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Artistic Expression Of Medical Experiences Of Mothers Of Color: Perspectives Using Art Therapy, Lauren Barrett

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine perspectives of mothers of color living in the US and their experiences in the healthcare system through art therapy. The study aimed to further identify personal narrative experiences of mothers of color navigating the healthcare system, promote individual voices, and acknowledge disparities impacting those within marginalized communities. The participants in this study included a total of eight identified mothers of color (non-White) living in the US. Participants took part in four weeks of consecutive art therapy sessions either in 60-minute group or individual virtual meetings. One art therapy directive was provided …

The Consequences Of Homophobia: Analysis Of Discriminatory Medical And Legislative Policies And Their Influence On Health Disparities, Kaiden J. Fandel

Honors Thesis

Are there specific roots that influence the introduction and incorporation of discriminatory medical policies? What are the sources of such stigma, discrimination, and prejudice, in what forms does such discrimination take place, and what negative impacts does such hatred have on health outcomes, quality of care, and health disparities? Through a review of existing literature on this topic, intertwining the examination of the evolution of discriminatory policies and other explanatory literature in the United States, this thesis aims to answer the questions above, and explain the roots of such homophobic discrimination and its prevalence in the United States. Through the …

Black Maternal Mortality: A Result Of The Haunting Past, Jaylynn Arnold

Global Honors Theses

Throughout history, Black women have been treated as less than human in a variety of traumatic ways for generations, all of which have negatively affected the physical and emotional well-being of free and enslaved Black women. This consisted of being victims of medical abuse, sexual abuse, degrading stereotypes, and the right to easily access basic human needs such as quality healthcare. Current research has shown that within the United States, Black women have the highest rate of maternal mortality than any other ethnicity of women especially when compared to white women. Being that 84% of these maternal deaths are preventable, …

The Role Of Psychological Safety On Employee Satisfaction And Retention In Healthcare Delivery Settings: A Systematic Literature Review, Jamey Paul

Capstone Experience

The healthcare industry typically has a high rate of employee turnover due to higher job stresses and burnout, lower job satisfaction, and insufficient organizational support and work culture. This turnover has worsened since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological safety, a shared belief by organizational members that the team/unit is safe for interpersonal risk-taking, can be one of the many ingredients that contribute to employee satisfaction and reduce turnover. This systematic literature review explored the role of psychological safety on job satisfaction and retention of healthcare workers in delivery settings by synthesizing the known antecedents and outcomes of psychological …

Using Drama Therapy To Foster Peer Support Among Nurse Leaders, Chyela Rowe

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study explored the use of drama therapy to support the social-emotional experiences of nurse leaders at a mid-sized regional hospital system in the Southeastern United States. Nurse leaders have experienced profound changes to their work environments in recent years and burnout has been at an all-time high among healthcare workers globally. Organizational supports for nurses and nurse leaders are both inadequate to meet the needs and under-resourced. The research questions explored 1) whether the drama therapy peer support initiative improved outcomes and 2) whether there was a significant relationship between measures, and 3) what nurse leaders described as facilitators …

Medical Interpreters' Work Impact On Their Lives: Understanding Medical Interpreters' Work Experience, Nicholas M. Herrarte Smith

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Medical interpreters in the US are crucial health workers that specialize in facilitating communication between non-English-speaking patients and English medical professionals. Although much research has been done regarding the positive impact of professional medical interpreters on LEP (limited English proficient) patients' health, it is less known how medical interpreters’ lives are impacted in this line of work. Thus, this study was aimed at gaining a better understanding on the impact that this line of work has on the lives of medical interpreters. For this study, a survey was created with questions regarding demographics, interpretation’s certification process, interpreter’s satisfaction/experience, and mental …

A Realistic Path Towards A More Affordable Healthcare System For The United States, James Loome

Honors Theses

This study was performed in order to try to discover ways in which the American healthcare system can improve and become more affordable for its citizens. The main focus was to see how implementing a universal healthcare system could benefit the United States. I analyzed aspects of many different universal healthcare system structures and chose aspects that I think should or should not be included in a revised version of the US healthcare system. There was a strong focus on the aspects of Japan and Costa Rica’s healthcare systems. I also pointed out weaknesses in the US healthcare system that …

Medication Errors In Pediatric Care And Preventative Solutions, Tyler Tidwell

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The research presented extensively examines previous reports covering pediatric medication errors (PMEs). Utilizing specific studies into the frequency and types of medication errors along with public surveys and policy discussion, the data and suggestions here provide commentary on the scope of PMEs, suggested institutional reform, and most importantly, legislative recommended action necessary to stymie the tide of PMEs. A significant portion of the research contained fixates on the literature review to provide ample familiarity with the background and scope of PMEs, but the subsequent sections will discuss their implication. After providing details on the magnitude of the issue, regulatory and …

Ballad Health: Understanding Appalachia's Regional Healthcare Monopoly, Meredith A. Bailey

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Healthcare Disparities And Hispanic Immigrants: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, William C. Greenman Iii

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Our Story, Our Song: Assessing And Addressing Black Women's Healthcare Experiences., Jason Deakings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite advancements in medicine and health sciences, health disparities and declining life expectancy persists among Black women in the United States. Researchers and non-traditional healthcare providers suggest alternative healing (e.g., music and Sister Circles) and research methodologies to achieve a culturally conscious, traumainformed, quality, and holistic care and practice. The intersecting identities and cultural responsibility of Black women highly influences the barriers and facilitators on the uptake of healthcare services. Utilizing a community engaged research approach, this qualitative study assessed the healthcare experiences, as well as the role of music in the lived and retold experiences of Black women navigating …

An Analysis Of Burnout And Wellness Of Healthcare Workers Based On Patient Population And Healthcare Worker Location, Spencer Brandenburg

Undergraduate Theses

Healthcare workers, even with all of the positive work that they do, often suffer from increased burnout and decreased wellness/quality of life. This problem is not new and has been steadily worsening for many years, however, there are factors which impact burnout and wellness that have not been analyzed or have produced mixed results in prior burnout and wellness literature. There has been little to no research done on the impact of patient population demographics on burnout and wellness in healthcare workers, and the research analyzing the impacts of demographic healthcare worker location has consistently produced mixed results often based …

Fixing The System: A Comparative Review Of The United Kingdom, Germany, And United States’ Healthcare Systems And Lessons Learned For Potential Improvements In The United States, Jessica Goddard

Senior Theses

In an effort to provide recommendations to the United States’ considerations of a universal healthcare system, this thesis analyzes the United States healthcare system alongside the sophisticated systems of the United Kingdom and Germany. Literature review and an analysis of 10 health outcomes and indicators guided the framework for a set of interview questions to be asked of healthcare professionals in all three countries. The interview response data was then organized and used to guide the suggested recommendations to the United States in its path towards universal healthcare. While a limited number of solutions could be provided given the time …

An Examination Of The Sufficiency Of Emergency Planning In New York City Hospitals For Vulnerable Populations Needing Communication Or Language Assistance, Rosemary Mcdonnell

Theses and Dissertations

Background: While all populations are susceptible to certain hazards that may expose their vulnerabilities in a disaster, populations with no or limited English proficiency, sight limitations, and hearing limitations are especially at risk due to communication and language barriers that they consistently experience. Purpose: This study explored the sufficiency of emergency planning that vulnerable populations with communication barriers may receive in a New York City hospital setting. It investigated the emergency plans, procedures, and practices that hospitals have for these specific, at-risk populations. The sufficiency of these were measured in accordance with their ability to meet the appropriate regulatory standards …

Lived Experience Of Women Veterans Navigating The Veteran Healthcare System, Candance Willett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many women veterans who navigate the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system across the United States have felt that their voices have not been heard regarding their input and lived experiences concerning inclusion to the quality-of-care delivery for their health needs. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of women veterans who were currently facing or had previously faced difficulty navigating the VA healthcare system. The framework used for this qualitative study was interpretive phenomenological analysis. The qualitative method used was hermeneutics which was designed by Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger. Semi structured interviews were of 12 …

Lived Experience Of Women Veterans Navigating The Veteran Healthcare System, Candance Willett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many women veterans who navigate the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system across the United States have felt that their voices have not been heard regarding their input and lived experiences concerning inclusion to the quality-of-care delivery for their health needs. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of women veterans who were currently facing or had previously faced difficulty navigating the VA healthcare system. The framework used for this qualitative study was interpretive phenomenological analysis. The qualitative method used was hermeneutics which was designed by Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger. Semi structured interviews were of 12 …

What Impact Does The Ability To Access Healthcare Have On Maternal Outcomes In Africa?, Helena Harris

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Maternal mortality rates reflect health inequities in access to obstetric care in some parts of the world including many African countries. Geographical barriers and limited number of skilled human resources have put women in rural areas at a significantly higher risk of maternal mortality.

Research Question: What impact does the ability to access healthcare have on maternal outcomes in African rural areas compared to urban cities?

Methods: A literature review was performed of credible databases. Six articles were reviewed extensively highlighting the purpose, strengths, and limitations of each study. Refer to Appendix A for the literature review table.

Findings: …

Identifying Cultural Biases And Understanding Health Care Disparities For Lgtbq+ Patients, Jevon Nelson

Nursing | Senior Theses

Understanding the health disparities within the LGBTQ+ population, will consist of educating Nurses and other healthcare providers cultural competence for this population, along with proposing certain educational training programs for all the medical professionals. There’s not only an implicit bias but also lack in quality of healthcare due to the personal reasons that healthcare providers may have, along with certain stigmas that creates an infringement on healthcare for this specific population. Members of the LGBTQ+ community will continue to have one of the highest amounts of health care disparities due to the lack of cultural incompetence if nothing is done.

Exploring Ghanaian Immigrants' Healthcare Access And Utilization Of The U.S. Health System, Kweku J. Agyeman

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

ABSTRACT

EXPLORING THE GHANAIAN IMMIGRANTS’ HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND

HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION OF U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

BY

Kweku J. Agyeman

Background and Purpose of the Study: Healthcare access and utilization in the U.S. continue to pose serious challenges to immigrants. Although the U.S. spends the most on healthcare ($3.8 trillion) among developed countries, accessing and utilizing the U.S. healthcare has become an illusion to most immigrants living in the U.S. including Ghanaians. To date, little is known specifically about Ghanaian immigrants’ access and utilization of the U.S. Healthcare system. For Ghanaians and other immigrants to fully understand the complex U.S. Healthcare …

Narrative Authority: A Narrative-Based Multicultural Ethics To Overcome Western Biases In The Current Models Of Care, Fahmida Hossain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Technological advances and globalization are transforming healthcare dramatically. But unfortunately, current medical practices remain blind to their multicultural patients’ varied worldviews and norms, especially in the West. As a result, patients often find themselves isolated, anxious, and resentful.

All the humanistic models in the current literature view the individual as a unique and autonomous being and, in turn, provide practices to access and recognize the patient’s personhood. These models—Narrative Medicine, Narrative Ethics, and Ethics of Care—attempt to catch sight of the individual, the person’s situation, and some semblance of the person’s story before diagnosing or offering prescriptions. However, all these …

Ageism, Eldercare, And Healthcare: An Examination Of Growing Old In Costa Rica, Akshaya Vijayasankar

Honors Theses

The world’s aging population and the Covid-19 pandemic have revealed the high level of ageism against older adults around the globe, which has resulted in an overall decreased quality of life for elders. Societies are now faced with the challenge of creating a suitable and equitable model of care to support their aging population. Despite the recent publication of the World Health Organization's Global Report on Ageism, there is still a large gap in the literature regarding ageism. This paper addresses the issues of institutional ageism in the eldercare and healthcare sector. I argue that Costa Rica serves as a …

America’S History Of Health Disparities: How Does This Affect The Future Of Healthcare In Mississippi?, Zuri O. Dixon Omere, Jazmin King

Honors Theses

America’s healthcare system runs rampant with healthcare inequalities that have an alarming effect on minorities and people of color. In order for people of color and marginalized groups to receive proper care and treatment, more attention needs to be brought to these inequalities. For example, Covid-19 reflected the health inequalities that are present in this country; minorities were more likely to become hospitalized due to Covid-19 than other non-minorities. In addition, minorities in women’s health, specifically black women, have been affected in various ways that are related to the inequalities in medicine like dying during childbirth and improper care. This …

Lgbtq+ Health Disparities: Healthcare Intervention, Kara Steinbrecher

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community has carried the burden of countless health disparities throughout its history tied to discrimination, bias, prejudice, and stigma. LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately at higher risk for substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, cardiovascular disease, mental illness, suicide, and unequal access to healthcare, related to social stigma and bias that exists in healthcare itself. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to analyze existing health disparities among the LGBTQ+ population in the United States and the efficacy of various interventions of health care professionals to reduce them. Twenty-one articles from multiple online …

Emerging Viral Diseases: Generation Z'S Outlook, Ian Mcwhorter

Honors Projects

Generation Z differs notably from previous generations like Baby Boomers or Generation X. In recent years, young adults have been persisting through the COVID-19 pandemic, though not unscathed. This paper seeks to answer the following question: How does Generation Z differ in its outlook on Viral diseases compared to previous generations? Using a series of three surveys conducted on three seperate Viral diseases (HIV, Zika, and COVID 19), it was found that while Generation Z has improved in its ability to combat Viral outbreaks due to factors like high digital literacy, other factors such as poorer mental health show that …

Perceptions Of Hypertension And Treatment Adherence In Impoverished Hypertensive Adults: A Qualitative Analysis, Sarah E. Hogg

Honors College Theses

Hypertension is a global public health crisis. It is the largest risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death globally (CDC, 2021). While it can be managed, there are additional barriers that hypertensive impoverished populations face in regards to hypertension management. The purpose of this study was to explore knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of hypertension, and treatment adherence in impoverished hypertensive adults. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, and were explained within the context of the health belief model. The results show that there was a lack of understanding of hypertension and its long term effects. …

Determinants Of Hiv Treatment Disparities In The Latino Population Of South Carolina, Elizabeth G. Caulk

Senior Theses

The Latino population in the United States faces a heightened risk in terms of contracting HIV/AIDS and experiencing negative health outcomes from said infection. HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately impact ethnic/racial minorities, and the Latino population exemplifies this unfortunate trend, with Latino Americans making up around 18.4% of the national population, but nearly 30% of the HIV/AIDS infections (US Office of Minority Health, 2021). More enduring changes to the current resources available to this population will need to be made in order to address this disparity. Thus, the current study examined social determinants, how they increase risk of infection, and how …

The Effect Of Provider-Patient Racial Concordance On Student Health Services, Sophia B. Gilliam

Senior Theses

Objective: This research aimed to evaluate the effect of provider-patient racial concordance on perceived care received by University of South Carolina students at Student Health Services.

Methods: A total of 173 students at the University of South Carolina Columbia campus who have received care from Student Health Services within the past 2 years participated in the study. Participants were questioned about their experience with Student Health Services using an adaptation of the CAHPS® Clinician & Group Survey Version 3.0. Independent samples t-tests and descriptive analyses were used for comparisons between the 25 non-white respondents and a randomly selected proportionate group …

Healthcare Safety-Net In The United States: Patient Satisfaction Across Rural And Urban Hospitals, Vivian Ho

Senior Theses

Objective. To examine rurality and other hospital characteristics associated with patient satisfaction across hospitals in the United States.

Data. Nationwide hospital data from the 2019 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey and the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Provider of Services (POS) file.

Study Design. Hospital ZIP-codes were categorized into urban, rural micropolitan, or small/isolated rural based on Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes. Patient satisfaction measures from the HCAHPS survey were linked to the CMS POS data for hospital characteristics, yielding 2,357 urban, 749 rural micropolitan, and 1,343 small/isolated rural hospitals. ANOVA and …

Social Media By Providers And Patients In Healthcare, Madison K. Howell, Jirakamon Silapabanleng

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter have been used in various industries to create direct-to-consumer interactive opportunities. 74% of the US population were social media active users. Around 40% of adults gather their health information from Facebook, a free social networking site, which has been available on various devices and can help many organizations advertise their services as well as communicate with their patients. Social networks had a powerful influence in making health decisions because it could be used as a means to spread either positive or negative health information.

Purpose of study: The …

A Technology-Based, Mixed Methods Approach To Examining The Psychosocial Determinants Of Maternal Health Disparities, Hannah M. Ming

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Exposure to racism and discrimination in the U.S. increases Black women’s risk for experiencing maternal health disparities. Additionally, racism and discrimination affect maternal psychosocial well-being, creating evidence for a biopsychosocial relationship between racism and maternal health outcomes. However, current research does not define the psychosocial Black maternal self well. Given the dynamic relationship between racism, psychosocial well-being, and Black maternal health outcomes, research must comprehensively examine the Black maternal self. The operationalization of a comprehensive construct for Black maternal psychosocial well-being can improve understanding of the relationship between racism, psychosocial well-being, and Black maternal health outcomes.

Purpose: …