Bibliography: leaves 67-75

<p>Children that are expressing or are exposed to risk factors experience an elevated risk of developing later psychosocial maladjustment, such as conduct problems. However, all children exposed to risk do not express conduct problems, but develop normally. The aim of the present study was to examine potential protective factors among children exposed to risk, that separate children expressing conduct problem behavior from those who do not. In the study, preschool teachers and parents of 298 three- to five-year-old children participated. Risk factors of the individual, conduct problem behavior, and relationship oriented protective factors were examined. The results indicate that positive peer relationships are important for preschool children´s psychosocial development, while family factors, such as parent's disciplinary style, seem less important.</p>

This empirical research study focuses on the qualities of resilient adolescents in a technical school. The study indicates why some adolescents in a technical school are resilient, while other adolescents in this technical school are not resilient. Thirty resilient and thirty non-resilient adolescents in a technical school were chosen to participate in the empirical study. The empirical study consisted of quantitative research (a questionaire that was completed by the sixty adolescents), and qualitative research (three chosen resilient adolescents took part in an interview). This study is therefore a mixed methods study. The conclusions of the study were supported by the literature. The qualities of the resilient adolescent in a technical school are similar to the qualities of resilient adolescents in other contexts. Resilient adolescents in this technical school were characterized by protective factors and processes that had their roots in the individual, the community, culture and relationships. This study is an explorative study. More rigorous research is needed before this study's findings can be generalised. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

The focus of this empirical study was on the antecedents of resilience among poor, English second-language (ESL) adolescent learners. The reasons why some adolescents in this situation are resilient and others are not, are indicated in this study. Adolescents qualify as being resilient if they are exposed to significant threat to their development, indicating high risk to the individual, and their adaptation to the threat is successful, due to support, resources or intervention. Thirty three resilient and 32 non -resilient poor, ESL adolescent learners were selected to participate in the empirical study. My study was a mixed method study because I made use of quantitative research (a survey questionnaire completed by the 65 selected learners), and qualitative research (semi-structured interviews with two identified resilient learners and a group interview with elders who are knowledgeable about young people in this community). The conclusions of my study emphasise that dynamic interactions between individual attributes, familial support, community resources, and cultural ties empower some adolescents to overcome hardships and be resilient. My findings are supported by literature. My findings cannot be generalised, as the adolescents in my study were all black, South African youth from an impoverished community in the Vaal Triangle. This is an explorative study, and themes that were identified as contributing to resilience in my study, need to be explored in future studies. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

The mortality rate for elderly pedestrians struck by vehicles is the highest of any age group, approaching 30% in several large series. Currently, there is a lack of epidemiological studies of the risk factors associated with elderly pedestrian injury; in particular, few prospective studies of elderly pedestrian injuries have been performed. The primary purpose of this project was to identify risk factors that will lead to the development and implementation of effective prevention strategies to reduce the risk of pedestrian injury in this vulnerable population. The project had three phases. In phase 1, pilot studies were performed and identified potential risk factors for elderly pedestrians and confirmed their ability to recall accident details. Risk factors identified included certain walking and street crossing behaviors, as well as the lack of use of assistive devices. In Phase 2, the relatively new case-crossover design was utilized to investigate the association of transient (proximate) triggers or exposures with elderly pedestrian injuries. The relative risk of injury if not obeying the traffic signal is five-fold (odds ratio = 5.2; 95% confidence interval = 1.8 – 15.1). Risk factors such as use of sedating or mood altering medications, or the use of alcohol did not have sufficient discordance for analysis. The behavioral findings suggested that educational programs and behavioral modification might play an important role in designing future interventions. Therefore, in Phase 3, an elderly pedestrian safety program called Safe Crossings was created and evaluated. Over 700 subjects participated in the programs, with 99% reporting they felt it was an important topic and 93% acknowledging they learned something from the program. Focus groups were also utilized to help refine the content and delivery of the program. Posters and brochures were created and distributed in English, Spanish and Creole. The program is now set for wider dissemination and validation.

In the context of transitional Vietnam, although cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been shown to cause a large burden of mortality and morbidity in hospitals, little is known about the magnitude of its burden, risk factor levels and its relationship with socio-demographic status in the overall population. This thesis provides a preliminary insight into population-based knowledge of the CVD epidemiology in rural Vietnam and contributes to the development of methodologies for monitoring it. The ultimate goal of the work is to facilitate the formulation of evidence-based health interventions for reducing the burden of the CVD epidemic in Vietnam and elsewhere. This work was located in Bavi district, a rural community in the north of Vietnam. Studies on cause-specific mortality and risk factors were conducted within the framework of an ongoing Demographic Surveillance System (DSS) (called FilaBavi). The cause-specific mortality study used a verbal autopsy (VA) approach to identify causes of death in FilaBavi during 1999-2003. The risk factor study, conducted in 2002, employed the WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors (WHO STEPS). Findings indicated that Bavi district, as an example of rural Vietnam, was already experiencing high rates of CVD mortality and associated risk factors. Mortality results indicated a substantial proportion of deaths due to CVD, which was the leading cause of death (20% and 25.7% of total mortality in 1999 and 2000, respectively and 32% of adult deaths during 1999-2003), exceeding infectious diseases. Hypertension was found to be a serious problem in terms both of its magnitude (14% of the population) and widespread unawareness (82% of the hypertensives). Smoking prevalence was very high among men (58% current daily smokers) and might be expected to cause a considerable number of future deaths without urgent action. CVD mortality and some risk factors seemed to be rising among disadvantaged groups (women, less educated people and the poor). The combination of DSS and WHO STEPS methodologies was shown to have potential for addressing basic epidemiological questions as to how NCD and CVD mortality and associated risk factors are distributed in populations. Given this evidence, actions to prevent CVD in Bavi and similar settings are clearly urgent. Interventions should be comprehensive and integrated, including both primary and secondary approaches, as well as policy-level involvement. Further studies, continuing on similar lines, plus qualitative approaches and deeper cross-site comparisons, are also needed to give further insights into CVD epidemiology in this type of setting.

Children that are expressing or are exposed to risk factors experience an elevated risk of developing later psychosocial maladjustment, such as conduct problems. However, all children exposed to risk do not express conduct problems, but develop normally. The aim of the present study was to examine potential protective factors among children exposed to risk, that separate children expressing conduct problem behavior from those who do not. In the study, preschool teachers and parents of 298 three- to five-year-old children participated. Risk factors of the individual, conduct problem behavior, and relationship oriented protective factors were examined. The results indicate that positive peer relationships are important for preschool children´s psychosocial development, while family factors, such as parent's disciplinary style, seem less important.

Background - Current guidelines suggest that all cancer patients with venous thrombosis be treated with long-term low molecular weight heparin. Whether treatment strategies should vary according to clinical characteristics remains unknown. // Systematic review - A systematic review was performed to determine current understanding of the association between malignancy characteristics in patients with cancer-associated VTE and the risk of VTE recurrence. Four retrospective and 6 prospective studies were included. They suggest that lung cancer, metastases, and adenocarcinomas confer an increased the risk of recurrence and breast cancer a low risk. // Survey - I performed survey to evaluate thrombosis experts’ opinion about the low risk of VTE recurrence they would consider acceptable for patients with cancer- associated thrombosis 103 specialists participated. 80% of respondents agreed that a risk of recurrent VTE during anticoagulation below 7% is low enough. 92% agreed that a CPR that categorizes risk of recurrence is relevant. // Retrospective Study - I performed a single retrospective cohort study to assess the feasibility of derivation of a CPR that stratifies VTE recurrence risk in patients with cancer–associated thrombosis. The study included 543 patients. A multivariate analysis selected female, lung cancer and prior history of VTE as high risk predictors and breast cancer and stage I disease as low risk. // Conclusion - Patients with cancer-associated thrombosis do have varying risks of recurrent VTE depending on clinical characteristics.

The association between pain and depression is well documented across various populations, but not in puerperal women. This study examined the association of childbirth pain with postpartum depression (PPD) in a nationally representative sample of Canadian women. Data from the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey (n=6421) was used. Multivariate logistic regressions and partial proportional odds models were fitted and included socio-demographic, obstetric, health, psychological, and psychosocial factors. Chronic pain sufferers at mean 7.3 months postpartum had adjusted odds of PPD of 2.4 (95% CI: 1.6, 3.6) compared to women without pain. Adjusted odds of PPD increased with the number of areas of chronic pain, reaching 4.2 (95% C.I.: 0.7, 25.0) for 3 or more areas. Immigration, obesity, cesarean section and social support increased the strength of the association while smoking and the use of pain relief were protective effect modifiers. Persistent postpartum pain is a major risk factor for PPD.

In exploring current responses to crime, particularly youth involvement in gangs, this thesis examines two approaches: Crime Prevention through Social Development (CPSD) and risk-based prevention. The former is associated with the provision of socially-designed measures to address and eliminate the risk factor associated with persistent offending. The latter, however, refers to the implementation of risk management and statistical assessment to manage the risk factor associated with persistent offending. In light of these two approaches, this thesis examines a debate which purported that crime prevention practices has wholly shifted away from an emphasis on CPSD towards risk-based prevention. This thesis also examines the opposing debate which explains that CPSD and risk-based prevention have emerged into a balanced approach. Taking into account 19 youth gang prevention projects in Canada, the above debates are investigated. Drawing from the analysed project, this thesis concludes that, the crime prevention practices of the analyzed projects significantly rely on risk-based prevention. As a result, the approaches of CPSD still exist in rhetoric and in practice however, its influence on crime prevention initiatives is very limited. Hence, current approaches neither reflect a total shift away from CPSD nor a balanced approach.