Public Health Commons^™

How To Not Save The World From Covid-19: The Dire Consequences Of Giving Away The Vaccine Formula [Poster], Tristen Prouse

Research in the Capitol

The debate over giving away the COVID-19 vaccine formula is a political hot topic. Violating intellectual property law (patents) to give away the vaccine is a tempting option for aiding other countries in the current global health crisis. In actuality, many problems exist with this proposed solution, including violating intellectual property law, disincentivizing innovation, undermining confidence in vaccine safety, harming America’s geopolitical objectives, and inefficiencies. The United States can and should aid the world in obtaining vaccines, but it should not do so by waiving patent law and giving away the vaccine formulas.

Maternal Mortality In The United States: Focusing On Societal Impacts And Potential Solutions [Poster], Grace Petrzelka

Research in the Capitol

This research project explores the available literature on maternal mortality in the United States, and examines social, environmental, and cultural factors for their impact. With a public health focus, included are discussions on forming safer maternal health practices in our country, comparison of statistics on maternal and infant deaths, and using the available data to create potentially life-saving solutions. Specific topics include race, biology, health policy and legislation, insurance coverage, infant mortality, and family planning. This research project covers a span of academic disciplines, and was created to bring these areas together to promote awareness to a sobering, but meaningful …

Agrochemicals And Rural Women's Health In The Volta Region Of Ghana, Sedomda Kpikpitse

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) at UNI

My study seeks to identify and evaluate the impacts of agrochemicals on the health of rural women who are pivotal in ensuring food security in Ghana. Particularly, women in the Volta Region accounted for the health risks and injuries; exposure to agrochemicals; and other experiences of women in agriculture through semi-structured interviews. Intending to promote a positive behavior towards the handling of chemicals, and especially among women, this study used health theories to explain the health demands of women in agriculture. The Health Belief Model was used to evaluate women’s perception of wearing Personal Protective Equipment using six constructs. The …

Blood Pressure Awareness Among University Of Northern Iowa Students, Abigail Weekley, Theresa Spradling, Robert Good

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

No abstract provided.

Mercyone: Patient Advocate, Kaitlyn Bahlmann

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

MercyOne Sartori Hospital Kaitlyn Bahlmann For my cooperative education internship, I decided to volunteer as a patient advocate on the medical/surgical floor of Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls. My poster will describe my experience interacting with and helping surgical patients have a better hospital stay. It’ll explain the purpose of volunteers and the psychological benefits that they provide for patients and their families. Volunteering at the hospital has given me direct patient contact experience and supplemented my other healthcare experiences as a pre-physician’s assistant student.

Induction Of Lipid Bodies In Leishmania Infantum-Infected C57bl/6 Macrophages Of Male Versus Female Origin, Victor A. Soupene, Ryan D. Lockard, Mary E. Wilson, Nilda E. Rodriguez

Research in the Capitol

Worldwide, 12 million people are infected with Leishmania spp. parasites. Leishmania are transmitted by the bite of sand flies. The parasite is internalized by immune cells where they develop, reproduce, and spread to new immune cells causing disease. Epidemiological studies have shown that males are more likely to develop disease. We recently demonstrated that Leishmania infantum survive better in immune cells of male origin than in cells derived from females. We also showed that L. infantum infection is characterized by fat accumulation. Additional experiments have shown that infected immune cells from males accumulate more fat than cells from females. We …

Misplaced Priorities: How County Health Departments Overlook The Leading Causes Of Death, Jeremy Whitaker

Annual Graduate Student Symposium

Problem: Most Iowans die from chronic diseases, or diseases developed over time, often influenced through behavioral choice. The top three, heart disease, cancer, and lower respiratory diseases account for over half of all death in Iowa and in the nation. However, most public health funding focuses on infectious disease and treatment, leaving little or nothing for primary prevention of chronic diseases.

Method: The 2014 Local Governmental Public Health Survey, annual reports, and Health Improvement projects were analyzed for primary prevention of chronic diseases at county health departments. This was compared to a review of federal and state funding for chronic …

Disparities In Infant Mortality: Are Sociocultural Risk Factors Shaped By Institutionalized Racism? [Poster], Madison Grimm

Research in the Capitol

The United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates among countries with similar economies. In addition, significant disparities are present between races within this health indicator. According to the CDC, the infant mortality rate in 2013 among non-Hispanic whites was 5.06 infant deaths per 1,000 live births; the infant mortality rate for Black Americans was 11.11 - more than double. The purpose of this research is to explore a) sociocultural risk factors for disparities in infant mortality rates and b) whether institutionalized racism contributes to those risk factors. The social ecological model will be used as a theoretical …