Matching Items (5)
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- All Subjects: homelessness
- Creators: School of Human Evolution and Social Change
Description
In this project we examine the geographical availability of water resources for persons experiencing homelessness in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. Persons experiencing homelessness spend a significant portion of their time outdoors and as such have a higher risk of dehydration, heat-related illness, and heat stress. Our data was collected using archival data, participant- observation, focal follows with water distributors that serve homeless populations, phone and internet surveys with social service providers, and expert interviews with 14 local service providers. We analyzed this data using methods for thematic coding and geospatial analysis. We find that the sources of water and geographic availability vary across the economic sectors of the population and that they become more unconventional and more difficult to access with further isolation. We conclude that many persons who are experience homelessness have inconsistent and unreliable access to water for hydrating, maintaining hygiene, cooking and cleaning for reasons that are largely due to geographic inaccessibility.
ContributorsWarpinski, Chloe Larue (Author) / Wutich, Amber (Thesis director) / Whelan, Mary (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Chronic stress often leads to cognitive deficits, especially within the spatial memory domain mediated by the hippocampus. When chronic stress ends and a no-stress period ensues (i.e., washout, WO), spatial ability improves, which can be better than non-stressed controls (CON). The WO period is often the same duration as the chronic stress paradigm. Given the potential benefit of a post-stress WO period on cognition, it is important to investigate whether this potential benefit of a post-stress WO period has long-lasting effects. In this project, chronic restraint (6hr/d/21d) in Sprague-Dawley rats was used, as it is the minimum duration necessary to observe spatial memory deficits. Two durations of post-stress WO were used following the end of chronic restraint, 3 weeks (STR-WO3) and 6 weeks (STR-WO6). Immediately after chronic stress (STR-IMM) or the WO periods, rats were tested on various cognitive tests. We corroborated past studies that chronic stress impaired spatial memory (STR-IMM vs CON). Interestingly, STR-WO3 and STR-WO6 failed to demonstrate improved spatial memory on a radial arm water maze task, performing similarly as STR-IMM. Performance outcomes were unlikely from differences in anxiety or motivation because rats from all conditions performed similarly on an open field task and on a simple object recognition paradigm, respectively. However, performance on object placement was unusual in that very few rats explored, suggesting some degree of anxiety or fear in all groups. One possible interpretation of the unusual results of the 3 week washout group may be attributed to the different spatial memory tasks used across studies or external factors from the study. Further exploration of these other factors led to the conclusion that they did not play a role and the STR-WO3 RAWM data were anomalous to other studies. This suggests that a washout period following chronic stress may not be fully understood.
ContributorsFlegenheimer, Aaron Embden (Author) / Conrad, Cheryl (Thesis director) / Bimonte-Nelson, Heather (Committee member) / Ortiz, J. Bryce (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Homelessness is a pervasive in American society. The causes of homelessness are complex, but health and homelessness are inextricably linked. Student-run free clinics care for underserved populations, including people experiencing homelessness, but they have multiple agendas—to provide care but also to give students hands-on experience. It is plausible that these two agendas may compete and give patients sub-par quality of care.
This study examines patient care in the SHOW free clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, which serves adults experiencing homelessness. This study asks two questions: First, do clinicians in Phoenix’s SHOW free clinic discuss with patients how to pay for and where to access follow-up services and medications? Second, how do the backgrounds of patients, measured by scales based on the Gelberg-Anderson behavioral model for vulnerable populations, correlate with patient outcomes, including number of unmet needs in clinic, patient satisfaction with care, and patient perceived health status? To answer these questions, structured surveys were administered to SHOW clinic patients at the end of their visits. Results were analyzed using Pearson’s correlations and odds ratios. 21 patients completed the survey over four weeks in February-March 2017. We did not identify any statistically significant correlations between predisposing factors such as severity/duration of homelessness, mental health history, ethnicity, or LGBTQ status and quality of care outcomes. Twenty nine percent of surveyed patients reported having one or more unmet needs following their SHOW clinic visit suggesting an important area for future research. The results from this study indicate that measuring unmet needs is a feasible alternative to patient satisfaction surveys for assessing quality of care in student-run free clinics for homeless populations.
This study examines patient care in the SHOW free clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, which serves adults experiencing homelessness. This study asks two questions: First, do clinicians in Phoenix’s SHOW free clinic discuss with patients how to pay for and where to access follow-up services and medications? Second, how do the backgrounds of patients, measured by scales based on the Gelberg-Anderson behavioral model for vulnerable populations, correlate with patient outcomes, including number of unmet needs in clinic, patient satisfaction with care, and patient perceived health status? To answer these questions, structured surveys were administered to SHOW clinic patients at the end of their visits. Results were analyzed using Pearson’s correlations and odds ratios. 21 patients completed the survey over four weeks in February-March 2017. We did not identify any statistically significant correlations between predisposing factors such as severity/duration of homelessness, mental health history, ethnicity, or LGBTQ status and quality of care outcomes. Twenty nine percent of surveyed patients reported having one or more unmet needs following their SHOW clinic visit suggesting an important area for future research. The results from this study indicate that measuring unmet needs is a feasible alternative to patient satisfaction surveys for assessing quality of care in student-run free clinics for homeless populations.
ContributorsWilson, Ethan Sinead (Author) / Jehn, Megan (Thesis director) / Harrell, Susan (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Since underserved individuals do not have a steady supply of food, this study explored whether their standards of what they view as healthy differs from individuals who can afford a basic living that includes food and shelter. Data collection from surveys provided information to see whether the struggles of obtaining food affects what is perceived as healthy, and whether there is a difference in dietary habits, perception of body image, and self-esteem. Homeless individuals displayed that they were more aware than non-homeless individuals that the food they were consuming was unhealthy. They were also less satisfied with their daily food diet, as most of them wished that they ate greater quantities of certain foods. Their daily food intake did confirm that they consumed more unhealthy food that lacked nutrition compared to non-homeless individuals. They also generally believed that thicker body images were healthier and more attractive compared to non-homeless people who thought that thinner body images were healthier and attractive. Homeless people also generally ranked lower on the body image scale than the image they thought was most desirable and healthy. This revealed a lack of satisfaction with their own current body. Additionally, the self-efficacy score displayed that homeless individuals generally scored lower for their self-esteem level compared to non-homeless people. This demonstrated that their daily struggles and lifestyle impacts their emotions and overall confidence.
ContributorsAhir, Khushbu (Author) / Gaughan, Monica (Thesis director) / Hackman, Joseph (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
With homelessness existing in the complex web of poverty that persists in the living environments that stretch across this nation, it has become incredibly important to understand the intricacies that navigate and perpetuate this in our society. With homelessness being an individual experience of struggle and survival, the current dialogue does not reflect such. The current dialogue communicates homelessness as a shared hardship, a result of similar decisions. Such dialogue has shown to be malevolent and accusatory, as it makes no room to portray the individual experience, and the actual cause and perpetuation of such a living situation. Attached to the concept of homelessness are specific stereotypes, generalizations, and negative assumptions, which go into creating the grounds for biases and stigma that revolve around the image of homelessness. To gauge the current dialogue that exists around homelessness and how this dialogue is internalized, one-on-one interviews were conducted. These interviews produced narratives that were pieced together to present a more inclusive, understanding, and holistic dialogue around the concept and human experience of homelessness, and poverty altogether. These narratives reveal the flaws and social injustices that are posed by the current dialogue, and further provide the necessary pieces to improve such conversations. In transforming the current dialogue, the human experience of homelessness can be greater understood and, therefore, redefine the vitality of a shared humanity.
ContributorsKiermayr, Hannah Theresa (Author) / Sandoval, Mathew (Thesis director) / Cruz-Torres, Maria (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12