Digital Commons Network^™

Undergraduate Major And Covid-19 Vaccination Rates Among University Of South Carolina Students, Rebecca Stoltz

Senior Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new vaccines to the forefront of public attention, and with it came a wide array of different opinions. The University of South Carolina did not require students to receive a COVID vaccine, so the decision was left entirely to the individual. Many of my peers have shown support or voiced opposition to the vaccine, and I noticed that those who opposed tended to fall within certain major categories. This study seeks to determine whether a correlation exists between undergraduate major groups and vaccination status, and to gather student attitudes and concerns surrounding vaccines. Among 172 survey …

Racial Differences In Hormonal Contraception Use And Accessibility Among University Of South Carolina-Columbia Undergraduate Women, Ian L. Mencken

Senior Theses

The objective of this study is to see if there are racial disparities in hormonal contraception use amongst USC Columbia undergraduate women, similar to nationwide trends noted in previous studies. This research is important as undesired pregnancies are more prevalent for Black and Hispanic women, and recent legislative changes throughout the nation - and specifically in South Carolina - are challenging abortion rights, thereby increasing the importance of birth control in preventing an undesired pregnancy. Increasing access to hormonal birth control serves to increase body autonomy and a woman’s agency over reproduction, specifically in the face of these current challenges …

The Ethical Challenges Of Newborn Screening Programs In The United States, Devin Donovan

Senior Theses

Newborn screening programs have been mandated throughout the United States since the 1960s, and technological advancements have allowed for their evolution into the essential public health entities they are today (Arnold 558). These programs screen newborns for a variety of congenital and genetic conditions in all states, but each state varies in conditions screened and policies for collecting and using samples. Residual blood spots are a key component of these programs because they are often used for secondary purposes, such as for quality assurance and public health or biomedical research (Botkin et al. 121). Ethical challenges have arisen related to …

Bad Blood: Octavia E. Butler Takes A Bite Out Of Gender And Racial Stereotypes In Fledgling, Abigail Cole

Senior Theses

For contemporary audiences the word “vampire” typically conjures two figures: a Damon Salvatore-esque[1] man with devil may care eyes, dark hair and an equally dark past. Dripping with sex and charm, he struggles with an internal dilemma, his animalistic urge to kill constantly at war with his human morality. On the other hand, we have the sexy, scantily clad white female vampire who uses her feminine wiles and socially “perfect” body to prey upon poor, unsuspecting men, until she is eventually corralled into domestic submission, or killed. While this description fits the broader scale of what the vampiric figure …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Pediatric Emergency Department Visits For Asthma: A Scoping Review, Peyton Law, Robin Dawson

Senior Theses

Background & Objective: Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the most common reasons for ED visits among children ages 0-18 were acute upper respiratory infections and asthma, a chronic disease that causes narrowing and swelling in the airways of the lungs. Asthma has various triggers, one of the most common being respiratory tract infections that further impair the airways (Busse et al., 2010). Caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 infection is associated with respiratory symptoms including shortness of breath, congestion, coughing, and sore throat. While there was a sharp decline in the number of total pediatric ED after the …

An Analysis Of Juvenile Gun Violence Mitigation In Columbia, South Carolina, Amelia Shook

Senior Theses

Over the past ten years, the United States has been impacted by the increasing frequency of homicides due to gun violence. Juvenile homicides via firearms are examined on a national, state, and county level by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and analyzed to showcase adjusted age and years of potential life lost due to gun violence. Data obtained through a CDC database depicts the geographic areas being examined: United States, South Carolina, and Richland County. South Carolina will be singled out and examined individually as it ranks eighth highest in the United States for gun violence. Richland …

The Fate Of The Language Is The Fate Of The People: A Cultural Analysis Of Language Education Policy In Central Asia, Bethany A. Reeve

Senior Theses

With a shared history under the Soviet Union, the five Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have spent the past one hundred years dealing with quickly changing language policy and ethnic relations. Under the policy of the USSR, native languages of Central Asia were repressed, and Russian was introduced as the main language of interethnic communication. After they gained independence in 1991, however, each of the five countries embarked on missions to restore the strength of each of their national languages and de-Russify their political, economic, and educational systems. Throughout the region, one of the main …

That’S My Deity: An Examination Of Online Lokean Cultures Through Log-Linear Modeling, Mary Bernstein

Senior Theses

A rise in online religious communities and the growth of so-called ‘Old World’ religions are reflected in the internet’s subcultures of Neopaganism, a growing religious movement that has been documented in America since the 1960s. The religions under this umbrella movement vary drastically and include belief systems such as Wicca, Druidry, and deity worship. Belief systems under this movement lack the traditional hierarchy found in structured religion and lack a singular sacred text. As such, believers usually find and support one another not through a physical sacred place of meeting, but through an online community that acts as sacred space. …

Factors Associated With Knowledge And Experience Of Self-Managed Abortion Among Patients Seeking Care At 49 Us Abortion Clinics, Abigail R.A. Aiken, Luisa Alejandra Tello-Pérez, Melissa Madera, Jennifer E. Starling, Dana M. Johnson, Kathleen Broussard, Elisa Padron, Carol Armelle Ze-Noah, Aleta Baldwin, James G. Scott

Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Patients attending US abortion clinics may consider or try self-managing their abortion before coming to the clinic, yet little is known about the factors associated with self-management behavior.

OBJECTIVE To examine the prevalence and factors associated with considering or attempting a self-managed abortion before attending a clinic.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This survey study included patients obtaining an abortion at 49 independent, Planned Parenthood, and academic-affiliated clinics chosen to maximize diversity in geographic, state policy, and demographic context in 29 states between December 2018 and May 2020. Data were analyzed from December 2020 to July 2021.

EXPOSURES Obtaining an …

Effect Of Action Selection Demands On The Execution Of Goal-Directed Reaches, James Garrison Riedy

Theses and Dissertations

A well-studied model of cognitive motor function is the process of action selection. It is unclear how the planning demands of a reaching movement interact with the added complexity of s election. Therefore, this thesis investigated the effect of adding selection demands to the performance of skilled reaches in a virtual environment. Thirty young, healthy participants reached ipsilaterally or contralaterally with either their dominant (right hand) or non-dominant (left hand) under two conditions: execute only (EO) and action selection (AS). Selection accuracy was higher for the EO condition than the AS condition for both arms and both directions (left arm: …

Whistleblower Protection In Higher Education: A California Case Study, Frank D. Lomonte, Alexandra Kurtz

The Journal of Law and Education

No abstract provided.

Falling Short Of "Minimally Adequate": How South Carolina's Low Standard For Education Must Be Reinterpreted Student Note, Jordan H. Lester

The Journal of Law and Education

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Impact Of Personalized Professional Learning On Technology Integration In The Classroom, Angela Bishop Burgess

Theses and Dissertations

Classroom access to technology such as a computer or the Internet does not guarantee a high-level of integration of technology by the teacher or application by the student. Tools that could be used to increase student creation or personalized learning opportunities may instead be used by the teacher at lower levels of use that replace non-technological tools. The purpose of this action research was to implement and evaluate the impact of technology-focused personalized professional learning on participants’ use of and attitudes towards classroom technology. It attempted to show that modeling technology integration in professional learning opportunities for educators could have …

Family Therapy, K-12 Public Education, And Discipline Risk: A Scoping Review And Relationship Analysis Multiple Manuscript Dissertation, Cara Melinda Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation contains two studies that examine family therapy services within public schools related to behavioral or discipline concerns. Both studies stem from an ecological and family systems theoretical framework in examining relationships between the student, family, and school systems. The first study is a scoping review on family therapy within a school context related to a behavioral or discipline concern and provided by a clinical mental health counselor or family therapist. This scoping review summarized both empirical and conceptual literature by type and degree of school context, type of behavioral issue addressed, interventions, and outcomes measured or contributions. The …

The South Carolina Beachfront Management Act And Debordieu Colony: A Case Study In South Carolina's Beach Erosion Issues, Julian Henning Iv

South Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Case For Oud Treatment: Why South Carolina's Legislature Should Require The State's Correctional Facilities To Provide Opioid Agonist Medications For Individuals In Their Custody With Opioid Use Disorder, Edward B. Mitchell

South Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

Medieval Methods In Modern Times: The Constitutionality Of South Carolina's Senate Bill 200 And The Creation Of A Firing Squad As A Means Of Execution, Halee M. Smith

South Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

A State Of Affairs For A State In Need Of Repairs: An Analysis Of South Carolina's Separation Of Powers Precedent, Domenic J. Sciortino

South Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

Far From Home: The Role Of Travel Distance And Care Fragmentation In Surgical Outcomes For Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Alexander Booth, Henry Colorado, Gayenell Magwood Phd, Rn, Faha, Faan, Erin Forster, Robert N. Axon, Thomas Curran

Publications

BACKGROUND: Fragmented care for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is known to correlate negatively with outcomes, but it is unclear which aspects of care fragmentation are relevant and potentially modifiable. Furthermore, there is little data on the relationship between travel distance and the benefits of integrated care models. Hypothesizing care coordination in the preoperative period may have a significant impact on surgical outcomes, we explored associations between integrated care, travel distance, and surgical outcomes. METHODS: A single-center retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing index abdominal surgery was done to compare the rate of surgical complications with and without long travel distance …

To Obtain Informed Consent Or Not To Obtain Informed Consent? Drones For Health Programs In The Grey Zone Between Research And Public Health, Vyshnave Jeyabalan, Lorie Donelle, Patrick Meier, Elysée Nouvet

Publications

Drones are increasingly being introduced to support healthcare delivery around the world. Most Drones for Health projects are currently in the pilot phase, where frontline staff are testing the feasibility of implementing drones into their healthcare system. Many of these projects are happening in remote localities where populations have been historically under-served within national healthcare systems. Currently, there exists limited drone-specific guidance on best practices for engaging individuals in decision-making about drone use in their communities. Towards supporting the development of such guidance, this paper focuses on the issue of obtaining community and individual consent for implementing Drones for Health …

Survival Models With Background Mortality, Shujie Chen

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we focus on studying three mixture cure models with background mortality. With the development of treatment, patients may be cured and suffer from other cause of death. The cure model with background mortality can measure the population cure which refers to the patients with comparable mortality with their counterpart in general population. Three types of survival models are investigated, including generalized odds rate (GOR) model, cure model with background mortality for right censoring and interval censoring, and extended illness death model via incorporating “cure” fraction. All methods are validated via comprehensive simulation studies and real data application. …

Coaching To Success: Moving From A Fixed Mindset To A Growth Mindset Through Positive Motivation, Shannon Dianna Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore my students’ belief perseverance and fixed mindset and help them shift toward self-determination and a growth mindset. Incorporating goal setting, positive intentions, and coachable techniques in my sixth-grade math class, I collected data through an observation journal, student artifacts, and pre and post assessments. I found that goal setting, positive intentions, and coaching techniques enabled students to shift from belief perseverance toward self-determination that will transfer into life outside of the classroom. My findings showed helping students move from a fixed mindset to one of growth is possible but takes time. Creating …

The Impact Of Follower-Influencer Relationship Stages On Consumers’ Perceptions And Behavioral Intentions In The Context Of Influencer Marketing, Khalid Obaid Alharbi

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the impacts of the relationship between social media influencers and followers on consumers trusting influencers, being inspired by them, and perceiving mutual benefits in this relationship, which could increase how consumers value and respond to influencers' endorsement. Using an online panel (N = 559), the survey results indicate a stronger relationship between an influencer and a follower increases the likelihood that the follower will view the influencer as trustworthy, draw inspiration from the influencer, and perceive that they share reciprocal benefits in this relationship. The trustworthiness and inspirational value of an influencer, as well as their …

Examining Associations Between Social Needs And Mental Health Among Youth And Young Adults With Diabetes, Andrea Danielle Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Household food insecurity (HFI) disproportionally affects people with diabetes living in the United States and is more likely to occur in households with children and in minority race/ethnicity households. Food insecure people with youth-onset diabetes likely have increased risk for poor mental health due to dealing with stress and cost related to diabetes management, especially if facing additional health-related social needs that intersect with HFI. If left untreated, poor mental health among youth and young adults (YYA) with diabetes can lead to diabetes-related complications, increased health care costs, and mortality. Yet few studies have examined associations between HFI and mental …

Portrayals Of Roman Catholicism In North American Children’S And Adolescent Literature Following Vatican Ii, Kathleen Anna Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

While American children’s literature scholars have analyzed issues of Christianity broadly, and there are many considerations of Roman Catholicism within European children’s literature scholarship, there is a lack of scholarly discourse regarding Roman Catholicism within children’s literature published in the United States. This dissertation considers how North American children’s and adolescent literature approach the issues that preoccupied North American Roman Catholicism post-Vatican II as well as how such portrayals have impacted readers’ understanding of the faith during this vital period of transition within the Church. Chapter 1 focuses on the way young adult literature published in the early 1970s addressed …

Cashing The Check Of Democracy The American Revolution And Citizenship In The Black Freedom Struggle 1960-1970, Zachary Earle Clary

Theses and Dissertations

Separated into three interconnected parts, this thesis first proposes a reconfiguration of the vocabulary that historians use when classifying the memory and legacy of the American Revolution in the twentieth century. From there, I offer a comparative analysis of the Black Freedom Struggle’s relationship to the Declaration of Independence and other components of the American Revolution to demonstrate that the Revolution, while useful as a rhetorical tool or a conceptual model, functioned primarily as a counterpoint to the twentieth-century quest for Black citizenship. In other words, the American Revolution was a formidable example of radical protest in the American past, …

When They See Us: The Lived Experiences Of Tenured Black Male Faculty At Research 1 Institutions, Quintavis Marquel Cureton

Theses and Dissertations

Numerous research studies have been conducted on the experiences of Black faculty, faculty of color, and Black female faculty in the academy. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about the lived experiences of Black male faculty, especially the lived experiences of tenured Black male faculty at Research 1 (R1) institutions. There remains a dearth of research that examines and amplifies voice to the experiences of tenured Black male faculty. It is essential to understand how Black male faculty have navigated their way through earning the rank of tenure at an R1 institution. This research provides a roadmap for …

Detecting Spatially Varying Coefficient Effects With Conditional Autoregressive Models: A Simulation Study Using Social Determinants Of Health Screening Data, Reid J. Demass

Theses and Dissertations

Generalized linear models which include spatially varying coefficient terms allow researchers to determine if the association between predictor and outcome variables vary across geographic space. Such models are particularly applicable to research with public health data where interventions and limited health care resources must be allocated carefully. The integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) methodology available in the R INLA package is a popular tool to estimate spatially varying coefficients. To assess the performance of the estimation procedure, patient emergency department (ED) visits were simulated from data sourced from a pilot study at Prisma Health. The INLA technique was used to …

Aortopathies: Mechanism Of Pathogenesis And Therapy, Mengistu G. Gebere

Theses and Dissertations

The aorta is the largest artery in the body which is directly connected to the left ventricle of the heart and functions as an elastic conduit that transports the ejected blood from the left ventricle to peripheral vessels. There are three layers to the aortic wall, tunica intima, tunica media, and tunica adventitia. The tunica media, the thickest middle layer, is composed of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) and the extracellular matrix (ECM) as its essential components. SMCs are circumferentially arranged and embedded in elastic lamellae. They are responsible for producing and maintaining/remodeling the extracellular matrix of the aortic media. …

Sex Differentials In Frailty In Medieval Ireland, Allison Claire Ham

Theses and Dissertations

Population sex differentials in morbidity and mortality are influenced by genetic, hormonal, behavioral, and environmental mechanisms, and in the majority of living human populations, females experience longer lifespans and lower mortality risks, but paradoxically, greater morbidities compared to males. This dissertation project explored sex differentials in frailty (i.e., relative risk of death compared to others in the population) in medieval Ireland to address the existing temporal and contextual limitations for interpreting how far back the modern female health-mortality paradox extends. The project had three main objectives: examine sex differentials in mortality risks between the early (500-1100 CE) and late medieval …