IIA
AS
SW
WR
R LLiissttsseerrvv A
An
nn
no
ou
un
ncceem
meen
nttss
M
Maarrcch
h1
16
6,, 2
20
00
05
5
Compiled as a resource to advance social work education, practice, and policy through social work research.
For more information about IASWR visit www.iaswresearch.org. See subscription information below
IIN
N TTH
HIISS IISSSSU
UEE –– C
Clliicckk bbeelloow
w ttoo ggoo ddiirreeccttllyy ttoo sseeccttiioonn
 CALLS
 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
 CONFERENCES/TRAINING
 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
 NEWS AND NOTICES
 ONLINE RESOURCES
 RESEARCH FINDINGS
C
CA
ALLLLSS
Unable to read the file in
.html format? CLICK
HERE to download a
word version.
TOP
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: CWLA: 8th NATIONAL CHILD WELFARE DATA CONFERENCE
www.nrccwdt.org
July 20-22, 2005
Washington, DC
Deadline: March, 21, 2005
The National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology sponsors this conference to
improve positive outcomes for families and children and conducting ongoing quality assurance. Abstracts
of no more than 250 words may be emailed to nrccwdt@cwla.org.
CALLS FOR ABSTRACTS: AMERSA 20TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE
www.amersa.org
October 27-29, 2005
Bethesda, MD
Deadline: May 15, 2005
Theme: Substances, Services and Systems’ Change. The Association for Medical Education and
Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA) is a multidisciplinary organization of health care professionals
dedicated to improving education in the care of individuals with substance abuse problems. Abstracts will
be accepted in three categories, a.) scientific research, b.) programs and curricula evaluation, c.) clinical
case presentation.
CALL FOR PAPERS: NONPROFIT AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR QUARTERLY
www.spea.iupui.edu/nvsq
The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly is the official journal of the Association for Research on
Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA). Members of ARNOVA receive the journal as a
membership benefit. The Quarterly welcomes queries or finished papers that report research on
voluntarism, civil society, citizen participation, philanthropy, and non-profit organizations. Editors rare
Wolfgang Bielefeld and Dwight Burlingame both at Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis.
Visit the journal online at http://nvsq.sagepub.com .
CALL FOR STUDIES FOR SYSTEMATIC REVIEW – CAMPBELL COLLABORATION
Contact: Therese Dalsbø (t.dalsbo-alumni@lse.ac.uk)
Please help reviewers find relevant studies on CBT to prevent intimate partner violence. The review team
is working on: Did cognitive behavioural treatment work for men who physically abuse/batter their female
spouse/partner/wife? Do you know of any studies (both published and unpublished) that meet our
Inclusion criteria for studies to this systematic review: All randomised, including cluster randomised
controlled trials are included in this review. Participants in the included studies must be physically violent
male spouse abuser/batterer. Women who abuse their spouses/partners are excluded from this review.
Trials, which also include persons with multiple offending behaviour and/ or severe psychological
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
disturbances, will not be included. The control group can consist of persons who receive no intervention,
other intervention, or are on a waiting list. Interventions are CBT programs (included individual, group or
couple). The intervention can be voluntary or sentenced/ mandatory participation in a treatment program.
The interventions include programs that take place both inside or outside the prison. The duration of the
intervention should be a minimum of 10 weeks. The primary outcome measure is violent behaviour.
Other, secondary, outcomes can be improved self-esteem, reduced substance abuse, managing anger,
and emotional distress.
C
CA
ALLLL FFO
OR
RN
NO
OM
MIIN
NA
ATTIIO
ON
NSS
TOP
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: GUSTAVE LEINHARD AWARD
http://www.iom.edu/project.asp?id=5010
Deadline: April 30, 2005
The Institute of Medicine is now accepting nominations for the Gustav O. Lienhard Award, which will be
presented in Oct. 2005. The award, a medal and $25,000, recognizes individuals for outstanding
achievement in improving health care services in the United States.
C
CO
ON
NFFEER
REEN
NC
CEESS//TTR
RA
AIIN
NIIN
NG
G
TOP
HELPING DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING CLIENTS
www.crosscountryuniversity.com
Dates and sites vary: March 30 – April 15, 2005
This one day seminar is geared to mental health professionals who do not want to pass people off as
being “untreatable.” Course content includes reasons clients are difficult and/or resistant, a systematic
cognitive-behavioral approach, rational emotive hypnotherapy, and more.
2005 BUILDING BRIDGES CONFERENCE SET FOR APRIL 6-8
http://www.ahip.org/links/bridges2005/
April 6-8, 2005
Santa Fe, NM
Theme: Applying Evidence-Based Solutions to Health Care Priorities,
AHRQ, CDC, and America's Health Insurance Plans are co-sponsoring the 2005 Building Bridges
Conference: to be held. The conference will focus on critical health research areas, an ideal complement
to the keynote speakers who will examine the landscape of evidence-based policy, accountability, and
quality. The lineup of session speakers showcases innovative research from across the country.
CASA CONFERENCE
www.casacolumbia.org
April 21, 2005
Washington, D.C.
Theme: Missed Opportunity: Substance Abuse and Primary Care. Sponsored by the National Institute on
Drug Abuse and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and others, this conference will focus muchneeded attention on the unique opportunities of primary care providers to diagnose, intervene and treat
substance abuse and addiction. Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director of NIDA. will deliver a keynote
presentation. The early bird registration has been extended to March 31. Register online
http://pull.xmr3.com/p/6921-732B/98028182/clickto5_nm-templates-registration.asp.html.
BEST PRACTICES IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE: HIP FRACTURES
April 27, 2005
Little Rock, AK
Sponsored by four Arkansas health care and education organizations. Contact 501-661-7962 for full
agenda and registration form.
CWLA: CHILDRENS’ MENTAL HEALTH
www.cwla.org
May 2-4, 2005 Pre-conference Institutes, May 1
New Orleans, LA
Theme: Finding Better Ways: Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Children, Youth, and Families.
Sponsored by the Child Welfare League of America Walker Trieschman Center, the CSWL Behavioral
Health Division & the CSLA Mental Health Advisory Board, this conference is a showcase for agencies,
behavioral health professionals, researchers, and educators to share innovative and successful models
and emerging strategies to the increasing need of children and families for mental health services. Early
bird registration deadline is April 3.
2
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
CWLA: 2005 JUVENILE JUSTICE NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
www.cwla.orb/conferences
June 1-3, 2005
Miami, FL
Theme: Joining Forces for Better Outcomes. This symposium will provide tools to better integrate
services across systems of care to learn of program models, especially related to recent federal
legislation calling for states to improve coordination of services for youth through both the juvenile justice
and child welfare systems.
18th ASIA-PACIFIC SOCIAL WORK CONFERENCE
www.apswc2005.org
September 21-24, 2005
Seoul, Korea
Theme: Challenges and Responses of Social Work: Toward New Asia-Pacific paradigms. This
conference is organized by several international social work organizations, including the International
Federation of Social Workers. The region is facing social welfare challenges resulting from the process of
globalization, rapidly aging population, growing economic disparities within and between nations, and
international migrations. The conference seeks to explore how social welfare practitioners, educators,
and advocates could develop and promote innovative policies, strategies, practices and methods from
new Asia-Pacific paradigms.
COMMUNITY-CAMPUS PARTNERSHIPS FOR HEALTH SERVICE-LEARNING INSTITUTE
http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/1037/ccph
June 17-20, 2005
Cascade Mountains of Washington State
Deadline: April 15, 2005
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (http://www.ccph.info/, a nonprofit organization that
promotes better health through partnerships between communities and institutions of high education is
accepting applications for its 8th annual Introductory Service- Learning Institute which is designed for
both new and experienced service-learning practitioners (faculty, staff, and community partners). National
experts in service-learning -- health professional faculty who have incorporated community service into
their courses and community leaders who have developed service-learning partnerships with health
professions schools -- serve as institute presenters and mentors. Past institutes have drawn participants
from a wide variety of disciplines and professions, including medicine, dental hygiene, dentistry, nursing,
pharmacy, public health, physical therapy, pre-health professions, residency, and social work programs,
as well as those from public health agencies and community-based organizations that have servicelearning partnerships with such programs. Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as space is limited
to twenty-three participants.
2005 NATIONAL PUBLIC AGENCY ROUNDTABLE
October 17 – 19, 2005
Little Rock, ARK
Theme: Accreditation: The Path to Excellence. Sponsored by the Council on Accreditation (COA) , the
American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), and hosted by the Arkansas Division of Child
and Family Services. For more info contact Ryan McGuire at rmcguire@coanet.org
FFU
UN
ND
DIIN
NG
GO
OPPPPO
OR
RTTU
UN
NIITTIIEESS
TOP
CDC: URBAN NETWORKS TO INCREASE THRIVING YOUTH THROUGH VIOLENCE PREVENTION
http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/05042.htm
Letter of Intent Deadline: April 1, 2005 Application Deadline: May 2, 2005
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the availability of fiscal year (FY) 2005
funds for a cooperative agreement to build capacity within U.S. cities to collaborate, plan, and implement
youth violence prevention principles, practices, and concepts. This includes building a national
consortium of key stakeholders representing the viewpoints of United States cities that can inform and
support reframing the public discourse about youth violence prevention. This also includes developing
tools, strategies, and messages to build infrastructure and a broad base of support for youth violence
prevention and develop a national strategy to direct urban planning and action to prevent youth violence.
NIH/NCI: CANCER EDUCATION (R25E) GRANTS PROGRAM
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-05-065.html
3
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
This funding opportunity provides support: for innovative educational programs to motivate biomedical
and other health science students to pursue cancer related careers; for short courses to update cancer
research scientists in new scientific methods, technologies and findings; and for training of cancer care
clinicians and community health care providers in evidence-based cancer prevention and control
approaches. The funding opportunity also supports grants to develop effective approaches to
dissemination of research knowledge related to cancer prevention and control. In this funding opportunity
research dissemination refers to innovative education approaches designed to translate knowledge
gained from science (discovery) into public health and community applications (delivery). This funding
opportunity uses the R25 mechanism to provide up to five years of funding at up to $300,000 per year in
direct costs.
NIH/NIDA: MINORITY INSTITUTIONS' DRUG ABUSE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
(MIDARP)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-05-069.html
The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, is providing support to increase research capacity of minority
institutions to conduct research in drug abuse and addiction. Grants will be provided to foster research
career development of racial/ethnic minority faculty, students and staff who are underrepresented in drug
abuse research, and to enhance research infrastructure at minority institutions. Funding is available in the
amount of up to $350,000 per year in direct costs. The number of awards supported will depend on the
quality of the applications received. Awards will be made under the R24 mechanism.
NIH/NIDA: COLLABORATIVE MULTISITE RESEARCH IN ADDICTION (COMRAD)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-05-067.html
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) seeks to increase the collaboration of investigators at two or
more sites in order to address critical issues in the epidemiology, services, and prevention of substance
abuse and related disorders that require sample sizes greater than a single site can reasonably attain.
The expectation for the collaborative effort is that there will be implementation of common clinical or
community-based trials and/or measures across different sites in order to study participant/client
outcomes and effectiveness, services characteristics (e.g., accessibility, utilization, quality, cost), etiologic
risk/protective factors and trajectories, participant/client factors (including patient response, burden, and
adherence), implementer factors (including clinical decision making), setting characteristics (including
financing, organization, management, technology, and physical and/or environment/context), interactions
of these, or other effects where pooled samples are appropriate and necessary for the hypotheses under
study. Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it
is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. The total amount awarded and the
number of awards will depend upon the number, quality, duration, and costs of the applications received.
This funding opportunity will use the NIH Research Project Grant mechanism (R01) award mechanism.
DOJ/OJP: PROBLEM-SOLVING INITIATIVE GRANT
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/05PSCsol.pdf
Deadline: April 14, 2005
The Department of Justice has released the FY 2005 grant announcement for the Community-Based
Problem-Solving Criminal Justice Initiative. The Initiative's purpose is to improve court and community
outcomes and reduce recidivism.
DOJ/OVC: RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
http://www.ovc.gov/fund/pdftxt/solicpublicawareness.pdf
GMS Registration Deadline: March 31, 2005
Application Deadline: April 14, 2005
Office of Victims of Crime is offering a total of $350,000 for up to 10 awards, ranging from $25,000 to
$75,000, to raise the awareness of underserved populations, particularly socially isolated immigrant
communities, about victims' rights and how to access local crime victim services.
GRANTS AVAILABLE TO INCREASE INVOLVEMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN
NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/1033/cncs
Deadline: April 12, 2005
Up to $5.1 million in grant funds are available from the Corporation for National and Community Service
4
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
(http://www.nationalservice.org/) to support partnerships that engage people with disabilities in national
and community service. The special competition will focus on two areas: engaging disabled veterans in
service to their communities, and assisting young people with disabilities in the transition from school to
adult life. The grant competition is open to public and private non-profit organizations, including
educational institutions, with experience working with disabled persons and which intend to operate
projects in at least three states. Partnerships among organizations that do this work are encouraged as
well. Grant funds may be used to provide, among other purposes, information about volunteer service to
disabled populations or to help service organizations adapt programs to encourage greater participation
by individuals with disabilities. The Corporation for National and Community Service expects to make one
to five awards ranging in amounts from $1 million to $5.1 million for a period not to exceed three years.
(From Foundation Center’s RFP Bulletin, 3/11/05)
AETNA FOUNDATION REGIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTH GRANTS PROGRAM
http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/1040/aetna
Deadline: Various
The Aetna Foundation (http://www.aetna.com/foundation/), a philanthropic program of Hartford-based
Aetna, is inviting proposals for its Regional Community Health Grants Program. The program provides
funding focused on reducing disparities in health care among racial and ethnic populations in eligible
geographic areas. In 2005, Aetna will devote up to $2.6 million to regional initiatives to address this
issue. Grant requests ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 that address one of the following areas will be
considered: 1) Cultural Competency: Training and education for health- care professionals, including
culturally appropriate End-Of-Life care training. Preference will be given to organizations that require this
training and can demonstrate participation and pre-and post-training results. 2) Disease prevention,
awareness, and delivery of culturally sensitive care and services related to children's oral health,
community-based screening, treatment, and/or family education initiatives regarding the importance of
dental care; diabetes initiatives targeting individuals and families with prevention and healthy behavior
modification messages to help combat the growing incidence of type 2 diabetes in children and adults;
and screening, education, and outreach efforts to enhance early identification, diagnosis, and treatment of
depression in youth and adults. Only programs serving eligible geographic areas are eligible to apply.
Proposals are accepted only through the Aetna Foundation's online system. See the foundation's Web
site for program guidelines, eligible geographic areas, regional deadlines, and application procedures.
LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION INVITES RESEARCH PROPOSALS ON CANCER
SURVIVORSHIP AND TESTICULAR CANCER
http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/1042/laf
Deadline: May 13, 2005 (Letters of Intent)
The Lance Armstrong Foundation (http://www.laf.org/) aims to fund research that is not readily fundable
from traditional sources and encourages and supports the efforts of both established and young
investigators in the early stages of their research careers. Since its inception, LAF has awarded more
than $9.7 million in research grants. In 2005, proposals will be accepted in two areas: cancer survivorship
and the basic and clinical science of testicular cancer. The foundation offers funding for Young
Investigator Research Awards of up to $50,000 per year, and Research Awards of up to $75,000
annually, in the areas of cancer survivorship and testicular cancer research. Young investigators are
defined as within eight years of completing a terminal degree or within five years of initiating independent
research within a mentored laboratory, while general research awards support new research projects
initiated by established investigators.
N
NEEW
WSS A
AN
ND
DN
NO
OTTIIC
CEESS
TOP
AHRQ NEW CERTS PROGRAM BRIEF ON CHILD HEALTH AVAILABLE
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released a new program brief on child health
research conducted by AHRQ's University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Centers for Education and
Research on Therapeutics (CERTs), which devotes its research solely to studying therapies for children.
The program brief summarizes child health research on evaluating drugs in children with HIV, blood
glucose monitoring of children with type 1 diabetes, prenatal and early erythromycin exposure and pyloric
stenosis, effect of tetracycline on bacterial resistance, and increased antibiotic-resistant pathogens in
Hispanic children. Also, information to help patients and providers, including asthma improvement
strategies and tools for diagnosing and managing ADHD, are provided. Select to read the program brief.
5
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
A print copy is available by sending an e-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov. For an overview of AHRQ-funded
child health research go to http://www.ahrq.gov/research/childr04.htm .
NIH 2006 BUDGET CONGRESSIONAL JUSTIFICATION INCLUDES NEW OFFICES
(From the CAHT-BSSR, 3/16/05)
According to the NIH’s FY 2006 congressional justification, Dr. Elias Zerhouni, NIH Director, plans to
create a new office to improve the management of the agency’s large and complex scientific portfolio.
Office of Portfolio Analysis and Strategic Initiatives. With the growth and increasing complexity of the
agency, NIH has moved aggressively to transform its management strategies and decision making
processes. To harmonize and better coordinate decisions that may affect the entire agency, the NIH
director established in 2003 the new NIH steering committee composed of 9 institute directors. This was
followed by the elimination of numerous standing or ad hoc management committees now replaced by
five working groups (management and budget, extramural affairs, intramural affairs, IT, and Facilities),
thus greatly streamlining the decision making process and insuring clearer accountability across all
corporate agency function while preserving the autonomy of ICs in their mission specific areas.
The agency is successfully engaging in trans NIH initiatives such as the Roadmap, the Trans NIH
Obesity Research Plan and the emerging Neuroscience Blueprint. It is, however, time to focus additional
attention to creating better institutional tools to analyze, assess, and manage the NIH wide research
portfolio and to provide better information tools to support priority setting decisions in areas of common
interest to all ICs. With the growth of the agency, IC based programs need to have access to more
consistent information to enable greater synergy when appropriate and to have more established
mechanisms to plan their research investments, especially those which require coordination across
multiple ICs. New analytic tools and systems need to be developed and implemented as part of an
improved executive decision support system to improve the management of our large and complex
scientific portfolio. This will allow NIH to more efficiently address important areas of emerging scientific
opportunities and public health challenges. A new organizational structure will be established and staffed
for this purpose.
In FY 2006, the NIH plans to create a new office within the Office of the Director-the Office of Portfolio
Analysis and Strategic Initiatives (OPASI) -- which will provide tools to facilitate planning for trans-NIH
initiatives, including an improved process for collecting IC data on expenditures on various diseases,
conditions, and research fields, and improvements in data about burden of disease. The office will also
develop, with input from the ICs, common processes and formats, where necessary, for the conduct of
NIH-wide planning and evaluation. For trans-NIH planning efforts, the office will seek broad public inputfrom the public, health care providers, policymakers, and scientists-in addition to soliciting advice from
within NIH. The office will coordinate and make more effective use of the NIH-wide evaluation process.
NATIONAL INHALANTS & POISONS AWARENESS WEEK RESOURCES
http://www.inhalants.org
March 20-26 is National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week. NIDA, and SAMHSA’s CSAT and CSAP,
plus more than 2000 organizations throughout the world sponsor this 13 th annual event. Coordinator’s Kits
include media campaign guides, statistics on US inhalant use, and suggested campaign activities.
UCSF: HIV RESEARCH DISSEMINATION FACT SHEETS
www.caps.ucsf.edu
The University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies produces
research-based fact sheets in both English and Spanish, available by calling 800-458-5231 or through
website above. Recent topics include: What do we know about HIV superinfection? What is the role of
male condoms in HIV prevention? What is the role of disclosure assistance services in HIV prevention?
NIH CHANGES CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING GRANT PROPOSALS
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/peer.htm
The National Institutes of Health has updated its Criteria for Evaluating Research Grant Applications to
better accommodate clinical, interdisciplinary, and translational proposals. Information is available from
the NIH Office of Extramural Review Peer Review Policy and Issues website (above).
6
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
O
ON
NLLIIN
NEE R
REESSO
OU
UR
RC
CEESS
TOP
AMERICAN INDIAN CRIME AND JUSTICE STATISTICS
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/aic02.htm.
“American Indians and Crime: A BJS Statistical Profile, 1992-2002” is available from the Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS) website above. This 56 page document summarizes data on American Indians in the
criminal justice system and reports the rates and characteristics of violent crimes experienced by
American Indians. This report updates a previous BJS report, American Indians and Crime, published in
1999. The findings include the involvement of alcohol, drugs, and weapons in violence against Indians.
Single copies of the printed version of this report are available for free. Order online from the National
Criminal Justice Reference Service at http://virlib.ncjrs.org/bjs/statordr.asp. Use NCJ Number 203097.
CORRECTIONS STATISTICS BY STATE
http://www.nicic.org/WebTopic_346.htm
This interactive Web application provides state-level corrections statistics and charts showing national
rankings. The site provides detailed statistics covering crime, population, incarceration, and community
corrections. See how your state compares to other states and the national average.
NIH/BSSR LECTURES SLIDES AND VIDEOS ONLINE
Recent NIH Behavioral and Social Science Research Lectures speakers' slides and/or videos of their
presentations have been posted on http://obssr.od.nih.gov/bssrcc/BSSRLectures_Winter05.htm and
http://obssr.od.nih.gov/bssrcc/BSSRLectures_Fall04.htm. Videos are available now for
(http://obssr.od.nih.gov/bssrcc/BSSRLectures_Fall04.htm):
 Culture and Point of View by Richard E. Nisbett, Ph.D.
 Your Money or Your Life: Understanding the Value of Biomedical Advance, by David Cutler, Ph.D.
R
REESSEEA
AR
RC
CH
H FFIIN
ND
DIIN
NG
GSS
TOP
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE LINKED TO INSULIN
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-03/l-rdl030205.php
Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown Medical School have discovered that insulin and its
related proteins are produced in the brain, and that reduced levels of both are linked to Alzheimer's
disease. The findings are reported in the March issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (http://www.jalz.com), published by IOS Press. "What we found is that insulin is not just produced in the pancreas, but
also in the brain. And we discovered that insulin and its growth factors, which are necessary for the
survival of brain cells, contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's," says senior author Suzanne M. de la
Monte, a neuropathologist at Rhode Island Hospital and a professor of pathology at Brown Medical
School. "This raises the possibility of a Type 3 diabetes." The research was funded by NIAAA.
AGING BRAIN FUNCTION AND EDUCATION LEVEL
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2005/03/14/eline/links/20050314elin024.html (Reuters Health, 3/14/05)
Individuals with higher levels of education tend to have better preservation of brain function in later life and this may be associated with greater activity in the frontal lobe of the brain, according to a report in the
March, 2005 issue of the medical journal Neuropsychology. it seems that the frontal cortex is engaged by
older people "as an alternative network" to aid the thought process. "Higher education is associated with
a number of things, such as better health, hobbies, type of leisure activity, etc.," Dr. Cheryl L. Grady from
University of Toronto, Ontario, told Reuters Health. "All these factors probably influence cognitive function
and brain activity." Grady and colleagues used MRI during memory tasks performed by 14 young adults
(18 to 30 years old) and 19 older adults (65 years or older) to examine the effect of age on the
relationship between education and brain activity. In older adults, higher education level was associated
with activity in the frontal lobe of the brain, whereas lower education level was associated with activity in
other regions of the brain. The patterns were opposite in the younger adults, the report indicates. "The
main finding from this experiment, and its novel contribution, is that the brain regions associated with
years of education and overall memory ability differ with age," the authors write. The results provide
7
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
further evidence for an age-related alteration in the regions controlling cognition and suggest that the
brain region engaged by highly educated older adults may reflect a type of "cognitive reserve" or
alternative network used to aid the thought process, the investigators point out. "The aging process is
quite variable and is not associated with general decline in cognitive function," Dr. Grady concluded.
"Older adults with more education are likely to be those with 'successful aging,' and this seems to be
related to how effectively they use their frontal lobes."
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING MAY BE HELPFUL IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/500800?src=mp
Cognitive behavioral social skills training added to usual care improves social functioning for middle-aged
and older outpatients with schizophrenia, according to the results of a randomized trial published in the
March issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. "Cognitive behavioral social skills training teaches
cognitive and behavioral coping techniques, social functioning skills, problem solving, and compensatory
aids for neurocognitive impairments," write Eric Granholm, PhD, from the Department of Veterans Affairs
San Diego Health Care System, and colleagues. "Whereas cognitive behavior therapy focuses on how
beliefs affect behavior and mood, social skills training focuses on practicing pragmatic skills of living." In
this controlled trial, 76 middle-aged and older outpatients with chronic schizophrenia were randomized to
either treatment as usual or to combined treatment including cognitive behavioral social skills training
administered for 24 weekly group sessions. Raters blinded to treatment assignment assessed social
functioning, psychotic and depressive symptoms, cognitive insight, and skill mastery. After treatment,
patients in the combined treatment group performed social functioning activities significantly more often
than did the patients in the usual care group. However, general skill at social functioning activities was not
significantly different between groups. The combined treatment group also fared better than the treatment
as usual group in terms of greater cognitive insight, more objectivity in reappraising psychotic symptoms,
and greater skill mastery. Although the overall group effect was not significant for symptoms, the greater
increase in cognitive insight with combined treatment was significantly correlated with greater reduction in
positive symptoms. Study limitations include moderately small sample size; lack of a control for
nonspecific therapist contact factors; exclusion of patients with current comorbid substance dependence,
which may also limit generalizability of the findings; and lack of ratings of distress or dysfunction caused
by symptoms……Researchers should continue to develop and test group and individual cognitive
behavior therapy interventions that are tailored to the unique needs of different subgroups of patients with
schizophrenia and identify which treatments are most effective for which patients and in what
circumstances." The Department of Veterans Affairs, National Institutes of Mental Health, and the
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression supported this study.
DEALING WITH CONFLICT IN CARING FOR THE DYING PATIENT
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-03/uopm-dwc031505.php
How can a dying patient's family members and physicians get along when faced with difficult decisions on
end-of-life treatment? The medical and emotional issues surrounding the care of a dying patient are both
stressful and complicated, as highlighted in the Journal of the American Medical Association Clinician's
Corner – Perspectives on Care at the Close of Life, which highlights the case of an 84-year-old woman
with advanced dementia whose advance directive states that she does not want artificial nutrition or
hydration. Over the course of her illness, her family and physicians conflict about the use of a short-term
feeding tube and intravenous hydration. From this case study, authors Robert M. Arnold M.D., Leo H.
Criep chair in patient care, professor of medicine, and chief, section of palliative care and medical ethics
at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine along with Anthony L. Back, M.D., an oncologist and
medical ethicist from the University of Washington, Seattle sought ways to identify conflict and make
recommendations on how to avoid the pitfalls and recognize disputes by employing useful communication
tools. The five major types of conflict the authors identified include physician-family conflict, physiciannurse conflict, physician-physician conflict, family-family conflict and physician-patient conflict. The
authors suggest one way to avoid these types of conflicts is to negotiate a course of treatment in which all
parties have a say in how best to proceed with patient care so that potential conflicts may be solved in
advance of the situation. The authors also discuss how showing empathy is important because many
family members of critically ill patients often have a lot of anxiety, sadness and frustration over their loved
one's situation. Finally, using a step-wise approach, the authors recommend the following course of
action if a dispute should erupt over patient care. The first step is to recognize that a conflict exists. A
8
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
person cannot fix something unless they see the context of the problem. The next step for physicians is to
prepare themselves for negotiation by identifying what happened and empathize with the family and their
emotions. Once the physician is ready to negotiate with the family, the physician must begin the
conversation in a non-judgmental manner. The authors suggest addressing and focusing on the problem
instead of the person. Physicians need to listen carefully to the family members' concerns, respond
empathetically and look for options that meet the needs of both parties. If the conflict still exists, it may be
necessary to involve an impartial person who can act as a mediator.
PACEMAKERS LINKED TO HEART FAILURE
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=534&u=/ap/20050315/ap_on_he_me/pacemakers_heart_failure&printer=1
People with the most common pacemaker types are more likely than similar people without pacemakers
to die from or be hospitalized for gradual heart failure, sometimes within six months, according to a large
study confirming doctors' belief the life-saving devices actually harm some patients. The study, in the
March issue of The American Journal of Cardiology, was based on hospital records and death certificates
from a huge database of New Jersey patients. For some patients, replacing the pacemaker with a new
type designed to prevent damaging strain on the heart's key pumping chamber could prevent heart
failure, said Dr. Michael Sweeney, director of heart devices implantation at Brigham and Women's
Hospital in Boston……About 175,000 pacemakers are implanted in this country each year…..In the study
of more than 23,000 New Jersey hospital patients, those with a pacemaker that stimulated both the right
chambers of the heart had a 36 percent higher risk of hospitalization or death from heart failure than a
comparison group of people in similar health but without a pacemaker. Among patients who had a
pacemaker implanted that only stimulated one right chamber, there was a 59 percent higher risk. From
1997 through 1999, 11,426 patients with no history of heart failure had pacemakers implanted at New
Jersey's 85 hospitals. Freudenberger's team combed the next three years of records for those patients
and a matched group without a pacemaker. All had an average age of 75 and were similar in race, sex
and prevalence of some heart-related conditions, such as high blood pressure and past heart attack....
LOW INCOME HOUSING MOBILITY AIDED BY SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
http://www.urban.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&NavMenuID=3&Template=/TaggedContent/ViewPublication.cfm&PublicationID
=9191
Families with housing vouchers are 52 percent more likely to move to low-poverty neighborhoods if they
receive housing search assistance, a new study by researchers Mary Cunningham and Noah Sawyer, coauthors of "Moving to Better Neighborhoods with Mobility Counseling," from the Urban Institute shows.
The study, which looked at Chicago's Housing Opportunity Program (HOP), provides the first evidence
that mobility-counseling programs can help families move out of high-poverty neighborhoods. Black
households are 62 percent less likely to move to "opportunity neighborhoods," where less than 23.5
percent of the residents live below the federal poverty level, than white and Hispanic voucher holders.
Voucher holders receiving welfare assistance are 21 percent less likely to move to an "opportunity
neighborhood" than those not receiving welfare. Public housing families are 18 percent less likely to
move to low-poverty neighborhoods than other voucher holders. Households with wage earners are 13
percent more likely than their unemployed counterparts to move to "opportunity neighborhoods."
As household size increases by one bedroom, the probability that a family will move to a low-poverty area
declines by 11 percent. HOP and similar efforts can help more families make successful transitions, the
researchers suggest, by targeting economically stable households, offering intensive housing-search
assistance to families who have more difficulty moving, focusing on follow-up services for those who have
moved, and providing services that help participants gain access to jobs and education opportunities. The
Housing Choice Voucher Program, a federal-local effort begun in 1974, serves almost 2.1 million
households and ranks as the largest program providing affordable housing to America's poor families.
Voucher holders pay 30 to 40 percent of their monthly income on private-market rental units and utilities.
The federal government makes up the difference…To help families move to "opportunity neighborhoods,"
HOP provides housing search counseling and unit referrals, free credit reports and budget counseling,
transportation to view units, expedited housing inspections, workshops on landlord-tenant law, and postmove support and house visits. It also manages a loan fund for making security deposits.
WORKPLACE HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMS SHOW 16:1 RETURN ON INVESTMENT
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/510424/?sc=dwhp
9
IASWR Listserv Announcements
3/16/05
Health promotion in the workplace can positively affect the bottom line for companies and the waistline for
employees, according to Brigham Young University researchers in a study published in the latest issue of
the journal “Preventive Medicine” which explains that employees who participate in workplace health
promotion programs miss fewer workdays than those who choose not to participate, with the decrease in
absenteeism translating into a cost savings of nearly $16 for each dollar spent on the program. "This is
just another reason companies should offer and encourage participation in wellness programs,” said
Steven Aldana, director of the research team and professor of exercise science at BYU. Depending on a
company’s size, between 2.5 and 4.5 percent of the money spent on salaries goes to absent employees.
By implementing wellness programs, Aldana estimates that companies can save millions of dollars
annually. Aldana’s co-authors on the study include BYU professors Ray Merrill and Ron Hager, BYU
graduate student Kristine Price and Aaron Hardy of the Washoe County School District in Reno, Nev. The
study examined the health claims costs and absenteeism of 6,246 employees and retirees from the
Washoe County School District in Reno over 6 years. Employees’ participation in the school district’s
wellness program was associated with an estimated savings of more than $3 million in absenteeism costs
when compared with non-participants. “The findings are important because, although investment in health
promotion is not large, it has a large payback for organizations,” said Nico Pronk, vice president of the
Health Partners Center for Health Promotion in Minneapolis. “Perhaps more importantly, it shows that
such programs are able to keep people more functional and on-the-job. Although this is certainly
important from an employer's perspective, the ultimate winner is the individual who enjoys better health
on a daily basis.”
IIA
ASSW
WR
R LLIISSTTSSEER
RVV IIN
NFFO
OR
RM
MA
ATTIIO
ON
N
IASWR Online Archives
To Subscribe to the IASWR Listserv:
Send email to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.SC.EDU
Leave subject line blank and type in message area:
Subscribe iaswrlst then your firstname and lastname
To Unsubscribe from IASWR Listserv:
Send email to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.SC.EDU
Leave subject line blank and type in message area:
Signoff iaswrlst
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors  Council on Social Work Education
Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education  National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social
Work  National Association of Social Workers  Society for Social Work and Research
Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research
750 First Street, NE, Suite 700  Washington, DC 20002-4241
Phone: 202-336-8385  Fax: 202-336-8351
Email: iaswr@naswdc.org  Web site: www.iaswresearch.org
10