Digital Commons Network^™

Identification Of Effective Outreach Methods For Mental Health Services To The Hispanic Population, Nidia Yamileth Canello

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to find effective outreach methods to the Hispanic population to empower them to seek mental health services when they need them. Hispanics seek mental health services at a lower rate than mainstream America. This community is the most rapidly growing in San Bernardino County, and lack of early intervention when necessary may have costly consequences to Hispanics and society as a whole.

In Our Own Words: A Qualitative Study Of Bachelor And Master Of Social Work Interns At Vitas Hospice, Martha Elizabeth Romero

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of Bachelor/Master of Social Work (BSW/MSW) interns who completed a full year internship at Vitas Hospice in San Bernardino. Using the post positivist paradigm, the researcher interviewed nine previous BSW/MSW interns to find out about their experiences as interns while at Vitas Hospice. The study was conducted by interviewing the nine interns and their responses were used to develop a theory of the interns' experience. These experiences led to learning about what was helpful and what was not helpful for their development as social workers as …

Elder Depression Among Nursing Home Residents, Alejandro Paul Holguin

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this was designed to confirm the hypothesis that depression is prevalent among nursing home residents. Elder depression is a huge problem in society, especially as the older population continues to grow at an alarming rate. This study investigated the correlations between demographic information and item responses.

Economic Insecurity And Depression Among Low Socioeconomic Status Adults, Laura Margaret Wills

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research is to discover the effects of economic insecurity and low socioeconomic status on depression in adults. Mixed correlations were discovered, but the findings appear to support the need for increased mental health services for people with low socioeconomic status.

A Procedure To Correct Proxy-Reported Weight In The National Health Interview Survey, 1976-2002, Eric N. Reither, Rebecca L. Utz

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Background

Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) show a larger-than-expected increase in mean BMI between 1996 and 1997. Proxy-reports of height and weight were discontinued as part of the 1997 NHIS redesign, suggesting that the sharp increase between 1996 and 1997 may be artifactual.

Methods

We merged NHIS data from 1976–2002 into a single database consisting of approximately 1.7 million adults aged 18 and over. The analysis consisted of two parts: First, we estimated the magnitude of BMI differences by reporting status (i.e., self-reported versus proxy-reported height and weight). Second, we developed a procedure to correct biases in …

Sunday Friends: The Working Alternative To Charity, James D. Lee, Yoko Baba, Claudio V. Sanchez, Rebecca Wang, Chelsey White

Faculty Publications

Sunday Friends is a non-profit organization in San José, California, that provides multiple activities for families who are in need of financial support. Given the particular location of the program, most families are Latino and bilingual. Participants and program volunteers form a community at an elementary school on a couple of scheduled Sundays each month. When family members participate in activities designed to educate, improve skills, and to give back to the larger community, they earn tickets that they can redeem for items that they need and want from the Sunday Friends store. Activities include healthy cooking projects, “Thank You …

Evaluation Of Hiv Counseling And Testing In Anc Settings And Adherence To Short Course Antiretroviral Prophylaxis For Pmtct In Francistown, Botswana, Carolyn Baek, Tracy Creek, Lee Ann Jones, Louis Apicella, Jennifer Redner, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

The vast majority of children infected with HIV are the result of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the virus during pregnancy, labor, or breastfeeding. Botswana is one of the first countries in the developing world with a national prevention program (PMTCT) to reduce vertical transmission. The Horizons Program of the Population Council, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Premiere Personnel in Botswana, conducted an evaluation to describe the adherence of pregnant women to the current PMTCT regimen. The report recommends standardizing post-test counseling content through the use of job aids and adapting existing WHO materials, …

Final Evaluation Of The Project For Expanding The Role Of Networks Of People Living With Hiv/Aids, Young-Mi Kim, John Lukwago, Stella Neema

HIV and AIDS

In July 2006, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance launched a three-year project on Expanding the Role of Networks of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. The project, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Uganda, sought to increase the involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS (PHA) in the HIV/AIDS response and to improve access to and utilization of prevention, treatment, care, and support services for PHA households. USAID/Uganda commissioned an evaluation of the project’s design, strategies, and performance in order to improve its implementation and learn from its successes and challenges. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive …

Do Adoption Subsidies Help At-Risk Children?, Kasey Buckles

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

Over half a million children in the United States are currently in foster care, many of whom are at risk for long-lasting emotional and health problems. Research suggests that adoption may be one of the more promising options for the placement of these children. The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, which provided federal funds for monthly adoption subsidies, was designed to promote adoptions of special-needs children and children in foster care.

Using data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Systems for 2000- 2006, I consider the effects of these adoption subsidies on children’s likelihood …

Hospice Africa Uganda: End-Of-Project Evaluation Of Palliative Care Services, Annette Bongiovanni, Mary Alexis Greenan

HIV and AIDS

Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) is a nongovernmental organization that provides palliative care services to people living with HIV/AIDS (PHA) and cancer. Based in Kampala, HAU aims to scale-up palliative care within and beyond the nation’s borders. From 2005–08, HAU sought to achieve the following objectives: 1) Increase coverage and scope of palliative care services available to PHA and their families; 2) Train health workers and other HIV/AIDS care providers to integrate pain management, symptom control, and end-of-life care into their existing HIV/AIDS support programs; 3) Build the capacity of families, communities, and community-based organizations in palliative care provision; 4) Integrate …

Kwazulu-Natal Department Of Health Policy And Guidelines For Integrated Ante And Postnatal Care At District Hospital Community Health Centre And Clinic Level, Population Council

Reproductive Health

A 2006 baseline survey conducted by CARE Kenya indicated that sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is widespread throughout Kenya’s North Eastern Province. Other findings revealed that high levels of stigma and gender imbalances are associated with sexual violence and female genital mutilation (FGM) and that a coordinated approach to responding to the service needs of survivors is missing. As noted in this report, there is limited awareness of the legal mechanisms available to survivors. The Population Council’s study in Wajir District ascertained the need for and possible components of an integrated and comprehensive services model that could meet the needs …

Socioeconomic Status, Child Health, And Future Outcomes: Lessons For Appalachia, Janet Currie

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

Appalachians are in poor health relative to other Americans. For example, the ageadjusted all cause mortality rate for Appalachian in 2006 was over 900 per 100,000 compared to a rate of 760 per 100,000 for those outside of Appalachia. This essay shows that health disparities start before birth—the incidence of low birth weight is 90 1,000 in rural Appalachia compared to 83 per 1,000 outside the U.S. These disparities continue through childhood and into adulthood. Moreover, although African Americans are generally in poorer health relative to white Americans, disparities between Appalachia and the rest of the U.S. are much greater …

Targeting Tuberculars: Social Stigma And Public Health Campaigns, Filomeno V. Aguilar Jr

History Department Faculty Publications

In the fight against tuberculosis one major obstacle is the social stigma associated with the disease. Stigma, which is both relational and contextual, marks the body of the tubercular as a site of danger. This essay reflects on the social history of tuberculosis and proposes that stigma’s contingent history in the Philippines can be traced to public health campaigns carried out during the twentieth century, which sought to segregate and isolate the tubercular to limit contagion but could not provide an effective cure. The stigmatization of tuberculosis persists at present, and public health campaigns may need to address stigma directly.

Educating Citizens Building Communities: Annual Membership Survey Results - Executive Summary, Campus Compact

Higher Education

Campus Compact conducts an annual survey of its member colleges and universities to—among other things—gauge student and faculty involvement in service and service-learning, assess institutional support and culture for service and service-learning, identify the types of courses and programs offered as well as the issues being addressed through service, and identify the nature of campus-community partnerships. This publication provides an executive summary of our major findings in 2009.

A Descriptive Analysis Of The Problems And Interventions Observed In Care Planning For Nursing Home Residents With Dementia, Dennis Gordon Chapman

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

Patterns Of Commodity Food Use Among American Indians, Michelle Chino, Darlene R. Haff, Carolee Dodge Francis

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Objectives: To better understand risks for obesity and diabetes among American Indians.

Methods: Adults from tribes across the country surveyed to explore commodity food use patterns and food choice.

Results: Respondents reported second and third generation commodity food use. Current commodity users stated preferences for canned and packaged meals and were more likely to participate in other federal food programs.

Conclusions: Low-income, nutritionally stressed families relying on federal food programs may be at increased risk of obesity and diet-related chronic conditions due to long-term use of foods that are high in fat and calories and low in fiber.

Directory Of Programs For Rural Girls In Ethiopia, Elshaday Kifle, Mekuria Yilma, Emil Parker

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Rural girls in Ethiopia face significant challenges on a host of issues including health, education, civic participation, and access to services. Beyond traditional female roles of wife and mother, the livelihood options open to girls and women are narrow. The goal of the Ethiopia “Brain Trust” project is to expand and improve programs for rural girls in Ethiopia. Under the Trust, a team of program practitioners convenes to explore best practices in reaching and supporting rural girls. Currently, 18 organizations are represented in the Trust. In addition, the Trust seeks to improve networking and information sharing among program practitioners working …

Broadening Girls' Horizons: Effects Of Life Skills Education Programme In Rural Uttar Pradesh, Rajib Acharya, Shveta Kalyanwala, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, Vinita Nathani

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This report is the result of a collaborative project undertaken by Prerana, a Delhi-based NGO, and the Population Council to implement a life-skills education program for unmarried adolescent girls in rural Uttar Pradesh and to evaluate its effectiveness. The intervention program aimed to empower unmarried adolescent girls aged 13–17 years and address their vulnerabilities by: building their agency, fostering egalitarian gender role attitudes, building awareness about sexual and reproductive health matters, developing vocational skills and future work aspirations, and influencing perceptions about marriage and the ability to negotiate marriage-related decisions (delaying marriage and first pregnancy).

Lao Health And Adjustment In Southern New England Three Decades After The Secret War, Patrick F. Clarkin

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

This study explored Lao life histories, health, and social adjustment in the southern New England states of Rhode Island and Connecticut. In addition, it sought to examine whether there was a correlation between war experiences early in life and health in adulthood, a finding reported in previous research on the Hmong, another ethnic group from Laos. Overall, 99 Lao adults born in Laos or Thailand (mean age 43.5 +/- 10.8 years) completed orally administered questionnaires and were measured for blood pressure and various anthropometric markers. Lao in this sample appeared to have higher than average educational back grounds in Laos, …

The Elder Economic Security Initiative™: The Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index For Michigan, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Wider Opportunities For Women

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report addresses income adequacy for Michigan’s older adults using the national WOW-GI National Elder Economic Security Standard Index (Elder Index) methodology. The Elder Index benchmarks basic costs of living for elder households and illustrates how costs of living vary geographically and are based on the characteristics of elder households, including household size, home ownership or renter status, and health status. The costs are based on market costs for basic needs of elder households and do not assume any public or private supports.

Lack Of A Will Or Of A Way? Taking A Capability Approach For Analysing Disability Policy Shortcomings And Ensuring Programme Impact In Afghanistan, Jean-Francois Trani, Parul Bakhshi, Ayan A. Noor, Ashraf Mashkoor

Brown School Faculty Publications

The present paper attempts to analyse some of the shortcomings that have impeded efforts in the field of disability in Afghanistan. After an overview of recent disability initiatives, this article presents elements that have contributed to the limited impact. The context of a Conflict Affected Fragile State (CAFS) makes particularly intricate the development of state-capacity as well as the delivery of basic services for the population. To overcome identified gaps, it is argued that Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach (CA) constitutes a relevant framework for designing disability policy and implementation. While the definition of human development has evolved considerably over the …

Discrepant Comorbidity Between Minority And White Suicides: A National Multiple Cause-Of-Death Analysis, Ian Rh Rockett, Yinjuan Lian, Steven Stack, Alan M. Ducatman, Shuhui Wang

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Clinician training deficits and a low and declining autopsy rate adversely impact the quality of death certificates in the United States. Self-report and records data for the general population indicate that proximate mental and physical health of minority suicides was at least as poor as that of white suicides.

Methods

This cross-sectional mortality study uses data from Multiple Cause-of-Death (MCOD) public use files for 1999–2003 to describe and evaluate comorbidity among black, Hispanic, and white suicides. Unintentional injury decedents are the referent for multivariate analyses.

Results

One or more mentions of comorbid psychopathology are documented on the death …

Physician Sovereignty: The Dangerous Persistence Of An Obsolete Idea, David M. Lawrence

Center for Policy Research

The heart of the model is this: to quote Pogo, "We have met the enemy and it is us." We doctors are the problem, not because we are venal or self-serving or insulated from reality. Far from it. Most of us are hard-working, dedicated professionals. We are the problem, though, because of the way our profession developed in the 20th century. This model is no longer appropriate for what lies ahead. The notion of the sovereign physician comes from Paul Starr's 1982 work, "The Social Transformation of American Medicine: The Rise of a Sovereign Profession and the Making of a …

Complexities Of Holistic Community-Based Participatory Research For A Low Income, Multi-Ethnic Population Exposed To Multiple Built-Environment Stressors In Worcester, Massachusetts, Timothy Downs, Laurie Ross, Suzanne Patton, Sarah Rulnick, Deb Sinha, Danielle Mucciarone, Maria Calvache, Sarah Parmenter, Rajendra Subedi, Donna Wysokenski, Erin Anderson, Rebecca Dezan, Kate Lowe, Jennifer Bowen, Amee Tejani, Kelly Piersanti, Octavia Taylor, Robert Goble

Sustainability and Social Justice

Low income, multi-ethnic communities in Main South/Piedmont neighborhoods of Worcester, Massachusetts are exposed to cumulative, chronic built-environment stressors, and have limited capacity to respond, magnifying their vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. "Neighborhood STRENGTH", our community-based participatory research (CBPR) project, comprised four partners: a youth center; an environmental non-profit; a community-based health center; and a university. Unlike most CBPR projects that are single topic-focused, our 'holistic', systems-based project targeted five priorities. The three research-focused/action-oriented components were: (1) participatory monitoring of indoor and outdoor pollution; (2) learning about health needs and concerns of residents through community-based listening sessions; (3) engaging in collaborative …

The Criminalization Of Poverty, Kaaryn Gustafson

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

No abstract provided.

20 Exemplary Service-Learning Projects, Chicago Public Schools Service-Learning Initiative

Project Summaries

In 1998, Chicago Public Schools became the largest school district in the country to require that students do service to their community as a graduation requirement. Since that time, hundreds of thousands of students have provided millions of hours of service to Chicago's neighborhoods and communities.

Child Neglect And Trauma: The Additive Traumatic Effects Of Neglect On Maltreated Adolescents, Adrianna Rachel Wechsler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Child maltreatment affects thousands of youths in the United States and poses numerous detrimental effects to individuals, families, and the community. Neglect is the most commonly reported and least studied form of child maltreatment. All types of child maltreatment may result in negative outcomes, but the chronic and pervasive nature of child neglect poses a significant threat to child development. No studies have been published evaluating the role of child neglect in the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and PTSD-related symptoms. This study examined whether neglect has an additive traumatic effect on maltreated youth. The first hypothesis was that …

Tnf-Alpha Inhibition Of Adiponectin Expression By Targeting Ppar-Gamma And C/Ebp In Adipocytes, Yanning Wang

LSU Master's Theses

Chronic inflammation is involved in the adipose tissue dysfunction through regulation of endocrine and storage function of adipocytes. As a representative proinflammatory cytokine, TNF-α was reported to inhibit expression of adiponectin. However, the mechanism of inhibition remains to be identified. Here, we provide experimental evidence that TNF-α inhibits adiponectin at both transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. In three animal models (aP2-P65, ob/ob and high fat diets-fed mice), an increase in TNF-α expression was associated with a decrease in adiponectin expression. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, TNF-α inhibition of adiponectin was observed at mRNA and protein levels. Luciferase reporter assay and mRNA stability tests …

The Claremont Foodshed: A Historical Analysis, Allie Comet

Pomona Senior Theses

On the southeast corner of the Pomona College campus a small community farm and lush oasis is nestled in the suburban jungle of Claremont, California. ‘The Farm’ is a two-acre food forest that produces a wide variety of annual vegetable crops, fruits, and perennial herbs and berries in a landscape otherwise covered largely in asphalt and lawn.From my experiences on the Farm and in the classroom studying environmental analysis , I have developed a great interest in sustainable food and farming. The failures of the modern food system, destructive to the natural environment and inadequate in providing the world’s population …

Analyse Secondaire Des Données De L'Analyse Situationnelle Des Services De Santé De La Reproduction, Gisele Kaboré, Idrissa Kabore

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

En début 2002, l’UNFPA a soutenu un projet intitulé Renforcement des services sanitaires et sociaux pour faire face aux besoins de santé sexuelle et reproductive des adolescentes. Le projet avait pour objectif d’améliorer la connaissance des adolescentes mariées en ce qui concerne la législation et leurs propres droits; les éduquer à prendre soin de leur propre santé et de celle de leurs enfants; et augmenter leur accessibilité aux services de santé reproductive, particulièrement dans les régions les plus pauvres du Burkina Faso. Le projet a affirmé que les normes de fonctionnement ne sont pas remplies en termes d’infrastructures, d’équipement, de …