Patients rated interpretation services highly no matter how they were provided but experienced only the method employed at the time of the encounter. Providers and interpreters were exposed to all three methods, were more critical of remote methods, and preferred videoconferencing to the telephone as a remote method. The significantly shorter phone interviews raise questions about the prospects of miscommunication in telephonic interpretation, given the absence of a visual channel, but other factors might have affected time results. Since the patient population studied was Hispanic and predominantly female care must be taken in generalizing these results to other populations.
BackgroundMobile phone–based interventions present a means of providing high quality health care to hard-to-reach underserved populations. Migrant farm workers (MFWs) are among the most underserved populations in the United States due to a high prevalence of chronic diseases yet limited access to health care. However, it is unknown if MFWs have access to mobile phone devices used in mobile health (mHealth) interventions, or if they are willing to use such technologies.ObjectiveDetermine rates of ownership of mobile devices and willingness to use mHealth strategies in MFWs.MethodsA demonstration of mHealth devices and a survey were individually administered to 80 Hispanic MFWs to evaluate use of mobile phones and mHealth devices and willingness to use such technologies.ResultsOf the 80 participants, 81% (65/80) owned cell phones capable of sending and receiving health-related messages. Most participants (65/80, 81%) were receptive to using mHealth technology and felt it would be helpful in enhancing medication adherence, self-monitoring health conditions, and receiving quicker medication changes from their doctors (median scores ≥4 on 5-point Likert scales). Relations between age and attitudes toward using mHealth were not statistically significant.ConclusionsHispanic MFWs have access to mobile phones and are willing to use mHealth devices. Future work is needed to comprehensively evaluate the degree to which these devices could be used.
This study focuses on sentence completion and recidivism of juveniles referred to teen courts for disposition by their peers as an alternative to judicial sentencing. More than 70 percent of the referrals completed their sentences, and just less than a third recidivated over a 1-year follow-up. In multivariate models, sentence completion was significantly less likely among persons sentenced to community service, and recidivism was significantly higher among juveniles with prior records and those who were sentenced to curfews. The findings imply the need for teen courts to be guided by sound program development efforts that are based on research so that they may circumvent the panacea phenomenon.
This paper describes a qualitative evaluation of a small-scale program aiming to improve health information literacy, leadership skills, and interest in health careers among high school students in a low-income, primarily minority community. Graduates participated in semi-structured interviews, transcripts of which were coded with a combination of objectives-driven and data-driven categories. The program had a positive impact on the participants' health information competency, leadership skills, academic orientation, and interest in health careers. Program enablers included a supportive network of adults, novel experiences, and strong mentorship. The study suggests that health information can provide a powerful context for enabling disadvantaged students' community engagement and academic success.
Models demonstrating an evidence-based approach to the integration of nursing education, research, and practice are needed to ensure excellence in the nursing profession. Using a theoretical framework of community-engaged scholarship, this article describes a program developed by the Medical University of South Carolina's College of Nursing linking advanced practice, service learning, and applied clinical research for nurse-midwifery faculty and students, while meeting the perinatal healthcare needs of a group of underserved women. Principles of community-based partnerships and integration of scholarship and research in a clinical discipline provide a pragmatic structure to describe and facilitate replication of the program.
Objective: To test the feasibility of using cell phone technology to provide video medical interpretation services at a distance. Materials and Methods: Alternative cell phone services were researched and videoconferencing technologies were tried out to identify video products and telecommunication services needed to meet video medical interpretation requirements. The video and telecommunication technologies were tried out in a pharmacy setting and compared with use of the telephone. Results: Outcomes were similar to findings in previous research involving video medical interpretation with higher bandwidth and video quality. Patients appreciated the interpretation service no matter how it is provided, while health providers and interpreters preferred video. Conclusion: It is possible to provide video medical interpretation services via cellular communication using lower bandwidth videoconferencing technology that provides sufficient quality, at least in pharmacy settings. However, a number of issues need to be addressed to ensure quality of service.
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