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How CALES Students Use TikTok for Informal Learning of Agricultural Concepts
No full textSocial media has transformed the ways students engage with educational content, with TikTok emerging as a prominent platform for informal learning. This study investigates how CALES students utilize TikTok as a source of informal learning related to agricultural concepts. Using qualitative method deductive thematic analysis, a survey was distributed to students in the College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences (CALES) at the University of Arizona to explore how TikTok influences student learning behaviors, curiosity, and peer interaction. Findings indicate that TikTok can serve as an accessible and engaging learning tool, fostering applied understanding, supporting learning, and encouraging collaboration among peers. However, the study also highlights the importance of developing media literacy skills to navigate digital content safely and critically. Implications suggest that educators can thoughtfully integrate TikTok into agricultural education to enhance engagement, provide real-world examples, and promote digital skill development, while programs may consider updating curricula to reflect evolving digital learning behaviors. Overall, this research contributes to a growing understanding of the potential of social media in agricultural education, providing guidance for students, educators, and programs to leverage TikTok as an effective tool for informal learning and professional exposure
Improving Awareness of Self-Perceived Provider Bias: A Quality Improvement Project
No full textBackground: Implicit provider bias leads to disparities and reduced patient outcomes, especially for marginalized groups of racial and ethnic minorities. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve diverse population groups and often lack the standardized training to address these biases. Cultural humility trainings, self-assessment questionnaires, and educational stewardship are essential components in tackling implicit bias and addressing these social determinants of Health (SDOH). Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project aimed at increasing awareness of implicit provider bias and promoting cultural humility amongst family and pediatric clinicians in a FQHC of Tucson, AZ. Methods: Utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model, providers completed a validated self-assessment survey via Qualtrics, using a 12-item Likert-scale questionnaire measuring perceived implicit bias scores. Family and pediatric providers were contacted via email through a listserv from the local site. Post-survey questions encouraged self-reflection of the questionnaire and promoted optional educational resources for further education. Descriptive statistics were generated from data comparing pre- and post-survey responses. Results: Amongst the 147 providers contacted, 32 initiated the survey, with 30 completing all components. The combined bias risk score amongst all providers indicated a low level of risk for perceived implicit bias. While 97% of participants were not surprised by their initial scores, 60% expressed interest in further education, and 63% indicated a likelihood of modifying their current practices, with nearly 50% acknowledging a need for additional formalized training. Conclusions: The project demonstrated that empirically validated self-assessment tools can effectively raise awareness of implicit bias and foster cultural humility among family and pediatric providers in a local FQHC. These findings support the integration of ongoing education and reflective practices into clinical settings to reduce disparities and improve care for marginalized racial and ethnic population groups
Enhancing Naloxone Education for Youth Advocates: A Project with Child Crisis Arizona
No full textBackground: Opioid misuse and overdose have become a national crisis, with Maricopa County, Arizona reporting one of the highest youth overdose death rates in the country. Between 2012 and 2021, the county experienced a 6000% increase in synthetic opioid-related deaths, disproportionately affecting adolescents. Naloxone, a safe and effective opioid reversal agent, remains underutilized in pediatric and family practice despite its proven efficacy. Stigma and provider assumptions often limit screening and naloxone education, even though adolescents face unique risks. These gaps highlight the importance of complementary community-based education to reach at-risk youth and caregivers. Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project implemented and evaluated a brief educational intervention designed to enhance naloxone knowledge among staff at Child Crisis Arizona, a community organization serving vulnerable families. The session aimed to improve awareness, self-perceived confidence, and readiness to discuss naloxone use and access with caregivers. Methods: Guided by the RE-AIM framework, the 20-minute virtual intervention included a presurvey, PowerPoint presentation, and post-survey. Evidence-based content was adapted from
national and state public-health resources. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze changes in knowledge, self-perceived confidence, and attitudes toward naloxone. Results: Twenty-four staff members attended; 20 completed the pre-survey and 12 completed the post-survey. Knowledge improved from 84% to 100%, while self-perceived confidence in responding to an overdose more than doubled (31% to 75%). All participants indicated they were likely to share the information learned, demonstrating potential for diffusion beyond the organization. Conclusions: Brief, evidence-based education significantly improved knowledge and selfperceived confidence related to naloxone use among community-based staff. The project supports integrating opioid safety education into caregiver training and community programs as a sustainable, scalable strategy to promote overdose prevention and health equity
Improving Sleep Health Across Populations: A Quality Improvement Project
No full textBackground: Sleep plays a foundational role in maintaining physical and mental health, yet over one-third of U.S. adults report getting less than the recommended seven hours of sleep per night. Insufficient sleep is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, impaired cognition, and poor quality of life. Despite the clinical relevance, structured sleep hygiene education is underutilized in primary care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies inadequate sleep as a public health epidemic, underscoring the need for evidence-based, scalable interventions. In alignment with the Healthy People 2030 objective to increase the proportion of adults who get sufficient sleep, this project aims to integrate brief, accessible sleep education into routine clinical care to promote healthier sleep behaviors and reduce chronic disease risk (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [ODPHP], n.d.).Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to evaluate whether a brief, structured sleep hygiene education session improves adult patients’ sleep knowledge and self-reported sleep behaviors in a suburban-urban primary care clinic. Methods: The project was implemented at Family Healthcare Clinic, which serves a racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse population. Eligible patients (≥18 years old) presenting for routine primary care visits will be invited to participate voluntarily. Participants completed a 10-item pre-quiz on sleep knowledge, attended a 10-minute education session, and completed a post-quiz and brief self-assessment on sleep habits and fatigue. Data was collected using paper-administered surveys and analyzed in Excel. No identifiable information was collected. Results: A total of 23 adults participated, ranging in age from 22 to 70 years, with diverse demographic representation. Participants’ mean sleep knowledge scores improved from 6.1 (SD = 1.0) to 8.9 (SD = 0.8) following the 10-minute nurse-led education session (t(22) = 12.47, p < .001). Most participants (91%) indicated plans to change their sleep habits, most commonly by reducing screen time before bed (71%), maintaining a consistent bedtime (64%), and limiting caffeine intake (55%). Participants with high fatigue ratings expressed great intent to adopt healthier practices, reflecting increased awareness of how inadequate sleep affects daytime function. Qualitative feedback indicated high satisfaction, with participants describing the session as short, simple, and applicable to daily life. Conclusion: This project demonstrated that a brief, evidence-based, provider-led sleep hygiene education session can significantly improve adult patients’ knowledge and motivation to change behaviors associated with sleep quality. The alignment between increased fatigue awareness and behavior change intentions supports prior research emphasizing the role of self-recognition in promoting healthier habits. Integrating concise sleep education into routine primary care is a feasible, scalable strategy to advance the Healthy People 2030 goal of improving sleep health and reducing chronic disease ris
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Ketamine Therapy on Depressive Symptoms in Veterans: A Program Evaluation
No full textBackground: Veterans experience disproportionately high rates of depression and comorbid PTSD, often with treatment resistance (Nitcher et al., 2019). Rapid-acting interventions such as racemic ketamine have demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in depressive symptoms in controlled and real-world studies (Liu et al., 2024).Purpose: Evaluated changes in depressive symptoms among veterans completing a standard six-session ketamine program in a private outpatient clinic, using pre- and post-treatment PHQ-9 total and item-level scores. Methods: Retrospective review of PHQ-9 total and item-level scores in adult veterans who completed six ketamine treatments (IV or IM) between January 1 and August 31, 2025, with PHQ-9s obtained ≤7 days pre-treatment and ≤7 days after the sixth session. Primary outcome: change in PHQ-9 total; secondary: item-level change trends. Results: Among 20 veterans (mean age = 53.5 years; 65% male), mean PHQ-9 scores decreased from 17.0 (SD = 5.76) at baseline to 12.5 (SD = 6.99) post-treatment, a mean change of −4.5 points (95% CI [−6.68, −2.32]; p = .0007; Cohen’s d = −0.91). Overall, 35% achieved clinical response (≥50% reduction in PHQ-9), 10% met criteria for remission (PHQ-9 < 5), and 45% experienced a ≥5-point improvement. Item-level analyses showed significant reductions in anhedonia, depressed mood, sleep disturbance, fatigue, concentration difficulties, and psychomotor symptoms, with a non-significant but clinically relevant reduction in suicidal ideation (PHQ-9 Item 9 endorsement from 30% to 20%). Conclusions: Completion of a six-session ketamine program in this community clinic was associated with statistically and clinically meaningful reductions in depressive symptoms among veterans, with improvement across multiple symptom domains and a numerical decrease in suicidal ideation. These preliminary findings support ketamine therapy as a promising, measurement-based intervention for veterans with moderate to severe depressive symptoms and highlight the value of ongoing program evaluation to optimize real-world implementation
Greening the Grid: The Power of Public Awareness and Policy in Advancing Green Infrastructure in Hawaiʻi
No full textSustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone ProjectThis research examines green infrastructure (GI) – natural and engineered systems, like trees and permeable pavement – and aims to address its key benefits in mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect and lowering excessive energy consumption habits in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. The UHI effect has created a plague of extreme heat on the densely packed island of Oʻahu due to heat-absorbing materials, like asphalt and concrete, creating a slightly warmer and uncomfortable environment. This effect is creating the need for sustainable, non-traditional strategies, such as GI, to help alleviate the impact of rising temperatures and high energy consumption. However, challenges like limited public awareness, policy support, and maintenance requirements have delayed GI adoption in Honolulu.
Through surveys, stakeholder interviews, and secondary data analysis, this study identifies solutions to implementing more GI on the island, including the placement of governmental incentives, better community engagement, and long-term maintenance solutions. A site-specific analysis of Waimalu Plaza in Honolulu, HI is used to evaluate how urban forests could improve energy efficiency and reduce heat exposure in one of the biggest UHI hot spots on the island. The findings from this study suggest that while GI provides numerous benefits, its long-term effects depend on proper maintenance, sufficient financial support, and the help of the community to support its success. The study tells of the benefits and challenges of implementing green infrastructure into Hawaiʻi’s unique environment to create a more sustainable and climate-resilient city.This item is part of the Sustainable Built Environments collection. For more information, contact http://sbe.arizona.edu
Incomplete Homes
No full textSustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone ProjectUnsafe Street in Jacksonville, Florida and what can we do to make it safer with complete street practices. The incomplete street equals incomplete communities. New developments are not being connected with existing ones, which create unsafe areas. Many are killed while walking on incomplete streets. Claire Lane is in Jacksonville, Florida, and is not only unsafe for pedestrians but also vehicles that cross between plazas. This road has many issues such as bad pedestrian lighting and ditches that pedestrians must walk by. Claire Lane is a street that connects to San Jose Boulevard that goes through residential, apartments, and two commercial plazas. The lack of sidewalks, the presence of ditches, poor lighting, and traffic cause this area to be unsafe to pedestrians and vehicles. The volume of traffic in this area is high because of the commercial retail stores and restaurants, including Walmart.
This study is to provide awareness on unsafe streets and to provide recommendation for a transition to a “Complete Streets” model. Adding elements such as sidewalks, lighting, traffic separators, changing pavement marking lines, and adding a bioswale design with a new pedestrian crossing for the apartment nearby can create a complete street and will help reduce risk of mortality. While gathering data from the community with an online survey questionnaire, it pointed me to the right direction and topics on what the people need in their neighborhood. With my expertise, I have gathered true data on crashes that are occurring in Claire Lane that can be linked to these missing elements that a complete street will bring. Most important question is why this corridor hasn’t been attempted to with these updated elements? The findings made me bring ideas and safety design to make this road updated the current standards, adding a new 6’ width sidewalk, curb ramp, pedestrian lighting, and a median guide to help traffic flow in decrease accident between two plazas. Having a complete street policy or the idea of how city officials handle these practices will make neighborhoods safer and promote the economy. By adding these concepts of "complete streets" planning, designing, and construction of streets elements, that allow safe access for all users, including drivers and pedestrians.This item is part of the Sustainable Built Environments collection. For more information, contact http://sbe.arizona.edu
Ecocide: A Critical and Constructive Approach to Establishing a Fifth Crime Against Peace [Article]
No full textArticleCurrent legal frameworks fail to adequately criminalize international environmental destruction, necessitating a clearly defined international crime against the environment. While the Stop Ecocide Foundation’s proposed Article 8ter aims to establish “ecocide” as such a crime, its formulation remains flawed. This essay is both critical and constructive: it not only analyzes the limitations of Article 8ter but also seeks to resolve them by developing and proposing a new crime of ecocide.This material published in Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law is made available by the James E. Rogers College of Law, the Daniel F. Cracchiolo Law Library, and the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact the AJICL Editorial Board at http://arizonajournal.org/contact-us/
Association Between Parental Firefighting Status and Adverse Birth Outcomes
No full textBackground: Firefighters are exposed to chemicals, smoke, physically demanding activities, and heavy work schedules that have been associated with an increased risk for adverse birth outcomes. There has been limited research that has looked at these associations among both male and female firefighter parents. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between maternal and paternal firefighting status and adverse birth outcomes (i.e., low birth weight, preterm birth, cesarean-section, low Apgar score and NICU admission). Methods: Birth certificate data from the state of Arizona were used to investigate the association between parental occupation and risk for adverse birth outcomes. Firefighters were compared to teachers, law enforcement officers, and non-firefighter occupation groups and occupation of the female parent was investigated separately from the male parent. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals while adjusting for maternal education, age, and birth year. In sensitivity analyses, we additionally adjusted for race, ethnicity, marital status, plurality, county, and gestational age. Results: Maternal firefighting was associated with increased odds of preterm birth (OR: 1.40, 95% CI 1.02, 1.90) when compared to teachers. Maternal firefighting was also associated with increased odds of NICU admission when compared to teachers (OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.18, 2.38), law enforcement officers (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.71), and the non-firefighter population (adjusted OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.21, 2.46). No statistically significant associations were found between maternal firefighting and risk of low birth weight, low Apgar score, and cesarean section. Paternal firefighting was not statistically significantly associated with any of the birth outcomes. Sensitivity analysis results did not significantly differ from multivariable models. Conclusions: Our results suggest that women firefighters may have higher odds of having a newborn born prematurely and of NICU admission. Further research should better understand the mechanism of association and investigate ways to mitigate risk to women firefighters and their babies.Release after 05/27/202
Exposure to a Three-Phthalate Mixture Tampers with Lipid Metabolic Processes in the Ovarian Antral Follicle Microenvironment
No full textPhthalates are a family of endocrine disrupting chemicals with ubiquitous exposure in humans. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di-2-ethylhexylphthalte (DEHP), and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) are used in personal care, medical, and pharmaceutical products. Antral follicles within the ovary are essential for ovulation and downstream fertilization and pregnancy. DBP, BBP, and DEHP are known to associate with decreased antral follicle counts in women and inhibit mouse antral follicle growth and ovulation in vitro. However, the specific mechanism of toxicity driving these outcomes is largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of the studies outlined in this dissertation address this gap in knowledge by investigating the effects of a three-phthalate mixture on the antral follicle microenvironment. Proteome and lipidome profiling of antral follicles from CD-1 female mice exposed in-vivo to an environmentally relevant dose of a mixture of DBP, BBP, and DEHP revealed that lipid metabolic processes are targeted. Lipidomic analysis of serum and liver tissues from matched mice highly suggested that lipid changes are not occurring through a systemic mechanism. While in vitro treatment of DBP, BBP, DEHP on mouse primary granulosa cells highlighted the ability of this mixture of phthalates to modulate expression of enzymes through activation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPAR). Overall, these studies demonstrate that phthalates target the antral follicle microenvironment resulting in increased saturated free fatty acid levels, reduced shuttling of carnitines for beta oxidation, and diminished triglyceride stores, which is likely occurring through activated intracellular PPAR and secondary signaling mechanisms.Release after 05/27/202