Digital Commons Network^™

Broken Promises: Prolonged Diminished Quality-Of-Life Among Liberian Ebola Survivors Half A Decade After The 2014-16 West African Outbreak, Jessi Hanson-Defusco, Decontee Davis, Meghana Bommareddy, Zainab Olaniyan

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak left thousands of Liberian survivors with severely diminished quality of life. Applying a social determinants framework, this mixed method study investigates to what extent Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors suffer long-haul psychosocial stress, diminished quality-of-life factors, and the impact of EVD-related service provisions on their ongoing healing. We present the results of a quantitative analysis survey of data collected from 19 Liberian EVD survivors in 2022 using snowball sampling. Additionally, a qualitative analysis of survivor statements helps triangulate key statistical findings and inform causal mechanisms. Survivors report experiencing 5.25 of a total of 7 ongoing stressors …

Review Of Poverty, By America, Linda Plitt Donaldson

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

The Role Of An Occupational Therapy Practitioner In Professional Advocacy: A Scoping Review, Sarah Mckinnon, Natalie Petrone, Amanda Tarbet

Translational Science in Occupation

Background: Participation in professional advocacy amongst occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) is necessary for strengthening the profession. Although advocacy remains essential for practice, specific activities of OTPs in professional advocacy remain inconsistent and unclear.

Purpose: To examine the activities occupational therapy practitioners are engaging in related to professional advocacy. To identify key strategies and future opportunities to strengthen OT practitioner participation in professional advocacy.

Methods: We systematically searched 4 databases and 1 search engine for relevant articles- MEDLINE via PubMed, The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Complete via Ebscohost, ERIC via Ebscohost, APA PsycInfo …

A General Model Of Good Executive Leadership In Policy Contexts, Thad Williamson

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

This commentary stipulates a general model of policy leadership, encompassing decision-making, implementation, and evaluation. The model stresses attaining clarity about the nature of the issue being addressed, the values at stake, and the possible outcomes of alternative courses of action. While focused on the context of elected executives in municipal government, the stipulated model has broader applicability to other contexts. The article contends that following the model may both improve the effectiveness of political leaders and help build consensus (or compromise) among distinct political actors.

Policy Review And Recommendation For Secondary Education Np-Led Clinics In The Southeastern United States, Shiney Alex Jacob

Student Scholarly Projects

Secondary-level education involves adolescent children aged 11-12 years to 18-19 with unique healthcare needs. Their healthcare is of significant importance as they are transitioning to adulthood, and a majority of them lack access to primary healthcare needs. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses/Nurse Practitioners (APRNs/NPs) provide high-quality, cost-effective, and evidence-based care to people across the lifespan, and there is minimal utilization of their services in meeting the primary care needs of adolescents at the secondary school level. The purpose of the policy project was to determine if current policies and practices related to school health services in three southeastern states of the …

Intersectionality Analysis Of The Impact Of Anti-Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Policies In Indonesia And Egypt, Nadiah Atsil Gustina, Laras Ayu Nareswari

Jurnal Politik

Indonesia and Egypt are the two countries with the highest prevalence rates of Female Genital Mutilation / Cutting (FGM/C) in the world. Several policies have been issued in order to reduce the number of cases of female circumcision, but they have not shown significant results. Therefore, the authors want to explain why the implementation of the anti-FGM/C policy has not succeeded in reducing the number of female circumcisions in Indonesia and Egypt. The authors argue that the leading cause of these problems is that the anti-FGM/C policies in both countries neglect the socio-cultural aspects of society, and both countries share …

A Statewide Study Of Disparities In Local Policies And Tobacco, Vape, And Cannabis Retail Environments, Georgiana Bostean, William R. Ponicki, Alisa A. Padon, William J. Mccarthy, Jennifer B. Unger

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

The current study: (1) assesses sociodemographic disparities in local policies related to tobacco and cannabis retail, and (2) examines the cross-sectional association between policy strength and retailer densities of tobacco, e-cigarette (vape), and cannabis retailers within California cities and county unincorporated areas (N = 539). We combined (a) American Community Survey data (2019 5-year estimates), (b) 2018 tobacco, vape, and cannabis retailer locations from a commercial data provider, (c) 2017 tobacco and vape retail environment policy data from American Lung Association, and (d) 2018 cannabis policy data from California Cannabis Local Laws Database. Conditional autoregressive models examined policy strength associations …

"If I Go, I'Ll Probably End Up Dropping Out Too": College Enrollment Choices In A Free College Context, Gresham D. Collom, Ashton R. Cooper, Patrick Biddix, Alexis Hartley

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Publications and Other Works

Objective: In this qualitative study, we explored why students in a free community college environment in Tennessee chose not to enroll in college or dropped out of college shortly after enrolling. Methods: We conducted 27 in-depth interviews with individuals who were eligible for the Tennessee Promise. Perna’s (2006) conceptual model for college access and choice guided our analysis. We analyzed data using a three-tier approach, which included open/emergent coding, followed by a priori/theoretical analysis. Results: We identified 15 emergent themes common among interview participants, which we then categorized into the four constructs of Perna’s model. Conclusions: …

The Economic Ferocity Of Policy, Giana Depaul

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

Each day, as the Dow Jones rises and falls, Congress similarly passes and fails legislation. These two seemingly continuous cycles intersect to the point that the two structures appear affixed. For centuries, this has posed an age-old question: is it policy that influences the economic system or is it the economic system itself that molds policy decision-making? Renowned economist Adam Smith is famous for his works detailing the autonomous nature of the economic system. Smith views policy as only a small roadblock in the master strategy of the economic flow of life. The Great Depression and the 2008 Recession, however, …

Cub Plastic Shipping Bag Recycling Program, Samuel M. Arkin, Ethan J. Bruemmer

Student Publications

We implemented a plastic shipping bag recycling program at Gettysburg College. Recycling bags contribute towards contamination within the college's single-stream recycling or end up directly in the landfill via traditional trash collection. The production of plastic bags relies on the continued production of fossil fuel extraction. Plastic bag recycling can decrease fossil fuel extraction and waste entering landfills. To curb Gettysburg College’s generation of waste, we placed four bins in various locations throughout the Center Union Building (CUB) in order to collect plastic shipping bags over a 4.5-week period. We made three hypotheses: that our bins would collect shipping bags …

Where The Border Ends: How Reactive Policies To Terrorism Became Conduits For Drone Technology And The Enclosure Of Wealthy Nations, Arron Mitchell

PPPA Paper Prize

The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (1996) and the USA PATRIOT Act (2001) are two key examples of reactive policies enacted in response to terrorist attacks on American soil. Expedited passage of both pieces of legislation were reliant on the public’s support for government action in wake of recent atrocities. These acts gave particular attention to securing the nation’s borders, directing an increase in funding for Border Patrol in order to prevent future terrorist attacks. This essay will connect the increased funding for border security directed by Congress with the defense industry’s pursuit of funding and outlets for drone …

The Nexus Between Leadership And Implementation Of Education Infrastructure Development Policy Goals In Tanzania: Reflections From Kinondoni Municipal Council, Theresia Mdanya, Mrisho Malipula Dr

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

This study assessed the association between leadership attributes and qualities in the implementation of education infrastructure development policy goals in Tanzania using Kinondoni Municipal Council as a case. A concurrent mixed-method triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data was employed to explore the nexus between leadership attributes and qualities in implementing education infrastructure development policy goals in Tanzania. The data used in this study was garnered from face-to-face interviews with 92 respondents recruited from a population of 288 Kinondoni Municipal Council workers and a review of documentary sources relevant to the study. The application of primary data from interviews and desk …

Strengthening Policies And Structures To Combat Illicit Tobacco Trade In The Philippines, John Rafael Y. Arda, Alen Josef A. Santiago

Ateneo School of Government Publications

The Philippines has been seeing an increase in illicit tobacco trade in recent years, undermining the impacts of legal measures such as tobacco products' taxation and regulation due to circumvention of established avenues and costing the government its revenue. Currently, the country has twelve policies related to the prevention of illicit tobacco trade with gaps identified in its lack of licensing systems for tobacco retailers and policies on law enforcement cooperation, which manifests in the country being fully compliant to only 5 of the 16 articles under the World Health Organization's Illicit Tobacco Trade Protocol. It is recommended that the …

Thawing Interests: The Arctic In U.S. Grand Strategy, Benjamin S. Murray

MSU Graduate Theses

The thawing Arctic is subject to increasing activity, attention, and a renewal of interests in the region from around the globe. National interests have compelled strategic planning in the Arctic region and are connected to global geopolitics. A concept of grand strategy is distilled from theories of past authors, understood within the modern context. That concept includes a terminological framework consisting of interests and threats to inform an ends, ways, and means design of strategy, composed of all instruments of state power, blending policy with strategy, and across the peace-war continuum. Then fundamental precepts of existing U.S. grand strategy are …

The Intersections Among Science, Technology, Policy And Law: In Between Truth And Justice, Paolo Davide Farah, Justo Corti Varela

Book Chapters

Different visions on the interaction between science, technology, policy and law have been presented. As common axe, we can detect the continuous search for truth and justice. Science and Law as social constructs, the distinction between truths and opinions through procedural method based on evidence and rationality, or how natural science “things” became facts, and consequently “truth”, are examples of this search. The evidence-gathering process that integrates scientific evidence into trial (sometimes by procedure and other times by a more substantive approach) is another possible approach. Of course, that the game of mutual influence among the four elements creates contradictions …

The Paradox Of Child Poverty And Welfare, Tirna Purkait

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The United States confronts persistent child welfare issues rooted in poverty. The age-old debate vacillates between advocating personal responsibility and bolstering social safety nets. Current welfare programs, aiming to mitigate child poverty, often fall short given the deep nexus of poverty and child maltreatment. This paper probes the intricate ties between child poverty and welfare, emphasizing state legislative variances, inherent system paradoxes, and potential policy enhancements. Exploring historical contexts, existing societal frameworks, and future reforms, this research emphasizes the urgency for all-encompassing solutions. These should tackle poverty’s core while fortifying child welfare, safeguarding the well-being of forthcoming American generations.

Elementary Principals’ Perceptions Regarding Implementing A District-Mandated Educational Equity Policy, Glen Patrick Messier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem in the current basic qualitative study was that elementary principals were challenged to implement a district-mandated educational equity policy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore elementary principals’ experiences implementing a district-mandated educational equity policy. The conceptual framework for this study was transformational leadership theory. This leadership theory was often used by leaders who focused on a collective purpose and held themselves accountable for initiating and sustaining positive social change. Three research questions addressed principals’ experiences and perceptions in their attempt to implement a district-mandated educational equity policy, as well as principals’ suggestions for continuous improvement …

Reshaping The Narrative, Crystal Little Owl

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The United States Military’S Role In Maintaining National Security During The Height Of The “War On Drugs”, Sara Terrien

Washington Semester Program

This paper will seek to answer the question: What understanding of national security justified the use of the United States military in the “War on Drugs,” launched by the Reagan administration in 1982? A secondary question that this paper will investigate is whether the definition of “national security” that was used contributed to the protection of American lives and interests. The approach that this paper will take is that the understanding of national security as “defense of the homeland” justified the use of the United States military in the “War on Drugs.” Moreover, the involvement of the United States military …

The Future Of Universal Basic Income: The Impact Of Organizational Strategies On Alleviating Poverty And Maximizing Outcomes, Anna Mathews

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Universal basic income is gaining traction, with pilot programs being conducted all over the world. These programs are all organized differently, from their sources of funding to their eligibility criteria. This research draws correlations between organizational strategies of UBI programs and the outcomes their recipients experience. Specifically, it analyzes three contemporary UBI programs within the United States: the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED), Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (APFD), and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians per capita payments (EBCI). The research assesses the physical health, mental health, and economic outcomes of the participants in each case study, in order to …

Using Foundation Capital For Good: Opportunities In The Balance Sheet, John Sherman, Veronica Olazabal

The Foundation Review

Foundations increasingly use their full balance sheets to unlock more of their capital for good. They look beyond conventional grantmaking to pursue their charitable purposes in many ways that exemplify innovative, full-balance sheet approaches: investing in nonprofit and for-profit companies that offer clear social and financial returns; investing their corpus in companies whose products and services align with their missions; using social bonds to inject new resources into their programs; offering guarantees to help grantees manage risk; and avoiding companies whose practices run counter to their grantees’ efforts.

This article looks at the structures, pathways, and tools for foundations wanting …

Nursing Abroad: A Comparison Of Healthcare In Italy, Sweden, And The Us, Sadie Stark

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

No healthcare system is perfect, nor does one system work for all populations. History and culture have dictated the mindset of people for generations. It is the ever-changing mindset of patients and providers that will continue to expand and improve international healthcare by first changing daily practices. Nursing in Italy, Sweden, and the United States look very similar but also have a number of differences. Each country’s healthcare system works for its population, but efforts for international collaboration could still prove beneficial. Whether it be universal or private, centralized or localized, a patient centered focus is the driving force behind …

Understanding Costa Rica's Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic: Competing Explanations, Lise Charles

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have major impacts on the world, careful study of successful health systems is essential. Costa Rica has been identified as a country that has responded well to the pandemic with the proportion of death rates compared to infection rates being the lowest in comparison to other countries in Central America. This paper examines Costa Rica’s relatively successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study in good public healthcare management. This study also highlights the importance of theory for addressing urgent, practical development challenges to explore what theoretical frameworks can best explain the …

A New Lens: Using The Policy, Systems, And Environmental Framework To Guide Community Development, Caroline Backman, Clea Rome, Laura Ryser, Rebecca Sero, Debra Hansen

The Journal of Extension

Extension is uniquely positioned to deliver data-driven solutions to complex community issues with University applied research, particularly through crises like COVID-19. Applying the Policy, Systems and Environmental (PSE) framework to community development is an effective, innovative approach in guiding Extension leaders to create, document, and share long-term transformative change on challenging issues with stakeholders. Beyond the public health sector, applying a PSE approach to community development provides leverage points for population-level benefits across sectors. This article describes current public health approaches, methodologies, and how the PSE framework translates to other programs with four examples of high-impact, systems level Extension projects.

Our Streets: Increasing Equity In Active Transportation Planning Through Community Outreach, Jordan Hoy

Master's Projects and Capstones

ABSTRACT Significant research has demonstrated that active transportation infrastructure is essential for the growth and livability of San Francisco: it increases access to economic opportunities, promotes overall improved public health, encourages mobility without contributing to roadway congestion, prevents traffic injuries and fatalities, and supports the sustainability goals of the city. Despite the fact that communities of color will benefit the most from active transportation infrastructure development, historical disenfranchisement in tandem with a lack of diverse representation within public participation contributes to an inequitable distribution of walking and biking investments throughout the city of San Francisco. While research shows that Black …

Diffusion Of Policy Innovations: State Adoption Of Value-Added Models In K-12 Education, Kirsten England

Doctoral Dissertations

Schools chase test scores as a means of validating educational practices. Having imposed high-stakes testing, public schools were still not generating the student test scores under policies such as No Child Left Behind, the Department of Education thought would ensue. To hold accountability on the part of the classroom teacher, Race to the Top, and with it, merit pay was imposed by most states within the United States.

Using policy innovation and diffusion frameworks, this research looks at how over time states have come to adopt value-added policies for teacher evaluations. The research takes into consideration the sociopolitical systems that …

Urban Mayors Press - Spring 2022, John S. Watson Institute For Urban Policy & Research At Kean University

Urban Mayors Policy Center

No abstract provided.

Structural Violence & Small Victories: Political Epidemiology Of Hiv Among Msm In Nigeria, 2000-2010, Debbie A. Dada

Harvey M. Applebaum ’59 Award

No abstract provided.

Policy Options For Forest-Disturbance-Adapted Species Management: Assessing The Rusty Blackbird In New York’S Adirondack Park, Louis W. Hallstrom, Stephen Bird

Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies

Wilderness preservation policies can sometimes create protections that lack enough flexibility to address a variety of species needs. Rusty Blackbird populations in the United States have been declining for decades due to a multitude of stressors. Populations have declined by greater than 95% since 1966 according to the breeding bird surveys (Greenburg et al., 2011). The Wilderness and Wild Forest land use designations in the Adirondack Park, New York State, are intended to preserve forests and limit anthropogenic impact on the landscape within the Adirondacks to maintain its “forever wild” status under the New York Constitution. This designation can be …

Moving From Harm Mitigation To Affirmative Discrimination Mitigation: The Untapped Potential Of Artificial Intelligence To Fight School Segregation And Other Forms Of Racial Discrimination, Andrew Gall

Catholic University Journal of Law and Technology

No abstract provided.