This research investigation examined high school students' attitudes toward drug testing prevention programs, and examined the extent to which those attitudes vary according to gender, grade, ethnicity, exposure to experiences related to a drug testing program, illegal drug use, alcohol use, and involvement in extracurricular activities at school. The results of this exploratory study are intended to help school administrators and counselors have an increased understanding of high school students' attitudes toward drug testing prevention programs. The participants in this study were drawn from a convenience sample comprised of high school students in grades 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 at a co-educational, parochial school located in the metropolitan New Orleans, Louisiana area during the 2002-2003 school year. Each participant completed survey packets which contained the Attitudes Toward High School Drug Testing (ATSDT) survey and personal demographic data. The results of this study indicated that high school students generally have neutral attitudes toward drug testing prevention programs. There appear to be significant statistical differences between high school students' attitudes toward drug testing prevention programs based on their gender, grade, ethnicity, exposure to experiences related to a drug testing program, illegal drug use, and alcohol use; however, students' involvement in extracurricular activities at school was not related to their attitudes toward drug testing prevention programs. This information may be used to assist school administrators and school counselors in designing drug-free schools that engender respect and approval from the greatest possible number of students, faculty, and public, and provide needed information for school counselors in providing drug related prevention services, interventions, and after-care to adolescents

Magister Curationis - MCur / Background: Complete recording of information is the foundation of continuity of care. However, the quality of patient information recording is a major problem being experienced by health services institutions in many countries. In Burundi there is a lack of accurate information recording and processing of patient information. The quality of patient information recorded is unreliable for decision making and management of healthcare delivery. Aim: This study investigated the quality of patient information record-keeping among nurses in selected hospitals in Burundi. The objectives were as follows: (a) to describe the knowledge of nurses on the benefits of the quality of patient record-keeping in selected hospitals in Burundi, (b) to describes nurses’ attitudes on the benefits of the quality of patient record-keeping in selected hospitals in Burundi, c) to determine the association between sociodemographic characteristics and nurses’ knowledge and attitudes on the benefits of the quality of patient record-keeping in selected hospitals, and (d) to identify barriers influencing the quality of record-keeping in selected hospitals in Burundi. Methodology: The study employed a quantitative research approach using a descriptive survey design. The target population for this study was N=121 nurses; an all-inclusive sampling technique was used to include all 121 qualified nurses who were working in the selected hospitals. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data were analysed using SPSS version 24. Statistical variables such as knowledge, attitudes and barriers were analysed using descriptive statistics to generate frequency, and cross tabulation using chi square test was also adopted to determine the association between sociodemographic characteristics and nurses’ knowledge and attitudes on the benefits of the quality of patient record-keeping. The reliability and validity of the instrument were established and a pre-test was conducted to validate the questions. All ethical principles regarding the study were adhered to. The findings from this study provide relevant information about the benefits of quality of patient record-keeping for the management of the hospitals and all relevant stakeholders in Burundi.

In 2011, a period began in which the United States demographic will change to include the largest, least prepared, and most diverse elderly population in our nation’s history. That was the year the “Baby Boomer” generation started retiring and members of this large cohort will continue to do so for approximately twenty years (Kemper, Komisar & Alecxih, 2005). Chronic health conditions and the obesity epidemic may make retirement years less healthy ones than for previous generations of older adults. Lifestyle changes in Baby Boomers as compared to previous cohorts of elders – increased divorce, fewer children, nontraditional family relationships – may result in less support for frail elders when they can no longer care for themselves, thereby increasing their vulnerability to long-term care placement (Cherlin, 2010; Ryan, Smith, Antonucci & Jackson, 2012

Thesis (M. Com.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2015. / The research investigated the use of the two potential predictors of customer purchase intention of counterfeit products (perceived behavioural control and price-quality inference of counterfeit products) as a means of establishing whether these were related to customer attitudes towards economic benefits of purchasing counterfeit products, which ultimately lead to purchase intention of counterfeit products. The study reviewed prior literature on counterfeits purchasing. Probability sampling was used to select respondents, and a research model was developed to measure the constructs used for the study. Field study was conducted in Johannesburg at the University of the Witwatersrand, and research data was collected from 380 registered students of the University of the Witwatersrand, 18 years and older. Using the SPSS 22 and AMOS 22 software program, structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to analyse the data set. The results revealed that price-quality inference of counterfeit products had a stronger relationship with customer attitudes towards economic benefits of purchasing counterfeit products, than to perceived behavioural control implying that the customers were more likely to purchase counterfeits because of the perceived price bargain and not because of the perceived ease of purchasing counterfeits. The contribution of this study was to enhance the comprehension of existing literature on the relationship between the predictor variables (perceived behavioural control and price-quality inference of counterfeit products) and the outcome variable (purchase intention of counterfeit products).

Thesis advisor: Juliet B. Schor / Since the 1970's, social scientists have argued that general pro-environmental attitudes have diffused throughout American society, rendering socio-demographics largely irrelevant in predicting support for such issues. The public reaction to the issue of climate change, however, evades this narrative. While media bias, ideological framing, and business influence, among others, are partial explanations, I argue that ignoring the potential implications of structure and culture--specifically social class--in determining why the issue is so demonstrably divisive is a crucial mistake. Building upon the postmaterialism thesis of Inglehart with the cultural theory of Bourdieu, I examine how the conception of and reaction to the issue varies with economic and cultural capital using data from 42 interviews of Boston-area respondents. The results suggest that climate change may indeed be a `classed' issue--both in how the respondents conceive of it in the first place, and how they speak of social class in the context of it. The political implications are various, but suggest that coalition formation will need to take account of these differences, both real and perceived, in both engendering public support for mitigation efforts and subsequently combating the problem. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Sociology.

Faculty of Health Sciences Schoolof Nursing Thearpeutic Sciences 0210998w 0842097202 / In order for caregivers to be better able to work with dying patients, they need to confront their fears about their own mortality and explore their feelings about their personal and professional losses. The importance of death anxiety research rests on the premise that death is an eventuality that everyone faces and how health professionals, specifically, deal with death anxiety is of considerable relevance as to the quality of care given to the terminally ill patient. The purpose of this study was to identify, explore and describe nurses’ personal fear of death (death anxiety) and explore whether an association exists between death anxiety and their attitudes towards dying patients in a private acute care hospital in Johannesburg. A quantitative, descriptive correlational survey was conducted to examine the relationship between death anxiety and nurses’ attitudes toward terminally ill patients in a private acute care hospital in the province of Gauteng in South Africa. Various extraneous variables have been identified and defined. No attempt was made to control or manipulate the situation as it was currently occurring. The study population comprised of all nurses working in this hospital who fulfilled the stipulated selection criteria. Data were obtained from nurses through the use of a self-administered questionnaire. The response rate was 42% of the expected population. A total of 93 responses were received. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data and the significance of the relationships between variables was determined using the Fishers exact test (p-value of 0.05). The findings of this study were consistent to that of similar studies. Findings suggest high levels of death anxiety within the study population with correlating negative death attitudes. This may be associated with the fact that a significant proportion of the study sample was younger and less experienced as opposed to those who demonstrated lower levels of death anxiety and positive death attitudes and were more experienced and older. v A strong association was found between death anxiety and death attitudes. Statistically significant relationships between age and length of nursing experience/exposure were found. No significant relationships between sex, institutional support, death anxiety and death attitudes were found. Of import, the need for ongoing terminal care education was identified in this study.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Medicine (Pharmaceutical Affairs) Johannesburg, 29 August 2014 / In South Africa’s current healthcare structure, about 8.3% of GDP is spent on healthcare. This is well above the WHO recommended 5% of GDP spend. Despite the heavy spending, health outcomes remain poor when compared to similar middle-income countries. Solutions need to be found to cut back on healthcare costs. Approximately half (4.1%) of the healthcare spend is consumed by the private sector which benefits a very small segment (16%) of the population. This segment is largely on medical schemes. Using generic medicines can aid in cutting back on drug costs but are generics being adequately assimilated by the consumers of healthcare in the private sector? The objective of the study was to evaluate the perceptions attitudes and knowledge of the consumers of healthcare in the Northern suburbs of Johannesburg towards generic medicines. A survey was conducted on a sample of 402 respondents across 9 randomly selected pharmacies in the Johannesburg north region between November 2012 and February 2013. A researcher administered questionnaire was the sole data collection tool. Questions asked covered the research objectives and also included demographic data and other explanatory variables. Data analysis was carried out in SAS. The 5% significance level was used throughout, unless specified otherwise. The chi-squared (Χ2 ) test was used to assess the relationships between categorical variables. Fisher’s exact test was used for 2 x 2 tables or where the requirements for the Χ2 test could not be met. The strength of the associations was measured by Cramer’s V and the phi coefficient respectively. Key results on respondent demographics included high representation of the higher income earning groups (78% >R10 000); furthermore 44% had completed tertiary education, 60% were comprehensively insured, 61% regularly visited a pharmacy, 38% were on prescription medication and 24% on chronic medicine. On knowledge, 5% of respondents were able to most accurately define generic medicines. On attitudes, 78% had used generics however the level of agreement was lower for the highest education category (p<0.0001; Cramer’s V=0.18). Trends favoured brands over generics with increasing severity of illness as generics were chosen by 10% in major illness and 5% in chronic illness. 80% perceived generics as safe while 95% perceived brands as safe. 75% of respondents felt that generic medicines were as effective as branded medicines. 15% indicated that branded medicines have fewer side effects. 64% showed positive perceptions of quality of generics compared to 93% for brands. Bowker’s test of symmetry was significant (p<0.0001) showing a shift towards slightly more negative perceptions towards generic medicines amongst those who thought highly of brand quality. Knowledge of generics was overall low. Perceptions regarding safety, quality, efficacy, and side effects of generic medicines were generally positive but responses proved more positive for brands. Attitudes towards generic medicines were mostly positive however willingness to use generics lessened with increasing severity of illness. Household income, health insurance (medical aid) status, level of education, experience with medicines and racial demographics played a key role in explaining consumer beliefs and behaviours. Pharmacists and Doctors had a positive influence on generic use patterns amongst other factors.

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health in the department of school of Public Health Faculty of Health Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, 2003 / Smoking is a preventable cause of death. Young people start smoking at an early age due to certain external influences such as peer pressure, advertising etc. Once they start smoking, they often remain smokers forever because of the addictive effects of nicotine. The international studies show that the high morbidity and mortality rates caused by cigarette smoking can be reduced if health promotion strategies target school going children. The aim of the study was to investigate knowledge, attitudes and practices of students in matric as regards smoking in the Greater Tshwane Metropolitan area (Pretoria). This will inform the health promotion programmes, in particular health education, dealing with tobacco smoking prevention and control in schools / IT2018

Thesis advisor: Audrey Friedman / This mixed-method study, combining both qualitative and quantitative procedures, aimed at investigating the impact of Palestinian EFL teachers' attitudes toward oral errors on their students' attitudes and choice of oral error correction strategies. The study sample consisted of (151) high elementary and secondary school Palestinian EFL teachers and (774) of their students, distributed proportionately between males and females. Both groups responded to a teacher and a student questionnaire respectively. The sample also included (12) teacher participants, each of whom was observed and interviewed twice in the course of the study, and (12) student participants, each of whom took part in two focus group interviews. Data obtained from different sources (i.e. case study vignettes, questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and observations) provided significant evidence that the majority of both Palestinian EFL teachers and students had positive attitudes toward oral errors and their correction as they generally agreed that error correction was necessary for the enhancement of language teaching and learning. However, the data also revealed some discrepancy between students and teachers regarding what, how often, when, how, and by whom errors should be corrected. The study also showed that although students wanted to improve their accuracy in English to be well prepared for accuracy-oriented formal tests, the majority of them preferred not to be marked down on every error they made. Further, the study revealed that different error correction strategies had different cognitive, affective, and behavioral impacts on different students. The study recommends that both EFL teachers and learners develop more positive attitudes toward oral errors and their correction. In addition, teachers should have at their disposal a wide variety of error correction strategies to be able to deal more appropriately and effectively with student oral errors. The study also recommends that teachers get the right amount and timing of error correction for each individual student preferences, language proficiency, personality type, and learning styles, which cannot be achieved without the teachers having a dialogic interaction with their students and students being able to voice up what their perceptions of and preferences for oral error correction strategies are, what errors they want to be corrected, and who should correct them. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Thesis advisor: Philip G. Altbach / Internationalization on campus is being called for in order to adapt to a rapidly globalizing social and economic context. However, many institutions, including those across Vermont, have not yet polled their faculty to see what international experiences or background faculty members have. Few have a comprehensive understanding of faculty language competencies, or in what ways faculty members have been collaborating with foreign scholars. This study looked at attitudes and beliefs faculty members have towards bringing global dimensions into their faculty role, as well as their perceptions of internationalization on campuses. This study takes the extra step of looking at the data collected on Vermont faculty, and then slices it through multiple lenses, looking to see if there are trends and connections by demographic factors such as gender, academic rank, discipline, number of years in the field, or having a preference for student learning or research. Results of this dissertation study revealed a faculty composition that was reassuringly internationalized when looking at language abilities, international experiences, among other demographic factors. Results also revealed that faculty attitudes and beliefs as well as perceptions of campus climate towards internationalization, were overwhelmingly positive. Following comparisons to prior national and international studies, Vermont institutions have strong evidence to claim support for internationalization among their faculty. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration and Higher Education.