Urban University Research Articles

Impact of Mobile Phone Use on College Students' Self-perceived Health During the Epidemic in China: The Mediating Role of Sleep Quality

Objectives: The soaring rate of Internet usage among college and university students during the pandemic became an abuse more than a necessity, turning the mobile phone usage as an addiction. However, the impact of using mobile phones on the perceived health of college students is still a controversial topic. The purpose of this study was to reveal the influencing factors of mobile phone usage on college students' self-perceived health during the pandemic. Methods: This study used data from 230 college students who had participated in the China Comprehensive Social Survey (CGSS) in March 2021. A multiple linear regression model was used to conduct data analysis, considering the influence of multiple independent variables on the dependent variable. The hypothesis testing and predictive analytics were done to validate research hypotheses. Results: The study found that mobile phone usage has a positive impact on college students' self-perception of health. However, this positive impact does not exist in isolation and is significantly mediated by sleep quality. Further analysis of the data of urban and rural college students found that the mobile phone utilization by urban college students has a more significant impact on self-perceived health than by rural college students. Conclusions: In the context of public health emergencies, rational use of mobile phones can effectively alleviate the negative emotions of college students. Therefore, it is imperative that students are guided towards healthy and rational utilization of mobile phones, to reduce potential negative effects and maintain a good mental state.

Characterization and risk prediction of cardiovascular surgeries with cardiopulmonary bypass: a cross-sectional study

Cardiovascular surgery risk prediction models are widely applied in medical practice. However, they have been criticized for their low methodological quality and scarce external validation. An additional limitation added in Latin America is that most of these models have been developed in the United States or Europe, which present marked geographical differences. The objective of this study is to characterize the postoperative clinical events of cardiovascular surgeries with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass pump in a local setting and to evaluate the prediction of postoperative mortality using the EuroSCORE II predictive model. Cross-sectional study in an urban university hospital in Buenos Aires. Patients ≥21 years of age were included, with a clinical indication for on-pump cardiovascular surgery. Patients with incomplete clinical data regarding EuroSCORE II variables or in-hospital survival, ≥95 years of age, or undergoing heart transplantation were excluded. 195 patients were enrolled. Postoperative mortality estimated by EuroSCORE II presented a clear underestimation of risk (3.0% vs 7.7%). Discrimination (AUC = 0.82; 95% CI 0.74-0.92) and goodness of fit of the model were adequate (χ2 = 7.91; p = 0.4418). The most frequent postoperative complications were postoperative heart failure (35.9%), vasoplegic shock (13.3%), and cardiogenic shock (10.26%). The EuroSCORE II is an appropriate tool to discriminate between different risk categories in patients undergoing on-pump cardiovascular surgery, although it underestimates the risk.

Teaching and Learning About the Transgender Population: Student Reflections.

Decreasing the disparities in health care for transgender people requires nursing to expand its knowledge base about the population. There is limited research and information about curricula integration inclusive of this population, yet much is written about the gap in nursing knowledge and education. There may be insufficient opportunities to expose students to the population as patients; therefore, creative education strategies are necessary. An innovative multimodal education process was implemented in an urban university setting to expose undergraduate nursing students to the population. Lecture, video, live testimonial, and panel discussion were used. Class reflections and survey data revealed three qualitative narrative reflections. Students reported awareness of how to improve their interactions with this population, appreciation for the experience, and meaningfulness of the experience. The experience brought students closer to understanding the need in providing equitable and appropriate care. Multiple modes of teaching were successful in the affective learning domain. More research in ways to enhance nursing education is necessary. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(X):XXX-XXX.].

Food Insecurity Amongst Urban College Students

Food Insecurity Amongst Urban College Students

Recruiting and retaining BIPOC teachers: project HEART

Abstract We are a team of experienced teacher educators working with various licensure programs: teaching English to speakers of other languages, literacy, primary, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the summer of 2020, as faculty in a college of education in an urban area in upper Midwest, we participated in a grassroots faculty-led initiative around interrogating teaching and learning structures in pursuit of equity and social justice. Following that initiative, we have embarked on a project to increase the recruitment and retention of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) teachers. The team project is cross-institutional and consists of faculty, staff, and leaders from an urban university, a large urban school district, and the local community college. Using improvement science and an equity literacy framework, we explore ways to strengthen our interconnected pipeline to recruit, train, employ, and support BIPOC teachers. With the spirit of collaboration and shared beliefs, we aim to dismantle unjust and inequitable practices and create racially just and sustainable communities for BIPOC students and teachers. This article will share how we operationalize the three pillars of our project (collaboration, shared beliefs, and sustainability) to diversify our teacher preparation programs and increase representation within the teaching community.

Non-technical skills of Norwegian medical students at different training sites: a comparative, observational cohort study

PurposeMastering non-technical skills (NTS) is a fundamental part of the training of new physicians to perform effectively and safely in the medical practice environment. Ideally, they learn these skills during medical school. Decentralized medical education is being implemented increasingly worldwide. Two of the three training sites studied, Bodø (a regional hospital) and Finnmark (a rural local hospital), implemented decentralized medical education. The third training site was the main campus in Tromsø, located at an urban university hospital. The training in Finnmark emphasised training in non-technical skills using simulation to a larger extent than the two other university campuses. This study aimed to compare the NTS performance of medical students in their last year of education at three different training sites of the same university.MethodsThis blinded cohort study included students from the three training sites who participated in identical multi-professional simulations over a six-year period. Eight raters evaluated the video recordings of eight students from each training site using the Norwegian Medical Students Non-Technical Skills (NorMS-NTS) tool. The NorMS-NTS tool, which comprises four categories and 13 elements, assesses the NTS of Norwegian medical students and assigns an overall global score. Pairwise significant differences in the NTS performance levels between the training sites studied were assessed using Tukey’s test.ResultsThe overall NTS performance levels of the medical students from Finnmark (mean 4.5) were significantly higher than those of the students from Tromsø (mean 3.8) and Bodø (mean 3.5). Similarly, the NTS performance levels at category-level of the students in Finnmark were significantly higher than those of the students from Bodø and Tromsø. Except for one category, no significant differences were observed between the students from Bodø and Tromsø in terms of the overall or category-level NTS performance.ConclusionThe NTS performance levels of the medical students from Finnmark, which implements rural, decentralized medical education, were significantly higher than those of the students from Tromsø and Bodø.

Prevalence of Risk Factors for Hypertension Among Faculty at an Urban University in Uganda [Response to Letter

Prevalence of Risk Factors for Hypertension Among Faculty at an Urban University in Uganda [Response to Letter

Routes with roots: Pedestrian route choices and sense of place of an urban university community

Understanding how people choose routes in urban environments is essential for effective urban planning. While conventional transportation studies focus on utilitarian decision-making, this research investigates the complex interplay between human-environment interactions and emotional attachments to places, which influence transportation choices. Specifically, we examine the impact of sense of place in pedestrian route choice within a densely populated urban university community. Unlike typical urban settings characterized by clear roads and landmarks, university environments often feature intricate layouts with diffuse pathways, shared spaces, and a lack of clear spatial hierarchies. This complexity challenges conventional spatial knowledge acquisition methods. Individuals navigating such environments tend to rely on socio-sensory wayfinding strategies, developing emotional connections to specific places and routes over time. Consequently, route choices in these contexts may not always be deliberate but rather subconscious and nuanced. Our study focuses on elucidating the impact of the sense of place—a composite of conscious and subconscious perceptions, emotions, and attachments to a location—on daily route decisions. Through structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, we demonstrate that the sense of place significantly influences route choices within community building complexes, surpassing utilitarian considerations as a primary explanatory factor. These findings underscore the importance of emotional and psychological factors in shaping urban route decisions, offering valuable insights for urban planning and management strategies.

Nursing and Playwriting Students Collaborative: Elevating Reflective Practice.

Reflection is essential in the formation and ethical comportment of nurses. The COVID-19 pandemic brought extraordinary challenges to nursing practice and education of nurses. A pilot collaboration between a college of nursing and a department of dramatic writing at a research-intensive urban university aimed to promote the esthetic pattern of knowing through the dramatic presentation of the experiences of nursing students and frontline nurses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The playwrights wrote two short plays based on interviews with two nursing students and three experienced nurses. The project sought to enhance narrative competence and empathy development of nurses and playwrights, and to promote reflection-on-action.

Capturing group dynamic faultlines with Yule’s Q

PurposeUnderstanding group dynamics is essential for promoting institutional change. The purpose of this brief article is to introduce the use of Yule’s Q to quantify group dynamics in a way that allows an individual’s tendency to associate with others based on their shared attributes to be captured as they evolve.Design/methodology/approachTwo academic departments at a large public urban university participated in ongoing meetings as part of the year-long change initiative. Field notes of these meetings were recorded for information on participants and the flow of conversations. Yule’s Q was calculated with responsive interaction network and attribute data coded from the field notes.FindingsYule’s Q can be used to quantify group dynamics with a visualization of interactions among group members. The differences in the triggered divisions or faultlines in organizational change initiatives by shared common attributes (e.g. levels of positions within departments) can be related to group interactions and/or disruptions in collaboration.Originality/valueThis study can contribute to broadening the research community’s analytic approaches to utilizing network and attribute data for understanding group dynamics and their patterns across meetings.

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Recent Casual Sex among Urban College Students

Casual sex is one sexual health behavior reported by college students. The present study examined the extent of past 30-day casual sex behavior and risk and protective factors for casual sex among college students. Students were requested to complete a survey in classrooms. Logistic regression analyses were employed to examine the research questions. Results indicated that 39.2% of students engaged in casual sex in the past 30 days. Univariate analyses revealed grade level, risky behaviors, emotional connectedness, and individual stressors were significantly associated with past 30-day casual sex. Final logistic regression modeling found having sex while drunk and reporting depression as an individual stressor were significantly associated with casual sex among college students. Supporting students engaging in casual sex with alcohol education and mental health resources may be needed on college campuses.

Educational and curricular model in the intercultural universities of Mexico: the case of the Degree in Language and Culture

The intercultural university model in Mexico was born as a political response that guaranteed access to higher education for young people who live in predominantly indigenous areas, under the tutelage of a curricular, linguistic and culturally relevant model, removed from Western and hegemonic conceptions. of the urban university. The premise of relevance within intercultural universities is currently widely debated. In this sense, this document aims to analyze how the intercultural educational model and the curricular proposal contribute (or not) to the construction of indigenous student identities and development. of intercultural competencies of students who do not classify themselves as indigenous but who attend these higher education schools, for which the degree in language and culture is taken as a reference.

Bidirectional relationships between nicotine vaping and maladaptive eating behaviors among young adults

BackgroundPast research indicates that young adult cigarette smokers are at risk of engaging in maladaptive eating behaviors (MEBs); however, whether this relationship extends to nicotine vaping is unclear. The current study assessed bidirectional associations between four types of MEBs and nicotine vaping among young adults. Methods1,303 young adults (20.5 ± 2.3 years; 63 % female) from a public, urban university were recruited and completed online surveys at six-month intervals from spring 2021 (W1) to spring 2023 (W5). Past 30-day nicotine vaping and four types of MEBs (susceptibility to external cues, emotional eating, routine restraint, and compensatory restraint) were evaluated. ResultsLongitudinal cross-lagged models examined the bidirectional relationships between past 30-day nicotine vaping and each type of MEB across five waves. Nicotine vaping predicted both susceptibility to external cues (β = 0.10, p <.05; Wave 2 to 3) and emotional eating (β = 0.08, p <.05; Wave 1 to 2). A significant cross-lag regression (Wave 4 to 5) showed nicotine vaping predicted to routine restraint (β = 0.08, p <.05), and routine restraint predicted to nicotine vaping (β = 0.12, p <.05). ConclusionsResults indicated that nicotine vaping predicted MEBs; however, the type of MEB differed across waves, which may have been due to the COVID-19 pandemic context. Nicotine vaping predicted to MEBs reflecting vulnerability to the external environment and emotion regulation during a period of heightened restrictions, whereas later when pandemic restrictions had ceased nicotine vaping predicted only to routine restraint. Integrating research and practice on nicotine vaping and MEBs may inform public health efforts to decrease co-occurring health-risks in young adulthood.

Kitambaa: A Convivial Future-Oriented Framework for Kinangop’s Learning Hub

The aim of this paper, and more generally, our project “Impact from the ground” (a multi-stage ongoing project), is to reimagine education so that it transcends the walls and harsh constraints of a “universal one size fits all” education. To achieve this, we propose a framework that will inform the design of a participatory approach to co-create a learning hub (an informal lifelong learning opportunity) with and within the community. To weave this framework, we explore the current landscape of education, looking at the challenges that youth from rural settings face to complete their studies in urban universities, and the difficulties they experience when looking for jobs after having done so. We briefly explain our research project and contextualize it in Kinangop, a small region in the Nyandarua County in Kenya, where we explored the enablers and constraints people face to engage in social innovation. We proceed to imagine an alternative education that is local and organic, with different principles and theories weaved into a, kitambaa in Swahili that serves as the ground for an education intervention that is meaningful, binding, and bonding for the community members. In so doing, we aim to center matters of knowledge production as multi-epistemic conversations, situating those at the margins of epistemic divisions at the center of productive and creative debates.

Exploring the Nexus: Economics of Happiness and Quality of Life in College Students

A happy person will have a more active lifestyle, better career opportunities, and promote a more productive, cohesive, and lasting sustainable society. India is noted for having one of the world’s youngest populations. India has more than fifty percent of the population under 25. The primary objective of this study is to explore the levels of happiness and quality of life among college students in rural and urban areas of Karnataka. The sample comprises college students aged 18 to 25, drawn from different rural and urban colleges in Karnataka using a stratified random sampling method: the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire and the Quality-of-Life Questionnaire for data collection. The collected data underwent analysis using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. It was observed in the present study that there was no significant difference between rural and urban students in Physical and Psychological quality of life. Results also indicate that in Social and Environmental domains urban students are better than rural students. The study revealed a significant relationship between happiness and different quality of life domains among urban and rural college students

Exploring cultural contributions to the neuropsychology of social cognition: the advanced clinical solutions

ABSTRACT Introduction Culture and social cognition are deeply intertwined, yet how this rich intersectionality is expressed neuropsychologically remains an important question. Method In a convenience sample of 128 young adults (mean age = 24.9 years) recruited from a majority-minority urban university, we examined performance-based neuropsychological measures of social cognition, the Advanced Clinical Solutions-Social Perception (ACS-SP), in relation to both cultural orientation, as assessed by the Individualism-Collectivism Scale (ICS) and spoken English language, as assessed by the oral word pronunciation measure of the Wide Range Achievement Test-4 (WRAT4). Results Results indicated higher WRAT4 scores correlated with better performance across all ACS-SP measures of social cognition. Controlling for these associations in spoken English, partial correlations linked lower scores across both prosody interpretation and affect naming ACS-SP tasks with a propensity to view social relationships vertically, irrespective of individualistic or collectivistic orientations. Hierarchical regression results showed that cultural orientation and English-language familiarity each specifically and uniquely contributed to ACS-SP performance for matching prosody with facial expressions. Conclusions These findings underscore the importance of incorporating and prioritizing both language and cultural factors in neuropsychological studies of social cognition. They may be viewed as offering strong support for expanding the boundaries of the construct of social cognition beyond its current theoretical framework of one that privileges Western, educated, industralized, rich and democratic (WEIRD) values, customs, and epistemologies.

Smart Little Campus Food Pantries: Addressing food insecurity at Virginia Commonwealth University

Food insecurity among college students is an emerging public health issue, affecting a considera­ble proportion of the student population nation­wide, approximately 35–45%. Research is discover­ing links between college student food insecurity and physical and mental health, as well as academic performance. Such high prevalence of student food insecurity highlights the urgency of addressing the lack of consistent access to nutritious food. This research examines a pilot intervention at an urban public university that deployed miniature food pan­tries across campus from which anyone could take food anonymously. The research team systemati­cally restocked these pantries with food on a weekly basis for nearly two school years. Sensors installed in the pantries collected instances when individuals “interacted” with the pantry’s door. The sensor system documented thousands of interac­tions with the pantries each school year. As such, the intervention can be considered a success. How­ever, the miniature pantry model was not without flaws: its decentralized nature created challenges for the research team, the sensor system was often unstable, and heavy reliance on undergraduate stu­dents proved a long-term problem. The research team believes that administrative and information technology improvements could further enhance the model’s ability to mitigate campus food insecu­rity. This intervention could be an inspiration to other campuses and other institutions considering similar strategies.

Grit and Graduation: Exploring Persistence Among Urban University Students

This study examines predictors of college success in 968 students, focusing on the influence of grit, demographic, and academic factors, using logistic and Cox regression analyses. It finds that higher grit scores significantly predict increased graduation rates and decreased dropout rates, with gender, ACT scores, entry-level, and summer course enrollment as key factors. The research highlights the importance of considering broader socioeconomic and systemic contexts that affect the development of resilience and grit. It emphasizes that resilience and grit are not only personal attributes but also outcomes shaped by socioeconomic status and systemic barriers, such as income disparities and institutional biases. The study advocates for educational environments that support individual resilience and grit while addressing socio-economic and systemic inequalities to promote equitable student success. This approach calls for integrated supportive structures and policies within educational institutions to alleviate the compounded challenges faced by students, ensuring resilience and grit are nurtured within a context that recognizes and confronts systemic inequity.

Implementation and evaluation of an interprofessional prescription writing workshop with a simulated electronic prescribing activity for preclerkship medical students

BackgroundPrescription writing skills are essential for physician practice. This study describes the development and implementation of a curricular intervention focused on improving the knowledge and confidence of preclerkship medical students’ prescription writing practices utilizing an interprofessional education model, with a focus on electronic prescribing.MethodsMedicine and Pharmacy Faculty from a large, urban university collaborated to develop the content of the workshop and a simulation platform was used for the e-prescribing activity. Second-year medical students attended a mandatory in-person workshop facilitated by fourth-year pharmacy students. A pre and post knowledge test and confidence survey were used to assess students’ knowledge, confidence, and satisfaction. Outcomes from the knowledge test were evaluated with paired-samples proportions tests, and confidence survey data was evaluated with paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests in a pre-post study design.ResultsStudents demonstrated a significant increase in prescription writing knowledge and confidence after completing the workshop. On the pre-test, 7% of students (21/284) completed the electronic prescribing assessment correctly and 51% of students (149/295) completed it correctly on the post-test. All items on the confidence survey showed a significant increase in pre- versus post-survey comparisons (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThis interprofessional prescription writing workshop facilitated by pharmacy students shows promise for improving the knowledge and confidence of prescription writing and electronic prescribing practices in preclerkship medical students.

The Strategies Used to Balance Health and Work Across the Solid Organ Transplantation Trajectory.

Introduction: Workers who undergo solid organ transplantation report frequent conflicts between the unpredictable demands of their health condition and the rigid requirements of their employer and of health services. The present study aimed to describe the self-management strategies adopted by workers while staying at work before transplantation and during sustainable return-to-work posttransplantation. Methods: Fifteen employed kidney, liver, and lung transplant recipients were recruited from 2 large urban university health centers in Montreal, Canada. Three focus groups were held, and thematic analysis was performed. Findings: Seven strategies were identified: responding promptly and consistently to fatigue-related needs, planning ahead with immediate supervisors while remaining strategic about when to disclose transplantation, requesting work accommodations, requesting flexibility in healthcare provision, consulting physicians about work-related issues, informing co-workers about work limitations and immunosuppression and asking not to be treated differently in the workplace. Conclusion: Access to work accommodations, support from physicians and flexibility in treatment and appointment schedules supported workers' ability to manage their health while staying at work before and after undergoing solid organ transplantation. In light of findings, it may be useful for healthcare professionals to address workers' concerns about work limitations and work accommodation implementation, especially when the illness-management burden increases before transplantation and during posttransplantation sick leave. Future studies could describe the strategies used by other important stakeholders when attempting to provide support to workers.