Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Analysis Of Lead Levels In Deciduous Teeth From Children In Clark County, Nevada., Kristin Murphy, Jennifer Berger-Ritchie, Shawn L. Gerstenberger, Amol B. Amin, Jason K. Nitta, Frederick G. More, Jeanne A. Hibler, Karl Kingsley

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Background: Elevated blood lead levels (EBLL) are declining in the United States, although some population subgroups continue to exhibit significant health disparities. A childhood lead poisoning prevention program was recently started in Nevada, and many efforts have been made to support this program and increase the screening rates.

Methods: To expand the potential pool of children screened for EBLLs, a pilot study was performed to evaluate lead concentrations in extracted deciduous teeth using Graphic Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis.

Results: Lead concentrations as determined by GFAAS and ICP-MS were …

Chronic Disease And Risk Factors Among Nevadans With Disabilities: A 2009 Brfss Study, Jennifer R. Pharr, Sheniz Moonie

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Previous research has found that people with disabilities are more likely to have chronic diseases (coronary artery disease, stroke, cancer, asthma, diabetes), secondary conditions (high blood pressure, high cholesterol) and risk factors for chronic disease (physical inactivity and obesity) (Havercamp, Scandlin, & Roth, 2004; Kinne, Patrick, & Doyle, 2004; Nosek, Hughes, Petersen et al., 2006; Reichard, Stolzle, & Fox, 2011). The purpose of this study was to conduct a secondary analysis using data from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to identify differences in chronic disease risk factors and chronic disease/ secondary conditions between adults with and without …

Utilization Of Preventative Health Services By Nevadans With Disabilities, Jennifer R. Pharr, Sheniz Moonie

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Health disparities are differences in access to health care, quality of health care and health outcomes observed between population-specific groups of people (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2000). Previous research has found that people with disabilities experience unequal access to preventative health care services. The purpose of this study was to conduct a secondary data analysis using data from the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to determine differences in utilization of preventative health services between adults with and without disabilities in Nevada. Nevadans with disabilities were significantly more likely to have access to health insurance and to have …

Nutrition Education In Clark County, Nevada, Matt Bittle, Mildred Mcclain, Jeanne A. Hibler, Marcia M. Ditmyer

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Over 51 million school hours are missed annually by school-aged children due to a dental problem or visit, with 117 hours missed per 100 children (NIDCR, 2002). Approximately half a million of California's 7.2 million school-age children missed at least one day of school in 2007 because of dental issues such as toothaches (Pourat, & Nicholson, 2009). Independent research regarding various educational and intervention programs have been conducted in elementary schools across the country that focus on nutrition and/or physical activity, some of which have found that the programs positively impacted students’ dietary behaviors (Edwards, Mauch, & Winkelman, 2011; Muth, …

Characteristics Of Children Attending Asthma Camp In Nevada, Priyank Shetty, Sheniz Moonie, Amy Beaulieu, Christopher M. Aquino

Nevada Journal of Public Health

The purpose of this study was to assess asthma trigger knowledge of camp attendees and the measure of agreement between physician and parent assessment of the children’s asthma severity. This study is based on cross-sectional data provided by the American Lung Association (ALA) and those children participating in summer asthma camps in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada. Fifty-six children participated in the camp in August of 2008. The study results suggest a significant positive correlation between physician and parent assessment of asthma severity. With increasing asthma severity there was a relative increase in the number of school days missed among …

Eating Behaviors Of Older Adults Participating In Government-Sponsored Programs With Different Demographic Backgrounds, Yeon Bai, Shahla M. Wunderlich, Joseph Brusca, Johnson-Austin Marti, Michelle O'Malley

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The purpose of this study was to determine the food behaviors of nutritionally high-risk seniors as a function of their racial background, gender, marital status, and education level. A total of 69 seniors were identified to be at high nutritional risk using the Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) checklist. A supplemental questionnaire (SQ) was created to examine the risk factors in relation to the participant’s demographic background. Key results indicated that Asians practiced healthy food behaviors and women were more likely to eat alone (p≤0.05). Married participants (90.9%) were most likely to consume 2 meals or more each day. College educated …

Editors’ Pick—Book Review: Global Sustainability And The Responsibilities Of Universities, Frederic Murray, Kelly S. Moor

Administrative Issues Journal

Weber, L.E., & Duderstadt, J. J. (Eds.). 2012. Global sustainability and the responsibilities of universities. Paris, France: Economica Ltd. 283 pp. ISBN 978-2-7178-6113-6

A Longitudinal Examination Of The Relationship Of Selected Institutional Variables To Community College Foundation Revenue, Van Patterson, Madeline Justice, Joyce A. Scott

Administrative Issues Journal

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the annual revenue received by United States public Community College Foundations from 2008-2009 in relation to selected variables associated in the literature with successful foundation performance. This study also collected longitudinal data by replicating and expanding upon a similar study conducted by Dr. Sharon McEntee Carrier a decade earlier. Linear regression analysis was used to collect descriptive statistics that described the frequencies, central tendencies, and distribution of the data. The researchers used linear regression and analysis of variances (ANOVA) to study the relationship between revenue gained in connection with private giving …

The Ethics Of Abortion: Women's Rights, Human Life, And The Question Of Justice, Christopher Kaczor

Faculty Pub Night

No abstract provided.

Job Satisfaction Of Certified Nurse Midwives: An Examination, Gerald M. Hampton, Robin T. Peterson

Administrative Issues Journal

Health care providers face pressure to reduce costs and enhance patient satisfaction. One approach is to employ primary care providers such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse midwives. Since there is a positive relationship between job satisfaction and patient satisfaction, positive job satisfaction on the part of providers, such as midwives, can translate into patient satisfaction. This research explores the degree of job satisfaction exhibited by certified nurse midwives. The data derives from a survey of 2000 CNM members of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. The survey captures job satisfaction factors, including interactions with physicians and nurses, job …

Homeless High School Students In America: Who Counts?, John M. Cumming, Gene W. Gloeckner

Administrative Issues Journal

After interviewing homeless high school students, the research team in a Colorado school district discovered that many students had not revealed their true living conditions (homelessness) to anyone in the school district. This research team developed an anonymous survey written around the homeless categories identified in the McKinney-Vento federal legislation. Results revealed students who identified as homeless for a portion of their high school years in numbers and percentages alarmingly higher than the district had on file. In fact, over 25 times as many homeless students were identified by this process than by the previously-used district system for identifying homelessness. …

Library Professional Activities, Himmelfarb Staff

Himmelfarb Library Faculty Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Connecting Faculty To Online Instructional Software: The Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library Experience, Himmelfarb Staff

Himmelfarb Library Faculty Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Connecting With Technical Services: A Collaborative Approach To Evaluating The Reference Collection, Himmelfarb Staff

Himmelfarb Library Faculty Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Teacher Professionalism And Team Performance Pay: A Mixed Methods Study, Pamela Wells, Julie P. Combs, Rebecca M. Bustamante

Administrative Issues Journal

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of their professional behaviors when they worked in schools that awarded team performance pay. Teachers’ archival responses from two questionnaires were analyzed using mixed methods data analysis techniques (Year 1, n = 368; Year 2, n = 649). Most teachers had positive views of the team performance pay system. Lack of collaboration has been a criticism of some individual performance pay systems; however, teachers in this study believed that the team performance pay encouraged collaboration and attendance at staff development. Findings were interpreted using the framework of …

Quantifying Online Learning Contact Hours, Karan Powell, Jennifer Stephens Helm, Melissa Layne, Phil Ice

Administrative Issues Journal

Technological and pedagogical advances in distance education have accentuated the necessity for higher education to keep pace regarding institutional infrastructures. Each infrastructure—driven by a common mission to provide quality learning—interprets quality according to standards established by various governmental and accrediting entities. Staying ahead of the technological and pedagogical changes have been challenging for many public higher education institutions, which are continuing to struggle with online course design and delivery modes (Suttle, 2010). Online universities, however, have aggressively and strategically responded to technological and pedagogical shifts across institutional, departmental, program, and course levels according to their institutional mission, vision, and core …

System Dynamics Modeling Of Prescription Opioid Pain Reliever Abuse, Alexandra Nielsen

Systems Science Friday Noon Seminar Series

The nonmedical use of prescription opioid pain relievers and associated overdose deaths have been labeled an epidemic by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. While these medicines play an important role in the treatment of pain, the benefits of opioids for the treatment of pain need to be balanced against these very real risks. Alex has been working closely with Professor Wayne Wakeland, Teresa Schmidt, and Dr. Dennis McCarty (OHSU) to create a dynamic systems-level model of opioid use, abuse, and diversion in order to give context to current research in this area and to provide a better understanding …

Implications Of Out-Of-Class Engagement: Exploring The Experience Of Obu Students, Neal Ellis

Administrative Issues Journal

In addition to learning, the college experience involves building relationships with peers and university faculty. For many students, interactions with faculty take place only in the classroom. For students at small liberal arts colleges, though, students and faculty often meet serendipitously both on and off campus. This study focuses on the unplanned interactions that occur between students and faculty. Data obtained from an interview, a focus group, and a campus-wide survey indicate that students who interact with their professors out-of-class (OOC) gain more value from their college experience and enjoy greater academic success than students who meet their professors in …

Deteriorating Access To Women's Health Services In Texas: Potential Effects Of The Women's Health Program Affiliate Rule, Leighton C. Ku, Lara Cartwright-Smith, Jessica Sharac, Erika Steinmetz, Julie Lewis, Peter Shin

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

Based on an earlier study and an in-depth analysis of five market areas, the authors find that Texas' plan to bar Planned Parenthood clinics from participating in the state Women's Health Program (WHP) would leave tens of thousands of women without a source of care, because Planned Parenthood clinics are the dominant WHP providers in those areas and other local family planning clinics lack the capacity to absorb a large number of additional patients.

Elementary Principals’ Role In Science Instruction, Patricia Casey, Karen Dunlap, Kristen Brown, Michele Davison

Administrative Issues Journal

This study explores the role elementary school principals play in science education. Specifically, the study employed an online survey of 16 elementary school principals at high-performing campuses in North Texas to explore their perceptions of how they influenced science education on their campuses. The survey used a combination of Likert-type rating scale items and open-ended questions. Responses from elementary principals suggest that the important components of instructional leadership for science included a) collaboration with teachers, b) changing teaching assignments, and c) teacher motivation.

Exploring The Effects Of Managerial Ownership On The Decision To Go Private: A Behavioral Agency Model Approach, Alix Valenti, Marguerite Schneider

Administrative Issues Journal

This paper utilizes the behavioral agency model to investigate why many formerly public companies have been converted to privately held corporations. Using a matched pairs sample and categorical binary regression, and controlling for effects found in previous studies, we explore how the equity ownership of those entrusted to manage firms, the firms’ executives, might affect their perceptions of the risks of going private and might therefore affect the decision to take a company private. This study complements prior research examining the predictors of public to private transactions and illustrates how behavioral agency theory can provide insight into a major decision …

Symbolic Interactionism And Moral Hazards In Higher Education, Louella Moore

Administrative Issues Journal

Public colleges and universities today are more than institutions of academic study. They play a role in the economic and social life of their communities by engaging in partnerships aimed at enhancing their scope and brand image. This paper suggests these partnered activities do more than just manage costs and replace state support during economic downturns; the activities are also central to managing the image and political scope of the institution. This paper presents an exploratory, multi-disciplinary examination of the market forces and potential moral hazards inherent in hybrid public/private partnerships in higher education. Agency and symbolic interaction concepts are …

Enhancement Of Entrepreneurial Leadership: A Case Focusing On A Model Of Successful Conflict Management Skills, Anita Leffel, Cory Hallam, John Darling

Administrative Issues Journal

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study focusing on a new technology start-up firm, founded by two graduate students, an engineer and a business major, who met during their university studies. The case is timely, in that only ten percent of new product introductions result in a profitable business. The causes of failure are numerous and include the following: the market may create failure; inadequate funding and capitalization; and competition from established enterprises. Several research studies also point to rising indications of interfunctional conflict in high technology companies. One reason may be that, today, management teams …

Seizing Opportunity: "Succeeding To Fail: A Path To Transformation", Michael Williams, Esther Muller

Administrative Issues Journal

Part 4 of this issue’s “Seizing Opportunity” special-invitation collection, “Succeeding to Fail: A Path to Transformation,” first appeared in “Coaching Corner” (November 2011), a column in The Mann Report-Residential real estate magazine published in New York City. The article is reprinted by permission.

Small School District Consolidation In Texas: An Analysis Of Its Impact On Costs And Student Achievement, Dwight Cooley, Koy M. Floyd

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Institutional Factors Promoting Community College Fundraising, Madeline C. Justice, Joyce Scott

Administrative Issues Journal

The purpose of this study was to examine the annual revenue received by United States public community college foundations from 2008-2009 in relation to selected variables associated with successful foundation performance. This study replicated and expanded upon the work of Dr. Sharon McEntee Carrier a decade earlier. Linear regression analysis was used to collect descriptive statistics about the frequencies, central tendencies, and distribution of the data. The researchers used linear regression and analysis of variances (ANOVA) to study the relationship between revenue gained in connection with private giving and college foundation operations for fiscal year 2008-2009, the degree to which …

The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act: Why It Is Important For Women’S Health, Mary Fanning

Journal of Interdisciplinary Feminist Thought

President Barack Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) on March 23, 2010 ending the long history of disparity in access to health care services between insured and uninsured persons. Disparity between women and men in obtaining health insurance coverage is also corrected in the act. Women’s organizations that have focused attention on women’s distinctive health needs over the past century and a half laid the foundation for provisions in the legislation that address women’s health. This article addresses health insurance coverage, its impact on health, the particular challenges women have confronted in seeking coverage, …

Beyond Biases And Barriers: Incorporating Women Into International Clinical Research, Bridget R. Nugent

Journal of Interdisciplinary Feminist Thought

The application of ethical principles in medical research has been a challenging issue because of the multiplicity of health care systems and the variations that exist in standards of care around the globe. This paper addresses the human rights issues that arise from the unethical treatment of women in clinical research worldwide. It includes the history of international human rights legislation as well as the problems that arose because of the exclusion of women from clinical trials. This paper includes a model for ethical clinical research based on the theories of a biologist and human rights scholar and a bio-ethicist, …

Seizing Opportunity: “Opportunity As Transformation”, Michael Williams, Esther Muller

Administrative Issues Journal

Part 3 of this issue’s “Seizing Opportunity” special-invitation collection, “Opportunity as Transformation,” first appeared in “Coaching Corner” (November 2011), a column in The Mann Report-Residential real estate magazine published in New York City. The article is reprinted by permission.

Teacher Preferences For Alternative School Site Administrative Models, Paul M. Hewitt, George S. Denny, John C. Pijanowski

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.