Digital Commons Network^™

Equal For Whom?: An Analysis Of Multicultural Policies In Norway And The Us Through The Lens Of Immigrant Unemployment, Jodie Boisvert

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Norway and the United States boast diverse and equal societies. Both have attempted to implement multicultural policies to facilitate immigrants' integration into the host society. Engaging with the theories of racism, xenophobia, and multiculturalism, this paper analyzes the immigrant unemployment outcomes from Norway and the United States from 2015-2020 to identify patterns and anticipate causal relationships from these patterns. Standardized data from both countries show that immigrants from Global South countries have far worse employment outcomes than immigrants from Global North countries. The xenophobic and racist histories of both countries could explain this. This paper analyzes the multicultural policies of …

Health Equity Innovation In Precision Medicine: Data Stewardship And Agency To Expand Representation In Clinicogenomics, Patrick J Silva, Vasiliki Rahimzadeh, Reid Powell, Junaid Husain, Scott Grossman, Adam Hansen, Jennifer Hinkel, Rafael Rosengarten, Marcia G Ory, Kenneth S Ramos

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Most forms of clinical research examine a very minute cross section of the patient journey. Much of the knowledge and evidence base driving current genomic medicine practice entails blind spots arising from underrepresentation and lack of research participation in clinicogenomic databases. The flaws are perpetuated in AI models and clinical practice guidelines that reflect the lack of diversity in data being used. Participation in clinical research and biobanks is impeded in many populations due to a variety of factors that include knowledge, trust, healthcare access, administrative barriers, and technology gaps. A recent symposium brought industry, clinical, and research participants in …

A Review Of Education Policies And Their Impact On Gang Participation For Youth, Sarah Sanders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Youth have suffered from gang violence in schools and neighborhoods at different rates per the Concentric Zone Model and the Strain theory. Gang violence is a concern for Little Rock, Arkansas. This study will follow the Concentric Zone Model and the Strain theory for data collection and evaluate the extent of gang violence linked to education in response to Zero-Tolerance policies for the Little Rock School District (LRSD) and Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD), showing a holistic explanation of crime. This study will review secondary data from LRSD, PCSSD, and local law enforcement agencies to cross-reference reports of concerns …

Ad Hominem Arguments In Zimbabwean Political Discourse: An Analysis Of Political Argumentation, Jack Mutsvairo, Mawande Dlali

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The article investigates the motivation behind the prevalent use of the subtypes of ad hominem (personal attacks) arguments in Zimbabwe political discourse in the build-up to the 2023 harmonised council, parliamentary and presidential elections. This qualitative case study research looks at the use of ad hominem arguments by Zimbabwean politicians. Using analytical tools and concepts from informal logic and pragma-dialectical argumentation theories, this article focuses on identifying, analysing, and evaluating ad hominem arguments used in Zimbabwean political discourse, particularly in parliamentary debates and broadcast interviews. Data were purposively sampled and gathered from Hansard records, and a television interview transcript. It …

Seasonal Pollen Increases Traffic Fatalities In The United States, Monica Deza

Population Health Research Brief Series

Traffic fatalities are the among the leading causes of death in the United States. Motor vehicle crash death rates have declined overall in the U.S. in recent decades, but there is substantial variation in rates across the country. Due to climate change, exposure to pollen has increased in various parts of the U.S. The antihistamine response triggered by pollen can result in poor physical and cognitive symptoms, thus impacting an individual’s ability to drive and increasing the risk of motor vehicle fatalities. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the National Allergy Bureau (NAB) Pollen and …

The Lived Experiences Of Poverty Among Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups In A Rights-Based Anti-Poverty Programme In Jharkhand India, Monimala Sengupta

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

This research explores poverty and social exclusion among Primitive Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India using T. H. Marshall's concept of social citizenship. With evidence showing a disproportionate burden of poverty in the Global South, indigenous groups are even overrepresented among the poor. India, home to one of the largest Indigenous populations, accounts for 70% of South Asia's impoverished, but the specific nature of poverty within these communities remain poorly understood.

Over the past two decades, India's national response to poverty has shifted towards rights-based, inclusive policies targeting marginalised communities such as Dalits, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes, historically subjected to …

Philanthropy Under Uncertainty: Muslim Religious Giving During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Osman Umarji, Rafeel Wasif, Shariq Siddiqui, Zeeshan Noor

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study investigates the demographic, religious, and psychological correlates of charitable giving during times of uncertainty. We employ structural equation modeling to understand the mechanisms that underlie faith-based philanthropy amongst Muslims. For this purpose, we analyzed Muslim American philanthropy during the month of Ramadan in 2020, a month traditionally associated with increased religiosity and philanthropy. Utilizing a sample of 1,722 Muslims in the United States and Canada, uncertainty intolerance was associated with financial anxiety (B = .26), which in turn was related to donating less money (B = -.06). Financial anxiety was also associated with subjective financial well-being (B =.-.22), …

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Madison L. Good

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio highlights my growth and development as a social work student which I am hopeful and committed to continuing as I transition into a new social work professional. The five elements of advanced integrated practice will be presented followed by the competency that relates to each element. Within each competency, I will explore the dimensions of practice that include how I expanded my knowledge, skills, and values while forming and demonstrating cognitive and affective processes throughout my time in the program.

Imagining The Future Of Records Management: An Analysis Of The Srikandi In Indonesia Through Documentation Studies, Suprayitno Suprayitno, Rahmi Rahmi, Zulfatun Sofiyani

Proceedings from the Document Academy

The SRIKANDI application, a cornerstone of Indonesia's digital records management initiative, embodies the nation's commitment to modernizing governance through electronic systems. This study employs Niels Windfeld Lund’s Complementary Documentation Analysis Model to dissect SRIKANDI'S evolution (diachronic analysis) and its current state (synchronic analysis), offering a comprehensive understanding of its role in Indonesia's e-government landscape. Diachronically, SRIKANDI'S development reflects a strategic shift from fragmented, standalone applications towards a unified, interoperable platform, as mandated by Presidential Regulation No. 95 of 2018. This transition aims to streamline government processes, reduce redundancy, and enhance budget efficiency. Synchronically, SRIKANDI is evaluated as a digital platform …

Maternal Health Care In Rural South Africa: Risk Factors Impacting The High Maternal Mortality Rate, Ngozi Okemiri

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Objective: This paper examines the barriers that inhibit woman from accessing comprehensive maternal health care services in rural areas of South Africa.

Methods: I used multiple databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) to extract literature that explored the factors pertaining to maternal health service delivery and utilization, disparities, and perspectives. I identified 10 articles that met the inclusion criteria and utilized a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approach.

Key Findings: A thematic analysis determined that inequities in maternal health care services, inconsistent leadership and resources in district hospitals and low maternal health literacy among women in rural areas played a …

More Inland Homeowners Are Experiencing Floods, But Few Have Flood Insurance, Julian Tiburcio

Capstones

Wherever it rains, it can flood. More inland homeowners who never expected to see their homes flood are finding themselves inundated by rain as climate change intensifies extreme storms and weather patterns. Many homeowners decide to buy homes not realizing that flooding isn’t limited to coastal areas, so they forego flood insurance coverage, leaving their biggest asset at risk.

A City Feeling Electrified Growing Pains, Noah R. Kolenda

Capstones

The following project is an analysis of public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in New York City compared to the registered electric vehicles. This project aims to highlight both the slow development of this infrastructure, but also how it's not being built out in an equitable manner. To come to this conclusion, I analyzed the number of chargers available from the state's OpenData portal and compared it to the number of registered electric vehicles that operate in the five counties that make up New York City using a python script. I found a significant imbalance between where the people are …

Accountability Matters: An In-Depth Analysis Of Institutional Faculty Support Programs And How They Impact Black Faculty., Lakan Lashona' Powell

Theses and Dissertations

The experiences of Black faculty at predominantly White institutions have a complex history and have caused one glaring issue: a lack of retention. Specific calls to action have led to changes; however, more should be done to ensure this underrepresented group is utilized in the most effective manner. While most scholars focus on Black faculty who do not stay; it is critical to explore those who do. The purpose of this research was to distinguish what influences IFSPs played in the faculty success and ultimate stay of Black faculty at two predominantly White institutions in the state of Mississippi. This …

The Leadership Identity Presented On Linkedin, Carl L. Tolbert

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

LinkedIn has evolved in a way similar to other social media platforms but is unique in that it focuses on professional networking and careers. Many professionals seek to showcase their leadership skills and philosophies as part of a publicly showcased online persona. This paper aimed to examine the posts specific to leadership and thematically investigate presentation strategies, motivation, and purposes behind the posts. The paper begins with a historical review from the inception of LinkedIn through pivotal milestones in the history of the company. Key concepts from the literature are then reviewed specific to social media use and motivations behind …

Holiday Chaos To Corporate Crisis: A Lesson From Christmas Vacation In Executive Protection, Rachael A. Zerr

Publications and Research

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) may be best known for its holiday humor, but it also inadvertently highlights critical issues in corporate security and executive protection. Through the kidnapping of Clark Griswold's boss, Frank Shirley, the film illustrates the vulnerabilities faced by high-net-worth individuals and executives. This paper draws parallels between the fictional events of the film and real-world cases of executive kidnapping and violence, emphasizing the need for robust security measures. It discusses modern executive protection strategies, including risk assessments, real-time monitoring, and cybersecurity, and highlights the role of technology in mitigating threats. Ultimately, this paper argues that as …

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: November 2024, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

In November, employment increased by 227,000, with the unemployment rate remaining steady at 4.2%. Veteran unemployment showed mixed trends, with post-9/11 veteran unemployment slightly decreasing to 3.1% and significant variations across different age and demographic groups. Notably, the unemployment rate for Black or African American veterans decreased significantly, while the rate for veterans aged 18-24 increased.

What Patients And Caregivers Want To Know When Consenting To The Use Of Digital Behavioral Markers, Anika Sonig, Christine Deeney, Meghan E Hurley, Eric A Storch, John Herrington, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, Casey J Zampella, Birkan Tunc, Julia Parish-Morris, Jenny Blumenthal-Barby, Kristin Kostick-Quenet

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based computational tools for deriving digital behavioral markers are increasingly able to automatically detect clinically relevant patterns in mood and behavior through algorithmic analysis of continuously and passively collected data. The integration of these technologies into clinical care is imminent, most notably in clinical psychology and psychiatry but also other disciplines (e.g., cardiology, neurology, neurosurgery, pain management). Meanwhile, ethical guidelines for implementation are lacking, as are insights into what patients and caregivers want and need to know about these technologies to ensure acceptability and informed consent. In this work, we present qualitative findings from interviews with 40 adolescent …

Honorable Mention Research Paper: The Impact Of External Factors On Urban Youth Behaviors, Erin Simmons

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This study examines how community, family, and educational dynamics impact behavioral and academic outcomes for students in urban communities, focusing on Black and Latinx youth. Through qualitative research involving interviews and observations, the study explores how factors like family instability, economic challenges, and community violence influence students’ behaviors and motivations in school. Findings reveal that unresolved trauma and external stresses manifest in the behavior and emotions of students within the classroom, affecting both student engagement and achievement. The research offers insights for educators, counselors/ therapists, social workers, families and policymakers to develop supportive interventions that address students’ unique experiences.

Aquí Y Ahora: The Role Of Us Spanish-Language Tv News In Financial Vulnerability, Cintya Felix

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

In today’s world, the news we watch often does more than inform us; it can shape how secure or insecure we feel about our future. In this paper, I examine the extent to which an individual’s consumption of particular Spanish-speaking TV news channels contribute to their sense of financial vulnerability. Using an original data set of responses to the questions in the American National Election Studies (ANES), I find a moderately strong relationship between the television news channel Aquí y Ahora, and the degree to which they are worried about their financial situation. While it is true that various factors …

Trashed At Cedar Point: A Waste Management Analysis, Alexander Waltrich

Honors Projects

Cedar Point has a waste problem that can be solved by implementing a more sustainable waste management policy. This project addresses the impacts of waste management policies on the environment, economy, society, and their temporal viability. I propose and analyze three waste management alternatives: Status Quo, Pilot Recycling Program, and Waste Reduction Plan. Through literature evaluation and alternative assessment I recommend that Cedar Point consider implementing a Waste Reduction Plan.

The Challenge Of Regulating Pharmaceutical Clinical Trials In The 21st Century With A Focus On Guatemala, Alejandro Cerón, Antonio Ricafort, Carter Saccocio, Maria Delmonte, Jordan Vasquez, Amarri Bishop, Julia Atwood, Addison Bucsko, Jordan Lewis, Alexandra Welch, Itzael Garcia, Ella Wald, Selena Johnson, Crystal Jin, Talya Riciputi, Lindsey Speer, Vanessa Udo-Obong, Soren Engberg, Tessa Lindstrom

Anthropology: Undergraduate Student Scholarship

This report was prepared by the students and instructor of the "Right to Health in Theory and Practice" class taught in the fall of 2024 at the University of Denver. The report was prepared for 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: What can a country like Guatemala do to regulate international pharmaceutical clinical trials in the context of research commercialization? In other words, the work was guided by three important elements. First, the regulatory aspect of clinical trials. Second, …

Inflammation Mediated By Gut Microbiome Alterations Promotes Lung Cancer Development And An Immunosuppressed Tumor Microenvironment, Zahraa Rahal, Yuejiang Liu, Fuduan Peng, Sujuan Yang, Mohamed A Jamal, Manvi Sharma, Hannah Moreno, Ashish V Damania, Matthew C Wong, Matthew C Ross, Ansam Sinjab, Tieling Zhou, Minyue Chen, Inti Tarifa Reischle, Jiping Feng, Chidera Chukwuocha, Elizabeth Tang, Camille Abaya, Jamie K Lim, Cheuk Hong Leung, Heather Y Lin, Nathaniel Deboever, Jack J Lee, Boris Sepesi, Don L Gibbons, Jennifer A Wargo, Junya Fujimoto, Linghua Wang, Joseph F Petrosino, Nadim J Ajami, Robert R Jenq, Seyed Javad Moghaddam, Tina Cascone, Kristi Hoffman, Humam Kadara

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Accumulating evidence indicates that the gut microbiome influences cancer progression and therapy. We recently showed that progressive changes in gut microbial diversity and composition are closely coupled with tobacco-associated lung adenocarcinoma in a human-relevant mouse model. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the loss of the antimicrobial protein Lcn2 in these mice exacerbates protumor inflammatory phenotypes while further reducing microbial diversity. Yet, how gut microbiome alterations impinge on lung adenocarcinoma development remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of gut microbiome changes in lung adenocarcinoma development using fecal microbiota transfer and delineated a pathway by which gut microbiome alterations …

Excess Mortality In Persons With Concurrent Hiv And Cancer Diagnoses: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Kamaria L Lee, Varada Sarovar, Jennifer O Lam, Wendy A Leyden, Stacey E Alexeeff, Alexandra N Lea, Rulin C Hechter, Haihong Hu, Julia L Marcus, Qing Yuan, Jennifer R Kramer, Lilie L Lin, Elizabeth Y Chiao, William J Towner, Michael A Horberg, Michael J Silverberg

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: With extended lifespans for people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH), there is a corresponding increased burden of chronic illnesses, including cancer. Our objective was to estimate the excess mortality among PWH with cancer compared with people without HIV (PWoH), accounting for the higher background mortality in the general PWH population.

Methods: We identified 39,000 PWH and 387,767 demographically matched PWoH in three integrated healthcare systems from 2000 to 2016. We estimated excess mortality among PWH with cancer, computed as the cancer mortality rate difference-in-difference comparing PWH and PWoH. We evaluated five cancer groups: any cancer; virus-, human papillomavirus-, and …

Evidence Of Capacity Building And Critical Consciousness In An Institutional Partnership: An Organizational Case Study Of The Gateway Research Park, Natasha E. Johnson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are complex and intricate systems of people, processes, and practices. HEI practices and processes are often extended through strategic partnerships and external collaborations, increasing their capacity or ability to obtain their stated goals. This notion extends to minority-serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It is important to understand whether partnerships have the capacity to meet their goals, especially if there are risks for minority-serving institutions and those traditionally marginalized, which is a problem. The purpose of this qualitative organizational case study was to explore the evidence of critical consciousness and capacity building in a …

Building Community Resilience Through Community Participatory Asset Mapping For Emergency Preparedness, Cassandra Y. Davila

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

A community's capacity to prepare, manage, and recover from a disaster determines its level of resilience. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends engaging community members in resilience planning to ensure sustainable strategies are implemented. This project uses community-based asset mapping to identify how community participatory methods influence community resilience to combat emergency events. An asset map documents a community’s existing resources, highlighting its strengths. Focus group discussions in the urban area will be conducted to obtain feedback about existing assets and suggestions for additional resources to include. The expected result of this project is to build a comprehensive map of …

Implementing And Assessing Climate Change Education In A Pediatrics Residency Curriculum, Mark Mcshane, Shelley Kumar, Linessa Zuniga

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background For physicians to effectively combat the growing health crisis that is climate change, they should begin learning during medical training about its health implications. However, there is little data on residents' knowledge of the climate crisis, and even less data regarding the effectiveness and acceptability of climate change education in graduate medical training programs. Objective To incorporate a new educational session on the health implications of climate change into a residency curriculum and evaluate the acceptability of the session and its effects on residents' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the topic.

Methods In July 2021, a 90-minute, interactive, small-group …

Incorporating An Analytical Approach To Ethical Reasoning Into An Ethics Case Conference For Residents, Holland Kaplan, Alyssa Kahl, Jonathan Lim

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Educating residents to apply ethical principles in clinical practice is critical in achieving standards in professionalism. We implemented biweekly ethics morning report case conferences incorporating a validated analytical tool in medical ethics, the Four-Box Method, from July 2022 to June 2023 in our internal medicine residency program. In 24 ethics morning reports, over 73% of participants reported that the intervention helped them achieve each of three learning objectives in ethics education. Ninety-two percent of cases addressed > 1 ethical issue. Our intervention may be easily integrated into the morning report conference structure as an educational tool in medical ethics across internal …

Association Of Common And Rare Variants With Alzheimer’S Disease In More Than 13,000 Diverse Individuals With Whole-Genome Sequencing From The Alzheimer’S Disease Sequencing Project, Wan-Ping Lee, Seung Hoan Choi, Margaret G Shea, Po-Liang Cheng, Beth A Dombroski, Achilleas N Pitsillides, Nancy L Heard-Costa, Hui Wang, Katia Bulekova, Amanda B Kuzma, Yuk Yee Leung, John J Farrell, Honghuang Lin, Brian W Kunkle, Adam Naj, Elizabeth E Blue, Frederick Nusetor, Dongyu Wang, Eric Boerwinkle, William S Bush, Xiaoling Zhang, Philip L De Jager, Josée Dupuis, Lindsay A Farrer, Myriam Fornage, Eden Martin, Margaret Pericak-Vance, Sudha Seshadri, Ellen M Wijsman, Li-San Wang, Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project, Gerard D Schellenberg, Anita L Destefano, Jonathan L Haines, Gina M Peloso

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common disorder of the elderly that is both highly heritable and genetically heterogeneous.

Methods: We investigated the association of AD with both common variants and aggregates of rare coding and non-coding variants in 13,371 individuals of diverse ancestry with whole genome sequencing (WGS) data.

Results: Pooled-population analyses of all individuals identified genetic variants at apolipoprotein E (APOE) and BIN1 associated with AD (p < 5 × 10-8). Subgroup-specific analyses identified a haplotype on chromosome 14 including PSEN1 associated with AD in Hispanics, further supported by aggregate testing of rare coding and non-coding variants in the region. Common variants in LINC00320 were observed associated with AD in Black individuals (p = 1.9 × 10-9). Finally, we observed rare non-coding variants in the promoter of TOMM40 distinct of APOE in pooled-population analyses (p = 7.2 × 10-8).

Discussion: We observed that complementary pooled-population and subgroup-specific analyses offered unique insights into the genetic architecture of AD.

Highlights: We determine the association of genetic variants with Alzheimer's disease (AD) using …

When Language Policy And Planning Is A Missed Opportunity: Lessons Learned From A Proposed But Not Implemented Dual Language Bilingual Education Program, Jessica Mitchell-Mccollough

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

When populations undergo demographic shift, as in Nebraska in recent decades, educational practices can establish or reinforce hegemonic practices through denial or legitimization of language, culture, and identity, or they can be counterhegemonic. The demographic changes in Nebraska have been defined by a growth in Latinx populations (Morales, et al., in press). As a result, there have been various efforts to explore dynamic shifts in educational programs offered to support students’ unique language acquisition needs, including growth in dual language bilingual education (DLBE). However, not all communities have responded uniformly. During a recent strategic planning process Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) …

Addressing The Public Health Concern Of Maternal Mortality In Houston, Texas, Lucy Couture

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Maternal mortality remains a pressing public health concern in the United States, with disproportionate consequences for marginalized communities. Despite being a developed nation, the U.S. reports one of the highest maternal mortality rates among its peers, with approximately 80% of maternal deaths deemed preventable. Texas reflects this national crisis, particularly affecting Black women, whose maternal mortality rate is significantly higher than that of other racial and ethnic groups. This thesis explores maternal mortality trends in Houston, Texas, analyzing the roles of systemic inequities, social determinants of health, and disparities in access to quality care. Drawing on data from the Texas …