Examining the Engagement of Transfer Students in Texas Universities

The success of transfer students plays a critical role in improving the baccalaureate attainment rates of undergraduates attending 4-year higher education institutions in Texas; however, current indicators suggest transfer students have lower persistence and graduation rates relative to students who begin and complete their college education at one university (i.e., non-transfer students). Additionally, the research literature indicates a link between degree completion and engagement; however, transfer students are reported to be less engaged and less likely to persist than their counterparts. This quantitative study compared the engagement experiences of 2-year transfers, 4-year transfers, swirl transfer, and non-transfers by using National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) 2008 data to determine if there are any differences among these groups, and if these differences persist after controlling for individual and institutional covariates. the sample consisted of 2,000 seniors attending 4-year higher education institutions in Texas. the engagement scores of each group were compared using a multivariate analysis (MANOVA). This study found non-transfers were more engaged than each type of transfer student on Student-Faculty Interaction and Supportive Campus Environment factors; moreover, these differences generally persisted after controlling for residence, enrollment status, and institutional control (i.e., public vs. private).The data indicated no difference among the three transfer sub-groups for any of the engagement variables, which suggests their engagement experiences were similar. This research suggests that efforts to increase the participation and success rates of Texans, particularly those described as transfers, may be informed by how students perceive their engagement experiences; consequently, institutions may consider modifying and implementing policies that promote student participation in educationally purposeful activities leading to persistence and graduation

Challenges and Considerations Related to Studying Dementia in Blacks/African Americans

Blacks/African Americans have been reported to be ~2–4 times more likely to develop clinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared to Whites. Unfortunately, study design challenges (e.g., recruitment bias), racism, mistrust of healthcare providers and biomedical researchers, confounders related to socioeconomic status, and other sources of bias are often ignored when interpreting differences in human subjects categorized by race. Failure to account for these factors can lead to misinterpretation of results, reification of race as biology, discrimination, and missed or delayed diagnoses. Here we provide a selected historical background, discuss challenges, present opportunities, and suggest considerations for studying health outcomes among racial/ethnic groups. We encourage neuroscientists to consider shifting away from using biologic determination to interpret data, and work instead toward a paradigm of incorporating both biological and socio-environmental factors known to affect health outcomes with the goal of understanding and improving dementia treatments for Blacks/African Americans and other underserved populations

Racial differences in smoking abstinence rates in a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial in the United States

Background: This study evaluates differences in smoking abstinence between white and minority smokers using pharmaceutical aids. Methods: This is an analysis of data from a multi-center, randomized, clinical trial conducted in the United States. Of the 1,684 subjects randomized to one of three medications (nicotine inhaler, bupropion, or a combination of both), 60% were women and 10% were minority races. Results: Factors associated with a decreased likelihood of smoking at 12 weeks were older age (OR = 0.971, p\u3c 0.0001), being married (OR = 0.678, p= 0.0029), using bupropion SR (OR = 0.480, p∈\u3c∈0.0001), and using combination therapy (OR = 0.328, p∈\u3c∈0.0001). Factors associated with an increased likelihood of smoking were higher tobacco dependence scores (OR = 1.244, p \u3c 0.0001), prior quit attempts (OR = 1.812, p=0.004), and being a minority (OR = 1.849, p=0.0083). Compared to white smokers, minority smokers were significantly older at time of study entry (46 vs. 42 years, p\u3c 0.0001), less likely to be married (35% vs. 59%, p\u3c 0.0001), older at smoking initiation (21 vs. 19 years of age, p\u3c 0.0001), and had a lower abstinence rate (16% vs. 26%, p=0.0065). Conclusion: Regardless of the treatment used, minority smokers in the US have lower smoking abstinence after treatment for tobacco dependence. Future research should focus on the improvement in treatment strategies for minority smokers

Photon emission from massive projectile impacts on solids

International audienc

Exploring the association of John Henry active coping and education on smoking behavior and nicotine dependence among Blacks in the USA

Although smoking is used as a coping tool in response to stress and Blacks have been found to report smoking more in response to stress than Whites, little research exists that has examined ethno-culturally specific constructs of stress and coping as they relate to smoking behavior and nicotine dependence among Blacks in the USA. This study explored the association between the ethno-culturally interactively defined construct of John Henryism, as well as the individual contributions of John Henry active coping and education on smoking behavior and nicotine dependence in a relatively urban-Midwestern Black population. Self-identified Black patients (n=146) who had previously received a clinical intervention for nicotine dependence were followed to assess smoking status and John Henry active coping. Results revealed that patients with low levels of education who had low levels of John Henry active coping reported higher nicotine dependence scores than any other education by John Henry active coping group. Furthermore, low levels of John Henry active coping were associated with the use of menthol cigarettes and lower-educational level was associated with smoking greater than 20 cigarettes per day. Further community-based studies examining this construct among Black smokers in various socio-cultural contexts are needed to clarify the association between John Henry active coping and socioeconomic status on smoking behavior and nicotine dependence among Blacks.John Henry active coping Smoking Blacks Nicotine dependence USA