Browsing by Subject "Universities"
Now showing 1 - 20 of 28
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item Open Access A Case Study of Transit Demand Modeling and Transportation Planning at North Carolina State University(2012-04-20) Bream, BairdEXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Policy Questions: How should a large urban university make short-term trade-offs in its provision of transit service to a new, multi-use library that is expected to shift demand towards new transit policies? How should the goals of transportation and campus planning fit into a larger decision-making process for university development? Recommendations: Based on the emerging preference among the NCSU community for rapid, direct bus services between major trip generators and in particular between Main Campus and Centennial Campus, these recommendations focus on short-term route adjustments and long-term changes in service delivery. The short-term route changes to the Wolfline system can meet demand at the Hunt Library without incurring substantial changes in existing service patterns or increases in transit resources. The long-term route changes impact the larger issues of campus planning and community engagement that NC State Transportation must address as Centennial Campus becomes a larger and more multi-use part of the campus. Short-term transit demand analysis at Hunt Library: 2012—2013 • Re-route 3A Centennial Express and 8 Southeast Loop to stop at Hunt Library via Main Campus Drive and Partners Way • Do not change frequencies on 8 Southeast Loop • Move one bus from 3 Engineering to 3A Centennial Express to improve frequencies • Increase daily end of 3A Centennial Express service from 6:30 PM to 9:54 PM Long-term campus development planning and transit planning: 2015—2022 • Wolfline service o Shift focus on Wolfline service from circulating loops to prioritize rapid, high-frequency service between campus precincts via major transit hubs and trip generators with limited stops o Develop express bus service between Hunt Library and D.H. Hill Library with limited stops along North and Central Campus precincts o Shift express bus service to corridor between Hunt Library and Talley Student Center following completion of renovations • Development of parking decks for parking supply o Ensure that each campus precinct has sufficient parking for people traveling to precinct o Maintain sufficient surface parking around campus buildings to permit access for facilities vehicles and emergency service vehicles • Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure o Implement reductions in automobile access on Dan Allen Drive to improve pedestrian safety o Increase bike and pedestrian safety at Avent Ferry and Western intersection • NCSU community outreach o Communicate clear service standards for Wolfline operations to NCSU community to set expectations about public transportation services Stress the use of the TransLoc app to make wait times more predictable o Communicate the Wolfline system upgrades and benefits that students, faculty, staff and corporate partners receive from their student fee and parking fee contributions o Communicate all restrictions in automobile access as early and as directly as possible to give opportunities for community feedback and travel behavior adjustment o Update Office of University Architect and Centennial Campus Development Office on transit technologies and infrastructures at all levels: NCSU; City of Raleigh; North Carolina Context for Case Study: This project uses North Carolina State University as a case study for transit planning at large urban university campuses and focuses on a new capital project, a large, multi-use library called the James B. Hunt Jr. Library located on the Centennial Campus of NCSU, a newer satellite campus precinct that is currently undergoing expansion. The NCSU Transportation Department will be responsible for providing public transit service (the Wolfline) for students, faculty and staff who want to travel to and from the Hunt Library, which is scheduled to open in the winter of 2013. Many departments attached to the Hunt Library and Centennial Campus view the Library as a flagship building that will raise the profile of NCSU and will transform the Centennial Campus from “an office park environment” to a “campus environment,” with greater student and pedestrian activity. Since the building will likely have a significant impact on a rapidly developing campus precinct, NC State Transportation must evaluate the potential demand for traveling to and from the Hunt Library that students, faculty and staff demonstrate to determine the impact that the Library will have on the Wolfline system. This expansion of transit service is one of several changes in transit operations that NC State Transportation is evaluating in its Campus Mobility Plan. The goal of the Campus Mobility Plan is to outline the changes in funding, service provision and streetscape infrastructure that are necessary to create an “enhanced multimodal campus transportation system” over the next ten years. Because the Campus Mobility Plan has far-reaching impact on the physical design of the campus, NC State Transportation will be communicating with and working with numerous departments across the NCSU Administration. Representatives from these departments serve as Advisory Stakeholders to the CMP and have the opportunity to share their visions for the Hunt Library and NCSU transportation in general with the Department at planning meetings. Methodology: This report bases its analysis on three evaluations. The first evaluation is an estimation of ridership and transit demand at the Hunt Library based on trip generation rates at the Library as a function of the Library’s net assignable square footage. This report compares these estimates to trip generation rates at the D.H. Hill Library and distributes the number of daily trips that each building generates into trips in to the library and trips out of the library and into low-demand morning hours and high-demand afternoon and evening hours. This analysis takes this system of trip generation and distribution from the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Trip Generation Report and applies the system to both libraries. The second and third evaluations are both qualitative. The second evaluation extrapolates trends in stated preferences from two surveys that NC State Transportation conducted in the Fall of 2011: a Customer Satisfaction Survey that the Department distributed to a sample of students, faculty and staff; and an Engineering Student Survey that the Department distributed to a sample of first-years, sophomores and juniors who have a major in the College of Engineering. Both surveys evaluate student preferences for Wolfline services and ask students to predict their interest in using the Hunt Library and their travel behaviors to and from the Library. The third evaluation is a series of interviews with members of the NCSU community who are serving as Advisory Stakeholders for the Campus Mobility Plan. The author interviews each stakeholder to obtain the stakeholder’s perspective on the current services that NC State Transportation offers to the larger community and those that the Department plans on providing. Specifically, these interviews focus on Wolfline services, parking services, the design and planning of campus transportation infrastructure, and the Hunt Library. Findings: 1. Assuming a seven-percent mode share for Wolfline services, estimated levels of demand for Wolfline services at the Hunt Library are within the system’s current capacity and NC State Transportation can meet this demand with small changes to existing services. 2. The Customer Satisfaction Survey and the Engineering Student Survey reflect that the Wolfline service plays an important role in students’ mobility on a daily basis and that students show a high level of familiarity with the information technologies that NC State Transportation uses to promote its services and notify riders about changes and updates. 3. Students’ priorities for service improvements focus on greater frequency, longer evening service hours, and more connections between Main Campus and Centennial Campus. 4. The Customer Satisfaction Survey and the Engineering Student Survey show high levels of interest in the Hunt Library and high levels of demand for travel between Main Campus and Centennial Campus. 5. The results of the stakeholder analysis show substantial support for an increase in public transportation services and for greater connectivity between Main Campus and Centennial Campus. Many stakeholders express significant concern for reducing automobile access on Main Campus and promoting the development of parking decks over surface parking. Stakeholders also express opposition for increasing parking fees or transportation fees to fund an increase in Wolfline services. Support for greater pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is present, but opinions are more muted. 6. Many stakeholders state a preference for direct, limited-stop services between major trip generators with low travel times and high frequencies and believe that the growth of Centennial Campus will create greater demand for these services. They assert that NC State Transportation should prioritize these services in its future route planning. 7. Many stakeholders stress that the Department should engage with the NCSU community more directly and openly about the opportunities and limitations of a public transit system and its ability to enhance mobility and connectivity across the campus. 8. Several stakeholders believe that NC State Transportation should increase its investments in transportation infrastructure and develop high-speed, high-frequency transit services that are more capital-intensive than the current Wolfline system, including light rail transit and bus-only corridors.Item Open Access A digital collection of rare and endangered lemurs and other primates from the Duke Lemur Center.(PloS one, 2019-01) Yapuncich, Gabriel S; Kemp, Addison D; Griffith, Darbi M; Gladman, Justin T; Ehmke, Erin; Boyer, Doug MScientific study of lemurs, a group of primates found only on Madagascar, is crucial for understanding primate evolution. Unfortunately, lemurs are among the most endangered animals in the world, so there is a strong impetus to maximize as much scientific data as possible from available physical specimens. MicroCT scanning efforts at Duke University have resulted in scans of more than 100 strepsirrhine cadavers representing 18 species from the Duke Lemur Center. An error study of the microCT scanner recovered less than 0.3% error at multiple resolution levels. Scans include specimen overviews and focused, high-resolution selections of complex anatomical regions (e.g., cranium, hands, feet). Scans have been uploaded to MorphoSource, an online digital repository for 3D data. As captive (but free ranging) individuals, these specimens have a wealth of associated information that is largely unavailable for wild populations, including detailed life history data. This digital collection maximizes the information obtained from rare and endangered animals with minimal degradation of the original specimens.Item Open Access "A New England in All But Name"(2022-04-20) Rork, Kerry“Settler colonialism” emerged as an analytical tool in the twentieth century as scholars attempted to both understand and reckon with the history of colonization. It describes a distinct means of conquest that relies on the replacement of a native population with a settler group in the form of the elimination or displacement of a people and/or a culture. This thesis explores the traditional settler colonial framework within the context of Trinity College, Dublin. Founded in 1592, Trinity College functioned to control the Irish population and solidify the settler group who will later be known as the “Anglo-Irish.” Yet, just as Ireland was ambiguous, Trinity College was ambiguous, as both sit uncomfortably within the framework of settler colonialism. For the purposes of this work, I rely on three historical periods: Trinity’s foundation, Trinity and the long eighteenth century, and finally, Trinity in the twentieth century. In the first chapter, I examine Trinity College’s founding goals of simultaneously assimilating Gaelic Irish and ensuring that the New English remain within Ireland. Chapter Two focuses on the period of globalization and revolution of the long eighteenth century. I explore the methods by which Trinity College and its scholars challenged and modified revolutionary ideas within the Irish context. And, finally, in Chapter Three, I show how Trinity College administration and scholars manipulated and mobilized Trinity’s history to defend their place as a settler colonial institution within the new Irish Free State. These three periods provide a means of understanding the framework of settler colonialism within Ireland and its outcomes in the formation of the “Anglo- Irish.” I rely on the work of Trinity College scholars and administration, legislation within Ireland, and documentation of Trinity College’s history. Trinity College’s interactions throughout its history provide a glimpse of the Irish colonial tension. Settler colonialism requires institutions that we may not think of as colonial, like universities. Yet such institutions and the people within them often operate as distinct and even oppositional agents. This work helps to provide a means of assessing and reexamining the institutional and intellectual role within the framework of settler colonialism within Ireland. Doing so becomes critical, especially as many of these institutions now must reckon with their legacies in the postcolonial world.Item Open Access Association of MDMA/ecstasy and other substance use with self-reported sexually transmitted diseases among college-aged adults: a national study.(Public health, 2009-08-04) Wu, L-T; Ringwalt, CL; Patkar, AA; Hubbard, RL; Blazer, DGMDMA/ecstasy use among college students has increased and reportedly leads to risky sexual behaviours. However, little is known about its association with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). To evaluate this public health concern, this study examined the association between substance use (particularly MDMA) and self-reported STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes and syphilis) among college students and non-students aged 18-22 years (n=20,858).A cross-sectional data analysis of a national survey.Data were drawn from the 2005-2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health; a nationally representative survey of non-institutionalized Americans. Self-reported STDs and substance use were assessed by the audio computer-assisted self-interviewing method. The association between MDMA use and STDs was determined while taking into account young adults' use of other substances, healthcare utilization and sociodemographic characteristics.Overall, 2.1% of college students and 2.5% of non-students reported contracting an STD in the past year. MDMA use in the past year was not associated with STDs. Among non-students, onset of MDMA use before 18 years of age increased the odds of past-year STDs. In both groups, alcohol use, marijuana use, female gender and African American race increased the odds of both past-year and lifetime STDs. Additional analyses indicated that, regardless of college-attending status, greater odds of past-year STDs were noted among users of alcohol and drugs, and users of alcohol alone, but not among users of drugs alone.Alcohol use is a robust correlate of STDs. Irrespective of college-attending status, young women and African Americans have a higher rate of STDs than young men and Whites.Item Open Access Awareness and acceptability of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among students at two historically Black universities (HBCU): a cross-sectional survey.(BMC public health, 2021-05-19) Okeke, Nwora Lance; McLaurin, Tony; Gilliam-Phillips, Ruth; Wagner, David H; Barnwell, Valerie J; Johnson, Yolanda M; James, Osaffo; Webb, Padonda B; Parker, Sharon D; Hill, Bendu; McKellar, Mehri S; Mitchell, John TBackground
Despite young African American adults (ages 18-24) being among the highest risk groups for HIV infection, little is known about their awareness of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) - a once daily pill shown to be > 90% effective in preventing HIV. To explore awareness and acceptability of PrEP among college students in this demographic, we conducted a survey of attendees at two large historically Black universities (HBCU) in North Carolina.Methods
We administered a 14-item questionnaire to students at two HBCUs in North Carolina between February and April 2018. Questions were formatted in a yes/no or multiple choice format. Questionnaire items specifically addressed PrEP awareness and acceptability. Surveys were administered to students at a campus health fair and while transiting the campus student union via iPad. Response to all questions was optional. We fit a logistic regression model to determine association of key demographic determinants with PrEP acceptability and awareness. Statistical analyses were conducted using SAS 9.4 (SAS, Cary, NC).Results
Overall, 210 students participated in the survey, of which 60 completed all survey items as presented. The survey cohort was 75% female, 89% heterosexual and 39% freshmen. The mean age of respondents was 19.8 years (SD: 1.8). Fifty-two percent of survey respondents reported that they were aware of PrEP prior to the time of survey administration. Only 3% of respondents reported that they were on PrEP. The most common sources of information on PrEP were campus health services (24%) and non-social media advertising (15%). Of respondents who were aware of PrEP, 61% reported that they had heard about in the 6 months prior to survey administration, while only 19% say they were aware of it for more than a year. Regarding acceptability of PrEP, 58% of respondents reported that they would take a once a day pill for HIV if they were at risk. Our logistic regression analysis found no statistically significant associations between key demographic factors and PrEP awareness. However, persons who perceived themselves to be at risk for HIV acquisition were more likely to find once daily oral PrEP (relative risk 2.66 (95% CI 1.31-5.42)) as an acceptable prevention strategy than the rest of the survey cohort.Conclusions
African American HBCU students are becoming aware of PrEP, and generally perceive the intervention as acceptable and worth consideration.Item Open Access Conceptualizing trust in community-academic research partnerships using concept mapping approach: A multi-CTSA study.(Evaluation and program planning, 2018-02) Dave, Gaurav; Frerichs, Leah; Jones, Jennifer; Kim, Mimi; Schaal, Jennifer; Vassar, Stefanie; Varma, Deepthi; Striley, Catherine; Ruktanonchai, Corrine; Black, Adina; Hankins, Jennifer; Lovelady, Nakita; Cene, Crystal; Green, Melissa; Young, Tiffany; Tiwari, Shristi; Cheney, Ann; Cottler, Linda; Sullivan, Greer; Brown, Arleen; Burke, Jessica; Corbie-Smith, GiselleObjectives
Collaborations between communities, healthcare practices and academic institutions are a strategy to address health disparities. Trust is critical in the development and maintaining of effective collaborations. The aim of this pilot study was to engage stakeholders in defining determinants of trust in community academic research partnerships and to develop a framework for measuring trust.Methods
The study was conducted by five collaborating National Institute of Health' Clinical and Translational Sciences Awardees. We used concept mapping to engage three stakeholders: community members, healthcare providers and academicians. We conducted hierarchical cluster analysis to assess the determinants of trust in community-academic research partnerships.Results
A total of 186 participants provided input generating 2,172 items that were consolidated into 125 unique items. A five cluster solution was defined: authentic, effective and transparent communication; mutually respectful and reciprocal relationships; sustainability; committed partnerships; and, communication, credibility and methodology to anticipate and resolve problems.Conclusion
Results from this study contribute to an increasing empirical body of work to better understand and improve the underlying factors that contribute to building and sustaining trust in community academic research partnerships.Item Open Access Design thinking teaching and learning in higher education: Experiences across four universities.(PloS one, 2022-01) McLaughlin, Jacqueline E; Chen, Elizabeth; Lake, Danielle; Guo, Wen; Skywark, Emily Rose; Chernik, Aria; Liu, TsailuA growing body of literature highlights the increasing demand on college graduates to possess the problem finding, problem framing, and problem-solving skills necessary to address complex real-world challenges. Design thinking (DT) is an iterative, human-centered approach to problem solving that synthesizes what is desirable, equitable, technologically feasible, and sustainable. As universities expand efforts to train students with DT mindsets and skills, we must assess faculty and student DT practices and outcomes to better understand DT course experiences. Understanding how DT is taught and experienced within higher education can help schools promote student learning and align their training programs with professional, personal, and civic needs. In this study, surveys were completed by 19 faculty and 196 students from 23 courses at four universities. DT teaching and learning was characterized by three DT practices and five outcomes. Statistically significant differences were found by discipline of study and student type (i.e., graduate vs undergraduate), but not by gender or race/ethnicity. These results can be used to inform the development of classroom-based DT teaching and learning strategies across higher education institutions and disciplines.Item Open Access Development of a measure of college students' adherence to religious doctrine concerning sexual behavior.(Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 2015-01) Victor, Elizabeth C; Bowman, Hilary; Thompson, Robert JThe authors developed a 14-item measure of adherence to religious doctrine concerning sexual behavior (ARDSB). The ARDSB psychometric properties were investigated to better understand religious motivations associated with changes in sexual behavior that may provide support for sexual health promotion and prevention programs.Four hundred eighty-three undergraduates aged 18 to 26.Data were collected from an online survey during the 2012-2013 academic school year.Principle components factor analysis identified 2 factors: reasons to break religious doctrine and reasons to adhere to religious doctrine concerning sexual behavior. The subscales had good internal consistency. Correlations, t tests, and analyses of variance of the subscales with measures of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity and self-reported sexual behavior and risk provide support for concurrent validity.The ARDSB could be employed as a measure to better understand sexual behavior; it is inexpensive and relatively easy to employ in both research and campus ministry settings.Item Open Access Evidence2Practice (E2P): Leveraging Implementation Science to Promote Careers in HIV Research Among Students From Historically Black Colleges and Universities.(Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999), 2023-10) Okeke, Nwora Lance; Ware, Kenric B; Campbell, Russell; Taylor, Jamilah; Hung, Frances; Questell, Caroline; Brickler, Mildred P; Smith, Ukamaka D; Nawas, George T; Hanlen-Rosado, Emily; Chan, Cliburn; Bosworth, Hayden B; Aifah, Angela; Corneli, AmyBackground
The HIV research workforce is not representative of populations most affected by the epidemic. Innovative educational programs are needed to motivate diverse student populations to pursue careers in HIV research.Methods
The Duke University Center for AIDS Research Evidence2Practice (E2P) program is a 3-day interactive workshop that introduces students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, implementation science, and human-centered design. Participants develop 1-page action plans to increase awareness and uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis on their campus. The program was evaluated using a partially mixed-method concurrent equal status study design with pre-program and post-program surveys and in-depth interviews.Results
Among the 52 participating students, 44 completed the preworkshop survey, 45 completed the postworkshop survey, and 10 participated in an in-depth interview. Most participants identified as Black or African American and cisgender female. Participating in the E2P program was associated with: (1) an increase in median interest in pursuing a career in HIV research (P < 0.01) and (2) a decrease in median perceived difficulty in starting a career in HIV research (P < 0.01). Several students described that a lack of knowledge about initiating an HIV research career, a perceived lack of qualifications and knowledge about HIV science, and limited experience were major barriers to considering careers in HIV research.Conclusions
The E2P program enhanced HBCU students' interest in careers related to HIV research and improved their self-efficacy to pursue such careers. On-campus educational enrichment initiatives, led by active HIV researchers and clinicians, should be a critical part of diversifying the HIV workforce.Item Open Access Federal and Industrial Funded Research Expenditures and University Technology Transfer Licensing(2013-04-22) Chiang, TrentI relate the numbers of university licenses and options to both university research characteristics and research expenditures from federal government or the industry. I use the polynomial distributed lag model for unbalanced panel data to estimate the effects of research expenditures from different sources on licensing activity. I find evidences suggesting both federal and industrial funded research expenditures take 2-3 years from lab to licenses while federal expenditures have higher long-term dynamic effect on number of licenses. Breaking down licenses by different types of partners, I find that federal expenditures have highest effect with small companies while industrial-funded expenditures have higher effect in licenses with large companies and licenses yielding large income. Further research is necessary to analyze the reason for such differences between the effects of research expenditures on licensing activity.Item Open Access Getting under the hood: how and for whom does increasing course structure work?(CBE life sciences education, 2014-01) Eddy, Sarah L; Hogan, Kelly AAt the college level, the effectiveness of active-learning interventions is typically measured at the broadest scales: the achievement or retention of all students in a course. Coarse-grained measures like these cannot inform instructors about an intervention's relative effectiveness for the different student populations in their classrooms or about the proximate factors responsible for the observed changes in student achievement. In this study, we disaggregate student data by racial/ethnic groups and first-generation status to identify whether a particular intervention-increased course structure-works better for particular populations of students. We also explore possible factors that may mediate the observed changes in student achievement. We found that a "moderate-structure" intervention increased course performance for all student populations, but worked disproportionately well for black students-halving the black-white achievement gap-and first-generation students-closing the achievement gap with continuing-generation students. We also found that students consistently reported completing the assigned readings more frequently, spending more time studying for class, and feeling an increased sense of community in the moderate-structure course. These changes imply that increased course structure improves student achievement at least partially through increasing student use of distributed learning and creating a more interdependent classroom community.Item Open Access Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adult mental health-related admissions at a large university health system in North Carolina - one year into the pandemic.(PloS one, 2023-01) Der, Tatyana; Helmke, Nicole; Stout, Jason E; Turner, Nicholas AObjective
Pandemic-associated stress may have exacerbated preexisting mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD) and caused new MH/SUD diagnoses which would be expected to lead to an increase in visits to emergency departments and hospital admissions for these conditions. This study assessed whether the proportion of hospital and emergency department encounters for MH/SUD diagnoses increased during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.Methods
We conducted a longitudinal (interrupted time series) analysis of 994,724 eligible encounters identified by electronic query between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2021. Of these, 55,574 encounters involved MH/SUD diagnosis. The pre-pandemic period was defined as January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2020, and the pandemic period was defined as April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. All statistical analyses were performed with R.Results
No significant trend in MH/SUD encounters at baseline (rate ratio 1.00, 95% CI 0.99-1.01, p = 0.75) was observed. However, the onset of the pandemic was temporally associated with a significant level increase in the proportion of MH/SUD encounters relative to overall encounters (rate ratio 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.21, p<0.001) with no change in the overall trend (rate ratio 0.99, 95% CI 0.90-1.10, p = 0.89).Conclusions
The significant pandemic-associated increase in the proportion of MH/SUD encounters relative to overall encounters was driven largely by sustained numbers of MH/ SUD encounters despite a decrease in total encounters. Increased support for mental health care is needed for these vulnerable patients during pandemics.Item Open Access Implementation of a Pooled Surveillance Testing Program for Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections on a College Campus - Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, August 2-October 11, 2020.(MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 2020-11-20) Denny, Thomas N; Andrews, Laura; Bonsignori, Mattia; Cavanaugh, Kyle; Datto, Michael B; Deckard, Anastasia; DeMarco, C Todd; DeNaeyer, Nicole; Epling, Carol A; Gurley, Thaddeus; Haase, Steven B; Hallberg, Chloe; Harer, John; Kneifel, Charles L; Lee, Mark J; Louzao, Raul; Moody, M Anthony; Moore, Zack; Polage, Christopher R; Puglin, Jamie; Spotts, P Hunter; Vaughn, John A; Wolfe, Cameron ROn university campuses and in similar congregate environments, surveillance testing of asymptomatic persons is a critical strategy (1,2) for preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). All students at Duke University, a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, signed the Duke Compact (3), agreeing to observe mandatory masking, social distancing, and participation in entry and surveillance testing. The university implemented a five-to-one pooled testing program for SARS-CoV-2 using a quantitative, in-house, laboratory-developed, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test (4,5). Pooling of specimens to enable large-scale testing while minimizing use of reagents was pioneered during the human immunodeficiency virus pandemic (6). A similar methodology was adapted for Duke University's asymptomatic testing program. The baseline SARS-CoV-2 testing plan was to distribute tests geospatially and temporally across on- and off-campus student populations. By September 20, 2020, asymptomatic testing was scaled up to testing targets, which include testing for residential undergraduates twice weekly, off-campus undergraduates one to two times per week, and graduate students approximately once weekly. In addition, in response to newly identified positive test results, testing was focused in locations or within cohorts where data suggested an increased risk for transmission. Scale-up over 4 weeks entailed redeploying staff members to prepare 15 campus testing sites for specimen collection, developing information management tools, and repurposing laboratory automation to establish an asymptomatic surveillance system. During August 2-October 11, 68,913 specimens from 10,265 graduate and undergraduate students were tested. Eighty-four specimens were positive for SARS-CoV-2, and 51% were among persons with no symptoms. Testing as a result of contact tracing identified 27.4% of infections. A combination of risk-reduction strategies and frequent surveillance testing likely contributed to a prolonged period of low transmission on campus. These findings highlight the importance of combined testing and contact tracing strategies beyond symptomatic testing, in association with other preventive measures. Pooled testing balances resource availability with supply-chain disruptions, high throughput with high sensitivity, and rapid turnaround with an acceptable workload.Item Open Access Knowledge and perceptions among overweight and obese employees about lifestyle-related health benefit changes.(N C Med J, 2011-05) Li, Jiang; Linnan, Laura; Finkelstein, Eric A; Tate, Deborah F; Naseer, Carolyn; Evenson, Kelly RBACKGROUND: We investigated perceptions among overweight and obese state employees about changes to health insurance that were designed to reduce the scope of health benefits for employees who are obese or who smoke. METHODS: Before implementation of health benefit plan changes, 658 state employees who were overweight (ie, those with a body mass index [BMI] of 25-29.9) or obese (ie, those with a BMI of > or = 30) enrolled in a weight-loss intervention study were asked about their attitudes and beliefs concerning the new benefit plan changes. RESULTS: Thirty-one percent of employees with a measured BMI of 40 or greater self-reported a BMI of less than 40, suggesting they were unaware that their current BMI would place them in a higher-risk benefit plan. More than half of all respondents reported that the new benefit changes would motivate them to make behavioral changes, but fewer than half felt confident in their ability to make changes. Respondents with a BMI of 40 or greater were more likely than respondents in lower BMI categories to oppose the new changes focused on obesity (P < .001). Current smokers were more likely than former smokers and nonsmokers to oppose the new benefit changes focused on tobacco use (P < .01). LIMITATIONS: Participants represented a sample of employees enrolled in a weight-loss study, limiting generalizability to the larger population of state employees. CONCLUSIONS: Benefit plan changes that require employees who are obese and smoke to pay more for health care may motivate some, but not all, individuals to change their behaviors. Since confidence to lose weight was lowest among individuals in the highest BMI categories, more-intense intervention options may be needed to achieve desired health behavior changes.Item Open Access Patient Characteristics Associated with Telemedicine Use for Diabetes Mellitus Care: Experience of a University Health System.(Southern medical journal, 2024-01) Hari, Krupal; O'Connell, Nathaniel; Taylor, Yhenneko J; Moore, Justin B; Bosworth, Hayden; Hanchate, Amresh; Pokharel, YashashwiObjectives
The objective was to understand the characteristics of patients who used telemedicine for diabetes management to inform future implementation of telemedicine.Methods
We examined patient characteristics associated with telemedicine use for diabetes mellitus (DM) care between March 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021 (the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic period) in a large university health system when telemedicine visits increased rapidly. Logistic regression models assessed patient characteristics associated with telemedicine visits and delays in DM process measures (hemoglobin A1c checks, nephropathy, and retinopathy evaluations) during the pandemic period after adjusting for potential confounders and corresponding values before the pandemic period (March 1, 2019-February 29, 2020).Results
A total of 45,159 patients were seen from 987,791 visits during the pandemic period. The number of visits averaged one visit less during the pandemic period than before the pandemic period. Approximately 5.4% of patients used telemedicine during the pandemic period from 42,750 visits. The mean (standard deviation) telemedicine visit was 1.28 (0.91). Men, Asian, Black, and other race (vs White), having Medicare or uninsured (vs private insurance), were less likely to use telemedicine. Patients with more visits before the pandemic period were more likely to use telemedicine and less likely to experience a delay in DM process measures during the pandemic period. Telemedicine users were 18% less likely to experience a delay in nephropathy visits than nonusers, but without difference for other process measures.Conclusions
Race, sex, insurance, and prepandemic in-person visits were associated with telemedicine use for DM management in a large health system. Telemedicine use was not associated with delays in hemoglobin A1c testing, nephropathy, and retinopathy assessments. Understanding reasons for not using telemedicine is important to be able to deliver equitable DM care.Item Open Access Personal DNA testing in college classrooms: perspectives of students and professors.(Genetic testing and molecular biomarkers, 2013-06) Daley, Lori-Ann A; Wagner, Jennifer K; Himmel, Tiffany L; McPartland, Kaitlyn A; Katsanis, Sara H; Shriver, Mark D; Royal, Charmaine DDiscourse on the integration of personal genetics and genomics into classrooms is increasing; however, limited data have been collected on the perspectives of students and professors. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of undergraduate and graduate students as well as professors at two major universities to assess attitudes regarding the use of personal DNA testing and other personalized activities in college classrooms. Students indicated that they were more likely to enroll (60.2%) in a genetics course if it offered personal DNA testing; undergraduate students were more likely than graduate students to enroll if personal DNA testing was offered (p=0.029). Students who majored in the physical sciences were less likely to enroll than students in the biological or social sciences (p=0.019). Students also indicated that when course material is personalized, the course is more interesting (94.6%) and the material is easier to learn (87.3%). Professors agreed that adding a personalized element increases student interest, participation, and learning (86.0%, 82.6%, and 72.6%, respectively). The results of this study indicate that, overall, students and professors had a favorable view of the integration of personalized information, including personal DNA testing, into classroom activities, and students welcomed more opportunities to participate in personalized activities.Item Open Access Promoting community practitioners' use of evidence-based approaches to increase breast cancer screening.(Public Health Nurs, 2013-07) Leeman, Jennifer; Moore, Alexis; Teal, Randall; Barrett, Nadine; Leighton, Ashely; Steckler, AllanMany women do not get mammography screenings at the intervals recommended for early detection and treatment of breast cancer. The Guide to Community Preventive Services (Community Guide) recommends a range of evidence-based strategies to improve mammography rates. However, nurses and others working in community-based settings make only limited use of these strategies. We report on a dissemination intervention that partnered the University of North Carolina with the Susan G. Komen Triangle Affiliate to disseminate Community Guide breast cancer screening strategies to community organizations. The intervention was guided by social marketing and diffusion of innovation theory and was designed to provide evidence and support via Komen's existing relationships with grantee organizations. The present study reports the findings from a formative evaluation of the intervention, which included a content analysis of 46 grant applications pre- and post intervention and focus groups with 20 grant recipients.Item Open Access Recommendations for future university pandemic responses: What the first COVID-19 shutdown taught us.(PLoS biology, 2020-08-27) Coyne, Carolyn; Ballard, Jimmy D; Blader, Ira JThe SARS-CoV-2 epidemic challenged universities and other academic institutions to rapidly adapt to urgent and life-threatening situations. It forced most institutions to shut down nearly every aspect of their research and educational enterprises. In doing so, university leaders were thrust into unchartered waters and forced them to make unprecedented decisions. Successes and failures along the way highlighted how the autonomous nature of the American academic research enterprise and skillsets normally required of university leaders were ill-suited to mounting an emergency response. Here, as faculty from medical centers in the United States, we draw lessons from these experiences and apply them as we plan for the next possible COVID-19-induced shutdown as well as other large-scale pandemics and emergencies at universities in the United States and throughout the world.Item Open Access Rural Community Engagement for Health Disparities Research: The Unique Role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).(International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020-12) Taylor, Lorraine C; Watkins, Charity S; Chesterton, Hannah; Kimbro, K Sean; Gerald, RubyReducing health disparities in rural communities of color remains a national concern. Efforts to reduce health disparities often center on community engagement, which is historically the strategy used to provide rural minority populations with support to access and utilize health information and services. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with their origins derived from social injustices and discrimination, are uniquely positioned to conduct this type of engagement. We present the "Research with Care" project, a long-standing positive working relationship between North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and rural Halifax County, North Carolina, demonstrating an effective campus-community partnership. The importance of readiness to implement Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles is underscored. As demonstrated by the NCCU-Halifax partnership, we recommend leveraging the positive associations of the HBCU brand identity as a method of building and sustaining meaningful relationships with rural Black communities. This underscores the role and value of HBCUs in the health disparities research arena and should be communicated and embraced.Item Open Access Sexual victimization, fear of sexual powerlessness, and cognitive emotion dysregulation as barriers to sexual assertiveness in college women.(Violence Against Women, 2013-12) Zerubavel, Noga; Messman-Moore, Terri LThe current study examined sexual victimization and two barriers to young women's sexual assertiveness: fear of sexual powerlessness and cognitive emotion dysregulation. College women (N = 499) responded to surveys and indicated that fear of sexual powerlessness and, to a lesser extent, cognitive emotion dysregulation were barriers to sexual assertiveness. Compared with nonvictims, sexually victimized women had greater problems with sexual assertiveness, fear of sexual powerlessness, and cognitive emotion dysregulation. Among victims, fear of sexual powerlessness and emotion dysregulation interacted to impede sexual assertiveness. Findings support targeting identified barriers in interventions to improve sexual assertiveness and reduce risk for unwanted sexual experiences and sexual victimization.