Examines the relationships among race-related stress, quality of life indicators, and life satisfaction among elderly African Americans. Results indicated that elderly African American men and women differed significantly with regard to institutional and collective racism-related stress. In addition, institutional racism-related stress was a…

Surveys rural gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people (GLBT) and inductively analyzes their responses to open-ended questions regarding aspects of being GLBT in that area. "Best things" included close relationships, high quality of life, involvement with GLBT social networks, and self-acceptance. "Worst things" included…

The study, with 47 mothers and their young children with handicaps, found that personal and family well-being, and to a lesser extent social support, were significantly related to child behavior characteristics, and that well-being and child behavior characteristics were significantly related to child progress. (Author/DB)

This symposium overview examines the outcomes of standards established in Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded to receive Medicaid funding. The argument is made that, although regulations have provided cleaner environments and better documented procedures, they lack in provisions promoting personal, moral, and educational…

A transition planning process that focuses on quality-of-life outcomes is presented. The process, which views employment not as an outcome but as a vehicle for the attainment of quality of life, involves six steps: orientation, personal profile development, identification of employment outcomes, measurement system, compatibility process, and…

The well-being and adaptation of 30 adult Vietnamese refugees living in Greensboro, North Carolina, were evaluated 6 months after their 1986 arrival. Women have adapted slightly better than men; adjustment problems may increase in time. Recommends further study of this community as well as additional aid. (DM)

A quality-of-life index proposed as an outcome and criterion measure for goodness-of-fit between persons and their environments was tested on data from 685 Nebraska community-based mental retardation programs. Administrative and programmatic uses of the information are discussed. (Author/MSE)

Administered life satisfaction questionnaire to 199 French-speaking older adults in Montreal, living in nursing homes and in the community. Found that elderly persons living in regular community housing, in low-cost community housing, and in high self-determination nursing homes had similar levels of life satisfaction, and more satisfaction than…

Assessed Quality Of Life (QOL) and symptoms similar to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women posttreatment for breast cancer. Negatively related PTSD symptomatology to QOL, income, and age. Time since treatment, type of cytotoxic treatment, and stage of disease were unrelated to PTSD symptoms. Suggests that in breast cancer survivors,…

Literature review on social exclusion and disadvantage in rural Europe suggests that rural poverty arises from unemployment, low wages, and, most significantly, inadequate income in old age. Discusses difficulties in identifying rural incidence of exclusion and disadvantage, as well as the need for such research in light of major ongoing social…

Evaluates a social work program in a rural community designed to promote autonomous decision making by educating elderly people (n=32) about advance directives. Results revealed a continuum of willingness to address future decision making. The primacy of the family emerged throughout the study, suggesting that advance directives may be a family…

Examines the impact of family foster care placement, as experienced by several children ages 11 to 14. Found that the children described their lives and circumstances positively for the most part, despite the fact that placement caused severe disruption for the children because of the necessity of blending into new neighborhoods, schools,…

The growing number of people with AIDS and the incidence of suicide within this population make it increasingly likely that the mandatory suicide intervention strategy of many professionals may be swayed after contact with an infected person. Thus, AIDS may provide an impetus to change the traditional absolutist approach of suicide intervention…

Perceived quality of life was compared among 10 individuals with disabilities in supported community employment, 10 individuals in sheltered workshops, and 9 individuals without disabilities. Supported community employment was positively related to number of leisure activities, self-esteem, use of leisure time, involvement in activities, mobility,…

A survey of handicapped people (19,135 usable responses or 3.5 percent of the population) in a French region was conducted, utilizing personal contacts with the recurring involvement of mediators. The survey attempted to establish a database thoroughly describing all handicapped people according to age, type of impairment, type of lodging, and…