THE EFFECT OF FEMALE MANAGERS ON MUTUAL FUND PERFORMANCE DURING DOWN MARKETS

Women in the finance industry have long been underrepresented. The mutual fund industry is no exception, with female managers in the United States falling stagnant at only 11% from 2000 to 2019. Given this low and stagnant number, this study seeks to understand if female managers impact mutual fund performance, specifically comparing down and up market periods. The data for this research was compiled from individual US mutual fund prospectus and fact sheet information in order to create a unique dataset containing the returns for every year between 2000 and 2019 as well as gender make-up, average experience, and team size of each management team. The funds in this data set include equity, fixed income, and blended portfolios. It is necessary to understand the performance of mutual funds as despite their continual underperformance in comparison to other actively managed investment classes, they remain a large industry. This study finds that gender is not a cause of this underperformance and therefore not a rational component for deciding management team makeup. These findings are consistent with previous literature that found no impact on performance due to gender in European equity mutual funds

America\u27s Best Idea: Settler Colonialism and Recognition In The United States National Park Service Website

By examining closely how the National Park Service misrepresents their history and current relationships with Indigenous communities I work to demonstrate the depths of this misrepresentation and the impacts it has on various Indigenous communities and nations. In the first chapter, I explain how the history of national parks is founded on fundamentally opposed conceptions of land between Indigenous people and settlers and how this difference was used as justification for settler violence. In chapter two I explore the ways in which the National Park Service uses cultural collaboration to further tourist experience at the expense of respecting and properly representing local Indigenous communities. Finally, in chapter three I explore how projects of ecological conservation by the National Park Service further misrepresentation through the way they operate as unequal collaborative projects and how different conceptions and relations to land create differing goals between the National Park Service and Indigenous communities that leads to very different types of conservation efforts

Explicit Instruction to Improve Phonics and Decoding Skills in Elementary Newcomers

The present study investigated the effects of daily phonics and decoding instruction on Newcomer English Language Learners (ELL). Participants (n = 10) were identified as first year students in the United States, attending the same elementary school in Iowa. Participants’ literacy scores were measured using the FAST Early Reading Letter Sounds assessment, FAST Early Reading Nonsense Words assessment, and the FAST CBMReading assessment. Upon receiving their scores on the assessments, participants received fifteen minutes of explicit instruction each day, in their respective ELL class, for eight weeks. Results from the dependent samples two-tailed t-test revealed that there was not a significant difference between the pretest and posttest on any of the three assessments. While, on average, students did improve from the pretest to the posttest, there was not a significant difference following the intervention. More research is needed to better understand which instructional materials are most effective at improving literacy skills in Newcomer ELLs

THE NATURE AND MEANING OF CULTURE IN PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE: IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION, CLINICAL PRACTICE, AND STEREOTYPES

The medical profession in recent decades has made culture and cross-cultural competence an issue for patient – physician relationships. Many in the profession attribute the necessity of cross-cultural competence to increased diversity, globalization, and health disparities; however, a historical analysis of medicine indicates that culture’s relevancy for health care and outcome is not new. The rise of clinics, which can be traced to 17th century France, the professionalization of physicians in 18th century U.S., and the civil rights movement of the 20th century illustrate that medicine, throughout its history, has grappled with culture and health. While medicine has a history of discussing cultural issues, the profession has not defined culture cogently. Medicine’s ambivalence in defining culture raises questions about how effectively medical educators prepare residents to be cross-culturally competent. Some medical educators have expressed that many didactic and experiential efforts result in stereotyping patients. Definitions of culture and their impact on stereotyping patients are the central problems of this study. Specifically, this study hypothesized that cultural beliefs impact ones willingness to accept stereotypes. Thus, this study sought to learn how faculty members and residents define culture. Faculty members also were compared to residents to glean the impact of cross-cultural education. This study used an explanatory mixed method design where quantitative and qualitative methods work complementarily to examine a complex construct like culture. A valid and reliable survey provided quantitative data to compare the two groups, while open-ended questions and interviews with faculty members provided context. The statistical results reveal that faculty members and residents share a philosophy of culture; however, when the two groups’ definitions are contextualized, they have many different beliefs. Differences also emerged with respect to predictability; cultural beliefs predict stereotyping among residents, but not faculty members. Faculty members attribute these differences to experiences, while residents believe that they do not learn about culture during their professional education

Advocating for Pregnant Women in Prison: Georgia Can Do Better

Background: Women are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. prison populace and approximately 1 in 25 were pregnant when they were incarcerated. However, women, including pregnant women, are receiving unacceptable health care in correctional systems. Further, many correctional systems lack policies to protect the best interest of incarcerated women, mothers and their children. Methods: We reviewed the literature on pregnant women in prison and found that corrections has been slow in making changes and adapting facilities for women, especially related to pregnancy, parenting skills and nurseries. It has been suggested the parent-infant attachment and the involvement incarcerated parents have with their children can help in preventing intergenerational crime. Results: The prison system in the U.S. is not set up to meet the needs of pregnant women prisoners. Many states, including Georgia, do not have policies regarding prenatal care or the use of restraints during labor and delivery. Conclusions: Georgia should rethink its prison-spending model. It would behoove Georgia’s leaders to take a look at what programs exist for pregnant women and mothers and consider adopting a model that would be a good fit for our state. We propose a collaborative approach for stakeholders to improve the care of pregnant offenders and the health of their children

Quality Rated Childcare Programs and Social Determinants of Health in Rural and Non-Rural Georgia

Background: Early childhood is linked to school readiness and early school achievement. Through its Quality Rated (QR) program, which was designed to improve the quality of care in early childhood programs, the state of Georgia has been a trailblazer in funding universal preschool and in improving the quality of childcare programs. We have assessed differences in the availability of QR childcare programs in Georgia to learn if, in rural versus non-rural counties, there is a relationship between QR childcare programs and health-related outcomes. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated county-level data to evaluate the relationship between QR childcare programs and social determinants of health. County-level data for Georgia were extracted from the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, and the Georgia Juvenile Justice Data Clearinghouse. Results: Counties without QR childcare programs had child mortality rates 3.5 times higher than those for the state overall. Other differences in health-related outcomes included, but were not limited to, teen birth rates, low birth-weight babies, children in poverty, housing problems, and food insecurity. Conclusions: It is now appropriate to address the prevalence of health disparities in rural areas of Georgia and focus on some of the disparities through the QR early childhood programs and other state agencies. Empowering rural communities to address health disparities may be the most favorable path toward diminishing these inequalities

Brain development: A look at four programs in Georgia that support optimal brain development

Background: Georgia is making strides to improve its early care and education system through program development within state agencies and alliances. These timely, statewide programs are focused on improving understanding of the importance of brain development. Methods: We reviewed the mission and information provided by four Georgia agencies with the aim of developing and improving programs and educational opportunities to instruct educators, policy makers, the general public, and others about child development in the context of brain development. Results: For young children in Georgia, the four organizations are committed to ensuring opportunities for well-being. Georgia is moving forward in its quest to improve resources and environments for young children, families, and citizens. The agencies and activities include Better Brains for Babies; the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning; Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students; and the Talk With Me Baby program. Conclusions: Georgia is making substantial efforts to provide and support early education environments based on emerging research on how brain development affects various aspects of a child’s development, including those that are social, cognitive, emotional, physical, and linguistic

Sexual Health Education in Georgia: A Role for Reducing Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Adolescents

Background: In Georgia, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a substantial health issue, particularly among young adults in vulnerable and minority populations. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that sexually active adolescents and at-risk adults receive behavioral counseling and education in primary care settings, community organizations, departments of health, and schools. Methods: The present approach used in Georgia for educating adolescents at high risk for STIs about these diseases was assessed. The data collected included standards for sexual health education, survey results from educators and students, and observations from a pilot study with adolescents detained by the juvenile justice system. Results: In Georgia, most health educators for middle (87.3%) and high (93.8%) schools have health and/or physical education backgrounds. They indicated a need for further education about STIs. For grades 6-12, 24% of students reported that they had not received HIV/AIDS education during the academic year. Preliminary observations from a study with juvenile detainees indicate that this population has limited knowledge about STIs, their effects and modes of transmission. Conclusion: Sexual health education, including that for HIV/AIDS, is essential to curtail the STI crisis, and educational endeavors should be culturally sensitive and evidence-based. In Georgia, many citizens, including teachers, are not adequately equipped to make informed decisions regarding STI risk. Georgia, home to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is in a unique position to adapt evidence-based sexual health interventions for its population

Psychotropic Medications, Weight Gain and Chronic Diseases in a Correctional Setting: Impact on Women’s Health

Background: Studies with non-incarcerated populations have found a relationship between psychotropic medications and metabolic side effects, such as weight gain. Few studies have investigated the relationship between psychotropic medications associated with weight gain in prisoners, despite data showing that 73% of female and 55% of male offenders have a mental health problem and 15% have had medications prescribed. Methods: This longitudinal study investigated the relationship among psychotropic medications and weight gain in prisoners. We hypothesized that women prescribed psychotropic medications gain more weight than men. Data were extracted from Department of Corrections’ electronic health records. All prisoners with active records that included weight pre and post initiation of psychotropic medication were included in the study. Results: Women were prescribed antidepressants in higher proportions compared to men (χ2 = 58.3, p \u3c .01). The differences for antipsychotics were not significant (χ2 = 2.3, p = .13). There were no significant gender differences regarding the percentage of inmates who gained weight. In regard to changes in weight (kg), women on antidepressants gained more weight (mean 6.4 kg) compared to men (mean 2.0 kg), which was significant (p \u3c .01). Although women prescribed antipsychotics gained an average of 8.8 kg compared to men prescribed antipsychotics, who gained an average of 1.6 kg, this difference was not significant (p = .12). Further, there were no weight gain differences in terms of race or age in contrast to non-incarcerated populations. Conclusions: The significant weight gain among women prisoners raises important questions about the effects of incarceration on women’s health. Despite the significantly greater weight gain among women prisoners, other correlates of weight gain found in non-incarcerated populations are not evident in corrections

Sexual Harassment and Australian Registered Nurses

Using a multi-method approach, this thesis examines sex-based and sexual harassment as perceived and experienced by Australian Registered Nurses (RN). The first phase of the research was a broadly based, exploratory survey questionnaire which served as a foundation for the second and third phases of the study. This initial phase and its analysis focused on the frequency and kinds of harassment the Registered Nurses described, as well as their responses and the affects of the harassment on them personally and professionally. ... The second phase of the study involved sixteen in-depth interviews that focused on how Registered Nurses acquire or process knowledge about harassment and how this knowledge is personally and socially reproduced. That is to say, how these RNs come to 'see' and 'understand' harassment; come to recognise harassment, label it, deal with it and interpret their action or inaction when confronted with it