Employability in Academe for Athletic Trainers With the Doctor of Athletic Training Degree

ContextThe doctor of athletic training (DAT) degree has recently been introduced into academe. Limited literature exists regarding how individuals with this degree can become part of an athletic training faculty.ObjectiveTo identify department chairs'' perceptions of the DAT degree and determine whether they viewed the degree as viable when hiring new faculty within a postbaccalaureate professional athletic training program.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingOnline survey instrument.Patients or Other ParticipantsA total of 376 department chairs who had oversight of Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education athletic training programs were invited to participate. Of these, 190 individuals (50.5%) accessed the survey, and 151 of the 190 department chairs (79.5%) completed all parts of the survey.Main Outcome Measure(s)A web-based survey instrument consisted of several demographic questions and 4-point Likert-scale items related to perceptions of the DAT degree. Independent variables were degree qualifications, advanced degree requirements, institutional control, student enrollment, current faculty with a clinical doctorate, and institutional degree-granting classification. The dependent variables were the department chairs'' responses to the survey items.ResultsMore than 80% of department chairs were moderately or extremely familiar with the concept of an advanced practice doctoral degree, and 64% believed it would be extremely to moderately beneficial to hire someone with this degree in the athletic training program. Furthermore, 67% of department chairs were very likely or likely to hire someone with a DAT degree and expected they would do so in the next 5 years. Characteristics associated with higher perception scores were lower institutional student enrollment, having more current faculty with an advanced practice doctoral degree, and a lower institutional degree-granting classification.ConclusionsDepartment chairs recognized the DAT degree as a viable degree qualification for teaching in professional athletic training programs. Future researchers should examine the need for athletic trainers with the DAT degree in clinical practice settings.     

Is Isolated Systolic Hypertension Worse Than Combined Systolic/Diastolic Hypertension?

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012;14:808–809. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. New developments in cardiovascular translational sciences have significantly advanced our understanding of the endovascular biology of blood pressure. Reductions in vascular elasticity and vessel compliance of conduit arteries are key components of both ISH and SDH. Vascular changes from the matrix metalloproteinase family of enzymes are involved in arterial wall remodeling and vascular stiffness. This new translational information helps further our understanding of both ISH and SDH.     

The Role of Health Literacy in Predicting Multiple Healthcare Outcomes Among Hispanics in a Nationally Representative Sample: A Comparative Analysis by English Proficiency Levels

Health literacy (HL) research among Hispanics currently focuses on individuals with limited English proficiency but impacts of HL on healthcare outcomes among other English language proficiency groups is relatively unknown. Regression models assessed associations between HL and healthcare outcomes for Hispanics overall (n = 4013) and for proficiency level sub-populations using the 2007 Pew Hispanic Health Survey. Overall, Hispanics with adequate HL percieved US medical care as “excellent,” were more satisfied with their doctor’s help, and reported “excellent” overall health. In the sub-population analysis, “excellent” perception of US healthcare was associated with HL among the Spanish and English dominant groups. Among bilinguals, adequate HL was associated with decreased use of traditional medicine. The effect of adequate HL varied within English proficiency groups. HL research that focuses only on Spanish dominant speakers can exclude a substantial percentage of English proficient or bilingual populations who have low HL.