Magister Public Health - MPH / Cleft lip and/or palate deformity is the most common facial birth defect with an incidence of 1 in 600 for every live birth worldwide. Despite the availability of specialised cleft care in Nigeria, many cleft patients are not aware that CL±Ps can be repaired and, thus, present late for treatment. As a result, there is a high incidence of unoperated CL±P in the country which has a grim negative health impact on the population. Furthermore, it was noted that the family caregivers including parents and other members of the extended family are crucial in getting early care for these children with CL±P. Therefore, understanding the perception of CL±P, attitude and experience with cleft services would go a long way in reducing the problem of late presentation and under-utilisation of these services. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore the care givers’ perception and experience in accessing cleft services at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. In this study, we employed an exploratory qualitative methodology that gave deep insights and provided clear understanding of the perceptions by caregivers of children with CL±P on the aetiology of cleft, family reactions and their experience in accessing cleft services at our hospital. Data analysis was done following verbatim transcription using thematic analysis. Ethics statement: Before commencement of the study, ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Boards of the University of Western Cape and the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Health Research and Ethics Committee. Informed consent was sought from each prospective participant and the signed form appropriately documented.

This study examines how accountability affects school performance in Legae Academy and Al-Nur School. It scrutinizes the main approaches to accountability held by managers, teachers and students and the assumptions underpinning these. It explores all the formal and informal practices and policies of accountability institutionalized in the schools, by looking at who is accountable to whom, how they are accountable and for what are they accountable. Another issue that is addressed is the lines of accountability within the organizational hierarchy of the schools (schools board, school managers, teachers, students, and where applicable other relevant stakeholders), and the possible relationships that can be established between the accountability system and practice and overall school performance. A sample of 6 administrators, 15 teachers and 16 students was selected in total at both Legae Academy and Al-Nur, to be interviewed using purposeful sampling. While the study has an open-ended approach, the following key propositions are considered as a guiding framework: (i) variables of accountability such as responsibilities and expectations influence an accountability system; (ii) accountability of managers, teachers and students improves their practice and performance; and (iii) effective accountability systems play a central role in overall school performance. The main argument of this study is that, where minimum resources both material and human are available, internal accountability with clearly defined lines of accountability – upward to the relevant governance and management structures within the school hierarchy and downward to the main stakeholders, namely parents and students – plays a critical role in enhancing school performance.

Speakers: Michael Buckley, SJ, Michael Himes, Mary Ann Hinsdale, I.H.M.; Convenor: Nicholas Lash

acase@tulane.edu / 1 / Kristin Scott

Romantic relationships are assumed to be guided by norms and rules, however research in the field of personal relationships has not directly addressed the area of relationship rules in romantic relationships, but has investigated their violations, with a specific focus on examples such as infidelity and deception. The present research program provides the first comprehensive study of rules and expectations in romantic relationships. The overall aim of the research is to explore the types of rules and expectations, or relational standards that exist in romantic relationships, how they come to exist, and their function within relationships. Given the lack of research on relational standards, a program of four studies, utilising both qualitative and quantitative methods was proposed to address the research aims. A combination of methods was deemed appropriate as qualitative methods would allow exploration of the types of relational standards that exist in romantic relationships, while quantitative methods could be used to explore their structure, function, and potential correlates. An initial study of the use of deception was based on previous work by the author. This study aimed to combine research on the strategies of deceptive use, with the motivations that are provided for engaging in deception, in order to further understand how deception is used in romantic relationships. A survey of 152 individuals currently in romantic relationships demonstrated that individuals tend to use multiple strategies when they engage in deception, and prefer to use less overt strategies than lying. Consistent with research on victim and perpetrator accounts, individuals believed their partners would view the deception as more serious than they themselves would. Deception can be viewed as one example of the violation of major relationship rules and expectations regarding trust and honesty, which prompted the question of what other rules and expectations exist in romantic relationships. This question provided the impetus for the subsequent studies, the aims of which were to explore what rules and expectations exist in romantic relationship, and how they come to exist. A qualitative study using focus groups and interviews with couples enabled the development of 16 categories about which rules and expectations typically exist. These categories described both the emotional aspects of a relationship, such as loyalty, fidelity, help and support, and the day-to-day functioning of a relationship, such as those regarding roles and time allocation. A third study, using quantitative methods, presented the 16 categories to 106 individuals in order to validate the categories, investigate how they come to exist (whether they are discussed or exist as expectations) and explore their function in terms of their importance to the relationship and levels of threat and (un)forgivability when they are violated. It also sought to explore whether relational standards were related to a measure of adjustment, specifically one.s self-restraint. All 16 categories were endorsed, and were generally seen as being common in most relationships, and important to a relationship.s functioning. The categories differed in their importance, threat and unforgivability, with rules and expectations about the emotional aspects of a relationship consistently rated as more important than rules and expectations about the procedural aspects of a relationship. The number of rules endorsed, and the types of rules discussed and expected, were not related to an individual.s adjustment. A final study of 45 couples aimed to replicate the results from the third study, as well as explore whether there was agreement in partners. responses. The final study also investigated whether relational standards were related to individual factors such as adjustment, personality, and the tendency to betray, and relationship variables such as trust, satisfaction and commitment. The results confirmed the pattern of endorsement found in the third study, that rules and expectations regarding the emotional aspects of relationship are regarded as the most important, and the most threatening and unforgivable when violated. Rules and expectations regarding the procedural aspects or the day-to-day functioning of the relationship are seen as least important to therelationship, and least threatening and easily forgiven when violated. The present research program demonstrated that there are identifiable areas about which couples have rules and expectations, and that these form a hierarchy based on their importance to the relationship. No differences were found in the way that relational standards come to exist, and relational standards were not found to be related to either individual or relationship factors. The identification of rule and expectation categories may help couples clarify their expectations of each other, and reduce potential areas of conflict. They also provide a starting point from which to further explore the importance of relational standards to relationship functioning.

This study examined the understanding of workplace expectations of a group of deaf workers. Nine males and fifteen females, ranging in ages 18 to 48, all prelingually deaf, and whose preferred mode of communication was Auslan (Australian Sign Language), participated in the study. All had a history of extended periods of unemployment, interspersed with short-term vocational training courses that had not resulted in long-term employment. Ten of the participants were individuals identified as low-functioning deaf (LFD) characterised by their limited communication skills in sign language, English and presence of secondary disabilities. The purpose of this research was to investigate the extent the deaf participants understood employer expectations and how this knowledge may have impacted their employment success. Each deaf participant completed a 25-item written questionnaire exploring their views about workplace behaviours. A group of 100 employers from the Western Sydney area completed the same survey. The 24 deaf participants were interviewed regarding how they prioritised the items in the questionnaire and were asked to describe their workplace experiences. Subsequently, both data sets were analysed and compared. The participants were divided into four subgroups based on their employment status: employed/unemployed and functional levels: medium/LFD. Analysis of questionnaire rankings indicated the employed participants? responses showed good understanding of employer expectations. Results for the unemployed participants were divided; the rankings for the medium-functioning unemployed participants were very similar to the employed participants except in four areas. Predictably, the unemployed participants with LFD demonstrated a much lower understanding of employer expectations. The qualitative interviews provided further insight into the deaf participants? attitudes towards employment and the importance of meeting employer expectations. Additionally the interview transcripts identified many workplace problems experienced by the deaf participants which contribute to a lack of correspondence. The findings suggest deaf workers? dissatisfaction with their workplace conditions may play a role in their ability to sustain employment. Therefore, meeting employer expectations can be seen as only one of many components of successful employment. The findings suggest that both deaf workers and employers would benefit from greater understanding of each others? perspectives about the workplace. Seven topics are recommended for inclusion in future curricula. Better understanding of each others? views can support improved workplace relationships, employment retention and satisfaction levels.

<p><strong>ABSTRACT</strong></p><p>Parental support is needed because it promotes a positive development in children, because parents ask for it and because it has positive effects on the public economy. Those responsible in Sweden for Child health care have shown an increased interest in supporting parenthood.</p><p><em>Aim:</em> The overall purpose of this study was to investigate what kind of support parents today desire from child health care. An additional purpose was to investigate if they feel their needs and wishes are met.</p><p><em>Method:</em> The study has a descriptive and qualitative design. The selection was eight parents of children under eighteen months of age: four mothers and four fathers. None of the participants were couples. Data collection was performed with semi structured interviews. Collected data were analyzed according to qualitative content analyses.</p><p><em>Results: </em>Two themes appeared: desired support –<em> </em>the child in focus and organisation – no place for fathers. Seven categories emerged: expectations before the child was born – the health of the child in focus and someone to call, expectations today – the health of the child and support in parenthood, seeking support from others than the Child health care, accessibility is important, continuity creates safety, the purpose of parent education group satisfactory & home visits – from ambivalent to positive experience. The study shows that the informants wants that Child health care focuses on the growth and development of the child, supports parents in their new role as parents and is accessible if the parents have questions. The informants were to great extent content with the support from the child health centre.</p><p><em>Conclusion:</em> According to parents wishes Child health care should focus on the child and it’s health along with strengthening the parents in their new role. The accessibility must improve to make the child health care centre a place even for fathers.</p><p><strong>Key words</strong></p><p>Child health centre, parents, support, desire, expectations.</p>

This paper looks at the perceptions of people within and outside of Jönköping, regard-ing the main attractions/attributes within the Jönköping region and how they are being branded by the municipality. A model was formed to explain how consumer expecta-tions affect demand, and based on that a survey was handed out to find out consumers travelling habits, general perceptions about Jönköping and its branding. The results show that promotion has not been as successful as hoped and that Jönköping is still seen as a religious city among the respondents. A Las Vegas Entertainment Concept was formed to find out whether people would be willing to visit Jönköping more often if something „new‟ was presented. In conclusion, for consumers to visit more often new experiences have to be provided. It is all about the way Jönköping city is marketed in the future and what it will be able to offer to the different consumer segments visiting.

ABSTRACT Parental support is needed because it promotes a positive development in children, because parents ask for it and because it has positive effects on the public economy. Those responsible in Sweden for Child health care have shown an increased interest in supporting parenthood. Aim: The overall purpose of this study was to investigate what kind of support parents today desire from child health care. An additional purpose was to investigate if they feel their needs and wishes are met. Method: The study has a descriptive and qualitative design. The selection was eight parents of children under eighteen months of age: four mothers and four fathers. None of the participants were couples. Data collection was performed with semi structured interviews. Collected data were analyzed according to qualitative content analyses. Results: Two themes appeared: desired support – the child in focus and organisation – no place for fathers. Seven categories emerged: expectations before the child was born – the health of the child in focus and someone to call, expectations today – the health of the child and support in parenthood, seeking support from others than the Child health care, accessibility is important, continuity creates safety, the purpose of parent education group satisfactory &amp; home visits – from ambivalent to positive experience. The study shows that the informants wants that Child health care focuses on the growth and development of the child, supports parents in their new role as parents and is accessible if the parents have questions. The informants were to great extent content with the support from the child health centre. Conclusion: According to parents wishes Child health care should focus on the child and it’s health along with strengthening the parents in their new role. The accessibility must improve to make the child health care centre a place even for fathers. Key words Child health centre, parents, support, desire, expectations.

Using Canadian data we estimate the effects of monetary policy shocks on various real and nominal variables using a fully recursive VAR model. We decompose the nominal interest rate into an ex-ante real interest rate and inflationary expectations using the Blanchard-Quah structural VAR model with the identifying restriction that ex-ante real interest rate shocks have but a temporary impact on the nominal interest rate. The inflationary expectations are then employed to estimate a policy reaction function that identifies monetary policy shocks. We find that a positive shock introduced by raising the monetary aggregates raises inflationary expectations and temporarily lowers the ex-ante real interest rate. As well, it depreciates the Canadian dollar and generates other macro effects consistent with conventional monetary theory although these effects are not statistically significant. Using the overnight target rate as the monetary policy instrument we find that a contractionary monetary policy shock lowers inflationary expectations and raises the ex-ante real interest. Such a contractionary monetary policy shock also appreciates the Canadian currency, decreases industrial output and increases the unemployment rate. We obtain qualitatively better results using the overnight target rate rather than a monetary aggregate as the monetary policy instrument. Our estimated results are robust to various modifications of the basic VAR model and do not encounter empirical anomalies such as the liquidity and exchange rate puzzles found in some previous VAR studies of the effects of monetary policy shocks in an open economy.