Digital Commons Network^™

Role Of Racially Concordant Patient-Physician Relationships In Health Outcomes Among African American Women, Joy Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract There are gaps in the literature regarding how patient-physician racially concordant relationships affect African American women’s health. This quantitative study evaluated the effects of non-minority physician influence on the perceptions of medical mistrust, racial discrimination, and healthcare-specific racial discrimination on African American women. The behavioral model for vulnerable populations guided the study. Two research questions involved understanding the relationship between trust in the physician scale and medical mistrust and the association between racial discrimination and perceived healthcare-specific racial discrimination among African American women living in a Southern U.S. state. A stratified random sampling strategy was used to obtain a …

The Experiences And Perspectives Of Documented Hispanic Immigrants Dealing With Survivor’S Guilt, Fallon Victoria Wall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hispanic immigrants are understudied and underserved; this is a population that continues to battle injustices and discriminatory actions due to immigration policy. The Hispanic population struggles with immigration stress and deportation, which contributes to difficulties such as psychological distress, physical health problems, acculturative stress, employment difficulties, and decreased access to support and services. In this study, a generic qualitative design was utilized to explore immigration stress and the experiences of documented Hispanic immigrants dealing with survivor’s guilt as it relates to the deportation of their loved ones. Relational cultural theory as used in the study to explore the Hispanic population, …

Strategies To Mitigate Inappropriate Test Utilization By Physicians To Improve Efficiency In A Healthcare Setting, Christine C. Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inappropriate test utilization by physicians for clinical decision-making in patient care is a significant problem facing some healthcare leaders. Healthcare leaders are concerned about inappropriate test utilization because it can increase healthcare costs and degrade patient outcomes. Grounded in the complex adaptive system and Lean Six Sigma conceptual frameworks, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to identify strategies seven hospital leaders in Maryland and Washington, DC. who implemented successful test utilization strategies for physicians. Data were collected from semistructured virtual interviews and organizational reports and analyzed using Yin’s 5 step process. Five themes emerged: (a) continuing physician education, …

Enrollment In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math Courses After Enactment Of Texas' House Bill 5, Carlana Cla'shette Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student participation and performance in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have been an education concern in the United States for years. In 2013, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 5 (HB5) to support increases in STEM awareness, particularly among ethnic minority and female students. To date, no studies have been conducted on the impact, if any, of HB5 on Texas high school students’ course selections in STEM areas. Further, it is unknown whether the impact that does exist is equally distributed across socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity, and gender groups. The purpose of this nonexperimental correlational quantitative study was to determine …

Doctoral Students’ Motivations To Complete A Degree In Education Online, Terence Branch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Enrollment in online doctoral programs is increasing; however, 41% of these students do not graduate. Student achievement in online learning depends on motivation. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore doctoral students’ perspectives on how educational technology supports their motivation to earn a degree in education. Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory comprised the conceptual framework that guided this study. Research questions were designed to investigate if online technology supports doctoral students’ basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 12 participants who earned doctorates online. Thematic analysis was employed to …

Managerial Strategies To Improve Warehouse Safety Culture, Rasheen J. Chatmon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An unsuccessful safety program can negatively affect warehouse efficiency, profitability, and reputation. To provide a safe work environment, warehouse leaders need guidance on establishing policies and training to ensure that all employees are adequately trained and understand the safety expectations of the organization. Grounded in high-reliability organization theory, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore managerial strategies to improve the warehouse safety culture. The participants were five warehouse managers who demonstrated the ability to successfully improve their organization's safety culture. Data were collected through virtual semistructured interviews and reviews of organizational documentation. The data were analyzed using …

Strategic Leadership Steps For New Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, Keisha Stacy-Ann Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

States grapple with how to address the opioid epidemic and the growing need for behavioral health (BH) services. Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs) are a new industry solution to address the need for integrated and coordinated physical and BH care. New CCBHCs are funded by the Federal 223 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) grant. However, they must be certified by states to meet the SAMHSA criteria for continued funding. This qualitative study presents a single-case study of a Southern state’s behavioral health department’s (SSBHD) leadership strategy for certifying the CCBHCs in its state and creating a …

Experience Of Established Mental Health Counselors Working With Adults Who Have Intellectual Disabilities, Margarete Denk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with disabilities make up the largest minority population in the United States. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) make up a significant portion of this population, yet there are limited studies addressing counseling with the I/DD population. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs has addressed the need for disability competence in their upcoming 2024 standards. The purpose of the phenomenological study was to describe lived experiences of established counselors working with adult clients diagnosed with an I/DD. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used along with the social model of disability. The study involved six …

Disparate Access To Medical Coverage Associated With Type 2 Diabetes Care In Low-Income And Rural Communities In Georgia, Crystal Alexis Symone Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disparate access to diabetes care in rural and low-income communities among older adults has been an ongoing issue among Americans. Type 2 diabetes in low-income and rural communities has continuously burdened many residents due to age, costs of care, income, geographic location, and education levels. Researchers have demonstrated that providing resources and tools to rural and low-income communities would assist in decreasing type 2 diabetes and increase education and awareness. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study using secondary data was to examine the relationship between health insurance status and lack of access to health care resources and delay of …

Digital Collectibles: Exploring Non-Fungible Tokens (Nfts) Through Twitter Messages, Peter Haried, James Murray

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The growing popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has created a new digital collectibles asset class and market. NFTs are unique digital tokens built on blockchain technology that can represent anything from art, property rights, certificates of authentication to sports collectibles. The use of blockchain provides the framework for digital ownership and brings the notion of scarcity to the digital NFT asset class. With the emerging NFT market and growing consumer base little work has investigated the factors behind NFT interest and participation. Using a dataset of 26,444 tweets on NBA Top Shot, one of the largest and most popular NFT …

Human-Centered Design For Strategic Organizational Shifts In Complex Times, Kristen Laviano Snow

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Nonprofit organizations are faced with unprecedented challenges as they seek to accomplish their lofty missions in a complex environment, ripe with uncertainty. The global COVID-19 pandemic brought forth new problems for communities and workplaces. As a result, some old ways of working may no longer be useful. To make meaningful progress on their social missions while navigating an unfamiliar post-pandemic context, nonprofits need new tools to help them understand and respond to changing community needs. Evidence has shown design thinking to be an effective approach to developing innovative strategies tailored to real needs, however, it has not been widely practiced …

The Effect Of A Music Therapy Video In-Service On Staffs' Beliefs About Music Therapy In Behavioral Health, Jesus Javier Garcia

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a short video presentation, about music therapy in behavioral health, had a positive effect on staff members’ beliefs about music therapy in that setting. A total of 26 staff members, from different departments, participated in the study and completed a pre- and post-presentation questionnaire. Responses were analyzed and compared to investigate whether the video had a positive effect on staff members’ beliefs about music therapy in behavioral health. Participant demographics and pre- and post-video questionnaire responses were also analyzed and compared to explore the differential impact of the video by subgroups …

Targeting Ribonucleotide Reductase For Breast Cancer Treatment, Nahid Sultana

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in the world. Hormone receptor (HR) positive breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent disease accounting for approximately 2 million new cases globally. Almost 70-80% of breast cancer patients are women with a positive score for the estrogen receptor (ER). Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) which have a negative score for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) is considered an aggressive histological breast cancer subtype with limited treatment options.Frequently, doxorubicin (DOXO)-based chemotherapy is utilized in this patient population due to the lack of …

Higher Rates Of False-Positive Hiv Antigen/Antibody Screens During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Implications For Pregnant Patients, Madison E. Miller, Rachel Cevigney, Mariam Ayyash, Majid Shaman, Monica Kole

Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health Services Meeting Abstracts

Objective: To compare the rates of false-positive HIV 4th generation screens among pregnant patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study Design: A retrospective study evaluating the rates of false-positive HIV 4th generation screens among 44,187 pregnant patients was conducted. Pregnant patients from 3/2017-3/2019 were assigned to the “pre-COVID” cohort, and pregnant patients from 3/2020-3/2022 were assigned to the “COVID” cohort. Data including the date(s) and results of HIV 4th generation Ag/Ab combination tests and SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR assays were ascertained via chart review. An HIV 4th generation test result was deemed “false-positive” if subsequent HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation immunoassays and/or HIV-1 …

Comparing The Microbiomes Of Dental Plaques In 19th Century Ancestral Remains, Ananya Udyaver

UROP Posters

During the construction of VCU’s Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building in April 1994, nineteenth century ancestral remains were found in an abandoned well on the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) campus. This well, now known as the East Marshall Street Well (EMSW), is thought to have been used as a disposal location for cadaver dissection for surgical and other medical waste in the past. VCU is now seeking to use DNA sequencing technology to match and assemble bones from each individual for a proper burial, uncover the cultural and historical context in which these people lived, and bring a …

Testing The Efficacy And Synergistic Components Of Sesamol And Black Rice Extract On Human Colon Cancer Cells, Sera Lim, Philip M. Gerk

UROP Posters

Purpose: Systemic treatment of colorectal cancer involves chemotherapeutic agents which elicit serious and negative side effects from the toxicity of the drug. To address this issue, we are testing dietary supplements for their efficacy against human colon cancer cell lines and also their potential synergistic effects when combined with conventional chemotherapy. Dietary supplements (specifically sesamol and black rice extract) exhibit anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and chemo-preventive properties. Meanwhile, one of the cancer resistance mechanisms is the upregulation of drug elimination mechanisms, leading to multi-drug resistance. We hypothesize that dietary compounds will act as chemo-enhancers, thus enhancing potency of the chemotherapy drug(s) on …

Development And Usability Testing Of A Phr For Down’S Syndrome (Ds) Care Coordination, Edward Ladia, Brianna Boston, Bethany Cosgrove Phd, Elizabeth Baker Phd, Jeffrey Duah

UROP Posters

321Connect was first drafted by Dr. Bethany Cosgrove to support caregivers of children with Down’s Syndrome in coordinating care.

These children often require multiple appointments with various healthcare professionals throughout the course of their life. Caregivers expressed a need for accurate and up-to-date information, providing evidence of the potential benefit of an mHealth application. A mobile health application with a PHR (personal health record) for the child would aid in keeping track of this information. However, there is no existing solution on the market that met this need, prompting the creation of 321Connect.

321Connect aims to provide information and support …

Respire: A Technological Tool To Navigate Mechanical Ventilation In Patient Care And Educational Settings, Swara Chokshi

UROP Posters

Around the world, more than 20 million patients rely on mechanical ventilators annually; however, not enough individuals understand how to operate ventilators, posing a risk to the health of many. Moreover, it is increasingly difficult to determine optimal mechanical ventilator settings in a timely fashion, especially in low-resource countries and critical care areas. Respire is a mobile application that bridges this gap in a twofold manner: it is designed to assist healthcare workers around the world navigate and use mechanical ventilators effectively as well as educate the general public about mechanical ventilation. Respire offers a user-friendly yet educational interface that …

Glyphosate And Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity: Herbicide Impacts On Parkinson's Disease Development, Lojy Hozyen

UROP Posters

Nearly one million individuals in the United States are living with Parkinson’s disease (PD). In the past two decades, the death rate from PD has risen by about 63 percent in the United States. Major findings have been made in the past five years about the potential impact of glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine) exposure on the onset of PD symptoms. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to provide a compiled update on the chemical and biological alterations that glyphosate imposes on the human brain. A meta-analysis was conducted to create a quantitative estimate of the connection between PD and glyphosate. Findings …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Mental Health Of College Students, Alexis West, Afton White, Punit Gandhi, Indranil Sahoo, Michael Robert, David Chan

UROP Posters

In April and May of 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, a few hundred VCU students were surveyed about their academics, mental health, support network, and the impact COVID was having in their life.

Glycations On Muscle Extracellular Matrix Promote Rage Expression In Volumetric Muscle Injury Model, Ammar Jawad, Lucas C. Olson, Brock Lodato, Eirian Crocker, Scott Pennebaker, David Joshua Cohen, Tri M. Nguyen, Zvi Schwartz, Michael J. Mcclure

UROP Posters

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) has been found to overwhelm muscle regeneration, resulting in loss of long-term muscle function and increased risk of injury to individuals with age-associated diseases. Current treatment plans result in suboptimal recovery; however, decellularized muscle matrices (DMMs) have been found to provide an effective environment for muscle regeneration via muscle-specific growth factors. These factors limit scarring, enabling these DMMs to guide progenitor cells toward effective tissue regeneration. However, factors such as age may affect DMM’s regenerative capacity, and must be considered when developing these technologies. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are chemical cross-links that contribute to the aging …

Associations Between Maternal Metabolic Parameters During Pregnancy And Fetal And Child Growth Trajectories From 20 Weeks' Gestation To 5 Years Of Age: Secondary Analysis From The Rolo Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study, Helena C. Bartels, Linda M. O'Keeffe, Cara A. Yelverton, Kate N. O'Neill, Aisling A. Geraghty, Eileen C. O'Brien, Sarah Louise Killeen, Ciara Mcdonnell, Fionnuala M. Mcauliffe

Articles

Objective: To examine the association between maternal metabolic parameters in pregnancy and growth trajectories up to 5 years of age. Methods: Data from mother–child pairs who participated in the ROLO study, a randomized trial examining the impact of a low glycaemic index diet on the recurrence of macrosomia, were analysed. Fetal and child growth trajectories were developed from longitudinal measurements from 20 weeks gestation up to 5 years of age. We examined associations between maternal fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and leptin, taken in early pregnancy (14–16 weeks) and late pregnancy (28 weeks), and weight (kg) and abdominal circumference (cm) trajectories …

Introductory Pages, Christopher W. Tremblay, Patrick J. O'Connor Phd, Laura Owen, Diana Camilo, Moya Malcolm

Journal of College Access

No abstract provided.

Well-Being Consciousness And College Access Borderlands: Staff Perspectives On Supporting Students’ Well-Being, Paris D. Wicker

Journal of College Access

More than 2550 pre-college preparation and college access programs in the United States are designed to increase the postsecondary enrollment and degree obtainment rates for historically excluded college students, including low-income and Students of Color. Less known is how these programs address the social emotional, and well-being needs of college-going Black and Indigenous women enrolling at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs). Guided by Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands theory, this study analyzed interviews with five current and former college access program staff to uncover if and how college access programs define and implement well-being into college access initiatives. Findings revealed varied racialized and …

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Severe Maternal Morbidity During Delivery Hospitalization In Northeast Pennsylvania, Obianuju Egwuonwu Do, Brian Abel, Kari Whitley

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

No abstract provided.

“It’S About Being Healthy”; A Novel Approach To The Socio-Ecological Model Using Family Perspectives Within The Latinx Community, Bethany Korom, Meghan Malloy, Caroline Remmers, Mari Cevilla, Kelly Dione, Paula E. Papanek, Jeffrey Condit, David Nelson

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

The Latinx community is at risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Culturally appropriate, community facing physical activity (P.A.) and nutrition programs may provide the basis for families to improve their health status. Our objectives are as follows: 1. To investigate synergistic factors within this type of program that play a role in creating an environment for participants to learn and practice healthy behaviors. 2. To apply factors into a novel model of components that support health and wellness. 3. To design an intervention for future implementation and evaluation.

Methods

A two-year P.A. and nutrition program, …

Never Too Young: The Existence, Impact, And Sustainability Of Ethnic Studies In Elementary School, Angela R. Guzmán

Dissertations

Ethnic Studies has existed in higher education for more than fifty years. In high school, critical education researchers have recognized Ethnic Studies as vital to improving attendance, lowering suspension rates, and boosting GPAs for BIPOC students. This has given rise to the recent K-12 Ethnic Studies model curriculum adoption by the State Board of Education, and the signing of Assembly Bill 101, making California the first state to require that all high school students complete a semester-long course in Ethnic Studies. Regrettably, Ethnic Studies continues to be mostly limited to higher education and grades 9-12 in public schools despite research …

Voice Of The Inaudible: Well-Being Of Chinese American Young Adults, Chinese American Parents’ Parenting Competency, And The Correlation Of The Two, Diana Huang

Dissertations

Violence against Asian Americans since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has become a national crisis in the United States. Racism against Asian Americans in the country, however, has been deep-rooted since the nineteenth century. Chinese American adolescents, who are susceptible to identity crisis as young adults and confront racial discrimination as a minority race, face distressing challenges. It is critical to inquire into their lived narratives and hear their voices. The author investigated the early life experiences of nine Chinese Americans and identified how racial identity is shaped at a young age with negative external inputs, as well as …

When She Speaks: A Black Feminist Autoethnography Exploring Joy And Positionality In Higher Education, Leslye M. Tinson

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersections of race, class, and gender of a Black woman as an educational leader and doctoral student. Through autoethnography, I explore self-meaning in cultural contexts and focus on how my positionality contributes to my attempts to find joy in academe. Chapter I discusses the gender and racial gaps in the American professoriate and introduces three research questions. Chapter II interprets extant literature and identifies a conceptual framework that utilizes Black feminist thought, critical race feminism, intersectionality theory, and multicultural feminist perspectives to analyze my lived experiences. Chapter III outlines the research methodology of autoethnography to address …

Measuring High School Counselor Beliefs On The Importance Of Mtmdss Universal Supports Since Covid-19, Ryan J. Carter

Dissertations

The U.S. onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought immediate and unprecedented disruption to California secondary education. High school students in California have endured varying degrees of uncertainty, hardship, and trauma, with the full extent of impacts on students not yet known. California high school counselors, faced with the dilemma of how to support student needs effectively and equitably during COVID-19, have looked to the state as well as professional organizations for guidance on best support practices. Multi-tiered support frameworks, such as MTSS and MTMDSS have emerged as prominent pandemic response recommendations and are being implemented throughout California. The …