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Staff Perceptions of Healthy Eating Opportunities and Choices on a Southern University Campus
Get PDFMaintaining a healthy workforce can help an employer to save money in the long run, due to factors such as fewer health-related absences and higher employee productivity. Obesity, a disease with many factors, is accompanied by many comorbidities. Food and beverage choices can play a strong role in the development of obesity. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that influence staff eating behavior in a large university in the Southeastern United States, using a qualitative research design. Additionally, staff members provided possible solutions to improve the eating environment on the University’s main campus. Using a structured question guide, three focus group discussions were conducted consisting of 3 male and 9 female university staff members. NVivo12 Pro was used for data analysis. Data were coded by two researchers to yield an acceptable intercoder reliability coefficient.
Staff members reported that they are mainly influenced by a personal will to make healthy choices, incentives, and food presentation. Additionally, they stated that it is difficult to consistently choose healthy options on campus due the lack of availability on campus or convenient options. Recommendations from staff included more healthy options, education, and more convenient methods of procurement, such as grab and go and delivery.
This is the first study of its kind that specifically focuses on staff members, rather than faculty members or all employees at a university. This study may inform future campus policies that reflect the needs and desires of staff members. By tailoring policies and interventions towards the requests of the staff members, known needs may be met, which the university will subsequently benefit from
State and Regional Comparisons of Breastfeeding Policies and Rates: A National Study
Get PDFState legislation focused on promoting and supporting breastfeeding is relatively new, beginning in the 1990s. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is an association between state breastfeeding rates and state breastfeeding legislation and other institutional policies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases breastfeeding report cards with the most up-to-date state breastfeeding rates. These reports are used to examine the relationship between state breastfeeding rates and number of breastfeeding policies passed by a state. Government initiatives, such as Healthy People Initiative, and organizational practices, such as Baby-Friendly USA Inc., are also studied to determine their possible influence on state breastfeeding rates. For the purpose of this study, states are divided into four regions to allow for regional comparisons in breastfeeding rates, breastfeeding legislation, other breastfeeding policies, and socioeconomic effects to be observed. This study found that state legislation regarding breastfeeding has an unclear relationship with breastfeeding rates; however, the increased presence of Baby-Friendly facilities may be a moderating factor for increased breastfeeding initiation rates
"Nothing Monstrous Existed Here": Uncanny Nature in The Southern Reach Trilogy
Get PDFThe purpose of this thesis is to explore the relationships between humans and their environments in Jeff VanderMeer’s The Southern Reach series. VanderMeer, throughout the trilogy, uses the horror aesthetics of the New Weird genre to break down the barriers between human and nonhuman, natural and unnatural. By showing the characters as more aware of their status as human and the agency of the natural world around them as a result of the novels’ plot, The Southern Reach forces characters and readers alike to confront a world in which becoming something more than human might be possible and even necessary for survival. I argue that VanderMeer’s use of this posthumanist rhetoric in his novels makes for a larger commentary around environmentalism, the status of the “human,” and environmentalism in our own world today
The Effect of Music and Movement Interventions on Elementary Students’ Classroom Transition Times and Engagement
Get PDFIn recent years, educational mandates such as those established by the No Child Left Behind Act have placed increased pressure on school administrators and faculty to focus a large portion of their resources on improving students’ standardized test scores. As a result, many teachers are searching for ways to increase instructional time, yet during an already chaotic school day, that is not such an easy task (Heafner, Lipscomb, & Rock, 2006). Therefore, this study examined possible solutions to this issue that would benefit both students and teachers through the implementation of various music and movement interventions. The research occurred over eight weeks during the fall of 2018, from September 26, 2018 through November 7, 2018. The first two weeks of the study were designed to gather baseline data regarding students’ transition times and engagement. Three phases of two-week interventions followed which utilized music, movement, and music and movement interventions, respectively to gauge their influence on morning and afternoon classroom transition times, as well as any change in student engagement. The findings of this study indicate that the various music and movement interventions utilized were successful in decreasing students’ transition times and increasing student engagement, providing a valuable increase of instructional time
Case Studies of Standard Financial Accounting Procedures
Get PDFWhat follows is a series of case studies concerning standard financial accounting procedures completed in the 2017-2018 academic school year. The following case studies dive into particular concepts and theories within financial accounting that I had not seen or been exposed. I was challenged throughout the year to dissect scenarios seen in the real world and attempt to solve real accounting issues. I was exposed to many different theories, methods, and situations where an inquisitive accounting mind was essential. The purpose of our honors accounting class was to complete, individually, various case studies in order to expand our accounting prowess. As opposed to other theses, this thesis covers a vast array of topics, thus, giving me a wider breadth of knowledge. Every case took numerous hours per week to finalize. Some cases were group work and some cases were individual work, giving our class experience working as a team and working by ourselves. Without this class, my intrigue with accounting would be drastically minimalized, and I would not have nearly as much exposure to real-life scenarios with accounting while still an undergraduate
Lost in Translation: Challenges and Solutions to Language Barriers in Healthcare in Mississippi
Get PDFLanguage barriers can impede access to healthcare and compromise quality of care for limited English proficiency (LEP) patients. Although a rights-based framework would suggest and federal mandates require healthcare facilities to provide language access services, multiple factors result in the persistence of language barriers in healthcare. As the literature review shows, these factors include limitations in policy, enforcement, standardization, resources, and ability to recruit and retain professional interpreters. This thesis uses a multi-method case study entailing Mississippi in general and information from two specific sites, a rural Delta county and an urban central county, to assess the issue of language barriers in healthcare across various facilities in the state. Through sociodemographic analysis, eight qualitative key-informant telephone interviews, critical review of providers’ websites, and a personal visit to healthcare facilities in the Delta region, the findings suggest a heightened need for interpreter services but challenges in their quality, accessibility, and availability. Trends such as net-out migration and closure of rural hospitals in addition to limitations in resources, professional training, and enforcement result in challenges that have reduced access to healthcare for LEP patients, especially in medically underserved areas like rural counties in Mississippi. This thesis seeks to addresses the issue of language barriers in healthcare in Mississippi and offer future recommendations
Modification of HIV-1 Protease Inhibitor Pharmacophore to Assess Anti-Malarial Properties
Get PDFFor years, the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and malarial parasites have both been prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Coinfections of HIV-1 and malaria are common in areas of geographic overlap as both infections seem to increase the severity of the other. HIV-1 treatments have shown to decrease the Plasmodium infections resulting in a lower malarial incidence. HIV-1 protease inhibitors target a crucial step in the life cycle required for viral maturation and have demonstrated a lower level of resistance compared with other therapies. Recent studies have shown the treatment of HIV-1 with protease inhibitors has resulted in inhibitory effects against the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite. With growing resistance to current anti-malarial drugs, the need for new compounds is crucial. In an effort to identify the key functional group in protease inhibitors responsible for malaria inhibition, the lopinavir analogs were designed around blocking the HIV-1 activity. The secondary alcohol required for HIV-1 activity was modified in each of the designed compounds in an effort to isolate the malarial inhibition. The compounds were submitted for biological evaluation in a malarial inhibition assay against the chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum. The modifications of the secondary alcohol within the protease inhibitor pharmacophore resulted in a decreased potency against the malaria protozoan,demonstrating a need for further research on how the protease inhibitor targets P. falciparum
Two Arguments for Extending Legal Personhood to Nature
Get PDFThis thesis will articulate new sorts of arguments under a legal philosophy framework that I believe can be used to protect the environment, but which also have a chance at convincing a wide range of citizens and politicians. The conclusion for which I will argue is that the United States should extend legal personhood to Nature. I will first provide detailed analyses of two countries that have already extended rights to nature, Ecuador and Bolivia. I will then proceed to compare the two cases and discuss what aspects of their models can and cannot be applied to the United States, and why. I will then lay the groundwork for my first argument by reviewing how legal personhood is currently treated in American law, and then demonstrate how the reasons used to justify extending legal personhood to other non-traditional entities apply to Nature. Finally, my second main argument is grounded on the premise that autonomy has great value: we need to extend legal personhood to the environment to protect individual U.S. citizens. The purpose of these arguments is to show how the environmentalist and libertarian parties can form a coalition to protect Nature, albeit for different underlying reasons. By doing so, I believe it will increase the chances for success in granting Nature rights and ensuring Her protection
Zoning Policies in the United States: An Inquisition into the Inequities and Solutions
Get PDFThis research examined the real estate zoning laws in the United States and their impact. Zoning policies regulate land use by codifying land parcels. These zoning policies dictate what type of construction, commerce, activity, etc., can happen where in a community. These policies are intended to protect the common welfare and provide a stabilizing force in the real estate market to protect property values and create predictability. Nevertheless, these policies sometimes fall short of these goals and cast inequities into the community. By focusing on residential zoning policies, the researcher was able to examine these resulting inequities. The researcher utilized a systematic literature review. The researcher performed this search using Google Scholar and One Search. A detailed filtration process was performed, which is described in the Chapter 3 Methodology and Research Design. This process developed organically and produced significant themes which guided the research. These themes produced five key findings: (1) a hierarchy of intensity orders land use classifications, (2) rezoning is the source of most contention regarding zoning, (3) mixed-use zoning is a common solution but it has its drawbacks, (4) zoning impacts human health, and (5) market trends generally guide zoning policies. Therefore, it was determined that residential zoning policies can perpetuate historic inequities.The key results are the basis for which the researcher suggest to restructure the framework of current zoning policy. With understanding of the nuances and challenges facing the community, planning and zoning commissioners can structure and implement zoning policies while alleviating the inequities. Moreover, implementing revitalization projects and subsidies can resolve some of the debilitated conditions previous zoning policies created. Crafted in this manner that adjusts for the ever-evolving changes to a community, this policy recommendation recognizes the need for zoning policies and sustainably ensures equitable impacts. When these policies institutionalize historic inequities, they fail to achieve their intended purpose: to protect the community in regards to safety, public health, economic conditions, and landscape. By implementing these recommendations, zoning policies can make equity a reality
When Life Gives You Lemons: Comparing Two Diffusion Methods for a Psychological Screening Tool in the Medical Field
Get PDFE.M. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory is used to explain the process of how an idea or technology gains momentum and spreads through a particular population. The result of the diffusion is called adoption, meaning that over time the group has changed their initial behavior (i.e. using the new technology, purchasing and performing new behavior, etc.). There is considerable evidence for successful use of this theory in various fields. The study investigates the theory using a new psychological screening technology. A solicitation to hear information about the tool was presented to 19 physicians who were separated into two randomized groups, each group receiving one of two initial solicitation messages. One message was crafted to enunciate key elements of Diffusion of Innovation Theory and the other was more generic (i.e., not designed to specifically enhance the likelihood of diffusion). The results indicate that the hypothesized method of diffusion, the one following the theory’s tenets, was more successful in soliciting responses to the initial email. Potential interpretations of the results include the significance of affinity to group membership as a predictor of how easily an innovation will be adopted and diffused throughout a population, and that the choice of language for communication assists in determining perceptions of the solicitor