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Describes a project used in a sophomore-level psychological testing and measurement course. Students worked through the different phases of developing a test focused on item writing, reliability, and validity. Responses from both students and instructors have been consistently positive. (MJP)

Adah Isaacs Menken, 19th Century dancer and actress, was the forerunner of the sex goddesses of Broadway and Hollywood. Celebrated more for her numerous affairs than her acting prowess, she thrilled the gold miners of the West with her daring equestrian feats, such as those she performed as Mazeppa, the Cossack prince. She died in Paris at the age of 33.

Background: Optimal risk-based survivor health care includes surveillance for late effects and education targeted at reducing or preventing risky health behaviors. Understanding the reasons for a lack of risk-based follow-up care is essential.Methods: Adult participants from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study were surveyed about having a cancer-related visit in the past 2 years and the likelihood of having a cancer-related visit in the future. Additional factors thought to be related to the primary outcomes were also assessed.Results: Nine hundred seventy-five survivors completed the survey. Twenty-seven percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 24%-30%) had a cancer-related medical visit in the previous 2 years, and 41% (95% CI, 38%-44%) planned to have such a visit within the next 2 years. The likelihood of having had a cancer-related visit within the last 2 years was higher among survivors assigning greater importance to these visits (relative risk [RR], 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3), perceiving greater susceptibility to health problems (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3), having a moderate to life-threatening chronic health problem related to their cancer (RR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.7-2.7), seeing a primary care provider for a cancer-related problem (RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.6), having a cancer treatment summary (RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.6), and endorsing greater confidence in physicians' abilities to address questions and concerns (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3).Conclusions: Educational interventions improving awareness of treatment history and susceptibility to cancer-related late effects and corresponding risk-based care are likely to be beneficial for survivors of childhood cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of shared medical appointments (SMAs) among Hispanic patients with diabetes mellitus attending a family medicine residency clinic., Study Design: Exploratory and descriptive study., Methods: Hispanic patients having diabetes with poor glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin level, >7%) attending a family medicine residency clinic were randomized to an SMA group (n = 50) or a control group (n = 53).The main outcome was glycated hemoglobin level. Secondary outcomes were quality of life and diabetes knowledge., Results: When comparing pre-post measures, there were mean decreases in glycated hemoglobin level of 1.19% for the SMA group (P <.01) and 0.67% for the control group (P = .02).In the SMA group, quality-of-life and diabetes knowledge scores increased by 5 and 1.5 points, respectively (P <.01)., Conclusions: Implementing SMAs is feasible and effective among Hispanic patients with diabetes attending a family medicine residency clinic.Health plan managers and policy makers can work with family medicine residents to encourage the use of this model as an alternative approach or in addition to conventional one-on-one interactions with patients.