Racism,stress and health in Asian Americans: A structural equation analysis of mediation and social support group differences

The buffering effect of social support on the negative effects of racism exposure on health outcomes has been mixed in prior studies regarding Asian Americans. Based on the stress-coping framework and using structural equation modelling (SEM) methods, we tested a theoretical model portraying simultaneous mediational paths from racism exposure to general physical and mental health through racism-related stress. Bootstrap analysis was used to test the indirect effects present in the model. Additionally, multi-group SEM analysis was conducted to investigate the moderation effect of social support from family and friends on the paths in the model. The sample consisted of 310 Asian American adults who completed an online survey. The results from the two-step SEM analysis and bootstrap analysis supported the theoretical model—racism exposure can simultaneously have a negative indirect effect on Asian Americans' physical and mental health via racism-related stress. Multi-group SEM analysis showed that there were no differences in model path coefficients based on having varying levels of social support from friends or family.     

英汉颜色词差异浅探

英、汉语分属两种不同的语系 ,受语言与文化特殊性的影响 ,人们对色彩的感受和赋予颜色词的意义也各不相同。翻译时 ,不可望文生义 ,“对号入座” ,必须在充分了解中西方文化差异的基础上 ,准确把握颜色词所处的语境 ,力求做到信、达、雅     

三籽两型豆生长发育特性及栽培技术研究

目的 :探明两型豆的种子萌发、植株生长发育特性及主要栽培技术措施 ,为人工栽培提供依据。方法 :采用室内种子萌发、田间播种观察、光照处理及小区栽培方法。结果 :试验表明地上种子存在硬实现象 ,地下、地上种子播种都能正常出苗、开花、并都结出地上、地下正常发育的种子 ;在河北东部地区 5月初播种 ,九月初开花 ,10月下旬收获 ;两型豆的幼苗属于子叶不出土类型 ;地下种子的发育来自于子叶节部位着生的地下茎及分枝 ;两型豆是耐阴、怕高温的短日照植物 ,短日处理可大幅度提早开花、结实 ;栽培时注意种子处理、遮光、充足土壤水分供应及搭架等措施。结论 :初步明确了三籽两型豆地上、地下种子萌发、植株生长发育等特性和相关栽培技术措施。     

商标及其翻译的文化传播功能

随着改革开放的进一步深化,大量的国际知名产品涌入国内市场.同时,伴随着国内产品竞争力的不断提升,许多 产品也正在走向国际市场.商标作为商品经济的产物,它的翻译备受关注,并且亦已进入语言学界研究的视野.该 文就国内市场上一些著名英语商标品牌词语的翻译和其所包涵的文化寓意,进行了有益的探讨,以期为我国的产 品能更好地进入国际市场提供一些建议.     

贯穿以人为本管理思想 建设新时期医院文化

医院文化建设是医院管理的重要组成部分 ,是精神文明建设的主要内容 ,也是医院可持续发展的关键要素。贯穿以人为本的管理思想 ,把医院文化建设作为重点 ,与医院发展同步进行 ,与精神文明建设紧密结合 ,打造医院品牌 ,树立医院形象 ,提高综合效率。     

The changing cultural and economic dynamics of polygyny and concurrent sexual partnerships in Iringa,Tanzania

Polygyny has been identified both as a ‘benign’ form of concurrency and as the cultural basis of concurrent partnerships that are considered important drivers of the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper investigates the changing cultural and economic dynamics of polygyny in concurrency in Iringa, Tanzania, a region with traditions of polygyny and high prevalence of HIV. Our analysis of focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews indicate that contemporary concurrent partnerships differ from regional traditions of polygyny. Whereas in the past, polygyny reflected men's and their kin group's wealth and garnered additional prestige, polygyny today is increasingly seen as a threat to health, and as leading to poverty. Nevertheless, participants evoked the social prestige of polygyny to explain men's present-day concurrency, even outside the bounds of marriage, and despite continued social prohibitions against extramarital affairs. Difficult economic conditions, combined with this prestige, made it easier for men to engage in concurrency without the considerable obligations to wives and children in polygyny. Local economic conditions also compelled women to seek concurrent partners to meet basic needs and to access consumer goods, but risked greater moral judgement than men, especially if deemed to have excessive ‘desire’ for money.     

When people with dementia are perceived as witches. Consequences for patients and nurse education in South Africa

Aims and Objectives

To explore and describe the link between culture and dementia care with the focus on the influence of the belief in dementia as witchcraft and people with dementia as witches.

Background

In South Africa, especially in townships and rural areas, dementia is often perceived as connected to witchcraft rather than to disease. Persons labelled as witches—mostly older women—may be bullied, ostracised, beaten, stoned, burned, even killed.

Method

One strand of findings from a larger international study is presented with in‐depth qualitative interviews of one close family member and seven nurses caring for patients with severe dementia in nursing homes in Tshwane in South Africa. A hermeneutic analytic approach was used.

Results

Two main themes are found, namely “Belief in witchcraft causing fear of persons with dementia” and “Need of knowledge and education.” Fear of and violence towards people with dementia are based on the belief that they are witches. Some of the nurses had also held this belief until they started working with patients with dementia. There is a great need for education both among healthcare workers and the populace.

Discussion

The “witch” belief prevents seeking professional help. As nursing homes tend to be private and expensive, professional dementia care is virtually unattainable for the poor. Dementia needs a more prominent place in nursing curricula. Nurses as educators need to know the local culture and language to be accepted in the various communities. They need to visit families affected by dementia, give awareness talks in churches, schools and clinics and facilitate support groups for carers of people with dementia in the local language.

Conclusion

Improved nurses’ education in gerontology and geriatric care is needed. Trained specialist nurses may work as mediators and help eradicate the witchcraft beliefs connected to severe dementia.     

Irritable bowel syndrome in Asia: Pathogenesis,natural history,epidemiology, and management

Historically, the epidemiology of gastrointestinal diseases in Asia was different from that in Western countries. Early studies suggested a low prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Asia. As the diagnosis of IBS is symptom‐based and as symptom perception, expression, and interpretation are influenced by sociocultural perspectives including language, the presentation of IBS is expected to vary in different communities. Furthermore, the pathogenesis is multifactorial with psychosocial (stress, illness, behavior, and diet) and biological (infection, gut microbiota, and immune activation) variables interacting, and so, the present study can anticipate that the development of IBS will vary in different environments. In recognition of this aspect of functional gastrointestinal disorders, the recently published Rome IV documents have provided greater focus on cross‐cultural factors. In this review, the present study seeks to highlight Asian perspectives by identifying historical trends and recent publications from the region and comparing these with the observations from Western societies.