Digital Commons Network^™

Relation Of Breastfeeding Duration With Blood Pressure And Arterial Stiffness, Lohita Kollipara, Abbi Lane-Cordova, Xuewen Wang

Senior Theses

Background: The purpose of this analysis was to investigate the effects of differing breastfeeding duration on vascular function.

Methods: A study was designed to explore the breastfeeding patterns of 79 participants who delivered a singleton fetus 6 months-3 years ago and were aged 18-45 years old. Participant breastfeeding and dietary habits were self-reported using surveys. Breastfeeding groups were established by following the American Association of Pediatric guidelines on breastfeeding duration: Women who did versus did not breastfeeding for 6 months continuously. Blood pressure was measured using a standard oscillometric cuff, while SphygmoCor® technology was used to measure pulse wave velocity. …

Limitations And Consequences Of Migrant And Refugee Healthcare- An Analysis Of The Current State Of Migrant Health, Meghan Herilla

Senior Theses

Migrants and refugees are an often-neglected specialized population in the field of healthcare, although making up over 14% of the world’s population.

The following paper examines the current state of migrant healthcare, including but not limited to ease of access, quality of care, and the accompanying stigmatization of immigrants in general. It then analyzes current policies, both national and global, influencing the healthcare of immigrants in both the United States and abroad. Finally, a comparison of migrant healthcare in the United States versus Thailand shows how the current U.S. healthcare system can be improved to better accommodate migrants and refugees. …

Emergent Trends In The Chinese Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Supply Chain And Opportunities For Public-Private Reform, Mary Monk

Senior Theses

This research seeks to identify and analyze emerging trends in the Chinese counterfeit pharmaceutical trade, extending from the supply chain’s point of origin to domestic and overseas retail dispensary. To aid readability, Chapter 1 of this thesis opens with key conclusions and policy recommendations for various Chinese and U.S. stakeholders based on the shortcomings identified in Chapter 5. Chapter 2 begins with a review of international roadblocks to diagnosing the issue, such as lack of consensus on working definitions and cross-border discrepancies in pharmaceutical oversight regulation. This section also provides a general overview of existing factors driving demand for counterfeit …

Female Athlete Triad: Evaluation Of The Cumulative Risk Assessment Tool For Female Collegiate Athletes, Jessica Pia

Senior Theses

Content: As the pressure on collegiate and elite female athletes to perform at their highest possible capabilities has grown, so to have the consequences associated with their high energy expending lifestyles. The Female Athlete Triad (Triad) is a syndrome defined as having one or more of the following conditions: LEA with or without disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and/or low BMD. Due to potential long-term, irreversible health consequences of the Triad, the Female Athlete Triad Coalition developed a risk assessment tool known as the Triad CRA to identify at-risk athletes and subsequent return-to-play status. Objective: To determine the risk …

Defining Septicemia Incidence And Mortality In South Carolina Through Access To Health Care, Behavioral Health, And Low Socio-Economic Status, Raeann Vossberg

Senior Theses

This study aims to provide an in-depth view of septicemia mortality and incidence in the state of South Carolina through the lenses of socio-economic factors, access to healthcare, and behavioral health factors. This study was conducted using data from the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, utilizing their Hospitalization, Inpatient, Emergency Department, and Outpatient data both separately and combined depending on the data point, along with additional data sources for support (see works cited). We hypothesize that the higher rates of septicemia mortality and incidence in the southeastern United States, as well as in South Carolina in particular, could …

Us Vs. Wales: Comparing And Improving Refugee Health Policy, Payton Ramsey

Senior Theses

Inadequate strides have been made to bolster the short and long-term health of growing numbers of refugees awaiting resettlement. The United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as many countries of resettlement, guarantee the right to health as signatories of the UN 1951 Refugee Convention, but in many situations refugee accessibility to healthcare and health resources is limited by time restrictions on benefits, immigration status, and/or financial circumstances.

This thesis provides a synopsis of the historical roots of current policies and legislative frameworks relating to refugee health for Wales and the US. Through the analysis of governmental policy …

Killing The Planet But Saving The People: How The American Healthcare Industry Impacts The Environment, Malorie Webb

Senior Theses

The American population is rapidly growing and aging. In order to accommodate such a large population and its associated challenges, the healthcare industry has had to continually expand and adapt. The United States healthcare industry is now one of the largest, most expensive components of the economy. As such, it produces vast amounts of waste. Healthcare waste can damage the environment and contribute to climate change, which in turn can contribute to worsening health outcomes in the population. This thesis aims to explore both the immediate and prolonged impacts of the American healthcare industry on the environment, as well as …

The Utilization And Effectiveness Of Telemedicine In The Wake Of Covid-19, Maxwell Sharawy

Senior Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the world, in every industry. Almost none were hit as hard as the healthcare system. Through the use of telemedicine, healthcare providers were able to care for their patients without rise of infection. Through a review of published literature and interviews conducted with three practicing physicians of various specialties, a diagnosis was developed to determine if the care provided through telemedicine was as effective as in-person care. It was hypothesized that when used properly, telemedicine can be used as an effective replacement for in-person care across a wide range of specialties. After review of the literature …

Are Adverse Childhood Experiences Associated With Health Behaviors Among College Students: Emotion Regulation As A Potential Moderator, Margaret Winters

Senior Theses

In this study, we sought to examine the relations among adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), physical activity (PA), sleep quality, and emotion regulation in college students. ACEs have been proven to have a dose-response relation with adverse health outcomes in adulthood, including heart disease, cancer, lung disease, liver disease, poor mental health, and risky health behaviors (Felitti et al., 1998; Merrick et al., 2016; Zhang et al., 2020). ACEs have also been previously associated with poor sleep quality and emotion dysregulation (Kajeepeta, Gelaye, Jackson, & Williams, 2015[WL1] ; Kim & Cicchetti, 2010). Given these findings, we sought to examine how …

The Effects Of The Use Of Medical Interpreters Amongst The Latina Population In The Context Of Sexual And Reproductive Health, Carson Collins

Senior Theses

The Latino population in the United States is large and consistently growing. These individuals, due to cultural and systemic factors, are at greater risk for a variety of health problems, especially in the context of sexual and reproductive health. Many of these patients may not speak English as their first language and thus need to access interpretative services to receive care. This study sought to examine whether medical facilities using certified medical interpreters and requiring cultural competency training for their staff could reduce the cultural and communication barriers LEP Latinas experience when receiving sexual and reproductive health care services. An …

The Role Of Paraprofessionals In The Mental Health Structure Of India, Amy Abraham

Senior Theses

The mental health treatment gap in India is part of a growing public health crisis, with over 95% of those in need of services never receiving them. Over 197 million Indians suffer from at least one diagnosable mental health disorder, and this number continues to grow given the treatment gap. The treatment gap is a result of four major factors: lack of government support, stigma, limited treatment facilities, and the dearth of professionals able to provide treatment. The current study aimed to analyze several factors of paraprofessional led mental health interventions including setting, treatments delivered, treatment models, and client outcomes. …

An Analysis Of How Stress Impacts Dietary Habits In First-Year Students, Matthew Telfer

Senior Theses

The majority of students will experience stress during their first year at college. Stress can have many ill effects on the well-being of a first-year student and can even be a significant factor in weight gain – hence the term “The Freshman 15”. Sixty seven first-year students at the University of South Carolina were recruited to participate in a sixteen-item questionnaire focused on analyzing the relationship between stress and dietary habits. It was hypothesized that first -year students who had higher levels of stress would have significantly more unhealthy eating habits than first-year students who had lower levels of stress. …

The Role Of A Community-Driven, Structured Exercise Program On Children's And Adolescent's Quality Of Life, Padgett Singley Powe

Senior Theses

Childhood obesity is a long-standing epidemic in the United States as of 2020, and the problem is continuing to worsen. Childhood obesity has been shown to have many unhealthy effects, such as increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease, depression, and social anxiety, which all can contribute to a worsened quality of life. Research suggests that summer is the most critical time period to combat childhood obesity is because children’s lives are less structured over the summer, which can lead to increased unhealthy behaviors, obesity, and a decrease in quality of life. The current study, the Skybrook Swim Team Study, aimed to …

First Aid And Emergency Preparedness: Improving Health Outcomes Among Aging Adults, Anna J. Kulangara

Senior Theses

As the United States population demographic shifts and the baby boomer population enters seniority, the health sector must adjust and prepare to provide efficient and adequate healthcare to the people. The Silver Tsunami, a metaphor for the expected wave of aging adults, will inevitably strain healthcare professionals and can be partly relieved by promoting risk-minimizing behavior in baby boomers before severe conditions develop. Through this effort, a health education course, titled First Aid and Emergency Preparedness, was developed and taught twice at a local senior center to target senior citizens and promote proactivity and healthy behaviors. Course development founded largely …

Relation Of Flt-1 And Endothelial Function In Women Soon After Delivery: Effect Of Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior, Chloe W. Caudell

Senior Theses

Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are believed to be caused by poor placental formation. APOs can be characterized by elevated levels of a circulating Fms-like tyrosine kinase biomarker called Flt-1, produced by the placenta when its blood vessels are shallow or inadequately formed. Flt-1 acts directly on the maternal endothelium to impair vascular function during pregnancy and contributes to maternal features of APOs. This study aimed to evaluate the relation of Flt-1 and endothelial function in women soon after delivery. This study also aimed to evaluate the relation of Flt-1 and physical activity and sedentary behavior in women during and soon …

The Impact Of Perceptions About Influenza And The Yearly Influenza Vaccine On Vaccine Behaviors Among Undergraduate Students At The University Of South Carolina, Julia G. Fuller

Senior Theses

Background: Undergraduate students are at an increased risk for developing respiratory infections as a result of the proximity in which they live, study, and eat. Despite being a target population for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s yearly flu vaccine, several studies of undergraduate populations have found vaccine uptake to be much lower than other at-risk populations. This study aims to understand how perceptions about influenza and the influenza vaccine affect University of South Carolina undergraduate students’ vaccine behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional study was completed using survey data from 165 undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina. The …

Contraceptive Education In South Carolina Women's Jails, Sarah B. Johnson

Senior Theses

Women in jail, which is currently a growing population, are at risk of unplanned pregnancy due to their potential exposure to alcohol and drug use, history of living in an abusive environment, and potential practice of prostitution(Clarke et al., 2012; Clarke et al., 2006; Kelly, 2012). The majority of female inmates are between the ages of 17-30, the peak reproductive age, which increases the importance of jails providing education to improve inmates’ reproductive health (Hale et al., 2009). Many females arrested will be released from jail back into society, making jails an opportune place to provide information to improve the …

Differences In Food Spending On Groceries And Eating Out Between Two Dietary Groups: The New Soul Study, Carly Fassler

Senior Theses

Background: Heart disease is now the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are all risk factors for heart disease. Research has shown that increasing consumption of plant-based foods may be effective in reducing risk factors for chronic disease, especially heart disease. A plant-based diet consists of nutrient-dense plant foods and minimizes the consumption of processed animal products. High costs of eating a healthier diet are a commonly cited barrier that prevents individuals from making dietary changes that could potentially decrease their chronic disease risk.

Objective: To …

Is Vaping Related To Other Health Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents?, Alvina Emran

Senior Theses

Vaping (smoking a vaporized liquid with an active ingredient) has had an upward trend in high school populations (ages 13-18) within the last decade, mainly due to misinformation and targeting from companies that sell e-cigarettes (142, 7). The most common substances that are vaped in teens are nicotine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the active ingredient in marijuana) (147). Nicotine and THC bind to NAchR and CB1 receptors that affect certain parts of the dopamine reward pathway, such as the prefrontal cortex, the ventral tegmental area, and the ventral striatum in the brain (44,106). Dysfunction within these pathways have been associated with …

Vaccine Confidence, Coverage, And Hesitancy Worldwide: A Literature Analysis Of Vaccine Hesitancy And Potential Causes Worldwide, Jordan Hammond

Senior Theses

Vaccines are one of the world’s most impactful medical therapies. They are cost-effective, successfully proven, and one of the quickest treatment options available today (Clark et al., 2016). They save millions of lives every year and have eliminated certain diseases on a national and international level. However, millions of people worldwide still remain unvaccinated. In developed nations, mainly The United States (U.S.) and the European countries, many of the unvaccinated are a result of rising vaccine hesitancy of parents in conjunction with the anti-vaccination movement. Vaccine hesitancy is defined as “a delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability” …

Treatment Of Chronic Pain In U.S. Veterans: The Effectiveness Of Interdisciplinary Programs, Morgan L. Compton

Senior Theses

Chronic pain is a prevalent issue amongst US veterans. Experts suggest that interdisciplinary pain treatment is the most effective method of treating chronic pain, specifically due to targeting functioning and quality of life. These programs combine cognitive behavioral therapy and physical therapy by utilizing a variety of exercise and education regimens. The pain department at Columbia VA Health Care System offers both a comprehensive interdisciplinary treatment, Outpatient Interdisciplinary Pain Program (OIPP), and a flexible, multidisciplinary option (OIPP-Lite) for veterans suffering from chronic pain. The goal of this program is to improve knowledge for coping with chronic pain and to create …

Influenza Vaccination Coverage In Pediatric Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Kelly Brown

Senior Theses

Background: Children with chronic health conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are at especially high risk for influenza infection and complications. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and American College of Gastroenterology recommend that IBD patients should receive annual influenza vaccination. The aims of this study were to evaluate influenza vaccination coverage over time and identify predictors of flu vaccination in pediatric IBD and non-IBD patients.

Methods: We utilized longitudinal data (2000 to 2016) from South Carolina Medicaid to conduct a matched cohort study. The primary exposure of interest was IBD diagnosis based upon ICD-9/10 diagnosis codes. Children with IBD were …

A Policy Analysis Of South Carolina Drug Court Legislation: H. 3322 § 302: Drug Court Program Act (2019), Mae Chinnes

Senior Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine a piece of drug court legislation currently being considered by the South Carolina Legislature, H. 3322 § 302. An overview of drug criminalization in the United States, its impact, and drug courts are provided. This is followed by a review of the literature on the key programmatic components of drug court best practices, including: target population, incentives and sanctions, management team, and duration. An example analysis of Florida’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Drug Court Program policies proceeds the analysis of H. 3322. Parameters of successful drug court legislation and program outcomes are defined …

A Comparison Of The United States And Costa Rican Health Care Systems And Their Influence On Immigrant Women's Maternal And Child Health Outcomes, Tamera R. Sullivan

Senior Theses

Health is a fundamental right for all humans, and every nation has a unique system for health care delivery. While the United States and Costa Rica follow two different welfare state models, there is still value in comparing the two countries. This project was inspired by my public health-based study abroad experience in Costa Rica in May 2018, which sparked a desire to learn more about the structures that form the health care system of each country. The United States has a more privatized and fragmented health care system, while Costa Rica has a public, universal health care system. Although …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Academic Pressure And Non-Medical Prescription Stimulant Use Among University Of South Carolina Undergraduate Students, Arslan Valimohamed

Senior Theses

One hundred and six undergraduate students of the University of South Carolina were surveyed to understand misuse of prescription stimulants and how perceived academic pressure may play a role in this behavior. Overall, the survey revealed that 33.0% of participants reported illicit use of prescription stimulants in the last 30 days, and 52.8% reported illicitly using prescription stimulants at least once during their time in college. Data from the survey responses indicated that students perceiving academic pressure were more likely to have misused prescription stimulants at least once during their time in college, but only if these students also reported …

Be Your Best S.E.L.F., Rachel Wood, Casey Hasenbein

Senior Theses

The goal of our thesis was to use our knowledge as Exercise Science students and personal trainers to improve the health of an underserved population in South Carolina. We created a voluntary exercise and self-defense program for the girls residing at Epworth Children’s Home. The program began on October 1, 2018 and concluded on April 29, 2019 with data collecting taking place between October 8th and March 18th. Every other week SASS Defense taught their self-defense program, and on the alternating weeks we facilitated an exercise class. The program also included a mentorship aspect to create a supportive social environment …

Understanding Wellness In A University Setting: Insight Through The Experiences Of Frequently, Physically Active Students Engaged In Resistance Training, Alia T. Sadek, Payal Shah, Michael Lagomarsine

Senior Theses

The health and wellness of undergraduate students at the local and national level is a growing public health concern, especially as college enrollment rates increase. Although wellness-based approaches are utilized to improve undergraduate health, current methods and adopted frameworks vary and lack conformity across universities making it difficult to identify effective means to improving this issue. One aim of this study was to explore a novel method of understanding wellness at the undergraduate level using both a traditional wellness questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Using these methods, the wellness of undergraduate students attending a large, south-eastern university was evaluated across two …

The Impact Of Nutritional Changes On Dietary Inflammatory Index: New Soul Study, Callie Mclean

Senior Theses

The Impact of Nutritional Changes on Dietary Inflammatory Index: NEWSoul

Callie McLean; Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy, PhD, MS, RD; Michael Wirth, PhD; Anthony Crimarco, MS

Background: Historically, a soul food diet consisted of mainly plant-based foods in West Africa and evolved to a mostly meat-based diet in the Southeastern United States. As a result, many soul foods today often exceed the recommended dietary guidelines for saturated fats and cholesterol. This is important to consider for dietary interventions focusing on African American populations, since they are at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease and chronic illness compared to all other ethnic groups. One …

The Importance Of Interdisciplinarity: Redefining The Health Belief Model, Ross F. Lordo

Senior Theses

Throughout academia, there lacks an existence of a commonly utilized multicomponent and interdisciplinary approach in understanding our outside world. This thesis provides an analysis of the current state of interdisciplinarity and the need to develop interdisciplinary theory. Through this effort, the researcher utilizes the health belief model as a framework that is severely limited in applicable scope due to its constructs. Contrastingly, systems theory and game theory are validated as examples of theories with an interdisciplinary nature. Through the coding of the literature pertaining to the qualitative characteristics of the health belief model, game theory and systems theory, guidelines in …

Impressions Of Participants In A Chemical Mass Casualty Exercise, Ethan J. Start, Joan M. Culley, Abbas Tavakoli

Senior Theses

A mass casualty exercise was performed to investigate triage and decontamination of patients exposed to an irritant gas. Nursing students participated in two groups: emergency department triage (ED) and decontamination (DECON). While participants felt overall that the experience was valuable, DECON participants had a greater interest in emergency response and were more likely to volunteer again.