PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Food insecurity is a significant problem and poses a risk for various health issues. The burden of food insecurity is even higher in minoritized populations. Nutrition education and food literacy programs have the potential to address these concerns by increasing the capacity to select and consume healthy foods, even in the presence of perceived challenges. Furthermore, community gardens can improve access to fresh foods in neighborhoods with limited food options and provide a hands-on learning environment for nutrition and food education programs. Community gardens enhance public spaces and provide access to fresh produce in different neighborhoods, offering numerous physical and mental health benefits. Community-engaged research (CEnR), which involves both community members and researchers in the research process, can play a crucial role in overcoming social and ecological barriers to health programs. It also helps in enhancing the cultural relevance and overall success of such programs. In this dissertation, I use a three-paper model to examine existing literature on community-engaged research in community garden programs and to identify the barriers and facilitators of this approach in community health programs, particularly within community gardening programs. In this dissertation, the first paper delves into the existing literature on community-engaged research in community garden programs, while the second and third identify the barriers and facilitators of this approach in community health programs, particularly within the context of community gardening programs. Each paper establishes a theoretical foundation for the implementation of CEnR in the field of nutrition, food literacy, and food security, aiming to bridge the gap between community and practice. This research underscores the potential applicability of community-engaged research to programs targeting nutrition and food security, emphasizing its role in enhancing their impact. While Chapter 3 de (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lisa Vaughn Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Farrah Jacquez Ph.D. (Committee Member); Sarah Couch Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Education

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

Climate change is underway with its effects felt everywhere but the consequences vary greatly by location. Cities are crucial focal points as more than 265 million people, or 80% of the U.S. population, live in urban areas, making the ability of cities to adapt to climate change critical for the majority of U.S. citizens (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Climate planning and policymaking in cities must recognize that disinvested communities with aging infrastructure and minimal tree canopy can expose residents to radically hotter temperatures than residents of other neighborhoods (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2008; Shandas et al., 2019; Hoffman et al., 2020) and is an example of how social and economic inequalities are exacerbated by climate change. Much climate planning to date has been top-down and city-wide, which overlooks neighborhood disparities and specific needs of communities, thus there is a need for research on equitable engagement strategies within cities that incorporate resident perspectives and share decision-making with residents. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the impacts of Climate Safe Neighborhoods (CSN), an equity-focused neighborhood-level climate planning program, on participating Cincinnati residents and resident and organizer perspectives on how CSN may promote community resilience in the face of climate change. 14 interviews with residents (n = 6) and organizers (n = 8) were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to explore how resident perceptions about local issues changed through their participation in CSN, how CSN participation affected residents' potential to act as advocates for their community, and barriers and catalysts to implementing locally relevant community change as identified by both residents and organizers of CSN. Key findings were that residents gained a deeper overall understanding of how climate issues in their community connect to each other and to their own personal lives, and t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Carlie Trott Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Stacie Furst-Holloway Ph.D. (Committee Member); Anjali Dutt Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2023, Education

My research inquiry is centered on the larger project of building a transformational, empowerment model of worker voice in workplaces. The purpose of my research is to explore/illuminate the question, “How can I use workers' stories to center and advance collaborative worker voice on the job through peer-driven training initiatives?” I frame this general research inquiry around two key questions: (a) How do I create authentic spaces for workers' stories to emerge from the heart? (b) How do I use workers' stories to create the environment needed for workers to become peer teachers/leaders of their own training initiatives? This study's intended audience is any practitioner who seeks to center workers' experiences/stories as the fulcrum for transformational workplace change. My research method is Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN). SPN is a sustained exploration of one's own narrative experiences of dealing with a particular question, problem, or dynamic that has broader social significance. It entails analyzing that experience through the lens of relevant research and theory. I have chosen a hybrid video/written format for my SPN, to create a first-person storytelling experience for the viewer/reader that replicates my methodology with workers at their worksites. The video segments of this dissertation can be found at http://debmoy.weebly.com/. My findings document the key elements needed to be an effective change agent supporting organic leadership in organizations through workers' stories. My dissertation can influence the effectiveness of California Transit Works (CTW), the statewide consortium bringing my approach to scale nationally. My dissertation can bring academic recognition to key roles that third-party neutrals, or “intermediaries,” can play in building worker voice empowerment within labor/management partnerships. Finally, I hope this dissertation inspires and guides workers and change agents to take an holistic view of what it means to have our own voic (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Stephen Brookfield Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Michael Raffanti Ed.D. (Committee Member); Laura Dresser Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Labor Relations; Organizational Behavior; Transportation; Vocational Education

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Chronic diseases and health disparities are on the rise in the United States. Along with infectious diseases and injuries, all are major contributors to the morbidity and premature mortality of the population. Additionally, healthcare costs are at an all-time high. Employing effective health communication strategies and interventions is key to facilitating the behavioral and social change necessary to improve the population's health. Rather than using one-size-fits-all messaging to attempt to influence lifestyle changes, public health professionals should focus on tailoring communications. Customizing or tailoring health messaging can magnify the potency and efficacy of the message which may affect behavior change. Thus, it is an opportune time for public health professionals to embrace novel and creative techniques for developing more impactful health communications. This three-paper dissertation provides concrete examples of how community and public health professionals can utilize community-based participatory research (CBPR) and human-centered design (HCD) approaches to create successful messaging. Paper 1 is a scoping review of the literature providing insight into how personas, an HCD tool, have been used in public health and healthcare over the past ten years. Personas are fictional representations of consumers with common behavioral characteristics such as goals and motivations which can be used to create compelling interventions personalized for the end-user. Paper 2 is a published empirical research study which resulted in the development of four unique personas and corresponding messaging created to increase safe sleep practices in parents and caregivers of infants. Paper 3 is also an empirical research study which used concept mapping to engage neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stakeholders in generating ideas and strategies to improve the transition from NICU to home. Concept Mapping is a six-step, sequential, participatory research process using brai (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lisa Vaughn Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Susan Watts-Taffe Ph.D. (Committee Member); Amy Bernard Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Health

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

Immigrants, migrants, and refugees are severely underrepresented at all levels of political decision-making in the United States. Furthermore, these groups face significant barriers to civic and political engagement, despite their strong commitment to community engagement. There is an urgent need to address immigrant integration and underrepresentation through transformative means that go beyond voting, to create a more equitable and socially just society. This study provides insight from a local community program designed to aid immigrant integration and increase migrants' access to civic engagement through a community based participatory action research design process that centered the voices, experiences, and wisdom of refugees and immigrants, and transformative values. CARE Cincinnati's Refugee and Immigrant Civic Leadership Program was a five-course program designed by and for refugees of the Cincinnati community in collaboration with a local government representative and University of Cincinnati researchers. This study analyzes 30 semi-structured interviews conducted with all program participants through a desire-based framework.

Committee: Anjali Dutt Ph.D. (Committee Member); Farrah Jacquez Ph.D. (Committee Member); Stacie Furst-Holloway Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Art Education

Grounded in the context of a peace education program for teens, this narrative-based research study offers a story of initiating and sustaining relationships amid personal challenge during youth-driven community art engagement. Dialogue, storytelling, and collaborative artmaking as peacelearning were part of the participatory practice within this humanizing research. A theoretical framework drawn from the dialogism of Freire (1970/2002) shapes this study as well as an ethical stance of care and wholeness that contributes to the health and well-being of communities. Connection and belonging, co-learning and transformation were intertwined goals, an approach that this research study suggests challenged teens' personal vulnerability, critical self-reflection, deep listening, and multiple roles and ways of knowing. The research study portrays how the process of sharing stories and art that acknowledged participants' roots, struggles, and hopes as peacebuilders became foundations for growth. Findings from this study revealed that through the arts we can cultivate critical self-reflection, communication about the issues and challenges in our lives, interconnectedness and collective action. Additionally, this study illustrated that youth-driven approaches to community-engaged pedagogy and research exist on a continuum of youth leadership and adult collaboration. Also, sustainable youth-led initiatives and research depend on strong organizational support and adequate resources, mentorship, and community connections. Finally, a relational and asset-based approach to peacelearning through the arts can contribute to connected knowing, with potential for coalition building that supports positive change for individuals and communities.

Committee: Karen Hutzel Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: Art Education; Education; Peace Studies

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

One in 23 substance using women are likely to become HIV-positive within their lifetime at the current transmission rates (CDC, 2017). Transactional sex is one behavior that could be attributed to the increased HIV rate among this population. Transactional sex is often associated with increased sexual risk behaviors and higher rates of HIV. Despite the HIV risk associated with transactional sex, few studies target transactional sex for HIV prevention. Utilizing a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach, the current study aims to reduce this gap. The current study occurred in two phases. The first phase aimed to collaborate with the target population by forming a community/academic partnership to develop an intervention aimed at reducing HIV risk associated with transactional sex. The second phase of the study aimed to test the effectiveness of the intervention in comparison to a control. It was hypothesized that individuals receiving the intervention would report higher intention to engage in future behaviors associated with decreased HIV risk than controls. During Phase I, the community/academic partnership was comprised of five women with a history of substance use and transactional sex as well as three academic research members. Through a series of four meetings the group defined transactional sex, identified three areas associated with decreasing HIV risk (i.e., effective communication, self-esteem, and economic independence), and collaboratively developed the intervention. Participants in Phase II were a group of 65 women who were enrolled in substance use treatment and reported a history of transactional sex. All eligible participants provided informed consent and were assigned to either the control group (n = 26) or the intervention group (n = 39). Descriptive information was collected at baseline. Participants also completed a modified version of the Intent to Engage Safer Sex and the Expectation to Engage in Safer Sex subscales of t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Bridgette Peteet Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Ann Kathleen Hoard Burlew Ph.D. (Committee Member); Farrah Jacquez Ph.D. (Committee Member); Carolette Norwood Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

MPH, University of Cincinnati, 2018, Medicine: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: In the United States, receiving necessary medical services can be extremely costly to patients without health insurance. The introduction of free clinics that provide medical services at no cost to the patient can alleviate the financial burden for uninsured people seeking medical services. In Cincinnati, Ohio, there is a growing Latino population without access to culturally appropriate, affordable care. An interdisciplinary group of students at the University of Cincinnati is preparing to open a Student-Run Free Clinic with an emphasis on supporting this population. To inform clinic services, a community needs assessment was performed to identify health concerns and barriers to care among the target population. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional community needs assessment survey of randomly recruited participants frequenting local health fairs, tiendas, and the Healing Center, where the clinic will be located, from October to December 2017. Participants were approached at random and asked to complete a ten-minute survey about community health. We used standardized questionnaires to collect data on self-perceived health metrics, barriers to care, and demographic information. Undergraduate and graduate student volunteers were collected data on iPads using REDCap at locales visited by the clinic's target population. We used t-tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and chi-squared tests to analyze differences in health concerns and barriers to care by primary language, by gender, by age group, and by length of U.S. residency in years. RESULTS: Among 158 community participants, the majority were female (68%) aged 30-39 years (37%), living in the U.S. for > 25 years (30%) and primary speak Spanish (72%). Participants originated from 16 countries around the world, and 57 neighborhoods within Cincinnati. The majority of participants (42%) had never sought medical care in the past 3 months. Participants reported high cost of health care as the most frequent ba (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Liza Murrison Ph.D. M.P.H. (Committee Chair); Farrah Jacquez Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Health

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2017, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

In this paper, I describe how an asset mapping process was combined with community-based participatory research (CBPR). This combination, called participatory asset mapping, was designed to offer an alternative to the commonly used needs assessment. Needs assessments neglect the identification of valuable assets including the knowledge and culture of many underrepresented community members. This is particularly important for an area undergoing redevelopment where low-income and minority families are too often displaced. This research highlights the experiences of educational leaders at John P. Parker Elementary, a predominantly African American school, in their gentrifying neighborhood of Madisonville. The completed asset map provided John P. Parker with a geographic representation of community-school support. Findings showed that 42% of their businesses and churches were willing to explore a partnership. Using CBPR techniques, the co-research team discussed and analyzed the asset map results. The analysis suggested that organizations not able to engage in partnership, were struggling with financial limitations, operating dying trades, or have burned out from previous community engagement efforts. Additionally, the experiences of educational leaders showed that negative perceptions have impacted the way development corporations support them. Lastly, we find that educational leaders hold a unique responsibility to advocate on behalf of their students in a changing community. The paper concludes with suggested next steps for educational leaders using the generated participatory asset map.

Committee: Lisa Vaughn Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Miriam Raider-Roth Ed.D. (Committee Member); R. Alan Wight Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2017, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

The youth of this nation are the individuals that are most effected by educational policy and practices, however their perspectives are often not taken into account when developing programs and services. By including youth's perspective on their education we can gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of students experiences, utilizing the information to inform research and implement relevant policies. To engage students regarding their educational experience, the current study utilized a co-researcher model within a larger Community-Based Participatory Research project. Exploring the student identified topics of building positive relationships both among students and between students and teachers, the current project utilized photovoice to capture student's voice. A participatory method, photovoice allows the students to photograph elements of their lives related to the topic, using those photographs as a catalyst for discussion, which aims to identify root causes and potential action plans. Through conducting photovoice, the students in the current study identified eight themes that were discussed as either a hindrance or as helpful in building relationships. Generally, the themes indicated that a stronger sense of community within the school, paired with spaces for students to practice their autonomy would assist in fostering better relationships both among students and between students and teachers within this setting. The findings support the notion that students are capable of conducting challenging research, and further suggest that students want the space to voice their opinions and make decisions within their school.

Committee: Lisa Vaughn Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Victoria Carr Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2017, Counselor Education

Counseling researchers increasingly emphasize researcher and community collaborations (Bryan, 2009; Guiffraida et al., 2011; Ratts el al., 2016). One approach researchers across fields are employing to build researcher-community partnerships is community based-participatory research (CBPR) (National Institute of Health, 2010). CBPR can be described as a shared endeavor between researchers, institutions, and communities that fosters partnerships throughout each phase of the research process (Viswanathan et al, 2004). Given the recent attention to the researcher-practitioner gap in counseling (Guiffraida et al., 2011), this study suggests that the CBPR framework could serve as an additional tool for translating research findings into practical interventions for communities, particularly practitioners (Horowitz et al., 2009). Partnerships between researchers and practitioners will further improve treatment for our clients (Techman et al., 2012). Competencies are significant for the field since they establish best practice, guidelines of service, and professional trainings (Toporek et al., 2010). A standardized approach for a training guideline will improve consistency and reduce disparities in training future counseling researchers (Golde & Walker, 2006). The purpose of this study is to develop a list of competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes, and actions) that will provide the foundations for a comprehensive competence training guideline in CBPR. This study intends to obtain and integrate expert input in the development of these competencies through the Delphi method using both quantitative descriptive and qualitative content analysis.

Committee: John Laux Dr. (Committee Chair); Christopher Roseman Dr. (Committee Member); Yanhong Liu Dr. (Committee Member); Reynolds Jennifer Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2016, Psychology

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a dangerous and pervasive problem, and it is associated with a host of negative psychological, behavioral, health, and academic outcomes. While other forms of violence are addressed in schools, TDV has received less attention from school-based prevention efforts. The empirical support for school-based TDV prevention programs is limited and additional research is needed. Schools are in need of effective and sustainable prevention programs to address TDV in their students. The current study explores the outcomes of engaging youth in the process of addressing TDV at their school. Students from ninth through twelfth grade participated in a community-based participatory research (CBPR) project that engaged them in both research and prevention design and implementation to address TDV in their school. A mixed-method, longitudinal study design combined survey and group interview data to examine the school-wide and youth committee impact of using a CBPR approach to address TDV. The findings suggest that high school students can effectively engage in the CBPR process to design a TDV prevention program and that their participation is associated with an increase in positive youth development. The study supports further research examining youth engagement in CBPR to address TDV prevention.

Committee: Paul Flaspohler PhD (Committee Chair); Jennifer Green PhD (Committee Member); Elizabeth Kiel-Luebbe PhD (Committee Member); Dawna-Cricket-Martita Meehan PhD (Committee Member); Amity Noltemeyer PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2016, English

This dissertation analyzes the rhetorics of Appalachian civic organizations that make the argument “remaining” is a tenable option among discursive, material, and economic pressures to do otherwise. This dissertation analyzes “remaining” through a rhetorical frame to show how remaining is more than simply staying put—it requires active rhetorical intervention in civic contexts and attention to the circulation of rhetorical positions and content. Analyzing “remaining” as a cultural rhetoric enables us to identify a civic techne that can be used in Appalachia and other areas where rhetorics of remaining are (or could be) deployed. I identify and develop this new frame—rhetorics of remaining—through my year-and-a-half participatory research with two Appalachian civic organizations: Appalshop, a multi-media non-profit in eastern Kentucky; and the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition, a community advocacy group for Appalachian out-migrants and their descendants in Cincinnati, Ohio. I trace acts of rhetorical remaining through interviews, analyses of media productions and web spaces, and collaborating with these groups in developing rhetorical strategies and producing content. This dissertation contributes to ongoing scholarship of how culture shapes rhetorical practice in civic spaces and how questions of circulation shape our rhetorical decisions by examining the civic work heritage claims do for communities. I uncover three broad strategies used in rhetorical remaining: "keeping with" heritage as a civic art among oppressive or indifferent discourses; offering "inventional trajectories" that redirect media flows; and "slow circulation," a strategy for community advocacy oriented toward sustained change over the long haul. Through these strategies, rhetorics of remaining offer a rhetorical theory for social change for communities struggling to pull themselves out of economic decline, halt outmigration, and/or to maintain cultural identities outside of a homeland.

Committee: W. Michele Simmons Dr. (Committee Chair); James Porter Dr. (Committee Member); Heidi McKee Dr. (Committee Member); James Coyle Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Composition; Ethnic Studies; Multimedia Communications; Regional Studies; Rhetoric; Technical Communication

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2015, Leadership and Change

As Indigenous peoples, we have a responsibility to our global community to share our collective truths and experiences, but we also deserve the respect to not be objectified, essentialized, and reified. Today, we are in a period of continual Native resurgence as many of us (re)member our prayers, songs, languages, histories, teachings, everyday stories and our deepest wisdom and understanding as Indigenous peoples--we are all “living breath” and we are “all related.” For eight years, Carmella Rodriguez and I have been nDigiStorytelling across the United States and have co-created over 1,200 digital stories with over 80 tribes for Native survivance, healing, hope, and liberation. By the making and sharing of nDigiStories, our training and consulting company called nDigiDreams is Healing Our Communities One Story at a Time.® This dissertation is a phenomenological study about nDigiStorytelling in an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) community in Northern Michigan; it explores two four-day digital storytelling workshops during November 2013 and May 2014. Using an emergent research design called “Three Sisters,” I combine Indigenous methodologies, community-based participatory research, and portraiture to explore the “lived experiences” of our nDigiStorytellers who are thriving and flourishing in their families and communities and who are widely sharing their nDigiStories to help others. An Indigenous approach to digital storytelling is much needed and provides a new avenue for understanding how we can use nDigiStorytelling and our visceral bodies to release ourselves from traumatic experiences and how we can utilize technology and media-making for healing ourselves and others. The electronic version of this Dissertation is available in open access at AURA, http://aura.antioch.edu/etds/ and OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd This dissertation is accompanied by a PDF that contains links to 24 media files on the nDigiStoryMaking YouTube Channel that are referenced in th (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Carolyn Kenny Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Holloway Ph.D. (Committee Member); Luana Ross Ph.D. (Committee Member); Daniel Hart M.F.A. (Committee Member); Jo-Ann Archibald Ph.D. (Other) Subjects: Cultural Anthropology; Multimedia Communications; Native American Studies; Native Americans; Native Studies; Public Health

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2015, Leadership and Change

Indigenous peoples have always shared collective truths and knowledge through oral storytelling. Just as we were born, stories are born too, through our sacred “living breath.” We live in a time where stories travel far, beyond our imaginable dreams, and can have an influence on anyone who hears them. In the present-day, we have an opportunity to combine personal stories with digital technology in order to share one of our greatest gifts with each other--our experience and wisdom. For eight years, Brenda K. Manuelito and I have been traveling across Indian Country helping our Indigenous relatives create nDigiStories for Native survivance, healing, hope, and liberation. Together with our nDigiStorytellers, we are Healing Our Communities One Story at a Time®. This dissertation is a phenomenological study about the “story-sharing” of nDigiStories. It tells the story about the journey of digital stories created from an Indigenized digital storytelling process called nDigiStorytelling with an Ojibwa (Anishinaabe) community in Michigan. I explored a bricolage of methodologies from an “Indigenist” perspective, community-based participatory research, performance ethnography, and relational autoethnography. This study shows how combining an Indigenous approach to technology and media-making with deeply-held beliefs and ceremony can revitalize Indigenous people and strengthen community relationships. The electronic version of this Dissertation is available in open access at AURA, http://aura.antioch.edu/etds/ and OhioLink ETD Center, http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd. This dissertation is accompanied by a PDF document that contains links to 45 media files on the nDigiStorySharing YouTube Channel that are referenced in this document.

Committee: Carolyn Kenny Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Holloway Ph.D. (Committee Member); Luana Ross Ph.D. (Committee Member); Dan Hart M.F.A. (Committee Member); Jo-Ann Archibald Ph.D. (Other) Subjects: Cultural Anthropology; Multimedia Communications; Native American Studies; Native Americans; Native Studies; Public Health

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2014, Arts and Sciences: Anthropology

This study explores relationships between a 17th century ethnohistorical text, traditional botanical knowledge (TBK), and contemporary educational resource development within the contexts of Native American ethnoecological language reclamation and cultural revitalization. Community-based participatory research (CBPR), as well as a diversity of applied and engaged anthropological, ethnobotanical, and linguistic approaches were implemented throughout the course of the research program. The research approach is grounded in the idea that a community should have both control of its own resources and the ability to provide input on the research needs of their own community. Data collection and analysis focused on exploring the traditional myaamiaki (Miami community) food system, historical and contemporary community-based ethnoecological relationships, and botanical use categories as guided by the linguistic and ethnoecological needs of the community. This study focuses particular attention on traditional food plants. The specific research goals of the study were (1) to use a 17th century ethnohistorical text to reclaim myaamiaki ethnoecological terms and phrases; (2) to apply ethnographic methods to assess modern myaamiaki traditional botanical knowledge (TBK); and (3) to combine ethnohistorical research findings with the ethnographic study to contribute to myaamiaki ethnobotanical educational resource development and the revitalization of Miami Ecological Knowledge (MEK). To further validate the agency and voices of a small sample of Miami community members, an inventory of contemporary TBK was collected and a needs-assessment was conducted to gauge the community's interest and insights on educational resource development on the topics of garden cultivation and the harvest and use of wild food plants. The myaamiaki are an ecologically-based cultural group whose language had previously moved through a state of dormancy between 1963 through 1995. Initiatives associ (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Susan Allen Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Clement Jeffrey Jacobson Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Cultural Anthropology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2014, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

There is considerable research on the challenges of public education for African American youth. Such research often paints a dismal picture of African American academic achievement. As a result, it is necessary to take a close look at the innovative education strategies within African American communities that offer a contrasting perspective. Specifically, this research uses Invitational Education Theory (IET), critical participatory action research, Black Feminist Epistemology, and critical multiculturalism to investigate the narratives of African American mothers who homeschool their children and analyze the purpose and outcomes of an African American homeschool cooperative. Families in this study offer insight into how African Americans are instituting change in their homes and communities and bring to light the over-arching challenges many African American families face in traditional education. Their work can inform creative ways to incorporate parents, community, and funds of knowledge into traditional education.

Committee: Vesta Daniel (Advisor); Karen Hutzel (Advisor); Maurice Stevens (Committee Member); Patty Bode (Committee Member); James Moore, III (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Art Education; Black History; Black Studies; Continuing Education; Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology; Cultural Anthropology; Cultural Resources Management; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Early Childhood Education; Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Educational Theory; Elementary Education; Ethnic Studies; Families and Family Life; Gender; Gender Studies; Multicultural Education; Personal Relationships; Personality Psychology; School Administration; School Counseling; Secondary Education; Social Research; Social Work; Sociology; Teacher Education; Teaching; Therapy; Urban Planning; Womens Studies

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2013, Nursing: Nursing - Doctoral Program

Despite a reduction in the overall infant mortality rate (IMR) over the past 60 years, there remains an ever-widening gap of disparity between the deaths of Black (12.7/1,000) babies and White babies (5.2/1,000) during their first year of life. Comprehension of this complex and stunning disparity continues to escape full understanding, yet it is likely multifactorial, with one component being inadequate care among African American women during pregnancy. Women who receive early and continuous prenatal care have lower rates of preterm birth and low birth weight infants, two antecedents of infant mortality. Yet African American women are less likely to engage in early and continuous prenatal care for various reasons, some yet to be discovered. The standardized, traditional biomedical model of prenatal care is not tailored to specific cultural and psychosocial needs. The care that pregnant African American women need may be quite different from the biomedical model. This study explored the psychosocial and cultural needs of African American who had given birth in their past to understand the factors that support or hinders meaningful prenatal care. A community-based participatory approach using a photovoice project was conducted for this study. Two theories, Africana Womanism and Critical Race Theory, provided the framework to guide the study. This study was conducted with a purposeful sampling of 11 African American women who had given birth in their past and who lived in an urban, low-income neighborhood in Midwestern, United States. Through photography, the participants shared stories about assets and barriers to meaningful prenatal care. The themes derived from the study were: "access to care," "soul nourishment,"companionship," "help me, teach me," and "the future." Overall, meaningful care encompassed not only physical care but care received through relationships and spirituality. This study revealed the culturally specific and meaningful ways t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Donna Shambley-Ebron Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Mary Brydon-Miller Ph.D. (Committee Member); Debora Dole Ph.D. (Committee Member); Lisa Vaughn Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Nursing

EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Education : Urban Educational Leadership

Diabetes has become a major public health concern in the United States with over20 million Americans suffering from this chronic disease. It accounts for over 174 billion dollars in healthcare costs annually (American Diabetes Association, 2006, 2007). This study focused on a unique group of diabetics in the United States those who are being served by the Cincinnati Veterans Administration (VA). In 2005, the VA instituted an alternative model for the delivery of healthcare called Advanced Clinical Access or ADA (Schall et. al., 2004, Huey, 2006, Smith 2006). One aspect of ADA is the concept of the Scheduled In Group Medical Appointment or SIGMA. The SIGMA is an organizational paradigm in which 8-12 patients are seen in a two hour window by one primary care provider (Noffsinger, 1999; Noffsinger and Scott, 2000). This study examined the use of the SIGMA as a alternative way to aid in diabetic veteran disease control. Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) was used as the underlying philosophy for this study. By definition, CBPR is constructed upon the principles of equity, respect for all persons and an ecological belief regarding health (Minkler and Wallerstein, 2003; Israel, et. al., 2005). Two research hypothesis were examined with diabetic veteran participants being served by the Cincinnati Veterans Administration (VA): (1) improvement or lack there of, regarding blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, foot and eye exams, (2) patient perception of the SIGMA. Previous studies demonstrated that group medical appointments may be a viable option for chronically ill outpatients (Scott and Robertson, 1996; Scott et. al, 1998; Scott et. al, 2004) and in particular for diabetic patients (Wagner et. al., 2001; Trento et. al., 2002; Masley et. al. 2007). However, no studies to date have examined the SIGMA in a VA setting. A repeated measures two tailed t-test was used with 33 veteran participants. Outcome measures obtained after an eighteen month period illust (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Nancy Evers PhD (Committee Chair); Barbara Hammel EdD (Committee Member); Roger Collins PhD (Committee Member); James Huey PhD, MD (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Care; Health Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Geography

Geographers play important roles in public health research, particularly in understanding healthcare accessibility and individual healthcare experiences. Most geographers recognize the multi-dimensionality of accessibility, including distance to provider, cost, provider availability, service accommodation, and service satisfaction. Most accessibility studies have benefited from the increased sophistication of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the availability of geocoded data. Some studies have been enhanced with semi-structured in-depth interviews to understand individual experiences of people as they access healthcare. However, few accessibility studies have explicitly utilized individual in-depth interview data in the construction of new GIS accessibility measures. Using mixed-methods including GIS analysis and individual data from semi-structured in-depth interviews, I offer satisfaction-adjusted distance (SAD) as a new way of conceptualizing accessibility in GIS. Based on my fieldwork in a predominantly lower-income community in Columbus, Ohio, I find that many residents felt neighborhood healthcare facilities offered low-quality care. Such comments suggested residents may have an added psychological distance as they attempt to access high-quality healthcare facilities. The satisfaction-adjusted distance measure, based on individual level data, accounts for the psychological distance some residents feel as they search for high-quality healthcare in urban neighborhoods. In moving beyond conventional GIS and re-conceptualizing accessibility in this way, I offer a more realistic portrayal of the issues lower income urban residents face as they attempt to access high-quality healthcare facilities. The work has theoretical implications for conceptualizing healthcare accessibility, advances the mixed-methodologies literature, and argues for a more equitable distribution of high-quality healthcare services in urban neighborhoods.

Committee: Mei-Po Kwan (Advisor); Darla Munroe (Committee Member); Amy Ferketich (Committee Member); James Beatty (Other) Subjects: Geography