Digital Commons Network^™

Analyzing Food Access: An Investigation Of Food Insecurity Amongst Latinos In Rural Nebraska, Natalia Santos

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Food insecurity is a public health issue in the United States, with disproportionately higher rates among Latino/Hispanic households. Rural communities face unique geographical, socioeconomic, and systemic barriers that often exacerbate food access disparities. Despite the growing Latino population in rural areas, particularly in Midwestern states like Nebraska, there remains a critical gap in comprehensive research that integrates both objective and subjective understandings of their food environments. Understanding these multifaceted influences is crucial for developing effective, culturally sensitive interventions.

Problem Statement: This dissertation aims to answer the central question: How does food access and food insecurity manifest amongst Latinos in …

Development Analysis Of South Africa: Potential Impacts Of The Democratic Alliance’S Presence In The New Coalition, Mitchell Susswein

Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Politics, Economics and World Affairs

No abstract provided.

In Grief We Need Each Other, Derek Schuurman

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

In the face of grief, human connections provide a far deeper comfort than new AI developments.

Demographic Characteristics And Selected Personality Traits Of Women In Competitive Bodybuilding, Chloe A. Zeeuw

Master's Theses

This study investigated demographic characteristics and measures of personality (dimensions of performance perfectionism and five-factor model characteristics) in women in competitive bodybuilding between 18-25 years old. A total of 24 women completed an online survey which included a demographic questionnaire, the Five Factor Model Rating Form (FFMRF), and the Performance Perfectionism Scale for Sport (PPSS) inventories. Descriptive results for the FFMRF were Openness (18.17±3.12), Conscientiousness (25.58±3.33), Extraversion (19.96±3.46), Agreeableness (19.88±4.58), and Neuroticism (15.67±4.94), and for the PPS-S were Self-oriented performance perfectionism (20.96±3.53), Socially prescribed performance perfectionism (13.96±4.26), and Other-oriented performance perfectionism (10.54±4.23). Pearson’s correlation coefficients and Shapiro-Wilk tests revealed that …

Identity Resolution In Feminists Raised Catholic: A Narrative Analysis Of Life Histories, Carlotta Reinhardt, Lauren E. Duncan

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Using narrative analysis of life histories, we explored the interplay between Catholic religious background, identity formation, and feminist activism. We used data from 13 oral histories of feminist and LGBTQ+ activists in the US and Italy who were raised Catholic. In the first stage of Downing and Roush’s model of feminist identity development, passive acceptance, religion can play a significant role. We found that whether religion is central to a person's worldview or not, and whether it is rigid or flexible, influence how individuals handle identity conflicts related to gender and sexuality during the revelation stage. Dissonances were caused by …

Exploring Adverse Childhood Experiences And Bullying Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Alyson Connelly Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and bullying can lead to psychological distress, causing both short- and long-term health and mental health problems. Children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN), including those who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), face a higher risk of ACEs and bullying, which can affect their well-being.

This study builds on existing literature by (a) reviewing ACEs and bullying in CSHCN, especially those who are DHH, and (b) using data from the 2016-2022 National Survey of Children's Health to analyze ACEs and bullying in children who are DHH, DHH+CSHCN, and CSHCN. The literature review found that disability …

Experiences Of The Emergency Department Environment: A Qualitative Study With Caregivers Of People With Dementia, Anita N Chary, Michelle Suh, Annika Bhananker, Norvin Hernandez, Ana Paulina Rivera, Ed Boyer, Mark E Kunik, Manish N Shah, Christine Ritchie, Aanand D Naik, Shan W Liu, Maura Kennedy

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

ED crowding and boarding adversely impact older patients' care and outcomes. Little is known about how ED crowding impacts persons living with dementia, a vulnerable population. This study sought to explore ED experiences of caregivers of people with dementia during a period of ED crowding and boarding. We performed semi-structured interviews with caregivers of people with dementia with an ED visit during a period of ED crowding and boarding at two public hospitals experiencing a threefold increase in boarding from pre-pandemic levels. Participants were recruited via chart review. We coded data using an inductive approach. Three themes emerged from 29 …

The Resilience Of The Human Lungs: Evolution, Smoke, And Disease, Joan B Soriano, Francesca Polverino

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Notice-Ed: Nurse Or Technician Insights Into Cognitive Evaluations In The Emergency Department, Sarah J Nessen, Anita N Chary, Annika R Bhananker, K Jane Muir, Lauren T Southerland, Kyra O'Brien, Ari B Friedman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Several strategies have been proposed to increase chronic cognitive impairment (CI) screening in the emergency department (ED). Our goal was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing specific CI screening tools and strategies in the ED from an ED registered nurse and technician perspective.

Methods: We performed a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of ED nurses and ED technicians (EDTs). Participants worked at an urban academic hospital and were interviewed between November 2023 and March 2024. Interviews assessed participants' opinions on the feasibility and acceptability of CI screening and the use of machine learning …

Will There Be A Pill For That? ‘Money Dysmorphia’ And The Medicalization Of Struggles For Subsistence, Bojan Savic

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

This article questions the rationality, operation, and effects of money dysmorphia as an emerging mental health diagnosis. It critiques the medicalization of financial angst amid the capitalist “polycrisis”, showing how the individuation and somatic pathologization of class subordination, socioeconomic precarity, and struggles for subsistence obscure capitalist inequalities, depoliticize them, and shield them from critique. I identify five concurrent strategies through which struggles for subsistence are medicalized: trivialization, reversal of social import, repetition, direct depoliticization, and the substitution of inequality with poverty. Furthermore, I show how the medicalizing discourse reifies money dysmorphia by constructing its social costs. The article concludes by …

Explore Toolkit, Kimberly Page, Janet Page Reeves, Ivan De La Rosa, Marie Alice Scott, Christina Phillips, Maria Sanchez, Andrew Gorvetzian, Joe Albright, Cynthia Killough, Randall Benalli

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Preventive Medicine

Welcome to the Exploring Health Beliefs for Community Engagement and Diversity in Clinical Trials (EXPLORE) Toolkit, a resource designed to support researchers and frontline workers addressing substance use in the Borderlands. The EXPLORE Toolkit was designed by an interdisciplinary team of epidemiologists, social workers, anthropologists, and public health professionals to enhance the engagement of underrepresented communities in substance use clinical trials. Utilizing a strength-based approach, the toolkit addresses equity, stigma, and participation barriers, promoting culturally sensitive and community-centered research practices. This toolkit is an ideal tool for clinical trials researchers and community health workers who are interested in learning more …

Optimizing Tobacco-Free Workplace Programs: Applying Rapid Qualitative Analysis To Adapt Interventions For Texas Healthcare Centers Serving Rural And Medically Underserved Patients, Hannah Wani, Maggie Britton, Tzuan A Chen, Ammar D Siddiqi, Asfand B Moosa, Teresa Williams, Kathleen Casey, Lorraine R Reitzel, Isabel Martinez Leal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Tobacco use is disproportionately high in rural areas, contributing to elevated cancer mortality, yet it often goes untreated due to limited access to care, high poverty and uninsured rates, and co-occurring substance use disorders (SUDs). This study explored the utility of using rapid qualitative analysis (RQA) to guide the adaptation of a tobacco-free workplace program (TFWP) in Texas healthcare centers serving adults with SUDs in medically underserved areas.

Methods: From September-December 2023 and May-July 2024, we conducted 11 pre-implementation, virtual semi-structured group interviews focused on adapting the TFWP to local contexts (N = 69); 7 with providers (n …

The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Pre-Licensure Nursing Students Using The Theory Of Cultural Humility, Margaret Curry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The American population has become more racially and ethnically diverse. Pre-licensure nursing students must have the knowledge, skill, and attitude to meet the needs of this diverse patient population. The purpose of this study was to educate pre-licensure nursing students on the concept of cultural humility using standardized patients from diverse cultural backgrounds in simulation experiences. The 27 students in this study were enrolled in a traditional nursing program in the southern U.S. This one-group quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design used Foronda’s Cultural Humility Scale. These students completed this scale (pretest), participated in simulation experiences with standardized patients from diverse cultural backgrounds, …

Comparison Of Leveling A Deep Curve Of Spee With Extractions Versus Non-Extraction: A Biomechanical Perspective, Mitchell James Muller

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Introduction: This study evaluated and compared orthodontic forces from different archwire designs and materials used to correct a deep curve of Spee. Methods: A three-dimensional orthodontic force tester (OFT) was used to measure forces and moments exerted by archwires on brackets from central incisors to first molars. Two setups were tested: one with a full dentition from central incisor to first molar, and another simulating bicuspid extractions with the first premolar removed. Dentoform models representing a deep curve of Spee were created using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data. The setup employed 0.022 × 0.028-inch zero-prescription brackets secured with elastomeric ligatures. …

One Health Policy Communities’ Perspectives On Zoonoses Risk Factors And Management: A Multiple Qualitative Methods Approach, Lisset M. Dumet, Erin Kenzie, Julia M. Goodman, Veronika Merino Osorio, Vanessa Cruz Chavez, Ruth Atto, Percy Vilchez Barreto, Seth O’Neal

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Zoonoses emergence and endemicity are serious global public health problems that disproportionately affect low-resource settings. One Health (OH) serves as a framework to understand the interconnection of zoonoses risk factors and incentivizes collaboration, coordination, and communication among sectors. However, OH encounters barriers related to power imbalances, gaps in coordination, and conflicts of interest among diverse communities of practice, which are groups that share a problem and domain of interest and engage in collective learning. This research aims to elucidate the mental models of policy communities, which are representations of the environment, and how humans explain and predict their surroundings to …

From Adjustment To Transformation: Applying An Evidence-Based Figure-8 Model To Guide Students Through Transformation Before, During, And After Study Abroad, Susan L. Ross, Lily A. House-Peters, Alison R. Holmes

csuglobalaction

The 23-campus California State University (CSU) system has an excellent record of sending students abroad and remains a champion of this high impact practice. Despite system-wide policies and Executive Orders that include requirements to promote pre-departure information sessions and support for returning students - gaps remain. This research argues that the popular models of culture adjustment no longer adequately frame the processes that students experience before, during, and after transformative (and potentially traumatic) study abroad. This is particularly the case for BIPOC, First Gen, undocumented/DACA, URM, and LGBTQ+ students who are increasingly represented in study abroad cohorts. The authors therefore …

Common Sources, Perceived Communication Efficacy And Sufficiency Of Cervical Cancer Information, Education And Communication Materials For Women With Hiv/Aids In Rural Kenya, Scholastic Musakali Adeli, Elkanah Orang'o, Violet Naanyu, Ann Mwangi, Peter Itsura, Barry Rosen, Patrick Loehrer

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the greatest cause of cancer-related death among women in Sub-Saharan Africa, with particularly high incidence and mortality rates in rural regions. In Kenya, Women with HIV/AIDS (WLHA) are at a greater risk of developing cervical cancer though screening rate remains low. Information, education and communication (IEC) materials play a crucial role in raising awareness, promoting screening, and supporting early detection and treatment; however, little is known about the accessibility, content, and perceived effectiveness of these materials from the perspective of WLHA.

Methods: The objective of this study was to determine the common sources, perceived communication efficacy …

The State Of The Science Of Natural Family Planning: A Report From Nfp Scientists’ Meeting Held In Orlando, Fl, September 4, 2024, Michael D. Manhart, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

A one-day meeting was held as a pre-conference to the Catholic Medical Association Annual Educational event in 2024. A panel of eighteen physicians, scientists, and researchers involved in NFP work was convened to review the available evidence in four topical areas: (i) evidence for effectiveness of NFP methods to postpone and achieve pregnancy, (ii) evidence for effectiveness in the postpartum and perimenopause transition periods, (iii) evaluate the current state of technology in NFP (specifically app and quantitative hormone monitoring), and (iv) evidence examining the impact of NFP on marital relations. In each topical area, the panel worked to reach a …

Figo Position Statement: Gamete Donations, Laurie Henry, Aris Antsaklis, Dov Feldberg, Jaideep Malhotra, Suchitra Pandit, Carlos Salazar, Alex Vidaeff, Rafal Zadykowicz, M Louise Hull, Nikhil Purandare

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Gamete donation has become a crucial part of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs), providing hope to individuals, including those who may have no other option for parenthood. This process comes with a wide range of ethical, medical, and legal challenges that need to be carefully addressed to protect the well-being and rights of all parties involved: donors, recipients, and offspring. Navigating these complexities requires strict ethical standards, robust regulatory frameworks, and international collaboration. By standardizing these, the field of gamete donation can continue to develop while ensuring that all parties are well informed and safeguarded. This paper explores the ethical concerns …

Book Review: Maricel Guiao Santos, Rachel Showstack, Glenn A. Martínez, Drew Colcher, Dalia Magaña. (2024). Health Disparities And The Applied Linguist. Routledge, Pp. 148, David Sanchez-Jimenez

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

"Holy Cow, Where Do I Sign Up?" Attitudes Of Military Veterans Toward Epigenomic Biomarker Toxic Exposure Testing, Stacey Pereira, Calvin Apodaca, Kyle Slominski, Rachele K Lipsky, Cristian Coarfa, Cheryl L Walker, Amy L Mcguire, Lea Steele, Drew A Helmer

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Introduction: After the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act in 2022, there has been a great interest in studying toxic exposures encountered during military service. Development of epigenomic biomarkers for exposures could facilitate understanding of exposure-related health effects, but such testing could also provide unwanted information.

Materials and methods: We explored attitudes toward epigenomic biomarker research and the potential to test for past exposures using semistructured interviews with Veterans (n = 22) who experienced potentially harmful exposures.

Results: Twenty Veterans said they would hypothetically want to receive …

Living Heritage, Resilience And Ethically Informed Infrastructures In Malawi, Martha B. Lerski, Frank Puluputu Mwale

Publications and Research

Rooted in a rural community’s needs, this paper explores how historically, and ethically informed infrastructures can support community engagement towards identification, documentation, and dissemination of local, traditional, and indigenous knowledge relating to climate change. The paper examines climate adaptation and sustainability issues through the lenses of community organizing and Library & Information Science best practices. It draws on a growing body of literature identifying a role for expanded epistemological and subject discipline perspectives. While the impacts of climate on material culture are increasingly recognized, intangible, and biocultural heritage have not received as much attention. Living heritage traditions and knowledge systems …

Do Minorities Attend Culturally Competent Hospitals? The Case Of Minority-Serving And Safety-Net Hospitals, Rumel Mahmood

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Minorities disproportionately attend minority-serving hospitals (MSHs) and safety-net hospitals (SNHs). This study examines whether MSHs or SNHs are more culturally competent than their counterparts. No research to date has examined the cultural competency of MSHs and SNHs with hospitals outside of these categories. The literature on the determinants of hospital-level cultural competence is sparse, with limited measures used nationally and a robust measure used in a single U.S. state. I calculated a 100-point score of hospital cultural competence from a nationally representative survey of hospitals (N = 849 respondents). Using multilevel regression models, I found that MSHs are culturally …

Impact Of Military-Related Moves On Spousal Perinatal Depression Screening And Mental Health Services, Chambraia Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal depression, including perinatal depression (PND), poses significant public health risks to women, infants, and families. Although routine PND screening is recommended, limited research has examined screening and referrals among military spouses, an underserved population affected by frequent relocations and deployments. This study examined how permanent change of station (PCS) frequency affects PND screening and referrals to mental health services. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological model and the CDC’s social ecological model of health, eight research questions explored associations between PCS frequency, PND screening, referrals, and the moderating roles of military branch and deployment status. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used …

The Case For Compulsory Dna Testing At Birth To Confirm Paternity: Ethical, Legal, And Social Considerations, Michael Mncedisi Willie

Journal of Indonesian Health Policy and Administration

Compulsory paternity testing at birth has sparked significant legal, ethical, and social debate due to its potential impact on family dynamics, child well-being, and parental responsibility. This review explores the ethical, legal, and societal implications of such testing, using Bioecological Systems Theory and Rawls' Theory of Justice to frame the discussion. This review evaluates the benefits and challenges of mandatory DNA testing at birth, particularly in reducing paternity fraud, ensuring fairness in child support allocation, and enhancing socio-economic outcomes, especially in low-income households. This qualitative review draws on multidisciplinary literature from family law, genetic counseling, social policy, and fathers' rights …

"You Need To Make The Decision You Can Live With": An Observational Study Of Anti-Abortion Centers In Tampa Bay, Anna Broich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anti-Abortion Centers (AACs) pose a grave threat to the reproductive health outcomes of Americans. Disguising themselves as licensed health clinics, AACs target vulnerable communities to prevent or delay abortion care through the spread of medical misinformation, contributing to abortion stigmatization. Situated in a state with a near-total abortion ban, this secret-shopper study aimed to understand the ways in which AACs in Tampa, Florida communicate anti-abortion rhetoric to pregnant people seeking abortions. Under the guise of people who suspect they are pregnant searching for abortion care, the main researcher and her assistants conducted the first phase of the study through 25 …

Career Impact Of The National Interprofessional Fellowship In Patient Safety: An Alumni Evaluation, Bradley V Watts, Kathleen Carluzzo, Blake F Webb, Kelley Arredondo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: There has been a proliferation of health professions training programmes focused on quality and patient safety, but little information regarding the outcomes of these programmes. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an interprofessional quality and patient safety curriculum on career outcomes of interprofessional healthcare learners for the Veterans Affairs Patient Safety Fellowship.

Method: We conducted a survey-based assessment of 117 alumni of the Interprofessional Fellowship in Patient Safety assessing their satisfaction with the training program and career impacts.

Results: 84 of 117 alumni were located and participated in the assessment. Fellows entered the training …

Arts-Based Sustainability: From New York To Malawi, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Recognizing that libraries serve multiple constituencies and subject areas, this chapter documents and advocates for development of transdisciplinary arts-based research (ABR) and culture-related projects linked to environmental challenges. Libraries contribute collections and spaces, as well as the research of library and information scientists. Libraries are currently among invisible contributors to sustainability planning and services. The chapter will link this invisibility to the value of what visual arts refer to as negative space elements in subjects ranging from traditional ecological knowledge to environmental science. Library collections, projects, and research contribute to education for sustainable development (ESD) as required to achieve the …

Social, Microbial, And Immune Factors Linking Bacterial Vaginosis And Infectious Diseases, Nicole M. Gilbert, Luis A. Ramirez Hernandez, Daniela Berman, Sydney Morrill, Pascal Gagneux, Amanda L. Lewis

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a polymicrobial condition of the vaginal microbiota associated with a variety of sexually transmitted infections, infections of maternal and fetal tissues during pregnancy, and even some infections outside of the reproductive tract, including the urinary tract and mouth. BV has also been associated with conditions in which the body generates prominent inflammatory reactions to microbes, including infections of the cervix and other upper genital tract tissues. For reasons still not understood, BV is a highly recurrent and often difficult-to-treat condition, complicating attempts to prevent these associated infections. An additional layer of complexity arises from the increasing …

Exploring Early Childhood Development Programming In Kenya’S Arid And Semi-Arid Lands, Phyllis Magoma, Amina Abubakar, Martha Kaniala, Barack Aoko, Moses Wesala, Joyce Marangu, Susan Nyamanya, Margaret Kabue, Anil Khamis, Esther Chongwo

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background: Promoting high-quality early childhood development (ECD) is vital for individuals’ physical and social well-being and yields significant societal returns. However, children in marginalised regions like Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) face significant barriers to accessing quality ECD services.

Aim: This study aimed to document existing ECD services in Kenya’s ASAL areas, including their availability, types and key characteristics; identify gaps in their provision and propose solutions to enhance access and quality. Setting: This qualitative study was conducted in 10 ASAL counties in Kenya.

Methods: Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, 103 key informants, including pre-primary …