Public Health Commons^™

Development Of A Web-Based Diabetes Prevention Program (Dpp) For Chinese Americans: A Formative Evaluation Approach, Ming-Chin Yeh, Wincy Lau, Zoey Gong, Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky, Ho-Jui Tung, Lin Zhu, Grace X. Ma, Judith Wylie-Rosett

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Increasing evidence demonstrates that an online Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. However, little has been done for Chinese Americans. This study, using Community-Based Participatory Research and Intervention Mapping approaches, describes a formative research process in the development of a culturally and linguistically tailored online DPP program among Chinese Americans with prediabetes living in New York City. Using a triangulation approach, data were collected to inform the development of an online DPP curriculum through (1) a literature review, (2) three focus groups (n = 24), and (3) a community advisory board meeting among 10 …

On Kernel-Based Estimator Of Odds Ratio Using Different Stratified Sampling Schemes, Abbas Eftekharian, Hani Samawi, Haresh Rochani

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

The kernel-based estimator of Cochran Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio based on stratified simple and ranked set sampling is proposed. The expectation and variance of the estimator are analytically obtained. Using a simulation study, the estimator based on stratified ranked set sampling is more efficient than its counterpart based on stratified simple random sampling. Finally, the estimator's performance is investigated by using base deficit data.

Healthfulness Of Fast-Food And Full-Service Restaurants In 16 Georgia Counties After Mandatory Menu Labeling, Janani Rajbhandari-Thapa, Donglan Zhang, Nicole Katapodis, Dana Alvin, Melanie Andrews

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Despite that the effect of menu labeling on consumer choices has been studied, there are gaps in the research on the healthfulness of the restaurant food environment post-mandatory menu labeling, specifically in the Southern United States. This study aims to assess the healthfulness of fast-food and full-service chain restaurant environments after compliance with mandatory menu labeling.

Methods: The healthfulness of 46 representative fast-food and full-service chain restaurants in 16 Georgia counties was examined using the Nutritional Environment Measures in Restaurants (NEMS-R) survey. The scores were compared between full-service and fast-food restaurants using t-tests across several healthfulness measures such as …

Addressing The Stigma Associated With Antiquated Blood Donation Policies And Donor Eligibility For Msm, Jay S. Pickern, Helena R. Costakis

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

The crises of blood product shortages pose real health risks and threats to the greater population in the United States (U.S.). Current U.S. blood donation policies continue to restrict or limit donations from willing and healthy individuals on the basis of sex, classified as men who have sex with men (MSM). This essay explores the historical progression of the current blood donation policy through the lens of enacted stigmatization and stigma consciousness for MSM, identifies implications of the current policy, explores the impact of the current policy and proposed changes, and calls for action to modernize the current blood donation …

Implementation Of A Virtual Nurse Residency Program For Public Health Nurses: A Pilot Study, Ashlie L. Pullen

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Implementation of a Virtual Nurse Residency Program for Public Health Nurses: A Pilot Study

Background: Nursing retention is a growing concern for many healthcare organizations. One of the Georgia Department of Public Health’s goals is to improve the recruitment and retention rates of public health nurses in the state. In this cohort study of nurses with less than 18 months of experience in public health, pre and post-tests were conducted to measure stress, confidence, job satisfaction, and public health core competencies.

Methods: The participants took part in asynchronous and synchronous online content led by public health professionals. These two modules …

A Bootstrap Method For A Multiple-Imputation Variance Estimator In Survey Sampling, Lili Yu, Yichuan Zhao

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Rubin’s variance estimator of the multiple imputation estimator for a domain mean is not asymptotically unbiased. Kim et al. derived the closed-form bias for Rubin’s variance estimator. In addition, they proposed an asymptotically unbiased variance estimator for the multiple imputation estimator when the imputed values can be written as a linear function of the observed values. However, this needs the assumption that the covariance of the imputed values in the same imputed dataset is twice that in the different imputed datasets. In this study, we proposed a bootstrap variance estimator that does not need this assumption. Both theoretical argument and …

Pandemic Fatigue Impedes Mitigation Of Covid-19 In Hong Kong, Zhanwei Du, Lin Wang, Songwei Shan, Dickson Lam, Tim K. Tsang, Jingyi Xiao, Huizhi Gao, Bingyi Yang, Sheikh Taslim Ali, Sen Pei, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Eric H. Y. Lau, Qiuyan Liao, Peng Wu, Lauren Ancel Meyers, Gabriel M. Leung, Benjamin Cowling

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Hong Kong has implemented stringent public health and social measures (PHSMs) to curb each of the four COVID-19 epidemic waves since January 2020. The third wave between July and September 2020 was brought under control within 2 m, while the fourth wave starting from the end of October 2020 has taken longer to bring under control and lasted at least 5 mo. Here, we report the pandemic fatigue as one of the potential reasons for the reduced impact of PHSMs on transmission in the fourth wave. We contacted either 500 or 1,000 local residents through weekly random-digit dialing of landlines …

Association Between The Health Belief Model, Exercise, And Nutrition Behaviors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Keagan Kiely, Bill Mase, Andrew R. Hansen, Jessica S. Schwind

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our nation’s health further than the infection it causes. Physical activity levels and dietary intake have suffered while individuals grapple with the changes in behavior to reduce viral transmission. With unique nuances regarding the access to physical activity and nutrition during the pandemic, the constructs of Health Belief Model (HBM) may present themselves differently in nutrition and exercise behaviors compared to precautions implemented to reduce viral transmission studied in previous research. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of exercise and nutritional behavior change during the COVID-19 pandemic and explain the …

Identifying Community-Engaged Translational Research Collaboration Experience And Health Interests Of Community-Based Organizations Outside Of Metropolitan Atlanta, Breanna B. Greteman, Latrice Rollins, Ph.D., Msw, Allisen Penn, Alison C. Berg, Eric J. Nehl, Nicole Llewellyn, Amber Weber, Melissa George, Darrell Sabbs, Mohamed Mubasher, Tabia H. Akintobi

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: While rural health research has increased over the last two decades, there is limited understanding of the self-reported health priorities and research interests of rural and suburban community-based representatives and residents. These insights can be used to inform more successful intervention strategies that are responsive to the lived experiences of local residents and leaders who are the gatekeepers to buy-in and sustainability of community engaged research. The Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, a collaboration between four academic institutions includes a Community Engagement Program (CE) designed to facilitate community-academic research partnerships. This study aimed to assess the health priorities, …

Hiv Viral Load Suppression Before And After Covid-19 In Kinshasa And Haut Katanga, Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Gulzar H. Shah, Gina D. Etheredge, Stacy Smallwood, Lievain Maluantesa, Kristie C. Waterfield, Osaremhen Ikhile, John Ditekemena, Elodie Engetele, Elizabeth Ayangunna, Astrid Mulenga, Bernard Bossiky

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in unique programmatic opportunities to test hypotheses related to the initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) and viral load (VL) suppression during a global health crisis, which would not otherwise have been possible.

Objectives: To generate practice-relevant evidence on the impact of initiating ART pre-COVID-19 versus during the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV VL.

Method: Logistic regression was performed on data covering 6596 persons with HIV whose VL data were available, out of 36 585 persons who were initiated on ART between 01 April 2019 and 30 March 2021.

Results: After controlling for covariates …

Health Communications Trial With A Resistant Population To Increase Public Health Compliance During A Pandemic, Alison Amoroso, Carlos A. O. Pavao, Russel E. Luke, Jennifer Mccoy, Sean Richey, Shenandoah Evans

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Georgia has among the worst rates of COVID-19 hospitalization and death rates in the nation. Many identifying as politically conservative resist public health mitigation measures, similar to populations in other politically conservative geographical areas. There are limited peer-reviewed public health communications designed for this population. We aimed to determine if an intervention using a fear appeal approach with efficacy during a pandemic can positively affect knowledge, attitude, perception, and/or behavior (KAP) in Georgia with this population.

Methods: We delivered online video stimuli tailored to the geocultural characteristics of the target population. designed to stimulate fear, encourage efficacy, and counter …

College Of Public Heath News, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health News (2011-2023)

• State Health Leader to Discuss Past, Present and Future of Georgia’s Public Health at Georgia Southern University

Socioeconomic Status And Other Factors Associated With Hiv Status Among Ovc In Democratic Republic Of Congo (Drc), Gulzar H. Shah, Gina D. Etheredge, Lievain Maluantesa, Kristie Cason Waterfield, Osaremhen Ikhile, Elodie Engetele, Astrid Mulenga, Alice Tabala, Bernard Bossiky

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are a high-risk group for HIV infection, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Purpose: This study aims to portray the socioeconomic profile of OVC and examine the association of household and parent/guardian characteristics with the HIV status of OVC.

Methods: For this quantitative retrospective study, we obtained data from ICAP/DRC for a total of 1,624 OVC from households enrolled for social, financial, and clinical services between January 2017 and April 2020 in two provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haut-Katanga and Kinshasa. We computed descriptive statistics for OVC and their parents' or guardians' characteristics. We …

Air Quality And Cancer Prevalence Trends Across The Sub-Saharan African Regions During 2005–2020, Omolola Okunromade, Jingjing Yin, Clara Ray, Atin Adhikari

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Poor air quality and environmental pollution remain some of the main etiological factors leading to cancers and cancer-related deaths worldwide. As a result of human activities, deleterious airborne chemicals can be dispersed not only in the environment but also released in occupational environments and industrial areas. Air pollutants and cancer links are now established through various oxidative stress-related mechanisms and related DNA damages. Generally, ambient and indoor air pollutants have been understudied in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other regions in the world. Our study not only highlights the deleterious effects of air pollutants in these developing countries, but it …

College Of Public Heath News, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health News (2011-2023)

• The Image in the Mirror or the Number on the Scale, Which Counts? When it Comes to Depression, it’s a Weighted Issue.

Release Of Vocs, Gasses, And Bacteria From Contaminated Landings And Creeks Of Ogeechee River Basin, Victoria A. Clower, Melanie Sparrow, Atin Adhikari

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

River landings are common public grounds, visited by many people every day. The aftermath of visiting these places may be unsettling since much trash is left behind and scattered throughout. The litter collects and with each rain or high wind, it has a better chance of ending up in our streams, rivers, creeks, and eventually our oceans. The main purpose of this study was to measure both air and water quality throughout the Ogeechee River basin in South Georgia to determine how each was impacted by trash. Ammonia, methane, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) along with temperature and humidity were …

College Of Public Heath News, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health News (2011-2023)

• Georgia Southern offers new online bachelor's and master's degrees in public health

Respiratory, Neurological And Other Health Outcomes Among Plastic Factory Workers In Gazipur, Bangladesh, Shobhan Das, Md. Masudur Rahman, Asmaul Husna, Margia Akter, Md. Matiur Rahaman, Md. Taohidul Islam, Md. Jamal Uddin, Atin Adhikari

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Approximately three thousand plastic goods manufacturing factories (PGMF) are currently operating in Bangladesh involving numerous workers. Associated health problems of these workers are largely unknown. The key objectives of the current study were identifying plastic chemical exposures related health outcomes in these workers and comparing these outcomes before and after their joining in PGMFs. In addition, we aimed to investigate the relationships between work duration and the prevalence of health ailments among workers.

Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out among factory workers (n=405) at six PGMFs in Gazipur district in Bangladesh. A simple random sampling method had been …

The Protective Effects Of Influenza Vaccination In Elderly Patients With Breast Cancer In Taiwan: A Real-World Evidence-Based Study, Szu-Yuan Wu, Ho-Jui Tung, Kuang-Hua Huang, Chiachi Bonnie Lee Lee, Tung-Han Tsai, Yu-Chia Chang

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

In elderly patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer, clarity is lacking regarding the effects of influenza vaccines, particularly on clinical outcomes. This study conducted two nationwide, population-based, and propensity score-matched cohorts to estimate and compare the protective effects of influenza vaccine in elderly women and elderly patients with breast cancer. Data were derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Cancer Registry Database. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to compare outcomes between the vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were used to estimate the relative risks, and stratified analyses in the breast cancer cohort were performed …

Adaptation Of Diabetes Prevention Program For Chinese Americans – A Qualitative Study, Ming-Chin Yeh, Wincy Lau, Siqian Chen, Ada Wong, Grace X. Ma, Judith Wylie-Rosett

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Studies have demonstrated that a culturally and linguistically tailored Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can be effective in reducing diabetes risk in Chinese Americans. The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural and linguistic acceptability of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Prevent T2 curriculum in an online format in the Chinese American community in New York City (NYC). Methods: Three focus groups among a total of 24 Chinese Americans with prediabetes and one community advisory board (CAB) meeting with 10 key stakeholders with expertise in diabetes care and lifestyle interventions were conducted. Each focus group lasted …

College Of Public Heath News, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health News (2011-2023)

• JPHCOPH Student Recognized for Registering 300 Bone Marrow Donors

College Of Public Heath News, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health News (2011-2023)

• Georgia Southern Faculty Secure $1.8 Million Federal Grant to Promote Inclusive Excellence in Health Informatics

Factors Associated With The Nutritional Status Of Infants And Young Children From Rural Honduras, Ana M. Palacios, Mario Keko, Aishat Adewoye, Haresh Rochani, Asli Aslan, Dziyana Nazaruk, Ana Gisela Ramos, Weston L. Oliver, Laura Manship

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Objectives

Malnutrition is a major public health problem in children. Undernutrition and excessive weight at young ages are associated with life-long consequences. The main objective of this study was to characterize the sociodemographic and food insecurity factors associated with the nutritional status of rural children ages 6 to 24 months living in 27 rural communities in Intibucá, Honduras.

Methods

This secondary analysis of baseline data included a total of 402 children ages 6 to 24 months who were recruited to participate in a cluster-non-randomized trial of a community-based nutrition intervention. Data were collected in January 2021 through a survey that …

Air Pollutant Levels And Asthma Emergency Room Visits In A Highly Populous Us Urban County During 2018-19, Osaremhen Ikhile, Jingjing Yin, Atin Adhikari

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Objective: Air pollutants are linked to asthma exacerbation. The study purpose was to demonstrate an association between air pollutants levels and asthma emergency room (ER) visit trends in a highly populated US urban county in Georgia during 2018-2019.

Methods: Time series analyses were conducted for the variations in daily numbers of children and adult asthma emergency room visits and changes in daily mean PM_2.5, daily mean PM₁₀ concentrations, daily max 1-hour SO₂ concentrations, daily max 1-hour NO₂ concentrations, daily max 8-hour ozone concentrations, and airborne pollen loads for 2018 to 2019 and potential trends were …

Transmission Dynamics Of Covid-19 In Ghana And The Impact Of Public Health Interventions, Sylvia Ofori, Jessica S. Schwind, Kelly L. Sullivan, Benjamin J. Cowling, Gerardo Chowell, Isaac Fung

Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Publications

This study characterized COVID-19 transmission in Ghana in 2020 and 2021 by estimating the time-varying reproduction number (Rt) and exploring its association with various public health interventions at the national and regional levels. Ghana experienced four pandemic waves, with epidemic peaks in July 2020 and January, August, and December 2021. The epidemic peak was the highest nationwide in December 2021 with Rt ≥ 2. Throughout 2020 and 2021, per-capita cumulative case count by region increased with population size. Mobility data suggested a negative correlation between Rt and staying home during the first 90 days of the pandemic. The …

College Of Public Heath News, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health News (2011-2023)

• Georgia Southern Graduate Credits Independent Study and Mentor for Success in Public Health

College Of Public Heath News, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health News (2011-2023)

• ‘Rising star’ graduate: Sylvia Ofori’s Journey from Ghana to Georgia Southern to Harvard

College Of Public Heath News, Georgia Southern University

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health News (2011-2023)

• Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health Establishes Development Council
• Georgia Southern Enlisted to Help Fight COVID-19 in Georgia’s Confinement Facilities

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Behaviors And Mental Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review, Kara C. Middleton

Honors College Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic had many negative impacts on healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, specialist care providers closed their offices to reduce transmission. Maternal healthcare was severely impacted. Mothers were unable to receive the prenatal and perinatal care they needed. Other specialist care, such as mental healthcare was severely impacted as well. There was also a lack of prenatal care occurring due to offices being closed. There is an established link between anxiety, depression, emotional eating, and Gestational weight gain. Gestational Weight Gain is associated with a higher prevalence of behavioral health conditions that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Characterization Of Folic Acid, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate And Synthetic Folinic Acid In The High-Affinity Folate Transporters: Impact On Pregnancy And Development, Ana M. Palacios, Rachel A. Feiner, Robert M. Cabrera

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Objectives:

Folates are B vitamins that are essential for several molecular, cellular, and biological processes, including nucleotide synthesis, methylation, and methionine cycling. The physiological impacts of these processes on health also extend to cell proliferation, folate deficiency anemia, and reduction of the risk of birth defects during pregnancy. The primary objective of this study was to characterize the binding affinities of different folate forms, folic acid (FA), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF), and folinic acid, to the folate receptors α and β, and to the bovine milk folate binding protein. These three dietary forms of folate are found in enriched grains (FA), various …