Digital Commons Network^™

Healthcare Disparities Related To Income In South Carolina, Rebekka Byrd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Low-income individuals and families in South Carolina face significant barriers to accessing healthcare, despite the presence of public health programs like Medicaid. Many fall into the healthcare coverage gap, earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance. This study explored the consequences of the healthcare coverage gap by examining the relationships between income, healthcare access, and the ability to afford healthcare services among 500 adults aged 19–64 who participated in the National Health Interview Survey between 2018 and 2023. Utilizing a retrospective quantitative analysis of secondary data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) …

Investigation In The Association Of Opioid Administration And Access To A Primary Care Provider In Patients Who Frequently Use The Emergency Department In A Rural And Urban Hospital In Arkansas, Cheyenne Star Lowrey-Lagrone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The overuse of emergency department (ED) services presents challenges for hospitals and communities as valuable resources are funneled repeatedly into the same patients. Frequent ED users account for a significant portion of used resources, and efforts have been made to address this public health concern. This paper sought to identify associations between opioid administration and access to a PCP in one rural and one urban hospital in Arkansas. Through an investigation of 200 medical records of ED users identified as frequent users of one rural (n=100) and one urban (n=100) hospital between 2018 and 2023, the researcher identified associations between …

In His Own Words? An Argument For Jesus As The Origin Of The Antithesis Formula In Matthew 5:21–48, Michael W. Herbert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explores the origin and authenticity of the antithesis formula, “You have heard that it was said…[OT reference]…but I say to you…,” which appears only in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt 5:21–48). This uniqueness of the antithesis formula contributes to it being one of the most intriguing yet contentious New Testament phrases. As such, there is no scholarly consensus regarding the origin of the antithesis formula. The relevant English language literature presents theories concerning the origin of the antithesis formula that generally conform to form-critical, source-critical, and redaction-critical approaches. However, this literature lacks an extended argument for this formula …

Public Administration's Ability To Ensure Service Quality Through Occupational Licensing Requirements: A Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, Ryan Mcdonald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Occupational licensing was developed to protect the public good. Public administrators are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring future workers enter their professions prepared to provide adequate service quality to the public. This study is grounded in the framework of public interest theory and seeks to evaluate whether the administration of occupational licensing and its associated requirements by public licensing boards aligns with the theory’s intended purpose of serving and protecting the public good. Public interest theory posits public administration operates in the best interest of the population, rather than for personal gain. A multiple linear regression was performed to …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Women Who Pastor Men In The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Karen En Bailey Garrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological research project will explore the lived experiences of Black women pastoring at least three (3) who are not genetically related, weekly attending male congregants in the historically patriarchal culture of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church with a minimum of at least one hundred (100) weekly attendees or more, and actively ordained. The CME Church has traditionally believed that the Bible prohibits women from serving as pastors or in any position of control over men. In four previous studies, Harden (2023), Morgan (2024), Tribble (2005), and Williams (2024) found that female pastors encountered obstacles throughout their journey …

Comparing Modern Band And Traditional Band Methods: A Mixed-Quantitative Study Of Note-Reading And Improvisation Competencies Among Secondary Music Students, Dennis John Manson Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Music directors should determine how pedagogical trends to support student-centered engagements utilizing modern methods and popular music in public schools compare to traditional practices in secondary bands. Current research suggests students should engage in culturally relevant repertoire and quality ensemble experiences. Existing studies, however, should measure the efficacy of alternative music programs concerning music literacy, self-expression, and how they compare to traditional band methods. Investigating both methods is necessary to discover common techniques and how differences in pedagogical standards may influence one another. Guided by experimental research, the following mixed quantitative study features a quasi-experimental and a correlational design to …

Equity-Aware Natural Hazards Resilience Assessment And Improvement Of Road Networks, Naqib Mashrur

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of hurricanes, the resulting flood events pose escalating threats to transportation infrastructure and community well-being. This dissertation addresses the intersection of flood resilience, network connectivity, and social equity by integrating principles from network analysis, equity planning, and disaster resilience. The research begins by examining the social dimensions of accessibility loss during hurricane-induced flooding. Spatial and demographic analysis reveals that Native American and Hispanic populations in the case study region experience the most significant reductions in access to essential service facilities, highlighting inequities in systems.

Investigating a region southern Louisiana road network demonstrates …

Use Of The Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric To Self-Identify Gaps In Clinical Judgment Competencies, Bev A. Wilgenbusch, Victoria Jurevic, Britt Cole Archibald, Alexis Zehler, Caitlin Jeanmougin, Katy Gilb

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Providing safe patient care requires strong clinical judgement skills (American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2021); however, developing and assessing clinical judgement in undergraduate students has been difficult (Dickison et al., 2019). The Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR) has been found to be valid and reliable in assessing clinical judgment development over time (Adamson et al., 2012), but at present has not been adapted as a self-evaluation tool. The LCJR was originally intended to define clinical judgment with consistent terms and monitor student performance over time (Lasater & Nielsen, 2024).

Method: With the permission of Dr. Kathie Lasater, …

Utilizing Technology To Systematically Evaluate Curriculum And Connect Nursing Competencies, Roxanne Buterakos, Barbara Kupferschmid, Hiba Wehbe-Alamah, Denise Cooper, Jeffrey Drake

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Problem: Achieving excellence in higher education requires a rigorous and continuous evaluation process.¹ The program evaluation process should evolve and adapt to reflect the school’s culture.2 This ongoing process enhances data collection and identifies gaps in the teaching process, curriculum and practice potential for enrolled students.² Graduate Faculty at a Midwest public University implemented a comprehensive approach to evaluation of all courses in the curriculum on a continual basis. They worked with Information Technology (IT) staff to computerize the components of the ongoing program evaluation. This process could be adapted to meet the needs of any program.

Process: …

Poverty Experience To Address Clinical Outcomes In Community Health, Denise Isibel

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Simulation serves as a valuable augmentation to direct clinical care or practice within healthcare settings. In Community health, students spend time in a variety of agencies experiencing a variety of vulnerable populations. One issue that crosses over these populations is poverty.

The poverty rate in America is 11.1 % (Shrider, 2024).A key competency in nursing education related to population health is understanding how poverty affects patients. This simulation related to the poverty allows students to understand many people in poverty are not all homes less but live next door and may be one paycheck away from catastrophe.

The experience starts …

Responding To The Association Of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke And Mental Illness: A Systematic Review, Pooja Bhattarai, Bassema Abu-Farsakh, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure represents a significant yet often overlooked public health challenge affecting over a billion people globally (World Health Organization 2021). Individuals exposed to SHS exposure inhale over 7,000 chemicals, including nicotine and other toxic substances, which adversely impact physical health (Carreras et al., 2019; Nadhiroh et al., 2020; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024). However, growing evidence suggests SHS exposure may increase the likelihood of poor mental health outcomes (Van der Eijk & Woh 2023, Zeng et al., 2016) Addressing SHS exposure not only requires acknowledging its impact but also respecting the …

Minutes From The December 4, 2025 Meeting Of The University Of Montana Faculty, University Of Montana--Missoula. Faculty

University of Montana Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes from the December 4, 2025 meeting of the University of Montana faculty.

Associations Between County-Level E-Cigarette-Inclusive Tobacco 21 Law Population Coverage And E-Cigarette Use Behaviors Among United States Adolescents In Monitoring The Future, James H. Buszkiewicz, Catherine A. Vander Woude, Yanmei Xie, Steven Cook, Bukola Usidame, Megan E. Patrick, Michael R. Elliott, James F. Thrasher, Nancy L. Fleischer

Department of Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background and aims

In the United States (US), Tobacco 21 (T21) laws set the minimum legal sale age for all tobacco products to 21 years. This study aimed to examine whether e-cigarette-inclusive T21 laws were associated with e-cigarette use behaviors and related disparities among US adolescents.

Design

We used nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional Monitoring the Future data to compare self-reported current e-cigarette use (2014–2022) and first e-cigarette initiation (2015–2022) among adolescents in counties with 100% ('full') versus < 100% ('partial or no') e-cigarette-inclusive T21 law population coverage using modified Poisson regression, examining differences by sex, race and ethnicity, parental educational attainment and college educational expectations through interactions.

Setting

United States.

Participants

8th, 10th and 12th graders.

Measurements

County-level e-cigarette-inclusive T21 law population coverage was determined using Tobacco 21 Population Coverage …

Psychological Variables That Best Predict Health Related Behaviors In College Students, Arianna Gamaggio

Honors Theses

The present study examined which psychological factors best predicted health behaviors in college students. The psychological factors that were addressed included anxiety, depression, grit, and psychological flexibility. The health behaviors were examined by using a composite variable that included sleep, diet, and exercise. A total of 265 students participated in the study, but only 174 (μ age = 21) met the criteria for inclusion. Participants completed validated self-report measures such as the GAD- 7 (anxiety), PHQ-9 (depression), Short Grit Scale, Psy-Flex-6 (psychological flexibility), as well as health behavior assessments that measured eating behaviors, sleeping, and exercise habits. Correlational analyses indicated …

Characteristics Of Unintentional Injuries In Young Children In Low Socioeconomic Status Families, Annabelle Pederson

Honors Theses

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among young children in the United States, with low-income families being at higher risk. This study examined seven weeks of prospective injury data from 89 caregivers of preschool-aged children enrolled in a Head Start program participating in a randomized controlled trial of a modified home safety intervention. Caregivers completed weekly interviews reporting the injury type, location, severity, pain, and caregiver in charge. Slips, trips, and falls were the most common injuries that occurred, with most occurring in the primary caregiver’s home. Mothers were the supervising adults in over half of the incidents. …

The Divided Self: Gothic Duality In Literature, Sarah Anna Meeks

Masters Theses

Gothic literature of the nineteenth century is haunting due to its frequent use of ghosts and monsters. However, the true terror lies in a deeper horror, one that is more intimate and destabilizing– a fright that leaps out of the text, looking into the heart of the reader: the fractured mind of the self torn between reality and repression, haunted by its own, newly manifested internal disunity rather than external monsters. The characters of Gothic fiction are typically caught in a psychological turmoil. They battle with split morals between duty and desire, morality and madness, and science and spirituality. Specifically, …

The Differential Effects Of Fast Walking Speed On Muscle Coactivation In The Paretic And Non-Paretic Extremities Post-Stroke, Natalia Sánchez, Andrian Kuch, Samantha N. Jeffcoat, Andrew Hooyman, Aria Haver-Hill, Christina K. Holl, Kristan A. Leech

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background:

Clinical practice guidelines for walking recovery post-stroke recommend high aerobic intensity training, which usually involves walking at fast speeds. However, the acute effect of fast speeds on the neuromuscular control of walking is unclear.

Objectives:

(1) Assess the criterion validity of the Dynamic Motor Control Index (WalkDMC) as a measure of coactivation post-stroke. (2) Assess acute speed-dependent coactivation post-stroke. (3) Assess how clinical characteristics shape the speed-dependent coactivation response. (4) Assess the relationship between heart rate and coactivation post-stroke. We hypothesized that WalkDMC is correlated with function and impairment measures. We also hypothesize that coactivation measured via the WalkDMC …

Methylene Blue Associated Retinal Toxicity, Sidra Zafar, Martin Calotti, Timothy T. Xu, Justin Muste, Theodore Bowe, Luis Acaba-Berrocal, Brian Cheng, Samir Patel, Yoshihiro Yonekawa, Jose S. Pulido, Jordan D. Deaner

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

BACKGROUND: To describe a case of inadvertent methylene blue use during pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for an epiretinal membrane (ERM).

CASE: A 69-year-old man presented with 1 day of severe vision loss in his left eye. Two days prior to presentation, he had undergone PPV that was complicated by accidental methylene blue use. Visual acuity (VA) at presentation to our institution was CF from his baseline VA of 20/60. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated diffuse hyperreflectivity and thickening of the inner retinal layers. The patient was started on oral prednisone with no improvement. On postoperative month 1, VA was HM. …

Educational Policies Committee Minutes December 4, 2025, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - November 6, 2025
• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Program Proposals
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Center for Civic Excellence
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:25 pm

National Study Reports Progress On Law Schools’ Central Role In Safeguarding Housing And Community Stability, New York Law School

NYLS Community News

No abstract provided.

Spectator 2025-12-04, Editors Of The Spectator

The Spectator

No abstract provided.

Super-Fast, Super-Early: High-Frequency Oscillations May Be A Prelude To Alzheimer's Dementia In Down Syndrome, Manuel Silva-Pérez, Jeannie Chin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia has near full penetrance in adults with Down syndrome (DS) and is strongly linked to late-onset myoclonic epilepsy in Down syndrome (LOMEDS). However, promising biomarkers of epileptogenicity, such as high-frequency oscillations (HFOs >250 Hz), have not been studied. This study is the first to use wideband polysomnography in DS to investigate if HFOs occurred and preceded AD dementia and LOMEDS. Methods: Wideband (0.1 to 500 Hz, 2048 Hz) polysomnography was performed using the international 10–20 system. HFOs were automatically detected during slow-wave sleep, followed by manual review. Results: Fourteen individuals with DS and five age-matched euploid …

Capacity Building For Mental Health Of Older Persons: A Participatory Action Research, Theresa Aragones Guino-O, Zorinna Macahis Luague, Uenavil Anne Empaces Junio, Evalyn Elardo Abalos

Biennial Convention (CONV)

There is a projected increase in the older population worldwide by 2050. This creates disconcerting implications in Philippine society, where a trend of elderly persons living alone and with minimal resources to meet their health maintenance and treatment needs is observed. These important concerns relate to mental health and need to be addressed through research-based interventions that are effective and sustainable. The aim of the study was to assess, implement, and evaluate socially and culturally acceptable interventions for the mental health of older persons together with the participants residing in Barangay Calindagan, Dumaguete City, Philippines. Participatory action research was chosen …

Adult From Heart To Sole: Screening And Early Identification Of Congenital Heart Disease, Tami L. Jakubowski, Simranjot Mann, Emma Cartnick, Sarah Curtis, Carole Kenner, Marina Boykova

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: This pilot study explores a non-invasive, low cost screening method for identification of congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods: A survey was distributed via social media platforms(Facebook, LinkedIn, webpages). Study participants were asked if they have a CHD diagnosis, other health problems, and whether they have a specific crease on either or both feet. This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at The College of New Jersey and the Medical Advisory Board Research Committee of the Adult Congenital Heart Association.

Results: All study participants(n= 53) were over the age of 18 years, 69.6% were female (n=37), …

Turkey’S Recent E-Commerce Amendments: A Critical Comparison With The Eu Digital Markets Act, Kaan Kocabas, Jurgita Malinauskaite

Yearbook of Antitrust and Regulatory Studies

Recent regulatory reforms in Turkey aim to address the competitive risks posed by dominant digital platforms, particularly concerning data exploitation, self-preferencing, and discriminatory conduct. Rather than introducing a standalone competition law instrument, Turkey amended its Law on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce to embed competition-related obligations, raising questions about the consistency and coherence of enforcement. This article analyses the legal and institutional implications of these amendments, critically comparing Turkey’s approach with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). It argues that while the Turkish amendments reflect global regulatory trends, the lack of a dedicated competition framework risks creating enforcement conflicts …

Historical Review: More Than Two Decades Understanding The Genetic Architecture Of Hemostasis And Thrombosis, Maria Sabater-Lleal, Florian Thibord, Paul S De Vries, Jennifer Huffman, Alisa S Wolberg, Charles J Lowenstein, Alanna C Morrison, Andrew D Johnson, Nicholas L Smith

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

From the beginning of the millennium and the development of genome-wide analyses, the technical advances and remarkable increase in research sample sizes have led to an escalating number of discoveries revealing genetic determinants of levels of the main factors regulating hemostasis and thrombosis and demonstrating a clear polygenic complex regulation of most coagulation factors. These discoveries have been useful to understand the biology underlying hemostasis regulation and to understand risk of associated thrombotic disease, such as venous thromboembolism, coronary artery disease, and ischemic stroke. In this historical review, we outline the main discoveries in genetic studies of coagulation factors (fibrinogen …

The Effects Of Perceived Stress On First Responders' Job Performance While Moderating For Self-Efficacy, Diane Craig

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stress in the workplace results in substantial economic losses for U.S. organizations. The effects of perceived stress on reducing the job performance of first responders continue to be a concern for administrators in emergency response management. Grounded in self-efficacy theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the moderating effects of self efficacy on the relationship between perceived stress and job performance among U.S. first responders. The sample comprised 78 men and 65 women (N = 143) from professional response agencies in the United States. They completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Endicott Work Productivity Scale, and the …

Strategies Leaders Use To Reduce Voluntary Attrition Among Employees With Access To Wellness Programs, Cara Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Voluntary employee attrition presents ongoing challenges for organizational leaders, particularly among employees whose workplace needs and preferences are unmet. The problem is that many leaders lack effective strategies to mitigate voluntary attrition, which negatively impacts productivity, morale, and overall organizational performance. Grounded in the job demands–resources model and wellness climate theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore strategies leaders used to reduce voluntary employee attrition among employees who have access to workplace wellness programs. The participants were six organizational leaders from mid-sized and public-sector organizations who successfully mitigated voluntary attrition. Data were collected through semistructured …

Spartan Daily, December 4, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 165, Issue 42

Rewriting Hell: Adaptation, Hope, And The 'American Dream' In Practice-As-Research, Karli Jean Lonnquist

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Contemporary theatrical adaptation involves deconstructing, reimagining, and rewriting historical plays for modern audiences. Adaptation appropriates theatrical conventions, changes the lens through which the audience may view the play, and offers new entry points into thinking and practice. Adaptation asks, “why this source as theatre now?” and proposes that history provides tools for engagement with contemporary issues. By employing a Practice as Research methodology, which positions creative processes such as script development, rehearsal, or play development as research methods, I investigated the art of historical adaptation. I adapted No Exit, a 1945 existentialist play by Jean-Paul Sartre, into a new play …