Debra Rose Wilson

Health Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse

PURPOSE This article provides a summary for advocacy, court testimony, assessment, treatment, prevention, and further research studies in the field of childhood sexual abuse. FINDINGS A literature review identifies the psychiatric, social, and disease disorders to which this population is predisposed. Adult survivors experience more depression, obesity, autoimmune disorders (irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, fibromyalgia), eating disorders, and addictions. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS A holistic perspective allows understanding of health consequences for survivors. A model through which to consider these phenomena is presented. CONCLUSIONS The long-term consequences of childhood sexual abuse must be assessed and addressed by healthcare professionals.

Cytokines and Their Role in Depression

PURPOSE This study aims to review the cytokines that mediate the inflammatory process, the interleukins and the interferons, and the interaction of cytokines with serotonin as causative factors in the role of depression. CONCLUSIONS Administration of proinflammatory cytokines to treat medical diseases induces depressive symptoms in humans. Patients diagnosed with depression tend to have high levels of cytokine activity and impaired immune response, as well as those patients suffering from inflammatory processes. Proinflammatory cytokines interfere with the bodys feedback loop to reduce circulating corticosteroids during the stress response. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Serotonin levels, integrally associated with depression, are lowered when levels of circulating cytokines are high when the precursor tryptophan is reduced.

Handbook of Collective Intelligence, Thomas W. Malone, Michael S. Bernstein (Eds.), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA (2015), 219 pp, ISBN: 978-0262029810

The Handbook of Collective Intelligence is a collection of rticles from several different disciplines concerning how ndividuals acting together constitute a collective intellience. The purpose of the book is to provide guidance to eaders for determining when a particular disciplinary perpective is relevant to the topic of collective intelligence nd to provide leads for further research. The editors wish o integrate various fields into an interdisciplinary perpective by presenting common research challenges and ethodologies from a variety of narrower disciplines. The book includes an introduction followed up seven hapters written by different authors from fields of tudy including economics, biology, human-computer nteraction, artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, rganizational behavior, and a broadly defined social scince chapter on “Law, Communications, Sociology, Political cience, and Anthropology.” Each chapter is preceded by n editors’ introduction, which serves as a very good xecutive summary of the topic and includes additional ecommended readings. A conclusion authored by one of he editors (Thomas W. Malone) attempts to synthesize the isparate disciplinary perspectives. The first chapter, on economics, covers subjects such s game theory and behavioral economics. An example of ollective intelligence from this field concerns the Efficient arket Hypothesis. This theory explains how prices in a ollective market reflect all known information pertainng to the asset. The second chapter, on biology, includes

Professional, social, and psychological correlates of HIV/AIDS care involvement among nurses in Botswana

This analysis explores the correlates of HIV/AIDS care involvement among nurses in a healthcare system (Botswana) that is severely impacted by the AIDS epidemic. It identifies the antecedents and consequences of recent HIV/AIDS nursing care participation in Botswana and develops testable hypotheses for further study. In 2009 a self-administered questionnaire on nursing practice and related issues was completed by 201 nurses working in different types of facilities in rural and urban areas of Botswana. Nurses who were citizens of Botswana, degree holders, and highly qualified professionals (midwives and specialists) were more engaged in providing HIV/AIDS clinical services. Also, caregivers who had greater participation in maternal and child healthcare duties, or those who felt they were competent to provide care and treatment for patients with HIV illness were more involved. There were also several psychological/mental health correlates. The analyses suggest that HIV/AIDS care in Botswana is mostly provided by highly educated and specialized nurses who because of the complex and often conflicting work demands placed upon them experience stress related to their work flow and scheduling.

Contemplative Aging: A Way of Being in Later Life, by Edmund Sherman: New York: A Gordian Knot Book, an Imprint of Richard Altschuler & Associates, 2010, 187 pages, softcover,

Edmund Shermans Contemplative Aging: A Way of Being in Later Life includes the writings of older people, some with notoriety and others that are experts on aging and the aging process. Thoughts on...

21.95.

This book, edited by Ross, Kincaid, Spurrett, and Collins, includes the writings of several scholarly authors in the fields of research, prevention, and treatment of addiction that examine various ...

Book reviewWhat is Addiction?, A Bradford Book, D. Ross, H. Kincaid, D. Spurrett, P. Collins (Eds.), The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA (2010), 448 pp

Digital Dead End presents research on the effects of the high-tech global economy on people who live in persistent poverty in the U.S. The author focuses on how “magical thinking” about technology has led to increased socioeconomic inequalities where the intent was to narrow the digital divide between classes. The main thesis of the work is that access to technology is necessary but not sufficient for effecting social change through technology. Virginia Eubanks utilizes a participatory action research methodology within a feminist framework. The research was part of a collaborative, long-term project conducted from 2001 to 2004, with the goal of using technology as a vehicle for social change (the author worked with the group for two years before beginning the interview process). Technology training was given to a group of women at a YWCA in the state of New York as workforce preparation in concert with regional efforts to bring high-tech businesses to the area. The author intends the work for a broad audience of scholars, activists and policy makers. The book is organized into seven chapters, with appendices explaining methods and project structure. Eubanks includes many of the original diagrams, drawings, and materials from the project to illustrate the chapters. The appendices contain plenty of detail about her research methods, including data collection and coding processes. These materials can be especially helpful as examples to readers studying or conducting qualitative research. The author asserts that the so-called digital divide that separates the information technology (IT) haves from the have-nots is an oversimplification based on a class-centric view of what constitutes the experience of this technology. For those in the upper or middle socioeconomic strata, IT represents a liberating force, allowing people to save time, make social connections, and become more mobile. To the poor, however, much of IT is perceived as exploitative and intrusive. For example, data entry and call center personnel, as well as clients of government services, often feel threatened by the high level of surveillance that technology enables.Digital Dead End presents research on the effects of the high-tech global economy on people who live in persistent poverty in the U.S. The author focuses on how “magical thinking” about technology ...

Digital Dead End: Fighting for Social Justice in the Information Age. Virginia Eubanks/MIT Press, Cambridge, MA (2011), 266 pages

Venereal Disease, Hospitals, and the Urban Poor is a historical view of the treatment of venereal disease in early modern London, spanning the 17th through 19th centuries. The author seeks to understand how the English social welfare system responded to the considerable problem of sexually transmitted diseases among its poorest urban residents. Siena provides a broad variety of perspectives, including demographic and institutional analysis from official records, along with the lived experience of dealing with the disease as reported in diaries and letters. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal perspectives are used to provide a good comprehensive coverage of the subject. A diagnosis of venereal disease during this period could include a range of conditions such as urinary tract infections, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Treatment consisted primarily of mercury, which caused intense salivation and other, toxic side effects. This was consistent with the contemporary medical paradigm of disease as an imbalance of humors. Alternative therapies were available to those who could afford them, but nothing is known to have been effective before the age of antibiotics. The author emphasizes throughout that the delivery and availability of services differed greatly between classes and especially genders, essentially constituting a two-tiered system. Personal privacy and shame played central roles for patients. It was difficult if not impossible to hide the condition from peers, employers, or neighbors. In addition to any visible, dermatological effects of disease, the treatment itself required weeks of isolation and mercury-induced salivation in a “foul ward.” A certain amount of privacy and discretion was available, but only at a price. Some physicians would keep late hours, provide treatment by mail, or provide a female practitioner for examinations. For the poor, the only choice was to submit to the public shame of visible examination and interrogation, which led many to delay or avoid treatment. The stigmatizing nature of these diseases was disproportionately hard on the poor and, as the author notes, just having the disease could impoverish its victim. The admissions process for the public hospitals varied somewhat over the period, but typically required the patient first to obtain a nomination from the local parish official or hospital administrator. Once eligible, patients had to gather periodically so that a committee could choose which patients received the limited number of beds in the wards. Patients or their sponsors had to post a bond for burial expenses should the patient die during treatment (an early form of life insurance). In addition, for most of the period the patients who were assigned to foul wards were charged higher fees than “clean” patients.

Venereal Disease, Hospitals, and the Urban Poor: London's "Foul Wards," 1600-1800 (review)

Beyond Suppression: Global Perspectives on Youth Violence is a collection of case studies and explanatory material examining programs from around the world that address youth violence. The editors’ goal for this work is to raise awareness among policy makers, practitioners, and the lay public about the problem of youth violence. The central problem may be illustrated by the fact that about 200,000 youths around the world between the ages of 10 and 29 die each year from interpersonal violence. Accidents and violence constitute the leading cause of death for the cohort globally, with the exception of subSaharan Africa where HIV/AIDS claims more young lives. Costs to broader society include the direct costs to health care and justice systems, as well as indirect economic costs of lost productivity and community development opportunities. The editors provide extensive introductory material to frame the case studies. They review the literature on demographic characteristics, causes and risk factors, viable prevention strategies, and policy frameworks to illustrate the nature and extent of the global youth violence problem. The basic analytical construct used is an ecological model of social systems, which includes perspectives from the family level up through broader social contexts. The important conclusion to take from the literature review is that the general problem is both predictable and preventable. The main challenge is to formulate effective policy that best addresses local needs. There is no single best intervention, and the most successful programs have broad stakeholder participation across multiple sectors. The authors present a comprehensive set of case studies, covering a variety of regions, including Asia, Latin America, the U.S., Canada, Australia, the Middle East, and Northern Europe. The majority of the material is aimed at policy-level analysis, but is balanced by including perspectives of individual program recipients and other community stakeholders. The cases include programs that address a wide variety of social sectors, stakeholders, and interventions. An example of a multi-sector intervention is the YouthBuild program, begun in New York in 1978. YouthBuild programs train and employ young people in rehabilitating abandoned buildings which in turn provide affordable housing. Programs provide education and skills training, as well as counseling and placement. One key metric of success is the dramatic reduction in recidivism among program graduates, which is 5–15%, compared with the national average of 67%. Several perspectives are explored, from top-down policy analysis to individual voices from the community. Lessons learned from this case include the importance of staff dedication and leadership, complexity of program management, and the challenges of post-graduation transition.

Beyond Suppression: Global Perspectives on Youth Violence (review)

Going to Extremes is a meta-analysis of the social phenomenon of group polarization. Sunstein includes original research with sources from various disciplines to describe and explain how some types of groups tend to shift toward extreme viewpoints. The book consists of five chapters, an appendix of research summaries, with cited references in endnotes. Sunstein, a Harvard law professor, continues his keen and timely discourse on how people make decisions. We are influenced by those we associate, and this association has a ripple in politics and policy. An opportunity for introspection is presented as we are challenged to evaluate how we came to our own beliefs and values, and a better understanding is formed when we are reminded that there is a dark side to freedom of thought. This was certainly an informative, though alarming book. In the first chapter Sunstein discusses the general phenomenon of group polarization. Sunstein demonstrates that various groups such as consumers, political groups, and business organizations tend to radicalize under certain conditions. Like-minded people deliberating within homogeneous groups will tend to shift to extreme positions. Deliberation is a key component in the polarizing process. Interaction between people with similar views will reinforce these views, creating a feedback loop or “echo chamber.” More homogeneous groups have greater potential for polarization. The information shared in these groups is predominately one-sided, and there are social pressures to conform to perceived group norms. For example, panels of federal court judges exhibit more extreme voting patterns when the panels consist of solely Democrat or Republican appointees. Mixed panels will tend to issue more moderate opinions, except on certain issues such as abortion where judges have strong convictions. Another example concerns jury rewards and punishments. A jury that is predominately lenient or severe will tend to get more so after deliberations. In each example the pre-deliberation median of the dependent variable is the best predictor of which direction the group view will move. The amount of diversity within the group predicts the intensity of the shift. Homogeneous groups will move to greater extremes than more diverse groups. The relationship holds true in various cultural, behavioral, and cognitive domains. In the second chapter Sunstein explores why and when like-minded people go to extremes. The flow and control of new information is the most significant factor in the development of