Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Obesity: The Anthropometric And Demographic Characteristics Of Insured And Uninsured Individuals, Terra Fox Williams

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objectives. This study evaluates the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and health insurance status in attendees at a local health fair. BMI was also compared among ages, gender, and races.

Methods. Descriptive analysis conducted using data collected at the “Celebrating Life and Health” health fairs between the years 2008 and 2011. Data for this study were collected at the BMI booth staffed by Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine students.

Results. The results of this particular study do not demonstrate a statistical difference between obesity and health insurance status. Consistent with other research articles this study does show that …

Retrospective Evaluation Of Microbial Presence In Existing Saliva Repository: A Pcr Based Molecular Survey Of Oral Microbial Populations From Existing Saliva Samples, Jay Ericksen Davis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The overall purpose of this research project is to explore the link between oral health and disease in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - School of Dental Medicine (UNLV-SDM) clinic patient population. More specifically, the population of interest is the UNLV-SDM orthodontic clinic patient population, which is mostly composed of adults, females, and minorities. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine, with more than 70,000 active patients and a post-graduate specialty program in Orthodontics is uniquely positioned to perform this type of oral health epidemiology survey, as well as targeted oral microbial testing among populations within …

Evaluation Of The Pilot Program, Pediatric Early Warning Sentinel Surveillance Program (Pewss), And Its Efficacy In Monitoring Pediatric Illness In Clark County, Nevada, Michelle Lee Lutman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The influenza outbreak that occurred during 2009 stimulated the formation of several surveillance programs throughout the country. The majority monitor only influenza; however, there are several other circulating respiratory pathogens, especially within the pediatric community. These other respiratory pathogens cause a variety of illnesses, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, croup, etc. Prior research has provided the medical community with valuable information about respiratory illnesses, especially those which afflict pediatric patients. Areas of knowledge including seasonality, demographics, signs and symptoms, prevention measures, and pathogenicity, have been greatly expanded over the years. This information has been of tremendous help to the medical community …

The Role Of Supermarkets In Community Nutrition, Staci Gruber

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Chronic diseases related to nutrition are a serious threat to public health. Supermarkets offer an important and promising venue to improve diet quality and overall health. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the supermarkets’ community nutrition focus and interest in public health.

Methods: This study emphasis’s a triangulated qualitative study design. It employs various methods and taps various sources for data. Twenty face-to-face, semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with five full service supermarket chains in Montgomery County, Ohio; Wal-Mart, Kroger, Meijer, Cub Foods, and Dorothy Lane Market. Qualitative sources of information collected include store observation and …

Evaluation Of Cancer From Exposure To Cyanotoxins In Drinking Water At Grand Lake Saint Marys, Timothy Edward Soward

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: The Celina Water Department treats and supplies surface water contaminated by cyanotoxins from Grand Lake Saint Marys (GLSM) to approximately 12,000 customers in Celina, Ohio. Cyanotoxins are a biochemically and bioactively diverse group of extremely potent natural toxins in water. A common cyanotoxin called microcystin-LR found in GLSM has been associated with acute liver damage and potentially liver and colorectal cancer.

Methods: In this observational study, the city of Celina (Mercer County) Ohio that had a contaminated surface water supply, the cancer incidence was compared with two control cities, St. Marys, and Wapakoneta (Auglaize County) in Ohio, both served …

Are Student Nurses Ready For Disasters? An Analysis Of Emergency Preparedness Content In Nursing School Textbooks Used In The Miami Valley, Kimberly Caudill

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Results of an analysis of nursing textbooks used in the Miami Valley, indicate that there is minimal emergency preparedness content included. The research was based on the textbooks used in the Introduction to Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, and Community Health Nursing classes at four local nursing schools: Sinclair Community College, Kettering College of Medical Arts, Cedarville University, and Wright State University. The Community Health Nursing classes have the most prepared content, and include extra content in the form of tables and pictures .The analysis indicates that Wright State University does the best job at preparing student nurses to be ready to …

Nice But Needy: English Guidance On Managing Alcohol Dependence Is Not Backed Up By Government Alcohol Policy, Laura Williamson

Dr Laura Williamson

No abstract provided.

Guiding Health Care Policy Through Applied Public Health Modeling And Simulation, Jonathan P. Leidig, Chris L. Barrett, Madhav Marathe

Transactions of the International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement

The risk of a widespread epidemic is a primary public health concern with implications for healthcare providers and organizations. Modeling and simulation techniques have been successfully applied at the national level to set governmental polices and mitigation strategies through simulation-based predictions. Existing research in this field has been non-uniform in its coverage of local systems and region-specific findings. New collaborations between on the ground providers and modeling groups are required for successful simulation-based experimentation of region-specific health systems. These proposed collaborations are expected to contribute high-quality sub-population datasets to be used in experiments at the national level and allow for …

Assessment Of Refugees’ Health In Montgomery County: A Case Study Of Refugees From Rwanda And Burundi, Jean De Dieu Mukunzi

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The purpose of this research study was to identify health needs and health problems experienced by a refugee/asylee population in Montgomery County. Montgomery County hosts a large number of refugees, asylees and asylum seekers from countries such as Iraq, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Soudan, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo.

A public health challenge is limited demographic data about this population. The scarce data on their health needs slows down not only their successful resettlement but also limits community organizations, health and human services agencies to improve the delivery of health care services and health promotion programs to refugees and immigrants in Montgomery County. …

Using Public Health Pbrn Research To Inform Policy & Practice, Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks

Health Management and Policy Reports

The Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks Program is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that supports research networks dedicated to producing new scientific knowledge on how best to organize, finance, and deliver public health strategies in realworld practice settings. This body of scientific inquiry, known as Public Health Services and Systems Research (PHSSR), is a rapidly developing area of scholarship within the larger fields of public health research and health services research. A public health practice-based research network (PBRN) brings multiple public health organizations into collaboration with an academic research center for the purposes of designing and …

Diagnosis Blog: Checking Up On Health Blogs Inthe Blogosphere, Edward Alan Miller, Antoinette Pole

Department of Political Science and Law Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Objectives. We analyzed the content and characteristics of influential health blogs and bloggers to provide a more thorough understanding of the health blogosphere than was previously available.

Methods. We identified, through a purposive–snowball approach, 951 health blogs in 2007 and 2008. All blogs were US focused and updated regularly. We described their features, topics, perspectives, and blogger demographics.

Results. Approximately half of the bloggers in our sample were employed in the health field. A majority were female, aged in their 30s, and highly educated. Two thirds posted at least weekly; one quarter accepted advertisements. Most blogs were established after …

Building A Sustainable Public Health Pbrn: Tips For Securing Ongoing Research Funding, Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks

Health Management and Policy Reports

Diversify your network’s research funding base. The Public Health PBRN Program funding made available by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provides start-up resources and initial research support for networks, but networks will require larger and more sustainable sources of funding for public health research as they progress. The most ample sources can be found in federal funding agencies that operate competitive extramural research programs, include CDC, NIH, AHRQ, HRSA, USDA, and NSF. Public health research funding is also available from state and foundation sources, and even corporate sources (e.g. Pfizer’s Public Health Research Fellowship Program). For sustainability, networks should look …

Public Health Pbrns: Generating Evidence For Policy & Practice, Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks Program

Health Management and Policy Reports

The Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks Program is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that supports the development of research networks for studying the comparative effectiveness, efficiency and equity of public health strategies deployed in real-world practice settings. A practice-based research network (PBRN) brings multiple public health agencies together with research partners to design and implement studies of population-based strategies that prevent disease and injury and promote health. Participating practitioners and researchers collaborate to identify pressing research questions of interest, design rigorous and relevant studies, execute research effectively, and translate findings rapidly into practice. As such, PBRNs …

Estimating Water Supply Arsenic Levels In The New England Bladder Cancer Study, John R. Nuckols, Laura E. Beane-Freeman, Jay H. Lubin, Matthew S. Airola, Dalsu Baris, Joseph D. Ayotte, Anne Taylor, Chris Paulu, Margaret R. Karagas, Joanne Colt

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Ingestion of inorganic arsenic in drinking water is recognized as a cause of bladder cancer when levels are relatively high (≥ 150 µg/L). The epidemiologic evidence is less clear at the low-to-moderate concentrations typically observed in the United States. Accurate retrospective exposure assessment over a long time period is a major challenge in conducting epidemiologic studies of environmental factors and diseases with long latency, such as cancer.

Objective: We estimated arsenic concentrations in the water supplies of 2,611 participants in a population-based case–control study in northern New England.

Methods: Estimates covered the lifetimes of most study participants and were …

Building Capacity In Physical Activity And Public Health, Russell R. Pate, Jennifer L. Gay, David R. Brown, Michael Pratt

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Comparing Cognitive Functioning And Adverse Metabolic Effects Of Consumers Taking Type 1 Or Type 2 Antipsychotic Medications With Un-Medicated Consumers, Muhammad Puri

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Obesity and metabolic side effects such as diabetes mellitus are major concerns in public health. Mentally ill people are a high risk subgroup for obesity and metabolic syndrome because of behavior, non treatment, and medication side effects. In this research, I conducted a retrospective chart review to compare the weight and body mass index of consumers who were prescribed antipsychotic Type 1 or Type 2 medications. The sample was drawn from consumers attending the Consumer Advocacy Model (CAM) program which is an outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment program in the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine Department …

Toxic Chemicals Transported By Rail And Public Health Safety Using Gis In Montgomery County, Ohio, Jason Lipiec

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Hazardous chemicals transported by rail pass directly through urban cities and pose a safety and health threat to the community. Some of these chemicals can be in large quantities, extremely toxic, devastating to the environment and have the potential to cause mass casualties and death. Thousands of people could be in harm’s way. While there is always the possibility for accidental chemical release, they also have the potential to be used in acts of sabotage and terrorism. Evaluation of the rail line in Montgomery County, Ohio using standards in the 2008 Emergency Response Guidebook using geographic information systems (GIS) at …

The Non-Infectious Disease Implications Of Bed Bug Infestations, Christopher T. Balster

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of bed bug infestations throughout Ohio, whether the non-infectious disease implications of infestations are public health concerns, and also determine the perceived ability of public health departments to respond to outbreaks within their jurisdiction. A descriptive study was performed using survey data obtained from 79 local public health departments throughout Ohio. Overall, 79.05% of individuals surveyed agreed that bed bug outbreaks are a public health concern. The mode of responses regarding whether or not the non-infectious disease concerns of infestations are a public health concern was 4 on a scale …

Public Health And Public Wealth: Social Costs As A Basis For Restrictive Policies, David T. Courtwright

David T. Courtwright

Historically, the most important rationale for coercive public health measures has been the prevention of disease and injury to others. However, as noncommunicable diseases and accidents have assumed increased importance as causes of morbidity and mortality, and as the connection between noncommunicable diseases and accidents and individual practices such as smoking and drinking has become more apparent, a new line of argument based on social costs has emerged. My purpose is both to describe and evaluate the social-costs argument, to explain why it has become so popular, and to show what must be done to make it consistent with its …

Smoking During Pregnancy: Its Effects On The Prevalence Of Low Birth Weight Infants, Lynda M. Colussi

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine what impact demographic characteristics and the smoking status of mothers had on the prevalence and risk for LBW births. Methods: Birth certificate data from Montgomery County, Ohio from 2006-2009 was analyzed. Among the information collected were the infant's birth weight, the mother's age, marital status, education level, race, payer status at time of delivery, WIC status, and smoking status. The impact demographic characteristics and smoking status had on the prevalence of LBW births was determined by a logistic regression model. The effect of when women smoked during pregnancy had on the …

Obesity And Other Predictors Of Absenteeism In Philadelphia School Children., Elizabeth B Rappaport, Constantine Daskalakis, Jocelyn Andrel

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Limited data indicate that obese children are absent from school more than their normal-weight peers. We analyzed administrative data from a large urban school district to investigate the association of obesity and student sociodemographic characteristics with absenteeism.

METHODS: We analyzed 291,040 records, representing 165,056 unique students (grades 1-12). Obesity status was classified according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age- and sex-specific percentiles for body mass index (BMI) and analyses were based on negative binomial regression.

RESULTS: Overall rates of overweight and obesity were 17% and 20%, respectively, and the estimated absence rate was 17 absences per 180 …

Cardiovascular Disease And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Adults Exposed To The Terrorist Attacks On The World Trade Center, Katie C. Imhof

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Following events of terrorism communities and individuals are subject to the cumbersome responsibilities associated with rescue and recovery efforts. In addition to the loss of life and direct injuries sustained during the incident, long term health outcomes among the exposed population are often seen. Both physical and mental health can be affected as a result of the exposure, and some outcomes do not immediately present themselves. The population exposed to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City is no different, and the World Trade Center Health Registries database has been established by …

Social Marketing, Stages Of Change, And Public Health Smoking Interventions, Paula Diehr

Paula Diehr

As a "thought experiment," the authors used a modified stages of change model for smoking to define homogeneous segments within various hypothetical populations. The authors then estimated the population effect of public health interventions that targeted the different segments. Under most assumptions, interventions that emphasized primary and secondary prevention, by targeting the Never Smoker, Maintenance, or Action segments, resulted in the highest nonsmoking life expectancy. This result is consistent with both social marketing and public health principles. Although the best thing for an individual smoker is to stop smoking, the greatest public health benefit is achieved by interventions that target …

The College Of Health & Human Services [Annual Report], Western Kentucky University College Of Health And Human Services, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Using The Commons To Facilitate Health Communication, Anna Liebzeit, Karen Adams, Mat Jakobi

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

No abstract provided.

Department Of Family Medicine And Public Health Sciences 2010 Annual Report, Wayne State University School Of Medicine, Department Of Family Medicine And Public Health Sciences

Annual Reports

2010 annual report includes: External Funding in 2010; Peer-reviewed publications in 2010; Full-time Affiliate and Voluntary Faculty; Honors, Awards and Appointments in 2010.

Prevalence, Knowledge, And Concern About Bed Bugs, Mary Beth Kaylor

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Recent research suggests that the United States and the world are on the verge of a bed bug pandemic. Assumptions have been made that socioeconomic status is not an indicator and that bed bugs are not competent disease vectors. However, little information is available at the local level about the prevalence of bed bugs in private homes. This study aimed to identify prevalence, knowledge, and concern about bed bugs in one village in Ohio. Responses from 96 individuals who completed the Prevalence, Knowledge, and Concern about Bed Bugs (PK CABB) survey were utilized for data analysis. The majority of the …

Pertussis In Ohio: A Descriptive Analysis Of The 2010 Columbus Outbreak And Patterns Of A Reemerging Childhood Disease, Christopher Rohde

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: In 2010, Columbus, Ohio experienced the largest outbreak of pertussis that it has had in the past 25 years. Similar outbreaks are occurring across the nation on an increasing basis. This descriptive study examines the 2010 outbreak and describes the demographics of the affected population. Comparison is made to previous and current pertussis incidence in Ohio and outbreaks elsewhere in the United States. Contributing factors to the increasing occurrence of pertussis outbreaks are discussed.

Methods: Raw data was obtained from the Columbus Public Health epidemiology department and is gathered through the Ohio Disease Reporting System (ODRS). Pertussis cases are …

The Influence Of School Eating Environment On Children's Eating Behaviors: An Examination Of The Snda-Iii, Sabrina M. Neeley

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the United States has prompted researchers to examine the factors that contribute to children’s food choices and consumption. Schools provide ample opportunities to teach children healthy eating habits, as well as create eating environments that are conducive to healthy eating behaviors. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides federally assisted meals to millions of children every day and the assessment of the NSLP provides an opportunity to examine the school-eating environment. Hierarchical and logistic modeling of the SNDA-III, the USDA assessment of the NSLP, was conducted to determine relationships between environmental factors …

Nation's Future: Preparedness For Burn Victims, Jacqueline Tippett

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Natural and manmade disasters have occurred throughout the decades, within the United States and around the globe. Increased incidence and awareness of terrorist attacks have caused the US to re-evaluate its safety and preparedness efforts to prevent such events from happening and to develop an adequate response plan if such unfortunate events do occur. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to (1) review and discuss the American Burn Association’s (ABA) paradigm for emergency planning in burn disasters, (2) give recommendation about the National Response Framework (NRF) guidelines on “all hazards” response as they pertains to burns, and (3) give …