Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Worksite Wellness: An Administrative Perspective, Neha Kumar

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: To develop a better understanding of businesses’ goals and purpose for offering worksite wellness opportunities and the level of administrative support for worksite wellness programs.

Method: Human resource directors, benefit managers, or other administrators of 76 businesses that have contracted with Premier Community Health in the past 2 years were contacted by e-mail to complete a standardized online survey on SurveyMonkey®. The survey included questions about the businesses worksite wellness current programs and future interests. In addition, data on how often businesses have utilized each of the PCH worksite offerings over the past 2 years was collected from the …

Assessment And Management Of Adult Obesity In A Primary Care Practice, Sherry M. Adkins

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to describe primary care physician adherence to National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults (1998) and to explore patient characteristics associated with physician assessment and management behaviors. Patient characteristics included age, sex, race, BMI, associated disease risk, and Medicaid coverage.

Methods: A chart abstraction of 99 randomly selected adult patients with at least one visit to a particular primary care practice during a 12-month period was completed. Patients were not pregnant during the year of review, and had a …

Situation Analysis Of Disability Resources And Needs Of Shantytowns Near Lima, Peru, Jessica Hunt

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Individuals in shantytowns of Lima, Peru experience unique challenges due to socioeconomic status and perceived inabilities. A situation analysis using qualitative ethnographic interviews of key participants (n=15) and one focus group (n=7) was conducted to explore life with disability in a shantytown of Lima, Peru. Findings showed that individuals with disability face physical and attitudinal barriers that limit social inclusion through the avenues of rehabilitation, education, and employment. The familial complex is expected to provide care for the individual with disability. The adult family member often chooses between providing income for the household and providing care and safety for their …

Acl Injuries In Montgomery County, Oh: Moving Toward The Development Of A Prediction Model, Kelly Estes

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are one of the most frequent soft tissue injuries of the knee. A torn ACL leaves the knee joint unstable and at risk for further damage to other soft tissues manifested as pain, dislocation, and osteoarthritis. A better understanding of the dimensional details of knee joints suffering ACL tears and a prediction model for individuals susceptible to tears is needed. Using a cross-sectional study design, magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of 72 patients with knee injuries were evaluated from an orthopedic surgery group practice. The status of the ACL was the main variable of interest, creating …

A Geospatial Analysis Of The Role Of Urban Forestry In Outdoor Ambient Air Pollution Reduction In Dayton, Ohio, Nicholas P. Clemens

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: Air pollution is associated with negative respiratory and cardiovascular health outcomes. According to the American Lung Association listing for 2011, the Dayton-Springfield-Greenville, OH area ranks 22 out of 277 US cities for year round particulate pollution. The tree canopy cover plays a significant role to reduce air pollution. The purpose of this analysis was to quantify the role of urban forestry in the Dayton, Ohio metropolitan area in reducing air pollution.

Methods: Using a peer-reviewed model designed by the US Forest Service, the imagery data was analyzed to create a descriptive analysis of the canopy cover in the Dayton, …

Gaps And Strengths In Us Policies On Infant And Young Child Feeding: An Analysis Based On The Global Strategy On Infant And Young Child Feeding, Linda J. Smith

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

This research project reviews the evidence on the significance of infant and young child feeding to public health goals, analyzes US policy documents in relationship to the Global Strategy using the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) to quantify the findings into a national score, and then summarizes the gaps and strengths in US policies and makes recommendations. Using the WBTi scoring system, strengths for the US exist in national policy, Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, monitoring and evaluation, and complementary feeding. Mother support and community outreach, information and support were moderate. Gaps exist in policies on infant feeding in emergencies and for …

Colorectal Cancer In Montgomery County, Ohio: A Descriptive Analysis, Ursula Turner

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

In the United States colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies, and is the third leading cause of cancer deaths (Sharma & O’Keefe, 2007). Approximately 270,000 cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed in 2008 with 81,900 cases resulting in death. There were 16,520 cases diagnosed in African Americans and 7,120 resulted in death or significant illness (American Cancer Society, 2008). Mortality as the result of CRC is greater among the African American population with 27% and 38% higher death rates for African American males and females when compared with Caucasian males and females (Agarwal, 2005). CRC is …

Evidence-Based Public Health Practices For Screening For Postpartum Depression, Roula Hilli

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Five to 20 percent of the women worldwide suffer from Post Partum depression (PPD) which has serious negative impacts on the mother and her newborn. Although PPD is a preventive disease thorough screening using different tools, half of its cases are left undetected.

Purpose of the study: Is to find the best practice for PPD screening, which includes the best screening tool, best setting for screening, best administration period and the best cut-off score.

Methods: It is an Evidence-based Public Health (EBPH) review through a comparative study of 82 studies since 2005 that screened women for PPD in the …

Adding Substance To Strategy, Laura Williamson, Susan Kerr

Dr Laura Williamson

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Metabolic Abnormalities In Children With Varying Degrees Of Obesity, Leah Sabato

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

As the prevalence of obesity among children has risen, metabolic syndrome, a cluster of abnormalities which includes obesity, altered glucose metabolism, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, has increasingly become recognized in the pediatric population. Metabolic syndrome has been studied extensively in adults, and there is increasing interest to understand the condition in adolescents; however, studies of metabolic syndrome in younger children are limited. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components among children aged 6-10 years. Demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical data were gathered retrospectively from the medical records of 222 obese children aged …

Prevalence Of Obesity Among Head Start Preschoolers In Western Ohio, Angela Sims

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: The intent of this study was to examine low income Head Start overweight and obese preschoolers, ages 3-5, in 8 western Ohio counties. Variables of interest included: obesity status, rural versus metropolitan location, home versus center-based Head Start, and access to physicians.

Methods: Data was collected retrospectively from the host Head Start site located in Piqua, Ohio. All Head Start enrolled preschoolers (N=1,181) ages 3 to 5 within the 8 western Ohio counties and 43 programs were studied. All children were considered of low income based on their acceptance into the Head Start program.

The data was retrieved from …

State Preparedness: A Study Of State Plans, Zachary Fehrman

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been used since the early years of public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a standard definition for NPI and what NPI strategies are contained within the definition. This paper seeks to discover if state pandemic influenza plans use the term NPI and its strategies, and if states’ use of NPI strategies in their state pandemic plans is consistent with the CDC definition. To determine how states were defining and using the term NPI and NPI strategies a survey of forty-eight (48) state plans was conducted using each respective states’ pandemic plan. …

Impact Of Congestive Heart Failure Discharge Planning On Congestive Heart Failure Re-Admission Rates, Sula E. Mazimba

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Background: Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is the most common diagnosis accounting for more healthcare costs than any diagnosis. CHF readmissions contribute significantly to this expenditure. Quality of care in heart failure is linked to process based performance measures. This study evaluated the relationship between adherence to performance metrics and 30 day readmission rates.

Methods: This was a single center case-control study that evaluated 6063 consecutive patients admitted with CHF from December 2001 through December 2008. Data was collected for readmission to the hospital within 30 days and compliance to the heart failure performance measures at discharge.

Results: The rate of …

The Effect Of Prenatal Care And Other Factors On Preterm Births In Montgomery County 2007-2009, Leslie A. Schmieder

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Introduction Preterm birth is defined as a baby who is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Problems with preterm birth include an increased risk for health complications throughout life as well as having significantly more medical expenses compared to a full term infant. Prenatal care has shown to decrease the risk for preterm birth nationally. The objective of this project was to analyze prenatal care and other risk and demographic factors to determine their association with preterm birth in Montgomery County.

Method Data used included the 2007-2009 Montgomery County Birth Certificate Data for mothers who had singleton births. The Kessner …

Determining Evidence-Based Practices In Asthma Management, Erin Smiley

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: One aim of this study will focus on determining what are evidence-based studies in asthma control. A second aim focuses on determining which asthma interventions, self-monitoring tools and asthma management programs have shown to be the most significant in improving outcomes in patients with asthma. Recommendations will be made to future asthma self-management programs based on the findings.

Methodology: The review of 15 evidence-based research studies is used to identify and analyze the best asthma self-management practices to be implemented in a community health education program. Using the Brownson framework a weighting schema was created based on the level …

An Examination Of Ohio’S Physical Education Academic Content Standard 4, Benchmark A For Grades 9-12, Gabriel Jones

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe select physical education teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness and accuracy of the assessments for Ohio's Physical Education Academic Content Standard 4 Benchmark A in determining the fitness and physical activity levels of high school students. A secondary purpose was to describe the fitness levels of high school physical education students, based on assessment data.

Methods: Participants were forty-one physical education teachers and ninety high school students from southwest Ohio. Data were collected from the teachers through an online questionnaire and from students with FITNESSGRAM testing. FITNESSGRAM data from one local school …

The Association Between Neighborhood Walkability, Type 2 Diabetes, And Socioeconomic Status In Residents Of Eight Ohio Counties, Dawn L. Ebron

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective: Regular physical activity is beneficial in preventing type 2 diabetes. Walking, either for recreation or to travel to a destination, is an inexpensive way to meet physical activity guidelines. Disadvantaged populations with low socioeconomic status (SES) have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes and are more likely to live in unwalkable neighborhood. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between SES and neighborhood walkability in eight Ohio counties with highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the state.

Methods: Using data from the 2010 Ohio Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey and Walk Score …

Norovirus Epidemiology And Duration Of Shedding In Michigan, 2007-2008, Nodira A. Abdujamilova, David Dixon, Laura Mosher, Patricia Somsel, Anthony Muyombwe, Patricia A. Clark, Jeffrey Massey, Brenda Brennan, Paul C. Bartlett

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Background: In the United States, an estimated 23 million cases of norovirus (NoV) are reported each year, and although mortality is low, the morbidity and economic impact are substantial. Methods: RT-PCR and sequencing were used for identification of NoV genotypes obtained from outbreak and sporadic cases. RT Quant PCR was used to determine the viral load in fecal specimens. In order to rule out bacterial infection as the cause for acute gastroenteritis (AGE), bacterial culture for Salmonella, E.coli O157, Shigella, Campylobacter and Clostridium difficile was performed by standard laboratory procedures. The duration of NV shedding was investigated with longitudinal sampling …

Influenza Vaccine Given To Pregnant Women Reduces Hospitalization Due To Influenza In Their Infants, Isaac Benowitz

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

The aim of this study was to determine whether giving influenza vaccine to pregnant women can reduce the incidence of hospitalization due to influenza in their infants in the first year of life. This was a matched, hospital-based case-control study at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. Case and control subjects were all aged hospitalization, matched to cases by date of birth and date of hospitalization (both within 4 weeks before or after). We contacted parents of all subjects to collect information on the subjects' health and home setting and to get permission to review subjects' and mothers' hospital records and outpatient …

Factors Associated With Prescribing Antiviral Medications For Treatment Of Influenza Among Primary Care Physicians In The United States, Payal Patel

All ETDs from UAB

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that affects millions each year. The illness, if not contained, can be a paramount public health threat in the U.S. and the world. Primary care physicians play an essential role in administering antiviral medications as a treatment for influenza yet the factors that influence their prescribing of these medications remain unclear. The present study aims to identify factors associated with physicians' prescribing of antiviral medications in the ambulatory care setting. The data utilized for this study were obtained from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for each influenza season between the years of 2005-2008. …

Alternatives To Criminalization Of Hiv Transmission And Exposure, Aziza Ahmed

Aziza Ahmed

No abstract provided.