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Mississippi State University

2023

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Articles 1 - 30 of 94

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Contract, Status And The Bonds Of Welfare, Kenneth Veitch Dec 2023

Contract, Status And The Bonds Of Welfare, Kenneth Veitch

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

This article explores the relationship between contract and status in the context of contemporary social policy. Using examples of contract in the areas of unemployment policy (what is here called the workfare contract) and what has become known as the financialisation of the welfare state (Social Impact Bonds), the article identifies the types of bonds and obligations involved in those contracts and their sources. Drawing critically on Émile Durkheim and Max Weber’s work on the history and pre-history of contract, it is argued that issues of status – the status of the unemployed and capital, amongst others – lie at …

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Brand Activism And Democratic Legitimacy: Exploring Pitfalls Through A Habermasian Analysis, Roxan Degeyter Dec 2023

Brand Activism And Democratic Legitimacy: Exploring Pitfalls Through A Habermasian Analysis, Roxan Degeyter

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

Brand activism has emerged as a prominent practice among corporations, as they publicly take a stand on contentious socio-political issues such as gender inequality, climate change, or discrimination, often through advertising. While extensive research has been conducted on the impact of brand activism as a marketing tool, examining its effects on sales, brand image, consumer attitudes, and authenticity, only a limited number of studies have studied its influence on public debate and processes of democratic legitimation. The latter have portrayed brand activism as an empowering force for the supported social movements, the public sphere, and democratic legitimacy, largely ignoring the …

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The Cost Of Voting Categorized: A Comprehensive Review, Landon Brady Dec 2023

The Cost Of Voting Categorized: A Comprehensive Review, Landon Brady

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this paper is to analyze the research field of cost of voting and review the relevant literature on voter participation. After reviewing the literature, a development of a theoretical framework to categorize multiple variables associated with the cost of voting will be completed. The goal is to create clear, concise, and simple categories that define the cost of voting. This should add conceptual clarity to the field by linking variables into a common foundation. The research also connects the sociological and psychological category of intrapersonal to concepts of social group needs, sense of achieving a greater …

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A Thematic Analysis Of Religious Identity And Volunteer Motivation Among Emerging Adult Members Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Jennifer R. Smith Dec 2023

A Thematic Analysis Of Religious Identity And Volunteer Motivation Among Emerging Adult Members Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Jennifer R. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought insight into the religious and cultural identity of emerging adults belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints(LDS) and the impact such identity had in relation to volunteering motivation. Participants included 24 emerging adult college students belonging to the Church. Thematic analysis was used to determine influencing factors that led to Church membership and how Church membership shaped self-perception. Participants shared volunteer experiences and motivation to volunteer in relation to Deci and Ryan’s (2000) self-determination theory (SDT) was examined. The motivation of relatedness was identified among 100% of participants as compared to competence (37.5%) and …

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Exploring The Impact Of Extracurricular Activities On Adolescent Development: A Study Of Students Attending Schools In Poverty And Non-Poverty Areas, Clifton B. Thames Dec 2023

Exploring The Impact Of Extracurricular Activities On Adolescent Development: A Study Of Students Attending Schools In Poverty And Non-Poverty Areas, Clifton B. Thames

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has indicated a relationship between poverty, participation in extracurricular activities, and developmental outcomes. The current study aimed to investigate and develop a deeper understanding of extracurricular activities (ECAs) and their impacts on adolescent development using two self-report tools, the YES 2.0 and the Delinquent Attitude Scale (DAS). The researcher surveyed 174 high school seniors from students attending schools in poverty areas and students attending schools not located in poverty areas in Mississippi, examining disparities in ECA opportunities, barriers to participation, and the positive and negative impacts of ECAs on development. Additional data were collected from school administrators, allowing …

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Current And Future Perceived Needs And Concerns For Older Adults Aging In Place In Mississippi: Intergenerational Perspectives, Muhammad Riaz Dec 2023

Current And Future Perceived Needs And Concerns For Older Adults Aging In Place In Mississippi: Intergenerational Perspectives, Muhammad Riaz

Theses and Dissertations

The study's purpose was to identify the perceived needs and concerns of three generations in a family with an older adult aging in place in Mississippi. This mixed-methods study used snowball sampling in addition to recruitment by community leaders such as Extension agents to collect data through semi-structured interviews and structured questionnaires that asked about current and future problems among aging adults in rural communities in Mississippi. Three generations of Mississippians participated in the study, including older adults (G1; n = 22), adult children (G2; n = 23), and young adult grandchildren (G3; n = 19). Quantitative data were analyzed …

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Evaluating Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Social Validity Of Psychological Report Writing Styles, Adam Weseloh Dec 2023

Evaluating Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Social Validity Of Psychological Report Writing Styles, Adam Weseloh

Theses and Dissertations

Psychologists spend a significant portion of their time writing psychological reports. Oftentimes these reports are highly technical and written at a level which the literature has suggested is often difficult for teachers to utilize in their classrooms. Several previous research studies have examined psychological report writing practices and offered suggestions for improvement. One of these suggestions (theme or referral-based report writing) has not been as thoroughly examined in the literature. The purpose of this study was to examine this report writing style compared to more traditional report writing practices. This study utilized a novel approach to assessing teachers’ perceptions of …

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Insights Into The Challenges Posed By Climate Change And Land Competition To Brazil’S Midwest Pulpwood Market, Roberto Hajime Sant Anna Kimura Dec 2023

Insights Into The Challenges Posed By Climate Change And Land Competition To Brazil’S Midwest Pulpwood Market, Roberto Hajime Sant Anna Kimura

Theses and Dissertations

I investigated the effect of climate change in one of the few expanding markets in the world in Brazil. In the last decades the demand for pulpwood increased from zero to 11 million tons, leading to an expansion of 700 thousand hectares of Eucalyptus plantation. In 2024, a new mill will start operating increasing the consumption of wood fiber by 8.2 million tons (+49%). I used mathematical programming to investigate how different scenarios of productivity and land will affect the market. My results showed that around 946,000 hectares (+124%) of additional timberland will be necessary in the upcoming decades. The …

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Determining The Health Literacy Skills Of Extension Audiences In Maryland, Beverly Jackey, Heejung Song, Lisa Mccoy, Virginia Brown Dec 2023

Determining The Health Literacy Skills Of Extension Audiences In Maryland, Beverly Jackey, Heejung Song, Lisa Mccoy, Virginia Brown

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Strong health literacy skills empower people to make informed health decisions, especially those with chronic health conditions striving for positive health outcomes. Half of all people living in Maryland report having at least one chronic disease. Research examining the health literacy of Marylanders is limited. This paper reports how establishing a baseline for health literacy levels of Marylanders can identify major factors affecting the health literacy skills of Extension audiences and lays the important groundwork to develop Extension programs and explore the best delivery methods tailored to the needs of subpopulations. Using the Newest Vital Sign, a …

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Full Issue, Volume 11, Number 3, Donna J. Peterson Dr., Scott Cummings Dec 2023

Full Issue, Volume 11, Number 3, Donna J. Peterson Dr., Scott Cummings

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

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Super Parents: Preliminary Findings Of A Group-Based Parenting Intervention, Jens E. Jespersen, Cara D. Bosler, Ruth S. Slocum, Jennifer Hays-Grudo, Jerry Root, Laura Hubbs-Tait, Amanda Sheffield Morris Dec 2023

Super Parents: Preliminary Findings Of A Group-Based Parenting Intervention, Jens E. Jespersen, Cara D. Bosler, Ruth S. Slocum, Jennifer Hays-Grudo, Jerry Root, Laura Hubbs-Tait, Amanda Sheffield Morris

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Super Parents is a group-based, Extension-led parenting program developed to enhance the parent-child relationship. Implemented by trained Head Start staff using the train-the-trainer model, this effort is achieved by teaching positive parenting practices, increasing parents’ knowledge of child development, instructing parents in activities and exercises for enhancing their child’s executive function skills, and encouraging the use of mindfulness techniques in parenting. The specific aims of our study were to evaluate the program's effectiveness among parents of young children ages 0 to 5 by examining changes in parenting attitudes, mindfulness, executive function, parenting efficacy, stress, and child behavior. Through the use …

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Cooperative Extension Programming For Early Care And Education Professionals During The First Year Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence From A National Survey Of Extension Systems, Katherine Speirs, Azriella Friedman, Courtney Luecking, Kyleigh Brown Dec 2023

Cooperative Extension Programming For Early Care And Education Professionals During The First Year Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Evidence From A National Survey Of Extension Systems, Katherine Speirs, Azriella Friedman, Courtney Luecking, Kyleigh Brown

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Cooperative Extension Systems (CESs) provide programming to early care and education (ECE) professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the needs of ECE professionals. The purpose of this study was to document how CESs helped ECE professionals respond to the pandemic during its first year and how Extension programming was altered in response to the pandemic. Between March and June 2020, representatives from all 87 CESs in the 50 U.S. states; Washington, DC; and six U.S. territories were invited to complete an online survey that included six questions about the pandemic. We received responses from 43 CESs (49% response rate). The …

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A Snapshot In Time: Consumer Behavior At The Start Of Covid-19, Michelle L. Childs, Christopher Sneed, Ann A. Berry, Sejin Ha Dec 2023

A Snapshot In Time: Consumer Behavior At The Start Of Covid-19, Michelle L. Childs, Christopher Sneed, Ann A. Berry, Sejin Ha

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

During the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, consumers faced challenges related to obtaining household items due to shortages and limitations in shopping. Researchers from the University of Tennessee conducted a national, web-based consumer survey of 300 consumers in late April 2020 to better understand consumer behavior, shopping patterns, and demand shifts for goods and services. Major findings demonstrate that consumers have increased shopping for essential products from brick-and-mortar national chains, avoided brick-and-mortar small businesses, and have chosen to shop more by themselves, often choosing to forgo spending from across all product categories, compared to prior to the pandemic. Additionally, …

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Examining College Students’ Attitudes Toward Poverty During The Adult Role Of The Community Action Poverty Simulation, Jessica M. Parks, Portia Johnson, Diann C. Moorman Dr., Sheri Worthy, Leigh Anne Aaron Dec 2023

Examining College Students’ Attitudes Toward Poverty During The Adult Role Of The Community Action Poverty Simulation, Jessica M. Parks, Portia Johnson, Diann C. Moorman Dr., Sheri Worthy, Leigh Anne Aaron

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and Extension professionals need to understand the lived experience of poverty because it affects every aspect of an individual’s life. Poverty is related to inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, lack of access to health care, insufficient child care, unsafe neighborhoods, lack of affordable housing, under-resourced schools, and a lower quality of life. Attitudes toward poverty vary widely among Americans and can be categorized as either internal/individual attributions (e.g., laziness, welfare dependency, etc.) or systemic/structural attributions (e.g., unemployment, inflation, etc.). Individuals holding internal attributions toward poverty are more likely to have negative feelings toward impoverished individuals. …

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Barriers To Policy, Systems, And Environment Work: Using Community Engagement As A Tool In Snap-Ed’S Multi-Level Comprehensive Programming, Cristian Meier, Casey Coombs, Amria Farnsworth, Lacee Jimenez, Heidi Leblanc Dec 2023

Barriers To Policy, Systems, And Environment Work: Using Community Engagement As A Tool In Snap-Ed’S Multi-Level Comprehensive Programming, Cristian Meier, Casey Coombs, Amria Farnsworth, Lacee Jimenez, Heidi Leblanc

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Implementing policy, system, and environmental (PSE) changes has several well-known challenges that have been documented in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education’s (SNAP-Ed) comprehensive approach to obesity prevention and reduction. The purpose of the current study was to explore the use of community engagement (CE) as a strategy to address the common challenges experienced in implementing a multi-component community-based program. Phone interviews (N = 7) were conducted with SNAP-Ed educators in Utah using semi-structured interviews. Emergent themes were identified as transcripts were coded independently by two researchers until a high level of agreement was achieved. Four themes emerged from the interviews: …

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Equipping Extension Professionals To Lead Volunteer Systems: An Evaluation Of An Online Course, Kandi O'Neil, Rachelle Vettern, Sarah Maass, Rebecca Harrington, Kari Robideau, Patricia Mcglaughlin, Josset Gauley Dec 2023

Equipping Extension Professionals To Lead Volunteer Systems: An Evaluation Of An Online Course, Kandi O'Neil, Rachelle Vettern, Sarah Maass, Rebecca Harrington, Kari Robideau, Patricia Mcglaughlin, Josset Gauley

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Extension professionals enter their role with content-specific expertise; however, experience in volunteer leadership and management competencies is often limited. This study focused on the effectiveness of the Achieving the Extension Mission Through Volunteers (AEMTV) course in preparing professionals to use the Identification, Selection, Orientation, Training, Utilization, Recognition, Evaluation (ISOTURE) model to learn and apply volunteer systems concepts in a cohort-based online learning environment. We used quantitative and qualitative methods to assess how the course impacted participants and the programs they lead. Data from 127 participants indicated they increased their knowledge, improved volunteer systems, and influenced the quality of programming delivered …

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A Case Study On The Transfer Of Training As Influenced By Perceptions Of Self-Leadership By Extension Professionals, Lisa Kaslon, Nathan W. Conner, Gina Matkin, Mark Balschweid, Chuck Hibberd Dec 2023

A Case Study On The Transfer Of Training As Influenced By Perceptions Of Self-Leadership By Extension Professionals, Lisa Kaslon, Nathan W. Conner, Gina Matkin, Mark Balschweid, Chuck Hibberd

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Employee potential and development are critical, and training has been identified as a way to create high-performing work cultures and high-potential employees. The purpose of this study was to understand how Extension employees perceive their self-leadership as impacting their transfer of training after they participate in professional development. The study aims to answer the following research question, “How do Extension professionals describe their experiences of transfer of training as influenced by their perceptions of their self-leadership? The methodological approach used for this research was the case study. Data collection methods included a questionnaire, interviews, and document review. A semi-structured interview …

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Time Allocation Changes For Family Life Extension Educators: The Impact Of Covid-19, Brian J. Higginbotham, Joshua J. Turner, Stephen Duncan, David G. Schramm Dec 2023

Time Allocation Changes For Family Life Extension Educators: The Impact Of Covid-19, Brian J. Higginbotham, Joshua J. Turner, Stephen Duncan, David G. Schramm

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

COVID-19 has caused a shift in Extension educators’ daily routines and a transition to virtual programming. This case study analyzed time logs and interview data of Extension educators hired by Utah State University to facilitate fatherhood education programming. Comparison data indicate less time was spent teaching and traveling while more time was spent managing technology and marketing, following restrictions imposed by COVID-19. Educators recommended that aspiring educators should be made aware of expectations for virtual teaching. They also stressed that supervisors should look for these skills and technological competence in future hiring. Implications for best practices for future programming are …

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Profiles Of Youth Citizenship: A Cluster Analysis Of Ethical Factors, Demographics, And Problem-Solving Disposition, Sarah Bush, Rick Rudd, Curt Friedel, Thomas Archibald, Kerry Redican Dec 2023

Profiles Of Youth Citizenship: A Cluster Analysis Of Ethical Factors, Demographics, And Problem-Solving Disposition, Sarah Bush, Rick Rudd, Curt Friedel, Thomas Archibald, Kerry Redican

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Youth have the capacity to drive positive change in their communities through active and engaged citizenship (AEC). Teen leadership programs provide youth with opportunities to develop the skills necessary to participate as partners in community problem-solving efforts. Situated in relational developmental systems metatheory, this study examined how cluster membership based upon demographic characteristics, ethical factors, and problem-solving disposition impacted AEC. The findings indicated significant differences between clusters for AEC, civic duty, and civic skills. These differences were predominately observed through membership in long-term or short-term leadership programs, gender, enrollment in honors/AP courses, ethical views, and problem-solving disposition. Youth leadership practitioners …

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Artificial Intelligence Applications For Social Science Research, Megan Stubbs-Richardson, Lauren Brown, Mackenzie Paul, Devon Brenner Oct 2023

Artificial Intelligence Applications For Social Science Research, Megan Stubbs-Richardson, Lauren Brown, Mackenzie Paul, Devon Brenner

Social Science Research Center Publications and Scholarship

Our team developed a database of 250 Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications useful for social science research. To be included in our database, the AI tool had to be useful for: 1) literature reviews, summaries, or writing, 2) data collection, analysis, or visualizations, or 3) research dissemination. In the database, we provide a name, description, and links to each of the AI tools that were current at the time of publication on September 29, 2023. Supporting links were provided when an AI tool was found using other databases. To help users evaluate the potential usefulness of each tool, we documented information …

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Examining The Relationship Of Teacher And Peer Belonging To Rural Attachment And Community Aspirations Among Diverse Rural Youth, Greysi Irdam, Angela Starrett, Matthew J. Irvin, Christine Lotter, Jan A. Yow Oct 2023

Examining The Relationship Of Teacher And Peer Belonging To Rural Attachment And Community Aspirations Among Diverse Rural Youth, Greysi Irdam, Angela Starrett, Matthew J. Irvin, Christine Lotter, Jan A. Yow

The Rural Educator

This study examines how race/ethnicity moderates the relationship of teacher and peer belonging in mathematics and science classrooms with rural attachment and aspirations (i.e., community and proximity aspirations) among rural secondary students. Data were collected from a larger rural teacher leadership study and include 6,616 rural student participants who were surveyed from 2015 to 2019. Our findings reveal that peer and teacher belonging is related to adolescents’ rural attachment and both community and proximity aspirations differently across race/ethnicity. Also, while rural youth of color compared to White students tend to have lower levels of rural attachment and aspirations, results illustrate …

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Hospitalizations For Hepatitis C In Mississippi, 2014-2018 – A Hidden Epidemic, Manuela Staneva Md, Mph, Thomas Dobbs Md, Mph, Paul Byers Md, Meg Pearson Pharmd, Ms, Jonathan Hubanks Pharmd Sep 2023

Hospitalizations For Hepatitis C In Mississippi, 2014-2018 – A Hidden Epidemic, Manuela Staneva Md, Mph, Thomas Dobbs Md, Mph, Paul Byers Md, Meg Pearson Pharmd, Ms, Jonathan Hubanks Pharmd

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Goal: Utilizing Mississippi’s hospital discharge data (HDD), we examined trends, demographics, comorbidities, in-hospital deaths, and hospital charges for hospitalizations with diagnoses for hepatitis C virus (HCV).Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of hospitalizations with primary or secondary HCV diagnoses. We performed descriptive and inferential statistical analyses using SAS 9.4. We compared categorical variables with chi-square tests and continuous variables with t-tests.Results: Between 2014 and 2018, patients hospitalized with an HCV diagnosis were more likely to have coexisting intravenous drug use (IDU) diagnoses compared to all other hospitalized patients (20.3% versus 3.3%, p < 0.001). From 2014 to 2018, hepatitis C infections associated with IDU spiked by 53.8%, fueling the overall increase in the number of hepatitis C hospitalizations in Mississippi. Almost one-third (31.8%) of all hepatitis C stays had a severe liver condition and 48.2% had nicotine dependence. The average charges for stays with coexisting HCV and decompensated cirrhosis were $65,975.Conclusions: In Mississippi, there has been a rapid increase in HCV hospitalizations associated with IDU. In addition, HCV hospitalizations were associated with severe morbidity burden and high economic expense. These findings underscore the need for measures aimed at containing the spread of this dangerous but preventable infection.

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Prevalence Of Probable Hoarding And Associated Consequences At The Scene Of Mississippi Fires, 2009-2019, Mary E. Dozier Phd, Ben Porter Phd Sep 2023

Prevalence Of Probable Hoarding And Associated Consequences At The Scene Of Mississippi Fires, 2009-2019, Mary E. Dozier Phd, Ben Porter Phd

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Increased risk for fire is an often-discussed consequence of hoarding disorder; however, the source of this association has been largely through clinicians’ accounts or hoarding patients’ self-reports.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between probable hoarding and incidence of fires using archival data from Mississippi.Methods: Incidents of residential fires from 2009-2019 were provided by the Mississippi State Fire Marshal’s Office. Fires that were classified as having “a significant amount of fire load present” were classified as probable hoarding fires for analysis.Results: Of the 5,194 unique residential fires identified across the study period, 96 fires (1.9% …

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Assessment Of Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Determinants Of Infant Mortality In Head Start Teachers, Teacher Aides, Caregivers, And Family Support Workers, Susan Mayfield-Johnson Phd, Mches, Danielle Fastring Phd, Stephanie T. Mcleod Mph Sep 2023

Assessment Of Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Determinants Of Infant Mortality In Head Start Teachers, Teacher Aides, Caregivers, And Family Support Workers, Susan Mayfield-Johnson Phd, Mches, Danielle Fastring Phd, Stephanie T. Mcleod Mph

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

IMR (11.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births) almost twice the rate observed in (6.2 infant deaths per 1,000 live births). Objectives. The purpose of this project was to assess Head Start teachers’, teacher aides’, caregivers’, and family support workers’ perceptions, knowledge, attitudes, values and beliefs on topics (nutrition, exercise, breastfeeding, safe sleep, smoking, stress, postpartum depression, and mental health) related to infant mortality prevention in a Mississippi Gulf Coast Head Start consortium. Methods. A 47-item questionnaire was developed that focused on areas associated with primary prevention of infant mortality. Results. Participants (n=82) ages were 25 to 44 years of …

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Factors Associated With History Of Unintended Pregnancy Among Mothers In Mississippi, Stephanie T. Mcleod Mph, Morgan Bradwell, Lei Zhang, Olivia Hogan Ismail, Eden Blackwell, Tanya Funchess, Jerome R. Kolbo Sep 2023

Factors Associated With History Of Unintended Pregnancy Among Mothers In Mississippi, Stephanie T. Mcleod Mph, Morgan Bradwell, Lei Zhang, Olivia Hogan Ismail, Eden Blackwell, Tanya Funchess, Jerome R. Kolbo

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Mississippi has the highest rate of unintended pregnancy in the nation. Accessibility, availability, and affordability of women’s health services and effective contraceptive methods are key in preventing unintended pregnancies. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with history of unintended pregnancy among parous women of childbearing age in Mississippi in order to improve understanding of these relationships and to fill a gap in literature about the state. Methods: Through a multi-stage, probability sample, mothers of students in childcare facilities were selected to participate in a survey about health care and contraceptive use. Chi-square tests of …

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Adaptability In Community-Based Participatory Research: Comparisons Of Coalitions In The Deep South, Candace Forbes Bright Phd Sep 2023

Adaptability In Community-Based Participatory Research: Comparisons Of Coalitions In The Deep South, Candace Forbes Bright Phd

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Health inequities in the Gulf states are complex issues to resolve, and no single solution or strategy can improve the health rankings in each state. Yet, using grassroots approaches and building community partnerships are promising strategies to identify important health issues and opportunities for policy change. Purpose: This paper illustrates how the Gulf States Health Policy Center coalitions in four different locations used the same community-based participatory research model, but with distinct differences in processes, across nine projects to address issues that negatively affected population health. Methods: Recognizing that communities have unique needs, resources, and complementary health efforts, we …

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Ocular Biomarkers Of Disease: Employing Routine Eye Exams To Promote Better Health Surveillance, Dawn S. Mclendon, Kenneth R. Butler Phd, Michael A. Welsch Phd, Facsm Sep 2023

Ocular Biomarkers Of Disease: Employing Routine Eye Exams To Promote Better Health Surveillance, Dawn S. Mclendon, Kenneth R. Butler Phd, Michael A. Welsch Phd, Facsm

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

America’s burden of vision impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), and cardiovascular disease will continue to rise over the next 40 years. The burden of these diseases will be greater for women, Hispanics, African-Americans, and those from lower socio-economic regions. A key challenge is to develop strategies to deny the organization of the pathologies that eventually lead to the manifestation of the disease. An important feature within this battle is the development of appropriate tools and biomarkers for early reconnaissance of the enemy. Recent advances in Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) present a unique opportunity to examine physiological features …

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Rural Medical Scholars Program: Filling The Gap For Health-Care And Public Health Leaders In Mississippi, David R. Buys Sep 2023

Rural Medical Scholars Program: Filling The Gap For Health-Care And Public Health Leaders In Mississippi, David R. Buys

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

The Rural Medical & Science Scholars program aims to help rising high school seniors determine if they want to pursue health-related careers. The program shapes students’ interest in and understanding of medicine, health-related disciplines, and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The program combines didactic, observational, and practical learning during a summer semester. Participants earn seven college credits to jumpstart a health or STEM career. We report on descriptive statistics since the program’s inception in 1998. The program has matriculated 401 students, of whom approximately 71% have chosen health-related careers in nursing, physical or occupational therapy, dentistry, pharmacy, …

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Policies On Hand-Held Mobile Device Use While Driving: Considerations For Mississippi, Amy Radican-Wald Sep 2023

Policies On Hand-Held Mobile Device Use While Driving: Considerations For Mississippi, Amy Radican-Wald

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Mississippi enacted a texting/accessing social networking sites ban for all drivers in 2015; this ban is due for reauthorization in 2018. Purpose: Examine state policies prohibiting mobile device use while driving and changes in behaviors, attitudes, and opinions over time for Mississippi adults regarding distracted driving. Methods: Review literature and enacted policies. Analyze traffic, death, and survey data statewide from 2010 to 2017. Results: Mississippi’s crash death rate rose significantly (22.7 to 25.6 per 100,000; p < .01) from 2010 to 2015. Mississippi adults surveyed said they had talked on a mobile device (75.4%), texted (45.5%), or emailed (10.1%) while driving in 2017. Each reported risky driving behavior increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 2010. Most Mississippians support bans on texting (95%) and hand-held device use (89%) while driving. Support for these types of bans significantly (p < 0.05) increased from 2010 to 2017. Enacted policies vary among states and include mobile device use bans for novice drivers (n = 38) and texting (n = 47) and hand-held (n = 14) bans for all drivers. While safety campaigns coupled with aggressive enforcement are found effective, officials cite enforcement difficulties. Only three texting citations were issued to Mississippi drivers during 2016. Conclusions: Enforcement of policies addressing drivers’ mobile device use is a key factor to consider in reducing crash-related deaths.

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Training The Next Generation Of Primary-Care Physicians: Are Student-Run Free Clinics (Srfcs) The Way To Go?, Tobe Momah Sep 2023

Training The Next Generation Of Primary-Care Physicians: Are Student-Run Free Clinics (Srfcs) The Way To Go?, Tobe Momah

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: The consensus over the last 20 years is that increased availability of primary care reduces the overall cost of healthcare and improves mortality and morbidity rates by as much as 1.44 fewer deaths per 10,000 people (American College of Physicians, 2008; Shi, Starfield, Kennedy, & Kawachi, 1999). However, not enough physicians are going into primary care to meet the need for improved and increased access. By 2020, the expanded Title VII program goal is to produce a physician workforce that is at least 40 percent primary care (Jackson et al., 2014). Estimates show that 74% of U.S. medical school …

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