MEASURING THE IMPACT OF REGIONAL PRICE DISPARITIES ON FOOD INSECURITY RISK

This thesis analyzes the risk of food insecurity among active-duty servicemembers and evaluates current policies intended to reduce the high rate of food insecurity reported among servicemembers and their families. The newly implemented Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) provides economic assistance to active-duty families with household income below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), but I find that less than one percent of the Department of Defense population is eligible for assistance rendering the allowance ineffective in reducing the rate of food insecurity among servicemembers. Among comparable civilian households, there is no abrupt decline in food insecurity rates at 150 percent of the FPL. Furthermore, the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity is 16 percentage points higher in high-cost areas compared to low-cost areas, indicating a relationship between purchasing power and the rate of food insecurity. Based on this analysis, servicemembers with income below 200 percent of the FPL are sensitive to regional price differences, putting junior servicemembers in high-cost areas at an increased risk for food insecurity.NPS Naval Research ProgramThis project was funded in part by the NPS Naval Research Program.Outstanding ThesisCaptain, United States Marine CorpsApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Mentor Us: A Formal Mentoring Program for Nurses in Graduate Education

Graduate education fosters unique skills including advanced communication, complex problem solving, project management experience and a complex understanding of specific fields of work (Edge & Munro, 2015). In Canada, enrollment in full-time graduate studies in nursing are increasing. As these enrollments increase, the academic community must consider the realities of graduate school, how students are socialized into faculties and most importantly how integration and community in these programs are fostered because these factors impact the graduate school experience and completion outcomes. Successful graduate students tend to have strong peer relationships, more positive integration, and personal connections with their department or faculty (Gansemer-Topf, Ross, & Johnson, 2006; Golde, 1998; Golde, 2000; Tamburri, 2013). Mentorship programs foster these close relationships among members, help to strengthen a sense of personal and professional safety, provide academic and professional support, and promote collegial interactions (Garvey & Westlander, 2013). In early 2013, four Master of Nursing (MN) students at a large western Canadian University began to conceptualize a formal mentorship program for nursing graduate students called Mentor Us, with the intent of improving student collegiality, building connections within the faculty and community, and providing opportunities for peers to connect. They envisioned and developed a voluntary mentorship program that offered the opportunity for peer-to-peer mentorship in dyads consisting of one mentor and one mentee. The program has seen success in achieving many of its aims and goals; however, the leadership team has also identified areas for future improvement including engaging specific student populations, improving mentor training initiatives and dyad matching, and sustaining the leadership structure of the program. The aims of the paper are first, to outline the current state of nursing graduate education in Canada. Second, to present the process of building and maintaining a formal mentorship program for nurses in graduate studies. Third, to describe the vision of the program moving forward, to outline lessons learned during the development and operation of the program, and to review strategies to ensure future program success. This paper provides a unique way to mitigate the concerns of nursing graduate students by fostering peer mentorship relationships and enhancing community connections. It provides a concrete example of the development of such a program and presents an honest critique about how to improve the program for future students. Résumé : Les études supérieures favorisent le développement de compétences particulières telles que les la communication à un niveau avancé, la résolution de problèmes complexes, l’expérience en gestion de projet et la compréhension approfondie de domaines de travail particuliers (Edge et Munro, 2015). Au Canada, les inscriptions à temps complet aux études supérieures en sciences infirmières sont en augmentation. En lien avec cette croissance, la communauté universitaire doit examiner tous les aspects de l’expérience d’étudier aux cycles supérieurs, la façon dont les étudiantes sont socialisées dans les programmes et surtout la façon dont l’intégration et l’esprit de communauté sont encouragés dans ces programmes, puisque ces facteurs ont des répercussions tant sur l’expérience d’étudier aux cycles supérieurs que sur celle de compléter le programme. Les étudiants de ce niveau qui ont du succès ont généralement des relations solides avec leurs pairs. De plus, ils ont vécu une intégration plus positive et ont des rapports personnels avec leur école ou leur faculté (Gansemer-Topf, Ross et Johnson, 2006; Golde, 1998; Golde, 2000; Tamburri, 2013). Les programmes de mentorat favorisent ces relations étroites tout en contribuant à renforcer le sentiment de sécurité personnelle et professionnelle, en offrant un soutien académique et professionnel et en favorisant les échanges collégiaux (Garvey et Westlander, 2013). Au début de 2013, quatre étudiantes à la maîtrise en sciences infirmières d’une grande université de l’Ouest canadien ont conçu « Mentor Us ». Il s\u27agit d\u27un programme formel de mentorat pour les étudiants des cycles supérieurs en sciences infirmières. Le programme a plusieurs buts : améliorer la collégialité chez les étudiants, établir des liens avec les professeurs et la communauté et offrir des occasions d’échanges entre pairs. Elles ont conçu et élaboré ce programme de mentorat volontaire permettant aux étudiantes des cycles supérieurs d’obtenir du mentorat par les pairs en dyades (un mentor et un mentoré). Bien que ce programme ait atteint plusieurs de ses objectifs, l’équipe de leaders a aussi identifié des points à améliorer dans l’avenir, notamment en ce qui concerne la participation de populations particulières d’étudiantes, l’amélioration des initiatives de formation des mentors, le jumelage des dyades et le maintien de la structure de leadership du programme. Les objectifs de cet article sont d’abord de présenter l’état actuel des études supérieures en sciences infirmières au Canada puis de décrire le processus de développement et de maintien d’un programme formel de mentorat pour les infirmières aux études supérieures. Ensuite, nous décrivons notre vision du programme pour l’avenir, exposons les leçons apprises au cours de l’élaboration et du fonctionnement du programme et examinons des stratégies pour assurer la réussite future du programme. Cet article constitue notamment une façon unique de soutenir les étudiants des cycles supérieures en sciences infirmières en encourageant les relations de mentorat avec les pairs et en favorisant les liens avec la communauté. Il présente aussi un exemple concret de l’élaboration d’un tel programme et offre une critique honnête afin de l’améliorer

Examination of Disproportionality of Autism in School-Aged Populations in the U.S.

The purpose of this article is to examine the disproportionality among racial/ethnic groups and states for the disability category of “Autism” as reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Over the past decade, a variety of sources indicated a dramatic increase in the number of students receiving special education services under this category. In this article, statewide variations amongst each of the racial/ethnic groups are explored along with a discussion of possible reasons for these variations

Stabillity Ball Sitting Elevates Peak Arm Ergometry Oxygen Consumption and Heart Rate

International Journal of Exercise Science 5(4) : 360-366, 2012. This study compared sitting on a stability ball (B) to sitting on a chair (C) during arm ergometry to determine the impact on peak VO2, peak heart rate (HR), and exercise intensity prescription. Open-circuit spirometer, blood pressure, and HR were monitored during rest and continuous graded exercise test to exhaustion using an arm ergometer. Twenty-seven apparently healthy adults exercised twice, once at B and the other trial C (order randomized), with 60 minutes of rest between trials. ANOVA for repeated measures (a \u3c 0.05) and paired t testing using Holm\u27s-sequential Bonferroni were used to analyze results for 30 W, 45 W, Penultimate, and Peak stages of exercise. VO2 was significantly higher (8% to 12%, P \u3c 0.001) for all stages of exercise for B compared to C. HR was significantly higher (P \u3c 0.001) only at the Penultimate and Peak levels (3% and 2%, respectively) for B compared to C; all other sub-maximal HRs were not significantly different. There were no significant main effects or interactions (P\u3e 0.138) when VO2 and HR were expressed as percentage of maximum. Compared to chair sitting, the stability ball has a greater absolute metabolic response with little impact on HR. Prescribing exercise with absolute MET levels should consider this; however, intensity as a percentage of maximum may not be affected by the stability ball

Transition, school, friends and obesity risk models (the TranSFORM study)

The TranSFORM study demonstrated the impact that a change of school environment has on physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviour in late childhood. Results provide strong evidence of the influence of friendship networks, and the potential for changing and reinforcing positive weight related behaviour in early adolescence

Changing from primary to secondary school highlights opportunities for school environment interventions aiming to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour: a longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is little empirical evidence of the impact of transition from primary to secondary school on obesity-related risk behaviour. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a change of school system on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour in pre-early adolescents. METHODS: Fifteen schools in Victoria, Australia were recruited at random from the bottom two strata of a five level socio-economic scale. In nine schools, students in year 6 primary school transitioned to a different school for year 7 secondary school, while in six schools (combined primary-secondary), students remained in the same school environment from year 6 to year 7. Time 1 (T1) measures were collected from students (N=245) in year 6 (age 11-13). Time 2 (T2) data were collected from 243 (99%) of the original student cohort when in year 7. PA and sedentary behaviour data were collected objectively (via ActiGraph accelerometer) and subjectively (via child self-report recall questionnaire). School environment data were collected via school staff survey. Change of behaviour analyses were conducted longitudinally i) for all students and ii) by change/no change of school. Mixed model regression analysis tested for behavioural interaction effects of changing/not changing school. RESULTS: Sixty-three percent (N=152) changed schools from T1 to T2. Across all students we observed declines in average daily moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (-4 min) and light PA (-23 min), and increases in average daily sedentary behaviour (16 min), weekday leisure screen time (17 min) and weekday homework screen time (25 min), all P<0.05. Compared to students who remained in the same school environment, students who changed school reported a greater reduction in PA intensity at recess and lunch, less likelihood to cycle to/from school, greater increase in weekday (41 mins) and weekend (45 mins) leisure screen time (P<0.05) and greater encouragement to participate in sport. School staff surveys identified that sport participation encouragement was greater in primary and combined primary-secondary than secondary schools (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Transitioning from primary to secondary school negatively impacts on children\u27s PA and sedentary behaviour, and has further compounding effects on behaviour type by changing school environments

The Uniform Commercial Code Survey: Introduction

The survey that follows highlights the most important developments of 2018 dealing with domestic and international sales of goods, personal property leases, payments, letters of credit, documents of title, investment securities, and secured transactions