published_or_final_version / Statistics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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The present study examined the impact of the Verterans Administration disability compensation system on the personality and behavior of psychiatrically disabled veterans who receive compensation payments. Weinstein proposed a "disability process" model in which physical illness or injury was unwittingly utilized as a solution to a network of problems centering on frustrated dependency needs, decreased productivity, and faltering self-esteem. An attempt was made to determine whether Weinstein's model applies to the psychiatric disabilities of veterans. Seventy-one male psychiatric outpatients seen at the Tucson Veterans Administration Medical Center participated in the study. Of this total, 26 had been receiving 100 percent service-connected compensation payments ($809 per month) for at least the past five years (100 percent group), 21 had been receiving between 10 percent and 90 percent payments ($44 to $450 per month) during the same period (10-90 percent group), and 24 had received no Veterans Administration compensation for their psychiatric impairments in the apst five years (UNC group). Personality questionnaires, a self-report demographics questionnaire, and a records search were utilized to compare these three groups. The main hypotheses contended that 10-90 percent group members weould be more self-critical and would view themselves as more psychologically disturbed and externally controlled than members of the other two groups, as they were assumed to be unconsciously fighting to establish the validity and extent of their disabilities. Subjects in the UNC group were hypothesized to be the healthiest psychologically because it was assumed that they had not become enmeshed int he "disability process". On 20 of the 21 subscales meauring some form of psychological distress, no significant differences among groups were uncovered. There were also no differences among groups on the internal-external locus of control dimension. These findings failed to support the hypothesis that the 10-90 percent group would see themselves as most psychologically disturbed and externally controlled. The expectation that 10-90 percent group members would be most self-critical was directly contradicted, as on three of ten subscales subjects in the 10-90 percent group reported significantly more positive self concepts than members of the other two groups. Despite the fact that they were rated for compensation purposes as "totally disabled," 100 percent group members reported no more psychological distress than subjects in the other two groups (with the exception that they reported significantly more hostility than UNC group members). However, both the attainment of inital 100 percent compensation status and of a permanent 100 percent rating led to significant reductions in the number of days 100 percent group members spent in the hospital (when the year after the rating change was compared with the year before). In addition, when they worked, subjects int he 100 percent group were employed in lower status occupations than members of the other two groups. UNC group members were shown to be similar to 100 percent group members on most assessment measures. However, during the past five years UNC group members were hospitalized significantly more times and for significantly more days than subjects in either of the other two groups. A direct discriminant function analysis generated two functions which together correctly classified 74.6 percent of the subjects. An unrotated factor analysis yielded factors descriptive of psychiatrically disabled veterans as a group. An alternative disability process model was proposed that may be more applicable to a psychiatrically impaired population. Also, future research projects were suggested including some possible experimental modifications in the Veterans Administration compensation system that might make it more beneficial to the mental health and self-esteem of psychiatrically impaired veterans, while maintaining cost efficiency.

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Problems experienced by individuals in institutions tend to be hidden from the public gaze. This is so for inmates of prisons where regulations and bureaucratic structure conceal the daily life situation of prisoners from public view. Anonymity and concealment are enhanced by the widespread misperception of prisoners as an homogenous group. As a result, problems of vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities, can be ignored. One such group is prisoners with impaired hearing. This descriptive study utilized a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the problems experienced by prisoners within the context of social control. Drawing from selected literature in health, sociology and criminology, the theoretical framework merges the labelling perspective [interactionism] with macro-level theories of social control. The study provides, for the first time, an examination of the percentage, degree and social import of hearing loss in federal prisoners in the Pacific Region of the Correctional Service of Canada. Through the use of survey, audiometric measurement, and interview techniques, an examination was undertaken of the presence and implications of partial hearing loss in inmates of federal penitentiaries in British Columbia. Interview subjects were identified through hearing testing of volunteers in eight federal penitentiaries. Data were gathered through interviews with prisoners with impaired hearing, a comparison group of prisoners with normal hearing, and a selection of custodians. Of 114 prisoners screened, 69% had some degree of impaired hearing, often previously unidentified. Custodians, 86% of the time, labelled behaviours characteristic of the hard of hearing as deviant, and often aggressive, behaviours. Prisoner accounts revealed that failure to test hearing at time of incarceration has harmful effects on performance in programmes and encounters with the justice system. A social activist approach is recommended, to address structural inequalities among prisoners and barriers for prisoners in general. This work indicates that lower-class, lower-status persons may be more susceptible to negative labelling. Prisoners with partial hearing loss, due to the often invisible nature of their condition, are particularly vulnerable to negative labelling. Study recommendations include: 1] Routine hearing screening of all prisoners at time of incarceration. 2] Education of custodians to understand behaviours and communication needs of persons with impaired hearing. 3] A partnership effort between correctional services, the disabled consumer group, and professionals, to improve the situation of prisoners who are hard of hearing.

The study examines the availability and accessibility of health care services in rural areas in relation to the right to health. The area that has been selected for the purpose of this study is the Shongweni area in the Province of KwaZulu - Natal. The area is situated on the border of Mpumalanga and Durban Region under the Outer - West City Council. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2004.

Denna rapport är en jämförande studie av sjukvårdsutbildningen MedicalCare och hur den fungerar i verkligheten. Till sjöss är ”läkaren” en sjöman, med endast ett fåtal veckors sjukvårds-utbildning bakom sig och en erfarenhet som inte går att jämföra med den samlade sakkunskap som finns på ett sjukhus iland. Det ställs snarlika krav på sjömannen ombord som på läkaren iland vad gäller omhändertagande av den skadade. Internationellt sett finns det en konvention som styr hur MedicalCare-utbildningen skall vara konstruerad. Dessa direktiv är satta för att sjömän världen över skall ha samma riktlinjer att utbilda sig efter och få en likvärdig kompetens när kursen är genomförd. Studien har använt sig av en kvalitativ intervjustudie för att samla in information. Resultatet av denna undersökning visar att MedicalCare-kursen skiljer sig åt mellan skolorna, trots att alla arbetar efter samma regler. / This study is a comparison of how the MedicalCare-education works in reality. At sea the “Doctor” is a sailor with only a few weeks of medical training, with an experience not comparable with the expertise found in a hospital ashore. However he or she is faced with almost the same demands and responsibilities when it comes to nurse for the wounded person. Internationally there is a convention that states how the MedicalCare-education shall be constructed. These directions are set because all the sailors’ world wide shall have an equivalent education and the same guidelines to the structure of their training, for them to reach equal competence when the education is fulfilled. This study has collected information by conducting qualitative interviews This survey shows that although the demands are the same world wide, the education differs between the countries.