Public Health Commons^™

Eco-Anxiety In Undergraduates: An Exploration Of Western Washington University Students’ Beliefs Of And Personal Experiences With Climate Change And Ecological Crisis, Kathryn Lee

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Objectives: To examine the prevalence, population demographics, and experiential trends of eco-anxiety among undergraduates at a medium-sized university in Washington State.

Participants: 194 undergraduate students at Western Washington University participated in a survey disseminated in April and May of 2023.

Methods: Participants completed an online cross-sectional survey with sociodemographic information. The survey featured questions from three questionnaires: the Eco-Anxiety Questionnaire, a global youth survey published in the Lancet, and a climate anxiety scale addressing negative beliefs and personal experiences of climate change and the ecological crisis. Analyses were performed with SPSS 29.

Results: Findings suggest a high prevalence of eco-anxiety …

We Walk In Different Worlds, Olivia Dong

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Living in a racist society negatively effects the health and wellbeing of people of color in ways that can be felt in everyday life. People of color experience higher levels of stress due to exposure to racism at multiple societal levels including systemic racism and interpersonal discrimination. Elevated stress is a precursor to many health conditions, and contributes to explaining racial health disparities seen across America. This oral history record displays some examples of what racialization looks like and how racism has affected BIPOC health. Understanding that race is a social construct but racism causes serious health effects is necessary …

Western Washington University Students’ Relationships, Sexual Behaviors, And Experiences Of Intimacy During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Avia Breiter

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Introduction: College students were uniquely affected by the pandemic because of transitions in living situations and a lack of social connection. The current study explored students’ relationships, experiences of intimacy, and sexual behaviors during March 2020 to March 2021 of the pandemic.

Method: A convenience sample (N=288) of WWU students participated in an online survey. Data indicated participants were majority women (66.9%), white (74.2%), and varied in sexual orientations (heterosexual (47.8%); bisexual (25.7%); LGQ+ (24.5%)). This mixed methods survey comprised questions about individuals’ pandemic context, relationships, intimacy, and sexual behaviors alone and with others.

Results: The majority of respondents (67.1%) …

Reflections On A Qualitative Public Health Study: The Experience Of College Students With Type 1 Diabetes During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Isaac Heiman

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought novel challenges for many people, and college students with type 1 diabetes were no exception. College students with type 1 diabetes must manage their blood sugar levels unlike their non-diabetic peers. Also, conducting a public health qualitative research project is an extensive process that follows a non-linear path to completion. The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of college students with type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic with the intention to inspire changes on college campuses to better support this student population. In addition, the reflections throughout this paper …

No Strife In Reslife: Creating A Survey To Measure Resident Advisor Stress Over Time, Isaac Nicholl

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Background: The resident advisor (RA) position at universities has many difficult job responsibilities that impact stress. This stress can lead to burnout among RAs, which will negatively impact the on-campus communities. Purpose: The purpose of our study is to design a standardized survey to gather quantitative and qualitative data on which aspects of the RA position cause the most stress, so that University Reslife can evaluate where and how to support RAs better. Methods: Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) was adapted in the first part of the survey to measure participant’s individual perception of stress. The RA position was broken …

What You Wish Your Partner Knew: A Mixed Methods Study On Western Washington University Students' Sexual Satisfaction, Kess Nelson

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Introduction: Sexual satisfaction, often viewed only through the lens of physical satisfaction, also includes emotional satisfaction and is influenced by sociocultural determinants, such as gender and sexual orientation. This mixed-methods study explored these facets of satisfaction among Western Washington University students. Method: A large convenience sample (N = 924) of college students participated in an online survey from October 2020 to January 2021. Participants were majority women (68%), 43.7% in a relationship and 56.3% single, and identified as a variety of sexual orientations: heterosexual (52%), bisexual (24%), LGQ+ (24%). Participants responded to closed-ended survey questions about sexual satisfaction and 1 …

Left To Their Own Devices: A Social Marketing Campaign, Kathryn Poole

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

An analysis and social marketing campaign addressing excessive screen time usage among children aged 2-5 on the Quileute Reservation

Covid-19 Impact Assessment And Future Strategies, Sarah Thorsteinson, Lina Albernaz, Renee Bailey, Ellis Baril, Miranda Boitano, Caysea Browne, Kaitlyn Browne, Maggie Christie, Antonia Gschwend, Sofie Halverson, Madeline Hazenberg, Sloane Perkins, Savannah Schell, Devon Sherwood, Derek Simmons

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This capstone project is in collaboration with Dr. Liz Mogford’s sociology capstone project titled Population Health Advocacy. The class was invited by the Whatcom County Health Department to conduct research on city and county Community Health Improvement priorities. These priorities include racial equity, youth mental health, housing and economic security. As part of a research team, we conducted interviews with 30 participants who were identified for their expertise in these priority areas. Our class was split into priority subgroups to conduct interviews and then, as an entire class, we analyzed our interviews to find commonalities across the three priorities. Our …

College Students’ Experiences Of Sexual Violence At Western Washington University, Zoë Evans-Agnew

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Introduction: Individual and structural factors like student demographic characteristics, a Greek system, Division I athletics, substance use, and university size, facilitate sexual violence (SV) on college campuses. This study examined SV experiences of students at Western Washington University, a large, residential, public school without a Greek system or major athletic presence.

Method: Data were collected from October 2020 to January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. A large convenience sample (N = 924) of college students participated in an online survey. Participants were majority women (68%), white (77%), and identified as a variety of sexual orientations: heterosexual (52%), bisexual (24%), LGQ+ …

Examining Perception Of Sti And Pregnancy Risk And Prevention Among A Sample Of College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Emily Van Deinse

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Introduction: College students tend to engage in higher risk sexual behaviors. However, contraception use varies by prevention focus (STI vs pregnancy prevention) and a person’s perception of themselves as a contraceptive user. Research questions pertained to three main topics: sexual behaviors, STI perception and prevention, and pregnancy perception and prevention. This study examined if college students’ gender identity, sexual orientation, and relationship status affected their perception of STI and/or pregnancy prevention efforts.

Methods: We recruited a convenience sample of college students (N=924) at a mid-sized Pacific Northwest university to take an online survey during the months of October to January …

Trauma In The Classroom: A Manual For Training University Faculty And Staff In Survivor Support, Laura Meerdink

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

A manual for training university faculty and staff in supporting trauma survivors in an academic setting. Professors are often seen as a confidant for students. This training provides them with the tools and knowledge to be that while maintaining personal boundaries.

Advance Care Planning In Whatcom County, Marie Eaton

Palliative Care Institute

Marie Eaton, Chair, Northwest Life Passages Coalition Community Champion, Palliative Care Institute made a presentation on April 16, 2019, "Healthcare Decisions Day" to the Chuckanut Health Foundation on the topic of "Advance Care Planning in Whatcom County".

Contemporary Issues In North-South Health Research Partnerships: Perspectives Of Health Research Stakeholders In Zambia, Tulani Francis L. Matenga, Joseph Mumba Zulu, J. Hope Corbin Phd, Oliver Mweemba

Human Services

Background: The late 1990s and early 2000s have seen a growth in north-south health research partnerships resulting from scientific developments such as those in genetic studies and development of statistical techniques and technological requirements for the analysis of large datasets. Despite these efforts, there is inadequate information representing the voice of African researchers as stakeholders experiencing partnership arrangements, particularly in Zambia. Furthermore, very little attention has been paid to capturing the practice of guidelines within partnerships. In this paper, we present achievements and highlight challenges faced by southern partners in north-south health research partnerships.

Methods: A qualitative inquiry was employed …

Embodied Control: Biopolitics In The Water Crisis Of Flint, Mi And Appalachian Coal, Sarah Wheeler

Occam's Razor

Flint, Michigan still doesn't have clean water or safe pipes. On the border between West Virginia and Pennsylvania, a coal ash pond called Little Blue Run has been leaking toxic metals into nearby streams for four decades (Patterson, 2018). While these two regions differ in their location and history, similarities can be contextualized and understood based on class, race, state sanctioned water contamination, the exploitation of natural resources, and environmental crimes. Given the factors at work when water crises occur, it is crucial to recognize the United States' practice of knowingly poisoning their citizens, to draw parallels between the practice …

"Family Planning In Rwanda Is Not Seen As Population Control, But Rather As A Way To Empower The People": Examining Rwanda's Success In Family Planning From The Perspective Of Public And Private Stakeholders, Hilary Schwandt, Seth Feinberg, Akrofi Akotiah, Tong Yuan Douville, Elliot V. Gardner, Claudette Imbabazi, Erin Mcquin, Maha Mohamed, Alexis Rugoyera, Diuedonne' Musemakweli, Cliff Wes Nichols, Nelly Uwajeneza Nyangezi, Joshua Serrano Arizmendi, Doopashika Welikala, Benjamin Yamuragiye, Liliana Zigo

Fairhaven Faculty Publications

Background: Rwanda has made significant strides in improving the health of its people, including increasing access to and use of family planning. Contraceptive use has increased from 17% to 53% in just one decade, from 2005 to 2015.

Methods: The data consist of 13 in-depth interviews conducted with family planning program experts in Rwanda to better understand the mechanisms for success, elucidate remaining challenges, speculate on the future of the program, and discuss potential applicability for translating aspects of the program in other settings.

Results: All respondents first noted the positive aspects of government will, leadership, and management of the …

Ambiguities In Washington State Hospital Policies, Irrespective Of Catholic Affiliation, Regarding Abortion And Contraception Service Provision, Hilary Schwandt, Bethany Sparkle, Moriah Post-Kinney

Fairhaven Faculty Publications

Background: In 2014, the governor of Washington State mandated that all hospitals publically post a reproductive health policy amidst concerns about the lack of clarity among the public how hospitals handled various aspects of reproductive health care.

Methods: The objective of this study is to assess the clarity of abortion and contraception service provision in the hospital reproductive health policies for the public in Washington State. All Washington State hospital reproductive health policies (n = 88) were analyzed in 2016 using content analysis. Results were stratified by Catholic religious affiliation of the hospital.

Results: There were more similarities than differences …

Inadequate Birth Spacing Is Perceived As Riskier Than All Family Planning Methods, Except Sterilization And Abortion, In A Qualitative Study Among Urban Nigerians, Hilary Schwandt, Joanna Skinner, Luciana Estelle Hebert, Lisa Cobb, Abdulmumin Saad, Mojisola Odeku

Fairhaven Faculty Publications

Background

Fertility is high in Nigeria and contraceptive use is low. Little is known about how urban Nigerians perceive the risk of contraceptive use in relation to pregnancy and birth. This study examines and compares the risk perception of family planning methods and pregnancy related scenarios among urban Nigerians.

Methods

A total of 26 focus group discussions with 243 participants were conducted in September and October 2010 in Ibadan and Kaduna. The groups were stratified by sex, age, family planning use, and city. Study participants were asked to identify the risk associated with six different family planning methods and four …

Gyno Girl: Power, Practice, Podcasting, Rosa Tobin

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Gyno Girl is a women's health podcast, produced with the aim to simultaneously stimulate and de-stigmatize open dialogue on women's health. Podcasting as a medium creates a space for practicing open dialogue on women's health. Rosa wants women to hear other women talking about women's health—She wants women to be walking around in public with other women's voices in their ears openly sharing their experiences getting a Pap Smear, signing up for health insurance, or getting the birth control shot in their butt.

Additionally:

Gyno Girl Website - http://gynogirl.org/

Gyno Girl Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/gynogirl

Recorded Version of May 5th Presentation …

Contraceptive Service Provider Imposed Restrictions To Contraceptive Access In Urban Nigeria, Hilary Schwandt, Ilene S. Speizer, Meghan Corroon

Fairhaven Faculty Publications

Background: Health service providers can restrict access to contraceptives through their own imposed biases about method appropriateness. In this study, provider biases toward contraceptive service provision among urban Nigerian providers was assessed.

Methods: Health providers working in health facilities, as well as pharmacists and patent medical vendors (PMV), in Abuja, Benin City, Ibadan, Ilorin, Kaduna, and Zaria, were surveyed in 2011 concerning their self-reported biases in service provision based on age, parity, and marital status.

Results: Minimum age bias was the most common bias while minimum parity was the least common bias reported by providers. Condoms were …

“Doctors Are In The Best Position To Know…”: The Perceived Medicalization Of Contraceptive Method Choice In Ibadan And Kaduna, Nigeria, Hilary Schwandt, Joanna Skinner, Abdulmumin Saad, Lisa Cobb

Fairhaven Faculty Publications

Objectives

The medicalization and clinic-based distribution of contraceptive methods have been criticized as barriers to increasing levels of contraceptive use in Nigeria and other settings; however, our understanding of how clients themselves perceive the contraceptive method decision-making process is very limited.

Methods

Focus group discussions among men and women in Ibadan and Kaduna, Nigeria, were used to examine attitudes and norms surrounding contraceptive method decision-making in September and October of 2010.

Results

Choosing a family planning method was presented as a medical decision: best done by a doctor who conducts clinical tests on the client to determine the best, side …

Preventing Anorexia In Adolescents Through Empowerment And Education (Paattee), Mimi Boumatar, Emma Hefton, Alex Johnston-Thomas, Dillon Van Rensburg

Western Libraries Undergraduate Research Award

Preventing Anorexia in Adolescents Through Empowerment and Education (PAATEE) is a primary preventive program that aims to reduce the risk of adolescent females from developing anorexia nervosa (AN) by using an evidence-based, multilevel approach. The program intends to reduce the risk of AN by influencing the social environment surrounding body image, increasing self-efficacy in program participants, providing education about eating disorders, and promoting intuitive eating practices.

Grant Peer Review: Improving Inter-Rater Reliability With Training, David N. Sattler, Patrick E. Mcknight, Linda Naney, Randy Mathis

Psychology Faculty and Staff Publications

This study developed and evaluated a brief training program for grant reviewers that aimed to increase inter-rater reliability, rating scale knowledge, and effort to read the grant review criteria. Enhancing reviewer training may improve the reliability and accuracy of research grant proposal scoring and funding recommendations. Seventy-five Public Health professors from U.S. research universities watched the training video we produced and assigned scores to the National Institutes of Health scoring criteria proposal summary descriptions. For both novice and experienced reviewers, the training video increased scoring accuracy (the percentage of scores that reflect the true rating scale values), inter-rater reliability, and …

What Is The Relationship Between Outdoor Time And Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, And Physical Fitness In Children? A Systematic Review, Casey Gray, Rebecca Gibbons, Richard Larouche, Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter, Adam Bienenstock, Mariana Brussoni, Guylaine Chabot, Susan Herrington, Ian Janssen, William Pickett, Marlene Power, Nicholas Stanger, Margaret Sampson, Mark S. Tremblay

Environmental Studies Faculty and Staff Publications

The objective of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between outdoor time and: (1) physical activity, (2) cardiorespiratory fitness, (3) musculoskeletal fitness, (4) sedentary behaviour; or (5) motor skill development in children aged 3–12 years. We identified 28 relevant studies that were assessed for quality using the GRADE framework. The systematic review revealed overall positive effects of outdoor time on physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and cardiorespiratory fitness, although causality could not be assumed due to a lack of RCTs. Motor skill development was unrelated to outdoor time; however, this relationship was only examined in a single study of …

What Is The Relationship Between Risky Outdoor Play And Health In Children? A Systematic Review, Mariana Brussoni, Rebecca Gibbons, Casey Gray, Takuro Ishikawa, Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter, Adam Bienenstock, Guylaine Chabot, Pamela Fuselli, Susan Herrington, Ian Janssen, William Pickett, Marlene Power, Nicholas Stanger, Margaret Sampson, Mark S. Tremblay

Environmental Studies Faculty and Staff Publications

Risky outdoor play has been associated with promoting children’s health and development, but also with injury and death. Risky outdoor play has diminished over time, concurrent with increasing concerns regarding child safety and emphasis on injury prevention. We sought to conduct a systematic review to examine the relationship between risky outdoor play and health in children, in order to inform the debate regarding its benefits and harms. We identified and evaluated 21 relevant papers for quality using the GRADE framework. Included articles addressed the effect on health indicators and behaviours from three types of risky play, as well as risky …

The Effect Of A Five-Week Exercise Intervention Using Emg Biofeedback On Scapular Stabilizer Muscle Activation And Scapular Kinematics., Samantha Gunderson

Scholars Week

This study investigated the effects of a five-week EMG biofeedback intervention on scapular stabilizer muscle activation, and scapular kinematics, in a healthy population. Twenty subjects participated in the study (n = 10 exercise with biofeedback, n = 10 exercise only). Both groups participated in exercises targeted at activating the serratus anterior and lower trapezius muscles three days a week for five weeks. The exercise with biofeedback group completed a biofeedback session once a week. All subjects were tested at baseline, week 6, and week 8 for muscle activation of the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (UT), and serratus anterior (SA), …

Perceived Risks Associated With Contraceptive Method Use Among Men And Women In Ibadan And Kaduna, Nigeria, Hilary Schwandt, Joanna Skinner, Luciana E. Hebert, Abdulmumin Saad

Fairhaven Faculty Publications

Research shows that side effects are often the most common reason for contraceptive non-use in Nigeria; however, research to date has not explored the underlying factors that influence risk and benefit perceptions associated with specific contraceptive methods in Nigeria. A qualitative study design using focus group discussions was used to explore social attitudes and beliefs about family planning methods in Ibadan and Kaduna, Nigeria. A total of 26 focus group discussions were held in 2010 with men and women of reproductive age, disaggregated by city, sex, age, marital status, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and—for women only—family planning experience. A discussion guide …

Evaluation Of Community-Academic Partnership: Lessons From Latinos In A Network For Cancer Control, Hope Corbin, Maria E. Fernandez, Patricia D. Mullen

Woodring College of Education Faculty Publications

Established in 2002, Latinos in a Network for Cancer Control (LINCC) is a community-academic network supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. LINCC includes >130 individuals from 65 community and academic organizations committed to reducing cancer-related health disparities. Using an empirically derived systems model—the Bergen Model of Collaborative Functioning—as the analytic frame, we interviewed 19 partners to identify challenges and successful processes. Findings indicated that sustained partner interaction created “meaningful relationships” that were routinely called upon for collaboration. The leadership was regarded positively on vision, charisma, and capacity. Limitations included over-reliance on a …

Producing Synergy In Collaborations: A Successful Hospital Innovation, Lise Corwin, Hope Corbin, Maurice B. Mittelmark

Woodring College of Education Faculty Publications

Patient malnutrition in hospitals is common and impedes recovery. Part of the problem is that hospitals are organised around diagnosis and treatment, not for good nutrition. This paper describes a Norwegian hospital’s nutrition innovation that enhanced collaboration across and within the hospital hierarchy. The Bergen Model of Collaborative Functioning was the analysis framework for the study reported here. Success factors included having a clear mission, a sound implementation plan, leader commitment, trust and coordination, committed partners, clear structure, rules and roles, face-to-face communication, celebrating accomplishments underway, and utilising the surrounding context to give the innovation visibility and publicity.

Mapping Synergy And Antagony In North–South Partnerships For Health: A Case Study Of The Tanzanian Women’S Ngo Kiwakkuki, Hope Corbin, Maurice B. Mittelmark, Gro Th. Lie

Woodring College of Education Faculty Publications

North–South partnerships for health aim to link resources, expertise and local knowledge to create synergy. The literature on such partnerships presents an optimistic view of the promise of partnership on one hand, contrasted by pessimistic depictions of practice on the other. Case studies are called for to provide a more intricate understanding of partnership functioning, especially viewed from the Southern perspective. This case study examined the experience of the Tanzanian women's NGO, KIWAKKUKI, based on its long history of partnerships with Northern organizations, all addressing HIV/AIDS in the Kilimanjaro region. KIWAKKUKI has provided education and other services since its inception …

Levels, Trends, And Reasons For Contraceptive Discontinuation, Sarah E.K. Bradley, Hilary Schwandt, Shane Khan

Fairhaven Faculty Publications

Contraceptive discontinuations contribute substantially to the total fertility rate, unwanted pregnancies, and induced abortions. This study examines levels and trends in contraceptive switching, contraceptive failure, and abandonment of contraception while still in need of pregnancy prevention. Data come from the two most recent Demographic and Health Surveys in Armenia, Bangladesh, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Results show that contraceptive discontinuation in the first year of use is common (18 to 63 percent across countries), and that the majority of these discontinuations are among women who are still in need of contraception: between 12 and 47 percent …