Thesis (M.S. in Information Technology Management)--Naval Postgraduate School, March 2004. / Thesis advisor(s): Alex Bordetsky. Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-85). Also available online.

Master of Public Health / Department of Kinesiology / Brandon Irwin / BACKGROUND: Resource-deficient social networks can have detrimental health effects on individuals. In part, this may result from limited engagement in health-related behaviors such as physical activity (PA). PA can lower one’s risk for a variety of chronic diseases and promoting this behavior is a public health priority. Understanding the relationship between network-owned resources and PA behavior can help policymakers and health advocates develop comprehensive programs to promote health among those who are disadvantaged. Measurements of resources available through an individual's social network have previously been referred to as social capital (SC). This study set out to explore the relationship between SC and PA by testing the following hypotheses: (1) Individuals with low household income will report low levels of both SC and PA participation, (2) SC has a positive relationship with PA participation, (3) Individuals who engage in leisure-time PA with others will report higher levels of SC than those who do it alone, (4) Social support for PA mediates the relationship between SC and PA. METHODS: Data were obtained from residents of Riley County, KS (n=828) who completed a survey. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine differences in SC (bonding, bridging, total) and PA (moderate, vigorous, total, leisure-time) between different income groups. Relationships between SC and PA variables were examined using Pearson product-moment correlations, while independent sample t-tests were used to identify differences in SC between those who did or did not meet recommended PA guidelines. ANOVAs were also used to identify differences in SC among those who primarily engage in leisure-time PA by themselves, with a partner, or with a group. Finally, the Sobel test was used to examine the mediating effect of social support for PA in all significant linear relationships between SC and PA variables. RESULTS: Social capital was highest among high-income groups (p <.05). Leisure-time PA was lowest in the poorest income group (p <.05). Weak linear relationships were identified between bonding SC and leisure-time PA [r(786) = 0.09, p = 0.01], as well as between total SC and leisure time PA [r(775) = 0.08, p = 0.02]. Individuals who met PA guidelines reported higher levels of SC than those who did not (bridging and total: p <.001; bonding: p = <.01). No differences in SC were found between individuals who primarily engaged in leisure-time PA by themselves, with a partner, or with a group. The Sobel test found that social support for PA fully mediated the relationships between leisure-time PA and both bonding SC (z = 5.61, p <.001) and total SC (z = 6.01, p = <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Social capital has a positive relationship with leisure-time physical activity and influences this behavior through provisions of behavior-targeted social support. Further examination should be afforded to the relationship between social capital, income, and leisure-time physical activity. While physical activity promotion efforts that target social capital may achieve marginal improvements in physical activity levels at the population level, they are unlikely to result in significant improvements at the individual level.

Reducing racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare are ongoing concerns. A paucity of data on healthcare seeking behavior among older Black women has hampered efforts to make culturally responsive healthcare services available to this population. Little is known about how older Black women's expectations and perceptions of care affect their patterns of health behavior.This study explored sociocultural contexts of health behavior with fifty Black women, aged 40 and older, in Tucson, Arizona by examining what prompts these women to seek services, identifying key factors affecting their access to and utilization of healthcare, documenting their experiences in healthcare settings and how these interactions influence their healthcare-seeking behavior. If effective healthcare service access and utilization are to be encouraged among older Black women, an informed understanding of the role cultural difference plays is essential.This research has three purposes: to provide a forum for discussion of culturally relevant strategies and models for prevention of disease and promotion of wellness in Black communities; to provide perspectives on older Black women's health issues for policymakers and administrators in public health sciences; and to gain insight and document reasons for selected health behaviors among this population. Research funding from the NIH/ NIA has helped to establish this small multi-disciplinary data set on a specific race, gender and age sub-population group for future research and development of community resource partnerships; including public health education and effective healthcare service delivery with intervention / promotion efforts targeting older Black women.Findings: Older Black women's poorer health status reflects the cumulative effects of inadequate health care due to various discriminatory experiences and their mistrust of the health care system. Mistrust, expectations of racial bias, perceived cultural insensitivity, and lack of effective communication within healthcare settings were found to be barriers to their healthcare-seeking behavior. Neither healthcare providers nor older Black women can address these issues alone. Working towards more trusting relationships within healthcare settings is critical in beginning to address avoidable inequities in health status experienced by older Black women.This research is applicable to such disciplines as Sociocultural/Medical Anthropology, Health Education, Public Health, and Africana/Ethnic Studies.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, August, 2002. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-54).

People with visible facial difference often experience other people reacting negatively to their appearance. For many, this is part of everyday life. Research has identified social support as critical in adaptation processes. This is the case both for those whose facial difference was apparent at birth, and those who experienced injury or illness. There is a lack of a comprehensive theoretical construct for exploring how personal communities provide resources needed by adults to live well with visible facial difference. The combination of semi-structured interviews and creation of personal community maps provided opportunities to explore the interplay between respondent accounts and patterns of relationships people are embedded within. Seventeen adults with visible facial difference and two unaffected ‘significant others’ were interviewed. The findings provide evidence that personal communities are important social spaces for negotiation of resources that enable adults to feel connected, valued and safer within wider communities. Social support was not described as a property of the individual, but as experienced with combinations of people that change according to situation, place, or time. A diversity of personal community patterns were found, largely consistent with findings from Spencer and Pahl (2006), with one variation which increased intimate support. Some personal communities were less supportive and consequently people were at risk of isolation. Processes within personal communities were helpful both in dealing with negative social environments and in helping establish different versions of ‘normal’ life. The importance of focussing on social contexts, when seeking to understand how people live with visible facial differences, is highlighted.

People with visible facial difference often experience other people reacting negatively to their appearance. For many, this is part of everyday life. Research has identified social support as critical in adaptation processes. This is the case both for those whose facial difference was apparent at birth, and those who experienced injury or illness. There is a lack of a comprehensive theoretical construct for exploring how personal communities provide resources needed by adults to live well with visible facial difference. The combination of semi-structured interviews and creation of personal community maps provided opportunities to explore the interplay between respondent accounts and patterns of relationships people are embedded within. Seventeen adults with visible facial difference and two unaffected ‘significant others’ were interviewed. The findings provide evidence that personal communities are important social spaces for negotiation of resources that enable adults to feel connected, valued and safer within wider communities. Social support was not described as a property of the individual, but as experienced with combinations of people that change according to situation, place, or time. A diversity of personal community patterns were found, largely consistent with findings from Spencer and Pahl (2006), with one variation which increased intimate support. Some personal communities were less supportive and consequently people were at risk of isolation. Processes within personal communities were helpful both in dealing with negative social environments and in helping establish different versions of ‘normal’ life. The importance of focussing on social contexts, when seeking to understand how people live with visible facial differences, is highlighted. / University of Bradford Studentship

dc.contributor.author Kamara, Abu dc.description.abstract The international student population in Canada has increased significantly in the last decade. While we know a lot about the experiences of international students in general, we don’t know a lot about the specific experiences of international students in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Given that universities in the region have identified international student recruitment as part of their internationalization strategies, expanding our knowledge about international students’ experiences in Halifax not only has strong implications for universities, but also for provincial and local governments who see them as potential immigrants. Consequently, key research objectives for this study were to expand our understanding of the personal experiences of international students in Halifax, and to identify gatekeepers whose actions impact the experiences of international students. Two studies were designed using qualitative methodology. Study I investigated the personal experiences of international students in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while the main objective for Study II was to identify gatekeepers in the city whose actions are shaping the contexts of international student experiences. Interviews were conducted with international students from Saint Mary’s University, Mount Saint Vincent University, and Dalhousie University using a semi structured, open-ended interview method. The data was transcribed and coded using grounded theory method. Results from Study I suggest that while international students regularly turn to formal support networks, such as the international student center for immigration and employment related assistance, the majority of students interviewed for this dissertation also expressed strong preference for informal support networks. Specific individuals identified by study participants as belonging to informal support networks included friends, family members, and members of on-and off-campus organizations. Results from Study II suggest that internationalization in Canada is providing new ways for universities to help address local economic and demographic concerns. In sum, results from Study I suggest that international students rely on both formal and informal support networks to address the challenges they are facing in Canada, while findings from Study II suggest that demographic needs, and the expansion of the knowledge economy will continue to push universities to bigger and more central roles in the growth of cities.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2008. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.