Myths or theories? Alternative beliefs about HIV and AIDS in South African working class communities

Despite three decades of public health promotion based on the scientific explanation of HIV/AIDS, alternative explanations of the disease continue to circulate. While these are seen as counter-productive to health education efforts, what is rarely analysed is their plurality and their tenacity. This article analyses the ‘AIDS myths’ collected by African HIV/AIDS workplace peer educators during an action research project. These beliefs about HIV/AIDS are organised, in this article, around core ideas that form the basis of ‘folk’ and ‘lay theories’ of HIV/AIDS. These constitute non-scientific explanations of HIV/AIDS, with folk theories drawing on bodies of knowledge that are independent of HIV/AIDS while lay theories are generated in response to the disease. A categorisation of alternative beliefs about HIV/AIDS is presented which comprises three folk theories — African traditional beliefs, Christian theology, and racial conspiracy — and three lay theories, all focused on avoiding HIV infection. Using this schema, the article describes how the plausibility of these alternative theories of HIV/AIDS lies not in their scientific validity, but in the robustness of the core idea at the heart of each folk or lay theory. Folk and lay theories of HIV/AIDS are also often highly palatable in that they provide hope and comfort in terms of prevention, cure, and the allocation of blame. This study argue that there is coherence and value to these alternative HIV/AIDS beliefs which should not be dismissed as ignorance, idle speculation or simple misunderstandings. A serious engagement with folk and lay theories of HIV/AIDS helps explain the continued circulation of alternative beliefs of HIV/AIDS and the slow uptake of behavioural change messages around the disease.     

Body image and peer relationships: Unique associations of adolescents' social status and competence with peer- and self-reported appearance victimization

Adolescents were asked to nominate peers who experience appearance-related victimization or engage in appearance-related aggression, in order to examine the peer social status and competency correlates of receiving more nominations. Moreover, the correlates of peer-report vs. self-report appearance-related victimization were considered. Participants were 371 young Australian adolescents (55% girls, M_age = 12.0 years) who completed surveys. Results showed that victimized adolescents were rated as less liked, prosocial, popular and good-looking, and perceived themselves to be less attractive, less competent at sport and more teased by peers about appearance. Aggressive adolescents were rated as more popular and better looking, but also less prosocial. Aggressive adolescents also perceived themselves to be less academically but more romantically competent, and reported more appearance anxiety symptoms. Findings from peer-report measures generally support previous research findings using self-report measures, but the significant correlates did appear to differ between peer- and self-report of appearance victimization.     

Job satisfaction and the factors affecting satisfaction in nurse educators: A systematic review

Objectives

The present study seeks to answer the following two questions: Are nurse educators satisfied with their job? What are the factors affecting job satisfaction in nurse educators?

Young adolescents' perceived activity space risk,peer networks,and substance use

Adolescent substance use is a developmentally contingent social practice that is constituted within the routine social-environment of adolescents' lives. Few studies have examined peer networks, perceived activity space risk (risk of substance use at routine locations), and substance use. We examined the moderating influence of peer network characteristics on the relationship between perceived activity space risk and substance use among a sample of 250 urban adolescents. Significant interactions were found between peer networks and perceived activity space risk on tobacco and marijuana use, such that protective peer networks reduced the effect of activity place risk on substance use. A significant 3-way interaction was found on marijuana use indicating that gender moderated peer network's effect on activity space risk. Conditional effect analysis found that boys' peer networks moderated the effect of perceived activity space risk on marijuana use, whereas for girls, the effect of perceived activity space risk on marijuana use was not moderated by their peer networks. These findings could advance theoretical models to inform social–environmental research among adolescents.     

在暗娼中预防AIDS综合干预研究

目的 降低暗娼感染HIV的危险性。方法 营造支持环境，对暗娼实施流动宣传和100％的安全套推广使用，提供规范的、可及的性病诊治服务，开展同伴教育等综合干预措施。结果 目标人群的性病艾滋病防治知识的知晓率得到了普遍的提高，能正确回答有关艾滋病传播途径8个条目的人数从7％上升到96％；安全套使用率明显提高，与临时性伴侣最近一次性行为使用安全套的比例从34．7％上升到84％；性传播感染(STI)的感染率从61．4％下降到36．7％；在目标人群中建立了一支同伴教育者队伍。结论 对暗娼实施综合干预可有效降低STI的感染率和感染HIV的危险性。     

Clinical reporting of radiographs by radiographers: Policy and practice guidance for regional imaging networks

ObjectivesRadiographer reporting is an essential component of imaging across the United Kingdom. Since the previous policy and practice guidance in 2004 the role and contribution of reporting radiographers has changed significantly. The move to imaging networks further reinforces the need for consistency in scope of practice and clinical governance for radiographer reporting.Key findingsThis guidance provides a consistent, evidence-based template for planning a reporting service, resourcing, clinical governance, preceptorship, volume and frequency of reporting, a peer learning framework and expected standards.ConclusionDeveloped for North Central and East London, this framework and standards will help reduce unwarranted variation.Implications for practiceConsistency in practice could help maximise the contribution of radiographer reporting.