Examining Pediatric Residency Voting Practices.

OBJECTIVE: Voting is one of our civic duties, yet many Americans do not vote, and physician voter participation is even lower than that of the general public. We aimed to explore pediatric residents' attitudes and behaviors in regard to voting and assess the impact of interventions aimed at increasing resident participation. METHODS: Pediatric residents were given preelection surveys regarding interest in voting, plans to vote in the November 2016 national election, and barriers to participation. Voting registration, election dates, and registration deadlines were disseminated before the election. Postelection surveys were distributed after the 2016 national election to pediatric residents regarding their voter participation, barriers to voting, and the effectiveness of our interventions. RESULTS: Fifty-one residents completed the presurvey and 49 completed the postsurvey (61% and 59% of total residents, respectively). Eighty-nine percent of residents surveyed planned to vote and 83% were registered to vote. The postsurveys indicated that only 69% of responding residents voted in the national election, far fewer than the 89% who planned to vote (z = 2.5, P < 0.05). The most common reasons for not voting were "no time off," "didn't get absentee ballot," and "not registered in state of residence." In total, 19 of 33 (58%) respondents indicated that interventions encouraged them to vote. CONCLUSIONS: Intention to vote among participants was higher than voting participation; however, participants in this study voted at higher rates (69%) than the average citizen rates (61.4%). More than half of the residents who did vote indicated that the study interventions encouraged them to vote.

Toffee Men, Travelling Drapers and Black-Market Perfumers-South Asian Networks of Petty Trade in Early Twentieth Century Britain.

Selling small wares, novelties, and affordable luxuries manufactured from artificial silk, the South Asian door-to-door pedlar or 'travelling draper', and his compatriot the 'Indian toffee man', were once fairly commonplace figures in British working-class life and the object of fond childhood recollections for many. Unfortunately, they have now largely drifted from popular memory, having left little trace in the historical record. However, this article's reconstruction of their lives offers a new perspective on the pivotal role inter-racial social networks played in pioneering South Asian immigration, settlement, and trade in Britain. New research into this pre-Partition, pre-Windrush immigration, particularly in and around the English industrial city of Sheffield, provides a more detailed and more nuanced understanding of their quotidian experience, their relationship to British society, and their reception by the working-class neighbourhoods within which they lived and plied their trade. The article emphasizes the men's enduring sense of agency and economic autonomy, despite the attempts of various departments of state to prevent them from exercising their right, as British subjects, to live and work in Britain.

Evaluating juvenile detainees' Miranda misconceptions: The discriminant validity of the Juvenile Miranda Quiz.

Most juvenile arrestees in custodial settings waive their Miranda rights almost immediately, and many then provide incriminating statements, if not outright confessions. Forensic practitioners are then asked to provide retrospective determinations regarding whether these waivers were effectuated knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently. At present, the forensic assessment instrument for juvenile Miranda issues consists of the Miranda Rights Comprehension Instruments (MRCI)-which as its name implies-focuses mostly on Miranda comprehension with a de-emphasis of Miranda reasoning. In partially addressing this gap, the current study investigated the clinical utility of the Juvenile Miranda Quiz (JMQ) for evaluating key Miranda misconceptions, a critically important component of Miranda reasoning. Using data from 201 juvenile detainees, we evaluated the JMQ's discriminability with regards to cognitive variables and MRCI scales. Many moderate effect sizes in the predicted direction were found for the JMQ Primary Total and Juvenile Total scores. Finally, these detainees were tested using a mock crime scenario with a representative Miranda warning plus a brief interrogation to evaluate whether they would waive their rights, and if so, whether they would confess. Using Miranda measures to predict problematic outcomes (i.e., impaired waivers followed by confessions), the JMQ Juvenile Total proved the most successful. These findings are discussed within the context of the "intelligent" prong of Miranda waivers. (PsycINFO Database Record

[THE SOCIAL DEMAND FOR PERINATAL SERVISES GIVEN BY MIDWIFES AMONG WOMEN FROM ZACHODNIOPOMORSKIE PROVINCE AND INVESTIGATE THE KNOWLEDGE BASE OF MEDICAL STAFF IN REGARD TO THE MIDWIFE'S RIGHTS AND DUTIES RESULTING FROM POLISH LAW]. / ZAPOTRZEBOWANIA KOBIET Z WOJEWÓDZTWA ZACHODNIOPOMORSKIEGO NA USLUGI OKOLOPORODOWE SWIADCZONE PRZEZ POLOZNE ORAZ STOPIEN ZNAJOMOSCI PRZEZ SRODOWISKO MEDYCZNE USTAWOWYCH KOMPETENCJI ZAWODOWYCH POLSKICH POLOZNYCH.

INTRODUCTION: The midwife's profession has evolved across the ages to become--in the vast majority of countries, including Poland--an independent medical occupation. The aim of this thesis was to define how big is the social demand for perinatal servises given by midwifes among women from Zachodniopomorskie province and investigate the knowledge base of medical staff in Zachodniopomorskie province in regard to the midwife's rights and duties resulting from Polish law. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Research was carried out from 1.10.2009 to 30.06.2010. It included 115 active midwifes in the city of Szczecin and beyond it (Zachodniopomorskie province). Additionally, 40 doctors, 99 nurses and 1 master of physiotherapy took part in the survey (all of them based in Zachodniopomorskie province). Research was also conducted among 150 women from the same province. The survey was presented in the form of a questionnaire. Since the available literature did not include a standardized research tool which could be used to achieve appointed goals a new method was devised. Results were subjected to mathematical and statistical analysis. CONCLUSIONS: After the compilation of results presented in this paper the following conclusions were made: 1. Some of the medical personnel who participated in the survey do not perceive midwifes as independent medical practitioners. 2. Most midwifes are aware of their rights and obligations outlined in Polish legislation. In their opinion the lack of independence in their profession is caused by unclear clauses and paragraphs in Polish law. The women who participated in the survey showed an interest in services provided by midwifes. 3. They stated that there is a common need for this kind of service. There are grounds to intensify the promotion of midwifery as an independent occupation.

Informe Anual 2012

Informe anual y rendición de cuentas del presupuesto ejecutado correspondiente al año 2012. Se sintetiza la labor desarrollada por la Defensora del Pueblo, sus adjuntos, y el conjunto de las direcciones, áreas y oficinas de la institución, así como los diversos programas que desarrolla este órgano.

Statistical detection of systematic election irregularities.

Democratic societies are built around the principle of free and fair elections, and that each citizen's vote should count equally. National elections can be regarded as large-scale social experiments, where people are grouped into usually large numbers of electoral districts and vote according to their preferences. The large number of samples implies statistical consequences for the polling results, which can be used to identify election irregularities. Using a suitable data representation, we find that vote distributions of elections with alleged fraud show a kurtosis substantially exceeding the kurtosis of normal elections, depending on the level of data aggregation. As an example, we show that reported irregularities in recent Russian elections are, indeed, well-explained by systematic ballot stuffing. We develop a parametric model quantifying the extent to which fraudulent mechanisms are present. We formulate a parametric test detecting these statistical properties in election results. Remarkably, this technique produces robust outcomes with respect to the resolution of the data and therefore, allows for cross-country comparisons.

Support for gay and lesbian civil rights: development and examination of a new scale.

This research outlines the development of a psychometrically sound, uni-dimensional scale to assess support for gay and lesbian civil rights. Initial scale development involved examining item-pool responses from 224 undergraduate students. The resulting Support for Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights (SGLCR) scale consisted of 20 items. In a series of studies, the SGLCR demonstrated a stable factor structure, strong internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity. The relationships between SGLCR scores and participants' sex, religiosity, political ideology, gender role beliefs, and attitudes toward lesbians and gays were significant and in the predicted directions.

Criminal and legal responsibilities in Tourette's syndrome.

Tourette's Syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by the presence of multiple involuntary motor tics accompanied by one or more vocal tics. Articles about TS and criminal responsibility and the restriction of civil rights are limited. A person with TS was evaluated to consider his criminal responsibility after swearing at a referee during a football game. He was also evaluated as to whether or not he was capable of professionally driving a service bus. Additionally, medico-legal situations regarding military service, obtaining a shotgun license and marriages of patients with TS were considered.

Does ratification of human-rights treaties have effects on population health?

Human-rights treaties indicate a country's commitment to human rights. Here, we assess whether ratification of human-rights treaties is associated with improved health and social indicators. Data for health (including HIV prevalence, and maternal, infant, and child [<5 years] mortalities) and social indicators (child labour, human development index, sex gap, and corruption index), gathered from 170 countries, showed no consistent associations between ratification of human-rights treaties and health or social outcomes. Established market economy states had consistently improved health compared with less wealthy settings, but this was not associated with treaty ratification. The status of treaty ratification alone is not a good indicator of the realisation of the right to health. We suggest the need for stringent requirements for ratification of treaties, improved accountability mechanisms to monitor compliance of states with treaty obligations, and financial assistance to support the realisation of the right to health.

Hiring discrimination against people with disabilities under the ADA: characteristics of charging parties.

INTRODUCTION: This article describes findings from a causal comparative study of the characteristics of Charging Parties who filed allegations of Hiring discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) between 1992 and 2005. METHODS: Charging Party Characteristics derived from 19,527 closed Hiring allegations are compared and contrasted to 259,680 closed allegations aggregated from six other prevalent forms of discrimination including Discharge and Constructive Discharge, Reasonable Accommodation, Disability Harassment and Intimidation, and Terms and Conditions of Employment. Tests of Proportion distributed as chi-square are used to form comparisons along a variety of factors including age, gender, impairment, and ethnicity. RESULTS: Most allegations of ADA job discrimination fall into the realm of job retention and career advancement as opposed to job acquisition. Hiring allegations, however, tend to be filed by Charging Parties who are disproportionately male, younger or older applicants, white, and coping with physical or sensory disabilities. CONCLUSION: Prevailing theories about stigma suggest that negative attitudes are more prevalent toward persons with behavioral disabilities. However, this study provides clear evidence that one behavioral manifestation of negative attitudes, Hiring discrimination, is more often directed at persons with physical or sensory impairments. More outreach regarding ADA rights appears indicated for individuals who share the aforementioned characteristics.

A trend analysis of sexual harassment claims: 1992-2006.

A trend analysis of sexual harassment claims made by women to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1992 to 2006 was conducted. Results show a sharp increase during the 1990s, followed by a decline in the 2000s. Regression analysis indicated that these differences were significant, explaining 84% of the variance. The observed trend followed the political climate, with more progressive social policies in the 1990s and a more conservative agenda in the 2000s.

Israeli psychiatric inpatients go to the polls.

In 1996, mobile polls were introduced in Israel, enabling physically and emotionally ill inpatients to vote. We surveyed the rate of participation of inpatients at Lev-Hasharon Mental Health Center in parliamentary elections, their feelings regarding voting, and the nature of their vote, compared with the general population. One hundred eighteen of 306 (38.6%) patients voted compared with 63.8% of the general population. Forty-nine more patients (16%) wanted to vote but were unable to for technical reasons. More patients voted in the open than the closed wards (chi=14.5; df=1; p=.001). Most patients reported positive subjective feelings, a sense of responsibility (39%), belonging to the general community (28%), and pride (22%) after voting. Psychiatric inpatients voted similarly to the general population, though their percentage of voters was significantly lower. This discrepancy can be accounted for by lack of concern and ineligibility due to lack of identification documents that may reflect fundamental illness-related problems.

Group differences in fairness perceptions and decision making in voting rights cases.

Participants recruited from one Historically Black University (HBU) and two predominantly White higher-education institutions evaluated and decided simulated voting rights case summaries in which the plaintiff was either a racially-defined (African American) or a nonracially-defined (farmers) minority group. Contrary to social identity and social justice findings of an in-group bias, the present study showed greater support at all institutions for the voting rights of the African Americans than for the rural farmers, and the greatest support for both minority groups was found at the HBU. Perceived evidence strength was a better predictor of decisions than perceived unfairness, and both of these predictor variables completely mediated the effects of institution-type and involvement of a racially-defined group on decisions.

Natural justice and human research ethics committees: an Australia-wide survey.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how familiar human research ethics committees (HRECs) are with the principles of natural justice and whether they apply these principles. DESIGN AND SETTING: A postal survey conducted between April and September 2002 of the Chairs of all HRECs registered with the Australian Health Ethics Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in 2001. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: HRECs' reported familiarity with, and application of, three principles of natural justice: (1). the hearing rule, requiring a decision maker to allow a person affected by a decision to present his or her case; (2). the rule against bias, requiring a decision maker to be unbiased in the matter to be decided; and (3). the evidence rule, requiring that a decision be based on the evidence provided, and not irrelevant issues. RESULTS: From 201 Chairs of HRECs Australia-wide, we received 110 completed questionnaires (55% response rate). About 33% of respondents were very familiar with the principles of natural justice, and 25% completely unfamiliar. Most respondents felt that natural justice should be, and usually is, applied by HRECs. In cases of possible positive bias of an HREC member towards a research proposal, 70% of respondents said they would exclude the member from decision making. In cases of possible negative bias, 43% said they would exclude the HREC member. CONCLUSION: The degree of familiarity with principles of natural justice varies widely among Chairs of HRECs. While many respondents felt that HRECs usually apply natural justice, responses to questions about bias suggest that HRECs do not always exclude members with possible bias, contrary to NHMRC guidelines.

Use of the Americans with Disabilities Act by persons with rheumatic diseases and factors associated with use.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined use of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) among persons with rheumatic diseases and assessed which factors were associated with use. METHODS: A mail survey was conducted among adult patients recruited from 21 rheumatology practices. Subjects answered questions about their inclination to use the ADA in the community or at work and about factors thought to be associated with use. The outcome was stage of behavior change, the behavior being use of the ADA. Ordinal logistic regression identified independent correlates of the outcome. RESULTS: Of 631 subjects, 47% experienced an ADA-resolvable barrier to community activity, and 63% of 183 employed subjects needed a job accommodation or experienced health discrimination. However, only 7% of the full sample and 10% of the employed subgroup had used the ADA. Factors associated with use were detailed knowledge, perception of being disabled, skill in requesting use, and health professional use suggestion. CONCLUSIONS: Although many persons with rheumatic diseases experience community barriers or need workplace accommodations, they currently underutilize the ADA. Use could be enhanced by health professional suggestion and referral or by community programs designed to address the factors identified.