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Full-Text Articles in Public Health

Can Racial Disparities In Poor Birth Outcomes Be Partially Attributed To Stress: A Mendellian Randomization Study, Madeline Travers Jun 2021

Can Racial Disparities In Poor Birth Outcomes Be Partially Attributed To Stress: A Mendellian Randomization Study, Madeline Travers

Dissertations and Theses

In the United States, low birth weight (LBW) is a leading cause of infant death overall, and the leading cause of death for Black infants. Understanding and preventing adverse birth outcomes is a major public health priority. Observationally, there is some evidence to support the hypothesis that maternal stress may be associated with LBW. To clarify the effect of maternal stress exposure on LBW, I conducted three separate-sample instrumental variable analyses with genetic instruments (Mendelian randomization) based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), from genome wide association studies, strongly (p-value < 5 × 10−6) and independently associated with neuroendocrine, vascular, and immune measures …


Mindfulness-Based Interventions For Prenatal Stress, Anxiety, And Depression, Fiona Kate Rice May 2021

Mindfulness-Based Interventions For Prenatal Stress, Anxiety, And Depression, Fiona Kate Rice

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Pregnant people in the United States (US) face myriad barriers to resource accessibility when seeking support, including financial gatekeeping, discrimination, and cis-gendering of the process. Commodification of prenatal support is exhaustive and contributes to a growing exclusivity of traditionally accessible interventions designed to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and to promote positive fetal outcomes and parent-child bond. Mindfulness-based interventions are particularly appropriate for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression in pregnancy. Mindfulness-based interventions are intersectional, accessible means of pregnancy and childbirth support with evidence-based outcomes of positive birth experiences and results. Mindfulness is defined as nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment. …


Associations Between Parenting Stress, Feeding Practices, And Child Eating Behaviors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Maria G. Gonzalez Mar 2021

Associations Between Parenting Stress, Feeding Practices, And Child Eating Behaviors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Maria G. Gonzalez

Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic provides an important opportunity to understand how parenting stress during social crisis may predict child feeding practices and perceptions of child mealtime behaviors. The objective of the present study was to explore whether parents’ perceived increases in and overall levels of parenting stress during the pandemic were associated with controlling feeding practices and perceptions of child eating behaviors. Parents (n = 284) of 4–6-year-old children completed a cross-sectional online survey between March and April 2020. The survey assessed parents’ perceived change in parenting stress during the onset of the pandemic and levels of parenting stress during …


Implementing The Mothers And Babies Program To Reduce Preterm And Low Birth Weight Deliveries, Tan Frison Jan 2021

Implementing The Mothers And Babies Program To Reduce Preterm And Low Birth Weight Deliveries, Tan Frison

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Georgia ranks fourth (4th) in the nation for the highest low birth weight rate at 10%, and sixth (6th) in the nation for preterm birth rate at 11.7%, among the states. Based on statistical data Bulloch county has maintained an average low birth weight statistic of 10% for over a decade. In 2019, there were 107 preterm and 79 low weight births in Bulloch county, Georgia. These numbers confirm there is a need for more preventive resources for mothers and children within this community. To address this burden, the Bulloch County health department has decided to implement the Mothers and …


The Experience Of Childhood Maltreatment And Its Impact On Parenting In A High-Risk Sample, Alex C. Clement May 2019

The Experience Of Childhood Maltreatment And Its Impact On Parenting In A High-Risk Sample, Alex C. Clement

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Academic Pressure And Non-Medical Prescription Stimulant Use Among University Of South Carolina Undergraduate Students, Arslan Valimohamed Apr 2019

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Academic Pressure And Non-Medical Prescription Stimulant Use Among University Of South Carolina Undergraduate Students, Arslan Valimohamed

Senior Theses

One hundred and six undergraduate students of the University of South Carolina were surveyed to understand misuse of prescription stimulants and how perceived academic pressure may play a role in this behavior. Overall, the survey revealed that 33.0% of participants reported illicit use of prescription stimulants in the last 30 days, and 52.8% reported illicitly using prescription stimulants at least once during their time in college. Data from the survey responses indicated that students perceiving academic pressure were more likely to have misused prescription stimulants at least once during their time in college, but only if these students also reported …


Healthy Beginnings: Exploring The Impact Of Parental Stress And Relationship Quality On Birth Outcomes, Anna A. Divney Feb 2016

Healthy Beginnings: Exploring The Impact Of Parental Stress And Relationship Quality On Birth Outcomes, Anna A. Divney

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation consists of three studies exploring the effects of maternal and paternal experiences of stress and perceptions of relationship quality on length of gestation and birth weight. The first study assessed the association of parental relationship quality with the baby’s length of gestation and birth weight among 2,072 families in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. Romantic relationships can be a substantial source of social support as well as stress, and have been shown to influence many health outcomes. Beyond crude relationship characteristics, however, few studies have assessed the association of other dimensions of relationship quality, such as …


Stress And Depression During Pregnancy Among Hispanic Women: Risk For Adverse Birth Outcomes And The Role Of Physical Activity, Kathleen Szegda Nov 2014

Stress And Depression During Pregnancy Among Hispanic Women: Risk For Adverse Birth Outcomes And The Role Of Physical Activity, Kathleen Szegda

Doctoral Dissertations

Preterm birth and low birth weight are among the leading causes of infant mortality and morbidity in the United States. Puerto Rican women are at increased risk for these adverse birth outcomes and elevated levels of depression and psychosocial stress during pregnancy when compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Therefore, it is important to understand whether these psychological factors increase risk for these adverse birth outcomes and mechanisms to prevent/reduce depression in this high-risk population. The first study of this dissertation examined associations between perceived stress during pregnancy and preterm birth, low birth weight, and birth of a small-for-gestational age infant (SGA) …


Psychosocial Factors Affecting Pregnant Hispanic Women, Marushka L. Silveira Aug 2014

Psychosocial Factors Affecting Pregnant Hispanic Women, Marushka L. Silveira

Doctoral Dissertations

Prenatal psychosocial stress, anxiety, and depression are common, with higher rates among Hispanic women. While evidence supports an adverse effect of psychosocial factors on glucose intolerance and oral health, studies during pregnancy are sparse, particularly among Hispanic women. Therefore, we examined correlates of psychosocial factors and their associations with glucose intolerance and oral health among pregnant women. The first project examined correlates of high stress among 1,426 pregnant Hispanic participants in Proyecto Buena Salud, a prospective cohort study. Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale was administered in early, mid- and late pregnancy. Using multivariable logistic regression, we found that increasing age, pre-pregnancy …