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Geographic Disparities in Unpaid Caregiving
No full textPurpose: An updated, nationally representative examination of rural–urban differences in the experiences, health, and well-being of caregivers is needed; previous research on this topic uses older data or has limited generalizability. This study examines rural–urban differences in the characteristics, experiences, and health of caregivers. Methods: The 2021–2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n = 44,274 unpaid caregivers) was used, with rurality defined according to the 2013 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme. Chi-square tests compared rural–urban differences in these caregivers’ characteristics, including demographic factors, caregiving intensity (e.g., weekly hours spent caregiving, reason for caregiving, past-month ADL/IADL assistance), caregiver\u27s health (e.g., general health status and past month physical health, mental health, and limited activity), and caregiver\u27s health behavior (chronic illness, smoking status, binge drinking, and annual checkups). Findings: Compared to urban caregivers, rural caregivers were more likely to have at least one chronic condition (58.3% vs. 53.2%; p \u3c 0.0001), be obese (42.9% vs. 37.5%; p \u3c 0.0001), be a smoker (24.2% vs. 15.5%; p \u3c 0.0001), and less likely to be a binge drinker (12.7% vs. 15.3%; p = 0.003). Compared to urban caregivers, rural caregivers were more likely to report their general health status as fair/poor (20.3% vs. 17.0%, p = 0.0003) and were more likely to report 14 or more days of poor physical health in the past month (15.6% vs. 12.0%, p \u3c 0.0001). Conclusions: Understanding geographic disparities in the experiences and context of unpaid caregiving is needed to improve their overall well-being and health. Future research will be necessary to determine factors associated with these outcomes
Teaching While Stressed: How Mental Support is Impacting the Teaching Experience in South Carolina
No full textTeacher shortages are a widespread issue within both the United States and South Carolina. One cause of high numbers of teachers leaving their positions is low job-satisfaction and high stress levels. In this study of teacher mental health in South Carolina, eight teachers were interviewed regarding their experience with job-related stress and support offered to them. The interviews revealed that teachers experience high levels of stress, with many interviewees having stressors in common. Many participants had at least one experience in which stressors pushed them to leave or almost leave their position, showing the importance of mental health when considering teacher retention. A theme across interviews was the importance of administration, specifically administrative styles and their effects on school culture. From these interviews, it was concluded that teachers’ mental health being supported, specifically by administrators and the school culture they create, could positively impact retention. Formal supports such as professional developments were also discussed, but none were emphasized as much as the importance of supportive administrators, leading to the conclusion that the role of administrators in the wellbeing of teachers should be researched and emphasized more in order to improve the teaching experience for teachers in South Carolina and elsewhere
Thermodynamic Properties of ZrCl\u3csub\u3e4\u3c/sub\u3e with LiCl, NaCl, KCl, CsCl, MgCl\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e, and UCl\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e for molten salt reactor applications
No full textA set of self-consistent Gibbs energy functions has been developed to describe the thermochemical behavior of the major reactive fission product ZrCl4 with key components in chloride molten salt reactors (MSRs): LiCl–ZrCl4, NaCl–ZrCl4, KCl–ZrCl4, CsCl–ZrCl4, MgCl2–ZrCl4 and UCl3–ZrCl4. Low ZrCl4 concentration phase equilibria most relevant to MSR applications have been confirmed via differential scanning calorimetry for NaCl–ZrCl4, and X-ray diffraction analysis performed on equilibrated samples of NaCl–ZrCl4, KCl–ZrCl4, MgCl2–ZrCl4, and UCl3–ZrCl4. Within the framework of the modified quasi-chemical model in the quadruplet approximation, extrapolations of pseudo-binary models were generated to represent KCl–MgCl2–ZrCl4, KCl–NaCl–ZrCl4, and MgCl2–NaCl–ZrCl4, which show agreement with phase equilibria data where available without the use of ternary interaction parameters. The optimized thermodynamic descriptions for these systems and others are available in the open-source compendium Molten Salt Thermal Properties Database – Thermochemical (MSTDB–TC)
Meet the FARs: An Examination of the Background, Roles, and Appointment of Faculty Athletic Representatives at National Collegiate Athletic Association Member Institutions
No full textAs many National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member institutions continue to engage in athletic centric decision-making processes, academic integrity and the campus experience for college athletes is often marginalized. Mandated by the NCAA to represent athletes’ academic interests, the faculty athletics representative (FAR) position is designed to occupy a central role in maintaining the primacy of academia among college athletes. FARs, however, exist within an institutional setting muddled by competing and contradictory logics. Accordingly, given the inherent juxtaposition between the operation of collegiate athletics and the stated role of FARs, the present study sought to examine the characteristics and positional responsibilities of faculty currently serving as FARs at NCAA member institutions. A sample of 308 FAR respondents from the 2022-2023 academic year illustrate that despite the differing formation and logics present across NCAA Divisions, the characteristics and job functions of FARs are strikingly similar regardless of member institution divisional classification
Sport Media Consumption in NCAA Division І FBS Subdivision: A Panel Regression Model Using X/Twitter
No full textAthletic departments in collegiate sports have increasingly focused on enhancing sport consumer interest through social media. As social media usage continues to grow in college sports, understanding audience behavior on these platforms has become essential for athletic departments. This study examines the factors influencing consumer interest in Division I football teams’ X (formerly Twitter) accounts, utilizing a panel dataset comprising 18,221 team-day observations. Key determinants of changes in X followers were identified, including teams’ social media activity, on-field performance, scheduling events, and timing effects, with a focus on fan interest across temporal patterns such as month-to-month and day-to-day variations. The analysis revealed peak periods of interest, particularly during CFP ranking announcements and other major events. Conversely, variables specific to collegiate contexts were found to have no significant effect. The findings are interpreted through the lens of economic demand theory, offering valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of consumer behavior in college sports. The implications for practitioners suggest that strategic social media use can significantly enhance fan interest, and a deeper understanding of audience behavior can inform more effective communication strategies
Clinical and Sociodemographic Characteristics of Alzheimer\u27s Disease and Related Dementias Among People with HIV
No full textIntroduction: Alzheimer\u27s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) continue to be a public health challenge. People with HIV (PWH) are at risk for neurocognitive disorders and may be at risk for AD/ADRD. However, studies examining clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with AD/ADRD among PWH are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the association between selected sociodemographic (age, gender, race, and rurality) and clinical (depression and encephalopathy) factors with AD/ADRD among PWH. Methods: Data were obtained from the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs (RFA) Office and the South Carolina Alzheimer\u27s Disease Registry (N = 13 390). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association between age, gender, race, rurality, depression, and encephalopathy, and AD/ADRD among PWH. Results: Among the study population (N = 13 390), 5% (n = 601) were found to have AD/ADRD. There was a dose-response relationship between age group and AD/ADRD whereas the age group increased, the association increased. For example, those who were aged 80 years and older were 80 times more likely to have AD/ADRD compared to those aged 18-29 years [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 80.4; 95% confidence interval (CI): 40.2-160.8]. Additionally, male sex (aOR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.9-1.6) and encephalopathy (aOR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.9-3.2) were positively associated with AD/ADRD for PWH. Conclusion: AD/ADRD interventions may be warranted among PWH, especially among older adults, men, and those with encephalopathy. Future studies should examine potential pathways between clinical and sociodemographic characteristics and AD/ADRD among PWH
Healthcare Providers’ Perspective on HIV Testing and Hypothetical Mhealth-Connected Linkage to Care Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in South Carolina
No full textBackground: HIV continues to be an important public health concern in South Carolina (SC). However, an examination of providers’ willingness to use mHealth technologies to address ongoing barriers to HIV care and prevention strategies, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM) is currently lacking in SC. We therefore explored HIV care providers’ perceptions of HIV testing and treatment uptake among MSM, and providers’ willingness to use mHealth technology to address barriers to HIV testing and treatment in SC. Methods: Between August and December 2021, we conducted semistructured virtual interviews with 10 HIV care providers recruited purposively based on their experience (2-11 years of service) providing HIV-related services to MSM in peri-urban (n = 7) and rural (n = 3) SC. The interviews were audio recorded, lasted 40–70 min, and were transcribed verbatim. The interview transcripts were analyzed inductively. Results: Five themes emerged from the analysis: (a) challenges to HIV testing services; (b) concerns about HIV knowledge and status in the MSM community; (c) mixed feelings about HIV self-testing; (d) providers’ perception of HIV treatment uptake and retention; and (e) potential of mHealth technology for the delivery of HIV care. Overall, participants reported limited resources, homophobia, medical mistrust, distance, medical costs, and HIV-related stigma as major barriers to HIV testing and treatment uptake in their localities (especially in rural areas). Particularly, they reported that MSM experience significant stigma associated with their sexual orientation and HIV. Conclusions: Given barriers to care such as stigma and lack of access to care still impede MSM from receiving appropriate HIV services, mHealth-connected approaches could potentially address the barriers to HIV testing and care among MSM and improve their health outcomes. This is key to ending the HIV epidemic in SC and the United States by 2030
Health-Related Quality of Life Pattern and Correlates: Cross-Sectional Assessment of People Living with HIV in South Carolina
No full textThis cross-sectional study assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its correlates among 386 people living with HIV (PLWH) receiving care at a large immunology center in South Carolina, USA. This study used the WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL-HIV BREF) scale to measure HRQoL across six domains: physical, psychological, independence, social, environmental, and spiritual. The study found that mean HRQoL scores were statistically significantly higher in males in the social domain. PLWH with higher levels of resilience reported higher scores on the physical, psychological, independence, and social domains of HRQoL. In addition, coping, internalized stigma, social support, and support for ART adherence were all positively associated with the overall HRQoL, although the findings differed slightly for each of the six domains. Our findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive approach to patient well-being and the need to integrate a multidimensional perspective in treating and caring for PLWH
Family Risk Classes Predict Longitudinal Parent and Child Outcomes: Understanding the Implications of Poverty-Related Adversity
No full textExperiencing poverty and associated risk factors can be detrimental to families’ mental health and well-being. However, it is unclear whether experiencing specific types or patterns of adversity leads to distinct outcomes. Guided by the Family Stress Model, the objective of this study was to (a) identify unique family risk classes based on exposure to various combinations of poverty-related adversity and (b) examine whether the family risk classes differed in their levels of parental coping strategies, couple relationship quality, parenting practices, and child behavior problems. The sample included 301 mother–father–child triads (602 adults and 301 children) with a combined income ≤ 200% of the federal poverty level from diverse racial backgrounds: 26% White, 20% Black, 15% Hispanic/Latiné, 35% Interracial, and 3% Other. Measures were based on a combination of both mother and father reports and were assessed at multiple timepoints. Using latent class analysis, we identified four unique family risk classes: Low Adversity (low on most poverty-related adversities except job instability; 15%), Mothers At Risk (high mother victimization; 11%), Economic Stress, Depressive Parents (moderate economic distress and parental depressive symptoms; 41%), and Extreme Adversity (high on most adversities; 33%). These risk classes reported numerous differences in longitudinal family outcomes. This study provides critical information about which combinations of risk are most harmful to family health and well-being and can inform the development of preventive interventions tailored to each family’s risk exposure patterns
