Cultural socialization in families with internationally adopted children.
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Cultural socialization attitudes, beliefs, and parenting behaviors were examined in families with internationally adopted children. The authors hypothesized that parents with lower color-blind racial attitudes would be more likely to engage in enculturation and racialization parenting behaviors because they hold stronger beliefs in the value and importance of cultural socialization. Using data from the Minnesota International Adoption Project, the results support this mediation model of cultural socialization. Individual variations in cultural socialization also are discussed in terms of child development and shifting adoption attitudes and practices. (+info)
The health and well-being of adopted children.
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OBJECTIVE: We compared the health and well-being of adopted and biological children and examined whether observed differences may be a result of differences between these 2 groups in demographic characteristics and special health care needs. METHODS: The 2003 National Survey of Children's Health was funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, and was conducted as a module of the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The nationally representative sample consisted of 102,353 children, including 2903 adopted children. We compared estimates for 31 indicators of health and well-being for adopted and biological children and present adjusted estimates that control for differences in demographic characteristics and special health care needs prevalence. RESULTS: Adopted children are more likely than biological children to have special health care needs, current moderate or severe health problems, learning disability, developmental delay or physical impairment, and other mental health difficulties. However, adopted children are more likely than biological children to have had a preventive medical visit or a combination of preventive medical and dental visits during the previous year, to receive needed mental health care, and to receive care in a medical home; they are more likely to have consistent health insurance coverage, to be read to daily, or to live in neighborhoods that are supportive, and they are less likely to live in households in which someone smokes. These differences between adopted and biological children remain statistically significant even after adjustments for differences in demographic characteristics and the prevalence of special health care needs. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that, although adopted children may have poorer health than biological children, their parents may be doing more to ensure that they have needed health care and supportive environments. (+info)
TRICARE; certain survivors of deceased active duty members; and adoption intermediaries. Interim final rule.
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This interim final rule implements two provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (NDAA FY06), Public Law 109-163. First, Section 715 of the NDAA FY06 extends the time frame certain dependents of Active Duty Service Members (ADSM) who die while on active duty for more than 30 days shall receive TRICARE medical benefits at active duty dependent payment rates. Second, Section 592 of the NDAA FY06 modifies the requirement for those intermediaries who provide adoption placements. Additionally, this interim final rule makes an administrative clarification to the following two eligibility provisions: those placed in the legal custody of a member or former member; and those placed in the home of a member or former member in anticipation of adoption. This clarification makes a distinction between the two groups and specifies that for placement into legal custody by court order, the court order must be for a period of 12 consecutive months. Public comments are invited and will be considered for possible revisions to the final rule. (+info)
Prevalence of intestinal parasites in the area of Parma during the year 2005.
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BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK: Intestinal parasitosis represent a relevant clinical problem, especially in developing countries, where they are responsible for morbidity and mortality in adults and children and many epidemiological data are available for these areas. The actual situation of intestinal parasitosis in Europe is not yet well investigated since they are usually not notified. We describe the occurrence of intestinal parasitosis in our laboratory from January to December 2005. METHODS: We considered all patients (1117) whose stool samples were sent to our laboratory with the suspect of intestinal parasitosis during the year 2005. Each specimen was subjected to macroscopic and microscopic examination to demonstrate the presence of worm eggs, larvae, protozoan trophozoites or cysts and to an immunochromatographic assay to detect Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium spp. specific antigens. Cultures for protozoa and helminths were carried out and a PCR specific for Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar was also performed. RESULTS: Our results indicated that 148 patients (13.24%) were affected by intestinal parasitosis. Among the 951 Italians, 96 (10%) were infected, while out of a total of 166 foreigners 52 had intestinal parasitosis (31%). Moreover, we found that 113 infections were caused by only one parasite while 35 were mixed infections. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal parasitosis represent a remarkable cause of gastrointestinal disease and our study demonstrates that these infections are quite common in our area, affecting both Italians and non European citizens from developing countries. (+info)
Measles among adults associated with adoption of children in China--California, Missouri, and Washington, July-August 2006.
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On August 15, 2006, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MoDHSS) was notified of a measles case in a Missouri resident who had recently traveled to China. The patient had traveled with a group of 11 families seeking to adopt children from three orphanages in Guangdong Province. Members of the group, which was sponsored by a Missouri-based adoption agency, traveled separately but stayed at the same hotel in Guangdong Province during July 13-27. This report describes the multistate investigation that followed, which identified two additional measles cases. None of the three patients recalled contact during travel with anyone who appeared ill. All three patients recovered fully, and no secondary cases were identified among family members, other travelers, patients, or medical staff who might have been exposed. Because of delays in diagnoses (the earliest case was identified 2 weeks after rash onset), no control measures (e.g., vaccination of contacts or administration of immunoglobulin) were indicated. Communicable diseases that are no longer endemic in the United States continue to occur among travelers, often resulting in delayed recognition and delayed notification of public health authorities. Because of the risk for spread in the community of imported communicable diseases such as measles, thorough investigation is needed to determine possible sources of infection and the extent of disease spread in the community. (+info)
Attitudes about infertility interventions among fertile and infertile couples.
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BACKGROUND: There has been marked progress in the development of infertility interventions. This paper reports attitudes about 11 interventions for infertility. METHODS: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with each member of 185 infertile and 90 presumed fertile couples in southeastern Michigan. RESULTS: Seven of these interventions were generally viewed favorably and four were generally viewed negatively, regardless of the couple's fertility status. Infertile couples viewed all interventions, except for adoption, more favorably than did fertile couples. Multidimensional scaling was used to cluster the interventions according to similarity in endorsement. These clusters form a continuum from interventions that allow only one member of the couple to be a biological parent to the most noninvasive techniques. All clusters remain roughly equidistant from adoption, in which neither member of the couple is a biological parent. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions that produce a child who is biologically related to only one member of the couple were viewed most negatively. Members of couples who were receiving fertility treatment made finer discriminations among infertility interventions than did individuals who had not received treatment. (+info)
Factor structure and clinical implications of child behavior checklist/1.5-5 ratings in a sample of girls adopted from China.
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OBJECTIVE: This study assessed psychometric properties of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1.5-5) and explored clinical insights from its use in a sample of adopted Chinese girls. METHODS: Parental ratings were obtained on 707 adopted Chinese girls, ages 1.50-5.92 years (M = 3.24, SD = 1.26). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), employing robust weighted least squares estimation, was used to evaluate the instrument's seven-factor correlated structure. Profiles of scores were analyzed descriptively for clinical insights. RESULTS: The CFAs indicated that the fit of Achenbach and Rescorla's (2000 Manual for the ASEBA preschool forms & profiles. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Research Centre for Children, Youth, & Families) model to the data obtained from the adopted Chinese girls was acceptable using either a 2-point response scale or the original 3-point response scale for the 67 items from which the seven syndromes or correlated factors are derived. Values for the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) for the 2-point and 3-point response scales were .049 and .053, respectively. The RMSEA of .049 for the model using the dichotomously scored items was slightly better than what Achenbach and Rescorla (2000) reported for the same model (.06). CONCLUSIONS: The study provides additional evidence of the factorial validity of the CBCL/1.5-5 and supports its use with Chinese girls adopted into North American families. While the Chinese girls showed similar or better behavioral adjustment, compared to a reference group from the CBCL's normative sample, they tended to manifest higher levels of sleep problems. (+info)
The International Adoption Project: population-based surveillance of Minnesota parents who adopted children internationally.
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OBJECTIVES: To conduct the first population-based surveillance in the United States of parents who adopted children from countries outside of the United States. METHODS: A 556-item survey was mailed to 2,977 parents who finalized an international adoption in Minnesota between January 1990 and December 1998; 1,834 (62%) parents returned a survey. RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent of the parents reported transracial adoptions (97% of the parents were white); 57% of the adopted children were Asian; 60% were female; and on average, the children were 18 months-old at the time of placement. Only 15% of the parents reported household annual incomes less than $50,000 and 71% reported they had college educations. Sixty-one percent traveled to their child's country of birth prior to the adoption. Almost three-quarters involved their children in experiences related to their birth countries and 98% would recommend international adoption. Three-quarters of the parents believe that parental leave was an issue for them as they adopted. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first population-based survey of U.S. parents who have adopted internationally. The adoptive parents were socioeconomically different than birth parents in Minnesota and their families are most likely to be transracial. Because international adoption has become more prevalent, it is important to understand the strengths and needs of families that are created through this unique form of migration. (+info)