Public Health Commons^™

Assessment Of The Utilization Of Healthcare Services Specific To Pregnancy-Related Complications In Rural And Medically Underserved Georgia, Diana L. Aguirre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maternal mortality is a continuing issue, with rates for the state of Georgia (3.7 per 100,000 live births) are higher than that of the US rates (2.9 per 100,000 per live births) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, n.d., 2023). However, maternal mortality may not account for health disparity factors, apart from access to quality care and physiological issues, which is a factor in pregnancy-related deaths, Pregnancy-related death, as defined by the US Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), is a death of a woman that occurs during or within one year of pregnancy that …

Perceptions Of Hypertension And Treatment Adherence In Impoverished Hypertensive Adults: A Qualitative Analysis, Sarah E. Hogg

Honors College Theses

Hypertension is a global public health crisis. It is the largest risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death globally (CDC, 2021). While it can be managed, there are additional barriers that hypertensive impoverished populations face in regards to hypertension management. The purpose of this study was to explore knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of hypertension, and treatment adherence in impoverished hypertensive adults. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, and were explained within the context of the health belief model. The results show that there was a lack of understanding of hypertension and its long term effects. …

Impact Of Public Health Nurse Training On Their Perception To Provide Hypertension And Diabetes Care To Patients In Their Communities., Stephen Goggans, Jean O'Connor, Elena A. Wood, Elizabeth Sacksteder Laclair, Kathryn Martin, Paul Wallach

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

To evaluate the impact of protocol training by a medical school and public health department on nurses’ perceptions to deliver care to patients with hypertension and diabetes.

Training was delivered using the Georgia Diabetes and Hypertension Nurse protocols for public health nurses. A survey was developed and distributed post training to participants. The training included lectures, workshops, case discussions, simulation, and physical examination practice on standardized patients. Participants were asked about perceptions, both before and after training completion regarding frequency in changing practice and confidence in treating hypertension and diabetes for six items.

Perceived levels of confidence for all questionnaire …

Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine Among People With Cardiovascular Diseases In Southeast Georgia, Chimuanya Okoli, Stacy Carswell, Sewuese Akuse, Kelly Sullivan

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Proper treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease is essential and can be challenged by non-disclosed use of complementary or alternative treatments. The objective of this study was to assess which demographics were associated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and if education affects the use of CAM.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a stratified random sample of residents of Southeastern Georgia. Sampling was stratified by urban/rural residence in order to reach sufficient rural residents. Participants that indicated they had been diagnosed with hypertension or …

Safety Constraint Optimization Of Combination Drug Therapy In Hypertension Clinical Trials, Victor Chukwu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Clinical Practice, combination drug therapy has become common in treating many disease conditions. The purpose of these combinations is often to ensure optimal efficacy and to reduce adverse effects that may arise from monotherapy. Clinical trials have also been conducted to ensure efficacy and safety of these combinations before they are introduced into the market. However, adverse effects still occur with combination therapies. The objective of this study is to (1) To determine a region of optimum doses of Drug A and Drug B in combination while focusing on efficacy alone (2) To determine a region of optimum doses …

Teach Kitchen: A Chronological Review Of Accomplishments, Jung Hee Chae, Benjamin E. Ansa, Selina A. Smith

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The Eating and Cooking Healthy (TEACH) Kitchen was founded at the Medical College of Georgia in 2015 as a nutrition-based intervention to combat the high prevalence of obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases in the area of Augusta, Georgia. Despite the importance of diet in the management of chronic diseases, inadequate nutrition education among patients and healthcare providers presents a barrier. The purpose of TEACH Kitchen is to address this gap.

Methods: TEACH Kitchen is as a student-led initiative that promotes healthy cooking among medical students and patients with chronic diseases. Healthy nutrition and cooking classes are held during the …

Partnership Between Academic And Public Health To Train Public Health Nurses New Chronic Diseases Protocols, Kathryn Martin, Elena Wood, Stephen Goggans, Anthony Mulloy, Shilpa Brown, Paul Wallach

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Georgia (29% in 2013). Diabetes (DM) and hypertension (HTN) are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In 2013, the prevalence of diabetes was 11% and of hypertension was 35% of the state’s adult population. There are not sufficient healthcare providers to manage these patients. To address this concern, the DPH Chronic Disease Prevention Section contracted with the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Augusta University to design and implement an innovative training program for Georgia public health nurses on diabetes and …

Analysis Of Hypertension Control Rates Among Participants In The Georgia Hypertension Management And Outreach Program, Sara Byers, Jean O'Connor, Kia Powell-Threets, Brittany Taylor, Kia Padgett, Melissa K. Hallow

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: This study utilized health department electronic medical records retrospectively to evaluate hypertension control rates achieved by the Georgia Hypertension Management and Outreach Program (HMOP), an education, screening, and treatment control program that provides services, including blood pressure screening and assessment, referral to physicians, counseling, educational material, disease case management, and treatment.

Methods: Hypertension control rates after at least 6 months of study participation were determined for patients participating in the program for at least 6 months between 2010 and 2014, and for African American and uninsured subgroups.

Results: The overall hypertension control rate was 61.1%, above the 2012 national …

The Eating And Cooking Healthy (Teach) Kitchen: A Research Protocol, Sashia White, Roberto Alva-Ruiz, Lucia Chen, Jason Conger, Christopher Kuang, Cameron Murphy, Najeah Okashah, Eric Ollila, Selina A. Smith, Benjamin E. Ansa

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Diet-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia have affected millions of individuals, resulting in disease-related complications and mortality. Strategies that may improve the outcome of chronic disease management include modification of lifestyle risk factors such as unhealthy diets. TEACH Kitchen is an experiential education program related to community nutrition, the goal of which is to teach patients management of chronic disease through dietary change.

Methods: Adults (n=144) ≥18 years old and their children (n=144) 7-17 years old will complete four 2-hour sessions. Components of each session will include brief nutrition education (20 min), an interactive cooking …

Impact Of The Georgia Charitable Care Network On Cost Savings From Lowering Blood Pressure And Decreasing Emergency Department Use, Phaedra Corso, Rebecca Walcott, Justin Ingels

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: The Georgia Charitable Care Network (GCCN) is a non-profit organization whose primary mission is to foster collaborative partnerships to deliver compassionate health care to low-income, uninsured individuals. Hypertension screening and management is a service provide by 90+ clinics in the GCCN statewide.

Methods: With data from N=1661 patients who were screened and treated for hypertension at n=12 clinics in 2013, the impact of hypertension management on blood pressure levels, the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, and utilization of emergency departments (EDs) were examined. The resulting changes in healthcare utilization were converted to changes in healthcare costs …

A Needs Assessment Of Hypertension In Georgia, Faye Lopez, Marylen Rimando, Harshali Khapekar

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Hypertension is a leading cause of stroke, coronary artery disease, heart attack, and heart and kidney failure in the United States. In Georgia, the percentage of those with hypertension and related diseases remain above the national average. The aim of this paper is to offer a basic review of hypertension including physical complications of the disease and to provide statistics regarding the scope of hypertension in the state of Georgia. Additionally, the paper provides insights on current hypertension programs such as the National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). In conclusion, a statewide …

The Effect Of Dosage Regimen On Medication Compliance, Ernest William Keich

Legacy ETDs

According to recent data, between 25% and 50% of patients are noncompliant in their therapy regimen in some manner. The fourth report of the Joint National Committee on the Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (Neal, 1989) states that noncompliance is the major problem in hypertension control.

It was hypothesized there would be a difference in the compliance of hypertensive patients whose medication regimen consisted of single daily dosing as opposed to those patients whose regimen consisted of two or more times a day dosing.

Potential subjects for the study were hypertensive patients selected from a rural, southeastern …