Chapter 21- Mentoring Graduate Underrepresented Minorities in STEM

In this chapter, we discuss high-impact mentoring practices for graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We make a case for inclusive and assets/strengths-based mentoring approaches as a strategy for increasing the number of doctoral degrees awarded to historically underrepresented minorities (i.e., Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders); improving their levels of satisfaction with doctoral programs and reducing the notoriously extended time to the PhD that they endure. We offer two examples of national programs committed to promoting graduate student success through professional development and mentoring strategies in which instrumental support, sponsorship, psychological support, and access to funding play key roles. We also summarize relevant aspects of assessing a mentorship project and highlight the culture of an institution with sustainable mentoring practices. We conclude with recommendations and provide additional perspective on the need for scaling up the replication of evidence-based practices through effective activities such as mentorship workshops for faculty

The effects of religious references on identity salience and social behaviors

In the aftermath of 9/11 and other terrorist attacks on U.S. soil (e.g., the Boston bombings) researchers began to empirically investigate the conditions under which religion can lead to supporting or committing violence. The contradictory findings for the effects of religious references on both positive and negative behavior call for a closer examination of individual or contextual factors that influence the effect of religion on social behaviors. To address these contradictory findings and to identify the underlying mechanism involved, Study 1 examined the extent to which god-related or church-related religious references impact the salience of individual or group identities. Study 2 served two goals: (1) to test the extent exposure to religious references increases self-ratings of attitude certainty and ratings of the extent to which one\u27s stance is the correct stance (2) to test under what conditions the influence of religious references will lead to increased support for collective action or over-claiming of religious knowledge. Results suggest that religious references, in general, produce greater group identity salience. The current research develops our understanding of how religion influences individuals\u27 engagement in social behaviors. Specifically, we have now identified group identity salience as one mechanism through which religion may influence social behaviors

The Effect of Religious References on Identity Salience and Social Behaviors

In the aftermath of 9/11 and other terrorist attacks on U.S. soil (e.g., the Boston bombings) researchers began to empirically investigate the conditions under which religion can lead to supporting or committing violence. The contradictory findings for the effects of religious references on both positive and negative behavior call for a closer examination of individual or contextual factors that influence the effect of religion on social behaviors. To address these contradictory findings and to identify the underlying mechanism involved, Study 1 examined the extent to which god-related or church-related religious references impact the salience of individual or group identities. Study 2 served two goals: (1) to test the extent exposure to religious references increases self-ratings of attitude certainty and ratings of the extent to which one\u27s stance is the correct stance (2) to test under what conditions the influence of religious references will lead to increased support for collective action or over-claiming of religious knowledge. Results suggest that religious references, in general, produce greater group identity salience. The current research develops our understanding of how religion influences individuals\u27 engagement in social behaviors. Specifically, we have now identified group identity salience as one mechanism through which religion may influence social behaviors

The effect of religious imagery on following suggestions for risk-taking

Events such as 9/11 show that religion can be used to promote negative social behavior. The aim of the current study was to test whether religious imagery leads individuals to follow suggestions for increased risk-taking behaviors. The current study used culturally relevant positive and negative religious imagery primes (i.e., Virgin de Guadalupe and Santa Muerte) as well as positive and negative non- religious imagery primes (i.e., Frida Kahlo and La Malinche) and measured the extent to which individuals followed a confederate\u27s suggestions to engage in risky behaviors on a Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). Individuals varied in the number of over inflations on the BART (our measure of risk) as a function of confederate suggestion and religious versus non-religious imagery. As predicted, the effect for confederate suggestion led to greater increased risk taking in the religious imagery condition than in the non-religious imagery condition. The findings have important implications for current narco-terrorism in Ciudad Juarez, and in other locations where terrorists use religious imagery to manipulate gang members. The findings demonstrate that when individuals are exposed to religious concepts, they are more susceptible to the influence of others to engage in risky behaviors

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Acceptability in Hispanic Males Living on the U.S./Mexico Border

© The Author(s) 2020. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, and the prevalence rate of infections is approximately 79 million. Research investigating HPV vaccine acceptability has primarily focused on female populations. The current study investigates factors associated with HPV vaccine acceptability in an underrepresented population within the literature, Hispanic males. Ninety-seven male participants (Mage = 21.68 years; SD = 3.97) were recruited from a large urban university along the U.S./Mexico border to complete a 15- to 20-minute survey. More than half of the sample reported to have had a sexual experience within the past 12 months and a fifth of these participants reported that they never use protection such as condoms. Furthermore, about half of the sample reported that they did not receive the HPV vaccine or were unaware if they received the HPV vaccine. A strong correlation emerged between individual vaccine risk perceptions and family vaccine risk perceptions (r =.82; p \u3c.001). The following factors emerged as predictors of vaccine acceptability: having recommendations from health care providers, having a family with positive attitudes toward vaccines, and having a family that perceives less risks associated with vaccines. Implications of the findings are discussed

Influenza and Intentions to Vaccinate in an Underserved Hispanic Population: The Role of Theoretically Derived Constructs

© The Author(s) 2018. Background: Past research has focused on understanding influenza vaccine acceptance in non-Hispanic white populations; however, research on the social causes of influenza vaccine acceptance rates in Hispanic populations is slowly developing. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess theoretically driven predictors (i.e. attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, etc.) on influenza and the intention to vaccinate. Methods: A survey was administered to assess predictors of intentions to receive the influenza vaccine. The survey included items adapted from the National Flu Survey. Results: Key constructs common in models of health behaviors emerged as predictors of behavioral intentions to receive the flu vaccine. Recent vaccination within the past year (P \u3c 0.001), perceived effectiveness of the flu vaccine (P \u3c 0.004), and perceived safety of the flu vaccine (P = 0.009) were predictors of intentions to vaccinate. Exploratory analyses revealed that government distrust was a statistically significant predictor of intentions to vaccinate (P = 0.044). Conclusion: The above results have important implications for health-care providers and public health educators. The better we understand the relationship between theoretically driven predictors and vaccine behaviors, the more educators and health-care providers can focus on meaningful, culturally sensitive, targeted-vaccine education

Identifying opportunities for PharmD curricular reform by surveying oncology pharmacists about career preparedness and exposure

© 2019 Elsevier Inc. Introduction: The primary objective of the study was to assess factors that predict pursuit of an oncology post-graduate year 2 (PGY-2) residency. Additional objectives included identifying the role of and exploring opportunities for PharmD curricula to increase student interest in the oncology field. Methods: An anonymous 15-minute survey was developed and administered to oncology pharmacists and residents. Study participants were included if they were actively practicing as clinical pharmacists in an oncology setting in the US, maintained an active pharmacist license, and \u3e18 years of age. Responses were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. All results are reported in aggregate, with the exception of quotes obtained from open-ended responses. Results: Eighty participants were included in analyses. After controlling for variance due to age, sex, race, years of practice, the number of oncology advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) correlated with pursuit of a PGY-2 residency in oncology (p = 0.047). Additionally, participants\u27 perceived level of preparedness from didactic oncology training predicted pursuit of an oncology PGY-2 residency (p = 0.002). Emerging themes in pursuing oncology from open-ended items revealed that inclusion of supportive care in the didactic curriculum and having a family member or friend diagnosed with cancer were important factors. Additionally, participants\u27 responses regarding PharmD curricula included recommendations to inform didactic and experiential education. Conclusions: The results support the need for reevaluation of oncology education in PharmD curricula. Further studies could explore specific aspects of didactic curriculum that impact the level of student preparedness, and which elements encourage a student pharmacist to seek further training in the oncology field