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BackgroundFor more than two decades, national career development programs (CDPs) have addressed underrepresentation of women faculty in academic medicine through career and leadership curricula. We evaluated CDP participation impact on retention.MethodsWe used Association of American Medical Colleges data to compare 3268 women attending CDPs from 1988 to 2008 with 17,834 women and 40,319 men nonparticipant faculty similar to CDP participants in degree, academic rank, first year of appointment in rank, and home institution. Measuring from first year in rank to departure from last position held or December 2009 (study end date), we used Kaplan-Meier curves; Cox survival analysis adjusted for age, degree, tenure, and department; and 10-year rates to compare retention.ResultsCDP participants were significantly less likely to leave academic medicine than their peers for up to 8 years after appointment as Assistant and Associate Professors. Full Professor participants were significantly less likely to leave than non-CDP women. Men left less often than non-CDP women at every rank. Participants attending more than one CDP left less often than those attending one, but results varied by rank. Patterns of switching institutions after 10 years varied by rank; CDP participants switched significantly less often than men at Assistant and Associate Professor levels and significantly less often than non-CDP women among Assistant Professors. Full Professors switched at equal rates.ConclusionNational CDPs appear to offer retention advantage to women faculty, with implications for faculty performance and capacity building within academic medicine. Intervals of retention advantage for CDP participants suggest vulnerable periods for intervention.

We assessed the psychosocial influences on college males' human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine patient-provider communication and their uptake of one or more HPV vaccine doses. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with college males attending one large southwestern university. We used logistic regressions to explore the relationships between psychosocial and demographic variables on patient-provider communication and HPV vaccine uptake. Patient-provider communication had the most significant influence on HPV vaccine uptake. However, most college males reported never discussing the HPV vaccine with their healthcare providers. HPV vaccine awareness, perceived subjective norms to vaccinate, and behavioral control to talk to healthcare providers about the vaccine significantly influenced college males' patient-provider communication and vaccine uptake. HPV vaccine awareness, perceived behavioral control to communicate about the vaccine, and subjective norms to vaccinate are all addressable factors that influence HPV vaccine communication and uptake. Future intervention work should specifically target these factors for college men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To discuss the utility of and value of the use of logic models for program evaluation of community-based programs and more specifically, the integration of logic models and factor analysis to develop and revise a survey as part of an effective evaluation plan. Principal results: Diverse stakeholders with varying outlooks used a logic model as a framework to reach agreement on a plan for a state-wide evaluation. This evaluation plan utilized a survey of sixth grade students, administered before and after exposure to a year-long abstinence education program. Components of the logic model were linked to specific survey questions. Exploratory factor analysis was then used to assess whether and how the questions in the survey fit with the constructs of the model; confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the hypothesis that the factors identified in the exploratory analysis were consistently represented in the survey. Major conclusions: A logic model is a tool that engages stakeholders to link evaluation instruments more closely to specific program objectives. Thus, stakeholders can more closely assess the extent to which project outcomes have been achieved. In addition, use of factor analysis in the evaluation process can help the stakeholders better understand whether evaluation instruments such as a survey adequately assess program effectiveness. Lastly, a logic model process can help to achieve consensus among diverse stakeholders, by allowing them to focus on objectives that are concrete, measurable, and mutually acceptable. (Contains 2 figures and 5 tables.)

Focus groups were conducted to determine changes in self- esteem and coping strategies of 10 mothers of children with special needs. Participants in a short-term occupational therapy intervention gained coping skills, improved self-image, and increased self-care. (Contains 37 references.) (JOW)

Describes the process evaluation of facilitator training for a risk-reduction program that trained college students and community volunteers to teach middle school students. Examination of facilitator characteristics and training, curriculum implementation, and use of the model to promote critical thinking found that most facilitators considered the training sufficient for implementing the curriculum, though they did not implement it completely. (SM)

Malaria is a major cause of death among children in many parts of the world, even though simple and effective treatments exist. This study examines care-seeking patterns and barriers to appropriate treatment for Zambian children with fever or convulsions, two key symptoms of malaria. The study focuses on community perceptions of and response to febrile illness, using illness narratives as the primary data collection vehicle. The 154 detailed narratives indicate that mothers recognize fever and treat promptly, and consider chloroquine in conjunction with anti-pyretics to be the appropriate treatment. Synchronic and diachronic analyses show that most treatment begins at home, although the majority of cases are also seen in the formal health system. However, whether treated at home or taken to the health center, most children do not receive appropriate care in this case, a 3-day course of chloroquine because of problems of access and lack of understanding of the importance of giving the full dose. Further, those children who continue to have fever despite receiving chloroquine seldom receive the recommended second-line treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. Most children with symptoms of convulsions are taken to the health center, but are more likely than children with simple malaria to receive traditional treatments as well. Keywords: Health-seeking behavior; Malaria; Fever; Zambia; Treatment-seeking; Resort to care