Larry C. Mullins

An Examination of the Effects of Self-Rated and Objective Indicators of Health Condition and Economic Condition on the Loneliness of Older Persons

Examined is the experience of loneliness as it relates to selected health conditions and selected economic conditions. The effects on loneliness of age, gender, marital status, number of sons, number of daughters, number of male friends, and number of female friends also were examined and controlled. Results are based on a sample from the Senior Citizens Nutrition and Activities Program in Hillsborough County, Florida. An analysis of covariance showed that greater loneliness was expressed by those older persons who were male, had fewer female friends, and had fewer male friends. Among the main effects, poorer self-rated health, less adequate self-rated economic condition, and being in poverty were related to greater loneliness. The interactions between the main effects variable were unrelated to loneliness. The research sheds new light on the influence on loneliness of older persons health and economic condition, and of selected demographic and interpersonal relationship variables.

The effects of multiracial identification on students’ perceptions of racism

Abstract This paper compares the differing perceptions of racism reported by White (n = 222), Black (n = 99), and White–Black multiracial (n = 45) students at an urban campus of a Southern university. Using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), we examine the differences between the racial groups in three campus contexts—campus in general, with instructors, and with other students. Items chosen for analysis included behaviors or actions experienced by at least 4% of the respondents. In nearly all areas, the multiracial student group reported the most experience with prejudice. We employ standpoint theory to discuss these findings.

The Impact of Concentrations of Religious Denominational Affiliations on the Rate of Currently Divorced in Counties in the United States

This study examines the question Does the rate of currently divorced in counties in the United States vary inversely to the relative percentage of concentration of adherents of seven different religious denominational groupings—Catholic, Jewish, Mormon, conservative Protestant, moderate Protestant, liberal Protestant, and miscellaneous Protestant—within those counties? The analysis is based on data from the 1990 U.S. Census and the Glenmary Research Center that pertain to a 20% random sample of counties from each of the 50 states (i.e., 621 counties). The results show, controlling for other selected variables known to be associated with the likelihood of divorce, that higher divorced rates are significantly related to a lower concentration of moderate Protestants, miscellaneous Protestants, Catholics, and Mormons.

An Examination of Nursing Home Personnel's Perceptions of Residents' Autonomy

Autonomy, especially of nursing home residents, concerns the essence of values such as personal freedom and independence. This study examines Collopys six polar dimensions of autonomy from the perspective of 202 nursing home personnel from a sample of 15 nursing homes in West Central Florida. Using regression analysis, autonomy was examined with respect to four catego ries of variables: (a) nursing home staff background factors, for example, education; (b) nursing home staff attitudinal issues, for example, job satisfaction; (c) staffing issues, for example, turn over rates of nurses; and (d) formal facility and resident characteristics, for example, percentage of residents physically restrained. The results confirm that autonomy is a complex construct with considerable subtlety. The most predictive set of variables overall include race, educational at tainment, and employee type (i.e., certified nursing assistants vs. others). The results are dis cussed with respect to their implications for care.

RACIAL/ ETHNIC VARIATIONS IN INFORMAL CAREGIVING

Variations in informal caregiving among members of racial/ethnic minority groups in American society are documented and discussed. Variations in attitudes, norms, practices, expectations, and stereotypes in informal caregiving among blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, and Asians and Pacific Islanders are considered. It is pointed out that although informal caregiving is the predominant mode of care provided for most older persons, demographic and cultural changes in all groups in the United States should lead to a greater balance between informal and formal care.

A comparative empirical study of autonomy in nursing homes in Sweden and Florida, USA.

This study seeks to comparatively examine how autonomy is evaluated by asample of nursing staff in both Sweden and Florida, USA. In both cultures support for patient autonomy was generally greater from an individual point of view than from the anticipated institutional perspective. Comparisons between the cultures revealed that individual staff members in the Swedish nursing homes generally gave higher priority to patient preference than did their American counterparts. On the other hand, support for patientpreference was generally greater in the American nursing homes in regard toinstitutionally anticipated decision. There were statistically significantmean value differences between Swedish nursing staff‘s personal opinion andanticipated institutional decisions in five of six case studies. Nursingstaff‘s personal opinion showed a stronger support for patient‘spreferences. There was a statistically significant mean value differencebetween American nursing staffs‘ personal opinion and anticipatedinstitutional decisions in only one of the six case studies. In spite ofcultural differences the reported results to some degree reflect a commonvalue-system regarding both the anticipated institutional perspective andnursing staffs‘ personal opinion.

Household Size as a Correlate of Divorce Rate: A County-Level Analysis

Divorce remains one of the main challenges facing American families today. Previous studies have shown that the risk of divorce is influenced by many factors, including spouses characteristics and the types of neighborhoods in which they live. This study extends previous work by examining the association between household size and divorce rate at the county level using 1990 and 2000 county-level data. The results show that household size is negatively and significantly associated with divorce rate in both 1990 and 2000, regardless of the region of residence. That effect was stronger in 2000, where household size appeared as the second most significant correlate of divorce rate among all other variables considered in the linear multiple regression analysis. Such findings suggest that household size acts as a social capital variable which helps to maintain family structure, thus reducing the risk of union dissolution.

Book Reviews : Patrick Hennessy (Ed.). Caring for Frail Elderly People: New Directions in Care. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Publications, 1994. 143 pp.,

Ms. Andresen provides an Instructor’s Guide-tips for getting started, adult learning theory, teaching methodology (including a sample class evaluation), and guidelines for the appropriate design and use of transparencies in teaching. The Instructor’s Guide complements the train-the-trainer model used by the author in field testing the techniques and content of the manual on 53 health care workers in a 2-day workshop in order to refine the publication while enabling the trainees-turned trainers