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A Content Analysis Of Institutions Of Higher Education's Sexual Assault Policies: Assessing Response To Sexual Assault In Georgia, Brianna Williams

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Sexual assault is a public health concern that must be systematically addressed. The existence of a comprehensive sexual assault policy and compliance with federal regulations can guide institutions of higher education in responding to and preventing sexual assault on campus. Federal laws hold institutions accountable for providing a safe environment for students. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to assess compliance with federal policy and assess the response to sexual assault by IHE in Georgia. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics was utilized to identify Georgia's institutions receiving federal aid during 2018-2019. Using a proportionate stratified …

Bridging Disparities: Mass Incarceration Among African American Men, Eghosa Asemota, Jonathan A. Grubb

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 And The Conundrum Of Mask Requirements, Robert Gatter, Seema Mohapatra

All Faculty Scholarship

As states begin to loosen their COVID-19 restrictions, public debate is underway about what public health measures are appropriate. Many states have some form of mask-wearing orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection. Public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization has conflicted. From a public health point of view, it is not clear what the right answer is. In the absence of directives, individuals are also making their own choices about mask use. At a time when public health measures, like shelter-in-place orders and social distancing, are being used to …

Developmental Implications Of Child Maltreatment: Rorschach Assessment Of Object Representations, David Joubert, Linda Webster

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Child maltreatment is associated with a variety of negative psychological, social, and health outcomes. It is particularly important for healthcare professionals to assess psychosocial functioning in children and adolescents in foster care in order to facilitate optimal levels of adjustment in this population. The relative validity of two developmentally-based scales applied to Rorschach data, the Primitive Object Relations scheme (Kwawer, 1979) and the Developmental Object Relations Scale (Ipp, 1986), was investigated in a sample of 71 youth in foster care. Results from dimension reduction analyses suggest that the POR captures specific elements of primitive object relations, characterized by themes of …

Suicidal Risk Education In Hospice Care, Shannon Jones

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

It is well-documented that oncology patients experience greater rates of suicidality including suicidal ideation, actions, or completions, as compared to the general population. The small, rural county which was the setting for this project has a higher rate of lung and colon cancers as compared to regional, state, and national rates. A review of the literature revealed best practices for suicide screening including universal education and screening and targeted education and screening for at-risk populations. The rate for suicides in the county is also higher than the rates for the region, state, and nation. The purpose of this project was …

Recovering Illicit Substance Users' Perspective About Mandatory Drug Testing In Schools, Julie Bowser

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to examine recovering substance

abusers' perceptions about the usefulness of mandatory drug testing in schools for adolescent substance abuse. Illegal substance abuse has reached epidemic proportions as more than half of U.S. adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years, have engaged in illicit drug use. Substance abuse information has been a part of school health education programs since the United States Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986. Despite substance abuse education and school programs about the effects of drug use, many high school students abuse illicit drugs. Face-to-face interviews were conducted …

Three Essays On Health Economics And Policy Evaluation, Shishir Shakya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation consists of three essays on the U.S. Health care policy. Each paragraph below refers to the three abstracts for the three chapters in this dissertation, respectively. I provide quantitative evidence on how much Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) affects the retail opioid prescribing behaviors. Using the American Community Survey (ACS), I retrieve county-level high dimensional panel data set from 2010 to 2017. I employ three separate identification strategies: difference-in-difference, double selection post-LASSO, and spatial difference-in-difference. I compare how the retail opioid prescribing behaviors of counties, that are mandatory for prescribers to check the PDMP before prescribing controlled substances …

Strengthening Mental Health Awareness Of University Students Using An Online Training Module, Lavern Rosemarie Bourne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Canadian youth pursuing postsecondary education are facing a major mental health crisis. There are substantial gaps between the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a web-based mental health educational intervention was an effective tool with which to increase mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviors of university students. The theory of planned behavior, the help-seeking model, and the technology acceptance model were the theories that guided this study. Using a quantitative quasi-experimental research design, data were collected from 329 undergraduate students in the Faculty of Health Sciences at a university in Eastern …

Evaluating Integrated Treatment On Recidivism For Female Offenders In Criminal Justice System, Oyin T. Popoola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The burden of co-occurring disorders (CODs) among offenders in the criminal justice system (CJS) in the United States, particularly among the female population, is threatening the communities. About 80% of women in the CJS were diagnosed and treated for CODs, and 63% tend to be rearrested. The study examined the possible influence of CODs, integrated treatment of CODs, and gender, on recidivism while controlling for other demographic factors. The study was based on the conceptual framework of integrated dual disorder treatment (IDDT) and feminist criminology theory. Cross-sectional quantitative study design was applied on a secondary dataset from the 2017 Treatment …

Application Of High Performance Training Strategies To Enhance Occupational Readiness In Law Enforcement Cadets, Gabriel Jose Martinez

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Law enforcement requires cadets to achieve a requisite level of physical fitness to prepare for occupational demands. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of academy exercise programs to optimize physical fitness and occupational physical ability through high performance training strategies more typically utilized in elite athletic populations. Furthermore, there is a paucity of research identifying physical fitness correlates of occupational performance. Collectively, this information will provide academies and practitioners with critical information to develop evidence-based training programs. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to: Aim 1) Examine the effectiveness of integrating autoregulatory progressive resistance exercise (APRE) and …

Drug Users’ Experiences Of A Residential Rehabilitation Program In Western Australia: A Thematic Analysis Of Drug Users Lived Experiences, Michelle Fullam

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In the last decade, there has been a marked increase in the awareness of drug use and drug-related crime in Australia. As a result, the demand for drug treatment services has increased and 14 recognised government-funded services are now available in Western Australia (WA). The goal of these services is to reduce drug use through full-time intensive programs that are usually residential. This type of drug treatment has been shown to be effective in reducing drug use and promoting pro-social lives post-treatment. However, little is known of the experiences of participants in this type of treatment in WA. As such, …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Transactional Sex Among Women Of Low Socioeconomic Status In Portland, Or, Timothy Menza, Lauren Lipira, Amisha Bhattarai, Victoria Cali-De Leon, E. Roberto Orellana

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Women who report transactional sex are at increased risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, in the United States, social, behavioral, and trauma-related vulnerabilities associated with transactional sex are understudied and data on access to biomedical HIV prevention among women who report transactional sex are limited.

Methods: In 2016, we conducted a population-based, cross-sectional survey of women of low socioeconomic status recruited via respondent-driven sampling in Portland, Oregon. We calculated the prevalence and, assessed the correlates of, transactional sex using generalized linear models accounting for sampling design. We also compared health outcomes, HIV screening, and knowledge …

Social Support And Hiv Among Young Transwomen Of Color, Cynthia Joycelle Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV is an emerging epidemic among young transgender women of color (YTWC). Researchers have documented the challenges and issues that YTWC encounter, including discrimination, isolation, and violence. However, little is known about whether social support can impact these challenges as an avenue to improve HIV preventive behaviors and HIV status. Using secondary data from the Life Skills HIV study, this research assessed how social support affects HIV preventive behaviors among 298 YTWC residing in Chicago. The study was grounded in the modified social-ecological model and Spearman’s rank correlation and logistic regression analyses was used to determine whether there was an …

Severe Maternal Morbidity In Michigan: An Investigation Of Health Disparities, Laura Houdeshell-Putt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) rates in Michigan have increased over the past 20 years and continue to affect racial and ethnic women disproportionately. Women experiencing health conditions that complicate pregnancy outcomes have a greater risk of having poor obstetric outcomes that result in a SMM event. To evaluate the distribution of women experiencing health conditions that complicate pregnancy and a SMM event, geographic information systems were utilized in this study. The purpose of this study was to depict trends in the prevalence of 4 health conditions and SMM among women hospitalized for obstetric delivery in Michigan from 2016–2017. The 4 …

Living With Killing: The Lived Experiences Of Young Black Men In South Chicago, Ponda Barnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homicide is a serious public health crisis in the United States, and it has long-term health, psychological, economic, and social implications to society, including disproportionately impacting one group. Among young African American males between the ages 15–24, homicide is the leading cause of death,. Much has been written about this phenomenon, but the voices of the young men directly involved are rarely heard. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate youth violence and homicide through the lens of male African Americans aged 18-24 living in one low-income community in Chicago, with the objective of understanding why Black …

Guidelines For Chronic Back Pain: An Education Module For Health Providers, Ron Pascual

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective chronic back pain management and patient self-care guidelines are necessary for healthcare providers treating patients with complaints of low back pain (LBP). The purpose of this doctoral project was to provide an evidence-based educational program aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals regarding the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) guidelines, emphasizing alternative pain management treatments. The staff education project was supported by the biomedical pain model and chronic care model. A panel of 3 experts including the clinic’s board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist, clinical manager, and leading medical director …

Examining The Efficacy Of A School-Based Mental Health Program In Iowa, Karen A. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence shows that treating mental health issues positively impacts academic and other life outcomes for students. However, there remains a gap in knowledge specific to academic outcomes and to rural school districts. It is important for mental health providers, educators, and third-party payers to gain an understanding of how treating mental health in the school setting affects student performance. The purpose of this quantitative study, which had contribution analysis as its theoretical framework, was to examine the academic and behavioral outcomes of participating in a school-based mental health (SBMH) program in rural school districts in Iowa. The specific focus was …

Risk Factors For Polysubstance Abuse: A National Secondary Data Analysis Study, Dakota Mcmurray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Substance abuse is a serious public health problem in the United States and globally. Abuse of more than one substance is considered polysubstance abuse and can cause more harm than abuse of only one substance. Polysubstance abuse compounds the problems of addiction because of the variety of substances that may be used and the resulting side effects. This quantitative cross-sectional secondary data analysis, guided by the socio-ecological theory, assessed patient characteristics and how predictive they were for polysubstance abuse. The study sample of 986 patients was analyzed by binomial logistic regression to assess the association between patient-related factors and polysubstance …

Crisis Intervention Team Training: Full Implementation, Roy Garvin Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) encounter unique challenges when responding to calls involving an emotionally disturbed person (EDP) in crisis. In these situations, the LEOs are not merely acting in a law enforcement capacity but also taking on the roles of mental health workers, social workers, and other community support services. Unfortunately, most LEOs lack clear direction and training to effectively serve this unique population, with the typical encounter resulting in the arrest of the EDP and often ensuing in a vicious circle of arrest, incarceration, and recidivism. This phenomenological qualitative study used the perceptions of active Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) …

Social Ecological Factors Affecting Substance Abuse In Ghana (West Africa) Using Photovoice, Ahmed Kabore, Evans Afriyie-Gyawu, James Awuah, Andrew R. Hansen, Ashley Walker, Melissa Hester, Moussa Aziz Wonadé Sié, Dhruv Medarametla, Nicolas Meda

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Introduction: substance abuse is an important public health issue affecting West Africa; however, there is currently a dearth of literature on the actions needed to address it. The aim of this study was to assess the risks and protective factors of substance abuse in Ghana, West Africa, using the photovoice method.

Methods: this study recruited and trained 10 participants in recovery from substance abuse and undergoing treatment in the greater Accra region of Ghana on the photovoice methodology. Each participant received a disposable camera to take pictures that represented the risk and protective factors pertinent to substance abuse …

Community-Based Responses To Negative Health Impacts Of Sexual Humanitarian Anti-Trafficking Policies And The Criminalization Of Sex Work And Migration In The Us, Heidi Hoefinger, Jennifer Musto, P.G. Macioti, Anne E. Fehrenbacher, Nicola Mai, Calum Bennachie, Calogero Giametta

Publications and Research

System-involvement resulting from anti-trafficking interventions and the criminalization of sex work and migration results in negative health impacts on sex workers, migrants, and people with trafficking experiences. Due to their stigmatized status, sex workers and people with trafficking experiences often struggle to access affordable, unbiased, and supportive health care. This paper will use thematic analysis of qualitative data from in-depth interviews and ethnographic fieldwork with 50 migrant sex workers and trafficked persons, as well as 20 key informants from legal and social services, in New York and Los Angeles. It will highlight the work of trans-specific and sex worker-led initiatives …

Patient Satisfaction With Substance Use Disorder Rehabilitation Services, Trupti Dhumal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Patient satisfaction is considered as an important indicator in the evaluation of healthcare quality across an array of treatments and services. It is deemed vital especially in the field of substance use disorder (SUD) research due to an increased emphasis on understanding patients’ perceptions regarding their treatment and the attributes that drive their progress towards recovery. Despite the potential value, gaps have been recognized in the exploration of these satisfaction-related assessments among patients undergoing SUD treatment in residential rehabilitative settings. Thus, there is a need for understanding the dimensions contributing to satisfaction which would facilitate the development of …

After-Action Report: Tabletop Exercise On Opioid Crisis Response And Resilience, Alexander Siedschlag, Tiangeng Lu

Publications

AGENCY BRIEFINGS The opioid overdose epidemic has been characterized as the worst public health crisis in Pennsylvania, and the nation. Not only practitioners but also institutions of higher education with high research capacity, such as Penn State, are applying existing and developing new instruments to address opioid the crisis. Identifying best practices of preventing, protecting from, mitigating against, responding to, and recovering from opioid overdose outbreak is necessary for public health and safety and important for the overall homeland security enterprise, in consistency with the objectives of the Quadrennial Homeland Security Reviews (QHSR), the National Preparedness Goal (NPG), and the …

Mental Illness Stigma’S Impact On Perceptions Of Intimate Partner Violence Victims: A Mock Juror Study, Madeline K. Butters

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread issue that disproportionately affects women with mental illness. Yet, there is a lack of research on the effects of mental illness stigma on legal perceptions of women with mental illness in IPV cases. The present study experimentally investigated mock jurors’ perceptions of IPV cases where the victim has a mental illness and examined the role stigmatization of mental illness played in these perceptions. MTurk participants (N = 191) first completed attitude questionnaires that measured their attitudes towards mental illness and their beliefs about domestic violence. In the second part of the study, participants …

Redefining Trauma: Utilizing Restorative Justice To Repair Care Systems, Emebet Aklilu

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project examined the ways in which restorative justice programming can improve trauma informed care among the African American population in Oakland, CA. With 23% of African American men and women living at or below the poverty line in the United States, this project assesses gaps in current trauma informed care practices as evident in the literature. Following a rigorous document review the author coded and organized key programming components following six factors detailed by Rowher, Schoones, and Young (2014). Further examination of these program components was conducted using Bloom’s taxonomy levels to assess program outcomes associated with specific modules …

Examining The Relationship Of Exercise And Sleep In Students Across Multiple Academic Disciplines, Taylor Zewe

Honors Projects

Students in college learn the importance of balancing their academic studies with their sleep and exercise habits. The amount of sleep and exercise a student recieves has been examined in previous research studies. In these studies it was found that exercise had a postive affect on the amount of sleep received. However, there is little research on the affect academic discipline has on sleep habits and/or exercise habits of students in college. The purpose of this study is to examine the sleep and exercise habits among students in multiple academic majors at Bowling Green State University.

An Exploratory Study Of Duty-Related Stress Among Conservation Officers, Logan Ledford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research relating to police stress has typically focused on officers working in urban areas, neglecting their rural counterparts. This is especially true of conservation officers, who are tasked with enforcing laws in state parks and other recreational areas. To date, only a handful of studies have sought to better understand their experiences and perceptions. The current study seeks to further our understanding of conservation officer stress in three unique ways: (1) via applying McCreary and Thompson’s (2006) operational police stress scale (PSQ-Op) to the population, (2) determining whether officer characteristics (e.g., age, education, length of service) affect perceived stress, and …

Predictors Of Short-Term Residential Treatment Completion Preceded By Detoxification For Opioid Use Disorder, Christopher Gideon

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background and Significance: Deaths related to opioid overdose are increasing. Treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is necessary to help prevent future opioid abuse, and often involves opioid detoxification, followed by short-term residential treatment, typically lasting about 28 days. Literature regarding OUD and short-term residential treatment is limited. Predictors of short-term residential completion, including whether detoxification was performed, may help addiction professionals individualize treatments. This study’s purpose was to determine predictors of short-term residential completion treatment for OUD, and whether detoxification prior to entering residential treatment may also be a factor in residential completion.

Method: De-identified data regarding …

Blueprint For Shared Safety Strategic Plan, Reann Ramos

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Blueprint for Shared Safety strategic plan will be adopted by Santa Cruz County Community Corrections Partnership as a framework of principles and practices that community leaders can use to lead shared safety strategies. By shifting the focus from the traditional criminal justice system to investments that can truly make our communities safer, the Blueprint aims to re-envision public safety together. The Community Corrections Partnership Community Education and Engagement Workgroup (CCP CEEW) has conducted data analysis to identify the key assets and gaps in Santa Cruz County. After identifying the key assets and gaps there were recommendation review sessions that …

Trends And Associated Factors Of Use Of Opioid, Heroin, And Cannabis Among Patients For Emergency Department Visits In Nevada: 2009-2017, Pearl C. Kim, Ji Won Yoo, Chris R. Cochran, Seong-Min Park, Sungyoun Chun, Yong-Jae Lee, Jay J. Shen

School of Medicine Faculty Research

To examine trends and contributing factors of opioid, heroin, and cannabis-associated emergency department (ED) visits in Nevada. The 2009 to 2017 Nevada State ED database (n = 7,950,554 ED visits) were used. Use of opioid, heroin, and cannabis, respectively, was identified by the International Classification of Diseases, 9th & 10th Revisions. Three multivariable models, one for each of the 3 dependent variables, were conducted. Independent variables included year, insurance status, race/ethnicity, use of other substance, and mental health conditions. The number of individuals with opioid, heroin, cannabis-associated ED visits increased 3%, 10%, and 23% annually from 2009 to 2015, particularly …