UMBC Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health Department

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/46

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health is home to undergraduate programs in Sociology (SOCY), Anthropology (ANTH) and Public Health (PBHL, formerly HAPP). We offer minors in Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health, a Master’s in Applied Sociology, as well as Post-Baccalaureate Certificates in the Nonprofit Sector, and Social Dimensions of Health. An Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s is available, as well as special options for double majors in Sociology and Anthropology, Sociology and Psychology, Sociology and Social Work, and Public Health and Social Work. The department collaborates with three outstanding Ph.D. programs, including Gerontology (GERO), Public Policy (PUBL) and Language, Literacy & Culture (LLC) and hosts the Center for Aging Studies (CAS), a research center that conducts large scale, federally-funded research.

Throughout these programs, the department emphasizes three core areas: health & aging in society; diversity, gender & culture; and applied social science research. Consistent with UMBC’s goals, the department focuses its core strengths to:

Provide a distinctive undergrad experience
Support the development of graduate education
Conduct faculty research that contributes to both undergraduate & graduate education

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 202

Reporting Requirements Matter (A Lot): Evidence From Arkansas's Medicaid Work Requirements
(Health Affairs, 2025-03-03) Henderson, Morgan; Spicer, Laura; Middleton, Alice
We reexamine enrollment data from Arkansas Works, the state’s Medicaid work requirement program. As the only real-world instance of the implementation of Medicaid work requirements in a preexisting Medicaid expansion population, it is a valuable source of data for understanding the impacts of reporting requirements on enrollment.
Exploring the Relationship Between Nursing Staff and Family Members' Appraisal of Resident Care in Nursing Homes: The Role of Facility Ownership
(MDPI, 45699) Millar, Roberto; Diehl, Christin; Kusmaul, Nancy; Stockwell, Ian
Background/Objectives: To address long-standing staffing challenges and elevating care standards in the United States, new legislation will require a minimum of 0.55 h per resident day (HPRD) of registered nurse (RN) care, 2.45 HPRD of certified nursing aide (CNA) care, and a combined total of 3.48 HPRD across any combination of nursing staff. We examine differences in family members? views of care quality between facilities meeting the minimum staffing requirements and those that do not and whether there is any difference in those associations by facility ownership. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized public data from 218 Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities in Maryland, collected in 2023. We used regression analyses to examine the association between staffing requirements and quality of care ratings, considering facility ownership status as a potential moderator. Results: Compared to facilities with CNA staffing levels below the cut off, facilities that met the CNA staffing requirement were rated more favorably by family members in overall quality and across the subdomains of staffing, care, activities, and security. In contrast, meeting the RN 0.55 cut off was not associated with family ratings across any quality domain. A facility for-profit status did not moderate the relationship between staffing and family ratings. Conclusions: These results suggest that CNA staff time is a significant driver of care quality and that non-profit facilities may already be closer to meeting new federal requirements. These findings highlight the need for regulations that support the minimum nursing staffing requirements to enhance care quality. Future research should identify the specific factors contributing to higher quality care in non-profit facilities and explore ways to implement these practices in for-profit settings.
Assessing the Incremental Health Care Utilization and Expenditures Associated With Serious Psychological Distress by Living Arrangements Among Older Adults
(Sage, 2025-02-26) Chu, Jun; Mair, Christine A.; Yamashita, Takashi; Chen, Jie
Older adults suffering from serious psychological distress (SPD) have higher health care utilization and expenditures. However, it is unknown whether living alone might further amplify differences in health care usage and costs among older adults with SPD. Using pooled data from 2007-2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we estimated the incremental care expenditures and utilization associated with SPD among older adults living alone and living with others. The results show that in both living arrangements, having SPD is associated with increases in emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and prescription fill-ups, which leads to higher total prescription expenditures. However, the incremental differences of SPD-related incremental usage and expenditures between older adults living alone and living with others were similar. Our findings call for targeted community programs for older adults that go beyond eliminating physical loneliness, and innovative care coordination strategies that prioritize mental health and preventative care among older adults.
Producing Graduates That Industry Needs: Exploring the Views of Employers, Administrators, Faculty, and Students on Foundational Skills at Community College STEM Programs
(Taylor & Francis, 2025-02-04) Chidebe, Runcie C. W.; Cummins, Phyllis A.; Karam, Rita; Kramer, Jenna; Narine, Donnette; Yamashita, Takashi
This qualitative study explored the views of community college employers, faculty, administrators, and students on the importance of foundational skills, including literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills, in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs of study. Participants (N = 50) were recruited, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: 1) foundational skills are as important as the course of study; 2) the ability to communicate technical skills is crucial; 3) leadership and supervisory skills are valuable; and 4) employers contribute to the curriculum, producing graduates that industry needs. Our findings provide policy and practice recommendations, including the need to design curricula with strong components of literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills, integrating supervisory and leadership skills in classroom exercises, and engagement of employers in curriculum development and instruction. Producing graduates in STEM fields with skills that employers require is important for employee advancement and for future economic growth.
Ethical and Clinical Dilemmas in Using Psychotropic Medications During Pregnancy
(AMA, 2016-06-01) Kalfoglou, Andrea L.
Approximately 15 percent of women experience depression whilepregnant or in the year following pregnancy. While antidepressants areusually effective and considered standard treatment for depression,concerns arise that what might be good for mom could be harmful forthe baby. Medical evidence demonstrates that, on balance, treatingmental illness with psychotropic medication along with talk therapy is inthe best interest of both mother and baby; however, women may resisttreatment because they overestimate the risks of medication andunderestimate the risks of untreated mental illness. Clinicians can helpaddress this perceived ethical dilemma and provide optimum care to theirpregnant patients by collaborating with their patients on a treatmentplan, informing them about the risks of untreated mental illness, andproviding reassurance that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)and many other psychotropic medications are appropriate care even if awoman is pregnant or breastfeeding.
Echoes of Trauma: The Lingering Health Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse Throughout the Life-course
(andreakalfoglou) Kalfoglou, Andrea L.; Conway, Imani
Echoes of Trauma: The Lingering Health Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse Throughout the Life-course In this scoping review, my research partner Imani Conway and I sought to systematically explore the profound and long-lasting health impacts of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on women. By synthesizing an extensive range of studies, we aimed to highlight the varied ways CSA affects health across the lifespan. Our findings indicate that CSA is linked to numerous chronic health conditions, including gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, reproductive health issues, and psychiatric disorders. Additionally, CSA survivors face increased risks for chronic pain, maladaptive health behaviors, and socioeconomic challenges, such as diminished educational and economic outcomes. We hope this work underscores the urgent need for trauma-informed care in healthcare systems, prioritizing prevention, early intervention, and provider education to better meet the needs of CSA survivors. This research is a call to action for both healthcare providers and policymakers to address the pervasive effects of CSA on women's long-term health and quality of life.
Zika: An opportunity to improve pre-conception care.
(Bioethics, 2016-03-08) Kalfoglou, Andrea L.
Cultural foundations of global health: a critical examination of universal child feeding recommendations
(BMC, 2025-01-23) Scheidecker, Gabriel; Funk, Leberecht; Chaudhary, Nandita; Chapin, Bambi L.; Schmidt, Wiebke J.; El Ouardani, Christine
There has been a rising call to decolonize global health so that it more fully includes the concerns, knowledge, and research from people all over the world. This endeavor can only succeed, we argue, if we also recognize that much of established global health doctrine is rooted in Euro-American beliefs, values, and practice rather than being culturally neutral. This paper examines the cultural biases of child feeding recommendations as a case in point. We argue that the global promotion of Responsive Feeding—a set of allegedly best practices for child feeding promulgated by the WHO and others—is based on a tacit conviction that certain Western middle-class feeding practices are universally best, along with a promise that future evidence will demonstrate their superiority. These recommendations denounce feeding practices that diverge from this style as Non-Responsive Feeding, thereby pathologizing the many valued ways of feeding children in communities all over the world without sound scientific evidence. Drawing on ethnographic research, we show that there is a wide variety in feeding practices around the world and these are closely interlinked with the understandings and priorities of caregivers, as well as with favored forms of relationships and ways of maintaining them. For global health nutrition interventions to be justified and effective, they would need to be based on more pertinent, culturally responsive research than they currently are. We suggest the use of ethnographic research as an important tool in building empirically grounded, epistemically inclusive, and locally meaningful approaches to improving nutritional support for children in communities around the world and to global health efforts more broadly.
Digital skills use profiles among older workers in the United States: a person-centered approach
(Taylor & Francis, 2024-12-22) Yamashita, Takashi; Narine, Donnette; Ojomo, Adeola; Chidebe, Runcie C. W.; Cummins, Phyllis A.; Kramer, Jenna W.; Karam, Rita; Smith, Thomas J.
Considering the digitalisation of the workplace and increasingly crucial digital skill proficiency in the technology-rich labour market, the objectives of the present study are to develop digital skill use profiles and to identify specific individual characteristics that are linked with digital skill use patterns among older workers in the United States. However, relatively little is known about older workers’ digital skill use patterns and skill use opportunity structures. Data of the U.S. older workers (age 50 years and older; n = 1,670) were obtained from the 2012/2014/2017 International Assessment of the Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Latent class analysis – a form of person-centred approach that identifies subgroups based on distinctive digital skill use patterns, showed that there were two underlying subgroups of older workers, including more frequent and less frequent digital skill users. More frequent users practiced a greater variety of digital skills both at work and outside of work than their counterparts. Also, logistic regression analysis showed that higher digital skill proficiency and full-time employment (vs. part-time) were associated with belonging to the more frequent digital skill use subgroup. The digital skill use profiles of U.S. older workers, subgroup characteristics, and implications for adult education and labour policies are evaluated.
Nursing Facility Characteristics Are Differentially Associated With Family Satisfaction and Regulatory Star Ratings
(Southern Gerontological Society, 2025-01-08) Millar, Roberto J.; Diehl, Christin; Kusmaul, Nancy; Stockwell, Ian
Research suggests that nursing facility structural characteristics are important contributors toward residents’ quality of care. We use 2021 data from 220 Maryland nursing facilities to examine associations between two different quality-of-care metrics: family satisfaction and Care Compare five-star quality ratings. We used descriptive statistics to explore differences in quality metrics across facility ownership (for-profit vs. non-profit), geographic location (urban vs. rural), and resident census (1–60, 61–120, and 121+). Relationships were examined across overall ratings, as well as across subdomains of the two frameworks (e.g., staffing). Family members of residents in non-profit, rural, and low-census facilities rated facilities higher. Non-profit and low-resident census facilities were more likely to be rated four or five stars, while no significant association was observed across geographic location, or interactions across structural factors. Findings emphasize the need for comprehensive quality-of-care frameworks that explore quality care across stakeholders and types of facilities.
Qualitative Descriptions of Developer Changes or Consistency Over Time
(UNM Mentoring Institute, 2024-10-08) Roesch, A.; Brakey, H.R.; Tigges, B,; Sood, A.; Soller, Brian
Developmental networks comprise individuals (i.e., developers) who take an active interest in and concerted action to advance protégé’s career. Research demonstrates that the social composition and characteristics of developmental networks change over time as protégés’ careers evolve. However, little qualitative research explores if, how, and why developmental networks change. This analysis examines why protégés change or maintain connections to their developers, focusing on social constraints and deliberative actions. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, we explored the reasons that university faculty respondents changed their developmental networks over time. We considered the potential for individual/developer characteristics and structural constraints on relations between developers and protégés (e.g., job change) to understand how and why respondents added, maintained, or dropped developers from their networks. We conducted 56 semi-structured interviews with faculty mentors and mentees from three universities and the Mountain West Clinical and Translational Research Infrastructure Network, enrolled in a larger study of mentor training interventions. Respondents discussed how their developmental networks changed over 30 months. Self-reported network maps at baseline, 12, and 24 months were used to augment these interviews by showing who was in their network at these time points. Decisions about stability or change in networks mainly appeared unrelated to strategic decisions based on respondents’ goals or identified network gaps. Instead, themes related to consistency or change included personal reasons (e.g., position change by respondent), or the personal or situational characteristics of the developer such as: being supportive and trustworthy; a collaborator on projects; genuinely caring; having similar experiences, goals, or values as respondent; social and work overlap; and time or capacity changes (e.g., developer retiring). Our findings establish the rationale for developing and implementing a structured, evidence-based networking intervention to educate faculty on intentionally changing developmental networks based on action plans.
Adult Literacy Skills and Risk of Job Automation Among Middle-Aged and Older Workers in the United States
(2024-12-13) Narine, Donnette; Yamashita, Takashi; Chidebe, Runcie C. W.; Cummins, Phyllis A.; Kramer, Jenna W.; Karam, Rita
Job automation can undermine economic security for workers in general, and older workers, in particular. In this respect, consistently updating one’s knowledge and skills is essential for being competitive in a technology-driven labor market. Older workers with lower adult literacy skills experience difficulties with continuous education and skills development, which can contribute to their economic uncertainty. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the correlation between adult literacy skills and job automation risk. We analyzed a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older workers (age 50+ years; n = 1,880) from the 2012/2014/2017 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) dataset. The survey-weighted linear regression results showed that lower job automation risks (0%–100%) were a function of higher adult literacy skills (score 0–500 points: b = −.052, p < .05), after adjusting for relevant covariates (R-squared = .19).
Care Compare Star Ratings and Family Satisfaction in Maryland Nursing Facilities: A Comparison by Facility Structure
(2024-02-22) Millar, Roberto; Diehl, Christin; Kusmaul, Nancy; Stockwell, Ian
These findings were presented at the Gerontological Society of America’s (GSA) 2023 meeting in Tampa, Florida. Part of a Center and Institute Departmentally-Engaged Research (CIDER) award, this is part of several studies focused on examining quality of care in Maryland nursing facilities.
Nurse Staffing in Nursing Facilities and Family Members' Appraisal of Resident Care
(2024-06-29) Millar, Roberto; Diehl, Christin; Cannon-Jones, Stephanie; Kusmaul, Nancy; Stockwell, Ian
THE ROLE OF DISASTER SUBCULTURES IN LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS: A CASE STUDY OF STAKEHOLDERS IN COASTAL MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
(MSAAG, 2024) Howell, Nyla; Leichenko, R.; Clemens, M.; Cann, K.; Madajewicz, M.; Solecki, W.; Kaplan, M.; Herb, J.
Extreme weather events are increasingly affecting coastal communities, often leading to economic and social disruption within these areas. The businesses located within coastal communities are especially vulnerable to climate-related shocks, yet relatively little is known about how the experience of prior disaster events affects business preparedness and planning for future extreme events. This study applies the concept of a disaster subculture to investigate whether and how prior extreme events affect climate resilience practices among small and mediumsized businesses in coastal New Jersey. The methods for the study entailed qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with businesses and related stakeholders during the Spring of 2022. The results of the study indicate that elements of four possible disaster subcultures are present in the region and that these subcultures are influencing business mitigation and preparedness practices and community recovery. A future research direction could consider disaster subculture influence on an individual level and how subcultures may influence household preparedness.
Immigrant Status and Social Ties: An Intersectional Analysis of Older Adults in the United States
(Springer Nature, 2024-11-21) Nayak, Sameera Shukanta; Mair, Christine A.; Adewuyi, Suliyat O.
Diverse social ties are critical facilitators of well-being among older adults. Social ties might be especially important for aging immigrants who face multiple social and economic vulnerabilities over the life course. We investigated social ties (e.g., partners, children, other family, and friends) by immigrant status among older adults in the United States (U.S.). Data come from the 2018 Health and Retirement Study (N?=?4,006), a national sample of older adults in the U.S. We used multivariable logistic regression to compare social ties (e.g., partners, children, other family, and friends) by immigrant status. We further explored interactions with sex and race/ethnicity. Older immigrants are more likely to report that they can rely a lot on their partners (aOR?=?1.84, 95% CI 1.27, 2.68) but less likely to rely on friends (aOR?=?0.72, 95% CI, 0.55, 0.94) compared to non-immigrants. Older immigrants are also less likely to meet frequently with friends (aOR?=?0.66, 95% CI, 0.51, 0.86) and with other family (aOR?=?0.71, 95%, CI, 0.55, 0.91) compared to non-immigrants. Lastly, older immigrant men are significantly less likely to meet with friends compared to non-immigrant men (aOR?=?0.48, 95% CI, 0.32, 0.73). As the older population in the U.S. continues to diversify and immigrant older adults navigate their support options, older immigrants–especially men–may be at risk for less variation in their social support options, particularly from extended family members and friends.
Association Between Prehip Fracture Antidepressant Use and Posthip Fracture Length of Hospital Stay in Medicare Beneficiaries and Assessing Sex Differences
(Elsevier, 2024-11-14) Mehta, Rhea; Falvey, Jason R.; Chen, Chixiang; Dong, Yu; Shardell, Michelle D.; Yamashita, Takashi; Orwig, Denise L.
ObjectiveAntidepressants are the first-line treatment for depression among older adults. While antidepressants are associated with increased risk of falls and fractures in older adults, their effect on outcomes after fall-related injuries such as hip fracture, and whether these effects differ by sex, is unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between prefracture antidepressant use and hospital length of stay (LOS) among hip fracture survivors, and related sex differences.MethodsParticipants included 17,936 community-dwelling Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with depression and hospitalization claim for hip fracture surgery between 2010 and 2017. Ordinal logistic regression estimated the association between prefracture antidepressant use and hospital LOS in days, categorized into three groups (1-4, 5-8, and 8+ days) during the 30-day postfracture period, adjusting for demographic, medical, facility, and geographic factors. A sex-by-antidepressant use interaction term was included to examine effect heterogeneity by sex.ResultsPrefracture antidepressant users (47%, n = 8,350) were more likely to be younger, White females. The adjusted ordinal logistic regression showed beneficiaries who used antidepressants had 8% higher odds of being in a shorter hospital LOS category compared to non-users (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.02, 1.14; p=0.01). The sex-by-antidepressant use interaction was not statistically significant (p=0.92).ConclusionsAmong older adults with depression who subsequently experienced a hip fracture, antidepressant use of >30 days in the 6 months prior to fracture was associated with a shorter hospital LOS. These findings indicate that use of antidepressants does not prolong early recovery from hip fracture and may be protective.
The Social Science of Living Alone w/ Dr. Jun Chu
(UMBC Center for Social Science Research, 2024-09-26) Anson, Ian; Chu, Jun
On today's episode I speak with Dr. Jun Chu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health at UMBC. Dr. Chu shares information about his ongoing research agenda into aging alone.Check out the following links for more information on UMBC, CS3, and our host:The UMBC Center for the Social Sciences ScholarshipThe University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyIan G. Anson, Ph.D.Retrieving the Social Sciences is a production of the UMBC Center for Social Science Scholarship. Our podcast host is Dr. Ian Anson, and our Acting director is Dr. Eric Stokan. Our production intern is Jean Kim. Our theme music was composed and recorded by D’Juan Moreland (UMBC '24). Special thanks to Amy Barnes and Myriam Ralston for production assistance. Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where you can find full video recordings of recent UMBC events.
County-level political group density, partisan polarization, and individual-level mortality among adults in the United States: A lagged multilevel study
(Elsevier, 2024-06-01) Nayak, Sameera Shukanta; Fraser, Timothy; Aldrich, Daniel P.; Panagopoulos, Costas; Kim, Daniel
ObjectiveTo investigate the associations between county-level political group density, partisan polarization, and individual-level mortality from all causes and from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States.MethodsUsing data from five survey waves (1998–2006) of the General Social Survey-National Death Index dataset and the County Presidential Election Return 2000 dataset, we fit weighted Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the associations between (1) political group density and (2) partisan polarization measured at the county level in 2000 (n = 313 counties) categorized into quartiles with individual-level mortality (n = 14,983 participants) from all causes and CHD, controlling for individual- and county-level factors. Maximum follow-up was from one year after the survey up until 2014. We conducted these analyses using two separate measures based on county-level vote share differences and party affiliation ideological extremes.ResultsIn the overall sample, we found no evidence of associations between county-level political group density and individual-level mortality from all causes. There was evidence of a 13% higher risk of dying from heart disease in the highest quartile of county-level polarization (hazards ratio, HR = 1.13; 95% CI = 0.74–1.71). We observed heterogeneity of effects based on individual-level political affiliation. Among those identifying as Democrats, residing in counties with high (vs. low) levels of polarization appeared to be protective against mortality, with an associated 18% lower risk of dying from all causes (HR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.71–0.94). This association was strongest in areas with the highest concentrations of Democrats.ConclusionsAmong all study participants, political group density and polarization at the county level in 2000 were not linked to individual-level mortality. At the same time, we found that Democratic party affiliation may be protective against the adverse effects of high polarization, particularly in counties with high concentrations of Democrats. Future research should further explore these associations to potentially identify new structural interventions to address political determinants of population health.
REIMAGINING THE HARBOR AS A HUB
(UMBC Shriver Center, 2021-12) Scott, Sally; Taylor, Joby

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