Over the past several years, there has been an influx in patients being treated for polytraumatic injuries within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), largely due to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also due to advances in life sustaining medical interventions. The polytrauma population includes veterans who have sustained a severe traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury, and a significant loss in cognitive and physical functioning, referred to as a disorder of consciousness. The purpose of the current study was to explore factors related to successful emergence from a disorder of consciousness, using a sample of veterans who were treated at one of the five VA polytrauma rehabilitation center (PRC) sites in an Emerging Consciousness (EC) Program. Participants (N = 70) included both combat and non-combat active duty military personnel and veterans who sustained either a severe traumatic brain injury or anoxic brain injury, and were considered to have a disorder of consciousness at the time of their admission to the EC program. Patient information was retrospectively collected from electronic medical records, and included demographic data, medical information, and scores on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Rappaport Coma Near Coma (CNC) Scale, and the JFK Coma Recovery Scale- Revised (CRS-R). In addition, Receiver Operator Characteristic Models (ROC) were utilized to explore “cut scores” for predicting emergence using the CNC and CRS-R. Results showed that age is a significant factor in changes in FIM scores over time, but it did not predict time to emerge or emergence itself. In addition, for the CNC, scores at intake tended to be a better predictor of emergence, while week three scores on the CRS-R were more accurate in determining whether someone would emerge or not. Exploratory analyses also showed a difference in discharge location after treatment based on a patient’s age. Finally, significant variance in initial scores on the CNC was seen for Caucasians, when compared to other ethnic groups. Limitations are explored, along with implications and recommendations for future research and clinical practice.

No description available.

Abstract not available

Abstract After the martial law was lifted in Taiwan, the policy objectives to allocating the resources for social welfare have been changed greatly. Disadvantaged groups have began ask social welfare as a political appeal for public concerns. Now, more and more people care about the voices of demanding the authority to renew the unfair and unjust social welfare policy formerly set up under the era of authoritarian rule so as to re-allocate the resources of social welfare. In 2000, Democratic Progress Party (DPP) win the presidential election which the ruling party was changed the first time in Taiwan. The campaign slogan ¡§welfare for all¡¨ and the political goal of fulfilling ¡§transitional justice¡¨ DDP advocated for a long time have become the benchmark for evaluating whether the resources of social welfare are reasonably allocated after democratization. As to research methodology, the study would be based on the approach of more integrated allocation of resources for social welfare to expound respectively and integrate the social welfare ideologies, expenditure of welfare budgets and policy options of DDP and KMT. As to the research themes, besides comparing with the phenomena of unequal, unjust allocation of resources for social welfare under the era of authoritarian rule, the author would also illustrate the status quo of reallocation of resources for social welfare after democratization by empirical analysis and bring some new thoughts to evaluate whether the reformation of social welfare meets the demands for equality and justice; furthermore, reinforces the ¡§sense of solidarity¡¨ among Taiwan residents so as to promote the construction of ¡§moral community¡¨ in Taiwan society. The research results found the welfare systems for military and veterans laid down by both KMT and DPP are quite similar as conservative ideology that makes military and veterans the biggest beneficiary of practical expenditure of social welfare over the years. Though the ratio of welfare resources they received has been decreased year by year, the reasons just come from the number of beneficiary are diminished and the social welfare of non- military and non-veterans are increased, while the ratio of individual benefits are enhanced, it¡¦s still far away from equalized social welfares. As to welfare policy, the structural natures of welfares for soldiers and veterans still haven¡¦t been comprehensively reformed under KMT rule after democratization and the ruling party was changed.therefore, the author suggests that the welfares for military and veterans should be reviewed, reconsidered openly and legalized swiftly so as to acquire legal basis and win public recognition, then would the ¡§sense of solidarity¡¨ be promoted and the ¡§moral community¡¨ established. Keywords: Allocation of Social Welfare Resources, Military, Veterans

The national government gave up defense of mainland Chinese and a large number of accompanying troops retreated into Taiwan in 1949. After many years, these soldiers continually retired from the military. In order to take care of these groups of retired soldiers who had contributed to the nation, the Taiwanese government set up a veteran status system. These veterans are also Taiwanese citizens, but they hold a double citizenship, and they can benefit from different departments. This study started with veterans¡¦ social capital points of view in order to see the relationships between the soldiers¡¦ knowledge of welfare, level of needs for welfare use, their satisfaction with welfare, and the number of social capital they have received. The research randomly selected samples and used a face-to-face survey with 250 veterans who are Kaohsiung city citizens and aged 65 and over. Effective surveys of 225 were received. The results of the research show that the age factor influences the participants¡¦ satisfaction about the welfare system. The participants¡¦ veteran ranks, religious beliefs, and current living conditions are related to their knowledge and use of the welfare offered by the government. Veterans with middle-low income have less knowledge of the welfare from the Veterans Affairs Commission and the Department of Health, and also know less about the welfare items offered by the Department of Social Welfare. From the social capital point of view, the more abundant social capital the participants have, the higher knowledge of welfare they have. However, different social capital systems will also affect satisfaction with welfare used. Veterans are more satisfied with using welfare if social capital is abundant in the family system, the neighborhood, community system, and the Veterans Affairs Commission. On the other hand, veterans are less satisfied with using welfare if social capital abundance is evident in the Department of Social Welfare and other systems. In addition, the results also show a significant positive relationship between the participants¡¦ knowledge and use of welfare. The more welfare items they know, the more they use. These results offer suggestions to the individual government departments, including the Veterans Affairs Commission, Department of Social Welfare, and Department of Health, as well as interdepartmental collaboration. Each of the related departments should strengthen their welfare campaigns and service mechanisms. Most importantly, they should improve their integration in order to avoid overlapping and waste on welfare services. In addition, they must set up good referral and transition services and carry out the welfare measures to benefit the veterans in need.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Arlington, 2009.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of South Florida, 2009. / Title from PDF of title page. Document formatted into pages; contains 129 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oklahoma, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-153).

Not available / text

No description available.