Thesis advisor: Ellen K. Mahoney / Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe meaningful interactions with health care providers (HCPs) from the perspectives of family caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD). A secondary purpose was to understand ways in which family caregivers obtained needed information for managing uncertainty associated with providing care for a PWD. Background: Family members of PWD often assume the caregiver role, but lack preparation for the psychological and practical ramifications of caring for someone with a progressive, terminal illness (Alzheimer's Association, 2011a). Lack of preparedness for caregiving impacts well-being and quality of life throughout the caregiving experience (Lilly, Robinson, Holzman and Bottorff, 2012). Meaningful interactions with HCPs have the potential to improve preparedness and alleviate suffering of caregivers, promote caregiver well-being and positively impact treatment provided to PWD. Methods: Qualitative description was used to obtain rich, straightforward descriptions from perspectives of participants. Congruent with this approach, findings were reported with minimal inference. Results: Positive meaningful interactions with HCPs included interactive dialogue, partnering between HCPs and caregivers, and a sense of being known as individuals with unique needs. Negative meaningful interactions were characterized as lacking one or more of those components. Participants used multiple strategies to obtain information and manage uncertainty associated with caregiving. Efforts to obtain care for PWD were often complicated by challenges of a health care system that was not designed to meet the needs of PWD. Conclusions: HCPs have opportunities to improve interactions, provide support and increase preparedness for family members providing care for PWD. HCP: caregiver partnerships can improve care for PWD and mitigate stressors inherent in the caregiving role. Corrective experiences may change caregivers' perceptions and provide opportunities for HCPs to intervene, engage and partner with health care consumers. Nurses are particularly well-suited to taking a leadership role in fostering partnerships and helping to design a dementia-ready system to meet the needs of PWD and those who care for them. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

With the outbreak of the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) comes the need to evaluate the preparedness level of government entities that had preparedness plans. This study looks at the preparedness level for pandemic influenza among key leaders in Brazos County according to their Brazos County Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan. Ten key leaders were recruited to participate in interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for salient themes. Main themes that emerged from interviews were categorized into vaccinations, communication, logistical issues, and the need for evaluations and feedback. Recommendations for increasing preparedness include addressing contingency plans, increasing education through public health efforts, addressing biosecurity, increasing use of technology, and increasing funding and research.

Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense))--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2008. / Thesis Advisor(s): Bach, Robert. "December 2008." Description based on title screen as viewed on January 29, 2009. Includes bibliographical references (p. 159-164). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-175).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Michigan. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-116).

Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense))--Naval Postgraduate School, March 2006. / "March 2006." Thesis Advisor(s): Robert Bach. Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-97). Also available online.

Competitiveness is crucial to achieving solid future national economics. A nation’s competitiveness reflects the extent to which it is able to provide increased prosperity to its citizens. Competitiveness can be defined to include the level of productivity of a country. This, in turn, sets the sustainability level of prosperity that can be achieved by an economy (Porter & Schwab, 2008). President Mbeki stated in the 2004 State of the Nation Address that “(South Africa) must continue to focus on the growth, development, and modernisation of the First Economy” (National Research Foundation, n.d.). The National Research Foundation (n.d.) claims that knowledge, innovation, and productivity, as well as optimal use of resources in the enterprise, are key to a competitive, sustainable growing economy. Firms involved in lean manufacturing do so to improve overall company performance in terms of productivity, efficiency, profitability and reducing costs. More than 90 per cent of these firms claim to be successful in achieving such goals. There is a clear association between the use of lean manufacturing and achieving higher productivity (Lucey, 2008a). Against this research and the claims made by the National Research Foundation it may be stated that lean manufacturing results will impact positively on an economy’s growth. AB Company will be evaluated in terms of the readiness and future sustainability of its lean transformation for the purposes of this study. It is anticipated that the results of this study will contribute toward reducing the risk of failure associated with a major lean transformation in the business.

Democratization in China has been receiving attention from all over the world. In the US, a large percentage of media reports about China contribute to report democratization related political issues. And as a mainland Chinese citizen living under an undemocratic regime, I have always felt compelled to do research on democratization in China society. This thesis describes a research study conducted to understand how Chinese people understand the notion of democracy, and with this notion how they perceive to democratize their society. The result of this research's analysis shows that Chinese people view democracy similar to a western notion; and they believe to help Chinese public to develop democratic cultural values is the most important in the course of democratizing China society. In common words, to democratize people would eventually democratize the society. This research works on data collected from the internet. The use of internet data is money saving and helps explore research on internet data. This research hopefully can provide a reference view for Chinese people themselves and people who care about China in understanding the current situation and predicting the prospect of democratization in China. And with a better understanding Chinese people might be able to take more strategic steps and earn strategic support from the world in the course of democratization of China's society.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Amy L. Mathes, for Doctor of Philosophy degree in HEALTH EDUCATION, presented on May 8, 2013, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: PROMISING PRACTICES: A CASE STUDY ON PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Kathleen Welshimer There is little published literature on operational coordination during a real time disaster regardless of the setting. This study describes a university's emergency management plan and its execution in response to a specific natural disaster, the May 8, 2009 "inland hurricane," which was later classified as a "Super Derecho." The case study design allowed for an in-depth exploration into the intricacy and complexity of an emergency response by interviewing individuals present in the CEOC and others from State Police, local EMA agencies, local health departments, and IEMA, document analysis of the Campus All-Hazards Emergency Preparedness and Violence Prevention Plan (CAHEPVPP), Situation Reports, Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and National Incident Management Agency (NIMS) documents. This study will assist public health emergency preparedness officials in higher education to educate students and development of proactive development of planning and response during a real disaster. This study will also provide contributions to universities regarding mitigation, planning, response, and recovery activities. It shows the value of proactive, forward-thinking leadership from day-to-day preparedness activities to response and recovery efforts.

M.P.H., Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2008. / The purpose of the study is to ascertain the knowledge, attitudes and practices of hospital management at the Johannesburg Hospital regarding disaster preparedness. Objectives: The study is to assess the current status of awareness of the management regarding disaster preparedness; to determine whether there are hospital specific plans; knowledge of whether the plans are regularly updated or not; to determine attitudes towards disaster management plans and drills and to determine current practices with regards to disaster preparedness . Study design: The study design was a cross sectional survey. The study population included the hospital administrators, head of clinical units, head of casualties, the chief porter, the chief clerk, the theatre matron, senior sisters and doctors in the casualty department, head of security, head of transport and the chief pharmacist The study was conducted utilizing a self administered questionnaire with structured and open ended questions. In case where management were not available, the person acting in that capacity was requested to complete the questionnaire. Twenty five out of the thirty five managers selected completed a self administered questionnaire. The response rate was 71,4%. Findings: The management at the Johannesburg Hospital was aware of the disaster preparedness of the hospital and its plans, and disaster management preparedness. Their attitudes to the plans and drill were largely positive. However, the practices were deficient and work still needs to be done in regard to ongoing training, performance of drills and the frequency of regular updating of the plans.