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1) Gain insight into PA prescription by United States-based physical therapists treating patients 50 years and older, and 2) Explore the contextual factors that impact PA prescription. We integrated ethnographic study data, including a questionnaire, observations, and semi-structured interviews. Our nine participants with 24.7 years (SD= 11.6) of clinical experience completed frequent PA assessments, but PA prescription was inconsistent. The following themes helped explain the participants' clinical decisions: 1) treatment prioritization; 2) physical therapists' intentions of addressing PA; and 3) contextual factors that impact treatment and treatment prioritization (e.g., experience, beliefs, concerns related to PA prescription, and work environment). Most participants did not address PA among adults 50 years and older. Due to the importance of performing regular PA, it is vital for physical therapists to reflect on their PA prescription. Organizations and health service researchers need to implement strategies that address the PA prescription barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China Study of Midlife Women data is used to test the notion that East Asian women have a low level of midlife symptom reporting compared with North American women. The analysis demonstrates that women's midlife symptom reporting in China cannot be equated with findings on women in Japan.

Drawing on recent publications in English and Chinese, this article explores reactions to the use of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the standards of evidence-based medicine (EBM) to evaluate Chinese medicine. Some authors contend that RCTs should not be used to evaluate Chinese medicine, but a far greater number of authors advocate their use. This paper describes the position of the RCT detractors and points out how their arguments contain oversimplified representations of Chinese medicine, biomedicine, EBM, and RCTs. In describing the position of the RCT proponents, the article discusses how challenges of standardization and control in Chinese medicine research have been met with important innovations in clinical trial design. Overall, the article argues that not only Chinese medicine is modified in meeting the demands of RCTs and EBM, but clinical trial design is being transformed through the innovations of Chinese medicine researchers.