Digital Commons Network^™

Factors Affecting Remote Workers’ Job Satisfaction In Utah: An Exploratory Study, Amanda D. Ali, Lendel K. Narine, Paul A. Hill, Dominic C. Bria

Extension Research

With structural changes in work arrangements, employee retention becomes more important for organizational success. Guided by the Ability, Motivation, Opportunity (AMO) framework, this study investigated the factors affecting remote workers’ job satisfaction and personal wellbeing in Utah. From a sample of n = 143 remote workers, the study used a correlational design to identify the significant predictors of job satisfaction and personal wellbeing. It mapped the relationships between significant predictors of job satisfaction and personal wellbeing and explored the role of human resources (HR) policies and organizational culture in a remote work environment. Results showed intrinsic motivation, affective commitment, opportunity, …

Utah College Sexual Behavior Survey: Initial Findings Report, Cris Meier, Julie Gast, Tyson Barrett, Melissa Ferguson, Demi Culianos, Lily Ward

Extension Research

The purpose of the Utah College Sexual Behavior project was to establish the reliability and validity of the retrospective measures used in the survey and gain a better understanding of the sexual behaviors of Utah youth by asking Utah State University (USU) students about their sexual behaviors as youth.

2021 Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative Annual Report, Aubrey Larsen

Extension Research

This report details the activities and accomplishments of the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative in 2021.

Pickleball For Inactive Mid-Life And Older Adults In Rural Utah: A Feasibility Study, Paige Wray, Callahan K. Ward, Cindy Nelson, Sandra H. Sulzer, Christopher J. Dakin, Brennan J. Thompson, Matthew Vierimaa, Debasree Das Gupta, David A. E. Bolton

Extension Research

Many diseases, disabilities, and mental health conditions associated with aging can be delayed or prevented through regular exercise. Several barriers to exercise, many of which are exacerbated in rural communities, prevent mid-life and older adults from accessing its benefits. However, recently, a racquet sport named pickleball has become popular among older adults, and it appears to overcome some of these barriers. We conducted a feasibility study to evaluate the impact of a six-week pickleball intervention on measures of muscle function, cognitive function, perceived pain, and cardio-metabolic risk, as well as several psychosocial factors contributing to adherence in sedentary rural participants. …

Professional Education To Reduce Provider Stigma Toward Harm Reduction And Pharmacotherapy, Sandra H. Sulzer, Suzanne Prevedel, Tyson Barrett, Maren Wright Voss, Cassandra Manning, Erin Fanning Madden

Extension Research

Aims: A novel professional training was developed to reduce stigma toward harm reduction and pharmacotherapy for substance use disorders.

Methods: The training was delivered over three sessions to n = 147 health professionals in Utah between 2019 and 2020, including n = 40 substance use disorder treatment professionals. Pre and post-training survey measures provided evaluation information on knowledge, attitudes, and planned action regarding harm reduction and pharmacotherapy. Items were grouped into a stigma score, and multilevel modeling, regression analyses, and McNemar tests were used to quantify changes in overall stigma toward harm reduction interventions both before and after the training. …

Recognition And Stigma Of Prescription Drug Abuse Disorder: Personal And Community Determinants, Robert Shupp, Scott Loveridge, Mark Skidmore, Brandn Green, Don Albrecht

Extension Research

Background

Prescription drug abuse (PDA) disorders continue to contribute to the current American opioid crisis. Within this context, our study seeks to improve understanding about stigma associated with, and symptom recognition of, prescription drug abuse.

Aims

Model the stigma and symptom recognition of PDA in the general population.

Methods

A randomized, nation-wide, online, vignette-focused survey of the general public (N = 631) was implemented with an oversample for rural counties. Logit estimation was used for analysis, with regional and county-level sociodemographic variables as controls.

Results

Individual respondents that self-identify as having or having had “a prescription drug abuse issue” were …

Importance Of Adding Objective Data To Stakeholder Data In Needs Assessments, Jonathan J. Swinton, Tasha Killian, Paige Wray

Extension Research

When completing a needs assessment, Extension professionals should include both objective county data and stakeholder input data. Specifically, Extension professionals should identify potential areas of need, source available objective data, source data from relevant county stakeholders, and analyze similarities and differences in objective and stakeholder data. Needs assessments should be conducted in this manner to confirm the needs of a county; address risk of data skewed by subjective stakeholder opinion, particularly in small counties; and identify areas of greatest need. This method has been shown to be effective through implementation in a target rural county.

Hosting Flame Cap Biochar Kiln Workshops To Teach Hazardous Fuel Reduction, Darren Mcavoy, Michael R. Kuhns, Megan Dettenmaier, Lauren Nicole Dupéy

Extension Research

The combination of large volumes of woody fuel needing disposal after forestry activities and evolving regulatory restrictions makes traditional methods of pile burning increasingly difficult. Alternatively, using small kilns to pyrolyze these fuels on-site yields a potentially valuable product: biochar. In this article, we describe an educational program on the use of small kilns for fuel treatment and biochar production. Survey results from our series of demonstrations indicate that 69% of respondents added biochar to their soils and 100% of respondents increased their interest in biochar. Moreover, we reduced hazardous fuel in Utah by more than 20 semitruck loads by …

Using Virtual Reality Equipment To Enhance Learning In Extension Youth Programming, Elizabeth Davis, Callie Ward, David Francis

Extension Research

This article provides information on how to use virtual reality equipment to increase participant engagement as well as suggestions for incorporating virtual reality activities into Extension youth programming. These are lessons learned through the use of virtual reality by Extension faculty. Virtual reality equipment can increase participant engagement and improve learning.

Scaling Community Health Coalitions: The Well Connected Communities Pilot Initiative, Sandra H. Sulzer, Stacey Macarthur, Zurishaddai Garcia, Christine E. Jensen, Suzanne Prevedel, Maren Wright Voss

Extension Research

We outline the process and development of the Well Connected Communities health initiative as undertaken in three Utah communities. This transformative community-focused alternative to addressing public health issues through Extension situates local communities as the origin for health decision making. The initiative recognizes the need for varied community statuses (i.e., planner, implementer, and innovator) based on varying levels of readiness and diversity of populations. We concluded that the Utah Well Connected Communities initiative aligns well with the 2014 Extension Committee on Organization and Policy National Framework for Health and Wellness. Replication requirements and implications for other Extension programs are presented.

Extension Needs Outreach Innovation Free From The Harms Of Social Media, Jonathan J. Swinton

Extension Research

Despite the outreach-building benefits of social media for Extension, it is time for Extension professionals to find new innovative ways to reach out that do not involve social media. An increasing body of research has demonstrated the harms social media use imparts on the health and well-being of those in our communities. Our future use of social media as a primary method of outreach may perpetuate these harms, requiring our best efforts to develop new methods of outreach that do not negatively affect those we serve.

Adaptability Of Tree Species As Windbreaks For Urban Farms In The U.S. Intermountain West, Sheriden M. Hansen, Jaydee Gunnell, Anthony Whaley, Xin Dai, Cole Harding, Brent L. Black

Extension Research

Windbreaks or shelterbelts are a management tool to protect crops from damaging horizontal wind flow, and may provide a useful buffer between farmland and urbanized areas by reducing pesticide drift, dust, and noise associated with farming activities. Plant selection for windbreaks in the Intermountain West can be difficult as high elevation coupled with extreme temperatures, high pH soils, and limited access to water are common. This study assessed eight tree species for suitability as a windbreak in the Intermountain West, with a particular focus on initial establishment and use at the urban–agriculture interface. Species were assessed for mortality, size, canopy …

Cooperative Extension And Sustainability Outreach: Programmatic Successes, Administrative Support, And Areas For Improvement, Roslynn Brain Mccann, Mark Apel, Clark Dove, Ramona Madhosingh-Hector, Jennison Kipp Searcy, David Kay

Extension Research

According to the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, without urgent global changes, climate catastrophe caused by warming of greater than 1.5°C will occur by 2030, endangering the planet's capacity to sustain human populations and livelihoods. The National Network for Sustainable Living Education administered a national survey in January 2017 to assess how well-positioned Extension is to address sustainability in the communities the organization serves. Educators from 40 states responded, and 1,395 usable surveys were received. Survey results will help Extension employees discover opportunities for innovation and relevancy in their programming.

Paving The Way: A Plan For Tackling Urban Forestry Challenges And Gaining Public Support, Lauren Nicole Dupéy, Megan Dettenmaier, Michael R. Kuhns, Darren Mcavoy, Mark W. Brunson

Extension Research

The benefits of urban trees are well known; however, tree roots often damage sidewalks, requiring root cutting, tree removal, and sidewalk replacement. We used alternative materials that allowed for tree retention and sidewalk replacement at two sites in northern Utah. From these projects, we developed a plan to help Extension professionals build support for novel urban forestry techniques and tools by forming collaborative partnerships, conducting public and professional outreach, and evaluating public opinions through the use of drop-off/pick-up surveys. Our project highlights the importance of having a proactive outreach plan when conducting Extension programming that involves new practices and products.

Boundaries Of The Construct Of Unemployment In The Pre-Retirement Years: Exploring An Expanded Measurement Of Lost-Work Opportunity, Maren Wright Voss, Soham Al Snih, Wei Li, Man Hung, Lorie Gage Richards

Extension Research

There is uncertainty related to whether retirement negatively affects health—possibly due to complexity around retirement decisions. Lost-work opportunity through unemployment or forced retirement has been shown to negatively affect health. Lost-work opportunity can be captured in two measurement fields, either a reported experience of being forced into retirement or reported unemployment. However, 17% of individuals retiring due to the loss of work opportunity identified in qualitative interviewing (i.e., unemployment, temporary lay-offs, company buy-outs, forced relocations, etc.) do not report this unemployment or involuntary retirement in quantitative survey responses. We propose broadening the conceptualization of late-career unemployment to incorporate other lost …

Development Of A Recommender System For Dental Care Using Machine Learning, Man Hung, Julie Xu, Evelyn Lauren, Maren Wright Voss, Megan N. Rosales, Weicong Su, Bianca Ruiz-Negrón, Yao He, Wei Li, Frank W. Licari

Extension Research

Resource mismanagement along with the underutilization of dental care has led to serious health and economic consequences. Artificial intelligence was applied to a national health database to develop recommendations for dental care. The data were obtained from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to perform machine learning. Feature selection was done using LASSO in R to determine the best regression model. Prediction models were developed using several supervised machine learning algorithms, including logistic regression, support vector machine, random forest, and classification and regression tree. Feature selection by LASSO along with the inclusion of additional clinically relevant variables identified …

A Re-Emergent Analysis Of Early Algebraic Learning, Steven Boyce, Diana Moss

Extension Research

In this paper, we discuss a novel approach for collaborative retrospective analysis. One researcher was directly involved in a classroom teaching experiment, adopting an emergent perspective as an interpreter-witness of classroom interactions during a four-week algebra instructional unit with sixth-grade students. The other researcher experienced and analyzed the data in reverse chronological order. We describe how this re-emergent perspective revealed aspects of students’ early algebraic reasoning.

Climate Change Adaptation In The Delta Nile Region Of Egypt: Implications For Agricultural Extension, Hazem S. Kassem, Abdel Raouf Suleiman Bello, Bader M. Alotaibi, Fahd O. Aldosri, Gary S. Straquadine

Extension Research

This study used quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data, using questionnaires and interviews, from 792 randomly-selected farmers in two of the governorates in the Nile Delta Region, Egypt. A workshop was organized for 59 extension professionals working in the two governorates, looking at how the adaptive capacity of the agricultural sector towards climate change was being guided by policy-makers. Two focus groups were used: one with senior officials from the regional governorates and the other with central government administrators from the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. The study findings suggested that 51.9% of the investigated farmers at the …

A Residential Camp’S Impact On Youths’ Leadership Skills And Natural Resource Knowledge, Shandra Nicole Frey, Vernon Parent

Extension Research

Learning transcends the classroom. To better understand the natural world around them, it is critical that youth have opportunities to make connections and apply their learning in real-world settings. Improving youths’ perceived skills and knowledge contributes to increased academic motivation and continued leadership development. Multi-day residential natural resource camps have shown the ability to teach ecological concepts and develop land management skills, critical thinking skills, and decision-making skills. We tested the ability of a remotely located residential camp to improve leadership skills and natural resource knowledge, using a pre- and post-camp self-assessment, combined with a pre- and post-camp knowledge test. …

Health Effects Of Late-Career Unemployment, Maren Wright Voss, Lori L. Wadsworth, Wendy Birmingham, M. Beth Merryman, Lisa Crabtree, Kathy Subasic, Man Hung

Extension Research

Objective: Job loss has a demonstrated negative impact on physical and mental health. Involuntary retirement has also been linked to poorer physical and mental health outcomes. This study examined whether late-career unemployment is related to involuntary retirement and health declines postretirement. Method: Analysis was conducted using the 2000-2012 U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS) survey data with unemployment months regressed with demographic and baseline health measures on physical and mental health. Results: Individuals with late-career unemployment reported more involuntary retirement timing (47.0%) compared with those reporting no unemployment (27.9%). Late-career unemployment had no significant effect on self-reported physical health (β …

Late-Career Unemployment Has Mixed Effects In Retirement, Maren Wright Voss, M. Beth Merryman, Lisa Crabtree, Kathy Subasic, Wendy Birmingham, Lori Wadsworth, Man Hung

Extension Research

Paid work forms a pattern of occupational engagement that shifts during both unemployment and retirement. Similar to unemployment, the occupational disruption associated with involuntary retirement has been linked to poorer physical and mental health outcomes. To better understand the health impact of work transitions during the pre- and post-retirement years, 24 retired individuals with late-career unemployment were interviewed at the Huntsman World Senior Games in October 2016. Demographic data were collected. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) approach was utilized to thematically analyse the interview data and interpretations were evaluated against existing theory. Themes identified included struggle, freedom, and transition, followed by …

Evaluating The Prediction Of Breast Cancer Survival Using Lymph Node Ratio, Man Hung, Julie Xu, Dominique Nielson, Jerry Bounsanga, Yushan Gu, Alec Roger Hansen, Maren Wright Voss

Extension Research

Purpose: Previous oncological studies showed that lymph node ratio (LNR) (ratio of number of lymph nodes that tested positive for metastasis to the total number of lymph nodes examined) is a negative indicator of cancer survival. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system incorporates tumor size, lymph node involvement, and metastasis in a comprehensive model of cancer progression, but LNR alone has been shown to outperform the AJCC system in prognostic and survival predictions for various types of cancer. The effectiveness of LNR has not been evaluated in breast cancer staging. Evaluating LNR for predicting cancer staging in …