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The Effects Of Empathic Reactions To The Overturning Of Roe V. Wade On Campaign Participation And Voter Turnout: Evidence From The 2022 U.S. Midterm Elections, Cigdem Sirin, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling overturned Roe v. Wade, reversing the nearly 50-year-old landmark decision that affirmed a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. Several months later, voters turned out in record numbers for the 2022 midterms, though a widely predicted “Red Wave” vote did not materialize. There has since been speculation that overturning Roe v. Wade played a crucial role in the midterms, generating a “Blue Tsunami” or “Roevember” driven largely by young, pro-choice women voting out of self-interest. We posit instead that group empathy was the key motivational mechanism in the link between opposition to …

Assessing The Benefits Of Distributed Solar In Virginia: 2024 Update And Status Report, Damian Pitt, Dagny Oakley

Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment Publications and Presentations

Distributed solar energy is growing rapidly in Virginia, and prices are dropping. If these trends continue, the state has the potential to meet a significant percentage of its electricity needs via distributed solar, supporting thousands of jobs and achieving substantial economic benefits in the process. However, reaching these targets will require the continuation of a positive policy and regulatory environment. This includes the removal of several remaining policy barriers, particularly related to shared / community solar, and avoiding some of the negative policy changes that have slowed distributed solar in other states.

This report is an update to a VCU …

Beyond Combat: Moral Injury Exposure In Officer And Enlisted Marine Veterans With Diverse Deployment Histories And The Relationship With Posttraumatic Growth, Hira Jean Byrne Paulin

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Moral injury has been widely studied in male combat-deployed active-duty personnel and veterans, with little inclusion of non-combat or never-deployed experiences. Moral injury research has primarily focused on adverse outcomes. Within military moral injury research, there is limited information on individual branches of service or rank-specific experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore moral injury event exposure and posttraumatic growth within a single branch of service, the Marine Corps, with a focus on rank status and the inclusion of non-combat and never-deployed veterans. A community-based approach was used to recruit participants over a 2-month period. Participants completed a …

A Comparison Of Machine Learning Surrogate Models Of Street-Scale Flooding In Norfolk, Virginia, Diana Mcspadden, Steven Goldenberg, Binata Roy, Malachi Schram, Jonathan L. Goodall, Heather Richter

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Low-lying coastal cities, exemplified by Norfolk, Virginia, face the challenge of street flooding caused by rainfall and tides, which strain transportation and sewer systems and can lead to personal and property damage. While high-fidelity, physics-based simulations provide accurate predictions of urban pluvial flooding, their computational complexity renders them unsuitable for real-time applications. Using data from Norfolk rainfall events between 2016 and 2018, this study compares the performance of a previous surrogate model based on a random forest algorithm with two deep learning models: Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU). The comparison of deep learning to the random …

Nebraska Department Of Economic Development - 6 Regions One Nebraska - Regional Development Initiative - Western Region, Josie Gatti Schafer, Tara Grell, Michael Lee, Ignacio Ruelas Avila

Publications

No abstract provided.

Nebraska Department Of Economic Development - 6 Regions One Nebraska - Regional Development Initiative - Metropolitan Region, Josie Gatti Schafer, Tara Grell, Michael Lee, Ignacio Ruelas Avila

Publications

No abstract provided.

Maine Provider Attitudes Towards Contingency Management For Substance Use Disorders, Evelyn Ali, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

This report summarizes healthcare provider attitudes toward Contingency Management (CM), including barriers and facilitators to its implementation. A 17-question electronic survey, including the Contingency Management Beliefs Questionnaire (CMBQ), was distributed to providers across Maine. Of 131 eligible respondents, 80% reported treating SUD, yet only 27% had experience with CM. While training and organizational support were cited as barriers, overall attitudes toward CM were favorable. Providers expressed strong willingness to implement CM, citing its potential to engage clients and support treatment adherence. The report concludes that positive perceptions of CM outweigh concerns and suggests that training and organizational support could enhance …

Treatment And Recovery Beliefs Of Rural Vermont Family Members Of People With Opioid Use Disorder, Kate Peasley-Miklus Phd, Julia Shaw Mph, Katie Rosingana Ba, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, S. Sigmon, Sarah H Heil Phd, J. Jewiss, Andrea C Villanti, Valerie S Harder

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Purpose: Few studies have addressed beliefs about treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) among family members of people with OUD, particularly in rural communities. This study examined the beliefs of rural family members of people with OUD regarding treatment, including medication for OUD (MOUD), and recovery. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with rural Vermont family members of people with OUD. Twenty family members completed interviews, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Four primary themes related to beliefs about OUD treatment emerged: (1) MOUD is another form of addiction or dependency and should be used short-term; (2) essential …

Healthy Acadia Downeast Community Opioid Response Program: Year 3 Summary, Tyler Egeland Ba, Gordon Mcintire Ba, Evelyn Ali, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Katie Rosingana Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

The Downeast Substance Treatment Network is a group of diverse organizations working to improve integration and access to treatments and services for people with substance use disorder. The consortium’s Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grant project aims to: (1) expand the reach of their treatment network, (2) increase awareness and practice of harm reduction, and (3) facilitate transitions of care to improve partner efficacy. This project included a mixed-methods evaluation led by Catherine E. Cutler Institute’s Substance Use Research and Evaluation Team (SURE). This final year 3 summary presentation includes feedback from program partners, key informants, and program clients, in …

The Effects Of Empathic Reactions To The Overturning Of Roe V. Wade On Campaign Participation And Voter Turnout: Evidence From The 2022 U.S. Midterm Elections, Cigdem Sirin, José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling overturned Roe v. Wade, reversing the nearly 50-year-old landmark decision that affirmed a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. Several months later, voters turned out in record numbers for the 2022 midterms, though a widely predicted “Red Wave” vote did not materialize. There has since been speculation that overturning Roe v. Wade played a crucial role in the midterms, generating a “Blue Tsunami” or “Roevember” driven largely by young, pro-choice women voting out of self-interest. We posit instead that group empathy was the key motivational mechanism in the link between opposition …

Nicotine Addiction: A Hidden Health Crisis, Macy J. Mcgrath, Andrea Walker, Anahita Mohammadkhah

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

In the United States, nicotine addiction is an ongoing health crisis (U.S Food and Drug Administration, 2023). Pivotal to this crisis is the prevalence and ease of access to devices that deliver nicotine. Covering a broad spectrum, devices range from traditional forms of tobacco such as cigarettes, pipes, etc. to new nicotine devices such as e-cigarettes and vapes. Yet, even with the health crisis looming, more and more individuals are becoming addicted to nicotine (Ayers et al., 2011; Lyu et al., 2022; Pokhrel et al., 2021). In particular, research indicates that the 18-24 age demographic is significantly more likely to …

Qualitative Brief: Perspectives On Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Access And Engagement From Rural Family Members And People In Treatment, Katie Rosingana Ba, Evelyn Ali Mph, Tyler Egelund Ba, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Kate Peasley-Miklus Phd, J. Shaw

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

"This qualitative data brief provides findings from the Vermont baseline needs assessment, conducted in collaboration with research staff at the University of Southern Maine's Catherine Cutler Institute, with the goal to identify current and future opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment needs and barriers in rural Vermont. This data brief aims to identify current and future addiction treatment needs and barriers in Vermont with direct input from practitioners, community partners, and people impacted personally by opioid use. Preceptions included in this data brief are informed by semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with family members of people with lived experience (PWLE). For more …

Time To Ask Program At Redington-Fairview General Hospital: Summary Of Participant Feedback, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Tyler Egeland Ba, Evelyn Ali Bs

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

The goals of the Time to Ask (TTA) education and quality improvement program are to increase the capacity of the interprofessional care team to effectively, efficiently and compassionately discuss alcohol use with their patients through screening, brief intervention, and referral (SBIRT) as well as to expand regular screening and monitoring of unhealthy alcohol use at the practices. This infographic is a summary of a participant feedback following the TTA program at Redington-Fairview General Hospital. For more information, please contact Lindsey Smith at [email protected]

Healthy Acadia Downeast Community Opioid Response Program: Year 2 Summary, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Evelyn Ali Bs, Katie Rosingana Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

The Downeast Substance Treatment Network is a group of diverse organizations working to improve integration and access to treatments and services for people with substance use disorder. The consortium’s Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grant project aims to: (1) expand the reach of their treatment network, (2) increase awareness and practice of harm reduction, and (3) facilitate transitions of care to improve partner efficacy. This project included a mixed-methods evaluation led by Catherine E. Cutler Institute’s Substance Use Research and Evaluation Team (SURE). This year 2 summary presentation includes feedback from program partners, key informants, and program clients, in addition …

The Rural Health Action Network Enhanced Outreach Initiative: Year 2 Interim Evaluation Report, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Evelyn Ali Bs, Tyler Egeland Ba, Katie Rosingana Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Healthy Community Coalition (HCC), in coordination with the Rural Health Action Network (RHAN) of greater Franklin County, is implementing a multi-faceted outreach program to improve health outcomes among the rural poor living with chronic conditions in greater Franklin County, Maine. The goals of the Franklin County Rural Health Action Network Enhanced Outreach Initiative (RHAN-EOI) include: (1) Expand access to quality services; (2) Expand training for community health extenders; (3) Decrease hospital admissions, emergency department use, and costs; and (4) Improve communication and care coordination across project partners. This report highlights the implementation and progress of HCC RHAN in Year 2. …

Black Principals’ Navigation Of Politically Conservative Challenges To Public School Curricula: Effects On Administrator Attrition, Hamisi Tarrant

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of Black principals regarding the influence of politically conservative efforts on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; critical race theory (CRT); and curriculum related to slavery in K–12 schools. The study was grounded in the increasing politicization of education, particularly as it pertained to race and identity, and examined how Black school leaders navigate these pressures. A review of the literature revealed the persistent challenges faced by Black principals, including racial discrimination, professional isolation, and a lack of support systems, compounded by the rise of conservative ideologies in education. The research sought …

The Impact Of Censorship On Covid-19 Policy Formation In The United States, Victor Wallis

Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Pride In Health: An Investigation Into How The Affordable Care Act, Public Accommodation Anti-Discrimination Statutes, And Other Pro-Lgbtq+ Laws Affect Health, Healthcare Affordability, And Healthcare Accessibility For The Lgbtq+ Community, John Kirkley

Honors Program Theses

This study investigates the influence of pro-LGBTQ+ legislation, specifically the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid Expansion and LGBTQ+ Public Accommodation Anti-Discrimination Statutes, on general health, healthcare affordability, and accessibility among LGBTQ+ individuals in the United States. The research delves into historical and present policy impacts on health disparities within the LGBTQ+ community, offering a systematic analysis of data sourced from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. The research utilizes comparative statistical analysis to discern changes in health outcomes over the years 2014 to 2022, focusing on differences in general health, healthcare affordability, and accessibility between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ respondents, as …

Carceral Connections: The Role Of Policing In The Management Of Public Housing In New York City, James Rodriguez

Publications and Research

Between 2006 and 2022, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) attempted to address the fiscal and infrastructural crises in public housing through a number of controversial privatization strategies. This contested push occurred alongside the pervasive role of policing in public housing. The New York Police Department utilizes several policing strategies specific to NYCHA communities, collaborating with the housing authority in the management of public housing residents. This article draws on qualitative content analysis of local policing strategies and public housing policy reforms in New York City to investigate how the state facilitates the displacement of disproportionately poor, non-white, public …

Effectiveness Of Municipal Collaboration For Watershed Management In The Southern Colorado River Basin, Sasha Geschwind

CGU Theses & Dissertations

There are mixed arguments about the best scale of government for providing various public goods and services. Specifically, the management of a watershed, which can be categorized as a common pool resource, is generally implemented at the local government scale via National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permits as issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). A large body of literature argues for rethinking this scale because this does not match natural watershed boundaries.In this paper, I explore the question: Does collaboration, and type of collaboration, among jurisdictions within a watershed …

Core Values In Public Administration And Policy: Three Levels Of Evaluation In The Public Sector, Emily Brandt, Alejandro Rodriguez, Karabi Bezboruah, Emily Nwakpuda

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation is composed of three separate but interrelated papers that examine the role of core values in public administration and public policy and how they show up at the societal, bureaucratic, and individual levels to inform the identification of the use of values, engaging proper awareness of how these values impact public sector actions, and how individuals can engage the right values frameworks in the face of conflict in various public and public service contexts. The first paper takes a societal look at core values via a systemic literature review on American morality policies; policies that inspire great debate …

Co-Opting Alliance With Efficient Grease Theory: An Observational Descriptive Study Of Corruption And Trust Nexus In Political Institutions In West Africa, Yarh Komolo

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation presents an analysis of the impact of corruption as related to trust in political institutions in select West African nations. Corruption and some of its implicative hues are highlighted, considering such practice is generally an entrenched part of Africa in its economic, political, social, and cultural fabric and lifeline. In respect to the specific region of interest, robust Afrobarometer observational surveys convey data covering 14 of the 16 countries that comprise West Africa, with the exclusion of Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania which lack survey data. The study covers a seven-year period that runs from 2014 to 2021, excluding 2016 …

An Additive Model Of Engagement: Considering The Role Of Front-End Criminal Justice Agencies In Treatment Provisions [Interim Report: Year Two], Kelsey S. Henderson, Christopher Campbell, Brian Renauer

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report provides the initial findings of Year 2 of a multi year project to understand the effects of successive drug policy efforts in Oregon, with special focus given to Ballot Measure 110 (M110). This report uses criminal justice metrics (e.g., arrests and drug court participation) and treatment resource information (e.g., number of individuals served through M110 monies) to better understand how individuals are connecting with services in Oregon, and the role that the criminal justice system can play as one component of a larger network.

Related Reports:

Key Points in Preparation for Oregon Legislative Session (2024): Examining the Multifaceted …

Disability Accommodation And Improving Accessibility In Public Transportation, Alexander Burdette

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

This paper addresses the need for accessibility in public transportation from a disabled perspective, focusing on four key areas wherein states can enact meaningful change. These areas as specified are physical accessibility, which concerns the built and engineered environment of public transit and surrounding areas; informational accessibility, which concerns the availability and clarity of information passengers need to navigate transit; management accessibility, which refers to the way information processing is handled by transit agencies when exchanging information with transit users; and social accessibility, which deals with the interpersonal environment that public transit creates and facilitates. Specific areas of attention are …

Examining The Impact Of Electric Vehicle Adoption On Health, Socioeconomic Disparities, And Policy, Arham Limoochi

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Transportation is a crucial source of air pollution in the United States, accounting for nearly 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. This considerable contribution to environmental degradation has led many scholars to advocate for a shift towards Electric Vehicles (EVs) as an effective strategy to combat climate change and its adverse effects. EVs, known for their innovative design and reliance on alternative energy sources, differ significantly from traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines. This transition is more than a technological advancement; it symbolizes a significant move towards sustainable transportation, impacting environmental sustainability, public health, and socio-economic equity. My dissertation explores …

A Comparative Case Of The Sense Of Belonging Of Students And Black Neighborhood Stakeholders Utilizing Public Recreational Space Near An Urban College Campus, Briyanna N. Jenkins

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

At a time when regulation impacting colleges and universities has steadily increased, institutional leaders have explored ways to maximize their educational effectiveness, impact, and public contribution to their surrounding communities. Public colleges and universities often use public-private partnerships to develop institutionally owned or managed spaces on and surrounding their campuses. As a result, institutional stakeholders are infused with existing community neighborhoods, cultures and structures, which often results in permanent change imposed on these neighbors and neighborhoods. Using a comparative case study approach, this exploratory research explored the relationship between campus stakeholders utilizing campus and private recreational spaces and their sense …

Understanding Health-Seeking Decision-Making Process And Behavior Among Haitian Immigrants: A Grounded Theory Approach, Shelleta Ladonice

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Black people in the U.S. die at younger ages, have significantly higher rates of death from treatable medical conditions, are more likely to have late-stage breast and colon cancer diagnoses and more likely to die from these cancers, and are at higher risk for chronic illnesses compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Accessing healthcare is crucial to health and well-being; however, U.S. immigrants' use of healthcare services is far less than native-born Americans. Haitian immigrants experience health disparities at the highest rate compared to other Black immigrants in the U.S. Given their unique history, culture, and immigration experience, it …

Decarbonization Roadmap For The Domestic Fleet Of The Republic Of Korea, World Maritime University

Reports

The Zero Emission of Domestic Shipping in the Republic of Korea (ZED-PK) project is an ambitious initiative aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and developing a path towards zero emissions for the domestic shipping fleet in the Republic of Korea. ZED-PK encompasses a systematic and transdisciplinary approach involving multiple stakeholders. The project is structured into three phases, each dedicated to progressively advancing the decarbonization efforts within the maritime sector.

Domestic shipping is integral to the Republic of Korea’s economy, but contributes significantly to air pollution and GHG emissions. The sector’s emissions pose environmental risks, human health threats, and additional external costs, …

Recommended Budget, Expenditures By Object And Funding By Source, Fiscal Year 2024-2025, Tennessee. Department Of Finance And Administration

Recommended Budget

In developing the Governor’s budget recommendation, the Division of Budget in the Department of Finance and Administration analyzes agency budget requests and prepares final recommendations at a lower level of detail.

Annual Statistical Report, For The Scholastic Year Ending June 30, 2024, Tennessee. Department Of Education

Annual Statistical Reports

This document contains the statistical summaries for the 2023-2024 school year.