The Incorporation Of Salivary Diagnostic Testing In Dental Hygiene Program Curriculum; A Pilot Study Using A Self-Reported Questionnaire, Carrie B. Palmer-Hawkins

Dental Hygiene ETDs

This study evaluated the incorporation of salivary diagnostic testing in dental hygiene program curricula. A recruitment email and survey link were sent to a convenience sample of 296 CODA-accredited program directors in the United States. Using a descriptive research approach, the survey gathered quantitative and qualitative data exploring directors’ perspectives on the role of salivary testing in dental hygiene education. Thirty-seven responses were gathered over three weeks, and 34 participants were included in the study, resulting in a response rate of 13%. Thirty-eight percent (n=13) reported incorporating salivary testing into their dental hygiene program curriculum through didactic or clinical coursework. …

Capstone Project Proposal: The Role Of Nutrition Education On Dietary Vitamin B12 Intake In Decreasing Postpartum Depression- A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Andrea Villalba Torres

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health condition that affects many women after giving birth but tends to go untreated. Research has identified that nutrition has an essential role in neurological health, including iron, folate, and the B vitamins. However, recent research regarding PPD and dietary interventions is limited. To address this gap, a 12-week-long pilot randomized controlled trial is proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of a text-based nutrition education program, encouraging dietary vitamin B12 intake, on reducing PPD symptoms in women 2-6 weeks postpartum. 128 participants will be recruited from 15 different Miami-Dade WIC clinics. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression …

From Incomplete To Impactful—Finalizing Unfinished Nursing Projects In Nart And Polypharmacy For Lasting Improvement, Paula Thanh Nhat Pham, Armine Lianna Chamichyan, Anastasia Yerofeyeva, Stelene Alexis Tragus

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project addressed the problem of incomplete or unsustained clinical initiatives at a long-term care facility by introducing Kotter’s Change Model, an evidence-based framework designed to support and sustain lasting improvements in clinical practice. Within the context of a religious-based residential community for older adults with complex chronic needs, the objective was to strengthen the facility’s capacity to implement and sustain change more effectively. By using two previously unfinished initiatives, the NaRT triage tool and Polypharmacy management process, the project applied Kotter’s model to evaluate how structured change strategies can improve staff engagement, leadership alignment, and long-term project …

Shattering The Silence: The Path To Maternal Equity In Texas, Karah Renfroe

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

The Black maternal mortality crisis reflects the persistence of institutionalized racism embedded in the U.S. healthcare system. In Texas, Black women account for just 11% of births yet represent 31% of maternal deaths—a mortality rate more than twice that of their white counterparts. This staggering disparity has persisted, even as statewide initiatives have improved maternal outcomes for non-Black women. This Comment situates the current crisis within a broader historical continuum: from the coerced medical experimentation on enslaved Black women by figures such as J. Marion Sims, through the codified racism of the Jim Crow era, to present-day inequities ingrained in …

Texas Black Maternal Mortality Crisis: A Spotlight On The Texas Legislature’S Alternatives To Abortion Program, Camille Tealer-Misage

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Texas leads the nation in maternal mortality and morbidity which intersects with high uninsured rates, abortion bans, and legislative policies promoting medical misinformation. Texas’ legislatively codified Alternatives to Abortion Program allocates tens of millions of dollars per year to crisis pregnancy centers and non-profits with the goal of deterring women from seeking abortions. These clinics do not have to hire medical professionals or obtain licensing for the pregnancy-related services provided to clients. Crisis pregnancy centers do not have to provide accurate medical information or social services to the thousands of people who seek care in a state with increasingly limited …

The Effect Of Early Intervention Programs On Literacy Performance Scores Of Kindergarten Students In One Central Arkansas School District, Abigail M. Stone

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This study was conducted in a central Arkansas school district to see if going to the Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) Early Intervention Program located in that central Arkansas school district made a difference in how well kids did on their kindergarten reading test (NWEA MAP Growth). This was a quantitative, causal-comparative study, meaning the researcher looked at archived test scores from kindergarteners in Fall 2021 where some of the participants attended ABC Pre-K, and some did not.

The main goal of the study was to answer this research question: Is there a significant difference in kindergarten readiness literacy scores between …

Guest Editors’ Introduction, Maurits Bastiaan Meerwijk, Nicolo Paolo P. Ludovice

Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints

This introduction examines the historical evolution of health messaging in the Philippines, tracing its roots from early twentieth-century colonial public health campaigns to contemporary pandemic responses. It argues that health messaging, initially termed “medical propaganda,” has consistently served as a tool for persuasion and governance, intertwining communication, politics, and medicine. The introduction highlights how visual technologies and simplified narratives have been used to normalize biomedical authority, often obscuring complex realities. It concludes by emphasizing the need for a broader epistemic repertoire to navigate health knowledge in an era of misinformation.

Sustainability In Culinary Arts Education, Nimra Farooqui

Education Department Student Publications & Research

No abstract provided.

From Liahona To Talk: An Inspired Method 1, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

If our past series, Actionable Insights from the Liahona, laid out essential principles like a detailed instruction manual, this time, I'm shifting gears into a softer narrative.

The core question is: "How do we make sure these essential principles stick?"

To answer that, I've sprinkled in approachable metaphors and a bit of humor that will make you want to slap your knee and exclaim, "That's exactly my story!" My goal is that, once you've finished reading or listening, these vital principles will adhere to your mind like a magnet on a refrigerator door.

From Liahona To Talk: An Inspired Method 2, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

In my previous series, Actionable Insights from the Liahona, I introduced many principles that felt like tightly cut jewels. This time, I'm changing the tempo and delivering those same principles set to a heart-stirring melody. I've set aside the rigid outlining and repackaged the principles with relatable stories and humorous metaphors that I hope will make you chuckle and think, "Oh, I know that feeling!" My wish is that this new approach helps these vital principles to gently drop anchor deep within your heart.

Using Food As A Fun And Effective Teaching Tool In Preschool, Kelly Furr, Melani Duffrin, Eugene A. Geist

Spark! Innovations in Early Childhood Education: A Research-to-Practice Journal for Educators

Food is one of the most engaging, hands-on materials for preschool classrooms. This article highlights research from the Food FAN Academy (Furr, 2023), which demonstrates how food can be used as a teaching tool across early childhood learning environments. Practical strategies are provided for preschool teachers, including detailed lesson plans that connect to early math, science, literacy, and social development. The article emphasizes the importance of using everyday materials, cultural inclusivity, and active learning methods to promote curiosity, health awareness, and foundational skills in young learners.

Accuracy Of The Garmin Instinct For Heart Rate Monitoring During Forearm Exercise With And Without Blood Flow Restriction, Danilo Dullas, Clifford Sanders, Yahtziri Martinez, Tevin Perez, Alana Tucker, Amelia Wolfe, Juni Timmins, Catalina M. Kerwin, Kynlee Sperry, Cannon Jones, Heather Zent, Sam Brinkerhoff, Setareh Zarei, Jeff Guzman, Rodolfo I. Mejia, Nathaniel Bodell, James W. Navalta, Merrill Funk, Jeffrey Cowley, Marcus M. Lawrence

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Wearable devices are widely used to monitor heart rate (HR) during exercise, but their accuracy under blood flow restriction (BFR) remains uncertain. Because BFR is increasingly applied in rehabilitation and strength training, accurate HR monitoring is essential for both safety and prescription. The PURPOSE of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the Garmin Instinct smartwatch for measuring HR during forearm exercise with and without BFR, compared to a chest-strap criterion device. METHODS: Twenty-three healthy adults (9 females, 14 males; mean age = 24.74 ± 8.19 years) participated in a repeated-measures design. After providing consent and being fitted with …

Validity Of The Polar Verity Sense In Measuring Heart Rate During A Hand Grip Assessment With Blood Flow Restriction, Jeff Guzman, James W. Navalta, Marcus M. Lawrence, Nathaniel Bodell, Jeffrey Cowley, Setareh Zarei, Rodolfo I. Mejia, Catalina M. Kerwin, Kynlee Sperry, Juni Timmins, Cannon Jones, Sam Brinkerhoff, Danilo Dullas, Clifford Sanders, Yahtziri Martinez, Tevin Perez, Alana Tucker, Amelia Wolfe, Merrill Funk

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training has acquired significant attention in rehabilitation and performance sciences. Polar is a popular heart rate (HR) device manufacturer, Polar Electro OY. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of HR from the Polar Verity Sense biceps band vs the Polar H10 chest strap during a hand grip assessment with blood flow restriction. METHODS: Twenty-three adults (9 females, 14 males, Identified otherwise n = 0; age=24.74±8.19 years, height = 172 cm (SD =9) Mass = 79kg (SD= 18.5) were recruited via convenience sampling. Participants were asked to do a warm-up including 5-min …

Liahona Project Data Set 4 Up To 2023, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

This document is a collection of highlights extracted from more than 1000 articles from the Japanese online Liahona magazines, spanning from July, 2021 to the end of 2023. Each article was individually checked to extract inspirational principles and highlights from personal experiences, serving as a resource to develop Spiritual Proficiency and build the foundation for Wits Psychology (With the Spirit Psychology). The document is 69 pages long.

The Importance Of A Pressure Injury Prevention Program In Acute Hospital Settings, Sarah Orial

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The identified practice problem for this project was the lack of a standardized pressure injury prevention program in a 350-bed acute care hospital. The lack of a standard program could be leading to increased hospital-acquired pressure injuries. PICOT: In adult inpatients in a medical/surgical unit (P), does the implementation of a standard unit-based pressure injury prevention program (I) compared to the current practice (C) increase the percentage of nursing skin risk assessment documentation (O) over a 10-week period (T)?

Evidence: The literature supports the development of standard pressure injury prevention programs and continuing education to …

December 5, 2025 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

U-Glide Program Fall 2025, Unf Office Of Undergraduate Research, Unf Graduate School

Undergraduate – Graduate Learning, Inquiry, and Distinctive Experimentation (U-GLIDE) Symposium Programs

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Sustainability In Family And Consumer Science Curricula, Emily Hill

Honors Theses

As climate change intensifies and global food systems face growing environmental pressures, there is an increasing need to prepare younger generations to respond to these challenges. Sustainability education is increasingly recognized as essential for helping students understand the connection between human actions, environmental resilience, and their overall well-being. This form of education already has a foundation in the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) curriculum. This study examines the effects of integrating sustainability lessons into secondary Family and Consumer Sciences food and nutrition courses in a rural Michigan high school. It was hypothesized that if students participate in sustainability presentations and …

Criminalizing Difference: An Intersectional Analysis Of Disability In The Criminal Justice System, Rowan Eisleman

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This research addresses the central question: How do individuals with disabilities intersect with the criminal justice system, and what systemic factors contribute to their overrepresentation and victimization? Despite over 61 million Americans having disabilities, there exists a significant gap in comprehensive scholarship examining disability-criminal justice intersections, particularly regarding how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience unique vulnerabilities as both offenders and victims. This study contributes to disability studies and criminology by providing a comprehensive intersectional analysis examining how disability compounds with race and gender to create compounded marginalization. This study conducted a comprehensive literature review, analyzing government statistics from …

Academic Opportunities: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Principals That Foster Academic Achievement Of Students That Attend Secondary Title I Schools, Loretta O'Nita Speller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of principals fostering the academic achievement of students in grades six through twelve who attend public secondary, Title I schools. The theory guiding this study was Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s theory posits that if a person’s lower-level deficiency needs are not met, ascension to higher levels cannot happen. The central research question is: “What are the lived experiences of principals that lead secondary Title I schools and how do they foster academic achievement of their students?” Purposeful sampling was used in this study, and participants in …

The Impact Of Education And Awareness In Influencing Lifestyle Behaviors That Prevent And Treat Sarcopenia In Older Adults: A Mixed-Methods Cross-Sectional Research Study, Alan Lynn Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-methods, cross-sectional study assessed the current level of knowledge and awareness among people aged 50 and older about sarcopenia, as well as their willingness to adopt lifestyle changes that could prevent or reverse the condition as they age. The study aimed to determine whether a lack of awareness and knowledge is linked to current lifestyle behaviors that contribute to or protect against the development of the disease. The population included men and women 50 and older, living independently in the community with no prior diagnosis of sarcopenia. The study used a custom-designed questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. A total of …

Navigating The Graduate Student Experience: Grit, Growth, And Persistence, Magdalen Kramer, Mitchell Buerkle, Heather Arlen, Ali Gravelle, Eli Bruess

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Graduate students navigate challenges in higher education with determination and tenacity. Postgraduate studies are enticing for career and personal advancement, but with an attrition rate of 12 – 26%, even the best students fail. The expectation and pressure to maintain high academic standards are often daunting. Many graduate students battle with emotional health and feelings of isolation, work-life balance, asynchronous learning, and other invisible factors, but still manage to find motivation to persist. We used personal experiences, information, and insight from our Winona State University leadership communication class to examine potential difficulties graduate students face. We backed our findings with …

Educating The Whole Child: The Essential Role Of School-Based Mental Health Partnerships In Student Success, Kellye Palmer

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Schools are uniquely positioned to serve as gateways for mental health access, yet many educational systems continue to treat mental wellness as secondary to academic instruction. This paper argues that school-based mental health partnerships are as essential to student success as physical education or standardized assessment. Drawing from the author’s experience coordinating behavioral health services within Baltimore County Public Schools, the discussion highlights how integrated partnerships between schools and clinicians reduce barriers to care, improve collaboration among educators and families, and foster early intervention. The paper also addresses the risks of unrecognized mental health needs being misidentified as behavioral or …

Food Access And Food Insecurity Among Early Childhood Educators And Staff Prior To And During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study, Rahel Mathews, Leah Pylate, Will Davis, Elizabeth Thorne, Jamila Taylor, Shecoya White, Bennett Pope, Emma Bryant

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Emerging research indicates that 40% of early childhood education (ECE) workers experience food insecurity. The purpose of this study was to describe the food insecurity and food access of Head Start teachers and staff in Mississippi before the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand how COVID-19 affected food access. A mixed-methods design was employed using cross-sectional surveys, at two different time points, and three focus groups. Three Head Start centers from the Mississippi Coast participated. Approximately 52% of teacher and staff respondents experienced food insecurity before COVID-19; during the pandemic, their level of food insecurity worsened from low to very low …

Referral Strategies For Recruitment And Engagement Of Community Adults Into Online Extension Health Programs, Cheryl L. Eschbach, Dawn A. Contreras, Holly B. Tiret

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article shares details behind building organizational capacity to establish program referrals for statewide recruitment of community adults into Cooperative Extension’s online health programs. This study explores the role of intentional recruitment strategies (active and passive) to increase participant program enrollment into health education and shares examples from one state that has created a trained workforce that offers ongoing research- and evidence-based programs. After many years of trying paper, phone, and electronic medical record methods to increase program reach, Michigan State University Extension tried an electronic referral process via a QR code and web link, accompanied by program marketing, to …

Exploring The Educational Needs Of Family Caregivers For Patients With Dementia, Karen L. Franck, Janet Fox, Ann A. Berry, Kristen Johnson, Jessica Taylor, Matt Devereaux

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Family members who care for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia often face significant stressors and challenges that impact their quality of life. As part of a project to develop Extension educational materials and resources specifically for family caregivers, we conducted an online needs assessment survey with 196 adults in the U.S. Participants identified doctors, the internet, and caregiver support groups as top sources of information about dementia. They were interested in strategies to help them manage stress, address patient behavioral issues, and access locally available resources. Furthermore, they were interested in attending educational programs with other caregivers. These findings …

A Mixed-Methods Design-Based Research: Study Of Teacher Self-Efficacy And The Implementation Of Social Emotional Learning In The High School Classroom, Avia Brown

Dissertations

The escalating mental health crisis among adolescents, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, positioned schools as critical intervention sites for supporting student well-being (K. McNamara, 2020). However, teacher capacity and self-efficacy in implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies remain significant barriers to effective, sustainable practice. This mixed-methods design-based research study examined the efficacy of professional development and instructional coaching in enhancing teacher self-efficacy and supporting the implementation of SEL competencies in high school classrooms.

The researcher employed a comprehensive, five-stage design thinking framework (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test) to develop and evaluate a structured eight-week professional development and coaching intervention targeting SEL …

Pathways To Progress: Understanding Gender Gaps Across Life Stages In The Asean Region, Debbie Wong, Jacqueline Cheng, Elizabeth Cassity, Jeaniene Spink, Payal Goundar, Jeffery H. Marshall

International Education Research

The ASEAN region continues to grapple with some of the world’s most pronounced disparities in educational outcomes. Addressing foundational learning gaps and promoting equity and inclusion for girls, women and marginalised groups remains a central priority in both educational improvement and labour market reform agendas regionally and internationally. This report presents new insights into the factors shaping human development outcomes for girls, women and marginalised groups in the ASEAN region. It supports the priorities under the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), which aims to reduce development disparities among ASEAN member states. Grounded in case studies from the newer ASEAN member …

Child Development: A Developmentally Appropriate Practices Approach, Second Edition, D.R. Meece

Open Textbooks

The book follows a topical approach and covers children from prenatal to late childhood/early adolescence. The book follows a Developmentally Appropriate Practices approach, emphasizing that development results from the interaction of age-related expectations, culture and context, and individual child characteristics. The text is written for education majors, as well as others who will work with children and families in a variety of fields, including psychology, social work, nursing, and others.

Impact Of Community College Size And Meeting Types On Leader-Member Conversation Quality In Career And Technical Education (Cte) Leaders: A Mixed Methods Study, Kenneth Wayne Kirkland Jr.

Dissertations

Community colleges are complex institutions with the primary mission of workforce preparation and academic transfer. In many cases, community colleges produce the majority of their local workforces. Political influences upon workforce priorities, increased national calls for transparency in higher education training, complicated infrastructure, and technical expertise requirements for faculty have created substantial challenges for career and technical education (CTE) leaders. These complexities require the 21st-century CTE leader to be as externally focused as their presidents, highlighting the importance of communication effectiveness in both leaders.

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the influence of community college enrollment levels …