Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Beyond The Surface: Understanding The “Blurred Lines” Of Sexual Dynamics And Consent In Trinity College's Hookup Scene, Zoe Kon

Senior Theses and Projects

This thesis explores the complex interplay of sexual behaviors, consent, and campus culture at Trinity College through qualitative ethnographic research. Delving into the nuances of hookup culture, a prevalent social phenomenon, the research examines how it often blurs the boundaries between consensual and non-consensual sexual interactions. Thirty in-depth interviews with Trinity College students reveal the intricate dynamics of consent communication and understanding within this context. The findings highlight significant gaps in students' communication about boundaries and consent, driven by the pressures of social capital and the normalization of alcohol-fueled encounters. The theme of blurred lines emerges as a central issue, …

Effectiveness Of Antibiotic Stewardship For Healthcare Providers At Urgent Care Clinics, Helen T. Adewole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine; however, the overuse in urgent care and primary care significantly contributes to the global burden of infections resistant to available antimicrobial medicines. Approximately 30% of the antimicrobials prescribed in acute care settings are unnecessary. Patient demand for antibiotics has seemingly skyrocketed following the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Practitioners must be knowledgeable about antibiotic stewardship initiatives, such as the wait-and-see approach, to reduce antibiotic overuse and improve the trajectory of antibiotic resistance and patient health outcomes. The gap in practice was the limited awareness of scientific evidence-based tools to partner with patients and improve antibiotic prescription patterns. …

Meet Me In The Middle: A Scoping Review On Understanding Adolescent Needs In Climate Communication, Gwendolyn Monica Hoff Anderson

Master's Projects and Capstones

The greatest effects of climate change are likely to be felt by youth. Young people are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their critical developmental stage and lack of power, and they experience both higher severity and prevalence of mental health issues related to climate change. Strong emotions have long been recognized as potential catalysts for action, or they may lead to paralyzing feelings of being overwhelmed. Climate communication is a critical tool to spark climate concern and encourage action. Activism, in turn, may help youth manage their anxiety about climate change. This scoping review examines emerging evidence on …

Building Up Cal Poly Global Brigades Student Group: Reflections On Designing And Implementing One Undergraduate-Led Community Info Session, Caroline Nicole Smith, Jafra D. Thomas

Kinesiology and Public Health

Intro: Global Brigades, an international non-profit organization, trains college students and other pre-professionals in community-based health promotion by mobilizing community service trips around the world, which are taught and led by local community groups. Cal Poly’s Global Brigades student group was founded in 2018, and thus far, they have carried out three annual, medically-focused brigades to Honduras (two in-person, one virtual).

Purpose: The aim of this report is to present the findings of one experiential senior project to promote Cal Poly’s Global Brigades student group^[1] (conducted January to March 2023).

Methods: The student designed material for …

Hiv Stalks Bodies Like Mine: An Autoethnography Of Self-Disclosure, Stigmatized Identity, And (In)Visibility In Queer Lived Experience, Steven Ryder

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines self-disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status within the context of communication between long-standing friends. For the purposes of my study, I define this type of friendship as those who have known me for at least two years and with whom I communicate regularly. These are friends who tend to know a variety of personal details about me, ranging from superficial to private and trivial to essential. I use autoethnography to ground the study in my lived experience. By doing so, I present intimate accounts of my communication with others across my lifespan to function as background …

Twitter Sentiment Analysis: Applications In Healthcare And Finance, Jiali Wang

Dissertations

This research explores the influence of Twitter sentiment on healthcare and finance industries. It assesses how Twitter sentiment and culture measure influence COVID-19 statistics, and it investigates the impact of Twitter sentiment on S&P 1500 stock mispricing. Furthermore, it examines how tweet sentiment predicts major industry returns.

The first part examines how Hofstede’s Culture Dimensions (HCD) and Twitter economic uncertainty index (TEU) relate to COVID-19 infection rate and death rate. The results show certain aspects in HCD, such as power distance index (PDI) and masculinity (MAS) both are negatively and significantly associated with the infection rate, while indulgence (IVR) and …

Engagement Journalism In Action: Supporting New Yorkers With Long Covid, Sarah Luft

Capstones

What do asthma and long COVID have in common? 1 in 13 U.S. adults are living with them. This report is a recap of my efforts to address the information needs of New Yorkers with long COVID as a student in CUNY's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism engagement program. For my final project, I partnered with THE CITY, a nonprofit news outlet serving New Yorkers, to expand the MISSING THEM project. The report details the what, why, and how of my engagement reporting process, including a community engagement framework, a service journalism series, and lessons to carry forward. You …

The Ins And Outs Of Undergraduate Research And Leadership: A Student's Perspective, Regina F. Hockert

Kinesiology and Public Health

This manuscript is a reflective write-up of Regina Hockert’s experience in completing KINE 462, Honors Kinesiology Senior Project, during the 2022 Fall Quarter. It describes their experience as an undergraduate research leader, including specific milestones and artifacts related to a broader replication study and the daily activities of Dr. Jafrā Thomas’ lab. This essay was designed to be a written reflection around their senior project presentation and the insights shared through that medium about the senior project experience. It is created to showcase lessons learned in relationship with the tasks and responsibilities required of working in-depth on student-led research. …

Blind Spot: Implicit Bias In Health Care And Its Awareness Among Nursing Students At The University Of Southern Mississippi, Debora Skaliks

Doctoral Projects

While prejudice and bias are eminent topics in our society, implicit bias or unconscious bias is not as easily detected. Even though implicit bias may be a familiar concept to many, numerous healthcare workers frequently do not recognize the extent of harm such biases can impose on patients' health and outcomes. The Blind Spot DNP project exposed in this research paper explores the relentless question of the correlation between implicit bias awareness, implicit bias education, and its impact on health care. This Doctor of Nursing Project (DNP) project aimed to analyze whether implicit bias education and testing could increase unconscious …

Accessibility Rating Form For Websites And Other Online Platforms, Ethan Wu, Jafra D. Thomas, Regina F. Hockert, Jasmine C. Wong, Samantha M. Ross

Kinesiology and Public Health

Background. This file provides a coding form developed to judge how accessible websites and other online platforms are to users. Accessibility may be defined as the ease to which a person can perceive content and navigate material (Ross & Ross, 2021). Users are encouraged to adapt this form for their use.

Purpose. The rating form can be used to judge the pages of online media, using 14 criteria under two areas: Accessible Media and Accessible Design. One of three grades could be assigned to each criterion: Not Accessible (0 point), Somewhat Accessible (1 point), Accessible (2 …

Emergency Care For Youth Who Experience Suicidality And Identify As Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning (Lgbtq+): An Interpretive Phenomenology, Theresa Schultz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Suicide is a leading cause of death in children; youth who identify as LGBTQ+ are at an exponentially higher risk of suicide. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of young adults who identify as LGBTQ+ and sought emergency care for suicidality when they were adolescents.

Methods: Heideggerian hermeneutics phenomenology is the research method used in this study. Youth, ages 18-25 years, who identify as LGBTQ+ and sought emergency treatment for suicidality when they were adolescents (13-17 years) were recruited to participate;fifteen youth enrolled. Individuals ranged in age from 20 to 25 years. Participants described …

Sources Of Patient Information For Type 2 Diabetes Self-Care In Northern Mississippi, Minh-Sang La

Honors Theses

Given the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the United States and the continuous rise of cases, especially within Mississippi, there is an increasing need to identify if, and how, patients with Type 2 Diabetes receive information about self-care. While there is data available on the topic of where patients receive their information and the influence it has on their health in other countries of the world, the research on the source of Type 2 Diabetes education in the United States is scarce. Therefore, this study aims to bridge the gap of understanding where patients with Type 2 Diabetes …

Six Feet Apart: Relational Turbulence Theory And Coping With Covid-19 Within Long-Distance Relationships, Mia Waymack

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Among research that currently exists, no studies thus far combine elements of COVID-19, long-distance relationships, and Relational Turbulence Theory to explain how each of these elements impacts the others, if at all. Previous research does exist on each of these elements individually, although research regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19 on relationships is minimal considering the pandemic is ongoing. Long-distance relationships have been studied using Relational Turbulence Theory in previous studies within military relationships but have not been studied in connection with either COVID-19 or among college students. This study was conducted by way of qualitative, one-on-one interviews to determine …

Nurses Leading In Bridging The Culture Gap: Communicating With The Deaf Community, Veronica C. Leftridge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nurses provide patient care in clinics, hospitals, homes, churches, schools, communities, and military, as well as on emergency medical helicopters. When a nurse is assigned to care for a patient, the patient expects the nurse to be culturally competent, communicate effectively, and provide safe quality care. However, cultural incompetence is observed when nurses provide care for Deaf patients, but they are unfamiliar with Deaf culture. In addition, communication is a fundamental skill nurses learn in nursing school, but course content in nursing programs rarely touches on how to communicate effectively with Deaf patients. Of the approximately 325 million people in …

Creating A Backyard Buzz: Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Using A Video Infographic To Increase Knowledge About Mosquito Populations And Diseases In Tn, Caroline M. Barnes, Rebecca T. Trout Fryxell, Cristina Barroso, Julie Andsager

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Erin Hoening, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Krystal Huesmann

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Public health strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among college students living in residential communities varied, some universities opted to mandate COVID-19 vaccines while other universities opted to promote and influence the choice for vaccination.

Purpose: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residential students on a college campus in the southeastern U.S. that elected an evidence-driven health promotion strategy that included strong health promotion messaging coupled with coordinated efforts to make the vaccine accessible and appealing to students on campus.

Methods: Analysis of vaccine uptake was derived from campus electronic health records during …

Correlation Between Social Media Use And Eating Disorder Symptoms: A Literature Review, Makenna Rose Burger

Kinesiology and Public Health

Importance: Social media is a pervasive influence in modern society presenting many potential public health implications.

Objective: The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize current research regarding social media and eating disorders.

Methods: Primary research was gathered from Google Scholar and OneSearch database resulting in 7 articles. Articles were examined for common themes.

Results: Common themes found in the resulting research is the prevalence of ‘thinspiration’, gamified content, and overlap of eating disorders with other mental illnesses. Several articles found a significant correlation between social media use and the severity of eating disorder symptoms. …

The Importance Of Health Literacy: A Student-Led Workshop On Lay Communication, Sarah Jean Kamp, Jafra D. Thomas

Kinesiology and Public Health

The purpose of this experiential senior project workshop was to advance the knowledge and practice of health communication by (a) delivering a training workshop to Cal Poly undergraduate students and (b) by exploring the relationship between health literacy and effective communication through completion of a rapid review of the literature. The reviewed literature served the purpose of helping the student further design the workshop to elicit a foundational understanding of the elements of effective communication of health information as well as the history and evolution of health literacy as a concept. The workshop revised and delivered by the student was …

The Process And Case Study Approach To Implementing A Nutrition-Specific Dissemination And Implementation Science Training In Appalachia, Ayron E. Walker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Introduction: Nutrition professionals face implementation challenges due to their lack of knowledge to incorporate D&I science into intervention design. To improve intervention outcomes, nutrition professionals must be trained in D&I science, which are currently absent in the field.

Aims: To identify and assess nutrition educators and practitioners perceived motivations, self-efficacy, and attitudes in using D&I science to inform the educational design and strategies of a nutrition-specific D&I curriculum for nutrition educators. Then to test feasibility of the nutrition-specific curriculum in increasing knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitudes by a case study approach, pre/post intervention design.

Methods: First, scoping review methodology involved the …

News Media Trust And Mistrust During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kaitlyn Seiter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the uncertainty and growing information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, news media consumption has increased drastically compared to pre-pandemic consumption. At the start of the pandemic, 94% of Americans reported closely following COVID-19 news, with more than half of Americans spending more than two hours consuming COVID-19 news everyday (SSRS, 2020). With the news media serving as a critical source of information through this public health crisis, the public’s reactions, behaviors, and attitudes to the pandemic stem from the level of trust they have in the news media to share COVID-19 information. Because of this, this study examines trust in …

Effects Of Abstinence-Based Sexual Education Compared To Evidence-Based Sexual Education In K-12 Schools, Lily Probst

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Historically, sexual education in the United States has been abstinence-based (ABSE), meaning that sexual education is centered around encouraging adolescents to abstain from sexual activity outside of wedlock. On the other hand, evidence-based sexual education (EBSE) includes abstinence in its curriculum but does not emphasize it, instead highlighting contraception and prevention strategies. Additionally, EBSE teaches adolescents about healthy relationships, attitudes towards sexuality, gender roles, and provides resources for sexual and reproductive health services. Supplying adolescents in K-12 schools with access to evidence-based sexual education may not only decrease teen pregnancy rates and incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) but …

Examining Public Health Risk Communication Via Social Media By Provincial And Local Health Authorities In Ontario During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marc Resendes

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Risk communication campaigns are essential during public health crises to inform the public about ways to mitigate, alleviate and manage potential risks. The purpose of this study was to describe risk communication on social media by Ontarian health authorities amid COVID-19, in addition to examining the strategies that guided their social media use. This was completed through (a) a narrative review of risk communication literature; (b) a qualitative content analysis of select health authority Twitter messaging following three major COVID-19 milestones; and (c) key informant interviews with those coordinating social media responses to COVID-19. Information giving and news updates were …

Mental Health Awareness Training Manual: For Faculty To Help Students, Ricardo Vega

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health issues and stigma can affect students in many ways. The teacher-student relationship can be affected by the fear and inconsistent thoughts to be successful in college settings caused by mental health issues. First-generation college students face mental health issues due to support, education degree expectations, inhibition of uncertainty, and resources (Pascarella et al., 2004). This project is about providing communication strategies for faculty to help reduce stigma and provide students with resources to support their mental health.

Are Kinesiologists Ready To Communicate? Merits Of A Practicum Course On Plain Language Communication, Jafra D. Thomas, Cameron N. Christopher, Winston Kennedy, Bradley J. Cardinal, Caroline N. Smith

Kinesiology and Public Health

The submitted presentation material summarizes a project presented at the 2021 American College of Sports Medicine Virtual Annual Meeting and World Congress on Exercise is Medicine®. The project which the presentation is based on is titled, “Towards Knowledge Translation in Kinesiology: Investigating Barriers and Identifying Opportunities - Part 1.” The uploaded documents consist of the following material: (a) the presentation abstract, and (b) a copy of the e-poster presented at the virtual event. Please follow the social media profiles of Dr. Jafrā Thomas, for timely project updates (e.g., ResearchGate dot net and GoogleScholar dot com). You may find related work …

Training Novices To Evaluate The Quality Of Physical Activity Promotion Material: Results Of A Pilot Study, Ethan N. Tse, Savannah A. Longoria, Cameron N. Christopher, Jafra D. Thomas

Kinesiology and Public Health

The credibility and usability of lay physical activity promotion material are a persistent problem (Thomas & Cardinal, 2020, TJACM). These quality issues deter the material in promoting health literacy, a major predictor of prevention-oriented health behaviors (e.g., regular exercise, U.S. National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy). Few studies, however, have evaluated the quality of lay material over time (Thomas et al., 2018, Quest). PURPOSE: In order to conduct a repeated-measures study of the quality of physical activity promotion web articles for lay adults, one experienced researcher (JDT) trained undergraduates on how to use the Suitability …

Designing A Replication Study In Kinesiology: Lessons From The Field, Ruben A. Montoya Vega, Regina F. Hockert, Emma L. Cutner, Jafra D. Thomas

Kinesiology and Public Health

The submitted presentation material summarizes a project presented at the 2021 Cal Poly Virtual BEACoN Symposium. The title of the project which the presentation is based is, “Towards Equitable Communication: Explorations to Guide Knowledge Translation in Kinesiology.” The uploaded file document presents the presentation abstract, student testimony, as well as suggested citations for individual aspects of the presentation material. Please follow the social media profiles of the faculty mentor to the project, Dr. Thomas, for timely project updates. You may find related work from this lab group published to Cal Poly Digital Commons under the Kinesiology and Public Health section …

Understanding Older Adults Living In Medically Underserved Areas Perspectives Regarding Type 2 Diabetes Care Received, Christopher Rogers

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Older adults with type 2 diabetes living in medically underserved areas (MUAs) have unique health and social needs that must be taken into consideration when supporting their type 2 diabetes treatment and management care. Effective treatment and management of type 2 diabetes for older adults living in MUAs requires incorporating the preferences, desires, needs, values, and goals of the person at the center of the care into his/her care plan. Shifting care to be conducive to the treatment and management goals and plans co-created with older adults living in MUAs based on their individual physical, psychological, social, and spiritual preferences, …

Promoting Community Engagement Through Basic User Tutorial Of Epa Geospatial Screening Tools, Jonas Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Social inequalities are riddled with health disparities and outcomes leading toward lower life expectancy. Communities of color, low income, and rural neighborhoods lack the voice and resources to effectively oppose industrial settlement which would likely lead to the release of toxic wastes into the water, air and ground ultimately affecting residential health. Empowering members through community engagement is a relatively new strategic process where researchers are finding mutual benefits in design, implementation, and results. This study aims to identify and promote tools for community engagement within the scope of environmental justice by working with EPA geospatial screening tools and designing …

Hpv Vaccination In Females: The Role Of Primary Health Care And Primary Health Care Providers, Brooke Bouza

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two reasons for subpar coverage of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine are missed clinical opportunities and nonacceptance of the vaccine upon recommendation from a medical provider. The purpose of study one was to examine factors associated with access and adherence to physician’s recommendations in association with HPV vaccine uptake. Data were obtained from National Health Interview Survey (2017). Variables theoretically related to clinical opportunities and adherence to physician’s recommendations were examined in association with HPV vaccine uptake. Univariate logistic regressions were run to determine the associations between the aforementioned variables and uptake of the HPV vaccine. Multinomial logistic regressions were …

Understanding Elements Involved In Active Racial And Ethnic Minority Recruitment Practices For Biopharmaceutical-Sponsored Clinical Trials: A Socio-Ecological Qualitative Inquiry, Rebecca Rae Johnson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Inequitable participation in clinical trials continues to be a problem, and trial populations do not always reflect the demographics of the population that the investigational product will ultimately be treating. Because genetic differences between racial and ethnic groups affect the safety and efficacy of new treatments, it is important that standard of care decisions are made based on a representative population. The purpose of this study is to understand the socio-ecological elements that are involved in the active implementation of racial and ethnic minority recruitment practices for biopharmaceutical-funded trials in the United States. This general qualitative study was both descriptive …