Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Addressing The Black Maternal Mortality Rate, Kennedy Sanders, Venkateswar Venkataraman, Kate Whelihan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction: As of 2021, the Black maternal mortality rate in the United States was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births as compared to the national average of 32.9 and the White American average of 26.61. It has been demonstrated that this discrepancy is not fully explained by socioeconomic status. Doulas are professionals who provide support and guidance throughout pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Encouraging the use of doulas may be an effective approach to improve the birth experience for Black mothers. Methods: A literature review was performed using PubMed and the following search strings: maternal mortality rate (+race, +race +ethnicity, …

Social Media Addiction Affecting Mental Health Of College Women, Praneetha Rajkumar, Don D. Shamilov, David F. Lo

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In our digital society, many teenagers and young adults use the many forms of social media, which are applications that enable users to create, share, and view content. Addiction to sites such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat is a rising concern due to the impact it has on the mental health of young women, particularly those aged 18-25. Addiction can result in spending an unreasonable amount of time on social media, being overly preoccupied with social media content, or having day-to-day activities that revolve around social media usage. Different sources of data were reviewed to understand why mental health concerns …

A Randomized Controlled Study Of The Effects Of Targeted Health Education On Uptake Of Contraceptives Among Women Of Reproductive Age In Nnewi City, South-East Nigeria, Yanmeer Tyotswam, Rosebella Iseme-Ondiek, Eliphas Makunyi

Population Health, East Africa

Objective: There is a need for contraception uptake among people to enable them to fulfil their right to determine the timing, number and spacing of their children. In regions with poor contraceptive prevalence rates, lack of effective education has been largely implicated, and Nigeria falls among such regions. Thus, the present study is designed to examine the impact of an educational intervention on uptake of contraceptives among women aged 18–49 years seeking care at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi.

Methods: Being an interventional study to underscore the effect of targeted health education on uptake of contraceptives, …

Evidenced-Based Strategies To Increase Cervical Cancer Screening Rates, Tuong Cat Vo Bsn-Rn, Nada Salloukh Bsn-Rn, Tatiana Elena Swanson Bsn-Rn, Xiao Mie Cindy Zhu Bsn-Rn, Laura Taylor Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer affecting women worldwide (Staley et al., 2021). With cervical cancer being a preventable disease, an effective method of reducing healthcare costs and mortality is primary prevention, such as screenings. Financial burdens and barriers to accessing medical care may result due to the lack of proper cervical cancer screenings. Detecting cervical cancer includes screening women 21 to 65 years old with a Papanicolaou (PAP) test every three years. Women aged 30 to 65 years old can extend the screening of cervical cancer by having a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test along with …

Complex Gynecology Clinic, Saul D. Rivas, Elissa Serapio, Tony Ogburn, John Ronnau, Alejandra Vega, Angela Tanguma, Andrea K. Contreras

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Complex Gynecology Clinic aims to reduce the shortage of women’s primary care providers in rural and medically underserved communities. The Complex Gynecologic clinic provides high quality- evidence based care to women at low or no cost regardless of immigration status, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, and age who might otherwise be unable to receive much needed care in other sites in the RGV.

Description: Some of the services offered, via grant funding, include preventive services such as well women exams, cervical cancer screening, and family planning. As well as work up and treatment for …

Evaluation Of Self-Confidence In Women With Chronic Disease, Sebahat Atalıkoğlu Başkan, Sevinç Kose Tuncer, Demet Güneş

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Self-confidence, which is an important emotional need in women, affects women's quality of life. This research was conducted to evaluate the self-confidence of women with chronic diseases.

Methods: This study was conducted at the internal medicine clinic of Erzincan Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital in Turkey between August 2019 and June 2020. The sample consisted of 339 female patients with chronic diseases who agreed to participate in this study. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using information form and the Women’s Self-Confidence Scale.

Results: The mean total score of the participants was 136.40 ± 24.92. …

Chronic Lower Back Pain Among Women In India: Evidence-Based Approach To Risk Factors And Interventions, Aelita Matosova

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent issue worldwide, affecting about 1.71 billion people, with a significant proportion being women. CLBP is a major health concern in India, particularly among women, which were 80% reported experiencing this condition. Several factors, such as personal beliefs, sociocultural norms, restricted healthcare access, repetitive movements, and psychological aspects, contribute to this high prevalence leading to severe health and economic implications, including reduced work productivity and income. Although there have been several reports on prevalence and risk factors of CLBP, to our knowledge, there has not been enough work focusing on evidence-based interventions to …

Exploring Risk Factors For Major Depressive Disorder For Female Patients Aged 18 Or Older Living In Ocean County, New Jersey, James Mack

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The incidence and prevalence of major depressive disorder has been increasing worldwide, in the United States of America, and on a local level. The population of Ocean County, New Jersey, a predominantly Caucasian, female, middle-aged population, may be at increased risk of developing major depressive disorder.

Purpose: To explore the social determinants of health and risk factors for major depressive disorder for female patients aged 18 or older living in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Methods: This literature review mainly used PubMed and Scopus for journal articles and utilized governmental databases for additional population data.

Results: Analyses conducted on social …

Gestational Diabetes Among The South Asian Diaspora In The United States Of America: A Scoping Review, Anudeep Deevi, Mariam Sharobeem, Gabrianna Andrews, Rahul Ubrani, Venkateswar Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Aim: The scoping review was conducted to review the current knowledge base regarding gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among South Asians in the United States. In addition, the review was meant to identify any gaps in knowledge, specifically about the current care received by South Asians as well as the associated adverse health outcomes.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus was conducted. Key words ""gestational diabetes South Asians in the United States" were used as search terms. Search was restricted to U.S. articles published on or after 01/01/2013 with key words. Articles were screened by …

Prevalence Of Disordered Eating In Female Athletes Of The New Jersey Athletic Conference, Desiree Brower, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: In 2018, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry published that, 1 out of every 10 adolescent females suffer from an eating disorder in the United States. Although it is known that eating disorders have an impact on the entire population, there are currently no studies on the prevalence of disordered eating in female athletes of the New Jersey Athletic conference (NJAC). This study aims to determine how many athletes in this population are affected.

Methods: This IRB-approved project utilized a survey-based approach to assess the prevalence of disordered eating among female athletes within the NJAC. To participate, …

Race, Gender, Physical Activity, And Cancer: A Quantitative Investigation, Shawna A. Townsend

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Black women are more likely to die from cancer than any other population in the United States. Physical activity is known to be associated with preventing and reducing cancer burden. However, Black women are less physically active than their White counterparts and have a higher prevalence of diseases related to lack of physical activity than any other female group. To better understand these issues, this study employed the self-and-family management framework and intersectionality as theoretical frameworks through a secondary analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) dataset and hierarchical regression modeling to examine the relative impact of (a.) …

A Single Bout Of Breast Milk Expression Does Not Increase Resting Metabolic Rate, Leryn J. Reynolds, Kayla R. Powell, Taskina Akhter, Hannah M. Twiddy, Patrick B. Wilson

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Introduction: Breastfeeding women have elevated resting metabolic rate (RMR); however, whether a single bout of lactation increases RMR is unknown. This study aimed to determine if a single bout of lactation acutely increased RMR.

Methods: Twenty-two lactating women (age: 31 ± 0.9 year, body mass index: 27.3 ± 1.2 kg/m²) were recruited. RMR was assessed at baseline and at 1- and 2-h following breast milk expression.

Results: RMR was unchanged in lactating women following a single bout of lactation (baseline: 1437 ± 39; 1 h: 1425 ± 37 2 h: 1440 ± 31 kcal/day) (p > .05). RMR was …

"Women Are Again Unsafe": Preventing Violence And Poor Maternal Outcomes During Current Floods In Pakistan, Sarmad Muhammad Soomar, Abir Arefin, Salman Muhammad Soomar

School of Nursing & Midwifery

No abstract provided.

Early Mortality Among Aboriginal And Non-Aboriginal Women Who Had A Preterm Birth In Western Australia: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Helen D. Bailey, Caitlin Gray, Akilew A. Adane, Natalie A. Strobel, Scott W. White, Rhonda Marriott, Gizachew A. Tessema, Carrington C. J. Shepherd, Mary Sharp

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Having a preterm ( < 37 weeks' gestation) birth may increase a woman's risk of early mortality. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter Aboriginal) women have higher preterm birth and mortality rates compared with other Australian women. Objectives: We investigated whether a history of having a preterm birth was associated with early mortality in women and whether these associations differed by Aboriginal status. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used population-based perinatal records of women who had a singleton birth between 1980 and 2015 in Western Australia linked to Death Registry data until June 2018. The primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause and cause-specific mortality respectively. After stratification by Aboriginal status, rate differences were calculated, and Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Results: There were 20,244 Aboriginal mothers (1349 deaths) and 457,357 non-Aboriginal mothers (7646 deaths) with 8.6 million person-years of follow-up. The all-cause mortality rates for Aboriginal mothers who had preterm births and term births were 529.5 and 344.0 (rate difference 185.5, 95 % CI 135.5, 238.5) per 100,000 person-years respectively. Among non-Aboriginal mothers, the corresponding figures were 125.5 and 88.6 (rate difference 37.0, 95 % CI 29.4, 44.9) per 100,000 person-years. The HR for all-cause mortality for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal mothers associated with preterm birth were 1.48 (95 % CI 1.32, 1.66) and 1.35 (95 % CI 1.26, 1.44), respectively, compared with term birth. Compared with mothers who had term births, mothers of preterm births had higher relative risks of mortality from diabetes, cardiovascular, digestive and external causes. Conclusions: Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women who had a preterm birth had a moderately increased risk of mortality up to 38 years after the birth, reinforcing the importance of primary prevention and ongoing screening.

Behind Closed Doors: A Look Into Access To Supportive Resources And Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Ashley Lauren Holloway

Master's Projects and Capstones

Introduction Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a preventable health disparity that remains an underrepresented health issue due to survivors' comfortability in reporting violence within their most intimate relationships; in addition to providers' comfortability in addressing intimate partner violence. The high prevalence of IPV-related incidents highlights the importance of early intervention to prevent victims from experiencing violence again and dying.

Methods A systematic review was conducted to look into intimate partner violence against women. Key words such as intimate partner violence or domestic violence, women, utilization of care services or services, socioecological model were searched through pubmed and other scholarly search …

Preliminary Findings From The Gulf War Women's Cohort: Reproductive And Children's Health Outcomes Among Women Veterans, Alexa Friedman, Patricia A Janulewicz Lloyd, Jeffrey Carlson, Emily Quinn, Dylan Keating, Rosemary Toomey, Timothy Heeren, Steven S Coughlin, Glenn Markenson, Maxine Krengel, Kimberly Sullivan

Journal Articles

Reproductive outcomes, such as preterm birth, miscarriage/stillbirth, and pre-eclampsia, are understudied in veterans, particularly among Gulf War veterans (GWVs). During deployment, women GWVs were exposed to toxicant and nontoxicant exposures that may be associated with adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes. The data come from a survey of 239 participants from northeastern and southern U.S. cohorts of women veterans. The questionnaire collected information about the service history, current and past general health, reproductive and family health, demographic information, and deployment exposures. Odds ratios were computed with 95% confidence intervals between exposures in theater and reproductive/children's health outcomes. GWVs experienced adverse reproductive …

Caregiver-Child Conversations About Sex In African American Women, Hannah King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using grounded theory methods, this study examines the experience of African American women during their caregiver-child conversations about sex and the impacts of the conversations on their sexual attitudes. The process of these conversations begins with an unplanned topic and progresses further to identify six essential themes of these conversations: gender differences, race and religion, protective/emphasis on protection, lack of knowledge, withholding knowledge, and sex negativity/shame. African American women’s description of the process included feelings of shame and negativity towards their sexuality. Caregivers promoted positive messages about sex by having open conversations that advocated for equality between the genders, empower …

Perceptions, Knowledge, And Attitudes About Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (Larcs) Among Women In Appalachian Tennessee, Fenose Osedeme

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Tennessee (TN), the rate of unintended pregnancies remains higher than the national rate (32.4% vs. 30.3%). Although long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are 99% effective in preventing undesired pregnancies; uptake remains low in rural and underserved communities. Previous research has provided some insight into women’s perceptions of LARCs; however, those guided by conceptual frameworks to understand the multiple influences that impact perceptions towards LARCs, especially among rural regions, are scarce. This multimethod qualitative study explored multiple influences that impact northeast Tennessee women’s perceptions and attitudes toward LARCs using the Socio-ecological Model (SEM) as a guiding framework.

The study comprised six …

Factors Associated With Independent National Health Insurance Ownership Among Reproductive Aged Women In Indonesia, Ika Putri Widiarti, Haerawati Idris

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Indonesia has been aiming toward universal health coverage since 2019, but it has yet to be achieved. The National Health Insurance (NHI) program provides individual services for women of reproductive age who require health care before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and at the time of labor. This study aims to analyze factors associated with independent NHI ownership among women of reproductive age in Indonesia.

Methods: Secondary data from the Wave 5 Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) involving 2,084 women of reproductive age were used. The chi-square test and logistic regression test were used for data analysis.

Results: …

Increasing Physical Activity In Women With Obesity To Promote Weight Loss, Ashley N. Kohler

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Obesity is a chronic disease associated with a multitude of lifelong chronic illnesses. Obesity impacts more than 42% of the United States population (CDC, 2021b). Physical inactivity is a major determinant of obesity (Muerer et al., 2019). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to promote a greater reduction in body mass index (BMI) of the participants enrolled in an existing wellness program at the EBP practice site by increasing the physical activity level of the participants compared to standard protocol. The existing wellness program’s standard protocol included diet modifications, physical activity encouragement, and medication management. The EBP …

Prevention Of Violence Against Women And Girls: A Cost-Effectiveness Study Across 6 Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Giulia Ferrari, Sergio Torres-Rueda, Esnat Chirwa, Andrew Gibbs, Stacey Orangi, Edwine Barasa, Theresa Tawiah, Rebecca Kyerewaa Dwommoh Prah, Rozina Karmaliani, Hussain Maqbool Ahmed Khuwaja

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Background: Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a human rights violation with social, economic, and health consequences for survivors, perpetrators, and society. Robust evidence on economic, social, and health impact, plus the cost of delivery of VAWG prevention, is critical to making the case for investment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where health sector resources are highly constrained. We report on the costs and health impact of VAWG prevention in 6 countries.
Methods and findings: We conducted a trial-based cost-effectiveness analysis of VAWG prevention interventions using primary data from 5 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in sub-Saharan Africa …

Understanding The Needs Of A Mobile Phone-Based Telemonitoring Program For Pregnant Women At High Risk For Pre-Eclampsia: Interpretive Qualitative Description Study, Anam Shahil Feroz, Kristina De Vera, Nadia D. Bragagnolo, Sarah Saleem, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Emily Seto

Community Health Sciences

Background: Lack of early risk detection, diagnosis, and treatment of pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia can result in high maternal mortality and morbidity not only in Pakistan but also in other low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). A potential tool for supporting pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia for early detection is telemonitoring (TM). However, there is a limited body of evidence on end-user needs and preferences to inform the design of the TM programs for pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia, specifically in LMICs such as Pakistan.
Objective: This study aims to explore the needs of …

A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial For A Multi-Level, Clinic-Based Smoking Cessation Program With Women In Appalachian Communities: Study Protocol For The "Break Free" Program, Joanne G. Patterson, Tia N. Borger, Jessica L. Burris, Mark Conaway, Robert Klesges, Amie Ashcraft, Lindsay Hauser, Connie Clark, Lauren Wright, Sarah Cooper, Merry C. Smith, Mark B. Dignan, Stephenie Kennedy-Rea, Electra D. Paskett, Roger Anderson, Amy K. Ferketich

Psychology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The cervical cancer burden is high among women living in Appalachia. Cigarette smoking, a cervical cancer risk factor, is also highly prevalent in this population. This project aims to increase smoking cessation among women living in Appalachia by embedding a smoking cessation program within a larger, integrated cervical cancer prevention program.

METHODS: The broader program, the Take CARE study, is a multi-site research collaborative designed to address three risk factors for cervical cancer incidence and mortality: tobacco use, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and cervical cancer screening. Break Free is a primary care clinic-based implementation program that aims to promote …

Healing Through Mother Earth, Taylor A. Russell

Dance (MFA) Theses

This thesis deals with mental health, with a focus on Black women. Historically, Black women are often so compromised, being constant caregivers and helping everyone else, that they forget to help themselves, not having the time and financial means to do so. If we go back in the time of slavery, many Black women were taking care of slave owners' children and suckling the white women’s babies instead of their own. By the time they got home and after diligently caring for other people’s children they were focused on their own children, who they had been away from for hours …

An Examination Of Three Transitional Events In The Substance Misuse Trajectories Of Women With Criminal Legal System Involvement, Martha Tillson

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Research has consistently demonstrated that criminal legal system (CLS)-involved women are distinct from men in initiation and course of drug use, with important differences on biological, environmental, and sociocultural levels. Thus, the unique pathways and transitions into and out of drug use for women with CLS involvement are critical to consider from a research perspective, but also from a need to develop and support evidence-based, women-centered services in correctional contexts. This dissertation project uses a three-paper format to investigate three aims: (1) to understand CLS-involved women’s initiations to injection drug use and their experiences providing injection initiation assistance (IIA) to …

Listen To Her Heart: Bridging The Gap In Recognizing, Preventing, & Treating Ascvd In Women, Stephen J. Foley

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is traditionally considered a male disease, yet it is the leading cause of death in women. This may be associated with the significant lack of research of ASCVD in women, leading to poor recognition, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. The American Heart Association reports that a majority of women experience prodromal symptoms more than one month before a heart attack or stroke, and these symptoms are often underestimated. This project intends to help address the question: How can earlier detection of ASCVD risk in women reduce missed signs of acute myocardial infarction/stroke and thereby reduce preventable ASCVD …

Using A Social Support Group To Educate And Empower Immigrant Latina Women, Diana N. Rendon

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to promote mental health education and access to vulnerable South Florida Latina Women. The original intent was to establish a program providing families with mental health education, including information about common mental illnesses, signs and symptoms, community resources, and the impacts on occupations. This capstone experience was conducted with the Magnolias Women's Support Group at Caridad Center, located in Palm Beach County, Florida. The focus areas of this capstone were advocacy, policy and program development, and administration. Furthermore, this capstone project was intended to promote health literacy for underserved populations, especially immigrant women.

Fidelity Monitoring In The Solution Focused Wellness For Hiv (Sfwh) Intervention For Women, Helen Taylor Yates, Spencer Elise Lee

Journal of Solution Focused Practices

Solution Focused methods are often interpreted by different practitioners with a degree of flexibility and adaptation to specific practice settings (Lehmann & Patton, 2012). This flexibility is one of the features that makes SFBT a very client-centered approach and has been highlighted as one of the key aspects of successful co-construction of desired outcomes with clients (Franklin et al., 2017). This collaborative approach is possible due to SFBT’s utilization of social constructionist principals in the solution-building process (Blundo & Simon, 2015). While encouraging flexibility of implementation of SFBT, identifying the main tenets of the therapy, including specific techniques and mindsets …

Desire To Limiting Child Birth And The Associated Determinants Among Married Females: Sukh Survey-Karachi, Pakistan, Shama Razzaq, Saleem Jessani, Sumera Aziz Ali, Zahid Abbasi, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Objective: High rates of population growth negatively influence the social and economic development of a country. This study aimed to determine the women's desire to limiting child birth in future (fertility intention) and its determinants among Pakistani women of reproductive age resident of Karachi.
Methods: A community-based, multistage cross-sectional study was carried out among residents of the squatter settlements in Karachi. The were 4,485 married residents, and currently non-pregnant females of 18 to 49 years old. Framework adapted has been based on "Pullum 1980" to operationalize the outcome of determining the desire to limiting childbearing and the factors related with …

Associations Between Air Pollution Exposure And Empirically Derived Profiles Of Cognitive Performance In Older Women, Andrew J. Petkus, Diana Younan, Xinhui Wang, Daniel P. Beavers, Mark A. Espeland, Margaret Gatz, Tara Gruenewald, Joel D. Kaufman, Helena C. Chui, Joshua Millstein, Stephen R. Rapp, Joann E. Manson, Susan M. Resnick, Gregory A. Wellenius, Eric A. Whitsel, Keith Widaman, Jiu-Chiuan Chen

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background:Elucidating associations between exposures to ambient air pollutants and profiles of cognitive performance may provide insight into neurotoxic effects on the aging brain. Objective:We examined associations between empirically derived profiles of cognitive performance and residential concentrations of particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in older women. Method:Women (N = 2,142) from the Women’s Health Initiative Study of Cognitive Aging completed a neuropsychological assessment measuring attention, visuospatial, language, and episodic memory abilities. Average yearly concentrations of PM2.5 and NO2 were estimated at the participant’s addresses for the 3 years prior to the assessment. Latent profile structural equation models identified subgroups of women exhibiting similar profiles across tests. Multinomial regressions examined associations between exposures and latent profile classification, controlling for covariates. Result:Five latent profiles were identified: low performance across multiple domains (poor multi-domain; n = 282;13%), relatively poor verbal episodic memory (poor memory; n = 216; 10%), average performance across all domains (average multi-domain; n = 974; 45%), superior memory (n = 381; 18%), and superior attention (n = 332; 15%). Using women with average cognitive ability as the referent, higher PM2.5 (per interquartile range [IQR] = 3.64μg/m3) was associated with greater odds of being classified in the poor memory (OR = 1.29; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.10–1.52) or superior attention (OR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.10–1.53) profiles. NO2 (per IQR = 9.86 ppb) was associated with higher odds of being classified in the poor memory (OR = 1.38; 95% CI = 1.17–1.63) and lower odds of being classified with superior memory (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.67–0.97). Conclusion:Exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 are associated with patterns of cognitive performance characterized by worse verbal episodic memory relative to performance in other domains.