Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Using Photovoice To Understand The Meaning Of Social Participation As It Impacts Transitions For Student Veterans, Caitlin Gene Dobson

Theses and Dissertations

Student veterans encounter a variety of social pressures that civilian students do not, making the transition from military life to student civilian challenging. The issue of military personnel transitioning to roles as student veterans is one that is relevant to occupational therapy, as the profession promotes social participation as a meaningful occupation. It has been found that veterans find social relationships to be a critical challenge in the process of transitioning to the university and the civilian world (Plach & Haertlein Sells, 2013).

Additionally, this issue is important to occupational therapy as a factor in promoting mental health. Mental health …

A Study On Satisfaction Of Dental Implant Patients, Jung Su O

Theses and Dissertations

The implant has been around for half a century. It started in Sweden in the 1960s and is now being actively practiced all over the world. It is important to investigate what constitutes a standard for a consumer of medical services in selecting a dentist to receive implants. A great number of dentists and research organizations have published research papers on theory and techniques of implants as well as their strengths and weaknesses. However, researches on reality and satisfaction rate of patients are still very rare.

The purpose of this study was to identify how to improve satisfaction of patients …

The Effect Of Paid Sick Leave On Physician Office-Based Visits, Korvin Vicente

Theses and Dissertations

This paper uses a balanced sample of workers from cross-sections of the National Health Interview Survey to estimate the causal effects of paid sick leave on the medical care seeking behavior of individuals, as measured by physician office-based visits.

Preferred Institutions: Public Views On Policy, Shawn Christopher Fettig

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I ask why people might prefer one institution of government (courts, legislatures, executives) over another to handle certain issues. Previous research has focused on legitimacy of the courts, whether institutions can legitimate policy, and how public opinion is thus informed. This research is invaluable in understanding support for and influence of specific institutions, but this only gets us so far. We still do not know why people might feel that one institution is more legitimate than another to handle policymaking on a specific issue. Here, I begin to examine this question arguing that institutions act as source …

Narrative In Police Communication: The Art Of Influence And Communication For The Modern Police Organization, Chelsea Fray

Theses and Dissertations

Violence in the City of Rockford, Illinois and surrounding cities has made the Rockford Police Department’s communication vitally important for shaping the future of the community. The primary objective of this project was to gain a greater understanding of how the local police department utilizes one particular communication channel: social media. While some research examining law enforcement’s use of social media exists, this study is unique as it specifically applies Fisher’s (1984) narrative paradigm and key concepts related to public relations functions including relationship building. The analysis revealed that the department does utilize some narrative concepts, but could certainly reevaluate …

Contributing Factors On Drivers Yielding Behaviors At Uncontrolled Intersections, Aida Sanatizadeh

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The present study aims at analyzing drivers yielding behaviors to pedestrians’ right of way, who are attempting to cross at uncontrolled crosswalks. Three types of variables were identified to be collected for this research including characteristics of the locations as well as demographic, and behavioral characteristics of pedestrians and drivers. The behavioral characteristics of drivers and pedestrians is recorded only when a pedestrian arrives at the crosswalks trying to cross and a vehicle is approaching the intersection; so, the driver makes a decision whether or not yield to the pedestrian waiting to cross. Some behavioral characteristics of pedestrians include …

Racial Integration And Institutional Change, 1965-1971: A Case Study Of Uw-Milwaukee’S Human Relations Institute, Center For Afro-American Culture And Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute, Toni Johns

Theses and Dissertations

This historical case study explores the development of the Institute for Human Relations, the Center for Afro-American Culture and the Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute. These three university entities demonstrate the evolution of class-and race-based policy development at UW-Milwaukee between 1965 and 1971. There is limited literature regarding the historical development of programs that served to racially integrate UW-Milwaukee. Much of the existing literature was written by former University administrators (Klotsche 1966, 1972, 1985, Cassell, Klotsche and Olsen 1992) and highlights the positive actions taken by the administration. Literature written by non-administrators (J. Rodriguez 2005, M. Rodriguez 2015) focuses on community …

Economic Burden Of Tuberculosis Among Bangladeshi Population And Economic Evaluation Of The Current Approaches Of Tuberculosis Control In Bangladesh, Mohammad Rifat Haider

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is major scourge for human history and causes profound economic burden. Bangladesh is a high burden TB country with 12% of its annual death is caused and 362 thousand people are infected by TB. DS-TB is the most prominent type of TB found in Bangladesh and a 6 month drug regimen (2 month intensive and 4 month continuation phase) is followed. But the directly observed treatment short-course (DOTS) differ in delivery through community health workers (CHW) and community members (CM). Bangladesh has also experienced surge in the number of MDR-TB cases with a 29% of MDR-TB cases …

Refugees In Urban Environments: Social, Economic, And Infrastructure Impacts, Garrett L. Jameson

Theses and Dissertations

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has estimated that in 2015 there were 21.3 million refugees worldwide; it is estimated that 1.8 million of these persons were newly displaced during 2015. As refugees leave their country to seek the protection of another nation's government, they generally flow into urban areas. The impact of this flow on cities and on the refugees, themselves, is not fully understood. This study is focused on the impact of government policy decisions on the social, legal, and economic integration of refugees within an urban environment. Investigation into this topic resulted in the development of …

Establishing Sustainable Community Garden Interventions With Aid From Health Promotion Organizations, Rachel Joann Buenemann

Theses and Dissertations

Community garden interventions provide policy, system and environmental change at the community level to establish health behaviors, which act in contest to obesity risk factors. Limited research examines factors, which influence the sustainability of community garden interventions. Therefore, in this study, a sample of 10 Midwestern community gardens associated through funding from a health promotion organization in 2013, collected data through the interviewing and surveying of 10 garden administrators and surveying of 12 garden volunteers. The study identified garden benefits perceived by garden administrators and volunteers to include contributions to social justice, continued education, enhanced social cohesion, increased access to …

Advocate Or Traditional Bureaucrat: Understanding The Role Of Esl Supervisors In Shaping Local Education Policy Toward Immigrant Communities, Grant E. Rissler

Theses and Dissertations

As recent immigrants seek a productive and dignified life in “new immigrant destinations” that have little historical experience with immigration, public education systems serve a key function in immigrant integration efforts. In a federal system increasingly focused on accountability, a crucial sub-set of education policy and local responsiveness to immigration is English language instruction and services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students and parents.

In such contexts, the role that local bureaucrats play, and whether they actively represent the interests of the newfound diversity of community members, are crucial questions if strongly held American ideals of social equity and equal …

Depressive Symptoms Association With Health Outcomes And Treatment In Older Americans With Diabetes, Lashonda Jovon Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes is a major public health concern of its own, but when you add the comorbidity of depression, diabetes outcomes are amplified. This dissertation examines how depressive symptomatology and treatment for depression are associated with selfreported health (SRH) and diabetes control.

Methods: Chi-square and logistic regression were used to analyze data from the Health and Retirement Study (2012). We assessed the associations between SRH and diabetes control with depressive symptomatology data.

Results: In our sample (n=4374), 19% of respondents reported high depressive symptomatology and …

Association Between Job Satisfaction And Pay: The Case Of The Wage Payment System Of Dental Clinics In Korea, Eui Jeong Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate empirical type of the wage structures and the sub-items of wage applied at dental clinics and to analyze the determinants of pay satisfaction of dental employees. The questionnaire used in this study consists of personal characteristics, characteristics of workplace, administration of pay, Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ), Job Descriptive Index (JDI). PSQ and JDI were translated, and backward translation into Korean was implemented. A pilot test was conducted with 25 dental employees to complete the questionnaire. Survey was conducted from February to July in 2015, receiving 302 valid responses. ANOVA or t-test was …

Feasibility Of Introducing Investor-Owned Hospitals In Korea, Hongseok Seo

Theses and Dissertations

Since 2002, there has been active debate regarding the introduction of for-profit hospitals in South Korea: the advocates highlight the multiplication of economic value after the introduction of for-profit hospitals, whereas the opponents voice their concern about the possible negative consequences for-profit entities can create within the health care system. Various stakeholders including doctors’ associations, hospital associations, and civic groups have been for or against the introduction of for-profit hospitals, according to their interests. The government has tried to develop the national health and medicine system based on the positive and negative impacts of their introduction. In December, 2015, the …

The Tea Party Versus Planning: A Study Of Tea Party Activism And Its Impact On Local Government Planning, Spencer A. Norman

Theses and Dissertations

The Tea Party movement’s effect on local and regional planning in Virginia has received little study. This work identifies how conservative political activism has impacted planning in the Commonwealth and how planners have responded. The study relies on a qualitative approach involving 22 semi-structured interviews with activists, planners, and citizens, as well as textual analyses of planning documents, local and regional news reports, and Tea Party social media. The resultant findings show that Tea Party activism is rooted in deep seated ideals about private property rights and individualism. It also reveals that planning processes that increased the amount of public …

Association Of Provider Communication And Inpatient Hospital Readmissions, Jeremy Dean Faulkenburg

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Inpatient hospital readmission rates represent an important clinical and economic problem. Clinical interventions have shown significant decreases in preventable readmissions, but are costly to implement. Another approach is to better equip patients with the knowledge and resources to manage their care after discharge. Patients receive instruction from both nurses and physicians, as well as information pertaining to post-discharge care and instructions for care while at home. This study examines the association between provider communication and inpatient hospital readmissions.

Methods: This study used survey data from the 2013 and 2014 Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). The …

Reliability And Stability Of The Six Question Disability Measure In The Current Population Survey: What The Data Can And Cannot Tell Us About Disability And Labor Force Participation, Jeffrey Joy Dr.

Theses and Dissertations

The Current Population Survey (CPS) has been a major source of disability data for public policy and research. The aim of this study was two-fold. First, the study examined the six disability measures added to the CPS in 2008 to determine if they are both a reliable and stable method of describing disability over a period of two survey administrations in a 12-month period. Second, this study then assessed the impact of disability upon labor force participation. This research used a subset of the respondents to the longitudinal CPS Annual Social and Economic Supplement; it included (N=11,721) respondents …

Racial And Ethnic Differences In Receipt Of Immediate Breast Reconstruction Surgery: Do Hospital Characteristics Matter?, Jaya Shankar Khushalani

Theses and Dissertations

Immediate Breast Reconstruction Surgery (IBRS) is associated with better quality of life among women who undergo a mastectomy. Despite insurance coverage for IBRS, utilization of IBRS remains low. Data from publicly available sources for 2010-2012 are used to examine the association between hospital characteristics receipt of IBRS by patients. Minority-serving status, low bed size, for-profit ownership, non-teaching status, high competition, low density of plastic surgeons in the market and non-metropolitan location are associated with lower likelihood of receipt of IBRS.

Racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to receive IBRS. A mixed effects logistic regression model with interactions between Black/Hispanic …

Affordability, Utilization And Satisfaction With Care: A Policy Context For Improving Health Care Experiences, Anushree M. Vichare

Theses and Dissertations

Disparate healthcare experiences continue to pose a challenge; vulnerable populations such as low-income and racial and ethnic minorities may not be able to afford or utilize care when needed or receive quality care. The sources of disparities are complex and multi-factorial, which include health care system-level factors such as insurance and health care workforce. It is relatively less known to what extent these contribute to disparities related to a patient’s overall health care experience across three important domains – affordability, utilization and satisfaction with care.

This dissertation has three objectives. First, to assess how insurance benefit design affects health care …

Undocumented Students In Higher Education: A Case Study Exploring Street-Level Bureaucracy In Academic Advising, Fai Howard

Theses and Dissertations

Immigration is arguably among the most divisive global and national issues at present. In the U.S., undocumented persons (the DREAMers) who arrived to the U.S. as children have been the central focus of legislation and debate. As of 2013, the undocumented population has increased from less than a million in 1980, then reaching 12.2 million in 2006, to an estimated population of 11.3 million (Passel, Cohn, Krogstand, & Gonzalez-Barerra, 2014) just a few short years ago. For the numerous undocumented students who have excelled academically and socially, and make positive contributions to their communities, the goal of obtaining a college …

Recognizing Her Characteristics As A Leader: An Examination Of The Self-Assessment Of Women Leaders As Shaped By Social Identity Theory And The Concept Of Double Consciousness, John C. Gregory

Theses and Dissertations

Women leaders are grossly underrepresented in police and Army organizations and relevant research suggests that women face the most significant challenges in reaching leadership positions in male dominant organizations. Although there have been recent policy changes to increase opportunities for women in police and Army organizations, women are still barely represented in senior command and primary staff positions in police and Army organizations. When women are underrepresented, particularly at the most senior ranks, there are implications regarding cultural, structural, and attitudinal challenges that simply should not still exist in these organizations. Using qualitative methods, this study examined the experiences of …

Assessing The Implementation Of Campus Safety Policies In Virginia Community Colleges: An Analysis Of The Forces At Play In Higher Education Institutional-Level Policymaking, Steven T. Keener

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which community colleges have implemented major post-Virginia Tech campus safety recommendations. In addition to gaining a comprehensive overview of the safety policies and practices in place, this study assessed if campus safety policy implementation levels at the community colleges correlated with institutional characteristics, and the internal and external forces that helped drive the implementation of these policies. Focusing specifically upon the Virginia Community College System, data on the policies and practices in place at each of the 23 Virginia community colleges were collected from institutional websites and through follow-up …

State-Based Human Rights Violations And Terrorism, Eray Karlidag

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine the within-country and between-country effects of state-based human rights violations on annual counts of total, fatal and attributed attacks. I use the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) for my outcome variables and Political Terror Scale (PTS) to measure state-based human rights violations.

Scholars argue that repressive governments that silence dissidents and close all avenues of political expression increase the likelihood of terrorism and other acts of violence against the state (Gurr, 1970; Crenshaw, 1981; DeNardo, 1985; Piazza, 2017). In such circumstances, terrorism and acts of violence against the state may serve as a defense mechanism against …