Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2016, Sociology

For decades the study of unemployment has been dominated by psychologists and economists and has largely been overlooked by sociologists. When the world economy entered a period of prolonged economic decline in the fall of 2007, this began to change. During this period many workers found themselves facing extreme economic hardship as they were involuntarily unemployed for extended periods of time. Yet even as the Great Recession forced sociologists to rediscover the topic of unemployment, most of this research followed the traditions set forth by economists and psychologists by focusing on macro-level factors associated with the decline or the psychological responses of unemployed workers. While this research is important, it provides little insight into the lived experiences of unemployed workers and their families. In the following paper I begin addressing this gap by utilizing qualitative methods to explore the lived experiences of unemployed and underemployed workers during two of the most devastating economic collapses in U.S. history: the Great Depression and the Great Recession. Data on the experiences of workers during the Great Recession come from eighty-four semi-structured interviews with displaced workers in Columbus, OH conducted between 2012 and 2013. In contrast, the experiences of unemployed workers during the Great Depression are explored using research conducted by E. Wight Bakke and his team during the 1930s. The current analysis focuses primarily on the material responses of workers during both periods. Material responses are conceptualized as the strategies individuals and families employ in order to maintain their standard of living in the face of economic hardship. Given the substantial technological, industrial, and institutional changes that have occurred since the start of the Great Depression, one would expect there to be significant differences in the material responses of workers during both periods. Yet, the current analysis discovers t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Steven Lopez (Advisor); Rachel Dwyer (Committee Member); Vincent Roscigno (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Research; Sociology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2008, Psychology/Clinical

The present research used a network approach to examine critical emergency response networks in a university community. The research identified the organizations of three different sectors of response efforts to disasters (Public Health, Public Safety, and Communication), how resources have been utilized by network organizations in the past, and how these network organizations may communicate with each other during times of disaster. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with key informants from 30 unit to assess each unit's previous disaster response experience, their formal and informal contacts within the universitycommunity, and their perceived capacity for response to potential future disasters of varying severity. Interconnections among units were determined through a network analysis to provide a picture of existing ties. The results of the network analysis suggest that, in every sector of disaster response, networks could be strengthened by formal recognition of centralized organization for response efforts, increased connectedness between organizations, and coordination of services. Network analysis is a valuable tool for determining the structure of response systems in a university setting.

Committee: Catherine Stein PhD (Advisor); Jennifer Gillespie PhD (Committee Member); William O'Brien PhD (Committee Member); Craig Vickio PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Area Planning and Development; Behaviorial Sciences; Communication; Community Colleges; Economics; Education; Health; Health Care; Health Education; Higher Education; Information Systems; Mental Health; Occupational Psychology; Occupational Safety; Orga

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2023, Civil Engineering (Engineering and Technology)

In recent decades, turbo roundabouts have gained popularity in Netherlands and various European countries. However, in the U.S., this form of roundabout is only recently starting to be considered as a viable option for managing traffic control at intersections. More importantly because multilane roundabouts – which are currently deemed safe and efficient – when compared to other intersection control types, are exhibiting safety concerns associated with driver navigational properties. Based on the experiences in Europe, turbo roundabouts demonstrate the potential to reduce (or eliminate) the safety concerns associated with multilane roundabouts. Though, in order to implement turbo roundabouts in the U.S., there is need to start by assessing their feasibility based not only on traffic conditions (micro/macro-simulation approaches) but also on the drivers' ability to navigate them safely – the U.S. driver population is only just getting accustomed to navigating through single and/or multi-roundabouts with a large number still exhibiting unfamiliar navigational behaviors. The overall goal of the research in this thesis is to investigate the feasibility of turbo roundabouts as an intersection treatment – more so, to collect and analyze human factors data and gain an understanding from the U.S. driver's perspective. This research aims to gain insight on driver behaviors, including their preferences and factors that are likely to influence navigation through turbo roundabouts in the U.S. Hence this thesis presents a driving simulator-based study to collect data on driver behavior when driving through different roundabouts and concludes with the main findings and their implications for the implementation of the turbo roundabout. Qualified participants were recruited to complete survey questionnaires prior to – and post-driving in a high-fidelity driving simulator. Data collected from both driving simulation and survey responses were analyzed to obtain a wide variety of insi (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Bhaven Naik (Advisor); Charlie Morgan (Committee Member); Felipe Aros-Vera (Committee Member); Deborah McAvoy (Committee Member) Subjects: Civil Engineering

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2022, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Increased school shootings and various issues with school safety across the country have brought the need for schools to discuss how they will protect their pupils and staff. As school safety measures increase to include active shooter drills, high-tech equipment, school resource officers (SROs), armed teachers, and social workers, the entire school community is tasked to find the most productive and cost-efficient solution. The pros and cons of investing in various proactive measures are weighed out in the local media, at the state department of education level, and on a national level too. The current mixed-methods investigation focuses on the perspectives of 18 total SROs, administrators, teachers, and recent graduates on school safety and arming teachers. The participants were located in rural, suburban, and urban school districts. Data was collected via QMethod Software. Results indicate that most participants' perspectives were identified in one of two factors. Qualitative follow-up questions demonstrated emerging themes regarding school safety concerns, the arming of teachers, the impact on learning for students housed in classrooms with armed teachers, how to ensure safety for everyone, physical safety measures within schools, and mental health resources situated in schools. Results from the current investigation can inform school officials and school communities on viewpoints of who should carry weapons at school, the impact of carrying a weapon on a child's education, and if school personnel need further information on the physical safety measures and mental health resources located within their districts.

Committee: Karen Larwin Ph.D. (Advisor); Patrick Spearman Ph.D. (Committee Member); Sherri Harper Woods D.M. (Committee Member); Kenneth Miller Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Public Policy; Teacher Education

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2022, Food Science and Technology

Foodborne illnesses pose a serious threat to public health and despite efforts to minimize the number of deaths and illnesses, it remains an issue. Current detection methods for food pathogens are often limited in their speed and ability to distinguish live and inactivated microbes, making it crucial to study new technologies for rapid detection. The current study utilized a metabolomics approach involving nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to identify two common food microbial species by measuring their small molecule (metabolite) profiles. The expected outcome of this study was to determine differences in microbial profiles depending on the initial cell count, including a sensitivity test of the lowest cell number that can be efficiently detected by the employed NMR metabolomics approach. The long-term goal of this study is to identify biomarkers of microbial growth and translate this information into laboratory, and food safety practices. Microbes, Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium were incubated at starting concentrations of 10^6, 10^4, 10^2, and 10^1 colony forming units (CFU/ml). The bacteria culture was prepared in Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB), the cell pellets were washed, the cell density was adjusted to 10^8 CFU/mL, diluted, and then incubated for 4 hours in a new, in-house developed, protein-free medium. The medium was then filtrated and prepared for NMR measurement. 1D 1H NOESY and 2D 1H-13C HSQC spectra were recorded on an 850 MHz spectrometer equipped with a triple-resonance cryoprobe, automatic sample changer, and z-gradients. Spectra were binned and then analyzed with an untargeted approach using Student's t-tests to find metabolites that changed compared to pure growth medium. P-values were corrected for multiple testing using False Discovery Rate controlling. Metabolites in the spectra were identified using online databases. The results showed that multiple metabolite signals changed significantly after m (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Matthias Klein (Advisor); Ahmed Yousef (Committee Member); Jiyoung Lee (Committee Member) Subjects: Food Science; Microbiology

Master of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 2021, Public Health

In production industries, such as aquaculture, there is a lack of invertebrate animal regulation, even with the Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), which accounts for over $200 million in business for the United States. To Louisiana, crayfish are not only a crucial part of their rich culture, but also an important aspect of their aquaculture industry. Despite this, limited knowledge is available about the potential risks associated with eating farm-raised crayfish in the United States. Current food safety guidance lacks the information specific to crayfish populations within the United States allowing for the correct identification of potential hazards. In addition to food safety, biosecurity and biosafety practices associated with crayfish used in laboratory animal settings are limited. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the specific zoonotic pathogens present on Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) from the southeastern part of the United States, Alabama & Louisiana, and determine the effectiveness of pathogen reduction in traditional food preparation techniques. Crayfish and their shipping containers were sampled for the presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio spp. Additional subsets of crayfish were dissected to look for Paragonimus kellicotti. Vibrio was the most prevalent bacteria cultured. One hundred percent of samples collected from live crayfish (60/60) and 81% of all environmental samples (13/16) resulted in characteristic growth. Additionally, only 5% (3/60) samples grew characteristic E. coli colonies. It was also found that traditional cooking techniques were effective in reducing pathogen load in crayfish. One hundred percent (10/10) of live crayfish samples taken before boiling returned characteristic growth of Vibrio, while 10% (1/10) of boiled unseasoned crayfish samples grew minimally characteristic colonies. The remaining zoonotic pathogens, P. kellicotti, Salmonella, and S. aureus were not (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Thomas Wittum (Advisor); Raphael Malbrue (Committee Member); Antoinette Marsh (Committee Member); Jennifer Hefner (Committee Member) Subjects: Microbiology; Public Health; Veterinary Services

Master of Science in Engineering, University of Akron, 2021, Civil Engineering

Traffic safety is a continued concern among numerous agencies in the United States. Traffic safety agencies at the national and state level have made it their priority to decrease the number of traffic related fatalities and injuries each year. In order to see a decrease in the number of traffic related fatalities and injuries each year, grant money is applied to programs that are developed around traffic education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency medical services. These traffic safety agencies coordinate with one another to identify the key traffic related problem areas for which to apply the grant money. After reviewing the applicable criteria for developing the Highway Safety Plan, it was determined that the traffic safety problem identification procedure used to allocated traffic safety resources could be enhanced. Multiple methods were reviewed to analyze the accuracy and efficiency of traffic safety problem identification. These methods were applied to a case study to test the transferability of these problem identification methods. The research team found that the newly developed problem identification methodology may be used at a state level as well as a county level to identify traffic safety problems and problem areas for which resources should be allocated to improve traffic safety.

Committee: William Schneider Dr. (Advisor); David Roke Dr. (Committee Member); Teresa Cutright Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Civil Engineering; Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Political Science

Police professionalization programs commensurate with the Security Sector Reform (SSR) agenda have gained prominence as part of the international aid agenda and plays a role in NATO and E.U. membership criteria, IMF loans, and U.N. peacekeeping programs. Nonetheless, few studies have considered the impact of SSR on the policing of free expression around the world. I argue that transnational police professionalization commensurate with SSR governance unintentionally empowers police to target protesters abroad. Professionalization promotes a rational-legal model of governing that depoliticizes contentious questions, creates distance between professionals and consumers, and distorts professional roles. Transnational professionalization exacerbates these concerns, as it separates professionalizers from local constituencies and ensnares professionalization programs in global biases and misconceptions. The particular distortions of transnational police professionalization can be seen in three ways. First, transnational police advisors teach police to be “non-political” while providing deeply political methods to sort proper versus improper protests. Second, reformers portray any lawlessness as a prelude to state failure, framing any form of public dissent as catastrophic. Third, reformers transfer potentially dangerous policing technologies abroad with little regulation. This dissertation utilizes an original dataset of OECD and U.S. Department of Defense/Department of State programming to trace the spread and impact of the SSR regime around the world. I also genealogically trace the development of the SSR regime using archival resources from the Cold War and the Post-Cold War. These findings highlight the dangers of transnational police training – as professionalization often empowers police in relation to other actors. Future police training programs must therefore foreground the political nature of police as well as the political nature of police professionalization pr (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Alexander Wendt (Advisor); Jennifer Mitzen (Committee Member); Christopher Gelpi (Committee Member) Subjects: Political Science

Doctor of Nursing Practice , Case Western Reserve University, 2020, School of Nursing

Problem: With growing evidence of the benefits of physical activity and risks associated with physical inactivity, there has been increased focus on implementation of policy, standards, and evidence-based interventions to promote physical activity of Americans. In response to Hardin County physical activity statistics, national health goals, and as part of the Ohio Maternal Child Health (MCH) activity/nutrition grant, an innovative family bike program was developed and implemented in Summer 2018. Providing education and practice on safe biking, bike maintenance, and nutrition as well as providing safe bike equipment may decrease barriers to biking and increase rates of bicycling and, subsequently, physical activity among participants. Aims: The purpose of this scholarly project was to evaluate the effect of the Kenton Hardin County Family Bike Program (KHCFBP) on the participants' bike safety knowledge, bike helmet use, bike riding, and physical activity. Methods: This evaluation project was a descriptive, correlational design of pre-existing, de-identified data and part of a larger program evaluation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health (CDC, 1999) provided the framework for this study. The sample for this scholarly project included all participants (July, n = 30; August, n = 22) who completed the KHCFBP. Measurable outcomes of the program were change in bike riding frequency, walking frequency, bike helmet use, and bike safety knowledge following participation in the KHCFBP. Pertinent Findings: Both July and August participants' reported bike helmet use and total bike riding hours significantly increased following the KHCFBP. Participant bike safety knowledge and total physical activity hours increased following the KHCFBP. July participants' bike safety knowledge and total physical activity hours significantly increased. Conclusion: This scholarly project provides evidence that com (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Deborah Lindell (Committee Chair); Jesse Honsky (Committee Member); Keller Cynthia (Committee Member) Subjects: Health; Health Care; Nursing; Public Health

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2019, Industrial and Systems Engineering (Engineering and Technology)

A rise in sexual violent crime at Ohio University led to this study. The purpose of this study is to analyze and determine potential associations between Ohio University students' perception of risk based on crime and lighting levels on campus, so that recommendations can be made to improve campus safety. Results from the analysis indicated that individuals related lighting levels to perceived safety but were unable to specify a crime area according to perceived risk. Recommendations include investigating lighting levels for pathways that are well traveled as well as considering other solutions preferred by students. These solutions could include a safety app that would document crime areas on campus, a nightly chaperon service, and self-defense classes for students are also recommended.

Committee: Diana Schwerha (Advisor); Dale Masel (Committee Member); Tim Ryan (Committee Member); Dean Bruckner (Committee Member) Subjects: Engineering; Industrial Engineering; Occupational Safety

Master of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 2017, Public Health

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern in human and animal medicine and threatens public health on a global scale. Beef cattle are a reservoir of Salmonella and have been implicated in foodborne outbreaks of AMR Salmonella in the U.S. Understanding trends in AMR and factors which affect resistance to medically important antibiotics in beef cattle is vital to animal and human health. The USDA's National Animal Health Monitoring System administered farm management questionnaires to beef feedlots in major cattle-feeding states around the U.S. and collected fecal samples from 100 feedlots in 1994, 73 feedlots in 1999, and 68 feedlots in 2011 for pathogen and AMR testing. The objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate change in the prevalence of AMR in Salmonella over time from USDA beef feedlot studies conducted in 1994, 1999, and 2011 and 2) to explore farm management factors, including antibiotic use, associated with the odds of AMR in a Salmonella isolate. Logistic regression models were created for each of four antibiotics: amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, ceftiofur, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Final models were selected via backward elimination to measure statistical associations between management factors and odds of a Salmonella isolate being resistant to the antibiotic. There was a significant increase in odds of resistance from 1994 to 1999 for all four antibiotics, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (OR=32.6), ampicillin (OR=6.1), ceftiofur (OR=115.4), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (OR=17.4). Isolates from 1999 had significantly higher odds of resistance compared with isolates from 2011 for amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (OR=3.8) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (OR=35.0). Use of antibiotics tylosin, tetracyclines, and sulfas as health or production management tools did not approach significance (p=0.20) in any of the four models. Management practices associated with increased odds of resistance to at least one antimicrobial included: (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Gregory Habing DVM, MS, PhD (Advisor); Thomas Wittum MS, PhD (Committee Member); Michael Pennell PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Agriculture; Animal Diseases; Public Health; Statistics; Veterinary Services

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2012, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture

Public housing is often insensitive to the needs of its occupants due to architectural design processes which exclude the urban poor. Housing, as a typology, has yet to respond to the growing number of single parent families. In 2009, 26 percent of US children lived in a family headed by a single female. This project seeks to elaborate on principles of design to provide a higher quality of life for the households of single parent families living in public housing. Unlike other housing typologies, public housing possesses the unique ability to assign families to specific environments. This is an attribute not fully recognized or appreciated by local housing authorities. Children need different environments at different ages in order to develop and flourish optimally. As easily as children could be assigned to an appropriate environment, they are usually assigned to ill-suited environments, which have impacted them in ways still not fully understood or evaluated. Additionally, it is in the best interests of the local housing authorities (which generally own these buildings) to have public housing designs that are durable, low maintenance and spatially flexible. While this project does not aim to fix the social problems associated with public housing, it does aim to challenge the negative perceptions associated with public housing and create a supportive environment for the children living in single parent families.

Committee: Jeffrey Tilman PhD (Committee Chair); John Eliot Hancock MARCH (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2009, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning

HOPE VI developments are supposed to replace distressed public housing developments with attractive mixed-income developments. A vital factor to the success of any HOPE VI development is its attractiveness to middle-income households. The literature suggests that this group will avoid living in high crime areas, in which HOPE VI developments are typically located. Therefore, to make HOPE VI sites attractive to the middle-income households, HOPE VI developers need to coordinate their efforts with local law enforcement to change the perception of that the site is located in a high crime area. This case study on Cincinnati's HOPE VI project, City West, investigates how a public housing authority and its HOPE VI developer coordinated their efforts to achieve community safety.

Committee: Dr. David P. Varady PhD (Committee Chair); Dr. Xinhao Wang PhD (Committee Member); Ms. Stephanie Sweeney MCP (Committee Member) Subjects: Criminology; Sociology; Urban Planning

Master of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 2010, Public Health

The Vietnamese dairy industry is a relatively new, rapidly changing system that has offered significant benefits to individual farmers. Because different areas in Vietnam have varying types of opportunities and constraints, farmers face unique challenges in their respective regions of the country. The objective of this study was to describe dairy farms in Vinh Thinh commune, Vinh Phuc province, in order to determine the needs and challenges pertaining to public health of dairy farms in this area. A randomly selected sample size of 25% (31/125) of the farms in Vinh Thinh commune was chosen for this study. Interviews were conducted in July and August of 2007. The questionnaire contained forty-nine questions in the following five categories: general information, veterinary care, milking routine, animal husbandry and worker hygiene. Twenty to thirty minute oral interviews were conducted in Vietnamese and responses were recorded on the questionnaire by staff of the National Institute of Veterinary Research (NIVR). Farms in Vinh Thinh commune were relatively new (mean = 6 years old) with somewhat inexperienced dairy farmers. Farms were small (mean= 4.6 cows/farm), producing moderate amounts of milk per cow (average of 15.2 kg/cow/d), and yet were also the main source of income for 96.8% of farmers. Regarding animal health and hygiene measures of public health concern, 40% or fewer farmers screened their animals for important milkborne pathogens such as Tuberculosis, Brucellosis and Leptospirosis; 6.5% of farmers reported using the California Mastitis Test; and 61.3% of farmers regularly practiced post-milking teat-dipping of their dairy cows. This study reveals the following needs of farmers in this region of Vinh Phuc province: additional education in the areas of animal hygiene and disease prevention, consistency in farmer implementations of hygiene practices, a greater availability and/or utilization of veterinary care and the need to determine further barriers to (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Armando Hoet DVM, PhD (Advisor); Thomas Wittum MS, PhD (Committee Member); Mary Ellen Wewers MS, MPH, PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Agriculture; Animal Diseases; Livestock; Public Health; Veterinary Services

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2009, Human and Community Resource Development

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that affects the human central nervous system. The drug possesses an extensive U.S. history because of the ability to produce the drug in clandestine laboratories using common household chemicals. Methamphetamine has remained a threat despite the changing landscape in use, distribution, and production: and presidential initiatives to combat the drug; media coverage and depictions in entertainment; prevention education; and policy legislation.The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of methamphetamine, the role of the media, and the need for prevention and safety education through survey methodology that employed a mixed-mode approach of an online and mail questionnaire. The study focused on a random sample of U.S. states (N = 44) and the Extension Directors (EDs) within each state (N = 207). A 70% response rate was received (n = 134). Findings revealed that 11% of EDs reported they had received methamphetamine user prevention training and 23% had received safety training. EDs who had prior training perceived their knowledge higher than those without prior use training, with a large effect (d = .72). Also, EDs who had prior methamphetamine safety training perceived their knowledge higher than those without prior user training, with a large effect (d = .93). Males perceived themselves as more knowledgeable about methamphetamine with a small effect (d = .35). Yet, females perceived methamphetamine education as more important with a medium effect (d = .44). EDs who had high or medium community involvement perceived their knowledge as higher than those with low or no community involvement with a small effect (f = .09). The Midwest, West, and South regions perceived their knowledge of methamphetamine higher than the Northeast region, with a medium effect (f = .29). The Midwest, West, and Northeast regions perceived the importance of methamphetamine education as higher than the South region, with a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Larry Miller (Advisor); Joe Donnermeyer (Committee Member); Scott Scheer (Committee Member) Subjects: Agricultural Education; Communication; Education; Health Education; Journalism; Mass Media; Public Health; Sociology

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2013, Civil Engineering (Engineering and Technology)

While the number of fatal crashes occurring in work zones has been declining over the last few years, work zone safety is still considered to be a nationwide priority. Recently, a work zone safety campaign consisting primarily of billboard advertisements was found to be ineffective. Thus, a two-phase study was performed to determine how the billboards could be improved to communicate more effectively the campaign's safety message to the public. The first phase consisted of a public opinion survey designed to determine the preferred background and text color combination for the advertisement. Survey responses were evaluated through statistical analyses and a yellow background with black text is recommended for use in future campaign billboards. The second phase consisted of a driving simulator study to examine the slogans and graphics used in the advertisement along with the placement and orientation of the billboard with respect to the driver. Driving performance and glance behaviors of the participants were monitored throughout the simulated drive to determine what effect the billboards had on their behavior. Based on statistical analyses of driving performance, no elements of the billboard advertisements were found to improve safety on the roadway. Glance behaviors were found to be significantly impacted by the presence of an advertisement, but were not impacted by any particular element. Furthermore, as drivers made long glances to the billboards their ability to maintain lane position was negatively impacted. Ultimately, billboard advertisements should be used alongside other approaches to improve work zone safety through an effective campaign.

Committee: Deborah McAvoy Ph.D., P.E., PTOE (Advisor) Subjects: Civil Engineering; Transportation