Ethnic differences in the wellness of elderly persons.

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to determine the health behaviors, attitudes and beliefs of well-elderly persons from Black, German, Hispanic, Vietnamese and White rural and city ethnic groups. Findings from the ethnographies and life histories of the twenty-eight informants revealed similarities and differences in health-related themes. These compared favorably with wellness dimensions of self-responsibility, social interaction, spirituality, exercise and nutrition, environmental factors, stress management and balance of work and leisure. Occupational therapists who provide health promotion and disease prevention services to minority elders can be more effective if they become sensitive to cultural as well as individual differences in treatment planing and implementation.

Continuity and change: past experience as adaptive repertoire in occupational adaptation.

Narratives are gaining recognition as important ways occupational therapists and other clinicians can think about the life stories of clients. The purpose of this article is to examine a conceptualization of how changes from one chapter to another occur in life stories, using the metaphor of an adaptive repertoire, and to consider how this notion can be useful in helping clients maintain continuity and a coherent life story in times of change. Three premises based on the concept of adaptation address (a) configurations of occupational forms embedded in particular local worlds, (b) cumulative development of an adaptive repertoire that allows one to perform both competently and appropriately, and (c) adaptive transitions and application of one's repertoire to new circumstances. Implications for research and clinical practice in occupational therapy also are examined.

Correlation between virulence and colony morphology in Vibrio vulnificus.

Of 38 isolates of Vibrio vulnificus examined, all avirulent strains produced only translucent colonies. All virulent strains, with the exception of biogroup 2 (eel pathogens), exhibited both opaque and translucent colonies. Isogenic morphotypes were examined for a variety of phenotypic and virulence traits. Only the ability to utilize transferrin-bound iron and the presence of a surface polysaccharide were found to correlate with colony opacity and virulence.

Bioluminescence in a strain of the human pathogenic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus.

We report the existence of a bioluminescent strain of the human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus. The isolate was obtained from blood following a fatal wound infection and thus represents the first description of an infection caused by a luminescent bacterium.

Occupational therapy education in health promotion and disease prevention.

Educational experiences and didactic materials on health promotion are necessary for occupational therapists to remain current in the profession. This paper reviews health promotion learning experiences to determine the "state of the art" in this important area. It was found that few papers or workshops have been given at recent AOTA Annual Conferences; five universities received Allied Health Grants, which included occupational therapists, to develop health promotion learning materials; and occupational therapy educational curricula for the most part do include something on health promotion. The AOTA Special Interest Sections have shown interest in health promotion.