Assessment Of A Multidisciplinary Feeding Program's Caregiver Education Material Through The Application Of Health Literacy Principles, Mary Thomas

Public Health Capstone Projects

The current capstone project examines the health literacy level of a Multidisciplinary Feeding Program’s Day Treatment Information Sheet. This material is disseminated to caregivers of autistic children after completion of the child’s feeding evaluation, which is conducted to determine eligibility for admission into the program. The current caregiver material was assessed using the CDC’s Clear Communication Index and Patient Education Measurement Assessment Tool, which are health literacy tools used to measure the understandability, communication level, and actionability of caregiver materials in written communication methods. After the Day Treatment Information Sheet was assessed and a score from each tool was produced, …

Payment Assessment Of Giving Birth In America Among Insurance Types For Years 2017 Through 2021, Jacy D. Harrell

Public Health Capstone Projects

Abstract:

Introduction: The cost of giving birth ranges drastically throughout the country depending on multiple variables. One of these variables is insurance type. Whether that be private insurance, government insurance or self funded. By providing payment breakdowns by insurance type, this case study seeks to clarify payment amount for births.

Aim: To be able to provide cost transparency for giving birth and to show payment variation among payor types and over time for giving birth.

Methods: This capstone project utilizes publicly available, inpatient hospital stay data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The capstone focuses on total payments per …

Tracking Childhood Vaccination Trends By Race: Analyzing Mmr-Only, Dtap-Only, And Varicella-Only Vaccine Coverage Rates From 2016-2022, Victoria Gallagher

Public Health Capstone Projects

Declining vaccination rates due to factors like hesitancy and access issues during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, have spurred outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles and pertussis. This capstone analyzes vaccination coverage for MMR-only, DTaP-only, and Varicella-only shots among children from 2016 to 2022, focusing on racial disparities. Data from the National Immunization Surveys (NIS) informed the analysis, encompassing 118,323 children. Odds ratios from a multivariable logistic regression were used to perform this analysis, and statistical significance was determined using a 95% confidence interval (CI). Black children had lower odds of MMR and Varicella vaccination compared to White children …

The Most Diverse Square Mile In America: Sociodemographic, Health Profiles, And Access To Healthcare Among The Refugee, Immigrant, And Migrant Population In Clarkston, Georgia, Win Min Thein

Public Health Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Georgia State University's Prevention Research Center conducted a community needs assessment (CNA) survey in Clarkston, GA to gather data on residents' health, experiences with violence and discrimination, and access to resources such as food, childcare, safe housing, early learning programs, and healthcare.

AIM: This capstone project compared socio-demographic characteristics, health status, and access to healthcare among Clarkston residents using CNA data. It specifically focused on documenting disparities between U.S.-born and foreign-born populations, as well as comparing healthcare access based on English proficiency skills. The long-term goal of these analyses is to identify population needs and provide recommendations for …

Prep Inequities Among Black And Latino Msm In The United States: Identifying Barriers And Opportunities Using A Social Ecological Model (Sem) Framework, Ryan Fisher

Public Health Capstone Projects

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a salient public health priority in the United States. While Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has existed for HIV prevention efforts since 2012, its effectiveness in epidemic control at the population level relies on the ability of vulnerable populations at increased risk of HIV to access this biomedical intervention. In the United States, most of the new HIV infections in 2021 were among gay and bisexual men, the majority of whom were Black or Hispanic/Latino. This disparity for Black and Latino men who have sex with men (BLMSM) is rooted in deeply entrenched social determinants of health. …

Fall Risk Assessment Of Elderly Community-Dwelling Individuals, Jha'meisheia Griffin

Public Health Capstone Projects

INTRODUCTION: Falls in the elderly population occur quite frequently, which happens to be a major factor that threatens their independence. Due to this, many older individuals are admitted into nursing-homes once the dependency status gets to be too much. While policies and programs exist to prevent the dilemma of falls, reported data and studies reveal that the prevalence of fall- related deaths within nursing-homes is on the rise. More information is needed to thoroughly understand the association between mortality due to fall and the epitome of healthcare surveillance within nursing-homes.

AIM: To assess the mortality risk of elderly individuals who …

Reducing Health Disparities For U.S. Hispanics By Increasing The Cultural Literacy Of Nutrition Professionals, Norma Esther Guardado López

Public Health Capstone Projects

Hispanic people may be of any race, including anyone of Central or South American, Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, or other Spanish nation or origin (Aragones et al., 2014). In 1960, Hispanics represented just 3.24% of the U.S. population; however, the Hispanic population grew by 23% from 2010 to 2020, while those not of Hispanic or Latino origin grew by only 4.3%. By 2020, the Hispanic population had grown to 18.2%, contributing to half of the total population growth within the U.S. and becoming the largest ethnic minority group (Funk & Lopez, 2022). The Hispanic community is estimated to represent 25% …

Epigenetic Changes And Health Disparities: An Evaluation Plan For Mamatoto Village Programming, Diamond T. Robinson

Public Health Capstone Projects

In the United States, Black birthing parents experience high infant and maternal mortality rates. Infants born to Black birthing parents are more likely to be born preterm or at a low birthweight and have poorer health outcomes when compared to their counterparts. Organizations like Mamatoto Village and its programs and services work to address and prevent epigenetic changes which are a significant contributor to the maternal and child health disparities common among Black birthing parents. The evaluation plan provides guidance for the monitoring and evaluation of the Mamatoto Village programs. The plan includes recommendations for collecting data utilizing mixed methods …

The Associations Between Selected Demographic, Socioeconomic, And Health Factors For Depression In Elderly Americans, Pema Lhewa

Public Health Capstone Projects

The topic analyzed was the demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors that may influence the depression status of elderly Americans aged 60 years or older in 2021. Depression status was identified as being notified of having depression through identifiable depressive symptoms or clinical diagnosis. It is currently defined as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest, and long-term difficulty in day-to-day activities. Elderly depression has been prevalent due to complications regarding issues of wealth, health accessibility, and increased risk of cognitive issues. The dataset is from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which …

Positive Behavior Support Parent Academy Curriculum - An Additional Approach, Lupe Arteaga

Public Health Capstone Projects

The Center for Leadership in Disability has helped develop a Positive Behavior Support Parent Academy that offers caregivers a training program to help them address challenging behaviors among children who are 3-5 years old. There are currently five sessions in the training. For my capstone, I updated the curriculum by adding on to the last session to include healthy sleep routines, healthy eating routines, and a cultural awareness discussion. I focused the curriculum building on providing more of a ‘next step’ approach for families attending the academy. In addition to the curriculum updates, I provide information on next steps for …

Stigma, Social Norms, And Culture As Mediators Of Hiv And Aids Incidence In South Africa, Skyeisha Swain

Public Health Capstone Projects

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a significant global public health issue with 38.4 million individuals living with the virus in 2021. South Africa has experienced the world’s largest HIV epidemic across all regions, with 7.5 million individuals living the virus, 210,000 new infections and 51,000 related deaths, in 2021. Interventions have focused on targeting sexual behaviors and addressing mediators of HIV transmission, such as poverty, age, socioeconomic status, education, and gender. Despite a drop in HIV incidence, the virus is still having a negative impact on the continent. This paper highlights overlooked but essential mediators of HIV transmission in South …

Adapting The International Protocol For Sexual Violence Within The Department Of Defense: Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Office, Tehnyat Sohail

Public Health Capstone Projects

Objectives:

To adapt The International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict v2 (IP2) within the Department of Defense (DOD): Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) and Military Services to streamline reports of sexual violence when active-duty soldiers are deployed on military operations.

Background:

Sexual violence (SV) in the U.S. military is an ongoing public health issue that disproportionately impacts millions of military servicemembers worldwide. Particularly, active-duty women deployed on international military operations are at a heightened risk of sexual violence with limited resources for justice.

Methods:

A summary of the strengths …

Association Between Socio Economic Factors And Contraceptive Use Among Married Women In Guinea And Mali: An Examination Of The Demographic And Health Survey Data 2018, Mamadou Abdoulaye R Diallo

Public Health Capstone Projects

Introduction: Unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions can seriously affect any sexually active women and have negative impacts on their personal and conjugal life, their families, and societies. unsafe abortions cause the death of thousands of women every year and lead millions more to suffer long-term reproductive problems, including infertility. Rarely any study has explored and compared the prevalence and associated factors of contraceptive use among married women in these two countries. AIM: Therefore, this study seeks to determine the association between socio economic factors and contraceptive use in two sub-Saharan African countries: Guinea and Mali. METHODS: Relevant data on …

The Evaluation Plan For The Lgbtq+ Runaway & Homelessness Youth (Lrhy) Outreach Program, Jade Matthews

Public Health Capstone Projects

LGBTQ+ runaway and homeless youth are a vulnerable population at higher risk for survival sex, suicide, and sexual assault and rape than their heterosexual peers. The Alonzo A. Crim Center developed the LGBTQ+ Runaway Homeless Youth (LRHY) Outreach program to address the gap in homeless resources needed by the youth. This evaluation plan is being proposed to aid in the planning stage of the Street Outreach program. The evaluation presents a mixed design method and an external review of the program's data collection methods, such as pre-and post-test, focus groups, and outreach night reports. The evaluation findings would add to …

“A Doula Is Not A Visitor...A Birth Doula Is An Essential Part Of The Birth Team”: Interprofessional Dynamics Among Doulas, Doctors, And Nurses, Kaniya Williamson

Public Health Capstone Projects

Introduction: Studies have shown that poor birth outcomes are more prevalent among Black birthing people and their babies. Evidence shows that doula care, during labor and delivery, improves maternal and child health outcomes. However there are varying attitudes among doctors and nurses towards doulas regarding taking a collaborative approach with birthing people in labor. Conflict and tension due to doulas may occur in some intrapartum settings in the United States, however this capstone examines these attitudes within the state of Georgia.

Methods: Between November 2020 and January 2021, 17 surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with doulas in Georgia as …

Behavioral And Epidemiological Factors Behind Vaccine Hesitancy In The United States, Maggie Hanusek

Public Health Capstone Projects

Vaccines are by far the most significant achievement in public health over the last century, saving millions of lives. Vaccination provides immunity as well as protection against certain infectious diseases, and the majority of vaccines contain a weakened version of a disease-causing microorganism. But why do people continue to be skeptical of vaccines and what they can do to improve their health? Vaccines, in general, can evoke strong biological, cultural, social, and political reactions all over the world, not just in the United States.

Vaccine history is extremely complex, and it is still ongoing today as new diseases emerge. The …

Health Insurance Status And Severe Maternal Morbidity Outcomes In The United States - A Policy Review, Adejumobi Otekunrin

Public Health Capstone Projects

Objective: To show evidence of the relationship between insurance status, type, and duration of coverage on severe maternal morbidity and mortality outcomes in the United States.

Methods: A review of multi-state and national studies was done to show the relationship between insurance type on the incidence, timing, and outcome of severe maternal morbidities (SMM). A retrospective cohort study from 2010-2014 used data from the IBM MarketScan Multi-State Medicaid and Commercial Claims and Encounters databases to evaluate timing of SMM during delivery hospitalization of 2,667,325 women aged 15-44 years. Women with SMM were identified using the ICD-9-CM codes for …

The Associations Between Overweight/Obesity Among Children And Select Social And Economic Predictors, Lauren A. Powell

Public Health Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the United States has increased dramatically in recent decades, contributing to poor health outcomes and larger societal impacts. Overweight in children is defined as having a BMI at the 85th to 95th percentiles, and obesity is defined as being at or above the 95th percentile. Children who are overweight or obese are significantly more likely to experience comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension, as well as profound psychosocial effects. The prevalence of overweight and obesity has been shown to differ based on certain factors like race, income, and nutrition. The purpose …

Analysis Of The Association Between Physical And Mental Health In Adults: Understanding The Literature And Developing A Plan For Future Research, Max Moskowitz

Public Health Capstone Projects

INTRODUCTION: The definition of a healthy lifestyle among adults in the United States considers frequency of physical and mental activities, frequency of alcohol consumption, smoking, diet, and sleep habits. Evidence from the literature shows healthy lifestyle choices have a positive effect on psychological well-being and the reduction of mental health problems. Up until this point it has been unclear if the onset of mental illness results in a decline in physical health or vice versa.

AIM: The aim of this capstone project is to review the published literature that examined the relationship between mental health and physical health among adults …

A Review Of Economic Policies To Reduce And Prevent Child Maltreatment And Other Adverse Childhood Experiences, Kaila Farmer

Public Health Capstone Projects

Economic policies that influence rates of child maltreatment and other ACEs are potential macro-level interventions that can support safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments, a core component of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Essentials for Childhood Framework. Macro-level interventions have the potential to reach many more families affected by child maltreatment and ACEs in comparison to community or interpersonal-level interventions alone. While recent research points towards promising federal and state-level economic interventions that can improve population health and promote resiliency in families, there is a lack of reviews that evaluate some of the larger economic policies and their …

“We Really Are Seeing Racism In The Hospitals”: Racism And Doula Care, Ayeesha Sayyad

Public Health Capstone Projects

Introduction: Poor birth outcomes are more prevalent for Black birthing people and their babies. Strong evidence shows that doula care, during labor and delivery, improves maternal and child health outcomes. Yet little is documented about racial differences, discrimination, and equity in doula care.

Methods: Between November 2020 and January 2021, 17 surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with doulas in Georgia as part of the community-based participatory Georgia Doula Study, co-led by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia and academic researchers. The study objective was to describe the challenges and facilitators of providing doula care in Georgia. In the …

Concepts For Antiracist Policy Formulation, Sophia Steinberg

Public Health Capstone Projects

Racism is undoubtedly a “hot topic” in America today. Since the murder of Trayvon Martin, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has swept over the nation, ruffled feathers, roared, and been a call to action. Most importantly, the BLM movement has highlighted and reinvigorated the discussion of race and racism, and prompted us to ask “what do we do next?” The uncomplicated answer would be to act-- to create policies and programs that ensure the end of undue violence toward Black people, toward Latinx and Hispanic people, toward ethnic and religious minorities, and give all of the American people their …

Characterization Of Hand Hygiene Techniques Among Intensive Care Nurses: A Descriptive Study, Ashley L. Reyes

Public Health Capstone Projects

OBJECTIVE: Although a plethora of hand hygiene guidance and policies exist for healthcare workers, a number of barriers exist that can cause a lack of adherence. A lack of hand hygiene adherence can lead to healthcare-associated infections and altered community health. This study aimed to examine the hand hygiene techniques among intensive care nurses to gain a better understanding of current practices and needs among the population.

METHODS: Previously obtained data of 19 intensive care nurses completing simulated patient care was used. Each nurse completed care for two patients and the duration, type and number of hand hygiene instances were …

U.S. Rural Healthcare Shortage: A Review Of Strategies In The U.S., Canada, And Colombia., Carlos Perez

Public Health Capstone Projects

This paper intends to provide a critical review and assessment of the rural health care workforce shortage in the US. In addition, it evaluates policy and programmatic approaches in the US and other countries (Canada, Colombia) to analyze which policies and programs might offer the most promising solutions.

Developing And Disseminating The Children’S Environmental Health Index With Web Gis, Allegra Yeley

Public Health Capstone Projects

A common adage in the field of children’s environmental health is “children are not small adults”. Children’s behavior, physiology, and dependency can increase their risk of and vulnerability to environmental exposures. Screening and web mapping tools like EPA’s EJSCREEN and California’s CalEnviroScreen highlight populated areas where residents may be at an increased risk of poor environmental health outcomes or environmental injustices. These tools provide valuable insight for policy makers, public health professionals, and the public. However, there are currently no screening tools that focus on spatial disparities in children’s environmental health at the local level.

This project sought to address …

An Evaluation Plan For Georgia's Injury Prevention Program, Joy Ngene

Public Health Capstone Projects

Georgia's injury prevention program (GaIPP) exists within the Georgia Department of Public Health's protection division. It is an overarching program that focuses on providing the necessary resources for various injury prevention efforts around Georgia. GaIPP’s vision is to find a way for "injuries and their burdens to be fully minimized by empowering state and local coalitions through the provision of data, training, coordination, and leadership. This capstone will focus on evaluating GaIPP’s data management and their need to provide a publicly available system that presents all the current, activity-related programs of GaIPP. Recommendations for improving data management for GaIPP include …

Evaluating Funding Structures Of Federally Qualified Health Centers (Fqhcs) In Metropolitan Atlanta: A Basis For Public Policy, Mamta Sanam Chaudhary

Public Health Capstone Projects

Health care costs in the United States are generally unaffordable; however, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) have the prime mission to offer affordable services to the communities they serve. This paper evaluates the funding structures over a two-year period of an FQHC in Metropolitan-Atlanta which the Atlanta Regional Commission Agency determines to have the following eleven counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale, and the City of Atlanta. After a comparative review of the clinical and non-clinical aspects, recommendations will be made on how the specific Atlanta FQHC studied could increase their revenue or other performance …

Levels Of Engagement In A Comprehensive Parenting Intervention To Reduce Child Neglect Among Mothers Without A High School Diploma: A Profile Examination, De Gao

Public Health Capstone Projects

Although Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs in the United States attempt to engage families at high-risk for poor outcomes, in intensive intervention, MIECHV programs are plagued by low parent engagement (Cho et al., 2018). Families at highest need for intensive interventions are least likely to receive them (MIECHV Technical Assistance Coordinating Center, 2015). This secondary analysis study examined levels of mother engagement in a comprehensive home visiting intervention program, My Baby & Me, implemented within a randomized controlled trial by The Centers for the Prevention of Child Neglect (Guttentag et al., 2014). The purpose of this …

Challenges And Prospects Of Implementing Mobile Health In Angola: Lessons Learned From Kenya And Denmark., Maria Da Graca Ambrosio

Public Health Capstone Projects

The increase of disease incidence and prevalence in developing countries urges governments and health care leaders to invoke a more efficient response to protect populations' health. Mobile health (mHealth) is changing the face of health care and strengthening health care systems. However, its slow growth in developing countries is an actual discussion topic among the scientific community. There is an urgent need to find solutions for the sustainability and scalability of mHealth programs in low- and middle-income regions. We are the first to conduct a case study on an African country's health system, demonstrating that mHealth provides promising opportunities for …

Examining United States Drug Policy From 2010-2021: A Qualitative Summation Using Pest Framework Model, Izadora A. Nunes

Public Health Capstone Projects

INTRODUCTION: The war on drugs, initially started in 1971, has caused long-lasting effects on the criminal justice system and public health. Despite these effects and calls for reform, forces in charge have resisted changing current drug policies.

AIM: As the conversation surrounding United States drug policies has changed to be more tolerant among the general population, policymakers have been resistive to change, and ineffective policies continue. The aim of this capstone is to synthesize scientific drug policy literature and provide a summative perspective on the impacts and challenges to improve them.

METHODS: A qualitative summation using PEST (political, economic, social, …