David J. Kallen

The need to know: Recalled adolescent sources of sexual and contraceptive information and sexual behavior

Most studies of college students recall of adolescent sources of sexual and contraceptive information have focused on identification of sources and have not been concerned with the utility of the information. This study was concerned with the perceived utility of sexual and contraceptive information obtained from various sources during high school and the relationship between the usefulness of the information obtained from the sources and sexual behavior during high school and college. Data from 823 white never-married undergraduate college students interviewed in the fall of 1976 indicate that the recalled utility of this information obtained in high school is related to both the sex of the respondent and to whether the respondent commenced coital activity in high school college or is still a virgin. Respondents reports of the degree of useful knowledge they had in high school about specific contraceptives are also related to gender and sexual experience. (authors)

Rewards and incentives for nonsalaried clinical faculty who teach medical students

We surveyed the clerkship administrators of pediatrics, family medicine, and internal medicine at U.S. medical schools, and of pediatrics at Canadian medical schools to determine what rewards and incentives are being offered to nonsalaried faculty for office-based teaching. Monetary payment was offered by 13% to 22% of the programs. Nonmonetary rewards like educational opportunities were offered by 70% to 89%; academic appointments by 90% to 95%; special recognition events by 62% to 79%; and appreciation letters by 74% to 84% of programs. Only 3 of 338 responders offered no rewards or incentives.

Talking about sex revisited.

Friends and others are told of first intercourse under different conditions. The conditions under which first intercourse is reported are related to the scripts which govern the transition from virgin to nonvirgin. This study compares the reporting of first intercourse by a group of college students studied in 1976 with that for a group studied in 1967 by Carns (1973). Carnss earlier analysis found dramatic gender differences in reporting that interacted with the timing of first intercourse and relationship with the first partner, suggesting different scripts for men and women. Analysis of the current data suggests a simpler model in which males and females behave in similar ways, and in which only relationship with the partner influences the speed of reporting. The present study suggests that males and females now share a single script and a single standard of behavior for first intercourse.

Sex in transition, 1900-1980

Changes in the proportion of college-aged males and females participating in coital relationships are analyzed through a review of 35 studies conducted between 1903 and 1980. Two major trends are apparent: there has been a major increase in the proportion of young people reporting intercourse, and the proportion of females reporting coital involvement has increased more rapidly than the proportion of males, although the initial base for males is greater. Prior to 1970, about twice as many college men as women reported having had intercourse; since 1970, the proportions of men and women reporting coital involvement are nearly equal. These changes are seen as supportive of major shifts in the standards governing sexual behavior from the double standard to the single standard of permissiveness with affection [Reiss, I. F. (1967).The Social Context of Premarital Sexual Permissiveness, Rinehart and Winston, New York] to the current standard of intercourse being appropriate in love relationships (without the requirement of progression toward marriage) and permissible in causal relationships without exploitation.

Student Evaluation Practices in Pediatric Clerkships: A Survey of the Medical Schools in the United States and Canada

Despite the curriculum changes during the past decade, there is paucity of information regarding the structure and evaluation processes in pediatric clerkships. Information regarding the educational components of the pediatric clerkship and student evaluation practices was obtained from the pediatric clerkship directors via a paper/electronic survey. Completed surveys were received from 97 US and Canadian medical schools and were analyzed. The average length of a clerkship was 7 weeks. Most clerkships required a 4-week ward, a 1-week newborn rotation, and a 2-week ambulatory rotation. Students were evaluated on each component of the clerkship in 93.5% of the programs. All programs evaluated student’s clinical performance and fund of knowledge; 85.6% evaluated student’s written record. Student’s clinical performance was evaluated by direct observation in 57% of the programs. Penalties for failing in clinical performance were harsher. In 56% of programs, a student failing in clinical performance failed the entire clerkship in contrast to 21.8% or 7% of the programs where a student failed the entire clerkship if they failed in the examination for the fund of knowledge or written record evaluation, respectively. The survey demonstrated a fair amount of consistency in clerkships across programs when compared with data obtained in 1981 and 1986. There was a noticeable increase in the well-baby nursery rotation; however, there was a decline in direct observation to assess physical examination or clinical performance.

Perceived physician humaneness patient attitude and satisfaction with the pill as a contraceptive.

Studies of patient satisfaction and compliance with medical regiments emphasize single causes such as patient beliefs about health care quality of the interaction between patient and physician the organization of the setting in which health care is given or demographic characteristics of patients as determiners of behavior. Based on information gathered from female college students about their last experience in obtaining the pill this paper shows that satisfaction with the pill is the result of a complex interaction between a patients perceptions of her physicians humaneness the organizational setting in which health care is delivered her negative attitudes toward the pill and her experience with side effects. Satisfaction with the pill is related in turn to use of the pill as a contraceptive particulary in the most recent relationship involving intercouse when the patient has had more than 1 such relationship. (authors)

Adolescent Mothers and Their Mothers View Adoption.

For adolescents who have recently given birth and their mothers information is provided in four areas: perceptions about the fate adopted children perceptions of the adopted childs integration into the natural family knowledge of adoption and attitudes toward open adoption. Adolescents and their mothers reported favorable attitudes toward adoption. Adolescents who released for adoption appear more positive toward adoption than adolescents who kept their babies. Attitudinal support is found for open adoption procedures. (authors)

The Purchase of Contraceptives by College Students.

As part of a study of contraceptive choice and use among never-married university students coitally active male and female respondents were asked about their contraceptive purchase experiences in the area surrounding the university. Contrary to legend and past experiences of older generations respondents reported no major barriers to the purchase of contraceptive in this area. Convenience was the major factor determining the place of purchase; the actions of the seller did not provide significant impediments. (Authors)

Revision of curriculum in a pediatric clerkship adapted to multiple community sites

Background: The growing recognition of the need for primary care physicians, despite the declining numbers of medical graduates choosing these careers, has led medical schools to evaluate the focus of their instruction. Many have blamed traditional academic medical centers for this problem and called for fundamental reforms designed to encourage primary care. Description: In 1992 our multiple campus, community‐based medical school instituted 4 major curricular changes to the required 8‐week pediatric experiences for 3rd‐year medical students. These changes were designed to increase emphasis on skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for general pediatrics. Interventions included definition of core learning topics, increased ambulatory teaching, revision of logbook requirements, and development of an independent learning/problem‐solving exercise and examination. Evaluation: Outcome measures included scores from the USMLE pediatric shelf exam, evaluation by clinical preceptors, graded written patient reco...

Coital Experience and Definition of Masculinity and Femininity by College Students

Recent changes in sexual behavior of unmarried college students raise the question as to whether or not they are accompanied by changes in conceptions of masculinity and femininity on the part of the students. Changes in conceptions of masculinity and femininity might be the consequence of differential selection into coital activity or of new role learning by those who are coitally active. Data are presented from a study of sexual behavior of 823 college students which support the latter hypothesis for males but not for females.