The Exile of Hansen's Disease Patients to Moloka'i: A Diffusion of Innovations Perspective.

This article analyzes the exile of patients with Hansen's disease (leprosy) to Moloka'i (Hawaii) by applying the diffusion of innovations (DoI) theory. Developed by Rogers, DoI posits that an innovation (i.e., idea, movement, or trend) is initiated within a culture. Then, it is diffused via particular channels across diverse cultures. Instead of evolving independently, innovations diffuse from one culture to another through various forms of contact and communication. In the context of this analysis, the objective is to examine how the diffusion of certain ideas, namely, abolishing the stigma associated with leprosy, could have improved the lives of Hawaiians. An important premise of this article is that the Hawaiian government barely applied the tenets of DoI, which is the reason why many people lost their lives. So, this article seeks to explore what could have been done to improve their situation and what pitfalls should be avoided in the future.

"How Dark a World It Is Where Mental Health Is Poorly Treated": Mental Illness Frames in Sermons Given After the Sandy Hook Shootings.

In the aftermath of the Newtown, CT, massacre, the United States is engaging in public deliberations that will reshape future mental healthcare policies, practices, and systems. We know little about the clergy's contributions to these deliberations. Clergy, as with psychiatrists and mental health specialists, are members of the helping professions and are regarded as front-line mental health workers and gatekeepers to mental health services. To consider clergy contributions, we drew on Entman's framing perspective to study sermons given in the state of Connecticut after the Sandy Hook shootings. We examined 73 posted full-text sermons and performed the constant comparative method on 20 that made references to mental illness. We discovered clergy used "social support" and "social system" frames. Upon developing these frames, we discuss the study's contributions by considering clergy silence, their use of frames to delineate between the secular and the spiritual, their mitigation and promotion of mental illness stigma, and their incomplete social system frame.

Pet Therapy in Correctional Institutions: A Perspective From Relational-Cultural Theory.

In this article the authors apply Relational-Cultural Theory to pet therapy in correctional institutions. An important premise is that when pet therapy is used in prisons a symbiotic relationship develops between pets and prison inmates which, at the same time, improve their relationships with people themselves. Relational-Cultural Theory posits that relationships with individuals are not just a means to an end. Rather, good relationships promote growth and healthy development; they also cultivate reciprocal empathy. Hence, a major reason of suffering for most people is their experience of isolation; healing can occur in growth-fostering relationships.

Problematic healthcare insurance: a comparison with successful models.

This article analyzes the experiences of problematic health insurance models in Canada, France, Germany, and Spain, based on news reports, facts, and data. Those nations were selected because they represent typical socialist economies with nationalized health insurance systems. Major findings are that (a) these health insurance systems are not cheap, (b) they sometimes contribute to governments' own financial deficits, (c) there are significant restrictions for access to private health care, (d) many services are not covered, and (e) the insurance plans create conflict as to what treatment options are offered. The author also provides a description of the current U.S. health care insurance model and compares it with the European socialist model. What comes subsequently is an examination of two ideal models of efficient health care insurance: the ones of Switzerland and the Netherlands. This analysis ends with a discussion section that provides implications for U.S. health care and offers suggestions for future research.

"Let's Move" campaign: applying the extended parallel process model.

This article examines Michelle Obama's health campaign, "Let's Move," through the lens of the extended parallel process model (EPPM). "Let's Move" aims to reduce the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States. Developed by Kim Witte, EPPM rests on the premise that people's attitudes can be changed when fear is exploited as a factor of persuasion. Fear appeals work best (a) when a person feels a concern about the issue or situation, and (b) when he or she believes to have the capability of dealing with that issue or situation. Overall, the analysis found that "Let's Move" is based on past health campaigns that have been successful. An important element of the campaign is the use of fear appeals (as it is postulated by EPPM). For example, part of the campaign's strategies is to explain the severity of the diseases associated with obesity. By looking at the steps of EPPM, readers can also understand the strengths and weaknesses of "Let's Move."

Assessment of collaboration in U.S. health care delivery: a perspective from systems theory.

This analysis applies the core principles of systems theory to health care delivery in the United States. Particularly examined is the role of collaboration between health care agencies/organizations in the United States. This includes cooperation and teamwork among health professionals (i.e., nurses, technicians, physicians, and laboratory staff). By and large, systems theory posits that (a) all singular units within a system are interconnected and (b) the whole is more than the sum of its parts. This analysis identifies areas within the U.S. public health system where it is essential to embody elements of cooperation and collaboration, not only to bolster physical and financial support, but also to ensure a substantial impact within the community.

Effective doctor-patient communication: an updated examination.

This article examines, in detail, the quality of doctor-patient interaction. Doctor-patient communication is such a powerful indicator of health care quality that it can determine patients' self-management behavior and health outcomes. The medical visit (i.e., the medical encounter) plays a pivotal role in the health care process. In fact, doctor-patient communication is one of the most essential dynamics in health care, affecting the course of patient care and patient compliance with recommendations for care. Unlike many other analyses (that often look at only one or two specific aspects of doctor-patient relationships), this analysis is more encompassing; it looks at doctor-patient communication from multiple perspectives.

Applying inoculation theory to the study of recidivism reduction in criminal prison inmates.

The purpose of the authors through this study is to establish inoculation theory as a viable method in the prevention or reduction of recidivism in criminal prison inmate populations in the United States. The authors begin with a detailed literature review on inoculation. They also describe, in detail, recidivism in prisons. In doing so, they provide a series of interconnected topics, such as the total number of inmates in U.S. prisons, statistical displays of repeat offenders or subjects of recidivism, and the types of crimes often times repeated by convicted criminals. What comes afterwards is an explication of how inoculation theory can be applied in the context of reducing prisoner recidivism. The authors conclude this study with a discussion section that offers suggestions for future research.

Comparative standards of evidence in social work.

In this article the authors analyze relevant and reliable evidence on the effects of the preferable treatment customized to each social work client. In doing so, the authors look at four major standards of evidence: (1) evidence-based practice, (2) collaboration models (i.e., the Cochrane Collaboration and the Campbell Collaboration), (3) knowledge translation, and (4) the Social Work Article Club. The ultimate goal of these standards of evidence is to successfully transfer research into practice. Currently, there is a gap between research and practice as a result of a lack of collaboration. Most social workers do not possess the skills to implement change in practice based on research evidence. The authors' objective is to increase understanding by instilling, in part, positive feelings toward research.

Improving nursing home resident integrity by optimizing interpersonal communication skills in clinical staff.

In this article the authors discuss the prevalence of resident abuse and reported violations of care deficiencies and resident maltreatment in nursing homes in the United States. The number of nursing homes in the United States that are cited with abuse violations has increased in recent years. While the authors recognize that treatments (both positive and negative) received by residents are sometimes related to factors other than staff's lack of knowledge and poor attitudes, their purpose in this analysis is to enhance resident integrity through the improvement of staff interpersonal communication skills. In doing so, innovative strategies and specific interpersonal communication theories are examined as educational methods to confront and resolve care deficiencies and elevate and enrich residents' integrity, satisfaction, and outcomes.

Cyberspace as a new arena for terroristic propaganda: an updated examination.

This paper analyzes the role of propaganda use in cyberterrorism. The main premise is that cyberterrorists display various semiotic gestures (e.g., the use of images and Internet videos) to communicate their intents to the public at large. In doing so, they communicate themes-these themes range from hate to anger. Cyberterrorism, then, is a form of theater or spectacle in which terrorists exploit cyberspace to trigger feelings of panic and overreaction in the target population. In many cases, this form of propaganda is the primary means of communication for various cyberterrorist groups to convey their intents. Internet sites also produce numerous opportunities for in-group communication and publicity.

Sedentarism: the effects of Internet use on human obesity in the United States.

This paper analyzes the impact of Internet use on human obesity in the United States. The United States is facing a skyrocketing obesity epidemic among adults and children. The authors hypothesize that the more individuals use the Internet, the more they increase their risks of becoming obese. The explanation is that Internet use may cause sedentarism, which refers to decreased energy expenditure or, simply, physical inactivity. Sedentarism, in turn, may increase obesity.

An examination of the social, behavioral, and cognitive influences of infamous individuals on media consumers.

This article presents a substantial extant and predictive statement on social cognitive theory (SCT), a well-known interpersonal communication theory coined by Bandura (1986) and researched by prominent scholars in the social sciences. An important rationale behind conducting this analysis is that it provides several groundbreaking and unique applications of SCT through the exploration of infamous celebrities (i.e., Michael Jackson, Keith Richards, Robert Downey, Jr., and sexually perverted religious leaders) published in global media outlets. The objective is to demonstrate the socially influential effects that these notorious individuals pose on media consumers and interested parties, in line with theoretical assumptions posited by SCT.

A critique of Bernstein's beyond objectivism and relativism: science, hermeneutics, and praxis.

This analysis comments on Bernstein's lack of clear understanding of subjectivity, based on his book, Beyond Objectivism and Relativism: Science, Hermeneutics, and Praxis. Bernstein limits his interpretation of subjectivity to thinkers such as Gadamer and Habermas. The authors analyze the ideas of classic scholars such as Edmund Husserl and Friedrich Nietzsche. Husserl put forward his notion of transcendental subjectivity and phenomenological ramifications of the relationship between subjectivity and objectivity. Nietzsche referred to subjectivity as "perspectivism," the inescapable fact that any and all consciousnesses exist in space and time. Consciousness is fundamentally constituted of cultural, linguistic, and historical dimensions.

Nurses in need of additional support: web sites offering information in eldercare nursing environments.

Studies have shown the usefulness of telemedicine and telecare in multiple settings. One form of telemedicine is e-health. Residents of nursing homes are a unique population that may significantly benefit from the e-health resources available to their caregivers. E-health Web sites appear to be viable, feasible, and timely interventional methods to provide the additional knowledge and support practitioners in these settings may need to provide preventative, reactive, and remedial care for frail residents.

Inoculation theory: a framework for the reduction of skin cancer.

This paper analyzes skin cancer in detail and explains how inoculation theory, which demonstrates how attitudes can be strengthened and made resistant to counter-attitudinal persuasive messages, is a unique method for specifically targeting and conferring resistance to unprotected and excessive ultraviolet exposure to people of all ages. As many previous efforts to reduce exposure to ultraviolet rays have had minimal impact, inoculation theory is appropriate in this context because the theory has been successful in other health campaigns and may increase the efficacy of skin cancer interventions. In justifying the need for this analysis, we illustrate the prevalence and detrimental impact of skin cancer to clarify the seriousness of the disease and how people oftentimes fail to adequately shield themselves. This conceptual analysis not only has the potential to be applied in rendering subjects resistant to engaging in unprotected (and/or excessive) sunbathing and artificial tanning, but it also represents an addition to the disciplinary domains of health communication and social policy and offers clues for further exploration in this area.

Problematic integration theory: implications of supportive communication for breast cancer patients.

In this analysis, the authors apply Problematic Integration (PI) Theory to the way breast cancer patients engage in and receive support. The theory focuses on the relationship between expectations and desires, and enlightens cognitive and communicative responses to situations that involve tensions between their perceived likelihoods of occurrence and their perceived values. The relationship between PI Theory and its significance in treating and providing support for patients suffering from terminal illnesses is one of great interest to health care providers and those charged with creating supportive messages and support groups for those patients.

An evolutionary examination of telemedicine: a health and computer-mediated communication perspective.

Telemedicine, the use of advanced communication technologies in the healthcare context, has a rich history and a clear evolutionary course. In this paper, the authors identify telemedicine as operationally defined, the services and technologies it comprises, the direction telemedicine has taken, along with its increased acceptance in the healthcare communities. The authors also describe some of the key pitfalls warred with by researchers and activists to advance telemedicine to its full potential and lead to an unobstructed team of technicians to identify telemedicine's diverse utilities. A discussion and future directions section is included to provide fresh ideas to health communication and computer-mediated scholars wishing to delve into this area and make a difference to enhance public understanding of this field.

The use of public policy analysis to enhance the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987.

Given the prevalence of abuse and neglect in nursing home care delivery vis-à-vis elderly and frail residents, and despite the advent and implementation of the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 (a policy that sought to diminish such conduct in such institutional settings), deficiency citations in nursing home care and services remain both problematic and common. By employing public policy analysis, and by analyzing various social science theories applicable to the improvement of care delivery and quality, this article seeks to develop methods to enhance compliance with the Nursing Home Reform Act and reduce care deficiencies in nursing homes.

Telemedicine: its effects on health communication.

This article analyzes telemedicine, the use of distant communication technologies within the context of clinical health care, and the effects it has on health communication. The main effect is that telemedicine has the capacity to substantially transform health care in both positive and negative ways and to radically modify personal face-to-face communication (Turner, 2003). This has tremendous implications for health communication scholars in that they can extend the telemedicine debate by integrating fresh insights into more acceptable approaches that will refine and humanize mediated channels of health communication. There are several key areas of telemedicine that need to be discussed (i.e., e-health services, clinical encounters, etc.), all of which are identified in this article. In addition to describing the past and current applications of telemedicine, this article provides a better understanding of unique needs, resources, problems, and opportunities germane to telemedicine services.