Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Hips That Harm: When Medical Devices Fail Women, Sophie N. Putka

Capstones

Medical devices that save the lives of thousands of Americans each year advance at a rapid pace - but some of them consistently leave women behind. When it comes to joint replacements and even heart devices, women have worse health outcomes. Behind this preventable problem is a system that overlooks women from start to finish. Female bodies are different from male bodies, but women are often underrepresented in medical trials for device approval. Women’s participation in clinical testing for devices has increased, but there’s rarely a detailed analysis of performance by sex, and even less information on women by race …

A Novel Spatio-Temporal Examination Of Children's Accessibility, Exposure, And Engagement To Parks And Recreation Spaces In Middlesex-London, Ontario, Malcolm K. Little

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children are spending more free time engaged in activities indoors, rather than in outdoor environments such as parks and recreation spaces. Parks and recreation spaces provide amenities that promote physical, cognitive, and social health among children. As it relates to the complexities of children’s living situations, properly measuring children’s levels of interactions with these spaces is poorly understood in geography research.

By examining various attributes of children, this thesis improves on the measurement of children’s levels of interactions with parks and recreation spaces. Research herein utilized household survey data, a high-resolution GIS dataset of environmental factors, and GPS logs from …

Impact Of Endangered Animal Protection Rights, Policies, And Practices On Zoonotic Disease Spread, Daniella Fedak-Lengel

Honors Projects

Building on field research in Costa Rica and Belize, this honors project analyzes environmental and endangered animal protection policies, rights, and practices in Central America and the Caribbean, and assesses the impact of veterinary science and biological research and practice, particularly conservation biology, on animal welfare concerns. Informed by the recent surge in awareness regarding zoonoses and zoonotic disease transmission, prevention and control, resulting from the current global pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, the project assesses the need for new and innovative types of collaboration, particularly involving conservation biologists, environmental scientists, public health experts, law and policy makers, and global trade and …

Aligning Food Environments With Institutional Values: A Mixed Methods Study Of Oregon Health Care Organizations, Elizaveta Walker

Dissertations and Theses

A major driver of the obesity epidemic is obesogenic food environments, characterized by nutrient-poor and energy-dense foods that saturate the collective physical, economic and sociocultural conditions that influence nutritional status. Food environments in organizations such as hospitals and public health agencies warrant special consideration given their health-focused mission. Improving food environments within health care settings has been highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one of seven key strategies to prevent obesity. However, most of the refereed literature examining healthy food environment policies (HFEPs) within hospitals focuses on the inpatient dietary environment, leaving a paucity of …

Disparities In Oral Health: Socioeconomic Status And Policies To Increase Access To Primary Dental Care, Mckenzie Nutter

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Primary dental care is a patient-centered service consisting of routine dental checkups. The oral cavity is the first point of entrance to the body for many harmful pathogens. Therefore, primary dental care is essential to not only prevent and treat conditions in the mouth, but to also reduce the number of systemic diseases in the rest of the body. However, people with higher incomes or wealth have increased access to primary dental care. People with low socioeconomic status have decreased access to primary dental care, at least in part due to difficulties in paying for separate dental insurance. Disparities in …

Narrowing The Wealth And Income Gap In Poland, China, And The United States, Cyndy Carboo, Zhiling Song, Jiawei Feng, Xudong Zhu

School of Professional Studies

With the widespread of globalization, the wealth gap continues to widen globally. Due to the enormous differences in national conditions and political systems of various countries, this article selects China, the United States, and Poland as the research objects, and uses a specific time unit as the benchmark, and mainly focuses on the four directions of medical care, education, job opportunities, and pensions. A reader could understand the correlation between the wealth gap and multiple factors deeply in this article. This article analyzes the impact of income disparity on these three countries and proposes solutions to help narrow the gap …

The Impact Of Special Interest Groups On The Federal Dietary Guidelines: Consequences For American Health, Dory Mcmillan

School of Professional Studies

This research paper explores the impact of relationships between lobbyists and both the USDA and HSS, and the impact these relationships have on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that the agencies work together to create. The paper focuses specifically on the information the guidelines present in regard to red meat consumption, and the impacts this may have on American health, and healthcare costs associated. It was hypothesized that a relationship would be found between special interest groups and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and/or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Research found there was a relationship between special …

Healthy Food Portal Business Plan And Its Function Model, Alena Raupova

School of Professional Studies

Business planning is a tool of paramount importance in the process of company management, on the efficiency of which the future functioning of the enterprise depends. Formation of a business plan enables the team to productively and competently use existing funds and resources in their work and apply planning as a very effective management mechanism (Hamm, 2016).

The goal of this final project is to develop a business plan for a healthy nutrition portal for Bellyful LLC. Bellyful is based in Boston, USA, and the portal will be its first product. Our client is interested in researching the prospects of …

Worst Time Being Poor? The Hunger Problem In U.S. During Covid-19 Pandemic, Yuanhang Hu

School of Professional Studies

Food insecurity is deeply rooted in American society during and before the COVID-19 pandemic. Food Insecurity usually associates with economic indicators, such as unemployment rate, income level, etc. Currently, there are two main tools to fight the war of hunger. The first one is the government food assistance programs. And the second one is food pantries from the private sectors of the community. Both tools are facing numerous challenges due to COVID-19. The purpose of this article is to provide rational reasons to persuade the government to enhance the benefits of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and use administrative …

Rcap Solutions Breach Management - Case Study, Eugene Adu-Gyamfi, Gio Al Muarrawi, Kwame Ofori

School of Professional Studies

Companies get hacked every day, and our in-scope company for this case study, RCAP Solution, was not an exception. Security incidents have increased both in volume and range in recent years, and cyber-attacks have become more sophisticated than ever before. There are so many reasons that drive this fact; one is that our infrastructure was not protected efficiently, but also attackers have become more knowledgeable in initiating advanced attacks at a scale. Additionally, the entrance of emerging technologies such as blockchain, machine learning, and the internet of things, added additional complexity to the already complex scene. Cybercriminals are using various …

A Web-Based Ai Assistant Application Using Python And Javascript, Viet Le, Tej Bahadur, Jainee Shah, Roushan Ara

School of Professional Studies

Our research is mainly based on a chatbot which is powered by Artificial Intelligence. Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Google’s Now and Amazon’s Alexa are currently fast-growing and widely integrated with many smart devices. These assistants are built with the primary purpose of being personal assistants for every individual user in certain contexts. In this research, we would highlight the development process of the chatbots, features, problems, case studies and limitations.

This research delivers the information, helps developers to build answer bots and integrate chatbots with business accounts. The aim is to assist users and allow transactions …

Perceptions Of The Built Environment Among Older Adults Who Live In Age-Restricted Communities Compared To Those Who Do Not In Southern Nevada, Sandra Annan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As Americans are living longer, there has been exponential growth in the number of older adults. Growth in the aging population has created unique challenges. As seniors age, they face many changes in their health, financial stability, and lifestyle, making it challenging to remain independent. The inability to remain independent can be a stressful and depressing experience for older adults. Studies show that most seniors prefer to stay in their current living environment as they age, or age in place, rather than move into senior housing or other available housing options designed for aging. This study investigates how perceptions about …

Survival Analysis Of Colorectal Cancer Patients With Liver Metastasis, Brandon O’Grady

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Background- Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world. I investigated the survival rates among colorectal cancer patients diagnosed with hepatic metastasis to see if any variables are associated colorectal risk and survival. Methods- Patients were diagnosed from 2000-2019 and collected through MD Anderson’s database. A descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, Kaplan-Meier with Mantel log-rank test, Cox proportion hazard regression and a Stratified Cox Model was performed to investigate death. A competing risk regression was implemented to investigate liver recurrence. Results- There was a clear difference in the survival outcome between liver surgery patients and non-liver surgery patients …

Breastfeeding Duration And Reasons Given For Early Cessation Of Breastfeeding Among Wic Mothers, Amy Willa

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The Breastfeeding Duration and Reasons for Early Cessation of Breastfeeding Among WIC Mothers study was conducted to describe the duration of and factors associated with early breastfeeding cessation among the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) population. We collected data from a random sample of WIC medical records, sampling medical records belonging to mothers who initiated breastfeeding an infant but did not breastfeed to 52 weeks. Data were analyzed to answer the questions: How long do WIC mothers breastfeed? What reasons are given during counseling sessions at WIC for early cessation of breastfeeding? Do socio-economic, demographic, or medical factors influence the …

Applications Of Statistical Methods Studying The Impact Of Mobilization Regimes On The Total Collection Yield Of Hematologic Stem Cell, Mengchen Ding

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Hematologic malignancies are cancers that develop in the blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a critical therapeutic approach that contributes to offer a potential cure for hematologic cancers and other hematologic disorders by replacing abnormal bone marrow with healthy bone marrow components to help bone marrow function recovery. Peripheral blood is the primary resource for collecting hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The collection yield of HSCs is critical for successful transplantation. Few articles have discussed this topic that the collection of stem cells not only from healthy donors but also from donors with a hematologic …

The Comparative Effect Of Automated Reminders/Recalls Interventions On The Appointments Rate Of Adolescent Wellness Care Visit, Biai Dominique Elmir Digbeu

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

An Adolescent Wellness Care (AWC) visit is an annual preventive doctor visit predestined to assess the overall health of adolescents aged between 12 and 21 years old. Compared to their younger counterparts, adolescents who are using public insurance are at risk of not completing AWC visits due to several factors related to age or providers disparities in their living environment. This research was a quasiexperimental study aiming to compare two methods of automated Reminders/Recalls (RR) interventions, ‘phone-only’ versus ‘phone-and-text’, in order to evaluate which method is more effective in helping parents/guardians or young adults to schedule an AWC visit. A …

The Killingly Mascot Case Study, Jordan Lumpkins

School of Professional Studies

In the summer of 2019, in Killingly, Connecticut the local Board of Education voted to retire the "Redmen" mascot name it had used for nearly a century. This legislation was widely opposed and received extensive media coverage. Within a few months, the town experienced a massive political referendum where several local Board of Education members and Councilmen were replaced by single issue politicians promising to reinstate the "Redmen" name. Now holding a majority on the Board of Education, these Board members made Killingly the first school in U.S. history to reinstate a mascot after being deemed "derogatory."

It is the …

How Museum Utilize Social Media On Communication, Jiake Han

School of Professional Studies

With the development of Internet, social media became more and more popular among people. Many industries realize the importance of social media in business. Traditionally, museum concentrates more on personal visual experience, which is hard to be replaced by online media. However, museums now also put more concentrate on social media platform because it expands the way of engagement. Especially, for Coronavirus, many organizations including museums have to close. Therefore, museums have to depend more on social media platforms to communicate with audiences. This research aims at finding how different kind of social media help museum communicate and engage with …

Cvs Covid-19 Screening Website: Test Automation, Savya Rawat

School of Professional Studies

CVS Pharmacy is an American retail corporation, also known as, and originally named, the Consumer Value Store owned by CVS Health, it is headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. CVS Pharmacy is currently the largest pharmacy chain in the United States by number of locations over 9,600 and total prescription revenue. CVS sells prescription drugs and a wide assortment of general merchandise, including over-the-counter drugs.

Now, coming to the reason why I have selected CVS pharmacy’s website cvs.com as my case study topic is because of CVS’s response to the covid-19 pandemic’s no-cost testing strategy. Whole of the world is suffering …

The Practical Applications Of Video Games Beyond Entertainment, Jack Martin

School of Professional Studies

Much of the attention directed toward video games is focused on their role as entertainment. However, researchers have found that video games can have other, more practical uses for society. This thesis is designed to examine three specific examples of the practical applications of video games: video games in education, video games as accessible technology, and the social uses of video games. This project is based on pre-existing research conducted by professionals studying the aforementioned subtopics. Anecdotal stories from educators, people with disabilities, and developers are also discussed. The thesis explores specific examples of video games being used practically, and …

Transparency And Yielding Of Law Officers Reform (Taylor) Act Of 2020: Proposal For Police Reform, Marwa Alnaal, Matthew L. Anderson, Hannah Brier, Mollie Campbell, Rose Wine

School of Professional Studies

The Transparency and Yielding of Law Officers Reform Act of 2020 (TAYLOR) proposes an example bill for law enforcement reform. During the summer of 2020, the United States witnessed civilian demonstrations nationwide calling for a change to policing. Our proposal is hoping to heed that call, offering a foundation for change that police forces and localities across the United States can utilize to rebuild trust and accountability.

The goal of the TAYLOR Act is not to defund the police; but rather, TAYLOR rethinks the priorities of the police. There can be no denying that the relationship of trust and security …

Higher Education Responses To Crisis: A Case Study Of Clark University And The Pandemic Of 2020, Lisa Gillingham

School of Professional Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has delivered an existential challenge to universities and other academic institutions at a time when they are already grappling with other weighty issues that may alter the fabric of higher education. COVID-19 has forced these institutions to consider and employ new ways of conducting its work with a sense urgency that is unprecedented in the recent history of the academy. The rate of learning around these models is rapid, and Higher Education is ripe for change.

Clark University has addressed the pandemic with a plan to protect and pivot using strategies that support the continuation of its …

Asthma-Copd Overlap Syndrome And Disease Progression In The Copdgene Cohort Study, Caitlyn Winter

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a debilitating and degenerative lung disease characterized by progressive airway obstruction and alveolar destruction. When asthma and COPD co-occur and interact, with asthma having been diagnosed first, the resulting respiratory disease is called Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS). Current research suggests that persons with ACOS may have more severe respiratory disease and lifestyle limitations than those with either disease alone. The purpose of the current study was to determine if and how disease progression differs in patients with ACOS versus COPD only, using data collected during the COPDGene cohort study. Demographic characteristics and disease outcome …

The Youthful Pandemic, Brook Sahlemariam

Nursing | Senior Theses

This paper attempts to examine the neurological, physical, and societal effects of e-cigarette use among youth and young-adults in North America. Furthermore, the paper investigates the parallels between e-cigarette users, tobacco users, and dual users in regard to behavioral patterns, reasons for use, and age of initiation.

No-Cost Flu Clinics, Madyson Shands

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Thousands of people go each year without access to flu vaccinations. In consideration of the current pandemic, there was a need for vaccinations in order to limit the possibility of a double pandemic. The Visiting Nurses Association (VNA), Community services is a non-profit organization that provides services that range from immunization to wellness programs. The community service department strives to connect with the community and construct programs that will assess their needs. The project consists of no-cost flu clinics working with agencies within the Monterey community. Interim is a transitional housing center for adults with mental illnesses. There was a …

Parent-Child Sexual Communication And Sexual Risk: A Meta-Analytic Review, Brittnie Star Peck

Theses and Dissertations

This meta-analysis examines the effect of parent-child sexual communication (PCSC) on sexual risk behaviors and outcomes during adolescence. Results confirm that PCSC increases risk prevention strategies and reduces sexually risky behaviors with corresponding reductions in unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STI). Moderating variables include extent of communication, the content of PCSC interactions, operationalization of risk, timing of the interaction, biological sex of the adolescent, the dyadic composition of the parent-child interaction (e.g., mother-daughter, father-son), and the racial or ethnic makeup of the sample. The frequency, depth, and breadth of PCSC interactions, and inclusion of descriptive/instructional and contraception/risk information are …

The Relationship Among Sociocultural Assimilation, Dietary Behavior, And Physical Activity In Adult Latinxs In The U.S., Erick Lopez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation examines the relationship between sociocultural assimilation and health behaviors among adult Latinxs in the United States to address whether different assimilation models promote or hinder Latinx health. Existing research on assimilation and health behaviors among Latinxs relies heavily on the use of proxy measures of assimilation such as length of time in the U.S., nativity, age of arrival, and language preferences for surveys. These studies tend to show that greater assimilation to mainstream U.S. culture among Latinxs is associated with the adoption of poor health behaviors and the erosion of the immigrant health advantage. Research that uses sociocultural …

A Meta-Analysis Of Group Treatment Outcomes For Veterans With Substance Use Disorders, Robert “Tony” Dice

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Group therapy is commonly used in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). Many studies exist related to the efficacy of group interventions for veterans with SUDs. A meta-analysis and systematic review of the literature addressing the use of group therapy, specifically psychoeducational groups, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) groups and support groups, in the treatment of SUDs with veterans was conducted. The following questions guided the research: What are viable treatment outcomes for psychoeducational, CBT, and support groups of veterans with SUDs? and What are the measures that capture outcomes related to psychoeducational, CBT, and support groups of veterans with …

Air Pollution And Outdoor Recreation On Urban Trails: A Case Study Of The Elizabeth River Trail, Norfolk, Va, James E. Mccann

Human Movement Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Poor air quality represents a significant health risk, especially when recreating outdoors in urban parks and trails. It is important for managers of urban parks and trail to understand how potential visitors’ perceptions of air quality and health risks and benefits may affect visitation. The goal of this study was to investigate temporal variance in air quality along the Elizabeth River Trail, an urban trail located in Norfolk, Virginia, as well as trail users’ perceptions of air quality and of health benefits in relation to trail use. The researcher rode a bicycle with a Dylos DC1700-PM mobile air quality monitor …

Nursing Students’ Knowledge And Attitudes About Pain Management And Opioids, Hedieh Hatami Sirjani

Health Services Research Dissertations

Statement of the problem: healthcare professionals’ knowledge of using opioids for pain management safely is critical in preventing opioid abuse and overdose. Undergraduate curricula of health professional schools, including undergraduate nursing programs, need to improve and adopt a comprehensive education regarding this issue.

Method: the first project was a systematic analysis of the literature regarding the educational interventions’ impact on healthcare professional knowledge and practice behavior regarding prescription opioids. The second project was a qualitative study of nursing students to explore their experience, self-efficacy, and knowledge of prescription opioid use for pain management and whether they feel the need for …