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Differences In Health-Related Behaviors And Attitudes Between Urban, Rural, And Isolated Households In Western West Virginia, Michael Newsome Phd, Tim Hazelett, Monika Sawhney Phd, Msw Jul 2016

Differences In Health-Related Behaviors And Attitudes Between Urban, Rural, And Isolated Households In Western West Virginia, Michael Newsome Phd, Tim Hazelett, Monika Sawhney Phd, Msw

Michael Newsome

This study uses data from a 2013 survey of 275 randomly sampled households across nine counties in western West Virginia to examine the significant differences between the health behaviors and attitudes of rural and isolated populations. The results show that age, education, and income are significant factors in explaining differences in health-related behaviors and attitudes for all urban, rural and isolated respondents. However, after controlling for socio-demographic differences, isolation is found to have only a few significant effects, and some of the effects run counter to stereotypes of isolated populations. Rural respondents are significantly more likely than isolated respondents to …


Differences In Health-Related Behaviors And Attitudes Between Urban, Rural, And Isolated Households In Western West Virginia, Michael Newsome Phd, Tim Hazelett, Monika Sawhney Phd, Msw Jul 2016

Differences In Health-Related Behaviors And Attitudes Between Urban, Rural, And Isolated Households In Western West Virginia, Michael Newsome Phd, Tim Hazelett, Monika Sawhney Phd, Msw

Monika Sawhney

This study uses data from a 2013 survey of 275 randomly sampled households across nine counties in western West Virginia to examine the significant differences between the health behaviors and attitudes of rural and isolated populations. The results show that age, education, and income are significant factors in explaining differences in health-related behaviors and attitudes for all urban, rural and isolated respondents. However, after controlling for socio-demographic differences, isolation is found to have only a few significant effects, and some of the effects run counter to stereotypes of isolated populations. Rural respondents are significantly more likely than isolated respondents to …


Characterization Of Babies Discharged From Cabell Huntington Hospital During The Calendar Year 2005 With The Diagnoses Of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, F. Ross Baxter Md, Robert Nerhood Md, David Chaffin Md Jun 2016

Characterization Of Babies Discharged From Cabell Huntington Hospital During The Calendar Year 2005 With The Diagnoses Of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, F. Ross Baxter Md, Robert Nerhood Md, David Chaffin Md

David G. Chaffin

Recent concern regarding the impact of maternal drug abuse on neonatal well-being was the impetus for this retrospective cohort study of newborns diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome that were discharged from Cabell Huntington Hospital during the calendar year 2005. Medical records of the neonates and their mothers were analyzed for a variety of health related outcomes and healthcare cost. Forty-eight neonates were diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in 2005, forty of which required NICU assistance. The average maternal age at delivery was 26; gravity was 3.1 and most were single, separated or divorced. The majority had poor or inconsistent prenatal …


Safety Of Infliximab In Children With Ibd: The Experience Of An Academic Center In Wv, Michael Northcutt Md, Awni Al-Subu Md, Brooke Bella Rn, Yoram Elitsur Md Jun 2016

Safety Of Infliximab In Children With Ibd: The Experience Of An Academic Center In Wv, Michael Northcutt Md, Awni Al-Subu Md, Brooke Bella Rn, Yoram Elitsur Md

Yoram Elitsur

BACKGROUND: The immune-modulating drug, infliximab, is approved for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) treatment in children. Chronic therapy with infliximab is associated with the development of early and delayed infusion reactions. We reviewed our experience with infliximab treatment and its side effects in a cohort of children diagnosed with IBD who were treated in our clinic. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all IBD children treated with infliximab in our center from 2006-2011 was performed. The demographic, chronological and clinical data were recorded. The infliximab infusion was given at 5mg/ kg according to a standard protocol after pre-treatment with low dose steroid …


Update On Adolescent Tobacco Cessation, Madeline Keyser, Lynne J. Goebel Jun 2016

Update On Adolescent Tobacco Cessation, Madeline Keyser, Lynne J. Goebel

Lynne J. Goebel

Adolescent tobacco use is decreasing in West Virginia, a state which features the Not on Tobacco (NOT) and RAZE programs. This manuscript gives an overview of recent studies in adolescent tobacco cessation, what works and what doesn’t. More research is needed to improve cessation rates in adolescents.


West Virginia Nursing Homes: Are They Up To The Standard?, Guillermo Madero Md, Shirley M. Neitch Md Jun 2016

West Virginia Nursing Homes: Are They Up To The Standard?, Guillermo Madero Md, Shirley M. Neitch Md

Shirley M. Neitch

Quality measurement and performance monitoring are under continuous assessment in Nursing Homes (NH). Through this research project we assess the quality of care provided in the NH in the state of West Virginia by publicly accessible quality measurements. The methodology for this research study was through the retrieval of data from the Nursing Home Compare website in which a total of 80 NH were located and analyzed. The results demonstrate that more than 50% of NH in West Virginia are at or above the national average when compared using the Five Star Rating System by CMS, in overall rating (59%), …


Improving Rural Bone Health And Minimizing Fracture Risk In West Virginia: Validation Of The World Health Organization Frax® Assessment Tool As A Phone Survey For Osteoporosis Detection, Franklin D. Shuler Md, Phd, Kelly Scott Md, Mph, Timothy Wilson-Byrne Md, Miranda R. Morgan, Linda Morgan May 2016

Improving Rural Bone Health And Minimizing Fracture Risk In West Virginia: Validation Of The World Health Organization Frax® Assessment Tool As A Phone Survey For Osteoporosis Detection, Franklin D. Shuler Md, Phd, Kelly Scott Md, Mph, Timothy Wilson-Byrne Md, Miranda R. Morgan, Linda Morgan

Timothy Wilson-Byrne MD

West Virginia ranks second nationally in population ≥ 65 years old placing our state at greater risk for osteoporosis and fracture. The gold standard for detecting osteoporosis is dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), yet over half of West Virginia’s counties do not have this machine. Due to access barriers, a validated phone-administered fracture prediction tool would be beneficial for osteoporosis screening. The World Health Organization’s FRAX® fracture prediction tool was administered as a phone survey to 45 patients; these results were compared to DXA bone mineral density determination. Results confirmed that the FRAX® phone survey is as reliable as DXA in …


Improving Rural Bone Health And Minimizing Fracture Risk In West Virginia: Validation Of The World Health Organization Frax® Assessment Tool As A Phone Survey For Osteoporosis Detection, Franklin D. Shuler Md, Phd, Kelly Scott Md, Mph, Timothy Wilson-Byrne Md, Miranda R. Morgan, Linda Morgan May 2016

Improving Rural Bone Health And Minimizing Fracture Risk In West Virginia: Validation Of The World Health Organization Frax® Assessment Tool As A Phone Survey For Osteoporosis Detection, Franklin D. Shuler Md, Phd, Kelly Scott Md, Mph, Timothy Wilson-Byrne Md, Miranda R. Morgan, Linda Morgan

Franklin D. Shuler

West Virginia ranks second nationally in population ≥ 65 years old placing our state at greater risk for osteoporosis and fracture. The gold standard for detecting osteoporosis is dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), yet over half of West Virginia’s counties do not have this machine. Due to access barriers, a validated phone-administered fracture prediction tool would be beneficial for osteoporosis screening. The World Health Organization’s FRAX® fracture prediction tool was administered as a phone survey to 45 patients; these results were compared to DXA bone mineral density determination. Results confirmed that the FRAX® phone survey is as reliable as DXA in …


The Impact Of Alzheimer’S Disease In An Aging Rural Population, Lynne J. Goebel, Vivian M. Minkemeyer, Courtney Wellman May 2016

The Impact Of Alzheimer’S Disease In An Aging Rural Population, Lynne J. Goebel, Vivian M. Minkemeyer, Courtney Wellman

Lynne J. Goebel

West Virginia already has a large elderly population, and it is expected to increase along with the elderly population of the nation as a whole. Since the most important risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is older age, it is not surprising that the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is projected to increase significantly over the next thirty-five years. This paper discusses the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in West Virginia, programs available to assist people and caregivers affected by the disease, and the associated economic burden of the disease.


Rural Disparities In Cancer Care: A Review Of Its Implications And Possible Interventions, Raj Singh, Lynne J. Goebel Md May 2016

Rural Disparities In Cancer Care: A Review Of Its Implications And Possible Interventions, Raj Singh, Lynne J. Goebel Md

Lynne J. Goebel

Cancer care has greatly improved in the last few decades, as evidenced by a 22% decline in the overall cancer-related death rate in the United States since 1991. However, the question presents itself whether rural residents, for whom the latest advancements are not as accessible, are also realizing these benefits as much as their urban counterparts. The aim of this study is to provide are view of the literature regarding the disparities in cancer care facing rural Appalachia and specifically West Virginia (WV) as well as possible solutions towards bridging this gap. We find that WV has a higher cancer …


Extraskeletal Effects Of Vitamin D: Potential Impact On Wv Disease Morbidity And Mortality, Franklin D. Shuler, Dana Lycans, Elias Salloum Apr 2016

Extraskeletal Effects Of Vitamin D: Potential Impact On Wv Disease Morbidity And Mortality, Franklin D. Shuler, Dana Lycans, Elias Salloum

Franklin D. Shuler

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient and a secosteroid hormone that regulates many physiologic processes beyond calcium and bone homeostasis. These "extraskeletal" effects are impacted by the circulating levels of the storage form of vitamin D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. Levels of vitamin D can be detected after completing a simple 25(OH)D blood test. Vitamin D deficiency (< 30 ng/mL) is associated with a higher risk of many chronic diseases including, but not limited to, fourteen types of cancers, type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, and asthma. This article explores the association between vitamin D deficiency and …