Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
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Item HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) AND HPV VACCINE AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE: AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSES OF THE ROLE OF RACE, ETHNICITY, AND SOCIAL MEDIA(2020) Lama, Yuki; Quinn, Sandra C; Public and Community Health; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Objectives: To (1) characterize determinants of HPV and HPV vaccine awareness and knowledge and receipt of HPV vaccine recommendation from a healthcare provider; (2) explore predictors of social media use related to health; and (3) determine the association between social media use related to health and HPV-related outcomes among a nationally representative population of non-Hispanic African American, Hispanic, Asian American, and non-Hispanic White adults living with children in their household. Methods: Using Health Information National Trends (HINTS) Survey data, multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the association between sociodemographic, cultural, and healthcare variables and HPV-related outcomes (aim one) and social media outcomes (aim two). For aim three, multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the effect of social media behaviors on HPV outcomes. Results: For aim one, older age and male gender were associated with lower likelihood of HPV and HPV vaccine awareness, cervical cancer knowledge and being recommended the HPV vaccine. Asian Americans were significantly less likely to be aware of HPV or HPV vaccines compared to non-Hispanic Whites. For aim two, older adults, males, and those without regular provider status were significantly less likely to use social media for health purposes. Non-Hispanic African American (aOR: 2.11; 95%CI: 1.25–3.56), Hispanic (aOR: 2.10; 95%CI: 1.21–3.66), and Asian Americans (aOR: 3.38; 95%CI: 1.28–8.92) were more likely to watch health-related videos on YouTube compared with non-Hispanic whites. For aim three, adults who engaged in one or two social media behaviors had significantly greater odds of HPV awareness compared to non-users. Those who engaged in two, three, or four social media behaviors had significantly greater HPV vaccine awareness compared to non-users. Conclusion: Results demonstrated significant differences across HPV and social media outcomes among adults with children in the household such as men, older adults, and racial/ethnic minorities, which highlight needs and knowledge gaps particularly between those that use social media and those who do not. Findings can inform the development of targeted, culturally tailored strategies on social media to raise HPV awareness among vulnerable groups in order to increase vaccine uptake and mitigate HPV morbidities among high-risk populations.Item CREATIVE PERSUASION: ENHANCING WELL-BEING AND SELF-EFFICACY THROUGH THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE(2018) Ganzermiller, Josie Deanna; Khamis, Sahar; Communication; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This manuscript is intended as a first step in exploratory research to examine the efficacy of creative performance in entertainment-based health interventions, as well as the cognitive mechanisms for that efficacy. Creative performance for the purposes of this study is defined as engaging in an activity that requires the participant to use his or her body to creatively portray a character and/or enact a message. While much is known about the efficacy of entertainment-based health interventions, less empirical work has focused on how merely participating in creative performance promotes well-being. Well-being is psychological and mental health, which is more than the absence of mental disorder or disease, but rather the state of "optimal psychological functioning and experience" (Ryan & Deci, 2001). This document outlines a panel study that evaluates the degree to which active involvement in an immersive theatre camp leads to increases in well-being and self-efficacy for adolescents, as well as the theoretical basis for expecting such a result. A front matter table (p. vii) provides a reference for the key concepts and variables included in the study. The following chapters expand on the rationale for this work, including entertainment-education, benefits of creative performance, and the importance of well-being in adolescence.Item THE STATE OF HEALTH JOURNALIST TRAINING AND EDUCATION: AN EXPLORATORY QUALITATIVE STUDY(2015) Livengood, Jamie Marie; Garza, Mary A.; Public and Community Health; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Health journalism critiques have often attributed shortcomings to inadequate training of health journalists, but few researchers have examined the educational opportunities available to health journalists. The purpose of this study was to explore how specialized education and training activities impart skills critical to performing health journalism. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with health journalists and health journalism educators. Interviewees identified skills critical to health journalism and described educational opportunities available to help specialists hone those skills. Educational opportunities vary in depth of coverage of science- and health-related subjects. Interviewees discussed the challenges of obtaining health journalism training and education weighed against benefits of such activities. Interviewee perceptions and experiences echo concepts from science journalism sociology literature, and align with theoretical media influence models. Findings indicate that opportunities exist to target public health messages through health journalists, and public health communicators may find partners for collaboration in health journalism educators.Item The Merging of Commercial Film and Public Health: The Development and Evaluation of a Found Footage Anti-Texting and Driving PSA(2014) Watters, Samantha; Green, Kerry M; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)While progress is being made to improve risky driving behaviors, texting and driving is a growing concern for young drivers. Youth are susceptible to film and media influence, and fear appeals are often used in PSAs to discourage risky driving. Found footage filmmaking is common in horror films and is credited with adding to dread and audience connection. This study sought to determine the effectiveness of an anti-texting and driving found footage style PSA on college students. Two PSAs were tested (n=428) using a randomized control pre-posttest study. No significant differences were found between the found footage and external perspective style PSAs. However, the PSAs significantly affected behavioral intent and fear arousal. Qualitative data suggested that quality and realism needed improvement, and that participants viewed both PSAs as potential found footage. More research is needed to determine how found footage and film tactics like these can influence health behaviors.Item Toward a Theory of Risk Information Processing: The Mediating Effects of Reaction Time, Clarity, Affect, and Vividness(2011) Skubisz, Christine; Turner, Monique M; Communication; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This project examined the variables that mediate the relationship between the exogenous variables numerical presentation and numeracy and the endogenous variables risk perception and risk related decisions. Previous research suggested that numerical format and numeracy influence outcomes. The question that remained unanswered was why? The goal of this project was to peer into the proverbial black box to critically examine information processing at work. To examine possible mediating variables, two theoretical models that have emerged in the risk perception literature were tested. The first is an evolutionary theory proposing that over time, individuals have developed an augmented ability to process frequency information. Thus, frequency information should be clearer and people should be faster at forming risk perceptions with information in this format. According to this model, processing speed and evidence clarity mediate the relationship between evidence format and risk perception. A second framework, the affective processing theory, argues that frequency information is more vivid and people derive more affect from information in this format. Therefore, according to this model, affect and vividness mediate the relationship between presentation format and risk perception. In addition to these two perspectives, a third theory was proposed and tested. The integrated theory of risk information processing predicted that reaction time, clarity, affect, and vividness would all influence risk perception. Two experiments were conducted to test the predictions of these three theories. Overall, some support for an integrated model was found. Results indicated that the mediating variables reaction time, clarity, affect, and vividness had direct effects on risk perception. In addition, risk perception had a strong influence on risk related decisions. In Study 2, objective numeracy had a direct effect on reaction time, such that people with high numeracy spent more time forming risk evaluations. Furthermore, people with a preference for numerical information evaluated numerical evidence as clearer and more vivid than people who preferred to receive evidence in nonnumerical formats. Both theoretical and applied implications of these results are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided.Item HOW YOUNG WOMEN MAKE MEANING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CAMPAIGNS: USING A CULTURAL STUDIES APPROACH TO (RE)DEFINE PERCEPTIONS OF RISK, HEALTH, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE(2010) Briones, Rowena Lyn; Aldoory, Linda; Communication; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to understand how women from different racial and ethnic backgrounds make meaning of sexual assault communication. In this exploratory study, one component of the circuit of culture - consumption - was examined using the cultural studies approach to investigate how women perceived the various cultural codes, symbols, languages, and images associated with sexual assault. The study used qualitative focus groups and one-on-one interviews with African American, Hispanic, Asian American and white women from a large university. Findings revealed that women associate themselves with sexual assault based on their gender and age. In addition, women are more receptive to thematic messages that hold a personal relevance to them. This study expanded the use of cultural theory in public relations as well as supported a proposed theory of women's health communication. Practical implications include various innovations communicators can use to improve their proficiency in crafting culturally competent messages.