Public Health Commons^™

Psychological Determinants Of Physical Activity Across The Life Course: A "Determinants Of Diet And Physical Activity" (Dedipac) Umbrella Systematic Literature Review, Cristina Cortis, Anna Puggina, Caterina Pesce, Katina Aleksovska, Christoph Buck, Con Burns, Greet Cardon, Angela Carlin, Chantal Simon, Donatella Ciarapica, Giancarlo Condello, Tara Coppinger, Sara D’Haese, Marieke De Craemer, Andrea Di Blasio, Sylvia Hansen, Licia Iacoviello, Johann Issartel, Pascal Izzicupo, Lina Jaeschke, Martina Kanning, Aileen Kennedy, Fiona Chun Man Ling, Agnes Luzak, Giorgio Napolitano, Julie Anne Nazare, Grainne O’Donoghue, Camille Perchoux, Tobias Pischon, Angela Polito, Alessandra Sannella, Holger Schulz

Publications

Low levels of physical activity (PA) are reported to contribute to the occurrence of non-communicable diseases over the life course. Although psychological factors have been identified as an important category concerning PA behavior, knowledge on psychological determinants of PA is still inconclusive. Therefore, the aim of this umbrella systematic literature review (SLR) was to summarize and synthesize the scientific evidence on psychological determinants of PA behavior across the life course. A systematic online search was conducted on MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases. The search was limited to studies published in English from January 2004 to April …

Evaluation Of The Performance Of Tn Integrated Food Safety Center Of Excellence Online Training Courses, Amal S. Humidat

Masters Theses

Foodborne disease outbreaks are still a challenge in the United States even with the improvements that are continuously made to the food integrity system. The Center for Agriculture and Food Security and Preparedness (CAFSP), in conjunction with the Tennessee Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence, has developed two web-based courses to support investigation of foodborne illnesses. These courses are entitled as “Foodborne Outbreak Investigation and Response Team Roles and Responsibilities, Part A and B” respectively. The overall goal of this study was to evaluate each course by assessing the participants' satisfaction, learning, and perception of knowledge gained and impact on …

The Imperial County Community Air Monitoring Network: A Model For Community-Based Environmental Monitoring For Public Health Action., Paul B English, Luis Olmedo, Ester Bejarano, Humberto Lugo, Eduardo Murillo, Edmund Seto, Michelle Wong, Galatea King, Alexa Wilkie, Dan Meltzer, Graeme Carvlin, Michael Jerrett, Amanda Northcross

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

The Imperial County Community Air Monitoring Network (the Network) is a collaborative group of community, academic, nongovernmental, and government partners designed to fill the need for more detailed data on particulate matter in an area that often exceeds air quality standards. The Network employs a community-based environmental monitoring process in which the community and researchers have specific, well-defined roles as part of an equitable partnership that also includes shared decision-making to determine study direction, plan research protocols, and conduct project activities. The Network is currently producing real-time particulate matter data from 40 low-cost sensors throughout Imperial County, one of the …

Heat Exposure And Maternal Health In The Face Of Climate Change., Leeann Kuehn, Sabrina Mccormick

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Climate change will increasingly affect the health of vulnerable populations, including maternal and fetal health. This systematic review aims to identify recent literature that investigates increasing heat and extreme temperatures on pregnancy outcomes globally. We identify common research findings in order to create a comprehensive understanding of how immediate effects will be sustained in the next generation. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guide, we systematically reviewed articles from PubMed and Cochrane Reviews. We included articles that identify climate change-related exposures and adverse health effects for pregnant women. There is evidence that temperature extremes adversely …

Reducing Chemical Exposures At Home: Opportunities For Action., Ami R Zota, Veena Singla, Gary Adamkiewicz, Susanna D Mitro, Robin E Dodson

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Indoor environments can influence human environmental chemical exposures and, ultimately, public health. Furniture, electronics, personal care and cleaning products, floor coverings and other consumer products contain chemicals that can end up in the indoor air and settled dust. Consumer product chemicals such as phthalates, phenols, flame retardants and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances are widely detected in the US general population, including vulnerable populations, and are associated with adverse health effects such as reproductive and endocrine toxicity. We discuss the implications of our recent meta-analysis describing the patterns of chemical exposures and the ubiquity of multiple chemicals in indoor environments. …

Socioeconomic Status, Air Quality And Geographic Variation In Emergency Room Visits For Acute Bronchitis On The California Central Coast, Sean Lang-Brown, Heather W. Starnes, Gary B. Hughes

Symposium

IMPORTANCE: Analysis of geospatial variation in acute bronchitis due to socioeconomic and environmental factors can allow the efficient delivery of resources to populations most at risk.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine if small scale variation in socioeconomic factors and emergency room (ER) visits for acute bronchitis are associated in small cities or rural communities. We also modeled the effects of air quality on daily rates of ER visits for acute bronchitis in the context of socioeconomic factors to investigate modifying relationships.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We examined ER visits for acute bronchitis in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties …

Retrospective Analysis To Describe Associations Between Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Inhibitors And Copd-Related Hospitalizations, Neil A. Accortt, James B. Chung, Machaon Bonafede, Brendan L. Limone, David M. Mannino

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Limited information exists on the impact of tumor necrosis factor inhibition on COPD exacerbations. This retrospective study characterized this impact among COPD patients with underlying autoimmune conditions, exposed to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and/or non-biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
Patients and methods: Adult COPD patients with ≥1 diagnosis for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis (PsO), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), or ankylosing spondylitis (AS) before or within 6 months following the index COPD diagnosis were identified from the Truven Health MarketScan^® databases. Patients were required to have a second claim for RA, PsO, PsA, AS, or DMARD use (biologic or …

Variability Of Anthropogenic Gases: Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxide, Ozone And Ammonia In Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, Filimon Kiros

Masters Theses

Background: Kathmandu Valley is one of the largest and most polluted metropolitan regions in the Himalayan foothills. Rapidly expanding urban sprawl and growing fleet of vehicles, and industrial facilities such as brick factories across the valley have led to conditions where ambient concentrations of key gaseous air pollutants are expected to exceed Nepal’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards and World Health Organization guidelines.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to quantify the distribution of gaseous pollutants across the valley characterized by different emission sources, and also assess influence of meteorology in the region on the temporal variability and spatial …

Penile Anaerobic Dysbiosis As A Risk Factor For Hiv Infection, Cindy Liu, Jessica Prodger, Aaron Tobian, Alison Abraham, Godfrey Kigozi, Lance B. Price, +Several Additional Authors

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Sexual transmission of HIV requires exposure to the virus and infection of activated mucosal immune cells, specifically CD4⁺ T cells or dendritic cells. The foreskin is a major site of viral entry in heterosexual transmission of HIV. Although the probability of acquiring HIV from a sexual encounter is low, the risk varies even after adjusting for known HIV risk factors. The genital microbiome may account for some of the variability in risk by interacting with the host immune system to trigger inflammatory responses that mediate the infection of mucosal immune cells. We conducted a case-control study of uncircumcised participants …

Incidence Of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma And Residential Proximity To Superfund Sites In Kentucky, W. Brent Webber, Ramona Stone

Public Health Sciences Faculty Publications

The rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in Kentucky and the U.S. began to rise in the mid-20th century. Plausible mechanistic explanations exist for linkages between the development of NHL and exposures to specific chemicals. Several of these chemicals are present in sites within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund program. This study investigated a possible association between residential proximity to Superfund sites in Kentucky and incidence of NHL over a period of 18 years. Cumulative incidence rates per 100,000 persons were calculated at the census tract level, within 5 km–10 km and <5 km from Superfund sites. Geographically weighted regression was necessary to create best-fitting models due to spatial autocorrelation and nonstationarity. Residential proximity to Superfund sites in Kentucky was associated with higher incidence of NHL; the average cumulative incidence of NHL per 100,000 decreased as the distance to the hazardous sites increased. This study confirmed previous research findings of an association between residential proximity to environmentally hazardous sites and the cumulative incidence rates of NHL. Future research should take into account the chemical profile of each site, to identify the most hazardous sites. Potential intervention strategies are presented based on the results of this study.

Sedentary Behavior Research Network (Sbrn) - Terminology Consensus Project Process And Outcome, Mark S. Tremblay, Salomé Aubert, Joel D. Barnes, Travis J. Saunders, Valerie Carson, Amy E. Latimer-Cheung, Sebastien F.M. Chastin, Teatske M. Altenburg, Mai J.M. Chinapaw, Saeideh Aminian, Lauren Arundell, Trina Hinkley, Jill Hnatiuk, Andrew J. Atkin, Kevin Belanger, Jean Philippe Chaput, Katie Gunnell, Richard Larouche, Taru Manyanga, Bethany Barone Gibbs, Rebecca Bassett-Gunter, Stuart Biddle, Aviroop Biswas, Josephine Chau, Rachel Colley, Tara Coppinger, Catharine Craven, Carlos Cristi-Montero, Douglas De Assis Teles Santos, Borja Del Pozo Cruz, Jesus Del Pozo-Cruz, Paddy Dempsey

Publications

Background: The prominence of sedentary behavior research in health science has grown rapidly. With this growth there is increasing urgency for clear, common and accepted terminology and definitions. Such standardization is difficult to achieve, especially across multi-disciplinary researchers, practitioners, and industries. The Sedentary Behavior Research Network (SBRN) undertook a Terminology Consensus Project to address this need. Method: First, a literature review was completed to identify key terms in sedentary behavior research. These key terms were then reviewed and modified by a Steering Committee formed by SBRN. Next, SBRN members were invited to contribute to this project and interested participants reviewed …

Environmental Health News, Georgia Southern University

Environmental Health News (2012-2018)

• Georgia Southern Collaborates on Mosquito Surveillance in Response to Zika Virus

Emergence Of Livestock-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Bloodstream Infections In Denmark., Jesper Larsen, Andreas Petersen, Anders R Larsen, Raphael N Sieber, Marc Stegger, Anders Koch, Frank M Aarestrup, Lance B Price, Robert L Skov

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clonal complex 398 (LA-MRSA CC398) is causing an increasing number of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in Denmark and other European countries with industrial pig production. Yet, its impact on MRSA bloodstream infections (BSIs) has not been well studied.

Methods

We investigated the clinical epidemiology of all human cases of LA-MRSA CC398 BSI during 2010–2015. Cases of LA-MRSA CC398 BSI were compared to cases of BSI caused by other types of MRSA and cases of SSTI caused by LA-MRSA CC398. Whole-genome sequence analysis was used to assess the phylogenetic relationship among LA-MRSA CC398 isolates …

Putting Care Back Into "Health Care:" An Analysis Of The Place Of Community Health Workers Within The U.S. Health Care System, Megan Schowalter

Honors Program Theses

This paper explores who a Community Health Worker (CHW) is and contextualizes the social, political, and historical factors that allowed for the growth of CHWs within the primary health care sector in the U.S. It analyzes how CHWs perceive their own roles and responsibilities within the U.S. health system as a means of highlighting the gap within health care services and the influence of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) on well-being. The second part of this paper relates CHWs to scholarship by medical anthropologist Paul Farmer and public health scholar Alicia Yamin concerning pathologies of power and the need for …

Thinking Locally, Acting Globally: Global Health At The University Of Vermont, Kate E. Bright

University Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Published by the Dana Medical Library at the University of Vermont, this electronic exhibit explores the Global Health programs that have developed in affiliation with UVM departments and colleges. With input from enthusiastic physicians, nurses, professors and students, we gain an understanding of the broader Global Health mission as well as get a sense of the focus of each individual UVM program and initiative. From fighting Ebola in Liberia to curriculum supported international residencies in New Zealand, there is a movement toward international collaboration to promote public health and prevent disease. Health care professionals as well as educators strive to …

A Longitudinal Study Of Peripubertal Serum Organochlorine Concentrations And Semen Parameters In Young Men: The Russian Children's Study, Lidia Minguez-Alarcon, Oleg Sergeyev, Jane S. Burns, Paige L. Williams, Mary M. Lee, Susan A. Korrick, Luidmila Smigulina, Boris Revich, Russ Hauser

Mary M. Lee

BACKGROUND: Exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals during critical phases of testicular development may be related to poorer semen parameters. However, few studies have assessed the association between childhood organochlorine (OC) exposure and adult semen parameters.

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether peripubertal serum OC concentrations are associated with semen parameters among young Russian men.

METHODS: From 2003 to 2005, 516 boys were enrolled at age 8-9 years and followed for up to ten years. Serum OCs were measured in the enrollment samples using high-resolution mass spectrometry. At age 18-19 years, 133 young men provided one or two semen samples (256 samples) collected …

Exploring The Harmful Health Effects Of Chlorpyrifos On Children: An Argument For Policy Reform, Lucia M. Ruiz

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate neurotoxic insecticide, which poses a significant risk to children’s health. Exposure to chlorpyrifos during childhood, infancy and pregnancy has been linked to autism, ADHD, developmental delays, and lower IQ. My internship at the Natural Resources Defense Council in San Francisco consisted of completing analyses and creating science, policy and communications materials to support health protective policies for chlorpyrifos in the market and at the federal and state levels. Information pertaining to the widespread use and harmful effects of chlorpyrifos was gathered and presented in fact sheets, spreadsheets, graphs and bulleted talking points. Data analyses and literature …

Environmental Health, Tessa Oliaro

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

There is a very important intersection between the environment, public health, and socioeconomic factors (Braveman, 2014). These include waste disposal, water use and quality, road safety, ecosystem services, and many more. Environmental health stresses, “the health impacts of physical, chemical, and biological agents in the environment and workplace, and learns to develop strategies to measure and control major environmental health problems both locally…and in settings around the globe” (UC Berkeley School of Public Health, 2017). This overarching umbrella can have emphases in environmental epidemiology, exposure science, climate change, ergonomics, home and industrial hygiene, and molecular epidemiology. Exploring each of these …

Epidemiologic And Clinical Profiles Of Uterine Cancer In The Gharbiah Province Of Egypt, Saad Alshahrani

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Uterine cancer is one of the top-ranking cancers of women with wide international variations in incidence rates. Egypt has a lower incidence of uterine cancer than other countries in the Middle East. In addition to the international incidence variation, there are also wide variations in incidence by rural and urban areas within countries. Therefore, this research project focused on the Gharbiah province, north of Cairo in the Nile Delta, with the aims of investigating demographic and clinical characteristics of uterine cancer, assessing rural/urban variation in incidence rates, and evaluating the possible role of hysterectomy in under-estimating the disease incidence …

Epigenetic Modifications Of Human Placenta Associated With Preterm Birth, Drissa Toure

Theses & Dissertations

Preterm birth is a complex multifactorial process. Despite the well-known role of the placenta in supporting the fetal development and maternal-fetal tolerance, the placental epigenetic modifications and preterm birth (PTB) remains poorly understood and under investigated. Various maternal and environment factors can influence epigenetic programming during fetal development to affect the functioning and structures of organs, including the placenta, which can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including PTB. The understanding of the placental epigenetic alterations and maternal determinants associated with PTB are apparently indispensable for the development of actual diagnosis and methods of prevention and treatment of premature labor. The …

Behavioral Determinants Of Physical Activity Across The Life Course: A "Determinants Of Diet And Physical Activity" (Dedipac) Umbrella Systematic Literature Review, Giancarlo Condello, Anna Puggina, Katina Aleksovska, Christoph Buck, Con Burns, Greet Cardon, Angela Carlin, Chantal Simon, Donatella Ciarapica, Tara Coppinger, Cristina Cortis, Sara D'Haese, Marieke De Craemer, Andrea Di Blasio, Sylvia Hansen, Licia Iacoviello, Johann Issartel, Pascal Izzicupo, Lina Jaeschke, Martina Kanning, Aileen Kennedy, Fiona Chun Man Ling, Agnes Luzak, Giorgio Napolitano, Julie Anne Nazare, Camille Perchoux, Caterina Pesce, Tobias Pischon, Angela Polito, Alessandra Sannella, Holger Schulz, Rhoda Sohun

Publications

Background: Low levels of physical activity (PA) are a global concern and increasing PA engagement is becoming a priority in current public health policies. Despite the large number of studies and reviews available, the evidence regarding the behavioral determinants of PA is still inconclusive. Thus, the aim of this umbrella systematic literature review (SLR) was to summarize the evidence on the behavioral determinants of PA across the life course. Methods: A systematic online search was conducted on MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases. The search was limited to studies published in English from January, 2004 to April, …

Salmonella And Aeromonas Contamination In A 303(D) Listed Water Body Compared To Fecal Indicators & Water Quality Parameters, Elizabeth M. Morgan Ms.

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since the passage of the Clean Water Act, concern about surface water quality has increased. Reducing exposure to pathogens and adverse impacts on human health because of contact with surface waters has become the focus of many regulatory agencies. Fecal pollution is often a cause of surface water impairment. Fecal indicators, such as fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli, are used as surrogates to evaluate the presence or absence of fecal pollution. However, a growing body of research has shown that these species lack key characteristics necessary to be adequate indicators. As such, explorations into the efficacy of indicator species …

Georgia's Collaborative Approach To Expanding Mosquito Surveillance In Response To Zika Virus: A Case Study, R. Christopher Rustin, Deonte Martin, Varadan Sevilimedu, Sarbesh Pandeya, Haresh Rochani, Rosmarie Kelly

R. Christopher Rustin

Associations Of Perfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfass) With Lower Birth Weight: An Evaluation Of Potential Confounding By Glomerular Filtration Rate Using A Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model (Pbpk), Marc-André Verner, Anne E. Loccisano, Nils-Halvdan Morken, Miyoung Yoon, Huali Wu, Robin Mcdougall, Mildred Maisonet, Michele Marcus, Reiko Kishi, Chihiro Miyashita, Mei-Huei Chen, Wu-Shiun Hsieh, Melvin E. Andersen, Harvey J. Clewell Iii, Matthew P. Longnecker

Mildred Maisonet

Background: Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with lower birth weight in epidemiologic studies. This association could be attributable to glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which is related to PFAS concentration and birth weight.

Objectives: We used a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model of pregnancy to assess how much of the PFAS–birth weight association observed in epidemiologic studies might be attributable to GFR.

Methods: We modified a PBPK model to reflect the association of GFR with birth weight (estimated from three studies of GFR and birth weight) and used it to simulate PFAS concentrations in maternal and cord …

Identifying Corners Stores As The Future Of Healthy Food Access In African American Communities, Victor Romano, Jennifer Lee, Elliott Royal, Katherine Metzo, William Ruth, Theodore Hartsook

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

For many people, the corner store remains the main grocer, or the only source of sustenance in minority communities. This study examined the distribution of corner stores as a future reference point to provide healthy food access to predominantly African American communities that lack full service grocery stores. Business data was obtained from respective county by use of Standard Industrial Codes. Each corner store was then categorized by either being Full Service (Stores that sell fresh produce, fresh meat, fresh dairy, and processed foods) or Non-Full Service (stores that do not sell all four categories of foods included in the …

Gender And Racial/Ethnic Disparities: Cumulative Screening Of Health Risk Indicators In 20-50 Year Olds In The United States, Alissa Cordner, Adrien A. Wilkie, Timothy J. Wade, Edward E. Hudgens, Rebecca J. Birch, Jane E. Gallagher

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study explored potential gender and racial/ethnic disparities in overall health risk related to 24 health risk indicators selected across six domains: socioeconomic, health status and health care, lifestyle, nutritional, clinical, and environmental. Using the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), it evaluated cross-sectional data for 5,024 adults in the United States. Logistic regression models were developed to estimate prevalence odds ratios (PORs) adjusted for smoking, health insurance status, and age. Analyses evaluated disparities associated with 24 indicator variables of health risk, comparing females to males and four racial/ethnic groups to non-Hispanic Whites. Non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican Americans …

Asthma-Related Hospitalization And Emergency Room Visits In Oakland, Alondra Varela

McNair Research Journal SJSU

The City of Oakland has seen diminished childhood asthma rates. During the last few years more children have been able to qualify for Medi-Cal and other health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Local programs work together with Medi-Cal and ACA to reduce the number of symptoms related to asthma by making sure children from low-income communities have access to primary care, medicine, and treatment. Unfortunately, the asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency room visits among children have continued to increase. These rates are even higher in low-income communities located near highly trafficked areas. To investigate this phenomenon, this study …

Environmental Health News, Georgia Southern University

Environmental Health News (2012-2018)

• Georgia Southern Examines Immunomodulating Effects of Bacterial Endotoxin

Air Pollution: An Emerging Concern On The Cardiovascular System, Lauren Martin, Husnia Akrami

Student Scholar Showcase

No abstract provided.

Prenatal Exposure To Perfluoroalkyl Acids And Serum Testosterone Concentrations At 15 Years Of Age In Female Alspac Study Participants, Mildred Maisonet, Antonia M. Calafat, Michele Marcus, Jouni J.K. Jaakkola, Hany Lashen

Mildred Maisonet

Background: Exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) or to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) increases mouse and human peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor alpha (PPARα) subtype activity, which influences lipid metabolism. Because cholesterol is the substrate from which testosterone is synthesized, exposure to these substances has the potential to alter testosterone concentrations. Objectives: We explored associations of total testosterone and sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations at age 15 years with prenatal exposures to PFOS, PFOA, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluoronanoic acid (PFNA) in females. Methods: Prenatal concentrations of the perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) were measured in serum collected from pregnant mothers at enrollment (1991–1992) …