95038 research outputs found
Sort by
Analysis of Ocean Data Science Initiatives’ Geospatial Data Visualizations
No full textOcean Data Science Initiatives (ODSIs), initiatives that mobilize data with the express goal of informing or improving conditions in the oceans, are central to endeavors to gather and mobilize “the science we need for the oceans we want” in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2020-2030) (“Ocean Science Decade”). ODSIs often visualize data in the form of maps and other geospatial data visualization tools, which we collectively call Visual Geospatial Data Products (VGDPs). Because the oceans are outside the lived experience of many humans, these VGDPs are positioned to help users to ‘see’ the oceans in new ways. In this project, we sought to understand how ODSIs mobilize data in visualizing oceans, and what ocean worlds these visuals create. The work archived here is the dataset of a visual analysis of ODSIs’ VGDPs, including both categorical and qualitative coding of the visual aspects of these products. These results were used for an analysis that positions ODSIs within the evolving role of data in ocean governance, demonstrating how these organizations define what constitutes “the data we need” for imagining “the oceans we want” in the Ocean Science Decade
Exploring Well-Being Disparities: A Comparative Analysis of Urban and Rural Clinicians Using the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire.
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Clinician well-being is crucial to the healthcare system, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which intensified psychological distress among clinicians. This study examines well-being disparities between rural and urban clinicians using the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 222 clinicians from one urban and three rural hospitals in North Carolina between September and December 2022. The WellBQ assessed well-being across five domains. Data analysis identified concerning thresholds based on positive and negative responses, with discrepancies resolved through independent reviews and focus group validation. FINDINGS: In the work evaluation and experience domain, rural hospitals reported concerns with time paucity and work overload, while urban hospitals focused on work-related fatigue and job engagement. Rural hospitals noted issues with job benefits, health programs, and schedule flexibility, whereas urban hospitals emphasized the lack of supportive work culture and management trust. Both settings reported concerns in the physical environment and safety climate domain, including sexual harassment, physical violence, and bullying. Health status concerns in rural hospitals included overall stress and poor mental health, while urban hospitals highlighted chronic health conditions and risky drinking. CONCLUSION: This study identified significant well-being disparities between rural and urban clinicians, with urban hospitals showing higher concerning thresholds. Future research should refine these thresholds, explore workplace violence causes, and assess long-term impacts on clinician well-being.Applications to Practice:This study reveals significant well-being disparities between rural and urban clinicians, emphasizing the need for tailored occupational health interventions
Building resilience through adaptive streets: How state DOTs can support local responses to disruptive events. Research brief and recommendations for North Carolina
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic prompted cities worldwide to reconfigure streets for safe walking, cycling, recreation, and outdoor commerce. While many U.S. cities quickly implemented ‘adaptive streets’ programs using flexible, low-cost materials, North Carolina municipalities’ efforts were comparatively limited in scope and duration. As we move beyond the pandemic, these municipalities seek guidance from local and global experiences to inform swifter responses to future disruptions.
This research identified state-level factors that supported local pandemic-related adaptive streets efforts in two states—Colorado and Massachusetts—and assessed the transferability of those factors to North Carolina.
As a companion to a comprehensive final report, this brief:
highlights key benefits of adaptive streets programs,
overviews COVID-related adaptive streets programs in Massachusetts and Colorado,
summarizes the results of our research on adaptive streets programs in North Carolina, and
provides recommendations to support timely, effective responses to future disruptive events
Author Correction: An activity-regulated transcriptional program directly drives synaptogenesis
Get PDFCorrection to: "An activity-regulated transcriptional program directly drives synaptogenesis
Improving the Built Environment in Granville and Vance Counties to Enhance Access to Physical Activity to Reduce Obesity-Related Chronic Health Conditions
Get PDFPhysical activity significant contributes to chronic disease risk and health outcomes. In many rural communities, structual aspects of the neighborhood and built environment create barriers limiting active living opportunities. The 2021 Granville Vance County Health Assessment (CHA) identifies several key barriers to physical activity, including unsafe sidewalks, inadequate lighting on walkways, and a lack of designated bike lanes, commonly called active transportation. These factors affect accessibility for residents for all ages and abilities, including pedestrains, cyclists, drivers, and public transit users. The culmination of evidence-based research and CHA data conducted by the Granville Vance Public Health Department supports a strong connection between physical activity and chronic underfunding in public infrastructure that promotes active transportation. Multiple methodologies were employed to explore this connection, including social determinants of health (SDOH) analysis, the development of a rich picture, and a contextual anaylsis. Principles of engagment, leadership, quality, and systems thinking were utilized to generate recommendations and insights for addressing community challenges. This proposal recommends advocating "Complete Street" policies, forming a priority partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transporatation (NCDOT), establishing a leadership steering committe, and implementing a continous quality improvement plan to sustain and expand the initiative. Master of Public Healt
Archival Work at Chapel of the Cross (2025 SILS Practicum)
Get PDFFounded in 1842, Chapel of the Cross (COTC) holds nearly 200 years of church records, photos, publications, and other materials in its archive. The previous volunteer archivist had recently retired, and COTC wanted help assessing the archive’s preservation, reorganizing materials, and increasing usability. For our practicum project in the Spring of 2025, we evaluated the preservation of their archive, began processing the archive, led outreach events, and created guidelines for future archivists to work on the project.
This is our team's poster that was used to present our project for our practicum seminar
CREATING HEALTHY AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING IN GRANVILLE AND VANCE COUNTIES, NORTH CAROLINA
Get PDFThis proposal addresses the critical necessity for Affordable and Healthy Housing in Granville and Vance counties, North Carolina, a wicked problem within the "Neighborhood and Built Environment" domain of the Social Determinants of Health. Previous studies found that 17% of residents in Granville and Vance counties endured a variation of housing insecurity between 2014 and 2018 (Johnson et al., 2022). Housing problems included overcrowding, poor infrastructure, and cost-burden rents. Poor housing causes a multitude of ailments, including respiratory illnesses and chronic stress. These afflictions disproportionately affect low-income and minority populations.
This proposal presents systemic barriers, identifies a steering committee of diverse partners, and analyzes current policies to address fixes that backfired in the Fair Housing Act and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance initiative. We used a comprehensive systems approach to analyze the interactions between structural, social, and policy factors that reinforce housing insecurity.
Our change initiative includes three strategic goals. The primary goal is to increase the availability of affordable housing, the secondary goal is to protect current renters from displacement, and the final goal is to revitalize communities through coordinated development efforts. The steering committee of renters, landlords, local housing authorities, and advocacy groups will guide the initiative, prioritizing co-design and legal reformation.
To achieve stakeholder consensus, we created actionable policy recommendations, including clarifying legal protections, improving enforcement mechanisms, and increasing landlord incentives for healthy and affordable housing. This proposal aims to foster healthy and affordable housing in Granville and Vance counties, North Carolina, by promoting community engagement, legal reformation, and a sustainable development plan.Master of Public Healt
Enhancing Social Support: Community Groups for Men with Substance Use Disorders in Vance County, NC
Get PDFThis proposal seeks to strengthen social and community support for men aged 18–45 in Vance County, North Carolina, who have past or present substance use disorders (SUD). The social and community context domain of the Social Determinants of Health framework was selected for its vital role in promoting well-being and community resilience. Leveraging local partnerships, including the Granville Vance Public Health Department and the NC Harm Reduction Coalition, this 2-year initiative will be guided by an interdisciplinary and community-driven steering committee to lead efforts which integrate harm reduction practices, enhance data sharing, and reduce stigma through implementation of SUD support groups and public education. Key strategies include community co-design sessions, harm-reduction integration, targeted training for law enforcement, and improved community data access tools to support quality improvement. Despite challenges such as bias against those with SUD, policy barriers, and financial constraints, this community-driven approach seeks to strengthen social connection, advance health equity, and improve community resilience within Vance County.
Successful implementation of this proposal will provide guidelines for rural counties working to overcome complex issues with substance use disorder.
Keywords: substance use disorders, public health, data transparency, social determinants of health, harm reductionMaster of Public Healt
ENHANCING SOCIAL SUPPORT: COMMUNITY GROUPS FOR MEN WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN VANCE COUNTY, NC
Get PDFThis proposal seeks to strengthen social and community support for men aged 18–45 in Vance County, North Carolina, who have past or present substance use disorders (SUD). The social and community context domain of the Social Determinants of Health framework was selected for its vital role in promoting well-being and community resilience. Leveraging local partnerships, including the Granville Vance Public Health Department and the NC Harm Reduction Coalition, this 2-year initiative will be guided by an interdisciplinary and community-driven steering committee to lead efforts which integrate harm reduction practices, enhance data sharing, and reduce stigma through implementation of SUD support groups and public education. Key strategies include community co-design sessions, harm-reduction integration, targeted training for law enforcement, and improved community data access tools to support quality improvement. Despite challenges such as bias against those with SUD, policy barriers, and financial constraints, this community-driven approach seeks to strengthen social connection, advance health equity, and improve community resilience within Vance County.
Successful implementation of this proposal will provide guidelines for rural counties working to overcome complex issues with substance use disorder.
Keywords: substance use disorders, public health, data transparency, social determinants of health, harm reductionMaster of Public Healt
IMPROVING FOOD ACCESS FOR BLACK RESIDENTS IN UNDERINVESTED AREAS OF GRANVILLE AND VANCE COUNTIES
Get PDFFood insecurity is a systemic issue within the built environment of Granville and Vance (GV) counties, North Carolina (NC), that has pervasive negative effects on residents’ health outcomes. Analysis of GV counties’ built environment identified food insecurity as a priority to address. The team performed contextual analyses to gain comprehensive understanding of the impact food access has on residents, and what factors influence that relationship. As a result, the team identified several recommendations to reduce food insecurity while prioritizing equity-centered, community-driven solutions. Through establishment of a food resource directory, expansion of the NC Department of Transportation’s Microtransit program, and creation of a food insecurity steering committee, access to adequate nutrition would improve for GV counties’ residents. These efforts, in combination with local partnerships and stakeholder collaboration, can reduce barriers to food access and assistance programs. Additionally, these recommendations form a strong foundation for future improvements to be made.Master of Public Healt