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- Creators: College of Health Solutions
- Creators: Boby, Maria
Bridging social capital describes the diffusion of information across networks built between individuals of different social identities. This project aims to understand if the bridging ties of economic connectedness (EC), measured by data from Facebook friends and calculated as the average share of high socioeconomic status friends that an individual from a low socioeconomic status has, can be a predictor of variations in COVID-19 infection risk across Arizona ZIP code tabulation areas (ZCTAs). Economic connectedness values across Arizona ZCTAs was examined in addition to the correlation of EC to various social and demographic factors such as age, sex, race and ethnicity, educational background, income, and health insurance coverage. A multiple linear regression model was conducted to examine the association of EC to biweekly COVID-19 growth rate from October 2020 to November 2021, and to examine the longitudinal trends in the association between these two factors. The study found that the bridging ties of economic connectedness has a significant effect size comparable to that of other demographic features, and has implications in being used to identify vulnerabilities and health disparities in communities during the pandemic.
For most women, pregnancy is the period in which they will have more interaction with the healthcare field than any other period in their lives. The quality and accessibility of obstetric care varies greatly throughout the United States, and health disparities in this field have the largest impact on African American women. Black mothers in the U.S. are three to four times more likely than white mothers to die as a result of pregnancy related complications. The increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality seen in the African American population is largely due to preventable causes. This thesis project includes three case studies which analyze the most prevalent and preventable sources of health disparity affecting Black mothers: preeclampsia, hemorrhage, and cesarean section. Possible solutions to each of these disparities are explored on an individual, institutional, and societal scale.
Individuals that align and identify themselves as part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) Community, often face discrimination and bias from within the healthcare system that prevent them from receiving adequate patient knowledge, tailored and beneficial healthcare, as well as social support when seeking treatment for conditions that may at times, be more persistent within the community. Examples of these holes within the healthcare system include a lack of culturally competent and appropriate care for those in the community, access to affordable treatments, and other unique health needs.
Consequently, as a minority group these members face social and environmental factors that contribute to their overall wellbeing and health, and therefore training and education need to be implemented for future and current healthcare providers to assess, recognize and acknowledge these varying factors and how they contribute to a patient’s overall wellbeing.