Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Smith Hill Community Development Center/Smith Hill Annex History, Keith Morton

Smith Hill: A Study in Community and Place (PSP 470/AMS 482) Interviews

No abstract provided.

“The More People’S Stories That We Learn, The More We Can Wrap Around Our Support”: How Postoperative Bariatric Surgery Patients Use Online Communities, Breisha George

Health Policy & Management Student Scholarship

Bariatric surgery (also called weight loss surgery) is often thought of as a one-day medical procedure. However, after surgery, there are long-term physical and psychological changes that each patient manages. The goal of this study was to gain deeper insights into how a patient navigates their postoperative experience after bariatric surgery, specifically examining their use of online bariatric communities. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Three major themes were identified: (1) Mental Health, (2) Belonging to Community, (3) Support. Each theme incudes several sub-themes, showcasing a range of helpful and harmful experiences from engaging with these online …

Dementia: Review Of Long Term Care Facilities, Theresa Staab

Health Policy & Management Student Scholarship

Dementia is a disease in which people lose parts or, in the case of more severe cases, all of their cognitive functioning, negatively impacting their daily lives. Remembering, thinking, and reasoning are examples of these functions. As dementia progresses in a person, performing tasks becomes challenging, bringing families to consider long-term care institutions as an alternative to informal caregiving. Families look at the combination of characteristics and socio-cultural background of an institution's patients and formal caregivers before entrusting their loved one to their care (Yaffe et al., 2002). The World Health Organization states that "more than 55 million people live …

American Gun Violence: A Cause To Combat The Epidemic, Colin Fonseca

Health Policy & Management Student Scholarship

The following paper examines the role assault weapons and high-capacity magazines play in mass shootings within the United States. With reference to compelling statistics, the extent to which political ideology impacts decisions on gun reform is assessed. Specifically, the paper recognizes the stark contrast in opinion between Democrats and Republicans on the severity of the problem of gun violence in America; while Democrats identify gun violence as a public health crisis in need of immediate attention, Republicans express their worry that citizens’ freedoms are being violated if stricter reforms are established. Considering the fact that gun violence has remained an …

Through The Frames: Public Opinion On Medicare-For-All, Jenny Chen

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Parchman Farm Penitentiary Exists As Modern Day Slavery, Savannah Plaisted

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

This research explores the connections between convict leasing in the state of Mississippi and the current state of prison labor at Parchman Farm Penitentiary (Mississippi State Penitentiary). The use of unpaid labor, the grossly disproportionate representation of Black men, the inhumane and grotesque conditions of the prison, the abnormally high death rate, and the continued execution of a disproportionate number of Black men of today’s Parchman Farm and the version of the prison at its initial founding in 1901 will be analyzed. All of these factors combined provide the foundation for the argument that slavery never ended in the state …

Lowering Disciplinary Rates: Looking At Social And Emotional Learning At Blackstone Academy Charter School, Ariel C. Davey

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

Social and emotional learning is a method that may benefit school culture and the environment for a student’s learning. Including social and emotional learning to school curriculums, specifically schools that have large numbers of students of color enrolled, allows students to learn how to manage their behavior and emotions and in turn benefiting themselves and others in present and future relationships. With more social and emotional learning is happening in the classroom, discipline towards students may be reflected on and seen as more harmful than helpful to students. As the days pass by, discipline rates for students of color in …

Funding Childhood Science: Life Or Death, Kathleen Garvey

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

This thesis draws the connection between an individual’s early childhood science education, health literacy comprehension, and quality of health. A better understanding of science leads to an increased understanding of health, benefiting the individual’s own health care as a result. Thus, proper and equitable educational funding of schools for all districts, regardless of income wealth, is essential to public health. In this thesis I propose that integrating effective science curricula into early education can work to reduce disparities in health literacy and ultimately benefit public health. I wish that this thesis will bring awareness to not only the importance of …

The Importance Of Properly Addressing Mental Health On College Campuses, Michaela M. Hunt

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

Michaela Hunt, in her Thesis titled, The Importance of Properly Addressing Mental Health on College Campuses, discusses an array of factors that contribute to the conversation around mental health relative to diagnosis, treatment, and adequate patient care. In Section III titled Proposal Paper, Michaela utilizes 10 peer-reviewed sources from her comprehensive literature review to dive into four major themes regarding appropriate ways to address mental illnesses. She discusses the climate of mental health on college campuses by studying trends in help-seeking behaviors and mental health literacy. She also delves into barriers to treatment, such as racial disparities, low …

Service Work In Youth Development: The Power Behind Extracurriculars, Lyndsy Cadet

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

At the heart of all underprivileged areas are underfunded public and charter schools that are not given a chance to properly educate the leaders of the future. The wealth disparities across school districts penalized students who live in low socioeconomic and non-dominant demographic neighborhoods. The biggest attack on educational rights is showcased through the achievement and opportunity gap in which the lack of funding and quality educational experience is limiting the quantity of knowledge students are obtaining in inner city, underfunded school districts. Students, regardless of socioeconomic or ethnic background deserve a chance at quality funded public schools in order …

Youth Homelessness And Rapid Re-Housing Programs In Rhode Island, Laura Fusco

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

Major: Public and Community Service

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Keith Morton, Public and Community Service

The purpose of this research was to study the effectiveness of Rapid Re-Housing programs in Rhode Island for youth 18-24. There is currently no published research that addresses the satisfaction or effectiveness of Rapid Re-Housing from the perspectives of the youth that are using the services. Additionally, youth are not included in conversations about the creation of these programs. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to shed light on youth’s experiences and dive into their evaluations and suggestions for the future of Rapid Re-Housing. I …

The Examination Of Individuals: How People Have The Ability, Power, And Voice To Change The Way People View The World In A Positive Way, Amelia Aaron

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

Throughout my four years of learning about different people who have changed the world and the different ways in which they have gone about it, I have strived to find myself in qualities that match those of influential leaders and change makers. For the sole purpose of this thesis, I did a year’s worth of research trying to distinguish what qualities, characteristics, and backgrounds create positive and impactful leaders. For a lack of a better word, you could say that I made a formula to fully understand what an individual should be striving towards in order to make a positive …

Ending The Notion Of “I Do Not Belong Here” Recommendations For Predominantly White Institutions To Support First Generation Student’S Success, Perla Castillo Calderon

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

Ever wonder what it means to be a first-generation college student? This thesis focuses on bringing visibility to the first-generation identity college students carry. Divided in two parts, the first part explains what it means to be first-generation, how mentoring programs are supposed to run, and how beneficial extracurricular activities are for both students and the institution as a whole. This first part is based on research and interviews I have conducted with current undergraduate Providence College students. The second part is a proposal for a centralized space where the first-generation identity is celebrated and have easy to access resources.

Learning From The Shadows: Undocumented Students In Higher Education, Sean J. Richardson

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

Education policy and immigration policy intersect in dangerous ways which creates conditions for different types of students to be isolated in the development of their education. Immigration policy in the United States is a constantly shifting context. Providence College serves as a microcosm of the United States in the experience of being an undocumented student. This thesis serves as a call to action, but also a peak into the world of the undocumented experience. Through critical research, and experiential learning in my last four years at Providence College, we’re coming to understand how the institution not only condones white supremacy …

A Reflection And Discussion Of Philanthropy And Its Relevance And Practice In Service And Society, Brigid Mcgrath

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

This paper seeks to answer the question, “What model of philanthropy has the most positive impacts on a community and is least disruptive to the vulnerable populations which it intends to serve?” A thorough reflection of each type of philanthropy: traditional philanthropy, organization building philanthropy, venture philanthropy and catalytic philanthropy, leads to a careful selection of the most significant elements of each type. Ultimately, an archetype of philanthropy that combines elements of strategic philanthropy, emergent strategies, and catalytic philanthropy is shared as a guide for companies or foundations looking to engage in philanthropic endeavors is provided in the conclusion.

The …

Trust In The Truth As A Healing Measure To Long-Lived Histories Of Gendered Violence: A Representation Of Congolese Refugee Women And Their Resilience To Love, Gabrielle Amorelli

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

This paper explores the historical contexts of the gendered violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a preface to the overall sense of mistrust that remains, especially that of which is forced within women themselves. Paired with personal testimonies of Congolese refugee women living in Providence, RI and formal academic research, I hope this will bring an authentic awareness to the effects that the practice and feelings of trust has on women. I anticipate the personification of the overarching power of resilience that refugee women exhibit to shine through to you as a result of my work.

Hope: The Core Of Social Justice, Emily K. Locke

Public & Community Service Student Scholarship

The purpose of Hope: The Core of Social Justice, is to defend the role of hope in social justice movements. For those who are aware of or who face systematic oppression, the idea of having hope can seem ineffective or even detrimental to any progress in overcoming such systems. But, by clearly defining hope and analyzing its characteristics, one may find that the goal of hope and the goal of any social movement are nearly identical. Philosophical, theological, psychological, and historical references help to shine light on the limited conceptions many have of hope and to support the idea …

From Beshear To Bevin: The Rise And Fall Of The Aca In Kentucky, Ellen Baker

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

No abstract provided.

Bariatric Surgery As A Treatment To Obesity, Morgan D. Dunn

Health Policy & Management Student Scholarship

This paper focuses on the efficiency and effectiveness that bariatric surgery provides as a treatment for the obesity epidemic that is ever-growing in our country. By taking into account scientific, ethnographical, scholarly, statistic-based, and various other forms of research, this paper argues for the widespread use of bariatric surgery for weight loss, decrease in obesity, and resolution of obesity comorbidities. This paper also focuses on the various factors that affect patient success in bariatric surgery, such as gaps in access, economic problems, psychological issues associated with the procedure, and more. Nevertheless, bariatric surgery, if these factors are taken into consideration, …

Shoes, Sabrina Morelli

Common Reading Essay Contest Winners

First Place

Essay Prompt: In Justice, Sandel discusses a number of contemporary political issues (e.g. price gouging during the 2004 Hurricane, the 2008-9 financial meltdown, the volunteer army, pregnancy surrogates, executive pay, slavery reparations, immigration, and gay marriage). Take a position on one of the issues discussed in the book and make the best case that you can for why this position is the most just. You may include evidence from the book, your prior studies, your own experience, and/or outside research. (Outside research is not required.)

A Developing Say Against Aids, Joanna Rydzefski

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Lack of access to medicines is a hurdle for many countries, especially developing nations, in their fight against serious health problems. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has frequently been scrutinized regarding its impact on access to essential medicines after its Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) created a framework for the protection of physical and intellectual goods. The main goal of TRIPS is to promote scientific development through patents, but the repercussions of this monopoly over drug production sparked opposition from developing nations, specifically Brazil and South Africa (Dounis 2011, 3). This paper aims to explore how …

Combating The Stigmatization Of Leprosy: How The First Decade Of The Star’S Publication Made The Case For Romantic Relationships And The Preservation Of Domestic Life In The Carville Leprosarium, Gabriela Reed

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The stigmatization of leprosy has long been acknowledged as one of the primary obstacles to not only effectively treating leprous patients on a physical level, but also achieving their integration and acceptance into society. The Carville Leprosarium, founded as the Louisiana Leper Home in 1894, and the intense ostracism that it institutionalized, demonstrate one of the most influential expressions of this stigma. However, Carville residents were not passive in accepting their fate. The Star, a magazine founded by Stanley Stein and subsequently published in conjunction with his fellow residents, worked to combat such stigma. Building on the work of …

Ethical Issues In The Drug Approval Process, Meghan Mcinnis

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) drug approval process carries great significance for both pharmaceutical companies and for patients. In recent decades, there has been a shift towards expedited approval so that drugs, especially those for terminally ill patients, can be brought to market faster. However, the FDA still has the responsibility of protecting patients from harm. The case studies of two drugs, Vioxx and Avastin, highlight several of the ethical and practical issues of the drug approval process, including the nature of clinical trial research, the risk-benefit analysis of new treatments, the growth of Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and …

Terrains Of Terror And Modern Apparatuses Of Destruction: Organ Transplantation, Markets, And The Commoditized Kidney, Ayan Kassim

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Recent innovations in biomedicine and medical technologies within the last 40 years have altered understandings of the body and its parts; burgeoning global markets in organs is symptomatic of this. Although procurement policies by most nations solicit organs through donation only, lengthy wait lists have prompted the fiscally privileged sick to pursue other means of survival. In light of the current global realities of kidney trafficking in particular, this paper considers the following questions: How and why has the kidney become a commodity? In what historical moment did a kidney market emerge? What and who are the key actors in …

“Listen Carefully:” A Study Of Ageist Stereotypes And Undergraduates’ Desire To Work With Elders, Genevieve Ilg

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

“Listen Carefully:” A Study of Ageist Stereotypes and Undergraduates’ Desire to Work with Elders identifies and assesses how prior experience with elders and ageist stereotypes informs the degree to which undergraduates are inclined (or disinclined) to consider geriatrics as a potential career. Current literature indicates a lack of interest among social workers and other allied-health professionals in working with this demographic. Here, the “generation gap” not only pertains to the differences between younger people and their elders, but to the gap between the aging population’s increasing demand of need and how many individuals plan to serve the elderly. For this …

Vocalizing The Vindications Of Our Veterans: Evaluating The Needs Of Our Returning Soldiers, Alexandra Rawson

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The soldiers of the United States devote their lives, families, and careers in order to ensure our limitless opportunities of liberty and justice. It is therefore our duty, as grateful citizens of America to meet their needs upon return from war. This research evaluates the effects that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder places on the returning soldiers. This study proposes that in order to support our veterans, there must be established policies that will accommodate for their mental health conditions as well as the required treatments that pertain to such diagnosis. In an effort to evaluate the necessary treatments and conditions needed …

High School And College Athletes Should Be Required To Undergo Pre-Participation Cardiac Screening Prior To Participation In Competitive Sports, Kathleen Harrington

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in young athletes. Most of these athletes are unaware they have a condition that puts them at risk. In addition it is estimated that approximately 1 in 220,000 young athletes experience Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) each year, although, these numbers are not truly reliable because there is no national mandatory reporting system in the United States. My paper argues that all high school and college athletes should be required to undergo pre-participation cardiac screening (i.e. an ECG and extensive family health history) as a part of a required physical exam …

Sweet Freedom: Smokers’ Rights & The Rebranding Of Philip Morris, Amy Dipierro

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

This paper discusses how Philip Morris invoked strong American values to defend its own corporate speech as well as “smoker’s rights.” In particular, it examines Philip Morris Company’s Bill of Rights advertising campaign of the early 1990s, especially focusing on an advertisement featuring Everett Alvarez, a prisoner of war during Vietnam. This strategy reveals how Philip Morris was able to manipulate the public conversation about smoking from one about health and disease to one about human rights and freedoms.

Polio Eradication: How The War On Terror Has Led To The Persistence Of Polio In Afghanistan, Pakistan, And Nigeria, John Michel Rouhana

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

In 1988, the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a campaign to eradicate the polio virus from the world population (Bari 2006). Since 1988, the WHO has used polio vaccines to successfully interrupt transmission of the disease to new individuals in all but three countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria (WHO 2012). This paper examines how The War on Terror, stated by President George W. Bush to be a war against every terrorist group of global reach and the governments that support these groups, has led the populations of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria, as well as vaccinators and health officials in these …

The Global Ability To Respond: Applying Sars Knowledge To H1n1 And Beyond, Meaghan Drees

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Influenza outbreaks may be alarming, but they are nothing new in the 21^st century. At this point, the various strains of influenza have broken into cities and homes, acted as silent killers by causing fear, death and destruction, and spreading uncontrollably. This repetitive cycle arouses the question of when people will learn how to take care of these epidemics. Well, according to Flahault and Zylberman, knowledge may not be the only factor necessary to stop influenza from disrupting lives. The authors reveal that “Influenza epidemics occur regularly and prediction of their conversion to pandemics and their impact is …