Joan Jurich’s research while affiliated with Ohio University and other places

Objective: The objective was to determine if there is a relationship between patients' financial responsibility (out-of-pocket expenses) and placement of long-acting, reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods among girls and women living in Appalachia who expressed interest in LARC device placement. Study design: A retrospective chart analysis of patients prescribed an intrauterine device (IUD) or an etonogestrel implant between December 2011 and July 2013 in an Appalachian private practice was performed. Of the 571 identified patients aged 13 to 50, the majority were Caucasian (98.7%) and using Medicaid (53.2%). Outcomes measured the patients' decision regarding whether to use LARC after being informed of out-of-pocket expenses. Results: There was a dramatic increase in the proportion of patients who had LARC methods placed if expense was under $200 (p<.001). Placement rate for privately insured patients was 86.6$200 compared to 27.8% for those who paid $200 or more. Medicaid patients, for whom the device was free, had a 78.0$100 patients had to pay out of pocket, the odds of deciding to use the prescribed LARC method decreased. Conclusions: LARC methods are utilized significantly more often when out-of-pocket cost is low. Cost appears to be a significant barrier to device placement for the group of privately insured Appalachian patients with out-of-pocket expenses over $200. Despite the improvements in coverage for many women provided under the Affordable Care Act, cost may remain a barrier for privately insured women who are required to pay some or all of the cost of LARC methods. Implications: Unintended pregnancy rates in the United States remain high, especially in Appalachia. One contributing factor is reliance on user-dependent methods which have significantly high typical use failure rates. Placement of LARC methods for more patients could decrease unintended pregnancy, but device costs may be one barrier to utilization, even for those with private insurance.

Undergraduate students reported whether they had ever seen or heard about mothers and fathers engaging in each of four behaviors during “moms” and “dads” weekends: drinking too much, dancing inappropriately, flirting with students, and kissing students. A substantial percentage of students reported observing and hearing about parents engaging in drinking, dancing, and flirting, with significantly higher percentages reported for mothers than fathers. Findings suggest the need to further examine parents' inappropriate behaviors, the motivations underlying them, and student responses to these behaviors during mothers' and fathers' weekends. The article concludes with implications for programming for family weekends on college campuses.

One source of cultural messages for adolescents is the novel. According to Reader Response theory, readers interact with the text to construct meaning. This process makes novels an effective tool for facilitating parent-child communication. The current qualitative study examined the parent-child relationships portrayed in The Twilight Saga. Five themes emerged through inductive analyses. This paper includes a comparison of the themes in the novels with the literature on parent-adolescent relationships. We also offer suggestions to Family Life Educators regarding how to use the novels with parents and teens to facilitate communication about parent-child relationships.

Focusing on the uncertainty of low-income mothers' lives, this qualitative study examined the family experiences of 57 Appalachian low-income mothers. With scarce economic resources, mothers forged identities that expressed the centrality of motherhood, concentrated their activities within traditional family expectations, and made decisions that often resisted federal welfare reform expectations for work and family. Work and family policies that acknowledge the commitment of low-income, rural mothers to their children and create supportive employment options for them are needed. Parenting education programs that broaden mothers' understanding of child discipline are recommended.