,30 e p=0,001. O delirium foi fator de risco independente para o desfecho composto com OR=2,35; IC 95% 1,20 - 4,58 e p=0,012, além do TIOT > 900 minutos (OR=2,50; IC 95% 1,30 - 4,80; p=0,006) após análise multivariada. Não houve relação entre delirium e óbito após alta hospitalar, demência ou taxa de reinternação durante o seguimento / Delirium is an acute and transient syndrome with features of inattention and global cognitive dysfunction over the time. Among elderly hospitalized patients is the most common complication. The postoperative cardiac surgery delirium occurs in 73% in older patients. Delirium patients, have prominent risk factors for dementia, institutionalization, death, hospital care and increased cost of healthcare. The aims of this study were: 1) to determine the incidence of postoperative cardiac delirium, focusing particularly on elderly individuals; 2) to identify the predisposing and precipitating factors of delirium; 3) evaluate the morbi-mortality associated with delirium in a follow up of eighteen months. A prospective observational cohort study (n=173) patients, aged >= 60 years, admitted at Heart and Lung Messejana\'s Hospital between September/2011 to December/2013. Before the surgery, the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and Verbal Fluency Test (VFT) were administered to assess patient\'s cognitive functioning. The patients were screened for delirium using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Patients were excluded preoperatively if they met criteria for delirium. Variables related to demographic data, previous diseases, medications were recorded and EuroSCORE II calculated the risk of surgical mortality for each patient. Results of preoperative tests, like ECG, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, carotid Doppler ultrassound and laboratory tests were also recorded. During the surgery, variables were ECC (extracorporeal circulation) and aortic clamping time, duration of surgery and anesthesia, and blood products were also recorded. Postoperative variables analyzed were: the orotracheal intubation time (OIT), length of stay in the ICU, renal dysfunction and hypoxemia. The postoperative delirium was accessed by CAM-ICU. Mortality from any cause, infection and perioperative myocardial infarction, identified until hospital discharge or 30 days after surgery were predefined as the composite endpoint. During a follow up of 12 to 18 months, a new assessment using MMSE and VFT were held; events such as, deaths, readmissions and dementia were recorded. Multivariate analysis was performed by multiple logistic regressions to identify independent variables. Patients aged 69.5 ± 5.8. About 75.14% were hypertensive; 39.88% were diabetic. The mean EuroSCORE II was 4.06±3.86. About 30.06% were illiterate; an average 3.05 ± 3.08 years of school. In 70% of cases, delirium was detected at the first two days after surgery with an incidence of 34.1%. The degree of literacy (OR = 0,81; 95% CI 0,71 - 0,92; p=0,002), hypertension (OR = 2,73; 95% CI 1,16 - 6,40; p=0,021) and mitral valve disease (OR = 2,93; 95% CI 1,32 - 6,50; p=0,008) were independently associated with delirium. Longer ICU length of stay (OR=1,18; 95% CI 1,07 - 1,30; p=0,001) was also independently associated with delirium as a precipitation factor. Delirium was an independent risk factor for the composite outcome (OR = 2.35; 95% CI 1.20 - 4.58 and p = 0.012); OIT > 900 minutes (OR = 2.50; 95% CI 1.30 - 4.80; p = 0.006) after multivariate analysis. There was no relationship between delirium and mortality after hospital discharge, as well as, dementia or hospital readmission during follow up
44

Factors contributing to the delay in seeking treatment for women with obstetric fistula in Ethiopia

Solomon Abebe Woldeamanuel 06 1900 (has links)
The purpose of this study was to identify factors that contribute to women delaying seeking treatment for obstetric fistula. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 384 study participants. A cross sectional analytical research design was used; data was collected by structured, closed ended questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were applied. Results show a significant correlation between traditional treatment and delay in seeking treatment (P-Value = 0.012). The presence of parents has a significant correlation in reaching treatment centres (p-value = 0.013), those women who are speaking about their fistula have less chance of delay in seeking treatment (p-value = 0.008), having no income significantly associated with delay in seeking treatment (AOR = 0.28) and women living closer to the treatment centres have less chance of delay (p-value = 0.008). Therefore, there are a number of factors that significantly influence women from early seeking of treatment for their fistulae. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)
45

Imagining an Ethics of Political Participation for Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Sophialogical Hermeneutic

Lushombo, Léocadie Wabo January 2020 (has links)
Thesis advisor: Lisa S. Cahill / The dissertation draws upon African and Christian ethics as well as on African women's experiences of resistance to violations of their human dignity and womanhood. It takes a theological approach drawing on resources including African women’s theology, Jon Sobrino, Emmanuel Katongole, and Catholic social teaching. An important lens for diagnosing the problems faced by women in Sub-Saharan Africa is Engelbert Mveng’s concept of “anthropological poverty.” This concept refers to the multiple aspects of the loss of dignity resulting from slavery and colonialism; a basic argument of this dissertation is that anthropological poverty affects women in unique ways, that are exacerbated by religious and cultural histories of oppression of women. To address this situation, I will advocate for an interplay between the sacredness of life of every individual that is a salient principle of Christian ethics and the collective consciousness of solidarity that is distinctive of African cultures. The dissertation uses the narratives of abuse of women from the Democratic Republic of Congo that mirror those of Sub-Saharan African women more generally. It argues that these abuses impoverish women not only economically but also and especially anthropologically. While anthropological poverty is rooted in the history of slavery and colonization of African nations, it continues to be worsened by an intermingling of androcentric Christian views with the cultural patriarchal gender biases which significantly shape women's identity and women’s roles in society. Another factor that worsens women's anthropological poverty is sexual violence, especially rape used as a weapon of war. The dissertation argues that the Catholic social teaching's discourse of the preferential option for the poor overlooks the ways these factors doubly impoverish women and obstruct their political participation in society. The Church's teaching tends to focus on economic over anthropological poverty. The dissertation undertakes the task of moral imagination using narrative criticism as a method of biblical exegesis. It assesses the foundations of the political participation of women in African traditions and Scriptures, using the feminist biblical lens of Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, "discipleship of equals." Through a "sophialogical" hermeneutic, the dissertation identifies the epistemology that arises from women's resistance to anthropological poverty. From the perspectives of Latin American liberation theology and a political theology of hope for Africa, it theorizes that the passion of anger offers a particular epistemology of liberation, and can become a praiseworthy and effective means of women’s social participation when it is solidaristic and resistant. The dissertation concludes by assessing the extent to which Catholic social teaching on the preferential option for the poor lacks an adequate analysis of women's specific poverty. The option for the poor needs to regard women's suffering and responses to suffering as loci theologici. This option needs to consider the "conative interruption" dimension of anger that women's narratives disclose as a sign of the times. The dissertation resolves that the Christian virtues of fortitude and prudence need to be rearticulated in the contexts of grave abuses of womanhood, connecting them to solidaristic and resistant anger through which women's sacredness of life can be significantly ennobled. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.
46

Neutralizing Boko Haram Resurgency: Power of Targeted Holistic Education Policies

Ukwuani, Godwin Chinedu 01 January 2019 (has links)
Boko Haram (BH) insurgency is driven by Islamist ideology and hegemony, nurtured mainly on failed education and sociopolitical policies and less by economic realities in Nigeria. Military counterinsurgency (hard COIN) successes are necessary but not sufficient to neutralize resurgence. The framework for this study was behavior modification by targeted holistic education policy (THEP) over ruminated frustration-aggression of drive theory. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to conduct a survey of educated participants (N = 95), randomly selected from education campuses in Nigeria, to estimate the power (relationship) of THEP over time to neutralize BH resurgence (NBHR). The data from a survey developed for this study were analyzed with descriptive, ANOVA, ANCOVA, and MANCOVA statistics. The powers of THEP applied from nursery through college (age 21) to NBHR or reduce the foot soldiers'€™ recruitment pools (FSRP) and correlations were evaluated. All 7 regression models rejected the null hypotheses. THEP and covariables including illiteracy (IL), political conspiracy (PC) or Islamic hegemony (IH), religious extremism (RE), and economic realities (ER) were related to NBHR. PC correlated inversely with THEP and IL inversely with reducing FSRP. ER had the least impetus (power) to drive resurgence. The results of this study can be used to promote positive social change by providing information on the prospects (estimated power) of THEP, acting with other COIN measures, to NBHR. The study may contribute to a better understanding of the impetus and solution to BH resurgence, but calls for further investigation into the power of nonmilitary COIN, particularly THEP, in Nigeria.
47

Merging Rural Clinicians with Information: the Use of PDAs to Address Clinician Illiteracy

Wallace, Rick L., Woodward, Nakia J. 30 June 2009 (has links)
No description available.
48

Application of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory to Ethiopian Cancer Patients

Wondie, Yemataw, Hinz, Andreas 31 March 2023 (has links)
Objectives: Fatigue is a frequent debilitating symptom associated with cancer. However, scientific data on cancer-related fatigue is scarce in developing nations. This work examines psychometric properties of the multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI- 20) and analyzes the level of fatigue among Ethiopian patients with cancer in comparison with data from Germany. Methods: A sample of 256 patients with cancer drawn from a hospital in Ethiopia was examined with the MFI-20 and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). A comparative sample of 780 German patients with cancer served as the control. Results: The MFI-20 scales and total score showed acceptable reliability (a = 0.60– 0.93) with a considerable convergent validity between MFI-20 and the EORTC QLQ-C30 fatigue scale (r = 0.67–0.75). The Ethiopian patients with cancer reported higher levels of fatigue than the German patients. Analyses of variance showed that Ethiopian patients with cancer who were illiterate, having advanced cancer, and those who did not receive either surgery or chemotherapy reported especially high levels of fatigue. Conclusion: The MFI-20 is a fairly reliable and valid instrument to be used with Amharic speaking patients with cancer. The high level of fatigue in these patients implies that appropriate cancer care is needed in developing countries.
49

Analfabetismo funcional, alfabetização e letramento: ações da escola na produção de pesquisas entre 2011 e 2016

Araújo, Luciane de Sousa Lopes 01 October 2018 (has links)
Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-12-12T09:27:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Luciane de Sousa Lopes Araújo.pdf: 776445 bytes, checksum: ccfa9a5d62a62c67baab32748b057d1f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-12T09:27:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Luciane de Sousa Lopes Araújo.pdf: 776445 bytes, checksum: ccfa9a5d62a62c67baab32748b057d1f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-10-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This paper deals with the relation between school actions and functional illiteracy. The interest in the subject took place when observing that a significant portion of students of Brazil’s public schools are in a situation of school failure. This fact is reflected in publications such as those published by INAF (National Indicator of Functional Literacy), which show that a large part of Brazil’s population is in the condition of functional illiterates. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate what academic production - dissertations and theses - has obtained on functional illiteracy and on literacy, and how these productions evaluate the effectiveness of the methods. For that, a survey of investigations on functional illiteracy, teaching methods and literacy and alphabetization, expressed in dissertations and theses defended in postgraduate programs in Brazil, was carried out. We also looked for research carried out in Brazilian universities that discussed the student's relationship with knowledge, teacher training and public policies related to literacy and alphabetization. This research has as background the theoretical discussion between Capovilla and Seabra and Emília Ferreiro regarding the methods of literacy, which becomes a fundamental discussion for teacher training courses, as well as for alfabetization and literacy, according to Magda Soares and Roxane Rojo. The survey pointed out the importance of experiences with situations of literacy in their daily lives for all within the school, especially for those who had little access to literate culture. The initial hypothesis that there is no interest in studying in schools, actions aimed at combating functional illiteracy was confirmed and it was not possible to identify in the analyzed studies - dissertations and theses - actions and discussions, concerning both the high rates of illiteracy and functional illiteracy within the school, as to the ways of reducing or eliminating such difficulty of the Brazilian children and young people in the space of the institution / O presente trabalho aborda a relação das ações da escola com o analfabetismo funcional. O interesse pelo tema ocorreu ao observar que uma parcela significativa de alunos das escolas públicas brasileiras encontra-se em situação de fracasso escolar. Tal fato se reflete em publicações, como as divulgadas pelo INAF (Indicador Nacional de Alfabetismo Funcional), que demonstram que grande parte da população brasileira encontra-se na condição de analfabetos funcionais. A presente dissertação teve, então, o objetivo de investigar o que a produção acadêmica - dissertações e teses - tem obtido sobre o analfabetismo funcional e sobre alfabetização e letramento, e como essas produções avaliam a eficácia dos métodos de alfabetização. Para tanto, foi realizado um levantamento de investigações sobre analfabetismo funcional, métodos de ensino e alfabetização e letramento, expressas nas dissertações e teses defendidas em programas de pós-graduação no Brasil. Também procuramos pesquisas realizadas em universidades brasileiras, que discutissem a relação do aluno com o saber, formação de professores e políticas públicas relacionadas à alfabetização e ao letramento. Esta pesquisa tem como pano de fundo a discussão teórica entre Capovilla e Seabra e Emília Ferreiro a respeito dos métodos de alfabetização, o que se torna discussão fundamental para a pauta dos cursos de formação de professores, e ainda para a alfabetização e letramento, conforme Magda Soares e Roxane Rojo. O levantamento apontou a importância das vivências com situações de letramento em seu cotidiano para todos dentro da escola, principalmente para aqueles que tiveram pouco acesso à cultura letrada. A hipótese inicial de que não existe interesse em estudar nas escolas as ações voltadas ao combate ao analfabetismo funcional foi confirmada e não foi possível identificar nas pesquisas analisadas - dissertações e teses - ações e discussões referentes tanto às altas taxas de analfabetismo e analfabetismo funcional dentro da escola, quanto às formas de diminuir ou eliminar tamanha dificuldade das crianças e de jovens brasileiros no espaço da instituição escolar
50

Iowa Gambling Task: avaliação da tomada de decisão em idosas saudáveis analfabetas e com baixa escolaridade / Iowa Gambling Task: evaluation of decision-Making in healthy illiterate older adults and with low education

Cassimiro, Luciana 16 June 2016 (has links)
Introdução: A TD pode ser definida como um processo no qual o indivíduo tenta maximizar benefícios através da seleção de respostas que levam a resultados positivos. O efeito da baixa escolaridade na TD ainda é pouco compreendido. Objetivos: Descrever o desempenho de uma amostra de idosos saudáveis analfabetos e com baixa escolaridade no Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Metodologia: Participaram do estudo 164 idosas com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos. Destas, 60 eram analfabetas e 104 apresentaram escolaridade entre um e quatro anos, divididas em 1-2 e 3-4 anos de escolaridade. As participantes foram submetidas aos instrumentos: Bateria Breve de Rastreio Cognitivo (BBRC), Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), Fluência Verbal (FV), Teste do Desenho do Relógio (TDR), Escala Depressão Geriátrica (EDG), Inventário de Ansiedade Geriátrica (IAG), Dígitos Ordem Direta e Ordem Inversa, Matrizes Progressivas Coloridas de Raven (MPCR), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) e Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Resultados: Os grupos divididos pela escolaridade foram equivalentes quanto à idade, número de doenças, uso de medicamentos, sintomas depressivos e ansiosos. Observou-se que no IGT as idosas alfabetizadas realizaram mais escolhas vantajosas do que as analfabetas. A análise do desempenho por blocos revelou diferenças significativas entre os grupos de escolaridade, exceto no primeiro bloco. A partir do bloco 2 observou-se uma diferenciação nas escolhas de cartas entre as faixas de escolaridade. As idosas analfabetas passaram a escolher as cartas das pilhas vantajosas com maior frequência somente a partir do bloco 3. Entretanto, no último bloco, quando os baralhos vantajosos e desvantajosos foram igualmente escolhidos pelas idosas analfabetas. O desempenho no IGT correlacionou-se significativamente com a escolaridade e todos os testes cognitivos, com exceção do teste de memorização de figuras da BBRC. Conclusão: Os resultados sugerem a influência da escolaridade na TD, com pior desempenho entre as analfabetas. O desempenho no IGT melhorou linearmente com maior nível de escolaridade. Descritores: Testes psicológicos; Cognição; Tomada de decisão; Idoso; Envelhecimento; Analfabetismo; Mulheres·. ABSTRACT Cassimiro L. Iowa Gambling Task: evaluation of decision-Making in healthy illiterate older adults and with low education [Dissertation]. São Paulo: \"Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo\"; 2016. Background: Decision making can be defined as a process in which the individual attempts to maximize benefits through the selection of responses that lead to positive results. The effect of minimum schooling on decision making is poorly understood. Objective: to investigate the pattern of decision making in a sample of healthy illiterate older adults and with low education in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Methods: 164 non demented community-dwelling women participated in the study. 60 were illiterate, 52 had 1-2 years of schooling and 52 had 3-4 years of schooling. Participants completed the instruments: Brief Cognitive Screening Battery (BCSB), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Verbal Fluency Test (animal category), Clock Drawing Test (CDT), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, Digit Span Forward and Backward, Raven\'s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Results: The groups, divided by levels of schooling, were equivalent as to age, number of diseases, medications taken daily, depression and anxiety symptoms. In the IGT the literate older adults made more advantageous choices than the illiterate. Analysis of performance per block revealed significant differences among the groups for all blocks except the first. From Block 2 onwards, a significant difference in the pattern of card choices among the educational levels was observed. The illiterate seniors started to choose cards from the more advantageous piles more frequently only after block 3. However, on the final block, both advantageous and disadvantageous cards were chosen with equal frequency by the illiterate seniors. IGT performance correlated significantly with education and all cognitive tests scores with the exception of the memorization of pictures on the BCSB. Conclusion: The results suggest that education influences IGT, with worse scores among the illiterate. IGT performance improved linearly with higher levels of education / Background: Decision making can be defined as a process in which the individual attempts to maximize benefits through the selection of responses that lead to positive results. The effect of minimum schooling on decision making is poorly understood. Objective: to investigate the pattern of decision making in a sample of healthy illiterate older adults and with low education in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Methods: 164 non demented community-dwelling women participated in the study. 60 were illiterate, 52 had 1-2 years of schooling and 52 had 3-4 years of schooling. Participants completed the instruments: Brief Cognitive Screening Battery (BCSB), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Verbal Fluency Test (animal category), Clock Drawing Test (CDT), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, Digit Span Forward and Backward, Raven\'s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Results: The groups, divided by levels of schooling, were equivalent as to age, number of diseases, medications taken daily, depression and anxiety symptoms. In the IGT the literate older adults made more advantageous choices than the illiterate. Analysis of performance per block revealed significant differences among the groups for all blocks except the first. From Block 2 onwards, a significant difference in the pattern of card choices among the educational levels was observed. The illiterate seniors started to choose cards from the more advantageous piles more frequently only after block 3. However, on the final block, both advantageous and disadvantageous cards were chosen with equal frequency by the illiterate seniors. IGT performance correlated significantly with education and all cognitive tests scores with the exception of the memorization of pictures on the BCSB. Conclusion: The results suggest that education influences IGT, with worse scores among the illiterate. IGT performance improved linearly with higher levels of education

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