Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Observational Study To Identify Best Practices Of Successful Active Science Programs, Elizabeth Egan

Health Sciences Student Work

Introduction: Obesity amongst our nation’s youth is on the rise and has drastically increased in recent decades. This chronic health issue lends to potential risk of developing comorbidity of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, an increased risk of premature death and many other serious chronic diseases. Obesity prevention and health promotion programs aimed at targeting obesity, and more specifically childhood obesity, should implement nutrition and/or physical activity components. Effective programs have taken into account moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) measurements, class size and class management (if the program utilizes an education or group fitness component), and the demographic …

Massachusetts Medicaid Members That Smoked In 2008: Characteristics Associated With Smoking Status In 2014, Alexis D. Henry, John Gettens, Judith A. Savageau, Doris Cullen, Anna Landau

Judith A. Savageau

The smoking rate among non-elderly Medicaid enrollees is more than double the rate for those privately insured; smoking-related conditions account for 15% of Medicaid expenditures. Under state health reform, Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth) made tobacco cessation treatment available beginning in 2006. We used surveys conducted in 2008 and 2014 to examine changes in smoking abstinence rates among MassHealth members identified as smokers and to identify factors associated with being a former smoker. Members previously identified as smokers were surveyed by mail or phone; 2008 and 2014 samples included 3,116 and 2,971 members, respectively. Surveys collected demographic and health information, asked members …

Baseline White Matter Hyperintensities And Hippocampal Volume Are Associated With Conversion From Normal Cognition To Mild Cognitive Impairment In The Framingham Offspring Study., Katherine J Bangen, Sarah R Preis, Lisa Delano-Wood, Philip A Wolf, David J Libon, Mark W Bondi, Rhoda Au, Charles Decarli, Adam M Brickman

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

INTRODUCTION: We examined associations between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of cerebrovascular disease and neurodegeneration with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis at baseline and conversion from normal cognition to MCI at follow-up.

METHODS: Framingham Offspring participants underwent brain MRI and neuropsychological assessment at baseline (n=1049) and follow-up (n=561). Participants were classified at baseline and at follow-up as cognitively normal or MCI using sensitive neuropsychological criteria. White matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume, covert brain infarcts, hippocampal volume, and total cerebral brain volume were quantified.

RESULTS: Baseline measures of WMH and hippocampal volume were associated with MCI status cross-sectionally and also with conversion …

Early And Current Educational Information Is Key In Preventing Smoking In Massachusetts Youth, Shawn Sanford

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Among adult smokers, 88% started smoking before the age of 18. This challenge is complicated by the effective advertising efforts of the tobacco industry, which have been shown to cause the onset of smoking in adolescents. Franklin County, MA has not been immune to this problem, as 42% of 12^th graders reported trying a cigarette and 51% of 12^th graders reported trying electronic vapor products. This project focused on the need for early and current tobacco prevention information to keep up with the promotional campaigns of the tobacco industry. Reaching youth with fresh information before their first puff …

Fluoride And Dental Health: Franklin County, Massachusetts, Ava Bakhtyari

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This project was designed to identify the unique dental needs specific to Franklin County, MA and to identify potential preventative measures. It focused on dental hygiene and the importance of fluoride in supporting strong and healthy teeth, as the majority of Franklin County, MA does not have fluoride in public drinking waters. The specific intervention consisted of distributing educational flyers to patients and providers on the importance of fluoride-products. The project was designed to increase the awareness and use of in-office fluoride varnish treatments.