cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
The Social Determinants of Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis in the United States Between 2005 and 2009
Creators: name: Khan, Rabia
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: INTRODUCTION:  Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) poses a great threat to the eradication of TB. In the US, MDR-TB is faced with inadequate diagnostic tools and long and expensive treatment regimens. Therefore, preventing the disease is the key to saving lives and resources. Social and behavioral variables play a big part in this prevention. It is important to determine the social factors that may lead to MDR-TB in order to set up prevention programs and more efficient treatment regimens.
AIM:  This study was conducted to ascertain the social determinants of MDR-TB in the US between the years of 2005 and 2009 to better equip public health officials to deal with this growing threat.
METHODS: This study used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Online Tuberculosis Information System (OTIS) database to find associations between certain social variables and MDR-TB. The variables that were tested were whether or not the individual had lived in a correctional facility for the past year; HIV status; homelessness; whether or not the individual had an occupation; and whether the individual was foreign-born or US-born. An unadjusted odds ratio (OR) was calculated to find this association. The variables were then stratified with age; sex; race; age and race; age and sex; and age, sex, and race to see whether or not the strata were confounders.
RESULTS: The variables of having lived in a correctional facility and homelessness were found to be associated with MDR-TB. However, all of the strata were found to be confounders for this relationship. Having HIV and being US-born were not found to be associated with MDR-TB. All of the strata for HIV were found to be confounders.  But for place of birth, stratifying by age, sex, and both age and sex were not confounders. The rest of the strata were. The OR for occupation versus MDR-TB was almost at 1, meaning that those with a job and those without a job had almost equal odds of having MDR-TB. Effect modification was present for the strata in all variables, meaning that the risk of having MDR-TB varied with each different age, sex, and racial group.
 DISCUSSION: Results from this study showed which variables were more likely to be associated with MDR-TB in the US between the years of 2005 and 2009. However, when compared to the literature that exists, the results showed that more research needs to be done to properly ascertain this relationship. Using this study, public health officials can identify which populations to focus prevention efforts on.
Cyberbullying Among School-Aged Adolescents and Teens:  A Policy Review and Recommendations for Georgia
Creators: name: Bennett, Britney
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Today, school bullying does not just stop in the schoolyard.  When children return home after a school day filled with bullying incidents they are oftentimes tormented by a new phenomenon: cyberbullying.  Cyberbullying is the willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.  Today, more adolescents and teens have access to technological mediums than ever before.  Although different forms of technology can be used in productive manners, they are often misused by youth to torment their peers.  
Some researchers believe that cyberbullying can be even more detrimental than traditional bullying because cyberbullies can target victims through a variety of mediums, at any time.  Cyberbullying can lead to harms ranging from short to long-term physical, psychological, intrapersonal and interpersonal effects in bullies, victims, and even cyberbystanders.
School administrators struggle with the desire to help protect students from cyberbullying but are unsure of how they can intervene in activities involving off-campus behavior.  These administrators have to find balance between protecting victims and avoiding violating the legal rights of bullies.  Therefore, legislation and school policies must be updated and implemented to offer more guidance to administrators and protect students against cyberbullying.
The purpose of this capstone project is to synthesize cyberbullying research among school-aged children and describe current policies in place to address this problem.  Finally, policy recommendations for the state of Georgia will be offered so that systems and programs created to respond to and prevent cyberbullying may effectively reduce the occurrence of this behavior.
The Relationship between Parental Stress, Parent-child Interaction Quality, and Child Language Outcomes
Creators: name: Nix, Meghan
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Language skills developed in early childhood are important for literacy and communication in childhood as well as future adult literacy skills and health. Certain demographic characteristics and parent-child interaction skills have been identified through previous research as being influential in child language development. Parental stress has also been associated with child language outcomes. This study aims to explore whether parents’ interactive relational skills, measured by an observational method, are significantly related to children’s verbal outcome, while controlling for demographic variables and parental stress. Participants included mothers of children aged 4-6 who completed measures of parental interaction quality, parental stress, and demographic characteristics. Their children competed a language skill measure. Results indicated that even when controlling for demographic variables and parental stress, the relationship between parent-child interaction quality and child language outcomes remained significant. These findings suggest that increasing positive parent-child interaction skills may be beneficial for increasing children’s language skills.
Supplementary document for Dynamic manipulation of WGM lasing by tailoring the coupling strength - 5950027.pdf
Creators: name: Ge, Kun
name: Ruan, Jun
name: cui, libin
name: Guo, Dan
name: Tong, Junhua
name: Zhai, Tianrui
Publisher: name: Optica Publishing Group
Year: 2025
Subjects: Photonics, Optoelectronics and Optical Communications

description: Micromanipulation method
Access to Mental Healthcare and Help-seeking Behaviors among African American Women with Depressive Symptoms in a Community-based Primary Healthcare Center
Creators: name: Belton, Allyson
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Mental illness is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease. As public health practitioners, we must generate more than sufficient knowledge about mental health and illness in order to identify risk factors, increase awareness, improve treatment, eliminate the overall disparity associated with mental illness, and improve access to care to all affected, including those disproportionally affected by mental illness. Over time, there has been an overall lack of sufficient research studies on depression among African American women. As research in this area grows, it is critical to examine the underlying causative factors that are correlated with this disease and this population in order to provide better treatment options and a global understanding. This project will examine and analyze data obtained from the study assessment as it relates to psychosocial factors as reported by the study participants and generate a conclusion based on these findings. Additionally, this project will look to determine the help?seeking behaviors of these women with access to a primary care physician and/or clinic. Overall, findings from this thesis project will provide an understanding of the specific psychosocial variables affecting African American women with depression and depressive symptoms, as well as provide an understanding of the help?seeking behaviors of African American women, and contribute to the improvement of research in mental health in the United States.
Trends in Bicycling Attitudes, Knowledge and Behavior at an Urban University
Creators: name: Maddox, Marian
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: BACKGROUND:  Active transportation, such as using a bicycle to get one from one place to another, has definite benefits over driving or some other form of travel that requires less exertion; the most obvious of these is that it helps a person meet the daily recommendations for physical activity. College campuses tend to have higher rates of bicycle-commuters than non-campus environments, although Georgia State University faces unique barriers to bicycling due to its downtown location. In 2009, a cross-sectional study was conducted to assess bicycling attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors. In the two years that followed, a faculty-student collaborative known as GSU Bikes implemented efforts to try to increase bicycling on campus. Campus bicycle count data between the two years showed positive increases. In 2011, the study was repeated to examine if bicycling attitudes, knowledge, and behavior had changed since 2009.
METHODS: 211 Georgia State University undergraduate and graduate students were surveyed in Fall 2011. The data they provided were then analyzed and compared to the 2009 bicycle data using independent-samples t­-tests and a chi-square analysis to identify significant differences between the two data sets.
RESULTS: Few significant differences between the two sets of data were identified. Participants in 2011 had significantly higher agreement that they could locate information regarding bicycle safety and repairs, as well as reported a significantly greater likelihood of bicycling to campus if educational programs to, from, and around the GSU campus were implemented. Written feedback suggested that fear of collisions was still a major barrier; many students suggested a campus bicycle-share program and more information disseminated to students about bicycling to campus.
DISCUSSION: The results from this study demonstrate that efforts aimed at encouraging students to bicycle to campus, between the 2009 and 2011 data collections, may not have been as effective as they were intended. Bicycle promotion that reaches a greater number of Georgia State University students is suggested. Because of the method of data sampling in this study, the data analyzed may not be truly representative of the Georgia State University population. In the future, an improved survey that is disseminated electronically may result in a larger sample size, increasing statistical validity and ability to generalize findings.
Association Of Socio Demographic Characteristics With Condom Used At Last Sexual Intercourse Among Adults 15 To 49 Years Between Côte D’Ivoire And Senegal An Examination Of Measure Demographic Health Survey Data 2005
Creators: name: Kingbo, Marie Huguette
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Background: HIV/AIDS is one of the world’s most serious health challenges. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV, with 69% of the people living with HIV in the world. Côte d'Ivoire has a high HIV prevalence rate and Senegal a low prevalence rate. The main research question is whether or not the HIV risk behavior of Ivorian differs from the HIV risk behavior of Senegalese in terms of selected categorical and continuous variables. In other words, if using condoms at last sexual intercourse differs between Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Measure Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) involving 9,686 Ivorian and 18,363 Senegalese from 2005 were used. The Pearson Chi-square test were performed to determine any significant relationship between the variables across the two countries with respect to socio-demographic and HIV risky behaviors status. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to test the significance of any association between the independent and the dependent variables (Condoms used at last sexual intercourse). Throughout all the analysis performed, a p-value of 0.05 and confidence interval of 95% were used to determine any statistical significance.

Results: Logistic regression models showed that Côte d’Ivoire respondents had decrease odds of using condoms during their last sexual intercourse (OR=0.7; 95% CI 0.62 - 0.79) as compared to Senegal and the difference was statistically significant at p < 0.05. In Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, wealth and education have been consistently found to be positively associated with condoms used at last sexual intercourse.

Conclusion:  HIV risk behaviors seem to be associated with condoms used and marital status. The results in our study suggest a possible relation with condoms used, HIV prevalence and polygamy in Senegal, so men use condoms less frequently with marital partners. More studies need to assess the role of polygamy in the transmission and/or acquisition of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Key words: HIV/AIDS, Risky behaviors, Condoms used, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal
Libyans Rebuilding Libya: Local Governance Best Practices
Creators: name: Institute for Integrated Transitions
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Libya
local governance
governance
administration
bottom-up governance
roadmap
best practices

description: This booklet highlights the progress made by local authorities in Libya to improve governance in their administrations. It also summarises the obstacles to empowering and strengthening local governance; presents ten best practices drawn from municipalities and localities that have achieved outstanding success on the ground; and outlines what other local administrations can share with their peers across the country.
Changes in Georgia Restaurant and Bar Smoking Policies Between 2006 and 2012
Creators: name: Chandora, Rachna
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Introduction: The purpose of this study is to examine the change in smoking policy status among bars and restaurants since the Georgia Smokefree Air Act of 2005 was implemented and identify restaurant and bar characteristics that are associated with allowing smoking. 
Methods: Data was obtained from similar Georgia indoor air surveys conducted in 2006 and 2012. Both surveys were designed to gather information about restaurant and bar smoking policies and examine owner and manager perceptions of the Georgia Smokefree Air Act. Descriptive analysis and paired sample t-tests were performed to identify changes in smoking policy status and other variables over time. Chi-square and logistic regression analysis were used to test for significant associations between establishment smoking policy status and other characteristics. 
Results: The percent of restaurants and bars in Georgia allowing smoking nearly doubled from 9.2% in 2006 to 18.2% in 2012. The analysis showed a statistically significant increase in the percentage of establishments allowing smoking when minors are present. After adjusting for the effects of other variables, three variables were significant predictors of allowing smoking: having seats for drinking outdoors, having a liquor license, and generating greater than or equal to 25% of gross sales from alcohol.
Conclusions: The Smokefree Air Act was enacted to protect the health and welfare of Georgia citizens, but the percentage of establishments allowing smoking has risen since it was implemented. These results suggest that policy makers should reevaluate the law and consider strengthening it to make restaurants and bars 100% smokefree without exemptions.
Supplementary material: Approaches by the healthcare industry during guideline development: A cross-sectional survey of guideline coordinators
Creators: name: Gehrke-Beck, Sabine
name: Krüger, Karen
name: Holzinger, Felix
name: Heintze, Christoph
name: Napierala, Hendrik
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: clinical practice guidelines
healthcare industry
cross-sectional survey
guideline development

description: Description

Supplementary material related to the project: Approaches by the healthcare industry during guideline development: A cross-sectional survey of guideline coordinators

A prospective registration of the project was carried out (DRKS ID: DRKS00032687). 

Clinical practice guidelines (CGP) have a major impact on medical care and prescribing behaviour. Actors from the health care industry (e.g. pharmaceutical industry, medical device manufacturers) are therefore interested in influencing guideline development. The extent to which attempts are made to influence guideline development is not known. Therefore, with this survey we would like to collect and evaluate experiences of guideline coordinators regarding approaches of the health care industry to influence guideline development.

The supplementary material currently contains the following document:

questionnaire_base_leitlinien2023_2024-08-26_ger: Contains the questionnaire in German.
Addressing the Hidden Heart Failure in Mongolia; a Proposal of Heart Failure Patient Education and Disease Management Program
Creators: name: Batbold, Dulguun
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: The prevalence of heart failure became a major and growing public health problem globally, with rising mortality numbers causing a great financial burden. In Mongolia, the hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases makes up 55% of all hospitalizations, and mortality rate of circulatory diseases was the highest nationwide, accounting for 36.7% of all deaths (S.Ariuntuya et al., 2011). However, there is still no formal research addressing the prevalence of heart failure in Mongolia. Therefore, this paper is meant to bring awareness of the problem of hidden heart failure in Mongolia, which might be contributing significantly to the cardiovascular disease mortality and health care costs. This paper describes the Mongolian health care structure and the high incidence of heart failure risk factors is identified. Moreover, this paper proposes to develop and adapt a heart failure disease management program, as well as the heart failure patient education program in Mongolia. It is important that Mongolian health care providers and health policy makers acknowledge that if a proper disease management plan is not adapted soon, the prevalence of heart failure will continue to increase along with health care costs. Mongolia needs more public health and clinical researchers addressing heart failure.
Epidemiological insights on the association between female genital mutilation and Hepatitis C Infection in Egypt: An Examination using Demographic and Health Survey data of Egypt, 2008.
Creators: name: Jabbar, Shameem
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: 
Purpose: Egypt has the highest prevalence of chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and also a high prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM). The high prevalence chronic hepatitis C has been attributed to HCV transmission by contaminated injections for the control of schistosomiasis. HCV infection has not been well studied in the context of female genital mutilation (FGM). We sought to identify associations between FGM and HCV using the Egypt Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS), 2008.
Methods: FGM was chosen as the main independent variable of interest. Other independent variables such as age, education, marital status, residence, beliefs associated with FGM, history of blood transfusion, surgery, sharing needles, and history of schistosomiasis were included in the analysis. Throughout the analysis, HCV infection was used as the main dependent variable.
 Results: Univariate analysis of FGM and HCV showed a statistically significant association with a Prevalence Odds Ratio of 4.82 (2.91 -7.96), after adjusting for age and schistosomiasis injection, the association between FGM and HCV remained statistically significant with an odds of 2.98 (1.76 – 5.05)Among the category for FGM performer and association with HCV infection, the OR was 4.28 (2.31 – 7.91) when the FGM was performed by a ghagaria, 3.68 (2.76 - 4.90) when the FGM was performed by daya, and 3.30 (1.81 -5.88) when the FGM was performed by a barber. Among other independent variables, a lack of education, rural residence, and having religious precepts for FGM had statistically increased odds of association with HCV infection.
Conclusion: There is a statistically significant association between FGM and HCV infection. There are increased odds of HCV when the FGM is performed by providers other than doctors. Participants from a rural residence and who those who did not have any education were at increased odds of HCV. Subjects who believed in religious precepts for FGM and also who answered that FGM can continue had increased odds of association with HCV infections.
Assessment of the Impact of the Mercy Corps Kyrgyzstan Food for Education 2010 Program
Creators: name: Piaro, Bemene
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Undernutrition is a major public health problem, contributing to 33% of deaths in infants and young children globally. In Kygryzstan, Central Asia, Mercy Corps provided 6 metric tons of rice, flour and oil as well as nutritional education to kindergartens in 40 rural regions, serving 41,000 children, for one year. Anthropometric measurements were collected at the beginning and end of the program. Children, who were stunted, wasted and underweight at baseline, recovered by follow-up, with rates of recovery of 50%, 65% and 50%, respectively. The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight in the population decreased from 13.8%, 3.4% and 3.2%, respectively, to 8.6%, 2.1% and 2.3%, respectively. This study shows that preschool feeding programs have the potential to improve nutritional outcome. These results are particularly significant as the dearth of research on preschool feeding’s impact on growth and nutrition has led to this particular intervention being deemed ineffective for improvement of nutritional outcome.
Reducing the Childhood Obesity Rate: What Lessons Can Georgia Learn from Successful States and Localities?
Creators: name: Fischer, Margaret
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem across the United States, and health policy changes at the state and local level seem to hold much promise in addressing this epidemic.  This paper will assess the role of social policy in advancing childhood obesity prevention, including its utility in operationalizing theoretical frameworks such as the socio-ecological model.  Evidence-based recommendations will be presented as well as factors affecting the likelihood of state legislatures implementing such strategies.  The capstone will compare and contrast the themes identified in the literature with policy actions taken by three states and two large cities that have seen progress in reducing their rates of childhood obesity, including California, Mississippi, Arkansas, New York City, and Philadelphia. 
A policy brief with recommendations for Georgia’s health policy and legislative leaders will be developed as a product of this capstone.  The brief will be based on the environmental scan of Georgia’s current policies surrounding childhood obesity and the lessons learned from the five successful states and localities.  The intention of the policy brief is to provide a blueprint for Georgia’s leaders to build support, organize resources, and achieve effective policy implementation to address childhood obesity.
Associations of Vigorous Physical Activity with Depression: An Examination of NHANES Data 2007-2008
Creators: name: Emeruem, Ugonma
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Background: Major depressive disorder or depression is a mental illness which affects people of a range of different ages. In terms of years lost due to disability, it is a leader. Physical activity is currently being used as a therapeutic treatment of depression that decreases levels of depression in individuals suffering from it. Physical activity can also be used as a form of prevention against depression. This study examines the association between vigorous physical activity and depression.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that utilized the secondary data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2008. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is the software used in analyzing the descriptive data for the study. SAS was used for the logistic regression models.  Univariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between physical activity and depression. A Multivariate analysis using SPSS determined the association between physical activity and depression adjusting for age, race, education, substance use, alcohol use, BMI and gender.
Results: The sample size for the cross-sectional study is 5553. The prevalence of depression in the different levels of physical activity are as follows: no physical activity (15.8%), insufficient physical activity (15.1%), moderate physical activity (12.8%), and vigorous physical activity (17.4%). The unadjusted odds ratio for the association between vigorous physical activity and depression is 1.15, and the adjusted odds ratio is 1.14. There is no significant association between vigorous physical activity and depression.
Conclusion: This study shows that there is no significant association between physical activity levels and depression. More research should be done to better understand the association between physical activity and depression.
An Examination of Mothers’ Socio-Demographic Factors Associated With Incomplete Vaccination Status among Under-five Populations in Malawi
Creators: name: Donsa, Lucius
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Background: Millions of children still remain unvaccinated despite efforts to eradicate some of the vaccine preventable diseases globally. The African continent harbors the most burdens as and millions of children do not have access to basic immunization services. As Malawi thrives to meet the MDGs of reducing the infant mortality rate and decrease the proportion of one year-old children immunized against measles, a considerable proportion of children still remain with incomplete vaccination status.
Objective: The study examined some of the selected mothers’ socio-demographic factors that are associated with incomplete vaccination status among the under-five populations in Malawi. Socio-demographic factors such as age of the mother; household wealth index; educational level of the mother; region, place of residence and religion were evaluated to assess their associations with vaccine status outcome.
Methodology: The selected demographic factors were analyzed using the SPSS version 20. In this study, the rate of incomplete vaccination was 22% among the study population. Data were obtained from the MEASURE DHS-2010 data base. Frequencies for the selected demographics were created; univariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses were also run to measure the associations between the mother’s socio-demographic factors and the vaccination status population under study.
Results: The study revealed statistically significant results between the northern region and vaccination coverage which has higher vaccination coverage as compared to the Central and Southern region in Malawi respectively. The results also revealed a positive association between wealth index of the household specifically the middle level class that had a statistically significant association between vaccination and wealth. Importantly, factors like education, religion, age of mother, ownership of a radio and a television had statistically insignificant associations.
Conclusion: This study did not find a statistically significant association between education and status of vaccination including factors related to living in rural or the urban set up. More research studies on regional boundaries and health disparities specifically on vaccination coverage among the under-five populations should be taken into consideration.
An Evaluation of a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program in Rural Communities Outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Creators: name: Cantrell, Brittany
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Background: In 2010, a massive earthquake left the capitol Port-au-Prince in ruins and destroyed infrastructure providing electricity, piped clean water, and waste removal to the region. Water, sanitation, and hygiene intervention programs attempt to reduce the burden of water-related disease in earthquake-affected regions. However, there are few evaluations of these programs, especially following natural disasters.
Methods: Data provided by Samaritan’s Purse Canada’s WASH program were examined. The data set included a household (N=1198) and a latrine (N=167) survey that recorded household use of laundry pads, bath houses, hand-pumped drilled wells, health and hygiene education sessions, and latrines as well as demographic data. Data analysis was conducted in IBM SPSS Version 20.0. Descriptive statistics were computed, and statistical relationships were analyzed for 1.) Health and hygiene education session attendance and program outcomes and 2.) Household diarrheal disease and program interventions
Results: This study found that households attending any of four health and hygiene sessions were significantly more likely to use program-provided bath houses and hand-pumped wells (p<0.05). Attendance was also significantly associated with increased knowledge of diarrheal disease prevention and hand washing technique. Households using the program-provided hand pump reported lower rates of diarrhea in children under five years old.
Discussion: This study concluded that health and hygiene session attendance is positively associated with the utilization of program interventions. However, further improvements in data collection methodology are needed to fully understand the effects of this multi-intervention WASH program on target communities.
Parent-Infant Interaction in a Latino Family
Creators: name: Morales, Yamile
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Child maltreatment is a significant public health problem that increases when children live in homes in which intimate partner violence (IPV) is present. Child maltreatment and IPV often co-occur, and the sequelae of IPV frequently appear in both the victimized mother and her children. Home visitation programs, such as SafeCare®, are used as intervention strategies to reduce the risk of child maltreatment, but rarely are these programs adapted for Latino populations. The importance of cultural sensitivity in parenting programs has been highlighted as a means of producing successful outcomes when working with Latino families. The present single-case research design study evaluated the efficacy of SafeCare's Parent-Infant Interaction (PII) module when delivered in Spanish to a Latino mother with prior experiences of IPV. Observational data were used to document changes in parenting behaviors, while self-report measures assessed exposure to IPV and changes in mental health, parenting stress, and the risk of child maltreatment. Qualitative data provided suggestions for culturally adapting PII for Latino families. Data from this study suggest that PII improves parent-infant interactions when delivered in Spanish and reduces the risk of child maltreatment. Additionally, self-report measures indicate that IPV, parent mental health distress, and the risk of child maltreatment co-occur. This study also shares with the field the importance of providing culturally adapted programs when working with Latino families.
A Comparison of Health Care Reform in  Taiwan, China, and United States
Creators: name: Chang, Nai-Wen
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Health care reform is important in order to modify health care systems so that they operate more efficiently. There are various studies that compare the reforms of different countries to understand how these countries adjust their systems. This capstone introduces the health care system in Taiwan, China, and the United States, discusses the challenges they meet, and offers a comparison of recent reforms.
The health care systems are introduced through three sections: collection of funds, pooling of funds and purchasing of services, and providing of services and exemptions. All three countries face the financing burden of health expenditure. To offer universal coverage and comprehensive benefit to its citizens, these three countries makes changes to qualifications for those insured, services provided to beneficiaries and payment systems for physicians, and contributions to pooling of funds.
These reforms address barriers in reaching universal coverage in the three dimensions which are indicated in a WHO issued paper, that explains how to remove financial risks and barriers to access, promote efficiency and eliminate waste, and raisie sufficient resources for health (WHO, 2010). Despite the research, reforming the health care system to offer the accessibility of affordable services to individuals and to maintain sustainability of the health care financing will continually to be an issue.
The Emergent Nature of Knowledge – Structured Resonance, Coherence, and the Collapse of Probability in Human Cognition
Creators: name: Bostick, Devin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Information Theory
Machine Learning
Cognitive Systems
Epistemology
Scientific Method
Structured Emergence
Resonance Models
Theoretical Models of Cognition

description: Title: The Emergent Nature of Knowledge – Structured Resonance, Coherence, and the Collapse of Probability in Human Cognition

Main Paper: Link

Abstract

Traditional models of cognition assume probability-based uncertainty as a fundamental feature of intelligence, requiring iterative refinement through error correction and stochastic processes. However, probability is not a foundational property of intelligence or reality—it is an emergent artifact of incomplete resonance detection.

This paper proposes that human cognition is a structured resonance system, where the mind does not accumulate knowledge probabilistically but phase-locks into coherent structures nonlinearly. Instead of relying on stochastic updates, the brain selectively engages with information that aligns with pre-existing resonance structures, rejecting incoherent data before it fully materializes.

 

Through this model, we:

 • Define intelligence as an emergent resonance process, not a stochastic function.

 • Demonstrate that knowledge acquisition follows a nonlinear, phase-locking trajectory toward coherence.

 • Show how rejecting probability accelerates the mind’s ability to perceive structured emergence in real-time.

 • Describe entropy not as disorder, but as a resonance misalignment that naturally resolves through coherence-seeking cognition.

 

This shift in understanding collapses probability-based reasoning and reframes intelligence as a coherence-driven phenomenon, redefining human thought, AI cognition, and scientific epistemology.
Cannabis Use and Its Health Consequences in Afghanistan: Implication for Intervention and Prevention
Creators: name: Yasin, Mohammad
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug, worldwide and also in Afghanistan. According to United Nation Office for Drug and crime (UNODC) Afghanistan Cannabis survey (2009), more than half of all drug users interviewed in Afghanistan had used cannabis in their life time. In this survey around 630,000 people, mostly men, were documented as cannabis users. On the other hand, cannabis life time use amongst regular female drug user was 40%. The annual prevalence of cannabis use was 8.1 percent in male and 0.2 percent in female populations (UNODC Afghanistan Cannabis survey 2009). In Afghanistan cannabis is most commonly used amongst various groups of individuals, including public transport and truck drivers, and law enforcement personnel, such as Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army recruits. According to a Government Accountability Report for the United States Congress in March 2010, the percentage of Afghan Police recruits who tested positive for drug use, (i.e., marijuana, hashish and opiates) was 12-40% (Nordland & Wafa, 2010). Cannabis use has been linked to a myriad of adverse health outcome included but not limited to, increased risk of schizophrenia, impairment of cognitive functioning, deterioration of motor skills, weakening of driving skills, adverse pregnancy outcome and increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases (Kalant, 2004). The aim of this paper is to highlight cannabis production, use and adverse health outcomes in Afghanistan and to propose recommendations for cannabis control and reversal of its negative health outcomes.
Geografie dell'Emilia Romagna nel Novecento
Creators: name: Marchi, Marzia
Publisher: name: Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna
Year: 2016
Subjects: M-GGR/01 Geografia
M-GGR/02 Geografia economico-politica

description: The paper look inside the great changes occurred in the geography of Emilia Romagna region, during the Twentieth Century. It is a synthetic profile of different aspects, because most of the changes produced modifications on the landscape, and then on the geographies of the area. Varied sources are used, like documents, data, cartographic and iconographic materials, at the regional scale. The first two chapters deals with the land and infrastructure, whose networks have helped to strengthen the human geography of the region, based on the axis of the Via Emilia. The third chapter presents some indicators on population, its geographical distribution, its social and economic characteristics, showing the momentous changes that have occurred in the twentieth century. The fourth and fifth chapter attempt to get the level investigation into rural areas and urban contexts, using some indicators and iconographic materials. The sixth part deals with the contemporary environmental challenges, ranging from emergency of high land consumption, implemented through its overbuilding and the reduction of agricultural use areas, up to attempts to nature conservation through parks, reserves, and new-naturalized areas.
Factors Associated with HIV Among Heterosexual African American Adults Aged 50 Years and Older in Ten ZIP Codes of Atlanta, Georgia, 2005-2011
Creators: name: Marriott, Grace
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: INTRODUCTION: The fastest growing segment of the U.S. population is among individuals aged 50 and older. However, advanced age is not protective against HIV.
AIM: The purpose of this study is to examine individual characteristics (gender, age, education) as well as environmental and behavioral factors (doctor visits and IDU) that may be linked with HIV status among older heterosexual African American adults. The factors associated with HIV status that were examined include education level, IDU within the last six months, non-injected drugs that were used within the last six months and the length of time since the last doctor visit.
METHODS: The original study used participant-driven sampling to identify seeds in high risk zip codes within the City of Atlanta to complete questionnaire and provide biospecimens. This study focuses on the interviews and test results of participants ages 50 and older. Associations of demographic characteristics, behavioral risk factors and HIV status were analyzed using Pearson chi-square, univariatae, and multivariate tests.
RESULTS: African Americans who have injected drugs within the last six months are more likely to be HIV positive than those that have not injected drugs in the last six months.
DISCUSSION: Results of this study reveal that there are unique patterns of risk taking behavior among older adults. These findings can provide potential intervention opportunities that may prevent HIV transmission among this vulnerable, increasing segment of the population.
title: Final project instructions. EX-16-01, Transit and mission patch test, January 20, 2016 - February 7, 2016.
Creators: name: Sowers, Derek
name: Lobecker, Elizabeth
Publisher: name: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.
Year: 2016

description: This document contains project instructions for EX-16-01, with operations expected to commence on January 20, 2016 in Alameda, CA and conclude on February 7, 2016 in Honolulu, HI. The primary goals of the cruise include: exploratory ocean mapping, shakedown, testing, and calibration of existing and newly-installed equipment, and positioning the ship for the 2016 exploration missions in the central and western Pacific Ocean. New equipment in need of shakedown testing includes a new Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) antenna, a new Keyboard-Video-Monitor (KVM) system, new Doppler speed log, a new POS-MV inertial measurement and positioning system, four new EK 60 single beam sonars, two new ADCPs, new digital file storage systems, and a newly installed UnderwayCTD. Testing and fine tuning of the VSAT and KVM system are anticipated to occur throughout the cruise. Multibeam and singlebeam mapping operations will be conducted 24 hours a day throughout the cruise. Sub-bottom profile mapping will be conducted 24 hours a day at the discretion of the CO. XBT and/or UnderwayCTD sound velocity casts in support of multibeam sonar mapping operations will be conducted at an interval defined by prevailing oceanographic conditions, but not to exceed 6 hours. All multibeam data will be fully processed according to standard onboard procedures and will be archived with the National Geophysical Data Center. Split-beam EK60 data will be archived at the National Oceanographic Data Center.
The Influence of Self-Confidence on Athletics in Male Collegiate Lacrosse Players
Creators: name: Sheridan, John
Publisher: name: Maryland Shared Open Access Repository
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Athletics
subject: Self-Confidence
subject: Sports Psychology
subject: Lacrosse
subject: NCAA
subject: Education -- Research papers (Graduate)

description: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship of certain variables, which consist of Course Load, GPA/Academic Standing, Study Skills, Time Management, Player-Coach Relations, Coaching Communication, Team Chemistry, Reps at Practice, Team Discipline, Competitiveness at Practice, Depth Chart Standing, Team Record, Individual Recognition, Overall Preparation, Physical Conditioning, Stick Work, Playbook Mastery, Scouting Report Implementation, Injury, Rest, Nutrition, Social Distractions, Family Support, Parental Involvement, Sense of Independence, Substance Use & Abuse, and the athletic confidence of NCAA Division I and Division III male lacrosse players. One team from each Division completed a questionnaire that consisted of 33 questions: 26 of the 33 questions used a self-anchoring, 10-point scale to measure the athletes’ self-defined levels of confidence for each category.  Using the Spearman Correlation Coefficient Test, none of the 26 variables tested achieved the level of statistical significance on athletic self-confidence.  However, this analysis did find a negative relationship between injury and an athlete’s social confidence as well as a positive relationship between family support and academic confidence.  The study’s samples of the Division I and Division III men’s lacrosse players in the NCAA are small, so a larger sample size would need to be conducted to increase validity; and more importantly, to determine if a different design beyond a correlation study might suggest why these relationships exist.
Intimate Partner Violence Prevention in Africa: What Has Been Done and What Still Needs to be Done
Creators: name: Cyril, Melissa
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as any violent or ill intended behavior that could cause harm to the other person within the confines of an intimate relationship. IPV has very serious consequences for the individual, the community, and the larger society. Much of what is known about IPV comes from studies conducted in the U.S. or other Western countries. However, women who live in developing countries have an increased risk of experiencing IPV because of poor living conditions and different social norms. Yet, little is known about specific risk factors and intervention approaches for IPV conducted in developing countries. Consequently, this thesis will focus on IPV risk factor research and interventions that have taken place in countries in Africa. To date there has not been a systematic review of this work. The project will help identify risk factors for IPV in an African context, and to determine what intervention approaches appear successful and which are not.
A Systematic Review of Health Literacy Interventions and Policies and the Effect on the Health Outcomes of Limited English Proficient (LEP) Patients
Creators: name: Duong, Melissa
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients are subject to low patient health outcomes due to limited health literacy. Cultural and linguistic barriers prohibit the obtainment and comprehension of health information and services. This systematic review will present the complications of healthcare experienced by LEP patients and will provide an analysis of interventions and policies that will be a gateway to better health outcomes for the LEP patient population.
Examining the Effects of a Motion Comic Intervention on HIV-Stigma Among a Sample of Adolescent Men Who Have Sex With Men
Creators: name: Nichols, Kristen
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2013

description: INTRODUCTION:  HIV disproportionately affects African Americans, Latinos, and gay and bisexual men of all racial and ethnicity groups.  People living with HIV/AIDS experience stigma related to their disease.  HIV/AIDS stigma can have detrimental effects on HIV prevention, testing and treatment.  Entertainment-education is a health communication strategy that can be used to influence behavioral and social change in the population.
AIM:  The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a Motion Comic intervention, an EE strategy, can decrease H/A stigma in a sample of MSM adolescents aged 15-24.
METHODS:  Participants were recruited from GA, FL, NY and CA using convenience sampling. A sample of MSM adolescents aged 15-24 (n=24) was used for this study.  The study design is a one-group pretest-posttest intervention.  Participants were shown the Motion Comic episodes.  Participants completed pre- and post-viewing surveys to assess HIV/AIDS stigma.  A summed variable was used as the outcome for total HIV/AIDS stigma.  A paired samples t-test was used to measure a statistically significant difference in HIV/AIDS stigma from pretest to posttest.
RESULTS:  There was a statistically significant decrease in HIV stigma from pre-viewing survey (M = 9.87, SD = 3.49) to post-viewing survey (M = 8.65, SD = 2.48), t (22) = 2.01, p < .0285 (one-tailed).  The mean decrease in HIV stigma scores was 1.22 with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.177 to 2.248.  The eta squared statistic (.16) indicated a large effect size.
DISCUSSION:  Results from this study show that viewing the Motion Comic may reduce HIV/AIDS stigma related to casual transmission of HIV and values, such as blame, shame and judgment, in MSM adolescents.