Digital Commons Network^™

The History Of Dr. Suess And European Dentists From The Past: Relevant Lessons In Bioethics For Today, Howard A. Israel Dds, Facd

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The works of the author-illustrator Dr. Seuss evoke images of children’s books with moral themes, such as Yertle the Turtle and Horton Hears a Who. The life story of another Dr. Suess has remained relatively unknown. Walter Suess was an extremely talented dentist and musician in Austria. Brilliant and courageous, he became a victim of a morally depraved authoritarian regime and the absence of biomedical ethics during the reign of the Third Reich. The serendipitous discovery of the true story of Dr. Seuss and European dentists from this era offers lessons in bioethics relevant to today.

Exploring Relational Leadership And Psychological Safety During Ai Integration In The Workplace, Solmaz Kaynama

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores employee psychological safety, or its lack, during artificial intelligence (AI) integration in the workplace through a relational leadership lens. The population included employees of for-profit business corporations currently integrating or adopting AI technologies (N = 14). Participants completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Results showed eight themes: relational leadership creates a psychologically safe workplace climate; unsupportive and dysfunctional leadership erodes trust and psychological safety; psychological safety determines whether employees speak up openly or hold back; employees’ experience daily work through workplace culture, pace, and remote or hybrid conditions; AI may delivers immediate productivity benefits while introducing new psychological and …

The Lived Experience Of Tenders Of Community Grief Rituals, Margaret Y. Wilson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this research study is to gain an understanding of the lived experience of tenders of community grief rituals, and how tenders make meaning of their experiences. This study utilized photo elicitation and a reflexive thematic analysis. Participants (N = 11) provided one to three photographs that captured their experience of grief and/or tending grief rituals. The results identified 10 themes supported by subthemes: (a) Grief Tender Wisdom About the Nature of Grief, (b) Life’s Many Experiences are Sources of Grief, (c) The Multifaceted Impacts of Grief-Body, Anger, Compassion, Empathy, Resilience, Gratitude, Joy, and Love, (d) The Nuances …

A Collaborative Communities-Of-Practice Methodology For Environmental Design Research: A Case Study Application In Palliative Care, Emil E. Jonescu, Benjamin Farrell, Chamil Erik Ramanayaka, Lori Delaney, Edward Litton, Talia J. Uylaki, Gareth Watts, Bella Brigham, Frances Bellemore, Davinia Seah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Environmental design in palliative care settings receives increasing attention, yet methodologies for studying such environments often lack interdisciplinary integration. Traditional research designs may overlook the lived expertise of clinicians and designers. Objectives: This article describes a collaborative, cross-disciplinary communities-of-practice model developed as a methodological framework to enable effective environmental evaluation and design processes in healthcare settings. Its application is illustrated through a case study in a palliative care unit. Methods: A co-designed, multi-methods approach was developed by a team of clinicians, facility managers, and academic researchers. The methodology included a scoping review, site-specific environmental data logging (sound, temperature, lighting), and …

Beyond Coding: Balancing Interpretive Depth And Rigour In Ethnographic Data Analysis, Thi Ngoc Minh Nguyen, Gordana Dermody, Rosemary Saunders, Lisa Whitehead

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To present a refined approach to analysing ethnographic data that preserves the distinctiveness of ethnography while ensuring it meets contemporary expectations of methodological rigour.

Design: Methodological discussion paper.

Data Sources: The approach draws on established ethnographic scholarship and is guided by Wolcott's framework for transforming qualitative data through three interrelated stages: description, analysis and interpretation. A practical application is illustrated through a focused ethnography exploring how older Vietnam-born Australians understand and manage chronic disease.

Implications for Nursing Practice: Focused ethnography has become increasingly popular in nursing research as it reflects the dual nature of the profession: striving to generate …

Preparation Of Australian Nurses For Contemporary Disability Care: A Desktop Review, Lesley Andrew, Martina Costello

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Approximately 18% of Australians experience disability, with significant health inequities documented in this population. Despite nursing’s crucial role in addressing these inequities, questions remain about nurses’ preparedness to work effectively with people with disability. The review assessed Australian nursing education’s approach to prepare its graduate nurses for disability care in today’s Australia. Using a rigorous desktop analysis methodology, the review evaluated the publicly available undergraduate nursing degree curricula materials from all 32 Australian public universities that offered a preregistration nursing degree in 2024. The review found 50% of nursing degree curricula course materials omitted to mention disability in their publicly …

Sugar Consumption In Aboriginal Children Explored From A Social Practice Perspective, Amy Budrikis, Angela Durey, Dan Mcaullay, Paul Ward, Hanny Calache, Thierry Ng, Roma Winmar, Linda Slack-Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Australian Aboriginal children have higher sugar intake and are disproportionately affected by sugar-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes and dental caries than non-Aboriginal children. The intention of this paper was to highlight the need for approaches that can capture the complexity of health practices without reducing them to either individual choice or structural determination. We explore sugar consumption in Aboriginal children from a social practice perspective. Here, the unit of analysis is the practice, not the individual, where the elements of a social practice (competence, materials and meanings) are integrated into its performance. We conducted qualitative research using elements of …

Homoplasy Of Maxillary Orthognathism In Derived Homo, Jared Jordan

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The evolution of the orthognathic condition in the genus Homo represents a monumental transition toward the facial morphology of modern humans from that of earlier hominins, but the phylogenetic positioning of this transformation remains poorly understood. This study investigated temporal trends in maxillary and mandibular prognathism in the genus Homo, and whether maxillary and mandibular shortening in East Asian H. erectus and later East Asian Middle Pleistocene Homo (e.g., Homo longi) represent independent derivations of orthognathic morphology, thereby making orthognathism a homoplasy in the genus Homo. Using a sample of roughly 109 cranial and mandibular specimens spanning …

Anything But Endo: Diagnostic Buck-Passing In Endometriosis Diagnosis, Rita Dexter, Megan Kitts, Heather Welty, Melanie Jeske

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

People living with endometriosis, a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body, often experience prolonged diagnostic journeys because of symptom variability, normalisation of period pain and other symptoms, and lack of awareness of the condition. In this article, we analyse the endometriosis diagnostic journey through the lens of epistemic injustice. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 52 people living with endometriosis in the United States, we introduce the concept of diagnostic buck-passing to characterise the phenomenon wherein individuals who seek treatment for their symptoms end up stuck in a cycle of seeing …

Documenting Death: Maternal Mortality And The Ethics Of Care In Tanzania (Adrienne E. Strong 2020), Luluk Oktavia, Megawati Sukarno

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

In recent decades, global efforts to reduce maternal mortality have become a primary focus in health development agendas. However, challenges in providing quality healthcare remain complex, especially in resource-limited countries. Adrienne E. Strong’s book, Documenting Death: Maternal Mortality and the Ethics of Care in Tanzania, offers an ethnographic perspective on the relationship between bureaucratic structures, resource constraints, and healthcare practices in Tanzania. This review examines Strong’s key concepts, such as good enough care, documented care, and fierce care, which highlight the ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare workers in delivering care under administrative pressures and limited facilities. The critique of the …

The Influence Of Early Detection And Intervention Providers' Actions And Communication On Parental Emotions And Early Intervention Engagement After A Child Is Diagnosed With Hearing Loss: A Scoping Review, Charlene M. Watson, D. Ellen Rick, Jillian Ingratta, Patti-Jo Sullivan, Xurong Zhao, Sheila Moodie

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Despite well-intentioned early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs, parents receiving a newborn hearing loss diagnosis often experience distress, uncertainty, and fear, which can impact their readiness to engage in early intervention. The communication and support provided by clinicians in early hearing detection and intervention play a critical role in helping families navigate emotions, overcome barriers, and actively participate in EHDI programs. The purpose of this scoping review is to advance our knowledge of the following: For parents who have a newborn newly diagnosed with hearing loss, how do the actions/behaviors and communication (or lack thereof) of EHDI providers influence …

Personal Health Advice In The World Of Artificial Intelligence: An Assessment Of Responses From Chatgpt For Three Common Health Conditions In The Southern United States, Marion W. Evans Jr, Julie Harrison Swartz, Harrison Ndetan, Damian Francis, John Moore, Mary Kozub, Ernie Kaninjing, Jennifer Jones-Locklear, Debbie Greene, Josie Doss

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) applications within the health sciences including education and healthcare practice are now common. Patients are likely to apply AI to better understand their health status or to learn what they can do to improve their health.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate outputs from ChatGPT for three common health conditions seen in the southern United States as to whether it would include medically biased care or lifestyle related advice, legitimate sources of information and to assess reading levels generated.

Methods: Health care professionals rated outputs in 4 areas and interrater …

The Reception Of Neurodiversity Represented Within Netflix’S Wednesday, Anna Stevens

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

This paper explores how neurodiversity is represented through popular media - particularly Netflix's show Wednesday - and aims to discuss the effects this representation could have in regards to how it's received by the public, as well as those who are neurodiverse.

Development And Evaluation Of The Sex Positivity Inventory For Counselors, M. Ashley Burks, Jennifer Gerlach, Joshua C. Watson

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

The purpose of the study was to clarify the definition of sex positivity and identify sex-positive attitudes, knowledge, and skills through the development and evaluation of the Sex Positivity Inventory for Counselors (SPI-C). The exploratory factor analysis supported a six-factor, 34-item scale, accounting for 32.9% of the variance within the study. The SPI-C had an excellent internal consistency of 0.96 and consisted of the following factors: 1) Procedural Sex Positivity, 2) Comfortability with Sexuality, 3) Perceived Sex Positivity, 4) Fundamental Sex Education, 5) Sexological Worldview, and 6) Unconditional Positive Sexual Regard. Implications for practice, counselor education, and supervision are discussed.

Universal School Meal Policies And Perceived Stigma: Quantitative Evidence From Eight Us States, Dania Orta-Aleman, Monica D. Zuercher, Leah Chapman, Marlene B. Schwartz, Caitlin D. French, Anisha I. Patel, Lorrene D. Ritchie, Juliana Cohen, Wendi Gosliner

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Universal school meals (USMs) policies, which provide free meals to all students regardless of income, have the potential to improve child nutrition and reduce stigma. Quantitative evidence on the association between USM and stigma is limited.

Methods

Leveraging a natural policy variation in state‐level USM implementation, we surveyed 1066 middle and high school students from eight US states (four with USM, four without) during the 2022–2023 school year. Stigma was measured as self‐reported embarrassment about eating school lunch. We used generalized estimating equations to examine the associations between USM, embarrassment, and lunch participation.

Results

Overall about one in nine …

Diabetes And Hypertension Frequencies And Trends In The Health Districts Of Sololá, Alejandro Cerón, Sophie Perfetto, Ana Textor, Sidona Alemayehu, Emilia Alvear Escobar, Adele Beard, Sarah Berson, Rachel Bryant, Jennifer Calzontzi, Rylee Castro, Eva Cress Palencia, Jake Czarnecki, Jordyn Epstein, Nikki Harris, Patience Hinojos, Max Hippisley, Erin House, Jackson Hullett, Nathan Johnson, Amelie King, Saule Lankelyte, Juan Loya, Ashley Mackenzie, Ilana Mighdoll, Molly Morrill, Maria De Jesus Ramos Jimenez, Lilly Teklemedhin, Joseph Trujillo, Lauren Verachtert, Nathan Verachtert, Violet Vreeland, Alex Welch, Jada Wright

Anthropology: Undergraduate Student Scholarship

This report was prepared by the students, Graduate Teaching Assistants, and instructor of “The Social Determination of Health” class taught in the fall of 2025 at the University of Denver. The report was prepared for Dr. Luis Pablo Méndez, of the Vice Ministry of Health Regulation, Surveillance and Control, of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance of Guatemala. The work used the following guiding question: How can available data about service production can be used to inform the planning process for the implementation of the Global Hearts Initiative’s HEARTS technical package in the Distrito de Redes Integradas de …

Bridging The Communication Gap In Natural Disaster Information: An Exploratory Study Of Extension Service Websites, Emmanuel Chisom Okolo, Rafael Landaverde, Laxmi Prasanna Kandi, Kim E. Dooley, Sarah Mccord, Kelsi Opat, Abdul Saboor Rahmany

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Natural disasters are expected to become more frequent and severe, increasing the need for effective disaster management. Governments are emphasizing community awareness and local self-reliance, with the Cooperative Extension Services (CES) playing a vital role in distributing science-based knowledge and supporting preparedness efforts. This qualitative content analysis (QCA), guided by Framing Theory, examined how CES disseminated weather-related disaster preparedness and response information from 2003 to 2023 on Extension Service websites. We explored: (1) the frequency of information on natural disaster preparedness and response published on Extension Service websites, (2) dissemination methods, and (3) the quality of disaster preparedness and response …

Understanding Hepatitis C Risk And Harm Reduction Needs Among People Who Smoke Drugs: A Client-Centered Qualitative Inquiry, Maxwell Gustin

Anthropology

The spread of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) via non-injectable equipment is plausible, making people who smoke drugs (PWSD) at-risk for possible infection and transmission. While much research has been conducted into injection drug use (IDU), likely due to the rising opioid epidemic, limited studies focus on the risks PWSD face. Currently, state-funded syringe service programs (SSPs) provide harm reduction education and materials to combat these risks. Safer smoking initiatives have been created and are widely used by PWSD, and have access to SSPs. To gain better insight into the HCV and non-HCV-related risks and burdens PWSD face, a qualitative study …

Living With Dementia In Kenya: Pathways To Care, Diagnosis And Management, Edna Bosire

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is experiencing a sharp rise in the size of theolder population; consequently, the incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer’s DiseaseRelated Dementias (AD/ADRD) is also expected to rise. There is limited research onAD/ADRD lived experiences have been conducted in SSA including Kenya. Our projectaimed to explore patient’s and caregivers lived experiences with Alzheimer’s disease inKenya.

Methods: This ethnographic study was conducted at the Aga Khan University hospital(AKUH), involving in-depth interviews with 21 health care providers, 26 patientswith mild cognitive impairment and 36 caregivers. We also conducted 10 homevisits and observations. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.In what …

Drought, Worry, And Preparing For The Future: The Ethnopsychology Of Climate Distress In Kilifi County, Kenya, Edna Bosire, Syed Wahid, Linda Khakali, Benjamin Oestericher, Felix Agoi, Anthony Ngugi, Rosebella Iseme, Jasmit Shah, Zul Merali, Lukoye Atwoli

Brain and Mind Institute

The impacts of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) presents a chronic and intensifying disaster, with drought, flooding, and extreme heat, presenting unique challenges and profound disruptions. Growing evidence links such events to ecological grief, ecological anxiety, and solastalgia – negative affective states that reflects responses to climate change related destruction of nature, species, culturally significant or sacred spaces, and other ways of life. While this literature is expanding in the Global North, little is known about how communities in SSA perceive and respond to deteriorating or depleting natural ecosystems. This article explores the ethnopsychology of distress precipitated by environmental …

Understanding And Willingness To Participate In Dementia Clinical Trials In Kenya: An Ethnographic Study, Edna Bosire, Lucy Kamau, Chinedu Momoh, Jasmit Shah, Karen Blackmon, Caroline Kiio, Irene Meier, Vaibhav Narayan, Olivera Nesic Taylor,, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Advancements in dementia research are in part contingent on participation in clinical research. Clinical trials can help researchers determine if new drugs, devices, or diagnostic procedures for dementia are safe and effective. However, little is known about clinical trials for dementia in resource constrained settings such as Kenya. The aim of our research was to explore people’s understanding of dementia clinical trials, their attitudes and perceptions towards dementia clinical trials and what can be done to enhance enrollments on such clinical trials.

Method: This was an ethnographic study involving 8 focused group discussions (FGDs; age and gender stratified; n=81) …

A Qualitative Study Of Health Priorities Of People With Dementia And Care Partners In Emergency Department And Hospital Care In A Public Safety-Net Setting, Anita Chary, Sumin Yoon, Victor Lara, Annika Bhananker, Michelle Suh, Kei Ouchi, Maura Kennedy, Aanand D Naik

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Over half of the people with dementia visit the emergency department (ED) each year. Little is known about how people with dementia and their care partners conceptualize or communicate about health outcome goals or care preferences during acute care episodes.

Participants and setting: We conducted interviews with 14 Hispanic people with dementia and 19 care partners recruited from a public safety net hospital system in the southeastern United States. Participants were community-dwelling and had recently visited the ED.

Methods: We used a qualitative study design informed by phenomenology and guided by the patient priorities care (PPC) framework. Interviews elicited …

Understanding Dental Hygienists’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Regarding Hpv Vaccination, Paula M Cuccaro, Jihye Choi, Kawtar Zouaidi, Efrat K Gabay, Michael Mackert, Josefine Ortiz Wolfe

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The American Dental Association and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry encourage oral health professionals to strongly recommend human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to prevent HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer. This study examined oral health professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding HPV vaccination. We used purposive sampling to recruit participants through state and national oral health societies and social media platforms. Flyers outlining eligibility criteria were distributed, and eligible participants completed an online survey. Primary measures included participants' HPV-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and willingness to receive HPV-related training and recommend HPV vaccination to patients, including parents of adolescents. Only responses from dental hygienists …

Decomposition Processes And Insect Indicators In Forensic Investigations, Eli Taylor

University Honors Theses

Insects play an essential biological and ecological role in human life, and their predictable relationship with decomposing remains has positioned them as a cornerstone of modern forensic science. Since the early 20th century, forensic entomology has provided critical evidence for estimating the postmortem interval (PMI), relying on patterns of colonization, species succession, and insect developmental timelines. Accurate PMI estimations are vital to medicolegal investigations, influencing the interpretation of biological evidence, guiding resource allocation, and informing determinations of cause and manner of death. However, insect activity is profoundly shaped by environmental and ecological variables, including temperature, humidity, seasonal shifts, and geographic …

Assessing The Impact Of Cultural Competence Training For Providers Serving Native Americans, Chinazo Obi

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The United States is a culturally diverse nation, yet many healthcare providers report challenges in delivering care that respects cultural values and traditions. Within mental health settings, this gap is especially concerning for Native American populations, who experience disproportionately high rates of mental health conditions and face barriers to culturally responsive care. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess the impact of a cultural competence education and training intervention on mental health providers’ knowledge and self-efficacy in delivering culturally competent care to Native American patients. Guided by Leininger’s Culture Care Theory of Diversity and Universality and the …

General Practitioners' Perspectives On Identifying Early Symptoms For Breast Cancer Detection In The Primary Care Facilities: A Case Study, Bob Andinata

Kesmas

In primary care settings, general practitioners (GPs) frequently face challenges in identifying the early symptoms of breast cancer. This study aimed to explore, in depth, the perspectives of GPs regarding the identification and interpretation of early-stage breast cancer symptoms during the early detection process in primary care facilities. This study used a qualitative approach based on a case study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with GPs at primary health care and private clinics in Depok City, Indonesia, complemented by observations and documentation. The data was analyzed using the Miles and Huberman method. The questionnaire assessment and focus group discussion …

The 23rd International Medical, Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical And Health Science Symposium (Impachs), Sultan Qaboos University

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Transdisciplinary Perspectives On Ai: The Fourth Annual Conference Of The European Culture And Technology Laboratory, Connell Vaughan, Ioana Madalina Moldovan, Silivan Moldovan, Noel Fitzpatrick

Books/Book Chapters

The fourth annual conference of the ECT Lab+ was hosted by Technical University of Cluj-Napoca over two days in October 2024 at the Cluj Innovation Park. The conference brought together experts from the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Technology, and other fields to discuss and reflect on the advent of Artificial Intelligence and how the associated technologies are transforming how we live, work and study. Under the title Transdisciplinary perspectives on AI: Alternative Histories, Current Practices and Possible Futures the conference moved beyond simplistic technophila and technophobia to consider whether we can co-evolve with these new technologies which combine machine learning …

“For Haitian Culture, Being Older [Is] A Blessing”: Perceptions Of Aging, Elderhood, And Dementia In A Haitian Born Sample, Melissa K. Eustache

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how first-generation Haitian immigrants in the United States understand and interpret dementia within the intersecting contexts of culture, migration, and biomedicine. While dementia is constructed as a pathological “loss of self” and a public health epidemic, in American biomedical and popular discourse, this study examines how Haitian-born individuals—socialized within a non-Western cultural and spiritual framework—make sense of cognitive decline and impairment in ways that diverge from Western biomedical narratives. Guided by theoretical orientations from medical anthropology, including Mark Nichter’s idioms of distress, Margaret Lock’s local biologies, and neuroanthropology, this research explores how cultural models of illness, aging, …

Survey On Preparedness And Readiness For Technological Advancements In Ai Sparta Ai, Jegason Phosphorus Diviant

Population Health Research and Scholarship

Generative AI is rapidly entering academic workflows, yet readiness to use these tools in graduate training and the workplace remains unclear. The SPARTA AI was administered online to faculty and graduate students in the University of New Mexico’s Psychology Department and COPH (Feb–Sep 2025). The analytic sample included N=37 respondents. Descriptives, role-stratified academic AI usage, one-sample tests of perceived preparedness vs a 3.0 midpoint, and correlations between AI interest and academic usage were computed; Wilson CIs were used for proportions. The sample comprised 20 faculty and 17 graduate students, primarily from COPH and Psychology. AI usage was generally infrequent across …