Digital Commons Network^™

Are We Listening? Approaches To Community-Centered Needs Assessment, Mikayla Gallo, Amanda Tyler

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has encouraged Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) state agencies to lead needs assessment activities to guide funding and program decision-making for the SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program (SNAP-Ed). The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS),decided to center the voices of SNAP-Ed participants in Georgia through a series of listening sessions occurring January to October 2023. The goal of the community listening session (CLS) was to discuss community needs based on local health data, identify existing community assets, identify barriers to accessing healthy food and active living, ideate solutions that …

Gender-Based Differences In Stress And Coping Among Farmers: A Cross-Sectional Study With Propensity Score Matching, Anne Montgomery, James B. Dunaway, Stephanie M. Basey, Chris T. Scoggins, Lily R. Baucom

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

This cross-sectional study compares the mental health experiences of male and female farmers, with a particular focus on stress levels, stressors, and coping mechanisms. The research aims to shed light on gender-based differences in stress experiences and coping strategies among agricultural workers. The study involved 1,394 farmers (67.7% male, 32.3% female) from Georgia, USA, who completed an online survey on aspects of mental well-being.

Findings indicate that female farmers were more likely to hold farm manager roles and less likely to be farm owners. Notably, a higher proportion of female farmers were first-generation farmers, indicating potential unique challenges for this …

Trends In Substance Use And Mental Health Among Adolescents In Georgia, 2002-2022, Saumya S. Palipudi, Bangaru Talli Palipudi, Murty Komanduri

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

Background: While substance use and absence of mental health disorders among youth in the United States (US) have declined over the past two decades, post COVID-19 pandemic, these conditions have increased significantly with notable disparities, and witnessed a crisis in public health. In 2022, 24.7% or 6.1 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the US had either Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and 3.7 percent had both in the prior year². Increased stress, lack of peer connections, parental abuse, and poor mental health conditions were attributed to this increase in substance use^{3-7 …}

Trauma-Informed Educational Practices: Perceptions Of Undergraduate Communication Sciences And Disorders Students, Lindsey J. Knussmann

Honors College Theses

Trauma is a prevalent issue among college students, with lasting negative effects on mental health, physical well-being, and academic performance. Despite this, literature exploring the application of trauma-informed education practices (TIEPs), specifically within the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD), is limited. The purpose of this study was to address this literature gap by exploring which TIEPs CSD students find most beneficial.

Undergraduate students majoring in CSD participated in this research, rating the helpfulness of 12 TIEPs. Most participants reported perceiving all TIEPs as at least “very helpful”. These data represent a step toward improved understanding of the effects …

"Shut Down And Closed Off": A Routine Activity Approach To Investigating The Relationship Between Covid-19 School Closures And Child Sexual Abuse Report Characteristics In Georgia, Spencer E. Riner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 created a public health crisis that led to an unprecedented number of school closures. A major concern raised by child advocates, law enforcement, and social service providers was the possible increase in undetected child abuse and maltreatment. Undergirding this concern was the belief that this mitigation effort might place child abuse victims and offenders within proximity for extended periods of time. While this was a significant concern, it has rarely been analyzed empirically. To address this gap in the literature, this thesis investigates how school closures impacted the characteristics of child sexual abuse (CSA) reports …

Social And Structural Determinants Of Health As Predictors Of Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Older Adults In The United States, Kingsley Kalu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Although vaccination is one of the greatest accomplishments in public health, some people, especially older adults, are reluctant to take vaccines. This study examined the association between the social and structural determinants of health and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among older adults in the United States.

Methods: Secondary data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) was used. The HRS participants were 65 years and older, and the sample size was 2311. Multinomial multivariable logistic regression models were conducted for this study.

Results: The study shows that social determinants of health (marital status, educational level) and structural determinants of health …

Moral Distress As A Predictive Variable Of Perceived Job Retention In Senior Nursing Students, Rebekah L. Barber

Honors College Theses

New Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduate nurses are leaving careers within inpatient healthcare facilities presumably because of moral distress related to the anticipated workload of registered nurses (RN). BSN curriculums are responsible for providing practical education through clinical instruction; however, many students experience inconsistencies in best practice recommendations. The inconsistencies predominantly originate between didactic nursing instruction and clinical learning within inpatient healthcare facilities. Using a cross-sectional descriptive research design, this thesis utilized the validated Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R), a 21-item instrument that assesses the frequency and intensity of moral distress experienced by healthcare workers. Student responses to the …

An Integrated Evidence-Based Approach To Provide A Practicum-Based Learning Experience To Students, Dziyana Nazaruk, Joseph Telfair, Jamie S. Cromley, Joanne Chopak-Foss, Ana M. Palacios

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background

Due to the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health field has an exceptional opportunity not only to address current challenges but also to rebuild and expand the workforce. Objectives

The main objective of this presentation is to highlight the 2018-2022 academic year's progress of the practice-based learning experience of the JPH College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University in Georgia, USA. The College serves more than 59, mostly rural counties, and involves diverse practicum preceptors, students, and existing professionals from the USA and other countries. The College provides a unique opportunity for students to develop …

Individual Difference Correlates Of Being Sexually Unrestricted Yet Declining An Hiv Test, Nicholas S. Holtzman, Stephen W. Carden, Stacy W. Smallwood, Janice Steirn, S. Mason Garrison

Department of Mathematical Sciences Faculty Publications

Which individual differences accurately predict one’s decision to get tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and do individuals who have regular short-term sex get tested at higher rates? Two studies—one lab study (total valid N = 69, with n = 20 who were tested) and one involving a student health center (valid N = 250, n = 4 who were tested)—involved participants (total valid N = 319, with n = 24 who got tested) taking a number of personality and individual difference measures, including the dark triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy). Then, in both studies, participants had the opportunity to …

Clinical And Demographic Attributes Of Patients With Diabetes Associated With The Utilization Of Telemedicine In An Urban Medically Underserved Population Area, Lisa Ariellah Ward, Gulzar H. Shah, Kristie C. Waterfield

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Marginalized populations often experience health disparities due to the significant obstacles to care associated with social, economic, and environmental inequities. When compared with advantaged social groups, these populations frequently experience increased risks, poorer health outcomes, and reduced quality of life (QoL). This research examines the clinical and demographic characteristics—age, gender, and race—related to patients with varying stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), comparing the utilization of telemedicine (TM) with traditional healthcare face-to-face (F2F) appointments in an urban medically underserved population area (UMUPA). A logistic regression model, was used to analyze retrospective electronic patient health records (EHRs) from 1 January …

Increasing Character Strength Knowledge, Interest, And Skill: Preliminary Evidence For A Collaborative And Multimethod Assessment Procedure, Jeff J. Klibert, Michaela D. Simpson, Brandon J. Weiss, C. Thresa Yancey, Calla Pritulsky, Amy Luna, Hayley Houseman, Hani M. Samawi

Department of Psychology Faculty Publications

Introduction: The study’s objective was to evaluate whether a qualitative, collaborative, and multimethod assessment protocol increased reports of character strength interest, knowledge, and perceived skills.

Methods: Thirty-two participants completed three phases of data collection. Participants were first screened for well-being, which was used as an auxiliary covariate to order participants into experimental conditions. Selected participants were randomly assigned to a control or collaborative and multimethod assessment (card sort × qualitative interview) condition. Participants completed pre- and post-measures of strength interest, knowledge, and perceived skill. In the final phase, second phase participants were invited to report on strength-related outcomes 24 h …

Transformative Approach To Developing A Sustainable Interprofessional Education Program, Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, Jane Nester, Paula Tillman, Sandhya Lohani, Padmini Shankar, Pamela Mahan

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The ability to offer and sustain interprofessional collaboration and education (IPE) in an academic setting could potentially serve as a training model for other academic institutions to implement programs that will increase the number of practice-ready, culturally competent healthcare professionals. We designed, implemented, and evaluated an Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholars Program to train culturally competent interdisciplinary students to provide quality, patient-centered healthcare in rural and underserved communities post-graduation.

Methods: Two cohorts of students (Cohort 1, n = 15, Cohort 2, n = 14) were recruited into a two-year longitudinal program with 80 hours of didactic learning and …

A Study On The Correlation Between The Study Habits Of Nursing Students And Perceived Exam Anxiety, Rebecca A. Bracken

Honors College Theses

Anxiety is a concept very familiar to many university students. This especially applies to students who have decided to major in nursing. With the knowledge and experiences that accompany attending nursing school, come a series of rigorous, high-stakes exams. Nationwide, many students share a common struggle to be successful on these exams, which often leads to a sense of anxiety that becomes associated with one's experience during testing, known as test anxiety. A study across multiple baccalaureate nursing school cohorts was completed to determine a correlation between the various methods used by nursing students to prepare for an exam and …

Childhood Asthma-Management Practices In Rural Nigeria: Exploring The Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice Of Caregivers In Oyo State, Oyindamola Akinso, Atin Adhikari, Jingjing Yin, Joanne Chopak-Foss, Gulzar H. Shah

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Caregivers of asthmatic children have a poor knowledge of proper asthma-management practices in Nigeria. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors of caregivers in the management of asthma in children under 5 years of age in Oyo State, Nigeria. Methods: While a mixed method was used in the original research, this brief describes the quantitative method used in this study to evaluate caregivers’ asthma-management practices. A 55-item questionnaire on childhood asthma knowledge, attitude, and practice was administered during child welfare-clinic visits to 118 caregivers. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Version 25.0. Statistical significance was set …

Anxiety And Depression And Associated Factors Among A Sample Of Semi-Rural High School Students In Georgia, Raul Perez Zarate, Yi-Ting Hana Lee, Jean A. Welsh, Julie A. Gazmararian

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Anxiety and depression can affect adolescents’ health and current literature lacks studies of youths living in non-urban settings.

Methods: We used chi-square and t-tests on data collected from self-administered online surveys, completed by 9^th-grade students (n=222) attending a large, semi-rural public high school in the state of Georgia, to assess the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression and associated factors.

Results: Almost half of the students self-reported anxiety (43%) or depression (55%) and students who self-reported either condition were more likely to report poorer sleep hygiene, sleepiness, race-related mistreatment, and higher stress.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest …

Improving Healthcare Experiences For Transgender And Intersex Populations, Destiny S. J. Lee, Joanne Chopak-Foss

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Intersex is an umbrella term for individuals who are born with sex characteristics that do not typically fall into male or female categories. Individuals who are intersex make up about 1.7% of the United States population today and are identified within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTQIA+) community. Many people who are intersex identify as transgender, which relates to the social process of gender change, as they develop into adults. In Georgia, approximately 4% of the population identify as LGBTQIA+. The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of the perceived discrimination from healthcare providers, non-inclusive organizational …

Effect Of Covid-19 On Icu Nurse Burnout, Kayce Sheppard

Honors College Theses

Burnout is becoming increasingly worse for those in the nursing field after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While all nurses are at risk, ICU nurses are seen as at a higher risk for this increased burnout due to the already high stress environment they are subjected to in their unit. Without proper intervention of this issue, the levels of burnout are expected to continue to remain high, leading to job dissatisfaction, short staffing, and reduced patient satisfaction. The objective of this study is to review the level of burnout among ICU nurses. A burnout study was conducted on ICU …

The Effects Of Multiple Micronutrient Fortified Beverage And Responsive Caregiving Interventions On Early Childhood Development, Hemoglobin, And Ferritin Among Infants In Rural Guatemala, Alysse J. Kowalski, Victor Alfonso Mayen, Silvia De Ponce, Kaley B. Lambden, Nick Tilton, Lisa M. Villanueva, Ana M. Palacios, Greg A. Reinhart, Kristen M. Hurley, Maureen M. Black

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Undernutrition and a lack of learning opportunities can jeopardize long-term growth and development among infants in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a 6-month 2 × 2 cluster-randomized trial to assess the effects of multiple micronutrient-fortified beverages and responsive caregiving interventions among infants 6–18 months in 72 community sectors in southwest Guatemala. We administered baseline and endline assessments of childhood development (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development) and socioemotional development (Brief Infant Toddler Socio-Emotional Assessment) and measured ferritin and hemoglobin on a subsample. The trial was analyzed using linear mixed models. At the baseline, the mean age (SD) was …

Knowledge, Attitude, And Behavioral Intention About Oral Cancer Among Public Health Students In Southeast Georgia, Ravneet Kaur, Gulzar H. Shah

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Oral cancer (OC) is a significant public health problem; however, the degree to which the future public health workforce is aware of this issue is not well researched. The purpose of this study is to explore the level of knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions about OC among public health students.
Materials and Methods: A sequential exploratory mixed-method research design was employed for this study. Using quantitative and qualitative measures, a survey was administered to 129 public health students. Subsequently, to understand the quantitative findings, two follow-up focus groups were conducted with survey participants.
Results: We found …

A Process Evaluation Of The Green Period Pantry Project, Gabi Wiggill

Honors College Theses

Introduction: The Green Period Pantry (GPP) was a health promotion initiative that was implemented in collaboration with the Office of Student Wellness and Health Promotion. It was created using $48,000 in grant money applied for and received from Sustain Southern as part of the Sustainability Fee Grants at Georgia Southern University. The purpose of the project was to supply students who experienced menstruation with reusable menstrual hygiene products. Another purpose was to describe the process from idea inception to implementation through collaboration with the Office of Student Wellness and Health Promotion. Results: A total of 3,506 units of reusable Menstrual …

Determining High School Athletes’ Awareness Of The College Athletics Recruitment Process: A Systematic Review, Anika E. Ryals

Honors College Theses

The collegiate athletic recruitment process is the pathway for some student-athletes to continue to play sports in college. The purpose of the recruitment process to play college athletics is to establish academic success and create connections with the recruiting coaches and staff. A major benefit that college athletics can provide is scholarships to student-athletes so that they can continue their education. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of current literature to connect studies of the collegiate athletic recruiting process. In this study, a systematic review was conducted using academic research centered on high school athletes …

Radical Youth Work: A Community Based Approach To Working With Youth, Young Adults And Families, Weston J. Robins

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Eternal Strength Center for Radical Youth Work is a blended community center with customizable mental health therapeutic support for youth, young adults and families. Providing humanistic and person centered psychotherapy and counseling, alongside experiential therapies and community engagement we support families and youth struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self harm, suicidality and other challenges on their developmental growth journey.

Engaging Youth In The Development, Implementation, An Evaluation Of Sexual And Reproductive Health Programs, Pam Drake, Kristin Kennedy

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This session will introduce the use of a group concept mapping process to create a conceptual model for engaging youth in sexual and reproductive health programming – particularly BIPOC LGBTQ+ youth and young men of color. We will walk through the gcm process, present the model, and explore ways to apply the model in various situations.

Determinants Of Child Stunting, Wasting, And Underweight: Evidence From 2017 To 2018 Pakistan Demographic And Health Survey, Maryam Siddiqa, Gulzar H. Shah, Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, Amber Zubair

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Child malnutrition persists in low-resource countries such as Pakistan, indicating an urgent need for interventions and policies aimed to address this critical population health issue. The World Health Organization Global Target 2025 includes the reduction of malnourishment in the form of stunting, wasting, and low weight. This study aims to examine the prevalence of factors associated with three measures of child malnutrition, i.e., stunting, wasting, and low weight in Pakistan. This study uses a secondary data analysis design based on data from Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (2017-18) that used a two-stage cluster sampling approach. National level data covering urban …

Effectiveness Of Telemedicine In Diabetes Management: A Retrospective Study In An Urban Medically Underserved Population Area (Umupa), Lisa Ariellah Ward, Gulzar H. Shah, Jeffery A. Jones, Linda Kimsey, Hani M. Samawi

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

This paper examines the efficacy of telemedicine (TM) technology compared to traditional face-to-face (F2F) visits as an alternative healthcare delivery service for managing diabetes in populations residing in urban medically underserved areas (UMUPAs). Retrospective electronic patient health records (ePHR) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were examined from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2021. Multiple linear regression models indicated that T2DM patients with uncontrolled diabetes utilizing TM were similar to traditional visits in lowering hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. The healthcare service type significantly predicted HbA1c % values, as the regression coefficient for TM (vs. F2F) showed a significant negative association …

Evolution Of Physical Training In Police Academies: Comparing Fitness Variables, Bridget Frugoli Melton, Gregory Ryan, Victor Zuege, Haresh Rochani, Derick Anglin, Joseph Dulla

Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of three different physical training approaches to improving cadets’ fitness variables. Retrospective data for male and female land management law enforcement officers attending a 15-week training program at three separate time points were provided for analysis. The time points reflected the three different training approaches, including calisthenic training (CT) = 83, functional fitness training (FT) = 90, and strength training (ST) = 110. Inferential data analysis was used to find which mode of exercise had the greatest impact on body composition, cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, agility, and flexibility. All groups …

Improving Cervical Cancer Screening In Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria: Reaching Levels Of Cervical Cancer Prevention In Developed Countries, Chigozie Alexandra Ogwara, Biyi-Olutunde Olusegun, Yelena Tarasenko

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Intersectionality Of Self-Reported Food Insecurity And Perceived Stress Of College Students At A Land-Grant Southeastern Higher Education Institution During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kendra Oonorasak, Makenzie Barr, Michael Pennell, Dylan Hardesty, Kotomi Yokokura, Samantha Udarbe, Tammy Stephenson

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

College food insecurity (FI) and poor psychosocial health are prevalent public health issues in the U.S., yet often overlooked. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, repercussions on these critical inequity issues remain unclear. During the summer months of 2020, this cross-sectional survey examined associations between students’ self-reported FI and perceived stress (PSS-10), one aspect of poor psychosocial health. An anonymous online survey was distributed to a convenience sample of college students at a land grant institution of higher education in the southeastern U.S., and $10 e-gift card was provided to survey respondents. The survey response rate was 26.2% (n=235) and participants were …

Understanding Nursing Students' Cultural Competency Levels And Implicit Biases, Deja J. Gillans

Honors College Theses

In the United States, non-Hispanic Black women are approximately three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications as non-Hispanic White or Hispanic women. Racism has been identified as a significant barrier to health equality and the improvement of maternal health outcomes for Black patients. Cultural competence and implicit bias in health care has emerged in part to address factors that may contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in health care. Both can impact the way nurses consciously and subconsciously deliver healthcare to patients of a different gender, race, religion, culture, socioeconomic status, etc. Nurses who are more culturally competent and aware …

Eating Disorders: Barriers To Peer And Self Recognition And The Ability To Seek Or Give Help, Savannah Mcvey

Honors College Theses

A lack of knowledge concerning eating disorders has been found to play a major role in self-recognition, peer recognition, and barriers to seeking treatment at all. More specifically, straight men were more often not able to identify these issues in themselves or others. Theories that have been presented involve the image of eating disorders being a “woman’s issue” and a possible obsession with weight lifting and changing one’s body to take on a more masculine build. Combatting this issue needs to begin in the form of basic education on college campuses due to the prevalence in this particular age group. …