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Living Between Two Worlds: Learning About High School Immigrant Students’ Experiences In The United States: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Xixellonje Nebihu

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This phenomenological qualitative research study examined the experiences of two immigrant high school students in terms of adaptation, integration, academic performance, and challenges they encountered in U.S. schools. These participants have been in the United States for three years and come from Jordan and Honduras. Semi-structured interviews and the researcher’s journal served as the study’s primary data sources. Two interview sessions were conducted with the participants at their school. The findings revealed that a variety of elements, including school support, such as counselors and the option to select courses, teacher support, and a diverse student body had a positive impact …

Dynamic Frailty Risk Assessment Among Older Adults With Multiple Myeloma: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Hira Mian, Tanya M Wildes, Ravi Vij, Matthew J Pianko, Ajay Major, Mark A Fiala

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of older adults and those who are more frail are at high risk of poor outcomes. Current tools for identifying and categorizing frail patients are often static and measured only at the time of diagnosis. The concept of dynamic frailty (i.e. frailty changing over time) is largely unexplored in MM. In our study, adults with newly-diagnosed MM who received novel drugs between the years 2007-2014 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked databases. Using a previously published cumulative deficit approach, a frailty index score was calculated at diagnosis and each …

Medication For Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy - Maternal And Infant Network To Understand Outcomes Associated With Use Of Medication For Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy (Mat-Link), 2014-2021, Kathryn Miele, Shin Y. Kim, Rachelle Jones, Juneka H. Rembert, Elisha M. Wachman, Hira Shrestha, Michelle L. Henninger, Teresa M. Kimes, Patrick D. Schneider, Vaseekaran Sivaloganathan, Katherine A. Sward, Vikrant G. Deshmukh, Pilar M. Sanjuan, Jessie R. Maxwell, Neil S. Seligman, Sarah Caveglia, Judette M. Louis, Tanner Wright, Carolyne Cody Bennett, Caitlin Green, Nisha George, Lucas Gosdin, Emmy L. Tran, Dana Meaney-Delman, Suzanne M. Gilboa

Pediatrics Research and Scholarship

PROBLEM: Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is recommended for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy. However, knowledge gaps exist about best practices for management of OUD during pregnancy and these data are needed to guide clinical care.

PERIOD COVERED: 2014-2021.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM: Established in 2019, the Maternal and Infant Network to Understand Outcomes Associated with Medication for Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy (MAT-LINK) is a surveillance network of seven clinical sites in the United States. Boston Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, The Ohio State University, and the University of Utah were the initial clinical sites …

Climate Change Skepticism: Who And Why?, Mia Huyen Truong

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Despite persistent scientific consensus urging immediate action, political polarization, and skepticism have hindered effective climate change mitigation, especially in the United States. This paper explores the factors influencing climate change attitudes among different groups, focusing on right-wing affiliates and Christian believers. Drawing on the Anti-Reflexivity Thesis (McCright and Dunlap, 2001-2010) and Information Processing Theory (Wood & Vedlitz, 2007), we investigate the effects of individual characteristics, including partisan ideology, party identification, educational attainment, and Christian faith. Using Wave 7 (2021) of the Chapman Survey of American Fears Survey, a nationwide sample of different fears among U.S. adults, this study aims to …

Household Heroes: An Examination Of Domestic Workers' Rights In The United States And Mexico, Kaitlyn Sutton

Honors College Theses

Since 2018, worker's rights have become a forefront in the battle to developing a more equitable nation in Mexico, specifically regarding domestic employees. In my honors thesis I compare the rights of domestic workers in both the United States and Mexico using elements set forth in the SA8000 Standard formed by the Social Accountability International Organization in order to analyze which country grants more access to these liberties. I then examine different cross-cultural management styles in the countries as a method for explaining the differences in right. I also discuss advocacy groups still fighting for more freedom as well as …

Contemporary Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia In The United States: Insights From The Cascade Fh Registry, Marina Cuchel, Paul C. Lee, Lisa C. Hudgins, P. Barton Duell, Zahid Ahmad, Seth J. Baum, Macrae F. Linton, Sarah D. De Ferranti, Christie M. Ballantyne, John A. Larry, Linda C. Hemphill, Iris Kindt, Samuel S. Gidding, Seth S. Martin, Patrick M. Moriarty, Paul P. Thompson, James A. Underberg, John R. Guyton, Rolf L. Andersen, David J. Whellan, Irwin Benuck, John P. Kane, Kelly Myers, William Howard, David Staszak, Allison Jamison, Mary C. Card, Mafalda Bourbon, Joana R. Chora, Daniel J. Rader, Joshua W. Knowles, Katherine Wilemon, Mary P. Mcgowan

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Background

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is a rare, treatment‐resistant disorder characterized by early‐onset atherosclerotic and aortic valvular cardiovascular disease if left untreated. Contemporary information on HoFH in the United States is lacking, and the extent of underdiagnosis and undertreatment is uncertain.

Methods and Results

Data were analyzed from 67 children and adults with clinically diagnosed HoFH from the CASCADE (Cascade Screening for Awareness and Detection) FH Registry. Genetic diagnosis was confirmed in 43 patients. We used the clinical characteristics of genetically confirmed patients with HoFH to query the Family Heart Database, a US anonymized payer health database, to estimate the …

Pornography Use Among Young Adults In The United States, Samantha Smith, Jamie Lesueur

Ballard Brief

Pornography exists in many forms across the internet including pictures, videos, audio, written materials, video games, and social media posts. A majority of the US population has intentionally viewed pornography before, with an even larger majority of US young adults viewing pornography regularly. Despite the widespread use of and support for pornography, viewing sexually explicit media can have many negative consequences. For example, pornography use has been shown to correlate with decreased sex-life satisfaction, lack of positive self-image, and increased chances of divorce. Research also shows that both pornography viewers and pornography actors are likely to experience emotional health consequences. …

Consumers' Perceptions Of Digital Privacy In The United States And Japan, Destiny Randle

Whittier Scholars Program

The purpose of my study is to explore the contours of contemporary consumer privacy protections derived from legislation, regulations and publicly available company policies as a way to get a better understanding of how consumer data is protected. A few examples ranging from company-based consumer protection in the United States to data breaches in Japan will be explored and examined. Finally, this paper includes a comparative survey of consumer perceptions and concerns related to personal data privacy in the U.S. and Japan. As a way to assess the degree to which digital privacy and personal data breaches have adversely influenced …

A Scoping Review Of The Impact Of Solitary Confinement On Self-Harm And Suicide Among Adults In U.S. Prisons, Jessica Diana Puebla

Social Work Theses - Archive

Solitary confinement is a widespread issue that impacts the most vulnerable individuals in our country. The U.S. uses solitary confinement more frequently and for longer periods of time compared to other countries though its use has not proven to be an effective intervention in prisons. Solitary confinement limits the individual’s ability to connect with peers, friends, and family as visits are restricted, thus impacting their mental health. This thesis aimed to understand the impact of solitary confinement of self-harm and suicide among adults in U.S. prisons; This thesis also attempted to shed light on the theoretical lenses that were stated …

Comprehensive Literature Review: Assessing The Impact Of Covid-19 Policies, School Closures And Social Distancing, On The Mental Health Of School Age Children, Fatuma A. Hassan

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Mental health is vital to the well-being of all individuals, especially children. COVID-19 unveiled a significant public health issue with poor mental health during the pandemic. There is limited literature about the mental health implications of COVID-19 policies for children and adolescents and preventive strategies for future pandemics. This comprehensive literature review seeks to further investigate the mental health impacts of school shutdowns and social distancing, which were nonpharmaceutical strategies, on school-aged children, 5-18 years old, and propose recommendations for public health officials to mitigate the mental health impacts for future pandemics. Additionally, the review aims to highlight the potential …

Successes And Failures Of War And The Shifting Landscape: An Analysis Of The Dynamic Relationship Between The Elements Of The Clausewitzian Trinity, Hannah Crosby

Senior Honors Theses

In his writing On War, Carl von Clausewitz explained the nonlinear nature of war and the inevitable chaos that occurs during times of conflict. Fundamental to his theory of war is the Clausewitzian Trinity, comprised of three elements: the people, the military, and the government. In the text, he emphasized the intrinsic relationship of these variables, observing that political objectives are the original motives for war. As such, the inherent values of the people will have a direct impact on the success of any war. In an examination of various military conflicts since the time of World War II, …

First Republic Bank Is Seized, Sold To Jpmorgan In Second-Largest U.S. Bank Failure, Rachel Louise Ensign, Ben Eisen

Documents

No abstract provided.

Lonergan’S Concept Of Conversion: A Path To Antiracism, Laura Boysen-Aragon

Say Something Theological: The Student Journal of Theological Studies

Racism is Christian America’s original sin. Our country’s foundation was built with the hands of more than ten million kidnapped and enslaved persons. The Catholic Church was complicit as enslavers and beneficiaries of enslaved labor as well as the marginalizing of Black Catholics. Given the limited attention that has been given to these origin stories in our country and our church, it is unsurprising that systems of racism perpetuate today. Catholic theologian and ethicist Bryan Massingale provides a definition of racism as an ethos that lives on in U.S. society. Since the murder of George Floyd, a heightened awareness of …

Difference In Smoking Patterns And Quitting Status Between Premium And Non-Premium Cigar Users After Two Years Of Follow Up In Us Adults: Findings From The Population Assessment Of Tobacco And Health (Path) Study, 2016-2019, Sarah Valencia

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Previous studies have described the demographics, purchasing behaviors, trends in frequencies of cigar use, and quitting status among cigar poly users, however, there has not been a study that evaluates differences in demographic characteristics and quitting status for premium and non-premium U.S. adult cigar users. This study used secondary data analyses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study public-use files dataset for adult traditional cigar users in wave 4 (2016-2018) and wave 5 (2018-2019). Traditional cigars were classified as premium or non-premium at wave 4 (2016-2018) using the brand and price per stick of cigar that was …

Financial Stability Report, May 2023, Board Of Governors Of The Federal Reserve System (Fed)

Documents

No abstract provided.

Childhood Obesity In The United States, Emma Stohl

Ballard Brief

Childhood obesity has been a problem in the United States for decades. The rate of childhood obesity has tripled since the 1970s. As of 2023, 1 in 5 children in the US are obese, with this number rising yearly. Childhood obesity is exacerbated by the lifestyle of children, where their attention is consumed by technology use at the expense of consuming nutritious foods and participating in physical activities. The lack of physical education in schools influences children’s health education and is partly responsible for childhood obesity. Genetics also play a role in childhood obesity depending on the characteristics of a …

Neighborhood-Level Factors Contribute To Disparities In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Incidence In Texas, Aaron P Thrift

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Texas has the highest hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence rates in the continental United States, but these rates vary by race-ethnicity. We examined racial-ethnic disparities through a geospatial analysis of the social determinants of health.

METHODS: Using data from the Texas Cancer Registry, we assembled 11,547 HCC cases diagnosed between 2011 and 2015 into Texas's census tracts geographic units. Twenty-nine neighborhood measures representing demographics and socioeconomic, and employment domains were retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau. We performed a series of aspatial and spatially weighted regression models to identify neighborhood-level characteristics associated with HCC risk.

RESULTS: We found …

Commentary: Sponsoring Scholarship: Mountains Moved By The American Association For Thoracic Surger

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of The American Association For Thoracic Surgery On National Institutes Of Health Grant Funding For Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Simar S Bajaj, Anirudha S Chandrabhatla, Alexander S Krupnick, Frank W Sellke, Todd K Rosengart, Y Joseph Woo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, through its annual meeting, pilot grant funding, Scientific Affairs and Government Relations Committee activity, and academic development programs (Grant Writing Workshop, Clinical Trials Course, Innovation Summit), has aimed to develop the research careers of cardiothoracic surgeons. We hypothesized that American Association for Thoracic Surgery activities have helped increase National Institutes of Health grants awarded to cardiothoracic surgeons.

Methods: A database of 1869 academic cardiothoracic surgeons in the United States was created in December 2020. National Institutes of Health grant records from 1985 to 2020 were obtained for each surgeon using National Institutes of …

Prevalence And Descriptive Epidemiology Of Turner Syndrome In The United States, 2000-2017: A Report From The National Birth Defects Prevention Network, Russell S Kirby, Eirini Nestoridi, Rebecca F Liberman, A J Agopian, John C Carey, Janet D Cragan, Nina Forestieri, Vinita Leedom, Aubree Boyce, Wendy N Nembhard, Monika Piccardi, Theresa Sandidge, Xiaoyi Shan, Charles J Shumate, Erin B Stallings, Roger Stevenson, Philip J Lupo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The lack of United States population-based data on Turner syndrome limits assessments of prevalence and associated characteristics for this sex chromosome abnormality. Therefore, we collated 2000-2017 data from seven birth defects surveillance programs within the National Birth Defects Prevention Network. We estimated the prevalence of karyotype-confirmed Turner syndrome diagnosed within the first year of life. We also calculated the proportion of cases with commonly ascertained birth defects, assessed associations with maternal and infant characteristics using prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and estimated survival probability. The prevalence of Turner syndrome of any pregnancy outcome was 3.2 per 10,000 …

Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions And Long-Term Opioid Treatment, Steffani R Bailey, Irina Chamine, John Muench

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVES: One in 5 people in the United States lives with chronic pain. Many patients with chronic pain experience a subset of specific co-occurring pain conditions that may share a common pain mechanism and that have been designated as chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs). Little is known about chronic opioid prescribing patterns among patients with COPCs in primary care settings, especially among socioeconomically vulnerable patients. This study aims to evaluate opioid prescribing among patients with COPCs in US community health centers and to identify individual COPCs and their combinations that are associated with long-term opioid treatment (LOT).

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective …

“From An Elephant Into A Ballerina:” The Future Of Higher Education From Senior Leaders At Public Very High Research Institutions, Sarah Cathleen Rice Denison

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose for conducting the study was to identify how Very High Research university senior leaders at public institutions in the United States described their vision of the future of higher education over the next 25 years. Specifically, the study provided an opportunity for university chancellors and presidents to describe their versions of what the future holds for higher education and how they are preparing for that future. A vision for the future included senior leader’s perspectives on three elements of the university: the university’s mission and purpose, academics, and student services. Their experience in higher education combined with their …

Leaders On The Ground: Command Influence On War Crimes In The Armies Of France And The United States, Hayward Hood

All Theses

Utilizing torture during the Battle of Algiers, the My Lai Massacre, and torture at Abu Ghraib as specific case studies, this thesis contends that negligence or dereliction of duty by the brigade, battalion, and company commanders were the primary factors. Additional factors included commanders stressing rapid results, and external stressors in the soldiers’ immediate environment. War crimes are defined as violations of the 1907 Hague Convention which was supported by the 1949 Geneva Protocols, and negligence is defined in the legal sense.1 Contrary to the existing narrative, this thesis contends that lower-level commanders did more to create the conditions required …

From “Cowardice” To “Shellshock”: The Definition And Treatment Of Mental Health In The United States Marine Corps During The Age Of The Great War, Itzel Marquez

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of my master’s thesis is to study how the United States’ Marine Corps recognized, defined, and treated mental health issues during the Great War and how this translated into the treatment of Marines by their peers and commanding officers. Similar to other countries that fought in the Great War, also referred to as World War I, the United States witnessed intense discussions about the psychological effects of war. The question of whether and how modern warfare affected troops’ mental health was addressed by all branches of the United States’ military. Yet, the issue of mental health in the …

An Exploration Of Online Doctoral Students And The Ways They Cultivate Connections, Shannon Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

According to the United States Department of Education, 42.4% of postbaccalaureate students participated in online distance education during Fall of 2019. These numbers increased because of the Covid-19 pandemic of March 2020. The pandemic not only created a severe social and economic disruption, but it also disrupted all levels of education. This study examines exclusively online students enrolled with traditional face-to-face students and faculty. Understanding the impact of the pandemic, faculty and administrators can gain insights into how online learning can be adapted to meet the unique needs of advanced learners. The pandemic has forced many universities to move their …

Transition To Surgery After Pessary Among Female Medicare Beneficiaries With Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Melanie R L Meister, Oyomoare L Osazuwa-Peters, Jerry L Lowder, Victoria L Handa

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends offering a vaginal pessary to women seeking treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. However, single-institution series have suggested that a sizable proportion of women fitted with a pessary will transition to surgery within the first year.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the proportion of female US Medicare beneficiaries with pelvic organ prolapse who undergo surgery after pessary fitting, to describe the median time to surgery from pessary fitting, and to identify factors associated with the transition from pessary to surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: The Medicare 5% Limited Data Set was queried from …

Secondary Validation Of An Ovarian Cancer-Specific Comorbidity Index In A Us Population, Chelsey Vranes, Hui Zhao, Mette Calundann Noer, Shuangshuang Fu, Charlotte C Sun, Pedro T Ramirez, Sharon H Giordano, Larissa A Meyer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: The Ovarian Cancer Comorbidity Index (OCCI) is an age-specific index developed and previously found to be more predictive of overall and cancer-specific survival than the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). The objective was to perform secondary validation of the OCCI in a US population.

Methods: A cohort of ovarian cancer patients undergoing primary or interval cytoreductive surgery from January 2005 to January 2012 was identified in SEER-Medicare. OCCI scores were calculated with the regression coefficients determined from the original developmental cohort for five comorbidities. Cox regression analyses were used to calculate associations between the OCCI risk groups and 5-year overall …

Association Of Cumulative Colorectal Surgery Hospital Costs, Readmissions, And Emergency Department/Observation Stays With Insurance Type, Michael A Jacobs, Jasmine C Tetley, Jeongsoo Kim, Susanne Schmidt, Bradley B Brimhall, Chen-Pin Wang, Paul Damien, Paula K Shireman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/purpose: Medicare's Hospital Readmission Reduction Program disproportionately penalizes safety-net hospitals (SNH) caring for vulnerable populations. This study assessed the association of insurance type with 30-day emergency department visits/observation stays (EDOS), readmissions, and cumulative costs in colorectal surgery patients.

Methods: Retrospective inpatient cohort study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2013-2019) with cost data in a SNH. The odds of EDOS and readmissions and cumulative variable (index hospitalization and all 30-day EDOS and readmissions) costs were modeled adjusting for frailty, case status, presence of a stoma, and open versus laparoscopic surgery.

Results: The cohort had 245 private, 195 Medicare, and …

Critical Review Of Oncologic Medical Malpractice Claims Against Orthopaedic Surgeons, Rajiv Rajani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine the most common allegations for malpractice litigation brought against orthopaedic surgeons for oncologic matters and the resulting verdicts.

METHODS: The Westlaw Legal research database was queried for malpractice cases filed against orthopaedic surgeons for oncologic matters in the United States after 1980. Plaintiff demographics, state of filing, allegations, and outcomes of lawsuits were recorded and reported accordingly.

RESULTS: A total of 36 cases met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were subsequently included in the final analysis. The overall rate of cases filed remained consistent through the past four decades and …

A Protocol For A Cluster Randomized Trial Of Care Delivery Models To Improve The Quality Of Smoking Cessation And Shared Decision Making For Lung Cancer Screening, Lisa M Lowenstein, Ya-Chen Tina Shih, Jennifer Minnix, Maria A Lopez-Olivo, Kristin G Maki, Viola B Leal, James Fox, Shawn P Nishi, Paul M Cinciripini, Robert J Volk

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Patients eligible for lung cancer screening (LCS) are those at high risk of lung cancer due to their smoking histories and age. While screening for LCS is effective in lowering lung cancer mortality, primary care providers are challenged to meet beneficiary eligibility for LCS from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, including a patient counseling and shared decision-making (SDM) visit with the use of patient decision aid(s) prior to screening.

METHODS: We will use an effectiveness-implementation type I hybrid design to: 1) identify effective, scalable smoking cessation counseling and SDM interventions that are consistent with recommendations, can be …