Digital Commons Network^™

We Are Family: Queer And Transgender Family Building, Jennifer M. Gess, Nattalie Wolff-Tseng, Kaitlin J. Phelps, Madison Morley

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

LGBTQ+ people experience resiliency and discrimination when attempting to build families. There are massive systemic barriers and oppressive walls LGBTQ+ people face when forming either a blended family, trying at-home insemination, using assisted reproductive technology, working with a gestational carrier, or attempting to become a foster parent or adopt a child. Queer reproductive justice provides a foundation for counselors to support clients by using affirmative counseling, providing positive mandatory interactions clients are ordered to during family building, and advocating with and on behalf of their LGBTQ+ clients building families.

Can A Course On Sexuality Counseling Increase Empathy When Working With Sex- And Gender-Minoritized Individuals?, Betty Cardona, Robinder P. Bedi

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

This study examined whether a sexuality counseling course could increase self-perceived empathy for working with Sex and Gender minoritized (SGM)individuals. Forty-two students enrolled in a sexuality counseling course completed empathy assessments prior to starting the course and after completing it. Statistically significant increases in empathy towards gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals were found (moderate to a large effect sizes). Results indicate that, at least under some circumstances, empathy levels for SGM individuals in counselors-in-training (CITs) could be increased through coursework. Increases in practitioner empathy for SGM individuals can translate into lower uniliteral termination rates and better counseling and psychotherapy outcomes.

Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment: A Systems Approach To Understanding Sexual Issues In Individuals And Couples, Stephanie Buehler

Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education

Sexuality is a complex construct made up of the influence of systems upon the individual and counterinfluence of the individual upon systems, which can make sexual history taking problematic. The adaptation of Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological systems model has been employed to create a Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment. The Sexological Ecosystemic Assessment is described as a means of gathering and organizing information about an individual’s sexual development and current sexual expression across five subsystems that range from the microsystem, wherein interactions take place among and between family members and close caregivers, to the chronosystem, which is the effect of time across the …

Ceremonial Sexual Sacrifice To Commercial Prostitution: The History Of Prostitution And The Social, Economic, And Religious Progress That Revolved Around The Profession, Katelyn E. Crowell

Young Historians Conference

From its believed origin in Ancient Mesopotamia, prostitution has not only survived but is a profession that has continued to play a culturally defining role through the centuries. While its initial emergence was through an act of religious ritual and sacrifice, it transformed into a commercial profession. Prostitution, despite it becoming a representation of sexual deviance, not only persevered but thrived across vast regions, cultures, and time periods. The profession's social ‘taboo’ and the forbiddenness of being associated with the institution has carried forward through time and across varying societal constructs, the attempts to hide or extinguish prostitution has never …

Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations And Its Interpretation With Christian Contemporary Thought, Audrey Kelley-Henroid

Young Historians Conference

Often regarded as one of the key Stoic works, Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations is a demonstration of the importance of self-reflection and Stoic ideals. His life was one of war and turmoil that influenced his possibly autobiographical writings over the years during his time campaigning during the Marcomannic wars. Since his death, the manuscripts remaining have been altered and interpreted in various ways. I speculate that Meditations being framed in the Christian lens is one of the most significant ways it's relevant today as it demonstrates the way contemporary ideas are imprinted onto classical work. Translators and readers of Meditations such …

Marshlands And Monasteries: The Impact Of Weapon Deposition On Medieval British Christianity, Maia Lippay

Young Historians Conference

This paper, using proven archeological evidence, time-specific literature, and references on monastic life, local tradition, and social concepts of mythology, draws a clear connection between the prevalent European Iron Age practice of ritual votive and weapon deposition into bodies of water and the state of Christianity in middle ages Great Britain. The ceremonial county of Lincolnshire, particularly the Witham Valley, is featured heavily for its high concentration of deposition and monastic sites in a verifiably close distance of each other. The paper explores the possibility that the existence of these pre-Christian ritual sites remained relevant throughout the Roman period through …

The Influence Of Plato’S Symposium: Love And Beauty Throughout Media & Culture, Anna E. Roberts

Young Historians Conference

The Ancient Greek philosopher Plato is unquestionably one of the most influential writers of philosophy in history. Through his various writings and works, Plato influenced the entire world's ways of thinking and discussion. In his dialogue The Symposium, Plato explores the humanistic complexities of love, beauty, and desire and shows various approaches to these topics, from mythological ideas to complex philosophical thought. The Symposium has managed to stretch far beyond the world of ancient Greece and has influenced the works of many different authors, artists, and writers. From Shakespeare in Renaissance-era England, to Freudian thought, the idea of Platonic Love, …

Letter From The Editor: Inaugural Issue, Jj Pionke

Disability in LIS (DisLIS)

Celebrating the inaugural issue of DisLIS.

Fragments Of A Dream: Armenia And The Shadow Of Genocide, Ada A. Camp

Young Historians Conference

Amidst the shadows of the war in Ukraine, in September of 2023, Azerbaijan’s military advancement into an ethnic Armenian enclave called Nagorno-Karabakh ended a thirty year conflict in just one violent day. The next morning, hundreds of thousands of Armenians fled, fearing ethnic cleansing and retaliatory killings. While the more recent history of this conflict is tied to the fall of the Soviet Union, Armenia and Azerbaijan’s disagreements have lasted for generations. The threat of ethnic violence and forced migration is not new to the Armenian people, and unfortunately still remains relevant. This paper deals not only with questions of …

The Cambridge Five Spy Ring: The Notorious Bane Of The British Government, Jenna G. Mccomas

Young Historians Conference

Beginning with the communist recruitment of Kim Philby in 1934, this paper traces the decades-long espionage journey of the notorious Cambridge Five spy ring. Exploring the reach they had from the halls of the British government to Washington D.C, this paper highlights the building blocks of the Five’s legacy and their implications. This paper details the levels of and effects of British governmental incompetence in cementing the Five as international spy celebrities and enabling their Soviet espionage endeavors. Overall, it seeks to explore how the British were the agents of their own humiliation regarding espionage, and unnecessarily increased tension with …

Identity In Question: Middle Eastern Americans In Dearborn, Michigan, Julian F. Balsley

Young Historians Conference

In the 2020 United States Census, fifty-four percent of the population of Dearborn, Michigan, identified as being of Middle Eastern or North African descent. The story of how a small Detroit suburb became the American city with the largest proportion of Middle Eastern citizens is one of transnational relations between the U.S., its ally Israel, and the Middle East. The city’s Arab American community grew out of continuous wars that pushed people out of their homelands throughout the second half of the twentieth century, as well as the rise of the American auto industry. What makes Dearborn unique is that …

A Matter Of Ultra Importance: How Ultra’S Decryption Of Enigma Impacted The Outcome Of World War Ii, Lia S. Hansen

Young Historians Conference

During World War II, one of the most prominent unsung heroes were the Allied codebreakers of Ultra who, under the thick blanket of absolute secrecy, worked tirelessly throughout the war to decrypt the German Enigma cipher. Efforts to break the Enigma cipher were underway since the beginning of the war but yielded little success until 1943 and Alan Turing’s Bombe. After this point, Allied forces were able to more effectively combat Axis forces, especially German U-boats in the Atlantic ocean, while keeping the whole operation under wraps to avoid suspicion and changing of the code. This paper explores how Ultra’s …

A History Of The Bracero Program As An Agent Of Transnational Modernity In The 20th Century, Lea H. Yonago

Young Historians Conference

The Bracero Program was an agreement devised between Mexico and the United States which provided a state-sanctioned avenue for Mexican men to work as contract laborers in the United States. It was originally intended to alleviate the World War II labor shortage in the United States, but would continue past the war until 1964. Its longevity was due to the central role it played in bringing Mexico and the United States into a modern, transnational relationship. I aim to examine the relationship between the two nations in two contexts: an historical-economic one, and an ethnographic one. These lenses are two …

Assessment Of Obgyn Department Research Collaboration And Satisfaction, Anne Bocage, Md, Melanie Hotz, Md, Julia Switzer, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• There are many simultaneous and similar research projects ongoing within the OB-GYN department, but with little collaboration. Additionally, it can be difficult to identify faculty, residents, and students with similar research interests.
• Collaboration between residents is shown to improve research productivity (1) and co-residents serve as effective research mentors (2).
• This project is aimed to assess the department's satisfaction with ongoing research and collaboration and to purpose an intervention for improvement.

Improving Site-Specific Sti Screening In A Philadelphia-Based Academic Family Medicine Office, Brittany Macdonald, Md, Marie Ezran, Md, Haley Smallwood, Md, Gisel Garcia, Md, Maia Mandel, Md, Amaka Amobi, Md, Marshal Miller, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• In the last decade, rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are rising both in Philadelphia and across the United States^{1, 2}
• STIs are often asymptomatic³
• Site-specific screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia (GC/CT) infections may increase STI detection o Genitourinary (GU), pharyngeal, and rectal sites o GU is the most common site tested, but GU-only testing may lead to missed diagnoses⁴

Knowledge And Receptiveness Of Epidural Labor Analgesia By Parturients At Two Teaching Hospitals In Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study, Casey Fishman, Ba, Justin Do, Bs, Richita Bashyal, Mph, Fidele Hakorimana, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Introduction

• Pain during labor can result in lasting psychological and physiological effects.¹ Although epidural analgesia is a first line pain management treatment and is used to reduce birth complications in many western countries, it is not commonly used in much of the world including Rwanda. The literature shows that African women have some of the lowest rates of pharmacological pain relief usage.
• Barriers to accessibility include; availability of equipment, staff with sufficient skills and monitoring, or myths and controversies surrounding labor.² Studies have found that some women believe that crying is a sign of weakness.³
• The aim …

Social Needs Screenings Programs: Factors For Success, Varun Jayanti, Akshay Krishnan, Zachary Goldberg, Md, David Nash, Md, Mba

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Abstract

Introduction: In January 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented Health Quality Measure (HQM) 487, which required participating hospitals to annually screen admitted patients for the 5 domains of the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). These requirements allowed hospitals to develop individualized, but compliant, screening programs. Previous SDOH screening research has focused on measurement tools, but not the mechanisms of screening present in various hospitals.

Research Objectives: This study will investigate the mechanism(s) for a social needs screening program (which is reflective of underlying SDOH disparity) in a large, multi-hospital academic health system in the Northeastern …

Student Pharmacists Educating Patients On Proper Disposal Of Unused Opioid Medications, Ashley Ann Uy, Jessica Cao, Anthony Esposito, Colleen Carrigan, Siddharth Pant, Ashley Kim, Kaylen Louie, Efrain Santiago, Richard Pacitti, Pharmd, Mba, Fashp, Joseph Stavish, Pharmd, Msph, Nicholas Leon, Pharmd, Bcacp, Fcpp

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis characterized by illicit drug abuse like heroin, fentanyl, and opioid medications (oxycodone and morphine)
• Improper disposal of unused opioids contribute to the opioid epidemic
• Jefferson Health places high importance on opioid stewardship to mitigate the public health risks associated with unused opioids.

Early Identification Of Hospitalized Patients Lacking Prescription Drug Insurance, Nicholas Macdonald, Md, Matthew Tucker, Md, Phoebe Chun, Md, Liam Heneghan, Md, Sawyer Kieffer, Md, Megana Murugesh, Md, Yair Lev, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

According to 2021 data from the US Department of Health and Human Services, 16% of persons in the United States under the age of 65 do not have prescription drug insurance.1Unsurprisingly, prior investigations have shown that the presence of prescription drug insurance is associated with reduced probability of hospital admission and length of stay for many common medical conditions.2A large majority of hospitalized patients are started on at least one new medication at the time of hospital discharge. Increasing the proportion of individuals with prescription drug insurance would have a substantial benefit on our population's health.

One care gap …

Viral Hepatitis And Hiv Screening Amongst Inpatients With Substance Use Disorder, Christine Papastamelos, Md, Elizabeth Novick, Md, Carolyn Kramer, Md, John Zurlo,Md, Nikhil Seval, Md, Daniel Taupin, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• ~67,000 individuals in Philadelphia county are estimated to be living with opioid use disorder (OUD).¹
• Persons who inject drugs (PWID) are at disproportionately greater risk of acquiring HIV and viral hepatitis compared to the general public.²
• PWID are less likely to receive timely HIV and viral hepatitis screening in the outpatient setting given complex biopsychosocial barriers, including homelessness, mental illness, lack of insurance, incarceration, and stigma.^3,4

Developing A Taskforce To Improve Digital Health Equity, Samuel Wilson, Natalia Queenan, Julianna Lenoir, Alexzandra Gentsch, Jay Trivedi, Rohith Tudi, Nikita Nair, Akshay Krishnan, Andrew Vanichkachorn,, Tien Vu, Alexandra Cohen, Eleanor Jenkins, Marissa Witmer, David Rigas, Jeffrey Ndubisi, Isabella Muti, Kristin Rising, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Our Population

• Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) is a tertiary care center and L1 trauma center, and we serve patients from all areas in Philadelphia for acute health crises
• In Philadelphia, major disparities exist regarding health factors and health outcomes
• When stratifying by neighborhood or zip code, these disparities become even more apparent
• Several studies have also shown that these geographic demarcations coincide with racial disparities for access to health resources, like primary care physicians, COVID-19 vaccinations, and public health interventions
• Accessibility of health resources for our inpatients is thus highly variable.

Ventilation Method During Intensive Care Unit Transport After Cardiac Surgeries; When Should We Use A Ventilator?, Francis Anderson, Do, Kent Berg, Md, Marc Torjman, Phd, Yoshihisa Morita, Md

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

Problem Statement: Manual ventilation with AMBU bag is utilized mostly for transporting post cardiac surgery patients to the intensive care unit, but some patients need mechanical ventilation due to concern for oxygenation, ventilation, and cardiac function.

Also, transport can be a critical moment because of limited hemodynamic information and suboptimal environment for therapeutic intervention.

Thus, risk stratification for appropriate ventilation is necessary for safe transport. •

Project AIM: We assessed biventricular function (with a hand-held echocardiography), arterial blood gas, and hemodynamics pre and post transport in manual and mechanical ventilation groups.

Limited Education And Training For Inpatient Nurses Caring For Pregnant Women With Opioid Use Disorder, Jaime Tsao, Bs, Stephen Didonato, Phd, Lpc, Abby Adamczyk, Mlis, Ahip, Meghan Gannon, Phd Msph

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• The opioid epidemic continues as a public health emergency
• Pregnant women with OUD face multiple forms of marginalization and stigma based on the complex interplay of their various social identities
• OUD education and training among healthcare providers, particularly nurses, who are frontline clinicians in treating perinatal OUD, are lacking and leave the workforce unprepared and under-resourced to effectively support pregnant persons with OUD

Implementation Of Pediatric Behavioral And Developmental Health Screening Tools At Student-Run Free Clinics In Philadelphia Shelters, Renee Li, Jasmine Miller, Martin Henry, Do, Bob Motley, Md, David Beckmann, Md, Mph

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background & Project Aims

• Children experiencing homelessness (CEH) are at increased risk for behavioral health problems: 78% show behavioral problems, academic delays, or depression.¹

• Recent research suggests an increased prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) among people experiencing homelessness.^2,3

• Psychosocial challenges are exacerbated by limited access to behavioral health and developmental disability screening, which is essential for early intervention.^4-6

• Recent studies have found that behavioral health screening in shelters is feasible, can generate a large number of referrals, and can be carried out by a student-run clinic without significantly disrupting workflow.^7,8

Public And Community Perceptions Of Safe Injection Sites, Bahram Pashaee, Mph, Gary Kaplan, Mslis, Amy Leader, Drph, Mph

Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit

Background

• The opioid epidemic began in 1999 and the number of deaths from overdoses has since quadrupled by 2019
• 50,000 deaths in the US in 2019 from opioid overdoses and the numbers increase each year
• Research Question: What are the public’s and communities' perceptions of safe injection sites?

34th Annual Young Historians Conference Program, Portland State University History Department, Portland State University Challenge Program

Young Historians Conference

This is the 2024 Young Historians Conference schedule and abstracts.

Income Differences Among Nations: Measuring The Effects Of Human Capital On Total Factor Productivity (Tfp), Ashley Tarrolly

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

In the past two centuries, long-term economic growth has been defined by The Great Divergence, where the gap of income distribution has widened as a result of some nations experiencing modern economic growth while others have remained stagnant in their economic well-being. This panel data research examines differences in income across countries by applying development accounting to analyze differences in per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and predict each country’s total factor productivity (TFP). Data from the Penn World Tables were collected and categorized into groups based on GDP per capita to create a sample of 144 countries in 10-year …

Final Master's Portfolio, Ayotunde Afolabi

Master of Arts in English Plan II Graduate Projects

This portfolio explores themes of gender and race, identity representation, and agency within various literary texts. It encapsulates a series of analytical essays that scrutinize how these themes intersect and manifest across diverse literary landscapes, emphasizing the ways in which authors address and challenge societal norms and structures through their narratives. Each essay within the portfolio not only mirrors the engagement with these themes but also showcases the development of a theoretical approach that bridges classical literary analysis with contemporary issues of identity politics and social justice.

Suspicion And The Witch’S Tit, Shayna R. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Shayna Miller’s paintings are built up panels with protruding points, appearing as if a mass is pushing up from behind the burlap-stretched painting surface. In Suspicion and the Witch’s Tit, Miller contextualizes her work in relation to a history of shaped painting and frames her discussion around references related to suspicion, embodiment, and rejection.

Wordflight, Joey Gonnella

Theses and Dissertations

Exploring subjects revolving around the nature of images, language and their subsequent disseminationn through time, this paper weaves together seemingly unrelated topics from the hot air balloons of the Franco-Prussian war to the envelope poems of Emily Dickinson.