Digital Commons Network^™

Fight The Dead, Fear The Living: Post-Apocalyptic Narratives Of Fear, Governance And Social Control, Samantha Lynn Kolpin

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Post-apocalyptic narratives and themes have become increasingly popular in film, television and graphic novels. By imagining a society without the state, post-apocalyptic narratives are able to explore concerns about current forms of governance and social control. The post-apocalyptic narrative is particularly relevant in a post-9/11 society where public concerns about security and governance are prominent. In this study, I examined the potential allegorical function of the zombie narrative found in Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead. Specifically, this project involves an ethnographic content analysis of issues 1-100 of The Walking Dead graphic novel series. Analysis focused on the allegorical purposes of …

Reaching The End : An Exploration Of Attachment And Existential Theory As A Path To Assist In The Dying Process, Jillian Debenedetto

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In this exploration I will utilize the theory of Attachment as well as Existential Theory to assist in expounding upon available paths to assist elderly individuals in their journey at the end of life. I will present an overview of the two selected theories of Attachment as well as Existential Theory and argue that such approaches honor the venerable end stage of life. A discussion pertaining to these two theories will shed light on the question of how a clinician can seek to improve the quality of life for an individual during the end of life process and therefore assist …

"Eating Bitterness" : Mental Health Help-Seeking And Chinese International Students In The United States, Ran Huo

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative exploratory study examines how Chinese international students in the United States, aging from 18 to 30 years old, 1) perceive mental health help-seeking in China, 2) how they compare Chinese and American cultural views of help-seeking, and 3) how cross-cultural experiences may influence their understanding as well as their behavior related to mental health help-seeking. Twelve Chinese international students in Massachusetts and Rhode Island provided narratives through face-to-face interviews. Generally, there was reluctance among Chinese international students to identify their mental health needs, which was revealed from the examination of language use for mental health in Chinese. As …

Childhood Growth In An Oneota Community: Examining Long Bone Growth Differences In The The Juveniles At Norris Farms 36, Whitney Broughton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oneota migration into the central Illinois River valley around ad 1300 resulted in a number of different interactions with Mississippian groups. Milner and colleagues (1991) identified significant numbers of perimortem injuries at the Norris farms 36 cemetery, along with biological markers for poor health, such as cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis. They suggested that the threat of violence may have forced the Oneonta at Morton village to limit subsistence activities to circumscribed areas close to the settlement, thereby reducing the resource base and negatively impacting the health of the community. However, recent research (Bengtson et al. 2012; Bengtson and O'Gorman …

Exploring Perceived Benefits Of And Barriers To The Use Of Pet Therapy Dogs In A Private School For Children With Special Needs, Sarah Wodder

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Evidence-based psychotherapy is becoming an increasingly accepted way for individuals to manage a variety of clinical disorders and psychosocial stressors. Complementary therapies are designed to support, facilitate, or enhance existing treatment strategies. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is one such complementary treatment, in which animals are deliberately included in psychotherapeutic treatment plans in order to facilitate pre-designed treatment goals. Current literature suggests that AAT could have a multitude of benefits for both adults and children for an array of disorders and disabilities. Currently, there is a limited understanding of how AAT might contribute to learning and development for children with special needs. …

Attitudes Toward Assisted Reproductive Technology: The Effects Of Gender, Relationship Status, Age, And Sexual Orientation, Brigitte A. Dooley

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Reproductive technology has extended procreative options to infertile, subfertile, unpartnered, and same-sex-partnered individuals, but this technology is sometimes used in circumstances that may be deemed unreasonable or inappropriate by some people. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of five contextual variables—gender, relationship status, age, and sexual orientation of the individual or couple seeking reproductive assistance, as well as the source of gametes—on attitudes toward the procurement of reproductive services. A multiple-segment factorial vignette was administered to a sample of 257 reproductive-aged respondents. Results indicate that ART is generally viewed as an acceptable procedure by reproductive aged …

Determinants Of Health In South American Countries, Andres Pernia

Empirical Economic Bulletin, An Undergraduate Journal

This paper investigates, analyzes, and expands the relationship between under-five mortality and socioeconomic and health system factors. The study utilizes fixed effect panel data to estimate the determinants of under-five mortality in 12 counties across South America. As expected, the results show that GDP per capita is statistically significant and is robust in all of the estimated models. In addition, improved sanitation, gender equality, access to improved sanitation facilities, provision of primary education, and governance are also statistically significant and have positive effect on child mortality.

The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act’S Effects On Patterns Of Coverage In A Ryan White Funded Hiv Clinic: What Are The Implications For The Bluegrass Care Clinic?, Jacqueline Wagner Mccuddy

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The Ryan White CARE Act of 1991 implemented a federal grant program to help individuals in the US with HIV/AIDS get access to healthcare and diminish barriers to care. Since its enactment, there have been many changes in the environment of HIV/AIDS, including a demographic shift in those most affected by the disease and a growing number of new infections, the introduction of Antiretroviral therapy, and most recently, the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

The PPACA is expected to have a positive effect on patients with HIV in the US by increasing access to care, …

Utilization Of The Kentucky Aids Drug Assistance Program Versus Kentucky Medicaid Using Medication Possession Ratio: Policy Implications For Public Program, Jenna Parrett

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Uninsured and underinsured people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) are able to utilize federally funded AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) to cover the price of their HIV-related medications. In Kentucky, this program also provides support services through social workers, a dedicated pharmacist, and medications by mail order. With the Affordable Care Act, many patients previously covered by the Kentucky AIDS Drug Assistance Program (KADAP) will be newly eligible for Medicaid and will no longer receive services through KADAP. There is concern that people in this situation will be at a disadvantage without these services and, in …

Maternal Health Commodity Landscaping Exercise: A Snapshot Of The Bangladesh Program, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Saumya Ramarao, Ismat Ara Hena, Ubaidur Rob

Reproductive Health

Despite consistent efforts of the government and national stakeholders, every year in Bangladesh over 5,000 mothers and thousands of children die. Most of these deaths would be preventable with increased access to quality services including existing medicines and other health commodities. The United Nation’s Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children suggests that an important cause of these deaths is lack of access and appropriate use of 13 life-saving commodities. This document describes an effort by the Population Council to assess the country’s policies, guidelines, and availability for these 13 life-saving commodities as well as engaging with key stakeholders …

Second Consultation On Developing Standards For Identifying Evidence-Based Practices In Reproductive Health, Step Up Research Programme Consortium

Reproductive Health

The STEP UP consortium and the High Impact Practices initiative, together with other partners, supported three consultation meetings to inform the use of appropriate standards of evidence for recommending best practices in reproductive health (RH). The second consultation, reported here, brought together researchers and funders to review the research designs and methodologies that can be used to generate evidence on the impact of FP/RH interventions and on their implementation; the mechanisms and structures through which such evidence is reviewed and translated into recommendations; and the implications for organizing and funding evidence generation to maximize its quality and utility. Drawing from …

Unintended Pregnancies In Kenya: A Country Profile, Joyce Mumah, Caroline W. Kabiru, Carol Mukiira, Jessica Brinton, Michael Mutua, Chimaraoke O. Izugbara, Harriet Birungi, Ian Askew

Reproductive Health

This research report presents a country profile of Kenya, and looks at differential access to and quality of family planning (FP) and abortion/post-abortion services to assess their current situation, as well the various financing and delivery mechanisms for these crucial services. Since 2000, Kenya has passed several new sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and population-related policies, including a new population and development policy that addresses rapid population growth. Results of this country profile highlight the need for further research on: 1) innovative ways through which SRH information can be brought to schools; 2) FP/SRH indicators in people living with disabilities; …

The Global Health Security Agenda In An Age Of Biosecurity, Lawrence O. Gostin, Alexandra Phelan

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Historically, the Oval Office has been a leader in global health assistance. From the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) under the Bush Administration, to the Global Health Initiative launched by President Obama in 2009. However, unlike PEPFAR and PMI, the Global Health Initiative met an untimely end with the launch of a bold new global health measure by the Obama Administration: the Global Health Security Agenda (GHS Agenda). The GHS Agenda aims to “accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats” through a US-led diplomatic collaboration with 30 …

Governing For Health As The World Grows Older: Healthy Lifespans In Aging Societies, Lawrence O. Gostin, Anna Garsia

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

So much of global health governance focuses intensely on a brief moment in the human lifespan—from a safe birth to infant and child survival. Yet, with all the attention to this early window of life (infancy to age five), the opposite end of the life spectrum is comparatively neglected. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) do not mention a healthy lifespan or a healthy old age. This inadequate attention to the older years of the life appears to be a glaring omission given the universal challenges posed by aging societies. Aging is a demographic fact in almost all countries, but it …

Promoting Cancer Prevention And Control In Community-Based Hiv/Aids Service Organizations: Are They Ready, John A. Guidry, Erica I. Lubetkin, Geoffrey Corner, Jennifer Lord-Bessen, Mark Kornegay, Jack E. Burkhalter

Publications and Research

Community-based organizations (CBOs) serving persons living with HIV or AIDS face the challenge of an aging population with more chronic diseases. This study assessed cancer programming needs of AIDS service organizations (ASOs) in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut by conducting a community needs assessment. Sixty (58%) of 103 organizations completed the survey. ASOs conduct activities most related to early steps along the cancer care continuum, but they also express great interest in expanding cancer-focused programming into new areas. ASOs have resources or capacities in assisting HIV+ clients with mental health or substance abuse problems, but there exists a need …

Social Impact, Edward F. Lawler, Patricia Anagos, Leslie Mccarthy, Ann Kittlaus, Terry Mcclain, Roslind Early, Timothy Poor, Anne Milford, Mary Margaret Mcmiller, Brittany Jewel Bethea, Toky Branding + Design, Michael Austin

Social Impact Publication

No abstract provided.

Diagnostic Utility Of The International Hiv Dementia Scale For Hiv-Associated Neurocognitive Impairment And Disorder In South Africa, Karl Goodkin, David Hardy, Dinesh Singh, Enrique Lopez

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Studies in sub-Saharan Africa indicate that most HIV seropositive persons have HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HAND diagnosis is facilitated by specific screening. Seventy participants were recruited from an HIV voluntary counseling and testing clinic in Durban, South Africa. The diagnostic utility of the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) was analyzed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) model. The ROC analysis comparing any HAND diagnosis (based on two neuropsychological tests) versus no diagnosis was statistically significant, with an optimal cut-off score of 10.5, sensitivity of 69%, and specificity of 74%. Sensitivity of the IHDS was highest for HIVassociated dementia.

The Influence Of Dementia Caregiver Mental Health On Quality Of Care In Argentina, Alejandra Morlett Paredes

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the connections between cognitive functioning in individuals with dementia and caregiver burden, burden and mental health, mental health and quality of care. One hundred two dementia caregivers from San Lucas, Argentina completed questionnaires assessing these constructs. Caregiver burden, depression, anxiety, and satisfaction with life explained 18.8% of the variance in quality of care – respect and 14.7% of the variance in quality of care – provide. An SEM with generally adequate fit indices uncovered that cognitive functioning in individuals with dementia was inversely associated with caregiver burden, caregiver burden was inversely associated with mental health, and mental …

Physician As Teacher: Promoting Health And Wellness Among Elementary School Students, Jill E. Stefaniak, Victoria C. Lucia

STEMPS Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Every day, physicians engage in teaching during their patient encounters. It may be that medical students who are introduced to the principles of teaching and learning are more likely to become good communicators and learners. Service-learning may be an effective way for medical students to practice skills in teaching and communication in a real-world setting, while also filling a need within the community. The purpose of this study was to identify common themes within medical students' reflections on what they learned through participating in a teaching exercise with local elementary school children.

METHODS: As a required component of a …

Towards Proactive And Flexible Agent-Based Generation Of Policy Packages For Active Transportation, Araz Taeihagh, Rene Bañares-Alcántara

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

One of the approaches gaining ground in policy design is the implementation of combinations of policy measures as policy packages with the aim of increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the designed policies. In this paper, we describe the recent advancements in the developments of a virtual environment for the exploration and analysis of policy packages. The virtual environment uses an agent-based modelling approach for the generation of different configurations of policy measures in the policy packages. The benefit of using the approach is the proactive and flexible generation of policy packages as the agents can react to the changes that …

Modeling Risk For Sexually Transmitted Infections In Women In A Court-Ordered Substance Treatment Program, Frances Deavers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Developing a comprehensive model of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) risk factors and their inter-relationships is vital to improving methods of risk identification and treatment delivery. The CDC posed three general categories that may serve as a framework for such a model: sexual network, individual behavior, and social/ structural risk. None of the extant risk models incorporate measures from all three categories. Additionally, none of these models, generally focused on individual behavior, use medical data on infection as their outcome variable. This is problematic because the ultimate outcome of infection is also influenced by sexual network and social/ structural variables, in …

Diet At Medieval Alytus, Lithuania: Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analysis Of Bone And Dentin Collagen, Katie Whitmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Baltic region was a vibrant center of power and economic prosperity in medieval Europe; Lithuania in particular. Until now, little stable isotopic analysis has been utilized to assess diet in this region during this time period. The aim of this study was to undertake a preliminary assessment of the composition of diet at late medieval Alytus (late 14th to early 18th centuries) from bone (N=35) and dentin (N=38) collagen samples. The stable carbon isotopic data suggest a diet primarily comprised of C3 plants such as barley, rye, wheat, and flax, and animals consuming C3 plants. The stable nitrogen isotopic …

Impact Of First Disclosure Experience And Internalized Stigma On Disclosure Patterns In The Hiv+ Community, Mary Elizabeth Talbot

Dissertations

The present study examined possible antecedent factors that contribute to the type of discloser (HIV status) one becomes as well as the relation between discloser type, social support, and CD4 count. This study builds off previous research by Stutterheim et al. (2011) that examined differences between disclosure groups on a variety of variables, but the study did not examine variables that may contribute to the type of discloser a person becomes. The present study examined two variables that previous research suggests may influence the type of discloser (relative non-discloser, selective discloser, full discloser) a person becomes, first-disclosure experience, and internalized …

Heterogeneous Immunological Landscapes And Medieval Plague : An Invitation To A New Dialogue Between Historians And Immunologists., Fabian Crespo, Matthew B. Lawrenz

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Efforts to understand the differential mortality caused by plague must account for many factors, including human immune responses. In this essay we are particularly interested in those people who were exposed to the Yersinia pestis pathogen during the Black Death, but who had differing fates—survival or death—that could depend on which individuals (once infected) were able to mount an appropriate immune response as a result of biological, environmental, and social factors. The proposed model suggests that historians of the medieval world could make a significant contribution to the study of human health, and especially the role of human immunology in …

Informal–Formal Sector Interactions In Automotive Engineering, Kampala, Dick Kawooya

Faculty Publications

This chapter provides findings from a Ugandan case study that examined innovation transfers between informal-sector automotive artisans and formally employed researchers at Makerere University’s College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT). Th e primary site studied was CEDAT’s Gatsby Garage, an automotive workshop where it was found that the informal-sector artisans were central to innovative processes but were at the same time driven more by sharing impulses than by concern for the intellectual property (IP) implications of their work. Based on these findings, it is argued that Ugandan policy-makers need to seek policy tools to support innovation transfers between …

Wild Minds: Adventure Therapy, Ecopsychology, And The Rewilding Of Humanity, William Hafford

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation sits at the intersection of ecopsychology and adventure therapy. It explores humankind’s relationship with nature and wilderness, as well as the co-evolution of ecopsychology and adventure therapy within the field of psychology. The primary aim of this dissertation is to lay the groundwork for rewilding humanity with the specific focus of providing practitioners with a compelling case for intentionally integrating ecopsychology with their adventure therapy practice. This theoretical paper concludes with a suggested expansion of ethics and competencies for adventure therapists.

Hiv Infrastructure Study Baton Rouge, Susan S. Reif, Elena Wilson, Carolyn Mcallaster, Casteel Scherger

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Disease Interpretations And Response Among Hiv-Positive Mothers, Johanna Debora Imelda

Antropologi Indonesia

Despite the growing number of new cases of HIV and AIDS in Indonesia, the progress of prevention programs has been slow. Low prevelance is always stated as a reason for delaying HIV prevention programs and to justify slow progress in implementation. Prevention programs are moreover based on a high-risk group paradigm. They focus on female sex workers as responsible for the spread of HIV, leading to its stigmatization as a hooker's disease. This article describes how seropositive mothers interpret and respond to HIV and AIDS as women, in light of the fact that most of them have not experienced full-blown …

Diagnosing The Third World: The “Map Doctor” And The Spatialized Discourses Of Disease And Development In The Cold War, Timothy Barney

Rhetoric and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

In the early 1950s, the American Geographical Society, in collaboration with the United States Armed Forces and international pharmaceutical corporations, instituted a Medical Geography program whose main initiative was the Atlas of Disease, a map series that documented the global spread of various afflictions such as polio, malaria, even starvation. The Atlas of Disease, through the stewardship of its director, Jacques May, a French-American physician trained in colonial Hanoi, evidenced the ways in which cartography was rhetorically appropriated in the Cold War as a powerful visual discourse of development and modernization, wherein both the data content of the maps and …

We’Ll Meet Again: Revealing Distributional And Temporal Patterns Of Social Contact, Thorsten Pachur, Lael J. Schooler, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

What are the dynamics and regularities underlying social contact, and how can contact with the people in one’s social network be predicted? In order to characterize distributional and temporal patterns underlying contact probability, we asked 40 participants to keep a diary of their social contacts for 100 consecutive days. Using a memory framework previously used to study environmental regularities, we predicted that the probability of future contact would follow in systematic ways from the frequency, recency, and spacing of previous contact. The distribution of contact probability across the members of a person’s social network was highly skewed, following an exponential …