Public Health Commons^™

The Consequences Of Homophobia: Analysis Of Discriminatory Medical And Legislative Policies And Their Influence On Health Disparities, Kaiden J. Fandel

Honors Thesis

Are there specific roots that influence the introduction and incorporation of discriminatory medical policies? What are the sources of such stigma, discrimination, and prejudice, in what forms does such discrimination take place, and what negative impacts does such hatred have on health outcomes, quality of care, and health disparities? Through a review of existing literature on this topic, intertwining the examination of the evolution of discriminatory policies and other explanatory literature in the United States, this thesis aims to answer the questions above, and explain the roots of such homophobic discrimination and its prevalence in the United States. Through the …

Examining Asian Americans' Perceived Barriers To Healthcare Access, Kathleen Nguyen, Jennifer Ramos

Honors Thesis

This research aimed to examine Asian Americans and their perceived barriers to healthcare access. Asian Americans, due to not being a homogenous ethnic group, experience health disparities that are different to those that other ethnic groups experience. Compared to whites in America, Asian Americans are less likely to have job-based insurance coverage and because of this are then less likely to be insured (Brown et al., 2000). Additionally, the most common perceived barriers to accessing healthcare for Asian Americans are cultural attitudes, financial and socioeconomic status, as well as language barriers. These barriers found in the literature served as the …

The Economic, Mental Health, And Social Stressors During The Covid-19 Pandemic Among Native Americans In South Dakota, Savannah E. Lukkes

Honors Thesis

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities test positive for COVID-19 and experience higher mortality than other racial and ethnic groups. These high rates of vulnerability could be connected to the systemic inequalities that have been experienced for centuries. This study aimed to compare socioeconomic stressors, concerns, and mental health experiences during the early COVID-19 pandemic between AI/AN and non-AIAN populations in South Dakota. The study sample (n=1,586) was grouped by AI/AN and non-AI/AN status based on self-identification of being AI/AN alone or in combination with another race/ethnicity. Participant responses to socioeconomic stressors and concerns (e.g., top concerns, level of concern, self-isolation, …

Impactful Interactions With Medical Interpretation, Alyssa L. Reinschmidt

Honors Thesis

The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of healthcare that one can receive when the language barrier is a factor, looking specifically at the collaboration of interpreters and physicians in the delivery of care. To carry out this study, I have analyzed the presence of the language barrier in South Dakota, the current methods of interpretation in clinical settings, and how physicians and interpreters work together to provide care to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients. Data has been collected from scholarly articles, journals, presentations, and videos.

Ultimately, with my committee’s help, I have created a physician-interpreter training …

Disparities In Access To Assisted Reproductive Technology Among Hispanic Women In The United States, Madison Gallagher

Honors Thesis

Infertility is a health problem that affects approximately 7 million women in the United States (Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2015). Due to the high costs of reproductive medicine and infertility treatment, these services tend to be expensive and have limited accessibility without full insurance coverage. Emerging literature outlines the disparities in access to proper treatment for reproductive complications. These existing studies highlight that many minority populations in the United States experience increased challenges regarding access to reproductive medicine and infertility treatment. Among these minority groups are Hispanic women, who are more likely to require reproductive …

The Victimization Of Native American Women In The United States: The Impact And Potential Underlying Factors, Kaci A. Clement

Honors Thesis

In recent decades, a topic of concern that has gained attention in the United States and throughout the world is violence against women. Surveys conducted nationally have found that there is a correlation between which racial group a woman identifies as and her likelihood to be victimized at some point in her life. American Indian/Alaskan Native women, in particular, are impacted by violence at disproportionate rates. However, definitive reasoning for the high rates of violence in these groups has not been fully investigated. There is a lack of surveillance and dissemination regarding this specific topic as well as other issues …