Digital Commons Network^™

Synthetic Data Generation Of Health And Demographic Surveillance Systems Data: A Case Study In A Low-And Middle-Income Country, Dorcas Mwigereri, Nigel Kamotho, Akbar Waljee, Ryan Rego, Eileen Weinheimer-Haus, Farhana Alarakhiya, Anthony Ngugi, Nicholson Price, Ji Zhu, Stephen Wong

Population Health, East Africa

Objective To evaluate effectiveness of open-source generative models in producing high-quality tabular synthetic data using a Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) dataset from rural Kenya, as a proof of concept in a low- and middle-income (LMIC) setting.

Materials and Methods Three open-source models (CTGAN, TableGAN, and CopulaGAN) were used to generate synthetic data from the Kaloleni/Rabai HDSS dataset. To assess the quality of the synthetic datasets generated by each model, we performed fidelity, utility, and privacy tests.

Results CTGAN outperformed the other models, producing synthetic data that closely mirrored the statistical properties of the real dataset while preserving privacy. …

Designing Research With Care: A Critical Race Nepantlera Methodological Approach To Rural Latinx College Access, Mayra Puente, Lupita Romo-González, Marlene López Torres, Melissa Romero

The Rural Educator

Research has widely documented the lack of educational resources and opportunities available to rural communities. Cognizant of the structural and spatial barriers facing rural communities, this study intentionally employed a critical race nepantlera methodology (CRNM) to mitigate the adverse effects of living in geographically isolated, systemically underinvested rural areas. Rather than perpetuating a false notion of objectivity in research, the research team actively supported rural Latinx students in accessing higher education through a CRNM research design, which prioritizes the well-being of research collaborators over the study. In enacting a CRNM approach, the research team demonstrated care while increasing students’ access …

Institutional And Regulatory Responses To Armed Robbery Against Ships : A Comparative Analysis Of Indonesia, Malaysia, And Philippines, Subhash Kumar Kakkuzhiyulla Parambath

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Home And Religion, Emma Alexandra Grimley, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This chapter explores how religious practices and identities intersect with the home as both a construct and physical locale and surveys the social science literature on religion in/and the home. We argue that the shifting space-times of religious practice reflect and influence the changeable and porous boundaries between public and private space, the home and beyond the home. This influence is shown by reference to three areas of focus: the home as a private space of and for religion; the use of religion to cross social and spatial boundaries of home; and the reconfiguration of the home in religious practice …

Driving And Beyond, Michele Dinman, Nancy Morrow-Howell

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

Transportation is a daily necessity in our lives, and many of us rely on driving our own automobile to get where we need to go. According to the Federal Highway Administration, in 2023 there were approximately 35 million licensed drivers aged 70 and older—fewer drivers than younger age groups and a group that drives fewer miles.

The Covid-19 Pandemic’S Effects On Older People, Michele Dinman, Morgan Van Vleck

Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide ranging effects on people of all ages. In many respects, older people had the same experiences as younger people, but there were some aspects of the pandemic unique to the older population. While COVID-19 cases have been equal among different age groups, older people experienced a greater number of hospitalizations and deaths compared to younger people.

Examining Public Opinion On Endorsed Punishments For Illegal Abortion By Abortion Legality And Abortion-Restrictive States Before Dobbs V. Jackson, Lucretia Mena-Melendez, Kristen N. Jozkowski, Brandon L. Crawford, Ronna C. Turner, Wen-Juo Lo

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research SummaryAs a result of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers can and have enacted abortion restrictions, including criminal penalties targeting those who seek, provide, or assist with abortion. Given the current legal landscape, it is imperative to assess public opinion regarding the endorsement of punishments for illegal abortion. We conducted multivariate analyses to assess factors associated with punishment endorsements for an illegal abortion for the pregnant woman and healthcare provider. We also evaluated whether individual beliefs (i.e., abortion legality) and contextual factors (i.e., living in an abortion-restrictive state) may …

Rewilding The Built Environment: Navigating Economic, Political, And Social Barriers To Urban Ecological Restoration, Carly E. Smith

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Urban rewilding offers a nature-based approach to restoring ecological processes in cities while advancing climate resilience, biodiversity, and public well-being. Unlike conventional green infrastructure, rewilding allows ecosystems to develop with minimal intervention, emphasizing succession, complexity, and long-term adaptability. This paper examines the political, economic, and social factors that frame how rewilding is understood and implemented in urban planning. Governmental frameworks often prioritize order, predictability, and short-term results, making it difficult to accommodate the uncertainty and ecological complexity that rewilding requires. Economic models struggle to capture its long-term value, frequently overlooking ecosystem services or reconciling competing land uses. Social perceptions of …

A Descriptive Study Of Black College Students’ Perceptions Of Law Enforcement After Police Brutality, Alisia L. Collins

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Police brutality is a social issue that has tormented the mental health of the Black community for decades. Seeing brethren battered and bruised countless times has taken an emotional toll on the relationship of the Black community with the American justice system and the officers meant to uphold it. Previous research has shown that the Black community primarily has a negative perception of law enforcement because of factors like police brutality, unjustified shootings, and legal policies within the justice system. Compounding experiences can occur for people with disabilities within the Black community. Specifically, autistic people have a higher risk of …

How Does County Industry Mix Matter For Working-Age Mortality?, Xue Zhang, Iliya Gutin, Shannon M. Monnat, Jennifer Karas Montez

Population Health Research Brief Series

The types of industries that dominate employment in a county shape the health of the entire community, even for people who don't work in those sectors. This brief summarizes findings of a study that examined how five major employment sectors—agriculture, manufacturing, mining and construction, services, and professional services—were associated with overall county-level mortality rates and with mortality from drug overdoses, suicides, alcohol-related causes, and cardiometabolic disease among U.S. adults ages 25-64 from 2000 to 2022 Data are from the National Vital Statistics System and County Business Patterns. Findings show that the effects of local industries shift vary across time and …

Digital Marketing Opportunities For The Advancement Of The Tourism Industry Case Study: Indihome Pt. Telekomunikasi Indonesia, Abiyyu Sangaji

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

Digital marketing is becoming increasingly important in the tourism industry as a way to reach a wider target market and increase sales. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method aimed at exploring digital marketing opportunities in the tourism industry through a case study of IndiHome PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia. The results of the study indicate that digital marketing can provide significant opportunities for the tourism industry, particularly in terms of the use of social media, websites, and engaging visual content. Furthermore, the results also show that the use of data and analytics can help companies optimize their digital marketing campaigns. However, …

Probation Officers' Experiences Working With Individuals Who Have Antisocial Personality Traits, Katherine Ore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In fulfilling their role of monitoring individuals outside of a prison setting, probation officers may encounter individuals who have antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) or antisocial personality (ASP) traits. Individuals who have ASP traits and are not diagnosed with ASPD are still impacted by recommendations of punishment, higher recidivism rates, and a lack of treatment resources provided. Individuals in the criminal justice system with ASP traits are not a new phenomenon, but there is a lack of research on the probation officers' experience working with these individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine and explore the experiences of probation …

Qualitative Insights Into The Complexity Of Calling: Moving Beyond Quantitative Boundaries, Jeannel King

The Qualitative Report

Why are deeply personal and lived experiences often reduced to standardized measurements? Calling is one such experience. Although widely recognized as complex, personal, and contextually shaped, the concept of calling has most often been researched through quantitative methods over the past two decades. This study employed qualitative content analysis (QCA) to examine how calling was researched across 267 peer-reviewed journal articles, trace methodological patterns, and consider how those choices influence the field’s conceptualizations of the construct. The analysis integrated deductive coding of methodological features and inductive identification of conceptual themes, refined through abductive synthesis. This hybrid strategy positioned the study …

Witnessing Healing Through Fantasy: Trauma, Community, And Art In A Court Of Thorns And Roses, Alexandria A. Remm

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Drawing on theorists such as Bruno Bettelheim, Lucy Bonds, Stef Craps, Dominick LaCapra, and Laura Loumeau-May, this paper explores the role of trauma and healing in Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series by examining protagonist Feyre Archeron’s journey. Specifically, Feyre’s journey with trauma and how she heals throughout the series. The analysis highlights how Feyre’s recovery is deeply tied to empathy, her acts of artistic creation, and her evolving relationships with others, especially with those who have also endured their own trauma. In addition to textual analysis, the paper incorporates reader and fan responses—particularly fanart …

Professional Development Program: Sexual And Gender Minorities Education And Training, Aiden Echols, Bs, Madison Via, Bs, Audrey L. Zapletal, Otd, Ms, Otr/L, Cla, Chse, Karla A. Bell, Pt, Dpt, Phd, Fnap

Department of Occupational Therapy Posters and Presentations

Background

LGBTQ+ communities experience health care and health disparities; some reasons include:

• barriers in care
• negative attitudes
• lack of awareness by healthcare providers.

Studies have found healthcare professionals are not adequately trained in LGBTQ+ care

Educators benefit from professional development related to LGBTQ+ inclusivity in higher education.

Community Factors And County-Level Cancer Screening, Prevalence, And Mortality, Alexandra R. Drake, Eric W. Christensen, Augusto C. Ochoa, William Small, Jinel Scott, Elizabeth Y. Rula

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Cancer screening, prevalence, and mortality vary across US counties; the broad set of community factors associated with these differences are not well understood. OBJECTIVE To assess the relative importance of diverse community measures for explaining county-level variance in cancer screening, prevalence, and mortality rates for breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This geospatial cross-sectional analysis across all US counties used random forest algorithms to estimate the relative importance of 24 community measures—including health behaviors and lifestyle, socioeconomic, and environment factors—as explanatory factors for cancer screening, prevalence, and mortality. For each cancer, county-level cancer screening and …

Resources And Strategies Needed To Address The Problem Of Child Labor In Erbil, Kurdistan Region Of Iraq, Evan Faiq

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child labor is an international practice that has been on the rise in some parts of the world including Erbil, the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the different resources needed but not available for the victims, how child labor has impacted the community, and how the criminal justice system can better approach the child labor issue and reduce it in Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq. Social conflict theory was used to guide the study. Data were collected from 15 interviews with individuals from different areas of the criminal justice department, local organizations …

Exploring Ex-Offenders’ Perceptions Of Their Learning Experiences And The Shape Of Criminal Activity In Louisiana, Carla Buntyn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of 12 formerly incarcerated males in Louisiana between the ages of 18 and 25, with a focus on their perspectives related to schooling, social environments, and involvement in criminal activity. Guided by general strain theory, the research explored how participants described their learning experiences under Common Core standards and whether they perceived connections between those experiences and their criminal activity. The research question asked: How do American male ex-offenders between the ages of 18 and 25 in Louisiana describe the relationship between Common Core learning experiences and their criminal activity? Data were collected …

Bridging Language Barriers In Data Analysis For Constructivist Grounded Theory Research: A Case Study In Chinese Context, Wenyu Li, Catherine Elliott O’Dare, Catherine Conlon

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative studies across diverse linguistic and cultural contexts are rising in global social settings. However, literature addressing the potential methodology challenges of conducting such research using constructivist grounded theory (CGT) remains limited. This paper, therefore, highlights potential challenges in the data analysis phase of cross-cultural research using CGT and suggests a three-phase language conversion strategy to minimize data loss while avoiding superficial analysis based on my Ph.D. research experience, where interviews are conducted in Chinese while the target language is English. Additionally, this paper reflects on the role of bilingual researchers in CGT cross-cultural studies, exploring how the bilingual research …

Police Officers’ Perceptions Of The Cultural, Structural, And Potential Training Barriers That Prevent Police Agencies From Adopting An Effective Emergency Response System, Allan David Dunham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the proven efficacy of the incident command system (ICS), police agencies face obstacles in effective critical incident response. This qualitative study explored the cultural, structural, and potential training barriers that hinder the adoption of the ICS within police agencies. The purpose was to investigate how police can more effectively adopt this unified command structure designed for multiagency emergency response. Guided by the theory of planned behavior, the research question addressed how California police officers’ attitudes, perceived social norms, and sense of behavioral control influence their adoption of incident command system principles. Data were collected using semistructured Zoom interviews with …

Analysing Visitor Perceptions Of Storytelling: The Eileen Gray Exhibition, National Museum Of Ireland, Dublin, Keeva Burns, Jacqui Doyle

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

Eileen Gray is widely regarded as a pioneer of twentieth century interior and furniture design. An exhibition of her work is on display in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin. This research aims to shed light on the perceptions and experiences of visitors to the museum. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to provide insights into the quality and standard of the museum storytelling in order to generate recommendations for the enhancement of the current visitor experience. A pragmatic approach is taken, utilising both quantitative and qualitative methods of surveys and participant observation. The findings reveal that …

Comparing Parents' And School Officials' Perceptions Of School Safety In A Rural Community In North Texas, Gidget S. Pettibon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With different types and sizes of school districts across the United States, not all federal safety and security recommendations will work for every school district. The school district stakeholders are important components to help administrators understand whether the current policies are working and provide recommendations for change. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and compare the perceptions of parents and school officials on safety practices at a rural school district in North Texas. Using routine activity theory, this study provided information on how current practices were perceived by stakeholders in ensuring a safe school environment. Data were …

Naturalizing Motherhood: Neoliberal Femininity And The Re-Traditionalization Of Gender In Turkey, Canan Tanir

Sociology Faculty Publications

The recent trends in the social construction of “good mothering” through “naturalism” have become remarkably definitive in Turkey in the last decade. This study presents data from in-depth interviews with naturalist mothers in Istanbul demonstrating four operative mechanisms in their narratives with regard to their conception of gender. Practices of naturalist motherhood depart from systemic criticism and opposition to the ongoing neoliberal conservatization process in Turkey. However, at the same time, they are congruent with the normalization of a patriarchal gender order in this context. I propose that addressing this controversy is contingent on problematizing the focus on choice and …

The Political Construction Of Anti-Transgender Policy: A Critical Policy Analysis Of North Carolina State Legislators' Discursive Strategies, David Osworth, Morgan Edlin

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

In recent year anti-LGBTQ policy has been cropping up at the state level across the United States. While these policies have been described as unprecedented, they signal a period of retrenchment for the rights of queer and transgender individuals in the United States. This critical policy analysis of North Carolina state legislation that is decidedly homophobic and transgender examines the discursive tactics of policy actors (i.e. North Carolina Legislators) as they argue these policies during legislative sessions. Through our analysis of legislators’ commentary during House of Representative sessions we identified discursive formations that were considered allied with the LGBTQ community …

Wayward Joy In Queer Femme-Inist Educational Research, Sarah Stapleton, Lindsay Cavanaugh, Jade Crimson Rose Da Costa

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

This article draws on our experiences with “Femme Educational Futurities,” a dream-mapping (Author 2, 2023), critical arts-based, participatory-informed project about softness in K–12 schools, to explore the boundaries of queer, femme-inist research. We trace how our attempts to enact research softly (Schwartz, 2020) led us towards wayward joy (Hartman, 2019): a messy affective terrain marked by connection, vulnerability, shame, and hope. For each author, we identify what Applebaum (1995) calls a “stop” moment and explore within each instance the convergence of softness, radical love (hooks, 2000) and tender failure (Halberstam, 2011), and discuss what joy means to us as a …

Atlas Of Ai: Power, Politics And The Planetary Costs Of Artificial Intelligence - Book Review, Jelena Popov

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Teaching About Abortion Access With Charley The Chatbot, Laura E. Willis, Kim O'Neill, Nicole Cushman

Feminist Pedagogy

Following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022) decision which countermanded federal abortion protections, artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to identify, monitor, and track people seeking medical treatment. The teaching activity presented here asks students to consider data privacy concerns and the role of AI in seeking abortion care, before introducing them to Charley the Chatbot, an AI interface designed to protect and inform abortion seekers. Students interact with the chatbot based on a series of fictional vignettes about abortion seekers in various stages of pregnancy and geographic locations. Following a peer discussions, students examine both how restrictive …

Justice Impacted Mothers: An Autoethnographic Study Exploring The Impacts Of Quality Prison Visitation With Children, Sarah E. Gore

PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal

This study explores the impacts of in-person visitation at correctional facilities and how the quality of this contact affects relationships between justice impacted mothers and their children. Little is known about these nuanced lived experiences as revealed by qualitative data and from someone who is mothering during incarceration. The literature on maternal incarceration is vast, but relies heavily on quantitative data. Existing research indicates facility visits, particularly those of high quality, offer constructive benefits such as reductions in maternal recidivism rates. However, separation during incarceration has shown higher risks for adolescent substance abuse, behavioral, and academic struggles. This study expands …

Sociology Between The Gaps Volume 10 (2025)

Sociology Between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics

No abstract provided.

Adult Adhd Is Linked To Higher Illicit Drug Use And Prescription Drug Misuse, Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel, Joshua Grove, Iliya Gutin, Shannon M. Monnat

Population Health Research Brief Series

Adolescents and young adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are more likely than their peers without ADHD to use illicit drugs and misuse prescription drugs. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the National Wellbeing Survey (NWS) to describe differences in lifetime and past-year use of 7 illicit drugs (marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and hallucinogens) and misuse of 4 categories of prescription medications (opioids, tranquilizers, sedatives, and stimulants) between U.S. adults ages 18-64 with and without self-reported healthcare provider-diagnosed ADHD in 2023. The authors find that adults with ADHD are 1.6 to 3.3 times …