Digital Commons Network^™

The Assessment Of Emergency Preparedness Among University Students, Arliah Cox

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

University students have been an understudied population when it comes to the topic of emergency/ disaster preparedness. While there have been a few studies carried out to examine students’ perceptions of preparedness, the level of preparedness must be determined to be able to close the gap when it comes to barriers preventing them from being prepared. One hundred and eighty-seven undergraduate participants at a Midwestern university completed both online and in-person surveys in March 2022. The survey included questions regarding emergency/ disaster preparedness, perception of being prepared, and barriers which can prevent preparedness. Results showed that a lack of time …

Community Interventions To The Food Insecurity Crisis Inuit Currently Face In Nunangat, Alyssia R. Getschow

Honors Theses

Inuit living in Nunangat, a northern territory in Canada, are facing unprecedented rates of food insecurity. The increasing impacts of anthropogenic climate change are rapidly changing the Arctic landscape in Nunangat, posing challenges to Inuit hunters who hunt and live completely self-sufficient off of the land. This lack of access to country foods and the impacts these conditions are having on Inuit communities are forcing Inuit to consider aid propositions from the Canadian government. Due to a long history of conflict with white settlers during the colonization of Canada, there is a feeling of distrust and cultural distaste between Canada …

Tummy Time In Infancy: Real-World Assessments And Associations With Developmental Outcomes In Early Childhood, Ketaki Inamdar

Theses and Dissertations

Tummy time or awake, supervised, prone play is an important developmental play position in infancy. Engaging in more than 15 minutes of tummy time per day is associated with a lower risk of plagiocephaly, lower body mass index, and achievement of higher motor scores in full-term and at-risk preterm infants. However, there are significant gaps in the measurement of tummy time in current literature. Conventionally used subjective parent reports have not been validated against gold standard direct observation, and the feasibility and real-world validity of objective solutions such as wearable sensors has not been examined in full-term and at-risk preterm …

Effect Of Living Arrangements On Cognitive Function In Chinese Elders: A Longitudinal Observational Study, Yanwei Lin, Qi Zhang, Tingxian Wang, Zhirong Zeng

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective To examine how living arrangement as a social contextual factor can affect Chinese elders’ cognitive function.

Setting and participants Our sample consists of 2486 Chinese elders from two waves (2014 and 2018) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) that was administered in 22 of China’s 31 provinces using a multi-stage, disproportionate, purposive random sampling method. The CLHLS aims to better understand the determinants of healthy longevity in China and collects extensive data on a large population of fragile elders aged 80–112 in China.

Outcome measures Cognitive function was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Living arrangement …

How Community-Based Solutions Affect Households Headed By Single Mothers In An Urban Food Desert, Christie Will Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited access to affordable and nutritious foods is a growing problem in the United States, leading to a rise in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease as well as poor academic performance. With this has come the rise of urban food deserts, specific geographic areas with limited access to affordable, healthy, and nutritious foods within a 1-mile radius, which impacts low-income and minority communities at a greater rate than the rest of US society. Single mothers represent the largest demographic impacted by urban food deserts yet are the least represented in research. The purpose of this narrative study, using the human …

Homelessness In Late Life: An Exploration Of The Lived Experience, Danielle Palmisano

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Homelessness is a challenging, chronic public problem throughout the United States that has broad impacts on the public sector. Older adults are the largest growing segment of the population and have not been spared by this housing crisis. The experience of homelessness while aging can have negative impacts that contribute to increased healthcare costs and reduced quality of life. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of late life homelessness from the perspective of formerly homeless older adults to inform the development of a grounded theory on how the lived experience of …

Lincoln Vital Signs, 2022 Report (Version 1.2), Stacey Hoffman, Alyssa Sloane, Taylor Smith

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

Executive Summary

Since 2014, Lincoln Vital Signs, authored by the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center, has been a community-wide data resource. The 2022 Lincoln Vital Signs report is sponsored by Lincoln’s and Nebraska’s largest public and private charitable organizations. Lincoln Vital Signs 2022 continues the tradition of providing credible, reliable information about Lincoln, compared to its recent past and to other communities in the United States. Data from the report are used by organizations and individuals to inform decisions, spark connections, and spur collaboration. You can view the report, along with new interactive graphs, at https://www.lincolnvitalsigns.org. Lincoln Vital …

Barriers To The Implementation Of Effective Sustainable Development Plans In Sierra Leone: Stakeholders’ Perspectives, Mohamed Nabie Turay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract:Stakeholders’ competing positions with elected officials created barriers to the effective implementation of sustainable environmental policies. This study aimed to explore the barriers to implementing the National Environmental Policies (NEP), passed by the parliament of Sierra Leone in the 1990s. Sabastier and Jenkin-Smith’s advocacy coalition framework model provided the theoretical foundation for this study. The key research question explored is stakeholders’ perceptions of the barriers to effectively building coalitions to implement sustainable development policies like the NEP in Sierra Leone. A case study research approach was used to understand the barriers to implementing the NEP in Sierra Leone. Data were …

การใช้ประโยชน์ จากหลักสูตรกัญชาและกัญชง ของการศึกษานอกระบบและการศึกษาตามอัธยาศัยกรณีศึกษา จังหวัดยะลา, ณัฏฐพล ศรีสุคนธ์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยครั้งนี้เป็นการวิจัยแบบผสม Mix Method ใช้การวิจัยเชิงปริมาณ การวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพ ร่วมกับ SWOT Analysisมีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ 1) เพื่อศึกษาความเห็นของนักศึกษาต่อหลักสูตร “กัญชาและกัญชงศึกษาเพื่อใช้เป็นยาอย่างฉลาด”และ “หลักสูตรอาชีพโภชนาการจากส่วนของพืชกัญชาและกัญชง ที่ได้รับยกเว้นจากการเป็นยาเสพติด” ของนักศึกษาในระบบ การศึกษานอกโรงเรียนจังหวัดยะลา 2)เพื่อศึกษาการใช้ประโยชน์ทางยา การสร้างรายได้ การพัฒนาส่งเสริมคุณภาพชีวิต จากความรู้ที่ได้รับการศึกษา เพื่อจะได้ได้ทราบถึงประโยชน์ที่ นักศึกษาได้รับจากการศึกษาต่อการศึกษาตาม หลักสูตร และเสนอแนะแนวทางในการปรับปรุงหลักสูตร ผลการวิจัยพบว่า นักศึกษาโดยส่วนใหญ่ เลือกเรียนวิชา“กัญชาและกัญชงศึกษาเพื่อใช้เป็นยาอย่างฉลาด” ความคิดเห็นมีความพึงพอใจในหลักสูตรที่ศึกษาแต่ในด้านการใช้ประโยชน์ทางยาและการสร้างรายได้ยังไม่สามารถใช้ความรู้ที่ได้จากการศึกษานำไปสร้างรายได้หรือใช้งานทางการแพทย์ได้อย่างเป็นรูปธรรม เนื่องจากในพื้นที่ยังมีความกังวลในเรื่องหลักศาสนาอิสลาม รวมถึงหลักสูตรที่มีการสอนเฉพาะภาคทฤษฎี ยังขาดการเรียนในภาคปฏิบัติ อย่างไรก็ตามนักศึกษาส่วนใหญ่สามารถที่จะพัฒนาตนเองจากวิชาที่ศึกษารวมถึงได้รับหน่วยกิตในการเรียนระดับมัธยมปลาย ของหลักสูตรการศึกษานอกโรงเรียนอันเป็นเป้าประสงค์หลักในการเข้ารับการศึกษา ข้อเสนอแนะทางบริหาร: ให้มีวิชาต่อเนื่องทางภาคปฏิบัติของหลักสูตร“กัญชาและกัญชงศึกษาเพื่อใช้เป็นยาอย่างฉลาด” และหากมีการปรับปรุงหลักสูตร ควรใช้แนวคิด Bottom up ในการปรับปรุงหลักสูตรโดยให้ข้าราชการฝ่ายปฏิบัติในท้องถิ่นร่วมกันแสดงความคิดเห็นในการออกแบบและมีส่วนร่วมในการปรับปรุงหลักสูตร

Public Policy Syllabus, Duran A. Fiack

Open Educational Resources

The syllabus is designed for an introductory course that focuses on the basics of public policy. The course is composed of three modules. In Module I, The Study of Public Policy, the basics of public policy and the key actors and institutions involved in the policymaking process are introduced and discussed. In Module II, Public Policy Analysis, students are introduced to theories concerning the process through which policy is developed, implemented, and changed, a framework for analyzing and assessing public policy decision-making, and the tools that are used to address policy problems. In Module III, Substantive Areas …

Organizational Barriers To Effective University Student Mental Health Services, Felicia Evans-Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was focused on organizational barriers to effective university student mental health services access in the department of student resources (DSR) at a for-profit university in the northeastern United States. Once such barriers are addressed, faculty may be more successful in reaching out to students needing mental health services who are not self-identifying as needing these services. The Baldrige excellence framework guided this descriptive case study to examine the organizational barriers that prevent university leadership from creating clear policies and procedures for faculty to refer students to mental health services. Data sources included interviews with the behavioral health leader …

States' Public Health Funding And Population Health Outcomes: An Examination Through A Socio-Ecological Lens, Maureen K. Akubu-Odero

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The US public health system has been underfunded for decades, despite its significant mandate of improving overall population health outcomes. This ecological study evaluates the association between state public health funding and population health outcomes and the role of state public health funding in reducing state-level health disparities. The findings show that the relationships between public health investments and improvements in health outcomes and health disparity in states are moderated by socioeconomic contextual factors. The findings suggest a need for continued and increased public health investments, tailored to community needs and context

Rising Cost Of Medicare And Its Effect On Recipients 65 And Older, Williesa Toomer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rising cost of Medicare is a growing concern for recipients. Beneficiaries are often forced to implement a host of strategies to meet rising out-of-pocket expenses. This qualitative study was conducted to address a research gap in methods used by senior citizens to manage rising Medicare coverage costs. Garmezy’s resilience theory was used to contextualize the rising costs of Medicare premiums and copays and strategies used to manage healthcare needs. The purposive sample of 12 socioeconomically diverse respondents included eight women and four men ranging in age between 65 and 77, for an average age of 70.2 years. Participants completed …

Appraisal Of Institutional Antimicrobial Stewardship In Selected Public Health Facilities In Nigeria, Joshua Olusegun Obasanya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The misuse of antimicrobials (AM) constitutes a huge problem in developing countries, including Nigeria, posing severe public health threats to the populace’s health. Misuse contributes to the high consumption of AM, driving the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Establishing functional antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs at the health facility levels is recognized as an effective and efficient strategies to tackle AMR. Literature is replete with evidence of poor prescription practices, but few studies assessing the factors contributing to inappropriate use of AM in Nigeria exist. The purpose of this study was to improve the understanding of AMS practice at …

Fat Rights, Public Health Oppression And Prejudice, And The “Obesity Epidemic”, Nicholas D. Lawson

Touro Law Review

The pervasiveness, frequency, and intensity of fat shaming, bullying, and harassment experienced by fat people is well-documented, and three quarters of the American public support antidiscrimination protections for fat people. Yet fat people generally remain unprotected from discrimination under federal and state law in all but two jurisdictions. This Article traces these problems to the agendas of public health leaders, organizations (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization), and associated industries, which are fighting an “obesity epidemic.” It describes some of their fat-shaming strategies and persistent public-health-crisis framings, as well as sensationalized presentations of research …

Covid-19 And Advanced Course Enrollment: Kentucky High Schools, Jessica Thomas

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In Kentucky governments, districts, and schools made decisions about school closures and mode of learning that would impact community health as well as student achievement. Within those schools, students themselves were also making decisions that could impact their futures academically. In spring 2020, students were choosing their courses for the following year. Vast uncertainty about what the 2020/2021 school year would look like had the potential to impact those decisions. Disruptions to spring 2020 classes could also impact whether a student felt they had learned the prerequisite skills needed to pursue advanced coursework. This study found that advanced course enrollment …

Effect Of Trust And The Covid-19 Pandemic On Nonprofit Collaboration With Food Insecurity Services In Kentucky, Aaron Brewer

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Food insecurity in Kentucky is at a crisis point. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent natural disasters, it has only gotten worse. Nonprofit organizations that focus on food insecurity are fighting to fill the gap between federal and state programs but still struggle to find enough resources as demand grows. In order to help achieve their strategic missions, organizations often engage in collaboration with one another. The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the landscape of many services and businesses across the world and certainly in Kentucky. Food insecurity organizations were faced with new challenges because of the health …

Prevalence Of Alcohol-Interactive Medications And Conditions With Concurrent Alcohol Use In Older Adults, Jackson Hull

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Many prescription medications can either directly or indirectly interact with alcohol and many chronic conditions may be worsened by alcohol use. Medications, such as antihypertensives, anticoagulants, and gastrointestinal agents, can be dangerous when taken with alcohol and can lead to loss of consciousness, falls, serious bleeding and other issues. Chronic conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, hypertension and cirrhosis can directly be worsened with alcohol consumption. These potential complications are pertinent to all ages, but there is greater concern of these interactions in older adults, defined as adults over 65 years old. Using survey data from older adults in Lexington, …

Analysis Of Regulatory Options To Reduce Ethylene Oxide Emissions In Southern Louisiana, Claire Oyler

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Toxic chemicals are dangerous when exposed directly to humans but are often vital for the production of goods and services. Ethylene Oxide is a carcinogenic gas used as a commercial sterilizer and emitted during the manufacturing process of common household goods. The term fence-line communities describes the residents living adjacent to facilities emitting toxic chemicals into the air. Several predominately minority, low-income fence-line communities in Southern Louisiana are exposed to higher than average levels of Ethylene Oxide from nearby manufacturing facilities. This raises environmental justice and overall public health concerns in the area. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged …

Ending Homelessness In Santa Clara County: A Program Evaluation Of Homefirst Services’ Rapid Re-Housing Program Using Client Feedback, Karen Gomez

Master's Projects

This research was designed to evaluate whether HomeFirst Services’ RRH Program has proven to be more effective than traditional approaches in eliminating homelessness for its participants in Santa Clara County, California. Research was based on the Program Satisfaction Survey conducted at the end of the participants’ program enrollment in comparison with data collected for clients in other HomeFirst Services programs. The research question that is being answered from this survey is whether or not the HomeFirst Services RRH Program is fulfilling the clients’ needs. This questionnaire has been able to help HomeFirst Services understand the factors that help satisfy program …

Learning Recovery And Addressing The Learning Crisis In The Asia Pacific: Policy Brief, Pina Tarricone, Kemran Mestan, Ian Teo, Yung Nietschke

Global education monitoring

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education for approximately 1.2 billion students across the Asia-Pacific, and forced the closure of many schools, precipitating a transition towards remote learning, albeit with uneven access and quality (UNESCO, 2021; Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel, 2022), and threatening to deepen the ‘learning crisis’ that already existed, particularly for the most vulnerable learners. As education systems in the Asia-Pacific seek to recover the learning loss due to the pandemic and address the broader learning crisis, it is incumbent on governments to identify appropriate recovery strategies in the short term. Also, governments need to support education system …

The Impact Of Food Justice Advocates In Creating And Influencing Public Policy, Michael Joseph Chadukiewicz

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This case study explored the impact that food justice advocates had on creating and implementing public policy to provide access to adequate, healthy, and culturally appropriate food for the residents of New Haven, Connecticut. The problem the case study explored is in 2020 food insecurity affected 22% of the residents of New Haven, more than twice the national average. This qualitative case study used grounded theory to analyze the experiences of 31 food justice advocates that were members of a coalition of researchers, food service providers, non-profit agencies, grassroot organizations, and residents tasked with improving the city’s emergency food system. …

Factors Associated With Mask Use In New York City Neighborhood Parks During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Field Audit Study, Lisa Hitch, Marie A. Sillice, Hanish Kodali, Katarzyna E. Wyka, Javier Otero Peña, Terry Tk Huang

Publications and Research

Background: Mask use is a cost-effective measure to decrease COVID-19 transmission. Mask mandates intend to increase mask compliance but are often ambiguous when it comes to public outdoor spaces.

Methods: We used a field audit study to examine mask use in New York City neighborhood parks during COVID-19. 1453 park visitors were observed in 13 parks during July–August 2020 using a modified and validated park use audit tool (System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities) that included items on general and proper mask use (i.e., mask covering both nose and mouth). Generalized estimating equation regression was used to determine …

Covid-19 In The Bay Area: The Impact Of A Pandemic On Different Demographics In Selected Counties From 2020 - 2021, Maria Del Rosario Rodriguez Lomeli

Master's Projects

The world experienced a novel coronavirus disease outbreak in Wuhan, China in December of 2019 (Dhillon et al., 2020). Within months it spread worldwide, becoming a pandemic known as the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 or COVID-19 (Hunter, 2020). COVID- 19 continued to spread, with public health officials worldwide urging countries to enact stay-at-home orders that could decrease the fast spread of the virus. The Chinese government's official report states that the virus originated in the Huanan Seafood Market located in Wuhan in October of 2019 (Dhillon et al., 2020). The World Health Organization (WHO) was alerted of the virus within a …

Increasing Calfresh Access And Participation For Seniors: Benchmarking Calfresh Strategies Within Selected Coastal Agricultural Counties Against Santa Cruz County, Mayra Rocha

Master's Projects

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, and called CalFresh in California, is the largest federally funded food assistance program in the United States. The program aims to reduce food insecurity and poverty by increasing access to nutritious food for low income eligible individuals (California Department of Social Services [CDSS], 2021a). The program is administered by county offices that are responsible for ensuring that the program is accessible, and that eligible individuals participate. Reports from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) indicate that eligible seniors in California had the lowest …

The Enduring Role Of Conflict In The Perpetuation Of Famine: Advancing 'The Right To Adequate Food' For Sustainable Peace, Robert M. Bane

Dissertations and Theses

The present thesis evaluates developments and trends in global conflict dynamics, global systems of governance, and global hunger. Together, the thesis investigates and upholds the notion that famine is a ‘man-made’ phenomenon and explains how famine persists in a world abundant with food. Through analysis and research the following is found: the occurrence of global conflict is accelerating alongside an increase in the severity of organized violence dynamics; global authoritarianism is expanding presenting a threat to global freedoms and liberal democracy; as these trends are occurring, world hunger is steadily on the rise reflecting a significant backsliding of progress achieved …

Health Policy, Equity, And The Lead Poisoning Crisis: A Conversation With Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Mona Hanna-Attisha

Center for Policy Research

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha delivered the 33rd Annual Herbert Lourie Memorial Lecture on Health Policy on Thursday, September 23, 2021. This year's lecture was titled, "Health Policy, Equity, and the Lead Poisoning Crisis: A Conversation with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha"

Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, FAAP, is founder and director of the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, an innovative and model public health program in Flint, Michigan.

A pediatrician, scientist, activist, and author, Dr. Hanna-Attisha has testified three times before the United States Congress and was awarded the Freedom of Expression Courage Award by PEN America. She …

Dna Methylation Pattern Of Cpg Site In The Promoter Region Of Calca-Alpha Gene As A Putative Epigenetic Biomarker In Neonatal Sepsis- A Prospective Observational Study In South India, Rudra Rupesh Reddy Narsapurapu, Deepti Thandaveshwara, Anshu Kumar Yadav, Akila Prashant

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background: Recently, several studies have been reported on epigenetic modifications of DNA as a predisposing factor for several diseases among neonates and adults. Here we aimed to study the changes in the DNA methylation pattern in the promoter region of the CALCA gene among the neonates suspected to have sepsis in a tertiary care hospital.

Methodology: All the neonates suspected to have sepsis based on the inclusion criteria during the study period were included in the study as cases. Normal healthy neonates were included in the study as controls. Positive cases were isolated from suspected cases based on …

Benefits And Barriers That African American Men Experience With Financial Assistance, C. Alan Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policymakers often design public policies and programs to assist populations in improving their social status, economic standing, or overall well-being. The problem addressed in this study is the gap in understanding the perspectives of African American men related to policies and programs that provide them with financial assistance. Ingram et al.’s social construction and policy design theory provided the framework for this qualitative study, which aimed to understand the benefits and barriers African American men experienced with public programs that provided financial assistance and its impact on their financial stability. Eleven African American men, selected using purposive sampling, responded to …

Employment Barriers For Tanf Recipients In Kentucky, Omar Khalid Said

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Though Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) beneficiaries receive appropriate training and education within a 5-year time limit, many encounter challenges finding and maintaining employment. In this qualitative case study, constraints hindering the employability of TANF benefits recipients were explored to understand how some TANF program benefit recipients find and keep a job after completing 5-year term limits. The central research question examined the types of constraints that recipients of TANF benefits in the state of Kentucky experienced in finding and maintaining employment after completing a five-year term limit, and how some TANF recipients overcome such constraints. The conceptual framework …