Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

‘‘We Can Wipe An Entire Culture’’: Fears And Promises Of Dna Biobanking Among Native Americans, Roberto Abadie, Kathleen Heaney

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This paper explores Native American perceptions on DNA biobanking. A qualitative study was conducted among self-declared Native Americans living off reservation in two Midwest cities. Findings demonstrate a paradox: Informants maintain strong hopes for the transformative power of gene-based research while voicing very particular social anxieties. Emerging genomic technologies elicit concerns over the potential for genetic stigmatization or discrimination based on race, preventing access to health insurance or employment. Frequently, social anxieties adopt the narrative form of conspiracy theories which portray powerful agents exploiting or abusing a disenfranchised population. We argue that while Native Americans do not have a monopoly …

The Relationship Between Stressors And Intent To Leave Nursing Homes Among Directors Of Nursing, Crystal R. Williamson

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, some nursing homes have been ranked worst in the nation when rating the quality of resident care. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative strength of workplace stress, job satisfaction, organizational support, and personal data (number of years employed, age, highest education level) in predicting director of nursing (DON) intentions to leave the position. This information contributes to social change because it is important to know that DONs need to experience general satisfaction in order to maintain stable leadership that positively contributes to the quality of care in …

Hiv Infrastructure Study Birmingham, Alabama, Susan S. Reif, Kristen Sullivan, Carolyn Mcallaster, Miriam Berger

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Behavioral Adjustment In Children With Life Threatening Illness A Qualitative Study, E. Joseph Becher Jr.

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study investigated factors that affect adjustment in children with life-threatening illness from the viewpoint of the parents/caregivers. The data were collected from parents/caregivers whose children have a life threatening diagnosis. Parents/caregivers were interviewed and asked to complete the Parent Request Questionnaire (PRQ) which was given to them after the in-person interview. This newly developed PRQ was utilized into prior research to predict the levels of adjustment in children. It includes age, whether the child has been informed of the diagnosis, whether the child engages in age-appropriate activities, the child's prior experience with death, the child's family's involvement in treatment, …

A Narrative Inquiry: Case Leaders' Perspectives On Resilience In Hospice Care, Gail Renee Ahern

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study is a qualitative inquiry examining the perspective of team leaders within hospice organizations on resilience. The goal of this study was to examine how hospice leaders build resilience for themselves and within the interdisciplinary teams they lead. A framework of three key theories of leadership—servant, spiritual and authentic—was used to help in understanding the similarities and differences of the interviewed leaders and their key themes and practices. The eight leaders interviewed were from a range of hospices in diverse settings and all were directly responsible for leading interdisciplinary teams. In-depth phenomenological interviewing was undertaken until the study reached …

Creating Space For An Indigenous Approach To Digital Storytelling: "Living Breath" Of Survivance Within An Anishinaabe Community In Northern Michigan, Brenda K. Manuelito

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

As Indigenous peoples, we have a responsibility to our global community to share our collective truths and experiences, but we also deserve the respect to not be objectified, essentialized, and reified. Today, we are in a period of continual Native resurgence as many of us (re)member our prayers, songs, languages, histories, teachings, everyday stories and our deepest wisdom and understanding as Indigenous peoples--we are all “living breath” and we are “all related.” For eight years, Carmella Rodriguez and I have been nDigiStorytelling across the United States and have co-created over 1,200 digital stories with over 80 tribes for Native survivance, …

A Phenomenological Study: Marriage And Family Therapists' And Clinician's Perceptions Of How Secondary Traumatic Stress Affects Them And Their Families, Norja Elizabeth Cunningham

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Multiple facets of clinicians' lives are influenced by compassion fatigue including physiological well-being, the perspective of clinicians in relation to the world, and psychological and emotional reactions to trauma triggers (Figley, 1998). Work stress research considers the systemic effects of stress on workers' relationships. Research also shows that romantic relationships are negatively influenced by work stress (Sanz-Vergel, Rodriguez, Bakker & Demerouti, 2012). This phenomenological study investigated the lived experience of three clinicians and how compassion fatigue was experienced in their relationships with their partners and children. Clinicians completed the Professional Quality of Life assessment and those with a score of …

Weed Women, All Night Vigils, And The Secret Life Of Plants: Negotiated Epistemologies Of Ethnogynecological Plant Knowledge In American History, Claudia Jeanne Ford

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation critiques the discourse of traditional ecological knowledge described as embedded in indigenous peoples' longevity in location, for the purpose of understanding the embodiment of ecological knowledge in culture. The aim of this research is to examine the historical and epistemic complexity of traditional ecological knowledge that may be both established from the length of time people reside in a specific ecosystem and constitutive of negotiations between and among different cultures. I choose the specific case of the negotiation of plant knowledge for women's reproductive health among Native, African, and European groups as those negotiations unfolded on the American …

Indonesia Has It Backward: It's Not E-Cigarettes That's The Problem But Smoking, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Indonesia has announced it will be banning e-cigarettes. But that would do nothing to reduce smoking, which should be the main target of those interested in reducing tobacco use deaths and harms. Rather than ban e-cigarettes, it makes more sense to regulate them effectively so that they can serve as a useful anti-smoking tool. The availability of e-cigarettes to smokers can also make much more aggressive anti-smoking strategies more practically and politically viable-–perhaps even paving the way for banning cigarettes, instead.

Effects Of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists In Assays Of Pain-Stimulated And Pain-Depressed Behavior In Rats, Kelen Freitas

Theses and Dissertations

Though a host of analgesics have been developed to alleviate pain, especially acute pain, significant side effects and a lack of long-term efficacy have encouraged research attempts to pursue novel targets that may be associated with fewer side effects or a more sustained efficacy. Among these new targets are members of the nicotinic family of acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The non-selective nAChR agonists nicotine and epibatidine have been shown to function as potent antinociceptive drugs in many acute and chronic preclinical pain models, while nicotine has produced analgesic effects in humans. However, these non-selective nAChRs agonists also produce various side effects, …

An Exploration Of Factors Influencing Attrition From A Pediatric Weight Management Intervention, Melissa Ann Kwitowski

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem in the United States. Numerous weight management programs attempt to address this issue. However, attrition poses significant treatment efficacy challenges. Understanding attendance and attrition from childhood obesity programs is crucial for effective and appropriate resource utilization. NOURISH+ is a community-based treatment program for parents of overweight and obese children (age 5–11 years, BMI ≥ 85th percentile). The current study investigated attrition from NOURISH+ to enhance understanding of pediatric obesity treatment retention factors. NOURISH+ participants (n=70) completed a questionnaire assessing barriers to adherence and general program feedback. Data were analyzed using frequencies, …

Agency And Resistance Strategies Among Black Primary Care Patients, Janella Nicole Hudson

Wayne State University Dissertations

Research has identified marginalized and minority patients as displaying fewer participatory behaviors during the clinical interaction. Using a culture-centered framework, this study examines the process by which patients with a previous history of discrimination employed agency and resistance strategies in order to influence the outcome of their clinical interactions. This study conducted a secondary analysis of the video taped interactions of 25 black primary care patients in an urban low-income clinic. Using qualitative content analysis, I identified five emergent themes for patient agency: interrupting the physician, stating observations of care, expressing needs and desires, constructing identity, and agenda/goal management. Participants …

The Nonreligious – Nonspiritual Scale (Nrnss): Measuring Everything From Atheists To Zionists, Ryan T. Cragun, Joseph H. Hammer, Michael Nielsen

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Although hundreds of measures of personal religiousness and spirituality exist, none are capable of reliably and validly assessing individuals who identify as nonreligious and nonspiritual. There is a need to develop a valid and reliable measure of (non)religiousness and (non)spirituality. This article discusses these problems, and presents the development and initial validation of a 17-item Nonreligious-Nonspiritual Scale (NRNSS) across three studies. The NRNSS exhibited high internal consistency (α > .94) and high test-retest reliability (r = .92). Two exploratory and one confirmatory factor analysis of the NRNSS supported the hypothesized two-factor solution: (a) institutional religiousness and (b) individualistic spirituality. The NRNSS …

Early Maladaptive Schemas In An Australian Adult Alcohol Dependent Clinical Sample: Differences Between Men And Women, Diana Lanie Janson

Theses : Honours

Recent literature suggests that there are widespread differences between men and women’s Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) and that EMSs are highly prevalent in alcohol dependent populations. The present study examined differences between men and women’s EMSs in an Australian clinical sample who had sought treatment specifically for alcohol dependence. A total of 111 men and 114 women completed the Young Schema Questionnaire – Long Form (YSQ-L3) between 2012 and 2015 in order to assess them on 18 EMSs. Despite previous findings suggesting that women report higher levels on a number of EMSs the present study found that women only scored …

Identifying The Enablers And Barriers To Community Participation Amongst Older Adults, Nicole Papageorgiou

Theses : Honours

The older adult population in Western Australia (WA) has significantly increased over the last decade and continues to grow, highlighting the importance of maintaining their health, wellbeing and independence. This may be achieved by facilitating active ageing, enabling older adults to continue to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, contribute positively to society, and lower the demand on costly health and human services. Conversely, a lack of social engagement and community participation may hinder healthy ageing and lead to social isolation, which is adversely related to the quality of life and health status of older adults. Occupational participation is critical to …

The Feasibility Of Implementing A Novel Electrical Stimulation Device In The Self-Management Of Hand Burn Pain, Katrina Liddiard

Theses : Honours

Burns are widely acknowledged as one of the most painful injuries experienced, and poorly controlled pain following burn injury has been linked to reduced psychological adjustment, lower quality of life, and increased risk of developing a chronic pain state. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation has been used for pain relief in a range of medical conditions, and may have the potential to reduce pain and analgesic consumption for burns patients. The burn care environment presents unique challenges to the introduction of new interventions, and the feasibility of introducing a novel form of electrical stimulation into this environment has not been tested. …

The Prospective Association Between Positive Psychological Well-Being And Diabetes, Julia K. Boehm, Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald, Mika Kivimaki, Laura D. Kubzansky

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: Positive psychological well-being has protective associations with cardiovascular outcomes, but no studies have considered its association with diabetes. This study investigated links between well-being and incident diabetes.

Methods: At study baseline (1991-1994), 7,800 middle-aged British men and women without diabetes indicated their life satisfaction, emotional vitality, and optimism. Diabetes status was determined by self-reported physician diagnosis and oral glucose tolerance test (screen detection) at baseline and through 2002-2004. Incident diabetes was defined by physician-diagnosed and screen-detected cases combined and separately. Logistic regression estimated the odds of developing diabetes controlling for relevant covariates (e.g., demographics, depressive symptoms). Models …

Forensic Palynological Analysis Of Intestinal Contents Of A Korean Mummy, Paulette Arguelles, Karl Reinhard, Dong Hoon Shin

Karl Reinhard Publications

Experimental studies show that pollen resides in the intestinal tract for a minimum of seven days to at least 21 days. Because of this long residence time, pollen analysis is an important avenue of forensic research. Pollen provides evidence of the environment of the decedent as well as foods and medicine. We analyzed a coprolite recovered from a Korean mummy. The decedent was a high-ranking general who lived during the 16th or 17th centuries. Twenty pollen types were recovered. These ranged from 100s to 10,000s of pollen grains per gram of coprolite. Importantly, comparison of the coprolite pollen spectrum to …

Dancing Around Infertility: The Use Of Metaphors In A Complex Medical Situation, Angela L. Palmer-Wackerly, Janice L. Krieger

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

People use metaphors to cognitively frame their experiences as well as to explain those experiences to others, especially in complex medical situations. However, previous research has not fully explored the extent to which metaphors may be helpful or harmful to achieving well-being. This investigation fills this gap by identifying and explaining metaphor use in the context of infertility. Guided by self-determination theory, in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 women and men who had experienced an inability to conceive a child. Analysis of participant narratives yielded 10 prominent metaphors that reflect how participants’ need for competence, autonomy, and relatedness were (and …

Comprehension Of Randomization And Uncertainty In Cancer Clinical Trials Decision Making Among Rural, Appalachian Patients, Janice L. Krieger, Angela L. Palmer-Wackerly, Phokeng M. Dailey, Jessica L. Krok-Schoen, Nancy E. Schoenberg, Electra D. Paskett

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Comprehension of randomization is a vital, but understudied, component of informed consent to participate incancer randomized clinical trials(RCTs). Thisstudy examines patient comprehension of the randomization process as well as sources of ongoing uncertainty that may inhibit a patient’s ability to provide informed consent to participate in RCTs. Cancer patients living in rural Appalachia who were offeredanopportunitytoparticipateinacancertreatmentRCT completed in-depth interviews and a brief survey. No systematic differences in randomization comprehension between patients who consented and those who declined participation in a cancer RCT were detected. Comprehension is conceptually distinct from uncertainty, with patients who had both high and low comprehension experiencing …

The Role Of Anger Rumination And Autism Spectrum Disorder– Linked Perseveration In The Experience Of Aggression In The General Population, Cara E. Pugliese, Matthew S. Fritz, Susan W. White

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study (a) examined the role of anger rumination as a mediator of the relation between social anxiety and the experience of anger, hostility, and aggression, in the general population, and (b) evaluated the degree to which the presence of autism spectrum disorder characteristics moderates the indirect influence of anger rumination. We then explored whether social cognition and perseveration characteristic of autism spectrum disorder uniquely accounted for the predicted moderation. In this survey study of young adults (n = 948), anger rumination mediated the relation between social anxiety and hostility, as well as verbal and physical aggression, as predicted. Greater …

Diffusion Of Innovations Of Videoconference Technology: An Instrumental Case Study Concerning Undergraduate Degree-Seeking Nontraditional Learners, Bruce G. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation is an instrumental case study based on diffusion of innovations theory designed to gather student opinions regarding videoconference (VC) technology use in facilitating courses to undergraduate degree-seeking nursing students. The author of diffusion of innovations theory, Rogers (2003), recommended that more qualitative studies be conducted in education. Rogers and Jain (1968) recommended these studies should be conducted from the aspect of “receivers of innovation diffusion” (p.1) to provide feedback instrumental to implementation of technological innovations in academe. Further, Rogers stated that multiple data points should be used during the process of trialing an innovation. Therefore, a current …

You Are What You Tweet: Connecting The Geographic Variation In America's Obesity Rate To Twitter Content, Ross J. Gore, Saikou Diallo, Jose Padilla

VMASC Publications

We conduct a detailed investigation of the relationship among the obesity rate of urban areas and expressions of happiness, diet and physical activity on social media. We do so by analyzing a massive, geo-tagged data set comprising over 200 million words generated over the course of 2012 and 2013 on the social network service Twitter. Among many results, we show that areas with lower obesity rates: (1) have happier tweets and frequently discuss (2) food, particularly fruits and vegetables, and (3) physical activities of any intensity. Additionally, we provide evidence that each of these results offer different and unique insight …

Law’S Power To Safeguard Global Health: A Lancet–O’Neill Institute, Georgetown University Commission On Global Health And The Law, Lawrence O. Gostin, John T. Monahan, Mary C. Debartolo, Richard Horton

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The law-–global, national, and subnational–-plays a vital, yet often underappreciated, role in safeguarding and promoting the public’s health. In this article, we launch the Lancet-O’Neill Institute, Georgetown University Commission on Global Health and the Law. Commissioners from around the world will explore the critical opportunities and challenges of using law as a tool, while evaluating the evidence base for legal interventions. The Commission aims to define and systematically describe the current landscape of law that affects global health and safety.

Commissioners were chosen from disciplines that range from health, policy, and law to economics and governance. The Commission aims …

A Retrospective And Prospective Analysis Of The West African Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic: Robust National Health Systems At The Foundation And An Empowered Who At The Apex, Lawrence O. Gostin, Eric A. Friedman

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The West African Ebola epidemic is a pivotal moment for the global health system. Just as the depth of the crisis ultimately spurred an unprecedented response, the failures of leadership demand innovative reforms. This analysis offers a template for these reforms, responding to the profound harms posed by fragile national health systems, delays in the international response, deficient resource mobilization, ill-defined responsibilities, and insufficient coordination. The scope of the reforms must address the failures evident in the Ebola response, as well as entrenched weaknesses that enabled the epidemic to reach its heights, transforming the existing inchoate, organically developed global health …

An O'Neill Institute Briefing Paper: Ebola, The World Health Organization, And Beyond: Toward A Framework For Global Health Security, Lawrence O. Gostin, Eric A. Friedman, Daniel Hougendobler

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The West African Ebola epidemic has demonstrated that the world remains ill-prepared to respond to infectious disease outbreaks. A host of institutions are now reviewing what went wrong, and new institutions are being considered, including an African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Bank-initiated Pandemic Emergency Facility. The World Health Organization itself failed in one of its core functions by allowing a preventable infectious disease to spiral out of control in the world’s poorest region. The 68th World Health Assembly (WHA), held in May 2015, provided an opportunity for the Organization to reflect on what went wrong and …

The Normative Authority Of The World Health Organization, Lawrence O. Gostin, Devi Sridhar, Daniel Hougendobler

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The World Health Organization (WHO) was born after the devastation of World War II, as a normative agency endowed with unprecedented constitutional powers. But even as it has achieved stunning successes, such as the eradication of smallpox, it has failed to live up to the exalted expectations of the postwar health and human rights movement e exemplified most recently by its inadequate response to the Ebola epidemic. Our aim is to offer innovative ideas for restoring the Organization to its leadership position by exercising its normative authority, even as it faces a crowded and often chaotic global health architecture. Before …

Sexual Assaults Among University Students: Prevention, Support, And Justice, Rebecca B. Reingold, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Sexual assault is common among college-aged women (18 to 25 years), with 1 in 5 reporting having experienced these crimes during their college years. Acute and long-term consequences of sexual assault may include physical trauma, sexually transmitted infections, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance abuse. Survivors have the option of reporting assaults to the university or to the police, but the goals of these 2 systems—and women’s experiences with them—can be quite different. The criminal justice system’s principal aim is to adjudicate guilt, but the university has the broader purpose of fostering a safe learning environment.

This article explores how …

A Profession Without Limits: The Changing Role Of Reference Librarians, Elaine Sullo, Laura E. Abate, Thomas Harrod, Gisela Butera, Alexandra Gomes, Paul Levett

Himmelfarb Library Faculty Posters and Presentations

Librarians have taken on new and evolving roles, many of which have come about based on a need that can be uniquely satisfied with a librarian's background and expertise. Some roles have simply been filled due to a librarian's availability and willingness to volunteer for something new. In considering how these roles will continue to evolve and affect our daily work, we've identified and categorized the changing roles and responsibilities of Himmelfarb health science librarians.

Predictors Of Recidivism For Offenders With Mental Illness And Substance Use Disorders, Linda Buckmon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness and substance use disorders have been determined to be leading predictors for recidivism among criminal offenders in the United States who are released to community supervision. Women make up an increasing in percentage of this criminal justice population; however, few studies have explored the role that gender plays in determining men and women's recidivism. Offender's education, employment, and peer association have also been reported to be predictors increasing the likelihood of recidivism among criminal offenders. This study was designed to determine if gender, mental illness, substance use disorder, employment, education, and peer association predicted recidivism. Differential association theory …