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An Analysis Of Physical Wellness During Pregnancy, Mary Elizabeth Reynolds-Licciardello

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a lack of proper physical wellness increasing in society. This qualitative phenomenological study explored physical wellness during pregnancy using the theoretic framework of Social Cognitive Theory to show perceptions and lived experiences of women who are pregnant or who have been pregnant in the past three years. Three research questions were the focus of this qualitative study. RQ1: what aspects of physical wellness are important to women who are pregnant? RQ2: what are women’s physical wellness experiences during pregnancy? RQ3: how are women who are pregnant educated about physical wellness? Ten women in central Florida who are pregnant …

Refereed Research - Breaking The Shackles Of Poverty: How Bridging Ties Enable Subsistence Entrepreneurs To Upgrade Their Businesses To A Prosperous Level, Asifa Ilyas, Ralf Wagner

Subsistence Marketplaces

Subsistence entrepreneurs establish and run their business ventures under harsh economic and social conditions. These survival-driven businesses are impoverished and generate insufficient income for entrepreneurs and their families. Subsistence entrepreneurs can break this vicious poverty cycle by upscaling their ventures into more sustainable and profitable businesses. However, it is not clear what prevents these entrepreneurs from developing more prosperous and sustainable business ventures.

This study fills the gap by investigating the effect of bridging social ties on subsistence businesses' performance. Further, the study examines the impact of group identity, jealousy, gender, and power on subsistence entrepreneurs' efforts to build bridging …

Understanding Digital Well-Being And Insights From Technological Impacts On University Students’ Everyday Lives In Bangkok, Chulanee Thianthai, Patrapan Tamdee

Journal of Health Research

Background - Digital wellbeing has been widely discussed due to the influence of digital technology on our life. This paper defined digital wellbeing for university students in Bangkok and reviewed how they engaged with technology, while examining the technological impacts on their everyday lives.

Methods - Qualitative data was collected from university students across different majors and genders, ranging in age from 18-32 years old. The researchers used 30 in-depth individual interviews in conjunction with a brain writing 6-3-5 design thinking technique to gain insight into how digital natives living in Bangkok defined digital wellbeing and experienced daily life impacts …

What We Know About School-Based Health Centers: Literature On Outcomes, Cost Impact, Implementation, And Sustainability, Michelle R. Coble, Valerie F. Mcdaniel

Pacific Journal of Health

Many children lack access to adequate healthcare in the United States. School Based Health Centers (SBHC) are a useful resource for accessing those needed services. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the available research for the strengths of SBHCs with improving health outcomes and health equity, cost impact of SBHCs, and best practices for implementing and sustaining an SBHC. The focus of this study was on reviewing the current literature on the impact of SBHCs on improving health equity, health outcomes, cost impact, and to establish best practices for implementing and sustaining an SBHC. Although the current literature …

"Well You Know...": Parents' Perceptions Of Morality In Aaa Youth Ice Hockey, Zachary Mccarver, Danielle Wong Vickland, Megan B. Stellino

The Qualitative Report

Parents’ involvement patterns serve as a catalyst to their children’s moral development (Bandura, 1991). Yet, sport culture may convolute parents’ authentic ability to socialize their children’s moral development within a compliant structure focused on performance excellence (Hughes & Coakley, 1991). The purpose of the current study was to examine how parents conceptualize morality while entrenched in a conformity-driven elite youth ice hockey environment. The following research question was explored: how do parents ascribe meaning to, and learn the behavioral representations of, moral and immoral behaviors in youth ice hockey? Parents’ (N = 8, M_age = 53.13) perspectives of …

Threatening National Security Or Bridging The Digital Divide? A Case Study Of Huawei’S Expansion In Brazil, Julie Jin Zeng

Rosenberg Institute Scholars

China’s digital footprint has been expanding rapidly in Latin America in the last two decades. Neither the U.S.-China tech war nor the U.S.-led global campaign aimed at Chinese tech firms seemed to be able to reverse the trend. Much of the policy discussion in the western media surrounding China’s digital expansion focuses on the supply side, emphasizing the potential risks of adopting Chinese technologies. Yet there remains scant research on the demand side— namely, how policymakers in developing countries perceive Chinese tech firms and how they maneuver amid the intensifying rivalry between the U.S. and China. Why did Chinese tech …

Exploring Local Elected Officials' Capacity To Govern Effectively, Mario King

Dissertations

A successful local government exemplifies inclusivity, innovation, and deliberate decision-making, all advancing responsible management of taxpayers' resources. In this qualitative investigation, a phenomenological approach is employed to delve into the lived experiences of local elected officials. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the capacity of these local elected officials for success in governance. Subsequently, the insights from these local elected officials' experiences are harnessed to evaluate their influence and impact on municipal performance.

The management of municipal performance encompasses the provision of social services, the maintenance of fiscal operations, and adherence to statutory obligations (Avellaneda, 2008). …

Food Insecurity: Bringing Awareness Of Food Insecurity In Sioux County, Alexandria Davis, Grace Laman, Rebecca Los, Madison Schrack

Student Projects

Food is crucial to survival and maintaining a healthy lifestyle; however, not everyone can access and afford food. People may have difficulty due to poverty, location of grocery stores, or societal issues. Research was conducted to understand the numerous aspects of food insecurity in adults, children, and families across America. It was also intended to create awareness of food insecurity in Sioux County.

Food As A Literary Device In The Hunger Games: World Building, Characterization, And Plot Momentum, Linzee Mitchell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Food relates to the experience of life, survival, and memory. It impacts us every day, whether we have plenty of it or not. It influences our memories and connects us to one another, while structuring details of our identities and cultures. As a creative writer and English major, I recognize that food influences a story to accentuate literary concepts and unveil them, such as a character’s compassion or the poison that a villain uses to unfold the plot. The best example of food as an impactful device within a story is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. From the first …

Social Media Impacts On Arkansas Consumer Perceptions Of Gmos, Elizabeth R. Berner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study builds upon previous consumer perceptions of GMOs studies. A need existed to determine what, if any, effects social media messages about GMOs had on consumer perceptions in Arkansas. The study utilized a qualitative approach with three focus groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive code. Participants were found to have a general understanding of GMOs, though discussion about what a GMO product was took an uncertain tone. Most participants did not consider GMOs as a factor when purchasing products. Rather participants considered characteristics such as price, quality, and convenience. Participants did not believe the infographics had changed their opinions …

Three Essays On International Migration And Remittances, Mir Tanzim Nur Angkur

Dissertations

This dissertation concerns the effects of international migration and remittances. The study explores two pressing issues: child marriages and livelihood strategies and how the receipts of remittances from abroad influence these outcomes. The research objectives and findings of each of the three essays is summarized below:

The first essay, titled “ Do remittances protect against child marriages? The Rohingyas in Bangladesh”, focuses on the role that remittances could play in combating this harmful practice among the displaced Rohingya population. Nearly one million Rohingya refugees have been living in one of the world’s largest refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. I …

Sex Trafficking: Saudi Arabian Women's Perspectives, Jennifer O. Rowland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Growing Agriculture Literacy’S Presence In America’S Classrooms, Emily Stone

Journal of Food Law & Policy

“Americans, as a whole, were at least two generations removed from the farm and did not understand even the most rudimentary of processes, challenges, and risks that farmers and the agricultural industry worked with and met head-on every day.” This quote perfectly describes the mindset of agriculture stakeholders in 1981 as they began to realize the drastic steps our education system had taken away from using principles of agriculture in K-12 education. As they saw it, Americans were moving out of rural America, away from farms, and becoming less connected to the food they daily consumed. Simultaneously, the education system …

Exploring Burnout And Work Engagement In The United States Refugee Resettlement Policy-Practice Domain: A Qualitatively Driven Mixed-Method Study., Eva X. Nyerges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Refugee resettlement workers are crucial actors within refugee resettlement, supporting newcomers’ acculturation into a new society. Little is known about the comprehensive range of organizational characteristics that impact workers’ experiences of burnout and work engagement. This qualitatively driven mixed-method study using Constructivist Grounded Theory analytic techniques aimed to develop a holistic understanding of the organizational elements influencing burnout and work engagement among refugee resettlement workers. Further, the study aimed to illuminate the mechanisms by which job demands and resources influence burnout and work engagement. In-depth qualitative interviews with 22 refugee resettlement workers operating in a southeastern state of the United …

The Radical Power Of Education, Arindam Nandi, Nicole Haberland, Thoai Ngo

Gender, Education, Justice, and Equity (GEJE)

When education works, people thrive and societies flourish alongside economies. We have made real progress on primary enrollment on the global scale, with 90% of children enrolling in school. However, completion rates lag far behind—only 77% of children complete lower secondary school and 58% complete upper secondary. Those numbers decline sharply for those living in poverty, for girls, and for Indigenous communities, with 44% of adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) either dropping out of primary school or never attending at all.

Low educational attainment and illiteracy exclude children from the freedoms that come with learning and also …

Super Parents: Preliminary Findings Of A Group-Based Parenting Intervention, Jens E. Jespersen, Cara D. Bosler, Ruth S. Slocum, Jennifer Hays-Grudo, Jerry Root, Laura Hubbs-Tait, Amanda Sheffield Morris

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Super Parents is a group-based, Extension-led parenting program developed to enhance the parent-child relationship. Implemented by trained Head Start staff using the train-the-trainer model, this effort is achieved by teaching positive parenting practices, increasing parents’ knowledge of child development, instructing parents in activities and exercises for enhancing their child’s executive function skills, and encouraging the use of mindfulness techniques in parenting. The specific aims of our study were to evaluate the program's effectiveness among parents of young children ages 0 to 5 by examining changes in parenting attitudes, mindfulness, executive function, parenting efficacy, stress, and child behavior. Through the use …

Barriers To Policy, Systems, And Environment Work: Using Community Engagement As A Tool In Snap-Ed’S Multi-Level Comprehensive Programming, Cristian Meier, Casey Coombs, Amria Farnsworth, Lacee Jimenez, Heidi Leblanc

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Implementing policy, system, and environmental (PSE) changes has several well-known challenges that have been documented in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education’s (SNAP-Ed) comprehensive approach to obesity prevention and reduction. The purpose of the current study was to explore the use of community engagement (CE) as a strategy to address the common challenges experienced in implementing a multi-component community-based program. Phone interviews (N = 7) were conducted with SNAP-Ed educators in Utah using semi-structured interviews. Emergent themes were identified as transcripts were coded independently by two researchers until a high level of agreement was achieved. Four themes emerged from the interviews: …

Determining The Health Literacy Skills Of Extension Audiences In Maryland, Beverly Jackey, Heejung Song, Lisa Mccoy, Virginia Brown

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Strong health literacy skills empower people to make informed health decisions, especially those with chronic health conditions striving for positive health outcomes. Half of all people living in Maryland report having at least one chronic disease. Research examining the health literacy of Marylanders is limited. This paper reports how establishing a baseline for health literacy levels of Marylanders can identify major factors affecting the health literacy skills of Extension audiences and lays the important groundwork to develop Extension programs and explore the best delivery methods tailored to the needs of subpopulations. Using the Newest Vital Sign, a …

Beyond The Plate: Leisure Studies As A Recipe For Food Justice, Julia M. Montano

Undergraduate Honors Theses

To address the issues that have been derived from the dominant forces in our food systems, movements such as food justice strive to find solutions through decolonization and addressing barriers to accessing healthy, affordable and culturally representative food. One group of individuals that are heavily involved in, and impacted by, food justice are college students. This study seeks to explore the extent to which college students’ involvement in food justice is shaped by their free time. With this research, I strive to bring in the voices of college students, while also bridging a gap in the field by bringing leisure …

A Good Death: End-Of-Life Lawyering Through A Relational Autonomy Lens, Genevieve Mann

Washington Law Review

Death is difficult—even for lawyers who counsel clients on end-of-life planning. The predominant approach to counseling clients about death relies too heavily on traditional notions of personal autonomy and a nearly impenetrable right to be free from interference by others. Rooted in these notions, contracts called “advance directives” emerged as the primary tool for choosing one’s final destiny. Nevertheless, advance directives are underutilized and ineffective because many people are mired in death anxiety, indecision, and the weight of planning for a hypothetical illness. In the end, many do not get the death they choose: to trust in others and share …

Breastfeeding In Public: A Review Of Literature And Service Learning Experience, Taylor Jehlik, Makenzie Carney

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This article explores the perceptions and beliefs of first-time expectant mothers, their family members, and their social network about breastfeeding in public places. We used experience through Tiny Tusks and reviewed literature to get a better understanding of what social factors play a role in mothers' decisions to breastfeed in public.

College Girl's Guide To Fayetteville, Ar, Sydney Johnson

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The mission behind creating the College Girl’s Guide to Fayetteville, AR was to ease the adjustment from high school to college for females attending the University of Arkansas. This is one of life’s most monumental transitions, often resulting in anxiety, depression, and loneliness, specifically among the female demographic. With that in mind, the intent of the guidebook was to develop culture, confidence, and community on campus. In the aftermath of Covid-19, loneliness on college campuses has become an epidemic in need of a university-wide solution to increase student satisfaction and retention. A research aspect that heavily impacted the project was …

High Throughput Phenotyping: Field Based Triticale Breeding And Educational Resource Impact, Catherine Kay Mick

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Triticale (Triticosecale) is a multifunctional hybrid cereal crop that adopted the hardiness of rye and wheat's high-yielding and nutritional qualities. Plant breeding programs work to improve the quality and number of varieties available to producers through multiple rounds of evaluation and selection. However, traditional phenotyping methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and destructive, creating a phenotyping bottleneck. Remote sensing using unmanned aerial systems has the potential to alleviate this issue and change the evaluation of phenotypes in a breeding. Demand for educational resources to advance public awareness and prepare the workforce has increased with the utilization of more technology in …

Unraveling The Tapestry Of Indigenous Maize In North America: A Case Study Of Pawnee Ancestral Maize, Kahheetah Barnoskie

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Studies on Indigenous ancestral landrace maize in North America has significant historical and scientific importance. Indigenous peoples, such as the Pawnee people, have been cultivating maize for thousands of years, resulting in diverse varieties adapted to their local environments. This study aims to deepen the knowledge of Indigenous maize by examining specific varieties from the Pawnee, including a comparative analysis of the genetic makeup through DNA sequencing. This study used Genotyping by Target Sequencing (GBTS) method to examine the genetic variation and characteristics among the multiple varieties the Pawnee people once grew historically, providing valuable information about the evolutionary history …

Stories Of Challenge In South Africa: Changes In The Enabling Environment For Nutrition Among Young Children (1994–2021), Scott Drimie, Mara Van Den Bold, Lisanne Du Plessis, Laura Casu

Student Publications [Scholarly]

Despite important nutrition-related policy and programmatic improvements in South Africa, rates of stunting among young children remain unacceptably high, while rates of overweight and obesity in this same population group are simultaneously on the rise. This study sought to examine the changes in the enabling environment for nutrition aimed at young children in South Africa by drawing on a literature review, policy mapping, and stakeholder interviews, for the time period from the end of apartheid in 1994 to 2021. The study focuses on changes and drivers of change at national level but also in three provinces: Western Cape, North West, …

Examining The Hormonal Underpinnings Of Affiliation Motivation In Oral Contraceptive Users, Hormonal Iud Users, And Naturally Cycling Women, Mikayla Tolliver

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Affiliation is important for women during times of stress. Although, affiliation has been linked to women’s hormones across the menstrual cycle, many women use hormonal contraceptives which disrupt the links between hormones, psychology, and behavior. This study examined how hormonal contraceptives (hormonal IUD vs. the oral contraceptive pill) and menstrual cycle phase (follicular vs. luteal) are associated with affiliative motivations following the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Further, this study examined women’s cortisol reactivity and whether cortisol reactivity mediated affiliative motivation following the stressor. I found that oral contraceptive pill users projected more stress and rejection onto others’ faces and …

A Generic Qualitative Inquiry Of The Challenges For Black African American Men Who Have Experienced Trauma, Randall Lee Maurice Shakir

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black African American Men (BAAM) suffer disproportionately from trauma related challenges and have a higher risk of encountering trauma across the lifespan. The negative impact of trauma is a major public health concern in the United States, evidence suggests trauma negatively impacts the physical well-being, mental health, and mortality rate. BAAM have increased rates of trauma exposure and their traumatic experience is historically complex involving a variety of contemporary issues (i.e. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), depression, victimization and desensitization, stress). This research aims to explore the complex nature of their trauma-related challenges among a purposeful sample of BAAM participants in …

Effect Of Onion Peel Bioactive Compounds On Gut Microbiome Of Obese Adults, Saad Al-Din Sifat

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Obesity, a pervasive global health concern, involves a complex interplay between genetic factors, dietary patterns, and the gut microbiota. Onion peels are rich in polyphenols and known for their antioxidant properties. However, the effects of in-vitro digested onion peel extract has not been investigated thus far. This study therefore assesses the effects of digested bioactive compounds from onion peels, emphasizing gut microbiota shift and metabolites. Onion peel extract (OPE), digested onion peel extract (DOPE), and solid-phase-extracted digested onion peel extracts (SPE-DOPE) were analyzed for total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. SPE-DOPE exhibited the highest TPC and antioxidant activity. Fecal …

Health Beneficial Effects Of Black Raspberry, Blueberry, And Blackberry Volatile Extracts In Lung And Colon, Inah Gu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Berries are one of the most consumed fruits in our diet, and rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and volatiles. Volatiles are responsible for the aroma of berries, and are widely used in food, perfumery, and cosmetic industries. However, the potential health beneficial effects of berry volatiles have not been extensively studied. Recently, we found that berry volatiles from cranberries, black and red raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries have an anti-inflammatory effect on inflamed murine macrophage cells. Since inflammation can develop into many chronic diseases, and berry volatiles can be inhaled or consumed and pass through the lungs or …