Digital Commons Network^™

Recruiting And Engaging Older Men In Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs: Perspectives On Barriers And Strategies, Chelsie Anderson, Laura Seff, Anamika Batra, Chintan Bhatt, Richard C. Palmer

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Evidence-based health promotion programs are effective at reducing health risks and healthcare costs among older adults, but few men participate in the programs. This mixed methods study aimed to gain insight into the barriers to recruiting and engaging older men in evidence-based health promotion programs offered by the Healthy Aging Regional Collaborative of South Florida (HARC). Fourteen program coordinators participated in a focus group to identify barriers and strategies to improve male participation, and 49 instructors participated in a survey to triangulate the findings. Themes among barriers to male participation included women outnumbering men in the implementation sites and programs, …

Serotonin-Related Gene Polymorphisms And Asymptomatic Neurocognitive Impairment In Hiv-Infected Alcohol Abusers, Karina Villalba, Jessy G. Devieux, Rhonda Rosenberg, Jean Lud Cadet

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

HIV-infected individuals continue to experience neurocognitive deterioration despite virologically successful treatments. While the cause remains unclear, evidence suggests that HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) may be associated with neurobehavioral dysfunction. Genetic variants have been explored to identify risk markers to determine neuropathogenesis of neurocognitive deterioration. Memory deficits and executive dysfunction are highly prevalent among HIV-infected adults. These conditions can affect their quality of life and HIV risk-taking behaviors. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the SLC6A4, TPH2, and GALM genes may affect the activity of serotonin and increase the risk of HAND. The present study explored the relationship between SLC6A4, TPH2, and GALM …

“That’S True Love:” Lived Experiences Of Puerto Rican Perinatally Hiv-Infected Youth Within Their Families’ Context, Georgina Silva-Suarez, Elena Bastida, Silvia E. Rabionet, Consuelo Beck Sague, Irma Febo, Carmen D. Zorrilla

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

The burden of HIV affects not only HIV-infected patients but also their families and caregivers. It is also known that family support is crucial for people living with HIV. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the life experiences, within the family context, of perinatally HIV-infected (pHIV-I) youth in Puerto Rico. Twenty in-depth interviews were performed and audio-recorded. Within the family context, study participants experienced acceptance, love and support but also stigma and discrimination. They reported that family is an essential component in their lives and treatment. Losing one or both parents at a young age was considered more difficult …

A Second Look At The Association Between Gender And Mortality On Antiretroviral Therapy, Serena P. Koenig, Alexandra Bornstein, Karine Severe, Elizabeth Fox, Jessy G. Devieux, Patrice Severe, Patrice Joseph, Adias Marcelin, Dgndy Alexandre Bright, Ngoc Pham, Pierre Cremieux, Jean William Pope

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Objective

We assessed the association between gender and mortality on antiretroviral therapy (ART) using identical models with and without sex-specific categories for weight and hemoglobin.

Design

Cohort study of adult patients on ART. Setting GHESKIO Clinic in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Participants

4,717 ART-naïve adult patients consecutively enrolled on ART at GHESKIO from 2003 to 2008.

Main Outcome Measure

Mortality on ART; multivariable analyses were conducted with and without sex-specific categories for weight and hemoglobin.

Results

In Haiti, male gender was associated with mortality (OR 1.61; 95% CI: 1.30–2.00) in multivariable analyses with hemoglobin and weight included as control variables, but not …

Hiv Vaccine: Recent Advances, Current Roadblocks, And Future Directions, Muni Rubens, Venkataraghavan Ramamoorthy, Anshul Saxena, Nancy Shehadeh, Sandeep Appunni

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In spite of successful interventions and treatment protocols, an HIV vaccine would be the ultimate prevention and control strategy. Ever since identification of HIV/AIDS, there have been meticulous efforts for vaccine development. The specific aim of this paper is to review recent vaccine efficacy trials and associated advancements and discuss the current challenges and future directions. Recombinant DNA technologies greatly facilitated development of many viral products which were later incorporated into vectors for effective vaccines. Over the years, a number of scientific approaches have gained popularity and include the induction …

Drd2 And Drd4 Genes Related To Cognitive Deficits In Hiv‑Infected Adults Who Abuse Alcohol, Karina Villalba, Jessy G. Devieux, Rhonda Rosenberg, Jean Lud Cadet

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Background

HIV-infected individuals continue to experience neurocognitive deterioration despite virologically successful treatments. The causes of neurocognitive impairment are still unclear. However, several factors have been suggested including the role of genetics. There is evidence suggesting that neurocognitive impairment is heritable and individual differences in cognition are strongly driven by genetic variations. The contribution of genetic variants affecting the metabolism and activity of dopamine may influence these individual differences.

Methods

The present study explored the relationship between two candidate genes (DRD4 and DRD2) and neurocognitive performance in HIV-infected adults. A total of 267 HIV-infected adults were genotyped for polymorphisms, DRD4 …

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices And Beliefs About Medical Male Circumcision (Mmc) Among A Sample Of Health Care Providers In Haiti, Jessy G. Devieux, Anshul Saxena, Rhonda Rosenberg, Jeffrey D. Klausner, Michele Jean-Gilles, Purnima Madhivanan, Stephanie Gaston, Muni Rubens, Harry Theodore, Marie-Marcelle Deschamps, Serena P. Koenig, Jean William Pope

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Background

Haiti has the highest number of people living with HIV infection in the Caribbean/Latin America region. Medical male circumcision (MMC) has been recommended to help prevent the spread of HIV. We sought to assess knowledge, attitudes, practices and beliefs about MMC among a sample of health care providers in Haiti.

Methods

A convenience sample of 153 health care providers at the GHESKIO Centers in Haiti responded to an exploratory survey that collected information on several topics relevant to health providers about MMC. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the responses and multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine opinions of …

Risk Of Second Cancers In Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis Of Population Based Cohort Studies, Anshul Saxena, Muni Rubens, Venkataraghavan Ramamoorthy, Hafiz M.R. Khan

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

The risk of second cancers in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) remains uncertain since risk estimates vary worldwide. The global MCC population is growing and there is a demand for better knowledge of prognosis of this disease. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, and EMBASE search engines were searched for the relevant literature between January 1999 and September 2014 by use of explicit search criteria. The main outcome was second malignancies associated with MCC patients measured by standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) or other estimates of risks. Five papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria and reported SIRs of second cancer inMCC which …

Public Health In The Twenty-First Century: The Role Of Advanced Technologies, Muni Rubens, Venkataraghavan Ramamoorthy, Anshul Saxena, Nanacy Shehadeh

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Nearly a century ago, Charles-Edward Amory Winslow, defined public health as “the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health and efficiency through organized community effort” (1). From health policy reforms to scientific advances with many technological innovations, a range of forces are converging to cause a seismic shift in how public health is practiced. We think that in the twenty-first century, global public health system will be completely restructured. Reliance on complex technologies like nanotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI), which were previously only used in fields like computer science and physics, will become the …

Newcomer Status As A Protective Factor Among Hispanic Migrant Workers For Hiv Risk, H. Virginia Mccoy, Nancy Shehadeh, Muni Rubens, Christi M. Navarro

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

The HIV rate among U.S. migrant workers is 10 times that of the national rate. The highly unstable lifestyle of migrant workers places them at heightened vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections; hence, there is a need to investigate the attitudes and sexual risk factors that may play a protective role in the transmission of HIV in this population. This study examines the association between attitudes and HIV risk behaviors among Hispanic male and female migrant workers (n = 255) and their length of stay (shorter length of stay as a protective factor) in Immokalee, FL, USA. Pearson’s correlation and …

Exploring Substance Use And Hiv Treatment Factors Associated With Neurocognitive Impairment Among People Living With Hiv/Aids, Jennifer Attonito, Jessy G. Devieux, Brenda D.G. Lerner, Michelle M. Hospital, Rhonda Rosenberg

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Neurocognitive (NC) impairment remains prevalent among people living with HIV (PLWH) and may be exacerbated by alcohol and drug use. This cross-sectional study assesses the degree to which alcohol and other drug use, time from HIV diagnosis to treatment, and years living with HIV affect three areas of NC functioning among HIV-seropositive adults. NC functioning in 370 PLWH living in Miami, FL was assessed using the Auditory Verbal Learning Test, the Short Category Test, Booklet Format, and the Color Trails Test 2 (CTT2). Participants reported the number of days using alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine over the previous 3 months, the …

Gun Violence In United States: In Search For A Solution, Muni Rubens, Nancy Shehadeh

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

The Navy Yard shooting at Washington DC, with 12 victims and gunman killed, after the deadly Sandy Hook massacre, has again reopened the debate on gun-shooting violence in the United States over the last 15 years; though in reality, a total of 62 episodes in schools and other sites occurred since 1982 (1). Who could have imagined that Columbine, CO, USA (15 died) in 1999 would fail to be an anomaly and initiate a series of shootings at such schools as Red Lake High School, MN, USA (10 died), Virginia Tech, VA, USA (33 died), Chardon High School, …

Intermediate Outcomes Of A Chronic Disease Self-Management Program For Spanish-Speaking Older Adults In South Florida, 2008–2010, Michael A. Melchior, Laura Seff, Elena Bastida, Ahmed Albatineh, Timothy Page, Richard C. Palmer

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Introduction The prevalence and negative health effects of chronic diseases are disproportionately high among Hispanics, the largest minority group in the United States. Self-management of chronic conditions by older adults is a public health priority. The objective of this study was to examine 6-week differences in self-efficacy, time spent performing physical activity, and perceived social and role activities limitations for participants in a chronic disease self-management program for Spanish-speaking older adults, Tomando Control de su Salud (TCDS).

Methods Through the Healthy Aging Regional Collaborative, 8 area agencies delivered 82 workshops in 62 locations throughout South Florida. Spanish-speaking participants who attended …

Are Marginalized Women Being Left Behind? A Population-Based Study Of Institutional Deliveries In Karnataka, India, Paul C. Adamson, Karl Krupp, Bhavana Niranjankumar, Alexandra H. Freeman, Mudassir Khan, Purnima Madhivanan

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Background

While India has made significant progress in reducing maternal mortality, attaining further declines will require increased skilled birth attendance and institutional delivery among marginalized and difficult to reach populations.

Methods

A population-based survey was carried out among 16 randomly selected rural villages in rural Mysore District in Karnataka, India between August and September 2008. All households in selected villages were enumerated and women with children 6 years of age or younger underwent an interviewer-administered questionnaire on antenatal care and institutional delivery.

Results

Institutional deliveries in rural areas of Mysore District increased from 51% to 70% between 2002 and 2008. …

Evaluation Of A Community-Based Falls Prevention Program In South Florida, 2008-2009, Anamica Batra, Michael Melchior, Laura Seff, Newman Frederick, Richard C. Palmer

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Introduction Many older adults experience fear of falling, which may reduce participation in routine activities. A Matter of Balance (MOB) and Un Asunto de Equilibrio (ADE) workshops were offered in South Florida to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels in older adults. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of the lay leader model of the programs in the first year of their implementation and to further report on participant outcome measures.

Methods We analyzed reach, adoption, and implementation data for participants who attended workshops between October 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009, who were …