Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Choose Your Own Instruction Adventure: Giving Students Agency And Choice With Twine, Amber Sewell

Library Faculty Presentations

Twine, an interactive non-linear storytelling platform, can be used in a wide variety of instructional contexts. This interactive presentation will walk you through the author’s use of Twine for a library orientation, examine the tool’s pros and cons as an instructional tool, and provide suggestions for implementation.

A 2020 Census Portrait Of America’S Largest Metro Areas: Population Growth, Diversity, Segregation, And Youth, William Frey

Policy Briefs and Reports

The nation’s major metropolitan areas—those with populations exceeding 1 million, which are home to nearly six in 10 Americans—have been a focal point of the nation’s economic vibrancy, politics, and racial and ethnic diversity. The 2020 census provides an opportunity to see how they fared in the 2010-2020 decade. Unlike the previous decade, major metro areas grew more sharply than their smaller-sized counterparts, and their cities showed growth surges even in a decade when the nation’s population registered historically low growth. Moreover, the increased racial and ethnic diversity that characterized the nation is especially concentrated in major metro areas and, …

American Rescue Plan Act (Arpa): City And County Budget Allocations In The Mountain West, Katie M. Gilbertson, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet details how city and county governments within the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah allocated funds from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) portion of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Brookings Metro in partnership with the National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties created the “Local Government ARPA Investment Tracker” to display how communities across the country allocate this financial resource. This interactive site allows budget information from cities and counties to be added as such decisions are made.

Electric Vehicle (Ev) Infrastructure In The Mountain West, 2020-2021, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Transportation & Infrastructure

This fact sheet highlights data on electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging stations, as originally reported by Zutobi in The 2022 EV Charging Station Report. This report examines the presence of EV infrastructure across the United States. The Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah are considered here.

Mountain West Personal Income Growth, 2021, Kristian Thymianos, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet highlights personal income growth in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are retrieved from The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew) report, “Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis.” The compound annual growth rate in state personal income through the second quarter of 2021 and the year-to-year change in state personal income are presented. These values are adjusted for inflation.

Crafting Contemporary Indigenous Studies Collections In The Age Of Algorithms: A Case Study, Amy Tureen, Brittani Sterling

Library Faculty Presentations

This presentation provides an overview of "Crafting Contemporary Indigenous Studies Collections in the Age of Algorithms: A Case Study," a chapter that appeared in the 2021 ACRL text, Ethnic Studies in Academic and Research Libraries. Both the chapter and presentation slides describe a collection enhancement project focused on Indigenous Studies and, further, offers recommendations for others conducting similar work.

The Theoretical Challenges In Ukraine, Andrew Kim

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The unfolding situation in Ukraine seems like a scene out of the Cold War, the complexity within it not only lies in how fast these events are occurring but also in the unpredictability of Russia’s leader; to address this current conflict requires the acknowledgment of a brief background within these events and also the possible responses which we could expect to see. The following policy brief addresses the matter of the historical influences and challenges that would be facing US national security policy because of the Russia and Ukraine conflict and how this question isn’t a historical question, but rather …

2023 Graduate Program Rankings, Unlv & Unr, Olivia K. Cheche, Joshua Padilla, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet highlights the 2023 U.S. News and World Report graduate program rankings for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). Rankings are displayed for graduate programs in the following fields: business; education; engineering; fine arts; law; medical; sciences and mathematics; and social sciences and humanities.

Both UNLV and UNR first achieved Carnegie R1 status in 2018 and retained the designation of very high research activity in December 2021. The graduate program rankings explored in this fact sheet help to illuminate efforts toward enhancing graduate education, an important metric to achieving and …

Consideration Of Sex And Gender In Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Disorders From A Global Perspective, Michelle M. Mielke, Neelum T. Aggarwal, Clara Vila-Castelar, Puja Agarwal, Eider M. Arenaza-Urquijo, Benjamin Brett, Anna Brugulat-Serrat, Lyndsey E. Dubose, Willem S. Eikelboom, Jason Flatt, Nancy S. Foldi, Sanne Franzen, Paola Gilsanz, Wei Li, Alison J. Mcmanus, Debora Melo Van Lent, Sadaf Arefi Milan, Elizabeth C. Shaaban, Shana D. Stites, Erin Sundermann, Vidyani Suryadevara, Jean-Francoise Trani, Arlener D. Turner, Jet M. J. Vonk, Yakeel T. Quiroz, Ganesh M. Babulal

Social and Behavioral Health Faculty Research

Sex or gender differences in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) differ by world region, suggesting that there are potentially modifiable risk factors for intervention. However, few epidemiological or clinical ADRD studies examine sex differences; even fewer evaluate gender in the context of ADRD risk. The goals of this perspective are to: (1) provide definitions of gender, biologic sex, and sexual orientation, and the limitations of examining these as binary variables; (2) provide an overview of what is known with regard to sex and gender differences in the risk, prevention, and diagnosis of ADRD; and (3) discuss …

Youth Mental Health In The Mountain West, Kristian Thymianos, Olivia K. Cheche, Kelliann Beavers, Katie M. Gilbertson, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet explores youth mental health metrics of Mountain West states from the Hopeful Futures Campaign’s 2022 report, America’s School Mental Health Report Card. This study provides state snapshots on school mental health policies and workforce availability for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah are considered here.

Socio-Demographic, Maternal, And Infant Characteristics Associated With Early Childhood Development Delays Among Children Of Young Mothers In Brasília, Brazil, Lily Kofke, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Muriel Bauermann Gubert, Gabriela Buccini

Social and Behavioral Health Faculty Research

Background Holistic attention to adolescent health is needed to sustain the benefits of investment in early childhood development. Any such interventions must make sure to address the needs of adolescent and young adult parents. This study explored the social and demographic maternal variables associated with risk of early childhood development (ECD) delay for children of young mothers in Brazil. Methods Cross-sectional secondary data analysis was done using data from young mothers (aged 13–24) and their children (aged 0–2), collected from community health centers in Brasília, Brazil, between 2017–2018. The Denver Developmental Screening Test II was used to assess risk of …

Impact Of Tissue Processing On Microbiological Colonization In The Context Of Placentophagy, Sophia K. Johnson, Jana Pastuschek, Denial C. Benyshek, Yvonne Heimann, Anne Möller, Jürgen Rödel, Jacob White, Janine Zöllkau, Tanja Groten

Anthropology Faculty Research

A mother’s postpartum ingestion of raw or processed placental tissue—referred to as human maternal placentophagy—is an emerging health trend observed in industrialized nations. Placenta is commonly consumed as small pieces of raw tissue, or as raw or steamed dehydrated pulverized and encapsulated tissue. To investigate the potential neonatal health risks of this behavior, the present study focused on microbial colonization of processed placenta preparations with potentially pathogenic bacteria Streptococcus agalactiae (Group-B-Streptococci; GBS) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). In the clinical approach placentas from 24 mothers were analyzed. Two placentas, from 13 mothers with confirmed positive maternal GBS status, showed GBS-growth …

Ukraine-Russia War: Nevada Twitter And Disinformation Trends, Mary Blankenship, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Elections & Governance

This fact sheet analyzes responses to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia War posted on Twitter by users located in Nevada and identifies the most circulated narratives and disinformation topics.

Race-Ethnic Population Changes In Mountain West Metros, 2010-2020, Joshua Padilla, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

The 2020 census shows continuing nationwide trends in population growth when compared to the last decade. The growth of various race-ethnic groups across the country contribute to the diversification of the population in selected regions. Using the U.S. Census Bureau 2020 data prepared by William H. Frey of the Brookings Institution, this fact sheet focuses on the population changes in nine Mountain West metros.

Introspective Meditation Before Seeking Pleasurable Activities As A Stress Reduction Tool Among College Students: A Multi-Theory Model-Based Pilot Study, Manoj Sharma, Amar Kanekar, Kavita Batra, Traci Hayes, Ram Lakhan

Social and Behavioral Health Faculty Research

In the realm of behavioral interventions, a combined approach of yoga and a cognitive-behavioral strategy in the form of introspective meditation (manan-dhyana) may offer benefits as a stress management tool. This pilot study focuses on introspective meditation performed before seeking pleasurable activities, which is a self-reflection about whether to pursue a goal that will bring sensory pleasure in life. A non-probability sample of college students was recruited from a mid-sized Southern University of the United States using a 52-items web-based survey built in Qualtrics. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were used to analyze data. Of total 65 students, only 21.5% …

Top Boomtowns In The Mountain West, Ally M. Beckwith, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Cities & Metros

This fact sheet highlights data on the top boomtowns in the Mountain West region in 2019 and 2021. The original SmartAsset report includes data on the rapid economic growth and prosperity in boomtown cities through new employment opportunities and residents.

The Rise Of Southern Nevada As A Cluster For Metropolitan Transit Technology Innovations, Arthur C. Nelson

Policy Briefs and Reports

Southern Nevada is emerging as the nation’s leader in private sector-driven innovations in transportation technologies. From the humble beginnings of a monorail system serving a portion of major hotel and gaming venues along the Las Vegas Strip, now supplemented by an array of people movers, Southern Nevada continues to attract transit innovations in tunneling, Hyperloop, and driverless vehicle delivery technologies. The region may soon anchor a high-speed rail system connecting Southern Nevada to Los Angeles. The purpose of this briefing paper is to frame the nature of this emerging transportation cluster and the opportunities this creates for Southern Nevada to …

Nutrition Literacy Of Middle School Students And Its Influencing Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study In Chongqing, China, Mao Zeng, Yuzhao Zhu, Zhengjie Cai, Jinli Xian, Shengping Li, Tiankun Wang, Zumin Shi, Manoj Sharma, Yong Zhao

Social and Behavioral Health Faculty Research

Nutrition literacy plays an important role in children's dietary habits and nutrition. This study aimed to analyse the status of nutrition literacy and its influencing factors amongst middle school students in Chongqing, China. “Nutrition literacy scale for middle school students in Chongqing” was used in 29 districts of Chongqing in September 2020. The scores of nutrition literacy and its' three sub-domains (functional, interactive and critical nutrition literacy) were divided into low and high groups based on their median scores. Binary logistic regression was used to measure the influencing factors of nutrition literacy. A total of 18,660 middle school students were …

Safest Cities In The Mountain West, Saha Salahi, Dielle T. Telada, Zachary Walusek, William E. Brown Jr., Caitlin J. Saladino

Cities & Metros

This fact sheet examines AdvisorSmith’s ranking list of the safest U.S. cities, drawing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) dataset released in September 2021. Monthly crime data are presented for violent crimes (e.g. murder, rape, robbery, assault) and property crimes (e.g. burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft). Data for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah are included.

Spatial Deconcentration Of Tourism Concentrations: A Visitors’ Galaxy Impact Model Of The Covid-19 Crisis, Jaewon Lim, Karima Kourtit, Peter Nijkamp, Christopher Stream

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

This paper analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on mass tourism concentrations, such as Las Vegas. It argues that health risks and perceptions may induce a more deconcentrated pattern of mass tourism, with more geographical dispersion to rural and natural areas. The analytical framework is modeled and applied to extensive data on Las Vegas tourism. The proposition on deconcentrated tourism concentrations is confirmed. Pre-pandemic outer-inner city complementary relations between “Outdoor Activities” in 11 surrounding national parks and the “Gaming Industry” in Las Vegas have transformed into outer-inner city substitution relations in the COVID-19 pandemic. This represents the evolving deconcentration of tourism …

Prioritizing Nurturing Care At The Municipal And District Level With The Brazilian Early Childhood Friendly Municipal Index (Imapi), Gabriela Buccini, Juliana L. Pimentel, Jéssica Pedroso, Stefanie Dos Anjos Coelho Kubo, Juracy Bertoldo, Alberto Sironi, Marcos E. Barreto, Rafael Perez-Escamilla, Muriel B. Gubert

Social and Behavioral Health Faculty Research

The Brazilian Early Childhood Friendly Municipal Index (IMAPI) is a population-based approach to monitor the nurturing care environment for early childhood development (ECD) using routine information system data. It is unknown whether IMAPI can be applied to document metropolitan urban territorial differences in nurturing care environments. We used Brasilia, Brazil's capital with a large metropolitan population of 2,881,854 inhabitants divided into 31 districts, as a case study to examine whether disaggregation of nurturing care data can inform a more equitable prioritization for ECD in metropolitan areas. IMAPI scores were estimated at the municipal level (IMAPI-M, 31 indicators) and at the …

Civic Engagement As A Pathway To Meaningful Medical Student Engagement On The Social Determinants Of Health, Alexander Reardon, Jennie Deblanc, Alister Martin

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The social determinants of health have gained increasing prominence in medical education, but medical students and professionals alike are under-prepared to address those determinants. There is a growing body of evidence that voting and other forms of civic engagement affect the health of patients and communities. Registering patients in healthcare settings offers students and professionals an opportunity to impact their patients’ health beyond the clinical encounter. Medical students are particularly well suited to this work for a variety of reasons, including increasingly positive attitudes toward this kind of advocacy, increasing diversity in the medical student body, and lighter clinical and …

What’S Next For Tobacco Control Efforts? Health Equity Related Lessons Learned From A National Qualitative Study On Tobacco Control And Prevention, Courtney A. Parks, Hollyanne E. Fricke, Alethea Chiappone, Jennie L. Hill, Amy L. Yaroch

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Context: Despite gains in the tobacco prevention and control movement, tobacco products remain a threat, with specific populations at greater risk.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that leaders in the tobacco prevention and control movement have played in progress achieved to date and identify recommendations for the future using a health equity framework. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that leading organizations in the tobacco prevention and control movement have played in progress achieved to date, identify future recommendations within the context of current public health priorities (e.g., obesity prevention), …

Monitoring Nurturing Care Environments For Early Childhood From The National To The Municipal Level, Rafael Pérez‐Escamilla, Sonia Venancio, Gabirela Buccini

Social and Behavioral Health Faculty Research

There is a dearth of indicators and management information systems to assess early childhood nurturing care environments. The Brazilian Early Childhood Care Friendly Municipal Index (IMAPI) is a robust tool to assess nurturing care environments at the local level. IMAPI was able to detect nurturing care inequities within and across regions. Further validation work is needed to confirm the utility of IMAPI for policymaking.

How Do Teachers’ Unions Influence Vaccine Mandates?, Kristian Thymianos

Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic presented an array of policy problems for school districts across the country. This included balancing social distancing during in-person learning. The creation of the COVID-19 vaccine made in-person learning a more viable option again. However, the political polarization that surrounded COVID-19 extended to vaccines, with many communities experiencing hurdles in vaccinating their populace. Previous research shows how teachers’ unions influenced school district reopenings during the height of the pandemic in fall of 2020; this paper seeks to expand on this literature by looking at how teachers’ unions influence the adoption of vaccination mandates and testing. I test …

The Gender Wage Gap As It Relates To State Partisan Control And Pay Equity Policy, Candace Wells

Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal

This study offers an explanation to the interstate variation of the gender wage gap in the United States. Looking at political explanations as an answer for the wage gap’s persistence, I hypothesize that Democratically controlled state government positively impacts the state having pay equity policies, and that having these pay equity policies positively impacts the state’s gender wage gap. Using U.S. Census Bureau, National Conference of State Legislatures, and American Association of University Women with U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau data, I find that while there is a correlation between Democratically controlled state legislatures and pay equity policy and …

A Systematic Literature Review On The Resilience Reported By Bipoc In The Face Of Discrimination, Lianelys Cabrera Martinez, Aldo Barrita, Gloria Wong-Padoongpatt

Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal

The present study is a systematic literature review on the psychology of resilience, or the ability to bounce back after a difficult situation (Smith, 2008). Although resilience is a timely and relevant variable in social psychology, little is known about its connection to the racism-related experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). This review explores how resilience manifests in the BIPOC community and its influence on the identity of minority groups. Previous research has shown that BIPOC reports higher resilience (Carter, 2012); however, there is still uncertainty around its connection to discrimination. Through the analysis of nine final …

Senior Hunger In The Mountain West, 2019, Ally M. Beckwith, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet highlights data on senior hunger in the Mountain West region in 2019 as originally reported in Feeding America’s The State of Senior Hunger annual series. This report focuses on the extent of food insecurity among seniors in the United States. Seniors are defined as those who are 60 years of age or older.

The State Of Mental Health In The Mountain West, Olivia K. Cheche, Kristian Thymianos, Katie M. Gilbertson, Kelliann Beavers, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet explores mental health rankings of Mountain West states from Mental Health America’s (MHA) 2022 report, The State of Mental Health in America. This study offers a snapshot of U.S. mental health based on data across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. MHA is the nation’s leading community based mental health nonprofit, founded in 1909, and “dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all.” This report is a companion to MHA’s interactive data available through its website.

Changing The Rules: Institutions, Party Systems, And The Frequency Of Constitutional Amendments In Africa, Christian B. Jensen, Michelle Kuenzi, Jonathan-Georges Mehanna

Political Science Faculty Research

What factors influence constitutional stability in the emerging democracies of Sub-Saharan Africa? This is an important question that has never been addressed in a systematic cross-national study of Africa's emerging democracies. Using the Comparative Constitutions Project dataset and our own original dataset for veto players and party systems, we examine the influence of veto players and party system characteristics on the frequency of constitutional amendments in the electoral periods between 1990 and 2020 in forty-one African countries. Our results provide broad support for the veto players theory. More specifically, we find that as the number of actors needed to approve …