Browsing by Subject "Student Project for Amity among Nations (SPAN)"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A Comparative Study of Moroccan and American National Healthcare Expenditures in Relation to Population Health Outcomes
    (2017) Albrecht, Kaitlin; Dauner, Kim; Schultz, Jennifer
    This paper examines the relationship between national healthcare spending and select health outcomes in Morocco using data collected from 1995 to 2015. The data used was gathered from international organizations, including the World Health Organization and the World Bank, as well as from Moroccan Ministry of Health reports. The objective was to determine whether the country’s healthcare expenditures had a significant impact on the improvement of key population health outcomes. This study uses infant, child, and maternal mortality rate as measures of health outcomes. Additionally, the study uses data collected from the previously mentioned sources to evaluate the percentage change from year to year for Morocco’s healthcare expenditure per capita, as well as the selected health outcomes. These results were then cross analyzed to determine whether or not there was a correlation that was statistically significant. The results indicate that there is a significant negative correlation between the national health expenditure per capita and health outcomes in Morocco. To provide further context, and improve the application of my findings, the same methodology was used to examine the United States of America.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Current Situation of Moroccan Women and Opportunities Amal Provides
    (2017) Gates, Georgia R
    Women’s issues in the west have been in the news for many years now and are a very popular social issue. In Morocco, this is not the case. In order to understand women’s empowerment there, one must first adopt the cultural context. In order to do this I decided to volunteer at Amal Women’s Training Center and Moroccan Restaurant. I spent eight weeks fully immersed in Moroccan culture and six of those weeks volunteering alongside the service staff and trainees at the center. I observed operations of the center and interviewed staff on how things are done and what they see as the status that women occupy in society and its developments over the years. I found that Amal is successful at training disadvantaged women for positions within the workforce which gives them the ability to be financially independent. Overall, I observed that women are slowly gaining more opportunities in the public sphere and access to more legal rights. I also learned that there is a distinct divide between individuals in service positions and those in administrative positions. Amal is a successful organization at empowering women with the skills to be financially independent but could implement other programs and ideas to empower women fully.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exploitation Effects on Propagation of Argania Spinosa in Morocco
    (2017) Arens, Sydney
    Argania spinosa, the argan tree, is endemic to Morocco and provides many ecosystem services for the Moroccan people, as well as people around the world; these include oil production for domestic use or sale, shade for growing crops, grazing areas for livestock, and providing soil stability that helps prevent desertification and climate change. High demand for argan oil has created a market for seeds, thereby providing income for many local people. As demand for the oil rises, the argan forests have become exploited. Argan trees cannot effectively reproduce with high levels of farming, seed harvest, and grazing. Without proper management and regulation of forests, they could be lost and replaced by deserts. This study’s aim is to evaluate how different kinds of exploitation affect natural reproduction in Argania spinosa . Four different study sites were chosen to represent varying levels of exploitation by comparing the effects of farming, grazing, and humans on argan reproduction. Forest plots were sampled in each region to identify young sapling densities compared to adult tree densities, and seed dispersal ranges were compared to identify the effects of exploitation on propagation. Although seed collection pressures have rapidly increased in the past decades, the results of the study suggest that agricultural pressures from farming within argan forests may decrease argan tree propagation.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Germination of Argania spinosa: Overcoming genetic and physical barriers of Morocco's infamous seed
    (2018) Sauter, Rebecca
    Argania spinosa (argan tree) is one of the oldest species of trees on the planet today, with individual trees living hundreds of years. Its vital role in providing food for animals, slowing desertification and providing precious cosmetic oil, make studying the tree of vital importance for the Moroccan economy and environment. The argan tree is secluded to growing in the southwest region of Morocco at the edge of the Sahara Desert. However, due to the rapid increase in the price of the oil its seeds produce and the expanding desert, this fragile and ancient tree’s future is being threatened. Preservation efforts are being made, but first research is needed to know what threats the tree is facing and to what extent. The beginning of the tree’s life if a very good place to start. We know that germination is being challenged, but by what factors? This investigation took to a germination experiment testing the best conditions of argan seeds by comparing size, temperature and specific trees. No significant results were found from these comparisons. Seeds were infected by fungus and insects. Oil composition was compared between trees and found significant color differences, but not significant differences in fatty acid content. Also a cross-cultural comparison was realized for the differences in how Americans and Moroccans conduct research. Sauter
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Personal Perspectives on Alzheimer’s Disease in Morocco
    (2017) Krueger, Allison
    The number of people affected with dementia worldwide is expected to increase dramatically in the coming decades. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, which is characterized by progressive memory loss and increasing behavioral changes throughout the course of the fatal disease. This growing healthcare concern affects not only those with the disease, but caregivers and family members as well. Understanding the unique challenges of affected families across cultures can be useful in providing culturally competent healthcare and providing support resources for patients and their families. This study investigated the major issues faced by families affected by Alzheimer’s disease in Morocco and the support resources available through a site visit, in-country library research, and semi-structured interviews to gain an in-depth understanding of the effects of the disease from multiple perspectives. Results indicate that there are at least four aging centers in Morocco, either in construction or already functioning, to provide caregiver support and education on Alzheimer's disease. Two out of three of the interview participants believe that Alzheimer's disease is not a major health priority on a national scale compared to other acute diseases.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Presence of Uncertainty in Friendships: A study on Morocco and the United States
    (2017) Grev, Victoria
    This study seeks to understand how culture influences people’s level of uncertainty and information seeking strategies in interpersonal relationships. The general premise is cultures experience different levels of uncertainty and, therefore, the uncertainty reduction theory can be observed in different ways. Hypotheses were formed regarding how aspects of culture may change the level of uncertainty and information seeking present in Morocco and the United States. A study was conducted through the distribution of a survey asking questions about friendships between Moroccan students (N=25), and friendships between American students (N=46). It was found that American students have more certainty, and use the interactive information seeking strategy more, than Moroccan students. Furthermore, certainty within friendship leads to more direct and interactive information seeking strategies. Relationship length was positively associated with more certainty in friendships, as was relationship closeness. The authors conclude the study by discussing how these findings influence the future research of culture and the uncertainty reduction theory.