Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Assessing Social Determinants Of Health In Primary Care, Vicki Carpenter

Doctoral Projects

The social determinants of health encompass the various circumstances and environments in which individuals reside, develop, labor, and experience aging (Social Determinants of Health, 2022). These variables significantly contribute to the existence of health inequities and disparities within populations. In order to effectively mitigate health disparities, it is imperative to consider the various determinants that influence health outcomes, as this consideration is crucial for advancing the goal of achieving health equity. This public health concern encompasses multiple sectors within our society, necessitating the collaboration of various organizations and communities to effectively address and mitigate its impact.

The fundamental …

Wernicke's Encephalopathy: Mapping The Risk Factors Throughout The State Of South Carolina, Shannon M. Rychener

Senior Theses

Wernicke’s Encephalopathy is a consistently underrecognized neurodegenerative brain disorder resulting from prolonged thiamine deficiency. Clinical presentation of the disease results from brain lesions attributable to thiamine deficiency. Because these lesions occur in various locations in the cerebral cortex, symptoms can vary significantly. Varied presentation of symptoms, in addition to the lack of a widely accepted biomarker for the disorder cause challenges to clinicians when identifying and diagnosing the disorder. Due to these challenges, healthcare providers must heavily rely on patient history and risk factor prevalence when multiple symptoms of the disorder are present. By mapping the prevalence of the four …

Walking The Talk: A Qualitative Exploration Of Gatekeeping Staff Perceptions Surrounding Implementation Of Nutrition Policy In Florida Food Banks, Rachel Lynn Mccandless

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity is an independent risk factor for adverse health outcomes; providing nutrient-dense food through the emergency food system to individuals who regularly seek assistance can impact population-level health disparities. This research explored the extrinsic and intrinsic barriers and facilitators surrounding formal nutrition policy implementation as seen by the logistical gatekeepers in a sample of Feeding Florida food banks. A secondary aim of this research was to explore the change readiness of these same logistical decision-makers in nutrition policy implementation. Research Questions included the following: What are the critical gatekeeping staff perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to implementing formal …

The Role Of Food Insecurity With Hunger And Physical Activity Level On Binge Drinking Among Vermont High School Students, Joe Stacy, Codi Williams, Zyakkiriah Rhoden, Han Naung Tun

Master of Public Health Culminating Projects

Objective: To determine the association of hunger, physical activity, Black Indigenous People Of Color (BIPOC) status , and BMI percentile on binge drinking among Vermont high schoolers.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on Vermont high school students aged between 12 to 18 years (n=18,540) using data obtained from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of the Vermont Department of Health. Multiple logistic regression models were utilized to investigate the correlation between binge drinking status and hunger status, physically active status, BIPOC status, and Body Mass Index percentile.

Results: Binge drinkers had significantly higher levels of hunger …

Parental Engagement To Influence Child Nutrition Habits, Mariah Van Ardenne

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Brighter Bites Salinas is a non-profit agency whose mission is to create healthy communities through fresh food. They do this by providing nutrition education to children and delivering free, fresh produce to parents. In the United States, obesity and food insecurity are common, intertwined issues among children. The contributing factors to these entangled issues are associated with living in poverty, acculturation of minority groups, and negative parental influence. The consequences of this include increased risk of chronic diseases, high-cost treatments, and mental health issues. This capstone project was created to positively engage parents in nutrition education to influence their children’s …

Eat Well, Be Well: Basic Needs Initiative's Online Hub For Nutrition Education, Misha Moseley

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Basic Needs Initiative at California State University, Monterey Bay is a department that provides students with food, housing, and wellness resources. Over half of the university's students experience food insecurity, and over 85% use non-academic resources to learn about nutrition. This project adds a dietary health section to the department’s website to increase students’ access to nutrition education. It addresses the micro-level agency problem that too few students eat a healthy, balanced diet. Unhealthy eating is a risk factor for food insecurity, so the project indirectly addresses the macro-level health problem that too many college students in California experience food …

Economic Insecurity, Poverty, And Parental Alcohol Misuse, Joey Tucciarone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because parental alcohol misuse is associated with numerous negative outcomes for drinkers and other family members, it is important to examine factors predictive of alcohol misuse patterns among parents living with at least one child under the age of 18. Two possible factors include economic insecurity and poverty. This study sought to address whether measures of economic insecurity (i.e., housing and/or food insecurity in the past 12 months) and a dichotomous measure of poverty predict parental binge drinking and parental heavy alcohol consumption in a large population-based sample. It was hypothesized that economic insecurity and poverty, analyzed separately, would predict …

Assessing Basic Needs Insecurity Prevalence And Associated Factors Among College Students Enrolled At A Large, Public University In The Southeastern U.S., Mary Kathleen Robbins

Masters Theses

Abstract

Background: Basic needs insecurity (BNI), defined as having both food and housing insecurity, is an emerging issue on college campuses. Students experiencing basic needs insecurity may be more likely to have poorer academic performance, as well as poorer physical and mental health compared to other students. This research assesses the prevalence of food, housing, and basic needs insecurity among college students enrolled at a large, public university and identifies factors associated with experiencing food, housing, and basic needs insecurity.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted at a large, public university in the Southeast U.S. Eligible, enrolled students (n=23,444) …

More Than A Meal : A Resource For Communities Striving For Food Sovereignty Through The Charitable Food System, Kaitlin J. Robertson

Food Systems Master's Project Reports

The 2020 pandemic and economic crisis showcased the fragility of the American food system. In the months of quarantine and lockdowns, a growing number of Americans searched for ways to feed themselves and their families. Community-based and volunteer-supported feeding programs worked to bridge the divide between the hungry and their next meal. In many cases, these programs rely on an unpaid workforce and donations – of time, food, and facilities. With limited resources, volunteer-led programs often lack centralized training options; this guidebook seeks to fill that void. This project is a streamlined, introductory-level guide for volunteers and community members working …

Food Insecurity In Vermont Households: An Analysis Of The Association With Tobacco Use, Alcohol Consumption And Physical Inactivity, Hannah R. Kaufman, Kyleigh Savoie, Emily Belanger, Kijonna Bowman, Darren Childs, Hendrika Maltby

Master of Public Health Culminating Projects

Objectives: To assess the relationship between chronic disease risk behaviors: tobacco usage, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, and food insecurity (FI) among Vermonters. Methods: This cross-sectional study uses a sample (n= 1,378) from Vermont’s 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The examined outcome is FI. The predictor measures were defined as at-risk tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and sedentary lifestyles.The following were established as covariates on the association between the dependent and independent variables: income, sex, age, race/ethnicity, and activity limitations. Results: In the unadjusted binomial logistic regression (Table 2), tobacco users were 3.32 times more likely to be food …

Increasing Food Insecurity Screening, Coding, And Referral Among Emergency Department Providers, Jennifer Lee Watkins Bsn, Rn, Dnp-C

College of Nursing and Health Sciences Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Publications

Background & Purpose. Food insecurity (FI) affects 1 in 9 Vermonters (Feeding America, n.d.), and is associated with many poor health outcomes and healthcare expenses (Malecha et al., 2018). Research identifies emergency departments (EDs) as key settings to address FI in high-risk populations (Cullen et al., 2019), guiding this project to the ED of a Critical Access Hospital and Federally Qualified Health Center. This project intended to increase ED providers’ knowledge and utilization of food insecurity screening (FIS), use of FI billing code Z59.4, and subsequent referral to the Community Health Team (CHT). Specific aims included: identify existing …

A Collaborative Approach To Incentivizing Healthy Food Choices Among Uncontrolled Diabetic Patients At A Local Federally Qualified Health Center To Improve Health Outcomes, Briauna J. Taylor

Doctoral Projects

Background: The rate of uncontrolled diabetes among patients at a local Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is higher than the nation standard, a phenomenon believed to be caused by the effects of social determinants of health (SDOH). SDOH, specifically food insecurity, play a significant role in health outcomes of diabetic patients. Increasing access to healthy foods, thereby reducing food insecurity, has the potential to improve glycemic control and reduce diet related chronic disease.

Objectives: The project aims to determine if partnership with a membership based incentivized grocery store has the potential to positively impact health outcomes among vulnerable patients with …

Increasing Food Security: Developing And Testing A Nutrition Education Curriculum For A Mobile Food Pantry, Alexandra Lepecha, Kathleen M. Kraft

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Background: The Neighborhood Produce Market (NPM) is a food distribution model similar to a mobile food pantry. NPM stakeholders observed a lack of community engagement and familiarity with produce offered.

Project Description: The objective was to develop a nutrition education curriculum for NPM volunteers to better engage families and community members by providing food samples, recipes, and nutrition education. A stakeholder steering committee guided the needs assessment, curriculum development, volunteer training, and pilot test. The curriculum consisted of food safety, cultural considerations, and nutritional information for nine produce items and food tasting procedures and recipes. Seven student volunteers were trained …

Increasing Low-Income Residents’ Access To Fresh Produce Through A Local Mobile Pantry, Laura Wasson

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Seeds that Feed (STF) is a mobile food pantry located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. STF receives produce from local farmers to distribute to residents in low-income housing sites throughout Northwest Arkansas. According to Feeding America, food insecurity affected 14.3% Washington County, Arkansas’ population in 2016. The purpose of this study was to determine if STF’s model is an effective way to increase individuals’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables and increase their potential to meet the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Patterns (USDA-FP) for to fruit and vegetable consumption. Twenty-three participants from three sites completed the study. A survey was …

Who's Hungry In San Diego, Alison M. Schurman, Kathy S. James

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Objective: Food insecurity (FI) is a lack of access to nutritious food. FI has been linked to multiple preventable diseases from behavioral disorders to asthma to obesity and its sequelae. In San Diego County, 14 percent of families are food insecure. The AAP recommends screening for FI at all well appointments using the two-question FI screening tool. The aim of this project was to implement this tool at a multi-clinic, low income population community health center where ninety-five percent of patients meet qualification for SNAP benefits.

Methods: Stakeholders chose one week to screen all patients presenting to clinic for FI …

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 …

Community Readiness Assessment: Applications For Community Nutrition Research, Whitney E. Houser

All Master's Theses

Trends in qualitative community nutrition research demonstrate a powerful, emerging perspective in the midst of a field historically dominated by quantitative methods of inquiry. For this qualitative study, ten key respondents were purposively selected and interviewed using the Community Readiness Model (CRM) to capture community knowledge of food insecurity issues and strategies. Data were analyzed using anchored rating scales, revealing readiness at a stage three, characterized by a vague awareness of local food insecurity. The purpose of this study is to report on the strengths and challenges of the CRM experienced when utilizing the model to address food insecurity. The …

Effect Of Food Security And Federal Food Assistance Participation On Household Availability And Recorded Preschool Child Consumption Of Sugar Sweetened Beverages And 100% Fruit Juice, Katherine A. Yarbrough

Master's Theses

Sugar sweetened beverage consumption is on the rise in the United States, particularly among children. However, the impact of household food security and federal food assistance participation on beverage habits has not been extensively analyzed. This paper sought to fill the current gap in literature on household beverage availability and recorded preschool child consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) and 100% fruit juice based on food security levels and status of federal food assistance participation. For this thesis, SSB are beverages that have added sugar and include fruit drinks, sodas, sports drinks, syrups, flavored milks, and teas. Baseline data from …