Honors Theses

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2152/13341

This is a collection of undergraduate honors theses completed by UT Austin students. There is not a requirement for students to submit their thesis to Texas ScholarWorks, so the collection only includes those students who have opted in. If you are interested in submitting your honors thesis to this collection, please complete this form and send it along with the file for your thesis to tsw@utlists.utexas.edu. Please make sure to remove any signatures from your document before sending it.

If you are looking for a Plan II honors thesis, please see the Plan II Honors Theses collection.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 650

Expanding Bibliotherapy Programs in Public Libraries to Improve Mental Health Outcomes in Low Socioeconomic Status Youth
(2023-04) Ghaffar, Shehza; Gaydosh, Lauren
Bibliotherapy, the use of literature to supply mental relief, is a versatile, accessible, and low cost alternative therapy method, especially when compared to traditional therapy methods often used in clinical settings. It is particularly beneficial to children of low socioeconomic status who disproportionately face poor mental health outcomes due to the unique challenges and traumas associated with poverty. Although bibliotherapy has been around for many centuries, contemporary mental health programs have yet to utilize the full potential of bibliotherapy or optimize alternative therapy’s reach through the existing public library infrastructure. There are numerous psychological ailments or traumas that only continue to have growing incidence, making a public health intervention imperative to reduce the morbidity. The value of public libraries in contemporary society is undisputed and remains especially strong for vulnerable populations, and developing bibliotherapy programs by increasing funding, training specialized library staff, and expanding resources may be an effective way to make a widespread, positive public health impact on at-risk youth. Furthermore, if used in conjunction with scientifically supported traditional therapy methods, bibliotherapeutic treatment could be integrated across multiple societal sectors, different technological modalities, or even into commercial spaces to supplement effective mental health treatment efforts. Ultimately, a program like this could reinforce the value of public libraries and increase pro-social output to society.
Evaluation of Convolutional Neural Network Brain Structure Segmentation Tools for Multiple Sclerosis
(2023-05-01) May, Emily; Freeman, Leorah
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and disabling inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system that affects approximately 1 million people in the United States. MS is characterized by high heterogeneity of clinical phenotypes, prompting considerable efforts to identify predictive markers of clinical severity and treatment response. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly obtained at time of diagnosis and throughout the course of the disease to detect progression of disease and response to therapies. Deep gray matter structures and cortical atrophy have been identified as predictors of physical and cognitive disability in MS. Common analytical tools used to segment MRI scans are time-consuming, which limits their clinical utility. Faster convolutional neural network (CNN) tools, on the other hand, have not been trained on MS subjects or validated in this population. Objective: To validate faster tools for the segmentation of brain MRI images in MS. Methods: Two CNN-based segmentation tools, FastSurferVINN and DARTS, were identified based on speed, evaluation metrics, pretrained, open-source availability, and structures segmented. The tools were used to segment the brain MRI images of a cohort of relapsing-remitting (RR) MS and secondary-progressive (SP) MS subjects, and healthy controls. We used the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), Sensitivity, and Precision to evaluate the quality of the segmentations. Results: Higher DSC scores were observed with FastSurferVINN compared to DARTS in all structures evaluated, notably in the cortex and grey matter. Both FastSurferVINN and DARTS showed significant difference in segmentation quality between RRMS, SPMS, and healthy controls. Conclusion: Based on the differences observed in segmentation quality, future exploration and training in populations with neurodegenerative disorders is necessary to utilize these tools to accurately evaluate atrophy as a predictor of disability MS in the clinical setting.
Effects of Increased Broadband Access and Bandwidth Capacity on Information Nationalization and Voter Partisan Affect (2014 - 2018)
(2024-08) Shears, Dylan R.; Sparrow, Bartholomew H.
This thesis examines how increased broadband access and bandwidth capacity influenced the nationalization of information in the 2014 to 2018 U.S. House elections. Expanding on Trussler's (2021) analysis, this research incorporates bandwidth speeds to assess the effects of internet access on electoral outcomes. The study hypothesizes that expanded broadband access and higher speeds increase voter exposure to national political information, which reduces the incumbency advantage and increases instances of straight-ticket voting, with greater broadband speeds being a better proxy of nationalization than the change in broadband providers alone. Panel Linear Modeling of the changes in broadband providers and bandwidth speeds across congressional districts over the 2014-2018 election cycles determined that higher internet speeds contributed to election nationalization by facilitating access to partisan content. The research expands on how these trends have led to a more polarized electorate via the current architecture and incentives of Internet Platforms, such as YouTube's recommendation system potentially directing users to extremist content, reframing the existence of echo chambers on Facebook, and the increase of disinformation on X/Twitter resulting in increased partisan affect online.
Understanding How Mutations in the RNA Helicase Dhr1 Suppress Loss of the Methyltransferase Bud23 in Biogenesis of Small Ribosomal Subunits
(2020-03) Elmir, Ezzeddine; Johnson, Arlen
Ribosomes are molecular machines that decode the cell’s genetic information and translate it into protein. Each ribosome is composed of a small subunit (40S) and a large subunit (60S) that are assembled from RNA and proteins. The Small Subunit (SSU) Processome is an early precursor of the small ribosomal subunit and contains many assembly factors, as well as RNA and ribosomal proteins. The SSU Processome undergoes several dynamic changes in order to mature to its next phase, the pre-40S. However, the process of how biogenesis factors regulate and drive maturation is not fully understood. Literature suggests that the methyltransferase Bud23 plays a role in facilitating the maturation of the SSU Processome. In order to understand the function of Bud23, a large-scale genetic screen was conducted to identify suppressors of bud23Δ. These suppressors established a genetic network of factors associated with Bud23 that facilitate maturation. Suppressing mutations were then mapped to the resolved structure of the SSU Processome. The results suggest a model in which the binding of Bud23 to the 18S rRNA inside the SSU Processome facilitates the release of different factors and consequently drives the maturation process forward. Dhr1, a helicase involved in this network, was a hotspot for mutations. Dhr1 unwinds the U3 small nucleolar RNA and consequently drive maturation of the SSU Processome. The mutant variants of Dhr1 were assayed for ATPase activity to understand how the mutants bypass bud23Δ. The lack of correlation between bud23Δ suppression and ATPase activity appears to rule out the simple model that the mutants all lead to activation of Dhr1.
Developing a Selection-Driven Transposition Approach for Increasing and Stabilizing Burdensome Gene Expression in Acinetobacter baylyi
(2024-04-30) Manriquez, Elizabeth; Barrick, Jeffrey E.
Transposons are mobile genetic elements that have the ability to insert themselves into the genome at locations distant from the original copy. Over generations of replication, multiple copies of genes they carry can become distributed throughout a genome. This activity could potentially be leveraged to distribute many copies of a burdensome gene within a genome, increasing its expression and reducing its risk of becoming inactivated by mutations as more copies are added to a host cell. The purpose of this study is to examine whether high and stable expression of a transgene can be accomplished via selection-driven transposition. I first engineered an Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1-ISx strain that encodes a single hyperactive Himar1 mariner transposase in its chromosome and has a cognate mini-transposon inserted at a distant location. The mini-transposon includes a selectable kanamycin resistance gene and a screenable green fluorescent protein (GFP), used as a model transgene. Adding increasing amounts of kanamycin is known to select for cells that accumulate additional copies of the kanamycin resistance gene, which can occur through transposition or tandem gene duplications. I conducted an evolution experiment over six days in which the engineered ADP1-ISx strain was serially transferred into fresh liquid media containing increasing concentrations of kanamycin. The experiment also included a negative control that consisted of the same engineered ADP1-ISx with the transposase gene removed to account for the occurrence of tandem duplications. Whole-genome sequencing of the resulting strains found that more copies of the antibiotic resistance gene evolved, but mostly due to tandem amplifications that did not result in increased expression of gfp, rather than transposition events that copied the whole mini-transposon. I also began to investigate whether engineering a new strain with higher expression of the transposase resulted in more transposition during evolution. Additionally, I studied the effects of off-target mutations in elongation factor G (FusA) that complicated these experiments. My results provide a foundation for using mini-transposons to distribute burdensome genes throughout a bacterial genome to improve their expression and stability.
Generating lightly immortalizing T-Cells to study the host immune response and immunotherapies
(2023-04) Hoffman, Ashley S.; Umlauf, Benjamin J.
Immortalized T-cell lines are key tools for studying disease response, immune pathways, and novel treatments. However, many of these lines are transformed into undefined cancerous cells to maintain unlimited growth potential, limiting their utility as an accurate model of host T-cells. This creates a need for T-cell lines that mimic healthy behavior, especially for testing T-cell-mediated therapies (e.g., CAR T-cell and checkpoint inhibitor) and T-cell exhaustion, a phenomenon observed in patients undergoing intense chronic therapies, that can still be shared amongst the scientific community. To this end, we have developed a method of lightly immortalizing T-cells from human donor peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs), without producing a cancerous phenotype, by only expressing 2 genes: human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4). Cdk4 and hTERT are key genes in driving cell cycle and survival. Over expression of these genes should create a slowly dividing T-cell population that is still capable of responding to immune cues and signals. Lightly immortalized T-cells will serve as a key resource for studying T-cell-mediated therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells and effects of chronic treatment, including T-cell exhaustion. Here, we present a robust method for lightly immortalizing T-cells from PBMCs. Our protocol successfully extends the lifespan of PBMCs and selects for effector and helper T-cell populations in two donor PBMCs. To verify successful transfection and selection of T-cells hTERT and Cdk4 we used western blotting and FACs. We also observed typical T-cell behavior post-immortalization and achieved a resting population of healthy, actively dividing T-cells with measuring expression of CD3. In conclusion, this method provides a straightforward, reproducible, and shareable tool for understanding T-cell response to treatment and studying T-cell exhaustion in multiple patients.
Progress Toward the Total Synthesis of Formicamycin H
(2019-05) Buksh, Benito F.; Krische, Michael J.
The type II polyketide formicamycin H is a complex pentacyclic molecule possessing a tetracyclic core and an element of axial chirality. Our synthetic strategy highlights a recently developed [4+2] cycloaddition developed by the Krische laboratory for a convergent synthesis of the natural product, which, to date, has no previously reported synthesis. Our progress toward formicamycin H is described.
Asian American Stereotypes in the Media and their Effects in Politics
(2022-05-10) Xiong, Grace; Reece, Robert L.
Many scholars of anti-Asian racial discrimination have attempted to understand the dynamics between racial groups through racial frameworks, such as, “racial triangulation.” Racial triangulation describes the position of Asian Americans along two dimensions – relative valorization (“model minority”) and civic ostracism (“yellow peril”). Much of this work is historical, with little discussion of how the current media may or may not perpetuate the racial triangulation theory, specifically in its portrayal of Asian presidential candidates in comparison to white and black candidates. This thesis compares how The New York Times depicts Andrew Yang, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump through a rhetorical analysis of racial and stereotype language and a random sampling of fifty New York Times articles discussing their political candidacy. The results indicate that the rhetoric of The New York Times for each candidate align with the racial triangulation theory, suggesting that the racial stereotypes and the racial dynamics between different racial groups continue to permeate the media and possibly affect how voters perceive candidates and, consequently, who they vote for in elections. This continuation may reinforce the underrepresentation of Asian Americans in politics. Future directions could use a quantitative analysis to analyze the rhetoric of print media or perhaps an experiment using hypothetical candidate biographies and pit them against each other to analyze white American voter preference.
Acoustic Klein tunneling in topological nanoscale phononic crystals
(2022-11) Jahanbani, Shahin; Lai, Keji
The knowledge of emergent many-body phenomena in phononic systems has important implications for our fundamental understanding of the quantum origins of matter as well as technological applications of acoustic devices in quantum acoustics and quantum information processing platforms. In this work, the theoretical foundation for investigating the acoustic version of a many-body phenomenon in nanoscale phononic crystals known as Klein tunneling is presented. The advantage of such an exploration in acoustic systems is that they would provide a natural platform for studying the Dirac pseudospin fields, manifested as acoustic modes in the crystals, with unprecedented details, which is superior to performing experiments at ultra-low-temperatures to explore similar effects in many-body electron systems. The analysis outlined in this work is supplemented with a comprehensive study of the analytic mechanical band structures in topological phononic crystals, along with finite-element modeling of the simulated designs in COMSOL Multiphysics software. Furthermore, the nanoscale-resolution imaging of the transmission mode of Microwave Impedance Microscopy of the propagated acoustic waves in some of the designed phononic crystals will be showcased.
Using biofilm samples to quantify toxic heavy metal concentrations in Waller Creek
(2024) Rocha, Anisa Jo; Shear, Ruth I.
Biofilms are microbial communities that can consist of algae, fungi, and bacteria that congregate together in a slimy or thick film formed on biotic or abiotic surfaces; this research focuses on microalgal biofilms that can be found on the surfaces of small rocks within Waller Creek, an urban waterway that runs through the UT campus. Biofilms can be used to monitor pollution due to their ability to incorporate contaminants such as heavy metals. Biofilm samples may be more representative of the true pollution levels faced by the creek due to their ability to accumulate pollutants over time, as opposed to water samples, whose often fluctuating variability is representative of pollution levels at the sample time only. Biofilm and water samples were collected from several locations along Waller Creek. These samples were then filtered, ashed in a furnace (biofilm samples), and diluted before the analytes of interest were quantified using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentrations of the seven most common heavy metal environmental pollutants (lead, arsenic, zinc, copper, chromium, silver, and cadmium) were studied. In this research, levels of chromium, silver, cadmium, and lead were more highly concentrated in biofilm samples as compared to water samples; however, wide variability between replicates makes it difficult to determine the magnitude of increased detectability. Moreover, there is not a clear way to compare the mass of heavy metals found in the biofilm per square centimeter of cobble surface area with mass per unit volume levels measured for water samples and recommended as the CCC. Future experimentation should include repeat sampling and expansion of biofilm sampling sites to better compare to water samples.
The Racialization of Hispanics and the Subordination of Spanish at UT Austin: Explorations and Recommendations
(2024-05) Ducloux, Mishell Magnus; Toribio, Almeida Jacqueline
This thesis explores the challenges faced by university students who identify as Latine, specifically the impediments occasioned by the historical racialization of Hispanics and the subordination of Spanish in the United States. It provides a historical and contemporary analysis of the presence of persons of Spanish-language origin and of the Spanish language in the United States and closer to home: at the University of Texas at Austin, a Hispanic-Serving Institution. This grounding motivates the mixed-methods study, whose findings signal the enduring effects of language ideologies, as reflected in students’ linguistic insecurity and imposter phenomena, among other psychological attributes. Interpretations of the findings lead to concrete recommendations for interventions in promoting Latine welfare and success on the University of Texas campus and beyond.
Effects of executive control on memory integration and inference in adults
(2021) Quesada, Lauren L.; Preston, Alison R.
Expanding knowledge in the face of associated and potentially competitive information depends on memory integration. Prior research shows evidence of memory integration in associative learning tasks, which is often correlated with prefrontal activation. While prefrontal regions are implicated in executive control, there’s little evidence of the causal role of executive control on integration. In the present research, adults (N=12) completed a well-established associative learning task in which they learned a series of character-object AB pairs followed by overlapping object-object BC pairs. Following learning, integration of the overlapping pairs was assessed through inference task performance, in which they were tested for knowledge of the novel AC pairs. Critically, half of the overlapping BC pairs were learned while completing a divided attention task in which participants were asked to count simultaneously presented sounds, whereas the other half of BC pairs were incidentally encoded as in prior research, thus serving as a within-participant baseline performance comparison. The divided attention manipulation was designed to engage executive control processes, thus preventing utilization of such processes for additional tasks, namely for formation of the relation between AB and BC pairs online during overlapping learning. Retrieval of direct pairs learned in the divided attention condition was worse compared to pairs in the control condition, suggesting that the manipulation impaired attentional resources. Moreover, adults demonstrated decreased inference accuracy and increased response times for AC items learned under the divided attention condition relative to pairs learned in the control condition, even when direct AB and BC memory was controlled. These results demonstrate how targeting executive processes results in decreased integration, thus providing direct evidence for the role of executive control in flexible memory integration.
Stroke Awareness and Proposed Stroke Health Campaign in Mombasa, Kenya
(2021) Meghani, Kinza; Garcia, Alexandra
Stroke is the second leading cause of death and a significant source of disability worldwide. With two-thirds of stroke mortalities occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a need for researchers to comprehend the current understanding of stroke and its related factors in this region. Since stroke knowledge in the general public has been shown to mitigate the incidence of stroke and improve timely treatment-seeking behavior, the purpose of this thesis is to conduct 1) a stroke awareness assessment in Mombasa County, Kenya, and 2) a literature review of stroke interventions and health campaigns. The stroke awareness assessment surveyed 155 community members, collecting demographic data, perceptions, and knowledge about risk factors, warning signs, and response for stroke. Chi-square tests and odds ratios were used to analyze significant associations between knowledge of stroke and demographic characteristics. Findings from this study were that generally, the respondents were aware that stroke risk can be increased by poor lifestyle habits and that stroke needs to be treated at a hospital; however, their understanding of stroke and its warning signs and specific risk factors were fairly low. Majority of this sample had completed higher education but still scored low on awareness thus counties surrounding Mombasa County with lower proportions of high education may have substantially less stroke knowledge. These findings demonstrate a need to improve response time and outcomes of stroke, while reducing its prevalence. A review of the literature on stroke campaigns highlighted four main types of prevention methods that have been implemented in various countries and regions: mass media campaigns, educational presentations, health screenings, and multi-modal community programs. Through exploration of these campaigns, an optimal stroke prevention campaign for Mombasa would combine elements of a multi-modal community approach and a mass media campaign due to the intensive and wide-spread nature of these methods.
Identifying Novel Inhibitors Against Klebsiella pneumoniae carbanepenamse-2 Enzymes Found in Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria Through Structure-Based Small Molecule Virtual Screening
(2024-05-02) Vu, Madison; Beckham, Josh T.
Several nosocomial infections in the hospital setting are caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, a gram-negative bacterium that causes diseases ranging from pneumonia to infected bodily lesions. K. pneumoniae has recently exhibited the production of a hydrolase enzyme identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-2 (KPC-2), which confers resistance against “last line of defense” carbapenem antibiotics derived from the beta-lactam drug class. In these experiments, high-throughput ligand docking programs GOLD and ICM were employed to identify novel compounds for potential inhibition against KPC-2. Structure-based screening of small molecule libraries revealed that ligands ZINC23337780 and ZINC12003014 exhibited a strong binding affinity for KPC-2, indicating a potential for inhibition of enzymatic activity via conformational protein changes. Physiochemical changes associated with substrate binding were analyzed in wet-lab trials comprised of differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) and chromogenic substrate (Nitrocefin) assays. This allowed for both a quantitative and qualitative analysis of inhibition against KPC-2 by comparing biochemical activity between the apoenzyme and the enzyme in complex with a screened novel inhibitor. By coupling physical assays with the aforementioned high-throughput screening techniques, the analysis of two small molecules against KPC-2 introduces the possibility for further development of these compounds into viable drug therapeutics that uphold the efficacy of carbapenem antibiotics used in clinical treatment plans.
Cross-Species Analysis of YTH Domain Proteins from H. sapiens and A. ricinus
(2024) Fang, Janssen; Contreras, Lydia
RNAs are known to undergo a large number of post-synthesis chemical modifications that can alter their function and structure. Current studies are uncovering the significance of modified RNAs by delineating their associations with RNA-binding proteins, known as “readers.” One such family of protein readers contains a YTH RNA-binding domain, which is widely conserved and involved in recognizing N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) modifications found in eukaryotic mRNA. More recently, the YTH domain proteins have been found to recognize other RNA modifications, such as N1‐Methyladenosine (m1A) and 5-Methylcytosine (m5C). However, the “rules” that govern the YTH domain protein interactions with other modifications still remain unclear. In this study, we explored the biochemical characteristics of the YTH domain identified in Acarus ricinus via sequence and structural alignment. This particular YTH domain contains a sequence insertion akin to that observed in YTHDC1, which we hypothesize will impact the affinity and specificity for RNA modifications like m1A and m5C when compared to the human YTHDF1. In addition to sequence-based analysis, we validated protein expression of these domain proteins with SDS-PAGE. We also performed microscale thermophoresis binding assays to compare the binding affinities of YTHDF1 with m6A-containing RNA and unmodified RNA. These experiments lay the groundwork for future comparison of the YTHDF1 YTH domain with the A. ricinus YTH domain.
No Money, No Opinion: The Conflict Zones of Power and Capital in Hallyu Fandom Networks
(2021) Oon, Celeste; Lai, Chiu-Mi
In the age of Web 2.0 and particularly since the early 2010s, social media platforms have served as spaces for fans around the world to connect with one another in “imagined communities” to express joint affect for their beloved objects and texts. However, instead of a utopia-like community, online fandom has become a polarized battleground that fragments by the day. This is not a new phenomenon that has arisen because of the internet, but online networks have enabled fans to reach each other with unprecedented ease and speed, allowing for more opportunities to clash. As these rifts intensify, fans continue to create segregated spheres of fan identity, and must continuously renegotiate their relationships across these axes of power. By conceptualizing groups of fans as subnetworks in a network society as theorized by Manuel Castells, this thesis illustrates how fans wield networking, network, and networked power to coordinate their social interactions. Fans explicitly leverage Bourdieu’s notions of economic, social, and cultural capital to build fan subcultural capital that structures their networks. Ultimately, power is derived from geographic and cultural proximity to the media object, which exacerbates differences between fans’ cultural frameworks. These subnetworks of fans, in turn, have become attached to and identified by their geographic and cultural backgrounds, which creates intense rivalries between domestic and international fans. However, the emergence of COVID-19 and the movement online have illuminated instabilities within these subnetworks, suggesting that fans are not as strongly bound to this framework as they think. Rather than culture as the main subnetwork boundary and determinant of opinion, this thesis proposes a consideration of different “realities” occupied by subnetworks of fans, which have created completely divergent perceptions of investment, reward, and affect among fans. By analyzing discourse in online communities of Hallyu fans, this thesis explores power dynamics and sources of conflict in Asian transnational fandoms. Current scholarship in Hallyu highlights its industry potential and soft power potential, but there is a lack of scholarship exploring relationships between fans and how they negotiate power with respect to capital. Additionally, scholarship about fan power is largely focused on Western fandom and cannot accurately be used to theorize about Asian fandom due to differences in structure and behavior. Hallyu fandom as a case study thus offers an interesting perspective, given that its fixation on East Asian media objects concentrates power in Asia, which contrasts with typical white or Western hegemonic power, and its hyper-consumerist nature places an even larger emphasis on the importance of capitalistic practices. This thesis, then, highlights the unique aspects of power dynamics within non-Western transnational and transcultural fandom, and the ways in which they challenge us to reconsider existing theories of fans, networks, and power.
Reimagining Masculinity in Honglou Meng: The Case of Wang Xi-feng
(2024) McGee, Rachel; Lai, Chiu-Mi
This thesis is an exploration of how masculinity is reimagined in the 18th c. masterpiece, Honglou meng by Cao Xueqin. A significant contributing factor to the enduring appeal of this 120-chapter novel is a presentation of memorable characters that project a wide spectrum of gendered roles. The thesis argument is focused on the reimagining of masculinity in the case of a principal female character, Wang Xi-feng, who is one of the most famous figures in Chinese fiction. The character is an exemplary case study for how the women in Honglou meng are not defined by Qing Dynasty gendered expectations. In-depth analysis draws from Maram Epstein’s “construction of the authentic self” (2012). This thesis further explores the significant intersection of the embodiment of masculinity and illness, on both physical and metaphysical levels.
Effects of Patient-Physician Relationships on Breast Cancer Survivorship
(2024-05-01) Reichstein, Marisa
Breast cancer refers to a group of diseases that affect breast tissue, typically resulting from an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. Though men and women can get breast cancer, it continues to be the second leading cause of death for women. The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer pose threats to psychosocial issues that impact the quality-of-life responses of women. Prior research indicates that effective patient-physician relationships can improve patient healthrelated quality of life, decision-making, treatment adherence, and survivorship outcomes. Furthermore, understanding barriers to physician trust in non-culturally congruent patients can reveal potential interventions to improve health equity and survivorship outcomes across all demographics. These barriers can include access to treatment, loss of patient autonomy, and communication and language differences. Implementing effective health communication and multidisciplinary care, including social workers, primary physicians, and psychologists (in addition to primary oncologists), can pose a solution to combat patient struggles. This thesis analyzes several frameworks for improving health communication and patient-physician relationships in breast cancer oncology, as well as real-world examples of said practices as presented by a panel of physician-interviewees from the field.
Factors Affecting the Equitable Development of Healthcare Innovation, A Retrospective Analysis
(2024) Gandra, Sreya; Brown, Jay
Healthcare innovation has the potential to transform patient care delivery and address significant public health challenges. However, technological innovations in medicine are met with additional economic, regulatory, and political barriers to entry into healthcare systems. These hurdles tend to be particularly significant in under-resourced settings, exacerbating disparities in access to and adoption of emerging healthcare technologies. By delving into the historical evolution of health innovation, this study aims to define key factors that contribute to their successful adoption. Specifically, this study analyzes the developmental success factors of the healthcare intervention’s cataloged in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Innovations Exchange Database. By uncovering these dynamics, these findings are anticipated to inform policymakers, healthcare providers, and industry stakeholders to develop more targeted strategies that foster the successful integration of healthcare innovation in order to more broadly address key public health challenges.
A Review of Community-Based Interventions and Educational Initiatives for Overdose Prevention & Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in the United States
(2024) Kulkarni, Sachi; Gonzalez, Sonia K.
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a major health challenge facing the United States today, with 80,411 people dying from opioid-involved overdoses in 2021, accounting for 75.4% of overdose deaths. OUD disproportionately affects American Indian/Alaska Natives, people who live in rural areas, and young people ages 18-25. Each of these groups requires a distinct approach to reduce overdose deaths and OUD. This literature review included 22 papers to elucidate the specific aspects of successful community-based interventions and educational initiatives for overdose prevention deployed in the United States. Cultural sensitivity, peer involvement, and advancements in technology such as telehealth were found to be crucial next steps and key aspects of successful interventions.

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