Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Chna: The Role Of The Hospital In Addressing Specific Community Health Needs, Yesmina L. Zavala

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) added a requirement for nonprofit hospitals to keep their tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue System Code 501(c) 3. This code requires all nonprofit hospitals to complete Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) reports every three years and must include input from community stakeholders and underserved individuals representing the low-income, minority and chronically ill population.

In addition to the CHNA, implementation strategies are required to be executed in the geographic areas served in order to meet the identified prioritized needs from the CHNA. Oftentimes, CHNAs are difficult to conceptualize and operationalize within the …

Geographical Incidence Of Antimicrobial Resistant Gonorrhea, Christofer A. Rodriguez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Evolving throughout the last century, Gonorrhea has become a superbug, becoming difficult to treat. As the second most commonly reported notifiable disease, gonorrhea rates have been increasing, despite efforts in prevention and treatment. Populations at risk are mainly MSM and FSW. In 2015, men’s gonorrhea rates in the United States were higher compared to women, at 140.9 and 107.2 per 100,000 population, respectively. Illinois has consecutively had higher rates of infection compared to the US, at 133.5 per 100,000 population compared to the US rate of 123.9 per 100,000 population. The surveillance of gonococcal isolate resistance to current antimicrobials began …

Exploring The Role Of Pharmacists In Management Of Hypertension In A Safety Net Clinic, Pandora Lau

Master's Projects and Capstones

Potrero Hill Health Center through the San Francisco Department of Public Health aims to deliver health promotion, disease prevention, heath maintenance, counseling, and health education of acute and chronic diseases. Hypertension is a common problem to both the health center and to the general population, and Potrero Hill Health Center aims to understand and develop a program that will aid in hypertension management at their local clinic. A supplemental pharmacist service was implemented at Potrero Hill Health Center to help manage hypertensive patients. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were compared in patients receiving pharmacist counseling versus those receiving physician …

Quality Management: A Global Case Study In Organ Transplantation, Cassie L. Rodriguez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Every year the US and European countries face an epidemic of organ failure from a multitude of reasons: cancer, genetic predisposition, exposure to harmful chemicals in home or surrounding areas or through drinking, drugs and smoking. Another problem faced, is the ratio of organ donors to organ recipients. Over 121,000 patients are on the waiting for an organ transplant, and a fraction of those waiting will die because of time. The Hanover Medical school and department of quality management, have created an integrated approach to organ transplant avenues. Quality management is a systematic guide for organ transplantation that allows all …

Improving Data Collection To Reduce Maternal And Infant Mortality And Morbidity In Malawi: Evaluating Chimwemwe Mu'bereki, A Community Based Intervention, Alexandra E. H. Jones

Master's Projects and Capstones

Maternal and infant death rates in Malawi are among the highest in the world. Over 17 million people live in this small country in sub-Saharan Africa, where the country’s life expectancy is just 60.6 years (World Bank, 2015). These deaths can be attributed to many complex factors, including cultural practices, lack of adequate medical equipment, long travel distances to health facilities, low staffing at hospitals and clinics, extreme poverty, and malnutrition. Without government support and intervention, community groups must fill in the gaps to make needed improvements to maternal and infant health outcomes. African Mothers Health Initiative (AMHI) enrolls high …

Unicef Kid Power: Empowering Kids To Get Active And Save Lives, Emily L. Gudaitis

Master's Projects and Capstones

UNICEF Kid Power is a program aimed at increasing U.S. children’s activity levels by tapping into children’s intrinsic desire to do good. Through their activity levels, kids earn points, which unlocks funding from partners that will support treatment for a malnourished child. This one-of-a-kind program was implemented in the Bay Area in Spring 2016 with 7,800 youth participants. The attached paper is a summary of a 300-hour fieldwork experience at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF assisting with the UNICEF Kid Power implementation in the Bay Area. The fieldwork included program implementation and evaluation, presentations at participating schools in the area, …

Strategic Community Healthcare Management, Stephanie Penrod

Master's Projects and Capstones

Federally Qualified Health Centers(FQHC) and Community Health Centers are growing with the Affordable Care Act. This paper introduces literature that supports the need for Community Health Centers and management of low income patients with chronic illnesses. This paper also reviews the fieldwork experience at a FQHC. It reviews the goals, project, methods and findings of the fieldwork. This paper also elaborates on the scope of the project and a quality improvement report for the FQHC in observation. It discusses the future potential implementation of the recommendations and the benefits for both employees and patients. This paper concludes with follow up …

Effective Health Communication Measures Within The Silicon Valley, Lauren V. Rodrigues

Master's Projects and Capstones

Effective and reliable communication is vital in the field of Public Health. Fieldwork conducted with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s Communication Team demonstrated the importance of using various social media platforms to effectively reach the largest audience. Content creators need to be aware of the target audience and identify the appropriate communication platform in order to provide relevant information in the most user-friendly and efficient manner. This paper is a summary of a 300 hour fieldwork experience completed through an internship with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.

Implementing Change To Decrease The Emergency Department Visits For Pediatric Clients Referred To Mental Health Services, Diane Sandoval

Master's Projects and Capstones

The purpose of this clinical nurse leader (CNL) internship project is to implement an improvement intervention to decrease emergency department visits or psychiatric emergency services visit rates for pediatric clients receiving mental health services through the ambulatory clinic. The goal is to increase client safety by preventing harm to themselves or others and improving quality of care provided through timely nursing telephone triage. The project is taking place in a county run pediatric ambulatory clinic. We will participate in a shared leadership team to make recommendations for improvement at the microsystem level. Team members include the charge nurse, clinic manager, …

Health Education: An Unmet Needs For Refuges, Zahra Goliaei

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the organizations that serves refugees and asylums arriving into the United States. Each year between 4 to 500 individuals will resettle in Oakland through the IRC. However, after relocation, these individuals need information about life in the new country , community resources , and social services especially health care system in the country. Life pressures during the resettlement process, along with the language barrier and poverty usually lead to a less healthy diets and lifestyles. During the time, these factors will put refugees at the risk of obesity and later, chronic …

Influence Of Child Injury Risk Perceptions On Adult Supervision Behavior, Ha Huynh

Master's Projects and Capstones

Parenting practices play an important role in child safety and injury prevention, and inadequate supervision poses a significant threat to child health. Intervention programs targeting injury beliefs have been shown to positively reduce risky play in children though these efforts vary with age and context. There is a need to further evaluate the influence of social context, environmental characteristics, and parenting practices on supervision behavior. Research has classified supervision characteristics based on dimensions of attention (level of interaction with the child and visual/auditory attentiveness), proximity (physical touch and distance to a child), and continuity (frequency/timing of supervision). Prior studies suggest …

Health Hub Program Evaluation, Natalie Macias

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper examines and evaluates the work of LIFT-Levántate a non-profit organization in San Rafael, California on their school-based nutritional education “health hub,” through health promotion interventions with adolescents. The James B. Davidson Middle School health hub educates students on topics related to nutrition and physical activity with the goal of providing access and increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables while lowering students’ intake of high-fat and sugary processed foods. Through research and observations of the students and families in this community, the data seems to indicate apparent disparities which vary by ethnicity, socioeconomic status and access. Underserved populations, including …

The Role Of Public Libraries In Addressing Food Insecurity: A Model For Community Feeding, Monica De La Cruz

Master's Projects and Capstones

Food insecurity is a serious problem in the United States. Not having enough food to eat can negatively impact children more severely than adults. Children who are food insecure are more likely to suffer from a range of physical, mental, and developmental delays in growth. There is prior evidence that the effects of food insecurity in children can be ameliorated through national feeding programs, like the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which provides daily lunch at school for eligible low-income children. Though these types of programs are considered successful in addressing food insecurity within the community, the lack of these …

Patient Engagement In Transitional Care, Sheeree Dela Pena

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Clinical Nurse Leader Master’s project was conducted about a public health program called the Transitional Care Program that was working in partnership with a county hospital system, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. The specific aim was to reduce hospital re-admissions of high-risk patients by supporting patient motivation and engagement in the Transitional Care Program by May 2015. Over a four-month period, data was collected through ten client visits, interviews with two public health nurses, information available about the program, and current research conducted on transitional care, hospital discharges, and patient engagement. Various aspects of the program were assessed, such …

Overcoming Barriers To Screening For Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia For Persons Living With Hiv, Brandon Hastings

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Screening has proven an effective strategy in the management of diseases that plague the population. This technique has proven to be most effective when screening is conducted with those who are most at risk for developing the targeted illness and when the frequency of screening follows set guidelines. Currently there are no nationally recognized screening guidelines for anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN). Screening for AIN stands to reduce overall incidence of anal squamous cell carcinoma through destruction of the dysplastic cells before they become cancerous. The goals of this project were to identify the patient population that stands to benefit the …

Addressing Health Disparities In Refugees, Claire E. Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

I completed the required 300 hours of my fieldwork internship at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Oakland, CA. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a non-profit international organization that responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and aids displaced individuals in rebuilding their lives in new countries by providing support in health care, finance, education, infrastructure, and resettlement.

I worked as a Health Access/Intensive Case management Intern. As a Health Access Program Intern, it was my job to ensure that refugees coming to the United States had a place to seek medical care, advice, and preventative services. In order …

Healthy And Livable Pittsburg Initiative: Master Of Public Health Culminating Experience, Jasmine L. Bernal

Master's Projects and Capstones

Contra Costa Health Services Department of Community Wellness and Prevention sole purpose is to improve the environmental, social and economic conditions that contribute to poor health, and support a quality of life that promotes the health and well being of all residents within the county, with major attention to those underserved. The Healthy and Livable Pittsburg Initiative tries to address those issues within the city of Pittsburg. The project aims to engage certain members of the community within Pittsburg to be involved in the future community action plan, which will improve the lives of every resident in Pittsburg. The first …

Prevention Of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Through Information And Education At The California Department Of Public Health, Vaisali M. Patel

Master's Projects and Capstones

Immunizations are one of the most important developments in the twentieth century towards the prevention of infectious diseases. Vaccinations against communicable diseases have helped reduce morbidity and mortality all over the world. Despite having numerous vaccines that protect individuals from serious and deadly diseases, vaccination rates in the United States remain at an all-time low. The Information and Education section of the Immunization Branch within the Division of Communicable Disease Control at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) focuses on working with local health departments, primary care providers, immunization coalitions, and other statewide organizations to increase the rates of …

Discovering Community Assets: Master Of Public Health Culminating Experience, Megan E. Sirna

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Sonoma County Department of Health Services, through Cradle to Career, promotes collective impact around educational attainment and workforce development, and has become a leader in developing a framework for community schools. The first step in developing a community schools model is to understand and inventory what is already going on in the community. This process, known more formally as asset mapping, is a participatory process focused on documenting the strengths and resources of a community. The collaborative nature of the process helps to promote community involvement and build community cohesion. In order to assist schools wanting to begin an …

Fieldwork Summary Report: Reducing Repeat Teenage Pregnancy Through Program Planning And Evaluation, Winnie Y. Chan

Master's Projects and Capstones

This fieldwork summary report provides a synthesis of both my overall fieldwork experience at TAPP, Felton Institute’s Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Program, and my Master of Public Health knowledge and skill sets. Since researching the huge social and economic impact that teenage pregnancy and parenting has not only on the teens and their children, but also the society at large, I strived to highlight prevention aspects to reduce repeat unwanted teenage pregnancy. So, I chose to intern at TAPP, focused my fieldwork project mainly on program development and evaluation, along with other aspects of improving wellness.

I begin this report …

Reducing Obesity And Obesity-Related Diseases In Richmond, California: Understanding The Importance Of Partnerships In Community-Based Health Education, Arlette Hernandez

Master's Projects and Capstones

In the United States obesity has become a major public health issue. Over the past two decades, the prevalence of obesity has doubled in adults and children. In the city of Richmond, California, adults and children are experiencing the highest rates of obesity and obesity-related diseases in comparison to other residents of West Contra Costa County. In an effort to reduce the rates of obesity in Richmond, two non-profit organizations have partnered up to provide innovative community-based health education to combat obesity and type II diabetes.

This paper will explore and summarize the 300-hour fieldwork the author experienced and completed …

Trauma Informed Practices For Oakland Unite Service Providers, Maereg D. Haile

Master's Projects and Capstones

Oakland, California - a home to almost 400,000 residents - is the top five most violent cities of the nation. There are lots of factors that greatly contribute to violence including: Poverty, housing/homelessness, unemployment, food insecurity, educational attainment, substance abuse. These factors feed to greater healthy disparities and increased trauma in low-income communities – specifically in east and west Oakland. Measure Y, now called Oakland Unite, is the current violence prevention effort that is set for reauthorization in November 2014. In order for these efforts to continue, Oakland Unite has started looking at comprehensive violence prevention initiatives that includes mental …

Nutrition Education And Community Advocacy At Marin Health And Human Services, Anna C. Allison

Master's Projects and Capstones

It would be a mistake to assume that all Marin neighborhoods look the same. The life expectancy in Ross is over 88 years. Less than 10 miles away in Hamilton Novato, the life expectancy is 75 years. That is a 13 year difference in life expectancy, roughly equivalent to the difference between living in the United States and Guyana. Marin is a small county, but it holds a great deal of variation. An effective health intervention in one neighborhood will not work in another, more importantly, there may not be the same health issue from one neighborhood to the next. …

At Risk For Ptsd: The Public Health Implications Of Trauma, Madeline Peyton

Master's Projects and Capstones

The fieldwork experience is the summation of six semesters of graduate level public health training. At commencement, students are to be proficient in basic data analysis and epidemiological principles, in how environmental risks impact health, and demonstrate strong program planning, evaluation and leadership skills. Throughout, students are encouraged to focus their academic work on an area of public health that interest them and on a problem that they hope to impact in their professional work. I continued in an area I began as an undergraduate student of medical anthropology and explored the systems that interact to influence mental health of …

An Evaluation Of Mammography Rates For Women, 50-74 Years Old, At The San Francisco Department Of Public Health, Kimberly Litts

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper explores the efforts of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) to increase their overall mammogram screening rate to 76.7% by June 2015 in order to receive funding from the federal government. The target population is women within SF DPH’s primary care program, 50-74 years old, and overdue for a mammogram.

The literature reports there are health disparities among women who receive mammograms and how breast cancer affects them. African American women have the highest mortality rates and women of color are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage, …