Dr. Rahill publishes article in online journal
Dr. Guitele Rahill, Social Work, recently published an article, "Correlates of Picuriste Use in a Sample of Health-Seeking Haitian Immigrants and Adult Children of Immigrants in Miami-Dade County, Florida," co-authored with Dr. Christopher Rice, in the American Journal of Public Health. The article appeared as an e-publication in February and also appears in the April 2010 edition of the journal (American Journal of Public Health, April 2010; 100: S140 - S145.) Dr. Rahill and Dr. Rice explored covariates of the use of picuristes (traditional health workers with no formal medical training who provide intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intravenous injections, typically with non-sterile needles) in the Haitian community of Miami–Dade County, Fla. They surveyed a community-based sample of 205 Haitian immigrants and adult children of Haitian immigrants. Through logistic regression analysis, they sought to corroborate the correlates of picuriste use identified in previous qualitative interviews of picuristes and their clients. The pair discovered that picuriste injections had been obtained by 17.6% of our respondents. After control for demographic characteristics, they found that participants who reported that a trusted person recommended a picuriste were 3.9 times as likely as participants without a recommendation to have used a picuriste. Similarly, participants who believed that the benefits associated with picuriste use were worth any resulting problems were 4.5 times as likely as those without this belief to have patronized a picuriste. Drs. Rahill and Rice concluded that a significant minority of their sample patronized picuristes. The data they collected identified factors associated with picuriste use and shed light on a frequently hidden cultural health behavior.

Prof. Alley attends conference, presents workshop
Stacy Alley, Theatre, recently attended the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) in Lexington, Ky., where she presented the workshop,”Musical Theatre Dance for ‘Actors Who Move Well.’” Alley also served on the Stage Movement Committee and was named co-chair of the new Musical Theatre Committee. Additionally, Alley attended the conference in order to start casting “A Chorus Line,” which she will be directing and choreographing this summer at Forestburgh Playhouse in Forestburgh, N.Y. Alley received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and her Master’s degree from the University of Alabama.  She teaches courses in acting, dance, voice and movement. The SETC is the largest and most active regional theatre organization in the country  and recognizes that the theatre arts are a necessary and expressive means by which the human community may come to understand and celebrate itself and that the southeastern United States has a rich cultural diversity and legacy. The SETC's purpose is to provide services and educational programs for those individuals and organizations engaged in theatre in the southeast.

Dr. Finnicum, Dr. Bryant, Mathis present research
Dr. Paul A. Finnicum, Health Promotion, Dr. Lance G. Bryant, Physical Education, and Mitchell J. Mathis, Physical Education, along with Dr. John S. Green from Texas A and M and Dr. Jeffrey B. Zeiger from the Alternative Fuels Institute, recently presented their research at the March 16-20 National Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) Convention and Exposition in Indianapolis, Ind. Their presentation was "Courses are so much Cooler Online with Twitter and Facebook.”

Dr. McGregor, Dr. Maness give invited presentation
Dr. Loretta Neal McGregor, chair, Psychology, and Dr. Don Maness, Teacher Education, and dean, College of Education, were invited to give a presentation at the 27th annual Academic Chairperson’s conference, held in Orlando, Fla., in February. Their presentation, "Academic Incivility: Here Comes the Bully," was based on research the pair conducted at various Arkansas colleges and universities. The Academic Chairperson’s conference is designed to provide practical information, for department chairpersons and academic deans in higher education, which will assist them in serving more effectively.

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