Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Insurance Coverage In Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Referral, Utilization, And Outcomes, Huyen Pham

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid-related overdoses increased dramatically in recent years. Medicaid plays a predominant role in paying for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. However, there is a critical gap in understanding the role of Medicaid coverage in referrals to treatment, treatment utilization, and treatment retention. The three studies used observational and quasi-experimental (i.e., natural experiment) designs leveraging state and year variation in Medicaid expansion to characterize the role of Medicaid coverage in OUD treatment. We found that individuals with OUD with Medicaid insurance were more likely to use outpatient treatment, whereas those who were uninsured were more likely to use self-help groups only. …

Associations Between Social Determinants Of Health And Chlamydia Infections Among Georgia Counties, Bre'auna K. Beasley

Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia is a growing public health concern that disproportionately impacts southern states. While social determinants of health are not direct causes of chlamydia infections, studies have found that these determinants do influence infections by creating environments that promote or hinder health seeking behaviors, as well as exposure to risk factors. Guided by the Social Ecological Model of Public Health and the Healthy People 2030 Social Determinants of Health Conceptual Framework, this dissertation study aimed to examine the associations between social determinants of health and chlamydia infections among Georgia counties. This study employed a correlational research design. Aggregate-level secondary data for …

Networks Knowledge Brokers And The Public Policy, Rosalyn Negrón, Linda Sprague-Martinez, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Cristina Brinkerhoff

Gastón Institute Publications

This chapter presents a three-year, community-based health study of Boston Brazilian and Dominican transnational immigrants. A multi-level framework is used to understand the network factors that may impact how social, cultural, and health knowledge is shared between immigrants and immigrants and host society members. Results show that Brazilians in this study tended to have more heterogeneous networks, reported more close relationships with non-Brazilians, and more contact with non-Brazilians around health-seeking, as compared to Dominicans. Differences are discussed and framed in relation to macro-level structures, including racial hierarchies, transnationalism, and immigration laws. As such, we conclude with a discussion of how …

Influencing Legislation For Juveniles In The Adult Judicial System: A Phenomenological Examination Of Legal Advocates, Krista F. Franklin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

INFLUENCING LEGISLATION FOR JUVENILES IN THE ADULT JUDICIAL SYSTEM: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF LEGAL ADVOCATES Krista Franklin Antioch University Seattle Seattle, WA This phenomenological study explores the lived experience of Washington State lawmakers and legal activists regarding their involvement in passing Washington State Senate Bill 5064 in February 2014. In response to the 2012 landmark federal Supreme Court decision, Miller v. Alabama, Senate Bill 5064 reduced the number of crimes for which juveniles could be sentenced as adults to life without parole. Six interviewees were selected from those who testified in Olympia, WA. Individual interviews were conducted in an open-ended …

Online Or In-Person? Examining College Decisions To Reopen During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Fall 2020, Jacob Felson, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

When coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became a major impediment to face-to-face college instruction in spring 2020, most teaching went online. Over the summer, colleges had to make difficult decisions about whether to return to in-person instruction. Although opening campuses could pose a major health risk, keeping instruction online could dissuade students from enrolling. Taking an ecological approach, the authors use mixed modeling techniques and data from 87 percent of two- and four-year public and four-year private U.S. colleges to assess the factors that shaped decisions about fall 2020 instructional modality. Most notably, the authors find that reopening decisions about whether …

Thinking Ethically About Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: Retention In Care And Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing In A Southeastern United States Local Health Department In The Time Of Covid-19, Ellie Purdy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Local Health Departments (LHDs) are critical providers of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention efforts. HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is an evolving public health initiative and practitioners should consider PrEP interventions in context of ethical decision-making and a broad STI prevention strategy as global incidence of bacterial STIs remains high and those at-risk for HIV are generally at-risk for other STIs. An evaluation of the Thinking Ethically framework and LHD PrEP services was performed to fill a gap in the literature and support program decision-making. A retrospective review of PrEP user medical records from a LHD …

Underreporting Of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: An Important Public Mental Health Implication, Sandhya Lohani, Sha-Hanna Saffold, Tanya Jules, Brenda Blackwell, Suzanne Shurling, Tilicia Mayo-Gamble

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

The Rise In Use Of Emotional Support Animals By College Students: The Impact Of Parenting Styles, Misty G. Smith, Samantha Ballard, Jill Willis

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

As the generational context of higher education shifts, a rise of Emotional Support Animals (ESA) and mental health concerns are present for students on college campuses. While previous studies have aimed to address the relevancy and controversy of ESAs in higher education as well as their effectiveness in supporting individuals, less research has explored underlying factors that contribute to the use of an ESA. The purpose of this study was to explore the parenting behaviors of parents/caregivers of students with ESAs in comparison to parents/caregivers of students without ESAs. An embedded mixed methods design was used. Participants completed the Parenting …

Serving Culturally And Linguistic Students Identified With A Communication Disability In The K-12 Educational Environments, Lashell Dauterman

Theses and Dissertations

As more and more students enter public schools with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds that require services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, facilitators must be more sensitive to the needs, especially in the area of communication. Augmentative and alternative communication devices and other assistive technology are required by law to be utilized with individuals identified as disabled. However, due to the challenges that exist in properly identifying and implementing intervention plans for children who require services as English language learners and special education, communication needs are often misidentified or not provided. Another issue that exists is the lack …

Therapists' Perspectives On Aiding Individuals To Maintain Social Connection While Struggling With Health Concerns, Shari Howington-Carlin

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore therapists’ perspectives on aiding individuals to maintain social connection while struggling with health concerns. Social relationships support physical and psychological well-being, yet individuals struggling with physical or mental health issues often have difficulty maintaining their relationships. Therapists, as health professionals, often discuss physical as well as emotional health concerns with their patients, including components of physiological and psychological heath care. Emerging neuroscience is aiding in understanding how research in this field supports early intervention for health outcomes around healthy social and family relationships during chronic disease or illness onset.The researcher conducted a phenomenological …

Exploring The Aftermath Of Cyber And Traditional Bullying Victimization Of Adolescent’S Mental Health And Academic Success, Latasha L. Young

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in the research study was that cyber bullying and traditional bullying continued to increase at the research site during the past 4 years. The purpose of the study was to determine the influences of mental health services that were designed to decrease the negative effects of both cyber and traditional bullying on adolescent clients’ health and academic performance. This applied dissertation was designed to examine the experiences of cyber and traditional bullying victimization of adolescents’ mental health and academic success, within a large southern state in the United States, to provide practical solutions to address the concerns …

Heeding The Call Of Covid-19, David Wiebers, Valery Feigin

Animal Sentience

We are grateful to all of our commentators. They have provided a wide range of valuable perspectives and insights from many fields, revealing a broad interest in the subject matter. Nearly all the commentaries have helped to affirm, refine, expand, amplify, deepen, interpret, elaborate, or apply the messages in the target article. Some have offered critiques and suggestions that help us address certain issues in greater detail, including several points concerning industrialized farming and the wildlife trade. Overall, there is great awareness and strong consensus among commentators that any solution for preventing future pandemics and other related health crises must …

Dual Panics: A Media Analysis Of Narratives On The Role Of Unauthorized Migration In America's Overdose Crisis, Morgan Godvin

University Honors Theses

Background: The realms of drug policy and immigration policy have long been fueled by misinformation, where sensationalism and panics help shore up political support. Most recently, the "border crisis" has been invoked to explain the "overdose crisis" in mass media narratives. Although the increase in migration is being blamed for illicit drug flows, drug importation occurs primarily through legal points-of-entry. The extent and excess visibility of false narratives linking overdose to migration in mainstream media is unknown.

Methods: We used the Media Cloud ecosystem to compile and characterize mainstream media content published between June 2021 and July 2021 regarding the …

A Promising Approach In Home Visiting To Support Families Affected By Maternal Substance Use., Donna M. O'Malley, Danielle F. Chiang, Emily Siedlik, Katharine Ragon, Marcia Dutcher, Oneta Templeton

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: Many factors influence women's use of alcohol and other drugs while pregnant and postpartum. Substance use impacts the maternal-child relationship during the critical neonatal period. The first days and months of human development lay the foundation for health and well-being across the lifespan, making this period an important window of opportunity to interrupt the transmission of trauma and stress to the next generation. Pregnant and postpartum women with a history of substance use require specialized support services.

METHODS: The Team for Infants Exposed to Substance abuse (TIES) Program provides a holistic, multi-disciplinary, community-based model to address the complex needs …

Matters Of Biocybersecurity With Consideration To Propaganda Outlets And Biological Agents, Xavier-Lewis Palmer, Ernestine Powell, Lucas Potter, Thaddeus Eze (Ed.), Lee Speakman (Ed.), Cyril Onwubiko (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The modern era holds vast modalities in human data utilization. Within Biocybersecurity (BCS), categories of biological information, especially medical information transmitted online, can be viewed as pathways to destabilize organizations. Therefore, analysis of how the public, along with medical providers, process such data, and the methods by which false information, particularly propaganda, can be used to upset the flow of verified information to populations of medical professionals, is important for maintenance of public health. Herein, we discuss some interplay of BCS within the scope of propaganda and considerations for navigating the field.

Master’S Level Mental Health Counselor Experiences Working With Offenders In Correctional Settings, Jennifer Bernard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Forensic mental health is considered a specialty at a doctoral level, yet a majority of mental health services in correctional settings are provided by master’s-level mental health counselors. These clinicians lack the specialized education, training, and experience needed to work with offenders in correctional settings. There is limited research on how master’s-level counselors experience providing mental health services in correctional settings and how they manage challenges. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of master’s-level mental health counselors working with offenders in correctional settings. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to facilitate an understanding of …

The Lived Experience Of African American Young Adult Men With Hiv And Self-Care Collaborative Management, Barbara A. Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAfrican American young adult (AAYA) men living with HIV often lack interventions that address the influence that HIV has on their quality of life, especially their relationships. Self-care collaborative management (SCCM) concerns related to disclosure and stigmatization complicate social, psychological, and SCCM behaviors. Intervention programs addressing these concerns should be based on relevant, accurate information, but this information is lacking for AAYAs. The purpose of this research was to explore and describe the lived experiences of male AAYAs with HIV and their use of SCCM. The study method was qualitative; Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology was the design. The individual family self-management …

Physical Distress And Psychological Outcomes: An Examination Of Hurricane Katrina Rebuilders, Danita M. Muse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHurricane Katrina made land fall in New Orleans on August 29, 2005. When Hurricane Katrina came ashore at the mouth of the Mississippi River it struck with such vengeance that the protective levees surrounding the New Orleans area were breached. The purpose of this quantitative research is to broaden the understanding the relationship between two phenomena: physical distress and posttraumatic growth among Hurricane Katrina rebuilders who rebuilt their lives 15 years following a natural disaster along the Gulf Coast. The Conservation of Resources and Self-Efficacy Theory were the theoretical framework for this study. The research questions examined if statistically significant …

An Examination Of The Absence Of A Comprehensive Smokefree Law In Georgia On College And University Campuses, Nakki Price

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCigarette smoking is the number one preventable cause of death and disability in the United States. Although there are policies that govern the use of tobacco products, there are jurisdictions that do not employ these policies. Comprehensive smokefree laws govern private-sector entities and prohibit smoking in public places, specifically restaurants, bars, and workplaces. While states have the authority to implement these laws, some include exceptions that limit the intention of the law. Colleges and universities are specific communities for learning and serve as housing for students and an employer for the greater community. There is a gap in the literature …

Domestic Abuse Against Men In Kenya, Catherine W. Kigaya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence (IPV), is prevalent globally and causes severe physical, psychological, and social harm to victims. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to highlight the predictors of physical and sexual IPV among men in Kenya and examine the influence of media in seeking help. These factors were explored through the lens of the socio-ecological model and the social learning theory. The 2014 Demographic Health Survey archival data obtained through in-depth interviews were used to answer the research questions. Dependent variables were physical abuse, sexual abuse, and seeking help while independent variables were …

A Short Film That Addresses Substance Use Disorders In Rural Communities And Strategies In Prevention And Treatment Of Addiction, Sarah R. Poteracki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper and accompanying video (link to the short film is here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1etDnUmEvkOds8J0EKnq1gnFO79-GggjY) offer insight into the current state of research collaboration surrounding substance use disorders in West Virginia. This professional project explores the importance of collaboration both in a research and clinical setting and in the social realm. The film was shown at the 2nd annual meeting for the Appalachian Node of the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network on February 25, 2021. I interviewed 14 researchers and experts from a diverse range of disciplines who shared insights and strategies in the prevention and treatment of …

Juvenile Justice And The Criminalization Of Mentally Ill Individuals, Michael Collins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile justice systems in the United States are using incarceration as a solution to the problem of youths with mental health disorders who commit violent crimes. Juvenile justice systems across the United States have a revolving door effect that arrests, adjudicates, and incarcerates youth offenders but fail to address the factors that contribute to recidivism. The purpose of the qualitative case study was to identify which treatment procedures were most appropriate for juvenile offenders who committed violent offenses in an effort to reduce recidivism for this offender population. For this study, an ecological psychology theory was used as a lens …

Summary Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Fasd) Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a condition caused by alcohol exposure before birth. During pregnancy, alcohol freely crosses the placenta. The baby cannot process the alcohol and this may result in damage to the baby’s brain and body. Not all babies exposed to alcohol during pregnancy will develop FASD, but there is no safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy. FASD is a lifelong condition that results in cognitive, physical and behavioural disabilities. FASD occurs everywhere in Australia where people drink alcohol. Many women drink during pregnancy before they know they are pregnant and there is a lack of …

Deported Veterans: The Unintended Consequences Of “Good Moral Character”, Jonathan Deras

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to argue that U.S. immigration policy, specifically the 1996 IIRIRA (also known as IIRAIRA), needs to change regarding the legal treatment of immigrant U.S. military veteran deportees due to the following concepts. The first concept is to articulate how the criminalization of immigration, and how the military system intersects to facilitate the Deportation of U.S veterans. A key concept in this analysis is the standard of “good moral character” set by the U.S. government that enlistees need to meet to be accepted into the military; this standard is also used against immigrant veterans during …

Editors

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

No abstract provided.

Healthcare Policy Analysis: Next Of Kin Contact Information On Driver's Licensse And Its Use In Emergency Notification, Suzanne Sheaffer

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Abstract

In Pennsylvania, there has been a rise in unclaimed decedents within Third-Class and Fifth-Class county coroner offices. Decreasing the number of unclaimed decedents in Third-Class and Fifth-Class Pennsylvania coroners offices is the goal for this healthcare policy analysis project. Using the Bardach’s eight step policy analysis problem solving technique, the data and the project outcomes will be presented to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Data collection began with a questionnaire sent to all 67 counties to determine who had access to the Pennsylvania driver’s license database entitled Pennsylvania Justice Network (JNET). Fourteen of 67 counties have partial access and …

A Descriptive Study Of Male Victims Of Sexual Assault Seen For A Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Examination, Madeleine Prince

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Ten percent of all victims who report a sexual assault (SA) are male (Department of Justice, 2013), yet there has been little research on their experiences. Further study on the unique characteristics of male SA victims is warranted. The purpose of this study is to explore, identify, and analyze variables of male SA victims who received a SA forensic medical examination (SAFME), and identify implications and areas for future research. Data from the SAFME charts were entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Male victims were compared to female victims from the same data set. …

Social Determinants Of Discrimination And Access To Health Care Among Transgender Women In Oregon, Jonathan Garcia, Richard A. Crosby

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

Purpose: Transgender women in the United States experience health disparities and limited access to gender-affirming health services. This study describes the social determinants of health that shape access to health services for transgender women in Oregon, a state with a high tally of gender-affirming policies.

Methods: We conducted qualitative interviews with 25 transgender women between 18 and 39 years of age. Interviews explored the social, economic, cultural, and legal factors that shape access to health. A Qualtrics survey captured sociodemographic characteristics. We identified facilitators and barriers to accessing gender-affirming services using thematic analysis of qualitative data.

Results: Our participants perceived …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Whole Health Opioid Safety Shared Medical Appointments In A Veteran Population: A Quality Improvement Study, Sherry Cox

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problem: The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2018b) suggest that 130 Americans die from an opioid overdose each day, thus creating an unprecedented number of opioid-related deaths in the United States to date.

Context: Of particular interest to the author and this DNP project is that Veterans are twice as likely to die from an opioid overdose, compared to the average American, making this epidemic a priority for Veterans Health Administration (Wilkie, 2018).

Interventions: The author developed a 9-session Opioid Safety Shared Medical Appointment (SMA) program to reduce opioid reliance in …

Identification Of Victims Of Human Trafficking: Leading Change Through A Global Pandemic, Connie Clemmons-Brown

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar global industry, generating $150 billion annually (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2014), and driven by the exploitation of victims of all ages, primarily for forced labor or commercial sex. Victims endure frequent and prolonged abuse, suffering illnesses, and injuries. When accessing the health care system, they often go unrecognized by health care providers and nurses. Recognition requires training to raise awareness and the right tools to capture the information necessary to identify victims and address opportunities to improve their safety, care, and support. The aim of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) evidence-based change project was …