Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Housing, The Neighborhood Environment, And Physical Activity Among Older African Americans, Lonnie Hannon Iii, Patricia Sawyer, Richard M. Allman

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Abstract

This study examines the association of neighborhood environment, as measured by housing factors, with physical activity among older African Americans. Context is provided on the effects of structural inequality as an inhibitor of health enhancing neighborhood environments. The study population included African Americans participating in the UAB Study of Aging (n=433). Participants demonstrated the ability to walk during a baseline in-home assessment. The strength and independence of housing factors were assessed using neighborhood walking for exercise as the outcome variable. Sociodemographic data, co-morbid medical conditions, and rural/urban residence were included as independent control factors. Homeownership, occupancy, and length of …

Land Use Adaptation To Climate Change: Economic Damages From Land-Falling Hurricanes In The Atlantic And Gulf States Of The Usa, 1900-2005, Asim Zia

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Global climate change, especially the phenomena of global warming, is expected to increase the intensity of land-falling hurricanes. Societal adaptation is needed to reduce vulnerability from increasingly intense hurricanes. This study quantifies the adaptation effects of potentially policy driven caps on housing densities and agricultural cover in coastal (and adjacent inland) areas vulnerable to hurricane damages in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal regions of the U.S. Time series regressions, especially Prais-Winston and Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) models, are estimated to forecast the economic impacts of hurricanes of varying intensity, given that various patterns of land use emerge in the Atlantic …

Ecosystem Services: The Economics Debate, Joshua Farley

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

The goal of this paper is to illuminate the debate concerning the economics of ecosystem services. The sustainability debate focuses on whether or not ecosystem services are essential for human welfare and the existence of ecological thresholds. If ecosystem services are essential, then marginal analysis and monetary valuation are inappropriate tools in the vicinity of thresholds. The justice debate focuses on who is entitled to ecosystem services and the ecosystem structure that generates them. Answers to these questions have profound implications for the choice of suitable economic institutions. The efficiency debate concerns both the goals of economic activity and the …

Self-Rated Health Status Comparing Pacific Islanders To Asians, Maile Taualii

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Disease reporting for Asians/Pacific Islanders often conflicts and is, many cases, inaccurate because of the aggregation of Asians and Pacific Islanders. An analysis of 2005 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System data was performed to examine health status of Asians compared to Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. Findings show a significant difference between Asians and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, with a greater likelihood for Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders to rate their health as poor. Conclusion: Asians and Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders do not have the same health status. By aggregating these two distinctly different …

Seeking Cancer Information: An Appalachian Perspective, Robin C. Vanderpool, Bin Huang, Brent J. Shelton

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

There are noted disparities by ethnicity, race, age, gender, and socioeconomic status in the reported use of and access to cancer information. Missing from this list of variables that predict these disparities are specific geographic locales, such as Appalachia, a region recognized as a medically underserved, “special population”. Through a secondary analysis of NCI’s 2003 HINTS dataset, we are able to describe the cancer information-seeking behaviors of Appalachians as compared to non-Appalachians with a focus on actual versus preferential information-seeking behaviors, information-seeking experiences, and demographics. In general, Appalachians and non-Appalachians do not significantly differ in their cancer information-seeking behaviors and …

Get Your Butt Off The Ground!: Consequences Of Cigarette Waste And Litter-Reducing Methods, Joyce Lee

Pomona Senior Theses

Cigarette butts are rapidly accumulating on our planet; trillions of them are discarded every year. In this paper, I examine why cigarette litter is a problem. I first discuss the biodegradability of filters and its scientific basis, including ways to enhance degradation rates by chemically manipulating filters. I also talk about the persistence of cigarette chemicals and their potential toxic effects on children and animals. I consider other social, economic, and environmental consequences of cigarette filters and chemicals. Furthermore, I discuss various solutions smokers and non-smokers alike have created to address the problem of cigarette litter; these methods come from …

Evaluating “Not In Mama's Kitchen” Second-Hand Smoke Campaign In Georgia, Jonathan B. Vangeest, Verna L. Welch

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In 2003-2005, the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. initiated the Not in Mama’s Kitchen (NIMK) second-hand smoke (SHS) prevention campaign in Georgia as part of their effort to reduce exposure to SHS in African American communities statewide. This initiative was evaluated using baseline data from pledge cards as well as data from a self-administered mail survey of 1,000 campaign participants. 14,770 Georgians participated in NIMK, signing pledges to make their homes and cars smoke free. Majorities of those surveyed followed through with their pledge, banning tobacco use in their homes (76.1%) and cars (80.2%). The program was cited by 65.4% …

Promoting Physical Activity In Low Income African Americans: Project Laps, Dorothy W. Pekmezi, Brooke L. Barbera, Jamie S. Bodenlos, Glenn N. Jones, Phillip J. Brantley

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Low income African Americans are at increased risk for physical inactivity and related chronic illnesses. Thus, effective interventions are needed to address these health disparities. The current study examined the efficacy of a home-based physical activity intervention among a low income African American sample with high rates of chronic illnesses (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol). Participants (n=214) were randomly assigned to either the home-based physical activity intervention (self-help print materials, five monthly newsletters, two telephone counseling sessions) or an attention control condition, which promoted healthy diet. Results indicated that the intervention did not produce significantly greater increases in physical activity …

Utilizing Community Resources To Reduce The Presence Of Type 2 Diabetes In Rural Youth, Antonia S. Mead, M. C. Nagy, Stephen Nagy

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to implement a program designed to promote diabetes prevention activities among preadolescents in a rural southern setting using a day camp intervention. Participants in the study were eleven youth from a rural Alabama county who participated in a week-long half-day camp administered by local and community volunteers. Change scores were used to compare pre- to post- to follow-up measures for camp participant responses. Program results consistently demonstrated that the day camp was theoretically sound and that program activities positively impacted behavioral antecedents. This study demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a diabetes prevention day camp …

Inflammatory Biomarkers And Subclinical Atherosclerosis In African-American Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Sle), Edith Williams, Carlos Crespo, Joan Dorn

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Women with lupus are at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Previous studies of atherosclerosis in SLE have not been representative of the minority groups most affected by lupus and its complications. Therefore, a study of 41 lupus cases and 83 controls was conducted to investigate the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and inflammation in African-American women. Participation consisted of a questionnaire, physical examination, fasting blood draw, and ultrasound of the carotid arteries. There were observed differences between cases and controls with regard to carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and traditional cardiovascular risk factors, although few reached statistical significance. Tumor …

A Human Capital Approach To Reduce Health Disparities, Saundra Glover, Sudha Xirasagar, Yunho Jeon, Keith Elder, Crystal N. Piper, Harris Pastides

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: To introduce a human capital approach to reduce health disparities in South Carolina by increasing the number and quality of trained minority professionals in public health practice and research.

Methods: The conceptual basis and elements of Project EXPORT in South Carolina are described. Project EXPORT is a community based participatory research (CBPR) translational project designed to build human capital in public health practice and research. This project involves Claflin University (CU), a Historically Black College University (HBCU) and the African American community of Orangeburg, South Carolina to reduce health disparities, utilizing resources from the University of South Carolina (USC), …

Preliminary Evaluation Of The Incharge Program Among Older African Americans In Rural Alabama, Cynthia Owsley, Gerald Mcgwin Jr., June Weston, Beth T. Stalvey, Karen Searcey, Christopher A. Girkin

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: Blindness rates among older African Americans are two times higher than for older whites. Our purpose was to understand attitudes about eye care and perceived barriers to care among older African Americans living in rural Alabama and to determine whether an educational program reduced perceived barriers to care. InCHARGE, an eye health education program for older African Americans, promotes eye disease prevention by conveying the personal benefits of annual dilated comprehensive eye care and by teaching strategies to minimize barriers to eye care.

Design and Participants: InCHARGE was presented in five senior centers to 111 individuals. Using a questionnaire …

Obesity Prevalence, Weight-Related Beliefs And Behaviors Among Low-Income Ethnically Diverse National Job Corps Students, Jamie S. Bodenlos, Milagros C. Rosal, Diane Blake, Celeste Lemay, Diane Elfenbein

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The obesity rates of Job Corps students, a predominantly ethnic minority and low income group of youth, are unknown. The purpose of this project was to examine obesity rates among these youth as well as their weight-related perceptions and behavior. First, medical charts (N=641) of all Job Corps students (ages 16-25) who were enrolled in the program in the past year were examined for height and weight. In the second phase of the study, 344 Job Corp students were recruited and information on weight perceptions, knowledge of obesity consequences, and weight loss behavior were examined. Almost half of the participants …

The Significance Of A K-12 Diabetes-Based Science Education Program For Tribal Populations: Evaluating Cognitive Learning, Cultural Context, And Attitudinal Components, Carolee D. Francis, Doug Coulson, Bonnie Kalberer, Lemyra Debruyn, William Freeman, Janet Belcourt

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Preventing and reducing the onset of type 2 diabetes among American Indian/Alaska Native youth requires ground-breaking strategies to affect knowledge, attitudes, and cognitive decision-making skills. In an unparalleled endeavor to address the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes in tribal communities, a K-12 Diabetes Education in Tribal Schools (DETS) curriculum was created by eight tribal colleges and three federal agencies. This article highlights the results of the implementation phase, the final evaluation step in acquiring and measuring student knowledge and attitude gains through pre-post standardized assessment.

Hiv/Sti Risk Factors Among African-American Students Attending Predominantly White Universities, Marya L. Shegog, Lisa Lindley, Melva Thompson-Robinson, David Simmons, Donna Richter

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: The majority of African American college students in the U.S. attend predominantly white institutions (PWIs). However, there is minimal research examining this population’s HIV/STI risk behaviors. The purpose of this investigation was to assess HIV/STI behavioral risk factors among African American college students (aged 18 – 24years) attending PWIs. (n = 2,568)

Methods: Backwards step-wise logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with a positive HIV/STI diagnosis (past year) among sexually active African American college students who participated in the Spring, 2006 National College Health Assessment.

Findings: Nine factors were significantly associated with an HIV/STI diagnosis among …

Drinking Games Among College Students, Emily Schumacher

2012 Awards for Excellence in Student Research & Creative Activity - Documents

The purpose of this study was to explore, analyze, and compare the attitudes, behaviors, consequences, and reasons for participation in drinking games among college students. An 11-item questionnaire was created and used to survey respondents. Face and content validity were established by using an expert panel. The survey included demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal information and consisted of yes or no, multiple choice, and ranking questions. The data was analyzed through descriptive statistics using SPSS. Data was reported by frequencies and percentages. Descriptive studies allowed the researcher to gain a better understanding of the attitudes and behaviors of college students participating …

The Influence Of Neighborhood Characteristics On The Existence Of Asthma In Children, Elizabeth Adejuyigbe

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Asthma is one of the leading chronic diseases in children 17 years of age and under with nine million American children suffering from it. Previous studies to understand causal factors of disease including asthma tend to focus on the individual and sociocultural characteristics but there is little to no research using neighborhood characteristics, a factor that does influence health. Research shows that other community‐level environmental factors like collective efficacy, community structural factors, and neighborhood safety can affect a persons’ psychosocial well-being, and in turn increase morbidity. For this reason, researchers suggest that the need to understand asthma and its associated …

Early Developmental Responses To Seedling Environment Modulate Later Plasticity To Light Spectral Quality, Eric J.B. Von Wettberg, John R. Stinchcombe, Johanna Schmitt

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Correlations between developmentally plastic traits may constrain the joint evolution of traits. In plants, both seedling de-etiolation and shade avoidance elongation responses to crowding and foliage shade are mediated by partially overlapping developmental pathways, suggesting the possibility of pleiotropic constraints. To test for such constraints, we exposed inbred lines of Impatiens capensis to factorial combinations of leaf litter (which affects de-etiolation) and simulated foliage shade (which affects phytochrome-mediated shade avoidance). Increased elongation of hypocotyls caused by leaf litter phenotypically enhanced subsequent elongation of the first internode in response to low red:far red (R:FR). Trait expression was correlated across litter and …

Conservation And Livelihoods: Identifying Trade-Offs And Win-Wins, Brendan P. Fisher

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Health Effects Associated With Foreclosure: A Secondary Analysis Of Hospital Discharge Data, Nancy N. Menzel, Sheniz Moonie, Melva Thompson-Robinson

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the health effects of high home foreclosure rates in an area of the United States of America and the utility of hospital discharge data for this purpose.

Methods: We analyzed hospital discharge data from three postal zip codes using the principal diagnosis for 25 Diagnostic Related Groups associated with stress. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize hospital discharge rates for each condition by year and zip code. To test for differences across time, the Cochran-Armitage trend test was performed.

Results: Most conditions did not demonstrate a statistical change between 2005 and …

Formative Research And Community Resilience: A Case Of Under Addressed Youth Problem Gambling, Michea Caye

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The overarching research topic for this study is the issue of effectively engaging and informing community and government decision makers about health issues that can negatively impact a community's resilience. The question guiding this study is how can formative research engage and inform community and government decision makers about the under addressed issue of youth problem gambling (YPG) in Windham County, Vermont? The study has two aims: 1) to develop a formative research conceptual framework and evaluate its effectiveness in addressing the public health issue of youth problem gambling, and 2) to use the formative research methodology to develop a …