Health Policy Commons^™

Disparities Surrounding The Availability Of Feminine Hygiene Products In The Workplace, Marlene Ventura

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Menstrual inequality in the workplace continues to exist, affecting financial welfare, mental health, physical health, and access to care. Women have been enduring disparities related to menstruation, including stigma, shame, and period poverty, which are often exacerbated in the workplace. This study aims to explore the experiences of women who do not have access to free feminine hygiene products in the workplace.

The researcher conducted one-to-one interviews in person with employed women (n=9). The questions were semi-structured and based on a survey with nineteen questions addressing areas of menstrual inequality in the workplace. Seven themes were identified: 1) work performance, …

Boiling Behind Bars: Exploring The Hidden Toll Of Extreme Heat On Mental Health In Texas Prisons, Sandra K. Miller

Social Work Theses

The State of Texas supports the largest prison system in the US and held 132,859 people in 100 units scattered across the state as of December 2023. Approximately 70% of Texas prison beds are not air conditioned, despite the state’s reputation for dangerously hot, humid summers. The State has officially recorded temperatures inside Texas prison facilities as high as 120 degrees with heat index values of over 150. Although there is a growing body of research on the negative physiological and psychological consequences of extreme heat among the general public, little is known about the physical and emotional toll of …

Chinatown Outreach - Targeted Resources For The Unhoused Population, Jesus Herrera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Addressing housing insecurities is one of The Epicenter’s pillars while utilizing a new federal grant. The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program is the division implementing the project that will consist of outreach through a mobilization team. Housing insecurities are not only a city issue but a statewide one and YHDP is designed to help reduce those insecurities and improve a client’s quality of life while providing food, clothing, hygiene packs, and resource information to improve their livelihood. To assess the effectiveness of our deliverables it consisted of tallying, informal dialogues, and data analysis. The most important measure is that we were …

Applying Structural Equation Modeling To Better Understand The Relationship Between Stressors, Social Support And Wellbeing In The Lives Of Spouse Dementia Caregivers, Craig Holden

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Applying Structural Equation Modeling to Better Understand the Relationship Between Stressors, Social Support and Wellbeing in the Lives of Spouse Dementia Caregivers considers the utility of Pearlin et al.’s (1990) stress process model in understanding the needs of spouse caregivers. Data were drawn from eight biennial waves of the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The final study sample comprised 774 spouses, average age 73, who were categorized based on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) and non-ADRD caregiver status. Results showed that for the study sample as a whole, social support …

Exploring The Relationship Between Nurse Supervisor’S Servant Leadership Behavior And Nursing Employee’S Self-Assessment Of Engagement And Burnout In Nigeria, Michael Otuwurunne

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Burnout is a problem among workers in Nigeria, especially among nurses (Ozumba, & Alabere, 2019). This study examined whether there was a significant relationship between the employee perception of the servant leadership behaviors of the nurse supervisor and the employee’s self-rating of burnout: exhaustion and disengagement, and servant leadership behaviors of the nurse supervisor, and engagement: vigor, dedication, and absorption. Exhaustion refers to an intensive physical, affective, and cognitive strain while disengagement refers to the distancing of oneself from one’s work, and experiencing negative attitudes toward the work object, work content, or one’s work in general (Demerouti et al., 2001). …

Evaluating Community Based Trauma Among Behavioral Health Workers, Leslie M. Santillan Pina

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Due to the national lack of service providers, current providers are experiencing high levels of stress/trauma because of workload, expectations, and the emotional toll these essential jobs have. Monterey County Behavioral Health Bureau is a public government agency that provides mental health services to the community. The purpose of this capstone is to allow clinicians to express the factors that contribute to the stressors of their jobs in hopes of creating change that will alleviate the trauma they experience. This project had three focus group interviews and one key informant interview that gave expected results based on the contributing factors …

Factors Associated With Successful Military-To-Civilian Transition Among Special Forces Veterans, Edward Richter

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

The purpose of this study was to explore the military-to-civilian transitional experience in a sample of Special Forces veterans. Acknowledging challenges in accessing the veteran population, most existing research on the military-to-civilian transition consolidates military occupations into a single sample. This method fails to address the intricacies that may exist within individual military occupations, especially that of U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers. Special Forces qualified soldiers represent the largest portion of all U.S. Military Special Operations Forces and are responsible for the majority of all Special Operations activities, yet their experience in transitioning out of the Army is largely unknown. …

Promoting Health Equity Among Racial And Ethnic Minorities During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alexandra Viramontes, Deserry Salgado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Racial and ethnic minorities experience disproportionate health outcomes during a pandemic, yet preparedness plans have failed to address the social determinants of health that produce the most severe impact. By examining social workers’ perspectives on the health disparities faced by racial and ethnic minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study provides insight into the ways in which services can be improved in a future health crisis. In this exploratory study, a qualitative approach was utilized where social workers were asked to participate in interviews consisting of open-ended questions. The qualitative data was obtained in the form of interview transcripts, which …

Rural Pregnant Women’S Experiences With Substance Use Disorder: A Qualitative Study, Cami Weber

Dissertations

Rural pregnant women with substance use disorder (SUD) are an understudied vulnerable population that often experiences poor pregnancy outcomes (Higgins et al., 2019; Jumah, 2016; Kramlich et al., 2018; Shaw et al., 2015). Despite the high prevalence and high burden associated with SUD, rural women are less likely than non-pregnant women to seek addiction treatment and complete an outpatient treatment program during pregnancy (Shaw et al., 2015). This study aimed to give voice to rural Missouri women with SUD. The research questions explored the life experiences and motivations for seeking treatment using a qualitative, descriptive research design with grounded theory …

Exploring The Relationship Between Historical Redlining And Place-Based Reproductive Health Inequities: A Qualitative Gis Approach, Kristi L. Roybal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individual-level risk factors and characteristics do not fully explain racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in preterm birth in the United States, and evidence suggests that medical advancements, increased access to prenatal care, and high per-capita spending on health care have done little to reduce these inequities. Health inequities research has shifted its attention from individual-level factors that influence health outcomes to the social determinants of health. Neighborhoods, considered an important upstream social determinant of health, can influence health outcomes through their social, service, and physical environments, and have been consistently linked to birth outcomes. Despite increased attention to neighborhood influences …

Reducing Opioid Related Deaths And Improving Rehabilitation Access Through The Elk Grove Village Cares Program: A Program Evaluation, Rebecca Barron

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Abstract The goal of the Elk Grove Village Cares program is to decrease the deaths and overdoses of those who abuse opioids through harm reduction strategies and provide access to treatment. The article is a program evaluation of the Elk Grove Village Cares program. Surveys, interviews and the synthesis of program data is used to evaluate the efficacy of program activities. Results: The rate of death from opioid use has decreased an average of 1.7 deaths since program implementation in 2018. Law enforcement officers (LEO) and the community responded similarly to many survey questions regarding attitudes surrounding addiction. Within the …

Job Satisfaction And Stressors: The Direct Support Professional's Experience, Saralynn Emery

Master's Theses

The current service system for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is provided in the form of community-based support. This support is carried out by Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide one-on-one services to individuals in their homes, workplaces, and communities. The current system is undergoing a turnover crisis and there is an enormous need for a quality and reliable workforce of DSPs to continue to carry out services. Previous research has explored factors that contribute to DSP burnout and ultimately turnover. By researching the DSP role from the DSP experience directly, this study examines other factors that contribute to …

The Relationships Between Stress, Psychosocial Resources, And Mental Health And Adherence Outcomes Among Perinatally Hiv-Infected Adolescents In South Africa, Thabani Nyoni

Brown School Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV (APHs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) constitute a significant population group that is experiencing poor HIV treatment outcomes (CIPHER Global Cohort Collaboration, 2018). Compared to younger children and older adults within the SSA sub-region, APHs experience poorer health outcomes, including retention in care, virologic treatment failure, and mortality rates (Anderson et al., 2019). Among countries in the SSA sub-region, South Africa has 360,000 adolescents living with HIV (ages 10-19), a disproportionate burden, accounting for 20% of the global adolescents living with HIV (UNAIDS, 2019a). The public health costs of suboptimal antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence in …

Larc Pass Long-Acting Reversible Contraception For Public Transit Users, Samantha Ellsworth

MSW Capstones

Abstract

An individual’s control over their reproductive future is essential. The creators of the LARC pass program were motivated to create an anti-poverty and anti-racist approach to providing the best methods of contraception after witnessing the many systemic inequities exposed by the tumult of 2020. Research has shown that many marginalized Americans, including teens and young adults, people of color, those living in poverty and those experiencing homelessness utilize government subsidized clinics to attempt to meet their health and reproductive needs. Promising research shows that when access to free or low-cost contraception (LARC) is provided, abortion and maternal mortality rates …

Creating Comprehensive Wrap-Around Services For The Homeless Community: Exploring Network Activity Among Shelters And Service Organizations Within The South-Side Of Chicago, Gloria West

Dissertations

We may not all agree that the homeless community is increasing and that their essential needs to survive such as food, healthcare and housing are quality of life rights for everyone. We must adopt the compassion of the medical industry and understand the importance of how community programs and services impact their survival. The sense of urgency to address the issues of homelessness does not appear to be moving as fast as other government agendas hindering families and individual’s ability to achieve self-sufficiency. It is expected that the priorities within this population are addressed immediately, it should be understood that …

Organizational Risk In Multi-Sector Health Partnerships: A Case Study Of Oregon's Accountable Health Communities, Shauna Jean Nicole Petchel

Dissertations and Theses

The literature on collective action has documented that the perception of organizational risk -- both the uncertainty of potential outcomes and the meaning attached to them -- is an important factor in whether and how organizations engage in cross-sector collaborations. Yet there are few examples to date that document how health and social service leaders perceive organizational risks in cross-sector health partnerships focused on social determinants of health, or how their perceptions influence organizational commitment and willingness to engage in these partnerships over time.

This research aimed to fill this gap through a mixed methods case study of health and …

Poverty In The United States: An Analysis Of Its Measurement And The Long-Term Social And Economic Costs, Abby Magnus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the role of poverty in the United States and how it has impacted social and economic systems. It explores how U.S. poverty measurements developed in the 1960s may not be accurately measuring poverty now, and the ways in which these measures could be improved upon. This work also reviews literature on health and educational inequities stemming from socioeconomic class, and the role these play in long-term economic mobility. Finally, it analyzes how larger social institutions like mass incarceration and capitalism have developed around poverty, and the role they play in maintaining its prevalence today. This thesis finds …

Homeless With Breast Cancer On Skid Row, Los Angeles: A Review Of Services For Women, Eva Dittrich

Theses and Dissertations

This study reviews the literature on breast cancer in general and narrows to within the context of the homeless population of Skid Row, Los Angeles, positing that the experience of breast cancer while homeless is a compounded traumatic experience with complex and numerous practical challenges. It poses the following question: What services are available to homeless women on Skid Row, Los Angeles, the information about which can be found online? Which and how many services are dedicated to breast cancer screenings and treatment? Are other types of cancer screening and treatment services advertised on the included service organizations' websites? A …

Comparative Spending Of Medicaid Dollars On Child Participants Of Kentucky’S Sobriety Treatment And Recovery Teams Program Versus A Matched Comparison Group., Matthew Thomas Walton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Child protective services agencies have long observed the complicating role that parental substance use and addiction plays in cases of child maltreatment. Families who struggle with these problems present unique challenges for child welfare professionals. These families are typically more difficult to engage, more likely to have children removed from the home, and have poorer outcomes when compared to other families. These poorer outcomes often include health problems. Addiction has well-known effects on health, and the specific manifestations of these problems for parents have been documented for years in child protection casework. However, what has been less investigated are the …

California Rural Legal Assistance Employment Education Outreach Project, Daisy Leon Melendrez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

California Rural Legal Assistance is a nonprofit law firm that provides no cost legal services to low-income individuals in Santa Cruz County. The social problem is that too many workers face employment rights violations. The agency problem is a reduction in the number of people seeking employment legal services from CRLA. This outreach project focused on spreading awareness of CRLA’s employment legal services by attending local grocery stores and farmer’s market, with the purpose of promoting agency’s services to the community. Agency materials were distrusted and a questionnaire was used to determine why people are not seeking CRLA legal services. …

Prevention Of Violence Against Children: A Systems Readiness Assessment In Côte D’Ivoire, Marie-Kaye Soletchi Seya-Sery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Violence against children (VAC) is a global problem with significant consequences. Recognizing the need to better understand the problem of VAC in Côte d’Ivoire (CI), the government of CI recently completed a survey on violence against children. The recent data will support an evidence-based national action plan for the prevention of VAC. Research shows that initiatives tackling specific problems will only be as successful as the community’s readiness to take action. This study applied the community readiness model to assess the readiness of the multisectoral task force (MSTF) to implement the national action plan in CI. Eight MSTF participants’ interview …

Understanding Access To Menstrual Hygiene Products In The Akron Area, Corinne Plas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to contribute to the understanding of the nature of access to menstrual hygiene products in the Akron area. Questions being researched are “Do Akron area residents need better access to menstrual hygiene products?”, “What is the nature of current access to products in the Akron area?”, “What influences a lack of access to products, if anything?”, and “What kinds of products are preferred and actually used?” The project consists of a 30-question survey, which was taken online by 51 participants. Completed analyses were cross tabulation analyses using Qualtrics and IBM SPSS programs and …

Beneficial Mourning By Inmates Who Have Lost A Significant Person, James Bradley Shoemaker

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Incarceration is already replete with loss before someone of significance to an inmate dies. The prison environment challenges every aspect of grieving, and failing to effectively mourn pathologizes grief, reduces quality of living, and results in behaviours that cause recidivism. It is a poignant interaction between this researcher in his role as a chaplain and a particular inmate that provides the impetus for this study. This study begins with a qualitative meta-synthesis that examined 10 qualitative articles and dissertations published over the last 30 years to explore how some inmates manage to effectively grieve the loss of a significant person. …

Healthcare Utilization & Health Behaviors Among Older Adults: The Role Of Insurance, Jennifer Rose Geiger

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As the population of older adults in the U.S. continues its exponential growth, so too will the need for high-quality health and preventive services. Despite the widely acknowledged need for proactive solutions to the coming public health challenges for this rapidly expanding age cohort, healthcare providers and social work practitioners continue to lack the proper education training to serve the needs of older adults. Furthermore, these allied health professionals also frequently engage in ageist behaviors across care settings that also often employ institutionally ageist policies and procedures. As a result, older adults may be particularly at risk of negative health …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Mental Disorders As Brain Disorders: The Impact On Stigma Of Neuroscience-Based Mental Health Education, Katherine Tighe

Honors Theses

Stigmatization of mental illness is undoubtedly detrimental to those with mental health concerns as it limits employment, self-esteem and social support (Markowitz, 1998). In effort to combat the issue of stigma, previous research has evaluated the effectiveness of education as a method to reduce stigma in a college sample; finding that peer-led presentations are effective in reducing stigma (Kosyluk et al., 2016). The current study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of neuroscience-oriented presentation for reducing the stigma of mental illness among college students. Researchers asked 53 Union College students to complete seven-item Social Distance Scale (SDS; Penn et al., 1994) …

Concepto, Fortalezas Y Debilidades Del Derecho A La Salud En Niños, Niñas Y Adolescentes A Partir De La Práctica Profesional De Un Grupo De Médicos Pediatras De La Sociedad Colombiana Pediatría Regional Bogotá, Alba Katherin Clavijo Gutierrez, Catalina Melo Bravo, Ingrid Rocio Toquica Campos, Wendy Johana Riaño Valderrama

Trabajo Social

Esta investigación da cuenta de la noción del derecho a la salud de los niños, niñas y adolescentes colombianos a partir del ejercicio profesional de un grupo de médicos pediatras pertenecientes a la Sociedad Colombiana de Pediatría regional Bogotá, reconociendo el derecho a la salud como un derecho humano fundamental que está relacionado directamente con la vida, el cual está atravesado por determinantes sociales, leyes y políticas establecidas en el sistema de salud actual. El método de investigación abordado fue cualitativo, retomando un enfoque fenomenológico y un nivel descriptivo que se desarrolló a través de la técnica entrevista semiestructurada; esta …

An Examination Of Foster Youth Socialization To Dating And Sexual Behaviors, Rhoda L. Smith

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Foster youth reportedly face unusual and negative life circumstances and outcomes due to being placed in out-of-home care. Foster care provides a resource for substitute caregiving which can range from archaically institutional to warm and familial. Foster care is a transient system which alters what is normative for youth relative to what mainstream youth experience, especially in adolescence. Being out of control of their lives and futures serves to create vulnerability for foster youth in the area of sexual and reproductive health. Lack of clarity within the child welfare agency regarding responsibility for imparting necessary, relevant information to foster youth …

Strategies And Substance Treatment: Perceptions Of Older Adults 60 And Over, Kim Malveo Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gather the perceive strategies and substance treatment needs of adults 60 and over. To examine what recovery treatment models and strategies could be most effective for the age-related complex needs of the 60 and over population who are at risk for substance misuse, use or abuse. In the coming years, there will be a substantial increase in the numbers of older adults with substance misuse and abuse problems. Even though one in five individuals who experience substance abuse are older adults many clinicians remain ill equipped to serve older clientele, and particularly those …

Putting Care Back Into "Health Care:" An Analysis Of The Place Of Community Health Workers Within The U.S. Health Care System, Megan Schowalter

Honors Program Theses

This paper explores who a Community Health Worker (CHW) is and contextualizes the social, political, and historical factors that allowed for the growth of CHWs within the primary health care sector in the U.S. It analyzes how CHWs perceive their own roles and responsibilities within the U.S. health system as a means of highlighting the gap within health care services and the influence of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) on well-being. The second part of this paper relates CHWs to scholarship by medical anthropologist Paul Farmer and public health scholar Alicia Yamin concerning pathologies of power and the need for …