The Cost Of Long-Term Care In The Mountain West, 2023, Madison Dwyer, Freddy Nie, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet examines data on the cost of long-term care for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah from the Genworth “Cost of Care Survey.” Data on long-term care includes home health care, adult day health care facilities, licensed assisted living facilities, and certified and licensed nursing homes.

The State Of Mental Health In The Mountain West, 2023, Ayda Atici, Freddy Nie, Jesse M. Fager-Larsen, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet examines the state of mental health for both youth and adults and availability of mental health care in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The data are retrieved from Mental Health America’s (MHA) 2023 report, The State of Mental Health in America.

Unlv Mental Health Initiatives: Unifying Through Innovation And Collaboration, The Lincy Institute, Unlv Practice, Behere Nv, Unlv Department Of Psychology

Lincy Institute Events

Nevada persistently ranks at or near the bottom in the country for overall access to mental health services despite the need (Mental Health America, 2015-2023). UNLV faculty are developing initiatives to change this unacceptable situation. The Lincy Institute, in partnership with UNLV PRACTICE, BeHERE Nevada, and researchers from the Department of Psychology, offered a community forum showcasing three mental health initiatives harnessing faculty collaboration and innovation to drive overdue changes in Nevada’s mental-health landscape. Following the presentations policymakers engaged in open discussion with UNLV presenters and the audience. The three main initiatives showcased in this forum …

How Covid-19 Changed Us: Compassion, Leadership, And Policy, The Lincy Institute

Lincy Institute Events

Nevada was one of the hardest hit states during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past three years, researchers at The Lincy Institute and other institutions collected interviews from 80 Nevada leaders across sectors including elected officials, leaders in education, community organizations, government agencies, and the business community. Four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our communities continue to build a resilient and healthy Nevada. This forum discusses how the crisis prompted us to rethink how we lead and how we can prepare for future challenges. Following a presentation of the project and its deliverables, leaders across sectors discuss …

Does Maternal Mental Health (Anxiety And Depression) Negatively Impact Exclusive And Continued Breastfeeding Practices?, Smriti Neupane

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Exclusive and continued breastfeeding practices are the optimal source of nutrition for an infant's well-being, cognitive growth, and development and have positive health outcomes for the mother too. Anxiety and depression are common perinatal mental health conditions associated with early breastfeeding interruption. However, Nevada lacks data on perinatal mental health and its influence on breastfeeding practices. The objective of this study was to assess whether maternal mental health (anxiety and depression) impacts exclusive and continued breastfeeding practices in Clark County, Nevada. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 358 mothers having children 0-23 months old and residing in Clark County, Nevada. …

An Evaluation Of Lead Concentration In Commercially Available Tiles, Daidre N. Gamboa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Workers in the manufacturing and construction industries are at risk of lead exposure in projects that involve removal or installation of tiles, and other individuals exposed to lead, including children may also be at risk. The concern with lead in tiles is thought to be related to the glazing process or the country where the tile was produced. Multiple regulations are in place in the U.S. to protect people from lead exposure, including through surface coatings or painted surfaces. But these regulations do not cover glazed tiles. This study examined whether there are differences in lead concentration in (1) tiles …

Factors Associated With Caregiver Responsive And Non-Responsive Feeding Styles In Clark County, Nevada, Amanda Castelo Saragosa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Early childhood obesity has increased significantly over the last few decades, reaching epidemic levels in the United States. Many interventions exist to alleviate early childhood obesity; however, little focus is on preventing obesity-related risks for children under two. High-quality child-caregiver interactions are deemed critical for preventing early childhood obesity development, but there is little information on the socio-ecological factors that influence a caregivers' feeding styles. This study examined socio-ecological factors associated with caregivers' feeding styles (responsive vs. non-responsive) for infants under two in Clark County, Nevada. This cross-sectional study utilized a survey targeted to caregivers (18 and older) with infants …

Examining Health Literacy And Patient-Centered Communication: A Secondary Analysis Of U.S. Adults With A History Of Cancer, Kimberly Ann Dy Tomas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Racial/ethnic communities bear a disproportionate burden when examining cancer mortality and infection-related cancer incidence rates. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), health literacy and clear communication between professionals and patients are crucial to improving health and the quality of healthcare. This study examined the relationship between personal health literacy and perceived patient-centered communication quality (PPCQ). A secondary data analysis was conducted using the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5, Cycle 4 (2020), and STATA/BE 17.0 for Windows. The sample included respondents who have a history of cancer and have seen a healthcare provider within …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Response On Food Safety Violations Observed In Southern Nevada Food Establishments, Samantha Morales

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Food poisoning is a common term used to describe what is actually foodborne illness. Despite the fact these illnesses can become deadly, foodborne illnesses are endemic and common in the United States. Nonetheless, they are completely preventable simply by following proper food safety procedures. The Food and Drug Administration identified the most common foodborne pathogens responsible for most foodborne infections, as well as the five risk factor categories to target in order to decrease the risk of cases and outbreaks.To ensure foodborne outbreaks and cases are prevented, health authorities are tasked with conducting routine inspections on permitted food establishments. In …

Healthcare Practices In The United States Aimed At Improving Care And Language Access Services For Limited English Proficiency Refugees: A Systematic Review, Bemnet Kebede

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Objective: The United States has accepted over 3 million refugees from all around the world since 1975. However, many Limited English Proficiency (LEP) refugees face significant barriers when seeking healthcare due to limited access, lack of knowledge, mistrust in physicians, language differences, cultural concerns, and overall complexity of the U.S. healthcare system. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify practices in the last 10 years that have improved healthcare and language access services for LEP refugees living in the U.S. Methods: A search was conducted in four electronic databases PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus from January 2013 to …

Assessing The Risk Of West Nile Virus In The Southwestern United States, Bradon Bucher

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Climate change is an increasing public health threat that has been shown to influence Culex mosquito populations, the vectors of West Nile Virus (WNV). The main objective of this study was to determine which variables are most associated with WNV in the Southwest United States, defined herein as: California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. A Poisson regression model was used to analyze total cases from 2004-2020 using the following predictors: mosquito season temperature average, mosquito season precipitation average, bodies of water, and protected lands. Results indicated that precipitation average (P =.014) and the interaction between precipitation and temperature (P=.024) were significant. …

Examining Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among The Nevada African American Population Using The Social-Ecological Model, Katelyn Faulk

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In Nevada, COVID-19 vaccines have been widely available to the general population since March 2021; however, even with the wide availability of these vaccines only 40% of the African American population in Nevada has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of May 2023. This is problematic as it has been shown that the African American population is disproportionately affected by COVID-19 with higher rates of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths when compared to other races or ethnicities. Through the literature, it has also been well documented that African Americans may experience hesitancy toward these vaccinations for a multitude of reasons including …

Promoting Mammography Screenings In African American Women: Media, Church, And Health Providers, Lasonya Little, Debra C. Wallace, K.Jay Poole

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Due to the underutilization of screening mammography, African American women (AAW) are more likely to experience negative health outcomes after receiving a late-stage breast cancer diagnosis than White Women (WW). The purpose of this article is to examine the roles of the media, health community and the African American church and pastor and their potential impact in AAW screening decisions. Fifteen AAW, ages 45 and older, were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Most women agreed the African American pastor and church as well as the health community, and media are an integral part of their lives. Therefore, specific …

Covid-19 Severity Among American Indians And Alaska Natives In 16 States - January 1, 2020, To March 31, 2021, Jessica Arrazola, Scott Erickson, Chiao Wen Lan, Adrian Dominguez, Sujata Joshi, Andria Apostolou, Ashley Busacker, David Casey, Christiana Coyle, Kathryn Helfrich, Jennifer Kraszewski, Thomas Kim, Genelle Lamont, Richard Leman, Pamela Lemaster, Nick Lehnertz, Mike Mannell, Dakota Matson, Alex Merrill, Tracy Miller, Benjamin Schram, Ozair Naqvi, Samantha Rice, Samantha Hyde-Rolland, Alyssa Rowell, Dean Seneca, Victoria Warren-Mears, Laura Williamson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: To compare rates and risk factors of severe COVID-19-related outcomes between American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic White people (NHW).

Methods: Aggregate Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), COVID-19-related risk factor, hospitalization, and mortality data were obtained from 16 states for January 1, 2020-March 31, 2021. Generalized estimating equation Poisson regression models calculated age-adjusted cumulative incidences, incidence ratios (IR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) comparing AI/AN and NHW persons by age, sex, and county-level SVI status.

Results: Race data were missing for 42.7% of COVID-19 cases, 24.7% of hospitalizations, and 10.1% of deaths. Risk of AI/AN COVID-19 mortality …

Understanding Firearm Purchasing During A Purchasing Surge Among Black Individuals, Esprene Liddell-Quintyn, Jasmin Brooks Stephens, Michael D. Anestis

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Abstract

Purpose: During 2020, the US experienced a record-breaking year for firearm purchases, with major spikes occurring at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and in June 2020. This study aimed to examine the factors associated with firearm purchasing during a purchasing surge among Black individuals and to document their reasons for surge purchasing.

Methods: We conducted a cross sectional survey from January to June 2021. Participants were recruited through quota sampling using Qualtrics. This study focuses on a sample of Black individuals (n=1115) from which a subsample of respondents (n=108) indicated that they purchased firearms since …

Pili Pono Practice: A Qualitative Study On Reimagining Native Hawaiian Food Sovereignty Through Malama Backyard Aquaponics, Pahonu Coleman, Samantha Keaulana, J Kahaulahilahi Vegas, Phoebe W. Hwang, Leshay Keliiholokai, Jane J. Chung-Do, Ikaika Rogerson, Ilima Ho-Lastimosa

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Living in one of the most remote island chains in the world, Native Hawaiians developed sophisticated food cultivation systems that sustained a thriving and robust population for centuries. These systems were disrupted by colonization, which has contributed to the health disparities that Native Hawaiians face today. MALAMA, a culturally-grounded backyard aquaponics program, was developed to promote food sovereignty among Native Hawaiians. This study utilized participant interview and focus group data to identify how participating in the MALAMA program impacts the wellbeing. The findings demonstrate that MALAMA enhanced the participants’ pilina (relationship, connection) to traditional foods, land, cultural identity, family, and …

Nursing Homes In The Mountain West, 2023, Annie Vong, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents nursing home data in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Data from a September 2023 ProPublica publication titled, “Nursing Home Inspect” are presented including the total number of nursing homes, homes with serious deficiencies, homes with infection related deficiencies, the amount nursing homes paid in penalties and the number of payment suspensions for nursing homes in the Mountain West.

Mountain West State Health System Rankings, 2023, Julia Salangsang, Ivan Sun, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data from the “2023 Scorecard on State Health System Performance” published by The Commonwealth Fund. The original report includes data from all 50 states and measures health system performance based on health care access, quality, use of services, costs, health disparities, reproductive care and women’s health, and health outcomes.

Food Insecurity And Risky Sexual Behaviors Among College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Bertille Assoumou, Jennifer Pharr, Courtney Coughenour

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and food insecurity are public health concerns in the United States (US) due to their growing prevalence and incidence among young people, and particularly in college students. Studies have reported that college students are at higher risk of STIs due to the high rates of risky sexual behavior (RSB). Most studies report a food insecurity prevalence of more than 30% among college students, which was more than twice the overall national food insecurity rate of 10.5% in 2020. This study aims to assess the relationship between food insecurity and RSB among college students during the …

Using The Multi-Theory Model (Mtm) Of Health Behavior Change To Explain The Seeking Of Stool-Based Tests For Colorectal Cancer Screening, Manoj Sharma, Christopher Johansen, Kavita Batra, Chia-Liang Dai, Ravi Batra, Traci Hayes, Aditi Singh

Social & Behavioral Health Faculty Publications

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and is the second leading cause of cancer-associated deaths. While colorectal cancer is on the decline in the United States (US), disparities still exist, despite the non-invasive screening modalities, such as stool-based tests have shown themselves to be effective in the detection of colorectal cancer. Many of the existing stool-based test interventions lack the use of a contemporary theory-based approach. Given the paucity of theory-based interventions intended to promote stool-based tests, this cross-sectional study utilizes the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change to explain the seeking of stool-based tests for …

Building A Community-Academic Partnership To Improve Underrepresented Group Awareness Of Parkinson’S Disease And Research, Danielle N. Larson, Jennifer Adrissi, Madison Lyleroehr, Emily Zivin, Karen Williams, Tanya Simuni

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

BACKGROUND: Members of underrepresented groups (URGs) are more likely to have delays in PD diagnosis and less likely to receive specialized care when compared to non-Hispanic Caucasians. URGs are not proportionately represented in PD clinical research. Barriers to optimal diagnosis and treatment and research participation are multifaceted but include insufficient community knowledge of PD and research.

OBJECTIVES: To establish a community-academic partnership (CAP) for increasing knowledge of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and research opportunities in underrepresented Chicago communities. Here, we describe the development, structure, and outcomes of this pilot program.

METHODS: The Chicago Movement Coalition (CMC) was established with academic leaders …

Does Using Sofa Score For Ventilator Triage Among Covid 19 Patients Result In Suboptimal Allocation Of Medical Ventilators For The Bipoc Population?, Alexandrea Mp Masocco, Elisabeth Michel, Ebbin Dotson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Since the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Black, and Latinx populations have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be inferred with high confidence that those most vulnerable are the least likely to receive essential care. Kidney transplant allocation and COVID-19 triage protocols share commonalities in that both protocols involve using multivariate scored criteria with objective and subjective inputs. As such, the similar conclusion in outcomes is concerning. It is worth questioning whether the racial inequalities demonstrated in the COVID-19 pandemic related to access to life-saving ventilators were associated with triage protocols.

Methodology: Using an exploratory …

Perspectives On Flu Vaccination Advertisement Messaging In The Era Of Covid-19: Thematic Analysis Centering Adult Black Voices, Krissy Moehling Geffel, Stephanie N. Christian, Andrea D. Casas, Harika P. Dyer, Tiffany L. Gary-Webb, Hannah E. Hardy, Roderick Harris, Dara D. Mendez

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Influenza (flu) is an infectious, respiratory disease that causes substantial burden and mortality, and Non-Hispanic Black people experience profound disparities in flu disease burden in the United States. One contributor to flu disease disparities is lower flu vaccination rates among Black populations. This qualitative study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and used the Public Health Critical Race Praxis framework to center and elicit Black adults’ perspectives of desired flu vaccine messaging. This work builds upon efforts to increase access to flu vaccinations and recommendations are provided to aid in tailoring flu vaccine messaging via a health equity lens. Recommendations …

Supporting Minority Serving Institution Faculty To Enhance Biomedical Research: The Csulb Center For Health Equity Research Institute, Laura H. D'Anna, Thomas Alex Washington, Wendy Nomura

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Scientists from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) bring unique perspectives and experiences that enhance the potential for understanding factors that are associated with racial, ethnic, and social inequities in health and health status. However, inadequate research infrastructure and mentoring opportunities within MSIs limit faculty engagement in the research enterprise. Additionally, structural inequities embedded in the NIH grant funding process disproportionately disadvantage underrepresented minority (URM) faculty and faculty at MSIs. The foci of the intensive Center for Health Equity Research (CHER) Institute were to 1) increase the number of early career faculty members (with an emphasis on MSI faculty) who are better …

Sports Wagering In The United States: What We Do And Don't Know, Joshua B. Grubbs, Shane W. Kraus

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract

In the wake of the Murphy vs. NCAA decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, over 30 states now permit sports betting and a majority of Americans now have access to this activity. Even so, much remains unknown about the effects of widespread access to sports betting in the U.S. The present work reports interim results of multi-year data collection efforts in the U.S. In April of 2022, a U.S. nationally representative sample of 2,806 Americans and an additional sample of 1,553 sports wagering people were recruited by YouGov opinion polling, with follow up data collected in …

Addressing Disparities For Gambling Treatment Service Use In The Latinx Community: Outreach, Education, Screening, And Referral By Community Health Workers, Michael D. Campos Phd, Abraham J. Caballero Bs, Hugo Ramirez Bs, Hanssel Walker Bba

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

ABSTRACT

Problem gambling/gambling disorder prevalence among Latinx individuals in the U.S. is similar to that seen in the non-Latinx Caucasian community (Alegria et al., 2009). However, there are disparities in the use of State-funded treatment for such problems in California. This is true for mental health service use for ethnic/racial minorities in the US overall (Alegria et al., 2008; Dua et al., 2011; Wells et al., 2001). The California Office of Problem Gambling (OPG), the UCLA Gambling Studies Program (UGSP), and Visión y Compromiso (VyC) are conducting a 2-year pilot project using community health workers (promotores/as) to increase Latinx utilization …

At-Risk And Problem Gambling In Families - Finnish Population-Based Study With Register-Linkage, Tiina Latvala

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Families of problem gamblers experience harms, however, there are no population level estimates as to how many families in Finland are exposed to at-risk and problem gambling (ARPG) of a family member. The study analyzed data from Finnish Gambling 2019, a nationally representative study with register linkage, to derive how many families are exposed to ARPG of a family member. It also examined whether the exposing to ARPG of a family member would be more common among low-income families or in families that had received social assistance.

The results showed that 9% of families were exposed to at-risk gambling (ARG) …

The Black Progress Index In Mountain West Metropolitan Statistical Areas (Msas), Zachary Billot, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet examines data from the Brookings Institution report, “Black Progress Index: Examining Social Factors That Influence Black Well-Being” authored by Andre Perry and Jonathan Rothwell in September 2022. The Black Progress Index (BPI) score is constructed using data and social factors that impact life expectancy for Black Americans. This fact sheet compares the BPI with the actual life expectancy of Black people in Mountain West metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). This fact sheet also examines each of the 13 variables included in the original report to present the BPI in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV MSA.

Trust In Southern Nevada Health District By The Southern Nevada Population During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Edom Gelaw

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While various studies worldwide investigated trust in relation to health care, government and compliance with public health guidelines, literature remains scarce in relation to the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD), its population and the services the organization offered during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study helps fill this gap and serves as a foundation for future research and a guide for service evaluations and improvements at SNHD. As trust towards local health districts by the community they serve remains an important component of public health for collaborative work, SNHD saw the need for evaluating trust by its population based on the …

The Covid-19 Pandemic And On-Time Vaccine Completion In The Childhood Population: A Strategic Plan, Chris Elaine Mariano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In March 2020, the entire world was placed into lockdown due to the COVID-19 virus, which impacted everyday life, including healthcare. People were scared to leave their homes and obtain preventative services, including vaccinations from birth to adulthood. There was a significant decrease in childhood vaccinations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A strategy mix is defined as an intervention utilized for vaccination improvement. Strategy mixes were implemented to improve vaccination administration, and ultimately, vaccination rates. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these strategy mixes or interventions were placed on hold causing immunization administration to decrease which could cause vaccine-preventable diseases …