Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Burden Of Diabetes Mellitus In The Medically Underserved Rio Grande Valley, John M. Gaddis, Elias Arellano, Kassandra Pulido, Tyler Torres, Dominic Chau-Zanetti, Natasha Quailes, Andres Suarez Parraga

Research Colloquium

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) encompasses metabolic disorders characterized by elevated blood sugar. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated metrics of DM in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a low-income and medically underserved region in the United States, and compare these metrics to the national averages from 2012 to 2022.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) publicly accessible data. Metrics analyzed included DM prevalence, average principal cost, rates of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, screenings, and prevalence of obesity. Data from RGV counties were compared to national averages using …

Environmental Impact Of Water And Air Contaminants On Public Health, Astrid-Ines Foamkom, Luis A. Peña Marquez, Maria Sophia Malbas, Esmeralda Rodriguez, Noe Garza, Ney Alliey-Rodriguez

Research Colloquium

Background: Established literature suggests a strong relationship between exposure to air contaminants and physical health. Similarly, numerous studies have demonstrated the effects of water pollution on public health. Texas denizens are often victims of poor air and water quality, yet there are scant studies that have integrated evidence of health tolls caused by air and water pollution across the state. In this study, we assessed the relationship between particulate matter

Methods: The study used data from the 2018 Medicare and Medicaid report which displayed chronic health conditions across all counties in Texas. Additionally, the study also includes collected data on …

Birth Defect Trends Within Texas Public Health Region 11, 2000-2019: An Analysis Of Texas Department Of State Health Services Public Data, Jonathan M. Hebert, Miguel A. Lopez, Padmanabhan Rengasamy

Research Colloquium

Background: South Texas is a medically underserved area with pockets of low socioeconomic status and poor access to healthcare, including prenatal care. This paper aims to monitor the changes in prevalence for cardiac, circulatory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and neural tube birth defects in this region in the last two decades to monitor the effectiveness of current public health efforts.

Methods: Public data on 20 birth defects from the Texas Department of State Health Services were obtained for decades 2000-2010 and 2010-2019 in Texas Public Health Region 11 and the remaining regions of Texas. Prevalences and odds ratios for all birth defects …

The Future Of Public Health: Developing The Workforce Through Public Health Americorps, Kristi James

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Conference

The American Public Health Association (APHA) and its Alliance for Disease Prevention and Response worked closely with the Public Health AmeriCorps program (PHACP), CDC and AmeriCorps on a set of activities which strengthen workforce capacity. Within APHA and its Alliance for Disease Prevention and Response team, the assigned project consists of providing opportunities for Public Health AmeriCorps members and grantees to make new connections and increase engagement with those in the field. The overall goal of the project is to address the critical need for public health professionals by supporting the recruitment, training, and development of the next generation of …

Self-Reported Follow-Up Care Needs Can Be Met In Both Facility And Self-Managed Abortion: Evidence From Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Laura E. Jacobson Mph

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

Objective: To understand in-facility follow-up care-seeking behavior among both people who self-managed medication abortions (SMA) and those who obtained facility-managed care in six countries and to explore factors that contribute to meeting individual’s self-reported care needs that are core to person-centered care.

Study Design: We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of 67 in-depth interviews conducted with facility or SMA seekers. We first classified individuals as having their care needs met or not, and whether they sought follow-up care. We then identified predisposing, enabling, or need factors that contributed to having care needs met or not.

Results: A total of n=67 …