Browsing by Subject "Demographics"
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Item A Comprehensive Analysis of Multi-level Factors Affecting Individuals Walking to Transit Stations in the City of Los Angeles, California(2013-11-08) Xu, JunpingTo decrease auto use and encourage public transit usage, transit-oriented development has been growing in importance. However, a few existing studies have examined the travel modes to transit stations. This research addresses this gap of knowledge by examining multi-level factors, including socio-demographic factors of individuals, socioeconomic characteristics, built environment attributes, and safety factors influencing walking to transit stations in the city of Los Angeles, California. This study primarily relies on travel survey data from the Post-Census Regional Household Travel Survey conducted from 2001 to 2003 by the Southern California Association of Governments. In the first phase, this research uses bivariate linear regression models to examine the disparities of the built environment across the station areas. The results indicate that the street light density and sidewalk completeness are lower in neighborhoods with higher percentages of Blacks or Hispanics. The density of tree coverage is higher in neighborhoods with higher median household income. The second phase of this study employs four binary logistic regression models to predict the odds of walking to transit stations. The results indicate that the distance to transit stations and the availability of transit parking have significant negative impacts on the likelihood of walking to transit stations. Pedestrian amenities, such as street lights, tree shade, and sidewalk completeness increase the odds of walking to stations. Land use mixture is a positive factor for predicting walking to transit stations. The greater diversity of land uses increase the chances of walking to transit stations. In summary, for promotion of walking to transit stations, this study suggests the strategies, such as increasing sidewalk completeness, street light density, street tree density, and land use mixture. Decreasing the parking lots around stations would discourage driving to stations. Meanwhile, more public attention is necessary to improve the pedestrian facilities in the minority or poor neighborhoods.Item College Students with Learning Disabilities in Mathematics : Are They Struggling to Achieve in the Postsecondary Education Setting(2005-05-03) Featherston, Larry Wayne; Vash, BobbieAccording to the U.S. Department of Education (2002), there are approximately 1,669,000 students with disabilities at the postsecondary educational setting. Of these, 29.4% have an orthopedic or mobility impairment, 17.1% have a mental illness, 15.1% have a systemic illness or impairment, 11.9% have a visual or hearing impairment, 6.4% have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and 5.0% have a learning disabilities. While there are approximately 75,000 with learning disabilities or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, current research has focused on students with learning disabilities as a homogenous group. There is limited research on how well students with learning disabilities in mathematics achieve academic success at the postsecondary level. This study will examine academic achievement scores for a group of 70 college students with diagnosed learning disabilities in mathematics attending a south-central, public, four-year university between 2000 and 2004. Using an ex post facto or retrospective study design for Phase I of the study, students with learning disabilities in mathematics will be compared to the universities general undergraduate student population. Analysis will also be conducted to determine if differences exist between students with only a mathematics disorder and those with mathematics and additional learning disabilities. Relationships will be examined between (a) demographic characteristics (age, gender, and race), (b) overall college Grade Point Average, (c) overall math course Grade Point Average, and (d) ACT Composite and ACT Math scores. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data gathering will be used as a follow-up to help explain and give meaning to the initial results in Phase I. This study will also examine and compare the convergent and discriminate validity of the Self-Efficacy Scale (SES) and the Social Adjustment Scale II (SAS-II).Item Demographic and Mental Health Predictors for Abusive Relationship Duration among Women Seeking Help for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): A Multivariate Model(2010-11-02T18:19:41Z) Wang, Chong "Cressy"; North, Carol S. MDIntimate partner violence (IPV) has long been considered a serious social and public health issue. However, there is limited research on what determines how long women stay in abusive relationships. This study examines the associations between IPV duration and other abuse-related variables in a sample of help-seeking women at an outpatient counseling center affiliated with a local domestic violence agency (n = 230). Data were obtained from existing intake forms designed and collected by the agency. Multiple regression analyses identified independent variables significantly associated with longer IPV duration, including older age, having children, and being white. Childhood trauma, medical concerns, and reported psychiatric symptoms were not associated with IPV duration. Subgroup analyses also revealed that for older women (50 or above) in this sample, parental history of IPV was significantly associated with shorter IPV duration, while none of the other variables showed statistical significance. Implications of these results were discussed and directions for future research were explored.Item Demographic characteristics of transit-oriented development areas in California(2008-08) Huang, Chao-Hsing, active 2008; Zhang, Ming, 1963 April 22-This study is to understand how Transit-Oriented Development influences demographic characteristics within its boundary. Case studies from the California TOD database was used. Through the changes of TOD during 1990 and 2000 and the comparison of trends in TODs and located regions, many TODs are low-income areas and such factors induces other demographic phenomenon. Meanwhile, the level of transit use did not change much and the vehicle ownership did not decrease definitely. Though such facts might imply the inefficiency of TOD, there are other factors such as economic and transit environment that cause this fact. Thus, TOD is actually influenced heavily by background policies, experience, and supportive transit circumstances.Item Demographic shift share analysis : long-term demographic change along the DART Red Line(2012-05) Zeringue, Kathryn Ellen; McCray, Talia; Zhang, MingThis report explores the long-term demographic changes occurring near Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) stations. The study area chosen to employ the shift share method consists of two segments of DART stations along the Red Line in Dallas, Texas. The downtown DART study area consists of census tracts surrounding light rail stations: Cedars, Convention Center, Union Station, West End, Akard, St. Paul, and Pearl, and the DART suburban study area consists of census tracts around the following stations: City Place, Mockingbird Station, Lovers Lane, Park Lane, Walnut Hill, Forest Lane, and LBJ/Central. Using the shift share method with demographic data obtained through the US Census Bureau from 1990 and 2005-2009 American Community Survey estimates, this analysis illustrates demographic changes over time as a result of light rail transit investments. The results indicate that demographic characteristics of residents have changed considerably since the introduction of light rail in Dallas. Although the growth trends in the DART neighborhoods are comparable to the growth trends of the city, the DART census tracts on average have experienced greater increases in population, attracted an influx of highly educated residents with higher household incomes, and experienced significant increases in high-density development surrounding transit stations. For the most part, growth has been stronger locally than on a citywide level, and these trends have occurred most noticeably in the downtown DART neighborhoods, where transit and financial measures have sparked a development boom in which total population and housing units have grown by the hundredth and even thousandth percentile. Additionally, these demographic changes create unintended consequences that affect people of varying socio-economic statuses. Although the shift of highly educated, wealthier individuals in neighborhoods creates a greater social mix among residents, lower-income residents of these transit neighborhoods quickly get priced out of their neighborhoods.Item Essays on financial and international economics(2009-05-15) Su, XiaojingItem Factors related to nurses smoking behavior(2005-05) Marchildon, Janice G.; Owen, Donna; Saunders, Jana; Andersen, SusanNurses, as the largest professional group in healthcare, have tremendous influence in the promotion of health, particularly as it relates to smoking. Smoking is considered to be the most important avoidable cause of chronic ill health in the world and several studies have found that many nurses smoke; which not only places their own health at risk, but also the publics (Piko, 2002; Hawkins, White & Morris, 1982; Booth & Faulkner, 1986). The purpose of this research was to describe nurses’ experiences with smoking as well as describe their smoking behavior in relation to demographics and socio-psychological influence. The relationship between smoking and the nurses’ perceived role in health promotion was also described in this research. The theoretical framework for this proposed study is Simmons (1990) Health Promotion Self Care System Model (HPSCSM). This model integrates the constructs of Pender’s Health Promotion Model, Orem’s Self-care Deficit Theory and Cox’s Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior. The study design was descriptive correlational. A convenience sample of 196 nurses employed in a variety of patient care settings within an urban medical center was used for this study. Data collection included a revised version of the Oncology Nurses and Tobacco Control Survey (Sarna, et al., 2000). Descriptive and inferential statistics that include Chi Square analysis was used to address four research questions. The description of nurses’ experiences with smoking in this sample showed that 68 (34.7%) reported that they had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and 39 (19.9%) reported current smoking. Among the demographic factors, the level of nursing education was positively correlated with current smoking behavior. Among the socio-psychological factors, stress was rated highest in importance by current smokers. More non-smokers and former smokers, compared to current smokers, felt positively about nurses serving as role models by not smoking.Item Factors related to nurses smoking behavior(Texas Tech University, 2005-05) Marchildon, Janice G.; Owen, Donna; Saunders, Jana; Andersen, SusanNurses, as the largest professional group in healthcare, have tremendous influence in the promotion of health, particularly as it relates to smoking. Smoking is considered to be the most important avoidable cause of chronic ill health in the world and several studies have found that many nurses smoke; which not only places their own health at risk, but also the publics (Piko, 2002; Hawkins, White & Morris, 1982; Booth & Faulkner, 1986). The purpose of this research was to describe nurses’ experiences with smoking as well as describe their smoking behavior in relation to demographics and socio-psychological influence. The relationship between smoking and the nurses’ perceived role in health promotion was also described in this research. The theoretical framework for this proposed study is Simmons (1990) Health Promotion Self Care System Model (HPSCSM). This model integrates the constructs of Pender’s Health Promotion Model, Orem’s Self-care Deficit Theory and Cox’s Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior. The study design was descriptive correlational. A convenience sample of 196 nurses employed in a variety of patient care settings within an urban medical center was used for this study. Data collection included a revised version of the Oncology Nurses and Tobacco Control Survey (Sarna, et al., 2000). Descriptive and inferential statistics that include Chi Square analysis was used to address four research questions. The description of nurses’ experiences with smoking in this sample showed that 68 (34.7%) reported that they had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and 39 (19.9%) reported current smoking. Among the demographic factors, the level of nursing education was positively correlated with current smoking behavior. Among the socio-psychological factors, stress was rated highest in importance by current smokers. More non-smokers and former smokers, compared to current smokers, felt positively about nurses serving as role models by not smoking.Item Financial resource allocation in Texas : how does money matter(2010-05) Villarreal, Rosa Maria, active 2010; Olivárez, RubénThe study examined school district expenditures in Texas and their correlations with student achievement. The following research question guided this study: Which resource allocations produce statistically significant correlations between the resource allocation variances among school district and student achievement? An ordinal logistic regression analysis included 1009 school districts in the State of Texas, 18 of 26 possible finance function codes provided per-pupil dollar amounts, and 9 of 11 possible demographic categories were utilized for the study. The study held the school district as the unit of analysis. The statistical model was used to regress the dollar amounts categorized by financial function codes and percent student demographics to determine if a relationship existed with the dependent variable of the Texas Education Agency’s defined accountability rating during the 5-year time period—2004-2008. At the national level, there is a long-standing debate over whether the amount of money allocated to education affects student achievement. The literature review presents two sides of the debate concerning whether financial resources make a difference with regard to student achievement as represented through district-level accountability ratings. The research revealed that specific school district resource allocations by function code are statistically significant with regard to district level accountability measures through the Texas Education Agency (TEA) accountability system. However, the odds ratios temper the impact of the significance. The research also revealed that demographics are statistically significant in the State of Texas accountability system.Item Municipality characteristics and math achievement : a multilevel analysis of Mexican secondary schools(2011-05) Hubert Lopez, Celia; Potter, Joseph E.; Marteleto, Leticia J.This study examines the impact of the municipality level characteristics on the average Math achievement of students in third year of lower secondary schools in Mexico. Using data from different Mexican and international sources and multi-level regression models the present work shows that municipality characteristics provide additional explanation of the unexplained variability in educational achievement controlling for school-level factors and even without accounting for student characteristics. Although school factors are highly correlated with municipality’s characteristics, the present study finds that unobservable characteristics of the municipality are playing an important role in Mexican students’ achievement which goes beyond the possible impact that school factors have on achievement.