Families, Systems, & Health

The Don Bloch Award: Presented by the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association to Alexander Blount, EdD October 29, 2011.
Presents the Don Bloch Award to Alexander "Sandy" Blount. The authors remark that the modern era of integrated, collaborative primary care would look very different but for the influence of Sandy Blount. They comment that very few people cleave so closely in their professional lives to the things they say they believe in as has Sandy, and feel he is the very embodiment of integrated care. The authors share their respect and appreciation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
The Don Bloch Award: Remarks presented October 29, 2011 at the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Presents remarks from Alexander Blount, recipient of the 2011 Don Bloch Award from the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association Conference. "It is impossible for me to express how honored I am to be chosen by the Board of the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA) to receive the Don Bloch award. The most important reason for the passion, for the commitment to the work, is the patients." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Child coping and parent coping assistance during the peritrauma period in injured children.
Pediatric physical injury is a very common, potentially traumatic medical event that many families face each year. The role that child or parent coping behavior plays in emotional recovery from injury is not well understood. This study described coping used by children and coping assistance implemented by parents in the early aftermath of a child's injury. Ten child–parent dyads participated in individual semistructured interviews that were audiorecorded, transcribed, and coded using hierarchical coding schemes. Study findings highlight reliance on a broad range of coping strategies. Although children and parents report some similarities in their perceptions of child coping, parents do not recognize all the coping strategies that children report. This suggests potential for improvement in parent–child communication concerning coping techniques. Parents report a limited number of coping assistance strategies, indicating a niche for preventive programs. Further research should examine coping during the peritrauma period as it relates to physical and emotional outcomes to inform secondary prevention programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Integration of behavioral health services in a primary care clinic serving rural Appalachia: Reflections on a clinical experience.
In the past few decades, there has been a move toward integrating behavioral health and medical services. This can be particularly beneficial for rural residents, as integration can increase access to mental healthcare in areas where there are shortages of mental health providers. Southern Appalachia is characterized by isolated areas that have shortages of both mental health and medical providers. This article discusses the experiences of a clinical psychology doctoral student integrating behavioral health services in a primary care clinic within rural Southern Appalachia. The role of the behavioral health consultant is described, including representative services and development and implementation of a clinic-wide depression protocol. Additionally, barriers to integration and recommendations for future training and practice are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Mano a Mano: Improving health in impoverished Bolivian communities through community-based participatory research.
Mano a Mano (Spanish translation: “Hand to Hand”) is a nonprofit organization that is working in partnership with underserved Bolivian communities to cocreate medical infrastructures and to improve health. Using community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods, Mano a Mano engages local government and community leaders, health care providers, educators, and ordinary citizens in a manner that taps local strengths and resources to allow all participants to work together to realize this mission. After describing Bolivia's call for improved access to high quality care in its poor and underserved rural areas, we outline the Mano a Mano's CBPR approach and sequence to answer this call, the culmination of its efforts to date (including the establishment of 119 health care facilities), lessons learned, and next steps in the formal evaluation and extension of this collaborative work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Individual and family strengths: An examination of the relation to disease management and metabolic control in youth with type 1 diabetes.
We examined the association of youths' positive qualities, family cohesion, disease management, and metabolic control in Type 1 diabetes. Two-hundred fifty-seven youth−parent dyads completed the Family Cohesion subscale of the Family Environment Scale, the Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale, 24-hour diabetes interview, and youth completed the Positive Qualities subscale of the Youth Self Report (YSR-PQ). Structural equation modeling demonstrated that YSR-PQ scores were associated with metabolic control mediated by associations with more family cohesion and better disease management. That is, youth with higher YSR-PQ scores had more cohesive families, better disease management, and, indirectly, better metabolic control. Family cohesion was indirectly associated with better metabolic control mediated by its association with better disease management, but not mediated by its association with YSR-PQ scores. Youth who reported more positive qualities, as measured by the YSR-PQ subscale, had better disease management and metabolic control through the association with more family cohesion. However, the current results did not support an alternative hypothesis that cohesive families display better diabetes management mediated by higher YSR-PQ scores. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Amable: To the memory of Maria Guerrero.
In this poem, the author recalls his doctoral education. The poem is dedicated to the memory of Maria Guerrero, a woman the author knew who received a terrible medical prognosis, but still remained strong. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Annual physical: Dedicated to M. Gupta, MD.
In this poem, the author discusses the feelings associated with dealing with AIDS. The patient-doctor relationship is explored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
This is progress?
In this poem, the author discusses the advancement of technology in the medical field. He also explores the impact of such technological advances have on therapeutic processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Savings.
In this poem, the author discusses the toll medical expenses and lack of insurance can take on a patient. The author uses the example of a diabetic patient without health insurance, having to get their foot amputated and being financially wiped out in order to pay for the medical expenses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
August 11th.
In this poem, the author shares his experience of being a medical student and having to perform an emergency c-section. The poem's title refers to the birth date of the author and the baby he helped deliver. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Safe.
In this poem, the author discusses a patient who is hiding a secret from her doctor. The patient has bruises, and cannot decide whether to come forward with the truth or not. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)
Constraint(s).
In this poem, the author examines the grief a patient can have when she loses a pregnancy. The author readily admits how difficult it is to put the longing felt by both patient and doctor into words. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)

Families, Systems, & Health - Vol 29, Iss 4