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Title: A STUDY ON THE PERCEPTION OF BRAIN GAMES AND THEIR EFFECT ON MEMORY AND COGNITIVE SKILLS.
Creator: Heiman, Sheila, Smither, Janan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In this thesis, a literature review was conducted in order to analyze the numerous sources that investigated the effects memory games may have on participants. Each study covered different scopes and methods in the field of cognitive improvement, which gave way to a variety of results used to create a comprehensive literature review. The experiments included in the literature review gathered evidence to find the effect that "brain" games had on memory and cognitive skills. An explanation and...
Show moreIn this thesis, a literature review was conducted in order to analyze the numerous sources that investigated the effects memory games may have on participants. Each study covered different scopes and methods in the field of cognitive improvement, which gave way to a variety of results used to create a comprehensive literature review. The experiments included in the literature review gathered evidence to find the effect that "brain" games had on memory and cognitive skills. An explanation and analysis were made on the brain's deterioration as it ages and the varying amounts of plasticity it contains. The overall perspective gained from the literature review allowed for a better understanding of the results of the surveys conducted for this thesis. The distinctive ways to encourage and improve brain health were researched, and a particular focus was placed on memory games regarding brain health factors. Overall, the benefits identified covered an increase in working memory, skills, and processing speed. However, there was an indication that the improvements were only for the tasks at hand. When research was conducted on transferable activities, there was little to no proof of the transferability of measured improvements. During the research portion of the thesis, a survey was conducted that involved 90 participants from the age of 60 and older on their perception of brain games. The results of the 9-question survey showed statistically significant correlations between the amount of times individuals had played memory games and their perception of both the simplicity and effectiveness of these games. Participants who had played games more frequently viewed the games as both more effective and simpler. Similarly, participants with more education perceived the games as being simpler. The male participants in this study were found to play memory games more frequently than the women. Overall, the correlations drawn from the results of the survey promote the enriched discussion on the subject of memory games and cognitive improvement.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004607, ucf:45261
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004607

Title: An Analysis of Terrorism and Mental Health in Mass Shootings as Perceived by the Media.
Creator: Sanchez, Amairini, Corzine, Harold, Huff-Corzine, Lin, Reckdenwald, Amy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Public mass shootings are the rarest type of mass murder in the United States. Nevertheless, the media tends to focus on mass murders that appear to be the most newsworthy. The most sensational mass murders are those that have the highest victim count, that target perfect victims, and that occur in a public location. Terrorism and mental health are two separate frames that are often used by the media when reporting a mass shooting event. This creates a lack of accurate reporting that displays...
Show morePublic mass shootings are the rarest type of mass murder in the United States. Nevertheless, the media tends to focus on mass murders that appear to be the most newsworthy. The most sensational mass murders are those that have the highest victim count, that target perfect victims, and that occur in a public location. Terrorism and mental health are two separate frames that are often used by the media when reporting a mass shooting event. This creates a lack of accurate reporting that displays a distorted image of mass shootings and affects the public's perception. This study evaluated frames used by the media specifically terrorism and mental health as well as others that came up as a result of this study. Using the Active Shooter Incidents in the United States report, a sample of 75 mass shootings were selected that occurred between 2007 and 2017. This was a qualitative study and consisted of a content analysis of news reports for each of the mass shootings in the sample. Findings revealed several themes that are commonly used by the media when reporting on the mass shooting events. The most common frames found were mental health, terrorism, domestic violence, financial/employment struggles, lack of social skills/loner, political attacks, and criminal/violent backgrounds. Mental health was the most common frame used by media reports to describe motive for the attack. In addition, offenders that were identified as Muslim in the sample were all investigated as having possible terrorism ties. This analysis allowed for an overview of major themes that are commonly present in media reports. The wide sample used in this analysis included the most recent mass shootings in conjunction with the commonly researched mass shootings that have occurred in previous years which supplements the overall literature in this topic.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007092, ucf:51948
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007092

Title: IS THE DOCTOR IN? THE EFFECTS OF EMIGRATION ON THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS IN POLAND AND ROMANIA.
Creator: Wolk, Gabriela B, Turcu, Anca, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The �brain drain� phenomenon encompasses the mass movement of highly educated individuals. Highly-skilled and well-educated migrants are moving to more developed and urban settings, often in search of a higher standard of living and better wages. Since joining the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, Poland and Romania have experienced significant emigration which has subsequently affected their health care systems. Motivations for emigrating from these two countries and the effects...
Show moreThe �brain drain� phenomenon encompasses the mass movement of highly educated individuals. Highly-skilled and well-educated migrants are moving to more developed and urban settings, often in search of a higher standard of living and better wages. Since joining the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, Poland and Romania have experienced significant emigration which has subsequently affected their health care systems. Motivations for emigrating from these two countries and the effects emigration has had on patients and other doctors will be considered. The paper also seeks to compare policy responses to the mass medical emigration phenomenon in both countries, as well as the outcomes of such policies. The main methodology of study throughout this project entails a comparative assessment of the governmental policy responses to brain drain. An analysis of Poland�s and Romania�s health care systems will be performed initially. The analysis includes details on the causes and factors that bring about migration, the impact that emigration has had on patients, how doctors remaining in the sending country are affected, and what social upheavals and unrest result from such emigration. Following, the levels and flows of migration are considered for each country, looking at the type of people leaving, whether educated or not, and the range of professions, with a focus on health professionals that are migrating from both countries. After an analysis has been performed for both countries, the results will be compared to one another, paying special attention to any differences and potential reasons for these differences.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000062, ucf:52903
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000062

Title: Three Studies Examining Auditors' Use of Data Analytics.
Creator: Koreff, Jared, Sutton, Steven, Arnold, Vicky, Baudot, Lisa, Brazel, Joe, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This dissertation comprises three studies, one qualitative and two experimental, that center on auditor's use of data analytics. Data analytics hold the potential for auditors to reallocate time spent on labor intensive tasks to judgment intensive tasks (Brown-Liburd et al. 2015), ultimately improving audit quality (Raphael 2017). Yet the availability of these tools does not guarantee that auditors will incorporate the data analytics into their judgments (Davis et al. 1989; Venkatesh et al....
Show moreThis dissertation comprises three studies, one qualitative and two experimental, that center on auditor's use of data analytics. Data analytics hold the potential for auditors to reallocate time spent on labor intensive tasks to judgment intensive tasks (Brown-Liburd et al. 2015), ultimately improving audit quality (Raphael 2017). Yet the availability of these tools does not guarantee that auditors will incorporate the data analytics into their judgments (Davis et al. 1989; Venkatesh et al. 2003). The first study investigates implications of using data analytics to structure the audit process for nonprofessionalized auditors. As the public accounting profession continues down a path of de-professionalization (Dirsmith et al. 2015), data analytics may increasingly be used as a control mechanism for guiding nonprofessionalized auditors' work tasks. Results of this study highlight negative ramifications of using nonprofessionalized auditors in a critical audit setting. The second study examines how different types of data analytics impact auditors' judgments. This study demonstrates the joint impact that the type of data analytical model and type of data analyzed have on auditors' judgments. This study contributes to the literature and practice by demonstrating that data analytics do not uniformly impact auditors' judgments. The third study examines how auditors' reliance on data analytics is impacted by the presentation source and level of risk identified. This study provide insights into the effectiveness of public accounting firms' development of data scientist groups to incorporate the data analytic skillset into audit teams.Collectively, these studies contribute to the literature by providing evidence on auditors' use of data analytics. Currently, the literature is limited to demonstrating that auditors are not effective at identifying patterns in data analytics visualizations when viewed before traditional audit evidence (Rose et al. 2017). The three studies in this dissertation highlight that not all data analytics influence judgments equally.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007210, ucf:52289
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007210

Title: Readability of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Persons with Aphasia.
Creator: Gray, Sara, Wilson, Lauren Bislick, Engelhoven, Amy, Zraick, Richard, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The relationship between positive health outcomes in persons with aphasia (PWA) and personcentered care is highlighted by personally relevant information obtained directly from the PWA. Such is often facilitated via patient reported outcome measures (PROMs). In order to provide accurate responses to PROMs, PWAs must to read, comprehend, formulate and generate answersto a variety of questions. PROMs designed for other clinical populations assessed/treated by speech-language pathologists have...
Show moreThe relationship between positive health outcomes in persons with aphasia (PWA) and personcentered care is highlighted by personally relevant information obtained directly from the PWA. Such is often facilitated via patient reported outcome measures (PROMs). In order to provide accurate responses to PROMs, PWAs must to read, comprehend, formulate and generate answersto a variety of questions. PROMs designed for other clinical populations assessed/treated by speech-language pathologists have been found to be largely unreadable. Despite the significant role of PROMs in assessment and management of aphasia, no study to date has examined the readability of these measures. Four readability formulae were applied to identified PROMs for PWAs. These formulae estimate readability in terms of reading grade level and provide additional, quantitative information regarding textual elements such as syllable, word, and sentence length, complexity, and frequency. Fourteen PROMs were identified, per review of extant literature. A Macintosh-based readability software program was used to perform readability analyses. Additional metrics of clinical utility were applied to the selected measures via the Clinical Utility Scale. Results indicate that, on average, PROMs designed for PWAs are written at an eighth-grade reading level which is discordant with fourth-to-sixth reading gradelevel recommendations set forth by health literacy experts. Scores derived from the Clinical Utility Scale highlight the disconnect among measures that are easy to implement but are unreadable. Further analysis indicates that syllable-, word-, and sentence-level complexities can also impact the difficulty of analyzed texts. Results of the present study are consistent with prior PROM analyses performed across a variety of clinical populations assessed/treated by speech-language pathologists. Clinical implications and limitations of the present study are discussed as well as directions for further research.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007462, ucf:52661
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007462

Title: DETERMINANTS OF PRODUCTIVITY IN HOSPITAL-BASED RURAL HEALTH CLINICS: A GROWTH CURVE MODELING APPROACH.
Creator: Agiro, Abiy, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 expanded rural Medicaid and Medicare coverage. However, different vehicles of delivering care (e.g., hospitals, health clinics, etc.) have differing organizational capacity that may or may not enable them to overcome the challenges of expanded provision. Consequently, this research employed structural contingency and organizational performance models to investigate the impact of organizational factors on productivity growth, while...
Show moreThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 expanded rural Medicaid and Medicare coverage. However, different vehicles of delivering care (e.g., hospitals, health clinics, etc.) have differing organizational capacity that may or may not enable them to overcome the challenges of expanded provision. Consequently, this research employed structural contingency and organizational performance models to investigate the impact of organizational factors on productivity growth, while recognizing that contextual factors also affect the delivery of care. Latent growth curve modeling was used to study a national panel of 708 U.S. hospital-based Rural Health Clinics for the years 2005 to 2008. Productivity was measured through dynamic slacks-based data envelopment analyses. Unconditional and conditional linear growth curve models were fitted to data. Findings revealed that 1) hospital-based clinics with higher baseline levels of productivity in 2005 had a slower rate of growth in productivity for the years 2006 to 2008, 2) hospital-based clinics with physicians had significantly higher productivity, 3) hospital-based clinics in urban focused areas had significantly higher productivity, 4) newer hospital-based clinics had significantly higher productivity, and 5) prospective payment system was negatively related to the rate of change in productivity growth. Organizational and contextual factors included in this study significantly explained initial differences in productivity but were unable to explain productivity growth.Future research could improve the study by 1) including additional explanatory variables, such as the use of technology and disease management programs, 2) adjusting productivity measures by case mix measures, and 3) conducting truncated panel data regression with Monte Carlo simulation.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003912, ucf:48753
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003912

Title: Utilization of Ambulatory Services by the Health Maintenance Organization of Florida.
Creator: Hansen, Thomas Harold, Mendenhall, Thomas S., Health
Abstract / Description: University of Central Florida College of Health Thesis; The utilization of ambulatory services by the health maintenance organization of Florida (HMO), independent practice association (IPA) model, was compared to a fee-for-service population. Each randomly selected group consisted of 250 patients being cared for by the same providers, at the same clinic, during the calendar year 1986. Demographic and clinical data was gathered from the office charts. Frequencies were evaluated by the...
Show moreUniversity of Central Florida College of Health Thesis; The utilization of ambulatory services by the health maintenance organization of Florida (HMO), independent practice association (IPA) model, was compared to a fee-for-service population. Each randomly selected group consisted of 250 patients being cared for by the same providers, at the same clinic, during the calendar year 1986. Demographic and clinical data was gathered from the office charts. Frequencies were evaluated by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and t-tests were run to substantiate variance at the 0.05 level of confidence. The HMO group is a younger population (t=0.017), and the males are responsible for the increased utilization of ambulatory services (t-0.001). Trends of increased utilization are noted across the age groups and the variables. The rate of hospitalization is insignificantly higher for the HMO population and covers a broader range of age groups. Consequently, this HMO IPA model increases the rate of ambulatory service utilization in a younger population without reducing the rate of hospitalization. Cost effectiveness studies and organizational management evaluations are needed.
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Date Issued: 1988
Identifier: CFR0008167, ucf:53069
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFR0008167

Title: Help me be healthy: Perceptions of social support in an online weight loss program.
Creator: Davies, Brittany, Sandoval, Jennifer, Neuberger, Lindsay, Hastings, Sally, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As technology changes, so do the ways in which we receive information, provide information and interact with one another. The exchange of social support is increasingly mediated by technology in the realm of health, nutrition, and fitness (Dahl, et al 2015; Wright et al 2011). Commercial weight loss and healthy lifestyle initiatives such as the Beachbody programs incorporate social media and web applications to reach a broader consumer base with individualized programming options. The present...
Show moreAs technology changes, so do the ways in which we receive information, provide information and interact with one another. The exchange of social support is increasingly mediated by technology in the realm of health, nutrition, and fitness (Dahl, et al 2015; Wright et al 2011). Commercial weight loss and healthy lifestyle initiatives such as the Beachbody programs incorporate social media and web applications to reach a broader consumer base with individualized programming options. The present study, guided by optimal matching theory and the helper theory principle, employed online participant-observation and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Beachbody coaches and participants to investigate how these individuals perceived social support to be enacted in these programs as well as the perceived benefits and challenges of participating in these online groups. The interview transcripts were coded using thematic analysis to identify significant topics based on Owen's (1984) process of identifying recurrence, repetition, and forcefulness. Major benefits for participants included accountability, around the clock access to feedback, and access to a wide range of information. Noted challenges included the lack of personal connection and a need to maintain face-to-face relationships, difficulty sustaining motivation, and financial concerns. Cultivating a genuine feeling of community to facilitate open discussion and sharing was often inconsistent and a challenge to maintain throughout the duration of the program. This study aims to expand our understanding of social support in the context of online fitness and nutrition programs with potential to guide further research in technology-mediated support and how it may affect health. By broadening our understanding of the benefits of online support and how individuals have overcome its challenges in this context, it may help provide direction for the development of future research and similar online health initiatives.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007567, ucf:52574
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007567

Title: Barriers to Adoption of Wellness Programs: A Worked Example of an Augmented Best-Fit Framework Synthesis.
Creator: Oliver, Dalton, Fisher, Thomas, Boote, David, Valdes, Anna, Swan, Bonnie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Background: Qualitative syntheses have the potential to offer a great deal of insight into complex problems of practice. However, their methods often appear unclear and warrant ongoing scrutiny by the research community. Aim: This study introduces a novel combination of methods for synthesizing qualitative literature and explores the utility of these methods through a worked example of a real-world problem of practice. Methods: Qualitative studies that investigated barriers to adoption of...
Show moreBackground: Qualitative syntheses have the potential to offer a great deal of insight into complex problems of practice. However, their methods often appear unclear and warrant ongoing scrutiny by the research community. Aim: This study introduces a novel combination of methods for synthesizing qualitative literature and explores the utility of these methods through a worked example of a real-world problem of practice. Methods: Qualitative studies that investigated barriers to adoption of wellness programs through the perspectives of key informants were systematically collected for synthesis. Key informants were identified as decision makers at small- to medium-sized businesses. The primary method used in this study was the Best-Fit Framework Synthesis (BFS). The BFS was augmented with Alignment Scores, CERQual Analysis, and a novel Saturation of Inquisition Test. Dedoose software was used to support data analysis. Results: The systematic search returned 4 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Diffusion Theory was systematically selected to develop a framework for analyzing qualitative findings. The synthesis generated four analytical themes and led to the development of a contextually rich conceptual framework. Analytical themes deeply informed the research questions while the framework offered a broader view of the overall problem. CERQual Analysis provided an added dimension of ranking amongst findings based on their level of confidence. The Saturation of Inquisition Test identified gaps in current research and validated decisions made during the synthesis. Alignment Scores identified specific points of misalignment and supported decision-making during the synthesis. Conclusion: The augmented BFS was a valuable method for synthesizing qualitative findings in a manner that informs practitioners and builds on relevant theory. The additional methods integrated seamlessly with the original BFS while enhancing transparency, reliability, and practical value of the synthesis. Further replication and critical evaluation of the overall methodology and its individual components is warranted.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006632, ucf:51293
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006632

Title: Variations in Health Services Utilization by Patients with Prostate Cancer.
Creator: McKee, Roberta, Wan, Thomas, Martin, Lawrence, Zhang, Ning, Sivo, Stephen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Among men living in the United States, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, and, excluding skin cancers, it is the cancer diagnosed most frequently. While incidence and mortality rates have been declining, the American Cancer Society estimated that there were 220,800 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 27,500 prostate cancer deaths in 2015. Various patient-level and community-level factors have been shown to influence the differential patterns of diagnosis...
Show moreAmong men living in the United States, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, and, excluding skin cancers, it is the cancer diagnosed most frequently. While incidence and mortality rates have been declining, the American Cancer Society estimated that there were 220,800 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 27,500 prostate cancer deaths in 2015. Various patient-level and community-level factors have been shown to influence the differential patterns of diagnosis, care, and outcomes for men with prostate cancer. Detailed information regarding the utilization of health services by prostate cancer patients, particularly those with higher propensity for health services use, could be used to inform efforts intended to improve the coordination and delivery of care to work towards the elimination of disparities. The purpose of the study is to facilitate a better understanding of the determinants of health services utilization by older males with prostate cancer in the United States by examining the relative influence and interaction effects of factors characterizing individual patients and their county of residence. Andersen's behavioral model of health services utilization is used as a framework to guide this study. A cross-sectional design is used to analyze administrative claims data from the 2008 Medicare Provider Analysis Review (MEDPAR) file (n=5,754). County-level data from Area Health Resources File (ARHF) are merged to include the community and contextual characteristics. American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey data are also used to examine the importance of hospital attributes in a subset analysis (n=555). A two-stage approach is used for analyzing the data. First, several social and demographic variables are included in automatic interaction detector (AID) analysis to identify relatively homogenous subgroups of patients with similar service utilization patterns for emergency room visits and hospital length of stay. Second, regression analysis is performed in the full dataset including all patients, and in each subgroup to determine the amount of variance explained by predictor variables categorized as predisposing, enabling, and need-for-care factors. Hierarchical logistic regression is performed to analyze the variability in emergency room use, and hierarchical multiple regression is performed to analyze the variability in hospital length of stay. The results show that the need-for-care factors are dominant predictors of service use. However, the relative importance of the predictor variables varies by subgroups of prostate cancer patients identified in the initial AID analysis. The findings lend some support of the use of an integrated approach to examine the personal and social determinants of health services utilization by prostate cancer patients enrolled in the U.S. Medicare program. The theoretical framework and analytic approach employed in this study make it possible to obtain an in-depth understanding of the influential factors associated with emergency room use and length of stay for all-cause hospitalizations, which can be used to inform future research and efforts aimed at developing targeted interventions to improve the coordinated care and to reduce health disparities among Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006352, ucf:51523
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006352

Title: The Gold Wrapper Standard: An Investigation into the Preference for Larger Sized Condoms.
Creator: Plaza, Diego, Grauerholz, Liz, Pritchard, Adam, Carter, Shannon, Rivera, Fernando, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Research looking into the relationship between masculinity and condoms has typically centered on how masculinity ideology acts as a deterrent toward condom use. The current study focuses on the social pairing between larger sized condoms and masculinity by examining the factors that predict the preference for larger sized condoms. Specifically, the current analysis uses survey data collected from a sample of 398 University of Central Florida students to examine the predictive role of gender,...
Show moreResearch looking into the relationship between masculinity and condoms has typically centered on how masculinity ideology acts as a deterrent toward condom use. The current study focuses on the social pairing between larger sized condoms and masculinity by examining the factors that predict the preference for larger sized condoms. Specifically, the current analysis uses survey data collected from a sample of 398 University of Central Florida students to examine the predictive role of gender, race/ethnicity, gendered-identification, relationship status, perceived penis size, condom malfunction experience, the opinion that men would be less reluctant to use condoms if offered a larger option, the opinion that men with larger penises are more masculine, and the opinion that men who use larger condoms are more masculine on preferences for larger sized condoms. Results of the analysis show that the model was highly predictive of preferences for larger sized condoms, with five out of the nine factors considered having a significant effect. The results indicated that relationship status, perceived penis size, the opinion that men would be less reluctant to use condoms if offered a larger option, the opinion that men with larger penises are more masculine, and the opinion that men who use larger condoms are more masculine significantly predicted larger sized condom preferences. Gender, race/ethnicity (dichotomized as White/non-White), gendered identity, and condom malfunction experience did not significantly predict larger sized condom preferences. Additionally, gender-specific trends were found when the analysis was run independently among men and among women. The implications of these results are discussed and possibilities for subsequent research are suggested.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006375, ucf:51526
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006375

Title: COMPRESSIVE AND CODED CHANGE DETECTION: THEORY AND APPLICATION TO STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING.
Creator: Sarayanibafghi, Omid, Atia, George, Vosoughi, Azadeh, Rahnavard, Nazanin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In traditional sparse recovery problems, the goal is to identify the support of compressible signals using a small number of measurements. In contrast, in this thesis the problem of identification of a sparse number of statistical changes in stochastic phenomena is considered when decision makers only have access to compressed measurements, i.e., each measurement is derived by a subset of features. Herein, we propose a new framework that is termed Compressed Change Detection. The main...
Show moreIn traditional sparse recovery problems, the goal is to identify the support of compressible signals using a small number of measurements. In contrast, in this thesis the problem of identification of a sparse number of statistical changes in stochastic phenomena is considered when decision makers only have access to compressed measurements, i.e., each measurement is derived by a subset of features. Herein, we propose a new framework that is termed Compressed Change Detection. The main approach relies on integrating ideas from the theory of identifying codes with change point detection in sequential analysis. If the stochastic properties of certain features change, then the changes can be detected by examining the covering set of an identifying code of measurements. In particular, given a large number N of features, the goal is to detect a small set of features that undergoes a statistical change using a small number of measurements. Sufficient conditions are derived for the probability of false alarm and isolation to approach zero in the asymptotic regime where N is large.As an application of compressed change detection, the problem of detection of a sparse number of damages in a structure for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is considered. Since only a small number of damage scenarios can occur simultaneously, change detection is applied to responses of pairs of sensors that form an identifying code over a learned damage-sensing graph. Generalizations of the proposed framework with multiple concurrent changes and for arbitrary graph topologies are presented.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006387, ucf:51507
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006387

Title: Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding the Recent Zika Outbreak Among a Sample of South Florida Residents.
Creator: Elakkari, Mohamed, Naser, Saleh, Parks, Griffith, Samsam, Mohtashem, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: South Florida has had the largest number of U.S. Zika infection cases during the recent outbreak. This study aimed at assessing South Floridians' basic knowledge, perceptions of the seriousness and susceptibility to Zika infection, their information sources and needs, as well as their attitudes towards the protective measures proposed by the CDC. We also wanted to assess whether any of those factors have affected the frequency of participants' undertaking of the protective behaviors. To this...
Show moreSouth Florida has had the largest number of U.S. Zika infection cases during the recent outbreak. This study aimed at assessing South Floridians' basic knowledge, perceptions of the seriousness and susceptibility to Zika infection, their information sources and needs, as well as their attitudes towards the protective measures proposed by the CDC. We also wanted to assess whether any of those factors have affected the frequency of participants' undertaking of the protective behaviors. To this end, we designed an online questionnaire and surveyed the responses of five hundred South Floridians (Age=18-78 years). We found significant gaps in participants' knowledge about the risk groups, routes of transmission, treatment, and complications of Zika infection. Older age and college education were associated with significantly higher knowledge scores, while the presence of pregnant women in the household was associated with lower scores. About half of the participants perceived Zika to be a profoundly severe health problem, but less than one-third believed that their susceptibility to the infection is high.Most participants agreed that undertaking the measures that limit exposure to mosquito bites would be effective in preventing infections and that they would be able to carry-out these measures if recommended by the CDC, but a significantly lower proportion had similar responses to the items regarding protection against sexual transmission.There was a significant association between the frequency of protective behavior undertaking and respondents' beliefs about the seriousness and personal susceptibility to the infection, as well as their beliefs regarding the efficacy of the protective behaviors.Finally, most participants reported media platforms as their sources of information about Zika, while a minority of them received their information directly from healthcare professionals.These findings suggest that more targeted risk communication efforts are needed to increase South Floridians' awareness about Zika's public health threat.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0006998, ucf:51622
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006998

Title: The relationship among post-traumatic growth, religious commitment, and optimism in adult Liberian former refugees and internally displaced persons traumatized by war-related events.
Creator: Acquaye, Hannah, Jones, Dayle, Robinson, Edward, Van Horn, Stacy, Sivo, Stephen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: One of the myriad consequences of war is displacement and refugee-ism. People become refugees when they no longer feel safe in their country of origin. Before, during, and after the journey towards safety, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) endure several challenging circumstances which stretch their normal abilities to cope. In their efforts to cope, these people report several mental health challenges like sleeplessness, hypervigilance, anxiety, and depression. The reported...
Show moreOne of the myriad consequences of war is displacement and refugee-ism. People become refugees when they no longer feel safe in their country of origin. Before, during, and after the journey towards safety, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) endure several challenging circumstances which stretch their normal abilities to cope. In their efforts to cope, these people report several mental health challenges like sleeplessness, hypervigilance, anxiety, and depression. The reported mental health challenges are normal in this population; however, when they persist, they result in posttraumatic stress disorder. Surprisingly, some also report obtaining psychological growth due to their challenging circumstances. To examine the interplay of posttraumatic stress disorder and psychological growth in this population, the study was grounded on the cognitive theory of trauma and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Thus, the relationship among posttraumatic growth, religious commitment, and optimism within adult Liberian former refugees and IDPs traumatized by war-related events became the focus of the investigation. The grounding theories provided four hypotheses that explored the relationship among the constructs, as well as seven exploratory research questions that identified differences among participants. Through purposeful and snowball sampling methods, five hundred participants were selected as the sample; 444 returned the study package. Participants were adult Liberian former refugees and IDPs who could read and understand English at the 8th grade level, and who lived in Monrovia. Participants completed six instruments (-) the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Religious Commitment Inventory, the Revised Life Orientation Test, the War Trauma Screening Index, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, and demographic questionnaire. Results of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant correlation between impact of war-related events and posttraumatic stress disorder, with alterations in arousal and reactivity obtaining the strongest correlation. However, the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder for the Liberian sample could be attributed to the recent reaction to the Ebola virus which re-traumatized adult Liberian former refugees and IDPs. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship between all factors of posttraumatic stress disorder and all factors of posttraumatic growth. The relationship between factors of religious commitment and factors of posttraumatic stress disorder was statistically significant for some posttraumatic stress disorder factors and not significant for others. Similarly, relationship between optimism and posttraumatic stress disorder was statistically significant for some and not significant for others. Finally, a structural equation model was conducted to identify latent variables affecting the relationship. Results indicated, as per the hypothesized model, that war events predicted trauma, which in turn predicted posttraumatic growth. However, even though religiousness and optimism could each predict posttraumatic growth, optimism, more than religiousness provided errors that co-varied with errors of trauma, indicating that with the presence of optimism, a person could move from trauma towards growth. Review of related literature situated the current study in the mental health discourse, especially in providing a voice for mental health on the African continent. Detailed methodology was provided, as were results of findings. Finally, summary, conclusions, and recommendations were provided for both mental health workers, counselor educators, and researchers.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006241, ucf:51077
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006241

Title: Asylum in Crisis: Structural Violence and Refugees in Siracusa, Italy.
Creator: Kersch, Adam, Mishtal, Joanna, Matejowsky, Ty, Toyne, J. Marla, Geiger, Vance, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In recent years, unprecedented numbers of migrants have arrived in Italy due to political, religious, ethnic and economic instabilities in West and North Africa and the Middle East. Simultaneously, the Eurozone Crisis and neoliberal austerity measures left the Italian government struggling to administer healthcare and legal services to all migrants. This study investigates the provision of essential services by the Italian state and two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Emergency and...
Show moreIn recent years, unprecedented numbers of migrants have arrived in Italy due to political, religious, ethnic and economic instabilities in West and North Africa and the Middle East. Simultaneously, the Eurozone Crisis and neoliberal austerity measures left the Italian government struggling to administer healthcare and legal services to all migrants. This study investigates the provision of essential services by the Italian state and two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Emergency and ARCI, respectively providing free medical and legal services, to incoming migrants in Siracusa, Italy. It analyzes migrants' perceptions of these services and evolving goals in Europe. Building upon preliminary fieldwork conducted in 2014, in January to July 2015 I undertook six months of participant observation in a migrant reception center and legal offices in Siracusa. During my research I conducted 72 unstructured and semi-structured interviews with migrants, NGO activists, lawyers, and doctors, and state physicians. This study analyzes Emergency's role as an entrance to the Italian healthcare system and ARCI as a facilitator of legal aid to migrants. I argue that the clinic's position on the outskirts of Siracusa functions as a means of exclusion, exacerbating divides between the local population and incoming migrants. Additionally, I provide insight into the provision of legal services to migrants in Siracusa, as well as how these migrants navigate geopolitical and legislative borders, and these borders' roles within the politics of the European Union and neoliberal ideologies. I argue that selective enforcement of asylum legislation and dearth of legal aid to migrants motivates many migrants to clandestinely flee Italy to seek futures in other European nations, consequently moving (")burdens(") of migrant reception. This research contributes to public policy and scholarship on health and migration policy as well as politics of conflict, while shedding light on the critical role of NGOs in a complex humanitarian crisis occurring in Southern Europe.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006126, ucf:51166
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006126

Title: Somatechnologies of Body Size Modification: Posthuman Embodiment and Discourses of Health.
Creator: Griffin, Meghan, Bowdon, Melody, Scott, John, Campbell, James, Oliveira, Leonardo, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This project focuses on persistent gaps in philosophies of the body: the enduring mind-body divide in accounts of phenomenology, the unfulfilled promises of representing and inhabiting the body in online and virtual spaces, and the difference between health as quantified in medical discourse versus health as lived experience. These tensions are brought to light through the electronic food journal genre where the difficulty in capturing pre-noetic, outside-consciousness aspects of experience...
Show moreThis project focuses on persistent gaps in philosophies of the body: the enduring mind-body divide in accounts of phenomenology, the unfulfilled promises of representing and inhabiting the body in online and virtual spaces, and the difference between health as quantified in medical discourse versus health as lived experience. These tensions are brought to light through the electronic food journal genre where the difficulty in capturing pre-noetic, outside-consciousness aspects of experience and embodied health are thrown into relief against circulating cultural discourses surrounding health, body size, self-surveillance, and self-care. The electronic food journal genre serves as a space for users to situate themselves and their daily practices in relation to medicalization, public policy, and the conflation of health and body size. These journals form artifacts reflecting life writing practices in digital spaces that model compliant self-surveillance as well as transgressive self-care. The journals instantiate the mind-body-technology interactivity of extended cognition, but also point toward a rupture in the feedback loops that promise to integrate pre-noetic aspects of being and experience. By exploring the tensions inherent in these online food journaling spaces, this project concludes by offering a PEERS heuristic/heuretic for assessing theories and technologies of embodiment and health for their ability to access what resides in the (")remainder(") of current embodiment philosophy and to identify the aspects of lived experience left unattended in USDA health policy, food journaling interfaces, and embodiment philosophy. The PEERS model can be used to evaluate existing technologies for their capacity to map true mind-body-technology interactivity and to build new theory that accounts for a fuller, more nuanced approach to understanding embodied reality and embodied health.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004783, ucf:49773
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004783

Title: EXPERIENCES OF STIGMA DURING SEXUAL HEALTHCARE VISITS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF NON-MONOGAMOUS WOMEN.
Creator: McCrosky, Rachael, Carter, Shannon, Grauerholz, Liz, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Access to health care services is critical to both personal health outcomes and health equity within a community. While non-monogamous behavior is widespread, stigma surrounding consensual non-monogamy can create barriers to health care access. This research outlines the experiences of non-monogamous women during sexual health care visits, how class acts to modify those experiences, the barriers to health care access that they encounter, and the adaptive strategies they employ. The sample for...
Show moreAccess to health care services is critical to both personal health outcomes and health equity within a community. While non-monogamous behavior is widespread, stigma surrounding consensual non-monogamy can create barriers to health care access. This research outlines the experiences of non-monogamous women during sexual health care visits, how class acts to modify those experiences, the barriers to health care access that they encounter, and the adaptive strategies they employ. The sample for this research was 23 consensually non-monogamous women. Participants were contacted through online support groups, message boards, and snowball sampling. In-depth interviews about their sexual health care experiences were conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes related to the intersection of non-monogamy and health care experiences. The interactions between health care professionals and non-monogamous women, whether or not those women disclose their non-monogamous status, were often perceived as stigmatizing. Increased class status, both of participant and of provider, was described as increasing experiences of stigma and barriers to care. The information provided by this research may be used to better understand, and thus improve, the barriers health care access experienced by non-monogamous women. Suggestions given by the participants for improving their health care access and decreasing experiences of stigma are included.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005662, ucf:50183
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005662

Title: IDENTIFYING THE INITIAL MENTAL HEALTH MESSAGES OF ARMY ROTC STUDENTS AND EXPLORING THEIR CONNECTION TO MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA AND HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS.
Creator: Hall, Kristopher, Hagedorn, W. Bryce, Butler, S. Kent, Barden, Sejal, Hopp, Carolyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Mental health stigma among military service members has been recognized as a significant barrier to mental health treatment as researchers (Greenberg, Langston, (&) Gould, 2007; Greene-Shortridge, Britt, (&) Castro, 2007; Hoge et al., 2004; Pietrzak, Johnson, Goldstein, Malley, (&) Southwick, 2009) have concluded that military service members are reluctant to engage in help seeking behaviors to avoid negative labeling in the form of stereotyping. Additionally, links have been made between...
Show moreMental health stigma among military service members has been recognized as a significant barrier to mental health treatment as researchers (Greenberg, Langston, (&) Gould, 2007; Greene-Shortridge, Britt, (&) Castro, 2007; Hoge et al., 2004; Pietrzak, Johnson, Goldstein, Malley, (&) Southwick, 2009) have concluded that military service members are reluctant to engage in help seeking behaviors to avoid negative labeling in the form of stereotyping. Additionally, links have been made between leadership and stigma, acknowledging that military service members are more likely to seek mental health treatment if they perceive that their leadership is supportive (Britt, Wright, (&) Moore, 2012; Hoge et al., 2004; Wright et al., 2009). Each of the aforementioned authors has advocated for an increased attention on those military service members with mental health issues by offering new programs and providing leadership support. The military has attempted to address both of these suggestions with the introduction of resilience training and increased screening for mental health issues. Unfortunately, despite such interventions, prevalence rates for diagnoses such as PTSD remain at high levels. A reason for this may be due to a lack of attention to the origins of the messages that future leaders receive regarding mental health.The purpose of this study was to investigate the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of US Army ROTC students and the possible presence of mental health stigma at their level of military involvement (i.e. pre-commission). The author sought to understand how biases against mental health are formed at one of the earliest points of cultural indoctrination within the military structure. This dissertation will contain an overview of the identified mental health beliefs of US Army ROTC students at a large southern university. How these beliefs relate to mental health stigma and help seeking behaviors will also be explored.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005345, ucf:50481
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005345

Title: Outcomes of Perceived Workplace Discrimination: A Meta-Analysis of 35 Years of Research.
Creator: Dhanani, Lindsay, Joseph, Dana, Fritzsche, Barbara, Beus, Jeremy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Given the substantial monetary and nonmonetary costs that both employees and organizationscan incur as a result of perceived workplace discrimination, it is important to understand the outcomes of perceived workplace discrimination as well as what moderates the discrimination-outcome relationship. While other meta-analyses of perceived discrimination have been published, the current meta-analysis expands prior meta-analytic databases by 81%, increasingthe stability of the estimated effects....
Show moreGiven the substantial monetary and nonmonetary costs that both employees and organizationscan incur as a result of perceived workplace discrimination, it is important to understand the outcomes of perceived workplace discrimination as well as what moderates the discrimination-outcome relationship. While other meta-analyses of perceived discrimination have been published, the current meta-analysis expands prior meta-analytic databases by 81%, increasingthe stability of the estimated effects. In addition, several prior meta-analyses have not focused exclusively on workplace discrimination. Consequently, the purpose of this meta-analysis is to provide a comprehensive quantitative review of perceived workplace discrimination, its consequences, and potential moderators of these relationships. Results showed that perceived workplace discrimination was related to decreased job satisfaction, reduced organizational commitment, greater withdrawal, and more perceived organizational injustice. Further, perceived workplace discrimination was associated with decreased mental health and physical health, lower ratings of life satisfaction, and increased work stress. Moderator analyses provided some evidence that perceiving the general presence of discrimination in one's organization may bemore detrimental than perceiving oneself to be personally targeted by discrimination at work.Additionally, moderator analyses provided some support that interpersonal discrimination maybe more detrimental than formal discrimination for some outcomes and that there may bedifferences in the perceived workplace discrimination-outcome relationships across different countries. The implications for workplace discrimination research and practice are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005481, ucf:50340
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005481

Title: Exploring the influence of stigma, level of trauma, and social support on the experience of posttraumatic growth in adults living with HIV.
Creator: Zeligman, Melissa, Hagedorn, William, Barden, Sejal, Hundley, Gulnora, Xu, Lihua, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present study investigated the influence of HIV-related stigma, social support, and impact of HIV diagnosis on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in adults living with HIV (N = 126). In addition, the study aimed to identify if social support moderated the relationship between stigma and PTG. Lastly, the study attempted to determine how impactful receiving an HIV diagnosis was to the sample. One hundred and twenty-six adults living with HIV within the state of Florida (41% response rate)...
Show moreThe present study investigated the influence of HIV-related stigma, social support, and impact of HIV diagnosis on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in adults living with HIV (N = 126). In addition, the study aimed to identify if social support moderated the relationship between stigma and PTG. Lastly, the study attempted to determine how impactful receiving an HIV diagnosis was to the sample. One hundred and twenty-six adults living with HIV within the state of Florida (41% response rate) participated in the research. Participants were recruited from a series of support groups and HIV focused agencies throughout the state, and responded through face to face survey administration. Each assessment packet consisted of the following assessments: (a) Posttraumatic Growth Inventory; [PTGI], Tedeschi (&) Calhoun, 1996, (b) Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support; [MSPSS], Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, (&) Farley, 1988, (c) Berger HIV Stigma Scale; Berger, Ferrans, (&) Lashley, 2001, (d) Impact of Event Scale [IES-R . Weiss (&) Marmar, 1996], (e) Reynolds Short Form Social Desirability Scale; Reynolds, 1982, and (f) a demographic questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether the independent variables were predictive of the outcome of PTG. Findings from the study revealed that each of the predictor variables (i.e., stigma, social support, and impact of diagnosis) contributed significantly (p(<).05) to the model, and accounted for 12% of the variance in PTGI scores. In examining the moderating presence of social support between stigma and PTG, there was no found significant interaction between stigma and social support. Significant differences in PTG scores were also identified amongst differing demographic groups, specifically participant ethnicity and religious orientation. Findings also revealed that 38.5% of the sample reported their HIV diagnosis as so impactful that they would likely qualify for a clinical diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Furthermore, a detailed discussion of previous literature, study procedures and methodology, counselor implications, counselor educator implications, and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005285, ucf:50563
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005285

health (22)	+ -
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Structural Health Monitoring (9)	+ -
Damage Detection (5)	+ -
gender (5)	+ -

mHealth (5)	+ -
stress (5)	+ -
Mental Health (4)	+ -
depression (4)	+ -
health care (4)	+ -
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mental illness (4)	+ -
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HPV (3)	+ -
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Structural Identification (3)	+ -
alcohol (3)	+ -
counselor education (3)	+ -
education (3)	+ -
health disparities (3)	+ -
health literacy (3)	+ -
public health (3)	+ -
Abortion (2)	+ -
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Health Disparities (2)	+ -
Health Insurance (2)	+ -
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Wan, Thomas (18)	+ -
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