Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Determinants Of Health: Neighborhood Characteristics, Obesity And The Mental Health Of African-American Adolescent Girls, Roseanne L. Flores

Publications and Research

The present study examined the relationship among neighborhood characteristics, obesity, and the mental health outcomes of a nationally representative sample of African-American adolescent girls between the ages of 12 - 17. Using data from the 2011/2012 National Survey of Children’s Health, four questions were extracted to measure neighborhood amenities, neighborhood detractors, body mass index, and experience of depression. Ordinal regressions were calculated to estimate the relationships between all variables. The results indicated that over 25% of African- American girls, ages 12 - 14 were overweight and obese with fewer 15 - 17-year-old girls falling within these categories. African-American girls had …

Mental Health Workout: Lifting Stigma, Jeremy Bambery

Master's Projects and Capstones

Mental illness affects one out of every five Americans between the ages 13-18, and it is estimated that two-thirds of these individuals will not seek treatment due to the stigma associated with having a mental illness or mental health issue (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Access to information and the ability to talk openly without fear will aid in creating a stigma free future. The goal of this project is to supply high school students in the San Francisco Bay Area with information regarding the stigma associated with mental health and mental illness via videos that will be used as …

Prevalence And Predictors Of E-Cigarette Trial Among Adolescents In Argentina, Paola Morello, Adriana Perez, Lorena Peña, Paula Lozano, Jim Thrasher, James Sargent, Raul Mejia

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Over the last few years, the increasing use of electronic cigarettes has become a new public health problem. Since 2011, Argentina has had a complete ban on marketing and sale of e-cigarettes. However, e-cigarettes are marketed online and can be easily bought in stores. We conducted a longitudinal study to evaluate the determinants of e-cigarette trial among Argentinean early adolescents.

Methods: A school-based longitudinal study was conducted in 2014-15, in 3 large cities in Argentina. Among students who reported never smoking an e-cigarette at baseline, we assessed demographics, media use, sensation seeking, smoking behavior, network member smoking, use of …

Depression Symptoms , Acculturation, Needing Care, And Receiving Care: A Study Of Adolescents Living In California, Shahrzad Bazargan-Hejazi, Mohsen Bazargan, Magda Shaheen, Senait Teklehaimnot, Alireza Ahmadi, Joan Cooper, Stacey Teruya

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: The objectives of this study are 1) to depict the prevalence of moderate depressive symptoms (MDS) in adolescents living in California, 2) to examine the role of acculturation in reported MDS, and 3) to identify any relationship between acculturation, “needing emotional help,” and “receiving psychological or emotional counseling,” as reported by adolescents with MDS. Methods: We analyzed data from a cross-sectional population-based telephone survey for adolescents who completed the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) in 2007, 2009, and 2011-2012. The primary predictor variable was level of acculturation. Outcome variables were 1) the presence of MDS, 2) whether participants needed …

Air Pollution, Physical Activity, And Markers Of Acute Airway Oxidative Stress And Inflammation In Adolescents, Emily Pasalic, Matthew J. Hayat, Roby Greenwald

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The airway inflammatory response is likely the mechanism for adverse health effects related to exposure to air pollution. Increased ventilation rates during physical activity in the presence of air pollution increases the inhaled dose of pollutants. However, physical activity may moderate the relationship between air pollution and the inflammatory response. The present study aimed to characterize, among healthy adolescents, the relationship between dose of inhaled air pollution, physical activity, and markers of lung function, oxidative stress, and airway inflammation.

Methods: With a non-probability sample of adolescents, this observational study estimated the association between air pollution dose and outcome measures …

Young People’S Perceptions Of Advice About Sexual Risk Taking, Christopher Donoghue, Consuelo Bonillas, Jennifer Moreno, Melissa Cheung

Department of Sociology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Sexual and reproductive health indicators for young people in the USA have improved in recent decades, but teenage pregnancies remain high, and large differences between Whites and non-Whites persist in teenage births, abortions, and the acquisition of sexually transmitted infections. Prior research shows that young people are receptive to communication about sex from parents and friends, but peers have been found to be more influential on sexual risk taking. In this study of 617 young people aged 13–20 years in high-risk neighbourhoods for teenage pregnancy in New Jersey, we asked whether sexually inexperienced young people differed from sexually experienced young …

Improving Human Papillomavirus Immunization Rates In Kentucky, Nneka S. Udechukwu, Paul Duffin, Alissa Briggs, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Oral Cancer In Adolescents Related To Areca (Betel) Nut Chewing, Using Tobacco And Other Additives In Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands: A Review Of Literature, Eloise Lopez, Rosa Tudela, Bsn, Msn, Rn

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Oral cancer can involve the lip, tongue, mouth and pharynx. It is the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide. One of the leading causes of Oral Cancerin the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is chewing betel nut with tobacco and other additives. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) linked areca nut, betel quid with tobacco and betel quid without tobacco as carcinogenic to humans.

Areca nut, also known as betel nut comes from the areca palm tree. The use of areca nut is common throughout the Pacific, and is widespread in Papua New …

Factors Influencing Healthy Eating And Physical Activity Behaviors Of Adolescents In Appalachia, Natalie Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the TPB constructs of attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms and their ability to predict healthy eating and physical activity behaviors among adolescents living in Southern Appalachia. The study also considered the relative utility of subjective norms and social support in predicting these behaviors. Data for this research were derived from a larger study, Team Up for Healthy Living, conducted September 2011 through November 2014 with high school students in the Appalachian region (Study ID: R01MD006200 from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities). Participants (n=963) completed a three-part paper survey collecting data about …

Smoking Among Youth Living With Hiv: The Intersection Of Behavioral Health And Chronic Disease, Todd Wells

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Smoking amongst youth living with HIV (YLWH) has major public health implications. When combined with the complications associated with smoking such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) or heart disease, the impact of a HIV positive diagnosis increases morbidity exponentially (Nahvi & Cooperman, 2009). The purpose of this study was two-fold, to investigate the perceptions of smoking amongst YLWH aged 18-25 who received care at the CMS Clinic located at the University of South Florida and to determine factors related to cessation. A study design utilizing two components, a systematic literature review and primary qualitative data was used in this …

Sleep Duration Patterns From Adolescence To Young Adulthood And Their Impact On Asthma And Inflammation, Chighaf Bakour

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation includes three studies that examined the impact of inadequate sleep duration in adolescents and young adults on asthma and systemic inflammation. We used data from the Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), years 2009-2013, and from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add health), which was conducted between 1994 and 2008.

The first study used data from 16,738 high school students participating in the Florida YRBS. We examined the cross-sectional association between sleep duration and asthma, and the interactive effects of sleep duration and BMI. We found that short and long sleep durations were associated …

National Trends In Off-Label Use Of Atypical Antipsychotics In Children And Adolescents In The United States, Minji Sohn, Daniela C. Moga, Karen Blumenschein, Jeffery C. Talbert

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

The objectives of the study were as follows: to examine the national trend of pediatric atypical antipsychotic (AAP) use in the United States; to identify primary mental disorders associated with AAPs; to estimate the strength of independent associations between patient/provider characteristics and AAP use. Data are from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. First, average AAP prescription rates among 4 and 18-year-old patients between 1993 and 2010 were estimated. Second, data from 2007 to 2010 were combined and analyzed to identify primary mental disorders related to AAP prescription. Third, a multivariate logistic …

The Role Of Physical Activity Enjoyment In The Pathways From Social And Physical Environments To Physical Activity Of Early Adolescent Girls, Elizabeth Lauren Budd

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2013, only 27.1 % of adolescents (age 10-19) met the daily physical activity (PA) recommendations of 60 minutes of PA a day. 1 Inactivity is highly prevalent among youth and especially prevalent among adolescents. This inactivity can have harmful and costly, immediate and long-term repercussions on physical, mental, and social health.28 Health behaviors throughout childhood, including PA, are predictive of health behaviors throughout adulthood.9 Girls experience the steepest decline in PA in early adolescence compared to boys and any other age group, which positions them on a lifelong trajectory of inactivity and increased risk for disease.2,4 Among early adolescent …

A Link Between Paediatric Asthma And Obesity: Are They Caused By The Same Environmental Conditions?, Phylicia Gonsalves

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The highly associated paediatric conditions of asthma and overweight have seen dramatic increases over the past few decades. This thesis explored air pollution exposure as a potential underlying mechanism of co-morbid asthma and overweight among adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey were merged with a database containing estimates of air pollution as assessed by particulate matter ≤ 2.5 microns (PM_2.5) concentrations at the postal code centroid in southwestern Ontario. Logistic regression was used to conduct the analysis. Adolescents were more likely to be overweight as PM_2.5 concentrations increased. There was …

Clinical And Demographic Variables Associated With Cognitive Deficits, Symptom Severity, And Duration After Concussive Injury In Adolescents: A Retrospective Study, Seema S. Aggarwal

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Background: Concussions in adolescents are a public health concern with the growing popularity of high school sports. Recent legislation mandates that athletes who are suspected of a concussion be cleared to return-to-play by a clinician. More research is needed to develop a concussion predictive model to identify populations at risk for more severe and prolonged symptoms and long-term neurologic deficits.

Aims: The aims of this study were to (1) examine the effect of race and gender on neurocognitive and symptom scores and (2) determine which clinical (e.g., number of concussions, migraine history, learning disabilities/ attention deficit disorders) and demographic factors …

Human Papillomavirus-Associated Cancers In Georgia, 2008-2012, Irene Solomon, Chrissy Mcnamara, A. Rana Bayakly

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause most anal, vaginal, vulvar, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers, and virtually all cervical cancers. In 2014, in Georgia (GA), fewer than half of adolescent females and males aged 13-17 years received the three doses of the HPV vaccine. Increasing vaccination coverage among this age group, education of adolescents in regard to HPV risks, and cervical cancer screening of adults can prevent HPV-associated cancers.

Methods: The incidence of HPV-associated cancers for 2008-2012 in GA was obtained from GA Comprehensive Cancer Registry data. Case definitions for HPV-associated cancers were based on standard definitions of the Centers for …

The Impact Of Foster Care On Depression: An Examination Of Placement Type And Mental Health Service Utilization Among Children And Adolescents, Kisha Cummings

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Children and adolescents in foster care with a history of complex trauma such as neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse have a greater odds of being clinically diagnosed with depression in adulthood compared to children and adolescents without such a history. The current study examines the prevalence of depression in a national sample of children and adolescents aged 7 to 17 years. This study asks whether a) foster care is associated with a greater prevalence of depression among children and adolescents in foster care compared to children and adolescents not in foster care; b) there is an association between …

Theory-Driven Longitudinal Study Exploring Indoor Tanning Initiation In Teens Using A Person-Centered Approach, Joel J. Hillhouse, Rob Turrisi, Michael J. Cleveland, Nichole M. Scaglione, Katie Baker, L. Carter Florence

ETSU Faculty Works

Background

Younger indoor tanning initiation leads to greater melanoma risk due to more frequent and persistent behavior. Despite this, there are no published studies exploring the predictors of indoor tanning initiation in teen populations.

Purpose

This longitudinal study uses latent profile analysis to examine indoor tanning initiation in indoor tanning risk subgroups from a national sample of female adolescents.

Methods

Latent profile analysis used indoor tanning beliefs and perceptions to identify indoor tanning initiation risk subgroups. The teens in each subgroup were reassessed on indoor tanning initiation after a year.

Results

Three subgroups were identified: a low risk, anti-tanning subgroup …

Reorienting Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Health Research: Reflections From An International Conference, Kristien Michielsen, Sara De Meyer, Olena Ivanova, Ragnar Anderson, Peter Decat, Céline Herbiet, Caroline W. Kabiru, Evert Ketting, James Lees, Caroline Moreau, Deborah L. Tolman, Ine Vanwesenbeeck, Bernardo Vega, Elizabeth Verhetsel, Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli

Publications and Research

On December 4th 2014, the International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH) at Ghent University organized an international conference on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) and well-being. This viewpoint highlights two key messages of the conference - 1) ASRH promotion is broadening on different levels and 2) this broadening has important implications for research and interventions – that can guide this research field into the next decade. Adolescent sexuality has long been equated with risk and danger. However, throughout the presentations, it became clear that ASRH and related promotion efforts are broadening on different levels: from risk to well-being, from …

Immigrants And Refugees As Vulnerable Populations: Considerations For School Based Health Centers, Gaïa D. C. Oliver

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

School based health centers (SBHC) have been shown to benefit domestic populations both in terms of bettering health and bettering academics while being effective over the long term. There is, however, lacking evidence on how they impact immigrant and refugee communities, which are some of the most vulnerable United States communities in terms of health risks. Through discussion of literature, this paper defines and reviews the criteria for vulnerable populations and explains how this term applies to immigrant and refugee populations. School based health centers and their documented health and academic benefits for domestic high risk populations are discussed and …

Preventing Anorexia In Adolescents Through Empowerment And Education (Paattee), Mimi Boumatar, Emma Hefton, Alex Johnston-Thomas, Dillon Van Rensburg

Western Libraries Undergraduate Research Award

Preventing Anorexia in Adolescents Through Empowerment and Education (PAATEE) is a primary preventive program that aims to reduce the risk of adolescent females from developing anorexia nervosa (AN) by using an evidence-based, multilevel approach. The program intends to reduce the risk of AN by influencing the social environment surrounding body image, increasing self-efficacy in program participants, providing education about eating disorders, and promoting intuitive eating practices.

Evaluating A Bystander Intervention Program On Reproductive Coercion: Using Quasi-Experimental Design Strategies To Address Methodologic Issues In Randomized Community Prevention Trials, Catherine P. Starnes

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Community (or cluster) randomized trials are trials in which communities or groups of individuals (clusters) are randomized to receive the intervention of interest. Community randomized trials frequently more closely resemble a natural experiment than a randomized controlled trial (RCT) following intervention allocation. In particular, the effects of non-compliance can pose methodologic challenges in estimating the intervention effect which may require a quasiexperimental approach in order to minimize bias.

The motivating example to illustrate these issues is the Green Dot High School (GDHS) study. The GDHS study was a longitudinal, cluster-randomized controlled trial designed to assess the effectiveness of a bystander …

Using Nutrition And Fitness Awareness To Reduce Overweight And Obesity In Adolescents, Allissa.Johnson Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, adolescent obesity rates continue to increase unabated, yet there is a paucity of programs to address these conditions for this population. The current study evaluated an after-school program in California high schools that uses a mentoring model with youth to promote regular exercise and healthy food choices. It is grounded in Social Cognitive Theory which focuses on both the impact of the environment on shaping behaviors and the ability of an individual to construct his or her own suitable environment. A quantitative single-group pretest-posttest design using archived participant responses was utilized in order to determine whether …

Predictors Of Sun Protection Behaviours And Sunburn Among Australian Adolescents, Simone Pettigrew, Michelle Jongenelis, Mark Strickland, Carolyn Minto, Terry Slevin, Geoffrey Jalleh, Chad Lin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Excessive sun exposure and sunburn increase individuals’ risk of skin cancer. It is especially important to prevent sunburn in childhood due to the higher relative risk of skin cancer across the life span compared to risk associated with sunburn episodes experienced later in life. This study examined demographic and attitudinal factors associated with engagement in a range of sun protection behaviours (wearing a hat, wearing protective clothing, staying in the shade, and staying indoors during the middle of the day) and the frequency of sunburn among Western Australian adolescents to provide insights of relevance for future sun protection campaigns. …

Exploring The Association Between Maternal Mental Health And Housing Conditions During Early Childhood And Anxiety And Depression At Age 15, Diane Marie Butrym

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract