Digital Commons Network^™

Inclusivity Of In Vitro Fertilization Clinic Websites, Erin Donahue

Honors Theses and Capstones

In the world, many people cannot naturally conceive children. They may be infertile, lack an intimate partner, or be in a same-sex relationship. Artificial reproductive technologies (ARTs) are catered to the aforementioned population. ARTs are fertility treatments that assist people with the fertilization of gametes and/or implantation of embryos. One of the most popular ARTs is in-vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is a medical procedure in which an egg is fertilized by sperm in a lab so it can develop into an embryo. That embryo can then be implanted directly into the uterus. This quality improvement project aims to determine the …

The Future Of Building: The Potential Impacts Of 3d Printing Within The Construction Industry, Alyssa Morrison

Honors Theses and Capstones

This research investigates the expanding practice of 3D printing in construction, focusing on its potential impacts and challenges it will face within the industry. Emphasizing both its sustainability and cost-saving benefits, this paper examines how 3D printing could potentially revolutionize traditional building methods. The ability to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, address the global housing shortage, and reduce material waste are addressed. Through interviews with industry professionals, as well as a thorough literature review, the research explores the factors driving interest and investment in 3D printing technology. Additionally, it analyzes common misconceptions regarding 3D printed structures and pinpoints areas for further …

Investing In Love: The Finances Of Getting Married, Allison Frances Ivers

Honors Theses and Capstones

In attempts to examine the influence vendors have on consumers within the wedding industry, this study investigates the emotional and financial extremes brides will achieve to attain their definition of a “perfect” day. Additionally, the research shows the relationship between consumer behaviors related to wedding spending. The findings highlight the economic impacts associated with the bridal industry and the trends that define it. Couples value their wants and needs with their desire to be married. Although vendors can dictate their margin of the market, the couples getting married hold the purchasing power. During the search for secondary research, there was …

Student Perspectives On The Adequacy Of Mental Health Curriculum Within The College Of Health And Human Services At Unh, Brianna Lee Meyer

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study aims to understand the confidence students in future healthcare oriented majors feel in regards to treating or interacting with individuals with mental health conditions. It also aims to understand the effect of students' in-major education, outside-major education, and lived experience on this confidence level. Students within the College of Health and Human Services at UNH were the participants who completed a short Qualtrics survey online. The survey collected data from Likert scales and short-answer questions. The Likert scales were then analyzed with a regression and descriptive statistics, while the short-answer questions were analyzed with thematic analysis. The study …

Investigating The Relationship Between Politics And Education, Alaina M. Winrow

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper looks into how politics plays a role in the public K-12 education system in the United States, specifically looking at the state of New Hampshire. Federal, state, and local governments provide important resources through funding to schools and create the laws that govern them. However, educational politics can be controversial at times. Within the past several years, there have been more tense school board meetings and divisive laws being passed or considered around the nation. Overall, the divisive political climate has influenced much of the discussion surrounding education and has created more stress for educators, administrators, school staff, …

Looking For The Answer: Exploring The Choice Between Ai And Search Engines, Joseph Driscoll

Honors Theses and Capstones

With the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence, consumers have found themselves faced with an abundance of options for information retrieval. This study is designed to explore when consumers choose to use an AI tool as opposed to a traditional search engine, as well as determining what the user segments look like for AI tools. The results of this study indicate that there are two AI user segments, along with a third segment of non-users that were not included in the study. One segment has fully embraced the use of AI, while the other has tested it and only uses it …

The Continuation Of Thoroughbred Racing: A Dual Mission, Isabella V. Williams

Honors Theses and Capstones

Thoroughbred racing is the highest-profile segment of the equine industry in the United States and around the world, accounting for 50% of industry jobs and 25% of industry revenue. Public interest in the sport is rising thanks to social media and celebrity involvement at marquee events like the Kentucky Derby, leading to increased scrutiny of the sport, posing a high risk to human and equine participants alike. Public outcry at equine injuries in particular threatens the sport’s social license to operate (SLO), making it critical to protect the “whole-life welfare” of the animals involved in the sport to ensure its …

A New Industry For Student- Athletes: An Analysis Of Nil Implications On Well-Being And Team Dynamics, Jamison W. White

Honors Theses and Capstones

As of June 2021, college athletes are allowed to benefit from selling their name, image, and likeness (NIL) by engaging in contracts with sponsors and businesses. Even though this law was passed to allow athletes to earn a fair pay for their hard work though utilizing their popularity and engaging with fans, its potential effect on athletes remains uncertain. This research examines the effects of NIL agreements on student-athletes’ well-being and team perceptions. More specifically, does the adoption of NIL place additional stress on student- athletes or disrupt their team dynamics? If so, what support can be granted to allow …

Does Hookup Culture Silence Women?, Kylee Rose Rock

Honors Theses and Capstones

The issue of hookup culture on college campuses is of concern to many feminist scholars, given the alarming rates of sexual assault and unsafe sexual experiences in the college setting. This essay argues that hookup culture has the ability to silence women by means of the social landscape which college-aged adults find themselves in today. Further, this essay examines the social experiences of young women on college campuses, and advocates for a change in social habits and scripts through reconsidering our approach to the anti-porn movement in today’s modern culture. Drawing upon literature from Rae Langton’s work, "Speech Acts and …

Feminist Environmental Ethics: A Modern, Intersectional Approach, Suzanne E. Scharff

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Peer Support To Enhance Safe Alcohol Use In University Students: A Quality Improvement Project, Kerri Reynolds

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: College is a period of transition to adulthood where many students experiment with alcohol consumption. Peer educators can bring access to evidence-based alcohol consumption education through student-centric strategies. This quality improvement project aimed to implement an evidence-based training program for college peer educators followed by the delivery of campus alcohol education in a six week period. Feasible ideas for sustainable college peer educator training were generated at this medium-sized public university. The impact of training on six peer educators’ self-reported professional leadership skills, knowledge, and confidence was measured.

METHODS: The Certified Peer Educator (CPE) training program (NASPA) was used …

Optimizing The Assisted Living Experience: Integration Of Value-Based Care To Foster Augmented Resident-Centered Quality, Jennette Pietrzak

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Fee-for-Service models are quantity-focused reactive approaches and have historically been at the forefront of healthcare. Value-based models focus on proactive, resident-centered care that is aimed at quality care over quantity. Implementation of ValueBased Care models can positively impact healthcare and fiscal outcomes

Purpose: The quality improvement project aimed to develop, integrate, and implement a valuebased model in Memory Care as an alternative to traditional Fee-for-Service models. The project aimed to improve key performance indicators by reducing hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and falls following the implementation of Value-Based Care (VBC) models.

Method: Data metrics for hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and …

Increasing Education And Staff Knowledge Of Delirium Care: An Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project, Serena Martinath

Master's Theses and Capstones

Introduction At a small, community hospital in Massachusetts a gap analysis was conducted leading to a quality improvement project to increase staff education and knowledge regarding delirium and evidence-based best practices for delirium care. Delirium is a growing, often under recognized medical condition that occurs in hospitalized patients (Loftus & Wiesenfeld, 2017). Delirium is characterized by acute changes in congnition, level of consciousness, and attention (Loftus & Wiesenfeld, 2017). A better understanding of this condition is expected to result in improved patient care.

Methods The clinical microsystem studied in this gap analysis project was assessed by using the AHRQ Gap …

“Slaves Of The State:” The Exploitation Of Women Through Convict Leasing, Beth F. Newton

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Imputation Strategies For Different Categories Of Missing Data, Karthik Chalumuri

Honors Theses and Capstones

Addressing missing data in research is crucial for ensuring the reliability and validity of study findings, yet it remains a significant challenge. This study investigates the impact of missing data on research outcomes and explores the underutilization of existing tools for managing missingness, potentially leading to gaps in critical information with tangible implications for decision-making processes (Dziura et al.).

Focusing on the different categories of missing data—Missing Completely At Random (MCAR), Missing At Random (MAR), and Missing Not At Random (MNAR)—this research examines various imputation strategies tailored to each category. Specifically, we compare the efficacy of several model-based imputation methods, …

Understanding Neurodiversity And Executive Disfunction To Discover More Effective Accommodations And Create A More Inclusive Workforce For Neurodivergent Individuals, Carley Dahlstrom

Honors Theses and Capstones

The goal of this paper is twofold. One: understand executive disfunction to gain a broader understanding of neurodiversity and the challenges those with neurodiversity face in the workforce. And two: research different accommodations to combat executive disfunction and evaluate their effectiveness. To accomplish these goals, an extensive literature review was conducted to understand neurodiversity, executive disfunction, government requirements relating to accommodations, and an exploration of current accommodations available. Additionally, research was conducted in the form of interviews and a survey to expand and add to the overall understanding of this research area.

Results of the survey indicate an overall lack …

Comparing Calcium, Vitamin D, And Calorie Intakes Among Unh Army Rotc Cadets With Low And Normal Bone Mineral Status, Ava Gaudette

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Understanding Hospital-Based Nurse End-Of-Life Care, Knowledge, And Comfort: A Quality Improvement Project, Emma Doran

Honors Theses and Capstones

Providing physical, emotional, and spiritual care to patients at the end of life (EOL) can relieve their suffering and the pain experienced by loved ones in their presence. As death approaches, patients’ symptoms may require increased comfort measures, and it is imperative that all nurses be properly trained and prepared to provide this care. In this quality improvement (QI) project, the End-of-Life Professional Caregiver Survey (EPCS) and demographic and experiential questions were administered in the form of a Qualtrics survey to nurses working on an acute care inpatient unit at a healthcare organization in New England. 18 survey responses were …

The Lighthouse Keepers Daughter: The Life And Work Of Celia Laighton Thaxter, Haley J. Parker

Honors Theses and Capstones

Living on the edge of the American empire, Celia Thaxter explored the dimensions of her life in ways that transcended, yet never fully abandoned traditional gender boundaries by cultivating her lifelong relationship with nature through creative expression. The lighthouse keeper's daughter constructed her identity based on the experiences that shaped her on the very edge of civilization. Coming of age on the Isles of Shoals, Celia reveled in flexibility and unrestricted freedom of her natural environment isolated from the cultural spheres on the mainland that reinforced the ideology of domestic femininity. This ideology was dominant in the 19th century in …

The Economic Impacts Of Digital Nomads In Medellin, Colombia, Bernadette Patricia Farmer

Honors Theses and Capstones

As a result of increasing internet accessibility and the rise in popularity and possibility of remote work following the COVID-19 pandemic, workers from advanced economies have applied the work-from-home routine while visiting different countries. These destination cities have lower living costs and remote workers can experience increased purchasing power and new cultures. To fully take advantage of their professional autonomy, these workers, known as digital nomads, stay in each international location for one to three months before traveling elsewhere – conveying their propensity for nomadism. Digital nomads (hereafter referred to as DNs) have economic impacts on their host cities in …

From It To Ai: Analysis Of Skill–Biased Technological Change In Europe, Stav Alkalay

Honors Theses and Capstones

The beginning of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution marks a significant shift in technological advancements, like the Information Technology (IT) revolution of the 20th century. This paper investigates the similarities between the two revolutions, examining evidence of skilled-biased vs. routine-biased technological change (SBTC vs. RBTC) in Europe. This paper examines the impact of information technology on labor markets, productivity, and income distribution by looking at past trends & data. It draws insights from a variety of economists to forecast trends in the age of artificial intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence And The Entertainment Industry, Caroline Rae Mccarthy

Honors Theses and Capstones

Artificial intelligence is a fast-growing technology that is quickly taking over many industries, such as the entertainment industry. Artificial intelligence has the capability to replicate voices, create fake videos and photos, called deepfakes, of just about anything, and can practically bring people back to life. This technology, as it stands now, is similar to the wild west because in the vast majority of places, it’s lawless. Artificial intelligence is growing so rapidly that lawmakers haven’t had a chance to keep up. This paper explains more of what AI does in everyday life, and how its abilities can impact the entertainment …

Developing A Gender Diverse Stimulus Set For Emotion Expressions, Amir Robertson

Honors Theses and Capstones

Much past research has demonstrated that gender plays an important role in emotion perception, such that gendered stereotypes about emotion seem to shape how we perceive and interpret the emotion expressions of men and women. However, the stimulus sets that are typically used in the vast majority of this research have been based on binary ideas of gender, and purposefully limit common elements of gender presentation, with models posing with limited accessories or personal aesthetic choices. In everyday life, however, individuals’ gender and gender presentation are not limited in these ways and likely contribute in important ways to how we …

Prospective Associations Of Fish Consumption In Cognitive Function And Depressive Symptoms Among Puerto Rican Adults, Johanna Grace Koroma

Honors Theses and Capstones

Johanna Koroma, Anne Bodenrader, and Sherman Bigornia

Objectives

Fish intake has been linked to certain neural benefits, specifically in slowing cognitive decline and attenuating depressive symptoms. However, existing evidence is conflicting and insufficient. The present study aimed to investigate the association of fish consumption with depressive symptoms and cognitive function among Puerto Rican adults.

Methods

Data is acquired from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, comprised of 1517 adults residing in the Boston Metro Area. Dietary patterns were evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with follow-up surveys conducted 2 years from baseline. Consumption was organized into quartiles based …

The Influence Of Drd2 Polymorphism Exon 8 C/T (Rs6276) On Manifestations Of Delirium Tremens & Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures, Naomi Schneider

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study explores the correlation between the DRD2 Polymorphism exon 8 C/T (rs6276) and manifestations of delirium tremens (DT). DT is a condition that is clinically diagnosed utilizing two characteristic symptom manifestations: the presence of delirium and severe alcohol withdrawal. It is not entirely understood why DT can occur in some patients, but evidence has suggested that genetic predisposition can play a role. Utilizing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research database and performing a secondary analysis of existing genomic data, this candidate gene association study aims to determine the genotype frequencies within three cohorts: a healthy …

Telehealth In The Wake Of Covid-19: The Impact Of Telehealth Expansion On Healthcare Access, Utilization, And Outcomes, Deirdre Ann Colburn

Doctoral Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented change to the healthcare industry, including a large and rapid shift to providing care through telehealth technologies. Though the expansion of telehealth services was successful in continuing to provide patients with care while preventing the spread of disease, it is less clear how patient sociodemographic characteristics influenced telehealth use during this time. Similarly, less is known about how or if state-level parity laws influenced rates of individual-level telehealth utilization. To address these areas of research, this dissertation does three things. First, I conducted a systematic review of the literature on demographic disparities in telehealth access, …

Parental Bonds And Mental Health Treatment In Adolescence: An Analysis Of Disparities By Race And Sex, Jonni Norman

Master's Theses and Capstones

Awareness of adolescent mental health issues has been rising since the start of the twenty-first century. While certain barriers to adolescent mental health treatment have been alleviated due to the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), racial barriers to treatment still exist. Many studies on racial and gendered disparities consider barriers to mental health treatment, such as stigma. Few examine the role of parents and parental bonds with children as key variables in understanding disparities in treatment. This thesis utilizes data from the 2019 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), a cross-sectional nationally representative survey, for the …

Knowing Me, Knowing You: The Role Of Personal Intelligence In Romantic Relationship Conflict Communication, Victoria Bryan

Doctoral Dissertations

People bring to their relationships a variety of personality traits that guide their interactions with others. However, an individual’s unique set of needs, preferences and skills can make conflict a near-inevitable part of most relationships. Personal intelligence is a promising new construct with implications for how couples communicate during conflict. Named in parallel with spatial, social, and similar intelligences, personal intelligence involves the ability to reason about the personality of oneself and others. People high in personal intelligence show an increased capacity to recognize the motives that guide other’s behavior, which they use to adjust how they approach their interpersonal …

Remembering Interactions With Others: The Role Of Personal Intelligence And Personality, Nikolay Dimitrov

Doctoral Dissertations

One relatively unexplored area in memory and personality research concerns the role that personal intelligence—i.e., a person’s ability to understand and reason about their own and others’ personalities—and personality traits may play in the way people think back to and remember their personal past. The current studies extended prior research by directly examining for the first time the relationship between personal intelligence, personality traits, and memory for specific aspects of the personal past. Across two studies, 391 participants (NStudy 1 = 141; NStudy 2 = 250) of different age groups completed a Qualtrics survey comprised of open-ended narrative prompts and …

Essays In Public Policy And Mental Health, Bryce Stanley

Doctoral Dissertations

In this work I examine how various public policies can influence mental health outcomes. As mental health issues can be created or exacerbated by numerous different factors, many types of public policy can have mental health implications, perhaps not always intended by policy makers. In many cases, these implications are ambiguous from a theoretical level, making empirical research in the area important. Specifically, I model how labor market policies with minimum wages and Earned Income Tax Credit, health policy with the Dependent Coverage Mandate aspect of the Affordable Care Act, and social policy with recreational cannabis laws impact mental health …