Quality of life in boarding houses and hostels: a residents' perspective.

In the last forty years deinstitutionalization has transferred the care of people with a serious mental illness from the psychiatric hospitals to community based facilities. More recently it has been questioned whether these new facilities offer the anticipated benefits of quality of life. This study examines the Quality of Life (QOL) of people diagnosed with schizophrenia living in two different accommodation facilities, hostels and boarding houses. QOL is examined from the resident's perspective. Lehman's (1988b) QOL Interview was used to measure objective, subjective, and global QOL of 60 participants in three hostels and two boarding house clusters. Hostel and boarding house data were compared and results showed that residents preferred boarding house accommodation. Overall, residents of both accommodation facilities reported satisfaction with QOL, and indicated that they regard them as asylum or sanctuary from the outside world.

Prediction of cervical cancer screening using the theory of reasoned action.

Rates of Pap smears among 72 adult women were shown to be suboptimal and predicted indirectly by attitudes and subjective norms. Women perceived these examinations to be unpleasant and embarrassing.

Developmental status and AIDS attitudes in adolescence.

We postulated that among adolescents and young adults, the development of consistent and responsible attitudes with respect to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) precautions would follow a pattern similar to that of the development of a sense of identity. Late-adolescent trainee teachers and nurses (N = 262) were administered identity and intimacy measures and a questionnaire measuring attitudes toward and knowledge of AIDS prevention. Attitudes were shown to be conceptually complex, with dimensions expressing the identity statuses of diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and achievement. Few relationships were found between AIDS attitudes and sex, course, measures of identity, or intimacy. However, attitudes toward AIDS precautions and identity status were predictive of future intention to use a condom. Intimacy level was negatively related to such an intention, suggesting that those in steady relationships may not recognize the need for AIDS protection.

PIP: Researchers hypothesized that the development of consistently responsible attitudes among adolescents and young adults toward the prevention of HIV infection follows a pattern similar to that of developing a sense of identity. In the hope of gaining information useful for future education program interventions, they therefore explored attitudes regarding AIDS precautions among a group of youths aged 18-25 years with consideration of their developmental level. They conceptualized attitudes toward AIDS, developed items reflecting diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and achievement statuses in development, and assessed their relationships to identity and intimacy, while predicting overall that general maturity, as measured by high identity and intimacy, would relate positively to precautionary attitudes toward AIDS. 67 male and 195 female 1st- and 2nd-year college students volunteered to respond to 2 questionnaires on identity and intimacy formation, and attitudes toward AIDS. While asked if they expected to use a condom the next time they had sexual intercourse, respondents were not questioned about actual sexual behavior. Little relationship was found between AIDS attitudes and psychosocial development. Identity status and attitudes toward AIDS precautions were, however, predictive of future intention to use a condom. Intimacy level was negatively related to intended condom use, suggesting that those in long-term monogamous relationships, or those searching for them, might fail to see the need for protection against HIV infection. Such persons may constitute a special population at risk for AIDS.

Adolescents' attitudes towards AIDS precautions and intention to use condoms.

This study investigated attitudes toward AIDS precautions of 370 15- and 16-yr.-old secondary school students. Attitudes reflected levels of apathy, denial, and confusion high enough to lead to concern for this potentially high-risk group. Intention to use condoms in future sexual encounters was related to sex, conflict and confusion about AIDS precautions, plus other attitudinal variables.

PIP: This is the 1st study of adolescents' attitudes toward taking precautions to prevent contracting HIV/AIDS, taken from a survey of 370 Australian secondary school students aged 15-16, based on theory of Erikson and Marcia. The 4 stages of Marcia, of Erikson's developmental stage of identity development, are 1) identity diffusion, characterized by apathy; 2) foreclosure, with preliminary choices taken from parents, peers or fashions; 3) moratorium, where teens are searching for direction, but need more clarification, and may be confused on in conflict over attitudes, values and beliefs, and 4) identity achievement, with choice and commitment. A questionnaire of 19 items was administered to teens with parental permission. While 83% knew that condoms may prevent spread of HIV, 38% had never thought about using them. 30-70% answered questions as though they were in the identity diffusion stage. 5% stated they did not intend to use condoms, while 63% said they did. Status-linked questions were subjected to discriminant function analysis. Those intending to use condoms tended to be cautious, responsible, good communicators, female, more knowledgeable, with positive attitudes toward sexual planning, and fewer negative attitudes toward condoms. The undecided group scored high on moratorium items, suggesting that they would be easier targets for sex education, peer group discussions and values clarification. This study suggested that adolescents cannot be considered identical, even with 1 sex, and that changes in attitudes can be approached in steps.