Digital Commons Network^™

The Intersection Of Social Stress, Mental Well-Being, And Sexual Health Among Black Women In Emerging Adulthood, Brandi Galloway

Theses and Dissertations

With an estimated 37,000 new HIV infections each year, HIV continues to be a major public health concern. HIV affects some populations more than others. Young Black women, in particular, are disproportionately affected by HIV. While being a woman does not typically increase a person’s HIV risk, being Black and being a woman does.

Data indicate that individual-level factors do not fully address the differences in HIV and STIs between Black emerging adult women and their White counterparts. Thus, it is critical to better understand contextual factors such as social stress and mental-wellbeing which might better account for these disparities. …

An Examination Of Weight, Weight Bias, And Health Care Utilization And Attitudes Among Emerging Adults, Jessica M. Mccauley

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with overweight/obesity have been found to exhibit more negative attitudes toward health care and disproportionate rates of health care delay and avoidance, compared to their healthy weight peers. The present study sought to examine potential mechanisms through which weight status influences health care utilization and attitudes. Six hundred and thirty-three students completed a questionnaire measuring weight status, perceived weight bias, patient-provider relationship, and health care utilization and attitudes. Although the majority of the paths in the proposed theoretical mediation model were supported by the present findings, there was no support for the anticipated link between perceived weight bias and …

A Dual Dilemma: An Examination Of Body Dissatisfaction Among Asian American Females In Emerging Adulthood, Sarah Javier

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine what factors contribute to and result from body dissatisfaction using the theoretical framework of the Tripartite Model of Influence, which included family, peer, and media influence. Participants were recruited from SONA and student organizations and participated in an online survey (N =148). A MANCOVA indicated that Asian and White females did not differ in body dissatisfaction and other health outcomes. Thin-ideal internalization mediated the relationships between media influence, peer influence, and body dissatisfaction among Asian American females. Moderation analyses indicated that ethnic identity, Asian American identity, and acculturation did not moderate the …