Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Seeking Coherence In A Covid-19 Context: The Maltese Islands During The Pandemic, Maximilian Bonnici, Isabelle Bonnici, Brett Miller, Jack Victory, Parth Panchal, Nathan Williams

International Journal of Islands Research

Malta had a rollercoaster experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. One moment it was doing exceptionally well. The next moment it became a basket case, the second worst in Europe. It was unlikely that a little island would garner an ongoing attention in the international press when each country was focusing on its pandemic problems at home. For this research, we visited Malta and explored first-hand the dichotomy between official statements and what transpires on the ground during a pandemic. Maltese public policy communications rely on a conduit model where policy messages are sent to the public in a one-way direction. …

Globalization And Public Health In Rural Zones: Lessons From Sub-Saharan Africa, Benjamin Poku, Jean-Leopold Kabambi

Journal of Global Awareness

Distant rural regions of Sub-Sahara Africa are often coveted by foreign investing companies for their natural resources. However, the rural populations do not always take advantage of the economic benefits resulting from those investing activities. These increasing activities do not leave without harming the health of rural communities as they rely on community-based traditional and ancestral practices such as fishing and hunting, traditional medicine, spiritual ceremonies, among others, to survive. We aimed to analyze selected indicators of public health in rural zones highly impacted by globalization factors using existing database and literature research. Given the complexity of the situation, efforts …

Usu’S Health Extension: Advocacy, Research, & Teaching (Heart) Initiative Completes Three Years Of Impactful Programming, Ashley C. Yaugher, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Verlina Adame, Gabriela Murza, Maren Wright Voss, Timothy Keady, Sadie Wilde

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

USU’s Health Extension: Advocacy, Research, & Teaching (HEART) Initiative addresses the opioid epidemic and other pressing public health issues in Utah. Data collected from HEART collaborations, acquired funding, and programming over the past three years demonstrates HEART’s collective impact on the state’s opioid epidemic.

Long-Term Effects Of In Utero Exposure To “The Year Without A Summer”, Hamid Noghanibehambari, Farzaneh Noghani, Nahid Tavassoli, Mostafa Toranji

Economic and Business Review

This paper uses the aftermath of the great Tambora eruption in 1815 as a natural experiment to explore the long-term effects of a nutritional shock during prenatal development. The volcanic explosion of Tambora formed substantial ash columns which hampered sunlight, cooled down the surface temperature, reduced the length of the growing season, and led to a severe harvest failure during summer and winter of 1816 in Europe and northeastern states of America. US decennial census 1850 provides evidence that cohorts in utero during the climate anomaly revealed lower literacy rates, lower labor force participation rates, a fewer number of own …

A Scoping Review Of Barriers And Facilitators To Pap Testing In Women With Disabilities And Serious Mental Illnesses: Thirty Years After The Americans With Disabilities Act, Michele S. Lee, Jillian R. Peart, Julie S. Armin, Heather J. Williamson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Thirty years after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, promising equal access to health services for people with disabilities and serious mental illness, research on Pap testing continues to uncover health disparities among women with disabilities and women with serious mental illnesses, including those that identify as an ethnic/racial minority.

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to describe and present the literature on the barriers and facilitators women with disabilities and women with serious mental illnesses face with receiving a Pap test using the social ecological model. We also examined the degree to which …

Using 4-H Animal Science Programming To Improve One Health, Lacie Ashby, April Barczewski, Ashley Travis, Chris Anderson, Sheryl Bennett

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Zoonoses, or diseases that can be transferred between humans and animals, such as variant swine influenza, avian influenza A viruses, and coronaviruses, comprise a large percentage of all newly identified and existing infectious diseases (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). As a result, there is an ever-growing need for a One Health approach towards preventing and controlling zoonotic diseases. To better manage these public health risks at the human-animal-environment interface, Maryland 4-H and Maryland Department of Health initiated a statewide, multi-agency collaborative partnership. Through steps taken to collectively develop and implement long-term strategies to prevent future variant influenza outbreaks …

Risk Factors Associated With Passenger Vehicle Fatal Rollover Crashes In West Virginia, 2001-2018, Yuni Tang, Toni Marie Rudisill, Ruchi Bhandari

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: Rollover crashes cause more injuries and fatalities than other types of motor vehicle crashes. West Virginia (WV) has high rates of drug overdose deaths and motor vehicle crash fatality. However, no studies have investigated risk factors associated with fatal rollover crashes in WV.

Purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate whether drug use and other risk factors are associated with fatal rollover crash fatalities in WV.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized the Fatality Analysis Reporting System dataset from passenger vehicle crashes involving WV drivers ≥ 16 years of age with known drug test results who died within …

Perfect Storm, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

Homelessness And Covid-19, Justin Macneill, Alexa Lahey, Nina Teo

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the struggle of people experiencing homelessness (PEH) and presented new challenges to those serving this vulnerable population. To better understand and articulate how COVID has impacted both PEH and their ecosystem of support, we compared the national response - aggregated via a literature review of both gray and academic literature - to the statewide response in Indiana and the local response in Tippecanoe County.

Local homelessness providers emphasized that organizational partnerships are key - policy changes in one organization can have malignant effect extending throughout and putting additional strain on other organizations within the local …

Student Pharmacists’ Response To A Pandemic: Service-Learning Through Contact Tracing, Antoinette Martin, William Harris, Alexander Szu-Wei Chao, Caroline Blankemeier, Diane Hobbs, Emily Hall, Emily Harvath, Madilyn Eberle, Monica L. Miller, Rakhi Karwa

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In March 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted education nationwide. To safely deliver in-person classes, Purdue University contracted One-to-One Health, creating the Protect Purdue Health Center (PPHC). The PPHC was a central location for information, testing, and case management for Purdue students, staff, faculty and their dependents. Contact tracing is a proven public health measure that has been utilized to control the spread of infectious diseases by identifying and isolating potential active cases. The communicative nature of contact tracing, along with its need for clinical decision-making skills makes the student pharmacist an ideal candidate for aiding in this pandemic response. …

Conference Proceedings: Select Abstracts Presented At 2021 Advocate Aurora Health Scientific Day

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Abstracts published within this supplement were presented at the 47th annual Advocate Aurora Health Scientific Day, held virtually on May 26, 2021. This research symposium provides a forum for disseminating results from studies conducted by faculty, fellows, residents, and other allied health professionals associated with Midwest-based health system Advocate Aurora Health, which publishes the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews.

Collegiate Athletic Trainers’ Experiences Planning For Return-To-Sports During Covid-19: A Qualitative Research Study, Eric G. Post, Justin S. Disanti, Christianne M. Eason, Hayley J. Root, Thomas E. Abdenour

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the role of intercollegiate head athletic trainers in the process of planning to resume sport, as well as their experiences across the course of the pandemic to identify key strategies, challenges, and future considerations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: This exploratory, descriptive qualitative study was conducted via one-on-one semi structured interviews through the Zoom video conference technology. Twenty-four head athletic trainers across NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions participated in the study. Results: Emerging themes included the development of detailed, institution-specific plans with shared elements such as policies for testing …

Introducing The Vpha Policy Forum, Benjamin P. Barber

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Data before and during the pandemic indicates Virginia's public health system needs reform. This article suggests that reform requires policy change, and it introduces the VPHA forum as a place to examine current policies and explore new ideas. Finally, it encourages policymakers, advocates, and the public to focus on fundamental questions about how public health is financed and delivered in Virginia. Answering these questions is necessary to creating better public health policies - and better health - for all Virginians.

National Convention On World Homoeopathy Day – A Conference Report, Anupam Mukherjee, Divya Taneja, Anil Khurana

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy organized a scientific convention on the World Homoeopathy Day on 10^th and 11^thApril, 2021 to commemorate the 266^th birth anniversary of Dr Christian Fredrich Samuel Hahnemann at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, India. The theme of the conference was ‘Homoeopathy – Roadmap for Integrative Medicine’. There were oral presentations and a panel discussion during the convention organized in the hybrid mode, with participants and presenters attending the convention either physically, or remotely through video link. Recommendations to develop a roadmap for Homoeopathy for integrative care were also proposed during the convention. …

Social Media Use And Covid-19: A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Health Behaviors, Knowledge, And Mental Health Among University Of Nevada, Reno Students, Molly M. Hagen, Sarah Y.T. Hartzell, Paul G. Devereux

Health Behavior Research

Reliance on social media for health information is widespread, yet impacts of social media use (SMU) on health behaviors during infectious disease pandemics are poorly understood. We used a random sample from a university student directory to invite students to take a cross-sectional online survey during the coronavirus pandemic. Survey questions assessed adherence to public health guidelines, knowledge of COVID-19/SARS-CoV2, and mental health symptoms. Students were classified based on their level of SMU for information on COVID-19 as: (1) none, (2) some use, or (3) main source. Weighted regressions were used to relate SMU to adherence (five-point scale) and knowledge …

Review Of Sexual Health Issues Linked With Cardiovascular Disease And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Males, Veronica Collins, Tamara J. Swann, Jane Burns, Tim Moss, Mick Adams

Australian Indigenous HealthBulletin

There are well established links between male sexual health conditions and chronic disease, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Erectile dysfunction (ED) and low testosterone are two sexual health conditions that are relatively common among the wider male population. However, there is a lack of data specifically about these sexual problems among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males.

One of the most important findings of research regarding the links between sexual health and chronic disease is that ED can be a risk marker for future CVD or undiagnosed T2DM. Understanding these links can lead to more holistic …

The Real Toy Story: The San Francisco Board Of Supervisors Healthy Food Incentives Ordinance, Cortney Price

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Obesity among children in the United States has tripled over the last thirty years. Incidentally, the world's largest fast food restaurant, McDonald's, first introduced its children's Happy Meal thirty-two years ago. Shortly thereafter, the first Disney inspired toy found its way into Happy Meals and the hearts of the "billions and billions served." Although the iconic Happy Meal and accompanying toy have become "a staple of Americana akin to baseball and apple pie," the continued existence of the practice is being threatened in light of the powerful influence toys have on children's food choices, thus contributing to the current obesity …

A Moment Of Peace: An Artistic Representation Of The Influence Of Healthcare On Social Disruption, Nafisa Choudhury

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

This original pen-and-ink artwork features a lily on the water symbolizing peace. As war, distrust, chaos and coups wreak havoc throughout many developing nations, healthcare workers and public health officials should be encouraged that we do in fact have a part to play in managing the human health affected by the disruption. Health work can provide a zone of comfort, spread solidarity and understanding, and manage the human toll of war. Healthcare workers have major roles in peace-keeping efforts as a result of these determinations and their impact on peace should be acknowledged and lauded. We hope that as we …

Book Review: Foundations Of Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare And Bioscience, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Book Review:

Catania LJ. Foundations of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Bioscience. Cambridge: Academic Press; 2020, $150.00, 524 pages, Paperback ISBN:9780128244777, e-book ISBN: 9780323860055.

Supply, Demand, And Quality: A Three-Pronged Approach To Blood Product Management In Developing Countries, Kyle L. Gress, Karina Charipova, Ivan Urits, Omar Viswanath, Alan D. Kaye

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

While transfusion of blood and blood products is instinctively linked to the provision of emergent care, blood and blood products are also routinely used for the treatment of subacute and chronic conditions. Despite the efforts of the World Health Organization and others, developing countries are faced with a three-part problem when it comes to access to and delivery of transfusions: insufficient supply, excessive demand, and inadequate quality of available supply. Developing countries rely heavily on replacement and remunerated donors rather than voluntary nonremunerated donors due to concerns regarding donation- and transfusion-transmitted infection as well as local and cultural beliefs. While …

An Interdisciplinary Approach To Community-Engaged Research Surrounding Lead In Drinking Water In The Mississippi Delta, Kristine L. Willett, Stephanie E. Showalter, Catherine M. Janasie, Josephine P. Rhymes, Kennedy Dickson, John J. Green

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

Childhood lead poisoning is a problem requiring interdisciplinary attention from toxicology, public health, social sciences, environmental law, and policy. In the U.S., Mississippi was ranked as one of the worst states for lead poisoning with limited childhood screening measures. We conducted community-engaged research by working with leaders in the largely rural Mississippi Delta region from 2016-2019 to collect household water samples and questionnaires and involve their communities in lead poisoning risk awareness and outreach. Drinking water from 213 homes was collected and analyzed for pH and lead concentrations. Highest lead concentrations were from households served by private wells, and detectable …

Nonpharmaceutical Interventions In Turkey And Worldwide During Covid-19 Pandemic, Mustafa Necmi̇ İlhan, Hakan Tüzün, Rahmi̇ Kiliç, Nuran Yildirim

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are actions apart from getting vaccinated and medications, in order to promote deceleration of the spread of illness among people and communities during pandemic. In this article, we aim to examine NPIs applied in Turkey and worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the NPIs such as isolation, quarantine, and contact tracing were maintained with updates of the Ministry of Health guidelines in Turkey. Some NPIs including travel and partial or full curfew mobilization restrictions were set in accordance with the various periods by the number of cases. Periods of restrictions at autumn 2021 to summer …

First Known Covid-19 Case And Contact Tracing Efforts In İstanbul, Turkey, Abdullah Emre Güner, Aral Sürmeli̇, Kemal Kural, Esra Şahi̇n, Peri̇han Alkan, Erdoğan Kocayi̇ği̇t, Mustafa Hati̇poğlu, Şuayip Bi̇ri̇nci̇, Kemal Memi̇şoğlu, Işil Maral

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: COVID-19 has now become a global pandemic. Understanding the routes of transmission is vital in the mitigation and suppression of the disease. İstanbul has become one of the disease's epicenters. This study aims to describe the first COVID-19 case and contact tracing efforts around it in İstanbul. Materials and methods: The descriptive study was conducted in İstanbul, Turkey. The first COVID-19 cases and those associated with them were investigated with contact tracing, and primary and secondary cases were described. Results: The source case was an individual who returned to Turkey from international travel at the beginning of March and …