Development Department Research Articles

Relationships Between Nursing Professional Development Department Structures in Hospital Systems and Patient Outcomes.

Although positive correlations between nursing professional development (NPD) staffing and organizational outcomes have been demonstrated, no evidence of optimal NPD department structures was found. Using an organizational participatory research method, NPD department structures in acute care hospital systems and their relationships to publicly reported patient outcomes and satisfaction were explored. Hospitals with centralized NPD departments had significantly fewer unplanned readmissions for pneumonia than hospitals with hybrid structures. No other significant differences were found.

Socioeconomic Impact Of Department Of Social Welfare And Development’s (DSWD’S) Implementation Of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) 2021 At Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, Surigao Del Norte

This study evaluates the socioeconomic impact of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) implemented in 2021 within the community of Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, and Surigao Del Norte. The primary objective is to assess the program's effectiveness in enhancing the economic conditions and overall well-being of its beneficiaries. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 100 beneficiaries of the SLP-Livelihood Assistance Grant Program, each of whom received a grant of P15, 000 in 2021. Data collection encompassed both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, and subsequent analysis employed statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Spearman Rho Correlation. The findings reveal that the SLP has yielded substantial positive impacts on the lives of participants, notably enhancing income levels, employment rates, and overall quality of life. These improvements underscore the program's efficacy in fostering economic empowerment and social well-being within the community. However, the study also identifies areas where further attention and intervention are required. Specifically, challenges persist in promoting environmental sustainability and facilitating asset acquisition among beneficiaries. Based on these findings, the study proposes several recommendations to optimize the program's impact. These recommendations include integrating training on environmentally sustainable practices into the program, facilitating access to asset acquisition mechanisms such as grants and microfinance, tailoring interventions to address the specific needs of beneficiaries based on their income levels, establishing robust monitoring and evaluation systems, and promoting a holistic program design that encompasses not only economic empowerment but also social and environmental well-being. Addressing these identified challenges and implementing the proposed recommendations, the positive impact of the SLP can be amplified, contributing to sustainable community development and a marked improvement in the quality of life for beneficiaries in Del Carmen.

Socioeconomic Impact Of Department Of Social Welfare And Development’s (DSWD’S) Implementation Of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) 2021 At Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, Surigao Del Norte

This study evaluates the socioeconomic impact of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) implemented in 2021 within the community of Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, and Surigao Del Norte. The primary objective is to assess the program's effectiveness in enhancing the economic conditions and overall well-being of its beneficiaries. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 100 beneficiaries of the SLP-Livelihood Assistance Grant Program, each of whom received a grant of P15, 000 in 2021. Data collection encompassed both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, and subsequent analysis employed statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Spearman Rho Correlation. The findings reveal that the SLP has yielded substantial positive impacts on the lives of participants, notably enhancing income levels, employment rates, and overall quality of life. These improvements underscore the program's efficacy in fostering economic empowerment and social well-being within the community. However, the study also identifies areas where further attention and intervention are required. Specifically, challenges persist in promoting environmental sustainability and facilitating asset acquisition among beneficiaries. Based on these findings, the study proposes several recommendations to optimize the program's impact. These recommendations include integrating training on environmentally sustainable practices into the program, facilitating access to asset acquisition mechanisms such as grants and microfinance, tailoring interventions to address the specific needs of beneficiaries based on their income levels, establishing robust monitoring and evaluation systems, and promoting a holistic program design that encompasses not only economic empowerment but also social and environmental well-being. Addressing these identified challenges and implementing the proposed recommendations, the positive impact of the SLP can be amplified, contributing to sustainable community development and a marked improvement in the quality of life for beneficiaries in Del Carmen.

Socioeconomic Impact Of Department Of Social Welfare And Development’s (DSWD’S) Implementation Of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) 2021 At Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, Surigao Del Norte

This study evaluates the socioeconomic impact of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) implemented in 2021 within the community of Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, and Surigao Del Norte. The primary objective is to assess the program's effectiveness in enhancing the economic conditions and overall well-being of its beneficiaries. Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 100 beneficiaries of the SLP-Livelihood Assistance Grant Program, each of whom received a grant of P15, 000 in 2021. Data collection encompassed both quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, and subsequent analysis employed statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Spearman Rho Correlation. The findings reveal that the SLP has yielded substantial positive impacts on the lives of participants, notably enhancing income levels, employment rates, and overall quality of life. These improvements underscore the program's efficacy in fostering economic empowerment and social well-being within the community. However, the study also identifies areas where further attention and intervention are required. Specifically, challenges persist in promoting environmental sustainability and facilitating asset acquisition among beneficiaries. Based on these findings, the study proposes several recommendations to optimize the program's impact. These recommendations include integrating training on environmentally sustainable practices into the program, facilitating access to asset acquisition mechanisms such as grants and microfinance, tailoring interventions to address the specific needs of beneficiaries based on their income levels, establishing robust monitoring and evaluation systems, and promoting a holistic program design that encompasses not only economic empowerment but also social and environmental well-being. Addressing these identified challenges and implementing the proposed recommendations, the positive impact of the SLP can be amplified, contributing to sustainable community development and a marked improvement in the quality of life for beneficiaries in Del Carmen.

The Impact of Abusive Supervision on Nurses' Organizational Silence: The Multiple Linear Mediation of Psychological Capital and Fear.

To assess abusive supervision and organizational silence among nurses and investigate the mediating influence of psychological capital and fear. Since the end of 2019, China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) department has decided to start the construction of regional medical centers in Shanxi, reducing cross-provincial and cross-regional medical care. In order to improve the overall standard of care in a hospital in a short period of time, health care leadership decision makers may adopt various effective leadership management practices to achieve the set goals and have high work pressure at the same time. In this case, abusive management may occur. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. In January -March 2024, a convenience sampling method was used to collect data from 470 nurses in a total of 5hospitals in Shanxi province they were required to complete the questionnaires online anonymously. The chain mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro program in the SPSS software and multiple linear regression model was used to verify the mediating effect. Psychological capital and fear mediate the relationship between abusive supervision and nurses' organizational silence, playing indirect mediating roles. Abusive supervision was positively associated with nurses' organizational silence. Additionally, psychological capital plays a negative mediating role, accounting for 48.48% of the indirect effect, and fear plays a positive mediating role, accounting for 45.83% of the indirect effect. They form a chain intermediary, accounting for 5.69% of the indirect effect. Psychological capital and fear mediate the impact of abusive supervision on nurses' organizational silence. Positive leadership training should be conducted to help reducing the level of head nurses' abusive supervision behaviors, while also fostering actions that elevate nurses' psychological capital levels.

Transformative Advances in Veterinary Laboratory Practices: Evaluating the Impact of Preliminary Training in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Provinces of Pakistan

Veterinary laboratories face distinct challenges in Pakistan, including inadequate infrastructure, resources, and training opportunities, especially in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan regions. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of training sessions for veterinary laboratory staff to improve methods and protocols related to sample collection, storage, and transport, while ensuring strict compliance with biosafety and biosecurity guidelines. The study employed a mixed methods approach, incorporating qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Hands-on training, essential laboratory equipment, and a comprehensive training kit, including personal protective equipment (PPE), were provided to 13 laboratories within the Livestock and Dairy Development Departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. A random sample of 152 individuals from a cohort of 314 trained personnel was selected to assess procedural changes post-training, supplemented by Training Needs Assessments (TNAs) and follow-up visits. Data collection involved a combination of open- and closed-ended questionnaires, individual interviews, and focus group discussions by trained enumerators to maintain a standardized approach. Significant improvements were observed in laboratory practices and procedures, staff competency in sample collection, necropsy techniques, labeling, storage, a chain of custody, packaging, and transport, as well as biosafety and biosecurity practices, such as effective use of PPEs, good laboratory practices, standard operating procedures, handling of sharps, and waste management. However, areas needing refinement, particularly waste management protocols, were identified. The integrated approach combining TNAs, training initiatives, and resource distribution, including laboratory equipment and PPEs, was pivotal in achieving these outcomes. This comprehensive strategy provides a basis for improving biosafety and biosecurity measures within laboratories, thereby contributing to the global effort to mitigate unauthorized access to high-risk pathogens.

Regional Development through important Indicators With special reference to Uttarakhand With special reference to Uttarakhand

Regional development had a significant impact on the economy of the nation. Regional development related to the development of the economy by enhancing the gross development product, per capita income, population, literacy ratio, mortality ratio small scale industries etc. This paper is based on the regional development of the different districts of the uttarakhand. I have been taken three factors i.e, district domestic product (DDP), population and per capita income of all the 13 districts of the Uttarakhand. This data related to the five years i.e from 2017-18 to 2021-21. The data has been collected as a secondary data from the Economic and development department of the Uttarakhand and for review of literature various journals, books, website, research papers and magazine had been read. This paper state the regional development of different districts through these three factor by calculating the average of the all these factors among all the selected districts of the uttarakhand districts. Key Words:; – Regional development, District Development Product, Per Capita Income

Abstract A054 Liver cancer mortality by structural disadvantage and race: An analysis of U.S. area-level factors

Abstract Introduction: Racial/ethnic and sex disparities in liver cancer (LC) mortality are well established; yet little is known about the contributions of county-level social risks on these disparities. Methods: We used U.S. national death certificate data from the National Center for Health Statistics (2018-2022) for LC mortality. County-level estimates of income inequality (ratio of household income at the 80th and 20th percentile), and median household income were obtained using the American Community Survey. Severe housing problems (percentage of households with 1 of 4 housing problems: overcrowding, high housing costs, lack of kitchen facilities, or lack of plumbing facilities) were abstracted from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Census Bureau. We estimated age-adjusted mortality rates (MR) and MR rate ratios (aRR) across metrics of county-level social risk grouped in quartiles overall and by race/ethnicity. Results: There were 101,088 liver cancer (LC) deaths from 2018-2022 (MR=6.16 per 100,000). Areas of highest county-level income inequality had 31% higher LC mortality compared to areas within the lowest quartile (aRR=1.31). LC MRs were 45% higher in counties with the lowest vs. highest median household income (aRR=1.45). Men and women in the highest quartile of severe housing problems had 29% and 22% higher LC MR (aRR=1.29 and 1.22, respectively), than those in the lowest quartiles. Men and women in the lowest quartile of median household income had 43% and 49% higher LC mortality than those in the highest median income quartiles (aRR=1.43 and 1.49, respectively). Within the highest quartile of income inequality, American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) persons had the highest LC mortality rates (MR=7.07), followed by Hispanic (MR=6.75), Black (MR=6.48), and Asian (MR=5.83) individuals. Similarly, in the highest quartile of severe housing problems, AI/AN persons had the highest LC mortality rate (MR 7.74), while Hispanic persons had 58% higher MR (MR 7.01), followed by Black (MR=6.19), Asian (MR=5.85) and White (MR=4.07) individuals. In the lowest median household income quartile, compared to White persons (MR=5.91), AI/AN persons had the highest MR (MR=8.86), and Hispanic persons had a 70% increase in mortality (MR=8.48). Among counties with the highest income inequality, compared to White persons (aRR=1.15), Black persons had an 80% increase in mortality (aRR=1.43). For those in the most concentrated quartile of severe housing problems, compared to White persons (aRR=1.07), AI/AN persons had an 80% increase in mortality (MR=1.34).Conclusion: All county-level indicators of highest social risk were associated with greater liver cancer mortality, but do not appear to fully account for racial and ethnic disparities in mortality. Therefore, place- based interventions are needed to address the role of county-level economic attributes in liver cancer mortality disparities. Citation Format: Jennifer K. McGee-Avila, Wayne R. Lawrence, Natalie Joe, Cameron B. Haas, Meredith S Shiels. Liver cancer mortality by structural disadvantage and race: An analysis of U.S. area-level factors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A054.

P-32 powdered activated carbon detoxifies potentially toxic elements in the Kumasi Abattoir Ghana effluent

Industrial activities, particularly from abattoirs without effluent treatment facilities, threaten ecosystems, releasing a spectrum of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into the environment. With a defunct wastewater treatment plant (WTP), exploring a low-cost but efficacious and eco-friendly adsorbent for the Kumasi Abattoir Ghana (KAG) effluent treatment is warranted. The study is the first attempt to utilize activated carbon (AC), such as the P-32 Powdered AC (PAC) brand, to detoxify PTEs—Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), and Lead (Pb)—in Ghana’s abattoir effluent. The adsorbent was manufactured and supplied by the Climate/Environmental Research and Technology (CLERET) Laboratory, one of the Research and Development (R&D) departments of Explore Scientific Innovations (ESI) Ltd., Ghana, using palm nutshell wastes as precursor. The study systematically evaluated the efficiency and adsorption prowess using incremental masses of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 g of the adsorbent/100 ml effluent, with three replicates per experimental unit in one cycle application of the adsorbent. The PTE concentrations were determined using standard methods before and after applying the adsorbent. Three adsorption isotherm models Langmuir, Freundlich, and Elovich, were applied to investigate the adsorption mechanisms governing the PTEs. The model performance was evaluated using R2 and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) metrics. The findings unveiled varied percentage removal efficiencies (% Rs), with Zn exhibiting the highest (79.64 %) at 2.5 g and Cd the least (7.8 %) at 0.5 g, of the carbon. The Freundlich isotherm emerged as the most robust model, consistently exhibiting the highest coefficient of determination (R2) with the lowest RSME values. Fe and Cd had the highest and lowest adsorption capacity (Kf) of 0.181 and 0.001, respectively. The Freundlich exponent (nf) values were within the favorability range of 1–10. The PTE adsorptions were physical rather than chemical. P-32 PAC provided a promising avenue for abattoir effluent management.

Strategic Dominance and Its Role in Reducing Consumer Arrogance (An Analytical Study of the Opinions of a Sample of Workers in Electronic Product Sales Centers in Najaf Governorate)

The current study explores the relationship between two main variables: strategic dominance in its dimensions (strategic rules, organizational power, strategic maneuvering, strategic sovereignty) and consumer arrogance in its dimensions (image-based consumption, consumer bragging, incentive-based purchases, consumer sense of superiority), through a survey of the opinions of a sample of workers in electronic product sales centers in Najaf Governorate. The researcher used the homogeneous intentional sample method. To achieve this goal, the questionnaire was used as a main tool to collect the required data. The questionnaire was distributed to (180) workers from the community under study. After reviewing it, the number of questionnaires valid for statistical analysis reached (172) questionnaires, out of the number of retrieved questionnaires, which amounted to (176) questionnaires. It was statistically analyzed using the programs (SPSS.28) and (AMOS.V.26), and the results showed the presence of a significant effect and correlation between strategic dominance in reducing consumer arrogance. The results reached by the current study are an attempt to reduce or bridge the knowledge gap between the study variables of strategic dominance and consumer arrogance. The study recommends that the administrations of electronic product sales centers in Najaf under study should adopt the components of strategic dominance and the new ideas it includes in the research and development department and encourage them, and enable workers to provide new ideas and involve them in the decision-making process, which contributes to reducing consumer arrogance. It also calls on researchers to conduct more future studies and research within the scope of the current study variables in the Iraqi organizational environment or environments in other countries.

Requirements Risk Management for Continuous Development: Organisational Needs

Information systems development has recently evolved from traditional to agile and continuous forms. Continuous development (CD) methods, such as development and operations (DevOps), integrate many well-regarded parts of agile development and add collaboration among an organisation’s development, operations and quality assessment departments. We argue that requirements risk management (RRM) poses additional challenges to projects where development work is carried out quickly and continuously. However, in the literature, most methods for prioritising requirements and managing risks are more suited to traditional development. This raises the need for new tools and methodologies to meet CD challenges. As these challenges constantly evolve, project management must be able to control CD, changes in the determination of requirements and the accompanying risks. Based on a systematic literature review, we define the key features of CD and develop a conceptual three-dimensional framework that can be used to understand the organisational needs of RRM for CD.

Constructing a Hospital Department Development-Level Assessment Model: Machine Learning and Expert Consultation Approach in Complex Hospital Data Environments.

Every hospital manager aims to build harmonious, mutually beneficial, and steady-state departments. Therefore, it is important to explore a hospital department development assessment model based on objective hospital data. This study aims to use a novel machine learning algorithm to identify key evaluation indexes for hospital departments, offering insights for strategic planning and resource allocation in hospital management. Data related to the development of a hospital department over the past 3 years were extracted from various hospital information systems. The resulting data set was mined using neural machine algorithms to assess the possible role of hospital departments in the development of a hospital. A questionnaire was used to consult senior experts familiar with the hospital to assess the actual work in each hospital department and the impact of each department's development on overall hospital discipline. We used the results from this questionnaire to verify the accuracy of the departmental risk scores calculated by the machine learning algorithm. Deep machine learning was performed and modeled on the hospital system training data set. The model successfully leveraged the hospital's training data set to learn, predict, and evaluate the working and development of hospital departments. A comparison of the questionnaire results with the risk ranking set from the departments machine learning algorithm using the cosine similarity algorithm and Pearson correlation analysis showed a good match. This indicates that the department development assessment model and risk score based on the objective data of hospital systems are relatively accurate and objective. This study demonstrated that our machine learning algorithm provides an accurate and objective assessment model for hospital department development. The strong alignment of the model's risk assessments with expert opinions, validated through statistical analysis, highlights its reliability and potential to guide strategic hospital management decisions.

STRATEGI PENINGKATAN KUALITAS KARYAWAN PADA PT.SAWIT KHATULISTIWA LESTARI PEDADANG ESTATE KETUNGAU HILIR KABUPATEN SINTANG

This study examines the strategies for improving the quality of employees at PT. Sawit Khatulistiwa Lestari Pedadang Estate in Ketungau Hilir, Sintang Regency. The focus of this research is to identify the strategies used to enhance the quality of employees at PT. Sawit Khatulistiwa Lestari Pedadang Estate. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method. The subjects of this study include managers, general employees, and employees from the R&D (Resource and Development) department. Data collection techniques used in the study are interviews, observations, and documentation studies. The results of this study indicate that the company motivates and ensures the well-being of employees as a means of improving employee quality. The management frequently conducts training to enhance employees' skills, not only in industrial activities but also in personal and self-development skills. Employee attendance is quite high, with employees arriving and leaving according to working hours and being able to perform tasks according to their positions and responsibilities. However, challenges arise from frequent budget shortages due to the fact that a large portion of PT. Sawit Khatulistiwa Lestari Pedadang Estate's land is still non-productive and in maintenance, and the process of appointing permanent employees takes a long time. Based on the conclusions above, several recommendations are suggested: Regular training for employees at PT. Sawit Khatulistiwa Lestari Pedadang Estate is needed to improve employee quality. To determine job satisfaction as an effort to improve employee quality, periodic opinion surveys should be conducted. The company's financial management needs to be improved to ensure timely wage payments. The company should seek funds that can be fully invested in maintaining the non-productive portion of the land.

Sacred Land, Religious Land Use, and Sustainable Urban Development

ABSTRACT: The urban land question is undeniably a pressing societal problem. Criticisms of the financialization of urban land continue, much like the challenge to land grabbing. Questions about alternatives are relatively rare, so this article addresses the following questions: What does sacred land mean in the Thai Buddhist context? How has the belief in sacred land influenced the ethical considerations of religious land use in Thailand? Important in themselves, these questions also invite consideration of how religious land use addresses the challenge of sustainable urban development. Empirical data from interviews were gathered from Buddhist senior monks in five Thai cities and representatives from the Land Development Department and the National Office of Buddhism. Systematic and document analyses of these data show that the notion of sacred land in the Thai Buddhist context is contested. Nonetheless, the belief in sacred land has made Thai Buddhist temple land distinctive and, at the same time, influenced landowners and land users to follow ethical equitable considerations that have substantial ramifications for economy, society, and environment.

Spatial econometric analysis of the digital divide in Thailand at the sub-district level: Patterns and determinants

This study explores spatial patterns of the digital divide and its determinants at the sub-district level in Thailand, uncovering nuanced patterns often overlooked in the in prior literature. To our knowledge, no studies in the digital divide field have offered such detailed estimations. Based on the Spatially Aware Technology Utilization Model, we constructed a conceptual model tailored to the digital divide's geospatial context in Thailand. Using a spatial econometric approach, we analyzed the 2021 data set on basic household necessities provided by Thailand's Community Development Department. The results show a positive spatial autocorrelation of the household internet access divide (HIAD) across Thailand's sub-districts. This spatial clustering tended to be high–high in the sub-districts located in the northeastern and northern regions, with low–low agglomerations in the central region of Thailand. In addition, the spatial econometric analysis results indicated that the HIAD may be influenced by various factors including demographic, economic, educational, government ICT prioritization, social capital, transportation, and disaster-related variables. This study provides both theoretical and policy implications to enrich geographic knowledge of the digital divide, specifically in the context of developing countries.

Researching Student Profiles in the Department of Child Development at Istanbul Gelişim University

Aim: This research is a descriptive study aimed at determining the profile of students enrolled in the Department of Child Development within Istanbul Gelisim University's Faculty of Health Sciences. Method: The study group consists of 389 students studying in the child development departments providing education in Turkish and English. In the study, 259 students who agreed to participate in the study were included without any sample selection. Result: Research findings have shown that the majority of child development department students are satisfied with both the department and the university. They choose the child development department voluntarily and rank it among their top three choices in the university preference form. Additionally, they have positive feelings towards both the department and the university. Conclusion: As a result of the research, it was determined that the students were satisfied with their departments and the university. Personality characteristics, professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes of child development professionals directly affect the target audiences with whom they will interact. For this reason, to train qualified child development experts, it is thought that it would be beneficial to take encouraging measures for candidates who will choose the child development profession and to support existing child development experts while doing their profession and help them solve the problems they encounter.

Pre-Post Survey Analysis on Pharmacy Students' Perceptions of Pharmacist Roles in the Pharmaceutical Industry

The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing rapid evolution, characterized by a complex regulatory landscape and the need for diverse skill sets. This study aimed to assess pharmacy students’ perceptions of the pharmaceutical industry and the impact of a dedicated seminar on their career aspirations and knowledge. A pre-post online survey was administered to 55 undergraduate pharmacy students at the National Pharmacy Seminar 2024, hosted by Jakarta Global University. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p ≤0.05). Results indicate a strong preference for careers in state-owned pharmaceutical companies (63.6%) and research and development departments (34%). The seminar significantly enhanced participants’ understanding of pharmacists’ roles, industry complexities, drug development challenges, and regulatory requirements. Notably, 93% of participants reported that the seminar met their expectations and provided valuable insights for future career exploration. These findings underscore the importance of educational interventions in shaping pharmacy students’ career trajectories and aligning their knowledge with the dynamic pharmaceutical industry.

Bridging workforce skills gaps in rural America amid ‘the great resignation' by leveraging a triple helix collaboration

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted the job market through a surge in layoffs and the mass resignation of employees leading to the emergence of ‘The Great Resignation’. This study explores the perspectives of employers regarding skills gaps and hiring challenges with a focus on rural communities. A collaboration led by a prominent rural university department of Community and Workforce Development included industry partners, governmental agencies, a partner university, primary and secondary schools (K-12), vocational institutions, Chambers of Commerce, and Small Business Development Centers. Their objective was to examine the gap between employer needs and worker readiness. Leveraging the Triple Helix approach, a grant was awarded to fund a stackable pathway skills development program for high-demand industries in a rural five-county area. This program, the Industry Engaged Workplace Ready Program Model, is a two-phase, rapid-response approach for meeting emergent workforce needs by providing accessible training, education, networking, and mentoring to employable candidates. Findings revealed success in the program with mixed outcomes and room for program revision.

Examining Health Differences Among Older Adults with Federal Rental Assistance in the United States.

About 1.8 million older adults receive rental assistance in the United States, but surprisingly little is known about their health, especially among the growing number of older housing choice voucher (HCV) holders. This is the first known study to use nationally representative data (2006-2018) from the National Health Interview Survey merged with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administrative data to describe the health of older HUD renters (N = 4,582) living in public housing, multifamily housing, or receiving an HCV. Logistic regression models were used to examine potential health differences by HUD program type. Contrary to expectations, the results suggest that older HCV holders were more likely to experience health challenges compared to older adults with project-based assistance. The results bring awareness to the health challenges experienced by older HCV holders and emphasize the need for future research to examine why older HCV holders are more likely to experience these health challenges. Policy makers and program administrators must consider how the HCV program has significantly aged in the past two decades and consider what program and policy changes are necessary to ensure that older adults have access to affordable housing that matches their changing needs and preferences.

“The chaos of not knowing”: Embodied experiences of waiting for public housing redevelopment and relocation

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has instituted several successive programs to redevelop aging and distressed US public housing. The current program, the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, aims not only to redevelop housing but also to improve the health of public housing residents through a whole neighborhood transformation, at the cost of privatizing components of housing. In the present case study, we examine relationships and perceptions about public housing redevelopment and health among residents affected by the Sun Valley Choice Neighborhood Initiative in Denver, Colorado. We address how public housing residents experience redevelopment, with particular emphasis on the temporal, physical and embodied mental experience of “waiting” for housing in a community undergoing radical transformation. We understand and conceptualize waiting as the process that generates stressors, and embodiment as the process of internalizing stressors through the mechanism of weathering (Geronimus, 1992; Krieger, 2021). Through repeated interviews with 21 residents, we highlight several themes that tie together experiences of waiting for displacement as well as experiences of stress and uncertainty related to the bureaucracy of public housing redevelopment. We document how participants struggled with the emotional impact of imposed change, found waiting to be destabilizing for their mental health, and how they embodied experiences of displacement anxiety. These findings show how redevelopment projects impose a forced waiting on the state that extends precarity and further destabilizes the lives and mental health of public housing residents.