Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-115).

Universiẗat, Diss., 2003--Frankfurt (Main).

Universiẗat, Diss., 2004--Gießen. / Zsfassung in dt. und engl. Sprache.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-81).

Objective To determine the reasons for the change or modification in the first line HAART regimen (1a and 1b) in HIV positive patients at the Thusong CCMT site. Methods This study is a quantitative descriptive study using a standardized data collection tool to extract retrospective data from medical records. Subjects Subjects for this study included patients 18 years or older attending the Thusong CCMT site, which were started on HAART regimens 1a or 1b and were on treatment for at least 6 months. The final sample size evaluated was 257 patients. Results There was a high rate (43%) of change or modification of the first line HAART regimen. Majority of the patient’s (72%) had their regimen modified due to side effects of the drugs and only a small number (9.7%) of patients had a complete change in the regimen due to virological failure. Stavudine (d4T) associated lipodystrophy was the most common side effect (45.5%) followed by peripheral neuropathy (16.7%), leading to treatment modification. Conclusion The rate of modification or change of first line HAART regimen, at Thusong CCMT, was fairly high (42.6%), and the most common reason for the modification or change was drug side effect of stavudine (d4T).

The current investigation was designed as an evaluation of a worksite health promotion program with the goal of examining its effectiveness in terms of physical and attitudinal changes over the course of a 12-month evaluation. Because of the call for counseling psychologists to examine health through an interdisciplinary lens, the study examined variables from a variety of disciplines including health psychology, vocational psychology, occupational health, and positive psychology. Using a pretest-posttest design, employees completed measures of job satisfaction, career optimism, perceived stress, optimism, absenteeism, and Presenteeism (on the job productivity). In addition, health screening information was compared from the onset to the completion of the evaluation to determine if health factors improved at the organizational level over time. Results indicated that employees did not significantly improve in terms of health indicators (e.g., cholesterol levels, weight loss), levels of job satisfaction, career optimism, or perceived stress. In addition, results revealed no significant relationship between initial optimism levels and either health or psychological outcomes. Potential explanations for the lack of significant results is discussed including the economic climate in which the evaluation occurred, as well as cultural and organizational issues that may have contributed to a lack of improvement in wellness.

Este trabalho é dedicado ao estudo da existência de soluções da equação de Schrödinger \'DELTA\'u + (\'lambda\' a(x) + 1)u = \' u POT. p, u > 0 em \'R POT. N\', onde a \'> ou =\' 0 é uma função contínua e p > 1 é um expoente subcrítico. Métodos Variacionais são empregados para mostrar a existência de uma sequência \' lambda\' IND. n\' \' SETA\' + \'INFINITO\' e da respectiva sequência de soluções \'u IND. lambda IND. n\' convergindo para uma solução de energia mínima do problema de Dirichlet - \'DELTA\' u + u = \'u POT. p\', ; u > 0em \'OMEGA\', u = 0 sobre \'partial\'\' OMEGA\", sendo \"OMEGA\' := int \'a POT. -1\' (0). Além disso, estuda-se o efeito da topologia do conjunto \'OMEGA\' sobre o número de soluções da equação (*) por meio da categoria de Lusternik e Schnirelman / This work is devoted to study the existence of positive solutions of the Schrödinger equation \'DELTA\'u + (\'lambda\'a(x) + 1)u = \' u POT. p\', u > 0 in \'R POT. N\', where a is a nonnegative and continuous function and p > 1 is a subcritical exponent. Variational methods are employed in order to show the existence of a sequence \'lambda\' IND. n\' \"ARROW\' + \'THE INFINITE\' and the respective sequence of solutions converging in \'H POT. 1\' (\'R POT.N\' ) to a least energy solution of the Dirichlet problem - \'DELTA\'u + u = \'u POT. p\' ; u > 0 in \'OMEGA\', u = 0 on \'partial\' \' OMEGA\', where \'OMEGA\' : = int \'a POT. -1 (0) Furthermore, it is studied the effect of the topology of the set \'OMEGA\' on the number of positive solutions of the equation (*) by using the Lusternik and Schnirelman category

Background: There is increasing theoretical interest in the idea that a greater tendency for the mind to wander may reduce positive emotion experience, with specific interest in clinical conditions such as depression that are characterised by reduced pleasure experience (anhedonia). However, it is unclear to what degree these claims are empirically supported. Objective: A systematic review was conducted to examine the evidence regarding the association between mind wandering and positive emotion experience. Method: The Cochrane library, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Knowledge databases were searched. A narrative discussion considered both the pattern of findings and the methodological approaches utilised in this literature. Results: 879 studies were identified and 21 relevant papers were fully reviewed, consisting of cross-sectional, prospective and manipulation studies. Conclusions: Fourteen out of 15 cross-sectional studies supported the claim that increased mind wandering was related to decreased pleasure experience. One prospective study indicated that mind wandering generally preceded but was not subsequent to reductions in positive mood. There were six studies that manipulated mind wandering experimentally, four of which found that inducing greater mind wandering led to reduced positive affect and two of which found null results. Overall, this literature supports the claim that greater mind wandering is related to reduced positive affect. However, very few studies examined this relationship in the context of depression and therefore it remains to be established if these findings generalise to clinical populations. Empiricial Paper: Previous research has established that greater levels of mind wandering are associated with reduced positive affect (PA) in the general population. The present study aims to examine whether this mechanism may mediate the relationship between depression and reduced PA (anhedonia). A community sample (N = 69) with differing levels of depression severity took part. Using experience sampling methodology, we measured mind wandering and PA during everyday life and when completing a few scheduled positive activities. To examine if mind wandering specifically influenced PA or emotion experience more generally, we additionally measured levels of negative affect (NA). Across both contexts, both greater mind wandering and greater depression severity were independently associated with reduced PA and increased NA. Greater depression severity was associated with increasing levels of mind wandering in everyday life, but not during scheduled positive activities. Mind wandering did not mediate the link between depression and reduced PA/increased NA. Exploratory analyses did however reveal that a greater tendency for the mind wander to negative rather than positive themes did mediate the link between depression and reduced PA in everyday life. We replicated previous findings that increased mind wandering is related to reduced PA and increased NA but there was no evidence that this mediated the relationship between depression and altered affective experience. However, the greater tendency for the mind to wander to negative themes may mediate the link between depression and affect. If depression treatment approaches are to target mind wandering this suggests they should therefore focus on mind wandering valence in addition to extent.

M.A. / This study explores attitudes and fears of HIV counsellors towards HIV testing. A social constructionistic perspective was used to realize this objective. The researcher hoped to find out the following:  what attitudes and fears do HIV counselors( who have not tested for HIV), have towards HIV testing?  how the HIV counsellors’ attitudes and fears differ from those of the general population.  the environmental factors affecting their decision, their vulnerability to HIV and what can facilitate their willingness to test.  what strategies can be used (from the HIV counsellors’ point of view), to change those attitudes and alleviate those fears so that all HIV counsellors can be willing to undergo voluntary HIV testing. Tape recorded interviews were conducted with the HIV counsellors who have not tested for HIV. It was evident in the study that there are attitudes and fears towards HIV testing which are common to the HIV counselors and the general population, and those which are peculiar to HIV counselors because of the nature of their job. Also evident in the study is the fact that HIV counsellors are vulnerable to contracting HIV and therefore could reap the benefits of knowing their HIV status by undergoing the HIV test. The researcher together with the HIV counsellors co-designed strategies that will address those attitudes and fears so that HIV counsellors can be encouraged to undergo voluntary HIV testing. Since the study was conducted only in the community clinics, the findings cannot be generalized to all HIV counsellors. The recommendations based on the findings are that a similar study should be done and should cover a much wider and broader context to determine if such a study can yield similar results.

Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / Athletes are at risk for HIV infection due to their celebrity status which enables them to associate with multiple concurrent sexual partnerships. Athletes with an HIV sero-positive status should be encouraged to disclose their HIV positive status to enable them access appropriate treatment, care and support. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of athletes living with HIV following disclosure of their sero-status. The study was conducted in Ndirande Township in the city of Blantyre, Malawi. Twelve purposively sampled athletes living with HIV, four males and eight females between the ages of 18 and 30 years, participated in this study. Data was collected using qualitative methods conducting semi-structured, face to face individual interviews and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. The consequence of disclosure model was used to explain the themes that emerged from the data. The results of the study indicated that all athletes disclosed their HIV seropositive status. The majority of the athletes disclosed their HIV positive status to spouses, family members, friends and health care providers in order to access support and treatment. However, athletes did not disclose to their clubs and sports institutions because there was no conducive environment. After disclosure of their status, most athletes had positive experiences that included increased psychosocial support and care from their social networks. Some athletes had negative experiences such as stigma and discrimination from teammates and distant relatives. While athletes living with HIV had support from families and community support groups, there was a lack of appropriate support systems in the sport institutions. In addition, athletes living with HIV had limited access to health care services. For athletes living with HIV to remain productive, there is need for further research and the establishment of appropriate support systems in different levels of the sport institutions.