West Alabama Research Articles

The use of age and growth techniques to quantify the age structure of carryover hybrid catfish (female Channel Catfish × male Blue Catfish) in commercial ponds in West Alabama

AbstractObjectiveIn West Alabama, catfish Ictalurus spp. producers routinely face the challenge of fish that exceed market size (aka “Big Fish”) in their commercial ponds. These fish are skilled at evading seine nets during harvest and can increase in size significantly before subsequent harvests occur. This is problematic for catfish producers because processing plants prefer catfish within the 0.45–1.81‐kg range and farmers are paid a premium price for catfish of this size. Due to their larger size and growth potential, hybrid catfish (female Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus × male Blue Catfish I. furcatus) can become a more significant issue than Channel Catfish if they evade harvest. The objective of this study was to describe and quantify the age structure and growth rate of hybrid catfish that evade capture and remain in commercial ponds following harvest and grow beyond acceptable market size as defined by catfish processing plants (i.e., Big Fish).MethodsHybrid catfish were collected from 12 recently harvested commercial ponds in West Alabama from December 2021 to August 2022 using an electroshocking boat. Total length (mm), body weight (kg), and sex of collected fish were recorded, and lapilli otoliths were removed to estimate fish age and determine total length and total body weight at estimated ages.ResultIn this study, 1005 hybrid catfish were collected with the successful age estimation for 1001 catfish, ranging from 1 to 11 years. Results of this study indicate that hybrid catfish exceeded the premium size threshold in 2.72 years ± 8 months. Additionally, from age 2 to age 3, the average hybrid catfish gained 2.90 kg, growing from 0.40 to 3.30 kg. Growth rate was significantly affected by sex; males overall were predicted to weigh more than females based on the weight‐at‐age model.ConclusionHybrid catfish should be completely harvested from commercial ponds following 1 year of harvest to receive the premium price per kilogram of live fish. If a complete harvest is unsuccessful, farmers can receive a discounted price per kilogram of leftover hybrid catfish based on current market trends.

Noteworthy collections from the Alabama flora (U.S.A.)

From continued botanical exploration in Alabama, noteworthy collections representing seventeen taxa are included. Thirteen of these taxa are reported new to Alabama while the remaining four are significant for historical considerations. Each taxon cited below is vouchered into the University of West Alabama Herbarium (UWAL) with duplicates to be distributed.

Smart device interest, perceived usefulness, and preferences in rural Alabama seniors

Limited data exist on the preferences for smart home devices in rural Americans. We examined the interest, usefulness, and pleasantness of various smart home interfaces and determined whether they differed by ethnicity, rurality, age, and gender. A total of 118 older adults living in the rural Deep South completed a survey instrument that assessed interest in various smart home applications and was queried about the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of screen, voice, and robot interfaces in 7 distinct scenarios. Personality data was collected via the Big Five Inventory. Technology readiness was measured using a technological readiness instrument. Participants were primarily female (81%), rural (76%), African American (69%), and aged 65-74 years old (51%). Participants were recruited from a total of 5 cities in West Alabama within the Black Belt. Data was collected before COVID-19 (July 2018 through July 2019).

Church Leaders Share and Implement Solution-Focused Health Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural Alabama.

Bridging the healthcare access gap and addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among rural-dwelling Black American adults residing in the Deep South require involvement of faith-based leaders in the community. This study explored perceived barriers and resources to meeting community needs, including vaccination, during the COVID-19 pandemic as reported by 17 Black American church leaders in the rural West Alabama Black Belt geographic region in May 2022. The main themes that emerged included (1) attending to community impact of COVID-19 illness and death; (2) maximizing health literacy and diminishing vaccine hesitancy through engaging in preventive health practices and sharing public health information; (3) addressing challenges created or exacerbated by COVID-19, including reduction in in-person attendance (particularly among adolescents and young adults), limited access to and literacy with technology, and political perceptions influencing engagement in preventive health behaviors; (4) maximizing technological solutions to increase attendance in the church; and (5) engaging in solution-focused and innovative initiatives to meet the identified needs in the congregation and community. Church leaders in West Alabama rural areas facing economic, health, and technological disparities identified "silver linings" as well as challenges created or exacerbated during the pandemic. As the need for COVID-19 vaccination and booster vaccination continues, Black American church leaders play pivotal roles in meeting rural community needs.

Impacts of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum on water quality and the algal community in catfish aquaculture ponds

Catfish aquaculture ponds are at high risk of experiencing excessive algal growth, especially cyanobacteria, that can lead to negative water quality issues due to their consistent input through regular feedings and internal cycling of nutrients. Conventional algaecides used in aquaculture, such as copper sulfate, may be effective in the short-term but can potentially lead to developed resistance in phytoplankton over time or harmful effects on non-target species. An alternative nutrient management strategy, which has traditionally been used in land-based agriculture, is via flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum, a form of calcium sulfate that is created as a by-product of carbon-based energy sources. A six-month field experiment was conducted on active catfish aquaculture ponds at a farm in west Alabama to test the effects of FGD gypsum on water quality, including its ability to manage excessive algal blooms throughout the growing season. In stark contrast to previous results from FGD gypsum application in eutrophic waters, it was discovered that FGD gypsum-treated ponds experienced a large increase in soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) that led to a spike in phytoplankton abundance, specifically cyanobacteria. Supplementary microcosm experiments aided in determining that FGD gypsum could extract legacy phosphorus out of the nutrient-rich flocculant sediment found in aquaculture ponds. While these results were unexpected and ultimately undesired, we did discover that the use of FGD gypsum at the 500 mg/L concentration does not produce any trace metal contamination in the water column or in the fish tissue. Overall, this experiment discovered new results that FGD gypsum could produce when used in hypereutrophic waters with nutrient-rich sediments and provides the foundation for future research directions to determine the specific mechanisms behind the interaction of FGD gypsum with the sediment.

Long-term missing role of small colloids and nanoparticles on the loading and speciation of phosphorus in catfish aquaculture ponds in west Alabama

Increasing loading of phosphorus (P) into freshwater systems is deemed as one of the key drivers triggering harmful algal blooms (HABs). However, conventional water quality monitoring of P normally uses the operational cutoff (e.g., 450-nm filter membrane) to separate particulate and dissolved phases (entities passing through the 450-nm membrane are regarded as dissolved phase), which completely neglects the roles of small colloids (450–100 nm) and nanoparticles (100–1 nm). Herein, a new particle size separation approach was used to separate water samples collected from catfish aquaculture ponds in west Alabama into six size fractions: large particles (>1000 nm), large colloids (1000–450 nm), small colloids (450–100 nm), large nanoparticles (100–50 nm), small nanoparticles (50–1 nm), and the truly dissolved phase (<1 nm). The speciation and concentration of P in these six size fractions were then investigated using Hedley's sequential extraction method. The new particle size separation results showed that particle loading (mass) followed the order: >1000 nm, 450–100 nm, 1000–450 nm, 100–50 nm, and 50–1 nm. This is mainly due to the abundance of large-sized (>1000 nm) zooplankton and phytoplankton such as algae and cyanobacteria in the catfish aquaculture ponds. Importantly, the small colloid (450–100 nm) and nanoparticle (100–1 nm) size fractions, which were previously regarded as the dissolved phase using the 450-nm membrane filtration operation, accounted for ∼41.8% of the total particle mass. The Hedley's sequential extraction results showed that sodium hydroxide (NaOH)-extracted P represented the largest P pool, followed by water (H2O)- and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)-extracted P pools. Smaller particles exhibited a higher loading of P due to their large surface areas. These new findings suggest that the new particle size separation approach needs to be adopted for future water quality monitoring and mitigation of HABs in freshwater ecosystems.

Evaluation of aqueous magnesium concentration on performance of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) cultured in low salinity water of West Alabama, USA

The ionic profile of inland low salinity water sources can be dramatically different with variable concentrations of magnesium (Mg2+). Inland shrimp farmers in Alabama, USA, supplement Mg2+ at the start of each production cycle to reach concentrations >20 mg/L at 1 to 11 g/L salinities. However, this concentration may not be high enough for larger shrimp in the later phase of the production cycle. Therefore, two field trials were conducted on a commercial shrimp farm in west Alabama to evaluate the effects of Mg2+ concentration in low salinity water on growth, survival, and physiology of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. In the first study, additional Mg2+ was supplemented to four production ponds (28 mg/L Mg2+) and compared with four control ponds (12.8 mg/L Mg2+). A stocking density of 27 post-larvae/m2 was used in ponds, and shrimp were offered a commercial feed twice daily. After a 23-week pond trial, whole-body Mg2+ concentrations were higher in shrimp reared in Mg2+ treated ponds, while no significant differences in other study variables were observed between pond groups. After week 15 (shrimp weight > 22 g), weekly body weights of shrimp were significantly lower in the control group compared to the elevated Mg2+ treatment. This could be due to size-dependent deficiency in the availability of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and Mg2+ to support growth of larger adult shrimp. The second experiment was conducted to evaluate performance of larger shrimp (∼13 g initial weight) reared in two on-levee flow-through tank systems. One tank system received water from a control pond with 12 mg/L Mg2+, while the second system was sourced with water from a production pond with a higher amount of Mg2+ (37 mg/L). In each system, twelve 800 L tanks were stocked with shrimp at three different densities (24, 29, and 35 shrimp/m2) to evaluate possible interactions between stocking density and Mg2+ concentration in water. Following an 8-week tank trial, no significant effect of Mg2+ concentration, stocking density, or their interaction was observed on growth, survival, or physiology of shrimp. Overall, these results confirm that even moderate elevations in Mg2+ in low salinity water are advantageous to adult shrimp (>22 g) in later stages of the production cycle compared to post-larvae, juveniles, or sub-adult shrimp.

Integrated Characterization and Analysis of a Slow-Moving Landslide Using Geotechnical and Geophysical Methods

Slope failures in roadway embankments are common occurrences and can lead to traffic disruptions and large costs to repair damage. In areas with high-plasticity clays, special attention must be paid to characterizing both the stratigraphy and the potential for strength loss. This study demonstrates the use of an integrated site characterization approach, which seeks to utilize results from geotechnical and geophysical tests to understand the behavior of a landslide in west Alabama. The timing and mechanism of the initial failure causing the preexisting shear plane at this site are not known. Results from electrical resistivity and seismic geophysical tests are integrated with information from borings and index tests to develop a representative cross-section for the landslide, and torsional ring shear results are used to measure the drained fully softened and residual strengths. Both the limit equilibrium (LEM) and strength reduction method (SRM) analyses are used to examine possible failure mechanisms. The results show good agreement between noncircular LEM and SRM analyses and indicate that the initial failure was likely due to undrained loading of the clay. Analyses utilizing the residual drained strength envelopes produce FS values significantly lower than 1 indicating the slope to be unstable when soil on the failure plane exists at the residual state. Sensitivity analyses suggest that the combined effect of lowering the water table and strength recovery may explain the intermittent nature of movements.

Fifteen noteworthy collections from Mississippi, U.S.A.

Mississippi is an “under-botanized” state, with no state flora or atlas, a paucity of voucher specimens from many counties, and few county or local floristic inventories. 12 taxa are reported new to the flora of Mississippi or with only false, dubious, or unsubstantiated previous record; three significantly rare taxa with little previous record in the state are reported for new counties or ecoregions. Voucher specimens for each taxon are deposited at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MMNS) or University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (NCU) herbarium, and duplicates for some taxa at the University of West Alabama (UWAL), Austin Peay State University (APSC), University of Southern Mississippi (USMS), and Mississippi State University (MISSA) herbaria. I have excluded detailed locality information here, as all of the native taxa are significantly rare in the state and on unprotected land. The habitat, rarity, and distribution within the state of each taxon are discussed.

Utilizing Readers Theater for Health Promotion Education in a Rural Setting

Purpose: The aims of the study were to bring in healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, provide cardiac health promotion information, and build a community-based partnership with a rural community in West Alabama by soliciting members of the community to participate in and attend a play on cardiovascular health promotion. Sample: The sample population was mostly older African American community members from a non-incorporated, rural area along with individuals from surrounding communities in an Alabama Black Belt county. Through community collaboration, 67 persons were recruited to participate as actors via reading a script and (n =13) and all remaining persons were audience members for the community play (n = 54). Method: This study utilized a community-based participatory research approach with a qualitative, descriptive research design. The Farmers Theater Toolkit, which utilizes a readers theater technique was used to bring cardiovascular health promotion information to a rural community setting. Findings: The majority of audience participants either strongly or somewhat agreed that what they learned from the community play would help them make better food choices (96.3%). Conclusion: Utilizing the Farmers Theater Toolkit in a rural community was an innovative, fun way to share health promotion information. The citizens of this community were very welcoming to the researcher and were excited to partner with an academic institution. Health promotion education may reduce health risk behaviors such as unhealthy food choices. This type of intervention may serve as an impetus to making better food choices. Keywords: rural community, theater, health eating, health promotion DOI: https://doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v22i1.696

Alabama Justice: The Cases and Faces that Changed a Nation by Steven P. Brown

Reviewed by: Alabama Justice: The Cases and Faces that Changed a Nation by Steven P. Brown R. Volney Riser Alabama Justice: The Cases and Faces that Changed a Nation. By Steven P. Brown. Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press, 2020. 280 pp. $49.95. ISBN 978-0-8173-2070-6. Decorated Auburn University political scientist Steven Brown’s Alabama Justice offers in book form a more complete portrait of the cases featured in his recent travelling exhibit of the same name that was offered in conjunction with the state’s recent bicentennial commemorations. To be clear, though, this is no mere companion volume. Rather, it is a broad-ranging and useful primer on Alabama’s peculiar place in American jurisprudence. Brown selected seven landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions that originated from actions by Alabama state and municipal officials and an eighth, which examined U.S. Department of Defense policies as they operated upon service members stationed in the state, that originated in the state’s federal courts. These cases address criminal procedure (Powell v. Alabama); First Amendment cases involving free association [End Page 192] (NAACP v. Alabama), press freedom (New York Times v. Sullivan), and state-sanctioned religious practice (Wallace v. Jaffree); legislative and municipal apportionment (Gomillion v. Lightfoot and Reynolds v. Sims); discrimination in public accommodations (Katzenbach v. McLung); and sex discrimination (Frontiero v. Richardson). Brown devotes a concluding ninth chapter to the three U.S. Supreme Court Justices from Alabama: John McKinley, of whom Brown authored an excellent biography [John McKinley and the Antebellum Supreme Court (Tuscaloosa, AL, 2012)], John Archibald Campbell, and Hugo Black (who notably took part in six of the eight decisions Brown examined). Though Alabama produced two Supreme Court justices in the nineteenth century, the state did not generate landmark Supreme Court decisions until the twentieth century. The notorious Giles cases of 1903–1904 were the first, and the state’s remarkable run of (usually) Supreme Court defeats only began in the 1930s, a decade when, perhaps not coincidentally, the state adopted as the official motto “We Dare Defend Our Rights.” As Brown notes in his introduction, inquiries into Alabama’s role in U.S. Constitutional jurisprudence are perhaps not properly framed as “Why Alabama?” but “Why Alabamians?,” and over the course of the twentieth century at least a plurality of the voting populace sanctioned and cheered successive attempts by the state’s officers and legal advocates to stand athwart prevailing national jurisprudential trends (3). This does not claim to be a comprehensive catalog, either, of all the times Alabama or Alabamians directly or indirectly came before the nation’s highest bar. Wallace v. Jaffree, the “moment of silence” case is included, while Marsh v. Alabama, one of the 1940s Jehovah’s Witnesses cases, is not. Lightfoot v Gomillion is here, but Mobile v. Bolden, which limited the former’s application, is not. And, neither the infamous Giles cases, which effectively sanctioned the state’s 1901 disfranchisement scheme, nor Hunter v. Underwood, which struck down the first infamous iteration of Alabama’s “moral turpitude” standard for criminal disfranchisement, are here. This reviewer mentions these not to fault Professor Brown, who operated within literal and figurative space constraints, but to underscore the point [End Page 193] that Alabama’s frequent appearances in weighty twentieth-century jurisprudential disputes extend well beyond the pages of this text. Professor Brown has laid down a valuable marker for Alabama’s place in U.S. Constitutional jurisprudence, one that simultaneous commemorates the prior two hundred years and that can serve as a foundation for scholarly work, reflection, and law-making to come. [End Page 194] R. Volney Riser University of West Alabama Copyright © 2022 Alabama Historical Association

Using stable isotopes to examine movement and prey usage of cormorants breeding in the southeastern United States

Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) numbers have significantly increased in North America since the late 1970s. Analyses of stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur were conducted on the liver and pectoral muscle sampled from cormorants collected on Guntersville Reservoir, Alabama to infer whether individuals consumed cultured catfish and whether this population was subject to immigration during the spring sampling period. Potential food sources were also sampled from this system and aquaculture farms in west Alabama. Relationships among isotopic values measured in cormorants and prey illustrate that birds sampled from Guntersville Reservoir included both those that assimilated prey from this system long term and individuals that obtained resources elsewhere. Collectively, these results indicate that Guntersville Reservoir could be a migratory stopover site for cormorants and that these birds likely contribute little damage to aquaculture facilities. Management enacted to remediate effects associated with nuisance populations should be tailored throughout this species range focusing on areas where damage is occurring, and evidence supports culpability.

Rural Older Adults’ Experiences With Pain From Chronic Illnesses and Its Treatment

Although pain control is an essential factor in promoting quality of life, pain is undertreated among certain sub-populations, such as older adults and rural residents. The purpose of this study was to explore pain experiences and its treatment among rural older adults. A qualitative research design was adopted to capture the common essence of participants’ experiences through a phenomenological method. Purposeful sampling was used, and the participant criteria was: age 55+, have good thinking skills, resident of Alabama, have chronic/serious health conditions, and experienced pain or discomfort in the last 3 months. Twenty-three participants were recruited from rural counties of West and South Alabama through the local Area Agency on Aging and health and senior service centers. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted via phone and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify emerging themes and repeated patterns from the data. Our results revealed themes in four categories: 1) impact of pain: physical limitations and coping strategies, 2) Impact of Covid-19: physical health, social, and mental health impact, 3) challenges in pain treatment: transportation (driver/time/cost/Covid-19 exposure) and non-transportation related problems (lacking resources/mistrust/limited health insurance coverage), and 4) suggestions: transportation-related (more transportation options/financial assistance) and non-transportation-related support (improved insurance coverage/non-pharmacological care) . Findings of this study highlight rural older adults’ unique needs in access to pain treatment, further amplified during the Covid-19 pandemic. Increase in sustainable, funded transportation programs and the supply of local pain specialists is critical to meet such needs and improve their quality of life.

Zooplankton as an alternative method for controlling phytoplankton in catfish pond aquaculture

In pond aquaculture, production of toxins and off-flavor compounds by cyanobacteria can negatively affect fish health and production. Studies have explored chemical or physical methods for controlling algal blooms in aquaculture ponds, which although effective, may be short-lived and can negatively impact non-target organisms, including aquaculture species. Food web manipulations have a long history in lake and fisheries management to improve water quality, but have been rarely considered in aquaculture. This study examined zooplankton and phytoplankton communities, cyanobacterial toxins, and nutrients in nine catfish aquaculture farm-ponds in west Alabama, USA. The goal of this project was to track phytoplankton and zooplankton abundances with respect to each other, with and without efforts to reduce zooplanktivorous fish in some of the ponds. During this project, farm managers reduced zooplanktivorous fish abundance in select ponds to create a large-scale field experiment that addressed the role of zooplankton control of phytoplankton in hypereutrophic catfish aquaculture ponds when zooplanktivorous fish were or were not excluded. There was a strong negative effect of zooplankton on phytoplankton, including cyanobacteria, despite high nutrient concentrations. Although high zooplankton ponds sustained elevated zooplankton biomass during much of this study, including when pond temperatures exceeded 30 °C, the effect of zooplankton on phytoplankton was most pronounced during the non-growing season (November–April). In addition, total ammonia nitrogen was significantly higher in high zooplankton ponds, which could lead to ammonia toxicity in fish at elevated temperature and pH. Our findings suggest that zooplankton biomanipulation may be an efficient method to control algal blooms in farm-pond catfish aquaculture.

P10 Child Well-Being in the Context of Food Insecurity: A Nutritional Assessment of the Secret Meals for Hungry Children Program

<h3>Background</h3> In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 19.8% of children currently experience food insecurity. To reduce the negative health outcomes associated with childhood food insecurity, West Alabama Food Bank (WAFB) distributes food to vulnerable children in elementary schools through their Secret Meals for Hungry Children program (SMP). This program ensures nutritional continuity over the weekend. There are no nutritional guidelines for the SMP meals; however, WAFB aims to provide food items based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). <h3>Objective</h3> The objective of this pilot study was to determine the degree to which the nutritional content of the food distributed in the SMP by WAFB meets the nutritional guidelines as outlined by the 2020-2025 DGA. <h3>Study Design, Setting, Participants</h3> This study implemented an exploratory research design via qualitative and quantitative methods, including photos and nutrition label content analysis. Two qualitative interviews were conducted with WAFB leadership to contextualize the SMP. <h3>Measurable Outcome/Analysis</h3> Carbohydrates, protein and sodium content for the items in the SMP bag were compared to the DGA for children 4-8 years of age to determine if the contents sufficiently supplemented daily recommendations. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed in NVivo 12® and themes were identified. <h3>Results</h3> All 3 measures of nutrition (carbohydrates, protein, and sodium) comprised 89%,78% and 68% of the recommended guidelines for a child 4-8 years of age, respectively. Two key themes arose from the interviews: SMP organization and SMP impact on children's level of food security and overall wellbeing. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The results indicate that the SMP, according to the DGA, fills the hunger gap for children experiencing food insecurity. SMP provisions were reported to improve overall behavior and functioning at school. These demonstrate the significance of supplemental meals with respect to enhancing behavioral and academic performance for children from vulnerable communities. The implementation of such programs may decrease inequities in learning and overall well-being.

Social Determinants of Opioid Use among Patients in Rural Primary Care Settings

ABSTRACT Opioid use and misuse are a widespread problem across the United States. Identifying and targeting social determinants of opioid use may help to identify predictive factors to influence intervention and policy. The purpose of this study was to identify social determinants of opioid use frequency among patients seeking primary care in rural Alabama healthcare facilities. This survey-based study focused on a patient population located in rural west Alabama surveyed for a screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program. The screening tool contained demographic information and questions regarding the social determinants of health and opioid use, among others. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for the relationship between social determinants of health and opioid use frequency (in days/month) were estimated in Poisson regression models. Eleven percent of the population self-reported opioid use in the past 30 days. Three social determinants of health measured (level of education, housing stability, and employment status) were identified as having a significant association with the frequency of opioid use. Targeting certain social determinants of health may allow for further predictive interventions to mitigate opioid misuse and potential fatality or mortality.

EMS Response Time for Patients Critically-Injured from Automobile Accidents Using Regression Analysis

Background: The ability to quickly and effectively receive medical treatment in the event of an automobile collision is one of the most important aspects in emergency medical services (EMS). Emergency medical service providers are the first to respond and manage cases related to trauma, emergency surgery, and critically injured patients. Response time for emergency medical services vehicles is especially important for areas, where travel distances are often much larger, compared to more urban areas. The importance of the present data and analysis procedures are their applicability to multiple environments, including urban settings. Methods: The present study is focused on optimization of analysis tools, and understanding the influences of different traffic-related variables, related to hospital EMS transport times for Pickens County, a county in west Alabama. Optimization of associated analysis tools is important for optimal trauma patient survivability, and as such, is directly relevant to the management of care for severely injured surgical patients. Of particular interest are the effects of variables, such as travel time, time of the day, day of the week, weather, lighting conditions, and crash severity, on the EMS response time (ERT), which are analyzed using two types of advanced regression analysis: geographically weighted regression (GWR) and global regression analysis (GRA). Results: For GWR analysis, the accuracy of the approach is improved by employing an adaptive bi-square kernel weighting function. The GWR approach is also unique because geographic location variations are quantified for local independent variables, as their effects are included. Magnitudes of variable coefficients, and variable t-statistic values provide information on the relative influences and impacts of different variables, and different variable combinations, as they are considered in pairs, triplets, and different combinations. Conclusion: The resulting effects and alterations to optimal EMS response time are provided for a wide range of travel conditions and travel time periods.

Interview with Professor Ashley Dumas – University of West Alabama

Interview with Professor Ashley Dumas – University of West Alabama Prof. Ashley Dumas has a rich career and a significant scientific repertory. A graduate of the University of South Alabama (1996), Prof. Dumas earned her Ph.D. from the University of Alabama in 2007 with the topic “The Role of Salt in the Late Woodland to Mississippian Transition in Southwest Alabama.” She later served as an assistant researcher at the Center for Archaeological Studies, and as an Assistant Instructor, at the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, University of South Alabama. Between 2009 and 2014 she was Assistant Director of the Black Belt Museum in the Division of Educational Outreach and Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the Department of History and Social Sciences, University of West Alabama. Afterwards, until 2016, she held the position of Assistant Professor of Anthropology, at the Department of History and Social Sciences, Director of the Fort Tombecbe Archaeological Site, and Curator of Archeology with the Black Belt Museum, University of West Alabama. She is currently an Associate Professor of Anthropology, at the Department of History and Social Sciences, Director of the Fort Tombecbe Archaeological Site and Curator of Archeology with the Black Belt Museum, University of West Alabama.

Subjective and Functional Health Literacy Screening in Geriatric Primary Care

The aim of the current study is to provide comprehensive health care to older adults by assessing physical and mental health in a geriatric primary care setting, including evaluation of both subjective and functional health literacy. Health literacy is vital to understanding medical information and making subsequent decisions based on this information. Knowledge of patient health literacy may be particularly important for care providers, as it can provide guidance on how to best communicate with the patient (Nouri & Rudd, 2015). It may be particularly important to monitor health literacy within older adults, as several studies (e.g., Kobayashi et al., 2015) have shown that health literacy decreases with mild cognitive impairment. Approximately 250 patients (mean age = 76; 74% female; 16% African American) attending an interdisciplinary geriatrics clinic in West Alabama have been recruited to take part in a variety of behavioral health screenings. The current study assessed subjective health literacy using questions developed by Chew, Bradley, and Boyko (2004) and functional health literacy using the Newest Vital Sign (Weiss et al., 2005). While there was a significant correlation between subjective and functional health literacy (r = .43, p < .001), 81% of patients reported adequate subjective health literacy, while only 41% demonstrated adequate health literacy on a functional screening measure. Based on these findings, self-reported health literacy may not necessarily be reflective of performance on more functional measures. Given the potential consequences of overestimating health literacy, this represents a serious barrier to patient care.

Perception of Life-Control Is Associated With Medical Care Satisfaction in Chronically Ill Rural Older Adults

Prior studies show patient populations have varied experiences with healthcare systems, and this may influence satisfaction with medical care. Patients feeling control over life circumstances may have resilience and ability to adapt to adverse situations. Given socioeconomic and medical differences in older adults we examined factors influencing satisfaction with medical care in the setting of chronic conditions and pain. 100 older adults in rural West Alabama with chronic illnesses and pain were recruited from community senior centers and interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Participants were queried about medical interventions for chronic conditions and satisfaction with medical care. Overall assessment of life-control was measured by the West Haven Yale Multidimensional Pain Index (WHYMPI). Bivariate correlation and multivariate analysis were conducted. Correlations between satisfaction with medical intervention and life-control scores were significantly positive (r=.21, p<.05). Satisfaction with medical intervention and other covariates explained approximately 14.1% variance in life-control scores, R2=.141. Multivariate regression results confirmed those highly satisfied with medical intervention were marginally significantly likely to have increased life-control scores, b=.20, SE=.12, p=.088. Married persons were more likely to have higher life-control scores than those with other marital statuses, b=.84, SE=.34, p<.05. Income was positively associated with life-control scores, b=.18, SE=.08, p<.05. Older adults may perceive greater satisfaction from medical care if they feel greater control over life circumstances. Socioeconomic factors (marital status, income) are associated with life control. These findings can help predict satisfaction with healthcare and find ways to make healthcare more accessible to all.