Health Policy Commons^™

Editorial: Migration And Health: A Human Rights Perspective - Conference Insights And Beyond, Noemi Rodriguez, Mira Goral, Justine Mcgovern, Allison Squires, María Isabel Roldos

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Advancing Children's Mental Health In Nevada, Kelliann Beavers, Christopher Kearney

Lincy Institute Events

Nevada ranks 51st nationally in youth mental health access and services, underscoring persistent shortages and disparities across the state. Nearly one in four youths aged 12–17 (23.5%) experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, and 73% did not receive treatment. Approximately 34,000 Nevada youths have reported suicidal thoughts—an urgent call for prevention and coordinated support.

During the 2024–2025 school year, 31.3% of Clark County School District students were chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), a challenge closely linked to mental health struggles and socioeconomic barriers.

This community forum provided an opportunity to generate dialogue and …

Diaper Insecurity In Nevada And The Mountain West, 2024, Mia Tschan, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on diaper insecurity in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. It also presents data on the diaper gaps faced by fifteen Nevada counties: Carson City, Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Elko, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, and White Pine. Esmeralda County and Eureka County are not included due to a lack of data. The 2025 Urban Institute report, “Mapping Diaper Insecurity in the US,” highlights 2024 data on diaper insecurity across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

Nevada's Healthcare And Education Workforce Pipelines, David Damore, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Policy Briefs and Reports

With ongoing workforce shortages in K-12 education, healthcare, and mental and behavioral health—occupations central to the HEAL (health, education, administration, and literacy) economy—this brief utilizes the Nevada P-20 to Workforce Research Data System (NPWR) and data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to explore the current and projected landscape for these workforces in Nevada. Examining the demographic characteristics of those participating in focused career and technical education training and those earning relevant postsecondary credentials illuminates gender disparities in Nevada’s healthcare and education workforce pipelines. After reviewing the current state of these workforces and assessing the available NPWR data, we …

Diabetes-Related Foot Complications And Socioeconomic Influences Among Hispanic Males In South Texas: A Scoping Review, Mariana J. Rodriguez, Demian Rodriguez, Amanda L. Killeen

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the 7^th leading cause of death in the United States and is 6^th in the state of Texas. Counties from South Texas are primarily affected with higher rates of diabetes than both the state and national average. Diabetes mellitus is a complex and progressive disease which can affect multiple systems of the body, leading to serious complications if untreated, especially in the lower extremities. Uncontrolled diabetes is often associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), foot infections, and lower extremity amputations (LEA). South Texas is a region predominantly populated by Hispanic Americans who are disproportionally …

Venezuelan Migrants In Prostitution: A Personal Decision?, Yazmin Maria Lucila Cadena Camargo, Izara Maite Mondragon Moreno, Isabela Osorio Jaramillo, Paula Angélica Suárez Álvarez, Andrés Duarte Osorio, Carlos Gómez-Restrepo

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This paper explores the multifaceted experiences of Venezuelan migrant women engaged in prostitution, framed through three critical moments: the “decision to enter in prostitution,” the unique abuses faced, and the resultant consequences on mental, physical, and social health. The study highlights how socioeconomic vulnerabilities—exacerbated by migration and poverty—significantly influence the likelihood of entering prostitution. It also shows how traumatic experiences, particularly in childhood and adolescence, coupled with a lack of support networks, contribute to a heightened risk of exploitation. Eleven life stories were collected through a phenomenological approach, revealing a common narrative of abuse, poverty, and the search for survival …

How Is Food Insecurity Measured In The United States And What Share Of Older Adults Are Food Insecure?, Colleen M. Heflin, Madonna Harrington Meyer

Population Health Research Brief Series

The U.S. Department of Agriculture measures food insecurity based on whether households had problems affording food during the last twelve months. Based on the current definition, in 2023 9.2% of households with adults ages 60 and older were food insecure. But there are many problems with the existing definition for accurately capturing food insecurity among older adults.

Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes those limitations, noting that existing measures do not account for barriers that are common among older adults, such as mobility, physical distance, and transportation barriers.

Towards A New Health Politics In Kenya: Labor Organizing And Strikes By Health Workers In The Public Health Sector, Michael Scanlon

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

There has been insufficient attention by global health scholars to labor organizing by health workers, including when and why organizing occurs, what forms and strategies it takes and its implications for governance and policy. These questions are critical but largely absent in research on what has been called the “global health workforce crisis.” Kenya represents an important case study. A new constitution in 2010 expanded institutional spaces for labor organizing and decentralized governance of the health system. Both reforms had significant implications for the health workforce and strikes by health workers have been pervasive. In 2017, nationwide strikes by public …

Resilience Of Interdependent Transportation And Healthcare Systems: A Simulation-Driven Framework Incorporating Social Equity And Facility Optimization, S. Yasaman Ahmadi

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The overarching goal of this dissertation is to develop an integrated, simulation-driven framework to assess and enhance the resilience of interdependent transportation and healthcare systems before, during, and after natural hazards. By examining how spatial disruptions, social vulnerability, operational constraints, and infrastructure interdependencies affect access to and functionality of hospitals, this research offers a multifaceted evaluation of system performance under stress. This dissertation examines the impact of natural hazards, particularly floods, on the interdependent transportation and healthcare systems. The proposed approach combines and advances GIS-based network analysis, graph-theoretical modeling, and discrete-event simulation to evaluate system performance under different scenarios. The …

Institutional Betrayal And Military Vaccine Mandates: An Inquiry Into Loss Of Health Autonomy Concerning Unlimited Liability Contractual Employment In The Covid-19 Era, Aaron G. Dehaven

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The balance between government control and personal liberty is a growing concern in the modern world. Nowhere is this more evident than in discussions surrounding government policy in public health and individual health autonomy. The Covid-19 pandemic forced many institutions to change their standard operating procedures by adapting to rapidly changing health guidance instituted to protect public health. These changes highlighted the role of health autonomy and individuals’ rights to refuse medical treatments. The Department of Defense changed many aspects of how it operated during the pandemic, including the mandate of the Covid-19 vaccine for all service members. For various …

The Social Standing Versus The Mind Standing Of Older Adults In Egypt: Cross-Sectional Analysis Of The Relationship Between Social Capital And Cognitive Functions, Shaza H. Shinaishen Dr

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Egypt's population, much like that of other countries, is expected to age considerably over the course of the coming decades. Although biological and socioeconomic predictors of cognitive function have been studied widely, personal level social capital remains unexplored, especially in LMICs.

Purpose: This study primarily investigates the relationship between individual social capital and cognitive functioning among older adults aged 65 years and older in Egypt using the structural and cognitive components of social capital, including group membership, civic engagements, and caregiving roles.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey on 363 older individuals in different geographical and demographic segments of Egypt using …

Can Machine Learning Prevent Human Trafficking? Using Data And Technology To Tailor Policies And Programs Toward Vulnerable Populations In Your Community, Kristen Hubbell

SMU Human Trafficking Data Conference

This presentation will investigate how to use data and technology to prevent human trafficking in communities, before it starts. It will explore the opportunity to utilize a novel machine learning approach to identify local risk factors to guide collaborative, data-oriented prevention programs. Surprising findings from a case study will be shared that challenge existing assumptions on the key drivers of human trafficking.

Medical Debt In The Mountain West, 2022, Kian Parikh, Lara Karaalp, Otoniel Ramos, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents 2022 data on the prevalence of medical debt in the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. The Urban Institute report, “The Changing Medical Debt Landscape in the United States” includes data on medical debt estimates, hospital market concentration, as well as estimates of uninsured individuals, disabled adults, average household incomes, and racial compositions at the state and county level for the 50 states and Washington, DC. This fact sheet focuses on state-level differences on the prevalence of medical debt, as well as differences in the percentages of uninsured individuals and …

Framing The Future: A Community Health Analysis Of The Pee Dee Region, Stephen Borders, Jean Anton, Rian Fontaine, Donielle Phillips, Treyton Ringer, Jessica Robinson, Caitlin Thompkins

Public Health

This report presents a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of community health across South Carolina’s Pee Dee region, encompassing Florence, Darlington, Chesterfield, Marlboro, Marion, and Dillon Counties. Using tract-level data from CDC PLACES, the U.S. Census, and the National Provider Identifier registry, it assesses chronic health conditions, health behaviors, and social determinants of health. The analysis incorporates the South Carolina Healthy Communities Index (SCHCI) and a Suitability Analysis to identify the region’s most disadvantaged communities. The findings highlight persistent disparities, particularly in rural counties, where high rates of poverty, chronic disease, and unmet basic needs intersect with limited access to care. Despite …

Heartache In The Heartland: Unraveling The Social Roots Of Deaths Of Despair In Kentucky, Lyndsey K. Blair, Madeline M. Tomlinson, Michele Abee-Biskis, Jessica Hume, Gabri Warren

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Deaths of despair (DoD), encompassing suicides, drug overdoses, and alcohol-related liver diseases, have emerged as a critical public health crisis in the United States, with their rise particularly pronounced from 1995 to 2013 and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kentucky, grappling with high rates of substance use disorder, poor mental health, and economic hardship, is at the forefront of this issue, particularly in its rural and Appalachian regions.

Purpose: This study explores the social determinants contributing to DoD in Kentucky, focusing on economic and social factors that influence rising rates of suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-related liver disease. The …

The Affordable Care Act: Analyzing Rates Of Healthcare Claim Denial, Lauren Sitter

Political Science Theses and Capstones

The United States healthcare industry is an integral aspect of every American’s life. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 reformed the healthcare system by expanding coverage to millions of Americans and eliminating claim denials due to pre-existing conditions. It requires participating states to submit transparency data. Despite these reforms, coverage denials continue and vary by plan category, metal level, and among different states. I analyze data from The Kaiser Family Foundation (2023) and The CommonWealth Fund to test the correlation between claim denial and a variety of variables, including state political culture, plan type, metal level, and out-of-pocket costs. …

Perceptions Of Identity And Blame Attribution In Sexual Harassment Scenarios, Avarie Lambert

Honors Theses

Sexual harassment is a widespread issue influenced by societal attitudes that stem from victim blaiming and rape myth acceptance. These perceptions are often shaped by the identities of the parties involved, however there is limited research on how gender and race influence blame attribution. The purpose of this study is to examine how different identities shape public perceptions of victims in sexual harassment scenarios. Through using a nationwide sample and survey experiment, participants were randomly assigned to receive one of eight different hypothetical scenarios that differed by the race and gender of the victim, and the gender of the perpetrator. …

The Association Between Economic Outcomes And Abortion: A Scoping Review, Larisa Nicole Stephenson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Abortion access is not just an issue of autonomy, but an economic issue as well. Evidence of the intersectionality of abortion health care and economics has endured due to the financial cascading effects a denial of an abortion, or the inability to access an abortion, has on one’s personal, professional, and economic upward mobility. A change in recent policies impacting access to abortion warrants an updated synthesis examining the relationships between economic outcomes and abortion access for people of reproductive age in the United States (U.S.).

Aim: This scoping review summarizes evidence pertaining to the association …

The Repercussions Of Race-Based Egfr On The Morbidity & Mortality Of Black Children With Renal Disease, Angelina Siino

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This study investigates the implications of race-based adjustments in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculations on the health outcomes of Black children with renal disease. Historically, a race coefficient has been added to eGFR calculations for patients identified as Black, resulting in an artificial inflation of kidney function by approximately 16%. This inflation can delay the classification of chronic kidney disease (CKD), postpone eligibility for essential interventions like preemptive kidney transplantation, and prolong reliance on maintenance dialysis. Through a comprehensive literature review of peer-reviewed U.S. medical journal articles published between 2000 and 2023, this work explores how these clinical delays …

Disparities In Demographics Of Patients Presenting To A Student-Run Free Clinic In South Jersey, Kirsten Carlberg, Sabah Iqbal, Christian Moya Gamboa, Daliza Diaz, Cerena Moreno, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Medical schools around the country have established free clinics to better serve the underserved patient populations. In this study, we aimed to evaluate demographic characteristics in the patient population at our free clinic, Rowan-Virtua Community Health Clinic (RVCHC), compared to the general population of Camden County. We found a disproportionately higher percentage of black patients at our clinic when compared to the county overall. Addressing these disparities would require targeted outreach to specific patient populations and improved transit access. Future studies should aim to identify RVCHC health outcomes through the management of chronic disease and understanding emergency room utilization.

Addressing Gaps In Clinical Trial Access For African Americans, Vanessa Veltre, Michael Acevedo, Alexandra Stone, Lydell Lettsome, Brian Stone

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Clinical trials are essential for generating evidence on the safety and efficacy of new treatments. However, Black Americans remain underrepresented in clinical research, particularly for conditions that disproportionately affect them. This underrepresentation compromises the generalizability of findings and perpetuates health disparities. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to African American participation in clinical trials and to inform culturally sensitive strategies to improve enrollment of diverse populations.

Methods: We developed a 38-question web-based survey, divided into three domains: (1) cultural affinity, (2) trust, and (3) background information. The survey was administered using Jotform, a HIPAA-compliant platform. Participants—Black adults …

Child Sex Trafficking In Pediatrics: From Screening To Comprehensive Care, Victoria Shwe, Tracy Lin, Nicole M. Leopardi

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Child sex trafficking is a significant issue in New Jersey, with minors making up 22% of trafficking victims in 2023. While screening tools exist to identify at-risk youth, there is a major gap in understanding the steps healthcare providers should take after identification to ensure appropriate care, support, and referrals. Current research highlights the lack of data on the use of trafficking screening tools and the absence of standardized post-screening protocols. Most pediatricians rely on referrals to social services or law enforcement, yet limited coordination between healthcare providers and these agencies complicates effective care. The shortage of child abuse pediatric …

Limited Supermarket Access Areas In The Mountain West, 2010-2020, Taylor Volk, Ivan Sun, Mohit Pande, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on limited supermarket access areas in the Mountain West from 2010 to 2020. The “Limited Supermarket Access Analysis” report, published by the Reinvestment Fund, offers data for populations that reside in Limited Supermarket Access (LSA) areas in U.S. states and in major U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) with a population of at least 1,000,000 people. This fact sheet presents both state-level and MSA-level data for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

Psychological Treatment Behind The Walls:Insights From The Inside, Rogelio Serrano

Psychology Division Scholarship

Repeated eras of mass incarceration, criminalization of marginalized communities, and substance use policies have created a revolving door of justice involved populations. The ever-increasing prison population has repeatedly become the largest contingency of mental health clientele for an overburdened mental health system. Those who work with formerly incarcerated individuals in the community often don’t know the unique set of challenges faced by practitioners within the system. Increased understanding and coordination of care can offer opportunities for sustained recovery and reduced levels of recidivism. In this presentation participants will learn about the unique insights on mental health treatment that can be …

"Health Gatekeepers": The Influence Of Women On Health Practices In Rural, Central Appalachia, Reese Lycan

Senior Theses

Women have historically assumed leadership roles in familial and community health promotion, intervention, and facilitation. While the role of women in family health is globally understood and the historical importance of female leadership has been documented, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the role of women as “health gatekeepers”. Furthermore, when considering the Appalachian region, there are limited studies regarding women’s place in leadership as far as health is concerned. Therefore, this study employs a hermeneutic phenomenological framework to explore the lived experiences of women in relation to their family and community’s health in rural, Central Appalachia- a region …

Covid Cover-Up: Secrecy, Censorship And Suppression During The Pandemic, Brian Martin

Secrecy and Society

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, most health authorities, governments, and mass media organizations presented a single official view concerning lockdowns, masking, distancing, and vaccines. The methods used against contrary views can be classified into four types: flooding, ignoring, censoring, and attacking. The method of information flooding involves presenting dominant views in a unified front, overwhelming contrary views by volume and consistency. The method of ignoring includes the absence of research on alternative approaches, failure to report on research contrary to orthodoxy, and not mentioning challenging views. Censoring involves active measures to prevent the circulation of contrary information and …

Faltered States: The Rise, Fall, And Containment Of Psychedelic Science In The United States, Baxter Brew

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis traces the history of psychedelic science in the United States and its implications for policymaking. In the postwar period, psychedelic researchers were enabled by a unique convergence of optimism in medical science and structural flexibility. But their hope blinded them to the deeper tensions of their field. As institutions grew increasingly rigid and risk-averse, the space for psychedelics began to close. Some scientists responded by fortifying the walls around them, developing socially and professionally acceptable research methods. Others tried to escape these walls entirely. But neither approach could prevent psychedelics from being squeezed out of formal inquiry. Yet …

Assisted Living, Residential Care, And Memory Care Staffing Level Dynamics: Oregon, 2017–2023, Sarah Dys, Ozcan Tunalilar

Institute on Aging Publications

Objectives

To examine changes in staffing levels over time in Oregon assisted living and residential care (AL/RC) communities between 2017 and 2023.

Design

Longitudinal study of licensed AL/RC communities.

Setting and Participants

A total of 1720 setting-year observations from 535 individual AL/RC communities in Oregon between 2017 and 2023.

Methods

Primary data were collected through the Oregon Community-Based Care (CBC) study. Staffing levels were estimated as care staff hours per resident per day and reported overall and by staff type, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, certified medication aides, unlicensed care staff, life enrichment staff, and social …

Social Determinants Of Health And Aging In Africa: Structural Inequality, Vulnerability, And The Future Of Care, Aremu Umor Lukman, Sunkanmi Folorunsho, Abdulrauf Olaitan Taofeeq

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Population aging is accelerating across Africa yet remains underrepresented in research, policy, and public health planning. This review critically examines how social determinants shape aging experiences across the continent, focusing on health, care systems, and structural inequalities. While traditional African societies have historically valued older adults, modernization, migration, and economic hardship have eroded support systems, leaving many to face old age with limited resources. Older Africans, particularly women and rural residents, contend with lifelong disadvantages including low education, informal labor, poverty, and gendered caregiving roles that contribute to poor health and social vulnerability. Health systems remain poorly equipped to address …

Journey To Well-Being: An Exploration Of Thrivership Post-Domestic Violence, Kader Gumus

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Domestic violence profoundly affects multiple facets of a survivor’s life. While most existing literature on survivorship addresses the immediate aftermath of domestic violence, this study delves into the extended process following the trauma of abuse to attain “thrivership,” a new concept in the scholarly and practice literature that emphasizes enduring well-being and flourishing. This dissertation examines the journeys from surviving to thriving for 13 women who transformed themselves and their lives to achieve well-being after traumatic domestic violence. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was applied to examine the multiple layers of environmental influences on an individual’s development, including the micro, meso, …