Self-defining memories among persons with mental health, substance use, cognitive, and physical health conditions: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Self-defining memories (SDMs) are important for identifying one's purpose in life, achieving goals, and overcoming challenging situations. Individual studies have demonstrated differences in the characteristics of SDMs between clinical and non-clinical populations. This systematic literature review aimed to summarise and compare SDM characteristics among those with mental, substance use, cognitive, neurodevelopmental, and physical health challenges. METHODS: Peer-reviewed English-language studies were included if they evaluated SDMs in these groups. RESULTS: Thirty-five studies (N = 3123) were included. SDM content across all clinical populations tended to focus on illness themes. SDMs were generally less specific and integrated in those with mental health or substance use disorders as compared to non-clinical populations. SDM specificity and integration findings were more mixed in those with cognitive, neurodevelopmental, and physical health challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Specific differences emerged between groups of individuals which may be related to illness characteristics, recovery trajectory, and individual differences in the ability to understand and process difficult life events.

Perceptions of medical school among high school students in southwestern Ontario.

INTRODUCTION: Canadian medical students are more likely to come from urban and high-income areas and to have well-educated, professional parents. Physicians who grew up in rural areas are more likely to serve in rural and lower-income areas. We identify perceptions held by rural high school students regarding the affordability and attainability of a medical education. METHODS: We distributed a survey to high school students who attended the MedQUEST Health Career Exploration Program in southwestern Ontario. The survey assessed socioeconomic background and perceived barriers to a medical education (including affordability as well as encouragement and discouragement from others). RESULTS: Of the 119 attendees, 106 (89.1%) completed the survey. Of the students who were interested in becoming physicians, most expected to fund their medical education through scholarships (56 [69.1%]), parental support (50 [61.7%]) or student employment (45 [55.6%]). However, less than half of all respondents (48 [45.3%]) provided reasonably correct estimates for annual medical tuition fees. If at least 1 parent had a postsecondary education, respondents were less likely to cite affordability as a barrier to attending medical school (p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Although students interested in obtaining a medical education cited affordability as a potential barrier, many were not aware of the actual cost of attending medical school. We found an association between perceived affordability of medical school and parents' level of education. To define this relation further, research is needed to collect more accurate data on family income. Students may benefit from more information about funding opportunities for medical school.

Eastern equine encephalitis in Tennessee: 2002-2008.

Human and equine outbreaks caused by eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus (EEEV) typically occur in North America adjacent to coastal wetlands associated with the presence of Culiseta melanura (Coquillet) mosquitoes. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) is an emerging disease in Tennessee, as the first records of equine disease began in 2002. In 2006 we trapped and tested mosquitoes for EEEV at hardwood swamps in western Tennessee that were at the epicenter of a multi-equine outbreak in fall of 2005. Additionally, the Tennessee Valley Authority tested mosquito pools collected in Tennessee swamps from 2000 to 2007 for the presence of arboviruses. Two pools of EEEV positive Culex erraticus (Dyer and Knab) mosquitoes were found (one each in 2003 and 2004) in a county adjacent to where the 2005 outbreak occurred. In 2008, another EEE outbreak involving multiple horses occurred in West Tennessee. A brain specimen was collected from a horse during this outbreak and the first isolate of EEEV from Tennessee was obtained. In total, 74,531 mosquitoes collected from 2000 to 2008 were tested via polymerase chain reaction and VecTest for EEEV. The traditional enzootic vector, Cs. melanura, was found in low numbers at all collection sites. Cx. erraticus, however, was consistently found in high numbers and was the only mosquito species in which EEEV was detected. We suggest that EEE transmission may be maintained by Cx. erraticus in a nontraditional cycle. We discuss the importance of a nontraditional cycle from the perspective of EEEV adaptation and emergence.

Host feeding patterns of potential vectors of eastern equine encephalitis virus at an epizootic focus in Tennessee.

In 2006, 2,817 blood-fed mosquitoes were collected from the site of a 2005 eastern equine encephalitis outbreak in Chester County, TN. Using a polymerase chain reaction-based assay, 264 vertebrate hosts were identified from seven mosquito species. Culex erraticus and Cx. nigripalpus fed on a diversity of mammalian, avian, and reptilian hosts, whereas Anopheles quadrimaculatus and An. punctipennis were predominantly mammalophagic. Overall, 27% of Cx. nigripalpus, 16% of Cx. erraticus, and 7% of An. quadrimaculatus blood meals were acquired from avian hosts. No avian-derived blood meals were identified from An. punctipennis. The house finch, Carolina wren, and mourning dove were the most commonly identified avian host species. By incorporating this study with flight range, vector competence, and virus field isolation data, we assessed certain aspects of the enzootic and epizootic vectorial capacity of the mosquito species present at this outbreak site.