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Menstrual Inequality in Women\u27s Correctional Facilities
Get PDFThe purpose of this analysis is to examine how those who menstruate while incarcerated experience menstrual inequality within correctional settings. This research focuses on vulnerable populations of menstruators most likely to experience menstrual inequality and the underlying causes of this systematic inequality within the prison industrial complex in the United States. The content of this work will focus on how menstruating bodies face stigma, discrimination, and punitive treatment within correctional institutions throughout the United States. Based on the lack of access to feminine hygiene products and adequate restroom facilities within correctional institutions, menstruators face potential issues of privacy, concealment, and additional shame and stigma. This research suggests potential avenues where menstrual injustice could be remedied through future legislation centered around basic human rights and access to products for all incarcerated menstruators
Urban And Rural Comparisons Of Attitudes Toward Medically Assisted Treatment For Pregnant And Postpartum Women With Oud In Appalachia
Get PDFThe opioid crisis has plagued the United States but disproportionately affects the often-overlooked Appalachian region. This area faces unique barriers preventing better access to quality Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment facilities despite opioid-related deaths continuing to rise. An especially vulnerable population in this region are pregnant and postpartum women who face even more challenges acquiring proper drug treatment. Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT), also called Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), is considered the standard of treatment for OUD and reduces the effects of NAS, yet it is heavily stigmatized and underutilized in populations who could benefit from the medication. This study seeks to compare urban and rural attitudes towards MAT and the pregnant and postpartum women who use MAT to treat OUD. This study hypothesized that rural areas would show statistically higher levels of negative attitudes towards MAT and its clients. The following scales displayed statistically significant differences: Degree of Criticism Toward Drug Dependent Women, Degree of Negative Attitudes Toward Clients Using MAT, Degree of Positive Attitudes Toward Clients Using MAT, How Problematic Lack of Buy-In and Negative Views Are. Only one scale was not statistically significant: How Problematic Client-Specific Barriers Are. This study seeks to bridge the gap in the literature that overlooks rural areas in opioid research and hopes to increase awareness of a vulnerable population
Perceptions of play-based curricula as an effective model of instruction for children with special needs
Get PDFThis is a study of teachers’ perceptions of the use of play-based curricula as an effective model of instruction for children with special needs. Participants surveyed were representative of preschool teachers in rural southeastern Kentucky. The study employed qualitative methods. Semi structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants to elicit rich responses based on real-life experiences using play-based curricula. No earlier studies had been conducted on this topic, and the research base was limited. Research participants consisted of thirteen preschool teachers from both public preschool and licensed childcare programs. The findings indicated that most teachers interviewed agreed with theoretical and evidence-based findings that use of play-based curricula is an effective model of instruction for children with special needs, specifically children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, Communication Disorders, and Down Syndrome. The study includes discussion of recommendations for further research
ADHD and Young Adults
No full textExploring referral bias for Girls with ADHD provides value to current and future stakeholders who work with students with ADHD. It is important to acknowledge the way ADHD can manifest during different stages of life and the potential bias that may exist when deciding whether or not a referral for ADHD testing is necessary. We have emphasized young adulthood because the transitional period into postsecondary education outcomes can impact an individual’s quality of life. The effects of the time identification, services received, and support systems can be clearly seen in both good and bad ways. The discussion is truly on the differences in the experience of boys and girls because of the referral bias found in diagnosis. Boys are prone to earlier diagnoses providing them proper support and the notable outcome is girls are being diagnosed later into adulthood which causes a host of mental health conditions or even a stronger likelihood of developing a substance abuse disorder.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_undergraduategallery/1329/thumbnail.jp
Nutrient and Fecal Microbe Contamination in the Otter Creek Watershed, Madison County, Kentucky
No full textContamination by nutrients and fecal microbes is a widespread, chronic problem for surface streams. The Otter Creek watershed covers over 168 square kilometers of north-central Madison County, Kentucky. Contamination sources include urban runoff from the town of Richmond, cattle pasture, and rural and suburban areas that utilize septic systems. Samples were collected from representative sites and measured for dissolved nutrients (ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate) and fecal microbes (total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli) using colorimetric and IDEXX methods, respectively.
Nutrient concentrations are generally higher than those of pristine streams. Dissolved ammonium concentrations generally lie below ~0.2 mg/L N-NH4 with most samples approaching zero. Nitrate concentration generally lies below 5 mg/L N-NO3 but spike upward at the sewage treatment plant discharge and continue to be high downstream. Orthophosphate displays concentrations below 0.2 mg/L in the entire watershed excepting the sewage treatment plant discharge and stations downstream that show 0.9 to 1.4 mg/L. E. coli concentrations commonly occur between 500 and 1,500 cfu/100 mL within the watershed.
Comparison to a national database allows for assessment of contaminant levels. Median nitrate levels are greater than the national median, whereas ammonium and phosphate levels were lower. The principal source for nitrate and phosphate is a sewage treatment plant that handles waste from Richmond and vicinity. Cattle feces seem to be a major source for ammonium and fecal microbe contamination. E. coli assays show that 60% of sites recommend no extended human contact, making fecal microbes a prevalent contaminant in the watershed.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_undergraduategallery/1332/thumbnail.jp
Eastern Kentuckian’ Knowledge on Freshwater Conservation and Perception of the KDFWR
No full textIt is vital to assess the attitudes and knowledge of the general public towards a natural resource and its conservation in order to ensure the success of any management activity undertaken by state and federal agencies. It is also important to understand the public’s opinion on those agencies carrying out conservation efforts. We developed an online survey using Qualtrics hosted by EKU. This study received approval from EKU’s Institutional Review Board, as Protocol number #5010. We administered the online survey to residents of Eastern Kentucky, who were reached by social media posts and face-to-face interactions at public businesses. In addition, students at Eastern Kentucky University who were residents of eastern Kentucky were also surveyed. When asked about how knowledgeable a respondent was about threats to freshwater species and water body health, 73% of the respondents claimed to be moderately to extremely knowledgeable about stream pollution from chemical dumping and litter, and 65% claimed to be at least moderately knowledgeable about over-fishing. The least known threat to water bodies was the effects of damming, which only 40% of respondents claimed to be at least moderately knowledgeable about. When asked how much they trust the KDFWR to properly lead and carry out conservation efforts, 84% of respondents said they have moderate to a great deal of trust. Furthermore, 91% of respondents said they would approve of the KDFWR receiving state tax dollars if the money went towards conservation efforts.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_undergraduategallery/1342/thumbnail.jp
Exploring Voice Therapy Through Experiential Learning
No full textThe purpose of this study was to examine the learning process of 28 Communication Sciences and Disorders students enrolled in an undergraduate voice disorders course. Students engaged in experiential learning (“learning by doing”) of one evidence-based voice therapy program called Vocal Function Exercises. Teaching unfolded in three phases: traditional instruction involving reading and lecture; participation in a hands-on workshop; and teaching vocal exercises to an acquaintance. Students participated in self-rating and self-reflection of knowledge and skills following each phase. Preliminary results of this scholarship of teaching and learning study suggest that experiential learning tasks improved students’ knowledge and skills and promoted higher levels of learning according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. Students’ self-ratings were significantly higher following experiential learning opportunities compared to didactic approaches (p = 2.267e-13, α = 0.05). Students described experiential learning as “challenging,” “interesting,” and “fun.” Thematic analysis is ongoing, however preliminary themes include voice therapy feels silly, empower patients to take ownership, and effective to demonstrate. These findings support augmentation of traditional learning approaches through instructor demonstration and opportunities for student practice. Further research should identify aspects of teaching and learning that underlie career readiness and prepare speech-language pathologists to deliver effective interventions.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_graduategallery/1144/thumbnail.jp
The Maternal, the Rural, and the Oncological: An Epidemiological-Sociological Analysis of Women’s Cancer in Appalachian Kentucky
No full textAbstract: The Appalachian area of Kentucky is marred by economic depravity and a lack of specialized oncological infrastructure and is, thus, home to the worst cancer incidence and mortality in the United States. Women in the region confront unique barriers to receiving adequate cancer care, engendering elevated rates and/or worse outcomes for breast, cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancers. Consequently, this study utilized a review of the literature to explain the epidemiological as well as the sociological factors that contribute to these disparities as well as to discuss public health solutions that were implemented and disseminated within the past couple decades. Additionally, this study attempted to recruit interest into filling a gap in the knowledge regarding whether health literacy is a major factor of these disparities through a survey of Eastern Kentucky University undergraduate students. The literature review displayed the complexity of these disparities and how they are strongly linked to the plunder of the region by resource extraction as well as social pressures inherent to the culture, and the survey revealed that the college population may benefit from cancer education and that their greatest barriers to cancer care are health literacy, low family income, and poor access to healthcare. As a result, future cancer programs should maintain the style of offering cancer education and screening at little to no cost as well as respect women’s unique needs, their autonomy, and that what they suffer through is the product of extrinsic factors that mar our society at large
The Contradictions of First-Year Teaching: Why New Teachers Don\u27t Want to Return to the Classroom
Get PDFTeachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. Beginning teachers are one of the largest groups of teachers to leave the profession every year. This paper examines the common internal and external conflicts that first-year teachers struggle with in order to create their teaching identity and how that affects their retention. Through the analysis of educational experts and their evidence-based research, the conflicts of new teachers have been collected and analyzed to determine the reasons why new teachers are not staying in the profession. Conclusions are drawn regarding how education teachers, district/school officials, and political officials can make changes so that first-year teachers will remain in the teaching profession
Occupational Balance Education: A Prerequisite to Healthy Habit Formation
Get PDFThe transition to college elicits newfound independence for those who are moving from their homes to campus. With this transition, the individuals are now forced to establish their own routines and habits in a completely new environment. Because of this, college students are more likely to experience high levels of stress, poor dietary habits, low sleep quality, and decreased physical activity. Individual behaviors cause around 50% of premature deaths, so establishing healthy habits as early as possible is the best thing a person can do to keep chronic illness and unwanted medical struggles away. Occupational balance, or the pleasant integration of all areas of one life is the result of individual behaviors and daily activities being harmonious and benefiting an individual. The purpose of this study was to provide education to freshmen students through six week intervention about occupational balance. The intervention utilized a pretest, four weeks of education on sleep, stress management, exercise, and diet, and followed with a post test. Results showed that over the six weeks, the individuals became more comfortable and felt their lives had become more balanced. Integrating education about healthy habit formation into first year courses can help students to establish more effective routines that will set them up for success in college and beyond