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Unraveling The Labyrinth: Disability, Spectacle, And Paranormal Tourism In The Winchester Mystery House, Karenna Gm Pullen

Student Theses

This thesis examines the intersection of disability, paranormal tourism, and cultural narratives through an analysis of the Winchester Mystery House and its owner, Sarah Winchester, from a Disability Studies perspective. The research problem centers on the commodification of disability within paranormal tourism, where disabled bodies and spaces are transformed into spectacles for public consumption. Using the Winchester Mystery House as a case study, the research explores how disability is framed within narratives of paranormal tourism, with a focus on stigma, fear, and cultural mythmaking. The methodology involves historical research, discourse analysis, and architectural evaluation to reveal how Sarah Winchester’s disability …

A Comparative Study Of Toxicity Propagation Using Epidemiological Models, Niloofar Yousefi

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the spread and intensity of toxic content on social media, with a particular focus on platform X (formerly known as Twitter). The growing presence of toxic interactions has sparked concerns about their effects on public discourse. Utilizing epidemiological models such as SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered), SIS (Susceptible, Infected, Susceptible), SIRS (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered, Susceptible), SEIRS (Susceptible, Exposed, Infected, Recovered, Susceptible), and the novel SEImIhRS model (Susceptible, Exposed, Moderate Infected, High Infected, Recovered, Susceptible), which are traditionally used to study infectious disease dynamics, this dissertation examines toxicity in platform X discussions. A key contribution of this work is …

Food Insecurity, Psychological Distress, And Discrimination Of Older Black Women In Central Texas, Revonder Ellis-Vanarsdale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food insecurity is an ongoing public health concern in the United States. There is limited knowledge within social work practice about the experiences of food insecurity specifically among older Black women. Historically, older Black women have faced discrimination which can also negatively impact their psychological well-being and ability to obtain an adequate food supply. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore perceptions of how psychological distress and discrimination affect Black women ages 60 and older who are food insecure in Central Texas. This study used social ecological model and intersectionality theory to identify perceived factors that affect …

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

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

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

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

Burnout And Beyond: A Study On Burnout And Compassion Fatigue Among Social Workers And Case Managers, Latoya Hale, Hung Kevin Dao Huy Dao, Brandon Mccord

MSW Capstone Conference

No abstract provided.

The Psychological Impact Of Sexual Trauma In Women And The Impact Of Their Healing Journey, Tikia Hopkins, Claudia Lopez

MSW Capstone Conference

Introduction and Background. The research project aimed to address the psychological impact of sexual trauma on women, while evaluating the effectiveness of coping skills. These traumatic experiences can result in long-term psychological ramifications affecting survivors' everyday lives, relationships, mental health, identity, and sense of self-worth. However, with the correct services, support, and assistance, victims were more likely to develop healthy coping skills, feel empowered, and regain their autonomy. The research highlighted the need for a competent holistic approach in providing services and interventions to women who have experienced sexual trauma. It focused on the effectiveness of certain interventions when considering …

Estimating Medium-Term Regional Monthly Economic Activity Reductions During The Covid-19 Pandemic Using Nighttime Light Data, Ma Flordeliza P. Del Castillo, Toshio Fujimi, Hirokazu Tatano

SOSE Affiliate: Manila Observatory

Economic impact estimates of the initial lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic showed a significant reduction in economic activities globally. However, the succeeding impacts and their spatiotemporal distribution within countries remain unknown. Studies showed that nighttime light data (NTL) has effectively revealed the spatiotemporal dimensions of the economic effects of COVID-19. Thus, this study used NTL data to determine the medium-term regional monthly economic impacts of the pandemic in the Philippines in terms of the Economic Activity Reduction (EAR) index. We generated a spatial error model, regressing pre-pandemic NTL on mean temperature, maximum rainfall, and built-up area. This model explained …

Metagenomic Sequencing For Early Detection Of Future Engineered Pandemics: Foreshadowing The Privacy Challenge, Nir Eyal, Bridget Williams, Kevin M. Esvelt, Jane R. Bambauer

UF Law Faculty Publications

In this commentary, we imagine how a global system of metagenomic sequencing could be governed in order to reap the benefits and manage the risks. Global institutional engineers and their academic partners would need to develop a new governance model to ensure that all partners involved in a global metagenomic surveillance system cooperate as needed.

Religious Affiliation And Alcohol Use Amongst The College Population At The University Of Northern Colorado, Cassandra H. A. Higgins

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A rampant problem growing globally is the issue of substance use disorders, especially that of alcohol abuse. As the problem of alcohol abuse spreads, finding tactics to mitigate this issue or discover what aspects are causing this issue is important to decrease the threat of a further problem developing. Prior research on different religious groups has shown that people who identify as highly devout in their religion are often less likely to exhibit signs of alcohol abuse. This study examined students at the University of Northern Colorado with the goal of comparing their levels of religious affiliation with their levels …

Intellectual Property, Innovation And Economic Inequality, Daniel Benoliel, Peter K. Yu, Francis Gurry, Keun Lee

Faculty Scholarship

While growing disparities in wealth and income are well-documented across the globe, the role of intellectual property rights is often overlooked. This volume brings together leading commentators from around the world to interrogate the interrelationship between intellectual property and economic inequality. Interdisciplinary and globally oriented by design, the book features economists, legal scholars, policy analysts, and other experts. Chapters address the impact of intellectual property rights on economic inequality, the effect of economic inequality on the protection and enforcement of these rights, and the potential use of innovation law and policy to help reduce economic inequality. The volume also tackles …

Introduction To Intellectual Property, Innovation And Economic Inequality, Daniel Benoliel, Peter K. Yu

Faculty Scholarship

This chapter provides an introduction to Intellectual Property, Innovation and Economic Inequality. It begins by discussing the problem of economic inequality, including the scale of that problem, types of economic inequality, and extant research on such inequality. The chapter then outlines the structure of this volume, which is divided into three parts: (1) theoretical, empirical, and policy issues; (2) intellectual property and national inequality; and (3) intellectual property and global inequality.

Prison Social Climate, Chloe Upton

Honors Projects

This literature synthesis proposes an examination of what social climate is most effective for establishing positive prison culture for inmates. By looking into various research based on various authors, readers are able to learn about what is the most effective methodology for a positive prison climate.

The Impact Of Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) On Avian Occupancy And Vegetation Structure, Kenneth Wilson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species, particularly wild pigs (Sus scrofa), pose a significant threat to native ecosystems through both direct and indirect impacts. Wild pigs are large-bodied omnivorous species that can consume a wide variety of plants and animals and are known for destructive foraging behaviors, which likely threatens avian communities through habitat alteration and can impact the long term structure of ecosystems where they are present.

In chapter 1, we used a combination of avian point count surveys, vegetation assessments, and camera trap surveillance to quantify how the occupancy of breeding birds in bottomland hardwood forests changed in relation to …

Suboptimal Attainment Of Global Goals Of Human Rights, Universal Health Coverage And Sustainable Development Goals In Gaza During 2023–2024, Mohammed Alkhaldi, Bhavana Akilan, Maha Hoteit, Mohamed Elhadidy, Suzanne Morrison

All Works

The Israel military occupation, ongoing for over 75 years, has profoundly impacted the health and well-being of Palestinians. Despite longstanding calls for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and sustainable development, the response of global health systems and organizations to crises such as the recent large-scale military assault on Gaza in October 2023 has been inadequate. There is a critical need to examine why these global health approaches have failed and how they can be restructured to address the unique challenges in Gaza effectively. This analysis aims to analyze the shortcomings of global health strategies in the context of the Gaza crisis …

The Informal, Non-Prescribed Use Of Antiretroviral Medications For Prep Among A National Us-Based Sample Of Gay, Bisexual, And Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Cross-Sectional Study, Mance E. Buttram, Matthew S. Ellis, Krishen D. Samuel, Matthew Hayhurst

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Faculty Publications and Presentations

This brief report presents findings on informal, non-prescribed PrEP use among an online sample of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (n = 196). Mean age was 33.4. Participants were Hispanic (13.3%), African American (15.8%), white (63.8%), and other race/ethnicity (6.6%). Informal PrEP users (11%) more frequently reported past year sexually transmitted infections (p < 0.001), group sex (p < 0.001), sex in public (p < 0.01), transactional sex (p < 0.001), ever receiving a formal PrEP prescription (p < 0.05), and ease of finding diverted HIV medications on gay dating/sex apps (p < 0.05). Formal PrEP uptake should be encouraged to mitigate potential negative consequences of informal use.

Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences And Non-Live Births, Mudasir Mustafa

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Around 62 percent of adults in the United States have endured at least one type of Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE), and 25 percent of women reported experiencing three or more ACEs in their lifetime. This study explored whether maternal exposure to ACEs was associated with pregnancy loss or abortion, utilizing the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (known as Add Health) to explore this association. I found that cumulative ACEs, assessed through either the conventional ACE scale (reflecting 10 types of ACEs) or the extended ACE scale (reflecting 14 types of ACEs), are associated with a higher likelihood …

Not Taking "No" For An Answer: The Interactional Organization Of Accepting And Refusing Childhood Vaccination In The Netherlands, Robert Prettner, Hedwig Te Molder, Jeffrey D. Robinson

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Communication-intervention strategies for reducing vaccine hesitancy have been primarily based on survey and interview data. Virtually absent is an understanding of how vaccine hesitancy is organized interactionally in its primary, natural environment of medical consultations between parents and healthcare providers. This article uses conversation analysis to describe the sequence organization of the action of providers soliciting parents’ vaccination intent. We demonstrate that parents’ acceptance is “preferred” and sequence-closure relevant and that refusal is “dispreferred” and sequence-expansion relevant. Regarding vaccine refusal, we describe three different sequence-expansive actions, including soliciting an account, cautioning about the consequences of vaccine refusal, and “keeping the …

“It’S Essential We Learn How To Grow For Ourselves”: The Legacies Of Black Gardening In Racialized Food Systems., Funmi Odumosu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I aim to investigate the impact of food racism on Black communities, with a specific focus on the importance of gardening in combatting food apartheid and fostering holistic connections to nature and community in school-aged children. Inequitable access to major retail supermarkets and unequal distribution of healthy food options are intentionally occurring patterns in the food spaces of predominately Black communities. These food system inequities exacerbate a lack of consumption and potential consequences on the health and well-being of children of color particularly during critical physical and cognitive developmental periods.

Many solutions to these inequities entail implementing …

The Effect Of A Virtual Covid-19 Interprofessional Educational Module On Knowledge, Confidence, Attitude, And Practice Among Health And Allied Health Professions Students, Tsu-Yin Wu, Jenni L. Hoffman, Grigoris Argeros, Sarah Lally, Andrea Gossett Zakrajsek, Jillian Graves, Alice Jo Rainville, Olivia Ford, Angela Lukomski, Renuka Roche, John Sonnega, Joan E. Cowdery Phd

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: The purpose of this research study was to examine the effect of an innovative, online COVID-19 interprofessional educational module among health and allied health professions students.

Methods: This study utilized a pre- and posttest design with quantitative and qualitative data collected winter 2023 and spring/summer 2023 semesters, and consisted of health and allied health professions students (N=143) from three Midwestern, urban, public universities. Participants completed a pretest, then an IPE module on COVID-19, and a posttest immediately after the educational intervention, and another (the same) posttest one month later. Quantitative and qualitative data were subject to statistical …

Downeast Community Opioid Response Program: Final Summary Report, 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 year 3 final summary presentation includes feedback from program partners and key informants, in addition to …

Patients' Perceptions: A Group Differences Study Twelve Months Before And Twelve Months During A Worldwide Pandemic, Nancy B. Valla

Patient Experience Journal

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic subjected healthcare systems' to decreasing operational margins, enhanced regulatory scrutiny, and challenges related to patients' expectations. Until now, there was a lack of empirical evidence studying patients' perceptions prior to versus deep immersion into the pandemic. Methods: This quantitative non-experimental ex post facto causal-comparative study examined if and to what extent there were significant differences in patients' perceptions of the nurses' communications, doctors' communications, overall hospital rating, and willingness to recommend before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic for HCAHPS participating hospitals in California. The final sample size was 292 facilities grouped by two identically …

Potential Urban Hazard Zones Of Shanghai, Prc, C. Nicholas Raphael, Jinan Li

The Geographical Bulletin

Land-use data derived from large scale aerial images were used to determine potential hazard zones of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Using a GIS, nine cultural and physical parameters in onekilometer2 pixels are identified, classified and mapped. A coefficient of urban hazard is calculated per square kilometer within the city. Of the 10 administrative municipalities, Jinan and Luwang, in the central city, are determined as having high urban disaster potential. Natural hazards such as storm surges and subsidence in the delta complex have been recognized and addressed. However, in view of increasing urbanization, urban hazard is yet to be adequately …

The Impact Of The Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic On Urban Nonprofit Organizations In A Southeastern City, Yvette Michelle Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study examined the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on human services nonprofit organizations in an urban setting and the strategic measures implemented by the leaders to remain focused on their mission. The logic of inference was that the pandemic significantly impacted these nonprofit organizations, forcing the public administration leaders to implement new innovative strategies that should be documented. The study data was collected and analyzed through three streams of data: interviews with nonprofit or public administration leaders, surveys of nonprofit employees, and document analysis of organizational financial reports over four years. The results from the interviews …

State Capacity And Covid-19 Responses: Comparing The Us States, Kiran Auerbach, Joshua Y. Lerner, Hannah M. Ridge

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

This article addresses the interstate differences in outcomes from the coronavirus disease COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on state capacity. State capacity refers to states’ ability to create and implement policy. We posit that states want to limit death and destruction within their borders. COVID-19 created an instance in which states had a shared, preferred outcome but had very different levels of success. Using a novel measure of state capacity that allows for subnational comparisons – and is independent of ideological political will – we show that states with greater capacity experienced fewer excess deaths during 2020 and more successfully distributed …

Building A Dynamic Employee Value Proposition, Susan Bailey

River Cities Industrial and Organizational Psychology Conference

Talent survey data indicates 75% of active job seekers are likely to apply for a job if the employer activity manages its employer brand and their company’s Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Additional data confirms, organizations with a strong EVP have lower turnover and increased new hire commitments – addressing two of the most frustrating challenges facing employers today. A dynamic Employee Value Proposition is intentional and comprehensive in nature…capitalizing on the strengths of the organization and its purpose while providing benefits and resources that resonate with employees, enabling them to be productive and thrive. The stakes are high and so …

Tumor-Associated Edema In Children With Kaposi Sarcoma: 14 Years' Experience At Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi, Fatsani Rose Manase, Allison Silverstein, William Kamiyango, Jimmy Villiera, Clement Dziwe, Claudia Wallrauch, Tom Heller, Mark Zobeck, Tamiwe Tomoka, Michael E Scheurer, Carl E Allen, Nmazuo Ozuah, Rizine Mzikamanda, Nader Kim El-Mallawany, Casey L Mcatee

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background/objectives: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a common lymphatic endothelial cancer among children with and without HIV in central and eastern Africa. Despite its clinical heterogeneity, its various clinical phenotypes are often grouped together in staging and treatment algorithms. Patients with KS tumor-associated edema, referring to hard, non-pitting lesions which often lead to chronic disability, represent a unique, understudied subgroup of children with KS. To continue our work defining the distinct phenotypes of pediatric KS, this study aimed to assess the clinical progression and outcomes of KS edema in children.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Kamuzu Central Hospital …

Community Quarantines And Social Protection Programs: Philippine Pandemic Response Viewed Through The Human Security Framework, Leslie Advincula-Lopez, Jessica Sandra R. Claudio, Haraya Marikit C. Mendoza

Development Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Roger Williams University Law Review Symposium: Trauma-Informed Lawyering: Approaches To Advocating For Diverse Populations November 15, 2024, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

Conceptions Of Latinos And Latinas About The Grieving Process And Associate Concepts Of Dying, Death, Bereavement, And Loss: A Covid-19-Post-Pandemic Case Study, Rosario Garcia Ortiz

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to recognize the grieving process and the related concepts of Latinos who lost a loved one to the COVID-19 pandemic. Death and dying have been studied in the United States, with limited studies focusing on the Latino culture. The COVID-19 pandemic was a devastating experience for the world and continues to be studied for understanding and lessons in the aftermath. This research included four participants from the Latino culture who lost a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic. An inductive approach and data analysis were used to form theoretical constructs. Three main categories were …

Improving Socioeconomic Conditions For Ghanaian Fishers On Flagged Vessels : Policy Recommendations For The Fishing Industry, Robert Nyarkoh

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.