Scholarship & Research
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Item Fertility and reproductive health decisions connected to climate change and adaptation in Greenland(Montana State University - Bozeman, The Graduate School, 2024) Peterson, Malory Kaye; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Elizabeth Rink; This is a manuscript style paper that includes co-authored chapters.The capacity for Kalaallit, the Inuit people of Greenland, to adapt to the effects of climate change will depend on sociodemographic change, population distribution, and existing health inequities in the country. Reproduction in Greenland is influenced by connection to place and access to natural resources, factors that will vary with climate adaptation. Given existing fertility and reproductive health disparities among Kalaallit women, there is a compelling reason to explore how climate change effects and adaptation might influence fertility decisions and population dynamics in Greenland. Rooted in the principles of community based participatory research, this exploratory and comparative study investigated the social, environmental, and economic resources that affect fertility decisions for Kalaallit in Greenland. The research presented contextualizes drivers of fertility decisions within Greenland's climate adaptation policy options and presents strategies to guide health studies in Greenland with principles of community based participatory research. Interviews were conducted with 35 reproductive-aged (18-49 years) men and women and 26 interviews with policymakers and key stakeholders in two communities about climate adaptation, natural resources, economic development, and fertility and reproductive health. Interviews were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory in collaboration with a Kalaallit community research partner. Results indicate that improving community capacity to address existing housing, education, and economic inequities is critical to supporting fertility and reproductive health, irrespective of climate change impacts. Participants observed climate change effects and expressed positive attitudes about Kalaallit ability to adapt and capitalize on benefits of climate change. Evidence from this study indicates that addressing development disparities in Greenland may immediately support fertility and reproductive health for Kalaallit people and facilitate equitable climate adaptation.Item A framework for the quantitative assessment of new data streams in avalanche forecasting(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Haddad, Alexander Sean; Co-chairs, Graduate Committee: Eric A. Sproles and Jordy HendrikxData used by avalanche forecasters are typically collected using weather stations, manual field-based observations (e.g., avalanche events, snow profiles, stability tests, personal observations, public observations, etc.) and weather forecasts ("traditional observations"). Today, snow cover observations can be delivered via remote sensing (e.g., satellite data, UAV, TLS, time-lapse camera etc.). Forecasting operations can also use statistical forecasting, weather models, and physical modeling to support decisions. This paper presents a framework and methodology to quantify the impact these new, complex data streams have on the formulation of, and associated uncertainty of, avalanche forecasting. We use data from a case study in Norway. Avalanche forecasters in Norway assessed size (D), likelihood, avalanche problem, and hazard level for a highway corridor in Grasdalen, Stryn Norway. The control groups were given access to traditional observations. The experimental groups were given access to the same traditional data, but also near-real-time snow surface LiDAR data ("RS+"). In case study one the RS+ (n=10) consensus findings were a hazard level two steps lower than the control group (n=10). In case study two the traditional (n=10) and RS+ groups' (n=7) consensus findings assessed the northeastern avalanche path at the same hazard level. Assessing the southwestern slide path, the traditional group (n=10) and RS+ group (n=9) had the same consensus finding for hazard level. In 2 of 3 case studies, the RS+ groups had fewer selections for size, likelihood, and avalanche problem which indicates reduced uncertainty in their forecasts. Throughout the 2022-2023 winter season Norwegian Public Roads Administration avalanche forecasters performed a real-time experiment throughout the season - with and without additional RS+ data when forecasting. They agreed on hazard level in 6 of 10 forecasts. In the other 4 forecasts, RS+ forecasters assessed the hazard level higher than traditional data forecasts. When RS+ data reveals aspects of conditions that traditional observations did not detail, RS+ forecasters adjust their selections in the hazard matrix, resulting in greater clustering of their predictions, indicating reduced uncertainty. Due to uncertainty associated with avalanche forecasting, this framework for assessment should be used to track avalanche forecast efficacy and build a qualitative and quantitative historical record.Item Community resilience in remote, resource-dependent communities: a case study of the U.S. coal transition(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2022) Roemer, Kelli Frances; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Julia Hobson Haggerty; This is a manuscript style paper that includes co-authored chapters.The United States is undergoing a significant energy system transition characterized by widespread retirement of coal-fired electricity generation facilities. In the next ten years, nearly 30 percent of the nation's coal power plant fleet will retire. The US West hosts a significant portion of these closures, with twenty-five generating units of coal-fired electricity retiring across six Western states. Retirements pose immediate social, economic, and environmental challenges for the localities and regions that host power plants and associated mines. Affected communities need to both plan for loss of employment and tax revenue and ensure thorough decommissioning and remediation of a major industrial facility. Successfully addressing the social, economic, and environmental legacies at coal facilities presents opportunities for enhancing equity and justice in rural energy communities. However, determining the appropriate policy and planning response to address challenges affecting fossil fuel-dependent communities drives significant debate over the implications of accelerating decarbonization in rural places. Interdependent social, political, economic, historical, and environmental processes influence community experiences of coal decline in the US West. This dissertation explores how such factors enable or constrain the resilience of coal-dependent communities to economic decline, where resilience refers to the capacity of a social system to mobilize its resources and respond to shock. This research is thus informed by and contributes to the multidisciplinary literature on resource geography, community resilience, and energy transitions. It makes the following contributions: (1) it investigates how federal and state policies influence community resilience pathways and decision-making at the local level; (2) it identifies and characterizes processes that constrain resilience or enable rural communities to overcome challenges and foster new trajectories; and (3) it identifies specific policies and strategies to support communities navigating energy transition and socioeconomic uncertainty. To make these contributions, this dissertation engages a mixed-methods approach, combining policy analysis and qualitative data collection to examine the coal transition in the US West at the regional and local scale.Item Beliefs and use of evidence-based practice by nurses: a needs assessment at a hospital in south central Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 2018) Gipe, Leigh Ellen; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Stacy StellflugNurses consistent use of evidence-based practice (EBP) will improve healthcare quality, improve patient outcomes, and decrease healthcare costs. Nurses constitute the largest group of healthcare providers and are in direct contact with patients, thus have an opportunity to make the largest impact using EBP. Despite EBP being accepted as the best method of providing care, many nurses may not be fully implementing it in daily clinical practice. The purpose of this project was to investigate nurses' beliefs about the readiness for and organizational culture for evidence-based practice, attitudes and beliefs about evidence-based practice, and nurses' implementation of evidence-based-practice at this organization. This was done by asking the following questions: What are nurses' current individual beliefs and attitudes about EBP at this organization? What are nurses' current levels of self-reported implementation of EBP at this organization? What are nurses' perceptions of organizational and cultural readiness for EBP at this organization? This project used a cross-sectional, descriptive design. A 75-question survey was sent via email in a SurveyMonkey to a convenience sample of 485 nurses. Nurses were asked demographic and professional characteristic questions, three open-end questions about EBP and to respond to three surveys: (1) The Organizational Culture & Readiness for System-Wide Integration of Evidence-Based Practice scale (2) The Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs scale (3) the Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scale. The findings were that nurses had positive attitudes and beliefs about evidence-based practice but reported low levels of implementation behaviors. Nurses report that they need more time, education and training, and resources to increase implementation of evidence-based practice. Interventions recommended to increase EBP implementation include encouraging more nurses to participate in the clinical ladder program, using mentors to assist and encourage use of EBP, and to provide more training and education opportunities for nurses.Item Oregon promise: a look at institutions and decisions made as a result of Oregon Promise Policy(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2020) Rivenes, Teresa Renee; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carrie B. MyersHow do free college initiatives, such as the Oregon Promise, impact decision-making at mid-sized community colleges? How have community colleges leveraged free college initiatives to increase and provide systemic support to vulnerable students? The purpose of this multiple case study was to understand the decision-making process as expressed by community college leadership and to explore the process of change. The study examined four mid-sized Oregon community colleges which constituted the entire population of mid-sized community colleges per the Carnegie classification system of size, in the state of Oregon. The participants in the study included seasoned Vice Presidents whose primary role was to implement initiatives, policies, procedures and oversee student success at their campus. The information provided serves to inform change in higher education. Attention was given to Neo-Institutionalism and Tierney's Decision-making theories as well as social-constructionist and critical social frameworks. The results indicate that system change is far more difficult than one might imagine given the multiple stakeholders, vision of shared governance, and competing interests. This study concludes with suggestions for implementing system change and the need for further research.Item Determinants of participation and coverage level choices in the pasture, rangeland and forage insurance program(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2020) DelCurto, Molly Jo; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Eric BelascoDrought risk has become a primary concern for ranchers as a drought can cause substantial financial losses and have been occurring with more regularity and severity than in years past. The Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance program allows ranchers to insure their livestock grazing land against potential losses from low rainfall conditions. This program has undergone substantial changes in its availability and premium prices. We implement a linear fixed effect regression model to estimate changes in participation and coverage level choices in response to changes in factors affecting premium payments. Additionally, we analyze the impacts of future prices, previous year's earnings, and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) on participation and coverage level choices. Our results show that increasing county base values (CBVs) has a significant negative impact on participation, suggesting the more costly the premium payment, the lower the participation. Additionally, we find evidence of memory anchoring and rational decision making in the purchasing decisions of participants. Overall, we find preliminary evidence that ranchers display demand sensitivity to changes in CBVs as well as evidence that producers follow expected utility theory in choosing the highest coverage levels, especially when coverage levels have the same subsidy rate.Item An assessment of surgical oncology patient education(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 2018) Bartholomew, Cody Sue; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Susan RaphCancer patients are faced with tremendous amounts of information during a very vulnerable time, challenging the medical community to provide patients and families with up to date, relevant, evidence-based information to make informed decisions that promote positive health outcomes. Lack of standardized pre-operative patient educational efforts for adult surgical oncology patients has the potential to negatively impact system efficiency, patient outcomes, patient satisfaction and trust in their healthcare team. When patients possess understanding of their care process, their role in recovery, and trust in the healthcare team increases (Reiter, 2014). The aim of the project was to assess the current structure and process of surgical oncology patient education within one integrated health system in the northwest United States using the Donabedian framework for healthcare quality (Donabedian, 1980). A non-experimental descriptive exploratory survey was used for data collection. Project findings include identification of systematic structure and processes of surgical oncology education due in part to the complexity of the health system structure and lack of standardization across care settings. Documentation of education provided is varied by location and provider type with an absence of formal pre-operative or post-operative education plan within the system. Information collected will be used for future quality improvement projects and interventions to improve surgical oncology patient education across the continuum one of the integrated health system.Item Travel behavior and decision-making biases of lift access backcountry skiers on Saddle Peak, Bridger Mountains, Montana, USA(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters and Science, 2018) Sykes, John Massey; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jordy Hendrikx; Jordy Hendrikx, Jerry Johnson and Karl Birkeland were co-authors of the article, 'Travel behavior and decision-making biases of lift access backcountry skiers' submitted to the journal 'Applied geography' which is contained within this thesis.Backcountry skiers recreate in a complex environment, with the goal of minimizing the risk of avalanche hazard and maximizing recreational opportunities. Traditional backcountry outings start and end in uncontrolled backcountry settings, with responsibility for avalanche safety and rescue falling in the hands of each group of skiers. Lift access backcountry skiing (LABC) is a particular genre of the sport in which ski resort lifts are utilized to access backcountry recreation sites. By shifting skiers mentality from the traditional backcountry setting to a LABC setting, the line between whether the ski resort provides avalanche mitigation and rescue services or not, becomes less clearly defined in the minds of skiers. We observe the travel behavior and evaluate the decision-making biases of LABC skiers via GPS tracking and survey responses. Participants were recruited in the field, at the boundary between the relative safety of the ski resort and the uncontrolled backcountry terrain beyond. A geographic information system (GIS) is implemented to analyze the travel behavior of participants, with the aim to detect changes in behavior, as indexed via terrain used under different levels of avalanche hazard. Logistic regression and multiple linear regression are used to model travel behavior and decision-making biases as a function of observed terrain metrics. Data was collected over 19 days from February 2017 to February 2018 at Saddle Peak backcountry area, a prime LABC location at the southern boundary of Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Montana, USA. Avalanche hazard during data collection was either moderate (119 tracks) or considerable (20 tracks). Regression models indicate subtle changes in the terrain preferences of participants under elevated avalanche hazard, with increased travel on ridge features and decreased use of convex features. These indicate a positive response, minimizing the risk of an avalanche involvement by managing slope shape. Survey responses indicate that female participants and those with greater backcountry experience have a significantly lower percentage of their total GPS track in complex avalanche terrain as defined using the avalanche terrain exposure scale. Participants who perceived the ski patrol as providing avalanche mitigation in the backcountry area adjacent to the resort had a significantly higher percentage of GPS track in complex avalanche terrain.Item An assessment of influences on organic agricultural producers' attitudes, behaviors, and decisions related to sustainable best management practices(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2018) Kurnick, Rebecca Anita; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Shannon ArnoldA definition for sustainable agriculture that spans competing agriculturalists' philosophies is ambiguous. Organic agriculture is a transformative approach that balances the goals of sustainable agriculture. Understanding how producers identify themselves may give insight as to what drives their decision to explore innovative practices. The purpose of this study was to assess influences on organic agricultural producers' attitudes, behaviors, and decisions related to sustainable best management practices. The objectives of this research were to: 1.) Describe organic agricultural producers' attitudes surrounding sustainable best management practices, 2.) Describe organic agricultural producers' behaviors surrounding sustainable best management practices, and 3.) Describe other influential factors on organic agricultural producers' decisions to adopt sustainable best management practices. Rogers' Diffusions of Innovations and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) were used to analyze organic producers' attitudes, behaviors, and decisions related to sustainable best management practices (BMP). This descriptive study utilized a survey research design of producer members of the Montana Organic Association. Data analysis was conducted utilizing Confirmatory Factor Analysis to assess the relationships between questions and constructs of the TPB. The strongest pairwise relationships indicated that respondents with a positive attitude to implement sustainable practices likely intend to implement them, and that respondents with a high intention to implement BMP likely will participate in the behavior. Respondents considered themselves risk takers, leaders, and deliberators who use an integrated whole farm approach. Influences of peers and social groups had a significant effect on producers' decisions to implement sustainable BMPs. Results suggest these theories are valuable to study agricultural producers' decisions. Future research should include a much larger population of organic and conventional agricultural producers to allow for the model to draw conclusions about broader populations. Sustainability can be a divisive topic. Future work utilizing the theories should include researching agriculturalists from all backgrounds on their feelings about non-production specific agricultural concepts and terminology. There is unlimited potential for uniting divided groups to solve common problems related to environmental resources, policy, and markets. Future research should include a larger sample of organic and conventional producers to draw conclusions about broader populations.Item Understanding the role of social values in ranchland management decision-making: collaborative research with Montana ranchers(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2017) Soderquist, Lora; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Tracy M. SterlingMontana's ranching communities are considered socio-ecological systems (SES), a term which recognizes the role of the social component within a land-based whole. This component includes the decision-making process of ranchers, which is critical for building adaptability, resilience, and transformability (ART) for long-term sustainability. A tool for understanding decision-making process is Kolb's Learning styles which explains how decisions are made in three general stages of Feel-Think-Action. The Holistic Management (HM) decision-making framework, follows Kolb's process by providing a working framework for the Kolb's stages. The HM framework is commonly used by ranchers to manage SES dynamics, in ways that include positive SES benefits. Many measures exist for understanding how decision-making influences economic and ecological components of SESs, however, there are few measures or indicators for understanding the role of social values. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the extent to which social values identified by a case study group of HM ranchers are used by a general sample of ranchers. This project used a two-part, participatory collaborative action research -- exploratory mixed-methods design to learn about the role of social values within ranchland management decision-making. Local knowledge partnered with science-based approaches connects common ground and social capital, leading to increased sustainability of SESs. Five HM ranching practitioners collaborated as case study participants. Discussions with each participant was social value focused, lasted 60-minutes, and was recorded. Collaboratively, 10 social values were identified which were held in common. Using the 10 identified social values from the discussions, a 20-question survey was created which included the 10 identified social values, with an underlying element of ART. The survey was administered to 50 ranchers in Eastern Montana via phone and took each participant approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. It was found that all ranchers use the Kolb's Feel-Think components in relationship to the ten identified social values, and HM case study ranchers were more likely and survey respondents were less likely to take Action on these social values. This research documents the role of social values and ART in ranchland management decision-making in ways that cannot be fully expressed when using conventional metrics.