Digital Commons Network^™

“We’Re, Like, The Most Unhealthy People In The Country”: Employing An Equity Lens To Reduce Barriers To Healthy Food Access In Rural Appalachia, Kathryn Cardarelli, Emily M. Dewitt, Rachel Gillespie, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Natalie Jones, Janet Tietyen Mullins

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Introduction

Obesity disproportionately affects rural communities, and Appalachia has some of the highest obesity rates in the nation. Successful policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) interventions to reduce obesity must reflect the circumstances of the population. We used a health equity lens to identify barriers and facilitators for healthy food access in Martin County, Kentucky, to design interventions responsive to social, cultural, and historical contexts.

Methods

We conducted 5 focus groups in Martin County, Kentucky, in fall 2019 to obtain perspectives on the local food system and gauge acceptability of PSE interventions. We used grounded theory to identify perceived barriers and …

Ethics And Economics Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In The United States, Peter Hilsenrath, Tyrone F. Borders

Health Management and Policy Faculty Publications

The Covid-19 experience provides a natural experiment in personal and social ethics. Difficult decisions are routinely made to optimize lives and livelihoods. This commentary provides background and insight into the ethical and economic foundations underpinning dilemmas of this historic pandemic.

Access To Autism Spectrum Disorder Services For Rural Appalachian Citizens, Angela Scarpa, Laura S. Jensen, Denis Gracanin, Sharon L. Ramey, Angela V. Dahiya, L. Maria Ingram, Jordan Albright, Alyssa J. Gatto, Jen P. Scott, Lisa Ruble

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: Low-resource rural communities face significant challenges regarding availability and adequacy of evidence-based services.

Purposes: With respect to accessing evidence-based services for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this brief report summarizes needs of rural citizens in the South-Central Appalachian region, an area notable for persistent health disparities.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data during focus groups with 33 service providers and 15 caregivers of children with ASD in rural southwest Virginia.

Results: Results supported the barriers of availability and affordability of ASD services in this region, especially relating to the need for more ASD-trained providers, …

An Empirical Pilot Study Examining The Relationship Between Intention To Participate In Food Security Efforts And Childhood Socioeconomic Status Among Conference Attendees, Liana Dixon

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Hunger is a global public health issue and finding a solution is a priority for the United Nations. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2.2 calls for ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture for all people by 2030. The Universities Fighting World Hunger (UFWH) Summit, originating with the United Nation’s originated World Food Programme (WFP) and Auburn University, convenes attendees annually to share their own knowledge and ideas about how to “fight hunger,” as well as benefit from others knowledge and ideas. An important factor in tackling hunger and achieving health is addressing poverty and …

Assessing The Impact Of Raising The National Minimum Purchase Age Of Tobacco To 21 On Tobacco Use In Youth, Nicholas D. Guerra

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Introduction: Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States with roughly 500,000 premature deaths a year and 3,200 youth smoking their first cigarette daily. On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed legislation to raise the federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years, effective immediately. Prior to this recent regulation, over half of the US population was enforcing this age restriction. The objective of this research is to investigate the impact of tobacco 21 laws on tobacco use and project the national tobacco impact by using the state experiences …