Four-year Degree Research Articles

Substance Use and College Completion Among Two-Year and Four-Year College Students From a Nationally Representative Longitudinal Study.

Young adults from disadvantaged populations access higher education through two-year colleges, but substance use research among young adults focuses on four-year colleges. Filling this research gap is important given recent policy changes that have increased marijuana availability for young adults. This study uses a subsample of college-enrolled participants from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to evaluate whether substance use predicts educational attainment seven years later, comparing 888 students attending a two-year college with 1,398 matched students attending a four-year college. Matched students were identified using a propensity score method so that students were comparable on 15 measures, including precollege grades, precollege test scores, and precollege substance use. Compared with similar four-year college students, two-year college students were more likely to use methamphetamines, cocaine, or marijuana; more likely to report problematic substance use; and less likely to use alcohol. Two-year college students who used methamphetamines in the past year (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.51, 95% CI (1.12, 2.04), p = 0.007) or past month (IRR = 1.69, 95% CI (1.09, 2.61), p = 0.02) or completed alcohol abuse treatment (IRR = 1.58, 95% CI (1.21, 2.07), p < 0.001) were less likely to complete college than two-year college students without those risk factors. Among the matched four-year college students, students who reported that drugs interfered with school or work in the past year (IRR = 1.84 (1.28, 2.64), p = 0.001), used cocaine in the past year (IRR = 1.47 (1.04, 2.08), p = 0.03), and used marijuana in the past year (IRR = 1.30 (1.07, 1.57), p = 0.007), past month (IRR = 1.31 (1.07, 1.61), p = 0.01), or ≥5 times in the past month (IRR = 1.44 (1.12, 1.85) p = 0.005) were less likely to complete college than the matched four-year college students without those risk factors. Substance use interventions should target both two-year and four-year college students. Two-year colleges that better accommodate students who complete substance use treatment may improve these students' completion. Students who use marijuana or cocaine or whose drug use impairs functioning may benefit from an incremental approach of completing a two-year degree prior to transferring to a four-year degree rather than enrolling directly in a four-year program.

Relationship between readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy among nursing students: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundModern medicine emphasizes that medical professionals engage in interprofessional collaboration to better meet the diverse needs of patients from physical, psychological, and social perspectives. As nursing students are the future reserve of the clinical nursing workforce, nursing educators worldwide should pay close attention to nursing students’ interprofessional learning attitudes and take responsibility for training qualified interprofessional nursing personnel. However, little is known about the relationship between nursing students' readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy. Thus, this study aims to investigate the level of readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy among nursing students, and to explore the relationship between the two.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 741 undergraduate nursing students pursuing four-year degrees from a school in Jinan, Shandong Province, China from November to December 2021. The social-demographic questionnaire, Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, and Academic Self-efficacy Scale were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics used to analyze the data included: Cronbach's alpha, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis.ResultsReadiness for interprofessional learning mean score was (3.91 ± 0.44) and mean academic self-efficacy was (3.47 ± 0.42). Significant differences were found in the research variables according to participants’ sex, grade, choice of nursing profession, and frequency of communication with health-related major students in studies (p < 0.05, p < 0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed that academic self-efficacy was positively related to readiness for interprofessional learning (r = 0.316, p < 0.01). The hierarchical regression analysis showed that academic self-efficacy was positively related to readiness for interprofessional learning (β = 0.307, p < 0.001), The model explained 15.6% of the variance in readiness for interprofessional learning (F = 18.038, p < 0.001).ConclusionsReadiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy were in the middle level among nursing students. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the two. Therefore, it is very important for nursing educators to improve nursing students’ academic self-efficacy before improving their readiness for interprofessional learning.

Exploring the perception of value in cancer care: A comparison of patients, providers, and payers.

60 Background: As the healthcare system moves towards value-based models, defining "value" is crucial. In the context of cancer care, there are multiple metrics essential to the aggregate of “value”, however their relative importance to the various stakeholders in value-based care are unknown. This study assesses the priorities of key stakeholders in value-based cancer care. Methods: A survey was administered to international cancer patients through online support groups and to healthcare providers and payers within a large regional health system. Respondents ranked the relative importance of treatment costs, longevity, treatment experience, functional and emotional well-being, and longevity (survival). Agreement among groups was analyzed using Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W). The priorities of each group were compared among stakeholders. Results: A total of 1,103 respondents including 782 patients, 216 healthcare providers, and 105 payers/policymakers participated. The majority of respondents were female (70%), white (89%), and had completed a four-year degree (63%). The patient cohort represented six continents and 20 cancer types. The most common cancer site was the pancreas (35%), followed by the esophagus (11%), bile duct (10%), and peritoneal surface malignancy (9%). Among providers, 29% were physicians, 21% nurses, 11% advanced practice providers, and 39% other providers. Among payers, 24% were administrators and 24% held were business analysts. Patients prioritized longevity and functional independence (W=39%, p&lt;0.001), while providers prioritized patient emotional well-being over functional independence and experience (W=35%, p&lt;0.001). Payers prioritized emotional well-being and patient longevity (W=26%, p&lt;0.001). The overall ratings for each value metric among the three groups differed significantly (all p &lt; 0.05). All groups ranked treatment costs as least important. Rankings were consistent across gender, education level, and time spent with patients within the cohorts. Conclusions: With general consistencies amongst the views of stakeholders, there are remains significant discordances in the perception of value. While the highest priority across stakeholder groups differed, costs of treatment consistently ranked as the least important value domain. These findings have important implications for the development of value-based cancer care models that account for the diverse perspectives of key stakeholders. Further research is needed to develop a generalizable measure of healthcare value.

Accounting for the Widening Mortality Gap between American Adults with and without a BA

ABSTRACT: We examine mortality differences between American adults with and without a four-year college degree over the period 1992 to 2021. Mortality patterns, in aggregate and across groups, can provide evidence on how well society is functioning, information that goes beyond aggregate measures of material well-being. From 1992 to 2010, both educational groups saw falling mortality, but with greater improvements for the more educated; from 2010 to 2019, mortality continued to fall for those with a four-year degree while rising for those without; during the COVID-19 pandemic, mortality rose for both groups, but markedly more rapidly for the less educated. In consequence, the mortality gap between the two groups expanded in all three periods, leading to an 8.5-year difference in adult life expectancy by the end of 2021. There have been dramatic changes in patterns of mortality since 1992, but gaps rose consistently in each of thirteen broad classifications of cause of death. We document rising gaps in other measures relevant to well-being—background factors to the rising gap in mortality—including morbidity, social isolation, marriage, family income, and wealth.

Towards a citizen development andragogy: Low-code platforms, design thinking and knowledge-based dynamic capabilities

Addressing the ongoing deficit in technical skills and talent necessitates an effective management approach that can harness the power of accelerating innovation. In response to the challenge, this paper presents a comprehensive learning model called Citizen Development Andragogy (CDA), specifically tailored for adult learners. CDA is an integrative learning framework, designed for an array of academic programs from micro-credentialing to four-year degrees, which combines leading-edge technology, such as low-code tools and platforms and generative AI, design thinking for creativity, and the institutionally oriented, knowledge-based dynamic capabilities (KBDC) model. Additionally, CDA is epistemologically rooted in the individually focused constructivist learning theory, providing a consistent structure that caters to the learning needs of working adults, enhancing their ability to conceive, design, build, and implement digital solutions. The andragogical learning theory is designed for adult learners and has important implications regarding teaching and program differences for reaching traditional aged college students, emerging learners, versus more seasoned individuals. Emerging strategic components conveyed in this paper—via a discursive style—represent some first steps towards considering and building a citizen development andragogy. An initial CDA framework conceptualization is detailed in this paper, which explores its theoretical constructs, practical considerations, current limitations, and it also shares insights from early implementation efforts, and presents a variety of potential future research avenues. Importantly, the paper emphasizes CDA's role as an accessible gateway for introducing citizen development into adult education and upskilling programs. In a broader societal context, citizen development, facilitated by CDA, can serve as a vital influencer for larger 'citizen' involvement movements like citizen scientists, human rights observers, and environmentalists. As such, an effective, scalable CDA prototype has the potential to yield meaningful benefits, empowering individuals, and organizations to achieve impact on an unprecedented scale, ultimately benefiting society at large.

Climbing the Ladder in Crafting A Professionalism Framework for Nursing Students in South Africa

Introduction: Globally, higher education institutions are faced with training nursing students to meet the healthcare demands of an ever-changing society. In nursing education, innovative ways are essential to instil professionalism among nursing students to prepare them for managing complex practice issues without compromising the professional standards of nursing. This paper concentrates on developing a conceptual framework, for the facilitation of professionalism among undergraduate nursing students at a higher education institution in South Africa.&#x0D; Methods: This study was a constructive paradigm research with qualitative descriptive approach. Data was collected by focus group interviews with participants (three cases). Different phases were followed in the framework development using the case method. In Case 1, focus groups (n=8) were held with student nurses from each of the levels of a four-year degree program (n=42). In Case 2, focus groups (n=3) and unstructured interviews (n=1) were conducted with purposively selected nurse educators (n=20), representing academics and clinical facilitators. Case 3 comprised of semi-structured individual interviews (n=5) and focus groups (n=5), a total of 29 preceptors in professional practice. An analysis of a within-case followed by cross-case data analysis, resulted in merged themes of three cases that emerged as an overall case study.&#x0D; Results: Actual accounts of the participants` experiences on nursing professionalism during theory and practice education were captured in the six concepts of the Practice Orientated Theory that structured the developed framework.&#x0D; Conclusion: A logical methodological description of creating a framework on nursing professionalism was outlined and the conceptual framework can be evaluated for transferability to other similar nursing education training environments.

"I Am Not Latino Enough": Latinx Ethnic Identity and Participation at La Casa

Abstract: While more Latinx students are enrolling in higher education, underrepresentation in four-year degree attainment persists. Connecting Latinx students with culture centers on college campuses has been a promising intervention. Such centers have been shown to play a critical role in student integration, learning, and, thus, retention of Students of Color. However, we know little about how ethnic identity impacts participation at culture centers and why racially/ethnically minoritized students do not access these resources. Using a LatCrit theoretical framework, this mixed method study explored the role that Latinx ethnic identity played in participation at a Latinx cultural center and identified the reasons for participation (or lack thereof). Results showed that for many Latinx students, the culture center on campus was a place that felt "like home," as other research corroborates. For others, such as multiracial Latinx students, it was a place where ethnic identities were questioned because they failed to fit essentialist notions of Latinx identity. Recommendations point to the increased need for campus programming that disrupts monolithic conceptualizations of Latinx ethnic identity and fills the needs of an increasingly diverse Latinx student population on college and university campuses.

Integrating Freshman STEM Education into a Big-History Course in Japan

Undergraduate education for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has been a global priority of governments for decades, because of its direct connection to work-force development in a world with growing dependence on technology and information. Technology is the outcome of an evolutionary process leading to increases of complexity and emergence of new functionalities, which is a central theme in Big History. In modern Japan, large public universities focus on undergraduate STEM education, originally inspired by the American model. This Japanese STEM approach is rather heavily based on liberal arts and general education courses that are taught as distinct silos in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, etc. At least, this is the case for most of the first-year and some of the second-year content in most four-year degree programs. This model has its benefits and provides a solid foundation in these disciplines, one that expands on high school experience. However, this often means that students tend to overlook or forget the deep connections between disciplines.

Duloxetine Use in the Management of Stress Urinary Incontinence &amp; Students’ Survey

The goal of this study is to assess the knowledge and opinion of students regarding the off-label use of duloxetine in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The Survey questions were provided during the Drug Information Course at Howard University (HU) College of Pharmacy in a class where first-year pharmacy students learn how to conduct a literature search and a survey. A total of 39 students responded to the survey. There were more females (n=23; 56.1%) with an age range between 18 – 24 years. About two-thirds (n=29; 70.7%) had a four-year degree before starting the pharmacy program. Overall, participants scored less than the passing 70% mark on the knowledge questions, which may call for educators to make a special effort to incorporate off-label and approved indications of medication teaching therapeutic-related courses. For example, more than sixty percent of respondents (n=25; 61%) incorrectly stated that duloxetine is a narrow therapeutic drug. The majority (n=; 34; 82.9%) of the participants responded wrongly that urinary incontinence is more common in women during their childbearing age. The opinion survey showed that most participants (n=25; 61%) did not believe there were many FDA-approved effective drugs for treating SUI. Over sixty percent of participants (n=25; 61%) considered SUI a severe illness and did not agree to use a non-approved drug such as duloxetine, although several published clinical studies support its effective use. Participants were split in their opinion regarding the non-approved use of medications. Study results suggest that students may need encouragement to explore medications with non-FDA approvals.

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Insufficient Ophthalmology Exposure in Canadian Medical Schools

Ophthalmological education is crucial for physicians of all fields and the current medical school education system in Canada does not provide students with sufficient training to adequately address certain common ocular conditions. Students can graduate their medical school with often one to two weeks of exposure to ophthalmology over the course of their three to four-year degree. A method to improve the ophthalmological training involves implementing established guidelines from the International Council of Ophthalmology, which lists attainable and specific objectives for medical students to complete by graduation.

“The Least I Could Do is Get That Four-Year Degree That They Sacrificed so Much for” Undocumented Latina/o Families and the College Navigation Process

ABSTRACT Undocumented students face significant barriers in accessing postsecondary education. Previous research has focused on how individuals and schools impacted their experiences of enrolling in college. This critical qualitative study of testimonios with 15 undocumented Latina/o students examines how their families shaped and supported their college navigation process. Using a funds of knowledge framework, we find that parents and siblings shaped undocumented students’ college choices through dichos, or culturally situated advice. Once students attended college, many expressed a desire to give back to their parents and inspire other family members to pursue college. Students also articulated the utility of their degree as an avenue to give back to their local communities. We discuss the need for institutions to honor the collectivist orientation of Latina/o/x students and their families through recruitment and engagement efforts with these students.

Trajectories to timing out and the snare of undermining conditions: A retrospective analysis of meeting lifetime limits to welfare

ABSTRACT Using qualitative interviews with a panel of parents over two years (n = 33 and 23) and a retrospective biographical framework, I ask how welfare recipients reach their 60-month lifetime limit; specifically, what conditions, experiences, and circumstances keep them from exiting welfare permanently before 60 months? Recipients traversed an array of trajectories based on differing relationships to the labor market, including cycling in and out of the labor market and welfare, navigating the margins of the labor market, and working toward a four-year degree. Despite following different trajectories related to labor force attachment, the analysis shows that these parents who timed out of welfare shared a common set of circumstances which created a snare of undermining conditions—destabilizing events which interacted with the challenges of the low wage labor market, parenting in poverty, and a tattered safety net. Given the challenges of poverty in the U.S. even strong attachment to the labor market did not prevent a third of the sample from exhausting access to cash assistance. My analysis broadens our understandings of how individuals meet their lifetime limits to welfare by looking beyond individual-level characteristics, such as labor force attachment, and highlighting the ways experiences of timing out are situated in race, class, and gender inequalities.

Association between Self-Compassion and Demographics of University Students Adjusted by Gratitude

The purpose of this quantitative research was to assess the association between self-compassion and demographics adjusted by gratitude for university students. A convenience sample of 104 social work students at a public northeastern in the United States completed an online survey that included Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-s), Gratitude Questionnaire, and demographic information. Increased gratitude was associated with increased self-compassion in all the tested models. Individuals aged 23 or younger, from larger households, leaning independents/moderate democrats, and higher spirituality, had a higher level of self-compassion. Students from rural areas had a higher level of self-compassion than those from suburban regions, but lower self-compassion than those residing in urban areas. Participants with advanced degree had relatively low self-compassion compared with those with a two-year or a four-year degree. Implications of the findings are discussed, including the potential value of incorporating self-compassion and gratitude training in curricular and extracurricular activities in universities.

P100Stigma and social norms as drivers of partner support during pregnancy decision making: Results of a focus group study among cisgender men

<h3>Objectives</h3> Though many pregnant people desire partner support around pregnancy decision making, the potential of positive social norms to promote supportive partner behavior has been minimally explored. This focus group discussion study explored attitudes around pregnancy decision making among cisgender men. <h3>Methods</h3> We conducted four FGDs with men aged 18–34 (n=27) who identified as being currently partnered with a cisgender woman, who were recruited via online platforms in four US cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Participants were diverse in racial and religious identification (27% White, 41% Christian), and most were highly educated (64% had a four-year degree). Discussion topics included masculinity, fatherhood, and reproductive health decision making; personal and anecdotal experiences with pregnancy or abortion; and experiences sharing and seeking advice on these topics from other men. FGDs were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach involving inductive and deductive coding. <h3>Results</h3> While most participants endorsed a belief that men should support a partner through an unanticipated pregnancy, they differed on whether support should solely involve offering to parent, or support for whatever pregnancy outcome their partner chooses, potentially including abortion. Beliefs were complicated by abortion stigma, religious identity, and men's reactions to perceived stereotypes of themselves based on race, ethnicity, or age. Positive social norms were bolstered by media representation, conversations with friends and family, and observation of peers. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Social norms may influence the way cisgender men frame their understanding of partner support during unintended pregnancy. Peer interactions, mentorship by role models, and media representation may be viable routes to promote social norms favoring supportive behaviors.

가나 예비교사 교육 현황 분석과 교육개발협력에의 시사점 탐색

Since the Sustainable Development Goals were launched, the debates regarding quality education have been active. This study focuses on the teacher education which has had a great impact on quality education and examines current status and issues on the education of pre-service teacher in Ghana. This study explores the features of teacher education in Ghana and analyzes the major issues with a document analysis. Ghana has made a great efforts to expand education provision and accordingly educational systems of Ghana has been acknowledged as one of the most distinctive systems in Africa. However, Ghana is still faced with the problem of securing quality education; for example, students perform poorly in international assessments with teacher quality being a concern. This study draws following three points as main problems in teacher education. First, there are various pathways that an individual can enter the teaching profession and this situation raises concerns about the professionalism of teaching. Second, there have been criticisms about the inadequate framework and curriculum for the prospective teachers to be equipped with the necessary knowledge and experience. Final issue has to do with the quality of the person recruited as a prospective teacher; being a teacher is seen as the second option for the students who apply for the universities. With Educational reform in 2018, Colleges of Education have been upgraded to four-year degree awarding institutions and no longer three-year diploma awarding Colleges. This reform has led to a number of positive changes, such as the introduction of specialism, the provision of opportunities for prospect teachers to deepen their content knowledge, and the establishment teaching standards. This study recommends that educational ODA for Ghana ensures the quality of teacher education. The idea that Korea’s educational ODA needs to concentrate on the area of teacher education is suggested.

Primed for Backlash: Among Whom Does Demographic Change Provoke Anti-Immigration Attitudes?

Past research has explored which factors are important in understanding immigration attitudes, incorporating economic, cultural, and political components, among others. Simultaneously, a literature linking local demographic context to immigration attitudes has developed, in part to identify under what conditions demographic change might increase immigration Backlash. I combine these literatures by examining what characteristics and/or contexts for U.S.-born Whites predict Backlash to demographic change. I find evidence that county-level Hispanic growth predicts a preference for reducing immigration among three groups: those without a four-year degree, those identifying as political Independents, and those reporting a decrease in household income. These results provide a framework for understanding how immigration policy attitudes may evolve for different groups in the context of demographic change.

Workforce Challenges in Long-Term Care Pick Up Speed

Workforce Challenges in Long-Term Care Pick Up Speed

The Influence of Educación on Latinx Students’ Academic Expectations and Achievement

ABSTRACT This quantitative study examined the influence of the Latinx cultural value of educación on high school students’ disciplinary behavior and its relationship to college degree expectations and academic achievement. Because student misbehavior is often identified as one factor that may contribute to low academic achievement, the study posited that the concept of educación, which encompasses a variety of respectful behavior expected of children, may be associated with the disciplinary behavior of students in schools and in turn may influence their educational expectations and achievement. Data were drawn from nearly 400 underrepresented minority students in the southwestern United States. Logistic and multiple regression were used to investigate the relationship between educación and academic achievement and college degree expectations. Findings indicated that students who exhibited positive behavior at school had increased odds of expecting to earn a four-year college degree and that as students’ behavior at school increased in a positive direction, so did their GPA. The results of this study suggest that adherence to the Latinx cultural value of educación may serve as a protective factor for Latinx students in regard to their academic expectations and achievement.

Influence of Community College Personnel on Degree Aspirations and Upward Transfer Intentions of Hospitality Management Students in California Community Colleges

ABSTRACT Two hundred and four students completed a web-based questionnaire distributed to a stratified sample of California community college students (n = 2,300) enrolled in hospitality management or related programs to assess the influence of community college personnel on students’ degree aspirations and upward transfer of community college students to four-year degree programs. Faculty interaction, transfer services, and general support services were statistically significant in explaining degree aspirations and the likelihood of upward transfer; demographic variables were not. The results suggest community colleges can positively influence students’ degree aspirations and upward transfer intentions. Implications include creating opportunities to educate students about upward transfer and influence their degree aspirations, improving future job opportunities.