Digital Commons Network^™

Health Inequities As Measured By The Eq-5d-5l During Covid-19: Results From New York In Healthy And Diseased Persons, Erica I. Lubetkin, Di Long, Juanita A. Haagsma, Mathieu F. Janssen, Gouke J. Bonsel

Publications and Research

Introduction: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic caused considerable psychological and physical effects in healthy and diseased New Yorkers aside from the effects in those who were infected. We investigated the relationship between known risk-enhancing and health-promoting factors (social and medical), comorbidity indicators, and, as the primary outcome, health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods: Between April 22 and May 5, 2020, a market research agency (Dynata) administered a digital survey including the EQ-5D-5L and items related to individual characteristics, social position, occupational and insurance status, living situation, exposures (smoking and COVID-19), detailed chronic conditions, and experienced access to care to …

Technology In The Security Sector: Mexico, Vanessa J. Gutierrez, Melina Ponte, Angiee Rosario, Arleen Castillo, Henry Saldarriaga, Hector Tejeda, Stephanie Reich, Rosemary Barberet

Publications and Research

The use of technology in policing seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the daily duties police officers may encounter. However, there is mixed empirical data on the use of technology and if it is really contributing to the institutional goals of the security sector, or, if it is contributing to other factors. This report provides an exploratory approach to understanding what information technology is being used in Mexico at the state level, in order to compare where broader application of information technology could make impactful contributions to the security situation in the country.

With a focus on six …

Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Care Continuum Of Youth Living With Hiv: Qualitative Study Of The Scale It Up Program Clinical Sites, Tyra Dark, Sitaji Gurung, Mary Dooley, Kit N. Simpson, Seyram A. Butame, Sylvie Naar

Publications and Research

The study objective was to explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on the clinics’ ability to provide continuous healthcare services to youth (15–24 years) living with HIV (YLWH). One focused semi-structured interview was conducted with each HIV clinic site—resulting in ten interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques assisted by NVIVO coding software and themes indicating barriers and facilitators to providing uninterrupted healthcare were elicited. Six themes were identified that affected the care continuum of YLWH: Timeframe of clinic preparation to address COVID-19 restrictions; impact on treatment cascade monitoring data; impact on patient care; impact on staff and …

Medical Avoidance Among Marginalized Groups: The Impact Of The Covid‑19 Pandemic, Amani R. Holder‑Dixon, Olivia R. Adams, Tianna L. Cobb, Alison J. Goldberg, Rachel A. Fikslin, Mora A. Reinka, Amanda N. Gesselman, Devon M. Price

Publications and Research

Medical avoidance is common among U.S. adults, and may be emphasized among members of marginalized communities due to discrimination concerns. In the current study, we investigated whether this disparity in avoidance was maintained or exacerbated during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We assessed the likelihood of avoiding medical care due to general-, discrimination-, and COVID-19-related concerns in an online sample ( N = 471). As hypothesized, marginalized groups (i.e., non-White race, Latinx/e ethnicity, non-heterosexual sexual orientation, high BMI) endorsed more general- and discrimina - tion-related medical avoidance than majoritized groups. However, marginalized groups were equally likely to seek COVID-19 …

Pre‑K Teachers’ Professional Identity Development At Community‑Based Organizations During Universal Pre‑K Expansion In New York City, Sanae Akaba, Lacey E. Peters, Eva Liang, Sherryl B. Graves

Publications and Research

This study examines how policy directives and recommendations implemented during a massive universal Pre-Kindergarten expansion in New York City has impacted teachers’ professional identity. We adapted the critical ecologies of the early childhood profession by Dalli et al. (Early childhood grows up: Towards a critical ecology of the profession. In Early childhood grows up, Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 3–19, 2012) and utilized data from in-depth interviews with teachers at community-based organizations in Pre-K programs. Our thematic analysis of transcripts revealed three themes in relation to teachers’ professional identity: becoming a teacher who can play multiple roles to meet administration’s expectations is …

Mobilizing For What? Polarized Citizens And Electoral Turnout In Transitioning Tunisia, H. Ege Ozen, Andrew Bennett, Ekrem Karakoc

Publications and Research

In countries that have recently transitioned to democracy, what factors most drive citizens to mobilize and participate in early elections? Many comparative studies on democratization and elections stress the vital importance of early elections in new democracies – with voter turnout inexorably linked to a democracy’s long-term stability and legitimacy – however, much of this literature focuses on aggregate rather than individual-level behaviour, and very little targets the Middle East/North Africa region. This study closely examines individual voting behaviour in democratizing Tunisia’s critical second election in 2014. We argue that amidst great uncertainty, the polarizing issues of national and political …

Is The Phq-9 A Unidimensional Measure Of Depression? A 58,272-Participant Study, Renzo Bianchi, Jay Verkuilen, Sharon Toker, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Markus Gerber, Elmar Brähler, Kurt Kroenke

Publications and Research

The PHQ-9 has become a measure of reference in depression research and clinical practice. However, the issue of the PHQ-9’s unidimensionality has not been fully elucidated, and the usability of the PHQ-9’s total score requires clarification. In this study, we examined the dimensionality, scalability, and monotonicity properties of the PHQ-9 as well as the scale’s total-score reliability. We did so based on exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) bifactor analysis and Mokken scale analysis (MSA). We relied on a total of 58,272 participants (63% female; Mage = 43, SDage = 13) from 29 samples involving seven different countries (e.g., Germany, the …

Neoliberal Hegemonic Masculinity And Mcmindfulness: The Need For Buddhist Values And Principles In Mindful Masculinity Programs, David Forbes

Publications and Research

This paper explores how certain Buddhist-inspired principles such as impermanence of self and compassion for all (metta) and the practice of mindfulness can contribute to challenging ways in which young men adopt troublesome aspects of systemic patriarchy. It (1) briefly examines the problem of systemic patriarchy in its most dominant forms, neoliberal hegemonic masculinity and right-wing racist authoritarian masculinity; (2) critically discusses examples of mindfulness education and counseling programs for young men that have been severed from their Buddhist origins (McMindfulness) that attempt to challenge young men around patriarchal beliefs and thoughts but end up reproducing neoliberal hegemonic masculinity; (3) …

Longitudinal Patterns Of Suicidality Among Heroin Users In Johannesburg, South Africa: A Need For Suicide Screening And Intervention, Nirvana Morgan, Ellen-Ge Denton, Ugasvaree Subramaney, William Daniels, Tilman Steinert

Publications and Research

Objectives: The objective of the study was to longitudinally assess the outcomes and correlates of suicidal ideation and behavior (SIB) among heroin users who attended inpatient detoxification and psychosocial rehabilitation. SIB was assessed in 300 heroin users upon entry into inpatient detoxification (baseline) as well as 3-months (t1) (n = 252; 84%) and 9-months (t2) (n = 225; 75%) post treatment. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the demographic, clinical and treatment related factors that increased the risk for a high SIB score.

Results: From baseline to t1 there was a significant decrease in the proportion of …

Treatment Of Gravitational Pulling Sensation In Patients With Mal De Debarquement Syndrome (Mdds): A Model-Based Approach, Sergei B. Yakushin, Theodore Raphan, Catherine Cho

Publications and Research

Perception of the spatial vertical is important for maintaining and stabilizing vertical posture during body motion. The velocity storage pathway of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), which integrates vestibular, optokinetic, and proprioception in the vestibular nuclei vestibular-only (VO) neurons, has spatio-temporal properties that are defined by eigenvalues and eigenvectors of its system matrix. The yaw, pitch and roll eigenvectors are normally aligned with the spatial vertical and corresponding head axes. Misalignment of the roll eigenvector with the head axes was hypothesized to be an important contributor to the oscillating vertigo during MdDS. Based on this, a treatment protocol was developed using simultaneous …

On Power’S Doorstep: Gays, Jews, And Liminal Complicity In Reproducing Masculine Domination, Andrew J. Shapiro

Publications and Research

This article explores the gender complexities of men caught between social power and powerlessness. Specifically, I consider the cases of Jewish men and gay men in the late modern West, two demographics with deep historic ties to both abjection and privilege. Such "in-between-ness” steers many, especially those who are white, cisgender, and/or otherwise privileged, toward what I term liminal complicity, a normative adaptation whereby men embrace manly ideals while disavowing femininity in themselves and others. I synthesize cultural, interactionist, and psychoanalytic literatures on stigma, boundaries, and gender practice to articulate liminal complicity as both an emotional retreat from stigmatization and …

Design Game-Based Learning: Playtesting A Thesis, Micheal Lewis, Kimberly Ramgopal, Cindy Veliz

Publications and Research

Design game-based learning helps students understand interdisciplinary studies as they write a research paper. This presentation explores our use of game design in a team-taught interdisciplinary language and technology general education course. We are students majoring in computer engineering technology, computer systems technology, and construction management and civil engineering technology. Our focus on design allowed us to create tabletop games to playtest our theses and showcase our original ideas.

Sociopolitical Determinants Of Health In The Proposed Rezoning Of Richmond Hill/Ozone Park, Ny, Khemraj J. Persaud

Publications and Research

The community of Richmond Hill/Ozone Park, Queens, NY has been split into multiple zones and has needed rezoning for decades. The area consists of a range of people from different ethnic backgrounds, including Indo-Caribbean, South Asian, and Afro-Caribbean. Racial health disparities persist in this district, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. I conducted research about how ongoing political issues in this community has been affecting the overall health of its residents and what is being done about it.

Open Lab Vs. Radiologic Students Final Practical Grades, Navdeep Kaur, Safraz Harun, Katie Tam, Robert O'Brien

Publications and Research

Open Lab provides the students of the Radiologic Technology & Medical Imaging Department the opportunity outside regular class time to practice communicating effectively in a health care setting, and grants the students the freedom to craft critical thinking skills in a radiologic environment. Our research aims to analyze the correlation between hourly time spent in Open Lab, and its contributing factor to a student's overall Radiographic Procedures grade. The amount of time spent in Open Lab can additionally contribute to a student's grasp of didactic concepts, and their integration into the clinical setting. Additional time spent in the laboratory can …

Our Stories, Katelyn S. Lopez

Publications and Research

This semester, we participated in the “Our Stories” qualitative research project that involves learning more about students' first year, and first-semester experiences at City Tech during pandemic times. As we organized and read students’ posts, we journaled and practiced reflexivity, a qualitative research process that helps us examine how we are interpreting the data that we are engaging with. T Reflexivity is a process in qualitative research involving frequent examination of one’s position in the project. These positions include one’s assumptions, feelings, and so forth. An essential question for qualitative researchers, according to Leavy (2011), is “Has the researcher engaged …

Depression Is Associated With Myocardial Infarction Within A Two-Year Period Among Adults In China, Lydia W. Li, Greta Cheng, Hongwei Xu, Zhenmei Zhang, Jinyu Liu, Yeates Conwell

Publications and Research

We examined whether baseline depression is associated with MI within a two-year period among adults aged 45+ in China and whether the association varies by sociodemographic characteristics. Two-year longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of people aged 45+ in China were analyzed (N = 15,226). MI within the 2-year period was coded dichotomously. Baseline depression, assessed by the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, was used as a dichotomous and a continuous variable. After adjusting for medical conditions, lifestyle and sociodemographic characteristics, the odds of having an MI within the 2-year period were 46% greater for respondents with …

Female Prisoners, Mental Health, And Contact With Family And Friends, Katarzyna Celinska, Irina Fanarraga

Publications and Research

The present study explores the psychological symptoms of 194 female inmates housed in a northeast state prison. Imprisoned women completed Derogatis’ (2001) Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and responded to questions on the frequency of contact with family and friends via phone calls, letters, and visitations. The results showed significant correlations between psychological symptoms and modes of contact. Multiple regression models revealed that certain types of contact with family and friends had a statistically significant impact on the self-reported psychological symptoms of female inmates. Policy implications and recommendations are discussed.

An Oer / Coil Project On "Society And Cross-Cultural Interaction: Verbal And Non-Verbal Communication Across Cultures", Oluremi "Remi" Alapo

Publications and Research

The presenter’s goal is to discuss the research she has developed: an OER [open educational resources] course content and how she co-designed a COIL [collaborative online international learning] partnership course that was used by students in diversity and multicultural education courses which focused on race and ethnicity, how we see things based on several factors, how it influences the choices and decisions we make; how to deal positively with conflicts that inevitably arise in working /living situations with people of diverse cultures.

This course was structured to raise multicultural awareness and fortify students’ social skills in dealing with racial and …

Acknowledging The Relevance Of Elephant Sensory Perception To Human–Elephant Conflict Mitigation, Robbie Ball, Sarah L. Jacobson, Matthew S. Rudolph, Miranda Trapani, Joshua M. Plotnik

Publications and Research

Elephants are well known for their socio-cognitive abilities and capacity for multi-modal sensory perception and communication. Their highly developed olfactory and acoustic senses provide them with a unique non-visual perspective of their physical and social worlds. The use of these complex sensory signals is important not only for communication between conspecifics, but also for decisions about foraging and navigation. These decisions have grown increasingly risky given the exponential increase in unpredictable anthropogenic change in elephants’ natural habitats. Risk taking often develops from the overlap of human and elephant habitat in Asian and African range countries, where elephants forage for food …

Managing Illegality On Campus: Undocumented Mismatch Between Students And Staff, Holly E. Reed, Sofya Aptekar, Amy Hsin

Publications and Research

Contributing to the literature on the institutional experiences of undocumented youth, this essay by Holly E. Reed, Sofya Aptekar, and Amy Hsin explores undocumented and “DACAmented” students’ experiences managing their illegality on campus and how college staff and faculty manage that illegality while organizing programs and support. Their analysis of in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with more than a hundred undocumented college students and former students and thirty-five faculty and staff members at the City University of New York identifies multiple points of tension. The “undocumented mismatch” between campus management of illegality and student experiences was evident in the exclusion and …

Occupational Depression In A Spanish-Speaking Sample: Associations With Cognitive Performance And Work-Life Characteristics, Bianchi Renzo, Guadalupe Manzano García, Maria Pilar Montanes, Emily A. Schonfeld, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

This 386-participant study investigated the structural and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI). Exploratory structural equation modeling bifactor analysis revealed that the ODI meets the requirements for essential unidimensionality. Measurement invariance held across our sample and the English- and French-speaking samples used in the ODI’s initial validation study. Mokken scale analysis indicated that (a) the scalability of the instrument was strong, (b) no violations of monotonicity or local independence were present, and (c) invariant item ordering was sufficiently accurate. The ODI’s reliability was optimal. The ODI exhibited both convergent validity and discriminant validity vis-à-vis …

Clcd (Children's Literature Comprehensive Database) Enterprise, Sonali Sugrim

Publications and Research

CLCD Enterprise is one of three products offered by CLCD (Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database), LLC. CLCD Enterprise is an online database that provides access to book reviews, thematic lists, award winning content and curriculum tools of disparate collections for grade pre-K through 12 media of all types. The database allows for power search, advanced search, and award search options for browsing and locating content. CLCD Enterprise is available through a subscription and valuable for those in education, library and information science and literature fields looking for a tool to expand on collection and curriculum development, and reader advisory suggestions for …

Medical Norm Of Psychiatric Misdiagnoses In Rare Disease Patients, Rachel Han

Publications and Research

Spring 2022 ENG 120 Student Final Research Paper on the medical norm of psychiatric misdiagnosis throughout the diagnostic journeys of rare disease patients. The idea of a norm was taken from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Tedx Talk "The Danger of a Single Story". Paper discusses prevalence, harmful effects, and origin of this medical norm. Includes discussion of statistical data quoted relating to prevalence of rare diseases as well as anecdotal evidence of the severe ramifications of this norm. Discussion of how medically unexplained symptoms such as mysterious chronic pain often lead to the phenomenon of the psychogenic inference. Origins of this …

Parent Perspectives On Early Childhood Education Integration, Maria S. Mavrides Calderon, Gregory Brender

Publications and Research

Former Mayor De Blasio made the expansion of 3-K for All and Pre-K for All a top priority of his administration. In its re-procurement of contracts for community-based early childhood education providers, the De Blasio administration’s Department of Education made it a priority for programs to “foster socio-economic integration at the classroom level.” Mayor Eric L. Adams has spoken of his own experience being educated in segregated schools and has called for students to be exposed to more diverse environments (Shapiro, 2021). It is up to his administration to implement the changes that will foster desegregation in New York City’s …

Home Sweet Home? Examining Residential Instability And Preschoolers’ Early Mathematics Development, Marisha Kashyap

Publications and Research

In 2020, approximately 13% of all children under five experienced residential instability. Residential instability, also known as housing instability, is known to compromise the socio-emotional and behavioral development of young children. However, there is limited evidence documenting the effect of housing instability on preschoolers' cognitive and academic abilities, in particular the development of mathematics skills. The present literature review argues that unstable residential conditions have important implications for preschoolers’ early mathematics development. First, the current literature review explores the implications of residential instability for the early childhood developmental period. Then this review examines current studies on promotive and risk factors …

The Contemporary American Juvenile Justice System: Revisiting Parens Patriae, Katarzyna Celinska, Amina Cheboubi

Publications and Research

The American juvenile justice system has undergone significant transformations since its inception in the late 19th century. In this paper, the authors seek to analyze the historical context of and subsequent reforms to the juvenile system and process in order to determine whether they remain true to their origins of the legal doctrine of parens patriae. Specifically, the authors contrast rehabilitative notions of parens patriae with the “tough on crime” perspective that developed in the 1990s in response to rising crime rates. This debate is illustrated by landmark Supreme Court cases, waivers to the adult system, increases in the use …

“The Amount Of Labor We Do For Free” And Other Contradictions: A Collective Inquiry Into The Pedagogical Choices Of Cuny Adjunct And Graduate Student Instructors Who Taught With Free Of Charge Materials During The Year 2020, Sami Disu, Joanna Dressel, Jamila Hammami, Marianne Madoré, Conor Tomás Reed

Publications and Research

A collective of five CUNY researchers developed and conducted a survey-based study of how CUNY adjunct and graduate student faculty taught with free of charge materials during the year 2020. A total of 152 respondents filled out the survey. Four themes emerged from the analysis of their responses:

1. Adjunct and graduate student faculty who taught with free of charge materials at CUNY in 2020 were motivated by economic, logistical, and pedagogical benefits. They invested considerable amounts of time in both creating and selecting material.
2. Their pedagogical choices about learning materials were formed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the …

“I Can Math, Too!”: Reducing Math Anxiety In Stem-Related Courses Using A Combined Mindfulness And Growth Mindset Approach (Magma) In The Classroom, Tashana S. Samuel, Sebastien Buttet, Jared Warner

Publications and Research

Math anxiety has become an alarming social justice concern, as it results in negative academic consequences, contributes to disinterest and lack of persistence in STEM programs for underrepresented students, and limits their opportunities in STEM careers. According to research, this fear of math occurs long before students begin working on math problems. When high-math anxious students encounter math situations, anticipation anxiety consumes working memory capacity, inhibits learning, and causes them to severely underperform on mathematical tasks. However, very few studies have been conducted to embed psychological interventions in the classroom in an effort to mitigate both anticipation and execution anxiety. …

Linking Authentic Leadership With Employee Initiative Behavior And Task Performance: The Mediating Role Of Emotional Sharing And Communication Satisfaction, Jeong Sik Kim, Jong Gyu Park, Hyun Jung Park

Publications and Research

Our study aims to explore the process through which authentic leadership leads to employees’ initiative behavior and task performance. In particular, we focused on the mediating roles of emotional sharing and communication satisfaction. Based on data collected from 242 employee-supervisor dyads, we found that authentic leadership was significantly related to emotional sharing, which was sequentially significantly related to communication satisfaction. Communication satisfaction was significantly associated with initiative behavior and task performance. In addition, emotional sharing and communication satisfaction played significant mediating roles not only in the relationship between authentic leadership and initiative behavior, but also in the relationship between authentic …

Library Wayfinding And Esol Students: Communication Challenges And Empathy-Based Intervention, Nora Almeida, Junior R. Tidal

Publications and Research

This article describes a wayfinding study conducted in an urban, academic library to better understand the experiences of multilingual student populations. The study, which incorporated traditional user experience methods and video ethnography, exposed communication obstacles and spatial challenges encountered by students of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) when attempting information retrieval tasks. After outlining the methodology and examining qualitative findings, the authors discuss how study findings prompted a reevaluation of local practices, service models, and staff training protocols. Finally, the authors explore the potential for qualitative, empathy-based wayfinding studies to transform library practices and spaces.