Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Anticoagulant Prescription Disparities: A Focus On Hispanic Patient Care, Michael Acevedo, Vanessa Veltre

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Anticoagulants play a critical role in preventing thromboembolic events, yet disparities persist in their prescription among minority populations. This presentation explores inequities in anticoagulant prescribing patterns, with a specific focus on Hispanic patient care. Using retrospective electronic health record data, we analyzed the prescription rates of warfarin versus direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) among adults with clinical indications for anticoagulation. Our findings reveal that Hispanic patients are significantly less likely to receive DOACs compared to non-Hispanic White patients, even after adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and insurance status. Contributing factors include language barriers, lack of insurance, and potential implicit bias in provider …

Pre-Operative Clinical Characteristics Vary By Race In Patients With Obesity Undergoing Bariatric Surgery, Minjal Patel, Jasmine Park, Melissa Gott, David Kelter, Luke Perry, Ajay Menon, Paul Osterdahl, Casey Connors, Venkateswar Venkataraman, Nicole Stouffer, Gus J. Slotman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background Data and Purpose: With the increasing prevalence of obesity, it impacts the practice of surgeons across various specialties. Non-bariatric surgeons are confronted with morbid obesity need clinical insight in managing medically fragile patients. The objective of this study is to identify pre-operative clinical variation by race among surgical patients with obesity.

Methods: Pre-operative data from 156,502 bariatric surgery patients were analyzed in four groups: Caucasian (C; n=125,492), African American (AA; n=18,226), Hispanic (H; n=12,405), and Asian (A; n=379). Data: Demographics, weight, BMI, and 33 obesity co-morbidities. Statistics: Chi-square and ANOVA.

Results: Pre-operative C/AA/H/A weight (KG) (130+-27/135+-28/127+-27/122+-26), BMI (46+-8/48+-9/47+-8/45+-7), % …

The Repercussions Of Race-Based Egfr On The Morbidity & Mortality Of Black Children With Renal Disease, Angelina Siino

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This study investigates the implications of race-based adjustments in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculations on the health outcomes of Black children with renal disease. Historically, a race coefficient has been added to eGFR calculations for patients identified as Black, resulting in an artificial inflation of kidney function by approximately 16%. This inflation can delay the classification of chronic kidney disease (CKD), postpone eligibility for essential interventions like preemptive kidney transplantation, and prolong reliance on maintenance dialysis. Through a comprehensive literature review of peer-reviewed U.S. medical journal articles published between 2000 and 2023, this work explores how these clinical delays …

Addressing Gaps In Clinical Trial Access For African Americans, Vanessa Veltre, Michael Acevedo, Alexandra Stone, Lydell Lettsome, Brian Stone

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Clinical trials are essential for generating evidence on the safety and efficacy of new treatments. However, Black Americans remain underrepresented in clinical research, particularly for conditions that disproportionately affect them. This underrepresentation compromises the generalizability of findings and perpetuates health disparities. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to African American participation in clinical trials and to inform culturally sensitive strategies to improve enrollment of diverse populations.

Methods: We developed a 38-question web-based survey, divided into three domains: (1) cultural affinity, (2) trust, and (3) background information. The survey was administered using Jotform, a HIPAA-compliant platform. Participants—Black adults …

Exploring The Effects Of Target Race, Gender, And Weight On Pain Perception, Catherine Awad, Theresa Miller, Azer Tuerxuntuoheti, Peter Mende-Siedlecki

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Healthcare equity is an essential right, and while the quality of care is assumed to be uniform, notable disparities in care are associated with factors of race, gender, and weight-particularly in the domain of pain evaluation and care. In experimental work, target race and gender have varying, and interacting effects on visual thresholds for perceiving painful expressions. Racial bias in pain perception is well established as participants see pain on black faces less readily than pain on white faces; gender also impacts pain treatment, where women are susceptible to having their pain discredited. Across two experiments, the influence of weight …

Disparities In Demographics Of Patients Presenting To A Student-Run Free Clinic In South Jersey, Kirsten Carlberg, Sabah Iqbal, Christian Moya Gamboa, Daliza Diaz, Cerena Moreno, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Medical schools around the country have established free clinics to better serve the underserved patient populations. In this study, we aimed to evaluate demographic characteristics in the patient population at our free clinic, Rowan-Virtua Community Health Clinic (RVCHC), compared to the general population of Camden County. We found a disproportionately higher percentage of black patients at our clinic when compared to the county overall. Addressing these disparities would require targeted outreach to specific patient populations and improved transit access. Future studies should aim to identify RVCHC health outcomes through the management of chronic disease and understanding emergency room utilization.

Recollections Of A Tejana Life, Carolina Yáñez

Art Theses and Dissertations

This thesis encompasses the life of a young woman navigating life in Texas through various political and social barriers. My interdisciplinary practice analyzes the historical context of Mexicans in Texas from its Revolutionary period into current injustices. Through fiber, printmaking, and photography I create a visual diary to illustrate what the political has made personal. These works display the beauty of Tejano culture, but also the power struggles that threaten communities I care for, as well as my own existence that persists against far-right wing agendas.

Current politics and government leadership in Texas have inspired me to make artwork calling …

Heart To Heart: Exploring Why Cardiovascular Risk Is Higher In South Asians, Jasjeet Kaur Dhaliwal

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading global cause of mortality, but South Asians experience a disproportionately high burden of disease, often developing CVD at younger ages and with lower body mass indices compared to other populations. This project explores the underlying genetic and lifestyle factors contributing to elevated cardiovascular risk in South Asians, aiming to highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies and policy reforms.

A literature review was conducted using peer-reviewed studies, meta-analyses, and reviews published between 2007 and 2024. After screening 47 initial articles, 18 were selected for analysis based on their relevance to genetic and lifestyle risk …

The Impact Of Environmental Deficiencies On Maternal Health Outcomes, Zahra Wallizadeh, Emiyah Bullock, Antoinette Jones, Katarina Rusinak

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This study examines the environmental factors contributing to adverse maternal health outcomes in New Jersey, with particular focus on their disproportionate impact on minority women. Analysis of data from PubMed, Policy Map, NIH, CDC, EPA, and the New Jersey Department of Health reveals that women living in low-income areas face significant environmental challenges, including food deserts, air pollution, unsafe living conditions, inadequate infrastructure, and limited transportation options. These environmental determinants exacerbate maternal stress and contribute to complications such as preterm birth and hypertension. Black women are nearly three times more vulnerable to these adverse outcomes compared to white women, highlighting …

Heartbeat Of The Heartland: Sonic Engagement With Hip-Hop In The American Midwest, Lauren R. Millhorn

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This project analyzes Hip-Hop artists from the American Midwest through the context of the Midwest’s construction as a nostalgic, peaceful area where conflict seems nonexistent. This study applies Adam Ochonicky’s concept of nostalgic spatiality, or “instances in which nostalgia is projected onto a physical environment, thereby altering the perception, understanding, and/or experience of that space and its accompanying cultural sphere” (Ochonicky 29) to close readings on Midwest Hip-Hop texts. In the case of the Midwest, projected nostalgia is rooted in whiteness and propels the narrative that the Midwest is predominantly occupied by white people who maintain its peace and serenity …

Household Wealth And Mental Health In Older Adults Across Racial Groups: Moderating Role Of Social Support, Sunkanmi Folorunsho

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis examines the relationship between household wealth and mental health outcomes among older adults, with particular attention to racial and ethnic differences and the potential moderating role of social support. Although financial resources are widely recognized as important determinants of psychological well-being, less is known about how social support interacts with economic conditions to shape mental health in later life. The study also addresses how these patterns may vary among different racial and ethnic groups, given persistent inequalities in wealth and disparities in access to social resources.

Drawing on data from the 2020 wave of the Health and Retirement …

“But Where Are Those Good Old-Fashioned Values?”—The Racial Politics Of Animated Satire In Family Guy, Jordanne Greenidge

Master's Theses

Few animated shows have shaped American pop culture quite like Family Guy. Known for its rapid-fire cutaway gags and irreverent humor, the series has remained a television mainstay since its debut in 1999, despite frequent criticism and even two cancellations. Created by Seth MacFarlane and based on his 1995 student film The Life of Larry, Family Guy has built its reputation on pushing the boundaries of taste, especially when it comes to race, gender, and politics. Though often defended as satire, the show’s use of racial humor raises questions about its true impact: Do its portrayals of Black characters challenge …

The Switch: Determinants Of Family School Modality Choices During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Steicy Dorfi Lopez

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The K-12 system in the United States experienced substantial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to give an overview of public, private, and homeschooling enrollment decisions during the pandemic, the changes families made between types of schooling and identify familial characteristics associated with the probability of switching in and out of public education. Knowing more about the groups exiting and returning to the public school system can help public school districts better tailor policies to attract and retain their students. Socioeconomic factors influencing a change could be signs of increasing segregation. Using a discrete choice duration model, a …

Kansas City, Kansas, Vida Davidović

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS is a thesis that operates in the tradition of expressionist dramaturgy and playwriting, taking up themes of abuse, imperialism, war, trauma, womanhood, Balkan identities, history of the Balkans, as well as the discourses of psychoanalysis and postcolonial theory. The use of different theoretical frameworks related to both international and personal politics, which are shown to be intertwined, suggests a strong relationship between political processes in the Second World Countries that had experienced many occupations throughout their history and the way women in those countries relate to the questions of body, authority, feminity, and interpersonal relationships. The play …

Melanated Reflections Through Testimonios: Centering The Experiences Of African American Women Teachers Turned Leaders And Their Implications On Recruitment, Selection, Hiring, And Retention Of Women Of Color In Leadership Positions, Tanya Rochelle Santos

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

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2022), during the 2017–2018 academic year, only 7% of all teachers identified as Black or African American, with approximately 76% of that group being women. This qualitative study investigates the lived experiences of African American women educators who have transitioned into leadership roles within P–12 educational settings across the Great Plains Region of the United States. The research explores how their experiences intersect with issues of racial and gender equity, particularly within the broader discourse of social justice in education and educational leadership.

Framed within the theoretical lens of Black Feminist Thought, …

The Sense-Making Of Race, Gender, And Masculinity In College Men Of Color: A Critical Race-Grounded Theory Approach, Leon Phú Strayer

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Literature on Men of Color in college has highlighted the disparate retention, persistence, and graduation rates of college Men of Color when compared to their female counterparts or White male peers. As a contribution to the scholarly research on Men of Color, this qualitative critical race-grounded theory study explored this phenomenon and made further inquiry about the nuanced and unique lives of Men of Color attending a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). This research involved nine Men of Color undergraduate students who attended an HSI in Southern California who collaborated and coconstructed knowledge during the study. The collaborators, or participants, contributed to …

Punishing Pregnancy Loss: Miscarriage Criminalization As An Embodied Carceral Practice, Robin O'Hanlon

Publications and Research

The persecution of Brittany Watts, a 34-year-old Black Ohio woman arrested in September 2023 after experiencing a miscarriage, is emblematic of pregnancy loss criminalization as an embodied carceral practice. In the United States, the expansion of “fetal personhood” laws, coupled with a desire to punish imperfect pregnancies, have coalesced to produce policies and practices which actively police and criminalize pregnancy loss. The carceral regime of fetal personhood is further reinforced by medical paternalism and surveillance. I argue that the policies and practices which police pregnancy loss are rooted in a series of carceral logics, which are in turn reinforced by …

Parent-Child Contact In Family-Focused Programs For Incarcerated Individuals, Carol Marie Nettie Mcdonald

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The following research study will evaluate family-focused programs offered to incarcerated individuals and determine if these programs are hindered when there is little to no contact between parents and children during incarceration. Family-focused programs include parent/child bonding, and/or parenting classes and other similar programs. The research method that will be used in this study is a qualitative design and will gather data through interviews of formerly incarcerated individuals as well as former children (now adults) who have been involved in family programming. The study will also gather data from licensed clinical staff who have been involved in related programming while …

Trends In Prenatal Care Utilization, 2014-2022: The Role Of Race And Ethnicity, Sidney Bigham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States has made significant advancements in healthcare, yet maternal mortality rates continue to rise, with pronounced racial and ethnic disparities in prenatal care (PNC) utilization. The current study examines PNC trends from 2014 to 2022 using data from the CDC WONDER Natality database, focusing on disparities across racial and ethnic groups and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings reveal a concerning decline in PNC utilization, with average visits decreasing from 11.24 in 2014 to 10.96 in 2022. Persistent racial disparities are evident, as Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women consistently receive fewer PNC visits compared to Non-Hispanic White …

Famílias Indigenas Entre Mundos: Standing In Pachakuti, Living In Chi’Xi Within The Constellation Of Their Comunidad De Saberes, Ymasumac Marañón Davis

Dissertations

To be Indigenous is to be la luz del mundo, to stand in your light and spread your sunrays, no matter winds or clouds of colonization that strive to dim you. This qualitative study explored ways Indigenous Latine families negotiate a sense of place within onto-epistemological realities and their home culture of learning and Western education. This research is desire-based (Eve Tuck, 2009), creating our own project of modernity, grounded in one Indigenous family’s experience within their Andean community. Drawing from Critical Latine Indigeneities Framework (Blackwell et al., 2017) and Chicana Feminist Epistemologies (Bernal, 1998), using an Entre Mundos methodology, …

The State Of Latino-Serving Community-Based Organizations In Massachusetts, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Phillip Granberry, Rachel Paz, Luna Páez Abaunsa, Valentina Valderrama Pérez

Gastón Institute Publications

Massachusetts has a diverse Latino population with large numbers of Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Mexicans. Nearly a third (32%) of the Latino population is foreign-born. Of this foreign-born population, 61% are not U.S. citizens. Nearly 210,000 Latino children are enrolled in K-12 schools. Of the Latino population over age five who speak Spanish in the home, 33% have limited English proficiency. Among the adult population, 28% have less than a high school education, and 60% are in the labor force.3 The varied needs of this population require a strong ecosystem of local organizations that provide services to support …

Do Birds Of A Nest Flock Together? A Study Of Home Provinces And Migration Paths Among Filipina Domestic Workers In Hong Kong, Tim F. Liao, Yasmin Y. Ortiga

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

There is strong evidence that migration is networked. However, it is unclear whether having the same province of origin can also lead to similar migratory paths. This study investigates the question of whether a shared home province among Filipina migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong is associated with shared or linked migration paths to Hong Kong. Using a unique data source, the 2017 Survey of Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong, we employed sequence analysis to identify which specific provinces exhibit stronger linkages between migratory trajectories among migrants from the same provinces and if so, whether certain provincial characteristics matter. …

Ua12/2/2 Talisman: Connection, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Spring 2025 Talisman:

• Alali, Cecilia & Ragan Harrington. Connection
• Hardesty, Emma. On a Roll – Dungeons & Dragons
• Muscutt, Carson. Grinding Through Life – Molotov Skateshop
• Cox, Kate. Stopwatch
• Harrington, Ragan. 1 Campus, 7 Strangers – Logan Hesse, Nicholas Basile, Spencer Winterbottom, Alliyah Jones, Alex Gehring, Annie McClurg, Rowan Finley
• Vickers, Abigail. Forged in Combat – Mixed Martial Arts
• Wood-Morris, Oli. Survivors to Neighbors – Bosnian Refugees
• Jordan, Shylin. Severed Roots
• Bivens, Emily. Behind the Screen – Social Media
• Dean, Clarissa. Shear Talent – Shake Rag Barbershop
• Sutton, Avery. For the Love of the Old – Thrift Shopping
• Phelps, Maggie. …

Limited Supermarket Access Areas In The Mountain West, 2010-2020, Taylor Volk, Ivan Sun, Mohit Pande, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on limited supermarket access areas in the Mountain West from 2010 to 2020. The “Limited Supermarket Access Analysis” report, published by the Reinvestment Fund, offers data for populations that reside in Limited Supermarket Access (LSA) areas in U.S. states and in major U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) with a population of at least 1,000,000 people. This fact sheet presents both state-level and MSA-level data for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

Sexual And Gender Minority Individuals In Our Community: Policy Recommendations To Address Discrimination-Related Stresses, Emylia N. Terry

Lincy Institute Events

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals face a wide range of mental and physical health challenges, which contribute to higher rates of suicide. SGM individuals encounter distress, discrimination, and in some cases, harmful anti-LGBTQIA+ laws and policies that contribute to additional mental and physical health stress. A web-based survey of 1,034 SGM participants in the United States measured the types and frequency of discrimination occurrences and related distress. The survey considers the variety of interactions between individuals and their relationships, while also measuring the community and societal factors that affect health outcomes for SGM individuals. This research evaluates many variables …

Fostering Black Maternal Survivorship And Mothering Through Initiatives To Reduce The Individualism And Racism Within Biomedicine, Morgan C. Tutt

Honors Scholar Theses

Many scholars have studied Black maternal health disparities—their causal factors, effects, and concrete interventions to help eliminate them. Many of the life-ending occurrences pregnant Black women disproportionately face are preventable, demonstrating that a significant call to action is long overdue. My primary research question asks whether Gen-Z Black women will be receptive to an alternative prenatal care model (APCM) instead of the current American Care Model (ACM). The APCM is centered on the four guiding components of doula care: care navigation, health education, health literacy, and culturally congruent social support, and the components of critical race theory: race consciousness, contemporary …

Breaking The Pipeline: Exploring Exclusionary Discipline, Restorative Justice, And The Attitudes And Beliefs Of Educators, Ericka J. Varnedoe

Honors College Theses

This study explores the connection between exclusionary disciplinary practices and the school-to-prison pipeline. It highlights how exclusionary discipline, including suspensions and expulsions, disproportionately affects marginalized groups such as students of color, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth, further contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. In contrast, restorative justice, a non-punitive approach, offers a promising alternative. Initially adopted from the criminal justice system, restorative justice has been integrated into school environments to foster positive school climates, improve experiences, and mitigate challenging behaviors. This research examines educators' attitudes toward both exclusionary and restorative practices, as well as their awareness and implementation of restorative …

Cuadros De Casta: A Pseudo-Scientific Means Of Control And Racial Taxonomy In Colonial Mexico, Lucita Ocaña Dessen

Young Historians Conference

Casta paintings of 18th century Mexico are a prime example of an art form mixed with political propaganda, as the 4x4 style paintings depicted over a dozen racial mixings in one painting. Created by Mexican artists for the viewing of Spanish elites, Casta paintings helped to establish the racial hierarchy that continues to be embedded into Latin American society. This paper seeks to determine to what degree Casta paintings served as hierarchical means of Christian, Enlightenment-era colonial control.

Part of the panel: Picturesque and Problematic
Moderator: Professor Jennifer Tappan

God’S Got Me:The Intersection Of Faith And Mental Healing, Bre'anna Coleman

Honors Theses

Due to the lack of healthcare accessibility and other factors within the Mississippi Delta, faith and the church is often utilized within African American communities in the area as a form of mental wellness. The Intersection of Faith and Mental Healing was a photo voice methodology project that highlighted how faith and mental healing intersect and impact African Americans within the Mississippi Delta. Through three prompts, six participants discussed mental health and how faith, location, and their identities shaped their views of mental wellness. Five participants were male with one female participant. Their ages ranged from eighteen to sixty five …

Enhancing Holistic Patient Care Of Black Individuals Diagnosed With Hiv And Comorbid Chronic Conditions, Marc Fleming, Saharnaz Nejdat, Jon C. Schommer, Crystal K. Hodge

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Pharmacists can play a crucial role in delivering the holistic care model. Research suggests that HIV-positive African American patients particularly benefit from this approach compared to other communities. Typically, pharmacists in community pharmacy settings are limited in their access to a patient's medical record, preventing holistic care delivery.

Objectives

This study addressed the impact of access to medical records on a holistic patient care approach among pharmacists engaged in medication therapy management.

Methods

This was a sub-analysis of a randomized controlled trial of the impact of community pharmacist access to medical records during MTM for African Americans diagnosed with …