Social work student attitudes toward contraception and the HPV vaccine

The purpose of the current study was to examine social work student attitudes toward the social work profession's perspective on certain aspects of reproductive health in the United States: contraception, emergency contraception, and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Students at a large, public, land grant university were surveyed to determine whether their personal attitudes were in line with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) stance on reproductive health outlined in the NASW policy statement on family planning and reproductive health. The relationship between levels of religious activity and attitudes toward these aspects of reproductive health was also examined. Results suggest that almost all of the respondents support public funding for family planning. Furthermore, almost all students indicate willingness to refer clients for general contraception. However, results related to emergency contraception indicate that 72% of students disagree that it should be available for adolescents over the counter, even with parental consent, which is inconsistent with the NASW perspective. Sixty-four percent of students report believing that the HPV vaccine is unsafe. Further, as levels of religious activity increased, acceptance of some of these aspects of reproductive health decreased. Implications for social work practice, education, and directions for future research are discussed.     

The disconnect between perceptions of health and measures of health in a rural appalachian sample: implications for public health social workers

This study compared perceived and objective health status among a population with elevated risk of chronic disease in rural, Appalachian Kentucky, in order to inform the practice efforts of public health social workers. Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 203 adults recruited through a mailed invitation. The participants ranged in age from 20 to 93 (M = 50.8, SD = 13.5), 115 (56.7%) and nearly all were Caucasian, reflecting the demographic composition of the population of the area. Although 75% of the study population was overweight or obese, over 60% perceived their health status as good, very good, or excellent. Less than half reported engaging in physical exercise, and only 25% reported eating at most one serving of fruits or vegetables in the past week. The results suggest clear discrepancies between perceived health status and objective indicators of health risks in the study sample. Public health social workers who provide health education and advocacy for this population will need to consider these discrepancies when developing practice approaches for individuals residing in this and other similar communities.     

Fluoxetine-induced bradycardia and syncope in two patients

Fluoxetine appears to cause a low incidence of adverse cardiac effects. An uncommon but potentially hazardous effect of fluoxetine therapy, however, is bradycardia accompanied by faintness or syncope. The authors report two cases in which this adverse effect occurred. They hypothesize that the mechanism of bradycardia in these cases represents a direct central nervous system effect of increased serotonin on medullary cardiovascular regulation.