Digital Commons Network^™

"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 …

Addressing Sexual Violence On College Campuses—A Brief Review Of Existing Policies, Naa-Amy Wayne, Jackie Mesenbrink, Bettye Apenteng

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Jiann-Ping Hsu College Of Public Health Magazine, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health Magazine

• Message from the Dean: Stuart H. Tedders, PhD
• Remembering Dr. Evans Afriyie-Gyawu
• Exploring Research Focus Areas
• Alumni Feature: Overcoming Hurdles
• Research Feature: It's a weighted issue.
• Research Feature: The effectiveness of lactation cookies
• Period Equity Movement Earns National Recognition
• Leaving Her Mark
• Georgia on Our Mind
• Center for Addiction Recovery: Transforming Lives through Comprehensive Support
• Center for Public Health Practice and Research: The LEAD Academy: A Hospital Leadership Training Program
• Office of Practice and Research: Continued Engagement in Practice and Research
• Office of Teaching and Learning
• Office of Health Equity and Community: Engagement Continued Engagement in Practice and Research
• Awards, …

Sheprep: Examining The Influence Of The Messaging And The Messenger Associated With Prep Uptake Among African American Women, Christian C. Spears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African American Women (AAW) make up less than 15% of the female population in the United States but account for over 50% of new HIV diagnoses among females. This largely preventable health disparity can be mitigated by advocating and prescribing Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a preventive HIV medication, to persons at risk. Despite advances in medication options, there are less than 13% of Black people who could benefit from having been prescribed PrEP, and limited research and promotion on the effectiveness of PrEP for AAW. The “ShePrEP Study” aimed to assess awareness, perceptions, and receptivity toward PrEP among AAW. This study …

Public Health Interventions For Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Daniel Bullman

GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium

The impact of social and structural determinants of health have lifelong consequences on an individual’s quality of life. Literature focusing on child health and wellbeing of incarcerated parents indicate significant negative health outcomes and adopted detrimental health behaviors. Using a systematic realist review, recent publications were reviewed for their potential discussion or recommendation for interventions in changing health outcomes. This review found that additional research is needed in identifying and testing potential interventions or determining if parallel public health initiatives have had positive impacts in promoting the health behavior change process for children and adolescents of incarcerated parents.

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Childhood Punishment And Adult Ipv, Anna G. Griffith

Honors College Theses

The goal of this project is to examine the relationship between childhood punishment and experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) as an adult. Using an anonymous, self-report survey, students from Georgia Southern University were asked about their experiences with IPV, as well as their experiences of childhood punishment administered by both mother and father. The results show that children who receive corporal, verbal, and emotional punishment from their mother are more likely to experience all forms of IPV later in life. When analyzing the same relationships with fathers, corporal punishment is not associated with IPV while verbal and emotional punishment is.

Correlates Of Risky Sexual Behaviors Among African American Females In Juvenile Detention Centers, Eghosa E. Asemota

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: In comparison to other demographics, research shows that African American female adolescents are over-represented in the United States Juvenile Justice System. Studies in this vulnerable population demonstrate higher rates of engagement in unsafe sex, and its attendant negative consequences of HIV infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and mistimed pregnancies. There is a paucity of studies that have specifically examined risky sexual behaviors amongst African American females in Juvenile Detention Centers. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between the individual, family, peer, and societal factors, and engagement in risky sex among Black female detainees in Juvenile …

Pornography: Social, Emotional And Mental Implications Among Adolescents, William Kelly Canady

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This presentation will explain the historical development of pornography. It will highlight four segments: 1- Porn’s impact on brain development of reward pathways, ultimately increasing the appetite for more porn. 2- Porn can be a false substitute for real intimacy, resulting in decreased sexual satisfaction with a real person and increased verbal and physical aggression. 3- Porn promotes sex trafficking, promotes multiple sex partners and reduced STD prevention. 4- A review of interventions available to assist clients in navigating a lifestyle away from pornography.

Underreporting Of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: An Important Public Mental Health Implication, Sandhya Lohani, Sha-Hanna Saffold, Tanya Jules, Brenda Blackwell, Suzanne Shurling, Tilicia Mayo-Gamble

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Thinking Ethically About Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: Retention In Care And Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing In A Southeastern United States Local Health Department In The Time Of Covid-19, Ellie Purdy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Local Health Departments (LHDs) are critical providers of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention efforts. HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is an evolving public health initiative and practitioners should consider PrEP interventions in context of ethical decision-making and a broad STI prevention strategy as global incidence of bacterial STIs remains high and those at-risk for HIV are generally at-risk for other STIs. An evaluation of the Thinking Ethically framework and LHD PrEP services was performed to fill a gap in the literature and support program decision-making. A retrospective review of PrEP user medical records from a LHD …

Sars-Cov-2 Viral And Serological Testing When College Campuses Reopen: Some Practical Considerations, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Chi-Ngai Cheung, Andreas Handel

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

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted universities across the United States to close campuses in Spring 2020. Universities are deliberating whether, when, and how they should resume in-person instruction in Fall 2020. In this essay, we discuss some practical considerations for the use of 2 potentially useful control strategies based on testing: (1) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing followed by case-patient isolation and quarantine of close contacts, and (2) serological testing followed by an “immune shield” approach, that is, low social distancing requirements for seropositive persons. The isolation of case-patients and …

Redefining Our Understanding Of The Impact Of Firearm-Related Injury In The State Of Georgia: A White Paper By The Violence Prevention Task Force Of Iprce, Omar K. Danner Md, Lauren Hudak Md, Mph, Rana Bayakly Mph, Carol Koplan Md, Alexander Kelly, Sharon L. Nieb Phd, Msw, Sheryl L. Heron Md, Mph

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Abstract: Background: Firearm-related injury is a crisis that afflicts vulnerable populations of all ages, ethnicities, races and gender. The purpose of this white paper is to delineate the impact of firearm-related violence on the health and well-being of citizens and communities across Georgia based on the available literature and data. The aim of this white paper is to examine and characterize the currently available data on the impact of firearm violence and injury from a statewide perspective, principally as it relates to the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) report for Georgia.

Materials and method: We performed a literature review …

Bridging Disparities: Mass Incarceration Among African American Men, Eghosa Asemota, Jonathan A. Grubb

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

A Content Analysis Of Institutions Of Higher Education's Sexual Assault Policies: Assessing Response To Sexual Assault In Georgia, Brianna Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault is a public health concern that must be systematically addressed. The existence of a comprehensive sexual assault policy and compliance with federal regulations can guide institutions of higher education in responding to and preventing sexual assault on campus. Federal laws hold institutions accountable for providing a safe environment for students. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to assess compliance with federal policy and assess the response to sexual assault by IHE in Georgia. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics was utilized to identify Georgia's institutions receiving federal aid during 2018-2019. Using a proportionate stratified …

Social Ecological Factors Affecting Substance Abuse In Ghana (West Africa) Using Photovoice, Ahmed Kabore, Evans Afriyie-Gyawu, James Awuah, Andrew R. Hansen, Ashley Walker, Melissa Hester, Moussa Aziz Wonadé Sié, Dhruv Medarametla, Nicolas Meda

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

Introduction: substance abuse is an important public health issue affecting West Africa; however, there is currently a dearth of literature on the actions needed to address it. The aim of this study was to assess the risks and protective factors of substance abuse in Ghana, West Africa, using the photovoice method.

Methods: this study recruited and trained 10 participants in recovery from substance abuse and undergoing treatment in the greater Accra region of Ghana on the photovoice methodology. Each participant received a disposable camera to take pictures that represented the risk and protective factors pertinent to substance abuse …

Relationship Between Self-Report And Observed Parenting Among Parents In Treatment Versus Not In Treatment Populations, Rabab Zahidi, Jessica S. Rogers, Wendy P. Guastaferro, Daniel J. Whitaker

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Most maltreatment, by definition, is a failure of parenting. However, even without maltreatment, poor parenting can lead to a variety of negative outcomes including social, emotional and behavioral problems. Given that parenting plays a key role in child outcomes, one of the foci of interventions are parenting programs. Interventions for parents must be evaluated using standardized assessment tools, which leads to an important question; how can we best assess parenting? Observational methods (observing a parent and child interact) are often regarded as the gold standard in the assessment of parental behaviors but are cumbersome to administer. Self-reports of parenting …

Mental Health Outcomes, Parenting Skills And Family Functioning Of Adult And Family Treatment Court Participants, Carolyn A. Malone, Jessica S. Rogers, Wendy P. Guastaferro, Daniel J. Whitaker

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Parental substance use places children at risk for poor social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. Many parents with substance use disorders (SUD) are treated through accountability drug courts including adult drug courts (ADC) through the criminal justice system and family drug treatment courts (FTC) through the child welfare system. Little is known about the children of parents who participate in treatment through adult drug courts, which could serve as an important treatment venue for improving child outcomes. Children treated through family treatment courts are often the center of treatment. This research compared outcomes of parents and children involved in adult …

Shifting Sexual Violence Prevention Messaging: Placing Blame Where It Belongs While Fostering Collective Empowerment And Self-Efficacy, Jacquelyn Mesenbrink, Gemma Skuraton, Lauren O. Patterson, Nandi A. Marshall

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Assessing A Comprehensive Approach To Prevent Sexual Violence On Campus: Implications For Program Improvement, Chinwe Ejikeme, Kia Powell-Threets, Mosi Bayo, Kia L. Toddle, Jean O'Connor

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: On college campuses, sexual violence (or sexual assault) is at epidemic proportions. As many as one in four college women experience sexual assaults, most of which are not reported, likely due to the adverse reactions stemming from social norms and attitudes about rape. To prevent sexual violence on college campuses, the multi-level factors influencing it necessitate implementation of a holistic approach channeled at all levels. The present multi-method study assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of a peer educator (PE)-facilitated program implemented as part of a comprehensive sexual assault prevention program in three small Georgia colleges.

Methods: Student participants (N=128) …

Factors Associated With The Utilization Of Community Dental Services Among Newly Incarcerated Adults, Whitney C. Graves, Starla Hairston Blanks, Lee S. Caplan, Katherine A. Erwin, Cynthia S. Ditslear, Henrie M. Treadwell

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Given the high rates of risky behaviors and health conditions among incarcerated individuals and the relationship between oral and general health, receipt of quality dental care is essential to the overall health and well-being of this population. However, few recent studies have focused on access to care and the state of oral health among incarcerated populations in the U.S. For the current study, a secondary data analysis was conducted to: 1) assess factors associated with the use of dental services among a newly incarcerated prison population in Georgia and 2) consider barriers related to utilization of dental services pre- …

Evidence To Practice: Using Data To See The Faces Of Those We Serve, David A. Ross

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Evidence to Practice: Using Data to See the Faces of Those We Serve

Gender Disparities In Weight Gain Among Offenders Who Are Obese Upon Entering Correctional Facilities, Madison L. Gates, Nancy C. Webb, Rebecca Stone, Darra Ballance, Wonsuk Yoo

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Obesity is a significant health issue for offenders, who have a higher prevalence of obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes, compared to non-incarcerated populations. Within incarcerated populations, there are obesity disparities in terms of race, gender, and age, as well as excess weight gain during incarceration.

Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted for 2005 – 2010 in collaboration with a Department of Corrections in the east south central region of the United States. From electronic health records of 10,841 offenders, weight, height, and demographic data were extracted. As determined from these data, 2,622 offenders met the inclusion criteria (two or …

Quality Rated Childcare Programs And Social Determinants Of Health In Rural And Non-Rural Georgia, Nancy C. Webb, Madison L. Gates

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Early childhood is linked to school readiness and early school achievement. Through its Quality Rated (QR) program, which was designed to improve the quality of care in early childhood programs, the state of Georgia has been a trailblazer in funding universal preschool and in improving the quality of childcare programs. We have assessed differences in the availability of QR childcare programs in Georgia to learn if, in rural versus non-rural counties, there is a relationship between QR childcare programs and health-related outcomes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated county-level data to evaluate the relationship between QR childcare programs and social …

Exploring Cyber Harassment Among Women Who Use Social Media, Sloane Burke Winkelman, Jody Oomen-Early, Ashley D. Walker, Lawrence Chu, Alice Yick-Flanagan

Community Health Faculty Publications

The number of Internet users around the word is at an all-time high. The majority of North Americans are internet users and over two-thirds participate in some kind of social network (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Social networks and mobile technology enable individuals to connect instantaneously or asynchronously, across geographic boundaries publicly or anonymously. Few studies exploring cyber harassment have been conducted, primarily because these technologies are relatively recent. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine U.S. women's experiences with and attitudes toward cyber harassment by way of an anonymous electronic survey. A total of 293 adult women (mean …

Advocating For Pregnant Women In Prison: Georgia Can Do Better, Nancy Webb, Madison Gates

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Women are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. prison populace and approximately 1 in 25 were pregnant when they were incarcerated. However, women, including pregnant women, are receiving unacceptable health care in correctional systems. Further, many correctional systems lack policies to protect the best interest of incarcerated women, mothers and their children.

Methods: We reviewed the literature on pregnant women in prison and found that corrections has been slow in making changes and adapting facilities for women, especially related to pregnancy, parenting skills and nurseries. It has been suggested the parent-infant attachment and the involvement incarcerated parents have …

Social, Economic And Health Costs Of Unintended Teen Pregnancy: The Circle Of Care Intervention Program In Troup County, Georgia, Andrea M. Brace, Michael Hall, Barry P. Hunt

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Unintended teenage pregnancy in the United States is a public health concern with ramifications that include a variety of social, economic and health costs. It has been estimated that adolescents giving birth before the age of 18 cost the United States at least $9.1 billion dollars annually (NCPTUP, 2008). Latest available national data indicate a slight increase in rates of unintended teen pregnancy after a 15 year period of steady decline. The unintended teen pregnancy rate in Troup County, Georgia in 2006 was 51.9/1,000 which was higher than the national average of 41.9/1,000(Kids Count, 2008). The purpose of this study …

Clinicians’ Perception Of Inmates’ Satisfaction With Mental Health Services, Jerry B. Daniel, Wynne S. Korr

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

A growing body of literature addresses the mental health needs of prison inmates; however, very little research has examined mental health services among this population. Based on the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use (Andersen Model), the current study examined clinicians’ perception of inmates’ satisfaction with mental health services. The study’s main objective was to identify the effect of three major groups of predictor variables (predisposing, enabling, and need) on clinicians’ perception with inmates’ satisfaction with mental health services. The study utilized an exploratory, survey methodology. Although only a few variables were found to be statistically significant in the multivariate …